The picture of Ann, the first he painted, showed her as Saint Cecelia
hearkening to music which sounds from Heaven in her ears. Two sweet
angel babes floated on thin clouds above her head, singing hymns to a
mandoline and viol. Thus had my lord Cardinal commanded, and the work
was so excellent that, if the Saint herself vouchsafed to look down on it
out of Heaven, of a certainty it was pleasing in her eyes.

As to mine own presentment; at first I weened that I would be limned in
my peach-colored brocade gown with silver dolphins thereon, by reason
that I had worn that weed in the early morn after the dance, when Hans
spoke his last loving farewell at the door of our house. But whereas one
cold day I went into Master Giacomo's work-chamber in a red hood and a
green cloak bordered with sable fur, he would thenceforth paint me in no
other guise. At first he was fain to present me as going forth to
church; then he deemed that he might not show forth my very look and
seeming if I were limned with downcast head and eyes. Therefor he gave
me the falcon on my hand which had erewhile been my lover's gift. My
eyes were set on the distance as though I watched for a heron; thus I
seemed in truth like one hunting--"chaste Diana," quoth the painter,
minding him of the reproofs I had given him so often. But it would be a
hard task to tell of all the ways whereby the painter would provoke me to
reprove him. When the likeness was no more than half done, he painted
his own merry face to the falcon on my wrist gazing up at me with silly
languor. Thereupon, when he presently quitted us, I took the red chalk
and wrote his wife's name on a clear place in front of the face and
beneath it the image of a birch rod; and on the morrow he brought with
him a right pleasant Sonnet, which I scarce had pardoned had he not
offered it so humbly and read it in so sweet a voice. And, being plainly
interpreted, it was as follows: