Page:History of the seven wise masters of Rome.pdf/10

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The Hiſtory of the Seven

himſelf, and inſinuated that that was the cauſe; the officers were ſatisfied, and carried the body to the place of execution, and hanged it up, yet the ſon would neither take it down, nor bury the dead, though the father died to ſave his life.———Even ſo, ſaid ſhe, is your caſe by your ſon, who ſeeks your life and my honour. That ſhall not be, for to-morrow he ſhall die, ſaid the Emperor.

When ſhe had told her ſtory, Cratoa, the third maſter came in, ſaying, Dread Sovereign, if your ſon die, it ſhall happen to you as with a knight, who killed a Pye, that he exceedingly loved, thus; A Knight married a wife, who took to unlawful pleaſures, which being perceived by the Pye, whom the Knight had taught moſt languages, he told his maſter what had happened in his abſence, for which the lady hated him, and to prevent it for the future, ſhe untiled the houſe, and caſt down ſand, ſtones and water upon him, which the Pye took for hail, rain, and ſnow; ſo when his lord came home, he told he was almoſt killed by reaſon of the heavy tempeſt that fell upon him. The wife hearing him ſay ſo, anſwered, My Lord, you may now ſee the error in crediting this bird, for there has not been a fairer in the memory of man. The Knight upon this enquired of his neighbours, who confirmed what ſhe ſaid. He therefore broke the neck of the