audire), plus, preda, quisque, qui, quomo (quomodo), sex, sine, tristitia, uxor, &c. &c. There are some words,

"One wonders how the devil they got there,"

as bren (bran), chussorrenda (mob), guizgios (lances), viedgo (point), zampuñuelo (spilt liquid), and one or two more.

Of the character of his composition, what follows will give a further idea:

"The Sixth Miracle.

"There was a wicked thief, who liked robbing better than going to mass. His house was badly ordered, and he had a habit of theft, of which he could not get rid. If he had other vices, they are not recorded of him, and it would be wrong to condemn him for that of which we are ignorant. Certain it is, he was a thief; if any thing else, may that Christ, in whom we believe, forgive him.

In the midst of his evil, there was one good, and that saved him at last. He believed in the glorious virgin, and always bowed his head at her majesty's shrine. He said his Ave Maria by heart, he saluted her images, and obtained her good will.

"But he who in evil walks, in evil falls. He was taken in the act of robbery, no counsels could save him. He was condemned to be hanged. He was taken to the gallows. A bandage was tied over his eyes, and he was suspended on the tight-drawn cord.

"He was suspended as high as was thought fit, and every body around believed him to be dead. O! if they had known, what they afterwards knew, they never would have done what they then did.

"The glorious mother, accustomed to watch over her servants, and be their support in the hour of calamity, determined to protect this convict, and she remembering the services he had done, she put her hands under his feet; her precious hands. She supported him. He felt no inconvenience. He never was gayer, never happier in his life.

"At the end of the third day his relations came with his friends and acquaintance; they came sad and sorrowing to cut him down, but things were better than they had any notion. They found him cheerful and uninjured. He said his feet had been so well sustained, he could have hanged a year without coming to harm.

"When this was heard by those who hanged him, they thought the knot was badly tied. They wished they had decapitated him. They would have had no more cause to be pleased than they had afterwards.

"The whole crowd determined that it was the fault of the knot. He was to be beheaded, but not with an axe or a sword, that would have been an affront to their noble city.

"So the bad youths went to cut off his head with seraniles (quere scythes?) large and sharp, but Holy Mary again put her hands under the scythes, and the collar of his throat was untouched.

"When they saw they could not hurt him, since the glorious

mother was his protector, they gave up their design, and let him live as long as God should see fit. They left him in peace to go his way. They would not oppose Holy Mary. He reformed his life, he abandoned his follies, and died when his course was ended."

Milagro sexto.

"Era un Ladron malo que mas querie furtar
Que ir a la eglesia ni a puentes alzar
Sabia de mal porcalzo su casa gobernar
Un malo que priso no le podie dejar.

Si facia otros males, este no lo leemos
Seria mal condempnarlo por lo que non sabemos
Mas abondenos eso que dicho vos avemos
Si al fizo, perdonelo Xps en qui creemos.

Entre las otras malas avia una bondat
Que li valio en cabo è dioli salvedat
Credia en la gloriosa de toda voluntat
Saludabala siempre con la su magestat.

Dicia Ave Maria è mas de escriptura
Siempre se inclinaba contra la su figura
Dicia Ave Maria è mas de escriptura
Tenia su voluntat con esto mas segura.

Como qui en mal anda en mal a caer
Ovieronlo con furto este ladron a prender
Non ovo nul conseio con que se defender
Yudgaron que le fuessen en la forca poner.

Levolo la justicia pora la crucejada
Do estaba la forca por conceio alzada
Prisieronle los oios con toca bien atada
Alzaronlo de tierra con soga bien tirada.

Alzaronle de tierra quanto alzar quisieron
Quantos cerca estaban por muerto lo tuvieron
Si ante lo sopiessen lo que despues sopieron
No li ovieran fecho esso que li ficieron.

La Madre gloriosa decha de acorrer
Que suele a sus siervos lennas cuitas valer
A esti condempnado quisoli protexer
Membroli el servicio que li solie fer.

At this period (the thirteenth century) the Valencian dialect was much used for poetry; and Alonso the Wise, the son of Ferdinand the Saint, wrote a volume of songs, in praise of the virgin, in that language. These, and his numerous other writings, were probably the production of those gloomy hours, when he was wont to muse upon the loss of his crown, and the

Metioli so los piedes do estaba colgado
Las sus manos preciosas: tovole alleviado
Non se sintio de cosa ninguna embargado
Non sovo plus vicioso nunqua ni mas pagado.

Ende al dia tercero vinieron los parientes
Vinieron los amigos e los sus conocientes
Vinien por descolgallo rascados e dolientes
Sedie meior la cosa que metien ellos mientes.

