hood upwards has been always honorable, and thus it ever
shall be.' After this exordium in the form of a letter addressed to one
Signor Antonio [Serguidi], he proceeds to render account of his
proceedings. It seems that Don Piero de'Medici gave him three hundred
crowns for his traveling expenses; after which, leaving his son, a boy
of twelve years, as hostage in the service of Piero, he set off and
reached Paris on August 12, 1577. There he took lodgings at the sign of
the Red Horse, near the Cordeilliers, and began at once to make
inquiries for Troilo. He had brought with him from Italy a man called
Hieronimo Savorano. Their joint investigations elicited the fact that
Troilo had been lately wounded in the service of the King of France, and
was expected to arrive in Paris with the Court. It was not until the eve
of All Saints' day that the Court returned. Soon afterwards, Ambrogio
was talking at the door of a house with some Italian comedians, when a
young man, covered with a tawny-colored mantle, passed by upon a brown
horse, bearing a servant behind him on the crupper. This was Troilo
Orsini; and Ambrogio marked him well. Troilo, after some minutes'
conversation with the players, rode forward to the Louvre. The _bravo_
followed him and discovered from his servant where he lodged.
Accordingly, he engaged rooms in the Rue S. Honore, in order to be
nearer to his victim.

Some time, however, elapsed before he was able to ascertain Troilo's
daily habits. Chance at last threw them together. He was playing
_primiero_ one evening in the house of an actress called Vittoria, when
Troilo entered, with two gentlemen of Florence. He said he had been
absent ten days from Paris. Ambrogio, who had left his harquebuss at
home, not expecting to meet him, 'was consequently on that occasion
unable to do anything.' Days passed without a better opportunity, till,
on November 30, 'the feast of S. Andrew, which is a lucky day for me, I
rose and went at once to the palace, and, immediately on my arrival, saw
him at the hour when the king goes forth to mass.' Ambrogio had to
return as he went; for Troilo was surrounded by too many gentlemen of
the French Court; but he made his mind up then and there 'to see the end
of him or me.' He called his comrade Hieronimo, posted him on a bridge
across the Seine, and proceeded to the Court, where Troilo was now
playing racquets with princes of the royal family. Ambrogio hung about
the gates until Troilo