Messer Ruggieri accordingly
took the coffer and having rendered the king those thanks which sorted
with such a gift, joyfully returned therewith to Tuscany."

THE SECOND STORY

[Day the Tenth]

GHINO DI TACCO TAKETH THE ABBOT OF CLUNY AND HAVING CURED
HIM OF THE STOMACH-COMPLAINT, LETTETH HIM GO; WHEREUPON THE
ABBOT, RETURNING TO THE COURT OF ROME, RECONCILETH HIM WITH
POPE BONIFACE AND MAKETH HIM A PRIOR OF THE HOSPITALLERS

The magnificence shown by King Alfonso to the Florentine cavalier
having been duly commended, the king, who had been mightily pleased
therewith, enjoined Elisa to follow on, and she straightway began
thus: "Dainty dames, it cannot be denied that for a king to be
munificent and to have shown his munificence to him who had served him
is a great and a praiseworthy thing; but what shall we say if a
churchman be related to have practised marvellous magnanimity towards
one, whom if he had used as an enemy, he had of none been blamed
therefor? Certes, we can say none otherwise than that the king's
magnificence was a virtue, whilst that of the churchman was a miracle,
inasmuch as the clergy are all exceeding niggardly, nay, far more so
than women, and sworn enemies of all manner of liberality; and albeit
all men naturally hunger after vengeance for affronts received, we see
churchmen, for all they preach patience and especially commend the
remission of offences, pursue it more eagerly than other folk. This,
then, to wit, how a churchman was magnanimous, you may manifestly
learn from the following story of mine.

Ghino di Tacco, a man very famous for his cruelty and his robberies,
being expelled [Transcriber's Note: missing 'from'] Siena and at feud
with the Counts of Santa Fiore, raised Radicofani against the Church
of Rome and taking up his sojourn there, caused his swashbucklers
despoil whosoever passed through the surrounding country. Now,
Boniface the Eighth being pope in Rome, there came to court the Abbot
of Cluny, who is believed to be one of the richest prelates in the
world, and having there marred his stomach, he was advised by the
physicians to repair to the baths of Siena and he would without fail
be cured. Accordingly, having gotten the pope's leave, he set out on
his way thither in great pomp of gear and baggage and horses and
servitors, unrecking of Ghino's [ill] report. The latter, hearing of
his coming, spread his nets and hemmed him and all his household