Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 1.djvu/134

cviii most dear lord, quoth the steward, right well you shall have your intent.

"For here beside, within these three miles, ye have brick-makers, which daily make great fire, for to burn brick, and also they make lime, therefore my lord, send to them this night, charge them upon pain of death, that whosoever cometh to them first in the morning, saying to them thus, My lord commandeth them to fulfil his will, that they take him and cast him into the furnace, and burn him: and this night command you this Fulgentius, that he go early in the morning to your workmen, and that he ask them whether they have fulfilled your will which they were commanded, or not; and then shall they, according to your commandment, cast him into the fire, and thus shall he die an evil death. "Surely quoth the emperor, thy counsel is good, therefore call to me that varlet Fulgentius. And when the young man was come to the emperor's presence, he said to him thus, I charge thee upon pain of death, that thou rise early in the morning, and go to the burners of lime and brick, and that thou be with them early before the sun rise, three miles from this house, and charge them in my behalf, that they fulfil my commandment, or else they shall die a most shameful death.