rest of the book is occupied by miscellaneous poems, many of them relating to the preceding work, to the amount of one thousand nine hundred and fifty lines. Of the principal poem I shall give an account at some length. The materials were supplied by a short life of Malchus, falsely attributed to Saint Jerome, and to be found in his works. The sum of his story is this: Malchus was a hermit of the fourth century, of Nisibis in Mesopotamia 85. The devil tempted him to leave his cell to see the world. In his way to Edessa he was taken by the Saracens, and made a captive. His master, by a refinement in cruelty, forced him to marry a fellow captive, a married woman, whose husband had been assigned to another master. They lived together in a state of pure continence, and at length took an opportunity to run away. The master pursued, and was slain by a lion. They arrived safe at a Roman army; Malchus retired to Chalcis, and his wife to another retreat. This history, by the aid of descriptions, amplifications, and digressions, Raginaldus has spun out into a long poem, in Leonine verse, in which, together with 85 Hieron. Malchi Vita. Baillet, Vie des Saints, 21 October. La Fontaine has given the history in verse. some false taste, such as the strange mixture of paganism and christianity which is found in Dante, and which was the fault of his age, he has shown much imagination, a great facility of composition, classical ideas, and frequently classical poetry. He has prefixed a dedication in prose. PRELUDIUM. Baldwino Sancti Andreæ Primicerio, fratri et Domino, Raginaldus Salutem.-He then salutes in order, Dominum Okwinum, Prothopriorem: nonnum Willielmum Ippopriorem 86; nonnum Raginaldum, Economum : nonnum Paulinum, à secretis: nonnum Radbertum, à cameris: nonnum Richardum, de Claude Villâ : nonnum Aschetil, de quo gaudent Angli: nonnum Dunstanum, Minervæ filium omniscium, cæterosque omnes quorum nomina sunt in cœlo, corpora adhuc in erofo 87. 87 Of this word I can find no explanation.-It should be terrâ. Is it a corruption of opopoç, a roof or covering, and may mean under the covering of the earth? The writers of the middle ages were fond of showing the little Greek they knew, and applied it often in a very corrupt form. F son, his parents enjoin Malchus to marry; he refuses, and assigns his reasons: Plenum sorde thorum subeam plenumque dolorum? 1.57 thalamus sordet muliebris. horror mihi copula, sexus. vilescit sponsa, cubile. He flies from his parents, and becomes a monk. Through the temptation of the devil he leaves his cloister to go home. In an hermitage, with many others, he is taken by the Saracens, who divide the prey amongst them. The second book describes at great length the games which were celebrated in honour of the captures. They are borrowed from the Grecian and Roman games, and consisted of the cæstus, boxing, slinging, races, and quoits. He was employed in keeping sheep, and obtained great approbation for his conduct. His master resolves to marry him to Malcha, a fellow captive, who had a husband, from whom she was separated by his being under another master. Upon this proposal Malchus thus addresses his master: O mihi Majestas Domini, grandisque potestas, I. 61 1.69 Cur mihi sic loqueris, Non licet. Attende. Sperno tuum jussum Pro quid ais, here mi, Tangere nemo picem Non ero scortator, me nubere quomodò quæris? His master threatens to kill him, upon which he consents, and retires with his new wife to a cave. The third book opens with a description of the cave, and prosecutes the history of the unpolluted marriage: Cella fuit talis, Quam quia nosse cupis, Esse putat numen quam Malchus, virgo jugalis, lectoque pari cubituri. scopulus (sic accipe) rupis fons ab radice meabat. caput attollebat ab imis. plebs ejus stulta cacumen. |