THE ERUCTAVIT, AN OLD FRENCH PARAPHRASE IN 



VERSE OF PSALM XLV. 



BY GEORGE F. MCKIBBON, A.M. 

 Presented before the Denison Scientific Association, April 22, iSgj. 



This poem of the twelfth century, though of unknown author- 

 ship and mediocre in style and thought, may claim attention for sev- 

 eral reasons. It is an example of the curious allegorical interpreta- 

 tion of the Bible, so prevalent in medieval times. In the numerous 

 copies which the popularity of the poem caused, it contributes 

 to the material for studying the different forms of the early language 

 of France. 



But, long before the present interest in medieval life, thought 

 and speech had begun, the Eriutavit was known for another reason : 

 it was composed under the patronage of a royal personage. From 

 the opening lines, and from the closing address also, (though some 

 copies lack both passages), it appears to have been written for Marie 

 of Champagne, sister of Philip Augustus, Kmg of France. She was 

 the literary patron of several poets. Chretien de Troyes wrote for 

 her his Roman de la Charette. Quesne de Bethune probably num- 

 bered her among the readers of his lyrics. At her suggestion Everat 

 prepared a poetic translation of Genesis, finishing the task after her 

 death in 11 98. Perhaps a score of years earlier, and also at her wish, 

 the Eructavit was composed. Some ascribe it to Guillaume the Nor- 

 man, others, with more reason, to Gautier de Coinsy, both contempora. 

 ries of the princess and writers on sacred subjects. 



The poem is found in Mss. at Madrid, Rome, Vienna and Lon- 

 don ; but copies are most numerous at Paris, where (without counting 

 fragments) five are preserved. All these were carefully examined ex- 

 cept the Vienna copy. Eight or nine copies were made from as 

 many manuscripts, and some of the more important readings from 

 these shall be compared, but no attempt shall be made to restore the 

 original text. The text here reproduced, however, may be consid- 

 ered the oldest and nearest to the original of all that exist, being that 

 of Ms. 15606 at the British Museum. It is in the Burgundian dialect, 

 in which the poem was originally composed, and is assigned to the 

 thirteenth century. 



In the same century and in the fourteenth were written the Mss. 

 that have furnished the other copies. They were made in parts of 



