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ſlong “s”
Ȝ ȝyogh
m̅m with over-line (the equivalent “n” form is shown as ñ with tilde for better font support)
ǽæ with accent, only in the Glossary

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Unlike most EETS productions, this book was printed with long “s” (ſ). The editor’s Introduction says:

We find, in the MS., both the long and the twisted s (ſ and s). These have been noted down as they occur, though I do not observe any law for their use. The letter “ß” has been adopted as closely resembling a symbol in the MS., which apparently has the force of double s, and is not unlike the “sz” used in modern German hand-writing.

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[Preface]
[Lancelot du Lac]
[Lancelot of the Laik]
[Notes]
[Glossary]

Links: Throughout the book, links to numbered lines generally lead to the nearest multiple of 4 (printed number). In the two primary texts, marginal page numbers link to the Notes for that page. In the Preface, all line numbers are active links. To reduce visual chaos, conventional highlighting has been turned off; instead the links are shown in boldface. This may be overridden by your personal browser settings.

In the Glossary, ȝ (yogh) is alphabetized as z.

DUBLIN:WILLIAM McGEE, 18, NASSAU STREET.
EDINBURGH:T. G. STEVENSON, 22, SOUTH FREDERICK STREET.
GLASGOW:OGLE & CO., 1, ROYAL EXCHANGE SQUARE.
BERLIN:ASHER & CO., UNTER DEN LINDEN, 11.
BOSTON, U.S.:DUTTON & CO.
NEW YORK:C. SCRIBNER & CO.; LEYPOLDT & HOLT.
PHILADELPHIA:J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.

A SCOTTISH METRICAL ROMANCE,

(ABOUT 1490-1500 A.D.)

RE-EDITED

FROM A MANUSCRIPT IN THE CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY,

WITH AN

INTRODUCTION, NOTES, AND GLOSSARIAL INDEX,

BY

THE REV. W. W. SKEAT, M.A.,

LATE FELLOW OF CHRIST’S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE;
AND TRANSLATOR OF THE SONGS AND BALLADS OF UHLAND.

[Second and Revised Edition, 1870.]

LONDON:
PUBLISHED FOR THE EARLY ENGLISH TEXT SOCIETY,
BY N. TRÜBNER & CO., 60, PATERNOSTER ROW.

MDCCCLXV.

6

JOHN CHILDS AND SON, PRINTERS.

[PREFACE.]

[ I.—DESCRIPTION OF THE MS., ETC.]

A former edition of the present poem was printed for the Maitland Club, in 1839, and edited by Joseph Stevenson, Esq. It has saved me all trouble of transcription, but by no means, I am sorry to say, that of correction. Those who possess the older edition will readily perceive that it differs from the present one very frequently indeed, and that the variations are often such as considerably to affect the sense. Many of the errors in it (such as casualtyee for casualytee, grone, for gone, reprent for repent) are clearly typographical, but there are others which would incline me to believe that the transcription was too hastily executed; several passages being quite meaningless. Near the conclusion of Mr Stevenson’s preface we read: “The pieces which have been selected for the present volume[1] are printed with such errors of transcription as have crept into them by the carelessness of the scribe;” a statement which certainly implies that there was no intention on his part of departing from the original. Yet that he sometimes unconsciously did so to such an extent as considerably to alter (or destroy) the sense, the reader may readily judge from a few examples:—

LINE.EDITION OF 1839.TRUE READING OF THE MS.
[26].fatil (fatal),fatit (fated).
[285].unarmyt (unarmed),enarmyt (fully armed).
[682].can here,cam nere.
[700].rendit (rent),vondit (wounded).
[764].refuse (refusal?),reprefe (defeat).
[861].felith (feeleth),ſetith (setteth).
[1054].vyt,rycht.
[1084].speiris,spuris.
[1455].cumyng (coming),cunyng (skill).
[1621].he war,be war (beware).
[1641].promyß,punyß (punish).
[2010].ane desyne,medysyne.
[2092].born,lorn (lost).
[2114].havin,harm.
[2142].Hymene (!),hyme (him).
[2219].such,furth (forth).
[2245].al so y-vroght,al foly vroght.
[2279].chichingis (!),thithingis (tidings).
[2446].love,lore (teaching). Etc.

