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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　DECAMERON

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Boccaccio　Giovanni




　　THE　INDUCTION　OF　THE　AUTHOR　TO　THE　FOLLOWING　DISCOURSES



　　Gracious　Ladies；　so　often　as　I　consider　with　my　selfe；　and　observe

respectively；　how　naturally　you　are　enclined　to　compassion；　as　many

times　doe　I　acknowledge；　that　this　present　worke　of　mine；　will　（in

your　judgement）　appeare　to　have　but　a　harsh　and　offensive　beginning；

in　regard　of　the　mournfull　remembrance　it　beareth　at　the　verie

entrance　of　the　last　Pestilentiall　mortality；　universally　hurtfull

to　all　that　beheld　it；　or　otherwise　came　to　knowledge　of　it。　But　for

all　that；　I　desire　it　may　not　be　so　dreadfull　to　you；　to　hinder　your

further　proceeding　in　reading；　as　if　none　were　to　looke　thereon；　but

with　sighes　and　teares。　For；　I　could　rather　wish；　that　so　fearefull

a　beginning；　should　seeme　but　as　an　high　and　steepy　hil　appeares　to

them；　that　attempt　to　travell　farre　on　foote；　and　ascending　the　same

with　some　difficulty；　come　afterward　to　walk　upon　a　goodly　even

plaine；　which　causeth　the　more　contentment　in　them；　because　the

attayning　thereto　was　hard　and　painfull。　For　even　as　pleasures　are　cut

off　by　griefe　and　anguish；　so　sorrowes　cease　by　joyes　most　sweete

and　happie　arriving。

　　After　this　briefe　mollestation；　briefe　I　say；　because　it　is

contained　within　small　compasse　of　Writing；　immediately　followeth

the　most　sweete　and　pleasant　taste　of　pleasure；　whereof　（before）　I

made　promise　to　you。　Which　（peradventure）　could　not　bee　expected　by

such　a　beginning；　if　promise　stood　not　thereunto　engaged。　And

indeed；　if　I　could　well　have　conveyed　you　to　the　center　of　my

desire；　by　any　other　way；　then　so　rude　and　rocky　a　passage　as　this　is；

I　would　gladly　have　done　it。　But　because　without　this　Narration；　we

could　not　demonstrate　the　occasion　how　and　wherefore　the　matters

hapned；　which　you　shall　reade　in　the　ensuing　Discourses：　I　must　set

them　downe　（even　as　constrained　thereto　by　meere　necessity）　in　writing

after　this　manner。

　　The　yeare　of　our　blessed　Saviours　incarnation；　1348；　that

memorable　mortality　happened　in　the　excellent　City；　farre　beyond　all

the　rest　in　Italy；　which　plague；　by　operation　of　the　superiour　bodies；

or　rather　for　our　enormous　iniquities；　by　the　just　anger　of　God　was

sent　upon　us　mortals。　Some　few　yeeres　before；　it　tooke　beginning　in

the　Easterne　partes；　sweeping　thence　an　innumerable　quantity　of　living

soules：　extending　it　selfe　afterward　from　place　to　place　Westward；

until　it　seized　on　the　said　City。　Where　neither　humane　skill　or

providence；　could　use　any　prevention；　notwithstanding　it　was

cleansed　of　many　annoyances；　by　diligent　Officers　thereto　deputed：

besides　prohibition　of　all　sickly　persons　enterance；　and　all

possible　provision　dayly　used　for　conservation　of　such　as　were　in

health；　with　incessant　prayers　and　supplications　of　devoute　people；

for　the　asswaging　of　so　dangerous　a　sicknesse。

　　About　the　beginning　of　the　yeare；　it　also　began　in　very　strange

manner；　as　appeared　by　divers　admirable　effects；　yet　not　as　it　had

done　in　the　East　Countries；　where　Lord　or　Lady　being　touched

therewith；　manifest　signes　of　inevitable　death　followed　thereon；　by

bleeding　at　the　nose。　But　here　it　began　with　yong　children；　male　and

female；　either　under　the　armepits；　or　in　the　groine　by　certaine

swellings；　in　some　to　the　bignesse　of　an　Apple；　in　others　like　an

Egge；　and　so　in　divers　greater　or　lesser；　which　（in　their　vulgar

Language）　they　termed　to　be　a　Botch　or　Byle。　In　very　short　time　after；

those　two　infected　parts　were　growne　mortiferous；　and　would　disperse

abroad　indifferently；　to　all　parts　of　the　body；　whereupon；　such　was

the　quality　of　the　disease；　to　shew　it　selfe　by　blacke　or　blew

spottes；　which　would　appeare　on　the　armes　of　many；　others　on　their

thighes；　and　every　part　else　of　the　body：　in　some　great　and　few；　in

others　small　and　thicke。

　　Now；　as　the　Byle　（at　the　beginning）　was　an　assured　signe　of　neere

approaching　death；　so　prooved　the　spots　likewise　to　such　as　had

them：　for　the　curing　of　which　sicknesse　it　seemed；　that　the　Physitians

counsell；　the　vertue　of　Medicines；　or　any　application　else；　could

not　yeeld　any　remedy：　but　rather　it　plainely　appeared；　that　either　the

nature　of　the　disease　would　not　endure　it；　or　ignorance　in　the

Physitians　could　not　comprehend　from　whence　the　cause　proceeded；　and

so　by　consequent；　no　resolution　was　to　be　determined。　Moreover；　beside

