some curious and interesting notes. Fabricius, in his
Bibliotheca Latina, says, that these sixty fables are more than five
hundred years old.[23] I have already mentioned that there is a MS. of
them in the Royal Library in the British Museum, 15 A. VII., which was
written in the 13th century, and contains only fifty-six fables. They
are said, in the preface, to have been translated out of Greek into
Latin, by the Emperor Romulus. Mary likewise mentions this Romulus, and
gives him the same title. After having remarked with how much advantage
learned men might occupy themselves, in extracting from the works of the
ancient philosophers, proverbs, fables, and the morals they contained,
for the purpose of instructing men, and training them to virtuous
actions, she adds, that the emperor had very successfully pursued the
plan, in order to teach his son how to conduct himself with propriety
through life[24].

Vincent de Beauvois, a contemporary of Mary, speaks likewise of this
Romulus and his fables[25]; and lastly, Fabricius informs us that this
author has very much imitated Phaedrus, and often preserved even his
expressions.[26] But, after all, it is uncertain who is this Romulus,
thus invested with the title of emperor; whether the last Roman emperor
of that name, who is likewise called Augustulus or Romulus the
grammarian. I should rather attribute them to some monk of the 11th or
12th century. The rites of the Roman Catholic worship are several times
alluded to, and entire passages of the Vulgate very frequently inserted.

It is, however, enough to know that in the time of Mary, there did
actually exist a collection of fables called Aesopian, and published
under the name of Romulus; that this author, whether real or imaginary,
had very much imitated Phaedrus; that these Latin fables had been
translated into English; that, without doubt, those of some other
unknown writers were added to them; and, finally, that from this latter
version Mary made her translation into French verse.

In a MS. of the fables of Mary, it is said this English version was the
work of King Mires.[27] The Harleian MS. No. 978, makes the translation
to have been King _Alurez_. The MS. cited by Pasquier, calls him King
Auvert.[28] The MS. in the Royal Library, 15 A. VII. says the
translation was made by the order of King _Affrus_; and, lastly, the
Harleian MS. No. 4333, makes it the work of King _Henry_.

With respect to King _Alurez_ or _Auvert_,