in 1458--in Villon's
twenty-sixth year. _Alphonse_ is Alphonso V of Arragon, who died in that
same year. The _Duc de Bourbon_ is Charles the First of Bourbon, who
died at the end of the year 1456, "gracieux" because his son protected
Villon. _Artus_ (Arthur) of Brittany is that same Richemont who
recaptured Paris from Willoughby. Charles VII is Charles VII. The _Roy
Scotiste_ is James II, who died in 1460: the _Amethyst_ half of his
face was a birthmark. The _King of Cyprus_ is probably John III, who
died in that same fatal year, 1458. Pedants will have it that the _King
of Spain_ is John II of Castille, who died in 1454--but it is a better
joke if it means nobody at all. _Lancelot_ is Vladislas of Bohemia, who
died in 1457. _Cloquin_ is Bertrand de Guesclin who led the reconquest.
_The Count Daulphin_ of Auvergne is doubtful; _Alencon_ is presumably
the Alencon of Joan of Arc's campaign, who still survived, and is called
"feu" half in ridicule, because in 1458 he had lost his title and lands
for treason.

Stanza 2, line 3. _Amatiste_=amethyst.

Stanza 3, line 7. _Tayon_=Ancestor. "_Etallum._" Latin "_Stallio_."

THE DIRGE.

Line 1. _Cil_=celui-ci. The Latin "_ecce illum_."

Line 3. _Escuelle_=bowl. "With neither bowl nor platter."

Line 4. Note again the constant redundant negative of the populace in
this scholar: "Had never, no--not a sprig of parsley."

Line 5. _Rez_=ras, cropped.

MAROT.

OF COURTING LONG AGO.

Line 5. _On se prenoit_, one attacked--"it was but the heart one
sought."

Line 11. _Fainctz_=sham; "_changes_" is simply like the English
"changes": the form survives in the idiom: "donner le change."

Line 13. _Refonde_=recast.

NOEL.

Verse 1, line 3. _L'Autre hyer_=alterum heri, "t'other day."

Line 10. _Noe._ The tendency to drop final letters, especially the _l_,
is very marked in popular patois, and this is, of course, a song based
on popular language. Most French peasants north of the Loire would still
say "Noe" for "Noel." _Noel_ is, of course, _Natalem_ (diem).

Verse 2, line 2. _Cas de si hault faict_=so great a matter.

TWO EPIGRAMS. Epigram 1, line 2. _Vostre._ Marguerite of Navarre. As I
have remarked, in the text, she had sent him a Dixaine (some say he
wrote it himself). This one is written in answer.--_Ay._ Note, till the
verb grew over simple in the classical French of the seventeenth century
there was no more need for the pronoun