ANDOLOSIA

I. Travels in France and Spain

Now hear how Ampedo and Andolosia, the two sons of Fortunatus, fared with the two magical treasures. When their lord and father died, they wore their grief and observed mourning for a year, like dutiful sons. And while Andolosia was living a quiet life, not daring to participate in jousts or other courtly pastimes, he came across his father’s books. When he read them, and learnt how many Christian kingdoms and heathen lands his father had passed through, he was filled with such delight and desire that he fixed on the earnest resolve to travel.

So he went to see Ampedo. “Dear brother, what are we doing here? Let us travel and strive for honour, following in our father’s footsteps! If you haven’t yet read about all the distant lands he travelled across, then read now.”

Ampedo answered his brother good-naturedly: “God speed the man who wants to travel. But I have no desire to, for I could easily come to a place where I am not so well-off as I am here. I shall stay put in Famagusta, and conclude my days in the beautiful palace.”

“If you’re of that mood and mind, then let’s share out the treasures,” said Andolosia.

“Do you wish to overrule our father’s command? Aren’t you aware that his last will was that we should not, on any account, separate the two valuables?”

Andolosia replied, “I don’t care about that; he’s dead, I’m alive; and I want to share.”

“Then take the Hat and go wherever you will,” said Ampedo.

“You take it yourself and stay here,” rejoined Andolosia.

And they could not come to an agreement, for they both wanted the Purse. Finally, Andolosia said: “Dear brother, I know how we can resolve this; according to our father’s advice, we should share our division with no one. So let’s fill two chests with gold from the Purse, and you keep them here; they will more than meet your needs. You also keep the Hat – it’ll give you many happy hours – and leave the Purse to me. I’ll travel and strive for honour for six years, and when I return, the Purse will be yours for six years. In this way we can own and enjoy it in common.”

Ampedo, who was a kindly soul, let it pass as his brother suggested; and when Andolosia understood that he was going to be allowed to depart with the Purse, he was happy with all his heart. He began his preparations, hiring strong servants and buying handsome horses; and he had a cart constructed, which was to follow in his train and bear his jousting equipment and other courtly paraphernalia.

Then he took his leave of Ampedo and rode out of Famagusta with forty smart menservants on prancing chargers, all dressed in his livery. His first stop was at the King of France’s Court, where he joined the company of nobles, counts and barons. Being prodigal, and having an accommodating disposition, he was held in high regard by the majority; and he served the King as if he were his hired man. While he sojourned there, it so happened that a tournament was held, with jousts, wrestling and leaping, and Andolosia came first in every event, so that his praise was cried abroad. After the jousting, it was customary to hold a ball for the noble ladies; Andolosia was invited to this and given the first dance. The ladies enquired after his name and land, and were informed that he was called Andolosia from Famagusta in Cyprus, and he came from a noble line. Then they began to single him out for attention and to flirt with him; and he was not slow to return the compliment. And the King invited him to table.

Andolosia, seeing that his appearance and society were pleasing to the nobility, invited them, and all their wives, to be his guests. He provided them with a splendid banquet, which delighted the noble ladies and convinced them that he was born of noble lineage. In the midst of their merriment, there was a nobleman at the King’s Court whose wife was a paragon of beauty; her appearance far surpassed that of all other women. This nobleman was Andolosia’s jousting-partner, and there was no one to match them for skill. His wife captivated Andolosia, who began to woo her assiduously, promising her a thousand crowns if she would spend one night with him. The wife thought that a thousand crowns were soon earned, but her honour prevented her from complying, and she told her husband. He said: “Oh wife, the thousand crowns would be handy, we could really use them – but it is best not to do this, for honour takes precedence over riches.

“I know what we can do,” he continued. “We have a beautiful, shapely neighbour, an accommodating companion, who refuses her body to no one if the price is right. How if you were to tell her about the proposal that has been made you, which you do not dare undertake, for your husband is a stickler for honour and you would fear for your life?”

