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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Tales Of The Heptameron, Vol. IV. (of
+V.), by Margaret, Queen Of Navarre
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: The Tales Of The Heptameron, Vol. IV. (of V.)
+
+Author: Margaret, Queen Of Navarre
+
+Illustrator: Freudenberg and Dunker
+
+Translator: George Saintsbury: From The Authentic Text
+Of M. Le Roux De Lincy With An Essay Upon The Heptameron by the Translator
+
+Release Date: February 7, 2006 [EBook #17704]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TALES OF THE HEPTAMERON ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by David Widger
+
+
+
+
+
+THE TALES OF
+
+THE HEPTAMERON
+
+OF
+
+Margaret, Queen of Navarre
+
+_Newly Translated into English from the Authentic Text_
+
+OF M. LE ROUX DE LINCY WITH
+
+AN ESSAY UPON THE HEPTAMERON
+
+BY
+
+GEORGE SAINTSBURY, M.A.
+
+Also the Original Seventy-three Full Page Engravings
+
+
+
+Designed by S. FREUDENBERG
+
+And One Hundred and Fifty Head and Tail Pieces
+
+By DUNKER
+
+_IN FIVE VOLUMES_
+
+VOLUME THE FOURTH
+
+LONDON: PRINTED FOR THE SOCIETY OF ENGLISH BIBLIOPHILISTS
+
+MDCCCXCIV
+
+
+[Illustration: Frontispiece]
+
+[Margaret, Queen of Navarre, from a crayon drawing by Clouet, preserved
+at the Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris]
+
+[Illustration: Titlepage]
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS OF VOLUME IV.
+
+FOURTH DAY.
+
+Prologue
+
+Tale XXXI. Punishment of the wickedness of a Friar who sought to lie
+with a gentleman's wife.
+
+Tale XXXII. How an ambassador of Charles VIII., moved by the repentance
+of a German lady, whom her husband compelled to drink out of her lover's
+skull, reconciled husband and wife together.
+
+Tale XXXIII. The hypocrisy of a priest who, under the cloak of sanctity,
+had lain with his own sister, is discovered and punished by the wisdom
+of the Count of Angouleme.
+
+Tale XXXIV. The terror of two Friars who believed that a butcher
+intended to murder them, whereas the poor man was only speaking of his
+Pigs.
+
+Tale XXXV. How a husband's prudence saves his wife from the risks she
+incurred while thinking to yield to merely a spiritual love.
+
+Tale XXXVI. The story of the President of Grenoble, who saves the honour
+of his house by poisoning his wife with a salad.
+
+Tale XXXVII. How the Lady of Loue regained her husband's affection.
+
+Tale XXXVIII. The kindness of a townswoman of Tours to a poor
+farm-woman who is mistress to her husband, makes the latter so ashamed
+of his faithlessness that he returns to his wife.
+
+Tale XXXIX. How the Lord of Grignaulx rid one of his houses of a
+pretended ghost.
+
+Tale XL. The unhappy history of the Count de Jossebelin's sister, who
+shut herself up in a hermitage because her brother caused her husband to
+be slain.
+
+
+FIFTH DAY.
+
+Prologue
+
+Tale XLI. Just punishment of a Grey Friar for the unwonted penance that
+he would have laid upon a maiden.
+
+Tale XLII. The virtuous resistance made by a young woman of Touraine
+causes a young Prince that is in love with her, to change his desire to
+respect, and to bestow her honourably in marriage.
+
+Tale XLIII. How a little chalk-mark revealed the hypocrisy of a lady
+called Jambicque, who was wont to hide the pleasures she indulged in,
+beneath the semblance of austerity.
+
+Tale XLIV. (A). Through telling the truth, a Grey Friar receives as alms
+from the Lord of Sedan two pigs instead of one.
+
+Tale XLIV. (B). Honourable conduct of a young citizen of Paris, who,
+after suddenly enjoying his sweetheart, at last happily marries.
+
+Tale XLV. Cleverness of an upholsterer of Touraine, who, to hide that
+he has given the Innocents to his serving-maid, contrives to give them
+afterwards to his wife.
+
+Tale XLVI. (A). Wicked acts of a Grey Friar of Angouleme called De Vale,
+who fails in his purpose with the wife of the Judge of the Exempts, but
+to whom a mother in blind confidence foolishly abandons her daughter.
+
+Tale XLVI. (B). Sermons of the Grey Friar De Valles, at first against
+and afterwards on behalf of husbands that beat their wives.
+
+Tale XLVII. The undeserved jealousy of a gentleman of Le Perche towards
+another gentleman, his friend, leads the latter to deceive him.
+
+Tale XLVIII. Wicked act of a Grey Friar of Perigord, who, while a
+husband was dancing at his wedding, went and took his place with the
+bride.
+
+Tale XLIX. Story of a foreign Countess, who, not content with having
+King Charles as her lover, added to him three lords, to wit, Astillon,
+Durassier and Valnebon.
+
+Tale L. Melancholy fortune of Messire John Peter, a gentleman of
+Cremona, who dies just when he is winning the affection of the lady he
+loves.
+
+Appendix to Vol. IV.
+
+
+
+
+PAGE ENGRAVINGS CONTAINED IN VOLUME IV.
+
+Tale XXXI. The Wicked Friar Captured.
+
+Tale XXXII. Bernage observing the German Lady's Strange Penance.
+
+Tale XXXIII. The Execution of the Wicked Priest and his Sister.
+
+Tale XXXIV. The Grey Friar imploring the Butcher to Spare his Life.
+
+Tale XXXV. The Lady embracing the Supposed Friar.
+
+Tale XXXVI. The Clerk entreating Forgiveness of the President.
+
+Tale XXXVII. The Lady of Loue bringing her Husband the Basin of Water.
+
+Tale XXXVIII. The Lady of Tours questioning her Husband's Mistress.
+
+Tale XXXIX. The Lord of Grignaulx catching the Pretended Ghost.
+
+Tale XL. The Count of Jossebelin murdering his Sister's Husband.
+
+Tale XLI. The Beating of the Wicked Grey Friar.
+
+Tale XLII. The Girl refusing the Gift of the Young Prince.
+
+Tale XLIII. Jambicque repudiating her Lover.
+
+Tale XLIV. (B). The Lovers returning from their Meeting in the Garden.
+
+Tale Tale XLV. The Man of Tours and his Serving-maid in the Snow.
+
+Tale XLVI. (B). The Young Man beating his Wife.
+
+Tale XLVII. The Gentleman reproaching his Friend for his Jealousy.
+
+Tale XLVIII. The Grey Friars Caught and Punished.
+
+Tale XLIX. The Countess facing her Lovers.
+
+Tale L. The Lady killing herself on the Death of her Lover.
+
+
+
+
+FOURTH DAY.
+
+_On the Fourth Day are chiefly told Tales of the
+virtuous patience and long suffering of
+Ladies to win over their husbands;
+and of the prudence that Men
+have used towards Women
+to save the honour of
+their families and
+lineage._
+
+
+
+
+PROLOGUE.
+
+The Lady Oisille, as was her excellent custom, rose up on the morrow
+very much earlier than the others, and meditating upon her book of
+Holy Scripture, awaited the company which, little by little, assembled
+together again. And the more slothful of them excused themselves in the
+words of the Bible, saying, "I have a wife, and therefore could not come
+so quickly." (1) In this wise it came to pass that Hircan and his wife
+Parlamente found the reading of the lesson already begun. Oisille,
+however, knew right well how to pick out the passage in the Scriptures,
+which reproves those who neglect the hearing of the Word, and she not
+only read the text, but also addressed to them such excellent and pious
+exhortations that it was impossible to weary of listening to her.
+
+     1  "I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come."--St.
+     Luke xiv. 20.--M.
+
+The reading ended, Parlamente said to her--
+
+"I felt sorry for my slothfulness when I came in, but since my error
+has led you to speak to me in such excellent fashion, my laziness has
+profited me double, for I have had rest of body by sleeping longer, and
+satisfaction of spirit by hearing your godly discourse." "Well," said
+Oisille, "let us for penance go to mass and pray Our Lord to give us
+both will and power to fulfil His commandments; and then may He command
+us according to His own good pleasure."
+
+As she was saying these words, they reached the church, where they
+piously heard mass. And afterwards they sat down to table, where Hircan
+failed not to laugh at the slothfulness of his wife. After dinner they
+withdrew to rest and study their parts, (2) and when the hour was come,
+they all found themselves at the wonted spot.
+
+     2  Meaning what they had to relate. The French word is
+     _rolle_ from _rotulus_.--M.
+
+Then Oisille asked Hircan to whom he would give his vote to begin the
+day.
+
+"If my wife," said he, "had not begun yesterday, I should have given her
+my vote, for although I always thought that she loved me more than any
+man alive, she has further proved to me this morning that she loves me
+better than God or His Word, seeing that she neglected your excellent
+reading to bear me company. However, since I cannot give my vote to the
+discreetest lady of the company, I will present it to Geburon, who is
+the discreetest among the men; and I beg that he will in no wise spare
+the monks."
+
+"It was not necessary to beg that of me," said Geburon; "I was not at
+all likely to forget them. Only a short while ago I heard Monsieur de
+Saint-Vincent, Ambassador of the Emperor, tell a story of them which is
+well worthy of being rememorated and I will now relate it to you."
+
+[Illustration: 007a.jpg The Wicked Friar Captured]
+
+[The Wicked Friar Captured]
+
+[Illustration: 007.jpg Page Image]
+
+
+
+
+_TALE XXXI_.
+
+     _A monastery of Grey Friars was burned down, with the monks
+     that were in it, as a perpetual memorial of the cruelty
+     practised by one among them that was in love with a lady_.
+
+In the lands subject to the Emperor Maximilian of Austria (1) there was
+a monastery of Grey Friars that was held in high repute, and nigh to it
+stood the house of a gentleman who was so kindly disposed to these
+monks that he could withhold nothing from them, in order to share in the
+benefits of their fastings and disciplines. Among the rest there was
+a tall and handsome friar whom the said gentleman had taken to be his
+confessor, and who had as much authority in the gentleman's house as the
+gentleman himself. This friar, seeing that the gentleman's wife was as
+beautiful and prudent as it was possible to be, fell so deeply in love
+with her that he lost all appetite for both food and drink, and all
+natural reason as well. One day, thinking to work his end, he went all
+alone to the house, and not finding the gentleman within, asked the lady
+whither he was gone. She replied that he was gone to an estate where he
+proposed remaining during two or three days, but that if the friar had
+business with him, she would despatch a man expressly to him. The friar
+said no to this, and began to walk to and fro in the house like one with
+a weighty matter in his mind.
+
+     1  Maximilian I., grandfather of Charles V. and Ferdinand
+     I., and Emperor of Germany from 1494 to 1519.--Ed.
+
+When he had left the room, the lady said to one of her women (and there
+were but two) "Go after the good father and find out what he wants, for
+I judge by his countenance that he is displeased."
+
+The serving-woman went to the courtyard and asked the friar whether he
+desired aught, whereat he answered that he did, and, drawing her into a
+corner, he took a dagger which he carried in his sleeve, and thrust
+it into her throat. Just after he had done this, there came into the
+courtyard a mounted servant who had been gone to receive the rent of a
+farm. As soon as he had dismounted he saluted the friar, who embraced
+him, and while doing so thrust the dagger into the back part of his
+neck. And thereupon he closed the castle gate.
+
+The lady, finding that her serving-woman did not return, was astonished
+that she should remain so long with the friar, and said to the other--
+
+"Go and see why your fellow-servant does not come back."
+
+The woman went, and as soon as the good father saw her, he drew her
+aside into a corner and did to her as he had done to her companion.
+Then, finding himself alone in the house, he came to the lady, and told
+her that he had long been in love with her, and that the hour was now
+come when she must yield him obedience.
+
+The lady, who had never suspected aught of this, replied--
+
+"I am sure, father, that were I so evilly inclined, you would be the
+first to cast a stone at me."
+
+"Come out into the courtyard," returned the monk, "and you will see what
+I have done."
+
+When she beheld the two women and the man lying dead, she was so
+terrified that she stood like a statue, without uttering a word. The
+villain, who did not seek merely an hour's delight, would not take her
+by force, but forthwith said to her--
+
+"Mistress, be not afraid; you are in the hands of him who, of all living
+men, loves you the most."
+
+So saying, he took off his long robe, beneath which he wore a shorter
+one, which he gave to the lady, telling her that if she did not take it,
+she should be numbered with those whom she saw lying lifeless before her
+eyes.
+
+More dead than alive already, the lady resolved to feign obedience,
+both to save her life, and to gain time, as she hoped, for her husband's
+return. At the command of the friar, she set herself to put off her
+head-dress as slowly as she was able; and when this was done, the friar,
+heedless of the beauty of her hair, quickly cut it off. Then he caused
+her to take off all her clothes except her chemise, and dressed her in
+the smaller robe he had worn, he himself resuming the other, which he
+was wont to wear; then he departed thence with all imaginable speed,
+taking with him the little friar he had coveted so long.
+
+But God, who pities the innocent in affliction, beheld the tears of
+this unhappy lady, and it so happened that her husband, having arranged
+matters more speedily than he had expected, was now returning home by
+the same road by which she herself was departing. However, when the
+friar perceived him in the distance, he said to the lady--
+
+"I see your husband coming this way. I know that if you look at him he
+will try to take you out of my hands. Go, then, before me, and turn
+not your head in his direction; for, if you make the faintest sign, my
+dagger will be in your throat before he can deliver you."
+
+As he was speaking, the gentleman came up, and asked him whence he was
+coming.
+
+"From your house," replied the other, "where I left my lady in good
+health, and waiting for you."
+
+The gentleman passed on without observing his wife, but a servant who
+was with him, and who had always been wont to foregather with one of
+the friar's comrades named Brother John, began to call to his mistress,
+thinking, indeed, that she was this Brother John. The poor woman, who
+durst not turn her eyes in the direction of her husband, answered not a
+word. The servant, however, wishing to see her face, crossed the road,
+and the lady, still without making any reply, signed to him with her
+eyes, which were full of tears.
+
+The servant then went after his master and said--"Sir, as I crossed the
+road I took note of the friar's companion. He is not Brother John, but
+is very like my lady, your wife, and gave me a pitiful look with eyes
+full of tears."
+
+The gentleman replied that he was dreaming, and paid no heed to him; but
+the servant persisted, entreating his master to allow him to go back,
+whilst he himself waited on the road, to see if matters were as he
+thought. The gentleman gave him leave, and waited to see what news he
+would bring him. When the friar heard the servant calling out to Brother
+John, he suspected that the lady had been recognised, and with a great,
+iron-bound stick that he carried, he dealt the servant so hard a blow in
+the side that he knocked him off his horse. Then, leaping upon his body,
+he cut his throat.
+
+The gentleman, seeing his servant fall in the distance, thought that he
+had met with an accident, and hastened back to assist him. As soon as
+the friar saw him, he struck him also with the iron-bound stick, just
+as he had struck the servant, and, flinging him to the ground, threw
+himself upon him. But the gentleman being strong and powerful, hugged
+the friar so closely that he was unable to do any mischief, and was
+forced to let his dagger fall. The lady picked it up, and, giving it to
+her husband, held the friar with all her strength by the hood. Then her
+husband dealt the friar several blows with the dagger, so that at last
+he cried for mercy and confessed his wickedness. The gentleman was
+not minded to kill him, but begged his wife to go home and fetch their
+people and a cart, in which to carry the friar away. This she did,
+throwing off her robe, and running as far as her house in nothing but
+her shift, with her cropped hair.
+
+The gentleman's men forthwith hastened to assist their master to bring
+away the wolf that he had captured. And they found this wolf in the
+road, on the ground, where he was seized and bound, and taken to the
+house of the gentleman, who afterwards had him brought before the
+Emperor's Court in Flanders, when he confessed his evil deeds.
+
+And by his confession and by proofs procured by commissioners on the
+spot, it was found that a great number of gentlewomen and handsome
+wenches had been brought into the monastery in the same fashion as the
+friar of my story had sought to carry off this lady; and he would have
+succeeded but for the mercy of Our Lord, who ever assists those that put
+their trust in Him. And the said monastery was stripped of its spoils
+and of the handsome maidens that were found within it, and the monks
+were shut up in the building and burned with it, as an everlasting
+memorial of this crime, by which we see that there is nothing more
+dangerous than love when it is founded upon vice, just as there is
+nothing more gentle or praiseworthy when it dwells in a virtuous heart.
+(2)
+
+     2  Queen Margaret states (_ante_, p. 5) that this tale was
+     told by M. de St.-Vincent, ambassador of Charles V., and
+     seems to imply that the incident recorded in it was one of
+     recent occurrence. The same story may be found, however, in
+     most of the collections of early _fabliaux_. See _OEuvres de
+     Rutebeuf_, vol. i. p. 260 (_Frere Denise_), Legrand
+     d'Aussy's _Fabliaux_, vol. iv. p. 383, and the _Recueil
+     complet des Fabliaux_, Paris, 1878, vol. iii. p. 253. There
+     is also some similarity between this tale and No. LX. of the
+     _Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles_. Estienne quotes it in his
+     _Apologie pour Herodote_, L'Estoile in his _Journal du regne
+     de Henri III. (anno_ 1577), Malespini uses it in his
+     _Ducento Novelle_ (No. 75), and it suggested to Lafontaine
+     his _Cordeliers de Catalogne_.--L. and M.
+
+"I am very sorry, ladies, that truth does not provide us with stories
+as much to the credit of the Grey Friars as it does to the contrary. It
+would be a great pleasure to me, by reason of the love that I bear their
+Order, if I knew of one in which I could really praise them; but we have
+vowed so solemnly to speak the truth that, after hearing it from such
+as are well worthy of belief, I cannot but make it known to you.
+Nevertheless, I promise you that, whenever the monks shall accomplish a
+memorable and glorious deed, I will be at greater pains to exalt it than
+I have been in relating the present truthful history."
+
+"In good faith, Geburon," said Oisille, "that was a love which might
+well have been called cruelty."
+
+"I am astonished," said Simontault, "that he was patient enough not to
+take her by force when he saw her in her shift, and in a place where he
+might have mastered her."
+
+"He was not an epicure, but a glutton," said Saffredent. "He wanted to
+have his fill of her every day, and so was not minded to amuse himself
+with a mere taste."
+
+"That was not the reason," said Parlamente. "Understand that a lustful
+man is always timorous, and the fear that he had of being surprised and
+robbed of his prey led him, wolf-like, to carry off his lamb that he
+might devour it at his ease."
+
+"For all that," said Dagoucin, "I cannot believe that he loved her, or
+that the virtuous god of love could dwell in so base a heart."
+
+"Be that as it may," said Oisille, "he was well punished, and I pray God
+that like attempts may meet with the same chastisement. But to whom will
+you give your vote?"
+
+"To you, madam," replied Geburon; "you will, I know, not fail to tell us
+a good story."
+
+"Since it is my turn," said Oisille, "I will relate to you one that is
+indeed excellent, seeing that the adventure befel in my own day, and
+before the eyes of him who told it to me. You are, I am sure, aware
+that death ends all our woes, and this being so, it may be termed our
+happiness and tranquil rest. It is, therefore, a misfortune if a man
+desires death and cannot obtain it, and so the most grievous punishment
+that can be given to a wrongdoer is not death, but a continual torment,
+great enough to render death desirable, but withal too slight to bring
+it nearer. And this was how a husband used his wife, as you shall hear."
+
+[Illustration: 0016.jpg Tailpiece]
+
+[Illustration: 017a.jpg Bernage observing the German Lady's Strange Penance]
+
+[Bernage observing the German Lady's Strange Penance]
+
+[Illustration: 017.jpg Page Image
+
+
+
+
+_TALE XXXII_.
+
+     _Bernage, learning in what patience and humility a German
+     lady submitted to the strange penance laid upon her for her
+     unchastity by her husband, so persuaded the latter that he
+     forgot the past, showed pity to his wife, and, taking her
+     back again, afterwards had by her some very handsome
+     children_.
+
+King Charles, eighth of the name, sent into Germany a gentleman called
+Bernage, Lord of Sivray, near Amboise, (1) who to make good speed spared
+not to travel both by day and night. In this wise he came very late one
+evening to a gentleman's castle, where he asked for lodging, a request
+which was not granted him without great difficulty.
+
+     1  Bernage, Bernaige, or Vernaiges, as the name is diversely
+     written in the MSS. of the _Heptameron_, was in 1495 equerry
+     to Charles VIII., a post which brought him an annual salary
+     of 300 livres.--See Godefroy's _Histoire de Charles VIII_.,
+     p. 705. Civray, near Chenonceaux, on the Cher, was a fief of
+     the barony of Amboise. In 1483 we find a certain John
+     Goussart doing homage for it to the crown.--Archives
+     Nationales, Section Domaniale, cote 3801.--L.
+
+However, when the gentleman came to know that he was servant to so great
+a King, he went to him and begged him not to take the churlishness of
+his servants in bad part, since he was obliged to keep his house thus
+closed on account of certain of his wife's kinsfolk who sought to do
+him hurt. Bernage then told him the nature of his mission, wherein the
+gentleman offered to serve the interests of the King his master, so far
+as in him lay; and he forthwith led Bernage into the house, where he
+lodged and entertained him honourably.
+
+It was the hour for supper, and the gentleman led him into a handsome
+room, hung with beautiful tapestry, where, as soon as the meats were
+served, he saw come from behind the hangings the most beautiful woman it
+were possible to behold; though her head was shorn and she was dressed
+in black garments of the German fashion.
+
+After the gentleman had washed his hands with Bernage, water was borne
+to the lady, who also washed hers and then sat down at the end of the
+table without speaking to the gentleman, or he to her. The Lord de
+Bernage looked very closely at her, and thought her one of the most
+beautiful women he had ever seen, except that her face was very pale,
+and its expression very sad.
+
+After eating a little, she asked for drink, which was brought to her by
+a servant in a most marvellous vessel, for it was a death's head, the
+eyeholes of which were closed with silver; and from this she drank two
+or three times. When she had supped, the lady washed her hands, made
+a reverence to the lord of the house, and retired again behind the
+tapestry without speaking to any one. Bernage was exceedingly amazed at
+this strange sight, and became very melancholy and thoughtful.
+
+The gentleman, who perceived this, then said to him--
+
+"I perceive that you are astonished at what you have seen at this table;
+but for the sake of the excellence that I find in you I will explain
+the matter, so that you may not think I could show such cruelty without
+reasons of great weight. The lady whom you saw is my wife; I loved her
+more than ever man loved woman, insomuch that in order to marry her I
+forgot all fear, and brought her hither in defiance of her relations. On
+her part, she showed me so many tokens of love that I would have risked
+ten thousand lives in bringing her hither, to her delight and mine.
+And here we lived for a while in such peace and gladness that I deemed
+myself the happiest gentleman in Christendom.
+
+"But it came to pass, upon my undertaking a journey which my honour
+compelled me to make, she forgot her honour, conscience and love for me
+to such a degree as to fall in love with a young gentleman whom I had
+brought up in this house, and this I thought I could perceive when I
+returned home again. Nevertheless, the love I bore her was so great that
+I was not able to mistrust her, until at last experience opened my eyes
+and made me see what I dreaded more than death, whereupon my love for
+her was turned to frenzy and despair in such wise that I watched her
+closely, and one day, while feigning to walk abroad, I hid myself in the
+room in which she now dwells.
+
+"Thither she withdrew soon after my departure, and sent for the young
+gentleman, whom I saw come in with such familiarity as should have been
+mine alone. But when I saw him about to get upon the bed beside her, I
+sprang out, seized him in her very arms, and slew him. And as my wife's
+crime seemed to me so great that death would not suffice to punish it, I
+laid upon her a penalty which she must hold, I think, to be more bitter
+than death; and this penalty was to shut her up in the room to which she
+was wont to retire to take her greatest pleasures in the company of
+him for whom she had more love than she had for me; and there I further
+placed in a cupboard all her lover's bones, hanging there even as
+precious things are hung up in a cabinet.
+
+"That she may not lose the memory of this villain I cause her to be
+served with his skull, (2) in place of a cup, when she is eating and
+drinking at table, and this always in my presence, so that she may
+behold, alive, him whom her guilt has made her mortal enemy, and dead,
+through love of her, him whose love she did prefer to mine. And in this
+wise, at dinner and at supper, she sees the two things that must be most
+displeasing to her, to wit, her living enemy, and her dead lover; and
+all this through her own great sinfulness.
+
+     2  It will be remembered that the Lombard King Alboin forced
+     his wife Rosamond to drink his health out of a goblet which
+     had been made from the skull of her father Cunimond,
+     sovereign of the Gepidae. To revenge herself for this
+     affront, Rosamond caused her husband to be murdered one
+     night during his sleep in his palace at Pavia.--Ed.
+
+"In other matters I treat her as I do myself, save that she goes
+shorn; for an array of hair beseems not the adulterous, nor a veil the
+unchaste.
+
+"For this reason is her hair cut, showing that she has lost the honour
+of virginity and purity. Should it please you to take the trouble to see
+her, I will lead you to her."
+
+To this Bernage willingly consented, and going-downstairs they found her
+in a very handsome apartment, seated all alone in front of the fire. The
+gentleman drew aside a curtain that hung in front of a large cupboard,
+wherein could be seen hanging a dead man's bones. Bernage greatly longed
+to speak to the lady, but durst not do so for fear of the husband. The
+gentleman, perceiving this, thereupon said to him--
+
+"If it be your pleasure to say anything to her, you will see what manner
+of grace and speech is hers."
+
+Then said Bernage to her--"Lady, your patience is as great as your
+torment. I hold you to be the most unhappy woman alive."
+
+With tears in her eyes, and with the humblest grace imaginable, the lady
+answered--
+
+"Sir, I acknowledge my offence to have been so great that all the woes
+that the lord of this house (for I am not worthy to call him husband)
+may be pleased to lay upon me are nothing in comparison with the grief I
+feel at having offended him."
+
+So saying, she began to weep bitterly. The gentleman took Bernage by the
+arm and led him away.
+
+On the following morning Bernage took his leave, in order to proceed
+on the mission that the King had given him. However, in bidding the
+gentleman farewell, he could not refrain from saying to him--
+
+"Sir, the love I bear you, and the honour and friendship that you have
+shown me in your house, constrain me to tell you that, having regard to
+the deep penitence of your unhappy wife, you should, in my opinion, take
+compassion upon her. You are, moreover, young and have no children, and
+it would be a great pity that so fair a lineage should come to an end,
+and that those who, perhaps, have no love for you, should become your
+heirs."
+
+The gentleman, who had resolved that he would never more speak to his
+wife, pondered a long time on the discourse held to him by the Lord de
+Bernage, and at last recognised that he had spoken truly, and promised
+him that, if his wife should continue in her present humility, he would
+at some time have pity upon her.
+
+Accordingly Bernage departed on his mission, and when he had returned
+to his master, the King, he told him the whole story, which the Prince,
+upon inquiry, found to be true. And as Bernage among other things had
+made mention of the lady's beauty, the King sent his painter, who was
+called John of Paris, (3) that he might make and bring him a living
+portrait of her, which, with her husband's consent, he did. And when she
+had long done penance, the gentleman, in his desire to have offspring,
+and in the pity that he felt for his wife who had submitted to this
+penance with so much humility, took her back again and afterwards had by
+her many handsome children. (4)
+
+     3  John Perreal, called "Jehan de Paris," was one of the
+     most famous painters of the reigns of Charles VIII. and
+     Louis XII. At the end of 1496 we find him resident at Lyons,
+     and there enjoying considerable celebrity. From October 1498
+     to November 1499 he figures in the roll of officers of the
+     royal household, as valet of the wardrobe, with a salary of
+     240 livres. In the royal stable accounts for 1508 he appears
+     as receiving ten livres to defray the expense of keeping a
+     horse during June and July that year. He is known to have
+     painted the portrait and planned the obsequies of Philibert
+     of Savoy in 1509; to have been sent to England in 1514 to
+     paint a portrait of the Princess Mary, sister of Henry
+     VIII., who married Louis XII.; and in 1515 to have had
+     charge of all the decorative work connected with Louis
+     XII.'s obsequies. In his _Legende des Venitiens_ (1509) John
+     Le Maire de Belges praises Perreal's skill both in landscape
+     and portrait painting, and describes him as a most
+     painstaking and hardworking artist. He had previously
+     referred to him in his _Temple d'Honneur et de Vertu_ (1504)
+     as being already at that period painter to the King. In the
+     roll of the officers of Francis I.'s household (1522)
+     Perreal's name takes precedence of that of the better known
+     Jehannet Clouet, but it does not appear in that of 1529,
+     about which time he would appear to have died. Shortly
+     before that date he had designed some curious initial
+     letters for the famous Parisian printer and bookseller,
+     Tory. The Claud Perreal, "Lyonnese," whom Clement Marot
+     commemorates in his 36th _Rondeau_ would appear to have been
+     a relative, possibly the son, of "Jehan de Paris."--See Leon
+     de La Borde's _Renaissance des Arts_, vol. i., Pericaud
+     aine's _Notice sur Jean de Paris_, Lyons, 1858, and more
+     particularly E. M. Bancel's _Jehan Perreal dit Jean de
+     Paris, peintre et valet-de-chambre des rois Charles VIII.
+     Louis XII., &c_. Paris, Launette, 1884.--L. and M.
+
+     4  Brantome refers to this tale, as an example of marital
+     cruelty, in his _Vies des Dames Galantes_, Lalanne's
+     edition, vol. ix. p. 38.--L.
+
+"If, ladies, all those whom a like adventure has befallen, were to drink
+out of similar vessels, I greatly fear that many a gilt cup would be
+turned into a death's head. May God keep us from such a fortune, for
+if His goodness do not restrain us, there is none among us but might
+do even worse; but if we trust in Him He will protect those who confess
+that they are not able to protect themselves. Those who confide in
+their own strength are in great danger of being tempted so far as to
+be constrained to acknowledge their frailty. Many have stumbled through
+pride in this way, while those who were reputed less discreet have been
+saved with honour. The old proverb says truly, 'Whatsoever God keeps is
+well kept.'"
+
+"The punishment," said Parlamente, "was in my opinion a most reasonable
+one, for, just as the offence was more than death, so ought the
+punishment to have been."
+
+"I am not of your opinion," said Ennasuite. "I would rather see the
+bones of all my lovers hanging up in my cabinet than die on their
+account. There is no misdeed that cannot be repaired during life, but
+after death there is no reparation possible."
+
+"How can shame be repaired?" said Longarine. "You know that, whatever
+a woman may do after a misdeed of that kind, she cannot repair her
+honour."
+
+"I pray you," said Ennasuite, "tell me whether the Magdalen has not now
+more honour among men than her sister who continued a virgin?" (5)
+
+     5  Martha, sister of Lazarus and Mary Magdalen.--M.
+
+"I acknowledge," said Longarine, "that we praise her for the great love
+she bore to Jesus Christ and for her deep repentance; yet the name of
+sinner clings to her."
+
+"I do not care what name men may give me," said Ennasuite, "if only God
+forgive me, and my husband do the same. There is nothing for which I
+should be willing to die."
+
+"If the lady loved her husband as she ought," said Dagoucin, "I am
+amazed that she did not die of sorrow on looking at the bones of the man
+whom her guilt had slain."
+
+"Why, Dagoucin," returned Simontault, "have you still to learn that
+women know neither love nor even grief?"
+
+"Yes, I have still to learn it," said Dagoucin, "for I have never made
+trial of their love, through fear of finding it less than I desired."
+
+"Then you live on faith and hope," said Nomerfide, "as the plover does
+on air. (6) You are easily fed."
+
+     6  This popular error was still so prevalent in France in
+     the last century, that Buffon, in his Natural History, took
+     the trouble to refute it at length.--B. J.
