ras or spiced wine _clear-strained_ (whence the name), offers no
difficulty to the student of old English literature.]

THE FOURTH STORY

[Day the Ninth]

CECCO FORTARRIGO GAMETH AWAY AT BUONCONVENTO ALL HIS GOOD
AND THE MONIES OF CECCO ANGIOLIERI [HIS MASTER;] MOREOVER,
RUNNING AFTER THE LATTER, IN HIS SHIRT, AND AVOUCHING THAT
HE HATH ROBBED HIM, HE CAUSETH HIM BE TAKEN OF THE
COUNTRYFOLK; THEN, DONNING ANGIOLIERI'S CLOTHES AND MOUNTING
HIS PALFREY, HE MAKETH OFF AND LEAVETH THE OTHER IN HIS
SHIRT

Calandrino's speech concerning his wife had been hearkened of all the
company with the utmost laughter; then, Filostrato being silent,
Neifile, as the queen willed it, began, "Noble ladies, were it not
uneather for men to show forth unto others their wit and their worth
than it is for them to exhibit their folly and their vice, many would
weary themselves in vain to put a bridle on their tongues; and this
hath right well been made manifest to you by the folly of Calandrino,
who had no call, in seeking to be made whole of the ailment in which
his simplicity caused him believe, to publish the privy diversions of
his wife; and this hath brought to my mind somewhat of contrary
purport to itself, to wit, a story of how one man's knavery got the
better of another's wit, to the grievous hurt and confusion of the
over-reached one, the which it pleaseth me to relate to you.

There were, then, in Siena, not many years ago, two (as far as age
went) full-grown men, each of whom was called Cecco. One was the son
of Messer Angiolieri and the other of Messer Fortarrigo, and albeit in
most other things they sorted ill of fashions one with the other, they
were natheless so far of accord in one particular, to wit, that they
were both hated of their fathers, that they were by reason thereof
grown friends and companied often together. After awhile, Angiolieri,
who was both a handsome man and a well-mannered, himseeming he could
ill live at Siena of the provision assigned him of his father and
hearing that a certain cardinal, a great patron of his, was come into
the Marches of Ancona as the Pope's Legate, determined to betake
himself to him, thinking thus to better his condition. Accordingly,
acquainting his father with his purpose, he took order with him to
have at once that which he was to give him in six months, so he might
clothe and horse himself and make an honourable figure. As he went
se