extravagances in the world and fooled
him to the top of his bent, promising him to give him to mistress the
Countess of Jakes,[408]who was the fairest creature to be found in
all the back-settlements of the human generation. The physician
enquired who this countess was, whereto quoth Buffalmacco, 'Good my
seed-pumpkin, she is a very great lady and there be few houses in the
world wherein she hath not some jurisdiction. To say nothing of
others, the Minor Friars themselves render her tribute, to the sound
of kettle-drums.[409] And I can assure you that, whenas she goeth
abroad, she maketh herself well felt,[410] albeit she abideth for the
most part shut up. Natheless, it is no great while since she passed by
your door, one night that she repaired to the Arno, to wash her feet
and take the air a little; but her most continual abiding-place is in
Draughthouseland.[411] There go ofttimes about store of her serjeants,
who all in token of her supremacy, bear the staff and the plummet, and
of her barons many are everywhere to be seen, such as Sirreverence of
the Gate, Goodman Turd, Hardcake,[412] Squitterbreech and others, who
methinketh are your familiars, albeit you call them not presently to
mind. In the soft arms, then, of this great lady, leaving be her of
Cacavincigli, we will, an expectation cheat us not, bestow you.'

[Footnote 408: _La Contessa di Civillari_, _i.e._ the public sewers.
Civillari, according to the commentators, was the name of an alley in
Florence, where all the ordure and filth of the neighbourhood was
deposited and stored in trenches for manure.]

[Footnote 409: _Nacchere_, syn. a loud crack of wind.]

[Footnote 410: Syn. smelt (_sentito_).]

[Footnote 411: _Laterina_, _i.e._ Latrina.]

[Footnote 412: Lit. Broom-handle (_Manico della Scopa_).]

The physician, who had been born and bred at Bologna, understood not
their canting terms and accordingly avouched himself well pleased with
the lady in question. Not long after this talk, the painters brought
him news that he was accepted to member of the company and the day
being come before the night appointed for their assembly, he had them
both to dinner. When they had dined, he asked them what means it
behoved him take to come thither; whereupon quoth Buffalmacco, 'Look
you, doctor, it behoveth you have plenty of assurance; for that, an
you be not mighty resolute, you may chance to suffer hindrance and do
us very great hurt; and in what it behoveth