THE
DECAMERON
CONTAINING
An hundred pleasant
Novels.
Wittily discoursed, betweene
seven Honourable Ladies, and
three Noble Gentlemen.
The last Five Dayes.
London, Printed by
Isaac Jaggard,
1620.
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLESir Phillip Herbert,
Knight, Lord Baron of Sherland, Earle ofMontgomery, and Knight of the most Nobleorder of the Garter.
Having (by your Honorable command)translated this Decameron, or CentoNovelle, sirnamed Il PrincipeGaleotto, of ten dayes severall discourses,grounded on variable and singulerArguments, happening betweeneseaven Noble Ladies, and three veryHonourable Gentlemen: Although not attyred in such elegantcyof phrase, or nice curiosity of stile, as a quicker and moresprightly wit could have performed, but in such home-bornelanguage, as my ability could stretch unto; yet it commeth (inall duty) to kisse your Noble hand, and to shelter it selfe underyour Gracious protection, though not from the leering eye, andover-lavish tongue of snarling Envy; yet from the power of hisblasting poyson, and malice of his machinations.
To the Reader.
Bookes (Courteous Reader) mayrightly be compared to Gardens;wherein, let the painfull Gardinerexpresse never so much care anddiligent endeavour; yet amongthe very fairest, sweetest, and freshestFlowers, as also Plants ofmost precious Vertue; ill favouring and stinkingWeeds, fit for no use but the fire or mucke-hill, willspring and sprout up. So fareth it with Bookes of thevery best quality, let the Author bee never so indulgent,and the Printer vigilant: yet both may missetheir ayme, by the escape of Errors and Mistakes, eitherin sense or matter, the one fault ensuing by a raggedWritten Copy; and the other thorough want ofwary Correction. If then the best Bookes cannot befree from this common infirmity; blame not thisthen, of farre lighter argument, wherein thy courtesiemay helpe us both: His blame, in acknowledginghis more sufficiency, then to write so grosse and absurdly:And mine, in pardoning unwilling Errorscommitted, which thy judgement finding, thy pencan as easily correct.
Farewell.
The Table
The Dedication.
To the Reader.
THE SIXT DAY,
Governed under MadameEliza.Wherein the Discourses or Novels there to beerecounted, doe concerne such persons; who bysome witty words (when any have tauntedthem) have revenged themselves, in a sudden,unexpected and discreet answere, thereby preventinglosse, danger, scorne and disgrace, retortingthem on the busi-headed Questioners.
The argument of the first Novell.
A Knight requested Madame Oretta, to ride behindehim on horsebacke, and promised, to tell her an excellentTale by the way. But the Lady perceiving,that his discourse was idle, and much worse delivered: entreatedhim to let her walke on foote againe.
The Morall.
Reprehending the folly of such men, as undertaketo report discourses, which are beyond their wit andcapacity, and gaine nothing b
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