+
+"I am content," he replied, "with the love that I feel within myself,
+and with the hope that there is the like in the hearts of the ladies. If
+I knew that my hopes were true, I should have such gladness that I could
+not endure it and live."
+
+"Keep clear of the plague," said Geburon; "as for the other sickness
+you mention, I will warrant you against it. But I should like to know to
+whom the Lady Oisille will give her vote?"
+
+"I give it," she said, "to Simontault, who I know will be sparing of
+none."
+
+"That," he replied, "is as much as to say that I am somewhat given to
+slander; however, I will show you that reputed slanderers have spoken
+the truth. I am sure, ladies, that you are not so foolish as to believe
+all the tales that you are told, no matter what show of sanctity they
+may possess, if the proof of them be not clear beyond doubt. Many an
+abuse lurks even under the guise of a miracle, and for this reason I am
+minded to tell you the story of a miracle that will prove no less to the
+honour of a pious Prince than to the shame of a wicked minister of the
+Church."
+
+[Illustration: 028.jpg Tailpiece]
+
+[Illustration: 029a.jpg The Execution of the Wicked Priest and his Sister]
+
+[The Execution of the Wicked Priest and his Sister]
+
+[Illustration: 029.jpg Page Image]
+
+
+
+
+_TALE XXXIII_.
+
+     _The hypocrisy of a priest who, under the cloak of sanctity,
+     had got his sister with child, was discovered by the wisdom
+     of the Count of Angouleme, by whose command they both were
+     visited with punishment by law_. (1)
+
+Count Charles of Angouleme, father of King Francis, a pious Prince and
+one that feared God, happened to be at Coignac when he was told that
+in a village called Cherues, (2) not far away, there dwelt a maiden who
+lived a marvellously austere life, and who, for all that, was now great
+with child. She made no secret of the matter, but assured every one that
+she had never known a man and that she could not tell how such a fortune
+should have befallen her, unless indeed it were the work of the Holy
+Ghost. This explanation the people readily received, and knowing as they
+all did how virtuous she had been from her youth up, and how she had
+never given a single token of worldliness, they believed and deemed her
+a second Virgin Mary. She used to fast not only on the days commanded by
+the Church, but, from natural devotion, several times a week also; and
+she never stirred from the church whenever there was a service going on
+there. For these reasons she was held in such great repute among all the
+vulgar that every one came to see her as though she were a miracle, and
+those who succeeded in touching her dress deemed themselves fortunate
+indeed.
+
+     1  This tale is historical, the incidents must have occurred
+     between 1480 and 1490.--L.
+
+     2  Cherves-de-Cognac, now a large village of nearly 3000
+     inhabitants, within four miles of Cognac. The church, where
+     some of the incidents recorded in the tale occurred, is
+     still in existence. It dates from the eleventh and twelfth
+     centuries, and is surmounted by three cupolas.--Eu.
+
+The priest of the parish was her brother; he was a man advanced in
+years and of very austere life, and was loved and reverenced by his
+parishioners, who held him for a holy man. He treated his sister
+with such harshness as to keep her shut up in a house, to the great
+discontent of all the people; and so greatly was the matter noised
+abroad that, as I have told you, the story reached the ear of the Count.
+He perceived that the people were being deceived, and, wishing to set
+them right, sent a Master of Requests and an Almoner, two very worthy
+men, to learn the truth. These repaired to the spot and inquired into
+the matter with all possible diligence, addressing themselves for
+information to the priest, who, being weary of the whole affair, begged
+them to be present at an examination which he hoped to hold on the
+morrow.
+
+Early the next morning the said priest chanted mass, his sister, who was
+now far gone with child, being present on her knees; and when mass was
+over, the priest took the "Corpus Domini," and in presence of the whole
+congregation said to his sister--
+
+"Unhappy woman that you are, here is He who suffered death and agony for
+you, and in His presence I ask you whether, as you have ever affirmed to
+me, you are indeed a virgin?"
+
+She boldly replied that she was.
+
+"How is it possible that you can be with child and yet be still a
+virgin?"
+
+"I can give no reason," she replied, "except that the grace of the
+Holy Ghost has wrought within me according to His good pleasure;
+nevertheless, I cannot deny the grace that God has shown me in
+preserving me a virgin without ever a thought of marriage."
+
+Forthwith her brother said to her--
+
+"I offer you the precious Body of Jesus Christ, which you will take to
+your damnation if it be not as you say; and the gentlemen here present
+on behalf of my lord the Count shall be witnesses thereof."
+
+The maiden, who was nearly thirty years of age, (3) then swore as
+follows:--
+
+"I take this Body of Our Lord, here present, to my damnation in the
+presence of you, gentlemen, and of you, my brother, if ever man has
+touched me any more than yourself."
+
+And with these words she received the Body of Our Lord.
+
+Having witnessed this, the Master of Requests and the Almoner went away
+quite confounded, for they thought that no lie was possible with such an
+oath. And they reported the matter to the Count, and tried to persuade
+him even as they were themselves persuaded. But he was a man of wisdom,
+(4) and, after pondering a long time, bade them again repeat the terms
+of the oath. And after weighing them well, he said--
+
+"She has told you the truth and yet she has deceived you. She said that
+no man had ever touched her any more than her brother had done, and I
+feel sure that her brother has begotten this child and now seeks to hide
+his wickedness by a monstrous deception. We, however, who believe that
+Jesus Christ has come, can look for none other. Go, therefore, and put
+the priest in prison; I am sure that he will confess the truth."
+
+     3  In the MS. followed for this edition, as well as in
+     Boaistuau's-version of the _Heptameron_, the age is given as
+     "thirteen." We borrow the word "thirty" from MS. 1518
+     (Bethune).--L.
+
+     4  Charles of Angouleme, father of King Francis and Queen
+     Margaret, had received for the times a most excellent
+     education, thanks to the solicitude of his father, Count
+     John the Good, who further took upon himself to "instruct
+     him in morality, showing him by a good example how to live
+     virtuously and honestly, and teaching him to pray God and
+     obey His commandments."--_Vie de tres illustre et vertueux
+     Prince Jean, Comte d'Angouleme_, by Jean du Port, Angouleme,
+     1589, p. 66. That Count Charles profited by this teaching is
+     shown in the above tale.--ED.
+
+This was done according to his command, though not without serious
+remonstrances concerning the putting of this virtuous man to open shame.
+
+Albeit, as soon as the priest had been taken, he made confession of his
+wickedness, and told how he had counselled his sister to speak as she
+had done in order to conceal the life they had led together, not only
+because the excuse was one easy to be made, but also because such a
+false statement would enable them to continue living honoured by all.
+And when they set before him his great wickedness in taking the Body of
+Our Lord for her to swear upon, he made answer that he had not been so
+daring, but had used a wafer that was unconsecrated and unblessed.
+
+Report was made of the matter to the Count of Angouleme, who commanded
+that the law should take its course. They waited until the sister had
+been delivered, and then, after she had been brought to bed of a fine
+male child, they burned brother and sister together. And all the people
+marvelled exceedingly at finding beneath the cloak of holiness so
+horrible a monster, and beneath a pious and praiseworthy life indulgence
+in so hateful a crime.
+
+"By this you see, ladies, how the faith of the good Count was not
+lessened by outward signs and miracles. He well knew that we have but
+one Saviour, who, when He said 'Consummatum est,' (5) showed that no
+room was left for any successor to work our salvation."
+
+     5  "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said,
+     It is finished."--St. John xix. 30.--M.
+
+"It was indeed," said Oisille, "great daring and extreme hypocrisy to
+throw the cloak of Godliness and true Christianity over so enormous a
+sin."
+
+"I have heard," said Hircan, "that such as under pretext of a commission
+from the King do cruel and tyrannous deeds, receive a double punishment
+for having screened their own injustice behind the justice of the Crown.
+In the same way, we see that although hypocrites prosper for a time
+beneath the cloak of God and holiness, yet, when the Lord God lifts His
+cloak, they find themselves exposed and bare, and then their foul and
+abominable nakedness is deemed all the more hideous for having had so
+honourable a covering."
+
+"Nothing can be pleasanter," said Nomerfide, "than to speak forth
+frankly the thoughts that are in the heart."
+
+"Yes, for profit's sake," (6) replied Longarine. "I have no doubt that
+you give your opinion according to your temper."
+
+     6  This sentence is rather obscure in the MSS., and we have
+     adopted the reading suggested by M. Frank. M. Lacroix,
+     however, was of opinion that the sentence should run, "Yes,
+     for mirth's sake."--M.
+
+"I will tell you what it is," said Nomerfide. "I find that fools, when
+they are not put to death, live longer than wise folk, and the only
+reason that I know for this, is that they do not conceal their passions.
+If they be angry, they strike; if they be merry, they laugh: whereas
+those that aim at wisdom conceal their imperfections with such exceeding
+care that they end by thoroughly corrupting their hearts."
+
+"I think you are right," said Geburon, "and that hypocrisy, whether
+towards God, man or Nature, is the cause of all our ills."
+
+"It would be a glorious thing," said Parlamente, "if our hearts were so
+filled with faith in Him, who is all virtue and all joy, that we could
+freely show them to every one."
+
+"That will come to pass," said Hircan, "when all the flesh has left our
+bones."
+
+"Yet," said Oisille, "the Spirit of God, which is stronger than Death,
+is able to mortify our hearts without changing or destroying the body."
+
+"Madam," returned Saffredent, "you speak of a gift of God that is not as
+yet common among mankind."
+
+"It is common," said Oisille, "among those that have faith, but as this
+is a matter not to be understood by such as are fleshly minded, let us
+see to whom Simontault will give his vote."
+
+"I will give it," said Simontault, "to Nomerfide, for, since her heart
+is merry, her words cannot be sad."
+
+"Truly," said Nomerfide, "since you desire to laugh, I will give you
+reason to do so. That you may learn how hurtful are ignorance and fear,
+and how the lack of comprehension is often the cause of much woe, I
+will tell you what happened to two Grey Friars, who, through failing to
+understand the words of a butcher, thought that they were about to die."
+
+[Illustration: 037.jpg Tailpiece]
+
+[Illustration: 039a.jpg The Grey Friar imploring the Butcher to Spare his Life]
+
+[The Grey Friar imploring the Butcher to Spare his Life]
+
+[Illustration: 039.jpg Page Image]
+
+
+
+
+_TALE XXXIV_.
+
+     _Two Grey Friars, while listening to secrets that did not
+     concern them, misunderstood the language of a butcher and
+     endangered their lives_. (1)
+
+Between Nyort and Fors there is a village called Grip, (2) which belongs
+to the Lord of Fors.
+
+     1  This story is evidently founded upon fact; the incidents
+     must have occurred prior to 1530.--L.
+
+     2  Gript, a little village on the Courance, eight miles
+     south of Niort (Deux-Sevres), produces some of the best
+     white wine in this part of France. Its church of St. Aubin
+     stood partly in the diocese of Poitiers, partly in that of
+     Saintes, the altar being in the former, and the door in the
+     latter one. This is the only known instance of the kind in
+     France. Fors, a few miles distant from Gript, was a fief
+     which Catherine, daughter of Artus de Vivonne, brought in
+     marriage to James Poussart, knight, who witnessed the Queen
+     of Navarre's marriage contract, signing himself, "Seigneur
+     de Fors, Bailly du Berry." He is often mentioned in the
+     Queen's letters.--See Genin's _Lettres de Marguerite, &c_,
+     pp. 243-244, 258-259, 332.--L. and M.
+
+It happened one day that two Grey Friars, on their way from Nyort,
+arrived very late at this place, Grip, and lodged in the house of a
+butcher. Now, as there was nothing between their host's room and their
+own but a badly joined partition of wood, they had a mind to listen to
+what the husband might say to his wife when he was in bed with her, and
+accordingly they set their ears close to the head of their host's bed.
+He, having no thought of his lodgers, spoke privately with his wife
+concerning their household, and said to her--
+
+"I must rise betimes in the morning, sweetheart, and see after our Grey
+Friars. One of them is very fat, and must be killed; we will salt him
+forthwith and make a good profit off him."
+
+And although by "Grey Friars" he meant his pigs, the two poor brethren,
+on hearing this plot, felt sure that they themselves were spoken of, (3)
+and so waited with great fear and trembling for the dawn.
+
+     3  The butcher doubtless called his pigs "Grey Friars" in
+     allusion to the latter's gluttony and uncleanly habits. Pigs
+     are even nowadays termed _moines_ (monks) by the peasantry
+     in some parts of France. Moreover, the French often render
+     our expression "fat as a pig" by "fat as a monk."--Ed.
+
+One of them was very fat and the other rather lean. The fat one wished
+to confess himself to his companion, saying that a butcher who had lost
+the love and fear of God would think no more of slaughtering him than if
+he were an ox or any other beast; and adding that as they were shut up
+in their room and could not leave it without passing through that
+of their host, they must needs look upon themselves as dead men, and
+commend their souls to God. But the younger Friar, who was not so
+overcome with fear as his comrade, made answer that, as the door was
+closed against them, they must e'en try to get through the window, for,
+whatever befel them, they could meet with nothing worse than death; to
+which the fat Friar agreed.
+
+The young one then opened the window, and, finding that it was not very
+high above the ground, leaped lightly down and fled as fast and as far
+as he could, without waiting for his companion. The latter attempted the
+same hazardous jump, but in place of leaping, fell so heavily by reason
+of his weight, that one of his legs was sorely hurt, and he could not
+rise from the ground.
+
+Finding himself forsaken by his companion and being unable to follow
+him, he looked around him to see where he might hide, and could espy
+nothing save a pigsty, to which he dragged himself as well as he could.
+And as he opened the door to hide himself within, out rushed two huge
+pigs, whose place the unhappy Friar took, closing the little door upon
+himself, and hoping that, when he heard the sound of passers-by, he
+would be able to call out and obtain assistance.
+
+As soon as the morning was come, however, the butcher got ready his big
+knives, and bade his wife bear him company whilst he went to slaughter
+his fat pig. And when he reached the sty in which the Grey Friar lay
+concealed, he opened the little door and began to call at the top of his
+voice--
+
+"Come out, Master Grey Friar, come out! I intend to have some of your
+chitterlings to-day."
+
+The poor Friar, who was not able to stand upon his leg, crawled on
+all-fours out of the sty, crying for mercy as loud as he could. But if
+the hapless Friar was in great terror, the butcher and his wife were in
+no less; for they thought that St. Francis was wrathful with them for
+calling a beast a Grey Friar, and therefore threw themselves upon their
+knees asking pardon of St. Francis and his Order. Thus, the Friar was
+crying to the butcher for mercy on the one hand, and the butcher to
+the Friar on the other, in such sort that a quarter of an hour went by
+before they felt safe from each other.
+
+Perceiving at last that the butcher intended him no hurt, the good
+father told him the reason why he had hidden himself in the sty. Then
+was their fear turned to laughter, except, indeed, that the poor Friar's
+leg was too painful to suffer him to be merry. However, the butcher
+brought him into the house, where he caused the hurt to be carefully
+dressed.
+
+His comrade, who had deserted him in his need, ran all night long, and
+in the morning came to the house of the Lord of Fors, where he lodged
+a complaint against the butcher, whom he suspected of killing his
+companion, seeing that the latter had not followed him. The Lord of Fors
+forthwith sent to Grip to learn the truth, and this, when known, was by
+no means the cause of tears. And he failed not to tell the story to his
+mistress the Duchess of Angouleme, mother of King Francis, first of that
+name. (4)
+
+     4  Many modern stories and anecdotes have been based on this
+     amusing tale.--Ed.
+
+"You see, ladies, how bad a thing it is to listen to secrets that do not
+concern us, and to misunderstand what other people say."
+
+"Did I not know," said Simontault, "that Nomer-fide would give us no
+cause to weep, but rather to laugh? And I think that we have all done so
+very heartily."
+
+"How comes it," said Oisille, "that we are more ready to be amused by a
+piece of folly than by something wisely done?"
+
+"Because," said Hircan, "the folly is more agreeable to us, for it is
+more akin to our own nature, which of itself is never wise. And like is
+fond of like, the fool of folly, and the wise man of discretion. But
+I am sure," he continued, "that no one, whether foolish or wise, could
+help laughing at this story."
+
+"There are some," said Geburon, "whose hearts are so bestowed on the
+love of wisdom that, whatever they may hear, they cannot be made to
+laugh. They have a gladness of heart and a moderate content such as
+nought can move."
+
+"Who are they?" asked Hircan.
+
+"The philosophers of olden days," said Geburon. "They were scarcely
+sensible of either sadness or joy, or at least they gave no token of
+either, so great a virtue did they deem the conquest of themselves and
+their passions. I too think, as they did, that it is well to subdue a
+wicked passion, but a victory over a natural passion, and one that tends
+to no evil, appears useless in my eyes."
+
+"And yet," added Geburon, "the ancients held it for a great virtue."
+
+"It is not maintained," said Saffredent, "that they all were wise. They
+had more of the appearance of sense and virtue than of the reality."
+
+"Nevertheless, you will find that they rebuke everything bad," said
+Geburon. "Diogenes himself, even, trod on the bed of Plato, who was too
+fond (5) of rare and precious things for his taste, and this in order to
+show that he despised Plato's vanity and greed, and would put them under
+foot. 'I trample with contempt,' said he, 'upon the pride of Plato.'"
+
+"But you have not told all," said Saffredent, "for Plato retorted that
+he did so from pride of another kind."
+
+"In truth," said Parlamente, "it is impossible to accomplish the
+conquest of ourselves without extraordinary pride. And this is the
+vice that we should fear most of all, for it springs from the death and
+destruction of all the virtues."
+
+"Did I not read to you this morning," said Oisille, "that those who
+thought themselves wiser than other men, since by the sole light of
+reason they had come to recognise a God, creator of all things, were
+made more ignorant and irrational not only than other men, but than the
+very brutes, and this because they did not ascribe the glory to Him to
+whom it was due, but thought that they had gained the knowledge they
+possessed by their own endeavours? For having erred in their minds
+by ascribing to themselves that which pertains to God alone, they
+manifested their errors by disorder of body, forgetting and perverting
+their natural sex, as St. Paul to-day doth tell us in the Epistle that
+he wrote to the Romans." (6)
+
+     5  The French word here is _curieux_, which in Margaret's
+     time implied one fond of rare and precious things.--B. J
+
+     6  _Romans_ i. 26, 27.--Ed.
+
+"There is none among us," said Parlamente, "but will confess, on reading
+that Epistle, that outward sin is but the fruit of infelicity dwelling
+within, which, the more it is hidden by virtue and marvels, is the more
+difficult to pluck out."
+
+"We men," said Hircan, "are nearer to salvation than you are, for we do
+not conceal our fruits, and so the root is readily known; whereas you,
+who dare not display the fruit, and who do so many seemingly fair deeds,
+are hardly aware of the root of pride that is growing beneath so brave a
+surface."
+
+"I acknowledge," said Longarine, "that if the Word of God does not show
+us by faith the leprosy of unbelief that lurks in the heart, yet God
+is very merciful to us when He allows us to fall into some visible
+wrongdoing whereby the hidden plague may be made manifest. Happy are
+they whom faith has so humbled that they have no need to test their
+sinful nature by outward acts."
+
+"But just look where we are now," said Simontault. "We started from a
+foolish tale, and we are now fallen into philosophy and theology. Let
+us leave these disputes to such as are more fitted for such speculation,
+and ask Nomerfide to whom she will give her vote."
+
+"I give it," she said, "to Hircan, but I commend to him the honour of
+the ladies."
+
+"You could not have commended it in a better place," said Hircan, "for
+the story that I have ready is just such a one as will please you. It
+will, nevertheless, teach you to acknowledge that the nature of men and
+women is of itself prone to vice if it be not preserved by Him to whom
+the honour of every victory is due. And to abate the pride that you
+display when a story is told to your honour, I will tell you one of a
+different kind that is strictly true."
+
+[Illustration: 047.jpg Tailpiece]
+
+[Illustration: 049a.jpg The Lady embracing the Supposed Friar]
+
+[The Lady embracing the Supposed Friar]
+
+[Illustration: 049.jpg Page Image]
+
+
+
+
+_TALE XXXV_.
+
+     _The affection of a lady of Pampeluna--who, thinking that
+     there was no danger in spiritual love, had striven to
+     insinuate herself into the good graces of a Grey Friar--was
+     subdued by her husband's prudence in such wise that, without
+     telling her that he knew aught of the matter, he brought her
+     mortally to hate that which she had most dearly loved, and
+     wholly to devote herself to him_.
+
+In the town of Pampeluna there lived a lady who was accounted beautiful
+and virtuous, as well as the chastest and most pious in the land. She
+loved her husband, and was so obedient to him that he had entire trust
+in her. This lady was constantly present at Divine service and at
+sermons, and she used to persuade her husband and children to be hearers
+with her. She had reached the age of thirty years, at which women are
+wont to claim discretion rather than beauty, when on the first day of
+Lent she went to the church to receive the emblem of death. (1) Here she
+found that the sermon was beginning, the preacher being a Grey Friar,
+a man esteemed holy by all the people on account of his great austerity
+and goodness of life, which made him thin and pale, yet not to such a
+point as to prevent him from being one of the handsomest men imaginable.
+
+The lady listened piously to his sermon, her eyes being fixed on this
+reverend person, and her ears and mind ready to hearken to what he said.
+And so it happened that the sweetness of his words passed through the
+lady's ears even to her heart, while the comeliness and grace of his
+countenance passed through her eyes and so smote her soul that she was
+as one entranced. When the sermon was over, she looked carefully to
+see where the Friar would celebrate mass, (2) and there she presented
+herself to take the ashes from his hand. The latter was as fair and
+white as any lady's, and this pious lady paid more attention to it than
+to the ashes which it gave her.
+
+     1  To receive the ashes on Ash Wednesday.--M.
+
+     2  That is, in which of the chapels. A friar would not
+     officiate at the high altar.--Ed.
+
+Feeling persuaded that a spiritual love such as this, with any pleasure
+that she might derive from it, could not wound her conscience, she
+failed not to go and hear the sermon every day and to take her husband
+with her; and they both gave such great praise to the preacher, that
+they spoke of nought beside at table or elsewhere. At last this supposed
+spiritual fire became so carnal that the poor lady's heart in which it
+glowed began to consume her whole body; and just as she had been slow to
+feel the flame, so did she now swiftly kindle, and feel all the delights
+of passion, before she knew that she even was in love. Being thus
+surprised by her enemy, Love, she offered no further resistance to his
+commands. But the worst was that the physician who might have cured
+her ills was ignorant of her distemper; for which reason, banishing the
+dread she should have had of making known her foolishness to a man of
+wisdom, and her vice and wickedness to a man of virtue and honour, she
+proceeded to write to him of the love she bore him, doing this, to begin
+with, as modestly as she could. And she gave her letter to a little
+page, telling him what he had to do, and saying that he was to be
+careful above all things that her husband should not see him going to
+the monastery of the Grey Friars.
+
+The page, desiring to take the shortest way, passed through a street in
+which his master was sitting in a shop. Seeing him pass, the gentleman
+came out to observe whither he was going, and when the page perceived
+him, he was quite confused, and hid himself in a house. Noticing this,
+his master followed him, took him by the arm and asked him whither he
+was bound. Finding also that he had a terrified look and made but empty
+excuses, he threatened to beat him soundly if he did not confess the
+truth.
+
+"Alas, sir," said the poor page, "if I tell you, my lady will kill me."
+
+The gentleman, suspecting that his wife was making some bargain without
+his knowledge, promised the page that he should come by no hurt, and
+should be well rewarded, if he told the truth; whereas, if he lied, he
+should be thrown into prison for life. Thereupon the little page, eager
+to have the good and to avoid the evil, told him the whole story, and
+showed him the letter that his mistress had written to the preacher. At
+this her husband was the more astonished and grieved, as he had all his
+life long been persuaded of the faithfulness of his wife, in whom he had
+never discovered a fault.
+
+Nevertheless, being a prudent man, he concealed his anger, and so that
+he might fully learn his wife's intention, he sent a reply as though
+from the preacher, thanking her for her goodwill, and declaring that his
+was as great towards her. The page, having sworn to his master that he
+would conduct the matter with discretion, (3) brought the counterfeit
+letter to his mistress, who was so greatly rejoiced by it that her
+husband could see that her countenance was changed; for, instead of
+growing lean from the fasts of Lent, she now appeared fairer and fresher
+than before they began.
+
+     3  This is borrowed from MS. 1520. In our MS. the passage
+     runs, "The page having shown his master how to conduct this
+     affair," &c.--L.
+
+It was now mid-Lent, but no thought of the Passion or Holy Week
+prevented the lady from writing her frenzied fancies to the preacher
+according to her wont; and when he turned his eyes in her direction, or
+spoke of the love of God, she thought that all was done or said for love
+of her; and so far as her eyes could utter her thoughts, she did not
+spare them.
+
+The husband never failed to return her similar answers, but after Easter
+he wrote to her in the preacher's name, begging her to let him know how
+he could secretly see her. She, all impatient for the meeting, advised
+her husband to go and visit some estates of theirs in the country, and
+this he agreed to do, hiding himself, however, in the house of a friend.
+Then the lady failed not to write to the preacher that it was time he
+should come and see her, since her husband was in the country.
+
+The gentleman, wishing thoroughly to try his wife's heart, then went to
+the preacher, and begged him for the love of God to lend him his robe.
+The preacher, who was a man of worth, replied that the rules of
+his Order forbade it, and that he would never lend his robe for a
+masquerade. (4) The gentleman assured him, however, that he would make
+no evil use of it, and that he wanted it for a matter necessary to his
+happiness and his salvation. Thereupon the Friar, who knew the other
+to be a worthy and pious man, lent it to him; and with this robe, which
+covered his face so that his eyes could not be seen, the gentleman put
+on a false beard and a false nose, each similar to the preacher's. He
+also made himself of the same height by means of cork. (5)
+
+     4  This may be compared with the episode of Tappe-coue or
+     Tickletoby in Pantagruel:--"Villon, to dress an old clownish
+     father grey-beard, who was to represent God the Father [at
+     the performance of a mystery], begged of Friar Stephen
+     Tickletoby, sacristan to the Franciscan Friars of the place,
+     to lend him a cope and a stole. Tickletoby refused him,
+     alleging that by their provincial statutes it was rigorously
+     forbidden to give or lend anything to players. Villon
+     replied that the statute reached no further than farces,
+     drolls, antics, loose and dissolute games.... Tickletoby,
+     however, peremptorily bid him provide himself elsewhere, if
+     he would, and not to hope for anything out of his monastical
+     wardrobe.... Villon gave an account of this to the players
+     as of a most abominable action; adding that God would
+     shortly revenge himself and make an example of Tickletoby."--
+     Urquhart's _Works of Rabelais, Pantagruel_, (Book IV.
+     xiii.)--M.
+
+     5  In Boaistuau's edition the sentence runs, "and by putting
+     some cork in his shoes made himself of the same height as
+     the preacher."--L.
+
+Thus garmented, he repaired in the evening to his wife's apartment,
+where she was very piously awaiting him. The poor fool did not tarry
+for him to come to her, but ran to embrace him like a woman bereft of
+reason. Keeping his face bent down lest he should be recognised, he
+then began making the sign of the cross, and pretended to flee from her,
+saying the while nothing but--
+
+"Temptation! temptation!"
+
+"Alas, father," said the lady, "you are indeed right, for there is no
+stronger temptation than that which proceeds from love. But for this
+you have promised me a remedy; and I pray you, now that we have time and
+opportunity, to take pity upon me."
+
+So saying, she strove to embrace him, but he ran all round the room,
+making great signs of the cross, and still crying--
+
+"Temptation! temptation!"
+
+However, when he found that she was urging him too closely, he took a
+big stick that he had beneath his cloak and beat her so sorely as to
+end her temptation, and that without being recognised by her. Then he
+immediately went and returned the robe to the preacher, assuring him
+that it had brought him good fortune.
+
+On the morrow, pretending to come from a distance, he returned home and
+found his wife in bed, when, as though he knew nothing of her sickness,
+he asked her the cause of it; and she replied that it was a catarrh,
+and that she could move neither hand nor foot. The husband, who was much
+inclined to laugh, made as though he were greatly grieved, and as if
+to cheer her told her that he had bidden the saintly preacher to supper
+that evening. But she quickly replied--
+
+"God forbid, sweetheart, that you should ever invite such folk. They
+bring misfortune into every house they visit."
+
+"Why, sweet," said the husband, "how is this? You have always greatly
+praised this man, and for my own part I believe that if there be a holy
+man on earth, it is he."
+
+"They are good in church and when preaching," answered the lady, "but in
+our houses they are very antichrists. I pray you, sweet, let me not see
+him, for with my present sickness it would be enough to kill me."
+
+"Since you do not wish to see him," returned the husband, "you shall not
+do so, but I must have him here to supper."
+
+"Do what you will," she replied, "but let me not see him, for I hate
+such folk as I do the devil."
+
+After giving supper to the good father, the husband said to him--
+
+"Father, I believe you to be so beloved of God, that He will refuse you
+no request. I therefore entreat you to take pity on my poor wife, who
+for a week past has been possessed by the evil spirit in such a way,
+that she tries to bite and scratch every one. She cares for neither
+cross nor holy water, but I verily believe that if you will lay your
+hand upon her the devil will come forth, and I therefore earnestly
+entreat you to do so."
+
+"My son," said the good father, "all things are possible to a believer.
+Do you, then, firmly believe that God in His goodness never refuses
+those that in faith seek grace from Him?"
+
+"I do, father," said the gentleman.
+
+"Be also assured, my son," said the friar, "that He can do what He will,
+and that He is even as powerful as He is good. Let us go, then, strong
+in faith to withstand this roaring lion, and to pluck from him his prey,
+whom God has purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son."
+
+Accordingly, the gentleman led this worthy man to where his wife lay on
+a little bed. She, thinking that it was the Friar who had beaten her,
+was much astonished to see him there and exceedingly wrathful; however,
+her husband being present, she cast down her eyes, and remained dumb.
+
+"As long as I am with her," said the husband to the holy man, "the devil
+scarcely torments her. But sprinkle some holy water upon her as soon as
+I am gone, and you will soon see how the evil spirit does his work."
+
+The husband left them alone together, and waited at the door to see
+how they would behave. When the lady saw no one with her but the good
+father, she began to cry out like a woman bereft of reason, calling him
+rascal, villain, murderer, betrayer. At this, the good father, thinking
+that she was surely possessed by an evil spirit, tried to put his hands
+upon her head, in order to utter his prayers upon it; but she scratched
+and bit him in such a fashion, that he was obliged to speak at a greater
+distance, whence, throwing a great deal of holy water upon her, he
+pronounced many excellent prayers.
+
+When the husband saw that the Friar had done his duty, he came into the
+room and thanked him for his trouble. At his entrance his wife ceased
+her cursings and revilings, and meekly kissed the cross in the fear
+she had of him. But the holy man, having seen her in so great a frenzy,
+firmly believed that Our Lord had cast out the devil in answer to his
+prayer, and he went away, praising God for this wonderful miracle.
+
+The husband, seeing that his wife was well punished for her foolish
+fancy, did not tell her of what he had done. He was content to have
+subdued her affection by his own prudence, and to have so dealt with her
+that she now hated mortally what she had formerly loved, and, loathing
+her folly, devoted herself to her husband and household more completely
+than she had ever done before.
+
+"In this story, ladies, you see the good sense of a husband and the
+frailty of a woman of repute. I think that if you look carefully into
+this mirror you will no longer trust to your own strength, but will
+learn to have recourse to Him who holds your honour in His hand."
+
+"I am well pleased," said Parlamente, "to find you become a preacher to
+the ladies, and I should be even more so if you would make these fine
+sermons to all those with whom you speak."
