The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5): Containing an hundred pleasant Novels — John Shaqi
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
Master _Chappelet_ still wept and sighed, and continued silent,
notwithstanding all the Confessors comfortable perswasions; but after
hee had helde him a long while in suspence, breathing forth a sighe,
even as if his very heart would have broken, he saide; Holy Father,
seeing you promise to pray to God for me, I will reveale it to you:
Know then, that when I was a little boy, I did once curse my Mother;
which he had no sooner spoken, but he wrung his hands, and greeved
extraordinarily. Oh good Son, saide the Friar, doth that seeme so great
a sinne to thee? Why, men doe daily blaspheme our Lord God, and yet
neverthelesse, upon their hearty repentance, he is alwayes ready to
forgive them; and wilt not thou beleeve to obtaine remission, for a
sinne so ignorantly committed? Weepe no more deare Sonne, but comfort
thy selfe, and rest resolved, that if thou wert one of them, who nayled
our blessed Saviour to his Crosse; yet being so truly repentant, as I
see thou art, he would freely forgive thee. Say you so Father? quoth
_Chappelet_. What? mine owne deare Mother? that bare me in her wombe
nine moneths, day and night, and afterwards fed me with her breasts a
thousand times, can I be pardoned for cursing her? Oh no, it is too
haynous a sinne, and except you pray to God very instantly for me, he
will not forgive me.
When the religious man perceived, that nothing more was to be confessed
by Master _Chappelet_; he gave him absolution, and his owne benediction
beside, reputing him to be a most holy man, as verily beleeving all
that he had said. And who would not have done the like, hearing a man
to speake in that manner, and being upon the very point of death?
Afterward, he saide unto him; Master _Chappelet_, by Gods grace you may
be soone restored to health, but if it so come to passe, that God doe
take your blessed and well disposed soule to his mercy, will it please
you to have your body buried in our Convent? Whereto Master _Chappelet_
answered; I thanke you Father for your good motion, and sorry should
I be, if my friends did bury me any where else, because you have
promised, to pray to God for me; and beside, I have alwayes carried a
religious devotion to your Order. Wherefore, I beseech you, so soone
as you are come home to your Convent, prevaile so much by your good
meanes, that the holy Eucharist, consecrated this morning on your high
Altar, may be brought unto me: for although I confesse my selfe utterly
unworthy, yet I purpose (by your reverend permission) to receive it,
as also your holy and latest unction; to this ende, that having lived a
greevous sinner, I may yet (at the last) die a Christian. These words
were pleasing to the good olde man, and he caused every thing to be
performed, according as Master _Chappelet_ had requested.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account