216How Apollonius meaning to saile into his owne countrey by Tharsus, was commaunded by an Angel in the night to go to Ephesus, and there to declare all his adventures in the Church, with a loude voice.

217THE solemnities of the wedding being finished, Apollonius made haste to depart; and all things being in a readinesse, he tooke shipping with his sonne in lawe and his daughter, and weyghed anchor, and committed the sailes unto the winde, and went their way, directing their course evermore towarde Tharsus, by which Apollonius purposed to passe unto his owne countrie Tyrus. And when they had sailed one whole day, and night was come, that Apollonius laide him downe to rest there appeared an Angell in his sleepe, commaunding him to leave his course toward Tharsus, and to saile unto Ephesus, and to go into the Temple of Diana, accompanied with his sonne in lawe and his daughter, and there with a loude voyce to declare all his adventures, whatsoever had befallen him from his youth unto that present day.

218When Apollonius awoke in the morning, he wondered at the vision, and called for Athanagoras his sonne in lawe and his daughter Tharsia, and declared it to them in order as is before recited. Thus saide he unto them," what counsell do you give me in this matter?" They answered, "whatsoever it pleaseth to you to doe that we shall like well of." Then Apollonius called unto him the Master of the shippe, and commaunded him to winde saile and coast towards Ephesus, which he did; and immediately the winde served them so prosperously, that in fewe days they safely arrived there. Apollonius and his companie foorthwith forsooke their shippes, and came aland, and according to the commaundement of the Angell, tooke his journey to the Temple of Diana, whereas it is before mentioned, his long lamented wife lady Lucina, remained in vertuous life and holy contemplation among the religious Nunnes. And when he was come thither, he besought one of the Nunnes that had the keeping of the Temple that he might have licence to go in, and she willingly granted his request, and opened the doore unto him. By this time report was blowen abroad, that a certaine strange Prince was lately landed with his sonne in lawe and his daughter in very costly and rich ornaments, and gone into the Temple: and the ladie Lucina as desirous as the rest to see the strangers, decked her head with rich attire, and put on a purple robe, and, with convenient retinue attending upon her, came into the Temple.

219Now Lucina was passing beautifull, and for the great love which she bare unto chastitie all men reverenced her, and there was no virgin in al the number in like estimation unto her. Whom when Apollonius beheld, although he knew not what she was, yet such was the exceeding brightnes and majestie of her countenance, that he fel down at her feet, with his sonne in law likewise and his daughter, for hee thought shee glittered like a diademe, and exceeded brightest starres in beautie. But Lucina curteously lifted them up from the ground, and bid them welcome, and afterward went to bestow the plate and ornaments of the temple in decent order, which thing was part of the Nunne's duety.

220Then Apollonius setled himselfe to do as the Angell had commaunded him in the vision, and thus he beganne to say: "I being borne Prince of Tyrus, was called Apollonius, and when in youth I had attained unto all kinde of knowledge, I resolved the cruel king Antiochus's parable, to the intent to have married with his daughter, whome he most shamefully defiled, and kept her from all men to serve his owne filthie lust, and sought meanes to slay me. Then I fled away, and lost all my goodes in the sea, hardly escaping my selfe with life, and in my greatest extremitie I was courteously intertained by Altistrates king of Pentapolis; and so highly received into favor, that he no kindes of favor on me untried, insomuch that hee bestowed upon mee his faire daughter and only childe Lucina to be my wife. But when Antiochus and his daughter by the just judgement of god, were stroken dead by lightning from heaven, I carried my wife with me to receive my kingdome, and she was delivered of this my daughter and hers upon the sea, and died in the travell, whome I enclosed in a chest, and threwe into the sea, laying twenty sestercies of golde at her head, and as much in silver at her feete, to the intent that they that should find her might have wherewithall to bury her honorably, leaving also a superscription that they might perceive with what griefe of her friends she died, and of what princelie parentage shee descended. Afterwardes I arrived at the citie of Tharsus, where I put in trust my yoong daughter to be brought up unto certain wicked persons, and from thence I departed unto the higher partes of Egypt. But when from that time fourteene yeeres were expired, and I returned thither to fetch my daughter, they told me that shee was dead, which I beleeving to be true, put on mourning attire, and desired nothing so much as to die, and while I was in the extremitie of sorrowe, and determined to have sayled unto Tyrus, while I was on my way upon the sea the winde turned, and there arose a tempest, and drave me unto the citie Machilenta, where my daughter was restored unto me. Then went I with my sonne in law, and my daughter once againe, to have sailed unto Tyrus by Tharsus; and as I was now in the journey, I was admonished in my sleepe by an Angell to turne my course unto Ephesus, and there in the temple to declare aloud al my adventures that had befallen me since my youth unto this present day, which hath hither to guided me in all my troubles, will nowe send an happy end unto all mine afflictions."