+
+"Whenever you are willing to listen to me," said Hircan, "I promise you
+that I will say as much."
+
+"In other words," said Simontault, "when you are not present, he will
+speak in a different fashion."
+
+"He will do as he pleases," said Parlamente, "but for my content I wish
+to believe that he always speaks in this way. At all events, the example
+he has brought forward will be profitable to those who believe that
+spiritual love is not dangerous. In my opinion it is more so than any
+other."
+
+"Yet," said Oisille, "it seems to me that to love a worthy, virtuous and
+God-fearing man is in nowise a matter for scorn, and that one cannot but
+be the better for it."
+
+"Madam," said Parlamente, "I pray you believe that no one can be more
+simple or more easily deceived than a woman who has never loved. For in
+itself love is a passion that seizes upon the heart before one is aware
+of it, and so pleasing a passion is it that, if it can make use of
+virtue as a cloak, it will scarcely be recognised before some mischief
+has come of it."
+
+"What mischief," asked Oisille, "can come of loving a worthy man?"
+
+"Madam," said Parlamente, "there are a good many men that are esteemed
+worthy, but to be worthy in respect of the ladies, and to be careful for
+their honour and conscience--not one such man as that could, I think, be
+found in these days. Those who think otherwise, and put their trust in
+men, find at last that they have been deceived, and, having begun such
+intimacy with obedience to God, will often end it with obedience to the
+devil. I have known many who, under pretext of speaking about God, began
+an intimacy from which they could not withdraw when at last they wished
+to do so, being held in subjection by this semblance of virtue. A
+vicious love perishes of its own nature, and cannot continue in a good
+heart, but virtuous love has bonds of silk so fine that one is caught in
+them before they are seen."
+
+"According to you," said Ennasuite, "no woman should ever love a man;
+but your law is too harsh a one to last."
+
+"I know that," said Parlamente, "but none the less must I desire that
+every one were as content with her own husband as I am with mine."
+
+Ennasuite, who felt that these words touched her, changed colour and
+said--
+
+"You ought to believe every one the same at heart as yourself, unless,
+indeed, you think yourself more perfect than all others."
+
+"Well," said Parlamente, "to avoid dispute, let us see to whom Hircan
+will give his vote."
+
+"I give it," Hircan replied, "to Ennasuite, in order to make amends to
+her for what my wife has said."
+
+"Then, since it is my turn," said Ennasuite, "I will spare neither man
+nor woman, that all may fare alike. I see right well that you are unable
+to subdue your hearts to acknowledge the virtue and goodness of men, for
+which reason I am obliged to resume the discourse with a story like to
+the last."
+
+
+[Illustration: 062.jpg Tailpiece]
+
+[Illustration: 063a.jpg The Clerk entreating Forgiveness of the President]
+
+[The Clerk entreating Forgiveness of the President]
+
+[Illustration: 063.jpg Page Image]
+
+
+
+
+_TALE XXXVI_.
+
+     _By means of a salad a President of Grenoble avenged himself
+     upon one of his clerks with whom his wife was smitten, and
+     so saved the honour of his house_.
+
+In the town of Grenoble there dwelt a President whose name I shall not
+mention, but he was not a Frenchman. (1) He had a very beautiful wife,
+and they lived in great tranquillity together.
+
+     1  The personage referred to is Jeffroy Charles or Carles,
+     Chief President of the Parliament of Grenoble, and President
+     of the Senate of Turin; his wife's name was Margaret du
+     Mottet; she came of a very old family of Embrun. Some
+     interesting particulars concerning President Charles,
+     supplied by that erudite scholar M. Jules Roman, will be
+     found in the Appendix to the present volume (A).--Ed.
+
+This lady, finding that her husband was now old, fell in love with a
+young clerk, called Nicholas. When the President went to the court in
+the morning, Nicholas used to enter his room and take his place. This
+was observed by a servant of the President's who had served his master
+well for thirty years, and in his faithfulness he could not refrain from
+speaking to him of the matter.
+
+The President, being a prudent man, would not lightly believe the story,
+but said that the servant wished to create contention between himself
+and his wife. If the matter, said he, were really as the servant
+declared, he could easily prove it to him, and if proof were not given
+he would believe that it was a lie contrived in order to destroy the
+love existing between himself and his wife. The servant promised that he
+would show him the truth of what he had said, and one morning, as soon
+as the President was gone to the court and Nicholas had entered the
+room, he sent one of his fellow-servants to tell his master to come,
+while he himself remained watching at the door lest Nicholas should come
+out.
+
+As soon as the President saw the sign that was made to him by one of his
+servants, he pretended to be ill, left the court and hastened home.
+Here he found his old servant at the door, and was assured by him that
+Nicholas was inside and had only just gone in.
+
+"Do not stir from this door," said his lord to him, "for, as you are
+aware, there is no other means of going into or out of the room, except
+indeed by way of a little closet of which I myself alone carry the key."
+
+The President entered the room and found his wife and Nicholas in bed
+together. The clerk, clad in nothing but his shirt, threw himself at his
+feet to entreat forgiveness, while his wife began to weep.
+
+Then said the President--
+
+"Though you have done a deed the enormity of which you may yourself
+judge, I am yet unwilling that my house should be dishonoured on your
+account, and the daughters I have had by you made to suffer. Wherefore,"
+he continued, "cease to weep, I command you, and hearken to what I am
+going to do; and do you, Nicholas, hide yourself in my closet and make
+not a single sound."
+
+When this was done, he opened the door, and calling his old servant,
+said to him--
+
+"Did you not assure me that you would show me Nicholas in company with
+my wife? Trusting in your word, I came hither in danger of killing my
+poor wife, and I have found nothing of what you told me. I have searched
+the whole room, as I will show you."
+
+So saying, he caused his servant to look under the beds and in every
+quarter. The servant, finding nothing, was greatly astonished, and said
+to his master--
+
+"The devil must have made away with him, for I saw him go in, and he did
+not come out through the door. But I can see that he is not here."
+
+Then said his master to him--
+
+"You are a wicked servant to try to create contention in this way
+between my wife and me. I dismiss you, and will pay you what I owe you
+for your services to me, and more besides; but be speedily gone, and
+take care that you are not in the town twenty-four hours from now."
+
+The President paid him for five or six years in advance, and, knowing
+him to be a faithful servant, resolved to reward him still further.
+
+When the servant was gone weeping away, the President made Nicholas come
+forth from the closet, and after telling them both what he thought of
+their wickedness, he commanded them to give no hint of the matter to
+anyone. He also charged his wife to dress more bravely than was her
+wont, and to attend all assemblies, dances and feasts; and he told
+Nicholas to make more merry than before, but, as soon as he whispered
+to him, "Begone," to see that he was out of the town before three hours
+were over. Having arranged matters in this way, he returned to the
+court, none being any the wiser. And for a fortnight, contrary to his
+wont, he entertained his friends and neighbours, and after the banquet
+had the tabourers, so that the ladies might dance.
+
+One day, seeing that his wife was not dancing, he commanded Nicholas to
+lead her out. The clerk, thinking that the past had been forgotten, did
+so gladly, but when the dance was over, the President, under pretence of
+charging him with some household matter, whispered to him, "Begone,
+and come back no more." And albeit Nicholas was grieved to leave his
+mistress, yet was he no less glad that his life was spared.
+
+When the President had convinced all his kinsfolk and friends and the
+whole countryside of the deep love that he bore his wife, he went into
+his garden one fine day in the month of May to gather a salad, of such
+herbs that his wife did not live for twenty-four hours after eating of
+them; whereupon he made such a great show of mourning that none could
+have suspected him of causing her death; and in this way he avenged
+himself upon his enemy, and saved the honour of his house. (2)
+
+     2  Whilst admitting the historical basis of this story, M.
+     Le Roux de Lincy conceives it to be the same as No. xlvii.
+     of the _Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles_, printed half-a-century
+     before the _Heptameron_ was written. Beyond the
+     circumstance, however, that in both cases a judge is shown
+     privily avenging himself on his wife for her infidelity,
+     there is no resemblance between the two tales. There is good
+     reason for believing that Queen Margaret's narrative is
+     based on absolute fact, and not on the story in the _Cent
+     Nouvelles_. Both tales have often been imitated. See for
+     instance Bonaventure Despericr's _Contes, Nouvelles, et
+     joyeux Devis_ (tale xcii., or, in some editions, xc. ); _Les
+     Heures de Recreation de Louis Guicciardini_, p. 28; G.
+     Giraldi Cinthio's _Hecatommithi, overro cento Novelle, &c_.
+     (dec. iii. nov. vi. ); Malespini's _Ducento Novelle _(part
+     ii. nov. xvi.); Verboquet's _Les Delices, &c_, 1623, p. 23;
+     and Shirley's _Love's Cruelly_. These tales also inspired
+     some of the Spanish dramatists, notably Calderon.--Ed. and
+     L.
+
+"I do not mean by this, ladies, to praise the President's conscience,
+but rather to bring out the frailty of a woman and the great patience
+and prudence of a man. And I beg you, ladies, be not angered by the
+truth, which sometimes speaks as loudly against ourselves as against the
+men; for vice and virtue are common alike to men and women."
+
+"If all those," said Parlamente, "who have fallen in love with their
+servants were obliged to eat salads of that kind, I know some who would
+be less fond of their gardens than they are at present, and who would
+pluck up the herbs to get rid of such as restore the honour of a family
+by compassing the death of a wanton mother."
+
+Hircan, who guessed why she had said this, angrily replied--"A virtuous
+woman should never judge another guilty of what she would not do
+herself."
+
+"Knowledge is not judgment nor yet foolishness," returned Parlamente.
+"However, this poor woman paid the penalty that many others have
+deserved, and I think that the President, when desirous of vengeance,
+comported himself with wondrous prudence and wisdom."
+
+"And with great malevolence, also," said Longarine. "'Twas a slow and
+cruel vengeance, and showed he had neither God nor conscience before his
+eyes."
+
+"Why, what would you have had him do," said Hircan, "to revenge himself
+for the greatest wrong that a woman can deal to a man?"
+
+"I would have had him kill her in his wrath," she replied. "The doctors
+say that since the first impulses of passion are not under a man's
+control, such a sin may be forgiven; so it might have obtained pardon."
+"Yes," said Geburon, "but his daughters and descendants would have
+always borne the stain."
+
+"He ought not to have killed her at all," said Longarine, "for, when
+his wrath was past, she might have lived with him in virtue, and nothing
+would ever have been said about the matter."
+
+"Do you think," said Saffredent, "that he was appeased merely because he
+concealed his anger? For my part, I believe that he was as wrathful on
+the last day, when he made his salad, as he had been on the first, for
+there are persons whose first impulses have no rest until their passion
+has worked its will. I am well pleased you say that the theologians deem
+such sins easy to be pardoned, for I am of their opinion."
+
+"It is well to look to one's words," said Longarine, "in presence of
+persons so dangerous as you. What I said is to be understood of passion
+when it is so strong that it suddenly seizes upon all the senses, and
+reason can find no place."
+
+"It is so," said Saffredent, "that I understood your words, and I thence
+conclude that, whatever a man may do, he can commit only venial sin
+if he be deeply in love. I am sure that, if Love hold him fast bound,
+Reason can never gain a hearing, whether from his heart or from his
+understanding. And if the truth be told, there is not one among us but
+has had knowledge of such passion; and not merely do I think that sin
+so committed is readily pardoned, but I even believe that God is not
+angered by it, seeing that such love is a ladder whereby we may climb
+to the perfect love of Himself. And none can attain to this save by the
+ladder of earthly love, (3) for, as St. John says, 'He that loveth not
+his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not
+seen?'" (4)
+
+     3  All this passage is borrowed, almost word for word, from
+     Castiglione's _Libro del Cortegiano_. See _ante_, vol. i. p.
+     10.--B.J.
+
+     4  i John iv. 20.--M.
+
+"There is not a passage in Scripture," said Oisille, "too good for you
+to turn to your own purposes. But beware of doing like the spider, which
+transforms sound meat into poison. Be advised that it is a perilous
+matter to quote Scripture out of place and without cause."
+
+"Do you call speaking the truth out of place and without cause?" said
+Saffredent. "You hold, then, that when, in speaking to you unbelieving
+women, we call God to our assistance, we take His name in vain; but if
+there be any sin in this, you alone must bear the blame, for it is your
+unbelief that compels us to seek out all the oaths that we can think of.
+And in spite of it all, we cannot kindle the flame of charity in your
+icy hearts."
+
+"That," said Longarine, "proves that you all speak falsely. If truth
+were in your words, it is strong enough to make you be believed. Yet
+there is danger lest the daughters of Eve should hearken too readily to
+the serpent."
+
+"I see clearly," said Saffredent, "that women are not to be conquered
+by men. So I shall be silent, and see to whom Ennasuite will give her
+vote."
+
+"I give it," she said, "to Dagoucin, for I think he would not willingly
+speak against the ladies."
+
+"Would to God," said Dagoucin, "that they were as well disposed towards
+me as I am towards them. To show you that I have striven to honour the
+virtuous among them by recalling their good deeds, I will now tell you
+the story of such a one. I will not deny, ladies, that the patience of
+the gentleman at Pampeluna, and of the President at Grenoble was great,
+but then it was equalled in magnitude by their vengeance. Moreover,
+when we seek to praise a virtuous man, we ought not so to exalt a single
+virtue as to make of it a cloak for the concealment of grievous vice;
+for none are praiseworthy save such as do virtuous things from the love
+of virtue alone, and this I hope to prove by telling you of the patient
+virtue of a lady whose goodness had no other object save the honour of
+God and the salvation of her husband."
+
+
+[Illustration: 072.jpg Tailpiece]
+
+[Illustration: 073a.jpg The Lady of Loue bringing her Husband the Basin of Water]
+
+[The Lady of Loue bringing her Husband the Basin of Water]
+
+[Illustration: 073.jpg Page Image]
+
+
+
+
+_TALE XXXVII_.
+
+     _The Lady of Loue so influenced her husband by her great
+     patience and longsuffering, that she drew him from his evil
+     ways, and they lived afterwards in greater love than
+     before_.
+
+There was a lady of the house of Loue (1) who was so prudent and
+virtuous, that she was loved and esteemed by all her neighbours. Her
+husband trusted her, as well he might, with all his affairs, and she
+managed them with such wisdom that his house came, by her means, to be
+one of the wealthiest and best appointed in either the land of Anjou or
+Touraine.
+
+     1  Loue is in Anjou, in the department of the Sarthe, being
+     the chief locality of a canton of the arrondissement of Le
+     Mans. The Lady of Loue referred to may be either Philippa de
+     Beaumont-Bressuire, wife of Peter de Laval, knight, Lord of
+     Loue, Benars, &c.; or her daughter-in-law, Frances de
+     Maille, who in or about 1500 espoused Giles de Laval, Lord
+     of Loue. Philippa is known to have died in 1525, after
+     bearing her husband five children. She had been wedded fifty
+     years. However, the subject of this story is the same as
+     that of the Lady of Langallier, or Languillier (also in
+     Anjou), which will be found in chapter xvii. of _Le Livre du
+     Chevalier de la Tour-Landry_, an English translation of
+     which, made in the reign of Henry VI., was edited in 1868 by
+     Mr. Thomas Wright for the Early English Text Society.--See
+     also Le Roux de Lincy's _Femmes celebres de l'ancienne
+     France,_ vol i. p. 356. Particulars concerning the Laval-
+     Loue family will be found in Duchesne's Histoire de la
+     Maison de Montmorency.--L. and M.
+
+In this fashion she lived a great while with her husband, to whom
+she bore several handsome children; but then, as happiness is always
+followed by its opposite, hers began to be lessened. Her husband,
+finding virtuous ease to be unendurable, laid it aside to seek for toil,
+and made it his wont to rise from beside his wife as soon as she was
+asleep, and not to return until it was nearly morning. The lady of Loue
+took this conduct ill, and falling into a deep unrest, of which she was
+fain to give no sign, neglected her household matters, her person and
+her family, like one that deemed herself to have lost the fruit of her
+toils, to wit, her husband's exceeding love, for the preserving of which
+there was no pain that she would not willingly have endured. But having
+lost it, as she could see, she became careless of everything else in the
+house, and the lack of her care soon brought mischief to pass.
+
+Her husband, on the one part, spent with much extravagance, while, on
+the other, she had ceased to control the management, so that ere long
+affairs fell into such great disorder, that the timber began to be
+felled, and the lands to be mortgaged.
+
+One of her kinsfolk that had knowledge of her distemper, rebuked her for
+her error, saying that if love for her husband did not lead her to care
+for the advantage of his house, she should at least have regard to her
+poor children. Hereat her pity for them caused her to recover herself,
+and she tried all means to win back her husband's love.
+
+In this wise she kept good watch one night, and, when he rose from
+beside her, she also rose in her nightgown, let make her bed, and said
+her prayers until her husband returned. And when he came in, she went to
+him and kissed him, and brought him a basin full of water that he might
+wash his hands. He was surprised at this unwonted behaviour, and told
+her that there was no need for her to rise, since he was only coming
+from the latrines; whereat she replied that, although it was no great
+matter, it was nevertheless a seemly thing to wash one's hands on coming
+from so dirty and foul a place, intending by these words to make him
+perceive and abhor the wickedness of his life. But for all that he did
+not mend his ways, and for a full year the lady continued to act in this
+way to no purpose.
+
+Accordingly, seeing that this behaviour served her naught, one day,
+while she was waiting for her husband, who tarried longer than ordinary,
+she had a mind to go in search of him, and, passing from room to room,
+found him at last in a closet at the back of the house, lying asleep by
+the side of the ugliest, vilest, and filthiest serving-woman they had.
+
+Thereupon, thinking she would teach him to leave so excellent a wife for
+so filthy and vile a woman, she took some straw and set it on fire in
+the middle of the room; but on seeing that it would as soon kill her
+husband as awaken him, she plucked him by the arm, crying out--
+
+"Fire! fire!"
+
+If the husband was ashamed and sorry at being found by so virtuous a
+wife in company with such a slut, he certainly had good reason for it.
+Then said his wife to him--
+
+"For a year, sir, have I tried by gentle and patient means to draw you
+from this wickedness, and to show you that whilst washing the outside
+you should also cleanse that which is within. Finding that all I could
+do was of no avail, I have sought assistance from that clement which
+brings all things to an end, and I promise you, sir, that, if this
+do not mend you, I know not whether I shall a second time be able to
+deliver you from the danger as I have now done. I pray you remember that
+the deepest despair is that caused by love, and that if I had not had
+the fear of God before my eyes I could not have endured so much."
+
+The husband, glad to get off so easily, promised that he would never
+again cause her any pain on his account. This the lady was very willing
+to believe, and with her husband's consent turned away the servant who
+had so offended her. And from that time forth they lived most lovingly
+together, so that even the errors of the past, by the good that had
+resulted from them, served but to increase their happiness.
+
+"Should God give you such husbands, ladies, I pray you despair not until
+you have fully tried all means to win them back. There are twenty-four
+hours in the day in which a man may change his mind, and a wife who
+has gained her husband over by patience and longsuffering should deem
+herself more fortunate than if fate and her kinsfolk had given her one
+more perfect."
+
+"It is an example," said Oisille, "that all married women ought to
+follow."
+
+"Follow it who will," said Parlamente; "for my own part, I should
+find it impossible to be patient so long. Although in every condition
+patience is a seemly virtue, yet I think that in wedded life it finally
+produces ill-will. For, when suffering is caused you by your partner,
+you are compelled to keep yourself as much apart from him as possible;
+and from such estrangement there springs up contempt for the faithless
+one; and this contempt gradually lessens love, for a thing is loved in
+proportion as it is esteemed."
+
+"But there is a danger," said Ennasuite, "that the impatient wife may
+meet with a passionate husband who, instead of patience, will bring her
+pain."
+
+"And what more," said Parlamente, "could a husband do than was done by
+the husband in the story?"
+
+"What more?" said Ennasuite. "Why, beat his wife soundly, and make her
+lie in the smaller bed, and his sweetheart in the larger." (2)
+
+     2  At this period, and for some time afterwards, there were
+     usually two beds in the master's room, a large one for
+     himself and his wife, and a small one in which slept a
+     trusty servant, male or female. These little beds are shown
+     in some of the designs engraved by Abraham Bosse in the
+     seventeenth century.--L.
+
+"It is my belief," said Parlamente, "that a true woman would be less
+grieved by being beaten in anger than by being contemned for one of less
+worth than herself. After enduring the severance of love, nothing that
+her husband could do would be able to cause her any further pain. And in
+this wise the story says that the trouble she took to regain him was for
+the sake of her children--which I can well believe."
+
+"And do you think that it showed great patience on her part," said
+Nomerfide, "to kindle a fire beneath the bed on which her husband was
+sleeping."
+
+"Yes," said Longarine; "for when she saw the smoke she waked him, and
+herein, perhaps, was she most to blame; for the ashes of such a husband
+as hers would to my thinking have been good for the making of lye."
+
+"You are cruel, Longarine," said Oisille, "but those are not the terms
+on which you lived with your own husband."
+
+"No," said Longarine, "for, God be thanked, he never gave me cause. I
+have reason to regret him all my life long, not to complain of him."
+
+"But if he had behaved in such a manner towards you," said Nomerfide,
+"what would you have done?"
+
+"I loved him so dearly," said Longarine, "that I believe I should have
+killed him, and myself as well. To die after taking such a vengeance
+would have been sweeter to me than to live faithfully with the
+faithless."
+
+"So far as I can see," said Hircan, "you do not love your husbands
+except for your own sakes. If they are what you want them to be, you
+are very fond of them; but if they fall into the slightest error towards
+you, they lose on a Saturday the toil of an entire week. Thus you are
+minded to rule, and I for my part will consent to it provided, however,
+that all other husbands agree."
+
+"It is reasonable," said Parlamente, "that man should rule us as our
+head, but not that he should forsake us or treat us ill."
+
+"God has provided so wisely," said Oisille, "both for man and for woman,
+that I hold marriage, if it be not abused, to be the goodliest and
+securest condition imaginable, and I am sure that, whatever they may
+seem to do, all here present think the same. And if the man claims to
+be wiser than the woman, he will be the more severely blamed should the
+fault come from him. But enough of such talk. Let us now see to whom
+Dagoucin will give his vote."
+
+"I give it," he said, "to Longarine."
+
+"You do me a great pleasure," she replied, "for I have read a story that
+is worthy to follow yours. Since we are set upon praising the virtuous
+patience of ladies, I will show you one more worthy of praise than she
+of whom we have just been speaking. And she is the more deserving of
+esteem in that she was a city dame, and therefore one of those whose
+breeding is less virtuous than that of others."
+
+
+[Illustration: 081.jpg Tailpiece]
+
+[Illustration: 083a.jpg The Lady of Tours questioning her Husband's Mistress]
+
+[The Lady of Tours questioning her Husband's Mistress]
+
+[Illustration: 083.jpg Page Image]
+
+
+
+
+_TALE XXXVIII_.
+
+     _A towns-woman of Tours returned so much good for all the
+     evil treatment she had received from her husband, that the
+     latter forsook the mistress whom he was quietly maintaining,
+     and returned to his wife_. (1)
+
+     1  It is probable that the incidents related in this tale
+     occurred between 1460 and 1470. They will be found recorded
+     in the _Menagier de Paris_. (See Baron Pichon's edition,
+     1847, vol. i. p. 237). A similar narrative figures in some
+     editions of Morlini's tales, notably the _Novello, Fabello,
+     et Comedies, Neapoli_, 1520. We further find it in
+     Gueudeville's translation of Erasmus's Colloquies (_Dialogue
+     sur le mariage, collogues, &c., Leyden_, 1720, vol. i. p.
+     87), and Mr. Walter Keily has pointed out (the _Heptameron_,
+     Bohn, 1864) that William Warner worked the same incidents
+     into his poem _Albion's England_, his stanzas being
+     reproduced in Percy's _Reliques_ under the title of _The
+     Patient Countess_.--L. and Ed.
+
+In the city of Tours there dwelt a chaste and comely townswoman, who, by
+reason of her virtues, was not only loved but feared also and respected
+by her husband. Nevertheless, with all the fickleness of men who grow
+weary of ever eating good bread, he fell in love with a farm tenant (2)
+of his own, and would oft-time leave Tours to visit the farm, where he
+always remained two or three days; and when he came back to Tours he was
+always in so sorry a plight that his wife had much ado to cure him, yet,
+as soon as he was whole again, he never failed to return to the place
+where pleasure caused him to forget all his ills.
+
+     2  The French word here is _metayere_. The _metayer_ (fem.
+     metayere) was a farm tenant under the general control of his
+     landlord, who supplied him with seed and took to himself a
+     considerable portion of the produce. The system was done
+     away with at the Revolution, but was revived here and there
+     under the Restoration, when some of the nobles came to
+     "their own" again, and there may even nowadays be a few
+     instances of the kind.--Ed.
+
+When his wife, who was anxious above all things for his life and health,
+found him constantly return home in so evil a plight, she went to the
+farm and found there the young woman whom her husband loved. Then,
+without anger but with graceful courage, she told her that she knew her
+husband often went to see her, but that she was ill-pleased to find him
+always return home exhausted in consequence of her sorry treatment of
+him. The poor woman, influenced as much by respect for her mistress
+as by regard for the truth, was not able to deny the fact, and craved
+forgiveness.
+
+The lady asked to see the room and bed in which her husband was wont
+to sleep, and found it so cold and dirty and ill-appointed that she was
+moved to pity. Forthwith she sent for a good bed furnished with sheets,
+blankets and counterpane such as her husband loved; she caused the room
+to be made clean and neat and hung with tapestries; provided suitable
+ware for his meat and drink, a pipe of good wine, sweetmeats and
+confections, and begged the woman to send him back no more in so
+miserable a state.
+
+It was not long before the husband again went, as was his wont, to see
+his tenant, and he was greatly amazed to find his poor lodging in such
+excellent order. And still more was he surprised when the woman gave him
+to drink in a silver cup; and he asked her whence all these good things
+had come. The poor woman told him, weeping, that they were from his
+wife, who had taken such great pity on his sorry treatment that she had
+furnished the house in this way, and had charged her to be careful of
+his health.
+
+When the gentleman saw the exceeding generosity of his wife in returning
+so much good for all the evil turns that he had done her, he looked upon
+his own wrongdoing as no less great than her kindness; and, after giving
+some money to his tenant, he begged her to live in future as an honest
+woman. Then he went back to his wife, acknowledged his wrongdoing, and
+told her that, but for her great gentleness and generosity, he
+could never have forsaken the life that he had been leading. And
+thenceforward, forgetting the past, they lived in all peacefulness
+together.
+
+"You may be sure, ladies, that there are but few husbands whom a wife's
+love and patience cannot win at last, unless they be harder even than
+stone, which weak and yielding water will in time make hollow."
+
+"That woman," said Parlamente, "had neither heart, gall nor liver."
+
+"What would you have had her do?" said Longarine. "She practised what
+God commands, and returned good for evil." (3)
+
+     3  "Recompense to no man evil for evil."--_Rom_. xii. 17.
+     "Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing."--1
+     _Pet_. iii. 9.--Ed.
+
+"I think," said Hircan, "she must have been in love with some Grey
+Friar, who had laid upon her the penance of having her husband well
+treated in the country, so that, meantime, she might be free to
+entertain herself well in the town."
+
+"Therein," said Oisille, "you clearly show the wickedness of your own
+heart, judging ill of a good deed. I rather believe her to have been so
+subdued by the love of God that she cared for naught save the salvation
+of her husband's soul."
+
+"It seems to me," said Simontault, "that he had more reason to return
+to his wife when he was so cold at the farm than afterwards when he was
+treated so well."
+
+"From what I can see," said Saffredent, "you are not of the same opinion
+as the rich man of Paris who, when he lay with his wife, could not put
+off his gear without being chilled, but who never felt the worse when
+he went without cap or shoes, in the depth of winter, to see his
+servant-maid in the cellar. Yet his wife was very beautiful and the maid
+very ugly."
+
+"Have you not heard," said Geburon, "that God always aids lunatics,
+lovers and sots? Perhaps he was all three in one."
+
+"Do you thence conclude," said Pariamente, "that God recks not of the
+wise, the chaste and the temperate? Help is not needed by those who can
+help themselves. He who said that He had come for the sick and not for
+the whole, (4) came by the law of His mercy to succour our infirmities,
+thereby annulling the decrees of His rigorous justice; and he that deems
+himself wise is a fool in the sight of God. But, to end the sermon, to
+whom will Longarine give her vote?"
+
+     4  "They that are whole have no need of the physician, but
+     they that are sick."--_St. Mark_ ii. 17. See also _St.
+     Luke_ v. 31.--Ed.
+
+"I give it," she said, "to Saffredent."
+
+"Then I hope," said Saffredent, "to prove to you that God does not
+favour lovers. For although it has already been said, ladies, that vice
+is common to men and women alike, yet will a subtle artifice be more
+readily and adroitly devised by a woman than by a man Of this I am now
+about to give you an instance."
+
+
+[Illustration: 088.jpg Tailpiece]
+
+[Illustration: 089a.jpg The Lord of Grignaulx catching the Pretended Ghost]
+
+[The Lord of Grignaulx catching the Pretended Ghost]
+
+[Illustration: 089.jpg Page Image]
+
+
+
+
+_TALE XXXIX_.
+
+     _The Lord of Grignaulx freed his house from a ghost which
+     had so tormented his wife that for the space of two years
+     she had dwelt elsewhere_.
+
+A certain Lord of Grignaulx (1) who was gentleman of honour to the Queen
+of France, Anne, Duchess of Brittany, on returning to his house whence
+he had been absent during more than two years, found his wife at another
+estate, near by, and when he inquired the reason of this, she told him
+that a ghost was wont to haunt the house, and tormented them so much
+that none could dwell there. (2) Monsieur de Grig-naulx, who had no
+belief in such absurdities, replied that were it the devil himself he
+was not afraid of him, and so brought his wife home again.
+
+At night he caused many candles to be lighted that he might see the
+ghost more clearly, and, after watching for a long time without hearing
+anything, he fell asleep; but immediately afterwards he was awaked by a
+buffet upon the cheek, and heard a voice crying, "Brenigne, Brenigne,"
+which had been the name of his grandmother. (3) Then he called to the
+serving-woman, who lay near them, (4) to light the candle, for all were
+now extinguished, but she durst not rise. And at the same time the Lord
+of Grig-naulx felt the covering pulled from off him, and heard a great
+noise of tables, trestles and stools falling about the room; and this
+lasted until morning. However, the Lord of Grignaulx was more displeased
+at losing his rest than afraid of the ghost, for indeed he never
+believed it to be any such thing.
+
+     1  This is John de Talleyrand, knight, lord of Grignols and
+     Fouquerolles, Prince of Chalais, Viscount of Fronsac, mayor
+     and captain of Bordeaux, chamberlain of Charles VIII., first
+     majordomo and gentleman of honour in turn to two French
+     Queens, Anne of Brittany and Mary of England. His wife was
+     Margaret de la Tour, daughter of Anne de la Tour, Viscount
+     of Turenne, and Mary de Beaufort. She bore him several
+     children. It was John de Talleyrand who warned Louise of
+     Savoy that her son Francis, then Count of Angouleme, was
+     paying court to the young Queen, Mary of England, wife to
+     Louis XII. Apprehensive lest this intrigue should destroy
+     her son's prospects, Louise prevailed on him to relinquish
+     it (Brantome's _Dames Illustres_).--L. 4 89
+
+     2  The house haunted by the ghost would probably be
+     Talleyrand's chateau at Grignols, in the department of the
+     Gironde. His lordship of Fouquerolles was only a few miles
+     distant, in the Dordogne, and this would be the estate to
+     which his wife had retired.--Ed.
