from metrical chronicles written by persons of learning; and that such relations were styled ancient gests, in opposition to romances. It is not intended to defend the latter position, because the word gest, which signified an action or adventure, was never opposed to the word romance, which was originally applied to language only but a considerable part of Robert de Brunne's chronicle is in fact broken into small parts, which have all the appearance of a series of ballads; and the author, as he proceeded in his work, acquired such a facility in rhyming, as to be enabled to write a considerable part of his translation from Langtoft in what is now considered as the genuine ballad metre, that is to say, what de Brunne himself calls the rhyme entrelacée. The reader will judge from the following extract, part of which is printed by Mr. Warton, and given in its original Alexandrine form. It is a chapter beginning at p. 182 of Hearne's edition.

"Of this king Philip

"Have we no manner of help:

At the altar, God's table.

• Such.

To cry, wail, boast; the meaning is, "that men may

"talk loudly of us."

8" To the saints that are."

* Hence.

5 Apparently an error of the transcriber, for he.

6 Against. Sax. In the same sense we should say, he is angry with us.

7 Conduct.

3 Mangonels. Fr. A sort of catapulta which threw large stones, and was employed for the purpose of battering walls.

Shield; apparently a sort of mantelet serving as a portable rampart.

That eager were, and prest'
To cover him, and to wear.

Himself, as a giànt,

The chaines in two hew:
The targe was his warrant 3
That none 'till him threw.

Right unto the gate

With the targe they geed: 4
Fightand on a gate,5

Under him they slew his steed.

Therefore ne will'd he cease;
Alone into the castèl
Through them all will'd press:
On foot fought he full well.

And when he was within,
And fought as a wild liòn,

Ready. Fr.

3 Security; garant. Fr.

• Defend; waran. Sax.

Went; but geed seems the proper perfect tense of the verb go, or gee, as went is of wend. (wandan, Sax.)

At the gate, says Mr. Hearne.-Quere if it does not mean on a time? as in all-gates, i. e. (toutes fois. Fr.) at all times, always.

1

He fonder'd the Saracens o'twain,

And fought as a dragòn.

'Forced. (Hearne's Glossary) Perhaps, however, it is a mistake of the transcriber for sonder'd, i. e. sundered, separated.

"They would not leave off, either on account of the dead "who fell round them, or of the annoyance of the enemy."

3 Probably a platform: and for this reason the principal table in the hall, being elevated above the common floor, was particularly called the des. The canopy placed over such a table afterwards acquired the same name. Hence a good deal of dispute about the meaning of the word; but the conjecture here given, which is Mr. Tyrwhitt's, appears the most reasonable.