y's
kinsfolk, who came thither and hearing the thing from one and another
of the neighbours, took Tofano and gave him such a drubbing that they
broke every bone in his body. Then, entering the house, they took the
lady's gear and carried her off home with them, threatening Tofano
with worse. The latter, finding himself in ill case and seeing that
his jealousy had brought him to a sorry pass, for that he still loved
his wife heartily,[351] procured certain friends to intercede for him
and so wrought that he made his peace with the lady and had her home
again with him, promising her that he would never be jealous again.
Moreover, he gave her leave to do her every pleasure, provided she
wrought so discreetly that he should know nothing thereof; and on this
wise, like a crack-brained churl as he was, he made peace after
suffering damage. So long live Love and death to war and all its
company!"

[Footnote 351: Lit. wished her all his weal.]

THE FIFTH STORY

[Day the Seventh]

A JEALOUS HUSBAND, IN THE GUISE OF A PRIEST, CONFESSETH HIS
WIFE, WHO GIVETH HIM TO BELIEVE THAT SHE LOVETH A PRIEST,
WHO COMETH TO HER EVERY NIGHT; AND WHILST THE HUSBAND
SECRETLY KEEPETH WATCH AT THE DOOR FOR THE LATTER, THE LADY
BRINGETH IN A LOVER OF HERS BY THE ROOF AND LIETH WITH HIM

Lauretta having made an end of her story and all having commended the
lady for that she had done aright and even as befitted her wretch of a
husband, the king, to lose no time, turned to Fiammetta and
courteously imposed on her the burden of the story-telling; whereupon
she began thus, "Most noble ladies, the foregoing story moveth me to
tell you, on like wise, of a jealous husband, accounting, as I do, all
that their wives do unto such,--particularly whenas they are jealous
without cause,--to be well done and holding that, if the makers of the
laws had considered everything, they should have appointed none other
penalty unto women who offend in this than that which they appoint
unto whoso offendeth against other in self-defence; for that jealous
men are plotters against the lives of young women and most diligent
procurers of their deaths. Wives abide all the week mewed up at home,
occupying themselves with domestic offices and the occasions of their
families and households, and after they would fain, like every one
else, have some solace and some rest on holidays and be at leisure to
take some diversion even as do the tillers