z 249 stránek
Titul






Předmluva


Editorská poznámka


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Rejstřík






Název:
Ulrich von Zatzikhoven, Lanzelet. A romance of Lancelot
Autor:
Webster, Kenneth G. T.; Loomis, Roger S.; Evans. Austin P.
Rok vydání:
1951
Místo vydání:
New York
Počet stran celkem:
249
Počet stran předmluvy plus obsahu:
XI+238
Obsah:
- I: Titul
- VII: Předmluva
- IX: Editorská poznámka
- XI: Obsah
- 3: Úvod
- 20: Bibliografie
- 23: Edice
- 155: Poznámky
- 233: Rejstřík
upravit
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ULRICH VON ZATZIKHOVEN anzelet NUMBER XLVII OF THE RECORDS OF CIVILIZATION, SOURCES AND STUDIES Austin P. Evans, EDITOR
ULRICH VON ZATZIKHOVEN anzelet NUMBER XLVII OF THE RECORDS OF CIVILIZATION, SOURCES AND STUDIES Austin P. Evans, EDITOR
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ULRICH VON ZATZIKHOVEN anzelet A ROMANCE OF LANCELOT TRANSLATED FROM THE MIDDLE HIGH GERMAN BY KENNETH G. T. WEBSTER REVISED AND PROVIDED WITH ADDITIONAL NOTES AND AN INTRODUCTION BY ROGER SHERMAN LOOMIS COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS NEW YORK 1951
ULRICH VON ZATZIKHOVEN anzelet A ROMANCE OF LANCELOT TRANSLATED FROM THE MIDDLE HIGH GERMAN BY KENNETH G. T. WEBSTER REVISED AND PROVIDED WITH ADDITIONAL NOTES AND AN INTRODUCTION BY ROGER SHERMAN LOOMIS COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS NEW YORK 1951
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Copyright 1951 Columbia University Press, New York Published in Great Britain, Canada, and India by Geoffrey Cumberlege Oxford University Press, London, Toronto, and Bombay Manufactured in the United States of America
Copyright 1951 Columbia University Press, New York Published in Great Britain, Canada, and India by Geoffrey Cumberlege Oxford University Press, London, Toronto, and Bombay Manufactured in the United States of America
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RECORDS OF CIVILIZATION SOURCES AND STUDIES EDITED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY Editor AUSTIN P. EVANS, PH.D., Professor of History Advisory Board SALO BARON, D.H.L., Professor of Jewish History, Literature, and Institutions on the Miller Foundation ; Director of the Center of Israeli Studies DINO BIGONGIARI, Da Ponte Professor Emeritus of Italian ROBERT HERNDON FIFE, L.H.D., Gebhard Professor Emeritus of the Germanic Languages and Literatures CARLTON J. H. HAYES, LITT.D., Seth Low Professor Emeritus of History GILBERT HIGHET, M.A., Anthon Professor of the Latin Language and Literature PAUL O. KRISTELLER, PH.D., Associate Professor of Philosophy ROGER SHERMAN LOOMIS, B.LITT., Professor of English ROBERT MORRISON MACIVER, LITT.D., Lieber Professor Emeritus of Political Philosophy and Sociology JOHN THOMAS MCNEILL, D.D., Auburn Professor of Church His- tory in Union Theological Seminary GARRETT MATTINGLY, PH.D., Professor of History LAWTON P. G. PECKHAM, PH.D., Associate Professor of French JAMES T. SHOTWELL, LL.D., Bryce Professor Emeritus of the His- tory of International Relations LYNN THORNDIKE, L.H.D., Professor Emeritus of History
RECORDS OF CIVILIZATION SOURCES AND STUDIES EDITED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY Editor AUSTIN P. EVANS, PH.D., Professor of History Advisory Board SALO BARON, D.H.L., Professor of Jewish History, Literature, and Institutions on the Miller Foundation ; Director of the Center of Israeli Studies DINO BIGONGIARI, Da Ponte Professor Emeritus of Italian ROBERT HERNDON FIFE, L.H.D., Gebhard Professor Emeritus of the Germanic Languages and Literatures CARLTON J. H. HAYES, LITT.D., Seth Low Professor Emeritus of History GILBERT HIGHET, M.A., Anthon Professor of the Latin Language and Literature PAUL O. KRISTELLER, PH.D., Associate Professor of Philosophy ROGER SHERMAN LOOMIS, B.LITT., Professor of English ROBERT MORRISON MACIVER, LITT.D., Lieber Professor Emeritus of Political Philosophy and Sociology JOHN THOMAS MCNEILL, D.D., Auburn Professor of Church His- tory in Union Theological Seminary GARRETT MATTINGLY, PH.D., Professor of History LAWTON P. G. PECKHAM, PH.D., Associate Professor of French JAMES T. SHOTWELL, LL.D., Bryce Professor Emeritus of the His- tory of International Relations LYNN THORNDIKE, L.H.D., Professor Emeritus of History
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Preface N THE EARLY 1930S my husband, the late Professor K. G. T. Webster, undertook to translate Ulrich von Zatzikhoven's Lanzelet because he considered it a valuable historical and cultural document in its own right and in its implications for the study of Arthurian literature. It is a document, moreover, hardly accessible to the modern reader since the only edition appeared in I845,* and that is to be found in very few libraries in this country. The implications, the inferences to be drawn from Ul- rich's poem, interested Webster particularly because of his con- cern with lost romances. So many manuscripts, he believed, must have disappeared in the course of centuries that one might con- sider their relation to the survivors as comparable to the rela- tion of the submerged to the exposed part of an iceberg. There are so many hints, even proofs, of the existence of oral or writ- ten forms of Arthurian story which have not come down to us that no other conclusion seems possible. As many other scholars have perceived, notably Kittredge in his Study of Gawain and the Green Knight, Webster saw the pos- sibility of deriving a good deal of specific information about the lost from the extant versions. He particularly rejected the view which derives Arthurian romance solely from Chrétien de Troyes, and beyond him from Latin texts, ignoring the body of Celtic analogues which scholars have discovered. In his article, "Ulrich von Zatzikhoven's Welsches Buoch," in Harvard Studies and Notes in Philology and Literature, XVI (1934), 203—28, he indicated some of the deductions about lost works to be drawn from a comparison of Lanzelet with Chrétien's Chevalier de la Charrette and the Prose Lancelot. Not being a specialist in Middle High German, Webster had two or three scholars check his work while it was in progress, and afterward Professor F. P. Magoun reviewed the whole. For the * Lanzelet, eine Erzählung von Ulrich von Zatzikhoven, ed. K. A. Hahn (Frank- furt, 1845).
Preface N THE EARLY 1930S my husband, the late Professor K. G. T. Webster, undertook to translate Ulrich von Zatzikhoven's Lanzelet because he considered it a valuable historical and cultural document in its own right and in its implications for the study of Arthurian literature. It is a document, moreover, hardly accessible to the modern reader since the only edition appeared in I845,* and that is to be found in very few libraries in this country. The implications, the inferences to be drawn from Ul- rich's poem, interested Webster particularly because of his con- cern with lost romances. So many manuscripts, he believed, must have disappeared in the course of centuries that one might con- sider their relation to the survivors as comparable to the rela- tion of the submerged to the exposed part of an iceberg. There are so many hints, even proofs, of the existence of oral or writ- ten forms of Arthurian story which have not come down to us that no other conclusion seems possible. As many other scholars have perceived, notably Kittredge in his Study of Gawain and the Green Knight, Webster saw the pos- sibility of deriving a good deal of specific information about the lost from the extant versions. He particularly rejected the view which derives Arthurian romance solely from Chrétien de Troyes, and beyond him from Latin texts, ignoring the body of Celtic analogues which scholars have discovered. In his article, "Ulrich von Zatzikhoven's Welsches Buoch," in Harvard Studies and Notes in Philology and Literature, XVI (1934), 203—28, he indicated some of the deductions about lost works to be drawn from a comparison of Lanzelet with Chrétien's Chevalier de la Charrette and the Prose Lancelot. Not being a specialist in Middle High German, Webster had two or three scholars check his work while it was in progress, and afterward Professor F. P. Magoun reviewed the whole. For the * Lanzelet, eine Erzählung von Ulrich von Zatzikhoven, ed. K. A. Hahn (Frank- furt, 1845).
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viii final result, however, none of these gentlemen should be held responsible. As Webster disliked the pomposity of scholarly jar- gon and unnecessary archaisms, he deliberately used for the trans- lation a somewhat plain, modern style. He completed it about 1935 and lived to write a large portion of the notes to accompany it, but not the introduction. The material on the abduction of Guinevere was too copious to take the form of notes and grew to the proportions of an essay, which, left almost complete, is now ready for publication. After Webster's death in 1942, Professor Roger S. Loomis kindly consented to revise and supplement the work of his old friend and one-time colleague. He has made some slight changes in the translation, usually following a suggestion of Professor Magoun or substituting what he felt to be a happier locution. He has pruned the notes which seemed unnecessarily long or which seemed outdated by recent scholarship ; he has added much commentary of his own to the notes and written an introduction on Ulrich, his Anglo-Norman source, and its Celtic antecedents. I am glad that a scholar so familiar with the field and so sym- pathetic in general to Professor Webster's ideas was willing to undertake the task. The book is published with the financial as- sistance of Professor Webster's children, Edith and Ward Gregg, Frederic and Priscilla Webster. DEBORAH WEBSTER Milton, Massachusetts April, 1951
viii final result, however, none of these gentlemen should be held responsible. As Webster disliked the pomposity of scholarly jar- gon and unnecessary archaisms, he deliberately used for the trans- lation a somewhat plain, modern style. He completed it about 1935 and lived to write a large portion of the notes to accompany it, but not the introduction. The material on the abduction of Guinevere was too copious to take the form of notes and grew to the proportions of an essay, which, left almost complete, is now ready for publication. After Webster's death in 1942, Professor Roger S. Loomis kindly consented to revise and supplement the work of his old friend and one-time colleague. He has made some slight changes in the translation, usually following a suggestion of Professor Magoun or substituting what he felt to be a happier locution. He has pruned the notes which seemed unnecessarily long or which seemed outdated by recent scholarship ; he has added much commentary of his own to the notes and written an introduction on Ulrich, his Anglo-Norman source, and its Celtic antecedents. I am glad that a scholar so familiar with the field and so sym- pathetic in general to Professor Webster's ideas was willing to undertake the task. The book is published with the financial as- sistance of Professor Webster's children, Edith and Ward Gregg, Frederic and Priscilla Webster. DEBORAH WEBSTER Milton, Massachusetts April, 1951
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Cditor's Note T HAS BEEN a happy privilege to bring to completion, at the request of Mrs. Webster, the work to which her husband de- voted the ripe scholarship of his last years. With her permis- sion I have taken some slight liberties in revising the translation. It was Webster's principle to follow MS W, except where Hahn's text of 1845 or MS P offered a patently better reading. Though the translation is still substantially as he left it, and though I have followed a similar eclectic policy, I have tended rather to follow Hahn's edition for the reason that it is the text which the reader who wishes to compare the translation with the original has to consult. In the notes and the introduction I have expressed opinions in which Webster might not have concurred, yet there need be no confusion in the reader's mind as to what he believed and what I believe. Views expressed in the introduction are my own, except, of course, where I credit them to Webster's publica- tions. I earnestly hope that the total result would have met with his approval. At least our interpretations of the Matter of Britain, its origin and development, and of Lanzelet in particu- lar coincide in the main. To Mrs. Webster I am indebted for many helpful criticisms and suggestions in the performance of my task ; to my colleague Professor C. F. Bayerschmidt for the opportunity to consult him on several matters of translation; to Professor Werner Richter, who has written an excellent monograph on Lanzelet and who is preparing a new edition, and to Professor John L. Riordan for criticism of my introduction; to Professor Austin P. Evans for including the book in the distinguished series of Records of Civ- ilization ; and to the officers of the Columbia University Press for their cooperation in bringing the book out. ROGER SHERMAN LOOMIS Columbia University April, 1951
Cditor's Note T HAS BEEN a happy privilege to bring to completion, at the request of Mrs. Webster, the work to which her husband de- voted the ripe scholarship of his last years. With her permis- sion I have taken some slight liberties in revising the translation. It was Webster's principle to follow MS W, except where Hahn's text of 1845 or MS P offered a patently better reading. Though the translation is still substantially as he left it, and though I have followed a similar eclectic policy, I have tended rather to follow Hahn's edition for the reason that it is the text which the reader who wishes to compare the translation with the original has to consult. In the notes and the introduction I have expressed opinions in which Webster might not have concurred, yet there need be no confusion in the reader's mind as to what he believed and what I believe. Views expressed in the introduction are my own, except, of course, where I credit them to Webster's publica- tions. I earnestly hope that the total result would have met with his approval. At least our interpretations of the Matter of Britain, its origin and development, and of Lanzelet in particu- lar coincide in the main. To Mrs. Webster I am indebted for many helpful criticisms and suggestions in the performance of my task ; to my colleague Professor C. F. Bayerschmidt for the opportunity to consult him on several matters of translation; to Professor Werner Richter, who has written an excellent monograph on Lanzelet and who is preparing a new edition, and to Professor John L. Riordan for criticism of my introduction; to Professor Austin P. Evans for including the book in the distinguished series of Records of Civ- ilization ; and to the officers of the Columbia University Press for their cooperation in bringing the book out. ROGER SHERMAN LOOMIS Columbia University April, 1951
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Contents INTRODUCTION 3 A SELECTIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF ULRICH VON ZATZIKHOVEN'S LANZELET LANZELET 20 25 ABBREVIATIONS USED IN NOTES 156 NOTES INDEX TO THE NOTES 157 235
Contents INTRODUCTION 3 A SELECTIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF ULRICH VON ZATZIKHOVEN'S LANZELET LANZELET 20 25 ABBREVIATIONS USED IN NOTES 156 NOTES INDEX TO THE NOTES 157 235
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Introduction
Introduction
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N I192 Richard Coeur de Lion was returning from his ill-fated attempt to win back the Holy Sepulchre from the Turk, and, seeking to avoid capture by his enemy, Leopold, duke of Aus- tria, he adopted various disguises. But no scullion's smock could hide the frame of the mightiest wielder of the battle-ax in Christen- dom. Richard was seized at an inn near Vienna, transferred from stronghold to stronghold, and handed over to Emperor Henry VI. The emperor and the duke demanded a huge ransom, and the resources of England, Normandy, and Aquitaine were drained to raise it. When in February, 1194, the money was paid over by Richard's mother to the emperor at Mainz, certain prelates and nobles were delivered over as hostages for the fulfillment of the remaining terms and were distributed about. Among them was a certain Hugh de Morville, who had brought with him a welschez buoch, a book in the French language, containing a romance about Lanzelet, the hero well known to readers of English as Lancelot. Later in the year the hostages were allowed to return to their homes, but the manuscript came into the hands of Ulrich von Zatzikhoven, who is mentioned in a document of 1214 as parish priest of Lommis in the Swiss canton of Thurgau. Somewhere, somehow Ulrich must have acquired a knowledge of French, and, urged by his friends and in the hope of reward, he rendered Mor- ville's book into High German verse." The poem runs to over 9,400 lines in rimed couplets and sur- vives in two almost complete manuscripts and two fragments. The oldest and handsomest manuscript, W, belongs to the thir- teenth century and is No. 2698 at Vienna; the other almost com- plete text is in P, codex palatinus 371 at Heidelberg. Fragment S was at Strasbourg in 1845, and fragment G was bought in 1924 by the late Professor John L. Campion, but I have no information on their present whereabouts.2 1 For these facts of. Ulrich's own statements near the end of his poem and W. Richter in Deutsche Forschungen, XXVII (1934), 12-16. 2 P. Piper, Höfische Epik (Stuttgart, 1892�95), II, 163ff.
N I192 Richard Coeur de Lion was returning from his ill-fated attempt to win back the Holy Sepulchre from the Turk, and, seeking to avoid capture by his enemy, Leopold, duke of Aus- tria, he adopted various disguises. But no scullion's smock could hide the frame of the mightiest wielder of the battle-ax in Christen- dom. Richard was seized at an inn near Vienna, transferred from stronghold to stronghold, and handed over to Emperor Henry VI. The emperor and the duke demanded a huge ransom, and the resources of England, Normandy, and Aquitaine were drained to raise it. When in February, 1194, the money was paid over by Richard's mother to the emperor at Mainz, certain prelates and nobles were delivered over as hostages for the fulfillment of the remaining terms and were distributed about. Among them was a certain Hugh de Morville, who had brought with him a welschez buoch, a book in the French language, containing a romance about Lanzelet, the hero well known to readers of English as Lancelot. Later in the year the hostages were allowed to return to their homes, but the manuscript came into the hands of Ulrich von Zatzikhoven, who is mentioned in a document of 1214 as parish priest of Lommis in the Swiss canton of Thurgau. Somewhere, somehow Ulrich must have acquired a knowledge of French, and, urged by his friends and in the hope of reward, he rendered Mor- ville's book into High German verse." The poem runs to over 9,400 lines in rimed couplets and sur- vives in two almost complete manuscripts and two fragments. The oldest and handsomest manuscript, W, belongs to the thir- teenth century and is No. 2698 at Vienna; the other almost com- plete text is in P, codex palatinus 371 at Heidelberg. Fragment S was at Strasbourg in 1845, and fragment G was bought in 1924 by the late Professor John L. Campion, but I have no information on their present whereabouts.2 1 For these facts of. Ulrich's own statements near the end of his poem and W. Richter in Deutsche Forschungen, XXVII (1934), 12-16. 2 P. Piper, Höfische Epik (Stuttgart, 1892�95), II, 163ff.
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[ 4 Ulrich's familiarity with the romances of Erek and Gregor, which Hartmann von Aue composed in the early 1190s, suggests that the two poets may have known each other, since Hartmann is thought by some authorities to have hailed from Eglisau in the neighboring canton of Zurich, and Professor Richter indulges in the pleasant speculation that both may have attended the mo- nastic school of Reichenau.3 The date of Ulrich's poem may be fixed between 1194 and 1203, when Wolfram von Eschenbach was in the midst of writing his Parzival and showed clear signs of acquaintance with Lanzelet, borrowing the names Maurin, Kailet, Iblis, and changing the name Iweret to Ibert. As a work of art, Lanzelet is banal in diction and somewhat haphazard in construction ; nevertheless we are prepared early for the hero's victory over Iweret, and this brings about the final crowning at Dodone. The poem displays, too, a natural, if naive, exuberance and zest. Both faults and virtues in all probability are due to Ulrich's source. Not only did the Swiss priest assert that he had added nothing to the book and taken nothing from it, but Webster 4 showed also that the fifty-three appeals to authority scattered through the poem all occur in passages where the matter is clearly traditional, not of Ulrich's invention. Nevertheless, in some minor matters the poet must have felt free to exercise a little liberty, since he borrowed at least six names from Hart- mann's Erek, and he also seems to have taken from the same source the reference to the chase of the white hart as a custom established by Utpandragon.5 Moreover, one may suspect that he added certain bits of learned lore, such as the names and properties of the stones abeston and galazia and the description of Thyle.' Since these words appear without scribal corruption, as distinct from the Vallis Yble and the giant Esealt, which seem to be due to scribal misreading of vallis sybile and Efealt,7 they were probably in the welschez buoch. It is also to Ulrich that we should probably attribute the eagle on his hero's shield, for that, of course, was the imperial charge, and subjects of the Empire 3 Deutsche Forschungen, XXVII (1934), 22f. 4 Harvard Studies and Notes in Philology and Literature, XVI (1934), 218—28. 5 See note 203 to the Text. 6 See notes 155, 242, and 231 to the Text. 7 See notes 128 and 224 to the Text.
[ 4 Ulrich's familiarity with the romances of Erek and Gregor, which Hartmann von Aue composed in the early 1190s, suggests that the two poets may have known each other, since Hartmann is thought by some authorities to have hailed from Eglisau in the neighboring canton of Zurich, and Professor Richter indulges in the pleasant speculation that both may have attended the mo- nastic school of Reichenau.3 The date of Ulrich's poem may be fixed between 1194 and 1203, when Wolfram von Eschenbach was in the midst of writing his Parzival and showed clear signs of acquaintance with Lanzelet, borrowing the names Maurin, Kailet, Iblis, and changing the name Iweret to Ibert. As a work of art, Lanzelet is banal in diction and somewhat haphazard in construction ; nevertheless we are prepared early for the hero's victory over Iweret, and this brings about the final crowning at Dodone. The poem displays, too, a natural, if naive, exuberance and zest. Both faults and virtues in all probability are due to Ulrich's source. Not only did the Swiss priest assert that he had added nothing to the book and taken nothing from it, but Webster 4 showed also that the fifty-three appeals to authority scattered through the poem all occur in passages where the matter is clearly traditional, not of Ulrich's invention. Nevertheless, in some minor matters the poet must have felt free to exercise a little liberty, since he borrowed at least six names from Hart- mann's Erek, and he also seems to have taken from the same source the reference to the chase of the white hart as a custom established by Utpandragon.5 Moreover, one may suspect that he added certain bits of learned lore, such as the names and properties of the stones abeston and galazia and the description of Thyle.' Since these words appear without scribal corruption, as distinct from the Vallis Yble and the giant Esealt, which seem to be due to scribal misreading of vallis sybile and Efealt,7 they were probably in the welschez buoch. It is also to Ulrich that we should probably attribute the eagle on his hero's shield, for that, of course, was the imperial charge, and subjects of the Empire 3 Deutsche Forschungen, XXVII (1934), 22f. 4 Harvard Studies and Notes in Philology and Literature, XVI (1934), 218—28. 5 See note 203 to the Text. 6 See notes 155, 242, and 231 to the Text. 7 See notes 128 and 224 to the Text.
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L5 — such as the illuminator of Veldeke's Eneide and a painter at Schloss Runkelstein assigned this symbol of glory arbitrarily to heroes of other peoples and times, Turnus and Iwein.8 In other ways, too, Ulrich may have departed from his source, but to offer examples would be mere guesswork. Webster was essentially right when he wrote that, except for the difference in language, we have in Lanzelet, a replica of a document of capital importance for the history of the Arthurian matter. What, then, of the owner of this document, Hugh de Morville ? Oddly enough, there were at least three men of that name living about the same time. One became bishop of Coutances in 1207; the second held lands in southern Scotland and died in 1162. The third, a kinsman of the second, had his principal seat at Burgh on Sands in Cumberland, was forester of that county (which included the famous Inglewood Forest of Middle English Arthurian romance) , and was justice itinerant of both Cumberland and Northumber- land in 1170." Most historians believe that this was the Hugh de Morville who in that same year came over from Normandy and stood off the crowd while his companions murdered St. Thomas à Becket in Canterbury cathedral. If so, he made his peace with the Church and lived on to serve as hostage for Richard and to die in 1204. Though Webster 10 was inclined to doubt the identity of the Hugh de Morville who was present at the murder with the forester of Cumberland, he was surely right in holding that the latter was the hostage who owned the welschez buoch, for both his mother and a daughter were named Ada,11 and one of Lanze- let's temporary wives bears the quite un-Arthurian name of Ade. One may infer with great probability that the romance was com- posed for the Cumberland Morville or for some member of his family. It was at least written in the Anglo-Norman dialect since Ulrich adopts such words as buhurt, turnei, pavilun, garzun, in the Anglo-Norman form, and the names Gurnemans and Mabuz tell the same story. Webster 12 favored the view that the author of Ulrich's source 8 See note 26 to the Text. 9 Dictionary of National Biography, XII, 1065f.; Deutsche Forschungen, XXVII 10 Speculum, XV (1940), 272, n. 3. (1934), 12-16. 12 Speculum, XV (1940), 272-79. 11 See note 67 to Text.
L5 — such as the illuminator of Veldeke's Eneide and a painter at Schloss Runkelstein assigned this symbol of glory arbitrarily to heroes of other peoples and times, Turnus and Iwein.8 In other ways, too, Ulrich may have departed from his source, but to offer examples would be mere guesswork. Webster was essentially right when he wrote that, except for the difference in language, we have in Lanzelet, a replica of a document of capital importance for the history of the Arthurian matter. What, then, of the owner of this document, Hugh de Morville ? Oddly enough, there were at least three men of that name living about the same time. One became bishop of Coutances in 1207; the second held lands in southern Scotland and died in 1162. The third, a kinsman of the second, had his principal seat at Burgh on Sands in Cumberland, was forester of that county (which included the famous Inglewood Forest of Middle English Arthurian romance) , and was justice itinerant of both Cumberland and Northumber- land in 1170." Most historians believe that this was the Hugh de Morville who in that same year came over from Normandy and stood off the crowd while his companions murdered St. Thomas à Becket in Canterbury cathedral. If so, he made his peace with the Church and lived on to serve as hostage for Richard and to die in 1204. Though Webster 10 was inclined to doubt the identity of the Hugh de Morville who was present at the murder with the forester of Cumberland, he was surely right in holding that the latter was the hostage who owned the welschez buoch, for both his mother and a daughter were named Ada,11 and one of Lanze- let's temporary wives bears the quite un-Arthurian name of Ade. One may infer with great probability that the romance was com- posed for the Cumberland Morville or for some member of his family. It was at least written in the Anglo-Norman dialect since Ulrich adopts such words as buhurt, turnei, pavilun, garzun, in the Anglo-Norman form, and the names Gurnemans and Mabuz tell the same story. Webster 12 favored the view that the author of Ulrich's source 8 See note 26 to the Text. 9 Dictionary of National Biography, XII, 1065f.; Deutsche Forschungen, XXVII 10 Speculum, XV (1940), 272, n. 3. (1934), 12-16. 12 Speculum, XV (1940), 272-79. 11 See note 67 to Text.
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[ 6 was the famous Walter Map, clerk of Henry II's household and itinerant justice, in both of which offices he might well have known Morville. Map is cited as the author in the French Prose Lancelot, which, as we shall see, contains much in common with Ulrich's poem, and Hugh of Rutland refers to him in his Ipomedon (A.D. 1174�79 ) as one who knew the art of lying—that is, composing romantic fiction—as well as Hugh himself did. But though the suggestion is tempting, most scholars have been very skeptical. Certainly the Prose Lancelot and its continuations, which are also attributed to Map, could not have been his work. The De nugis curialium, which is his one acknowledged composition, evinces so little concern with the Arthur legend that he even covered up his borrowing from it by substituting non-Arthurian names, such as Sadius and Galo.13 And, if we are to judge of Map's handling of romantic narrative from the story of Sadius and Galo, he could not have written the source of Lanzelet; the latter is too naive and lacks the many classical flourishes with which Map adorned his style. What was the date of the Anglo-Norman Lancelot? Some writers on the subject have assumed its dependence on Chrétien's Chevalier de la Charrette, Yvain, and Conte del Graal (Perceval) and therefore have placed it after 1180. But the mere existence of parallels between the works of Ulrich and of the French poet does not demonstrate the latter's priority ; and it seems fantastic that, if the author of Ulrich's source had known the Charrette, he would have completely ignored the central theme, the passion of Lancelot for Guinevere. Moreover, for the abduction and re- covery of the queen, Ulrich followed, as Webster showed,14 the Irish pattern of the abduction and recovery of Etain, while Chrétien comes closer to the version supplied by the Welsh monk, Caradoc of Lancarvan. Ulrich did not know, much less follow, Chrétien's famous poem. Nevertheless, the Anglo-Norman Lance- lot may plausibly be dated after 1180, since the appointment of Clidra 15 to judge affairs of love and courtesy at Arthur's court 13 See R. E. Bennett in Speculum, XVI (1941), 34-56. 14 Englische Studien, XXXVI (1906), 348-50. 15 Hahn, the editor of Lanzelet, followed the Vienna MS and printed Elidia. See note 230 to the Text.
[ 6 was the famous Walter Map, clerk of Henry II's household and itinerant justice, in both of which offices he might well have known Morville. Map is cited as the author in the French Prose Lancelot, which, as we shall see, contains much in common with Ulrich's poem, and Hugh of Rutland refers to him in his Ipomedon (A.D. 1174�79 ) as one who knew the art of lying—that is, composing romantic fiction—as well as Hugh himself did. But though the suggestion is tempting, most scholars have been very skeptical. Certainly the Prose Lancelot and its continuations, which are also attributed to Map, could not have been his work. The De nugis curialium, which is his one acknowledged composition, evinces so little concern with the Arthur legend that he even covered up his borrowing from it by substituting non-Arthurian names, such as Sadius and Galo.13 And, if we are to judge of Map's handling of romantic narrative from the story of Sadius and Galo, he could not have written the source of Lanzelet; the latter is too naive and lacks the many classical flourishes with which Map adorned his style. What was the date of the Anglo-Norman Lancelot? Some writers on the subject have assumed its dependence on Chrétien's Chevalier de la Charrette, Yvain, and Conte del Graal (Perceval) and therefore have placed it after 1180. But the mere existence of parallels between the works of Ulrich and of the French poet does not demonstrate the latter's priority ; and it seems fantastic that, if the author of Ulrich's source had known the Charrette, he would have completely ignored the central theme, the passion of Lancelot for Guinevere. Moreover, for the abduction and re- covery of the queen, Ulrich followed, as Webster showed,14 the Irish pattern of the abduction and recovery of Etain, while Chrétien comes closer to the version supplied by the Welsh monk, Caradoc of Lancarvan. Ulrich did not know, much less follow, Chrétien's famous poem. Nevertheless, the Anglo-Norman Lance- lot may plausibly be dated after 1180, since the appointment of Clidra 15 to judge affairs of love and courtesy at Arthur's court 13 See R. E. Bennett in Speculum, XVI (1941), 34-56. 14 Englische Studien, XXXVI (1906), 348-50. 15 Hahn, the editor of Lanzelet, followed the Vienna MS and printed Elidia. See note 230 to the Text.
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[ 7 seems to reflect familiarity with those pronouncements on amatory ethics by great ladies which Andreas Capellanus reported about 1185 and which Miss Amy Kelly has assigned to the early 1170s.16 Ulrich's poem represents, then, except for minor details, an Anglo-Norman romance of the age of Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and Richard Coeur de Lion. It belongs to the same epoch and the same milieu as Thomas of Britain's Tristram, Marie de France's lais, and Hugh of Rutland's Ipomedon, and despite its artistic inferiority it is hardly inferior in interest. It reveals in scattered passages the classical training of the Anglo- Norman author. It mirrors realistically certain phases of courtly life and morals, certain prevalent tastes, in that period of amazing vitality and evolving standards. An examination of the narrative materials sheds an unexpected and brilliant light on the complex problems of the Matter of Britain. That the Anglo-Norman author was a cleric is proved by his knowledge of Latin writings. He quotes or translates from Ovid's Fasti, Publilius Syrus' apophthegms, and Vergil's Ecloques.17 He was probably responsible for calling Yblis' flowery domain vallis sybile.18 The name Clidra, assigned to the lady transformed into a serpent, is pretty clearly a corruption of Celidra, and the source must have been a description of the snake chelydros such as that in Isidore of Seville.19 Esealt, the giant youth of precocious growth, bears the name, slightly corrupted, of the classical giant Efealt (Ephialtes), who is described in that source book of medie- val knowledge, the commentary of Servius on the Aeneid.2° Pos- sibly these scraps of learned lore were inserted by Ulrich, but the somewhat garbled state of the names suggests rather a remoter source, the Anglo-Norman romance. They remind us of Marie de France's allusions to Priscian and Ovid, Thomas of Britain's use of soliloquy, and the pseudo-classicism of Hugh of Rutland's romances, and show that their author breathed the same air. Characteristic of Anglo-Norman Britain, too, is the fascination of mirabilia, natural wonders. Lanzelet contains three—the 16 Andreas Capellanus, The Art of Courtly Love, trans. J. J. Parry (New York, 17 See notes 160, 161, 162 to the Text. 1941). Speculum, XII (1937), 3-19. 18 See note 128 to the Text. MS W reads “vallis yblê.' 20 See note 224 to the Text. 19 See note 230 to the Text.
[ 7 seems to reflect familiarity with those pronouncements on amatory ethics by great ladies which Andreas Capellanus reported about 1185 and which Miss Amy Kelly has assigned to the early 1170s.16 Ulrich's poem represents, then, except for minor details, an Anglo-Norman romance of the age of Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and Richard Coeur de Lion. It belongs to the same epoch and the same milieu as Thomas of Britain's Tristram, Marie de France's lais, and Hugh of Rutland's Ipomedon, and despite its artistic inferiority it is hardly inferior in interest. It reveals in scattered passages the classical training of the Anglo- Norman author. It mirrors realistically certain phases of courtly life and morals, certain prevalent tastes, in that period of amazing vitality and evolving standards. An examination of the narrative materials sheds an unexpected and brilliant light on the complex problems of the Matter of Britain. That the Anglo-Norman author was a cleric is proved by his knowledge of Latin writings. He quotes or translates from Ovid's Fasti, Publilius Syrus' apophthegms, and Vergil's Ecloques.17 He was probably responsible for calling Yblis' flowery domain vallis sybile.18 The name Clidra, assigned to the lady transformed into a serpent, is pretty clearly a corruption of Celidra, and the source must have been a description of the snake chelydros such as that in Isidore of Seville.19 Esealt, the giant youth of precocious growth, bears the name, slightly corrupted, of the classical giant Efealt (Ephialtes), who is described in that source book of medie- val knowledge, the commentary of Servius on the Aeneid.2° Pos- sibly these scraps of learned lore were inserted by Ulrich, but the somewhat garbled state of the names suggests rather a remoter source, the Anglo-Norman romance. They remind us of Marie de France's allusions to Priscian and Ovid, Thomas of Britain's use of soliloquy, and the pseudo-classicism of Hugh of Rutland's romances, and show that their author breathed the same air. Characteristic of Anglo-Norman Britain, too, is the fascination of mirabilia, natural wonders. Lanzelet contains three—the 16 Andreas Capellanus, The Art of Courtly Love, trans. J. J. Parry (New York, 17 See notes 160, 161, 162 to the Text. 1941). Speculum, XII (1937), 3-19. 18 See note 128 to the Text. MS W reads “vallis yblê.' 20 See note 224 to the Text. 19 See note 230 to the Text.
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8 Shrieking Marsh, the Growing Lookout, and the Hill of the Marvelous Ball—not to mention the many elysian features of the Maiden Land, the Vallis Yblê, and Malduc's castle. Though noth- ing closely resembling these marvels is described in the pages of Giraldus' Itinerary through Wales (c. 1191), one would not be surprised to find them there along with the floating island, the returning stone, the migratory pool, the speaking slab, and the stony hill, not very large or high, shouts from one side of which could not be heard on the other.21 That this taste for strange natu- ral phenomena was not limited to the twelfth century or to Britain is shown by Gervase of Tilbury's Otia imperialia (c. 1210), Mandeville's Travels (c. 1366), and modern newspaper articles about the Great Cave of Kentucky and the geysers of Yellowstone. Love of the exotic is exemplified in the mention of various Oriental fabries and in the elaborate description of the tent with its magic mirror and singing eagle of gold—features which recall Benoît de Ste. More's Roman de Troie and Wolfram's Parzival. In spite of these bizarre and fabulous elements, the picture of courtly life and morals seems to be in large measure realistic. Webster in a study of the twelfth-century tourney 22 showed how the great assembly at Dyoflê reflects the customs of the time— the proclamation by messengers, the provision of lodgings for the participants, the opportunity for shopping, and the lezze, or neu- tral ground, to which knights could retreat. Needless to say, the details of knightly equipment and of ladies' costume correspond to the fashions of the time. The great festivals held at Pentecost, attended by thousands of knights and barons, the bohourts and dances, the munificent gifts—all can be substantiated in the his- torical records. The contrasting relations of Pant and of Lanzelet to their feudatories pointed a contemporary moral. In fact, if the purely romantic and fantastic elements be omitted, the story of Lanzelet, the nameless, landless knight, who rose by sheer prowess to association with princes and kings and to wedding the heiress of Dodone, resembles the career of William Marshal, a younger son of a petty baron, who became the trusted counsellor of kings, 21 National Library of Wales Journal, VI (1949), 135-37. 22 Kittredge Anniversary Papers (Boston, 1913), pp. 327-34.
8 Shrieking Marsh, the Growing Lookout, and the Hill of the Marvelous Ball—not to mention the many elysian features of the Maiden Land, the Vallis Yblê, and Malduc's castle. Though noth- ing closely resembling these marvels is described in the pages of Giraldus' Itinerary through Wales (c. 1191), one would not be surprised to find them there along with the floating island, the returning stone, the migratory pool, the speaking slab, and the stony hill, not very large or high, shouts from one side of which could not be heard on the other.21 That this taste for strange natu- ral phenomena was not limited to the twelfth century or to Britain is shown by Gervase of Tilbury's Otia imperialia (c. 1210), Mandeville's Travels (c. 1366), and modern newspaper articles about the Great Cave of Kentucky and the geysers of Yellowstone. Love of the exotic is exemplified in the mention of various Oriental fabries and in the elaborate description of the tent with its magic mirror and singing eagle of gold—features which recall Benoît de Ste. More's Roman de Troie and Wolfram's Parzival. In spite of these bizarre and fabulous elements, the picture of courtly life and morals seems to be in large measure realistic. Webster in a study of the twelfth-century tourney 22 showed how the great assembly at Dyoflê reflects the customs of the time— the proclamation by messengers, the provision of lodgings for the participants, the opportunity for shopping, and the lezze, or neu- tral ground, to which knights could retreat. Needless to say, the details of knightly equipment and of ladies' costume correspond to the fashions of the time. The great festivals held at Pentecost, attended by thousands of knights and barons, the bohourts and dances, the munificent gifts—all can be substantiated in the his- torical records. The contrasting relations of Pant and of Lanzelet to their feudatories pointed a contemporary moral. In fact, if the purely romantic and fantastic elements be omitted, the story of Lanzelet, the nameless, landless knight, who rose by sheer prowess to association with princes and kings and to wedding the heiress of Dodone, resembles the career of William Marshal, a younger son of a petty baron, who became the trusted counsellor of kings, 21 National Library of Wales Journal, VI (1949), 135-37. 22 Kittredge Anniversary Papers (Boston, 1913), pp. 327-34.
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L 9 the tutor of Henry II's son, the husband of the great heiress, the countess of Pembroke, and the lord of domains in four countries.23 The sexual morals of the hero, preposterous and unworthy though they may seem to the reader who thinks of medieval so- ciety as strictly regulated by the teachings of the Church, do not seem unfamiliar to one who knows the history and literature of the twelfth century. It has often been observed that Lanzelet, though no marriage sacrament is even mentioned, lives with four women, and three of these simply disappear from the story. With two he cohabits on first acquaintance, and yet one of them, Yblis, is repeatedly praised for her virtue. Such casual unions are to be accounted for partly by the fact that Lanzelet simply attracted to himself a series of independent contes, each of which terminated with the winning of a bride. We have a similar explanation for the several loves of Peredur in the Mabinogion.24 But the lack of any condemnatory comment from Ulrich and his exaltation of Lanzelet as an ideal knight force us to realize that for our author and his audience such disregard of the Christian code and of the inviolability of wedlock was familiar and acceptable. Did not Eleanor of Aquitaine dissolve her first marriage with Louis VII of France and within two months marry Henry, heir to the throne of England ? Did not the father of the famous William Marshal get rid of his first wife and wed again when it seemed profitable ? 25 Did not Conrad of Montferrat discard two wives, marry a third, whose husband was still alive, and thus gain the almost sacred title of king of Jerusalem ? 26 Professor Painter states that “not until the latter part of the twelfth century did the Church seriously threaten the noble's right to marry and repudiate at will." 27 As for the premarital intercourse of lovers, little if any blame was attached to it if we are to believe the romances, such as Flores and Blancheflor. Indeed the society described by Andreas Capel- lanus in 1185 seems to have tolerated every license except merce- nary or promiscuous relations. 23 S. Painter, William Marshal (Baltimore, 1933). 24 Mabinogion, trans. Gwyn Jones and Thomas Jones, Everyman's Library, pp. 25 Painter, William Marshal, p. 9. 194-217. 26 Three Old French Chronicles of the Crusades, trans. E. N. Stone (Seattle, 1939), 27 S. Painter, French Chivalry (Baltimore, 1940), p. 100. p. 62.
L 9 the tutor of Henry II's son, the husband of the great heiress, the countess of Pembroke, and the lord of domains in four countries.23 The sexual morals of the hero, preposterous and unworthy though they may seem to the reader who thinks of medieval so- ciety as strictly regulated by the teachings of the Church, do not seem unfamiliar to one who knows the history and literature of the twelfth century. It has often been observed that Lanzelet, though no marriage sacrament is even mentioned, lives with four women, and three of these simply disappear from the story. With two he cohabits on first acquaintance, and yet one of them, Yblis, is repeatedly praised for her virtue. Such casual unions are to be accounted for partly by the fact that Lanzelet simply attracted to himself a series of independent contes, each of which terminated with the winning of a bride. We have a similar explanation for the several loves of Peredur in the Mabinogion.24 But the lack of any condemnatory comment from Ulrich and his exaltation of Lanzelet as an ideal knight force us to realize that for our author and his audience such disregard of the Christian code and of the inviolability of wedlock was familiar and acceptable. Did not Eleanor of Aquitaine dissolve her first marriage with Louis VII of France and within two months marry Henry, heir to the throne of England ? Did not the father of the famous William Marshal get rid of his first wife and wed again when it seemed profitable ? 25 Did not Conrad of Montferrat discard two wives, marry a third, whose husband was still alive, and thus gain the almost sacred title of king of Jerusalem ? 26 Professor Painter states that “not until the latter part of the twelfth century did the Church seriously threaten the noble's right to marry and repudiate at will." 27 As for the premarital intercourse of lovers, little if any blame was attached to it if we are to believe the romances, such as Flores and Blancheflor. Indeed the society described by Andreas Capel- lanus in 1185 seems to have tolerated every license except merce- nary or promiscuous relations. 23 S. Painter, William Marshal (Baltimore, 1933). 24 Mabinogion, trans. Gwyn Jones and Thomas Jones, Everyman's Library, pp. 25 Painter, William Marshal, p. 9. 194-217. 26 Three Old French Chronicles of the Crusades, trans. E. N. Stone (Seattle, 1939), 27 S. Painter, French Chivalry (Baltimore, 1940), p. 100. p. 62.
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10 In spite of Lanzelet's immoral and heartless dealings with women, there is, after all, a good deal more sense and soundness in his behavior than in that of Chrétien's Lancelot. He does not betray his trusting lord, King Arthur ; he does not indulge in such silly extravagances of passion ; his sojourn with the queen of Pluris was due to her management ; and, once convinced of Yblis perfections, he shows himself a loyal and generous husband. Per- haps it is not fitting in a country which contains Hollywood and Reno to throw stones at a young stripling who, though he fell an easy prey to designing manhunters, at last settled down to an ideal domestic life. The greatest interest and significance of Lanzelet lies, for this writer at least, in its prehistory, in the light it sheds on the proc- esses which went to the making of a typical Arthurian romance and of the Lancelot legend in particular. Close attention to detail, careful comparison with analogues, and familiarity with the gen- eral development of the Matter of Britain make it possible to give a fairly complete account of the materials which went into the Anglo-Norman romance and of their origin. One of the first things which a student realizes is that the poem consists largely of independent episodes, strung rather loosely together. One of these, the mantle test, exists in several versions 28 and, with the substitution of a drinking horn for the mantle, is the subject of the Anglo-Norman Lai du Cor, written about 1150 by Robert Biket. It must have formed a farcical element in the repertoire of the conteurs at a fairly early stage. The combination of tests at Galagandreiz' castle, as Kittredge recognized,29 has affinities with the Middle English romances, Gawain and the Green Knight and the Carl of Carlisle. The adventure at Schatel le Mort is plainly a cognate version of Erec's experiences at “le chastel de Limors," 30 while the fight with Iweret and its setting present some striking analogies to Erec's combat with Mabona- grain in the enchanted vergier.31 It is worth noting, moreover, that in none of these parallel episodes does Lancelot figure as hero, 28 See note 187 to the Text. 29 G. L. Kittredge, Study of Gawain and the Green Knight (Cambridge, Mass., 1916), pp. 5f., 85-88, 219f., 262. See note 37 to the Text. 31 See notes 123 and 124 to the Text. 30 See notes 71 and 117 to the Text.
10 In spite of Lanzelet's immoral and heartless dealings with women, there is, after all, a good deal more sense and soundness in his behavior than in that of Chrétien's Lancelot. He does not betray his trusting lord, King Arthur ; he does not indulge in such silly extravagances of passion ; his sojourn with the queen of Pluris was due to her management ; and, once convinced of Yblis perfections, he shows himself a loyal and generous husband. Per- haps it is not fitting in a country which contains Hollywood and Reno to throw stones at a young stripling who, though he fell an easy prey to designing manhunters, at last settled down to an ideal domestic life. The greatest interest and significance of Lanzelet lies, for this writer at least, in its prehistory, in the light it sheds on the proc- esses which went to the making of a typical Arthurian romance and of the Lancelot legend in particular. Close attention to detail, careful comparison with analogues, and familiarity with the gen- eral development of the Matter of Britain make it possible to give a fairly complete account of the materials which went into the Anglo-Norman romance and of their origin. One of the first things which a student realizes is that the poem consists largely of independent episodes, strung rather loosely together. One of these, the mantle test, exists in several versions 28 and, with the substitution of a drinking horn for the mantle, is the subject of the Anglo-Norman Lai du Cor, written about 1150 by Robert Biket. It must have formed a farcical element in the repertoire of the conteurs at a fairly early stage. The combination of tests at Galagandreiz' castle, as Kittredge recognized,29 has affinities with the Middle English romances, Gawain and the Green Knight and the Carl of Carlisle. The adventure at Schatel le Mort is plainly a cognate version of Erec's experiences at “le chastel de Limors," 30 while the fight with Iweret and its setting present some striking analogies to Erec's combat with Mabona- grain in the enchanted vergier.31 It is worth noting, moreover, that in none of these parallel episodes does Lancelot figure as hero, 28 See note 187 to the Text. 29 G. L. Kittredge, Study of Gawain and the Green Knight (Cambridge, Mass., 1916), pp. 5f., 85-88, 219f., 262. See note 37 to the Text. 31 See notes 123 and 124 to the Text. 30 See notes 71 and 117 to the Text.
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LII and we may be reasonably sure that he was substituted for other figures through the arbitrary decision of the Anglo-Norman au- thor. One of the episodes, we have observed, was the subject of a lai, a type credited to the Bretons, and the testimony of William of Malmesbury (1125) and of Wace (1155) proves that it was the Bretons who were responsible for the dissemination of Arthur- ian tales.32 Other evidence shows that by the end of the eleventh century these professional entertainers, speaking French, had made an impression in Northern Italy.33 Bédier, Warnke, and others agree that they flocked into England after the Norman Conquest, following the Breton lords who were given lands there.34 With the exception of Chrétien's Cliges and Robert de Boron's Joseph, the Arthurian romances and lais of the twelfth century were based on the stories of these itinerant conteurs. Chrétien's hero Erec bears a Breton name, while the name of our hero, Lanzelet, has plainly been influenced by the name Lancelin, recorded in Brittany as early as 1034.35 Likewise Chrétien's “chas- tel de Limors" and Ulrich's Schatel le Mort correspond to the castle of “le Trépas" in modern Breton folktales.36 Most of the materials of Lanzelet, therefore, were derived more or less directly from the stock in trade of professional Breton raconteurs. Some of these materials had already crystallized into a Lance- lot biography before they were used by the Anglo-Norman author. Webster showed that certain motifs and themes turn up also in Chrétien's Chevalier de la Charrette,37 and Märtens made a study of the common features in the Prose Lancelot.38 These fixed ele- ments in the story of our hero were : his father Ban (Ulrich's Pant) and his mother Elaine (Ulrich's Clarine) ; the death of Ban in war ; the kidnaping of the infant and his upbringing by a fay ; his departure with a ring, arms, and a horse supplied by his foster mother ; his visit to a cemetery, where a tomb awaits him ; 32 R. S. Loomis, Arthurian Tradition and Chrétien de Troyes (New York, 1949), 33 Ibid., pp. 19f. pp. 15, 18. 34 Thomas, Tristan, ed. J. Bédier, II (Paris, 1905), 126f. Marie de France, Lais, ed. K. Warnke, 3d ed. (Halle, 1925), pp. xxvf. 36 Ibid., chap. XXIV. 35 Loomis, Arthurian Tradition, p. 190. 37 Harvard Studies and Notes in Philology and Literature, XVI (1934), 203-14. 38 Romanische Studien, V (1880), 690-99.
LII and we may be reasonably sure that he was substituted for other figures through the arbitrary decision of the Anglo-Norman au- thor. One of the episodes, we have observed, was the subject of a lai, a type credited to the Bretons, and the testimony of William of Malmesbury (1125) and of Wace (1155) proves that it was the Bretons who were responsible for the dissemination of Arthur- ian tales.32 Other evidence shows that by the end of the eleventh century these professional entertainers, speaking French, had made an impression in Northern Italy.33 Bédier, Warnke, and others agree that they flocked into England after the Norman Conquest, following the Breton lords who were given lands there.34 With the exception of Chrétien's Cliges and Robert de Boron's Joseph, the Arthurian romances and lais of the twelfth century were based on the stories of these itinerant conteurs. Chrétien's hero Erec bears a Breton name, while the name of our hero, Lanzelet, has plainly been influenced by the name Lancelin, recorded in Brittany as early as 1034.35 Likewise Chrétien's “chas- tel de Limors" and Ulrich's Schatel le Mort correspond to the castle of “le Trépas" in modern Breton folktales.36 Most of the materials of Lanzelet, therefore, were derived more or less directly from the stock in trade of professional Breton raconteurs. Some of these materials had already crystallized into a Lance- lot biography before they were used by the Anglo-Norman author. Webster showed that certain motifs and themes turn up also in Chrétien's Chevalier de la Charrette,37 and Märtens made a study of the common features in the Prose Lancelot.38 These fixed ele- ments in the story of our hero were : his father Ban (Ulrich's Pant) and his mother Elaine (Ulrich's Clarine) ; the death of Ban in war ; the kidnaping of the infant and his upbringing by a fay ; his departure with a ring, arms, and a horse supplied by his foster mother ; his visit to a cemetery, where a tomb awaits him ; 32 R. S. Loomis, Arthurian Tradition and Chrétien de Troyes (New York, 1949), 33 Ibid., pp. 19f. pp. 15, 18. 34 Thomas, Tristan, ed. J. Bédier, II (Paris, 1905), 126f. Marie de France, Lais, ed. K. Warnke, 3d ed. (Halle, 1925), pp. xxvf. 36 Ibid., chap. XXIV. 35 Loomis, Arthurian Tradition, p. 190. 37 Harvard Studies and Notes in Philology and Literature, XVI (1934), 203-14. 38 Romanische Studien, V (1880), 690-99.
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12 the revealing of his name ; a hostile dwarf belonging to the house- hold of an amorous jaileress; a three-day tournament in which Lancelot fights incognito in arms of three colors and in which the King of the Hundred Knights also participates; a victorious combat with a knight who claims possession of Guinevere. A study of these features common to the Anglo-Norman romance and the Charrette, or to the Anglo-Norman romance and the Prose Lancelot, proves their origin in a biographic tradition which may well have taken shape by 1150. Though the Bretons doubtless were the framers of the tradition much as we have it in Lanzelet, they invented neither the hero nor his fabulous history. These they took over in the course of cen- turies from their kinsmen, the story-tellers (cyvarwyddon) of Wales, who during the Dark Ages had formed out of the remnants of pagan mythology, hero legends, and folklore an extraordinary mass of fascinating narrative, of which the Four Branches of the Mabinogi, Kilhwch and Olwen, and the Dream of Maxen are the principal survivors in the Welsh language,39 while other ele- ments are found in the Latin works of Caradoc of Lancarvan and Geoffrey of Monmouth. Some of the principal figures in this mass of story were historic—Arthur, who led the Britons to victory over the Saxons about the year 500 ; Owain, who fought the Angles about 580; Drustan, a king of the Picts about 780. These are, of course, the Arthur, Iwan, and Tristant of Ulrich's poem.40 Others had been pagan deities—the gigantic Bran the Blessed, who waded across the Irish sea ; the water-goddess Modron ; her son Mabon, the counterpart of the Gallo-Roman Apollo Ma- ponos ; the solar Gwri of the Golden Hair or of the Fair Hair (Gwallt-Advwyn) ; Lluch of the White (?) Hand (Llauynnauc), who is derived from the Irish sun-god Lug or Luch of the Long Hand (Lamfada). These personages too reappear in the French romances, and in Lanzelet they can be recognized, though natu- rally the names have been distorted in transmission. Bran the Blessed has become Pant von Genewis through a hypothetical Anglo-French "Bran li Beneïs" ; 41 Modron has become the name- 39 See Mabinogion, trans. Gwyn Jones and Thomas Jones, Everyman's Library. 41 See notes 2 and 3 to the Text. 40 See notes 58, 100, and 199 to the Text.
12 the revealing of his name ; a hostile dwarf belonging to the house- hold of an amorous jaileress; a three-day tournament in which Lancelot fights incognito in arms of three colors and in which the King of the Hundred Knights also participates; a victorious combat with a knight who claims possession of Guinevere. A study of these features common to the Anglo-Norman romance and the Charrette, or to the Anglo-Norman romance and the Prose Lancelot, proves their origin in a biographic tradition which may well have taken shape by 1150. Though the Bretons doubtless were the framers of the tradition much as we have it in Lanzelet, they invented neither the hero nor his fabulous history. These they took over in the course of cen- turies from their kinsmen, the story-tellers (cyvarwyddon) of Wales, who during the Dark Ages had formed out of the remnants of pagan mythology, hero legends, and folklore an extraordinary mass of fascinating narrative, of which the Four Branches of the Mabinogi, Kilhwch and Olwen, and the Dream of Maxen are the principal survivors in the Welsh language,39 while other ele- ments are found in the Latin works of Caradoc of Lancarvan and Geoffrey of Monmouth. Some of the principal figures in this mass of story were historic—Arthur, who led the Britons to victory over the Saxons about the year 500 ; Owain, who fought the Angles about 580; Drustan, a king of the Picts about 780. These are, of course, the Arthur, Iwan, and Tristant of Ulrich's poem.40 Others had been pagan deities—the gigantic Bran the Blessed, who waded across the Irish sea ; the water-goddess Modron ; her son Mabon, the counterpart of the Gallo-Roman Apollo Ma- ponos ; the solar Gwri of the Golden Hair or of the Fair Hair (Gwallt-Advwyn) ; Lluch of the White (?) Hand (Llauynnauc), who is derived from the Irish sun-god Lug or Luch of the Long Hand (Lamfada). These personages too reappear in the French romances, and in Lanzelet they can be recognized, though natu- rally the names have been distorted in transmission. Bran the Blessed has become Pant von Genewis through a hypothetical Anglo-French "Bran li Beneïs" ; 41 Modron has become the name- 39 See Mabinogion, trans. Gwyn Jones and Thomas Jones, Everyman's Library. 41 See notes 2 and 3 to the Text. 40 See notes 58, 100, and 199 to the Text.
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L 13 ] less merfeine, Lanzelet's foster mother ; 42 Modron's son Mabon has become the merfeine's son Mabuz ; 4s the epithet Gwallt- advwyn has passed through the recorded form Galvagin into Walwein ; 44 and since the Welsh common noun lluch (modern llwch) meant “lake," the elements in the name Lluch Llauynnauc have been reversed and the result is Lanzelet (influenced by Breton Lancelin) du Lac.45 Probably Modron was also a prototype of the amorous daughter of Galagandreiz and the queen of Pluris, while Mabon had some influence on the role of Malduc. Other characters, whether of history or mythology, have evidently passed from Welsh into Anglo-Norman literature—Kay, Ginover, and Isalde; Utpandragon came by other channels, through Geoffrey of Monmouth, Wace, Chrétien de Troyes, and Hartmann von Aue, to Ulrich. 46 Not only can we detect in Lanzelet these legendary Welsh personages, but we also find parallels in narrative pattern and descriptive setting. The chastity-testing mantle is listed among the Thirteen Treasures of the Isle of Britain.47 The abduction of Guennuvar is briefly narrated by Caradoc of Lancarvan about 1130.48 The elysian isle of women, presided over by Lanzelet's faery foster mother, is obviously identical with the elysian isle of the nine sister nymphs (one of them named Moronoe), described by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the Vita Merlini, and with the island fortress of glass, Caer Wydyr, where nine maidens heated a cal- dron, as described in a poem of the tenth century.49 The Welsh poet refers to the same island as ynys pybyrdor (isle of the strong door), and in Ulrich's poem the elysian isle has a gateway as hard as diamond. In all probability most of the Welsh traditional matter had been transmitted to the Bretons long before the Norman Conquest, but it is an extraordinary fact that a number of the elements which went into the Anglo-Norman romance must have been collected 42 See notes 6 and 9 to the Text. 44 See note 83 to the Text. 46 See notes 99, 81, 236, and 203 to the Text. 47 See note 187 to the Text, and Loomis, Arthurian Tradition, p. 98. 48 Loomis, Arthurian Tradition, pp. 214f. 49 See note 9 to the Text. and PMLA LVI (1941). 887-917. 43 See note 118 to the Text. 45 See note 148 to the Text.
L 13 ] less merfeine, Lanzelet's foster mother ; 42 Modron's son Mabon has become the merfeine's son Mabuz ; 4s the epithet Gwallt- advwyn has passed through the recorded form Galvagin into Walwein ; 44 and since the Welsh common noun lluch (modern llwch) meant “lake," the elements in the name Lluch Llauynnauc have been reversed and the result is Lanzelet (influenced by Breton Lancelin) du Lac.45 Probably Modron was also a prototype of the amorous daughter of Galagandreiz and the queen of Pluris, while Mabon had some influence on the role of Malduc. Other characters, whether of history or mythology, have evidently passed from Welsh into Anglo-Norman literature—Kay, Ginover, and Isalde; Utpandragon came by other channels, through Geoffrey of Monmouth, Wace, Chrétien de Troyes, and Hartmann von Aue, to Ulrich. 46 Not only can we detect in Lanzelet these legendary Welsh personages, but we also find parallels in narrative pattern and descriptive setting. The chastity-testing mantle is listed among the Thirteen Treasures of the Isle of Britain.47 The abduction of Guennuvar is briefly narrated by Caradoc of Lancarvan about 1130.48 The elysian isle of women, presided over by Lanzelet's faery foster mother, is obviously identical with the elysian isle of the nine sister nymphs (one of them named Moronoe), described by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the Vita Merlini, and with the island fortress of glass, Caer Wydyr, where nine maidens heated a cal- dron, as described in a poem of the tenth century.49 The Welsh poet refers to the same island as ynys pybyrdor (isle of the strong door), and in Ulrich's poem the elysian isle has a gateway as hard as diamond. In all probability most of the Welsh traditional matter had been transmitted to the Bretons long before the Norman Conquest, but it is an extraordinary fact that a number of the elements which went into the Anglo-Norman romance must have been collected 42 See notes 6 and 9 to the Text. 44 See note 83 to the Text. 46 See notes 99, 81, 236, and 203 to the Text. 47 See note 187 to the Text, and Loomis, Arthurian Tradition, p. 98. 48 Loomis, Arthurian Tradition, pp. 214f. 49 See note 9 to the Text. and PMLA LVI (1941). 887-917. 43 See note 118 to the Text. 45 See note 148 to the Text.
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14 at a later date, possibly the first half of the twelfth century, in Carnarvonshire, for they are attached in one way or another to the Snowdon district. Bran and Elen, the originals of Pant and Clarine, are both linked in Welsh texts to Caer Seint,50 a Roman fort whose imposing ruins stood on a hill above Carnarvon and were called by the Anglo-Normans Senaudone or something like it. The richly decorated palace of Dodone, where Yblis dwelt with her father, is strikingly like the imaginary picture of Caer Seint in the Dream of Maxen, where Elen dwelt with her father, and in both the German and the Welsh texts we have associated with the site the motif of falling in love with a person seen in a dream.51 Dodone seems to have inherited the traditions of Senaudone. A few miles south of Caer Seint is Dinlle, a prehistoric camp men- tioned in the mabinogi of Math. This must be Ulrich's Dyoflê, where Lanzelet first displayed his prowess in the tourney,52 since one has only to change o back to n to get Dynflê—practically identical in sound with Dinlle. Just off the shore from Dinlle is a rocky islet, and there dwelt a fay, Arianrhod, who refused to give her son a name because of her shame—a situation strik- ingly reminiscent of the scene where the queen of the Isle of Maidens refuses to tell her foster son his name because of her shame and distress.53 Both fays eventually did bestow names on the young heroes, though under quite different circumstances. Finally, the kidnaping of the infant Lanzelet near a lake by a fay who came with a mist is amazingly like the belief prevailing near Llyn Dwythwch in the nineteenth century that if children went out on a misty day, they were liable to be carried off by fairies into the lake ; 54 and Llyn Dwythwch lies only about six miles east- south-east of the site of Caer Seint. Mere coincidence cannot ex- plain this assembling in Lanzelet of traditions which clustered about Snowdon and the adjacent coast. It can only be due to a fairly recent collection, made presumably by a Breton conteur, who added to his repertoire from the legends of this romantic region. And either he or the Anglo-Norman author worked them into his biography of Lanzelet. 50 See note 4 to the Text. 52 See note 93 to the Text. 54 See note 7 to the Text. 51 See notes 131 and 134 to the Text. 53 See note 18 to the Text.
14 at a later date, possibly the first half of the twelfth century, in Carnarvonshire, for they are attached in one way or another to the Snowdon district. Bran and Elen, the originals of Pant and Clarine, are both linked in Welsh texts to Caer Seint,50 a Roman fort whose imposing ruins stood on a hill above Carnarvon and were called by the Anglo-Normans Senaudone or something like it. The richly decorated palace of Dodone, where Yblis dwelt with her father, is strikingly like the imaginary picture of Caer Seint in the Dream of Maxen, where Elen dwelt with her father, and in both the German and the Welsh texts we have associated with the site the motif of falling in love with a person seen in a dream.51 Dodone seems to have inherited the traditions of Senaudone. A few miles south of Caer Seint is Dinlle, a prehistoric camp men- tioned in the mabinogi of Math. This must be Ulrich's Dyoflê, where Lanzelet first displayed his prowess in the tourney,52 since one has only to change o back to n to get Dynflê—practically identical in sound with Dinlle. Just off the shore from Dinlle is a rocky islet, and there dwelt a fay, Arianrhod, who refused to give her son a name because of her shame—a situation strik- ingly reminiscent of the scene where the queen of the Isle of Maidens refuses to tell her foster son his name because of her shame and distress.53 Both fays eventually did bestow names on the young heroes, though under quite different circumstances. Finally, the kidnaping of the infant Lanzelet near a lake by a fay who came with a mist is amazingly like the belief prevailing near Llyn Dwythwch in the nineteenth century that if children went out on a misty day, they were liable to be carried off by fairies into the lake ; 54 and Llyn Dwythwch lies only about six miles east- south-east of the site of Caer Seint. Mere coincidence cannot ex- plain this assembling in Lanzelet of traditions which clustered about Snowdon and the adjacent coast. It can only be due to a fairly recent collection, made presumably by a Breton conteur, who added to his repertoire from the legends of this romantic region. And either he or the Anglo-Norman author worked them into his biography of Lanzelet. 50 See note 4 to the Text. 52 See note 93 to the Text. 54 See note 7 to the Text. 51 See notes 131 and 134 to the Text. 53 See note 18 to the Text.
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15 One may perhaps object that none of these tales or personages is associated in Welsh literature with Lluch Llauynnauc, Lanze- let's prototype. But this is not strange in view of the fact that we know almost nothing about Lluch beyond his enrollment among Arthur's warriors, attested by three texts. It is one of the great gaps in the extant Welsh literature of the Middle Ages. We have some compensation, however, in the fact that Lluch of the White ( ?) Hand must have been taken over, as noted above, from the Irish god Lug or Luch of the Long Hand, a youthful hero, master of all the arts, and a great warrior. Professor Gruffydd has demonstrated that Lug's legend had a great influ- ence on Welsh literature, particularly on the story of Lleu of the Sure Hand in the mabinogi of Math.55 The name Lleu is, lin- guistically, the Brythonic cognate of the Goidelic Lug,56 both being derived from an older Lugus, and it is natural that we should find Irish influence in Lleu's legend. Since the name Lluch of the White ( ?) Hand is pretty obviously a direct borrowing from Lug, or Luch, of the Long Hand, we might expect even closer parallels between the stories of Lluch and Lug. That, owing to the gap in our evidence, can never be verified. But the astonishing fact is that in the romances of Lancelot and Lanzelet we find the parallels we should expect in the lost stories of Lluch—a neat confirmation of Lancelot's descent from Lluch and of Lluch's descent from Lug. What are these correspondences ? In my Arthurian Tradition and Chrétien de Troyes 57 I noted only three, none very convincing by itself. 1. A gloss attached to the Irish saga, The Second Battle of Moytura, of the ninth or tenth century, states that Lug had a red color on him from sunset to morning—presumably a reference to the redness of the sun as it approached the western horizon and rose again in the east. Lancelot bore red arms at the tourney of Noauz in Chrétien's Charrette, at the assemblies of Godosaire, Camaalot, Peningue, and Malehot in the Prose Lancelot, and at the tourney of Guincestre in the Mort Artu. 55 W. J. Gruffydd, Math Vab Mathonwy (Cardiff, 1928). 56 Ibid., p. 61. 57 Pages 192, 232-36.
15 One may perhaps object that none of these tales or personages is associated in Welsh literature with Lluch Llauynnauc, Lanze- let's prototype. But this is not strange in view of the fact that we know almost nothing about Lluch beyond his enrollment among Arthur's warriors, attested by three texts. It is one of the great gaps in the extant Welsh literature of the Middle Ages. We have some compensation, however, in the fact that Lluch of the White ( ?) Hand must have been taken over, as noted above, from the Irish god Lug or Luch of the Long Hand, a youthful hero, master of all the arts, and a great warrior. Professor Gruffydd has demonstrated that Lug's legend had a great influ- ence on Welsh literature, particularly on the story of Lleu of the Sure Hand in the mabinogi of Math.55 The name Lleu is, lin- guistically, the Brythonic cognate of the Goidelic Lug,56 both being derived from an older Lugus, and it is natural that we should find Irish influence in Lleu's legend. Since the name Lluch of the White ( ?) Hand is pretty obviously a direct borrowing from Lug, or Luch, of the Long Hand, we might expect even closer parallels between the stories of Lluch and Lug. That, owing to the gap in our evidence, can never be verified. But the astonishing fact is that in the romances of Lancelot and Lanzelet we find the parallels we should expect in the lost stories of Lluch—a neat confirmation of Lancelot's descent from Lluch and of Lluch's descent from Lug. What are these correspondences ? In my Arthurian Tradition and Chrétien de Troyes 57 I noted only three, none very convincing by itself. 1. A gloss attached to the Irish saga, The Second Battle of Moytura, of the ninth or tenth century, states that Lug had a red color on him from sunset to morning—presumably a reference to the redness of the sun as it approached the western horizon and rose again in the east. Lancelot bore red arms at the tourney of Noauz in Chrétien's Charrette, at the assemblies of Godosaire, Camaalot, Peningue, and Malehot in the Prose Lancelot, and at the tourney of Guincestre in the Mort Artu. 55 W. J. Gruffydd, Math Vab Mathonwy (Cardiff, 1928). 56 Ibid., p. 61. 57 Pages 192, 232-36.
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[ 16 2. Lug, according to the Second Battle, raised and threw a stone which required four score oxen to move, and was thus recog- nized as the warrior who could deliver the Tuatha De Danann (the Irish gods) from bondage. Lancelot, in the Charrette, raised a slab requiring the strength of seven mighty men to lift and thus proved that he was the knight who would bring forth the men and women who were captives in the land. 3. Though the circumstances were different, both Lug and Lancelot begat in secret, illicit unions sons destined to high re- nown—Cuchulainn and Galaad. Further study of Ulrich's poem, however, has led me to discover five more striking parallels. 4. The names of Lug and Lanzelet were withheld.5s According to Irish folktales Lug's grandfather refused to give the boy a name but was later tricked into calling him Lug Long-hand, whereas Lanzelet's foster mother refused to reveal his name till he had performed a certain exploit. That the resemblance is not merely accidental is proved by the further parallel between Lanzelet and Lug's Welsh counterpart, Lleu. Lleu's mother re- fused him a name because of her shame at his birth but was tricked into giving him one, whereas Lanzelet's foster mother refused to tell him his name because of her shame and great distress. If we had a Welsh story of Lluch, it would doubtless offer the same parallels with the stories of Lug and Lanzelet. 5. Lug was brought up by a foster mother, the queen Tailltiu, till he was fit to bear arms. Lanzelet was brought up by a faery queen till he was ready to be trained in horsemanship and chiv- alry.59 6. Lug, according to The Fate of the Children of Turenn, came from the home of Manannan, the sea-god, and had been his foster son—a tradition preserved in a modern tale which tells how Manannan "brought Lug up with feats of activity and champion- ship." Manannan was a merwunder, since for the space of nine waves he would be submerged in the sea, but would rise on the crest of the tenth without wetting chest or breast. Lanzelet was 58 See note 18 to the Text. 59 See note 10 to the Text.
[ 16 2. Lug, according to the Second Battle, raised and threw a stone which required four score oxen to move, and was thus recog- nized as the warrior who could deliver the Tuatha De Danann (the Irish gods) from bondage. Lancelot, in the Charrette, raised a slab requiring the strength of seven mighty men to lift and thus proved that he was the knight who would bring forth the men and women who were captives in the land. 3. Though the circumstances were different, both Lug and Lancelot begat in secret, illicit unions sons destined to high re- nown—Cuchulainn and Galaad. Further study of Ulrich's poem, however, has led me to discover five more striking parallels. 4. The names of Lug and Lanzelet were withheld.5s According to Irish folktales Lug's grandfather refused to give the boy a name but was later tricked into calling him Lug Long-hand, whereas Lanzelet's foster mother refused to reveal his name till he had performed a certain exploit. That the resemblance is not merely accidental is proved by the further parallel between Lanzelet and Lug's Welsh counterpart, Lleu. Lleu's mother re- fused him a name because of her shame at his birth but was tricked into giving him one, whereas Lanzelet's foster mother refused to tell him his name because of her shame and great distress. If we had a Welsh story of Lluch, it would doubtless offer the same parallels with the stories of Lug and Lanzelet. 5. Lug was brought up by a foster mother, the queen Tailltiu, till he was fit to bear arms. Lanzelet was brought up by a faery queen till he was ready to be trained in horsemanship and chiv- alry.59 6. Lug, according to The Fate of the Children of Turenn, came from the home of Manannan, the sea-god, and had been his foster son—a tradition preserved in a modern tale which tells how Manannan "brought Lug up with feats of activity and champion- ship." Manannan was a merwunder, since for the space of nine waves he would be submerged in the sea, but would rise on the crest of the tenth without wetting chest or breast. Lanzelet was 58 See note 18 to the Text. 59 See note 10 to the Text.
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[ 17 trained by merwunder in swordsmanship, wrestling, and other accomplishments. 60 7. When Lug, according to The Second Battle of Moytura, arrived at the royal court of Nuada, he took the seat of the sage reserved for the most accomplished, and displayed some of his many feats and arts. When Lanzelet arrived at the court of Arthur, he was able to approach the seat of honor, presumably occupied it, and won the admiration of all by his fine breeding and beauty.61 These seven correspondences cannot be due to chance. They confirm the onomastic evidence for the descent of Lanzelet from Lug. There is, furthermore, an exploit of Lanzelet's which is not related of Lug, but which is concerned with Lug's wife, the Sovranty of Erin, and of which Lug himself was inferentially the original hero. 8. According to an Irish poem written before 1024, a woman in monstrous form was encountered in a forest beside a spring. She asked for a kiss from the men who approached her, but they fled in disgust. Finally Niall, a young prince, undertook the ad- venture, kissed the hideous mouth, and the monster was trans- formed into a beautiful damsel. From other Irish sources we learn that she was the Sovranty, that Lug wedded the kingship of Ireland after the death of Nuada, and that Conn discovered in Lug's faery palace a wondrous damsel who was the Sovranty of Ireland for ever. We may infer, therefore, that Lug had won her by the same miraculous kiss as did Niall. Lanzelet's adventure with the dragon-maiden agrees point for point with the Irish poem. A woman in monstrous form was to be met beside a stream in a forest. She longed for a kiss from the knights who approached her, but they fled in terror. Finally, Lanzelet undertook the ad- venture, kissed the hideous mouth, and the monster was trans- formed into a beautiful damsel.62 Maynadier proved in 1901 that this Irish legend of the transformation by kiss passed into Arthurian romance,e3 but it has not been recognized that the 61 See note 178 to the Text. 60 See note 14 to the Text. 62 See note 228 to the Text. 63 G. H. Maynadier, The Wife of Bath's Tale (London, 1901).
[ 17 trained by merwunder in swordsmanship, wrestling, and other accomplishments. 60 7. When Lug, according to The Second Battle of Moytura, arrived at the royal court of Nuada, he took the seat of the sage reserved for the most accomplished, and displayed some of his many feats and arts. When Lanzelet arrived at the court of Arthur, he was able to approach the seat of honor, presumably occupied it, and won the admiration of all by his fine breeding and beauty.61 These seven correspondences cannot be due to chance. They confirm the onomastic evidence for the descent of Lanzelet from Lug. There is, furthermore, an exploit of Lanzelet's which is not related of Lug, but which is concerned with Lug's wife, the Sovranty of Erin, and of which Lug himself was inferentially the original hero. 8. According to an Irish poem written before 1024, a woman in monstrous form was encountered in a forest beside a spring. She asked for a kiss from the men who approached her, but they fled in disgust. Finally Niall, a young prince, undertook the ad- venture, kissed the hideous mouth, and the monster was trans- formed into a beautiful damsel. From other Irish sources we learn that she was the Sovranty, that Lug wedded the kingship of Ireland after the death of Nuada, and that Conn discovered in Lug's faery palace a wondrous damsel who was the Sovranty of Ireland for ever. We may infer, therefore, that Lug had won her by the same miraculous kiss as did Niall. Lanzelet's adventure with the dragon-maiden agrees point for point with the Irish poem. A woman in monstrous form was to be met beside a stream in a forest. She longed for a kiss from the knights who approached her, but they fled in terror. Finally, Lanzelet undertook the ad- venture, kissed the hideous mouth, and the monster was trans- formed into a beautiful damsel.62 Maynadier proved in 1901 that this Irish legend of the transformation by kiss passed into Arthurian romance,e3 but it has not been recognized that the 61 See note 178 to the Text. 60 See note 14 to the Text. 62 See note 228 to the Text. 63 G. H. Maynadier, The Wife of Bath's Tale (London, 1901).
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18 closest parallel is between the Irish poem and Lanzelet, and that Lanzelet has inherited the role which belonged originally to Lug, husband of the Sovranty. Fantastic though it may seem, is it not true that the Swiss poem has preserved more elements of the saga of Lug than any single Irish text ? Scholars have generally recognized that another theme, the abduction and deliverance of Arthur's queen, was derived from the Celts, and we have already observed that a version was given by Caradoc of Lancarvan. As far back as 1906 Webster pointed out 64 that a version of the famous Irish saga, The Wooing of Etain, furnished the clearest parallel to the version in Ulrich's poem.65 The Otherworld king, Mider, revealed himself to Etain, the wife of King Eochaid Airemm, as having been her husband in her previous incarnations. When he asked her to go away with him, she refused. But later, when Eochaid was holding a great festival and horse race, Mider appeared in hideous form and carried Etain off. Eochaid and his horsemen searched for her in vain. After a year had passed, he sent for his druid Dalan, who discovered by his spells that Mider had taken Etain to the faery palace of Bri Leith. By the druid's counsel Eochaid assembled the men of Ireland, destroyed the palace, and brought his wife back. The correspondences with Valerin's claim to Ginover, his first vain attempt to win her away, his abduction of her at an equestrian assemblage, Arthur's enlisting the aid of the wizard Malduc, his destruction of Valerin's castle, and the recovery of his queen are too marked to be due to chance. There is still another adventure which is proved to be traditional by the existence of several cognates in Arthurian romance and for which an Irish origin may be claimed. It is the visit of three knights to Galagandreiz' castle, where in the absence of the host all three were tempted by his daughter and where at dawn Lanzelet was subjected to an attack by Galagandreiz, hurling a knife. In Bricriu's Feast Cuchulainn and two rival warriors of Ulster visited Curoi's fortress, were entertained in Curoi's absence by his wife, who was noted for her love of Cuchulainn, and at dawn Cuchulainn 64 Englische Studien, XXXVI (1906), 348-50. 65 See note 202 to the Text.
18 closest parallel is between the Irish poem and Lanzelet, and that Lanzelet has inherited the role which belonged originally to Lug, husband of the Sovranty. Fantastic though it may seem, is it not true that the Swiss poem has preserved more elements of the saga of Lug than any single Irish text ? Scholars have generally recognized that another theme, the abduction and deliverance of Arthur's queen, was derived from the Celts, and we have already observed that a version was given by Caradoc of Lancarvan. As far back as 1906 Webster pointed out 64 that a version of the famous Irish saga, The Wooing of Etain, furnished the clearest parallel to the version in Ulrich's poem.65 The Otherworld king, Mider, revealed himself to Etain, the wife of King Eochaid Airemm, as having been her husband in her previous incarnations. When he asked her to go away with him, she refused. But later, when Eochaid was holding a great festival and horse race, Mider appeared in hideous form and carried Etain off. Eochaid and his horsemen searched for her in vain. After a year had passed, he sent for his druid Dalan, who discovered by his spells that Mider had taken Etain to the faery palace of Bri Leith. By the druid's counsel Eochaid assembled the men of Ireland, destroyed the palace, and brought his wife back. The correspondences with Valerin's claim to Ginover, his first vain attempt to win her away, his abduction of her at an equestrian assemblage, Arthur's enlisting the aid of the wizard Malduc, his destruction of Valerin's castle, and the recovery of his queen are too marked to be due to chance. There is still another adventure which is proved to be traditional by the existence of several cognates in Arthurian romance and for which an Irish origin may be claimed. It is the visit of three knights to Galagandreiz' castle, where in the absence of the host all three were tempted by his daughter and where at dawn Lanzelet was subjected to an attack by Galagandreiz, hurling a knife. In Bricriu's Feast Cuchulainn and two rival warriors of Ulster visited Curoi's fortress, were entertained in Curoi's absence by his wife, who was noted for her love of Cuchulainn, and at dawn Cuchulainn 64 Englische Studien, XXXVI (1906), 348-50. 65 See note 202 to the Text.
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[ 19) was assailed by Curoi hurling stakes. Any doubt about the relation- ship of these two narratives may be removed by a study of the other Arthurian versions.66 Naturally and inevitably the Irish legends have been modified in transmission. Lug's foster mother Tailltiu has been replaced by a combination of the water-goddess Modron and Lleu's mother Arianrhod.87 The hideous Sovranty of Ireland, restored to loveli- ness by a kiss, has been assimilated to the widespread concept of a serpent woman.68 The druid Dalan has taken on some of the features of Merlin and Mabon.69 The theme of the abduction and recovery has been remodeled after a version of the Sleeping Beauty story like that in the Scottish ballad of Child Rowland, where Merlin plays a part recalling those of Dalan and Merlin.7° And the visit to Curoi's fortress has been affected by the episode in the Mabinogion, where Kilhwch visits the kaer of his future father- in-law, who casts spears at Kilhwch and whom Kilhwch, in turn, pierces through the eye. For no other Arthurian romance, except perhaps Tristan, can the history of the whole and its parts be so fully reconstructed as for Ulrich's Lanzelet. And its itinerary has taken us from Ireland through Wales, Brittany, Wales again, and Cumberland to the imperial court at Mainz and the home of the priest of Thurgau. ROGER SHERMAN LOOMIS 66 See note 37 to the Text. 68 See note 230 to the Text. 70 See note 228 to the Text. 67 See notes 9 and 18 to the Text. 69 See note 209 to the Text. 71 See note 37 to the Text.
[ 19) was assailed by Curoi hurling stakes. Any doubt about the relation- ship of these two narratives may be removed by a study of the other Arthurian versions.66 Naturally and inevitably the Irish legends have been modified in transmission. Lug's foster mother Tailltiu has been replaced by a combination of the water-goddess Modron and Lleu's mother Arianrhod.87 The hideous Sovranty of Ireland, restored to loveli- ness by a kiss, has been assimilated to the widespread concept of a serpent woman.68 The druid Dalan has taken on some of the features of Merlin and Mabon.69 The theme of the abduction and recovery has been remodeled after a version of the Sleeping Beauty story like that in the Scottish ballad of Child Rowland, where Merlin plays a part recalling those of Dalan and Merlin.7° And the visit to Curoi's fortress has been affected by the episode in the Mabinogion, where Kilhwch visits the kaer of his future father- in-law, who casts spears at Kilhwch and whom Kilhwch, in turn, pierces through the eye. For no other Arthurian romance, except perhaps Tristan, can the history of the whole and its parts be so fully reconstructed as for Ulrich's Lanzelet. And its itinerary has taken us from Ireland through Wales, Brittany, Wales again, and Cumberland to the imperial court at Mainz and the home of the priest of Thurgau. ROGER SHERMAN LOOMIS 66 See note 37 to the Text. 68 See note 230 to the Text. 70 See note 228 to the Text. 67 See notes 9 and 18 to the Text. 69 See note 209 to the Text. 71 See note 37 to the Text.
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A SELECTIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF ULRICH VON ZATZIKHOVEN'S LANZELET Asterisks indicate items of special importance Bächtold, J. Der Lanzelet des Ulrich von Zatzikhoven. Frauenfeld, 1870. Bruce, J. D. The Evolution of Arthurian Romance from the Beginnings down to the Year 1300. Hesperia, Ergänzungsreihe 8, 9. Göttingen, Balti- more, 1923, 1927. I, 206-16, 371f., 403f. Cross, T. P., and W. A. Nitze. Lancelot and Guenevere. Chicago, 1930. Pages 23�25, 55. Ehrismann, G. Geschichte der deutschen Literatur bis zum Ausgang des Mittelalters. Munich, 1918-35. Part II, last vol., pp. 4ff. Hannink, O. Vorstudien zu einer Neuausgabe des Lanzelet. Göttingen, 1914. Leitzmann, A. "Zu Ulrichs Lanzelet," Beiträge zur Geschichte der deut- schen Sprache und Literatur, LV (1931), 293-305. * Loomis, R. S. Arthurian Tradition and Chrétien de Troyes. New York, 1949. See Index sub “Lanzelet." *Märtens, P. “Zur Lanzelotsage," Romanische Studien, V (1880), 687- 700. Paris, G. "Etudes sur les romans de la Table Ronde: Lancelot du Lac,' Romania, X (1881), 471-96. Philipot, E. "Un Episode d'Erec et d'Enide: la Joie de la cour," Romania, XXV (1896), 276, 286f. *Richter, W. Der Lanzelet des Ulrich von Zatzikhoven. Deutsche For- schungen, XXVII. Frankfurt, 1934. "Der literarische Raum des Lanzelet," Zeitschrift für deutsches Al- tertum und deutsche Literatur, LV (1938), 33-39. Schoepperle, G. Tristan and Isolt. Frankfurt, London, 1913. II, 531-39. Schütze, P. Das volkstümliche Element im Stil Ulrich von Zatzikhovens. Greifswald, 1883. Singer, S. Aufsätze und Vorträge. Tübingen, 1912. Pages 144-61. *Ulrich von Zatzikhoven. Lanzelet, ed. K. A. Hahn. Frankfurt, 1845. Warnatsch, O. Der Mantel. Germanistische Abhandlungen, II. Breslau, 1883. Pages 69-89. Webster, K. G. T. “Arthur and Charlemagne," Englische Studien, XXXVI (1906), 340-51.
A SELECTIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF ULRICH VON ZATZIKHOVEN'S LANZELET Asterisks indicate items of special importance Bächtold, J. Der Lanzelet des Ulrich von Zatzikhoven. Frauenfeld, 1870. Bruce, J. D. The Evolution of Arthurian Romance from the Beginnings down to the Year 1300. Hesperia, Ergänzungsreihe 8, 9. Göttingen, Balti- more, 1923, 1927. I, 206-16, 371f., 403f. Cross, T. P., and W. A. Nitze. Lancelot and Guenevere. Chicago, 1930. Pages 23�25, 55. Ehrismann, G. Geschichte der deutschen Literatur bis zum Ausgang des Mittelalters. Munich, 1918-35. Part II, last vol., pp. 4ff. Hannink, O. Vorstudien zu einer Neuausgabe des Lanzelet. Göttingen, 1914. Leitzmann, A. "Zu Ulrichs Lanzelet," Beiträge zur Geschichte der deut- schen Sprache und Literatur, LV (1931), 293-305. * Loomis, R. S. Arthurian Tradition and Chrétien de Troyes. New York, 1949. See Index sub “Lanzelet." *Märtens, P. “Zur Lanzelotsage," Romanische Studien, V (1880), 687- 700. Paris, G. "Etudes sur les romans de la Table Ronde: Lancelot du Lac,' Romania, X (1881), 471-96. Philipot, E. "Un Episode d'Erec et d'Enide: la Joie de la cour," Romania, XXV (1896), 276, 286f. *Richter, W. Der Lanzelet des Ulrich von Zatzikhoven. Deutsche For- schungen, XXVII. Frankfurt, 1934. "Der literarische Raum des Lanzelet," Zeitschrift für deutsches Al- tertum und deutsche Literatur, LV (1938), 33-39. Schoepperle, G. Tristan and Isolt. Frankfurt, London, 1913. II, 531-39. Schütze, P. Das volkstümliche Element im Stil Ulrich von Zatzikhovens. Greifswald, 1883. Singer, S. Aufsätze und Vorträge. Tübingen, 1912. Pages 144-61. *Ulrich von Zatzikhoven. Lanzelet, ed. K. A. Hahn. Frankfurt, 1845. Warnatsch, O. Der Mantel. Germanistische Abhandlungen, II. Breslau, 1883. Pages 69-89. Webster, K. G. T. “Arthur and Charlemagne," Englische Studien, XXXVI (1906), 340-51.
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[ 21 " The Twelfth-Century Tourney," in Kittredge Anniversary Papers. Boston, 1913. Pages 327-34. The Water-Bridge in Chrétien's 'Charrette,' " Modern Language Review, XXVI (1931), 69-73. Review of Lancelot and Guenevere, by T. P. Cross and W. A. Nitze, Modern Language Notes, XLVI (1931), 53-56. "Ulrich von Zatzikhoven's Welsches Buoch,' " Harvard Studies and Notes in Philology and Literature, XVI (1934), 203-28. “Walter Map's French Things," Speculum, XV (1940), 272-79. Weston, J. L. The Legend of Sir Lancelot du Lac. London, 1901. Pages 8— 29, 89-103. The Three Days' Tournament, a Study in Romance and Folklore. London, 1902. Zenker, R. "Weiteres zur Mabinogionfrage," Zeitschrift für französische Sprache und Literatur, XLVIII (1926), 92-102.
[ 21 " The Twelfth-Century Tourney," in Kittredge Anniversary Papers. Boston, 1913. Pages 327-34. The Water-Bridge in Chrétien's 'Charrette,' " Modern Language Review, XXVI (1931), 69-73. Review of Lancelot and Guenevere, by T. P. Cross and W. A. Nitze, Modern Language Notes, XLVI (1931), 53-56. "Ulrich von Zatzikhoven's Welsches Buoch,' " Harvard Studies and Notes in Philology and Literature, XVI (1934), 203-28. “Walter Map's French Things," Speculum, XV (1940), 272-79. Weston, J. L. The Legend of Sir Lancelot du Lac. London, 1901. Pages 8— 29, 89-103. The Three Days' Tournament, a Study in Romance and Folklore. London, 1902. Zenker, R. "Weiteres zur Mabinogionfrage," Zeitschrift für französische Sprache und Literatur, XLVIII (1926), 92-102.
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LINES I—96 HOEVER CAN RECOGNIZE a true saying, let him consider how a wise man I spoke in the old days long ago, one W whom the world has since applauded. He esteemed that man injudicious who follows the will of everybody. The brave man is always hated by cowardly and lazy folk ; and this he must not unduly lament, since they always take it ill when things go well with him. Now listen to what I believe. He will remain friendless who has no preferences among people. It is my prayer as well as my advice that courtly persons should understand me—persons to whom praise and honor are due. I am anxious to keep their good will and to rebuke here further the wicked and the envious. May God keep the latter away from this story which I will now begin ! However, they will promptly get out of the way when they hear the tale told. They can hardly bear it that good fortune came to a knight who ever strove for the steadfast virtues, one who was intelligent and courtly and wrested many a prize from proud warriors in far lands ; at that time he knew not his own name nor of what noble birth he was, for his name and likewise his kin were not revealed to him until the glorious hero brought it about by his prowess. And besides virtue he had abounding strength, this same excellent man, for he never inclined to evil. Now if you will not let it weary you, I will tell you, without your asking, how his nature became known. There was a prince named Pant (Ban),2 who was king of Genewis.3 He was gray from many wars, of which he had fought an exceeding number, as does many a man who wants more than rightfully belongs to him. That sort of thing does not in the long run last, for the offender often meets reverses. The practice which Pant followed was this : since he was a powerful warrior, he would treat alike those in his kingdom who sought justice of him, were they rich or poor. No one would he suffer to speak a word against him, but the offender perished there on the spot. He so harried both counts and
LINES I—96 HOEVER CAN RECOGNIZE a true saying, let him consider how a wise man I spoke in the old days long ago, one W whom the world has since applauded. He esteemed that man injudicious who follows the will of everybody. The brave man is always hated by cowardly and lazy folk ; and this he must not unduly lament, since they always take it ill when things go well with him. Now listen to what I believe. He will remain friendless who has no preferences among people. It is my prayer as well as my advice that courtly persons should understand me—persons to whom praise and honor are due. I am anxious to keep their good will and to rebuke here further the wicked and the envious. May God keep the latter away from this story which I will now begin ! However, they will promptly get out of the way when they hear the tale told. They can hardly bear it that good fortune came to a knight who ever strove for the steadfast virtues, one who was intelligent and courtly and wrested many a prize from proud warriors in far lands ; at that time he knew not his own name nor of what noble birth he was, for his name and likewise his kin were not revealed to him until the glorious hero brought it about by his prowess. And besides virtue he had abounding strength, this same excellent man, for he never inclined to evil. Now if you will not let it weary you, I will tell you, without your asking, how his nature became known. There was a prince named Pant (Ban),2 who was king of Genewis.3 He was gray from many wars, of which he had fought an exceeding number, as does many a man who wants more than rightfully belongs to him. That sort of thing does not in the long run last, for the offender often meets reverses. The practice which Pant followed was this : since he was a powerful warrior, he would treat alike those in his kingdom who sought justice of him, were they rich or poor. No one would he suffer to speak a word against him, but the offender perished there on the spot. He so harried both counts and
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26 dukes and so vented his wrath upon them that life was very hard for the highborn lords ; they plotted how they might take his life. They who once were rich and powerful let all their possessions fall into neglect and lived wretchedly. A harsh man indeed was this king. Now he had a beautiful wife, steadfast and of humble spirit. In her womanly goodness she alleviated much suffering. Her name was Clarine.4 So well did she lead her life that knights and ladies thought most highly of her. And here a wondrous thing is to be seen : those who wished her husband dead served her the best they knew how, for her heart was set on naught but honor. That the king lived as long as he did was due to her generous kindness. Now the good lady bore a child who had extraordinary good fortune. The queen looked after him herself without a nurse," in her chamber, where he was well taken care of and gave little trouble. He was often rocked by the hands of beautiful ladies. It was foretold of him that he should be a great warrior, whereat King Pant rejoiced. LINES 97—188 As it is told to us, the child was a year and I know not how many weeks old when the angry vassals whom the king had mistreated so unjustly formed a conspiracy. They got together a mighty band with such craft that none of those who should warn the king knew about it. Then he had to pay dearly for having cruelly abused them in his service and for having caused their kinsmen to be slain. They assembled a great force and rode openly against him. Those had to bear the brunt who reaped no profit at all, for disastrously and shamefully many a good village of the king was laid waste and burnt. Now Pant had a home, a fair castle by the sea. To this the strong army laid siege, for they found out that he was within. Few of the people whom they found in the outer town escaped alive ; many they wounded, both old and young alike ; they would not cease till they had utterly destroyed them, for they were sore aggrieved. The king was in great danger. Then the old saw was proved,
26 dukes and so vented his wrath upon them that life was very hard for the highborn lords ; they plotted how they might take his life. They who once were rich and powerful let all their possessions fall into neglect and lived wretchedly. A harsh man indeed was this king. Now he had a beautiful wife, steadfast and of humble spirit. In her womanly goodness she alleviated much suffering. Her name was Clarine.4 So well did she lead her life that knights and ladies thought most highly of her. And here a wondrous thing is to be seen : those who wished her husband dead served her the best they knew how, for her heart was set on naught but honor. That the king lived as long as he did was due to her generous kindness. Now the good lady bore a child who had extraordinary good fortune. The queen looked after him herself without a nurse," in her chamber, where he was well taken care of and gave little trouble. He was often rocked by the hands of beautiful ladies. It was foretold of him that he should be a great warrior, whereat King Pant rejoiced. LINES 97—188 As it is told to us, the child was a year and I know not how many weeks old when the angry vassals whom the king had mistreated so unjustly formed a conspiracy. They got together a mighty band with such craft that none of those who should warn the king knew about it. Then he had to pay dearly for having cruelly abused them in his service and for having caused their kinsmen to be slain. They assembled a great force and rode openly against him. Those had to bear the brunt who reaped no profit at all, for disastrously and shamefully many a good village of the king was laid waste and burnt. Now Pant had a home, a fair castle by the sea. To this the strong army laid siege, for they found out that he was within. Few of the people whom they found in the outer town escaped alive ; many they wounded, both old and young alike ; they would not cease till they had utterly destroyed them, for they were sore aggrieved. The king was in great danger. Then the old saw was proved,
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27 “ The victory he need not expect Who his own doth oft neglect. He had been too ferocious, so that all his knights had ridden away from him, and latterly he was left almost alone, except for his burghers, who were good warriors. They defended their fortress well in the desperate struggle against the enemy. The castle was beset close on all sides. Then food became scarce ; moreover, be- cause of the king's evil reputation, they had little hope that they should be relieved by any country. With difficulty Pant was re- strained from making a stand, solitary and alone in front of the castle. The enemy reached the gate and quickly hewed it down, for they gave little heed to the missiles hurled and shot at them. Then there was a great exchange of spear thrusts under the gateway. Many a man who had fought well tasted death. The burghers could not hold back the enemy, who pressed into the fortress and at once began a hand to hand struggle. Then King Pant was wounded and most of his people slain. Wailing and lamentation arose when the castle was taken. Now the king had a spring between the castle and the lake." Thither he hurried because he was in pain, and with him went the queen, carrying nothing but the child. Presently the king became so ill that the queen had to give him drink; and when he had drunk, he died. The queen was in great distress and watched anx- iously over the child. She fled to a tree, where she believed herself to be all alone. Then there came a fay of the sea, with a mist like a wind, and took the child from the queen and carried it with her into her land. The enemy, perceiving this at once, captured the lady, returned to the castle with bloody swords, and did whatever they liked. LINES 189-301 If it pleases you, at this point I will tell you at once where the child went. A lady took it, a wise mermaid who was a queen, better than any who live now. She had ten thousand ladies in her land who had never known a man nor man's array. They had kirtles and gowns of brocade 8 and of silk. I shall not fail to tell you truly that
27 “ The victory he need not expect Who his own doth oft neglect. He had been too ferocious, so that all his knights had ridden away from him, and latterly he was left almost alone, except for his burghers, who were good warriors. They defended their fortress well in the desperate struggle against the enemy. The castle was beset close on all sides. Then food became scarce ; moreover, be- cause of the king's evil reputation, they had little hope that they should be relieved by any country. With difficulty Pant was re- strained from making a stand, solitary and alone in front of the castle. The enemy reached the gate and quickly hewed it down, for they gave little heed to the missiles hurled and shot at them. Then there was a great exchange of spear thrusts under the gateway. Many a man who had fought well tasted death. The burghers could not hold back the enemy, who pressed into the fortress and at once began a hand to hand struggle. Then King Pant was wounded and most of his people slain. Wailing and lamentation arose when the castle was taken. Now the king had a spring between the castle and the lake." Thither he hurried because he was in pain, and with him went the queen, carrying nothing but the child. Presently the king became so ill that the queen had to give him drink; and when he had drunk, he died. The queen was in great distress and watched anx- iously over the child. She fled to a tree, where she believed herself to be all alone. Then there came a fay of the sea, with a mist like a wind, and took the child from the queen and carried it with her into her land. The enemy, perceiving this at once, captured the lady, returned to the castle with bloody swords, and did whatever they liked. LINES 189-301 If it pleases you, at this point I will tell you at once where the child went. A lady took it, a wise mermaid who was a queen, better than any who live now. She had ten thousand ladies in her land who had never known a man nor man's array. They had kirtles and gowns of brocade 8 and of silk. I shall not fail to tell you truly that
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[ 28 all the year round their land was abloom as in the middle of May, and moreover the realm of these ladies was splendidly broad and long, a beautiful enclosure. The mountain was a crystal, round as a ball, on which stood the strong castle. They feared no foreign enemy nor any king's host. All around the land went the sea, and a wall so strong that no one could be cunning enough—whoever might entertain the thought—to get over it alive, except where the gateway was ; and that was a hard diamond. So those within were quite without fear. Whoever wrought the castle adorned it with great art. Outside and in, it was of gold like a star cluster. Nothing inside that castle moat aged ; though a hundred years old, it stayed always as beautiful as ever. There also no one was disgraced by anger or envy. The ladies who dwelt there were blithe. The stones whereof the place was built had such virtue, so we are informed, that whoever dwelt there a day would never feel sorrow but would live always in joy till the hour of his death." And now in this land the child grew up beyond all harm, in joy without alloy of sorrow. He had to be faithful, well-mannered, and well-disposed—so admonished him the good lady who taught him much honorable conduct.1° He was not given to mockery, as less nobly born persons are. As soon as he had some notion of what was good and suitable, he was turned over to the ladies. They had great sport with him, and among them he had a chance to see much courtesy, for they all had beautiful manners. They taught him how to behave and how to make answer to ladies. He had no wish to rouse any woman's anger, for he was noble by birth. He learned to keep silence at the proper time. About harping and fiddling and playing all sorts of stringed instruments he knew more than a little, for it was the custom of the country. The ladies like- wise taught him to sing confidently.11 In all things he was discreet and extraordinarily gifted. Each of the ladies wanted him to love her ; 12 and if he was not ready to win any of them, that seemed none the less quite proper, he was so polite 13 and charming. At the youth's request the lady did a wise thing, for he seemed to her a lively boy : she sent for mermen 14 and had them teach him to use sword and buckler. In this exercise he would neve give up before he had to. He had also to play prisoners' base,15
[ 28 all the year round their land was abloom as in the middle of May, and moreover the realm of these ladies was splendidly broad and long, a beautiful enclosure. The mountain was a crystal, round as a ball, on which stood the strong castle. They feared no foreign enemy nor any king's host. All around the land went the sea, and a wall so strong that no one could be cunning enough—whoever might entertain the thought—to get over it alive, except where the gateway was ; and that was a hard diamond. So those within were quite without fear. Whoever wrought the castle adorned it with great art. Outside and in, it was of gold like a star cluster. Nothing inside that castle moat aged ; though a hundred years old, it stayed always as beautiful as ever. There also no one was disgraced by anger or envy. The ladies who dwelt there were blithe. The stones whereof the place was built had such virtue, so we are informed, that whoever dwelt there a day would never feel sorrow but would live always in joy till the hour of his death." And now in this land the child grew up beyond all harm, in joy without alloy of sorrow. He had to be faithful, well-mannered, and well-disposed—so admonished him the good lady who taught him much honorable conduct.1° He was not given to mockery, as less nobly born persons are. As soon as he had some notion of what was good and suitable, he was turned over to the ladies. They had great sport with him, and among them he had a chance to see much courtesy, for they all had beautiful manners. They taught him how to behave and how to make answer to ladies. He had no wish to rouse any woman's anger, for he was noble by birth. He learned to keep silence at the proper time. About harping and fiddling and playing all sorts of stringed instruments he knew more than a little, for it was the custom of the country. The ladies like- wise taught him to sing confidently.11 In all things he was discreet and extraordinarily gifted. Each of the ladies wanted him to love her ; 12 and if he was not ready to win any of them, that seemed none the less quite proper, he was so polite 13 and charming. At the youth's request the lady did a wise thing, for he seemed to her a lively boy : she sent for mermen 14 and had them teach him to use sword and buckler. In this exercise he would neve give up before he had to. He had also to play prisoners' base,15
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29 jump extraordinary distances, to wrestle strenuously, to hurl stones, both big and little, a good distance, to throw darts (he was never wearied by any of his instruction), to still-hunt, to hawk, to chase with the full pack,16 and to shoot with the bow.17 Those men who came from the sea gave him skill. In all ways he was wise and manly, but about knightly horsemanship he knew nothing whatever, for he never mounted a horse, and he was ignorant of armor. And so he grew to be fifteen years old in that land. LINES 302-88 Then the bold hero craved his lady's permission to depart. He longed to see tourneying and riding, and he wished to learn how to fight. When he requested leave to go away, he went to a suitable place where he might have a good opportunity of speaking to his lady, the queen. "Look now with favor," he said, "on my petition, and reveal to me my lineage, for I do not know who I am. I am heartily ashamed of the time I have wasted here. I am ignorant of my name ; 18 be assured that it grieves me. She replied, “It will never be told you." “ Why ? Who has forbidden you to tell it ? “ My shame and my great distress." “ Tell them to me, however great they are." “ You are too young for that : you know not how to protect yourself from harm. *e Then let me go forth nameless; surely my name will be made known to me." * You must first get the upper hand of the best knight that ever lived. " Name him to me ; why hesitate ? “ His name is Iweret 19 of the beautiful wood Beforet. His castle is called Dodone. Avenge what he has done to me, and I shall be eternally in your debt. And be sure beyond peradventure that your name shall be kept from you till you have conquered him. If you are brave, you will find him. God grant it may go well with you ! For his prowess is so great that I know no one who is his match. In my opinion he surpasses all the best.
29 jump extraordinary distances, to wrestle strenuously, to hurl stones, both big and little, a good distance, to throw darts (he was never wearied by any of his instruction), to still-hunt, to hawk, to chase with the full pack,16 and to shoot with the bow.17 Those men who came from the sea gave him skill. In all ways he was wise and manly, but about knightly horsemanship he knew nothing whatever, for he never mounted a horse, and he was ignorant of armor. And so he grew to be fifteen years old in that land. LINES 302-88 Then the bold hero craved his lady's permission to depart. He longed to see tourneying and riding, and he wished to learn how to fight. When he requested leave to go away, he went to a suitable place where he might have a good opportunity of speaking to his lady, the queen. "Look now with favor," he said, "on my petition, and reveal to me my lineage, for I do not know who I am. I am heartily ashamed of the time I have wasted here. I am ignorant of my name ; 18 be assured that it grieves me. She replied, “It will never be told you." “ Why ? Who has forbidden you to tell it ? “ My shame and my great distress." “ Tell them to me, however great they are." “ You are too young for that : you know not how to protect yourself from harm. *e Then let me go forth nameless; surely my name will be made known to me." * You must first get the upper hand of the best knight that ever lived. " Name him to me ; why hesitate ? “ His name is Iweret 19 of the beautiful wood Beforet. His castle is called Dodone. Avenge what he has done to me, and I shall be eternally in your debt. And be sure beyond peradventure that your name shall be kept from you till you have conquered him. If you are brave, you will find him. God grant it may go well with you ! For his prowess is so great that I know no one who is his match. In my opinion he surpasses all the best.
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30 L The boy replied, “I hate him. Fit me out ; it is high time. Give me all the good advice you can, for I am eager to get at him." As soon as the queen saw that he wished to leave the land for no reason but to win honor, the noble lady provided him with a handsome war-horse,2° fiery and strong, on which he could pursue anyone who waked his anger. The lady also gave him armor white as a swan,21 the best that man ever wore, sufficiently decorated in right courtly fashion. His surcoat 22 was enriched with little golden bells 23 and it became the hero well, for he was worthy of all rich possessions. She gave him a sword too, which had golden ornaments and easily cut iron and steel when it was wielded in wrath.24 The shield which he was to bear was also as fine as he could wish.25 A broad eagle of gold was worked in the middle of it,26 and the edge was adorned with sable. Geun of Turie,27 one of the lady's retinue, had spent her industry upon it. He wore a splendid garment, and his bridle was good in every way. And now he set forth on the sea with the blessing of many ladies. They watched the hero as far as they could see him, and if it were possi- ble for them ever to feel sorrow, no man in all the world would have been more lamented by so many lovely ladies. LINES 389—475 The adventure tells us that a mermaid was his steersman. The queen too made the journey with him, accompanied by a fair retinue. She admonished and taught him to treat everybody honor- ably, to be steadfast, and always to do the best that he could. Thereupon in a short time they disembarked. The warrior took his leave—graciously he did it—and mounted his horse. Now hear something odd : the youth, not knowing how to hold his reins, just trusted to luck and hung on by the saddlebow ! The horse began to rear wildly, because he touched it with his spurs, and the ladies could have sworn that he was sure to crash into many a great tree. But luck was his guide, and the horse turned into the road which lay near the lake. So he rode all day, and little it distressed him, thanks to his happy spirits, which kept him from feeling tired. Early the next morning he saw standing near the road a lofty,
30 L The boy replied, “I hate him. Fit me out ; it is high time. Give me all the good advice you can, for I am eager to get at him." As soon as the queen saw that he wished to leave the land for no reason but to win honor, the noble lady provided him with a handsome war-horse,2° fiery and strong, on which he could pursue anyone who waked his anger. The lady also gave him armor white as a swan,21 the best that man ever wore, sufficiently decorated in right courtly fashion. His surcoat 22 was enriched with little golden bells 23 and it became the hero well, for he was worthy of all rich possessions. She gave him a sword too, which had golden ornaments and easily cut iron and steel when it was wielded in wrath.24 The shield which he was to bear was also as fine as he could wish.25 A broad eagle of gold was worked in the middle of it,26 and the edge was adorned with sable. Geun of Turie,27 one of the lady's retinue, had spent her industry upon it. He wore a splendid garment, and his bridle was good in every way. And now he set forth on the sea with the blessing of many ladies. They watched the hero as far as they could see him, and if it were possi- ble for them ever to feel sorrow, no man in all the world would have been more lamented by so many lovely ladies. LINES 389—475 The adventure tells us that a mermaid was his steersman. The queen too made the journey with him, accompanied by a fair retinue. She admonished and taught him to treat everybody honor- ably, to be steadfast, and always to do the best that he could. Thereupon in a short time they disembarked. The warrior took his leave—graciously he did it—and mounted his horse. Now hear something odd : the youth, not knowing how to hold his reins, just trusted to luck and hung on by the saddlebow ! The horse began to rear wildly, because he touched it with his spurs, and the ladies could have sworn that he was sure to crash into many a great tree. But luck was his guide, and the horse turned into the road which lay near the lake. So he rode all day, and little it distressed him, thanks to his happy spirits, which kept him from feeling tired. Early the next morning he saw standing near the road a lofty,
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[ 31 well-built castle. Moderating its pace, the steed turned toward the castle gate. In front of it was a dwarf, waiting on a white horse and carrying a long whip.28 He was a base creature and struck the noble hero's steed under the eyes. The youth—I will not de- ceive you—thought that that was the proper thing to do, and the steadfast warrior took the insult lightly until he himself got a whipcut from the goblin. Even then he took no vengeance on the wretch, for he deemed him too low of station, but he was intensely angered with the castle where this had occurred. He could not help going with his horse wherever it ran, were it by dry land or deep water, but he made inquiry who might be host at the place where this insult had happened to him. "The castle is called Pluris," said a bystander, “but what the name of the host may be, I really do not know. Thence he turned at once on to a broad heath with pretty bushes, and presently he came to a place where a stream flowed that was neither very small nor very large and that ran gently. Beside it there was good hawking and a reedy marsh, rich in wildfowl. The horse did not want to go in that direction; the reins were lying about its ears, and its master was paying very little attention to it, except that he kept spurring it, so that it galloped downhill a little way, not very far. Now he saw riding toward him rapidly a young gentleman on a fine horse whose mane and tail reached to the ground. On his hand he carried a well-mewed hawk. The good lad's steed began to neigh and prance and whinny as soon as it spied the horse. LINES 476-560 The falconer noticed his childish riding and said, "I shall be eternally grateful to you if in your courtesy you will ride more warily and not knock me down. In return I offer you my service, if it can be of any use to you, and besides I bid you also right heart- ily welcome." He thanked him for that. “So help you God, why do you ride that way?" said Johfrit de Liez 29 (that, I understand, was the young man's name). “Is this a penance that has been laid upon you ? It is certainly a remark-
[ 31 well-built castle. Moderating its pace, the steed turned toward the castle gate. In front of it was a dwarf, waiting on a white horse and carrying a long whip.28 He was a base creature and struck the noble hero's steed under the eyes. The youth—I will not de- ceive you—thought that that was the proper thing to do, and the steadfast warrior took the insult lightly until he himself got a whipcut from the goblin. Even then he took no vengeance on the wretch, for he deemed him too low of station, but he was intensely angered with the castle where this had occurred. He could not help going with his horse wherever it ran, were it by dry land or deep water, but he made inquiry who might be host at the place where this insult had happened to him. "The castle is called Pluris," said a bystander, “but what the name of the host may be, I really do not know. Thence he turned at once on to a broad heath with pretty bushes, and presently he came to a place where a stream flowed that was neither very small nor very large and that ran gently. Beside it there was good hawking and a reedy marsh, rich in wildfowl. The horse did not want to go in that direction; the reins were lying about its ears, and its master was paying very little attention to it, except that he kept spurring it, so that it galloped downhill a little way, not very far. Now he saw riding toward him rapidly a young gentleman on a fine horse whose mane and tail reached to the ground. On his hand he carried a well-mewed hawk. The good lad's steed began to neigh and prance and whinny as soon as it spied the horse. LINES 476-560 The falconer noticed his childish riding and said, "I shall be eternally grateful to you if in your courtesy you will ride more warily and not knock me down. In return I offer you my service, if it can be of any use to you, and besides I bid you also right heart- ily welcome." He thanked him for that. “So help you God, why do you ride that way?" said Johfrit de Liez 29 (that, I understand, was the young man's name). “Is this a penance that has been laid upon you ? It is certainly a remark-
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[ 32 able way to behave, whoever the lady may be who has chosen you for her own.30 You carry your shield at random and you let your reins dangle. With your long legs you sit all hunched up ; your horse goes jumping and galloping here and there. Besides, you handle your spear 31 in a way that bothers you. Yet your surcoat is rich and well decorated ; you are appareled like a real warrior. I'll wager that you are not despised by whatever lady has sent you forth. If you would not consider it rude, I should like to say in friendly fashion that since I was born I have not seen a man in this country whom I should be so glad to know. And so I beg with right good will that you will tell me who you are. Let me know your name, and if you will take me as your comrade, I shall gladly pay for it with service. It is not right for me to refuse, no matter what you might desire of me. For the sake of the lady that you love, you must not keep secret from me whatever you can properly tell me. " I will conceal nothing from you," replied the warrior, "if you will truly assure me that I commit no fault in doing so. My name I cannot reveal, since I have never found it out myself. Who my relatives are is unknown to me ; and so I have remained en- tirely ignorant of who I am and where I am going. If you will believe me, though I had pledged my head and were to lose it unless I told you where I was born, even then I should know nothing about it. That you see me riding like a fool means that I have never done much riding. Today is only the third day since I de- parted from a country where no one ever knew a man ; only women live there. Now I long 32 to behold knights and their manly deeds, and if someone could tell of fighting anywhere, I am not so sloth- ful but that I dare risk my life either for honor or for the ladies, no matter whether I lose or win. I should like to gain fame and honor if I only knew how to go about it. But if I am doomed to failure, may God postpone it for many a day ! There is nothing else I can tell you, except that I must ever be your servant for your courteous greeting. You seem to me of such high breeding that, if all the world were as perfect in fine sensibility and honor, I should be greatly surprised if anybody ever carried weapons in order to harm someone else."
[ 32 able way to behave, whoever the lady may be who has chosen you for her own.30 You carry your shield at random and you let your reins dangle. With your long legs you sit all hunched up ; your horse goes jumping and galloping here and there. Besides, you handle your spear 31 in a way that bothers you. Yet your surcoat is rich and well decorated ; you are appareled like a real warrior. I'll wager that you are not despised by whatever lady has sent you forth. If you would not consider it rude, I should like to say in friendly fashion that since I was born I have not seen a man in this country whom I should be so glad to know. And so I beg with right good will that you will tell me who you are. Let me know your name, and if you will take me as your comrade, I shall gladly pay for it with service. It is not right for me to refuse, no matter what you might desire of me. For the sake of the lady that you love, you must not keep secret from me whatever you can properly tell me. " I will conceal nothing from you," replied the warrior, "if you will truly assure me that I commit no fault in doing so. My name I cannot reveal, since I have never found it out myself. Who my relatives are is unknown to me ; and so I have remained en- tirely ignorant of who I am and where I am going. If you will believe me, though I had pledged my head and were to lose it unless I told you where I was born, even then I should know nothing about it. That you see me riding like a fool means that I have never done much riding. Today is only the third day since I de- parted from a country where no one ever knew a man ; only women live there. Now I long 32 to behold knights and their manly deeds, and if someone could tell of fighting anywhere, I am not so sloth- ful but that I dare risk my life either for honor or for the ladies, no matter whether I lose or win. I should like to gain fame and honor if I only knew how to go about it. But if I am doomed to failure, may God postpone it for many a day ! There is nothing else I can tell you, except that I must ever be your servant for your courteous greeting. You seem to me of such high breeding that, if all the world were as perfect in fine sensibility and honor, I should be greatly surprised if anybody ever carried weapons in order to harm someone else."
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[ 33 ] LINES 561-666 At this speech the courteous Johfrit began to laugh. He judged his companion shrewd, and he swore that he had never seen any boyish warrior who knew how to speak so beautifully and yet rode so clownishly. “Grant me what I beg of you," said he to the war- rior from the lake,33 “for you are making plenty of trouble for yourself and your good steed. By my advice you should always keep hold of the reins. Stop your bobbing about, pay more atten- tion to what you are doing, and ride along as I do the rest of the day. I shall always be grateful if you will. If I find my house as I left it, I can offer you love and honor. My castle is not far from here. Consent to stay there and pay court to the ladies; they will afford you pastime. It is not half a mile distant," said the good knight. "My mother, who has always liked to meet worthy people, is still with me and will offer you every comfort that she can man- age to provide. Then the callow youth agreed—and it was a good thing for him later. He took the reins in his hand and rode so well that one would readily have sworn he had been riding badly on purpose before, with such skill did he follow the path. Shortly they came to a place from which they could see the fortress. The host began to hurry and considerately rode on ahead. On his arrival he found handsome ladies faultlessly arrayed. " A wonderfully charming guest is coming to us," he told them all, "who is sure to please you well, young ladies and mother mine. Grant him a good reception." As he bade, so was it done. The ladies obediently rose in stately manner and received the unknown knight with kind greeting. On this occasion the host's affection for his companion was manifest. The youth had to kiss all the ladies in the better group, those who were the noblest ; he knew how to bear himself toward these so that they thought it praiseworthy. When he had got acquainted, the hostess seated him next to her, close by her side. Then he proved a real courtier. She asked him his story, and he could not escape telling it, for she managed with woman's cunning to make him recount to her everything that
[ 33 ] LINES 561-666 At this speech the courteous Johfrit began to laugh. He judged his companion shrewd, and he swore that he had never seen any boyish warrior who knew how to speak so beautifully and yet rode so clownishly. “Grant me what I beg of you," said he to the war- rior from the lake,33 “for you are making plenty of trouble for yourself and your good steed. By my advice you should always keep hold of the reins. Stop your bobbing about, pay more atten- tion to what you are doing, and ride along as I do the rest of the day. I shall always be grateful if you will. If I find my house as I left it, I can offer you love and honor. My castle is not far from here. Consent to stay there and pay court to the ladies; they will afford you pastime. It is not half a mile distant," said the good knight. "My mother, who has always liked to meet worthy people, is still with me and will offer you every comfort that she can man- age to provide. Then the callow youth agreed—and it was a good thing for him later. He took the reins in his hand and rode so well that one would readily have sworn he had been riding badly on purpose before, with such skill did he follow the path. Shortly they came to a place from which they could see the fortress. The host began to hurry and considerately rode on ahead. On his arrival he found handsome ladies faultlessly arrayed. " A wonderfully charming guest is coming to us," he told them all, "who is sure to please you well, young ladies and mother mine. Grant him a good reception." As he bade, so was it done. The ladies obediently rose in stately manner and received the unknown knight with kind greeting. On this occasion the host's affection for his companion was manifest. The youth had to kiss all the ladies in the better group, those who were the noblest ; he knew how to bear himself toward these so that they thought it praiseworthy. When he had got acquainted, the hostess seated him next to her, close by her side. Then he proved a real courtier. She asked him his story, and he could not escape telling it, for she managed with woman's cunning to make him recount to her everything that
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[ 34 ] had happened to him from his childhood to the present moment. By the time it was all revealed to her, she had never heard such a tale. Now hear what she did. The honorable and courteous lady sent out pressing invitations to the best in the land, whom she knew well to be men of courage and adept riders, expert in tilting ac- cording to the rules of the tourney. When they were come to- gether, she requested them to ride a bohourt.34 If anybody won- ders at this story, I am telling it to you as I have received it. There were three hundred of them, on horses trained and swift. Proudly they displayed decorated spears, plumed bridles, silken capari- sons, like the fine fellows they were, and surcoats rich and good. There was no occasion for them to envy one another. Hither and yon they dashed, and the stranger paid good heed to it all. When enough of this had taken place, and many a warrior had broken his spear, and the horses were badly knocked about, then the ladies must dance with the knights. Handsome young folk, decked with garlands, appeared to advantage after the fashion of the time. And so it went on till the third day, when the guest's horse also was brought to him. He too hung his shield over his neck, and he rode in such good form that many praised him ; moreover, he made so few mistakes that nobody could find fault with him. LINES 667-742 When he was thus improved, he was eager to be off on his journey. He said farewell and rode away, as the tale tells us, on a straight highway which led him to a dark and vast forest. Noth- ing annoyed the hero except that he encountered no marvelous adventure. By evening our warrior came through the wild wood to a broad plain, where he saw two bold knights fighting like right good champions. Their names are not forgotten : one was called Kuraus with the Brave Heart,35 who had ridden from Gagunne to win fame and show his mettle. The other was named Orphilet the Fair,36 who had done the same for the sake of his ladylove. He belonged to the company of British lords. Neither of these adver- saries would give in till he had nothing over his hand but the arm- strap of his shield.
