_Water offered of good will to Artaxerxes King of Persia, and the
liberall rewarde of the Kinge to the giuer._
There was a certaine Persian called Sinetas, that farre from his owne
house mette king Artaxerxes, and had not wherwith to present him. For it
was an order amonges the Persians, instituted by law, that euery man
which met the king, should giue him a present. Wherfore the poore man
because he would not neglecte his dutie, ranne to a Riuer called Cyrus,
and taking both his hands full of water, spake to the king in this wise.
“I beseech God that your maiestie may euermore raigne amonges vs. As
occasion of the place, and mine ability at this instant serueth, I am
come to honour your maiesty, to the intent you may not passe without
some present, for which cause I giue vnto you this water. But if your
grace had ones encamped your selfe, I would go home to my house, for the
best and dearest thinges I haue to honour your maiestie withall. And
peraduenture the same shall not be much inferiour to the giftes, which
other now do giue you.” Artaxerxes delighted with this fact, sayde vnto
him. “Goode fellowe I thancke thee for this presente, I assure thee, the
same is so acceptable vnto me, as the most precious gift of the worlde.
First, because water is the best of all thinges, then because the Riuer,
out of the which thou diddest take it, doth beare the name Cyrus.
Wherefore I commaunde thee to come before me when I am at my campe.” In
speakinge those wordes, he required his Eunuches to take the present,
and to put it into a cuppe of gold. The king when he was lodged in his
pauilion, sent to the man a Persian robe, a Cuppe of Golde, and a
thousande Darices, (which was a coigne amonges the Persians, wherupon
was the Image of Darius) willinge the messenger to saye vnto him, these
wordes. “It hath pleased the king, that thou shouldest delighte thy
selfe, and make mery with this gold, because thou diddest exhilarate his
minde, in not suffering him to passe, without the honour of a present:
but as necessitie did serue thee, diddest humblie salute him with water.
His pleasure is also, that thou shalt drincke of that water in this
Cuppe of gold, of which thou madest him partaker.”
Artaxerxes hereby expressed the true Image of a princely minde, that
would not disdaine cherefully to behold the homelie gifte (in our
estimation rude, and nothing worth) at the handes of his poore subiect:
and liberally to reward that duetifull zeale, with thinges of greate
price and valour. To the same Artaxerxes, riding in progresse through
Persia, was presented by one called Mises, a very great Pomegranate in a
Siue. The king marueiling at the bignes therof, demaunded of him out of
what garden he had gathered the same: he aunswered, out of his owne.
Wherat the king greatlye reioysinge, recompenced him with princelye
rewards, saying: “By the Sunne (for that was the common oth of the
Persian kinges) this man is able with such trauaile and diligence in my
iudgement to make of a litle citie, one that shal be large and great.”
Which wordes seeme to declare, that all thinges by care, sufficiente
paine and continual labour, may against nature, be made more excellent
and better.