f Perhaps he fought in theft epifodical amours fome remedy for a paflion which, according to his own account, was unfortunate : at leaft we now dial;, in' defpair. for the little fuccefs which had attended all his affiduities . and attentions to his firft miftrefs, he took the refolution of again abfenting himfelf from her. His abfence was now longer than the preceding one: he returned to England, and attached himfelf to the (ptwks of queen Philippa* This pnncefs, filter to the countels-of Mammy wife, of Robert, on whom Froiflart. fcems to have been a dependant, faw always with pleafure her " countrymen from Hainault: fhe loved letters, and the college which fhe founded, at this day known at Oxford under the name of Queen's College, is an illuftrious monument of the protection fhe granted to them : Froiflart, therefore, united aU the tides which could, merit the. afFe£fcion~of cpecm^ Philippa* The hiftory which he prefented to her, as I have before mentioned*. whether at the time of his firft journey or his fécond, (for it is not poflibie to decide which' of the two,) was very well received, and probably gained : bim the title* of Cferk (that is to fay, fecretary or writer) of the chamber ta this princefs,. which he was in pofïèffion of from 1361. In the age of Froiflart, all the world, was.perfuaded that love was the^ incentive to the moft brilliant aétions of courage and-^riitue : knights made a parade of it in tournaments : warriors exppfibd. thomfeives. to the moft perilous combats to maintain the honour and beautyofthek ladies,-*. It was then believed that love might be confined to a delicate intercourie of gallantry. and tendernefs : it is almoft always under this form that we feeit reprefented in the greater part of thofe literary and poetical .efforts vwhickàave beea handed down, to us from that period : the ladies blulhed not in feeling fo pure a .paflion,-. and the. moft mofkft of. them .made it the ordinary fubjeét. of. their converlâtions- The queen of England frequently amufed herfelf by making Froiflart compofe amorous ditties; but this occupation muft be confidered folely as a relaxation no.way impeding more ferious works, fince, during the five years he was attached to the • fervice of this princefs, he travelled at her expenfe to various parts of Europe, the object of which journey leems to have been a refearch after whatever might, enrich his hiitory. I draw thia