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beautiful hands? cries Giannet-
to: at which the lady smiled.
Gianetto takes the cup, and
making as if he had drank, pours
the wine into his bosom. The
lady thinking he had drank,
fays afide to herself with great
joy, You must go, young man,
and bring another thip, for this
is condemned. Giannetto went
to bed, and began to snore as if
he slept foundly. The lady per-
ceiving this, laid herself down
by his fide. Giannetto loses no
time, but turning to the lady,
embraces her, saying, Now am
I in possession of my utmost
wishes. When Giannetto came
out of his chamber, he was
knighted, and placed in the chair
of state; had the scepter put in-
to his hand, and was proclaimed
fovereign of the country, with
great pomp and splendour; and
when the lords and ladies were
come to the castle, he married
the lady in great ceremony.

Giannetto governed excellent-
ly, and caused justice to be ad-
miniftred impartially. He con-
tinued some time in this happy
state, and never entertained a
thought of poor Anfaldo, who
had given this bond to the Jew
for ten thousand ducats. But
one day, as he stood at the win-
dow of the palace with his bride,
he saw a number of people pass
along the piazza, with lighted
torches in their hands. What is
the meaning of this? says he.
The lady answered, they are
artificers going to make their of-
ferings at the church of St John,
this day being his festival.. Gi.
annetto instantly recollected An-
faldo, gave a great figh, and
turned pale. His lady enquired

the cause of his sudden change.
He said, he felt nothing. She
continued to press with great
earnestness, till he was obliged
to confess the cause of his unea-
siness, that Anfaldo was engaged
for the money, that the term
was expired; and the grief he
was in was left his father should
lose his life for him: that if the
ten thousand ducats were not
paid that day, he must lose a
pound of his flesh. The lady
told him to mount on horseback,
and go by land the nearest way,
to take some attendants, and an
hundred thousand ducats; and
not to stop, till he arrived at Ve-
nice: and if he was not dead,
to endeavour to bring Anfaldo to
her. Giannetta takes horse with
twenty attendants, and makes
the best of his way to Venice.

The time being expired, the
Jew had seized Ansaldo, and in-
fisted on having a pound of his
flesh. He entreated him only to
wait some days, that if his dear
Giannetto arrived, he might
have the pleasure of embracing
him: the Jew replied he was wil-
ling to wait, but, fays he, I will
cut off the pound of flesh, ac-
cording to the words of the o-
bligation:
that he was content.

Anfaldo answered,

Several merchants would have jointly paid the money; the Jew would not hearken to the proposal, but insisted that he might have the fatisfaction of saying, that he had put to death the greatest of the Chriftian chants. Giannetto making all possible haste to Venice, his lady foon followed him in a lawyer's habit, with two fervants attending her. Giannetto, when he

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came to Venice, goes to the Jew, and(after embracing Ansaldo) tells him, he is ready to pay the money, and as much more as he should demand. The Jew said, he would take no money, since it was not paid at the time due; but that he would have the pound of flesh. Every one blamed the Jew: but as Venice was a place where juftice was strictly administered, and the Jew had his pretentions grounded on publick and received forms, their only resource was entreaty', and when the merchants of Venice applied to him, he was inflexible. Giannetto offered him twenty thoufand, than thirty thousand, afterwards forty, fifty, and at left an hundred thousand ducats The Jew told him, if he would give him as much gold as Venice was worth, he would not accept it; and fays he, you know little of me, if you think I will defift from my demand.

