The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio
music, for that all the ladies knew how to dance, as also the young
men, and some of them could both play and sing excellent well.
Accordingly, by her commandment, Dioneo took a lute and Fiammetta a
viol and began softly to sound a dance; whereupon the queen and the
other ladies, together with the other two young men, having sent the
serving-men to eat, struck up a round and began with a slow pace to
dance a brawl; which ended, they fell to singing quaint and merry
ditties. On this wise they abode till it seemed to the queen time to
go to sleep,[26] and she accordingly dismissed them all; whereupon the
young men retired to their chambers, which were withdrawn from the
ladies' lodging, and finding them with the beds well made and as full
of flowers as the saloon, put off their clothes and betook themselves
to rest, whilst the ladies, on their part, did likewise.
[Footnote 25: The table of Boccaccio's time was a mere board upon
trestles, which when not in actual use, was stowed away, for room's
sake, against the wall.]
[Footnote 26: _i.e._ to take the siesta or midday nap common in hot
countries.]
None[27] had not long sounded when the queen, arising, made all the
other ladies arise, and on like wise the three young men, alleging
overmuch sleep to be harmful by day; and so they betook themselves to
a little meadow, where the grass grew green and high nor there had the
sun power on any side. There, feeling the waftings of a gentle breeze,
they all, as their queen willed it, seated themselves in a ring on the
green grass; while she bespoke them thus, "As ye see, the sun is high
and the heat great, nor is aught heard save the crickets yonder among
the olives; wherefore it were doubtless folly to go anywhither at this
present. Here is the sojourn fair and cool, and here, as you see, are
chess and tables,[28] and each can divert himself as is most to his
mind. But, an my counsel be followed in this, we shall pass away this
sultry part of the day, not in gaming,--wherein the mind of one of the
players must of necessity be troubled, without any great pleasure of
the other or of those who look on,--but in telling stories, which, one
telling, may afford diversion to all the company who hearken; nor
shall we have made an end of telling each his story but the sun will
have declined and the heat be abated, and we can then go a-pleasuring
whereas it may be most agreeable to us. Wherefore, if this that I say
please you, (for I am disposed to follow your pleasure therein,) let
us do it; and if it please you not, let each until the hour of vespers
do what most liketh him." Ladies and men alike all approved the
story-telling, whereupon, "Then," said the queen, "since this pleaseth
you, I will that this first day each be free to tell of such matters
as are most to his liking." Then, turning to Pamfilo, who sat on her
right hand, she smilingly bade him give beginning to the story-telling
with one of his; and he, hearing the commandment, forthright began
thus, whilst all gave ear to him.
[Footnote 27: _i.e._ three o'clock p.m.]
[Footnote 28: _i.e._ backgammon.]
THE FIRST STORY
[Day the First]
MASTER CIAPPELLETTO DUPETH A HOLY FRIAR WITH A FALSE
CONFESSION AND DIETH; AND HAVING BEEN IN HIS LIFETIME THE
WORST OF MEN, HE IS, AFTER HIS DEATH, REPUTED A SAINT AND
CALLED SAINT CIAPPELLETTO.
"It is a seemly thing, dearest ladies, that whatsoever a man doth, he
give it beginning from the holy and admirable name of Him who is the
maker of all things. Wherefore, it behoving me, as the first, to give
commencement to our story-telling, I purpose to begin with one of His
marvels, to the end that, this being heard, our hope in Him, as in a
thing immutable, may be confirmed and His name be ever praised of us.
It is manifest that, like as things temporal are all transitory and
mortal, even so both within and without are they full of annoy and
anguish and travail and subject to infinite perils, against which it
is indubitable that we, who live enmingled therein and who are indeed
part and parcel thereof, might avail neither to endure nor to defend
ourselves, except God's especial grace lent us strength and foresight;
which latter, it is not to be believed, descendeth unto us and upon us
by any merit of our own, but of the proper motion of His own benignity
and the efficacy of the prayers of those who were mortals even as we
are and having diligently ensued His commandments, what while they
were on life, are now with Him become eternal and blessed and unto
whom we,--belike not daring to address ourselves unto the proper
presence of so august a judge,--proffer our petitions of the things
which we deem needful unto ourselves, as unto advocates[29] informed
by experience of our frailty. And this more we discern in Him, full as
He is of compassionate liberality towards us, that, whereas it
chanceth whiles (the keenness of mortal eyes availing not in any wise
to penetrate the secrets of the Divine intent), that we peradventure,
beguiled by report, make such an one our advocate unto His
majesty, who is outcast from His presence with an eternal
banishment,--nevertheless He, from whom nothing is hidden, having
regard rather to the purity of the suppliant's intent than to his
ignorance or to the reprobate estate of him whose intercession be
invoketh, giveth ear unto those who pray unto the latter, as if he
were in very deed blessed in His aspect. The which will manifestly
appear from the story which I purpose to relate; I say manifestly,
ensuing, not the judgment of God, but that of men.
[Footnote 29: Or procurators.]
