The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5): Containing an hundred pleasant NovelsBoccaccio, Giovanni
History
The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5): Containing an hundred pleasant Novels
Boccaccio, Giovanni
Allegories; Frame stories; Plague -- Europe -- History -- Fiction; Storytelling -- Fiction
_D'Angiers_ seeing this, and fearing more the malice of the
over-credulous Court, then either his owne conscience, or any
dishonourable act by him committed, beleeving likewise, that her
slanderous accusation would bee credited, above his true and spotlesse
innocency: closely he conveyed himselfe out of the Court, making what
hast hee could, home to his owne house, which being too weake for
warranting his safety upon such pursuite as would be used against him,
without any further advice or counsell, he seated his two children on
horsebacke, himselfe also being but meanly mounted, thus away thence
hee went to _Calice_.
Upon the clamour and noise of the Lady, the Courtiers quickly flocked
thither; and, as lies soone winne beleefe in hasty opinions, upon any
silly or shallow surmise: so did her accusation passe for currant, and
the Counts advancement being envied by many, made his honest carriage
(in this case) the more suspected. In hast and madding fury, they ran
to the Counts houses, to arrest his person, and carry him to prison:
but when they could not finde him, they raced his goodly buildings
downe to the ground, and used all shamefull violence to them. Now, as
il newes sildome wants a speedy Messenger; so, in lesse space then you
will imagine, the King and Dolphin heard thereof in the Camp, and were
therewith so highly offended, that the Count had a sodaine and severe
condemnation, all his progeny being sentenced with perpetuall exile,
and promises of great and bountifull rewards, to such as could bring
his body alive or dead.
Thus the innocent Count, by his over-hasty and sodaine flight, made
himselfe guilty of this foule imputation: and arriving at _Callice_
with his children, their poore and homely habites, hid them from being
knowne, and thence they crossed over into England, staying no where
untill hee came to London. Before he would enter into the City, he
gave divers good advertisements to his children, but especially two
precepts above all the rest. First, with patient soules to support the
poore condition, whereto Fortune (without any offence in him or them)
had thus dejected them. Next, that they should have most heedfull care,
at no time to disclose from whence they came, or whose children they
were, because it extended to the perill of their lives. His Sonne,
being named _Lewes_, and now about nine yeares old, his daughter called
_Violenta_, and aged seaven yeares, did both observe their fathers
direction, as afterward it did sufficiently appeare. And because
they might live in the safer securitie, hee thought it for the best
to change their names, calling his sonne _Perotto_, and his daughter
_Gianetta_, for thus they might best escape unknowne.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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