the cause of his sudden change. He faid, he felt nothing. She continued to prefs with great earnestness, till he was obliged to confess the cause of his uneasiness, that Anfaldo was engaged for the money, that the term was expired: and the grief he was in was left his father should lose his life for him: that if the ten thousand ducats were not paid that day, he must lose a pound of his flesh. The lady told him to mount on horseback, and go by land the nearest way, to take some attendants, and an hundred thousand ducats; and not to stop, till he arrived at Venice: and if he was not dead, to endeavour to bring Anfaldo to her. Giannetto takes horse with twenty attendant, and makes the best of his way to Venice. The time being expired, the Jew had feized Ansaldo, and infitted on having a pound of his flesh. He entreated him only to wait some days, that if his dear Giannetto arrived, he might have the pleasure of embracing him.: the Jew replied he was willing to wait, but, fays he, I will cut off the pound of flesh, according to the words of the obligation: Anfaldo answered, that he was con tent. Several merchants would have jointly paid the money; the Jew would not hearken to the proposal, but infifted that he might have the fatisfaction of faying, that he had put to death the greatest of the Chriftian merchants. Giannetto making all possible hafte to Venice, his lady foon followed him in a lawyer's habit, with two fervants attending her. Giannetto, when he liz beautiful hands? cries Giannetto: at which the lady fimiled. Giannetto takes the cup, and making as if he had drank, pours the wine into his bosom. The lady thinking he had drank, fays aside to herself with great joy, You must go, young man, and bring another ship, for this is condemned. Giannetto went to bed, and began to snore as if he slept foundly. The lady perceiving this, laid herself down by his fide. Giannetto loses no time, but turning to the lady, embraces her, faying, Now am I in poffeffion of my utmost wishes. When Giannetto came out of his chamber, he was knighted, and placed in the chair of itate; had the scepter put into his hand, and was proclaimed sovereign of the country, with great pomp and splendour; and when the lords and ladies were come to the cattle, he married the lady in great ceremony. Giannetto governed excellently, and caused justice to be administred impartially. He continued some time in this happy state, and never entertained a thought of poor Anfaldo, who had given this bond to the Jew for ten thousand ducats. But one day, as he stood at the window of the palace with his bride, he faw a number of people pass along the piazza, with lighted torches in their hands. What is the meaning of this? says he. The lady answered, they are artificers going to make their offerings at the church of St. John, this day being his festival. Giannetto instantly recollected Anfaldo, gave a great figh, and turned pale. His lady enquired came came to Venice, goes to the Jew, and (after embracing Anfaldo) tells him, he is ready to pay the money, and as much more as he should demand. The Jew said, he would take no money, fince it was not paid at the time due; but that he would have the pound of fileth. Every one blamed, the Jew: but as Venice was a place where justice was strictly adminiftered, and the Jew had his pretenfions grounded on publick and received forms, their only refource was entreaty; and when the merchants of Venice applied to him, he was inflexible. Giannetto ofered him twenty thou fand, then thirty thousand, afterwards forty, fifty, and at last an hundred thousand ducats. The Jew told him, if he would give him as much gold as Venice was worth, he would not accept it; and, fays he, you know little of me, if you think I will defist from my demand. The lady now arrives at Venice, in her lawyer's dress; and alighting at an inn, the landlord alks of one of the fervants who his mafter was? The servant anfwered, that he was a young law-. yer who had finished his studies at Bologna. The landlord upon this the ws his guest great civility: and when he attended at dinner, the lawyer inquiring how justice was administered in that city; he answered, juflice in this place is too severe, and related the cafe of Anfaldo. Says the lawyer, this question may be eably anfwered. If you can answer it, fays the landlord, and save this worthy man from death, you will get the love and esteem of all the best men of this city. The lawyer caused a proclamation to I might spend four times as much, and and immediately they take leave of each other. The lawyer embarked and left Venice. Giannetto took leave of his Venetian friends, and carried Anfaldo with him, and some of his old acquaintance accompanied them. The lady arrived some days before; and having resumed her female habit, pretended to have spent the time at the baths; and now gave orders to have the treets lined with tapestry: and when Giannetto and Anfaldo were landed, all the court went out to meet them. When they arrived at the palace, the lady ran to embrace Anfaldo, but feigned anger against Giannetto, tho' she loved him exceffively: yet the feastings, tilts and diversions went