+
+     3  Talleyrand's grandmother on the paternal side was Mary of
+     Brabant; the reference may be to his maternal grandmother,
+     whose Christian name was possibly "Benigne." On the other
+     hand, Boaistuau gives the name as Revigne, and among the old
+     French _noblesse_ were the Revigne and Revigny families.--
+     Ed.
+
+     4  See _ante_, note 2 to Tale XXXVII.
+
+On the following night he resolved to capture this ghost, and so, when
+he had been in bed a little while, he pretended to snore very loudly,
+and placed his open hand close to his face. Whilst he was in this wise
+waiting for the ghost, he felt that something was coming near him, and
+accordingly snored yet louder than before, whereat the ghost was
+so encouraged as to deal him a mighty blow. Forthwith, the Lord of
+Grignaulx caught the ghost's hand as it rested on his face, and cried
+out to his wife--
+
+"I have the ghost!"
+
+His wife immediately rose up and lit the candle, and found that it was
+the serving-woman who slept in their room; and she, throwing herself
+upon her knees, entreated forgiveness and promised to confess the truth.
+This was, that she had long loved a serving-man of the house, and
+had taken this fine mystery in hand in order to drive both master and
+mistress away, so that she and her lover, having sole charge of the
+house, might be able to make good cheer as they were wont to do when
+alone. My Lord of Grignaulx, who was a somewhat harsh man, commanded
+that they should be soundly beaten so as to prevent them from ever
+forgetting the ghost, and this having been done, they were driven away.
+In this fashion was the house freed from the plaguy ghosts who for two
+years long had played their pranks in it. (5)
+
+     5  Talleyrand, who passes for having been the last of the
+     "Rois des Ribauds" (see the Bibliophile Jacob's historical
+     novel of that title), was, like his descendant the great
+     diplomatist, a man of subtle and caustic humour. Brantome,
+     in his article on Anne of Brittany in _Les Dames Illustres_,
+     repeatedly refers to him, and relates that on an occasion
+     when the Queen wished to say a few words in Spanish to the
+     Emperor's ambassador--there was a project of marrying her
+     daughter Claude to Charles V.--she applied to Grignols to
+     teach her a sentence or two of the Castilian language. He,
+     however, taught her some dirty expression, but was careful
+     to warn Louis XII., who laughed at it, telling his wife on
+     no account to use the Spanish words she had learnt. On
+     discovering the truth, Anne was so greatly vexed, that
+     Grignols was obliged to withdraw from Court for some time,
+     and only with difficulty obtained the Queen's forgiveness.--
+     L. and Ed.
+
+"It is wonderful, ladies, to think of the effects wrought by the mighty
+god of Love. He causes women to put aside all fear, and teaches them to
+give every sort of trouble to man in order to work their own ends. But
+if the purpose of the serving-woman calls for blame, the sound sense
+of the master is no less worthy of praise. He knew that when the spirit
+departs, it returns no more." (6)
+
+     6 "A wind that passeth away, and cometh not again."--_Psalm_
+     lxxviii. 39.--M.
+
+"In sooth," said Geburon, "love showed little favour to the man and
+the maid, but I agree that the sound sense of the master was of great
+advantage to him."
+
+"Nevertheless," said Ennasuite, "the maid through her cunning lived for
+a long time at her ease."
+
+"'Tis but a sorry ease," said Oisille, "that is founded upon sin and
+that ends in shame and chastisement."
+
+"That is true, madam," said Ennasuite, "but many persons reap pain
+and sorrow by living righteously, and lacking wit enough to procure
+themselves in all their lives as much pleasure as these two."
+
+"It is nevertheless my opinion," said Oisille, "that there can be no
+perfect pleasure unless the conscience be at rest."
+
+"Nay," said Simontault, "the Italian maintains that the greater the sin
+the greater the pleasure." (7)
+
+     7  This may be a reference to Boccaccio or Castiglione, but
+     the expression is of a proverbial character in many
+     languages.--Ed.
+
+"In very truth," said Oisille, "he who invented such a saying must be
+the devil himself. Let us therefore say no more of him, but see to whom
+Saffredent will give his vote."
+
+"To whom?" said he. "Only Parlamente now remains; but if there were a
+hundred others, she should still receive my vote, as being the one from
+whom we shall certainly learn something."
+
+"Well, since I am to end the day," said Parlamente, "and since I
+promised yesterday to tell you why Rolandine's father built the castle
+in which he kept her so long a prisoner, I will now relate it to you."
+
+
+[Illustration: 094.jpg Tailpiece]
+
+[Illustration: 095a.jpg The Count of Jossebelin murdering his Sister's Husband]
+
+[The Count of Jossebelin murdering his Sister's Husband]
+
+[Illustration: 095.jpg Page Image]
+
+
+
+
+_TALE XL_.
+
+     _The sister of the Count of Jossebelin, after marrying
+     unknown to her brother a gentleman whom he caused to be put
+     to death (albeit except for his lowlier rank he had often
+     desired him for his brother-in-law) did, with great patience
+     and austerity of life, spend the remainder of her days in a
+     hermitage_. (1)
+
+This lord, who was the father of Rolandine and was called the Count of
+Jossebelin, had several sisters, some of whom were married to wealthy
+husbands, others becoming nuns, whilst one, who was beyond comparison
+fairer than all the rest, dwelt unwedded in his house. (2)
+
+     1  The events here narrated would have occurred in or about
+     1479.--L.
+
+     2  The so-called Count of Jossebelin is John II., Viscount
+     de Rohan, previously referred to in Tale XXI. He was the son
+     of Alan IX., Vicount of Rohan, by his second wife, Mary of
+     Lorraine. Alan, by a first marriage with Margaret of
+     Brittany, had three daughters, Jane, Margaret and Catherine,
+     all three of whom were married advantageously. Contrary to
+     Queen Margaret's assertion above, none of them became nuns;
+     Alan may, however, have had illegitimate daughters who took
+     the veil. By his second wife he had a son, John II., and a
+     daughter christened Catherine, like her half-sister. She
+     died unmarried, says Anselme's _Histoire Genealogique_ (vol.
+     iv. p. 57), and would appear to be the heroine of Queen
+     Margaret's tale.--L. and B. J.
+
+And so dearly did she love her brother that he, for his part, preferred
+her even to his wife and children.
+
+She was asked in marriage by many of good estate, but her brother would
+never listen to them through dread of losing her, and also because he
+loved his money too well. She therefore spent a great part of her life
+un-wedded, living very virtuously in her brother's house. Now there was
+a young and handsome gentleman who had been reared from childhood in
+this same house, and who, growing in comeliness and virtue as well as in
+years, had come to have a complete and peaceful rule over his master,
+in such sort that whenever the latter desired to give any charge to his
+sister he always did so by means of this young gentleman, (3) and he
+allowed him so much influence and intimacy, sending him morning and
+evening to his sister, that at last a great love sprang up between the
+two.
+
+     3  This is possibly a Count of Keradreux, whom John II. is
+     known to have put to death, though the Breton and French
+     chroniclers do not relate the circumstances of the crime.--
+     See_post_, p. 100, note 4.--Ed.
+
+But as the gentleman feared for his life if he should offend his master,
+and the lady feared also for her honour, their love found gladness in
+speech alone, until the Lord of Jossebelin had often said to his sister
+that he wished the gentleman were rich and of as good a house as her
+own, for he had never known a man whom he would so gladly have had for
+his brother-in-law.
+
+He repeated these sayings so often that, after debating them together,
+the lovers concluded that if they wedded one another they would readily
+be forgiven. Love, which easily believes what it desires, persuaded them
+that nothing but good could come of it; and in this hope they celebrated
+and consummated the marriage without the knowledge of any save a priest
+and certain women.
+
+After they had lived for a few years in the delight that man and woman
+can have together in marriage, and as one of the handsomest and most
+loving couples in Christendom, Fate, vexed to find two persons so
+much at their ease, would no longer suffer them to continue in it, but
+stirred up against them an enemy, who, keeping watch upon the lady, came
+to a knowledge of her great happiness, and, ignorant the while of her
+marriage, went and told the Lord of Jossebelin that the gentleman in
+whom he had so much trust, went too often to his sister's room, and that
+moreover at hours when no man should enter it. This the Count would
+not at first believe for the trust that he had in his sister and in the
+gentleman.
+
+But the other, like one careful for the honour of the house, repeated
+the charge so often that a strict watch was set, and the poor folk,
+who suspected nothing, were surprised. For one evening the Lord of
+Jossebelin was advised that the gentleman was with his sister, and,
+hastening thither, found the poor love-blinded pair lying in bed
+together. His anger at the sight robbed him of speech, and, drawing
+his sword, he ran after the gentleman to kill him. But the other, being
+nimble of body, fled in nothing but his shirt, and, being unable to
+escape by the door, leaped through a window into the garden.
+
+Then the poor lady, clad only in her chemise, threw herself upon her
+knees before her brother and said to him--
+
+"Sir, spare the life of my husband, for I have indeed married him;
+and if you are offended punish only me, for what he did was done at my
+request."
+
+Her brother, beside himself with wrath, could only reply--
+
+"Even if he be your husband one hundred thousand times over, yet will I
+punish him as a rascally servant who has deceived me."
+
+So saying, he went to the window and called out loudly to kill him,
+which was speedily done before the eyes of himself and his sister. The
+latter, on beholding the pitiful sight which no prayers on her part
+had been able to prevent, spoke to her brother like a woman bereft of
+reason.
+
+"Brother," she said, "I have neither father nor mother, and I am old
+enough to marry according to my own pleasure. I chose one whom many a
+time you said you would gladly have me marry, and for doing by your own
+counsels that which the law permits me to do without them, you have put
+to death the man whom you loved best of all the world. Well, since my
+prayers have been of no avail to preserve his life, I implore you, by
+all the love you have ever borne me, to make me now a sharer in his
+death even as I have been a sharer in all his living fortunes. In this
+way, while sating your unjust and cruel anger, you will give repose
+to the body and soul of one who cannot and will not live without him."
+Although her brother was almost distracted with passion, (4) he had
+pity upon his sister, and so, without granting or denying her request,
+withdrew. After weighing well what he had done, and hearing that the
+gentleman had in fact married his sister, he would gladly have undone
+his grievous crime. Nevertheless, being afraid that his sister would
+seek justice or vengeance for it, he caused a castle to be built in the
+midst of a forest, (5) and, placing her therein, forbade that any should
+have speech with her.
+
+     4  John II. of Rohan was a man of the most passionate,
+     resentful disposition, and the greater part of his life was
+     spent in furthering ambitious schemes, stirring up feuds and
+     factions, and desolating Brittany with civil war. In 1470 we
+     find him leaving the service of the Duke, his master, to
+     enter that of Louis XI., on whose side he fought till the
+     peace of Senlis in 1475. Four years later the Duke of
+     Brittany caused him to be arrested on the charge of
+     murdering the Count of Keradreux, and he appears to have
+     remained in prison till 1484, when it is recorded that he
+     fled to France, and thence to Lorraine. In 1487 he leagued
+     himself with several discontented nobles to drive away the
+     Chancellor of Brittany and various foreign favourites around
+     the Duke, and carried civil war into several parts of the
+     duchy. Then for a brief space he made his peace with the
+     Duke, but again took up arms for the French King, fought at
+     St. Aubin du Cormier, captured Dinan and besieged and
+     pillaged Guingamp. Charles VIII. appointed him Lieutenant-
+     general of Lower Brittany in 1491, and he was first
+     commissary of the King of France at the States of Brittany
+     held at Vannes in 1491 and 1501. In 1507 he witnessed the
+     marriage contract of the Princess Claude with Francis, Duke
+     of Valois, afterwards Francis I. (Anselme's _Histoire
+     Genealogique_, vol. iv. p. 57). When Anne became Duchess of
+     Brittany, John II. vainly strove to compel her to marry his
+     son, James, and this was one of the causes of their life-
+     long enmity (_ante_ vol. iii. Tale XXI.) John II. died in
+     1516.--L. and Ed.
+
+     5  If this be the chateau of Josselin, as some previous
+     commentators think, Queen Margaret is in error here, for
+     records subsist which prove that Josselin, now classed among
+     the historical monuments of France, was built not by John
+     II., but by his father, Alan IX. It rises on a steep rock on
+     the bank of the Oust, at nine miles from Ploermel, and on
+     the sculptured work, both inside and out, the letters A. V.
+     (Alan, Viscount) are frequently repeated, with the arms of
+     Rohan and Brittany quartered together, and bearing the proud
+     device _A plus_. It seems to us evident that the incidents
+     recorded in the early part of Queen Margaret's tale took
+     place at Josselin, and that Catherine de Rohan was
+     imprisoned in some other chateau expressly erected by her
+     brother.--D. and Ed.
+
+Some time afterwards he sought, for the satisfaction of his conscience,
+to win her back again, and spoke to her of marriage; but she sent him
+word that he had given her too sorry a breakfast to make her willing to
+sup off the same dish, and that she looked to live in such sort that he
+should never murder a second husband of hers; for, she added, she could
+scarcely believe that he would forgive another man after having so
+cruelly used the one whom he had loved best of all the world.
+
+And although weak and powerless for revenge, she placed her hopes in Him
+who is the true Judge, and who suffers no wickedness to go unpunished;
+and, relying upon His love alone, was minded to spend the rest of her
+life in her hermitage. And this she did, for she never stirred from
+that place so long as she lived, but dwelt there with such patience and
+austerity that her tomb was visited by every one as that of a saint.
+
+From the time that she died, her brother's house came to such a ruinous
+state, that of his six sons not one was left, but all died miserably;
+(6) and at last the inheritance, as you heard in the former story,
+passed into the possession of Rolandine, who succeeded to the prison
+that had been built for her aunt.
+
+     6  Queen Margaret is in error here. Instead of six sons,
+     John II., according to the most reliable genealogical
+     accounts of the Rohan family, had but two, James, Viscount
+     of Rohan and Lord of Leon, who died childless in 1527, and
+     Claud, Bishop of Cornouailles, who succeeded him as Viscount
+     of Rohan (Anselme). These had two sisters, Anne, the
+     Rolandine of Tale XXI., and Mary, who died in June 1542
+     (Dillaye).--Ed.
+
+"I pray God, ladies, that this example may be profitable to you, and
+that none among you will seek to marry for her own pleasure without the
+consent of those to whom obedience is due; for marriage is a state of
+such long continuance that it should not be entered upon lightly and
+without the advice of friends and kin. And, indeed, however wisely
+one may act, there is always at least as much pain in it as there is
+pleasure."
+
+"In good faith," said Oisille, "were there neither God nor law to
+teach maidens discretion, this example would suffice to give them more
+reverence for their kindred, and not to seek marriage according to their
+own pleasure."
+
+"Still, madam," said Nomerfide, "whoso has but one good day in the year,
+is not unhappy her whole life long. She had the pleasure of seeing and
+speaking for a long time with him whom she loved better than herself,
+and she moreover enjoyed the delights of marriage with him without
+scruple of conscience. I consider such happiness so great, that in my
+opinion it surpassed the sorrow that she bore."
+
+"You maintain, then," said Saffredent, "that a woman has more pleasure
+in lying with a husband, than pain in seeing him put to death before her
+eyes."
+
+"That is not my meaning," said Nomerfide, "for it would be contrary to
+my experience of women. But I hold that an unwonted pleasure such as
+that of marrying the man whom one loves best of all the world, must be
+greater than that of losing him by death, which is common to all."
+
+"Yes," said Geburon, "if the death be a natural one, but that in the
+story was too cruel. And I think it very strange, considering he was
+neither her father nor her husband but only her brother, and she had
+reached an age when the law suffers maidens to marry according to their
+own pleasure, that this lord should have had the daring to commit so
+cruel a deed."
+
+"I do not think it at all strange," said Hircan, "for he did not kill
+his sister whom he dearly loved, and who was not subject to his control,
+but dealt with the gentleman whom he had bred as his son and loved as
+his brother. He had bestowed honour and wealth upon him in his service,
+and in return for all this the other sought his sister in marriage, a
+thing which was in nowise fitting for him to do."
+
+"Moreover," said Nomerfide, "it was no ordinary or wonted pleasure for a
+lady of such high lineage to marry a gentleman servant for love. If the
+death was extraordinary, the pleasure also was novel, and it was the
+greater seeing that it had against it the opinions of all wise folk, for
+it was the happiness of a loving heart with tranquillity of soul, since
+God was in no wise offended by it And as for the death that you call
+cruel, it seems to me that, since death is unavoidable, the swifter it
+comes the better; for we know that it is a road by which all of us must
+travel. I deem those fortunate who do not long linger on the outksirts
+of death, but who take a speedy flight from all that can be termed
+happiness in this world to the happiness that is eternal."
+
+"What do you mean by the outskirts of death?" said Simontault.
+
+"Such as have deep tribulation of spirit," replied Nomerfide, "such,
+too, as have long been ill, and in their extreme bodily or spiritual
+pain have come to think lightly of death and find its approach too slow,
+such, I say, as these have passed through the outskirts of death and
+will tell you of the hostels where they knew more lamentation than rest.
+The lady of the story could not help losing her husband through death,
+but her brother's wrath preserved her from seeing him a long time sick
+or distressed in mind. And turning the gladness that she had had with
+him to the service of Our Lord, she might well esteem herself happy."
+
+"Do you make no account," said Longarine, "of the shame that she
+endured, or of her imprisonment?"
+
+"I consider," said Nomerfide, "that a woman who lives perfectly, with a
+love that is in keeping with the commands of her God, has no knowledge
+of shame or dishonour except when they impair or lessen the perfection
+of her love; for the glory of truly loving knows no shame. As for her
+imprisonment, I imagine that, with her heart at large and devoted to God
+and her husband, she thought nothing of it, but deemed her solitude
+the greatest freedom. When one cannot see what one loves, the greatest
+happiness consists in thinking constantly upon it, and there is no
+prison so narrow that thought cannot roam in it at will."
+
+"Nothing can be truer than what Nomerfide says," observed Simontault,
+"but the man who in his passion brought this separation to pass must
+have deemed himself unhappy indeed, seeing that he offended God, Love
+and Honour."
+
+"In good sooth," said Geburon, "I am amazed at the diversity of woman's
+love. I can see that those who have most love have most virtue; but
+those who have less love conceal it in their desire to appear virtuous."
+
+"It is true," said Parlamente, "that a heart which is virtuous towards
+God and man loves more deeply than a vicious one, and fears not to have
+its inmost purpose known."
+
+"I have always heard," said Simontault, "that men should not be blamed
+if they seek the love of women, for God has put into the heart of man
+desire and boldness for asking, and in that of woman fear and chastity
+for refusal. If, then, a man be punished for using the powers that have
+been given him, he suffers wrong."
+
+"But it must be remembered," said Longarine, "that he had praised this
+gentleman for a long time to his sister. It seems to me that it would be
+madness or cruelty in the keeper of a fountain to praise its fair waters
+to one fainting with thirst, and then to kill him when he sought to
+taste them."
+
+"The brother," thereupon said Parlamente, "did indeed so kindle the
+flame by gentle words of his own, that it was not meet he should beat it
+out with the sword."
+
+"I am surprised," said Saffredent, "to find it taken ill that a simple
+gentleman should by dint of love alone, and without deceit, have come to
+marry a lady of high lineage, seeing that the wisdom of the philosophers
+accounts the least of men to be of more worth than the greatest and most
+virtuous of women."
+
+"The reason is," said Dagoucin, "that in order to preserve the
+commonwealth in peace, account is only taken of the rank of families,
+the age of persons, and the provisions of the laws, without regard to
+the love and virtue of individuals, and all this so that the kingdom may
+not be disturbed. Hence it comes to pass that, in marriages made between
+equals and according to the judgment of kinsfolk and society, the
+husband and wife often journey to the very outskirts of hell."
+
+"Indeed it has been seen," said Geburon, "that those who, being alike in
+heart, character and temperament, have married for love and paid no heed
+to diversity of birth and lineage, have ofttime sorely repented of it;
+for a deep unreasoning love is apt to turn to jealousy and rage."
+
+"It seems to me," said Parlamente, "that neither course is worthy of
+praise, but that folks should submit themselves to the will of God, and
+pay no heed to glory, avarice or pleasure, and loving virtuously and
+with the approval of their kinsfolk, seek only to live in the married
+state as God and nature ordain. And although no condition be free from
+tribulation, I have nevertheless seen such persons live together without
+regret; and we of this company are not so unfortunate as to have none of
+these married ones among the number."
+
+Hircan, Geburon, Simontault and Saffredent swore that they had wedded
+after this sort, and had never repented since. Whatever the truth of
+this declaration may have been, the ladies concerned were exceedingly
+content with it, and thinking that they could hear nothing to please
+them better, they rose up to go and give thanks for it to God, and found
+the monks at the church, ready for vespers.
+
+When the service was over they went to supper, but not without much
+discourse concerning their marriages; and this lasted all the evening,
+each one relating the fortune that had befallen him whilst he was wooing
+his wife.
+
+As it happened, however, that one was interrupted by another, it is not
+possible to set down these stories in full, albeit they would have been
+as pleasant to write as those which had been told in the meadow.
+Such great delight did they take in the converse, and so well did it
+entertain them, that, before they were aware of it, the hour for rest
+had come.
+
+The Lady Oisille made the company separate, and they betook themselves
+to bed so joyously that, what with recounting the loves of the past,
+and proving those of the present, the married folk, methinks, slept no
+longer than the others.
+
+And so the night was pleasantly spent until the morning.
+
+[Illustration: 109.jpg Tailpiece]
+
+
+
+
+FIFTH DAY.
+
+_On the Fifth Day Tales are told of the virtue of those
+maids and matrons who held their honour in
+more consideration than their pleasure,
+also of those who did the contrary,
+and of the simplicity of
+certain others_.
+
+
+
+
+PROLOGUE.
+
+When morning was come, the Lady Oisille made ready for them a spiritual
+breakfast of such excellent flavour that it sufficed to strengthen both
+body and mind. The whole company was very attentive to it; it seemed to
+them that they had never harkened to a sermon with such profit before.
+Then, when the last bell rang for mass, they went to meditate upon the
+pious discourse which they had heard.
+
+After listening to mass, and walking for a little while, they went to
+table feeling assured that the present day would prove as agreeable
+as any of the past. Saffredent even said that he would gladly have the
+bridge building for another month, so great was the pleasure that he
+took in their entertainment; but the Abbot was pressing the work with
+all speed, for it was no pleasure to him to live in the company of so
+many honourable persons, among whom he could not bring his wonted female
+pilgrims.
+
+Having rested for a time after dinner, they returned to their accustomed
+diversion. When all were seated in the meadow, they asked Parlamente to
+whom she gave her vote.
+
+"I think," she replied, "that Saffredent might well begin this day, for
+his face does not look as though he wished us to weep."
+
+"Then, ladies, you will needs be very hard-hearted," said Saffredent,
+"if you take no pity on the Grey Friar whose story I am going to relate
+to you. You may perhaps think, from the tales that some among us have
+already told of the monks, that misadventures have befallen hapless
+damsels simply because ease of execution induced the attempt to be
+fearlessly begun, but, so that you may know that it is the blindness of
+wanton lust which deprives the friars of all fear and prudence, I will
+tell you of what happened to one of them in Flanders."
+
+
+[Illustration: 115a.jpg The Beating of the Wicked Grey Friar]
+
+[The Beating of the Wicked Grey Friar]
+
+[Illustration: 115.jpg Page Image]
+
+
+
+
+_TALE XLI_.
+
+     _A Grey Friar to whom a maiden had presented herself on
+     Christmas night that he might confess her, laid upon her so
+     strange a penance that she would not submit to it, but rose
+     from before him without having received absolution; but her
+     mistress, hearing of the matter, caused the Grey Friar to be
+     flogged in her kitchen, and then sent him back, bound and
+     gagged, to his Warden_.
+
+In the year when my Lady Margaret of Austria came to Cambray on behalf
+of her nephew the Emperor, to treat of peace between him and the Most
+Christian King, who on his part was represented by his mother, my
+Lady Louise of Savoy, (1) the said Lady Margaret had in her train the
+Countess of Aiguemont, (2) who won, among this company, the renown of
+being the most beautiful of all the Flemish ladies.
+
+     1  It was in June 1529 that Margaret of Austria came to
+     Cambrai to treat for peace, on behalf of Charles V. Louise
+     of Savoy, who represented Francis I., was accompanied on
+     this occasion by her daughter, Queen Margaret, who appears
+     to have taken part in the conferences. The result of these
+     was that the Emperor renounced his claims on Burgundy, but
+     upheld all the other stipulations of the treaty of Madrid.
+     Having been brought about entirely by feminine negotiators,
+     the peace of Cambrai acquired the name of "La Paix des
+     Dames," or "the Ladies' Peace." Some curious particulars of
+     the ceremonies observed at Cambrai on this occasion will be
+     found in Leglay's _Notice sur les feles et ceremonies a
+     Cambray depuis le XIe siecle_, Cambrai, 1827.--L. and B. J.
+
+     2  This is Frances of Luxemburg, Baroness of Fiennes and
+     Princess of Gavre, wife of John IV., Count of Egmont,
+     chamberlain to the Emperor Charles V. They were the parents
+     of the famous Lamoral Count of Egmont, Prince of Gavre and
+     Baron of Fiennes, born in 1522 and put to death by the Duke
+     of Alba on June 5, 1568.--B.J.
+
+When this great assembly separated, the Countess of Aiguemont returned
+to her own house, and, Advent being come, sent to a monastery of Grey
+Friars to ask for a clever preacher and virtuous man, as well to preach
+as to confess herself and her whole household. The Warden, remembering
+the great benefits that the Order received from the house of Aiguemont
+and that of Fiennes, to which the Countess belonged, sought out the man
+whom he thought most worthy to fill the said office.
+
+Accordingly, as the Grey Friars more than any other order desire to
+obtain the esteem and friendship of great houses, they sent the most
+important preacher of their monastery, and throughout Advent he did his
+duty very well, and the Countess was well pleased with him.
+
+On Christmas night, when the Countess desired to receive her Creator,
+she sent for her confessor, and after making confession in a carefully
+closed chapel, she gave place to her lady of honour, who in her turn,
+after being shriven, sent her daughter to pass through the hands of this
+worthy confessor. When the maiden had told all that was in her mind, the
+good father knew something of her secrets, and this gave him the desire
+and the boldness to lay an unwonted penance upon her.
+
+"My daughter," said he, "your sins are so great that to atone for them I
+command you the penance of wearing my cord upon your naked flesh."
+
+The maiden, who was unwilling to disobey him, made answer--
+
+"Give it to me, father, and I will not fail to wear it."
+
+"My daughter," said the good father, "it will be of no avail from your
+own hand. Mine, from which you shall receive absolution, must first bind
+it upon you; then shall you be absolved of all your sins."
+
+The maiden replied, weeping, that she would not suffer it.
+
+"What?" said the confessor. "Are you a heretic, that you refuse the
+penances which God and our holy mother Church have ordained?"
+
+"I employ confession," said the maiden, "as the Church commands, and I
+am very willing to receive absolution and do penance. But I will not be
+touched by your hands, and I refuse this mode of penance."
+
+"Then," said the confessor, "I cannot give you absolution."
+
+The maiden rose from before him greatly troubled in conscience, for,
+being very young, she feared lest she had done wrong in thus refusing to
+obey the worthy father.
+
+When mass was over and the Countess of Aiguemont had received the
+"Corpus Domini," her lady of honour, desiring to follow her, asked her
+daughter whether she was ready. The maiden, weeping, replied that she
+was not shriven.
+
+"Then what were you doing so long with the preacher?" asked her mother.
+
+"Nothing," said the maiden, "for, as I refused the penance that he laid
+upon me, he on his part refused me absolution."
+
+Making prudent inquiry, the mother learnt the extraordinary penance that
+the good father had chosen for her daughter; and then, having caused her
+to be confessed by another, they received the sacrament together. When
+the Countess was come back from the church, the lady of honour made
+complaint to her of the preacher, whereupon the Countess was the
+more surprised and grieved, since she had thought so well of him.
+Nevertheless, despite her anger, she could not but feel very much
+inclined to laugh at the unwonted nature of the penance.
+
+Still her laughter did not prevent her from having the friar taken and
+beaten in her kitchen, where he was brought by the strokes of the rod
+to confess the truth; and then she sent him bound hand and foot to his
+Warden, begging the latter for the future to commission more virtuous
+men to preach the Word of God.
+
+"Consider, ladies, if the monks be not afraid to display their
+wantonness in so illustrious a house, what may they not do in the
+poor places where they commonly make their collections, and where
+opportunities are so readily offered to them, that it is a miracle if
+they are quit of them without scandal. And this, ladies, leads me to beg
+of you to change your ill opinion into compassion, remembering that
+he (3) who blinds the Grey Friars is not sparing of the ladies when he
+finds an opportunity."
+
+     3  The demon.--B. J.
+
+"Truly," said Oisille, "this was a very wicked Grey Friar. A monk, a
+priest and a preacher to work such wickedness, and that on Christmas
+day, in the church and under the cloak of the confessional--all these
+are circumstances which heighten the sin."
+
+"It would seem from your words," said Hircan, "that the Grey Friars
+ought to be angels, or more discreet than other men, but you have heard
+instances enough to show you that they are far worse. As for the monk
+in the story, I think he might well be excused, seeing that he found
+himself shut up all alone at night with a handsome girl."
+
+"True," said Oisille, "but it was Christmas night."
+
+"That makes him still less to blame," said Simontault, "for, being in
+Joseph's place beside a fair virgin, he wished to try to beget an infant
+and so play the Mystery of the Nativity to the life."
+
+"In sooth," said Parlamente, "if he had thought of Joseph and the Virgin
+Mary, he would have had no such evil purpose. At all events, he was
+a wickedly-minded man to make so evil an attempt upon such slight
+provocation."
+
+"I think," said Oisille, "that the Countess punished him well enough to
+afford an excellent example to his fellows."
+
+"But 'tis questionable," said Nomerfide, "whether she did well in thus
+putting her neighbour to shame, or whether 'twould not have been better
+to have quietly shown him his faults, rather than have made them so
+publicly known."
+
+"That would, I think, have been better," said Geburon, "for we are
+commanded to rebuke our neighbour in secret, before we speak of the
+matter to any one else or to the Church. When a man has been brought to
+public disgrace, he will hardly ever be able to mend his ways, but fear
+of shame withdraws as many persons from sin as conscience does."
+
+"I think," said Parlamente, "that we ought to observe the teaching of
+the Gospel towards all except those that preach the Word of God and act
+contrary to it. We should not be afraid to shame such as are accustomed
+to put others to shame; indeed I think it a very meritorious thing to
+make them known for what they really are, so that we take not a mock
+stone (4) for a fine ruby. But to whom will Saffredent give his vote?"
+
+     4  The French word here is _doublet_. The doublet was a
+     piece of crystal, cut after the fashion of a diamond, and
+     backed with red wax so as to give it somewhat the colour of
+     a ruby.--B. J.
+
+"Since you ask me," he replied, "I will give it to yourself, to whom no
+man of understanding should refuse it."
+
+"Then, since you give it to me, I will tell you a story to the truth of
+which I can myself testify. I have always heard that when virtue abides
+in a weak and feeble vessel, and is assailed by its strong and puissant
+opposite, it especially deserves praise, and shows itself to be what
+it really is. If strength withstand strength, it is no very wonderful
+thing; but if weakness win the victory, it is lauded by every one.
+Knowing, as I do, the persons of whom I desire to speak, I think that
+I should do a wrong to virtue, (which I have often seen hidden under so
+mean a covering that none gave it any heed), if I did not tell of her
+who performed the praiseworthy actions that I now feel constrained to
+relate."