The woman followed her husband’s instructions and spoke to their neighbour: “So that is what has occurred. If you wish to take the matter on, I will see to it that you take my place, in my house, and you will lie with the nobleman who is here at the moment and is good with his lance. He offered me a thousand crowns for spending a night with him; if you do this for me, I’ll give you a hundred.”

The good neighbour said: “I don’t care much about that – I would lie with such a man for nothing. But I’m afraid that if I went through with this, you wouldn’t give me the hundred crowns, but would send me away with one or two, because of my low station.”

“I’ll give you the hundred crowns up front, before you earn them,” the wife assured her.

She was satisfied with this, and said that if the lady arranged the preparations, she would oblige her with great gusto. The lady told her husband how she had won their neighbour over to her will, and he expressed his contentment.

Then Andolosia came up to the lady and urged his suit in true lover’s fashion, mentioning the thousand crowns. She replied: “If you are not merely fooling, then come to me tomorrow night and bring the money with you; for tomorrow my husband rides out in the King’s service.”

Andolosia was overjoyed, and he regarded the expense as a mere trifle. So the following night he sneaked away from his men, bearing the thousand crowns, and crept alone to the lady’s house, where she was waiting for him. She received him with the money, which was in a bag, and she did not count it out, for she could tell by the weight that all was in order. Leading him to her room, she told him to get into the bed and not make a sound; she would join him presently. Then she hurriedly sent for her neighbour and gave her a hundred crowns. The good lass had really spruced herself up with clean and sweet-scented hands and other enticements, for she was well versed in the ins-and-outs of these affairs. And as they lay together in vigorous joy, Andolosia believed himself to be in the arms of his jousting-companion’s wife. But when the good young lady heard how deeply she pleased Andolosia, and how wonderful he thought her, it struck her as unfair that the lady should pocket nine hundred crowns, while she had no more than one hundred. So she disclosed the deception, and when Andolosia heard how he had been cheated, he did not care about the money he had expended, but he was afraid that the affair would spread throughout the city and he would become a laughing-stock for having let himself be tricked by two women. So he stood up and gave the lass another hundred crowns, and returning to his inn, he woke all his servants up and ordered them to make ready: he was about to ride away. ‘From now on, I’ll be on my guard against the tricks of faithless women’, he thought; and he rode away from Paris, without blessing, without leave, in a black mood.

And when he had a day’s ride from Paris behind him, the affair still preyed on his mind; so he sent a servant to the woman he had lain with to give her another two hundred crowns and the instruction to prosecute the nobleman’s wife before the King or parliament. She should tell them that the lady had unlawfully appropriated money – to the sum of nine hundred crowns – which was not hers by right; it belonged to the neighbour, as the reward for her services. The good neighbour promised the serving-lad that he would soon hear how she had prosecuted the affair with a vengeance. So the two women went to law and expended as much money as they had received, and then more; the case was grist to the mill for the advocates, clerks and procurators, for the greatest part of the money ended up in their hands.

As Andolosia rode away from the King of France’s court, he thought: ‘At least the false women didn’t cheat me out of the Purse’. And he resolved to cast the matter from his mind and to think of a way to restore his spirits.

He rode without stopping to the King of Aragon’s Court, and from there he continued on to Navarre, Castille and Portugal. It were a long process to write of his chivalric behaviour at each Royal Court: his jousting exploits, his chivalric deportment, and, in particular, his lavish expenditure to maintain a stately equipage. Afterwards he arrived before the King of Spain, a mighty monarch who held great court and was waging war at that time against the King of Granada, a heathen land bordering his realm, and against the King of Damascus in Barbary, who was also a heathen King. When Andolosia came there, he was strongly attracted to the people and their customs; for the Spaniards are exceedingly proud, even though their skin is black or brown. Then he dressed himself, his servants, and his horses, after the fashion of the land; and he penetrated the circle of nobility, attaining the position of servant to the King. He launched himself into tournaments and pursued all knightly sports, distributed prizes, and extended invitations to the noble ladies, whom he wined and dined superbly. When the King rode out against his enemies, Andolosia hired a hundred mercenaries at his own expense; and he served the King so diligently that he won his deep affection, for in every battle he would be in the foremost press, where he performed many manly deeds, so that the King dubbed him knight.

