not without cause, when as she was compelled to go to the gulfe and
furies of hell. Wherefore without any further delay, she went up to an
high tower to throw her selfe downe headlong (thinking that it was the
next and readiest way to hell) but the tower (as inspired) spake unto
her saying, O poore miser, why goest thou about to slay thy selfe? Why
dost thou rashly yeeld unto thy last perill and danger? know thou that
if thy spirit be once separated from thy body, thou shalt surely go to
hell, but never to returne againe, wherefore harken to me; Lacedemon a
Citie in Greece is not farre hence: go thou thither and enquire for the
hill Tenarus, whereas thou shalt find a hold leading to hell, even to
the Pallace of Pluto, but take heede thou go not with emptie hands to
that place of darknesse: but Carrie two sops sodden in the flour of
barley and Honney in thy hands, and two halfepence in thy mouth. And
when thou hast passed a good part of that way, thou shalt see a lame
Asse carrying of wood, and a lame fellow driving him, who will desire
thee to give him up the sticks that fall downe, but passe thou on and
do nothing; by and by thou shalt come unto a river of hell, whereas
Charon is ferriman, who will first have his fare paied him, before he
will carry the soules over the river in his boat, whereby you may see
that avarice raigneth amongst the dead, neither Charon nor Pluto will
do any thing for nought: for if it be a poore man that would passe over
and lacketh money, he shal be compelled to die in his journey before
they will shew him any reliefe, wherefore deliver to carraine Charon
one of the halfpence (which thou bearest for thy passage) and let him
receive it out of thy mouth. And it shall come to passe as thou sittest
in the boat thou shalt see an old man swimming on the top of the river,
holding up his deadly hands, and desiring thee to receive him into the
barke, but have no regard to his piteous cry; when thou art passed over
the floud, thou shalt espie old women spinning, who will desire thee to
helpe them, but beware thou do not consent unto them in any case, for
these and like baits and traps will Venus set to make thee let fall one
of thy sops, and thinke not that the keeping of thy sops is a light
matter, for if thou leese one of them thou shalt be assured never to
returne againe to this world. Then shalt thou see a great and
marvailous dogge, with three heads, barking continually at the soules
of such as enter in, but he can do them no other harme, he lieth day
and night before the gate of Proserpina, and keepeth the house of Pluto
with great diligence, to whom if thou cast one of thy sops, thou maist
have accesse to Proserpina without all danger: shee will make thee good
cheere, and entertaine thee with delicate meate and drinke, but sit
thou upon the ground, and desire browne bread, and then declare thy
message unto her, and when thou hast received such beauty as she
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