+
+
+[Illustration: 122.jpg Tailpiece]
+
+[Illustration: 123a.jpg The Girl refusing the Gift of the Young Prince]
+
+[The Girl refusing the Gift of the Young Prince]
+
+[Illustration: 123.jpg Page Image]
+
+
+
+
+_TALE XLII_.
+
+     _A young Prince set his affections upon a young girl, and
+     although she was of low and poor parentage, he could not, in
+     spite of all his efforts, obtain from her what he had hoped
+     to have. Accordingly, recognising her virtue and honour, the
+     Prince desisted from his attempt, esteemed her highly all
+     his life, and, marrying her to a follower of his own,
+     bestowed great benefits upon her_.
+
+In one of the best towns in Touraine there dwelt a lord of illustrious
+family, who had there been brought up from early youth. Of the
+perfections, graces, beauty and great virtues of this young Prince (1) I
+will say nothing, except that in his time his equal could not be found.
+Being fifteen years of age, he had more pleasure in hunting and hawking
+than in looking at beautiful ladies.
+
+     1  This is undoubtedly Francis I., then Count of Angouleme.
+     M. de Lincy thinks that the scene of the story must be
+     Amboise, where Louise of Savoy went to live with her
+     children in 1499, and remained for several years; Louis XII.
+     having placed the chateau there at her disposal. Francis,
+     however, left Amboise to join the Court at Blois in August
+     1508, when less than fourteen years old (see Memoir of Queen
+     Margaret, vol. i. p. xxiii.), and in the tale, above, he is
+     said to have been fifteen at the time of the incidents
+     narrated. These, then, would have occurred in the autumn of
+     1509. It will be seen that in the tale the young Prince's
+     sister (Margaret) is described as residing at the castle.
+     Now Margaret married Charles of Alencon at Blois, in October
+     1509, and forthwith removed to Alencon. Possibly Francis,
+     who was very precocious, especially in matters of gallantry,
+     engaged in the love affair narrated by his sister at a yet
+     earlier age than she asserts, in which case the town she
+     refers to would undoubtedly be Amboise.--Ed.
+
+One day in a church he beheld a young maiden who formerly, during her
+childhood, had been bred in the castle where he dwelt; but after her
+mother's death, her father having married again, she had withdrawn into
+Poitou with her brother. This maiden, who was called Frances, had a
+bastard sister whom her father dearly loved, and whom he had married
+to the young Prince's butler, who maintained her in as excellent a
+condition as that of any of her family. It came to pass that the father
+died and left to Frances as her portion what he possessed near the town
+aforementioned, and thither she returned after his death; nevertheless,
+being unmarried and only sixteen years of age, she would not live alone
+in her house, but went to lodge with her sister, the butler's wife.
+
+On perceiving this girl, who was passably beautiful for a light
+brunette, and possessed a grace beyond her condition (for, indeed, she
+seemed rather a lady or princess than a towns-woman), the young Prince
+gazed at her for a long time, and he, who never yet had loved, now
+felt in his heart an unwonted delight. On returning to his apartment
+he inquired concerning the maiden he had seen in the church, and then
+recollected that formerly in her youth she had come to the castle to
+have dolls' play with his sister. He reminded the latter of her; and his
+sister sent for her, received her kindly, and begged her to come often
+to see her. This she did whenever there was a feast or entertainment;
+and the young Prince was so pleased to see her that he had in mind to
+be deeply in love with her, and, knowing her to be of low and poor
+parentage, hoped easily to obtain what he sought.
+
+Having no means of speaking with her, he sent a gentleman of his chamber
+to her to conduct his intrigue. But she, being discreet and fearing God,
+told the gentleman that she did not believe so handsome and honourable a
+Prince as his master could have pleasure in looking upon one so ugly as
+herself, since he had so many beautiful ladies in the castle where he
+lived, that he had no need to search through the town; and she added
+that in her opinion the gentleman was speaking of his own authority, and
+without his master's command.
+
+When the young Prince received this reply, love, which becomes the
+more eager the more it meets with resistance, caused him to pursue his
+enterprise more hotly than before, and to write her a letter in which he
+begged that she would believe all the gentleman had told her.
+
+Being well able to read and write, she read the letter through, but, in
+spite of all the gentleman's entreaties, she would never send an answer
+to it. It was not for one of such low degree, she said, to write to so
+noble a Prince, and she begged the gentleman not to deem her foolish
+enough to believe that the Prince had so much love for her. Moreover, he
+was deceived if he thought that he could have her at his will by reason
+of her humble condition; for her heart was as virtuous as that of the
+greatest Princess in Christendom, and she looked upon all the treasures
+in the world as naught in comparison with honour and a good conscience.
+She therefore entreated him not to try to hinder her from keeping these
+treasures safe her whole life long, for she would never change her mind
+even were she threatened with death.
+
+The young Prince did not find this reply to his liking, nevertheless he
+loved her dearly for it, and never failed to have his chair set in the
+church to which she went to hear mass, where, during the service, he
+would ever turn his eyes upon the same image. When she perceived this,
+she changed her place and went to another chapel--not indeed to flee the
+sight of him, for she would not have been a reasonable being had she not
+found pleasure in beholding him--but because she dreaded to be seen by
+him. She did not deem herself worthy to be loved by him in honour or
+marriage, and, on the other hand, she would not be loved wantonly and
+for pleasure. When she found that, in whatever part of the church she
+placed herself, the Prince heard mass close by, she would no longer
+go to the same church, but repaired every day to the remotest that she
+could find. And when there was feasting at the castle, although the
+Prince's sister often sent for her, she would no longer go thither, but
+excused herself on the plea of sickness.
+
+Finding that he could not have speech with her, the Prince had
+recourse to his butler, and promised him great rewards if he would lend
+assistance in the matter. This the butler, for the sake both of pleasing
+his master and of the gain that he expected, readily promised to do.
+Every day he would relate to the Prince what she said or did, telling
+him that she was especially careful to shun all opportunities of seeing
+him. However, the great desire that the Prince had of speaking with her
+at his ease, prompted him to devise the following plan.
+
+One day he took his chargers, which he was beginning to manage
+excellently well, to a large open space in the town opposite to his
+butler's house, in which Frances lived. After making many courses and
+leaps which she could easily see, he let himself fall from his horse
+into some deep mire, but so softly that he was not hurt. Nevertheless he
+uttered passably loud groans, and asked whether there was a house near
+in which he might change his dress. Every one offered his own, but on
+some one saying that the butler's was the nearest and worthiest, it was
+chosen before all the others.
+
+He found the room well furnished, and, as all his garments were soiled
+with the mud, he stripped himself to his shirt, and got into a bed.
+Then, when he saw that, except the gentleman aforementioned, every one
+was gone to bring him some clothes, he called his host and hostess and
+asked them where Frances was. They had much ado to find her, for, as
+soon as she had seen the young Prince coming in, she had gone to hide
+herself in the most retired nook in the house. Nevertheless her sister
+found her, and begged her not to be afraid to speak to so worshipful and
+virtuous a Prince.
+
+"What! sister," said Frances, "do you, whom I look upon as my mother,
+advise me to go and speak with a young lord, of whose purpose, as you
+are aware, I cannot be ignorant?"
+
+However, her sister addressed so many remonstrances to her, and promised
+so often not to leave her alone, that she at last went with her, showing
+so pale and sorry a face that she seemed more likely to beget compassion
+than desire.
+
+When the young Prince saw her by his bedside, he took hold of her hand,
+which was cold and trembling, and said to her--
+
+"Frances, do you deem me so wicked a man, and so strange and cruel, that
+I eat the women I look upon? Why have you come to be so afraid of me who
+seek only your honour and profit? You know that I have sought to hold
+converse with you in all possible places, but all in vain; and, to
+grieve me still more, you have even shunned the places where I had
+been wont to see you at mass, so that my eyes might bring me as little
+gladness as my tongue. But all this has availed you naught, for I have
+never rested until I came hither in the manner you have seen, and I have
+risked my neck, in allowing myself to fall, in order that I might have
+the joy of speaking to you without hindrance. I therefore entreat you,
+Frances, that the opportunity gained by so much toil may not be thrown
+away, and that my deep love may avail to win your own."
+
+After waiting a long time for her reply, and seeing that her eyes were
+full of tears and fixed upon the ground, he drew her to him as closely
+as he could, and tried to embrace and kiss her. But she said to him--
+
+"No, my lord, no; what you desire cannot be, for although I am but a
+worm of the earth compared with you, I hold my honour dear, and would
+rather die than lessen it for any pleasure that the world can give. And
+the dread I have lest those who have seen you come in should suspect the
+truth, makes me tremble and be afraid as you see. And, since it pleases
+you to do me the honour of speaking to me, you will also forgive me if
+I answer you according as my honour requires. I am not so foolish, my
+lord, nor so blind as not to perceive and recognise the comeliness and
+grace that God has given you, or not to consider that she who shall
+possess the person and love of such a Prince must be the happiest woman
+alive. But what does all this avail me, since it is not for me or any
+woman of my condition, and since even to long for it would, in me,
+be utter folly? What reason can I believe to be yours in addressing
+yourself to me except that the ladies in your house, whom you must love
+if you have any love for beauty and grace, are so virtuous that you dare
+not seek or expect from them what the lowliness of my condition has led
+you to expect from me? I am sure that if you obtained your desire from
+one such as I, it would afford matter for entertainment to your mistress
+during two good hours, to hear you tell her of your conquests over the
+weak. But, my lord, be pleased to bear in mind that I shall never be of
+their number. I have been brought up in your house, where I have learned
+what it is to love; my father and my mother were your faithful servants.
+Since, therefore, God has not made me a Princess to marry you, nor of
+sufficient rank to be your mistress and love, you will be pleased not to
+try to number me with the unfortunate, seeing that I deem and would have
+you to be one of the happiest Princes in Christendom. If for diversion
+you would have women of my condition, you will find in this town many
+who are beyond compare more beautiful than I, and who will spare you the
+pains of so many entreaties. Content yourself, then, with those to whom
+you will give pleasure by the purchase of their honour, and cease to
+trouble one who loves you more than she loves herself. For, indeed, if
+either your life or mine were required of God this day, I should esteem
+myself fortunate in offering mine to save yours. It is no lack of love
+that makes me shun your presence, but rather too great a love for your
+conscience and mine; for I hold my honour dearer than life. I will
+continue, my lord, if it please you, in your good grace, and will all my
+life pray God for your health and prosperity. And truly the honour that
+you have done me will lend me consideration among those of my own rank,
+for, after seeing you, where is the man of my own condition upon whom
+I could deign to look? So my heart will continue free save for the duty
+which shall always be mine of praying to God on your behalf. But no
+other service can you ever have of me."
+
+On hearing this virtuous reply, contrary though it was to his desires,
+the young Prince could not but esteem her as she deserved. He did all
+that he could to persuade her that he would never love another woman,
+but she was too prudent to suffer so unreasonable a thought to enter her
+mind. While they were talking together, word was often brought that his
+clothes were come from the castle, but such was his present pleasure and
+comfort, that he caused answer to be given that he was asleep. And this
+continued until the hour for supper was come, when he durst not fail
+to appear before his mother, who was one of the discreetest ladies
+imaginable.
+
+Accordingly, the young man left his butler's house thinking more highly
+than ever of the maiden's virtue. He often spoke of her to the gentleman
+that slept in his room, and the latter, who deemed money to be more
+powerful than love, advised his master to offer her a considerable sum
+if she would yield to his wishes. The young Prince, whose mother was his
+treasurer, had but little money for his pocket, but, borrowing as much
+as he was able, he made up the sum of five hundred crowns, which he sent
+by the gentleman to the girl, begging her to change her mind.
+
+But, when she saw the gift, she said to the gentleman--
+
+"I pray you tell my lord that I have a good and virtuous heart, and that
+if it were meet to obey his commands his comeliness and grace would
+ere now have vanquished me; but, since these have no power against my
+honour, all the money in the world can have none. Take it, therefore,
+back to him again, for I would rather enjoy virtuous poverty than all
+the wealth it were possible to desire."
+
+On beholding so much stubbornness, the gentleman thought that violence
+must needs be used to win her, and threatened her with his master's
+authority and power. But she laughed, and said--
+
+"Make those fear him who have no knowledge of him. For my part, I know
+him to be so discreet and virtuous that such discourse cannot come from
+him, and I feel sure that he will disown it when you repeat it to him.
+But even though he were what you say, there is neither torment nor death
+that would make me change my mind; for, as I have told you, since love
+has not turned my heart, no imaginable evil or good can divert me one
+step from the path that I have chosen."
+
+The gentleman, who had promised his master to win her, brought him back
+this reply in wondrous anger, and counselled him to persevere in every
+possible way, telling him that it was not to his honour to be unable to
+win a woman of her sort.
+
+The young Prince was unwilling to employ any means but such as honour
+enjoins, and was also afraid that if the affair made any noise, and so
+came to his mother's ears, she would be greatly angered with him. He
+therefore durst make no attempt, until at last the gentleman proposed to
+him so simple a plan that he could already fancy her to be in his power.
+In order to carry it into execution he spoke to the butler; and he,
+being anxious to serve his master in any way that might be, begged his
+wife and sister-in-law one day to go and visit their vintages at a house
+he had near the forest. And this they promised to do.
+
+When the day was come, he informed the Prince, who resolved to go
+thither alone with the gentleman, and caused his mule to be secretly
+held in readiness, that they might set out at the proper time. But God
+willed it that his mother should that day be garnishing a most beautiful
+cabinet, (2) and needed all her children with her to help her, and thus
+the young Prince lingered there until the hour was past.
+
+There was, however, no hindrance to the departure of the butler, who had
+brought his sister-in-law to his house, riding behind him, (3) and
+had made his wife feign sickness, so that when they were already on
+horseback she had come and said that she could not go with them. But
+now, seeing that the hour at which the Prince should have come was gone
+by, he said to his sister-in-law--
+
+"I think we may now return to the town."
+
+     2  The French word here is _cabinet_, which some English
+     translators have rendered as "little room." We think,
+     however, with the Bibliophile Jacob, that the allusion is to
+     an article of furniture, such as we ourselves still call a
+     cabinet in England, though in France the word has virtually
+     lost that sense.--Ed.
+
+     3  The MSS. do not say whether she rode on a pillion, or
+     simply bestrode the horse. This last fashion was still
+     common at this period and long afterwards, even among women
+     of high degree. See, for instance, several of the enamels in
+     the Louvre, notably one which depicts Henry II. of France
+     with Diana of Poitiers riding behind him. The practice is
+     also referred to in a sixteenth century ballad. "La
+     Superfluity des habitz des Dames" (_Anciennes Poesies
+     Francaises_. Bib. Elzev. 1858, p. 308).--M.
+
+"What is there to hinder us from doing so?" asked Frances.
+
+"Why," said the butler, "I was waiting here for my lord, who had
+promised me that he would come."
+
+When his sister-in-law heard this wickedness, she replied--
+
+"Do not wait for him, brother, for I know that he will not come to-day."
+
+The brother-in-law believed her and brought her back again, and when she
+had reached home she let him know her extreme anger, telling him that he
+was the devil's servant, and did yet more than he was commanded, for she
+was sure that the plan had been devised by him and the gentleman and not
+by the young Prince, whose money he would rather earn by aiding him in
+his follies, than by doing the duty of a good servant. However, now that
+she knew his real nature, she would remain no longer in his house,
+and thereupon indeed she sent for her brother to take her to his own
+country, and immediately left her sister's dwelling.
+
+Having thus failed in his attempt, the butler went to the castle to
+learn what had prevented the arrival of the young Prince, and he had
+scarcely come thither when he met the Prince himself sallying forth
+on his mule, and attended only by the gentleman in whom he put so much
+trust.
+
+"Well," the Prince asked of him, "is she still there?"
+
+Thereupon the butler related all that had taken place.
+
+The young Prince was deeply vexed at having failed in his plan, which he
+looked upon as the very last that he could devise, but, seeing that it
+could not be helped, he sought out Frances so diligently that at last
+he met her in a gathering from which she could not escape. He then
+upbraided her very harshly for her cruelty towards him, and for having
+left her brother-in-law, but she made answer that the latter was, in
+regard to herself, the worst and most dangerous man she had ever known,
+though he, the Prince, was greatly beholden to him, seeing that he
+was served by him not only with body and substance, but with soul and
+conscience as well.
+
+When the Prince perceived by this that the case was a hopeless one, he
+resolved to urge her no more, and esteemed her highly all his life.
+
+Seeing this maiden's goodness, one of the said Prince's attendants
+desired to marry her, but to this she would not consent without the
+command and license of the young Prince, upon whom she had set all her
+affection; and this she caused to be made known to him, and with his
+approval the marriage was concluded. And so she lived all her life in
+good repute, and the young Prince bestowed great benefits upon her. (4)
+
+     4  We take this concluding paragraph from MS. 1520; it is
+     deficient in ours.--L.
+
+"What shall we say to this, ladies? Have we hearts so base as to make
+our servants our masters--seeing that this woman was not to be subdued
+either by love or torment? Let us, I pray you, take example by her
+conduct and conquer ourselves, for this is the most meritorious conquest
+that we can make."
+
+"I see but one thing to be regretted," said Oisille, "which is that
+these virtuous actions did not take place in the days of the old
+historians. Those who gave so much praise to their Lucretia would have
+neglected her to set down at length the virtues of this maiden."
+
+"They are indeed so great," said Hircan, "that, were it not for the
+solemn vow that we have taken to speak the truth, I could not believe
+her to have been what you describe. We have often seen sick persons
+turn in disgust from good and wholesome meats to eat such as are bad and
+hurtful, and in the same way this girl may have had some gentleman of
+her own estate for whose sake she despised all nobility."
+
+But to this Parlemente replied that the girl's whole life showed that
+she had never loved any living man save him whom she loved more than her
+very life, though not more than her honour.
+
+"Put that notion out of your head," said Saffredent, "and learn the
+origin of the term 'honour' as used among women; for perhaps those
+that speak so much of it are ignorant of how the name was devised. Know
+then that in the earliest times, when there was but little wickedness
+among men, love was so frank and strong that it was never concealed, and
+he who loved the most perfectly received most praise. But when greed and
+sinfulness fastened upon heart and honour, they drove out God and love,
+and in their place set up selfishness, hypocrisy and deceit. Then, when
+some ladies found that they fostered in their hearts the virtue of true
+love but that the word 'hypocrisy' was hateful among men, they adopted
+instead the word 'honour.' At last, too, even those who could feel no
+honourable love said that 'honour' forbade them, and cruelly made this a
+law for all, so that now even those who love perfectly use concealment,
+holding virtue for a vice. But such as have an excellent understanding
+and a sound judgment never fall into any such error. They know the
+difference between darkness and light, and are aware that true honour
+consists in manifesting the purity of their hearts, (which should
+live upon love alone), and not in priding themselves on the vice of
+dissimulation."
+
+"Yet," said Dagoucin, "it is said that the most secret love is the most
+worthy of praise."
+
+"Ay, secret," said Simontault, "from the eyes of those who might
+misjudge it, but open and manifest at least to the two persons whom it
+concerns."
+
+"So I take it," said Dagoucin, "but it would be better to have one of
+the two ignorant of it rather than have it known to a third. I believe
+that the love of the woman in the story was all the deeper for not being
+declared."
+
+"Be that as it may," said Longarine, "virtue should be esteemed, and
+the highest virtue is to subdue one's own heart. Considering the
+opportunities that the maiden had of forgetting conscience and honour,
+and the virtue she displayed in all these opportunities and temptations
+by subduing her heart, will, and even him whom she loved better than
+herself, I say that she might well be called a strong woman. And, since
+you measure virtue by the mortification of self, I say that the lord
+deserved higher praise than she, if we remember the greatness of his
+love, his opportunities, and his power. Yet he would not offend against
+that rule of true love which renders prince and peasant equal, but
+employed only such means as honour allows."
+
+"There are many," said Hircan, "who would not have acted in the same
+way."
+
+"So much the more is he to be esteemed," said Longarine, "in having
+subdued the common craftiness of men. He who can do evil and yet does it
+not is happy indeed."
+
+"Your words," said Geburon, "remind me of one who was more afraid of
+doing wrong in the eyes of men than of offending against God, her honour
+and love."
+
+"Then I pray you tell us the story," said Parlamente, "for I give you my
+vote."
+
+"There are some persons," said Geburon, "who have no God, or, if they
+believe in one, think Him so far away that He can neither see nor know
+the wicked acts that they commit; or, if He does, imagine that He pays
+no heed to things here below, and is too careless to punish them. Of
+this opinion was a lady, whose name I will alter for the sake of her
+family, and whom I will call Jambicque.( 5) She used often to say that a
+woman who had only God to deal with was very fortunate, if for the rest
+she was able to maintain her honour among men. But you will see, ladies,
+that her prudence and her hypocrisy did not prevent her secret from
+being discovered, as will appear from her story, wherein the truth shall
+be set forth in full, except that the names of persons and places will
+be changed."
+
+     5  Some of the MSS. give the name as Camele or Camille,
+     which is also that adopted by Boaistuau.--L.
+
+
+[Illustration: 142.jpg Tailpiece]
+
+[Illustration: 143a.jpg Jambicque repudiating her Lover]
+
+[Jambicque repudiating her Lover]
+
+[Illustration: 143.jpg Page Image]
+
+
+
+
+_TALE XLIII_.
+
+     _Jambicque, preferring the praise of the world to a good
+     conscience, strove to appear before men other than site
+     really was; but her friend and lover discovered her
+     hypocrisy by means of a little chalk-mark, and made known to
+     everybody the wickedness that she was at such pains to
+     hide_.
+
+There dwelt in a very handsome castle a high and mighty Princess, who
+had in her train a very haughty lady called Jambicque. (1) The latter
+had so deceived her mistress that the Princess did nothing save by her
+advice, deeming her the discreetest and most virtuous lady of her day.
+
+     1  There are no means of positively identifying this woman.
+     Brantome, who refers at length to the above tale in his
+     _Vies des Dames Galantes_ (Lalanne's edition, pp. 236-8),
+     implies that he knew her name but would not tell it. He
+     says, however, that "she was a widow and lady of honour to a
+     very great Princess, and knew better how to play the prude
+     than any other lady at Court."--M.
+
+This Jambicque used greatly to inveigh against wanton passion, and
+whenever she perceived any gentleman in love with one of her companions,
+she would chide them with much harshness, and, by making ill report
+of them to her mistress, often cause them to be rebuked; hence she was
+feared far more than she was loved by all the household. As for
+herself, she never spoke to a man except in a loud voice, and with
+much haughtiness, and was therefore reputed a deadly enemy to all love.
+Nevertheless, it was quite otherwise with her heart, for there was a
+gentleman in her mistress's service towards whom she entertained so
+strong a passion that, at last, she could no longer endure it. (2)
+
+     2  Brantome writes as follows concerning the gentleman
+     referred to above: "According to what I have heard from my
+     mother, [Anne de Vivonne, wife of Francis de Bourdeille],
+     who was in the Queen of Navarre's service and knew some of
+     her secrets, and was herself one of the narrators [of the
+     _Heptameron_, i.e., Ennasuite], this gentleman was my late
+     uncle La Chastaigneraye, who was brusque, hasty, and rather
+     fickle. The tale, however, is so disguised as to hide this,
+     for my said uncle was never in the service of the great
+     Princess, who was mistress of the lady [Jambicque], but in
+     that of the King her brother." This shows the Princess to
+     have been Queen Margaret herself; and Jambicque, being
+     described by Brantome as a widow and lady of honour to the
+     Princess, might possibly be Blanche de Tournon ( Madame de
+     Chastillon), concerning whom see vol. i. of the present
+     work, p. 84 (note 7) and pp. 122-4. Her successor as lady of
+     honour to Margaret was Brantome's own grandmother, of whom
+     he says that she was not so shrewd, artful, or ready-witted
+     in love matters as her predecessor. On the other hand,
+     Blanche de Tournon must have been over forty when La
+     Chastaigneraye engaged in this adventure, even allowing that
+     he was only a youth at the time.--Ed.
+
+The regard which she had for honour and good name caused her to conceal
+her affection, but after she had been consumed by this passion for a
+full year, being unwilling to find relief as other lovers do in look and
+speech, she felt her heart so aflame that, in the end, she sought the
+final cure. And she resolved that it were better to satisfy her desire
+with none but God in the secret of her heart, rather than speak of it to
+a man who might some time make it known.
+
+After taking this resolve, she chanced to be one day in her mistress's
+apartment, when, looking out upon a terrace, she perceived walking there
+the man whom she so dearly loved. She gazed upon him until the falling
+darkness was hiding him from her sight, when she called a little page of
+hers, and pointing to the gentleman, said--
+
+"Do you see yonder that gentleman who wears a crimson satin doublet and
+cloak of lynx fur? Go and tell him that one of his friends would speak
+with him in the garden gallery."
+
+As soon as the page was gone, she herself passed through her mistress's
+wardrobe and into the gallery, having first put on her low hood and
+half-mask. (3)
+
+     3  See _ante_, vol. iii. p. 27.
+
+When the gentleman was come to where she was waiting, she immediately
+shut the two doors by which they might have been surprised, and then,
+without taking off her mask, embraced him very closely, and in the
+softest whisper imaginable said--
+
+"For a long time, sweetheart, the love I bear you has made me desire
+time and place for speaking with you, but fearfulness for my honour was
+for a while so strong as to oblige me, in my own despite, to conceal my
+passion. Albeit, in the end, the strength of love has vanquished fear,
+and, in the knowledge that I have of your honour, I protest to you that
+if you will promise to love me without ever speaking of the matter to
+any one, or asking of me who I am, I will be your true and faithful
+sweetheart, and will never love any man but you. But I would rather die
+than that you should know who I am."
+
+The gentleman promised her what she asked, which made her very ready
+to do as much for him, namely, to refuse him nothing he might desire
+to have. It was between five and six o'clock in winter-time, so that
+he could see nothing of the lady, but by the touch of her dress he
+perceived that it was of velvet, which at that time was not worn every
+day except by ladies of high and mighty lineage. And so far as his hand
+could let him judge of what was beneath, there was nothing there that
+was not excellent, trim, and plump. Accordingly, he was at pains to
+entertain her as well as he was able. She on her part did no less, and
+the gentleman readily perceived that she was a married woman.
+
+She desired afterwards to return immediately to the place whence she had
+come, but the gentleman said to her--
+
+"I esteem greatly the undeserved favour that you have shown me, but I
+shall esteem still more that which you may bestow at my request. So well
+pleased am I by this your kindness, that I would fain learn whether I
+may not look for more of the same sort, and, also, in what manner you
+would have me act; for, knowing you not, I shall be powerless to woo."
+
+"Have no concern," said the lady, "about that. You may rest assured that
+every evening, before my mistress sups, I shall not fail to send for
+you, and do you be in readiness on the terrace where you were just now.
+I shall merely send you word to remember what you have promised, and in
+this way you will know that I am waiting for you here in the gallery.
+But if you hear talk of going to table, you may withdraw for that day
+or else come into our mistress's apartment. Above all things, I pray
+you will never seek to know me, if you would not forthwith bring our
+friendship to an end."
+
+So the lady and the gentleman went their several ways. And although
+their love affair lasted for a great while, he could never learn who she
+was. He pondered much upon the matter, wondering within himself who she
+might be. He could not imagine that any woman in the world would fain be
+unseen and unloved; and, having heard some foolish preacher say that no
+one who had looked upon the face of the devil could ever love him, he
+suspected that his mistress might be some evil spirit.
+
+In this perplexity he resolved to try and find out who it was that
+entertained him so well, and when next she sent for him he brought some
+chalk, and, while embracing her, marked the back of her shoulder without
+her knowledge. Then, as soon as she was gone, the gentleman went with
+all speed to his mistress's apartment, and stood beside the door in
+order to look from behind at the shoulders of those ladies that might go
+in.
+
+He saw Jambicque enter among the rest, but with so haughty a bearing
+that he feared to look at her as keenly as at the others, and felt quite
+sure that it could not have been she. Nevertheless, when her back
+was turned, he perceived the chalk mark, whereat he was so greatly
+astonished that he could hardly believe his eyes.
+
+However, after considering both her figure, which was just such a one as
+his hands had known, and her features, which he recognised in the same
+way, he perceived that it was indeed none other than herself. And he was
+well pleased to think that a woman who had never been reputed to have a
+lover, and who had refused so many worthy gentlemen, should have chosen
+himself alone.
+
+But Love, which is ever changeful of mood, could not suffer him to live
+long in such repose, but, filling him with self-conceit and hope, led
+him to make known his love, in the expectation that she would then hold
+him still more dear.
+
+One day, when the Princess was in the garden, the lady Jambicque went to
+walk in a pathway by herself. The gentleman, seeing that she was alone,
+went up to converse with her, and, as though he had never elsewhere met
+her, spoke as follows--
+
+"Mistress, I have long borne towards you in my heart an affection which,
+through dread of displeasing you, I have never ventured to reveal. But
+now my pain has come to be such that I can no longer endure it and live,
+for I think that no man could ever have loved you as I do."
+
+The Lady Jambicque would not allow him to finish his discourse, but said
+to him in great wrath--
+
+"Did you ever hear or see that I had sweetheart or lover? I trow not,
+and am indeed astonished to find you bold enough to address such words
+to a virtuous woman like me. You have lived in the same house long
+enough to know that I shall never love other than my husband; beware,
+then, of speaking further after this fashion."
+
+At this hypocrisy the gentleman could not refrain from laughing and
+saying to her--
+
+"You are not always so stern, madam, as you are now. What boots it to
+use such concealment towards me? Is it not better to have a perfect than
+an imperfect love?"
+
+"I have no love for you," replied Jambicque, "whether perfect or
+imperfect, except such as I bear to the rest of my mistress's servants.
+But if you speak further to me as you have spoken now, I shall perhaps
+have such hatred for you as may be to your hurt."
+
+However, the gentleman persisted in his discourse.
+
+"Where," said he, "is the kindness that you show me when I cannot see
+you? Why do you withhold it from me now when the light suffers me to
+behold both your beauty and your excellent and perfect grace?"
+
+Jambicque, making a great sign of the cross, replied--
+
+"Either you have lost your understanding or you are the greatest liar
+alive. Never in my life have I to my knowledge shown you more kindness
+or less than I do at this moment, and I pray you therefore tell me what
+it is you mean."
+
+Then the unhappy gentleman, thinking to better his fortune with her,
+told her of the place where he had met her, and of the chalk-mark which
+he had made in order to recognise her, on hearing which she was so
+beside herself with anger as to tell him that he was the wickedest of
+men, and that she would bring him to repent of the foul falsehood that
+he had invented against her.
+
+The gentleman, knowing how well she stood with her mistress, sought to
+soothe her, but he found it impossible to do so; for, leaving him where
+he stood, she furiously betook herself to her mistress, who, loving
+Jambicque as she did herself, left all the company to come and speak
+with her, and, on finding her in such great wrath, inquired of her what
+the matter was. Thereupon Jambicque, who had no wish to hide it, related
+all the gentleman's discourse, and this she did so much to the unhappy
+man's disadvantage, that on the very same evening his mistress commanded
+him to withdraw forthwith to his own home without speaking with anyone
+and to stay there until he should be sent for. And this he did right
+speedily, for fear of worse. (4)
+
+     4  It has been mentioned in note 2 that the gentleman in
+     question was Brantome's uncle La Chastaigneraye. Born,
+     according to most accounts, in 1520, Francis de Vivonne,
+     Lord of La Chastaigneraye, was a godson of Francis I., and
+     early displayed marked skill and prowess in all bodily
+     exercises and feats of arms. He was, however, of a very
+     quarrelsome disposition, and had several duels. A dispute
+     arising between him and Guy de Chabot, Lord of Jarnac, they
+     solicited permission to fight, but Francis I. would not
+     accord it, and it was only after the accession of Henry II.