It is told, then, that Musciatto Franzesi,[30] being from a very rich
and considerable merchant in France become a knight and it behoving
him thereupon go into Tuscany with Messire Charles Sansterre,[31]
brother to the king of France,[32] who had been required and bidden
thither by Pope Boniface,[33] found his affairs in one part and
another sore embroiled, (as those of merchants most times are,) and
was unable lightly or promptly to disentangle them; wherefore he
bethought himself to commit them unto divers persons and made shift
for all, save only he abode in doubt whom he might leave sufficient to
the recovery of the credits he had given to certain Burgundians. The
cause of his doubt was that he knew the Burgundians to be litigious,
quarrelsome fellows, ill-conditioned and disloyal, and could not call
one to mind, in whom he might put any trust, curst enough to cope with
their perversity. After long consideration of the matter, there came
to his memory a certain Master Ciapperello da Prato, who came often to
his house in Paris and whom, for that he was little of person and
mighty nice in his dress, the French, knowing not what Cepparello[34]
meant and thinking it be the same with Cappello, to wit, in their
vernacular, Chaplet, called him, not Cappello, but Ciappelletto,[35]
and accordingly as Ciappelletto he was known everywhere, whilst few
knew him for Master Ciapperello.
[Footnote 30: A Florentine merchant settled in France; he had great
influence over Philippe le Bel and made use of the royal favour to
enrich himself by means of monopolies granted at the expense of his
compatriots.]
[Footnote 31: Charles, Comte de Valois et d'Alençon.]
[Footnote 32: Philippe le Bel, A.D. 1268-1314.]
[Footnote 33: The Eighth.]
[Footnote 34: Sic. _Cepparello_ means a log or stump. Ciapperello is
apparently a dialectic variant of the same word.]
[Footnote 35: Diminutive of Cappello. This passage is obscure and most
likely corrupt. Boccaccio probably meant to write "hat" instead of
"chaplet" (_ghirlanda_), as the meaning of _cappello_, chaplet
(diminutive of Old English _chapel_, a hat,) being the meaning of
_ciappelletto_ (properly _cappelletto_).]
Now this said Ciappelletto was of this manner life, that, being a
scrivener, he thought very great shame whenas any of his instrument
was found (and indeed he drew few such) other than false; whilst of
the latter[36] he would have drawn as many as might be required of him
and these with a better will by way of gift than any other for a great
wage. False witness he bore with especial delight, required or not
required, and the greatest regard being in those times paid to oaths
in France, as he recked nothing of forswearing himself, he knavishly
gained all the suits concerning which he was called upon to tell the
truth upon his faith. He took inordinate pleasure and was mighty
diligent in stirring up troubles and enmities and scandals between
friends and kinsfolk and whomsoever else, and the greater the
mischiefs he saw ensue thereof, the more he rejoiced. If bidden to
manslaughter or whatsoever other naughty deed, he went about it with a
will, without ever saying nay thereto; and many a time of his proper
choice he had been known to wound men and do them to death with his
own hand. He was a terrible blasphemer of God and the saints, and that
for every trifle, being the most choleric man alive. To church he went
never and all the sacraments thereof he flouted in abominable terms,
as things of no account; whilst, on the other hand, he was still fain
to haunt and use taverns and other lewd places. Of women he was as
fond as dogs of the stick; but in the contrary he delighted more than
any filthy fellow alive. He robbed and pillaged with as much
conscience as a godly man would make oblation to God; he was a very
glutton and a great wine bibber, insomuch that bytimes it wrought him
shameful mischief, and to boot, he was a notorious gamester and a
caster of cogged dice. But why should I enlarge in so many words? He
was belike the worst man that ever was born.[37] His wickedness had
long been upheld by the power and interest of Messer Musciatto, who
had many a time safeguarded him as well from private persons, to whom
he often did a mischief, as from the law, against which he was a
perpetual offender.
[Footnote 36: _i.e._ false instruments.]
[Footnote 37: A "twopence-coloured" sketch of an impossible villain,
drawn with a crudeness unusual in Boccaccio.]
This Master Ciappelletto then, coming to Musciatto's mind, the latter,
who was very well acquainted with his way of life, bethought himself
that he should be such an one as the perversity of the Burgundians
required and accordingly, sending for him, he bespoke him thus:
'Master Ciappelletto, I am, as thou knowest, about altogether to
withdraw hence, and having to do, amongst others, with certain
Burgundians, men full of guile, I know none whom I may leave to
recover my due from them more fitting than thyself, more by token that
thou dost nothing at this present; wherefore, an thou wilt undertake
this, I will e'en procure thee the favour of the Court and give thee
such part as shall be meet of that which thou shalt recover.'
Don Ciappelletto, who was then out of employ and ill provided with the
goods of the world, seeing him who had long been his stay and his
refuge about to depart thence, lost no time in deliberation, but, as
of necessity constrained, replied that he would well. They being come
to an accord, Musciatto departed and Ciappelletto, having gotten his
patron's procuration and letters commendatory from the king, betook
himself into Burgundy, where well nigh none knew him, and there,
contrary to his nature, began courteously and blandly to seek to get
in his payments and do that wherefor he was come thither, as if
reserving choler and violence for a last resort. Dealing thus and
lodging in the house of two Florentines, brothers, who there lent at
usance and who entertained him with great honour for the love of
Messer Musciatto, it chanced that he fell sick, whereupon the two
brothers promptly fetched physicians and servants to tend him and