And so I pray thee, sweet my Lord, that thou
  Give her to feel thy fire, and shew her plain
  How grievous my disease. 
  This service deign to render; for that now
  Thou seest me waste for love, and in the pain
  Dissolve me by degrees: 
  And then the apt moment seize
  My cause to plead with her, as is but due
  From thee to me, who fain with thee would sue.

When Dioneo’s silence shewed that his song was ended, the queen accorded it no stinted meed of praise; after which she caused not a few other songs to be sung.  Thus passed some part of the night; and then the queen, taking note that its freshness had vanquished the heat of the day, bade all go rest them, if they would, till the morning.

(1) The song is evidently amoebean.

—­ Endeth here the fifth day of the Decameron, beginneth the sixth, wherein, under the rule of Elisa, discourse is had of such as by some sprightly sally have repulsed an attack, or by some ready retort or device have avoided loss, peril or scorn. —­

Still in mid heaven, the moon had lost her radiance, nor was any part of our world unillumined by the fresh splendour of the dawn, when, the queen being risen and having mustered her company, they hied them, gently sauntering, across the dewy mead some distance from the beautiful hill, conversing now of this, now of the other matter, canvassing the stories, their greater or less degree of beauty, and laughing afresh at divers of their incidents, until, the sun being now in his higher ascendant, they began to feel his heat, and turning back by common consent, retraced their steps to the palace, where, the tables being already set, and fragrant herbs and fair flowers strewn all about, they by the queen’s command, before it should grow hotter, addressed themselves to their meal.  So, having blithely breakfasted, they first of all sang some dainty and jocund ditties, and then, as they were severally minded, composed them to sleep or sat them down to chess or dice, while Dioneo and Lauretta fell a singing of Troilus and Cressida.

The hour of session being come, they took their places, at the queen’s summons, in their wonted order by the fountain; but, when the queen was about to call for the first story, that happened which had not happened before; to wit, there being a great uproar in the kitchen among the maids and men, the sound thereof reached the ears of the queen and all the company.  Whereupon the queen called the seneschal and asked him who bawled so loud, and what was the occasion of the uproar.  The seneschal made answer that ’twas some contention between Licisca and Tindaro; but the occasion he knew not, having but just come to quiet them, when he received her summons.  The queen then bade him cause Licisca and Tindaro to come thither forthwith:  so they came, and the queen enquired of them the cause of the uproar.  Tindaro was about to make answer, when Licisca, who was somewhat advanced in years, and disposed to give