+     that the encounter took place. The spot fixed upon was the
+     park of St. Germain-en-Laye, and the King and the whole
+     Court were present (July 10, 1547)--In the result, La
+     Chastaigneraye was literally ham-strung by a back-thrust
+     known to this day as the _coup de Jarnac_. The victor
+     thereupon begged the King to accept his adversary's life and
+     person, and Henry, after telling Jamac that "he had fought
+     like Caesar and spoken like Cicero," caused La Chastaigneraye
+     to be carried to his tent that his wound might be dressed.
+     Deeply humiliated by his defeat, however, the vanquished
+     combatant tore off his bandages and bled to death.--Ed.
+
+So long as Jambicque dwelt with her mistress, the gentleman returned
+not to the Princess's house, nor did he ever have tidings of her who had
+vowed to him that he should lose her as soon as he might seek her out.
+(5)
+
+     5  After referring to this tale Brantome adds that he had
+     heard tell of another Court lady who was minded to imitate
+     Jambicque, but who, "every time she returned from her
+     assignation, went straight to her room, and let one of her
+     serving maids examine her on all sides to see if she were
+     marked. By this means she guarded herself against being
+     surprised and recognised, and indeed was never marked until
+     at her ninth assignation, when the mark was at once
+     discovered by her women. And thereupon, for fear of scandal
+     and opprobrium, she broke off her intrigue and never more
+     returned to the appointed spot. Some one said 'twould have
+     been better if she had let her lover mark her as often as he
+     liked, and each time have had his marks effaced, for in this
+     wise she would have reaped a double pleasure--contentment in
+     love and satisfaction at duping her lover, who, like he who
+     seeks the Philosopher's Stone, would have toiled hard to
+     discover and identify her, without ever succeeding in doing
+     so."--(Lalanne's _OEuvres de Brantome_, pp. 236-8).--M.
+
+"By this tale, ladies, you may see how one who preferred the world's
+esteem to a good conscience lost both the one and the other. For now
+may the eyes of all men read what she strove to hide from those of her
+lover, and so, whilst fleeing the derision of one, she has incurred the
+derision of all. Nor can she be held excused on the score of simplicity
+and artless love, for which all men should have pity, but she must
+be condemned twice over for having concealed her wickedness with the
+twofold cloak of honour and glory, and for making herself appear before
+God and man other than she really was. He, however, who gives not His
+glory to another, took this cloak from off her and so brought her to
+double shame."
+
+"Her wickedness," said Oisille, "was without excuse. None can defend her
+when God, Honour, and even Love are her accusers."
+
+"Nay," said Hircan, "Pleasure and Folly may; they are the true chief
+advocates of the ladies."
+
+"If we had no other advocates," said Parlamente, "than those you name,
+our cause would indeed be ill supported; but those who are vanquished
+by pleasure ought no longer to be called women but rather men, whose
+reputation is merely exalted by frenzy and lust. When a man takes
+vengeance upon his enemy and slays him for giving him the lie, he is
+deemed all the more honourable a gentleman for it; and so, too, when he
+loves a dozen women besides his own wife. But the reputation of women
+has a different foundation, that, namely, of gentleness, patience and
+chastity."
+
+"You speak of the discreet," said Hircan.
+
+"Yes," returned Parlamente, "because I will know none others."
+
+"If none were wanton," said Nomerfide, "those who would fain be believed
+by all the world must often have lied."
+
+"Pray, Nomerfide," said Geburon, "receive my vote, and forget that you
+are a woman, in order that we may learn what some men that are accounted
+truthful say of the follies of your sex."
+
+"Since virtue compels me to it, and you have made it my turn, I will
+tell you what I know. I have not heard any lady or gentleman present
+speak otherwise than to the disadvantage of the Grey Friars, and out of
+pity I have resolved to speak well of them in the story that I am now
+about to relate."
+
+
+[Illustration: 155.jpg Tailpiece]
+
+[Illustration: 157.jpg Page Image]
+
+
+
+
+_TALE XLIV.(A)_.
+
+     _In reward for not having concealed the truth, the Lord of
+     Sedan doubled the alms of a Grey Friar, who thus received
+     two pigs instead of one_. (1)
+
+To the castle of Sedan once came a Grey Friar to ask my Lady of Sedan,
+who was of the house of Crouy, (2) for a pig, which she was wont to give
+to his Order every year as alms.
+
+     1  This tale, though it figures in all the MSS., does not
+     appear in Gruget's edition of the _Heptameron_, but is there
+     replaced by the one that follows, XLIV. (B).--Ed.
+
+     2  This Lady of Sedan is Catherine de Croi, daughter of
+     Philip VI. de Croi, Count of Chimay. In 1491 she married
+     Robert II. do la Marck, Duke of Bouillon, Lord of Sedan,
+     Fleuranges, &c., who was long the companion in arms of
+     Bayard and La Tremoille. Robert II. lost the duchy of
+     Bouillon through the conquests of Charles V., and one of the
+     clauses of the treaty of Cambrai (the "Ladies' Peace") was
+     that Francis I. would in no wise assist him to regain it.
+     His eldest son by Catherine de Croi was the celebrated
+     Marshal de Fleuranges, "the young adventurer," who left such
+     curious memoirs behind him. Robert II. died in 1535, his son
+     surviving him a couple of years.--Anselme's _Histoire
+     Genealogique_, vol. vii. p. 167.--L. and B. J.
+
+My Lord of Sedan, who was a prudent man and a merry talker, had the good
+father to eat at his table, and in order to put him on his mettle said
+to him, among other things--
+
+"Good father, you do well to make your collection while you are yet
+unknown. I greatly fear that, if once your hypocrisy be found out, you
+will no longer receive the bread of poor children, earned by the sweat
+of their fathers."
+
+The Grey Friar was not abashed by these words, but replied--
+
+"Our Order, my lord, is so securely founded that it will endure as long
+as the world exists. Our foundation, indeed, cannot fail so long as
+there are men and women on the earth."
+
+My Lord of Sedan, being desirous of knowing on what foundation the
+existence of the Grey Friars was thus based, urgently begged the father
+to tell him.
+
+After making many excuses, the Friar at last replied--
+
+"Since you are pleased to command me to tell you, you shall hear. Know,
+then, my lord, that our foundation is the folly of women, and that so
+long as there be a wanton or foolish woman in the world we shall not die
+of hunger."
+
+My Lady of Sedan, who was very passionate, was in such wrath on hearing
+these words, that, had her husband not been present, she would have
+dealt harshly with the Grey Friar; and indeed she swore roundly that
+he should not have the pig that she had promised him; but the Lord of
+Sedan, finding that he had not concealed the truth, swore that he should
+have two, and caused them to be sent to his monastery.
+
+"You see, ladies, how the Grey Friar, being sure that the favour of
+the ladies could not fail him, contrived, by concealing nothing of the
+truth, to win the favour and alms of men. Had he been a flatterer and
+dissembler, he would have been more pleasing to the ladies, but not so
+profitable to himself and his brethren."
+
+The tale was not concluded without making the whole company laugh,
+and especially such among them as knew the Lord and Lady of Sedan. And
+Hircan said--"The Grey Friars, then, should never preach with intent to
+make women wise, since their folly is of so much service to the Order."
+
+"They do not preach to them," said Parlamente, "with intent to make
+them wise, but only to make them think themselves so. Women who are
+altogether worldly and foolish do not give them much alms; nevertheless,
+those who think themselves the wisest because they go often to
+monasteries, and carry paternosters marked with a death's head, and wear
+caps lower than others, must also be accounted foolish, for they rest
+their salvation on their confidence in the holiness of wicked men, whom
+they are led by a trifling semblance to regard as demigods."
+
+"But who could help believing them," said Enna-suite, "since they have
+been ordained by our prelates to preach the Gospel to us and rebuke our
+sins?"
+
+"Those who have experienced their hypocrisy," said Parlamente, "and who
+know the difference between the doctrine of God and that of the devil."
+
+"Jesus!" said Ennasuite. "Can you think that these men would dare to
+preach false doctrine?"
+
+"Think?" replied Parlamente. "Nay, I am sure that they believe anything
+but the Gospel. I speak only of the bad among them; for I know many
+worthy men who preach the Scriptures in all purity and simplicity, and
+live without reproach, ambition, or covetousness, and in such chastity
+as is unfeigned and free. However, the streets are not paved with such
+as these, but are rather distinguished by their opposites; and the good
+tree is known by its fruit."
+
+"In very sooth," said Ennasuite, "I thought we were bound on pain of
+mortal sin to believe all they tell us from the pulpit as truth, that
+is, when they speak of what is in the Holy Scriptures, or cite the
+expositions of holy doctrines divinely inspired."
+
+"For my part," said Parlamente, "I cannot but see that there are men of
+very corrupt faith among them. I know that one of them, a Doctor of
+Theology and a Principal in their Order, (3) sought to persuade many of
+the brethren that the Gospel was no more worthy of belief than Caesar's
+Commentaries or any other histories written by learned men of authority;
+and from the hour I heard that I would believe no preacher's word unless
+I found it in harmony with the Word of God, which is the true touchstone
+for distinguishing between truth and falsehood."
+
+     3  In MS. No. 1520 this passage runs, "a Doctor of Theology
+     named Colimant, a great preacher and a Principal in their
+     Order." However, none of the numerous works on the history
+     of the Franciscans makes any mention of a divine called
+     Colimant.--B. J.
+
+"Be assured," said Oisille, "that those who read it constantly and with
+humility will never be led into error by deceits or human inventions;
+for whosoever has a mind filled with truth cannot believe a lie."
+
+"Yet it seems to me," said Simontault, "that a simple person is more
+readily deceived than another."
+
+"Yes," said Longarine, "if you deem foolishness to be the same thing as
+simplicity."
+
+"I affirm," replied Simontault, "that a good, gentle and simple woman is
+more readily deceived than one who is wily and wicked."
+
+"I think," said Nomerfide, "that you must know of one overflowing with
+such goodness, and so I give you my vote that you may tell us of her."
+
+"Since you have guessed so well," said Simontault, "I will indeed tell
+you of her, but you must promise not to weep. Those who declare, ladies,
+that your craftiness surpasses that of men would find it hard to bring
+forward such an instance as I am now about to relate, wherein I propose
+to show you not only the exceeding craftiness of a husband, but also the
+simplicity and goodness of his wife."
+
+
+
+[Illustration: 162.jpg Tailpiece]
+
+[Illustration: 163a.jpg The Lovers returning from their Meeting in the Garden]
+
+[The Lovers returning from their Meeting in the Garden]
+
+[Illustration: 163.jpg Page Image]
+
+
+
+
+_TALE XLIV. (B)_.
+
+     _Concerning the subtlety of two lovers in the enjoyment of
+     their love, and the happy issue of the latter_. (1)
+
+     1  This is the tale given by Gruget in his edition of the
+     _Heptameron_, in lieu of the preceding one.--Ed.
+
+In the city of Paris there lived two citizens of middling condition, of
+whom one had a profession, while the other was a silk mercer. These two
+were very old friends and constant companions, and so it happened that
+the son of the former, a young man, very presentable in good company,
+and called James, used often by his father's favour to visit the
+mercer's house. This, however, he did for the sake of the mercer's
+beautiful daughter named Frances, whom he loved; and so well did James
+contrive matters with her, that he came to know her to be no less loving
+than loved.
+
+Whilst matters were in this state, however, a camp was formed in
+Provence in view of withstanding the descent of Charles of Austria, (2)
+and James, being called upon the list, was obliged to betake himself to
+the army. At the very beginning of the campaign his father passed from
+life into death, the tidings whereof brought him double sorrow, on the
+one part for the loss of his father, and on the other for the difficulty
+he should have on his return in seeing his sweetheart as often as he had
+hoped.
+
+     2  Charles V. entered Provence by way of Piedmont in the
+     summer of 1536, and invested Marseilles. A scarcity of
+     supplies and much sickness among his troops compelled him,
+     however, to raise the siege.--M.
+
+As time went on, the first of these griefs was forgotten and the other
+increased. Since death is a natural thing, and for the most part
+befalls the father before the children, the sadness it causes gradually
+disappears; but love, instead of bringing us death, brings us life
+through the procreation of children, in whom we have immortality, and
+this it is which chiefly causes our desires to increase.
+
+James, therefore, when he had returned to Paris, thought or cared for
+nothing save how he might renew his frequent visits to the mercer's
+house, and so, under cloak of pure friendship for him, traffic in his
+dearest wares. On the other hand, during his absence, Frances had been
+urgently sought by others, both because of her beauty and of her wit,
+and also because she was long since come to marriageable years; but
+whether it was that her father was avaricious, or that, since she was
+his only daughter, he was over anxious to establish her well, he failed
+to perform his duty in the matter. This, however, tended but little to
+her honour, for in these days people speak ill of one long before they
+have any reason to do so, and particularly in aught that concerns the
+chastity of a beautiful woman or maid. Her father did not shut his ears
+or eyes to the general gossip, nor seek resemblance with many others
+who, instead of rebuking wrongdoing, seem rather to incite their wives
+and children to it, for he kept her with such strictness that even those
+who sought her with offers of marriage could see her but seldom, and
+then only in presence of her mother.
+
+It were needless to ask whether James found all this hard of endurance.
+He could not conceive that such rigour should be without weighty reason,
+and therefore wavered greatly between love and jealousy. However, he
+resolved at all risks to learn the cause, but wished first of all to
+know whether her affection was the same as before; he therefore set
+about this, and coming one morning to church, he placed himself near her
+to hear mass, and soon perceived by her countenance that she was no less
+glad to see him than he was to see her. Accordingly, knowing that the
+mother was less stern than the father, he was sometimes, when he met
+them on their way to church, bold enough to accost them as though by
+chance, and with a familiar and ordinary greeting; all, however, being
+done expressly so that he might the better work his ends.
+
+To be brief, when the year of mourning for his father was drawing to an
+end, he resolved, on laying aside his weeds, to cut a good figure and
+do credit to his forefathers; and of this he spoke to his mother, who
+approved his design; for having but two children, himself and a daughter
+already well and honourably mated, she greatly desired to see him
+suitably married. And, indeed, like the worthy lady that she was, she
+still further incited his heart in the direction of virtue by countless
+instances of other young men of his own age who were making their way
+unaided, or at least were showing themselves worthy of those from whom
+they sprang.
+
+It now only remained to determine where they should equip themselves,
+and the mother said--
+
+"I am of opinion, James, that we should go to our friend Master
+Peter,"--that is, to the father of Frances--"for, knowing us, he will
+not cheat us."
+
+His mother was indeed tickling him where he itched; however, he held
+firm and replied--
+
+"We will go where we may find the cheapest and the best. Still," he
+added, "for the sake of his friendship with my departed father, I am
+willing that we should visit him first."
+
+Matters being thus contrived, the mother and son went one morning to see
+Master Peter, who made them welcome; for traders, as you know, are never
+backward in this respect. They caused great quantities of all kinds of
+silk to be displayed before them, and chose what they required; but they
+could not agree upon the price, for James haggled on purpose, because
+his sweetheart's mother did not come in. So at last they went away
+without buying anything, in order to see what could be done elsewhere.
+But James could find nothing so handsome as in his sweetheart's house,
+and thither after a while they returned.
+
+The mercer's wife was now there and gave them the best reception
+imaginable, and after such bargaining as is common in shops of the kind,
+during which Peter's wife proved even harder than her husband, James
+said to her--
+
+"In sooth, madam, you are very hard to deal with. I can see how it is;
+we have lost my father, and our friends recognise us no longer."
+
+So saying, he pretended to weep and wipe his eyes at thought of his
+departed father; but 'twas done in order to further his design.
+
+The good widow, his mother, took the matter in perfect faith, and on her
+part said--
+
+"We are as little visited since his death as if we had never been known.
+Such is the regard in which poor widows are held!"
+
+Upon this the two women exchanged fresh declarations of affection,
+and promised to see each other oftener than ever. While they were thus
+discoursing, there came in other traders, whom the master himself led
+into the back shop. Then the young man perceived his opportunity, and
+said to his mother--
+
+"I have often on feast days seen this good lady going to visit the holy
+places in our neighbourhood, and especially the convents. Now if, when
+passing, she would sometimes condescend to take wine with us, she would
+do us at once pleasure and honour."
+
+The mercer's wife, who suspected no harm, replied that for more than a
+fortnight past she had intended to go thither, that, if it were fair,
+she would probably do so on the following Sunday, and that she would
+then certainly visit the lady at her house. This affair being concluded,
+the bargain for the silk quickly followed, since, for the sake of a
+little money, 'twould have been foolish to let slip so excellent an
+opportunity.
+
+When matters had been thus contrived, and the merchandise taken
+away, James, knowing that he could not alone achieve so difficult an
+enterprise, was constrained to make it known to a faithful friend
+named Oliver, and they took such good counsel together that nothing now
+remained but to put their plan into execution.
+
+Accordingly, when Sunday was come, the mercer's wife and her daughter,
+on returning from worship, failed not to visit the widow, whom they
+found talking with a neighbour in a gallery that looked upon the garden,
+while her daughter was walking in the pathways with James and Oliver.
+
+When James saw his sweetheart, he so controlled himself that his
+countenance showed no change, and in this sort went forward to receive
+the mother and her daughter. Then, as the old commonly seek the old,
+the three ladies sat down together on a bench with their backs to the
+garden, whither the lovers gradually made their way, and at last reached
+the place where were the other two. Thus meeting, they exchanged some
+courtesies and then began to walk about once more, whereupon the young
+man related his pitiful case to Frances, and this so well that, while
+unwilling to grant, she yet durst not refuse what he sought; and he
+could indeed see that she was in a sore strait. It must, however, be
+understood that, while thus discoursing, they often, to take away all
+ground for suspicion, passed and repassed in front of the shelter-place
+where the worthy dames were seated--talking the while on commonplace and
+ordinary matters, and at times disporting themselves through the garden.
+
+At last, in the space of half-an-hour, when the good women had become
+well accustomed to this behaviour, James made a sign to Oliver, who
+played his part with the girl that was with him so cleverly, that she
+did not perceive the two lovers going into a close rilled with cherry
+trees, and well shut in by tall rose trees and gooseberry bushes. (3)
+They made show of going thither in order to gather some almonds which
+were in a corner of the close, but their purpose was to gather plums.
+
+     3  Large gardens and enclosures were then plentiful in the
+     heart of Paris. Forty years ago, when the Boulevard
+     Sebastopol was laid out, it was found that many of the
+     houses in the ancient Rues St. Martin and St. Denis had, in
+     their rear, gardens of considerable extent containing
+     century-old trees, the existence of which had never been
+     suspected by the passers-by in those then cramped and dingy
+     thoroughfares.--M.
+
+Accordingly, James, instead of giving his sweetheart a green gown, gave
+her a red one, and its colour even came into her face through finding
+herself surprised sooner than she had expected. And these plums of
+theirs being ripe, they plucked them with such expedition that Oliver
+himself had not believed it possible, but that he perceived the girl to
+droop her gaze and look ashamed. This taught him the truth, for she had
+before walked with head erect, with no fear lest the vein in her eye,
+which ought to be red, should take an azure hue. However, when James
+perceived her perturbation, he recalled her to herself by fitting
+remonstrances.
+
+Nevertheless, while making the next two or three turns about the garden,
+she would not refrain from tears and sighs, or from saying again
+and again--"Alas! was it for this you loved me? If only I could have
+imagined it! Heavens! what shall I do? I am ruined for life. What will
+you now think of me? I feel sure you will respect me no longer, if, at
+least, you are one of those that love but for their own pleasure. Alas,
+why did I not die before falling into such an error?"
+
+She shed many tears while uttering these words, but James comforted her
+with many promises and oaths, and so, before they had gone thrice again
+round the garden, or James had signalled to his comrade, they once more
+entered the close, but by another path. And there, in spite of all, she
+could not but receive more delight from the second green gown than from
+the first; from which moment her satisfaction was such that they took
+counsel together how they might see each other with more frequency and
+convenience until her father should see fit to consent.
+
+In this matter they were greatly assisted by a young woman, who was
+neighbour to Master Peter; she had some kinship with James, and was a
+good friend to Frances. And in this way, from what I can understand,
+they continued without scandal until the celebration of the marriage,
+when Frances, being an only child, proved to be very rich for a trader's
+daughter. James had, however, to wait for the greater part of his
+fortune until the death of his father-in-law, for the latter was so
+grasping a man that he seemed to think one hand capable of robbing him
+of that which he held in the other. (4)
+
+     4  This reminds one of Moliere's Harpagon, when he requires
+     La Fleche to show him his hands. See _L'Avare_, act i. sc.
+     iii.--M.
+
+"In this story, ladies, you see a love affair well begun, well carried
+on, and better ended. For although it is a common thing among you men to
+scorn a girl or woman as soon as she has freely given what you chiefly
+seek in her, yet this young man was animated by sound and sincere love;
+and finding in his sweetheart what every husband desires in the girl he
+weds, and knowing, moreover, that she was of good birth, and discreet in
+all respects, save for the error into which he himself had led her,
+he would not act the adulterer or be the cause of an unhappy marriage
+elsewhere. And for this I hold him worthy of high praise."
+
+"Yet," said Oisille, "they were both to blame, ay, and the third party
+also who assisted or at least concurred in a rape."
+
+"Do you call that a rape," said Saffredent, "in which both parties are
+agreed? Is there any marriage better than one thus resulting from secret
+love? The proverb says that marriages are made in heaven, but this does
+not hold of forced marriages, nor of such as are made for money or are
+deemed to be completely sanctioned as soon as the parents have given
+their consent."
+
+"You may say what you will," said Oisille, "but we must recognise that
+obedience is due to parents, or, in default of them, to other kinsfolk.
+Otherwise, if all were permitted to marry at will, how many horned
+marriages should we not find? Is it to be presumed that a young man and
+a girl of twelve or fifteen years can know what is good for them? If we
+examined into the happiness of marriages on the whole, we should find
+that at least as many love-matches have turned out ill as those that
+were made under compulsion. Young people, who do not know what is good
+for them, attach themselves heedlessly to the first that comes; then by
+degrees they find out their error and fall into others that are still
+greater. On the other hand, most of those who act under compulsion
+proceed by the advice of people who have seen more and have more
+judgment than the persons concerned, and so when these come to feel the
+good that was before unknown to them, they rejoice in it and embrace it
+with far more eagerness and affection."
+
+"True, madam," said Hircan, "but you have forgotten that the girl was
+of full age and marriageable, and that she was aware of her father's
+injustice in letting her virginity grow musty rather than rub the rust
+off his crown pieces. And do you not know that nature is a jade? She
+loved and was loved; she found her happiness close to her hand, and she
+may have remembered the proverb, 'She that will not when she may, when
+she will she shall have nay.' All these things, added to her wooer's
+despatch, gave her no time to resist. Further, you have heard that
+immediately afterwards her face showed that some noteworthy change had
+been wrought in her. She was perhaps annoyed at the shortness of the
+time afforded her to decide whether the thing were good or bad, for no
+great pressing was needed to make her try a second time."
+
+"Now, for my part," said Longarine, "I can find no excuse for such
+conduct, except that I approve the good faith shown by the youth who,
+comporting himself like an honest man, would not forsake her, but took
+her such as he had made her. In this respect, considering the corruption
+and depravity of the youth of the present day, I deem him worthy of high
+praise. I would not for all that seek to excuse his first fault, which,
+in fact, amounted to rape in respect to the daughter, and subornation
+with regard to the mother."
+
+"No, no," said Dagoucin, "there was neither rape nor subornation.
+Everything was done by mere consent, both on the part of the mothers,
+who did not prevent it (though, indeed, they were deceived), and on that
+of the daughter, who was pleased by it, and so never complained."
+
+"It was all the result," said Parlamente, "of the great kindliness and
+simplicity of the mercer's wife, who unwittingly led the maiden to the
+slaughter."
+
+"Nay, to the wedding," said Simontault, "where such simplicity was no
+less profitable to the girl than it once was hurtful to one who suffered
+herself to be readily duped by her husband."
+
+"Since you know such a story," said Nomerfide, "I give you my vote that
+you may tell it to us."
+
+"I will indeed do so," said Simontault, "but you must promise not to
+weep. Those who declare, ladies, that your craftiness surpasses that of
+men, would find it hard to bring forward such an instance as I will now
+relate, wherein I propose to show you not only the great craftiness of a
+husband, but the exceeding simplicity and goodness of his wife."
+
+
+[Illustration: 176.jpg Tailpiece]
+
+[Illustration: 177a.jpg The Man of Tours and his Serving-maid in the Snow]
+
+[The Man of Tours and his Serving-maid in the Snow]
+
+[Illustration: 177.jpg Page Image]
+
+
+
+
+_TALE XLV_.
+
+     _At his wife's request, an upholsterer of Tours gave the
+     Innocents to his serving-maid, with whom he was in love; but
+     he did so after such a fashion as to let her have what
+     belonged by right only to his wife, who, for her part, was
+     such a simpleton that she could never believe her husband
+     had so wronged her, albeit she had abundant warning thereof
+     from a neighbour_.
+
+In the city of Tours dwelt a man of shrewd and sound understanding, who
+was upholsterer to the late Duke of Orleans, (1) son of King Francis the
+First; and although this upholsterer had, through sickness, become deaf,
+he had nevertheless lost nothing of his wit, which, in regard both to
+his trade and to other matters, was as shrewd as any man's. And how he
+was able to avail himself of it you shall hear.
+
+     1  Charles of France, Duke of Orleans, Bourbonnais,
+     Angoumois and Chatelherault, Count of Clermont, La Marche,
+     and Civray, Governor and Lieutenant-General of Champagne and
+     Brie. He has been referred to in the Memoir of Queen
+     Margaret, _ante_, vol. i. pp. xxxvi., xlvii.-viii. Born at
+     St. Germain in January 1521, the Duke of Orleans took part
+     in several military expeditions, and gave proof of much
+     ability as a commander. He died, according to some accounts,
+     of a pleurisy, and, according to others, of the plague, in
+     1545. The above story was evidently written subsequent to
+     that date, as Queen Margaret refers to him as "the late Duke
+     of Orleans."--L.
+
+He had married a virtuous and honourable woman, with whom he lived
+in great peace and quietness. He was very fearful of displeasing her,
+whilst she, on her part, sought in all things to obey him. But, for all
+the affection that he bore her, he was so charitably inclined that he
+would often give to his female neighbours that which by right belonged
+to his wife, though this he did as secretly as he was able.
+
+There was in their house a very plump serving-maid with whom the
+upholsterer fell in love. Nevertheless, dreading lest his wife should
+know this, he often made show of scolding and rebuking her, saying that
+she was the laziest wench he had ever known, though this was no wonder,
+seeing that her mistress never beat her. And thus it came to pass that
+one day, while they were speaking about giving the Innocents, (2) the
+upholsterer said to his wife--
+
+"It were a charity to give them to that lazy wench of yours, but it
+should not be with your hand, for it is too feeble, and in like way your
+heart is too pitiful for such a task. If, however, I were to make use of
+mine, she would serve us better than she now does."
+
+     2  Prior to the Reformation it was the custom, not only in
+     France but throughout Europe, to whip children on the
+     morning of Innocents' Day (December 28), in order, says
+     Gregory in his treatise on the _Boy Bishop_, "that the
+     memory of Herod's murder of the Innocents might stick the
+     closer." This custom (concerning which see Haspinian, _De
+     Orig. Festor, Christianor_. fol. 160) subsequently
+     degenerated into a jocular usage, so far as the children
+     were concerned, and town-gallants and country-swains
+     commonly sought to surprise young women in bed, and make
+     them play the part of the Innocents, more frequently than
+     otherwise to the loss of their virtue. A story is told of a
+     French nobleman who in taking leave of some ladies to join a
+     hunting party, heard one of them whisper, "We shall sleep at
+     our ease, and pass the Innocents without receiving them."
+     This put the nobleman, a certain Seigneur du Rivau, on his
+     mettle. "He kept his appointment," we are told, "galloped
+     back twenty leagues at night, arrived at the lady's house at
+     dawn on Innocents' Day, surprised her in bed, and used the
+     privilege of the season." (Bonn's _Heptameron_, p. 301).
+     Verses illustrative of the custom will be found in the works
+     of Clement Marot, Jannet's edition, 1868, vol iii. p. 7, and
+     in those of Cholieres, Jouaust's edition, 1879, vol. i. p.
+     224-6.--L. and Ed.
+
+The poor woman, suspecting no harm, begged him to do execution upon the
+girl, confessing that she herself had neither strength nor heart for
+beating her.
+
+The husband willingly accepted this commission, and, playing the part of
+a stern executioner, had purchase made of the finest rods that could be
+found. To show, moreover, how anxious he was not to spare the girl, he
+caused these rods to be steeped in pickle, so that his poor wife felt
+far more pity for her maid than suspicion of her husband.
+
+Innocents' Day being come, the upholsterer rose early in the morning,
+and, going up to the room where the maid lay all alone, he gave her the
+Innocents in a different fashion to that which he had talked of with
+his wife. The maid wept full sore, but it was of no avail. Nevertheless,
+fearing lest his wife should come upon them, he fell to beating the
+bed-post with the rods which he had with him in such wise that he barked
+and broke them; and in this condition he brought them back to his wife,
+saying--
+
+"Methinks, sweetheart, your maid will remember the Innocents."
+
+When the upholsterer was gone out of the house, the poor servant threw
+herself upon her knees before her mistress, telling her that her husband
+had done her the greatest wrong that was ever done to a serving-maid.
+The mistress, however, thinking that this merely had reference to the
+flogging which she believed to have been given, would not suffer the
+girl to finish, but said to her--
+
+"My husband did well, and only what I have for more than a month been
+urging him to do. If you were hurt I am very glad to hear it. You may
+lay it all at my door, and, what is more, he did not even do as much as
+he ought to have done."
+
+The serving-maid, finding that her mistress approved of the matter,
+thought that it could not be so great a sin as she had imagined, the
+more so as it had been brought to pass by a woman whose virtue was held
+in such high repute. Accordingly she never afterwards ventured to speak
+of it.
+
+Her master, however, seeing that his wife was as content to be deceived
+as he was to deceive her, resolved that he would frequently give her
+this contentment, and so practised on the serving-maid, that she wept no
+more at receiving the Innocents.
+
+He continued this manner of life for a great while, without his wife
+being any the wiser, until there came a time of heavy snow, when, having
+already given the girl the Innocents on the grass in his garden, he was
+minded to do the same in the snow. Accordingly, one morning before any
+one in the house was awake, he took the girl clad in nothing but her
+shift to make the crucifix in the snow, and while they were pelting each
+other in sport, they did not forget the game of the Innocents.
+
+This sport, however, was observed by one of their female neighbours who
+had gone to her window, which overlooked the garden, to see what manner
+of weather it was, and so wrathful was she at the evil sight, that she
+resolved to tell her good gossip of it, to the end that she might no
+longer suffer herself to be deceived by a wicked husband or served by a
+wanton jade.
+
+After playing these fine pranks, the upholsterer looked about him to
+see whether any one could perceive him, and to his exceeding annoyance
+observed his neighbour at her window. But just as he was able to give
+any colour to his tapestry, so he bethought him to give such a colour to
+what he had done, that his neighbour would be no less deceived than his
+wife. Accordingly, as soon as he had gone back to bed again, he made his
+wife rise in nothing but her shift, and taking her into the garden as
+he had taken his serving-maid, he played with her for a long time in
+the snow even as he had played with the other. And then he gave her
+the Innocents in the same way as he had given them to the maid, and
+afterwards they returned to bed together.
