Mutans linguæ modulum et vestes hesternas,
Migrat in obscuras humili sermone tabernas.

Presbiter quæ mortui quæ dant vivi, quæque
Refert ad focariam, cui dat sua seque;
Ille sacri nominis, ille mentis æquæ,
Legem qui Domini meditatur nocte dieque.
Fulti verbis laici cleri delinquentis,

Non tam verbis inhiant quam famæ docentis:
Nec sensus sic flectere minis aut tormentis
Humanos edicta valent, quam vita regentis.

Regna movent principes statusque lascivi,
Ut ducant exercitus, pœnam donativi
Infligentes rustico miseroque civi;
Quicquid delirant reges plectuntur Achivi.
Qui regni vel curiæ curis accinguntur,
Dum arrident detrahunt, et dum blandiuntur
Jacturam vel dedecus semper moliuntur;
Nulla fides pietasve viris qui castra sequuntur.
Si te civis percipit, demollit ut urat,

Si dena contuleris mutuum futurat,

ments, migrates with humble speech to the obscure taverns.-The priest, whatever either the dead or the living give, carries all to his fireside-woman, to whom he gives himself and what he has; he of the holy name and the equal mind, who meditates the law of the Lord by day and by night.—The laymen resting on the words of the clergy who depart from them, pay less attention to the words than to the character of the teacher: nor can laws subdue the senses of men by threats and torments, so much as the example of the ruler.—The luxurious princes stir kingdoms and states, that they may lead armies, inflicting the punishment of a tax on the rustic and the miserable citizen; for whenever the kings run wild, the Greeks pay the piper.-They who are occupied with the cares of the kingdom or of the court, detract while they smile, and when they flatter they are plotting damage or disgrace; there is neither faith nor honesty in those who follow camps.-If a citizen perceive you, he caresses CAMD. SOC. 6.

F

Te de tuo submovet, percipe, dum durat ;
Pone merum et talos pereat, qui crastina curat.
Si quis ad forensium domos devolutus
Censum palam deferat, et minus astutus,
Nam cum cubans dormiet fessus et imbutus,
Vivitur ex rapto, non hospes ab hospite tutus.
Sic raptus, insidiæ, dolus, et simultas
Reddunt gentes devias, miseras, et stultas;
Sic inescant omnium mentes inconsultas
Ambitus, et luxus, et opum metuenda facultas.
Sed quid confert miseris luxus aut potestas
Qui spretis virtutibus colunt res funestas,
Aurum, gemmas, purpuram, et opes congestas?
Cum labor in dampno est, crescit mortalis egestas.
Quid ad rem, de purpura, gemmis, auro, rure?
Assunt cum divitiis odia, jacturæ,
Placita, jejunia, metus, et de jure

Insompnes longo veniunt ex agmine curæ.

Regnat pauper tutius quam rerum collator,
Qui, dum rapit domini gratiam delator,

that he may burn you; if you lay down ten, he puts the payment of his stake to another time; he cheats you out of your own; look to it, while it lasts; he may perish behind the wine and the dice, who leaves care till to-morrow. If any one going to the houses of the lawyers, carries his money openly, he also is a simpleton; for when he sleeps in his bed weary and full, people live by rapine, the guest is not safe from his host.-Thus rapine, snares, treachery, and strife, lead people into error, misery, and folly; thus ambition and luxury, and the revered possession of riches, allure the foolish minds of all men.-But what availeth luxury and power to those miserable people who, despising virtues, esteem only things that produce evil, such as gold, gems, and heaps of wealth? when our labour is expended on what is injurious to us, the misery of mortals is on the increase.-What avails it to talk of purple, gems, gold, land? With riches we have feuds, losses, pleas, fastings, fears, and justly sleepless cares come in a long train.-The poor man reigns more safely than he that amasses

Vel onustum spoliat prudens spoliator;
Cantabit vacuus coram latrone viator.
Sæpe vivunt gratius rebus destituti,
Sub exili tegete lateris aut luti,
Quam in regum domibus mollibus induti ;
Serviet æternum qui parvo nesciet uti.

