“Aussi Luces du Gau (Gas) translata en langue Françoise une partie de l’Hystoire de Monseigneur Tristan, et moins assez qu’il ne deust. Moult commença bien son livre et si ny mist tout les faicts de Tristan, ains la greigneur partie. Après s’en entremist Messire Gasse le Blond, qui estoit parent au Roy Henry, et divisa l’Hystoire de Lancelot du Lac, et d’autre chose ne parla il mye grandement en son livre. Messire Robert de Borron s’en entremist et Helye de Borron, par la prière du dit Robert de Borron, _et pource que compaignons feusmes d’armes longuement_, je commencay mon livre,” etc. (_Liebrecht’s Dunlop_, p. 80.) If this passage be authentic it would set beyond doubt the age of the de Borrons and the other writers of Anglo-French Round Table Romances, who are placed by the _Hist. Littéraire de la France_, and apparently by Fr. Michel, under Henry II. I have no means of pursuing the matter, and have preferred to follow Paulin Paris, who places them under Henry III. I notice, moreover, that the _Hist. Litt._ (xv. p. 498) puts not only the de Borrons but Rustician himself under Henry II.; and, as the last view is certainly an error, the first is probably so too. [9] Transc. from MS. 6975 (now Fr. 355) of Paris Library. [10] _MSS. François_, iii. 60–61. [11] _Ibid._ 56–59. [12] _Introd._ pp. lxxxvi.–vii. note. [13] See _Jour. As._ sér. II. tom. xii. p. 251. [14] “_Seignors Enperaor, & Rois, Dux & Marquois, Cuens, Chevaliers & Bargions_ [for Borgiois] _& toutes gens qe uoles sauoir les deuerses jenerasions des homes_, & les deuersités des deuerses region dou monde, _si prennés cestui liure & le feites lire & chi trouerés toutes les grandismes meruoilles_,” etc. [15] The portrait of Rustician here referred to would have been a precious illustration for our book. But unfortunately it has not been transferred to MS. 6961, nor apparently to any other noticed by Paulin Paris. [16] _Jour. As._ as above. [17] See _Liebrecht’s Dunlop_, p. 77; and _MSS. François_, II. 349, 353. The alleged gift to Rustician is also put forth by D’Israeli the Elder in his _Amenities of Literature_, 1841, I. p. 103. [18] _E.g._ Geronimo, _Girolamo_; and garofalo, _garofano_; Cristoforo, _Cristovalo_; gonfalone, _gonfanone_, etc. [19] See the List in _Archivio Stor. Ital._ VI. p. 64, _seqq._ VIII. NOTICES OF MARCO POLO’S HISTORY, AFTER THE TERMINATION OF HIS IMPRISONMENT AT GENOA. 43. A few very disconnected notices are all that can be collected of matter properly biographical in relation to the quarter century during which Marco Polo survived the Genoese captivity. [Sidenote: Death of Marco’s Father before 1300. Will of his brother Maffeo.]