forms, their only refource was entreaty; and when the merchants of Venice applied to him, he was inflexible. Giannetto offered him twenty thoufand, then thirty thoufand, afterwards forty, fifty, and at laft an hundred thousand ducats. The Jew told him, if he would give him as much gold as Venice was worth, he would not accept it; and, fays he, you know little of me, if you think I will defift from my demand. "The lady now arrives at Venice, in her lawyer's drefs; and alighting at an inn, the landlord afks of one of the fervants who his mafter was? The fervant anfwered, that he was a young lawyer who had finished his ftudies at Bologna. The landlord upon this fhews his gueft great civility: and when he attended at dinner, the lawyer inquiring how juftice was adminiftered in that city, he answered, Juftice in this place is too fevere, and related the cafe of Anfaldo. Says the lawyer, this queftion may be easily answered. If you can anfwer it, fays the landlord, and fave this worthy man from death, you will get the love and efteem of all the best men of this city. The lawyer caufed a proclamation to be made, that whoever had any law matters to determine, they should have recourfe to him: fo it was told to Giannetto, that a famous lawyer was come from Bologna, who could decide all cafes in law. Giannetto propofed to the Jew to apply to this lawyer. With all my heart, fays the Jew; but let, who will come, I will ftick to my bond. They came to this Judge, and faluted him. Giannetto did not remember him: for he had difguifed his face with the juice of certain herbs. Giannetto, and the Jew, each told the merits of the cause to the judge; who, when he had taken the bond and read it, faid to the Jew, I muft have you take the hundred thousand ducats, and releafe this honeft man, who will always have a grateful fense of the favour done to him. The Jew replied, will I do no fuch thing. The judge anfwered, it will be better for you. The Jew was pofitive to yield nothing. Upon this they go to the tribunal appointed for fuch judgments: and our judge fays to the Jew, Do Do you cut a pound of this man's flesh where you choofe. The Jew ordered him to be ftripped naked; and takes in his hand a razor, which had been made on purpose. Giannetto feeing this, turning to the judge, This, fays he, is not the favour I afked of you. Be quiet, fays he, the pound of flesh is not yet cut off. As foon as the Jew was going to begin, Take care what you do, fays the judge, if you take more or less than a pound, I will order your head to be ftruck off: and befide, if you fhed one drop of blood, you shall be put to death. Your paper makes no mention of the shedding of blood; but fays exprefsly, that you may take a pound of flesh, neither more nor lefs. He immediately fent for the executioner to bring the block and axe; and now fays he, if I see one drop of blood, off goes your head. At length the Jew, after much wrangling, told him, Give me the hundred thousand ducats, and I am content. No, fays the judge, cut off your pound of flesh according to your bond: why did you not take the money when it was offered? The Jew came down to ninety, and then to eighty thoufand: but the judge was ftill refolute. Giannetto told the judge to give what he required, that Ansaldo might have his liberty: but he replied, Let me manage him. Then the Jew would have taken fifty thoufand: he faid, I will not give you a penny. Give me, at least, fays the Jew, my own ten thousand ducats, and a curfe confound you all! The judge replies, I will give you nothing: if you will have the pound of flesh, take it; if not, I will order your bond to be protested and annulled. The Jew feeing he could gain nothing, tore in pieces the bond in a great rage. Anfaldo, was releafed, and conducted home with great joy by Giannetto, who carried the hundred thoufand ducats to the inn to the lawyer. The lawyer faid, I do not want money; carry it back to your lady, that the may not fay, that you have fquandered it away idly. Says Giannetto, my lady is fo kind, that I might fpend four times as much without incurring her difpleafure. How are you pleased with the lady? fays the lawyer. I love her better better than any earthly thing, anfwers Giannetto: nature seems to have done her utmoft in forming her. If you will come and see her, you will be surprised at the honour fhe will fhew you. I cannot go with you, says the lawyer; but fince you speak fo much good of her, I must defire you to present my refpects to her. I will not fail, Giannetto anfwered; and now let me entreat you to accept of fome of the money. While he was fpeaking, the lawyer obferved a ring on his finger, and faid, if you will give me this ring, I fhall feek no other reward. Willingly, fays Giannetto; but as it is a ring given me by my lady to wear for her fake, I have fome reluctance to part with it, and fhe, not feeing it on my finger, will believe that I have given it to a woman. Says