The Decameron

– FIRST DAY – NOVEL I. – Ser Ciappelletto cheats a holy friar by a false confession, and dies; and, having lived as a very bad man, is, on his death, reputed a saint, and called San Ciappelletto. NOVEL II. – Abraham, a Jew, at the instance of Jehannot de Chevigny, goes to the court of Rome, and having marked the evil life of clergy, returns to Paris, and becomes a Christian. NOVEL III. – Melchisedech, a Jew, by a story of three rings averts a danger with which he was menaced by Saladin. NOVEL IV. – A monk lapses into a sin meriting the most severe punishment, justly censures the same fault in his abbot, and thus evades the penalty. NOVEL V. – The Marchioness of Monferrato by a banquet of hens seasoned with wit checks the mad passion of the King of France. NOVEL VI. – A worthy man by an apt saying puts to shame the wicked hypocrisy of the religious. NOVEL VII. – Bergamino, with a story of Primasso and the Abbot of Cluny, finely censures a sudden access of avarice in Messer Cane della Scala. NOVEL VIII. – Guglielmo Borsiere by a neat retort sharply censures avarice in Messer Ermino de' Grimaldi.