Page:Most excellent and delightful history of Fortunatus.pdf/8

 is wisdom, riches, strength, health, beauty, and long life: and therefore chuse one quickly, and be prudent, for you may not chuse again. Fortunatus made no longer stay, but said, then I desire riches. With that she gave him a purse, and said, receive the same of me, and in what country thou art in, as often as thou shalt put thy hard therein, thou shalt draw forth ten pieces of gold of the same nation’s coin; and this purse shall retain its virtue as long as thou livest, and thy own children during their lives. Fortunatus returned her a thousand thanks, to which she replied, return thanks to the giver of all good gifts, for I am but the hand to distribute them as he directs, and of thy riches, bestow it on the poor and needy. Then setting him out of the wood, she vanished from his sight: which made him greatly wonder, and scarcely believe but it was a vision, and nothing, of reality in it, till coming to an inn he tried the experiment, and found it otherwise but his garments were so poor, that the host, till he saw his money, scrupled to let him have any victuals or drink; but seeing him draw out gold so fast, he began to be sweet upon him, made him a fire, and carried him into the best room, ordering his daughter to attend him, where he staid all night. In the morning he enquired of his host if he could help him to some horses; who told him that there was a merchant very lately arrived with three very stately ones out of Barbary, for which the Duke Rodolphus, who lived