of federal Anglo-Norman Poets of the i^fh Century. 233 Adam after his fall. The two firft infift on a fevere punifliment; and the latter folicit indulgence, and forgivenefs. The fcene is in the prefence of God the father ; he hears the arguments of the par- ties ; they each fet forth their reafons with as much force, as fen- fibility : the difcuflion grows warm, and after a difpute conducted with confiderable heat, the four fitters, at length, abfolutely quarrel. Peace and Mercy retire, and as they go declare that they never will return, until God the Father grant their petitions, and give them his permrflion : to the firft, to propofe an accommodation between him and guilty man ; and to the fecond, to add her confirmation. Truth and JufUce continue with the Almighty. At length, how- ever, the Eternal being, defirous of re-eftablifhing cordiality between his four daughters, confults his fon, on the beft mode of concilia- tion. At this epoch commences the falvation propofed by the in- carnation of the word; and the fubfequent death of the Saviour brings the four fillers together and reconciles them. Then only, according to the expreffion of the royal Pfalmift, " Mercy and Truth are met together : Righteoufiiefs and Peace have luffed each other [V]." It is certainly this paflage of the Pfalmift, which has furnimed the idea of this piece to our poet, and we muft allow that he has worked it up with equal tafte, and delicacy. A third piece which I attribute to this author is a Canticle on the Paflion of Jefus Chrift, in one hundred and twenty-three ftanzas, which make more than fix hundred verfes. The hifto- rical details are brought forward in a quick fucceffion, and in a manner as* interefting as the fubjecl:. But as the author was provided with all the fads, and had nothing left to his care but the verification, there is lefs imagination, and poetry, in this piece than in the preceding. I mall remark on this poern no fur- 0] Pfalm LXXXV. VOL. XIII. H h thcr
