e marchant man desirous
to be one of the holye voyage intended by christian Princes,
passed ouer the seas, who put to his shifts there throughe the
aduerse lucke receyued by the Christians, became the Souldans
Fawconer, and afterwardes knowen vnto him by certaine markes and
signes, is with greater honor intertained of the Souldan, and
more richly guerdoned, sent home agayne by Magike Arte to
anticipate the mariage of his wife, vnto whom he had prefixed a
certaine date and terme to marry againe if before that tyme, he
did not returne. All which Noble entertainment, and the
circumstances thereof, in this manner do begin. In the time of
the Emperour Fredericke the firste, the Chrystians to recouer
the Holy Lande, made a generall voyage and passage ouer the Sea.
Saladine a most vertuous Prynce, then Souldan of Babylon, hauing
intelligence thereof, a certayne time before, determined in his
own person to see and espy the preparation which the Christian
Princes made for that passage, the better to prouide for his
owne, and hauing put order for his affayres in Aegypt, making as
though he would go on Pilgrimage, tooke his iourney in the
apparel of a Marchant, accompanied only with two of his chiefest
and wisest counsellers, and three seruaunts. And when he had
searched and trauelled many christian prouinces, and riding
through Lumbardy to passe ouer the Mountaynes, it chaunced that
betweene Millan and Pauy, somwhat late he met wyth a gentleman
named mayster Thorello de Istria of Pauy, who with his
houshoulde, his dogges and hawkes, for his pleasure went to
soiorne in one of his Manours, that was delectably placed upon
the ryuer of Tesino. And when maister Thorello sawe them come,
thinckinge that they were certayn Gentlemen straungers, he
desired to do them honour. Wherefore Saladine demaunding of one
of mayster Thorello his men, how farre it was from thence to
Pauie, and whether they might come thither time inough to go in,
master Thorello would not suffer his man to speake, but he
himself made aunswere, saying: "sirs, yee cannot get into Pauie
in time, for that the Gates will be shut before your comming."
Than sayd Saladine: "tell us then wee pray you, bicause we be
straungers, where wee may lodge this night." Maister Thorello
sayd: "That will I willingly do, I was about euen presently to
send one of my men that be here, so far as Pauie, about certayne
businesse, him wil I appoint to be your guide to a place where
you shall