r the use of some
ecclesiastical prince. This fine codex was edited in 1847 at
Stuttgart. The title of the publication is _Carmina Burana_, and under
that designation I shall refer to it. The other is a Harleian MS.,
written before 1264, which Mr. Thomas Wright collated with other
English MSS., and published in 1841 under the name of _Latin Poems
commonly attributed to Walter Mapes_.

These two sources have to some extent a common stock of poems, which
proves the wide diffusion of the songs in question before the date
assignable to the earlier of the two MS. authorities. But while this
is so, it must be observed that the _Carmina Burana_ are richer in
compositions which form a prelude to the Renaissance; the English
collections, on the other hand, contain a larger number of serious and
satirical pieces anticipating the Reformation.

Another important set of documents for the study of the subject are
the three large works of Edelstand du Meril upon popular Latin poetry;
while the stores at our disposal have been otherwise augmented by
occasional publications of German and English scholars, bringing to
light numerous scattered specimens of a like description. Of late it
has been the fashion in Germany to multiply anthologies of medieval
student-songs, intended for companion volumes to the _Commersbuch_.
Among these, one entitled _Gaudeamus_ (Teubner, 2d edition, 1879)
deserves honourable mention.

It is my purpose to give a short account of what is known about the
authors of these verses, to analyse the general characteristics of
their art, and to illustrate the theme by copious translations. So far
as I am aware, the songs of Wandering Students offer almost absolutely
untrodden ground to the English translator; and this fact may be
pleaded in excuse for the large number which I have laid under
contribution.

In carrying out my plan, I shall confine myself principally, but not
strictly, to the _Carmina Burana_. I wish to keep in view the
anticipation of the Renaissance rather than to dwell upon those
elements which indicate an early desire for ecclesiastical reform.

IV.

We have reason to conjecture that the Romans, even during the
classical period of their literature, used accentual rhythms for
popular poetry, while quantitative metres formed upon Greek models
were the artificial modes employed by cultivated writers. However this
may be, there is no doubt that, together with the decline of antique
civil