The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio

by Giovanni Boccaccio

  THE SECOND STORY

  [Day the First]

  ABRAHAM THE JEW, AT THE INSTIGATION OF JEHANNOT DE CHEVIGNE, GOETH TO THE COURT OF ROME AND SEEING THE DEPRAVITY OF THE CLERGY, RETURNETH TO PARIS AND THERE BECOMETH A CHRISTIAN

  Pamfilo's story was in part laughed at and altogether commended by theladies, and it being come to its end, after being diligentlyhearkened, the queen bade Neifile, who sat next him, ensue theordinance of the commenced diversion by telling one[41] of herfashion. Neifile, who was distinguished no less by courteous mannersthan by beauty, answered blithely that she would well and began onthis wise: "Pamfilo hath shown us in his story that God's benignnessregardeth not our errors, when they proceed from that which is beyondour ken; and I, in mine, purpose to show you how this samebenignness,--patiently suffering the defaults of those who, beingespecially bounden both with words and deeds to bear true witnessthereof[42] yet practise the contrary,--exhibiteth unto us aninfallible proof of itself, to the intent that we may, with the moreconstancy of mind, ensue that which we believe.

  [Footnote 41: _i.e._ a story.]

  [Footnote 42: _i.e._ of God's benignness.]

  As I have heard tell, gracious ladies, there was once in Paris a greatmerchant and a very loyal and upright man, whose name was Jehannot deChevigne and who was of great traffic in silks and stuffs. He hadparticular friendship for a very rich Jew called Abraham, who was alsoa merchant and a very honest and trusty man, and seeing the latter'sworth and loyalty, it began to irk him sore that the soul of so worthyand discreet and good a man should go to perdition for default offaith; wherefore he fell to beseeching him on friendly wise leave theerrors of the Jewish faith and turn to the Christian verity, which hemight see still wax and prosper, as being holy and good, whereas hisown faith, on the contrary, was manifestly on the wane and dwindlingto nought. The Jew made answer that he held no faith holy or good saveonly the Jewish, that in this latter he was born and therein meant tolive and die, nor should aught ever make him remove therefrom.

  Jehannot for all that desisted not from him, but some days afterreturned to the attack with similar words, showing him, on rude enoughwise (for that merchants for the most part can no better), for whatreasons our religion is better than the Jewish; and albeit the Jew wasa past master in their law, nevertheless, whether it was the greatfriendship he bore Jehannot that moved him or peradventure wordswrought it that the Holy Ghost put into the good simple man's mouth,the latter's arguments began greatly to please him; but yet,persisting in his own belief, he would not suffer himself to beconverted. Like as he abode obstinate, even so Jehannot never gaveover importuning him, till at last the Jew, overcome by such continualinsistence, said, 'Look you, Jehannot, thou wouldst have me become aChristian and I am disposed to do it; insomuch, indeed, that I mean,in the first place, to go to Rome and there see him who, thou sayest,is God's Vicar upon earth and consider his manners and fashions andlikewise those of his chief brethren.[43] If these appear to me suchthat I may, by them, as well as by your words, apprehend that yourfaith is better than mine, even as thou hast studied to show me, Iwill do as I have said; and if it be not so, I will remain a Jew as Iam.'

  [Footnote 43: Lit. cardinal brethren (_fratelli cardinali_).]

  When Jehannot heard this, he was beyond measure chagrined and said inhimself, 'I have lost my pains, which meseemed I had right wellbestowed, thinking to have converted this man; for that, an he go tothe court of Rome and see the lewd and wicked life of the clergy, notonly will he never become a Christian, but, were he already aChristian, he would infallibly turn Jew again.' Then, turning toAbraham, he said to him, 'Alack, my friend, why wilt thou undertakethis travail and so great a charge as it will be to thee to go fromhere to Rome? More by token that, both by sea and by land, the road isfull of perils for a rich man such as thou art. Thinkest thou not tofind here who shall give thee baptism? Or, if peradventure thou haveany doubts concerning the faith which I have propounded to thee, whereare there greater doctors and men more learned in the matter than arehere or better able to resolve thee of that which thou wilt know orask? Wherefore, to my thinking, this thy going is superfluous. Bethinkthee that the prelates there are even such as those thou mayst haveseen here, and indeed so much the better as they are nearer unto theChief Pastor. Wherefore, an thou wilt be counselled by me, thou wiltreserve this travail unto another time against some jubilee or other,whereunto it may be I will bear thee company.' To this the Jew madeanswer, 'I doubt not, Jehannot, but it is as thou tellest me; but, tosum up many words in one, I am altogether determined, an thou wouldsthave me do that whereof thou hast so instantly besought me, to gothither; else will I never do aught thereof.' Jehannot, seeing hisdetermination, said, 'Go and good luck go with thee!' And inwardlyassured that he would never become a Christian, when once he shouldhave seen the court of Rome, but availing[44] nothing in the matter,he desisted.

