tury, a poem, very popular both in
France and in England, of which "about sixty MSS. are known," "Romania,"
vol. xv. p. 314; some of the MSS. were written in England.--"Petite
Philosophie," also in verse, being an "abrege de cosmographie et de
geographie," "Romania," xv. p. 255.--"Lumiere des laiques," a poem,
written in the thirteenth century, by the Anglo-Norman Pierre de Peckham
or d'Abernun, _ibid._ p. 287.--"Secret des Secrets," an adaptation, in
French prose, of the "Secretum Secretorum," wrongly attributed to
Aristotle, this adaptation being the work of an Irishman, Geoffrey de
Waterford, who translated also Dares and Eutrope, thirteenth century
(see "Histoire Litteraire de la France," vol. xxi. p. 216).--To these
may be added translations in French of various Latin works, books on the
properties of things, law books, such as the "Institutes" of Justinian,
turned into French verse by the Norman Richard d'Annebaut, and the
"Coutume de Normandie," turned also into verse, by Guillaume Chapu, also
a Norman, both living in the thirteenth century.

[162] See above, p. 113. The wealth of this historical literature in the
French tongue is greater at first than that of the literature produced
by the subjects of the French kings. Besides the great chronicles, many
other works might be quoted, such as lives of saints, which are
sometimes historical biographies (St. Edward, St. Thomas Becket, &c.);
the "Histoire de la Guerre Sainte," an account of the third crusade, by
Ambrose, a companion of King Richard Coeur-de-Lion (in preparation, by
Gaston Paris, "Documents inedits"); the "Estoire le roi Dermot," on the
troubles in Ireland, written in the thirteenth century ("Song of Dermot
and the Earl," ed. Orpen, Oxford, 1892, 8vo; _cf._ P. Meyer, "Romania,"
vol. xxi. p. 444), &c.

[163] This Life was written in the thirteenth century, by order of Earl
William, son of the hero of the story. Its historical accuracy is
remarkable. The MS. was discovered by M. Paul Meyer, and published by
him: "Histoire de Guillaume le Marechal," Paris, 1892 ff., Societe de
l'histoire de France. On the value of this Life, see an article by the
same, "Romania," vol. xi. The slab in the Temple Church is in an
excellent state of preservation; the image of the earl seems to be a
portrait; the face is that of an old man with many wrinkles; the sword
is out of the scabbard, and held in the right hand; its point is driven
through the head of an animal at the