96How Apollonius was married to the ladie Lucina, and hearing of king Antiochus's death, departeth with his wife towards his owne countrey of Tyrus.

97BUT to returne againe to my storie from which I have digressed: when king Altistrates perceived that ApolIonius was the man whom his daughter Lucina disposed in her heart to preferre in love before anie of the other three noble men, hee found meanes to put them off for that present, saying that he would talke with them farther concerning that matter another time: who taking their leave, immediatly departed, but the king withdrew himself into the chamber where his daughter lay sicke, and sayd unto her: "whom have you chosen to be your husband?" To whom Lucina humbling her selfe, and with trickling teares, answered: "Gratious Prince and deare father, I have chosen in my heart the Sea-wrecked man, my schoolemaister Apollonius, for whom I most duetifully desire your fatherly goodwil." When the king saw her teares, his heart bled inwardly with compassion toward his childe whom hee loved tenderly, and he kissed her, and saide unto her: "My sweete Lucina be of good cheere, and take not thought for anie thing, and assure thy selfe thou hast chosen the man that I liked of assoone as I first sawe him: whom I love no lesse then thee: that is to say, than if hee were my naturall childe. And therefore since the matter is nowe thus fallen out, I meane forthwith to appoint a day for your marriage, after that I have broken the matter unto Apollonius." And when he had said that, Lucina with blushing cheekes thanked her Father much, and he departed.

98Nowe would I demand of lovers, whether Lucina rejoyced or not? or whether there were anie better tidings in the worlde coulde chance to a man or woman? I am sure they would answer no. For such is the nature of this affection, that it preferreth the beloved person above all earthly thinges, yea and heavenly too, unlesse it be brideled with reason: as the same likewise though moderately, and within the boundes of modest womanhoode, working the woonted effect in the ladie Lucina, revived her so presently, that shee forsooke her bed, and cast away her mourning apparrell, and appeared as it had been a newe woman restored from death to life, and that almost in a moment.

99The king being alone in the parlour called for Apollonius, and when he was come, he said thus unto him: "Apollonius, the vertue which I have seene in thee, I have testified by my liberalitie towards thee, and thy trustinesse is prooved by committing mine onelie childe and daughter to thine instruction. As these have caused mee to preferre thee, so have they made my daughter to love thee, so that I am as well contented with the one as I am well pleased with the other. And for thy part, likewise I hope Apollonius, that as thou hast been glad to be my client, thou wilt rejoyce as much to be my sonne in law. Tell me thy minde out of hand, for I attend thine answere." Then Apollonius much abashed at the king's talke, falling downe upon his knees, answered: "Most gratious soveraigne, your wordes sound so strangely in mine eares, that I scarcely know how to give answer, and your goodnesse hath been so great towardes me, that I can wish for no more. But since it is your Grace's pleasure that I should not be indebted to many, but owe all thing unto you, as life, and wife, honour, and goods, and all: you shall not find me unthankful, howsoever god or fickle fortune deale with me, to remaine both loyall and constant to you, and your daughter, whom above all creatures, both for birth and beauty and good qualities, I love and honour most intirely."

100Altistrates rejoiced much to heare so wise and conformable an answere, and embracing Apollonius, called him by the name of deare beloved sonne. The next day morning the king addressed his messengers and pursevants, to assemble the nobliest of his subjects and frends out of the confederat cities, and countries, and to shew them that he had certaine affaires to communicat unto them: and when they were come altogither unto Pentapolis, after due greeting, and accustomable intertainments shewed as in the maner of great estates, he said thus unto them. "My loving friends, and faithfull subjects, my meaning was to let you understand, that my daughter is desirous to marrie with her schoolemaster Apollonius, and I am wel pleased therwith. Wherfore, I beseech you all to rejoyce thereat, and be glad for my daughter shalbe matched to a wise man. And know you moreover, that I appoint this day six weekes for the solemnization day of the marriage, at what time I desire you all to be here present, that like friends we may rejoyce, and make merry togither." And when he had all said, he dismissed the assembly.

