the decameron(十日谈)-第3章

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enough　in　such　dissembling　pranks：　whereat　the　Confessor　being　much
mooved；　saide：　Alas　Sonne；　what　aylest　thou？　Oh　Father　（quoth
Chappelet）　there　remaineth　yet　one　sinne　more　upon　my　conscience；
wherof　I　never　at　any　time　made　confession；　so　shamefull　it
appeareth　to　mee　to　disclose　it；　and　I　am　partly　perswaded；　that　God
will　never　pardon　me　for　that　sinne。　How　now　Sonne？　said　the　Friar；
never　say　so；　for　if　all　the　sinnes　that　ever　were　committed　by　men；
or　shall　be　committed　so　long　as　the　World　endureth；　were　onely　in　one
man；　and　he　repenting　them；　and　being　so　contrite　for　them；　as　I　see
thou　art；　the　grace　and　mercy　of　God　is　so　great；　that　upon　penitent
confession；　he　will　freely　pardon　him；　and　therefore　spare　not　to
speake　it　boldly。　Alas　Father　（said　Chappelet；　still　in　pretended
weeping）　this　sinne　of　mine　is　so　great；　that　I　can　hardly　beleeve　（if
your　earnest　prayers　do　not　assist　me）　that　ever　I　shall　obtaine
remission　for　it。　Speake　it　Sonne；　said　the　Friar；　and　feare　not；　I
promise　that　I　will　pray　to　God　for　thee。
　　Master　Chappelet　still　wept　and　sighed；　and　continued　silent；
notwithstanding　all　the　Confessors　comfortable　perswasions；　but
after　hee　had　helde　him　a　long　while　in　suspence；　breathing　forth　a
sighe；　even　as　if　his　very　heart　would　have　broken；　he　saide；　Holy
Father；　seeing　you　promise　to　pray　to　God　for　me；　I　will　reveale　it　to
you：　Know　then；　that　when　I　was　a　little　boy；　I　did　once　curse　my
Mother；　which　he　had　no　sooner　spoken；　but　he　wrung　his　hands；　and
greeved　extraordinarily。　Oh　good　Son；　saide　the　Friar：　doth　that　seeme
so　great　a　sinne　to　thee？　Why；　men　doe　daily　blaspheme　our　Lord　God；
and　yet　neverthelesse；　upon　their　hearty　repentance；　he　is　alwayes
ready　to　forgive　them；　and　wilt　not　thou　beleeve　to　obtaine　remission；
for　a　sinne　so　ignorantly　committed？　Weepe　no　more　deare　Sonne；　but
comfort　thy　selfe　and　rest　resolved；　that　if　thou　wert　one　of　them；
who　nayled　our　blessed　Saviour　to　his　Crosse；　yet　being　so　truly
repentant；　as　I　see　thou　art；　he　would　freely　forgive　thee。　Say　you　so
Father？　quoth　Chappelet。　What　mine　owne　deare　Mother？　that　bare　me
in　her　wombe　nine　moneths；　day　and　night；　and　afterwards　fed　me　with
her　breasts　a　thousand　times；　can　I　be　pardoned　for　cursing　her？　Oh
no；　it　is　too　haynous　a　sinne；　and　except　you　pray　to　God　very
instantly　for　me；　he　will　not　forgive　me。
　　When　the　religious　man　perceived；　that　nothing　more　was　to　bee
confessed　by　Master　Chappelet；　he　gave　him　absolution；　and　his　owne
benediction　beside；　reputing　him　to　be　a　most　holy　man；　as　verily
beleeving　all　that　hee　had　said。　And　who　would　not　have　done　the　like；
hearing　a　man　to　speake　in　this　manner；　and　being　upon　the　very
point　of　death？　Afterward；　he　saide　unto　him；　Master　Chappelet；　by
Gods　grace　you　may　be　soone　restored　to　health；　but　if　it　so　come　to
passe；　that　God　doe　take　your　blessed　and　well　disposed　soule　to　his
mercy；　will　it　please　you　to　have　your　body　buried　in　our　Convent？
Whereto　Master　Chappelet　answered；　I　thanke　you　Father　for　your　good
motion；　and　sorry　should　I　be；　if　my　friends　did　bury　me　any　where
else；　because　you　have　promised　to　pray　to　God　for　me；　and　beside；　I
have　alwayes　carried　a　religious　devotion　to　your　Order。　Wherefore；
I　beseech　you；　so　soone　as　you　are　come　home　to　your　Convent；　prevaile
so　much　by　your　good　meanes；　that　the　holy　Eucharist；　consecrated　this
morning　on　your　high　Altar；　may　be　brought　unto　me：　for　although　I
confesse　my　selfe　utterly　unworthy；　yet　I　purpose　（by　your　reverend
permission）　to　receive　it；　as　also　your　holy　and　latest　unction；　to
this　ende；　that　having　lived　a　greevous　sinner；　I　may　yet　（at　the