+
+When the good woman went to mass, her neighbour and excellent friend
+failed not to be there, and, while unwilling to say anything further,
+zealously begged of her to dismiss her serving-maid, who was, she said,
+a very wicked and dangerous wench. This, however, the other would not
+do without knowing why she thought so ill of the girl, and at last her
+neighbour related how she had seen the wench that morning in the garden
+with her husband.
+
+At this the good woman fell to laughing heartily, and said--
+
+"Eh! gossip dear, 'twas myself!"
+
+"What, gossip? Why she wore naught but her shift, and it was only five
+o'clock in the morning."
+
+"In faith, gossip," replied the good woman, "'twas myself."
+
+"They pelted each other with snow," the other went on, "on the breasts
+and elsewhere, as familiarly as could be."
+
+"Eh! gossip, eh!" the good woman replied, "'twas myself."
+
+"Nay, gossip," said the other, "I saw them afterwards doing something in
+the snow that to my mind is neither seemly nor right."
+
+"Gossip," returned the good woman, "I have told you, and I tell you
+again, that it was myself and none other who did all that you say, for
+my good husband and I play thus familiarly together. And, I pray you,
+be not scandalised at this, for you know that we are bound to please our
+husbands."
+
+So the worthy gossip went away, more wishful to possess such a husband
+for herself than she had been to talk about the husband of her friend;
+and when the upholsterer came home again his wife told him the whole
+story.
+
+"Now look you, sweetheart," replied the upholsterer, "if you were not
+a woman of virtue and sound understanding we should long ago have been
+separated the one from the other. But I hope that God will continue to
+preserve us in our mutual love, to His own glory and our happiness."
+
+"Amen to that, my dear," said the good woman, "and I hope that on my
+part you will never find aught to blame." (3)
+
+     3  This tale is accounted by most critics and commentators
+     to be the best in the _Heptameron_. Dunlop thinks it may
+     have been borrowed from a _fabliau_ composed by some
+     _Trouvere_ who had travelled in the East, and points out
+     that it corresponds with the story of the _Shopkeeper s
+     Wife_ in Nakshebi's Persian Tales (_Tooti Nameh_). Had it
+     been brought to France, however, in the manner suggested it
+     would, like other tales, have found its way into the works
+     of many sixteenth-century story-writers besides Queen
+     Margaret. Such, however, is not the case, and curiously
+     enough, so far as we can find, the tale, as given in the
+     _Heptameron_, was never imitated until La Fontaine wrote his
+     _Servante Justifiee (Contes, livre_ ii. No. vi.), in the
+     opening lines of which he expressly acknowledges his
+     indebtedness to the Queen of Navarre.--Ed.
+
+"Unbelieving indeed, ladies, must be the man who, after hearing this
+true story, should hold you to be as crafty as men are; though, if we
+are not to wrong either, and to give both man and wife the praise they
+truly deserve, we must needs admit that the better of the two was worth
+naught."
+
+"The man," said Parlamente, "was marvellously wicked, for he deceived
+his servant on the one side and his wife on the other."
+
+"Then you cannot have understood the story," said Hircan. "We are told
+that he contented them both in the same morning, and I consider it a
+highly virtuous thing, both for body and mind, to be able to say and do
+that which may make two opposites content."
+
+"It was doubly wicked," said Parlamente, "to satisfy the simplicity of
+one by falsehood and the wickedness of the other by vice. But I am
+aware that sins, when brought before such judges as you, will always be
+forgiven."
+
+"Yet I promise you," said Hircan, "that for my own part I shall never
+essay so great and difficult a task, for if I but render _you_ content
+my day will not have been ill spent."
+
+"If mutual love," said Parlamente, "cannot content the heart, nothing
+else can."
+
+"In sooth," said Simontault, "I think there is no greater grief in the
+world than to love and not be loved."
+
+"To be loved," said Parlamente, "it were needful to turn to such as
+love. Very often, however, those women who will not love are loved the
+most, while those men who love most strongly are loved the least."
+
+"You remind me," said Oisille, "of a story which I had not intended to
+bring forward among such good ones."
+
+"Still I pray you tell it us," said Simontault. "That will I do right
+willingly," replied Oisille.
+
+
+[Illustration: 186.jpg Tailpiece]
+
+[Illustration: 187.jpg Page Image]
+
+
+
+
+_TALE XLVI. (A)_.
+
+     _A Grey Friar named De Vale, being bidden to dinner at the
+     house of the Judge of the Exempts in Angouleme, perceived
+     that the Judge's wife (with whom he was in love) went up
+     into the garret alone; thinking to surprise her, he followed
+     her thither; but she dealt him such a kick in the stomach
+     that he fell from the top of the stairs to the bottom, and
+     fled out of the town to the house of a lady that had such
+     great liking for those of his Order (foolishly believing
+     them possessed of greater virtues than belong to them), that
+     she entrusted him with the correction of her daughter, whom
+     he lay with by force instead of chastising her for the sin
+     of sloth-fulness, as he had promised her mother he would
+     do_. (1)
+
+     1  Boaistuau and Gruget omit this tale, and the latter
+     replaces it by that numbered XLVI. (B). Count Charles of
+     Angouleme having died on January i, 1496, the incidents
+     related above must have occurred at an earlier date.--L.
+
+In the town of Angouleme, where Count Charles, father of King Francis,
+often abode, there dwelt a Grey Friar named De Vale, the same being held
+a learned man and a great preacher. One Advent this Friar preached in
+the town in presence of the Count, whereby he won such renown that those
+who knew him eagerly invited him to dine at their houses. Among others
+that did this was the Judge of the Exempts (2) of the county, who had
+wedded a beautiful and virtuous woman. The Friar was dying for love of
+her, yet lacked the hardihood to tell her so; nevertheless she perceived
+the truth, and held him in derision.
+
+     2  The _Exempt_ was a police officer, and the functions of
+     the _Juge des Exempts_ were akin to those of a police
+     magistrate.--Ed.
+
+After he had given several tokens of his wanton purpose, he one day
+espied her going up into the garret alone. Thinking to surprise her, he
+followed, but hearing his footsteps she turned and asked whither he was
+going. "I am going after you," he replied, "to tell you a secret."
+
+"Nay, good father," said the Judge's wife. "I will have no secret
+converse with such as you. If you come up any higher, you will be sorry
+for it."
+
+Seeing that she was alone, he gave no heed to her words, but hastened
+up after her. She, however, was a woman of spirit, and when she saw the
+Friar at the top of the staircase, she gave him a kick in the stomach,
+and with the words, "Down! down! sir," (3) cast him from the top to the
+bottom. The poor father was so greatly ashamed at this, that, forgetting
+the hurt he had received in falling, he fled out of the town as fast
+as he was able. He felt sure that the lady would not conceal the matter
+from her husband; and indeed she did not, nor yet from the Count and
+Countess, so that the Friar never again durst come into their presence.
+
+     3  The French words here are "_Devaliez, devaliez,
+     monsieur_," whilst MS. No. 1520 gives, "_Monsieur de Vale,
+     devales_." In either case there is evidently a play upon the
+     friar's name, which was possibly pronounced Valles or
+     Valles. Adrien de Valois, it maybe pointed out, rendered his
+     name in Latin as _Valesius_; the county of Valois and that
+     of Valais are one and the same; we continue calling the old
+     French kings Valois, as their name was written, instead of
+     Valais as it was pronounced, as witness, for instance, the
+     nickname given to Henry III. by the lampooners of the
+     League, "_Henri devale_." See also _post_, Tale XLVI. (B),
+     note 2.--M. and Ed.
+
+To complete his wickedness, he repaired to the house of a lady who
+preferred the Grey Friars to all other folk, and, after preaching a
+sermon or two before her, he cast his eyes upon her daughter, who was
+very beautiful. And as the maiden did not rise in the morning to hear
+his sermon, he often scolded her in presence of her mother, whereupon
+the latter would say to him--"Would to God, father, that she had some
+taste of the discipline which you monks receive from one another."
+
+The good father vowed that if she continued to be so slothful, he would
+indeed give her some of it, and her mother earnestly begged him to do
+so.
+
+A day or two afterwards, he entered the lady's apartment, and, not
+seeing her daughter there, asked her where she was.
+
+"She fears you so little," replied the lady, "that she is still in bed."
+
+"There can be no doubt," said the Grey Friar, "that it is a very evil
+habit in young girls to be slothful. Few people think much of the sin
+of sloth, but for my part, I deem it one of the most dangerous there is,
+for the body as for the soul. You should therefore chastise her for it,
+and if you will give me the matter in charge, I will take good care that
+she does not lie abed at an hour when she ought to be praying to God."
+
+The poor lady, believing him to be a virtuous man, begged him to be
+kind enough to correct her daughter, which he at once agreed to do, and,
+going up a narrow wooden staircase, he found the girl all alone in bed.
+She was sleeping very soundly, and while she slept he lay with her by
+force. The poor girl, waking up, knew not whether he were man or devil,
+but began to cry out as loudly as she could, and to call for help to her
+mother. But the latter, standing at the foot of the staircase, cried
+out to the Friar--"Have no pity on her, sir. Give it to her again, and
+chastise the naughty jade."
+
+When the Friar had worked his wicked will, he came down to the lady and
+said to her with a face all afire--"I think, madam, that your daughter
+will remember my discipline."
+
+The mother thanked him warmly and then went upstairs, where she found
+her daughter making such lamentation as is to be expected from a
+virtuous woman who has suffered from so foul a crime. On learning the
+truth, the mother had search made everywhere for the Friar, but he was
+already far away, nor was he ever afterwards seen in the kingdom of
+France.
+
+"You see, ladies, with how much security such commissions may be given
+to those that are unfit for them. The correction of men pertains to men
+and that of women to women; for women in the correction of men would be
+as pitiful as men in the correction of women would be cruel."
+
+"Jesus! madam," said Parlamente, "what a base and wicked Friar!"
+
+"Say rather," said Hircan, "what a foolish and witless mother to be led
+by hypocrisy into allowing so much familiarity to those who ought never
+to be seen except in church."
+
+"In truth," said Parlamente, "I acknowledge that she was the most
+foolish mother imaginable; had she been as wise as the Judge's wife, she
+would rather have made him come down the staircase than go up. But what
+can you expect? The devil that is half-angel is the most dangerous of
+all, for he is so well able to transform himself into an angel of light,
+that people shrink from suspecting him to be what he really is; and it
+seems to me that persons who are not suspicious are worthy of praise."
+
+"At the same time," said Oisille, "people ought to suspect the evil that
+is to be avoided, especially those who hold a trust; for it is better to
+suspect an evil that does not exist than by foolish trustfulness to fall
+into one that does. I have never known a woman deceived through being
+slow to believe men's words, but many are there that have been deceived
+through being over prompt in giving credence to falsehood. Therefore I
+say that possible evil cannot be held in too strong suspicion by those
+that have charge of men, women, cities or states; for, however good the
+watch that is kept, wickedness and treachery are prevalent enough, and
+the shepherd who is not vigilant will always be deceived by the wiles of
+the wolf."
+
+"Still," said Dagoucin, "a suspicious person cannot have a perfect
+friend, and many friends have been divided by suspicion."
+
+"If you know any such instance," said Oisille, "I give you my vote that
+you may relate it."
+
+"I know one," said Dagoucin, "which is so strictly true that you will
+needs hear it with pleasure. I will tell you, ladies, when it is that
+a close friendship is most easily severed; 'tis when the security of
+friendship begins to give place to suspicion. For just as trust in a
+friend is the greatest honour that can be shown him, so is doubt of him
+a still greater dishonour. It proves that he is deemed other than we
+would have him to be, and so causes many close friendships to be broken
+off, and friends to be turned into foes. This you will see from the
+story that I am minded to relate."
+
+
+[Illustration: 193.jpg Tailpiece]
+
+[Illustration: 195a.jpg The Young Man beating his Wife]
+
+[The Young Man beating his Wife]
+
+[Illustration: 195.jpg Page Image]
+
+
+
+
+_TALE XLVI.(B)_.
+
+     _Concerning a Grey Friar who made it a great crime on the
+     part of husbands to beat their wives_. (1)
+
+In the town of Angouleme, where Count Charles, father of King Francis,
+often abode, there dwelt a Grey Friar named De Valles, (2) the same
+being a learned man and a very great preacher. At Advent time this Friar
+preached in the town in presence of the Count, whereby his reputation
+was still further increased.
+
+     1  This is the tale inserted in Gruget's edition in lieu of
+     the previous one.--Ed.
+
+     2  We had thought that Friar Valles might possibly be Robert
+     de Valle, who at the close of the fifteenth century wrote a
+     work entitled _Explanatio in Plinium_, but find that this
+     divine was a Bishop of Rouen, and never belonged to the Grey
+     Friars. In Gessner's _Biographia Universalis_, continued by
+     Frisius, mention is made of three learned ecclesiastics of
+     the name of Valle living in or about Queen Margaret's time:
+     Baptiste de Valle, who wrote on war and duelling; William de
+     Valle, who penned a volume entitled _De Anima Sorbono_; and
+     Amant de Valle, a Franciscan minorite born at Toulouse, who
+     was the author of numerous philosophical works, the most
+     important being _Elucidationes Scoti_.--B. J.
+
+It happened also that during Advent a hare-brained young fellow, who had
+married a passably handsome young woman, continued none the less to
+run at the least as dissolute a course as did those that were still
+bachelors. The young wife, being advised of this, could not keep silence
+upon it, so that she very often received payment after a different and
+a prompter fashion than she could have wished. For all that, she ceased
+not to persist in lamentation, and sometimes in railing as well; which
+so provoked the young man that he beat her even to bruises and blood.
+Thereupon she cried out yet more loudly than before; and in a like
+fashion all the women of the neighbourhood, knowing the reason of this,
+could not keep silence, but cried out publicly in the streets, saying--
+
+"Shame, shame on such husbands! To the devil with them!"
+
+By good fortune the Grey Friar De Valles was passing that way and
+heard the noise and the reason of it. He resolved to touch upon it the
+following day in his sermon, and did so. Turning his discourse to the
+subject of marriage and the affection which ought to subsist in it, he
+greatly extolled that condition, at the same time censuring those that
+offended against it, and comparing wedded to parental love. Among other
+things, he said that a husband who beat his wife was in more danger, and
+would have a heavier punishment, than if he had beaten his father or his
+mother.
+
+"For," said he, "if you beat your father or your mother you will be sent
+for penance to Rome; but if you beat your wife, she and all the women of
+the neighbourhood will send you to the devil, that is, to hell. Now look
+you what a difference there is between these two penances. From Rome a
+man commonly returns again, but from hell, oh! from that place, there is
+no return: _nulla est redemptio_" (3)
+
+After preaching this sermon, he was informed that the women were making
+a triumph of it, (4) and that their husbands could no longer control
+them. He therefore resolved to set the husbands right just as he had
+previously assisted their wives.
+
+     3  This was the Pope's expression apropos of Messer Biagio,
+     whom Michael Angelo had introduced into his "Last
+     Judgment."--M.
+
+     4  The French expression is _faisaient leur Achilles_, the
+     nearest equivalent to which in English would probably be
+     "Hectoring" It is curious that the French should have taken
+     the name of Achilles and we that of Hector to express the
+     same idea of arrogance and bluster.--Ed.
+
+With this intent, in one of his sermons he compared women and devil
+together, saying that these were the greatest enemies that man had, that
+they tempted him without ceasing, and that he could not rid himself of
+them, especially of women.
+
+"For," said he, "as far as devils are concerned, if you show them the
+cross they flee away, whereas women, on the contrary, are tamed by
+it, and are made to run hither and thither and cause their husbands
+countless torments. But, good people, know you what you must do? When
+you find your wives afflicting you thus continually, as is their wont,
+take off the handle of the cross and with it drive them away. You will
+not have made this experiment briskly three or four times before you
+will find yourselves the better for it, and see that, even as the devil
+is driven off by the virtue of the cross, so can you drive away and
+silence your wives by virtue of the handle, provided only that it be not
+attached to the cross aforesaid."
+
+"You have here some of the sermons by this reverend De Valles, of whose
+life I will with good reason relate nothing more. However, I will tell
+you that, whatever face he put upon the matter--and I knew him--he was
+much more inclined to the side of the women than to that of the men."
+
+"Yet, madam," said Parlamente, "he did not show this in his last sermon,
+in which he instructed the men to ill-treat them."
+
+"Nay, you do not comprehend his artifice," said Hircan. "You are not
+experienced in war and in the use of the stratagems that it requires;
+among these, one of the most important is to kindle strife in the camp
+of the enemy, whereby he becomes far easier to conquer. This master
+monk well knew that hatred and wrath between husband and wife most
+often cause a loose rein to be given to the wife's honour. And when that
+honour frees itself from the guardianship of virtue, it finds itself in
+the power of the wolf before it knows even that it is astray."
+
+"However that may be," said Parlamente, "I could not love a man who had
+sown such division between my husband and myself as would lead even to
+blows; for beating banishes love. Yet, by what I have heard, they [the
+friars] can be so mincing when they seek some advantage over a woman,
+and so attractive in their discourse, that I feel sure there would be
+more danger in hearkening to them in secret than in publicly receiving
+blows from a husband in other respects a good one."
+
+"Truly," said Dagoucin, "they have so revealed their plottings in all
+directions, that it is not without reason that they are to be feared;
+(5) although in my opinion persons who are not suspicious are worthy of
+praise."
+
+     5  From this point the dialogue is almost word for word the
+     same as that following Tale XLVI. (A).--Ed.
+
+"At the same time," said Oisille, "people ought to suspect the evil
+that is to be avoided, for it is better to suspect an evil that does not
+exist than by foolish trustfulness to fall into one that does. For my
+part, I have never known a woman deceived by being slow to believe
+men's words, but many are through being too prompt in giving credence
+to falsehood. Therefore I say that possible evil cannot be too strongly
+suspected by those that have charge of men, women, cities or states;
+for, however good may be the watch that is kept, wickedness and
+treachery are prevalent enough, and for this reason the shepherd who is
+not vigilant will always be deceived by the wiles of the wolf."
+
+"Still," said Dagoucin, "a suspicious person cannot have a perfect
+friend, and many friends have been parted by bare suspicion."
+
+"If you should know any such instance," thereupon said Oisille, "I will
+give you my vote that you may relate it."
+
+"I know one," said Dagoucin, "which is so strictly true that you will
+hear it with pleasure. I will tell you, ladies, when it is that close
+friendship is most readily broken off; it is when the security of
+friendship begins to give place to suspicion. For just as to trust a
+friend is the greatest honour one can do him, so is doubt of him the
+greatest dishonour, inasmuch as it proves that he is deemed other than
+one would have him to be, and in this wise many close friendships are
+broken off and friends turned into foes. This you will see from the
+story that I am now about to relate."
+
+
+[Illustration: 201.jpg Tailpiece]
+
+[Illustration: 203a.jpg The Gentleman reproaching his Friend for his Jealousy]
+
+[The Gentleman reproaching his Friend for his Jealousy]
+
+[Illustration: 203.jpg Page Image]
+
+
+
+
+_TALE XLVII_.
+
+     _Two gentlemen lined in such perfect friendship that for a
+     great while they had everything excepting a wife in common,
+     until one was married, when without cause he began to
+     suspect his companion, who, in vexation at being wrongfully
+     suspected, withdrew his friendship, and did not rest till he
+     had made the other a cuckold_.
+
+Not far from the province of Le Perche (1) there dwelt two gentlemen who
+from the days of their childhood had lived in such perfect friendship
+that they had but one heart, one house, one bed, one table, and one
+purse. They continued living in this perfect friendship for a long time,
+without there ever being between them any wish or word such as might
+betray that they were different persons; so truly did they live not
+merely like two brothers but like one individual man.
+
+     1  Between Normandy and Maine. Its chief town was Mortagne.
+
+Of the two one married, yet did not on that account abate his friendship
+for his fellow or cease to live with him as had been his wont. And
+whenever they chanced to lodge where room was scanty, he failed not to
+make him sleep with himself and his wife; (2) though he did, in truth,
+himself lie in the middle. Their goods were all in common, so that
+neither the marriage nor aught else that might betide could impair their
+perfect friendship.
+
+     2  To do honour to a guest it was then a common practice to
+     invite him to share the same bed as one's self and one's
+     wife. In this wise, long after Queen Margaret s time, we
+     find Louis XIII. sharing the bed of the Duke and Duchess of
+     Luynes. Tale vii. of the _Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles_
+     (imitated in Malespini's _Ducento Novelle_ and the _Joyeuses
+     Adventures et nouvelles recreations_) relates what befell a
+     Paris goldsmith who took a carter to bed with him and his
+     spouse, and neglected to follow the usual custom of sleeping
+     in the middle. In Queen Margaret's time, it may be added,
+     the so-called "beds of honour" in the abodes of noblemen and
+     gentlemen were large enough to accommodate four or five
+     persons.--B. J. and Ed.
+
+But after some time, worldly happiness, which is ever changeful in its
+nature, could no longer abide in this too happy household. The husband,
+without cause, lost the confidence that he had in his friend and in his
+wife, and, being unable to conceal the truth from the latter, spoke to
+her with angry words. At this she was greatly amazed, for he had charged
+her in all things save one to treat his friend as she did himself, and
+now he forbade her to speak with him except it were before others. She
+made the matter known to her husband's friend, who did not believe her,
+knowing as he well did that he had never purposed doing aught to grieve
+his comrade. And as he was wont to hide nothing from him, he told him
+what he had heard, begging him not to conceal the truth, for neither in
+this nor in any other matter had he any desire to occasion the severance
+of the friendship which had so long subsisted between them.
+
+The married gentleman assured him that he had never thought of such a
+thing, and that those who had spread such a rumour had foully lied.
+
+Thereupon his comrade replied--
+
+"I well know that jealousy is a passion as insupportable as love, and
+were you inclined to jealousy even with regard to myself, I should not
+blame you, for you could not help it. But there is a thing that is in
+your power of which I should have reason to complain, and that is the
+concealment of your distemper from me, seeing that never before was
+thought, feeling or opinion concealed between us. If I were in love with
+your wife, you should not impute it to me as a crime, for love is not
+a fire that I can hold in my hand to do with it what I will; but if it
+were so and I concealed it from you, and sought by demonstration to
+make it known to your wife, I should be the wickedest comrade that ever
+lived.
+
+"As far as I myself am concerned, I can truly assure you that, although
+she is an honourable and virtuous woman, she is the last of all the
+women I have ever seen upon whom, even though she were not yours, my
+fancy would light. But even though there be no occasion to do so, I ask
+you, if you have the smallest possible feeling of suspicion, to tell me
+of it, that I may so act as to prevent a friendship that has lasted so
+long from being severed for the sake of a woman. For, even if I loved
+her more dearly than aught in the world beside, I would never speak to
+her of it, seeing that I set your honour before aught else."
+
+His comrade swore to him the strongest oaths he could muster, that he
+had never thought of such a thing, and begged him to act in his house as
+he had been used to do.
+
+"That will I," the other replied, "but if after this should you harbour
+an evil opinion of me and conceal it or bear me ill-will, I will
+continue no more in fellowship with you."
+
+Some time afterwards, whilst they were living together as had been their
+wont, the married gentleman again fell into stronger suspicion than
+ever, and commanded his wife to no longer show the same countenance
+to his friend as before. This she at once made known to her husband's
+comrade, and begged that he would of his own motion abstain from holding
+speech with her, since she had been charged to do the like towards him.
+
+The gentleman perceived from her words and from divers tokens on the
+part of his comrade that the latter had not kept his promise, and so
+said to him in great wrath--
+
+"If, comrade, you are jealous, 'tis a natural thing, but, after the
+oaths you swore to me, I must needs be angered that you have used such
+concealment towards me. I had always thought that neither obstacle nor
+mean intervened between your heart and mine, but to my exceeding sorrow,
+and with no fault on my part, I see that the reverse is true. Not only
+are you most jealous of your wife and of me, but you seek to hide your
+distemper from me, until at last it must wholly turn to hate, and the
+dearest love that our time has known become the deadliest enmity.
+
+"I have done all I could to avoid this mishap, but since you suspect me
+of being so wicked and the opposite of what I have always proved towards
+you, I give you my oath and word that I will indeed be such a one as you
+deem me, and that I will never rest until I have had from your wife
+that which you believe I seek from her. So I bid you beware of me
+henceforward, for, since suspicion has destroyed your friendship for me,
+resentment will destroy mine for you."
+
+Although his comrade tried to persuade him of the contrary, he would no
+longer believe him, but removed his portion of the furniture and goods
+that had been in common between them. And so their hearts were as widely
+sundered as they had before been closely united, and the unmarried
+gentleman never rested until, as he had promised, he had made his
+comrade a cuckold. (3)
+
+     3  The idea developed in this tale, that of bringing to pass
+     by one's own actions the thing one fears and seeks to avoid
+     or prevent, has much analogy with that embodied in the
+     "novel of the Curious Impertinent" which Cervantes
+     introduces into _Don Quixote_ (Part I. chaps, xxviii.,
+     xxix). In this tale it will be remembered Anselmo and
+     Lothario are represented as being two such close friends as
+     the gentlemen who figured in Queen Margaret's tale. Anselmo
+     marries, however, and seized with an insane desire to test
+     the virtue of his wife, Camilla, by exposing her to
+     temptation, urges Lothario to pay court to her. Lothario at
+     first resists these solicitations, pointing out the folly of
+     such an enterprise, but his friend entreats him so
+     pressingly that he finally consents, and in the sequel the
+     passion which he at first simulates for Camilla becomes a
+     real one and leads to his seducing her and carrying her
+     away, with the result that both the wretched Anselmo and his
+     wife soon die of grief, whilst Lothario betakes himself to
+     the wars and perishes in battle.--M. & Ed.
+
+"Thus, ladies, may it fare with those who wrongfully suspect their
+wives of evil. Many men make of them what they suspect them to be, for
+a virtuous woman is more readily overcome by despair than by all the
+pleasures on earth. And if any one says that suspicion is love, I give
+him nay, for although it results from love as do ashes from fire, it
+kills it nevertheless in the same way."
+
+"I do not think," said Hircan, "that anything can be more grievous to
+either man or woman than to be suspected of that which is contrary to
+fact. For my own part, nothing could more readily prompt me to sever
+fellowship with my friends than such suspicion."
+
+"Nevertheless," said Oisille, "woman is without rational excuse who
+revenges herself for her husband's suspicion by her own shame. It is
+as though a man should thrust his sword through his own body, because
+unable to slay his foe, or should bite his own fingers because he cannot
+scratch him. She would have done better had she spoken to the gentleman
+no more, and so shown her husband how wrongly he had suspected her; for
+time would have softened them both."
+
+"Still 'twas done like a woman of spirit," said Ennasuite. "If many
+women acted in the same way, their husbands would not be so outrageous
+as they are."
+
+"For all that," said Longarine, "patience gives a woman the victory in
+the end, and chastity brings her praise, and more we should not desire."
+
+"Nevertheless," said Ennasuite, "a woman may be unchaste and yet commit
+no sin."
+
+"How may that be?" said Oisille.
+
+"When she mistakes another man for her husband."
+
+"And who," said Parlamente, "is so foolish that she cannot clearly tell
+the difference between her husband and another man, whatever disguise
+the latter may wear?"
+
+"There have been and still will be," said Ennasuite, "a few deceived in
+this fashion, and therefore still innocent and free from sin."
+
+"If you know of such a one," said Dagoucin, "I give you my vote that you
+may tell us about her, for I think it very strange that innocence and
+sin can go together."
+
+"Listen, then," said Ennasuite. "If, ladies, the foregoing tales have
+not sufficiently warned you of the danger of lodging in our houses those
+who call us worldly and consider themselves as something holy and far
+worthier than we, I will give you yet a further instance of it, that you
+may see by the errors into which those fall who trust them too much
+that not only are they human like others, but that there is something
+devilish in their nature, passing the ordinary wickedness of men. This
+you will learn from the following story."
+
+
+[Illustration: 211.jpg Tailpiece]
+
+[Illustration: 213a.jpg The Grey Friars Caught and Punished]
+
+[The Grey Friars Caught and Punished]
+
+[Illustration: 213.jpg Page Image]
+
+
+
+
+_TALE XLVIII_.
+
+     _The older and wickeder of two Grey Friars, who were lodged
+     in an inn where the marriage of the host's daughter was
+     being celebrated, perceived the bride being led away,
+     whereupon he went and took the place of the bridegroom
+     whilst the latter was still dancing with the company_. (1)
+
+     1  We have already had an instance of a friar stealing into
+     a wife's bed at night-time, in the husband's absence (see
+     _ante_, vol. iii., tale xxili.). For a similar incident see
+     the _Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles_, No. xxx.--Ed.
+
+At an inn, in a village of the land of Perigort, there was celebrated
+the marriage of a maiden of the house, at which all the kinsfolk and
+friends strove to make as good cheer as might be. On the day of the
+wedding there arrived at the inn two Grey Friars, to whom supper was
+given in their own room, since it was not meet for those of their
+condition to be present at a wedding. However, the chief of the two, who
+had the greater authority and craft, resolved that, since he was shut
+out from the board, he would share the bed, and in this way play them
+one of the tricks of his trade.
+
+When evening was come, and the dances were begun, the Grey Friar
+continued to observe the bride for a long time, and found her
+very handsome and to his taste. Then, inquiring carefully of the
+serving-woman concerning the room in which she was to lie, he found that
+it was close to his own, at which he was well pleased; and so good a
+watch did he keep in order to work his end, that he perceived the bride
+being led from the hall by the old women, as is the custom. As it was
+yet very early, the bridegroom would not leave the dance, in which he
+was so greatly absorbed that he seemed to have altogether forgotten his
+wife.
+
+Not so the Friar, for, as soon as his ears told him that the bride was
+in bed, he put off his grey robe and went and took the husband's place.
+Being fearful of discovery, however, he stayed but a very short time,
+and then went to the end of a passage where his comrade, who was keeping
+watch for him, signed to him that the husband was dancing-still.
+
+The Friar, who had not yet satisfied his wicked lust, thereupon went
+back to bed with the bride, until his comrade gave him a signal that it
+was time to leave.
+
+The bridegroom afterwards came to bed, and his wife, who had been so
+tormented by the Friar that she desired naught but rest, could not help
+saying to him--
+
+"Have you resolved never to sleep or do anything but torment me?"
+
+The unhappy husband, who had but just come in, was greatly astonished
+at this, and asked what torment he had given her, seeing that he had not
+left the dance.
+
+"A pretty dance!" said the poor girl. "This is the third time that you
+have come to bed. I think you would do better to sleep."
+
+The husband was greatly astonished on hearing these words, and set aside
+thought of everything else in order that he might learn the truth of
+what had passed.
+
+When his wife had told him the story, he at once suspected the Grey
+Friars who were lodged in the house, and forthwith rising, he went into
+their room, which was close beside his own.
+
+Not finding them there, he began to call out for help in so loud a voice
+that he speedily drew together all his friends, who, when they had heard
+the tale, assisted him with candles, lanterns, and all the dogs of the
+village to hunt for the Grey Friars.
+
+Not finding them in the house, they made all diligence, and so caught
+them among the vines, where they treated them as they deserved; for,
+after soundly beating them, they cut off their arms and legs, and left
+them among the vines to the care of Bacchus and Venus, of whom they had
+been better disciples than of St. Francis.
+
+"Be not amazed, ladies, if such folk, being cut off from our usual
+mode of life, do things of which adventurers (2) even would be ashamed.
+Wonder rather that they do no worse when God withdraws his hand from
+them, for so little does the habit make the monk, that it often unmakes
+him through the pride it lends him. For my own part, I go not beyond the
+religion that is taught by St. James, who has told us to 'keep the
+heart pure and unspotted toward God, and to show all charity to our
+neighbours.'"(3)
+
+     2 This is an allusion to the dismissed French Swiss, and
+     German lansquenets who roamed about France in little bands,
+     kidnapping, plundering, and at times hiring themselves out
+     as spadassins. These men, the pests of the country, were
+     commonly known by the name of adventurers.--B. J.