Several omissions also occur, as, e.g., of the word “off” in [l. 7], of the word “tressore” in [l. 1715], and of four whole lines at a time in two instances; viz., lines [1191-4], and [2877-80]. It will be found, in fact, that the former text can seldom be safely quoted for the purposes of philology; and I cannot but think Mr Stevenson’s claim of being accurate to be especially unfortunate; and the more so, because the genuine text is much simpler and more intelligible than the one which he has given.

The original MS. is to be found in the Cambridge University Library, marked Kk. 1. 5. It formerly formed part of a thick volume, labelled “Tracts;” but these are now being separated, for greater convenience, into several volumes. The MS. of “Lancelot” has little to do with any of the rest as regards its subject, but several other pieces are in the same hand-writing; and, at the end of one of them, an abstract of Solomon’s proverbs, occur the words, “Expliciunt Dicta Salamonis, per manum V. de F.”[2] This hand-writing, though close, is very regular, and my own impression certainly is that the scribe has almost always succeeded in preserving the sense of the poem, though there is much confusion in the dialectal forms, as will be shewn presently.

The present text is as close a fac-simile of the MS. as can be represented by printed letters, every peculiarity being preserved as far as practicable, even including the use of y for þ (or th); so that the reader must remember that yow in [l. 94] stands for thow, and yis in [l. 160] for this, and so on; but this ought not to cause much difficulty. The sole points of difference are the following:

1. In the MS. the headings “Prologue,” “Book I.” etc., do not occur.

2. The lines do not always begin (in the MS.) with a capital letter.

3. The letters italicized are (in the MS.) represented by signs of contraction. One source of difficulty is the flourish over a word, used sometimes as a contraction for m or n. I have expanded this flourish as an m or n wherever such letter is manifestly required; but it also occurs where it is best to attach to it no value. In such instances, the flourish occurs most frequently over the last word in a line, and (except very rarely) only over words which have an m or n in them. It would thus seem that their presence is due to the fact of the scribe wanting employment for his pen after the line had been written, and that the flourish therefore appears over certain words, not so much because the n is wanting in them, as because it is there already. Such words have a special attraction for the wandering pen. Still, in order that the reader may know wherever such flourishes occur, they have all been noted down; thus, in [l. 46], the stroke over the n in “greñ” means that a long flourish occurs drawn over the whole word, and the reader who wishes to expand this word into “grene” or “grenn” may easily do it for himself, though he should observe that the most usual form of the word is simply “gren,” as in lines [1000], [1305].

In a few nouns ending in -l, the plural is indicated by a stroke drawn through the doubled letter; as in perillis, sadillis, etc.; and even the word ellis (else) is thus abbreviated.

4. I am responsible for all hyphens, and letters and words between square brackets; thus, “with-outen” is in the MS. “with outen;” and “knych[t]ly” is written “knychly.” Whenever a line begins with a capital letter included between two brackets, the original has a blank space left, evidently intended for an illuminated letter. Wherever illuminated letters actually occur in the MS., they are denoted in this edition by large capitals.

5. We find, in the MS., both the long and the twisted s (ſ and s). These have been noted down as they occur, though I do not observe any law for their use. The letter “ß” has been adopted as closely resembling a symbol in the MS., which apparently has the force of double s, and is not unlike the “sz” used in modern German hand-writing. It may be conveniently denoted by ss when the type “ß” is not to be had, and is sometimes so represented in the “Notes.”

6. The MS. is, of course, not punctuated. The punctuation in the present edition is mostly new; and many passages, which in the former edition were meaningless, have thus been rendered easily intelligible. I am also responsible for the headings of the pages, the abstract at the sides of them, the numbering of the folios in the margin, the notes, and the glossary; which I hope may be found useful. The greatest care has been taken to make the text accurate, the proof-sheets having been compared with the MS. three times throughout.[3]

[ II.—DESCRIPTION OF THE POEM.]

The poem itself is a loose paraphrase of not quite fourteen folios of the first of the three volumes of the French Romance of Lancelot du Lac, if we refer to it as reprinted at Paris in 1513, in three volumes, thin folio, double-columned.[4] The English poet has set aside the French Prologue, and written a new one of his own, and has afterwards translated and amplified that portion of the Romance which narrates the invasion of Arthur’s territory by “le roy de oultre les marches, nomme galehault” (in the English Galiot), and the defeat of the said king by Arthur and his allies.

