Page:Most excellent and delightful history of Fortunatus.pdf/17

 entertained the queen and princess at a splendid dinner, and afterwards the king giving liberally to the guards and servants, so that they marvelled how he having no visible estate, could live at such a rate, and were desirous to know what secret he had to carry on his grandeur at such a height. This, by the advice of the king and queen, the princess undertook to discover, as she perceived he was deeply in love with her; and in a little time shewed him such kindness that he was admitted to be in private with her in the chamber, a favour which none before had received: and there being none but they, he thought it was now time to declare his passion, which he did in such obliging terms that she seemed to be pleased with it, only saying, your lavishing expences I fear will bring us both to poverty should I marry with you. He told her that could not be, for his treasure during life was inexhaustible and could not be spent, spend what he would. Let me know, said the princess; from whence you have these great riches? Ah, said he, it was my dying father's command not to discover it to any; yet so dearly do I love you that I can deny you nothing. To this she obliged herself, and he drunk with love, thereupon shewed her his purse, told her how it was come by, and all the secrets of it her see it experimentally, by pulling out several handfuls of gold which he presented her with, telling he could do so all day long, and every day as long as she lived. This made her inwardly rejoice, and from that time plotted how to get it, which she effected under the colour of a promise he should he lie with her before marriage if he would swear to be true to her when she had rendered up to him her virgin treasure But whilst she expected, with a multitude of joy, the fruition of her delicate body,