48 PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 



north parts; the natives also were influenced by the Spaniards, 

 who were much civilized, and had acquired something oithe 

 brilliancy and e^allantry of the Moors; feudalism was much so t- 

 ened in this climate: the counts of Provenye and Barcelona held 

 courts, where the nobles of the neighl)ourhood composed verses, 

 offered them to the ladies, and discussed their merits themselves. 

 This Gaye Science was inspirited by the martial feeling of the 

 times, when displayed in wars, not long nor dangerous — such 

 would have quenched it. 



Troubadours were sometimes men of high rank, there were 

 also some who had raised theuiselves from a low condition by 

 their genius for poetry and singing — even those who attended 

 the troubadours to sing their verses for them, and to throw 

 somersets themselves, by way of interlude, sometimes attained 

 the dignity of their masters. It happened also, on occasions, 

 that a troubndour, for the commission of unfashionable sins^ was 

 reduced to the condition of an attendant only. From the circum- 

 stances of troubadours arising out of all classes of society, their 

 ])oetical compositions would necessarily differ; these poems 

 formed a new era in the history of intellect, and many of them 

 were vigorous, pathetic, and full of fire, though none were of any 

 great length owing to the unsettled vvay of life of the composers. 

 Provence, Catalonia, and northern Italy, produced more t!u»n a 

 hundred poets, celebrated in their time, immense collections of 

 their works have been made; hovC; \N'ar, and KeliKion, were by 

 turns sources of inspiration ; and the forms employed were the 

 Chanson Complainte, Sirvente lai and Tenson. During the 

 time of the crusades, the songs ot the troubadours had a great 

 effect in inspiring tliose who loved military glory, to seek it, and 

 honorable martyrdom in Palestine. 



Richard 1st of England loved the songs of the troubadours, 

 and was discovered in his captivity, by the troubadour Hlondel, 

 who sang at the foot of the fortress, part of a ditty which was 

 finished by the Monarch within. 



In order to give a clearer view of the troubadour life, the 

 lecturer went into some details concerning Bertram de Born, a 

 lord poet and warrior, who lived in martial and stirring times; 

 his compositions were alluded to and highly eulogised. 



The crusade which was preached in the north of France [1208 

 — 1224. A. D.] against Raymond VI., and the Albigenses, threw 

 a horde of savage warriors over the beautiful climes of the south; 

 and the sanguinary contests which followed, almost annihilated 

 troubadours and the gaye science; their last songs were pregnant 

 with regret, revenge, and reproach. 



The lecturer then proceeded to the Roman VVallon. 



To be continued. 



G. r. HEARUCR, PLYMOUTH. 