[ 34 ] had happened to him from his childhood to the present moment. By the time it was all revealed to her, she had never heard such a tale. Now hear what she did. The honorable and courteous lady sent out pressing invitations to the best in the land, whom she knew well to be men of courage and adept riders, expert in tilting ac- cording to the rules of the tourney. When they were come to- gether, she requested them to ride a bohourt.34 If anybody won- ders at this story, I am telling it to you as I have received it. There were three hundred of them, on horses trained and swift. Proudly they displayed decorated spears, plumed bridles, silken capari- sons, like the fine fellows they were, and surcoats rich and good. There was no occasion for them to envy one another. Hither and yon they dashed, and the stranger paid good heed to it all. When enough of this had taken place, and many a warrior had broken his spear, and the horses were badly knocked about, then the ladies must dance with the knights. Handsome young folk, decked with garlands, appeared to advantage after the fashion of the time. And so it went on till the third day, when the guest's horse also was brought to him. He too hung his shield over his neck, and he rode in such good form that many praised him ; moreover, he made so few mistakes that nobody could find fault with him. LINES 667-742 When he was thus improved, he was eager to be off on his journey. He said farewell and rode away, as the tale tells us, on a straight highway which led him to a dark and vast forest. Noth- ing annoyed the hero except that he encountered no marvelous adventure. By evening our warrior came through the wild wood to a broad plain, where he saw two bold knights fighting like right good champions. Their names are not forgotten : one was called Kuraus with the Brave Heart,35 who had ridden from Gagunne to win fame and show his mettle. The other was named Orphilet the Fair,36 who had done the same for the sake of his ladylove. He belonged to the company of British lords. Neither of these adver- saries would give in till he had nothing over his hand but the arm- strap of his shield.
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[ 35 ] The third warrior, as he came trotting up, spoke : “I am amazed that you have fought so immoderately. You must stop it for my sake ; and if one refuses, the other will have my help." Thus he spoke to them both, and so they separated. They were weary of fighting and did as he bade them, for neces- sity compelled them. Orphilet the Fair spoke : “Night will soon be upon us, and I am very sorry that I have fought so long today, for I know not whither to turn at this hour. This is not a pleasant spot. Then Kuraus replied at once : 37 “It is surely a wretched place, and it is not easy to reach anyone's house from here. Now I come to think of it, there is no food to be had here, except that—fortu- nately for us—a castle stands near by. There they would give us all we need ; only the host has the custom of cruelly maltreating anyone who misbehaves at all—that's the truth—even by as much as a hair. We are in a bad plight. His wife is now long dead, but he has the loveliest daughter that ever the sun shone on. On account of his love for her he keeps a close season on his game. He is a rich forester 38—I am telling you what I know about him—his name is Galagandreiz,39 and his castle is called Moreiz.40° He has brought many a man to disgrace for very trifling reason ; he is a trouble maker, an exacting, quarrelsome man. Nobody that I can dissuade from it visits him very often, however beautiful his daughter may be." LINES 743-843 Then the famous young hero who had encountered them by the way spoke : “I understand what you are saying. But a man may get along very well if he tries to do his best. If this host is so disposed that for the sake of his honor he ardently hates vice, perhaps he will also be minded not to harm anybody whom he finds virtuous. And so I will risk it, that is my firm intent." As the two were afraid in their hearts that he might become suspicious of them and might call them to account, they favored the notion that they would be much better off if they deferred to the youth and turned toward the castle. In this wise the strangers took counsel and went in the direction of the stronghold. The castle was large and lofty. They
[ 35 ] The third warrior, as he came trotting up, spoke : “I am amazed that you have fought so immoderately. You must stop it for my sake ; and if one refuses, the other will have my help." Thus he spoke to them both, and so they separated. They were weary of fighting and did as he bade them, for neces- sity compelled them. Orphilet the Fair spoke : “Night will soon be upon us, and I am very sorry that I have fought so long today, for I know not whither to turn at this hour. This is not a pleasant spot. Then Kuraus replied at once : 37 “It is surely a wretched place, and it is not easy to reach anyone's house from here. Now I come to think of it, there is no food to be had here, except that—fortu- nately for us—a castle stands near by. There they would give us all we need ; only the host has the custom of cruelly maltreating anyone who misbehaves at all—that's the truth—even by as much as a hair. We are in a bad plight. His wife is now long dead, but he has the loveliest daughter that ever the sun shone on. On account of his love for her he keeps a close season on his game. He is a rich forester 38—I am telling you what I know about him—his name is Galagandreiz,39 and his castle is called Moreiz.40° He has brought many a man to disgrace for very trifling reason ; he is a trouble maker, an exacting, quarrelsome man. Nobody that I can dissuade from it visits him very often, however beautiful his daughter may be." LINES 743-843 Then the famous young hero who had encountered them by the way spoke : “I understand what you are saying. But a man may get along very well if he tries to do his best. If this host is so disposed that for the sake of his honor he ardently hates vice, perhaps he will also be minded not to harm anybody whom he finds virtuous. And so I will risk it, that is my firm intent." As the two were afraid in their hearts that he might become suspicious of them and might call them to account, they favored the notion that they would be much better off if they deferred to the youth and turned toward the castle. In this wise the strangers took counsel and went in the direction of the stronghold. The castle was large and lofty. They
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[ 36 entrusted themselves to God that He might control their fate and protect them as became His grace and their deserts. I can assure you they had made up their minds that they would not put up with much bad treatment, but things turned out more to their liking; that must have pleased them. They were well received and greeted as they should be. Toward them ran many a servant, who took from them horse and shield. Now the host had been gaming and had met with good luck— fortunately for them all. Therefore they were joyously greeted, and they overcame their first anxiety. The host bade them make themselves at home ; and then appeared their glittering armor white as tin. When they had laid that by, there was no one who could affirm that he had ever seen three such handsome knights. Their courteous carriage was noted, for each showed his breeding. Then Galagandreiz said : "Whichever one you accord the honor shall walk beside me, and I will let you see my daughter and her ladies. There was not a word of dissent, and their good manners prompted the two to put forward the youth. So the host led them to the door of the apartment where his daughter sat. Never were knights better greeted nor more lovingly ; the lordly host ordered it thus. The host's daughter welcomed the lad who had always lived with ladies and seated him by her side. Better fortune than that in courtly affairs he was not likely soon to enjoy. He talked to her about love in its manifold aspects. In whatever vein she addressed him, he replied in seemly wise, both in earnest and in game—and that with entire propriety. His companions were also merry. The young knight had the fortunate gift that everybody liked him. After he had sat there thus a while, the meal was ready. No matter how much one spoke of entertainment and of varied dishes, one could never tell all that was provided for them. They had a merry time till the hour arrived for sleep ; then they had to meet a new experience. As befitted welcome guests, good beds were prepared for them, each by himself.41 The host escorted them and had good wine poured for them.42 He arranged the pillows for all with his own hand. Then he spoke : “Heroes, take care to rest with pro-
[ 36 entrusted themselves to God that He might control their fate and protect them as became His grace and their deserts. I can assure you they had made up their minds that they would not put up with much bad treatment, but things turned out more to their liking; that must have pleased them. They were well received and greeted as they should be. Toward them ran many a servant, who took from them horse and shield. Now the host had been gaming and had met with good luck— fortunately for them all. Therefore they were joyously greeted, and they overcame their first anxiety. The host bade them make themselves at home ; and then appeared their glittering armor white as tin. When they had laid that by, there was no one who could affirm that he had ever seen three such handsome knights. Their courteous carriage was noted, for each showed his breeding. Then Galagandreiz said : "Whichever one you accord the honor shall walk beside me, and I will let you see my daughter and her ladies. There was not a word of dissent, and their good manners prompted the two to put forward the youth. So the host led them to the door of the apartment where his daughter sat. Never were knights better greeted nor more lovingly ; the lordly host ordered it thus. The host's daughter welcomed the lad who had always lived with ladies and seated him by her side. Better fortune than that in courtly affairs he was not likely soon to enjoy. He talked to her about love in its manifold aspects. In whatever vein she addressed him, he replied in seemly wise, both in earnest and in game—and that with entire propriety. His companions were also merry. The young knight had the fortunate gift that everybody liked him. After he had sat there thus a while, the meal was ready. No matter how much one spoke of entertainment and of varied dishes, one could never tell all that was provided for them. They had a merry time till the hour arrived for sleep ; then they had to meet a new experience. As befitted welcome guests, good beds were prepared for them, each by himself.41 The host escorted them and had good wine poured for them.42 He arranged the pillows for all with his own hand. Then he spoke : “Heroes, take care to rest with pro-
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[ 37 priety. May God, who guards all the world, protect you well with His power and grant you now good night." And they also prayed God to keep him. LINES 844-940 Then the young warrior said, "Unless we are mad, we ought ever to praise this host. Then, just as they were expecting repose, the lady, the host's daughter, came quietly walking in. Now it was her desire to have two great tapers burning there : she wanted to find out what the manners of the heroes were and how discreetly they slept, for she was on fire with strong love.43 She had got herself up well and fashionably enough. She wore a gorgeous mantle ; the outside was of Saracen fabric,44 the best ever seen or heard of as far as Morzi in heathen land ; 45 the sable and feathers were rich. She had no hat, because she wished to look young, but she wore a chaplet that she had plaited with her own hands, well wrought of pretty flowers. She could not have been more fascinating. Her smock was of silk, and in it she looked charming, so I am informed. Her mind was bent upon nothing but that which occupies the thoughts of one filled with love-longing. She had eluded the chaperonage that all women detest.46 Love so tormented her and constrained her so powerfully that she had to be daring. Yet she was not alone ; two pretty maids in two robes of green samite 47 preceded her into the hall. The little girls carried two golden candlesticks—the candles gave a great light—and these they at once placed, accord- ing to the lady's orders, with the lights which they found. Then she said good-by to them ; they bowed courteously to her and with graceful demeanor went to their rest and left the mighty forester's child with the guests. She wished to have it thus, that it might be a little better with her. She sat down beside Orphilet, for he lay sleeping nearest to her ; and this is how she addressed him : 48 “Lord God, bless me! How silent these warriors have become so wonderfully soon ! Why, fine knights who travel abroad this way and take pains to behave courteously should converse somewhat about women and while away the time in most pleasant conversation. I know not whom
[ 37 priety. May God, who guards all the world, protect you well with His power and grant you now good night." And they also prayed God to keep him. LINES 844-940 Then the young warrior said, "Unless we are mad, we ought ever to praise this host. Then, just as they were expecting repose, the lady, the host's daughter, came quietly walking in. Now it was her desire to have two great tapers burning there : she wanted to find out what the manners of the heroes were and how discreetly they slept, for she was on fire with strong love.43 She had got herself up well and fashionably enough. She wore a gorgeous mantle ; the outside was of Saracen fabric,44 the best ever seen or heard of as far as Morzi in heathen land ; 45 the sable and feathers were rich. She had no hat, because she wished to look young, but she wore a chaplet that she had plaited with her own hands, well wrought of pretty flowers. She could not have been more fascinating. Her smock was of silk, and in it she looked charming, so I am informed. Her mind was bent upon nothing but that which occupies the thoughts of one filled with love-longing. She had eluded the chaperonage that all women detest.46 Love so tormented her and constrained her so powerfully that she had to be daring. Yet she was not alone ; two pretty maids in two robes of green samite 47 preceded her into the hall. The little girls carried two golden candlesticks—the candles gave a great light—and these they at once placed, accord- ing to the lady's orders, with the lights which they found. Then she said good-by to them ; they bowed courteously to her and with graceful demeanor went to their rest and left the mighty forester's child with the guests. She wished to have it thus, that it might be a little better with her. She sat down beside Orphilet, for he lay sleeping nearest to her ; and this is how she addressed him : 48 “Lord God, bless me! How silent these warriors have become so wonderfully soon ! Why, fine knights who travel abroad this way and take pains to behave courteously should converse somewhat about women and while away the time in most pleasant conversation. I know not whom
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[ 38 to believe. I have been told a great deal about love and its sweet- ness: 'It is better than mere goodness; through it one becomes happy.' They declare that these are its weapons—'much thought and little sleep.' But now 49 I have had a taste of its treachery and am reminded of my father's words, who says, 'Love is a long- ing sorrow, the image of many an error, the neglect of everything that is profitable, the troubler of men's spirits, to the timid a heavy load, to the feeble-hearted an unwelcome guest. It parches the world like an oven. It is a source of cowardly idleness. Love is the cause of dire distress, a false measure of faithfulness.' So talks my father, and withal he is determined that I shall ever be without a husband. Upon my life, I might be willing to do that, were it not that I long to live like other women, who have set their fancy on the love of good men and live for those who give them great joy. LINES 941—1021 When she had said all this, Orphilet looked at her and asked what she wished. Immediately she offered him a gold finger ring.50 He dared not take it, for he was afraid of being made the butt of a joke, as often happens. “I have not merited it by courtly service, he said, “that I should want it at all. "Say not so, dear friend. For the honor of all knights, release me from suffering, from the tyrannous watch people keep over me. I am speaking in all earnestness. Take this ring for friendship's sake and thereafter all that is mine, whatsoever I can bring to you. Orphilet was frightened by this offer and reasoned that the old man would make him pay for disloyalty with battle—that was his custom. "Lady, do as I ask you. Now that I understand your words I will soon come here again. If you deign to love me, I will gladly carry you away. For you I will not hesitate to risk life and honor as far as ever I can. But just now I do not care to do anything about it." Then the good maid replied : "Oh no, valiant knight. Think of all that ever was courtly and lovable, upright and well-bred, of unspoiled beauty of mind. Look at my lovely person. I am a woman fit for a knight, and I make just one request, such as never
[ 38 to believe. I have been told a great deal about love and its sweet- ness: 'It is better than mere goodness; through it one becomes happy.' They declare that these are its weapons—'much thought and little sleep.' But now 49 I have had a taste of its treachery and am reminded of my father's words, who says, 'Love is a long- ing sorrow, the image of many an error, the neglect of everything that is profitable, the troubler of men's spirits, to the timid a heavy load, to the feeble-hearted an unwelcome guest. It parches the world like an oven. It is a source of cowardly idleness. Love is the cause of dire distress, a false measure of faithfulness.' So talks my father, and withal he is determined that I shall ever be without a husband. Upon my life, I might be willing to do that, were it not that I long to live like other women, who have set their fancy on the love of good men and live for those who give them great joy. LINES 941—1021 When she had said all this, Orphilet looked at her and asked what she wished. Immediately she offered him a gold finger ring.50 He dared not take it, for he was afraid of being made the butt of a joke, as often happens. “I have not merited it by courtly service, he said, “that I should want it at all. "Say not so, dear friend. For the honor of all knights, release me from suffering, from the tyrannous watch people keep over me. I am speaking in all earnestness. Take this ring for friendship's sake and thereafter all that is mine, whatsoever I can bring to you. Orphilet was frightened by this offer and reasoned that the old man would make him pay for disloyalty with battle—that was his custom. "Lady, do as I ask you. Now that I understand your words I will soon come here again. If you deign to love me, I will gladly carry you away. For you I will not hesitate to risk life and honor as far as ever I can. But just now I do not care to do anything about it." Then the good maid replied : "Oh no, valiant knight. Think of all that ever was courtly and lovable, upright and well-bred, of unspoiled beauty of mind. Look at my lovely person. I am a woman fit for a knight, and I make just one request, such as never
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[ 39 ] woman made before, that you will turn your mind to love of me, for you are so very handsome. I declare in entire good faith that, so far as I can distinguish, I never laid eyes on a man for whom a fortunate woman should more gladly risk both her honor and her life. None of my kin should I like so well as you, if it could only come to pass that you will release me this time from the pain that cumbers me so. If ever woman showed you favor, O knight, you should not timidly refuse, nor deny me your body. One finds many a warrior wandering in strange lands for the sake of beautiful ladies not one of whom can compare with me in either wealth or looks. Make up your mind, hero, and kiss me lovingly—I will always repay you for it—and tell me your desire. Then answered Orphilet at once : “I fear for my knightly honor. Dismiss this notion from your mind, for I mean to keep my good faith. Even if I dared to make bold with you, unless I killed your father, I might suffer such punishment for it as to be imprisoned for a year." The lady replied : “The truth is that nobody ever achieved real manhood who did not at some time or other act indiscreetly for the sake of a woman. The hero said : By my life, I am not inclined to die on your „ account ! LINES 1022-1112 Angrily she left him, her love-longing still unrelieved. Now Kuraus lay close by, between his two companions ; and here let me tell you a strange thing. The lady, since love pained her sore, made up her mind to woo him also so ardently that no man was ever subjected to such earnest entreaties from a woman. She spoke : " A knight who wishes to live up to the highest standards should never be fainthearted with a woman. I will tell you truly that I have been well informed how perfect you are in your manhood. Prove your mettle on me, and in me love a beauteous maid. If you find pleasure in a woman who is good to her lover, I shall be well rewarded by you, as I can discern. My father has forbidden me any husband : he thinks he cannot live without me. But now I will dispense with obedience to that command. I would rather myself
[ 39 ] woman made before, that you will turn your mind to love of me, for you are so very handsome. I declare in entire good faith that, so far as I can distinguish, I never laid eyes on a man for whom a fortunate woman should more gladly risk both her honor and her life. None of my kin should I like so well as you, if it could only come to pass that you will release me this time from the pain that cumbers me so. If ever woman showed you favor, O knight, you should not timidly refuse, nor deny me your body. One finds many a warrior wandering in strange lands for the sake of beautiful ladies not one of whom can compare with me in either wealth or looks. Make up your mind, hero, and kiss me lovingly—I will always repay you for it—and tell me your desire. Then answered Orphilet at once : “I fear for my knightly honor. Dismiss this notion from your mind, for I mean to keep my good faith. Even if I dared to make bold with you, unless I killed your father, I might suffer such punishment for it as to be imprisoned for a year." The lady replied : “The truth is that nobody ever achieved real manhood who did not at some time or other act indiscreetly for the sake of a woman. The hero said : By my life, I am not inclined to die on your „ account ! LINES 1022-1112 Angrily she left him, her love-longing still unrelieved. Now Kuraus lay close by, between his two companions ; and here let me tell you a strange thing. The lady, since love pained her sore, made up her mind to woo him also so ardently that no man was ever subjected to such earnest entreaties from a woman. She spoke : " A knight who wishes to live up to the highest standards should never be fainthearted with a woman. I will tell you truly that I have been well informed how perfect you are in your manhood. Prove your mettle on me, and in me love a beauteous maid. If you find pleasure in a woman who is good to her lover, I shall be well rewarded by you, as I can discern. My father has forbidden me any husband : he thinks he cannot live without me. But now I will dispense with obedience to that command. I would rather myself
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D woo a man who has sense and honor than wait for one who will prove quarrelsome. Accordingly I have chosen you: you are constant and wellborn, and surely dare to undertake all things. But if my hope should be deceived, I will never be gracious to a man again. Then Kuraus replied : "You should be gracious to good knights. If it were not that I honor your father for the good will that he has shown me, nothing so pleasant could happen to me as that I should love you. Yet I would rather incur your ill will than destroy my luck. However, I will always complain to God that I have had to give you up. Therefore dismiss me from your mind." The hero covered his head and took the proposal as a joke. At that the lady began to feel humiliated. To be repulsed so emphatically seemed to the winsome maid an extraordinary thing. Meanwhile the youth lay there and thought to himself, “Good Lord God ! if it is ever my good fortune that the lady goes through with this, I shall be joyful for ever." She came along immediately, for love was tormenting her. Up jumped the young knight and spoke: "My lady, may you stand in high favor with the great God and myself! Gladly will I serve you ; you have no need to woo me, for I would rather die on the spot than let you go hence. Whatever trouble I get into thereby, I will disregard it all. Noth- ing pleasanter could happen to me—that will be made plain to you." He laid her on his arm and kissed her a thousand times at least. They knew the best love that ever came to two lovers. His comrades did not like it, but he paid no attention to all that and took possession of the lady right lovingly. These two were filled with joy and had a plenitude of bliss, and the very finest night that any woman ever experienced with a young man. However, he never could forget that she came to him last. He concealed this feeling from her then, but she paid for it another time.51 40 LINES III3—83 As this hero lay couched so softly, the unwished day appeared and the sweet night was over. Then their resolute host pounded angrily on the door. The guests were terrified at the sight of him, because he carried two sharp knives, pointed and very long, and
D woo a man who has sense and honor than wait for one who will prove quarrelsome. Accordingly I have chosen you: you are constant and wellborn, and surely dare to undertake all things. But if my hope should be deceived, I will never be gracious to a man again. Then Kuraus replied : "You should be gracious to good knights. If it were not that I honor your father for the good will that he has shown me, nothing so pleasant could happen to me as that I should love you. Yet I would rather incur your ill will than destroy my luck. However, I will always complain to God that I have had to give you up. Therefore dismiss me from your mind." The hero covered his head and took the proposal as a joke. At that the lady began to feel humiliated. To be repulsed so emphatically seemed to the winsome maid an extraordinary thing. Meanwhile the youth lay there and thought to himself, “Good Lord God ! if it is ever my good fortune that the lady goes through with this, I shall be joyful for ever." She came along immediately, for love was tormenting her. Up jumped the young knight and spoke: "My lady, may you stand in high favor with the great God and myself! Gladly will I serve you ; you have no need to woo me, for I would rather die on the spot than let you go hence. Whatever trouble I get into thereby, I will disregard it all. Noth- ing pleasanter could happen to me—that will be made plain to you." He laid her on his arm and kissed her a thousand times at least. They knew the best love that ever came to two lovers. His comrades did not like it, but he paid no attention to all that and took possession of the lady right lovingly. These two were filled with joy and had a plenitude of bliss, and the very finest night that any woman ever experienced with a young man. However, he never could forget that she came to him last. He concealed this feeling from her then, but she paid for it another time.51 40 LINES III3—83 As this hero lay couched so softly, the unwished day appeared and the sweet night was over. Then their resolute host pounded angrily on the door. The guests were terrified at the sight of him, because he carried two sharp knives, pointed and very long, and
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41 two bucklers. His heart was troubled. The knives were double- edged. He spoke (it would have been better if he had not done so) : "I am going either to lose my life or to present the morning gift,52 for which no one will thank me : it is sadness and sorrow and everlasting rue, for you have forfeited your loyalty and your honor. Never since I was born have I treated a man better than you ; what has that profited me ? I was so disposed then ; but now, all lie still, as you value your lives, and tell me who has the woman, my child, the faithless baggage ? The girl concealed herself under her lover, the youthful cham- pion, and would gladly have lain dead there. Her father, per- ceiving it, ran thither swiftly and savagely threatened them. "Whoever robs me of my honor," he said, 'will not enjoy it much ! 53 I will challenge you to a game. Take this shield in your hand and stay here by this wall, and I will go to the other side ; and I will give you your choice. I will deprive you of your honor, or you me of mine. One of us must throw first. Whoever hits the 54 mark, he wins the game ; the other bears the loss." The youth approved the plan : “Since I am on the defensive,55 it seems to me proper that you should throw before I do. May God give you bad luck, my hateful opponent ! Please God you miss me ! Then he relied upon his own skill, and kept a sharp eye on his father-in-law, always holding his shield in front of him. For this game no board was needed ! 56 Kuraus and Orphilet would have much preferred to be elsewhere. The host played first and hurled his knife with full force through the young warrior's sleeve into the wall. He fleshed him a little, so that he made the blood flow. Then the wounded one considered how he could make up for his injury. Instead of throwing and hurling, he rushed upon the wretch and gave him a frightful stab with his knife, so that he fell on the floor and never spoke again. LINES 1184-1257 And now in the room they began to worry. The brave strangers shut the door and wrung their hands because they were obliged to be there without swords. But the knight's ladylove consoled
41 two bucklers. His heart was troubled. The knives were double- edged. He spoke (it would have been better if he had not done so) : "I am going either to lose my life or to present the morning gift,52 for which no one will thank me : it is sadness and sorrow and everlasting rue, for you have forfeited your loyalty and your honor. Never since I was born have I treated a man better than you ; what has that profited me ? I was so disposed then ; but now, all lie still, as you value your lives, and tell me who has the woman, my child, the faithless baggage ? The girl concealed herself under her lover, the youthful cham- pion, and would gladly have lain dead there. Her father, per- ceiving it, ran thither swiftly and savagely threatened them. "Whoever robs me of my honor," he said, 'will not enjoy it much ! 53 I will challenge you to a game. Take this shield in your hand and stay here by this wall, and I will go to the other side ; and I will give you your choice. I will deprive you of your honor, or you me of mine. One of us must throw first. Whoever hits the 54 mark, he wins the game ; the other bears the loss." The youth approved the plan : “Since I am on the defensive,55 it seems to me proper that you should throw before I do. May God give you bad luck, my hateful opponent ! Please God you miss me ! Then he relied upon his own skill, and kept a sharp eye on his father-in-law, always holding his shield in front of him. For this game no board was needed ! 56 Kuraus and Orphilet would have much preferred to be elsewhere. The host played first and hurled his knife with full force through the young warrior's sleeve into the wall. He fleshed him a little, so that he made the blood flow. Then the wounded one considered how he could make up for his injury. Instead of throwing and hurling, he rushed upon the wretch and gave him a frightful stab with his knife, so that he fell on the floor and never spoke again. LINES 1184-1257 And now in the room they began to worry. The brave strangers shut the door and wrung their hands because they were obliged to be there without swords. But the knight's ladylove consoled
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42 them right well and said that they should surely be saved. At their request she went out, shut the door after her, and sent for some of the best vassals in whom she was most likely to find help and comfort. She said : “Heroes, remember that I have always honored knights and thrown the best things in their way ; and now do you stand by me. My father, I think, is dead, who always practiced cruelty and treated you unjustly. Now I have a young man, the best that ever a woman won. My father picked him for a coward and would have killed him, as he has killed full many. But that could no longer endure ; the knight defended himself from sheer neces- sity. Now, since my father is dead, his heritage has come to me. I will gladly do something for those who prove faithful to me and heartily take my side. Then straightway one of the knights replied : “Tell us who the warrior is. If it is he who sat by you last night, no lady ever had better fortune. He is so luckily gifted that, unless I am quite mistaken, a better man was never born. But now that we have lost our lord, you must see to it that the newcomer is by no means to terrorize us, by either death or imprisonment." The others all declared, "We will do what my lady wishes, both in serious and in trifling matters. Thus conciliation was brought about. Little lament was heard for the host ; for it still is often the case that when a man is lacking in generosity, people do not stop to bewail the churl's misfortunes. The visiting heroes were also relieved of the fear in their hearts. The lady cared for them full well, in the best way she could. Shortly thereafter a great company gathered ; and in a very few days they buried Galagandreiz in proper fashion. The lady took the young man and entrusted wholly to him both people and land. And so, as soon as he recovered from his injuries, he inherited that which had lately been the forester's. Then the new host was right liberal, like one who is little troubled by his riches.57 What his father-in-law had hoarded he dispensed generously, for he had won it by his prowess. Then he provided for himself a steward, according to the advice of wise persons. He himself strove after nothing except honor, as a fine knight knows how.
42 them right well and said that they should surely be saved. At their request she went out, shut the door after her, and sent for some of the best vassals in whom she was most likely to find help and comfort. She said : “Heroes, remember that I have always honored knights and thrown the best things in their way ; and now do you stand by me. My father, I think, is dead, who always practiced cruelty and treated you unjustly. Now I have a young man, the best that ever a woman won. My father picked him for a coward and would have killed him, as he has killed full many. But that could no longer endure ; the knight defended himself from sheer neces- sity. Now, since my father is dead, his heritage has come to me. I will gladly do something for those who prove faithful to me and heartily take my side. Then straightway one of the knights replied : “Tell us who the warrior is. If it is he who sat by you last night, no lady ever had better fortune. He is so luckily gifted that, unless I am quite mistaken, a better man was never born. But now that we have lost our lord, you must see to it that the newcomer is by no means to terrorize us, by either death or imprisonment." The others all declared, "We will do what my lady wishes, both in serious and in trifling matters. Thus conciliation was brought about. Little lament was heard for the host ; for it still is often the case that when a man is lacking in generosity, people do not stop to bewail the churl's misfortunes. The visiting heroes were also relieved of the fear in their hearts. The lady cared for them full well, in the best way she could. Shortly thereafter a great company gathered ; and in a very few days they buried Galagandreiz in proper fashion. The lady took the young man and entrusted wholly to him both people and land. And so, as soon as he recovered from his injuries, he inherited that which had lately been the forester's. Then the new host was right liberal, like one who is little troubled by his riches.57 What his father-in-law had hoarded he dispensed generously, for he had won it by his prowess. Then he provided for himself a steward, according to the advice of wise persons. He himself strove after nothing except honor, as a fine knight knows how.
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[ 43 LINES 1258-1356 When Orphilet, the brave man, saw his demeanor, that he dealt so pleasantly with them and yet let nobody pry into his affairs, he began straightway to praise to him King Arthur's 58 land and Karidol (Carlisle) the fair.5° He told him that there dwelt all the flower of knighthood who by their chivalry won praise and honor. “ The king himself is so wise that he knows how to treat each individual man according to his worth. Whoever has ridden forth to prove his manhood should see my lord's court. I tell you truly, the queen is of such a disposition that she had liefer do two good deeds than one ungenerous one. There are also other beautiful ladies whose virtue is so pure that, were there only one of them in a kingdom, rightly would all knights observe courtly behavior. My advice is that you see them." Then the nameless one replied, "It would be a great shame if I should fly without feathers. I am determined either to receive injury or to inflict it before I will ever endure such restraint or join such company as that. What could I have to say to those who in dangerous exploits have raised themselves so high ? It would be dishonorable of me to defend myself in any other way. May God excuse me from the journey : I want to stay as I am." And then Kuraus begged him to go to Gagunne, but the youth was unwilling to honor him with his company. His retinue all swore that he should stay there permanently with the lady who had brought him to such great honor. Yet he had no intention of doing so. Now his companions, the two heroes, would tarry with him no longer ; they wished to go to their own country. When it came to parting he gave them each whatever they wished of his possessions. The heroes had proof that he bore them good will. Greatly they praised him for his demeanor and for his prowess. At Karidol it was proclaimed that Orphilet was coming thither. They were much pleased at that, for he had not been there for a long time. Now all the company demanded of him marvels and tales—where he had been so long. He said, “I can easily tell that. Lately I was at a place where I was well entertained, and I beheld
[ 43 LINES 1258-1356 When Orphilet, the brave man, saw his demeanor, that he dealt so pleasantly with them and yet let nobody pry into his affairs, he began straightway to praise to him King Arthur's 58 land and Karidol (Carlisle) the fair.5° He told him that there dwelt all the flower of knighthood who by their chivalry won praise and honor. “ The king himself is so wise that he knows how to treat each individual man according to his worth. Whoever has ridden forth to prove his manhood should see my lord's court. I tell you truly, the queen is of such a disposition that she had liefer do two good deeds than one ungenerous one. There are also other beautiful ladies whose virtue is so pure that, were there only one of them in a kingdom, rightly would all knights observe courtly behavior. My advice is that you see them." Then the nameless one replied, "It would be a great shame if I should fly without feathers. I am determined either to receive injury or to inflict it before I will ever endure such restraint or join such company as that. What could I have to say to those who in dangerous exploits have raised themselves so high ? It would be dishonorable of me to defend myself in any other way. May God excuse me from the journey : I want to stay as I am." And then Kuraus begged him to go to Gagunne, but the youth was unwilling to honor him with his company. His retinue all swore that he should stay there permanently with the lady who had brought him to such great honor. Yet he had no intention of doing so. Now his companions, the two heroes, would tarry with him no longer ; they wished to go to their own country. When it came to parting he gave them each whatever they wished of his possessions. The heroes had proof that he bore them good will. Greatly they praised him for his demeanor and for his prowess. At Karidol it was proclaimed that Orphilet was coming thither. They were much pleased at that, for he had not been there for a long time. Now all the company demanded of him marvels and tales—where he had been so long. He said, “I can easily tell that. Lately I was at a place where I was well entertained, and I beheld
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[ 44 — the most perfect hero that ever lady had. This happy person is devoid of guile. To my mind he is one of the most excellent men that I ever heard tell of. He possesses extraordinary charm, and it is a courtly trait that he does not know what sorrow is. It does one good to be with him. Whoever should see what I saw, how he broke the adventure at the castle of Moreiz, would accord him the highest praise. One would like to know who he is, for he will not tell his name to anybody, no matter what you say or do." Orphilet, the good hero, told from beginning to end many things about the stranger's prowess and his victories. Then Arthur the blameless and all the company longed for his arrival. LINES 1357—1443 While this was happening he of whom this tale is told omitted nothing that might contribute to his well-being. Daily he rode hunting out into the wood. Then the hero again became mindful of his purpose in setting forth. The delay seemed too long. So one fine day he put on his armor secretly. No man or woman knew what it was impelled him. Four days' space he rode boldly out toward a wood. There he found three roads. The two on either side he left and rode down the middle one, which led to a strong castle.6° No guest whatever, whether foolish or wise, arrived here without carrying an olive branch as a sign that he sought peace,61 and whoever came there bearing arms carried his helm in his hand and turned down his ventail ; 62 otherwise he rued it later, when he got within sight of the castle ; for whoever happened to disre- gard the custom of the country was so cruelly treated that he never recovered, no matter how great or noble he was. This custom was unknown—hence his misfortune—to the proud warrior who was ignorant of his own identity. Boldly he rode straight ahead, which those who were watching him from the castle thought a big piece of folly. They all hastened, old and young, and thronged out at the gate with all kinds of weapons. First the servants surrounded him in crowds. There followed them many armed men who wore hauberks of chain mail, helms, and shields. In a beech thicket they closed in on the gracious man, who proudly defended himself, for he was determined to save his life. The road was deep and
[ 44 — the most perfect hero that ever lady had. This happy person is devoid of guile. To my mind he is one of the most excellent men that I ever heard tell of. He possesses extraordinary charm, and it is a courtly trait that he does not know what sorrow is. It does one good to be with him. Whoever should see what I saw, how he broke the adventure at the castle of Moreiz, would accord him the highest praise. One would like to know who he is, for he will not tell his name to anybody, no matter what you say or do." Orphilet, the good hero, told from beginning to end many things about the stranger's prowess and his victories. Then Arthur the blameless and all the company longed for his arrival. LINES 1357—1443 While this was happening he of whom this tale is told omitted nothing that might contribute to his well-being. Daily he rode hunting out into the wood. Then the hero again became mindful of his purpose in setting forth. The delay seemed too long. So one fine day he put on his armor secretly. No man or woman knew what it was impelled him. Four days' space he rode boldly out toward a wood. There he found three roads. The two on either side he left and rode down the middle one, which led to a strong castle.6° No guest whatever, whether foolish or wise, arrived here without carrying an olive branch as a sign that he sought peace,61 and whoever came there bearing arms carried his helm in his hand and turned down his ventail ; 62 otherwise he rued it later, when he got within sight of the castle ; for whoever happened to disre- gard the custom of the country was so cruelly treated that he never recovered, no matter how great or noble he was. This custom was unknown—hence his misfortune—to the proud warrior who was ignorant of his own identity. Boldly he rode straight ahead, which those who were watching him from the castle thought a big piece of folly. They all hastened, old and young, and thronged out at the gate with all kinds of weapons. First the servants surrounded him in crowds. There followed them many armed men who wore hauberks of chain mail, helms, and shields. In a beech thicket they closed in on the gracious man, who proudly defended himself, for he was determined to save his life. The road was deep and
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[ 45 narrow where they first came upon him—which proved the death of many of them. He hewed his way out through the foot soldiers. The knights then took up the fray, for he could not outride them, and they began to fight with him as if he had slain their father. So he moved forward on to the open field. Not one of the assail- ants envied another the presents which the youth bestowed. They rued the battle both before and after ; he struck twenty of them from their horses to the grass in such a way that many never recovered; ten of them remained dead there. Toward the castle they drove him, fighting continuously as he rode. The great army surrounded him as the dogs a wild boar. He made it very plain that he could fight well : little he spared his sword. The populace all cried out upon him. But it sorely grieved the ladies on the battlements that he could not escape ; and therefore they greatly lamented him. LINES 1444-1537 In the castle was a maiden ; no one in the land knew a damsel pleasanter to behold for beauty or courtly breeding. When they told her about the fighting, she was not unmindful of what her honorable station demanded. She mounted a horse which suited her to ride. Believe me, it was not lame 63 but right beautiful and nobly bred. Its coat shone like a mirror ; it was indeed without blemish, and entirely snow-white except for one shoulder, which was red.64 There is no need for anyone to describe to you better caparison than was laid upon that steed which the damsel rode as she neared the throng. Like a flash of lightning she came riding from the castle.65 There she saw many a blow struck and many a spear driven at the knight, who now rode quickly toward her. She demanded his word that he would surrender to her. " So long as I live," she said, “I have chosen you for friend if your birth matches your prowess. If anyone slays you today, truly he commits a crime. Were I a man I would help you, but in any case you may be sure of my utmost favor. Yet I know not why I do this : only that my heart emboldens me to it." He could not answer that, but he said, 'Whatever happens to me, your kindness is great.'
[ 45 narrow where they first came upon him—which proved the death of many of them. He hewed his way out through the foot soldiers. The knights then took up the fray, for he could not outride them, and they began to fight with him as if he had slain their father. So he moved forward on to the open field. Not one of the assail- ants envied another the presents which the youth bestowed. They rued the battle both before and after ; he struck twenty of them from their horses to the grass in such a way that many never recovered; ten of them remained dead there. Toward the castle they drove him, fighting continuously as he rode. The great army surrounded him as the dogs a wild boar. He made it very plain that he could fight well : little he spared his sword. The populace all cried out upon him. But it sorely grieved the ladies on the battlements that he could not escape ; and therefore they greatly lamented him. LINES 1444-1537 In the castle was a maiden ; no one in the land knew a damsel pleasanter to behold for beauty or courtly breeding. When they told her about the fighting, she was not unmindful of what her honorable station demanded. She mounted a horse which suited her to ride. Believe me, it was not lame 63 but right beautiful and nobly bred. Its coat shone like a mirror ; it was indeed without blemish, and entirely snow-white except for one shoulder, which was red.64 There is no need for anyone to describe to you better caparison than was laid upon that steed which the damsel rode as she neared the throng. Like a flash of lightning she came riding from the castle.65 There she saw many a blow struck and many a spear driven at the knight, who now rode quickly toward her. She demanded his word that he would surrender to her. " So long as I live," she said, “I have chosen you for friend if your birth matches your prowess. If anyone slays you today, truly he commits a crime. Were I a man I would help you, but in any case you may be sure of my utmost favor. Yet I know not why I do this : only that my heart emboldens me to it." He could not answer that, but he said, 'Whatever happens to me, your kindness is great.'
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46 Many a spear was thrown at him, for they could not approach him. The lady wished to help him, but the throng kept them apart. Yet in spite of their efforts he outstripped them to the castle. Then there was a great struggle as he got there ahead of them. He seized a spear from a knight as his fury urged him, set spurs to his horse, and turned again toward the castle. Many a one of the mob that shouted after him he thrust down. He hit the four nails 66 on the shield of one warrior and pierced his heart through both folds of the hauberk. All clamored for the life of the stranger, for he had struck dead the lord's counsellor. Then many a shield which he hewed was knocked to flinders, so that the paint dust flew about like a fog. The glorious warrior cut to pieces many a shaft that day, and when he could no longer keep up the struggle against superior force and such able fighters, he surrendered to this same damsel of whom I have already told, throwing himself upon her good faith and grace. LINES 1538—1621 She was named Ade,67 this we shall not conceal. I have heard tell that her father was Patricius von den Bigen,68 who had given most of his attention to stalking and hunting. He was known far and wide and owned, I dare say, a hundred greyhounds besides other hunting dogs—brachets and limmers." He was an expert in track- ing. When a stag was discovered he could follow its slot perfectly, where it ran, where it stopped. He passed his time better than any other forester. His brother was named Linier,7° and Linier's was this strong castle. It was called Limors,71 and it lacked nothing that it ought to have. Linier wanted to arrange things so that in case he died without heirs his property should not go to rack and ruin. Therefore he had adopted for the sake of both honor and profit this maid, his brother's daughter ; for she carried off the prize for nobility and for all good traits. Whatever best became a woman adorned her. It was arranged that when her uncle died, she, together with the man whom she favored and in whom she found virtue and honor, should take charge of the land. Into this lady's power, as you have heard, the foreign guest had now come. There was nobody bold enough to harm him after he
46 Many a spear was thrown at him, for they could not approach him. The lady wished to help him, but the throng kept them apart. Yet in spite of their efforts he outstripped them to the castle. Then there was a great struggle as he got there ahead of them. He seized a spear from a knight as his fury urged him, set spurs to his horse, and turned again toward the castle. Many a one of the mob that shouted after him he thrust down. He hit the four nails 66 on the shield of one warrior and pierced his heart through both folds of the hauberk. All clamored for the life of the stranger, for he had struck dead the lord's counsellor. Then many a shield which he hewed was knocked to flinders, so that the paint dust flew about like a fog. The glorious warrior cut to pieces many a shaft that day, and when he could no longer keep up the struggle against superior force and such able fighters, he surrendered to this same damsel of whom I have already told, throwing himself upon her good faith and grace. LINES 1538—1621 She was named Ade,67 this we shall not conceal. I have heard tell that her father was Patricius von den Bigen,68 who had given most of his attention to stalking and hunting. He was known far and wide and owned, I dare say, a hundred greyhounds besides other hunting dogs—brachets and limmers." He was an expert in track- ing. When a stag was discovered he could follow its slot perfectly, where it ran, where it stopped. He passed his time better than any other forester. His brother was named Linier,7° and Linier's was this strong castle. It was called Limors,71 and it lacked nothing that it ought to have. Linier wanted to arrange things so that in case he died without heirs his property should not go to rack and ruin. Therefore he had adopted for the sake of both honor and profit this maid, his brother's daughter ; for she carried off the prize for nobility and for all good traits. Whatever best became a woman adorned her. It was arranged that when her uncle died, she, together with the man whom she favored and in whom she found virtue and honor, should take charge of the land. Into this lady's power, as you have heard, the foreign guest had now come. There was nobody bold enough to harm him after he
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[ 47 ] had given her assurances. They refrained out of their sense of honor and for the noble lady's sake—otherwise he would have been lost. Fortune had sworn fealty to him as a faithful liegeman, and she had protected him from his childhood up, because he had chosen virtue. After his armor had been taken off, the good warrior was the handsomest creature that any mother ever bore. The lady took good care of him and declared that she could never have ceased to lament if he had been slain guiltless. She was glad of his escape, yet she feared anger and threats from her uncle, the bold warrior, for whoever without truce rode into his house was doomed to death. It was a great piece of luck, therefore, that this day Linier was not at home. In so far as things go well with good people, Destiny has a hand in it.72 And so Linier did not arrive before the next morning. When he returned and heard exactly what had happened, his mood altered. He became red as fire with anger, for he found shame and trouble in his house. He wanted to have the captive hero put to death. That, however, could not be, for no one can die before his death day comes to him. This neither dearth nor plenty can avert ; from death there is no escape. Besides, the hero was not doomed, no matter how furious his great host might be with him. Linier's heart was sorrowful and heaved with rage. LINES 1622-1709 The damsel fell at his feet and begged him to be merciful. She said : “Of what avail is my service that I have rendered you from childhood, if you refuse me this boon ? You should let the knight live who has surrendered to me, for I know well that he has got into this frightful predicament innocently. You will be a byword to all the world and must always be a wretch if anything happens to him. Therefore follow my counsel. It is a disgraceful thing when a man revenges himself in such a way that people speak evil of him. Atonement is better than death. This hero defended himself of necessity. He is, I am sure, of such a nature that he will repay with service whatever harm he has done you. What if he should be of some use to you yet?
[ 47 ] had given her assurances. They refrained out of their sense of honor and for the noble lady's sake—otherwise he would have been lost. Fortune had sworn fealty to him as a faithful liegeman, and she had protected him from his childhood up, because he had chosen virtue. After his armor had been taken off, the good warrior was the handsomest creature that any mother ever bore. The lady took good care of him and declared that she could never have ceased to lament if he had been slain guiltless. She was glad of his escape, yet she feared anger and threats from her uncle, the bold warrior, for whoever without truce rode into his house was doomed to death. It was a great piece of luck, therefore, that this day Linier was not at home. In so far as things go well with good people, Destiny has a hand in it.72 And so Linier did not arrive before the next morning. When he returned and heard exactly what had happened, his mood altered. He became red as fire with anger, for he found shame and trouble in his house. He wanted to have the captive hero put to death. That, however, could not be, for no one can die before his death day comes to him. This neither dearth nor plenty can avert ; from death there is no escape. Besides, the hero was not doomed, no matter how furious his great host might be with him. Linier's heart was sorrowful and heaved with rage. LINES 1622-1709 The damsel fell at his feet and begged him to be merciful. She said : “Of what avail is my service that I have rendered you from childhood, if you refuse me this boon ? You should let the knight live who has surrendered to me, for I know well that he has got into this frightful predicament innocently. You will be a byword to all the world and must always be a wretch if anything happens to him. Therefore follow my counsel. It is a disgraceful thing when a man revenges himself in such a way that people speak evil of him. Atonement is better than death. This hero defended himself of necessity. He is, I am sure, of such a nature that he will repay with service whatever harm he has done you. What if he should be of some use to you yet?
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[ 48 To that the highborn Linier answered angrily, "As for his service, let that pass ; but I will take good care that he never more does either evil or good to me or to anybody in the world. I can manage him full well, so that he shall atone for my disgrace. Let my friends be warned that whoever speaks in his favor will get into trouble for it. This I swear by my salvation. Hereupon the niece was silent, for she was well aware of his temper and the insult he had suffered, and knew that he showed no mercy whenever he swore in wrath. All the rest kept silence. In this storm of rage, and with bloodshot eyes, he ordered the hero, the captive warrior, to be brought forth, and at once asked him who he was and whence he came, that he had wrought so great damage to him and his men. Then the fearless one answered, "I will tell you truly. Up to the present I have been brought up by ladies, and I don't really know who I am. Then the great Linier flew into a paroxysm of rage. He thought the boy was jesting, which no one has really any need of doing ; so he threw him into a tower where he saw neither sun nor moon. There every comfort was indeed rare, beyond all price. But the nameless knight was merry in his misery. All his suffering was a joke to him, and even though he were to die, he still could not feel downhearted. Now the noble youth lay in a dungeon full of filth ; it might be fit for another sort of person, a coward ! There was sent to him every day only bread and water. He suffered greatly from the stench. Under this treatment he would soon have per- ished and died miserably, were it not that the lady who had rescued him often comforted him. She proved to him her goodness. She had bedding, food, and wine quietly brought in there—this with the consent of those who guarded him on all sides. The maid often stole thither and asked how he did. Then he was quite unflinching and bore his affliction with suitable spirit. LINES 1710-95 One day she told him the dangerous nature of the adventure which her uncle had proclaimed. He asked fully about the custom, and the lady graciously revealed it to him. She said : 'Through
[ 48 To that the highborn Linier answered angrily, "As for his service, let that pass ; but I will take good care that he never more does either evil or good to me or to anybody in the world. I can manage him full well, so that he shall atone for my disgrace. Let my friends be warned that whoever speaks in his favor will get into trouble for it. This I swear by my salvation. Hereupon the niece was silent, for she was well aware of his temper and the insult he had suffered, and knew that he showed no mercy whenever he swore in wrath. All the rest kept silence. In this storm of rage, and with bloodshot eyes, he ordered the hero, the captive warrior, to be brought forth, and at once asked him who he was and whence he came, that he had wrought so great damage to him and his men. Then the fearless one answered, "I will tell you truly. Up to the present I have been brought up by ladies, and I don't really know who I am. Then the great Linier flew into a paroxysm of rage. He thought the boy was jesting, which no one has really any need of doing ; so he threw him into a tower where he saw neither sun nor moon. There every comfort was indeed rare, beyond all price. But the nameless knight was merry in his misery. All his suffering was a joke to him, and even though he were to die, he still could not feel downhearted. Now the noble youth lay in a dungeon full of filth ; it might be fit for another sort of person, a coward ! There was sent to him every day only bread and water. He suffered greatly from the stench. Under this treatment he would soon have per- ished and died miserably, were it not that the lady who had rescued him often comforted him. She proved to him her goodness. She had bedding, food, and wine quietly brought in there—this with the consent of those who guarded him on all sides. The maid often stole thither and asked how he did. Then he was quite unflinching and bore his affliction with suitable spirit. LINES 1710-95 One day she told him the dangerous nature of the adventure which her uncle had proclaimed. He asked fully about the custom, and the lady graciously revealed it to him. She said : 'Through
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[ his knightly prowess and through his overweening pride, my uncle has gone to work and proclaimed by many messengers in all lands that what knight soever wishes to win fame by strength or cour- age, or by any sort of bravery, he should come here and dare his adventure. I will tell you how it is arranged. First one must fight a giant of a man, whose strength no one can describe.73 He carries a club of such a sort that with great effort two men can scarce lift it. Whoever overcomes the giant—which can, however, hardly happen—must then fight two wild lions,74 enraged and fierce, which are in a walled pit. Who fights them can have no other weapon than his sword. And if he then is so favored that his luck protects him and he overcomes the lions—and that is a perilous undertaking—he must immediately fight in a ring with my uncle, in knightly fashion, on horseback and fully equipped. I can tell you that he is of heroie stature, distinguished in all dangers. He never feared any man. Nevertheless this adventure is planned so cau- tiously because he wants to protect himself. He values his life highly. Whatever warrior fails to defend himself from the perils before noon of a given day, he is forthwith doomed to die, and his head is chopped off. Of all that I have told you not a word is false. Then spoke the well-bred knight : “A boon, gracious lady. For your own honor and your noble virtue, grant what I ask of you and help me to a better existence. You need give me nought else than the single gift that by your intercession I may try this ad- venture. If it is as I have understood, I would rather fight than wait any longer in this darkness. Even if I fail, it is all the same to me, for my death lies in the balance. I am not worried about what will happen to me in the combat so long as I have my sword and my sight." Said the warlike one, 'I would rather fight a hundred knights than die in all this filth." When the lady heard that the hero was stubbornly bent on undergoing the adventure, thus spoke the fair maid : "May God give you luck, success, and health in good measure!" This I lov- ingly wish you with heart and mind. Would that I might have joy in you ! To the God of Heaven be you entrusted; may He comfort your heart !" 49
[ his knightly prowess and through his overweening pride, my uncle has gone to work and proclaimed by many messengers in all lands that what knight soever wishes to win fame by strength or cour- age, or by any sort of bravery, he should come here and dare his adventure. I will tell you how it is arranged. First one must fight a giant of a man, whose strength no one can describe.73 He carries a club of such a sort that with great effort two men can scarce lift it. Whoever overcomes the giant—which can, however, hardly happen—must then fight two wild lions,74 enraged and fierce, which are in a walled pit. Who fights them can have no other weapon than his sword. And if he then is so favored that his luck protects him and he overcomes the lions—and that is a perilous undertaking—he must immediately fight in a ring with my uncle, in knightly fashion, on horseback and fully equipped. I can tell you that he is of heroie stature, distinguished in all dangers. He never feared any man. Nevertheless this adventure is planned so cau- tiously because he wants to protect himself. He values his life highly. Whatever warrior fails to defend himself from the perils before noon of a given day, he is forthwith doomed to die, and his head is chopped off. Of all that I have told you not a word is false. Then spoke the well-bred knight : “A boon, gracious lady. For your own honor and your noble virtue, grant what I ask of you and help me to a better existence. You need give me nought else than the single gift that by your intercession I may try this ad- venture. If it is as I have understood, I would rather fight than wait any longer in this darkness. Even if I fail, it is all the same to me, for my death lies in the balance. I am not worried about what will happen to me in the combat so long as I have my sword and my sight." Said the warlike one, 'I would rather fight a hundred knights than die in all this filth." When the lady heard that the hero was stubbornly bent on undergoing the adventure, thus spoke the fair maid : "May God give you luck, success, and health in good measure!" This I lov- ingly wish you with heart and mind. Would that I might have joy in you ! To the God of Heaven be you entrusted; may He comfort your heart !" 49
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L 50 LINES 1796-1885 Graciously he thanked her for that. Then the trustworthy maid went to face her uncle, uncertain what to expect.75 She said, "If I have deserved much from you, I am glad of it. I beg your favor for that helpless warrior who has now lain long in an irksome plight. Good people should lament his destruction, God knows. Now I will tell you something that I heard him say—great in- justice has been done to him! He had heard your strength praised, and your prowess too, and he desired to take on your adventure. Now you should restrain your anger and thank God for the honor of this knight's visit, for in him you have found what you have long sought. It is fitting that both your castle and your name should be renowned throughout the world. I shall never be ashamed of this counsel, for the hero is of a sort to perform great feats of strength. And moreover I will be surety for the good knight that he shall not escape you. He has promised me that ; I stake my head on him. If in your kindness you will grant the permission that I confidently expect from you, that I may take him out till he gets back his strength, in a fortnight from tomorrow I will gladly produce him in the sight of knights and ladies and all your people before your wild beasts' den. And I have one request yet, that you order his armor and his horse to be given me. Then answered Linier de Limors, “Since I am in the mood, I will do it with guileful intent, and so get my revenge on him that he will never rejoice over it and no one will ever ridicule it. " That depends on God," said the maid. When it had come to this point, the knight was taken out of the prison. The lady ordered a bath for him and saw to it that he was given good food enough, such as was suitable for favored guests, whereby he soon came back to health and recovered his strength. The lady kept him in her custody gently and free from bonds. At all times she paid him honor in so far as she could. She loved him beyond measure for his steadfast virtue. But what the host did, Linier the overweening man, I will tell you as I received it. During this time he sent far abroad for friends and relations and for those who held the lands that were adjacent to him. The
L 50 LINES 1796-1885 Graciously he thanked her for that. Then the trustworthy maid went to face her uncle, uncertain what to expect.75 She said, "If I have deserved much from you, I am glad of it. I beg your favor for that helpless warrior who has now lain long in an irksome plight. Good people should lament his destruction, God knows. Now I will tell you something that I heard him say—great in- justice has been done to him! He had heard your strength praised, and your prowess too, and he desired to take on your adventure. Now you should restrain your anger and thank God for the honor of this knight's visit, for in him you have found what you have long sought. It is fitting that both your castle and your name should be renowned throughout the world. I shall never be ashamed of this counsel, for the hero is of a sort to perform great feats of strength. And moreover I will be surety for the good knight that he shall not escape you. He has promised me that ; I stake my head on him. If in your kindness you will grant the permission that I confidently expect from you, that I may take him out till he gets back his strength, in a fortnight from tomorrow I will gladly produce him in the sight of knights and ladies and all your people before your wild beasts' den. And I have one request yet, that you order his armor and his horse to be given me. Then answered Linier de Limors, “Since I am in the mood, I will do it with guileful intent, and so get my revenge on him that he will never rejoice over it and no one will ever ridicule it. " That depends on God," said the maid. When it had come to this point, the knight was taken out of the prison. The lady ordered a bath for him and saw to it that he was given good food enough, such as was suitable for favored guests, whereby he soon came back to health and recovered his strength. The lady kept him in her custody gently and free from bonds. At all times she paid him honor in so far as she could. She loved him beyond measure for his steadfast virtue. But what the host did, Linier the overweening man, I will tell you as I received it. During this time he sent far abroad for friends and relations and for those who held the lands that were adjacent to him. The
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[ 51 famous warrior invited them to his festival, and also to the contest that was called his adventure. He omitted no one whom he could invite to the place where he was to suffer both shame and harm and a grim death. He said, "The knight who wants to fight there is nameless. Whatever one says or does, he takes it all for a joke. There is no man alive of such courage : it must come from great childishness. LINES 1886-1978 Meantime they got ready whatever was needed for the adven- ture. The strong man whom I have told about arrived. Linier did a wily thing and lost no time about it : he gave orders to confine the lions and caused them to fast for three days. Thus—according to the account of the adventure—it has come to the eve of the young knight's battle. Believe it who will, there was a great tumult, both outery and shouting; crowds of knights ; and many a mother's child, who all prayed God to keep the distinguished warrior whose name was known to nobody there. On the morrow when day broke, the foreign knight's first steps were directed to the place where he entrusted himself to God, for He is the source of all good fortune. Then he went immediately into the ring, as he was bidden. They let him carry no weapon except his sword and a helm and a good new shield copied after his own, which the lady had given him and with which he fought manfully. Now the giant was accustomed all his life to a stout and long club. In front of himself he thrust a war shield, with which he stood in the sort of fighting posture that huge people often assume. Now the youth was cun- ning : before the giant knew it, he smote off from him the arm with which he carried the club and showered him with blows. But the strong man defended himself with his left hand. He ran upon the young champion and crashed into him so hard that he fell and his shield strap broke. But the visitor recovered himself immedi- ately ; in his extremity he sprang up suddenly and struck the giant such a blow that he was wondrously frightened and wanted to flee out of the ring. The youth hastily followed him and crippled him by a blow from behind.76 When the giant felt that, he tried to kill him by falling on him
[ 51 famous warrior invited them to his festival, and also to the contest that was called his adventure. He omitted no one whom he could invite to the place where he was to suffer both shame and harm and a grim death. He said, "The knight who wants to fight there is nameless. Whatever one says or does, he takes it all for a joke. There is no man alive of such courage : it must come from great childishness. LINES 1886-1978 Meantime they got ready whatever was needed for the adven- ture. The strong man whom I have told about arrived. Linier did a wily thing and lost no time about it : he gave orders to confine the lions and caused them to fast for three days. Thus—according to the account of the adventure—it has come to the eve of the young knight's battle. Believe it who will, there was a great tumult, both outery and shouting; crowds of knights ; and many a mother's child, who all prayed God to keep the distinguished warrior whose name was known to nobody there. On the morrow when day broke, the foreign knight's first steps were directed to the place where he entrusted himself to God, for He is the source of all good fortune. Then he went immediately into the ring, as he was bidden. They let him carry no weapon except his sword and a helm and a good new shield copied after his own, which the lady had given him and with which he fought manfully. Now the giant was accustomed all his life to a stout and long club. In front of himself he thrust a war shield, with which he stood in the sort of fighting posture that huge people often assume. Now the youth was cun- ning : before the giant knew it, he smote off from him the arm with which he carried the club and showered him with blows. But the strong man defended himself with his left hand. He ran upon the young champion and crashed into him so hard that he fell and his shield strap broke. But the visitor recovered himself immedi- ately ; in his extremity he sprang up suddenly and struck the giant such a blow that he was wondrously frightened and wanted to flee out of the ring. The youth hastily followed him and crippled him by a blow from behind.76 When the giant felt that, he tried to kill him by falling on him
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[ 52 before them all. There was a great crash, but the fall went wide ; and the knight sliced off the giant's head and said, “I have pre- pared you for the grave and for the long journey, whether anyone likes it or not. Linier cursed his bad luck. Straightway he took the hero and led him away to his lions with their hungry jaws and pushed him into the den. One of the lions, when the knight stepped in front of it, struck sideways with its claws. There was no time to lose ; he turned against the lion which had thus hurt him. Then the other was ready, for hunger made it fierce, and ripped a big wound in him so that the blood poured down as if it were a spring. But his quickness was extraordinary—no one need doubt that. He hurled himself against this one and cut it down through the head. The other, however, attacked then and forced him down ; but he lamed the lion, so that it lost the courage to strike. The hero chased it about and killed them both. Nevertheless the worst was yet to come. LINES 1979—2073 As he left the lions, he was pale and wan, and weak from loss of blood. Immediately the ungracious one, the host, Linier de Limors, ordered his armor and war horse, for he was determined to avenge the deed. Wrathfully he put on the very finest arms that ever knight owned, for he was in an angry mood ; and in the meantime his steed was also caparisoned aright. To our good youth likewise his armor was brought; for he was fully determined to defend himself. The favorite of steadfast Fortune assumed his weapons. The blood ran through the rings of his hauberk from his deep wounds, for they were not bound up. Many a man was moved to pity at this sight ; whoever was capable of compassion and beheld this distressing spectacle made his prayer to God that He would not forget him. Now they were mounted, both host and guest, so that neither lacked aught that becomes a good knight when he hangs shield on neck. Little pity was in them. To the first encounter the host brought raging anger. Under his arm he clutched his spear, and he thrust his shield before him. His bearing was knightly, for he
[ 52 before them all. There was a great crash, but the fall went wide ; and the knight sliced off the giant's head and said, “I have pre- pared you for the grave and for the long journey, whether anyone likes it or not. Linier cursed his bad luck. Straightway he took the hero and led him away to his lions with their hungry jaws and pushed him into the den. One of the lions, when the knight stepped in front of it, struck sideways with its claws. There was no time to lose ; he turned against the lion which had thus hurt him. Then the other was ready, for hunger made it fierce, and ripped a big wound in him so that the blood poured down as if it were a spring. But his quickness was extraordinary—no one need doubt that. He hurled himself against this one and cut it down through the head. The other, however, attacked then and forced him down ; but he lamed the lion, so that it lost the courage to strike. The hero chased it about and killed them both. Nevertheless the worst was yet to come. LINES 1979—2073 As he left the lions, he was pale and wan, and weak from loss of blood. Immediately the ungracious one, the host, Linier de Limors, ordered his armor and war horse, for he was determined to avenge the deed. Wrathfully he put on the very finest arms that ever knight owned, for he was in an angry mood ; and in the meantime his steed was also caparisoned aright. To our good youth likewise his armor was brought; for he was fully determined to defend himself. The favorite of steadfast Fortune assumed his weapons. The blood ran through the rings of his hauberk from his deep wounds, for they were not bound up. Many a man was moved to pity at this sight ; whoever was capable of compassion and beheld this distressing spectacle made his prayer to God that He would not forget him. Now they were mounted, both host and guest, so that neither lacked aught that becomes a good knight when he hangs shield on neck. Little pity was in them. To the first encounter the host brought raging anger. Under his arm he clutched his spear, and he thrust his shield before him. His bearing was knightly, for he
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[53 could ride well. At the very same instant the hero, who would yield to nobody without compulsion, settled himself in his seat. Then they galloped, both taking care to get the most out of the horses they rode. Through the middle of each other's shields they struck their spears so powerfully that the shafts splintered and flew high. They drew two sharp swords that were worthy of them, and many a fearful blow they gave and took. Linier showed great skill, for he struck only at the right moment, whereas the youth who bore the eagle device fought without craft, for he well realized what a hurt he had already suffered. They each hacked many a splinter from the other's shield. Savagely they fenced a while in the ring. Yet the rash simpleton with a quick blow smote down the older knight and felled his horse. Then Linier de Limors immediately alighted on the ground in great disgrace. Outra- geously he cursed his horse. The bold hero also dismounted beside the host on the grass, for his steed too was weary. When they were afoot they held their shields before them and rushed boldly at each other. Linier the brave and the nameless knight both gritted their teeth from the force of the loud blows they received. Their anger grew with the hate they bore. They swung the sharp swords on each other so that they rang, and the sparks of the fire-flame sprang from their helms. The amazed spectators were always expecting that one would win and the other die ; yet when one had driven the other back with his blows, it was not long before he himself was forced in the other direc- tion. LINES 2074-2153 At length the host beat down the guest so that he fell to his knees and let go of his shield. He exposed the side where the lion had already hurt him, and there Linier gave him another wound, deep and wide, through his mail. The hero recovered from it in a mo- ment and sprang up like a champion. Unable to make use of his shield, he thrust it behind his back as his wild rage prompted. The fight seemed to him wearisome. With both hands he grasped the sword that he fought with. Weak with wounds and also with rage, the highborn one thought, “It must go one way or the other.
[53 could ride well. At the very same instant the hero, who would yield to nobody without compulsion, settled himself in his seat. Then they galloped, both taking care to get the most out of the horses they rode. Through the middle of each other's shields they struck their spears so powerfully that the shafts splintered and flew high. They drew two sharp swords that were worthy of them, and many a fearful blow they gave and took. Linier showed great skill, for he struck only at the right moment, whereas the youth who bore the eagle device fought without craft, for he well realized what a hurt he had already suffered. They each hacked many a splinter from the other's shield. Savagely they fenced a while in the ring. Yet the rash simpleton with a quick blow smote down the older knight and felled his horse. Then Linier de Limors immediately alighted on the ground in great disgrace. Outra- geously he cursed his horse. The bold hero also dismounted beside the host on the grass, for his steed too was weary. When they were afoot they held their shields before them and rushed boldly at each other. Linier the brave and the nameless knight both gritted their teeth from the force of the loud blows they received. Their anger grew with the hate they bore. They swung the sharp swords on each other so that they rang, and the sparks of the fire-flame sprang from their helms. The amazed spectators were always expecting that one would win and the other die ; yet when one had driven the other back with his blows, it was not long before he himself was forced in the other direc- tion. LINES 2074-2153 At length the host beat down the guest so that he fell to his knees and let go of his shield. He exposed the side where the lion had already hurt him, and there Linier gave him another wound, deep and wide, through his mail. The hero recovered from it in a mo- ment and sprang up like a champion. Unable to make use of his shield, he thrust it behind his back as his wild rage prompted. The fight seemed to him wearisome. With both hands he grasped the sword that he fought with. Weak with wounds and also with rage, the highborn one thought, “It must go one way or the other.
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[ 54 ] Since I am thus badly wounded, I will try one blow, come of it what may. I will put all my strength into it. Therewith he raced upon the host, who had just before brought him so low, and cut Linier, the great hero, through the head so that the sword sank down till it reached the teeth. From that stroke the warrior perished. Now let all and sundry observe a rare marvel touching the youth's prowess : he struck the host with such force, teeth clenched, that blood ran out of his own ears and mouth, and at the same moment he fainted and fell. All saw it clearly and would have sworn that both were done for, since they both fell thus shamefully to the ground. At this all were alarmed, and amidst lamentation Linier was carried in. There was weeping and wailing a-plenty for the host. So nobody hindered the maid from doing what she wanted. She ordered the friendly knights—and they did so—to carry the young warrior into a chamber, and shut the door. She herself stole in ; and luckily it occurred to her to examine him.7 She detected a little breath coming from his mouth. The lady did not delay in having his head raised and quickly bathed. All his armor was removed. A fire was made there for him and the warrior was laid before it. Well was he tended by this noble lady. She proffered him wealth and honor to the best of her power. For her uncle she immediately arranged a wake. Whatever was amiss about the castle she settled skillfully, as wise people often do to whom a great inheritance comes and who know how to look after their affairs. She arranged all things full well. LINES 2154—2238 The man who lay between life and death remained quiet. It was the wish of all who saw him in this state that God would heal him, for he had broken the adventure. Everybody praised him and reckoned him the best of men. Soon also they buried the host honorably, as was fitting. The people, knights and ladies, came in flocks, anxious to see if the youth would recover. They begged the famous maiden to be gracious to him and left in her jurisdiction whatever injury he had done them. The generous maiden Ade heard their petitions with pleasure. His charm had captivated her the moment she first saw him. The populace all declared,
[ 54 ] Since I am thus badly wounded, I will try one blow, come of it what may. I will put all my strength into it. Therewith he raced upon the host, who had just before brought him so low, and cut Linier, the great hero, through the head so that the sword sank down till it reached the teeth. From that stroke the warrior perished. Now let all and sundry observe a rare marvel touching the youth's prowess : he struck the host with such force, teeth clenched, that blood ran out of his own ears and mouth, and at the same moment he fainted and fell. All saw it clearly and would have sworn that both were done for, since they both fell thus shamefully to the ground. At this all were alarmed, and amidst lamentation Linier was carried in. There was weeping and wailing a-plenty for the host. So nobody hindered the maid from doing what she wanted. She ordered the friendly knights—and they did so—to carry the young warrior into a chamber, and shut the door. She herself stole in ; and luckily it occurred to her to examine him.7 She detected a little breath coming from his mouth. The lady did not delay in having his head raised and quickly bathed. All his armor was removed. A fire was made there for him and the warrior was laid before it. Well was he tended by this noble lady. She proffered him wealth and honor to the best of her power. For her uncle she immediately arranged a wake. Whatever was amiss about the castle she settled skillfully, as wise people often do to whom a great inheritance comes and who know how to look after their affairs. She arranged all things full well. LINES 2154—2238 The man who lay between life and death remained quiet. It was the wish of all who saw him in this state that God would heal him, for he had broken the adventure. Everybody praised him and reckoned him the best of men. Soon also they buried the host honorably, as was fitting. The people, knights and ladies, came in flocks, anxious to see if the youth would recover. They begged the famous maiden to be gracious to him and left in her jurisdiction whatever injury he had done them. The generous maiden Ade heard their petitions with pleasure. His charm had captivated her the moment she first saw him. The populace all declared,
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[ 55 ] * This host is well replaced. Let us give to the man who has slain him his possessions and his lady.78 God preserve his life. The lady's kinsmen likewise said the same : this knight and a great estate were much more suitable for her than constantly bear- ing the hostility of her uncle. Yet she needs must mourn him, since it pleased all the people well. The damsel's heart overflowed with virtuous constancy. She would gladly learn what her patient would do. As yet, however, he spoke not a word; his eyes were shut. Still in hope of improvement, the lovely hostess took both oil and wine and washed his bloody wounds, and bandaged him sagely. The virtuous maid skillfully anointed him everywhere with a salve so good that his flesh and his blood won back their warmth, and to the battle-worn man the desire for life returned. He rubbed his eyes. Soon he looked up uncertainly and spoke : “I am suffering greatly. Where am I ? And I wonder how things are. Whoever tells me will do himself honor. Thereupon the maid who had him in her care answered him : " Rest well, distinguished hero, and have no fear whatever. The adventure that my uncle proclaimed exists no longer, and there lies dead by your hand one of the bravest men that ever won the name of knight, Linier the renowned. His death was lamentable, and I must ever be sorry for it. But that makes no real difference : if you recover, then my sorrow is halved. Do not value it lightly, great warrior, if I show you a token of love, but realize that if you take care of yourself you will thus reward me. That is indeed my desire. Now keep silence entirely, or speak but softly. " 'I will gladly do as you bid me," said the hero. "Up to the pres- ent you have cared for me well." LINES 2239-2319 Now let it be briefly related to you that in a few days the name- less one recovered and suffered no permanent injury. The treat- ment that the lady daily administered to him with good will was excellent. When he was well—for she had tended him with love and solicitude—the worthy man felt bold and heartily glad. And now it came about that his prowess was not concealed, and his fame rang out everywhere in the countries round.
[ 55 ] * This host is well replaced. Let us give to the man who has slain him his possessions and his lady.78 God preserve his life. The lady's kinsmen likewise said the same : this knight and a great estate were much more suitable for her than constantly bear- ing the hostility of her uncle. Yet she needs must mourn him, since it pleased all the people well. The damsel's heart overflowed with virtuous constancy. She would gladly learn what her patient would do. As yet, however, he spoke not a word; his eyes were shut. Still in hope of improvement, the lovely hostess took both oil and wine and washed his bloody wounds, and bandaged him sagely. The virtuous maid skillfully anointed him everywhere with a salve so good that his flesh and his blood won back their warmth, and to the battle-worn man the desire for life returned. He rubbed his eyes. Soon he looked up uncertainly and spoke : “I am suffering greatly. Where am I ? And I wonder how things are. Whoever tells me will do himself honor. Thereupon the maid who had him in her care answered him : " Rest well, distinguished hero, and have no fear whatever. The adventure that my uncle proclaimed exists no longer, and there lies dead by your hand one of the bravest men that ever won the name of knight, Linier the renowned. His death was lamentable, and I must ever be sorry for it. But that makes no real difference : if you recover, then my sorrow is halved. Do not value it lightly, great warrior, if I show you a token of love, but realize that if you take care of yourself you will thus reward me. That is indeed my desire. Now keep silence entirely, or speak but softly. " 'I will gladly do as you bid me," said the hero. "Up to the pres- ent you have cared for me well." LINES 2239-2319 Now let it be briefly related to you that in a few days the name- less one recovered and suffered no permanent injury. The treat- ment that the lady daily administered to him with good will was excellent. When he was well—for she had tended him with love and solicitude—the worthy man felt bold and heartily glad. And now it came about that his prowess was not concealed, and his fame rang out everywhere in the countries round.
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56 Many a warrior and a marvelous number of people had beheld his fight ; and among them were knights who had come from Kardigan.79 They had seen him kill Linier, and all declared that they had never known a better knight. Thus his renown spread till it reached the company which Arthur the king maintained. Then spoke Erec, son of King Lac: 80 “Will nobody tell us who he is ? To this Orphilet answered at once, “According to report, it is that bold hero who does not know his own name. Galagandreiz of Moreiz has had his fill of him. To slay Linier with exceeding courage, as they say he did, was a great feat. He deserves to be highly esteemed. Then Queen Ginover (Guinevere) 81 wished that she might see him. It was right openly affirmed at the Round Table 82 that no warrior so steadfast could be found who would ever do better feats. Then right loudly spoke King Arthur, where he sat in his house, to his companions : “Have I no loyal man, kinsman or vassal, who will bring the hero here ? I will give him the best reward I can. It is my greatest desire to see this knight to whom I hear such prowess attributed. They call him the proud warrior from the lake—and nothing else. For some reason he is name- less. The company then chose Walwein (Gawain) ,83 the bold hero, to fulfill this behest of the king's for the sake of the queen and his dear companions, since he was considered the best of them. Then Walwein acted as he always did ; he spoke courteously : "In loving fashion I will undertake it and will do my best to persuade the great warrior to visit my lord's court." At that, not one of the ladies failed to wish him a good journey. Immediately Walwein, the courtly man, put on his armor and rode seeking for many days in the direction where Limors, a castle great and fair, was situated. By this time the guest who had been prisoner there was recovered. Now do not be wearied with the tale I shall tell you. LINES 2320-99 Lady Ade managed her affairs well, never damsel better. One day she mounted her horse so that no one rode with her but the
56 Many a warrior and a marvelous number of people had beheld his fight ; and among them were knights who had come from Kardigan.79 They had seen him kill Linier, and all declared that they had never known a better knight. Thus his renown spread till it reached the company which Arthur the king maintained. Then spoke Erec, son of King Lac: 80 “Will nobody tell us who he is ? To this Orphilet answered at once, “According to report, it is that bold hero who does not know his own name. Galagandreiz of Moreiz has had his fill of him. To slay Linier with exceeding courage, as they say he did, was a great feat. He deserves to be highly esteemed. Then Queen Ginover (Guinevere) 81 wished that she might see him. It was right openly affirmed at the Round Table 82 that no warrior so steadfast could be found who would ever do better feats. Then right loudly spoke King Arthur, where he sat in his house, to his companions : “Have I no loyal man, kinsman or vassal, who will bring the hero here ? I will give him the best reward I can. It is my greatest desire to see this knight to whom I hear such prowess attributed. They call him the proud warrior from the lake—and nothing else. For some reason he is name- less. The company then chose Walwein (Gawain) ,83 the bold hero, to fulfill this behest of the king's for the sake of the queen and his dear companions, since he was considered the best of them. Then Walwein acted as he always did ; he spoke courteously : "In loving fashion I will undertake it and will do my best to persuade the great warrior to visit my lord's court." At that, not one of the ladies failed to wish him a good journey. Immediately Walwein, the courtly man, put on his armor and rode seeking for many days in the direction where Limors, a castle great and fair, was situated. By this time the guest who had been prisoner there was recovered. Now do not be wearied with the tale I shall tell you. LINES 2320-99 Lady Ade managed her affairs well, never damsel better. One day she mounted her horse so that no one rode with her but the
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L 57 ] gracious knight without whom she did not care to ride. In the past it was always the custom that a man did not concern himself if a lady rode with one companion, or alone.84 Now no woman does it but refrains so as not to make the men angry. The highborn maid wished to reconcile her father with the brave man who was riding beside her as her escort. The way seemed short to her which led toward the Bigen. All day long the warrior kept wishing that God would send a hero on whom he might test his own prowess. He swore that he dared stand up to any man, no matter whose son he might be, that seemed to him a worthy opponent. His courage was the greater because he rode with the lady who was not indiffer- ent to proprieties and honor. Whether he ever lay with her, that I know not, for I did not see it.85 If any such thing occurred, it was not public. It would be a bad state of affairs if everything that happens got out. When I hear things of that sort, I take them to be the imaginings of women. Now be silent and let me con- tinue. 86 As the fond companions drove away all sorrow with pleasures of many sorts, and a new joy enfolded them both alike, and it got to be midday, there came riding over a plain toward a fork in the roads Walwein, whom all the world praised most. When our knight saw him he believed that he had found his desire. Joyfully he threw up his spear and let his horse run over the plain. The hero from Britain awaited him steadily until he spied an eagle of gold glittering on his shield. Then the magnanimous one thought, "This may well be the warrior for whose sake I have been sent out." He recognized him from hearsay, for the rim of his sable-covered shield was all hacked to pieces. Now you can easily see that Walwein was extremely courteous. He stuck his spear into the grass 87 and leaned his shield against it. Then he rode straight on, taking off his helm and carrying it in his hand without any sort of fear. He let his coif 88 drop down so that an experienced warrior might the more easily see that at the time he did not intend to fight with him, and did not put himself in a posture of defense. The lady's escort declared that this was an affront. Walwein's behavior appeared to him very humiliating, but he bade him good day, as his breeding prompted.
L 57 ] gracious knight without whom she did not care to ride. In the past it was always the custom that a man did not concern himself if a lady rode with one companion, or alone.84 Now no woman does it but refrains so as not to make the men angry. The highborn maid wished to reconcile her father with the brave man who was riding beside her as her escort. The way seemed short to her which led toward the Bigen. All day long the warrior kept wishing that God would send a hero on whom he might test his own prowess. He swore that he dared stand up to any man, no matter whose son he might be, that seemed to him a worthy opponent. His courage was the greater because he rode with the lady who was not indiffer- ent to proprieties and honor. Whether he ever lay with her, that I know not, for I did not see it.85 If any such thing occurred, it was not public. It would be a bad state of affairs if everything that happens got out. When I hear things of that sort, I take them to be the imaginings of women. Now be silent and let me con- tinue. 86 As the fond companions drove away all sorrow with pleasures of many sorts, and a new joy enfolded them both alike, and it got to be midday, there came riding over a plain toward a fork in the roads Walwein, whom all the world praised most. When our knight saw him he believed that he had found his desire. Joyfully he threw up his spear and let his horse run over the plain. The hero from Britain awaited him steadily until he spied an eagle of gold glittering on his shield. Then the magnanimous one thought, "This may well be the warrior for whose sake I have been sent out." He recognized him from hearsay, for the rim of his sable-covered shield was all hacked to pieces. Now you can easily see that Walwein was extremely courteous. He stuck his spear into the grass 87 and leaned his shield against it. Then he rode straight on, taking off his helm and carrying it in his hand without any sort of fear. He let his coif 88 drop down so that an experienced warrior might the more easily see that at the time he did not intend to fight with him, and did not put himself in a posture of defense. The lady's escort declared that this was an affront. Walwein's behavior appeared to him very humiliating, but he bade him good day, as his breeding prompted.
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[ 58 ] LINES 2400—2482 It did not seem too much to Walwein to bow courteously in return. The proud knight then asked him what the news was. Without hesitation Walwein replied : “I know no news but good, and I have a joyful mind and a glad thought that I have now found you. I have heard much praise of your valor, if you are he who slew Linier and bore himself so bravely. Now hear my commission. From afar they urge you—my lord King Arthur and all his house- hold, and first and foremost the queen—that you deign to visit them. I tell you truly that if you go there you will be highly honored by knights and ladies. Then you can see many things that will not weary you. And they will find pleasure in your coming to make some compensation for my journey, since I serve as messenger for them all." Promptly the stranger knight replied : “Sir, it were ill done of you if you sought to make me famous in this way. If I should go with you thus, whoever saw it would swear that I was your captive. I should also like to know, if it is not too much trouble for you, how it would please the king if you should be so harsh a lord as to compel me to do something against my will. In truth you should not have delivered your message to me. I shall always be sorry that I greeted you today. Then spoke the proud Walwein: “It is a wise state of mind when a warrior does not regret that which he has done well. By my troth, that was always my opinion." "I beg you, sir, to cease talking," returned the lady's escort, “f for nothing ever wearied me so much as fine speeches without performance. If you were bigger than a mountain, I should have to fight you before I would ride anywhere except where my lady ordered me. I am afraid she is being bored by the chatter we have engaged in." " By no means," said the maid ; “it is right and proper that every good knight should execute his commission in such a way that he may know by the time he has finished how or what to report. Walwein thanked her for that and spoke again. He said, "Con-
[ 58 ] LINES 2400—2482 It did not seem too much to Walwein to bow courteously in return. The proud knight then asked him what the news was. Without hesitation Walwein replied : “I know no news but good, and I have a joyful mind and a glad thought that I have now found you. I have heard much praise of your valor, if you are he who slew Linier and bore himself so bravely. Now hear my commission. From afar they urge you—my lord King Arthur and all his house- hold, and first and foremost the queen—that you deign to visit them. I tell you truly that if you go there you will be highly honored by knights and ladies. Then you can see many things that will not weary you. And they will find pleasure in your coming to make some compensation for my journey, since I serve as messenger for them all." Promptly the stranger knight replied : “Sir, it were ill done of you if you sought to make me famous in this way. If I should go with you thus, whoever saw it would swear that I was your captive. I should also like to know, if it is not too much trouble for you, how it would please the king if you should be so harsh a lord as to compel me to do something against my will. In truth you should not have delivered your message to me. I shall always be sorry that I greeted you today. Then spoke the proud Walwein: “It is a wise state of mind when a warrior does not regret that which he has done well. By my troth, that was always my opinion." "I beg you, sir, to cease talking," returned the lady's escort, “f for nothing ever wearied me so much as fine speeches without performance. If you were bigger than a mountain, I should have to fight you before I would ride anywhere except where my lady ordered me. I am afraid she is being bored by the chatter we have engaged in." " By no means," said the maid ; “it is right and proper that every good knight should execute his commission in such a way that he may know by the time he has finished how or what to report. Walwein thanked her for that and spoke again. He said, "Con-
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[ 59 sider, noble sir, that whoever does not see my lord's court is regarded in all these countries as incomplete in chivalry. Do not trouble yourself about it : I shall easily manage that at any time ; and besides, I do not know who you are," replied the knight from the lake. "This I pray you, and nothing more : let me get on with my lady. And may the great God keep you, for I will not go with you. This one thing you may be sure of : I can never go to Britain till I have heard certain other news." LINES 2483—2593 Then said the knight who was inviting him : "And why not, sir ? It is pleasant there. If my lady will permit it, keep quiet a moment, and let me speak on. You said just now that you did not know who I am. Now if I can help my message at all thereby, I am the sort of man who names himself to you without shame.89 I am called Walwein, the son of King Arthur's sister, and I have come after you with good intent or I am much mistaken. If, however, I have failed to realize that you are a different warrior, then I am very sorry that I ever took off my helm, for you might easily take it for cowardice. Of that the proud knight was glad, and thought in his mind thus : "Here for the first time I am pitted against a knight brave and true. I never heard anyone more highly praised. I should certainly be witless if I did not test my skill ; and if I beat him, then I shall have both fame and honor evermore. If on the other hand he beats me, that makes no great difference to me—and would not be at all surprising." He spoke : "Dear Sir Walwein, I will give you my opinion. You need not worry about who I am. Presumably you have erred in me. Since you are so sorry that you removed your helm, that can easily be remedied. Take your shield and your spear. I assert that he will be dishonored forever who avoids this fight. The messenger was filled with shame at this speech. He prayed God to protect his honor, and spoke : “I was never minded to be afraid of any man, however much he might vaunt himself. Also my lady here, whom we now see, might well swear that I was an
[ 59 sider, noble sir, that whoever does not see my lord's court is regarded in all these countries as incomplete in chivalry. Do not trouble yourself about it : I shall easily manage that at any time ; and besides, I do not know who you are," replied the knight from the lake. "This I pray you, and nothing more : let me get on with my lady. And may the great God keep you, for I will not go with you. This one thing you may be sure of : I can never go to Britain till I have heard certain other news." LINES 2483—2593 Then said the knight who was inviting him : "And why not, sir ? It is pleasant there. If my lady will permit it, keep quiet a moment, and let me speak on. You said just now that you did not know who I am. Now if I can help my message at all thereby, I am the sort of man who names himself to you without shame.89 I am called Walwein, the son of King Arthur's sister, and I have come after you with good intent or I am much mistaken. If, however, I have failed to realize that you are a different warrior, then I am very sorry that I ever took off my helm, for you might easily take it for cowardice. Of that the proud knight was glad, and thought in his mind thus : "Here for the first time I am pitted against a knight brave and true. I never heard anyone more highly praised. I should certainly be witless if I did not test my skill ; and if I beat him, then I shall have both fame and honor evermore. If on the other hand he beats me, that makes no great difference to me—and would not be at all surprising." He spoke : "Dear Sir Walwein, I will give you my opinion. You need not worry about who I am. Presumably you have erred in me. Since you are so sorry that you removed your helm, that can easily be remedied. Take your shield and your spear. I assert that he will be dishonored forever who avoids this fight. The messenger was filled with shame at this speech. He prayed God to protect his honor, and spoke : “I was never minded to be afraid of any man, however much he might vaunt himself. Also my lady here, whom we now see, might well swear that I was an
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[60 archcoward. Believe me when I tell you that before I disgrace my- self by giving way a foot I shall have to be dead. Walwein fastened on his helm, took his shield at once, and made ready for the fray. His foe likewise did not linger, but armed in preparation. With angry spur stabs they made their steeds dance. Then wrathfully they rode against one another at a full gallop. The good heroes struck their spears so fairly through the shields that they broke and splintered to bits. Their horses also were thrown back on their hocks. Immediately they were up again, as their masters recovered them. The knights did not hesitate, but began to hew each other savagely. The lady was filled with pity, for they rode fiercely and fought with as much spirit as if both of them set their lives at naught. They presented their shields, which were soon so hewed to bits as scarcely to remain hanging on them. Many a blow they took ; little did they hesitate. The horses flung foam from their mouths, far beyond their wont. Then Walwein and the bold hero, who was enjoying the fight, dis- mounted and ran at each other. The ground became bare of grass, for they trampled it into the earth, striking here and there as they drove one another about ; nor did they spare the swords which they bore in their hands. Fiercely they thrust and cut at each other. Walwein, the rich in virtue, was never so concerned for his worldly reputation, and he fought a while with uncertain strokes. At that the youth began to pick up, his strength renewing itself. He struck with such bravery on the hard rings that it appeared as if fire streamed from them. The sparks poured from the helms, for he fought savagely. LINES 2594-2661 Now while they were striving with all their might, there ran up to them a page. Fine wool was his cape, and in every way his dress was like a courtly young man's, so it is said—white gloves, new hat. He addressed the good heroes : “I will not select either one of you, but will bid you both, in the name of the best ladies now living whom good people praise, to stop this fighting, of which you have done much ; for but a modicum of renown comes of it when only one person beholds it in this wild waste. Did I dare,
[60 archcoward. Believe me when I tell you that before I disgrace my- self by giving way a foot I shall have to be dead. Walwein fastened on his helm, took his shield at once, and made ready for the fray. His foe likewise did not linger, but armed in preparation. With angry spur stabs they made their steeds dance. Then wrathfully they rode against one another at a full gallop. The good heroes struck their spears so fairly through the shields that they broke and splintered to bits. Their horses also were thrown back on their hocks. Immediately they were up again, as their masters recovered them. The knights did not hesitate, but began to hew each other savagely. The lady was filled with pity, for they rode fiercely and fought with as much spirit as if both of them set their lives at naught. They presented their shields, which were soon so hewed to bits as scarcely to remain hanging on them. Many a blow they took ; little did they hesitate. The horses flung foam from their mouths, far beyond their wont. Then Walwein and the bold hero, who was enjoying the fight, dis- mounted and ran at each other. The ground became bare of grass, for they trampled it into the earth, striking here and there as they drove one another about ; nor did they spare the swords which they bore in their hands. Fiercely they thrust and cut at each other. Walwein, the rich in virtue, was never so concerned for his worldly reputation, and he fought a while with uncertain strokes. At that the youth began to pick up, his strength renewing itself. He struck with such bravery on the hard rings that it appeared as if fire streamed from them. The sparks poured from the helms, for he fought savagely. LINES 2594-2661 Now while they were striving with all their might, there ran up to them a page. Fine wool was his cape, and in every way his dress was like a courtly young man's, so it is said—white gloves, new hat. He addressed the good heroes : “I will not select either one of you, but will bid you both, in the name of the best ladies now living whom good people praise, to stop this fighting, of which you have done much ; for but a modicum of renown comes of it when only one person beholds it in this wild waste. Did I dare,
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[61 and were I able, I should denounce you roundly. If you want to win fame and honor and great reputation for valor, I will tell you where you can attain it in good measure ; where you will be well provided with both thrusting and striking in accordance with a knight's idea of bliss. And it is a proper thing that wherever one achieves something fine there should be both knights and ladies present to behold it. Hear what I mean by that. I tell it not to you alone : upward of a hundred of us have been sent all through the land to good and perfect knights. King Lot of Lohenis (Lothian) 90 has undertaken a tourney against Gurnemans,91 the wise prince, a worthy warrior. They have both pledged themselves that they will fight in the tourney.92 And neither of them can do without three thousand knights or more, besides other doughty warriors who are willing to pledge life and goods for love and lofty valor. There will be many a troop. King Arthur is coming there also, bringing with him as many as he can. Whoever has fought in tourneys, or now lives under the name of knight, will have reason to be immeasurably ashamed if he fails to attend this court. If you are worthy persons, then it is to be expected that you will separate peaceably and do as I have directed you." When he had thus spoken, Walwein, the undaunted, answered him courteously : “I desire always to strive for the meed of good ladies, and am willing to stop my fighting. Since I am so earnestly entreated in the name of all highborn ladies, I should not like to incur their dislike." The foreign knight also said : "Whatever my lord Walwein does, who is so courteous and so good, I will follow, as is right." LINES 2662-2745 Then they asked the courtly youth to inform them when the tourney was to be. He replied : "Mark what I say. Three weeks from next Monday the tourney is arranged on the Judgment Field by the new town of Dyoflê.93 I will tell you about this meadow. A man can find a mate there for whatever he wants to do, in earnest or in sport : fighting, horse-racing, jumping, foot-racing, fencing, wrestling, playing at draughts, and bowling; plenty of zither,
[61 and were I able, I should denounce you roundly. If you want to win fame and honor and great reputation for valor, I will tell you where you can attain it in good measure ; where you will be well provided with both thrusting and striking in accordance with a knight's idea of bliss. And it is a proper thing that wherever one achieves something fine there should be both knights and ladies present to behold it. Hear what I mean by that. I tell it not to you alone : upward of a hundred of us have been sent all through the land to good and perfect knights. King Lot of Lohenis (Lothian) 90 has undertaken a tourney against Gurnemans,91 the wise prince, a worthy warrior. They have both pledged themselves that they will fight in the tourney.92 And neither of them can do without three thousand knights or more, besides other doughty warriors who are willing to pledge life and goods for love and lofty valor. There will be many a troop. King Arthur is coming there also, bringing with him as many as he can. Whoever has fought in tourneys, or now lives under the name of knight, will have reason to be immeasurably ashamed if he fails to attend this court. If you are worthy persons, then it is to be expected that you will separate peaceably and do as I have directed you." When he had thus spoken, Walwein, the undaunted, answered him courteously : “I desire always to strive for the meed of good ladies, and am willing to stop my fighting. Since I am so earnestly entreated in the name of all highborn ladies, I should not like to incur their dislike." The foreign knight also said : "Whatever my lord Walwein does, who is so courteous and so good, I will follow, as is right." LINES 2662-2745 Then they asked the courtly youth to inform them when the tourney was to be. He replied : "Mark what I say. Three weeks from next Monday the tourney is arranged on the Judgment Field by the new town of Dyoflê.93 I will tell you about this meadow. A man can find a mate there for whatever he wants to do, in earnest or in sport : fighting, horse-racing, jumping, foot-racing, fencing, wrestling, playing at draughts, and bowling; plenty of zither,
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[ 62 fiddle, and harp playing ; 94 and merchandise of every kind from all over the world—that sort of thing you can find there any day better than elsewhere. Therefore the tourney is held at that place. Every sort of courtly activity will be there, and the field is broad and level. Many a good knight will come for the sake of praise and in the hope of luck. Since I have found my lord Walwein I am well content. I am vexed that it took me so long to recognize him, for there was never knight born so steadfast in honor or so prone to good deeds." This gay squire furnished the knights with news of many kinds. Walwein gave heed and urgently pressed his invitation ; he prayed the lady's escort that they might be companions, and not miss the tourney and the knightly activity. " This talk is useless," said the youthful hero. “If you will be- lieve me, I cannot ride with you at this time. Do not regard this as discourteous. All your other desires you will find me prepared to fulfill. Seeing that you are a most valiant knight, I shall serve you so long as I live; and I give you my troth, the dearest pledge of honor, that I would gladly be a steadfast friend and companion to you. If I had my affairs arranged as I should have, nothing so agreeable could happen to me as to ride with you and not refuse what you desire of me." Thus they strove to be good and noble in perfect comradeship. Then, when Walwein's long pleading was of no avail, he acted right courteously. Since he could by no means bring the hero to Karidol, he showed him and the noble lady great honor. Affection- ately he departed from them, and spread a very favorable account of the foreigner—that he was the finest knight, free of despicable cunning, that he ever knew alive. Therefore both old and young, man and woman alike, in King Arthur's realm marveled greatly that the hero did not wish to behold all those knights and ladies who had attained to the greatest renown. LINES 2746-2829 For nobody did the youth give up his journey till he had ridden home with the lady. There his good fortune manifested itself, as I shall tell you. They received him cordially and showed him far
[ 62 fiddle, and harp playing ; 94 and merchandise of every kind from all over the world—that sort of thing you can find there any day better than elsewhere. Therefore the tourney is held at that place. Every sort of courtly activity will be there, and the field is broad and level. Many a good knight will come for the sake of praise and in the hope of luck. Since I have found my lord Walwein I am well content. I am vexed that it took me so long to recognize him, for there was never knight born so steadfast in honor or so prone to good deeds." This gay squire furnished the knights with news of many kinds. Walwein gave heed and urgently pressed his invitation ; he prayed the lady's escort that they might be companions, and not miss the tourney and the knightly activity. " This talk is useless," said the youthful hero. “If you will be- lieve me, I cannot ride with you at this time. Do not regard this as discourteous. All your other desires you will find me prepared to fulfill. Seeing that you are a most valiant knight, I shall serve you so long as I live; and I give you my troth, the dearest pledge of honor, that I would gladly be a steadfast friend and companion to you. If I had my affairs arranged as I should have, nothing so agreeable could happen to me as to ride with you and not refuse what you desire of me." Thus they strove to be good and noble in perfect comradeship. Then, when Walwein's long pleading was of no avail, he acted right courteously. Since he could by no means bring the hero to Karidol, he showed him and the noble lady great honor. Affection- ately he departed from them, and spread a very favorable account of the foreigner—that he was the finest knight, free of despicable cunning, that he ever knew alive. Therefore both old and young, man and woman alike, in King Arthur's realm marveled greatly that the hero did not wish to behold all those knights and ladies who had attained to the greatest renown. LINES 2746-2829 For nobody did the youth give up his journey till he had ridden home with the lady. There his good fortune manifested itself, as I shall tell you. They received him cordially and showed him far
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[ 63 ] more kindness. The lady's father laid aside all enmity, and at his daughter's request he put at the youth's disposal his person, his property, and whatever he had. The guest was quite willing to leave some of it to others, for he was born lucky, and people treated him gently. As he watched the customs of the land he paid good heed. One day he was seized with a fancy to view the tourney, and he felt obliged to tell his lady of this. It rued him that he had not ridden at Sir Walwein's request. He needed equipment for the journey, which he obtained in abundance. The magnanimous lady procured him two horses, stately and good, besides his own which he had ridden there. It was imperative for him to have twenty-five well equipped pages with strong bright-colored spears. The hero took thought betimes. I know not how much samite and what abundant food and money for his journey the young lady provided for him, for she held him dear. The Lady Ade looked after him full well both early and late. She also sent him her brother, who was named Tybalt; 25 whatever is related of pages is as nothing compared with him. He was a wise and courtly lad, endowed with many virtues, well-bred and honorable. He knew Britain well. He had also attended great tourneys many a time. Since the mild Buroin," the duke of the White Lake, had reared him, he knew more arts than any of his companions. It was not unpleasing to the youth to serve the foreigner well who came riding with his sister. Whatever he needed, the stranger knight got in abundance, both for fights and for games. Now the day was rapidly approaching on which the tourney 97 so richly provided for was to be held. Then said the young Tybalt to his dear lord : "Now you are as I would have you, and in my judgment very well outfitted, as a knight should be, and so we should start now. I know the way well ; we have time, if you want to take part in the tourney." Then the Lady Ade was determined to go along with her companions. Why should I tell you how long they were on the way ? They arrived at a place where they found many proud warriors and saw many a pavilion top shining before them. King Lot with his men had occupied much of the field and had taken measures that no- body should withstand him. Inside the city of which I have already
[ 63 ] more kindness. The lady's father laid aside all enmity, and at his daughter's request he put at the youth's disposal his person, his property, and whatever he had. The guest was quite willing to leave some of it to others, for he was born lucky, and people treated him gently. As he watched the customs of the land he paid good heed. One day he was seized with a fancy to view the tourney, and he felt obliged to tell his lady of this. It rued him that he had not ridden at Sir Walwein's request. He needed equipment for the journey, which he obtained in abundance. The magnanimous lady procured him two horses, stately and good, besides his own which he had ridden there. It was imperative for him to have twenty-five well equipped pages with strong bright-colored spears. The hero took thought betimes. I know not how much samite and what abundant food and money for his journey the young lady provided for him, for she held him dear. The Lady Ade looked after him full well both early and late. She also sent him her brother, who was named Tybalt; 25 whatever is related of pages is as nothing compared with him. He was a wise and courtly lad, endowed with many virtues, well-bred and honorable. He knew Britain well. He had also attended great tourneys many a time. Since the mild Buroin," the duke of the White Lake, had reared him, he knew more arts than any of his companions. It was not unpleasing to the youth to serve the foreigner well who came riding with his sister. Whatever he needed, the stranger knight got in abundance, both for fights and for games. Now the day was rapidly approaching on which the tourney 97 so richly provided for was to be held. Then said the young Tybalt to his dear lord : "Now you are as I would have you, and in my judgment very well outfitted, as a knight should be, and so we should start now. I know the way well ; we have time, if you want to take part in the tourney." Then the Lady Ade was determined to go along with her companions. Why should I tell you how long they were on the way ? They arrived at a place where they found many proud warriors and saw many a pavilion top shining before them. King Lot with his men had occupied much of the field and had taken measures that no- body should withstand him. Inside the city of which I have already
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[64 spoken, Dyoflê the rich, Gurnemans with his men took up his quarters with noise and bustle. Many a knight had come to him, both volunteers and men of his own band. LINES 2830-2901 Now hear about King Arthur and of those for whom he pro- vided. He had quarters on a fair hill at one side of the field. There his great splendor showed in the fashion of his tent. No matter what has ever been told us about the gorgeousness of pavilions, verily no better one could be made in all the world. When the crowd got thick, Tybalt rode ahead to the home of one of his acquaintances and straightway engaged lodgings in a palace which stood in the front part of the town, in all ways con- veniently situated. There our hero descended with his gentle lady. You may rest assured that their journey was not one to be missed. Now Tybalt rode out and was carefully gathering news. It was then mid-afternoon. Toward vesper-time people rode over the meadows by twos and threes ; here and there among them was a stupid fellow, but many also who would have liked to break a spear in proper fashion. When Tybalt hurried back with his news, he found he could not get ahead of his bold master, who was already mounted, since time hung heavy on his hands. He had had a piece of green samite made into a banner and covered his spirited steed with the same material, and in order not to be recognized he had got a ready-made shield 98 of green color. Now he saw Tybalt coming, and met him in the street with a good number of pages who were out to get something for themselves. His page began to tell him of the companies. You should not enter any engagement until you have looked into everything. King Arthur is there with all his company. Avoid them, that is my advice ; for strength and courage lie there." The stranger hero rode straight there where he was advised not to go. Now hear what they did to him. When the company saw him, Kay 29 boastfully said, "If you will all allow me to speak, I have just spied an idiot who has raised his spear against us. Now do me a small favor. Grant me my desire and allow me the first joust. I will encounter the fool.
[64 spoken, Dyoflê the rich, Gurnemans with his men took up his quarters with noise and bustle. Many a knight had come to him, both volunteers and men of his own band. LINES 2830-2901 Now hear about King Arthur and of those for whom he pro- vided. He had quarters on a fair hill at one side of the field. There his great splendor showed in the fashion of his tent. No matter what has ever been told us about the gorgeousness of pavilions, verily no better one could be made in all the world. When the crowd got thick, Tybalt rode ahead to the home of one of his acquaintances and straightway engaged lodgings in a palace which stood in the front part of the town, in all ways con- veniently situated. There our hero descended with his gentle lady. You may rest assured that their journey was not one to be missed. Now Tybalt rode out and was carefully gathering news. It was then mid-afternoon. Toward vesper-time people rode over the meadows by twos and threes ; here and there among them was a stupid fellow, but many also who would have liked to break a spear in proper fashion. When Tybalt hurried back with his news, he found he could not get ahead of his bold master, who was already mounted, since time hung heavy on his hands. He had had a piece of green samite made into a banner and covered his spirited steed with the same material, and in order not to be recognized he had got a ready-made shield 98 of green color. Now he saw Tybalt coming, and met him in the street with a good number of pages who were out to get something for themselves. His page began to tell him of the companies. You should not enter any engagement until you have looked into everything. King Arthur is there with all his company. Avoid them, that is my advice ; for strength and courage lie there." The stranger hero rode straight there where he was advised not to go. Now hear what they did to him. When the company saw him, Kay 29 boastfully said, "If you will all allow me to speak, I have just spied an idiot who has raised his spear against us. Now do me a small favor. Grant me my desire and allow me the first joust. I will encounter the fool.
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[ 65 Above all, let me have his horse. When I have taken that from him, I will cheerfully divide his armor and whatever else he has." LINES 2902—82 His friends praised the plan, and yet they would have liked to see some disgrace come to him, for he was given to mockery, a thing which never became a steadfast man. Sir Kay mounted his horse and spurred faster and faster. He was afraid that the stranger would flinch, but on the contrary he galloped toward him. He struck Sir Kay so that his feet flew up in the air, and the boaster's head struck the ground. It was a miry swamp where the joust took place. To the seneschal's discomfiture it was particu- larly deep at that spot, for he fell into a ditch so that the muck oozed in through his rings. Both the fall and the stench had done him practically no harm. All who saw the affair laughed over it, and his comrades declared that they would claim no share of his booty. Now Tybalt, who knew well how to look after his lord, was close at hand, and he seized the horse that the scorner had ridden. Yet some regretted Kay's discomfiture. A popular hero, courtly and bold, who was called Iwan (Iwain) de Lonel,100 then left his companions and attacked the young knight, with rather poor suc- cess. For his reward the stranger gave him such a blow that from afar they saw him disgracefully pitch from his horse and light on the ground as if he had no legs. Then spoke Arthur, the noble king, confirmed in honor : “This knight will bring us all alike to great shame. If he might meet with a mischance, I would do my best to forward it. Then the wise margrave whose house stood by the Lyle 101 spoke: “All this day I have been wroth at this disgrace and damage we have suffered. We have lost two good horses. If I take him prisoner, he will have to pay for them." Therewith he raised his spear and dashed from his companions. But then the green knight showed what sort of man he was. This one too, who had bragged of being his superior, he knocked down on the grass. Tybalt kept his head : promptly, as each knight took his spill, he seized his horse and led it quickly away.
[ 65 Above all, let me have his horse. When I have taken that from him, I will cheerfully divide his armor and whatever else he has." LINES 2902—82 His friends praised the plan, and yet they would have liked to see some disgrace come to him, for he was given to mockery, a thing which never became a steadfast man. Sir Kay mounted his horse and spurred faster and faster. He was afraid that the stranger would flinch, but on the contrary he galloped toward him. He struck Sir Kay so that his feet flew up in the air, and the boaster's head struck the ground. It was a miry swamp where the joust took place. To the seneschal's discomfiture it was particu- larly deep at that spot, for he fell into a ditch so that the muck oozed in through his rings. Both the fall and the stench had done him practically no harm. All who saw the affair laughed over it, and his comrades declared that they would claim no share of his booty. Now Tybalt, who knew well how to look after his lord, was close at hand, and he seized the horse that the scorner had ridden. Yet some regretted Kay's discomfiture. A popular hero, courtly and bold, who was called Iwan (Iwain) de Lonel,100 then left his companions and attacked the young knight, with rather poor suc- cess. For his reward the stranger gave him such a blow that from afar they saw him disgracefully pitch from his horse and light on the ground as if he had no legs. Then spoke Arthur, the noble king, confirmed in honor : “This knight will bring us all alike to great shame. If he might meet with a mischance, I would do my best to forward it. Then the wise margrave whose house stood by the Lyle 101 spoke: “All this day I have been wroth at this disgrace and damage we have suffered. We have lost two good horses. If I take him prisoner, he will have to pay for them." Therewith he raised his spear and dashed from his companions. But then the green knight showed what sort of man he was. This one too, who had bragged of being his superior, he knocked down on the grass. Tybalt kept his head : promptly, as each knight took his spill, he seized his horse and led it quickly away.
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[ 66 When the generous Erec saw this, he behaved as was to be expected of him. He slung his shield about his neck and took an ornamented spear. Tybalt also brought one, which his bold lord took. Its shaft was green, like the rest of his arms. Then said everyone : "However it may go hereafter, this green knight has done the best this evening. If he can withstand Erec, he is cer- tainly not so feeble as Sir Kay thought him." LINES 2983-3071 They stopped talking and looked here and there to see how it would go. But Erec would not wait, for he was a skilled warrior. He drew his reins close to him and let his horse run. Of this the green knight, serious and full of eagerness, took heed. They came together so that their spears broke when they stuck them through the shields, and yet both riders sat fast. Two other spears were brought to Erec and the stranger. It seemed to the foreign knight that he had ridden too easily that time. The two noble men jousted without a miss till they had used up ten spears against each other, and had given many a stroke besides. Then, we are told, Erec, son of King Lac, did not care for more. King Arthur now rode and dashed up with his band. The green knight, perceiving that, with- drew again to his enclosure. 102 My lord Walwein, the ever virtuous, came later. He had gone off to look over the rest of the gather- ing. 103 When they quickly gave him to understand how it had fared with his comrades, he replied at once : “It is that same hero of whom we have heard so much and who has won such fame. There is not his match on earth. Indeed all the world speaks well of him." They all praised his strength. And thus before nightfall the bold one with his green shield had so conducted himself in all ways upon the field that he carried back to his lodgings honor and praise; and thereafter every sort of good quality was attributed to him. Walwein, anxious to dis- cover the hero distinguished in virtue, rode in search of him to the foreign companies. Whenever he came to a troop of knights, they always said : “He was here lately and has done us great hurt. No one can stand before him. He has wrought frightful havoc and is a tireless fellow. Whatever happens tomorrow, he has
[ 66 When the generous Erec saw this, he behaved as was to be expected of him. He slung his shield about his neck and took an ornamented spear. Tybalt also brought one, which his bold lord took. Its shaft was green, like the rest of his arms. Then said everyone : "However it may go hereafter, this green knight has done the best this evening. If he can withstand Erec, he is cer- tainly not so feeble as Sir Kay thought him." LINES 2983-3071 They stopped talking and looked here and there to see how it would go. But Erec would not wait, for he was a skilled warrior. He drew his reins close to him and let his horse run. Of this the green knight, serious and full of eagerness, took heed. They came together so that their spears broke when they stuck them through the shields, and yet both riders sat fast. Two other spears were brought to Erec and the stranger. It seemed to the foreign knight that he had ridden too easily that time. The two noble men jousted without a miss till they had used up ten spears against each other, and had given many a stroke besides. Then, we are told, Erec, son of King Lac, did not care for more. King Arthur now rode and dashed up with his band. The green knight, perceiving that, with- drew again to his enclosure. 102 My lord Walwein, the ever virtuous, came later. He had gone off to look over the rest of the gather- ing. 103 When they quickly gave him to understand how it had fared with his comrades, he replied at once : “It is that same hero of whom we have heard so much and who has won such fame. There is not his match on earth. Indeed all the world speaks well of him." They all praised his strength. And thus before nightfall the bold one with his green shield had so conducted himself in all ways upon the field that he carried back to his lodgings honor and praise; and thereafter every sort of good quality was attributed to him. Walwein, anxious to dis- cover the hero distinguished in virtue, rode in search of him to the foreign companies. Whenever he came to a troop of knights, they always said : “He was here lately and has done us great hurt. No one can stand before him. He has wrought frightful havoc and is a tireless fellow. Whatever happens tomorrow, he has
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[ 67 ] won almost all the honor among those who came out this evening and hung shield on neck. Now it happened that the youth had made a prisoner of only one staunch warrior, of whom it is often told us that he strove to be among the best, Sir Maurin of the nimble shanks.104 He took Sir Maurin only for this reason : that people might know more surely that he could have taken others. And with all speed he sent his captive to his pure ladylove. Nor were the winnings small that his pages took when the knights came toppling down whom their master had struck from their horses. His shield, one saw, was well hewn and riven in many places. It was a great marvel that the stranger had broken in two so many spears and yet returned from the tourney with honor and without harm, and that he had engaged in so many jousts, for he had never before seen four men fight together. LINES 3072-3164 Now we shall let him ride to his lodgings till the next morning, and then we shall see what he will do. He arranged his room for rest ; and mark aright how he spoke : "Since nobody knows who I am, it is my firm intention to tell nobody what I am about ! At daybreak, Tybalt, bring me a white shield. Then prepare very carefully a white silk banner and make sure that my surcoat be just the same. Tybalt took a piece of white samite and made a good caparison for he was courteous and clever, and deeds of honor were a joy to him. On the morrow at dawn he had it all ready in the correct manner just as his lord commanded. Now the white knight early commended himself to the great God, that He would protect his life in all the danger of the day. Then he ordered a tourney break- fast, for his whole heart was set on jousting and fighting. He rode out and saw to the delight of his eyes how one man struck down another. He greatly enjoyed that. Many a good hero looked for the green knight to appear. The white one did not linger but quite outshone the green and rode hither and yon wherever he heard a battlecry. He jousted, emptied saddles, and struck many a one down with as much ease as if he had missed him. Who could stand
[ 67 ] won almost all the honor among those who came out this evening and hung shield on neck. Now it happened that the youth had made a prisoner of only one staunch warrior, of whom it is often told us that he strove to be among the best, Sir Maurin of the nimble shanks.104 He took Sir Maurin only for this reason : that people might know more surely that he could have taken others. And with all speed he sent his captive to his pure ladylove. Nor were the winnings small that his pages took when the knights came toppling down whom their master had struck from their horses. His shield, one saw, was well hewn and riven in many places. It was a great marvel that the stranger had broken in two so many spears and yet returned from the tourney with honor and without harm, and that he had engaged in so many jousts, for he had never before seen four men fight together. LINES 3072-3164 Now we shall let him ride to his lodgings till the next morning, and then we shall see what he will do. He arranged his room for rest ; and mark aright how he spoke : "Since nobody knows who I am, it is my firm intention to tell nobody what I am about ! At daybreak, Tybalt, bring me a white shield. Then prepare very carefully a white silk banner and make sure that my surcoat be just the same. Tybalt took a piece of white samite and made a good caparison for he was courteous and clever, and deeds of honor were a joy to him. On the morrow at dawn he had it all ready in the correct manner just as his lord commanded. Now the white knight early commended himself to the great God, that He would protect his life in all the danger of the day. Then he ordered a tourney break- fast, for his whole heart was set on jousting and fighting. He rode out and saw to the delight of his eyes how one man struck down another. He greatly enjoyed that. Many a good hero looked for the green knight to appear. The white one did not linger but quite outshone the green and rode hither and yon wherever he heard a battlecry. He jousted, emptied saddles, and struck many a one down with as much ease as if he had missed him. Who could stand
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[ 68 against him ? For luck never forgot him. They spoke better of the white knight than they did of anyone there, for he had ridden well. He knocked many down on the grass and paid no attention to who picked them up : that morning he did not care to capture anyone. Both in thrusting and in cutting he proved his zeal till he became somewhat tired. Then he wished to find a cool spot and have a little rest, and he turned to a level place. There was camped Count Ritschart (Richard) of Tumane,105 a generous hero. A hundred picked knights had sworn allegiance to him and chosen him for lord, to ride under his banner. These had all fought well and suffered many blows too. In the two days twenty of their knights had been captured, and naturally they lamented that their joy and their strength were so much the less. When they saw our friend with head bared, they invited him to sit down on the grass. They all alike sprang up and lovingly poured out to him good wine in a cup. He must have been very welcome to them, for they told him their talk had been of nothing else but that they all wished exceedingly for his aid. They had seen him performing in knightly fashion that morning among the troops and therefore they were ready to serve him. Quickly they told him their trouble and their predicament. Then said the one uncon- quered in body and in honor, “If you will not count on it too much, let me be your mate. I consider myself fortunate to be able to take your side. God grant it may go well with us.' LINES 3165-3232 At this they were all glad. Then Count Ritschart ordered a fresh banner to be displayed. Now the brave men mounted and made use of their ally, for he began to fell the enemy like straw. He struck so that flashes of fire flew high from the helms. Wher- ever his troop came, they seized bridles and made prisoners; and when they withdrew, they made fun of anyone who brought no more than one captive. The hero would smite a man so strongly that his victim took no heed where he was driven or led. Many a one who otherwise was bold enough fled from the white knight, for he struck so fiercely that they were all afraid of his blows. That day no one who opposed him on horseback stayed in the saddle,
[ 68 against him ? For luck never forgot him. They spoke better of the white knight than they did of anyone there, for he had ridden well. He knocked many down on the grass and paid no attention to who picked them up : that morning he did not care to capture anyone. Both in thrusting and in cutting he proved his zeal till he became somewhat tired. Then he wished to find a cool spot and have a little rest, and he turned to a level place. There was camped Count Ritschart (Richard) of Tumane,105 a generous hero. A hundred picked knights had sworn allegiance to him and chosen him for lord, to ride under his banner. These had all fought well and suffered many blows too. In the two days twenty of their knights had been captured, and naturally they lamented that their joy and their strength were so much the less. When they saw our friend with head bared, they invited him to sit down on the grass. They all alike sprang up and lovingly poured out to him good wine in a cup. He must have been very welcome to them, for they told him their talk had been of nothing else but that they all wished exceedingly for his aid. They had seen him performing in knightly fashion that morning among the troops and therefore they were ready to serve him. Quickly they told him their trouble and their predicament. Then said the one uncon- quered in body and in honor, “If you will not count on it too much, let me be your mate. I consider myself fortunate to be able to take your side. God grant it may go well with us.' LINES 3165-3232 At this they were all glad. Then Count Ritschart ordered a fresh banner to be displayed. Now the brave men mounted and made use of their ally, for he began to fell the enemy like straw. He struck so that flashes of fire flew high from the helms. Wher- ever his troop came, they seized bridles and made prisoners; and when they withdrew, they made fun of anyone who brought no more than one captive. The hero would smite a man so strongly that his victim took no heed where he was driven or led. Many a one who otherwise was bold enough fled from the white knight, for he struck so fiercely that they were all afraid of his blows. That day no one who opposed him on horseback stayed in the saddle,
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[69 so they tell us, except Karyet (Gareth).106 He kept his seat for one encounter, but how quickly he ran away no one need ask. He had no desire to meet the hero again, which was great wisdom on his part. After Karyet had escaped, there opposed the hero straightway a duke widely famed, who wished to win renown at his expense. He was from Walest,107 I have heard tell. The white knight over- threw this prince and displayed all his ardor so that he took him prisoner. This done, he sent him to his lady so that she might feel assured that he was thinking of her. As it drew near evening, the white knight had brought it to pass that Count Ritschart had captured over a hundred and thirty knights. When evening came both young and old turned their captives over to Tybalt's keeping in honor of his lord. Yet his master took no more of them than was seemly. The band wanted to know who the white knight was, but the hero replied : “This I will not tell you so readily. Tomor- row morning at dawn I will gladly come again, if I live. So let me commend myself to God and ride away with your favor.' He spurred his horse and rode to his lodgings. He did this not for concealment, but only because he was ashamed that he did not know who he was : he did not want to be talked about. With their permission he departed, and you may be sure that, however much he liked fighting, he had a joyous night. LINES 3233-3318 Early on the third day there assembled many a banner on the field at Dyoflê. Count Ritschart, of whom I spoke before, hoped to find at his disposal the good fortune of the preceding evening, and so he began knightly activities with overweening confidence, for he had had great success. His men and he held their shields before them ; they broke many a spear, and rode, no man better. So Walwein's father, King Lot, also grew angry with Count Ritschart and ordered his knights to take vengeance because the count's men had inflicted much loss on him the evening before. When the order was given there were many of them who swore that they would tie up the destructive white knight, and, according to their promise to the king, they began, not far from the city
[69 so they tell us, except Karyet (Gareth).106 He kept his seat for one encounter, but how quickly he ran away no one need ask. He had no desire to meet the hero again, which was great wisdom on his part. After Karyet had escaped, there opposed the hero straightway a duke widely famed, who wished to win renown at his expense. He was from Walest,107 I have heard tell. The white knight over- threw this prince and displayed all his ardor so that he took him prisoner. This done, he sent him to his lady so that she might feel assured that he was thinking of her. As it drew near evening, the white knight had brought it to pass that Count Ritschart had captured over a hundred and thirty knights. When evening came both young and old turned their captives over to Tybalt's keeping in honor of his lord. Yet his master took no more of them than was seemly. The band wanted to know who the white knight was, but the hero replied : “This I will not tell you so readily. Tomor- row morning at dawn I will gladly come again, if I live. So let me commend myself to God and ride away with your favor.' He spurred his horse and rode to his lodgings. He did this not for concealment, but only because he was ashamed that he did not know who he was : he did not want to be talked about. With their permission he departed, and you may be sure that, however much he liked fighting, he had a joyous night. LINES 3233-3318 Early on the third day there assembled many a banner on the field at Dyoflê. Count Ritschart, of whom I spoke before, hoped to find at his disposal the good fortune of the preceding evening, and so he began knightly activities with overweening confidence, for he had had great success. His men and he held their shields before them ; they broke many a spear, and rode, no man better. So Walwein's father, King Lot, also grew angry with Count Ritschart and ordered his knights to take vengeance because the count's men had inflicted much loss on him the evening before. When the order was given there were many of them who swore that they would tie up the destructive white knight, and, according to their promise to the king, they began, not far from the city
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[70 moat, a great attack, in which shining helms were marred. There Count Ritschart lost a great part of his troop; the enemy did not leave him so much as a halter. At this the count was discouraged. If the poem tell us true, he of whom it is related that his shield was yesterday white and before that green as grass, remained idle. The equipment which he had ordered for this day consisted of a red banner and shield, and the rest of his gear—caparison and surcoat—was of fine linen, red with gold.108 Then he did as he should ; he did not forget his allegiance. He mounted his horse that he had brought from the sea, rode out into the host, and did not stop till he found Count Ritschart, who lamented to him his bad fortune. The red knight then said, "Courage! Let us try what we can do with lance thrust and with sword cut." Then they rushed upon the thickest array, where the greatest press was to be found. There the tourney stood like a wall against them. This day they who rode with the red knight had a great advantage, for they fought boldly so that the enemy gave way. They attacked many a one who got such knocks that he had to give up. Here Ritschart the hero captured eighteen choice knights. And again they rode elsewhere. Let me tell you, if I dare, that wherever the good warrior with the red shield dashed with his troop, the opposing force fled from him as little birds before the eagle, who have no hope at all of saving themselves till they scatter into the hedge. To his friends our hero was a cornerstone and an impenetrable gate. Whoever he attacked had little expectation of escaping unharmed. Ere midday his comrades, who before his coming had suffered great reverses, were rich. Right well they pulled themselves out of their bad situation. LINES 3319-3405 Now listen and hear about our companion. He jousted boldly till both old and young marked his bearing and became hostile to him. From this arose damage enough. Now there was another prince come to this same field for the sake of profit.109 He had two hundred spirited knights ready for anything. He himself was a good warrior, and kin to the count. When he saw that wherever
[70 moat, a great attack, in which shining helms were marred. There Count Ritschart lost a great part of his troop; the enemy did not leave him so much as a halter. At this the count was discouraged. If the poem tell us true, he of whom it is related that his shield was yesterday white and before that green as grass, remained idle. The equipment which he had ordered for this day consisted of a red banner and shield, and the rest of his gear—caparison and surcoat—was of fine linen, red with gold.108 Then he did as he should ; he did not forget his allegiance. He mounted his horse that he had brought from the sea, rode out into the host, and did not stop till he found Count Ritschart, who lamented to him his bad fortune. The red knight then said, "Courage! Let us try what we can do with lance thrust and with sword cut." Then they rushed upon the thickest array, where the greatest press was to be found. There the tourney stood like a wall against them. This day they who rode with the red knight had a great advantage, for they fought boldly so that the enemy gave way. They attacked many a one who got such knocks that he had to give up. Here Ritschart the hero captured eighteen choice knights. And again they rode elsewhere. Let me tell you, if I dare, that wherever the good warrior with the red shield dashed with his troop, the opposing force fled from him as little birds before the eagle, who have no hope at all of saving themselves till they scatter into the hedge. To his friends our hero was a cornerstone and an impenetrable gate. Whoever he attacked had little expectation of escaping unharmed. Ere midday his comrades, who before his coming had suffered great reverses, were rich. Right well they pulled themselves out of their bad situation. LINES 3319-3405 Now listen and hear about our companion. He jousted boldly till both old and young marked his bearing and became hostile to him. From this arose damage enough. Now there was another prince come to this same field for the sake of profit.109 He had two hundred spirited knights ready for anything. He himself was a good warrior, and kin to the count. When he saw that wherever
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[71 the red knight spurred all joy and happiness was destroyed, the highborn prince rode to the count and begged him that they might help each other out with their two banners. Ritschart agreed that this would be best for them ; for it was common knowledge, and all alike said it, that the stranger was doing better than any- one on the field. Rumor 110 also informed them that it was but one man who in all the three days had overthrown so many. Now he has joined his companions and rides near to the enemy. Now let anyone who is brave enough make a prisoner of him ! Here was such piercing and smiting that one might make a long tale of it. Both sides mingled in the struggle. The bold ones exerted themselves to gain booty and to pay off old grudges. Blows and breaking spears resounded loudly, and many a fine warrior was struck down. Horses ran away, lost and masterless. I assure you that our hero was better than any of them from dawn to late eve, and Count Ritschart likewise captured so many good knights that I will refrain from telling you about it—I should not readily be believed. Now it happened by chance that Walwein, the bold, and our friend ran upon each other and struck so that their spears broke ; and well they fought. It was not long before the warriors were separated ; and this separation resulted in grief for many a man. When Lot, the generous king, saw how vigorously the red knight struck, his bold battle spirit compelled him to break a spear on him. The stranger retaliated, and not in vain. He marked King Lot very carefully and seized his bridle rein. Here it was to appear for the first time how dear a good lord is. Lot's men were with him, faithful and true ; and there arose the greatest mêlée that I ever heard of. What knight would flinch when his king was in danger ? Many a horse and many a man became all red with blood. The stranger knight smote so terribly that whoever he attacked had to give way before him. His luck favoring him, he captured Walwein's father and dragged him away from his band. LINES 3406-74 When King Arthur, eager for honor, found this out, he came storming at once and began to attack our friends. And now the
[71 the red knight spurred all joy and happiness was destroyed, the highborn prince rode to the count and begged him that they might help each other out with their two banners. Ritschart agreed that this would be best for them ; for it was common knowledge, and all alike said it, that the stranger was doing better than any- one on the field. Rumor 110 also informed them that it was but one man who in all the three days had overthrown so many. Now he has joined his companions and rides near to the enemy. Now let anyone who is brave enough make a prisoner of him ! Here was such piercing and smiting that one might make a long tale of it. Both sides mingled in the struggle. The bold ones exerted themselves to gain booty and to pay off old grudges. Blows and breaking spears resounded loudly, and many a fine warrior was struck down. Horses ran away, lost and masterless. I assure you that our hero was better than any of them from dawn to late eve, and Count Ritschart likewise captured so many good knights that I will refrain from telling you about it—I should not readily be believed. Now it happened by chance that Walwein, the bold, and our friend ran upon each other and struck so that their spears broke ; and well they fought. It was not long before the warriors were separated ; and this separation resulted in grief for many a man. When Lot, the generous king, saw how vigorously the red knight struck, his bold battle spirit compelled him to break a spear on him. The stranger retaliated, and not in vain. He marked King Lot very carefully and seized his bridle rein. Here it was to appear for the first time how dear a good lord is. Lot's men were with him, faithful and true ; and there arose the greatest mêlée that I ever heard of. What knight would flinch when his king was in danger ? Many a horse and many a man became all red with blood. The stranger knight smote so terribly that whoever he attacked had to give way before him. His luck favoring him, he captured Walwein's father and dragged him away from his band. LINES 3406-74 When King Arthur, eager for honor, found this out, he came storming at once and began to attack our friends. And now the
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D72 performance really started, for it has often been related to you how well the company rode that King Arthur ruled. Yet even then our hero won the highest praise, for he had wrought much, above all the knightly band. Through his strength so many were wounded that for this reason the tourney was halted, which, ac- cording to the story, was to last seven days more, as had been announced. Why prolong the tale ? The company dispersed. Now you never heard so many questions as there were concerning the whereabouts of Count Ritschart and the good knight. But the honorable one was then sitting in the count's tent. He did not wish to come from the field into the city before he had received news of various sorts. He sent King Lot to his lady out of respect to her ; but stayed longer himself, till a great crowd had beheld him. They rode there to show him courtesy as if to a noble damsel.111 King Arthur must needs see him so as to make the acquaintance of the hero who would not tell his name. Walwein rode with his master, as did many a good knight, and they were all well received. Whatever wondrous tales may be either sung or told, I must be silent about many of them ; save one which I must relate to you. They offered our friend great honor, and Walwein was anxious to know what had become of his father. 'Welcome, friend, in God's name," said the warlike hero. "I will show him to you before nightfall." They were much taken with each other. Then King Arthur invited the foreign youth to his home. "Sir, my affairs will not permit me to come," said the bold hero. Then they would have been glad to hear about his affairs, for he was so handsome and so full of good traits, and had such beautiful manners that the people could not take their eyes off him for a moment. Openly or in secret he never acted basely, and therefore it went well with him. LINES 3475-3569 I will not conceal from his friends that our hero wanted to ride to his lady in the town. Soon he begged all the knights to excuse him and departed from them in friendly wise, as it became him. He took Sir Walwein with him and led him to a lodging where the
D72 performance really started, for it has often been related to you how well the company rode that King Arthur ruled. Yet even then our hero won the highest praise, for he had wrought much, above all the knightly band. Through his strength so many were wounded that for this reason the tourney was halted, which, ac- cording to the story, was to last seven days more, as had been announced. Why prolong the tale ? The company dispersed. Now you never heard so many questions as there were concerning the whereabouts of Count Ritschart and the good knight. But the honorable one was then sitting in the count's tent. He did not wish to come from the field into the city before he had received news of various sorts. He sent King Lot to his lady out of respect to her ; but stayed longer himself, till a great crowd had beheld him. They rode there to show him courtesy as if to a noble damsel.111 King Arthur must needs see him so as to make the acquaintance of the hero who would not tell his name. Walwein rode with his master, as did many a good knight, and they were all well received. Whatever wondrous tales may be either sung or told, I must be silent about many of them ; save one which I must relate to you. They offered our friend great honor, and Walwein was anxious to know what had become of his father. 'Welcome, friend, in God's name," said the warlike hero. "I will show him to you before nightfall." They were much taken with each other. Then King Arthur invited the foreign youth to his home. "Sir, my affairs will not permit me to come," said the bold hero. Then they would have been glad to hear about his affairs, for he was so handsome and so full of good traits, and had such beautiful manners that the people could not take their eyes off him for a moment. Openly or in secret he never acted basely, and therefore it went well with him. LINES 3475-3569 I will not conceal from his friends that our hero wanted to ride to his lady in the town. Soon he begged all the knights to excuse him and departed from them in friendly wise, as it became him. He took Sir Walwein with him and led him to a lodging where the
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[ 73 ] rooms were so beautiful that Walwein declared he had never seen the like before. There he found Lady Ade with Maurin and the duke and his courtly father, who sat by the lady. She received her lover's companion, Walwein, with great cordiality. I need say no more than that she proffered him all the honor she could think of. Promptly she had drink poured for him, seated him by her side, and gave him back his father and the two captives. The duel on the heath was not forgotten either. Walwein departed from her con- vinced that no lady ever pleased him better. Our hero lamented to him his adventure at Pluris,112 and frankly declared to him that on that account he longed to go there. Walwein answered : "If God will protect me so that I may fulfill my wish, be assured that I will come and seek you wherever you are, for I am deter- mined to deny you nothing." You never heard of such a loyal part- ing as that between these two. Moreover, they talked about each other as true friends should ; for friendship shown to a man's face and then altered when that man is out of sight is a despicable thing. They certainly did not behave like that. Whither the others rode is too long to tell, but our victorious hero sent his band home. He himself took the road which would lead to Pluris. Of the beautiful damsel and her brother Tybalt we are told that they did not shun the journey. After they had ridden I know not how many days, they came into a beautiful country, smooth as a wall ; 113 a broad highroad led them there. They became aware of a castle standing on a level plain. A river flowed around it, which was called Der Kal.114 The castle was painted outside 115 and wonderfully devised ; it was so fashioned by magic that anyone entering uninvited by the host turned into a coward ; and though he were as brave as a wild boar, there he lost his courage and strength. The host, however, who was cowardly when outside, permitted no one a word in there.116 The castle was called Schatel le Mort,117 the host, Mabuz 118 the Cowardly. His heart was empty of manhood and honor. Whoever he captured was led into a vast prison, where lay at this time a hundred knights and more. They were all filled with sorrow, perpetually in fear of death. Whenever Mabuz waxed angry, or if anything repugnant to him was done, he ordered a man killed.
