law of Julia, which commandeth the Adulterers should be put to death:
No no, I will not execute my cruelty against so faire and comely a young
man as you be, but we will devide our pleasure betweene us, by lying
all three in one bed, to the end there may be no debate nor dissention
betweene us, but that either of us may be contented, for I have alwayes
lived with my wife in such tranquillity, that according to the saying
of the wisemen, whatsoever I say, she holdeth for law, and indeed equity
will not suffer, but that the husband should beare more authority then
the wife: with these and like words he led the young-man to his Chamber,
and closed his wife in another Chamber. On the next morrow, he called
two of the most sturdiest Servants of his house, who held up the young
man, while he scourged his buttockes welfavouredly with rods like a
child. When he had well beaten him, he said: Art not thou ashamed, thou
that art so tender and delicate a child, to desire the violation of
honest marriages, and to defame thy selfe with wicked living, whereby
thou hast gotten the name of an Adulterer? After he had spoken these and
like words, he whipped him againe, and chased him out of his house. The
young-man who was the comeliest of all the adulterers, ran away, and
did nothing else that night save onely bewaile his striped and painted
buttockes. Soone after the Baker sent one to his wife, who divorced her
away in his name, but she beside her owne naturall mischiefe, (offended
at this great contumely, though she had worthily deserved the same) had
recourse to wicked arts and trumpery, never ceasing untill she had found
out an Enchantresse, who (as it was thought) could doe what she would
with her Sorcery and conjuration. The Bakers wife began to intreate her,
promising that she would largely recompence her, if shee could bring
one of these things to passe, eyther to make that her husband may be
reconciled to her againe, or else if hee would not agree thereto, to
send an ill spirit into him, to dispossesse the spirit of her husband.
Then the witch with her abhominable science, began to conjure and to