Trobaronli con alma alegre e sin danno
Non serie tan vicioso si ioguese en vanno
Dicie que so los piedes tenie un tal escanno
Non sintie mal ninguno si colgasse un anno.

Quando lo entendieron los que lo enforcaron
Tovieron que el lazo falsso gelo dexaron
Fueron mil rependidos que non lo degollaron
Tanto gozarien desso quanto depues gozaron.

Fueron en un acuerdo toda esa mesnada
Que fueron engannados luna mala lazada
Mas que lo degollasen con foz o con espada
Por un ladron no fuere tal villa afontada.

Fueron por degollarlo los mancebos mas livianos
Con buenos seraniles grandes è adianos
Metio Sancta Maria entre medio las manos
Fincaron los gorgueros de la golliella sanos.

Quando esto vedieron que nol podien nocir
Que la madre gloriosa lo quiere encobrir
Ovieronse contanto del pleito a partir
Hasta que Dios quissiere dexaronlo vivir.

Dexaronlo en paz, que se fuesse su via
Ca ellos non querien ir contra Sancta Maria
Meiorò en su vida, partiose de follia

Quando cumplio su curso muriose de su dia."

fickleness of his worldly fortune. We are tempted to make some rather long quotations from an extraordinary poetical production of this monarch, which he calls El Libro del Tesoro,the book of the heavens, or the philosopher's stone. The verses which are intelligible, are strong and harmonious, and form one of the most striking specimens of the poetical literature of the age. The first book is introduced rather in an imperial style; and states, that God had first given him knowledge of his holy faith; next, that of the material world; then, the kingdom of his fathers; and last of all, in order to enable him to sustain it worthily, the high prize of "the stone of philosophy." He protests, that he discovered this wonderful secret in solitudethat he often employed it, and so added to his possessions-and that he has communicated it in the cyphers of the book that follows. He begins," In the name of God."*

"Fame brought this strange intelligence to me,
That in Egyptian lands there lived a sage
Who read the secrets of the coming age,
And could anticipate futurity:

He judged the stars, and all their aspects; he
The darksome veil of hidden things withdrew,
Of unborn days, the mysteries he knew,
And saw the future, as the past we see.

An eager thirst for knowledge moved me then :
My pen, my tongue, were humbled—in that hour
I laid my crown in dust-so great the power
Of passionate desire o'er mortal men.

66

* "En el nombre de Dios faga principio la obra.

Llegó pues la fama a los mis oidos

Que en tierra de Egipto un Sabio vivia

E con su sabia oi que facia

Notos los casos ca non son venidos
Los astros juzgaba è aquestos movidos
Por disposicion del cielo fallaba
Los casos quel tiempo futuro ocultaba
Bien fuesen antes por este entendidos.

Codicia del sabio movio mi aficion

Mi pluma è mi lengua con grande humildad
Postrada la alteza de mi magestad

Ca tanto poder tiene una pasion

VOL. VI. PART I.

D

I sent my earnest prayers, with a proud train
Of messengers, who bore him generous measures
Of honors and of lands, and golden treasures,
And all in holy meekness. Twas in vain!—

The sage repell'd me, but most courteously:
'You are a mighty monarch, sire; but these,
These have no gift to charm, no power to please,
Silver nor gold, however bright they be.

Sire, I would serve you; but what profits me,
That wealth which more abundantly is mine?
Let your possessions bless you, let them shine,
As Maïs prays, in all prosperity.'

I sent the stateliest of my ships, it sought
The Alexandrian port; the wise man pass'd
Across the middle sea, and came, at last,
With all the gentleness of friendliest thought:
I studied wisdom, and his wisdom taught
Each varied movement of the shifting sphere-
He was most dear, as knowledge should be dear-
Love, honor, are by truth and wisdom bought.

Con ruegos le fi la mi peticion
E se la mandé con mis mansageros
Averes faciendas e muchos dineros
Alli le ofrecè con santa atencion.

Respusome el sabio con gran cortesia
Maguer vos señor seais un gran rey
Non
paro mientes en aquesta ley
De oro nin plata nin su gran valia
Serviros señor, en gracia ternia

Ca non busco aquello que à mi me sobró
A vuestros averes vos fagan la pro
Que vuestro siervo Mais vos querria.

De las mis naves mandè la mejor
E llegada al puerto de Alexandria
El fisico astrologo en ella salia
E a mi fue llegado cortes con amor
E aviendo sabido su gran primor
En los movimientos que face la sphera
Siempre le tuve en grande manera
Ca siempre a los sabios se debe el onor.