The Tales of the Heptameron, Vol. IV | Page 5

iii. p. 253. There is also some similarity
between this tale and No. LX. of the Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles.
Estienne quotes it in his Apologie pour Hérodote, L'Estoile in his
_Journal du règne de Henri III. (anno_ 1577), Malespini uses it in his
Ducento Novelle (No. 75), and it suggested to Lafontaine his
Cordeliers de Catalogne.--L. and M.
"I am very sorry, ladies, that truth does not provide us with stories as
much to the credit of the Grey Friars as it does to the contrary. It would

be a great pleasure to me, by reason of the love that I bear their Order,
if I knew of one in which I could really praise them; but we have
vowed so solemnly to speak the truth that, after hearing it from such as
are well worthy of belief, I cannot but make it known to you.
Nevertheless, I promise you that, whenever the monks shall accomplish
a memorable and glorious deed, I will be at greater pains to exalt it than
I have been in relating the present truthful history."
"In good faith, Geburon," said Oisille, "that was a love which might
well have been called cruelty."
"I am astonished," said Simontault, "that he was patient enough not to
take her by force when he saw her in her shift, and in a place where he
might have mastered her."
"He was not an epicure, but a glutton," said Saffredent. "He wanted to
have his fill of her every day, and so was not minded to amuse himself
with a mere taste."
"That was not the reason," said Parlamente. "Understand that a lustful
man is always timorous, and the fear that he had of being surprised and
robbed of his prey led him, wolf-like, to carry off his lamb that he
might devour it at his ease."
"For all that," said Dagoucin, "I cannot believe that he loved her, or that
the virtuous god of love could dwell in so base a heart."
"Be that as it may," said Oisille, "he was well punished, and I pray God
that like attempts may meet with the same chastisement. But to whom
will you give your vote?"
"To you, madam," replied Geburon; "you will, I know, not fail to tell us
a good story."
"Since it is my turn," said Oisille, "I will relate to you one that is indeed
excellent, seeing that the adventure befel in my own day, and before the
eyes of him who told it to me. You are, I am sure, aware that death ends
all our woes, and this being so, it may be termed our happiness and

tranquil rest. It is, therefore, a misfortune if a man desires death and
cannot obtain it, and so the most grievous punishment that can be given
to a wrongdoer is not death, but a continual torment, great enough to
render death desirable, but withal too slight to bring it nearer. And this
was how a husband used his wife, as you shall hear."
[Illustration: 0016.jpg Tailpiece]
[Illustration: 017a.jpg Bernage observing the German Lady's Strange
Penance]
[Bernage observing the German Lady's Strange Penance]
[Illustration: 017.jpg Page Image

TALE XXXII.
_Bernage, learning in what patience and humility a German lady
submitted to the strange penance laid upon her for her unchastity by her
husband, so persuaded the latter that he forgot the past, showed pity to
his wife, and, taking her back again, afterwards had by her some very
handsome children_.
King Charles, eighth of the name, sent into Germany a gentleman
called Bernage, Lord of Sivray, near Amboise, (1) who to make good
speed spared not to travel both by day and night. In this wise he came
very late one evening to a gentleman's castle, where he asked for
lodging, a request which was not granted him without great difficulty.
1 Bernage, Bernaige, or Vernaiges, as the name is diversely written in
the MSS. of the Heptameron, was in 1495 equerry to Charles VIII., a
post which brought him an annual salary of 300 livres.--See Godefroy's
Histoire de Charles VIII., p. 705. Civray, near Chenonceaux, on the
Cher, was a fief of the barony of Amboise. In 1483 we find a certain
John Goussart doing homage for it to the crown.--Archives Nationales,
Section Domaniale, côte 3801.--L.

However, when the gentleman came to know that he was servant to so
great a King, he went to him and begged him not to take the
churlishness of his servants in bad part, since he was obliged to keep
his house thus closed on account of certain of his wife's kinsfolk who
sought to do him hurt. Bernage then told him the nature of his mission,
wherein the gentleman offered to serve the interests of the King his
master, so far as in