The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5)

by Giovanni Boccaccio

  _Faire_ Simonida _affecting_ Pasquino, _and walking with him in apleasant garden, it fortuned, that_ Pasquino _rubbed his teeth witha leafe of Sage, and immediately fell downe dead._ Simonida _beingbrought before the bench of Justice, and charged with the death of_Pasquino: _she rubbed her teeth likewise with one of the leaves of thesame Sage, as declaring what shee saw him do: and thereon she dyed alsoin the same manner._

  The seaventh Novell.

  _Whereby is given to understand, that Love & Death do use their powerequally alike, as well upon poore and meane persons, as on them thatare rich and Noble._

  _Pamphilus_ having ended his Tale, the King declaring an outward shewof compassion, in regard of _Andreanaes_ disastrous Fortune: fixedhis eye on Madam _Emillia_, and gave her such an apparant signe, asexpressed his pleasure, for her next succeeding in discourse; whichbeing sufficient for her understanding, thus she began: Faire assembly,the Novel so lately delivered by _Pamphilus_, maketh me willing toreport another to you, varying from it, in any kinde of resemblance;onely this excepted: that as _Andreana_, lost her lover in a Garden,even so did shee of whome I am now to speake. And being brought beforethe seate of Justice, according as _Andreana_ was, freed her selfe fromthe power of the Law; yet neither by force, or her owne vertue, but byher sodaine and inopinate death. And although the nature of Love issuch (according as wee have oftentimes heeretofore maintained) to makehis abiding in the houses of the Noblest persons; yet men and women ofpoore and farre inferiour quality, do not alwayes sit out of his reach,though enclosed in their meanest Cottages; declaring himselfe sometimesas powerfull a commaunder in those humble places, as he doth in therichest and most imperious Palaces. As will plainly appeare unto you,either in all, or a great part of my Novell, whereto our Citie pleadethsome title; though, by the diversity of our discourses, talking of somany severall accidents; we have wandred into many other parts of theworld, to make all answerable to our owne liking.

  It is not any long time since, when there lived in our City of_Florence_, a young and beautifull Damosell, yet according to thenature of hir condition; because she was the Daughter of a pooreFather, and called by the name of _Simonida_. Now, albeit shee wasnot supplied by any better meanes, then to maintaine her selfe by herowne painfull travell, & earne her bread before shee could eate it, bycarding and spinning to such as employed her; yet was she not of sobase or dejected a spirit, but had both courage and sufficient vertue,to understand the secret solicitings of love, and to distinguishthe parts of well deserving, both by private behaviour and outwardceremony. As naturall instinct was her first tutor thereto, so wantedshe not a second maine and urging motion; a chip hewed out of thelike Timber, one no better in birth then her selfe, a proper youngspringall, named _Pasquino_, whose generous behaviour, and gracefullactions (in bringing her daily wooll to spin, by reason his master wasa Clothier) prevailed upon her liking and affection.

  Nor was he negligent in the observation of her amorous regards, but theTinder tooke, and his soule flamed with the selfe-same fire; making himas desirous of her loving acceptance, as possibly she could bee of his:so that the commanding power of love, could not easily be distinguishedin which of them it had the greater predominance. For, everie day ashe brought her fresh supply of woolles, and found her seriously busiedat hir wheele: her soule would vent forth many deepe sighes, and thosesighes fetch floods of teares from her eyes, thorough the singular goodopinion she had conceyved of him, and earnest desire to enjoy him._Pasquino_ on the other side, as leysure gave him leave for the leastconversing with her: his disease was every way answerable to her, forteares stood in his eyes, sighes flew abroad, to ease the poore heartsafflicting oppressions, which though he was unable to conceale; yetwould hee seeme to clowd them cleanly, by entreating her that hismasters worke might be neatly performed, and with such speed as timewould permit her, intermixing infinite praises of her artificiallspinning; and affirming withall, that the Quilles of Yearne receivedfrom her, were the choisest beauty of the whole peece; so that whenother worke-women played, _Simonida_ was sure to want no employment.

