One Hundred Liberal and Ingenious Games

BOOK ONE

...ure and faithful; The word completes "secure" (sicuro) from the previous page. which should be done not only in love, but in all enterprises of honor. This, then, shall be the Game of our Adorned Knight, which may always be used in any company and will prove most pleasant to you, provided you keep in mind the manner I have devised for you. And if some error should occur, as is common, and forfeits pegni: items surrendered by players who make a mistake in the game, which must be "redeemed" by performing a task or answering a question are paid and redeemed, always take care to maintain decorum with everyone, adapting yourself with Judgment to the nature and customs of each person.

So that you may command differently—not only in this Game, but in all the others to be recounted—to a man of letters, otherwise to an unlearned man, otherwise to an ingenious and well-bred Lady, and otherwise to a simple girl who knows no more. Finally, take care to consider well the condition and being of every person; and to outline this design for you somewhat, I will say this: that when redeeming a forfeit from a Scholar, or indeed someone else known to be studious, you might ask him, as a relevant matter, to resolve one of these fine disputes:

Whether it is better to love a person of Letters, or of Arms, providing his reasons.

Or even this:

Whether modern Knights can be said to be inferior in strength or valor to the ancients.

Or indeed this other one:

Whether a Knight’s fame, when he is then seen in a trial, makes his deeds appear greater or smaller.

And many other such questions which, for the sake of greater brevity, I leave to your own high considerations.

To an unlearned man, you might ask:

Which seems to him the most beautiful decoration that the Ladies have given to the Knight in the Game.

Whether he believes that the Knight, seeing himself favored by his Lady, would be helped by love to strike greater blows in the Joust. original: "Giostra"; a martial competition between knights on horseback, used here as a metaphor for the knight's performance in the game.

Whether his heart would lead him to perform such deeds for his Lady.

To the woman of wit, one might ask her to say:

Which, in her judgment, she thought was better for the Knight and more to be desired: the praise of the few but wise, of the People, or of the Ladies.

Whether for the Victory of the Knight it is necessary that the virtue of the Soul, strength, and Love all concur together, or whether just one of these alone is enough. original: "uirtu dell'Animo"; refers to inner moral strength and noble character.

Which is more boastful and joyful in victory: the Knight who is a lover, and

Catchword for "vittoria" (victory) on the following page.