_Chera hid a treasure: Elisa going about to hang her selfe, and
tying the halter about a beame found that treasure, and in place
thereof left the halter. Philene the daughter of Chera going for
that treasure, and busily searching for the same, found the halter,
wherewithal for dispayre she would haue hanged hir selfe, but
forbidden by Elisa, who by chaunce espied hir, she was restored to
part of hir losse, leading afterwards a happy and prosperous lyfe._
Fortune, the Lady Regent and Gouernesse of man's lyfe, so
altreth and chaungeth the state thereof, as many times we see
the noble borne from that great mighty port, wherein they be,
debased so farre, as either infamously their lyfe is spent in
the hungry lap of Dame Penury, or else contriued in the vgly
lothsom house of Wantonnesse, the stepdame of all honesty and
vertue. Sometimes we marke the vnnoble ladde that was nooseled
in the homely countrey caban, or rude ciuile shoppe, attaine to
that whych the onely honorable and gentle do aspire: and he
agayne that is ambicious in climbing vp the turning wheele,
throwen down beneth the brink of aduerse luck, whelmed in the
ditch and pit of black despaire. We note also sometimes that the
carelesse wyght of Fortune's giftes, hath (vnlooked for) his
mouth and throte crammed full of promotion and worlde's
delights. Such is the maner of hir fickle stay: whereof this
History ensuing, gyueth some intelligence, by remembring the
destenied luck of 2 pore sory girles that were left destitute of
desired things, both like to fal into despaire, and yet both
holpen with that they most desired: which in this sort
beginneth. In the time that Scipio Affricanus had besieged the
City of Carthage, Chera that was a widow (dwellinge there)
seeinge the daunger at hand wherein the Citty stoode, and
doubtynge the losse and ouerthrowe of the same, and that the
honor of the dames and womankinde, coulde vneths be safe and
harmelesse, determined not to abide the vttermost: and hauinge a
good quantity of Gold and precious stones, she bestowed the same
in a casquet, and hid it vpon one of the beames of hir house,
purposinge when the stir and daunger was past, to retourne to
hir house agayne for those hir hidden things. Which done, in the
habite of a poore woman with her onely daughter in hir hand that
was about 5 or 6 yeares of age, she went out of Carthage, and
passed ouer the Seas into Scicilia, where falling sicke, after
she had bene there three or foure yeares, at length died. But
before shee departed, shee called her Daughter before hir, then
about Ten yeares olde, and told hir the place where she had
layed hir Casket. And by reason of the victory gotten by Scipio,
the city was maruellously chaunged, and amongs other things, the
house of Chera was giuen to a Romane Souldiour that was so
enriched with Nobilyty of Mynd, as hee was poore of Fortune's
Goods. Whych Chera vnderstandyng, was sorowfull, and doubted of
hir thynges secretlye bestowed vppon the beame. Wherevpon she
sayd vnto hir daughter, that for so much as their house was in
the possession of an other, she ought to be wise and circumspect
in the recouerye of hir hidden goods: and that hir death was the
more greuous vnto hir, because she must leaue hir (so yong a
maiden) vnprouided of frendes for hir good gouernement. But yet
she incouraged hir againe and sayd: that sith necessity
approched, she must in childyshe age, put on a graue and
auncient minde, and beware howe shee bewrayed that casket to any
person, for that of purpose shee reserued the knowledge thereof,
to hir self, that it might serue for hir preferment, and procure
hir a husband worthy of hir selfe. And the maiden demaundinge
the value of the same, shee told hir that it was worth CC.
