110How Lucina was restored to life by one of Cerimon the Phisition's schollers; and howe Cerimon adopted her to his daughter, and placed her in the temple of Diana.

111THE surpassing beauty of faire Lucina, being such as is before recited, no woonder it was though Cerimon were marvellously ravished at the sight, whereby his affection inforced him to breake out into these words: "Alas good beautiful gentlewoman, what unhappy and cruell chance hath thus made thee away, and caused thee to be so wofully forsaken?" And as he spake those wordes, hee perceived the golde that lay at her head, and the silver that lay at her feet, with a scroll of paper written, the which hee tooke up and read, the tenor whereof was this: "Whosoever shal finde this chest, I pray him for to take ten pieces of golde for his paines, and to bestowe ten peeces more on the buriall of the corps; for it hath left many teares to the parents and friends, with dolefull heapes of sorrowe and heavinesse. But whosoever shall doe otherwise than the present griefe requireth, let him die a shamefull death, and let there be none to burie his bodie." And as soone as he had read over the writing, he said unto his servants: "now let us perfourme unto the bodie that which the sorrowe requireth; and I sweare to you, by the hope which I have to live, that I will bestow more money upon the accomplishing of the same, than the sorrowful scedul requireth." Wherfore, according to the maner of the buriall which was at that time to burn the bodies of the dead, and to burie the ashes, gathered up and put into pottes, he commaunded a pile of wood to be erected, and upon the top thereof he caused the body to be layed.

112Nowe Cerimon had a scholler in Physicke, whose name was Machaon very towardly in his profession, of yeres but yong, but antient in wit and experience, who comming in while these things were doing, and beholding so beautifull a corps layd upon the pile, hee stoode still and wondered at it. Which thing Cerimon perceiving, "Thou art come in good time" said he to Machaon, "and I looked for thee about this time. Take this flagon of precious ointment, and powre it uppon the corps, being the last ceremonie of the sepulture." Then came Machaon unto the corps, and pulled the clothes from the ladies bosome, and poured foorth the ointment, and bestowing it abroad with his hand, perceived some warmth in her breast, and that there was life in the body. Machaon stoode astonished, and hee felt her pulses, and layde his cheeke to her mouth, and examined all other tokens that he coulde devise, and he perceived how death strived with life within her, and that the conflict was daungerous and doubtfull, who should prevaile. Then saide he unto the servants: "set fire unto the wood at the foure corners of the pile, and cause it to burne moderatly, and bring me hither a bed that I may take the body out of the chest, and lay it thereon."

113This being done, he chafed the body against the fire, untill the blood, which was congealed with colde, was wholly resolved. Then went Machaon unto his master Cerimon and saide: "The woman whome thou thinkest to be dead, is alive, and that you may the better beleeve my saying, I will plainely proove it to be so." And when he had so saide, he tooke the body reverently in his armes, and bare it into his owne chamber, and layed it upon his bed groveling upon the breast. Then tooke he certaine hote and comfortable oyles, and warming them upon the coales, he dipped faire wooll therein, and fomented all the bodie over therewith, until such time as the congealed blood and humours were throughly resolved, and the spirits eftsoones recovered their wonted course, the veines waxed warme, the arteries beganne to beate, and the lungs drew in the fresh ayre againe, and she opened her eies and looked about, and being perfectly come to herselfe, "what art thou?" said shee unto Machaon, "see thou touch me not otherwise than thou oughtest to do, for I am a King's daughter, and the wife of a King."

114When Machaon heard her speak these words, was exceeding glad, and he ran unto his master and saide: "Sir, the woman liveth, and speaketh perfectly." Then answered Cerimon: "My welbeloved schollar Machaon, I am glad of this fortunate chaunce, and I much commende thy wisedome, and praise thy learning, and cannot but extoll thy diligence. Wherefore be not unthankfull to thy knowledge, but receive here the reward which is due unto thee, namely, that I which by the writing was appointed to be bestowed upon her buriall for thou hast restored her unto life, and shee hath brought with her great summes of mony." When he had so saide, they came unto her and saluted her, and caused her to be apparelled with wholsome and comfortable clothes, and to be refreshed with good meats. A few daies after, when she had fully recovered strength, and Cerimon by communication knew that she came of the stocke of a king, he sent for many of his friends to come unto him, and he adopted her for his owne daughter: and she with many tears requiring that she might not be touched by any man, for that intent her placed in the Temple af Diana, which was there at Ephesus, to be preserved there inviolably among the religious women.