224 THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF MICHAEL SCOT 



happened, however, that he had a friend who knew 

 of the wizard whom they call Mengot, dwelling 

 without the Croce Gate of Florence, and having his 

 house below the ground, closed by a flat stone of 

 the field so as to be secret. Those who would 

 inquire of him must pass to the place and cry 

 ' Mengot ! Master Mengot ! I seek a favour of thee, 

 and, if thou tell me true, I shall not stint thy 

 reward ; ' whereupon he doth straightway appear. 

 This then was what the friend of the too confident 

 husband did, for he summoned Mengot, and, in 

 presence of all, said to him : ' Tell me the truth, 

 and whether the wife of this gentleman deserves his 

 confidence or not.' After some thought, the wizard 

 replied, ' Do you wish a true answer, or one made to 

 please 1 I should be sorry to hurt the husband's 

 feelings/ When all desired to have the truth, 

 Mengot told them that the lady in question had 

 gone to a place in the Via Calzaiuoli where 

 disguises were arranged, and that she would be 

 found next day dressed as a servant in the course 

 of carrying on a vulgar intrigue in the Ghetto. 

 Now all this was verified ; for the wizard told them 

 even the very house in the Via delle Ceste where she 

 would be found with her lover, and it proved to be 

 exactly as he had said." When this tale was done, 

 all who heard it cried that Mengot should be 

 summoned again, to see whether the Princess were 

 faithful or not. So they called him, as had been 

 done in the other case, but with the same result ; 

 for here also the Prince's confidence had been 

 misplaced, and that in a high degree. Then said 

 the Princess, between rage and shame, " Hast thou 

 scotched me this time ; but next time I will scotch 



