Ser Tomeno, the moment he had perused this document, lost no time in acquainting Agabio with the progress of the affair, and he, desiring nothing better, took his attorney along with him, and called privately at the house of the vicar, who happening to be a particular friend of his, heard the whole proceedings from beginning to end—the good friar`s long and difficult negotiation, Agabio`s stratagems to counteract him, and the commencement of the present process.
Now the vicar, as belonging to the order of the priesthood, was by no means overburdened with affection towards the friars, and expressed his satisfaction at hearing what had passed. Upon the following day, at the hour appointed for the parties to make their appearance, came Fra Serafino, accompanied by the procurator of his convent, both of whom were extremely noisy, and bent upon obtaining a sight of the will immediately. Agabio, in answer to their appeal, said, “Good Messer Vicar, may it please your reverence, I have not the slightest objection to the production of the will, provided that all the parties whose names are therein mentioned consent to fulfil the articles according to the letter, of whatever nature they may be.”
Inconvenience of such bequests
“Say no more,” interrupted the vicar; “all that is very clear; for our laws are very particular on this point, and whoever comes in for the benefit must also incur the inconvenience of such bequests. Let us have this document, then; it is only what is lawful and reasonable,” and Agabio, instantly taking a scroll out of his pocket, handed it to the opposite notary for perusal.
After running over the leading particulars relating to the heirs, and several legacies inserted for the purpose of giving the whole a greater air of reality, he came to the part that concerned the friar, the tenor of which ran in the following manner:
“Item, I will and bequeath, for the better preservation of my son`s fortune and for the general benefit of all the widows in Novara, that there be given by the hands of my own children the amount of fifty lashes upon the back of Fra Serafino, at this time being the guardian or superior of the convent of San Nazaro; and that the said lashes be of the best and soundest in the power of my sons` hands to inflict.
And be it furtherstated, that these are intended to serve as an example to the rest of his brotherhood how they venture in future to impose upon poor credulous women or feeble old dotards, basely and maliciously persuading them to disinherit and impoverish their own flesh and blood for the purpose of ornamenting ceils and chapels.”
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