bigger bellied then other And when the time came that she attended for a good houre she was deliuered of a faire sonne whome some of the Ladies that were present saide hée was like Apollonius the father othersome like king Altistrates the grandfather and others iudged otherwise according as is the custome of women to doe when as God knoweth there is no more likenesse betwéene them sauing that the childe hath the generall shape and proportion of a man than is betwéene Iacke fletcher and his bolt Howbeit the boy was called Altistrates after the grandfathers name for whome there was much ioy and triumphing that it had pleased God to send an heire male to gouerne the land for whose life and preseruation the people daily prayed that as he was like to succéede his grandfather in place and name so hée might also be successour to his father and grandfather in honour and vertue which as they are the true goods so are they the chiefest inheritance of a king and to be preferred before the gréedie séeking for large dominion and riches which are the foolish scales whereby Fortune intrappeth vs But to returne againe to our story great was the care and prouision for the diligent bringing vp of this yoong gentleman who as he grew vp more and more euery day to the strength of lusty youth so his father Apollonius decayed continually through the infirmity of weake olde age Who hauing passed his life with one Ladie the faire Lucina by whome hée had two beautifull children the ladie Tharsia and yoong Altistrates he liued to the age of fourescore and foure yéers and obtained the empire of thrée kingdomes to wit Tyrus Antiochia and Pentapolis whome with the helpe of his sonne in lawe Athanagoras he gouerned peaceably and prosperously Moreouer when hée had disposed the affaires of his realmes vnto such of his nobilitie as were in credite about him although at all times he had recourse vnto his accustomed studies of humanitie yet then especially hée applied his vacant time to his booke and hée wrote the whole storie and discourse of his owne life and aduentures at large the which he caused to be written foorth in two large volumes whereof he sent one to the Temple of Diana at Ephesus and placed the other in his owne library Of which historie this is but a small abstract promising if euer the whole chance to come into my hands to set it forth with all fidelitie diligence and expedition But when the fatall time was come that Apollonius olde age could no longer be sustained by the benefite of nature he fell into certaine cold and drie diseases in which case the knowledge of his physitions could stand him in little stéed either by their cunning or experience For there is no remedie against olde age which if the noble skill of phisicke could euer haue found out doubtlesse it would haue obtained the meanes to haue made the state of man immortall Howbeit God hath determined otherwise and as he appointed all worldly things to haue an end so Apollonius had his dying day wherein in perfect sense and readie memorie hee departed this transitorie life in the sweete armes of his louing ladie Lucina and in the midst of his friendes Nobles Allies kinsfolke and children in great honour and loue of all men His kingdome of Tyrus he gaue by will vnto Athanagoras and his daughter Tharsia and to their heires after them for euer who liued long time togither and had much issue both boyes and girles Unto the quéene Ladie Lucina hée gaue the two kingdomes of Antiochia and Pentapolis for terme of her life to deale or dispose at her pleasure and after her decease vnto his sonne lusty yoong Altistrates and to his heires for euer But Lucina as she could not then be yoong since Apollonius died so old enioyed not long her widdows estate but pining away with sorrow and wearing with age forsooke this present world also and followed her deare lord into the euerlasting kingdome that neuer shall haue end which so farre exceedeth the kingdome which forthwith she left vnto her yoong sonne Altistrates to inherite as heauenly ioyes surmount the earthly and the bright sunne surpasseth the smallest starre FINIS
which I beleeuing to be true put on mourning attire and desired nothing so much as to die and while I was in that extremitie of sorrowe and determined to haue sayled vnto Tyrus while I was on my way vpon the sea the winde turned and there arose a tempest and draue me vnto the citie Machilenta where my daughter was restored vnto me Then went I with my sonne in law and my daugter once againe to haue sailed vnto Tyrus by Tharsus and as I was now in the iourney I was admonished in my sleepe by an Angell to turne my course vnto Ephesus and there in the temple to declare aloud al my aduentures that had befallen me since my youth vnto this present day which hath hitherto guided me in all my troubles will nowe send an happy end vnto all mine afflictions CHAP. XX. How Apollonius came to the knowledge of his wife the ladie Lucina and how they reioyced at the meeting of ech other THe ladie Lucina was not so busie in executing her office in the Church but that she gaue also attentiue eare vnto her lord Apollonius talke whom at the first she knew not But when shee