Talentes, and gaue hir in writing the particulars inclosed
within the Caskette, and that the lyke bill shee should find
within the same, written wyth hir owne Hande. And so the good
woman within a while after dyed, leauyng behynde hir the yong
mayden hir daughter, that maruellously lamented the death of hir
mother, accordingly as nature taught hir, and ech other
reasonable wyght depriued from their dearest friends. The maiden
for hir yeres was very wise, and would disclose to none what her
mother had sayd, keeping the writing very carefully. Not long
after Philene (whych was the maiden's name) fell in loue with a
Gentleman of Scicilia of greate reputation and authority, who al
bee it he saw hir to be very faire and comely, yet cared not for
hir loue in respect of Maryage, for that hee knewe hir to bee
poore, and withoute dowrie mete for a Gentleman, iestyng and
mocking to see hir fixe hir minde on him, for desyre to haue him
to hir husbande, that was a personage so noble and rich: which
refusall pierced the hearte of the tender maiden, bicause she
saw hir selfe forsaken for nothynge else, but for want of goods:
whych made hir to think and consider, howe shee myght recouer
the riches that hir mother had layed vp in Carthage. It chaunced
as she was in this meditation, the daughter of him to whome the
House of Chera was giuen, called Elisa, was likewise enamoured
of a noble yong gentleman in Carthage, who bicause Elisa was the
daughter of a Souldiour, and not very rich, in like manner
laughed and iested at hir loue, no lesse than the other did at
Philene. Notwithstanding Elisa attempted al meanes possible to
induce the yong man to loue hir, but hir practise and attemptes
tended to none effect. And last of all, desirous to haue a
resolute answere, and thereby vnderstode, that he would rather
dye than take hir to Wyfe, she fell into despayre and curssed
fortune, and hir fate, that she was not borne riche enough to
match wyth hir chosen Gentleman, and that she being poore, must
fall in loue wyth sutch a personage: whereupon she miserably
tormented hir selfe, still bewaylinge hir vnhappy lucke, that
shee could not win him to be hir husband, for whych only intent
and purpose she loued him. And this amorous passion incredibly
growing in hir, the rootes whereof be planted in the restlesse
humor of melancholy, and wanting all hope and comforte to stay
that Ranke and Rammishe weede, it so increased in her, as shee
franticke in raging loue gaue hir selfe ouer to the spoyle of
herself: and to rid her from the griefe, she determined to kill
hir selfe, imagining whych way she might do the same. At length
she was resolued, with hir father's sword to peerce hir body:
but hir heart not seruing hir thereunto, deuised by the halter
to end her lyfe, saying thus to herselfe: "Thys death yet shal
do me good, that the cruel man may know that for his sake I haue
done this fact: and if his heart be not made of Iron or steele,
he can not chose but sorrowe and lament, that a poore mayde
whych loued him better than hir owne lyfe, hath made sutch
wretched ende onely for his cruelty." Elisa concludinge vpon
this intent, prepared a Halter: and being alone in her house, in
the chamber where the Casket lay vpon the beame, placed a stoole
vnder the same, and began to tye the halter about the beame: in
doinge whereof, she espied the casket, and reached the same vnto
hir, who feeling it to be heauy and weighty, immediatly did open
it, and founde the Byll within, which Chera had written with hir
owne hand, agreable to that which she had deliuered to hir
daughter, wherein were particularly remembred the Iewels and
other riches fast closed within the casket. Who disclosing the
bagges wherein the gold and Iewels were bound vp, and seeing the
great value of the same, wondred thereat, and ioyfull for that
fortune, hid the rope which she had prepared for hir death, in
the place where she found the casket, and with great gladnesse
and mirth went vnto hir father, and shewed him what she had
found, whereat the father reioyced no lesse, then his daughter
Elisa did, bicause he sawe himselfe thereby to be discharged of
his former poore life, and like to proue a man of inestimable
wealth and substance: and saw likewise that the poore wench his
daughter, by the addicion of those riches, was like to attayne
the party whom shee loued. When he had taken forth those bagges
and well surueyed the value, to the intent no man might suspect
the sodayne mutation of his state, tooke his daughter with him,
and went to Rome, where after he had remayned certayne monethes,
hee returned to Carthage, and began very galantly to apparell
himselfe, and to keepe a bountifull and liberall house. His
table and port was very delicate and Sumptuous, and hys Stable
stored wyth many fayre Horsse, in all poynctes sheewinge
himselfe very Noble and rich: by which sodayne chaunge of state,
the whole Citty beleeued that he had brought that wealth from
Rome. And bicause it is the common opinion of the vulgar sort,
that where there is no riches, there is no nobility, and that
they alone make men noble and gentle (a foolyshe Opinion in
deede proceedinge from heads that be rash and light) the people
markynge that porte and charge kept by the Souldiour, conceyued
that he was of some noble house. And throughout the whole Citty
great and solemne honour was done vnto him: whereupon the young
Gentleman, with whom Elisa was in loue, began to bee ashamed of
himselfe, that he had disdayned the mayden. Whych mayden seeing
hir Father's house to be in sutch reputation, made sute to her
father, that he would procure the Gentleman to bee hir husband.