The Prologue (lines [1-334]) tells how the author undertook to write a romance to please his lady-love; and how, after deciding to take as his subject the story of Lancelot as told in the French Romance, yet finding himself unequal to a close translation of the whole of it, he determined to give a paraphrase of a portion of it only. After giving us a brief summary of the earlier part by the simple process of telling us what he will not relate, he proposes to begin the story at the point where Lancelot has been made prisoner by the lady of Melyhalt, and to take as his subject the wars between Arthur and Galiot, and the distinction which Lancelot won in them; and afterwards to tell how Lancelot made peace between these two kings, and was consequently rewarded by Venus, who

“makith hyme his ladice grace to have” ([l. 311]).

The latter part of the poem, it may be observed, has not come down to us. The author then concludes his Prologue by beseeching to have the support of a very celebrated poet, whose name he will not mention, but will only say that

“Ye fresch enditing of his laiting toung

Out throuch yis world so wid is yroung,” etc.[5] ([l. 328].)

The first Book introduces us to King Arthur at Carlisle.[6] The king is visited by dreams, which he imagines to forebode misfortune; he therefore convokes all his clerks, and inquires of them the meaning of the dreams, proposing to hang them in the event of their refusal. Thus strongly urged, they tell him that those on whom he most relies will fail him at his need; and when he further inquires if this evil fate can be averted, they answer him very obscurely that it can only be remedied by help of the water-lion, the leech, and the flower; a reply which the king evidently regards as unsatisfactory. Soon after an aged knight, fully armed, enters the palace, with a message from King Galiot, requiring him to give “tribute and rent.” Arthur at once refuses, somewhat to the astonishment of the knight, who is amazed at his hardihood. Next arrives a message from the lady of Melyhalt, informing Arthur of the actual presence of Galiot’s army. We are then momentarily introduced to Lancelot, who is pining miserably in the lady’s custody. Next follows a description of Galiot’s army, at sight of the approach of which King Arthur and his “niece,” Sir Gawain, confer as to the best means of resistance. In the ensuing battle Sir Gawain greatly distinguishes himself, but is at last severely wounded. Sir Lancelot, coming to hear of Sir Gawain’s deeds, craves leave of the lady to be allowed to take part in the next conflict, who grants him his boon on condition that he promise to return to his prison. She then provides for him a red courser, and a complete suit of red armour, in which guise he appears at the second battle, and is the “head and comfort of the field;” the queen and Sir Gawain beholding his exploits from a tower. The result of the battle convinces Galiot that Arthur is not strong enough at present to resist him sufficiently, and that he thus runs the risk of a too easy, and therefore dishonourable, conquest; for which excellent reason he grants Arthur a twelvemonth’s truce, with a promise to return again in increased force at the expiration of that period. Sir Lancelot returns to Melyhalt according to promise, and the lady is well pleased at hearing the reports of his famous deeds, and visits him when asleep, out of curiosity to observe his appearance after the fight.

In the Second Book the story makes but little progress, nearly the whole of it being occupied by a long lecture or sermon delivered to Arthur by a “master,” named Amytans, on the duties of a king; the chief one being that a king should give presents to everybody—a duty which is insisted on with laborious tediousness. Lines [1320-2130] are almost entirely occupied with this subject, and will be found to be the driest part of the whole narrative. In the course of his lecture, Amytans explains at great length the obscure prophecy mentioned above, shewing that by the water-lion is meant God the Father, by the leech God the Son, and by the flower the Virgin Mary. Though the outline of a similar lecture exists in the old French text, there would seem to be a special reason for the length to which it is here expanded. Some lines certainly seem to hint at events passing in Scotland at the time when the poem was composed. Thus, “kings may be excused when of tender age” ([l. 1658]); but when they come to years of discretion should punish those that have wrested the law. Again we find ([l. 1920]) strong warnings against flatterers, concluding ([l. 1940]) with the expression,

“Wo to the realme that havith sich o chans!”

