that thou wilt never find thyself deceived, and after, commending thee
of so high an emprise as it is to have set thy mind upon so great a
king, I proffer thee mine aid, by means whereof I hope, an thou wilt
but take comfort, so to do that, ere three days be past, I doubt not
to bring thee news that will be exceeding grateful to thee; and to
lose no time, I mean to go about it forthright.' Lisa, having anew
besought him amain thereof and promised him to take comfort, bade him
God speed; whereupon Minuccio, taking his leave, betook himself to one
Mico da Siena, a mighty good rhymer of those days, and constrained him
with prayers to make the following canzonet:

Bestir thee, Love, and get thee to my Sire
And tell him all the torments I aby;
Tell him I'm like to die,
For fearfulness concealing my desire.

Love, with clasped hands I cry thee mercy, so
Thou mayst betake thee where my lord doth dwell.
Say that I love and long for him, for lo,
My heart he hath inflamed so sadly well;
Yea, for the fire wherewith I'm all aglow,
I fear to die nor yet the hour can tell
When I shall part from pain so fierce and fell
As that which, longing, for his sake I dree
In shame and fear; ah me,
For God's sake, cause him know my torment dire.

Since first enamoured, Love, of him I grew,
Thou hast not given me the heart to dare
So much as one poor once my lord unto
My love and longing plainly to declare,
My lord who maketh me so sore to rue;
Death, dying thus, were hard to me to bear.
Belike, indeed, for he is debonair,
'Twould not displease him, did he know what pain
I feel and didst thou deign
Me daring to make known to him my fire.

Yet, since 'twas not thy pleasure to impart,
Love, such assurance to me that by glance
Or sign or writ I might make known my heart
Unto my lord, for my deliverance
I prithee, sweet my master, of thine art
Get thee to him and give him souvenance
Of that fair day I saw him shield and lance
Bear with the other knights and looking more,
Enamoured fell so sore
My heart thereof doth perish and expire.

These words Minuccio forthwith set to a soft and plaintive air, such
as the matter thereof required, and on the third day he betook himself
to court, where, King Pedro being yet at meat