Cover -- Title page -- Copyright -- Preface -- Introduction -- Outlines of The Tales -- I. A king's daughter, guarded by five soldiers, elopes with a duke. She is subsequently received back by her father -- II. Of duty towards parents -- III. How that the law punishes not twice for the same offence -- IV. Of the conflicting claims of mercy and justice -- V. How a youth, taken by pirates, was left in prison by his father, but released by his captor's daughter -- VI. How that inconsiderate oaths do not continue of force for ever -- VII. How a Roman nobleman had two sons, of whom one married a harlot, and was at first rejected but afterwards received by his father -- VIII. Story of a statue with a golden ring, beard, and cloak -- IX. How the son of a certain emperor wished to slay him, but was dissuaded from his purpose -- X. Of the rings of Memory and Oblivion -- XI. Story of the queen's daughter who was nourished on poison -- XII. Of a wonderful rivulet that flowed through the jaw's of a putrid dog -- XIII. A queen commits incest, but being penitent is saved -- XIV. Story of a son who left his mother and rescued his father -- XV. The life of St. Alexius -- XVI. An emperor discovers a sarcophagus with certain words engraved on it -- XVII. Story of Guido, who rendered six kinds of service to a certain emperor -- XVIII. How a certain Julian unwittingly killed his parents -- XIX. Of the quarrel between Pompey and Cæsar, and of the passage of the Rubicon -- XX. How the Emperor Conrad unconsciously caused the fulfilment of a prophecy which had filled him with anger -- XXI. How a king of Lacedæmon sent secret intelligence to his countrymen -- XXII. How the Egyptians honoured Isis and Serapis -- XXIII. Of the burning on the funeral pile of an emperor's body -- XXIV. Of a magician who enticed his enemies into an enchanted garden and destroyed them.

XXV. A lady, whose dominions have been laid waste by a certain king, is defended by a pilgrim, who is slain during the battle -- XXVI. Of a queen's illegitimate son, who was clothed in garments half poor, half costly -- XXVII. How an emperor left his daughter in charge of a seneschal, who disobeyed the orders given him, and was put to a miserable death -- XXVIII. How, through the cunning of an old woman, a youth obtained the love of a noble married lady -- XXIX. How the skin of a certain unjust judge was nailed on the judgment seat -- XXX. How a certain king treated his generals when victorious -- XXXI. The remarks of certain philosophers on the death of Alexander the Great -- XXXII. Remark of Seneca on poisoned corpses. -- XXXIII. Of a tree on which three successive wives of one man hanged themselves -- XXXIV. Aristotle's advice to Alexander -- XXXV. How Roman noblemen became reconciled after being at variance -- XXXVI. Discourse of a philosopher before a certain king -- XXXVII. Of the wisdom displayed by an eagle when attacked by the serpent -- XXXVIII. A dove brings news to a beleaguered city -- XXXIX. How discord between two brothers was brought to an end -- XL. How a learned clerk discovered the infidelity of the wife of a certain knight -- XLI. Of the self-sacrifice of an Athenian king -- XLII. A prophecy concerning the fall of Rome -- XLIII. Of a chasm in the midst of Rome, and how it was closed -- XLIV. Of an artificer who made glass as flexible as copper, and of the wickedness of the Emperor Tiberius -- XLV. Of the four reputed sons of a deceased king, and how it was decided which of them was really his -- XLVI. How a certain man gathered more leaves than he could carry -- XLVII. Of a Danish king who saw the three kings of Cologne in a vision -- XLVIII. The story of Phalaris of Agrigentum and Perillus.

XLIX. Of the treachery of the Duchess Rosimila and its reward -- L. Of the Emperor Zelongus, who sacrificed his right eye for his son's sake -- LI. Tiberius Cæsar's reason for allowing corrupt governors to retain their offices -- LII. Noble conduct of Quintus Fabius Maximus -- LIII. Of an old woman who prayed for the long life of Dionysius of Syracuse -- LIV. How the Emperor Frederic the Second constructed a gate in Capua -- LV. Allegory concerning Justice, Truth, Mercy, and Peace -- LVI. How a prince caused a certain merchant to cease from envying him -- LVII. Of the speaking statue in Rome, and of the wisdom of Focus the carpenter -- LVIII. How a malefactor, who stated three indisputable truths, was dismissed unpunished -- LIX. The story of the Emperor Jovinian -- LX. Of a king's daughter who was wonderfully swift of foot -- LXI. How the Emperor Claudius gave his daughter in marriage to a philosopher -- LXII. Of the portrait of the beautiful Florentina -- LXIII. How a certain valiant knight won the daughter of an emperor -- LXIV. How a certain king took a wise and beautiful virgin to wife -- LXV. Of a king who, on a certain occasion, was obliged to let his horse go without food -- LXVI. How a knight recovered her dominions for a certain lady, and was slain before he could be married to her -- LXVII. Of two knights, one wise and one foolish, and of their miserable end -- LXVIII. How the wife of a knight was rebuked by the crowing of two cocks, but not of the third -- LXIX. Of the wonderful whiteness of the shirt of a certain carpenter -- LXX. Of a king's daughter who would be married only on the fulfilment of three conditions -- LXXI. How a lame and a blind man arrived safely to enjoy a feast given by a certain king -- LXXII. Of a king who handed over his crown to his son, who, proving ungrateful, was afterwards deposed.

