dinner, but take hede vpon thy
life, thou say nothing to any man what so euer he be: for the
rest let me alone, I will prouide according to reason." The good
man almost so glad for his good exploit, as the day before he
was sorowful for his losse, ioyfully went home to his homely
house and Countrey Cabane, whych he caused to be made ready so
wel as hee could, attending the comming of his deliuerer,
succor, support, and iudge, who when he had heard seruice,
commanded his Horse to be made ready: "For (sayd he) I heare say
there is a wylde Boare haunting hereby, so well lodged as is
possible to see: wee wyll goe thyther to wake hym from his
sleepe and ease, and vse that pastime til our dinner be ready."
So departing from Florence, he rode straight vnto the Mil wher
his dinner was prepared by hys Seruauntes. There he dined very
soberly, and vsing fewe words vnto his company, sate stil al
pensiue, musing vpon that he had to doe: For on the one side the
grauitie of the facte moued him rigorously to chastise him which
had committed the same. On the other side the loue which he bare
him (mollifing his heart) made him change his minde, and to
moderate his sentence. The Prynce's minde, thus wandering
beetwene loue and rigor, one brought him worde that the Dogs had
rousde the greatest Hart that euer he sawe: which newes pleased
him very mutch, for by that meanes he sent away the multitude of
his Gentlemen to follow the chase, retaining with him his moste
familiar friends, and those that were of his priuy and secrete
councel, whom he would to be witnesses of that which he intended
to doe, and causing his hoast to come before him, he sayd: "My
friend, thou muste brynge vs to the place whereof thys Mornynge
thou toldest me, that I may discharge my promyse." The Courtyers
wondred at those Woordes. ignoraunte whereunto the same were
spoken: but the good Man whose Hearte leapte for ioy, as already
feelynge some greate Benefyte at Hand, and Honoure prepared for
the beautyfyinge of hys House, seeynge the Duke on Horsebacke,
ran besydes hym in steade of hys Lackey, wyth whome the Prynce
held mutch pleasaunt talke all along the way as they wente
togyther, but they had not gone farre, but the Gentleman the
Rauysher, wyth his Companyons, vnderstandyng that the Duke
hunted there aboutes, came to doe hym reuerence: and his Fortune
was sutch, as hee nor any of his frends perceiued the olde man,
by meanes whereof they nothing suspected what did