There was an old Count who had an only daughter at Court. The King wanted Andolosia to marry this daughter, so he could make him a Count in the father’s place; but Andolosia refused, for the Count’s daughter did not attract him – she was not pretty – and he was perfectly indifferent to the promise of wealth and a comity, for he possessed Fortune’s Purse. And when he had spent several years with the King, Andolosia found that time began to hang heavy on his hands, especially as there were no beauties at the Court to take to bed or heart. So he asked the King for leave to depart, which was graciously granted; and the King decorated him with his livery[1] and told him that whenever he returned, Andolosia would find him a well-disposed lord and master.

Then Andolosia sought out a sturdy ship and hired a crew to take him and his to England, and to be well recompensed for their efforts; and he took his leave from many whose close acquaintance he had made. Some members of the Court were overjoyed at his departure, for they no longer had to witness his luxurious lifestyle; and many were sad, having enjoyed his favours. So he sailed away and came with a fair wind to England, to the great city of London where the King holds court. He rented a stately mansion, had all necessities bought to excess, and began to live like a Duke, inviting the nobles at the King’s Court to guest, loading them with presents, and earning their favour. Once again, he jousted, tourneyed, and performed the deeds expected of a knight in more accomplished a fashion than anyone else, which led both women and men, nobles and commoners, to award him the prize. The King and Queen often saw, with their own eyes, Andolosia giving proofs of his manliness, and they approved of his bearing; and the King asked if he would like to belong to his Court. Andolosia replied that he would willingly serve him with body and goods.

II. Agrippina

Now when he was at Court, it so happened that the King of England marched out against the King of Scotland. Andolosia joined his army at the head of a great host assembled at his own cost, and performed so many knightly deeds that he was extolled above all others. Although it cannot be denied that there is no race on Earth prouder, haughtier and less willing to acknowledge the merit of others or concede them honour than the English, yet they spoke great praise of Andolosia for the extreme valour he had displayed in battle. Nevertheless, they maintained that it was still a shame that he was not an Englishman, for they believe that there is no greater race on Earth than their own.

The war having been brought to a successful conclusion, everyone returned home. Andolosia came to London once more and was received with honour by the King. After several days had passed, and the mercenaries had dispersed in part, the King invited Andolosia to guest and placed him at a table alone with the King, the Queen and their only daughter, called Agrippina, who was one of the most beautiful women to be found in the world, and so white and delicate that she had been likened to a former Princess of England, the fair Amelia.[2] She was seated opposite Andolosia at table, and when he saw her he thought that an angel sent to Earth by God could not be more perfectly formed, and he was inflamed with a passionate love; his heart was seized with so deep a lust that he could neither eat nor drink. He flushed, then blanched, in the manner of the truly ardent lover; and the Queen clearly descried that he had received the Angel of Love. When the King addressed him, he could form no answer; and then Agrippina threw him a look that fanned the flames of his desire and led him to believe that she returned his love, which was however far from the truth. During the meal there was much lute-music and recitation of pleasant verses, as is the custom at the tables of lords, but Andolosia had paid scarcely any attention to this, all of his thoughts being fixed on Agrippina. When the meal was done, he found his way home loaded with love, his burden tied on more tightly than a package of pepper to a sorely-laden camel plodding from India to Cairo.

