Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/535

Rh called the Sappho of her age, makes a considerable figure.

We are informed by this lady, that she was born in France; but she does not mention in what province, or the reasons which induced her to come to England. Perhaps it was Normandy, as Philip-Augustus made himself master of that country in 1204; and many families, from attachment to the English government, went over and settled in Great Britain.

She appears to have understood the Bas Breton, or Armoric tongue, whence it may be also inferred she was born in Brittany; she was besides extremely well versed in the literature of that province, and borrowed much from the writers of that country. She might, however, acquire both the Armoric and English languages. She was also well acquainted with the Latin, and from her application to those different languages must have been of a rank of life that allowed her leisure to attain them. She has, however, said nothing which can throw light upon her station or her family name.

The first poems of Mary are A Collection of Lays, in French Verse, on the Romances of Chivalry amongst the Welch and Armoric Britons, which she dedicated to some King.

Mons. La Rue, the acute and elegant historian of Mary, in the 13th vol. of the English Archæologia, determines it to be Henry III. These are twelve in number, and constitute the largest and most ancient specimen of Anglo-Norman poetry of this kind, that has been handed down to us. "The smaller ones are in general of much importance, as to the knowledge of ancient chivalry. She has described manners with a pencil at once faithful and pleasing; arrests the attention of her readers by the subjects of her stories, by the interest which she skil- fully