when telling of the poor afflicted Ginevra. As to this, I did once
know a very honourable lady and a great one, whom her lover did one
day find in her closet, translating that famous stanza of the said
Renaldo beginning, _Una donna deve dunque morire_,—“A lady fair was
like to die,” into French verse, as fair and fairly wrought, as ever I
have seen,—for I did see the lines after. On his asking her what she
had writ there, she replied: “See, a translation I have just made,
which is at once mine own judgment by me delivered, and a sentence
pronounced in your favour for to content you in that you desire,—and
only the execution doth now remain;” and this last, the reading done,
was promptly carried out. A better sentence i’faith than was ever given
in the Bailey Court of the Paris Parliament![86] For of all the fine
words and excellent arguments wherewith Ariosto hath adorned Renaldo’s
speech, I do assure you the lady forgat never an one to translate and
reproduce them all well and thoroughly, so as the translation was as
meet as ever the original to stir the heart. Thus did she let her lover
plainly understand she was ready enough to save his life, and not
inexorable to his supplication, while he was no less apt to seize his
opportunity.
Why then shall a lady, when that Nature hath made her good and full
of pity, not use freely the gifts given her, without ingratitude to
the giver, and without resistance and contradiction to her laws? This
was the view of a fair lady I have heard speak of, which watching her
husband one day walking up and down in a great hall, cannot refrain her
from turning to her lover and saying, “Just look at our good man pacing
there; has not he the true build of a cuckold? Surely I should have
gone sore against dame Nature, seeing she had created him and destined
him for this, an if I had contradicted her intent and given her the
lie!”
I have heard speak of another lady, which did thus complain of her
husband, which did treat her ill and was ever jealously spying on her,
suspecting she was making him a set of horns: “Nay! he is too good,”
she would cry to her lover; “he thinks his fire is a match for mine.
Why! I do put his out in a turn of the hand, with four or five drops of
water. But for mine, which hath a very different depth of furnace, I do
need a flood. For we women be of our nature like dropsical folk or a
sandy ditch, which the more water they swallow, the more they want.”
Another said yet better, how that a woman was like chickens, which do
get the pip and die thereof, if they be stinted of water and have not
enough to drink. A woman is the same, which doth breed the pip and
oft die thereof, if they are not frequently given to drink; only ’tis
something else than spring water it must have. Another fair lady was
used to say she was like a good garden, which not content with the rain
of heaven only, doth ask water of the gardener as well, to be made more
fruitful thereby. Another would say she would fain resemble those good
economists and excellent managers which do never give out all their
property to be guided and a profit earned to one agent alone, but do
divide it among several hands. One alone could not properly suffice to
get good value. After a similar fashion was she for managing herself,
to make the best thereof and for herself to reap the highest enjoyment.
I have heard of yet another lady which had a most ill-favoured lover,
and a very handsome husband and of a good grace, the lady herself
being likewise very well-looking. One of her chiefest lady friends
and gossips remonstrating with her and asking why she did not choose
a handsomer lover, “Know you not,” she said, “that to cultivate well
a piece of land more than one labourer is wanted, and as a rule the
best-looking and most dainty be not the most meet workers, but the most
rustical and hardy?” Another lady I knew, which had a very ill-favoured
husband and of a very evil grace, did choose a lover as foul as he; and
when one of her friends did ask her the reason why, “’Tis the better,”
quoth she, “to accustom me to mine husband’s ugliness.”
Yet another lady, discoursing one day of love, as well her own as that
of other fair ladies her companions, said: “An if women were alway
chaste, why! they would never know but one side of life,”—herein basing
on the doctrine of the Emperor Heliogabalus, who was used to declare,
“that one half of a man’s life should be employed in virtues, and the
other half in vices; else being always in one condition, either wholly
good or wholly bad, one could never judge of the opposite side at all,
which yet doth oft serve the better to attemper the first.” I have
known great personages to approve this maxim, and especially where
women were concerned. Again the wife of the Emperor Sigismund, who
was called Barba,[87*] was used to say that to be forever in one and
the same condition of chastity was a fool woman’s part, and did much
reprove her ladies, wives or maids, which did persist in this foolish
opinion, and most surely for her own part did very thoroughly repudiate
the same. For indeed all her pleasure lay but in feasts, dances, balls
and love-makings, and much mockery was for any which did not the like,
or which did fast to mortify the flesh, and were for following a quiet
life. I leave you to imagine if it went not well at the Court of this
Emperor and Empress,—I mean for all such, men and women, as take joy in
love’s pleasures.