[ 73 ] rooms were so beautiful that Walwein declared he had never seen the like before. There he found Lady Ade with Maurin and the duke and his courtly father, who sat by the lady. She received her lover's companion, Walwein, with great cordiality. I need say no more than that she proffered him all the honor she could think of. Promptly she had drink poured for him, seated him by her side, and gave him back his father and the two captives. The duel on the heath was not forgotten either. Walwein departed from her con- vinced that no lady ever pleased him better. Our hero lamented to him his adventure at Pluris,112 and frankly declared to him that on that account he longed to go there. Walwein answered : "If God will protect me so that I may fulfill my wish, be assured that I will come and seek you wherever you are, for I am deter- mined to deny you nothing." You never heard of such a loyal part- ing as that between these two. Moreover, they talked about each other as true friends should ; for friendship shown to a man's face and then altered when that man is out of sight is a despicable thing. They certainly did not behave like that. Whither the others rode is too long to tell, but our victorious hero sent his band home. He himself took the road which would lead to Pluris. Of the beautiful damsel and her brother Tybalt we are told that they did not shun the journey. After they had ridden I know not how many days, they came into a beautiful country, smooth as a wall ; 113 a broad highroad led them there. They became aware of a castle standing on a level plain. A river flowed around it, which was called Der Kal.114 The castle was painted outside 115 and wonderfully devised ; it was so fashioned by magic that anyone entering uninvited by the host turned into a coward ; and though he were as brave as a wild boar, there he lost his courage and strength. The host, however, who was cowardly when outside, permitted no one a word in there.116 The castle was called Schatel le Mort,117 the host, Mabuz 118 the Cowardly. His heart was empty of manhood and honor. Whoever he captured was led into a vast prison, where lay at this time a hundred knights and more. They were all filled with sorrow, perpetually in fear of death. Whenever Mabuz waxed angry, or if anything repugnant to him was done, he ordered a man killed.
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L74 Thus he slaked his wrath. This wicked coward was the child of the water-fay who had carried our hero away into the beauti- ful land where he grew up and found favor with many lovely ladies. LINES 3570-3637 It had been prophesied to this queen before she bore her son that he would always be a coward ; and therefore she took pains to make this wondrous castle suitable for him. This land was his fief—her son's, who was named Mabuz—besides which he had a goodly land bordering on the Beautiful Wood, which Iweret, the bold hero, had in his possession. But Mabuz derived no advantage from that domain, for he never dared abide there. So his mother, the wise mermaid, strove with all her cunning to have Iweret killed, because he had taken the land from her coward son. She did not know anybody so brave as to slay him and so fulfil her wish unless it were he, the wise and the good, whom she had reared most tenderly. The hope which she confidently entertained did not deceive her, for he later killed Iweret, who was a hero of surpass- ing courage. But we have not yet come so far. Now hear first how it went at Schatel le Mort, and what a marvel befell there. When our hero and Tybalt and the noble lady saw the castle, they hesitated no longer but turned toward the gate- way, upon the bridge which crossed a rushing water before it. They beheld a high tower which spanned the gate with three arches, through which people rode. When they reached the middle, and the vaulted passage began to seem overlong to them, the lady and her escort, who were riding boldly ahead, were confronted by Sir Mabuz all armed. He pierced our good youth's shield and made it plain at once that he was a confirmed evil-doer. Many a blow he struck the stranger, who did not defend himself, and when he had well battered him, he tore off his helm—the youth saying never a word—and stripped him of his coif. Mabuz seized him by the hair and thus pulled him down from his horse, whereupon the youth lay as still as if dead. Then it was the host's command to have him shaken out of his armor.119 Next the cowardly Mabuz ordered the armor and horse to be taken care of.
L74 Thus he slaked his wrath. This wicked coward was the child of the water-fay who had carried our hero away into the beauti- ful land where he grew up and found favor with many lovely ladies. LINES 3570-3637 It had been prophesied to this queen before she bore her son that he would always be a coward ; and therefore she took pains to make this wondrous castle suitable for him. This land was his fief—her son's, who was named Mabuz—besides which he had a goodly land bordering on the Beautiful Wood, which Iweret, the bold hero, had in his possession. But Mabuz derived no advantage from that domain, for he never dared abide there. So his mother, the wise mermaid, strove with all her cunning to have Iweret killed, because he had taken the land from her coward son. She did not know anybody so brave as to slay him and so fulfil her wish unless it were he, the wise and the good, whom she had reared most tenderly. The hope which she confidently entertained did not deceive her, for he later killed Iweret, who was a hero of surpass- ing courage. But we have not yet come so far. Now hear first how it went at Schatel le Mort, and what a marvel befell there. When our hero and Tybalt and the noble lady saw the castle, they hesitated no longer but turned toward the gate- way, upon the bridge which crossed a rushing water before it. They beheld a high tower which spanned the gate with three arches, through which people rode. When they reached the middle, and the vaulted passage began to seem overlong to them, the lady and her escort, who were riding boldly ahead, were confronted by Sir Mabuz all armed. He pierced our good youth's shield and made it plain at once that he was a confirmed evil-doer. Many a blow he struck the stranger, who did not defend himself, and when he had well battered him, he tore off his helm—the youth saying never a word—and stripped him of his coif. Mabuz seized him by the hair and thus pulled him down from his horse, whereupon the youth lay as still as if dead. Then it was the host's command to have him shaken out of his armor.119 Next the cowardly Mabuz ordered the armor and horse to be taken care of.
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[ 75 ] LINES 3638-3729 Now it happened that Tybalt, having watched all this, said to his sister, “There now ! You see for yourself what has happened to this craven. The lady was angry at the speech. "You judge him wrongly, said she, "my dear brother. We should be disgraced if our uncle had been slain by an archcoward. And besides, if you will speak the truth, since then you have seen that, where six thousand knights were assembled, he was without dissent chosen the most valiant of them all. When did you ever perceive any lack of prowess in him ? Then the cunning Tybalt replied to the lady, “As wise men have reminded us, it is at the end that one discerns both glory and dis- grace ; and whatever I have seen of him before, he has now be- haved in the worst way. I shall never value him again. Then spoke the poor lady : "Woe is me for his honor ! Now I dare nevermore go with him another step. Alas and alas that I must leave him, and for such a reason !" She knew nothing about the magic, and swooned from grief. Her brother Tybalt took her away so that she wist not whither she rode. You will not hear an- other word from me about either of them. Now our hero lay captive at Schatel le Mort. Little he cared whether he had cover or clothing. From the time he entered the prison, where many knights lay, he was so angry with himself for shame that he gave no conscious thought to either meat or drink.120 Whenever the captives sat down at the table in mannerly fashion and ate, he took bread in his hand and huddled up to a wall, where he sat and chewed a-plenty, and never washed his hands, but showed the manners of an evil wretch. He was the foulest wight that ever lived, without courage and without strength. So he lay a fortnight in such a state that he longed for death. Then there came a harrying by fire, and they on the castle walls watched in what direction the knights went who were burning Mabuz' lands. The men of the castle recognized them, and the youths said to each other, Those are Iweret's men from the Beautiful Wood." The villages soon burnt down, and Mabuz' heart was sore. There were hardly more than twenty of the
[ 75 ] LINES 3638-3729 Now it happened that Tybalt, having watched all this, said to his sister, “There now ! You see for yourself what has happened to this craven. The lady was angry at the speech. "You judge him wrongly, said she, "my dear brother. We should be disgraced if our uncle had been slain by an archcoward. And besides, if you will speak the truth, since then you have seen that, where six thousand knights were assembled, he was without dissent chosen the most valiant of them all. When did you ever perceive any lack of prowess in him ? Then the cunning Tybalt replied to the lady, “As wise men have reminded us, it is at the end that one discerns both glory and dis- grace ; and whatever I have seen of him before, he has now be- haved in the worst way. I shall never value him again. Then spoke the poor lady : "Woe is me for his honor ! Now I dare nevermore go with him another step. Alas and alas that I must leave him, and for such a reason !" She knew nothing about the magic, and swooned from grief. Her brother Tybalt took her away so that she wist not whither she rode. You will not hear an- other word from me about either of them. Now our hero lay captive at Schatel le Mort. Little he cared whether he had cover or clothing. From the time he entered the prison, where many knights lay, he was so angry with himself for shame that he gave no conscious thought to either meat or drink.120 Whenever the captives sat down at the table in mannerly fashion and ate, he took bread in his hand and huddled up to a wall, where he sat and chewed a-plenty, and never washed his hands, but showed the manners of an evil wretch. He was the foulest wight that ever lived, without courage and without strength. So he lay a fortnight in such a state that he longed for death. Then there came a harrying by fire, and they on the castle walls watched in what direction the knights went who were burning Mabuz' lands. The men of the castle recognized them, and the youths said to each other, Those are Iweret's men from the Beautiful Wood." The villages soon burnt down, and Mabuz' heart was sore. There were hardly more than twenty of the
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[ 76 raiders, but they had taken great booty. The host dared not go where he perceived the fire because he was afraid that Iweret had prepared an ambush for him. It grieved him to see this damage, and he thought to himself : “I have in my custody among all my guests one brave in battle who would dare to spy whether anyone has ridden into the wood to lie in wait for me. For this service I will appoint the most cowardly of all whom I can possibly find in the crowd of prisoners. He will be the most valiant when he gets outside where the air will restore him. The man whom I have in mind has been proved true ; but if I never see him again, it will be a small matter to me." LINES 3730-3825 Speaking thus, he went where the captives were and marked their behavior, their courage and resolution. Then, when the rest stood up, our good hero hid. Mabuz took the one who displayed such cowardice by the hand, showed him the fire, and asked him to be his spy. " 'I shall pay no heed to that, sir," said the laggard. "It would get me into trouble if I should go anywhere outside the castle; and so you must excuse me, for in a short time I should get killed. In truth, you must ride," said the cowardly Mabuz, 'whatever may come of it. So they carried the hero up till he came before the gate, on the far side of the bridge, where he lay on his back till they pulled his mail hose 121 on him as on a sick man. Then they clad him com- pletely in his armor, which was brought there. He bestirred himself a little more. When he mounted his steed, his bodily weakness dis- appeared. Then spoke Mabuz, the coward : “I remind you, O knight, that you are the most valiant man now living. Do this for the sake of all ladies, and hasten to send us a good report. My heart will al- ways be heavy that I ever troubled your spirit. Do you see where they ride away, the enemy, in their overweening pride ? If I get the benefit of your help, and you rescue my plundered goods, may I become blind or deaf if for your sake I do not let my captives
[ 76 raiders, but they had taken great booty. The host dared not go where he perceived the fire because he was afraid that Iweret had prepared an ambush for him. It grieved him to see this damage, and he thought to himself : “I have in my custody among all my guests one brave in battle who would dare to spy whether anyone has ridden into the wood to lie in wait for me. For this service I will appoint the most cowardly of all whom I can possibly find in the crowd of prisoners. He will be the most valiant when he gets outside where the air will restore him. The man whom I have in mind has been proved true ; but if I never see him again, it will be a small matter to me." LINES 3730-3825 Speaking thus, he went where the captives were and marked their behavior, their courage and resolution. Then, when the rest stood up, our good hero hid. Mabuz took the one who displayed such cowardice by the hand, showed him the fire, and asked him to be his spy. " 'I shall pay no heed to that, sir," said the laggard. "It would get me into trouble if I should go anywhere outside the castle; and so you must excuse me, for in a short time I should get killed. In truth, you must ride," said the cowardly Mabuz, 'whatever may come of it. So they carried the hero up till he came before the gate, on the far side of the bridge, where he lay on his back till they pulled his mail hose 121 on him as on a sick man. Then they clad him com- pletely in his armor, which was brought there. He bestirred himself a little more. When he mounted his steed, his bodily weakness dis- appeared. Then spoke Mabuz, the coward : “I remind you, O knight, that you are the most valiant man now living. Do this for the sake of all ladies, and hasten to send us a good report. My heart will al- ways be heavy that I ever troubled your spirit. Do you see where they ride away, the enemy, in their overweening pride ? If I get the benefit of your help, and you rescue my plundered goods, may I become blind or deaf if for your sake I do not let my captives
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[ 77 ] alone for a year without killing any of them. Whatever injury is done me, I will avenge it some other way. The guest spoke : “I will heed your command and see if I can do some harm to those who have harried you with fire. Thereupon he rode immediately on the burners' track, and soon came so close to them that he bade them turn. Right eager was he to win renown in honor of ladies ; he was of undaunted courage, a man accustomed to victory. He attacked a proud knight who bore the banner ; boldly he rode toward him, and struck him down from his horse. The others all turned back straightway past their comrade. There were four of the knights who thrust at him together to avenge their friend. Although he gave way but little before the thrust of any of them, yet they broke their spears. One he pierced so that he fell dead on the sand ; and at the same instant the noble warrior drew his sharp sword, with which he gave many a wound, for they were not well armed. The song tells us that their equipment was suitable for plundering expeditions ; but their shields, banners, iron hats, fine gambesons,122 and swift horses with which they might the more quickly traverse mountain and moor helped them not a bit : he overcame them all. Whoever could escape from him thought himself lucky. They took little heed of the plunder and fled. He let them flee in terror wherever they would ; and thus the burning was requited according to the cow- ardly host's request. Mabuz kept his promise and killed nobody that year. LINES 3826-3929 Now our knight rode thence and came to the gate of a small monastery.123 The Sorrowful Fief was the name of the little cloister where he had to pass the night. The master of the monks, a wise abbot, entertained his guest well so that he lacked nothing, and informed him that Iweret was lord over the cloister. "Neither near nor far is there anyone who can stand against him. It is his custom to pay us a tithe of whatever he wins by his knightly prowess. Those whom he deprives of life are buried here ; and whatever God is pleased to grant him, be it little or much, of the slain knight's property, he offers here for the victim's soul. From
[ 77 ] alone for a year without killing any of them. Whatever injury is done me, I will avenge it some other way. The guest spoke : “I will heed your command and see if I can do some harm to those who have harried you with fire. Thereupon he rode immediately on the burners' track, and soon came so close to them that he bade them turn. Right eager was he to win renown in honor of ladies ; he was of undaunted courage, a man accustomed to victory. He attacked a proud knight who bore the banner ; boldly he rode toward him, and struck him down from his horse. The others all turned back straightway past their comrade. There were four of the knights who thrust at him together to avenge their friend. Although he gave way but little before the thrust of any of them, yet they broke their spears. One he pierced so that he fell dead on the sand ; and at the same instant the noble warrior drew his sharp sword, with which he gave many a wound, for they were not well armed. The song tells us that their equipment was suitable for plundering expeditions ; but their shields, banners, iron hats, fine gambesons,122 and swift horses with which they might the more quickly traverse mountain and moor helped them not a bit : he overcame them all. Whoever could escape from him thought himself lucky. They took little heed of the plunder and fled. He let them flee in terror wherever they would ; and thus the burning was requited according to the cow- ardly host's request. Mabuz kept his promise and killed nobody that year. LINES 3826-3929 Now our knight rode thence and came to the gate of a small monastery.123 The Sorrowful Fief was the name of the little cloister where he had to pass the night. The master of the monks, a wise abbot, entertained his guest well so that he lacked nothing, and informed him that Iweret was lord over the cloister. "Neither near nor far is there anyone who can stand against him. It is his custom to pay us a tithe of whatever he wins by his knightly prowess. Those whom he deprives of life are buried here ; and whatever God is pleased to grant him, be it little or much, of the slain knight's property, he offers here for the victim's soul. From
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[ 78 this source we are rich. Truly I could never tell you exactly how many knights Iweret, my overlord, has killed, who have fared so ill in his adventure. We have sung masses for them and given them their proper due. Sir, you should refrain from an enterprise by which life is shortened, for you are so beautiful. May God disgrace him, my own lord, if he slays you." Thus spoke the wise abbot. " God protect me from that!" said the guest, and he sought to discover before he rode away from the monastery the nature of the adventure, for he wondered greatly about it. Then spoke the priest : “I will tell you briefly. My lord Iweret is a mighty prince of high spirit. He has three good kingdoms that came to him by inheritance, besides whatever else he has taken from those who opposed him. He has but one child, a noble daughter, and I will inform you that I never heard anybody say he had ever beheld a maid so beautiful. My lord has let it be known that whatever knight covets his daughter must meet him in deadly contest under a lovely linden tree in the Beautiful Wood.124 Beneath it is a cold spring, which Iweret, the bold hero, has vaulted excellently well with elegant arches. Gushing up from below, out of a lion's mouth,125 the spring flows into a basin of fine marble, wherein the clear water shimmers. The linden is green throughout the year. Thereon a bronze cymbal is hung, upon which any person who desires my lady and will prove his man- hood strikes with a hammer. When this same little bell is struck for the third time, then comes my lord Iweret accoutered in full knightly fashion. Whoever is to fight with him certainly needs luck. Last year and this he has slain many a man, whom we have buried at the linden where his death befell. It is scarcely a half mile from here. Avoid it, that is my counsel. Yet of this you may be sure : if my lord Iweret kills you, you will always have my prayers and my fatherly blessing. " 'I beg your grace," said the youth ; “but mark my words. What- ever happens to me, I will give battle to Iweret, the bold hero, or I will perish. What I am to get from it will appear tomorrow. It is a case of my death or his." To this the good man made no reply.
[ 78 this source we are rich. Truly I could never tell you exactly how many knights Iweret, my overlord, has killed, who have fared so ill in his adventure. We have sung masses for them and given them their proper due. Sir, you should refrain from an enterprise by which life is shortened, for you are so beautiful. May God disgrace him, my own lord, if he slays you." Thus spoke the wise abbot. " God protect me from that!" said the guest, and he sought to discover before he rode away from the monastery the nature of the adventure, for he wondered greatly about it. Then spoke the priest : “I will tell you briefly. My lord Iweret is a mighty prince of high spirit. He has three good kingdoms that came to him by inheritance, besides whatever else he has taken from those who opposed him. He has but one child, a noble daughter, and I will inform you that I never heard anybody say he had ever beheld a maid so beautiful. My lord has let it be known that whatever knight covets his daughter must meet him in deadly contest under a lovely linden tree in the Beautiful Wood.124 Beneath it is a cold spring, which Iweret, the bold hero, has vaulted excellently well with elegant arches. Gushing up from below, out of a lion's mouth,125 the spring flows into a basin of fine marble, wherein the clear water shimmers. The linden is green throughout the year. Thereon a bronze cymbal is hung, upon which any person who desires my lady and will prove his man- hood strikes with a hammer. When this same little bell is struck for the third time, then comes my lord Iweret accoutered in full knightly fashion. Whoever is to fight with him certainly needs luck. Last year and this he has slain many a man, whom we have buried at the linden where his death befell. It is scarcely a half mile from here. Avoid it, that is my counsel. Yet of this you may be sure : if my lord Iweret kills you, you will always have my prayers and my fatherly blessing. " 'I beg your grace," said the youth ; “but mark my words. What- ever happens to me, I will give battle to Iweret, the bold hero, or I will perish. What I am to get from it will appear tomorrow. It is a case of my death or his." To this the good man made no reply.
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[ 79] LINES 3930-4014 Next day the guest departed early. Impatiently he had listened to the abbot's speech, because he had ridden out, determined not to turn back before he found Iweret, in response to the water-fay's complaint. As it neared dawn he commended himself to God the Highest. Thereupon a messenger directed him toward the Beauti- ful Wood. I do not know whether I have related to you the nature of the wood. It was green as grass both winter and summer. There stood many a fine tree which bore fruit all the year round, ripe and good enough, and yet elsewhere bore blossoms. Whatever a person wished to eat (I do not want to forget this), of that thing the fruit tasted. Whoever hears this, let him praise it, for it was a marvel ; people were also healed by the fruit of all diseases if they could still stir enough to eat it. No wound was so great but if the fruit was bound upon it, it healed at once, so long as the body still contained the soul.126 Iweret slew so many (I must tell you this) because in his enclosure grew herbs so fine that he desired nothing more than to taste them ; thus he became so incredibly strong, brave, and daring. Moreover, it was to his further ad- vantage that in front of his castle lay a valley ; and no plant bearing virtuous blossoms was so small, nor so tall, nor broad, that it was not there, and always at its very fairest ; and thus nobly arrayed, the heath endured without change. Whatever the weather might be, the meadow and the wood were always like summer ; that was most fitting. If anyone who was suffering grief traversed those two places, he was filled with such joy that he forgot his sadness. For that reason they called the wood Beforet, the Beautiful Wood, so manifold were its beauties, as the story reveals to us. Lions, bears, red deer, boars, and whatever one could wish to hunt were there in numbers more than enough for good sport ; and there many great elephants were often laid low. This was the nature of the wood : a fine water divided it, and on one side the beasts had to range, for that was their run ; on the other side was the song of birds, and fowl of every sort yet known to man, whatever in the world has feathers. None of them ever crossed from one side to the other out of their range.127 Also the water brought
[ 79] LINES 3930-4014 Next day the guest departed early. Impatiently he had listened to the abbot's speech, because he had ridden out, determined not to turn back before he found Iweret, in response to the water-fay's complaint. As it neared dawn he commended himself to God the Highest. Thereupon a messenger directed him toward the Beauti- ful Wood. I do not know whether I have related to you the nature of the wood. It was green as grass both winter and summer. There stood many a fine tree which bore fruit all the year round, ripe and good enough, and yet elsewhere bore blossoms. Whatever a person wished to eat (I do not want to forget this), of that thing the fruit tasted. Whoever hears this, let him praise it, for it was a marvel ; people were also healed by the fruit of all diseases if they could still stir enough to eat it. No wound was so great but if the fruit was bound upon it, it healed at once, so long as the body still contained the soul.126 Iweret slew so many (I must tell you this) because in his enclosure grew herbs so fine that he desired nothing more than to taste them ; thus he became so incredibly strong, brave, and daring. Moreover, it was to his further ad- vantage that in front of his castle lay a valley ; and no plant bearing virtuous blossoms was so small, nor so tall, nor broad, that it was not there, and always at its very fairest ; and thus nobly arrayed, the heath endured without change. Whatever the weather might be, the meadow and the wood were always like summer ; that was most fitting. If anyone who was suffering grief traversed those two places, he was filled with such joy that he forgot his sadness. For that reason they called the wood Beforet, the Beautiful Wood, so manifold were its beauties, as the story reveals to us. Lions, bears, red deer, boars, and whatever one could wish to hunt were there in numbers more than enough for good sport ; and there many great elephants were often laid low. This was the nature of the wood : a fine water divided it, and on one side the beasts had to range, for that was their run ; on the other side was the song of birds, and fowl of every sort yet known to man, whatever in the world has feathers. None of them ever crossed from one side to the other out of their range.127 Also the water brought
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[80 ] plenty of fish of every sort, such as might be borne in honor to a king's table. The wood was filled with all good things, as you have well perceived. LINES 4015-90 If you are not wearied by what is being told you, turn your attention to the beautiful maid who was Iweret's daughter. No matter what one has ever read of a woman, or shall ever read, no lady could be more courteous nor so lovely. She was quite with- out guile. Nobody understood better what good demeanor was, but envy and hate were things she knew nothing of, and from her rosy mouth came never word but good. One never saw her vexed, but always living in pleasant joys. She was prepared to give whatever she could to enhance her honor. She was beauteous, gentle withal, and wise and pure. Man and woman she honored according to their worth. There was no fear of her ever being charged with concealing her love. Fortune was her buckler. Now whoever is tired of hearing her praise may easily silence me. Every virtue which adorns the name of woman was hers. But if anyone cares to hear me I will tell him more of the lady. She was brave and noble, loftily descended of royal kin. Whatever she spoke was as good as sworn, so steadfast was her disposition. But love later brought her to such a state as she would gladly have avoided. Neither her wisdom nor her cunning helped her, for no one is so wise that he can defend himself from love, unless God, who can tame all things, preserve him from it. If you wish to know the maiden's name, I will tell you, rest assured : she was called the beautiful Yblis,128 the ideal of perfection. God took pains over her every quality. If anyone is disposed to believe me, I will tell him how the lady lived. She had a hundred companions, the choice of three king- doms, all fittingly courteous and beautiful. Daily they had to go with the lady into the valley, where they gathered flowers every- where and made chaplets of them.129 From this came the custom which good people have not ceased observing, for they make chaplets wherever flowers grow. And unless the authors have lied
[80 ] plenty of fish of every sort, such as might be borne in honor to a king's table. The wood was filled with all good things, as you have well perceived. LINES 4015-90 If you are not wearied by what is being told you, turn your attention to the beautiful maid who was Iweret's daughter. No matter what one has ever read of a woman, or shall ever read, no lady could be more courteous nor so lovely. She was quite with- out guile. Nobody understood better what good demeanor was, but envy and hate were things she knew nothing of, and from her rosy mouth came never word but good. One never saw her vexed, but always living in pleasant joys. She was prepared to give whatever she could to enhance her honor. She was beauteous, gentle withal, and wise and pure. Man and woman she honored according to their worth. There was no fear of her ever being charged with concealing her love. Fortune was her buckler. Now whoever is tired of hearing her praise may easily silence me. Every virtue which adorns the name of woman was hers. But if anyone cares to hear me I will tell him more of the lady. She was brave and noble, loftily descended of royal kin. Whatever she spoke was as good as sworn, so steadfast was her disposition. But love later brought her to such a state as she would gladly have avoided. Neither her wisdom nor her cunning helped her, for no one is so wise that he can defend himself from love, unless God, who can tame all things, preserve him from it. If you wish to know the maiden's name, I will tell you, rest assured : she was called the beautiful Yblis,128 the ideal of perfection. God took pains over her every quality. If anyone is disposed to believe me, I will tell him how the lady lived. She had a hundred companions, the choice of three king- doms, all fittingly courteous and beautiful. Daily they had to go with the lady into the valley, where they gathered flowers every- where and made chaplets of them.129 From this came the custom which good people have not ceased observing, for they make chaplets wherever flowers grow. And unless the authors have lied
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81 to us, as soon as the ladies picked one flower, immediately another grew where the first was found.130 That also was by God's per- mission. This same lovely valley is called now and evermore after the lady Vallis Yblê, because she liked to be there often, to pick flowers, or when she was in longing mood, as ladies often are. LINES 4091-4171 If you should really like to know, I will tell you how Iweret's house was situated. As the books inform us, the rich castle of Dodone 131—for such I am told was its name—was magnificently placed. The building had entailed great labor, for the mountain was by no means small. The castle sat high over the valley, well and ingeniously built both outside and in, and shining in right lordly fashion. The floor was paved with marble, the wall was of the same material, the stones, both white and red, were very beauti- fully worked, and the wall was admirably inlaid with gold mosaic. The host's own place, his particular dwelling, was a rich palace, great and gorgeous. They tell us that it was full of beautiful things. Therein was a sleeping chamber, its walls of onyx, its floor in truth of pure crystal and noble coral inlaid with strips of many sorts of jasper. It made a rich display of splendor, with its silver columns. The chamber was encrusted with gems—very pure sapphires, emeralds, rubies, topazes, sardonyxes, garnets, and amethysts— cunningly arranged in patterns. When Iweret entered therein he feared no one, as I have heard say. The ceiling was all bedecked with gold and gems, a few of which I shall name, to wit, chalce- dony and beryl, onyx and chrysolite, jacinth and carbuncle ; be- cause of them it was never dark in the chamber. The furniture was even better, as I can show you. The bed whereon the host and his pure child lay was of ivory and red gold and was set with his favorite stones.132 Over it was spread a counterpane of samite green as grass. The bedding was very soft, the bolster and also the pillow ; and the coverlet was of good silk. The sheet was white and pure, new and fine. Lord Iweret showed his affection for his daughter by thoughtful gifts, for what she did often made him merry. The castle and the chimneyed room 133 were provided with
81 to us, as soon as the ladies picked one flower, immediately another grew where the first was found.130 That also was by God's per- mission. This same lovely valley is called now and evermore after the lady Vallis Yblê, because she liked to be there often, to pick flowers, or when she was in longing mood, as ladies often are. LINES 4091-4171 If you should really like to know, I will tell you how Iweret's house was situated. As the books inform us, the rich castle of Dodone 131—for such I am told was its name—was magnificently placed. The building had entailed great labor, for the mountain was by no means small. The castle sat high over the valley, well and ingeniously built both outside and in, and shining in right lordly fashion. The floor was paved with marble, the wall was of the same material, the stones, both white and red, were very beauti- fully worked, and the wall was admirably inlaid with gold mosaic. The host's own place, his particular dwelling, was a rich palace, great and gorgeous. They tell us that it was full of beautiful things. Therein was a sleeping chamber, its walls of onyx, its floor in truth of pure crystal and noble coral inlaid with strips of many sorts of jasper. It made a rich display of splendor, with its silver columns. The chamber was encrusted with gems—very pure sapphires, emeralds, rubies, topazes, sardonyxes, garnets, and amethysts— cunningly arranged in patterns. When Iweret entered therein he feared no one, as I have heard say. The ceiling was all bedecked with gold and gems, a few of which I shall name, to wit, chalce- dony and beryl, onyx and chrysolite, jacinth and carbuncle ; be- cause of them it was never dark in the chamber. The furniture was even better, as I can show you. The bed whereon the host and his pure child lay was of ivory and red gold and was set with his favorite stones.132 Over it was spread a counterpane of samite green as grass. The bedding was very soft, the bolster and also the pillow ; and the coverlet was of good silk. The sheet was white and pure, new and fine. Lord Iweret showed his affection for his daughter by thoughtful gifts, for what she did often made him merry. The castle and the chimneyed room 133 were provided with
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[ 82 whatever was appropriate for an honorable estate, besides a retinue and all kinds of furnishings. I would tell you wonderful things about it if I did not have to go on to something else. LINES 4172-4253 Dodone was situated as well as one could wish, for the lord had enough of whatever water or land produced and of whatever he himself could devise. He had perfected the castle till it lacked nothing. It was good and strong, inhabited by a number of citizens, sixty, as I have heard, and a few more, proud and lordly folk who enjoyed life among themselves. The day passed quickly there. Furthermore, the sound of bells was heard everywhere in the castle when anyone struck the cymbal, of which I have already said enough, if you have taken it in. Now our knight is come. When he arrived at the linden, he tied his horse to a branch of the tree lightly and not too firmly, for he wished to take it again when he should see the host coming. The noble warrior laid his shield on the ground, seized the hammer in his hand, and smote on the little cymbal so hard that it resounded loudly and was heard everywhere in the castle and in the wood. Presently he loosed his helm and set it on the grass. Then he went over to the spring. When he came to the water, the stranger champion did off his coif, bathed his hands, and cooled himself under the eyes. There is no denying that it was a joy to see him. Now hear a strange story. On the very night before the day when Iweret was to encounter our good youth, the lovely maid Yblis dreamed 134 clearly that she walked through the beautiful meadow to the linden. There she saw a noble knight whose bearing was so goodly that her heart and mind and all her senses turned to love of him ; and there was great love between them. Her only regret was that she had never seen him before. Whatever he did and said was wondrous pleasant to her. She marked his looks and his manners and enshrined them in her heart. What could be more extraordinary ! This was our brave hero, and he was in actual fact just as he appeared in her dream. As the story was read in the books, let it be told you truly. The maid lay awake for love, pondering, for her thoughts were on the
[ 82 whatever was appropriate for an honorable estate, besides a retinue and all kinds of furnishings. I would tell you wonderful things about it if I did not have to go on to something else. LINES 4172-4253 Dodone was situated as well as one could wish, for the lord had enough of whatever water or land produced and of whatever he himself could devise. He had perfected the castle till it lacked nothing. It was good and strong, inhabited by a number of citizens, sixty, as I have heard, and a few more, proud and lordly folk who enjoyed life among themselves. The day passed quickly there. Furthermore, the sound of bells was heard everywhere in the castle when anyone struck the cymbal, of which I have already said enough, if you have taken it in. Now our knight is come. When he arrived at the linden, he tied his horse to a branch of the tree lightly and not too firmly, for he wished to take it again when he should see the host coming. The noble warrior laid his shield on the ground, seized the hammer in his hand, and smote on the little cymbal so hard that it resounded loudly and was heard everywhere in the castle and in the wood. Presently he loosed his helm and set it on the grass. Then he went over to the spring. When he came to the water, the stranger champion did off his coif, bathed his hands, and cooled himself under the eyes. There is no denying that it was a joy to see him. Now hear a strange story. On the very night before the day when Iweret was to encounter our good youth, the lovely maid Yblis dreamed 134 clearly that she walked through the beautiful meadow to the linden. There she saw a noble knight whose bearing was so goodly that her heart and mind and all her senses turned to love of him ; and there was great love between them. Her only regret was that she had never seen him before. Whatever he did and said was wondrous pleasant to her. She marked his looks and his manners and enshrined them in her heart. What could be more extraordinary ! This was our brave hero, and he was in actual fact just as he appeared in her dream. As the story was read in the books, let it be told you truly. The maid lay awake for love, pondering, for her thoughts were on the
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[ 83 ] man who had appeared before her ; she interpreted her dream to mean him, as it had now come true. She spoke : “I will never take a husband—that I must declare—except him whom I have seen tonight." She made up her mind that she would honor the place where the knight appeared to her and always go there whenever the cymbal was sounded. LINES 4254—4341 This decision she carried out and came promptly to the linden when our friend struck the cymbal. Now I will briefly tell you that never did woman wear finer clothing than she was wearing ; it might easily seem to you absurd if I described it at all. Her horse and trappings were handsome and good. She was still of the same mind as she was in her dream, and she bade good day to the hero whom she found by the spring—for she saw at once that it was the same knight. Dismounting beside him on the grass, she greeted him right fairly, and he bowed to her in return, for his heart told him that it was the queen. Now you may hear how he spoke when he saw how lovely she was : "Your favor, beauteous lady. If you would not take it amiss, I should like to tell you my mind. You are so beautiful and good, as I hear the people declare, and as I myself have seen, that for no reason but for your favor alone and for your gracious greeting I must win or lose. If what they say is true, then either death is prepared for me or else you are, and with you great wealth. If God favor me, where did man ever fare better ? So help you God, be not hostile to me !' “ That depends on you," said the maid, "if things are as my heart tells me and as befits your appearance. Any lady who under- takes to do as well as she can honors all knightly men—and of them you may well be one. Yet I grieve to think that, having seen you no more than this, I should be unable to refrain from declar- ing to you that, so far as I recall, never has a man seemed to me so comely." He believed her entirely and observed her while she told him fully what she had dreamed. "For my sake you shall give up this adventure. He declared that he could not leave it; and still she entreated
[ 83 ] man who had appeared before her ; she interpreted her dream to mean him, as it had now come true. She spoke : “I will never take a husband—that I must declare—except him whom I have seen tonight." She made up her mind that she would honor the place where the knight appeared to her and always go there whenever the cymbal was sounded. LINES 4254—4341 This decision she carried out and came promptly to the linden when our friend struck the cymbal. Now I will briefly tell you that never did woman wear finer clothing than she was wearing ; it might easily seem to you absurd if I described it at all. Her horse and trappings were handsome and good. She was still of the same mind as she was in her dream, and she bade good day to the hero whom she found by the spring—for she saw at once that it was the same knight. Dismounting beside him on the grass, she greeted him right fairly, and he bowed to her in return, for his heart told him that it was the queen. Now you may hear how he spoke when he saw how lovely she was : "Your favor, beauteous lady. If you would not take it amiss, I should like to tell you my mind. You are so beautiful and good, as I hear the people declare, and as I myself have seen, that for no reason but for your favor alone and for your gracious greeting I must win or lose. If what they say is true, then either death is prepared for me or else you are, and with you great wealth. If God favor me, where did man ever fare better ? So help you God, be not hostile to me !' “ That depends on you," said the maid, "if things are as my heart tells me and as befits your appearance. Any lady who under- takes to do as well as she can honors all knightly men—and of them you may well be one. Yet I grieve to think that, having seen you no more than this, I should be unable to refrain from declar- ing to you that, so far as I recall, never has a man seemed to me so comely." He believed her entirely and observed her while she told him fully what she had dreamed. "For my sake you shall give up this adventure. He declared that he could not leave it; and still she entreated
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[84 him very earnestly. "Lady, I will not !" he replied. “I should be dis- graced if I did." And he smote the cymbal hard. It vexed him that Iweret did not come. He hung his shield on his neck and was in every way ready. Then the fair lady wept, for she was loath to see this fight. She sat down and said : "Now God help you both, for I am unable to decide between you : I cannot place the blame for this. I have never lived so sad a day." She wrung her white hands, and her lamentation was endless. She hoped and feared, wondering which of them would destroy the other there. As she sat thus rueful, love caused her to forget her wisdom and her cunning. On fire with such a passion as lies close to the longing heart, she spoke : “ Knight, if you are courteous, you must not be suspicious of me. My heart has turned me to you, and I cannot strive against it ; but as long as ever I may live, so long must I love you. Now take me hence with you, O shape of beauty, embodiment of virtue !' LINES 4342-4406 He spoke : "Not I, dear woman. Indeed you shall, man blessed by fortune." " I am one who cannot run away. “ For a woman a man should often change. “ Without a doubt I shall yet win you in proper fashion. What- ever of love you will then show me, in that my body and soul will rejoice. If you love me as you declare, then I am glad to have you see how for your sake I dare brave whatever a knight should." The lady told him what a fearsome man her father was. "None has ever equaled him, though many have tried. If you regard my love, sir, heed me. " Still, the thing has got to happen some time or other," said the noble warrior ; and with that he immediately clanged the cymbal as if he were mad. Then the noble queen swooned from grief, fearing for her father and for him. The hero took her in his arm until she came to herself and felt a little better, whereupon he mounted his horse at once. This saddened her mood and she spoke: 135 " “Alas, Love, why hast thou shamed me that I should ever
[84 him very earnestly. "Lady, I will not !" he replied. “I should be dis- graced if I did." And he smote the cymbal hard. It vexed him that Iweret did not come. He hung his shield on his neck and was in every way ready. Then the fair lady wept, for she was loath to see this fight. She sat down and said : "Now God help you both, for I am unable to decide between you : I cannot place the blame for this. I have never lived so sad a day." She wrung her white hands, and her lamentation was endless. She hoped and feared, wondering which of them would destroy the other there. As she sat thus rueful, love caused her to forget her wisdom and her cunning. On fire with such a passion as lies close to the longing heart, she spoke : “ Knight, if you are courteous, you must not be suspicious of me. My heart has turned me to you, and I cannot strive against it ; but as long as ever I may live, so long must I love you. Now take me hence with you, O shape of beauty, embodiment of virtue !' LINES 4342-4406 He spoke : "Not I, dear woman. Indeed you shall, man blessed by fortune." " I am one who cannot run away. “ For a woman a man should often change. “ Without a doubt I shall yet win you in proper fashion. What- ever of love you will then show me, in that my body and soul will rejoice. If you love me as you declare, then I am glad to have you see how for your sake I dare brave whatever a knight should." The lady told him what a fearsome man her father was. "None has ever equaled him, though many have tried. If you regard my love, sir, heed me. " Still, the thing has got to happen some time or other," said the noble warrior ; and with that he immediately clanged the cymbal as if he were mad. Then the noble queen swooned from grief, fearing for her father and for him. The hero took her in his arm until she came to herself and felt a little better, whereupon he mounted his horse at once. This saddened her mood and she spoke: 135 " “Alas, Love, why hast thou shamed me that I should ever
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[85 swoon for love ? It would not be right for me to love him who refuses to take me hence. What should I love in him ? Alas, what do I say ? Foolish woman ! Both virtue and him, these must I ever love. With passion must I burn ; love inflames me so that I now know nothing, and all my cunning helps me not a whit. O Love, so counsel me that I may serve thee evermore! Alas and alas! Happy love comes to no one except by great good luck. No plant nor juice of herb ever helps him whom Love has once struck to the heart. But that is all one : if I could come to the beautiful vale, my fair blossoms might help me somewhat. Alas, why do I say this ? Even if I could, I would not do it. Love has so crazed me that I have lost all my wisdom. My sweet folly urges me to grant both victory and my own self to the wondrous beautiful man ; and that Nature forbids. To him who is nearest my heart I wish fortune most of all. Ah Love, what a miracle thou workest ! LINES 4407-61 While all her senses strove thus, her father came riding up on a magnificent great charger, so armed that no peer of his was ever clad in better steel. His horse, so they tell us, was deep fiery red, most rare. It was covered with an iron panoply 136 in prepara- tion for the battle, and over this lay a cloth of samite, wrought green as the grass. Iweret's coat of arms was on it, red lions of gold.137 His shield was, as he liked it, of sinople 138 red enough, with a golden lion embossed thereon.139 By way of banner he bore, reaching down to his hand, a white flag of the best samite 140 that could be found in the king of Morocco's land. He wore a surcoat of the same, hung with golden bells. In all his array he appeared an angel, not a man, and for a courtly touch he wore silk hanging sleeves. Anyone to whom he was well disposed might take pleasure in beholding him. From childhood he had shown that he was brave and bold. Golden was his horse's crest, a tree with branches not too wide spread.141 About it a scarf 142 was wound in silken folds, and in the same manner he was adorned on both helm and spur.143 In his arrogant mood he was enraged with the stranger, for whom he destined nothing but death. So when he found the young
[85 swoon for love ? It would not be right for me to love him who refuses to take me hence. What should I love in him ? Alas, what do I say ? Foolish woman ! Both virtue and him, these must I ever love. With passion must I burn ; love inflames me so that I now know nothing, and all my cunning helps me not a whit. O Love, so counsel me that I may serve thee evermore! Alas and alas! Happy love comes to no one except by great good luck. No plant nor juice of herb ever helps him whom Love has once struck to the heart. But that is all one : if I could come to the beautiful vale, my fair blossoms might help me somewhat. Alas, why do I say this ? Even if I could, I would not do it. Love has so crazed me that I have lost all my wisdom. My sweet folly urges me to grant both victory and my own self to the wondrous beautiful man ; and that Nature forbids. To him who is nearest my heart I wish fortune most of all. Ah Love, what a miracle thou workest ! LINES 4407-61 While all her senses strove thus, her father came riding up on a magnificent great charger, so armed that no peer of his was ever clad in better steel. His horse, so they tell us, was deep fiery red, most rare. It was covered with an iron panoply 136 in prepara- tion for the battle, and over this lay a cloth of samite, wrought green as the grass. Iweret's coat of arms was on it, red lions of gold.137 His shield was, as he liked it, of sinople 138 red enough, with a golden lion embossed thereon.139 By way of banner he bore, reaching down to his hand, a white flag of the best samite 140 that could be found in the king of Morocco's land. He wore a surcoat of the same, hung with golden bells. In all his array he appeared an angel, not a man, and for a courtly touch he wore silk hanging sleeves. Anyone to whom he was well disposed might take pleasure in beholding him. From childhood he had shown that he was brave and bold. Golden was his horse's crest, a tree with branches not too wide spread.141 About it a scarf 142 was wound in silken folds, and in the same manner he was adorned on both helm and spur.143 In his arrogant mood he was enraged with the stranger, for whom he destined nothing but death. So when he found the young
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86 warrior all ready at the linden by the spring, no kindly greetings were heard. The host spoke fiercely, for he bore a grim heart. „ " Where is he who struck the cymbal ? The stranger spoke : “That I have done." “ Why? “ I was obliged to." “V Will you take on my adventure ? "Yes, I will. " You are not fit for it. " I cannot with honor refuse it. " Now what do you wish to gain here ? " A beautiful woman and your land.' LINES 4462-4557 Then Iweret grew furious at once ; and they lowered their spears. Fortune had to decide who should bear away the victory from that place. Then the gentle knight would not give way before the older man. They let their steeds gallop with hanging reins : in their overweening pride they desired a knightly joust.144 Each struck so well that the shafts broke and the splinters flew high. Now we may say indeed that they drew their swords. The horses also recovered themselves, for they had been thrown on their hocks; and even the two expert riders had scarcely kept their seats. At that Iweret was struck with terror, for till then no knight, forsooth, who met him on horseback had ever remained in his saddle. The battle grew more cruel. They fought well, each fully realizing that he who weakened before the other must certainly die. From their strokes and thrusts both often saw the sparkles of wildfire spring from the helms. The sharp swords of both rang in their hands. The hauberks ripped apart so that the rings split, and their surcoats flew in shreds wide about them. When they came together, one could hear the banging of the shields, as it were a great thunderclap. They hewed each other so that they could no longer bring their horses together. Then they really began to fight ! Both threw themselves off their horses, and Iweret said, “Till now I have fought with children ;
86 warrior all ready at the linden by the spring, no kindly greetings were heard. The host spoke fiercely, for he bore a grim heart. „ " Where is he who struck the cymbal ? The stranger spoke : “That I have done." “ Why? “ I was obliged to." “V Will you take on my adventure ? "Yes, I will. " You are not fit for it. " I cannot with honor refuse it. " Now what do you wish to gain here ? " A beautiful woman and your land.' LINES 4462-4557 Then Iweret grew furious at once ; and they lowered their spears. Fortune had to decide who should bear away the victory from that place. Then the gentle knight would not give way before the older man. They let their steeds gallop with hanging reins : in their overweening pride they desired a knightly joust.144 Each struck so well that the shafts broke and the splinters flew high. Now we may say indeed that they drew their swords. The horses also recovered themselves, for they had been thrown on their hocks; and even the two expert riders had scarcely kept their seats. At that Iweret was struck with terror, for till then no knight, forsooth, who met him on horseback had ever remained in his saddle. The battle grew more cruel. They fought well, each fully realizing that he who weakened before the other must certainly die. From their strokes and thrusts both often saw the sparkles of wildfire spring from the helms. The sharp swords of both rang in their hands. The hauberks ripped apart so that the rings split, and their surcoats flew in shreds wide about them. When they came together, one could hear the banging of the shields, as it were a great thunderclap. They hewed each other so that they could no longer bring their horses together. Then they really began to fight ! Both threw themselves off their horses, and Iweret said, “Till now I have fought with children ;
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87 this is a man. Nevertheless he will have to pay so high a price for both woman and land that it will cost him dear, and he will feel the pain of it for the rest of his days." And with that he violently smote away a third of the unknown visitor's shield under the grip, through the lower edge. Now their rage mounted and they grew so hot that their sweat annoyed them beyond measure. Thus the brave Iweret received such a cut through the barbel 145 that the valiant warrior began to bleed at nose and mouth down through the ventails. In return the powerful host struck his visitor to the earth. But the hero recovered himself from that and, springing quickly forward, gave the bleeding man through helm and through coif a wound so deep and wide that he could hardly withdraw his sword. Then Iweret begged a truce of the youth. But the unconquered fighter would have no weak reconciliation, and without delay they both rained blows on each other's coat of mail. Many a story could I tell of the challenger ; but at last Iweret received a blow that felled him in spite of himself. The stranger did not miss his opportunity nor let him rise before he had deprived him of both life and honor. Now what more will you have, except that he struck off his head ? LINES 4558—4643 In merry mood he went to where the lady lay. She was in a swoon the whole time and knew nothing of what went on, who fought well there or who not. He raised the maid, laved her with water from the spring, and comforted her as best he could. The lady then began to observe her friend earnestly. She said, “How has it gone ? " Very well," replied the lucky one. "With victory I have won you, and I will always love you. You must keep faith with me ; that is what becomes your rank. A kind answer will rejoice this stranger. Lady, now think about it, and speak kindly to me. If I ever treat you unfairly, may I be accursed. After beholding you, how could I have failed to seek to win you as my rightful wife ? No coward would have dared to withstand the noble Iweret, but I have done it for your sake. Since you have lost your father, wreak
87 this is a man. Nevertheless he will have to pay so high a price for both woman and land that it will cost him dear, and he will feel the pain of it for the rest of his days." And with that he violently smote away a third of the unknown visitor's shield under the grip, through the lower edge. Now their rage mounted and they grew so hot that their sweat annoyed them beyond measure. Thus the brave Iweret received such a cut through the barbel 145 that the valiant warrior began to bleed at nose and mouth down through the ventails. In return the powerful host struck his visitor to the earth. But the hero recovered himself from that and, springing quickly forward, gave the bleeding man through helm and through coif a wound so deep and wide that he could hardly withdraw his sword. Then Iweret begged a truce of the youth. But the unconquered fighter would have no weak reconciliation, and without delay they both rained blows on each other's coat of mail. Many a story could I tell of the challenger ; but at last Iweret received a blow that felled him in spite of himself. The stranger did not miss his opportunity nor let him rise before he had deprived him of both life and honor. Now what more will you have, except that he struck off his head ? LINES 4558—4643 In merry mood he went to where the lady lay. She was in a swoon the whole time and knew nothing of what went on, who fought well there or who not. He raised the maid, laved her with water from the spring, and comforted her as best he could. The lady then began to observe her friend earnestly. She said, “How has it gone ? " Very well," replied the lucky one. "With victory I have won you, and I will always love you. You must keep faith with me ; that is what becomes your rank. A kind answer will rejoice this stranger. Lady, now think about it, and speak kindly to me. If I ever treat you unfairly, may I be accursed. After beholding you, how could I have failed to seek to win you as my rightful wife ? No coward would have dared to withstand the noble Iweret, but I have done it for your sake. Since you have lost your father, wreak
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[88 your anger on me in any way you wish, but indeed you are twice as dear to me as ever you were to him." The lady took it graciously. Rest assured, she could not well do otherwise, for love commanded it. Yet she did not fail to weep in womanly fashion. Love took full possession of her. There is nothing else so strong, they say. All men may feel the surer of that, since she forgot so quickly that he had killed her father. When a person never willingly harms another, and has become wholeheartedly inclined to serve him, it were a stupid thing if grace then refused its reward. But I will here, as you request, return to my story ; and now hear how the lady fared. She prayed the hero not to delay but to ride from the linden, for she feared her father's men. The knight, pondering, considered what she meant by this ; but the maiden with faithful steadfastness assured him that she would never part from him, whether he were lief or loath ; and he shared her feeling, for never had he loved anyone so much. So they hastened on their way and rode forth from the wood. Then the good man from the Sorrowful Fief encountered them with a bier, as it had been his custom formerly to fetch the dead. He wished to take charge of this hero's body as he had previously buried many another. He raised his hands to God and wondered sore what had happened, for he thought it a strange event that our knight survived and Iweret was dead. The priest turned back, and the lady at once sent by this abbot a proclamation to her liegemen that they should hold castle and land faithfully and that she would return whenever the right time came. LINES 4644-4737 The message was agreeable to all her vassals ; only they wanted to know who had slain their lord. No one could tell who he was or whither he went. The good man took a great oath that he was the fairest man that ever won name of knight. 'His bearing is good, and he behaves in such a way that we should ever rejoice could we have him for lord." And thus Iweret was buried where our knight was to have lain.
[88 your anger on me in any way you wish, but indeed you are twice as dear to me as ever you were to him." The lady took it graciously. Rest assured, she could not well do otherwise, for love commanded it. Yet she did not fail to weep in womanly fashion. Love took full possession of her. There is nothing else so strong, they say. All men may feel the surer of that, since she forgot so quickly that he had killed her father. When a person never willingly harms another, and has become wholeheartedly inclined to serve him, it were a stupid thing if grace then refused its reward. But I will here, as you request, return to my story ; and now hear how the lady fared. She prayed the hero not to delay but to ride from the linden, for she feared her father's men. The knight, pondering, considered what she meant by this ; but the maiden with faithful steadfastness assured him that she would never part from him, whether he were lief or loath ; and he shared her feeling, for never had he loved anyone so much. So they hastened on their way and rode forth from the wood. Then the good man from the Sorrowful Fief encountered them with a bier, as it had been his custom formerly to fetch the dead. He wished to take charge of this hero's body as he had previously buried many another. He raised his hands to God and wondered sore what had happened, for he thought it a strange event that our knight survived and Iweret was dead. The priest turned back, and the lady at once sent by this abbot a proclamation to her liegemen that they should hold castle and land faithfully and that she would return whenever the right time came. LINES 4644-4737 The message was agreeable to all her vassals ; only they wanted to know who had slain their lord. No one could tell who he was or whither he went. The good man took a great oath that he was the fairest man that ever won name of knight. 'His bearing is good, and he behaves in such a way that we should ever rejoice could we have him for lord." And thus Iweret was buried where our knight was to have lain.
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[89 How can it be kept secret where the stranger knight went, and the maid whom he won at the linden ? They rode for a time, a good French mile,146 till they came to an open field ; and there they both dismounted under a green linden, for they could not rest till they sat on the grass. All they had been longing for now began, yet we cannot tell or describe it. They became comrades as love di- rected them. While this was going on, and the entertainment pleased them well, they saw a beautiful maid seeking to meet with them. This comely personage rode a little mule,147 white as ermine. Then the hero to whom love had come thought he recognized her, for he had seen her before in the water-fay's abode. In fact, it was one of the ladies from Maiden Land. He called her by name and bade her welcome in his own and his lady's name ; for which the faithful messenger thanked him. " 'If I had willed it myself, I could not have found you better, she said, sitting down with them. With that she bade the alien knight rejoice and be merry, and proffered him service and all good things from the gracious queen who had reared him and taught him virtue, taken pains with him and given him his first sword. ☞ Thanks be to you and to God," said the messenger, “that you have accomplished for my lady what she desired of you, and that you have succeeded so well since. Hitherto your name has been concealed from you. Learn it now through my commission. You are called Lanzelet (Lancelot),14s fortunate and great from birth. I know not your peer. Your father was named Pant ; Genewis was his land, your rightful heritage, useless to those who have taken possession of it. The man will never be found who shall at any time conquer you. That is true, for I swear it to you by my lady's truth. It has all been foretold to her what wonders shall befall you. Your mother Clarine the queen has deserved by her virtue in all things that you should be rightfully happy in age and in youth. There lived never better lady. The world was somewhat hostile to your father, for he was contentious ; he was, as I can inform you, slain by his own men. My lady carried you away and tenderly reared you. That I have not lied to you, this box which I bring
[89 How can it be kept secret where the stranger knight went, and the maid whom he won at the linden ? They rode for a time, a good French mile,146 till they came to an open field ; and there they both dismounted under a green linden, for they could not rest till they sat on the grass. All they had been longing for now began, yet we cannot tell or describe it. They became comrades as love di- rected them. While this was going on, and the entertainment pleased them well, they saw a beautiful maid seeking to meet with them. This comely personage rode a little mule,147 white as ermine. Then the hero to whom love had come thought he recognized her, for he had seen her before in the water-fay's abode. In fact, it was one of the ladies from Maiden Land. He called her by name and bade her welcome in his own and his lady's name ; for which the faithful messenger thanked him. " 'If I had willed it myself, I could not have found you better, she said, sitting down with them. With that she bade the alien knight rejoice and be merry, and proffered him service and all good things from the gracious queen who had reared him and taught him virtue, taken pains with him and given him his first sword. ☞ Thanks be to you and to God," said the messenger, “that you have accomplished for my lady what she desired of you, and that you have succeeded so well since. Hitherto your name has been concealed from you. Learn it now through my commission. You are called Lanzelet (Lancelot),14s fortunate and great from birth. I know not your peer. Your father was named Pant ; Genewis was his land, your rightful heritage, useless to those who have taken possession of it. The man will never be found who shall at any time conquer you. That is true, for I swear it to you by my lady's truth. It has all been foretold to her what wonders shall befall you. Your mother Clarine the queen has deserved by her virtue in all things that you should be rightfully happy in age and in youth. There lived never better lady. The world was somewhat hostile to your father, for he was contentious ; he was, as I can inform you, slain by his own men. My lady carried you away and tenderly reared you. That I have not lied to you, this box which I bring
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[ here shall be the proof. A fine tent lies therein.149 From this gift your title to good fortune is plain." 90 LINES 4738-4805 He expressed his thanks to the queen and rejoiced in the news. His wife, Yblis the good, also heard it gladly and was well pleased that things had happened so fortunately for her. Thereupon they made haste to examine the tent, as the messenger invited them. It was a remarkable place where they had been sitting—we must not forget that. The mead was full of blooms, red, white, blue, brown, green, and yellow, black, sea-green, cloud-bright, clear yellow, grape-blue, steel-pale, iron-grey, purple-brown, silk- yellow ; and the birds with their sweet choir flew over the beauteous field. There in the middle the gracious Lanzelet pitched his tent. The work was so extraordinary that Solomon and Darius, and the rich king Augustus whom all the world served, would never have been able to pay the price of such a tent, as I shall make clear to you. Whoever was so fortunate as to make a journey in it was evermore in sound health ; 150 and there appeared to him at the same time the friend who was most loyal to him.151 The upper part was a looking glass, equally clear without and within. It never got a crack, no, not so much as a hairbreadth, either by missile or by blow. And thus the top was fashioned : it was surmounted by an admirable golden knob, on which was wrought a magnificent eagle of gold.152 Whatever was characteristic of masterpieces was not forgotten in that eagle, except that it did not fly. It stood as if it lived ; it floated like a bird. Nor was its ornamentation simple. Two fine carbuncles were wrought for its eyes, whereby one saw through the night as if it were sunshine.153 Moreover, its mouth was so devised that it gaped wide when one pulled a chain. Inside it was all hollow, and it sang remarkably well, a wonderful melody.154 Its tongue was an abeston,155 an extremely hot stone that burns eternally after it is once set afire. It also shines abroad and retains its brilliance better than a great candle. Such was the top of the pavilion.
[ here shall be the proof. A fine tent lies therein.149 From this gift your title to good fortune is plain." 90 LINES 4738-4805 He expressed his thanks to the queen and rejoiced in the news. His wife, Yblis the good, also heard it gladly and was well pleased that things had happened so fortunately for her. Thereupon they made haste to examine the tent, as the messenger invited them. It was a remarkable place where they had been sitting—we must not forget that. The mead was full of blooms, red, white, blue, brown, green, and yellow, black, sea-green, cloud-bright, clear yellow, grape-blue, steel-pale, iron-grey, purple-brown, silk- yellow ; and the birds with their sweet choir flew over the beauteous field. There in the middle the gracious Lanzelet pitched his tent. The work was so extraordinary that Solomon and Darius, and the rich king Augustus whom all the world served, would never have been able to pay the price of such a tent, as I shall make clear to you. Whoever was so fortunate as to make a journey in it was evermore in sound health ; 150 and there appeared to him at the same time the friend who was most loyal to him.151 The upper part was a looking glass, equally clear without and within. It never got a crack, no, not so much as a hairbreadth, either by missile or by blow. And thus the top was fashioned : it was surmounted by an admirable golden knob, on which was wrought a magnificent eagle of gold.152 Whatever was characteristic of masterpieces was not forgotten in that eagle, except that it did not fly. It stood as if it lived ; it floated like a bird. Nor was its ornamentation simple. Two fine carbuncles were wrought for its eyes, whereby one saw through the night as if it were sunshine.153 Moreover, its mouth was so devised that it gaped wide when one pulled a chain. Inside it was all hollow, and it sang remarkably well, a wonderful melody.154 Its tongue was an abeston,155 an extremely hot stone that burns eternally after it is once set afire. It also shines abroad and retains its brilliance better than a great candle. Such was the top of the pavilion.
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[ 91 LINES 4806-95 Below this it was extremely good, adorned with pearls. It had four walls, and was high and wide. One side was of samite, green as grass, with many a picture most cunningly wrought thereon, and better made than is ever any costly cloth in Greece. The second side was a rich triblat,156 shimmering, as we are told, whereon were red pictures in the semblance of birds and beasts masterly well wrought. The tent stood firm before every sort of weather. The seam with which the samite and the triblat were sewed together was of gold. I assure you that the third side was of red barracan,157 which shone far and wide over the green clover. He who was destined to enter could never feel sorrow, but enjoyed a plenitude of bliss. Indeed one must admit that it was an earthly paradise. The fourth side was of white fish-hair,158 wrought with great care by the hands of savage women. Never was any cloth so woven, much finer than ferran,159 with the nap not too long. The entrance was lovely—a child would not believe his father if he told him about it. The door was a golden grating whereon were letters, nothing of which I can make out except that one of them said, "Quid non audet amor?" 160 which means, "What dares love not undertake ?" The second motto was, unless I am mistaken, "Love is an enduring madness." 161 The following inscription has been added since I began telling this story : "Love has driven out measure ; they cannot exist together." 162 Into this tent no one could enter who brought shame to good people. I have failed to mention the tent pole—so rude persons will think who do not believe my story. Nevertheless I tell you that it was far greener than grass, bright, straight, like an emerald.183 Its circumference might be as little as two spans ; its length was two spearshafts, but it grew longer as one wished it. The tent pegs which belonged to it were of gold, the ropes braided of fine corded silk. You must not fail to mark my words here : wherever one edge overlapped another, and they were gathered together, a band was placed over their joining ; that has impressed itself on my memory. I will tell you what was on it. There were wrought in gold, by
[ 91 LINES 4806-95 Below this it was extremely good, adorned with pearls. It had four walls, and was high and wide. One side was of samite, green as grass, with many a picture most cunningly wrought thereon, and better made than is ever any costly cloth in Greece. The second side was a rich triblat,156 shimmering, as we are told, whereon were red pictures in the semblance of birds and beasts masterly well wrought. The tent stood firm before every sort of weather. The seam with which the samite and the triblat were sewed together was of gold. I assure you that the third side was of red barracan,157 which shone far and wide over the green clover. He who was destined to enter could never feel sorrow, but enjoyed a plenitude of bliss. Indeed one must admit that it was an earthly paradise. The fourth side was of white fish-hair,158 wrought with great care by the hands of savage women. Never was any cloth so woven, much finer than ferran,159 with the nap not too long. The entrance was lovely—a child would not believe his father if he told him about it. The door was a golden grating whereon were letters, nothing of which I can make out except that one of them said, "Quid non audet amor?" 160 which means, "What dares love not undertake ?" The second motto was, unless I am mistaken, "Love is an enduring madness." 161 The following inscription has been added since I began telling this story : "Love has driven out measure ; they cannot exist together." 162 Into this tent no one could enter who brought shame to good people. I have failed to mention the tent pole—so rude persons will think who do not believe my story. Nevertheless I tell you that it was far greener than grass, bright, straight, like an emerald.183 Its circumference might be as little as two spans ; its length was two spearshafts, but it grew longer as one wished it. The tent pegs which belonged to it were of gold, the ropes braided of fine corded silk. You must not fail to mark my words here : wherever one edge overlapped another, and they were gathered together, a band was placed over their joining ; that has impressed itself on my memory. I will tell you what was on it. There were wrought in gold, by
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[ 92 the skill of a wise master, rare wonders, fishes, sea-monsters, ani- mals, birds, and men. Upon it was all this, devised with strange cunning, carved and embossed. When the wind came blowing in, everything together began to move as if it were about to depart.164 Each sang after its fashion and helped the eagle that screamed above. LINES 4896-4965 I say no more of the tent, except for one peculiarity which it had. When it was folded up, it became so small that a damsel could easily carry it in her hands. She could never find fault with the marvelous music of the tent.165 This is no fiction ; it is true, and no lie. When the tent was taken down it became as light as nothing at all ; but when it was set up it was just as high and large as its owner might wish. At once Lanzelet and Yblis visited it. They went inside and looked in the mirror, you may be sure ; then they were obliged to admit that there was no disloyalty between them ; for he could see nothing but his lady's likeness; and I know that it happened just the same to Yblis the gentle, so that she saw not herself, but only her companion. In sooth, let me tell you that, had he been over a thousand miles away, she would still have seen nothing but his image. Wise persons must agree that when Lanzelet had seen the tent, he recollected himself. The well-bred warrior bade the mer- maid messenger return to Maiden Land, and also consider what she should like, for he would perform it even if it cost him his life. Lady Yblis likewise assured her that she wished to be in her good graces. A beautiful finger ring of gold is what Sir Lanzelet gave the maid who did him this service,166 and who told him his name in the presence of his ladylove. The reward must have pleased her well. She declared that Lanzelet was now proved a relation of the most generous man whom the world ever saw : King Arthur of Kardigan was beyond doubt his uncle. So the story tells us. I am sorry that I forgot to say the ring had such a virtue that no one could deny him who wore it on his hand any fitting request. The maid thanked him duly and returned whence she was come.
[ 92 the skill of a wise master, rare wonders, fishes, sea-monsters, ani- mals, birds, and men. Upon it was all this, devised with strange cunning, carved and embossed. When the wind came blowing in, everything together began to move as if it were about to depart.164 Each sang after its fashion and helped the eagle that screamed above. LINES 4896-4965 I say no more of the tent, except for one peculiarity which it had. When it was folded up, it became so small that a damsel could easily carry it in her hands. She could never find fault with the marvelous music of the tent.165 This is no fiction ; it is true, and no lie. When the tent was taken down it became as light as nothing at all ; but when it was set up it was just as high and large as its owner might wish. At once Lanzelet and Yblis visited it. They went inside and looked in the mirror, you may be sure ; then they were obliged to admit that there was no disloyalty between them ; for he could see nothing but his lady's likeness; and I know that it happened just the same to Yblis the gentle, so that she saw not herself, but only her companion. In sooth, let me tell you that, had he been over a thousand miles away, she would still have seen nothing but his image. Wise persons must agree that when Lanzelet had seen the tent, he recollected himself. The well-bred warrior bade the mer- maid messenger return to Maiden Land, and also consider what she should like, for he would perform it even if it cost him his life. Lady Yblis likewise assured her that she wished to be in her good graces. A beautiful finger ring of gold is what Sir Lanzelet gave the maid who did him this service,166 and who told him his name in the presence of his ladylove. The reward must have pleased her well. She declared that Lanzelet was now proved a relation of the most generous man whom the world ever saw : King Arthur of Kardigan was beyond doubt his uncle. So the story tells us. I am sorry that I forgot to say the ring had such a virtue that no one could deny him who wore it on his hand any fitting request. The maid thanked him duly and returned whence she was come.
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[ 93 ] Thus Lanzelet discovered that he was Arthur's sister's child. And now he thought that he would go where he should find Wal- wein,167 for he was fonder of him than of any of his own kin. So he rode on asking where he might soonest expect to see him. LINES 4966-5033 Now it so happened that as he was riding quickly forward with his fair ladylove, there met him a valet. Sir Lanzelet greeted him and asked him for the news. The squire replied that he was recently come from Karidol, where he had learned a strange thing : “ From this all wise people fear much evil. The queen lives in great sorrow. Lanzelet spoke : “Say now what this means or what it can be. I am all attention. " Then listen to me and I will tell you about it," he continued. King Valerin 168 of the Tangled Wood,169 who is a thoroughly troublesome man, came riding to Kardigan, and begged the king to grant him protection so that he might safely say what he wished. Then the king assured him of immunity, whatever he should speak, and promised him not to become angry. Valerin asserted that be- yond a doubt he more properly than Arthur should have Ginover, for she was betrothed to him before she was of marriageable age. Arthur and all his company replied that they had no knowl- edge of what he had announced. Then spoke King Valerin : " Truly, my lord, she is mine. I will maintain my right by battle like a good warrior, and whoever will be my adversary, let him waste but little time in talk. If he is my peer, were he as big as a giant, I dare withstand him. Yet I will make one stipulation—that not more than one person fight with me, as is right. By my troth, I promise that if I lose the victory, I will let my lady go free. But if I am so fortunate that success falls to me, then do you all let me ride away, and give me the queen.' 170 King Arthur said : So be it'; and a day has been set for this affair. He who is the queen's champion must ever rejoice; and if he has good luck he will be greatly praised. Valerin has under- taken to fight a week from tomorrow. " Could I ever get there in time?" said Lanzelet the steadfast. "
[ 93 ] Thus Lanzelet discovered that he was Arthur's sister's child. And now he thought that he would go where he should find Wal- wein,167 for he was fonder of him than of any of his own kin. So he rode on asking where he might soonest expect to see him. LINES 4966-5033 Now it so happened that as he was riding quickly forward with his fair ladylove, there met him a valet. Sir Lanzelet greeted him and asked him for the news. The squire replied that he was recently come from Karidol, where he had learned a strange thing : “ From this all wise people fear much evil. The queen lives in great sorrow. Lanzelet spoke : “Say now what this means or what it can be. I am all attention. " Then listen to me and I will tell you about it," he continued. King Valerin 168 of the Tangled Wood,169 who is a thoroughly troublesome man, came riding to Kardigan, and begged the king to grant him protection so that he might safely say what he wished. Then the king assured him of immunity, whatever he should speak, and promised him not to become angry. Valerin asserted that be- yond a doubt he more properly than Arthur should have Ginover, for she was betrothed to him before she was of marriageable age. Arthur and all his company replied that they had no knowl- edge of what he had announced. Then spoke King Valerin : " Truly, my lord, she is mine. I will maintain my right by battle like a good warrior, and whoever will be my adversary, let him waste but little time in talk. If he is my peer, were he as big as a giant, I dare withstand him. Yet I will make one stipulation—that not more than one person fight with me, as is right. By my troth, I promise that if I lose the victory, I will let my lady go free. But if I am so fortunate that success falls to me, then do you all let me ride away, and give me the queen.' 170 King Arthur said : So be it'; and a day has been set for this affair. He who is the queen's champion must ever rejoice; and if he has good luck he will be greatly praised. Valerin has under- taken to fight a week from tomorrow. " Could I ever get there in time?" said Lanzelet the steadfast. "
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L The squire's opinion was that he had time enough for the journey if he travelled both night and day. It is a strange matter who Valerin was, and the warrior Lanze- let asked about him. 94 LINES 5034-5113 The squire replied, “I will warrant that he is a valiant king, and he has a castle so fine that there is nothing to compare with it. It fears the guile of the whole world not so much as a hair. I will tell you truly that before the castle lies a thicket through which no one can pass on account of its unclean beasts. Below on the crag there is always a mist.171 The thicket is strongly guarded by many serpents ; it is indeed a serpent-garden.172 Through it there goes a road ; and the serpents show such restraint that they never come on the road before Valerin the bold orders them to. More have I not heard, except that I must tell you that the upper part of the castle is very beautifully built. It is the crown of all fortresses and glitters like the sun.173 It possesses a good spring. The host is him- self a gallant man. The Tangled Wood is the name of the castle and the house.174 My lord King Arthur has in his kingdom no castle to compare with it. Whoever is to oppose Valerin may well be fearful and must surely suffer harm. And now you must let me depart," said the well trained squire, “for this is no falsehood. Then Lanzelet immediately bade the squire farewell and showed his generosity by giving him a finger ring. He rode night and day, taking but little rest, and his ladylove also. On the fifth day he came to the house of the duke of the White Lake, who had de- parted for the duel on the day before. Then the duchess prayed the tired companions to be so good as to tell her who they both were, for truly she had never seen such handsome persons. When Lanzelet related to her his own history, she recognized him at once ; and never did she experience a happier day. She said, "Lanzelet du Lac, your father was my nephew, and your dear mother is kin of my lord. It will give me great joy if you will allow your ladylove to stay with me till she is somewhat rested. I gather from your haste that you would very much like
L The squire's opinion was that he had time enough for the journey if he travelled both night and day. It is a strange matter who Valerin was, and the warrior Lanze- let asked about him. 94 LINES 5034-5113 The squire replied, “I will warrant that he is a valiant king, and he has a castle so fine that there is nothing to compare with it. It fears the guile of the whole world not so much as a hair. I will tell you truly that before the castle lies a thicket through which no one can pass on account of its unclean beasts. Below on the crag there is always a mist.171 The thicket is strongly guarded by many serpents ; it is indeed a serpent-garden.172 Through it there goes a road ; and the serpents show such restraint that they never come on the road before Valerin the bold orders them to. More have I not heard, except that I must tell you that the upper part of the castle is very beautifully built. It is the crown of all fortresses and glitters like the sun.173 It possesses a good spring. The host is him- self a gallant man. The Tangled Wood is the name of the castle and the house.174 My lord King Arthur has in his kingdom no castle to compare with it. Whoever is to oppose Valerin may well be fearful and must surely suffer harm. And now you must let me depart," said the well trained squire, “for this is no falsehood. Then Lanzelet immediately bade the squire farewell and showed his generosity by giving him a finger ring. He rode night and day, taking but little rest, and his ladylove also. On the fifth day he came to the house of the duke of the White Lake, who had de- parted for the duel on the day before. Then the duchess prayed the tired companions to be so good as to tell her who they both were, for truly she had never seen such handsome persons. When Lanzelet related to her his own history, she recognized him at once ; and never did she experience a happier day. She said, "Lanzelet du Lac, your father was my nephew, and your dear mother is kin of my lord. It will give me great joy if you will allow your ladylove to stay with me till she is somewhat rested. I gather from your haste that you would very much like
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[ 95 ] to see the fight which is to take place there ; yet you will scarcely arrive in time. I will lend you for your journey two fresh Arabian steeds, and a knight who will bring you quite early to the battle, before they actually come to blows. This aid I gladly give you in order that Lady Yblis may quietly await your return at my house. Immediately after the battle, come back here, I beg you. LINES 5114-76 So Lanzelet promised her that and said how glad he should be to do it. Then the steadfast one departed immediately on his road. Although I leave it unsaid, you must nevertheless realize that no woman was ever better—nor so well—cared for. Now while Lanzelet was on his way and hastened strenuously forward, he chanced to come to the Growing Lookout.175 Here let me tell you the peculiarity of this lookout. From it one saw over all Eng- land and yet further. The hill was scarcely sufficient for two fighting men, yet on occasion it grew so large that a hundred knights tourneyed on it. Whatever incentives to manly valor any- body could think of, he would be well provided with there. To a river which flowed by came a great strong army ; and against it rode another. Yet not a single man was aware of more than one other even if he wished. Lanzelet said, “I should certainly like to investigate this story, to see if it is true or false, were it not that we have ridden so hard. Now he saw where a knight with blazoned shield tarried on the field by the ford.176 Observe what happened to him then. They both galloped into the stream, and shocked together so hard that Lanzelet threw the native far from his horse, and gave him such a bad wound that he began to bleed freely and floated down the stream. I know not myself where he fetched up. In this manner Lanzelet du Lac captured an extremely good horse—never did the brave warrior bestride a better—which he rode to Kardigan. Early, before sunrise, King Valerin was armed and in the ring. I could not easily describe to you how very knightly he sat, so that nothing was lacking. No foreign guest ever needed to possess a
[ 95 ] to see the fight which is to take place there ; yet you will scarcely arrive in time. I will lend you for your journey two fresh Arabian steeds, and a knight who will bring you quite early to the battle, before they actually come to blows. This aid I gladly give you in order that Lady Yblis may quietly await your return at my house. Immediately after the battle, come back here, I beg you. LINES 5114-76 So Lanzelet promised her that and said how glad he should be to do it. Then the steadfast one departed immediately on his road. Although I leave it unsaid, you must nevertheless realize that no woman was ever better—nor so well—cared for. Now while Lanzelet was on his way and hastened strenuously forward, he chanced to come to the Growing Lookout.175 Here let me tell you the peculiarity of this lookout. From it one saw over all Eng- land and yet further. The hill was scarcely sufficient for two fighting men, yet on occasion it grew so large that a hundred knights tourneyed on it. Whatever incentives to manly valor any- body could think of, he would be well provided with there. To a river which flowed by came a great strong army ; and against it rode another. Yet not a single man was aware of more than one other even if he wished. Lanzelet said, “I should certainly like to investigate this story, to see if it is true or false, were it not that we have ridden so hard. Now he saw where a knight with blazoned shield tarried on the field by the ford.176 Observe what happened to him then. They both galloped into the stream, and shocked together so hard that Lanzelet threw the native far from his horse, and gave him such a bad wound that he began to bleed freely and floated down the stream. I know not myself where he fetched up. In this manner Lanzelet du Lac captured an extremely good horse—never did the brave warrior bestride a better—which he rode to Kardigan. Early, before sunrise, King Valerin was armed and in the ring. I could not easily describe to you how very knightly he sat, so that nothing was lacking. No foreign guest ever needed to possess a
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96] better equipment for a great contest. By him stood his Castilian steed,177 caparisoned and ready for the battle. Hither were gathered both knights and ladies who wished to view the combat. LINES 5177-5267 Now Walwein the pure was sitting on the Stone of Honor, concerning which it is sufficient to say that it did not endure a man in whom was falseness or malice.178 Ginover sat by him, his lady the queen, who with her own hands had drawn on one of his mail hose, as many a good hero observed. Then Lanzelet came riding through the middle of the folk and dismounted at the Stone. With permission from the queen, who bade him welcome, he came to Walwein. They were all pleased to see how well the Stone suffered him, and so he was very much noticed by low and high on account of his fine breeding, and especially of his beauty. Then Walwein was glad indeed to find his friend still alive. They recognized each other at once. Sir Lanzelet reminded him that when they parted, Walwein had faithfully promised to grant whatever Lanzelet should ask of him ; and Walwein took no offense at this. Then Lanzelet, full of courtesy, implored and begged that Walwein would let him take his place in the com- bat. 179 " No, no, my dear friend," said Walwein to his comrade, " cannot honorably permit that ; I should be blamed for it. Hereupon Lanzelet stated his case in its entirety. About him was a great ring of people; and those who had seen him tilting before when he captured Walwein's father hastened to gather round him. Lanzelet's suit went well. Everyone at once recog- nized his noble lineage. When King Arthur found out that they two stood in such a relationship, he was heartily glad, as were others of his kin. Then there was a great show of friendship, and the court rejoiced extremely. Lanzelet argued it out till the king and all his company presently begged him to fight for the queen. The gentle Ginover entrusted herself to Lanzelet's loyalty to defend her from this great wrong. But what Lanzelet was asking permission to do, Walwein was himself desirous of doing ; and he tried to keep his relative, the king, from permitting doughty
96] better equipment for a great contest. By him stood his Castilian steed,177 caparisoned and ready for the battle. Hither were gathered both knights and ladies who wished to view the combat. LINES 5177-5267 Now Walwein the pure was sitting on the Stone of Honor, concerning which it is sufficient to say that it did not endure a man in whom was falseness or malice.178 Ginover sat by him, his lady the queen, who with her own hands had drawn on one of his mail hose, as many a good hero observed. Then Lanzelet came riding through the middle of the folk and dismounted at the Stone. With permission from the queen, who bade him welcome, he came to Walwein. They were all pleased to see how well the Stone suffered him, and so he was very much noticed by low and high on account of his fine breeding, and especially of his beauty. Then Walwein was glad indeed to find his friend still alive. They recognized each other at once. Sir Lanzelet reminded him that when they parted, Walwein had faithfully promised to grant whatever Lanzelet should ask of him ; and Walwein took no offense at this. Then Lanzelet, full of courtesy, implored and begged that Walwein would let him take his place in the com- bat. 179 " No, no, my dear friend," said Walwein to his comrade, " cannot honorably permit that ; I should be blamed for it. Hereupon Lanzelet stated his case in its entirety. About him was a great ring of people; and those who had seen him tilting before when he captured Walwein's father hastened to gather round him. Lanzelet's suit went well. Everyone at once recog- nized his noble lineage. When King Arthur found out that they two stood in such a relationship, he was heartily glad, as were others of his kin. Then there was a great show of friendship, and the court rejoiced extremely. Lanzelet argued it out till the king and all his company presently begged him to fight for the queen. The gentle Ginover entrusted herself to Lanzelet's loyalty to defend her from this great wrong. But what Lanzelet was asking permission to do, Walwein was himself desirous of doing ; and he tried to keep his relative, the king, from permitting doughty
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[ 97 ] Lanzelet to represent him, because he was well aware of his prowess in tourney and in knightly deeds. I will tell you how Valerin spoke when he saw the rejoicing ; he said that so far as he was concerned, one was as good as the other, and that he was delighted that they were of royal kin. This news pleased everybody. Then was Lanzelet ready, like a good knight. " Now may God show the right," spoke the gentle queen. Great was the lamentation, for at this trial there sat about the ring a thous and ladies and more. Apprehension and the bitterness of gloomy anger made them sad. With weeping voice they all wished well to the queen, who was too honorable ever to gain any unfair advantage. Any reasonable heart that considered the matter ought to take her side gladly. LINES 5268-5360 Now King Valerin and Lanzelet advanced upon each other, two mighty men. They were decked out in such wise that no Christian man or Saracen ever beheld their like. They both hastened to the fray, intent on knightly deeds. On all sides about them they beheld beauteous ladies, and on this account, I warrant, they were all the bolder. 180 Now they began their deadly play, for they did not wish to postpone it. They called for space, and alike covered themselves with their shields in knightly wise. The two highborn warriors struck spurs into their horses and made for each other straight- way. Then each had to receive an unfriendly pledge. They pierced the shields at the four nails opposite the hand, so that the tough shafts of the generous fighters were shattered and the splinters flew up in clouds of dust; but neither of them fell. Then they took two other spears and continued jousting. Vio- lently the steeds were driven together and pricked with the spurs, so that they crashed into each other. But the heroes did not pause; they broke their shafts and then fiercely drew their swords from the sheaths. Now hear about them both. The story tells us there fought never two knights better, mounted or afoot. They exerted themselves tremendously with their mighty hands. Both of them hewed the mail to pieces with their swords, for both alike longed
[ 97 ] Lanzelet to represent him, because he was well aware of his prowess in tourney and in knightly deeds. I will tell you how Valerin spoke when he saw the rejoicing ; he said that so far as he was concerned, one was as good as the other, and that he was delighted that they were of royal kin. This news pleased everybody. Then was Lanzelet ready, like a good knight. " Now may God show the right," spoke the gentle queen. Great was the lamentation, for at this trial there sat about the ring a thous and ladies and more. Apprehension and the bitterness of gloomy anger made them sad. With weeping voice they all wished well to the queen, who was too honorable ever to gain any unfair advantage. Any reasonable heart that considered the matter ought to take her side gladly. LINES 5268-5360 Now King Valerin and Lanzelet advanced upon each other, two mighty men. They were decked out in such wise that no Christian man or Saracen ever beheld their like. They both hastened to the fray, intent on knightly deeds. On all sides about them they beheld beauteous ladies, and on this account, I warrant, they were all the bolder. 180 Now they began their deadly play, for they did not wish to postpone it. They called for space, and alike covered themselves with their shields in knightly wise. The two highborn warriors struck spurs into their horses and made for each other straight- way. Then each had to receive an unfriendly pledge. They pierced the shields at the four nails opposite the hand, so that the tough shafts of the generous fighters were shattered and the splinters flew up in clouds of dust; but neither of them fell. Then they took two other spears and continued jousting. Vio- lently the steeds were driven together and pricked with the spurs, so that they crashed into each other. But the heroes did not pause; they broke their shafts and then fiercely drew their swords from the sheaths. Now hear about them both. The story tells us there fought never two knights better, mounted or afoot. They exerted themselves tremendously with their mighty hands. Both of them hewed the mail to pieces with their swords, for both alike longed
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[ 98 for victory and honor. They smote so hard on the helms and on the shields that wild streamers of fire flew out of them, and the steel helms of both bent from the strokes. Nor did Lanzelet for- get his accustomed blows: he drove King Valerin about in every direction and wounded him so sorely that he had to suc- cumb before him. He was so drained of blood that he was in anguish. Then Lanzelet the brave compelled him to give a pledge that he was his captive. Valerin agreed to that, surrendered to the youth who had conquered him, and swore faithfully that he never more would cause the queen sorrow. Lanzelet the steadfast was not unwilling that the hero should live, for he was not bloodthirsty and did not wish to kill him. All those present who wished to be honorable thought it was enough. King Arthur also allowed him to live because of his steadfast valor, however much he had angered him : thereby he honored Lanzelet, who had won the victory for him. Truly, he had renown from this. But later it repented him sorely, for Valerin afterward played King Arthur a shabby trick, wherein he broke his troth and lost the good reputation that he had formerly gained ; for whoever has broken his troth has lost his best possession. Good persons should understand that. LINES 5361-5428 When this adventure had happened to King Arthur and he had vindicated his honor, he had great joy, and so had Ginover the queen and all his court. They were all very grateful to Lanzelet for the honor, and freed Valerin at once. Thereupon three hun- dred fine knights and my lord Walwein were sent to fetch Lady Yblis, and with her the duchess of the White Lake. You never heard of so kind a reception ; it were too long to relate how Yblis was received ; it would weary you. My lord King Arthur met them with splendor of every sort, with well capari- soned steeds and with rich banners, for he had never received in his house any dearer guest. Ginover threw off the load of anxiety that she had borne in sorrow. She treated her with great honor, and they were both alike happy and full of sweet delight, Yblis and
[ 98 for victory and honor. They smote so hard on the helms and on the shields that wild streamers of fire flew out of them, and the steel helms of both bent from the strokes. Nor did Lanzelet for- get his accustomed blows: he drove King Valerin about in every direction and wounded him so sorely that he had to suc- cumb before him. He was so drained of blood that he was in anguish. Then Lanzelet the brave compelled him to give a pledge that he was his captive. Valerin agreed to that, surrendered to the youth who had conquered him, and swore faithfully that he never more would cause the queen sorrow. Lanzelet the steadfast was not unwilling that the hero should live, for he was not bloodthirsty and did not wish to kill him. All those present who wished to be honorable thought it was enough. King Arthur also allowed him to live because of his steadfast valor, however much he had angered him : thereby he honored Lanzelet, who had won the victory for him. Truly, he had renown from this. But later it repented him sorely, for Valerin afterward played King Arthur a shabby trick, wherein he broke his troth and lost the good reputation that he had formerly gained ; for whoever has broken his troth has lost his best possession. Good persons should understand that. LINES 5361-5428 When this adventure had happened to King Arthur and he had vindicated his honor, he had great joy, and so had Ginover the queen and all his court. They were all very grateful to Lanzelet for the honor, and freed Valerin at once. Thereupon three hun- dred fine knights and my lord Walwein were sent to fetch Lady Yblis, and with her the duchess of the White Lake. You never heard of so kind a reception ; it were too long to relate how Yblis was received ; it would weary you. My lord King Arthur met them with splendor of every sort, with well capari- soned steeds and with rich banners, for he had never received in his house any dearer guest. Ginover threw off the load of anxiety that she had borne in sorrow. She treated her with great honor, and they were both alike happy and full of sweet delight, Yblis and
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[ 99 the queen. If two ladies so perfect were ever intimate, then these clearly were. I never heard of such great rejoicing. King Arthur permitted neither friend nor foe to leave his court for four weeks. For this he was praised, and his honor enhanced. All this was on Lanzelet's account. Everybody who desired honor favored him, for he bore himself well among them, no one at the court better. Through his nephew's goodness King Arthur then forgot every- thing disagreeable that had happened to him since he was a child. Lanzelet was received as a dear companion; and so it came about that such a worthy man through his merits won a seat at the Table Round. A short time afterwards Lanzelet commended his ladylove to his lady the queen and imparted the information to his kinsman Walwein that he wished to go to Pluris. He asked him to look after his affairs, and cunningly arranged that few persons knew about it. LINES 5429-5527 Now Lanzelet was ready. Concerning Pluris he had been in- formed that it was a strong and beautiful castle, so built that it lacked nothing. Below it lay a good market place, and thereby a heath abloom with all the flowers in the world. The mead was adorned with a splendid tent, a lordly pavilion very well arranged, with a hundred shields and no more ; they hung all in a row and glowed on the green grass with strange many-colored coats of arms. There was a queen up in the castle who with strange in- genuity had instituted this custom to contribute to her entertain- ment, and it was called the adventure of the fair queen. It was her purpose never to take a husband unless one braver than other men should come and win his reputation at the expense of the hundred good knights whose shields I have just mentioned, by striking them all down in one day, and thus should break the adventure of Pluris. To him to whom this honor fell the noble queen would give her person, land, and honor, and would withhold nothing from him. The knight whose shield was touched must 181 the others had to restrain themselves till take the first joust;
[ 99 the queen. If two ladies so perfect were ever intimate, then these clearly were. I never heard of such great rejoicing. King Arthur permitted neither friend nor foe to leave his court for four weeks. For this he was praised, and his honor enhanced. All this was on Lanzelet's account. Everybody who desired honor favored him, for he bore himself well among them, no one at the court better. Through his nephew's goodness King Arthur then forgot every- thing disagreeable that had happened to him since he was a child. Lanzelet was received as a dear companion; and so it came about that such a worthy man through his merits won a seat at the Table Round. A short time afterwards Lanzelet commended his ladylove to his lady the queen and imparted the information to his kinsman Walwein that he wished to go to Pluris. He asked him to look after his affairs, and cunningly arranged that few persons knew about it. LINES 5429-5527 Now Lanzelet was ready. Concerning Pluris he had been in- formed that it was a strong and beautiful castle, so built that it lacked nothing. Below it lay a good market place, and thereby a heath abloom with all the flowers in the world. The mead was adorned with a splendid tent, a lordly pavilion very well arranged, with a hundred shields and no more ; they hung all in a row and glowed on the green grass with strange many-colored coats of arms. There was a queen up in the castle who with strange in- genuity had instituted this custom to contribute to her entertain- ment, and it was called the adventure of the fair queen. It was her purpose never to take a husband unless one braver than other men should come and win his reputation at the expense of the hundred good knights whose shields I have just mentioned, by striking them all down in one day, and thus should break the adventure of Pluris. To him to whom this honor fell the noble queen would give her person, land, and honor, and would withhold nothing from him. The knight whose shield was touched must 181 the others had to restrain themselves till take the first joust;
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[100 they saw how it went with him. The shield-touching was performed by the dwarf whom Lanzelet had spared when he struck him, at the time that he first rode forth. Now let me tell you truly that Lanzelet waited no longer, but set out and arrived at Pluris.182 There he soon learned how the adventure was arranged. He dismounted on the green grass and lost no time in examining the tent and the knights who sat there. They at once invited their lady the queen to ride down to see, saying that there was a handsome knight desirous of undertaking the adventure and of winning her. They prayed her to come with her train. The queen said, “So it shall be." How well she considered [line lost] that ever came with a lady. When Lanzelet perceived that, he showed his manhood by touching one of the shields that hung on the pavilion. The dwarf then departed and informed whoever owned the shield that it was his turn to ride. I cannot tell you who the hundred knights were : that would bore you and be rather annoying. I should like to say what they were called, but nobody has given me their names. In all this land was no one better than they. Nevertheless, they had bad luck, the lot of them, but that is nothing against them. Lanzelet knocked them down from their horses on to the grass, as many as there were of them, so that not a single one kept his seat. The queen marked that and declared that Lanzelet the warrior in his manly excellence was perfection itself, since he broke her adventure in such knightly fashion. She prayed him to accompany her of his own free will to the castle, which was delightfully adorned throughout and rich in all the possessions wherewith the wise provide themselves. LINES 5528—5624 And so Lanzelet, lucky with women, had to take another bride ! I do not know whether he did it unwillingly, for the queen was a lovely maiden and would have pleased a man though he were half dead. We are told that the wedding was gay ; many a lady and hero bold was there in crowds beyond measure, and the festivities lasted till the twentieth day—to this conclusion the whipstroke
[100 they saw how it went with him. The shield-touching was performed by the dwarf whom Lanzelet had spared when he struck him, at the time that he first rode forth. Now let me tell you truly that Lanzelet waited no longer, but set out and arrived at Pluris.182 There he soon learned how the adventure was arranged. He dismounted on the green grass and lost no time in examining the tent and the knights who sat there. They at once invited their lady the queen to ride down to see, saying that there was a handsome knight desirous of undertaking the adventure and of winning her. They prayed her to come with her train. The queen said, “So it shall be." How well she considered [line lost] that ever came with a lady. When Lanzelet perceived that, he showed his manhood by touching one of the shields that hung on the pavilion. The dwarf then departed and informed whoever owned the shield that it was his turn to ride. I cannot tell you who the hundred knights were : that would bore you and be rather annoying. I should like to say what they were called, but nobody has given me their names. In all this land was no one better than they. Nevertheless, they had bad luck, the lot of them, but that is nothing against them. Lanzelet knocked them down from their horses on to the grass, as many as there were of them, so that not a single one kept his seat. The queen marked that and declared that Lanzelet the warrior in his manly excellence was perfection itself, since he broke her adventure in such knightly fashion. She prayed him to accompany her of his own free will to the castle, which was delightfully adorned throughout and rich in all the possessions wherewith the wise provide themselves. LINES 5528—5624 And so Lanzelet, lucky with women, had to take another bride ! I do not know whether he did it unwillingly, for the queen was a lovely maiden and would have pleased a man though he were half dead. We are told that the wedding was gay ; many a lady and hero bold was there in crowds beyond measure, and the festivities lasted till the twentieth day—to this conclusion the whipstroke
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[10I led with which Lanzelet had been struck. No person can tell you how small a thing may help a man and what it may bring him of good or evil. When Lanzelet du Lac lay by the queen, she began to love him. But fearing in her imagination that, if he should run away from her, she could never get another man so handsome—a loss that would go to her heart—she provided forty knights who did noth- ing both early and late but keep Lanzelet under their secret sur- veillance. They were with him always so that he could not escape them. He had at all times to be wholly weaponless ; the wise queen did not permit him to carry so much as a knife. Thus he was obliged to stay with her for nearly a year, in ill humor from first to last. At length the valiant man began to make courteous petitions, desiring to deceive her who loved him immeasurably ; for he longed to be at home in his uncle's house. And what was the great King Arthur doing these days ? At this time when nobody, whether vassal or kinsman, could tell him where in the world Lanzelet du Lac was, the noble one, so the story tells us, invited all who could receive tidings of his festivity to assemble there on the next Pentecost. For that God surely will ever reward him. He bade his messengers, a great host of pages, to travel to foreign lands across the sea. By them he sent many a letter. The whole land was in a whirl with their preparations. Old and young, they made marvelous clothes. It was proclaimed to them as a fact, and all heard it said, that King Arthur would open his treasuries and deal out his gold for the purpose that men should praise him the more. Moreover he offered great rewards, so that people should want to come, and everyone could take whatever he liked. When they accepted his invitation to the extent that he wished, King Arthur made his preparations. He procured nigh a thousand Castilian steeds ; and besides these he must have twelve hundred Arabs and more. Ginover the queen also made honorable preparations. Clasps, bracelets, finger rings, she pro- vided in immeasurable number. I will shorten my description for you, except that I must make this one thing plain : they both did this—Arthur and the queen—in order to be the more honored in all lands ; and also to discover whether anyone had news where
[10I led with which Lanzelet had been struck. No person can tell you how small a thing may help a man and what it may bring him of good or evil. When Lanzelet du Lac lay by the queen, she began to love him. But fearing in her imagination that, if he should run away from her, she could never get another man so handsome—a loss that would go to her heart—she provided forty knights who did noth- ing both early and late but keep Lanzelet under their secret sur- veillance. They were with him always so that he could not escape them. He had at all times to be wholly weaponless ; the wise queen did not permit him to carry so much as a knife. Thus he was obliged to stay with her for nearly a year, in ill humor from first to last. At length the valiant man began to make courteous petitions, desiring to deceive her who loved him immeasurably ; for he longed to be at home in his uncle's house. And what was the great King Arthur doing these days ? At this time when nobody, whether vassal or kinsman, could tell him where in the world Lanzelet du Lac was, the noble one, so the story tells us, invited all who could receive tidings of his festivity to assemble there on the next Pentecost. For that God surely will ever reward him. He bade his messengers, a great host of pages, to travel to foreign lands across the sea. By them he sent many a letter. The whole land was in a whirl with their preparations. Old and young, they made marvelous clothes. It was proclaimed to them as a fact, and all heard it said, that King Arthur would open his treasuries and deal out his gold for the purpose that men should praise him the more. Moreover he offered great rewards, so that people should want to come, and everyone could take whatever he liked. When they accepted his invitation to the extent that he wished, King Arthur made his preparations. He procured nigh a thousand Castilian steeds ; and besides these he must have twelve hundred Arabs and more. Ginover the queen also made honorable preparations. Clasps, bracelets, finger rings, she pro- vided in immeasurable number. I will shorten my description for you, except that I must make this one thing plain : they both did this—Arthur and the queen—in order to be the more honored in all lands ; and also to discover whether anyone had news where
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[102 Lanzelet was,183 whom they thought they had lost. It was all done for no other reason. LINES 5625-5702 Lady Yblis the good lived in sadness and in longing that wrung her heart. She was well nigh dead from grief and from woeful pain. No one had ever seen her happy since Lanzelet du Lac had ceased to cherish her as he ought. Her lamentation was endless all the while she thus lived blamelessly there at the court. In her affliction her moods kept changing as lovers' moods do ; she knew not what was good, what was ill. Yet they say that those who are in that state do not usually follow advice. Now mark how Lanzelet remained in durance in his kingdom. He lived strangely, sometimes sad, sometimes glad; yet he was determined, however pleasantly he might spend the time, that he would not stay there unless he could see his ladylove, if he could do so honorably. Finally he thought of a stratagem, which he put into practice. He begged the queen for love of him to revive the adventure as she had established it before. He was confident that whoever came to undertake it could not but win honor thus. Anything he might want had to be done, for the queen of Pluris strove to win his favor, however little he repaid her for it. She did not know his desire, nor that he made this request for the pur- pose of escaping, if he should ever have the opportunity. On this plan he risked his life. He had done much to achieve fame. Yet despite all the great things he had accomplished, Lady Yblis was never absent from his mind a moment. He knew nothing so dear, that you may believe. Now let us leave him here, and learn how things are going at the city of Kardigan. There came a beautiful day, on which the eve of Pentecost fell. Far and wide people might be seen flocking thither, truly a numberless throng, on the hill and in the valley all round the city of Kardigan. There one could have seen many a fine pavilion of precious silk, and many good shelters, for mighty kings and princes were there in the host, so that they made a great din. At night they were comfortably put up according to their inclinations. Whatever people should properly have at great festivals was
[102 Lanzelet was,183 whom they thought they had lost. It was all done for no other reason. LINES 5625-5702 Lady Yblis the good lived in sadness and in longing that wrung her heart. She was well nigh dead from grief and from woeful pain. No one had ever seen her happy since Lanzelet du Lac had ceased to cherish her as he ought. Her lamentation was endless all the while she thus lived blamelessly there at the court. In her affliction her moods kept changing as lovers' moods do ; she knew not what was good, what was ill. Yet they say that those who are in that state do not usually follow advice. Now mark how Lanzelet remained in durance in his kingdom. He lived strangely, sometimes sad, sometimes glad; yet he was determined, however pleasantly he might spend the time, that he would not stay there unless he could see his ladylove, if he could do so honorably. Finally he thought of a stratagem, which he put into practice. He begged the queen for love of him to revive the adventure as she had established it before. He was confident that whoever came to undertake it could not but win honor thus. Anything he might want had to be done, for the queen of Pluris strove to win his favor, however little he repaid her for it. She did not know his desire, nor that he made this request for the pur- pose of escaping, if he should ever have the opportunity. On this plan he risked his life. He had done much to achieve fame. Yet despite all the great things he had accomplished, Lady Yblis was never absent from his mind a moment. He knew nothing so dear, that you may believe. Now let us leave him here, and learn how things are going at the city of Kardigan. There came a beautiful day, on which the eve of Pentecost fell. Far and wide people might be seen flocking thither, truly a numberless throng, on the hill and in the valley all round the city of Kardigan. There one could have seen many a fine pavilion of precious silk, and many good shelters, for mighty kings and princes were there in the host, so that they made a great din. At night they were comfortably put up according to their inclinations. Whatever people should properly have at great festivals was
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103 there in plenty, you may be sure, and of becoming splendor ; noth- ing unseemly that would call for complaint was to be seen. LINES 5703-94 On the morrow when it dawned they saw the sun take pains to shine bright and clear; and they heard many a beautiful Mass. But as yet nobody had received any news important enough to be told to the king at once ; for it was his will to partake of no food until he had heard of something which deserved to be re- lated to his court and to all those who had come there to achieve honor. Since they were not eating, there were bohourts and dancing, and the radiance of many ladies, pleasant to behold. King Arthur threw open all his treasuries and presented magnificently what- ever was desired. No one needed to hurry or to crowd in front of another ; each received his own particular gift, and so there was no strife. Never before, I should judge, had so many garments, so many horses, and so much treasure been given away on one day. Ginover the queen showed her generosity. At the beginning she gave long robes trimmed with sable well-nigh down to the hand, with the best skins that could be found in any kingdom, with rich fur linings, and whatever a lady should give. In this manner she diligently maintained her great renown. When the time for the early meal began to draw nigh, the knights spied from afar the maiden riding who had told Lanzelet his lineage and his name. Then spoke the court all at once : 'This personage may well be a messenger ; that is apparent in her haste ; she brings new tidings. Walwein the honorable showed perfect breeding ; let him be praised for that. He led the maid through the crowd to the host's presence. Then she spoke before them with fitting words, so that the princes heard it : "O king, God save you and also the queen, and all to whom you wish well ; for you merit it both by your valor and by your rank. This is the wish of my lady, a wise mermaid. She is a queen, more noble than any now alive. It is a rich gift she is sending you ; no wise man who sees it can deny that. A finer present she never
103 there in plenty, you may be sure, and of becoming splendor ; noth- ing unseemly that would call for complaint was to be seen. LINES 5703-94 On the morrow when it dawned they saw the sun take pains to shine bright and clear; and they heard many a beautiful Mass. But as yet nobody had received any news important enough to be told to the king at once ; for it was his will to partake of no food until he had heard of something which deserved to be re- lated to his court and to all those who had come there to achieve honor. Since they were not eating, there were bohourts and dancing, and the radiance of many ladies, pleasant to behold. King Arthur threw open all his treasuries and presented magnificently what- ever was desired. No one needed to hurry or to crowd in front of another ; each received his own particular gift, and so there was no strife. Never before, I should judge, had so many garments, so many horses, and so much treasure been given away on one day. Ginover the queen showed her generosity. At the beginning she gave long robes trimmed with sable well-nigh down to the hand, with the best skins that could be found in any kingdom, with rich fur linings, and whatever a lady should give. In this manner she diligently maintained her great renown. When the time for the early meal began to draw nigh, the knights spied from afar the maiden riding who had told Lanzelet his lineage and his name. Then spoke the court all at once : 'This personage may well be a messenger ; that is apparent in her haste ; she brings new tidings. Walwein the honorable showed perfect breeding ; let him be praised for that. He led the maid through the crowd to the host's presence. Then she spoke before them with fitting words, so that the princes heard it : "O king, God save you and also the queen, and all to whom you wish well ; for you merit it both by your valor and by your rank. This is the wish of my lady, a wise mermaid. She is a queen, more noble than any now alive. It is a rich gift she is sending you ; no wise man who sees it can deny that. A finer present she never
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[104 made to any person. On one condition she does this: that you, great king, maintain your honor well by doing the thing that I ask you. Gladly will I grant it," spoke the host there, the mighty King Arthur, for he was certain that she would ask only the right thing. Whatever he promised he was sure to do. Now my lady Yblis lay ill and wretched from grief. She was not there at the moment when the maiden came riding. She could never have failed to recognize her, greet her, and call her by name, for they had met when Lanzelet gave the maid the ring that pleased her well, as I just now told you. LINES 5795—5881 You shall learn forthwith how the maid did her errand, since it pleases you to hear it. She was girt right well with a belt from Iberne.184 Her dress, I must inform you, was decorated and properly clasped in knightly wise about her waist, after the manner of French ladies,185 who are very handsome. That same wise, courteous girl carried on her girdle a little pouch 186 of suitable size that was very fine, wrought with foreign cunning. Out of it the maiden promptly took a mantle,187 wonderfully made, which suddenly grew larger before their very eyes. It became long and wide ; and I tell you truly that all the colors appeared in it which any man ever saw or heard of. On this strange garment was woven by very cunning hands every sort of beast, bird, and sea-monster. Whatever is found on the earth or under it or between earth and sky, whatever is named with a name, that stood thereupon as if it lived ; and now it moved here, now there. A magic charm brought that about by necromancy. As the court and King Arthur gazed at this, the maid spoke to him : "You must take the mantle, O king, and give it there where it is beseeming among all the ladies ; and I should very much like to see whom it goes to. And whomever it fits, to her you must straightway give it ; such is my lady's wish and mine, and besides, you have promised it. " And the promise shall not be broken," said Arthur ; "whatever I have pledged you must stand."
[104 made to any person. On one condition she does this: that you, great king, maintain your honor well by doing the thing that I ask you. Gladly will I grant it," spoke the host there, the mighty King Arthur, for he was certain that she would ask only the right thing. Whatever he promised he was sure to do. Now my lady Yblis lay ill and wretched from grief. She was not there at the moment when the maiden came riding. She could never have failed to recognize her, greet her, and call her by name, for they had met when Lanzelet gave the maid the ring that pleased her well, as I just now told you. LINES 5795—5881 You shall learn forthwith how the maid did her errand, since it pleases you to hear it. She was girt right well with a belt from Iberne.184 Her dress, I must inform you, was decorated and properly clasped in knightly wise about her waist, after the manner of French ladies,185 who are very handsome. That same wise, courteous girl carried on her girdle a little pouch 186 of suitable size that was very fine, wrought with foreign cunning. Out of it the maiden promptly took a mantle,187 wonderfully made, which suddenly grew larger before their very eyes. It became long and wide ; and I tell you truly that all the colors appeared in it which any man ever saw or heard of. On this strange garment was woven by very cunning hands every sort of beast, bird, and sea-monster. Whatever is found on the earth or under it or between earth and sky, whatever is named with a name, that stood thereupon as if it lived ; and now it moved here, now there. A magic charm brought that about by necromancy. As the court and King Arthur gazed at this, the maid spoke to him : "You must take the mantle, O king, and give it there where it is beseeming among all the ladies ; and I should very much like to see whom it goes to. And whomever it fits, to her you must straightway give it ; such is my lady's wish and mine, and besides, you have promised it. " And the promise shall not be broken," said Arthur ; "whatever I have pledged you must stand."
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105 Now from the troop of courtiers those ladies stepped forth who liked being always at the court. The king spoke to the queen : " No matter how it may turn out, try how the mantle fits you. Put it on quickly ; I am eager that you should have it, for no one is dearer to me. Without the slightest hesitation Ginover put on the mantle; and from it she incurred a measure of blame; for that same gar- ment shrunk up above her ankles so that it did not fit her. The messenger asked if she might say what that betokened. The host replied loud and clear, so that many a prince heard it, that he would never be angry with her on that account, and that her speech would not hurt her a hair. The maiden spoke : “It is true that Ginover is courtly and good. In her acts she has guarded herself, so that she has done naught but right. Yet on account of the fickleness which is woman's char- acteristic, she has erred in thought.188 A good husband should carefully look after his wife with all kindness. If the queen had been less carefully watched over, she would often have done the thing which for the sake of her honor she has avoided. Yet severe chaperonage and a suspicious mind will spoil even a steadfast woman. That is as sure as death. LINES 5882-5970 The queen bade remove the mantle, and Arthur spoke : "Now the ladies in my house must try it on, if that be God's will ; and let none of you hang back. You should the more willingly do it be- cause I have pledged my word that you should. Whoever refuses is not in her right mind and makes me a promise-breaker." Then they all reflected that they would rather suffer disgrace for their faults than never again win his love and favor. After the king had spoken, Prince Torfilaret,189 a sensible man, replied, “I beg my ladylove as earnestly as I can that she will now be the first. Whatever she has done up to now will in truth be pardoned if she will spare me any more of it hereafter." His speech angered the lady, and she flung on the mantle. Then it was so long for her that it dragged far behind—except one part, which hung in front of her ; and that was lifted so high that it reached
105 Now from the troop of courtiers those ladies stepped forth who liked being always at the court. The king spoke to the queen : " No matter how it may turn out, try how the mantle fits you. Put it on quickly ; I am eager that you should have it, for no one is dearer to me. Without the slightest hesitation Ginover put on the mantle; and from it she incurred a measure of blame; for that same gar- ment shrunk up above her ankles so that it did not fit her. The messenger asked if she might say what that betokened. The host replied loud and clear, so that many a prince heard it, that he would never be angry with her on that account, and that her speech would not hurt her a hair. The maiden spoke : “It is true that Ginover is courtly and good. In her acts she has guarded herself, so that she has done naught but right. Yet on account of the fickleness which is woman's char- acteristic, she has erred in thought.188 A good husband should carefully look after his wife with all kindness. If the queen had been less carefully watched over, she would often have done the thing which for the sake of her honor she has avoided. Yet severe chaperonage and a suspicious mind will spoil even a steadfast woman. That is as sure as death. LINES 5882-5970 The queen bade remove the mantle, and Arthur spoke : "Now the ladies in my house must try it on, if that be God's will ; and let none of you hang back. You should the more willingly do it be- cause I have pledged my word that you should. Whoever refuses is not in her right mind and makes me a promise-breaker." Then they all reflected that they would rather suffer disgrace for their faults than never again win his love and favor. After the king had spoken, Prince Torfilaret,189 a sensible man, replied, “I beg my ladylove as earnestly as I can that she will now be the first. Whatever she has done up to now will in truth be pardoned if she will spare me any more of it hereafter." His speech angered the lady, and she flung on the mantle. Then it was so long for her that it dragged far behind—except one part, which hung in front of her ; and that was lifted so high that it reached
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[ 106 down no further than a little beyond the knee. They were filled with amazement who saw the mantle so short. The maid spoke in all haste. "I will tell you plainly. The lady loves her husband too much ; and when he does not pay her the attentions to which he has accustomed her, then all her thoughts must turn yearningly to the love of strangers. I will not reproach her with anything that would cause her to be angry with me. But the mantle fits another better. When she ceased speaking, Walwein took the mantle and re- quested his ladylove to be so obliging as to try it on. Then it fitted her rather closely, as if it were a riding habit. The maiden spoke : “ I must tell you that if the mantle should fit no one better, then the lady who has it on could properly wear it without reproach ; but there is one whom it fits better. Then spoke the bitter-tongued Kay: "By the length of the mantle it is clear that it fits my wife." She took it at once and the folk paid close attention. I believe it fitted her well in front—the side toward her husband where he sat. Kay said : “It fits her better than all these ladies. Who can discover in it anything faulty by so much as a hair ?" In truth, the mantle behind was rumpled all the way up to the girdle. However much one pulled it down, it would not stretch a bit. Then all the crowd cried, 'The garment is a perfect fit!" When Kay perceived the truth, he waxed red for shame. He called his wife and bade her go to the queen and say that regardless of what her own merits might be, she believed that the thing which had displeased the queen had by no means happened to her on account of any wrong-doing. But she who brought the mantle reproved her because though willing she was cautious ; she was inclined to agree to whatever anyone asked her, but when one wanted the bargain carried out, then she grumbled. At this there was an outburst of mirth from the company all over the court. LINES 5971-6051 When Kay's ladylove had failed, there courteously stepped forth Loifilol,190 the steadfast, who had loved his wife since a year before she was born. In truth he had never been angry with
[ 106 down no further than a little beyond the knee. They were filled with amazement who saw the mantle so short. The maid spoke in all haste. "I will tell you plainly. The lady loves her husband too much ; and when he does not pay her the attentions to which he has accustomed her, then all her thoughts must turn yearningly to the love of strangers. I will not reproach her with anything that would cause her to be angry with me. But the mantle fits another better. When she ceased speaking, Walwein took the mantle and re- quested his ladylove to be so obliging as to try it on. Then it fitted her rather closely, as if it were a riding habit. The maiden spoke : “ I must tell you that if the mantle should fit no one better, then the lady who has it on could properly wear it without reproach ; but there is one whom it fits better. Then spoke the bitter-tongued Kay: "By the length of the mantle it is clear that it fits my wife." She took it at once and the folk paid close attention. I believe it fitted her well in front—the side toward her husband where he sat. Kay said : “It fits her better than all these ladies. Who can discover in it anything faulty by so much as a hair ?" In truth, the mantle behind was rumpled all the way up to the girdle. However much one pulled it down, it would not stretch a bit. Then all the crowd cried, 'The garment is a perfect fit!" When Kay perceived the truth, he waxed red for shame. He called his wife and bade her go to the queen and say that regardless of what her own merits might be, she believed that the thing which had displeased the queen had by no means happened to her on account of any wrong-doing. But she who brought the mantle reproved her because though willing she was cautious ; she was inclined to agree to whatever anyone asked her, but when one wanted the bargain carried out, then she grumbled. At this there was an outburst of mirth from the company all over the court. LINES 5971-6051 When Kay's ladylove had failed, there courteously stepped forth Loifilol,190 the steadfast, who had loved his wife since a year before she was born. In truth he had never been angry with
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107 her since she could remember. So he expected triumph from it, and wanted to view her fidelity. Among all the ladies was hardly anyone fairer ; and none of them was considered to have greater love for her husband. Verily the worthy fellow deserved it as a courteous husband. He now put the mantle on her. It fitted her as well as one could wish, except as I shall specify : not a person present could fasten the brooch properly.191 The good knight was grieved and extremely sad, and so was the lovely lady. The maiden who directed everything did not conceal from the court the cause of this happening. She said : “The lady has accepted attention and service enough, wherefrom she felt in her heart joy and often overweening pride ; yet she took good care never to per- form the deed after the foolish heart's prompting, for anybody's love or however much he entreated her. She only behaved thus be- cause it increased her pleasure and amusement. Indeed, I should like to tell you that this is still the habit of many women, who think to gain honor thereby. No, they lower themselves sadly. It is a shameful and dishonorable thing whenever a woman takes a man's 192 gift and yet leaves him unrewarded.' Then King Gyvreiz 193 told his ladylove to step into the circle. When she donned the mantle, it fitted her all round except that there was a large hole that would still have to be covered with a broad patch, which she did not have at hand. The maiden spoke : " This signifies that the lady hates her husband because he is of in- significant size ; and yet one medium-sized man of worth would be better than a multitude of big fellows." The lady put the mantle from her. The bold Kailet 194 then commanded his ladylove to put it on ; and I can tell you for a fact that the brooch broke at once. Thereby it became known that he travelled about with her too much. The maiden then swore roundly that it was folly if anyone hurt his wife's feelings, and did not have honor paid to her, and made her stay where she did not want to. The sorrow that comes home to one causes many a brooch to break. One should condemn a man who will not humor his wife in things either small or great. The mantle slipped to the floor ; and the maiden reached into her bag and pulled out a brooch.
