After that we had tarried there a few days at the cost and charges of the whole village, and had gotten much money by our divination and prognostication of things to come: the priests of the goddess Syria invented a new means to pick men’s purses, for they had certain lots, whereon were written: Coniuncti terram proscindunt boves ut in futurum loeta germinent sata: that is to say: the Oxen tied and yoked together, do till the ground to the intent it may bring forth his increase: and by these kind of lots they deceive many of the simple sort, for if one had demanded whether he should have a good wife or no, they would say that his lot did testify the same, that he should be tied and yoked to a good woman and have increase of children. If one demanded whether he should buy lands and possession, they said that he should have much ground that should yield his increase. If one demanded whether he should have a good and prosperous voyage, they said he should have good success, and it should be for the increase of his profit. If one demanded whether he should vanquish his enemies, and prevail in pursuit of thieves, they said that this enemy should be tied and yoked to him: and his pursuits after thieves should be prosperous. Thus by the telling of fortunes, they gathered a great quantity of money, but when they were weary with giving of answers, they drave me away before them next night, through a lane which was more dangerous and stony then the way which we went the night before, for on the one side were quagmires and foggy marshes, on the other side were falling trenches and ditches, whereby my legs failed me, in such sort that I could scarce come to the plain field paths. And behold by and by a great company of inhabitants of the town armed with weapons and on horseback overtook us, and incontinently arresting Philebus and his priests, tied them by the necks and beat them cruelly, calling them thieves and robbers, and after they had manacled their hands: Show us (quoth they) the cup of gold, which (under the colour of your solemn religion) ye have taken away, and now ye think to escape in the night without punishment for your fact. By and by one came towards me, and thrusting his hand into the bosom of the goddess Syria, brought out the cup which they had stole. Howbeit for all they appeared evident and plain they would not be confounded nor abashed, but jesting and laughing out the matter, gan say: Is it reason masters that you should thus rigorously entreat us, and threaten for a small trifling cup, which the mother of the goddess determined to give to her sister for a present? Howbeit for all their lies and cavillations, they were carried back unto the town, and put in prison by the inhabitants, who taking the cup of gold, and the goddess which I bare, did put and consecrate them amongst the treasure of the temple. The next day I was carried to the market to be sold, and my price was set at seven pence more then Philebus gave for me. There fortuned to pass by a baker of the next village, who after that he had bought a great deal of corn, bought me likewise to carry it home, and when he had well laded me therewith, be drave me through a thorny and dangerous way to his bakehouse; there I saw a great company of horses that went in the mill day and night grinding of corn, but lest I should be discouraged at the first, my master entertained me well, for the first day I did nothing but fare daintily, howbeit such mine ease and felicity did not long endure, for the next day following I was tied to the mill betimes in the morning with my face covered, to the end in turning amid winding so often one way, I should not become giddy, but keep a certain course, but although when I was a man I had seen many such horse mills and knew well enough how they should be turned, yet feigning myself ignorant of such kind of toil, I stood still and would not go, whereby I thought I should be taken from the mill as an ass unapt, and put to some other light thing, or else to be driven into the fields to pasture, but my subtlety did me small good, for by and by when the mill stood still, the servants came about me, crying and beating me forward, in such sort that I could not stay to advise myself, whereby all the company laughed to see so sudden a change. When a good part of the day was past, that I was not able to endure any longer, they took off my harness, and tied me to the manger, but although my bones were weary, and that I needed to refresh myself with rest and provender, yet I was so curious that I did greatly delight to behold the bakers art, insomuch that I could not eat nor drink while I looked on.

Oh good Lord what a sort of poor slaves were there; some had their skin black and blue, some had their backs striped with lashes, some were covered with rugged sacks, some had their members only hidden: some wore such ragged cloths, that you might perceive all their naked bodies, some were marked and burned in the heads with hot irons, some had their hair half clipped, some had locks of their legs, some very ugly and evil-favoured, that they could scarce see, their eyes and face were so black and dim with smoke, like those that fight in the sands, and know not where they strike by reason of dust: And some had their faces all mealy. But how should I speak of the horses my companions, how they being old and weak, thrust their heads into the manger: they had their necks all wounded and worn away: they rated their nostrils with a continual cough, their sides were bare with their harness and great travel, their ribs were broken with beating, their hooves were battered broad with incessant labour, and their skin rugged by reason of their lankness. When I saw this dreadful sight, I began to fear, least I should come to the like state: and considering with myself the good fortune which I was sometime in when I was a man, I greatly lamented, holding down my head, and would eat no meat, but I saw no comfort or consolation of my evil fortune, saving that my mind was somewhat recreated to hear and understand what every man said, for they neither feared nor doubted my presence. At that time I remembered how Homer the divine author of ancient Poetry, described him to be a wise man, which had travelled diverse countries and nations, wherefore I gave great thanks to my ass for me, in that by this means I had seen the experience of many things, and was become more wise (notwithstanding the great misery and labour which I daily sustained): but I will tell you a pretty jest, which commeth now to my remembrance, to the intent your ears may be delighted in hearing the same.