to any justice, lest he should be accused of cowardise or dastardnesse, yet in the end he told some of his companions of all the matter that happened:  then they tooke him and caused him to be closed in some secret place, thinking that beside the injury which he had received, he should be accused of the breach of his faith, by reason of the losse of his speare, and when they had learned the signes of my master, they went to search him out:  at last there was an unfaithfull neighbour that told them where he was, then incontinently the souldiers went to the Justice declaring that they had lost by the way a silver goblet of their Captaines, and that a Gardener had found it, who refusing to deliver the goblet, was hidden in one of his friends houses:  by and by the Magistrates understanding the losse of the Captaine, came to the doores where we were, commanded our host to deliver my master upon paine of death:  howbeit these threatnings could not enforce him to confesse that he was within his doores, but by reason of his faithfull promise and for the safeguard of his friend, he said, that hee saw not the Gardener a great while, neither knew where he was:  the souldiers said contrary, whereby to know the verity of the matter, the Magistrates commanded their Seargants and ministers to search every corner of the house, but when they could find neither Gardener nor Asse, there was a great contention betweene the souldiers and our Host, for they sayd we were within the house:  and he said no, but I that was very curious to know the matter, when I heard so great a noyse, put my head out of the window to learne what the stirre and tumult did signifie.  It fortuned that one of the souldiers perceived my shadow, whereupon he began to cry, saying:  that hee had certainly seene me; then they were all glad and came up into the chamber, and pulled me downe like a prisoner.  When they had found mee, they doubted nothing of the Gardener, but seeking about more narrowly, at length they found him couched in a chest.  And so they brought out the poore gardener to the Justices, who was committed immediately to prison, but they could never forbeare laughing from the time they found me by my shadow, wherefore is risen a common Proverbe:  ‘The shadow of the Asse.’

THE TENTH BOOKE

THE FORTY-FOURTH CHAPTER

How the souldier drave Apuleius away, and how he came to a Captaines house, and what happened there.

The next day how my master the Gardener sped, I knew not, but the gentle souldier, who was well beaten for his cowardise, lead me to his lodging without the contradiction of any man:  Where hee laded me well, and garnished my body (as seemed to me) like an Asse of armes.  For on the one side I bare an helmet that shined exceedingly:  On the other side a Target that glistered more a thousand folde.  And on the top of my burthen he put a long speare, which things he placed thus gallantly, not because