the lawyer, fhe efteems you fufficiently to credit what you tell her, and you may say you made a prefent of it to me; but I rather think you want to give. it to fome former miftrefs here in Venice. So great, fays Giannetto, is the love and reverence I bear to her, that I would not change her for any woman in the world. After this, he takes the ring from his finger, and prefents it to him. I have ftill a favour to afk, fays the lawyer. It fhall be granted, fays Giannetto. It is, replied he, that you do not ftay any time here, but go as foon as poffible to your lady. It appears to me a thousand years till I fee her, anfwered Giannetto: and immediately they take leave of each other. The lawyer embarked, and left Venice. Giannetto took leave of his Venetian friends, and carried Anfaldo with him, and fome of his old acquaintance accompanied them. The lady arrived fome days before; and having refumed her female habit, pretended to have spent the time at the baths; and now, gave order to have the ftreets lined with tapestry: and when Giannetto and Anfaldo were landed, all the court went out to meet them. When they arrived at the palace, the lady ran to embrace Anfaldo, but feigned anger against Giannetto, though fhe loved him exceffively: yet the feaftings, tilts, and diverfions, went on as ufual, at which all the lords and ladies were prefent. Giannetto feeing that that his wife did not receive him with her accustomed good countenance, called her, and would have faluted her. She told him fhe wanted none of his careffes: I am fure, fays fhe, you have been lavish of them to fome of your former miftreffes. Giannetto began to make excuses. She asked him where was the ring the had given him? It is no more than what I expected, cries Giannetto, and I was in the right to fay you would be angry with me; but, I swear, by all that is facred, and by your dear felf, that I gave the ring to the lawyer who gained our caufe. And I can fwear, fays the lady, with as much folemnity, that you gave the ring to a woman: therefore swear no more. Giannetto protested that what he had told her was true, and that he said all this to the lawyer, when he asked for the ring. The lady replied, you would have done much better to ftay at Venice with your mistresses, for I fear they all wept when you came away. Giannetto's tears began to fall, and in great forrow he affured her, that what the fuppofed could not be true. The lady feeing his tears, which were daggers in her bofom, ran to embrace him, and in a fit of laughter fhewed the ring, and told him, that she was herself the lawyer, and how the obtained the ring. Giannetto was greatly astonished, finding it all true, and told the ftory to the nobles and to his companions; and this heightened greatly the love between him and his lady. He then called the damfel who had given him the good advice in the evening, not to drink the liquor, and gave her to Anfaldo for a wife: and they spent the reft of their lives in great felicity and contentment." THE THE CHOICE OF THE CASKETS. RUGGIERI DE FIGIOVANNI took a refolution of going for fome time, to the court of Alfonfo king of Spain. He was graciously received, and living there fome time in great magnificence, and giving remarkable proofs of his courage, was greatly esteemed. Having frequent opportunities of examining minutely the behaviour of the king, he observed, that he gave, as he thought, with little difcernment, castles, and baronies, to fuch who were unworthy of his favours; and to himself, who might pretend to be of fome estimation, he gave nothing he therefore thought the fittest thing to be done, was to demand leave of the king to return home. : His requeft was granted, and the king prefented him with one of the most beautiful and excellent mules that had ever been mounted. One of the king's trusty fervants was commanded to accompany Ruggieri, and riding along with him, to pick up, and recollect every word he faid of the king, and then mention that it was the order of his fovereign, that he should go back to him. The man watching the opportunity, joined Ruggieri when he fet out, faid he was going towards Italy, and would be glad to ride in company with him. Ruggieri jogging on with his mule, and talking of one thing or other, it being near nine o'clock, told his companion, that they would do well to put up their mules a little, and as foon as they entered the ftable, every beaft, except his, began to ftale, Riding on further, they came to a river, and watering the beafts, his mule ftaled in the river: you untoward beast, says he, you are like your mafter, who gave you to me. The fer vant remembered this expreflion, and many others as they rode on all day together; but he heard not a fingle word drop from him, but what was in praise of the king. The next morning Ruggieri was told the order of the king, and inftantly turned back. When the king had heard what he said of the mule, he com manded |