in bed with him: tooke advantage of so faire an occasion offered,
and what he did, is no businesse of mine, (as I heard) neither found
the woman any fault. Matters comming to passe in this strange
manner, and Panuccio fearing, lest sleepe seazing on him, he might
disgrace the maides reputation: taking his kinde farewell of her, with
many kisses and sweet imbraces: returned againe to his owne Bed, but
meeting with the Cradle in his way, and thinking it stood by the
hostes Bed, (as truely it did so at the first) went backe from the
Cradle, and stept into the hostes Bed indeed, who awaked upon his very
entrance, albeit he slept very soundly before.
Panuccio supposing that he was laid downe by his loving friend
Adriano, merrily said to the Hoste. I protest to thee, as I am a
Gentleman, Nicholetta is a dainty delicate wench, and worthy to be a
very good mans wife: this night shee hath given mee the sweetest
entertainement, as the best Prince in the world can wish no better,
and I have kist her most kindly for it. The Hoste hearing these newes,
which seemed very unwelcome to him, said first to himself: What make
such a devill heere in my Bedde? Afterward being more rashly angry,
then well advised, hee said to Panuccio. Canst thou make vaunt of such
a mounstrous villany? Or thinkest thou, that heaven hath not due
vengeance in store, to requite all wicked deeds of darkenesse? If
all should sleepe, yet I have courage sufficient to right my wrong,
and yet as olde as I am to rig thou shalt be sure to finde it.
Our amorous Panuccio being none of the wisest young men in the
world, perceiving his errour; sought not to amend it, (as well he
might have done) with some queint straine of wit, carried in quick and
cleanly manner, but angerly answered. What shall I find that thou
darst doe to me? am I any way afraid of thy threatnings? The Hostes
imagining she was in bed with her Husband, said to Adriano: Harke
Husband, I thinke our Guests are quarrelling together, I hope they
will doe no harme to one another. Adriano laughing outright, answered.
Let them alone, and become friends againe as they fell out: perhaps
they dranke too much yesternight.
The woman perceiving that it was her husband that quarrelled, and
distinguishing the voyce of Adriano from his: knew presently where
shee was, and with whom; wherefore having wit at will, and desirous to
cloude an error unadvisedly committed, and with no willing consent
of her selfe: without returning any more words, presently she rose,
and taking the Cradle with the child in it, removed it the to her
daughters bed side, although shee had no light to helpe her, and
afterward went to bed to her, where (as if she were but newly
awaked) she called her Husband, to understand what angry speeches
had past betweene him and Panuccio. The Hoste replyed, saying. Didst
thou not heare him wife, brag and boast, how he hath lyen this night
with our daughter Nicholetta? Husband (quoth she) he is no honest
Gentleman; if hee should say so, and beleeve me it is a manifest
lye, for I am in bed with her my selfe, and never yet closed mine eyes
together, since the first houre I laid me downe: it is unmannerly done
of him to speake it, and you are little lesse then a logger-head, if
you doe beleeve it. This proceedeth from your bibbing and swilling
yesternight, which (as it seemeth) maketh you to walke about the roome
in your sleepe, dreaming of wonders in the night season: it were no
great sinne if you brake your neck, to teach you keepe a fairer
quarter; and how commeth it to passe, that Signior Panuccio could
not keepe himselfe in his owne bed?
Adriano (on the other side) perceiving how wisely the woman
excused her owne shame and her daughters; to backe her in a
businesse so cunningly begun, he called to Panuccio, saying. Have
not I tolde thee an hundred times, that thou art not fit to lye any
where, out of thine owne lodging? What a shame is this base
imperfection to thee, by rising and walking thus in the night-time,
according as thy dreames doe wantonly delude thee, and cause thee to
forsake thy bed, telling nothing but lies and fables, yet avouching
them for manifest truthes? Assuredly this will procure no meane perill
unto thee: Come hither, and keepe in thine owne bedde for meere shame.
When the honest meaning Host heard, what his own Wife and Adriano
had confirmed: he was verily perswaded, that Panuccio spake in a
dreame all this while: And to make it the more constantly apparant,
Panuccio (being now growne wiser by others example) lay talking and
blundring to himselfe, even as if dreames or perturbations of the
minde did much molest him, with strange distractions in franticke
manner. Which the Hoste perceiving, and compassionating his case, as
one man should do anothers: he tooke him by the shoulders, jogging and
hunching him, saying. Awake Signior Panuccio, and get you gone hence
to your owne bed.
