that he verily seemed as a common begger that standeth in the streets to
crave the benevolence of the passers by. Towards whom (howbeit he was my
singular friend and familiar acquaintance, yet half in despaire) I drew
nigh and said, Alas my Socrates, what meaneth this? how faireth it with
thee? What crime hast thou committed? verily there is great lamentation
and weeping for thee at home: Thy children are in ward by decree of
the Provinciall Judge: Thy wife (having ended her mourning time in
lamentable wise, with face and visage blubbered with teares, in such
sort that she hath well nigh wept out both her eyes) is constrained by
her parents to put out of remembrance the unfortunate losse and lacke of
thee at home, and against her will to take a new husband. And dost thou
live here as a ghost or hogge, to our great shame and ignominy?

Then he answered he to me and said, O my friend Aristomenus, now
perceive I well that you are ignorant of the whirling changes, the
unstable forces, and slippery inconstancy of Fortune: and therewithall
he covered his face (even then blushing for very shame) with his rugged
mantle insomuch that from his navel downwards he appeared all naked.

But I not willing to see him any longer in such great miserie and
calamitie, took him by the hand and lifted him up from the ground: who
having his face covered in such sort, Let Fortune (quoth he) triumph yet
more, let her have her sway, and finish that which shee hath begun.
And therewithall I put off one of my garments and covered him, and
immediately I brought him to the Baine, and caused him to be anointed,
wiped, and the filthy scurfe of his body to be rubbed away; which done,
though I were very weary my selfe, yet I led the poore miser to my Inne,
where he reposed his body upon a bed, and then I brought him meat and
drinke, and so wee talked together: for there we might be merry and
laugh at our pleasure, and so we were, untill such time as he (fetching