But hir father wylled hir in any wyse to keepe secret hir
desire, and not to seeme her selfe to bee in loue, and wysely
tolde hir, that more meete it was that she should bee solicited
by him, than shee to make sute or request for mariage:
alleaginge that the lesse desirous the gentleman had bene of
hir, the more deare and better beloued shee shoulde be to hym.
And many tymes when hys Daughter was demaunded to Wyfe, he made
aunswere that matrimony was a state of no litle importance, as
enduring the whole course of Lyfe, and therefore ought well to
bee considered and wayed, before any conclusion were made. But
for all these demaundes and aunswers, and all these stops and
stayes, the mayden was indowed with an honest dowry, and in the
end her louer and she were maried, with so great pleasure and
satisfaction of them both, as they deemed themselues happy. In
the meane time while these things were done at Carthage, Philene
in Scicilia toke thought how she might recouer her goods geuen
to her by her mother, desirous by their meanes also to sort hir
earnest and ardent loue to happy successe. And debatinge with
her selfe (as we haue sayd before) howe she might obtayne them,
because the house was in possession of an other, thought it to
bee agaynst reason and order, that although she had lost hir
house, yet hir goods ought to be restored vnto hir, which were
hir onely mayntenance and reputation, and the fittest instrument
that should conduct her loue to happy ende. And hearinge tell
that the Father of Elisa the possessor of hir mother's house
liued at Carthage in great royalty and magnificence, thought
that if by some sleight and pollicie she founde not meanes to
enter the house without suspicion, hir attempt would be in
vayne: determined therefore to goe to Carthage, and to seeke
seruice in that house, counterfaytinge the kynde and habite of a
Page. For she considered, that if she went thither in order and
apparell of a mayden, she should incur the perill of her
virginity, and fall into the lapse of diuers other daungers,
purposed then to go thyther in maner of a Page and lacky. And
when she had in that sort furnished hirselfe, she passed the
Seas, and arriued at Carthage. And seekinge seruice about the
City at length chaunced to be retayned in a house that was next
neyghbour to the Souldier, and bicause this wench was gentle and
of a good disposition, was wel beloued of her maister, who being
the frend of Elisa, hir Father many times sent vnto him diuers
presents and gifts by Philene, wherevppon she began to be
acquainted and familiar with the seruantes of the house, and by
her oft repayre thyther viewed and marked euery corner, and vpon
a time entred the chamber wherein hir Mother Chera {t}olde hir,
that shee had bestowed hir goods, and lookinge vpont the Beames
espied by certayne Signes and tokens, one of them to be the same
where the Casket lay: and therewithal wel satisfied and
contented, verily supposed that the casket still remayned there,
and without further businesse for that time, expected some other
season for recouery of the same. In the ende, the good behauiour
and diligence of Philene, was so liked of Elisa, as hir father
and she made sute to hir maister to giue hir leaue to serue
them, who bycause they were his friends, preferred Philene vnto
them, and became a page of that house. And one day secretly
repayrynge into the chamber, where the treasure lay mounted
vppon a stoole, and sought the beame for the casket: where she
found no casket, but in place where that lay, the halter,
wherwithal Elisa woulde haue strangled hir self. And searching
all the parts of the Chamber and the beames, and finding nothing
else but the halter, she was surprised with sutch incredible
sorrowe, as she seemed like a stock, without spiryte, voice or
life. Afterwardes, being come againe to hir selfe, shee began
pitifully to lament and complayn in this maner: "Ah wretched
Philene, vnder what vnluckie signe and planet was thou begotten
and borne? wyth what offence were the heauens wroth, when they
forced thee to pierce thy mother's wombe? Could I poore creature
when I was framed within the moulde of nature, and fed of my
mother's substance within hir wombe, and afterwards in due time