  Heereupon, the one soliciting, and the other taking delight in beeingsolicited; it came to passe, that often accesse bred the boldercourage, & over-much bashfulnesse became abandoned, yet no immodestiepassing betweene them: but affection grew the better setled in themboth, by interchangeable vowes of constant perseverance, so that deathonely, but no disaster elsee had power to divide them. Their mutualldelight continuing on in this manner, with more forcible encreasingof their Loves equall flame; it fortuned, that _Pasquino_ sitting by_Simonida_, tolde her of a goodly Garden, whereto hee was desirousto bring her, to the end, that they might the more safely conversetogether, without the suspition of envious eyes. _Simonida_ gave answerof her well-liking the motion, and acquainting her Father therewith, hegave her leave, on the Sunday following after dinner, to go serch thepardon of S. _Gallo_, and afterwards to visit the Garden.

  A modest yong maiden named _Lagina_, following the same profession,and being an intimate familiar friend, _Simonida_ tooke along in hercompany, and came to the Garden appointed by _Pasquino_; where sheefound him readily expecting her comming, and another friend also withhim, called _Puccino_ (albeit more usually tearmed _Strambo_) a secretwell-willer to _Lagina_, whose love became the more furthered by thisfriendly meeting. Each Lover delighting in his hearts chosen Mistresse,caused them to walke alone by themselves, as the spaciousnesse of theGarden gave them ample liberty: _Puccino_ with his _Lagina_ in onepart, & _Pasquino_ with his _Simonida_ in another. The walke which theyhad made choise of, was by a long and goodly bed of Sage, turning andreturning by the same bed as their conference ministred occasion, andas they pleased to recreate themselves; affecting rather to continuestill there, then in any part of the Garden.

  One while they would sit downe by the Sage bed, and afterward riseto walke againe, as ease or wearinesse seemed to invite them. Atlength, _Pasquino_ chanced to crop a leafe of the Sage, wherewithhe both rubbed his teeth and gummes, and champing it betweene themalso, saying; that there was no better thing in the world to cleansethe teeth withall, after feeding. Not long had he thus champed theSage in his teeth, returning to his former kinde of discoursing, buthis countenance began to change very pale, his sight failed, andspeech forsooke him; so that (in briefe) he fell downe dead. Whichwhen _Simonida_ beheld, wringing her hands, she cryed out for helpeto _Strambo_ and _Lagina_, who immediately came running to her. Theyfinding _Pasquino_ not onely to be dead, but his bodie swolne; andstrangely over-spred with foule black spots, both on his face, handes,and all parts elsee beside: _Strambo_ cried out, saying; Ah wickedmaide, what hast thou poisoned him?

  These words and their shrill out-cries also, were heard by Neighboursdwelling neere to the Garden, who comming in sodainly uppon them, andseeing _Pasquino_ lying dead, and hugely swoln, _Strambo_ likewisecomplaining, and accusing _Simonida_ to have poysoned him; shee makingno answer, but standing in a gastly amazement, all her senses meerelyconfounded, at such a strange and uncouth accident, in loosing himwhome she so dearely loved: knew not how to excuse her selfe, andtherefore every one verily beleeved, that _Strambo_ had not unjustlyaccused her. Poore woful maide, thus was shee instantly apprehended,and drowned in her teares, they led her along to the Potestates Palace,where her accusation was justified by _Strambo, Lagina,_ and two menmore; the one named _Atticciato_, and the other _Malagevole_, fellowesand companions with _Pasquino_, who came into the Garden also upon theout-cry.