101Now as the time wore away, so the wedding day drue neere, and there was great preparation made aswell for the feast, as for jewels, and rich clothes to furnish the bridegroome, and bride withall, as althing els that appertaine[d] to the beautifying of so great a wedding. And when the day was come, the king apparrelled in his princely robes with a diadem of great price upon his head, accompanied his daughter Lucina and Apollonius unto 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, and drawen out with cloth of silver, and a kirtle of crimsin velvet 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 upon her head set with pretious stones of inestimable value. Her necke was bare, whereby her naked skinne appeared whiter than the driven snowe, curiously bedecked with chaines of golde, and every other lincke enameled with blacke amell. Great baudrickes of perfect goldsmithes worke uppon eche arme to fasten the sleeves of her garment from sliding up at the wreast. Lastly, a massie collar of fine golde, made esse wise uppon her shoulders, hanging downe behinde and before, with a Diamond reaching downe unto her middle, esteemed in value at three-score thousand pound, which the king her father had sent unto her for a present, that morning while she was apparrelling. The bridegrome wore on a dublet and hosen of costly cloth of silver, garded with Goldsmith's 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 Velvet, all over bespangled with Rubies, set in gold and fastned on by loopes: the hand 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 three and three in a ranke.

102When the solemnities were done at the Church, and the wordes spoken, and the Princes joyned in marriage, they returned home and went to dinner. What shall I nowe speake of the noble cheare and Princely provision for this feast? And after dinner of the exquisite Musicke, fine dauncing, heavenly singing, sweete devising, 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 speeches, masks and mummeries, with continuall harmony of all kindes of musicke, and banqueting in all delicacie: All these things I leave to the consideration of them which have seene the Like in the Courts, and at the weddinges of Princes, where they have seene more than my simple pen is able to describe, or may be comprehended within the recital of so short an historie.

103When night was come, and revels 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 conceived childe the same night. The next daie, every man arose to feasting and jollitie, 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, hee sawe a faire shippe fleeting under saile, which hee knew well to be of his countrey, and he hallowed unto the maister, whose name was Calamitus and asked of him of whence his ship was? The maister answered of Tyrus. "Thou hast named my country," 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 hereafter, bid him now be glad and rejoyce, for king Antiochus and his daughter are strooken dead with lightning from heaven. And the Citie of Antiochia with all the riches, and the whole kingdome are reserved for Apollonius."

104With these words the ship being under saile, departed, and Apollonius being filled with gladnes, immediatly began to breake with his ladie to give him leave to go and receive his kingdom. But when faire Lucina heard him beginne to moove 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 neere my time to be delivered, you ought to make haste home unto 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 breede 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 discreete answere pleased Apollonius well; wherefore he kissed his lady, and they agreed it should be so. And when they were returned from walking, Lucina rejoycing, came unto the king her father, saying, "deare father, rejoice I beseech you, and be glad with my lord Apollonius and me, for the most c[r]uell tyrant Antiochus and his daughter are by the just judgement of god destroied with lightning from heaven; and the kingdome and riches are reserved for us to inherite: moreover, I pray you good father, let me have your goodwil to travel thither with my husband." The king rejoyced much at this tidings, and graunted her reasonable request, and also commaunded all things to be provided immediatly that were necessary for the journey. The shippes were strongly appointed and brought unto the shoare, and fraught with al things convenient, as golde, silver, apparell, bedding, vittells and armour. Moreover, whatsoever fortune might befal, the king prepared to sail with them Ligozides the nurse, and a midwife, and all things meet for the childe whensoever Lucina shoulde neede them: and with great honour himselfe accompanieth them unto the sea side, when the time appointed for their departure was come; where with many teares, and great fatherly affection hee kissed his daughter, ard embraced his sonne in law, and recommended them unto god, in whome hee did wish unto them a most prosperous journey, and so returned unto his pallace.