107 her since she could remember. So he expected triumph from it, and wanted to view her fidelity. Among all the ladies was hardly anyone fairer ; and none of them was considered to have greater love for her husband. Verily the worthy fellow deserved it as a courteous husband. He now put the mantle on her. It fitted her as well as one could wish, except as I shall specify : not a person present could fasten the brooch properly.191 The good knight was grieved and extremely sad, and so was the lovely lady. The maiden who directed everything did not conceal from the court the cause of this happening. She said : “The lady has accepted attention and service enough, wherefrom she felt in her heart joy and often overweening pride ; yet she took good care never to per- form the deed after the foolish heart's prompting, for anybody's love or however much he entreated her. She only behaved thus be- cause it increased her pleasure and amusement. Indeed, I should like to tell you that this is still the habit of many women, who think to gain honor thereby. No, they lower themselves sadly. It is a shameful and dishonorable thing whenever a woman takes a man's 192 gift and yet leaves him unrewarded.' Then King Gyvreiz 193 told his ladylove to step into the circle. When she donned the mantle, it fitted her all round except that there was a large hole that would still have to be covered with a broad patch, which she did not have at hand. The maiden spoke : " This signifies that the lady hates her husband because he is of in- significant size ; and yet one medium-sized man of worth would be better than a multitude of big fellows." The lady put the mantle from her. The bold Kailet 194 then commanded his ladylove to put it on ; and I can tell you for a fact that the brooch broke at once. Thereby it became known that he travelled about with her too much. The maiden then swore roundly that it was folly if anyone hurt his wife's feelings, and did not have honor paid to her, and made her stay where she did not want to. The sorrow that comes home to one causes many a brooch to break. One should condemn a man who will not humor his wife in things either small or great. The mantle slipped to the floor ; and the maiden reached into her bag and pulled out a brooch.
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108 LINES 6052-6140 As soon as the mantle was reclasped, the wise Malduz 195 bade his ladylove not to hesitate, but to put on the mantle at once. She was the shortest woman among all the ladies. Now shall a marvel be seen. When she donned the mantle with fear and prayer and womanly trembling, it took the form of a jacket,196 so that it reached no further down than her girdle, though she was the smallest! Then the maiden spoke : “This is strange, I declare. In all this circle there is no one who can say such biting things as she. I tell you, for I must, that she lets nobody escape without words and innuendos; and that is why this has happened to her. Then Sir Iwan 197 asked his ladylove to stand up and therein showed his breeding. I will tell you a fine joke : she was so tall that she showed a head above any of them ; but when she squeezed herself into the mantle, it became so long for her that it lay spread out behind her on the floor for three handbreadths in uneven folds. Therefore they took sharp note of it. The maiden, however, gave judgment on it: “It does not fit her either. She is too simple and too silly. Whatever she wants she will not give up for anybody. A person is stupid who does not know how to give in, but who persists forever in his obstinacy. As you have perceived so far, the mantle might have come close to fitting many ladies. Enite (Enid) 198 the pure and Walwein's ladylove were among those who could well have had it if the maiden who brought it there had so wished. As it drew toward night, when Arthur and all his court and the maiden from the lake ought properly to dine, and two hundred ladies and more had already tried the mantle in order of rank, the messenger neverthe- less insisted that the king should bid a fair lady come who had not yet appeared ; for the maid was well aware that Yblis the faithful because of love-longing, as befitted her fidelity, had not showed herself this day. But for all that she had to come ; it was the wish of the court, because she never did aught but right. As she entered the circle, she greeted the same maid who had related these marvelous things, in her knowing way. With laughing mouth the mermaid's messenger bowed to her and begged her in
108 LINES 6052-6140 As soon as the mantle was reclasped, the wise Malduz 195 bade his ladylove not to hesitate, but to put on the mantle at once. She was the shortest woman among all the ladies. Now shall a marvel be seen. When she donned the mantle with fear and prayer and womanly trembling, it took the form of a jacket,196 so that it reached no further down than her girdle, though she was the smallest! Then the maiden spoke : “This is strange, I declare. In all this circle there is no one who can say such biting things as she. I tell you, for I must, that she lets nobody escape without words and innuendos; and that is why this has happened to her. Then Sir Iwan 197 asked his ladylove to stand up and therein showed his breeding. I will tell you a fine joke : she was so tall that she showed a head above any of them ; but when she squeezed herself into the mantle, it became so long for her that it lay spread out behind her on the floor for three handbreadths in uneven folds. Therefore they took sharp note of it. The maiden, however, gave judgment on it: “It does not fit her either. She is too simple and too silly. Whatever she wants she will not give up for anybody. A person is stupid who does not know how to give in, but who persists forever in his obstinacy. As you have perceived so far, the mantle might have come close to fitting many ladies. Enite (Enid) 198 the pure and Walwein's ladylove were among those who could well have had it if the maiden who brought it there had so wished. As it drew toward night, when Arthur and all his court and the maiden from the lake ought properly to dine, and two hundred ladies and more had already tried the mantle in order of rank, the messenger neverthe- less insisted that the king should bid a fair lady come who had not yet appeared ; for the maid was well aware that Yblis the faithful because of love-longing, as befitted her fidelity, had not showed herself this day. But for all that she had to come ; it was the wish of the court, because she never did aught but right. As she entered the circle, she greeted the same maid who had related these marvelous things, in her knowing way. With laughing mouth the mermaid's messenger bowed to her and begged her in
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109] God's name to put on the mantle. The lady did not hesitate, but put it on before them all. The women and men declared that it was really the best fitting garment that ever any lady wore. If, however, any person declared out of envy that it did not fit in one respect or another, then, before the remark was completed, the mantle ar- ranged itself there so that no flaw showed. LINES 6141—6228 Then my lord Walwein and the whole gathering were unani- mous that the mantle was perfect. Accuse him of falsehood who dares, for no honorable person will do so. It seemed good even to Kay. He spoke to his ladylove : "You must needs be dear to me, for you have behaved well enough in this affair to be grouped with the larger number. But may the devil hang him who ever again calls to mind any of this business except for some good purpose and without malice." Then they all pledged themselves that for the king's honor the affair should never become a cause of scandal. She who had brought the mantle told them by way of news that Lanzelet was in captivity at Pluris, and what had happened when he achieved the adventure and struck down a hundred knights ; and how he was a queen's lover against his own wish. She said also that the adventure yet held, so that a knight could still occupy himself very well at Pluris. As soon as she said that, knights and ladies hastened to gaze on her. They left their former envy, forgot their embarrassments like children, and waxed joyful over the news that Lanzelet still lived and was well. Presently the messenger of the wise water-fay took leave. She commended Lanzelet's ladylove to the care of God the Highest; she would not remain there longer at the king's request ; whether she was liked or disliked, that made little difference to her. Lady Yblis the pure kissed her sincerely and returned affectionate thanks for her new mantle to the great queen who had sent her the gift without knowing her, for the wise water-fay honored her for her lover's sake. The mantle had still another quality : whoever wore it forgot sorrow and yearning complaint. Yblis, whom it fitted so well, needed it greatly in these days.
109] God's name to put on the mantle. The lady did not hesitate, but put it on before them all. The women and men declared that it was really the best fitting garment that ever any lady wore. If, however, any person declared out of envy that it did not fit in one respect or another, then, before the remark was completed, the mantle ar- ranged itself there so that no flaw showed. LINES 6141—6228 Then my lord Walwein and the whole gathering were unani- mous that the mantle was perfect. Accuse him of falsehood who dares, for no honorable person will do so. It seemed good even to Kay. He spoke to his ladylove : "You must needs be dear to me, for you have behaved well enough in this affair to be grouped with the larger number. But may the devil hang him who ever again calls to mind any of this business except for some good purpose and without malice." Then they all pledged themselves that for the king's honor the affair should never become a cause of scandal. She who had brought the mantle told them by way of news that Lanzelet was in captivity at Pluris, and what had happened when he achieved the adventure and struck down a hundred knights ; and how he was a queen's lover against his own wish. She said also that the adventure yet held, so that a knight could still occupy himself very well at Pluris. As soon as she said that, knights and ladies hastened to gaze on her. They left their former envy, forgot their embarrassments like children, and waxed joyful over the news that Lanzelet still lived and was well. Presently the messenger of the wise water-fay took leave. She commended Lanzelet's ladylove to the care of God the Highest; she would not remain there longer at the king's request ; whether she was liked or disliked, that made little difference to her. Lady Yblis the pure kissed her sincerely and returned affectionate thanks for her new mantle to the great queen who had sent her the gift without knowing her, for the wise water-fay honored her for her lover's sake. The mantle had still another quality : whoever wore it forgot sorrow and yearning complaint. Yblis, whom it fitted so well, needed it greatly in these days.
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110 As soon as the maid was gone, there arose a tumult of conversa- tion about how God had bestowed upon Lanzelet, the bold hero, good fortune enough for a thousand men. They wondered why this captivity was grievous to him ; and there were knights enough who would have been delighted to be in his predicament, and to spend their days as he was said to be doing. Now listen to this veracious narrative. The court lasted, ac- cording to the tale, more than thirty days longer in great joy. So far as I am able to tell, if you will trust me, it has not been related to us that Arthur, the glorious king, ever got together so huge a court and so joyful as this one where all the ladies wore the mantle. With this I will leave the guests and how they occupied themselves ; only remarking that they rode away when it seemed to them time. LINES 6229-6313 Walwein and Karyet, as soon as they learned that Lanzelet, their mother's sister's son, lay prisoner, took it much to heart and requested at once that Erec and Tristant,199 the two wise warriors, should go with them against Pluris as knights errant, for neither siege nor armies could avail there. In each other the comrades found what they asked. When they had promised this, my lord Walwein agreed with the other three that they would invite nobody else, but ride secretly on the adventure. They were very confident, for their hearts told them that even if Lanzelet had not been captured as they were told, they would still undoubtedly achieve some valorous deed. So they bent all their energy the more to this end, that he should come away with them from that place : of that they would always be glad. They were also agreed among themselves that if they ever discovered him they would give no sign that any of them recognized him, or that any of the warriors knew anything about him. With this understanding they are come to Pluris, to the beauti- ful field, whereon stood the tent right well adorned with the shields. They all dismounted on the grass and viewed the plain, the tent, and the shields, and observed what the custom was. And now news quickly came up to the fortress that strangers had arrived,
110 As soon as the maid was gone, there arose a tumult of conversa- tion about how God had bestowed upon Lanzelet, the bold hero, good fortune enough for a thousand men. They wondered why this captivity was grievous to him ; and there were knights enough who would have been delighted to be in his predicament, and to spend their days as he was said to be doing. Now listen to this veracious narrative. The court lasted, ac- cording to the tale, more than thirty days longer in great joy. So far as I am able to tell, if you will trust me, it has not been related to us that Arthur, the glorious king, ever got together so huge a court and so joyful as this one where all the ladies wore the mantle. With this I will leave the guests and how they occupied themselves ; only remarking that they rode away when it seemed to them time. LINES 6229-6313 Walwein and Karyet, as soon as they learned that Lanzelet, their mother's sister's son, lay prisoner, took it much to heart and requested at once that Erec and Tristant,199 the two wise warriors, should go with them against Pluris as knights errant, for neither siege nor armies could avail there. In each other the comrades found what they asked. When they had promised this, my lord Walwein agreed with the other three that they would invite nobody else, but ride secretly on the adventure. They were very confident, for their hearts told them that even if Lanzelet had not been captured as they were told, they would still undoubtedly achieve some valorous deed. So they bent all their energy the more to this end, that he should come away with them from that place : of that they would always be glad. They were also agreed among themselves that if they ever discovered him they would give no sign that any of them recognized him, or that any of the warriors knew anything about him. With this understanding they are come to Pluris, to the beauti- ful field, whereon stood the tent right well adorned with the shields. They all dismounted on the grass and viewed the plain, the tent, and the shields, and observed what the custom was. And now news quickly came up to the fortress that strangers had arrived,
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[III four fine knights excellently equipped with horses and trappings, so that verily no one could tell of such stately companions and riders more warlike. Nor did anyone fail to say what was fairly apparent to them, namely, that they had come of their own accord for the ad- venture and that not one of them would give up without trying his luck. Then Lanzelet was full of joy and bade his people tell him at once what coats of arms they bore. The messenger furnished him with that information, saying : "One of the knights, who greeted me courteously, carries a lion with a crown, right well depicted in gold. His shield, as I can tell you, is very rich outside and in, of azure all alike. The second bears an eagle of gold, truly ; I cannot say more of him. The third, I noticed, carried a white shield of ermine, and carefully wrought thereon a sleeve of sable. The de- vice of the fourth shield was a panther." Then Lanzelet the friendly recognized all four, both knights and shields, and knew beyond question that they were his kinsmen and good companions. LINES 6314-89 This made him very happy, but he gave no manifestation of it and requested the great queen to get ready at once and to ride with knights and ladies to the pavilion. He said, "We have been slighted both last year and this in the matter of our adventure. That will be made up for today. God grant that our people so ride that I shall win honor from it." Therewith they rode away toward the lovely spot. No one knew that he wished luck to the Britons who came there, and so all who heard him backed him up in his request. 200—but I fancy it is still the custom that one agrees with the host they did not know his heart. When the knights and ladies greeted the unknown ones, they saw plainly that they were proud and strong. The strangers all pretended that they could not understand the language and they received the greetings with shrewd cunning. But the queen right speedily ordered drink poured for them. Then the valorous Karyet bethought himself and, carrying out his plan, struck one of the shields that hung on the pavilion ; whereupon the first joust began. One of the best men of the troop ran against Karyet. Karyet
[III four fine knights excellently equipped with horses and trappings, so that verily no one could tell of such stately companions and riders more warlike. Nor did anyone fail to say what was fairly apparent to them, namely, that they had come of their own accord for the ad- venture and that not one of them would give up without trying his luck. Then Lanzelet was full of joy and bade his people tell him at once what coats of arms they bore. The messenger furnished him with that information, saying : "One of the knights, who greeted me courteously, carries a lion with a crown, right well depicted in gold. His shield, as I can tell you, is very rich outside and in, of azure all alike. The second bears an eagle of gold, truly ; I cannot say more of him. The third, I noticed, carried a white shield of ermine, and carefully wrought thereon a sleeve of sable. The de- vice of the fourth shield was a panther." Then Lanzelet the friendly recognized all four, both knights and shields, and knew beyond question that they were his kinsmen and good companions. LINES 6314-89 This made him very happy, but he gave no manifestation of it and requested the great queen to get ready at once and to ride with knights and ladies to the pavilion. He said, "We have been slighted both last year and this in the matter of our adventure. That will be made up for today. God grant that our people so ride that I shall win honor from it." Therewith they rode away toward the lovely spot. No one knew that he wished luck to the Britons who came there, and so all who heard him backed him up in his request. 200—but I fancy it is still the custom that one agrees with the host they did not know his heart. When the knights and ladies greeted the unknown ones, they saw plainly that they were proud and strong. The strangers all pretended that they could not understand the language and they received the greetings with shrewd cunning. But the queen right speedily ordered drink poured for them. Then the valorous Karyet bethought himself and, carrying out his plan, struck one of the shields that hung on the pavilion ; whereupon the first joust began. One of the best men of the troop ran against Karyet. Karyet
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[112 soon struck him down ; and so many of the others thereafter that very soon a good four and sixty of them had fallen like the first. After that one of them ran a course with him. As they came to- gether, Karyet gripped his spear to take aim; but his horse reared, so that the swerving deflected his blow, and the knight came on. They ran into each other. Then spoke the courteous queen to the warriors : “This knight has certainly done himself credit in the jousting which we have seen. In fairness I should tell him that he has thrust well ; but still he has not broken my adventure, for it must last until others have a chance at it. To this Erec replied : “They will not depart, lady, till I try what this thing amounts to." Erec, rich in virtues, quickly struck down seventy-three of her men, for he never wearied of knightly play. One of them he hit on the shield so that its strap broke en- tirely, and the shield was seen to fall far away, while the man remained sitting. That was a bit of bad luck, and so Erec had to fail. LINES 6390-6479 During these happenings Lanzelet and Walwein were agreed on their whole procedure, which very few expected. Tristant also did not spare himself ; he would wait no longer, and forthwith rode out against the retainers. He did them great damage. Out of ninety only one single man, believe me, kept his seat. I will tell you how this happened. Tristant drove his spear right through him, so that the noble warrior rode on clear up to his hand ; and on account of the spear the wounded man could move neither one way nor the other ; all against his will he remained sitting fast. Better had he fallen. Thus perforce Tristant failed and gave up. Then spoke Sir Walwein. "There is no doubt of it, I also must try my luck." Then all had to admit that he rode well and jousted in such a way that nothing could withstand him. They longed for his strength and his good form, and declared that no one rode better. Of the hundred knights no one kept his seat before him, ex- cept as I shall tell you. After he had struck down ninety-nine right well, the hundredth, perceiving this, rushed upon Walwein. That
[112 soon struck him down ; and so many of the others thereafter that very soon a good four and sixty of them had fallen like the first. After that one of them ran a course with him. As they came to- gether, Karyet gripped his spear to take aim; but his horse reared, so that the swerving deflected his blow, and the knight came on. They ran into each other. Then spoke the courteous queen to the warriors : “This knight has certainly done himself credit in the jousting which we have seen. In fairness I should tell him that he has thrust well ; but still he has not broken my adventure, for it must last until others have a chance at it. To this Erec replied : “They will not depart, lady, till I try what this thing amounts to." Erec, rich in virtues, quickly struck down seventy-three of her men, for he never wearied of knightly play. One of them he hit on the shield so that its strap broke en- tirely, and the shield was seen to fall far away, while the man remained sitting. That was a bit of bad luck, and so Erec had to fail. LINES 6390-6479 During these happenings Lanzelet and Walwein were agreed on their whole procedure, which very few expected. Tristant also did not spare himself ; he would wait no longer, and forthwith rode out against the retainers. He did them great damage. Out of ninety only one single man, believe me, kept his seat. I will tell you how this happened. Tristant drove his spear right through him, so that the noble warrior rode on clear up to his hand ; and on account of the spear the wounded man could move neither one way nor the other ; all against his will he remained sitting fast. Better had he fallen. Thus perforce Tristant failed and gave up. Then spoke Sir Walwein. "There is no doubt of it, I also must try my luck." Then all had to admit that he rode well and jousted in such a way that nothing could withstand him. They longed for his strength and his good form, and declared that no one rode better. Of the hundred knights no one kept his seat before him, ex- cept as I shall tell you. After he had struck down ninety-nine right well, the hundredth, perceiving this, rushed upon Walwein. That
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[ 113 brave hero then tried to hit him high up with the spear ; but as the blow turned out, it took him too high and pierced his helm above the mail, and went through the padded hood. There was no help for it ; the straps broke with the spear thrust, the helm fell off, and the rider remained sitting, so that Walwein did not over- throw him. The visitor remarked politely, “I came very near succeeding ; but if a thing is not to be, it is of no avail what anyone does. Yet to try is sometimes good." Though they failed thus in small points, as you have heard me tell, yet they had fared better than those who were struck down. Now hear how Lanzelet spoke to the queen who was guarding him. "Lady, I believe that I shall live sad forever unless in your kindness you grant me permission to joust in this affair but once. For all who understand anything of jousting declare that these challengers have lost through very bad luck. I never saw their equal. They will carry great honor hence ; wherefore I shall al- ways be sorry unless I can prevent it at least in part. They came here, alas, too soon. Consider, great queen, and ever happy may you be ! They think that we are all cowards. I can hardly tell you how much you will enhance your honor by letting me joust against one of these knights. It is a mockery and a shame that they have disgraced and put to scorn such good knights as ours against the laws of chivalry. If they depart thus, it will cause me the deepest pain ; and verily I would rather be buried alive than endure this disgrace of having them bear away my honor. LINES 6480-6562 Vehemently and yet lovingly he urged her to let him ride. Very earnestly he promised her, pledging also the word of his retainers and thereto swearing her an oath, that he would come back as soon as he had one joust against any of them that he saw there. He did not break his troth, for that joust he avoided like death. And this is the way he kept his oath. When he had got the permission, he drew on his mail hose and armed himself in his armor, which had been kept for him. It could not be whiter. Then the queen gave him a surcoat so rare that no king ever wore better coat or shirt. Of
[ 113 brave hero then tried to hit him high up with the spear ; but as the blow turned out, it took him too high and pierced his helm above the mail, and went through the padded hood. There was no help for it ; the straps broke with the spear thrust, the helm fell off, and the rider remained sitting, so that Walwein did not over- throw him. The visitor remarked politely, “I came very near succeeding ; but if a thing is not to be, it is of no avail what anyone does. Yet to try is sometimes good." Though they failed thus in small points, as you have heard me tell, yet they had fared better than those who were struck down. Now hear how Lanzelet spoke to the queen who was guarding him. "Lady, I believe that I shall live sad forever unless in your kindness you grant me permission to joust in this affair but once. For all who understand anything of jousting declare that these challengers have lost through very bad luck. I never saw their equal. They will carry great honor hence ; wherefore I shall al- ways be sorry unless I can prevent it at least in part. They came here, alas, too soon. Consider, great queen, and ever happy may you be ! They think that we are all cowards. I can hardly tell you how much you will enhance your honor by letting me joust against one of these knights. It is a mockery and a shame that they have disgraced and put to scorn such good knights as ours against the laws of chivalry. If they depart thus, it will cause me the deepest pain ; and verily I would rather be buried alive than endure this disgrace of having them bear away my honor. LINES 6480-6562 Vehemently and yet lovingly he urged her to let him ride. Very earnestly he promised her, pledging also the word of his retainers and thereto swearing her an oath, that he would come back as soon as he had one joust against any of them that he saw there. He did not break his troth, for that joust he avoided like death. And this is the way he kept his oath. When he had got the permission, he drew on his mail hose and armed himself in his armor, which had been kept for him. It could not be whiter. Then the queen gave him a surcoat so rare that no king ever wore better coat or shirt. Of
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[ 114 jewels there were enough, which she ordered brought to him in quantities. I will say little about that, for he did not prize them so highly as such dear things were worth. You well know that with a slight gift many a person can live in joy, and a great present gives no pleasure where sincerity cannot be depended upon. Now let us take up our poem again. The queen did not fail to kiss her mate, and the gracious lady begged him not to be long absent. However, I do not know whether he will ever return safe and sound from thence, for the foreign warriors fight furiously. Still I must not withhold from you the rest of the story. As soon as Lanzelet mounted his horse, Sir Tristant let his steed spring forward as if he wanted to joust. Lanzelet did not care to be host at Pluris any longer ; that was soon obvious. When he put his horse into a gallop, Tristant retreated. Then Lanzelet followed, and now the four confederate knights all fled like cow- ards. The lady and her companions were filled with misgivings when he would not turn back. Such great grief at once seized the queen that she swooned and fell unconscious ; the death-dark night of bitter love deprived her of her senses, her color, and her strength ; she was overcome by anguish. When her senses returned, the five men had ridden out of her sight. With extraordinary vehemence she entreated and ordered everyone she could to capture her husband ; and whoever managed to get him for her, to that person she would give a great reward, a dukedom that she possessed. Nobody who could manage to get a horse hesitated to carry out her command, and thereby many a one lost both fame and honor. Never did great knights fight so boldly : they had to thank a wood and the dark night that there was no more conflict. LINES 6563-6638 And so the heroes with difficulty escaped. Thereupon, as I have been told, they rode up on a mountain. They could not take the direct road toward Britain, for they were lost. After their fight in the evening, they rode forward all night till early in the morn- ing, when they came where a castle stood on a hill of moderate height, and turned in that direction.
[ 114 jewels there were enough, which she ordered brought to him in quantities. I will say little about that, for he did not prize them so highly as such dear things were worth. You well know that with a slight gift many a person can live in joy, and a great present gives no pleasure where sincerity cannot be depended upon. Now let us take up our poem again. The queen did not fail to kiss her mate, and the gracious lady begged him not to be long absent. However, I do not know whether he will ever return safe and sound from thence, for the foreign warriors fight furiously. Still I must not withhold from you the rest of the story. As soon as Lanzelet mounted his horse, Sir Tristant let his steed spring forward as if he wanted to joust. Lanzelet did not care to be host at Pluris any longer ; that was soon obvious. When he put his horse into a gallop, Tristant retreated. Then Lanzelet followed, and now the four confederate knights all fled like cow- ards. The lady and her companions were filled with misgivings when he would not turn back. Such great grief at once seized the queen that she swooned and fell unconscious ; the death-dark night of bitter love deprived her of her senses, her color, and her strength ; she was overcome by anguish. When her senses returned, the five men had ridden out of her sight. With extraordinary vehemence she entreated and ordered everyone she could to capture her husband ; and whoever managed to get him for her, to that person she would give a great reward, a dukedom that she possessed. Nobody who could manage to get a horse hesitated to carry out her command, and thereby many a one lost both fame and honor. Never did great knights fight so boldly : they had to thank a wood and the dark night that there was no more conflict. LINES 6563-6638 And so the heroes with difficulty escaped. Thereupon, as I have been told, they rode up on a mountain. They could not take the direct road toward Britain, for they were lost. After their fight in the evening, they rode forward all night till early in the morn- ing, when they came where a castle stood on a hill of moderate height, and turned in that direction.
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115 The host who held the castle was, as I can tell you, wise, honor- able, and good, courteous and spirited, perfect in every way. Whatever he heard tell of that was honorable and praiseworthy, he pursued, as noble natures do. He constantly tried his spirit by behaving as if he could not speak a single word. He was prompt in learning through a mere motion of the hand what he was to do. Never were persons better received than the five men. The host saw clearly enough by the bearing of them all that they were tired, and he arranged many a comfort for them. He was called, I will tell you, the noble, dumb Gilimar.201 Verily he was so quick that no man ever traveled faster on his two feet. He waged war fiercely, and when he guarded a border, many a man was at his service because of his tireless vigor. However much his people censured him for keeping silence on account of a lady, he had nevertheless won fame for himself. I have told you this because he ever prac- ticed the manly virtues. Now Lanzelet du Lac and his four companions must remain with Gilimar till the noble men had got over their weariness, and their horses were in good condition. Who could reckon what fine stories they told while they lingered at the mute's castle ? Walwein surpassed the others ; he began to inform Lanzelet how the affair of the mantle had gone, from first to last. Now the guests would stay no longer. In his honorable fashion their host went with them and escorted the strangers with many a good knight till they came to the road that they knew, where the guests bade him and all his men good-by. And then the host showed his fine perception ; he swore by means of his gestures that his service was always at the disposal of the renowned heroes. LINES 6639-97 I do not know how you like it that I have related so briefly this part about the courteous mute. If you will not take it ill, it would be pleasant to tell about him. You know well how love behaves when it lays hold on people, so that they observe no moderation, for love takes toll of all joy. That was very clear in the case of this knight. To tell the truth, he had served a lady with constant fidelity for many years, but had not kept silent about her, till peo-
115 The host who held the castle was, as I can tell you, wise, honor- able, and good, courteous and spirited, perfect in every way. Whatever he heard tell of that was honorable and praiseworthy, he pursued, as noble natures do. He constantly tried his spirit by behaving as if he could not speak a single word. He was prompt in learning through a mere motion of the hand what he was to do. Never were persons better received than the five men. The host saw clearly enough by the bearing of them all that they were tired, and he arranged many a comfort for them. He was called, I will tell you, the noble, dumb Gilimar.201 Verily he was so quick that no man ever traveled faster on his two feet. He waged war fiercely, and when he guarded a border, many a man was at his service because of his tireless vigor. However much his people censured him for keeping silence on account of a lady, he had nevertheless won fame for himself. I have told you this because he ever prac- ticed the manly virtues. Now Lanzelet du Lac and his four companions must remain with Gilimar till the noble men had got over their weariness, and their horses were in good condition. Who could reckon what fine stories they told while they lingered at the mute's castle ? Walwein surpassed the others ; he began to inform Lanzelet how the affair of the mantle had gone, from first to last. Now the guests would stay no longer. In his honorable fashion their host went with them and escorted the strangers with many a good knight till they came to the road that they knew, where the guests bade him and all his men good-by. And then the host showed his fine perception ; he swore by means of his gestures that his service was always at the disposal of the renowned heroes. LINES 6639-97 I do not know how you like it that I have related so briefly this part about the courteous mute. If you will not take it ill, it would be pleasant to tell about him. You know well how love behaves when it lays hold on people, so that they observe no moderation, for love takes toll of all joy. That was very clear in the case of this knight. To tell the truth, he had served a lady with constant fidelity for many years, but had not kept silent about her, till peo-
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116 ple noticed it, and one taxed him with “It's she" ; another said, “ No, she : I think he is doing it for the sake of one who is both beautiful and good." Thus he was variously taken to task, the news could not stay hidden, and someone found out the truth. It was told to the lady, who imposed upon him this penance, and for no discomfort would he break her command. Let courteous per- sons take heed of the tale, for he was well rewarded for it after- wards. It is the custom of right love to turn out well with steadfast persons, but he will not long boast who falsely serves, or accepts service, for God knows that is not seemly. So Lanzelet said when he saw Gilimar's constancy. When have you ever heard tell of prouder comrades than the foreign guests who have just ridden joyfully away from the mute's castle ? However much misfortune they have suffered, that is all forgotten now. The bold heroes are in high spirits and full of joy ; for it often happens that when any misfortune is about to befall a man, his heart betrays it to him beforehand by a certain absence of restraint. These noblemen of whom I have spoken were never in better spirits, for the heath spread green before them and in the wood the little birds sang cheerily. They were perfectly contented, since Lanzelet du Lac was his own man again and all their intent was to be home betimes. Walwein spoke : "My uncle is about to hunt the white stag." When he told them this they hurried faster. LINES 6698-6775 Now they had made such progress that on the third day they would easily have arrived home at the castle of Kardigan. They said they would be glad to see their fellowship again. While they were talking and greatly rejoicing, a page whom they recognized came up the road toward them. They hailed him by name and asked him for tidings, where the king was, and they also inquired whether their kinsmen were well or not ; still further questions they asked. With weeping eyes he replied, “This is no lie. If you have not learned it by this time I will tell you the greatest piece of news that any of us ever heard." Then the heroes were filled with dread
116 ple noticed it, and one taxed him with “It's she" ; another said, “ No, she : I think he is doing it for the sake of one who is both beautiful and good." Thus he was variously taken to task, the news could not stay hidden, and someone found out the truth. It was told to the lady, who imposed upon him this penance, and for no discomfort would he break her command. Let courteous per- sons take heed of the tale, for he was well rewarded for it after- wards. It is the custom of right love to turn out well with steadfast persons, but he will not long boast who falsely serves, or accepts service, for God knows that is not seemly. So Lanzelet said when he saw Gilimar's constancy. When have you ever heard tell of prouder comrades than the foreign guests who have just ridden joyfully away from the mute's castle ? However much misfortune they have suffered, that is all forgotten now. The bold heroes are in high spirits and full of joy ; for it often happens that when any misfortune is about to befall a man, his heart betrays it to him beforehand by a certain absence of restraint. These noblemen of whom I have spoken were never in better spirits, for the heath spread green before them and in the wood the little birds sang cheerily. They were perfectly contented, since Lanzelet du Lac was his own man again and all their intent was to be home betimes. Walwein spoke : "My uncle is about to hunt the white stag." When he told them this they hurried faster. LINES 6698-6775 Now they had made such progress that on the third day they would easily have arrived home at the castle of Kardigan. They said they would be glad to see their fellowship again. While they were talking and greatly rejoicing, a page whom they recognized came up the road toward them. They hailed him by name and asked him for tidings, where the king was, and they also inquired whether their kinsmen were well or not ; still further questions they asked. With weeping eyes he replied, “This is no lie. If you have not learned it by this time I will tell you the greatest piece of news that any of us ever heard." Then the heroes were filled with dread
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[ 117 at this and said they knew nothing of any great event. Thereat he began and related the following. He said : "My lord King Arthur with all his court and my lady the queen meant to begin their sport : they wished to capture the white stag.202 And then the king was to take by right, and as it became him, a kiss from the most beautiful woman ; that was his reward. His father Utpandragon (Uther Pendragon) 203 instituted this custom; and his son has maintained it ever since. Now the misfortune which was to ensue from it has come to a climax : my lady the queen has been snatched away from my lord King Arthur. That the monster, King Valerin, has done. You must understand, and it is my belief, that the king himself is sorely wounded; I do not know how many of the knights who were hunting with the king are also slain. It was a thing unheard of that our happiness should be destroyed thus. Then the daring comrades dismounted. They were seized with sorrow so great that no illness could be more grievous. When this disaster had happened, and whither King Valerin was gone with the queen, was all shown to them. Now they had to postpone their rejoicings till God should be disposed to alter their grief. Then the five noble warriors felt sore at heart to hear such tidings —that their lady Ginover was taken captive, and how it had gone with the king and his men. They made it clear enough that any- thing so sad had never happened to them. Great was their distress, as heroes who were ashamed of dishonor. LINES 6776-6873 Now they all mounted and rode right boldly straight toward the wood till they reached a place where they were informed by friends that the king was wounded, though not incurably, and that he would soon have been well if he had not been suffering from another setback. And they told the heroes that the king and his whole force had gathered before the Tangled Wood, that all the devices that could ever be thought of for a siege had been tried there, and that yet they availed but little. The king said that while he lived he would never grant peace to the castle so long as the queen was there. This troubled King Valerin not a whit. He and
[ 117 at this and said they knew nothing of any great event. Thereat he began and related the following. He said : "My lord King Arthur with all his court and my lady the queen meant to begin their sport : they wished to capture the white stag.202 And then the king was to take by right, and as it became him, a kiss from the most beautiful woman ; that was his reward. His father Utpandragon (Uther Pendragon) 203 instituted this custom; and his son has maintained it ever since. Now the misfortune which was to ensue from it has come to a climax : my lady the queen has been snatched away from my lord King Arthur. That the monster, King Valerin, has done. You must understand, and it is my belief, that the king himself is sorely wounded; I do not know how many of the knights who were hunting with the king are also slain. It was a thing unheard of that our happiness should be destroyed thus. Then the daring comrades dismounted. They were seized with sorrow so great that no illness could be more grievous. When this disaster had happened, and whither King Valerin was gone with the queen, was all shown to them. Now they had to postpone their rejoicings till God should be disposed to alter their grief. Then the five noble warriors felt sore at heart to hear such tidings —that their lady Ginover was taken captive, and how it had gone with the king and his men. They made it clear enough that any- thing so sad had never happened to them. Great was their distress, as heroes who were ashamed of dishonor. LINES 6776-6873 Now they all mounted and rode right boldly straight toward the wood till they reached a place where they were informed by friends that the king was wounded, though not incurably, and that he would soon have been well if he had not been suffering from another setback. And they told the heroes that the king and his whole force had gathered before the Tangled Wood, that all the devices that could ever be thought of for a siege had been tried there, and that yet they availed but little. The king said that while he lived he would never grant peace to the castle so long as the queen was there. This troubled King Valerin not a whit. He and
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[118 all his men feared Arthur but little. They enjoyed the bohourt, dancing, and play at the castle. Valerin, firm of purpose, promised the queen—and he kept his word truly and exactly—that he would not molest her against her will, except that he would beg with propriety for her love.204 The noble queen lived in sorrow. Unless God protect her, her honor will suffer greatly. Now Lanzelet and his comrades have come to the siege. He would have foregone all the manly feats that he ever performed if he could only have been present and fought on the disastrous occasion when the queen was stolen. Things having gone thus far, Walwein and the four dismounted on the grass. When the knights who were there perceived this, not one of them but declared that he was rejoiced to see them. They ran toward the guests, for they recognized the unflinching ones by their bearing, and explained to them the injury and the shame. Then the heroes proceeded to where they found the king, sick with sorrow. Now they showed their breeding : promptly they removed helm and also coif. When the king saw them coming, the courteous man stood up in spite of his unhappiness and kissed them all straightway. He lamented his disgrace and told what had happened to him. One saw the tears running down his cheeks. The heroes did not stop weeping bitterly : all alike wept who were on the expedition. Could anyone be so wolfish of heart as not to feel sorrow in these circumstances ? Such a noise of lamentation arose that it sounded far and wide, as the heroes wept. Loyally they showed that sorrow gripped their hearts. I know not how I can describe to you the distress and woe that was there. Many a knight would rather have died than have experienced the humiliation which the warriors suffered, the best men in the world. There was clamor and lament with many an echoed cry. I will tell you what caused the good vassals' distress : when the king told them that he had lost his wife they could not but be sad; all wrung their hands. LINES 6874-6974 Just at that very moment there came riding to the siege a hero of fierce aspect, who brought three thousand knights. He was
[118 all his men feared Arthur but little. They enjoyed the bohourt, dancing, and play at the castle. Valerin, firm of purpose, promised the queen—and he kept his word truly and exactly—that he would not molest her against her will, except that he would beg with propriety for her love.204 The noble queen lived in sorrow. Unless God protect her, her honor will suffer greatly. Now Lanzelet and his comrades have come to the siege. He would have foregone all the manly feats that he ever performed if he could only have been present and fought on the disastrous occasion when the queen was stolen. Things having gone thus far, Walwein and the four dismounted on the grass. When the knights who were there perceived this, not one of them but declared that he was rejoiced to see them. They ran toward the guests, for they recognized the unflinching ones by their bearing, and explained to them the injury and the shame. Then the heroes proceeded to where they found the king, sick with sorrow. Now they showed their breeding : promptly they removed helm and also coif. When the king saw them coming, the courteous man stood up in spite of his unhappiness and kissed them all straightway. He lamented his disgrace and told what had happened to him. One saw the tears running down his cheeks. The heroes did not stop weeping bitterly : all alike wept who were on the expedition. Could anyone be so wolfish of heart as not to feel sorrow in these circumstances ? Such a noise of lamentation arose that it sounded far and wide, as the heroes wept. Loyally they showed that sorrow gripped their hearts. I know not how I can describe to you the distress and woe that was there. Many a knight would rather have died than have experienced the humiliation which the warriors suffered, the best men in the world. There was clamor and lament with many an echoed cry. I will tell you what caused the good vassals' distress : when the king told them that he had lost his wife they could not but be sad; all wrung their hands. LINES 6874-6974 Just at that very moment there came riding to the siege a hero of fierce aspect, who brought three thousand knights. He was
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[119 loyally determined to stand firm by the king of Kardigan when this calamity overtook him. This youth was perfect in virtues. We have seldom heard in any kind of story that there was ever a knight more courtly—and no wonder : King Arthur was his father and Ginover his mother. This good hero, who was called Loüt 205 the Gracious, bewailed the misfortune of his mother's affliction.206 The news was so grievous to him that he wailed aloud in his heartfelt sorrow. This grieved all the knights, for I will truly say to you that never did any young man win more renown than Loüt from the time that he began to bear a sword until he rode away, as the tale tells us, with Arthur, his noble father, into a country whence the Bretons still expect both of them evermore ; for they quarrel about it, asserting that they will come again.207 You have often heard about that story, and so I will leave it. Now mark how it went at the disastrous siege. Though I should forget the narrative, yet you must know that there were never so many wet eyes among such outstanding heroes as on this expedition. Loüt the trusty endured great sorrow from his mother's woeful plight. He spoke to the knights, calling some of them by name, and bewailed to them the disgrace and ignominy. " Noble knights all !" he said, “that my father and my mother have become a laughingstock must be to you in your gracious loyalty a lamentable thing. This piteous grief must needs arouse the sympathy of rich and poor alike, for you know well that never was a man disappointed who trusted my father. Now constant joy has turned to sadness. My mother has bestowed honor on many a man after his worth : any withholding on her part must have been against her will. Likewise you have all seen how my dear father Arthur maintained the knights in his house. If that graciousness is to avail him nought, and the virtue which he has practiced for the sake of worldly honor, then nevermore will a man strive to do well. Then answered Lanzelet: “Cousin, cease your lament, and believe me when I speak. Nothing happens but what is destined to happen. I have regarded the personages here, and I am certain that if the whole world stood against them on a level field, and
[119 loyally determined to stand firm by the king of Kardigan when this calamity overtook him. This youth was perfect in virtues. We have seldom heard in any kind of story that there was ever a knight more courtly—and no wonder : King Arthur was his father and Ginover his mother. This good hero, who was called Loüt 205 the Gracious, bewailed the misfortune of his mother's affliction.206 The news was so grievous to him that he wailed aloud in his heartfelt sorrow. This grieved all the knights, for I will truly say to you that never did any young man win more renown than Loüt from the time that he began to bear a sword until he rode away, as the tale tells us, with Arthur, his noble father, into a country whence the Bretons still expect both of them evermore ; for they quarrel about it, asserting that they will come again.207 You have often heard about that story, and so I will leave it. Now mark how it went at the disastrous siege. Though I should forget the narrative, yet you must know that there were never so many wet eyes among such outstanding heroes as on this expedition. Loüt the trusty endured great sorrow from his mother's woeful plight. He spoke to the knights, calling some of them by name, and bewailed to them the disgrace and ignominy. " Noble knights all !" he said, “that my father and my mother have become a laughingstock must be to you in your gracious loyalty a lamentable thing. This piteous grief must needs arouse the sympathy of rich and poor alike, for you know well that never was a man disappointed who trusted my father. Now constant joy has turned to sadness. My mother has bestowed honor on many a man after his worth : any withholding on her part must have been against her will. Likewise you have all seen how my dear father Arthur maintained the knights in his house. If that graciousness is to avail him nought, and the virtue which he has practiced for the sake of worldly honor, then nevermore will a man strive to do well. Then answered Lanzelet: “Cousin, cease your lament, and believe me when I speak. Nothing happens but what is destined to happen. I have regarded the personages here, and I am certain that if the whole world stood against them on a level field, and
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120 had injured them as greatly as Valerin has, Arthur's men would dare boldly oppose them. But now his castle is so strong that no man alive is crafty enough to cause them the least anxiety. For my part I cannot think of anything so good as for you to be patient and to take counsel of the princes concerning the deed that has caused our grief." They all agreed to this, and then the king and the troop of nobles went to council. LINES 6975-7035 When they were come together many a proposal was put for- ward, for there sat many a wise man ; and the last of them to stand up was the cunning Tristant.208 He said, "We know well that my lady lives safe and sound ; and we also are aware that she always possessed wisdom and great good fortune on account of the virtue which she practices, and therefore she will keep her honor to the end. So I advise that my lord the great king should send for Malduc,209 the wizard of the Misty Lake.21° He knows much more of magic than any man in the kingdoms. With him we shall over- come Valerin the crafty and all his accursed band ; with God's help we shall win Valerin's castle from him by Malduc's advice. Then replied straightway Erec, son of King Lac, “I do not believe that anybody can fetch the man here. We have often caused him injury in many ways. I deprived his father of life ; then Walwein slew his brother ; and, besides, my lord Arthur has driven him from the land where he had dwelt with his incantations many a day. Yet what of that ? If he can help us at all in this matter, we will now make all speed and effect such a reconciliation as we can, so that we may overcome this disgrace. Forthwith they took counsel together. It appeared no pleasant task to sue for the man's favor : they all came to the decision that the only way was for the king and three others to ride to the wizard's place, and for him to entrust the army to his son. It was very clear how Arthur loved the queen. From the army he chose three whose valor he recognized, namely Karyet and Tristant and Lanzelet: these three he selected out of the court. He made ready for the journey, and rode into the forest that lay close to Kardigan.
120 had injured them as greatly as Valerin has, Arthur's men would dare boldly oppose them. But now his castle is so strong that no man alive is crafty enough to cause them the least anxiety. For my part I cannot think of anything so good as for you to be patient and to take counsel of the princes concerning the deed that has caused our grief." They all agreed to this, and then the king and the troop of nobles went to council. LINES 6975-7035 When they were come together many a proposal was put for- ward, for there sat many a wise man ; and the last of them to stand up was the cunning Tristant.208 He said, "We know well that my lady lives safe and sound ; and we also are aware that she always possessed wisdom and great good fortune on account of the virtue which she practices, and therefore she will keep her honor to the end. So I advise that my lord the great king should send for Malduc,209 the wizard of the Misty Lake.21° He knows much more of magic than any man in the kingdoms. With him we shall over- come Valerin the crafty and all his accursed band ; with God's help we shall win Valerin's castle from him by Malduc's advice. Then replied straightway Erec, son of King Lac, “I do not believe that anybody can fetch the man here. We have often caused him injury in many ways. I deprived his father of life ; then Walwein slew his brother ; and, besides, my lord Arthur has driven him from the land where he had dwelt with his incantations many a day. Yet what of that ? If he can help us at all in this matter, we will now make all speed and effect such a reconciliation as we can, so that we may overcome this disgrace. Forthwith they took counsel together. It appeared no pleasant task to sue for the man's favor : they all came to the decision that the only way was for the king and three others to ride to the wizard's place, and for him to entrust the army to his son. It was very clear how Arthur loved the queen. From the army he chose three whose valor he recognized, namely Karyet and Tristant and Lanzelet: these three he selected out of the court. He made ready for the journey, and rode into the forest that lay close to Kardigan.
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[121 LINES 7036-7113 When the fourth day came they lost the road, so that they hardly knew where they were in the wood. But they rode forward boldly till they came to the Shrieking Marsh.211 Whoever wishes, let him now pay attention to the nature of this marsh. A horse could travel upon it hardly, if at all. We have truly heard from many a man who is no longer alive that a great lake lies there, out of which runs a clear river, from which of a truth no beast, however sore he thirsted, ever drank. The fish which inhabit the water are all of the same length. The English have many of them; they are as long as your arm. The water is sometimes so warm 212—I know not what gives it this quality—that all the neighbors and the herds of animals flee precipitately a day's journey and more : and the marsh shrieks so terribly that all the animals die who are foolish enough to await the hour. Moreover, under these strange circumstances the water becomes so hot that every animal recognizes his life is in danger when the cry comes. Now let me inform you : three days before the summer solstice and seldom at other times the marsh shrieks, and then one sees noble birds, many of which hover over the lake ; but he who does them any harm never survives a year. Therefore it is a good place to avoid. When Arthur came to the river and perceived where he was in the wood, he was obliged to stop and hold still a while. Then he saw a knight come trotting over the Shrieking Marsh. So ex- ceeding fast was his horse that one could not see the beat of his hoofs. When the rider spied the king, he recognized him as a matter of course, for this good knight, wherever he spent the summer, always dwelt in the winter at Arthur's court.213 He bade the king and the three right welcome ; and he was well able to help them over the wilderness. He was called Dodines the Wild,214 with the Broad Hands.215 He burnt and harried the lands of the king of Ireland. It is told us that he troubled himself not a hair about his road when he mounted his horse, for its gait was such that it disturbed not the dew when the wild Dodines proudly galloped upon the moor and over the marsh.216 On a spot where
[121 LINES 7036-7113 When the fourth day came they lost the road, so that they hardly knew where they were in the wood. But they rode forward boldly till they came to the Shrieking Marsh.211 Whoever wishes, let him now pay attention to the nature of this marsh. A horse could travel upon it hardly, if at all. We have truly heard from many a man who is no longer alive that a great lake lies there, out of which runs a clear river, from which of a truth no beast, however sore he thirsted, ever drank. The fish which inhabit the water are all of the same length. The English have many of them; they are as long as your arm. The water is sometimes so warm 212—I know not what gives it this quality—that all the neighbors and the herds of animals flee precipitately a day's journey and more : and the marsh shrieks so terribly that all the animals die who are foolish enough to await the hour. Moreover, under these strange circumstances the water becomes so hot that every animal recognizes his life is in danger when the cry comes. Now let me inform you : three days before the summer solstice and seldom at other times the marsh shrieks, and then one sees noble birds, many of which hover over the lake ; but he who does them any harm never survives a year. Therefore it is a good place to avoid. When Arthur came to the river and perceived where he was in the wood, he was obliged to stop and hold still a while. Then he saw a knight come trotting over the Shrieking Marsh. So ex- ceeding fast was his horse that one could not see the beat of his hoofs. When the rider spied the king, he recognized him as a matter of course, for this good knight, wherever he spent the summer, always dwelt in the winter at Arthur's court.213 He bade the king and the three right welcome ; and he was well able to help them over the wilderness. He was called Dodines the Wild,214 with the Broad Hands.215 He burnt and harried the lands of the king of Ireland. It is told us that he troubled himself not a hair about his road when he mounted his horse, for its gait was such that it disturbed not the dew when the wild Dodines proudly galloped upon the moor and over the marsh.216 On a spot where
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[ 122 his enemies must be engulfed one did not even see it quake enough to bother him at all. LINES 7114-7207 Then Dodines, the bold hero, guided his lord to his house. It was situated on a cliff by the marsh ; and never was any castle better built, nor so well. This fortress took toll of the land, for the wood was subject to him. Shaped like a candle was the rock, without a wall, and thereon a natural tower, such that there never was a better, hollow inside and as hard outside as an echoing cliff. About it a good dwelling was contrived. I must not forget to say that Arthur, the great king, was never regaled with a choicer or more lavish supply of tame meat and of venison than the wild man gave him. And then afterwards the gracious and mighty King Arthur rode away from his dear friend's house toward the ford where the river ran out of the lake. The water was broad and deep, and moreover it ran so swiftly that none dared to pass it, except, as I have been informed, by way of a bridge toward the road ; it was called the Steaming Path. Here the heroes had to cover and wrap their horses' heads, for they could not devise any better scheme. Arthur, the great king, thought it most fortunate that Dodines was guiding them to the wizard's castle. So he was pleased with this turn of affairs, and his men much more so. Thus they rode on the shore of the Misty Lake. And this was its nature when it belonged to the magician : a house stood in the middle, to which a bridge led from the land, but no one could see it, except by Malduc's order.217 So Arthur was obliged to halt on the castle road. I do not know who will let him in. In the morning, early after sunrise, as the king wished, there came riding over the bridge the host's daughter, a beautiful maiden, courteous and honorable. She carried a sparrowhawk, handsome, of many moultings.218 Her horse, one observed, had a beautiful gait. With this highborn girl ran two greyhounds, for she was riding for her pleasure. As the French book tells us, she could not have been wiser, for she had read the books of all cunning, from which she had learned wonderful things.219 Except
[ 122 his enemies must be engulfed one did not even see it quake enough to bother him at all. LINES 7114-7207 Then Dodines, the bold hero, guided his lord to his house. It was situated on a cliff by the marsh ; and never was any castle better built, nor so well. This fortress took toll of the land, for the wood was subject to him. Shaped like a candle was the rock, without a wall, and thereon a natural tower, such that there never was a better, hollow inside and as hard outside as an echoing cliff. About it a good dwelling was contrived. I must not forget to say that Arthur, the great king, was never regaled with a choicer or more lavish supply of tame meat and of venison than the wild man gave him. And then afterwards the gracious and mighty King Arthur rode away from his dear friend's house toward the ford where the river ran out of the lake. The water was broad and deep, and moreover it ran so swiftly that none dared to pass it, except, as I have been informed, by way of a bridge toward the road ; it was called the Steaming Path. Here the heroes had to cover and wrap their horses' heads, for they could not devise any better scheme. Arthur, the great king, thought it most fortunate that Dodines was guiding them to the wizard's castle. So he was pleased with this turn of affairs, and his men much more so. Thus they rode on the shore of the Misty Lake. And this was its nature when it belonged to the magician : a house stood in the middle, to which a bridge led from the land, but no one could see it, except by Malduc's order.217 So Arthur was obliged to halt on the castle road. I do not know who will let him in. In the morning, early after sunrise, as the king wished, there came riding over the bridge the host's daughter, a beautiful maiden, courteous and honorable. She carried a sparrowhawk, handsome, of many moultings.218 Her horse, one observed, had a beautiful gait. With this highborn girl ran two greyhounds, for she was riding for her pleasure. As the French book tells us, she could not have been wiser, for she had read the books of all cunning, from which she had learned wonderful things.219 Except
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[ 123 ] the mighty Femurgan (Morgan le Fay),220 no woman that I ever heard tell of could match her. When she had crossed the bridge and discovered the noble strangers, the maiden greeted them at once, for she saw by their bearing that they were all princes. From what had been told her before the maiden recog- nized the king's features. “ My lord," said she, "it is a good thing for you that I have met you, for had I not done so you would perforce have perished. But now you will be safe, and for this reason alone, that your heart is always more kindly disposed toward other men, wherein you do very rightly. Of a truth you win honor by it. LINES 7208-7305 The unhappy Arthur thanked her heartily for this. Then he proceeded to lament to her fully all his misfortunes. It was easy for him to tell them to her, for she knew already how things had gone with him. Then he offered her a rich reward if she could counsel him in the matter.221 The maid replied : “I should be glad if I could so serve you that you should prosper well. For your courtesy I will be your faithful messenger to my father. Straightway she went to where she found her father, and began in all haste to embrace him affectionately, and said : “Noble father, I wish to bring back to your mind that I have always been obedient to you. You ought to reward me for that and grant me a boon that I greatly desire from you. " I will do it ; say what it is to be. “ Knights are tarrying near by," said the beauteous maiden, t and you must come to a peaceful accord with them. That is what I specially desire." Then the father kept silence till he had heard the story ; how King Arthur had come there to ask a favor, and wished to make proper amends for affront and sorrow inflicted, so that Malduc with his cunning would lessen Arthur's woe. " If he can assure me that he will do that," said the host, 'then, greatly as my injury afflicts me, I am willing to do what I can. I demand only two men, who shall be delivered to me uncondition-
[ 123 ] the mighty Femurgan (Morgan le Fay),220 no woman that I ever heard tell of could match her. When she had crossed the bridge and discovered the noble strangers, the maiden greeted them at once, for she saw by their bearing that they were all princes. From what had been told her before the maiden recog- nized the king's features. “ My lord," said she, "it is a good thing for you that I have met you, for had I not done so you would perforce have perished. But now you will be safe, and for this reason alone, that your heart is always more kindly disposed toward other men, wherein you do very rightly. Of a truth you win honor by it. LINES 7208-7305 The unhappy Arthur thanked her heartily for this. Then he proceeded to lament to her fully all his misfortunes. It was easy for him to tell them to her, for she knew already how things had gone with him. Then he offered her a rich reward if she could counsel him in the matter.221 The maid replied : “I should be glad if I could so serve you that you should prosper well. For your courtesy I will be your faithful messenger to my father. Straightway she went to where she found her father, and began in all haste to embrace him affectionately, and said : “Noble father, I wish to bring back to your mind that I have always been obedient to you. You ought to reward me for that and grant me a boon that I greatly desire from you. " I will do it ; say what it is to be. “ Knights are tarrying near by," said the beauteous maiden, t and you must come to a peaceful accord with them. That is what I specially desire." Then the father kept silence till he had heard the story ; how King Arthur had come there to ask a favor, and wished to make proper amends for affront and sorrow inflicted, so that Malduc with his cunning would lessen Arthur's woe. " If he can assure me that he will do that," said the host, 'then, greatly as my injury afflicts me, I am willing to do what I can. I demand only two men, who shall be delivered to me uncondition-
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[124 ally, as soon as I have brought his business to a successful end; and they are to be sent to me here at home when I have got him back his wife, as he desires. Let him consider well what injury they have done me. The two are Walwein and Erec. Now ride your way, daughter, and pledge them your word for it that this must be the payment I seek from the king. In no other wise will I be your surety. With this answer the maid rode to the place where she had heard the sad tale of the king's wrongs, and told them what the payment was which her father demanded. " However much I might desire to fulfil this condition for him, spoke the angry king, “they would certainly not consent to it. It would be an outrageous request. Then Lanzelet answered him : “My lord, you should not say that, for you have often seen Erec and Walwein perform deeds for your sake which endangered their lives. They are doing that very thing today behind us on this expedition. Likewise there is no peril which I myself would not gladly undergo if I might thereby release my lady from her affliction. I will swear the same for the two bold heroes on whom this necessity has fallen." Tristant, a warrior wise in words, also counseled the king that he should straightway do as the valiant Lanzelet had advised him. Dodines and Karyet maintained that Erec and Walwein wooed honor so zealously that they would never perish but well and gloriously. Thus they all convinced the king that he should grant Malduc what he demanded. For they were well aware of the fact that the two heroes were ready to do for him whatever he desired of them. LINES 7306-94 So the maid with wise counsel both early and late brought it about that her father rode with the king—nevertheless with the pledge that no harm should be done him. Whatever oath King Arthur swore, that he broke for no man.222 With this under- standing, then, they rode over a smooth plain. Dodines the Wild guided the king by so good a way without bridge and without
[124 ally, as soon as I have brought his business to a successful end; and they are to be sent to me here at home when I have got him back his wife, as he desires. Let him consider well what injury they have done me. The two are Walwein and Erec. Now ride your way, daughter, and pledge them your word for it that this must be the payment I seek from the king. In no other wise will I be your surety. With this answer the maid rode to the place where she had heard the sad tale of the king's wrongs, and told them what the payment was which her father demanded. " However much I might desire to fulfil this condition for him, spoke the angry king, “they would certainly not consent to it. It would be an outrageous request. Then Lanzelet answered him : “My lord, you should not say that, for you have often seen Erec and Walwein perform deeds for your sake which endangered their lives. They are doing that very thing today behind us on this expedition. Likewise there is no peril which I myself would not gladly undergo if I might thereby release my lady from her affliction. I will swear the same for the two bold heroes on whom this necessity has fallen." Tristant, a warrior wise in words, also counseled the king that he should straightway do as the valiant Lanzelet had advised him. Dodines and Karyet maintained that Erec and Walwein wooed honor so zealously that they would never perish but well and gloriously. Thus they all convinced the king that he should grant Malduc what he demanded. For they were well aware of the fact that the two heroes were ready to do for him whatever he desired of them. LINES 7306-94 So the maid with wise counsel both early and late brought it about that her father rode with the king—nevertheless with the pledge that no harm should be done him. Whatever oath King Arthur swore, that he broke for no man.222 With this under- standing, then, they rode over a smooth plain. Dodines the Wild guided the king by so good a way without bridge and without
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125 ford that he got home promptly. As soon as the knights knew it, no man was ever better received. It was clear from their rejoicing that it is well with the man whose people bear him good will. At the siege there was no news that they thought worth telling to their lord when he returned. King Arthur took the princes and revealed to them what had been arranged there. "Any other arrangement would have been madness," said they unanimously. Erec, the valiant, and the courteous Walwein agreed to this, that if it would be of advantage to their lady, no matter what it should cost them, they were glad to answer as they should whenever the king demanded it of them. Even if they should be flayed or boiled alive, or however they were treated, that would be governed by fate. They were well aware that one is destined to die but once and no more. They would risk life and honor rather than have it happen that their lady the queen and the court at Kardigan should be miserably destroyed. For this they were much praised. Thereafter in the next week the wise Malduc played Valerin such a trick that he suffered great damage from it. Now hear how it came about. He proceeded to look up his arts in the black books, and he brought it to pass that the serpents which lay in the outer bailey and infested the thicket in the Tangled Wood ceased their raging. Malduc, the wise man, enchanted everything alive both in the castle and under it—there was no resistance. The army then struggled up and poured over the wall. Dearly they made Valerin pay for having grieved King Arthur. Not a person sick nor sound did they leave alive that they found in the castle. They were all doomed. Then was King Valerin slain with his men. He should be forever mourned except that it would be very unsuitable. He who makes the truth his own will have his reward, one need not worry about that; but whoever does shame to women will lose his happiness and honor. LINES 7395-7479 While Valerin through his presumption thus lost life and pos- sessions as you have perceived, Arthur, keen for honor, reached
125 ford that he got home promptly. As soon as the knights knew it, no man was ever better received. It was clear from their rejoicing that it is well with the man whose people bear him good will. At the siege there was no news that they thought worth telling to their lord when he returned. King Arthur took the princes and revealed to them what had been arranged there. "Any other arrangement would have been madness," said they unanimously. Erec, the valiant, and the courteous Walwein agreed to this, that if it would be of advantage to their lady, no matter what it should cost them, they were glad to answer as they should whenever the king demanded it of them. Even if they should be flayed or boiled alive, or however they were treated, that would be governed by fate. They were well aware that one is destined to die but once and no more. They would risk life and honor rather than have it happen that their lady the queen and the court at Kardigan should be miserably destroyed. For this they were much praised. Thereafter in the next week the wise Malduc played Valerin such a trick that he suffered great damage from it. Now hear how it came about. He proceeded to look up his arts in the black books, and he brought it to pass that the serpents which lay in the outer bailey and infested the thicket in the Tangled Wood ceased their raging. Malduc, the wise man, enchanted everything alive both in the castle and under it—there was no resistance. The army then struggled up and poured over the wall. Dearly they made Valerin pay for having grieved King Arthur. Not a person sick nor sound did they leave alive that they found in the castle. They were all doomed. Then was King Valerin slain with his men. He should be forever mourned except that it would be very unsuitable. He who makes the truth his own will have his reward, one need not worry about that; but whoever does shame to women will lose his happiness and honor. LINES 7395-7479 While Valerin through his presumption thus lost life and pos- sessions as you have perceived, Arthur, keen for honor, reached
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126 a house up in the castle wherein he found lying thirty maids and the queen. They were so sound asleep that not one of them had noticed the tumult in the fortress when the strangers had laid waste the castle.223 Then of necessity and against their wish (so potent was the magic) they had to wake ; but for Malduc's voice they would have quite perished. He helped them so that they took no harm. The ladies were led away, and the castle and its entire contents destroyed, so that it lay flat. Both hill and thicket were ravaged to appease their wrath, so that by means of them never again could any person injure another. And thus was the gracious king of Kardigan freed from his sorrow, except that he could not help grieving about the costly recompense which Malduc had won with his craft. Ginover the queen begged the wizard for her sake and for that of all ladies everywhere that he would be pleased to mitigate his anger ; and she told him that he might take whatever he wished of all that she possessed if he would release the stead- fast heroes from the journey which would put in jeopardy their life and their honor. Yet, however earnestly she entreated, she could accomplish nothing. So she had to give up her pleading. Then such was the parting that all the knights could not help being sad and unhappy. It was plain in many ways, what with the cries of lamentation, the weeping, and the display of grief, such that if they had been standing by the grave of the two heroes their sadness could not have been greater. Their visible heartfelt sor- row was no more to the magician than a wind. He led the victims on their journey toward his stronghold, whether they all liked it or not. And so Sir Walwein and Erec were obliged without re- sistance to ride off with the magician under Arthur's escort toward his hold, where he threw them into his tower. I believe I need not tell you what discomfort they suffered. Their friends did not cease to be heavy of heart, however much they rejoiced in their lady's return. Seldom have people been known to make greater mourn- ing than they made for many a day for the king's kinsmen. With- out your asking me I will tell you at once that Ginover presently came home to Kardigan amid all the rejoicing they could properly make.
126 a house up in the castle wherein he found lying thirty maids and the queen. They were so sound asleep that not one of them had noticed the tumult in the fortress when the strangers had laid waste the castle.223 Then of necessity and against their wish (so potent was the magic) they had to wake ; but for Malduc's voice they would have quite perished. He helped them so that they took no harm. The ladies were led away, and the castle and its entire contents destroyed, so that it lay flat. Both hill and thicket were ravaged to appease their wrath, so that by means of them never again could any person injure another. And thus was the gracious king of Kardigan freed from his sorrow, except that he could not help grieving about the costly recompense which Malduc had won with his craft. Ginover the queen begged the wizard for her sake and for that of all ladies everywhere that he would be pleased to mitigate his anger ; and she told him that he might take whatever he wished of all that she possessed if he would release the stead- fast heroes from the journey which would put in jeopardy their life and their honor. Yet, however earnestly she entreated, she could accomplish nothing. So she had to give up her pleading. Then such was the parting that all the knights could not help being sad and unhappy. It was plain in many ways, what with the cries of lamentation, the weeping, and the display of grief, such that if they had been standing by the grave of the two heroes their sadness could not have been greater. Their visible heartfelt sor- row was no more to the magician than a wind. He led the victims on their journey toward his stronghold, whether they all liked it or not. And so Sir Walwein and Erec were obliged without re- sistance to ride off with the magician under Arthur's escort toward his hold, where he threw them into his tower. I believe I need not tell you what discomfort they suffered. Their friends did not cease to be heavy of heart, however much they rejoiced in their lady's return. Seldom have people been known to make greater mourn- ing than they made for many a day for the king's kinsmen. With- out your asking me I will tell you at once that Ginover presently came home to Kardigan amid all the rejoicing they could properly make.
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[ 127 ] LINES 7480-7563 But not for the sake of wife nor possessions did Lanzelet rest; he was sad at heart as long as he knew the torment to which his friends Walwein and Erec were being subjected till they should perish of hunger. Very sad then were the king and all his court, for they believed there was no help for them. It was a desperate emergency. Whatever Malduc was offered to set the lords free availed nought to their advantage, for he treated them the worse for it. My lord Lanzelet, therefore, found a hundred knights of good courage, who for his sake would risk both life and goods, and who expressed their willingness to die for him when they saw him pining so wretchedly for grief. For no one is so great that his courtly demeanor is not diminished by anger and grief and deep-seated sorrow. When Lanzelet saw the devotion of such good knights, he at once decided with them that they would not linger but ride, always at night till early morning, and lie hidden by day, until they should thus arrive together at the lake where lay the magician's castle, before the inhabitants of the country discovered them. They promised at once that they would swim the lake, and put their lives in pawn ; or else they would work some harm to the wily magician. They tell us that when Tristant found out about the secret expedition he took Karyet with him and rode hastily to the band of knights. And it likewise came to pass that a strange man joined the expedition whom I should like to tell you about. If the story has it correctly, that person was a good knight and actually the tallest giant that ever was known in the whole world. Now pay good attention and do not suspect my tale. The poem informs us that from the time he was first born he always grew a span a month ! He was called Esealt the Tall.224 From a child he belonged to the household of King Arthur, who brought him up for a prodigy. He was grown so tall that he appeared far higher than any tower And in addition to being tall he was very nimble and of courtly bearing. Any man would have to suffer for being bolder than he. He could not ride, only walk, and was quick and lively. He
[ 127 ] LINES 7480-7563 But not for the sake of wife nor possessions did Lanzelet rest; he was sad at heart as long as he knew the torment to which his friends Walwein and Erec were being subjected till they should perish of hunger. Very sad then were the king and all his court, for they believed there was no help for them. It was a desperate emergency. Whatever Malduc was offered to set the lords free availed nought to their advantage, for he treated them the worse for it. My lord Lanzelet, therefore, found a hundred knights of good courage, who for his sake would risk both life and goods, and who expressed their willingness to die for him when they saw him pining so wretchedly for grief. For no one is so great that his courtly demeanor is not diminished by anger and grief and deep-seated sorrow. When Lanzelet saw the devotion of such good knights, he at once decided with them that they would not linger but ride, always at night till early morning, and lie hidden by day, until they should thus arrive together at the lake where lay the magician's castle, before the inhabitants of the country discovered them. They promised at once that they would swim the lake, and put their lives in pawn ; or else they would work some harm to the wily magician. They tell us that when Tristant found out about the secret expedition he took Karyet with him and rode hastily to the band of knights. And it likewise came to pass that a strange man joined the expedition whom I should like to tell you about. If the story has it correctly, that person was a good knight and actually the tallest giant that ever was known in the whole world. Now pay good attention and do not suspect my tale. The poem informs us that from the time he was first born he always grew a span a month ! He was called Esealt the Tall.224 From a child he belonged to the household of King Arthur, who brought him up for a prodigy. He was grown so tall that he appeared far higher than any tower And in addition to being tall he was very nimble and of courtly bearing. Any man would have to suffer for being bolder than he. He could not ride, only walk, and was quick and lively. He
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[ 128 was seventeen years old 225 when he heard of the journey which Lanzelet was so quietly preparing and from which many a man in the wizard's house came to grief. LINES 7564-7644 My lord King Arthur was ignorant of the expedition before they got together. Those who were eager to free their friends were invited—the good and not the bad—to join the expedition by the generous Lanzelet, who was devoid of cowardice. They betook themselves out of the country ; the hundred knights and the hero about whose height I have told were ready for their journey, and what reason could there be for putting it off ? Those who knew the roads set the knightly company on the way toward the castle wherein Erec and Walwein, his comrade, were suffering grievous torment, ill suited for such heroes. If you would hear how it turned out you must keep silence for it. One morning ere dawn, just a little before daylight, they all arrived at the lake. The mist was so dense that they could hardly distinguish the castle with their eyes. But the moon gave them light as the mighty God ordained. Now they were in dire need of boats, which were not to be had. Then Lanzelet did not hesitate, but leaped before them into the flood, and after him Karyet his kins- man. Then Tristant hastened, and after him all the knights, and swam manfully in the water. Esealt, the good hero, boldly sprang into the lake ; and then it was that his height was helpful to them, for he protected the troop, so that they came safe and sound over the deep lake. He waded beside the knights and looked after them well ; when anything happened to one of them he immediately came to his aid and supported horse and man till they were quite over. 226 Before anyone was aware of it the strangers were at the magi- cian's fortress. And then Esealt took them and lifted them two at a time by main strength over the castle roof. Then savagely was its host repaid for his outrage in rendering miserable the lives of Erec and Walwein. They found the heroes confined by welding in heavy fetters. There was no lack of fighting when they were released, for they did not forget their suffering and pain. They
[ 128 was seventeen years old 225 when he heard of the journey which Lanzelet was so quietly preparing and from which many a man in the wizard's house came to grief. LINES 7564-7644 My lord King Arthur was ignorant of the expedition before they got together. Those who were eager to free their friends were invited—the good and not the bad—to join the expedition by the generous Lanzelet, who was devoid of cowardice. They betook themselves out of the country ; the hundred knights and the hero about whose height I have told were ready for their journey, and what reason could there be for putting it off ? Those who knew the roads set the knightly company on the way toward the castle wherein Erec and Walwein, his comrade, were suffering grievous torment, ill suited for such heroes. If you would hear how it turned out you must keep silence for it. One morning ere dawn, just a little before daylight, they all arrived at the lake. The mist was so dense that they could hardly distinguish the castle with their eyes. But the moon gave them light as the mighty God ordained. Now they were in dire need of boats, which were not to be had. Then Lanzelet did not hesitate, but leaped before them into the flood, and after him Karyet his kins- man. Then Tristant hastened, and after him all the knights, and swam manfully in the water. Esealt, the good hero, boldly sprang into the lake ; and then it was that his height was helpful to them, for he protected the troop, so that they came safe and sound over the deep lake. He waded beside the knights and looked after them well ; when anything happened to one of them he immediately came to his aid and supported horse and man till they were quite over. 226 Before anyone was aware of it the strangers were at the magi- cian's fortress. And then Esealt took them and lifted them two at a time by main strength over the castle roof. Then savagely was its host repaid for his outrage in rendering miserable the lives of Erec and Walwein. They found the heroes confined by welding in heavy fetters. There was no lack of fighting when they were released, for they did not forget their suffering and pain. They
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[ 129 slew every soul, the host and his household, except the maid, his child, whom they harmed not, for she had counseled the heroes with good intent : they would certainly have perished had it not been for her weeping and her entreaties, by which the maiden had saved them. Thanks be to her for this, and to all ladies who so live that they comfort sighing grief and cheer sad hearts by their goodness. LINES 7645-7716 When it was all over and none of the magician's band survived but this one child, the beauteous maiden, and when she saw that they were burning down the castle, she promptly came to the help of the warriors and enabled them to discover the bridge which led over the broad water. The knightly band were very joyful indeed, for they dreaded misfortune if they had to swim the lake, as they had got across it before only with great hardship. Now they could ride away without fear by a good road. So Sir Walwein and Erec are unhampered and free, and the maid wholeheartedly with them. And they rewarded the steadfast maiden with many a kindness because of what she had done out of love for them. Thus a reward for the service which one friend does for another comes without asking. It is good to think of that. The heroes rode homewards ; and it had all turned out for them just as they had wished. They brought the crafty magician's child home to King Arthur, that she might be of his household on account of her honorable behavior, for she was a wise maid. It must not be passed over in silence that my lord Lanzelet, who always in virtues manifold gladly did what was best, took Esealt and bade him hasten ahead to Kardigan and bring news to the great king that his expedition had turned out happily. Esealt failed not to do what befitted him. He hastened as best he knew how, speedily reached home, and related to the king how successful the heroes had been. Old and young alike were filled with joy when he told them his whole story ; and Yblis could hardly wait for Lanzelet's coming. What the big fellow received for his messenger's fee let me tell you now. The queen ordered to be brought to him a shield full of gold; and Esealt the mighty was glad of his reward. But
[ 129 slew every soul, the host and his household, except the maid, his child, whom they harmed not, for she had counseled the heroes with good intent : they would certainly have perished had it not been for her weeping and her entreaties, by which the maiden had saved them. Thanks be to her for this, and to all ladies who so live that they comfort sighing grief and cheer sad hearts by their goodness. LINES 7645-7716 When it was all over and none of the magician's band survived but this one child, the beauteous maiden, and when she saw that they were burning down the castle, she promptly came to the help of the warriors and enabled them to discover the bridge which led over the broad water. The knightly band were very joyful indeed, for they dreaded misfortune if they had to swim the lake, as they had got across it before only with great hardship. Now they could ride away without fear by a good road. So Sir Walwein and Erec are unhampered and free, and the maid wholeheartedly with them. And they rewarded the steadfast maiden with many a kindness because of what she had done out of love for them. Thus a reward for the service which one friend does for another comes without asking. It is good to think of that. The heroes rode homewards ; and it had all turned out for them just as they had wished. They brought the crafty magician's child home to King Arthur, that she might be of his household on account of her honorable behavior, for she was a wise maid. It must not be passed over in silence that my lord Lanzelet, who always in virtues manifold gladly did what was best, took Esealt and bade him hasten ahead to Kardigan and bring news to the great king that his expedition had turned out happily. Esealt failed not to do what befitted him. He hastened as best he knew how, speedily reached home, and related to the king how successful the heroes had been. Old and young alike were filled with joy when he told them his whole story ; and Yblis could hardly wait for Lanzelet's coming. What the big fellow received for his messenger's fee let me tell you now. The queen ordered to be brought to him a shield full of gold; and Esealt the mighty was glad of his reward. But
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[ 130 the others all alike rejoiced in the news ; for it often happens when affliction comes to one man that another is not at all concerned about it, for it is not everybody's grief, they say. LINES 7717-90 Now let all consider if the glorious king ever had better reason to rejoice over anything at all than over this news when he heard it—that his knights were returning, Erec and Walwein. Arthur was determined to receive them honorably, and so he hastened out to greet them with a thousand banners and with well-caparisoned steeds, for both his men and he had a plentiful supply of surcoats and spears, the best in the land. For half a day he rode toward the warriors. And then was Lanzelet du Lac received exceedingly well, with such a crown of honor as would overwhelm a weak man. Many a one rejoiced who till then had been joyless. The king kissed all the water-wearied heroes. Home to his dwelling he led those dear friends of his. Ginover the queen had never been so happy as when she welcomed the nobles in the very best manner she could. Do not believe that people were ever better received ; with tears of joy the bright eyes of the beautiful ladies were wet, for it is always the case that both love and sorrow sadden the eye. What should the king now do, who for the sake of honor and renown has held many a court? He wished to find out what friends he had ; so Arthur, firm in honor, proceeded to invite many princes. He made nothing of all his hardships such as distress a worthless lord, who sweats over a slight matter, even if it is to his real profit and pleasure. Now all the people of the land assembled there, kings, counts, dukes, and, unless the books have lied to us, it was the finest festival that ever before or since was arranged in so short a time. One could have seen there such bohourt, dance, and pas- time as a great court will not do without. Let us avoid a long story, except that Erec and Walwein won a deal of sweet praise for their earlier friendship, which had brought about the queen's deliver- ance. It befits nobody to be disconsolate save the bad alone. It troubled the warriors little that they had previously suffered affliction, since it was for their sake that so many knights were
[ 130 the others all alike rejoiced in the news ; for it often happens when affliction comes to one man that another is not at all concerned about it, for it is not everybody's grief, they say. LINES 7717-90 Now let all consider if the glorious king ever had better reason to rejoice over anything at all than over this news when he heard it—that his knights were returning, Erec and Walwein. Arthur was determined to receive them honorably, and so he hastened out to greet them with a thousand banners and with well-caparisoned steeds, for both his men and he had a plentiful supply of surcoats and spears, the best in the land. For half a day he rode toward the warriors. And then was Lanzelet du Lac received exceedingly well, with such a crown of honor as would overwhelm a weak man. Many a one rejoiced who till then had been joyless. The king kissed all the water-wearied heroes. Home to his dwelling he led those dear friends of his. Ginover the queen had never been so happy as when she welcomed the nobles in the very best manner she could. Do not believe that people were ever better received ; with tears of joy the bright eyes of the beautiful ladies were wet, for it is always the case that both love and sorrow sadden the eye. What should the king now do, who for the sake of honor and renown has held many a court? He wished to find out what friends he had ; so Arthur, firm in honor, proceeded to invite many princes. He made nothing of all his hardships such as distress a worthless lord, who sweats over a slight matter, even if it is to his real profit and pleasure. Now all the people of the land assembled there, kings, counts, dukes, and, unless the books have lied to us, it was the finest festival that ever before or since was arranged in so short a time. One could have seen there such bohourt, dance, and pas- time as a great court will not do without. Let us avoid a long story, except that Erec and Walwein won a deal of sweet praise for their earlier friendship, which had brought about the queen's deliver- ance. It befits nobody to be disconsolate save the bad alone. It troubled the warriors little that they had previously suffered affliction, since it was for their sake that so many knights were
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[131 now being well entertained. He shall not lack reward who so sets his mind on being of service to the worthy. LINES 7791-7871 Now hear the story further. Never in his life was King Arthur in better spirits. His heart bloomed with joy, for he saw before him the queen and his dear kinsmen, glad and sound. With a com- mon voice both guests and retainers declared that Lanzelet from a child was the most fortunate man in all the world, in whatever he undertook, and therefore he was victorious in battle. His fortune protected him also from envy, which is a strange and unheard-of thing, for the bad always hate the good. May good luck protect him therein ! Nobody denied that he was of a truth so complete in manliness that no knight was better, for everybody knew and talked about the adventurous things that had happened to him. Upright people will assent that he had accomplished his enter- prises so well that he was esteemed most highly. When the festival was ended, and everybody had disposed of himself as he wished, Lanzelet thanked his ladylove that she had shown her womanly goodness so often. He rejoiced that her be- havior had been so seemly, and that the mantle fitted her which the water-fay gave her. One night as they lay together, Yblis and Lanzelet, and as he talked much to his mistress about courtly manners and about love, he asked her at the last what she considered the strangest story that she knew. Then spoke the fair lady : "I know not, far or near, any tale so remarkable as this. After you had ridden away, my lord bade whoever wished to be his friend to make a thorough search for you ; and so there was a great riding abroad. Then the brave Roidurant 227 penetrated into a wild forest, where the good knight found a great dragon with such a beard on it that never was wild beast so terrifying. It spoke quite like a man; and re- peatedly it called upon the hero for God's sake to kiss it.228 The hero had no desire of that, for the creature seemed to him mon- strous. Here at home he related the adventure which had happened to him. Then well-nigh the whole court flocked to see the dragon. When it became aware of the knights, it entreated them to kiss
[131 now being well entertained. He shall not lack reward who so sets his mind on being of service to the worthy. LINES 7791-7871 Now hear the story further. Never in his life was King Arthur in better spirits. His heart bloomed with joy, for he saw before him the queen and his dear kinsmen, glad and sound. With a com- mon voice both guests and retainers declared that Lanzelet from a child was the most fortunate man in all the world, in whatever he undertook, and therefore he was victorious in battle. His fortune protected him also from envy, which is a strange and unheard-of thing, for the bad always hate the good. May good luck protect him therein ! Nobody denied that he was of a truth so complete in manliness that no knight was better, for everybody knew and talked about the adventurous things that had happened to him. Upright people will assent that he had accomplished his enter- prises so well that he was esteemed most highly. When the festival was ended, and everybody had disposed of himself as he wished, Lanzelet thanked his ladylove that she had shown her womanly goodness so often. He rejoiced that her be- havior had been so seemly, and that the mantle fitted her which the water-fay gave her. One night as they lay together, Yblis and Lanzelet, and as he talked much to his mistress about courtly manners and about love, he asked her at the last what she considered the strangest story that she knew. Then spoke the fair lady : "I know not, far or near, any tale so remarkable as this. After you had ridden away, my lord bade whoever wished to be his friend to make a thorough search for you ; and so there was a great riding abroad. Then the brave Roidurant 227 penetrated into a wild forest, where the good knight found a great dragon with such a beard on it that never was wild beast so terrifying. It spoke quite like a man; and re- peatedly it called upon the hero for God's sake to kiss it.228 The hero had no desire of that, for the creature seemed to him mon- strous. Here at home he related the adventure which had happened to him. Then well-nigh the whole court flocked to see the dragon. When it became aware of the knights, it entreated them to kiss
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[ 132 it, whereat the heroes betook themselves rather to flight than to it. Now, dear friend, understand why I have told you this. If whatever service I can do for you has pleased you, then you should honor me by always avoiding that dragon." " 'I do not understand what is troubling you," answered the steadfast Lanzelet; "even if I were continually asked to do it, I could very easily forbear." LINES 7872-7961 But cunningly he began to follow up the tale, for he was eager for the adventure. He said, “Now tell further." The lady con- tinued, “They say that the dragon shot like an arrow as it flew. It followed the people and demanded when he should come who was destined to release it from its misery. When he had thus obtained the story clean to the end, not a bit longer would he wait ; but with nine others he rode there, where he won marvelous renown from the dragon. No sooner had the dragon seen and heard him than it reared itself up for joy, and right eerily it howled like a wild woman : “Alas, how long must I wait for you !" Then his nine companions were panic-stricken and turned back. But Lanzelet spoke : "Now tell whence came your human voice? Never in all my travels on water or on land saw I beast so grim nor so frightfully shaped. If I should not incur everlasting shame by doing so, I should be glad to keep away from you. " No, no, hero, do not so !" spoke the great serpent. “God has made people and lands of many strange kinds, conceived by his miraculous power. Of those things I am one. Would that there now lived a knight who would kiss me on the mouth. Then should I instantly be restored and beautiful. But I have never been able to persuade anyone. All who ever saw me fled disgracefully. Yet if a knight were willing to kiss me, without delay he would thus better himself, for he to whom that is appointed is devoid of subtle fraud, the best knight who now lives. It matters not how much you strive to get away from here, someone will relieve my torment. And so I beg you, noble warrior, do it for the great God's sake! Release me! It is no jest on my part, for I will entreat you
[ 132 it, whereat the heroes betook themselves rather to flight than to it. Now, dear friend, understand why I have told you this. If whatever service I can do for you has pleased you, then you should honor me by always avoiding that dragon." " 'I do not understand what is troubling you," answered the steadfast Lanzelet; "even if I were continually asked to do it, I could very easily forbear." LINES 7872-7961 But cunningly he began to follow up the tale, for he was eager for the adventure. He said, “Now tell further." The lady con- tinued, “They say that the dragon shot like an arrow as it flew. It followed the people and demanded when he should come who was destined to release it from its misery. When he had thus obtained the story clean to the end, not a bit longer would he wait ; but with nine others he rode there, where he won marvelous renown from the dragon. No sooner had the dragon seen and heard him than it reared itself up for joy, and right eerily it howled like a wild woman : “Alas, how long must I wait for you !" Then his nine companions were panic-stricken and turned back. But Lanzelet spoke : "Now tell whence came your human voice? Never in all my travels on water or on land saw I beast so grim nor so frightfully shaped. If I should not incur everlasting shame by doing so, I should be glad to keep away from you. " No, no, hero, do not so !" spoke the great serpent. “God has made people and lands of many strange kinds, conceived by his miraculous power. Of those things I am one. Would that there now lived a knight who would kiss me on the mouth. Then should I instantly be restored and beautiful. But I have never been able to persuade anyone. All who ever saw me fled disgracefully. Yet if a knight were willing to kiss me, without delay he would thus better himself, for he to whom that is appointed is devoid of subtle fraud, the best knight who now lives. It matters not how much you strive to get away from here, someone will relieve my torment. And so I beg you, noble warrior, do it for the great God's sake! Release me! It is no jest on my part, for I will entreat you
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[ 133 ] further by the honor of all ladies, do not hesitate but kiss me !' Then spoke Lanzelet : “I will do it whatever comes of it." He alighted on the earth and kissed the most deformed mouth that he had ever heard of. At once the dragon flew away to where a beautiful brook ran and bathed its rough body, whereat it be- came the loveliest woman that anyone had ever seen.229 When this marvel happened, and the nine saw it, they hastened to the bold Lanzelet, who had acted so gallantly in daring to face what had never been faced before. Then Lanzelet did not delay, but he and all the knights turned toward the beautiful river. There they found the good lady delightfully attired ; we are not told where she got her raiment, for a miracle happened there. The lady spoke to the heroes : "God grant him enduring happiness, my lord rich in virtue, who has released me from sorrow. And besides, it should be good comfort for him to be told that fortune protects him so that he will be victorious in all things, and nothing can withstand him." LINES 7962-8040 Then Lanzelet du Lac took the lovely lady and led her to Kardigan. The excitement there was intense. The foreign ladies there never wearied of hearing her relate what had happened to her. They insisted on knowing who she was and what was her name ; and the lady did not conceal why she had been afflicted. Hereby was it proved, when the maid was thus restored to happi- ness, that in Lanzelet's time there was no knight so good. He received without any opposition the supreme honor before all his friends. It would be difficult to tell how many feats he performed, for he began early and kept it up many a day, my lord Lanzelet du Lac. On account of people's curiosity I must not fail to inform you who the lady was who changed from dragon into woman. Why put it off any longer ? I shall tell it you at once. She was called Clidra the Fair,230 daughter of a king of Thyle.231 The wise know well, and those who are acquainted with the world, that Thyle is an island, a broad island in the sea. There they have a great store of marvels which no one could reckon. A week before Christmas
[ 133 ] further by the honor of all ladies, do not hesitate but kiss me !' Then spoke Lanzelet : “I will do it whatever comes of it." He alighted on the earth and kissed the most deformed mouth that he had ever heard of. At once the dragon flew away to where a beautiful brook ran and bathed its rough body, whereat it be- came the loveliest woman that anyone had ever seen.229 When this marvel happened, and the nine saw it, they hastened to the bold Lanzelet, who had acted so gallantly in daring to face what had never been faced before. Then Lanzelet did not delay, but he and all the knights turned toward the beautiful river. There they found the good lady delightfully attired ; we are not told where she got her raiment, for a miracle happened there. The lady spoke to the heroes : "God grant him enduring happiness, my lord rich in virtue, who has released me from sorrow. And besides, it should be good comfort for him to be told that fortune protects him so that he will be victorious in all things, and nothing can withstand him." LINES 7962-8040 Then Lanzelet du Lac took the lovely lady and led her to Kardigan. The excitement there was intense. The foreign ladies there never wearied of hearing her relate what had happened to her. They insisted on knowing who she was and what was her name ; and the lady did not conceal why she had been afflicted. Hereby was it proved, when the maid was thus restored to happi- ness, that in Lanzelet's time there was no knight so good. He received without any opposition the supreme honor before all his friends. It would be difficult to tell how many feats he performed, for he began early and kept it up many a day, my lord Lanzelet du Lac. On account of people's curiosity I must not fail to inform you who the lady was who changed from dragon into woman. Why put it off any longer ? I shall tell it you at once. She was called Clidra the Fair,230 daughter of a king of Thyle.231 The wise know well, and those who are acquainted with the world, that Thyle is an island, a broad island in the sea. There they have a great store of marvels which no one could reckon. A week before Christmas
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134 ] the days are so short, according to the authority of Roman books which contain many marvels, that a runner scarcely goes a half mile before nightfall. Moreover, the days in Thyle are longer in sum- mer than here. You never heard stranger tales than are told us of that place. Whatever woman there should sin against courtly etiquette and think to deceive a man who is serving her for her love will come to misfortune. She shames herself thereby, for it is the custom of the country not to tolerate her behavior, even for a year. It would take too long were I to tell you what the lady had done. For her it was decreed and ordained that she should become a dragon till the time that she should kiss the mouth of the best knight in the world. And so she crept away on her breast to Britain, into a forest, for therein many a good knight rode upon ad- ventures. I have already told in what manner she was released from her misery, as she had demanded of Lanzelet. Moreover, it has always been the sentence of worthy folk that woman and man should guard themselves from deceitful deeds, for such proper behavior redounds to all good. It is reported to us that the foreign maid became judge over courtly etiquette.232 Whoever in the court quarreled about anything that concerned love, she decided the case well and promptly, since she ere this had herself suffered so great sorrow through false love. LINES 8041—8134 On account of the many marvelous deeds that he performed, my lord Lanzelet, as I find in the story, became one of the dearest companions that King Arthur ever possessed. Yet there lives no man whose mind is intent upon the affairs of this world but that he prefers his own land, because it frees him from having to make timid requests. And so Lanzelet's thoughts turned to his inherit- ance at Genewis, for it seemed to him a disgrace that it was in strange hands. So the daring warrior prepared a campaign with his friends. In this affair it was very plain that he was a beloved man, for he got together the finest force that was ever heard of. Arthur, the bold king, brought a gallant band—three thousand knights, no fewer, with armor bright as ice. Sir Walwein of Garnantz,233 the wise prince, also brought to him, without any doubt, a thousand heroes of high courage, active, bold, and good,
134 ] the days are so short, according to the authority of Roman books which contain many marvels, that a runner scarcely goes a half mile before nightfall. Moreover, the days in Thyle are longer in sum- mer than here. You never heard stranger tales than are told us of that place. Whatever woman there should sin against courtly etiquette and think to deceive a man who is serving her for her love will come to misfortune. She shames herself thereby, for it is the custom of the country not to tolerate her behavior, even for a year. It would take too long were I to tell you what the lady had done. For her it was decreed and ordained that she should become a dragon till the time that she should kiss the mouth of the best knight in the world. And so she crept away on her breast to Britain, into a forest, for therein many a good knight rode upon ad- ventures. I have already told in what manner she was released from her misery, as she had demanded of Lanzelet. Moreover, it has always been the sentence of worthy folk that woman and man should guard themselves from deceitful deeds, for such proper behavior redounds to all good. It is reported to us that the foreign maid became judge over courtly etiquette.232 Whoever in the court quarreled about anything that concerned love, she decided the case well and promptly, since she ere this had herself suffered so great sorrow through false love. LINES 8041—8134 On account of the many marvelous deeds that he performed, my lord Lanzelet, as I find in the story, became one of the dearest companions that King Arthur ever possessed. Yet there lives no man whose mind is intent upon the affairs of this world but that he prefers his own land, because it frees him from having to make timid requests. And so Lanzelet's thoughts turned to his inherit- ance at Genewis, for it seemed to him a disgrace that it was in strange hands. So the daring warrior prepared a campaign with his friends. In this affair it was very plain that he was a beloved man, for he got together the finest force that was ever heard of. Arthur, the bold king, brought a gallant band—three thousand knights, no fewer, with armor bright as ice. Sir Walwein of Garnantz,233 the wise prince, also brought to him, without any doubt, a thousand heroes of high courage, active, bold, and good,
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[ 135 ] well prepared at all points. Torfilaret of Walest brought him a big troop, lacking nothing that became well equipped heroes. Erec also came to him leading warriors of Destregalys, his land,234 eight hundred jousters with iron horse-armor 235 and bright, sharp swords, for they loved battle and had never known retreat. From Cornwall and from Ireland came to him two great armies, and from over the sea many a famous prince. So splendid was the chivalry that they would not flinch, so they tell us, before all the world. Tristant brought no knights, for he had departed from Lohenis, not being able to remain on account of his love for the queen, his lady Isalde.236 Yet people were more pleased to see him than many another on the expedition ; they averred that in difficulty and danger no man was braver, for he had often been in desperate straits both night and day. My lord Lanzelet du Lac appointed his rendezvous, where old and young could come from Kardigan, at a shapely hill called “of the Marvelous Ball." 237 If it please you well, I will tell you a fine marvel. Anyone who surveys the hill from the distance of a mile thinks that he sees a great horse cast in brass. When he approaches half a mile nearer, the thing then seems to him as if it were a little mule, and when he gets nearer still, it looks like a hound ; and then, in a very short time, as one gets yet closer, it has the form of a fox. Suddenly, before he can wink his eyes, it comes about that all he can see is a bit of cast metal shaped like a ball, which has always been there. No one can heave it up or move it from its place by any kind of device on account of its wondrous power. Here came all the chivalry which Lanzelet the warrior was to lead into his land of Genewis, his inheritance, where once before he had barely escaped with his life. LINES 8135-8220 When this mighty army from all sides of the sea had come to join Lanzelet's expedition, and nothing was lacking that knights ought to have, and many a noble guest had carefully and well equipped himself, the lords then desired—for it seemed to them proper—that messengers be sent who would be eager for honor and intelligent. They were instructed to go ahead and ascertain prudently in all ways what the people of Genewis would say to
[ 135 ] well prepared at all points. Torfilaret of Walest brought him a big troop, lacking nothing that became well equipped heroes. Erec also came to him leading warriors of Destregalys, his land,234 eight hundred jousters with iron horse-armor 235 and bright, sharp swords, for they loved battle and had never known retreat. From Cornwall and from Ireland came to him two great armies, and from over the sea many a famous prince. So splendid was the chivalry that they would not flinch, so they tell us, before all the world. Tristant brought no knights, for he had departed from Lohenis, not being able to remain on account of his love for the queen, his lady Isalde.236 Yet people were more pleased to see him than many another on the expedition ; they averred that in difficulty and danger no man was braver, for he had often been in desperate straits both night and day. My lord Lanzelet du Lac appointed his rendezvous, where old and young could come from Kardigan, at a shapely hill called “of the Marvelous Ball." 237 If it please you well, I will tell you a fine marvel. Anyone who surveys the hill from the distance of a mile thinks that he sees a great horse cast in brass. When he approaches half a mile nearer, the thing then seems to him as if it were a little mule, and when he gets nearer still, it looks like a hound ; and then, in a very short time, as one gets yet closer, it has the form of a fox. Suddenly, before he can wink his eyes, it comes about that all he can see is a bit of cast metal shaped like a ball, which has always been there. No one can heave it up or move it from its place by any kind of device on account of its wondrous power. Here came all the chivalry which Lanzelet the warrior was to lead into his land of Genewis, his inheritance, where once before he had barely escaped with his life. LINES 8135-8220 When this mighty army from all sides of the sea had come to join Lanzelet's expedition, and nothing was lacking that knights ought to have, and many a noble guest had carefully and well equipped himself, the lords then desired—for it seemed to them proper—that messengers be sent who would be eager for honor and intelligent. They were instructed to go ahead and ascertain prudently in all ways what the people of Genewis would say to
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[ 136 Lanzelet concerning his inheritance ; and also to find out who would stand by him. The embassy was then assigned to Iwan and Giot.238 These two were the messengers because they were ac- complished speakers. These heroes then quickly found out for them the whole matter. Without knowing what it was, they hap- pened upon a council where a prince was telling the true state of affairs to the people of Genewis. There were present also good knights, lords of the land, many bold warriors. Every personage that could possibly mount his horse had come to the parliament, for indeed they had heard of Lanzelet's fame, that he was so just that he would never judge them until amends had been made for both dishonor and loss. And so they were laden with fear and anxiety. Thus they were taking counsel as to what was the best thing for them to do, when there came riding speedily to this fine court Giot and Iwan, whose surname was Peneloï.239 Now hear how the parley went. When the two dismounted, the knights re- ceived them like friendly heroes. The guests did the proper thing : they asked at once those whom they found there who was the chief ruler in the land. Then a lord was assigned to them who gave them both the proper information. He spoke : "There is no king here, except in so far as I am recognized as such, to rule this land only by the request of the princes. He who should be king here is named Lanzelet. We do not know him well, but we have heard that he is perfect in virtues, and so confirmed in valor that no better knight has been born in our time. We will gladly wait for him as long as he decrees. If he will care for us better than his father King Pant, then he can rule people and land after his will. We are desirous of making amends, in accordance with justice and with our obligations, for everything that we have done contrary to his wish. Let him treat us in such a manner that one may praise him the more, and we shall be glad to repay him for it." LINES 8221—95 When now Sir Iwan and Sir Giot saw that they were offered such excellent terms, the best ever heard of, which poor and rich proclaimed unanimously with common mouth, namely, that if
[ 136 Lanzelet concerning his inheritance ; and also to find out who would stand by him. The embassy was then assigned to Iwan and Giot.238 These two were the messengers because they were ac- complished speakers. These heroes then quickly found out for them the whole matter. Without knowing what it was, they hap- pened upon a council where a prince was telling the true state of affairs to the people of Genewis. There were present also good knights, lords of the land, many bold warriors. Every personage that could possibly mount his horse had come to the parliament, for indeed they had heard of Lanzelet's fame, that he was so just that he would never judge them until amends had been made for both dishonor and loss. And so they were laden with fear and anxiety. Thus they were taking counsel as to what was the best thing for them to do, when there came riding speedily to this fine court Giot and Iwan, whose surname was Peneloï.239 Now hear how the parley went. When the two dismounted, the knights re- ceived them like friendly heroes. The guests did the proper thing : they asked at once those whom they found there who was the chief ruler in the land. Then a lord was assigned to them who gave them both the proper information. He spoke : "There is no king here, except in so far as I am recognized as such, to rule this land only by the request of the princes. He who should be king here is named Lanzelet. We do not know him well, but we have heard that he is perfect in virtues, and so confirmed in valor that no better knight has been born in our time. We will gladly wait for him as long as he decrees. If he will care for us better than his father King Pant, then he can rule people and land after his will. We are desirous of making amends, in accordance with justice and with our obligations, for everything that we have done contrary to his wish. Let him treat us in such a manner that one may praise him the more, and we shall be glad to repay him for it." LINES 8221—95 When now Sir Iwan and Sir Giot saw that they were offered such excellent terms, the best ever heard of, which poor and rich proclaimed unanimously with common mouth, namely, that if
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[ 137 they should not incur disgrace, the vassals would gladly serve King Pant's child, as was right, the good knight Iwan of Peneloï re- plied : "If the words are true that we have heard from you, then I will tell you that we have come out here, I and Sir Giot, in order to say what conditions my lord Lanzelet du Lac offers you. For many a day he has been disinherited. Therefore he does no more and no less than this : he sends love and good will to the lords who recognize that they have deprived him of his lands, provided that they will acknowledge their fault. But if there are any persons so senselessly rash as by force to keep his land from him any longer, then he will make formal complaint, and we are to declare hostili- ties against them on behalf of him and his friends. My lord, King Arthur, also will be their enemy. Moreover there is riding into this land many a highborn prince. They have lost life and goods who refuse to make terms with Lanzelet the bold. This speech awed everybody. Now Lanzelet du Lac had in the land of Genewis a relative, a wise prince, named Duke Aspyol,240 who was extremely eloquent. This man had maintained, with all manner of kindness and with due regard to his own honor, the noble Clarine, Lanzelet's mother. The noble and good warrior gave answer for the others thus : "Lords, we are heartily glad that we have lived to see this day and have been so fortunate that we are to behold again my lady's son, our rightful lord. How- ever, if anyone objects to the counsel I have just uttered—a thing which I certainly do not expect—he is foolish and cantankerous. For I have so much influence here (and my friends who support me will fail me in nothing) that no one, if I learned that he opposed me, could depart with honor." To this all the princes replied unanimously: "We shall have honor enough from whatever arrangement you desire ; for you are so distinguished for utter loyalty that whatever we may undertake in your service is well, and we shall have no cause to regret it." LINES 8296-8355 Then Prince Aspyol ordered the lords all to swear ere they fared thence that they would part with neither castle, land nor fief, and that they would take nothing away without answering uncon-
[ 137 they should not incur disgrace, the vassals would gladly serve King Pant's child, as was right, the good knight Iwan of Peneloï re- plied : "If the words are true that we have heard from you, then I will tell you that we have come out here, I and Sir Giot, in order to say what conditions my lord Lanzelet du Lac offers you. For many a day he has been disinherited. Therefore he does no more and no less than this : he sends love and good will to the lords who recognize that they have deprived him of his lands, provided that they will acknowledge their fault. But if there are any persons so senselessly rash as by force to keep his land from him any longer, then he will make formal complaint, and we are to declare hostili- ties against them on behalf of him and his friends. My lord, King Arthur, also will be their enemy. Moreover there is riding into this land many a highborn prince. They have lost life and goods who refuse to make terms with Lanzelet the bold. This speech awed everybody. Now Lanzelet du Lac had in the land of Genewis a relative, a wise prince, named Duke Aspyol,240 who was extremely eloquent. This man had maintained, with all manner of kindness and with due regard to his own honor, the noble Clarine, Lanzelet's mother. The noble and good warrior gave answer for the others thus : "Lords, we are heartily glad that we have lived to see this day and have been so fortunate that we are to behold again my lady's son, our rightful lord. How- ever, if anyone objects to the counsel I have just uttered—a thing which I certainly do not expect—he is foolish and cantankerous. For I have so much influence here (and my friends who support me will fail me in nothing) that no one, if I learned that he opposed me, could depart with honor." To this all the princes replied unanimously: "We shall have honor enough from whatever arrangement you desire ; for you are so distinguished for utter loyalty that whatever we may undertake in your service is well, and we shall have no cause to regret it." LINES 8296-8355 Then Prince Aspyol ordered the lords all to swear ere they fared thence that they would part with neither castle, land nor fief, and that they would take nothing away without answering uncon-
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[ 138 ditionally with their lives and all their possessions to the noble youth Lanzelet, their lord. Thus there would be nothing to disturb him, and it would be best for them. Then the guests, the messengers, and the council reflected that nothing could be so advantageous to the princes in time of trouble as to make the right decision. Accordingly they did what Duke Aspyol of Tymant 241—for that was the name of his castle—had advised them. Thus an agreement was reached, as I will tell, by which the bold lords of Genewis should give into the duke's control castles and lands ; and whenever Lanzelet the warrior determined to ride to them, then they would not delay, for they would answer uncon- ditionally with their lives and their children and wives, wherever he wished. They proffered him a great hoard of silver and gold and such dutiful words as became them well. The messengers, Giot and Iwan, took oaths on this, so as to make the agreement binding. Then the messengers hastened till they met Lanzelet and in- formed him how the parley had gone. The hero at once took counsel. There was no opposition, for the pact of restitution pleased them all. The army was joyous that they were to ride without opposition, freely and without gainsay, for much gold and treasure was likely to come to many a man. Now they bound their banners on and amid joyous tumult decked themselves out. The heroes who had so gaily come to Lanzelet's aid held bohourts, for they considered that pleasure is more becoming to any man who has nothing to fear than to one who lives in anxiety. LINES 8356-8438 Now Lanzelet the hero led many a choice knight to Genewis, where he gladly arrived and was fittingly received. His kinsfolk were the first, then the nobles of the land, who in their stout courage proffered him and his companions such honor that never have we heard tell of a more splendid reception. Now my lord Lanzelet du Lac carefully acted by day and night as King Arthur had counseled him. The princes and the good vassals, who had the right to do so, did not delay at all to set the crown on Lanzelet
[ 138 ditionally with their lives and all their possessions to the noble youth Lanzelet, their lord. Thus there would be nothing to disturb him, and it would be best for them. Then the guests, the messengers, and the council reflected that nothing could be so advantageous to the princes in time of trouble as to make the right decision. Accordingly they did what Duke Aspyol of Tymant 241—for that was the name of his castle—had advised them. Thus an agreement was reached, as I will tell, by which the bold lords of Genewis should give into the duke's control castles and lands ; and whenever Lanzelet the warrior determined to ride to them, then they would not delay, for they would answer uncon- ditionally with their lives and their children and wives, wherever he wished. They proffered him a great hoard of silver and gold and such dutiful words as became them well. The messengers, Giot and Iwan, took oaths on this, so as to make the agreement binding. Then the messengers hastened till they met Lanzelet and in- formed him how the parley had gone. The hero at once took counsel. There was no opposition, for the pact of restitution pleased them all. The army was joyous that they were to ride without opposition, freely and without gainsay, for much gold and treasure was likely to come to many a man. Now they bound their banners on and amid joyous tumult decked themselves out. The heroes who had so gaily come to Lanzelet's aid held bohourts, for they considered that pleasure is more becoming to any man who has nothing to fear than to one who lives in anxiety. LINES 8356-8438 Now Lanzelet the hero led many a choice knight to Genewis, where he gladly arrived and was fittingly received. His kinsfolk were the first, then the nobles of the land, who in their stout courage proffered him and his companions such honor that never have we heard tell of a more splendid reception. Now my lord Lanzelet du Lac carefully acted by day and night as King Arthur had counseled him. The princes and the good vassals, who had the right to do so, did not delay at all to set the crown on Lanzelet
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[ 139 ] right splendidly according to kingly custom. They swore to him the unanimous oath that they would refuse him nothing. Princes, counts, dukes, hereditary nobles, and liegemen received their fiefs from the gracious king. He gathered about him a great court, and the vassalage of the land came over to him. The pact of restitution was so arranged that what had been alienated from the bold hero was restored to him tenfold. Lanzelet did not wish to forget his innate generosity : the noble warrior presented gold, silver, and great silks to the good vassals whom he found there, and also those who had come with him received wealth in token of glory or friendship. Herein the mighty Lanzelet maintained his reputa- tion. He acts fortunately who brings it about by his valor that he is esteemed at home ; for no one should hold cheap a good reputa- tion with his own countrymen. Lanzelet du Lac thought of this during many a joyous day while he ruled his land. For he owed what had happened to his uncle, the faithful man, who had guarded his mother for him, the mother who full joyfully beheld her child again. Each related to the other much of joy and of pain. Now Lanzelet the warrior reminded the far-famed princes of their oath that they should consent to let Aspyol the famous, his trusty uncle, and Clarine the queen rule the land until the stout champion should outgrow his inexperience ; and also till he found out whether they of Dodone would yield him the crown of Iweret's land. The matter turned out fortunately for the noble warrior ; in all respects his men were very obedient to him. The lord, Lanzelet the steadfast, then departed with the troop which he had joyously brought into the land. They were quite willing to proceed according to his judg- ment, for it is an old story that people always like to serve a lucky man, whatever he undertakes. LINES 8439-93 In this way the young king of Genewis, the highborn warrior, gained fame and fortune. And as he proceeded to take good care of castles and country, and did not give in to anyone, no matter how many horsemen the latter might be able to equip, it went so well with him that there was none of the knights to whom he did not make some gift, great or small. Therefore he was more
[ 139 ] right splendidly according to kingly custom. They swore to him the unanimous oath that they would refuse him nothing. Princes, counts, dukes, hereditary nobles, and liegemen received their fiefs from the gracious king. He gathered about him a great court, and the vassalage of the land came over to him. The pact of restitution was so arranged that what had been alienated from the bold hero was restored to him tenfold. Lanzelet did not wish to forget his innate generosity : the noble warrior presented gold, silver, and great silks to the good vassals whom he found there, and also those who had come with him received wealth in token of glory or friendship. Herein the mighty Lanzelet maintained his reputa- tion. He acts fortunately who brings it about by his valor that he is esteemed at home ; for no one should hold cheap a good reputa- tion with his own countrymen. Lanzelet du Lac thought of this during many a joyous day while he ruled his land. For he owed what had happened to his uncle, the faithful man, who had guarded his mother for him, the mother who full joyfully beheld her child again. Each related to the other much of joy and of pain. Now Lanzelet the warrior reminded the far-famed princes of their oath that they should consent to let Aspyol the famous, his trusty uncle, and Clarine the queen rule the land until the stout champion should outgrow his inexperience ; and also till he found out whether they of Dodone would yield him the crown of Iweret's land. The matter turned out fortunately for the noble warrior ; in all respects his men were very obedient to him. The lord, Lanzelet the steadfast, then departed with the troop which he had joyously brought into the land. They were quite willing to proceed according to his judg- ment, for it is an old story that people always like to serve a lucky man, whatever he undertakes. LINES 8439-93 In this way the young king of Genewis, the highborn warrior, gained fame and fortune. And as he proceeded to take good care of castles and country, and did not give in to anyone, no matter how many horsemen the latter might be able to equip, it went so well with him that there was none of the knights to whom he did not make some gift, great or small. Therefore he was more
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140 praised than any of his peers. Now the princes with their bands departed from him affectionately and prayed God to keep him. They unanimously agreed that no king could more easily persuade them to join him in a dangerous expedition than Lanzelet, the bold warrior. Therewith they each and all rode away home. But Lanzelet's uncle escorted the hero with his men thence to his house. And thus the king of Genewis won at Kardigan such high renown that all the world marveled at his success. Now let me tell you a great piece of good fortune. In these joyful days during which King Arthur was visiting Lanzelet at Genewis, as you have understood, there had arrived messengers, right bold warriors, from Iweret's land. They bore glorious gifts, thirty sumpters laden with rich wares, such that never from Greece nor from Salonica came fabrics in such quantity, and the best that the world offers ; samite and ciclatoun, sable, downy ermine that could not be bettered, and many jewels of gold. All that could be worked or fashioned for the ladies out of this ma- terial was rich with strange foreign decorations. The gift was made complete by noble gems. LINES 8494-8563 The messenger had also brought a bit of merchandise that was not expensive to judge by its name, yet it was in value worth many marks. It was a net and the sword that Iweret the hero bore, with which he smote down all those that ever he fought except the fortunate man Lanzelet, who survived it because his luck was good. The blade was fine and hard, so that it would befit the mightiest king that ever lived. The net was also charming, as it properly should be, surpassingly well wrought of silk and of gold. On the meshes were arranged settings of pure gold, containing noble stones, the best in all the world. The net was right secure, made indeed for the purpose that my lady Yblis might lie under it when she wished to rest. It is a fact and no fable that the net was circular, well gathered into a clasp, which was a stone of a rare sort named galazia.242 Its quality is that it is colder than ice, as a wise king described it who knew all noble stones both great and small; he was called Evax of Arabia.243 He said : “The stone
140 praised than any of his peers. Now the princes with their bands departed from him affectionately and prayed God to keep him. They unanimously agreed that no king could more easily persuade them to join him in a dangerous expedition than Lanzelet, the bold warrior. Therewith they each and all rode away home. But Lanzelet's uncle escorted the hero with his men thence to his house. And thus the king of Genewis won at Kardigan such high renown that all the world marveled at his success. Now let me tell you a great piece of good fortune. In these joyful days during which King Arthur was visiting Lanzelet at Genewis, as you have understood, there had arrived messengers, right bold warriors, from Iweret's land. They bore glorious gifts, thirty sumpters laden with rich wares, such that never from Greece nor from Salonica came fabrics in such quantity, and the best that the world offers ; samite and ciclatoun, sable, downy ermine that could not be bettered, and many jewels of gold. All that could be worked or fashioned for the ladies out of this ma- terial was rich with strange foreign decorations. The gift was made complete by noble gems. LINES 8494-8563 The messenger had also brought a bit of merchandise that was not expensive to judge by its name, yet it was in value worth many marks. It was a net and the sword that Iweret the hero bore, with which he smote down all those that ever he fought except the fortunate man Lanzelet, who survived it because his luck was good. The blade was fine and hard, so that it would befit the mightiest king that ever lived. The net was also charming, as it properly should be, surpassingly well wrought of silk and of gold. On the meshes were arranged settings of pure gold, containing noble stones, the best in all the world. The net was right secure, made indeed for the purpose that my lady Yblis might lie under it when she wished to rest. It is a fact and no fable that the net was circular, well gathered into a clasp, which was a stone of a rare sort named galazia.242 Its quality is that it is colder than ice, as a wise king described it who knew all noble stones both great and small; he was called Evax of Arabia.243 He said : “The stone
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141 galazia is rare and costly. If it lay in the fire for a year, it would never become warm. Whoever wears it will not be poor, and among whatever people he dwells, no magic art shall harm him, whether the wearer be man or woman." And here let us leave its qualities and its coldness, for no one has told me anything more of the stone's power. A golden chain was fastened to it, whereby one hung the net as high up as one wished. From this covering and the sword it was very clear that the messengers were glad to make the acquaintance of the hero who with mighty hand had won the victory over Iweret, for they had not known where he had gone. Only recently news had come to them that he was at Kardigan with their dear lady, whom they so wished to see ; and that is why they were well fitted out, as I must tell you, so that they lacked nothing that any visitor from afar could bring in the way of treasure. LINES 8564-8652 It now drew near to the time of Arthur's return home. That was the occasion of a fortunate coincidence. The day he returned, while he was washing his hands in the evening when his dinner was ready, a report was brought to which the king hearkened, namely, that fine knights had arrived with rich equipment. No one could maintain that he had ever beheld better horsemen and steeds so beautifully caparisoned as this company from Dodone brought there. They were well greeted by the court ; and their uncertainty, the state of mind which people always curse, was dissipated, for they found that which they sought. "Unknown is unloved." Then the queen, Lady Yblis, recognized the heroes, for they had house and home in Beforet. So she and Lanzelet greeted the envoys worthily. Courteously they refrained from pressing them for news.244 What took place next I shall not leave untold : host and guests partook of the very best food that was to be had in those days. Whatever they had a fancy for, on that they feasted. King Arthur ordered clear beverages, mead, and wine to be given them, for he knew well how to act the host. When the lords had eaten, the messengers sat no longer, but quickly laid aside their outer garments. The next thing they did was to kneel
141 galazia is rare and costly. If it lay in the fire for a year, it would never become warm. Whoever wears it will not be poor, and among whatever people he dwells, no magic art shall harm him, whether the wearer be man or woman." And here let us leave its qualities and its coldness, for no one has told me anything more of the stone's power. A golden chain was fastened to it, whereby one hung the net as high up as one wished. From this covering and the sword it was very clear that the messengers were glad to make the acquaintance of the hero who with mighty hand had won the victory over Iweret, for they had not known where he had gone. Only recently news had come to them that he was at Kardigan with their dear lady, whom they so wished to see ; and that is why they were well fitted out, as I must tell you, so that they lacked nothing that any visitor from afar could bring in the way of treasure. LINES 8564-8652 It now drew near to the time of Arthur's return home. That was the occasion of a fortunate coincidence. The day he returned, while he was washing his hands in the evening when his dinner was ready, a report was brought to which the king hearkened, namely, that fine knights had arrived with rich equipment. No one could maintain that he had ever beheld better horsemen and steeds so beautifully caparisoned as this company from Dodone brought there. They were well greeted by the court ; and their uncertainty, the state of mind which people always curse, was dissipated, for they found that which they sought. "Unknown is unloved." Then the queen, Lady Yblis, recognized the heroes, for they had house and home in Beforet. So she and Lanzelet greeted the envoys worthily. Courteously they refrained from pressing them for news.244 What took place next I shall not leave untold : host and guests partook of the very best food that was to be had in those days. Whatever they had a fancy for, on that they feasted. King Arthur ordered clear beverages, mead, and wine to be given them, for he knew well how to act the host. When the lords had eaten, the messengers sat no longer, but quickly laid aside their outer garments. The next thing they did was to kneel
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142 down all together before their lady where she sat, and tell her this and that about their journey and their search, on behalf of all the nobles of the land, to see her who had lost her father, who had governed them so well. They said : "We are heartily glad of the news we have heard about you, how things have turned out so well for you. Neither for entreaty nor for threats would the princes of Dodone give the crown as of right to anyone but the good champion who won you through his prowess. Both lords and vassals, as well as all the inhabitants, are agreed that they earnestly desire him for king. Your land is peaceful, nobody is against you. We counsel you to receive graciously our advice that, since things stand thus, you do nothing except what he desires. We bring Lanzelet a sword, and as a present for you other treasures. It is right that the young king of Genewis live joyfully. Through his surpassing merit he shall be called for evermore the glorious king of Beforet, the prince of Dodone." Then they courteously displayed the present which they had brought. They had taken great care to keep it in good state. Now let the lady have posses- sion of it, and let her give to whomsoever she will as much as pleases her. LINES 8653-8730 The fair Yblis with laudable wisdom disposed of her gifts. I will tell you on my oath there never was great wealth better divided, for she did not forget to give presents to them all, the poor and the rich, as it might be suitable. Ginover must receive the net which I spoke of before. Lanzelet, the bold hero, gave the sword to his host, for he was worthy of all honor. Arthur, fountain of kindness, did not take any of Yblis' wealth, but surely she still had ample favor, praise, and thanks, not only from those who received the lady's gifts, but from all who perceived and considered her generosity. It has always been the teaching of the sages that whenever people praise any virtuous practice, they thereby improve themselves. The fame endures after the body has vanished. That is why many a man is prompted by his virtue to live in discomfort, with arduous exertion. It is also a character- istic of many women that they are ever willing to endure affliction
142 down all together before their lady where she sat, and tell her this and that about their journey and their search, on behalf of all the nobles of the land, to see her who had lost her father, who had governed them so well. They said : "We are heartily glad of the news we have heard about you, how things have turned out so well for you. Neither for entreaty nor for threats would the princes of Dodone give the crown as of right to anyone but the good champion who won you through his prowess. Both lords and vassals, as well as all the inhabitants, are agreed that they earnestly desire him for king. Your land is peaceful, nobody is against you. We counsel you to receive graciously our advice that, since things stand thus, you do nothing except what he desires. We bring Lanzelet a sword, and as a present for you other treasures. It is right that the young king of Genewis live joyfully. Through his surpassing merit he shall be called for evermore the glorious king of Beforet, the prince of Dodone." Then they courteously displayed the present which they had brought. They had taken great care to keep it in good state. Now let the lady have posses- sion of it, and let her give to whomsoever she will as much as pleases her. LINES 8653-8730 The fair Yblis with laudable wisdom disposed of her gifts. I will tell you on my oath there never was great wealth better divided, for she did not forget to give presents to them all, the poor and the rich, as it might be suitable. Ginover must receive the net which I spoke of before. Lanzelet, the bold hero, gave the sword to his host, for he was worthy of all honor. Arthur, fountain of kindness, did not take any of Yblis' wealth, but surely she still had ample favor, praise, and thanks, not only from those who received the lady's gifts, but from all who perceived and considered her generosity. It has always been the teaching of the sages that whenever people praise any virtuous practice, they thereby improve themselves. The fame endures after the body has vanished. That is why many a man is prompted by his virtue to live in discomfort, with arduous exertion. It is also a character- istic of many women that they are ever willing to endure affliction
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143 ] in order to be sure of fame. My lady Yblis kept this in mind and through her virtue strove for honor ; for her intelligence combined with her noble youth to make her behave in the best way. Just as much as my lord Lanzelet was praised above all men—I am not deceiving you—his wife also brought it about that no one ever spoke ill of her. When all this had taken place and the messengers had obtained their request and all that they wished, as they properly should, then my lord Lanzelet conferred with his friends who knew how to advise him. They counseled him forthwith that he should let the messengers return from him with honor to Dodone, and that he should give presents to them in seemly manner, as much as he could obtain and such things as would redound to his honor and be pleasing to them. Arthur the noble, the king of Britain, showed honor to his relative and to all his retinue. Then his generosity became apparent ; again and again he displayed courtly dignity. To the worthy guests from Beforet he gave splendid gifts—horses and Castilian steeds, hounds and hawks, abundance of fine sport- ing equipment, both crossbows 245 and bows, arrows, and deco- rated quivers filled with bolts.246 To the bold heroes they gave whatever seemed good, as one often does to those one esteems. LINES 8731-8810 I tell you that the messengers were great personages and the peers of princes ; some of them indeed so noble and powerful that immediately after Iweret was slain and before he was buried, they might have been made king if they had desired it ; but they re- nounced it through their firm loyalty. Thus the strangers had issued from their country for honorable reasons. They tell us, moreover, that these warriors in Iweret's land were so powerful that no one in his temerity ever dared offer them any indignity. Whatever they counseled was carried to completion by the major- ity of their countrymen. They had got word and been informed from Kardigan how it had gone with Lanzelet at Genewis, where he had been successful and without a trace of bad luck had been happily honored, so that he was crowned precisely as he wished. God directed his affairs so that they turned out well for him. The
143 ] in order to be sure of fame. My lady Yblis kept this in mind and through her virtue strove for honor ; for her intelligence combined with her noble youth to make her behave in the best way. Just as much as my lord Lanzelet was praised above all men—I am not deceiving you—his wife also brought it about that no one ever spoke ill of her. When all this had taken place and the messengers had obtained their request and all that they wished, as they properly should, then my lord Lanzelet conferred with his friends who knew how to advise him. They counseled him forthwith that he should let the messengers return from him with honor to Dodone, and that he should give presents to them in seemly manner, as much as he could obtain and such things as would redound to his honor and be pleasing to them. Arthur the noble, the king of Britain, showed honor to his relative and to all his retinue. Then his generosity became apparent ; again and again he displayed courtly dignity. To the worthy guests from Beforet he gave splendid gifts—horses and Castilian steeds, hounds and hawks, abundance of fine sport- ing equipment, both crossbows 245 and bows, arrows, and deco- rated quivers filled with bolts.246 To the bold heroes they gave whatever seemed good, as one often does to those one esteems. LINES 8731-8810 I tell you that the messengers were great personages and the peers of princes ; some of them indeed so noble and powerful that immediately after Iweret was slain and before he was buried, they might have been made king if they had desired it ; but they re- nounced it through their firm loyalty. Thus the strangers had issued from their country for honorable reasons. They tell us, moreover, that these warriors in Iweret's land were so powerful that no one in his temerity ever dared offer them any indignity. Whatever they counseled was carried to completion by the major- ity of their countrymen. They had got word and been informed from Kardigan how it had gone with Lanzelet at Genewis, where he had been successful and without a trace of bad luck had been happily honored, so that he was crowned precisely as he wished. God directed his affairs so that they turned out well for him. The
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144 — good knights of Dodone took heed of this, and would very much have liked to take him home with them to his own land again, where Yblis of right should be queen and he king if he wished. However, the messengers gained something that pleased them, and I will tell you what : they brought it about by their entreaties that my lord Lanzelet appointed a court day for the princes, on which he expected that they should do homage to him and to Yblis the queen. This court took place in the time of the year when people are glad of the summertide, and the heath lies green in departing April. Now let me tell a little further, and mark this. My lord Lanzelet did not forget that he should bring all his comrades, each with his ladylove, with him to the court, and that he intended to be there himself with pomp ; otherwise all his friends would have cause to avoid him. He impressed this on the messengers especially, and prayed them to hasten. He said : "My uncle, King Arthur, with my lady will be at my house at Pentecost.247 Make prepara- tions for them in the best fashion." The messengers promised that whatever demand he might make on them, even if he were to bring a hundred kings, they would entertain them well. If every- thing went fortunately he should find his house ready in honorable and joyous fashion. LINES 8811 —85 So spoke they of Dodone, and took leave courteously like men of great experience. Thus they departed thence, so that both old and young in Britain accounted them the finest heroes that ever had come to King Arthur's dwelling. After they had made their adieus they stayed no longer, but rode back home. They did as they had promised ; they issued commands and requests and sent messengers through the lands. They brought together many a warrior and great prince, besides all their household retainers, who by rights should serve at Dodone. Little they spared either goods or person. No man nor woman ever heard of such intense exertion for the sake of glory. Many a hero snow-white from age took pains to be at the festival. But the young were especially eager and saw to it that rich clothes of dearest price were cut for
144 — good knights of Dodone took heed of this, and would very much have liked to take him home with them to his own land again, where Yblis of right should be queen and he king if he wished. However, the messengers gained something that pleased them, and I will tell you what : they brought it about by their entreaties that my lord Lanzelet appointed a court day for the princes, on which he expected that they should do homage to him and to Yblis the queen. This court took place in the time of the year when people are glad of the summertide, and the heath lies green in departing April. Now let me tell a little further, and mark this. My lord Lanzelet did not forget that he should bring all his comrades, each with his ladylove, with him to the court, and that he intended to be there himself with pomp ; otherwise all his friends would have cause to avoid him. He impressed this on the messengers especially, and prayed them to hasten. He said : "My uncle, King Arthur, with my lady will be at my house at Pentecost.247 Make prepara- tions for them in the best fashion." The messengers promised that whatever demand he might make on them, even if he were to bring a hundred kings, they would entertain them well. If every- thing went fortunately he should find his house ready in honorable and joyous fashion. LINES 8811 —85 So spoke they of Dodone, and took leave courteously like men of great experience. Thus they departed thence, so that both old and young in Britain accounted them the finest heroes that ever had come to King Arthur's dwelling. After they had made their adieus they stayed no longer, but rode back home. They did as they had promised ; they issued commands and requests and sent messengers through the lands. They brought together many a warrior and great prince, besides all their household retainers, who by rights should serve at Dodone. Little they spared either goods or person. No man nor woman ever heard of such intense exertion for the sake of glory. Many a hero snow-white from age took pains to be at the festival. But the young were especially eager and saw to it that rich clothes of dearest price were cut for
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145 them and prepared their riding equipment with exquisite richness of costly gold,248 such as the shield makers whom one found in 249 knew how to fashion. But why those days at the port of Acre should I tell you more about it than to remark that till Judgment Day there will never again be a court called together where there will truly be greater joy. Lanzelet strove for honor. In his prudent thoughtfulness and great worth he sent messengers to Genewis and proclaimed the court to his men. So there came to him from there a wealth of splendor and a thousand well-clad knights. As I found in the description of them, the clothing of this courtly com- pany was all alike. The samite that they wore was from Alex- andria ; 250 the linings were of ermine whiter than a swan. From Kunis,251 where Sibilla, the old prophetess, lived, was the sable, as I read it. Poverty was unknown to them ; silken were their shirts and the mantles that corresponded. Of fine wool 252 were their hose. They could not be better decked out with banners than they were. Their horses and Castilian steeds were such as could not be matched in Apulia nor in Spain. The appropriate riding equip- ment was carefully provided, for the heroes were experienced. The armor that they wore was shining, bright as tin, and many a surcoat went therewith. LINES 8886-8974 Believe me, I pray you, and know for sure that they came to Kardigan, as I now show you, right handsomely decked out. They had in superabundance whatever a knight can wish and require for himself. Thus the heroes of Genewis were accoutred completely for their riding. They also brought for their lady gifts that she might well prize, an amazing quantity of precious things, gold and garments, which Clarine, her mother-in-law, excellent in vir- tue, sent her. These knights in their courtesy had ridden out in the hope that Yblis and Lanzelet would gain honor by their pres- ence when they came riding with this retinue to Beforet. Formerly it was the custom that the lords liked to see their people ; and they declared that of the two things, gracious and kind speech was ever preferable to hateful hoarding. It would still be an honorable custom. But I return to my poem ; do not be wearied of it. Never
145 them and prepared their riding equipment with exquisite richness of costly gold,248 such as the shield makers whom one found in 249 knew how to fashion. But why those days at the port of Acre should I tell you more about it than to remark that till Judgment Day there will never again be a court called together where there will truly be greater joy. Lanzelet strove for honor. In his prudent thoughtfulness and great worth he sent messengers to Genewis and proclaimed the court to his men. So there came to him from there a wealth of splendor and a thousand well-clad knights. As I found in the description of them, the clothing of this courtly com- pany was all alike. The samite that they wore was from Alex- andria ; 250 the linings were of ermine whiter than a swan. From Kunis,251 where Sibilla, the old prophetess, lived, was the sable, as I read it. Poverty was unknown to them ; silken were their shirts and the mantles that corresponded. Of fine wool 252 were their hose. They could not be better decked out with banners than they were. Their horses and Castilian steeds were such as could not be matched in Apulia nor in Spain. The appropriate riding equip- ment was carefully provided, for the heroes were experienced. The armor that they wore was shining, bright as tin, and many a surcoat went therewith. LINES 8886-8974 Believe me, I pray you, and know for sure that they came to Kardigan, as I now show you, right handsomely decked out. They had in superabundance whatever a knight can wish and require for himself. Thus the heroes of Genewis were accoutred completely for their riding. They also brought for their lady gifts that she might well prize, an amazing quantity of precious things, gold and garments, which Clarine, her mother-in-law, excellent in vir- tue, sent her. These knights in their courtesy had ridden out in the hope that Yblis and Lanzelet would gain honor by their pres- ence when they came riding with this retinue to Beforet. Formerly it was the custom that the lords liked to see their people ; and they declared that of the two things, gracious and kind speech was ever preferable to hateful hoarding. It would still be an honorable custom. But I return to my poem ; do not be wearied of it. Never
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[ 146 were knights better received than they of whom I have told you ; and this by command of Arthur the generous. He was delighted to have discovered this relative, for whose sake vassal and servant rode so smartly to court in such rich array. He praised their be- havior in bringing rich clothing and warlike equipment too. The heroes had well seen to it that they could take care of themselves so that no one would rob them on the way. Tidings of the court rang throughout the land, to wit, that Lanzelet the warrior would take over his inheritance, and his lord King Arthur would lead to Lanzelet's home three thousand knights ; and every one of them that had an honorable lady for his love by Arthur's wish would cause her to ride along to the court with Ginover the queen. Who could say nay ? They did what the king commanded. He would have to be dead to pleasure who did not deck himself out for the occasion. The news could not but rouse many a courtly man. Whoever had felt love and could pos- sibly go there spared neither himself nor his goods. Far and wide from all lands folk flocked to the festival ; one could talk about it as long as the world exists. I must say that messengers came every day from Dodone to Kardigan. Hereby Yblis could under- stand how welcome her coming was. They told her that her country was longing for her return, and that nobody thought it could be too early, no matter how quickly she came. That pleased her greatly, and her mood turned to yearning, as is still the case with women ; if their heart's longing is in a place, they can never get there fast enough. LINES 8975-9040 Whatever King Arthur ventured to undertake, he disliked to give it up. He always had things arranged wisely and as courtesy dictated. Many knights and ladies came to him, as you have heard, who were all clad according to their pleasure and to their rank, as courtly persons prefer to be. They also complied with the king's request, as I shall specify : he made every knight without exception take in his care a lady on the way, so that all the day they rode together courteously, observing the proprieties which
[ 146 were knights better received than they of whom I have told you ; and this by command of Arthur the generous. He was delighted to have discovered this relative, for whose sake vassal and servant rode so smartly to court in such rich array. He praised their be- havior in bringing rich clothing and warlike equipment too. The heroes had well seen to it that they could take care of themselves so that no one would rob them on the way. Tidings of the court rang throughout the land, to wit, that Lanzelet the warrior would take over his inheritance, and his lord King Arthur would lead to Lanzelet's home three thousand knights ; and every one of them that had an honorable lady for his love by Arthur's wish would cause her to ride along to the court with Ginover the queen. Who could say nay ? They did what the king commanded. He would have to be dead to pleasure who did not deck himself out for the occasion. The news could not but rouse many a courtly man. Whoever had felt love and could pos- sibly go there spared neither himself nor his goods. Far and wide from all lands folk flocked to the festival ; one could talk about it as long as the world exists. I must say that messengers came every day from Dodone to Kardigan. Hereby Yblis could under- stand how welcome her coming was. They told her that her country was longing for her return, and that nobody thought it could be too early, no matter how quickly she came. That pleased her greatly, and her mood turned to yearning, as is still the case with women ; if their heart's longing is in a place, they can never get there fast enough. LINES 8975-9040 Whatever King Arthur ventured to undertake, he disliked to give it up. He always had things arranged wisely and as courtesy dictated. Many knights and ladies came to him, as you have heard, who were all clad according to their pleasure and to their rank, as courtly persons prefer to be. They also complied with the king's request, as I shall specify : he made every knight without exception take in his care a lady on the way, so that all the day they rode together courteously, observing the proprieties which
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147 good persons are not ashamed of. Arthur chose companions for them according to their own preferences. Still there was a con- siderable number of heroes who had to ride without ladies. But now the gracious King Arthur would no longer tarry ; he led in honor from his house his kinsman Lanzelet, for whom he had often shown his friendship. When these things had been arranged, Arthur chose out his band which was called his household troop ; and ordered them to load on many a heavy burden. His chamberlains and those who should prepare his meals went ahead on the road with a multitude of things. The ladies then mounted [lacuna] and rode beside Ginover. On her other side rode the courtly Karyet, who once slew Ramuret 253 in praiseworthy style and thereby won abundant renown. Of a certainty Yblis and Walwein rode together on the way ; and on the other side of the lady Erec rode like a valiant knight. They all rode well together, for they had nobility and courage, which people then esteemed. Many were there who were proficient in falconry. There was also much sport [line lost] bohourts on many a plain. They rode from Britain joyfully, ob- serving such good manners that never did a troop set out whom the world would hold more worthy of esteem. However, it will be well for them that people praise them greatly because their hearts were virtuous ; for God Himself hates infamy. LINES 9041-9117 It was a joyous journey, for King Arthur had put both lands and fortresses into safe keeping [line lost] so that no injury could come to him. Their good fortune was quite apparent in that the days were fine, quite delightful according to the story, neither too hot nor too cold. The heaths and the green wood and the good company therewith all made a beautiful spectacle before their eyes. God had preserved them from trouble and sorrow. They lived as seemed good to them both night and day, to the great joy of Lanzelet du Lac. Thus merrily they rode. Not a single day passed but they received some joyous tidings or other, for their company was increased by knights every day, and finally became huge. Of
147 good persons are not ashamed of. Arthur chose companions for them according to their own preferences. Still there was a con- siderable number of heroes who had to ride without ladies. But now the gracious King Arthur would no longer tarry ; he led in honor from his house his kinsman Lanzelet, for whom he had often shown his friendship. When these things had been arranged, Arthur chose out his band which was called his household troop ; and ordered them to load on many a heavy burden. His chamberlains and those who should prepare his meals went ahead on the road with a multitude of things. The ladies then mounted [lacuna] and rode beside Ginover. On her other side rode the courtly Karyet, who once slew Ramuret 253 in praiseworthy style and thereby won abundant renown. Of a certainty Yblis and Walwein rode together on the way ; and on the other side of the lady Erec rode like a valiant knight. They all rode well together, for they had nobility and courage, which people then esteemed. Many were there who were proficient in falconry. There was also much sport [line lost] bohourts on many a plain. They rode from Britain joyfully, ob- serving such good manners that never did a troop set out whom the world would hold more worthy of esteem. However, it will be well for them that people praise them greatly because their hearts were virtuous ; for God Himself hates infamy. LINES 9041-9117 It was a joyous journey, for King Arthur had put both lands and fortresses into safe keeping [line lost] so that no injury could come to him. Their good fortune was quite apparent in that the days were fine, quite delightful according to the story, neither too hot nor too cold. The heaths and the green wood and the good company therewith all made a beautiful spectacle before their eyes. God had preserved them from trouble and sorrow. They lived as seemed good to them both night and day, to the great joy of Lanzelet du Lac. Thus merrily they rode. Not a single day passed but they received some joyous tidings or other, for their company was increased by knights every day, and finally became huge. Of
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148 kings and princely personages there were so many that one could not reckon them, for there rode to them many a fine troop from all over the world. When they set up their tents for lodgings, there were enough and more who blew trumpets. First one might see Lanzelet's pavilion, white, green, red, and brown, magnificent above the others, like a glowing ember compared with a quenched coal. And yet all the tents were extremely well made and adorned. Then they held bohourts so energetically that they forced their horses against the ropes. I ween that no knightly troop ever fared so well as this same martial band. Although none of them wished to hurry, they nevertheless made such progress that on the fourth day, as the story tells, they easily rode into the Beautiful Land, which Yblis claimed as her heritage. Now her power and wealth became apparent, and her good fortune too, for her father's men came to meet her, two thousand shields strong, all mounted on steeds with good silken caparisons. From their demeanor it was plain that they rejoiced to behold their lady. With their rich banners they hastened to her, and saluted her and all who came with her. Never, I believe, have we heard tell of a more loving reception. It was not long thereafter that they rode to their quarters. There such pains had been taken that they found every possible provision. As the book has related it to us, I must tell you that preparations had been going on for ten days before they arrived in the land, in order to provide for the guests and their horses the maintenance that befitted them. LINES 9118—98 But when the splendid troop arrived in that region where Dodone lay, then both night and day so great honor was shown them that Arthur, the great king, declared that never till the present moment had he known such plenitude of wealth. Now many companions met them daily on the road who in good measure rejoiced in the courtly festivities. It seemed that the mountain and the valley must be full of knights. And so the splendid army rode on to the Beautiful Wood, which I have previously described, where Lanzelet had the good fortune to achieve the adventure of
148 kings and princely personages there were so many that one could not reckon them, for there rode to them many a fine troop from all over the world. When they set up their tents for lodgings, there were enough and more who blew trumpets. First one might see Lanzelet's pavilion, white, green, red, and brown, magnificent above the others, like a glowing ember compared with a quenched coal. And yet all the tents were extremely well made and adorned. Then they held bohourts so energetically that they forced their horses against the ropes. I ween that no knightly troop ever fared so well as this same martial band. Although none of them wished to hurry, they nevertheless made such progress that on the fourth day, as the story tells, they easily rode into the Beautiful Land, which Yblis claimed as her heritage. Now her power and wealth became apparent, and her good fortune too, for her father's men came to meet her, two thousand shields strong, all mounted on steeds with good silken caparisons. From their demeanor it was plain that they rejoiced to behold their lady. With their rich banners they hastened to her, and saluted her and all who came with her. Never, I believe, have we heard tell of a more loving reception. It was not long thereafter that they rode to their quarters. There such pains had been taken that they found every possible provision. As the book has related it to us, I must tell you that preparations had been going on for ten days before they arrived in the land, in order to provide for the guests and their horses the maintenance that befitted them. LINES 9118—98 But when the splendid troop arrived in that region where Dodone lay, then both night and day so great honor was shown them that Arthur, the great king, declared that never till the present moment had he known such plenitude of wealth. Now many companions met them daily on the road who in good measure rejoiced in the courtly festivities. It seemed that the mountain and the valley must be full of knights. And so the splendid army rode on to the Beautiful Wood, which I have previously described, where Lanzelet had the good fortune to achieve the adventure of
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149 the bold Iweret. The army viewed it well and declared that no mountain or wood was ever better fashioned for delight. They spent the night in the wood, and early in the morning rode in full force into Dodone. There they were beautifully greeted and received. Unless it wearies you, I shall tell you briefly that the playmates whom Yblis had, with whom she used to go picking flowers, had remained for her sake unmarried ever since. None of them had felt joy till now when they were able to behold Lady Yblis, their own lady. So now they rode to meet her and in womanly wise to receive her as queen. There must have been many knights, too, who attended the ladies ; and more of them who took part in the bohourts, of which there were plenty. Take it not amiss when I say that the knights so bemused the yokels that they would have sworn they flew and were angels.254 Never have you heard in story that so many knights disported themselves on horses and with shields. I must refrain from telling much of their prowess ; but I must say one thing : many a warrior rode so well there, that never in Brabant did knight better comport him- self when he sat on horse and devoted himself in high spirits to tourneying. The French book tells us that no lady was ever better received, nor yet so splendidly, as was Yblis at Dodone, with all the cir- cumstance that befits a lady's reception. And all who came there with her were so well looked after that they lacked nothing either host or guest could think of for their entertainment. They were provided liberally with a superfluity of everything good. The news spread far and wide that they were living in perfect delight. The lords also gave presents to the strolling entertainers,255 as was proper. Any of those who received gifts there, bestowed to enhance the donor's reputation, was laden with wealth and res- cued from all the harm poverty had ever thrust upon him. This was the command of the gentle Lanzelet. LINES 9199-9269 Now Lanzelet received the crown at Dodone after the royal custom ; and Yblis I am sure did not fail to be crowned with her husband. She wore her strange foreign mantle at table and also
149 the bold Iweret. The army viewed it well and declared that no mountain or wood was ever better fashioned for delight. They spent the night in the wood, and early in the morning rode in full force into Dodone. There they were beautifully greeted and received. Unless it wearies you, I shall tell you briefly that the playmates whom Yblis had, with whom she used to go picking flowers, had remained for her sake unmarried ever since. None of them had felt joy till now when they were able to behold Lady Yblis, their own lady. So now they rode to meet her and in womanly wise to receive her as queen. There must have been many knights, too, who attended the ladies ; and more of them who took part in the bohourts, of which there were plenty. Take it not amiss when I say that the knights so bemused the yokels that they would have sworn they flew and were angels.254 Never have you heard in story that so many knights disported themselves on horses and with shields. I must refrain from telling much of their prowess ; but I must say one thing : many a warrior rode so well there, that never in Brabant did knight better comport him- self when he sat on horse and devoted himself in high spirits to tourneying. The French book tells us that no lady was ever better received, nor yet so splendidly, as was Yblis at Dodone, with all the cir- cumstance that befits a lady's reception. And all who came there with her were so well looked after that they lacked nothing either host or guest could think of for their entertainment. They were provided liberally with a superfluity of everything good. The news spread far and wide that they were living in perfect delight. The lords also gave presents to the strolling entertainers,255 as was proper. Any of those who received gifts there, bestowed to enhance the donor's reputation, was laden with wealth and res- cued from all the harm poverty had ever thrust upon him. This was the command of the gentle Lanzelet. LINES 9199-9269 Now Lanzelet received the crown at Dodone after the royal custom ; and Yblis I am sure did not fail to be crowned with her husband. She wore her strange foreign mantle at table and also
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[150 at the games. It attracted great attention, the woven figures looked so much alive. Sir Lanzelet also took the homage of his princes ; and so with all honor he forthwith assumed the entire power. At this there was greater joy than before, as was right, for many a good warrior was true and loyal to him. He gave them silver and gold since there was ample opportunity to do so. Whatever Iweret the warrior had left was there entire, and an exceedingly great store had been collected. But I will leave this to the stewards to whom Lanzelet assigned it, so that never did anybody dispose of so many goods better than they did. Herewith I drop the matter. And why do I do this ? I will tell you briefly the truth. Whatever has been related to us of high feasts or of pomps—mark it well— there was more verily of such at Dodone than was ever heard tell of before or since. Whoever has been at a great court and has beheld the joys and marvels there, if all those did not take place here, then believe nothing that I say. Every day while the court lasted at Dodone there were all the ceremony and the delight that anyone could desire. Nothing was present to cause grief and harm, unless it were Love herself, who did what she so often does, for she tyrannizes over the mind of many a one, so that no matter how cheerful his bearing, his heart for all that suffers anguish. Now Arthur, the great king, had been three months and more at Dodone in Beforet, with all his retinue and with the strength of his great army. There Sir Lanzelet showed him great honor and all goodness. It was his custom and his disposition too that he never forgot to give his people something whereby he displayed to them his goodness, and he also showed that he faithfully regarded both God and the world. Ginover had the good tent, and Yblis the queen would have liked to give her mantle to Sir Kay's ladylove, but she was afraid of its shrinking, as you have heard before. LINES 9270-9349 Meanwhile it has come to the time when King Arthur wished to take leave and ride away from his dear nephew's house. He could stay no longer, for a messenger had come to him from home who told him tidings—what I do not know. Then the ladies
[150 at the games. It attracted great attention, the woven figures looked so much alive. Sir Lanzelet also took the homage of his princes ; and so with all honor he forthwith assumed the entire power. At this there was greater joy than before, as was right, for many a good warrior was true and loyal to him. He gave them silver and gold since there was ample opportunity to do so. Whatever Iweret the warrior had left was there entire, and an exceedingly great store had been collected. But I will leave this to the stewards to whom Lanzelet assigned it, so that never did anybody dispose of so many goods better than they did. Herewith I drop the matter. And why do I do this ? I will tell you briefly the truth. Whatever has been related to us of high feasts or of pomps—mark it well— there was more verily of such at Dodone than was ever heard tell of before or since. Whoever has been at a great court and has beheld the joys and marvels there, if all those did not take place here, then believe nothing that I say. Every day while the court lasted at Dodone there were all the ceremony and the delight that anyone could desire. Nothing was present to cause grief and harm, unless it were Love herself, who did what she so often does, for she tyrannizes over the mind of many a one, so that no matter how cheerful his bearing, his heart for all that suffers anguish. Now Arthur, the great king, had been three months and more at Dodone in Beforet, with all his retinue and with the strength of his great army. There Sir Lanzelet showed him great honor and all goodness. It was his custom and his disposition too that he never forgot to give his people something whereby he displayed to them his goodness, and he also showed that he faithfully regarded both God and the world. Ginover had the good tent, and Yblis the queen would have liked to give her mantle to Sir Kay's ladylove, but she was afraid of its shrinking, as you have heard before. LINES 9270-9349 Meanwhile it has come to the time when King Arthur wished to take leave and ride away from his dear nephew's house. He could stay no longer, for a messenger had come to him from home who told him tidings—what I do not know. Then the ladies
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[151 realized that sadness and longing must fill their hearts. Now what must Yblis do, she and Lanzelet du Lac, but escort Arthur right fairly for I know not how many days from Dodone ? So the lords who had come there begged leave to depart. Each and all they wished Yblis and the good Lanzelet health and long life. Then Arthur, the generous man, bade bring his steed. Yblis with a great retinue, and Lanzelet, who kept them company, journeyed with them in friendly wise for I know not how many days. Though it sometimes occurred to Yblis and her companion that she would like to stop, yet for Ginover's sake she rode on. But at length they had to part. Then there was kissing and weeping on the part of both, which made manifest their love. King Arthur went quickly home, and Lanzelet and Yblis rode back to the spot where they both afterwards lived in joy and splendor in their castle of Dodone. Now you have all perceived that I have come near to the end of the story of Lanzelet; and here I make a request of every virtu- ous person, whoever it be, that has heard the poem from the be- ginning, if he crave enduring joy and profitable happiness, that he obtain his heart's desire of these in this world, as a reward for not speaking adversely of this poem. As I tell you, there is nothing added to it nor taken from it except as a French book says, that first became known to us when the king of England was captured, as God willed, by Duke Leopold, who set a high price upon him. The captive king gave him for hostages noble lords from foreign lands afar, of very high birth, counts, barons, and the like. But Emperor Henry sent these into German territories round about at his discretion. Hugh de Morville 256 was the name of one of these hostages, and in his possession first appeared among us the French book of Lanzelet. Then the prayer of dear friends compelled Ulrich von Zatzikhoven 257 to take upon himself the task of relating in German, as best he could, this long foreign story, for no other reason than that he might stand better in the estimation of the good. LINES 9350-9444 Now be pleased to let the story continue, and I will tell you more of the poem. When Lanzelet, the noble king, had got his
[151 realized that sadness and longing must fill their hearts. Now what must Yblis do, she and Lanzelet du Lac, but escort Arthur right fairly for I know not how many days from Dodone ? So the lords who had come there begged leave to depart. Each and all they wished Yblis and the good Lanzelet health and long life. Then Arthur, the generous man, bade bring his steed. Yblis with a great retinue, and Lanzelet, who kept them company, journeyed with them in friendly wise for I know not how many days. Though it sometimes occurred to Yblis and her companion that she would like to stop, yet for Ginover's sake she rode on. But at length they had to part. Then there was kissing and weeping on the part of both, which made manifest their love. King Arthur went quickly home, and Lanzelet and Yblis rode back to the spot where they both afterwards lived in joy and splendor in their castle of Dodone. Now you have all perceived that I have come near to the end of the story of Lanzelet; and here I make a request of every virtu- ous person, whoever it be, that has heard the poem from the be- ginning, if he crave enduring joy and profitable happiness, that he obtain his heart's desire of these in this world, as a reward for not speaking adversely of this poem. As I tell you, there is nothing added to it nor taken from it except as a French book says, that first became known to us when the king of England was captured, as God willed, by Duke Leopold, who set a high price upon him. The captive king gave him for hostages noble lords from foreign lands afar, of very high birth, counts, barons, and the like. But Emperor Henry sent these into German territories round about at his discretion. Hugh de Morville 256 was the name of one of these hostages, and in his possession first appeared among us the French book of Lanzelet. Then the prayer of dear friends compelled Ulrich von Zatzikhoven 257 to take upon himself the task of relating in German, as best he could, this long foreign story, for no other reason than that he might stand better in the estimation of the good. LINES 9350-9444 Now be pleased to let the story continue, and I will tell you more of the poem. When Lanzelet, the noble king, had got his
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152 affairs into such a state as he himself wished and ordained, then first he allowed his men from Genewis to ride back again with honor, as was fitting. He arranged to have his mother come to him, and received her affectionately and consoled her for all the sorrows that had come to her before. Now for the first time she was able to behold her child in joy and honor, and then she over- came all her affliction. Now good fortune and their prayers favored them, so that Yblis and Lanzelet had beautiful children, such as people wish for who virtuously satisfy their desire. Mark how the story goes. A daughter and three sons, these four children, so we are told, of a truth inherited their lands and their goods, their virtues and their spirit. That turned out fortunately, for Lanzelet du Lac had four kingdoms, three which Iweret had ruled, and the fourth Genewis his own land, which King Pant, his lord and father, had left him. Yblis the queen inspired him only to honorable things. Truly in all Christendom there can never be two lovers in whom such excellence is combined as was in Yblis and Lanzelet. I must tell you that neither of them would be surpassed a foot by the other in the pursuit of honor. Their largesse was so wide that they refused nobody anything. Therefore their fame will endure while the world stands. Whenever a lord succeeds in becoming famous through kindness and not through evil, it is well. Fame for pleasur- able ill-doing is not seemly, for it does not please good people. So let me tell you that Lord Lanzelet did everything for the best. In his own home he was a good host, as King Arthur in his loyal support advised him ; and he neglected no knightly duty that he could accomplish. And this lasted so long as his bodily strength and his youth served him. He lived in full possession of his powers ; he beheld his children's children growing in virtue. Now what more should be told you than that God was so good to them that Yblis and Lanzelet grew old in great honor and died, as it is related to us, both together on one day. If any person tells you other things about them, I have no knowledge of such matters. Who could ever come to the end of all the marvels that Lanzelet performed ? Since he first got his strength his fame waxed till he departed. And so ends the poem.
