The Heptameron - Day 3

Heptameron Day 3

What Stories Are Told on the Third Day of the Heptameron?

On the Third Day of the Heptameron are told tales of Ladies who have acted honourably in love and also tales dealing with the hypocricy and wickedness of the monks.

Heptameron Day 3 Summary

The Theme of the Third Day

The Stories Told on the Third Day of Heptameron

The FIRST Tale, of the Third Day -- The honourable love of a gentleman, who, when his sweetheart is forbidden to speak with him, in despair becomes a monk of the Observance, while the lady, following in his footsteps, becomes a nun of St. Clara

The SECOND Tale, of the Third Day -- How Sister Marie Heroet virtuously escapes the attempts of the Prior of St. Martin in-the-Fields

The THIRD Tale, of the Third Day -- The undeserved confidence which a gentleman of Perigord places in the monks of the Order of St. Francis, causes the death of himself, his wife and their little child

The FOURTH Tale, of the Third Day -- Concerning the unavailing love borne to the Queen of Castile by a gentleman named Elisor, who in the end becomes a hermit

The FIFTH Tale, of the Third Day -- How a young Prince found means to conceal his intrigue with the wife of a lawyer of Paris

The SIXTH Tale, of the Third Day -- How the counsels of a discreet lady happily withdrew the young Lord of Avannes from the perils of his foolish love for a lady of Pampeluna

The SEVENTH Tale, of the Third Day -- How the wife of a man who was valet to a Princess rid herself of the solicitations of one who was among the same Princess's servants, and at the same time her husband's guest

The EIGHT Tale, of the Third Day -- How a Gascon merchant, named Bernard du Ha, while sojourning at Paris, deceived a Secretary to the Queen of Navarre who had thought to obtain a pasty from him

The NINTH Tale, of the Third Day -- How the Priest of Carrelles, in Maine, when surprised with the wife of an old husbandman, gets out of the difficulty by pretending to return him a winnowing fan

The TENTH Tale, of the Third Day -- Jerry Springer in the 15th century !!

The Third Day

Though it was yet early when the company entered the hall on the morrow, they found Madame Oisille there before them. She had been meditating for more than half-an-hour upon the lesson that she was going to read; and if she had contented them on the first and second days, she assuredly did no less on the third; indeed, but that one of the monks came in search of them they would not have heard high mass, for so intent were they upon listening to her that they did not even hear the bell.

When they had piously heard mass, and had dined with temperance to the end that the meats might in no sort hinder the memory of each from acquitting itself as well as might be when their several turns came, they withdrew to their apartments, there to consult their note-books until the wonted hour for repairing to the meadow was come. When it had arrived they were not slow to make the pleasant excursion, and those who were prepared to tell of some merry circumstance already showed mirthful faces that gave promise of much laughter. When they were seated, they asked Saffredent to whom he would give his vote for the beginning of the Third Day.

"I think," said he, "that since my offence yesterday was as you say very great, and I have knowledge of no story that might atone for it, I ought to give my vote to Parlamente, who, with her sound understanding, will be able to praise the ladies sufficiently to make you forget such truth as you heard from me."

"I will not undertake," said Parlamente, "to atone for your offences, but I will promise not to imitate them. Wherefore, holding to the truth that we have promised and vowed to utter, I propose to show you that there are ladies who in their loves have aimed at nought but virtue. And since she of whom I am going to speak to you came of an honourable line, I will just change the names in my story but nothing more; and I pray you, ladies, believe that love has no power to change a chaste and virtuous heart, as you will see by the tale I will now begin to tell."

The FIRST Tale, of the Third Day