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

to him that his sister--the widow of Venanzio of Camerino,
killed by Caesar Borgia--had secretly married a certain Giovanni
Andrea of Verona and borne him a son. Watching his opportunity,
Francesco-Maria set upon the unfortunate Andrea one day in the ducal
chamber and then and there killed him, though not without resistance,
for Andrea only succumbed after receiving four-and-twenty stabs with
his murderer's poignard (Urbino MSS. Vat. No. 904). A few years later,
in 1511, Francesco-Maria assassinated the Papal Legate Alidosio,
Cardinal Archbishop of Pavia, whom he encountered in the environs of
Bologna riding his mule and followed by a hundred light horse.
Nevertheless Urbino, with only a small retinue, galloped up to him,
plunged a dagger into his stomach and fled before the soldiery could
intervene. From these examples it will be seen that, although history

has preserved no record of the affair related by Queen Margaret, her
narrative may well be a true one.--Ed.
Thus, in spite of every law of honour, was the innocent maiden put to
death by this cruel Duke, to the exceeding sorrow of all that knew her.
"See, ladies, what are the effects of wickedness when this is combined
with power."
"I had indeed heard," said Longarine, "that the Italians were prone to
three especial vices; but I should not have thought that vengeance and
cruelty would have gone so far as to deal a cruel death for so slight a
cause."
"Longarine," said Saffredent, laughing, "you have told us one of the
three vices, but we must also know the other two."
"If you did not know them," she replied, "I would inform you, but I am
sure that you know them all."
"From your words," said Saffredent, "it seems that you deem me very
vicious."
"Not so," said Longarine, "but you so well know the ugliness of vice
that, better than any other, you are able to avoid it."
"Do not be amazed," said Simontault, "at this act of cruelty. Those who
have passed through Italy have seen such incredible instances, that this
one is in comparison but a trifling peccadillo."
"Ay, truly," said Geburon. "When Rivolta was taken by the French, (5)
there was an Italian captain who was esteemed a knightly comrade, but
on seeing the dead body of a man who was only his enemy in that
being a Guelph he was opposed to the Ghibellines, he tore out his heart,
broiled it on the coals and devoured it. And when some asked him how
he liked it, he replied that he had never eaten so savoury or dainty a
morsel. Not content with this fine deed, he killed the dead man's wife,
and tearing out the fruit of her womb, dashed it against a wall. Then he

filled the bodies both of husband and wife with oats and made his
horses eat from them. Think you that such a man as that would not
surely have put to death a girl whom he suspected of offending him?"
5 Rivolta or Rivoli was captured by the French under Louis XII. in
1509. An instance of savagery identical in character with that
mentioned by "Geburon" had already occurred at the time of Charles
VIII.'s expedition to Naples, when the culprit, a young Italian of good
birth, was seized and publicly executed.--Ed.
"It must be acknowledged," said Ennasuite, "that this Duke of Urbino
was more afraid that his son might make a poor marriage than desirous
of giving him a wife to his liking."
"I think you can have no doubt," replied Simon-tault, "that it is the
Italian nature to love unnaturally that which has been created only for
nature's service."
"Worse than that," said Hircan, "they make a god of things that are
contrary to nature."
"And there," said Longarine, "you have another one of the sins that I
meant; for we know that to love money, excepting so far as it be
necessary, is idolatry."
Parlamente then said that St. Paul had not forgotten the vices of the
Italians, and of all those who believe that they exceed and surpass
others in honour, prudence and human reason, and who trust so
strongly to this last as to withhold from God the glory that is His due.
Wherefore the Almighty, jealous of His honour, renders' those who
believe themselves possessed of more understanding than other men,
more insensate even than wild the beasts, causing them to show by
their unnatural deeds that their sense is reprobate.
Longarine here interrupted Parlamente to say that this was indeed the
third sin to which the Italians were prone.
"By my faith," said Nomerfide, "this discourse is very pleasing to me,

for, since those that possess the best trained and acutest understandings
are punished by being made more witless even than wild beasts, it must
follow