brought forth to light, commit such crime, as to prouoke the
celestiall impressions to conspire agaynst my Natiuity, to
brynge mine increased age into such wretched state and plighte
wherein it is now wrapped? No, no, my faulte was nothing, it was
parent's offence, if any were at all: for many times we see the
innocent babe afflicted for the father's guilt. The Gods do
punish the posterity, for som sacrilege or notorious crime
committed by progenitors: theyr manner is not to suffer heynous
faultes vnreuenged: their iustice cannot abide such mischief
vncorrected for example sake: so fareth it by me. First my
father died, after wardes my Mother a widow was driuen to
abandon natiue soyle, and seeke reliefe in forrain land: and
leauing that wherwith we were possessed in enimies keping, were
forced a simple life to leade among straungers. And my mother,
yelding forth hir ghost, made me beleue that shee had hidden
great treasures here: and I vnhappy wench thinking to obteine
the pray, haue wandred in counterfeit kind, and fetcheed many a
bitter sigh, vntil I came into this place: and the thing I hoped
for, which myght haue bene the meanes and ende of all my care,
is turned to nothyng: a casket transformed into a halter: gold
and Iewels into a piece of rope? Is this the mariage dowry
(Philene) thou art like to haue to match with him whom thou so
derely louest? Is this the knot that shall conioyne you both in
yoke of man and wife? Ah wretch and miserable caitife, the goods
thy mother layd vp for thee, for maintenance of thy rest, and
safegarde of thine honour, and for the reputation of thy noble
house, wherof thou camst, is now berieued from thee: they that
kepe this stately house, and beare their lofty port amid the
best, haue despoiled thee pore wench of that after which thou
didst vainly trauayle. But what remedye now? sith thy wicked lot
doth thus fall out, sith thy cruel fate is loth thou shouldest
atteine the thing on whych thy mind is bente, and sith thy
painfull lyfe can take no ende, make spede to rid thy selfe from
misery by that meanes which he hath prepared for thee that hath
found thy goods: who seeing his good aduenture to be thy bane,
his happy pray to bee thy spoyle, hath left in lieu of treasure,
a halter, that therwith thou mightest dispatch thy selfe from
all thy griefes, and in their vnhappye companye to cease thy
life, that the lothsom, lengthning of the same might not
increase thy further plaints, sorowes, anguish and affliction.
And in the place where infortunate Philene toke hir beginning,
ther the Miserable wretche must finishe that, which without hir
desired gaine no longer can be maynteined. Peraduenture it may
come to passe as when thy soule is losed from this mortall
charge, it shall stalke by hym, by whom it liueth, and by him
also whom she thought to ioy in greatest contentation that euer
mortall woman did." And thus plaininge and sighing hir il
fortune, when she had ended those words she tyed the halter
about the beame, where sometimes hir Treasure lay, which beyng
done shee put the same about hir necke, sayinge: "O crooked Lady
Fortune, that hast thus vnfrendly dealt with thine humble
clyent: Ah dispayre, thou vgly wretch and companion of the
distressed that is vnwillinge to leaue my haunte vntyll thou
playe the Hangman. Ah Dyuell incarnate that goest aboute to hale
and plucke the innocent into thy hellish caue. Out vppon the
thou deformed hellish dogge, that waitest at the fiery gate to
lette them in, which faine would passe an other porte." And as
shee was powrying forth these spitefull wordes, redy to remove
the stoole to fetch hir swynge, the Gods which would not giue
consent, that the innocent wench should enter that vile and
opprobrious death, moued the heart of Elisa, to passe by the
place where she was in workynge on her selfe that desperate end:
who hearing those moneful plaints vttred after such terrible
manner, opened the Chamber doore, and saw that myserable sight:
and ignorant of the occasion, moued with pity, ranne and stayed
hir from the fact, saying thus vnto hir: "Ah Philene," (whych
was the name that she had giuen to hir selfe) "what folie hath
bewitched thy mind? What phrensie hath incharmed thy braine?