Such hints may remind us of the long minorities of James II. and James III.; and, whilst speaking on this subject, I may note a somewhat remarkable coincidence. When King Arthur, as related in Book I., asks the meaning of his dream, he is told that it signifies that “they in whom he most trusts will fail him” ([l. 499]); and he afterwards laments ([l. 1151]) how his “men fail him at need.” Now when we read that a story is current of a prophetess having told James III. that he was destined to “fall by the hands of his own kindred,”[7] and that that monarch was in the habit of consulting astrologers[8] (compare [l. 432]) as to the dangers that threatened him, it seems quite possible that the poem was really composed about the year 1478; and this supposition is consistent with the fact that the hand-writing of the present MS. copy belongs to the very end of the fifteenth century.

Towards the end of the Second Book, we learn that the twelvemonth’s truce draws near its end, and that Sir Lancelot again obtains permission from the lady to be present in the approaching combat, choosing this time to be arrayed in “armys al of blak” ([l. 2426]).

In the Third Book Galiot returns to the fight with a host thrice as large as his former one. As before, Gawain distinguishes himself in the first encounter, but is at length so “evil wounded” that he was “the worse thereof evermore” ([l. 2706]). In the second combat, the black knight utterly eclipses the red knight, and the last thousand (extant) lines of the poem are almost wholly occupied with a description of his wonderful prowess. At the point where the extant portion of the poem ceases, the author would appear to be just warming with his subject, and to be preparing for greater efforts.

In continuance of the outline of the story, I may add that the French text[9] informs us how, after being several times remounted by Galiot, and finding himself with every fresh horse quite as fresh as he was at the beginning of the battle, the black knight attempted, as evening fell, to make his way back to Melyhalt secretly. Galiot, however, having determined not to lose sight of him, follows and confronts him, and earnestly requests his company to supper, and that he will lodge in his tent that night. After a little hesitation, Lancelot accepts the invitation, and Galiot entertains him with the utmost respect and flattery, providing for him a most excellent supper and a bed larger than any of the rest. Lancelot, though naturally somewhat wearied, passes a rather restless night, and talks a good deal in his sleep. Next day Galiot prays him to stay longer, and he consents on condition that a boon may be granted him, which is immediately acceded to without further question. He then requests Galiot to submit himself to Arthur, and to confess himself vanquished, a demand which so amazes that chieftain that he at first refuses, yet succeeds in persuading Lancelot to remain with him a little longer. The day after, preparations are made for another battle, on which occasion Lancelot wears Galiot’s armour, and is at first mistaken for him, till Sir Gawain’s acute vision detects that the armour really encases the black knight. As Lancelot now fights on Galiot’s side, it may easily be imagined how utter and complete is the defeat of Arthur’s army, which was before victorious owing to his aid only; and we are told that Arthur is ready to kill himself out of pure grief and chagrin, whilst Sir Gawain swoons so repeatedly, for the same reason, as to cause the most serious fears to be entertained for his life. At this sorrowful juncture Lancelot again claims his boon of Galiot, who, in the very moment of victory, determines at last to grant it, and most humbly sues for mercy at the hands of Arthur, to that king’s most intense astonishment. By this very unexpected turn of affairs, the scene of dolour is changed to one of unalloyed joy, and peace is immediately agreed upon, to the satisfaction of all but some true-bred warriors, who preferred a battle to a peace under all circumstances. Not long after, Galiot discovers Lancelot with eyes red and swollen with much weeping, and endeavours to ascertain the reason of his grief, but with small success. After endeavouring to comfort Lancelot as much as possible, Galiot goes to visit King Arthur, and a rather long conference takes place between them as they stand at Sir Gawain’s bedside, the queen being also present. In the course of it, Galiot asks Arthur what price he would pay to have the black knight’s perpetual friendship; to which Arthur replies, he would gladly share with him half of everything that he possessed, saving only Queen Guinevere. The question is then put to Gawain, who replies that, if only his health might be restored, he would wish to be the most beautiful woman in the world, so as to be always beloved by the knight. Next it is put to Guinevere, who remarks that Sir Gawain has anticipated all that a lady could possibly wish, an answer which is received with much laughter. Lastly, Arthur puts the question to Galiot himself, who declares that he would willingly, for the black knight’s sake, suffer that all his honour should be turned into shame, whereat Sir Gawain allows himself to be outbidden. The queen then obtains a brief private conference with Galiot, and prays him to obtain for her an interview with the black knight, who promises to do what he can to that end. He accordingly sounds the black knight upon the subject, and, finding him entirely of the same mind, does all he can to promote their acquaintance, and is at last only too successful; and at this point we may suppose the Scottish Romance to have stopped, if indeed it was ever completed. For some account of the Romance of Lancelot, I may refer the reader to Professor Morley’s English Writers, vol. i., pp. 568-570, and 573; to “Les Romans de la Table Ronde,” par M. Paulin Paris; and to the Prefaces to the “Seynt Graal,” edited by Mr Furnivall for the Roxburghe Club, 1861, and “La Queste del Saint Graal,” also edited by the same for the same club in 1864. In the last-named volume short specimens are given from thirteen MSS. at Paris, ten of which contain the Romance of Lancelot. There are also manuscript copies of it in the British Museum, viz., MSS. Harl. 6341 and 6342, Lansdowne 757, and MS. Addit. 10293.

