Page:History of the seven wise mistresses of Rome.pdf/16

 For this example, said the Empress, my daughter shall not die.

P. VII.

The Fifth Mistress's Intercession.

NOTWITHSTANDING the former relations, Radamantus obtained another order for the Princess's execution; which when the fifth Mistress heard, she came and told the Empress the following story:

In China reigned a virtuous Queen, who after being long married, proved to be with child. The King being obliged to go into the country, received a letter from an evil counsellor that the Queen was familiar with a nobleman of the court: on which she was imprisoned; where she was delivered of a Princess, who was then put into a little boat, and turned out to sea; where she was taken up by a poor shepherd, and brought up to keep sheep upon the mountainsOne day the King her father being a hunting, enquired of the shepherd if that was his child?He then told his Majesty the manner of his finding it; when the king suspecting it to be his