se. Galgano gone from maistre Stricca, sayd to himselfe:
"Ah, beast that I am, why did I not accept his offer? Why should
shamefastness let me from the sight of her, whom I loue better
than all the world besides." And as he was thus pensife in
complaintes his spaniells sprong a Partrich, wherat he let flee
his Hauke, and the Partrich flying into sir Stricca his garden,
his Hauke pursued and seassed vppon the same. Maister Stricca
and his Ladye hearinge that pastime, ranne to the garden window,
to see the killing of the Partrich: and beholding the valiante
skirmishe betweene the foule and the hauke, the lady asked whose
hauke it was: her husband made aunswere that he knew well
inoughe the owner, by the goodnesse and hardines of the same.
"For the owner of this hauke (quoth hee) is the trimmest and
most valiaunt gentleman in all Siena, and one indued with beste
qualities." The lady demaunded what he was? "Maister Galgano
(said her husband,) who euen now passed by the gate, and I
prayed him very earnestly to supper, but hee woulde not be
intreated. And truly wyfe, he is the comliest gentleman, and
moste vertuous personage, that euer I knewe in my life." With
those wordes they wente from the windowe to supper: and Galgano,
when he had lured his Hauke, departed awaye. The Lady marked
those words and fixed them in minde. It fortuned within a while
after, that sir Stricca was by the state of Siena sent in
ambassage to Perugia, by reason wherof, his Lady at home alone,
so sone as her husband had taken his iourney, sent her most
secrete and trustie maide, to intreat maister Galgano, to come
and speake with her. When the message was done to Galgano,
(if his heart were on a merie pinne, or whether his spirits
dulled with continuall sorrowe were againe reuiued, they knowe
that most haue felte the painefull pangues of Loue, and they
also whose flesh haue beene pearced wyth the amorous arrowes of
the little boy Cupide:) he made aunswere that hee would
willingly come, rendringe thanckes both to the maistresse and
maide, the one for her paine, and the other for her good
remembraunce. Galgano vnderstanding that sir Stricca was gone to
Perugia, in the eueninge at conuenient time, repaired to the
house of her whose sight he loued better than his owne eyes. And
being come before his Lady, with great submission and reuerence
hee saluted her, (like those whose hartes do throbe, as
foretellinge the possession of good tournes and benefites,