Then I (understanding the cause of his miserable
estate) said unto him: In faith thou art woorthy to
sustaine the most extreme miserie and calamitie,
whiche hast defiled and maculate thine owne bodie,
forsaken thy wife traiterouslie, and dishonoured thy
children, parentes, and friendes, for the love of a vile
harlot and olde strumpet. When Socrates harde
mee raile against Meroe in such sorte, he helde up
his finger to me, and as halfe abashed, said: peace,
peace, I pray you, and (lookmge about least any per-
son should here,) I pray you (quoth he) take heede
what you say against so venerable a woman as she is,
lest by your intemperate tongue you catche some
harme. Then (with resemblance of admiration)
What (quoth I) is she so excellent a person as
you name her to be? I pray you tell me. Then
answeared he, verely she is a Magicien, whiche hath
power to rule the Heavens, to bringe downe the skie,
to beare up the earth, to turne the waters into hilles,
and the hilles into runninge waters, to lift up the
terrestriall spirites into the ayre, and to pull the God-
des out of the heavens, to extinguishe the Planetes,
and to lighten the deepe darkenes of hell. Then
said I unto Socrates, I pray thee leave of this high
and mysticall kinde of talke, and tell the matter in
a more plaine and simple fashion. Then answeared
he, will you heare one or twoo, or mo of her factes,
which she hath done, for where as she enforceth,
not onely the inhabitantes of the countrey here,
but also the Indians and the Aethiopes the one and
the other, and also the Antictons, to love her in
moste raginge sorte, such are but trifles and chippes
of her occupation, but I pray you give eare, and I
will declare of more greater matters whiche she hath
done openly and before the face of all men.