In faith Aristomenus to tell you the truth, this woman had a certain lover, whom by the utterance of one only word she turned into a beaver, because he loved another woman beside her: and the reason why she transformed him into such a beast is, for that it is his nature, when he perceiveth the hunters and hounds to draw after him, to bite off his members, and lay them in the way, that the hounds may be at a stop when they find them, and to the intent it might so happen unto him (for that he fancied another woman) she turned him into that kind of shape.

Similarly she changed one of her neighbours, being an old man and one that sold wine, into a frog, in that he was one of her occupation, and therefore she bare him a grudge, and now the poor miser swimming in one of his pipes of wine, and well-nigh drowned in the dregs, doth cry and call with an hoarse voice, for his old guests and acquaintance that pass by. Likewise she turned one of the advocates of the court (because he pleaded and spake against her in a rightful cause) into a horned ram, and now the poor ram is become an advocate. Moreover she caused, that the wife of a certain lover that she had should never be delivered of her child, but according to the computation of all men, it is eight years past since the poor woman first began to swell, and now she is increased so big, that she seemeth as though she would bring forth some great elephant: which when it was known abroad, and published throughout all the town, they took indignation against her, and ordained that the next day she should most cruelly be stoned to death. Which purpose of theirs she prevented by the virtue of her enchantments, and as Medea (who obtained of King Creon but one days respite before her departure) did burn all his house, him, and his daughter: so she, by her conjurations and invocations of spirits, (which she useth in a certain hole in her house, as she herself declared unto me the next day following) closed all the persons in the town so sure in their houses, and with such violence of power, that for the space of two days they could not get forth, nor open their gates nor door, nor break down their walls, whereby they were enforced by mutual consent to cry unto her, and to bind themselves strictly by oaths, that they would never afterwards molest or hurt her: and moreover, if any did offer her any injury they would be ready to defend her. Whereupon she, moved by their promises, and stirred by pity, released all the town. But she conveyed the principal author of this ordinance about midnight, with all his house, the walls, the ground, and the foundation, into another town, distant from thence an hundred miles, situate and being on the top of an high hill, and by reason thereof destitute of water, and because the edifices and houses were so nigh built together, that it was not possible for the house to stand there, she threw it down before the gate of the town. Then I spake and said Oh my friend Socrates you have declared unto me many marvelous things and strange chances, and moreover stricken me with no small trouble of mind, yea rather with great fear, lest the same old woman using the like practice, should fortune to hear all our communication. Wherefore let us now sleep, and after that we have taken our rest, let us rise betimes in the morning, and ride away hence before day, as far as we can possible.