The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio
likewise those of his chief brethren.[43] If these appear to me such
that I may, by them, as well as by your words, apprehend that your
faith is better than mine, even as thou hast studied to show me, I
will do as I have said; and if it be not so, I will remain a Jew as I
am.'
[Footnote 43: Lit. cardinal brethren (_fratelli cardinali_).]
When Jehannot heard this, he was beyond measure chagrined and said in
himself, 'I have lost my pains, which meseemed I had right well
bestowed, thinking to have converted this man; for that, an he go to
the court of Rome and see the lewd and wicked life of the clergy, not
only will he never become a Christian, but, were he already a
Christian, he would infallibly turn Jew again.' Then, turning to
Abraham, he said to him, 'Alack, my friend, why wilt thou undertake
this travail and so great a charge as it will be to thee to go from
here to Rome? More by token that, both by sea and by land, the road is
full of perils for a rich man such as thou art. Thinkest thou not to
find here who shall give thee baptism? Or, if peradventure thou have
any doubts concerning the faith which I have propounded to thee, where
are there greater doctors and men more learned in the matter than are
here or better able to resolve thee of that which thou wilt know or
ask? Wherefore, to my thinking, this thy going is superfluous. Bethink
thee that the prelates there are even such as those thou mayst have
seen here, and indeed so much the better as they are nearer unto the
Chief Pastor. Wherefore, an thou wilt be counselled by me, thou wilt
reserve this travail unto another time against some jubilee or other,
whereunto it may be I will bear thee company.' To this the Jew made
answer, 'I doubt not, Jehannot, but it is as thou tellest me; but, to
sum up many words in one, I am altogether determined, an thou wouldst
have me do that whereof thou hast so instantly besought me, to go
thither; else will I never do aught thereof.' Jehannot, seeing his
determination, said, 'Go and good luck go with thee!' And inwardly
assured that he would never become a Christian, when once he should
have seen the court of Rome, but availing[44] nothing in the matter,
he desisted.
[Footnote 44: Lit. losing (_perdendo_), but this is probably some
copyist's mistake for _podendo_, the old form of _potendo_, availing.]
The Jew mounted to horse and as quickliest he might betook himself to
the court of Rome, he was honourably entertained of his brethren, and
there abiding, without telling any the reason of his coming, he began
diligently to enquire into the manners and fashions of the Pope and
Cardinals and other prelates and of all the members of his court, and
what with that which he himself noted, being a mighty quick-witted
man, and that which he gathered from others, he found all, from the
highest to the lowest, most shamefully given to the sin of lust, and
that not only in the way of nature, but after the Sodomitical fashion,
without any restraint of remorse or shamefastness, insomuch that the
interest of courtezans and catamites was of no small avail there in
obtaining any considerable thing.
Moreover, he manifestly perceived them to be universally gluttons,
wine-bibbers, drunkards and slaves to their bellies, brute-beast
fashion, more than to aught else after lust. And looking farther, he
saw them all covetous and greedy after money, insomuch that human,
nay, Christian blood, no less than things sacred, whatsoever they
might be, whether pertaining to the sacrifices of the altar or to the
benefices of the church, they sold and bought indifferently for a
price, making a greater traffic and having more brokers thereof than
folk at Paris of silks and stuffs or what not else. Manifest simony
they had christened 'procuration' and gluttony 'sustentation,' as if
God apprehended not,--let be the meaning of words but,--the intention
of depraved minds and would suffer Himself, after the fashion of men,
to be duped by the names of things. All this, together with much else
which must be left unsaid, was supremely displeasing to the Jew, who
was a sober and modest man, and himseeming he had seen enough, he
determined to return to Paris and did so.
As soon as Jehannot knew of his return, he betook himself to him,
hoping nothing less than that he should become a Christian, and they
greeted each other with the utmost joy. Then, after Abraham had rested
some days, Jehannot asked him how himseemed of the Holy Father and of
the cardinals and others of his court. Whereto the Jew promptly
answered, 'Meseemeth, God give them ill one and all! And I say this
for that, if I was able to observe aright, no piety, no devoutness, no
good work or example of life or otherwhat did I see there in any who
was a churchman; nay, but lust, covetise, gluttony and the like and
worse (if worse can be) meseemed to be there in such favour with all
that I hold it for a forgingplace of things diabolical rather than
divine. And as far as I can judge, meseemeth your chief pastor and
consequently all the others endeavour with all diligence and all their
wit and every art to bring to nought and banish from the world the
Christian religion, whereas they should be its foundation and support.
And for that I see that this whereafter they strive cometh not to
pass, but that your religion continually increaseth and waxeth still
brighter and more glorious, meseemeth I manifestly discern that the
Holy Spirit is verily the foundation and support thereof, as of that
which is true and holy over any other. Wherefore, whereas, aforetime I
abode obdurate and insensible to thine exhortations and would not be
persuaded to embrace thy faith, I now tell thee frankly that for
nothing in the world would I forbear to become a Christian. Let us,
then, to church and there have me baptized, according to the rite and
ordinance of your holy faith.'
