A literal translation is subjoined: ‘E fo aventura qu’el fo en la cort del rei Richart d’Englaterra: et estan en la cort us autres joglars escomes lo com el trobava en pus caras rimas qe el. Arnautz tenc so ad escarn e feron messios cascus de son palafre qe no fera, en poder del rei. E’l reis enclaus cascun en una cambra. E’N Arnautz de fastic quen ac non ac poder qe lasses un mot ab autre. Lo joglars fes son cantar leu e tost. Et els non avian mas de X jorns d’espazi; e devia s jutjar per lo rei a cap de cinq jorns. Lo joglars demandet a’N Arnaut si avia fag; e’N Arnautz respos; “qe oc, passat a tres jorns.” E non avia pensat. E’l joglars cantava tota nueg sa canso per so qe be la saubes; e’N Arnautz pesset col traisset ad escarn, tan qe venc una nueg e’l joglars la cantava e’N Arnautz la va tota retener e’l so. E can foron denan lo rei, N’Arnautz dis qe volia retraire sa canso; e comenset mot be la canso qe’l joglars avia facha. E’l joglars can l’auzic gardet lo en la cara e dis q’el l’avia facha. E’l reis dis co s podia far? E’l joglars preguet al rei q’el ne saubes lo ver. E’l reis demandet a’N Arnaut com era stat. E’N Arnautz comtet li com era stat. E’l reis ac ne gran gaug e tenc so a gran escarn. E foron acquistat los gatges, et a cascun fes donar bels dos.’ ‘And it happened that he (Arnaut Daniel) was at the court of King Richard of England; and there being also at the court another joglar the latter boasted that he could invent rhymes as scarce as could Arnaut. Arnaut thought this good fun, and each gave his horse as a pledge to the king, in case he could not do it (viz. gain the bet). And the king locked them up each in a room. And Sir Arnaut, being tired of the matter, was not able to string one word to another; the joglar made his song with ease and speedily. And they had no more than a space of ten days allowed to them. And the king was to judge at the end of five days. The joglar then asked Sir Arnaut if he had done. “Oh yes,” said Sir Arnaut, “three days ago.” But he had not thought of it. And the joglar sang his song every night so as to know it well. And Arnaut thought how he could draw him into ridicule; so one night, while the joglar was singing, Arnaut took care to remember the whole song and the tune. And when they were before the king, Arnaut declared that he wished to sing his song, and began to sing in excellent style the song that the joglar had made. And the joglar, when he heard this, stared him in the face, and declared that he himself had made the song. And the king asked how this was possible, but the joglar implored him to look into the truth of it. The king then asked Sir Arnaut how this had happened, and Sir Arnaut told him how it had happened. And the king had great joy at this, and thought it most excellent fun. And the pledges were returned, and to each he gave fine presents.’ CHAPTER VI. SOCIAL POSITION OF PROVENÇAL POETS.