243How 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.

244WHILE king Apollonius thus passed foorth his time in rewarding his friends which had doone him pleasure in his adversitie, the part of a thankeful and good natured man, and also unto his enemies in ministring justice with mercie, which is the duetie of a vertuous prince, the queene Lucina in the meane season conceived childe, and grewe every daie bigger bellied then other. And when the time came that she attended for a good houre, she was delivered of a faire sonne, whom some of the Ladies that were present saide hee was like Apollonius the father, other some, like king Altistrates the grandfather, and others judged otherwise, according as is the custome of women to doe, when as (god knoweth) there is no more likenesse betweene them saving that the childe hath the generall shape and proportion of a man, than is betweene Jacke fletcher and his bolt. Howbeit the boy was called Altistrates, after the grandfather's name, for whome there was much joy and triumphing, that it had pleased god to send an heire male to governe the land, for whose life and preservation the people daily prayed, that as he was like to succeede his grandfather in place and name, so hee 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 greedie seeking for large dominion and riches, which are the foolish scales whereby Fortune intrappeth us.

245But to returne againe to our story, great was the care and provision for the diligent bringing up of this yoong gentleman: who as he grew up more and more every day to the strength of lusty youth, so his father Apollonius decayed continually through the infirmity of weake old age: Who having passed his life with one Ladie the faire Lucina, by whome hee had two beautifull children, the ladie Tharsia and yoong Altisrtrates, he lived to the age of fourescore and foure yeers, and obtained the empire of three kingdomes, to wit, Tyrus, Antiochia and Pentapolis, whome with the helpe of his sonne in lawe Athanagoras he governed peaceably and prosperously. Moreover, when hee had disposed the affaires of his realmes unto such of his nobilitie as were in credite about him, although at all times he had recourse unto his accustomed studies of humanitie, yet then especially he applied his vacant time to his booke, and hee wrote the whole storie and discourse of his owne life and adventures 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 ever the whole chance to come into my hands, to set it forth with all fidelitie, diligence and expedition.

246But when the fatall time was come that Apollonius's 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 steed, either by their cunning or experience. For there is no remedie against olde age, which if the noble skill of phisicke could ever have found out, doubtlesse it would have obtained the means to have made the state of man immortall. Howbeit, god hath determined otherwise; and as he appointed all worldly things to have 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 loving ladie Lucina, and in the midst of his friendes, Nobles, Allies, kinsfolke, and chiidren, in great honour, and love of all men. His kingdome of Tyrus he gave by will unto Athanagoras and his daughter Tharsia, and to their heires after them for ever: who lived long time togither, and had much issue, both boyes and girles. Unto the queene Ladie Lucina, he gave the two kingdomes of Antiochia and Pentapolis, for terme of her life, to deale or dispose at her pleasure; and after her decease unto his sonne lusty yoong Altistrates, and to his heires for ever: But Lucina, as she could not then be yoong, since Apollonius died so old, enjoyed not long her widow's estate, but pining away with sorrow, and wearing with age, forsooke this present world also, and followed her deare lord into the everlasting kingdome that never shall have end, which so farre exceedeth the kingdome, which forthwith she left unto her yoong sonne Altistrates to inherite, as heavenly joyes surmount the earthly, and the bright sunne surpasseth the smallest starre.

247FlNIS.