Page:Most excellent and delightful history of Fortunatus.pdf/4

 means of bringing him to live soberly and frugally; and proposing it to him, with many persuasive reasons and arguments how much it would be for his good, he resolved to visit her; and after a few months courtship they were married in a splendid manner, most of the principal gentlemen of either city being at the wedding, and so they lived together in content and great felicity for the space of one year, in which time they had a son, whom they named Fortunatus; at whose christening an old woman, taken to be a prophetess, came in and uttered these words:—

This was noted of many, but more particularly when the success answered her prediction. As he grew up, his father, not to be restrained by the tears and intreaties of his wife, began to follow his former oad courses, insomuch that he squandered away all his patrimony, so that they fell into extreme poverty. Fortunatus being then eighteen years of age, and seeing no ways to have their wants relieved, begged leave of his parents to quit them of the charge he put them to by suffering him to travel, not doubting but he could shift for himself. His father easily consented, but his mother not without great reluctance; so with many tender