Jehannot, who looked for a directly contrary conclusion to this, was
the joyfullest man that might be, when he heard him speak thus, and
repairing with him to our Lady's Church of Paris, required the clergy
there to give Abraham baptism. They, hearing that the Jew himself
demanded it, straightway proceeded to baptize him, whilst Jehannot
raised him from the sacred font[45] and named him Giovanni. After
this, he had him thoroughly lessoned by men of great worth and
learning in the tenets of our holy faith, which he speedily
apprehended and thenceforward was a good man and a worthy and one of a
devout life."
[Footnote 45: _i.e._ stood sponsor for him.]
THE THIRD STORY
[Day the First]
MELCHIZEDEK THE JEW, WITH A STORY OF THREE RINGS, ESCAPETH A
PARLOUS SNARE SET FOR HIM BY SALADIN
Neifile having made an end of her story, which was commended of all,
Filomena, by the queen's good pleasure, proceeded to speak thus: "The
story told by Neifile bringeth to my mind a parlous case the once
betided a Jew; and for that, it having already been excellent well
spoken both of God and of the verity of our faith, it should not
henceforth be forbidden us to descend to the doings of mankind and the
events that have befallen them, I will now proceed to relate to you
the case aforesaid, which having heard, you will peradventure become
more wary in answering the questions that may be put to you. You must
know, lovesome[46] companions[47] mine, that, like as folly ofttimes
draweth folk forth of happy estate and casteth them into the utmost
misery, even so doth good sense extricate the wise man from the
greatest perils and place him in assurance and tranquillity. How true
it is that folly bringeth many an one from fair estate unto misery is
seen by multitude of examples, with the recounting whereof we have no
present concern, considering that a thousand instances thereof do
every day manifestly appear to us; but that good sense is a cause of
solacement I will, as I promised, briefly show you by a little story.
[Footnote 46: Lit. amorous (_amorose_), but Boccaccio frequently uses
_amoroso_, _vago_, and other adjectives, which are now understood in
an active or transitive sense only, in their ancient passive or
intransitive sense of lovesome, desirable, etc.]
[Footnote 47: _Compagne_, _i.e._ she-companions. Filomena is
addressing the female part of the company.]
Saladin,--whose valour was such that not only from a man of little
account it made him Soldan of Babylon, but gained him many victories
over kings Saracen and Christian,--having in divers wars and in the
exercise of his extraordinary munificences expended his whole treasure
and having an urgent occasion for a good sum of money nor seeing
whence he might avail to have it as promptly as it behoved him, called
to mind a rich Jew, by name Melchizedek, who lent at usance in
Alexandria, and bethought himself that this latter had the wherewithal
to oblige him, and he would; but he was so miserly that he would never
have done it of his freewill and Saladin was loath to use force with
him; wherefore, need constraining him, he set his every wit awork to
find a means how the Jew might be brought to serve him in this and
presently concluded to do him a violence coloured by some show of
reason.
Accordingly he sent for Melchizedek and receiving him familiarly,
seated him by himself, then said to him, 'Honest man, I have
understood from divers persons that thou art a very learned man and
deeply versed in matters of divinity; wherefore I would fain know of
thee whether of the three Laws thou reputest the true, the Jewish, the
Saracen or the Christian.' The Jew, who was in truth a man of learning
and understanding, perceived but too well that Saladin looked to
entrap him in words, so he might fasten a quarrel on him, and
bethought himself that he could not praise any of the three more than
the others without giving him the occasion he sought. Accordingly,
sharpening his wits, as became one who felt himself in need of an
answer by which he might not be taken at a vantage, there speedily
occurred to him that which it behoved him reply and he said, 'My lord,
the question that you propound to me is a nice one and to acquaint you
with that which I think of the matter, it behoveth me tell you a
little story, which you shall hear.
An I mistake not, I mind me to have many a time heard tell that there
was once a great man and a rich, who among other very precious jewels
in his treasury, had a very goodly and costly ring, whereunto being
minded, for its worth and beauty, to do honour and wishing to leave it
in perpetuity to his descendants, he declared that whichsoever of his
sons should, at his death, be found in possession thereof, by his
bequest unto him, should be recognized as his heir and be held of all
the others in honour and reverence as chief and head. He to whom the
ring was left by him held a like course with his own descendants and
did even as his father had done. In brief the ring passed from hand to
hand, through many generations, and came at last into the possession
of a man who had three goodly and virtuous sons, all very obedient to
their father wherefore he loved them all three alike. The young men,
knowing the usance of the ring, each for himself, desiring to be the
most honoured among his folk, as best he might, besought his father,
who was now an old man, to leave him the ring, whenas he came to die.
The worthy man, who loved them all alike and knew not himself how to
choose to which he had liefer leave the ring, bethought himself,
having promised it to each, to seek to satisfy all three and privily
let make by a good craftsman other two rings, which were so like unto
the first that he himself scarce knew which was the true. When he came
to die, he secretly gave each one of his sons his ring, wherefore each