Messer Rinieri of Monte Nero [135], a knight of the court, went to
Sardinia, and dwelt with the lord of Alborea, and fell in love with a
Sardinian lady who was very beautiful. He lay with her. The husband
found them out. He did them no harm, but went to his lord, and made
great complaint.
The Lord loved this Sardinian. He sent for Messer Rinieri; he spoke to
him words of severe menace. And Messer Rinieri begged his pardon, and
told him to send for the woman, and to ask her, whether what she had
done was for aught but for love. The lord did not like to be made fun
of. He ordered him to leave the country under penalty of his life. And
not having yet been rewarded for his services, Messer Rinieri said: May
it please you to send to Pisa to your seneschal to provide for me. That
will I do right gladly. He wrote him a letter and gave it to him.
Now when he had reached Pisa, and went to the aforesaid seneschal, and
sat at table with many noble persons, he narrated what had happened,
and then gave this letter to the seneschal. This man read it, and found
that he was to give him a pair of linen hose without feet, and nothing
else. And he wished to receive them before all the knights present.
When he had them, there was great merriment and much laughter. He was
not at all angered by this, for he was an exceedingly gentle knight.
Now it befell that he entered into a boat with a horse and a servant of
his, and returned to Sardinia.
One day when his lord was riding out with other knights, he met Messer
Rinieri who was tall and had long legs, and was sitting on a worn jade,
and had these linen hose on his legs. The lord recognised him, and with
angry mien sent for him, to come before him, and said: What does this
mean, Messer Rinieri, why have you not left Sardinia? Certes, said
Messer Rinieri. I did but return for the feet of the hose. He stretched
out his legs, and showed his feet.
Then the lord was amused, and laughed, and forgave him, and presented
him with the robe that he wore, and said: Messer Rinieri, you have been
wiser than I, and know more than I taught you. And he rejoined: Messer,
that redounds to your honour.