heard the long discourse whereby she knewe by all signes that hee was her husband and shee was his wife her heart burned within her and she could scarce temper her affections vntill hee had done talking Yet measuring her loue with modestie as nowe of long time hauing learned the true trade of pacience shee gaue him libertie to make an end which done shee ran hastily vnto him and embraced him hard in her armes and woulde haue kissed him Which thing when Apollonius sawe hee was mooued with disdaine and thrust her from him as misliking such lightnesse in her whose modestie and good grace hee had so lately before commended in his heart and nothing at all suspecting that she had béen his wife Then shee pouring foorth teares aboundantly O my lord Apollonius said she the one halfe of my life why deale you thus vngently with me I am your wife daughter vnto Altistrates king of Pentapolis and my name is Lucina And you are Apollonius prince of Tyrus my lord and deare husband and you are my schoolemaister which taught mée musicke and moreouer you are the Sea-wrecked man whom I especially loued aboue many not for concupiscence sake but for desire of wisedome When Apollonius heard those words he was sodainly astonied and as the strangenes of the chance appalled him much so the great ioy reuiued his spirites againe and he cast his eies earnestly vppon her and immediatly called her to remembrance and knewe perfitly that it was shée indéede and hée went vnto her and fell vppon her necke and for excéeding ioy brast out into teares and then lifting vp his handes and eyes to heauen hee saide Blessed be the moste mightie God of heauen which sitteth aboue and beholdeth the state of men on earth and dealeth with them according to his great mercie who nowe also of his vnspeakeable goodnesse hath restored vnto mée my wife and my daughter Then did hee most louingly embrace and kisse his ladie whom he supposed long before to be dead and shée likewise requited him with the like fruites of good will and courtesie whom she surely thought she should neuer haue séene againe And when they had continued a good space in intertaining the one another O my moste deare lord Apollonius saide the lady Lucina where is my childe whereof I was deliuered Apollonius aunswered my best beloued ladie it was a daughter and she was named Tharsia and this is she and therewithal he shewed her Tharsia Then kissed and embraced she her daughter and likewise her sonne in law Athanagoras and they greatly reioyced one in another And when report héereof was spread abroad there was great ioy throughout all the Citie of Ephesus and the report was blowen about in euerie place how prince Apollonius had found out his ladie and wife among the Nunnes in the Temple Then Lucina discoursed vnto her lord and husband Apollonius of all the strange accidents that happened vnto her after his casting her forth into the Sea Namely howe her chest was cast on land at the coast of Ephesus and taken vp by a Phisition and how she was reuiued and by him adopted and for preseruation of her honestie placed among the Nunnes in the Temple of Diana where hee then found her accordingly as it appeareth before in the historie wherefore they blessed the name of God and yéelded most heartie thankes vnto him that hée had preserued them thitherto and graunted them so ioyfull a meeting CHAP. XXI How Apollonius departed from Ephesus and sailed himselfe his wife his sonne and daughter vnto Antiochia and then to Tyrus and from thence to Tharsus where he reuenged himselfe vpon Stranguilio and Dionisiades APollonius and Lucina his wife and the residue of their traine hauing rested themselues and made merrie sufficient time at Ephesus when the winde serued tooke leaue of their friendes and went aboord of their ships and lanched from the shore and departed vnto Antiochia where according as Calamitus the maister of the ship of Tyrus had tolde him before the kingdome was reserued for him since the death of Antiochus But when the citizens heard that he was arriued they were all exceeding glad and put on their brauest apparell and garlandes of bayes vpon their heads and went forth in procession to méet him and brought him in triumph into the Citie and crowned him king with all ioy and gladnesse And when all the solemnities of the coronation the feastes triumphes largesses and pardons were finished hée abode with them certaine daies to dispose some matters in order that required redresse and to establish certaine lawes for the due administration of iustice Which being all accomplished according to his desire he tooke his leaue of the Citizens and with his wife sonne and daughter departed to the sea and sayled vnto Tyrus his owne natiue country where he was ioyfully receiued of his subiects and found his kingdome gouerned in good order There placed he for his lieuetenant his sonne in lawe Athanagoras which had married his daughter Tharsia to rule the countrey in his absence and when he had aboden a conuenient time amongst them to make merrie and to prouide necessaries for his farther affaires he leuied in shorter space a mightie armie of the best approoued souldiours with sufficient store of money and munition and taking with him moreouer his lady and his daughter Tharsia tooke shipping in the hauen and had so prosperous winde that in few dayes they landed in the coast of Tharsus And when they were come all ashoare they marched forward in battell aray and came into the Citie to the great terrour of al the inhabitantes When hee was come into the market place he commaunded that Stranguilio and Dionisiades should be brought before him which being done he thus spake vnto the people Ye Citizens of Tharsus I am come hither in armes
