ced him in his armes,
and presented him before the people, with great joy and consolation, and
as he was wrapped and bound in his grave, so he brought him before the
Judges, whereupon the wickednesse of the Servant, and, the treason
of the stepdame was plainely discovered, and the verity of the matter
revealed, whereby the woman was perpetually exiled, the Servant hanged
on a Gallowes, and the Physitian had the Crownes, which was prepared to
buy the poyson. Behold how the fortune of the old man was changed, who
thinking to be deprived of all his race and posterity, was in one moment
made the Father of two Children. But as for me, I was ruled and handled
by fortune, according to her pleasure.

THE FORTY-FIFTH CHAPTER

How Apuleius was sold to two brethren, whereof one was a Baker, and the
other a Cooke, and how finely and daintily he fared.

THE Souldier that payed never a peny for me, by the commandement of his
Captaine was sent unto Rome, to cary Letters to the great Prince, and
Generall of the Campe. Before he went, he sold me for eleven pence to
two of his Companions, being Servants to a man of worship, whereof one
was a Baker that baked sweet bread and delicates, the other a Cooke,
which dressed fine and excellent meats for his Master. These two lived
in common, and would drive me from place to place, to carry such things
as was necessary, insomuch that I was received by these two, as a third
Brother, and Companion, and I thought I was never better placed, then
with them: for when night came that Supper was done, and their businesse
ended, they would bring many good morsels into their Chamber for
themselves. One would bring Pigs, Chickens, fish, and other good meates,
the other fine bread, pasties, tarts, custards and other delicate
Junkets dipped in hony. And when they had shut their chamber doore, and
went to the bains: (O Lord) how I would fill my guts with these goodly
dishes: neither was I so much a foole, or so very an Asse, to leave
the dainty meats, and to grind my teeth upon hard hay. In this sort
I continued a great space, for I played the honest Asse, taking but a
little of one dish, and a little of another, wherby no man distrusted
me. In the end, I was more hardier and began to devoure the whole messes
of the sweet delicates, which caused the Baker and the Cooke to suspect,
howbeit they nothing mistrusted me, but searched about to apprehend the
theefe. At length they began to accuse one anot