1828.] Le Roman de Rose. 373 



passed away, early one morning rose the duke, who sent his foresters to look 

 out for a fine stag. In the mean time he prepareth his nets, taketh his arrows, 

 calleth together his dogs, and goeth out to hunt. But he commandeth his 

 hunters and varlets to lead the dogs by another path ; while he, with his sword 

 girded at his side (the which he always wore), rideth toward Corcers. Hear 

 what a mishap ! He was looking before and around him (whether he hoped 

 to find any thing, I cannot tell), when he saw a knight not far off, who 

 appeared very comely, both as to figure and garb. On one side the said 

 knight lyeth a sword, very shining, and well ornamented ; on the other sitteth 

 a fair lady, of goodly presence and costly garments, her veil covering her 

 head. He perceiveth the duke approach, so that he cannot flee. But, Hea- 

 vens ! what evil deed hath he done? The lady's head hath he cut off! 

 Crieth the duke : c Wickedly hast thou done : in all places, meet it is that a 

 woman be safe/ With that he rideth nearer, and with his sword striketh off 

 the knight's head in like manner. He then gazeth at the two bodies, and 

 great is his wonder at beholding them. Quoth he : ' Never did I see such a 

 beautiful couple before.' On the fourth day caused he them to be buried ; 

 but what is strange is, that of no one cou'd he learn who they were, or whence 

 they came. This evil deed which did the duke, in slaying the knight, hath 

 never before been put in writing ; but fathers tell it to their children." (Pp. 

 288-290.) 



These mysterious strangers were believed to belong to some other 

 world than the present, or at least as beings of a nature different from 

 ours. Such was the intercourse which the duke was thought to hold 

 with the supernatural powers so frequent were his adventures with 

 them -that they ceased to inspire him with dread : he cared no more 

 for them than for so many creatures of flesh and blood. The following, 

 which is marvellous enough, relates not to the duke :* 



* The reader will not perhaps be sorry to see the original of the above legend :- 



11 Une altre adventure mult grande 



Avint el chief de cele lande 



A un des veneors li cunte ; 



Guardez se fu honur se hunte. 



Un cerf aveient retenu, 



Pris 1'aveient et abatu ; 



Li cerf aveient escorchie, 



E fet aveient li forchid. 



Un des veneors se hasta, 



Uler s'en volt, si s'en turna ; 



A son seignur aler voleit 



Par une veie ke il saveit, 



Une gent pucele ad truvee 



Dedenz li bois, prez de Force ; 



Bien ert vestue e bien chaucide, 



Bien afublee bien lie'e. 



A lie vint, si 1'a salude, 



Et ele altresi s'est levde, 



E kant il la vit en estant, 



Descendus est maintenant. 



Demenda li ki ele esteit, 



En eel broil sule ke faseit ? 



Un hoem, 90 dist, atendeit, 



Ki cuntre lie venir deveit. 



Par une de ses menches 1'a prise, 



Asez li ofri sun servise. 



Ne sai retraire ke il li dist, 



Mes 90 diont ke il la prist, 



