First, it had a gate wᵗhin the which was a quadrant of iiij or v paces square, wheare sate his chief astates that passed not eight or ten in nombre. Than was there an other gate neere to the first, in the which stoode a porter wᵗʰ a little staffe in his hande. Whan I was entered that gate I passed through a grene garden like a meadowe full of trufles, wᵗʰ mudde walles, in the which on the right syde was a pavement. About xxx paces further was there a lodge, volte wise, aftre oʳ maner, iiij or v steppes higher than the foresaid pavement. In the middest of this lodge was a fountaigne like vnto a little gutter, alwaies full of water, and in thentrie of it the king himself sate on a cusshion of cloth of gold, wᵗʰ another at his backe, and besides him was his buckler of the Moresco fac̃on with his scimitarra, and all the lodge was laied wᵗʰ carpettes, his chiefest Princes sitteng round about. The lodge was all wrought of Musaico, not so small as we vse, but great and verie faire of divers coloʳˢ. The first day I came to hym he had divers syngers and plaiers, wᵗʰ harpes of a yarde longe, which they holde wᵗʰ the sharpe ende vpwardes; and besides that lutes, rebickes, cymbales, and baggepipes, all which plaied agreablie. The next daie he sent me twoo garmentes of sylke, that is, to witt, a straict gowne furred wᵗʰ barco and a jackett, a towell of sylke to girde me, a fyne peece of lynen called bumbasie to putt on my hedde, and xx ducats, sending me worde wᵗhall that I shulde go to Maidan, that is, to witt, to the markett place to see the TARAFUCCIO,[72] that is, to weete, the plaie. Thither I went on horsebacke, wheare in the markett place I founde about iij horsemen and more than twies as many on foote, besides the King’s children, which were looking out at certein wyndowes. To this place certein wylde wolves were brought, ledde wᵗʰ cordes tied to eche one of their hynder feete, and those wolves were by one and one lett go in the middest of the place. And to the first there came a man appointed vnto it, offering to stryke him. The wolfe flewe streighte towards his throte; but the man, which was nymble, shifted him of in such wise as the wolfe tooke no holde but on his arme, which coulde take no hurte by reason of his sleeves that were prepared for it. The horses fled for feare amongst the prease, and many fell, some in the place and some into the water which renneth through the citie. And whan they had weeried one wolfe than they lett slyppe an other, which kinde of plaie they use every frydaie.