on as usual, at which all the Jords and ladies were present, Giannetto feeing that his wife did not receive him with her accustomed good countenance, called her, and would have faluted her. She told him, she wanted not his carefies: I am fure, fays the. you have been lavish of them to fome of your former miftreffes. Giannetto began to make excuses. She asked him where was the ring she had given him? It is no more than what I exrected, cries Giannetto, and I was in the right to say you would be angry with me; but, I fwear by all that is facred, and by your dear felf, that I gave the ring to the lawyer who gained our caufe. And I can swear, fays the lady, with as much folemnity, that you gave the ring to a woman: therefore swear no more. Giannetto protested that what he had told her was true, and that 2 The he said all this to the lawyer, when he asked for the ring. The lady replied, you would have done much better to stay at Venice with your mistresses, for I fear they all wept when you came away. Giannetto's tears began to fall, and in great forrow he assured her, that what she supposed could not be true. lady feeing his tears, which were daggers in her bosom, ran to embrace him, and in a fit of laughter shewed the ring, and told him, that she was herself the lawyer, and how the obtained the ring. Giannetto was greatly aftonished, finding it all true; and told the story to the nobles and to his companions; and this heightened greatly the love between him and his lady. He then called the damsel who had given him the good advice in the evening not to drink the liquor, and gave her to Anfaldo for a wife and they spent the rest of their lives in great felicity and contentment. R UGGIERI de Figiovanni took a resolution of going, for some time, to the court of Alfonso king of Spain. He was gracioufly received, and living there fometime in great magnificence, and giving remarkable proofs of his courage, was great ly esteemed. Having frequent opportunities of examining minutely the behaviour of the king, he observed, that he gave, as he thought, with little difcernment, castles, and baronies, to fuch who were unworthy of his favours and to himself, who might pretend to be of fome estimation, he gave nothing: he therefore thought thought the fittest thing to be done, was to demand leave of the king to return home. : His request was granted, and the king presented him with one of the most beautiful and excellent mules, that had ever been mounted. One of the king's trufly servants was commanded to accompany Ruggieri, and riding along with him, to pick up, and recollect every word he said of the king, and then mention that it was the order of his Sovereign, that he should go back to him. The man watching the opportunity, joined Ruggieri when he fet out, faid he was going to wards Italy, and would be glad to ride in company with him, Ruggieri jogging on with his mule, and talking of one thing or other, it being near nine o' clock, told his companion, that they would do well to put up their mules a little, and as foon as they entered the flable, every beast, except his, began to stale, Riding on further they came to a river, and watring the beasts, his mule staled in the river: You untoward beast, says he, you are like your master, who gave you The fervant remember to me. ed this expreffion, and many others as they rode on all day together; but he heard not a fingle word drop from him, but what was in praise of the king, The next morning Ruggieri was told the order of the king, and initantly turned back. When the king had heard what he had faid of the mule, he commanded him into his prefence, and with a smile, asked him, for what reason he had compared the mule to him. Ruggieri answered, My reason is plain, you give where you ought not to give, and where you ought to give, you give nothing; in the fame manner the mule would not stale where the ought, and where she ought not, there she staled. The King said upon this, If I have not rewarded you as I have many, do not entertain a thought that I was insensible to your great merit; it is Fortune who hindered me; she is to blame, and not I; and I will shew you manifeftly that I speak truth. My difcontent, Sir, proceeds not, answered Ruggieri, from a defire of being enriched, but from your not having given the smallest testimony to my deferts in your service: nevertheless your excuse is valid, and I am ready to fee the proof you mention, though I can easily believe you without it. The king conducted him to a hall, where he had already commanded two large caskets, shut close, to be placed; and before a large company told Ruggieri, that in one of them was contained his crown, scepter, and all his jewels, and that the other was full of earth: choose which of them you like best, and then you will fee that it is not I, but your fortune that has been ungrateful. Ruggieri chose one. It was found to be the casket full of earth. The king faid to him with a fimile, Now you may fee, Ruggieri, that what I told you of fortune is true; but for your fake I will oppose her with all my strength. You have no intention, I am certain, to live in Spain; therefore I will offer you |