The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio

by Giovanni Boccaccio

  THE EIGHTH STORY

  [Day the First]

  GUGLIELMO BORSIERE WITH SOME QUAINT WORDS REBUKETH THE NIGGARDLINESS OF MESSER ERMINO DE' GRIMALDI

  Next Filostrato sat Lauretta, who, after she had heard Bergamino'saddress commended, perceiving that it behoved her tell somewhat,began, without awaiting any commandment, blithely to speak thus: "Theforegoing story, dear companions,[64] bringeth me in mind to tell howan honest minstrel on like wise and not without fruit rebuked thecovetise of a very rich merchant, the which, albeit in effect itresembleth the last story, should not therefore be less agreeable toyou, considering that good came thereof in the end.

  [Footnote 64: Fem.]

  There was, then, in Genoa, a good while agone, a gentleman calledMesser Ermino de' Grimaldi, who (according to general belief) faroverpassed in wealth of lands and monies the riches of whatsoeverother richest citizen was then known in Italy; and like as he excelledall other Italians in wealth, even so in avarice and sordidness heoutwent beyond compare every other miser and curmudgeon in the world;for not only did he keep a strait purse in the matter of hospitality,but, contrary to the general usance of the Genoese, who are wont todress sumptuously, he suffered the greatest privations in thingsnecessary to his own person, no less than in meat and in drink, ratherthan be at any expense; by reason whereof the surname de' Grimaldi hadfallen away from him and he was deservedly called of all only MesserErmino Avarizia.

  It chanced that, whilst, by dint of spending not, he multiplied hiswealth, there came to Genoa a worthy minstrel,[65] both well-bred andwell-spoken, by name Guglielmo Borsiere, a man no whit like those[66]of the present day, who (to the no small reproach of the corrupt andblameworthy usances of those[67] who nowadays would fain be called andreputed gentlefolk and seigniors) are rather to be styled asses,reared in all the beastliness and depravity of the basest of mankind,than [minstrels, bred] in the courts [of kings and princes]. In thosetimes it used to be a minstrel's office and his wont to expend hispains in negotiating treaties of peace, where feuds or despites hadbefallen between noblemen, or transacting marriages, alliances andfriendships, in solacing the minds of the weary and diverting courtswith quaint and pleasant sayings, ay, and with sharp reproofs,father-like, rebuking the misdeeds of the froward,--and this forslight enough reward; but nowadays they study to spend their time inhawking evil reports from one to another, in sowing discord, inspeaking naughtiness and obscenity and (what is worse) doing them inall men's presence, in imputing evil doings, lewdnesses and knaveries,true or false, one to other, and in prompting men of condition withtreacherous allurements to base and shameful actions; and he is mostcherished and honoured and most munificently entertained and rewardedof the sorry unmannerly noblemen of our time who saith and doth themost abominable words and deeds; a sore and shameful reproach to thepresent age and a very manifest proof that the virtues have departedthis lower world and left us wretched mortals to wallow in the sloughof the vices.

  [Footnote 65: _Uomo di corte._ This word has been another grievousstumbling block to the French and English translators of Boccaccio,who render it literally "courtier." The reader need hardly be remindedthat the minstrel of the middle ages was commonly jester, gleeman andstory-teller all in one and in these several capacities was allowedthe utmost license of speech. He was generally attached to the courtof some king or sovereign prince, but, in default of some suchpermanent appointment, passed his time in visiting the courts andmansions of princes and men of wealth and liberty, where his talentswere likely to be appreciated and rewarded; hence the name _uomo dicorte_, "man of court" (not "courtier," which is _cortigiano_).]

  [Footnote 66: _i.e._ those minstrels.]

  [Footnote 67: _i.e._ the noblemen their patrons.]

  But to return to my story, from which a just indignation hath carriedme somewhat farther astray than I purposed,--I say that the aforesaidGuglielmo was honoured by all the gentlemen of Genoa and gladly seenof them, and having sojourned some days in the city and hearing manytales of Messer Ermino's avarice and sordidness, he desired to seehim. Messer Ermino having already heard how worthy a man was thisGuglielmo Borsiere and having yet, all miser as he was, some tinctureof gentle breeding, received him with very amicable words and blitheaspect and entered with him into many and various discourses. Devisingthus, he carried him, together with other Genoese who were in hiscompany, into a fine new house of his which he had lately built andafter having shown it all to him, said, 'Pray, Messer Guglielmo, youwho have seen and heard many things, can you tell me of something thatwas never yet seen, which I may have depictured in the saloon of thismy house?' Guglielmo, hearing this his preposterous question,answered, 'Sir, I doubt me I cannot undertake to tell you of aughtthat was never yet seen, except it were sneezings or the like; but, anit like you, I will tell you of somewhat which me thinketh you neveryet beheld.' Quoth Messer Ermino, not looking for such an answer as hegot, 'I pray you tell me what it is.' Whereto Guglielmo promptlyreplied, 'Cause Liberality to be here depictured.'

  When Messer Ermino heard this speech, there took him incontinent sucha shame that it availed in a manner to change his dispositionaltogether to the contrary of that which it had been and he said,'Messer Guglielmo, I will have it here depictured after such a fashionthat neither you nor any other shall ever again have cause to tell methat I have never seen nor known it.' And from that time forth (suchwas the virtue of Guglielmo's words) he was the most liberal and themost courteous gentleman of his day in Genoa and he who mosthospitably entreated both strangers and citizens."