The lady now arrives at Venice, in her lawyer's dress; and alighting at an inn, the landlord afks of one of the fervants who his master was? The servant anfwered, that he was a young lawyer who had finished his studies at Dologna. The landlord upon this shews his guest great civility: and when he atended at dinner, the lawyer inquiring how justice was adminiftered in that city; he answered, justice in this place is too fevere, and related the cafe of Anfaldo. Says the lawyer, this question may be easily anfwered. If you can aufwer it, says the landlord, and save this worthy man from death, you will get the love and esteem of all the belt men of this city. The drop of blood you shall be put to death. Your paper makes no mention of the shedding of blood; but says exprefly, that you may take a pound of flesh, neither more nor less. He immediately fent for the executioner to bring the block and ax; and now, fays he, if I fee one drop of blood, off goes your head. At length the Jew, after much wrangling, told him, Give me the hundred thousand ducats, and I am content. No, says the judge, cut off your pound of flesh according to your bond: why did not you take the money when it was offered? The Jew came down to ninety, and then to eighty thousand, but the judge was still refolute, Giannetto told the judge to give what he required, that Anfaldo might have his liberty: but he replied, let me manage him. Then the Jew would have taken fifty thoufand: he faid, I will not give you a penny. Give me at least, fays the Jew, my own ten thoufand ducats, and a curse confound you all. The judge replies, I will give you nothing: if you will have the pound of flesh, take it; if not, I will order your bond to be protested and annulled. The Jew seeing he could gain nothing, tore in pieces the bond in a great rage. Anfaldo was released, and conducted home with great joy by Giannetto, who carried the hundred thousand ducats to the ion to the lawyer. The lawyer faid, I do not want mont); carry it back to your lady, that the may not say, that you have squandered it away idly. Says Giannetto, my lady is so kind, that

lawyer caused a proclamation to be made, that whoever had any law matters to determine, they should have recourse to him: fo it was told to Giannetto, that a famous lawyer was come from Bologna, who could decide all cafes in law. Giannetto proposed to the Jew to apply to this lawyer. With all my heart, says the Jew; but let who will come, I will stick to my bond. They came to this judge, and faluted him. Giannetto did not remember him: for he had disguised his face with the juice of certain herbs, Giannetto and the Jew, each told the merits of the caufe to the judge; who, when he had taken the bond and read it, faid to the Jew, I must have you take the hundred thousand ducats, and release this honest man, who will always have a grateful sense of the favour done to him. The Jew replied, I will do no such thing. The judge answered, it will be better for you. The Jew was positive to yield nothing. Upon this they go to the tribunal appointed for such judgments: and our judge says to the Jew, Do you cut a pound of this man's flesh where you chuse. The Jew ordered him to be ftripped naked, and takes in his hand a razor, which had been made on purpose. Giannetto feeing this, turning to the judge, this, fays he, is not the favour I siked of you. Be quiet, says he, the pound of flesh is not yet cut off. As foon as the Jew was going to begin, Take care what you do, says the judge, if you take more or less than a pound, I will order your head to be firuck off: and beside, if you thed one drop

5

I might spend four times as much, without incurring her difpleasure. How are you pleased with the lady? says the lawyer. I love her better than any earthly thing, answers Giannetto: Nature seems to have done her utmost in forming her. If you will come and fee her, you will be surprised at the honours she will thew you. I cannot go with you, says the lawyer; but fince you speak fo much good of her, I must defire you to present my respects to her. I will not fail, Giannetto answered; and now, let me entreat you to accept of fome of the money. While he was speaking, the lawyer observed a ring on his finger, and said, if you will give me this ring, I shall feek no other reward. Willingly, says Giannetto; but as it is a ring given me by my lady, to wear for her fake, I have some reluctance to part with it, and the, not seeing it on my finger, will believe, that I have given it to a woman. Says the lawyer, the efteems you fuficiently to credit what you tell her, and you may fay you made a present of it to me; but I rather think you want to give it to some former mistress here in Venice. So great, fays Giannetto, is the love and reverence I bear to her, that I would not change her for any woman. in the world. After this he takes the ring from his finger, and prefents it to him. I have still a favour to afk, fays the lawyer. It shall be granted, fays Giannetto. It is, replied he, that you do not stay any time here, but go as foon as possible to your lady. It appears to me a thousand years till I see her, answered Giannetto; and and immediately they take leave of each other. The lawyer embarked, and left Venice. Giannetto took leave of his Venetian friends, and carried Anfaldo with him, and some of his old acquaintance accompanied them.

