THE FIFT NOVELL

 

  WHEREBY MAY BEE OBSERVED, THAT SUCH AS WILL SPEAKE CONTEMPTIBLY OF

                 OTHERS, OUGHT (FIRST OF ALL) TO LOOKE

               RESPECTIVELY ON THEIR OWNE IMPERFECTIONS

 

  Messer Forese da Rabatte, and Maister Giotto, a Painter by his

profession, comming together from Mugello, scornfully reprehended

one another for their deformity of body.

 

  So soone as Madame Neiphila sate silent (the Ladies having greatly

commended the pleasant answer of Chichibio) Pamphilus, by command from

the Queene, spake in this manner. Woorthy Ladies, it commeth to

passe oftentimes, that like as Fortune is observed divers wayes, to

hide under vile and contemptible Arts, the most great and

unvalewable treasures of vertue (as, not long since, was well

discoursed unto us by Madame Pampinea:) so in like manner hath

appeared; that Nature hath infused very singular spirits into most

mishapen and deformed bodies of men. As hath beene noted in two of our

owne Citizens, of whom I purpose to speake in fewe words. The one of

them was named Messer Forese de Rabatta, a man of little and low

person, but yet deformed in body, with a flat face, like a Terrier

or Beagle, as if no comparison (almost) could bee made more ugly.

But notwithstanding all this deformity, he was so singularly

experienced in the Lawes, that all men held him beyond any equall,

or rather reputed him as a Treasury of civill knowledge.

  The other man, being named Giotto, had a spirit of so great

excellency, as there was not any particular thing in Nature, the

Mother and Worke-mistresse of all, by continuall motion of the

heavens; but hee by his pen and pensell could perfectly portrait;

shaping them all so truly alike and resemblable, that they were

taken for the reall matters indeede; and, whether they were present or

no, there was hardly any possibility of their distinguishing. So

that many times it happened, that by the variable devises he made, the

visible sence of men became deceived, in crediting those things to

be naturall, which were but meerly painted. By which meanes, hee

reduced that singular Art to light, which long time before had lyen

buried, under the grosse error of some; who, in the mysterie of

painting, delighted more to content the ignorant, then to please the

judicious understanding of the wise, he justly deserving thereby, to

be tearmed one of the Florentines most glorious lights. And so much

the rather, because he performed all his actions, in the true and

lowly spirit of humility: for while he lived, and was a Master in

his Art, above all other Painters: yet he refused any such title,

which shined the more majestically - in him, as appeared by such, who

knew Much lesse then he, or his Schollers either: yet his knowledge

was extreamly coveted among them.

  Now, notwithstanding all this admirable excellency in him: he was

not (thereby) a jot the handsommer man (either in person or

countenance) then was our fore-named Lawyer Messer Forese, and

therefore my Novell concerneth them both. Understand then (faire

Assemblie) that the possessions and inheritances of Messer Forese

and Giotto, lay in Mugello; wherefore, when Holy-dayes were celebrated

by Order of Court, and in the Sommer time, upon the admittance of so

apt a vacation; Forese rode thither upon a very unsightly jade, such

as a man can sildome meet with worse. The like did Giotto the Painter,

as ill fitted every way as the other; and having dispatched their

busines there, they both returned backe towards Florence, neither of

them being able to boast, which was the best mounted.

  Riding on a faire and softly pace, because their Horses could goe no

faster: and they being well entred into yeeres, it fortuned (as

oftentimes the like befalleth in Sommer) that a sodaine showre of

raine overtooke them; for avoyding whereof, they made all possible

haste to a poore Countreymans Cottage, familiarly knowne to them both.

Having continued there an indifferent while, and raine unlikely to

cease: to prevent allfurther protraction of time, and to arriveat

Florence in due season; they borrowed two old cloakes of the poore

man, of over-worn and ragged Country gray, as also two hoodes of the

like Complexion, (because the poore man had no better) which did

more mishape them, then their owne ugly deformity, and made them

notoriously flouted and scorned, by all that met or over-tooke them.

  After they had ridden some distance of ground, much moyled and

bemyred with their shuffling jades, flinging the dirt every way

about them, that well they might be termed two filthy companions:

the raine gave over, and the evening looking somewhat cleare, they

began to confer familiarly together. Messer Forese, riding a lofty

French trot, everie step being ready to hoise him out of his saddle,

hearing Giottos discreete answers to every ydle question he made

(for indeede he was a very elegant speaker) began to peruse and

surveigh him, even from the foote to the head, as we use to say. And

perceiving him to be so greatly deformed, as no man could be worse, in

his opinion: without any consideration of his owne mishaping as bad,

or rather more unsightly then hee; in a scoffing laughing humour,

hee saide. Giotto, doest thou imagine, that a stranger, who had

never seene thee before, and should now happen into our companie,

would beleeve thee to bee the best Painter in the world, as indeede

thou art? Presently Giotto (without any further meditation) returned

him this answere. Signior Forese, I think he might then beleeve it,

when (beholding you) hee could imagine that you had learned your

A. B. C. Which when Forese heard, he knew his owne error, and saw his

payment returned in such Coine, as he sold his Wares for.