Panuccio, yawning and stretching out his limbes, with unusuall
groanes and respirations, such as (better) could bee hardly
dissembled: seemed to wake as out of a traunce, and calling his friend
Adriano, said.
Adriano, is it day, that thou dost waken me? It may be day or
night replyed Adriano, for both (in these fits) are alike to thee.
Arise man for shame, and come to thine lodging. Then faining to be
much troubled and sleepie, he arose from the hoast, and went to
Adrianoes bed.
When it was day, and all in the house risen, the hoast began to
smile at Panuccio, mocking him with his idle dreaming and talking in
the night.
So, falling from one merry matter to another, yet without any
mislike at all: the Gentlemen, having their horses prepared, and their
Portmantues fastened behind, drinking to their hoast, mounted on
horsebacke, and they roade away towards Florence, no lesse contented
with the manner of occasions happened, then the effects they sorted
to. Afterward, other courses were taken, for the continuance of this
begun pleasure with Nicholetta, who made her mother beleeve, that
Panuccio did nothing else but dreame. And the mother her selfe
remembring how kindely Adriano had used her (a fortune not expected by
her before:) was more then halfe of the minde, that she did then
dreame also, while she was waking.
THE NINTH DAY, THE SEVENTH NOVELL
WHEREBY (WITH SOME INDIFFERENT REASON) IT IS CONCLUDED, THAT
DREAMES DO NOT ALWAYES FALL OUT TO BE LEASINGS
Talano de Molese dreamed, That a Wolfe rent and tore his wives
face and throate. Which dreame he told to her, with advise to keepe
her selfe out of danger; which she refusing to doe, received what
followed.
By the conclusion of Pamphilus his Novel, wherein the womans ready
wit, at a time of such necessity, carried deserved commendations:
the Queen gave command to Madam Pampinea, that she should next begin
with hers, and so she did, in this manner. In some discourses
(gracious Ladies) already past among us, the truth of apparitions in
dreames hath partly bin approved, whereof very many have made a
mockery. Neverthelesse, whatsoever hath heeretofore bin sayde, I
purpose to acquaint you with a very short Novell, of a strange
accident happening unto a neighbour of mine, in not crediting a Dreame
which her Husband told her.
I cannot tell, whether you knew Talano de Molese, or no, a man of
much honour, who tooke to wife a yong Gentlewoman, named Margarita, as
beautifull as the best: but yet so peevish, scornefull, and
fantasticall, that she disdained any good advice given her; neyther
could any thing be done, to cause her contentment; which absurd humors
were highly displeasing to her husband: but in regard he knew not
how to helpe it, constrainedly he did endure it. It came to passe,
that Talano being with his wife, at a summer-house of his owne in
the country, he dreamed one night, that he saw his Wife walking in a
faire wood, which adjoyned neere unto his house, and while she thus
continued there, he seemed to see issue foorth from a corner of the
said Wood, a great and furious Wolfe, which on her, caught her by
the face and throate, drawing her downe to the earth, and offering
to drag her thence. But he crying out for helpe, recovered her from
the Wolfe, yet having her face and throat very pitifully rent and
torne.
In regard of this terrifying dreame, when Talano was risen in the
morning, and sate conversing with his wife, he spake thus unto hir.
Woman, although thy froward wilfull Nature be such, as hath not
permitted me one pleasing day with thee, since first we becam man
and wife, but rather my life hath bene most tedious to me, as
fearing still some mischeefe should happen to thee: yet let mee now in
loving manner advise thee, to follow my counsell, and (this day) not
to walke abroad out of this house. She demanded a reason for this
advice of his. He related to her every particular of his dreame,
adding with all these speeches.
True it is Wife (quoth he) that little credit should bee given to
dreames: neverthelesse, when they deliver advertisement of harmes to
ensue, there is nothing lost by shunning and avoiding them. She
fleering in his face, and shaking her head at him, replyed. Such
harmes as thou wishest, such thou dreamest of. Thou pretendest much
pittie and care of me, but all to no other end: but what mischeefes
thou dreamest happening unto mee, so wouldest thou see them effected
on me. Wherefore, I will well enough looke to my selfe, both this day,
and at all times else: because thou shalt never make thy selfe
merry, with any such misfortune as thou wishest unto me.
