Page:History of the seven wise masters of Rome.pdf/13

 commanded her to riſe and be bled, whereat ſhe began to entreat; but, ſaid he, Your mad blood muſt be let out, and, if you refuſe that, I will have your heart's blood.--Upon this ſhe permitted him to bleed her in both arms, till ſhe fainted away: But, reviving, ſhe ſent for her mother, and told her his uſage. The mother being glad to hear this correction, ſaid, That old men's revenge was ſure, though ſlow; aſking her how ſhe liked the prieſt? The devil take the prieſt, ſaid ſhe, I'll ſtrive to pleaſe none but my huſband. The Emperor hearing this, ſent to ſpare his ſon.--The Empreſs, underſtanding it, came and ſaid, My Lord, over this city ruled Octavius, who, being troubled with the rebellion of his ſubjects, ordained his magicians to deviſe a way how he might know, at any time the ſtate of the provinces: Upon which Virgilius, the moſt crafty of them, raiſed a tower, and placed in it as many images as provinces, and, in the hand of each, a bell, which, by the ſecret inſtinct of magic, rung out if any revolt happened in the province it was aſſigned guardian of, ſo that the citizens inſtantly arriving, ſuppreſſed the foes ere they could make head; which being known to the tributary nations, deſirous to caſt off the Roman yoke, they deviſed how to deſtroy the tower, which, after a long debate, was undertaken by four knights, who bringing great treauſure, hid it in four