THE FIFTH CHAPTER


How Socrates and Aristomenus slept together in one Chamber, and how they
were handled by Witches.

In speaking these words, and devising with my selfe of our departing the
next morrow, lest Meroe the witch should play by us as she had done by
divers other persons, it fortuned that Socrates did fall asleepe, and
slept very soundly, by reason of his travell and plenty of meat and wine
wherewithall hee had filled him selfe. Wherefore I closed and barred
fast the doores of the chamber, and put my bed behinde the doore, and
so layed mee downe to rest. But I could in no wise sleepe, for the great
feare which was in my heart, untill it was about midnight, and then I
began to slumber. But alas, behold suddenly the chamber doores brake
open, and locks, bolts, and posts fell downe, that you would verily have
thought that some Theeves had been presently come to have spoyled and
robbed us. And my bed whereon I lay being a truckle bed, fashioned in
forme of a Cradle, and one of the feet broken and rotten, by violence
was turned upside downe, and I likewise was overwhelmed and covered
lying in the same. Then perceived I in my selfe, that certaine affects
of the minde by nature doth chance contrary. For as teares oftentimes
trickle downe the cheekes of him that seeth or heareth some joyfull
newes, so I being in this fearfull perplexity, could not forbeare
laughing, to see how of Aristomenus I was made like unto a snail [in]
his shell. And while I lay on the ground covered in this sort, I peeped
under the bed to see what would happen. And behold there entred in two
old women, the one bearing a burning torch, and the other a sponge and
a naked sword; and so in this habit they stood about Socrates being