The decameron containing an hundred pleasant nouels. Wittily discoursed, betweene seauen honourable ladies, and three noble gentlemen.

A yong and ingenious Scholler, being vnkindly reuiled and smitten by his ig∣norant Father, and through the procurement of an vnlearned Vicare; af∣terward attained to be doubly reuenged on him.

The Sixth Nouell.

Seruing as an aduertisement to vnlearned Parents, not to bee ouer-rash, in censuring on Schollers perfections, through any badde or vnbeseeming per∣swasions.

THE Ladies smiled very heartily, at the ready answer of Giotto; vntill the Queene charged Madam Fiammetta, that shee should next succeed in order: whereupon, thus she began. The verie greatest infelicity that can happen to a man, and most insupportable of all other, is Ignorance; a word (I say) which hath bin so general, as vnder it is comprehended all imperfections whatsoeuer. Yet notwithstanding, whosoeuer can cull (graine by graine) the defects incident to humane race; will and must confesse, that wee are not all borne to knowledge: but onely such, whom the heauens illuminating by their bright radiance

(wherein consisteth the sourse and well-spring of all science) by little & little, do bestow the influence of their bounty, on such and so manie as they please, who are to expresse themselues the more thankfull for such a blessing. And although this grace doth lessen the misfortune of ma∣ny, which were ouer-mighty to bee in all; yet some there are, who by sawcie presuming on themselues, doe bewray their ignorance by theyr owne speeches; setting such behauiour on each matter, and soothing e∣uery thing with such grauity, euen as if they would make comparison: or (to speake more properly) durst encounter in the Listes with great Salomon or Socrates. But let vs leaue them, and come to the matter of our purposed Nouell.

[illustration]

In a certaine Village of Piccardie, there liued a Priest or Vicar, who beeing meerely an ignorant blocke, had yet such a peremptorie presu∣ming spirite: as, though it was sufficiently discerned, yet hee begui∣led many thereby, vntill at last he deceyued himselfe, and with due cha∣stisement to his folly.

A plaine Husbandman dwelling in the same Village, possessed of much Land and Liuing, but verie grosse and dull in vnderstanding; by the entreaty of diuers his Friends and Well-willers, some-thing more intelligable then himselfe: became incited, or rather prouoked, to send a Sonne of his to the Vniuersity of Paris, to study there as was fitting for a Scholler. To the end (quoth they) that hauing but this Son onely, and Fortunes blessings abounding in store for him: hee might likewise haue the riches of the minde, which are those true treasures indeede, that Ari∣stippus giueth vs aduice to be furnished withall.

His Friends perswasions hauing preuailed, and hee continued at

for the space of three yeares: what with the documents he had attayned to, before his going thither, and by meanes of a happie memory in the time of his being there, wherewith no young man was more singularly endued (in so short a while) he attained and performed the greater part of his Studies.

Now, as oftentimes it commeth to passe, the loue of a Father (sur∣mounting all other affections in man) made the olde Farmer desirous to see his Sonne: which caused his sending for him with all conuenient speede, and obedience vrged his as forward willingnesse thereto. The good olde man, not a little ioyfull to see him in so good condition and health, and encreased so much in stature since his parting thence: fami∣liarly told him, that he earnestly desired to know, if his minde and body had attained to a competent and equall growth, which within three or foure dayes he would put in practise.

No other helpe had he silly simple man, but Master Vicar must bee the questioner and poser of his son: wherein the Priest was very vnwil∣ling to meddle, for feare of discouering his owne ignorance, which pas∣sed vnder better opinion then he deserued. But the Farmer beeing im∣importunate, and the Vicar many wayes beholding to him, durst not re∣turne deniall, but vndertooke it very formally, as if he had bene an able man indeede.

