called Rinaldo de Pugliese, shee loving the young Gallant, as her owne
life, because hee was most compleate in all perfections, and every way
as deerely addicted to her.
This sight was so irkesome to Rinaldo, that, being overcom with
extreame rage, hee could hardly containe from running on them, with
a violent intent to kill them both: but feare of his owne life
caused his forbearance, meaning to be revenged by some better way.
Such was the heate of his spleene and fury, as, setting aside all
respect of his owne shame: he would needs prosecute the rigour of
the deadly Edict, which he held lawfull for him to do, although it
extended to the death of his Wife. Heereupon, having witnesses
sufficient, to approove the guiltinesse of her offence: a day being
appointed (without desiring any other counsell) he went in person to
accuse her, and required justice against her.
The Gentlewoman, who was of an high and undauntable spirite, as
all such are, who have fixed their affection resolvedly, and love
uppon a grounded deliberation: concluded, quite against the counsell
and opinion of her Parents, Kindred, and Friends; to appeare in the
Court, as desiring rather to dye, by confessing the trueth with a
manly courage, then by denying it, and her love unto so worthy a
person as he was, in whose arms she chanced to be taken; to live
basely in exile with shame, as an eternall scandall to her race. So,
before the Potestate, shee made her apparance, worthily accompanied
both with men and women, all advising her to deny the acte: but she,
not minding them or their perswasions, looking on the Judge with a
constant countenance, and a voyce of setled resolve, craved to know of
him, what hee demaunded of her?
The Potestate well noting her brave carriage, her singular beautie
and praiseworthy parts, her words apparantly witnessing the heighth of
her minde: beganne to take compassion on her, and doubted, least
shee would confesse some such matter, as should enforce him to
pronounce the sentence of death against her. But she boldly scorning
all delayes, or any further protraction of time; demanded again,
what was her accusation? Madame, answered the Potestate, I am sory
to tel you, what needs I must, your husband (whom you see present
heere) is the complainant against you, avouching, that he tooke you in
the act of adultery with another man: and therefore he requireth,
that, according to the rigour of the Statute heere in force with us, I
should pronounce sentence against you, and (consequently) the
infliction of death. Which I cannot do, if you confesse not the
fact, and therefore be well advised, how you answer me, and tell me
the truth, if it be as your Husband accuseth you, or no.
The Lady, without any dismay or dread at all, pleasantly thus
replied. My Lord, true it is, that Rinaldo is my Husband, and that
he found me, on the night named, betweene the Armes of Lazarino, where
many times heeretofore he hath embraced mee, according to the
mutuall love re-plighted together, which I deny not, nor ever will.
But you know well enough, and I am certaine of it, that the Lawes
enacted in any Countrey, ought to be common, and made with consent
of them whom they concerne, whichin this Edict of yours is quite
contrarie. For it is rigorous against none, but poore women onely, who
are able to yeeld much better content and satisfaction generally, then
remaineth in the power of men to do. And moreover, when this Law was
made, there was not any woman that gave consent to it, neither were
they called to like or allow thoreof: in which respect, it may
deservedly be termed, an unjust Law. And if you will, in prejudice
of my bodie, and of your owne soule, be the executioner of so
unlawfull an Edict, it consisteth in your power to do as you please.
But before you proceede to pronounce any sentence, may it please you
to favour me with one small request, namely, that you would demand
of my Husband, if at all times, and whensoever he tooke delight in
my company, I ever made any curiosity, or came to him unwillingly.
Whereto Rinaldo, without tarrying for the Potestate to moove the
question, sodainly answered; that (undoubtedly) his wife at all times,
and oftner then he could request it, was never sparing of her
kindnesse, or put him off with any deniall. Then the Lady,
continuing on her former speeches, thus replyed. Let me then demand of
you my Lord, being our Potestate and Judge, if it be so, by my
Husbands owne free confession, that he hath alwaies had his pleasure
of me, without the least refusall in me, or contradiction; what should
I doe with the over-plus remaining in mine owne power, and whereof
he had no need? Would you have mee cast it away to the Dogges? Was
it not more fitting for me, to pleasure therwith a worthy Gentleman,
who was even at deaths doore for my love, then (my husbands
surfetting, and having no neede of me) to let him lye languishing, and
dye?