What harde aduenture hath moued thee in this miserable wise, to
ende thy life?" "Ah" (sayd Philene) "suffer me Elisa, to finish
my tormentes: giue me liberty to vnburden myselfe from the bande
of cares that do assaile me on euery side: lette these
Helhoundes that stande heare rounde about mee, haue theyr praye
for which they gape. Thou moued by compassion, arte come hither
to stay mee from the Halter: but in doyng so, thou doest mee
greater wrong, than doeth despayre whych eggeth me therunto.
Suffer I say, that mine afflictions may take some end, sith
cruel fortune willeth it to be so, or rather vnhappy fate: for
sowre death is sweeter in my conceit, than bitter life contriued
in sharper sauce than gall or wormwood." Elisa hearing her
speake these wordes, sayd: "For so much as thy myshap is such,
as onely death is the nearest remedy to depriue thy payne, what
wicked chaunce hath induced thee, in this house to finish those
thy miseries? What hath prouoked the to sutch augury to this our
most happy and ioyfull family?" "Forced is the partye" (sayd
Philene) "so to doe when destenye hath so appointed." "What
desteny is that?" demaunded Elisa. "Tell mee I beseech thee,
perchaunce thou mayst preuent the same by other remedy than that
whereabout thou goest." "No," (answered Philene) "that is
impossible, but to satisfie thy request which so instantly thou
crauest of me, I wil tel thee the summe of al my miserie." In
saying so the teares gushed forth hir eyes, and hir voice brake
oute into complaints, and thus began to say: "Ah Elisa, why
should I seke to prolong my wretched life in this vale of
wretchednesse, wherein I haue ben so miserably afflicted? my
mother pitieng mine estate and seeynge me voide of frends, and a
fatherlesse child vpon hir death bed, disclosed vnto me a
treasure which she had hidden vpon this beam whervnto this
halter (the best remedy of my misery) is tied: and I making
serch for the same, in place of that treasure found this halter,
ordeined as I suppose (by what misfortune I knowe not) for my
death: and where I thought among the happy to be the most happy,
I see my selfe amongs al vnlucky women to be the most
vnfortunate." Elisa hearing hir say so, greatly maruelled and
sayd: "Why then I perceiue thou art a woman and not a man."
"Yea, truly," answered the vnhappy mayden: "A singuler example
of extreme misery to all sortes of women." "And why so?"
demaunded Elisa. "Bicause" (answered Philene) "that the
pestilent planet vnder which I was borne, will haue it to be
so." And then she told hir al that which had chaunced from the
time of hir mother's departure out of Carthage, and how she went
into Scicilia and recounted vnto hir the loue that she bare to a
Scicilian Gentleman, and howe that he disdayning hir for hir
pouerty, refused to be hir husband: whervpon to atchieue hir
desire as loth to forgoe him, was come in maner of a page to
Carthage, to recouer the riches which hir Mother had hidden
there, to the intente she might obtaine (if not by other meanes)
with som rich dowrie, the yong Gentleman to husband whom she so
dearely loued. And then reenforcing hir complaint, she said:
That sith Fortune had despoiled hir of that which might haue
accomplished hir desire, resting no cause why she should any
longer liue, the halter was prepared for hir to end her daies,
and to rid hir life from troubles. And therefore she praied hir
to be contented, that she might make that end which hir
misaduenture and wicked fortune had predestinate. I doubt not
but there be many, which vnderstanding that the treasure did
belong to Philene, if they had found the like as Elisa did,
would not onely not haue forbidden hir the Death, but also by
speedy meanes haue hastened the same, for so mutch as by that
occasion the hidden treasure should haue ben out of strife and
contention: so greate is the force of couetousnesse in the minde
of man. But good Elisa knew ful wel the mutability of Fortune in
humaine thinges, for so mutch as she by seeking death, had fonde
the thinge which not onely deliuered hir from the same, but made
hir the best contented woman of the worlde. And Philene seekinge
hir contentation, in place thereof, and by like occasion, found
the thinge that would haue ben the instrument of hir death, and
moued with very great compassion of the mayden, desired to haue
better aduertisement howe that treasure could belong to her.