  [Footnote 44: Lit. losing (_perdendo_), but this is probably somecopyist's mistake for _podendo_, the old form of _potendo_, availing.]

  The Jew mounted to horse and as quickliest he might betook himself tothe court of Rome, he was honourably entertained of his brethren, andthere abiding, without telling any the reason of his coming, he begandiligently to enquire into the manners and fashions of the Pope andCardinals and other prelates and of all the members of his court, andwhat with that which he himself noted, being a mighty quick-wittedman, and that which he gathered from others, he found all, from thehighest to the lowest, most shamefully given to the sin of lust, andthat not only in the way of nature, but after the Sodomitical fashion,without any restraint of remorse or shamefastness, insomuch that theinterest of courtezans and catamites was of no small avail there inobtaining any considerable thing.

  Moreover, he manifestly perceived them to be universally gluttons,wine-bibbers, drunkards and slaves to their bellies, brute-beastfashion, more than to aught else after lust. And looking farther, hesaw them all covetous and greedy after money, insomuch that human,nay, Christian blood, no less than things sacred, whatsoever theymight be, whether pertaining to the sacrifices of the altar or to thebenefices of the church, they sold and bought indifferently for aprice, making a greater traffic and having more brokers thereof thanfolk at Paris of silks and stuffs or what not else. Manifest simonythey had christened 'procuration' and gluttony 'sustentation,' as ifGod apprehended not,--let be the meaning of words but,--the intentionof depraved minds and would suffer Himself, after the fashion of men,to be duped by the names of things. All this, together with much elsewhich must be left unsaid, was supremely displeasing to the Jew, whowas a sober and modest man, and himseeming he had seen enough, hedetermined to return to Paris and did so.

  As soon as Jehannot knew of his return, he betook himself to him,hoping nothing less than that he should become a Christian, and theygreeted each other with the utmost joy. Then, after Abraham had restedsome days, Jehannot asked him how himseemed of the Holy Father and ofthe cardinals and others of his court. Whereto the Jew promptlyanswered, 'Meseemeth, God give them ill one and all! And I say thisfor that, if I was able to observe aright, no piety, no devoutness, nogood work or example of life or otherwhat did I see there in any whowas a churchman; nay, but lust, covetise, gluttony and the like andworse (if worse can be) meseemed to be there in such favour with allthat I hold it for a forgingplace of things diabolical rather thandivine. And as far as I can judge, meseemeth your chief pastor andconsequently all the others endeavour with all diligence and all theirwit and every art to bring to nought and banish from the world theChristian religion, whereas they should be its foundation and support.And for that I see that this whereafter they strive cometh not topass, but that your religion continually increaseth and waxeth stillbrighter and more glorious, meseemeth I manifestly discern that theHoly Spirit is verily the foundation and support thereof, as of thatwhich is true and holy over any other. Wherefore, whereas, aforetime Iabode obdurate and insensible to thine exhortations and would not bepersuaded to embrace thy faith, I now
tell thee frankly that fornothing in the world would I forbear to become a Christian. Let us,then, to church and there have me baptized, according to the rite andordinance of your holy faith.'

  Jehannot, who looked for a directly contrary conclusion to this, wasthe joyfullest man that might be, when he heard him speak thus, andrepairing with him to our Lady's Church of Paris, required the clergythere to give Abraham baptism. They, hearing that the Jew himselfdemanded it, straightway proceeded to baptize him, whilst Jehannotraised him from the sacred font[45] and named him Giovanni. Afterthis, he had him thoroughly lessoned by men of great worth andlearning in the tenets of our holy faith, which he speedilyapprehended and thenceforward was a good man and a worthy and one of adevout life."

  [Footnote 45: _i.e._ stood sponsor for him.]