ladder to the strong stumpe of a tree being closely by it by meanes of the saide ladder he descended downe into the caue and there attended the comming of his Lady She on the morrow morning pretending to her waiting woman that she was scarsly well and therefore would not be diseased the most part of that day commanded them to leaue her alone in her Chamber and not to returne vntill she called for them locking the doore her selfe for better security Then opened she the doore of the caue and going downe the staires found there her amorous friend Guiscardo whom she saluting with a chaste and modest kisse caused him to ascend vp the stayres with her into her chamber This long desired and now obtained meeting caused the two deerely affecting Louers in kinde discourse of amorous argument without inciuill or rude demeanor to spend there the most part of that day to their hearts ioy and mutuall contentment And hauing concluded on their often meeting there in this cunning concealed sort Guiscardo went downe into the caue againe the Princesse making the doore fast after him and then went forth among her Women So in the night season Guiscardo ascended vppe againe by his Ladder of cords and couering the loope-hole with brambles and bushes returned vnseene of any to his owne lodging the caue being afterward guilty of their often meeting there in this manner But Fortune who hath alwayes bin a fatall enemy to louers stolne felicities became enuious of their thus secret meeting and ouerthrew in an instant all their poore happinesse by an accident most spightfull and malicious The King had vsed diuers dayes before after dinner time to resort all alone to his daughters Chamber there conuersing with her in most louing manner One vnhappy day amongst the rest when the Princesse being named Ghismonda was sporting in her priuat Garden among her Ladies the King at his wonted time went to his daughters Chamber being neither heard or seene by any Nor would he haue his daughter called from her pleasure but finding the windowes fast shut and the Curtaines close drawne about the bed he sate downe in a chaire behind it and leaning his head vpon the bed his body being couered with the curtaine as if he hid himselfe purposely hee mused on so many matters vntill at last he sell fast asleepe It hath bin obserued as an ancient Adage that when disasters are ordained to any one commonly they proue to be ineuitable as poore Ghismonda could witnesse too well For while the King thus slept shee hauing vnluckily appointed another meeting with Guiscardo left hir Gentlewomen in the Garden and stealing softly into her Chamber hauing made all fast and sure for being descried by any person opened the doore to Guiscardo who stood there ready on the staire-head awaiting his entrance and they sitting downe on the bed side according as they were wont to do began their vsuall kinde conference againe with sighes and louing kisses mingled among them It chanced that the King awaked both hearing and seeing this familiarity of Guiscardo with his Daughter he became extreamly confounded with greefe therat Once he intended to cry out for helpe to haue them both there apprehended but he helde it a part of greater wisedome to sit silent still and if hee could to keepe himselfe so closely concealed to the end that he might the more secretly and with far lesse disgrace to himselfe performe what hee had rashly intended to do The poore discouered Louers hauing ended their amorous interparlance without suspition of the Kings being so neer in person or any els to betray their ouer-confident trust Guiscardo descended againe into the Caue and she leauing the Chamber returned to her women in the Garden all which Tancrede too well obserued and in a rapture of fury departed vnseene into his owne lodging The same night about the houre of mens first sleepe and according as he had giuen order Guiscardo was apprehended euen as he was comming forth of the loope-hole in his homely leather habite Very closely was he brought before the King whose heart was swolne so great with greefe as hardly was hee able to speake notwithstanding at the last he began thus Guiscardo the loue respect I haue vsed towards thee hath not deserued the shameful wrong which thou hast requited me withall and as I haue seene with mine owne eyes this day Whereto Guiscardo could answer nothing else but onely this Alas my Lord Loue is able to do much more then either you or I. Whereupon Tancrede commanded that he should bee secretly well guarded in a neere adioyning Chamber and on the next day Ghismonda hauing as yet heard nothing heereof the Kings braine being infinitely busied and troubled after dinner and as he often had vsed to do he went to his daughters chamber where calling for her and shutting the doores closely to them the teares trickling downe his aged white beard thus he spake to her Ghismonda I was once grounded in a setled perswasion that I truely knew thy vertue and honest integrity of life and this beleefe could neuer haue bene altred in mee by any sinister reports whatsoeuer had not mine eyes seene and mine eares heard the contrary Nor did I so much as conceiue a thought either of thine affection or priuate conuersing with any man but onely he that was to be thy husband But now I my selfe being able to auouch thy folly imagine what an heart-breake this will be to me so long as life remaineth in this