+
+     3  "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is
+     this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction
+     and to keep himself unspotted from the world."--_James_ i.
+     27.--Ed.
+
+"Heavens!" said Oisille, "shall we never have done with tales about
+these tiresome Grey Friars?"
+
+Then said Ennasuite--
+
+"If, ladies, princes and gentlemen are not spared, the Grey Friars, it
+seems to me, are highly honoured by being noticed. They are so useless
+that, were it not that they often do evil things worthy of remembrance,
+they would never even be mentioned; and, as the saying goes, it is
+better to do evil than to do nothing at all. Besides, the more varied
+the flowers the handsomer will our posy be."
+
+"If you will promise not to be angry with me," said Hircan, "I will tell
+you the story of a great lady whose wantonness was so extreme that you
+will forgive the poor friar for having taken what he needed, where
+he was able to find it, seeing that she, who had enough to eat,
+nevertheless sought for dainties in too monstrous a fashion."
+
+"Since we have sworn to speak the truth," said Oisille, "we have also
+sworn to hear it. You may therefore speak with freedom, for the evil
+things that we tell of men and women are not uttered to shame those
+that are spoken of in the story, but to take away all trust in created
+beings, by revealing the trouble to which these are liable, and this to
+the end that we may fix and rest our hope on Him alone who is perfect,
+and without whom every man is only imperfection."
+
+"Well then," said Hircan, "I will relate my story without fear."
+
+
+[Illustration: 218.jpg Tailpiece]
+
+[Illustration: 219a.jpg The Countess facing her Lovers]
+
+[The Countess facing her Lovers]
+
+[Illustration: 219.jpg Page Image]
+
+
+
+
+_TALE XLIX_.
+
+     _Same French gentlemen, perceiving that the King their
+     master was exceedingly well treated by a foreign Countess
+     whom he loved, ventured to speak to her, and sought her with
+     such success, that one after another they had from her what
+     they desired, each, however, believing that he alone
+     possessed the happiness in which all the others shared. And
+     this being discovered by one of their number, they all
+     plotted together to be revenged on her; but, as she showed a
+     fair countenance and treated them no worse than before, they
+     brought away in their own bosoms the shame which they had
+     thought to bring upon her_. (1)
+
+At the Court of King Charles--which Charles I shall not mention, for the
+sake of the lady of whom I wish to speak, and whom I shall not call
+by her own name--there was a Countess of excellent lineage, (2) but
+a foreigner. And as novelties ever please, this lady, both for the
+strangeness of her attire and for its exceeding richness, was observed
+by all. Though she was not to be ranked among the most beautiful, she
+possessed gracefulness, together with a noble assurance that could not
+be surpassed; and, moreover, her manner of speech and her seriousness
+were to match, so that there was none but feared to accost her excepting
+the King, who loved her exceedingly. That he might have still more
+intimate converse with her, he gave some mission to the Count, her
+husband, which kept him away for a long time, and meanwhile the King
+made right good cheer with his wife.
+
+     1  The incidents here related must have occurred during the
+     reign of Charles VIII., probably in or about 1490.--L.
+
+     2  This Countess cannot be identified. She was probably the
+     wife of one of the many Italian noblemen, like the
+     Caraccioli and San Severini, who entered the French service
+     about the time of the conquest of Naples. Brantome alludes
+     to the story in his _Dames Galantes_ (Fourth Discourse) but
+     gives no names.--Ed.
+
+Several of the King's gentlemen, knowing that their master was well
+treated by her, took courage to speak to her, and among the rest was one
+called Astillon, (3) a bold man and graceful of bearing.
+
+     3  This is James de Chastillon, not, however, J. Gaucher de
+     Chastillon, "King of Yvetot," as M. de Lincy supposes, but
+     J. de Coligny-Chastillon, as has been pointed out by M.
+     Frank. Brantome devotes the Nineteenth Discourse of his
+     _Capitaines francois_ to this personage, and says: "He had
+     been one of the great favourites and _mignons_ of King
+     Charles VIII., even at the time of the journey to the
+     kingdom of Naples; and 'twas then said, 'Chastillon,
+     Bourdillon and Bonneval [see post, note 5] govern the royal
+     blood.'" Wounded in April 1512 at the battle of Ravenna,
+     "the most bloody battle of the century," he was removed to
+     Ferrara, where he died (May 25). He was the second husband
+     of Blanche de Tournon, Lady of Honour to Queen Margaret,
+     respecting whom see _ante_, vol. i. pp. 84-5, 122-4, and
+     vol. iv. p. 144, note 2.--L., F. and Ed.
+
+At first she treated him so seriously, threatening to tell of him to the
+King his master, that he well-nigh became afraid of her. However, as
+he had not been wont to fear the threats even of the most redoubtable
+captains, he would not suffer himself to be moved by hers, but pressed
+her so closely that she at last consented to speak with him in private,
+and taught him the manner in which he should come to her apartment.
+This he failed not to do, and, in order that the King might be without
+suspicion of the truth, he craved permission to go on a journey, and
+set out from the Court. On the very first day, however, he left all his
+following and returned at night to receive fulfilment of the promises
+that the Countess had made him. These she kept so much to his
+satisfaction, that he was content to remain shut up in a closet for five
+or six days, without once going out, and living only on restoratives.
+
+During the week that he lay in hiding, one of his companions called
+Durassier (4) made love to the Countess. At the beginning she spoke to
+this new lover, as she had spoken to the first, with harsh and haughty
+speech that grew milder day by day, insomuch that when the time was come
+for dismissing the first prisoner, she put the second into his place.
+While he was there, another companion of his, named Valnebon, (5) did
+the same as the former two, and after these there came yet two or three
+more to lodge in the sweet prison.
+
+     4  This in all probability is the doughty James Galliot de
+     Genouillac, who--much in the same way as in our own times
+     the names of the "Iron Duke" and the "Man of Iron" have been
+     bestowed on Wellington and Bismarck--was called by his
+     contemporaries the "Seigneur d'Acier" or "Steel Lord,"
+     whence "Durassier"--hard steel. Born in Le Quercy in or
+     about 1466, Genouillac accompanied Charles VIII. on his
+     Italian expeditions, and, according to Brantome, surpassed
+     all others in valour and influence. He greatly distinguished
+     himself at the battle of Fornova (1495), and in 1515 we find
+     him one of the chief commanders of the French artillery. For
+     the great skill he displayed at Marignano he was appointed
+     Grand Master of the Artillery and Seneschal of Armagnac, and
+     he subsequently became Grand Equerry of France. At Pavia,
+     where he again commanded the artillery, he would have swept
+     away the Spaniards had not the French impetuously charged
+     upon them, preventing him from firing his pieces. Most of
+     the latter he contrived to save, severe as was the defeat,
+     and he effectually protected the retreat of the Duke of
+     Alencon and the Count of Clermont into France. Genouillac
+     died in 1546, a year after he had been appointed Governor of
+     Languedoc.--B. J. and Ed.
+
+     5  Valnebon is an anagram of the name Bonneval, and Queen
+     Margaret evidently refers here to a member of the Bonneval
+     family. In the time of Charles VIII. this illustrious
+     Limousin house had two principal members, Anthony, one of
+     the leading counsellors of that king (as of his predecessor
+     Louis XI. and his successor Louis XII.), and Germain, also a
+     royal counsellor and chamberlain. The heroes of the above
+     story being military men and old friends and comrades, it is
+     probable that the reference is to Germain de Bonneval, he,
+     like Chastillon and Genouillac, having accompanied Charles
+     VIII. on his expedition into Italy. Germain de Bonneval,
+     moreover, was one of the seven noblemen who fought at the
+     battle of Fornova, clad and armed exactly like the French
+     king. He perished at the memorable defeat of Pavia in 1525.
+     From him descended, in a direct line, the famous eighteenth
+     century adventurer, Claud Alexander, Count de Bonneval.--B.
+     J. and Ed.
+
+This manner of life continued for a long time, and was so skilfully
+contrived that none of the lovers knew aught of the others; and although
+they were aware of the love that each of them bore the lady, there
+was not one but believed himself to be the only successful suitor, and
+laughed at his comrades who, as he thought, had failed to win such great
+happiness.
+
+One day when the gentlemen aforesaid were at a banquet where they made
+right good cheer, they began to speak of their several fortunes and of
+the prisons in which they had lain during the wars. Valnebon, however,
+who found it a hard task to conceal the great good fortune he had met
+with, began saying to his comrades--
+
+"I know not what prisons have been yours, but for my own part, for love
+of one wherein I once lay, I shall all my life long give praise and
+honour to the rest. I think that no pleasure on earth comes near that of
+being kept a prisoner."
+
+Astillon, who had been the first captive, had a suspicion of the prison
+that he meant, and replied--
+
+"What gaoler, Valnebon, man or woman, treated you so well that you
+became so fond of your prison?"
+
+"Whoever the gaoler may have been," said Valnebon, "my prisonment was
+so pleasant that I would willingly have had it last longer. Never was I
+better treated or more content."
+
+Durassier, who was a man of few words, clearly perceived that they were
+discussing the prison in which he had shared like the rest; so he said
+to Valnebon--
+
+"On what meats were you fed in the prison that you praise so highly?"
+
+"What meats?" said Valnebon. "The King himself has none better or more
+nourishing."
+
+"But I should also like to know," said Durassier, "whether your keeper
+made you earn your bread properly?"
+
+Valnebon, suspecting that he had been understood, could not hold from
+swearing.
+
+"God's grace!" said he. "Had I indeed comrades where I believed myself
+alone?"
+
+Perceiving this dispute, wherein he had part like the rest, Astillon
+laughed and said--
+
+"We all serve one master, and have been comrades and friends from
+boyhood; if, then, we are comrades in the same good fortune, we can but
+laugh at it. But, to see whether what I imagine be true, pray let me
+question you, and do you confess the truth to me; for if that which I
+fancy has befallen us, it is as amusing an adventure as could be found
+in any book."
+
+They all swore to tell the truth if the matter were such as they could
+not deny.
+
+Then said he to them--
+
+"I will tell you my own fortune, and you will tell me, ay or nay, if
+yours has been the same."
+
+To this they all agreed, whereupon he said--
+
+"I asked leave of the King to go on a journey."
+
+"So," they replied, "did we."
+
+"When I was two leagues from the Court, I left all my following and went
+and yielded myself up prisoner."
+
+"We," they replied, "did the same."
+
+"I remained," said Astillon, "for seven or eight days, and lay in a
+closet where I was fed on nothing but restoratives and the choicest
+viands that I ever ate. At the end of a week, those who held me
+captive suffered me to depart much weaker in body than I had been on my
+arrival."
+
+They all swore that the like had happened to them.
+
+"My imprisonment," said Astillon, "began on such a day and finished on
+such another."
+
+"Mine," thereupon said Durassier, "began on the very day that yours
+ended, and lasted until such a day."
+
+Valnebon, who was losing patience, began to swear.
+
+"'Sblood!" said he, "from what I can see, I, who thought myself the
+first and only one, was the third, for I went in on such a day and came
+out on such another."
+
+Three others, who were at the table, swore that they had followed in
+like order.
+
+"Well, since that is so," said Astillon, "I will mention the condition
+of our gaoler. She is married, and her husband is a long way off."
+
+"'Tis even she," they all replied.
+
+"Well, to put us out of our pain," said Astillon, "I, who was first
+enrolled, shall also be the first to name her. It was my lady the
+Countess, she who was so extremely haughty that in conquering her
+affection I felt as though I had conquered Caesar."
+
+[Said Valnebon--(6)]
+
+     6  It is probable that the angry Valnebon is speaking here,
+     and that his name has been accidentally omitted from the
+     MSS. At all events the three subsequent paragraphs show that
+     these remarks are not made by Astillon, who declines the
+     other speaker's advice, and proposes a scheme of his own.--
+     Ed.
+
+"To the devil with the jade, who gave us so much toil, and made us
+believe ourselves so fortunate in winning her! Never was there such
+wantonness, for while she kept one in hiding she was practising upon
+another, so that she might never be without diversion. I would rather
+die than suffer her to go unpunished."
+
+Each thereupon asked him what he thought ought to be done to her, saying
+that they were all ready to do it.
+
+"I think," said he, "that we ought to tell the King our master, who
+prizes her as though she were a goddess.
+
+"By no means," said Astillon; "we are ourselves able to take vengeance
+upon her, without calling in the aid of our master. Let us all be
+present to-morrow when she goes to mass, each of us wearing an iron
+chain about his neck. Then, when she enters the church, we will greet
+her as shall be fitting."
+
+This counsel was highly approved by the whole company, and each provided
+himself with an iron chain. The next morning they all went, dressed in
+black and with their iron chains twisted like collars round their necks,
+to meet the Countess as she was going to church. And as soon as she saw
+them thus attired, she began to laugh and asked them--
+
+"Whither go such doleful folk?"
+
+"Madam," said Astillon, "we are come to attend you as poor captive
+slaves constrained to do your service."
+
+The Countess, feigning not to understand, replied--
+
+"You are not my captives, and I cannot understand that you have more
+occasion than others to do me service."
+
+Thereupon Valnebon stepped forward and said to her--
+
+"After eating your bread for so long a time, we should be ungrateful
+indeed if we did not serve you."
+
+She made excellent show of not understanding the matter, thinking by
+this seriousness to confound them; but they pursued their discourse
+in such sort that she saw that all was discovered. So she immediately
+devised a means of baffling them, for, having lost honour and
+conscience, she would in no wise take to herself the shame that they
+thought to bring upon her. On the contrary, like one who set her
+pleasure before all earthly honour, she neither changed her countenance
+nor treated them worse than before, whereat they were so confounded,
+that they carried away in their own bosoms the shame they had thought to
+bring upon her.
+
+"If, ladies, you do not consider this story enough to prove that women
+are as bad as men, I will seek out others of the same kind to relate to
+you. Nevertheless I think that this one will suffice to show you that a
+woman who has lost shame is far bolder to do evil than a man."
+
+There was not a woman in the company that heard this story, who did not
+make as many signs of the cross as if all the devils in hell were before
+her eyes. However, Oisille said--
+
+"Ladies, let us humble ourselves at hearing of so terrible a
+circumstance, and the more so as she who is forsaken by God becomes like
+him with whom she unites; for even as those who cleave to God have His
+spirit within them, so is it with those that cleave to His opposite,
+whence it comes that nothing can be more brutish than one devoid of the
+Spirit of God."
+
+"Whatever the poor lady may have done," said Ennasuite, "I nevertheless
+cannot praise the men who boasted of their imprisonment."
+
+"It is my opinion," said Longarine, "that a man finds it as troublesome
+to conceal his good fortune as to pursue it. There is never a hunter but
+delights to wind his horn over his quarry, nor lover but would fain have
+credit for his conquest."
+
+"That," said Simontault, "is an opinion which I would hold to be
+heretical in presence of all the Inquisitors of the Faith, for there are
+more men than women that can keep a secret, and I know right well that
+some might be found who would rather forego their happiness than have
+any human being know of it. For this reason has the Church, like a wise
+mother, ordained men to be confessors and not women, seeing that the
+latter can conceal nothing."
+
+"That is not the reason," said Oisille; "it is because women are such
+enemies of vice that they would not grant absolution with the same
+readiness as is shown by men, and would be too stern in their penances."
+
+"If they were as stern in their penances," said Dagoucin, "as they are
+in their responses, they would reduce far more sinners to despair than
+they would draw to salvation; and so the Church has in every sort well
+ordained. But, for all that, I will not excuse the gentlemen who thus
+boasted of their prison, for never was a man honoured by speaking evil
+of a woman."
+
+"Since they all fared alike," said Hircan, "it seems to me that they did
+well to console one another."
+
+"Nay," said Geburon, "they should never have acknowledged it for the
+sake of their own honour. The books of the Round Table (7) teach us that
+it is not to the honour of a worthy knight to overcome one that is good
+for naught."
+
+     7  Queen Margaret was well acquainted with these (see
+     _ante_, vol. iii. p. 48). In a list drawn up after her
+     father's death, of the two hundred volumes of books in his
+     library, a most remarkable one for the times, we find
+     specified several copies of "Lancelot," "Tristan," &c, some
+     in MS. with miniatures and illuminated letters, and others
+     printed on parchment. Besides numerous religious writings,
+     volumes of Aristotle, Ovid, Mandeville, Dante, the
+     Chronicles of St. Denis, and the "Book of the Great Khan,
+     bound in cloth of gold," the library contained various works
+     of a character akin to that of the _Heptameron_. For
+     instance, a copy of the _Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles_ in print;
+     a French translation of Poggio's _Facetio_, also in print,
+     and two copies of Boccaccio in MS., one of them bound in
+     purple velvet, and richly illuminated, each page having a
+     border of blue and silver. This last if still in existence
+     would be very valuable.--Eu.
+
+"I am amazed," said Longarine, "that the unhappy woman did not die of
+shame in presence of her captives."
+
+"Those who have lost shame," said Oisille, "can hardly ever recover it,
+excepting, however, she that has forgotten it through deep love. Of such
+have I seen many return."
+
+"I think," said Hircan, "that you must have seen the return of as many
+as went, for deep love in a woman is difficult to find."
+
+"I am not of your opinion," said Longarine; "I think that there are some
+women who have loved to death."
+
+"So exceedingly do I desire to hear a tale of that kind," said Hircan,
+"that I give you my vote in order to learn of a love in women that I had
+never deemed them to possess."
+
+"Well, if you hearken," said Longarine, "you will believe, and will see
+that there is no stronger passion than love. But while it prompts one
+to almost impossible enterprises for the sake of winning some portion
+of happiness in this life, so does it more than any other passion reduce
+that man or woman to despair, who loses the hope of gaining what is
+longed for. This indeed you will see from the following story."
+
+
+[Illustration: 232.jpg Tailpiece]
+
+[Illustration: 233a.jpg The Lady killing herself on the Death of her Lover]
+
+[The Lady killing herself on the Death of her Lover]
+
+[Illustration: 233.jpg Page Image]
+
+
+
+
+_TALE L_.
+
+     _Messire John Peter for a long time wooed in vain a
+     neighbour of his by whom he was sorely smitten, and to
+     divert his humour withdrew for a few days from the sight of
+     her; but this brought so deep a melancholy upon him that the
+     doctors ordered him to be bled. The lady, who knew whence
+     his distemper proceeded, then thought to save his life, but
+     did indeed hasten his death, by granting him that which she
+     had always refused. Then, reflecting that she was herself
+     the cause of the loss of so perfect a lover, she dealt
+     herself a sword-thrust that made her a partner in his fate_.
+     (1)
+
+In the town of Cremona not long ago there lived a gentleman called
+Messire John Peter, (2) who had long loved a lady that dwelt near to his
+own house; but strive as he might he was never able to have of her the
+reply that he desired, albeit he loved her with his whole heart. Being
+greatly grieved and troubled at this, the poor gentleman withdrew into
+his lodging with the resolve that he would no longer vainly pursue the
+happiness the quest of which was devouring his life; and accordingly, to
+divert his humour, he passed a few days without seeing her. This caused
+him to fall into deep sadness, so that his countenance was no longer the
+same. His kinsfolk summoned the doctors, who, finding that his face was
+growing yellow, thought that he had some obstruction of the liver and
+ordered a blood-letting.
+
+     1  The incidents here narrated probably occurred in or about
+     1544.--L.
+
+     2  "Jehan Pietre" (Pietro) in the MSS.--Ed.
+
+The lady, who had dealt so sternly with him, knew very well that his
+sickness was caused by her refusal alone, and she sent to him an old
+woman in whom she trusted, to tell him that, since she saw his love to
+be genuine and unfeigned, she was now resolved to grant him all that
+which she had refused him so long. She had therefore devised a means to
+leave her house and go to a place where he might privately see her.
+
+The gentleman, who that same morning had been bled in the arm,
+found himself better cured by this message than by any medicine or
+bloodletting he could have had, and he sent word that he would be at the
+place without fail at the hour she had appointed. He added that she had
+wrought an evident miracle, since with one word she had cured a man of a
+sickness for which all the doctors were not able to find a remedy.
+
+The longed-for evening being come, the gentleman repaired to the
+appointed place with such extreme joy as must needs come soon to an end,
+since increase of it were not possible. He had waited but a short time
+after his arrival, when she whom he loved more dearly than his own soul
+came to meet him. He did not occupy himself with making long speeches,
+for the fire that consumed him prompted him to seek with all speed that
+which he could scarcely believe to be at last within his power. But
+whilst, intoxicated beyond measure with love and joy, he was in one
+direction seeking a cure that would give him life, he brought to pass
+in another the hastening of his death; for, heedless of himself for his
+sweetheart's sake, he perceived not that his arm became unbound, and
+that the newly-opened wound discharged so much blood that he was, poor
+gentleman, completely bathed in it. Thinking, however, that his weakness
+had been caused by his excess, he bethought himself of returning home.
+
+Then love, which had too closely united them, so dealt with him that, as
+he was parting from his sweetheart, his soul parted from his body, and,
+by reason of his great loss of blood, he fell dead at his lady's feet.
+
+She, on her side, stood there in astonishment, contemplating the loss of
+so perfect a lover, of whose death she had herself been the sole cause.
+Reflecting, on the other hand, on the shame and sorrow that would be
+hers if the dead body were found in her house, she carried it, with a
+serving-woman whom she trusted, into the street in order that the matter
+might not be known. Nevertheless, she felt that she could not leave it
+there alone. Taking up the dead man's sword, she was fain to share his
+fate, and, indeed, to punish her heart, which had been the cause of all
+his woe, she pierced it through and through, so that her dead body fell
+upon that of her lover.
+
+When her father and mother came out of their house in the morning,
+they found this pitiful sight, and, after making such mourning as was
+natural, they buried the lovers together.
+
+"Thus, ladies, may it be seen that excessive love brings with it other
+woe."
+
+"This is what I like to see," said Simontault, "a love so equal that
+when one died the other could not live. Had I, by the grace of God,
+found such a mistress, I think that none could ever have ioved her more
+perfectly than I."
+
+"Yet am I of opinion," said Parlamente, "that you would not have been so
+blinded by love as not to bind up your arm better than he did. The days
+are gone when men were wont to forget their lives for the ladies' sake."
+
+"But those are not gone," said Simontault, "when ladies are apt to
+forget their lovers' lives for their pleasure's sake."
+
+"I think," said Ennasuite, "that there is no living woman that can take
+pleasure in the death of a man, no, not even though he were her enemy.
+Still, if men will indeed kill themselves, the ladies cannot prevent
+them."
+
+"Nevertheless," said Saffredent, "she that denies the gift of bread to a
+poor starving man is held to be a murderess."
+
+"If your requests," said Oisille, "were as reasonable as those of a poor
+man seeking to supply his needs, it would be over cruel of the ladies to
+refuse you. God be thanked, however, your sickness kills none but such
+as must of necessity die within the year."
+
+"I do not understand, madam," said Saffredent, "that there can be any
+greater need than that which causes all others to be forgotten. When
+love is deep, no bread and no meat whatsoever can be thought of save the
+glance and speech of the woman whom one loves."
+
+"If you were allowed to fast," said Oisille, "with no other meat but
+that, you would tell a very different tale."
+
+"I acknowledge," he replied, "that the body might fail, but not so the
+heart and will."
+
+"Then," said Parlamente, "God has dealt very mercifully with you in
+leading you to have recourse to a quarter where you find such little
+contentment that you must needs console yourself with eating and
+drinking. Methinks in these matters you acquit yourself so well, that
+you should praise God for the tenderness of His cruelty."
+
+"I have been so nurtured in torment," he replied, "that I am beginning
+to be well pleased with woes of which other men complain."
+
+"Perhaps," said Longarine, "our complaints debar you from company where
+your gladness makes you welcome; for nothing is so vexatious as an
+importunate lover."
+
+"Say, rather," answered Simontault, "as a cruel lady ------'"
+
+"I clearly see," said Oisille, "now that the matter touches Simontault,
+that, if we stay until he brings his reasonings to an end, we shall find
+ourselves at complines (3) rather than vespers. Let us, therefore, go
+and praise God that this day has passed without graver dispute."
+
+     3  The last division in the Roman Catholic breviary.--Ed.
+
+She was the first to rise, and all the others followed her, but
+Simontault and Longarine ceased not to carry on their quarrel, yet so
+gently that, without drawing of sword, Simontault won the victory, and
+proved that the strongest passion was the sorest need.
+
+At this point they entered the church, where the monks were waiting for
+them.
+
+Having heard vespers, they went to sup as much off words as meat, for
+their converse lasted as long as they were at table, and throughout the
+evening also, until Oisille told them that they might well retire and
+give some rest to their minds. The five days that were past had been
+filled with such brave stories, that she had great fear lest the sixth
+should not be equal to them; for, even if they were to invent their
+tales, it was not possible to tell any better than those true ones which
+had already been related in the company.
+
+Geburon, however, told her that, so long as the world lasted, things
+would happen worthy of remembrance.
+
+"For," said he, "the wickedness of wicked men is always what it has been,
+as also is the goodness of the good. So long as wickedness and good
+reign upon earth, they will ever fill it with fresh actions, although it
+be written that there is nothing new under the sun. (4) But we, who have
+not been summoned to the intimate counsels of God, and who are ignorant
+of first causes, deem all new things noteworthy in proportion as we
+would not or could not ourselves accomplish them. So, be not afraid that
+the days to come will not be in keeping with those that are past, and be
+sure that on your own part you perform well your duty."
+
+     4  _Ecclesiastes_ i. 9, 10.--M.
+
+Oisille replied that she commended herself to God, and in His name she
+bade them good-night.
+
+So all the company withdrew, thus bringing to an end the Fifth Day.
+
+[Illustration: 240.jpg Tailpiece]
+
+
+
+
+APPENDIX.
+
+
+
+
+A. (Tale XXXVI., Page 63.)
+
+The following are the more important particulars, supplied by M. Jules
+Roman, with reference to President Charles of Grenoble:--
+
+Jeffroy Charles was an Italian, born in the marquisate of Saluzza, where
+his father, Constant, had been a distinguished jurisconsult. The hero
+of Queen Margaret's xxxvith tale always signed his name Jeffroy Charles,
+but his descendants adopted the spelling Carles. Doubtless the name had
+originally been Caroli. Before fixing himself in France, Jeffroy Charles
+had been in the service of Luigi II., Marquis of Saluzza, who had
+appointed him to the office of "Podesta" and entrusted him with
+various diplomatic missions to the French Court (see _Discorsi sopre
+alame famiglie nobili del Piemonte_ by Francesco Agostini della Chiesa,
+in MS. in the State Archives, at Turin). At the time when Charles VIII.
+was planning his expedition to Naples, he gave a cordial greeting to all
+the Italians who presented themselves at his Court, and, securing
+the services of Jeffroy Charles, he appointed him counsellor of the
+Parliament of Grenoble (October 5, 1493), and entrusted him with various
+secret missions, the result being that he sojourned but unfrequently in
+Dauphine. On the death of Charles VIII., Jeffroy secured the good
+graces of his successor, Louis XII., and was appointed (June 16, 1500)
+President of the Senate of Turin, and some months later Chief President
+of the Parliament of Grenoble. Charles spent the greater part of that
+year on missions, both to the Court of the Emperor Maximilian and that
+of the Pope. It was he who obtained from the former the investiture of
+Louis XII. as Duke of Milan, which afterwards led to so much warfare.
+Most of the following years he spent at Milan, seeking to organise the
+government of the duchy, and contending against the rapacity of both
+the French and the Italian nobles. In 1508 he was sent by Louis XII.
+to Cambrai, in company with Cardinal d'Amboise, to conclude an alliance
+with the Emperor against Venice, and he also repaired the same year
+to Rome with Marshal Trivulzio to negotiate the Pope's entry into this
+league.
+
+On war being declared, he set aside his judicial robes, and took an
+active part in the campaign against Venice, fighting so bravely at
+Agnadel that Louis XII. knighted him on the battlefield. His last
+diplomatic mission was to the Court of Leo X. in 1515, in which year he
+was, on account of his great learning, appointed to direct the education
+of the King's younger daughter, the celebrated Renee of Ferrara. But
+it is doubtful whether he ever even entered upon these duties, since he
+died soon after he had been entrusted with them. His family remained in
+Dauphine, where it died out, obscurely, during the seventeenth century.
+Only one of his sons, Anthony, evinced any talent, becoming counsellor
+of the Rouen Parliament (1519), and ambassador at Milan (1530). Lancelot
+de Carles, Bishop of Riez, was not, as some biographers assert, a son
+of Jeffroy Charles, nor was he, it would seem, in any way connected with
+the Saluzza family.
+
+Jeffroy Charles's wife, Margaret du Mottet, had borne him eight children
+before he surprised her in adultery. After the tragical ending of his
+conjugal mishaps he adopted as his crest the figure of an angel holding
+the forefinger of one hand to his mouth as if to enjoin secrecy. (1) In
+the seventeenth century this "angel of silence" was to be seen, carved
+in stone, and serving as a support of the Charles escutcheon, on the
+house where the President had resided in the Rue des Clercs at Grenoble
+(Guy Allard's _Dictionnaire du Dauphine, &c_, Grenoble 1695). Escutcheon
+and support have nowadays disappeared, but on certain of Charles's
+seals, as well as in books that belonged to him, now in the Bibliotheque
+Nationale, Paris, the emblem of the angel will still be found. The
+earliest seal on which we find it is one affixed to a receipt dated from
+Milan, July 31, 1506. Assuming that he adopted this crest in memory of
+the events narrated by Queen Margaret, it is probable that the latter
+occurred in the earlier part of 1506 or the latter part of the previous
+year. (2)
+
+     1 The suggestion here presents itself that, apart from the
+     question of any crime, this emblem of secrecy was a very
+     fitting one for a diplomatist to assume.--Ed.
+
+     2  That is, twenty years after the _Cent Nouvelles
+     Nouvelles_, from which some commentators think the
+     _Heptameron_ story to have been borrowed, was first printed.
+     --Ed.
+
+Three copies of a medal showing Charles's energetic, angular profile,
+with the inscription _Jafredus Karoli jurisconsultus preses Delphinatus
+et Mediolani_, are known to exist; one in the Grenoble museum, one in
+that of Milan, and one in my (M. Roman's) collection. Three MS. works
+from the President's library are in the Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris.
+The frontispiece of one of these (MSS. Lat. No. 4801) is a miniature
+painting of his escutcheon, surmounted by the half-length figure of the
+"angel of silence," who is clad in dark blue, with wings of red, green
+and blue feathers. On folio 74 of the same MS. is a full-length figure
+of the angel, clad in light blue and supporting Charles's escutcheon
+with one hand, whilst the forefinger of the other is pressed to
+his lips. In the libraries of Lyons, Grenoble and Turin are other
+richly-illuminated works that belonged to the President, who was a
+distinguished bibliophilist and great patron of letters, several learned
+Italian writers, and among others, J. P. Parisio, J. M. Cattaneo and
+P'ranchino Gafforio, having dedicated their principal works to him.
+He it was, moreover, who saved the life of Aldo Manuzio, the famous
+Venetian printer, when he was arrested by the French as a spy in 1506.
+
+     From the foregoing particulars it will be seen that
+     President Charles was alike learned, brave and skilful. But
+     for the Queen of Navarre's circumstantial narrative it would
+     be hard to believe that a man with so creditable a public
+     record killed his wife by means of a salad of poisonous
+     herbs.--Ed.
+
+
+THE END OF THE FOURTH VOLUME
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Tales Of The Heptameron, Vol. IV.
+(of V.), by Margaret, Queen Of Navarre
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