I have heard speak of a very honourable lady and of good repute, which
did fairly fall ill of the love which she bare her lover, yet did never
consent to risk the matter, because of this same high law of honour so
much insisted on and preached up of husbands. But seeing how day by day
she was more and more consumed away and burned up, in such wise that
in a twinkling she did behold herself wax dry, lean, and languishing,
and from being aforetime fresh, plump and in good case, now all changed
and altered, as her mirror informed her, she did at length cry: “Nay!
how shall it be said of me that in the flower of mine age, and at
the prompting of a mere frivolous point of honour and silly scruple
making me overmuch keep in my natural fire, I did thus come to dry up
and waste away, and grow old and ugly before my time, and lose all
the bloom of my beauty, which did erst make me valued and preferred
and loved. Instead of a fair lady of good flesh and bone I am become
a skeleton, a very anatomy, enough to make folk banish me and jeer at
me in any good company, a laughing-stock to all and sundry. No! I will
save me from such a fate; I will use the remedies I have in my power.”
And herewith, what she said, she did, and contenting her own and her
love’s desires, she soon gat back her flesh again and grew as fair as
before,—without her husband’s ever suspecting the remedy she had used,
but attributing the cure to the doctors, whom he did greatly honour and
warmly thank for having so restored his wife to health for his better
profit and enjoyment.
I have heard speak of another great lady, one of a merry humour and a
pretty wit, to whom, being sick, her physician did one day declare how
that she would never be well, unless she changed her habits. Hereupon
she answered straight, “Well then! let us do it.” So the physician and
she did take one with the other joy of heart and body. One day she said
to him, “People all declare you do it for me; but there, ’tis all one,
as I am so much better. And all ever I can, I will go on doing it,—as
mine health doth depend on it.”
These two dames last spoke of were quite unlike that honourable lady
of Pampeluna in Spain, whom I have already mentioned in a previous
passage, and who is described in the _Cent Nouvelles_ of the Queen of
Navarre. This lady, being madly in love with M. d’Avannes, did think
it better to hide her flame, and keep hid in her bosom the passion
that was consuming her, and die thereof, than lose her honour. But by
what I have heard sundry honourable lords and ladies say in discussing
the matter, she was a fool for her pains, and little regardful of her
soul’s salvation, seeing she did bring about her own death, it being in
her power to avoid this extremity, and all for a trifle. For in very
fact, as an old French proverb doth put it, “_D’une herbe de pré tondue
et d’un c... f..., le dommage est bientôt rendu._” And what is it,
when all is done? The business, once done, is like any other; what sign
is there of it to men’s eyes? Doth the lady walk any the less upright?
doth the world know aught? I mean of course when ’tis done in secret,
with closed doors, and no man by to see. I would much like to know
this, if many of the great ladies of mine own acquaintance, for ’tis
with such love doth most take up abode (as this same lady of Pampeluna
saith, ’tis at high portals that high winds do beat), if these do
therefore cease to walk abroad with proudly lifted head, whether at
this Court of France or elsewhere, and show them as unabashed as
ever a Bradamant or Marfisa of them all. And pray, who would be so
presumptuous as to ask them if they condescend to it? Even their
husband (I tell you), the most of them at any rate, would never dare to
charge them with it, so well do they understand the art of concealment
and the keeping of a confident show and carriage. But an if these same
husbands, any of them, do think to speak thereof and threaten them,
or punish them with harsh words or deeds, why! they be undone; for
then, even though before they had planned no ill against them, yet do
they straightway plot revenge and give them back as good as they have
gotten. For is there not an old proverb which saith, “When and so soon
as a husband doth beat his wife, her body doth laugh for joy”? That is
to say, it doth presently look for good times, knowing the natural bent
of its mistress, who unable to avenge her wrongs by other weapons, will
turn it to account as second and best ally, to pay her husband back
with her lover’s help, no matter what watch and ward the poor man keep
over her.
