Aquel Esposo, que el nevado invierno

Se cubrio con escarcha matutina,

El que tiene los ojos de palomas

V del labio de lirio vierte aromas.-Lope de Vega.

The marginal note adds La Virgen fue Madrina en los desporios de Caterina y Christo.

Of St. Margaret, the other favourite Saint of the Maid, I find recorded by Bergomensis, that she called the pagan Præfect an impudent dog, that she was thrown into a dungeon, where a horrible dragon swallowed her, that she crossed herself, upon which the dragon immediately burst and she came out safe, and that she saw the devil standing in the corner like a black man, and seized him and threw him down. Absurd as this legend is, it once occasioned a very extraordinary murder. A young Lombard after hearing it, prayed so earnestly for an opportunity of fighting with the devil like St. Margaret, that he went into the fields in full expectation that his desire would be gratified. A hideous old dumb woman came by: he mistook her for the tempter; her inarticulate noises confirmed him in this opinion, and he knocked her down and trampled upon her. The poor wretch died of her bruises, but a miracle was wrought to save her murderer in consideration that his madness was a pious madness, and before she died, she spoke to excuse the mistake. This tale is told in that strange collection of ludicrous stories upon religious subjects, the Piu Hilaria. The authority referred to, is Petr. Rausani Hist. lib. 35.

Page 55. line 136.-The sacred sword.

Puella petiit gladium, quem divinitus uti aiebat, erat facta certior in templo dive Catherine in Turonibus, inter antiqua donaria pendere. Miratus Carolus, gladium inquiri, ac inventum protinus Puellæ afferri jussit. - Polydore Virgil.

Roland, or rather Orlando, for it is Ariosto who has immortalized him, was buried with Durindana at his side, and

his horn Olifant at his feet.

Charlemain also had his good
He was placed in his se-

sword Joyeuse buried with him. pulchre on a golden throne, crowned and habited in his imperial robes, though a cilice was next his skin; one hand held a globe of gold, the other rested on the Gospels, which were lying on his knees. His shield and sceptre were hung opposite to him, on the side of the sepulchre, which was filled with perfumes and spices, and then closed. Tizona was buried with the Cid, no living man being worthy to wield that sword with which the Campeador, even after death, had triumphed ; and which had been miraculously half drawn from the scabbard to avenge the insult offered by a Jew to his corpse.

Page 57. line 169.

They partook the feast.

Cette cérémonie chez les grands s'annonçait au son du cor, ou au son d'une cloche; coutume qui subsiste encore dans les couvens et les maisons opulentes, pour announcer le couvert et le dîner. Après le service des viandes, c'est-à-dire, après ce que nous appellons entrées, rôti et entremets, on sortait de table pour se laver les mains une seconde fois, comme chez le Romains de qui parâit être venu cet usage. Les domestiques desservaient pendant ce tems; ils enlevaient une des nappes et apportaient les confitures (qu'on nommait epices) et les vins composés. A ce moment, fait pour la gaieté, commençaient les devis plaisans et joyeux propos, car dans ce bon vieux tems on aimait beaucoup de rire. C'était alors que les ménétriers venoient réciter leurs fabliaux, lorsqu'on admettait leur présence. - Le Grand.

Page 57. line 174.— Or luscious with metheglin mingled rich.

Il y avait plusieurs sortes de ces vins préparés qu'on servait après les viandes. 1. les Vins cuits, qui sont encore en usage dans quelques provinces, et qui ont conservé le même nom. 2. Ceux auxquels on ajoutait le suc de quelque fruit, tels que le Moré, fait avec du jus de mûre. 3. Ceux qu'on assaisonnait avec du miel, comme le Nectar, le Medon, &c. 4. Ceux où l'on

faisait infuser des plantes médicinales ou aromatiques, et qui prenaient leur nom de ces plantes, Vins d'Absinthe, de Myrthe, d'Aloès, &c. Le Roman de Florimont les appelle Vins herbez. 5. Enfin ceux dans lesquels, outre le miel, il entrait des épices. On appellait ces derniers du nom général de Pimens. C'étoient les plus estimés de tous. Nos auteurs n'en parlent qu'avec délices. Il eût manque quelque chose à une fête ou à un repas, si on n'y eût point servi du Piment: et l'an on donnait meme aux moines dans les couvens à certains jours de l'année. Le Grand.

-

Page 57. line 185. Like that divinest Tuscan. Ariosto.

Page 59. line 246.

Thou canst not with thy golden belt put on
An honourable name.

Du proverbe Bonne renommee vaut mieux que ceinture doree. Lisant un arrest ancien qui est encores pour le jourd'huy inseré aux registres du Chastelet de Paris, j'estimay qu'en ce proverbe il y avoit une notable sentence, et une longue ancienneté tout ensemble. Car par arrest qui est du 28 de Juin 1420, il est porté en termes exprés que deffenses sont faites à toutes femmes amoureuses, filles de joye, et paillardes de ne porter robbes à collets renversez, queues, ne ceintures dorees, boutonnieres à leurs chaperons, sur peine de confiscation et amende, et que les huissiers de parlement, commissaires et sergents du Chastelet qui les trouveroient, eussent à les mener prisonnieres.

Au surplus (je diray cecy en passant) à la mienne volonté que ceux qui donnerent cest arrest eussent tourné la chance, et que non

seulement ces ceintures dorees, ains en toutes autres dorures, et affliquets, ils eussent fait deffences à toutes femmes d'honneur d'emporter, sur peine d'estre declarees putains; car il n'y auroit point plus prompt moyen que cestuy, pour bannier le superfluité et bombance des dames. - Pasquier.

Hæc igitur Janna Pulcella virgo, cum magnam gloriam in armis esset adepta, et regnum Francorum magnâ ex parte deperditum, e manibus Anglorum pugnando eripuisset, in suâ florente ætate constituta, non solum se morituram, sed et genus suæ mortis cunctis prædixit. - Bergomensis.

There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen the lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it. Job, xxviii. 7, 8

Page 63. line 350. - As they did hear the loud alarum bell.

"In sooth the estate of France was then most miserable. There appeared nothing but a horrible face, confusion, poverty, desolation, solitarinesse and feare. The lean and bare labourers in the country did terrifie even theeves themselves, who had nothing left them to spoile but the carkasses of these poore miserable creatures, wandering up and down like ghostes drawne out of their graves. The least farmes and hamlets were fortified by these robbers, English, Bourguegnons and French, every one striving to do his worst: all men of war were well agreed to spoile the countryman and merchant. Even the cattell, accustomed to the larume bell, the signe of the enemy's approach, would run home of themselves without any guide by this accustomed misery.

This is the perfect description of those times, taken out of

the lamentations of our ancestors, set down in the original, says De Serres. But amidst this horrible calamity, God did comfort both the king and realme, for about the end of the yeere, he gave Charles a goodly sonne by queen Mary his wife."

O my people, hear my word: make you ready to the battle, and in those evils, be even as pilgrims upon the earth. 2 Esdras, xvi. 40.

Page 63. line 359. Cast the weak nature off!

Let go from thee mortal thoughts, cast away the burdens of man, put off now the weak nature,

And set aside the thoughts that are most heavy unto thee, and haste thee to flee from these times.-2 Esdras, xiv. 14, 15.

Page 67. line 477.-Worthy a happier, not a better love.

"To succeed in the siege of Orleans, the English first secured the neighbouring places, which might otherwise have annoyed the besiegers. The months of August and September were spent in this work. During that space they took Mehun, Baugenci, Gergeau, Clery, Sully, Jenville, and some other small towns, and at last appeared before Orleans on the 12th of October."- Rapin.