The Decameron, vol. 1 | Page 4

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The Decameron
of
Giovanni Boccaccio
Faithfully Translated
By J.M. Rigg
with illustrations by Louis Chalon
--CONTENTS--
INTRODUCTION
PROEM
- FIRST DAY -
NOVEL I. - Ser Ciappelletto cheats a holy friar by a false confession, and dies; and,
having lived as a very bad man, is, on his death, reputed a saint, and called San
Ciappelletto.
NOVEL II. - Abraham, a Jew, at the instance of Jehannot de Chevigny, goes to the court
of Rome, and having marked the evil life of clergy, returns to Paris, and becomes a
Christian.
NOVEL III. - Melchisedech, a Jew, by a story of three rings averts a danger with which
he was menaced by Saladin.
NOVEL IV. - A monk lapses into a sin meriting the most severe punishment, justly
censures the same fault in his abbot, and thus evades the penalty.
NOVEL V. - The Marchioness of Monferrato by a banquet of hens seasoned with wit
checks the mad passion of the King of France.
NOVEL VI. - A worthy man by an apt saying puts to shame the wicked hypocrisy of the
religious.
NOVEL VII. - Bergamino, with a story of Primasso and the Abbot of Cluny, finely
censures a sudden access of avarice in Messer Cane della Scala.
NOVEL VIII. - Guglielmo Borsiere by a neat retort sharply censures avarice in Messer
Ermino de' Grimaldi.

NOVEL IX. - The censure of a Gascon lady converts the King of Cyprus from a churlish
to an honourable temper.
NOVEL X. - Master Alberto da Bologna honourably puts to shame a lady who sought
occasion to put him to shame in that he was in love with her.
- SECOND DAY -
NOVEL I. - Martellino pretends to be a paralytic, and makes it appear as if he were cured
by being placed upon the body of St. Arrigo. His trick is detected; he is beaten and
arrested, and is in peril of hanging, but finally escapes.
NOVEL II. - Rinaldo d'Asti is robbed, arrives at Castel Guglielmo, and is entertained by
a widow lady; his property is restored to him, and he returns home safe and sound.
NOVEL III. - Three young men squander their substance and are reduced to poverty.
Their nephew, returning home a desperate man, falls in with an abbot, in whom he
discovers the daughter of the King of England. She marries him, and he retrieves the
losses and re-establishes the fortune of his uncles.
NOVEL IV. - Landolfo Ruffolo is reduced to poverty, turns corsair, is captured by
Genoese, is shipwrecked, escapes on a chest full of jewels, and, being cast ashore at
Corfu, is hospitably entertained by a woman, and returns home wealthy.
NOVEL V. - Andreuccio da Perugia comes to Naples to buy horses, meets with three
serious adventures in one night, comes safe out of them all, and returns home with a ruby.
NOVEL VI. - Madam Beritola loses two sons, is found with two kids on an island, goes
thence to Lunigiana, where one of her sons takes service with her master, and lies with
his daughter, for which he is put in prison. Sicily rebels against King Charles, the son is
recognized by the mother, marries the master's daughter, and, his brother being
discovered, is reinstated in great honour.
NOVEL VII. - The Soldan of Babylon sends one of his daughters overseas, designing to
marry her to the King of Algarve. By divers adventures she comes in the space of four
years into the hands of nine men in divers place. At last she is restored to her father,
whom she quits again in the guise of a virgin, and, as was at first intended, is married to
the King of Algarve.
NOVEL VIII. - The Count of Antwerp, labouring under a false accusation, goes into
exile. He leaves his two children in different places in England, and takes service in
Ireland. Returning to England an unknown man, he finds his sons prosperous. He serves
as a groom in the army of the King of France; his innocence is established, and he is
restored to his former honours.
NOVEL IX. - Bernabo of Genoa, deceived by Ambrogiuolo, loses his money and
commands his innocent wife to be put to death. She escapes, habits herself as a man, and
serves the Soldan. She discovers the deceiver, and brings Bernabo to Alexandria, where

the deceiver is punished. She then resumes the garb of a woman, and with her husband
returns wealthy to Genoa.
NOVEL X. - Paganino da Monaco carries off the wife of Messer Ricciardo di Chinzica,
who, having learned where she is, goes to Paganino