Page:The Mediaeval Mind Vol 2.djvu/210

198 to the Trinity, and bewail his piteous lot before the highest pitying Godhead. The verses have a lyric unity of mood, and are touching with their sad refrain. Their rhyme, if not quite pure, is abundant and catching, and their nearest metrical affinity would be a trochaic dimeter. Ut quid iubes, pusiole, quare mandas, filiole, carmen dulce me cantare, cum sim longe exul valde intra mare? o cur iubes canere? Magis mihi, misenile, flere libet, puerule, plus plorare quam cantare carmen tale, rubes quale, amor care. o cor iubes canere? Mallem scias, pusillule, ut velles tu, fratercule, pio corde condolere mihi atque prona mente conlugere. o cur iubes canere?

Scis, divine tyruncule, scis, superne clientule, hic diu me exulare, multa die sive nocte tolerare. o cur iubes canere?

Scis captive plebicule Israheli cognomine praeceptum in Babilone decantare extra longe fines Iude. o cur iubes canere?

Non potuerunt utique, nec debuerunt itaque carmen dulce corarn gente aliene nostri terre resonare. o cur iubes canere?

Sed quia vis omnimode, consodalis egregie,