The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1891-09-05
A STORY OF PROVENCE.
A Sample of the Morality of the Time O.
the TrOubadours

Count Raymond of Toulouse was a
Crusade. He was one of those that
started East, but finally returned, never
having reached Jerusalem, domestic af-
fairs, that is greedy neighbors ready to
pounce upon his possessions, calling
him back.
refined, rather the most chivalric, part
of the world. 1t is a delightful country
that a gayhearted people then, as now,
filled with the proverbial Proyencal
mlrth of song; though then the songs
were less of the oppressed peasants
than of the Troubadours, whose Ian
guage the literary language = WAS
boasted directly derived from the pure
Roman. not degraded with Low Latin
and Galllclsms like the French. The
Romance tongue they called their
speech, and their land was the Roman
tic Land of Europe and the Trouba-
dours sang well-better than we sing
now, and among the most famous of
them was CULLEN de Cabestan. attached
to the court of the great Count of
Toulouse and his friend; the friend
also OF his wife Isabella, who had ac-
companled Raymond to the Crusades, a
woman famous for beauty and wit and
virtue
Life in a castle, as life was then, was
not varied. 1t was country life at best
and there were no books. Guests were
the great entertainment, and they were
not SO many, for travellers were few,
except he sacred pilgrims SO each do
main was cast upon itself. 1t had its
own little court, and among the men
drinking was the night amusement,
while the women spun in their cham
bers, and for both hunting was the
chief pleasure OF the dav. And then
the lonely spinning women would call
the troubadour, and he would tell
stories and sing to them. He was al
ways true poet and always with an
appreclatlve audience, and so the
women and the one man passed many
evenings, till the troubadour seemed a
god to many woman.
In the times of sO-called chivalrv
morals were very lax; Irritation might
be carried on most delicately, but to
moSt-slnce most marriages then We're
from lnterest-the marriage tie seemed
a thing for the woman TO play with if
she would and the man to keep pure if
he could, and if not to take vengeance.
And Raymond's case is an instance
1t Is very celebrated tragedy; one
that fills the history of that time. and
in fragments floats in literature since
Cabestan and Isabella fell in love, and
before the masters eyes their love had
to he kept secret. Many sweet songs
are attributed to Cabestan at this time,
aubadcs and serenadeS, canZos and can
comets, and finally hv them and their
faint illusions RavmOnd's suspicious
were aroused.
He took his friend the sweet singer
into the woods one day hunting, and
there questioned him in laughing way.
Was he not in love? He showed this
sign and that OF love, till Cabestan, at
last, said Yes, with the wife OF Il neigh
boring lord, de Guy, a lady famous for
her virtue. At once Raymond insisted
on riding there, saying he would give
hlS friend an opportunity for tete-a-
tete-suCh were the morals of the age
and to the Chateau Guy they rode, while
despair devoured the poet, and Ray
monG thought soon to see the bottom of
the matter.
However, Cabestan got the first word
with the lady and confessed all things
and she, indignant Of the light opinion
Raymond seemed To have of her, told
her husband, who, angry at Raymond s
| easy treachery to himself, Joined her in
planning revenge.
1t was not hard for Cabestan to per-
suade de Guy and his wife that between
her and Cabestan all the irrepressIhle
signs Of hidden love should he permitted
to be seen. that RAYMOND might be de
ccived, and, thinking his troubadour's
heart engaged elsewhere, not trouble
himself about his wife And the
"ohcme was tried and succeeded one
y IT. Then, because of the great eau
ton Cabestan observed, aWokc Isabel
las jealousy. ale cares less for me
than his safety" she said. She insisted
that he should write supreme poem,
and acknowledge his love so that she ut
least if not all the world, might under
stand, and after many words he con-
scented and wrote his most famous
Baiada CAMEO.
Bat il was Il little too clear, for RAY
mOnd'S suspicious were again aroused.
He watched them, became convinced of
his disgrace, Cheerlully took Cabestan
out hunting, and killed him and cut
his head oft. This head, disguised by
the cooking, he gave his wife to eat
nj supper, and after she had tasted it
asked her how tile head of her sweet
singer tasted. $50 sweet that no other
morsel shall ever pass my lips" she
said, and running to the window, whose
shutters were open, jumped and was
killed.
This is the history of the story in
BoccacciO you read III miserable trans
lations and III many other mut!lations
ana placcs-but Boccaccio's own selec-
ton Is, OF course, past crltlClSm-and
the end Ct it all was that the surround
ing and vassal lords who had long been
stirring against Raymond, taking this
brutality as an excuse and urged ON by
their wives, who knew the loves of the
great Wit and beauty and the great poet
| to have been pure and free from all
staining passion, made incursions on
Raymond and took his possessions, and
finally his person, which they first inn
priSuned and then executed.
But they erected a shrine in Toulouse
to the lovers, ''and all the faithful lords
| and all the loving ladies yearly pay de-
yotions there" say the chronicles.