And when he was alone at home, he thought: ‘I would to God I were of royal descent! Then I’d serve the King so loyally, and stand so in his confidence, that he’d have to marry the fair Agrippina to me. What more could I ask for than so beautiful a wife? But though my birth is not high enough, yet I cannot help but strive for her favour and court her love – may I be served as God wills!’ Then he began to joust intensely, and to fling himself into other knightly pursuits, for he knew that the Queen and her daughter were watching. So he hunted after honour with all his might, and on one occasion invited the Queen, the Princess and all the noble ladies at Court to a marvellous meal. The King was told about this repast, how Andolosia had presented the Queen and Princess with precious gifts, and how their maids and chambermaids had also felt the full force of his generosity. This had been done to procure Andolosia a warmer reception at Court, and it worked; when he visited next, he was admitted to the Queen and the lovely Agrippina, to his no small delight. On one such visit, the King said to him: “I have heard from the Queen and the other ladies that you invited them to a feast fit for a King. Why did you not invite me?”

“My most gracious King,” said Andolosia, “if Your Majesty would not scorn my hospitality, I should be delighted.”

“Then invite me; I shall come tomorrow and bring ten people with me.”

Highly contented, Andolosia hurried home and gave his servants great sums of money to buy the best provisions they could find. He also ordered the cook to concoct the most mouth-watering meal his hands had ever prepared, and not to omit anything for the sake of saving money.

All was made ready, and the King came, with counts and lords, at the arranged time. The whole company were astounded at the manifold courses of the choicest foods and at the rare wines that were provided. The King thought: ‘This Andolosia can spend without regret – yet he owns no land nor vassals. I must do something to teach him that he is not as powerful as he thinks’. So one morning soon after, the King sent a message to Andolosia, saying that he would dine with him that day. Pleased to receive this news, Andolosia sent his servants out to buy all that was needful. Now the King had forbidden, on pain of loss of body and goods, the sale of wood, and wooden items such as ships, to Andolosia. So when the servants had bought all the victuals, and the cooks were ready to boil and roast, there was no wood. Andolosia sent men out to buy houses, ships or fences, whatever they could get hold of, so that the food could be cooked. But no matter where the servants went, they could not find anyone willing to sell. On learning this, Andolosia realised that it was the King’s commandment; so he sent in haste to the Venetians, who have warehouses in London, and bought cloves, nutmeg, sandal and cinnamon off them. These were then emptied onto the floor and set alight, and the food was cooked over this fire.

When meal-time came round, the King thought that the food could not possibly have been prepared. Nonetheless, he rose, assembled the lords who had accompanied him to the previous feast, and rode towards Andolosia’s lodgings. And as they approached the house, they were met by such an excellent and savoury aroma that they were struck with astonishment; and the nearer they came, the stronger this aroma grew. The King asked if the meal was ready, and he was told yes, the cooks were boiling and roasting with pure spices; which surprised him somewhat. And if Andolosia had served the King sumptuously at the previous feast, he now supplied him and his men with yet more magnificent provision; and once all the food had found a home, the King’s servants and his companions’ serving-lads came with five hundred horses to escort him home. When they arrived, Andolosia said: “Gracious Majesty, if you have no objections, I should like to give ten crowns to every one of your men.”

“If you want to hand out money, that’s fine by me,” replied the King.

So the servants were all summoned to a room where Andolosia was standing by the door, and he gave every man ten crowns; the servants were delighted, and they all began to praise Andolosia. Once this was over, the King rode home; and when he arrived back in his palace, he began to wonder where Andolosia’s great wealth came from, for a King with land and lieges were unable to maintain so lavish a lifestyle. And while he was wondering, in walked the Queen; so he told her about the splendid meal Andolosia had given him, cooked with pure spices in the stead of wood, and the ten crowns he had handed to each one of his servants. He could not imagine whence Andolosia had so much money; there was no stinting, yet time seemed only to increase his extravagance. The Queen said:

“I know no one who could discover the truth as soon as Agrippina. He has taken such a shine to her that, rest assured, whatever she asks him, he will tell her.”

“If I could learn the truth… I’d dearly like to know! I think he must scoop it from a fountain. If I knew where this was, I’d be there myself,” mused the King.

