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
This Novell affoorded equall pleasing to the whole companie, Friar
_Onyons_ Sermon being much commended, but especially his long
Pilgrimage, and the Reliques he had both seene, and brought home
with him. Afterward, the Queene perceiving, that her reigne had now
the full expiration, graciously she arose, and taking the Crowne
from off her owne head, placed on the head of _Dioneus_, saying. It
is high time _Dioneus_, that you should taste part of the charge &
paine, which poore women have felt and undergone in their soveraigntie
and government: wherefore, be you our King, and rule us with such
awefull authority, that the ending of your dominion may yeelde us all
contentment. _Dioneus_ being thus invested with the Crowne, returned
this answer.
I make no doubt (bright Beauties) but you many times have seene as
good, or a better King among the Chesse-men, then I am. But yet of a
certainty, if you would be obedient to me, as you ought in dutie unto
a true King: I should grant you a liberall freedome of that, wherein
you take the most delight, and without which, our choisest desires can
never be compleate. Neverthelesse, I meane, that my government shall be
according to mine owne minde. So, causing the Master of the Houshold to
be called for, as all the rest were wont to do for conference with him:
he gave him direction, for al things fitting the time of his Regiment,
and then turning to the Ladies, thus he proceeded.
Honest Ladies, we have alreadie discoursed of variable devises, and
so many severall manners of humane industry, concerning the busines
wherewith _Licisca_ came to acquaint us: that her very words, have
ministred me matter, sufficient for our morrowes conference, or else I
stand in doubt, that I could not have devised a more convenient Theame
for us to talke on. She (as you have all heard) saide, that shee had
not anie neighbour, who came a true Virgin to her Husband, and added
moreover, that she knew some others, who had beguiled their Husbandes,
in very cunning and crafty manner. But setting aside the first part,
concerning the proofe of children, I conceive the second to bee more
apte for our intended argument. In which respect, my will is (seeing
_Licisca_ hath given us so good an occasion) that our discoursing to
morrow,** may onely concerne such slye cunning and deceits, as women have
heeretofore used, for satisfying their owne appetites, and beguiling
their Husbands, without their knowledge, or suspition, and cleanly
escaping with them, or no.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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