[Day the First]
GUGLIELMO BORSIERE WITH SOME QUAINT WORDS REBUKETH THE
NIGGARDLINESS OF MESSER ERMINO DE' GRIMALDI
Next Filostrato sat Lauretta, who, after she had heard Bergamino's
address commended, perceiving that it behoved her tell somewhat,
began, without awaiting any commandment, blithely to speak thus: "The
foregoing story, dear companions,[64] bringeth me in mind to tell how
an honest minstrel on like wise and not without fruit rebuked the
covetise of a very rich merchant, the which, albeit in effect it
resembleth the last story, should not therefore be less agreeable to
you, considering that good came thereof in the end.
[Footnote 64: Fem.]
There was, then, in Genoa, a good while agone, a gentleman called
Messer Ermino de' Grimaldi, who (according to general belief) far
overpassed in wealth of lands and monies the riches of whatsoever
other richest citizen was then known in Italy; and like as he excelled
all other Italians in wealth, even so in avarice and sordidness he
outwent beyond compare every other miser and curmudgeon in the world;
for not only did he keep a strait purse in the matter of hospitality,
but, contrary to the general usance of the Genoese, who are wont to
dress sumptuously, he suffered the greatest privations in things
necessary to his own person, no less than in meat and in drink, rather
than be at any expense; by reason whereof the surname de' Grimaldi had
fallen away from him and he was deservedly called of all only Messer
Ermino Avarizia.
It chanced that, whilst, by dint of spending not, he multiplied his
wealth, there came to Genoa a worthy minstrel,[65] both well-bred and
well-spoken, by name Guglielmo Borsiere, a man no whit like those[66]
of the present day, who (to the no small reproach of the corrupt and
blameworthy usances of those[67] who nowadays would fain be called and
reputed gentlefolk and seigniors) are rather to be styled asses,
reared in all the beastliness and depravity of the basest of mankind,
than [minstrels, bred] in the courts [of kings and princes]. In those
times it used to be a minstrel's office and his wont to expend his
pains in negotiating treaties of peace, where feuds or despites had
befallen between noblemen, or transacting marriages, alliances and
friendships, in solacing the minds of the weary and diverting courts
with quaint and pleasant sayings, ay, and with sharp reproofs,
father-like, rebuking the misdeeds of the froward,--and this for
slight enough reward; but nowadays they study to spend their time in
hawking evil reports from one to another, in sowing discord, in
speaking naughtiness and obscenity and (what is worse) doing them in
all men's presence, in imputing evil doings, lewdnesses and knaveries,
true or false, one to other, and in prompting men of condition with
treacherous allurements to base and shameful actions; and he is most
cherished and honoured and most munificently entertained and rewarded
of the sorry unmannerly noblemen of our time who saith and doth the
most abominable words and deeds; a sore and shameful reproach to the
present age and a very manifest proof that the virtues have departed
this lower world and left us wretched mortals to wallow in the slough
of the vices.
[Footnote 65: _Uomo di corte._ This word has been another grievous
stumbling block to the French and English translators of Boccaccio,
who render it literally "courtier." The reader need hardly be reminded
that the minstrel of the middle ages was commonly jester, gleeman and
story-teller all in one and in these several capacities was allowed
the utmost license of speech. He was generally attached to the court
of some king or sovereign prince, but, in default of some such
permanent appointment, passed his time in visiting the courts and
mansions of princes and men of wealth and liberty, where his talents
were likely to be appreciated and rewarded; hence the name _uomo di
corte_, "man of court" (not "courtier," which is _cortigiano_).]
[Footnote 66: _i.e._ those minstrels.]
[Footnote 67: _i.e._ the noblemen their patrons.]
But to return to my story, from which a just indignation hath carried
me somewhat farther astray than I purposed,--I say that the aforesaid
Guglielmo was honoured by all the gentlemen of Genoa and gladly seen
of them, and having sojourned some days in the city and hearing many
tales of Messer Ermino's avarice and sordidness, he desired to see
him. Messer Ermino having already heard how worthy a man was this
Guglielmo Borsiere and having yet, all miser as he was, some tincture
of gentle breeding, received him with very amicable words and blithe
aspect and entered with him into many and various discourses. Devising
thus, he carried him, together with other Genoese who were in his
company, into a fine new house of his which he had lately built and
after having shown it all to him, said, 'Pray, Messer Guglielmo, you
who have seen and heard many things, can you tell me of something that
was never yet seen, which I may have depictured in the saloon of this
my house?' Guglielmo, hearing this his preposterous question,
answered, 'Sir, I doubt me I cannot undertake to tell you of aught
that was never yet seen, except it were sneezings or the like; but, an
it like you, I will tell you of somewhat which me thinketh you never
yet beheld.' Quoth Messer Ermino, not looking for such an answer as he
got, 'I pray you tell me what it is.' Whereto Guglielmo promptly
replied, 'Cause Liberality to be here depictured.'
When Messer Ermino heard this speech, there took him incontinent such
a shame that it availed in a manner to change his disposition
altogether to the contrary of that which it had been and he said,
'Messer Guglielmo, I will have it here depictured after such a fashion
that neither you nor any other shall ever again have cause to tell me
that I have never seen nor known it.' And from that time forth (such
was the virtue of Guglielmo's words) he was the most liberal and the
most courteous gentleman of his day in Genoa and he who most
hospitably entreated both strangers and citizens."