to overcome one's self; wherefore do you, who
have to correct others, conquer yourself and curb this appetite, nor
offer with such a blot to mar that which you have so gloriously
gained.'

[Footnote 458: _Per amore amiate_ (Fr. aimiez par amour).]

These words stung the king's conscience to the quick and afflicted him
the more inasmuch as he knew them for true; wherefore, after sundry
heavy sighs, he said, 'Certes, Count, I hold every other enemy,
however strong, weak and eath enough to the well-lessoned warrior to
overcome in comparison with his own appetites; natheless, great as is
the travail and inexpressible as is the might it requireth, your words
have so stirred me that needs must I, ere many days be past, cause you
see by deed that, like as I know how to conquer others, even so do I
know how to overcome myself.' Nor had many days passed after this
discourse when the king, having returned to Naples, determined, as
well to deprive himself of occasion to do dishonourably as to requite
the gentleman the hospitality received from him, to go about (grievous
as it was to him to make others possessors of that which he coveted
over all for himself) to marry the two young ladies, and that not as
Messer Neri's daughters, but as his own. Accordingly, with Messer
Neri's accord, he dowered them magnificently and gave Ginevra the Fair
to Messer Maffeo da Palizzi and Isotta the Blonde to Messer Guglielmo
della Magna, both noble cavaliers and great barons, to whom with
inexpressible chagrin consigning them, he betook himself into Apulia,
where with continual fatigues he so mortified the fierceness of his
appetite that, having burst and broken the chains of love, he abode
free of such passion for the rest of his life. There are some belike
who will say that it was a little thing for a king to have married two
young ladies, and that I will allow; but a great and a very great
thing I call it, if we consider that it was a king enamoured who did
this and who married to another her whom he loved, without having
gotten or taking of his love leaf or flower or fruit. On this wise,
then, did this magnanimous king, at once magnificently guerdoning the
noble gentleman, laudably honouring the young ladies whom he loved and
bravely overcoming himself."

THE SEVENTH STORY

[Day the Tenth]

KING PEDRO OF ARRAGON, COMING TO KNOW THE FERVENT LOVE BORNE
HIM BY LISA, COMFORTETH THE LOVE-SICK MAID AND PRESENTLY
MARRIETH H