Then Philene shewing forth hir mother's writing, which
particularly remembred the parcels within the casket, and Elisa
seeinge the same to be agreeable to the hand wherewith the other
was written that was founde in the casket, was assured that all
the gold and Iewels which she had found, did belong vnto
Philene, and sayd vnto hirselfe: "The Gods defend that I should
prepare the halter for the death of this innocent Wench, whose
substaunce hath yelded vnto mee my hart's desire." And
comforting the mayden, in the ende she sayd: "Be contented
Philene, and giue ouer this thy desperate determination, for
both thy lyfe shalbe prolonged, and thy discontented minde
appeased, hoping thou shalt receyue the comforte thou desirest."
And with those words she losed the halter from hir neck, and
takinge hir by the hand, brought hir to the place where hir
Father and husband were, and did them to vnderstand the force
and terms whereunto the fier of loue and desperation had brought
that amorous mayden: tellinge them that all the treasure and
Iewels which she had found (where she left the halter, and
wherewith Philene was minded to hang hir selfe) did by good
right and reason belonge to hir: then she did let them se the
counterpayne of that bill which was in the casket, in all points
agreeable thereunto, declaringe moreouer that verye lyke and
reasonable yt were, like curtesie should bee vsed vnto her, as
by whom they hadde receyued so greate honoure and delyghte. Her
husband which was a Carthagian borne, very churlishe and
couetous, albeit by conferring the writings together, he knewe
the matter to be true, and that Philene ought to be the
possessor thereof, yet by no meanes would agree vnto hys wyue's
request, but fell into a rage, callinge hir Foole and Ideot, and
sayinge that hee had rather that shee had bene a Thousande tymes
hanged, than he would giue hir one peny: and although she had
saued hir life, yet she ought to be banished the Citty, for so
mutch as the same and all the propertie thereof was brought into
the Romane's handes, and amongs the same hir mother's house, and
al hir goods in possession of the victors, and euery part, at
their disposition and pleasure. And moreouer, for so mutch as
hir mother and shee had departed Carthage, and would not abide
the hazarde and extremity of their country as other Citizens
did, and hauing concealed and hidden those riches which ought to
haue ben brought forth for the common defence of their countrey,
and gone out of the Citty as though she had ben a poore simple
Woman, poorely therefore she ought to lyue in Scicilia, whyther
she was fled. Wherefore he was of opinion, that she in this
maner beinge departed when the Citty had greatest neede of hir
helpe, was disfranchised of all the rightes and customes of the
countrey, and that like as a straunger can recouer nothinge in
that Citty, except he haue the priuiledge and Freedome of the
same, euen so Philene (for the considerations before recited)
ought to be compted for a straunger, and not to participate any
thinge within the City, accordingly as the lawes forbid. When he
had so sayd, he was like by force to expell the sorrowfull
mayden out of the house. These wordes greatly grieued Philene,
who doubted least his father in law would haue ioyned with him,
and agree vnto hys alleaged reasons, whych seemed to be of great
importaunce and effect: and therefore thought newly to returne
to the Halter for remedy of hir griefes; but it otherwise
chaunced, for the Father of Elisa, which was a Romane borne, and
affected with a Romane minde, and therefore of a Gentle and well
disposed nature, knew ful wel, that although the house was giuen
