--
A knight in the service of the King of Spain deems himself ill requited.
Wherefore the King, by most cogent proof, shews him that the blame rests
not with him, but with the knight's own evil fortune; after which, he
bestows upon him a noble gift.
--
Highly graced, indeed, do I deem myself, honourable my ladies, that our
king should have given to me the precedence in a matter so arduous to
tell of as magnificence: for, as the sun irradiates all the heaven with
his glory and beauty, even so does magnificence enhance the purity and
the splendour of every other virtue. I shall therefore tell you a story,
which, to my thinking, is not a little pretty; and which, assuredly, it
must be profitable to call to mind.
You are to know, then, that, among other honourable knights that from
days of old even until now have dwelt in our city, one, and perchance the
worthiest of all, was Messer Ruggieri de' Figiovanni. Who, being wealthy
and magnanimous, reflecting on the customs and manner of life of Tuscany,
perceived that by tarrying there he was like to find little or no
occasion of shewing his mettle, and accordingly resolved to pass some
time at the court of Alfonso, King of Spain, who for the fame of his high
qualities was without a peer among the potentates of his age. So, being
well provided with arms and horses and retinue suitable to his rank, he
hied him to Spain, where he was graciously received by the King. There
tarrying accordingly, Messer Ruggieri very soon, as well by the splendid
style in which he lived as by the prodigious feats of arms that he did,
gave folk to know his high desert.
Now, having tarried there some while, and observed the King's ways with
much care, and how he would grant castles, cities, or baronies, to this,
that, or the other of his subjects, he deemed that the King shewed
therein but little judgment, seeing that he would give them to men that
merited them not. And for that nought was given to him, he, knowing his
merit, deemed himself gravely injured in reputation; wherefore he made up
his mind to depart the realm, and to that end craved license of the King;
which the King granted him, and therewith gave him one of the best and
finest mules that was ever ridden, a gift which Messer Ruggieri, as he
had a long journey to make, did not a little appreciate. The King then
bade one of his discreet domestics contrive, as best he might, to ride
with Messer Ruggieri on such wise that it might not appear that he did so
by the King's command, and charge his memory with whatever Messer
Ruggieri might say of him, so that he might be able to repeat it; which
done, he was on the very next morning to bid Ruggieri return to the King
forthwith. The King's agent was on the alert, and no sooner was Ruggieri
out of the city, than without any manner of difficulty he joined his
company, giving out that he was going towards Italy. As thus they rode,
talking of divers matters, Messer Ruggieri being mounted on the mule
given him by the King:--"Methinks," quoth the other, it being then hard
upon tierce, "that 'twere well to give the beasts a voidance;" and by and
by, being come to a convenient place, they voided all the beasts save the
mule. Then, as they continued their journey, the squire hearkening
attentively to the knight's words, they came to a river, and while there
they watered the beasts, the mule made a voidance in the stream.
Whereat:--"Ah, foul fall thee, beast," quoth Messer Ruggieri, "that art
even as thy master, that gave thee to me!" Which remark, as also many
another that fell from Ruggieri as they rode together throughout the day,
the squire stored in his memory; but never another word did he hear
Ruggieri say touching the King, that was not laudatory to the last
degree.
On the morrow, when they were gotten to horse, and had set their faces
towards Tuscany, the squire apprised Ruggieri of the King's command, and
thereupon Ruggieri turned back. On his arrival the King, having already
heard what he had said touching the mule, gave him gladsome greeting, and
asked him wherefore he had likened him to the mule, or rather the mule to
him. Whereto Messer Ruggieri answered frankly:--"My lord, I likened you
to the mule, for that, as you bestow your gifts where 'tis not meet, and
where meet it were, bestow them not, so the mule where 'twas meet, voided
not, and where 'twas not meet, voided." "Messer Ruggieri," replied the
King, "'tis not because I have not discerned in you a knight most good
and true, for whose desert no gift were too great, that I have not
bestowed on you such gifts as I have bestowed upon many others, who in
comparison of you are nothing worth: the fault is none of mine but solely
of your fortune, which would not suffer me; and that this which I say is
true, I will make abundantly plain to you." "My lord," returned Messer
Ruggieri, "mortified am I, not that you gave me no gift, for thereof I
had no desire, being too rich, but that you made no sign of recognition
of my desert; however, I deem your explanation sound and honourable, and
whatever you shall be pleased that I should see, that gladly will I,
albeit I believe you without attestation."
The King then led him into one of the great halls, in which, by his
preordinance, were two chests closed under lock and key, and, not a few
others being present, said to him:--"Messer Ruggieri, one these chests
contains my crown, sceptre and orb, with many a fine girdle, buckle,
ring, and whatever else of jewellery I possess; the other is full of
earth: choose then, and whichever you shall choose, be it yours; thereby
you will discover whether 'tis due to me or to your fortune that your
deserts have lacked requital." Such being the King's pleasure, Messer
Ruggieri chose one of the chests, which at the King's command being
opened and found to be that which contained the earth:--"Now, Messer
Ruggieri," quoth the King with a laugh, "your own eyes may warrant you of
the truth of what I say touching Fortune; but verily your merit demands
that I take arms against her in your cause. I know that you are not
minded to become a Spaniard, and therefore I shall give you neither
castle nor city; but that chest, which Fortune denied you, I bestow on
you in her despite, that you may take it with you to your own country,
and there with your neighbours justly vaunt yourself of your deserts,
attested by my gifts." Messer Ruggieri took the chest, and having thanked
the King in a manner befitting such a gift, returned therewith, well
pleased, to Tuscany.