For verily, to attain their end, the most sovran means they have is
to make their complaints to one another, or to their women and maids
of the chamber, and so win these over to get them new lovers, if they
have none, or an if they have, to convey these privily to places of
assignation; and ’tis they which do mount guard that neither husband
nor any other surprise them at it. Thus then do these ladies gain over
their maids and women, bribing them with presents and good promises.
In certain cases beside they do make agreement and composition with
these, on the terms that of all the lover may give their lady mistress,
the servant shall have the half or at least the third part thereof.
But the worst is, very often the mistresses do deceive their servants,
taking the whole for themselves, making excuse that their lover hath
given them no more than so small a share as that they have not enough
to spare aught for others. Thus do they hoax these poor wenches and
serving maids, albeit they stand sentinel and keep good watch. This is
a sore injustice; and I ween, were the case to be tried with proper
arguments pleaded on this side and that, ’twould afford occasion for
much merriment and shrewd debate. For ’tis verily theft, no less,
so to filch their benefices and emoluments duly agreed upon. Other
ladies there be however who do keep faithfully their promise and
compact, and hold back naught, for to be the better served and loyally
helped, herein copying those honest shop-keepers, who do render a just
proportion of the gain and profit of the talent their master or partner
hath entrusted them withal. And truly such dames do deserve to be right
well served, seeing they be duly grateful for the trouble, and good
watch and ward of their inferiors. And these last do run many risks
and perils,—as one I wot of, who keeping guard one day, the while her
mistress was with her lover and having merry times, both the twain
being right well occupied, was caught by the husband’s house-steward.
The man did chide her bitterly for what she was at, saying ’twere more
becoming for her had she been with her mistress than to be playing
procuress like this and standing sentinel outside her door. ’Twas a
foul trick she was playing her mistress’ husband, and he would go warn
him. However the lady did win him over by means of another of her
maids, of whom he was enamoured and who did promise him some favour at
her mistress’ prayers; beside, she did make him a present, and he was
at last appeased. Natheless she did never like him afterward, and kept
a shrewd eye on his doings; finally spying an opportunity and taking it
on the hop, she did get him dismissed by her husband.
I wot of a fair and honourable lady,[88*] which did take a serving
maid of hers into great intimacy and high favour and friendship,
even allowing her much intimacy, having trained her well for such
intercourse. So free was she with her mistress that sometimes when she
did see this lady’s husband longtime absent from his house, engaged
either at Court or on some journey, oft would she gaze at her mistress
as she was dressing her, (and she was one of the most beautiful and
lovable women of her day), and presently remark: “Ah, me! is he not
ill-starred, Madam, that husband of yours, to possess so fair a wife,
and yet have to leave her thus all alone so long without ever setting
eyes on her? Doth he not deserve you should cuckold him outright? You
really ought; and if I were as handsome as you, I should do as much to
mine husband, if he tarried so much away.” I leave you to judge if
the lady and mistress of this serving maid did find this a tasty nut
to crack, especially finding as she did shoes all ready to her feet,
whereof she did after make good use, freely employing so handy an
instrument.
Again, there be ladies which do make use of their serving maids to
help them hide their amours and prevent their husbands observing aught
amiss, and do give them charge of their lovers, to keep and hold them
as their own suitors, under this pretext to be able at any time to
say, if the husbands do find them in their wives’ chambers, that they
be there as paying court to such or such an one of their maids. So
under this cloak hath the lady a most excellent means of playing her
game, and the husband know naught at all about it. I knew a very great
Prince indeed which did set him to pay court to a lady of the wardrobe
to a great Princess, solely to find out the secret intrigues of her
mistress, and so the better gain success in that quarter.
