The Decameron (Day 6 to Day 10): Containing an hundred pleasant NovelsBoccaccio, Giovanni
History
The Decameron (Day 6 to Day 10): Containing an hundred pleasant Novels
Boccaccio, Giovanni
Allegories; Frame stories; Plague -- Europe -- History -- Fiction; Storytelling -- Fiction
Master Doctor, you must be first of all, strongly armed with resolution
and confidence: for if you be not, you may not only receyve hindrance,
but also do us great harme beside: and now you shall heare, in what
manner, and how you are to be bold and constant. You must procure the
meanes, this instant night, when all the people are in their soundest
sleepe, to stand upon one of those high exalted Tombs or Monuments,
which are in the Churchyard of _Santa Maria Novella_, with the very
fairest gowne you have about you, because you may appeare in the more
honorable condition, before the assembly seated together, and likewise
to make good our speeches already delivered of you, concerning your
qualitie & profession: that the Countesse, perceyving you to bee a
woorthie Gentlemen, may have you first honoured with the Bathe, and
afterward Knighted at her owne cost and charge. But you must continue
still upon the Tombe (dreadlesse of nightly apparitions & visions)
untill such time as we send for you.
And for your better information in every particulare; a Beast, blacke
and horned, but of no great stature, will come to fetch you: perhaps he
will use some gastly noises, straunge leapes, and loftie trickes, onely
to terrifie and affright you: but when he perceiveth that he cannot
daunt you, hee will gently come neere you, which when he hath done,
you may descend from off the Tombe; and, without naming or thinking
on God, or any of his Saintes, mount boldly on his backe, for he will
stand ready to receive you. Being so seated, crosse your armes over
your brest, without presuming to touch or handle the Beast, for he will
carry you thence softly, and so bring you along to the company. But if
in all this time of your travaile, you call on heaven, any Saint, or
bee possessed with the least thought of feare: I must plainely tell
you, that either hee will cast you dangerously, or throw you into some
noysom place. And therefore, if you know your selfe, not to be of a
constant courage, and sprightly bold, to undertake such an adventure as
this: never presume any further, because you may doe us a great deale
of injurie, without any gaine or benefite to your selfe, but rather
such wrong, as we would be very sorry should happen unto so deere a
Friend.
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account