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rize you to take away his? When the Bufineſs in queſtion is to ſecure the Life of a King, bare Suſpicion ought to paſs tor Certainty; and it is better to ſacrifice the Innocent, than to ſpare the Guilty. But, Sir, this is not an uncertain Thing; the Phyſician Douban has certainly a mind to aſſaſſinate you. It is not Envy which makes me his Enemy. it’s only my Zeal, and the Concern I have for preſerving your Majeſty’s Life, that makes me give you my Advice in a Matter of this Importance. If it be ſalſe, I deſerve to be puniſh’d in the ſame manner as a Viſier was formerly puniſh’d. What had that Viſier done, ſays the Grecian King, to deſerve Puniſhment? I will inform your Majeſty of that, ſays the Viſier, if you will be pleas’d to hear me.
The Story of the Vifier that was puniſh’d.
THere was a King, ſays the Viſier, who had a Son that lov’d Hunting mightily. He allow’d him to divert himſelf that way very often; but gave Order to his Grand Viſier to attend him conſtantly, and never to loſe Sight of him.
One Hunting-day, the Huntſman having rouz’d a Deer, the Prince, who thought the Viſier follow’d him, purſu’d the Game fo ſar, and with ſo much Earneftneſs, that he was left quite alone. He ſtopp’d, and finding he had loſt his way, endeaveur’d to return the ſame way he came, to find out the Viſier, who had not been careful enough to follow him, and ſo wandred further,
While he rode up and down, without keeping any Road, he met, by the way-ſide, a handſome Lady, who wept bitterly. He ſtopt his Horſe, ask’d who ſhe was, how ſhe came to be alone in that Place, and what ſhe wanted, I am, ſays ſhe, Daughter to an Indian King: As was taking the Air on Horſe-back, in the Country, I grew fleepy, fell from my Horſe, who is got away, and I know not what is becomeof him. The young Prince taking Compaſſion on her, ask’d her to get up behind. him, which ſhe willingly accepted.
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