French fiction -- Translations into English; Italian fiction -- Translations into English
The Earle afterwardes liued with his wife in great
prosperitie (and as some do affirme) both by his own pollicie and
valiaunce, and with the aide of his father in lawe, he recouered and
ouercame the Realme of Scotlande, and was there crowned Kyng.
THE THIRTY-FIFTH NOUELL.
_Landolpho Ruffolo being impooerished, became a pirate and taken by
the Geneuois, was in daunger of drowning, who sauing himselfe vpon a
litle coafer full of rich iewels, was receiued at Corfu, and beinge
cherished by a woman, retourned home very riche._
It is supposed, that the sea coast of Reggium (in Calabria) in the most
delectable part in all Italy, wherin (hard by Salerno) there is a
countrye by the Sea Side, which the inhabitauntes doe terme the coast of
Malfy, so full of litle cities, gardeines, fountaines, riche men and
marchauntes, as any other people and countrie. Among which said cities,
there was one called Rauello, where in time past (althoughe in these
dayes there be very rich men), there dwelte a notable man of substaunce,
called Landolpho Ruffolo: who being not contented with his riches, but
desirous to multiplye them double, was in hazarde to lose himselfe, and
all that he had. This man, (as all other marchauntes be accustomed)
after he had considered with himselfe what to doe, boughte a very greate
shippe, and sraughted the same with sondrye kindes of marchaundize of
his owne aduenture, and made a voyage to the Isle of Cypri, where he
found (besides the commodities which he brought) many other shippes
arriued there, laden with such like wares: by which occasion it
happened, that hee was forced not onelye to sell the same good cheape,
but also was constrained (if hee woulde dispatch his goodes) to giue
them almost for nought, whereby he thoughte that he was vtterly vndone.
And being greatly troubled for that losse, not knowing what to doe, and
seing how in so litle a time, of a rich man he was come to begger state,
he thoughte either to die, or els by piracie to recouer his losses, to
the intent he might not returne to the place poore, from whence he was
departed riche. And hauing founde a copeseman for his great barque, with
the money thereof, and with other which hee receiued for his
marchandise, he boughte a small pinnas, meete for the vse of a pirate,
which he armed and furnished with al thinges necessary for that purpose:
and determined to make himselfe riche with the goodes of other men, and
chiefelye hee ment to set vppon the Turkes: whereunto fortune was more
fauourable then to his former trade: and by chaunce, by the space of one
yeare, he robbed and toke so many Foistes and galleis of the Turkes, as
he had recouered not onely that which he loste by marchaundise, but also
more then twise so muche as whereunto those losses did amounte.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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