Page:The Book of the Courtier.djvu/217

 of capital punishment, nor so great that a touch of their wrath can do much harm.

47.— "Again, you must know that from the same occasion whence we draw our laughable witticisms, we may likewise draw serious phrases of praise or censure, and sometimes by using the same words. Thus in praising a generous man who shares all he has with his friends, we are wont to say that what he has is not his own; the same may be said in censuring a man who has stolen or by other evil means acquired what he possesses. Also we say, 'That lady is of great price,' meaning to praise her for discretion and goodness; the same thing might be said in dispraise of her, implying that anyone may have her.

"But for this purpose we have a chance to use the same situations oftener than the same words. Thus recently a lady being at mass in church with three cavaliers, one of whom served her in love,192 a poor beggar came up and taking his stand before the lady began to beg alms of her; and he repeated his petition several times to her with much importunity and pitiful groaning; yet for all that she gave him no alms, nor still did she refuse it to him with a sign to go in peace, but continued to stand abstracted as if she were thinking of something else. Then the cavalier in love said to his two companions:

"'You see what I have to expect from my lady, who is so hard-hearted that she not only gives no alms to that naked starving wretch who is begging it of her so eagerly and often, but she will not even send him away. So much does she delight to see a man languishing in misery before her and vainly imploring her pity.'

"One of his two friends replied:

"'This is not hardness of heart, but a silent lesson from the lady to teach you that she is never pleased with an importunate suitor.'

"The other replied:

"'Nay, it is a warning to him that while she never grants what is asked of her, still she likes to be entreated for it.'

"You see how the lady's failure to send the poor man away, gave rise to one saying of grave censure, one of moderate praise, and another of biting satire.