not able to say any thing els, but that Carpostus had bewitched me, and therefore took him for som cōiurer & wicked person. But first they brought Sarcordus his wife to see if I would seeme to faune more on her (being (as they thought) mother vnto me) then on him, of whom (to be short) I made no more account then of Sarcordus. Wherefore Carpostus said vnto Sarcordus and all the standers by. Why men of sence and reason dote you thus? Be assured the child knowes his owne Father well enough. Commaund him therefore (I beseech you righteous Iudges) to offer no violence to me for carrying away what is mine owne. The Iudges not knowing what to de∣termine in so doubtfull a case, Carpostus said. I know not (graue Iudges) why in a matter so manifest as this, you should suspend your iust iudgment, but that without delay you should proceed to definitiue sentence, vnles you seem to make any more doubt herein, which if you doe, I will cleere it, if it please you to send the child backe againe to my lodging by this boy, who shall incontinently returne with him againe; for whom I will in the meane time remaine heere a pledge, bicause it shall not be saide, that I tooke possession of him before sentence giuen. That being graunted him, he willed the boy that brought me (but secretly in his eare) to carrie me backe, and to bring the other childe, not forgetting to put on his owne coats, who did it in∣continently, and hauing brought Parthenius there before them all, without any more adoe, he ranne to his Father Sarcordus, and to his knowen nurse Sarcordus wife. The Iudges seeing so strange an alteration, and thinking he did what he listed with the child (for they tooke me and Parthenius to be both one) commaunded to lay hands on him for a notable Sorcerer. To whom Carpostus (seeing whereabout they went) said. Though here I am (worthie Iudges) at your disposition and com∣maund, yet do me this fauour (I beseech you) to suspend your doome, vntill you see the end of this matter; it may be you will delight your selues with the conueiance & rare sequele of it. And then he bad the boy carrie back the child, commaunding him softly in his eare to bring me and the other childe backe againe, but both naked. And this he deuised, because Parthenius might not be knowen by his coats. But be∣fore we cam, he requested the Iudges to command Sarcordus & his wife to go aside, or to put themselues amongst the prease of the people, so that the child, when he was commight not see them. They did so, & behold we were both broght naked thither, and playing togither, at the sight whereof the standers by maruelled verie much, and they that came to behold the fame of that which was past, wondring yet a great deale more; and others, that came after vs in the streetes, looking vpon one another in signe of admiration spake not a word, but opened their hands, and sometimes lif∣ted vp their eies to heauen in token of great wonder & admiration. Then with a loud voice Carpostus (before we came) spake thus. One of these children is mine, the other is Sarcordus his. Let him therefore take his owne. But bicause the child by seeing him, may not know him, let him come to claime him behinde the people, and I will also hide me heere. Sarcordus being therefore come in manner aforesaide, and not able to discerne which was his, my nurse saide. Now do you see (graue Iudges and good people assembled to behold the ende of this debate) howe I haue this day (to delight you with a rare noueltie) presented before your eies the strangest wonder in the world, bicause you might not woonder at me, nor repute me for such a foole, as you haue taken me, for that which these fewe daies past I haue done with Partheni∣us, beleeuing he was my sonne, and bicause you might see, whether I had iust cause to claime him with assurednes for mine owne or not. They were all passing glad to see this strange conclusion, and tooke him for a very wise man, in that he had so well
