s, and deuided into diuers places, amongs whych prysoners
maister Thorello was one, who was caryed captyue to Alexandria,
where beyng not knowne, and fearyng to be knowne, forced of
necessitie, gaue him selfe to the keepyng of Hawkes, a qualitie
wherein he had very good skyll, whereby in the ende hee grew to
the acquaintance of the Souldan, who for that occasion (not
knowing him that time) toke hym out of pryson, and retayned him
for his Fawconer. Maister Thorello which was called of the
Souldan by none other name than Chrystian, whome hee neyther
knewe, ne yet the Souldan him, had none other thing in his mynde
and remembraunce but Pauia, and manye tymes assayed to escape
and run away: But he neuer came to the poynt: Wherfore dyuers
Ambassadoures from Genoua being come to Saladine, to raunsome
certayne of theyr Prysoners, and being ready to returne, hee
thought to wryte vnto his wyfe, to let hir know that he was
aliue, and that hee would come home so soone as he coulde,
praying hir to tarry his retourne: Which was the effecte of hys
Letter: verye earnestly desiring one of the ambassadours of his
acquayntaunce to doe so mutch for hym as safely to delyuer those
Letters to the Handes of the Abbot of _S. Pietro in ciel Doro_,
whych was hys Vncle. And Mayster Thorello standing vppon these
termes, it chaunced vpon a day as Saladine was talking with him
of his Hawkes, Thorello began to smyle and to make a Iesture
wyth hys mouth, whych Saladine beyng at his house at Pauie did
very well note, by which act Saladine began to remember him, and
earnestly to viewe hym, and thought that it was he in deede.
Wherefore leauing his former talke, he sayd: "Tell me Chrystian
of what countrey art thou in the West parts?" "Sir" sayd Mayster
Thorello, "I am a Lombarde, of a City called Pauie, a poore man
and of meane estate." So soone as Saladine heard that, as
assured wherof he doubted, said to himself: "God hath giuen me a
time to let thys man know how thankfully I accepted his curtesy
that hee vsed towards me,{"} and without any more words, hauing
caused all his apparell in a chamber to be set in order, he
broughte him into the same and sayd: "Behold Christian, if
amonges al these roabes, there be any one which thou hast seene
before.{"} Maister Thorello began to looke vpon them, and saw
those which his wyfe had giuen to Saladine: but he could not
beleue that it was possible that they should be the same,
notwithstanding hee answered: "Sir