the　number　of　such　as　were　skilfull　in　Art；　many　more　both　women　and

men；　without　ever　having　any　knowledge　in　Physicke；　became　Physitians：

so　that　not　onely　few　were　healed；　but　（well…neere）　all　dyed；　within

three　dayes　after　the　saide　signes　were　seene；　some　sooner；　and　others

later；　commonly　without　either　Feaver；　or　any　other　accident。

　　And　this　pestilence　was　yet　of　farre　greater　power　or　violence；　for；

not　onely　healthfull　persons　speaking　to　the　sicke；　comming　to　see

them；　or　ayring　cloathes　in　kindnesse　to　comfort　them；　was　an　occasion

of　ensuing　death：　but　touching　their　garments；　or　any　foode　whereon

the　sicke　person　fed；　or　any　thing　else　used　in　his　service；　seemed　to

transferre　the　disease　from　the　sicke　to　the　sound；　in　very　rare　and

miraculous　manner。　Among　which　matter　of　marvell；　let　me　tell　you

one　thing；　which　if　the　eyes　of　many　（as　well　as　mine　owne）　had　not

seene；　hardly　could　I　be　perswaded　to　write　it；　much　lesse　to

beleeve　it；　albeit　a　man　of　good　credit　should　report　it。　I　say；

that　the　quality　of　this　contagious　pestilence　was　not　onely　of　such

efficacy；　in　taking　and　catching　it　one　of　another；　either　men　or

women：　but　it　extended　further；　even　in　the　apparent　view　of　many；

that　the　cloathes；　or　anything　else；　wherein　one　died　of　that　disease；

being　toucht；　or　lyen　on　by　any　beast；　farre　from　the　kind　or

quality　of　man；　they　did　not　onely　contaminate　and　infect　the　said

beast；　were　it　Dogge；　Cat；　or　any　other；　but　also　it　died　very　soone

after。

　　Mine　owne　eyes　（as　formerly　I　have　said）　among　divers　other；　one　day

had　evident　experience　heereof：　for　some　poore　ragged　cloathes　of

linnen　and　wollen；　torne　from　a　wretched　body　dead　of　that　disease；

and　hurled　in　the　open　streete；　two　Swine　going　by；　and　（according

to　their　naturall　inclination）　seeking　for　foode　on　every　dunghill；

tossed　and　tumbled　the　cloaths　with　their　snouts；　rubbing　their

heads　likewise　upon　them；　and　immediately；　each　turning　twice　or

thrice　about；　they　both　fell　downe　dead　on　the　saide　cloathes；　as

being　fully　infected　with　the　contagion　of　them：　which　accident；　and

other　the　like；　if　not　far　greater；　begat　divers　feares　and

imaginations　in　them　that　beheld　them；　all　tending　to　a　most

inhumane　and　uncharitable　end；　namely；　to　flie　thence　from　the

sicke；　and　touching　any　thing　of　theirs；　by　which　meanes　they

thought　their　health　should　be　safely　warranted。

　　Some　there　were；　who　considered　with　themselves；　that　living

soberly；　with　abstinence　from　all　superfluity；　it　would　be　a

sufficient　resistance　against　all　hurtfull　accidents。　So　combining

themselves　in　a　sociable　manner；　they　lived　as　separatists　from　all

other　company；　being　shut　up　in　such　houses；　where　no　sicke　body

should　be　neere　them。　And　there；　for　their　more　security；　they　used

delicate　viands　and　excellent　wines；　avoiding　luxurie；　and　refusing

speech　to　one　another；　not　looking　forth　at　the　windowes；　to　heare

no　cries　of　dying　people；　or　see　any　coarses　carried　to　buriall；　but

having　musicall　instruments；　lived　there　in　all　possible　pleasure。

Others；　were　of　a　contrary　opinion；　who　avouched；　that　there　was　no

other　physicke　more　certaine；　for　a　disease　so　desperate；　then　to

drinke　hard；　be　merry　among　themselves；　singing　continually；　walking

every　where；　and　satisfying　their　appetites　with　whatsoever　they

desired；　laughing；　and　mocking　at　every　mournefull　accident；　and　so

they　vowed　to　spend　day　and　night：　for　now　they　would　goe　to　one

Taverne；　then　to　another；　living　without　any　rule　or　measure；　which

they　might　very　easily　doe；　because　every　one　of　them；　（as　if　he

were　to　live　no　longer　in　this　World）　had　even　forsaken　all　things

that　hee　had。　By　meanes　whereof；　the　most　part　of　the　houses　were

become　common；　and　all　strangers；　might　do　the　like　（if　they　pleased

to　adventure　it）　even　as　boldly　as　the　Lord　or　owner；　without　any

let　or　contradiction。

　　Yet　in　all　this　their　beastly　behaviour；　they　were　wise　enough；　to

shun　（so　much　as　they　might）　the　weake　and　sickly：　In　misery　and

affliction　of　our　City；　the　venerable　authority　of　the　Lawes；　as

well　divine　as　humane；　was　even　destroyed；　as　it　were；　through　want　of

the　lawfull　Ministers　of　them。　For　they　being　all　dead；　or　lying　sicke

with　the　rest；　or　else　lived　so　solitary；　in　such　great　necessity　of

servants　and　attendants；　as　they　could　not　execute　any　office；　whereby

it　was　lawfull　for　every　one　to　do　as　he　listed。

　　Betweene　these　two　rehearsed　extremities　of　life；　there　wer