A Brief Comic Life of Francion
Charles Sorel
True comic biography of Francion
Achieving the favors of Loreta, the young wife of the castle’s ruler, old Valentine, Francia, having entered the castle in the guise of a pilgrim, plays a cruel joke with Valentine. That night, thanks to Francion, incredible events take place in the castle: Loreta is spending a good time with the thief, taking him for Francion, another thief hangs on the rope ladder all night, the fooled husband is tied to a tree, the maid Catherine is a man, and himself, Do not sink in the tub with water. After this adventure, staying for a night in the village tavern, France meets with the old Agatha, with whom he, as it turns out, is well acquainted, and the Burgundian nobleman. Agatha tells of the adventures of Loreta, and at the same time about their own, no less entertaining. France accepts the invitation of a courteous nobleman, and, having arrived at his rich castle,
France is the son of a nobleman from Brittany, a noble
When Francis finished his basic course at the school of philosophy, his father took him home to Brittany and almost determined on the legal side, forgetting his hatred of the judges. But after the death of his father, France received permission to return to Paris and “to learn noble pursuits.” Having settled in the university quarter, he began to take lessons from the “lute player, fenchtmeister and dancer”, and spent all his free time reading and in a short time achieved considerable scholarship. His greatest misfortune was poverty, he dressed so badly that no one recognized a nobleman in him, so he did not even wear swords, and daily suffered many insults. Even those who knew about his origins, shunned to maintain an acquaintance with him. Finally losing hope for life, which was once pictured to him in dreams, Francis would fall into the abyss of despair, if he had not taken up poetry, although his first poems “were given in the school spirit and did not shine with luster or sanity.” Through the bookseller he met with the Parisian poets and their writings and found that among them there is not a single great talent. All of them were poor, because the craft of the poet does not bring money, and the rich man does not take up the pen for his pen, and everyone was distinguished by absurdity, impermanence and unbearable conceit. Francis, possessing by nature a sharp mind, quickly learned the rules of versification and even tried to break into court poets or enlist the patronage of a great lord, but none of this came to pass. And then fortune turned to face him: his mother sent him a large sum of money. He immediately dressed like a courtier, and was able to finally introduce himself to the beautiful Diane, whom he had long been in love with. However, Diana preferred him to an empty dandy, the lute Melibey, and Francine’s love faded. After it, he loved many more and chased after all the beauties in a row, but could not give his heart to any one, because he did not find a woman “worthy of perfect love.”
Having got a luxurious dress, Francis started and had many acquaintances among young people and founded the company “enemies of stupidity and ignorance” under the name “Daring and generous.” They organized the leprosy that the whole of Paris was talking about, and “broke the vice not only with the tip of tongues,” but over time young people settled down, the brotherhood broke up, and France turned to philosophical reflections about the nature of man and again began to think about finding someone Someone who would strengthen his position. But fate sent him not a swaggering patron, but rather a friend in the person of the wealthy nobleman Clerant, who heard about the wit of Francion and long dreamed of getting to know him. Clerant offered him a “decent reward”, and France could finally flaunt in luxurious outfits on a magnificent horse. He avenged those, who previously showed contempt for him, and his stick taught an upstart that in order to be called a nobleman, one must “not allow anything base in his actions.” France became an attorney in all matters of Clerant, who, having got into the favor, presented to the court and Francion. France deserved the favor of the King and Prince of Protogen. And now a new fascination – Loretta – led him to Burgundy.
On this, Francis concludes his story, and it turns out that his master is the same Remus, who once abducted his money and about which Francois was very unflattering. Remon leaves, slamming the door in anger. Two days later, the butler informs Francion that, on the orders of Remon, he must die. He is clothed in antique clothes and is being judged for the insult inflicted on Remona. The court decides to betray Francion in the hands of the sternest of the ladies, the door opens, and Loreta and Remon appear, who embraces Francia and assures him of eternal friendship. After this begins Bacchanalia, which lasts a whole week, while Loret almost catches at the scene of the crime once again a fooled husband.
And France is going to find a woman whose portrait has amazed his imagination. From her relative, Dorinie, one of Remon’s friends, France learns that Nais is an Italian, a widow, who prefers French Italians and is in love with a portrait of a young French noble, Floriandra, and he has just passed away from a serious illness.
On the way, France, like a wandering knight, does good deeds and finally finds the beautiful Nais in a village known for its healing waters. Despite the fact that he is not Florian, he manages to win the favor of a beautiful woman and to earn the hatred of her ardent Italians, Valeria and Ergast. All four, accompanied by magnificent suites, travel to Italy, and Ergast and Valery, joining forces against a common enemy, entice Francion into the trap: he finds himself in the underground prison of the fortress, and the commandant is ordered to kill him. Ergast wrote Nais a false letter on behalf of Francion, and she, having lost Francion, realizes how much she loved him.
But the commandant of the fortress releases Francia to freedom. In a peasant dress, without servants and without money, France is hired to graze rams in an Italian village. He plays the lute, writes poetry, enjoys true freedom and feels happy like never before. Complete bliss is hampered only by “fits of love fever” and the desire to see the lover, which, however, does not prevent Franconian enjoying village girls. Peasants consider him a magician, who is familiar with demons, because he heals the sick and mutters verses. France is running a court and dismantling intricate cases, showing wisdom is akin to Solomon’s, he even trades with his own hand-prepared drugs. Finally, he finds the valet Petronius, and here is France already in Rome, again dressed as a nobleman, and also tells Remona and Dorini, who came to Rome, about their new adventures. In Rome, there is also Hortensius, who has not grown wiser since he was a Franconian mentor. Everyone in Rome speaks of Franconia and envies Nais. The wedding is already decided, but then again rivals, Valery and Ergast interfere. Their efforts Francion accused at the same time in forgery of money and a violation of the promise to marry some Emilia, with whom he met when he arrived in Rome and, frankly speaking, thoughtlessly had her views, without ceasing to take care of Nais. Nais is offended by betrayal, she refuses to Francion, but his friends reveal the conspiracy, Ergast and Valery all admit, the court justifies Francion, and Nais forgives. France, mindful of the troubles that have happened to him because of Emilia, decides henceforth to love only one Nais.
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