poore weak and aged body Yet if needs thou must haue yeelded to this wanton weakenesse I would thou hadst made choise of a man answerable to thy birth Nobility whereas on the contrary among so many worthy spirits as resort to my Court thou likest best to conuerse with that silly yong man Guiscardo one of very meane and base descent and by mee euen for Gods sake from his very youngest yeares brought vppe to this instant in my Court wherein thou hast giuen me much affliction of minde and so ouerthrowne my senses as I cannot wel imagine how I should deale with thee For him whom I haue this night caused to be surprized euen as he came forth of your close contriued conueyance and detaine as my prisoner I haue resolued how to proceed with him but concerning thy selfe mine oppressions are so many and violent as I know not what to say of thee One way thou hast meerly murthered the vnfeigned affection I bare thee as neuer any father could expresse more to his child and then againe thou hast kindled a most iust indignation in me by thine immodest and wilfull folly and whereas Nature pleadeth pardon for the one yet iustice standeth vp against the other and vrgeth cruell seuerity against thee neuerthelesse before I will determine vpon any resolution I come purposely first to heare thee speake and what thou canst say for thy selfe in a bad case so desperate and dangerous Hauing thus spoken he
was true or no or if he dreamed all this while and so without vttering any word he left his Wife and went quietly to bed Thus by her wisdome she did not onely preuent an imminent perill but also made a free and open passage to further contentment with her amourous friend yet dreadlesse of any distaste or suspition in her Husband Lydia a Lady of great beauty birth and honor being Wife to Nicostratus Gouernour of Argos falling in loue with a Gentleman named Pyrrhus was requested by him as a true testimony of her vnfeigned affection to performe three seuerall actions of her selfe She did accomplish them all and imbraced and kissed Pyrrhus in the presence of Nicostratus by perswading him that whatsoeuer he saw was meerely false The Ninth Nouell Wherein is declared that great Lords may sometime be deceiued by their Wiues as well as men of meaner condition THe Nouell deliuered by Madame Neiphila seemed so pleasing to all the Ladies as they could not refraine from hearty laughter beside much liberality of speech Albeit the King did oftentimes vrge silence and commanded Pamphilus to follow next So when attention was admitted Pamphilus began in this order I am of opinion faire Ladies that there is not any matter how vneasie or doubtfull soeuer it may seeme to be but the man or woman that affecteth feruently dare boldly attempt and effectually accomplish And this perswasion of mine although it hath beene sufficiently approued by many of our passed Nouels Yet notwithstanding I shall make it much apparent to you by a present discourse of mine owne Wherein I haue occasion to speake of a Lady to whom Fortune was more fauourable then either reason or iudgement could giue direction In which regard I would not aduise any of you to entertaine so high an imagination of minde as to tracke her footsteps of whom I am now to speake because Fortune containeth not alwayes one and the same disposition neither can all mens eyes be blinded after one manner And so proceed we to our Tale. In Argos a most ancient Citie of Achaya much more renowned by her precedent Kings then wealth or any other great matter of worth there liued as Lieutenant or Gouernour thereof a Noble Lord named Nicostratus on whom albeit hee was well stept into yeares Fortune bestowed in a marriage a great Lady no lesse bold of spirit then choisely beautifull Nicostratus abounding in treasure and wealthy possessions kept a goodly traine of Seruants Horses Houndes Hawkes and what else not as hauing an extraordinary felicity in all kinds of game as singular exercises to maintaine his health Among his other Seruants and Followers there was a yong Gentleman gracefull of person excellent in speech and euery way as actiue as no man could be more his name Pyrrhus highly affected of Nicostratus and more intimately trusted then all the rest Such seemed the perfections of this Pyrrhus that Lydia for so was the Lady named began to affect him very earnestly and in such sort as day or night shee could take no rest but deuised all meanes to compasse her harts desire Now whether he obserued this inclination of her towards him or else would take no notice thereof it could not be discerned by any outward apprehension which moued the more impatiency in her droue her hopes to dispairing passions Wherein to finde some comfort and ease she called an ancient Gentlewoman of her Chamber in whom shee reposed especiall confidence and thus she spake to her Lesca The good turnes and fauours thou hast receiued from me should make thee faithfull and obedient to me and therefore set a locke vppon thy lippes for reuealing to any one whatsoeuer such matters as now I shall impart to thee except it be to him that I command thee Thou perceiuest Lesca how youthfull I am apt to all sprightly recreations rich and abounding in all that a woman can wish to haue in regard of Fortunes common ordinary fauours yet I haue one especiall cause of complaint namely the inequality of my Mariage my Husband being ouer-ancient for me in which regard my