y who
had given her love to another, but who would have been pleased to return
his devotion if ever deprived of her first lover. Soon after, the
original pair were married. The gentleman, citing the decision that real
love cannot exist between married people, claimed that the lady was now
free to reward his fidelity. The lady declared that she had not lost the
love of her first suitor by marrying him, but Queen Eleanor upheld the
decision cited, and ordered the lady to grant her new lover the favours
he desired.

The Troubadours at times treated subjects far different from the usual
short lyrics or long romances. Many of these minstrels performed the
unusual task of setting the laws in poetic form. It is not unusual to
find lawyers becoming good poets, but in this case the legal minstrels
drew from the codes of their native land enough inspiration for long
effusions. Moral and religious precepts, too, were often put in the form
of lengthy poems. Of even greater interest to the student of old customs
are the so-called "Essenhamens," or collections of rules for behaviour
for young ladies. In one of these, by Amanieus des Escas, called the
god of love, the poet gives his counsel to a young lady in the train of
some great countess. He meets her in one of her walks, whereupon she
addresses him and asks for certain rules to guide her conduct. The poet,
after apologetically insisting that she must know more about it, having
ten times as much common sense as he has, overcomes his scruples, and
proceeds to pour forth much undiluted wisdom.

From his verses we learn to approve of the well-known system of early
rising and early retiring, with many minor points about washing,
dressing, caring for the teeth and nails, and other mysteries of the
toilet. Then follow rules for behaviour in church, with directions to
preserve a quiet demeanour, and avoid improper use of the eyes or the
tongue. From the church the writer conducts his pupil to the
dinner-table, reciting many important details in carving, passing the
dishes properly, and performing the correct ablutions. He closes this
episode with the excellent advice that no harm can come from tempering
wine with water. After this comes the conversation in the drawing-room,
and many naive methods of raising interesting discussions are suggested.

Less highly gifted than the Troubadours were the Jongleurs, who composed
their retinue. These musical jacks-of-all-trades began as accompanis