[Day the First]
THE KING OF CYPRUS, TOUCHED TO THE QUICK BY A GASCON LADY,
FROM A MEAN-SPIRITED PRINCE BECOMETH A MAN OF WORTH AND
VALIANCE
The Queen's last commandment rested with Elisa, who, without awaiting
it, began all blithely, "Young ladies, it hath often chanced that what
all manner reproofs and many pains[68] bestowed upon a man have not
availed to bring about in him hath been effected by a word more often
spoken at hazard than of purpose aforethought. This is very well shown
in the story related by Lauretta and I, in my turn, purpose to prove
to you the same thing by means of another and a very short one; for
that, since good things may still serve, they should be received with
a mind attent, whoever be the sayer thereof.
[Footnote 68: Syn. penalties, punishments (_pene_).]
I say, then, that in the days of the first King of Cyprus, after the
conquest of the Holy Land by Godefroi de Bouillon, it chanced that a
gentlewoman of Gascony went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Sepulchre and
returning thence, came to Cyprus, where she was shamefully abused of
certain lewd fellows; whereof having complained, without getting any
satisfaction, she thought to appeal to the King for redress, but was
told that she would lose her pains, for that he was of so abject a
composition and so little of worth that, far from justifying others of
their wrongs, he endured with shameful pusillanimity innumerable
affronts offered to himself, insomuch that whose had any grudge
[against him] was wont to vent his despite by doing him some shame or
insult.
The lady, hearing this and despairing of redress, bethought herself,
by way of some small solacement of her chagrin, to seek to rebuke the
king's pusillanimity; wherefore, presenting herself in tears before
him, she said to him, 'My lord, I come not into thy presence for any
redress that I expect of the wrong that hath been done me; but in
satisfaction thereof, I prithee teach me how thou dost to suffer those
affronts which I understand are offered unto thyself, so haply I may
learn of thee patiently to endure mine own, the which God knoweth, an
I might, I would gladly bestow on thee, since thou art so excellent a
supporter thereof.'
The King, who till then had been sluggish and supine, awoke as if from
sleep and beginning with the wrong done to the lady, which he cruelly
avenged, thenceforth became a very rigorous prosecutor of all who
committed aught against the honour of his crown."