they bee that way yea sometime God knowes in smaller causes than at the death of husband father or mother But as al things haue their time so haue sorrowe and teares also which are best dried vp with the towell of continuaunce which gaue nowe iust occasion vnto Apollonius to cast off drowsie sorrowe and to prouide for the funeralles of his father in lawe which he accomplished with so seasonable expedition and in so honourable a sort as was féemely for so mighty a king and so vertuous a prince whome hée buried among the auntient race of Kings his auncestours in the Temple within the citie of Pentapolis Which beeing all finished as it is also a worke of charitie to fulfill the will of the dead he applied himselfe to execute his fathers testament wherin he had giuen halfe his kingdome vnto Apollonius and the other halfe to Tharsia his néece to haue and to holde to them and to their heires for euer CHAP. XXIII ¶ How Apollonius rewarded the fisherman that releeued him after hee had suffered shipwracke howe hee dealt also with olde Calamitus and likewise with the Pyrates that stole away Tharsia BY this time when all cares were banished and Apollonius inioyed his kingdome in quiet possession he gaue himselfe sometimes to delight as other Princes are wont to do And it fortuned that on a day when he had dined he walked foorth for recreation vnto the sea side with his wife and a fewe seruants And when hée came there he sawe a small fisher boat fléeting vnder saile which hee thought by all signes he should knowe well for hee supposed it to be the fishermans boat which succoured him when he had suffered shipwracke in sailing from Tharsus towardes Pentapolis Wherefore hee commaunded some of his seruantes to take an other shippe which rode at anchor there on the shore to go after and take him and to bring the fisherman vnto him vnto the Court When the poore man saw himselfe boorded of so many and so gay a multitude hée feared they had béene pyrates and that they woulde haue slaine him and he fell downe on his knées and besought them to haue compassion vpon him he was but a poore fisherman and had not that which they sought for it were others that were more fit for their purpose to méete withall such as ventured further in greater vesselles carrying foorth great summes of money and bringing home plenty of costly merchandize As for him they should not only find miserable pouertie in ransacking his boat but if they were also determined to take away his life from him they should likewise with the same stroke bereaue the liues of his poore wife and many small Children which were maintained by his hand onely These or the like words vttered then the poore fisherman But they smiling in their conceits and mindefull of their Princes commaundement bade him not feare that they would robbe him but saide that he must goe with them and brought him away vnto the court And when he was come into the kings presence Apollonius knewe him well and saide vnto the Quéene and the Nobles that were about him Beholde this is the man that receiued me into his house and succoured mée when I suffered shipwracke and shewed me the way into the Citie by which meanes I came acquainted with good king Altistrates And he rose out of his seate and embraced him and said I am Apollonius Prince of Tyrus whome thou diddest succour and therefore bée of good chéere for thou shalt be rewarded And the poore fisherman wept excéedingly for ioy And Apollonius commaunded two hundred sestereies of gold to be giuen vnto him and thirty seruants and twenty handmaides and fortie horses and fiftie sutes of apparell and a faire pallace to dwel in and made him an earle and vsed no man so familiarly as he did him all the dayes of his life Nowe it was not long after that these things were done but one called Calamitus the master of the ship of Tyrus an olde man who as we haue before declared shewed vnto Apollonius as hée was walking by the sea side with Lucina that Antiochus and his daughter were dead and the kingdome was reserued for him came before Apollonius and falling downe on his knées Remember me my most gratious Lorde Apollonius saide hée since the time I tolde your grace the good tidings of king Antiochus death Then king Apollonius tooke him vp by the hand and caused him to sit downe by him and talked familiarly with him and gaue him great thankes and made him a great lord in his countrey Thus Apollonius busied himselfe not onely in bestowing himselfe curteously at home but he also prouided as well for the quiet gouernement of the state abroad as it appeared by the diligence of his officers who hauing lately taken certaine pyrates