1205. He is said to have erected a tomb over his faithful dog, still known in Carnarvonshire by the name of Celhart's Grave'. This tradition is the subject of an elegant ballad by the honourable Mr. Spencer, privately printed, in a single sheet, under the title of Beth Gélert, or the Grave of the Greyhound. At Abergavenny Priory Church there is said to be the figure of an armed knight with a dog at his feet; and with this person, whoever he was, the story of Celhart has also been connected. But the dog, as well as other animals, is frequently found at the feet of figures on old monuments. On the whole, the subject appears not undeserving of the consideration of Welsh Antiquaries. It would be proper however, on any such occasion, to bear in mind the numerous applications of circumstances altogether fabulous to real persons; one example of which has occurred in the story from the Gesta that immediately precedes the present.

"It may be thought worth adding, that Virgil's original Gnat resembled in its outline, as given by Donatus, the story in the Gesta. A shepherd there falls asleep in a marshy spot of ground; a serpent

1 "Jones's Reliques of the Welsh Bards, p. 75, where there is an old Welsh song, or Englyn on the subject."-DOUCe.

approaches, and is about to kill him. At this moment a gnat settles on the shepherd's face, stings, and awakens him. He instinctively applies his hand to the wounded part, and crushes the gnat. He soon perceives that he had destroyed his benefactor, and, as the only recompense in his power, erects a tomb to his memory."

CHAP. XLVI.

"Some time ago in Rome there dwelt a noble emperor, of great livelihood, named Alexander, which, above all vertues loved the vertue of bounty; wherefore he ordained a law for great charity, that no man under pain of death should turn a plaice in his dish at his meat, but only eat the whiteside, and not the black; and if any man would attempt to do the contrary, he should suffer death without any pardon : but yet ere he dyed, he should ask three petitions of the emperor what him list (except his life) which should be granted to him.

"It befel after, upon a day, that there became an earl and his son, of a strange country, to speak with the emperor; and when the earl was set at meat, he was served with a plaice, and he which was an hungry and had an appetite to his meat, after he had

eaten the white side, he turned the black side, and began to eat thereof: wherefore, straightway he was accused to the emperor, because he had offended against the law. Then said the emperor, Let him dye according to the law without any delay.

"When the earl's son heard that his father should die, immediately he fell down on both his knees before the emperor, and said, O my reverend lord, I most humbly intreat you, that I may dye for my father. Then said the emperor, It pleaseth me well so that one dye for the offence. Then said the earl's son, Sith it is so that I must dye, I ask the benefit of the law, that is, that I may have three petitions granted ere I dye. The emperor answered and said, Ask what thou wilt, there shall no man say thee nay.

ness

* **

"Then said this young knight, My lord, you have but one daughter, the which I desire of your highThe emperor granted for fulfilling of the laws, though it were against his will*. "The second petition is this, I ask all thy treasure; and immediately the emperor granted, because he would not be called a breaker of the law. And when the earl's son had received the emperor's treasure, he imparted it both to poor and to rich, by means whereof he obtained their good wills.

My third petition is this, I ask, my lord, that all their eyes may be put out incontinent that saw my father eat the black side of the plaice. And they that saw him turn the plaice, bethought them, and said within themselves: If we acknowledge that we saw him do this trespass, then shall our eyes be put out and therefore it is better that we hold us still; And so there was none found that would accuse him.

"When the Earl's son heard this, he said to the emperor, My lord (quoth he) ye see there is no man accuseth my father, therefore give me rightful judgment. Then said the emperor, Forasmuch as no man will acknowledge that they saw him turn the plaice, therefore I will not that thy father shall die. So thus the son saved his father's life, and after the decease of the emperor married his daughter."

CHAP. XLVII.

This Chapter, but with less incident, is the twentyfifth history of the old English translation, which tolerably well exemplifies the usual arbitrary method of departing from the original text. As there is little interest in the story, I pass it.

CHAP. XLVIII.

"Selestinus reigned, a wise emperor, in Rome, and he had a fair daughter."

[It is needless to transcribe this tale (which is the origin of the bond story in Shakspeare's "Merchant of Venice,") because it is to be found prefixed to all the editions of the drama itself, from the Pecorone of Ser Giovanni Fiorentino, an Italian Novelist, who wrote in 1378. It occurs also in an old English MS. preserved in the Harl. Collection, No. 7333, evidently translated from the Gesta Romanorum, [TEMP. Hen. VI.] which Mr. Douce has given in the 1st volume of his very entertaining "Illustrations of Shakspeare," p. 281. But as the Tale of the Three Caskets has not been made so public, I insert it in this place, although it forms the XCIX Chapter of the MS. Gesta. See also Note 16. Vol. 2.]

"Some time dwelt in Rome a mighty emperor, named Anselm, who had married the king's daughter of Jerusalem, a fair lady, and gracious in the sight of every man, but she was long time with the emperor ere she bare him any child; wherefore the nobles of the empire were very sorrowful, because