ne, and sayde he
would giue him more. The begger glad of that, went in againe,
whome Ricciardo caried into his chamber, and when he was within,
he strake suche a full blowe vpon his head with an axe, as he
killed hym, and threwe him into a iakes, shutting the doore
after him. In the euening, these poore men retourned to the
duke, according to their promise, and sayde they coulde finde
nothing. The Duke called them by their names, and compting the
number founde one lesse than he had sent, whereat he maruelled.
And after he had well aduised with himselfe, what should become
of him that lacked, he sayde: "Certainely the poore man is
Slayne." Then causing the councell to be assembled, he declared
what he had done: and yet sayde that it were meete the party
were knowen. Whereunto one of the Senatours sayde: {"}Your grace
hath duely made search by the belly and mouth, to finde out this
verlet: I thinke it nowe necessarie that triall be made by
lechery, whiche commonly accompanieth licorous mouthes." Then it
was concluded that the moste riotous and lecherous yong men,
suche as the Duke had in greatest suspicion, to the number of
XXV. should be warned to appeare before him: whiche accordingly
was done, amonges whome was this Ricciardo. These yonge roisters
assembled in the palace, euery of them maruelled wherefore the
Duke had caused them to come thether. Afterwarde the Duke
commaunded XXV. beddes to be made in one of his great chambers,
to lodge euery of the sayd XXV. persons by hymself, and in the
middes of the chamber he commaunded a riche bed of estate to be
set vp and furnished, wher was appointed to ly his own daughter,
which was an exceading faire creature. And in the night when
these yong men were layde in their beddes, manye gentlewomen
attendant vpon the Lady, came in to bryng her to her lodging:
and her father deliuered to her a sawcer full of black die, or
stayning, and saide vnto her: "If any of these yong men that doe
lie here by thee, doe offer to come to thy bedde, looke that
thou marke him in the face with this staining colour, that he
may be knowen." At which wordes all the yong men maruelled and
therefore durste not attempt to goe vnto her, but said one to
another: "Surely this commaundement of the Duke hath some
secrete misterie in it." Notwithstanding Ricciardo determined
about midnight to go to her bedde: and when the candle was out
being a wake of purpose, he rose vp and went to the
gentlewoman's bedde