And strong my ties *—my grief unspeakable!

Grief, all my choicest treasures to resign;

Yet stronger still the' affections that impel My heart tow'rd Him, the God whose love is mine.

That holy love, how beautiful! how strong!

Even wisdom's favourite sons take refuge there; "Tis the redeeming gem that shines among

Men's darkest thoughts-for ever bright and fair.

* Reinmar der Alte, a Minnesinger, dwells in the same manner, in one of his crusade songs, on the contending emotions of zeal in the holy cause and attachment to friends at home.

"Go hence, my thoughts, and wander home,

Around your father-land to roam !

Yet tarry not, but quickly greet

The circle there of friends so sweet;
Then haste ye back, and share my pain,
The pardon of my sins to gain." &c.

GACE BRULEZ.

GACE BRULEZ was the friend of Thibaud, and flourished during the same period.

Il m'ont en si doux penser mis
Qu'a chançon faire me suis pris,

Tant que je parataigne

Ce qu'amors m'ont lonc tens promis.....

THE birds, the birds of mine own land
I heard in Brittany;

And as they sung, they seem'd to me
The very same I heard with thee.

And if it were indeed a dream,

Such thoughts they taught my soul to frame,
That straight a plaintive number came,

Which still shall be my song,

Till that reward is mine which love hath promised long.....

* Ravallière (I. 236.) reads "Champaigne."

GOBIN DE REIMS.

THIS poet's age reaches to the reign of St. Louis.

Mult seraie bone vie

De bien amer,

Qui aurait bele amie

Pour deporter;

Sanz orgueil, sanz folie,

Et sanz guiler,
Ne ja n'eust envie
D'autrui amer;

Ne me vousist fausser;

Mes, com loial amie,

Celui amer

Qui de fin cuer la prie.

SWEET life indeed it were,

His joy to prove,
Who in his lady fair

Finds a true love :

No guile, no folly there,

No fickle pride;
Seeking her heart to share

With none beside,

To treachery unknown,

Faithful and fervent proved,

Loving that only one,

By whom beloved!

RAOUL COMTE DE SOISSONS.

RAOUL appears to have been another cotemporary and friend of Thibaud king of Navarre. The following piece is taken from the "Anthologie Françoise;" but some alteration may be suspected. Ravallière (vol. ii. p. 213) gives, from an anonymous poet of the age, one stanza, of which the song in the Anthologie" appears to be a rifacciamento.

66

Ha belle blonde
Au cors si gent

Perle du monde

Que j'aime tant!

D'un chose ay bien grand desir,

C'est un doux baiser vous tollir.
Oui, belle blonde, &c.

Si par fortune

Courouceriez,

Cent fois pur une

Le vous rendrois volentiers;

Belle blonde, &c.

AH! beauteous maid,

Of form so fair!

Pearl of the world,

Beloved and dear!

How does my spirit eager pine,

But once to press those lips of thine ;-
Yes, beauteous maid,

Of form so fair!
Pearl of the world,

Beloved and dear!

And if the theft

Thine ire awake,

A hundred fold

I'd give it back
Thou beauteous maid,

Of form so fair!
Pearl of the world,

Beloved and dear!

• The Troubadour Peyrols has the same thought :

Gran talen ai qu'un baisar
Li pogues tolre o emblar;
E si pueis s'en iraissia,
Volentiers lo li rendria.

I'm pining, from that lady gay

A kiss to take or steal away;

And should the deed her coyness pain,

I'd freely give it back again.