.
The duke imbraced hym, and gaue him his pardon, and with great
ioye and triumphe he solemnized the mariage betwene hym and his
daughter. Wherewithal Ricciardo encouraged, proued a very stoute
and valiaunt man in suche wyse almoste as the affaires of the
whole state passed through his handes. And liued a long time
after, with the loue and good wyll of the whole cominaltie of
Venice.

THE FORTY-NINTH NOUELL.

_Philenio Sisterno, a Scholler of Bologna, being mocked of three
faire Gentlewomen, at a banket made of set purpose he was reuenged
on them all._

At Bologna, whiche is the noblest citie of Lombardie, the mother
of studies, and accomplished with al things nedefull and
requisite for sutch a florishing state, there was a yong
scholler, a Gentleman of the countrie of Crete named Philenio
Sisterno, of very good grace and behauiour. It chanced that in
his time, there was a great feast made in the citie, wherunto
were bidden the fayrest dames, and beste of reputation there:
there was likewyse many Gentlemen and Schollers of Bologna,
amonges whom was this Philenio Sisterno: who followyng the
manner of young men, dallying sometime with one, sometime with
another, and perceiuing them for his purpose determined to
daunce with one of them: and comming to one whiche was called
Emerentiana, the wyfe of sir Lamberto Bentiuoglia, hee prayed
her to daunce: who, beyng verie gentle and of no less audacitie
than beautiful, refused not. Then Philenio leading forth the
daunce very softly, sometymes wrynging her by the hand, spake
somewhat secretly vnto her these wordes: "Madame, your beautie
is so great, that without doubt it surmounteth all that ever I
sawe, and there is no woman in the world to whome I beare so
great affection, as to your persone, whiche if it were
correspondent to me in Loue, I would thinke myself the beste
contented man in the world, otherwyse I shall in shorte tyme bee
depriued of life, and then you shall be the cause of my death:
and louing you (Madame) as I doe, and as my dutie requireth, you
ought to take me for your seruaunt, vsing me and those litle
goodes whiche I haue as your owne: and I doe assure you, that it
is impossible for me to receiue greater fauour from heauen, then
to see myselfe subiecte to sutch a gentlewoman, as you be,
whiche hath taken me in a nette lyke a byrde." Nowe Emerentiana,
whiche earnestly had marked those sweet and pleasaunt woordes,
like a wyse gentlewoman, se