youth finds it selfe too highly wronged being defeated of those duties and delights which Women farre inferiour to me are continuallie cloyed withall and I am vtterly depriued of I am subiect to the same desires they are and deserue to taste the benefit of them in as ample manner as they do or can Hitherto I haue liued with the losse of time which yet in some measure may be releeued and recompenced For though Fortune were mine enemy in Mariage by such a disproportion of our conditions yet she may befriend in another nature and kindely redeeme the iniury done me Wherefore Lesca to be as compleate in this case as I am in all the rest beside I haue resolued vpon a priuate Friend and one more worthy then any other Namely my Seruant Pyrrhus whose youth carieth some correspondency with mine and so constantly haue I setled my loue to him as I am not well but when I thinke on him or see him and indeede shall dye except the sooner I may enioy him And therefore if my life and well fare be respected by thee let him vnderstand the integrity of mine affection by such good means as thou findest it most expedient to be done entreating him from me that I may haue some conference with him when he shall thereto be solicited by me The Chamber-Gentlewoman Lesca willingly vndertooke the Ladies Embassie and so soone as opportunity did fauor her hauing withdrawne Pyrrhus into an apt and commodious place shee deliuered the Message to him in the best manner she could deuise Which Pyrrhus hearing did not a little wonder thereat neuer hauing noted any such matter and therefore sodainly conceyued that the Lady did this onely to try him whereupon somewhat roundly and roughly hee returned this answere Lesca I am not so simple as to credite any such Message to be sent from my Lady and therefore be better aduised of thy words But admit that it should come from her yet I cannot be perswaded that her soule consented to such harsh Language far differing from a forme so full of beuty And yet admit againe that her hart and tongue herein were relatiues My Lord and Master hath so farre honoured mee and so much beyond the least part of merite in mee as I will rather dye then any way offer to disgrace him And therefore I charge thee neuer more to moue mee in this matter Lesca not a iot danted at his stearne words presently she saide Pyrrhus Both in this and all other Messages my Lady shall command me I wil speake to thee whensoeuer shee pleaseth receiue what discontent thou canst thereby or make presumption of what doubts thou maist deuise But as I found thee a senselesse fellow dull and not shaped to any vnderstanding so I leaue thee And in that anger parted from him carrying backe the same answer to her Lady She no sooner heard it but instantly
Ladies which had dined there spake in this mander Ill should I take reuenge on a King that had offended me if I had not so much heart as to wreake my spleene on a paltry Hawke Vnderstand then worthy Lords and Ladies that this Faulcone hath long time robbed me of those delights which men in meere equitie ought to haue with their wiues because continually so soone as breake of day hath appeared my Husband starting out of bed makes himselfe readie presently to Horsse and with this Faulcon on his Fist rides abroad to his recreation in the Fields And I in such forsaken sort as you see am left all alone in my bed discontented and despised often vowing to my selfe to bee thus reuenged as now I am being with-held from it by no other occasion but onely want of a fit and apt time to do it in the presence of such persons as might bee iust Iudges of my wrongs and as I conceiue you all to be The Lords and Ladies hearing these words and beleeuing this deed of hers to be done no otherwise but out of her entire affection to Nicostratus according as her speeches sounded compassionately turning towards him who was exceedingly displeased and all smiling said Now in good sadnesse Sir Madame Lydia hath done well in acting her iust reuenge vpon the Hawke that bereft her of her Husbands kinde companie then which nothing is more precious to a louing wife and a hell it is to liue without it And Lydia being sodainly withdrawne into her chamber with much other friendly and familiar talke they conuerted the anger of Nicostratus into mirth and smiling Pyrrhus who had diligently obserued the whole cariage of this businesse saide to himselfe My Ladie hath begun well and proceeding on with no worse successe will no doubt bring her loue to an happy conclusion As for the Lady her selfe she hauing thus kild the Hawke it was no long while after but being in the Chamber with her husband and they conuersing familiarly together she began to iest with him hee in the like manner with her tickling and toying each the other till at the length she played with his beard and now she found occasion aptly seruing to effect the second taske imposed by Pyrrhus So taking fast hold on a small tuft of his beard she gaue a sodaine snatch and plucked it away quite from his chin Whereat Nicostratus beeing angerly moued she to appease his distaste pleasantly thus spake How now my Lord Why do you looke so frowningly What Are you angry for a few loose haires of your beard How then should I take it when you plucke mee by the haire of my head and yet I am not a iot discontented because I know you do it but in iesting manner These friendly speeches cut off all further