Never was heard such an examination before, and to come from a woman
of such worth, the most part of the honourable Pratosians (both
Lords and Ladies) being there present, who hearing her urge such a
necessary question, cryed out all loud together with one voice
(after they had laughed their fill) that the Lady had saide well,
and no more then she might. So that, before they departed thence, by
comfortable advice proceeding from the Potestate: the Edict (being
reputed overcruell) was modified, and interpreted to concerne them
onely, who offered injurie to their Husbands for money. By which
meanes Rinaldo standing as one confounded, for such a foolish and
unadvised enterprize, departed from the Auditorie: and the Ladie,
not a little joyfull to bee thus freed and delivered from the fire,
returned home with victorie to her owne house.
THE SIXT DAY, THE EIGHTH NOVELL
IN JUST SCORNE OF SUCH UNSIGHTLY AND ILL-PLEASING SURLY SLUTS, WHO
IMAGINE NONE TO BE FAIRE OR WELL-FAVOURED, BUT
THEMSELVES
Fresco da Celatico, counselled and advised his Neece Cesca: That
if such as deserved to be looked on, were offensive to her eyes, as
she had often told him; she should forbeare to looke on any.
All the while as Philostratus was recounting his Novell; it
seemed, that the Ladies (who heard it) found themselves much mooved
thereat, as by the wanton blood mounting up into their cheekes, it
plainly appeared.
But in the end, looking on each other with strange behaviour, they
could not forbeare smiling: which the Queene interrupting by a command
of attention, turning to Madame Aemillia, willed her to follow next.
When she, puffing and blowing, as if she had bene newly awaked from
sleepe, began in this manner.
Faire Beauties; My thoughts having wandred a great distance hence,
and further then I can easily collect them together againe; in
obedience yet to our Queene, I shall report a much shorter Novell,
then otherwise (perhappes) I should have done, if my minde had beene a
little neerer home. I shall tell you the grosse fault of a foolish
Damosell, well corrected by a witty reprehension of her Unckle; if
shee had bin endued but with so much sence, as to have understood it.
An honest man, named Fresco da Celatico, had a good fulsom wench
to his Neece, who for her folly and squemishnes, was generally
called Cesta, or nice Francesca. And althogh she had stature
sufficient, yet none of the handsomest, and a good hard favourd
countenance, nothing nere such Angelical beauties as we have seen; yet
she was endued with such height of minde, and so proud an opinion of
her selfe, that it appeared as a custome bred in hir, or rather a gift
bestowed on hir by nature (thogh none of the best) to blame and
despise both men and women, yea whosoever she lookt on; without any
consideration of her self, she being as unsightly, ill shaped, and
ugly faced, as a worse was very hardly to be found.
Nothing could be done at any time, to yeilde her liking or
content: moreover, she was so waspish, nice and squemish, that when
she cam into the royall Court of France, it was hatefull and
contemptible to hir. Whensoever she went through the streets, every
thing stunke and was noisome to her; so that she never did any thing
but stop her nose; as if all men or women she met withall; and
whatsoever else she lookt on, were stinking and offensive. But let
us leave all further relation of her ill conditions, being every way
(indeed) so bad, and hardly becomming any sensible body, that we
cannot condemne them so much as we should.
It chanced upon a day, that shee comming home to the house where her
Unckle dwelt, declared her wonted scurvy and scornfull behaviour;
swelling, puffing, and pouting extreamly, in which humor she sat downe
by her Unckle, who desiring to know what had displeased her, said. Why
how now Francesca? what may the meaning of this bee? This being a
solemne festivall day, what is the reason of your so soone returning
home? She coily biting the lip, and brideling her head, as if she
had bene some mans best Gelding, sprucely thus replyed.
