e, causing themselves after he
paid their dues of the merchants, whether for all his said merchandise
or for such part thereof as he withdraweth from the customhouse. By
this book of the Customs the brokers mostly inform themselves of the
quality and the quantity of the goods that are in bond there and also
who are the merchants that own them; and with these latter, as
occasion serveth them, they treat of exchanges and barters and sales
and other transactions. This usance, amongst many other places, was
current at Palermo in Sicily, where likewise there were and are yet
many women, very fair of their person, but sworn enemies to honesty,
who would be and are by those who know them not held great ladies and
passing virtuous and who, being given not to shave, but altogether to
flay men, no sooner espy a merchant there than they inform themselves
by the book of the Customs of that which he hath there and how much he
can do;[414] after which by their lovesome and engaging fashions and
with the most dulcet words, they study to allure the said merchants
and draw them into the snare of their love; and many an one have they
aforetime lured thereinto, from whom they have wiled great part of
their merchandise; nay, many have they despoiled of all, and of these
there be some who have left goods and ship and flesh and bones in
their hands, so sweetly hath the barberess known to ply the razor.

[Footnote 414: _i.e._ what he is worth.]

It chanced, not long since, that there came thither, sent by his
masters, one of our young Florentines, by name Niccolo da Cignano,
though more commonly called Salabaetto, with as many woollen cloths,
left on his hands from the Salerno fair, as might be worth some five
hundred gold florins, which having given the customhouse officers the
invoice thereof, he laid up in a magazine and began, without showing
overmuch haste to dispose of them, to go bytimes a-pleasuring about
the city. He being of a fair complexion and yellow-haired and withal
very sprightly and personable, it chanced that one of these same
barberesses, who styled herself Madam Biancofiore, having heard
somewhat of his affairs, cast her eyes on him; which he perceiving and
taking her for some great lady, concluded that he pleased her for his
good looks and bethought himself to order this amour with the utmost
secrecy; wherefore, without saying aught thereof to any, he fell to
passing and repassing before her house. She, noting this, afte