152 affairs into such a state as he himself wished and ordained, then first he allowed his men from Genewis to ride back again with honor, as was fitting. He arranged to have his mother come to him, and received her affectionately and consoled her for all the sorrows that had come to her before. Now for the first time she was able to behold her child in joy and honor, and then she over- came all her affliction. Now good fortune and their prayers favored them, so that Yblis and Lanzelet had beautiful children, such as people wish for who virtuously satisfy their desire. Mark how the story goes. A daughter and three sons, these four children, so we are told, of a truth inherited their lands and their goods, their virtues and their spirit. That turned out fortunately, for Lanzelet du Lac had four kingdoms, three which Iweret had ruled, and the fourth Genewis his own land, which King Pant, his lord and father, had left him. Yblis the queen inspired him only to honorable things. Truly in all Christendom there can never be two lovers in whom such excellence is combined as was in Yblis and Lanzelet. I must tell you that neither of them would be surpassed a foot by the other in the pursuit of honor. Their largesse was so wide that they refused nobody anything. Therefore their fame will endure while the world stands. Whenever a lord succeeds in becoming famous through kindness and not through evil, it is well. Fame for pleasur- able ill-doing is not seemly, for it does not please good people. So let me tell you that Lord Lanzelet did everything for the best. In his own home he was a good host, as King Arthur in his loyal support advised him ; and he neglected no knightly duty that he could accomplish. And this lasted so long as his bodily strength and his youth served him. He lived in full possession of his powers ; he beheld his children's children growing in virtue. Now what more should be told you than that God was so good to them that Yblis and Lanzelet grew old in great honor and died, as it is related to us, both together on one day. If any person tells you other things about them, I have no knowledge of such matters. Who could ever come to the end of all the marvels that Lanzelet performed ? Since he first got his strength his fame waxed till he departed. And so ends the poem.
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[ 153 ] This story in so far as I know it is ended. May he for whom I composed it reward me—that would redound to his honor. I will do a great deal more for him if I live. He would readily reward me if he felt toward me as I do toward him. And all of you who hear or read this poem must entreat him to do so. That you may ever be happy and in God's keeping is the prayer of Ulrich who composed this. Amen. Lanzelet's book is done, done, done.
[ 153 ] This story in so far as I know it is ended. May he for whom I composed it reward me—that would redound to his honor. I will do a great deal more for him if I live. He would readily reward me if he felt toward me as I do toward him. And all of you who hear or read this poem must entreat him to do so. That you may ever be happy and in God's keeping is the prayer of Ulrich who composed this. Amen. Lanzelet's book is done, done, done.
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Notes
Notes
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[ 156 ] ABBREVIATIONS USED IN NOTES Bach = V. Bach, Die Angriffswaffen in den altfranzösischen Artus- und Abenteuerromanen (Marburg, 1887). Bächtold = J. Bächtold, Der Lanzelet des Ulrich von Zatzikhoven (Frauenfeld, 1870). Boeheim = W. Boeheim, Handbuch der Waffenkunde (Leipzig, 1890). Bruce = J. D. Bruce, The Evolution of Arthurian Romance from the Begin- nings down to the Year 1300. Hesperia, Ergänzungsreihe 8, 9 (Göttingen, Bal- timore, 1923, 1927). Cross and Slover = T. P. Cross and C. H. Slover, Ancient Irish Tales (New York, 1936). DF = Deutsche Forschungen. DNB = Dictionary of National Biogra- phy. Enlart = C. Enlart, Le Costume (Vol. III of Manuel d’archéologie française depuis les temps mérovingiens jusqu'à la renaissance, Paris, 1916). Faral — E. Faral, Recherches sur les sources latines des contes et romans courtois du moyen áge (Paris, 1913). Goddard = E. R. Goddard, Women's Costume in French Texts of the Elev- enth and Twelfth Centuries (Balti- more, Paris, 1927). Hahn = K. A. Hahn, ed., Lanzelet, eine Erzählung von Ulrich von Zatzikhoven (Frankfurt, 1845). Jones = Gwyn Jones and Thomas Jones, The Mabinogion. Everyman's Li- brary (London, New York, 1949). JEGP = Journal of English and Ger- manic Philology. Kittredge — G. L. Kittredge, 4 Study of Gawain and the Green Knight (Cam- bridge, Mass., 1916). Laking — G. F. Laking, 4 Record of Eu- ropean Arms and Armour (London, 1920). Loomis = R. S. Loomis, Arthurian Tra- dition and Chrétien de Troyes (New York, 1949). Loth — J. Loth, Les Mabinogion, 2d ed. (Paris, 1913). MLN = Modern Language Notes. MP = Modern Philology. NED = New English Dictionary. O = Lost Anglo-Norman manuscript of the text translated by Ulrich von Zat- zikhoven. Paton = L. A. Paton, Studies in the Fairy Mythology of Arthurian Ro- mance. Radcliffe College Monographs, No. 13 (Boston, 1903). PMLA = Publications of the Modern Language Association of America. R = Romania. RC — Revue celtique. RR = Romanic Review. RS = Romanische Studien, Schirling = V. Schirling, Die Verteidi- gungswaffen im altfranzósischen Epos (Marburg, 1887). Schultz = Alwin Schultz, Das höfische Leben zur Zeit der Minnesinger, zd ed. (Leipzig, 1889). Seyler = G. A. Seyler, “Geschichte der Heraldik,” in J. Siebmacher’s Grosses und allgemeines Wappenbuch (Nu- remberg, 1890). SNPL == Studies and Notes in Philology and Literature. Sommer = H. O. Sommer, The Vulgate Version of the Arthurian Romances, 7 vols. and Index (Washington, D.C., 1908-16). Thurneysen =R. Thurneysen, Die irische Helden- und Kónigsage bis zum siebzehnten Jahrhundert (Halle, 1921). ZFSL — Zeitschrift für französische Sprache und Literatur. ZHW — Zeitschrift für historische Waf- fenkunde. ZRP — Zeitschrift für romanische Phi- lologie. Material in the notes followed by [W] is due to Webster; material followed by [L] is due to Loomis.
[ 156 ] ABBREVIATIONS USED IN NOTES Bach = V. Bach, Die Angriffswaffen in den altfranzösischen Artus- und Abenteuerromanen (Marburg, 1887). Bächtold = J. Bächtold, Der Lanzelet des Ulrich von Zatzikhoven (Frauenfeld, 1870). Boeheim = W. Boeheim, Handbuch der Waffenkunde (Leipzig, 1890). Bruce = J. D. Bruce, The Evolution of Arthurian Romance from the Begin- nings down to the Year 1300. Hesperia, Ergänzungsreihe 8, 9 (Göttingen, Bal- timore, 1923, 1927). Cross and Slover = T. P. Cross and C. H. Slover, Ancient Irish Tales (New York, 1936). DF = Deutsche Forschungen. DNB = Dictionary of National Biogra- phy. Enlart = C. Enlart, Le Costume (Vol. III of Manuel d’archéologie française depuis les temps mérovingiens jusqu'à la renaissance, Paris, 1916). Faral — E. Faral, Recherches sur les sources latines des contes et romans courtois du moyen áge (Paris, 1913). Goddard = E. R. Goddard, Women's Costume in French Texts of the Elev- enth and Twelfth Centuries (Balti- more, Paris, 1927). Hahn = K. A. Hahn, ed., Lanzelet, eine Erzählung von Ulrich von Zatzikhoven (Frankfurt, 1845). Jones = Gwyn Jones and Thomas Jones, The Mabinogion. Everyman's Li- brary (London, New York, 1949). JEGP = Journal of English and Ger- manic Philology. Kittredge — G. L. Kittredge, 4 Study of Gawain and the Green Knight (Cam- bridge, Mass., 1916). Laking — G. F. Laking, 4 Record of Eu- ropean Arms and Armour (London, 1920). Loomis = R. S. Loomis, Arthurian Tra- dition and Chrétien de Troyes (New York, 1949). Loth — J. Loth, Les Mabinogion, 2d ed. (Paris, 1913). MLN = Modern Language Notes. MP = Modern Philology. NED = New English Dictionary. O = Lost Anglo-Norman manuscript of the text translated by Ulrich von Zat- zikhoven. Paton = L. A. Paton, Studies in the Fairy Mythology of Arthurian Ro- mance. Radcliffe College Monographs, No. 13 (Boston, 1903). PMLA = Publications of the Modern Language Association of America. R = Romania. RC — Revue celtique. RR = Romanic Review. RS = Romanische Studien, Schirling = V. Schirling, Die Verteidi- gungswaffen im altfranzósischen Epos (Marburg, 1887). Schultz = Alwin Schultz, Das höfische Leben zur Zeit der Minnesinger, zd ed. (Leipzig, 1889). Seyler = G. A. Seyler, “Geschichte der Heraldik,” in J. Siebmacher’s Grosses und allgemeines Wappenbuch (Nu- remberg, 1890). SNPL == Studies and Notes in Philology and Literature. Sommer = H. O. Sommer, The Vulgate Version of the Arthurian Romances, 7 vols. and Index (Washington, D.C., 1908-16). Thurneysen =R. Thurneysen, Die irische Helden- und Kónigsage bis zum siebzehnten Jahrhundert (Halle, 1921). ZFSL — Zeitschrift für französische Sprache und Literatur. ZHW — Zeitschrift für historische Waf- fenkunde. ZRP — Zeitschrift für romanische Phi- lologie. Material in the notes followed by [W] is due to Webster; material followed by [L] is due to Loomis.
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1. This old moralist has not been identified, but Ulrich's sententious remarks in his preface are of a conventional sort. See Werner Richter, Der Lanzelet des Ulrich von Zazikhoven, DF, XXVII (1934), 141f. To Richter's references for the very common envy theme, add F. Tupper in JEGP, XVI (1917), 551-72. [W] To begin with a gnomic passage was a poetic convention of the twelfth century. Cf. Chrétien's Erec and Conte del Graal and E. Faral, Arts poétiques du XIIe et du XIIIe siècle (Paris, 1924), pp. 58, 113, 201f. Marie de France begins her Guigemar (11. 7-18) with an attack on envious detractors. [L] 2. In the Prose Lancelot of the early thirteenth century, Lancelot's father is Ban, king of Benoic, who has been generally recognized as the equivalent of Pant, king of Genewis. [W] The name Ban de Benoic is a scribal cor- ruption of Bran le Benoit, which in turn is a translation of the Welsh Bran the Blessed, the name of a gigantic king of the Island of the Mighty (Britain), who is prominent in the mabinogi of Branwen. H. Newstead, Bran the Blessed in Arthurian Romance (New York, 1939), especially pp. 12�27, 155-63; Newstead in RR, XXXVI (1945), 3-31. The initial letter of Pant is due to the unvoicing of B, which occurs in other German forms of Arthurian names ; e.g., Pleherin and Nampetenis in Eilhart's Tristan for Bleheris and Nain Bedenis. MLN, XVII (1922), 321. Pant's character (as contrasted with that of Bran and Ban) has been debased to explain the rebellion of his barons. [L] 3. Lot believed Genewis represented a corruption of Welsh Gwynedd, Northwestern Wales. R, XXIV (1895), 335. Brugger derived it from Guenet, an old name for Vannes, Brittany. Morf Festschrift (Halle, 1905), pp. 53f. [W] The preceding note shows, however, that Genewis corresponds to Benoic in the Prose Lancelot, and both represent corruptions of the French adjective for “blessed." This in the Anglo-Norman nominative form (to be expected in Ulrich's source, hereafter referred to as O) would be beneïs, and the change to Genewis is easily explained by the common scribal confusion of initial g and b. PMLA, LIV (1939), 659; R, LIV (1928), 518. It is evident that in some still earlier stage of the tradition li beneïs was misread or misunderstood as de beneïs, and so Beneïs was as- sumed to be the name of a country. Similarly le benoit became de Benoit, and the corrupt form Benoic became the land of King Ban. [L] 4. For the contrasted king and queen, ef. the bad marquis and the good
1. This old moralist has not been identified, but Ulrich's sententious remarks in his preface are of a conventional sort. See Werner Richter, Der Lanzelet des Ulrich von Zazikhoven, DF, XXVII (1934), 141f. To Richter's references for the very common envy theme, add F. Tupper in JEGP, XVI (1917), 551-72. [W] To begin with a gnomic passage was a poetic convention of the twelfth century. Cf. Chrétien's Erec and Conte del Graal and E. Faral, Arts poétiques du XIIe et du XIIIe siècle (Paris, 1924), pp. 58, 113, 201f. Marie de France begins her Guigemar (11. 7-18) with an attack on envious detractors. [L] 2. In the Prose Lancelot of the early thirteenth century, Lancelot's father is Ban, king of Benoic, who has been generally recognized as the equivalent of Pant, king of Genewis. [W] The name Ban de Benoic is a scribal cor- ruption of Bran le Benoit, which in turn is a translation of the Welsh Bran the Blessed, the name of a gigantic king of the Island of the Mighty (Britain), who is prominent in the mabinogi of Branwen. H. Newstead, Bran the Blessed in Arthurian Romance (New York, 1939), especially pp. 12�27, 155-63; Newstead in RR, XXXVI (1945), 3-31. The initial letter of Pant is due to the unvoicing of B, which occurs in other German forms of Arthurian names ; e.g., Pleherin and Nampetenis in Eilhart's Tristan for Bleheris and Nain Bedenis. MLN, XVII (1922), 321. Pant's character (as contrasted with that of Bran and Ban) has been debased to explain the rebellion of his barons. [L] 3. Lot believed Genewis represented a corruption of Welsh Gwynedd, Northwestern Wales. R, XXIV (1895), 335. Brugger derived it from Guenet, an old name for Vannes, Brittany. Morf Festschrift (Halle, 1905), pp. 53f. [W] The preceding note shows, however, that Genewis corresponds to Benoic in the Prose Lancelot, and both represent corruptions of the French adjective for “blessed." This in the Anglo-Norman nominative form (to be expected in Ulrich's source, hereafter referred to as O) would be beneïs, and the change to Genewis is easily explained by the common scribal confusion of initial g and b. PMLA, LIV (1939), 659; R, LIV (1928), 518. It is evident that in some still earlier stage of the tradition li beneïs was misread or misunderstood as de beneïs, and so Beneïs was as- sumed to be the name of a country. Similarly le benoit became de Benoit, and the corrupt form Benoic became the land of King Ban. [L] 4. For the contrasted king and queen, ef. the bad marquis and the good
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158 wife of whom Walter Map tells in De nugis curialium, v, 5. In the Prose Lancelot the hero's mother is called Elaine. [W] Richter, in DF, XXVII, 50, rightly remarks: "Wer weiss, wie Namen in den Handschriften entstellt, verunstaltet, verändert werden, wird nicht zweifeln können, dass aus der Elaine die Clarine geworden ist." Similarly ,whereas in the Didot Perceval Gauvain's sister is called Elainne, in Chrétien's Conte del Graal (1. 8269) she is called Clarianz, Clarissanz, doubtless as the result of a similar misreading. It is noteworthy that Chrétien's Clarianz dwelt in a splendid castle above a river and received a love message from a falconer, who had never seen her and whom she had never seen, whereas in the Welsh Dream of Maxen (dated 1150-1200) a beautiful maiden Elen, who dwelt in a splendid castle above a river, received a love message from a huntsman, who had never seen her except in dreams and whom she had never seen. The falconer wedded Clarianz, and the huntsman wedded Elen. Thus we have three reasons for supposing that the name Clarine represents a misreading of Elaine. It is a remarkable coincidence—if it is a coincidence—that the same resplendent castle, Caer Seint, where Elen dwelt, is represented in Branwen as the place where Bran the Blessed held a court of justice. Speculum, XXII (1947), 522�26. For other evidence that the author of O was familiar with local legends of this region, see Introduction and notes 7, 93, 131, 134. It is quite possible, therefore, that though native Welsh tradition never linked Bran with Elen as king and queen, a non-Welsh conteur, who knew them vaguely by reputation and associated both with North Wales, arbitrarily united them to provide worthy parents for the hero Lancelot. At least, I know of no other explanation of the linking of Ban with Elaine and of Pant with Clarine. [L] 5. It was a quite uncourtly thing in the Middle Ages for a mother to suckle her child. But so Herzeloyde nursed the infant Parzival in Wolfram von Eschenbach's noble poem, § 118. Cf. M. F. Richey, Story of Parzival (London, 1935), p. 30; Schultz, I, 149f. ; Burton, Anatomy of Melancholy, part I, sect. 2, memb. 4, subs. 1. [W] According to La Chanson du Chevalier au Cygne et de Godefroid de Bouillon, ed. C. Hippeau (Paris, 1874-77), I, 26, Countess Yde, daughter of the Knight of the Swan, insisted on suckling her three sons and flew into a rage when by chance her third son was suckled by an attendant damsel. G. G. Coulton, Life in the Middle Ages (New York, 1931), III, 3of. It is certainly not without significance that the Vulgate Merlin (Sommer, II, 465) says of the infant Lancelot that his mother loved him so that “elle le norri de son lait." This is but another example of the dependence of the Vulgate cycle and of Lanzelet on common sources. [L]
158 wife of whom Walter Map tells in De nugis curialium, v, 5. In the Prose Lancelot the hero's mother is called Elaine. [W] Richter, in DF, XXVII, 50, rightly remarks: "Wer weiss, wie Namen in den Handschriften entstellt, verunstaltet, verändert werden, wird nicht zweifeln können, dass aus der Elaine die Clarine geworden ist." Similarly ,whereas in the Didot Perceval Gauvain's sister is called Elainne, in Chrétien's Conte del Graal (1. 8269) she is called Clarianz, Clarissanz, doubtless as the result of a similar misreading. It is noteworthy that Chrétien's Clarianz dwelt in a splendid castle above a river and received a love message from a falconer, who had never seen her and whom she had never seen, whereas in the Welsh Dream of Maxen (dated 1150-1200) a beautiful maiden Elen, who dwelt in a splendid castle above a river, received a love message from a huntsman, who had never seen her except in dreams and whom she had never seen. The falconer wedded Clarianz, and the huntsman wedded Elen. Thus we have three reasons for supposing that the name Clarine represents a misreading of Elaine. It is a remarkable coincidence—if it is a coincidence—that the same resplendent castle, Caer Seint, where Elen dwelt, is represented in Branwen as the place where Bran the Blessed held a court of justice. Speculum, XXII (1947), 522�26. For other evidence that the author of O was familiar with local legends of this region, see Introduction and notes 7, 93, 131, 134. It is quite possible, therefore, that though native Welsh tradition never linked Bran with Elen as king and queen, a non-Welsh conteur, who knew them vaguely by reputation and associated both with North Wales, arbitrarily united them to provide worthy parents for the hero Lancelot. At least, I know of no other explanation of the linking of Ban with Elaine and of Pant with Clarine. [L] 5. It was a quite uncourtly thing in the Middle Ages for a mother to suckle her child. But so Herzeloyde nursed the infant Parzival in Wolfram von Eschenbach's noble poem, § 118. Cf. M. F. Richey, Story of Parzival (London, 1935), p. 30; Schultz, I, 149f. ; Burton, Anatomy of Melancholy, part I, sect. 2, memb. 4, subs. 1. [W] According to La Chanson du Chevalier au Cygne et de Godefroid de Bouillon, ed. C. Hippeau (Paris, 1874-77), I, 26, Countess Yde, daughter of the Knight of the Swan, insisted on suckling her three sons and flew into a rage when by chance her third son was suckled by an attendant damsel. G. G. Coulton, Life in the Middle Ages (New York, 1931), III, 3of. It is certainly not without significance that the Vulgate Merlin (Sommer, II, 465) says of the infant Lancelot that his mother loved him so that “elle le norri de son lait." This is but another example of the dependence of the Vulgate cycle and of Lanzelet on common sources. [L]
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[159 6. The sudden mention of the lake suggests that the author of O knew the tradition, found in the Prose Lancelot, that the infant son of Pant was carried off by the fay to her home under a lake. Ulrich preserves a trace of it here and also in the fact that in 11. 5158, 6610, 6692, etc., he calls his hero Lanzelet du Lac and in l. 569 refers to him as the warrior from the lake (sê). As will be seen in n. 10, one of the oldest elements in the legend of Lanzelet was the Irish tradition that Lug Lamfada was given in fosterage to the faery queen Tailltiu and was brought up by her till he was fit to bear arms. When this tradition was taken over by the Welsh, Lug became Lluch Llauynnauc, and Tailltiu's role was at first assigned to a fay whose home was an isle of maidens, set in the sea (cf. n. 9), and whose name was Modron. This was the tradition adopted by the author of O and conse- quently by Ulrich. But since the name Lluch was identical with the common noun lluch, meaning “lake," another tradition grew up which substituted for Modron a water-fay whose home was beneath the surface of a lake. Cf. Introduction and n. 148. This was the version developed in the Prose Lancelot. Cf. n. 7. The coexistence of the two traditions is responsible for Ulrich's inconsistency as to the place of Lanzelet's upbringing. [L] 7. About 1860 or 1870 children living in the neighborhood of the moun- tain lake, Llyn Dwythwch, were warned by their mother not to go far from the house when there was a thick mist on the ground lest they should be carried away by the fairies to their abode beneath the lake. J. Rhys, Celtic Folklore, Welsh and Manx (Oxford, 1901), I, 33; also 372-75. Inci- dentally, it may be said that Llyn Dwythwch lies about six miles southeast of the site of Caer Seint, with which, we have noted, Bran and Elen were associated, and that according to the Prose Lancelot the fay who stole the son of Ban and Elaine plunged with him into a lake and was called "la Damoisele del Lac." Sommer, III, 14f., 47. [L] 8. Pfeller, or pfelle, is a fine Oriental fabric common in these romances (see Benecke-Müller's Mittelhochdeutsches Wörterbuch) and not always distinguished from samite and such costly weaves. For example, Hector's surcoat in Konrad von Würzburg's Trojanische Krieg, ed. A. von Keller (Stuttgart, 1858), ll. 3728f., is “of silk that came from a land where only maidens live, who weave the best pfeller that human eye ever beheld. The samite burned like a rose with a red glare ; and from that was his surcoat cut." Konrad's long poem abounds in such gorgeous descriptions far more than its main source, the Roman de Troie. [W] 9. This conception of the happy Otherworld is paralleled by medieval romances and allegories in many details—roundness, glitter, impassable barriers, the gems and gold, and so forth. Cf. Prof. Patch's comprehensive
[159 6. The sudden mention of the lake suggests that the author of O knew the tradition, found in the Prose Lancelot, that the infant son of Pant was carried off by the fay to her home under a lake. Ulrich preserves a trace of it here and also in the fact that in 11. 5158, 6610, 6692, etc., he calls his hero Lanzelet du Lac and in l. 569 refers to him as the warrior from the lake (sê). As will be seen in n. 10, one of the oldest elements in the legend of Lanzelet was the Irish tradition that Lug Lamfada was given in fosterage to the faery queen Tailltiu and was brought up by her till he was fit to bear arms. When this tradition was taken over by the Welsh, Lug became Lluch Llauynnauc, and Tailltiu's role was at first assigned to a fay whose home was an isle of maidens, set in the sea (cf. n. 9), and whose name was Modron. This was the tradition adopted by the author of O and conse- quently by Ulrich. But since the name Lluch was identical with the common noun lluch, meaning “lake," another tradition grew up which substituted for Modron a water-fay whose home was beneath the surface of a lake. Cf. Introduction and n. 148. This was the version developed in the Prose Lancelot. Cf. n. 7. The coexistence of the two traditions is responsible for Ulrich's inconsistency as to the place of Lanzelet's upbringing. [L] 7. About 1860 or 1870 children living in the neighborhood of the moun- tain lake, Llyn Dwythwch, were warned by their mother not to go far from the house when there was a thick mist on the ground lest they should be carried away by the fairies to their abode beneath the lake. J. Rhys, Celtic Folklore, Welsh and Manx (Oxford, 1901), I, 33; also 372-75. Inci- dentally, it may be said that Llyn Dwythwch lies about six miles southeast of the site of Caer Seint, with which, we have noted, Bran and Elen were associated, and that according to the Prose Lancelot the fay who stole the son of Ban and Elaine plunged with him into a lake and was called "la Damoisele del Lac." Sommer, III, 14f., 47. [L] 8. Pfeller, or pfelle, is a fine Oriental fabric common in these romances (see Benecke-Müller's Mittelhochdeutsches Wörterbuch) and not always distinguished from samite and such costly weaves. For example, Hector's surcoat in Konrad von Würzburg's Trojanische Krieg, ed. A. von Keller (Stuttgart, 1858), ll. 3728f., is “of silk that came from a land where only maidens live, who weave the best pfeller that human eye ever beheld. The samite burned like a rose with a red glare ; and from that was his surcoat cut." Konrad's long poem abounds in such gorgeous descriptions far more than its main source, the Roman de Troie. [W] 9. This conception of the happy Otherworld is paralleled by medieval romances and allegories in many details—roundness, glitter, impassable barriers, the gems and gold, and so forth. Cf. Prof. Patch's comprehensive
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160 article, “Some Elements in Mediaeval Descriptions of the Otherworld," PMLA, XXXIII (1918), 601—43. Prof. Cross lists many gorgeous de- scriptions of the Otherworld in RC, XXXI (1910), 50. [W] Cf. also H. R. Patch, The Other World (Cambridge, Mass., 1950). On the imagi- nary Isle of Maidens of Irish saga, of. A. C. L. Brown, Iwain, SNPL, VIII (1903), 59-67; R, LIX (1933), 558-62. There is a Welsh poem, probably of the tenth century, in which we find an island fortress of glass (Caer Wydyr), with a strong door, where dwell nine maidens. Brown, op. cit., p. 78. In Peredur (early thirteenth century) the hero is trained in arms and horsemanship by nine sorceresses of Kaer Loyw, which, though identified by the Welsh with Gloucester, means literally “Shining (or Trans- parent) Fortress." Loth, II, 75f.; Jones, pp. 198f.; Speculum, XX (1945), 188, n. 2. Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Vita Merlini (c. 1150) seems to draw on Breton tradition for his description of the island to which the wounded Arthur was conveyed (1l. 908—40). It is presided over by the fay Morgen and her eight sisters; it is ever fertile; people live to be over a hundred. The same island is described in Gesta regum Britanniae (c. 1235) and furnishes the fullest analogy to Ulrich's description. Cingitur oceano memorabilis insula, nullis Desolata bonis ; non fur, non predo, nec hostis Insidiatur ibi; nec nix, non bruma nec estas Immoderata furit; pax et concordia perpes, Ver tepet eternum. Nec flos nec lilia desunt, Nec rosa nec viole; flores et poma sub una Fronde gerit pomus ; habitant sine labe pudoris Semper ibi iuvenis cum virgine. Nulla senectus Nullaque vis morbi, nullus dolor; omnia plena Leticie ; proprium nichil his, communia queque. Regia virgo locis et rebus presidet istis, Virginibus stipata suis pulcherrima pulchris Nimpha . . . Paton, pp. 45f. There is also the Isle of Joy in the Prose Lancelot, where King Pelles had a castle and where his daughter and her maidens used to dance each day, even in the severest winter, around a pine. Sommer, V, 403f. It is evident that Ulrich's land of maidens represents the mythical Celtio concept as developed by the Welsh and Bretons. Possibly Ulrich substituted the crystal mountain for the glass fortress, since a glass mountain is unknown in old Celtic literature but occurs in German tales. Teutonia, XIX (1911), 43; PMLA, XXXIII (1918), 607-11. The queen of the Isle of Maidens can be identified by the resemblance of her land to that of Morgen and her
160 article, “Some Elements in Mediaeval Descriptions of the Otherworld," PMLA, XXXIII (1918), 601—43. Prof. Cross lists many gorgeous de- scriptions of the Otherworld in RC, XXXI (1910), 50. [W] Cf. also H. R. Patch, The Other World (Cambridge, Mass., 1950). On the imagi- nary Isle of Maidens of Irish saga, of. A. C. L. Brown, Iwain, SNPL, VIII (1903), 59-67; R, LIX (1933), 558-62. There is a Welsh poem, probably of the tenth century, in which we find an island fortress of glass (Caer Wydyr), with a strong door, where dwell nine maidens. Brown, op. cit., p. 78. In Peredur (early thirteenth century) the hero is trained in arms and horsemanship by nine sorceresses of Kaer Loyw, which, though identified by the Welsh with Gloucester, means literally “Shining (or Trans- parent) Fortress." Loth, II, 75f.; Jones, pp. 198f.; Speculum, XX (1945), 188, n. 2. Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Vita Merlini (c. 1150) seems to draw on Breton tradition for his description of the island to which the wounded Arthur was conveyed (1l. 908—40). It is presided over by the fay Morgen and her eight sisters; it is ever fertile; people live to be over a hundred. The same island is described in Gesta regum Britanniae (c. 1235) and furnishes the fullest analogy to Ulrich's description. Cingitur oceano memorabilis insula, nullis Desolata bonis ; non fur, non predo, nec hostis Insidiatur ibi; nec nix, non bruma nec estas Immoderata furit; pax et concordia perpes, Ver tepet eternum. Nec flos nec lilia desunt, Nec rosa nec viole; flores et poma sub una Fronde gerit pomus ; habitant sine labe pudoris Semper ibi iuvenis cum virgine. Nulla senectus Nullaque vis morbi, nullus dolor; omnia plena Leticie ; proprium nichil his, communia queque. Regia virgo locis et rebus presidet istis, Virginibus stipata suis pulcherrima pulchris Nimpha . . . Paton, pp. 45f. There is also the Isle of Joy in the Prose Lancelot, where King Pelles had a castle and where his daughter and her maidens used to dance each day, even in the severest winter, around a pine. Sommer, V, 403f. It is evident that Ulrich's land of maidens represents the mythical Celtio concept as developed by the Welsh and Bretons. Possibly Ulrich substituted the crystal mountain for the glass fortress, since a glass mountain is unknown in old Celtic literature but occurs in German tales. Teutonia, XIX (1911), 43; PMLA, XXXIII (1918), 607-11. The queen of the Isle of Maidens can be identified by the resemblance of her land to that of Morgen and her
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[161 eight sisters with Morgain la Fée, and the name of her son, Mabuz, reveals her identity with Morgain's Welsh prototype, Modron, whose son was Mabon. Cf. n. 118. But she has also attracted to herself a bit of the legend of Arianrhod, who was Lleu's mother and who dwelt on an island. Cf. n. 18. [L] 10. It has been shown in the Introduction that Lanzelet derived his name ultimately from an epithet of the Irish god Lug, and that he inherited several features of his legend from that source. The first correspondence between the two figures is the fact that both of them were reared by foster mothers till they were of an age to bear arms. In the Irish Book of Invasions we read that Cian gave his son Lug for fosterage to Tailltiu, wife successively of two kings. Cross and Slover, pp. 13f. Keating in his History of Ireland, ed. D. Comyn, I (London, 1902), 221, states that it was by this queen (Taillte) that Lugh Lamhfada was fostered and trained till he was fit to bear arms. The tradition of Lancelot's fosterage by a faery queen was transferred to other heroes. Floriant and Florete, ed. Harry F. Williams (Ann Arbor, 1947), ll. 549-74, 733-67; Maugis d'Aigremont, ed. F. Castets (Montpellier, 1893), pp. 26�30. It is noteworthy that, according to Ulrich, the ladies con- cerned themselves only with Lanzelet's manners and musical education, and that he was turned over to male masters to learn more athletic accomplish- ments. [L] 11. This agreeable picture of the boy's education has not survived well in the accounts of the other heroes akin to Lancelot, i.e. of the Nameless Heroes, Fair Unknowns—Gareth, Bel Inconnu, Libeaus Desconus, Wigalois, Car- duino—for here rationalization has set in, and what Philipot in R, XXVI (1897), 299, calls the "enfances humaines" tend to supersede the more primi- tive "enfances féeriques." In the gorgeous Wigalois, ed. F. Pfeiffer (Leipzig, 1847), ll. 1209ff., the foster mother's faeryhood is still visible ; she is a rich and beautiful princess, who with her ladies rears the fatherless child till he is twelve, when she gets knights to train him in sport and arms, after which he returns to the ladies. It is to be remembered that some of the most formidable figures in European fiction were thus educated by mysterious ladies. Achilles' mother was a sea-fay, and he was brought up among the maids of the island of Scyros ; and in the far west Cuchulainn's education in arms was perfected by the grim woman-warrior Scathach. J. Rhys, Studies in the Arthurian Legend (Oxford, 1891), p. 213; L. A. Paton, p. 171; A. C. L. Brown in MP, XVIII (1920-21), 57 ; Thurneysen, p. 396. Of course, heroes brought up in faeryland, like Lancelot and these others, should immediately upon their entry into the world meet an accomplished knight to give them instruction in chivalry. What might pass for the typical education of a noble youth in the
[161 eight sisters with Morgain la Fée, and the name of her son, Mabuz, reveals her identity with Morgain's Welsh prototype, Modron, whose son was Mabon. Cf. n. 118. But she has also attracted to herself a bit of the legend of Arianrhod, who was Lleu's mother and who dwelt on an island. Cf. n. 18. [L] 10. It has been shown in the Introduction that Lanzelet derived his name ultimately from an epithet of the Irish god Lug, and that he inherited several features of his legend from that source. The first correspondence between the two figures is the fact that both of them were reared by foster mothers till they were of an age to bear arms. In the Irish Book of Invasions we read that Cian gave his son Lug for fosterage to Tailltiu, wife successively of two kings. Cross and Slover, pp. 13f. Keating in his History of Ireland, ed. D. Comyn, I (London, 1902), 221, states that it was by this queen (Taillte) that Lugh Lamhfada was fostered and trained till he was fit to bear arms. The tradition of Lancelot's fosterage by a faery queen was transferred to other heroes. Floriant and Florete, ed. Harry F. Williams (Ann Arbor, 1947), ll. 549-74, 733-67; Maugis d'Aigremont, ed. F. Castets (Montpellier, 1893), pp. 26�30. It is noteworthy that, according to Ulrich, the ladies con- cerned themselves only with Lanzelet's manners and musical education, and that he was turned over to male masters to learn more athletic accomplish- ments. [L] 11. This agreeable picture of the boy's education has not survived well in the accounts of the other heroes akin to Lancelot, i.e. of the Nameless Heroes, Fair Unknowns—Gareth, Bel Inconnu, Libeaus Desconus, Wigalois, Car- duino—for here rationalization has set in, and what Philipot in R, XXVI (1897), 299, calls the "enfances humaines" tend to supersede the more primi- tive "enfances féeriques." In the gorgeous Wigalois, ed. F. Pfeiffer (Leipzig, 1847), ll. 1209ff., the foster mother's faeryhood is still visible ; she is a rich and beautiful princess, who with her ladies rears the fatherless child till he is twelve, when she gets knights to train him in sport and arms, after which he returns to the ladies. It is to be remembered that some of the most formidable figures in European fiction were thus educated by mysterious ladies. Achilles' mother was a sea-fay, and he was brought up among the maids of the island of Scyros ; and in the far west Cuchulainn's education in arms was perfected by the grim woman-warrior Scathach. J. Rhys, Studies in the Arthurian Legend (Oxford, 1891), p. 213; L. A. Paton, p. 171; A. C. L. Brown in MP, XVIII (1920-21), 57 ; Thurneysen, p. 396. Of course, heroes brought up in faeryland, like Lancelot and these others, should immediately upon their entry into the world meet an accomplished knight to give them instruction in chivalry. What might pass for the typical education of a noble youth in the
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[ 162 days of chivalry is described in Gottfried von Strassburg's Tristan, 1l. 2041- 2130. At seven he left the ladies' care and was turned over to a wise man to be instructed in the tongues, music, sports, games, arms, and chivalry. His foster father took him at fourteen to show him the world of men and affairs. The stone-throwing in Lanzelet is doubtless putting the stone. Schultz, I, 167. Hugo von Trimberg in his Renner, 11. 11651f., calls those persons fools who think it a fine thing to heave up a great stone from where it lay and toss it to some other spot ; it would be much more sensible to break stone for useful roads and bridges. Schultz, Vol. I, ch. 2, is still a good account of a medieval aristocrat's education. [W] Further information on the subject may be found in E. Rust, Die Erziehung des Ritters in der altfranzösischen Epik (Berlin, 1888) ; Vol. III of Medieval French Roman d'Alexandre, ed. A. Foulet (Princeton, 1949), pp. 106 f.; Sommer, III, 33f.; Maugis d'Aigre- mont, ed. F. Castets, p. 29; Floriant and Florete, ed. Harry F. Williams, ll. 753-64; and an excellent article by Jean Frappier, “ L'Institution' de Lancelot dans le Lancelot en Prose," in Mélanges de philologie romane et de littérature médiévale offerts à Ernest Hoepffner (Paris, 1949), pp. 269-78, where the training of Alexander, Lanzelet, and Lancelot is discussed. Cf. also notes 10, 14, 16. [L] 12. There seems to have been a strong tradition in the Matter of Britain that the hero's faery foster mother became his mistress. Paton, p. 194n. Floriant et Florete, ed. Harry F. Williams, 1l. 2523f. Maugis d'Aigremont, ed. F. Castets, 1l. 617f. Fiore di Leggende, ed. E. Levi, pp. 63�72. Note the amorous interest which the Damoisele del Lac takes in her youthful protégé in the Prose Lancelot. Sommer, III, 86�90. Cf. on this matter Brugger in ZRP,LXIII (1943), 139-44. [L] 13. On the word hübsch, of. W. Schrader, Studien über das Wort Höfisch in der mittelhochdeutschen Dichtung (Würzburg, 1935), p. 26. [W] 14. The nearest analogue to these useful mermen is found in 1l. 336f. of the bizarre romance of Wigamur (c. 1250), edited by Von der Hagen and Büsching in Vol. I of Deutsche Gedichte des Mittelalters (Berlin, 1808). This piece is generally considered a negligible farrago of motifs from other romances, especially from the Lanzelet (G. Ehrismann, Geschichte der deutschen Literatur, part II, last vol., 1935, p. 57) ; but one can by no means be sure that some of its sources are not different from, or older than, existing versions. Here the wild woman Lesbia has kidnapped Wigamur, the king's son, in order to avenge herself on the king and to marry him to her daughter. She reared him in her cave in the sea till a hostile merman, with human head, green beard, scaly breast, and hoofed legs, killed her daughters and carried off
[ 162 days of chivalry is described in Gottfried von Strassburg's Tristan, 1l. 2041- 2130. At seven he left the ladies' care and was turned over to a wise man to be instructed in the tongues, music, sports, games, arms, and chivalry. His foster father took him at fourteen to show him the world of men and affairs. The stone-throwing in Lanzelet is doubtless putting the stone. Schultz, I, 167. Hugo von Trimberg in his Renner, 11. 11651f., calls those persons fools who think it a fine thing to heave up a great stone from where it lay and toss it to some other spot ; it would be much more sensible to break stone for useful roads and bridges. Schultz, Vol. I, ch. 2, is still a good account of a medieval aristocrat's education. [W] Further information on the subject may be found in E. Rust, Die Erziehung des Ritters in der altfranzösischen Epik (Berlin, 1888) ; Vol. III of Medieval French Roman d'Alexandre, ed. A. Foulet (Princeton, 1949), pp. 106 f.; Sommer, III, 33f.; Maugis d'Aigre- mont, ed. F. Castets, p. 29; Floriant and Florete, ed. Harry F. Williams, ll. 753-64; and an excellent article by Jean Frappier, “ L'Institution' de Lancelot dans le Lancelot en Prose," in Mélanges de philologie romane et de littérature médiévale offerts à Ernest Hoepffner (Paris, 1949), pp. 269-78, where the training of Alexander, Lanzelet, and Lancelot is discussed. Cf. also notes 10, 14, 16. [L] 12. There seems to have been a strong tradition in the Matter of Britain that the hero's faery foster mother became his mistress. Paton, p. 194n. Floriant et Florete, ed. Harry F. Williams, 1l. 2523f. Maugis d'Aigremont, ed. F. Castets, 1l. 617f. Fiore di Leggende, ed. E. Levi, pp. 63�72. Note the amorous interest which the Damoisele del Lac takes in her youthful protégé in the Prose Lancelot. Sommer, III, 86�90. Cf. on this matter Brugger in ZRP,LXIII (1943), 139-44. [L] 13. On the word hübsch, of. W. Schrader, Studien über das Wort Höfisch in der mittelhochdeutschen Dichtung (Würzburg, 1935), p. 26. [W] 14. The nearest analogue to these useful mermen is found in 1l. 336f. of the bizarre romance of Wigamur (c. 1250), edited by Von der Hagen and Büsching in Vol. I of Deutsche Gedichte des Mittelalters (Berlin, 1808). This piece is generally considered a negligible farrago of motifs from other romances, especially from the Lanzelet (G. Ehrismann, Geschichte der deutschen Literatur, part II, last vol., 1935, p. 57) ; but one can by no means be sure that some of its sources are not different from, or older than, existing versions. Here the wild woman Lesbia has kidnapped Wigamur, the king's son, in order to avenge herself on the king and to marry him to her daughter. She reared him in her cave in the sea till a hostile merman, with human head, green beard, scaly breast, and hoofed legs, killed her daughters and carried off
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[ 163 the boy to his own cave. He educated the youth in manners and morals, sing- ing and harping, buckler play and leaping, running and wrestling, and much else, till he became old enough to bear weapons. Then he disabused the beauti- ful boy of the notion that Lesbia was his mother, and sent him off on his ad- ventures ignorant of chivalry. In Heinrich von dem Türlin's Crone, ed. Scholl (Stuttgart, 1852), 1l. 94of., a squat but formidable fish-knight on a steed half horse, half dolphin, brings the magic virtue-testing cup. The monster Vulgan in Garel von dem Blüenden Tal (late thirteenth century), ed. M. Walz (Freiburg i. B., 1892), 1l. 726of., is a somewhat similar fish- horse-man. In Chevalier du Papegau, ed. Heuckenkamp (Halle, 1896), pp. 14f., 24, the hero slays a horrible noisy fish-knight, who seems a properly armed warrior mounted on a horse huge as an elephant, but who turns out to be, man, steed, and armor, one entire piece of hard serpent skin. In the short late poem called the Merwunder, in Von der Hagen and Büsching, Helden- buch (Berlin, 1825), part II, p. 222, a savage merman ravishes a princess, who is rescued, marries a king, and bears a savage son. Walter Map in his De nugis curialium, III, 13, tells of a merman named Nicholas Pipe, who lived in the eleventh century and died in Sicily because on a certain occasion he was kept too long from the water. None have survived to our day, though the incomparable American showman, P. T. Barnum, two generations ago exhibited a perfect mermaid. [W] The fact that mermen (merwunder) are represented as instructing Lanzelet in athletic sports is due to his descent from the Irish Lug. For, according to the Fate of the Children of Turenn, when Lug arrived as a youth at the royal court, he came from the Land of Promise and was accompanied by his foster brothers, the sons of Manannan. Cross and Slover, p. 51. Now Manannan was king of the Land of Promise, often described as an isle of bliss, and he was a god of the sea and a mer- wunder. According to the Colloquy of the Ancients, “for the space of nine waves he would be submerged in the sea, but would rise on the crest of the tenth without wetting chest or breast." J. A. MacCulloch, Religion of the Ancient Celts (Edinburgh, 1911), p. 87. Evidently, then, one Irish tradi- tion represented Lug as being brought up by the merwunder Manannan on an isle of the sea. This tradition survives clearly in the story, The Gloss Gavlen, collected on Achill Island between 1884 and 1898. W. Larminie, West Irish Folk-Tales and Romances (London, 1898), pp. 1—9. Lug's father Kian gave the boy to Mananaun, who promised that there would be no champion in the world as good as he, and “brought him up with feats of activity and championship." Evidently in the account of Lanzelet's training we have a composite of the two Irish traditions concerning Lug—his fosterage
[ 163 the boy to his own cave. He educated the youth in manners and morals, sing- ing and harping, buckler play and leaping, running and wrestling, and much else, till he became old enough to bear weapons. Then he disabused the beauti- ful boy of the notion that Lesbia was his mother, and sent him off on his ad- ventures ignorant of chivalry. In Heinrich von dem Türlin's Crone, ed. Scholl (Stuttgart, 1852), 1l. 94of., a squat but formidable fish-knight on a steed half horse, half dolphin, brings the magic virtue-testing cup. The monster Vulgan in Garel von dem Blüenden Tal (late thirteenth century), ed. M. Walz (Freiburg i. B., 1892), 1l. 726of., is a somewhat similar fish- horse-man. In Chevalier du Papegau, ed. Heuckenkamp (Halle, 1896), pp. 14f., 24, the hero slays a horrible noisy fish-knight, who seems a properly armed warrior mounted on a horse huge as an elephant, but who turns out to be, man, steed, and armor, one entire piece of hard serpent skin. In the short late poem called the Merwunder, in Von der Hagen and Büsching, Helden- buch (Berlin, 1825), part II, p. 222, a savage merman ravishes a princess, who is rescued, marries a king, and bears a savage son. Walter Map in his De nugis curialium, III, 13, tells of a merman named Nicholas Pipe, who lived in the eleventh century and died in Sicily because on a certain occasion he was kept too long from the water. None have survived to our day, though the incomparable American showman, P. T. Barnum, two generations ago exhibited a perfect mermaid. [W] The fact that mermen (merwunder) are represented as instructing Lanzelet in athletic sports is due to his descent from the Irish Lug. For, according to the Fate of the Children of Turenn, when Lug arrived as a youth at the royal court, he came from the Land of Promise and was accompanied by his foster brothers, the sons of Manannan. Cross and Slover, p. 51. Now Manannan was king of the Land of Promise, often described as an isle of bliss, and he was a god of the sea and a mer- wunder. According to the Colloquy of the Ancients, “for the space of nine waves he would be submerged in the sea, but would rise on the crest of the tenth without wetting chest or breast." J. A. MacCulloch, Religion of the Ancient Celts (Edinburgh, 1911), p. 87. Evidently, then, one Irish tradi- tion represented Lug as being brought up by the merwunder Manannan on an isle of the sea. This tradition survives clearly in the story, The Gloss Gavlen, collected on Achill Island between 1884 and 1898. W. Larminie, West Irish Folk-Tales and Romances (London, 1898), pp. 1—9. Lug's father Kian gave the boy to Mananaun, who promised that there would be no champion in the world as good as he, and “brought him up with feats of activity and championship." Evidently in the account of Lanzelet's training we have a composite of the two Irish traditions concerning Lug—his fosterage
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164 by a queen until he was of an age to bear arms and his training by Manannan, the sea-god, in feats of activity. For other connections between Lanzelet and Lug cf. Introduction. [L] 15. Literally, “to run the alebar" (loufen die alebar, MS W; louffen allabar, MS P, less correctly), a French squirely game with running dares, a safety zone, and a captive zone. Explained by H. Suolahti in Neuphilo- logische Mitteilungen, XVII (1915), 117. He compares Wolfram von Eschenbach's Willehalm, § 187, 19, and Heinrich von dem Türlin's Crone, ll. 295f. In an important study of the French influence on the vocabulary of medieval German romances, Suolahti lists 140 French words and construc- tions in Ulrich. Mémoires de la Société Néo-Philologique, X (1933), 4. [W 16. The words for hunt tend to run together somewhat, for naturally the character of a hunt may change from a still-hunt, or stalk, to coursing. The Middle Ages possessed a very extensive special vocabulary—now, alas, almost obsolete—for hunting and hawking, the nice use of which marked the aristo- crat. Many of these terms may be found in any ancient treatise on such sports, e.g. in Turbervile's Book of Hunting (1576). For an overwhelming example of them in a fine poem, see the "breaking" of the deer in Gawain and the Green Knight, 11. 1324ff. For the difficulties that certain classes of these words make for our lexicographers, see Miss Hope Allen's note in PMLA, LI (1936), 602. See n. 69. [W] 17. Wigamur alone of these Lancelot-like heroes carries his bow when he leaves the strange land of his upbringing to seek adventures in the world of men. Wigamur, ed. Von der Hagen and Büsching, 1. 53. Perceval and Carduino retain their spears, which are of importance in the story. In Bel Inconnu, Libeaus Desconus, and Wigalois the boyish weapon disappears at once. [W] 18. Withholding the name of the young hero was one of the common- places of the Arthurian cycle, and we find it related of Lancelot in the French prose romance, of Chrétien's Perceval and Wolfram's Parzival, of the hero of Le Bel Inconnu and Libeaus Desconus, and of Gauvain's son Lion in the first continuation of the Conte del Graal. There is good reason to be- lieve that the attachment of this motif to Lanzelet was the result of no mere caprice but had the tradition of Lug behind it. Prof. W. J. Gruffydd proved in his Math Vab Mathonwy (Cardiff, 1928) the existence of an ancient Irish legend that Lug, the illicit offspring of a giant's daughter, who lived on an island, had no name till his father tricked the giant into calling him Lug Long-hand. Gruffydd also proved that this Irish tradition developed into the Welsh story of Lleu or Llew, as related in the mabinogi of Math. Ibid., pp. 17�23, 55—71. Lleu was the illicit offspring of Arianrhod, a faery woman
164 by a queen until he was of an age to bear arms and his training by Manannan, the sea-god, in feats of activity. For other connections between Lanzelet and Lug cf. Introduction. [L] 15. Literally, “to run the alebar" (loufen die alebar, MS W; louffen allabar, MS P, less correctly), a French squirely game with running dares, a safety zone, and a captive zone. Explained by H. Suolahti in Neuphilo- logische Mitteilungen, XVII (1915), 117. He compares Wolfram von Eschenbach's Willehalm, § 187, 19, and Heinrich von dem Türlin's Crone, ll. 295f. In an important study of the French influence on the vocabulary of medieval German romances, Suolahti lists 140 French words and construc- tions in Ulrich. Mémoires de la Société Néo-Philologique, X (1933), 4. [W 16. The words for hunt tend to run together somewhat, for naturally the character of a hunt may change from a still-hunt, or stalk, to coursing. The Middle Ages possessed a very extensive special vocabulary—now, alas, almost obsolete—for hunting and hawking, the nice use of which marked the aristo- crat. Many of these terms may be found in any ancient treatise on such sports, e.g. in Turbervile's Book of Hunting (1576). For an overwhelming example of them in a fine poem, see the "breaking" of the deer in Gawain and the Green Knight, 11. 1324ff. For the difficulties that certain classes of these words make for our lexicographers, see Miss Hope Allen's note in PMLA, LI (1936), 602. See n. 69. [W] 17. Wigamur alone of these Lancelot-like heroes carries his bow when he leaves the strange land of his upbringing to seek adventures in the world of men. Wigamur, ed. Von der Hagen and Büsching, 1. 53. Perceval and Carduino retain their spears, which are of importance in the story. In Bel Inconnu, Libeaus Desconus, and Wigalois the boyish weapon disappears at once. [W] 18. Withholding the name of the young hero was one of the common- places of the Arthurian cycle, and we find it related of Lancelot in the French prose romance, of Chrétien's Perceval and Wolfram's Parzival, of the hero of Le Bel Inconnu and Libeaus Desconus, and of Gauvain's son Lion in the first continuation of the Conte del Graal. There is good reason to be- lieve that the attachment of this motif to Lanzelet was the result of no mere caprice but had the tradition of Lug behind it. Prof. W. J. Gruffydd proved in his Math Vab Mathonwy (Cardiff, 1928) the existence of an ancient Irish legend that Lug, the illicit offspring of a giant's daughter, who lived on an island, had no name till his father tricked the giant into calling him Lug Long-hand. Gruffydd also proved that this Irish tradition developed into the Welsh story of Lleu or Llew, as related in the mabinogi of Math. Ibid., pp. 17�23, 55—71. Lleu was the illicit offspring of Arianrhod, a faery woman
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165 who lived on an island. Ibid., pp. 188-92. His father Gwydion reared him and after four years brought him to Arianrhod. She reproached Gwydion : "What came on thee to shame me and to pursue my shame ?" She swore that her son would never get a name except from her, but Gwydion tricked her into calling him Lleu Unerring-hand. A number of facts prove the relation- ship of this Irish and Welsh tradition to that of Lanzelet. (1) As will be shown in n. 148, Lanzelet as a personality is descended from Lug. (2) Llew, the alternative form of Lleu's name which occurs in Math, means "Lion," and his story seems to have passed into Arthurian romance as that of Gauvain's son, Lion or Lioniaus, as I showed in PMLA, XLV (1930), 432— 38. (3) The places connected with Lleu's youth, Caer Arianrhod and Dinas Dinlleu, lie on the coast of Wales about five miles south of Caer Seint, which we inferred (n. 4) was the home of Lanzelet's parents. Cf. notes 7, 93, 131, and 134 for other evidence of familiarity with this region. (4) Lanzelet's foster mother, like Lleu's mother, refused to give the boy a name, and, very significantly, the former alleged a reason, “my shame and my great distress, for which there is no real explanation in her story, but which was precisely the reason for Arianrhod's refusal. (5) Both faery women, living on islands of the sea, did eventually give names to the boys. For other elements in Lanzelet's story which he inherited from Lug of. Introduction. [L] 19. What traditional name lies behind Iweret it is difficult, perhaps im- possible, to say. Rhys, in his Studies in the Arthurian Legend, pp. 128-33, derives Iweret from Welsh Ywerit, the name of the father of Bran the Blessed according to the Black Book of Carmarthen, and Loth says that Y Werydd means the ocean. Loth, I, 121n. Brugger in ZFSL, XLIX (1927), 452, explains Iweret as a form of Guivret, the name of a dwarf king in Chré- tien's Erec. Neither conjecture is supported by cogent evidence. On Dodone ef. n. 131. [L] 20. The gift of a remarkable horse by a fay to her protégé was a persistent feature of Arthurian tradition. Sommer, III, 118. Floriant et Florete, ed. Harry F. Williams, 1l. 786f. Loth, II, 75f. Jones, p. 199. Speculum, XX (1945), 183-91. The motif seems to have had an Irish origin. Ibid., XX, 191-94. [L] 21. This chain mail, a mesh of iron or soft steel rings, like an old-fashioned pot-cleaner, was of course quite susceptible to rust, and it was with difficulty cleaned; so that when it was white as swan, or tin (1. 787), or ice (1. 8063), it was indeed in good order. The common way of cleaning it was to rock it in a barrel of sand—a method still practiced in a more efficient manner by some museum curators, though it shocks others. ZHW, I (1897-99), 187. How a European hauberk of the twelfth century would be decorated is
165 who lived on an island. Ibid., pp. 188-92. His father Gwydion reared him and after four years brought him to Arianrhod. She reproached Gwydion : "What came on thee to shame me and to pursue my shame ?" She swore that her son would never get a name except from her, but Gwydion tricked her into calling him Lleu Unerring-hand. A number of facts prove the relation- ship of this Irish and Welsh tradition to that of Lanzelet. (1) As will be shown in n. 148, Lanzelet as a personality is descended from Lug. (2) Llew, the alternative form of Lleu's name which occurs in Math, means "Lion," and his story seems to have passed into Arthurian romance as that of Gauvain's son, Lion or Lioniaus, as I showed in PMLA, XLV (1930), 432— 38. (3) The places connected with Lleu's youth, Caer Arianrhod and Dinas Dinlleu, lie on the coast of Wales about five miles south of Caer Seint, which we inferred (n. 4) was the home of Lanzelet's parents. Cf. notes 7, 93, 131, and 134 for other evidence of familiarity with this region. (4) Lanzelet's foster mother, like Lleu's mother, refused to give the boy a name, and, very significantly, the former alleged a reason, “my shame and my great distress, for which there is no real explanation in her story, but which was precisely the reason for Arianrhod's refusal. (5) Both faery women, living on islands of the sea, did eventually give names to the boys. For other elements in Lanzelet's story which he inherited from Lug of. Introduction. [L] 19. What traditional name lies behind Iweret it is difficult, perhaps im- possible, to say. Rhys, in his Studies in the Arthurian Legend, pp. 128-33, derives Iweret from Welsh Ywerit, the name of the father of Bran the Blessed according to the Black Book of Carmarthen, and Loth says that Y Werydd means the ocean. Loth, I, 121n. Brugger in ZFSL, XLIX (1927), 452, explains Iweret as a form of Guivret, the name of a dwarf king in Chré- tien's Erec. Neither conjecture is supported by cogent evidence. On Dodone ef. n. 131. [L] 20. The gift of a remarkable horse by a fay to her protégé was a persistent feature of Arthurian tradition. Sommer, III, 118. Floriant et Florete, ed. Harry F. Williams, 1l. 786f. Loth, II, 75f. Jones, p. 199. Speculum, XX (1945), 183-91. The motif seems to have had an Irish origin. Ibid., XX, 191-94. [L] 21. This chain mail, a mesh of iron or soft steel rings, like an old-fashioned pot-cleaner, was of course quite susceptible to rust, and it was with difficulty cleaned; so that when it was white as swan, or tin (1. 787), or ice (1. 8063), it was indeed in good order. The common way of cleaning it was to rock it in a barrel of sand—a method still practiced in a more efficient manner by some museum curators, though it shocks others. ZHW, I (1897-99), 187. How a European hauberk of the twelfth century would be decorated is
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[ 166 somewhat of a question ; but hauberks of "Oriental" origin—and Lanzelet's may have been Oriental—were sometimes adorned with little plates and bosses exquisitely inlaid and incised, and even with texts and designs on the tiny rings. Ibid., I, 142, 166; III (1902-5), 8; VIII (1918�20), 193; XII ( 1929-31), 78f. An easier sort of adornment consisted of rings of an- other metal at hem or opening. There is a pretty quarrel among authorities as to whether chain mail came to Europe from the Orient by way of Damascus and Venice and from North Africa by way of Sicily and Spain, or whether it was well known there before Beowulf donned his locked limb-shirt. See ZHW, XIII (1934), 204f. Cf. Madden's important article in Archaeologia, XXIV (1832), 263-66, for North European mail, and J. G. Mann's on early Spanish armor, ibid., LXXXIII (1933), 285-304. [W] The Damoi- sele del Lac likewise gave her foster child Lancelot completely white arms and armor. Sommer, III, 118. On the hauberk compare also Schultz, II, 30— 33, 42-45; Schirling, pp. 31-40; Laking, I, 66-72. Schirling (p. 33) ex- plains blanc hauberc as of polished steel, and refers (p. 39) to furbishing and rubbing. [L] 22. The surcoat (waffenroc) was a garment of linen or silk, reaching to the knees or lower. Its purpose was to protect the wearer against sun and damp, and it was worn over the hauberk. Schultz, II, 4of., 57-60. The earliest datable instances of the word which I know were called to my atten- tion by Mr. William Mullen, and occur in Heinrich von Veldeke's Eneide (composed 1175-86), 1l. 7318ff., 733off. The word also occurs in Hart- mann's Erek, l. 9018, written in 1191. The visual evidence seems to place the introduction of the surcoat a little later. Though many German knights are depicted in Petrus de Ebulo's De Rebus Siculis, ed. E. Rota (Città da Castello, 1904), written and illustrated c. 1196, none of them wears a sur- coat. The seals of Richard Coeur de Lion show a garment under, not over, the hauberk, while the surcoat appears on the seal of his successor John, dated 1199. [L] 23. So Iweret, the nonpareil, at l. 4428, wore golden bells on his surcoat. Fashionably equipped knights, from the twelfth to the fourteenth centuries, lavished them on helm, surcoat, girdle, spear, shield, on saddle, stirrup, poitrel, rein, and spur. Schultz, Index sub "Schellen"; Enlart, Index sub grelots" ; Kitze, Das Pferd in den Artusromanen (Marburg, 1886), p. 25; PMLA, XXX (1915), 516. The extravagant sportsman-poet of thirteenth- century Austria, Ulrich von Lichtenstein, wore bells himself and described a fellow-countryman and jouster who jingled about in five hundred of them. Frauendienst, § 654, 1. 1. See Bechstein's note on this passage in his edition of Frauendienst (Leipzig, 1888), and E. Martin's note in his edition of
[ 166 somewhat of a question ; but hauberks of "Oriental" origin—and Lanzelet's may have been Oriental—were sometimes adorned with little plates and bosses exquisitely inlaid and incised, and even with texts and designs on the tiny rings. Ibid., I, 142, 166; III (1902-5), 8; VIII (1918�20), 193; XII ( 1929-31), 78f. An easier sort of adornment consisted of rings of an- other metal at hem or opening. There is a pretty quarrel among authorities as to whether chain mail came to Europe from the Orient by way of Damascus and Venice and from North Africa by way of Sicily and Spain, or whether it was well known there before Beowulf donned his locked limb-shirt. See ZHW, XIII (1934), 204f. Cf. Madden's important article in Archaeologia, XXIV (1832), 263-66, for North European mail, and J. G. Mann's on early Spanish armor, ibid., LXXXIII (1933), 285-304. [W] The Damoi- sele del Lac likewise gave her foster child Lancelot completely white arms and armor. Sommer, III, 118. On the hauberk compare also Schultz, II, 30— 33, 42-45; Schirling, pp. 31-40; Laking, I, 66-72. Schirling (p. 33) ex- plains blanc hauberc as of polished steel, and refers (p. 39) to furbishing and rubbing. [L] 22. The surcoat (waffenroc) was a garment of linen or silk, reaching to the knees or lower. Its purpose was to protect the wearer against sun and damp, and it was worn over the hauberk. Schultz, II, 4of., 57-60. The earliest datable instances of the word which I know were called to my atten- tion by Mr. William Mullen, and occur in Heinrich von Veldeke's Eneide (composed 1175-86), 1l. 7318ff., 733off. The word also occurs in Hart- mann's Erek, l. 9018, written in 1191. The visual evidence seems to place the introduction of the surcoat a little later. Though many German knights are depicted in Petrus de Ebulo's De Rebus Siculis, ed. E. Rota (Città da Castello, 1904), written and illustrated c. 1196, none of them wears a sur- coat. The seals of Richard Coeur de Lion show a garment under, not over, the hauberk, while the surcoat appears on the seal of his successor John, dated 1199. [L] 23. So Iweret, the nonpareil, at l. 4428, wore golden bells on his surcoat. Fashionably equipped knights, from the twelfth to the fourteenth centuries, lavished them on helm, surcoat, girdle, spear, shield, on saddle, stirrup, poitrel, rein, and spur. Schultz, Index sub "Schellen"; Enlart, Index sub grelots" ; Kitze, Das Pferd in den Artusromanen (Marburg, 1886), p. 25; PMLA, XXX (1915), 516. The extravagant sportsman-poet of thirteenth- century Austria, Ulrich von Lichtenstein, wore bells himself and described a fellow-countryman and jouster who jingled about in five hundred of them. Frauendienst, § 654, 1. 1. See Bechstein's note on this passage in his edition of Frauendienst (Leipzig, 1888), and E. Martin's note in his edition of
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167 Wolfram's Parzival (Halle, 1903), § 39, l. 21. The golden bells on the poitrel of Enid's magnificently caparisoned steed in Hartmann's Erek, ed. F. Bech (Leipzig, 1893), 1. 7752, could be heard from afar. Chaucer's Monk, in the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales, 1. 169, followed the same fashion, though clerics were forbidden such vanities. [W] 24. The sword of the period was straight, less than a yard long, two-edged, moderately tapering to a point not much used. The guard was usually straight, and the grip ended in a rather heavy pommel, useful as a counter- weight to the heavy blade. Most metallurgists and antiquaries are of the opinion that the steel of twelfth-century blades might well be of good quality. Mr. Grancsay, Curator of Arms and Armor in the Metropolitan Museum, New York, writes me : 'There is no doubt that the blades were of steel of such hardness as to give the best results in the work which they were intended to perform. The steel of mediaeval days was made by case hardening —i.e., the wrought iron when repeatedly heated in burning charcoal became carburized on the outside. In certain regions, such as Styria and Spain, the ore contained manganese in sufficient proportion to change iron into a mild steel." Tests made at the Metropolitan Museum on four early medieval blades show them to be of satisfactory hardness. [W] On swords of the period, cf. Schultz, II, 11—18; Bach, pp. 5�24; Laking, I, 83�103. The Damoisele del Lac gave Lancelot on his departure a large but light and marvelously trenchant sword. Sommer, III, 118. [L] 25. What is, according to W. Boeheim in ZHW, I (1897-99), 69f., the oldest surviving medieval shield, dated c. 1220, at Seedorf on the Lake of Lucerne, is about 20 inches across the top and three feet long, rounding down to a point. Shields were usually of light wood, covered with canvas, horn, leather, or rawhide. They might have a boss or studs called “four nails' (vier nageln), at which the opponent usually aimed his spear. At the back was the handgrip of wood or leather, and attachments for the thong by which it was suspended from the neck. The shield usually bore the knight's device. So important was its painting that schiltaere (shield-maker) was synonymous with painter. Cf. 1. 8842 and Martin's note in his edition of Parzival, § 158, 1. 15. Fur and fabrics and even gems were applied to shields. Lanzelet's has a rim of sable fur. In general cf. San Marte (A. Schulz), Zur Waffenkunde des aelteren deutschen Mittelalters (Quedlinburg, Leip- zig, 1867), pp. 83-123 ; Bocheim, pp. 174f.; Enlart, p. 475; A. C. Fox-Davies, Complete Guide to Heraldry (New York, n.d.), pp. 61-64; especially Sey- ler, Abtheilung A ; for cognizance, pp. 68f. ; for fur, pp. 76f., 95f. ; for painting, pp. 89f.; for oldest shields, p. 91. [W] Cf. also Schultz, II, 83-99; Schirling, pp. 5-30. According to the Prose Lancelot the Damoisele del Lac
167 Wolfram's Parzival (Halle, 1903), § 39, l. 21. The golden bells on the poitrel of Enid's magnificently caparisoned steed in Hartmann's Erek, ed. F. Bech (Leipzig, 1893), 1. 7752, could be heard from afar. Chaucer's Monk, in the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales, 1. 169, followed the same fashion, though clerics were forbidden such vanities. [W] 24. The sword of the period was straight, less than a yard long, two-edged, moderately tapering to a point not much used. The guard was usually straight, and the grip ended in a rather heavy pommel, useful as a counter- weight to the heavy blade. Most metallurgists and antiquaries are of the opinion that the steel of twelfth-century blades might well be of good quality. Mr. Grancsay, Curator of Arms and Armor in the Metropolitan Museum, New York, writes me : 'There is no doubt that the blades were of steel of such hardness as to give the best results in the work which they were intended to perform. The steel of mediaeval days was made by case hardening —i.e., the wrought iron when repeatedly heated in burning charcoal became carburized on the outside. In certain regions, such as Styria and Spain, the ore contained manganese in sufficient proportion to change iron into a mild steel." Tests made at the Metropolitan Museum on four early medieval blades show them to be of satisfactory hardness. [W] On swords of the period, cf. Schultz, II, 11—18; Bach, pp. 5�24; Laking, I, 83�103. The Damoisele del Lac gave Lancelot on his departure a large but light and marvelously trenchant sword. Sommer, III, 118. [L] 25. What is, according to W. Boeheim in ZHW, I (1897-99), 69f., the oldest surviving medieval shield, dated c. 1220, at Seedorf on the Lake of Lucerne, is about 20 inches across the top and three feet long, rounding down to a point. Shields were usually of light wood, covered with canvas, horn, leather, or rawhide. They might have a boss or studs called “four nails' (vier nageln), at which the opponent usually aimed his spear. At the back was the handgrip of wood or leather, and attachments for the thong by which it was suspended from the neck. The shield usually bore the knight's device. So important was its painting that schiltaere (shield-maker) was synonymous with painter. Cf. 1. 8842 and Martin's note in his edition of Parzival, § 158, 1. 15. Fur and fabrics and even gems were applied to shields. Lanzelet's has a rim of sable fur. In general cf. San Marte (A. Schulz), Zur Waffenkunde des aelteren deutschen Mittelalters (Quedlinburg, Leip- zig, 1867), pp. 83-123 ; Bocheim, pp. 174f.; Enlart, p. 475; A. C. Fox-Davies, Complete Guide to Heraldry (New York, n.d.), pp. 61-64; especially Sey- ler, Abtheilung A ; for cognizance, pp. 68f. ; for fur, pp. 76f., 95f. ; for painting, pp. 89f.; for oldest shields, p. 91. [W] Cf. also Schultz, II, 83-99; Schirling, pp. 5-30. According to the Prose Lancelot the Damoisele del Lac
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[ 168 gave her foster son on his departure a white shield (Sommer, III, 118), later sent him by a messenger three shields to aid him in conquering the Doloreuse Garde (ibid., pp. 147, 15of.), and still later sent a shield which healed him of madness (ibid., 304, 415-17). [L] 26. The eagle as a cognizance was more common in German poetry than in French (Schultz, II, 93, n. 15), and was, of course, the imperial device. The miniaturist who decorated (c. 1220) Veldeke's Eneide assigned an eagle to Turnus. J. Schwietering, Deutsche Dichtung des Mittelalters (Potsdam, 1932), pl. X. The Runkelstein murals represent Iwein with an eagle on his shield. R. S. and L. H. Loomis, Arthurian Legends in Medieval Art (New York, 1938), Fig. 61. [L] 27. MS W reads Gevon von Turye ; P omits the name and gives: "der rant mit zobile bedacht von turgie." Richter's proposal (DF, XXVII, 82f.) to read Saben for Gevon, and küneges for vrowen in the next line, is hardly acceptable, though Turie may be meant for Turkie or Syrie. It is appropriate that one of the lady's retinue should have decorated the shield with fur and fabric ; though if the eagle itself were painted and embossed, one would rather expect a “master" to have executed it. In early romances beautiful fabrics are often said to be the work of ladies in far lands—really faeryland. [W] Cf. also E. Faral, pp. 343�45; A. J. Dickman, Le Rôle du surnaturel (Paris, 1926), pp. 89, 175f. [L] 28. This dwarf turns out to be an emissary of the queen of Pluris, whose adventure Lanzelet tried later. She was, we may surmise, a supernatural be- ing originally, who summoned her chosen hero in this fashion. Variants of the theme of the aggressive dwarf are fairly common in the romances. Cf. Chrétien's Erec, 11. 145-239; Chevalier de la Charrette, 11. 5079-5101 ; Som- mer, III, 280; IV, 307, 344; V, 237. [W] It is noteworthy that both in Lanzelet and the Charrette the dwarf belongs to the castle where the hero is kept in custody by an amorous lady. Cf. n. 182. On the aggressive dwarf and his original identity with Welsh Beli, of. Loomis, pp. 80, 139—43, 213, 321, 434-37. [L] 29. As instructor of the unsophisticated youth, Johfrit corresponds to Gornemant de Gohort in the Perceval story. His by-name seems to represent the French “de Lis," which in Chrétien's Conte del Graal, its continuation, and a number of other romances is attached to Meliant, Norres or Morres, and Bran. Cf. Percevalroman, ed. A. Hilka (Halle, 1932), p. 721. [W) Scholars generally accepted F. Lot's suggestion (R, XXIV [18951, 322) that Lis represents Welsh llys, “castle." Cf. also J. L. Weston, Legend of Sir Perceval, I (London, 1906), 302-7; H. Newstead, Bran the Blessed in Arthurian Romance (New York, 1939), pp. 70-85. The name Johfrit may,
[ 168 gave her foster son on his departure a white shield (Sommer, III, 118), later sent him by a messenger three shields to aid him in conquering the Doloreuse Garde (ibid., pp. 147, 15of.), and still later sent a shield which healed him of madness (ibid., 304, 415-17). [L] 26. The eagle as a cognizance was more common in German poetry than in French (Schultz, II, 93, n. 15), and was, of course, the imperial device. The miniaturist who decorated (c. 1220) Veldeke's Eneide assigned an eagle to Turnus. J. Schwietering, Deutsche Dichtung des Mittelalters (Potsdam, 1932), pl. X. The Runkelstein murals represent Iwein with an eagle on his shield. R. S. and L. H. Loomis, Arthurian Legends in Medieval Art (New York, 1938), Fig. 61. [L] 27. MS W reads Gevon von Turye ; P omits the name and gives: "der rant mit zobile bedacht von turgie." Richter's proposal (DF, XXVII, 82f.) to read Saben for Gevon, and küneges for vrowen in the next line, is hardly acceptable, though Turie may be meant for Turkie or Syrie. It is appropriate that one of the lady's retinue should have decorated the shield with fur and fabric ; though if the eagle itself were painted and embossed, one would rather expect a “master" to have executed it. In early romances beautiful fabrics are often said to be the work of ladies in far lands—really faeryland. [W] Cf. also E. Faral, pp. 343�45; A. J. Dickman, Le Rôle du surnaturel (Paris, 1926), pp. 89, 175f. [L] 28. This dwarf turns out to be an emissary of the queen of Pluris, whose adventure Lanzelet tried later. She was, we may surmise, a supernatural be- ing originally, who summoned her chosen hero in this fashion. Variants of the theme of the aggressive dwarf are fairly common in the romances. Cf. Chrétien's Erec, 11. 145-239; Chevalier de la Charrette, 11. 5079-5101 ; Som- mer, III, 280; IV, 307, 344; V, 237. [W] It is noteworthy that both in Lanzelet and the Charrette the dwarf belongs to the castle where the hero is kept in custody by an amorous lady. Cf. n. 182. On the aggressive dwarf and his original identity with Welsh Beli, of. Loomis, pp. 80, 139—43, 213, 321, 434-37. [L] 29. As instructor of the unsophisticated youth, Johfrit corresponds to Gornemant de Gohort in the Perceval story. His by-name seems to represent the French “de Lis," which in Chrétien's Conte del Graal, its continuation, and a number of other romances is attached to Meliant, Norres or Morres, and Bran. Cf. Percevalroman, ed. A. Hilka (Halle, 1932), p. 721. [W) Scholars generally accepted F. Lot's suggestion (R, XXIV [18951, 322) that Lis represents Welsh llys, “castle." Cf. also J. L. Weston, Legend of Sir Perceval, I (London, 1906), 302-7; H. Newstead, Bran the Blessed in Arthurian Romance (New York, 1939), pp. 70-85. The name Johfrit may,
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169 like Jofreit fis Idol in Wolfram's Parzival and Jaufré, son of Dovon, hero of a Provençal romance, represent the French Giflet fis Do, which in turn goes back to the Welsh Gilfaethwy son of Don. Though the role of Ulrich's Johfrit corresponds to nothing related of either of these personages, it is an odd fact that Gilfaethwy's brother Gwydion reared Lleu or Llew, a proto- type of Lanzelet (cf. n. 18), "until he could ride every horse," and that Prof. Gruffydd has argued that Gilfaethwy superseded Gwydion as father of Lleu. Gruffydd, Math Vab Mathonwy, pp. 23, 203f. There may have been a Welsh tradition, therefore, that Gilfaethwy instructed Lleu in horse- manship, as Johfrit trained Lanzelet. [L] 30. Fantastic chivalry, with the knight submitting abjectly to the whims of an unreasonable mistress, is already well developed in the Lanzelet, and presumably was taken over from its source—so far developed that any knight who behaved oddly, as Lanzelet does here, was supposed to be mak- ing a fool of himself at the behest of a lady. So Gilimar, later in the poem, remains dumb as a penance imposed by a touchy ladylove. The Black Knight's lady in Chaucer's Book of the Duchess (11. 1015ff.) was not of her kidney. [W] Fairly close parallels are found in the vows of two of the twelve knights to King Brangoire's daughter in the Prose Lancelot (Sommer, IV, 266f.), the first vowing to joust for a whole year with his right leg over the neck of his horse, and the last to ride for a year without a bridle and to let his steed follow its own will. That such extravagant vows carried over into real life is proved by the classic example of Ulrich von Lichtenstein's Frauendienst and by Froissart's record of a vow made by certain “bachelors" of England in 1337 that in honor of their ladies they would keep one eye covered with a silk bandage till they had done some deeds of arms in France. Cf. B. J. Whit- ing in Speculum, XX (1945), 269. [L] 31. The spear of the twelfth century was slim, about twelve feet long, of ash or oak or any tough wood, with no great enlargement at the butt, but very likely an iron shoe there to balance the point and to stick in the ground as Walwein does at l. 2382. There was no handguard, but possibly some roughening or binding at the grip. It had to be such as a man could manage accurately on horseback, butt under arm, without a rest. A pennon or banner was commonly carried at the point, and the shaft was stained, painted, or otherwise decorated. On the early history of the lance, of. Schwietering, in Mitteilungen aus dem Museum für Hamburgische Ge- schichte, No. 3 (Hamburg, 1912) ; for corrections of Schwietering, of. ZHW, VI (1912-14), 253-55. Cf. also idem, XI (1928), 117; XII (1929- 31), 66. [W] Cf. also Schultz, II, 21�28; Bach, pp. 24-39. [L] 32. Past tense in the text.
169 like Jofreit fis Idol in Wolfram's Parzival and Jaufré, son of Dovon, hero of a Provençal romance, represent the French Giflet fis Do, which in turn goes back to the Welsh Gilfaethwy son of Don. Though the role of Ulrich's Johfrit corresponds to nothing related of either of these personages, it is an odd fact that Gilfaethwy's brother Gwydion reared Lleu or Llew, a proto- type of Lanzelet (cf. n. 18), "until he could ride every horse," and that Prof. Gruffydd has argued that Gilfaethwy superseded Gwydion as father of Lleu. Gruffydd, Math Vab Mathonwy, pp. 23, 203f. There may have been a Welsh tradition, therefore, that Gilfaethwy instructed Lleu in horse- manship, as Johfrit trained Lanzelet. [L] 30. Fantastic chivalry, with the knight submitting abjectly to the whims of an unreasonable mistress, is already well developed in the Lanzelet, and presumably was taken over from its source—so far developed that any knight who behaved oddly, as Lanzelet does here, was supposed to be mak- ing a fool of himself at the behest of a lady. So Gilimar, later in the poem, remains dumb as a penance imposed by a touchy ladylove. The Black Knight's lady in Chaucer's Book of the Duchess (11. 1015ff.) was not of her kidney. [W] Fairly close parallels are found in the vows of two of the twelve knights to King Brangoire's daughter in the Prose Lancelot (Sommer, IV, 266f.), the first vowing to joust for a whole year with his right leg over the neck of his horse, and the last to ride for a year without a bridle and to let his steed follow its own will. That such extravagant vows carried over into real life is proved by the classic example of Ulrich von Lichtenstein's Frauendienst and by Froissart's record of a vow made by certain “bachelors" of England in 1337 that in honor of their ladies they would keep one eye covered with a silk bandage till they had done some deeds of arms in France. Cf. B. J. Whit- ing in Speculum, XX (1945), 269. [L] 31. The spear of the twelfth century was slim, about twelve feet long, of ash or oak or any tough wood, with no great enlargement at the butt, but very likely an iron shoe there to balance the point and to stick in the ground as Walwein does at l. 2382. There was no handguard, but possibly some roughening or binding at the grip. It had to be such as a man could manage accurately on horseback, butt under arm, without a rest. A pennon or banner was commonly carried at the point, and the shaft was stained, painted, or otherwise decorated. On the early history of the lance, of. Schwietering, in Mitteilungen aus dem Museum für Hamburgische Ge- schichte, No. 3 (Hamburg, 1912) ; for corrections of Schwietering, of. ZHW, VI (1912-14), 253-55. Cf. also idem, XI (1928), 117; XII (1929- 31), 66. [W] Cf. also Schultz, II, 21�28; Bach, pp. 24-39. [L] 32. Past tense in the text.