But see how Fooles are borne to be fortunate, and where they least hope, there they find the best successe; the simplicitie of the Father, must be the meanes for abusing his Schollerly Son, and a skreene to stand be∣tweene the Priest and his ignorance. Earnest is the olde man to know, what and how farre his Sonne had profited at Schoole, and by what note he might best take vnderstanding of his answeres: which iumping fit with the Vicars vanity, and a warrantable cloake to couer his kna∣uery; he appoints him but one word onely, namely Nescio, wherewith if he answered to any of his demands, it was an euident token, that hee vnderstood nothing. As thus they were walking and conferring in the Church, the Farmer very carefull to remember the word Nescio: it came to passe vpon a sodaine, that the young man entred into them, to the great contentment of his Father, who prayed Master Vicar, to make ap∣probation of his Sonne, whether he were learned, or no, and how hee had benefited at the Vniuersity?

After the time of the daies salutations had past betweene them, the Vicar being subtle and crafty, as they walked along by one of the tombs in the Church; pointing with his finger to the Tombe, the Priest vttered these words to the Scholler.

Quis hic est sepultus?

The yong Scholler (by reason it was erected since his departure, and finding no inscription whereby to informe him) answered, as well hee might, Nescio. Immediately the Father, keeping the word perfect∣ly in his memorie, grewe verie angerly passionate; and, desiring to

heare no more demaunds: gaue him three or foure boxes on the cares▪ with many harsh and iniurious speeches, tearming him an Asse and Vil∣laine, and that he had not learned any thing. His Sonne was pacien••, and returned no answer, but plainly perceiued, that this was a tricke in∣tended against him, by the malicious treachery of the Priest, on whom (in time) he might be reuenged.

Within a short while after, the Suffragane of those parts (vnder whom the Priest was but a Deputy, holding the benefice of him, with no great charge to his conscience) being abroad in his visitation, sent word to the Vicar, that he intended to preach there on the next Sunday, and hee to prepare in a readinesse, Bonum & Commodum, because hee would haue nothing else to his dinner. Heereat Master Vicar was greatly amazed, because he had neuer heard such words before, neither could hee finde them in all his Breuiarie. Hereupon, he went to the yong scholler, whom he had so lately before abused, and crying him mercy, with many impu∣dent and shallow excuses, desired him to reueale the meaning of those words, and what he should vnderstand by Bonum & Commodum.

The Scholler (with a sober and modest countenance) made answere; That he had bin ouer-much abused, which (neuerthelesse) he tooke not so impaciently, but hee had already both forgot and forgiuen it, with promise of comfort in this his extraordinary distraction, and greefe of minde. When he had perused the Suffraganes Letter, well obseruing the blushlesse ignorance of the Priest: seeming (by outward appearance) to take it strangely, he cryed out alowd, saying; In the name of Vertue, what may be this mans meaning? How? (quoth the Priest) What ma∣ner of demand do you make? Alas, replyed the Scholler, you haue but one poore Asse, which I know you loue deerely, and yet you must stew his genitories very daintily, for your Patron will haue no other meat to his dinner. The genitories of mine Asse, answered the Priest? Passion of me, who then shall carrie my Corne to the Mill? There is no re∣medie, sayde the Scholler, for he hath so set it downe for an absolute re∣solution.

After that the Priest had considered thereon a while by himselfe, re∣membring the yearely reuennewes, which clearely hee put vp into his purse, to be ten times of farre greater worth then his Asse: he concluded to haue him gelded, what danger soeuer should ensue thereon, prepa∣ring them in readinesse against his comming. So soone as the Suffragan was there arriued, heauily hee complained to him for his Asse: which kinde of Language he not vnderstanding, knew not what he meant, nor how he should answer. But beeing (by the Scholler) acquainted with the whole History, he laughed heartily at the Priests ignorant folly, wi∣shing that all such bold Bayards (from time to time) might be so serued. Likewise, that all ignorant Priests, Vicars, and other Grashoppers of Townes or Villages, who sometimes haue onely seene Partes ••••ationis quod sunt, not to stand ouer-much on their owne sufficiency, grounded soly vpon their Grammar; but to beware whom they iest withall, with∣out

out medling with Schollers, who take not iniuries as dullards doe, least they proue infamous by then disputations.