[ III.—THE DIALECT OF THE POEM.]

In coming to discuss the dialect, we find everywhere traces of considerable confusion; but it is not at all easy to assign a satisfactory reason for this.[10] Certain errors of transcription soon shew that the scribe had before his eyes an older copy, which he mis-read. Thus, in [l. 433], we find “set,” where the older copy must have had “fet,” and which he must have mis-read as “ſet;” and again, in lines [2865], [2883], he has, by a similar confusion between “f” and “ſ,” written “firſt” instead of “fift.” It is most probable that the older copy was written in the Lowland Scottish dialect (the whole tone of the poem going to prove this), as shewn by the use of ch for gh, as in bricht for bright, (unless this be wholly due to the scribe); by the occurrence of plurals in -is, of verbal preterites and passive participles in -it, and of words peculiarly Scottish, such as syne (afterwards), anerly (only), laif (remainder), oft-syss (oft-times), etc. Moreover, the Northern r is clearly indicated by the occurrence of such dissyllables as gar-t, [2777], lar-g, [2845], fir-st, [2958], [3075]; with which compare the significant spellings harrmful, [1945], and furrde, [2583]. But, on the other hand, it would appear as if either the author or the copyist had no great regard for pure dialect, and continually introduces Southern and Midland forms, mixing them together in an indiscriminate and very unusual manner. We find, for example, in line [1765],

“Beith larg and iffis frely of thi thing,”

the Scottish form iffis (give) and the Southern beith in close conjunction; and we find no less than six or seven forms of the plural of the past tense of the verb “to be;” as, for example, war ([3136]), veir ([818]), ware ([825]), waren ([3301]), veryng ([2971]), waryng ([443]), etc. If we could suppose that the scribe was not himself a Scotchman, we might in some measure account for such a result; but the supposition is altogether untenable, as the peculiar character of the handwriting (resembling that found, not in English, but in French MSS.) decides it to be certainly Scottish; as is also evident from the occurrence, in the same hand-writing, of a Scotticised version of Chaucer’s “Flee from the press.”

The best that can be done is to collect a few instances of peculiarities.

1. The broad Northumbrian forms a, ane, baith, fra, ga, haill, hame, knaw, law, sa, wat, although occasionally retained, are also at times changed into o, one, boith, fro, go, holl, hom, know, low, so, and wot. Thus, at the end of [l. 3246], we find haill, which could not have been altered without destroying the rime; but in [l. 3078], we find it changed, in the middle of the line, into holl. In [l. 3406], we find sa, but only three lines further on we find so twice.

So, too, we not only find tane (taken), gais (goes), but also the forms tone and goß. See lines [1071], [1073].

2. The true plural form of the verb is shewn by lines [203], [204],

“Of quhois fame and worschipful dedis

Clerkis into diuerß bukis redis,”

where alteration would have ruined the rime utterly; and the same termination (-is) is correctly used in the imperative mood, as,

——“ſo giffis ws delay” ([l. 463]);

“And of thi wordis beis trew and stable” ([l. 1671]);

but the termination -ith is continually finding its way into the poem, even as early as in the fourth line,

“Uprisith arly in his fyre chare;”

and in the imperative mood also, as,

“Remembrith now it stondith one the poynt” ([l. 797]).