last）　die　a　Christian。　These　words　were　pleasing　to　the　good　olde　man；
and　he　caused　every　thing　to　be　performed；　according　as　Master
Chappelet　had　requested。
　　The　two　Brethren；　who　much　doubted　the　dissembling　of　Chappelet；
being　both　in　a　small　partition；　which　sundered　the　sicke　mans　Chamber
from　theirs；　heard　and　understood　the　passage　of　all；　betweene　him　and
the　ghostly　Father；　being　many　times　scarcely　able　to　refraine　from
laughter；　at　the　fraudulent　course　of　his　confession。　And　often　they
said　within　themselves；　What　manner　of　man　is　this；　whom　neither
age；　sickenesse；　nor　terror　of　death　so　neere　approaching；　and
sensible　to　his　owne　soule；　nor　that　which　is　much　more；　God；　before
whose　judgement　he　knowes　not　how　soone　he　shall　appeare；　or　else　be
sent　to　a　more　fearefull　place；　none　of　these　can　alter　his　wicked
disposition；　but　that　he　will　needes　die　according　as　he　hath　lived？
Notwithstanding；　seeing　he　had　so　ordered　the　matter；　that　he　had
buriall　freely　allowed　him；　they　cared　for　no　more。
　　After　that　Chappelet　had　received　the　Communion；　and　the　other
Ceremonies　appointed　for　him；　weakenesse　encreasing　on　him　more　and
more；　the　very　same　day　of　his　goodly　confession；　he　died　（not　long
after）　towards　the　evening。　Whereupon　the　two　Brethren　tooke　order；
that　all　needefull　things　should　be　in　a　readinesse；　to　have　him
buried　honourably；　sending　to　acquaint　the　Fathers　of　the　Convent
therewith；　that　they　might　come　to　say　their　Vigilles；　according　to
precedent　custome；　and　then　on　the　morrow　to　fetch　the　body。　The
honest　Friar　that　had　confessed　him；　hearing　he　was　dead；　went　to
the　Prior　of　the　Convent；　and　by　sound　of　the　house　Bell；　caused　all
the　Brethren　to　assemble　together；　giving　them　credibly　to　understand；
that　Master　Chappelet　was　a　very　holy　man；　as　appeared　by　all　the
parts　of　his　confession；　and　made　no　doubt；　but　that　many　miracles
would　be　wrought　by　his　sanctified　body；　perswading　them　to　fetch　it
thither　with　all　devoute　solemnity　and　reverence：　whereto　the　Prior；
and　all　the　credulous　Brethren　presently　condiscended　very　gladly。
　　When　night　was　come；　they　went　all　to　visit　the　dead　body　of
Master　Chappelet；　where　they　used　an　especiall　and　solemne　Vigill；　and
on　the　morrow；　apparelled　in　their　richest　Coapes　and　Vestiments；　with
bookes　in　their　hands；　and　the　Crosse　borne　before　them；　singing　in
the　forme　of　a　very　devoute　procession；　they　brought　the　body
pompeously　into　their　Church；　accompanied　with　all　the　people　of　the
Towne；　both　men　and　women。　The　Father　Confessor；　ascending　up　into　the
Pulpit；　preached　wonderfull　things　of　him；　and　the　rare　holinesse　of
his　life；　his　fastes；　his　virginity；　simplicity；　innocency；　and　true
sanctity；　recounting　also　（among　other　especiall　observations）　what
Chappelet　had　confessed；　as　this　most　great　and　greevous　sinne；　and
how　hardly　he　could　be　perswaded；　that　God　would　grant　him　pardon
for　it。　Whereby　he　tooke　occasion　to　reprove　the　people　then
present；　saying；　And　you　（accursed　of　God）　for　the　verie　least　and
trifling　matter　hapning；　will　not　spare　to　blaspheme　God；　his
blessed　Mother；　and　the　whole　Court　of　heavenly　Paradise：　Oh；　take
example　by　this　singular　man；　this　Saint…like　man；　nay；　a　very　Saint
indeede。
　　Many　additions　more　he　made；　concerning　his　faithfulnesse；　truth；
and　integrity；　so　that；　by　the　vehement　asseveration　of　his　words
（whereto　all　the　people　there　present　gave　credible　beleefe）　he
provoked　them　unto　such　zeale　and　earnest　devotion；　that　the　Sermon
was　no　sooner　ended；　but　（in　mighty　crowds　and　throngs）　they　pressed
about　the　Biere；　kissing　his　hands　and　feete；　and　all　the　garments
about　him　were　torne　in　peeces；　as　precious　Reliques　of　so　holy　a
person；　and　happy　they　thought　themselves；　that　could　get　the　smallest
