husbandman or labourer. The costume of each class.-Is exhibited with-great
nicety. The following passage of the Image du Monde (a1 poetical trghtiseBn
general science) is that■ ■|8|which "bur initial forms the illustration, and aits
forth th | doctrine of our forefathers on this subjectii-v ■
11 Et philosophe-qiii-^dohcifuientj; ''
Qui lea autres ensegnie'r durent,
Ne posèrent selono lor sens _
Fors.que jjq. rhatderës de gens,
Clerd,"chevalier, ouvrier’-dortere. ‘
In gaagnour d'cdvent aqufece
As autres .ij. lor estouvoir, '
Chou que iPleur convient avoir
Béur vivre au mont honestement* .
Et chevalier come serjant
Les doivent garder et deffendre;.
Et li clerc* doivent aprendre
Et de leur euvres ensegnier
Pour leur aine à Diu adrechier,,- .ÿ
Si que cascsms'peVreine fâche "!.li:
Dont il perde, point de sa grasse.
End peussent iiij. manière
Li sage de gênt cha arifere.” 1
And the philosophers who lived-then#>;■,
Whose business it was to teach the pthers,
Established as they thought it right
Only three lands of people, *
Clerks, knights, and labourers of the' ground.
The labourers ought to acquire.
For the other two classes their necessaries,
That which they ought to have
To live in the world honestly ; -—
And knights as Serjeants
Ought to guard and-defénd them*»--.-:
And the clerks ought- to learn
And teach them by their works,
In order to turn their sôul tô God,
So that each may do no work."
By which he loses his grace, ~
Thus the sages established three clasess
Of men there after them.