The most singular point of all, however, is this—that, not content with changing -is into -ith in the 3rd person singular, the scribe has done the same even in the 2nd person, thus producing words which belong to no pure example of any distinct dialect. Observe the following lines:—

“O woful wrech, that levis in to were!

To schew the thus the god of loue me sent,

That of thi seruice no thing is content,

For in his court yhoue [= thou] lewith in disspar,

And vilfully sustenis al thi care,

And schapith no thinge of thine awn remede,

Bot clepith ay and cryith apone dede,” etc. ([ll. 84-90]).

Here levis is altered into lewith, not only unnecessarily, but quite wrongly. For similar mistakes, see [ll. 1019], [1369], [1384], [2203]. For examples of correct usage, see [ll. 1024], [1337], [1796], [2200], [2201].

3. But the terminations which are used in the most confused manner of all are -en, -yne, and -ing or -yng. Thus we find the non-Scottish infinitives, telen ([494]), makine ([191]); the constant substitution of -ing for -and in the present participle;[11] a confusion between the past participial ending -ine (more correctly -yn), and the present ending -and, thus producing such forms as thinkine ([34]), and besichyne ([418]); and also a confusion between -ing and the past participial ending -en, as fundyng for funden ([465]), fallyng for fallen ([1217], [1322], [3267]), swellyng for swollen ([1222]), and halding for halden ([2259]). We even find -ing in the infinitive mood, as in awysing ([424]), viting (to know, [410]), smyting ([1326]), warnnyng ([1035]), passing ([2148]), ſchewing ([2736]), etc.; and, lastly, it occurs in the plural of the indicative present, instead of the Midland -en; as in passing ([1166]), biding ([2670]), and levyng ([3304]).[12]

It may safely be concluded, however, that the frequent occurrence of non-Scottish infinitives must not be attributed to the copyist, since they are probably due rather to the author; for in such a line as

“Of his desir to viting the sentens” ([l. 410]),

the termination -ing is required to complete the rhythm of the line.

In the same way we must account for the presence of the prefix i-, as in the line

“Quharwith that al the gardinge was I-clede” ([l. 50]).

This prefix never occurs in vernacular Scottish; but we may readily suppose that this and other numerous Southern forms of words are due (as in Gawain Douglas and Lyndesay) to the author’s familiarity with Chaucer’s poems, as evinced by the similarity of the rhythm to Chaucer’s, and by the close resemblance of several passages. Compare, for instance, the first seventy lines of the Prologue with the opening passages of “The Flower and the Leaf,” and “The Complaint of the Black Knight;” and see notes to [ll. 432], [1608]. Indeed, this seems to be the only satisfactory way of accounting for the various peculiarities with which the poem abounds.

Mr J. A. H. Murray, in his remarks printed in the preface to Mr Lumby’s edition of “Early Scottish Verse,” comes to a similar conclusion, and I here quote his words for the reader’s convenience and information. “There is no reason, however, to suspect the scribe of wilfully altering his original; indeed, the reverse appears manifest, from the fact that the ‘Craft of Deyng’ has not been assimilated in orthography to ‘Ratis Raving,’ but distinctly retains its more archaic character; while in ‘Sir Lancelot,’ edited by Mr Skeat for the Early English Text Society, from the handwriting of the same scribe, we have a language in its continual Anglicisms quite distinct from that of the pieces contained in this volume, of which the Scotch is as pure and unmixed as that of the contemporary Acts of Parliament. With regard to the remarkable transformation which the dialect has undergone in Sir Lancelot, there seems reason, therefore, to suppose that it was not due to the copyist of the present MS., but to a previous writer, if not to the author himself, who perhaps affected southernism, as was done a century later by Lyndesay and Knox, and other adherents of the English party in the Reformation movement. The Southern forms are certainly often shown by the rhyme to be original, and such a form as tone for tane = taken, is more likely to have been that of a Northerner trying to write Southern, than of a Southern scribe, who knew that no such word existed in his dialect. The same may be said of the th in the second person singular. A Scotch writer, who observed that Chaucer said he liveth, where he himself said he lyves, might be excused for supposing that he would also have said thou liveth for the Northern thow lyves; but we can hardly fancy a Southern copyist making the blunder.”

