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
When the Ladies heard this, they made answer, that all should bee
answerable to his minde. Whereupon, the King gave them all leave
to dispose of themselves till supper time. And because the Sun
was yet very high, in regard all the re counted Novels had bin so
short: _Dioneus_ went to play at the Tables with another of the yong
Gentlemen, & Madame _Eliza_, having withdrawne the Ladies aside, thus
spake unto them. During the time of our being heere, I have often bene
desirous to let you see a place somwhat neere at hand, and which I
suppose you have never seene, it being called _The Valley of Ladies_.
Till now, I could not finde any convenient time to bring you thither,
the Sunne continuing still aloft, which fitteth you with the apter
leysure, and the sight (I am sure) can no way discontent you.
The Ladies replyed, that they were all ready to walk with her thither:
and calling one of their women to attend on them, they set on, without
speaking a word to any of the men. And within the distance of halfe
a mile, they arrived at the _Valley of Ladies_, whereinto they entred
by a strait passage at the one side, from whence there issued forth a
cleare running River. And they found the saide Valley to bee so goodly
and pleasant, especially in that season, which was the hottest of all
the yeare; as all the world was no where able to yeeld the like. And,
as one of the said Ladies (since then) related to mee, there was a
plaine in the Valley so directly round, as if it had beene formed by a
compasse, yet rather it resembled the Workmanship of Nature, then to be
made by the hand of man: containing in circuite somewhat more then the
quarter of a mile, environed with sixe small hils, of no great height,
and on each of them stood a little Palace, shaped in the fashion of
Castles.
The ground-plots descending from those hils or mountaines, grew lesse
and lesse by variable degrees, as wee observe at entering into our
Theaters, from the highest part to the lowest, succinctly to narrow
the circle by order. Now, concerning these ground-plottes or little
Meadowes, those which the Sun Southward looked on, were full of Vines,
Olive-trees, Almond-trees, Cherry-trees, and Figge-trees, with divers
other Trees beside, so plentifully bearing fruites, as you could not
discerne a hands bredth of losse. The other Mountaines, whereon the
Northerne windes blow, were curiously covered with small Thickets or
Woods of Oakes, Ashes, and other Trees so greene and straite, as it was
impossible to behold fairer. The goodly plaine it selfe, not having any
other entrance, but where the Ladies came in, was planted with Trees of
Firre, Cipresse, Laurell, and Pines; so singularly growing in formall
order, as if some artificiall or cunning hand had planted them, the Sun
hardly piercing through their branches, from the top to the bottome,
even at his highest, or any part of his course.
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