vpon the sea brought them to Pentapolis where Apollonius then remained to haue iustice executed vpon them When they were arriued they were found guilty of the facte of which they were accused and the next day being appointed for them to suffer when they came vnto the gallowes they confessed many robberies and among store how once at Tharsus they rescued a maide named Tharsia from a villaine that woulde haue slaine her and brought her to Machilenta where they solde her to him that offered most money and hée which bought her as they thought was a bawd When the citizens who were none of them ignorant of the Ladie Tharsias aduentures heard this they stayed execution and sent word vnto king Apollonius saying May it please your grace to vnderstand that we haue certaine pyrates at the gallowes ready to be exeted it appeareth that they be those that stole away the Lady Tharsia your daughter from Tharsus and sold her to the bawd at Machilenta Which when we perceiued we thought it good to know your Graces pleasure what shall be doone with them Apollonius thanked them and willed the pirats to be brought before him examined them diligently and found that they were the same men indéede that had preserued Tharsias life And hée gaue great thankes vnto God and them and imbraced them willingly pardoned them their liues And for that he knew that the sinister means which they hitherto had insued was caused most by constraint for want of other trade or abilitie to liue by he therefore made them all knights and gaue them plenty of gold and siluer and indowed them also with great possessions CHAP. XXIIII ¶ How Apollonius had a yoong sonne and heire by his wife Lucina likewise of Apollonius age and how he died with some other accidents thereunto incident WHile king Apollonius thus passed foorth his time in rewarding his friends which had doone him pleasure in his aduersitie the part of a thankeful and good natured man and also vnto his enemies in ministring iustice with mercie which is the duetie of a vertuous prince the quéene Lucina in the meane season conceiued childe and grewe euery daie
to be my sonne in law Tell me thy minde out of hand for I attend thine answere Then Apollonius much abashed at the kinges talke falling downe vpon his knees answered Most gratious soueraigne your wordes sound so strangely in mine eares that I scarsly know how to giue answer your goodnesse hath been so great towardes me that I can wish for no more But since it is your Graces pleasure that I should not be indebted to many but owe all thing vnto you as life and wife honour and goods and all you shall not find me vnthankful howsoeuer God or fickle fortune deale with me to remaine both loyall and constant to you and your daughter whom aboue all creatures both for birth and beauty and good qualities I loue and honour most intirely Altistrates reioiced much to heare so wise and conformable an answere and embracing Apollonius called him by the name of deare beloued sonne The next day morning the king addressed his messengers purseuants to assemble the nobliest of his subiects frends out of the confederat cities and countries and to shew them that he had certaine affaires to communicat vnto them and when they were come altogither vnto Pentapolis after due gréeting and accustomable intertainment shewed as in the maner of great estates he said thus vnto them My louing friends and faithfull subiects my meaning was to let you vnderstand that my daughter is desirous to marrie with her schoolemaster Apollonius and I am wel pleased therwith Wherfore I beséech you all to reioyce thereat and be glad for my daughter shalbe matched to a wise man And know you moreouer that I appoint this day sir wéekes for the solemnization day of the marriage at what time I desire you all to be here present that like friends we may reioyce and make merry togither and when he had all said he dismissed the assembly Now as the time wore away so the wedding day drue néere and there was great preparation made aswell for the feast as for iewels and rich clothes to furnish the bridegrome and bride withall as althing els that appertaine to the beautifiyng of so great a wedding And when the day was come the king apparrelled in his princely robes with a diadem of great price vpon his head accompanied his daughter Lucina and Apollonius vnto the Church whom thousands of lordes and ladies followed after all cloathed in rich attire and marshalled in comely order The bride woare on a gowne of cloth of gold cut drawen out with cloth of siluer and a kirtle of crimsin veluet imbrodered with pure golde and thickly beset with orientall pearles Her haire hung downe in tresses fairely broided with a lace of gold and a Coronet vpon her head set with pretious stones of inestimable value Her necke was bare whereby her naked skinne appeared whiter than the driuen snowe curiously bedecked with chaines of golde and euery other lincke enameled with blacke amell Great baudrickes of perfect goldsmithes worke vppon eche arme to fasten the sléeues of her garment from sliding vp at the wreast Lastly a massie collar of fine golde made esse wise vppon her shoulders hanging down behinde and before with