But tract of time, that all things doth decay, viii And this deuouring Sea, that naught doth spare, The most part of my land hath washt away, And throwne it vp vnto my brothers share: So his encreased, but mine did empaire. Before which time I lou’d, as was my lot, That further mayd, hight _Philtra_ the faire, With whom a goodly doure I should haue got, And should haue ioyned bene to her in wedlocks knot. Then did my younger brother _Amidas_ ix Loue that same other Damzell, _Lucy_ bright, To whom but little dowre allotted was; Her vertue was the dowre, that did delight. What better dowre can to a dame be hight? But now when _Philtra_ saw my lands decay, And former liuelod fayle, she left me quight, And to my brother did ellope streight way: Who taking her from me, his owne loue left astray. She seeing then her selfe forsaken so, x Through dolorous despaire, which she conceyued, Into the Sea her selfe did headlong throw, Thinking to haue her griefe by death bereaued. But see how much her purpose was deceaued. Whilest thus amidst the billowes beating of her Twixt life and death, long to and fro she weaued, She chaunst vnwares to light vppon this coffer, Which to her in that daunger hope of life did offer. The wretched mayd that earst desir’d to die, xi When as the paine of death she tasted had, And but halfe seene his vgly visnomie, Gan to repent, that she had beene so mad, For any death to chaunge life though most bad: And catching hold of this Sea-beaten chest, The lucky Pylot of her passage sad, After long tossing in the seas distrest, Her weary barke at last vppon mine Isle did rest. Where I by chaunce then wandring on the shore, xii Did her espy, and through my good endeuour From dreadfull mouth of death, which threatned sore Her to haue swallow’d vp, did helpe to saue her. She then in recompence of that great fauour, Which I on her bestowed, bestowed on me The portion of that good, which Fortune gaue her, Together with her selfe in dowry free; Both goodly portions, but of both the better she. Yet in this coffer, which she with her brought, xiii Great threasure sithence we did finde contained; Which as our owne we tooke, and so it thought. But this same other Damzell since hath fained, That to her selfe that threasure appertained; And that she did transport the same by sea, To bring it to her husband new ordained, But suffred cruell shipwracke by the way. But whether it be so or no, I can not say.