Page:A History of Domestic Manners and Sentiments in England During the Middle Ages.djvu/135

 and Sentifnents. 115 But Gerard declines, becaufe a dilagreeable dream of the preceding night has made his heart tbrrowful. When we turn from romance to fober hiftory, we learn from Giraldus Cambrenfis how Gilbert de Clare, journeying from England to his great pofleflions in Cardiganfliire, was preceded by a minftrel and a linging-man, who played and fang alter- nately, and how the nolle they made gave notice of his approach to the Welflimen who lay in ambufli to kill him. A group of Norman travellers is here given from the Cottonian MS. Nero, C. Iv. It is intended to reprefent Jofeph and the Virgin Mary travelUng into Egypt. The Virgin on the afs, or mule, is another example 77. Norman Travellers. of the continued pra6tice among ladies of riding fideways. Mules appear to have been the animals on which ladies ufually rode at this period. In the romance of Huon de Bordeaux (p. 60), when Huon, immediately after his marriage, proceeds on his journey homeward, he mounts his young duchefs on a mule ; fo alfo, in the romance of Gaufrey (p. 62), the princefs Flordefpine is mounted on " a rich mule," the trappings of which are rather minutely defcribed. "The faddle was of ivory, Infet with gold ; on the bridle there was a gem of fuch power that it gave light in the darknefs of night, and whoever bore it was preferved from all dlfeafe 5 the