contention and she kepte charily the tuft of her Husbands beard which the verie selfe-same day shee sent to Pyrrhus her hearts chosen friend But now concerning the third matter to be aduentured it droue her to a much more serious consideration then those two which shee had already so well and exactly performed Notwithstanding like a Ladie of vnconquerable spirit and in whom Loue enlarged his power more and more she sodainly conceited what course was best to bee kept in this case forming her attempt in this manner Vpon Nicostratus wayted two young Gentlemen as Pages of his Chamber whose Fathers had giuen them to his seruice to learne the manners of honourable Courtship and those qualities necessarily required in Gentlemen One of them when Nicostratus sate downe to dinner or supper stood in Office of his Caruer deliuering him all the meats whereon he fed The other as Taster attended on his Cup and he dranke no other drinke but what hee brought him and they both were highly pleasing vnto him On a day Lydia called these two youths aside and among some other speeches which serued but as an induction to her intended policy she perswaded them that their mouths yeelded an vnsauoury il-pleasing smell whereof their Lord seemed to take dislike Wherefore she aduised them that at such times as they attended on him in their seuerall places they should so much as possibly they could withdraw their heads aside from him because their breath might not be noyous vnto him But withall to haue an especiall care of not disclosing to any one what she had told them because out of meere loue she had acquainted them therewith which very constantly they beleeued and followed the same direction as she had aduised being loath to displease where seruice bound them to obey Choosing a time fitting for her purpose when Nicostratus was in priuate conference with her thus she began Sir you obserue not the behauiour of your two Pages when they wait on you at the Table Yes but I do wife quoth he how squemishly they turn their heads aside from me and it hath often bin in my minde to vnderstand a reason why they do so Seating her selfe by him as if shee had some weighty matter to tell him she proceeded in this manner Alas my Lord you shall not need to question them because I can sufficiently resolue you therein which neuerthelesse I haue long concealed because I would not be offensiue to you But in regard it is now manifestly apparant that others haue tasted what I immagined none but my selfe did I will no longer hide it from you Assuredly Sir there is a most strange and vnwonted ill-sauour continually issuing from your mouth smelling most noysomely and I wonder what should be tbe occasion In former times I neuer felt any such foule breathing to come from you and you who do daily conuerse with so many worthy persons should seeke meanes to be rid of so great an annoyance You say verie true wife answered Nicostratus and I protest to you on my Credite I feele no such ill smell neither know what should cause it except I haue som corrupted tooth in my mouth Perhaps Sir quoth she it may be so and yet you feele not the sauour which others do yea very offensiuely So walking with her to a Window he opened wide his mouth the which nicely shee surueyed on either side and turning her head from him as seeming vnable to endure the sauour starting and shrieking out alowd she said Santa Maria What a sight is this Alas my good Lord How could you abide this and for so long a while Heere is a tooth on this side which so farre as I can pereeiue is not onely hollow and corrupted but also wholly putrified and rotten and if it continue still in your head beleeue it for a truth that it will infect and spoile all the rest neere it I would therefore counsell you to let it be pluckt out before it breede your further danger I like your counsell well Lydia replyed Nicostratus and presently intend to follow it Let therefore my Barber be sent for and vvithout any longer delay he shall plucke it forth instantly
recreatiue spirits and of indifferent good capacity often resorting to the said Calandrino because they tooke delight in his honest simplicity and pleasant order of behauiour At the same time likewise there dwelt in Florence a yong Gentleman of singular disposition to euery generous and witty conceite as the world did not yeeld a more pleasant companion he being named Maso del Saggio who hauing heard somwhat of Calandrinos sillinesse determined to iest with him in merry manner and to suggest his longing humors after Nouelties with some conceit of extraordinary nature He happening on a day to meete him in the Church of Saint Iohn and seeing him seriously busied in beholding the rare pictures and the curious carued Tabernacle which not long before was placed on the high Altar in the said Church considered with himselfe that he had now fit place and opportunity to effect what hee had long time desired And hauing imparted his minde to a very intimate friend how he intended to deale with simple Calandrino they went both very neere him where he sate all alone and making shew as if they saw him not began to consult between themselues concerning the rare properties of precious stones whereof Maso discoursed as exactly as he had beene a most skilfull Lapidarie to which conference of theirs Calandrino lent an attentiue eare in regard it was matter of singular rarity Soone after Calandrino