The master took the box of pearls and jewels with him on shore, and
went straight to the merchant’s house. He gave his account to Mr.
Fitz-warren, who was greatly pleased at the fortunate voyage, and called
his servants together, to receive their profit. Then the master showed
the box of pearls and jewels, and told the story of Whittington’s cat,
and how Puss had earned this wealth.
“Call Mr. Whittington,” said Mr. Fitzwarren. “I will not take one
farthing from him.”
Now Dick was in the kitchen cleaning pots and pans. When he was told
that the merchant had sent for “Mr. Whittington,” he thought every one
was making fun of him, and he would not go.
At last, he went as far as the door. The merchant bade him come in, and
placed a chair for him. At that poor Dick was sure they were making fun
of him, and the tears came into his eyes.
“I am only a simple fellow,” he said. “I do not mean harm to any one. Do
not mock me.”
“Indeed, Mr. Whittington, we are serious with you,” said the merchant.
“You are a much richer man than I am,” and he gave him the box of pearls
and jewels worth quite three hundred thousand pounds.
At first Dick could not believe his good fortune. When at last he was
persuaded, he fell upon his knees and thanked God who had been so good
to him. Then he turned to his master and wished to give him of his
wealth, but Mr. Fitzwarren said:--
“No, Mr. Whittington. I will not take a penny from you. It is all
yours.”
At that Dick turned to Mistress Alice, who also refused. He bowed low,
and said:--
“Madam, whenever you please to make choice of a husband, I will make you
the greatest fortune in the world.”
Then he gave freely to his fellow servants. Even to his enemy, the cook,
he gave a hundred pounds.
Richard Whittington was now a rich man. He laid aside his poor clothes,
and was dressed well and handsomely. He had grown strong and tall in
service, and was indeed a fine man to look upon.
He was well behaved and of a good mind and heart. Mr. Fitzwarren made
him known to the other merchants, and let him see how business was
carried on. Then, seeing that he was as honest and good as he was rich,
he told Whittington that he might have his daughter in marriage.
At first, Dick felt himself unworthy of Mistress Alice. But he saw that
she looked kindly on him, and he remembered how good she had been to
him from the beginning. So he made bold to ask Mistress Alice to be his
wife, and they had a grand wedding.
After the wedding was over, Mr. Fitzwarren asked him what he meant to
do, and Mr. Whittington said he would like to be a merchant. So the two
became partners, and grew to be very rich.
Rich as he was, this merchant never forgot that he was once poor Dick
Whittington. The promise of Bow Bells came true, and three times he was
chosen Lord Mayor of London. He fed the hungry, and cared for the poor.
When he was Lord Mayor of London the third time, it was his duty to
receive King Henry V and his queen at Guildhall, which was the Mayor’s
palace. It was just after a famous war with France, which England had
won.
The king, at the feast, made the lord mayor a knight, so that now he was
Sir Richard Whittington. There was a very pleasant fire on the hearth at
the time. It was made of choice wood. Mace and other spices were mixed
with the wood. The king praised the fire, and Sir Richard said,--“I will
make it still more pleasant.” At that he threw upon the flames one piece
of paper after another. They were the written promises of the king, to
pay back money lent to him by London merchants, when he was carrying on
the war. Sir Richard had bought them for sixty thousand pounds. That was
the way he paid the king’s debt, for now there was nothing to show that
the king owed anything.
This is the story of Dick Whittington and his cat. How much is true,
and how much was made up, I do not know, for what happened took place
five hundred years ago.