pleasure. Anfaldo gave him his bleffing, they took their leave, and the fhips fet out.

Giannetto had nothing in his head but to steal into Belmonte; and he prevailed with one of the failors in the night to fail the veffel into the port. It was told the lady, that Giannetto was arrived in port. She faw from the window the veffel, and immediately fent for him.

Giannetto goes to the castle, the day is fpent in joy and feafting; and to honour him, a tournament is ordered, and many barons and knights tilted that day. Giannetto did wonders, fo well did he understand the lance, and was fo graceful a figure on horfeback: he pleafed fo much, that all were defirous to have him for their lord.

The

The lady, when it was the ufual time, catching him by the hand, begged him to take his rest. When he paffed the door of the chamber, one of the damfels in a whifper faid to him, Make a pretence to drink the liquor, but touch not one drop. The lady faid, I know you must be thirsty, I must have you drink before you go to bed, immediately two damfels entered the room, and prefented the wine. Who can refufe wine from fuch beautiful hands? cries Giannetto: at which the lady fmiled. Giannetto takes the cup, and making as if he had drunk, pours the wine into his bofom lady thinking he had drunk, fays afide to herself with great joy, You must go, young man, and bring another fhip, for this is condemned. Giannetto went to bed, and began to fnore as if he flept foundly. The lady perceiving this, laid herself down by his fide, Giannetto lofes no time, but turning to the lady, embraces her, faying, Now am I in poffeffion of my utmost wishes. When Giannetto came out of his chamber, he was knighted, and placed in the chair of stare; had the fcepter put into his hand, and was proclaimed. fovereign of the country, with great pomp and fplendour; and when the lords and ladies were come to the caftle, he married the lady in great ceremony.

Giannetto

Giannetto governed excellently, and caufed juftice to be administered impartially. He continued fome time in this happy state, and never entertained a thought of of poor Anfaldo, who had given this bond to the Jew for ten thousand ducats. But one day, as he ftood at the window of the palace with his bride, he faw a number of people paffing along the piazza, with lighted torches in their hands. What is the meaning of this? fays he. The lady anfwered, they are artificers going to make their offerings at the church of St. John, this day being his festival. Giannetto inftantly recollected Anfaldo, gave a great figh, and turned pale. His lady enquired the caufe of his fudden change. He faid, he felt nothing. She continued to prefs with great earneftness, till he was obliged to confefs the cause of his uneafinefs, that Anfaldo was engaged for the money, that the term was expired; and the grief he was in was left his father fhould lofe his life for him that if the ten thousand ducats were not paid that day, he muft lose a pound of his flesh. The lady told him to mount on horseback, and go by land the nearest way, to take fome attendants, and an hundred thousand ducats; and not to ftop, till he arrived at Venice: and if he was not dead, to endeavour to bring Anfaldo to her. Giannetto takes horie with twenty attendants, and makes the best of his way to Venice.

The time being expired, the Jew had feized Anfaldo, and infifted on having a pound of his flesh. He entreated him only to wait fome days, that if his dear Giannetto arrived, he might have the pleasure of embracing him the Jew replied he was willing to wait, but, fays he, I will cut off the pound of flesh, according to the words of the obligation: Anfaldo answered, that he was content.

Several merchants would have jointly paid the money; the Jew would not hearken to the propofal, but infifted that he might have the fatisfaction of faying," that he had put to death the greatest of the Chriftian merchants. Giannetto making all poffible hafte to Venice, his lady foon followed him in a lawyer's habit,

with

with two fervants attending her. Giannetto, when he came to Venice, goes to the Jew, and after (embracing Anfaldo) tells him, he is ready to pay the money, and as much more as he should demand. The Jew faid, he would take no money, fince it was not paid at the time due ; but that he would have the pound of flesh. Every one blamed the Jew: but as Venice was a place where juftice was ftrictly administered, and the Jew had his pretenfions grounded on publick and received forms, their only refource was entreaty; and when the merchants of Venice applied to him, he was inflexible. Giannetto offered him twenty thousand, then thirty thousand, afterwards, forty, fifty, and at last 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 you think I will defift from my demand.

me if

The lady now arrives at Venice, in her lawyer's drefs; and alighting at an inn, the landlord asks 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 justice was administered 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 eafily anfwered. If you can answer 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 lawer caused 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 stick to my bond. They came to this judge, and faluted him. Giannetto did not remember him: for he had disguised 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

:

taken the bond and read it, faid to the Jew, I must have you take the hundred thousand ducats, and releafe this honeft man, who will always have a grateful fenfe of the favour done to him. The Jew replied, I will 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 such judgments and our judge fays to the Jew, Do you cut a pound of this man's flesh where you chufe. The Jew ordered him to be stripped 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 asked 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 lefs than a pound, I will order your head to be ftruck off and befide, if you fhed one drop of blood you fhall be put to death. Your paper makes no mention of the fhedding of blood; but fays exprefsly that you may take a pound of fleth, neither more nor lefs. He immediately fent for the executioner to bring the block and ax; and now, fays he, if I fee 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 not you take the money when it was offered? The Jew came down to ninety, and then to eighty thoufand but the judge was still resolute. Giannetto told the judge to give what he required, that Anfaldo might have his liberty: but he replied, let me manage him. Then the Jew would have taken fifty thousand: 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 protefted 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 Gianpetto, who carried the hundred thousand ducats to the

inn

you

inn to the lawyer. The lawyer faid, I do not want money; carry it back to your lady that he may not fay, that have fquandered it away idly. Says Giannetto, my lady is fo kind, that I might spend four times as much, without incurring her difpleafure. How are you pleased with the lady fays the lawyer. I love her better than any earthly thing, anfwers Giannetto: Nature feems to have done her utmoft in forming her. If you will come and fee her, you will be furprised at the honours she will shew you. I cannot go with you, fays the lawyer; but fince you speak fo much good of her, I muft defire you to prefent my refpects to her. I will not fail, Giannetto answered; and now, let me entreat you to accept of fome of the money. While he was speaking, 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 esteems you fufficiently to credit what you tell her, and you may fay 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 fill a favour to afk, fays the lawyer. It fhall be granted, says Giannetto. It is, replied he, that you do not stay any time here, but go as foon as poflible to your lady. It appears to me a thousand years till I fee her, answered 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 fpent the time at the baths; and now gave orders to have the ftreets lined with tapestry; and when Giannetto and

Anfaldo