The Cambridge History of English and American Literature in 18 Volumes (1907–21).>br>Volume I. From the Beginnings to the Cycles of Romance.
X. English Scholars of Paris and Franciscans of Oxford§ 8. Jean de Hauteville; Alain de Lille
The Architrenius or “Arch-Mourner” of the Norman satirist Jean de Hauteville ((fl. 1184), who was born near Rouen and passed part of his life in England, has only a slight connection with our present subject. The pilgrim of that satire pays a visit to Paris, and describes the hardships of the students and the fruitlessness of their studies; he afterwards arrives at the hill of Presumption, which is the haunt of all manner of monks and ecclesiastics, as well as the great scholastic doctors and professors. The seven liberal arts are elaborately described in the Anti-Claudianus of the Universal Doctor, Alain de Lille (1114–1203). This fine poem, and the mingled prose and verse of the De Planctu Naturae, were familiar to Chaucer. Alain probably passed some time in England with the Cistercians at Waverley in Surrey (1128), and he is the reputed author of a commentary on the prophecies of Merlin.