“I felt sorry for my slothfulness when I came in, but since my error
has led you to speak to me in such excellent fashion, my laziness has
profited me double, for I have had rest of body by sleeping longer, and
satisfaction of spirit by hearing your godly discourse.” “Well,” said
Oisille, “let us for penance go to mass and pray Our Lord to give us
both will and power to fulfil His commandments; and then may He command
us according to His own good pleasure.”
As she was saying these words, they reached the church, where they
piously heard mass. And afterwards they sat down to table, where Hircan
failed not to laugh at the slothfulness of his wife. After dinner they
withdrew to rest and study their parts, (2) and when the hour was come,
they all found themselves at the wonted spot.
2 Meaning what they had to relate. The French word is
_rolle_ from _rotulus_.--M.
Then Oisille asked Hircan to whom he would give his vote to begin the
day.
“If my wife,” said he, “had not begun yesterday, I should have given her
my vote, for although I always thought that she loved me more than any
man alive, she has further proved to me this morning that she loves me
better than God or His Word, seeing that she neglected your excellent
reading to bear me company. However, since I cannot give my vote to the
discreetest lady of the company, I will present it to Geburon, who is
the discreetest among the men; and I beg that he will in no wise spare
the monks.”
“It was not necessary to beg that of me,” said Geburon; “I was not at
all likely to forget them. Only a short while ago I heard Monsieur de
Saint-Vincent, Ambassador of the Emperor, tell a story of them which is
well worthy of being rememorated and I will now relate it to you.”
[Illustration: 007a.jpg The Wicked Friar Captured]
[The Wicked Friar Captured]
[Illustration: 007.jpg Page Image]
_TALE XXXI_.
_A monastery of Grey Friars was burned down, with the monks
that were in it, as a perpetual memorial of the cruelty
practised by one among them that was in love with a lady_.
In the lands subject to the Emperor Maximilian of Austria (1) there was
a monastery of Grey Friars that was held in high repute, and nigh to it
stood the house of a gentleman who was so kindly disposed to these
monks that he could withhold nothing from them, in order to share in the
benefits of their fastings and disciplines. Among the rest there was
a tall and handsome friar whom the said gentleman had taken to be his
confessor, and who had as much authority in the gentleman’s house as the
gentleman himself. This friar, seeing that the gentleman’s wife was as
beautiful and prudent as it was possible to be, fell so deeply in love
with her that he lost all appetite for both food and drink, and all
natural reason as well. One day, thinking to work his end, he went all
alone to the house, and not finding the gentleman within, asked the lady
whither he was gone. She replied that he was gone to an estate where he
proposed remaining during two or three days, but that if the friar had
business with him, she would despatch a man expressly to him. The friar
said no to this, and began to walk to and fro in the house like one with
a weighty matter in his mind.
1 Maximilian I., grandfather of Charles V. and Ferdinand
I., and Emperor of Germany from 1494 to 1519.--Ed.
When he had left the room, the lady said to one of her women (and there
were but two) “Go after the good father and find out what he wants, for
I judge by his countenance that he is displeased.”
The serving-woman went to the courtyard and asked the friar whether he
desired aught, whereat he answered that he did, and, drawing her into a
corner, he took a dagger which he carried in his sleeve, and thrust
it into her throat. Just after he had done this, there came into the
courtyard a mounted servant who had been gone to receive the rent of a
farm. As soon as he had dismounted he saluted the friar, who embraced
him, and while doing so thrust the dagger into the back part of his
neck. And thereupon he closed the castle gate.
The lady, finding that her serving-woman did not return, was astonished
that she should remain so long with the friar, and said to the other--
“Go and see why your fellow-servant does not come back.”
The woman went, and as soon as the good father saw her, he drew her
aside into a corner and did to her as he had done to her companion.
Then, finding himself alone in the house, he came to the lady, and told
her that he had long been in love with her, and that the hour was now
come when she must yield him obedience.