Well Wife, answered Talano, I knew well enough before, what thou
wouldst say: An unsound head is soone scratcht with the very
gentlest Combe: but beleeve as thou pleasest. As for my selfe, I
speake with a true and honest meaning soule, and once againe I do
advise thee, to keepe within our doores all this day: at least wise
beware, that thou walke not into our wood, bee it but in regard of
my dreame. Well sir (quoth she scoffingly) once you shall say, I
followed your counsell: but within her selfe she fell to this
murmuring. Now I perceive my husbands cunning colouring, and why I
must not walke this day into our wood: he hath made a compact with
some common Queane, closely to have her company there, and is
afraide least I should take them tardy. Belike he would have me feed
among blinde folke, and I were worthy to bee thought a starke foole,
if I should not prevent a manifest trechery, being intended against
me. Go thither therefore I will, and tarry there all the whole day
long; but I will meet with him in his merchandize, and see the Pink
wherin he adventures.
After this her secret consultation, her husband was no sooner gone
forth at one doore, but shee did the like at another, yet so
secretly as possibly she could devise to doe, and (without any
delaying) she went to the Wood, wherein she hid her selfe very
closely, among the thickest of the bushes, yet could discerne every
way about her, if any body should offer to passe by her. While shee
kept her selfe in this concealment, suspecting other mysterious
matters, as her idle imagination had tutord her, rather then the
danger of any Wolfe: out of a brakie thicket by her, sodainly rushed a
huge and dreadfull Wolfe, as having found her by the sent, mounting
uppe, and grasping her throat in his mouth, before she saw him, or
could call to heaven for mercy.
Being thus seised of her, he carried her as lightly away, as if shee
had bin no heavier then a Lambe, she being (by no meanes) able to cry,
because he held her so fast by the throate, and hindred any helping of
her selfe. As the Wolfe carried her thus from thence, he had quite
strangled her, if certaine Shepheards had not met him, who with
their outcries and exclaimes at the Wolfe, caused him to let her fall,
and hast away to save his owne life. Notwithstanding the harme done to
her throat and face, the shepheards knew her, and caried her home to
her house, where she remained a long while after, carefully attended
by Physitians and Chirurgians.
Now, although they were very expert and cunning men all, yet could
they not so perfectly cure her, but both her throate, and part of
her face were so blemished that whereas she seemed a rare creature
before, she was now deformed and much unsightly. In regard of which
strange alteration, being ashamed to shew her selfe in any place,
where formerly she had bene seene she spent her time in sorrow and
mourning, repenting her insolent and scornfull carriage, as also her
rash running forth into danger, upon a foolish and jealous surmise,
beleeving her husbands dreames the better for ever after.
THE NINTH DAY, THE EIGHT NOVELL
WHEREBY PLAINLY APPEARETH, THAT THEY WHICH TAKE DELIGHT IN
DECEIVING OTHERS, DO WELL DESERVE TO BE DECEIVED THEMSELVES
Blondello (in a merry maner) caused Guiotto to beguile himselfe of a
good dinner: for which deceit, Guiotto became cunningly revenged, by
procurng Blondello to be unreasonably beaten and misused.
It was a generall opinion in the whole Joviall Companie, that
whatsoever Talano saw in his sleepe, was not anie dreame, but rather a
vision: considring, every part thereof fell out so directly, without
the lest failing. But when silence was enjoyned, then the Queene
gave forth by evident demonstration, that Madam Lauretta was next to
succeed, whereupon she thus began. As all they (judicious hearers)
which have this day spoken before me, derived the ground or project of
their Novels, from some other argument spoken of before: even so,
the cruell revendge of the Scholler, yesterday discoursed at large
by Madame Pampinea, maketh me to remember another Tale of like nature,
some-what greevous to the sufferer, yet not in such cruell measure
inflicted, as that on Madam Helena.
There dwelt sometime in Florence, one who was generally called by
the name of Guiotto, a man being the greatest Gourmand, and grossest
feeder, as ever was seene in any Countrey, all his meanes and
procurements meerly unable to maintaine expences for filling his
