MARY, an Anglo-Norman Poetefs. 57

imaginary, has very much imitated Pha^drus ; that thefe Latin fables had been tranflated into Englifh ; that, without doubt, thofe of fome other unknown writers were added to them ; and, finally, that from this latter verfion Mary made her translation into French- verfe. II. Who was the author of the Englifh tranflation ? In a MS. of the fables of Mary, cited by Duchefne and Menage, it is faid that this verfion was the work of king Mires iri. The Har- leian MS. N978, makes the tranflator to have been king Alurez. The MS. cited by Pafquier, calls him king Auvert []. The MS. in the Royal library, 15 A. VII. fays the tranflation was made by the order of king Affrus ; and, laflly, the Harleian MS. N 4333, makes it the work of king Henry. It is eafy to perceive into what confufion we are thrown by thefe different denominations ; but it is not quite fo eafy to fee how it is poflible to get out of it. In the firft place, I am unacquainted with any hiftorian, ancient or modern, who has mentioned a king Mires ; and I am very much inclined to think that he entirely owes his exiftence to the tran- fcriber of the MS. cited by Duchefne and Menage. He had pro- bably read his original MS. wrong, and not knowing the feries of Englifh kings, did not perceive his miftake. With refpecl: to king Alurez or Auvert, every one who has ex- amined our ancient writers of romance during the isth and I3th centuries, mufl know that the name of Alfred was thus disfigured by them. But it is difficult to account for its having been convert- ed into the barbarous one of Affrus, except we make due allow- ance for the rudenefs and ignorance of the times in which it was done. rn Menage di&ion. etymol. V. Romans. Duchefne, CEuvres de Maiftre Alain Chartier, p. 861. [] PafquierRecherch.es, Liv. VIII. c. I. VOL. XIII. I Here,