world,[275]--a youth, called Pietro
Boccamazza, of a very worshipful family among those of the city, who
fell in love with a very fair and lovesome damsel called Agnolella,
the daughter of one Gigliuozzo Saullo, a plebeian, but very dear to
the Romans, and loving her, he contrived so to do that the girl began
to love him no less than he loved her; whereupon, constrained by
fervent love and himseeming he might no longer brook the cruel pain
that the desire he had of her gave him, he demanded her in marriage;
which no sooner did his kinsfolk know than they all repaired to him
and chid him sore for that which he would have done; and on the other
hand they gave Gigliuozzo to understand that he should make no account
of Pietro's words, for that, an he did this, they would never have him
for friend or kinsman. Pietro seeing that way barred whereby alone he
deemed he might avail to win to his desire, was like to die of
chagrin, and had Gigliuozzo consented, he would have taken his
daughter to wife, in despite of all his kindred. However, he
determined, an it liked the girl, to contrive to give effect to their
wishes, and having assured himself, by means of an intermediary, that
this was agreeable to her, he agreed with her that she should flee
with him from Rome.

[Footnote 275: Clement V. early in the fourteenth century removed the
Papal See to Avignon, where it continued to be during the reigns of
the five succeeding Popes, Rome being in the meantime abandoned by the
Papal Court, till Gregory XI, in the year 1376 again took up his
residence at the latter city. It is apparently to this circumstance
that Boccaccio alludes in the text.]

Accordingly, having taken order for this, Pietro arose very early one
morning and taking horse with the damsel, set out for Anagni, where he
had certain friends in whom he trusted greatly. They had no leisure to
make a wedding of it, for that they feared to be followed, but rode
on, devising of their love and now and again kissing one another. It
chanced that, when they came mayhap eight miles from Rome, the way not
being overwell known to Pietro, they took a path to the left, whereas
they should have kept to the right; and scarce had they ridden more
than two miles farther when they found themselves near a little
castle, wherefrom, as soon as they were seen, there issued suddenly a
dozen footmen. The girl, espying these, whenas they were already close
upon them, cried out, saying, 'Pietro, l