Philip de Than, about 1130, one of the Trouvères: Li livre de créatures is a poetical study of chronology, and his Bestiarie is a sort of natural history of animals and minerals.
Benoit: Chroniques des Ducs de Normandie, 1160, written in thirty thousand octo-syllabic verses, only worthy of a passing notice, because of the appointment of the poet by the king, (Henry II.,) in order to forestall the second part of Wace's Roman de Rou.
Geoffrey, died 1146: A miracle play of St. Catherine.
Geoffrey Gaimar, about 1150: Estorie des Engles, (History of the English.)
Luc de la Barre, blinded for his bold satires by the king (Henry I.).
Mestre Thomas, latter part of twelfth century: Roman du Roi Horn. Probably the original of the "Geste of Kyng Horn."
Richard I., (Cœur de Lion,) died 1199, King of England: Sirventes and songs. His antiphonal song with the minstrel Blondel is said to have given information of the place of his imprisonment, and procured his release; but this is probably only a romantic fiction.
Chapter VI.
The Morning Twilight of English Literature.
[Semi-Saxon Literature]. [Layamon]. [The Ormulum]. [Robert of Gloucester]. [Langland. Piers Plowman]. [Piers Plowman's Creed]. [Sir Jean Froissart]. [Sir John Mandevil].