and it has been hastily assumed that Helinand's labours as a
chronicler must have closed in that year. As a matter of fact
they had not then even begun. At that time Helinand was still a
courtly troubadour, and had not yet entered on the monastic
career during which his "Chronicle" was compiled. He was
certainly living as late as 1229, and preached a sermon, which
assuredly shows no signs of mental decrepitude, in that year at a
synod in Toulouse. (11)

Fortunately a passage in the "Speculum Historiale" of Vincent of
Beauvais, himself a younger contemporary and probably a personal
acquaintance of Helinand, throws considerable light on the real
date of Helinand's "Chronicle". After recounting certain matters
connected with the early years of the thirteenth century, the
last date mentioned being 1209, Vincent proceeds: --

"In those times, in the diocese of Beauvais, was Helinand
monk of Froid-mont, a man religious and distinguished for
his eloquence, who also composed those verses on Death in
our vulgar tongue which are publicly read, so elegantly and
so usefully that the subject is laid open clearer than the
light. He also diligently digested into a certain huge
volume a Chronicle from the beginning of the world down to
his own time. But in truth this work was dissipated and
dispersed in such sort that it is nowhere to be found
entire. For it is reported that the said Helinand lent
certain sheets of the said work to one of his familiars, to
wit, Guarin, Lord Bishop of Senlis of good memory, and thus,
whether through forgetfulness or negligence or some other
cause, lost them altogether. From this work, however, as