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Three kings there were, in eastern lands, who saw that bright star shining,

And all amazed they were, and stood with mickle thought divining
What it might mean; then well they deemed this star could only show
Unto all men that God himself was come to dwell below;

So swift their way these wise men took, yready making them,
Without delay, that they might seek their King in Bethlehem.
And swiftly are these three wise kings already on their way,
And a right royal present do they to Him convey;

Good store of incense and of myrrh, and precious fine red gold,*
And still that star blazed brightsomely as on their way they hold,
E'en till they come to Bethlehem, and the young Babe have found.
Then their present they did offer him, and they knelt in awe profound:
For there are now four kings, the fourth, the Son of God is he!
Oh! joyful were those wise men then, that wondrous sight to see!
"'Twas not in castle large and high, nor tower of royal name,
That our dear Lord was shelter'd when to this earth he came ;
It was within a wretched stall, where hinds their cattle fed,
And where their crib aud manger stood, was made His humble bed.

No carved couch, nor cradle fair, of gold and ebony,

Nor coverlid of marten soft, nor ermine pall had he,

But he who all things governeth, aye, he who made them all,

Lay as a little infant there, beside the oxen's stall;

All meanly clad within the crib, for linen raiment none,

Nor thick wrought robe, our ladye had wherewith to wrap her son;
But there, 'twixt Joseph and herself, he lieth poor and lone.

"Now will I tell you of these kings, how they were lodged there-
Well may ye think 'twas new to them such mean array to share,
Though they were at the court of him who giveth all things free:
And served were right heedfully by the mother of pitye,†
Who, between Joseph and herself, placed them with kindly care,
But they awearied were, and then repose they sought to share:
Nor had they thick wrought coverlid, nor linen soft and rare.—
But well might they such ills endure, such mean array sustain,
For they on whom God's mercy rests, methinks have mickle gain;
And therefore very glad were they, full filled with gladsomeness,
Thus slept these kings, for they were faint with utter weariness.
And then an angel came to them, and bade them take their way
Unto their realms, this wondrous news that they might there display,
For love of Him, that little child whose power all things obey."

* "Co fud mirre e encens e ruge or esmerć." So early was the phrase "fine red gold," used.

+ "Ileoc ert Senechal, mere de pitie." So feudal were the expressions

Guichard then proceeds to give a short view of the Gospel history, and to insist upon his hearers giving instant attention to its message; and, in a strain of simple and touching pathos, he exhibits its fulness and freeness; then finally, after again warning them of the dangers of the times, he concludes:

“Then see ye pray Almighty God, who hath all power and might,
Who was, and is, and is to come, to guide your steps aright;
And since that on the Cross our Lord His life for sinners gave,
That he would guard our bodies well, and our souls from evil save,
That we withouten end may in his blessed presence dwell,

This mercy may He grant to us, for his pity doth excel;
May he who gave for us his flesh and blood so willingly,

You bless and save, both now and aye, through all eternity."

And thus, "ici, fin le sermun de Guichart de Beaulieu."*

While the zealous preacher of Beaulieu was thus scattering "the good seed," by the wayside, right learned clerks were also providing moral, and occasionally religious, instruction for the higher classes; and among these, Simon le Fresne-Simon Ash, as he is called by Leland, who places him in his list of Latin poets of the 12th century-must take no mean place. That this learned man, the friend of Giraldus Cambrensis-who, in some verses addressed to him, speaks of his attainments in the highest terms-should have turned aside from his loftier studies, to adopt, not merely the language

of this period. In his description of the judgment day, Guichart tells that it will be" un grant cour pleniere."

Although in this curious work there is much occasional tautology, still it is so abundant in simple and characteristic passages, that it is worthy of more extensive transcription. Its singularly Protestant character too is very remarkable.

but the very metre and style of the trouvère, affords a strong proof of the earnestness with which the learned men of this age laboured to diffuse the advantages which they possessed among their contemporaries.

The work in which Simon le Fresne laid aside the character of the Latin scholar, to appear as the trouvère, is a poem which bears the title of "Le Dictie du Clerc e de la Philosophie ;" and is formed upon the model, for it certainly is not a translation, of that very favourite book of our forefathers, Boethius' Consolations of Philosophy: the commencing lines are very naïve, and perfectly in the character of the trouvère :

Joy 'twill give, and ease from woe,
This Romanz to read I trow;
Much advantage too 'twill bring,
As a work most solacing :
For no man, if wise he be,
Need lament his poverty,
Nor he who gaineth wordly store
Be more joyous than before-
Fools, they, to whom riches bring
Either joy or sorrowing:
Whatsoe'er is quickly gone,

No wise man sets his heart upou.

"Twas a clerk who made his plaint,
How, by fortune's fraudful feint,
He was raised to wealth amain,
And down cast from it again.
Then came dame Philosophy,

Having in her company

Seven fair daughters, (sooth to say,
The seven liberal arts are they).

She gave demonstration plain,
That his plaint was wild and vain ;

For what is wealth but idle dreaming,

A thing of falsehood and mere seeming,
Now it cometh, now it goes,

Like the wave that ebbs and flows:

Then listen to her, witness well;

List, and this Romanz I'll tell."

Then commences a long colloquy between the clerk and "lady Philosophy;" the clerk bitterly lamenting the changefulness of fortune, and the lady shewing that he ought to have expected "chance and change," since

"What morning gives, eve takes away;
After delight, comes swift dismay;
And who to Fortune's gifts aspire,
But seeketh honey on the briar.
Behold the moon, in her you'll see
Fortune's confirmed inconstancy :
Now in full orbed light she shineth,
Now her lustrous light declineth,
Now her crescent shineth here,

Now there 'tis then obscure, now clear-
And thus is fortune."

Still the clerk mourns-"There is great benefit in riches," says he, "for the rich man walks abroad, esteemed among his friends." To this lady Philosophy replies, that riches often do more harm than good—an argument, however, which she remarks, never yet deterred any one from seeking after them; besides, "the mere opinion of others is nothing, unless founded upon enlightened judgment;" and then follows this poetical passage—

"What say you to these jewels bright,
Shining with cle r and precious light?
Are these by sages thought upon?
Do they esteem each high prized stone?

No; for they judge the meanest thing
That lives and breathes, more precious far
Than richest jewels that e'er king
Boasted, however fair they are :—
However rare, yet reason's eye
A greater value will espy,
Even in the meanest butterfly,"
That disregarded wings the air,
Than in a thousand jewels rare.
And wherefore is the gem so bright?
And whence its pure and lustrous light?
The brightness is not in the stone,
'Tis in the mind of man alone;

Nor is its color fair to see,

Save that he wills it so to be."

Still the clerk laments:

"Said he,

Hath not man great felicity,

When he beholds the flowers in May,
The budding leaf, the blossomed spray,
And sees in the orchards' flowering

Fair promise of the fruit they'll bring?

And fresh clothed fields, where the green ear springeth,
That hope of future harvest bringeth;

Doth not his heart with joy o'erflow

When feed his eyes on this fair show?
And may not man his riches view
With equal joy?"

Lady Philosophy replies with the old hackneyed argument, that every thing is subject to change; she, however, afterward takes higher ground, and argues from the shortness of human life, and finally bids her pupil ever bear in mind the doctrine of an overruling providence; since

* “ Un papeillum ki tant e vil."

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