Sinking I rise-and dressing I undress, I stand unmoved,-yet never, never stop, I chace what I can never hope to gain, What's weak as sand-rope looks like firmest ground, My songs are but an infant's uttering slow, ez a dreyt seny en fau ço que no vull e sens dolor mantes de vets me dull: e trop leuger tot fexuch e gran Carch dur Nom part dun loch, e iames nom altur e vau cercar ço que nos pot trobar Tornada. Let each apply what may to each belong, Of Mosen Jaume Febrer, who is generally believed to have written about the middle of the thirteenth century, many poems exist in the Vatican library, but his great work is an account of the Cavaliers, engaged in the taking of Valencia, under King James the Conqueror, at which he was present. It is called The Book of Linages, and was first printed at Valencia, in 1746. We have seen ancient MSS. of this volume, all accompanied with painted escutcheons of the different knights celebrated in it. The editor calls the book Pomell. "De flors, les grans Trobes de Mosen Febrer Escritor molt docte de este rich vergell Que per aplaudirles com precios joyell Antichs e modems, sa gloria han de sen." We are, however, fully persuaded that this composition has not the antiquity ascribed to it, and that its date is not more distant than the fifteenth century, probably than the beginning of the sixteenth. We will give a passage or two which are curious as illustrating the reputation which our country had then acquired, and which may serve to excite an inquiry as to e lo fons gorch aygua sus part me par: e no he pau, e no tench quim garreig Tornada. * "Prenya xascu ço qui millor li es Fraure porets del avol cas dretura. VOL. IV. PART I. E the identity of the personages thus celebrated. The parts in italics seem to demonstrate that the poem is of a more modern date than has been generally attributed to it: TROBA CXV. "Briones. Jacques de Briones, que en la Ingalaterra De restasse a viure per terra barata." "James de Briones (g. Brion or Byron ?) descended from the rich lords of England, of the white rose, leaving his country to acquire fame, and bearing on his shield a golden leopard on a vermillion field, and a beautiful rose with silver leaves, came to the conquest of Valencia; when he obtained a grant of houses and other goods for himself and for those who accompanied him. Afterwards he went to Orihuela, where he fixed himself, on account of the cheapness of the land." Again in stanza ccxxxix; but we can neither give a guess at the names or the place referred to. "Ferrer. Dels compts de Barbia, en la gran Bretanya Rama es generosa En Bernat Ferrer Que ab la gent Ingleza de que se acompanya Ab un germa e fill, asisti en campanya Servint al Rey Jaume, ab tot son valor Del rey adquiri, que le feren goig Les Llochs, e les cases gotja de Ali-Boix." "Of the counts of Barbea (?) in Great Britain, Don Bernard Ferrer (?) is a worthy branch. He, with the English people that accompanied him, and with a son and brother of his own, assisted King James in the campaign against Valencia with all his valor. He, Sir, bore three golden bands upon a red shield, divided in the middle by the same color; and he received, for the reward of his courage, from the king, the villages and the house which had belonged to the Moor Ali Boix." Again : TROBA CCLXXXI. "Lesol. Un Milort Ingles ab gent de acaball Porta el sol por Armes? è ell al Rey ohri: Perque no tingau nenguna querella." "An English lord came among the cavalry to the siege of Burriana. His shield was a splendid sun in a field of purple or gules. He undertook to beat down the walls with a battering ram, and when he had made the attack the place was delivered up by the Sarracen; and when the king entered he demanded, "Where is he who bears the sun for his arms?" and he was introduced to the king, who ordered him to place a fair moon above the sun, that he might not have cause to complain." TROBA CCXCI. "Loro. Feu lo rey mercet de part de Albalat A Perot de Loro, un Milort Ingles, Perque à la conquista fonch vengut de grat, Los Moros de Pego dino de un olivar.” "The king conferred a part of Albalat on Peter of Loro, an English noble. He came to the conquest for no hope of reward, but to obtain the fame of a valiant soldier. He was at the attack of the mountain and of Valencia, and at his own cost. He was valiant, and his achievements deserved praise. On a field of gold he bore an azure lion, and about it a red fleur-de-lis. For his destruction of the Moors of Pego he merited an olive branch. TROBA CCCXXV. "Merchant. Jordi Mercader de la gran Bretanya Dels Milorts antichs noble descendent, Ab Christia Valor pera la Campanya "George Merchant, the noble descendant of the ancient lords of Great Britain, out of Christian valor prepared, at his own expense, two vessels to assist your king in his campaigns. His son commanded them. Marks of gold, such as merchants employ, were on his shield, on a red ground, and this elegant motto, nothing wanting, and certain it is, that succour was most acceptable, as well you know. The grateful king armed him a knight." TROBA CCCCLXXV. "Sisternes. Quant a lo Rey Artus de la gran Bretanya Ab los seus Milorts en taula redona, Donantlos tramuzos, els obligà ab manya Contra els enemichs, que estan en Campanya, Tants Caps li han de dar, quants tramuzos dona; Dihuit ne cabaren á un Milort valent, E els pinta en lo escut, dins de sis daliuets, de or en colorat sobre camp de argent, que es conten sis ternes; de est es descendent Té hui en Consentayna premi per sos fets." "When King Arthur assembled his knights at his round table, he distributed lupins to each of them, and in his humour compelled them to promise, that for every lupin he gave they would bring him the head of an enemy. Eighteen fell to the portion of a valiant lord, who painted them in gold on his arms in six red dice, upon a silver field, which make six-très (Sisternes.) From him descended Peter de Sisternes, to whom and to his two children, Consentayna was given for his deeds of valor." Ausias March is the prime glory of the Spanish Trobadors. He died in 1460. He is more known and quoted than any of the rest, and we shall therefore dwell less upon his compositions. His verses are harmonious, natural, and pleasing, pregnant with interesting truths and moral reflections. They are generally pervaded by that soft spirit of melancholy which is so often the favorite companion of the lyre. "Qui no es trist de mos dictats |