at with a laughable speech he had
rebuked him and his brother good-for-noughts; wherefore, of his
despite, he bade him thenceforward do what most pleased him and not
come before him again."

[Footnote 58: Syn. gluttonous (_brodajuola_).]

THE SEVENTH STORY

[Day the First]

BERGAMINO, WITH A STORY OF PRIMASSO AND THE ABBOT OF CLUNY,
COURTEOUSLY REBUKETH A FIT OF PARSIMONY NEWLY COME TO MESSER
CANE DELLA SCALA

Emilia's pleasantness and her story moved the queen and all the rest
to laugh and applaud the rare conceit of this new-fangled crusader.
Then, after the laughter had subsided and all were silent again,
Filostrato, whose turn it was to tell, began to speak on this wise:
"It is a fine thing, noble ladies, to hit a mark that never stirreth;
but it is well-nigh miraculous if, when some unwonted thing appeareth
of a sudden, it be forthright stricken of an archer. The lewd and
filthy life of the clergy, in many things as it were a constant mark
for malice, giveth without much difficulty occasion to all who have a
mind to speak of, to gird at and rebuke it; wherefore, albeit the
worthy man, who pierced the inquisitor to the quick touching the
hypocritical charity of the friars, who give to the poor that which it
should behove them cast to the swine or throw away, did well, I hold
him much more to be commended of whom, the foregoing tale moving me
thereto, I am to speak and who with a quaint story rebuked Messer Cane
della Scala, a magnificent nobleman, of a sudden and unaccustomed
niggardliness newly appeared in him, figuring, in the person of
another, that which he purposed to say to him concerning themselves;
the which was on this wise.

As very manifest renown proclaimeth well nigh throughout the whole
world, Messer Cane della Scala, to whom in many things fortune was
favourable, was one of the most notable and most magnificent gentlemen
that have been known in Italy since the days of the Emperor Frederick
the Second. Being minded to make a notable and wonder-goodly
entertainment in Verona, whereunto many folk should have come from
divers parts and especially men of art[59] of all kinds, he of a
sudden (whatever might have been the cause) withdrew therefrom and
having in a measure requited those who were come thither, dismissed
them all, save only one, Bergamino by name, a man ready of speech and
accomplished beyond the credence of whoso had not heard him, who,
having received neither l