“A favorite theme of the medieval fabliau is the May-December tale of the dotard husband cuckolded by his young wife,” began one book review in 1986.

Jean de Condé is merely concerned to amuse the court of Hainault with a polished poem cast in this familiar mould, just as at other times he might regale it with the fabliau of Les Braies au Prestre or the dit of La Nonnette.

And in 'Le dit des Heureux,' an old French fabliau:— 'Tu as dit la patenotre Saint Julian � cest matin, Soit en Roumans, soit en Latin; Or tu seras bien ostil�.'

Par Saint Pierre le bon Apostre, L'ostel aurez Saint Julien,' says Mabile to her feigned uncle in the fabliau of 'Boivin de Provins;' and a similar idea appears in 'Cocke Lorell's bote,' where the crew, after the entertainment with the 'relygyous women' from the Stews' Bank, at Colman's Hatch, 'Blessyd theyr shyppe when they had done, And dranke about a Saint Julyan's tonne.'

In this respect the moderns have never returned to ancient simplicity; at least the fabliau, La Bataille des Vins, introduces us to 47 kinds of French wine in the 13th century.