started vp and perceiuing by their loude speaking that they talked of nothing which required secret Counsell he went into their company the onely thing which Maso desired and holding on still the former Argument Calandrino would needs request to know in what place these precious stones were to be found which had such excellent vertues in them Maso made answere that the most of them were to be had in Berlinzona neere to the City of Bascha which was in the Territory of a Countrey called Bengodi where the Vines were bound about with Sâ—â—â—cidges a Goose was sold for a penny and the Goslings freely giuen in to boote There was also an high mountaine wholly made of Parmezane grated Cheese whereon dwelt people who did nothing else but make Mocharones and Rauiuolies boyling them with broth of Capons and afterward hurled them all about to whosoeuer can or will catch them Neere to this mountaine runneth a faire Riuer the whole streame being pure white Bastard none such was euer sold for any money and without one drop of water in it Now trust me Sir said Calandrino that is an excellent Countrey to dwell in but I pray you tell me Sir what doe they with the Capons after they haue boyld them The Baschanes quoth Maso eate them all Haue you Sir said Calandrino at any time beene in that Countrey How answered Maso doe you demaund if I haue beene there Yes man aboue a thousand times at the least How farre Sir I pray you quoth Calandrino is that worthy Countrey from this our City In troth replyed Maso the miles are hardly to be numbred for the most part of them vve trauell vvhen vve are nightly in our beddes and if a man dreame right he may be there vpon a sudden Surely Sir said Calandrino it is further hence then to Abruzzi Yes questionlesse replyed Maso but to a vvilling minde no trauell seemeth tedious Calandrino well noting that Maso deliuered all these speeches with a stedfast countenance no signe of smyling or any gesture to vrge the least mislike he gaue such credit to them as to any matter of apparent and manifest truth and vpon this assured confidence he said Beleeue me Sir the iourney is ouer-farre for mee to vndertake but if it vvere neerer I could affoord to goe in your Company onely to see hovv they make these Macherones and to fill my belly vvith them But now wee are in talke Sir I pray you pardon mee to aske whether any such precious stones as you spake off are to be found in that Countrey or no Yes indeed replyed Maso there are two kinds of them to be found in those Territories both being of very great vertue One kind are gritty stones of Settignano and of Montisca by vertue of which places when any Mill-stones or Grind-stones are to bee made they knede the sand as they vse to doe meale and so make them of what bignesse they please In which respect they haue a common saying there that Nature maketh common stones but Montisca Mill-stones Such plenty are there of these Mill-stones so slenderly here esteemed among vs as Emeralds are with them whereof they haue whole mountaines farre greater then our Montemorello which shine most gloriously at midnight And how meanly soeuer we account of their Mill-stones yet there they drill them and enchase them in Rings which afterward they send to the great Soldane and haue whatsoeuer they will demaund for them The other kinde is a most precious Stone indeede which our best Lapidaries call the Helitropium the vertue whereof is so admirable as whosoeuer beareth it about him so long as he keepeth it it is impossible for any eye to discerne him because he walketh meerely inuisible O Lord Sir quoth Calandrino those stones are of rare vertue indeede but where else may a man finde that Helitropium Whereto Maso thus answered That Countrey onely doth not containe the Helitropium for they be many times found vpon our plaine of Mugnone Of what bignesse Sir quoth Calandrino is the Stone and what coulour The Helitropium answered Maso is not alwayes of one quality because some are bigge and others lesse but all are of one coulour namely blacke Calandrino committing all these things to respectiue memory and pretending to be called thence by some other especiall affaires departed from Maso concluding resoluedly with himselfe to finde this precious stone if possibly hee could yet intending to doe nothing vntill hee had acquainted Bruno and Buffalmaco therewith whom he loued dearly he went in all hast to seeke them because without any longer trifling the time they three might bee the first men that should find out this precious stone spending almost the whole morning before they were all three met together For they were painting at the Monastery of the Sisters of Faenza where they had very serious imployment and followed their businesse diligently where hauing found them and saluting them in such kinde manner as continually he vsed to doe thus he began Louing friends if you were pleased to follow mine aduise wee three will quickely be the richest men in Florence because by information from a Gentleman well deseruing to be credited on the Plaine of Mugnone there is a precious stone to be found which whosoeuer carrieth it about him walketh inuisible and is not to be seene by any one Let vs three be the first men to goe and finde it before any other heare thereof and goe about it and assure our selues that we shall finde it for I know it by discription so soone as I see it And when wee haue it who