TO DEATH OF
THOSE ON BOARD, HE SLAYETH THESE LATTER AND IS AFTER HIMSELF
BEHEADED

Lauretta, having made an end of her story, was silent, whilst the
company bewailed the illhap of the lovers, some blaming Ninetta's
anger and one saying one thing and another another, till presently the
king, raising his head, as if aroused from deep thought, signed to
Elisa to follow on; whereupon she began modestly, "Charming ladies,
there are many who believe that Love launcheth his shafts only when
enkindled of the eyes and make mock of those who hold that one may
fall in love by hearsay; but that these are mistaken will very
manifestly appear in a story that I purpose to relate, wherein you
will see that report not only wrought this, without the lovers having
ever set eyes on each other, but it will be made manifest to you that
it brought both the one and the other to a miserable death.

Guglielmo, the Second, King of Sicily, had (as the Sicilians pretend)
two children, a son called Ruggieri and a daughter called Costanza.
The former, dying before his father, left a son named Gerbino, who was
diligently reared by his grandfather and became a very goodly youth
and a renowned for prowess and courtesy. Nor did his fame abide
confined within the limits of Sicily, but, resounding in various parts
of the world, was nowhere more glorious than in Barbary, which in
those days was tributary to the King of Sicily. Amongst the rest to
whose ears came the magnificent fame of Gerbino's valour and courtesy
was a daughter of the King of Tunis, who, according to the report of
all who had seen her, was one of the fairest creatures ever fashioned
by nature and the best bred and of a noble and great soul. She,
delighting to hear tell of men of valour, with such goodwill received
the tales recounted by one and another of the deeds valiantly done of
Gerbino and they so pleased her that, picturing to herself the
prince's fashion, she became ardently enamoured of him and discoursed
more willingly of him than of any other and hearkened to whoso spoke
of him.

On the other hand, the great renown of her beauty and worth had won to
Sicily, as elsewhither, and not without great delight nor in vain had
it reached the ears of Gerbino; nay, it had inflamed him with love of
her, no less than that which she herself had conceived for him.
Wherefore, desiring beyond measure to see her, against he should find
a colourable occasion of having his grandfat