I have seen plenty of these tricks played in my lifetime, though not
altogether in the fashion followed by a certain honourable lady of
the world I once knew, which was so fortunate as to be loved of three
brave and gallant gentlemen, one after the other. These on quitting
her, did presently after love and serve a very great lady, whereon
she did very pleasantly and good-humouredly deliver herself to this
effect. ’Twas she, she said, who had so trained and fashioned them by
her excellent lessons, as that coming now into the service of the said
great Princess, they were exceeding well formed and educated. To rise
so high, she declared, ’twas very needful first to serve smaller folk,
in order not to fail with greater; for to arrive at any supreme degree
of skill, a man must needs mount first by small and low degrees, as is
seen in all arts and sciences.
This did her great honour. Yet more deserving still was another I have
heard tell of, which was in the train of a great lady. This lady was
married, and being surprised by her husband in her chamber receiving
a little paper note or _billet doux_ from her lover, was right well
succoured by her subordinate. For this last, cleverly intercepting the
note, did swallow down the same at one gulp without making any bones
about it and without the husband perceiving aught, who would have
treated his wife very ill indeed, if he had once seen the inside. This
was a very noble piece of service, and one the great lady was always
grateful for.
On the other hand I wot well of ladies which have found them in evil
case for having overmuch trusted their serving maids, and others again
for not having trusted them at all. I have heard speak of a fair and
honourable lady, who had taken and chose out a gentleman, one of the
bravest, most valiant and well accomplished of all France, to give the
same pleasure and delight of herself. She would never trust any one
of her women, and assignation being given in a friend’s house, it was
concerted and arranged there should be but one bed in the chamber, her
women all sleeping in the antechamber. As settled, so done. And as
there was a cat’s-hole in the door, which they had not remembered or
provided for till the moment, they bethought them to stop this with
a thin board, to the end that if any pushed it down, it would make a
rattle, which they would hear and could take measures accordingly.
One of her women, suspecting a snake in the grass, and angry and hurt
because her mistress had not confided in her, whom she had ever made
her chiefest confidante, and had given many proofs thereof, doth now
make up her mind, so soon as her mistress was to bed, to keep a look
out and listen at the door. She could hear quite well a low murmuring,
yet was sure ’twas not the reading aloud her mistress had for some days
indulged in in bed, with a candle, the better to dissemble what she was
going to do. Just as she was on the tip-toe of curiosity, to know more,
an excellent occasion did present itself most opportunely. For a kitten
happening to come into the room, she and her companions take the animal
and push it through the cat’s-hole into her mistress’ chamber, not of
course without knocking down the board that kept it closed and making
a clatter. At this the pair of lovers, sore startled, did suddenly sit
up in bed, and saw by the light of their candle ’twas only a cat that
had come in and knocked down the board. Wherefore without troubling
more about it, they laid them down again, seeing ’twas now late and
everybody presumably asleep, but never shut to again the cat’s-hole,
leaving the same open for the cat to go out again by, as they did not
care to have it shut up in their room all night long. Seizing so good
an opportunity, the said waiting maid and her companions had a fine
chance to see enough and to spare of their mistress’ doings. These they
did after reveal to the husband, whence came death for the lover, and
shame and disgrace for the lady.
This is what doth come of despite and want of confidence shown
folk, which be often just as productive of ill consequences as
over-confidence. I have heard of a very great nobleman which was moved
one time to take all his wife’s waiting-maids (and she was a well-born
and very fair lady), and have them tortured to make them confess all
their misdeeds and the services they had rendered her in her amours.
However his first intent was carried no further, to avoid too horrible
a scandal. The first suggestion came from a lady whose name I will not
give, who had a grudge against the said great lady. For the which God
did punish her later.
[Illustration: Decorative scrollwork above chapter start]
ARTICLE II
OF THE LOVE OF MAIDS
1.