“I’ll do my utmost to get to the bottom of this,” said the Queen; and returning to her chambers, she summoned Agrippina for a talk in private. After telling her about Andolosia’s lavish mode of living, she continued: “The King and I cannot understand where all his money comes from, for he has neither land nor lieges. Now everything about him tells me that he is obsessed with you, and the next time he visits, I’ll allow you more time to converse with him, to see if you can get him to reveal the source of his wealth.”

“I shall certainly try,” promised Agrippina.

So when Andolosia made his next appearance at Court, he was received most handsomely, and admitted to the ladies’ quarters, to his great delight; and it was arranged that he should talk in private with Agrippina. When they were alone, she began: “Andolosia, everyone is saying that it was most honourable of you to regale the King in such grand style and reward all his servants so bountifully. But tell me: aren’t you afraid that, one day, your money will run out?”

“Dear lady,” he said, “while I breathe, I cannot want for money.”

“Then it is meet and proper that you say prayers for your father, who has left you such a store.”

Andolosia replied, “I am as rich as my father, and he was never richer than I am now. But his cast of mind was such that he could take delight only in visiting foreign lands; whereas my pleasure lies with beautiful ladies, in earning their love and favour.”

“Now you have been at Kings’ Courts, where there is always a host of beautiful women. Have you perhaps seen anything that takes your fancy?” asked Agrippina.

“I have served at the Courts of six Kings, and I’ve seen many beautiful ladies and maidens; but none of those women can begin to compare with you for beauty, elegant deportment and exemplary conduct. Your virtues have set my heart burning so fiercely with love that I cannot help myself, I must reveal to you the great and unspeakable love I bear for you. I’m fully aware that I can’t reasonably expect you to return my ardour, for I was not born into the high nobility. And yet love, which conquers everything – love presses me so hard that I cannot stop myself, I must ask for your love; and if you do not refuse me, then whatever you ask of me will be granted.”

He had not long to wait before Agrippina replied: “Andolosia, be honest with me. Show me where all your wealth originates. If you do this in good faith, and do not deceive me, then I shall comply with your desire.”

When Andolosia heard these words, his heart skipped a beat, and with a careless mind and joyful heart he cried out: “Dear Agrippina, I’ll trust you with the truth you wish to know! But give me your word and your faith.”

“Oh Andolosia my dearest, do not doubt my love or my word; what I promise with my lips, you shall experience as works.”

At these kind words, Andolosia said to the beautiful maiden, “Now hold out the lap of your skirt,” and pulling out Fortune’s Purse, he showed it to the Princess, and said: “While I have this Purse, I have no end of money.” And he counted out a thousand Crowns into her lap, saying: “These are a gift for you. And if you want more, I’ll tell you more. Do you believe that I’ve told you the truth?”

“I see and acknowledge the truth,” she replied, “and now your expenditure amazes me no longer.”

“Now fulfil your faith to me, as I fulfilled mine.”

“I shall do that, my darling Andolosia. Tonight the Queen will lie with the King, and I shall arrange with my lady’s-maid for you to lie with me. I cannot bring this to pass without her; you will have to seal her lips with gold.”

Andolosia promised to do this and to come that night. As soon as he had gone, Agrippina ran to the Queen with the thousand Crowns in her skirts and told her with great delight how she had discovered Andolosia’s secret, and the promise she had made him, and the prospect she had given him for that night. The Queen was highly pleased, for she was a cunning woman, and she asked her daughter:

“Can you remember the shape of the Purse, and its colour and size?”

“Yes,” said Agrippina.

Then the Queen sent for a bag-maker and had him make a purse which exactly resembled Andolosia’s. It was also softened, to give it the appearance of age. After this she ordered her physician to prepare a sleeping-draught – a drink strong enough to sink a man into a sleep as deep as death for seven or eight hours. When the potion was ready, it was borne to Agrippina’s chamber, and the lady’s-maid received instructions to give Andolosia a good reception when he came that night and then to conduct him to Agrippina’s chamber. The Queen would send her daughter to him, and once they were together, the lady’s-maid was to present them with sugared sweets with golden