who was now condemned to beasts, waxed jealous of her husband and began
to suspect the young woman as a harlot and common queane, insomuch that
shee invented all manner of meanes to dispatch her out of the way. And
in the end shee invented this kind of mischiefe: She privily stale away
her husbands ring, and went into the country, whereas she commanded one
of her trusty servants to take the ring and carry it to the mayden. To
whom he should declare that her brother did pray her to come into the
country to him, and that she should come alone without any person.
And to the end shee should not delay but come with all speed he should
deliver her the ring, which should be a sufficient testimony of the
message. This mayden as soone as she had received the ring of her
brother, being very willing and desirous to obey his commandement: (For
she knew no otherwise but that he had sent for her) went in all hast as
the messenger willed her to doe. But when she was come to the snare and
engine which was prepared for her, the mischievous woman, like one that
were mad, and possessed with some ill spirit, when the poore maiden
called for helpe with a loud voyce to her brother, the wicked harlot
(weening that she had invented and feined the matter) tooke a burning
firebrand and thrust it into her secret place, whereby she died
miserably. The husband of this maiden but especially her brother,
advertised of her death, came to the place where she was slain, and
after great lamentation and weeping, they caused her to be buried
honourably. This yong man her brother taking in ill part the miserable
death of his sister, as it was convenient he should, conceived so great
dolour within his mind and was strucken with so pestilent fury of bitter
anguish, that he fell into the burning passions of a dangerous ague,
whereby he seemed in such necessity, that he needed to have some speedy
remedy to save his life. The woman that slew the Maiden having lost the
name of wife together with her faith, went to a traiterous Physician,
who had killed a great many persons in his dayes and promised him
fifty peeces of Gold, if he would give her a present poyson to kill her
husband out of hand, but in presence of her Husband, she feined that
it was necessary for him to receive a certaine kind of drink, which
the Maisters and Doctours of Physicke doe call a sacred Potion, to the
intent he might purge Choller and scoure the interiour parts of his
body. But the Physiti