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[ 170 33. Cf. notes 6 and 7. 34. The bohourt was less serious than the tourney and often served as prelude or interlude to a tourney. It was a display of horsemanship—some- times in set formation, of spear-thrust on shield, of horse-jostling, and of noisy shield-bumping. The object presumably was to keep your own forma- tion while disorganizing that of others, to show a good seat, to handle your spear well, to unsettle or dismount your adversary. Both knights and those younger and less expert took part in crowds. Schultz (II, 113) thinks that as a rule they used blunt weapons and no armor, but in the twelfth century it is much more likely that they wore their regular equipment. That the game was not without danger may be seen, for example, in Ulrich von Lichten- stein's Frauendienst (for which see R. Bechstein's ed. [Leipzig, 1888], notes to §§ 242 and 532). We are, indeed, ignorant about many details of the twelfth-century bohourt. For a scholarly account of the early medieval bohourt in Germany, see F. Niedner Das deutsche Turnier im XII. und XIII. Jahrhundert (Berlin, 1881), pp. 15, 35. Cf. H. Cripps-Day, The History of the Tournament in England and France (London, 1918), Index; R. C. Clephan, The Tournament (London, 1919), p. 2; Martin's note to § 242, 1. 5 of his Parzival; A. Leitzmann, Der kleine Benecke (Halle, 1934), p. 42. The derivation of the word is uncertain, but the medieval German romancers took it from the French. Mémoires de la Société Néo-Philologique, X (1933), 4. Cf., however, F. Diez, Etymologisches Wörterbuch der romanischen Sprachen, 5th ed. (Bonn, 1887), p. 36. There is another jolly bohourt at 1. 8348. [W] 35. The name Kuraus and the qualifying phrase "mit dem küenen herzen' have been rightly explained by Richter (DF, XXVII [1934], 82). Kuraus is a distortion of Anglo-Norman Cuars, "coward," and in both Manessier's continuation of the Conte del Graal and in Perlesvaus we have a story of a handsome knight, who when he meets Perceval admits that he is a coward, but later displays his valor, so that his name is changed (according to Perlesvaus) from "Coarz Chevalier" to "Hardi Chevalier," (according to Manessier) from "Biaus Mauvais" to "Biaus Hardi." Prof. Nitze in his edition of Perlesvaus (Chicago, 1932-37), II, 129, writes: “The opposition of the names Coarz and Hardiz is found as early as Chrétien's Erec: Et li quinz fu li Biaus Coarz; Li sistes fu li Lez Hardiz'; and hence an earlier tale concerning the Coward Knight than either P or M may have existed." It is evident that Kuraus is derived from a well-known story of a a coward knight who turned brave. On the subject cf. ibid., II, 124�33 ; Brugger in ZRP, LXI ( 1941 ), 1-44. As for Kuraus' land of Gagunne, Richter points to a knight Hardiz von Gascane in Wolfram's Parzival and suggests that we have
[ 170 33. Cf. notes 6 and 7. 34. The bohourt was less serious than the tourney and often served as prelude or interlude to a tourney. It was a display of horsemanship—some- times in set formation, of spear-thrust on shield, of horse-jostling, and of noisy shield-bumping. The object presumably was to keep your own forma- tion while disorganizing that of others, to show a good seat, to handle your spear well, to unsettle or dismount your adversary. Both knights and those younger and less expert took part in crowds. Schultz (II, 113) thinks that as a rule they used blunt weapons and no armor, but in the twelfth century it is much more likely that they wore their regular equipment. That the game was not without danger may be seen, for example, in Ulrich von Lichten- stein's Frauendienst (for which see R. Bechstein's ed. [Leipzig, 1888], notes to §§ 242 and 532). We are, indeed, ignorant about many details of the twelfth-century bohourt. For a scholarly account of the early medieval bohourt in Germany, see F. Niedner Das deutsche Turnier im XII. und XIII. Jahrhundert (Berlin, 1881), pp. 15, 35. Cf. H. Cripps-Day, The History of the Tournament in England and France (London, 1918), Index; R. C. Clephan, The Tournament (London, 1919), p. 2; Martin's note to § 242, 1. 5 of his Parzival; A. Leitzmann, Der kleine Benecke (Halle, 1934), p. 42. The derivation of the word is uncertain, but the medieval German romancers took it from the French. Mémoires de la Société Néo-Philologique, X (1933), 4. Cf., however, F. Diez, Etymologisches Wörterbuch der romanischen Sprachen, 5th ed. (Bonn, 1887), p. 36. There is another jolly bohourt at 1. 8348. [W] 35. The name Kuraus and the qualifying phrase "mit dem küenen herzen' have been rightly explained by Richter (DF, XXVII [1934], 82). Kuraus is a distortion of Anglo-Norman Cuars, "coward," and in both Manessier's continuation of the Conte del Graal and in Perlesvaus we have a story of a handsome knight, who when he meets Perceval admits that he is a coward, but later displays his valor, so that his name is changed (according to Perlesvaus) from "Coarz Chevalier" to "Hardi Chevalier," (according to Manessier) from "Biaus Mauvais" to "Biaus Hardi." Prof. Nitze in his edition of Perlesvaus (Chicago, 1932-37), II, 129, writes: “The opposition of the names Coarz and Hardiz is found as early as Chrétien's Erec: Et li quinz fu li Biaus Coarz; Li sistes fu li Lez Hardiz'; and hence an earlier tale concerning the Coward Knight than either P or M may have existed." It is evident that Kuraus is derived from a well-known story of a a coward knight who turned brave. On the subject cf. ibid., II, 124�33 ; Brugger in ZRP, LXI ( 1941 ), 1-44. As for Kuraus' land of Gagunne, Richter points to a knight Hardiz von Gascane in Wolfram's Parzival and suggests that we have
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171 here a corruption of Gascogne. Ultimately, however, Gagunne may be a distortion of Gauvoie, since in Wauchier “Li Biaus Mauvais" introduces himself as the son of the count of Gauvoie (Galloway). Cf. C. Potvin, Perceval le Gallois (Mons, 1866-71), 1. 25539. [L] 36. In this episode MS W has always Orpylet, P Orplet. Hahn's Orphilet is an intelligent emendation since he points out in his introduction, p. xvii, that MS W frequently substitutes p for a normal ph and since it is possible that Orpylet is the same person who is called in both MSS, 1. 8071, Torfilaret, a prince who led a large band on Lanzelet's Genewis expedition. The two names are confused in l. 5898, W Orpylet, P Torfilaret. Richter (DF, XXVII [1934], 57), however, will not accept the identity of Orpylet with Torfilaret on the insufficient ground that Kuraus' companion is a mere knight of the Round Table, and Torfilaret is a prince. Tors is a name liable to cor- ruption, as may be seen from Sommer's Index of Names, p. 80, and n. 5. He is Torz, Estors, Estor, Esturz in the list of Round Table knights in Chrétien's Erec, 1. 1528, and Torz or Estorz in the corresponding list in Hartmann's Erek, l. 1661. For Tor-Hector, as G. Paris and Dr. Brugger conjectured, cf. Bruce in RR, X (1919), 55n. [W] The names of Kuraus and Orphilet seem to have been selected at random by Ulrich's source since no episode like that which follows is related elsewhere of “Li Biaus Cuars' or Tor. [L] 37. The adventure of Lanzelet at Galagandreiz' castle has many cognates and analogues in medieval literature, as Kittredge and others have pointed out. Kittredge, pp. 85-106, 218-20, 257-64; PMLA, XLVIII (1933), 1007-13; Englische Studien, XXXVI (1906), 360-63; DF, XXVII (1934), 62f.; H. Schneider, Die Gedichte und die Sage von Wolfdietrich (Munich, 1913), pp. 261�63, 287ff. The closest cognates are to be found in the fifteenth-century Carl of Carlisle, in Gawain and the Green Knight (c. 1375), in Le Chevalier à l'Epée (1200-25), and in the German Heldensage, Wolfdietrich. In all these are found the motifs of the visit to the castle of an imperious host, the temptation, and the bravery test. In one or more are found the three knights of the Round Table, the warning by one of them, the host's interest in his forests or in hunting, the successive testing of the three knights, the temptation by the host's daughter, the knife-throwing contest, which has been fatal to previous visitors, the slaying of the host, the hero's wedding the temptress. All these versions, then, must derive from a common tradition going back to the twelfth century. The pattern seems to be based on three Celtic stories. The first, narrated in Bricriu’s Feast (eighth century), tells how three warriors of Ulster sought harborage by night in a fortress, where they were hospitably entertained by the mistress of the bravest of them, and where they were tested by a giant hurling stakes. Thurneysen, pp. 458f. The
171 here a corruption of Gascogne. Ultimately, however, Gagunne may be a distortion of Gauvoie, since in Wauchier “Li Biaus Mauvais" introduces himself as the son of the count of Gauvoie (Galloway). Cf. C. Potvin, Perceval le Gallois (Mons, 1866-71), 1. 25539. [L] 36. In this episode MS W has always Orpylet, P Orplet. Hahn's Orphilet is an intelligent emendation since he points out in his introduction, p. xvii, that MS W frequently substitutes p for a normal ph and since it is possible that Orpylet is the same person who is called in both MSS, 1. 8071, Torfilaret, a prince who led a large band on Lanzelet's Genewis expedition. The two names are confused in l. 5898, W Orpylet, P Torfilaret. Richter (DF, XXVII [1934], 57), however, will not accept the identity of Orpylet with Torfilaret on the insufficient ground that Kuraus' companion is a mere knight of the Round Table, and Torfilaret is a prince. Tors is a name liable to cor- ruption, as may be seen from Sommer's Index of Names, p. 80, and n. 5. He is Torz, Estors, Estor, Esturz in the list of Round Table knights in Chrétien's Erec, 1. 1528, and Torz or Estorz in the corresponding list in Hartmann's Erek, l. 1661. For Tor-Hector, as G. Paris and Dr. Brugger conjectured, cf. Bruce in RR, X (1919), 55n. [W] The names of Kuraus and Orphilet seem to have been selected at random by Ulrich's source since no episode like that which follows is related elsewhere of “Li Biaus Cuars' or Tor. [L] 37. The adventure of Lanzelet at Galagandreiz' castle has many cognates and analogues in medieval literature, as Kittredge and others have pointed out. Kittredge, pp. 85-106, 218-20, 257-64; PMLA, XLVIII (1933), 1007-13; Englische Studien, XXXVI (1906), 360-63; DF, XXVII (1934), 62f.; H. Schneider, Die Gedichte und die Sage von Wolfdietrich (Munich, 1913), pp. 261�63, 287ff. The closest cognates are to be found in the fifteenth-century Carl of Carlisle, in Gawain and the Green Knight (c. 1375), in Le Chevalier à l'Epée (1200-25), and in the German Heldensage, Wolfdietrich. In all these are found the motifs of the visit to the castle of an imperious host, the temptation, and the bravery test. In one or more are found the three knights of the Round Table, the warning by one of them, the host's interest in his forests or in hunting, the successive testing of the three knights, the temptation by the host's daughter, the knife-throwing contest, which has been fatal to previous visitors, the slaying of the host, the hero's wedding the temptress. All these versions, then, must derive from a common tradition going back to the twelfth century. The pattern seems to be based on three Celtic stories. The first, narrated in Bricriu’s Feast (eighth century), tells how three warriors of Ulster sought harborage by night in a fortress, where they were hospitably entertained by the mistress of the bravest of them, and where they were tested by a giant hurling stakes. Thurneysen, pp. 458f. The
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172 second story, found in Kilhwch (c. 1100), tells of a hero who came with warriors of Arthur's household to the castle of a giant, from which no suitor had ever returned alive, demanded the giant's daughter in marriage, was entertained at meals, was thrice missed by a lance discharged by the giant, the third time returned the lance, piercing the giant's eye, and finally wedded the giant's daughter. Loth, I, 290-99, 346; Jones, pp. 109-13, 136. The third Celtic element is found in the eleventh-century mabinogi of Pwyll, which tells how the hero was hospitably entertained in the palace of a huntsman king, and during the latter's absence lay nightly with his beautiful wife but refrained from intercourse. Cf. Loth, I, 84-88; Jones, pp. 3-6; JEGP, XLII (1943), 170-73. All three Celtic stories seem to have been combined, probably by Breton conteurs, to form the Galagandreiz episode. [L] 38. A forester appears to be not just an official in charge of a forest, but a person with extensive properties, who is keen about hunting and hawking. Patricius von den Bigen (see n. 68) is the outstanding forester in Lanzelet. It may be remarked that Hugh de Morville, who carried our romance to Germany, was forester of Cumberland. Pipe Rolls, 12 Henry II, p. 88. [W] The fact that Galagandreiz is a forester is matched in the Chevalier à lEpée by the fact that the host leaves Gauvain with his daughter to view his woods, and in Gawain and the Green Knight by the host's similar departure to hunt. Cf. n. 37. This feature is evidently derived from the absence of the huntsman king while Pwyll lay nightly with his wife. [L] 39. The name Galagandreiz is derived immediately from Hartmann's Erek, 1. 1662, which reads, “Galagaundris und Galoes," and this in turn doubtless represents Chrétien's Erec, 1. 1738, "Ne Galegantins li Galois." But it is possible that Hartmann's Galagaundris was not merely a corruption of Galegantins, and that Hartmann substituted a name otherwise known to him and that the author of O preserved an authentic tradition about this Galagandreiz. The termination -reiz may well be the Anglo-Norman noun reis (king), mistaken for a part of the name, as in the cases of Gottfried von Strassburg's Canelengres (Tristan, l. 323) and of Uentres de Garlot in the Vulgate Merlin. Cf. R, LIII (1927), 97; PMLA, XLV (1930), 441f. The remaining element Galagan is probably a variant of Gorlagon or Gorlogan in the Latin Arthur and Gorlagon—a name borne by a king who entertained Arthur, Gawain, and Kay at his castle, and who had a faithless wife. Cf. SNPL, VIII (1903), 150-62. There is also in Perlesvaus, ed. W. A. Nitze, I, 1l. 1730—43, 1977�2074, a heathen king of Albanie (Scot- land) , named Gurgalant, from whose land many knights failed to return, and who entertained Gawain at his castle. It is worth noting that a temptation scene and an encounter with resentful hosts on the next morning are inserted
172 second story, found in Kilhwch (c. 1100), tells of a hero who came with warriors of Arthur's household to the castle of a giant, from which no suitor had ever returned alive, demanded the giant's daughter in marriage, was entertained at meals, was thrice missed by a lance discharged by the giant, the third time returned the lance, piercing the giant's eye, and finally wedded the giant's daughter. Loth, I, 290-99, 346; Jones, pp. 109-13, 136. The third Celtic element is found in the eleventh-century mabinogi of Pwyll, which tells how the hero was hospitably entertained in the palace of a huntsman king, and during the latter's absence lay nightly with his beautiful wife but refrained from intercourse. Cf. Loth, I, 84-88; Jones, pp. 3-6; JEGP, XLII (1943), 170-73. All three Celtic stories seem to have been combined, probably by Breton conteurs, to form the Galagandreiz episode. [L] 38. A forester appears to be not just an official in charge of a forest, but a person with extensive properties, who is keen about hunting and hawking. Patricius von den Bigen (see n. 68) is the outstanding forester in Lanzelet. It may be remarked that Hugh de Morville, who carried our romance to Germany, was forester of Cumberland. Pipe Rolls, 12 Henry II, p. 88. [W] The fact that Galagandreiz is a forester is matched in the Chevalier à lEpée by the fact that the host leaves Gauvain with his daughter to view his woods, and in Gawain and the Green Knight by the host's similar departure to hunt. Cf. n. 37. This feature is evidently derived from the absence of the huntsman king while Pwyll lay nightly with his wife. [L] 39. The name Galagandreiz is derived immediately from Hartmann's Erek, 1. 1662, which reads, “Galagaundris und Galoes," and this in turn doubtless represents Chrétien's Erec, 1. 1738, "Ne Galegantins li Galois." But it is possible that Hartmann's Galagaundris was not merely a corruption of Galegantins, and that Hartmann substituted a name otherwise known to him and that the author of O preserved an authentic tradition about this Galagandreiz. The termination -reiz may well be the Anglo-Norman noun reis (king), mistaken for a part of the name, as in the cases of Gottfried von Strassburg's Canelengres (Tristan, l. 323) and of Uentres de Garlot in the Vulgate Merlin. Cf. R, LIII (1927), 97; PMLA, XLV (1930), 441f. The remaining element Galagan is probably a variant of Gorlagon or Gorlogan in the Latin Arthur and Gorlagon—a name borne by a king who entertained Arthur, Gawain, and Kay at his castle, and who had a faithless wife. Cf. SNPL, VIII (1903), 150-62. There is also in Perlesvaus, ed. W. A. Nitze, I, 1l. 1730—43, 1977�2074, a heathen king of Albanie (Scot- land) , named Gurgalant, from whose land many knights failed to return, and who entertained Gawain at his castle. It is worth noting that a temptation scene and an encounter with resentful hosts on the next morning are inserted
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173 between Gawain's setting out for Gurgalant's castle and his arrival there- fairly close parallels to the adventures at Galagandreiz' castle. The endings of the names Galagan, Gorlogan, Gurgalant may well have been suggested by the common endings of Saracen names in Old French literature (Corbaran, Baligant, etc.), but the first element may be derived from Gwrnach, the name of a giant in Kilhwch (Loth, I, 318-21), from whom Kei obtains a sword. Gawain gets a sword, though under different circumstances, from Gurgalant. [L] 40. Perhaps Moreiz is the same as Morois, the forest region of Moray in northeastern Scotland, which is important in the Tristan legend and in the Norse translation of the lost Breton lai of Gurun. Cf. Thomas, Tristan, ed. J. Bédier (Paris, 1902-5), II, 108-10; F. P. Magoun, in Studia Neo- philologica, XIV (1942), 1—24. Perhaps Galagandreiz was represented by the Breton conteurs as king of Moray, as Gurgalant was king of Albanie, which included Moray, and by an easy error the name of the land was taken for that of a castle, as in the Vulgate cycle (cf. Sommer's Index of Names) Logres, Norgales, and Orcanie occur as names of cities. In Durmart, l. 4305, there is a "chastel de Morois," and in the Livre d'Artus (Sommer, VII, 38), “ Yder de la terre as Morois" is mentioned. [L] 41. All the beds, of course, were set up in the great hall. Early medieval castles had no separate bedrooms for guests. [W] Cf. Schultz, I, 96; H. W. C. Davis, Mediaeval England (Oxford, 1924), p. 53. [L] 42. A “nightcap" was customary. Schultz, I, 436. [L] 43. Besides the examples cited in n. 37, the temptation motif occurs in many forms in Arthurian romance. Kittredge, pp. 6, 83�100, 263�66; PMLA, XLVIII (1933), 1007-12, 1022�28; Speculum, XX (1945), 186f. In spite of their diversity, all these forms seem to have a common origin in the situation in Pwyll, where the hero rejected the connubial advances of the huntsman king's wife. Cf. notes 37, 38, and Loomis, pp. 231f.; JEGP, XLII (1943), 170-73. The old Welsh story-pattern was naturally adapted in the romances to contemporary realities. H. Oschinsky, Der Ritter unter- wegs und die Pflege der Gastfreundschaft im alten Frankreich (Halle, 1900), pp. 53f., 70-76. [L] 44. MS W reads sarrazine and is doubtless correct. Silks from the Orient, made by Saracens, were much prized. Schultz, I, 334-51, especially p. 347, n. 4. On female costume of the period, cf. Schultz, I, 244-83, and Goddard. [L] 45. Morzi is unidentified, unless it is a mutilated form of Moriane, i.e. Mauretania. [L] 46. For a discussion of chaperonage and the attitude of German poets
173 between Gawain's setting out for Gurgalant's castle and his arrival there- fairly close parallels to the adventures at Galagandreiz' castle. The endings of the names Galagan, Gorlogan, Gurgalant may well have been suggested by the common endings of Saracen names in Old French literature (Corbaran, Baligant, etc.), but the first element may be derived from Gwrnach, the name of a giant in Kilhwch (Loth, I, 318-21), from whom Kei obtains a sword. Gawain gets a sword, though under different circumstances, from Gurgalant. [L] 40. Perhaps Moreiz is the same as Morois, the forest region of Moray in northeastern Scotland, which is important in the Tristan legend and in the Norse translation of the lost Breton lai of Gurun. Cf. Thomas, Tristan, ed. J. Bédier (Paris, 1902-5), II, 108-10; F. P. Magoun, in Studia Neo- philologica, XIV (1942), 1—24. Perhaps Galagandreiz was represented by the Breton conteurs as king of Moray, as Gurgalant was king of Albanie, which included Moray, and by an easy error the name of the land was taken for that of a castle, as in the Vulgate cycle (cf. Sommer's Index of Names) Logres, Norgales, and Orcanie occur as names of cities. In Durmart, l. 4305, there is a "chastel de Morois," and in the Livre d'Artus (Sommer, VII, 38), “ Yder de la terre as Morois" is mentioned. [L] 41. All the beds, of course, were set up in the great hall. Early medieval castles had no separate bedrooms for guests. [W] Cf. Schultz, I, 96; H. W. C. Davis, Mediaeval England (Oxford, 1924), p. 53. [L] 42. A “nightcap" was customary. Schultz, I, 436. [L] 43. Besides the examples cited in n. 37, the temptation motif occurs in many forms in Arthurian romance. Kittredge, pp. 6, 83�100, 263�66; PMLA, XLVIII (1933), 1007-12, 1022�28; Speculum, XX (1945), 186f. In spite of their diversity, all these forms seem to have a common origin in the situation in Pwyll, where the hero rejected the connubial advances of the huntsman king's wife. Cf. notes 37, 38, and Loomis, pp. 231f.; JEGP, XLII (1943), 170-73. The old Welsh story-pattern was naturally adapted in the romances to contemporary realities. H. Oschinsky, Der Ritter unter- wegs und die Pflege der Gastfreundschaft im alten Frankreich (Halle, 1900), pp. 53f., 70-76. [L] 44. MS W reads sarrazine and is doubtless correct. Silks from the Orient, made by Saracens, were much prized. Schultz, I, 334-51, especially p. 347, n. 4. On female costume of the period, cf. Schultz, I, 244-83, and Goddard. [L] 45. Morzi is unidentified, unless it is a mutilated form of Moriane, i.e. Mauretania. [L] 46. For a discussion of chaperonage and the attitude of German poets
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[ 174 toward it, of. Richter in DF, XXVII (1934), 228f., and E. Nickel, Studien zum Liebesproblem bei Gottfried von Strassburg (Königsberg, 1927), pp. 25f. The fact that chaperonage was usually exercised over a married woman is a slight indication that the daughter here might have been a wife in an earlier form of the story, as indeed the temptress is in Gawain and the Green Knight and other versions. [W ] 47. On samite, a heavy, six-thread, silken fabric, highly prized in the Middle Ages, cf. Schultz, I, 343f. [W] The kursit was, according to Schultz, I, 263, a sleeveless, furred outer robe. [L] 48. The love soliloquy, a convention derived from Vergil and Ovid, was imitated by the author of Eneas (c. 1160), who vastly expanded the love interest of the Aeneid and reveled in the casuistry of sentiment. Faral, pp. 150-54. G. Cohen, Chrétien de Troyes et son œuvre (Paris, 1931), pp. 43- 61. The convention was adopted, either directly from the Latin poems or from Eneas, by Chrétien de Troyes and Thomas. A. Hilka, Die direkte Rede als stilistisches Kunstmittel in den Romanen des Kristian von Troyes (Halle, 1903), pp. 7Iff. From the Eneas it passed into German literature with Veldeke's Eneide (finished by 1186). Ulrich seems to have borrowed some features of this monologue from Veldeke. Richter in DF, XXVII (1934), 218-21; Ehrismann, Geschichte der deutschen Literatur, part II, last vol., p. 6, n. 3. [W] 49. The passage beginning here and ending with “measure of faithfulness' presents several difficulties which the translator does not pretend to have solved. [W] 50. Gawain also refuses to accept the lady's ring in Gawain and the Green Knight. [W] This is only one of several marked parallels between the two temptation scenes—the lady's sitting down on the bed beside the apparently sleeping knight, her disappointment that he will not engage in amorous dis- course, etc. [L] 51. This is the inadequate motivation of Lanzelet's desertion of the lady later. The poet had to do some specious rationalizing to justify his hero's conduct. [W] 52. The customary present to the bride the morning after the marriage. [W] Cf. Schultz, I, 636; NED, sub “moryeve." [L] 53. "Geniuzet es borvil" means literally, “will enjoy it exceedingly," but compounds with bor are often used, as here, ironically. [L] 54. Knife-throwing is a primitive sort of fighting, which, like spear- throwing, survived with difficulty in courtly romance. In the Welsh tale, The Lady of the Fountain, however, two courtly youths are described as “flinging their knives," presumably at a mark. Jones, p. 156. Examples of
[ 174 toward it, of. Richter in DF, XXVII (1934), 228f., and E. Nickel, Studien zum Liebesproblem bei Gottfried von Strassburg (Königsberg, 1927), pp. 25f. The fact that chaperonage was usually exercised over a married woman is a slight indication that the daughter here might have been a wife in an earlier form of the story, as indeed the temptress is in Gawain and the Green Knight and other versions. [W ] 47. On samite, a heavy, six-thread, silken fabric, highly prized in the Middle Ages, cf. Schultz, I, 343f. [W] The kursit was, according to Schultz, I, 263, a sleeveless, furred outer robe. [L] 48. The love soliloquy, a convention derived from Vergil and Ovid, was imitated by the author of Eneas (c. 1160), who vastly expanded the love interest of the Aeneid and reveled in the casuistry of sentiment. Faral, pp. 150-54. G. Cohen, Chrétien de Troyes et son œuvre (Paris, 1931), pp. 43- 61. The convention was adopted, either directly from the Latin poems or from Eneas, by Chrétien de Troyes and Thomas. A. Hilka, Die direkte Rede als stilistisches Kunstmittel in den Romanen des Kristian von Troyes (Halle, 1903), pp. 7Iff. From the Eneas it passed into German literature with Veldeke's Eneide (finished by 1186). Ulrich seems to have borrowed some features of this monologue from Veldeke. Richter in DF, XXVII (1934), 218-21; Ehrismann, Geschichte der deutschen Literatur, part II, last vol., p. 6, n. 3. [W] 49. The passage beginning here and ending with “measure of faithfulness' presents several difficulties which the translator does not pretend to have solved. [W] 50. Gawain also refuses to accept the lady's ring in Gawain and the Green Knight. [W] This is only one of several marked parallels between the two temptation scenes—the lady's sitting down on the bed beside the apparently sleeping knight, her disappointment that he will not engage in amorous dis- course, etc. [L] 51. This is the inadequate motivation of Lanzelet's desertion of the lady later. The poet had to do some specious rationalizing to justify his hero's conduct. [W] 52. The customary present to the bride the morning after the marriage. [W] Cf. Schultz, I, 636; NED, sub “moryeve." [L] 53. "Geniuzet es borvil" means literally, “will enjoy it exceedingly," but compounds with bor are often used, as here, ironically. [L] 54. Knife-throwing is a primitive sort of fighting, which, like spear- throwing, survived with difficulty in courtly romance. In the Welsh tale, The Lady of the Fountain, however, two courtly youths are described as “flinging their knives," presumably at a mark. Jones, p. 156. Examples of
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[ 175 ] knife-throwing in the romances usually represent it as a treacherous or un- knightly act. Cf. Sommer, IV, 309; Hunbaut, ed. Stürzinger and Breuer (Dresden, 1914), 1. 972; Claris et Laris, ed. J. Alton (Tübingen, 1884), 1. 19963; Metrical Romances, ed. H. Weber (Edinburgh, 1810), II, 83. In the Ancren Riwle, chap. IV, the wrathful man is the Devil's knife- thrower. G. G. Coulton in The Medieval Village (Cambridge, 1925), p. 438, cites a fatal knife-throwing in 1440. Cf. Schultz, I, 168, II, 19; M. Jähn, Die Entwicklungsgeschichte der Trutzwaffen (Berlin, 1899), p. 147; C. A. Seyffert, Das Messer (Braunschweig, 1911), p. 38; H. Schneider, Die Gedichte und die Sage von Wolfdietrich, p. 318. [W] Kittredge (pp. 218— 23) cites various instances of combatants who take turns in striking or shoot- ing at each other, but all his medieval examples are derived from fiction Ambroise, the Anglo-Norman poet, however, relates that at the siege of Acre in 1191 a Welshman and a Turk agreed to alternate their bow-shots. Three Old French Chronicles of the Crusades, trans. E. N. Stone (Seattle, 1939), p. 57. Cf. n. 37. [L] 55. The meaning of 1. 1158, “sît mir daz ze wer stât," is uncertain. [W] 56. Literally, “they played of necessity without board," i.e. a gaming board. [W] 57. On the medieval virtue of generosity, of. Marian P. Whitney in Vassar Mediaeval Studies, ed. C. F. Fiske (New Haven, 1923), pp. 183— 215. [L] 58. The commonest nominative form of the name in MS W is Artus, in P Arthus. But the latter uses an oblique form Arthure. [W] This justifies the use of Arthur in the translation. The great majority of scholars agree in thinking that the name is a Welsh development of the Roman name Artorius and that it was borne by some Romanized Briton who for a while successfully led the desperate forces of Southern Britain against the heathen Saxon in- vaders late in the fifth or early in the sixth century. E. K. Chambers, Arthur of Britain (London, 1927), pp. 1�16. A. Brodeur in Univ. of Calif. Pub. in English, III (1939), 237-83. K. Jackson in MP, XLIII (1945), 44-57. The first mention of Arthur seems to occur in the Welsh poem Gododdin, dated about 600. K. Jackson in Antiquity, XIII (1939), 29. Arthur next appears as a battle leader against the Saxons in the Historia Britonum of the South-Welsh priest Nennius (c. 800). About 1100 the Welsh romance of Kilhwch and Olwen represents him with a vast retinue of warriors, who engaged in perilous exploits and fantastic quests, and many of the names and motifs turn up in French, English, and German romances, some in Ulrich's poem. RR, XXXII (1941), 14-16. With a liberal admixture of Irish saga material, these stories were cultivated by the Welsh and Cornish and passed
[ 175 ] knife-throwing in the romances usually represent it as a treacherous or un- knightly act. Cf. Sommer, IV, 309; Hunbaut, ed. Stürzinger and Breuer (Dresden, 1914), 1. 972; Claris et Laris, ed. J. Alton (Tübingen, 1884), 1. 19963; Metrical Romances, ed. H. Weber (Edinburgh, 1810), II, 83. In the Ancren Riwle, chap. IV, the wrathful man is the Devil's knife- thrower. G. G. Coulton in The Medieval Village (Cambridge, 1925), p. 438, cites a fatal knife-throwing in 1440. Cf. Schultz, I, 168, II, 19; M. Jähn, Die Entwicklungsgeschichte der Trutzwaffen (Berlin, 1899), p. 147; C. A. Seyffert, Das Messer (Braunschweig, 1911), p. 38; H. Schneider, Die Gedichte und die Sage von Wolfdietrich, p. 318. [W] Kittredge (pp. 218— 23) cites various instances of combatants who take turns in striking or shoot- ing at each other, but all his medieval examples are derived from fiction Ambroise, the Anglo-Norman poet, however, relates that at the siege of Acre in 1191 a Welshman and a Turk agreed to alternate their bow-shots. Three Old French Chronicles of the Crusades, trans. E. N. Stone (Seattle, 1939), p. 57. Cf. n. 37. [L] 55. The meaning of 1. 1158, “sît mir daz ze wer stât," is uncertain. [W] 56. Literally, “they played of necessity without board," i.e. a gaming board. [W] 57. On the medieval virtue of generosity, of. Marian P. Whitney in Vassar Mediaeval Studies, ed. C. F. Fiske (New Haven, 1923), pp. 183— 215. [L] 58. The commonest nominative form of the name in MS W is Artus, in P Arthus. But the latter uses an oblique form Arthure. [W] This justifies the use of Arthur in the translation. The great majority of scholars agree in thinking that the name is a Welsh development of the Roman name Artorius and that it was borne by some Romanized Briton who for a while successfully led the desperate forces of Southern Britain against the heathen Saxon in- vaders late in the fifth or early in the sixth century. E. K. Chambers, Arthur of Britain (London, 1927), pp. 1�16. A. Brodeur in Univ. of Calif. Pub. in English, III (1939), 237-83. K. Jackson in MP, XLIII (1945), 44-57. The first mention of Arthur seems to occur in the Welsh poem Gododdin, dated about 600. K. Jackson in Antiquity, XIII (1939), 29. Arthur next appears as a battle leader against the Saxons in the Historia Britonum of the South-Welsh priest Nennius (c. 800). About 1100 the Welsh romance of Kilhwch and Olwen represents him with a vast retinue of warriors, who engaged in perilous exploits and fantastic quests, and many of the names and motifs turn up in French, English, and German romances, some in Ulrich's poem. RR, XXXII (1941), 14-16. With a liberal admixture of Irish saga material, these stories were cultivated by the Welsh and Cornish and passed
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176 on to the Breton conteurs, who disseminated them orally on the Continent, so that by 1100 we find them filtering into Northern Italy. Ibid., pp. 22— 31; MP, XXXIII (1936), 225-38. The Bretons also brought their tales back to Britain and localized them in Wales, England, and Scotland. RR, XXXII (1941), 7-14. ZFSL, XIII (1891), 87-91. Geoffrey of Mon- mouth, taking advantage of the vogue of these tales, added enormously to the prestige of Arthur among the learned classes by his fabrication, the Historia regum Britanniae (c. 1136), but had no great influence on the romancers, who derived most of their material from the conteurs. By 1179, as Alanus de Insulis testified, the fame of Arthur had reached the bounds of Christen- dom. By the same date probably Chrétien de Troyes had written his five Arthurian poems and thus begun the great elaboration of the Matter of Britain in literary form. Loomis, pp. 3f., 12�24, 198�201. For a different in- terpretation of the phenomena, of. J. S. P. Tatlock, The Legendary History of Britain (Berkeley, 1950). [L] 59. Karidol, Arthur's capital here and in ll. 1322, 2730, 4973, is the Ger- man form corresponding to Anglo-Norman and French Carducl or Cardoil. It is Carlisle. Cf. notes in W. Hertz' Spielmannsbuch (Stuttgart, 1900), p. 372, and Hilka's Percevalroman (Halle, 1932), p. 621. [W] Zimmer argued that Chrétien's reference to “Carduel en Gales" (Yvain, l. 7) implied that the word Gales (Wales) included the old British territory of Cumbria and Strathclyde. Foerster, Brugger, and others have agreed with Zimmer on this point. But no evidence has been produced to show that this region was called Wales by anyone except Chrétien and those who followed him, romancers who knew nothing about the matter. Presumably Chrétien (or the author of his source) made the natural mistake of assuming that any name beginning with Car- would be (as Carlion, Caruent, and Caradigan actually were) in Wales. The d of Carduel may be due to the influence of the Breton place name Kerduel, near Lannion. Cf. F. J. Snell, King Arthur's Country (London, New York, 1926), p. 242. At any rate, as Zimmer showed (ZFSL, XIII [1891], 91), and as Marie de France's Breton lai of Lanval (1. 5) indicates also, it was the Breton entertainers who were responsible for fa- miliarizing the world with Carlisle as one of Arthur's capitals, though pos- sibly they may have caught up some local tradition of dubious authority. Though the Welsh took over into the Arthurian cycle several historical persons from Northern England or Scotland (e.g. Trystan, Owain son of Urien, Peredur), they seem never to have associated Arthur with the North, except that Nennius placed one of Arthur's victories in the wood of Celidon. Cf. K. Jackson in MP, XLIII (1945), 48f. [L] 60. The adventure at Limors is a second disguised Otherworld adventure.
176 on to the Breton conteurs, who disseminated them orally on the Continent, so that by 1100 we find them filtering into Northern Italy. Ibid., pp. 22— 31; MP, XXXIII (1936), 225-38. The Bretons also brought their tales back to Britain and localized them in Wales, England, and Scotland. RR, XXXII (1941), 7-14. ZFSL, XIII (1891), 87-91. Geoffrey of Mon- mouth, taking advantage of the vogue of these tales, added enormously to the prestige of Arthur among the learned classes by his fabrication, the Historia regum Britanniae (c. 1136), but had no great influence on the romancers, who derived most of their material from the conteurs. By 1179, as Alanus de Insulis testified, the fame of Arthur had reached the bounds of Christen- dom. By the same date probably Chrétien de Troyes had written his five Arthurian poems and thus begun the great elaboration of the Matter of Britain in literary form. Loomis, pp. 3f., 12�24, 198�201. For a different in- terpretation of the phenomena, of. J. S. P. Tatlock, The Legendary History of Britain (Berkeley, 1950). [L] 59. Karidol, Arthur's capital here and in ll. 1322, 2730, 4973, is the Ger- man form corresponding to Anglo-Norman and French Carducl or Cardoil. It is Carlisle. Cf. notes in W. Hertz' Spielmannsbuch (Stuttgart, 1900), p. 372, and Hilka's Percevalroman (Halle, 1932), p. 621. [W] Zimmer argued that Chrétien's reference to “Carduel en Gales" (Yvain, l. 7) implied that the word Gales (Wales) included the old British territory of Cumbria and Strathclyde. Foerster, Brugger, and others have agreed with Zimmer on this point. But no evidence has been produced to show that this region was called Wales by anyone except Chrétien and those who followed him, romancers who knew nothing about the matter. Presumably Chrétien (or the author of his source) made the natural mistake of assuming that any name beginning with Car- would be (as Carlion, Caruent, and Caradigan actually were) in Wales. The d of Carduel may be due to the influence of the Breton place name Kerduel, near Lannion. Cf. F. J. Snell, King Arthur's Country (London, New York, 1926), p. 242. At any rate, as Zimmer showed (ZFSL, XIII [1891], 91), and as Marie de France's Breton lai of Lanval (1. 5) indicates also, it was the Breton entertainers who were responsible for fa- miliarizing the world with Carlisle as one of Arthur's capitals, though pos- sibly they may have caught up some local tradition of dubious authority. Though the Welsh took over into the Arthurian cycle several historical persons from Northern England or Scotland (e.g. Trystan, Owain son of Urien, Peredur), they seem never to have associated Arthur with the North, except that Nennius placed one of Arthur's victories in the wood of Celidon. Cf. K. Jackson in MP, XLIII (1945), 48f. [L] 60. The adventure at Limors is a second disguised Otherworld adventure.
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[ 177 Similar experiences can be found in Chrétien's Charrette, 1l. 6395-7109, and in Der Pleier's Tandareis und Flordibel, ed. F. Khull (Graz, 1885), 11. 11081ff. In the latter the dangerous tower is called Malmort. I gave some account of the relation of Ulrich's narrative to Chrétien's in Harvard Studies and Notes, XVI (1934), 209; and Rosenhagen in Zeitschrift für deutsche Philologie, XXIX (1897), 155-64, finds in Tandareis evidence for his rea- sonable theory that a Lancelot poem, based on pre-Chrétien material (though not necessarily uninfluenced by Chrétien), was current in Germany before Hartmann and Wolfram. [W] More complete parallels to Lanzelet's affair with Ade and the subsequent tournament (as well as to Tandareis) may be found in an earlier portion of Chrétien's Charrette and in the Dame de Malehot episode in the Prose Lancelot. Chrétien relates how his hero, cap- tured through the wiles of Meleagant, is placed in the custody of the wife of Meleagant's seneschal. Gauvain organizes a search for him. Lancelot, hear- ing of a tourney at which Guenievre is to be present, persuades his jaileress to allow him to attend on condition that he return and grant her his love. She provides him with red arms and a marvelous horse. The tourney lasts two days and Lancelot, incognito, displays his prowess and his devotion to the queen. He returns to his prison. Charrette, 11. 5077-5256, 5435-6078. The Dame de Malehot episode runs as follows: Lancelot, attacked by overwhelm- ing numbers in the city of Malehot, surrenders to its lady, who places him in jail. Hearing of a battle to take place, he persuades his fair jailer to provide him with a horse and a red shield on condition that he return. He appears on the field incognito and carries all before him. When he returns to his prison, the Dame de Malehot offers him her love, but in vain. A year later he again takes part in the battle, this time in black arms, furnished by his jaileress, who witnesses the fray. Gauvain has meanwhile organized a party to seek the red knight, and, being present at the battle, recognizes him in the black knight. The King of the Hundred Knights is prominent in the mêlée, but Lancelot is of course the outstanding champion. The story ends with his bringing Galehos, his devoted friend, to Arthur. Sommer, III, 209— 15, 223-51. As Märtens brought out in RS, V (1880), 693f., the resem- blances between this series of adventures and Ulrich's Ade episode and the subsequent tournament are numerous. Cf. also Loomis, pp. 255-58. Yet the Prose Lancelot could not have borrowed from Ulrich, nor for chronological reasons could Ulrich have borrowed from the French romance. Morever, Chrétien could not have been their common source, though he probably sug- gested the role of Guenievre as a witness of the second battle in the Prose Lancelot. The motif of the amorous jaileress who provides a hero with a horse and arms that he may enter a tournament is found in other romances.
[ 177 Similar experiences can be found in Chrétien's Charrette, 1l. 6395-7109, and in Der Pleier's Tandareis und Flordibel, ed. F. Khull (Graz, 1885), 11. 11081ff. In the latter the dangerous tower is called Malmort. I gave some account of the relation of Ulrich's narrative to Chrétien's in Harvard Studies and Notes, XVI (1934), 209; and Rosenhagen in Zeitschrift für deutsche Philologie, XXIX (1897), 155-64, finds in Tandareis evidence for his rea- sonable theory that a Lancelot poem, based on pre-Chrétien material (though not necessarily uninfluenced by Chrétien), was current in Germany before Hartmann and Wolfram. [W] More complete parallels to Lanzelet's affair with Ade and the subsequent tournament (as well as to Tandareis) may be found in an earlier portion of Chrétien's Charrette and in the Dame de Malehot episode in the Prose Lancelot. Chrétien relates how his hero, cap- tured through the wiles of Meleagant, is placed in the custody of the wife of Meleagant's seneschal. Gauvain organizes a search for him. Lancelot, hear- ing of a tourney at which Guenievre is to be present, persuades his jaileress to allow him to attend on condition that he return and grant her his love. She provides him with red arms and a marvelous horse. The tourney lasts two days and Lancelot, incognito, displays his prowess and his devotion to the queen. He returns to his prison. Charrette, 11. 5077-5256, 5435-6078. The Dame de Malehot episode runs as follows: Lancelot, attacked by overwhelm- ing numbers in the city of Malehot, surrenders to its lady, who places him in jail. Hearing of a battle to take place, he persuades his fair jailer to provide him with a horse and a red shield on condition that he return. He appears on the field incognito and carries all before him. When he returns to his prison, the Dame de Malehot offers him her love, but in vain. A year later he again takes part in the battle, this time in black arms, furnished by his jaileress, who witnesses the fray. Gauvain has meanwhile organized a party to seek the red knight, and, being present at the battle, recognizes him in the black knight. The King of the Hundred Knights is prominent in the mêlée, but Lancelot is of course the outstanding champion. The story ends with his bringing Galehos, his devoted friend, to Arthur. Sommer, III, 209— 15, 223-51. As Märtens brought out in RS, V (1880), 693f., the resem- blances between this series of adventures and Ulrich's Ade episode and the subsequent tournament are numerous. Cf. also Loomis, pp. 255-58. Yet the Prose Lancelot could not have borrowed from Ulrich, nor for chronological reasons could Ulrich have borrowed from the French romance. Morever, Chrétien could not have been their common source, though he probably sug- gested the role of Guenievre as a witness of the second battle in the Prose Lancelot. The motif of the amorous jaileress who provides a hero with a horse and arms that he may enter a tournament is found in other romances.
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[ 178 ] Speculum, XX (1945), 187. PMLA, XLVIII (1933), 1028; LXI (1946), 938-40. [L] 61. According to Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia, ed. A. Griscom (New York, 1929), p. 459, the Roman ambassadors bore branches of olive. [L] 62. When Ulrich was writing, the smallish Norman conical helmet with nasal was becoming old-fashioned, and the large helm, conical, domed, or flat-topped, was in favor. It still retained the nasal (1. 4529), but it was large enough to fit over the coif of mail, steel cap, or wadded skull protection underneath. Cf. Boeheim, pp. 27ff.; Enlart, 457-59; C. ffoulkes, Armour and Weapons (Oxford, 1909), pp. 25ff.; ZHW, V (1909), 33ff.; Anti- quaries' Journal, XVI (1936), 413. [W] Cf. also Schultz, II, 61-64; Laking, I, 108—15. The lower part of the face and, perhaps, the throat were protected by a mail flap called the ventail (finteile, cf. also 11. 1385, 4532), which was laced to the coif and sometimes may have formed part of the hauberk. Schultz, II, 52-55; Enlart, pp. 452-57; Schirling, pp. 43f. Re- moving the helm and dropping the ventail signified that the wearer was not expecting to fight. [L] 63. Here MS P adds the following details, printed by Hahn. "It was not ill-favored, bony, or feeble; seldom did it turn from the road, for it traveled straight ; it neither bit nor kicked, and it was pleasant to sit. One seldom saw it sweat. It was not blemished nor scarred, and it had various gaits. It did not shy nor tremble. However much one used it, its feet never grew weary. It was neither broken-winded nor sprung, neither galled nor blind. A little child could have handled it. Moreover, it was not afraid of any road, and could not but be well managed." [W] Compare the description of the palfrey which was presented to Enide by her female cousin in Chrétien's Erec, 1l. 1390—1402. “If you had a hundred to pick from, you would not find a better one than the dappled mount. The birds in the air do not fly more swiftly than the palfrey ; and he is not too lively but just suits a lady. A child can ride him, for he is neither skittish nor balky, nor does he bite nor kick nor become unmanageable. . . . And his pace is so easy and gentle that a body is more comfortable and easy on his back than in a boat." Trans. by W. W. Comfort, Arthurian Romances, Everyman's Library, p. 19. [L] 64. This parti-colored horse has something in common with Hartmann's interlude in Erek, 1l. 7285-7765, where he expands Chrétien's thirty-six line description (Erec, 11. 5316-51) of the palfrey which Guivret gave to Enide to over four hundred lines. Hartmann tells us that the iridescent animal was stolen from the elves. Of the selfsame breed must be the king of Ireland's horse in Wigalois, 11. 2510-62. The qualities of these animals and especially
[ 178 ] Speculum, XX (1945), 187. PMLA, XLVIII (1933), 1028; LXI (1946), 938-40. [L] 61. According to Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia, ed. A. Griscom (New York, 1929), p. 459, the Roman ambassadors bore branches of olive. [L] 62. When Ulrich was writing, the smallish Norman conical helmet with nasal was becoming old-fashioned, and the large helm, conical, domed, or flat-topped, was in favor. It still retained the nasal (1. 4529), but it was large enough to fit over the coif of mail, steel cap, or wadded skull protection underneath. Cf. Boeheim, pp. 27ff.; Enlart, 457-59; C. ffoulkes, Armour and Weapons (Oxford, 1909), pp. 25ff.; ZHW, V (1909), 33ff.; Anti- quaries' Journal, XVI (1936), 413. [W] Cf. also Schultz, II, 61-64; Laking, I, 108—15. The lower part of the face and, perhaps, the throat were protected by a mail flap called the ventail (finteile, cf. also 11. 1385, 4532), which was laced to the coif and sometimes may have formed part of the hauberk. Schultz, II, 52-55; Enlart, pp. 452-57; Schirling, pp. 43f. Re- moving the helm and dropping the ventail signified that the wearer was not expecting to fight. [L] 63. Here MS P adds the following details, printed by Hahn. "It was not ill-favored, bony, or feeble; seldom did it turn from the road, for it traveled straight ; it neither bit nor kicked, and it was pleasant to sit. One seldom saw it sweat. It was not blemished nor scarred, and it had various gaits. It did not shy nor tremble. However much one used it, its feet never grew weary. It was neither broken-winded nor sprung, neither galled nor blind. A little child could have handled it. Moreover, it was not afraid of any road, and could not but be well managed." [W] Compare the description of the palfrey which was presented to Enide by her female cousin in Chrétien's Erec, 1l. 1390—1402. “If you had a hundred to pick from, you would not find a better one than the dappled mount. The birds in the air do not fly more swiftly than the palfrey ; and he is not too lively but just suits a lady. A child can ride him, for he is neither skittish nor balky, nor does he bite nor kick nor become unmanageable. . . . And his pace is so easy and gentle that a body is more comfortable and easy on his back than in a boat." Trans. by W. W. Comfort, Arthurian Romances, Everyman's Library, p. 19. [L] 64. This parti-colored horse has something in common with Hartmann's interlude in Erek, 1l. 7285-7765, where he expands Chrétien's thirty-six line description (Erec, 11. 5316-51) of the palfrey which Guivret gave to Enide to over four hundred lines. Hartmann tells us that the iridescent animal was stolen from the elves. Of the selfsame breed must be the king of Ireland's horse in Wigalois, 11. 2510-62. The qualities of these animals and especially
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[ their color indicate that their original home is the Celtic Otherworld. [W] The specific coloring of Ade's mount, white and red, is commonly attributed to animals in Celtic literature and in the Matter of Britain. In Irish tales we find white cows with red ears. Thurneysen, pp. 286, 311 ; P. W. Joyce, Old Celtic Romances (Dublin, 1920), pp. 389, 392f. The hounds of Annwn (the Otherworld) in medieval and modern Welsh tradition have shining white bodies, like Ade's horse, and red ears. Loth, I, 84; M. Trevelyan, Folklore and Folk-stories of Wales (London, 1909), p. 47. Horses with exactly this coloring are found in a Breton lai and a romance. ZRP, XVII (1893), 249f.; Partonopeus de Blois, ed. Crapelet and Robert (Paris, 1834), II, 1l. 7709f. On polychromatic dogs, ef. Paton, p. 230, n. 3; MP, XLII (1945), 199�208. On polychromatic horses, cf. ZFSL, XLVIII (1925), 37- 41 ; Revue des langues romanes, LXV (1927-28), 213; Loomis, pp. 90f., 141. [L] 65. Swiftness was another attribute of supernatural horses in Celtic and Arthurian tradition. Joyce, Old Celtic Romances, pp. 237, 389, 392. Loth, I, 93-96. RR, XXVI (1935), 318, 11. 99-107. Huth Merlin, ed. G. Paris and J. Ulrich (Paris, 1886), II, 77, 110. MP, XLIII (1945), 65, 69f. [L] 66. Cf. n. 25. 67. The name Ade occurs in no other romance. As has already been re- marked in n. 60, Lanzelet's surrender to Ade, his imprisonment, and her amorous concern for him have a genteel echo in the Dame de Malehot episode in the Prose Lancelot. [W] It can hardly be a coincidence that Hugh de Morville, who owned the manuscript of O, had a mother and a daughter, both named Ada, while his kinsman and namesake who died in 1162 also christened a daughter Ada. DNB, XIII, 1065f. Presumably this name was introduced into O by the author, and the poem must then have been written specifically for a member of the de Morville family. The popularity of the name in the North is shown by the fact that Prince Henry of Scotland married in 1139 an Ada and had his daughter named after her. [L] 68. Bîge means “heap, mound"; possibly a castle “motte." A rash person might guess that in Ulrich's original Patricius was “de la Motte." There is a Patric among Arthur's Scottish allies in Layamon's Brut, 1. 20354. Patrices and Patrides appear in the Prose Lancelot as not very significant knights. Cf. Sommer's Index of Names. There is a Patris, king of Cabrahan, in Meraugis, l. 1769, and a Patris de la Montagne is listed in F. Seiffert's Namenbuch zu den altfranzösischen Artusepen (Greifswald, 1882), p. 19. [W] None of these personages seems to be related in any way to Ulrich's Patricius. [L] 69. MS P and Hahn add a fourth sort of dog, suse. The word is rare. It occurs as seuz in the Thomas version of Tristan, ed. J. Bédier (Paris, 179
[ their color indicate that their original home is the Celtic Otherworld. [W] The specific coloring of Ade's mount, white and red, is commonly attributed to animals in Celtic literature and in the Matter of Britain. In Irish tales we find white cows with red ears. Thurneysen, pp. 286, 311 ; P. W. Joyce, Old Celtic Romances (Dublin, 1920), pp. 389, 392f. The hounds of Annwn (the Otherworld) in medieval and modern Welsh tradition have shining white bodies, like Ade's horse, and red ears. Loth, I, 84; M. Trevelyan, Folklore and Folk-stories of Wales (London, 1909), p. 47. Horses with exactly this coloring are found in a Breton lai and a romance. ZRP, XVII (1893), 249f.; Partonopeus de Blois, ed. Crapelet and Robert (Paris, 1834), II, 1l. 7709f. On polychromatic dogs, ef. Paton, p. 230, n. 3; MP, XLII (1945), 199�208. On polychromatic horses, cf. ZFSL, XLVIII (1925), 37- 41 ; Revue des langues romanes, LXV (1927-28), 213; Loomis, pp. 90f., 141. [L] 65. Swiftness was another attribute of supernatural horses in Celtic and Arthurian tradition. Joyce, Old Celtic Romances, pp. 237, 389, 392. Loth, I, 93-96. RR, XXVI (1935), 318, 11. 99-107. Huth Merlin, ed. G. Paris and J. Ulrich (Paris, 1886), II, 77, 110. MP, XLIII (1945), 65, 69f. [L] 66. Cf. n. 25. 67. The name Ade occurs in no other romance. As has already been re- marked in n. 60, Lanzelet's surrender to Ade, his imprisonment, and her amorous concern for him have a genteel echo in the Dame de Malehot episode in the Prose Lancelot. [W] It can hardly be a coincidence that Hugh de Morville, who owned the manuscript of O, had a mother and a daughter, both named Ada, while his kinsman and namesake who died in 1162 also christened a daughter Ada. DNB, XIII, 1065f. Presumably this name was introduced into O by the author, and the poem must then have been written specifically for a member of the de Morville family. The popularity of the name in the North is shown by the fact that Prince Henry of Scotland married in 1139 an Ada and had his daughter named after her. [L] 68. Bîge means “heap, mound"; possibly a castle “motte." A rash person might guess that in Ulrich's original Patricius was “de la Motte." There is a Patric among Arthur's Scottish allies in Layamon's Brut, 1. 20354. Patrices and Patrides appear in the Prose Lancelot as not very significant knights. Cf. Sommer's Index of Names. There is a Patris, king of Cabrahan, in Meraugis, l. 1769, and a Patris de la Montagne is listed in F. Seiffert's Namenbuch zu den altfranzösischen Artusepen (Greifswald, 1882), p. 19. [W] None of these personages seems to be related in any way to Ulrich's Patricius. [L] 69. MS P and Hahn add a fourth sort of dog, suse. The word is rare. It occurs as seuz in the Thomas version of Tristan, ed. J. Bédier (Paris, 179
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[ 180 1902-5), I, 1. 1222, defined by the editor as chien courant. The word trans- lated as “greyhound" in 1. 1445 is winde, sometimes glossed leporarius, French lévrier, a running or coursing dog of many breeds, from slim grey- hound to mastiff. A pair of these accompany Malduc's daughter when she goes riding, 1. 7178. The brachet (M. H.G. bracke, O.F. brachez, Eng. brach) is a small or medium-sized dog, with a good nose, used for tracking and rousing the game. Tristan's Husden was a brachet, perhaps a lurcher, for Tristan taught him to hunt mute—though to be sure all brachets were trained not to bark when on the leash. In Protheselaus, ll. 3276ff., is a good story of how one day during dinner a fierce greyhound (lévrier) attacked the queen's little brachet and was strangled by the young Protheselaus. A limmer (M.H.G. leithund) is kept on the lead (O.F. liem, mod. Fr. lien) till the game is roused, when it is slipped. Various dogs, including greyhounds and brachets, were so used. In the graphic opening scene of the Parliament of Three Ages (c. 1350; ed. I. Gollancz, London, 1915) a brachet (ber- selett) is kept on the lead (Iyame) until the hart is shot. Then he is loosed to track the wounded animal. See E. Bormann, Die Jagd in den altfranzösischen Artus- und Abenteuer-Romanen (Marburg, 1887); W. A. and F. Baillie- Grohman, Master of Game (London, 1909) ; Schultz, I, 453. [W] 70. The name Linier does not occur elsewhere so far as I know. [W] 71. Limors reminds one of four other sinister castles: Schatel le Mort, 1. 3550; Malmort in Tandareis (cf. n. 60) ; Chastel de la Mort in the Livre d'Artus (Sommer, VII, 292-94) ; and Chastel de Limors in Chrétien's Erec, 1. 4719, and Hartmann's Erek, 1. 6122. All are names of ominous import, suggesting the dark Otherworld. In fact, Lanzelet consists essentially of nine brilliant pictures of the Otherworld in various aspects. [W] It is noteworthy that in all four instances, as well as in this episode, the hero fights with the lord of the castle, and that in both of Ulrich's accounts and in Tandareis the hero is imprisoned in the castle. The Livre d'Artus says of the Chastel de la Mort that "ne onques hom qui mis i fust nen issi se toz morz non." On these castles, of. below n. 117 and Loomis, pp. 162-68. [L] 72. This passage has given trouble. Cf. Hahn's note to 1. 1601 and Beiträge zur Geschichte der deutschen Sprache und Literatur, LV (1931), 301. [W] 73. Fights with one or more giants, armed with clubs, are among the commonplaces of medieval narrative. Cf. Arthur's fight with Dinabuc in Geoffrey of Monmouth, Wace, and Layamon ; Li Biaus Desconus, ed. G. Perrie Williams (Paris, 1929), p. 24; Malory, Works, ed. E. Vinaver (Ox- ford, 1947), I, 175, 203, 271 ; III, 1412f.; Sommer, VII, 84f., 222f. [L] 74. A combat with one or two lions in a castle occurs repeatedly in Arthu-
[ 180 1902-5), I, 1. 1222, defined by the editor as chien courant. The word trans- lated as “greyhound" in 1. 1445 is winde, sometimes glossed leporarius, French lévrier, a running or coursing dog of many breeds, from slim grey- hound to mastiff. A pair of these accompany Malduc's daughter when she goes riding, 1. 7178. The brachet (M. H.G. bracke, O.F. brachez, Eng. brach) is a small or medium-sized dog, with a good nose, used for tracking and rousing the game. Tristan's Husden was a brachet, perhaps a lurcher, for Tristan taught him to hunt mute—though to be sure all brachets were trained not to bark when on the leash. In Protheselaus, ll. 3276ff., is a good story of how one day during dinner a fierce greyhound (lévrier) attacked the queen's little brachet and was strangled by the young Protheselaus. A limmer (M.H.G. leithund) is kept on the lead (O.F. liem, mod. Fr. lien) till the game is roused, when it is slipped. Various dogs, including greyhounds and brachets, were so used. In the graphic opening scene of the Parliament of Three Ages (c. 1350; ed. I. Gollancz, London, 1915) a brachet (ber- selett) is kept on the lead (Iyame) until the hart is shot. Then he is loosed to track the wounded animal. See E. Bormann, Die Jagd in den altfranzösischen Artus- und Abenteuer-Romanen (Marburg, 1887); W. A. and F. Baillie- Grohman, Master of Game (London, 1909) ; Schultz, I, 453. [W] 70. The name Linier does not occur elsewhere so far as I know. [W] 71. Limors reminds one of four other sinister castles: Schatel le Mort, 1. 3550; Malmort in Tandareis (cf. n. 60) ; Chastel de la Mort in the Livre d'Artus (Sommer, VII, 292-94) ; and Chastel de Limors in Chrétien's Erec, 1. 4719, and Hartmann's Erek, 1. 6122. All are names of ominous import, suggesting the dark Otherworld. In fact, Lanzelet consists essentially of nine brilliant pictures of the Otherworld in various aspects. [W] It is noteworthy that in all four instances, as well as in this episode, the hero fights with the lord of the castle, and that in both of Ulrich's accounts and in Tandareis the hero is imprisoned in the castle. The Livre d'Artus says of the Chastel de la Mort that "ne onques hom qui mis i fust nen issi se toz morz non." On these castles, of. below n. 117 and Loomis, pp. 162-68. [L] 72. This passage has given trouble. Cf. Hahn's note to 1. 1601 and Beiträge zur Geschichte der deutschen Sprache und Literatur, LV (1931), 301. [W] 73. Fights with one or more giants, armed with clubs, are among the commonplaces of medieval narrative. Cf. Arthur's fight with Dinabuc in Geoffrey of Monmouth, Wace, and Layamon ; Li Biaus Desconus, ed. G. Perrie Williams (Paris, 1929), p. 24; Malory, Works, ed. E. Vinaver (Ox- ford, 1947), I, 175, 203, 271 ; III, 1412f.; Sommer, VII, 84f., 222f. [L] 74. A combat with one or two lions in a castle occurs repeatedly in Arthu-
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[ 181 rian romance. Chrétien, Percevalroman, ed. Hilka (Halle, 1932), ll. 7849— 70; Paien de Maisières, Damoisele à la Mule, ed. B. Orlowski (Paris, 1911), II. 634-741 ; Artus de la Petite Bretagne, MS in New York Public Library, fo. 54r, 54v. These lions seem to be realistic developments from the monsters which Cuchulainn encountered in Curoi's revolving fortress. Loomis, pp. 443f. [L] 75. There seems to be some connection between this adventure and one related in the Welsh tale of Peredur, which is also based on a French or Anglo-Norman romance. There, too, we have—as well as fights with a lion and with giants—a sympathetic maiden pledging the good faith of a youthful knight to her father, the lord of a perilous castle. Loth, II, 83-87. Jones, pp. 203-5. [L] 76. MS W, 1. 1941 : "Und sluoc im hinden in dem schart" ; MS P: “und schluog in hinten in den scrat." Hahn, following a bold emendation of Lachmann, prints : "und sluoc in hinden lideschart." A bothersome passage. Is it possible that there could be some confusion here over Germ. scharte in the sense of "crotch" ? That is a proper region to wound a giant. Cf. alliterative Morte Arthure, ed. E. Björkmann (Heidelberg, 1915), 1. 1122. [W] 77. The ministrations of Ade to Lanzelet may have influenced those of Queen Arnive to Gawain after his combat with lions in the Schastel Mar- veile, as described by Wolfram, Parzival, trans. into modern German by W. Stapel (Hamburg, 1937), pp. 332�36. M. J. Hughes, Women Healers in Medieval Life and Literature (New York, 1943), pp. 9-11. On women as nurses of the wounded, cf. ibid., pp. 50—59; Schultz, I, 200-202. [L] 78. The word is wip, i.e. woman or wife. If at any stage of the story's development Ade was Linier's mistress and he her valor-tester, or if in some nearer version she was his wife, the circumstance has been elaborately re- modeled. [W] 79. Modern Cardigan in Southwestern Wales. As Zimmer pointed out in ZFSL, XIII (1891), 87f., the Welsh always called the town Aber Teivi, but the Normans early in the twelfth century built a castle there and called it the castle of Caradigan after the county, Ceredigiaun, in which it lay. Zimmer rightly argued that the introduction of this place name into Arthurian romance must have been due to the Breton story-tellers who flocked into Anglo-Norman Britain after the Norman Conquest. Cf. n. 59. [L] 80. Chrétien made Erec the hero of his famous poem. The immediate origin of the name is Breton Guerec, which was borne conspicuously by a count of Nantes in the tenth century. R, XXV (1896), 588. It was ap- parently substituted by Bretons for the name Gweir, for two Gweirs, sons of
[ 181 rian romance. Chrétien, Percevalroman, ed. Hilka (Halle, 1932), ll. 7849— 70; Paien de Maisières, Damoisele à la Mule, ed. B. Orlowski (Paris, 1911), II. 634-741 ; Artus de la Petite Bretagne, MS in New York Public Library, fo. 54r, 54v. These lions seem to be realistic developments from the monsters which Cuchulainn encountered in Curoi's revolving fortress. Loomis, pp. 443f. [L] 75. There seems to be some connection between this adventure and one related in the Welsh tale of Peredur, which is also based on a French or Anglo-Norman romance. There, too, we have—as well as fights with a lion and with giants—a sympathetic maiden pledging the good faith of a youthful knight to her father, the lord of a perilous castle. Loth, II, 83-87. Jones, pp. 203-5. [L] 76. MS W, 1. 1941 : "Und sluoc im hinden in dem schart" ; MS P: “und schluog in hinten in den scrat." Hahn, following a bold emendation of Lachmann, prints : "und sluoc in hinden lideschart." A bothersome passage. Is it possible that there could be some confusion here over Germ. scharte in the sense of "crotch" ? That is a proper region to wound a giant. Cf. alliterative Morte Arthure, ed. E. Björkmann (Heidelberg, 1915), 1. 1122. [W] 77. The ministrations of Ade to Lanzelet may have influenced those of Queen Arnive to Gawain after his combat with lions in the Schastel Mar- veile, as described by Wolfram, Parzival, trans. into modern German by W. Stapel (Hamburg, 1937), pp. 332�36. M. J. Hughes, Women Healers in Medieval Life and Literature (New York, 1943), pp. 9-11. On women as nurses of the wounded, cf. ibid., pp. 50—59; Schultz, I, 200-202. [L] 78. The word is wip, i.e. woman or wife. If at any stage of the story's development Ade was Linier's mistress and he her valor-tester, or if in some nearer version she was his wife, the circumstance has been elaborately re- modeled. [W] 79. Modern Cardigan in Southwestern Wales. As Zimmer pointed out in ZFSL, XIII (1891), 87f., the Welsh always called the town Aber Teivi, but the Normans early in the twelfth century built a castle there and called it the castle of Caradigan after the county, Ceredigiaun, in which it lay. Zimmer rightly argued that the introduction of this place name into Arthurian romance must have been due to the Breton story-tellers who flocked into Anglo-Norman Britain after the Norman Conquest. Cf. n. 59. [L] 80. Chrétien made Erec the hero of his famous poem. The immediate origin of the name is Breton Guerec, which was borne conspicuously by a count of Nantes in the tenth century. R, XXV (1896), 588. It was ap- parently substituted by Bretons for the name Gweir, for two Gweirs, sons of
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[ 182 Llwch, are listed among Arthur's warriors in Kilhwch. Loth, I, 276. As Gweir would account for Guerec, so his father's name Llwch would account for that of Erec's father, for llwch, as a common noun, meant “lake," and would be translated into French as Lac. The same Gweir turns up in Ar- thurian romance as Guerehes and Gaheries, sons of King Lot. Loth, I, 264, n. 3; E. T. Griffiths, Chantari di Lancelotto (Oxford, 1924), p. 186. Cf. Loomis, pp. 70-75. [L] 81. Ginover derives her name from the Welsh Gwenhwyvar, who ap- pears for the first time in extant literature in Kilhwch as Arthur's queen. Loth, I, 259, 283. On the name of. T. P. Cross, W. A. Nitze, Lancelot and Guenevere (Chicago, 1930), p. 58, n. 1. On other Welsh traditions about the queen, of. Loth, II, 246f., 250; Aberystwyth Studies, VIII (1926), 65f., 69f.; J. Rhys, Studies in the Arthurian Legend (Oxford, 1891), pp. 49, 65. Two versions of a poetic dialogue in Welsh, accompanied by a tenta- tive translation, are given by Prof. Mary Williams in Speculum, XIII (1938), 39-42. For other matters concerned with Ginover, of. notes 168, 202, and Webster's forthcoming Guinevere: A Study of Her Abductions. [L] 82. Wace in I155 was the first to mention the Round Table in extant literature, and he refers to it three times. Brut, ed. Le Roux de Lincy (Rouen, 1838), 1l. 9998f., 10555, 13675; ed. I. Arnold (Paris, 1938-46), ll. 9751f., 10285, 13269. In the first passage he says that the Bretons tell many fables about it and that Arthur caused it to be made in order that there might not be any quarrels over precedence in seating. Chrétien refers to it as if it were well known and as if it were an institution. Various inconsistent stories of its origin occur in the French romances. Huth Merlin, ed. G. Paris and J. Ulrich (Paris, 1886), I, 94-98; II, 61-68. Sommer, II, 53-55. Layamon in his Brut (c. 1200) gives what is perhaps the most primitive account. A barbarous and bloody quarrel arose in Arthur's hall over precedence. The son of the king of Winet (Gwynedd, northwestern Wales) slew seven of the offending thanes. Arthur, "it saith in the tale," went to Cornwall and had a table made which had three marvelous properties: it could seat sixteen hundred ; it was arranged that the high should be even with the low ; it could be carried about. Arthur Brown showed that the story of the quarrel for precedence had a re- markable anticipation in the Irish saga of Bricriu's Feast (SNPL, VII, [1900], 183ff.), and this was accepted as proof of Celtic origin by Bruce (I, 84). We know, however, that neither the Irish nor the Welsh ate at large tables, either circular or rectangular. Presumably, therefore, the concept of a Round Table originated rather in the practice, attested by Bricriu's Feast (8th century), of placing the couches of the twelve chief warriors of Ulster round the couch of the king. H. D'Arbois de Jubainville, L'Epopée celtique
[ 182 Llwch, are listed among Arthur's warriors in Kilhwch. Loth, I, 276. As Gweir would account for Guerec, so his father's name Llwch would account for that of Erec's father, for llwch, as a common noun, meant “lake," and would be translated into French as Lac. The same Gweir turns up in Ar- thurian romance as Guerehes and Gaheries, sons of King Lot. Loth, I, 264, n. 3; E. T. Griffiths, Chantari di Lancelotto (Oxford, 1924), p. 186. Cf. Loomis, pp. 70-75. [L] 81. Ginover derives her name from the Welsh Gwenhwyvar, who ap- pears for the first time in extant literature in Kilhwch as Arthur's queen. Loth, I, 259, 283. On the name of. T. P. Cross, W. A. Nitze, Lancelot and Guenevere (Chicago, 1930), p. 58, n. 1. On other Welsh traditions about the queen, of. Loth, II, 246f., 250; Aberystwyth Studies, VIII (1926), 65f., 69f.; J. Rhys, Studies in the Arthurian Legend (Oxford, 1891), pp. 49, 65. Two versions of a poetic dialogue in Welsh, accompanied by a tenta- tive translation, are given by Prof. Mary Williams in Speculum, XIII (1938), 39-42. For other matters concerned with Ginover, of. notes 168, 202, and Webster's forthcoming Guinevere: A Study of Her Abductions. [L] 82. Wace in I155 was the first to mention the Round Table in extant literature, and he refers to it three times. Brut, ed. Le Roux de Lincy (Rouen, 1838), 1l. 9998f., 10555, 13675; ed. I. Arnold (Paris, 1938-46), ll. 9751f., 10285, 13269. In the first passage he says that the Bretons tell many fables about it and that Arthur caused it to be made in order that there might not be any quarrels over precedence in seating. Chrétien refers to it as if it were well known and as if it were an institution. Various inconsistent stories of its origin occur in the French romances. Huth Merlin, ed. G. Paris and J. Ulrich (Paris, 1886), I, 94-98; II, 61-68. Sommer, II, 53-55. Layamon in his Brut (c. 1200) gives what is perhaps the most primitive account. A barbarous and bloody quarrel arose in Arthur's hall over precedence. The son of the king of Winet (Gwynedd, northwestern Wales) slew seven of the offending thanes. Arthur, "it saith in the tale," went to Cornwall and had a table made which had three marvelous properties: it could seat sixteen hundred ; it was arranged that the high should be even with the low ; it could be carried about. Arthur Brown showed that the story of the quarrel for precedence had a re- markable anticipation in the Irish saga of Bricriu's Feast (SNPL, VII, [1900], 183ff.), and this was accepted as proof of Celtic origin by Bruce (I, 84). We know, however, that neither the Irish nor the Welsh ate at large tables, either circular or rectangular. Presumably, therefore, the concept of a Round Table originated rather in the practice, attested by Bricriu's Feast (8th century), of placing the couches of the twelve chief warriors of Ulster round the couch of the king. H. D'Arbois de Jubainville, L'Epopée celtique
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183 en Irlande (Paris, 1892), p. 83. Thurneysen, p. 450. It is noteworthy that in the Didot Perceval, ed. W. Roach (Philadelphia, 1941), pp. 142, 146, there were places for twelve peers at the Round Table, as well as a thirteenth seat which was occupied by Perceval. When this tradition reached the Bretons, who, according to Wace, told many tales about the Round Table, they were doubtless struck by the fact that, according to pictorial tradition and accord- ing to the testimony of pilgrims returning from the Holy Land, the Table of the Last Supper, at which Christ sat with his twelve apostles, was round. Cf. L. H. Loomis' articles in PMLA, XLI (1926), 771-84; MLN, XLIV (1929), 511—19. At the Last Supper the Lord had rebuked his apostles when they quarreled among themselves as to which should be accounted the great- est. Luke 22:24—26. Hence arose the notion that Arthur's table owed its shape to rivalry over precedence and the notion, found in the Vulgate and the Huth Merlin, that it was patterned after the table of the Last Supper. Originating, then, in the Irish custom of seating twelve chief warriors about the royal couch, the concept of the Round Table was developed by the Bretons and later by French romancers under the influence of Christian tradition. On the Siege Perilous, cf. n. 178. From the thirteenth century through the fifteenth we have records of many jousts and feastings called Round Tables, held in Cyprus, England, Scotland, Wales, France, Spain, and Germany. Mediaeval Studies in Memory of A. K. Porter (Cambridge, Mass., 1939), I, 82-87. [L] 83. In the earliest stages of non-Welsh Arthurian tradition Gawain is indicated as the nonpareil of knights. When, in the first decade of the twelfth century, he appears sculptured under the name Galvaginus on the Modena archivolt, he is distinguished by the decoration on his shield and his position in the forefront of the attack. We find a Walwanus recorded as living near Padua in 1136, and there can be little doubt that the man had been named for Arthur's nephew at least fifteen years before. RR, XXXII (1941), 22— 31. In 1125 William of Malmesbury mentioned Walwen as “miles virtute nominatissimus." E. K. Chambers, Arthur of Britain (London, 1927), p. 250. Geoffrey of Monmouth assigned Walwanus or Gualguainus a promi- nent role in his Historia (c. 1136), and Wace (1155) added two laudatory passages. Brut, ed. I. Arnold, II, 1l. 9859-62, 12762-66. Chrétien, in the earliest of his extant romances, Erec (11. 1691f.), declared that of all the good knights of the Round Table Gauvain was the first. The clue to the origin of his name is found in the trisyllabic Galvagin, the earliest recorded form. For in the list of Arthur's warriors in Kilhwch we find a Gwrvan Gwallt-avwyn (Loth, I, 277). The name Gwrvan turns up, as F. Lot noted (R, XXIV [1895], 326), in Meraugis and Hunbaut as Gorvain, and progressively cor-
183 en Irlande (Paris, 1892), p. 83. Thurneysen, p. 450. It is noteworthy that in the Didot Perceval, ed. W. Roach (Philadelphia, 1941), pp. 142, 146, there were places for twelve peers at the Round Table, as well as a thirteenth seat which was occupied by Perceval. When this tradition reached the Bretons, who, according to Wace, told many tales about the Round Table, they were doubtless struck by the fact that, according to pictorial tradition and accord- ing to the testimony of pilgrims returning from the Holy Land, the Table of the Last Supper, at which Christ sat with his twelve apostles, was round. Cf. L. H. Loomis' articles in PMLA, XLI (1926), 771-84; MLN, XLIV (1929), 511—19. At the Last Supper the Lord had rebuked his apostles when they quarreled among themselves as to which should be accounted the great- est. Luke 22:24—26. Hence arose the notion that Arthur's table owed its shape to rivalry over precedence and the notion, found in the Vulgate and the Huth Merlin, that it was patterned after the table of the Last Supper. Originating, then, in the Irish custom of seating twelve chief warriors about the royal couch, the concept of the Round Table was developed by the Bretons and later by French romancers under the influence of Christian tradition. On the Siege Perilous, cf. n. 178. From the thirteenth century through the fifteenth we have records of many jousts and feastings called Round Tables, held in Cyprus, England, Scotland, Wales, France, Spain, and Germany. Mediaeval Studies in Memory of A. K. Porter (Cambridge, Mass., 1939), I, 82-87. [L] 83. In the earliest stages of non-Welsh Arthurian tradition Gawain is indicated as the nonpareil of knights. When, in the first decade of the twelfth century, he appears sculptured under the name Galvaginus on the Modena archivolt, he is distinguished by the decoration on his shield and his position in the forefront of the attack. We find a Walwanus recorded as living near Padua in 1136, and there can be little doubt that the man had been named for Arthur's nephew at least fifteen years before. RR, XXXII (1941), 22— 31. In 1125 William of Malmesbury mentioned Walwen as “miles virtute nominatissimus." E. K. Chambers, Arthur of Britain (London, 1927), p. 250. Geoffrey of Monmouth assigned Walwanus or Gualguainus a promi- nent role in his Historia (c. 1136), and Wace (1155) added two laudatory passages. Brut, ed. I. Arnold, II, 1l. 9859-62, 12762-66. Chrétien, in the earliest of his extant romances, Erec (11. 1691f.), declared that of all the good knights of the Round Table Gauvain was the first. The clue to the origin of his name is found in the trisyllabic Galvagin, the earliest recorded form. For in the list of Arthur's warriors in Kilhwch we find a Gwrvan Gwallt-avwyn (Loth, I, 277). The name Gwrvan turns up, as F. Lot noted (R, XXIV [1895], 326), in Meraugis and Hunbaut as Gorvain, and progressively cor-
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184 rupt forms (Gornain, Gosnayn, Gosenain, Osenain) occur in the Vulgate cycle (of. Sommer's Index of Names). Gwrvan's epithet, Gwallt-avwyn, would explain the trisyllabic Galvagin of the Modena sculpture. It means literally “hair-rein," but is in all probability a scribal error for Gwallt- advwyn (modern Welsh addfwyn), meaning “fair or bright hair." This suggests that there was a confusion between Gwrvan of the Bright Hair and Gwri of the Golden Hair (Gwallt-euryn) , the hero of the Four Branches of the Mabinogi, our earliest Welsh prose tales. Not only does Gwri appear in Kilhwch (Loth, I, 278) as one of Arthur's warriors, Gware Gwallt-euryn, but the story of his birth and youth as given in Pwyll (ibid., I, 106—16) re- veals a number of marked parallels to that of Gauvain's birth and youth. Loomis, p. 150. Gwri was therefore the Welsh prototype of Ulrich's Wal- wein, and the epithet Gwallt-advwyn was presumably the origin of the name. The Welsh, when they began to hear tales of Galvain from the Breton conteurs or as they read his name in French texts, failed to recognize the epithet, and substituted Gwalchmei, which occurs in Kilhwch, The Countess of the Fountain, Geraint, and Peredur. The conteurs seem to have employed as a favorite formula Gauvain's seeking a redoubtable youth and endeavoring by persuasion to bring him to Arthur's presence. It occurs in Erec (1l. 4076- 4211), in the Conte del Graal (Percevalroman, ed. Hilka, 11. 4413-4578), in Geraint (Loth, II, 171-73), in Peredur (ibid., II, 79-82), and the late Ystoria Trystan (Thomas, Romance of Tristram and Ysolt, trans. R. S. Loomis [New York, 1931 ] pp. xv-xviii). On this formula ef. Loomis, pp. 154f. Gauvain's search for Lancelot is found, not only in Ulrich's poem, but also in Chrétien's Charrette (11. 5187-5255) and in the Vulgate Lancelot (Sommer, III, 226f.). Harvard Studies and Notes, XVI (1934), 211, 215. [L] 84. Something like this passage is found in Chrétien's Charrette and in the Prose Lancelot and was therefore in Ulrich's original. Harvard Studies and Notes, XVI (1934), 210. Richter in DF, XXVII (1934), 49. In Wigalois, ed. F. Pfeiffer (Leipzig, 1847), ll. 2389ff., we are told that in the good old days before chivalry declined a maid could ride alone anywhere unmolested and undefamed ; but nowadays a woman can hardly put her head out of doors without scandal. The sarcastic Orguelleuse in Chrétien's Conte del Graal (ed. Hilka, 11. 6698-6712) tells Gauvain that she is not one of these foolish Welsh (or Briton) women (foles bretes) who allow themselves to be carried off on the horses of knights. Heinrich von dem Türlin says in Diu Crone (1l. 19403ff.) that in old times a maid might ride about for a whole year with her knight without prejudice to her honor ; and that if he offered her violence, good knights saw to it that he received condign punish-
184 rupt forms (Gornain, Gosnayn, Gosenain, Osenain) occur in the Vulgate cycle (of. Sommer's Index of Names). Gwrvan's epithet, Gwallt-avwyn, would explain the trisyllabic Galvagin of the Modena sculpture. It means literally “hair-rein," but is in all probability a scribal error for Gwallt- advwyn (modern Welsh addfwyn), meaning “fair or bright hair." This suggests that there was a confusion between Gwrvan of the Bright Hair and Gwri of the Golden Hair (Gwallt-euryn) , the hero of the Four Branches of the Mabinogi, our earliest Welsh prose tales. Not only does Gwri appear in Kilhwch (Loth, I, 278) as one of Arthur's warriors, Gware Gwallt-euryn, but the story of his birth and youth as given in Pwyll (ibid., I, 106—16) re- veals a number of marked parallels to that of Gauvain's birth and youth. Loomis, p. 150. Gwri was therefore the Welsh prototype of Ulrich's Wal- wein, and the epithet Gwallt-advwyn was presumably the origin of the name. The Welsh, when they began to hear tales of Galvain from the Breton conteurs or as they read his name in French texts, failed to recognize the epithet, and substituted Gwalchmei, which occurs in Kilhwch, The Countess of the Fountain, Geraint, and Peredur. The conteurs seem to have employed as a favorite formula Gauvain's seeking a redoubtable youth and endeavoring by persuasion to bring him to Arthur's presence. It occurs in Erec (1l. 4076- 4211), in the Conte del Graal (Percevalroman, ed. Hilka, 11. 4413-4578), in Geraint (Loth, II, 171-73), in Peredur (ibid., II, 79-82), and the late Ystoria Trystan (Thomas, Romance of Tristram and Ysolt, trans. R. S. Loomis [New York, 1931 ] pp. xv-xviii). On this formula ef. Loomis, pp. 154f. Gauvain's search for Lancelot is found, not only in Ulrich's poem, but also in Chrétien's Charrette (11. 5187-5255) and in the Vulgate Lancelot (Sommer, III, 226f.). Harvard Studies and Notes, XVI (1934), 211, 215. [L] 84. Something like this passage is found in Chrétien's Charrette and in the Prose Lancelot and was therefore in Ulrich's original. Harvard Studies and Notes, XVI (1934), 210. Richter in DF, XXVII (1934), 49. In Wigalois, ed. F. Pfeiffer (Leipzig, 1847), ll. 2389ff., we are told that in the good old days before chivalry declined a maid could ride alone anywhere unmolested and undefamed ; but nowadays a woman can hardly put her head out of doors without scandal. The sarcastic Orguelleuse in Chrétien's Conte del Graal (ed. Hilka, 11. 6698-6712) tells Gauvain that she is not one of these foolish Welsh (or Briton) women (foles bretes) who allow themselves to be carried off on the horses of knights. Heinrich von dem Türlin says in Diu Crone (1l. 19403ff.) that in old times a maid might ride about for a whole year with her knight without prejudice to her honor ; and that if he offered her violence, good knights saw to it that he received condign punish-
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[ 185 ment. (Cf. Crone, 1. 7870, for still another statement.) The etiquette of escorting damsels occurs at the opening of the Tavola Ritonda (ed. Polidori, Bologna, 1864, p. 2), combined with the Charrette motif. Cf. also Wigamur, 1. 1566. [W] The extraordinary number of damsels of gentle birth who are described in Arthurian romances as riding about alone and as accepting the companionship on their journeys of knights met casually on the road must have surprised literary men of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, for we may be sure that in real life ladies of high degree did not travel without a trusty escort nor take up with every stranger. Consequently, authors were obliged to explain or excuse these unconventional damsels. The true explana- tion is that they were originally fays. Cf. Andreas Capellanus, Art of Courtly Love, trans. J. J. Parry (New York, 1941), pp. 177f., 184; Didot Perceval, ed. W. Roach (Philadelphia, 1941), pp. 197f.; Milton, Paradise Regained, II, ll. 359-61. They had their prototypes in Irish and Welsh mythology ; e.g. Liban in the Sickbed of Cuchulainn (Thurneysen, pp. 419, 422 ; Cross and Slover, pp. 181f., 190f.), and Rhiannon in Pwyll (Loth, I, 92-98). It is the faery ancestry of the errant damsels and maiden guides of Arthurian romance which accounts for their unconventional behavior. [L] 85. Clearly Ulrich understood that Lanzelet and Ade were unmarried, and in earlier versions of the story there was probably no doubt that they were man and mistress, with as little attention paid to Christian morality as in the mythological tradition of the Irish. Cross and Slover, pp. 165-67, 193, 270, 493, 546f., 595. MP, XLIII (1945), 67f. The Breton lais of amours between fays and mortals and the extraordinary number of illicit affairs attributed to Gawain also represent this mythological heritage. [L] 86. This appeal for silence is an interesting indication that Ulrich expected his poem to be read aloud. [L] 87. I assume that the iron shoe on the butt of the lance was sharp enough to pierce the soil. Cf. n. 31. [W] 88. This coif was a mail head-covering, worn under the helmet and at- tached to the hauberk. Cf. Schultz, II, 50f. [W] 89. In the Prose Lancelot Gauvain frequently says, “My name I never concealed ; I am Gauvain, the nephew of Arthur." RS, V (1880), 695. [W] 90. King Lot (or Loth) is one of the dim old figures of Arthurian romance. In Geoffrey of Monmouth he is husband of Arthur's sister Anna and father of Gawain. Arthur presents him with the kingdom of Lodonesia, i.e. Lothian, which then comprised the region between the Firth of Forth and the River Tweed. In the Vulgate Merlin and the Huth Merlin, how- ever, Lot appears in the role of a rebel against Arthur, and in the former (Sommer, II, 315) he attempts to carry off Guinevere. Joseph Loth identi-
[ 185 ment. (Cf. Crone, 1. 7870, for still another statement.) The etiquette of escorting damsels occurs at the opening of the Tavola Ritonda (ed. Polidori, Bologna, 1864, p. 2), combined with the Charrette motif. Cf. also Wigamur, 1. 1566. [W] The extraordinary number of damsels of gentle birth who are described in Arthurian romances as riding about alone and as accepting the companionship on their journeys of knights met casually on the road must have surprised literary men of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, for we may be sure that in real life ladies of high degree did not travel without a trusty escort nor take up with every stranger. Consequently, authors were obliged to explain or excuse these unconventional damsels. The true explana- tion is that they were originally fays. Cf. Andreas Capellanus, Art of Courtly Love, trans. J. J. Parry (New York, 1941), pp. 177f., 184; Didot Perceval, ed. W. Roach (Philadelphia, 1941), pp. 197f.; Milton, Paradise Regained, II, ll. 359-61. They had their prototypes in Irish and Welsh mythology ; e.g. Liban in the Sickbed of Cuchulainn (Thurneysen, pp. 419, 422 ; Cross and Slover, pp. 181f., 190f.), and Rhiannon in Pwyll (Loth, I, 92-98). It is the faery ancestry of the errant damsels and maiden guides of Arthurian romance which accounts for their unconventional behavior. [L] 85. Clearly Ulrich understood that Lanzelet and Ade were unmarried, and in earlier versions of the story there was probably no doubt that they were man and mistress, with as little attention paid to Christian morality as in the mythological tradition of the Irish. Cross and Slover, pp. 165-67, 193, 270, 493, 546f., 595. MP, XLIII (1945), 67f. The Breton lais of amours between fays and mortals and the extraordinary number of illicit affairs attributed to Gawain also represent this mythological heritage. [L] 86. This appeal for silence is an interesting indication that Ulrich expected his poem to be read aloud. [L] 87. I assume that the iron shoe on the butt of the lance was sharp enough to pierce the soil. Cf. n. 31. [W] 88. This coif was a mail head-covering, worn under the helmet and at- tached to the hauberk. Cf. Schultz, II, 50f. [W] 89. In the Prose Lancelot Gauvain frequently says, “My name I never concealed ; I am Gauvain, the nephew of Arthur." RS, V (1880), 695. [W] 90. King Lot (or Loth) is one of the dim old figures of Arthurian romance. In Geoffrey of Monmouth he is husband of Arthur's sister Anna and father of Gawain. Arthur presents him with the kingdom of Lodonesia, i.e. Lothian, which then comprised the region between the Firth of Forth and the River Tweed. In the Vulgate Merlin and the Huth Merlin, how- ever, Lot appears in the role of a rebel against Arthur, and in the former (Sommer, II, 315) he attempts to carry off Guinevere. Joseph Loth identi-
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[ 186) fied Lot with a certain Lloch or Llwch Llawwynyawe, one of Arthur's war- riors in Kilhwch. Cf. Loth, I, 264, n. 3 ; RC, XVI, 84ff. The form Lohenis (found in MS P) represents Wace's Loeneis (Brut, ed. I. Arnold, I, 1. 8822), the Anglo-Norman name for Lothian. [W] Llwch or Lluch appears as a warrior of Arthur's, not only in Kilhwch, but also in two earlier Welsh poems, The Spoils of Annwn and a fragment in the Black Book of Carmar- then. Cf. Malory, Morte d'Arthur, Everyman's Library, I, ix, xxiii ; PMLA, LVI ( 1941), 890, 914—16. There is much evidence to confirm the derivation of Lot from Lloch or Llwch, who was also the prototype of Lanzelet. Loomis, pp. 187�90. Lot's connection with Lothian may be due to Geoffrey's passion for providing geographical names with eponyms. [L] 91. Gurnemans bears the same name as that of the hospitable Gornemans, who trains Perceval in horsemanship and arms, according to Chrétien's Conte del Graal. Cf. Hilka's Percevalroman (Halle, 1932), l. 1548, and note. An Anglo-Norman romance, such as O, would naturally give the form Gurne- mans. [L] 92. This raises the question whether these great personages who “under- wrote" tourneys exchanged legal and valuable pledges in order to insure themselves against financial and other loss from so expensive an undertaking. The “romantic" and "chivalrous" Middle Ages were not so unbusinesslike as we are prone to think. [W] 93. Dyoflê is not mentioned elsewhere in Arthurian romance. In view of the several places in Lanzelet which can be localized in the Snowdon region, as has been shown in the Introduction, it is not irrelevant to recall that there was an earthwork called Dinlleu (important enough to be mentioned in the mabinogi of Math and, as Dinlle, in Baedeker), which lies on the coast at the base of Snowdon about five miles south of Carnarvon. See C. Guest's translation of Mabinogion, notes to "Math the Son of Mathonwy." More- over, Gruffydd has shown in Math Vab Mathonwy (Cardiff, 1928) that the region around Dinlleu abounded in legends of Lleu, and that some of these were derived from Irish legends of Lug, the prototype of Lanzelet. One has only to change the letter o in Dyoflê to n to get Dynflê, and the result would sound very like Welsh Dinlle ; for fl is about as close as a foreign tongue can get to Welsh ll; e.g. Floyd instead of Llwyd, Shakespeare's Fluellen instead of Llewelyn. The origin of Dyoflê seems settled by the fact that a variant name of Dinlleu was Caer Leu (cf. Gruffydd, op. cit., p. 56), and according to the Bliocadran Prologue to Chrétien's Conte del Graal (Percevalroman, ed. Hilka, p. 450) Perceval's mother, queen of North Wales, after the death of her husband visited a castle on the sea of Wales called Calflé or Caflé. This seems to be as clearly a scribal corruption of
[ 186) fied Lot with a certain Lloch or Llwch Llawwynyawe, one of Arthur's war- riors in Kilhwch. Cf. Loth, I, 264, n. 3 ; RC, XVI, 84ff. The form Lohenis (found in MS P) represents Wace's Loeneis (Brut, ed. I. Arnold, I, 1. 8822), the Anglo-Norman name for Lothian. [W] Llwch or Lluch appears as a warrior of Arthur's, not only in Kilhwch, but also in two earlier Welsh poems, The Spoils of Annwn and a fragment in the Black Book of Carmar- then. Cf. Malory, Morte d'Arthur, Everyman's Library, I, ix, xxiii ; PMLA, LVI ( 1941), 890, 914—16. There is much evidence to confirm the derivation of Lot from Lloch or Llwch, who was also the prototype of Lanzelet. Loomis, pp. 187�90. Lot's connection with Lothian may be due to Geoffrey's passion for providing geographical names with eponyms. [L] 91. Gurnemans bears the same name as that of the hospitable Gornemans, who trains Perceval in horsemanship and arms, according to Chrétien's Conte del Graal. Cf. Hilka's Percevalroman (Halle, 1932), l. 1548, and note. An Anglo-Norman romance, such as O, would naturally give the form Gurne- mans. [L] 92. This raises the question whether these great personages who “under- wrote" tourneys exchanged legal and valuable pledges in order to insure themselves against financial and other loss from so expensive an undertaking. The “romantic" and "chivalrous" Middle Ages were not so unbusinesslike as we are prone to think. [W] 93. Dyoflê is not mentioned elsewhere in Arthurian romance. In view of the several places in Lanzelet which can be localized in the Snowdon region, as has been shown in the Introduction, it is not irrelevant to recall that there was an earthwork called Dinlleu (important enough to be mentioned in the mabinogi of Math and, as Dinlle, in Baedeker), which lies on the coast at the base of Snowdon about five miles south of Carnarvon. See C. Guest's translation of Mabinogion, notes to "Math the Son of Mathonwy." More- over, Gruffydd has shown in Math Vab Mathonwy (Cardiff, 1928) that the region around Dinlleu abounded in legends of Lleu, and that some of these were derived from Irish legends of Lug, the prototype of Lanzelet. One has only to change the letter o in Dyoflê to n to get Dynflê, and the result would sound very like Welsh Dinlle ; for fl is about as close as a foreign tongue can get to Welsh ll; e.g. Floyd instead of Llwyd, Shakespeare's Fluellen instead of Llewelyn. The origin of Dyoflê seems settled by the fact that a variant name of Dinlleu was Caer Leu (cf. Gruffydd, op. cit., p. 56), and according to the Bliocadran Prologue to Chrétien's Conte del Graal (Percevalroman, ed. Hilka, p. 450) Perceval's mother, queen of North Wales, after the death of her husband visited a castle on the sea of Wales called Calflé or Caflé. This seems to be as clearly a scribal corruption of
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[ 187 Carflé as Dyoflê is a corruption of Dynflê; and Carflé and Dynflê would represent respectively Caer Leu and Dinlleu, two names of the same coastal fort. [L] 94. Some of these amusements are described in Schultz, I, 533-63. Cf. also the sports in the fields after Arthur's coronation in Wace's Brut, ed. I. Arnold (Paris, 1938—46), I1, ll. 10521-88. [L] 95. Tybalt, a name of Germanic origin, was common in France and had already appeared as Tiebaut or Tibalt in Chrétien's Conte del Graal, 1. 4835 etc., as that of a lord of Tintaguel. [L] 96. Buroin is a name unrecorded elsewhere and for which I can offer no explanation. As for the White Lake, it may possibly have some connection with Llyn Gwynant, Lake of the White Valley, which lies at the base of Snowdon to the southeast. The duchess of the White Lake is mentioned at ll. 5079, 5375. [L] 97. Reasonably authentic accounts of tourneys as they were in Ulrich's time can be found in the poetic biography of William Marshal, earl of Pem- broke, mentor to the gay "Young King," Henry II's eldest son. This poem was edited by P. Meyer under the title L'Histoire de Guillaume le Maréchal (Paris, 1891). See especially Meyer's comment in Vol. III, pp. xxvf., and S. Painter, William Marshal (Baltimore, 1933), ch. 3, on William's prowess. A few decades later, in Upper Austria, a much less formidable person than William, the sentimental, thick-skinned poet Ulrich von Lichtenstein, gave a detailed picture of his career as a jouster in his Frauendienst, ed. R. Bechstein (Leipzig, 1888). A brief article of mine on twelfth-century tourneys, based on half a dozen early romances, is in Kittredge Anniversary Papers (Boston, 1913), pp. 327-34. Cf. also Schultz, II, 106-50; J. J. Jusserand, Les Sports et les jeux d'exercice dans l'ancienne France (Paris, 1901), and bibliography in n. 34. For this rough game as it was played in the twelfth century there were no rules beyond the most elementary. For example, one must not take advantage of the excellent chance it offered to contrive the as- sassination of one's enemies. Indeed, the first mention of tourneys in England —in one of William the Conqueror's Consuetudines—bars this convenient form of vengeance (C. H. Haskins in English Historical Review, July, 1908, p. 503) ; and the use of missile weapons and daggers was prohibited. The field of play was a level plain, but flight and pursuit sometimes ranged over great tracts of land among mills and villages, though there was for each side some recognized zone of safety. Ordinary armor and sharp weapons were used, but there is some difference of opinion about this. In Ulrich von Lichtenstein's Frauendienst (1255) the weapons are almost always blunt. There was noth- ing to prevent any number from attacking one man even if he was wounded
[ 187 Carflé as Dyoflê is a corruption of Dynflê; and Carflé and Dynflê would represent respectively Caer Leu and Dinlleu, two names of the same coastal fort. [L] 94. Some of these amusements are described in Schultz, I, 533-63. Cf. also the sports in the fields after Arthur's coronation in Wace's Brut, ed. I. Arnold (Paris, 1938—46), I1, ll. 10521-88. [L] 95. Tybalt, a name of Germanic origin, was common in France and had already appeared as Tiebaut or Tibalt in Chrétien's Conte del Graal, 1. 4835 etc., as that of a lord of Tintaguel. [L] 96. Buroin is a name unrecorded elsewhere and for which I can offer no explanation. As for the White Lake, it may possibly have some connection with Llyn Gwynant, Lake of the White Valley, which lies at the base of Snowdon to the southeast. The duchess of the White Lake is mentioned at ll. 5079, 5375. [L] 97. Reasonably authentic accounts of tourneys as they were in Ulrich's time can be found in the poetic biography of William Marshal, earl of Pem- broke, mentor to the gay "Young King," Henry II's eldest son. This poem was edited by P. Meyer under the title L'Histoire de Guillaume le Maréchal (Paris, 1891). See especially Meyer's comment in Vol. III, pp. xxvf., and S. Painter, William Marshal (Baltimore, 1933), ch. 3, on William's prowess. A few decades later, in Upper Austria, a much less formidable person than William, the sentimental, thick-skinned poet Ulrich von Lichtenstein, gave a detailed picture of his career as a jouster in his Frauendienst, ed. R. Bechstein (Leipzig, 1888). A brief article of mine on twelfth-century tourneys, based on half a dozen early romances, is in Kittredge Anniversary Papers (Boston, 1913), pp. 327-34. Cf. also Schultz, II, 106-50; J. J. Jusserand, Les Sports et les jeux d'exercice dans l'ancienne France (Paris, 1901), and bibliography in n. 34. For this rough game as it was played in the twelfth century there were no rules beyond the most elementary. For example, one must not take advantage of the excellent chance it offered to contrive the as- sassination of one's enemies. Indeed, the first mention of tourneys in England —in one of William the Conqueror's Consuetudines—bars this convenient form of vengeance (C. H. Haskins in English Historical Review, July, 1908, p. 503) ; and the use of missile weapons and daggers was prohibited. The field of play was a level plain, but flight and pursuit sometimes ranged over great tracts of land among mills and villages, though there was for each side some recognized zone of safety. Ordinary armor and sharp weapons were used, but there is some difference of opinion about this. In Ulrich von Lichtenstein's Frauendienst (1255) the weapons are almost always blunt. There was noth- ing to prevent any number from attacking one man even if he was wounded
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188 or afoot. Of course, maimings and killings were common ; but dead men and horses fetched no ransom, and one of the chief beauties of the tourney was the opportunity it provided poor young athletes of making money by the cap- ture of valuable prisoners with their armor and mounts, all of which had to be ransomed. That is plain enough in our Dyoflê tourney. Of course, regula- tion, pageantry, and sophistication came along soon ; but what we moderns are inclined to call barbaric and gross unfairness can still be found in the gorgeous tournament which Chaucer, who had himself put up lists for jousts as Rich— ard II's master of the works, described in his courtly Knight’s Tale in the late fourteenth century. [W] On the common Arthurian motif of a tourna- ment, lasting usually three days, in which a hero displays his prowess in- cognito, of. above n. 60, and J. L. Weston, Three Days' Tournament (Lon- don, 1902) ; L. A. Hibbard, Mediaeval Romance in England (New York, 1924), Index sub “Tournament" ; Viscount Dillon and W. H. St. John Hope, Pageant of the Life, Birth and Death of Richard Beauchamp (London, 1914), pp. 52-61. [L] 98. M.H.G. kramschilt is a trade shield, ready made, undecorated, just painted. Cf. Seyler, p. 100, where the huge cost of a first-class decorated shield is mentioned. [W 99. The name is written Kay or Key in MS P, as Keiin in MS W. This figure appears in some of the earliest Welsh Arthurian literature. In a poem in the Black Book of Carmarthen, Kei as a warrior of Arthur's is credited with great exploits in battle and as a slayer of witches. Malory, Morte d'Arthur, Everyman's Library, I, xixf. In Kilhwch he is also a great warrior, with strange properties of extending himself to the height of the tallest tree and of radiating heat ; but he begrudges the youthful hero Kilhwch entrance into Arthur's hall. Loth, I, 256f., 286. Jones, pp. 99, 107. In Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Kaius is still one of the mightiest of Arthur's knights, but the French romancers, beginning with Chrétien, generally assign him the ignominious role of a quarrelsome braggart, who, as here, serves as a foil to the hero. Cf. Loomis, pp. 154f., 202�04, 274f., 357f. [L] 100. Hahn, following MS W, has Iwan de Nonel, but MS P has de Lonel. The correct reading is established by Chrétien (Erec, l. 1707), who gives Yvain de Loenel, and Hartmann (Erek, l. 1643), who gives Ywan von Lonel. Iwan de Lonel, then, is one of those names which Ulrich took from Hartmann, not, as Singer proposed, from Wolfram's Parzival. The original of Iwan is undoubtedly the historic British prince Owain, son of Urien, who fought against the Angles in the latter part of the sixth century, was cele- brated in early Welsh poetry, and was attracted into the Arthurian cycle of stories. Loth, II, 1n.; I. Williams, Lectures on Early Welsh Poetry (Dub-
188 or afoot. Of course, maimings and killings were common ; but dead men and horses fetched no ransom, and one of the chief beauties of the tourney was the opportunity it provided poor young athletes of making money by the cap- ture of valuable prisoners with their armor and mounts, all of which had to be ransomed. That is plain enough in our Dyoflê tourney. Of course, regula- tion, pageantry, and sophistication came along soon ; but what we moderns are inclined to call barbaric and gross unfairness can still be found in the gorgeous tournament which Chaucer, who had himself put up lists for jousts as Rich— ard II's master of the works, described in his courtly Knight’s Tale in the late fourteenth century. [W] On the common Arthurian motif of a tourna- ment, lasting usually three days, in which a hero displays his prowess in- cognito, of. above n. 60, and J. L. Weston, Three Days' Tournament (Lon- don, 1902) ; L. A. Hibbard, Mediaeval Romance in England (New York, 1924), Index sub “Tournament" ; Viscount Dillon and W. H. St. John Hope, Pageant of the Life, Birth and Death of Richard Beauchamp (London, 1914), pp. 52-61. [L] 98. M.H.G. kramschilt is a trade shield, ready made, undecorated, just painted. Cf. Seyler, p. 100, where the huge cost of a first-class decorated shield is mentioned. [W 99. The name is written Kay or Key in MS P, as Keiin in MS W. This figure appears in some of the earliest Welsh Arthurian literature. In a poem in the Black Book of Carmarthen, Kei as a warrior of Arthur's is credited with great exploits in battle and as a slayer of witches. Malory, Morte d'Arthur, Everyman's Library, I, xixf. In Kilhwch he is also a great warrior, with strange properties of extending himself to the height of the tallest tree and of radiating heat ; but he begrudges the youthful hero Kilhwch entrance into Arthur's hall. Loth, I, 256f., 286. Jones, pp. 99, 107. In Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Kaius is still one of the mightiest of Arthur's knights, but the French romancers, beginning with Chrétien, generally assign him the ignominious role of a quarrelsome braggart, who, as here, serves as a foil to the hero. Cf. Loomis, pp. 154f., 202�04, 274f., 357f. [L] 100. Hahn, following MS W, has Iwan de Nonel, but MS P has de Lonel. The correct reading is established by Chrétien (Erec, l. 1707), who gives Yvain de Loenel, and Hartmann (Erek, l. 1643), who gives Ywan von Lonel. Iwan de Lonel, then, is one of those names which Ulrich took from Hartmann, not, as Singer proposed, from Wolfram's Parzival. The original of Iwan is undoubtedly the historic British prince Owain, son of Urien, who fought against the Angles in the latter part of the sixth century, was cele- brated in early Welsh poetry, and was attracted into the Arthurian cycle of stories. Loth, II, 1n.; I. Williams, Lectures on Early Welsh Poetry (Dub-
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[ 189 lin, 1944), pp. 50, 63-65. Geoffrey of Monmouth mentions him as "Iwenus filius Uriani, . . . qui postea [after Arthur's time] in decertationibus istis multis probitatibus preclaruit." Historia, ed. Griscom (New York, 1929), p. 498. Gaimar, about 1150, says that Iwain was made king of Mureif (Moray in northeastern Scotland) and Loeneis (Lothian, the region between the Firth of Forth and the River Tweed). MP, XXXVIII (1941), 285f. It seems fairly clear that Chrétien's Yvain de Loenel and Ulrich's Iwan de Lonel represent successive distortions of Yvain de Loeneis. The connection with Lothian recalls the historic fact that Yvain's father Urien was a king of Rheged, which scholars are inclined to place in Cumberland or Galloway, and that he besieged the Angles in the island of Lindisfarne. Though Chré- tien, in Erec, 11. 1706f., distinguishes Yvain son of Urien from Yvain de Loenel and "Yvains li avoutre (bastard)," all three were originally the same historic personage. Loomis, chap. XLV. Yvain son of Urien is the hero of one of Chrétien's poems and of the cognate Welsh tale, The Countess (or Lady) of the Fountain. [L] 101. Who this margrave was and where the island was situated seems im- possible to tell. [L] 102. The lezze is the recognized neutral ground, safe retreat, formation place of his side. See Guillaume le Maréchal, ed. P. Meyer, III, 21, n. 2; Webster in Kittredge Anniversary Papers, p. 230, notes 2, 6. [W] 103. Walwein must not seem to have been shirking : his honor must always be preserved, as Hahn remarks in his note on l. 3014. [W ] 104. Apropos of Sir Maurin of the nimble shanks, "mit den liehten schen- keln," Geoffrey of Monmouth (ed. A. Griscom, p. 453) mentions a Mauron Wigornensis (of Worcester) ; Wace (ed. I. Arnold, II, l. 10258) mentions Mauron, "cuens de Guirecestre" (some manuscripts read “Wincestre") ; Layamon (ed. F. Madden, 1l. 20238, 24336) represents Maurin of Win- chester as a kinsman of Arthur. Since Layamon presumably found the form Maurin in his manuscript of Wace, and since Ulrich has one other name ap- parently derived from Wace, viz. Gilimar (cf. n. 201), it seems probable that both names are arbitrary borrowings by the author of O from Wace's Brut. Wolfram von Eschenbach seems to have selected the name at random from Ulrich's poem and introduced it in Parzival, § 662, l. 19, just as he took over Ibert and Iblis and introduced them in § 656, 11. 26f. On the latter names ef. notes 19 and 128. It may not be irrelevant to observe (though of course no direct influence is possible) that in Kilhwch there is listed among Arthur's warriors Sgilti Ysgawndroet, i.e. “of the light foot." Loth, I, 270. Jones, p. 102. Loomis, p. 337. [L] 105. The name Ritschart is, of course, not Arthurian, and nothing is to be
[ 189 lin, 1944), pp. 50, 63-65. Geoffrey of Monmouth mentions him as "Iwenus filius Uriani, . . . qui postea [after Arthur's time] in decertationibus istis multis probitatibus preclaruit." Historia, ed. Griscom (New York, 1929), p. 498. Gaimar, about 1150, says that Iwain was made king of Mureif (Moray in northeastern Scotland) and Loeneis (Lothian, the region between the Firth of Forth and the River Tweed). MP, XXXVIII (1941), 285f. It seems fairly clear that Chrétien's Yvain de Loenel and Ulrich's Iwan de Lonel represent successive distortions of Yvain de Loeneis. The connection with Lothian recalls the historic fact that Yvain's father Urien was a king of Rheged, which scholars are inclined to place in Cumberland or Galloway, and that he besieged the Angles in the island of Lindisfarne. Though Chré- tien, in Erec, 11. 1706f., distinguishes Yvain son of Urien from Yvain de Loenel and "Yvains li avoutre (bastard)," all three were originally the same historic personage. Loomis, chap. XLV. Yvain son of Urien is the hero of one of Chrétien's poems and of the cognate Welsh tale, The Countess (or Lady) of the Fountain. [L] 101. Who this margrave was and where the island was situated seems im- possible to tell. [L] 102. The lezze is the recognized neutral ground, safe retreat, formation place of his side. See Guillaume le Maréchal, ed. P. Meyer, III, 21, n. 2; Webster in Kittredge Anniversary Papers, p. 230, notes 2, 6. [W] 103. Walwein must not seem to have been shirking : his honor must always be preserved, as Hahn remarks in his note on l. 3014. [W ] 104. Apropos of Sir Maurin of the nimble shanks, "mit den liehten schen- keln," Geoffrey of Monmouth (ed. A. Griscom, p. 453) mentions a Mauron Wigornensis (of Worcester) ; Wace (ed. I. Arnold, II, l. 10258) mentions Mauron, "cuens de Guirecestre" (some manuscripts read “Wincestre") ; Layamon (ed. F. Madden, 1l. 20238, 24336) represents Maurin of Win- chester as a kinsman of Arthur. Since Layamon presumably found the form Maurin in his manuscript of Wace, and since Ulrich has one other name ap- parently derived from Wace, viz. Gilimar (cf. n. 201), it seems probable that both names are arbitrary borrowings by the author of O from Wace's Brut. Wolfram von Eschenbach seems to have selected the name at random from Ulrich's poem and introduced it in Parzival, § 662, l. 19, just as he took over Ibert and Iblis and introduced them in § 656, 11. 26f. On the latter names ef. notes 19 and 128. It may not be irrelevant to observe (though of course no direct influence is possible) that in Kilhwch there is listed among Arthur's warriors Sgilti Ysgawndroet, i.e. “of the light foot." Loth, I, 270. Jones, p. 102. Loomis, p. 337. [L] 105. The name Ritschart is, of course, not Arthurian, and nothing is to be
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190 made of Tumane, or according to the MSS Tumange. But, since Ritschart enjoys the fealty of a hundred knights, he corresponds to “le roi des cent chevaliers," who appears in the Vulgate cycle and is there called Aguigniez, Aguysans, Malaguin, etc. Cf. Sommer, Index, p. 21. From this source the figure was taken into Malory's book (cf. Works, ed. E. Vinaver [Oxford, 19471, II, 1663, sub "Barraunte"), the Prose Tristan, the Tristano Ric- cardiano, and the English Prose Merlin. The authors of O and of the Prose Lancelot must have found this Count or King of the Hundred Knights in their common source, since both assign him a prominent part in the tourna- ment in which Lanzelet-Lancelot assumes differently colored arms. Cf. above n. 60 and Loomis, chap. XLII. [L] 106. The French name from which both Karyet and Malory's Gareth derive was Garies, Gaheries, etc., with an oblique case Gariet, Gaheriet, etc. The French name in turn was inherited from a Welsh warrior of Arthur's, Gweir, listed in Kilhwch, for he was a son of Llwch as Gareth was a son of Lot. Cf. above n. 80, and Loomis, pp. 71-75. [L] 107. In all probability Walest is a corruption of an Anglo-Norman form, Wales, which occurs in Marie de France's Chievrefoil, l. 105. It is of course modern English Wales. [L] 108. In Arthurian romance Lancelot shows a strong predilection for appearing incognito at a tournament in red arms. This presumably had a traditional origin and may go back to Irish sources, for according to a gloss in the Second Battle of Moytura a red color used to be on Lug, the Irish proto- type of Lancelot, from sunset to morning. Loomis, p. 192. For Lancelot's connection with Lug, of. Introduction. [L] 109. It has not been sufficiently noticed how prominent the motive of gain was in that cruel and mercenary age. That Ritschart of Tumane's band is largely bent on gain is plain from our narrative; so is Lancelot's unusual generosity in not getting full value for his captives. Kay gloats over his prospective booty, and the squires make a profit from what their masters re- nounce to them. Even the judicious Niedner, in Das deutsche Turnier im XII. und XIII. Jahrhundert (Berlin, 1881), p. 20, probably overestimates the magnanimity or trustfulness of these early jousters ; and less critical writ- ers on chivalry, e.g. Charles Mill in the History of Chivalry (London, 1825), I, 136, are quite unrealistic about it. The stock example of the young man of fashion supporting himself by tourneying is the well known William Mar- shal, earl of Pembroke. In the 1170s he and another young bruiser went into partnership and made a fine income from the ransoms of the scores of knights whom they captured in tourneys. The business of such ransoms is still obscure,
190 made of Tumane, or according to the MSS Tumange. But, since Ritschart enjoys the fealty of a hundred knights, he corresponds to “le roi des cent chevaliers," who appears in the Vulgate cycle and is there called Aguigniez, Aguysans, Malaguin, etc. Cf. Sommer, Index, p. 21. From this source the figure was taken into Malory's book (cf. Works, ed. E. Vinaver [Oxford, 19471, II, 1663, sub "Barraunte"), the Prose Tristan, the Tristano Ric- cardiano, and the English Prose Merlin. The authors of O and of the Prose Lancelot must have found this Count or King of the Hundred Knights in their common source, since both assign him a prominent part in the tourna- ment in which Lanzelet-Lancelot assumes differently colored arms. Cf. above n. 60 and Loomis, chap. XLII. [L] 106. The French name from which both Karyet and Malory's Gareth derive was Garies, Gaheries, etc., with an oblique case Gariet, Gaheriet, etc. The French name in turn was inherited from a Welsh warrior of Arthur's, Gweir, listed in Kilhwch, for he was a son of Llwch as Gareth was a son of Lot. Cf. above n. 80, and Loomis, pp. 71-75. [L] 107. In all probability Walest is a corruption of an Anglo-Norman form, Wales, which occurs in Marie de France's Chievrefoil, l. 105. It is of course modern English Wales. [L] 108. In Arthurian romance Lancelot shows a strong predilection for appearing incognito at a tournament in red arms. This presumably had a traditional origin and may go back to Irish sources, for according to a gloss in the Second Battle of Moytura a red color used to be on Lug, the Irish proto- type of Lancelot, from sunset to morning. Loomis, p. 192. For Lancelot's connection with Lug, of. Introduction. [L] 109. It has not been sufficiently noticed how prominent the motive of gain was in that cruel and mercenary age. That Ritschart of Tumane's band is largely bent on gain is plain from our narrative; so is Lancelot's unusual generosity in not getting full value for his captives. Kay gloats over his prospective booty, and the squires make a profit from what their masters re- nounce to them. Even the judicious Niedner, in Das deutsche Turnier im XII. und XIII. Jahrhundert (Berlin, 1881), p. 20, probably overestimates the magnanimity or trustfulness of these early jousters ; and less critical writ- ers on chivalry, e.g. Charles Mill in the History of Chivalry (London, 1825), I, 136, are quite unrealistic about it. The stock example of the young man of fashion supporting himself by tourneying is the well known William Mar- shal, earl of Pembroke. In the 1170s he and another young bruiser went into partnership and made a fine income from the ransoms of the scores of knights whom they captured in tourneys. The business of such ransoms is still obscure,
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[191 though much is known about the ransom of prisoners of war. See, for ex- ample, the Vicomte Georges d'Avenel, Histoire de la fortune française (Paris, 1927), pp. 62f. Probably, in order not to spoil the game, some fairly reasonable sum was customary, perhaps a year's income. Cf. Sainte Palaye's Mémoires sur l'ancienne chevalerie (Paris, 1826), I, 363, and n. 40; and Kittredge Anniversary Papers, p. 234. At any rate, a tourneyer once captured could not fight again till he had made absolutely satisfactory arrangements about his ransom, as may be seen from many passages in Guillaume le Maré- chal, in Ulrich von Lichtenstein's Frauendienst, and in Cligès, 1l. 4792, 4799, 4802, 4819, 4996, etc. At important tourneys there must have been money- lenders—Jews, Lombards, and Cahorsins—on hand, who were able, in the light of guttering candles and torches in the tents, to negotiate pledges and write promissory notes and mortgages with great dispatch. Cf. Ulrich von Lichtenstein, Frauendienst, § 311. For ransom in later periods see R. L. Kil- gour, The Decline of Chivalry as Shown in the French Literature of the Late Middle Ages (Cambridge, Mass., 1937), passim. [W] 110. Rumor (Melde) is probably personified, since we find the expression vrouwe Melde" in Hartmann's Erek, l. 2516. [L] 111. Hahn's text (1l. 344of.) reads : "Durch hübschen ritens alle dar Als zeiner juncvrouwen." Webster translated the second line, “as if to a Virgin," i.e. an image of the Virgin Mary. But the context makes this improbable. [L] 112. The name Pluris suggests that of "le chastel des Pleurs" in the Prose Tristan, but there is no likeness between the adventures at the two castles. [L] 113. Hahn changed want of both MSS to hant, "smooth as a hand." [W 114. Hahn prints: "das was geheizen Derkâl." But the MSS separate the words Der and kal or chal. [W] Kal is a recognized M.H.G. form of the feminine noun Qual, "torment." If this water which encircled Schatel le Mort was called in Ulrich's source “the Water of Torment," the concept has probably been influenced by the Christian vision literature which often describes a river of hell. A similar influence appears in Chrétien's description of the water (eve) which rushes past the castle of Baudemaguz, king of the land whence no man returns: “Si leide et si espoentable Con se fust li fluns au deable." Charrette, ll. 3025f. Almost the same words are used in Paien de Maisieres's Mule sans frein (11. 391-400) of the river encircling a magic turning castle: “Et si vos di sanz nule fable Que ce est li fluns au deable." On these rivers of. H. R. Patch, The Other World (Cambridge, Mass., 1950), pp. 80-130, 302-5. [L] 115. This castle painted on the exterior probably owes more to imagination
[191 though much is known about the ransom of prisoners of war. See, for ex- ample, the Vicomte Georges d'Avenel, Histoire de la fortune française (Paris, 1927), pp. 62f. Probably, in order not to spoil the game, some fairly reasonable sum was customary, perhaps a year's income. Cf. Sainte Palaye's Mémoires sur l'ancienne chevalerie (Paris, 1826), I, 363, and n. 40; and Kittredge Anniversary Papers, p. 234. At any rate, a tourneyer once captured could not fight again till he had made absolutely satisfactory arrangements about his ransom, as may be seen from many passages in Guillaume le Maré- chal, in Ulrich von Lichtenstein's Frauendienst, and in Cligès, 1l. 4792, 4799, 4802, 4819, 4996, etc. At important tourneys there must have been money- lenders—Jews, Lombards, and Cahorsins—on hand, who were able, in the light of guttering candles and torches in the tents, to negotiate pledges and write promissory notes and mortgages with great dispatch. Cf. Ulrich von Lichtenstein, Frauendienst, § 311. For ransom in later periods see R. L. Kil- gour, The Decline of Chivalry as Shown in the French Literature of the Late Middle Ages (Cambridge, Mass., 1937), passim. [W] 110. Rumor (Melde) is probably personified, since we find the expression vrouwe Melde" in Hartmann's Erek, l. 2516. [L] 111. Hahn's text (1l. 344of.) reads : "Durch hübschen ritens alle dar Als zeiner juncvrouwen." Webster translated the second line, “as if to a Virgin," i.e. an image of the Virgin Mary. But the context makes this improbable. [L] 112. The name Pluris suggests that of "le chastel des Pleurs" in the Prose Tristan, but there is no likeness between the adventures at the two castles. [L] 113. Hahn changed want of both MSS to hant, "smooth as a hand." [W 114. Hahn prints: "das was geheizen Derkâl." But the MSS separate the words Der and kal or chal. [W] Kal is a recognized M.H.G. form of the feminine noun Qual, "torment." If this water which encircled Schatel le Mort was called in Ulrich's source “the Water of Torment," the concept has probably been influenced by the Christian vision literature which often describes a river of hell. A similar influence appears in Chrétien's description of the water (eve) which rushes past the castle of Baudemaguz, king of the land whence no man returns: “Si leide et si espoentable Con se fust li fluns au deable." Charrette, ll. 3025f. Almost the same words are used in Paien de Maisieres's Mule sans frein (11. 391-400) of the river encircling a magic turning castle: “Et si vos di sanz nule fable Que ce est li fluns au deable." On these rivers of. H. R. Patch, The Other World (Cambridge, Mass., 1950), pp. 80-130, 302-5. [L] 115. This castle painted on the exterior probably owes more to imagination