a Diamond reaching downe vnto her middle estéemed in value at thréescore thousand pound which the king her father had sent vnto her for a present that morning while she was apparrelling The bridegrome wore on a dublet and hosen of costly cloth of siluer garded with Goldsmithes worke of the same colour and a gowne of purple Satten embroidred with golde and beset with rich stones His cap was of fine blacke Ueluet all ouer bespangled with Rubies set in gold and fastned on by loopes the band of massie golde beset with courses of stones in order first a Rubie then a Turkeis then a Diamond and so beginning againe with a Rubie This was their raiment and thus went they forth togither hand in hand after whom as is already declared the lordes and ladies followed by thrée and thrée in a ranke When the solemnities were done at the Church and the wordes spoken and the Princes ioyned in marriage they returned home and went to dinner What shall I nowe speake of the noble cheare and Princely prouision for this feast And after dinner of the exquisite Musicke fine dauncing heauenly singing sweete deuising and pleasant communication among the estates I may not discourse at large of the liberall challenges made and proclaimed at the tilt barriers running at the ring ioco di can managing fierce horses running a foote and daunsing in armour And at night of the gorgeous plaies shewes disguised spéeches masks and mummeries with continuall harmony of all kindes of musicke and banquetting in all delicacie All these thinges I leaue to the consideration of them which haue seene the like in the Courts and at the weddinges of Princes where they haue seene more than my simple pen is able to describe or may be comprehended within the recital of so short an historie When night was come and reuels were ended the bride was brought to bed and Apollonius tarried not long from her where hee accomplished the duties of marriage and faire Lucina conceiued childe the same night The next daie euery man arose to feasting and iollitie for the wedding triumphes continued an whole moneth This while Lucinas bellie began to grow and as it fortuned that the lord Apollonius and his ladie on a day walked along the sea side for their disporte hée sawe a faire shippe fléeting vnder saile which hée knew well to be of his countrey and he hallowed vnto the maister whose name was Calamitus and asked of him of whence his ship was The maister answered of Tyrus Thou hast named my coūtry said Apollonius Art thou then of Tyrus said the maister yea answered Apollonius Then said the maister knowest thou one Apollonius prince of that countrey If thou doe or shalt heare of him heereafter bid him now be glad and reioyce for king Antiochus and his daughter are strooken dead with lightning from heauen And the Citie of Antiochia with all the riches and the whole kingdome are reserued for Apollonius With these words the ship being vnder saile departed Apollonius being filled with gladnes immediatly began to breake with his ladie to giue him leaue to go and receiue his kingdom But when faire Lucina heard him beginne to mooue words of departing she burst out into teares saying My Lorde if you were nowe in some farre countrie and heard say that I were néere my time to be deliuered you ought to make haste home vnto me But since you be nowe with me and know in what case I am me thinks you should not now desire to depart from me Howbeit if your pleasure be so and tarriance bréede danger and kingdomes want not heirs long as I would not perswade you to tarry so doe I request you to take me with you This discréete answere pleased Apollonius well wherefore he kissed his lady and they agréed it
should be so And when they were returned from walking Lucina reioycing came vnto the king her father saying deare father reioice I beséech you and be glad with my lord Apollonius and me for the most cruell tyrant Antiochus and his daughter are by the iust iudgement of God destroied with lightning from heauen and the kingdome and riches are reserued for vs to inherite Moreouer I pray you good father let me haue your goodwil to trauel thither with my husband The king reioyced much at this tidings and graunted her reasonable request and also commaunded all things to be prouided immediatly that were necessary for the iourney The shippes were strongly appointed and brought vnto the shoare and fraught with al things conuenient as golde siluer apparell bedding vittels and armour Moreouer whatsoeuer fortune might befal the king prepared to saile with them Ligozides the nurse and a midwife and all things méet for the childe whensoeuer Lucina should néede them and with great honour himselfe accompanieth them vnto the sea side when the time appointed for their departure was come where with many teares and great fatherly affection hee kissed his daughter and embraced his sonne in law and recommended them vnto GOD in whome hée did wish vnto them a most prosperous iourney and so returned vnto his pallace CHAP. VIII How faire Lucina died in trauell of child vpon the sea and being throwen into the water was cast on land at Ephesus and taken home by Cerimon a Phisition THe marriners immediatly merrily hoissed saile and departed when they had sailed two dayes the master of the shippe warned Apollonius of a tempest approching which nowe came on and increased so fast that all the companie was amazed and Lucina what with sea-sicknes feare of dāger fel in labor of child wherewith she was weakened that there was no hope of recouerie but she must now die yet being first deliuered of a faire daughter insomuch that now all tokens of life were gone and she appeared none other but to be dead When Apollonius beheld this heauie spectacle no heart was able to conceiue his bitter grief for like a mad man distracted he tare his cloths and rent his haire and laying himself vpon the carkas he vttered these wordes with great affection O my deare lady and wife the daughter of king Altistrates what shall I now answer to thy father for thée would God thou haddest remained with him at home if it had pleased God to haue wrought this his pleasure in thée it had rather chanced with thy louing father in his quiet land than with me thy woful husband vpon the wild seas The whole company also made great lamentation for her bewailing the death of so noble and beautifull a ladie and so curteous a gentlewoman Howbeit in the hotest of the sorrowe the gouernour of the ship came vnto Apollonius saying My lord plucke vp your heart and be of good chéere and consider I pray you that the ship may not abide to carrie the dead carkas and therefore command it to be cast into the sea that we may the better escape Then answered Apollonius What saiest thou varlet wouldest thou haue me cast this bodie into the sea which receiued me into house and fauour when I was in miserie and drenched in the water wherein I lost ship goods all But taking further consultation and aduising himselfe what were best to do he called certaine of his men vnto him thus he deuised with them My trusty seruants whome this common mischance grieueth as wel as me since sorowing wil not help that which is chanced assist me good sirs to prouide for the present necessity Let vs make forthwith a large chest and bore the lid full of small holes and we will seare it all ouer within with pitch and rosen molten together whereinto we will put cunningly a shéete of lead and in the same we will inclose the tender corps of the wife of me of all other a most vnfortutunate husband This was no sooner said but it was almost likewise done with semblable celertie Then tooke they the body of the faire lady Lucina and arraied her in princely apparel and layd her into the chest and Apollonius placed a great summe of golde at her head a great treasure of siluer at her féet he kissed her letting fall a flood of salt teares on hir face and he wrote a bill and put it in also the tenor whereof was in forme as foloweth Whosoeuer shal find this chest I pray him to take ten pieces of gold for his paines and to bestowe tenne peeces more vpon the buriall of the corpes for it hath lest many teares to the parents and friends with dolefull heaps of sorow and heauines But whosoeuer shall doe otherwise than the present griefe requireth let him die a shamefull death and let there be none to bury his body And then closing all vp verie safe commaunded the chest to be lifted ouerboorde into the sea and willed the childe to be nursed with all diligence that if euer fortune should so fall he might present vnto good king Altistrates a néece in stéede of a daughter Now fléeted away the ship fast with the wind and the coffin tumbled backeward with the tide and Apollonius could not kéep his eie from the bodie whereon his heart rested vntill kenning failed and the sea rose vp with a banke betwéen There were two days passed and the night was now at hand when the next day morning the waues rolled foorth this chest to the land and cast it ashore on the coast of Ephesus Not farre from that place there dwelt a physition whose name was Cerimon who by chaunce walking abroad vpon the shore that day with his schollers found the chest which the sea had cast vp willed his seruants to take it vp diligently to cary it to the next towne where hee dwelt and they did so When Cerimon came home he opened the chest marueling what shuld be therein and found a lady arayed in princely apparell and ornaments very faire and beautifull to beholde Whose excellencie in that respect as many as beheld were strangely affectioned thereat perceiuing such an incomparable gleame of beautie to be resident in her face wherein nature had not committed the least errour that might be deuised sauing that shee made her not immortall The haire of her head was naturally as white as snowe vnder which appeared her goodly forehead faire and large wherein was neither blemish nor wrinkle Her eies were like two starres turning about in their naturall course not wantonly rouing here and there but modestly moouing as gouerned by reason representing the stabilitie of a setled mind Her eie brows decently commending the residue of her countenance Her nose straight as it were drawen with a line comely diuiding her cherry chéeks asunder not reaching foorth too long nor cut off too short but of a commendable proportion Hir necke was like the white alablaster shining