Sed si quæris copiam veræ facultatis,
Rejice superflua, cole quod est satis,
Exue divitias, nudus cede fatis;
Tolle moram, nocuit semper differre paratis.
Si dum iter arripis ad utiliora,

Spem metus dissuadeat, vel successus mora,
Animum ne revoces, nec reflectas lora,
Grata superveniet quæ non sperabitur hora.
Thesaurizes illud quo non potes abuti,
Curam gerens inopis, cæci, claudi, muti;
Animæ, non animo servias vel cuti,
Pauca voluptati debentur, plura saluti.
Nemo regis solio tutus, vel asylo,

Cum nec lingua nequeat exprimi vel stilo

wealth, who, while the informer deprives the lord of his favour, or the lurking spoiler spoils him who is laden, he, an empty traveller, will sing before the thief. They who are destitute often live more pleasantly under a slight hut of brick or mud, than those who are delicately clothed in the palaces of kings; he will be ever a slave who knows not how to use moderation.-But if you seek abundance of true property, reject superfluity, seek what is enough, strip yourself of riches, and die naked; delay not this, for those who are prepared are ever injured by delay.-If while you are on your road to what is more useful, fear dissuade hope, or delay endanger success; change not your mind, nor slacken your reins; the grateful hour will arrive when least expected.— Treasure up that which you cannot abuse, having a care of the needy, the blind, the lame, and the dumb; serve your soul, and not your mind or your skin; you owe little to pleasure, but more to your salvation.-No one is safe on a king's throne, or in a sanctuary, since it can be expressed neither by tongue nor pen

Quam sub fato pendulo vicinoque pilo,
Omina sunt hominum tenui pendentia filo.

Prospere dum navigas æquoris extremum,
Pensa non præsentia, sed futura demum,

Et puppim considerans, non proram vel remum,
Omnem crede diem tibi diluxisse supremum.

by how slender a thread the destinies of men hang under the imminent approach of death. While you navigate prosperously the far side of the sea, weigh not the present but the future, and considering the poop more than the prow or the oar, act as though you thought every day your last.

The foreign policy of Henry III. was even less manly than that of his father. Among the many songs of the Normans and Poitevins, reclaiming the assistance of their ancient sovereign, we may give as an example the Sirvente of Bernard de Rovenac, addressed to Henry and his contemporary James I. King of Aragon, from whom Louis IX. had taken Languedoc to give it as a portion to his brother Alphonsus. There is internal evidence that it was written about 1229, the year in which Henry III. made his ill-conducted expedition into Brittany.

A SIRVENTE AGAINST KING HENRY.

[Raynouard, Choix, tom. iv. p. 203.]

JA no vuelh do ni esmenda

Ni grat retener

Dels ricx ab lur falz saber,

Qu'en cor ay que los reprenda

TRANSLATION.-I wish neither for the gifts and favours-nor to obtain the good-will-of the rich, with their false wisdom;-but I have in my heart the

Dels vils fatz mal yssernitz;

E no vuelh sia grazitz

Mos sirventes entr' els flacx nualhos,
Paupres de cor et d' aver poderos.

Rey Engles prec que entenda,
Quar fa dechazar

Son pauc pretz per trop temer,
Quar no'l play qu' els sieus defenda,
Qu'ans es tan flacx e marritz
Que par sia adurmitz,

Qu'el reys frances li tolh en plas perdos
Tors et Angieus e Normans e Bretos.

Rey d'Arago, ses contenda,

Deu ben nom aver

Jacme, quar trop vol jazer;

E qui que sa terra s prenda,

El es tan flacx e chausitz

Que sol res no y contraditz;

E car ven lay als Sarrazis fellos

L'anta e'l dan que pren say vas Lymos.

intention to reproach them-with their vile deeds ill-conceived;—and I don't wish to be agreable-my Sirventes among the cowardly idlers,-poor in heart and heavy in riches.

The English King, I pray him to hear it, for he causes to fall-his little glory by too much timidity,—for it does not please him to defend his own people, —and thus he is so cowardly and so vile,—that he seems to be asleep,—while the French King takes from him with impunity-Tours, and Angiers, and Normans, and Bretons.

The King of Aragon, without any doubt,—ought really to have the name— of James; for he is too willing to lie down ;—and whoever it be that takes his land, he is so cowardly and caitiff,-that he does not even contradict it ;-and he revenges on that side against the felon Saracens--the shame and damage which he receives on this side towards Limoux.