to be his or because he had had it in
mind to cozen his comrades, to whom he should have discovered the
matter, as soon as he perceived that he had found the stone. Brief,
after many words, they made peace, not without much ado, between him
and the woebegone lady and went their ways, leaving him disconsolate,
with the house full of stones."

THE FOURTH STORY

[Day the Eighth]

THE RECTOR OF FIESOLE LOVETH A WIDOW LADY, BUT IS NOT LOVED
BY HER AND THINKING TO LIE WITH HER, LIETH WITH A
SERVING-WENCH OF HERS, WHILST THE LADY'S BROTHERS CAUSE THE
BISHOP FIND HIM IN THIS CASE

Elisa being come to the end of her story, which she had related to the
no small pleasure of all the company, the queen turned to Emilia, and
signified to her her wish that she should follow after with her story,
whereupon she promptly began thus: "I have not forgotten, noble
ladies, that it hath already been shown, in sundry of the foregoing
stories, how much we women are exposed to the importunities of the
priests and friars and clergy of every kind; but, seeing that so much
cannot be said thereof but that yet more will remain to say, I
purpose, to boot, to tell you a story of a rector, who, maugre all the
world, would e'en have a gentlewoman wish him well,[377] whether she
would or not; whereupon she, like a very discreet woman as she was,
used him as he deserved.

[Footnote 377: _i.e._ love him, grant him her favours. See ante,
passim.]

As all of you know, Fiesole, whose hill we can see hence, was once a
very great and ancient city, nor, albeit it is nowadays all undone,
hath it ever ceased to be, as it is yet, the seat of a bishop. Near
the cathedral church there a widow lady of noble birth, by name Madam
Piccarda, had an estate, where, for that she was not overwell to do,
she abode the most part of the year in a house of hers that was not
very big, and with her, two brothers of hers, very courteous and
worthy youths. It chanced that, the lady frequenting the cathedral
church and being yet very young and fair and agreeable, the rector of
the church became so sore enamoured of her that he could think of
nothing else, and after awhile, making bold to discover his mind to
her, he prayed her accept of his love and love him as he loved her.
Now he was already old in years, but very young in wit, malapert and
arrogant and presumptuous in the extreme, with manners and fashions
full of conceit and ill grace, and with