“Some are gaming, some are drinking,
    Some are living without thinking;
    And of those who make the racket,
    Some are stripped of coat and jacket;
    Some get clothes of finer feather,
    Some are cleaned out altogether;
    No one there dreads death’s invasion,
    But all drink in emulation.”

The song from which I have extracted this stanza contains a parody of S. Thomas Aquinas’ hymn on the Eucharist.[33] To translate it seemed to me impossible; but I will cite the following stanza, which may be compared with stanzas ix. and x. of Lauda Sion:—­

    “Bibit hera, bibit herus,
    Bibit miles, bibit clerus,
    Bibit ille, bibit illa,
    Bibit servus cum ancilla,
    Bibit velox, bibit piger,
    Bibit albus, bibit niger,
    Bibit constans, bibit vagus,
    Bibit rudis, bibit magus.”

Several of the best anacreontics of the period are even more distinctly parodies.  The following panegyric of wine, for example, is modelled upon a hymn to the Virgin:—­

FOOTNOTES: 

[Footnote 33:  In Taberna, Carm.  Bur., p. 235.]

A SEQUENCE IN PRAISE OF WINE.

No. 45.

    Wine the good and bland, thou blessing
    Of the good, the bad’s distressing,
    Sweet of taste by all confessing,
      Hail, thou world’s felicity! 
    Hail thy hue, life’s gloom dispelling;
    Hail thy taste, all tastes excelling;
    By thy power, in this thy dwelling
      Deign to make us drunk with thee!

    Oh, how blest for bounteous uses
    Is the birth of pure vine-juices! 
    Safe’s the table which produces
      Wine in goodly quality. 
    Oh, in colour how auspicious! 
    Oh, in odour how delicious! 
    In the mouth how sweet, propitious
      To the tongue enthralled by thee!

    Blest the man who first thee planted,
    Called thee by thy name enchanted! 
    He whose cups have ne’er been scanted
      Dreads no danger that may be. 
    Blest the belly where thou bidest! 
    Blest the tongue where thou residest! 
    Blest the mouth through which thou glidest,
      And the lips thrice blest by thee!

    Therefore let wine’s praise be sounded,
    Healths to topers all propounded;
    We shall never be confounded,
      Toping for eternity! 
    Pray we:  here be thou still flowing,
    Plenty on our board bestowing,
    While with jocund voice we’re showing
      How we serve thee—­Jubilee!

Another, regarding the date of which I have no information, is an imitation of a well-known Christmas Carol.

A CAROL OF WINE.

No. 46.

    In dulci jubilo
    Sing we, make merry so! 
      Since our heart’s pleasure
    Latet in poculo,
      Drawn from the cask, good measure. 
    Pro hoc convivio,
      Nunc, nunc bibito!