So now, following the order of Boccaccio, our guide in this discourse,
I come next to maids. These, it must certainly be allowed, be of their
nature exceeding timid at first beginning, and dare in no wise yield
up what they hold so dear, spite of the constant persuasion and advice
their fathers, mothers, kinsfolk and mistresses do give them, along
with most moving threats. So it is that, though they should have all
the good will thereto in the world, yet they do deny themselves all
ever they can; beside they have ever before their eyes the terror lest
their bodies do play them false and betray them, else would they try
many a tasty morsel. Yet all have not this scrupulousness; for shutting
their eyes to all reflection, some do rush boldly into it,—not indeed
with head down, but rather thrown well back. Herein do they make a sore
mistake, seeing how terrible is the scandal of a maid deflowered, and
of a thousandfold more import than for married woman or widow. For a
maid, this treasure of hers once lost, is made the object of endless
scandal and abuse, is pointed at by all men, and doth lose many a good
opportunity of marriage. For all this, I have known not a few cases
where some rough fellow or other hath been found, either willingly, or
of sudden caprice, knowingly or unwittingly, on compulsion, to go throw
himself into the breach, and marry them, as I have described elsewhere,
all tarnished as they were, but right glad to get them churched after
all.
Many such of either sex have I known in my day, and in especial one
maid which did most shamefully let herself be got with child by a great
Prince,[89*] and that without an attempt at hiding or dissembling her
condition. On being discovered, all she said was this: “What was I
to do? ’tis not my frailty you must blame, nor my lustfulness, but
only my over heedlessness and lack of foresight. For an if I had been
as clever and knowing as the most part of my companions, which have
done just as ill as I, or even worse, but have had wit enough to cure
their pregnancy or conceal their lying-in, I should not now be in this
strait, nor had any known a word about it.” Her companions did for this
word wish her mighty ill; and she was accordingly expelled the band
by her mistress, albeit ’twas reported this same mistress had ordered
her to yield to the wishes of the Prince, wishing to get an hold over
him and win him to herself. For all this, however, the girl failed not
some while after to make a good match and contract a rich marriage, and
presently give birth to a noble offspring. Thus we see, an if the poor
child had been as wily as her comrades and other girls, this luck had
never been hers. And truly in my day I have seen mere girls as clever
and expert in these matters as ever the oldest married woman, nay!
going so far as to be most effective and experienced procuresses, and
not content with their own satisfaction only, to be after contriving
the same delights for others to boot.
’Twas a lady in waiting at the French Court which did invent and have
performed that fine Comedy entitled the _Paradis d’Amour_ (Paradise of
Love) in the Salle de Bourbon with closed doors, at which performance
were none but actors and actresses present, forming players and
audience both together. Such as do know the story will know what I
mean. The play had six characters, three male and three female. Of
these one was a Prince, who had his fair one, a great lady, though
not too great neither, yet did he love her dearly; the second was a
Lord, who did intrigue with the great Lady, a lady very liberal of her
favours; the third was a simple gentleman, who did carry on with the
maid, whom he did marry later. For the gallant authoress was fain to
see her own character represented on the stage no less than the rest!
Indeed ’tis ever so with the author of a Comedy; he doth put himself
in the play, or else in the prologue. And so did this one, and on my
faith, girl as she was, did play the part as well as the married women,
if not better. The fact is she had seen more of the world than just her
own country, and as the Spaniards say _rafinada en Secobia_,—had had
a Segovia polish or fining. This is a proverb in Spain, Segovia being
where the best cloths are fined.
I have heard tales told of many maids, who while serving their lady
mistresses as _Dariolettes_, or confidantes, have been fain to taste
and try the same dainties. Such ladies moreover be often slaves in
their own women’s hands, from dread of their discovering them and
publishing abroad their amours, as I have noted above. ’Twas a lady in
waiting who did one day tell me her opinion,—that ’twas a mighty piece
of folly for maids to sacrifice their honour to their passions, and
while some silly creatures were restrained therefrom by their scruples,
for herself she would not deign to do it, the whole thing ending in
mere shame and disgrace. On the other hand the trick of keeping one’s
affair privy and secret made all right, and girls were mere fools and
unfit for this wicked world which cannot help themselves and manage the
thing quietly.
A Spanish lady, thinking her daughter was afraid of the violence of
the first wedding night, went to her and began to encourage her and
persuade her ’twas naught at all and she would feel no pain, adding
that herself would be right glad to be in her place the better to show
her how to bear it. To this the girl replied, _Bezo las manos, señora
madre, de tal merced, que bien la tomaré yo por mi_,—“Much thanks,
my lady mother, for your kind offer, but I will manage very well by
myself.”