1

The lady arrived some days before; and having resumed her female habit, pretended to have spent the time at the baths; and now gave orders to have the streets lined with tapestry: and when Giannetto and Anfaldo were landed, all the court went out to meet them. When they arrived at the palace, the lady ran to embrace Anfaldo, but feigned anger against Giannetto, tho' the loved him excessively: yet the feastings, tilts and diversions went on as usual, at which all the lords and ladies were present. Giannetto feeing that his wife did not receive him with her accustomed good countenance, called her, and would have faluted her. She told him, the wanted not his caresses: I am fure, says she, you have been lavish of them to fome of your former mistref ses. Giannetto began to make excuses. She asked him where was the ring the had given him? It is no more than what I expected, cries Giannetto, and I was in the right to say you would be angry with me; but, I swear by all that is sacred, and by your dear self, that I gave the ring to the lawyer who gained our cause. And I can swear, says the lady, with as much folemnity, that you gave the ring to a woman: therefore swear no more. Giannetto protested that what he had told her was true, and that

he said all this to the lawyer, when he asked for the ring. The lady replied, you would have done much better to stay at Venice with your mistresses, for I fear they all wept when you came away. Giannetto's tears began to fall, and in great forrow he affured her, that what she supposed could not be true. The lady seeing his tears, which were daggers in her bolom, ran to embrace him, and in a fit of laughter shewed the ring, and told him, that she was herself the lawyer, and how the obtained the ring. Giannetto was greatly astonished, finding it all true, and told the story to the nobles and to his companions; and this heightened greatly the love between him and his lady. He then called the damsel who had given him the good advice in the evening not to drink the liquor, and gave her to Ansaldo for a wife and they spent the rest of their lives in great felicity and contentment.

R

UGGIERI de Figiovanni took a resolution of going, for some time, to the court of Alfonso king of Spain. He was graciously received, and living there some time in great magnificence, and giving remarkable proofs of his courage, was greatby esteemed. Having frequent opportunities of examining minutely the behaviour of the king, he obferved, that he gave, as he thought, with little difcernment, castles, and baronies, to such who were unworthy of his favours; and to himself, who might pretend to be of some estimation, he gave nothing: he therefore thought thought the fittest thing to be done, was to demand leave of the king to return home.

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His request was granted, and the king presented him with one of the most beautiful and excellent mules, that had ever been mounted. One of the king's trustyservants was commanded to accompany Ruggieri, and riding along with him, to pick up, and recollect every word he said of the king, and then mention that it was the order of his Sovereign, that he should go back to him. The man watching the opportu, nity, joined Ruggieri when he set out, faid he was going towards Italy, and would be glad to ride in company with him. Ruggieri jogging on with his mule, and talking of one thing or other, it being near nine o' clock, told his companion, that they would do well to put up their mules a little, and as foon as they entered the stable, every beaft, except his, began to stale. Riding on further they came to a river, and watering the beasts, his mule ftaled in the river: You untoward beast, says he, you are like your mafter, who gave you to me. The servant remembered this expression, and many others as they rode on all day together; but he heard not a fingle word drop from him, but what was in praise of the king. The next morning Ruggieri was told the order of the king, and instantly turned back. When the king had heard what he had faid of the mule, he commanded him into his presence, and with a smile, asked him, for what reason he had compared

the mule to him. Ruggieri answered, My reason is plain, you give where you ought not to give, and where you ought to give, you give nothing; in the same manner the mule would not stale where she ought, and where the ought not, there she staled. The king said upon this, If I have not rewarded you as I have many, do not entertain a thought that I was insensible to your great merit; it is Fortune who hindered me; she is to blame, and not I; and I will shew you manifestly that I speak truth. My difcontent, Sir, proceeds not, answered Ruggieri, from a defire of being enriched, but from your not having given the smallest testimony to my deferts in your service: nevertheless your excuse is valid, and I am ready to fee the proof you mention, though I can easily believe you without it. The king conducted him to a hall, where he had already commanded two large caskets, shut clofe, to be placed; and before a large company told Ruggieri, that in one of them was contained his crown, scepter, and all his jewels, and that the other was full of earth: choose which of them you like best, and then you will fee that it is not I, but your fortune that has been ungrateful. Ruggieri chose one. It was found to be the casket full of earth. The king said to him with a smile, Now you may fee, Ruggieri, that what I told you of fortune is true; but for your fake I will oppose her with all my strength. You have no intention, I am certain, to live in Spain; therefore I will offer you

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