Yet it must be remembered that this latter half of the Sixteenth Century saw the splendid flowering of lyric poetry, and in the last year appeared a famous book called _England’s Helicon_ or _The Muses’ Harmony_, which was a sort of Golden Treasury of the Elizabethan age. This was supplemented two years later by the _Poetical Rhapsody_, edited by Francis Davison, and from then on, the collected songs and verses of England showed poetry from the masters. Also there were produced at this period many translations, both of the classics and of more modern works of various countries; though no important humorous work was translated until the next century, when Urquhart gave Rabelais to the English people. FRENCH WIT AND HUMOR Rutebœuf, the Trouvère, of the Thirteenth Century, if not the principal author of the Fabliaux was the first to put them into rhyme. Most of his tales are too long and rambling to quote, and we content ourselves with one. _THE ASS’S TESTAMENT_ A priest there was in times of old, Fond of his church, but fonder of gold, Who spent his days and all his thought In getting what he preached was naught. His chests were full of robes and stuff, Corn filled his garners to the roof, Stored up against the fair-times gay, From Saint Rémy to Easter Day. An ass he had within his stable, A beast most sound and valuable. For twenty years he lent his strength For the priest, his master, till at length, Worn out with work and age, he died. The priest, who loved him, wept and cried; And, for his service long and hard, Buried him in his own churchyard.