peece　or　shred　of　any　thing　that　came　neere　to　his　body：　and　thus　they
continued　all　the　day；　the　body　lying　still　open；　to　be　visited　in
this　manner。
　　When　night　was　come；　they　buried　him　in　a　goodly　Marble　tombe；
erected　in　a　faire　Chappell　purposely；　and　for　many　dayes　after
following；　it　was　most　strange　to　see；　how　the　people　of　the　Country
came　thither　on　heapes；　with　holy　Candles　and　other　offerings；　with
Images　of　waxe　fastened　to　the　Tombe；　in　signe　of　Sacred　and　solemne
Vowes；　to　this　new　created　Saint。　And　so　farre　was　spread　the　fame　and
renowne　of　his　sanctity；　devotion；　and　integrity　of　life；　maintained
constantly　by　the　Fathers　of　the　Convent；　that　if　any　one　fell　sicke
in　neede；　distresse；　or　adversity；　they　would　make　their　Vowes　to　no
other　Saint　but　him：　naming　him　（as　yet　to　this　day　they　do）　Saint
Chappelet；　affirming　upon　their　Oathes；　that　infinite　miracles　were
there　daily　performed　by　him；　and　especially　on　such；　as　came　in
devotion　to　visit　his　shrine。
　　In　this　manner　lived　and　died　Master　Chappelet　du　Prat；　who　before
he　became　a　Saint；　was　as　you　have　heard：　and　I　will　not　deny　it　to　be
impossible；　but　that　he　may　bee　at　rest　among　other　blessed　bodies。
For　although　he　lived　lewdly　and　wickedly；　yet　such　might　be　his
contrition　in　the　latest　extreamity；　that　（questionlesse）　he　might
finde　mercie。　But；　because　such　things　remaine　unknowne　to　us；　and
speaking　by　outward　appearance；　vulgar　judgement　will　censure
otherwise　of　him；　and　thinke　him　to　be　rather　in　perdition；　then　in　so
blessed　a　place　as　Paradice。　But　referring　that　to　the　Omnipotents
appointment；　whose　clemencie　hath　alwayes　beene　so　great　to　us；　that
he　regards　not　our　errors；　but　the　integrity　of　our　Faith；　making
（by　meanes　of　our　continuall　Mediator）　of　an　open　enemy；　a　converted
sonne　and　servant。　And　as　I　began　in　his　name；　so　will　I　conclude；
desiring　that　it　may　evermore　be　had　in　due　reverence；　and　referre
we　our　selves　thereto　in　all　our　necessities；　with　this　setled
assurance；　that　he　is　alwayes　ready　to　heare　us。　And　so　he　ceased。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　FIRST　DAY；　THE　SECOND　NOVELL

　　　　　　　　　　WHEREIN　IS　CONTAINED　AND　EXPRESSED；　THE　LIBERALITY　AND
　　　　　　　　　　　　GOODNESSE　OF　GOD；　EXTENDED　TO　THE　CHRISTIAN　FAITH

　　Abraham　a　Jew；　being　admonished　or　advised　by　a　friend　of　his；
named　Jehannot　de　Chevigny；　travailed　from　Paris　unto　Rome：　And
beholding　there　the　wicked　behaviour　of　men　in　the　Church；　returned
backe　to　Paris　againe；　where　yet　（neverthelesse）　he　became　a
Christian。

　　The　Novell　recited　by　Pamphilus；　was　highly　pleasing　to　the　company；
and　much　commended　by　the　Ladies：　and　after　it　had　beene　diligently
observed　among　them；　the　Queene　commanded　Madam　Neiphila　（who　was
seated　neerest　to　Pamphilus）　that；　in　relating　another　of　hers；　she
should　follow　on　in　the　pastime　thus　begun。　She　being　no　lesse
gracious　in　countenance；　then　merrily　disposed；　made　answere；　that
shee　would　obey　her　charge；　and　began　in　this　manner。
　　Pamphilus　hath　declared　to　us；　by　his　Tale；　how　the　goodnesse　of　God
regardeth　not　our　errors；　when　they　proceede　from　things　which　wee
cannot　discerne。　And　I　intend　to　approove　by　mine；　what　argument　of
infallible　truth；　the　same　benignity　delivereth　of　it　selfe；　by
enduring　patiently　the　faults　of　them；　that　（both　in　word　and　worke）
should　declare　unfaigned　testimony　of　such　gracious　goodnesse；　and　not
to　live　so　dissolutely　as　they　doe。　To　the　end；　that　others
illumined　by　their　light　of　life；　may　beleeve　with　the　stronger
constancy　of　minde。
　　As　I　have　heeretofore　heard　（Gracious　Ladies）　there　lived　a
wealthy　Marchant　in　Paris；　being　a　Mercer；　or　seller　of　Silkes；
named　Jehannot　de　Chevigny；　a　man　of　faithfull；　honest；　and　upright