“ Even so, said she is your case; you are the tree, and your son the scion, that is inciting your subjects to rise against your life, that he may reign. That shall not be, said the Emperor, for to-morrow he shall surely die.
The day appointed being come, the Prince was delivered unto the executioner: Which Pantillius the first master hearing, he hasted to the palace, and told the Emperor the following example.
There once lived a knight in this city who had a son whom leaving to the care of some nurses, he often went abroad delighting in hawking and hunting; among his dogs he had a greyhound. ”

“ THE Empress hearing that the Master had prevailed with the Emperor; came and besought him, that his son might be put to death, lest it happen to him as to a wild boar, thus: There was a mighty Emperor, whose empire was wasted by a boar, which obliged the Emperor to proclaim, That whosoever killed him, should have his daughter in marriage, and after his decease, the empire. ”

“ The young Prince thus disposed of his mother, the queen, soon after died; and the Emperor, having lived single for some time, the Roman Lords besought him to take a second wife. At this all the courts of Europe were searched for an accomplished lady; At length they pitched on the King of Castile's daughter, of whom the Emperor, much approved; the marriage being concluded, she came to Rome, and there, with great pomp, the nuptials were celebrated. The young Empress having no child, studied how she might destroy the young Prince ”

“ In the end, the Knight desired the King to give him this Lady in marriage, which he did, giving them great riches, with a ship to convey them to a port in Greece, where the Knight had large possessions; and, solemnly taking leave, they set sail, the King sending his eyes after them, till they were out of sight, and afterwards, went to divert himself with the Queen, but coming into the castle, behold she was fled! ”

“ 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. ”

“ The grey-hound sleeping by it, the falcon espied a serpent coming out of a hole in the wall, going towards the child, upon which, shaking and fluttering his bells, he awaked the greyhound, who killed the serpent, and saved the child, yet, in the bustle, the cradle was overturned, and the child was whelmed under it, the grey-hound, lying down by it, and licking its wounds; which the servants seeing, ran and told the lady the news, who with them concluded the hound had devoured his son; whereupon the father struck off the hound's head ”

“ The Empress being exceeding outrageous, the Emperor could find nothing that would divert her fury, but promised her his death once more. There lived says 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 his two daughters urged the contrary; whereupon he resolved with his son to break into the king's treasury ”

“ When she had told her story, Cratoa, the third master came in, saying, Dread Sovereign, if your son die, it shall happen to you as with a knight, who killed a Pye, that he exceedingly loved, thus; A Knight married a wife, who took to unlawful pleasures, which being perceived by the Pye, whom the Knight had taught most languages, he told his master what had happened in his absence, for which the lady hated him, and to prevent it for the future, she untiled the house, and cast down sand, stones and water upon him, which the Pye took for hail, rain, and snow ”

“ Soon after, the Knight and his lady quarrelled, and he striking her she cried out in the hearing of many, O you monster! will you kill me, as you did the three Knights. They being missed, created a suspicion; upon which they were both seized, confessed the fact, and were afterwards executed.--Then said the Emperor, my son shall not die.
Upon this the Empress came and said, My Lord, In Armenia reigned a King, who had a beautiful wife, on whom he doated; and that none other might enjoy her, he confined her in a castle, and kept the keys himself. ”

“ So that sending him to visit great persons in their sickness, he always cured them; which created such jealousies in Hippocrates, that he killed and buried him. But he falling sick, ordered his scholars to fill a cask of water, which they did, and, though an hundred holes were bored in it, yet none would issue hence; whereupon, he said he was a dead man, for, as no water came out of the cask, so no virtues came out of the herbs to heal his disease ”

“ The enemy soon after came upon the town, and took it and destroying the inhabitants, took all their riches.———The Empress then demanded, if he knew the meaning? who replied in the negative. Well then, said she, the tower with the images signify your body, with its intellectual faculties; as long as they remain strong, and on a good foundation, you are safe; but, if you give yourself up to the flattery of the masters you must expect to fall. Rather than so, said he, they shall die with my Son. ”

“ 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 down 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 answered; the seven springs signified his seven counsellors, who had usurped his royal authority, casting a mist of delusion before his eyes, that he might not behold their extortions ”

“ Nor is she nice in her honor, for, under the cover of a female garment, she keeps youth to supply your place; and send for her attendants, and I will make it appear. At this the Emperor ordered all of them to be called in, and the person the Prince pitched upon, proved to be a man, who confessed he had lain with the Empress, that he lead them cast into prison, and the prince told the following story.———In Palestane lived a knight, who had oue son whom he held in high esteem; and for his noble accomplishments, caused him to be taught all the arts and sciences ”