Indeede you say true Unckle, I am come home verie earely, because,
since the day of my birth, I never saw a City so pestered with
unhandsome people, both men and women, and worse this high Holyday,
then ever I did observe before. I walked thorow some store of
streetes, and I could not see one proper man: and as for the women,
they are the most mishapen and ugly creatures, that, if God had made
me such an one, I should be sory that ever I was borne. And being no
longer able to endure such unpleasing sights; you wil not thinke
(Unckle) in what an anger I am come home. Fresco, to whome these
stinking qualities of his Neece seemed so unsufferable, that hee could
not (with patience) endure them any longer, thus short and quickely
answered. Francesca, if all people of our Citie (both men and women)
be so odious in thy eyes, and offensive to thy nose, as thou hast
often reported to me: bee advised then by my counsell. Stay stil at
home, and look upon none but thy selfe onely, and then thou shalt be
sure that they cannot displease thee. But shee, being as empty of
wit as a pith-lesse Cane, and yet thought her judgement to exceed
Salomons, could not understand the lest part of hir Unkles meaning,
but stood as senselesse as a sheepe. Onely she replyed, that she would
resort to some other parts of the country, which if shee found as
weakly furnished of handsome people, as heere shee did, shee would
conceive better of her selfe, then ever she had done before.
THE SIXT DAY, THE NINTH NOVELL
NOTABLY DISCOVERING THE GREAT DIFFERENCE THAT IS BETWEENE
LEARNING AND IGNORANCE, UPON JUDICIOUS APPREHENSION
Signior Guido Cavalcante, with a sodaine and witty answer,
reprehended the rash folly of certaine Florentine Gentlemen, that
thought to scorne and flout him.
When the Queene perceived, that Madame Aemillia was discharged of
her Novell, and none remained now to speake next, but onely her selfe,
his priviledge alwayes remembred, to whom it belonged to be the
last, she began in this manner.
Faire Company, you have this day disappointed me of two Novells at
the least, whereof I had intended to make use. Neverthelesse, you
shall not imagine mee so unfurnished, but that I have left one in
store; the conclusion whereof, may minister such instruction, as
will not bee reputed for ydle and impertinent: but rather of such
materiall consequence, as better hath not this day past among us.
Understand then (most faire Ladies) that in former times long
since past, our Cittie had many excellent and commendable customes
in it; whereof (in these unhappy dayes of ours) we cannot say that
poore one remaineth, such hath beene the too much encrease of Wealth
and Covetousnesse, the onely supplanters of all good qualities
whatsoever. Among which lawdable and friendly observations, there
was one well deserving note, namely, that in divers places of
Florence, men of the best houses in every quarter, had a sociable
and neighbourly assemblie together, creating their company to
consist of a certaine number, such as were able to supply their
expences; as this day one, and to morrow another: and thus in a
kinde of friendly course, each dally furnished the Table, for the rest
of the company. Oftentimes, they did honour to divers Gentlemen and
strangers, upon their arrivall in our Citty, by inviting them into
their assembly, and many of our worthiest Citizens beside; so that
it grew to a customary use, and one especially day in the yeare
appointed, in memory of this so loving a meeting, when they would ride
(triumphally as it were) on horsebacke thorow the Cittie, sometimes
performing Tilts, Tourneyes, and other Martiall exercises, but they
were reserved for Feastivall dayes.
Among which company, there was one called, Signior Betto
Bruneleschi, who was earnestly desirous, to procure Signior Guido
Cavalcante de Cavalcanti, to make one in this their friendly
society. And not without great reason: for, over and beside his
being one of the best Logitians as those times could not yeeld a
better: He was also a most absolute naturall Philosopher (which worthy
qualities were little esteemed among these honest meeters) a very
friendly Gentleman, singularly well spoken, and whatsoever else was
commendable in any man, was no way wanting in him, being wealthy
withall, and able to returne equall honors, where he found them to
be duly deserved, as no man therin could go beyond him. But Signior
Betto, notwithstanding his long continued importunitie, could not draw
him into their assembly, which made him and the rest of his company
conceive, that the solitude of Guido, retiring himselfe alwaies from
familiar conversing with men: provoked him to many curious
speculations: and because he retained some part of the Epicurean
Opinion, their vulgare judgement passed on him, that his
speculations tended to no other end, but onely to finde out that which
was never done.
It chanced upon a day, that Signior Guido departing from the
