The year that Louis XI., by his greed and treachery, drove his noble uncle, “_le Bon Roy René_,” out of Anjou was one of trial and embarrassment for the King of Sicily. At first his feelings, outraged by the infamous behaviour of the son of his best-loved sister, Queen Marie, got the better of his equanimity, and he gave way to indignant protests; but when a man is in his sixties he learns to put up with base affronts. René learned by sad experience to measure hypocrites by their professions, but to leave their castigation to posterity. He accepted philosophically, adverse circumstances as they arose and not only checked the expression of his own sentiments, but discouraged reprisals on the part of his impatient and indignant subjects. With this same restraint the poet-King put forth a sententious drama, which he entitled “_L’Abuzé en Court_”; we may translate it, perhaps, “The Victim of Circumstances.” Its theme may be gauged as follows: Within the shady portal of an ancient church,--the pavement strewn with the persons of the blind and crippled seeking alms,--a pious wayfarer beheld an oldish man whose silken though shabby attire spoke of better days. His doublet was torn and his long poniard broken, his light brown hair streaked with silver strands, and his pouch poorly furnished. The wayfarer speaks kindly to the victim of Providence: “Mon gentil homme, Dieu vous garde, Et vous doint ce que déseriez. Pardonnez moi, je vous en prie, Et me dictez par courtousie De vostre vie le renom Que vous estez et vostre nom.” “My good fellow, God protect you, And grant you all that now you desire. Forgive me fully, now I pray you, And tell me something of your despair. By your courtesy I would your name, And your life’s story and deeds of fame.” _L’Abuzé_ politely replies: “Sire! pourquoi le demandez C’est raison que je vous le dye. J’ay nom sans que riens en mesdye Le pouvre homme abuzé en court.” Then he goes on to tell his story--the story of his life’s adversity, a biograph of René’s. In happy days, now past, he had his amours and his ambitions, his military exploits and his acts of peace. Much of his time he had spent unselfishly caring for others, whose weal depleted his purse and embarrassed his affairs until he was forced to settle with his creditors. The narrative is worked out in dialogue by the concourse of many speakers--among them a great lady, “_La Court_”--Providence, and two _demoiselles_ of pity--“_Abuz_”--Wantoncy, and “_Folcuideo_”--Mockery. The _mise en scène_ varies as the tension, and the vicissitudes of human life are presented under every aspect. The poem is a “morality,” as that term was erstwhile understood. The end of the whole matter is summed up characteristically as follows: