Heptameron: or the history of the fortunate lovers; written by the most excellent and most virtuous princess, Margaret de Valoys, Queen of Navarre; published in French by the privilege and immediate approbation of the King; now made English by Robert Codrington, Master of Arts.

The Subtilty of a Spanish woman to defraud the Friers of the last Testament of her Husband.

The fifth Novel.

IN the City of Saragossa there lived a Merchant, who seeing his death to approach, and that he could no longer keep the Goods which he had gotten, it may be, with a bad Conscience, he thought to satisfie his sin, by giving away all to the poor, without any regard that after his decease his Wife and his Children should die with hunger, and when he had ordered all things in his House, he said, it was his last Will, that a good Spanish Jennet which he had (and was indeed all his goods that were worth any thing) should be sold at the greatest rate that could be, and that the Money should be distri∣buted unto the begging Friers, desiring his Wife that when ever the breath were out of his Body, she would not fail to sell the Horse, and distribute the Money according to his Will.

The burial being past, and the first tears wept, his Wife, who was no more a fool than the Spaniards are accustomed to be, did repair unto her Servant, who as well as her self did understand the last Will of her Husband, and said unto him, It seems to me, that I have lost too much already, in losing my Hushand whom so much I loved, without losing any more of my goods; but so it is that I would not be disobedient to his charge, but doe the best I can to satisfie his will according to his intention. For the poor Man who in his life as you know well enough would not so much as spare one Crown for the grea∣test necessity, hath after his death given a round sum to the poor Friers, thinking it to be a Sacri∣fice that will be acceptable to God; wherefore I am advised to doe that which at his death he did be∣queath,

and which is more than he could give him∣self if he had lived but fifteen days longer, and by so doing, I will provide for the necessities of my Chil∣dren.

But I must so carry it, that none in the World shall know any thing of it; And when her Servant had faithfully promised to keep secret what was to be done, she said unto him, You must go sell his Horse, and if any shall ask you what is the price of it, you shall say one Ducket, but I have a good Cat, an ex∣cellent Mouser, which you shall sell—let me see — I — for ninety nine Duckets, and so the Cat and the Horse shall make in all just one hundred Duckets, at which price my Husband would have sold the Horse alone. The Servant did readily ac∣complish the commands of his Mistresse, and wal∣ked the Horse up and down the Market, holding the demure Cat under his arms. A Gentleman who had seen the Horse before, and had a great mind to buy him, passing that way, demanded of the Ser∣vant at one word to give him the price of him. The Servant made answer, one Ducket. Do not mock me (honest friend) said the Gentleman. I assure you, Sir, said the Servant, you shall give me for it one Ducket and no more; But Sir, I must tell you, that you must buy the Cat with it, for which I will have ninety and nine Duckets. The Gentleman thought it was but reasonable, and in ready money laid down one Ducket for the Horse, and ninety nine for the Cat, accordingly as he demanded, and took away with him his Merchandise. The Servant on the other side brought home the money to his Mi∣stresse, who was so joyfull at it, that she fayled not to give the Ducket, at which price the Horse was sold, to the begging Friers, as her Husband had or∣dained, and reserved the rest to provide for her self and her Children.

Give me your advice now, was she not more wise than her Husband, and had as great a care of her own Con∣science,

as of the profit of her Children? I do believe said Parlament, that she loved her Husband well, for seeing that on his death-bed he had but ill considered of his own affairs, she who did know his intentions, did know also to give the best interpretation of it for the ad∣vancement of his Children, for which I do commend her for her wisdom. ••ow, said Guebron, do you not esteem it a great fault to fail to perform the Will of the dead? So I should, said Parlament, provided the Te∣stator were in good sense. Do you think, said Guebron, that he was not in perfect memory to bestow his goods on the Church, and on religious men? I do not think it to be an error, said Parlament, when a man doth di∣stribute to Beggers what God hath given into his hands; but for a married man to give away all that he hath at his death, and to leave his Family not long afterwards to perish for hunger, I do not approve it, and in my o∣pimon it would be more acreptable to God, if he had ta∣ken more care of the poor Orphans whom he loft behind him, who having nothing wherewith to feed themselves, and being oppressed with poverty, would oftentimes curse the memory of their Father, instead of blessing him, when they shall find themselves to pine away for hunger; for God who knoweth the hearts of Men cannot be de∣ceived, and will not only judge according to works, but according unto Faith and Charity who do de∣rive themselves from him. Wherefore is it then, said Guebron, that covetousnesse at this day is so rooted in all estates of the World, that the greatest part of Men have not the leasure to think of the distributing of their Goods, untill they do find themselves to be assayl∣ed by death, and that they must give up their accounts to God? I do believe that they do so settle all their affecti∣ons upon their riches, that if they could carry them a∣way with them, they would most willingly do it, but there is an hour, in which our Saviour will make them more grievously to feel their punishment, than in the hour of death; for then whatsoever they have done all the time of their lives, be it good or evil, shall in an instant

be represented before their eys; it is the hour in which the Books of our Consciences shall be opened, and where every one shall see the Good and ••vil which he hath done, for the wicked Spirits will omit nothing, which they will 〈◊〉〈◊〉 represent unto a sinner, either to tempt him to a presumption that he hath lived well and holily, or to throw him into a desperation of the Mercies of God, to the end that he may turn aside out of the right way. If you know any History, said Nomerfide, that is to this purpose, I intreat you Hircan, if you think us worthy of it, that you would rehearse it to us, I will with all my heart, said Hircan, and although it will be ••••plea∣sing to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to repeat a story to you to the disadvantage of any man, yet seeing we have not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 either Kings, or Dukes, or Earls, or Barons, there ought no•• offence to he taken if we put any others into the rank amongst so many noble personages; for we do know that there are good men in all Estates, and that the good ought not to be prejudiced by the bad. Let us ••••ave off therefore this discourse, and give a beginning to our History.