Song against the King's Taxes (Anglo-Norman and Latin). 182 Song on the Execution of Sir Simon Fraser (English) Song on the Venality of the Judges (Latin) Song on the Times (Anglo-Norman, Latin, and English) POLITICAL SONGS. KING JOHN. 1199-1216. THE thirteenth century opens amid the violence of party feelings, and the few political songs which we find during the reign of King John are full of keenness. Early in his reign the English Monarch suffered himself to be robbed of his possessions in Normandy, and the poetry of the Troubadours contains many expressions of regret at their separation from England, and bitter reflections on the King's cowardice and weakness. The following song seems to have been written when Thouars was in danger, during Philippe Auguste's incursions into Poitou, in 1206. Savary of Mauleon is famous in contemporary history, and was himself a poet of no small He was a firm adherent to the English party. renown. SONG ON THE SIEGE OF THOUARS. [Royal Library at Paris, MS. du fonds de St. Germain, No. 1989, fol. 111, vo. 13th cent.] MORS est li siècles briemant, Se li rois Touwairs sormonte; De ceu li vait malement Ke li faillent li troi conte, TRANSLATION.-The world will shortly come to nought,-if the king overcome Thouars.-On this account it fares ill with it,-that the three earls CAMD. SOC. 6. B 2 Et li vieillairs de Bouaing I averait grant honte, Morrait à si mauté. Savaris de Maliéon, Se vos fals à ces besons, Asi d'Anjow et dou Mainne, Atre ke vos mist. Et vos, sire xanexals, Ke cist rois et cil Fransois Laxait Bordelois. desert it, and the old man of Bouaing-would have there great shame,—that after the death of the viscount-he should die in such evil case. Savary of Mauleon,—a good knight at the quintain,—if you fail us in this need,—we have lost our labour;-and you, Seneschal,-both of Anjou and of Maine, they have placed a seneschal in Touraine-other than you. And you, Sir Seneschal,-you and Sir John of Maine,—and Hugh, between you three,-send word to the King of Almain,—that this king and him of France, deign not to love us,-when for a mule of Spain-he left the Bordelois. |