ay, and afterwardes buried the body so secretly as he
could. In the morning newes came to the Duke that the bodye was
taken awaye, who sent for the guarde to knowe what was become
thereof. To whome they sayde these wordes: "Pleaseth your grace,
about midnight last past there came into the market-place a
companie of Deuils, among whom we sawe the great deuil Lucifer
himselfe, who as wee suppose did eate vp the bodye, which
terrible sight and vision made vs to take our legges." The Duke
by those wordes perceiued euidently that the same was but a
practise to deceiue them of their purpose, notwithstanding he
determined once again to deuise some meanes in the ende to knowe
the truthe, and decreed a constitucion that for the space of xx
dayes no fresh meate shoulde be solde in Venice: at which decree
all the citie marueiled. Afterwardes he caused a verie faire
fatte calfe to be solde, sessing the price of euery pounde at a
fiorino, which amounteth to a French crowne or thereaboutes, and
willed hym that solde it to note and marke them that bought it:
thinking with himselfe, that he which is a theefe is licorous of
mouth delicate in fare and would not stick to geue a good price,
although it cost him a French crown for euery pound: making
proclamation, that he which would buye any fresh meate should
resort to the market-place where was to bee solde. All the
Marchaunts and Gentlemen repaired to buye some of the veale, and
vnderstanding that euery pound would not be solde under a
Frenche crowne, they bought none at all. This calfe and the
price was bruted in all places, and came to the knowledge of the
mother of this yong man, who said vnto her sonne: "I haue a
minde to eate some of the veale, now solde in the market."
Ricciardo aunswered. "Mother make no haste to buye it, first let
it be cheapened by other, and at length I will deuise a meane
that you shall have it: for it is not wysedome for vs to be the
firste that shall desire it." The mother like an ignoraunt and
vnskilfull woman, was importunate to haue it. The sonne fearing
that his mother would sende for some of the veale, by other,
caused a Pie to be made, and prepared a flagon full of wyne,
both which were intermixed with thinges to cause sleepe, and
taking bread, the sayd Pie, and the flagon of wyne, when it was
night, putting on a counterfait beard, and cloke, went to the
stall where that veale was to bee solde, which as yet was whole
and vnbought. And when he had kn