Keightley has devoted a chapter of his _Tales and Popular Fictions_ (the seventh) to the legend of Whittington and his Cat. He cites two similar stories from Thiele's _Danish Popular Traditions_, another from the letters of Count Magalotti, a Florentine of the latter half of the 17th century, another from the _Facezie_ of Arlotto, a Tuscan humorist of the 15th century, another, of Venetian origin, from a German chronicle of the 13th century, and finally one from the Persian _Tarikh al Wasaf_, a work said to have been composed at the end of the 13th or the beginning of the 14th century. Mr. Halliwell adds one more of a Portuguese wrecked on the coast of Guinea, from the _Description of Guinea_, 1665. Here must I tell the praise Of worthy Whittington, Known to be in his dayes Thrice Maior of London. But of poor parentage, 5 Borne was he, as we heare, And in his tender age Bred up in Lancashire. Poorely to London than Came up this simple lad, 10 Where, with a marchant-man, Soone he a dwelling had; And in a kitchen plast, A scullion for to be, Whereas long time he past 15 In labour drudgingly. His daily service was Turning spitts at the fire; And to scour pots of brasse, For a poore scullions hire. 20 Meat and drinke all his pay, Of coyne he had no store; Therefore to run away, In secret thought he bore. So from this marchant-man, 25 Whittington secretly Towards his country ran, To purchase liberty. But as he went along, In a fair summer's morne, 30 Londons bells sweetly rung, "Whittington, back return!" Evermore sounding so, "Turn againe, Whittington; For thou in time shall grow 35 Lord-Maior of London." Whereupon back againe Whittington came with speed, A prentise to remaine, As the Lord had decreed. 40 "Still blessed be the bells; (This was his daily song) They my good fortune tells, Most sweetly have they rung. If God so favour me, 45 I will not proove unkind; London my love shall see, And my great bounties find." But see his happy chance! This scullion had a cat, 50 Which did his state advance, And by it wealth he gat. His maister ventred forth, To a land far unknowne, With marchandize of worth, 55 As is in stories showne.