The claim that so slender a volume of selections can represent even the subject and spirit of so vast a body of literature, is saved from being unreasonable or presumptuous by a consideration of the fact that, from causes easy to trace, the national literatures of Continental Europe had many common characteristics: the range of subjects was not unlimited; the spirit is the same in all. No English is included for two reasons: Mediaeval English literature is easily accessible to those readers for whom this book is prepared; during the special period in which the best mediaeval literature was developed, England was comparatively unproductive. The constant aim has been to put before the reader the literature itself, with comment barely sufficient to make an intelligible setting for the selections. Criticism of all kinds has been avoided, so that the reader may come to his material with judgment entirely unbiased. The translations used have been selected largely with a view to their accessibility, so that readers who desire to enlarge the scope of their reading may easily find the books they need. Caxton's "Reynard the Fox", and "The Romance of the Rose", attributed to Chaucer, were chosen because they convey an impression of the quaint flavor of the original, which is lost in a modern version. The slight adaptations and transliterations made in these two selections are entirely defensible on the score of intelligibility. Our acknowledgments are due to Prof. William I. Knapp, of the University of Chicago, for the use of books from his valuable library, and for the permission, most highly prized, to print for the first time some of his translations of the Cid ballads. THE EDITORS. Chicago, April, 1893. INTRODUCTION. The Middle Ages extend from the fifth to the fifteenth century, from the fall of the Roman Empire to the establishment of the great modern states. The general outline of the history of the Middle Ages can be seen in the following excellent table:[1] [1] Drury's "History of the Middle Ages", page XIV. 1. The decline of the Roman Empire and the successful accomplishment of two invasions. 2. The transient brilliancy of the Arabian civilization. 3. The attempted organization of a new empire by Charlemagne, and its dissolution. 4. The rise and prevalence of feudalism. 5. The successive crusades. 6. The contest between the pope and the emperor for the sovereignty of the world. The history of these ten centuries falls naturally into three great divisions: 1. Fifth to tenth century, the destruction of the past and transition to new forms. 2. Eleventh to thirteenth century, feudal society with its customs, its institutions, its arts, and its literatures. 3. The fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, a second time of transition.