the decameron(十日谈)-第20章

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espoused　him；　refusing　all　the　world；　to　be　onely　his：　which　being
on　either　side　confirmed　solemnly；　by　an　holy　Vow；　and　chaste
kisses；　shee　commanded　him　backe　to　his　Chamber；　and　she　returned　to
her　bed　againe；　sufficiently　satisfied　with　her　Loves　acceptation；　and
so　they　journied　on　till　they　came　to　Rome。
　　When　they　had　rested　themselves　there　for　some　few　dayes；　the
supposed　Abbot；　with　the　two　Knights；　and　none　else　in　company　but
Alessandro；　went　before　the　Pope；　and　having　done　him　such　reverence
as　beseemed；　the　Abbot　began　to　speake　in　this　manner。
　　Holy　Father　（as　you　know　much　better　then　any　other）　everie　one　that
desireth　to　live　well　and　vertuously；　ought　to　shunne　（so　farre　as
in　them　lyeth）　all　occasions　that　may　induce　to　the　contrarie。　To
the　end　therefore；　that　I　（who　desire　nothing　more）　then　to　live
within　the　compasse　of　a　vertuous　conversation；　may　perfect　my　hopes
in　this　behalfe：　I　have　fled　from　my　Fathers　Court；　and　am　come　hither
in　this　habite　as　you　see；　to　crave　therein　your　holy　and　fatherly
furtherance。　I　am　daughter　to　the　King　of　England；　and　have
sufficiently　furnished　my　selfe　with　some　of　his　Treasures；　that
your　Holinesse　may　bestow　me　in　marriage；　because　mine　unkind
Father；　never　regarding　my　youth　and　beauty　（inferior　to　few　in　my
native　country）　would　marry　me　to　the　King　of　North…Wales；　an　aged；
impotent；　and　sickely　man。　Yet　let　me　tell　your　sanctity；　that　his　age
and　weakenesse　hath　not　so　much　occasioned　my　Right；　as　feare　of
mine　owne　youth　and　frailety；　when　being　married　to　him；　instead　of
loyall　and　unstained　life；　lewd　and　dishonest　desires　might　make　me　to
wander；　by　breaking　the　divine　Lawes　of　wedlocke；　and　abusing　the
royall　blood　of　my　Father。
　　As　I　travailed　hither　with　this　vertuous　intention；　our　Lord；　who
onely　knoweth　perfectly；　what　is　best　fitting　for　all　his　creatures；
presented　mine　eyes　（no　doubt　in　his　meere　mercy　and　goodnesse）　with　a
man　meete　to　be　my　husband；　which　（pointing　to　Alessandro）　is　this
young　Gentleman　standing　by　me；　whose　honest；　vertuous；　and　civill
demeanour；　deserveth　a　Lady　of　farre　greater　worth；　although　（perhaps）
Nobility　in　blood　be　denied　him；　and　may　make　him　seeme　not　so
excellent；　as　one　derived　from　Royall　discent。　Holy　and　religious
vowes　have　past　betweene　us　both；　and　the　Ring　on　his　finger；　is　the
firme　pledge　of　my　faith　and　constancie；　never　to　accept　any　other　man
in　marriage；　but　him　onely；　although　my　Father；　or　any　else　doe
dislike　it。　Wherefore　（holy　Father）　the　principall　cause　of　my　comming
hither；　being　already　effectually　concluded　on；　I　desire　to　compleat
the　rest　of　my　Pilgrimage；　by　visiting　the　sanctified　places　in　this
City；　whereof　there　are　great　plenty：　And　also；　that　sacred
marriage；　being　contracted　in　the　presence　of　God　onely；　betweene
Alessandro　and　my　selfe；　may　by　you　be　publikely　confirmed；　and　in
an　open　congregation。　For；　seeing　God　hath　so　appointed　it；　and　our
soules　have　so　solemnely　vowed　it；　that　no　disaster　whatsoever　can
alter　it：　you　being　Gods　Vicar　here　on　earth；　I　hope　will　not
gainesay；　but　confirme　it　with　your　fatherly　benediction；　that　wee　may
live　in　Gods　feare；　and　dye　in　his　favour。
　　Perswade　your　selves　（faire　Ladies）　that　Alessandro　was　in　no
meane　admiration；　when　hee　heard；　that　his　wife　was　daughter　to　the
King　of　England；　unspeakable　joy　（questionlesse）　wholly　overcame
him：　but　the　two　Knights　were　not　a　little　troubled　and　offended；　at
such　a　straunge　and　unexpected　accident；　yea；　so　violent　were　their
passions；　that　had　they　beene　any　where　else；　then　in　the　Popes
presence；　Alessandro　had　felt　their　furie；　and　（perhaps）　the　Princesse
her　selfe　too。　On　the　other　side；　the　Pope　was　much　amazed　at　the
habite　she　went　disguised　in；　and　likewise　at　the　election　of　her
husband；　but；　perceiving　there　was　no　resistance　to　be　made　against
it；　hee　yeelded　the　more　willingly　to　satisfie　her　desire。　And
therefore；　having　first　comforted　the　two　Knights；　and　made　peace
betweene　them；　the　Princesse；　and　Alessandro；　he　gave　order　for　the
rest　that　was　to　be　done。
　　When　the　appointed　day　for　the　solemnity　was　come；　hee　caused　the
Princesse　（cloathed　in　most　rich　and　royall　garments）　to　appeare
before　all　the　Cardinals；　and　many　other　great　persons　then　in
presence；　who　were　come　to　this　worthy　Feast；　which　hee　had　caused
purposely　to　bee　prepared；　where　she　seemed　so　faire　and　goodly　a
Lady；　that　every　eye　was　highly　delighted　to　behold　her；　commending
her　with　no　meane　admiration。　In　like　manner　was　Alessandro　greatly
honoured　by　the　two　Knights；　being　most　sumptuous　in　appearance；　and
not　like　a　man　that　had　lent　money　to　usury；　but　rather　of　very　royall
quality；　the　Pope　himselfe　celebrating　the　marriage　betweene　them；
which　being　finished；　with　the　most　magnificent　pompe　that　could　be
devised；　hee　gave　them　his　benediction；　and　licenced　their　departure
thence。
　　Alessandro；　his　Princesse　and　her　traine　thus　leaving　Rome；　they
would　needes　visite　Florence；　where　the　newes　of　this　accident　was
（long　before）　noysed；　and　they　received　by　the　Citizens　in　royall
manner。　There　did　shee　deliver　the　three　brethren　out　of　prison；
having　first　payed　all　their　debts；　and　reseated　them　againe　（with
their　wives）　in　their　former　inheritances　and　possessions。
Afterward；　departing　from　Florence；　and　Agolanto；　one　of　the　Uncles
travailing　with　them　to　Paris；　they　were　there　also　most　honourably
entertained　by　the　King　of　France。　From　whence　the　two　Knights　went
before　for　England；　and　prevailed　so　successefully　with　the　King；　that
hee　received　his　daughter　into　grace　and　favour；　as　also　his　Sonne
in　law　her　husband；　to　whom　hee　gave　the　order　of　Knighthoode；　and
（for　his　greater　dignitie）　created　him　Earle　of　Cornewall。
　　And　such　was　the　noble　spirit　of　Alessandro；　that　he　pacified　the
troubles　betweene　the　King　and　his　sonne；　whereon　ensued　great　comfort
to　the　Kingdome；　winning　the　love　and　favour　of　all　the　people；　and
Agolanto　（by　the　meanes　of　Alessandro）　recovered　all　that　was　due　to
him　and　his　brethren　in　England；　returning　richly　home　to　Florence；
Count　Alessandro　（his　kinsman）　having　first　dub'd　him　Knight。　Long
time　he　lived　in　peace　and　tranquility；　with　the　faire　Princesse　his
wife；　proving　to　be　so　absolute　in　wisedome；　and　so　famous　a　Souldier；
that　（as　some　report）　by　assistance　of　his　Father　in　law；　he　conquered
the　Realme　of　Ireland；　and　was　crowned　King　thereof。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SECOND　DAY；　THE　FOURTH　NOVELL

　　　　　　WHEREBY　MAY　BE　DISCERNED；　INTO　HOW　MANY　DANGERS　A　MAN　MAY
　　　　　　　　　FALL；　THROUGH　A　COVETOUS　DESIRE　TO　ENRICH　HIMSELFE

　　Landolpho　Ruffolo；　falling　into　poverty；　became　a　Pirate　on　the
Seas；　and　being　taken　by　the　Genewayes；　hardly　escaped　drowning：　Which
yet　（neverthelesse）　he　did；　upon　a　little　Chest　or　Coffer；　full　of
very　rich　Jewels；　being　carried　thereon　to　Corfu；　where　he　was　well
entertained　by　a　good　woman；　And　afterward；　returned　richly　home　to
his　owne　house。

　　Madam　Lauretta；　sitting　next　to　Madam　Pampinea；　and　seeing　how
triumphantly　she　had　finished　her　discourse；　without　attending　any
thing　else；　spake　thus。　Gracious　Ladies；　we　shall　never　behold　（in
mine　opinion）　a　greater　act　of　Fortune；　then　to　see　a　man　so　suddainly
exalted；　even　from　the　lowest　depth　of　poverty；　to　a　Royall　estate
of　dignity；　as　the　discourse　of　Madam　Pampinea　hath　made　good；　by
the　happy　advancement　of　Alessandro。　And　because　it　appeareth
necessary；　that　whosoever　discourseth　on　the　subject　proposed；
should　no　way　vary　from　the　very　same　termes；　I　shall　not　shame　to
tell　a　tale；　which；　though　it　containe　far　greater　mishapes　then　the
former；　may　sort　to　as　happy　an　issue；　albeit　not　so　noble　and
magnificent。　In　which　respect；　it　may　（perhaps）　merit　the　lesse
attention；　but　howsoever　that　fault　shall　be　found　in　you；　I　meane
to　discharge　mine　owne　duty。
　　　Opinion　hath　made　it　famous　for　long　time；　that　the　Seacoast　of
Rhegium　to　Gaieta；　is　the　onely　delactable　part　of　all　Italy；　wherein；
somewhat　neere　to　Salerno；　is　a　shore　looking　upon　the　Sea；　which
the　inhabitants　there　dwelling；　doe　call　the　coast　of　Malfy；　full　of
small　Townes；　Gardens；