vnto him by the consent of Scipio, and other the Captaynes, yet
he knew that their pleasure was not to bestowe on him the
treasure hidden in the same, and therefore ought to be restored
to the true owner, or else confiscate and properly due to the
Romane Eschequer, or common treasure house of the same: and
albeit that it was true that hir Mother went out of Carthage, in
the time of the Siege, and therefore had forfayted the same, yet
he determined to shewe some curtesie vnto the younge mayden, and
to be thankfull to fortune, for the benefite which by hir meanes
he had receyued, thinkinge that she would be displeased with
him, if he with vngratefull minde or dishonourable intent should
receyue hir giftes. For in those dayes the Romans highly
reuerenced Lady Fortune, and in hir honour had Erected Temples,
and Dedicated Aultars, and in prosperous tyme and happy
aduentures, they consecrated vowes, and sacrifices vnto hir,
thinkinge (although supersticiously) that like as from God there
proceeded none euil, euen so from him all goodnesse was deriued:
that all felicity and other good happes, whych chaunced vppon
the Romane Common wealth, proceeded from Fortune, as the
Fountayne and most Principall Occasion, and that they which
would not confesse hir force, and be thanckful vnto hir
Godheade, incurred in the ende hir Displeasure and Daungers very
great and haynous. This Romane then hauing this opinion, beinge
(as I sayd before) of a gentle Disposition woulde at one instant
both render thankes to Fortune, and vse curtesie vnto that
mayden, by whose riches and goods from lowe degree he was
aduanced to honourable state. Wherefore turning his Face vnto
hir, with louing countenaunce he spake these wordes: "Right
gentle damosel, albeit by the reasons alleged by my sonne in
law, none of the treasure hidden by thy mother, and founde by my
Daughter in thys house, of right doth appertayne to thee, yet I
will that thou shalte vnderstande my curtesie, and that thou see
how the Romanes doe more esteeme the nobility of their minde,
than all the riches of the world. Therefore that thou mayst
enioy thy loue, I referre vnto thee and to thy disposition all
the goods and Iewels that were in the Casket, and contayned in
thy writinge. Beholde therefore (causing the casket to be
brought vnto him) all the Iewels and other parcels that were in
the same when they were founde, take so mutch thereof as thou
wilt, and if so bee thou desire the whole, willingly I render
the same vnto thee, sithens by means of those riches, and the
industry of my trafique, I haue gayned so mutch, as hauinge
gyuen a conuenient dowry vnto my daughter, I honorably liue
without it." Philene seeing the curtesie of this valiaunt
gentleman, gaue him infinite thanks, and then sayd vnto him:
"Sir, I for my part dare aske nothinge, well knowinge that if
you geue me nothinge, there is no cause why I shoulde complayne
of you, but of my hard and wicked fortune, whych hath offered
and giuen that to you, which ought to haue bin mine. Wherefore,
sith your curtesie is sutch, as you refer the whole to mee,
I purpose to take nothing, but will that the whole shall bee in
your disposition, and giue mee what you list, and that so gieuen
of your liberality, I shal more thankfully receiue, than if debt
or duty did constrayne it: and if it shall please you to giue me
nothing, my heart shal bee so well appeased, for that your
curtesie, as rather woulde I chose to liue in the poore estate
wherein I am, than be rych with your displeasure." Howbeit, the
Romayne intreated Philene to take thereof what shee thought
good: and Philene craued no more than it pleased hym to gyue.