XLXIII. How a certain fellow, desiring to cheat others, lost his eyes without getting any advantage -- LXXIV. How a certain king bequeathed a golden apple to the greatest fool that could be found -- LXXV. Of the three daughters of a king who, being widows, would not marry again -- LXXVI. Of the wonderful skill and friendship of two physicians -- LXXVII. Of the two daughters of a king -- LXXVIII. Why a certain king's daughter would not marry a second time -- LXXIX. Of the delight of a certain king in little dogs, and of the folly of an ass -- LXXX. Story of the hermit who travelled in company with an angel -- LXXXI. Of the birth, life, and death of Pope Gregory -- LXXXII. Of the stork, the avenger of adultery -- LXXXIII. Of a wild boar that injured a fair garden, and was at length slain -- LXXXIV. How a certain lady gave a knight a falcon, and afterwards slew it -- LXXXV. Of the Emperor Tiberius, the harper, and the whistler -- LXXXVI. How a certain adulteress was released from prison with her son -- LXXXVII. How a certain knight, having saved an emperor's life, was recompensed by him -- LXXXVIII. How a prince overcame his enemies by cunning -- LXXXIX. Of a knight who bequeathed a ring to each of his three sons -- XC. How a certain inheritance was divided between two brothers -- XCI. Story of the three slothful men -- XCII. How, of two serpents found near a king's castle, the male was killed and not the female -- XCIII. How the two sons of a certain lord went abroad to study, and what befel when they returned -- XCIV. How a king's daughter became a leper, but subsequently recovered -- XCV. How Constantino assisted the Romans -- XCVI. How King Alexander forgave all criminals who confessed their crime before a candle burnt out -- XCVII. How the Romans made a statue of Julius Cæsar -- XCVIII. A custom of the Romans when besieging a town.

XCIX. How a knight assisted a serpent against a toad, and was in turn assisted by it -- C. How a woman escaped the penalty of adultery -- CI. Story of Ganter, who sought a kingdom -- CII. How a necromancer would by magic have done to death a certain noble knight, but was himself slain through the skill of a learned man -- CIII. How the Emperor Domitian bought three wise maxims from a merchant, and found great profit therein -- CIV. How a knight rendered a service to a lion and was himself benefited in return -- CV. Story of the bell of Justice -- CVL. Story of three travellers who had one loaf between them -- CVII. How a certain subtle clerk of Rome discovered a subterranean palace, and through rashness perished therein -- CVIII. How two thieves made good their promises to one another -- CIX. How a certain avaricious carpenter lost his treasure -- CX. Story of the knight Placidus -- CXI. How Argus watched the white cow of a certain nobleman, and was deluded by Mercury -- CXII. How the son of the Emperor Gorgonius was at enmity with his stepmother -- CXIII. How the Emperor Adonias delighted in tournaments -- CXIV. How a certain man fell into a pit, wherein dwelt a dragon, yet nevertheless escaped -- CXV. Of a wonderful elephant, and how it was slain -- CXVI. How a queen was obliged to treat her stepson with the same care that she bestowed on her own -- CXVII. How a knight rescued a young girl from a certain fellow, and of her subsequent ingratitude to her preserver -- CXVIII. How a certain knight recovered a sum of money from one that would have defrauded him of it -- CXIX. Of the ingratitude of a certain seneschal towards a poor man who had saved his life -- CXX. How a youth had three valuable talismans, and having lost them all through the wiles of a woman, at length recovered them -- CXXI. How a young knight slew an old one and married his wife.

CXXII. How a certain lady enabled her lover to escape before her husband's face.

One of the greatest collections of medieval literature, this historic work presents 181 tales of Greeks, Romans, Britons, biblical figures, and others, drawn from European and Asian sources.

Electronic reproduction

Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2019. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.