4. We find not only the Northumbrian forms sall and suld, but also shall, shalt, and shuld.

5. As regards pronouns, we find the Scottish scho (she) in [l. 1169]; but the usual form is sche. We find, too, not only the broad forms thai, thair, thaim, but also thei (sometimes the), ther, and them. As examples of forms of the relative pronoun, we may quote who, quho, whois, quhois (whose), quhom, qwhome (whom), quhat, qwhat (what), and whilk, quhilk, quhich, quich, wich (which). Wich is used instead of who ([l. 387]), and we also find the wich, or the wich that, similarly employed. The nominative who does not perhaps occur as a simple relative, but has the force of whoso, or he who, as e.g., in [l. 1102]; or else it is used interrogatively, as in [l. 1172].

6. Many other peculiarities occur, which it were tedious to discuss fully. It may suffice, perhaps, to note briefly these following. We find both the soft sound ch, as in wich, sich, and the hard sound k, as in whilk, reke (reach), streke (stretch), etc.; which are the true Northern forms.

Mo is used as well as more.

Tho occurs for then in [l. 3184]; and for the in [l. 247].

At occurs as well as that; atte as well as at the, [627], [1055].

The short forms ma (make), ta (take), sent (sendeth), stant (standeth), are sometimes found; the two former being Northumbrian.

Has is used twice as a plural verb ([ll. 481], [496]).[13]

Ȝha (yes) occurs in [l. 2843]; but we also meet with ȝhis, or yis; with reference to which Mr Morris writes:— “The latter term was not much in favour with the people of the North. Even now yes sounds offensive to a Lancashire man. ‘Hoo cou’d naw opp’n hur meawth t’ sey eigh (yea) or now (no); boh simpurt on sed iss; th’ dickons iss hur on him too. —Tim Bobbin.’” In fact, the distinction between ȝha and ȝhis, which I have pointed out in William of Palerne (Glossary, s.v. ȝis), viz., that ȝha merely assents, whilst ȝhis shews that the speaker has an opinion of his own, is in this poem observed. Thus, in [l. 2843], ȝha = “yes, I admit that I do;” but in [l. 514], yis = “yes, but you had better do so;” in [l. 1397], ȝhis = “yes, indeed I will;” and in [l. 3406], ȝis = “yes, but I cannot accept your answer.”[14] The true distinction between thou and ye (William of Palerne, Pref. p. xli) is also generally observed. Thus the Green Bird, in the Prologue, considers the poet to be a fool, and calls him thou; but the clerks, in addressing Arthur ([l. 498]) politely say ye. And again, Amytans, when rebuking Arthur, frequently calls him thou, without any ceremony. Cf. [ll. 659], [908], [921], [2839], &c.

As regards the vocabulary, we find that some Northumbrian terms have been employed, but others thrown aside. Thus, while we find the Northumbrian words thir (these), traist (trust), newis (neives, fists), radour (fear), etc., we do not, on the other hand, meet with the usual Scottish word mirk, but observe it to be supplanted by dirk ([l. 2471]). So, again, eke is used in the sense of also, instead of being a verb, as more usual in Northern works. We may note, too, the occurrence of frome as well as fra, and the Scottish form thyne-furth (thenceforth) in [l. 2196].

The spelling is very various. We find even four forms of one word, as cusynace, cusynece, cusynes, cwsynes; and, as examples of eccentric spelling, may be quoted qsquyaris (squires, [l. 3204]), whilst in [l. 3221] we find sqwar.

Both in the marginal abstract and in the notes I have chiefly aimed at removing minor difficulties by explaining sentences of which the construction is peculiar, and words which are disguised by the spelling. For the explanation of more uncommon words, recourse should be had to the Glossarial Index.

[1] The volume contains other poems besides “Sir Lancelot.”

[2] See Mr Lumby’s editions of “Early Scottish Verse” and “Ratis Raving,” both edited for the E.E.T.S. from this MS. Only the latter of these is in the hand-writing of V. de F.

[3] This refers to the edition printed in 1865. In executing the present reprint, the proof-sheets have been once more compared with the MS., and a very few insignificant errors have been thus detected and rectified.