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192 than to the realities of twelfth-century architecture. Cf. Schultz, I, 61. [L] 116. Apparently Mabuz was changed from a coward into a rash, overbear- ing fellow. [W 117. The form Schatel le Mort is Hahn's emendation based on such MS readings as Schadilimort, Schatlemort, Schachteile Mort, and Schahtelemort. The castle is evidently related to the “chastel de Limors" in Chrétien's Erec, l. 4719, Chrétien or his source having mistaken the words "li mors" for a proper noun and therefore failed to inflect them. The fact that both Ulrich and Chrétien use the masculine form of the article shows that, literally trans- lated, the name of the castle was that of the Dead Man. Now Rhys states that “the Bretons give Death as one of his names that of ar Maro, which literally means the Dead One." J. Rhys, Lectures on the Origin and Growth of Religion, 2d ed. (London, 1892), p. 659. Since there is every reason to be- lieve that the Bretons shaped the Arthurian traditions used by the author of O and by Chrétien, we can understand why the peculiar title, the Castle of the Dead Man, should be given to the places where Lanzelet lost his strength and to which Erec was carried lifeless on a bier. Cf. above n. 71 and Loomis, chap. XXIV. [L] 118. The name Mabuz is easily recognized as an Anglo-Norman nomina- tive corresponding to Mabons, which is borne by an evil enchanter in Renaut de Beaujeu's Bel Inconnu, ll. 3347, 3369, etc. The equation of Mabuz with Mabon is confirmed by the fact that Mabuz' mother is a water-fay, ruling an island which presents marked analogies to that presided over by Morgain la Fée (cf. n. 9), whereas in Welsh literature we have a Mabon who is regu- larly referred to as the son of Modron, the counterpart of Morgain. Cf. Speculum, XX (1945), 190. Celtic mythologists are agreed that the Welsh names, Mabon and Modron, derive by regular rules of phonology from those of (Apollo) Maponos and Matrona, found in Romano-British and Gallo- Roman inscriptions. They were divine appellations, meaning the Great Son and the Great Mother. The identification of Maponos with Apollo suggests a solar nature, which would seem quite incompatible with Mabuz' role as the lord of Schatel le Mort. But the fusion of the personified sun with personified death was and still is familiar to the Bretons. The Breton lai of Sir Orfeo ascribes solar brilliance to an Otherworld king, whose castle is filled with corpses, and modern Breton folktales, akin to Sir Orfeo, call this Otherworld king, sometimes “le Soleil," sometimes “le Trépas." Le Braz reported a Breton belief that the soul at death flies off to the Land of the Setting Sun. Loomis, chap. XXIV. Philipot showed in R, XXV (1896), 284-87, that cognates of Mabuz are Mabon in the Prose Tristan, Mabonagrain in Chré- tien's Erec, and Le Noir Chevalier in the Conte del Graal, and that the en-
192 than to the realities of twelfth-century architecture. Cf. Schultz, I, 61. [L] 116. Apparently Mabuz was changed from a coward into a rash, overbear- ing fellow. [W 117. The form Schatel le Mort is Hahn's emendation based on such MS readings as Schadilimort, Schatlemort, Schachteile Mort, and Schahtelemort. The castle is evidently related to the “chastel de Limors" in Chrétien's Erec, l. 4719, Chrétien or his source having mistaken the words "li mors" for a proper noun and therefore failed to inflect them. The fact that both Ulrich and Chrétien use the masculine form of the article shows that, literally trans- lated, the name of the castle was that of the Dead Man. Now Rhys states that “the Bretons give Death as one of his names that of ar Maro, which literally means the Dead One." J. Rhys, Lectures on the Origin and Growth of Religion, 2d ed. (London, 1892), p. 659. Since there is every reason to be- lieve that the Bretons shaped the Arthurian traditions used by the author of O and by Chrétien, we can understand why the peculiar title, the Castle of the Dead Man, should be given to the places where Lanzelet lost his strength and to which Erec was carried lifeless on a bier. Cf. above n. 71 and Loomis, chap. XXIV. [L] 118. The name Mabuz is easily recognized as an Anglo-Norman nomina- tive corresponding to Mabons, which is borne by an evil enchanter in Renaut de Beaujeu's Bel Inconnu, ll. 3347, 3369, etc. The equation of Mabuz with Mabon is confirmed by the fact that Mabuz' mother is a water-fay, ruling an island which presents marked analogies to that presided over by Morgain la Fée (cf. n. 9), whereas in Welsh literature we have a Mabon who is regu- larly referred to as the son of Modron, the counterpart of Morgain. Cf. Speculum, XX (1945), 190. Celtic mythologists are agreed that the Welsh names, Mabon and Modron, derive by regular rules of phonology from those of (Apollo) Maponos and Matrona, found in Romano-British and Gallo- Roman inscriptions. They were divine appellations, meaning the Great Son and the Great Mother. The identification of Maponos with Apollo suggests a solar nature, which would seem quite incompatible with Mabuz' role as the lord of Schatel le Mort. But the fusion of the personified sun with personified death was and still is familiar to the Bretons. The Breton lai of Sir Orfeo ascribes solar brilliance to an Otherworld king, whose castle is filled with corpses, and modern Breton folktales, akin to Sir Orfeo, call this Otherworld king, sometimes “le Soleil," sometimes “le Trépas." Le Braz reported a Breton belief that the soul at death flies off to the Land of the Setting Sun. Loomis, chap. XXIV. Philipot showed in R, XXV (1896), 284-87, that cognates of Mabuz are Mabon in the Prose Tristan, Mabonagrain in Chré- tien's Erec, and Le Noir Chevalier in the Conte del Graal, and that the en-
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[ 193 ] chanter Malduc who appears later in Lanzelet (cf. n. 209) derived his name and nature in part from Mabon. [L] 119. The three last words are supplied. [W ] 120. Lanzelet's giving no thought to meat or drink seems to be a dim re- flection of the widespread belief that one must not partake of the food or drink of the land of the dead if one would ever escape. E. S. Hartland, Science of Fairy Tales (New York, n.d.), pp. 38—48; Handwörterbuch des deutschen Aberglaubens, ed. E. Hoffmann-Krayer and H. Bächtold-Staübli (Berlin, Leipzig, 1927-41), II, col. 1053. It is noteworthy that Enide in Chrétien's Erec refused to eat in the castle of Limors. [L] 121. The hose are of mail, ordinarily ; they are fastened at the top to breeches (of leather?) and terminate in mail sollerets—if they can be so called—with leather soles. If the hose were made like stockings, all of one piece, they would be most difficult to get on unless they were very loose. So usually they were open behind, and laced or somehow tightened there. One would be glad to have help with one's hose. See Boeheim, p. 112; Enlart, p. 470; J. Hewitt, Ancient Armour (London, 1855), I, 134. [W] 122. MS W has “reiniu wambesch." The gambeson was a quilted protec- tion, either for the head or for the body. Schirling, pp. 42f. Schultz, II, 51. Enlart, p. 464. Here the padded garment worn under the hauberk is probably meant. [L] 123. As Webster has shown in Harvard Studies and Notes, XVI (1934), 206, the episode of the Sorrowful Fief has its counterpart in Lancelot's visit to the cemetery under the guidance of a monk, related by Chrétien in the Charrette, 1l. 1849-1966. Cf. also Loomis, chap. XXXVII. The scene is also related to that in Chrétien's Erec where the hero is guided by King Eurain to a vergier, sees the heads of knights impaled on stakes, and learns from the king that an empty stake is intended for his own head. Ibid., p. 176. [L] 124. The setting of the combat with Iweret bears some marked resem- blances to two passages in Chrétien's poems. Iweret's wood was green both winter and summer and bore fruit all the year round—fruit which had heal- ing virtues ; it contained a spring, overshadowed by a great tree ; from this tree hung a gong or bell which served to summon the champion with a red shield. In Erec the vergier where the hero fought Mabonagrain bore fruit and flowers both summer and winter, as well as every kind of curative spice and root ; it contained a sycamore tree beside which the hero awaited the champion in red arms ; also a stake from which a blast horn was suspended. According to Chrétien's Charrette, Lancelot's last fight with Meleagant took place in a glade (lande), which was bordered by herbage perennially fresh and where a sycamore stood beside a spring. Loomis, pp. 234, 264f. As will be seen from
[ 193 ] chanter Malduc who appears later in Lanzelet (cf. n. 209) derived his name and nature in part from Mabon. [L] 119. The three last words are supplied. [W ] 120. Lanzelet's giving no thought to meat or drink seems to be a dim re- flection of the widespread belief that one must not partake of the food or drink of the land of the dead if one would ever escape. E. S. Hartland, Science of Fairy Tales (New York, n.d.), pp. 38—48; Handwörterbuch des deutschen Aberglaubens, ed. E. Hoffmann-Krayer and H. Bächtold-Staübli (Berlin, Leipzig, 1927-41), II, col. 1053. It is noteworthy that Enide in Chrétien's Erec refused to eat in the castle of Limors. [L] 121. The hose are of mail, ordinarily ; they are fastened at the top to breeches (of leather?) and terminate in mail sollerets—if they can be so called—with leather soles. If the hose were made like stockings, all of one piece, they would be most difficult to get on unless they were very loose. So usually they were open behind, and laced or somehow tightened there. One would be glad to have help with one's hose. See Boeheim, p. 112; Enlart, p. 470; J. Hewitt, Ancient Armour (London, 1855), I, 134. [W] 122. MS W has “reiniu wambesch." The gambeson was a quilted protec- tion, either for the head or for the body. Schirling, pp. 42f. Schultz, II, 51. Enlart, p. 464. Here the padded garment worn under the hauberk is probably meant. [L] 123. As Webster has shown in Harvard Studies and Notes, XVI (1934), 206, the episode of the Sorrowful Fief has its counterpart in Lancelot's visit to the cemetery under the guidance of a monk, related by Chrétien in the Charrette, 1l. 1849-1966. Cf. also Loomis, chap. XXXVII. The scene is also related to that in Chrétien's Erec where the hero is guided by King Eurain to a vergier, sees the heads of knights impaled on stakes, and learns from the king that an empty stake is intended for his own head. Ibid., p. 176. [L] 124. The setting of the combat with Iweret bears some marked resem- blances to two passages in Chrétien's poems. Iweret's wood was green both winter and summer and bore fruit all the year round—fruit which had heal- ing virtues ; it contained a spring, overshadowed by a great tree ; from this tree hung a gong or bell which served to summon the champion with a red shield. In Erec the vergier where the hero fought Mabonagrain bore fruit and flowers both summer and winter, as well as every kind of curative spice and root ; it contained a sycamore tree beside which the hero awaited the champion in red arms ; also a stake from which a blast horn was suspended. According to Chrétien's Charrette, Lancelot's last fight with Meleagant took place in a glade (lande), which was bordered by herbage perennially fresh and where a sycamore stood beside a spring. Loomis, pp. 234, 264f. As will be seen from
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194 notes 128 and 131, two originally independent patterns have been combined with this one—the Sibyl's paradise and Caer Seint. [L] 125. A lion's head, serving as the spout of a fountain, is often depicted in medieval art. Cf. R. S. and L. H. Loomis, Arthurian Legends in Medieval Art (New York, 1938), fig. 122 ; R. Koechlin, Ivoires gothiques français (Paris, 1924), Planches, pl. CCXVIII, CCXIX. [L] 126. Chrétien in the Conte del Graal represents Gauvain as plucking an herb from a hedge, taking a woman's wimple, and binding the herb on the wounds of the knight Greoreas. Percevalroman, ed. A. Hilka (Halle, 1932), 11. 6910-61. In the Atre périlleux, we read that Tristran's daughter bound an herb called “toscane" on the wound of Le Lai Hardi. L'Atre périlleux, ed. B. Woledge (Paris, 1936), 11. 6304�30. Cf. also, on use of herbs and salves, M. J. Hughes, Women Healers in Medieval Life and Literature (New York, 1943), pp. 56-58. [L] 127. This separation of beasts and birds by some occult barrier recalls the phenomenon, noted by Geoffrey of Monmouth (ed. A. Griscom [New York, 1929], p. 443) and repeated by many other authors, to the effect that there was a square pool in Scotland containing four kinds of fish in the four corners, and that each kind was found only in its own corner. Cf. also E. Faral, Légende arthurienne (Paris, 1929), II, 262; III, 59, 236. [L] 128. It is almost certain that the name Yblis, Iblis, or Ibelis (MS P, 11. 5379, 9185) is an anagram, coined by Ulrich, for Sibil (e). Since in Wol- fram's Parzival we find Sigune as a name for Parzival's cusine, and Arnive instead of Chrétien's Iverne (Conte del Graal, MS E, 1. 8742), the sub- stitution of anagrams was not unknown to German poets. The vallis yble (or vbele) of 1. 4086 seems likewise to be a misreading of Latin vallis sybile, employed by the author of O. For him the name Sibile would have been most suitable for a heroine since it was a favorite in the highest Anglo-Norman circles. It was borne by Robert Curthose's wife, niece, and son's betrothed ; by one of Henry I's mistresses and by one of his natural daughters, who mar- ried Alexander I of Scotland ; by the daughter of Joce de Dinan (Ludlow) ; by the wife of Payn Fitz John, sheriff of Shropshire and Herefordshire ; and by the mother and a daughter of the famous William Marshal, earl of Pem- broke. The assignment of the name to Lanzelet's inamorata was not, however, due merely to its vogue. Several facts indicate that at an early stage of the Lancelot tradition, before he was established by Chrétien in the role of Guinevere's lover, he was represented as a lover of Morgain la Fée, while other facts show that Morgain was sometimes identified with the Sibyl. We have already seen that the prototype of Ade was Morgain, and Lanzelet had to fight with Ade's uncle, Linier, in order to win her, just as later he
194 notes 128 and 131, two originally independent patterns have been combined with this one—the Sibyl's paradise and Caer Seint. [L] 125. A lion's head, serving as the spout of a fountain, is often depicted in medieval art. Cf. R. S. and L. H. Loomis, Arthurian Legends in Medieval Art (New York, 1938), fig. 122 ; R. Koechlin, Ivoires gothiques français (Paris, 1924), Planches, pl. CCXVIII, CCXIX. [L] 126. Chrétien in the Conte del Graal represents Gauvain as plucking an herb from a hedge, taking a woman's wimple, and binding the herb on the wounds of the knight Greoreas. Percevalroman, ed. A. Hilka (Halle, 1932), 11. 6910-61. In the Atre périlleux, we read that Tristran's daughter bound an herb called “toscane" on the wound of Le Lai Hardi. L'Atre périlleux, ed. B. Woledge (Paris, 1936), 11. 6304�30. Cf. also, on use of herbs and salves, M. J. Hughes, Women Healers in Medieval Life and Literature (New York, 1943), pp. 56-58. [L] 127. This separation of beasts and birds by some occult barrier recalls the phenomenon, noted by Geoffrey of Monmouth (ed. A. Griscom [New York, 1929], p. 443) and repeated by many other authors, to the effect that there was a square pool in Scotland containing four kinds of fish in the four corners, and that each kind was found only in its own corner. Cf. also E. Faral, Légende arthurienne (Paris, 1929), II, 262; III, 59, 236. [L] 128. It is almost certain that the name Yblis, Iblis, or Ibelis (MS P, 11. 5379, 9185) is an anagram, coined by Ulrich, for Sibil (e). Since in Wol- fram's Parzival we find Sigune as a name for Parzival's cusine, and Arnive instead of Chrétien's Iverne (Conte del Graal, MS E, 1. 8742), the sub- stitution of anagrams was not unknown to German poets. The vallis yble (or vbele) of 1. 4086 seems likewise to be a misreading of Latin vallis sybile, employed by the author of O. For him the name Sibile would have been most suitable for a heroine since it was a favorite in the highest Anglo-Norman circles. It was borne by Robert Curthose's wife, niece, and son's betrothed ; by one of Henry I's mistresses and by one of his natural daughters, who mar- ried Alexander I of Scotland ; by the daughter of Joce de Dinan (Ludlow) ; by the wife of Payn Fitz John, sheriff of Shropshire and Herefordshire ; and by the mother and a daughter of the famous William Marshal, earl of Pem- broke. The assignment of the name to Lanzelet's inamorata was not, however, due merely to its vogue. Several facts indicate that at an early stage of the Lancelot tradition, before he was established by Chrétien in the role of Guinevere's lover, he was represented as a lover of Morgain la Fée, while other facts show that Morgain was sometimes identified with the Sibyl. We have already seen that the prototype of Ade was Morgain, and Lanzelet had to fight with Ade's uncle, Linier, in order to win her, just as later he
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[195 - fought with Yblis' father, Iweret, to win her. In other words, the influence of the Lancelot-Morgain affair is apparent in Lanzelet's winning of both Ade and Yblis. Likewise, King Lot, who is descended from the same Welsh warrior of Arthur's household as Lancelot (Lluch Llauynnauc), had a liaison with Morcades, presumably Morgain, and later married her. Loomis, pp. 112, 190�95. There are significant links between the traditions of Mor- gain, Yblis, and the Sibyl. Morgain, like Yblis, presided over a blissful valley, “le Val sans Retor," and there Lancelot fought with a knight in the presence of Morgain, as Lanzelet fought with Iweret in the presence of Yblis. Som- mer, IV, 117�23. Miss Paton recognized the same tradition in Claris and Laris (Paton, pp. 94f.), which describes a lovely valley where Morgain dwelt with eleven companion fays in a magnificent palace, and where Laris was involved in an amour with the seductive Madoine. Claris et Laris, ed. J. Alton (Tübingen, 1884), 11. 3587-4073. According to both these accounts of voluptuous valleys, Morgain's enchantments prevented escape. The associ- ation or equation of Morgain with the Sibyl is shown in various ways. Hart- mann says in his Erek, 11. 5215-30, that there was no greater sorceress than Famurgan since Sibilla died. In the Prose Lancelot, the Prose Tristan, and the Prophecies de Merlin Morgain and Sebille appear together as enchant- resses, in the first (Sommer, V, 91-95) as competitors for the love of Lance- lot. Eminent scholars have concluded that the famous legend of the Paradise of the Sibyl in the central Apennines was borrowed in large measure from the Matter of Britain, presumably, of course, from the tradition of Morgain's elysian abode. G. Paris, Légendes du moyen âge, 2d ed. (Paris, 1904), pp. 139f.; JEGP, XII (1913), 53-60; A. de la Sale, Paradis de la reine Sibylle, ed. F. Desonay (Paris, 1930), pp. cvi-cviii. There is, in fact, a very marked resemblance between the account of the adventures of Guerino in the Sibyl's paradise, written in 1391 (Andrea da Barberino, Guerino detto il Meschino, part v, ch. iv-xV) and the account of Claris' and Laris' adventures in Mor- gain's paradise just cited. The two stories have in common the passage through one or more portals, the presence of monstrous animals, the sweet music and other sensuous delights, the temptation by one of the faery queen's damsels, who reveals the means of escape. Two features of Guerino's experi- ence suggest a more direct connection with that of Lanzelet in the valley of Yblis, viz., the preliminary warning by hermits and the presence of ripe fruit out of season. The most unexpected confirmation of this interrelationship of Morgain, the Sibyl, and Yblis comes from the Wartburgkrieg (second half of the thirteenth century), where we read that Arthur dwells in the hollow of a mountain with Juno and Felicia, “Sibillen kint." P. S. Barto, Tann- häuser and the Mountain of Venus (New York, 1916), pp. 11f., 116f. This
[195 - fought with Yblis' father, Iweret, to win her. In other words, the influence of the Lancelot-Morgain affair is apparent in Lanzelet's winning of both Ade and Yblis. Likewise, King Lot, who is descended from the same Welsh warrior of Arthur's household as Lancelot (Lluch Llauynnauc), had a liaison with Morcades, presumably Morgain, and later married her. Loomis, pp. 112, 190�95. There are significant links between the traditions of Mor- gain, Yblis, and the Sibyl. Morgain, like Yblis, presided over a blissful valley, “le Val sans Retor," and there Lancelot fought with a knight in the presence of Morgain, as Lanzelet fought with Iweret in the presence of Yblis. Som- mer, IV, 117�23. Miss Paton recognized the same tradition in Claris and Laris (Paton, pp. 94f.), which describes a lovely valley where Morgain dwelt with eleven companion fays in a magnificent palace, and where Laris was involved in an amour with the seductive Madoine. Claris et Laris, ed. J. Alton (Tübingen, 1884), 11. 3587-4073. According to both these accounts of voluptuous valleys, Morgain's enchantments prevented escape. The associ- ation or equation of Morgain with the Sibyl is shown in various ways. Hart- mann says in his Erek, 11. 5215-30, that there was no greater sorceress than Famurgan since Sibilla died. In the Prose Lancelot, the Prose Tristan, and the Prophecies de Merlin Morgain and Sebille appear together as enchant- resses, in the first (Sommer, V, 91-95) as competitors for the love of Lance- lot. Eminent scholars have concluded that the famous legend of the Paradise of the Sibyl in the central Apennines was borrowed in large measure from the Matter of Britain, presumably, of course, from the tradition of Morgain's elysian abode. G. Paris, Légendes du moyen âge, 2d ed. (Paris, 1904), pp. 139f.; JEGP, XII (1913), 53-60; A. de la Sale, Paradis de la reine Sibylle, ed. F. Desonay (Paris, 1930), pp. cvi-cviii. There is, in fact, a very marked resemblance between the account of the adventures of Guerino in the Sibyl's paradise, written in 1391 (Andrea da Barberino, Guerino detto il Meschino, part v, ch. iv-xV) and the account of Claris' and Laris' adventures in Mor- gain's paradise just cited. The two stories have in common the passage through one or more portals, the presence of monstrous animals, the sweet music and other sensuous delights, the temptation by one of the faery queen's damsels, who reveals the means of escape. Two features of Guerino's experi- ence suggest a more direct connection with that of Lanzelet in the valley of Yblis, viz., the preliminary warning by hermits and the presence of ripe fruit out of season. The most unexpected confirmation of this interrelationship of Morgain, the Sibyl, and Yblis comes from the Wartburgkrieg (second half of the thirteenth century), where we read that Arthur dwells in the hollow of a mountain with Juno and Felicia, “Sibillen kint." P. S. Barto, Tann- häuser and the Mountain of Venus (New York, 1916), pp. 11f., 116f. This
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196 evidently reflects the tradition that Arthur lived on in the heart of a mountain and that his companion was Morgain, here evidently called the Sibyl's child. Ibid., pp. 13f. W. J. Entwistle, Arthurian Legend in the Literatures of the Spanish Peninsula (London, 1925), pp. 81—85. Guerino, too, finds the abode of the Sibyl in the heart of a mountain. To clinch the matter, the Wartburg- krieg tells us that an abbot dwells there too, and it refers four times to a glocke (bell) which apparently summons the knights of Arthur who have gone out from this cavernous abode into the world. It can hardly be coin- cidence that an abbot and a summoning glockelin (1. 3905) are found also near or in Yblis' flowery valley. The traditions of Morgain's elysian abode and her voluptuous nature were among the most pervasive in medieval litera- ture. They were a principal source of the Italian legend of the Sibyl's paradise. And if one notes, in addition to the points of similarity already mentioned, how promptly, after the death of Iweret, Lanzelet and Yblis yielded them- selves to the delights of Venus without availing themselves of the clerical services of the abbot, it seems even clearer that Yblis is but another name for the Sibyl, and that the Sibyl has assumed the role of Morgain. Morgain seems to have been the prototype also of Lanzelet's faery foster mother and of Ade, but there is nothing abnormal about this multiplication of roles in Arthurian romance. Loomis, pp. 102f. Wolfram seems to have taken over Yblis and Iweret, changed the latter name into Ibert to rime with "wert," and altered the relationship from filial to conjugal. Parzival, § 656, 11. 26f. Wolfram may have made Ibert king of Sicily because he took the corrupt form "vallis yble" (instead of “vallis sybile" ) to refer to the "valles Hyble," which are described as full of flowers in a goliardic poem and which he knew to be in Sicily. Cf. S. Singer, Aufsätze und Vorträge, p. 144; DF, XXVII (1934), 33f., 266f. At any rate, I believe Singer was mistaken in conjecturing that both Ulrich and Wolfram were acquainted with a current Sicilian legend of the vale of Hybla. [L] 129. On the practice of making garlands, of. Schultz, I, 236, 448. [L] 130. This magical property is remotely suggestive of what is said of the heroine of Kilhwch: “Four white clover blossoms sprang up under her feet wherever she went." Loth, I, 295. Jones, p. 111. [L] 131. The account of Dodone seems to be due to an extraordinary blending of information concerning the classical Dodona and of Arthurian traditions localized at Senaudone, modern Snowdonia. Singer first and later Profs. C. B. Lewis and Richter have recognized that the name Dodone and the fact that when the bronze cymbal or bell (erin zimbel, 1. 3899; glocke, 1. 4185) was struck with a hammer all the bells in the castle resounded (11. 4185-87) show that some knowledge of the sanctuary of Zeus must have
196 evidently reflects the tradition that Arthur lived on in the heart of a mountain and that his companion was Morgain, here evidently called the Sibyl's child. Ibid., pp. 13f. W. J. Entwistle, Arthurian Legend in the Literatures of the Spanish Peninsula (London, 1925), pp. 81—85. Guerino, too, finds the abode of the Sibyl in the heart of a mountain. To clinch the matter, the Wartburg- krieg tells us that an abbot dwells there too, and it refers four times to a glocke (bell) which apparently summons the knights of Arthur who have gone out from this cavernous abode into the world. It can hardly be coin- cidence that an abbot and a summoning glockelin (1. 3905) are found also near or in Yblis' flowery valley. The traditions of Morgain's elysian abode and her voluptuous nature were among the most pervasive in medieval litera- ture. They were a principal source of the Italian legend of the Sibyl's paradise. And if one notes, in addition to the points of similarity already mentioned, how promptly, after the death of Iweret, Lanzelet and Yblis yielded them- selves to the delights of Venus without availing themselves of the clerical services of the abbot, it seems even clearer that Yblis is but another name for the Sibyl, and that the Sibyl has assumed the role of Morgain. Morgain seems to have been the prototype also of Lanzelet's faery foster mother and of Ade, but there is nothing abnormal about this multiplication of roles in Arthurian romance. Loomis, pp. 102f. Wolfram seems to have taken over Yblis and Iweret, changed the latter name into Ibert to rime with "wert," and altered the relationship from filial to conjugal. Parzival, § 656, 11. 26f. Wolfram may have made Ibert king of Sicily because he took the corrupt form "vallis yble" (instead of “vallis sybile" ) to refer to the "valles Hyble," which are described as full of flowers in a goliardic poem and which he knew to be in Sicily. Cf. S. Singer, Aufsätze und Vorträge, p. 144; DF, XXVII (1934), 33f., 266f. At any rate, I believe Singer was mistaken in conjecturing that both Ulrich and Wolfram were acquainted with a current Sicilian legend of the vale of Hybla. [L] 129. On the practice of making garlands, of. Schultz, I, 236, 448. [L] 130. This magical property is remotely suggestive of what is said of the heroine of Kilhwch: “Four white clover blossoms sprang up under her feet wherever she went." Loth, I, 295. Jones, p. 111. [L] 131. The account of Dodone seems to be due to an extraordinary blending of information concerning the classical Dodona and of Arthurian traditions localized at Senaudone, modern Snowdonia. Singer first and later Profs. C. B. Lewis and Richter have recognized that the name Dodone and the fact that when the bronze cymbal or bell (erin zimbel, 1. 3899; glocke, 1. 4185) was struck with a hammer all the bells in the castle resounded (11. 4185-87) show that some knowledge of the sanctuary of Zeus must have
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[ 197 ] reached Ulrich. S. Singer, Aufsätze und Vorträge, pp. 144f. C. B. Lewis, Classical Mythology and Arthurian Romance (London, 1932), pp. 19f., 53f., 68. DF, XXVII (1934), 44. The Greek author Stephanos Byzantinos (6th century A.D.), in describing the shrine at Dodona, mentioned two pillars, on one of which rested a bronze caldron, while on the other stood the image of a boy with a whip in his hand. The thongs of the whip dangled over the caldron, and when the wind blew they struck the vessel and made it resound. This description was not known, however, in the West, and no Latin translation of it appeared till centuries after Ulrich's time. Singer suggested as a possible source Pliny's description (Natural History XXXVI) of the tomb of Porsenna: "In summo orbis aeneus petasus (hat-shaped cupola) unus omnibus sit appositus, ex quo pendeant excepta catenis tintin- nabula, quae vento agitata longe sonitus referant, ut Dodonae olim factum. In n. 231 we shall see that Pliny was the probable source of Ulrich's knowl- edge of Thyle. The concept of the bronze object as a glocke, as we discovered in n. 128, was derived from the tradition of the Sibyl's paradise. But this is not the whole story, as Dr. Brugger has remarked in ZRP, LXV (1949), 161, n. 3. Whereas the Greek Dodona explains but one feature in Ulrich's description of Dodone, the traditions clustering about Senaudone in Wales account for much more. I have demonstrated in Speculum, XXII (1947), 520-30, that the names Senaudone, Sinadoune, Isneldone, occurring in Anglo-Norman texts such as Biket's Lai du Cor and Béroul's Tristan, must refer, not as Brugger argued, to Stirling in Scotland, but to “la cité de Snauedun," which Gaimar mentioned (c. 1150) as one of the three renowned cities of Wales ; and furthermore, I identified this cité with the ruins of Segontium, which the Welsh called Caer Seint and which lay on the lower slopes of Snowdon, overlooking the Menai Strait. There is ample proof that the legends which clustered around the imposing ruins of Senaudone were the starting point for the localization at Dodone. Not only have we seen that the Pant-Clarine tradition and the place name Dyoflê point directly to this same region (cf. notes 2, 4, 7, 93), but the description of Iweret's palace, where he dwelt with his beautiful daughter, seems to echo the description of Caer Seint, i.e. Senaudone, where Eudav dwelt with his beautiful daughter. “ 'From the mountain he [Maxen] saw a river flowing through the land and falling into the sea . . . At its mouth there was a large castle, the fairest ever seen ... He beheld there a fair hall. The roof seemed to be entirely of gold ; the walls of the hall seemed to be one mass of glittering precious stones ; the doors of the hall seemed to be all gold. He saw golden couches in the hall and tables of silver." Loth, I, 215. Jones, p. 80. What clinches the con- nection between Dodone and Senaudone, as will be seen in n. 134, is the fact
[ 197 ] reached Ulrich. S. Singer, Aufsätze und Vorträge, pp. 144f. C. B. Lewis, Classical Mythology and Arthurian Romance (London, 1932), pp. 19f., 53f., 68. DF, XXVII (1934), 44. The Greek author Stephanos Byzantinos (6th century A.D.), in describing the shrine at Dodona, mentioned two pillars, on one of which rested a bronze caldron, while on the other stood the image of a boy with a whip in his hand. The thongs of the whip dangled over the caldron, and when the wind blew they struck the vessel and made it resound. This description was not known, however, in the West, and no Latin translation of it appeared till centuries after Ulrich's time. Singer suggested as a possible source Pliny's description (Natural History XXXVI) of the tomb of Porsenna: "In summo orbis aeneus petasus (hat-shaped cupola) unus omnibus sit appositus, ex quo pendeant excepta catenis tintin- nabula, quae vento agitata longe sonitus referant, ut Dodonae olim factum. In n. 231 we shall see that Pliny was the probable source of Ulrich's knowl- edge of Thyle. The concept of the bronze object as a glocke, as we discovered in n. 128, was derived from the tradition of the Sibyl's paradise. But this is not the whole story, as Dr. Brugger has remarked in ZRP, LXV (1949), 161, n. 3. Whereas the Greek Dodona explains but one feature in Ulrich's description of Dodone, the traditions clustering about Senaudone in Wales account for much more. I have demonstrated in Speculum, XXII (1947), 520-30, that the names Senaudone, Sinadoune, Isneldone, occurring in Anglo-Norman texts such as Biket's Lai du Cor and Béroul's Tristan, must refer, not as Brugger argued, to Stirling in Scotland, but to “la cité de Snauedun," which Gaimar mentioned (c. 1150) as one of the three renowned cities of Wales ; and furthermore, I identified this cité with the ruins of Segontium, which the Welsh called Caer Seint and which lay on the lower slopes of Snowdon, overlooking the Menai Strait. There is ample proof that the legends which clustered around the imposing ruins of Senaudone were the starting point for the localization at Dodone. Not only have we seen that the Pant-Clarine tradition and the place name Dyoflê point directly to this same region (cf. notes 2, 4, 7, 93), but the description of Iweret's palace, where he dwelt with his beautiful daughter, seems to echo the description of Caer Seint, i.e. Senaudone, where Eudav dwelt with his beautiful daughter. “ 'From the mountain he [Maxen] saw a river flowing through the land and falling into the sea . . . At its mouth there was a large castle, the fairest ever seen ... He beheld there a fair hall. The roof seemed to be entirely of gold ; the walls of the hall seemed to be one mass of glittering precious stones ; the doors of the hall seemed to be all gold. He saw golden couches in the hall and tables of silver." Loth, I, 215. Jones, p. 80. What clinches the con- nection between Dodone and Senaudone, as will be seen in n. 134, is the fact
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[198 that to both castles is attached the motif of falling in love with a person seen in a dream. Thus we may conclude that while the author of O employed the legend of the Sibyl's paradise for the valley of Yblis, he used also local tradi- tions of Senaudone, preserved independently in the Dream of Maxen. It was Ulrich, presumably, who concealed these traditional elements by substi- tuting Yblis for Sibyl and Dodone for Senaudone. [L] 132. For illustrations of twelfth-century beds and their fittings, see Schultz, I, 85-89. [L] 133. The kemenate was a room provided with a fireplace. Schultz, I, 101— 3; H. W. C. Davis, Mediaeval England (Oxford, 1924), p. 54. [L] 134. As has already been pointed out in n. 131, there are strong reasons for supposing that the description of Iweret's castle goes back to the Welsh tradition of Caer Seint preserved in the Dream of Maxen, and that the beautiful maiden Elen, who dwelt in the Caer, was one of the prototypes of Yblis. (The same Elen gave her name to Queen Clarine.) Accordingly, though the motif of falling in love with a person seen in a dream is one of the stereotypes of fiction (J. Bolte and G. Polivka, Anmerkungen zu den Kinder- und Hausmärchen der Brüder Grimm [Leipzig, 1913-18], 1, 45; Stith Thompson, Motif-Index of Folk-Literature, T11.3), it can hardly be a coincidence that this motif is the most striking feature of the Dream of Maxen. The emperor of Rome dreams that he crosses the continent of Europe, sails across the sea, traverses the island of Britain, finds the splendid castle where Eudav and his daughter Elen reside, and is smitten through all his being with love for her. On waking, he causes long search to be made for the woman, but in vain. Finally, his messengers discover her and propose marriage. On learning of her consent, Maxen himself makes the journey and weds her. Loth, I, 213—22. Speculum, XXII (1947), 524f. The author of O attributed the love-dream to the woman, not the man ; but Yblis, as we saw in n. 128, was modeled largely after the seductive Morgain, and it would seem reasonable to account for her passionate nature by transferring the vision to her. Another instance of the infiltration of Maxen's dream of Elen into Arthurian romance can be discovered in Chrétien's Conte del Graal. Cf. Loomis, pp. 458f. It should, of course, be realized that the Dream of Maxen was not the direct source of O, but that the Welsh tradition was picked up by Breton conteurs visiting the Snowdon region and so in modified form reached the author of O, and in still another form was embodied in Count Philip's book, Chrêtien's source for the Conte del Graal. [L] 135. On the soliloquy cf. n. 48. Cf. also DF, XXVII ( 1934), 217-21, where Richter compares this passage with Eilhart's Tristrant, ll. 2413, 2521, 10191, 10207. [W]
[198 that to both castles is attached the motif of falling in love with a person seen in a dream. Thus we may conclude that while the author of O employed the legend of the Sibyl's paradise for the valley of Yblis, he used also local tradi- tions of Senaudone, preserved independently in the Dream of Maxen. It was Ulrich, presumably, who concealed these traditional elements by substi- tuting Yblis for Sibyl and Dodone for Senaudone. [L] 132. For illustrations of twelfth-century beds and their fittings, see Schultz, I, 85-89. [L] 133. The kemenate was a room provided with a fireplace. Schultz, I, 101— 3; H. W. C. Davis, Mediaeval England (Oxford, 1924), p. 54. [L] 134. As has already been pointed out in n. 131, there are strong reasons for supposing that the description of Iweret's castle goes back to the Welsh tradition of Caer Seint preserved in the Dream of Maxen, and that the beautiful maiden Elen, who dwelt in the Caer, was one of the prototypes of Yblis. (The same Elen gave her name to Queen Clarine.) Accordingly, though the motif of falling in love with a person seen in a dream is one of the stereotypes of fiction (J. Bolte and G. Polivka, Anmerkungen zu den Kinder- und Hausmärchen der Brüder Grimm [Leipzig, 1913-18], 1, 45; Stith Thompson, Motif-Index of Folk-Literature, T11.3), it can hardly be a coincidence that this motif is the most striking feature of the Dream of Maxen. The emperor of Rome dreams that he crosses the continent of Europe, sails across the sea, traverses the island of Britain, finds the splendid castle where Eudav and his daughter Elen reside, and is smitten through all his being with love for her. On waking, he causes long search to be made for the woman, but in vain. Finally, his messengers discover her and propose marriage. On learning of her consent, Maxen himself makes the journey and weds her. Loth, I, 213—22. Speculum, XXII (1947), 524f. The author of O attributed the love-dream to the woman, not the man ; but Yblis, as we saw in n. 128, was modeled largely after the seductive Morgain, and it would seem reasonable to account for her passionate nature by transferring the vision to her. Another instance of the infiltration of Maxen's dream of Elen into Arthurian romance can be discovered in Chrétien's Conte del Graal. Cf. Loomis, pp. 458f. It should, of course, be realized that the Dream of Maxen was not the direct source of O, but that the Welsh tradition was picked up by Breton conteurs visiting the Snowdon region and so in modified form reached the author of O, and in still another form was embodied in Count Philip's book, Chrêtien's source for the Conte del Graal. [L] 135. On the soliloquy cf. n. 48. Cf. also DF, XXVII ( 1934), 217-21, where Richter compares this passage with Eilhart's Tristrant, ll. 2413, 2521, 10191, 10207. [W]
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199 136. The earliest reference to housings of mail known to me occurs in Wace's Roman de Rou, ed. H. Andresen (Heilbronn, 1879), II, 1. 7512: 'son cheval tot covert de fer." The date is 1160-74. In the thirteenth cen- tury these mail coverings became common. Schultz, II, 100f., fig. 89; G. De- may, Costume au moyen âge d'après les sceaux (Paris, 1880), p. 179. [L] 137. The earliest evidence for a caparison decorated with armorial charges is a mosaic laid down at Brindisi in 1178, on which Bishop Turpin was repre- sented riding a horse whose housings bore the device of a crozier in three places. E. Mâle, L'Art religieux du XIIe siècle en France (Paris, 1922), p. 264. Needless to say, such richly embroidered housings became de rigueur throughout the rest of the Middle Ages. Modern Language Review, XVII (1922), 27. [L] 138. In the Middle Ages sinople usually means red, particularly red pigment, and is used especially in blazonry, as here. Later it became a heraldic term for green and has remained so, though Seyler (pp. 220f.) says that this sense never prevailed in Germany. The Med. Lat. and late classical form is sinopis (sc. terra), from Sinope, the city on the Black Sea from which this pigment was derived. This ochre is usually described as red, but in reduc- tion the iron ore would easily produce green. However, the two meanings of sinople may be explained by the fact that pigments of both colors were ob- tained at Sinope. The manuscript, Libellus de distemperandis coloribus, of c. 1400, contains the statement: “Sicut in vrbe sinopoli rubicundum invenitur, & viride dictum sinoplum. . . . Sinoplum vtrumque venit de urbe Sinopoli & est bonum: aliud viride aliud rubicundum." F. Ménestrier, L'Art du blason justifié (Lyons, 1661), pp. 45f. A similarity of sense led to an un- fortunate confusion with cinnabar, a word of Oriental origin which has no connection with sinople. See NED, sub “sinoper," 2. [W] 139. The fact that Iweret bore on his shield the charge of a gold lion on a red field suggests the possibility that the author of O assigned to this redoubt- able warrior the royal arms of England. Such evidence as we have indicates that Henry II's father, Geoffrey of Anjou, had golden lions on a blue shield, and Henry's son, Richard I, seems to have displayed first two, then three lions on a red field. Thomas's Tristan, composed c. 1185, describes the hero's horse-trappings as red, embroidered with golden lions, very likely as a com- pliment to the royal house. MLR, XVII (1922), 25f. Nevertheless, it would not be tactful for an Anglo-Norman, such as the author of O, to assign the royal arms to his hero's deadly foe, and besides, golden lions were among the commonest heraldic devices at this early period. Schirling, pp. 18f. The choice of the blazon may, therefore, have been purely arbitrary and meaningless. [L]
199 136. The earliest reference to housings of mail known to me occurs in Wace's Roman de Rou, ed. H. Andresen (Heilbronn, 1879), II, 1. 7512: 'son cheval tot covert de fer." The date is 1160-74. In the thirteenth cen- tury these mail coverings became common. Schultz, II, 100f., fig. 89; G. De- may, Costume au moyen âge d'après les sceaux (Paris, 1880), p. 179. [L] 137. The earliest evidence for a caparison decorated with armorial charges is a mosaic laid down at Brindisi in 1178, on which Bishop Turpin was repre- sented riding a horse whose housings bore the device of a crozier in three places. E. Mâle, L'Art religieux du XIIe siècle en France (Paris, 1922), p. 264. Needless to say, such richly embroidered housings became de rigueur throughout the rest of the Middle Ages. Modern Language Review, XVII (1922), 27. [L] 138. In the Middle Ages sinople usually means red, particularly red pigment, and is used especially in blazonry, as here. Later it became a heraldic term for green and has remained so, though Seyler (pp. 220f.) says that this sense never prevailed in Germany. The Med. Lat. and late classical form is sinopis (sc. terra), from Sinope, the city on the Black Sea from which this pigment was derived. This ochre is usually described as red, but in reduc- tion the iron ore would easily produce green. However, the two meanings of sinople may be explained by the fact that pigments of both colors were ob- tained at Sinope. The manuscript, Libellus de distemperandis coloribus, of c. 1400, contains the statement: “Sicut in vrbe sinopoli rubicundum invenitur, & viride dictum sinoplum. . . . Sinoplum vtrumque venit de urbe Sinopoli & est bonum: aliud viride aliud rubicundum." F. Ménestrier, L'Art du blason justifié (Lyons, 1661), pp. 45f. A similarity of sense led to an un- fortunate confusion with cinnabar, a word of Oriental origin which has no connection with sinople. See NED, sub “sinoper," 2. [W] 139. The fact that Iweret bore on his shield the charge of a gold lion on a red field suggests the possibility that the author of O assigned to this redoubt- able warrior the royal arms of England. Such evidence as we have indicates that Henry II's father, Geoffrey of Anjou, had golden lions on a blue shield, and Henry's son, Richard I, seems to have displayed first two, then three lions on a red field. Thomas's Tristan, composed c. 1185, describes the hero's horse-trappings as red, embroidered with golden lions, very likely as a com- pliment to the royal house. MLR, XVII (1922), 25f. Nevertheless, it would not be tactful for an Anglo-Norman, such as the author of O, to assign the royal arms to his hero's deadly foe, and besides, golden lions were among the commonest heraldic devices at this early period. Schirling, pp. 18f. The choice of the blazon may, therefore, have been purely arbitrary and meaningless. [L]
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200 140. MS P reads semit, MS G samit, which seem preferable to MS W savin. Cf. n. 47. [W] 141. The crest, M.H.G. gügerel, was an ornamental and sometimes heraldic device attached to the housing above the horse's head. Here it is a little gold tree, i.e. probably cut from sheet gold or gilded metal, much like the crests pictured on helms in Enlart, fig. 428. Schultz, I, 499, n. 8; II, 102-4. [W] 142. The MSS give grimel, which may be the only occurrence of the word and may refer to some bird or heraldic creature. However, I accept the suggestion of Schultz, II, 103, to read gimpel (O.F. guimple, English wimple). It was customary as early as the twelfth century to wind about one's helm or crest a light, fluttering cloth, as protection against the sun, to display a lady's favor, or just for looks. Boeheim, p. 32. Enlart, fig. 432. [W] There is no other instance, so far as I know, of a scarf attached to the horse's crest. [L] 143. This clause seems to mean that the helm also was adorned with a golden tree, from which the scarf fluttered, but it is hard to conceive of any similar decoration for the spurs. Seyler (pp. 206f.) thinks that Ulrich (or, we might add, his source) did not understand his original and was in doubt whether the ornaments belonged to helm or spur. [W] Snelleman in Das Haus Anjou und der Orient in Wolframs "Parzifal" (Nijkerk, 1941), pp. 95—100, makes the interesting point that the earliest reference to elaborate helm ornaments concerns Conrad of Montferrat, who appeared at Tyre in 1189 with a crest of stag's antlers. Richard Coeur de Lion's second seal of 1198 shows a leopard painted on the helm as a cognizance, as well as a fan- like crest. Enlart, pp. 472f.; Schultz, II, fig. 62. Snelleman suggests that this type of decoration was introduced into Western Europe after the Third Crusade, and notes that zimierden are mentioned frequently in Parzival. See on these crests Schultz, II, 68—78, 101-4, 146, 155 ; A. C. Fox-Davies, Complete Guide to Heraldry, rev. ed. (London, 1925), ch. 21. [L] 144. MS P adds here : “And it took place without foul treachery. Neither of them missed." [W] 145. The barbel or barbière is almost a visor, fixed and protecting the upper part of the face. Schultz, II, 64f. ; Zeitschrift für deutsche Philologie, LIX (1935), 315. [W] 146. "Eine welsche mîle" would normally mean a French mile, but one suspects that it may translate "une liwe galesche" in O, an expression which occurs thrice in Perlesvaus and which means, of course, a Welsh league. [L] 147. Mules seem to have been a favorite mount for women. Chrétien in the Charrette, 11. 2794—802, describes a damsel riding one of these animals, which
200 140. MS P reads semit, MS G samit, which seem preferable to MS W savin. Cf. n. 47. [W] 141. The crest, M.H.G. gügerel, was an ornamental and sometimes heraldic device attached to the housing above the horse's head. Here it is a little gold tree, i.e. probably cut from sheet gold or gilded metal, much like the crests pictured on helms in Enlart, fig. 428. Schultz, I, 499, n. 8; II, 102-4. [W] 142. The MSS give grimel, which may be the only occurrence of the word and may refer to some bird or heraldic creature. However, I accept the suggestion of Schultz, II, 103, to read gimpel (O.F. guimple, English wimple). It was customary as early as the twelfth century to wind about one's helm or crest a light, fluttering cloth, as protection against the sun, to display a lady's favor, or just for looks. Boeheim, p. 32. Enlart, fig. 432. [W] There is no other instance, so far as I know, of a scarf attached to the horse's crest. [L] 143. This clause seems to mean that the helm also was adorned with a golden tree, from which the scarf fluttered, but it is hard to conceive of any similar decoration for the spurs. Seyler (pp. 206f.) thinks that Ulrich (or, we might add, his source) did not understand his original and was in doubt whether the ornaments belonged to helm or spur. [W] Snelleman in Das Haus Anjou und der Orient in Wolframs "Parzifal" (Nijkerk, 1941), pp. 95—100, makes the interesting point that the earliest reference to elaborate helm ornaments concerns Conrad of Montferrat, who appeared at Tyre in 1189 with a crest of stag's antlers. Richard Coeur de Lion's second seal of 1198 shows a leopard painted on the helm as a cognizance, as well as a fan- like crest. Enlart, pp. 472f.; Schultz, II, fig. 62. Snelleman suggests that this type of decoration was introduced into Western Europe after the Third Crusade, and notes that zimierden are mentioned frequently in Parzival. See on these crests Schultz, II, 68—78, 101-4, 146, 155 ; A. C. Fox-Davies, Complete Guide to Heraldry, rev. ed. (London, 1925), ch. 21. [L] 144. MS P adds here : “And it took place without foul treachery. Neither of them missed." [W] 145. The barbel or barbière is almost a visor, fixed and protecting the upper part of the face. Schultz, II, 64f. ; Zeitschrift für deutsche Philologie, LIX (1935), 315. [W] 146. "Eine welsche mîle" would normally mean a French mile, but one suspects that it may translate "une liwe galesche" in O, an expression which occurs thrice in Perlesvaus and which means, of course, a Welsh league. [L] 147. Mules seem to have been a favorite mount for women. Chrétien in the Charrette, 11. 2794—802, describes a damsel riding one of these animals, which
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201 went more swiftly at an amble than any horse could do at full gallop. Solitary damsels on mules frequently turn up in the Conte del Graal and other romances. Cf. Hilka's note to Percevalroman (Halle, 1932), 1. 4612 ; Wolfram's Parzival, § 312, l. 7; Paien de Maisières, La Damoisele à la Mule, ed. B. Orlowski (Paris, 1911), pp. 110f.; Schultz, I, 494. [L] 148.The fact that Lanzelet first learns his name and parentage from his foster mother's messenger after his victory over Iweret evidently follows the same pattern as that in Le Bel Inconnu, ed. G. P. Williams (Paris, 1929), 1l. 3212�42, where Guinglain first learns his name and parentage from a mysterious female voice after his victory over the enchanters Maboun and Evrain. A variation on the pattern appears in the Prose Lancelot (Som- mer, III, 147-52), where in the midst of Lancelot's conquest of the Doloreuse Garde a veiled damsel in the service of his foster mother, the Dame del Lac, brought him three shields to aid him and informed him that on the morrow he would learn his own name and those of his parents. After his victory he read an inscription in a tomb to the effect that he was Lancelot del Lac, son of Ban de Benoic. This version was doubtless influenced by the cemetery episode in Chrétien's Charrette, 11. 1849-1956. Though many scholars have assumed that Lancelot was a creation of Chrétien de Troyes, since he does not appear in Geoffrey of Monmouth or Wace under any easily recognizable form of the name, yet there is a strong antecedent prob- ability that one of the greatest figures in the Arthurian cycle had a Celtic prototype, as did Gawain, Kay, Ivain, Meleagant, Bron, etc. As a matter of fact, Lancelot had a long and complicated pre-history of which a mere sum- mary may be given here. In the Irish mythological cycle there was a youthful hero called Lug or Luch, who bore the epithet Lamfada, meaning "of the Long Hand." Lug came to have two counterparts in Welsh tradition. One, as Prof. Gruffydd proved in Math Vab Mathonwy (Cardiff, 1928), pp. 6of., was named Lleu or Llew, the first form being the Brythonic cognate of Goidelic Lug. The other figure derived his name and epithet, Lluch Llauynnauc, “Lluch of the White ( ?) Hand," from the Irish Lug Lamfada and first appears in a poem of the eleventh century as a warrior of Arthur's. Cf. n. 90. (Lluch appears in the Book of Taliesin with another epithet, Lleminawe, which may show the influence of Lug's other epithet, Lonnbemnech. Loomis, p. 188.) When Lluch and his epithet were introduced to French and Anglo-Norman audiences by Breton conteurs, the name was sometimes translated as Lac, since lluch as a common noun meant lake. Cf. n. 80. Llauynnauc under the influence of the name Lancelin, recorded in Brittany as early as 1134 (though not a Breton name), was converted into Lancelot. Thus by a natural inference the two names were reversed and
201 went more swiftly at an amble than any horse could do at full gallop. Solitary damsels on mules frequently turn up in the Conte del Graal and other romances. Cf. Hilka's note to Percevalroman (Halle, 1932), 1. 4612 ; Wolfram's Parzival, § 312, l. 7; Paien de Maisières, La Damoisele à la Mule, ed. B. Orlowski (Paris, 1911), pp. 110f.; Schultz, I, 494. [L] 148.The fact that Lanzelet first learns his name and parentage from his foster mother's messenger after his victory over Iweret evidently follows the same pattern as that in Le Bel Inconnu, ed. G. P. Williams (Paris, 1929), 1l. 3212�42, where Guinglain first learns his name and parentage from a mysterious female voice after his victory over the enchanters Maboun and Evrain. A variation on the pattern appears in the Prose Lancelot (Som- mer, III, 147-52), where in the midst of Lancelot's conquest of the Doloreuse Garde a veiled damsel in the service of his foster mother, the Dame del Lac, brought him three shields to aid him and informed him that on the morrow he would learn his own name and those of his parents. After his victory he read an inscription in a tomb to the effect that he was Lancelot del Lac, son of Ban de Benoic. This version was doubtless influenced by the cemetery episode in Chrétien's Charrette, 11. 1849-1956. Though many scholars have assumed that Lancelot was a creation of Chrétien de Troyes, since he does not appear in Geoffrey of Monmouth or Wace under any easily recognizable form of the name, yet there is a strong antecedent prob- ability that one of the greatest figures in the Arthurian cycle had a Celtic prototype, as did Gawain, Kay, Ivain, Meleagant, Bron, etc. As a matter of fact, Lancelot had a long and complicated pre-history of which a mere sum- mary may be given here. In the Irish mythological cycle there was a youthful hero called Lug or Luch, who bore the epithet Lamfada, meaning "of the Long Hand." Lug came to have two counterparts in Welsh tradition. One, as Prof. Gruffydd proved in Math Vab Mathonwy (Cardiff, 1928), pp. 6of., was named Lleu or Llew, the first form being the Brythonic cognate of Goidelic Lug. The other figure derived his name and epithet, Lluch Llauynnauc, “Lluch of the White ( ?) Hand," from the Irish Lug Lamfada and first appears in a poem of the eleventh century as a warrior of Arthur's. Cf. n. 90. (Lluch appears in the Book of Taliesin with another epithet, Lleminawe, which may show the influence of Lug's other epithet, Lonnbemnech. Loomis, p. 188.) When Lluch and his epithet were introduced to French and Anglo-Norman audiences by Breton conteurs, the name was sometimes translated as Lac, since lluch as a common noun meant lake. Cf. n. 80. Llauynnauc under the influence of the name Lancelin, recorded in Brittany as early as 1134 (though not a Breton name), was converted into Lancelot. Thus by a natural inference the two names were reversed and
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202 combined as Lancelot du Lac. The result was that an independent legend (presumably of Welsh origin also) of an infant stolen by a lake faery and brought up by her in her subaqueous home was substituted for an earlier tradition (found in Lanzelet) that he was reared by a fay on an island of the sea. Cf. notes 6, 7, 9, 18. Not only can the name of Lancelot and his promi- nence be thus explained by his descent from Lug, but there are numerous facts to support this derivation. Some of them may be found in Loomis, ch. XXVI, and eight parallels between the stories of these two figures have already been pointed out in the Introduction to this book. [L] 149. In the Alexander romance of Alexandre de Paris (Medieval French Roman d'Alexandre, III, ed. A. Foulet [Princeton, 1949] pp. 201-4) a tent is described which resembles this of Ulrich's so strikingly that Wilmanns suggested that the author of the Alexandre knew Ulrich's source. Zeitschrift für deutsches Altertum, LV (1901), 245f. According to the description, the pole was of carved ivory, the pickets were of gold, the cords of silk. The four exterior sides were respectively white, black, red, and green, and were made of salamander skin by the queen who deceived Solomon, but the door was of transparent serpent's skin, which no poisoner could pass. On the ridge pole there were two pommels, one of carbuncle, which shines at night, the other of topaz, and above was mounted a jeweled eagle fashioned by Queen Jesabiel, with a reed in its beak, which made music when the wind blew. In the in- terior one side was painted with the months and the celestial luminaries ; another with the mappemonde, rivers, mountains, etc.; another with the history of Hercules ; the fourth with the story of the rape of Helen and the siege of Troy. The whole folded so small that, according to certain manu- scripts, it could be put into a box. There are many other descriptions of magnificent tents in medieval literature. Roman d'Alexandre, III, 329; Chrétien de Troyes, Percevalroman, ed. Hilka, p. 631; E. Faral, pp. 89, 98, 336-39, 349f.; A. J. Dickman, Le Rôle du surnaturel dans les chansons de geste (Paris, 1926), pp. 95, 183f. The author of Yder, though he himself describes a splendid tent, reproaches the poets of his time for their far- fetched "iparboles" on the subject. Yder, ed. H. Gelzer (Dresden, 1913), 1l. 4444-58. The actual tent or pavilion on which these exaggerations were based was four-sided, with one or two pommels or peaks, a top or roof distinct from the sides, flaps or doors, one or more poles, cords and pegs, and oc- casionally a stout rain-cover over all. Probably the earliest historic examples of such large and luxurious pavilions were of Oriental origin and must have made a great impression on the Franks ; indeed Ulrich's description is characteristic of the way Western authors painted the Celtic Otherworld in colors drawn from Byzantium or Bagdad. [W] Some of the tents are either
202 combined as Lancelot du Lac. The result was that an independent legend (presumably of Welsh origin also) of an infant stolen by a lake faery and brought up by her in her subaqueous home was substituted for an earlier tradition (found in Lanzelet) that he was reared by a fay on an island of the sea. Cf. notes 6, 7, 9, 18. Not only can the name of Lancelot and his promi- nence be thus explained by his descent from Lug, but there are numerous facts to support this derivation. Some of them may be found in Loomis, ch. XXVI, and eight parallels between the stories of these two figures have already been pointed out in the Introduction to this book. [L] 149. In the Alexander romance of Alexandre de Paris (Medieval French Roman d'Alexandre, III, ed. A. Foulet [Princeton, 1949] pp. 201-4) a tent is described which resembles this of Ulrich's so strikingly that Wilmanns suggested that the author of the Alexandre knew Ulrich's source. Zeitschrift für deutsches Altertum, LV (1901), 245f. According to the description, the pole was of carved ivory, the pickets were of gold, the cords of silk. The four exterior sides were respectively white, black, red, and green, and were made of salamander skin by the queen who deceived Solomon, but the door was of transparent serpent's skin, which no poisoner could pass. On the ridge pole there were two pommels, one of carbuncle, which shines at night, the other of topaz, and above was mounted a jeweled eagle fashioned by Queen Jesabiel, with a reed in its beak, which made music when the wind blew. In the in- terior one side was painted with the months and the celestial luminaries ; another with the mappemonde, rivers, mountains, etc.; another with the history of Hercules ; the fourth with the story of the rape of Helen and the siege of Troy. The whole folded so small that, according to certain manu- scripts, it could be put into a box. There are many other descriptions of magnificent tents in medieval literature. Roman d'Alexandre, III, 329; Chrétien de Troyes, Percevalroman, ed. Hilka, p. 631; E. Faral, pp. 89, 98, 336-39, 349f.; A. J. Dickman, Le Rôle du surnaturel dans les chansons de geste (Paris, 1926), pp. 95, 183f. The author of Yder, though he himself describes a splendid tent, reproaches the poets of his time for their far- fetched "iparboles" on the subject. Yder, ed. H. Gelzer (Dresden, 1913), 1l. 4444-58. The actual tent or pavilion on which these exaggerations were based was four-sided, with one or two pommels or peaks, a top or roof distinct from the sides, flaps or doors, one or more poles, cords and pegs, and oc- casionally a stout rain-cover over all. Probably the earliest historic examples of such large and luxurious pavilions were of Oriental origin and must have made a great impression on the Franks ; indeed Ulrich's description is characteristic of the way Western authors painted the Celtic Otherworld in colors drawn from Byzantium or Bagdad. [W] Some of the tents are either
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203 faery abodes, as in Lanval, or, as in Lanzelet and Jaufré (11. 10393-404, 10509-49), are the gifts of fays. We have already identified the giver of the tent to Lanzelet, as a reward for his slaying of her enemy, with Morgain la Fée, and it is interesting to observe that the giver of the tent to Jaufré, as a reward for vanquishing her enemy in a subaqueous land, is likewise identified as Morgain, for she herself declares (1. 10654), “Ieu sui la fada del Gibel," and the fay of Montgibel (Mount Etna) was Morgain. Paton, p. 250; A. Graf, Miti, leggende e superstizioni del medio evo (Turin, 1893), II, 311—13. It is also noteworthy that both accounts (Lanzelet, 11. 4898— 4901; Jaufré, 11. 10547-49) emphasize the fact that the tents could be re- duced to a small compass. In Floriant et Florete (ed. Harry F. Williams [Ann Arbor, 19471, 11. 842-921) Morgain is said to have presented the youthful hero on his departure from Montgibel with a magic boat about which hung a four-sided curtain embroidered with subjects like those on the Alexandre tent. [L] 150. It is perhaps not irrelevant to recall that Morgain was famous for her healing powers. Paton, Index sub "Morgain, balm of." Loomis, pp. 144f., 179, 309f. [L] 151. That is, the image appeared in the looking glass, as we see from ll. 4914�26. Magic mirrors are, of course, among the commonplaces of romantic fiction. Stith Thompson, Motif-Index, D1323.1; D. Comparetti, Vergil in the Middle Ages, tr. Benecke (London, 1908), pp. 303f. I have not found any instance of a mirror possessing exactly the virtue ascribed to Lanzelet's. According to Schultz, I, 231, mirrors of polished metal had not come into use at this time. [L] 152. The knob, boss, or pommel which surmounted the tent pole was often decorated with an eagle of metal. Cf. n. 149. [L] 153. The belief that the carbuncle shed light was common in the Middle Ages and became a literary convention. Faral, pp. 354f. MP, XXV (1928), 340f.; P. Studer and J. Evans, Anglo-Norman Lapidaries (Paris, 1924), pp. 49, 110, 307; G. F. Kunz, Curious Lore of Precious Stones (Phila- delphia, 1913), pp. 165ff. [L] 154. The golden eagle's singing is by no means entirely imaginary since various pneumatic devices by which artificial birds were made to sing were actually employed in the Eastern Empire. There is the famous description of the tree of gilded bronze which Liutprand saw at Constantinople in 946, and of the birds of the same metal which cried out at his approach. Cf. Merriam Sherwood in Studies in Philology, XLIV (1947), 567-92; Faral, pp. 328— 35; Webster in Englische Studien, XXXVI (1906), 361-65f. [L] 155. Though MS W reads ammetyston, the reading of P, abeston, is
203 faery abodes, as in Lanval, or, as in Lanzelet and Jaufré (11. 10393-404, 10509-49), are the gifts of fays. We have already identified the giver of the tent to Lanzelet, as a reward for his slaying of her enemy, with Morgain la Fée, and it is interesting to observe that the giver of the tent to Jaufré, as a reward for vanquishing her enemy in a subaqueous land, is likewise identified as Morgain, for she herself declares (1. 10654), “Ieu sui la fada del Gibel," and the fay of Montgibel (Mount Etna) was Morgain. Paton, p. 250; A. Graf, Miti, leggende e superstizioni del medio evo (Turin, 1893), II, 311—13. It is also noteworthy that both accounts (Lanzelet, 11. 4898— 4901; Jaufré, 11. 10547-49) emphasize the fact that the tents could be re- duced to a small compass. In Floriant et Florete (ed. Harry F. Williams [Ann Arbor, 19471, 11. 842-921) Morgain is said to have presented the youthful hero on his departure from Montgibel with a magic boat about which hung a four-sided curtain embroidered with subjects like those on the Alexandre tent. [L] 150. It is perhaps not irrelevant to recall that Morgain was famous for her healing powers. Paton, Index sub "Morgain, balm of." Loomis, pp. 144f., 179, 309f. [L] 151. That is, the image appeared in the looking glass, as we see from ll. 4914�26. Magic mirrors are, of course, among the commonplaces of romantic fiction. Stith Thompson, Motif-Index, D1323.1; D. Comparetti, Vergil in the Middle Ages, tr. Benecke (London, 1908), pp. 303f. I have not found any instance of a mirror possessing exactly the virtue ascribed to Lanzelet's. According to Schultz, I, 231, mirrors of polished metal had not come into use at this time. [L] 152. The knob, boss, or pommel which surmounted the tent pole was often decorated with an eagle of metal. Cf. n. 149. [L] 153. The belief that the carbuncle shed light was common in the Middle Ages and became a literary convention. Faral, pp. 354f. MP, XXV (1928), 340f.; P. Studer and J. Evans, Anglo-Norman Lapidaries (Paris, 1924), pp. 49, 110, 307; G. F. Kunz, Curious Lore of Precious Stones (Phila- delphia, 1913), pp. 165ff. [L] 154. The golden eagle's singing is by no means entirely imaginary since various pneumatic devices by which artificial birds were made to sing were actually employed in the Eastern Empire. There is the famous description of the tree of gilded bronze which Liutprand saw at Constantinople in 946, and of the birds of the same metal which cried out at his approach. Cf. Merriam Sherwood in Studies in Philology, XLIV (1947), 567-92; Faral, pp. 328— 35; Webster in Englische Studien, XXXVI (1906), 361-65f. [L] 155. Though MS W reads ammetyston, the reading of P, abeston, is
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204 surely correct. Of the abeston, by some called asbestos, Bartholomaeus An- glicus says: "Abeston is a stone of Archadia with yron colour : and hath that name of fire : if it be once kindled it never quencheth." Batman uppon Bar- tholomew his booke de proprietatibus rerum (London, 1582), XVI, 10. Solinus and Isidore, but not Pliny, give the same account. Albertus Magnus in his Boke of Secretes, as rendered by William Copland (London, 1528), adds the picturesque detail : "If that stoone be kyndeled or inflamed, it maye never bee putte oute, or quenched, because it hathe the nature of the fyrste fethers of the Salamandre by reason of moystye fatnesse, which nourissheth ye fyre, kindled in it." [W] The probable source for O or Ulrich is some form of the Lapidary of Marbode of Rennes (d. 1123), which had a great vogue in the twelfth century. At any rate, as will appear in n. 242, Marbode seems to be the direct or indirect source for the description of the galazia and the reference to King Evax. Marbode's account (Migne, Pat. Lat., CLXXI, col. 1759f.) runs: “Arcadiae tellus lapidem producit abeston; Fer- reus huic color est; naturae mira potestas: Nam semel accensus conceptos detinet ignes, Extinguique nequit, collucens perpete flamma." Cf. Joan Evans, Magical Jewels (Oxford, 1922), pp. 30, 225f.; P. Studer and J. Evans, Anglo-Norman Lapidaries, pp. 55f., 110, 133, 184; Faral, pp. 355f. [L] 156. Though triblat meant originally a thrice dipped fabric, it came to mean one woven in three colors. Schultz, I, 344f. [L] 157. The word barracan is of Arabic origin and meant a fabric of wool or camel's hair. Schultz, I, 352; NED. [W] 158. For an excellent note on fish-skin and fish-hair (they cannot be kept apart), see Martin's edition of Parzival (Halle, 1903), II, 412. In the cases cited by E. Martin, fish-skin is used as a lining to costly silk and samite. This should be fine fur ; and a detail from Wigalois (ed. J. M. N. Kapteyn [Bonn, 1926], 1l. 802ff.) makes that clear, for here the overdecorated princess wears a mantle trimmed with gold and lined with ermine ; and stitched upon, or laid into, the ermine somehow were the sun and moon in fish-skin with bluish hair, brought from Ireland—perhaps, as Martin suggests, the fur of the otter. The gigantic Bauer whom Gawain fights at Schastelmarveil (Parzival, § 570) has a coat and bonnet of fish-skin. The naive hero in Wigamur takes his departure from the kind merman (1. 432) wearing fish (vischin) breeches and silk coat ; the breeches may have been of fine fur or stout hide. Under the name schinat a particularly precious and richly colored fish-skin is mentioned in a few Middle High German poems ; and in one case the fish haunted a river of Paradise. But in Lanzelet it seems to be a question of some material woven from fish-hair, possibly from the matted hair of some marine animal. See also Schultz, I, 358f. [W]
204 surely correct. Of the abeston, by some called asbestos, Bartholomaeus An- glicus says: "Abeston is a stone of Archadia with yron colour : and hath that name of fire : if it be once kindled it never quencheth." Batman uppon Bar- tholomew his booke de proprietatibus rerum (London, 1582), XVI, 10. Solinus and Isidore, but not Pliny, give the same account. Albertus Magnus in his Boke of Secretes, as rendered by William Copland (London, 1528), adds the picturesque detail : "If that stoone be kyndeled or inflamed, it maye never bee putte oute, or quenched, because it hathe the nature of the fyrste fethers of the Salamandre by reason of moystye fatnesse, which nourissheth ye fyre, kindled in it." [W] The probable source for O or Ulrich is some form of the Lapidary of Marbode of Rennes (d. 1123), which had a great vogue in the twelfth century. At any rate, as will appear in n. 242, Marbode seems to be the direct or indirect source for the description of the galazia and the reference to King Evax. Marbode's account (Migne, Pat. Lat., CLXXI, col. 1759f.) runs: “Arcadiae tellus lapidem producit abeston; Fer- reus huic color est; naturae mira potestas: Nam semel accensus conceptos detinet ignes, Extinguique nequit, collucens perpete flamma." Cf. Joan Evans, Magical Jewels (Oxford, 1922), pp. 30, 225f.; P. Studer and J. Evans, Anglo-Norman Lapidaries, pp. 55f., 110, 133, 184; Faral, pp. 355f. [L] 156. Though triblat meant originally a thrice dipped fabric, it came to mean one woven in three colors. Schultz, I, 344f. [L] 157. The word barracan is of Arabic origin and meant a fabric of wool or camel's hair. Schultz, I, 352; NED. [W] 158. For an excellent note on fish-skin and fish-hair (they cannot be kept apart), see Martin's edition of Parzival (Halle, 1903), II, 412. In the cases cited by E. Martin, fish-skin is used as a lining to costly silk and samite. This should be fine fur ; and a detail from Wigalois (ed. J. M. N. Kapteyn [Bonn, 1926], 1l. 802ff.) makes that clear, for here the overdecorated princess wears a mantle trimmed with gold and lined with ermine ; and stitched upon, or laid into, the ermine somehow were the sun and moon in fish-skin with bluish hair, brought from Ireland—perhaps, as Martin suggests, the fur of the otter. The gigantic Bauer whom Gawain fights at Schastelmarveil (Parzival, § 570) has a coat and bonnet of fish-skin. The naive hero in Wigamur takes his departure from the kind merman (1. 432) wearing fish (vischin) breeches and silk coat ; the breeches may have been of fine fur or stout hide. Under the name schinat a particularly precious and richly colored fish-skin is mentioned in a few Middle High German poems ; and in one case the fish haunted a river of Paradise. But in Lanzelet it seems to be a question of some material woven from fish-hair, possibly from the matted hair of some marine animal. See also Schultz, I, 358f. [W]
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[205 159. Ferran is a light fabric with silk warp and woolen woof. Schultz, I, 353. [L] 160. Cf. Ovid Fasti II.329: “Quid non audet amor?" Bächtold, p. 33. [W 161. Cf. Publilius Syrus, Sententiae, ed. R. A. H. Bickford-Smith (Lon- don, 1895), l. 306. [W] 162. Cf. Vergil Eclogues ii.68: “Quis enim modus adsit amori?" Bäch- told, p. 33. [W] 163. Smaragdin could mean "made of emerald." Of course, an object of such dimensions could not have been formed from a single precious stone, though the author of O or Ulrich might have so imagined it. Chrétien, in fact, described in his Erec, 11. 6872-74, a sceptre made of a single emerald. The greenness of this gem was its most striking feature according to Bede, who says, "smaragdus summae viriditatis est," and who is followed by the lapi- daries. Joan Evans and M. S. Sergeantson, English Mediaeval Lapidaries (London, 1933), pp. 13, 20, 40, 85, 131. In A this et Prophilias, ed. A. Hilka (Halle, 1912�16), ll. 6011�14, a ridge-pole was set with jewels, including emeralds. [L] 164. On these pneumatic devices cf. n. 154. [L] 165. The word zeltgeriusche can hardly mean anything but “noise of the tent" and seems to refer to the sounds produced by the wind just men- tioned. [L] 166. Webster observed (Harvard Studies and Notes, XVI [1934], 204, 215) that in the Charrette Lancelot possessed a magic ring. Both Chrétien and the author of the Prose Lancelot tell us that the ring was the gift of his faery foster mother and had the property of protecting its possessor from spells. Charrette, 1l. 2347-59; Sommer, III, 123. It seems quite probable that the author of O altered the situation by representing the ring as a gift to the fay instead of from the fay. Magic rings are, of course, a commonplace of popular and romantic fiction. Stith Thompson, Motif-Index of Folk- Literature, D1076; Faral, p. 340. The precise power which Ulrich assigned to the ring a few lines later, that no one could deny a request to any one who wore it, is noted in descriptions of incised gems (which, of course, were often set in rings), occurring in manuscripts of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries; for example: “Est et alius lapis in quo habetur qui vocatur Jupiter, habens hominis formam et caput arietis; si quis illum habuerit, diligetur ab omni creatura, et si quid ab aliquo petierit impetrabit." T. Wright, Essays on Archaeological Subjects (London, 1861), I, 294; Joan Evans, Magical Jewels, p. 244; P. Studer and J. Evans, Anglo-Norman Lapidaries, pp. 279, 288, 381. As we see from notes 153, 155, 242, Lanzelet displays an interest
[205 159. Ferran is a light fabric with silk warp and woolen woof. Schultz, I, 353. [L] 160. Cf. Ovid Fasti II.329: “Quid non audet amor?" Bächtold, p. 33. [W 161. Cf. Publilius Syrus, Sententiae, ed. R. A. H. Bickford-Smith (Lon- don, 1895), l. 306. [W] 162. Cf. Vergil Eclogues ii.68: “Quis enim modus adsit amori?" Bäch- told, p. 33. [W] 163. Smaragdin could mean "made of emerald." Of course, an object of such dimensions could not have been formed from a single precious stone, though the author of O or Ulrich might have so imagined it. Chrétien, in fact, described in his Erec, 11. 6872-74, a sceptre made of a single emerald. The greenness of this gem was its most striking feature according to Bede, who says, "smaragdus summae viriditatis est," and who is followed by the lapi- daries. Joan Evans and M. S. Sergeantson, English Mediaeval Lapidaries (London, 1933), pp. 13, 20, 40, 85, 131. In A this et Prophilias, ed. A. Hilka (Halle, 1912�16), ll. 6011�14, a ridge-pole was set with jewels, including emeralds. [L] 164. On these pneumatic devices cf. n. 154. [L] 165. The word zeltgeriusche can hardly mean anything but “noise of the tent" and seems to refer to the sounds produced by the wind just men- tioned. [L] 166. Webster observed (Harvard Studies and Notes, XVI [1934], 204, 215) that in the Charrette Lancelot possessed a magic ring. Both Chrétien and the author of the Prose Lancelot tell us that the ring was the gift of his faery foster mother and had the property of protecting its possessor from spells. Charrette, 1l. 2347-59; Sommer, III, 123. It seems quite probable that the author of O altered the situation by representing the ring as a gift to the fay instead of from the fay. Magic rings are, of course, a commonplace of popular and romantic fiction. Stith Thompson, Motif-Index of Folk- Literature, D1076; Faral, p. 340. The precise power which Ulrich assigned to the ring a few lines later, that no one could deny a request to any one who wore it, is noted in descriptions of incised gems (which, of course, were often set in rings), occurring in manuscripts of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries; for example: “Est et alius lapis in quo habetur qui vocatur Jupiter, habens hominis formam et caput arietis; si quis illum habuerit, diligetur ab omni creatura, et si quid ab aliquo petierit impetrabit." T. Wright, Essays on Archaeological Subjects (London, 1861), I, 294; Joan Evans, Magical Jewels, p. 244; P. Studer and J. Evans, Anglo-Norman Lapidaries, pp. 279, 288, 381. As we see from notes 153, 155, 242, Lanzelet displays an interest
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206 in the marvelous properties of stones as set forth in lapidaries, and it seems probable that Ulrich or the author of O got his suggestion for this ring from such a source. [L] 167. As Webster noted, the searches of Lancelot for Gawain and of Gawain for Lancelot are found in both Chrétien's Charrette and the Prose Lancelot. Harvard Studies and Notes, XVI (1934), 211, 215. [L] 168. It should be explained that Webster accumulated a mass of material on Guinevere and her lovers and abductors which would have gone into these notes, but he decided that it would make a book in itself. That material, now put into final form by his widow, Mrs. Deborah Webster, will be published under the title of Guinevere: A Study of Her Abductions. The notes on the subject which follow are indebted to Webster's already published articles but otherwise are independent. Though various names are given to the lovers of Guinevere—Ider, Gosengos, Modred, Melwas ; though she was abducted by three knights—Meleagant, Brun de Morois, Gotegrin ; and though Lot, Bohort, and Urien attempted to carry her off, there is only one of her lovers and abductors who claimed that he had been betrothed to her before her marriage to Arthur, and that is Gasozein in Diu Crone (11. 4837-41 ) :“ Diu mir wart bescheiden Von den nahtweiden Dô sie êrste wart geborn.'" Cf. Webster in Englische Studien, XXXVI (1906), 341-43. It is also significant that the whole episode of Gasozein's fight with Arthur at the ford corresponds closely to Walwanius' fight with Arthur at a ford as related in De ortu Walwanii (ed. J. D. Bruce [Göttingen, Baltimore, 1913], pp. lviif., 85-87), and that Walwanius (Gawain) was regarded more highly by the queen than her husband was, just as Gasozein boasted that Ginover would rather be a year with him than a day with Arthur. In view of the marked resemblances between Valerin and Gasozein, and between Gasozein and Walwanius, it seems probable that all three names are developments from some such form of the name Gawain as Waloain, and that the three cognate episodes pre- serve an old tradition of Gawain as the lover of Guinevere—a rôle which he naturally was obliged to yield up when he was assigned (as in Diu Crone) the more sympathetic function of her deliverer, and especially after Lancelot was established, largely through the influence of Chrétien, in Gawain's place as the queen's one and only devoted ami. To support the view that an early tradition represented Gawain as Guinevere's lover, we have not only the inti- mations in De ortu Walwanii but also two assertions of her affection for him in Parzival, § 645, and Gerard d'Amiens's Escanor (Tübingen, 1886), 11. 7343f., and the curious fact that in the Vulgate Merlin Gawain and his com- panions are specially devoted to her service and are called the queen's knights. It is not, of course, a serious objection to the original identity of Gawain, Val-
206 in the marvelous properties of stones as set forth in lapidaries, and it seems probable that Ulrich or the author of O got his suggestion for this ring from such a source. [L] 167. As Webster noted, the searches of Lancelot for Gawain and of Gawain for Lancelot are found in both Chrétien's Charrette and the Prose Lancelot. Harvard Studies and Notes, XVI (1934), 211, 215. [L] 168. It should be explained that Webster accumulated a mass of material on Guinevere and her lovers and abductors which would have gone into these notes, but he decided that it would make a book in itself. That material, now put into final form by his widow, Mrs. Deborah Webster, will be published under the title of Guinevere: A Study of Her Abductions. The notes on the subject which follow are indebted to Webster's already published articles but otherwise are independent. Though various names are given to the lovers of Guinevere—Ider, Gosengos, Modred, Melwas ; though she was abducted by three knights—Meleagant, Brun de Morois, Gotegrin ; and though Lot, Bohort, and Urien attempted to carry her off, there is only one of her lovers and abductors who claimed that he had been betrothed to her before her marriage to Arthur, and that is Gasozein in Diu Crone (11. 4837-41 ) :“ Diu mir wart bescheiden Von den nahtweiden Dô sie êrste wart geborn.'" Cf. Webster in Englische Studien, XXXVI (1906), 341-43. It is also significant that the whole episode of Gasozein's fight with Arthur at the ford corresponds closely to Walwanius' fight with Arthur at a ford as related in De ortu Walwanii (ed. J. D. Bruce [Göttingen, Baltimore, 1913], pp. lviif., 85-87), and that Walwanius (Gawain) was regarded more highly by the queen than her husband was, just as Gasozein boasted that Ginover would rather be a year with him than a day with Arthur. In view of the marked resemblances between Valerin and Gasozein, and between Gasozein and Walwanius, it seems probable that all three names are developments from some such form of the name Gawain as Waloain, and that the three cognate episodes pre- serve an old tradition of Gawain as the lover of Guinevere—a rôle which he naturally was obliged to yield up when he was assigned (as in Diu Crone) the more sympathetic function of her deliverer, and especially after Lancelot was established, largely through the influence of Chrétien, in Gawain's place as the queen's one and only devoted ami. To support the view that an early tradition represented Gawain as Guinevere's lover, we have not only the inti- mations in De ortu Walwanii but also two assertions of her affection for him in Parzival, § 645, and Gerard d'Amiens's Escanor (Tübingen, 1886), 11. 7343f., and the curious fact that in the Vulgate Merlin Gawain and his com- panions are specially devoted to her service and are called the queen's knights. It is not, of course, a serious objection to the original identity of Gawain, Val-
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207 erin, and Gasozein that they are represented as separate and even antagonistic characters. For this is one of the commonest phenomena of Arthurian romance. Cf. notes 100, 128. Nevertheless, it cannot be disputed that Valerin has acquired traits from Otherworld personages which differentiate him mark- edly from Gawain. In some respects he is akin to Chrétien's Meleagant (of. notes 170, 179), and in very significant ways he reveals his descent from the supernatural Mider of Irish saga (cf. n. 202). [L] 169. "Das verworrene tan." For tangled hedges as actual, dependable de- fenses of medieval castles, see O. Piper, Burgenkunde, 2d ed. (Munich, Leipzig, 1905), p. 15, where Piper concludes that there were none such in real life. However, a writer in the Zeitschrift für deutsches Altertum, LXXI (1934), 211f., brings a certain amount of evidence to refute this view; and considering that hedges, with ditches, are among the commonest and most ancient of boundaries and defenses, one must side with him. Ultimately, of course, this wood is but one of the defenses of the Otherworld, Valerin being a faery monarch. A hedge about an indubitably supernatural castle in a romance akin to ours occurs in Wigalois, ed. Pfeiffer, 1. 670. There Laries's hus within her burg was surrounded by a garden, and house and gar- den were defended by a strong hedge, “ein vestes hac." It is a fair guess that gedrenge und dorn" were more prominent in Chrétien's source than in his Charrette, as one can deduce from Hartmann's Iwein, 11. 4669f., and Diu Crone, 1. 2105—a circumstance that has been noted by several scholars. It is quite probable that as a matter of fact the immediate vicinity of a medieval castle was bare of trees : they would all have been utilized for timber and fuel, and their presence would have endangered the place. So a wood im- mediately about a castle, even in so late a tale as Gawain and the Green Knight, is some slight evidence that the castle is a supernatural one ; this in spite of the fact that a wood was a natural place for strange happenings. [W] The word hac, which occurs in 11. 5041, 5047, 7362, 7420 in reference to the protective barrier around Valerin's castle, I have translated thicket rather than hedge since it appears to be identical with the tan or wood and to be extensive enough to contain a garden full of serpents. It will be shown, how- ever, in n. 223, that the rescue of Ginover from Valerin's castle follows the folktale pattern of the Sleeping Beauty, and this pattern requires that the hero break through a thorn hedge surrounding the castle where the beauty lies asleep. Webster was probably right, therefore, in regarding the hac as a supernatural rather than a realistic feature. [L] 170. Valerin's challenge, of course, reminds one of the opening scene in Chrétien's Charrette, where Meleagant demands that Arthur assign a knight to fight with him for the possession of the queen. But there are several marked
207 erin, and Gasozein that they are represented as separate and even antagonistic characters. For this is one of the commonest phenomena of Arthurian romance. Cf. notes 100, 128. Nevertheless, it cannot be disputed that Valerin has acquired traits from Otherworld personages which differentiate him mark- edly from Gawain. In some respects he is akin to Chrétien's Meleagant (of. notes 170, 179), and in very significant ways he reveals his descent from the supernatural Mider of Irish saga (cf. n. 202). [L] 169. "Das verworrene tan." For tangled hedges as actual, dependable de- fenses of medieval castles, see O. Piper, Burgenkunde, 2d ed. (Munich, Leipzig, 1905), p. 15, where Piper concludes that there were none such in real life. However, a writer in the Zeitschrift für deutsches Altertum, LXXI (1934), 211f., brings a certain amount of evidence to refute this view; and considering that hedges, with ditches, are among the commonest and most ancient of boundaries and defenses, one must side with him. Ultimately, of course, this wood is but one of the defenses of the Otherworld, Valerin being a faery monarch. A hedge about an indubitably supernatural castle in a romance akin to ours occurs in Wigalois, ed. Pfeiffer, 1. 670. There Laries's hus within her burg was surrounded by a garden, and house and gar- den were defended by a strong hedge, “ein vestes hac." It is a fair guess that gedrenge und dorn" were more prominent in Chrétien's source than in his Charrette, as one can deduce from Hartmann's Iwein, 11. 4669f., and Diu Crone, 1. 2105—a circumstance that has been noted by several scholars. It is quite probable that as a matter of fact the immediate vicinity of a medieval castle was bare of trees : they would all have been utilized for timber and fuel, and their presence would have endangered the place. So a wood im- mediately about a castle, even in so late a tale as Gawain and the Green Knight, is some slight evidence that the castle is a supernatural one ; this in spite of the fact that a wood was a natural place for strange happenings. [W] The word hac, which occurs in 11. 5041, 5047, 7362, 7420 in reference to the protective barrier around Valerin's castle, I have translated thicket rather than hedge since it appears to be identical with the tan or wood and to be extensive enough to contain a garden full of serpents. It will be shown, how- ever, in n. 223, that the rescue of Ginover from Valerin's castle follows the folktale pattern of the Sleeping Beauty, and this pattern requires that the hero break through a thorn hedge surrounding the castle where the beauty lies asleep. Webster was probably right, therefore, in regarding the hac as a supernatural rather than a realistic feature. [L] 170. Valerin's challenge, of course, reminds one of the opening scene in Chrétien's Charrette, where Meleagant demands that Arthur assign a knight to fight with him for the possession of the queen. But there are several marked
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208 differences which render it highly improbable that O is based on Chrétien's poem in this or any other aspect of the abduction theme. Cf. Webster in Harvard Studies and Notes, XVI (1934), 212f. As has already beeen pointed out in n. 168, Valerin's claim to have been betrothed to Ginover and the ar- rangement to settle the matter in a formal judicial combat reveal a source closer to that followed in Diu Crone, l1. 4803�5080. [L] 171. On magic mists surrounding Otherworld dwellings, of. PMLA, XX (1905), 677, n. 8. [W] 172. The serpent-garden (wurmgarte) is a puzzling embellishment, about which there has been much discussion. Cf. Beiträge zur Geschichte der deut- schen Sprache und Literatur, XLI (1916), 171-79; MLN, XXIX (1914), 99; Modern Language Review, XXVI (1931), 334; Schultz, I, 51, n. 5. On the one hand, it seems to be related to the snake pits which are fairly common in Old Norse sagas and in German romances, in which case one might guess that it is an addition of Ulrich's. On the other, as Zenker has suggested in Ivainstudien (Halle, 1921), p. 248, the feature may ultimately derive from Irish saga, e.g., The Phantom Chariot of Cuchulainn: “There was a pit in the fort ; . . . ten serpents burst over its border. ... After that I attacked them, though vast the throng, until I made bits of them between my two fists. . .. Fierce dragon-like monsters were sent against us." Thurn- eysen, p. 570. Zenker also called attention to the fact that in La Mule sans Frein, 11. 181�84, Keu had to pass through a valley of "granz coluevres et sarpenz." [W] The connection with the Phantom Chariot of Cuchulainn is rendered more plausible by the parallel with Lanzelet set forth in n. 225. [L] 173. Brilliance is a common characteristic of Otherworld dwellings. See Stith Thompson, Motif-Index, D1645-3 ; Sir Orfeo, ll. 353-70; Gawain and the Green Knight, ll. 767-72 ; Loomis, pp. 455f. [L] 174. "Diu bure und daz hus." That is, the whole fortress and the strong house, tower, or palace (included in the fortress), which was the owner's special domicile. Yet the word hus appears sometimes to cover both meanings : thus Arthur's hus in Wigalois, l. 178, is a great complex of buildings, and presently, at l. 202, it is his special dwelling in the middle of the complex. [W] 175. Richter in DF, XXVII (1934), 76f., calls attention to a somewhat similar eminence described by Gervase of Tilbury : “In Catalonia est rupes in aliquantam planitiem extensa, in cujus summitate circa meridianam horam conspiciuntur milites arma gestantes sese more militum hastis impellentes. Si vero ad locum quis accesserit, nihil prorsus hujusce rei apparet." Des Ger- vasius von Tilbury Otia Imperialia, ed. F. Liebrecht (Hannover, 1856), p. 26. W. Sikes, in his British Goblins (London, 1880), p. 107, reports a
208 differences which render it highly improbable that O is based on Chrétien's poem in this or any other aspect of the abduction theme. Cf. Webster in Harvard Studies and Notes, XVI (1934), 212f. As has already beeen pointed out in n. 168, Valerin's claim to have been betrothed to Ginover and the ar- rangement to settle the matter in a formal judicial combat reveal a source closer to that followed in Diu Crone, l1. 4803�5080. [L] 171. On magic mists surrounding Otherworld dwellings, of. PMLA, XX (1905), 677, n. 8. [W] 172. The serpent-garden (wurmgarte) is a puzzling embellishment, about which there has been much discussion. Cf. Beiträge zur Geschichte der deut- schen Sprache und Literatur, XLI (1916), 171-79; MLN, XXIX (1914), 99; Modern Language Review, XXVI (1931), 334; Schultz, I, 51, n. 5. On the one hand, it seems to be related to the snake pits which are fairly common in Old Norse sagas and in German romances, in which case one might guess that it is an addition of Ulrich's. On the other, as Zenker has suggested in Ivainstudien (Halle, 1921), p. 248, the feature may ultimately derive from Irish saga, e.g., The Phantom Chariot of Cuchulainn: “There was a pit in the fort ; . . . ten serpents burst over its border. ... After that I attacked them, though vast the throng, until I made bits of them between my two fists. . .. Fierce dragon-like monsters were sent against us." Thurn- eysen, p. 570. Zenker also called attention to the fact that in La Mule sans Frein, 11. 181�84, Keu had to pass through a valley of "granz coluevres et sarpenz." [W] The connection with the Phantom Chariot of Cuchulainn is rendered more plausible by the parallel with Lanzelet set forth in n. 225. [L] 173. Brilliance is a common characteristic of Otherworld dwellings. See Stith Thompson, Motif-Index, D1645-3 ; Sir Orfeo, ll. 353-70; Gawain and the Green Knight, ll. 767-72 ; Loomis, pp. 455f. [L] 174. "Diu bure und daz hus." That is, the whole fortress and the strong house, tower, or palace (included in the fortress), which was the owner's special domicile. Yet the word hus appears sometimes to cover both meanings : thus Arthur's hus in Wigalois, l. 178, is a great complex of buildings, and presently, at l. 202, it is his special dwelling in the middle of the complex. [W] 175. Richter in DF, XXVII (1934), 76f., calls attention to a somewhat similar eminence described by Gervase of Tilbury : “In Catalonia est rupes in aliquantam planitiem extensa, in cujus summitate circa meridianam horam conspiciuntur milites arma gestantes sese more militum hastis impellentes. Si vero ad locum quis accesserit, nihil prorsus hujusce rei apparet." Des Ger- vasius von Tilbury Otia Imperialia, ed. F. Liebrecht (Hannover, 1856), p. 26. W. Sikes, in his British Goblins (London, 1880), p. 107, reports a
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209 similar "tradition among the Glamorganshire peasantry of a fairy battle fought on a mountain between Merthyr and Aberdare, in which the pigmy combatants were on horseback. . . . They rode at each other with the utmost fury, and their swords could be seen flashing in the air like so many penknife blades. ... The whole scene then disappeared in a light mist." [L] 176. Bridges were scarce in the Middle Ages, and the roads—really trails or at best cart tracks—converged at fords, where exciting meetings would naturally occur. Thurneysen in Keltoromanisches (Halle, 1884), p. 20, re- marked that many of the ford fights in Arthurian romance have Irish proto- types. Cf. also Cross's excellent note in MP, XII (1915), 20; J. L. Weston, Legend of Sir Perceval, II (London, 1909), ch. VII. The ford fight which figures most prominently in the Arthurian romances is that of the Black Thorn (Noire Espine), for which see Historia Meriadoci and De ortu Wal- wanii, ed. J. D. Bruce (Göttingen, Baltimore, 1913), p. lvii. [W] On this subject cf. MP, XLIII (1945), 63-71; Loomis, pp. 127-32, 227f. The most important texts for determining the meaning of the combat at the ford are the Welsh mabinogi of Pwyll (c. 1060) and the Lai de �espine. In the former we have an anniversary combat at a ford by night between Pwyll and a king of Annwn (elysium or faerye) named “Summer-white." Loth, I, 86—89; J. Rhys, Studies in the Arthurian Legend (Oxford, 1891), p. 281. In the latter we have a combat at a ford, where every Midsummer Eve one may meet a supernatural antagonist mounted on a white horse. ZRP, XVII (1893), 249f. In both stories the hero is victorious, and in the latter (as well as in seven other versions of the ford combat) specific mention is made of the victor's taking his opponent's steed as a prize. The origin of the ad- venture, as I have tried to show, was a mythical combat between the personifi- cations of Winter and Summer. All the supernatural features have been stripped away in the version given by Ulrich, but he still retained the motif of the captured horse, which was one of the persistent features of the combat at the ford. [L] 177. Castilian steeds were highly prized. Schultz, II, 100. [L] 178. This is obviously an example of the Siege Perilous motif, of which there are examples in the Estoire del Saint Graal, in the Queste del Saint Graal, and in Malory's redaction of the same, in Gerbert de Montreuil's con- tinuation of the Conte del Graal, and in the Didot Perceval. Cf. J. L. Wes- ton, Legend of Sir Perceval, II, ch. III ; Didot Perceval, ed. W. Roach (Philadelphia, 1941), pp. 45-47; Speculum, VIII (1933), 420f., 427f. The closest analogue to the situation in the Lanzelet is in Wirnt von Graven- berg's Wigalois (c. 1205). Wigalois came to Arthur's court at Karidol and saw there a square stone, blue and bright as a mirror, with red and yellow
209 similar "tradition among the Glamorganshire peasantry of a fairy battle fought on a mountain between Merthyr and Aberdare, in which the pigmy combatants were on horseback. . . . They rode at each other with the utmost fury, and their swords could be seen flashing in the air like so many penknife blades. ... The whole scene then disappeared in a light mist." [L] 176. Bridges were scarce in the Middle Ages, and the roads—really trails or at best cart tracks—converged at fords, where exciting meetings would naturally occur. Thurneysen in Keltoromanisches (Halle, 1884), p. 20, re- marked that many of the ford fights in Arthurian romance have Irish proto- types. Cf. also Cross's excellent note in MP, XII (1915), 20; J. L. Weston, Legend of Sir Perceval, II (London, 1909), ch. VII. The ford fight which figures most prominently in the Arthurian romances is that of the Black Thorn (Noire Espine), for which see Historia Meriadoci and De ortu Wal- wanii, ed. J. D. Bruce (Göttingen, Baltimore, 1913), p. lvii. [W] On this subject cf. MP, XLIII (1945), 63-71; Loomis, pp. 127-32, 227f. The most important texts for determining the meaning of the combat at the ford are the Welsh mabinogi of Pwyll (c. 1060) and the Lai de �espine. In the former we have an anniversary combat at a ford by night between Pwyll and a king of Annwn (elysium or faerye) named “Summer-white." Loth, I, 86—89; J. Rhys, Studies in the Arthurian Legend (Oxford, 1891), p. 281. In the latter we have a combat at a ford, where every Midsummer Eve one may meet a supernatural antagonist mounted on a white horse. ZRP, XVII (1893), 249f. In both stories the hero is victorious, and in the latter (as well as in seven other versions of the ford combat) specific mention is made of the victor's taking his opponent's steed as a prize. The origin of the ad- venture, as I have tried to show, was a mythical combat between the personifi- cations of Winter and Summer. All the supernatural features have been stripped away in the version given by Ulrich, but he still retained the motif of the captured horse, which was one of the persistent features of the combat at the ford. [L] 177. Castilian steeds were highly prized. Schultz, II, 100. [L] 178. This is obviously an example of the Siege Perilous motif, of which there are examples in the Estoire del Saint Graal, in the Queste del Saint Graal, and in Malory's redaction of the same, in Gerbert de Montreuil's con- tinuation of the Conte del Graal, and in the Didot Perceval. Cf. J. L. Wes- ton, Legend of Sir Perceval, II, ch. III ; Didot Perceval, ed. W. Roach (Philadelphia, 1941), pp. 45-47; Speculum, VIII (1933), 420f., 427f. The closest analogue to the situation in the Lanzelet is in Wirnt von Graven- berg's Wigalois (c. 1205). Wigalois came to Arthur's court at Karidol and saw there a square stone, blue and bright as a mirror, with red and yellow
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210 stripes. No deceiver could come within six feet of it and lay his hand on it. Wigalois tied his destrier to a linden and sat on the stone. Hitherto everyone had been driven back ; the king alone had been suffered to sit. Even Gawain could merely touch it with his hand ; the reason was that he had wronged a damsel. When they saw the youth on the stone, they all marveled, and the king bade them welcome him. But the stripling knew nothing of the secret of the stone. O. Piper, Höfische Epik (Stuttgart, 1892�95), II, 212. As I have pointed out in the Speculum article cited above, the Siege Perilous tradi- tion was derived from or influenced by two Irish stories and one Welsh. As a seat of honor it corresponds to the “sage's seat" at the court of King Nuada, which the youthful Lug was able to occupy on his arrival, “for he was a sage in every art." As a testing stone it corresponds to the famous Lia Fail, which used to scream under every king of Ireland when he was inaugurated. On these of. Cross and Slover, pp. 11, 28, 36. The dire consequences which overtook the land when an unworthy occupant sat in the seat, as in the Didot Perceval (ed. Roach, pp. 143-50), seem to be clearly patterned after the desolation of the land of Dyved which followed Pryderi's sitting on the perilous mound called the Gorsedd Arberth. Loth, I, 92f., 154f.; Jones, pp. 9, 42f. It can hardly be a coincidence that the fair and shapely young warrion Lug, who was able to occupy the sage's seat on his arrival at the court of King Nuada and won the admiration of all by his arts, was the prototype (as we saw in note 148) of the young knight Lanzelet, who was able to ap- proach the seat of honor on his arrival at Arthur's court and to win the ad- miration of all by his fine breeding and beauty. This connection seems the more plausible since the exploits of Lug at Nuada's court have certainly left their stamp on the adventures of Lancelot at the cemetery in Chrétien's Charrette. Cf. Loomis, pp. 232�36. [L] 179. This scene strongly reminds us of the one in Chrétien's Charrette, 11. 6798-6927, where Lancelot claims the right to substitute for Gauvain in the fight with Meleagant. [L] 180. One of the earliest expressions, if not the earliest, of this romantic sentiment, occurs in Geoffrey of Monmouth's description of the knightly sports at Arthur's coronation at Caerleon, when ladies looked on from the walls: "Efficiebantur ergo caste et meliores, et milites pro amore illarum probiores." Historia, ed. Griscom (New York, 1929), pp. 457f. [L] 181. Touching the shield of a particular knight as a form of challenging him to a joust became one of the standard features of the sport known as a Table Round. Mediaeval Studies in Memory of A. Kingsley Porter (Cam- bridge, Mass., 1939), pp. 85-89. This feature was characteristic of such
210 stripes. No deceiver could come within six feet of it and lay his hand on it. Wigalois tied his destrier to a linden and sat on the stone. Hitherto everyone had been driven back ; the king alone had been suffered to sit. Even Gawain could merely touch it with his hand ; the reason was that he had wronged a damsel. When they saw the youth on the stone, they all marveled, and the king bade them welcome him. But the stripling knew nothing of the secret of the stone. O. Piper, Höfische Epik (Stuttgart, 1892�95), II, 212. As I have pointed out in the Speculum article cited above, the Siege Perilous tradi- tion was derived from or influenced by two Irish stories and one Welsh. As a seat of honor it corresponds to the “sage's seat" at the court of King Nuada, which the youthful Lug was able to occupy on his arrival, “for he was a sage in every art." As a testing stone it corresponds to the famous Lia Fail, which used to scream under every king of Ireland when he was inaugurated. On these of. Cross and Slover, pp. 11, 28, 36. The dire consequences which overtook the land when an unworthy occupant sat in the seat, as in the Didot Perceval (ed. Roach, pp. 143-50), seem to be clearly patterned after the desolation of the land of Dyved which followed Pryderi's sitting on the perilous mound called the Gorsedd Arberth. Loth, I, 92f., 154f.; Jones, pp. 9, 42f. It can hardly be a coincidence that the fair and shapely young warrion Lug, who was able to occupy the sage's seat on his arrival at the court of King Nuada and won the admiration of all by his arts, was the prototype (as we saw in note 148) of the young knight Lanzelet, who was able to ap- proach the seat of honor on his arrival at Arthur's court and to win the ad- miration of all by his fine breeding and beauty. This connection seems the more plausible since the exploits of Lug at Nuada's court have certainly left their stamp on the adventures of Lancelot at the cemetery in Chrétien's Charrette. Cf. Loomis, pp. 232�36. [L] 179. This scene strongly reminds us of the one in Chrétien's Charrette, 11. 6798-6927, where Lancelot claims the right to substitute for Gauvain in the fight with Meleagant. [L] 180. One of the earliest expressions, if not the earliest, of this romantic sentiment, occurs in Geoffrey of Monmouth's description of the knightly sports at Arthur's coronation at Caerleon, when ladies looked on from the walls: "Efficiebantur ergo caste et meliores, et milites pro amore illarum probiores." Historia, ed. Griscom (New York, 1929), pp. 457f. [L] 181. Touching the shield of a particular knight as a form of challenging him to a joust became one of the standard features of the sport known as a Table Round. Mediaeval Studies in Memory of A. Kingsley Porter (Cam- bridge, Mass., 1939), pp. 85-89. This feature was characteristic of such
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211 festivals as those at Magdeburg in 1281, at St. Ingelvert near Calais in 1389, at Saumur in 1446, and between Calais and St. Omer in 1449. [L] 182. Webster pointed out in Harvard Studies and Notes, XVI (1934), 208, the parallel between Lanzelet's Pluris adventure and Lancelot's affair with the seneschal's amorous wife, which has been summarized above in n. 60 ; and he rightly observed that 'although the sophisticated Charrette is written to celebrate Lancelot's tragic devotion to Guinevere, the author has adapted all the hero's old love affairs to help fill out the plot of some ancient rape." In Speculum, XX (1945), 186f., and in Arthurian Tradition, pp. 176-79, I have shown that the theme of the amorous jaileress was a common one and that her prototype was Morgain la Fée and ultimately Welsh Modron. [L] 183. Proclaiming a tourney far and wide in order to obtain news of a lost hero or to lure him out of hiding was one of the stock situations in Arthurian romance. Webster in Harvard Studies and Notes, XVI (1934), 210f., sug- gests that in Chrétien's Charrette, 1l. 5400ff., the tourney of Pomelegloi was originally arranged for this purpose ; at least, it had that effect. For other examples in Le Bel Inconnu, Fergus, and Malory's book, cf. Loomis, pp. 115f. [L] 184. Richter in DF, XXVII (1934), 119f., shows, first, that this “rieme von Iberne" is a direct borrowing from Hartmann's Erek, 1l. 1556ff., and, secondly, that the word Iberne was probably taken by Hartmann from Eil- hart's Tristrant, l. 515. There it obviously means Hibernia, i.e. Ireland. In view of these facts one cannot conclude that belts imported from Ireland were actually fashionable in Anglo-Norman or German circles. [L] 185. The prestige of French fashions seems to have been as strong in the twelfth and thirteenth as in the nineteenth century. Schultz, I, 4, 259, n. 2. [L] 186. On the teschelin or aumosnière cf. Schultz, I, 277; Goddard, pp. 35f. [L] 187. On mantles cf. Schultz, I, 269-72; Goddard, pp. 163-70. Prof. Goddard remarks that the mantle "is the garment of this period which offers to the poet the best means of indicating the wealth and importance of his hero or heroine" ; and that it was frequently woven or embroidered with figures of animals. The mantle test seems to have had an early and long his- tory in Arthurian romance and has been the subject of a good monograph by Otto Warnatsch, Der Mantel (Breslau, 1883). Cf. also Richter in DF, XXVII (1934), 55-62; T. P. Cross in MP, X (1913), 289, XVI (1919), 649; F. J. Child, English and Scottish Popular Ballads (Boston, 1882-98), I, 26off., V, 289a ; Loomis, pp. 97-100. The tradition seems to have origi-
211 festivals as those at Magdeburg in 1281, at St. Ingelvert near Calais in 1389, at Saumur in 1446, and between Calais and St. Omer in 1449. [L] 182. Webster pointed out in Harvard Studies and Notes, XVI (1934), 208, the parallel between Lanzelet's Pluris adventure and Lancelot's affair with the seneschal's amorous wife, which has been summarized above in n. 60 ; and he rightly observed that 'although the sophisticated Charrette is written to celebrate Lancelot's tragic devotion to Guinevere, the author has adapted all the hero's old love affairs to help fill out the plot of some ancient rape." In Speculum, XX (1945), 186f., and in Arthurian Tradition, pp. 176-79, I have shown that the theme of the amorous jaileress was a common one and that her prototype was Morgain la Fée and ultimately Welsh Modron. [L] 183. Proclaiming a tourney far and wide in order to obtain news of a lost hero or to lure him out of hiding was one of the stock situations in Arthurian romance. Webster in Harvard Studies and Notes, XVI (1934), 210f., sug- gests that in Chrétien's Charrette, 1l. 5400ff., the tourney of Pomelegloi was originally arranged for this purpose ; at least, it had that effect. For other examples in Le Bel Inconnu, Fergus, and Malory's book, cf. Loomis, pp. 115f. [L] 184. Richter in DF, XXVII (1934), 119f., shows, first, that this “rieme von Iberne" is a direct borrowing from Hartmann's Erek, 1l. 1556ff., and, secondly, that the word Iberne was probably taken by Hartmann from Eil- hart's Tristrant, l. 515. There it obviously means Hibernia, i.e. Ireland. In view of these facts one cannot conclude that belts imported from Ireland were actually fashionable in Anglo-Norman or German circles. [L] 185. The prestige of French fashions seems to have been as strong in the twelfth and thirteenth as in the nineteenth century. Schultz, I, 4, 259, n. 2. [L] 186. On the teschelin or aumosnière cf. Schultz, I, 277; Goddard, pp. 35f. [L] 187. On mantles cf. Schultz, I, 269-72; Goddard, pp. 163-70. Prof. Goddard remarks that the mantle "is the garment of this period which offers to the poet the best means of indicating the wealth and importance of his hero or heroine" ; and that it was frequently woven or embroidered with figures of animals. The mantle test seems to have had an early and long his- tory in Arthurian romance and has been the subject of a good monograph by Otto Warnatsch, Der Mantel (Breslau, 1883). Cf. also Richter in DF, XXVII (1934), 55-62; T. P. Cross in MP, X (1913), 289, XVI (1919), 649; F. J. Child, English and Scottish Popular Ballads (Boston, 1882-98), I, 26off., V, 289a ; Loomis, pp. 97-100. The tradition seems to have origi-
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212 nated in Wales, and in one list of the Thirteen Treasures of the Isle of Britain, translated by Professor F. N. Robinson, we read : “The mantle of Tegau Eurvron, which would not serve anyone who had violated her mar- riage or her virginity ; and for the woman who remained true to her husband it would reach to the ground and to the one who had violated her marriage it would not reach to her lap ; and for this reason there was envy against Tegau Eurvron." C. Brown, English Lyrics of the Thirteenth Century (Oxford, 1932), p. 226. Tegau was the wife of Caradawc Breichbras, and both in the French fabliau, Le Mantel mautaillié, and in the English ballad, The Boy and the Mantle, it is the wife of Carados or Craddocke who was alone able to don the magic mantle and so demonstrate her chastity. From various medieval sources we learn that this very mantle was preserved at an abbey in Wales, at Glastonbury, and at Dover Castle. Warnatsch, op. cit., p. 59. In a late prose version of the Mantel mautaillié (R, XIV [18851, 349), Morgain is the sender of the mantle to Arthur's court and her motive is jealousy of the queen, while in the Huth Merlin (ed. G. Paris and J. Ulrich [Paris, 1886], II, 251-53) it is again Morgain, described as “la damoisele de l'isle faee," who sends a fatal mantle to the court by one of her damsels with intent to kill her brother. It is clear that the author of O was using cognate tradi- tions, since he also makes the damsel of the faery isle, whom we have identified with Morgain, the sender of the testing mantle, but he has credited her with only benevolent intentions. Warnatsch shows (pp. 69-71) that the Lanzelet version represents in some ways the most archaic stage, and that the parallels with the French fabliau of the Mantel mautaillié are close enough to indicate a common source. [L] 188. The statement that Ginover had erred only in thought and the fact that Lanzelet is not even mentioned afford the strongest proofs that Chré- tien's Charrette was totally unknown to the author of O. More than that, they show that the tradition of the queen's infidelity was not established. [L] 189. Though MS W gives Orpylet, P gives Torfilaret, and seems to be right since Richter points out (DF, XXVII [1934], 57) that in the French version of the mantle test and in the Skikkju Rimur “Torz li fils Ares" fol- lows immediately after Arthur. Though Richter himself prefers the reading of MS W, it is hardly likely that the scribe of MS P would have changed Orphilet to Torfilaret by mere chance or because he knew the French fabliau. On relation of the names Orphilet (Orpylet) and Torfilaret, cf. n. 36. [L] 190. Loifilol is impossible to identify. [L] 191. The nüschel is a diminutive derived from Anglo-Norman nusche
212 nated in Wales, and in one list of the Thirteen Treasures of the Isle of Britain, translated by Professor F. N. Robinson, we read : “The mantle of Tegau Eurvron, which would not serve anyone who had violated her mar- riage or her virginity ; and for the woman who remained true to her husband it would reach to the ground and to the one who had violated her marriage it would not reach to her lap ; and for this reason there was envy against Tegau Eurvron." C. Brown, English Lyrics of the Thirteenth Century (Oxford, 1932), p. 226. Tegau was the wife of Caradawc Breichbras, and both in the French fabliau, Le Mantel mautaillié, and in the English ballad, The Boy and the Mantle, it is the wife of Carados or Craddocke who was alone able to don the magic mantle and so demonstrate her chastity. From various medieval sources we learn that this very mantle was preserved at an abbey in Wales, at Glastonbury, and at Dover Castle. Warnatsch, op. cit., p. 59. In a late prose version of the Mantel mautaillié (R, XIV [18851, 349), Morgain is the sender of the mantle to Arthur's court and her motive is jealousy of the queen, while in the Huth Merlin (ed. G. Paris and J. Ulrich [Paris, 1886], II, 251-53) it is again Morgain, described as “la damoisele de l'isle faee," who sends a fatal mantle to the court by one of her damsels with intent to kill her brother. It is clear that the author of O was using cognate tradi- tions, since he also makes the damsel of the faery isle, whom we have identified with Morgain, the sender of the testing mantle, but he has credited her with only benevolent intentions. Warnatsch shows (pp. 69-71) that the Lanzelet version represents in some ways the most archaic stage, and that the parallels with the French fabliau of the Mantel mautaillié are close enough to indicate a common source. [L] 188. The statement that Ginover had erred only in thought and the fact that Lanzelet is not even mentioned afford the strongest proofs that Chré- tien's Charrette was totally unknown to the author of O. More than that, they show that the tradition of the queen's infidelity was not established. [L] 189. Though MS W gives Orpylet, P gives Torfilaret, and seems to be right since Richter points out (DF, XXVII [1934], 57) that in the French version of the mantle test and in the Skikkju Rimur “Torz li fils Ares" fol- lows immediately after Arthur. Though Richter himself prefers the reading of MS W, it is hardly likely that the scribe of MS P would have changed Orphilet to Torfilaret by mere chance or because he knew the French fabliau. On relation of the names Orphilet (Orpylet) and Torfilaret, cf. n. 36. [L] 190. Loifilol is impossible to identify. [L] 191. The nüschel is a diminutive derived from Anglo-Norman nusche
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213 and means a brooch, fitted with a mordant or pin to hold the mantle together. Cf. Goddard, pp. 176f.; Schultz, I, 277f. [L] 192. The pronouncement that a woman should not accept gifts from a man whom she does not intend to admit to her favors evidently reflects con- temporary opinion and corresponds to a judgment rendered in a similar case, according to Andreas Capellanus, De amore, ed. A. Pagès (Castellon de la Plana, 1929), p. 150: "Aut mulier munuscula intuitu amoris oblata recuset aut munere compenset amoris aut meretricum sustineat patienter coetibus aggregari." This passage in Ulrich's poem and the later reference to the judgments of Clidra (Hahn's Elidia) show that the fashion of debating such matters and hearing pronouncements on them, somewhat as described by Andreas, must have been known to the author of O. One may infer from this fact that O must have been composed in the late 1170s at earliest. Specu- lum, XII (1937), 3-19. A. Kelly, Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Four Kings (Cambridge, Mass., 1950), pp. 157-67. [L] 193. Gyvreiz bears the same name as the noble dwarf king Guivret in Chrétien's Erec. On Guivret and other Lilliputian kings in Arthurian and Celtic story, of. Loomis, ch. XX and Index of Subjects, sub "Dwarf." The dwarf king and his queen seem to belong in the tradition of the mantle test since the king of the land of dwarfs, his wife, and a large retinue of midgets arrive at Arthur's court, according to the Norse Skikkju Rimur of the fifteenth century, and the diminutive queen undergoes the mantle test along with the other ladies. Cf. Warnatsch, Der Mantel, pp. 72f. ; Acta Univer- sitatis Lundensis, XIII (1876-77), 54, 67. [L] 194. Kailet is apparently a name which Ulrich did not find in O but borrowed from Hartmann von Aue's Erek, l. 1672, where we find a Gahillet. Wolfram took over the name from both Hartmann and Ulrich as Kaylet von Hoskurast. Parzival, ed. Wilhelm Hertz, 5th ed. (Stuttgart, 1911), p. 477. [L] 195. "Der wise Malduz," who does not appear in other versions of the mantle test, is apparently a supernumerary adopted by Ulrich from Hart- mann's Erek (1. 1636), which in turn reproduces “Mauduiz li sages" in Chrétien's Erec (1. 1699). The form Mauduiz was probably suggested to Chrétien by the chansons de geste, for in the Oxford text of the Chanson de Roland (1. 643) Mauduit is mentioned as the treasurer of King Marsilie. But, as Philipot argued in R, XXV (1896), 284-89, Mabon enjoyed a reputation as an enchanter in the Arthurian cycle, and we have seen that he is the original of Mabuz (cf. n. 118), the enchanter of Schatel le Mort. Moreover, already in the Welsh stage Mabon was confused with Madoc,
213 and means a brooch, fitted with a mordant or pin to hold the mantle together. Cf. Goddard, pp. 176f.; Schultz, I, 277f. [L] 192. The pronouncement that a woman should not accept gifts from a man whom she does not intend to admit to her favors evidently reflects con- temporary opinion and corresponds to a judgment rendered in a similar case, according to Andreas Capellanus, De amore, ed. A. Pagès (Castellon de la Plana, 1929), p. 150: "Aut mulier munuscula intuitu amoris oblata recuset aut munere compenset amoris aut meretricum sustineat patienter coetibus aggregari." This passage in Ulrich's poem and the later reference to the judgments of Clidra (Hahn's Elidia) show that the fashion of debating such matters and hearing pronouncements on them, somewhat as described by Andreas, must have been known to the author of O. One may infer from this fact that O must have been composed in the late 1170s at earliest. Specu- lum, XII (1937), 3-19. A. Kelly, Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Four Kings (Cambridge, Mass., 1950), pp. 157-67. [L] 193. Gyvreiz bears the same name as the noble dwarf king Guivret in Chrétien's Erec. On Guivret and other Lilliputian kings in Arthurian and Celtic story, of. Loomis, ch. XX and Index of Subjects, sub "Dwarf." The dwarf king and his queen seem to belong in the tradition of the mantle test since the king of the land of dwarfs, his wife, and a large retinue of midgets arrive at Arthur's court, according to the Norse Skikkju Rimur of the fifteenth century, and the diminutive queen undergoes the mantle test along with the other ladies. Cf. Warnatsch, Der Mantel, pp. 72f. ; Acta Univer- sitatis Lundensis, XIII (1876-77), 54, 67. [L] 194. Kailet is apparently a name which Ulrich did not find in O but borrowed from Hartmann von Aue's Erek, l. 1672, where we find a Gahillet. Wolfram took over the name from both Hartmann and Ulrich as Kaylet von Hoskurast. Parzival, ed. Wilhelm Hertz, 5th ed. (Stuttgart, 1911), p. 477. [L] 195. "Der wise Malduz," who does not appear in other versions of the mantle test, is apparently a supernumerary adopted by Ulrich from Hart- mann's Erek (1. 1636), which in turn reproduces “Mauduiz li sages" in Chrétien's Erec (1. 1699). The form Mauduiz was probably suggested to Chrétien by the chansons de geste, for in the Oxford text of the Chanson de Roland (1. 643) Mauduit is mentioned as the treasurer of King Marsilie. But, as Philipot argued in R, XXV (1896), 284-89, Mabon enjoyed a reputation as an enchanter in the Arthurian cycle, and we have seen that he is the original of Mabuz (cf. n. 118), the enchanter of Schatel le Mort. Moreover, already in the Welsh stage Mabon was confused with Madoc,
