THE SECOND CHAPTER
How Apuleius tolde to the twoo straungers,
what he sawe a Jugler doo in AthensTHE other night, beinge at supper with
sorte of hungry fellowes, while I did
greedely put a great morsell of meate
in my mouth, that was fried with the
flower of cheese and barley, it cleaved
so fast in the passage of my throate,
and stopped my winde, in such sort that I was welnie
choked. And yet at Athens before the porche there,
called Peale, I sawe with these eies, a Jugler that
swalowed up a twoo hand swoorde, with a very
keene edge, and by and by, for a litle money that
we, that looked on, gave him, he devoured a chasing
speare, with the pointe downward. And after that
hee had convaide the whole speare within the closure
of his bodie, and brought it out againe behinde, there
appeared on the toppe thereof (whiche caused us all
to marvell) a fayre boye, pleasaunt and nimble, wind-
inge and turninge him selfe in such sorte, that you
would suppose that he had neither bone nor gristle,
and verely thinke that he were the naturall Serpent,
crepinge and slidinge on the knotted staffe, whiche
the God of Medicine is feigned to beare. But turn-
inge me to him that began his Tale, I pray you
(quoth I) follow your purpose, and I alone will
give credite unto you, and for your paines will pay
your charges at the next Inne we come unto. To
whome he aunsweared, Certes sir, I thanke you for
your gentle offer, and at your request, I will proceade
in my tale: but first I will sweare unto you by the