And forasmuche as it is the intent of him that doth Jest: to make a sport and pastime at his faulte, whome he doth love and esteeme, and of whom he doth make more then a common account: it must be well lookte to, that the fault, wherin his friend hath fallen, be suche, as he may sustaine no slaunder or shame, or any harme by any talke or Jeste he makes uppon it: otherwise, his skil doth ill serve him, to make a good difference betweene a pleasaunt Jest, and a very plaine wronge. And there be some men, so short & so testy, that you must, in no wise, be merry, nor use any jesting with them. And that can Biondello well tell, by Maister Philippo Argenti in the gallery of Caviccioli. And moreover, It cannot be good to jeaste in matters of weite, and muche lesse in matters of shame. For, men will weene that wee have a good sporte (as the common saying is) to bragge and boast in our evill: as it is said, the Lady Philippe of Prato, took a singular pleasure and contentation in the pleasaunt & prety aunswer she made, to excuse her loose and wanton life. And therefore, I cannot thinke that Lupo of Uberti did any thing extenuat or lessen his shame: but rather increaste it greater, by the Jeste that hee made to excuse his faulte, and qualifye the opinion of his cowardly minde. For, where he might have kept him selfe safe without daunger in the castle of Laterin, wherein he was besieged round about, and shutte up: hee thought hee had plaide the man good inoughe, in that hee could say at the yealding it up: that "A wolfe doth not love to be besieged and shutte up." For, where it is out of time for to laughe, there to use any Jestes or daliaunce, it hath a very colde Grace. And further, you shall understand, there be some Jestes y^t bite, & some y^t bite not at all. For the first sorte: let y^t wise counsell that Lauretta gave for that point, suffice to teach you: That Jestes must bite the hearer like a sheepe, but not like a dogge. For if it pinche, as the bite of a dogge: it shalbe no more a Jeste but a wronge. And the lawes almost in all countries, will, that who saith any villanie unto a man, shalbe grevously punished for it. And, perchaunce, it were not amisse, to provide with all, some sharp correction for him, that should bite in way of jesting, beyond all honest measure. But gentlemen should make account, that the lawe that punisheth wronges, extendeth as farre to jestes, and that they should seldome or very easily nip or taunt any man. And besides all this, you must understand, that a jest, whether it bite, or bite not, if it be not fine & full of wit, men take no pleasure at al to heare it, but rather are wearied with it: or at least wise, if they doe laughe, they laughe not at the jest, but at the jester him selfe, that brings it forthe so colde.