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214 and it is thus easy to see how Mabon passed through the forms Madoc, Maduc, Mauduiz, to Malduz. The same explanation applies, as will be seen in n. 209, to the enchanter Malduc, described in l. 7364 as "der wîse man. [L] 196. On the juppe (O.F. jupe), cf. Goddard, pp. 142-46. It was a short, tight-fitting, sleeved jacket, worn over the cote. [L] 197. This person is, of course, the Iwan de Lonel of 1. 2936. Cf. n. 100. [L] 198. Enite is Enide, the heroine of Chrétien's Erec, and it is possible that she was added by Ulrich to what he found in O as a result of his familiarity with Hartmann von Aue's Erek. Though some scholars have accepted the derivation of the name from a Welsh common noun enid, meaning wood- lark," Prof. Kenneth Jackson has informed me that there is no good evidence for the existence of this noun. Loomis, pp. 100f. [L] 199. Tristant is, of course, the famous lover and hero of romance. He inherits his name and a part of his story from a Pictish king, Drust, who ruled briefly about 780. Beiblatt zur Anglia, XV (1904), 16-21. The legend passed into Wales and incorporated elements from the Irish love story of Diarmaid and Grainne; thus Drystan or Trystan mab Tallwch came to be the lover of his uncle's wife Esyllt, and their elopement to the forest betrays in many details a borrowing from the Irish saga. G. Schoepperle, Tristan and Isolt (Frankfurt, London, 1913), II, 395-435. Thomas of Britain, Romance of Tristram and Ysolt, trans. R. S. Loomis (New York, 1931), pp. xiii-xviii. R, LIII (1927), 92-99. About 1000 the legend must have reached Brittany, for we find a lord of Vitré named Tristan in the first half of the eleventh century. MLN, XXXIX (1924), 326f. Several motifs from Breton folklore also appear in the French romances, such as the equine ears of King Mark and the black and white sails. Comparative Literature, II (1950), 289�306. The main features of the story of Ysolt of Brittany are taken from a celebrated Arabic tale of tragic love, Kais and Lobna. Abhand- lungen der preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, phil. hist. Kl., 1918, No. 13. In the 1150s Tristan was known to the troubadours, Bernard de Ventadour and Cercamon, as an ideal lover. MLN, XXXIX (1924), 322. Before Ulrich's time the legend had taken literary shape in the poems of Chrétien de Troyes (now lost), Eilhart von Oberg, Thomas, Marie de France, and Béroul. For a good discussion of the problems, of. the articles of J. van Dam in Neophilologus, XV (1930), 18, 88, 183. [L] 200. To agree with one's host, no matter how fantastic his demands, seems to have been a principle of medieval manners, and is illustrated in several exempla, in Italian poems of the fourteenth century, and in the Scottish
214 and it is thus easy to see how Mabon passed through the forms Madoc, Maduc, Mauduiz, to Malduz. The same explanation applies, as will be seen in n. 209, to the enchanter Malduc, described in l. 7364 as "der wîse man. [L] 196. On the juppe (O.F. jupe), cf. Goddard, pp. 142-46. It was a short, tight-fitting, sleeved jacket, worn over the cote. [L] 197. This person is, of course, the Iwan de Lonel of 1. 2936. Cf. n. 100. [L] 198. Enite is Enide, the heroine of Chrétien's Erec, and it is possible that she was added by Ulrich to what he found in O as a result of his familiarity with Hartmann von Aue's Erek. Though some scholars have accepted the derivation of the name from a Welsh common noun enid, meaning wood- lark," Prof. Kenneth Jackson has informed me that there is no good evidence for the existence of this noun. Loomis, pp. 100f. [L] 199. Tristant is, of course, the famous lover and hero of romance. He inherits his name and a part of his story from a Pictish king, Drust, who ruled briefly about 780. Beiblatt zur Anglia, XV (1904), 16-21. The legend passed into Wales and incorporated elements from the Irish love story of Diarmaid and Grainne; thus Drystan or Trystan mab Tallwch came to be the lover of his uncle's wife Esyllt, and their elopement to the forest betrays in many details a borrowing from the Irish saga. G. Schoepperle, Tristan and Isolt (Frankfurt, London, 1913), II, 395-435. Thomas of Britain, Romance of Tristram and Ysolt, trans. R. S. Loomis (New York, 1931), pp. xiii-xviii. R, LIII (1927), 92-99. About 1000 the legend must have reached Brittany, for we find a lord of Vitré named Tristan in the first half of the eleventh century. MLN, XXXIX (1924), 326f. Several motifs from Breton folklore also appear in the French romances, such as the equine ears of King Mark and the black and white sails. Comparative Literature, II (1950), 289�306. The main features of the story of Ysolt of Brittany are taken from a celebrated Arabic tale of tragic love, Kais and Lobna. Abhand- lungen der preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, phil. hist. Kl., 1918, No. 13. In the 1150s Tristan was known to the troubadours, Bernard de Ventadour and Cercamon, as an ideal lover. MLN, XXXIX (1924), 322. Before Ulrich's time the legend had taken literary shape in the poems of Chrétien de Troyes (now lost), Eilhart von Oberg, Thomas, Marie de France, and Béroul. For a good discussion of the problems, of. the articles of J. van Dam in Neophilologus, XV (1930), 18, 88, 183. [L] 200. To agree with one's host, no matter how fantastic his demands, seems to have been a principle of medieval manners, and is illustrated in several exempla, in Italian poems of the fourteenth century, and in the Scottish
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215 ] romance of Charlemagne, Rauf Coilyear (c. 1475). Kittredge, pp. 93— 104. [L] 201. The name Gilimar is in all likelihood a borrowing by the author of O from Wace's Brut, where the MSS give the name Gillomar or Gillamor to an Irish king who aided the Scots against Arthur. Wace, Brut, ed. Le Roux de Lincy (Rouen, 1838), II, 1. 9910; ed. I. Arnold (Paris, 1938-40), II, 822. One other name in Lanzelet, Maurin, seems to have the same history. Cf. n. 104. (By what is probably an odd coincidence, a Gilemer l'Escot is mentioned thrice in the Charroi de Nimes.) Beyond the name, however, the borrowing from Wace does not go. The penalty of silence imposed on Gili- mar by his lady because he had talked too much of his love, though he had not revealed her name, has been mentioned in n. 30, and illustrates one of the cardinal principles of amour courtois, secrecy. According to Andreas Capellanus, love diminishes after it has been made public. De amore, ed. A. Pagès, pp. 124, 127, 160. The Art of Courtly Love, trans. J. J. Parry (New York, 1941), pp. 153, 156, 185. Andreas also cites a case where a knight who had shamefully divulged the secrets of his love was condemned by a court of ladies in Gascony to be deprived of all hope of love and made an object of general contempt. De amore, p. 149; Art of Courtly Love, p. 175. Richter in DF, XXVII (1934), 64, refers to the Italian story about a certain Alamanno, probably to be identified with the troubadour Richard of Barbézieu, who during a feast boasted of his lady and finally mentioned her name. She on learning of this offense dismissed him and he retired to a hermitage. When later at a tournament he was pressed for a song, he declared that he could not sing till his lady granted him pardon. At the intercession of a hundred barons, a hundred knights, a hundred dames, and a hundred damsels, the lady relented. Richter is probably wrong in connecting Gilimar with Chrétien's Guingamar or Guigamor (Erec, l. 1954), and with Guiomar in the Prose Lancelot. There is no trace of the silence motif in these cases, and the names are more remote. [L] 202. It has been shown in notes 168, 170, 179 that Valerin's role corre- sponds in part to those of Gasozein in Diu Crone and of Meleagant in Chré- tien's Charrette. His abduction of Ginover and her rescue reveal four other significant relationships. First, there is the direct borrowing by Ulrich from Hartmann's Erek of the custom of hunting the white hart, its establishment by Utpandragon, and the reward of a kiss. Cf. C. Pschmadt, Sage von der verfolgten Hinde (Greifswald, 1911), pp. 118f. Webster discusses the white stag in his forthcoming Guinevere. These features, in turn, Hartmann took from Chrétien's Erec. The chase of a white beast is a definitely Celtic feature since we find it in the mabinogi of Manawydan and the Breton lais of
215 ] romance of Charlemagne, Rauf Coilyear (c. 1475). Kittredge, pp. 93— 104. [L] 201. The name Gilimar is in all likelihood a borrowing by the author of O from Wace's Brut, where the MSS give the name Gillomar or Gillamor to an Irish king who aided the Scots against Arthur. Wace, Brut, ed. Le Roux de Lincy (Rouen, 1838), II, 1. 9910; ed. I. Arnold (Paris, 1938-40), II, 822. One other name in Lanzelet, Maurin, seems to have the same history. Cf. n. 104. (By what is probably an odd coincidence, a Gilemer l'Escot is mentioned thrice in the Charroi de Nimes.) Beyond the name, however, the borrowing from Wace does not go. The penalty of silence imposed on Gili- mar by his lady because he had talked too much of his love, though he had not revealed her name, has been mentioned in n. 30, and illustrates one of the cardinal principles of amour courtois, secrecy. According to Andreas Capellanus, love diminishes after it has been made public. De amore, ed. A. Pagès, pp. 124, 127, 160. The Art of Courtly Love, trans. J. J. Parry (New York, 1941), pp. 153, 156, 185. Andreas also cites a case where a knight who had shamefully divulged the secrets of his love was condemned by a court of ladies in Gascony to be deprived of all hope of love and made an object of general contempt. De amore, p. 149; Art of Courtly Love, p. 175. Richter in DF, XXVII (1934), 64, refers to the Italian story about a certain Alamanno, probably to be identified with the troubadour Richard of Barbézieu, who during a feast boasted of his lady and finally mentioned her name. She on learning of this offense dismissed him and he retired to a hermitage. When later at a tournament he was pressed for a song, he declared that he could not sing till his lady granted him pardon. At the intercession of a hundred barons, a hundred knights, a hundred dames, and a hundred damsels, the lady relented. Richter is probably wrong in connecting Gilimar with Chrétien's Guingamar or Guigamor (Erec, l. 1954), and with Guiomar in the Prose Lancelot. There is no trace of the silence motif in these cases, and the names are more remote. [L] 202. It has been shown in notes 168, 170, 179 that Valerin's role corre- sponds in part to those of Gasozein in Diu Crone and of Meleagant in Chré- tien's Charrette. His abduction of Ginover and her rescue reveal four other significant relationships. First, there is the direct borrowing by Ulrich from Hartmann's Erek of the custom of hunting the white hart, its establishment by Utpandragon, and the reward of a kiss. Cf. C. Pschmadt, Sage von der verfolgten Hinde (Greifswald, 1911), pp. 118f. Webster discusses the white stag in his forthcoming Guinevere. These features, in turn, Hartmann took from Chrétien's Erec. The chase of a white beast is a definitely Celtic feature since we find it in the mabinogi of Manawydan and the Breton lais of
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216 Tyolet, Guingamor, and Guigemar, as well as in the Arthurian romances. Loomis, ch. VII. The kiss, however, seems to be a refinement invented by Chrétien. A second group of features is paralleled in the romance of Durmart, assigned by Bruce to the second quarter of the thirteenth century. Here we learn that Durmart met a valet, who told him how Arthur's queen had been carried off during a hunt by a knight who had loved her for several years. Evidently Durmart and O derived these features from a common source. A third and most significant relationship was first pointed out by Webster in Englische Studien, XXXVI (1906), 348-50. A version of the famous Irish story of the Wooing of Etain is contained in a fifteenth-century manuscript, ed. by Windisch, Irische Texte mit Wörterbuch (Leipzig, 1880), pp. 117- 30, and translated by A. H. Leahy, Heroic Legends of Ireland (London, 1905), I, 11—22. Here we find a saga which, as has been shown in the Intro- duction, affords parallels to the following points in Lanzelet: Valerin's asser- tion of a claim to Ginover, earlier than Arthur's ; his first vain attempt to win her away ; his abducting her by violence at an equestrian assemblage ; Arthur's enlisting the aid of the wizard Malduc ; the destruction of Valerin's castle and the restoration of the queen to Arthur. In spite of the late date of the Egerton manuscript, Thurneysen, pp. 660f., assigned the composition of this text to the twelfth century, and we know that another version existed in an eighth-century form. Ibid., pp. 16f. There is, therefore, nothing unlikely in the view that the Wooing of Etain in a form similar to that in the Egerton manuscript set the pattern which, transmitted through the Welsh and Bretons, turns up in Valerin's abduction of Ginover. A fourth important connection is to be found in the folktale of the Sleeping Beauty and in the Scottish ballad of Child Rowland. Cf. n. 223. [L] 203. The form Utpandragon, taken over from Hartmann's Erek, is easily derived from Geoffrey of Monmouth's Uterpendragon by way of Wace and Chrétien's Erec (1. 1811). The loss of er was due to the failure of some scribe of Chrétien's poem to copy the overstroke representing er in Uterpandragon, or of Hartmann to observe it. For other examples of this phenomenon, of. ZFSL, XLVII (1924), 163. Geoffrey in turn took the name from some Welsh source, for we have a very mysterious poem in the Book of Taliesin (thirteenth century) called the "Death-song of Uthyr," and in the Black Book of Carmarthen a poem of the tenth century referring to Mabon son of Modron as the servant of Uthir pen dragon. According to Loth's discus- sion of this figure in RC, XLIX (1932), 133-35, "Pendragon peut signifier chef des dragons, mais dans le sens de chef des guerriers." In neither of these old Welsh sources is there any hint that this Uthyr was the father of Arthur, although in the "Death-song," if our translation is correct, Uthyr claims a
216 Tyolet, Guingamor, and Guigemar, as well as in the Arthurian romances. Loomis, ch. VII. The kiss, however, seems to be a refinement invented by Chrétien. A second group of features is paralleled in the romance of Durmart, assigned by Bruce to the second quarter of the thirteenth century. Here we learn that Durmart met a valet, who told him how Arthur's queen had been carried off during a hunt by a knight who had loved her for several years. Evidently Durmart and O derived these features from a common source. A third and most significant relationship was first pointed out by Webster in Englische Studien, XXXVI (1906), 348-50. A version of the famous Irish story of the Wooing of Etain is contained in a fifteenth-century manuscript, ed. by Windisch, Irische Texte mit Wörterbuch (Leipzig, 1880), pp. 117- 30, and translated by A. H. Leahy, Heroic Legends of Ireland (London, 1905), I, 11—22. Here we find a saga which, as has been shown in the Intro- duction, affords parallels to the following points in Lanzelet: Valerin's asser- tion of a claim to Ginover, earlier than Arthur's ; his first vain attempt to win her away ; his abducting her by violence at an equestrian assemblage ; Arthur's enlisting the aid of the wizard Malduc ; the destruction of Valerin's castle and the restoration of the queen to Arthur. In spite of the late date of the Egerton manuscript, Thurneysen, pp. 660f., assigned the composition of this text to the twelfth century, and we know that another version existed in an eighth-century form. Ibid., pp. 16f. There is, therefore, nothing unlikely in the view that the Wooing of Etain in a form similar to that in the Egerton manuscript set the pattern which, transmitted through the Welsh and Bretons, turns up in Valerin's abduction of Ginover. A fourth important connection is to be found in the folktale of the Sleeping Beauty and in the Scottish ballad of Child Rowland. Cf. n. 223. [L] 203. The form Utpandragon, taken over from Hartmann's Erek, is easily derived from Geoffrey of Monmouth's Uterpendragon by way of Wace and Chrétien's Erec (1. 1811). The loss of er was due to the failure of some scribe of Chrétien's poem to copy the overstroke representing er in Uterpandragon, or of Hartmann to observe it. For other examples of this phenomenon, of. ZFSL, XLVII (1924), 163. Geoffrey in turn took the name from some Welsh source, for we have a very mysterious poem in the Book of Taliesin (thirteenth century) called the "Death-song of Uthyr," and in the Black Book of Carmarthen a poem of the tenth century referring to Mabon son of Modron as the servant of Uthir pen dragon. According to Loth's discus- sion of this figure in RC, XLIX (1932), 133-35, "Pendragon peut signifier chef des dragons, mais dans le sens de chef des guerriers." In neither of these old Welsh sources is there any hint that this Uthyr was the father of Arthur, although in the "Death-song," if our translation is correct, Uthyr claims a
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[ 217 ninth part in the prowess of Arthur. The paternal relationship appears first in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia, and in all probability is a beautiful ex- ample of the unscrupulous ingenuity of the Oxford magister. Gertrude Schoepperle pointed out in Vassar Mediaeval Studies, ed. C. F. Fiske (New Haven, 1923), pp. 4f., that after the mention by Nennius of Arthur's vic- tories we find in a MS at the Cambridge University Library, Ff. I.27, the gloss: "Mab Uter Britannice, filius horribilis Latine quoniam a puericia sua crudelis fuit." She also pointed out that though the words "mab uter" could mean, as the gloss shows, “terrible youth," they could also be taken as “son of Uter," and she also cited from Irish saga an exactly parallel case, where the phrase "mac soalte," applied to Cuchulainn in the sense of 'well-nurtured youth," was responsible for his being provided, contrary to early tradition, with a father Soalta. Since, of course, Geoffrey used a copy of Nennius in concocting his “history," one may well believe that some such gloss as this sufficed to furnish a name for Arthur's father. Tatlock in Legendary History of Britain (Berkeley, 1950), p. 315, disagrees with this interpretation. [L] 204. It is one of the persistent features both of the Celtic and the Arthu- rian versions of the abduction that the lady is not violated, sometimes obtain- ing from her abductor a promise to that effect. Loomis, pp. 203f. T. P. Cross and W. A. Nitze, Lancelot and Guenevere, pp. 26, 28f., 42f., 51. [L] 205. This name is an emendation, the MSS reading Lont and Lant. Loüt, as the son of Arthur, probably derives his name from Llacheu, who appears in a tenth-century poem in the Black Book of Carmarthen together with Kei, and in a triad and in the Dream of Rhonabwy as the son of Arthur. Loth, I, 374; II, 253. He is mentioned first in French romance in the roll call of the Round Table in Erec, l. 1732, where he is described as the son of Arthur, and two MSS give the form Lohous. Hartmann reproduced the name as Lohut. Perlesvaus gives a detailed account of Lohout's treacherous murder by Keu. On the figure cf. RR, III (1912), 179-84; R, XLIII (1914), 10off.; Perlesvaus, ed. Nitze and others (Chicago, 1932-37), II, 297f., 303-6. [L] 206. MS P, followed by Hahn, here reads instead of the next sentence : "It is the truth, not a lie, that he cried out and tore himself. When he saw Lanzelet and his companions, he fell at his feet. The warrior shrieked wildly." [L] 207. This is, of course, a reference to the famous "Breton hope," which is recorded as flourishing among the Cornish as early as 1113 and is often remarked upon by later authors. Cf. R. H. Fletcher, Arthurian Material in the Chronicles, SNPL, X (1906), 10off., 120, 145, 165, 167, 188, 190, 202, 207, 230; E. K. Chambers, Arthur of Britain (London, 1927), pp. 17, 25,
[ 217 ninth part in the prowess of Arthur. The paternal relationship appears first in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia, and in all probability is a beautiful ex- ample of the unscrupulous ingenuity of the Oxford magister. Gertrude Schoepperle pointed out in Vassar Mediaeval Studies, ed. C. F. Fiske (New Haven, 1923), pp. 4f., that after the mention by Nennius of Arthur's vic- tories we find in a MS at the Cambridge University Library, Ff. I.27, the gloss: "Mab Uter Britannice, filius horribilis Latine quoniam a puericia sua crudelis fuit." She also pointed out that though the words "mab uter" could mean, as the gloss shows, “terrible youth," they could also be taken as “son of Uter," and she also cited from Irish saga an exactly parallel case, where the phrase "mac soalte," applied to Cuchulainn in the sense of 'well-nurtured youth," was responsible for his being provided, contrary to early tradition, with a father Soalta. Since, of course, Geoffrey used a copy of Nennius in concocting his “history," one may well believe that some such gloss as this sufficed to furnish a name for Arthur's father. Tatlock in Legendary History of Britain (Berkeley, 1950), p. 315, disagrees with this interpretation. [L] 204. It is one of the persistent features both of the Celtic and the Arthu- rian versions of the abduction that the lady is not violated, sometimes obtain- ing from her abductor a promise to that effect. Loomis, pp. 203f. T. P. Cross and W. A. Nitze, Lancelot and Guenevere, pp. 26, 28f., 42f., 51. [L] 205. This name is an emendation, the MSS reading Lont and Lant. Loüt, as the son of Arthur, probably derives his name from Llacheu, who appears in a tenth-century poem in the Black Book of Carmarthen together with Kei, and in a triad and in the Dream of Rhonabwy as the son of Arthur. Loth, I, 374; II, 253. He is mentioned first in French romance in the roll call of the Round Table in Erec, l. 1732, where he is described as the son of Arthur, and two MSS give the form Lohous. Hartmann reproduced the name as Lohut. Perlesvaus gives a detailed account of Lohout's treacherous murder by Keu. On the figure cf. RR, III (1912), 179-84; R, XLIII (1914), 10off.; Perlesvaus, ed. Nitze and others (Chicago, 1932-37), II, 297f., 303-6. [L] 206. MS P, followed by Hahn, here reads instead of the next sentence : "It is the truth, not a lie, that he cried out and tore himself. When he saw Lanzelet and his companions, he fell at his feet. The warrior shrieked wildly." [L] 207. This is, of course, a reference to the famous "Breton hope," which is recorded as flourishing among the Cornish as early as 1113 and is often remarked upon by later authors. Cf. R. H. Fletcher, Arthurian Material in the Chronicles, SNPL, X (1906), 10off., 120, 145, 165, 167, 188, 190, 202, 207, 230; E. K. Chambers, Arthur of Britain (London, 1927), pp. 17, 25,
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[ 218 46, 49, 89, 105-8, 112, 121�24, 157, 217-32, 249f., 265, 271f., 275f., 281; Loomis, pp. 9, 15, 18, 20, 198f. Perhaps the most striking testimony to the ardor with which the Bretons believed in Arthur's return is the statement of Alanus de Insulis (1174-79) : "Vade in Armoricum regnum, id est, in minorem Britanniam et praedica per plateas et vicos Arturum Britonem more ceterum mortuorum mortuum esse, et tunc certe re ipsa probabis, veram esse Merlini prophetiam, qua ait: Arturi exitium dubium fore; si tamen immunis evadere inde potueris, quin aut maledictis audientium opprimaris, aut certe lapidibus obruaris." [L] 208. In l. 6235 Tristant has already been mentioned, together with Erek, as wîs. The adjective listige here applied to him may refer to Tristant's many traditional accomplishments, of which Gertrude Schoepperle made a list in her Tristan and Isolt, II, 282�317, or possibly to the clever ruses by which he deceived King Mark. [L] 209. It has been shown in n. 195 that in form the name Malduz or Malduc approximates the name Mauduit mentioned in the Chanson de Roland as the treasurer of the pagan Marsilie. Doubtless the element mal or mau in such names was regarded as expressive of their sinister characters. As for the role of Malduc in the rescue of Ginover, it has been shown in the Introduction that it is based on that of a druid in the Wooing of Etain. But an important influence on Ulrich's account of Malduc is the traditional wizard of Arthurian romance, Merlin. Apart from the general resemblance between Malduc and Merlin as the supreme enchanters of Arthur's time, there are three more striking points of similarity. (1) Malduc dwelt in an invisible castle (1l. 7164f.), surrounded by a thick mist (11. 7589-91). Merlin was confined by his mistress in a tower rendered invisible by a vapor (fumée). Sommer, II, 452, 461. (2) Malduc dwelt in a castle in the midst of a lake with a damsel who was expert in magic and who was friendly to Arthur (1l. 7161�207). Merlin was confined in a fortress, where he was frequently visited by a beautiful damsel, the Lady of the Lake, who was expert in magic and who was friendly to Arthur. Sommer, II, 376, 451f. (3) The damsel who dwelt with Malduc was able, embracing him affectionately, to win a promise to do what she desired (MS W, ll. 7217�26; Hahn, p. 269). The Lady of the Lake was able, embracing and stroking Merlin, to win from him what she desired. Sommer, II, 452. Though Ulrich represents the damsel of the lake as Malduc's daughter, not his mistress, as in the Merlin legend, there can be little doubt of the influence of the latter tradition on Malduc. On the Merlin legend of. Bruce, Evolution of Arthurian Romance, I, 129— 51; Geoffrey of Monmouth, Vita Merlini, ed. J. J. Parry, Univ. of Illinois Studies in Lang. and Lit., X (1925), No. 3; Paton, pp. 204�27. This raises
[ 218 46, 49, 89, 105-8, 112, 121�24, 157, 217-32, 249f., 265, 271f., 275f., 281; Loomis, pp. 9, 15, 18, 20, 198f. Perhaps the most striking testimony to the ardor with which the Bretons believed in Arthur's return is the statement of Alanus de Insulis (1174-79) : "Vade in Armoricum regnum, id est, in minorem Britanniam et praedica per plateas et vicos Arturum Britonem more ceterum mortuorum mortuum esse, et tunc certe re ipsa probabis, veram esse Merlini prophetiam, qua ait: Arturi exitium dubium fore; si tamen immunis evadere inde potueris, quin aut maledictis audientium opprimaris, aut certe lapidibus obruaris." [L] 208. In l. 6235 Tristant has already been mentioned, together with Erek, as wîs. The adjective listige here applied to him may refer to Tristant's many traditional accomplishments, of which Gertrude Schoepperle made a list in her Tristan and Isolt, II, 282�317, or possibly to the clever ruses by which he deceived King Mark. [L] 209. It has been shown in n. 195 that in form the name Malduz or Malduc approximates the name Mauduit mentioned in the Chanson de Roland as the treasurer of the pagan Marsilie. Doubtless the element mal or mau in such names was regarded as expressive of their sinister characters. As for the role of Malduc in the rescue of Ginover, it has been shown in the Introduction that it is based on that of a druid in the Wooing of Etain. But an important influence on Ulrich's account of Malduc is the traditional wizard of Arthurian romance, Merlin. Apart from the general resemblance between Malduc and Merlin as the supreme enchanters of Arthur's time, there are three more striking points of similarity. (1) Malduc dwelt in an invisible castle (1l. 7164f.), surrounded by a thick mist (11. 7589-91). Merlin was confined by his mistress in a tower rendered invisible by a vapor (fumée). Sommer, II, 452, 461. (2) Malduc dwelt in a castle in the midst of a lake with a damsel who was expert in magic and who was friendly to Arthur (1l. 7161�207). Merlin was confined in a fortress, where he was frequently visited by a beautiful damsel, the Lady of the Lake, who was expert in magic and who was friendly to Arthur. Sommer, II, 376, 451f. (3) The damsel who dwelt with Malduc was able, embracing him affectionately, to win a promise to do what she desired (MS W, ll. 7217�26; Hahn, p. 269). The Lady of the Lake was able, embracing and stroking Merlin, to win from him what she desired. Sommer, II, 452. Though Ulrich represents the damsel of the lake as Malduc's daughter, not his mistress, as in the Merlin legend, there can be little doubt of the influence of the latter tradition on Malduc. On the Merlin legend of. Bruce, Evolution of Arthurian Romance, I, 129— 51; Geoffrey of Monmouth, Vita Merlini, ed. J. J. Parry, Univ. of Illinois Studies in Lang. and Lit., X (1925), No. 3; Paton, pp. 204�27. This raises
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219 the question whether the name Malduc or Malduz is a substitution for that of the great enchanter. But it seems more likely that it is substituted for Mabon, which we have seen that Ulrich gives in the Anglo-Norman form Mabuz. Cf. n. 118. For somewhat similar traditions seem to have clustered about Mabon as about Merlin, as Philipot showed in R, XXV (1896), 281-89. In Renaud de Beaujeu's Le Bel Inconnu and in Libeaus Desconus, Mabon or Maboun appears as a wicked enchanter, and in Chrétien's Erec Mabonagrain is, like Merlin, held as a sort of captive by his mistress in a garden surrounded by an impenetrable wall of air. Loomis, pp. 176-79. The role of Malduc, therefore, is a composite of traditions about three wizards, the Irish Dalan, the Welsh Merlin, and Mabon, who seems to have shared or acquired some of the characteristics of Merlin. See also n. 223. [L] 210. Zenker in ZFSL, XLVIII (1926), 70-75, maintained that the wild landscape effects in Lanzelet were typically English. Webster in Modern Language Review, XXVI (1931), 72, remarked, however: “The whole business of mists and bogs and fords is very Ireland"; and added in a note on the same page : “These mists that wrap the wizard's mere and the castle of the otherworld prince may be just the usual magic mist ; but one may suspect that the climate of the western isles has something to do with them, and that even the objectionable Irish fogs were sublimated (or precipitated) into fairy properties by the charms of the French romancers avid for this Celtic' material." [L] 211. Singer pointed out in 1912 (Aufsätze und Vorträge, p. 160) a cer- tain analogue to the disastrous shriek in Lludd and Llevelys. Loth, I, 234. Jones, p. 90. Listing the three plagues of Britain, the Welsh author wrote : The second plague was a scream which was raised every May-eve over every hearth in the Isle of Britain. It would pierce human hearts and strike them with such terror that men would lose their hue and their strength and women the fruit of their wombs, and young men and maidens would lose their senses, and all animals and trees and the earth and the waters would be left barren." Another Welsh reference to this phenomenon occurs in Manawydan. Loth, I, 154f.; Jones, p. 43. Pryderi, his mother, and his step- father seated themselves after a feast on a perilous mound. "Lo, a peal of thunder, and with the magnitude of the peal, lo, a fall of mist coming, so that no one of them could see the other. After the mist, lo, every place filled with light. And when they looked the way they were wont before that to see the flocks and the herds and the dwellings, no manner of thing could they see : neither house nor beast nor smoke nor fire nor man nor dwelling. In Arthurian romance we have three instances of a “brait" which heralded or produced calamity. In the Didot Perceval (ed. Roach [Philadelphia, 1941], "
219 the question whether the name Malduc or Malduz is a substitution for that of the great enchanter. But it seems more likely that it is substituted for Mabon, which we have seen that Ulrich gives in the Anglo-Norman form Mabuz. Cf. n. 118. For somewhat similar traditions seem to have clustered about Mabon as about Merlin, as Philipot showed in R, XXV (1896), 281-89. In Renaud de Beaujeu's Le Bel Inconnu and in Libeaus Desconus, Mabon or Maboun appears as a wicked enchanter, and in Chrétien's Erec Mabonagrain is, like Merlin, held as a sort of captive by his mistress in a garden surrounded by an impenetrable wall of air. Loomis, pp. 176-79. The role of Malduc, therefore, is a composite of traditions about three wizards, the Irish Dalan, the Welsh Merlin, and Mabon, who seems to have shared or acquired some of the characteristics of Merlin. See also n. 223. [L] 210. Zenker in ZFSL, XLVIII (1926), 70-75, maintained that the wild landscape effects in Lanzelet were typically English. Webster in Modern Language Review, XXVI (1931), 72, remarked, however: “The whole business of mists and bogs and fords is very Ireland"; and added in a note on the same page : “These mists that wrap the wizard's mere and the castle of the otherworld prince may be just the usual magic mist ; but one may suspect that the climate of the western isles has something to do with them, and that even the objectionable Irish fogs were sublimated (or precipitated) into fairy properties by the charms of the French romancers avid for this Celtic' material." [L] 211. Singer pointed out in 1912 (Aufsätze und Vorträge, p. 160) a cer- tain analogue to the disastrous shriek in Lludd and Llevelys. Loth, I, 234. Jones, p. 90. Listing the three plagues of Britain, the Welsh author wrote : The second plague was a scream which was raised every May-eve over every hearth in the Isle of Britain. It would pierce human hearts and strike them with such terror that men would lose their hue and their strength and women the fruit of their wombs, and young men and maidens would lose their senses, and all animals and trees and the earth and the waters would be left barren." Another Welsh reference to this phenomenon occurs in Manawydan. Loth, I, 154f.; Jones, p. 43. Pryderi, his mother, and his step- father seated themselves after a feast on a perilous mound. "Lo, a peal of thunder, and with the magnitude of the peal, lo, a fall of mist coming, so that no one of them could see the other. After the mist, lo, every place filled with light. And when they looked the way they were wont before that to see the flocks and the herds and the dwellings, no manner of thing could they see : neither house nor beast nor smoke nor fire nor man nor dwelling. In Arthurian romance we have three instances of a “brait" which heralded or produced calamity. In the Didot Perceval (ed. Roach [Philadelphia, 1941], "
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[220 pp. 149f.) we have a remarkable parallel to the incident in Manawydan— a roar which follows on Perceval's sitting in the Siege Perilous and signals the beginning of the enchantments of Britain. Cf. Loomis, pp. 342f. In the Huth Merlin (ed. G. Paris and J. Ulrich [Paris, 1886], II, 198) we read of a “brait" uttered by Merlin when he discovered that he had been de- ceived by his mistress—a cry which was heard throughout Logres (Eng- land) and caused many marvels. A lost French romance and the Spanish Baladro del Sabio Merlin took their titles from this cry. Finally, in the Livre d'Artus (Sommer, VII, 170) there is a “brait" which issues from the sky and which is so dolorous that whoever hears it falls to the ground as if dead. Though the parallels to the Shrieking Marsh are not close, yet in all cases the sound is attended by calamity, and in Lludd and Llevelys it is a seasonal occurrence. [L] 212. The heat of the water, so far as I am aware, is not matched in the Celtic wonder world, but seems rather to reflect some knowledge of volcanic springs, perhaps those of Bath. [L] 213. It may be worth noting that according to the seventeenth-century story of The Pursuit of the Gilla Dacker (P. W. Joyce, Old Celtic Romances [Dublin, 1920], p. 223) the Fianna, bands of hunters and warriors, divided the year into two parts, spending the time from Mayday to November I in the chase and the other half in the mansions and hostels of Ireland. [L] 214. There has been considerable speculation about the name and nature of Dodines. Cf. R, XLIII (1914), 96ff.; ZFSL, XLIV 1 (1917), 169. The immediate source of the name must be Hartmann's Erek, l. 1637, where exactly the same form and the same epithet, "der wilde," occur. Hartmann's source in turn was Chrétien's Erec, l. 1700, where two MSS read "Dodinez li Sauvages." Other MSS, however, give the more correct form, Dodins, and Dr. Brugger proved in Medieval Studies in Memory of G. Schoepperle Loomis (New York, 1927), pp. 166-70, that Dodins is simply an Old French noun meaning “fool." Since Ulrich's Dodines was no fool, it seems most probable that, as with Kailet and Malduz (cf. notes 194f.), Ulrich picked out a name from Hartmann's list of Arthur's knights arbitrarily, his choice perhaps being determined by the epithet "der wilde," which would be appropriate enough for this guide through strange territory. The authentic story of Dodin or Dodinel, as I showed in Arthurian Tradition, pp. 339f., is preserved in the Vulgate Merlin, and his name was originally a sobriquet for Perceval. [L] 215. Malory describes the hero of his seventh Book, Gareth, as having the largest hands that ever man saw. For the explanation of Gareth's nick- name, Beaumayns, cf. PMLA, LIV (1939), 656-68. [L]
[220 pp. 149f.) we have a remarkable parallel to the incident in Manawydan— a roar which follows on Perceval's sitting in the Siege Perilous and signals the beginning of the enchantments of Britain. Cf. Loomis, pp. 342f. In the Huth Merlin (ed. G. Paris and J. Ulrich [Paris, 1886], II, 198) we read of a “brait" uttered by Merlin when he discovered that he had been de- ceived by his mistress—a cry which was heard throughout Logres (Eng- land) and caused many marvels. A lost French romance and the Spanish Baladro del Sabio Merlin took their titles from this cry. Finally, in the Livre d'Artus (Sommer, VII, 170) there is a “brait" which issues from the sky and which is so dolorous that whoever hears it falls to the ground as if dead. Though the parallels to the Shrieking Marsh are not close, yet in all cases the sound is attended by calamity, and in Lludd and Llevelys it is a seasonal occurrence. [L] 212. The heat of the water, so far as I am aware, is not matched in the Celtic wonder world, but seems rather to reflect some knowledge of volcanic springs, perhaps those of Bath. [L] 213. It may be worth noting that according to the seventeenth-century story of The Pursuit of the Gilla Dacker (P. W. Joyce, Old Celtic Romances [Dublin, 1920], p. 223) the Fianna, bands of hunters and warriors, divided the year into two parts, spending the time from Mayday to November I in the chase and the other half in the mansions and hostels of Ireland. [L] 214. There has been considerable speculation about the name and nature of Dodines. Cf. R, XLIII (1914), 96ff.; ZFSL, XLIV 1 (1917), 169. The immediate source of the name must be Hartmann's Erek, l. 1637, where exactly the same form and the same epithet, "der wilde," occur. Hartmann's source in turn was Chrétien's Erec, l. 1700, where two MSS read "Dodinez li Sauvages." Other MSS, however, give the more correct form, Dodins, and Dr. Brugger proved in Medieval Studies in Memory of G. Schoepperle Loomis (New York, 1927), pp. 166-70, that Dodins is simply an Old French noun meaning “fool." Since Ulrich's Dodines was no fool, it seems most probable that, as with Kailet and Malduz (cf. notes 194f.), Ulrich picked out a name from Hartmann's list of Arthur's knights arbitrarily, his choice perhaps being determined by the epithet "der wilde," which would be appropriate enough for this guide through strange territory. The authentic story of Dodin or Dodinel, as I showed in Arthurian Tradition, pp. 339f., is preserved in the Vulgate Merlin, and his name was originally a sobriquet for Perceval. [L] 215. Malory describes the hero of his seventh Book, Gareth, as having the largest hands that ever man saw. For the explanation of Gareth's nick- name, Beaumayns, cf. PMLA, LIV (1939), 656-68. [L]
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221 216. This steed, which did not disturb the dew, reminds one of Kilhwch's mount (Loth, I, 251) : "Never a blade of grass bent beneath him, so light was the canter of the courser which carried him to the gate of Arthur's palace." In the same tale we meet Sgilti Ysgawndroet (presumably the Irish runner Cailte), of whom it is said (ibid., I, 271) : "If he was in a wood, he walked on the ends of the branches of the trees ; never in his life did a blade of grass bend beneath his feet, much less did it break, because of his lightness." [L] 217. Webster in an article in Modern Language Review, XXVI (1931), 72, remarked of this bridge : “It must have been under the water" ; and he regarded it as a parallel to the "pont evage" or water bridge in Chrétien's Charrette. On the latter of. Loomis, pp. 222ff. Webster believed that these subaqueous bridges were suggested by the crannogs, “found in many parts of the world, but extremely common in Scotland and Ireland. A crannog is a natural or artificial islet, strongly stockaded, and approached with difficulty through the bog or lake by an under-water causeway. . . . In real life it would be a road of stone, or walk of wood securely pinned down, just far enough below the surface of the water to be fordable." At least one crannog exists in Wales. J. Rhys, Celtic Folklore (Oxford, 1901), I, 73. On the other hand, there is no statement that this bridge leading to Malduc's castle lay under water ; it is merely said that it became visible only at the will of the enchanter, and in l. 7655 it is actually said to lead over the water, “über daz breite wazzer." One calls to mind a similar bridge described in the Huth Merlin, ed. G. Paris and J. Ulrich, I, 201. In answer to Arthur's question how a damsel could pass over a lake with dry feet, Merlin replied : "Truly there is a great, marvelously deep lake. In the midst of the lake there is a rock where there are fair and rich houses and a large and marvelous palace ; but they are all so closed about with enchantment that no one who is outside can see it unless he comes from there. There where you saw the damsel pass there is no water, but there is a wooden bridge which no one can see. By it those who go there pass, for they see the bridge which other people cannot see.' It is very doubtful, therefore, whether the notion of a crannog enters into the matter at all. [L] 218. In Breton lais and Arthurian romances fays are sometimes de- scribed as riding abroad with sparrow-hawks on their fists, e.g. Desiré, Lanval, Le Bel Inconnu, Diu Crone. Loomis, p. 92. Le Bel Inconnu con- tains other parallels to Lanzelet : soft gait of the horse, l. 3945 ; the sparrow- hawk is of three moultings, l. 3994. In both Lanval and Sir Launfal the equestrian fay is accompanied by a greyhound. These pictures of fays riding equipped for falconry seem to represent an effort on the part of Breton en-
221 216. This steed, which did not disturb the dew, reminds one of Kilhwch's mount (Loth, I, 251) : "Never a blade of grass bent beneath him, so light was the canter of the courser which carried him to the gate of Arthur's palace." In the same tale we meet Sgilti Ysgawndroet (presumably the Irish runner Cailte), of whom it is said (ibid., I, 271) : "If he was in a wood, he walked on the ends of the branches of the trees ; never in his life did a blade of grass bend beneath his feet, much less did it break, because of his lightness." [L] 217. Webster in an article in Modern Language Review, XXVI (1931), 72, remarked of this bridge : “It must have been under the water" ; and he regarded it as a parallel to the "pont evage" or water bridge in Chrétien's Charrette. On the latter of. Loomis, pp. 222ff. Webster believed that these subaqueous bridges were suggested by the crannogs, “found in many parts of the world, but extremely common in Scotland and Ireland. A crannog is a natural or artificial islet, strongly stockaded, and approached with difficulty through the bog or lake by an under-water causeway. . . . In real life it would be a road of stone, or walk of wood securely pinned down, just far enough below the surface of the water to be fordable." At least one crannog exists in Wales. J. Rhys, Celtic Folklore (Oxford, 1901), I, 73. On the other hand, there is no statement that this bridge leading to Malduc's castle lay under water ; it is merely said that it became visible only at the will of the enchanter, and in l. 7655 it is actually said to lead over the water, “über daz breite wazzer." One calls to mind a similar bridge described in the Huth Merlin, ed. G. Paris and J. Ulrich, I, 201. In answer to Arthur's question how a damsel could pass over a lake with dry feet, Merlin replied : "Truly there is a great, marvelously deep lake. In the midst of the lake there is a rock where there are fair and rich houses and a large and marvelous palace ; but they are all so closed about with enchantment that no one who is outside can see it unless he comes from there. There where you saw the damsel pass there is no water, but there is a wooden bridge which no one can see. By it those who go there pass, for they see the bridge which other people cannot see.' It is very doubtful, therefore, whether the notion of a crannog enters into the matter at all. [L] 218. In Breton lais and Arthurian romances fays are sometimes de- scribed as riding abroad with sparrow-hawks on their fists, e.g. Desiré, Lanval, Le Bel Inconnu, Diu Crone. Loomis, p. 92. Le Bel Inconnu con- tains other parallels to Lanzelet : soft gait of the horse, l. 3945 ; the sparrow- hawk is of three moultings, l. 3994. In both Lanval and Sir Launfal the equestrian fay is accompanied by a greyhound. These pictures of fays riding equipped for falconry seem to represent an effort on the part of Breton en-
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222 tertainers to rationalize the appearance of these ladies riding alone or in companies by giving them a plausible and realistic occupation. For there is abundant testimony from literature and the arts that highborn ladies were devoted to the sport of hawking. Cf. Schultz, I, 473-85, figs. 146, 149; R. Koechlin, Les Ivoires gothiques, Planches, figs. 1027, 1028, 1261; E. Bor- mann, Die Jagd in den altfranzösischen Artus- und Abenteuerromanen, pp. 48f., 57. [L] 219. The learned woman was by no means unknown in the twelfth cen- tury. There is, of course, the famous Heloise, confided by her uncle, the canon, to the instruction of Abelard, the most brilliant scholar of his day. Thomas, the Anglo-Norman poet, writing about 1185, likewise described his heroine, Ysolt, as taught by the disguised Tristan “to strike the harp and all manner of stringed instruments, to write and make letters. ... Over all the realm waxed her fame for all manner of learning that she had learned of him through study. . .. Moreover, she showed her wisdom in divers questions and answers that she made before the wisest men." Thomas, Tristan, ed. J. Bédier (Paris, 1902-5), I, 97f. See next note. [L] 220. We have already seen in notes 7, 9, 118, 128, 150 the pervasive in- fluence of the legends of Morgain la Fée. She derives in part from Welsh Modron and in part from the Irish lamia Morrigan. Speculum, XX (1945), 183-203. She appears first in extant literature in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Vita Merlini, 11. 916-38, as mistress of the faery Isle of Apples and as su- premely skilled in the arts of healing by means of curative herbs. In a euhemeristic passage in the Huth Merlin, I, 120, this skill is attributed to her education. She was one of the daughters of Uter Pendragon, was sent to a house of religion to learn letters, studied so hard that she acquired the seven liberal arts, astronomy, and medicine (fisike), and was therefore called "Morgue la Fée." On education of women in arts of healing, of. M. J. Hughes, Women Healers in Medieval Life and Literature (New York, 1943). [L] 221. The translation then follows MS W for ll. 7217�26. MS P differs slightly and twice refers to Malduc as gougelaere, “magician." [L] 222. The obligation of a king to keep his word is expressed in Chrétien's Erec, 11. 61f. ; the Middle English Sir Orfeo, ll. 461�66; Chaucer's Mer- chant's Tale, 11. 2312�15. Dr. Laura Hibbard Loomis suggests in Studies in Philology, XXXVIII (1940), 28, that Chaucer derived the idea from Sir Orfeo. Prof. T. P. Cross in Cross and Nitze, Lancelot and Guenevere, p. 49, n. 3, says : 'The custom of making a promise or vow which must be kept at all hazards (Ir. fir fer, 'verum virorum') is frequently referred to in Irish tradition," and cites examples. [L]
222 tertainers to rationalize the appearance of these ladies riding alone or in companies by giving them a plausible and realistic occupation. For there is abundant testimony from literature and the arts that highborn ladies were devoted to the sport of hawking. Cf. Schultz, I, 473-85, figs. 146, 149; R. Koechlin, Les Ivoires gothiques, Planches, figs. 1027, 1028, 1261; E. Bor- mann, Die Jagd in den altfranzösischen Artus- und Abenteuerromanen, pp. 48f., 57. [L] 219. The learned woman was by no means unknown in the twelfth cen- tury. There is, of course, the famous Heloise, confided by her uncle, the canon, to the instruction of Abelard, the most brilliant scholar of his day. Thomas, the Anglo-Norman poet, writing about 1185, likewise described his heroine, Ysolt, as taught by the disguised Tristan “to strike the harp and all manner of stringed instruments, to write and make letters. ... Over all the realm waxed her fame for all manner of learning that she had learned of him through study. . .. Moreover, she showed her wisdom in divers questions and answers that she made before the wisest men." Thomas, Tristan, ed. J. Bédier (Paris, 1902-5), I, 97f. See next note. [L] 220. We have already seen in notes 7, 9, 118, 128, 150 the pervasive in- fluence of the legends of Morgain la Fée. She derives in part from Welsh Modron and in part from the Irish lamia Morrigan. Speculum, XX (1945), 183-203. She appears first in extant literature in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Vita Merlini, 11. 916-38, as mistress of the faery Isle of Apples and as su- premely skilled in the arts of healing by means of curative herbs. In a euhemeristic passage in the Huth Merlin, I, 120, this skill is attributed to her education. She was one of the daughters of Uter Pendragon, was sent to a house of religion to learn letters, studied so hard that she acquired the seven liberal arts, astronomy, and medicine (fisike), and was therefore called "Morgue la Fée." On education of women in arts of healing, of. M. J. Hughes, Women Healers in Medieval Life and Literature (New York, 1943). [L] 221. The translation then follows MS W for ll. 7217�26. MS P differs slightly and twice refers to Malduc as gougelaere, “magician." [L] 222. The obligation of a king to keep his word is expressed in Chrétien's Erec, 11. 61f. ; the Middle English Sir Orfeo, ll. 461�66; Chaucer's Mer- chant's Tale, 11. 2312�15. Dr. Laura Hibbard Loomis suggests in Studies in Philology, XXXVIII (1940), 28, that Chaucer derived the idea from Sir Orfeo. Prof. T. P. Cross in Cross and Nitze, Lancelot and Guenevere, p. 49, n. 3, says : 'The custom of making a promise or vow which must be kept at all hazards (Ir. fir fer, 'verum virorum') is frequently referred to in Irish tradition," and cites examples. [L]
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223 223. This is evidently the theme of the Sleeping Beauty. Cf. J. Bolte and G. Polivka, Anmerkungen zu den Kinder- und Hausmärchen der Brüder Grimm (Leipzig, 1913—18), I, 434; A. Aarne, Types of the Folk-tale, trans. Stith Thompson (Helsinki, 1928), No. 410; Handwörterbuch des deutschen Aberglaubens, ed. E. Hoffmann-Krayer and H. Bächtold-Staübli (Berlin, Leipzig, 1927-41), II, col. 358-60; Teutonia, XIX (1911), 176f., 286. The heroine falls into an enchanted sleep with all the other inhabitants of a castle. After a hundred years a prince breaks through the hedge surrounding the castle and awakes the princess. A notable parallel to Ulrich's version is supplied by the Scottish ballad of Child Rowland, current in the eighteenth century and outlined in Folklore, II, 183ff. King Arthur's daughter, Burd Ellen, was carried away by the fairies to the castle of the king of Elfland. The warlock Merlin, when consulted, instructed her eldest brother how to bring her back. The youth set out, failed to follow the wizard's instructions, and did not return. The next brother likewise attempted the rescue but in vain. The youngest brother, Child Rowland, in turn received the instruc- tions of Merlin, discovered Burd Ellen in a glorious palace, but refused a bowl of bread and milk she offered him. The king of Elfland then burst in and was subdued by Rowland after a furious fight. The unsuccessful brothers were lying in a trance, but when the king of Elfland, compelled by Rowland, anointed them with a bright red liquor, they awoke as from a profound sleep. So the four children of Arthur returned to merry Carlisle. The combination of abduction of a woman to fairyland, the helpful wizard, and the enchanted sleep may indicate some genetic connection between Ulrich's Anglo-Norman source, composed for the forester of Cumberland, and the Scottish ballad. [L] 224. Bächtold first proposed (being followed by Webster and Prof. Rich- ter) that Esealt is a corruption of the classical name Ephialtes. Bächtold, p. 32n.; Harvard Studies and Notes, XVI (1934), 226, n. 99; DF, XXVII (1934), 81. It would seem that the author of O displayed here some of his learning. Cf. notes 128, 159-62. Presumably he did not know the name of the giant who grew a span every month, but, recognizing the resemblance to the giant Ephialtes, who according to Servius' Commentary on the Aeneid VI.582, grew nine digits (six inches) every month, arbitrarily assigned to the anonymous giant the name Efealt. The substitution of a long s for f would be easy for a scribe or for Ulrich himself to make. The trait of precocious growth may well have been a Celtic feature. It is attributed to the Irish hero Eochaid Bres in the Second Battle of Moytura, to the Welsh youths, Gwri and Lleu, in the Four Branches of the Mabinogi (Jones, pp. 20f., 64), to Wigalois (Piper, Höfische Epik [Stuttgart, 1892-951, II, 212),
223 223. This is evidently the theme of the Sleeping Beauty. Cf. J. Bolte and G. Polivka, Anmerkungen zu den Kinder- und Hausmärchen der Brüder Grimm (Leipzig, 1913—18), I, 434; A. Aarne, Types of the Folk-tale, trans. Stith Thompson (Helsinki, 1928), No. 410; Handwörterbuch des deutschen Aberglaubens, ed. E. Hoffmann-Krayer and H. Bächtold-Staübli (Berlin, Leipzig, 1927-41), II, col. 358-60; Teutonia, XIX (1911), 176f., 286. The heroine falls into an enchanted sleep with all the other inhabitants of a castle. After a hundred years a prince breaks through the hedge surrounding the castle and awakes the princess. A notable parallel to Ulrich's version is supplied by the Scottish ballad of Child Rowland, current in the eighteenth century and outlined in Folklore, II, 183ff. King Arthur's daughter, Burd Ellen, was carried away by the fairies to the castle of the king of Elfland. The warlock Merlin, when consulted, instructed her eldest brother how to bring her back. The youth set out, failed to follow the wizard's instructions, and did not return. The next brother likewise attempted the rescue but in vain. The youngest brother, Child Rowland, in turn received the instruc- tions of Merlin, discovered Burd Ellen in a glorious palace, but refused a bowl of bread and milk she offered him. The king of Elfland then burst in and was subdued by Rowland after a furious fight. The unsuccessful brothers were lying in a trance, but when the king of Elfland, compelled by Rowland, anointed them with a bright red liquor, they awoke as from a profound sleep. So the four children of Arthur returned to merry Carlisle. The combination of abduction of a woman to fairyland, the helpful wizard, and the enchanted sleep may indicate some genetic connection between Ulrich's Anglo-Norman source, composed for the forester of Cumberland, and the Scottish ballad. [L] 224. Bächtold first proposed (being followed by Webster and Prof. Rich- ter) that Esealt is a corruption of the classical name Ephialtes. Bächtold, p. 32n.; Harvard Studies and Notes, XVI (1934), 226, n. 99; DF, XXVII (1934), 81. It would seem that the author of O displayed here some of his learning. Cf. notes 128, 159-62. Presumably he did not know the name of the giant who grew a span every month, but, recognizing the resemblance to the giant Ephialtes, who according to Servius' Commentary on the Aeneid VI.582, grew nine digits (six inches) every month, arbitrarily assigned to the anonymous giant the name Efealt. The substitution of a long s for f would be easy for a scribe or for Ulrich himself to make. The trait of precocious growth may well have been a Celtic feature. It is attributed to the Irish hero Eochaid Bres in the Second Battle of Moytura, to the Welsh youths, Gwri and Lleu, in the Four Branches of the Mabinogi (Jones, pp. 20f., 64), to Wigalois (Piper, Höfische Epik [Stuttgart, 1892-951, II, 212),
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[224 and to Lancelot himself (Sommer, III, 23). On the Irish prototype of Esealt, of. the next note. [L] 225. This very specific statement as to Esealt's age when he performed his exploit recalls the emphasis in The Boyhood Deeds of Cuchulainn that Cuchulainn was seventeen years old when he fought so magnificently at the Cattle-Raid of Cooley. Thurneysen, pp. 129, 135, 140. It can hardly be a coincidence that Esealt's wading across the lake and supporting the hundred knights who got into difficulties in swimming affords a striking parallel to the exploit of Cuchulainn as recounted in The Phantom Chariot of Cuchu- lainn. "After we came on the ocean, ... the crew of my currach was en- gulfed by the fierce storm. After this I floated them—though it was a sharp danger—nine men on each of my hands, thirty on my head. Eight upon my two sides clung to my body. Thus I swam the ocean until I reached the har- bor." Cross and Slover, p. 353. It is perhaps no accident that this exploit of Cuchulainn's also resembles the situation described by Ulrich in that it fol- lows his attack on an island fortress where dwelt the friendly daughter of the lord of the fortress. [L] 226. Cf. n. 225 on the swimming of the lake. [L] 227. Roidurant is another name apparently borrowed from Hartmann's Erek, 1. 2693, where the printed text reads Boidurant, which is evidently a corruption of Chrétien's Rainduranz, Erec, l. 2182. The name occurs also as Rinduran in Breton and Cornish documents. ZFSL, XLIX (1927), 479. [L] 228. The theme of the disenchantment of a dragon- or serpent-maiden by a kiss was very popular with the story-tellers of the Middle Ages, perhaps the most famous examples being found in the ballad of Kemp Owyne, in Le Bel Inconnu and Libeaus Desconus, and in Mandeville's legend of Hippoc- rates' daughter. A partial bibliography will be found in Stith Thompson's Motif-Index under D735. See also the monograph, Der Schlangenkuss, by Emma Frank, in Form und Geist, IX (1928) ; W. H. Schofield, Studies in Libeaus Desconus, SNPL, IV (1895), 199-208; Bibliothèque de l'Ecole des Chartes, LXXIX (1918), 45ff. Since the motif occurred in the common source of Le Bel Inconnu, Libeaus Desconus, and Carduino, it must have been adopted into the Matter of Britain fairly early. It is highly significant that the two Fair Unknown romances localize the adventure at the ruinous city of Sinadon and thus, as I have shown in Speculum, XXII (1947), 520— 29, reveal an acquaintance with the site of Caer Seint on the lower slopes of Snowdon, precisely the region which we have already seen in the Introduction supplied materials to the author of O. It seems pretty certain that Breton conteurs found this story attached to the ruins of Segontium in the last quarter
[224 and to Lancelot himself (Sommer, III, 23). On the Irish prototype of Esealt, of. the next note. [L] 225. This very specific statement as to Esealt's age when he performed his exploit recalls the emphasis in The Boyhood Deeds of Cuchulainn that Cuchulainn was seventeen years old when he fought so magnificently at the Cattle-Raid of Cooley. Thurneysen, pp. 129, 135, 140. It can hardly be a coincidence that Esealt's wading across the lake and supporting the hundred knights who got into difficulties in swimming affords a striking parallel to the exploit of Cuchulainn as recounted in The Phantom Chariot of Cuchu- lainn. "After we came on the ocean, ... the crew of my currach was en- gulfed by the fierce storm. After this I floated them—though it was a sharp danger—nine men on each of my hands, thirty on my head. Eight upon my two sides clung to my body. Thus I swam the ocean until I reached the har- bor." Cross and Slover, p. 353. It is perhaps no accident that this exploit of Cuchulainn's also resembles the situation described by Ulrich in that it fol- lows his attack on an island fortress where dwelt the friendly daughter of the lord of the fortress. [L] 226. Cf. n. 225 on the swimming of the lake. [L] 227. Roidurant is another name apparently borrowed from Hartmann's Erek, 1. 2693, where the printed text reads Boidurant, which is evidently a corruption of Chrétien's Rainduranz, Erec, l. 2182. The name occurs also as Rinduran in Breton and Cornish documents. ZFSL, XLIX (1927), 479. [L] 228. The theme of the disenchantment of a dragon- or serpent-maiden by a kiss was very popular with the story-tellers of the Middle Ages, perhaps the most famous examples being found in the ballad of Kemp Owyne, in Le Bel Inconnu and Libeaus Desconus, and in Mandeville's legend of Hippoc- rates' daughter. A partial bibliography will be found in Stith Thompson's Motif-Index under D735. See also the monograph, Der Schlangenkuss, by Emma Frank, in Form und Geist, IX (1928) ; W. H. Schofield, Studies in Libeaus Desconus, SNPL, IV (1895), 199-208; Bibliothèque de l'Ecole des Chartes, LXXIX (1918), 45ff. Since the motif occurred in the common source of Le Bel Inconnu, Libeaus Desconus, and Carduino, it must have been adopted into the Matter of Britain fairly early. It is highly significant that the two Fair Unknown romances localize the adventure at the ruinous city of Sinadon and thus, as I have shown in Speculum, XXII (1947), 520— 29, reveal an acquaintance with the site of Caer Seint on the lower slopes of Snowdon, precisely the region which we have already seen in the Introduction supplied materials to the author of O. It seems pretty certain that Breton conteurs found this story attached to the ruins of Segontium in the last quarter
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[225 of the twelfth century, or themselves planted it there. And thence it passed to the author of O along with the other local traditions of Gwynedd. Further- more, as Marillier suggested in Revue de l'histoire des religions, XL (1899), 75f., there is reason to believe that it is derived from the Irish legend of the transformed Sovranty of Erin, which is also the source of Chaucer's Wife of Bath's Tale. G. Maynadier, Wife of Bath's Tale (London, 1901). The earliest extant version of the legend is probably one composed by a poet who died in 1024. Eriu, IV (1910), 91�111. It presents the following points of similarity to Lanzelet. A woman in monstrous form is met in a forest beside a spring or brook. She asks for a kiss from the men who approach her, but they flee in terror. Finally, the hero undertakes the adventure, kisses the hideous mouth, and the monster is transformed into a beautiful damsel. The exploit is reported at the king's court, and the hero is granted the supreme honor. There is good reason to believe that this story originated as a sun myth and represented the bleak, wintry land of Ireland transformed by the caresses of the sun into flowery loveliness. R. S. Loomis, Celtic Myth (New York, 1927), pp. 296-99, and Arthurian Tradition, pp. 376-79; Eriu, XIV (1943), 17-21, 27. There is also evidence that the original hero of the myth was Lug, the sun-god, the Irish ancestor of Lanzelet, since we have a refer- ence to Lug's wedding the Sovranty of Erin, and in The Ecstasy of the Phantom she appears as a beautiful crowned damsel in Lug's palace. J. Rhys, Lectures on the Origin and Growth of Religion, 2d ed. (London, 1892), pp. 414—19. If Lug, then, was the original hero of the transformation of the Sovranty of Erin, then we may add Lanzelet's transformation of the dragon- maiden to the other adventures in which he has inherited the role of Lug. See Introduction. It is certainly noteworthy that the Lanzelet version of the disenchantment by kiss comes much closer to the Irish form than does any other and proves the Irish origin of this motif in Arthurian romance. The one striking difference—the substitution of the dragon for a loathly, deformed crone—is easily accounted for by the widespread notion that supernatural women could take the form of serpents. Richter called attention in DF, XXVII (1934), 72f., to examples of monsters which were half woman, half serpent, and quoted from Gervase of Tilbury this passage : "De serpentibus tradunt vulgares, quod sunt quaedam foeminae, quae mutantur in serpentes.' Cf. also the story of Lamia, which Keats took from Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy, and which Burton in turn took from Bk. IV of Philostratus' De vita Apolonii; also a Breton folktale in P. Sébillot, Traditions et super- stitions de la Haute Bretagne (Paris, 1882), p. 109; an Italian cantare, La Pulzella gaia, in Fiore di leggende, ed. E. Levi (Bari, 1914), pp. 32-35; German folktales cited in Teutonia, XIX (1911), 138f., 267; and medieval
[225 of the twelfth century, or themselves planted it there. And thence it passed to the author of O along with the other local traditions of Gwynedd. Further- more, as Marillier suggested in Revue de l'histoire des religions, XL (1899), 75f., there is reason to believe that it is derived from the Irish legend of the transformed Sovranty of Erin, which is also the source of Chaucer's Wife of Bath's Tale. G. Maynadier, Wife of Bath's Tale (London, 1901). The earliest extant version of the legend is probably one composed by a poet who died in 1024. Eriu, IV (1910), 91�111. It presents the following points of similarity to Lanzelet. A woman in monstrous form is met in a forest beside a spring or brook. She asks for a kiss from the men who approach her, but they flee in terror. Finally, the hero undertakes the adventure, kisses the hideous mouth, and the monster is transformed into a beautiful damsel. The exploit is reported at the king's court, and the hero is granted the supreme honor. There is good reason to believe that this story originated as a sun myth and represented the bleak, wintry land of Ireland transformed by the caresses of the sun into flowery loveliness. R. S. Loomis, Celtic Myth (New York, 1927), pp. 296-99, and Arthurian Tradition, pp. 376-79; Eriu, XIV (1943), 17-21, 27. There is also evidence that the original hero of the myth was Lug, the sun-god, the Irish ancestor of Lanzelet, since we have a refer- ence to Lug's wedding the Sovranty of Erin, and in The Ecstasy of the Phantom she appears as a beautiful crowned damsel in Lug's palace. J. Rhys, Lectures on the Origin and Growth of Religion, 2d ed. (London, 1892), pp. 414—19. If Lug, then, was the original hero of the transformation of the Sovranty of Erin, then we may add Lanzelet's transformation of the dragon- maiden to the other adventures in which he has inherited the role of Lug. See Introduction. It is certainly noteworthy that the Lanzelet version of the disenchantment by kiss comes much closer to the Irish form than does any other and proves the Irish origin of this motif in Arthurian romance. The one striking difference—the substitution of the dragon for a loathly, deformed crone—is easily accounted for by the widespread notion that supernatural women could take the form of serpents. Richter called attention in DF, XXVII (1934), 72f., to examples of monsters which were half woman, half serpent, and quoted from Gervase of Tilbury this passage : "De serpentibus tradunt vulgares, quod sunt quaedam foeminae, quae mutantur in serpentes.' Cf. also the story of Lamia, which Keats took from Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy, and which Burton in turn took from Bk. IV of Philostratus' De vita Apolonii; also a Breton folktale in P. Sébillot, Traditions et super- stitions de la Haute Bretagne (Paris, 1882), p. 109; an Italian cantare, La Pulzella gaia, in Fiore di leggende, ed. E. Levi (Bari, 1914), pp. 32-35; German folktales cited in Teutonia, XIX (1911), 138f., 267; and medieval
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226] traditions of Melusine and the Mont de la Sibille, cited in H. R. Patch, The Other World (Cambridge, Mass., 1950), pp. 268-70. [L] 229. The introduction of the brook may have been suggested by the fact that in the Irish source the transformation takes place beside a spring. Cf. the previous note. But transformation by bathing is known independently as a motif in folklore. Stith Thompson, Motif-Index, D562. [L] 230. Hahn followed MS W and gave the name as Elidia, but MS P. reads Clidra, and Richter points out, though without pronouncing in favor of this reading, a very illuminating passage in Isidore's Etymologiae, Bk. XII: “Chelydros serpens, qui et chersydros, quasi + cerim +, quia et in aquis et in terris moratur, Nam cherson dicunt Graeci terram, ydor aquam.' DF, XXVII (1934), 71f. It would be natural for the author of O or for Ulrich, seeking a name for the amphibious wurm, to turn to Isidore, to find there the amphibious Chelydros, and to invent the feminine form Celidra because of the monster's sex. Richter also quotes a passage in Konrad von Megenberg: "Cilydros haizt ain cilider, diu ist ain slang, sam Isidorus spricht, diu wont auf dem land und auch in dem wazzer." It seems almost certain, therefore, that Clidra is more authentic than Elidia. The latter exhibits the confusion between initial e and c which we observed in n. 4. [L] 231. The dragon-maiden in the Mandeville version of the disenchantment by kiss was also the daughter of the lord of an island. Though this version is localized in the isle of Cos or Lango, it nevertheless shows affinity to Ulrich's version in stressing the cowardly flight of those knights who attempted the adventure. Probably, then, Clidra's island home is not an invention but a traditional element, and any island would do, provided it was remote. It is possible that the description of Thyle derived from Pliny, for Richter called attention to a passage in Bk. IV which may well have served as a source : “ 'Ultima omnium quae memorantur Thyle, in qua solstitio nullas esse noctes indicavimus, cancri signum sole transeunte, nullosque contra per brumam dies." DF, XXVII (1934), 68f. At any rate, we may be sure that if the debt to Pliny was not direct, it was indirect, and this would explain the reference to the Roman books. [L] 232. This is obviously a reference to the courts of love. Though some earlier scholars were skeptical as to their existence and doubtless the courts had power to do little more than to pronounce opinions, yet Miss Kelly has made out a strong case for the reality of such discussion groups, presided over by the great ladies of the second half of the twelfth century. Cf. n. 192. A. Kelly, Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Four Kings (Cambridge, Mass., 1950), pp. 157-67. Andreas Capellanus in Bk. II, ch. 7 of his De amore is, of course, the prime source of our information. [L]
226] traditions of Melusine and the Mont de la Sibille, cited in H. R. Patch, The Other World (Cambridge, Mass., 1950), pp. 268-70. [L] 229. The introduction of the brook may have been suggested by the fact that in the Irish source the transformation takes place beside a spring. Cf. the previous note. But transformation by bathing is known independently as a motif in folklore. Stith Thompson, Motif-Index, D562. [L] 230. Hahn followed MS W and gave the name as Elidia, but MS P. reads Clidra, and Richter points out, though without pronouncing in favor of this reading, a very illuminating passage in Isidore's Etymologiae, Bk. XII: “Chelydros serpens, qui et chersydros, quasi + cerim +, quia et in aquis et in terris moratur, Nam cherson dicunt Graeci terram, ydor aquam.' DF, XXVII (1934), 71f. It would be natural for the author of O or for Ulrich, seeking a name for the amphibious wurm, to turn to Isidore, to find there the amphibious Chelydros, and to invent the feminine form Celidra because of the monster's sex. Richter also quotes a passage in Konrad von Megenberg: "Cilydros haizt ain cilider, diu ist ain slang, sam Isidorus spricht, diu wont auf dem land und auch in dem wazzer." It seems almost certain, therefore, that Clidra is more authentic than Elidia. The latter exhibits the confusion between initial e and c which we observed in n. 4. [L] 231. The dragon-maiden in the Mandeville version of the disenchantment by kiss was also the daughter of the lord of an island. Though this version is localized in the isle of Cos or Lango, it nevertheless shows affinity to Ulrich's version in stressing the cowardly flight of those knights who attempted the adventure. Probably, then, Clidra's island home is not an invention but a traditional element, and any island would do, provided it was remote. It is possible that the description of Thyle derived from Pliny, for Richter called attention to a passage in Bk. IV which may well have served as a source : “ 'Ultima omnium quae memorantur Thyle, in qua solstitio nullas esse noctes indicavimus, cancri signum sole transeunte, nullosque contra per brumam dies." DF, XXVII (1934), 68f. At any rate, we may be sure that if the debt to Pliny was not direct, it was indirect, and this would explain the reference to the Roman books. [L] 232. This is obviously a reference to the courts of love. Though some earlier scholars were skeptical as to their existence and doubtless the courts had power to do little more than to pronounce opinions, yet Miss Kelly has made out a strong case for the reality of such discussion groups, presided over by the great ladies of the second half of the twelfth century. Cf. n. 192. A. Kelly, Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Four Kings (Cambridge, Mass., 1950), pp. 157-67. Andreas Capellanus in Bk. II, ch. 7 of his De amore is, of course, the prime source of our information. [L]
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227 233. Garnantz (MS P Garnans) has not been previously mentioned as a land or town belonging to Walwein, nor is it ever connected with Gawain elsewhere to my knowledge. The probability is that the name was another of those arbitrary borrowings from Hartmann's Erek, where in 1. 2882 we find Karnant mentioned as the houbetstat of King Lac. At any rate, it is prob- able that Ulrich found in Erek, l. 2865, just 17 lines above the reference to Karnant, the statement that Destregales was the land of Erec's father, which he used in l. 8076 of Lanzelet, "von Destregalys sim lande." Of course, Hart- mann took the name Karnant from l. 2315 of a MS of Chrétien's Erec, which gave Carnant as the name of King Lac's castle. But Carnant is surely a corruption of Caruent, the reading of MS A, and Caruent represents Cair Guent in the Nennian list of the twenty-eight cities of Britain, the modern Caerwent in Monmouthshire, which still preserves its Roman walls. Loomis, pp. 73f. [L] 234. Destregalys as the name of Erec's patrimony is derived, as stated in the previous note, from Hartmann, who specifies Destregales as the land of Erek's father in 1l. 1819, 2865. Hartmann, in turn, took the name from Chré- tien's Erec, 1. 1874, which reads according to MS C “An son reaume destregales," and from l. 3881, which reads according to MSS CB, “Rois est mes pere destregales." There can be little question but that Destregales repre- sents an attempt to give a French equivalent for the common Welsh name for South Wales, Deheubarth, i.e. right (O.F. destre) part. Loomis, pp. 70f. R, XXV (1896), 7ff. ; E. Windisch, Das keltische Brittannien bis zu Kaiser Arthur (Leipzig, 1912), p. 260; R. Zenker, Zur Mabinogionfrage (Halle, 1912), pp. 95f. This meaning of Destregales fits in perfectly with the fact that Caerwent lies in Deheubarth. It is odd, however, that while Chrétien mistook the initial of Destregales for the preposition de with elided vowel, Hartmann, whether by accident or through acquaintance with the authentic form, re- stored it and so we have Destregalys, South Wales, properly recognized by Ulrich as Erec's territory. Why this hero with a Breton name came to be en- dowed with a patrimony in South Wales I have tried to explain in Arthurian Tradition, pp. 70-75. [L] 235. "Kovertiure." Cf. n. 136. [L] 236. Isalde is, needless to say, the heroine of the tragic love story. Cf. n. 199. The name appears as Essyllt in Kilhwch, c. 1100, being attached to two ladies of the isle of Britain wearing collars of gold. Loth, I, 285. For discus- sions of the name of. Thomas, Tristan, ed. J. Bédier (Paris, 1902-5), II, 112�14; E. Windisch, Das keltische Brittannien bis zu Kaiser Arthur, pp. 215-17. [L] 237. Richter cited as possible analogues of the phenomena ascribed to the
227 233. Garnantz (MS P Garnans) has not been previously mentioned as a land or town belonging to Walwein, nor is it ever connected with Gawain elsewhere to my knowledge. The probability is that the name was another of those arbitrary borrowings from Hartmann's Erek, where in 1. 2882 we find Karnant mentioned as the houbetstat of King Lac. At any rate, it is prob- able that Ulrich found in Erek, l. 2865, just 17 lines above the reference to Karnant, the statement that Destregales was the land of Erec's father, which he used in l. 8076 of Lanzelet, "von Destregalys sim lande." Of course, Hart- mann took the name Karnant from l. 2315 of a MS of Chrétien's Erec, which gave Carnant as the name of King Lac's castle. But Carnant is surely a corruption of Caruent, the reading of MS A, and Caruent represents Cair Guent in the Nennian list of the twenty-eight cities of Britain, the modern Caerwent in Monmouthshire, which still preserves its Roman walls. Loomis, pp. 73f. [L] 234. Destregalys as the name of Erec's patrimony is derived, as stated in the previous note, from Hartmann, who specifies Destregales as the land of Erek's father in 1l. 1819, 2865. Hartmann, in turn, took the name from Chré- tien's Erec, 1. 1874, which reads according to MS C “An son reaume destregales," and from l. 3881, which reads according to MSS CB, “Rois est mes pere destregales." There can be little question but that Destregales repre- sents an attempt to give a French equivalent for the common Welsh name for South Wales, Deheubarth, i.e. right (O.F. destre) part. Loomis, pp. 70f. R, XXV (1896), 7ff. ; E. Windisch, Das keltische Brittannien bis zu Kaiser Arthur (Leipzig, 1912), p. 260; R. Zenker, Zur Mabinogionfrage (Halle, 1912), pp. 95f. This meaning of Destregales fits in perfectly with the fact that Caerwent lies in Deheubarth. It is odd, however, that while Chrétien mistook the initial of Destregales for the preposition de with elided vowel, Hartmann, whether by accident or through acquaintance with the authentic form, re- stored it and so we have Destregalys, South Wales, properly recognized by Ulrich as Erec's territory. Why this hero with a Breton name came to be en- dowed with a patrimony in South Wales I have tried to explain in Arthurian Tradition, pp. 70-75. [L] 235. "Kovertiure." Cf. n. 136. [L] 236. Isalde is, needless to say, the heroine of the tragic love story. Cf. n. 199. The name appears as Essyllt in Kilhwch, c. 1100, being attached to two ladies of the isle of Britain wearing collars of gold. Loth, I, 285. For discus- sions of the name of. Thomas, Tristan, ed. J. Bédier (Paris, 1902-5), II, 112�14; E. Windisch, Das keltische Brittannien bis zu Kaiser Arthur, pp. 215-17. [L] 237. Richter cited as possible analogues of the phenomena ascribed to the
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228 hill of the Marvelous Ball (DF, XXVII [1934], 77f.) two passages. One from P. Sébillot, Le Folk-lore de France (Paris, 1904-6), IV, 47, runs: "Les menhirs, qui éveillent l'idée des statues grossières d'hommes ou d'ani- maux, portent comme les blocs naturels des noms en rapport avec cette appa- rence. On montre à Rillé . . . les trois chiens." The other passage is from the collection of the Brothers Grimm : "In Tipperary liegt ein Berg, so selt- sam gestaltet wie keiner auf der Welt. Seine Spitze besteht aus einer kegel- förmigen Kuppe. ... Grund und Boden gehörte von altersher den Elfen und die verdross es, dass der Rasen... von den schweren Hufen der Ochsen und Kühe zertreten wurde. In den Erntenächten zeigt sich nun die Fee in verschiedenen, aber immer hässlichen und furchtbaren Gestalten. Einmal erschien sie als mächtiges Ross . . . , plötzlich verwandelte sie sich in ein kleines Männchen..., dann war sie ein grosser Affe mit Enten- füssen und schlug ein Rad dazu wie ein welscher Hahn." Neither parallel adduced by Richter is close. All that one can say is that the author of O displays here, as in his descriptions of the Growing Lookout and the Shriek- ing Marsh (cf. notes 175, 211), a fascinated interest in mirabilia, similar to the interest we discover in the pages of Nennius, Giraldus Cambrensis, and Gervase of Tilbury. [L] 238. Giot is obviously the French name Guiot. Whence it came into Ulrich's onomasticon I do not know. [L] 239. “Iwan, des zuoname was Peneloï." Since in 1. 2936 (MS P) we have Iwan de Lonel, and Lonel represents, as we saw in n. 100, Loeneis, i.e. Lothian, the word zuoname may mean not "surname" but "nickname." But what the origin or the significance of Peneloï is remains a mystery. [L] 240. Duke Aspyol is not known outside Lanzelet, and there seems to be no clue to the origin of his name. [L] 241. MS P reads “jwant." No castle of Tymant or Iwant is known, but one may risk a guess that the word represents a corruption of the common noun diamant, “diamond." [L] 242. The probable source of this description of the galazia or gelasia (MS P) is some version of the lapidary of Marbode (d. 1123), which had a great popularity in the twelfth century and, as we have seen in n. 155, was the probable authority for Ulrich's account of the abeston. The text in Migne, Pat. Lat., CLXXI, col. 1761, runs: “At quae candorem fert grandinis atque figuram Ictibus innumeris invicta Galacia gemma, Cujus naturae vis tanta probatur ut omni Tempore frigida sit, nulloque calescat ab igne." None of the lapidaries known to me, however, attribute to the galazia protection against poverty and magic art. The source of Marbode was prob- ably Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae XVI.13, who calls the stone chalazias.
228 hill of the Marvelous Ball (DF, XXVII [1934], 77f.) two passages. One from P. Sébillot, Le Folk-lore de France (Paris, 1904-6), IV, 47, runs: "Les menhirs, qui éveillent l'idée des statues grossières d'hommes ou d'ani- maux, portent comme les blocs naturels des noms en rapport avec cette appa- rence. On montre à Rillé . . . les trois chiens." The other passage is from the collection of the Brothers Grimm : "In Tipperary liegt ein Berg, so selt- sam gestaltet wie keiner auf der Welt. Seine Spitze besteht aus einer kegel- förmigen Kuppe. ... Grund und Boden gehörte von altersher den Elfen und die verdross es, dass der Rasen... von den schweren Hufen der Ochsen und Kühe zertreten wurde. In den Erntenächten zeigt sich nun die Fee in verschiedenen, aber immer hässlichen und furchtbaren Gestalten. Einmal erschien sie als mächtiges Ross . . . , plötzlich verwandelte sie sich in ein kleines Männchen..., dann war sie ein grosser Affe mit Enten- füssen und schlug ein Rad dazu wie ein welscher Hahn." Neither parallel adduced by Richter is close. All that one can say is that the author of O displays here, as in his descriptions of the Growing Lookout and the Shriek- ing Marsh (cf. notes 175, 211), a fascinated interest in mirabilia, similar to the interest we discover in the pages of Nennius, Giraldus Cambrensis, and Gervase of Tilbury. [L] 238. Giot is obviously the French name Guiot. Whence it came into Ulrich's onomasticon I do not know. [L] 239. “Iwan, des zuoname was Peneloï." Since in 1. 2936 (MS P) we have Iwan de Lonel, and Lonel represents, as we saw in n. 100, Loeneis, i.e. Lothian, the word zuoname may mean not "surname" but "nickname." But what the origin or the significance of Peneloï is remains a mystery. [L] 240. Duke Aspyol is not known outside Lanzelet, and there seems to be no clue to the origin of his name. [L] 241. MS P reads “jwant." No castle of Tymant or Iwant is known, but one may risk a guess that the word represents a corruption of the common noun diamant, “diamond." [L] 242. The probable source of this description of the galazia or gelasia (MS P) is some version of the lapidary of Marbode (d. 1123), which had a great popularity in the twelfth century and, as we have seen in n. 155, was the probable authority for Ulrich's account of the abeston. The text in Migne, Pat. Lat., CLXXI, col. 1761, runs: “At quae candorem fert grandinis atque figuram Ictibus innumeris invicta Galacia gemma, Cujus naturae vis tanta probatur ut omni Tempore frigida sit, nulloque calescat ab igne." None of the lapidaries known to me, however, attribute to the galazia protection against poverty and magic art. The source of Marbode was prob- ably Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae XVI.13, who calls the stone chalazias.
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[229 Cf. also Studer and Evans, Anglo-Norman Lapidaries (Paris, 1924), pp. 58, 186f., 241, 313. It is the rock crystal, and its nature was inferred from its resemblance to ice. [L] 243. Evax is an imaginary author cited as his authority by Marbode, who wrote of him (Pat. Lat., CLXXI, col. 1757) as follows: "Evax rex Arabum legitur scripsisse Neroni . .. Quot species lapidum, quae nomina, quive colores, Quaeve sit his regio, vel quanta potentia cuique." On Evax ef. Hermes, IX (1875), 471-91. [L] 244. Oddly enough, we find reference to a similar point of etiquette in the Welsh Countess of the Fountain, redacted about 1200 from a French original. Loth, II, 8 ; Jones, p. 157. There we read that Kynon was hospitably enter- tained by the lord of a castle and seated at a sumptuous meal. But it was not until the repast was half over that the host or the damsels spoke a word. Then, "when it seemed to my host that I was more disposed to talk than to eat, he asked me who I was." But this scruple was not always observed. H. Oschinsky in Der Ritter unterwegs (Halle, 1900), p. 56, writes : “Erst bei der Unterhaltung während des Mahles, öfter noch als vorher oder gleich beim Empfange, ergab sich also ganz natürlich die Gelegenheit, etwas über den Gast selbst, seine Herkunft, Zweck und Ziel seiner Reise und vor allen Dingen seinen Namen zu erfahren ..." [L] 245. Strange to say, the crossbow (arnbrust) seems to have been known in Western Europe in the eleventh century. MS D (Tiberius B iv) of the Anglo-Saxon Annals, written about 1100, says under the year 1079 that a certain Tokig, son of Wiggod, was shot with an arblast. C. Plummer, Two of the Saxon Chronicles, I (Oxford, 1892), p. 214. Demmin in his Guide des amateurs d'armes, 3d ed. (Paris, n.d.), p. 71, says the weapon is illus- trated in an Anglo-Saxon manuscript of the eleventh century at the British Museum. Demmin also asserts that it was widely used in the time of Louis VI of France (1108—1137). Though its use against Christians was banned by the Lateran Council of 1139, the prohibition does not seem to have been effective since we find the arbaleste mentioned in the Roman de Troie about 1160, and not many years later in Chrétien's Cliges and Conte del Graal, while the word arbalestee, meaning the distance a crossbow bolt would carry, occurs in Erec. Wace in his Brut, ed. I. Arnold, 1. 5531, written in 1155, says: "Dunc firent arbelastiers [variant arbalestes] traire." For other details cf. Schultz, II, 202-4; Bach, pp. 53-55; Demmin, op. cit., pp. 495-505. [L] 246. The decorated quivers (kocher wol bezogen) mentioned by Ulrich as holding bolts (matertellen, matrellen) are figured in Demmin, op. cit., p. 507. Schultz, II, 201, n. 5, quotes a description of a quiver for arrows from
[229 Cf. also Studer and Evans, Anglo-Norman Lapidaries (Paris, 1924), pp. 58, 186f., 241, 313. It is the rock crystal, and its nature was inferred from its resemblance to ice. [L] 243. Evax is an imaginary author cited as his authority by Marbode, who wrote of him (Pat. Lat., CLXXI, col. 1757) as follows: "Evax rex Arabum legitur scripsisse Neroni . .. Quot species lapidum, quae nomina, quive colores, Quaeve sit his regio, vel quanta potentia cuique." On Evax ef. Hermes, IX (1875), 471-91. [L] 244. Oddly enough, we find reference to a similar point of etiquette in the Welsh Countess of the Fountain, redacted about 1200 from a French original. Loth, II, 8 ; Jones, p. 157. There we read that Kynon was hospitably enter- tained by the lord of a castle and seated at a sumptuous meal. But it was not until the repast was half over that the host or the damsels spoke a word. Then, "when it seemed to my host that I was more disposed to talk than to eat, he asked me who I was." But this scruple was not always observed. H. Oschinsky in Der Ritter unterwegs (Halle, 1900), p. 56, writes : “Erst bei der Unterhaltung während des Mahles, öfter noch als vorher oder gleich beim Empfange, ergab sich also ganz natürlich die Gelegenheit, etwas über den Gast selbst, seine Herkunft, Zweck und Ziel seiner Reise und vor allen Dingen seinen Namen zu erfahren ..." [L] 245. Strange to say, the crossbow (arnbrust) seems to have been known in Western Europe in the eleventh century. MS D (Tiberius B iv) of the Anglo-Saxon Annals, written about 1100, says under the year 1079 that a certain Tokig, son of Wiggod, was shot with an arblast. C. Plummer, Two of the Saxon Chronicles, I (Oxford, 1892), p. 214. Demmin in his Guide des amateurs d'armes, 3d ed. (Paris, n.d.), p. 71, says the weapon is illus- trated in an Anglo-Saxon manuscript of the eleventh century at the British Museum. Demmin also asserts that it was widely used in the time of Louis VI of France (1108—1137). Though its use against Christians was banned by the Lateran Council of 1139, the prohibition does not seem to have been effective since we find the arbaleste mentioned in the Roman de Troie about 1160, and not many years later in Chrétien's Cliges and Conte del Graal, while the word arbalestee, meaning the distance a crossbow bolt would carry, occurs in Erec. Wace in his Brut, ed. I. Arnold, 1. 5531, written in 1155, says: "Dunc firent arbelastiers [variant arbalestes] traire." For other details cf. Schultz, II, 202-4; Bach, pp. 53-55; Demmin, op. cit., pp. 495-505. [L] 246. The decorated quivers (kocher wol bezogen) mentioned by Ulrich as holding bolts (matertellen, matrellen) are figured in Demmin, op. cit., p. 507. Schultz, II, 201, n. 5, quotes a description of a quiver for arrows from
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L 230 Herzog Ernst, 1. 3020ff., which was made of ivory, set with precious stones, and lined with pfeller. Bolts are figured in Demmin, pp. 505f. [L] 247. The holding of great royal festivals at Pentecost, accompanied by banqueting, dancing, bohourts, and the giving of gifts, was not only a com- mon medieval practice but also a literary tradition attached to Arthur. We have already seen that Ulrich makes a Whitsun feast the occasion for the mantle test at Arthur's court. It was the first great holiday season when the roads would be pleasant to travel, when, as Ulrich himself puts it, "people are glad of the summertide, and the heath lies green in departing April." Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 9th Book of his Historia selected Pentecost as the time when Arthur decided to celebrate his triumph over Gaul and to ordain his coronation. "Cum igitur sollempnitas pentecostes advenire inciperet, post tantum triumphum maxima leticia fluctuans, Arturus affectavit curiam ilico tenere. . . . Missis deinde in diversa regna legatis, invitantur tam ex Galiis quam ex collateralibus insulis oceani qui ad curiam venire deberent. . . . Non remansit princeps alicuius precii citra Hyspaniam quin ad istud edictum veniret. Nec mirum. Largitas namque Arturi per totum mun- dum divulgata cunctos in amorem ipsius illexerat." The precedent set by Geoffrey, itself based on contemporary custom, was largely followed in the romances. Cf. Hilka's note on l. 2785 in his edition of the Conte del Graal, and Schultz, I, 364. [L] 248. Compare the preparations for Gunther's expedition to woo Brunhild in the Niebelungenlied, Aventiure vI, a poem composed about the same time as the redaction of Ulrich. [L] 249. For exactly a century, from 1191 to 1291, Acre was the great Chris- tian base in Syria and the seat of the Knights Hospitallers. Naturally the port flourished and the manufacture of arms for the defense of the Holy Land was an important industry. [L] 250. On samite of. n. 47. It was woven at many places in the Near East, including Alexandria. [L] 251. Lachmann emended the reading of the MSS, Kvnis, to Cumis, evidently thinking of the Sibyl of Cumae. Richter in DF, XXVII (1934), 118, pointed out that Veldeke's Eneide (1. 2600) reads “voor toe Sibillen toe Iconjen in her hus," and remarked: "Kein Zweifel, dass Ulrich diese Stelle vorgeschwebt hat." Richter also noted (ibid., p. 108) that Hartmann speaks in his Erek (11. 2003-11) of Conne as the source of the best sable in the world, and identifies Conne clearly with Iconium since it lies between “den Kriechen und den heiden," and since the chroniclers refer to it as Coine. It is possible that Richter's conjectures are right, but neither Iconjen nor Conne is very close to Ulrich's Kunis, and one may still question the identification
L 230 Herzog Ernst, 1. 3020ff., which was made of ivory, set with precious stones, and lined with pfeller. Bolts are figured in Demmin, pp. 505f. [L] 247. The holding of great royal festivals at Pentecost, accompanied by banqueting, dancing, bohourts, and the giving of gifts, was not only a com- mon medieval practice but also a literary tradition attached to Arthur. We have already seen that Ulrich makes a Whitsun feast the occasion for the mantle test at Arthur's court. It was the first great holiday season when the roads would be pleasant to travel, when, as Ulrich himself puts it, "people are glad of the summertide, and the heath lies green in departing April." Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 9th Book of his Historia selected Pentecost as the time when Arthur decided to celebrate his triumph over Gaul and to ordain his coronation. "Cum igitur sollempnitas pentecostes advenire inciperet, post tantum triumphum maxima leticia fluctuans, Arturus affectavit curiam ilico tenere. . . . Missis deinde in diversa regna legatis, invitantur tam ex Galiis quam ex collateralibus insulis oceani qui ad curiam venire deberent. . . . Non remansit princeps alicuius precii citra Hyspaniam quin ad istud edictum veniret. Nec mirum. Largitas namque Arturi per totum mun- dum divulgata cunctos in amorem ipsius illexerat." The precedent set by Geoffrey, itself based on contemporary custom, was largely followed in the romances. Cf. Hilka's note on l. 2785 in his edition of the Conte del Graal, and Schultz, I, 364. [L] 248. Compare the preparations for Gunther's expedition to woo Brunhild in the Niebelungenlied, Aventiure vI, a poem composed about the same time as the redaction of Ulrich. [L] 249. For exactly a century, from 1191 to 1291, Acre was the great Chris- tian base in Syria and the seat of the Knights Hospitallers. Naturally the port flourished and the manufacture of arms for the defense of the Holy Land was an important industry. [L] 250. On samite of. n. 47. It was woven at many places in the Near East, including Alexandria. [L] 251. Lachmann emended the reading of the MSS, Kvnis, to Cumis, evidently thinking of the Sibyl of Cumae. Richter in DF, XXVII (1934), 118, pointed out that Veldeke's Eneide (1. 2600) reads “voor toe Sibillen toe Iconjen in her hus," and remarked: "Kein Zweifel, dass Ulrich diese Stelle vorgeschwebt hat." Richter also noted (ibid., p. 108) that Hartmann speaks in his Erek (11. 2003-11) of Conne as the source of the best sable in the world, and identifies Conne clearly with Iconium since it lies between “den Kriechen und den heiden," and since the chroniclers refer to it as Coine. It is possible that Richter's conjectures are right, but neither Iconjen nor Conne is very close to Ulrich's Kunis, and one may still question the identification
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231 of Kunis with Iconium. As to Sibilla, we have already seen in n. 128 that a very different legend of the Sibyl affected Lanzelet, but here the reference is, of course, to the famous tradition, endorsed by the Church, which represented the Erythraean Sibyl as the prophetess of Christ. Cf. on this tradition E. Mâle, Religious Art in France of the Thirteenth Century, trans. D. Nussey (New York, London, 1913), pp. 336-38; D. Comparetti, Vergil in the Mid- dle Ages, trans. D.F.M. Benecke (London, 1908), pp. 99-103, 310-14; K. Young, Drama of the Medieval Church (Oxford, 1933), II, 130-66. The tradition began with St. Augustine, who attributed to the Erythraean Sibyl an acrostic in which the first letters of each line form the name of Jesus Savior. Thence the tradition passed into the pseudo-Augustinian sermon on the prophets, written in the fifth or sixth century, into Isidore, into the dramatic Ordo Prophetarum, etc. [L] 252. The word scharlât did not designate a color, as does modern scharlach, English scarlet, but meant a fine woolen fabric, usually made in Flanders or England, whatever color it was dyed. Schultz, I, 354f. Apparently red was a favorite color, and so “scarlet" acquired its present sense. Cf. the semantic history of "damask." [L] 253. One might guess that Ramuret is identical with Rummaret of Wene- lande, mentioned by Wace, ed. I. Arnold (Paris, 1938—46), II, 1. 9710, as one of three kings who submitted themselves to Arthur after his conquest of Ireland and Iceland. A more likely guess would identify him with Wolfram's Gamuret, father of Parzival, for there was a strong tradition that Perceval's father was killed by the sons of Loth, of whom Gaheriet was one. Loomis, pp. 399-407. And Gaheriet is, of course, Ulrich's Karyet, the slayer of Ramuret. Cf. n. 106. [L] 254. Mistaking knights in their gay panoply for angels recalls the scene in Chrétien's Conte del Graal, 11. 125-45, where the callow youth Perceval is met by five knights, mistakes them for angels, and falls on his knees before them. [L] 255. On the rewards given to traveling entertainers, of. J. J. Jusserand, English Wayfaring Life in the Middle Ages (London, 1899), pp. 195-200; Vassar Mediaeval Studies (New Haven, 1923), pp. 195f.; G. G. Coulton, Social Life in Britain (Cambridge, 1918), pp. 404, 406 ; Schultz, I, 575f.; E. K. Chambers, Mediaeval Stage (Oxford, 1903), II, 234-38, 262f. This largess took the form not only of coin but also of clothing. Three figures con- temporary with Ulrich were famous, or notorious, for their munificence to minstrels, jesters, etc.—Philip, count of Flanders (son of Sibylle of Anjou), praised by Chrétien de Troyes for his liberality ; Arnold of Guines, brought up in the household of Philip ; and Henry, the Young King" of England,
231 of Kunis with Iconium. As to Sibilla, we have already seen in n. 128 that a very different legend of the Sibyl affected Lanzelet, but here the reference is, of course, to the famous tradition, endorsed by the Church, which represented the Erythraean Sibyl as the prophetess of Christ. Cf. on this tradition E. Mâle, Religious Art in France of the Thirteenth Century, trans. D. Nussey (New York, London, 1913), pp. 336-38; D. Comparetti, Vergil in the Mid- dle Ages, trans. D.F.M. Benecke (London, 1908), pp. 99-103, 310-14; K. Young, Drama of the Medieval Church (Oxford, 1933), II, 130-66. The tradition began with St. Augustine, who attributed to the Erythraean Sibyl an acrostic in which the first letters of each line form the name of Jesus Savior. Thence the tradition passed into the pseudo-Augustinian sermon on the prophets, written in the fifth or sixth century, into Isidore, into the dramatic Ordo Prophetarum, etc. [L] 252. The word scharlât did not designate a color, as does modern scharlach, English scarlet, but meant a fine woolen fabric, usually made in Flanders or England, whatever color it was dyed. Schultz, I, 354f. Apparently red was a favorite color, and so “scarlet" acquired its present sense. Cf. the semantic history of "damask." [L] 253. One might guess that Ramuret is identical with Rummaret of Wene- lande, mentioned by Wace, ed. I. Arnold (Paris, 1938—46), II, 1. 9710, as one of three kings who submitted themselves to Arthur after his conquest of Ireland and Iceland. A more likely guess would identify him with Wolfram's Gamuret, father of Parzival, for there was a strong tradition that Perceval's father was killed by the sons of Loth, of whom Gaheriet was one. Loomis, pp. 399-407. And Gaheriet is, of course, Ulrich's Karyet, the slayer of Ramuret. Cf. n. 106. [L] 254. Mistaking knights in their gay panoply for angels recalls the scene in Chrétien's Conte del Graal, 11. 125-45, where the callow youth Perceval is met by five knights, mistakes them for angels, and falls on his knees before them. [L] 255. On the rewards given to traveling entertainers, of. J. J. Jusserand, English Wayfaring Life in the Middle Ages (London, 1899), pp. 195-200; Vassar Mediaeval Studies (New Haven, 1923), pp. 195f.; G. G. Coulton, Social Life in Britain (Cambridge, 1918), pp. 404, 406 ; Schultz, I, 575f.; E. K. Chambers, Mediaeval Stage (Oxford, 1903), II, 234-38, 262f. This largess took the form not only of coin but also of clothing. Three figures con- temporary with Ulrich were famous, or notorious, for their munificence to minstrels, jesters, etc.—Philip, count of Flanders (son of Sibylle of Anjou), praised by Chrétien de Troyes for his liberality ; Arnold of Guines, brought up in the household of Philip ; and Henry, the Young King" of England,
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232 first cousin once removed of Philip. The Church, however, frowned on this largess, and Langland wrote in Piers Plowman, C text, VIII: “Qui his- trionibus dat, demonibus sacrificat." [L] 256. On Hugh de Morville and the questions of his identity and history, cf. Introduction and DF, XXVII (1934), 12-16; DNB, XIII, 1065f.; Webster in Harvard Studies and Notes, XVI (1934), 219, n. 82. [L] 257. On Ulrich von Zatzikhoven ef. Introduction and DF, XXVII (1934), 16�23. The fact is that nothing is really known about him except that he is mentioned in the St. Gall chartulary in a document of 1214 as a chaplain and parish priest of Lommis. How a book belonging to a hostage sent from the imperial court at Mainz to Vienna, the seat of the duke of Austria, came into Ulrich's hands can only be guessed at. Perhaps Morville, on his release and return to England, went by way of Lake Constance, and this would bring him into the neighborhood of Lommis. [L]
232 first cousin once removed of Philip. The Church, however, frowned on this largess, and Langland wrote in Piers Plowman, C text, VIII: “Qui his- trionibus dat, demonibus sacrificat." [L] 256. On Hugh de Morville and the questions of his identity and history, cf. Introduction and DF, XXVII (1934), 12-16; DNB, XIII, 1065f.; Webster in Harvard Studies and Notes, XVI (1934), 219, n. 82. [L] 257. On Ulrich von Zatzikhoven ef. Introduction and DF, XXVII (1934), 16�23. The fact is that nothing is really known about him except that he is mentioned in the St. Gall chartulary in a document of 1214 as a chaplain and parish priest of Lommis. How a book belonging to a hostage sent from the imperial court at Mainz to Vienna, the seat of the duke of Austria, came into Ulrich's hands can only be guessed at. Perhaps Morville, on his release and return to England, went by way of Lake Constance, and this would bring him into the neighborhood of Lommis. [L]
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Index to the Notes
Index to the Notes
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Abduction, 217 (n. 204) Abductions of Ginover, see Ginover Abeston, 203-4 (n. 155) Acre, 230 (n. 249) Ade, 177 (n. 60), 179 (n. 67), 181 (n. 77, 78) Amorous jaileress, 177 (n. 60), 211 (n. 182) Animals, parti-colored, 178-79 (n. 64) Armor, in tourneys, 187 (n. 97) Armorial charges, see Heraldic devices Arthur, King, 175-76 (n. 58) Ban de Benoic, see Pant, king of Genewis Barbel, 200 (n. 145) Barracan, 204. (n. 157) Bathing, transformation by, 226 (n. 229) Beasts, white, 215-16 (n. 202) Beasts and birds, occult barrier between, 194 (n. 127) Beautiful Wood, combat in, 195-94 (n. 124) Bells, golden, as ornaments, 166-67 (n. 23) Belts, from Ireland, 211 (n. 184) Bigen, see Patricius von den Bigen Birds and beasts, see Beasts and birds Bohourt, 170 (n. 34) Bow, 164 (n. 17) “Brait,” as herald of calamity, 219-20 (n. 211) Bran the Blessed, see Pant, king of Gene- wis Bravery, tests of, 171-72 (n. 37) “Breton hope” for Arthur’s return, 217- 18 (n. 207) Bridge, under water, 221 (n. 217) Bronze cymbal or bell, 196 (n. 131) Brooch, 212-13 (n. 19r) Buroin, 187 (n. 96) Caer Seint, 197 (n. 131), 198 (n. 134), 224 (n. 228) ; see also Dodone, Senau- done Carbuncle, stone, 203 (n. 153) Cardigan, see Kardigan Carlisle, see Karidol Castle, hero's adventures on visit to, as medieval motif, 171-72 (n. 57), 176-78 (n. 60), 180 (n. 71) Chain mail, 165-66 (n. 21) Chaperonage, 173-74 (n. 46) Chastity, mantle test of, 211-12 (n. 187) Child Rowland, in Scottish parallel to abduction and rescue of Ginover, 225 (n. 223) Chivalry, knight's submission lady's whims, 169 (n. 30) Clarine, derivation of name, 158 (n. 4) Clidra the Fair, derivation of name, 226 (n. 230) ; judgments in courts of love, 226 (n. 232) Cloths and fabrics; barracan, 204 (n. 157); ferran, 205 (n. 159); pfeller, 159 (n. 8); samite, 159 (n. 8), 174 (n. 47), 230 (n. 250) ; sarrazine, 173 (n. 44); scharlát, 231 (n. 252); triblat, 204. (n. 156) Coat of arms, 199 (n. 137) Coif, 185 (n. 88) Courts of love, 213 (n. 192), 226 (n. 232) Crest, ornamental device, 200 (n. 141) Crossbow, 229 (n. 245) to his Dame de Malehot, see Malehot, Dame de Damsels without escort, explanations of their unconventional behavior, 184-85 (n. 84) Destregalys, derivation of name, 227 (n. 234) Dinlleu, 186 (n. 93) Dodines, derivation of name, 220 (n. 214) Dodona, classical shrine of, see Dodone Dodone, castle, connections with classical Dodona and with Senaudone in Wales, 196-98 (n. 131) Dogs, hunting, 179-80 (n. 69) Dragon-maiden, 224-26 (n. 228), 226 (n. 231) Dwarf, aggressive, 168 (n. 28) Dwarf king, 213 (n. 193) Dyoflé, 186-87 (n. 93) Eagle, imperial device, 168 (n. 26, 27); golden, singing of, 203 (n. 154)
Abduction, 217 (n. 204) Abductions of Ginover, see Ginover Abeston, 203-4 (n. 155) Acre, 230 (n. 249) Ade, 177 (n. 60), 179 (n. 67), 181 (n. 77, 78) Amorous jaileress, 177 (n. 60), 211 (n. 182) Animals, parti-colored, 178-79 (n. 64) Armor, in tourneys, 187 (n. 97) Armorial charges, see Heraldic devices Arthur, King, 175-76 (n. 58) Ban de Benoic, see Pant, king of Genewis Barbel, 200 (n. 145) Barracan, 204. (n. 157) Bathing, transformation by, 226 (n. 229) Beasts, white, 215-16 (n. 202) Beasts and birds, occult barrier between, 194 (n. 127) Beautiful Wood, combat in, 195-94 (n. 124) Bells, golden, as ornaments, 166-67 (n. 23) Belts, from Ireland, 211 (n. 184) Bigen, see Patricius von den Bigen Birds and beasts, see Beasts and birds Bohourt, 170 (n. 34) Bow, 164 (n. 17) “Brait,” as herald of calamity, 219-20 (n. 211) Bran the Blessed, see Pant, king of Gene- wis Bravery, tests of, 171-72 (n. 37) “Breton hope” for Arthur’s return, 217- 18 (n. 207) Bridge, under water, 221 (n. 217) Bronze cymbal or bell, 196 (n. 131) Brooch, 212-13 (n. 19r) Buroin, 187 (n. 96) Caer Seint, 197 (n. 131), 198 (n. 134), 224 (n. 228) ; see also Dodone, Senau- done Carbuncle, stone, 203 (n. 153) Cardigan, see Kardigan Carlisle, see Karidol Castle, hero's adventures on visit to, as medieval motif, 171-72 (n. 57), 176-78 (n. 60), 180 (n. 71) Chain mail, 165-66 (n. 21) Chaperonage, 173-74 (n. 46) Chastity, mantle test of, 211-12 (n. 187) Child Rowland, in Scottish parallel to abduction and rescue of Ginover, 225 (n. 223) Chivalry, knight's submission lady's whims, 169 (n. 30) Clarine, derivation of name, 158 (n. 4) Clidra the Fair, derivation of name, 226 (n. 230) ; judgments in courts of love, 226 (n. 232) Cloths and fabrics; barracan, 204 (n. 157); ferran, 205 (n. 159); pfeller, 159 (n. 8); samite, 159 (n. 8), 174 (n. 47), 230 (n. 250) ; sarrazine, 173 (n. 44); scharlát, 231 (n. 252); triblat, 204. (n. 156) Coat of arms, 199 (n. 137) Coif, 185 (n. 88) Courts of love, 213 (n. 192), 226 (n. 232) Crest, ornamental device, 200 (n. 141) Crossbow, 229 (n. 245) to his Dame de Malehot, see Malehot, Dame de Damsels without escort, explanations of their unconventional behavior, 184-85 (n. 84) Destregalys, derivation of name, 227 (n. 234) Dinlleu, 186 (n. 93) Dodines, derivation of name, 220 (n. 214) Dodona, classical shrine of, see Dodone Dodone, castle, connections with classical Dodona and with Senaudone in Wales, 196-98 (n. 131) Dogs, hunting, 179-80 (n. 69) Dragon-maiden, 224-26 (n. 228), 226 (n. 231) Dwarf, aggressive, 168 (n. 28) Dwarf king, 213 (n. 193) Dyoflé, 186-87 (n. 93) Eagle, imperial device, 168 (n. 26, 27); golden, singing of, 203 (n. 154)
Strana 236
[ 236 ] Education, of young hero, 161-62 (n. 10, 11); of women, 222 (n. 219) Elaine, see Clarine Elen, see Clarine Emerald, 205 (n. 163) Enchanter, see Wizard Enide, 178 (n. 63), 193 (n. 120) ; see also Enite Enite, 214 (n. 198) Entertainers, traveling, 231-32 (n. 255) Erec, derivation of name, 181-82 (n. 80) Esealt, derivation of name, 223-24 (n. 224) ; Irish prototype of, 224 (n. 225) Etain, abduction of, parallel to abduction of Ginover, 216 (n. 202) Etiquette, between host and guest, 215 (n. 200), 229 (n. 244) Evax, 229 (n. 243) Fabrics, see Cloths and fabrics Fay, as foster mother, 161 (n. 10, 11) ; as mistress, 162 (n. 12) ; gift of a horse, 165 (n. 20) ; gift of tents, 205 (n. 149) ; equipped for falconry, 221-22 (n. 218) ; see also Morgain la Fee Ferran, 205 (n. 159) Fianna, 220 (n. 213) Fish-skin or fish-hair, 204 (n. 158) Food, refusal of, by captive knight, 193 (n. 120) Ford, combat at, 209 (n. 176) Forester, status of, 172 (n. 38) French fashions, 211 (n. 185) Galagandreiz, episode at the castle of, 171-72 (n. 37, 38) ; derivation of name, 172-73 (n. 39) ; name of his castle, 173 (n. 40) Galazia, 228-29 (n. 242) Gambeson, 193 (n. 122) Games and exercises, 164 (n. n. 94) Gareth, see Karyet Garnantz, derivation of name, 227 (n. 233) Gawain, see Walwein Genewis, derivations of name, 157 (n. 3) Geun of Turie, 168 (n. 27) Giants, combats with, 180 (n. 73) Gifts, from a fay, 165 (n. 20), 203 (n. 149), 205 (n. 166) ; from a man to a woman, 213 (n. 192) Gilimar, 215 (n. 201) Ginover, derivation of name, 182 (n. 15), 187 81) ; abductions of, 206-8 (n. 168, 169, 170), 215-16 (n. 202) ; see also Guenie- vre Gornemans, see Gurnemans Growing Lookout, 208 (n. 175) Guenievre, 177 (n. 60) ; see also Ginover Guinevere, see Ginover; Guenievre Guivret, see Gyvriez Gurnemans, 186 (n. 91) Gyvriez, 213 (n. 193) Hart, White, 215-16 (n. 202) Hedge, as boundary and defense of cas- tle, 207 (n. 169) Helm, 178 (n. 62) ; ornaments on, 200 (n. 142, 143) Heraldic devices, 199 (n. 138, 139) Herbs, healing quaiity of, 194 (n. 126) Horse, as gift, 165 (n. 20) Horses, easy to manage, 178 (n. 63); parti-colored, 178-79 (n. 64); swift, 179 (n. 65) ; light of gait, 221 (n. 216) Host, imperious, 171-72 (n. 37) ; see also Etiquette Housings, of mail, 199 (n. broidered, 199 (n. 137) Hugh de Morville, see Morville Hunting, 164 (n. 16) 136); em- Iconium, see Kunis Isalde (Ysolt), 227 (n. 236); see also Tristant Isle of Joy, see Otherworld Isle of Maidens, 160 (n. 9); see also Otherworld Iwan (Yvain) de Lonel, 188-89 (n. 100), 228 (n. 239) Iweret, derivation of name, 165 (n. 19) Johfrit de Liez, 168-69 (n. 29) Kailet, 213 (n. 194) Kardigan (Cardigan), 181 (n. 79) Karidol (Carlisle), 176 (n. 59) Karyet (Gareth), derivation of name, 190 (n. 106) Kay, 188 (n. 99) Kiss, disenchantment by means of, 224-26 (n. 228), 226 (n. 231) Knife-throwing, 174 (n. 54) Knights, mistaken for angels, 231 (n. 254) Kunis, guestion of identification: with Iconium, 230 (n. 251)
[ 236 ] Education, of young hero, 161-62 (n. 10, 11); of women, 222 (n. 219) Elaine, see Clarine Elen, see Clarine Emerald, 205 (n. 163) Enchanter, see Wizard Enide, 178 (n. 63), 193 (n. 120) ; see also Enite Enite, 214 (n. 198) Entertainers, traveling, 231-32 (n. 255) Erec, derivation of name, 181-82 (n. 80) Esealt, derivation of name, 223-24 (n. 224) ; Irish prototype of, 224 (n. 225) Etain, abduction of, parallel to abduction of Ginover, 216 (n. 202) Etiquette, between host and guest, 215 (n. 200), 229 (n. 244) Evax, 229 (n. 243) Fabrics, see Cloths and fabrics Fay, as foster mother, 161 (n. 10, 11) ; as mistress, 162 (n. 12) ; gift of a horse, 165 (n. 20) ; gift of tents, 205 (n. 149) ; equipped for falconry, 221-22 (n. 218) ; see also Morgain la Fee Ferran, 205 (n. 159) Fianna, 220 (n. 213) Fish-skin or fish-hair, 204 (n. 158) Food, refusal of, by captive knight, 193 (n. 120) Ford, combat at, 209 (n. 176) Forester, status of, 172 (n. 38) French fashions, 211 (n. 185) Galagandreiz, episode at the castle of, 171-72 (n. 37, 38) ; derivation of name, 172-73 (n. 39) ; name of his castle, 173 (n. 40) Galazia, 228-29 (n. 242) Gambeson, 193 (n. 122) Games and exercises, 164 (n. n. 94) Gareth, see Karyet Garnantz, derivation of name, 227 (n. 233) Gawain, see Walwein Genewis, derivations of name, 157 (n. 3) Geun of Turie, 168 (n. 27) Giants, combats with, 180 (n. 73) Gifts, from a fay, 165 (n. 20), 203 (n. 149), 205 (n. 166) ; from a man to a woman, 213 (n. 192) Gilimar, 215 (n. 201) Ginover, derivation of name, 182 (n. 15), 187 81) ; abductions of, 206-8 (n. 168, 169, 170), 215-16 (n. 202) ; see also Guenie- vre Gornemans, see Gurnemans Growing Lookout, 208 (n. 175) Guenievre, 177 (n. 60) ; see also Ginover Guinevere, see Ginover; Guenievre Guivret, see Gyvriez Gurnemans, 186 (n. 91) Gyvriez, 213 (n. 193) Hart, White, 215-16 (n. 202) Hedge, as boundary and defense of cas- tle, 207 (n. 169) Helm, 178 (n. 62) ; ornaments on, 200 (n. 142, 143) Heraldic devices, 199 (n. 138, 139) Herbs, healing quaiity of, 194 (n. 126) Horse, as gift, 165 (n. 20) Horses, easy to manage, 178 (n. 63); parti-colored, 178-79 (n. 64); swift, 179 (n. 65) ; light of gait, 221 (n. 216) Host, imperious, 171-72 (n. 37) ; see also Etiquette Housings, of mail, 199 (n. broidered, 199 (n. 137) Hugh de Morville, see Morville Hunting, 164 (n. 16) 136); em- Iconium, see Kunis Isalde (Ysolt), 227 (n. 236); see also Tristant Isle of Joy, see Otherworld Isle of Maidens, 160 (n. 9); see also Otherworld Iwan (Yvain) de Lonel, 188-89 (n. 100), 228 (n. 239) Iweret, derivation of name, 165 (n. 19) Johfrit de Liez, 168-69 (n. 29) Kailet, 213 (n. 194) Kardigan (Cardigan), 181 (n. 79) Karidol (Carlisle), 176 (n. 59) Karyet (Gareth), derivation of name, 190 (n. 106) Kay, 188 (n. 99) Kiss, disenchantment by means of, 224-26 (n. 228), 226 (n. 231) Knife-throwing, 174 (n. 54) Knights, mistaken for angels, 231 (n. 254) Kunis, guestion of identification: with Iconium, 230 (n. 251)
Strana 237
| 237 | Kuraus, derivation of name, 170-71 (n. 35) Lac, origin of name, 182 (n. 80) Lake, home of the infant Lanzelet, 159 (n. 6) Lancelot, derivation of name, 201-2 (n. 148) Last Supper, Table of the, 183 (n. 82) Lezze (word), 189 (n. 102) Limors, castle, adventure at, 180 (n. 71) ; parallel in Peredur, 181 (n. 75) ; par- allel in Erec, 192 (n. 117), 193 (n. 120) Lion, golden, as heraldic device, 199 (n. 139) Lions, combat with, 180-81 (n. 74, 75) Lleu or Llew, 164-65 (n. 18), 168-69 (n. 29), 186 (n. 93), 201 (n. 148) Llyn Dwythwch, 159 (n. 7) Lohenis, 186 (n. 90) Lonel, see Iwan de Lonel Lothian, see Lot of Lohenis Lot of Lohenis (Lothian), 185-86 (n. 90), 195 (n. 128) Loüt, son of Arthur, derivation of name, 217 (n. 205) Love, of a person seen in a dream, 198 (n. 134) Love soliloquy, 174 (n. 48) Lug, 161 (n. ro), 163 (n. 14), 190 (n. 108), 201-2 (n. 148), 210 (n. 178), 225 (n. 228) Mabon, see Mabuz; Malduc; Malduz Mabuz, equated with Mabon, 192-93 (n. 118) Magic ring, 205-6 (n. 166) Mail, chain, see Chain mail Mail, housings of, see Housings Mail hose, 193 (n. 121) Malduc, 218-19 (n. 209) Malduz, 213-14 (n. 195) Malehot, Dame de, 177 (n. 60) Mantle test, 211-12 (n. 187), 213 (n. 193) Marvelous Ball, hill of the, 227-28 (n. 237) Mauduiz, Mauduit, see Malduc; Malduz Maurin, derivation of name, 189 (n. 104) Melde (Rumor), 191 (n. 110) Merlin, similarity to Malduc, 218-19 (n. 209) Mermen, as instructors of youthful hero, 162-64 (n. 14) Mirror, magic, 203 (n. 151) Mists, 219 (n. 210, 211) Moneylenders, 191 (n. 109) Monster, in tales of enchantment, 225 (n. 228) Moray, see Moreiz Moreiz, derivation of name, 173 (n. 40) Morgain la Fée, identification of, 160-61 (n. 9), 192 (n. 118), 194-96 (n. 128), 203 (n. 149, 150); sends mantle to Arthur's court, 212 (n. 187) ; see also Sibyl; Yblis Morois, see Moreiz Morville, Hugh de, 179 (n. 67), 232 (n. 256, 257) Morzi, 173 (n. 45) Mule, favorite mount for women, 200- 201 (n. 147) Name of the hero, withheld, 164-65 (n. 18), 185 (n. 89); revealed, 201 (n. 148) Nonel, see Iwan de Lonel Olive branch, 178 (n. 61) Orphilet, derivation of name, 171 (n. 36), 212 (n. 189) Orpylet, see Orphilet Otherworld, descriptions of, 159-60 (n. 9) ; mists as feature of, 159 (n. 7), 219 (n. 210, 211); sinister castles, 180 (n. 71), 192 (n. 117) ; rivers, 191 (n. 114) Pant, king of Genewis, equivalents of, 157 (n. 2, 3) Patricius von den Bigen, derivation of name, 179 (n. 68) Pentecost, royal festivals at, 230 (n. 247) Pfeller or pfelle (fabric), 159 (n. 8) Pluris, 191 (n. 112), 211 (n. 182) Preface, Ulrich's moralizing, 157 (n. 1) Profit, as motive, 190-91 (n. 109) Quivers, 229-30 (n. 246) Ramuret, identification of, 231 (n. 253) Ransom, as motive, 190-91 (u. 109) Red (color), use of, in arms and armor, 177 (n. 60), 190 (n. 108) ; sinople, 199 (n. 138) ; see also scharlât Richard, see Ritschart
| 237 | Kuraus, derivation of name, 170-71 (n. 35) Lac, origin of name, 182 (n. 80) Lake, home of the infant Lanzelet, 159 (n. 6) Lancelot, derivation of name, 201-2 (n. 148) Last Supper, Table of the, 183 (n. 82) Lezze (word), 189 (n. 102) Limors, castle, adventure at, 180 (n. 71) ; parallel in Peredur, 181 (n. 75) ; par- allel in Erec, 192 (n. 117), 193 (n. 120) Lion, golden, as heraldic device, 199 (n. 139) Lions, combat with, 180-81 (n. 74, 75) Lleu or Llew, 164-65 (n. 18), 168-69 (n. 29), 186 (n. 93), 201 (n. 148) Llyn Dwythwch, 159 (n. 7) Lohenis, 186 (n. 90) Lonel, see Iwan de Lonel Lothian, see Lot of Lohenis Lot of Lohenis (Lothian), 185-86 (n. 90), 195 (n. 128) Loüt, son of Arthur, derivation of name, 217 (n. 205) Love, of a person seen in a dream, 198 (n. 134) Love soliloquy, 174 (n. 48) Lug, 161 (n. ro), 163 (n. 14), 190 (n. 108), 201-2 (n. 148), 210 (n. 178), 225 (n. 228) Mabon, see Mabuz; Malduc; Malduz Mabuz, equated with Mabon, 192-93 (n. 118) Magic ring, 205-6 (n. 166) Mail, chain, see Chain mail Mail, housings of, see Housings Mail hose, 193 (n. 121) Malduc, 218-19 (n. 209) Malduz, 213-14 (n. 195) Malehot, Dame de, 177 (n. 60) Mantle test, 211-12 (n. 187), 213 (n. 193) Marvelous Ball, hill of the, 227-28 (n. 237) Mauduiz, Mauduit, see Malduc; Malduz Maurin, derivation of name, 189 (n. 104) Melde (Rumor), 191 (n. 110) Merlin, similarity to Malduc, 218-19 (n. 209) Mermen, as instructors of youthful hero, 162-64 (n. 14) Mirror, magic, 203 (n. 151) Mists, 219 (n. 210, 211) Moneylenders, 191 (n. 109) Monster, in tales of enchantment, 225 (n. 228) Moray, see Moreiz Moreiz, derivation of name, 173 (n. 40) Morgain la Fée, identification of, 160-61 (n. 9), 192 (n. 118), 194-96 (n. 128), 203 (n. 149, 150); sends mantle to Arthur's court, 212 (n. 187) ; see also Sibyl; Yblis Morois, see Moreiz Morville, Hugh de, 179 (n. 67), 232 (n. 256, 257) Morzi, 173 (n. 45) Mule, favorite mount for women, 200- 201 (n. 147) Name of the hero, withheld, 164-65 (n. 18), 185 (n. 89); revealed, 201 (n. 148) Nonel, see Iwan de Lonel Olive branch, 178 (n. 61) Orphilet, derivation of name, 171 (n. 36), 212 (n. 189) Orpylet, see Orphilet Otherworld, descriptions of, 159-60 (n. 9) ; mists as feature of, 159 (n. 7), 219 (n. 210, 211); sinister castles, 180 (n. 71), 192 (n. 117) ; rivers, 191 (n. 114) Pant, king of Genewis, equivalents of, 157 (n. 2, 3) Patricius von den Bigen, derivation of name, 179 (n. 68) Pentecost, royal festivals at, 230 (n. 247) Pfeller or pfelle (fabric), 159 (n. 8) Pluris, 191 (n. 112), 211 (n. 182) Preface, Ulrich's moralizing, 157 (n. 1) Profit, as motive, 190-91 (n. 109) Quivers, 229-30 (n. 246) Ramuret, identification of, 231 (n. 253) Ransom, as motive, 190-91 (u. 109) Red (color), use of, in arms and armor, 177 (n. 60), 190 (n. 108) ; sinople, 199 (n. 138) ; see also scharlât Richard, see Ritschart
Strana 238
238 Ring, magic, 205-6 (n. 166); knight's re- Temptation motif, 171 (n. 37), 172 (n. fusal of, 174 (n. 50) 39), 173 (n. 43), 174 (n. 50) Ritschart (Richard) of Tumane, 189-90 Tent, description of, 202-3 (n. 149, 152); (n. 105) see also Morgain la Fée Torfilaret, see Orphilet Roidurant, derivation of name, 224 (n. 227) Tournament, see Tourney Tourney, 186 (n. 92), 187-88 (n. 109); Round Table, 182-83 (n. 82) monetary profit as motive for, 190-91; proclamation of, 211 (n. 183) ; see also Bohourt Triblat, 204 (n. 156) Tristant (Tristan), 214 (n. 199), 218 (n. 208) Tybalt, 187 (n. 95) Samite, 159 (n. 8), 174 (n. 47), 230 (n. 250) Sarrazine (silk fabric), 173 (n. 44) Scharlât, 231 (n. 252) Schatel le Mort, 192 (n. 117); see also Limors Scream, as herald of calamity, 219-20 (n. 211) Senaudone, 197 (n. 131), 224 (n. 228); see also Caer Seint; Dodone Serpent garden, 208 (n. 172) Serpent-woman, 225 (n. 228), 226 (n. 230) Shield, 167-68 (n. 25), 188 (n. 98) ; see also Heraldic devices Shrieking Marsh, 219-20 (n. 211) Sibile, see Yblis Sibyl, the, connections with Morgain la Fée, 195-96 (n. 128), 197-98 (n. 131); Erythraean, 230-31 (n. 251); see also Yblis Siege Perilous, as motif, 209�10 (n. 178) Silence, appeal for, 185 (n. 86) ; imposi- tion of, upon a lover, 215 (n. 201) Sinople (pigment), 199 (n. 138) Sleeping Beauty, theme of, 207 (n. 169), 216 (n. 202), 223 (n. 223) Snowdonia, see Caer Seint; Dodone; Senaudone Sorrowful Fief, 193 (n. 123) Sparrow-hawk, 221-22 (n. 218) Spear, 169 (n. 31) Stone, testing, see Siege Perilous Suckling a child, considered uncourtly practice, 158 (n. 5) Surcoat, 166 (n. 22, 23) Sword, 167 (n. 24) Uther Pendragon, see Utpandragon Utpandragon (Uther Pandragon), de- rivation of name, 216-17 (n. 203) Valerin, abductor of Ginover, 206-7 (n. 168), 207-8 (n. 169, 170), 215-16 (n. 202) Ventail, 178 (n. 62) Walest, 190 (n. 107) Walwein (Gawain), derivation of name, 183-84 (n. 83), 206-7 (n. 168) Water of Torment, 191 (n. 114) White armor, 166 (n. 21) White beasts, 215�16 (n. 202) White Lake, 187 (n. 96) Wimple, 200 (n. 142) Wizard, 218-19 (n. 209) Women, learned, 222 (n. 219) Wood, Beautiful, see Beautiful Wood Wool, see scharlât Yblis, 194-96 (n. 128), 198 (n. 131, 134); see also Morgain la Fée; Sibyl Ysolt, see Isalde Yvain, see Iwan de Lonel Zatzikhoven, Ulrich von, 232 (n. 257)
238 Ring, magic, 205-6 (n. 166); knight's re- Temptation motif, 171 (n. 37), 172 (n. fusal of, 174 (n. 50) 39), 173 (n. 43), 174 (n. 50) Ritschart (Richard) of Tumane, 189-90 Tent, description of, 202-3 (n. 149, 152); (n. 105) see also Morgain la Fée Torfilaret, see Orphilet Roidurant, derivation of name, 224 (n. 227) Tournament, see Tourney Tourney, 186 (n. 92), 187-88 (n. 109); Round Table, 182-83 (n. 82) monetary profit as motive for, 190-91; proclamation of, 211 (n. 183) ; see also Bohourt Triblat, 204 (n. 156) Tristant (Tristan), 214 (n. 199), 218 (n. 208) Tybalt, 187 (n. 95) Samite, 159 (n. 8), 174 (n. 47), 230 (n. 250) Sarrazine (silk fabric), 173 (n. 44) Scharlât, 231 (n. 252) Schatel le Mort, 192 (n. 117); see also Limors Scream, as herald of calamity, 219-20 (n. 211) Senaudone, 197 (n. 131), 224 (n. 228); see also Caer Seint; Dodone Serpent garden, 208 (n. 172) Serpent-woman, 225 (n. 228), 226 (n. 230) Shield, 167-68 (n. 25), 188 (n. 98) ; see also Heraldic devices Shrieking Marsh, 219-20 (n. 211) Sibile, see Yblis Sibyl, the, connections with Morgain la Fée, 195-96 (n. 128), 197-98 (n. 131); Erythraean, 230-31 (n. 251); see also Yblis Siege Perilous, as motif, 209�10 (n. 178) Silence, appeal for, 185 (n. 86) ; imposi- tion of, upon a lover, 215 (n. 201) Sinople (pigment), 199 (n. 138) Sleeping Beauty, theme of, 207 (n. 169), 216 (n. 202), 223 (n. 223) Snowdonia, see Caer Seint; Dodone; Senaudone Sorrowful Fief, 193 (n. 123) Sparrow-hawk, 221-22 (n. 218) Spear, 169 (n. 31) Stone, testing, see Siege Perilous Suckling a child, considered uncourtly practice, 158 (n. 5) Surcoat, 166 (n. 22, 23) Sword, 167 (n. 24) Uther Pendragon, see Utpandragon Utpandragon (Uther Pandragon), de- rivation of name, 216-17 (n. 203) Valerin, abductor of Ginover, 206-7 (n. 168), 207-8 (n. 169, 170), 215-16 (n. 202) Ventail, 178 (n. 62) Walest, 190 (n. 107) Walwein (Gawain), derivation of name, 183-84 (n. 83), 206-7 (n. 168) Water of Torment, 191 (n. 114) White armor, 166 (n. 21) White beasts, 215�16 (n. 202) White Lake, 187 (n. 96) Wimple, 200 (n. 142) Wizard, 218-19 (n. 209) Women, learned, 222 (n. 219) Wood, Beautiful, see Beautiful Wood Wool, see scharlât Yblis, 194-96 (n. 128), 198 (n. 131, 134); see also Morgain la Fée; Sibyl Ysolt, see Isalde Yvain, see Iwan de Lonel Zatzikhoven, Ulrich von, 232 (n. 257)
- I: Titul
- VII: Předmluva
- IX: Editorská poznámka
- XI: Obsah
- 3: Úvod
- 20: Bibliografie
- 23: Edice
- 155: Poznámky
- 233: Rejstřík