Page:History of the seven wise masters of Rome.pdf/9



HE Empreſs being exceeding outrageous, and the Emperor finding nothing would divert her fury, promiſed her his death once more. There lived, ſaid ſhe, a Knight at Rome, who ſpent great riches, and was reduced to poverty, ſo that he was about to ſell his inheritance; but his ſon and two daughters urged the contrary; whereupon he reſolved with his ſon to break into the Emperor's treaſury; he did ſo, and thence as much gold as both could carry. They attempted it again a ſecond time, father went firſt, and was caught in  trap; whereupon he told the ſon to ſtrike off his head, leſt being diſcovered his family ſhould die. The ſon, accordingly complied, and bore away the head; but the next morning the body being found, was, bу the Emperor's order, dragged about the, with command, that wherever they any weeping, as the body paſſed by,  enter that houſe, and convey thoſe therein, to the gallows, for of that houſe was he ; when the body came near the Knight's houſe, the daughter ſhrieked, when, to prevent the diſcovery, the ſon wounded