Eyther of them standinge vpon these termes Elisa, brake the
strife, who knowinge the force of loue, and the griefes incident
to his clients, by hir own harmes, moued to haue compassion vpon
the afflicted, turned towardes hir father, and sayd vnto him:
"Right louinge father, the contencion betweene Philene and you,
is risen of a matter which came by me. The treasure for which
you striue, and committed to the will of Philene, was found by
me, whereof if it please you both, I wyll take sutch order, as
both you shalbe satisfied." "I am contented," sayd hir father:
"And I likewise," aunswered Philene. Then sayd Eliza: "You
father hitherto haue had but one Daughter, which am I, vnto whom
like a chylde and louinge daughter I haue bene obedient, and
shalbe all the dayes of my lyfe: and I agayne haue receiued from
you sutch fatherly education, as your ability and state
required. This treasure I found and gaue to you for ease and
comfort of vs both: to me it yelded the only delectation of my
heart in choyse of husband: to you honour and estimation within
thys Citty. Wherefore, sith the principal came from me, and the
right resteth in this careful maiden, my desire is, that where
before you had but one daughter, you will adopt this mayden for
another, and thinke that you have twaine, and that you will
intreate Philene in like sort as if shee were my sister: and
where this Inheritance and reuenue wherewith now you be
possessed, and this casket also ought to be onely myne after
your decease, for that you haue no sonnes, nor other Issue, my
desire is that you geue vnto her the halfe, and that you accept
hir for your daughter, as I doe meane to take hir for my sister:
and accordingely to vse hir duringe lyfe." With these wordes
Elisa imbraced Philene, and louingly dyd kisse hir, sayinge vnto
hir: "For my sister I entertayn thee Philene." And then shee
tooke hir by the hand and gaue hir vnto hir father with these
wordes: "Beholde father, your new daughter, whom I beseech you
so hartily to loue as you do Elisa your naturall chylde." The
father praysed the curtesie of Elisa, and receiued Philene for
his daughter and was contented wyth the Arbitrament of his
Daughter. But Elisa perceyuing hir husband to be somewhat
offended therewyth, specially for that the same should be
deuided into two partes, which was like to haue bene hys wholly
before, persuaded hym by gentle meanes to be content wyth that
agreement: and although at the first he could not well brooke
the liberality of his wyfe, yet at length viewinge the good
behauiour and gentle disposition of Philene, and the contented
minde of his father in law, together with the noble nature of
his wyfe, and hir wise aduertisement of Fortune's fickle
assurance, yelded, and acknowledged Philene for hys kinswoman.
And so Philene put in possession of the halfe of those goods,
whereof she was altogether out of hope, was well satisfied, and
had the Romane for hir father, Elisa for hir sister, and hir
husband for hir kinsman. That valyant Roman was so careful ouer
Philene, as if she had ben his owne daughter, and so indeuored,
as he brought to passe that she obteined hir beloued Scicilian
to husbande: who also sent for hym to Carthage, where he
continued with his wife in the Romane's house, and loved them
both so dearely as though he had ben father to the one, and
father in lawe to the other. In this maner these two poore
wenches attained their two husbands, for hauing of whom, theyr
onely care was for Ryches, and for lacke thereof were dryuen to
despayre: and in the ende both (though diuersly, and the one
more fortunat than the other) recouered riches, and with the
same theyr husbandes, to their heartes singular ioye and
contentation. Which lucke I wyshe to all other poore Girles (but
not hangyng rype, or louynge in despayre) that bend their mindes
on Mariage, and seeke to people by that estate, their countrey
common wealth. But leauinge for a time these Tragicall Nouels
and heauy chaunces, wee purpose to remember some morall matters
right worthy of remembraunce: Letters they bee from a godly
Pagane clerk, the famous Philosopher Plutarch, Schoolemaister to
an Emperour of no lesse vertue, than hys mayster's Schoole and
mynde was fraught with diuine Precepts. Wherefore proceede (good
Reader) to continue the paynes vpon the readinge of these, so
well as thou hast vouchsafed to employ thy time before. They
shal no lesse delite thee, if vertue brooke thee, they shal no
lesse content thee if duty please thee, than any delightsome
thing, whereupon (at any tyme) thou hast employed thy vacaunte
tyme.