Page:History of the seven wise masters of Rome.pdf/11

 Pye: but, after the deed, he ſaw the houſe untiled, with the gravel, &c. ſtanding on the top of the houſe, which perſuaded him the Pye had been deceived.Deceived indeed, ſaid the Emperor; and, for the example's ſake, my ſon ſhall not die this day.

The Empreſs hearing this, anſwered, My Lord, in this city reigned an Emperor named Tiberius, who had ſeven counſellors, who being ſkilful in magic, ſo ordered by their charms, that the Emperor's eyes had a continual miſt before them; but the Empreſs ſitting at the table with her Lord, comforted him in the beſt way, deſiring to command his chief counſellors, on pain of death, to reſtore him to ſight; the Emperor then ſent for the magic counſellors, and charged them to tell the reaſon of his blindneſs, and find a cure. After long puzzling, they found a youth who interpreted a dream of a ſpring, which riſing ſmall, ſoon overflowed the ground, and the man accordingly digging, found great treaſure, as the youth had interpreted: they deſired him to go with them, and he would be rewarded. Coming before the Emperor, he deſired to be let into the royal bed-chamber, where caſting off the bed-clothes, there appeared a ſeeming well, fed with ſeven ſprings, which the youth ſaid muſt be ſtopped ere he could have his ſight in another place. Then he demanded of him, How muſt they be ſtopped? To which the youth