  The Judge, without any delay at all, gave eare to the busines, andexamined the case very strictly: but could by no meanes comprehend,that any malice should appeare in her towards him, nor that she wasguiltie of the mans death. Wherefore, in the presence of _Simonida_,hee desired to see the dead body, and the place where he fell downedead, because there he intended to have her relate, how she saw theaccident to happen, that her owne speeches might the sooner condemneher, whereas the case yet remained doubtfull, and farre beyond hiscomprehension. So, without any further publicat
ion, and to avoid thefollowing of the turbulent multitude: they departed from the bench ofJustice, and came to the place, where _Pasquinoes_ body lay swolne likea Tunne. Demanding there questions, concerning his behaviour, when theywalked there in conference together, and, not a little admiring themanner of his death, while hee stood advisedly considering thereon.

  She going to the bed of Sage, reporting the whole precedent history,even from the original to the ending: the better to make the caseunderstood, without the least colour of ill carriage towardes_Pasquino_; according as she had seene him do, even so did she pluckeanother leafe of the Sage, rubbing her teeth therewith, and champingit as he formerly did. _Strambo_, and the other intimate friends of_Pasquino_, having noted in what manner she used the Sage, and thisappearing as her utmost refuge, either to acquit or condemne her:in presence of the Judge they smiled thereat, mocking and deridingwhatsoever shee saide, or did, and desiring (the more earnestly) thesentence of death against her, that her body might be consumed withfire, as a just punishment for her abhominable transgression.

  Poore _Simonida_, sighing and sorrowing for her deere loves losse, and(perhappes) not meanly terrified, with the strict infliction of tormentso severely urged and followed by _Strambo_ and the rest: standingdumb still, without answering so much as one word; by tasting of thesame Sage, fell downe dead by the bed, even by the like accident as_Pasquino_ formerly did, to the admirable astonishment of all therepresent.

  Oh poore infortunate Lovers, whose Starres were so inauspicious toyou, as to finish both your mortall lives, and fervent love, in lesselimitation then a dayes space. How to censure of your deaths, andhappines to ensue thereon, by an accident so straunge and inevitable:it is not within the compasse of my power, but to hope the best, andso I leave you. But yet concerning _Simonida_ her selfe, in the commonopinion of us that remaine living: her true vertue and innocency(though Fortune was other wise most cruell to her) would not sufferher to sinke under the testimony of _Strambo, Lagina, Atticciato_and _Malagevole_, being but carders of wool, or perhaps of meanercondition; a happier course was ordained for her, to passe clearly fromtheir infamous imputation, and follow her _Pasquino_, in the verie samemanner of death, and with such a speedie expedition.

  The Judge standing amazed, and all there present in his companie, weresilent for a long while together: but, uppon better re-collection ofhis spirits, thus he spake. This inconvenience which thus hath hapned,and confounded our senses with no common admiration; in mine opinionconcerneth the bed of Sage, avouching it either to bee venomous, ordangerously infected; which (neverthelesse) is seldom found in Sage.But to the end, that it may not be offensive to any more heereafter, Iwill have it wholly digd up by the rootes, and then to bee burnt in theopen Market place.

  Hereupon, the Gardiner was presently sent for, and before the Judgewould depart thence, he saw the bed of Sage digged up by the roots,and found the true occasion, whereby these two poore Lovers lost theirlives. For, just in the middest of the bed, and at the maine roote,which directed all the Sage in growth; lay an huge mighty Toad, evenweltring (as it were) in a hole full of poyson; by meanes whereof, inconjecture of the Judge, and all the rest, the whole bed of Sage becameenvenomed, occasioning every leafe thereof to be deadly in taste. Nonebeing so hardie, as to approach neere the Toade, they made a pileof wood directly over it, and setting it on a flaming fire, threwall the Sage thereinto, and so they were consumed together. So endedall further suite in Lawe, concerning the deaths of _Pasquino_ and_Simonida_: whose bodies being carried to the Church of Saint _Paul_,by their sad and sorrowfull accusers, _Strambo, Lagina, Atticciato_and _Malagevole_, were buried together in one goodlie Monument, for afuture memory of their hard Fortune.