[4] “As to the Romance of Sir Lancelot, our author [Gower], among others on the subject, refers to a volume of which he was the hero; perhaps that of Robert de Borron, altered soon afterwards by Godefroy de Leigny, under the title of Le Roman de la Charrette, and printed, with additions, at Paris by Antony Verard, in the year 1494.

For if thou wilt the bokes rede

Of Launcelot and other mo,

Then might thou seen how it was tho

Of armes,” etc.

(Gower: Confessio Amantis, Book iv.)

Quoted from Warton’s English Poetry, vol. ii., p. 234, ed. 1840. I quote this as bearing somewhat on the subject, though it should be observed that Le Roman de la Charrette is not the same with Lancelot du Lac, but only a romance of the same class. Chaucer also refers to Lancelot in his Nonnes Prestes Tale, l. 392; and it is mentioned in the famous lines of Dante (Inf. v. 127)—

“Noi leggevamo un giorno per diletto

Di Lancilotto, come amor lo strinse,” &c.

[5] He does not necessarily imply that the poet invoked was still alive; and we might almost suppose Petrarch to be meant, who was more proud of his Latin poem called “Africa” than of his odes and sonnets. See Hallam’s Literary History (4 vols.), vol. i., p. 85. But this is pure conjecture.

[6] But the French has “Cardueil.” See [l. 2153].

[7] Tytler’s History of Scotland (Edinburgh, 1841), vol. iv., p. 216.

[8] The French text does not say anything about “astronomy.” We may especially note the following lines, as not being in the French, viz., lines [1473-1496], [1523-1542], [1599-1644], [1658-1680], and the long passage [1752-1998].

[9] See Appendix.

[10] For many valuable remarks upon the dialect of the poem I am indebted to Mr R. Morris.

[11] We find the true forms occasionally, as obeisand ([641]), plesand ([1731]), thinkand ([2173]), prekand ([3089]), and fechtand ([3127]). Compare the form seruand ([122]).

[12] “The Scottish pronunciation of -ing was already, as it still is, -een; and the writer, knowing that the correct spelling of dwellin, for example, was dwelling, fancied also that fallen, halden (Sc. fallyn, haldyn) were fallyng, haldyng. Lyndesay and Gawain Douglas often do the same. Compare gardinge ([l. 50]), laiting ([l. 327]).” —J. A. H. Murray.

[13] “The plural in Scottish always ends in -s after a noun or when the verb is separated from its pronoun; we still say the men hes, the bairns sings, them ’at cums, not have, sing, come. Notice the frequent use of th for t, as in [l. 497], Presumyth = presumit, presumed, it being presumed.” —J. A. H. Murray. [Or, presumyth may be the pl. imperative, as in Remembrith ([l. 797]), already noticed. —Ed.]

[14] “This ȝis is the common form in the Scottish writers, though ay is largely the modern vernacular.” —J. A. H. Murray.

[APPENDIX.]

EXTRACTS FROM THE FRENCH ROMANCE
OF “LANCELOT DU LAC.”

As it seems impossible to do justice to the story of Lancelot without giving due attention to the famous French Romance, and since a portion of the French text is really necessary to complete even that fragment of it which the Scottish author proposed to write, the following extracts have been made with the view of shewing (1) the general outline of the earlier part of the story, (2) the method in which the Scottish author has expanded or altered his original, and (3) the completion of the story of the wars between Arthur and Galiot.[1]

I. Headings of the chapters of the French Romance, from its commencement to the end of the wars with Galiot.

[The commas are inserted by the present editor, and the expansions marked by italics.]

¶ Cy commence la table du premier volume de la table ronde lancelot du lac.

Claudas, king of Scotland, deprives king Ban and king Boort of their lands.

¶ Comment apres la mort de vterpandragon roy du royaulme de logres, & apres la mort aramon, roy de la petite bretaigne, le roy claudas de la terre Descosse mena guerre contre le roy ban de benoic et le roy boort de gauues tant quil les desherita[2] de leurs terres. Fueillet. i.

Claudas besieges Ban in the Castle of Trible.

¶ Comment le roy claudas assiegea le chasteau de trible auquel estoit le roy ban de benoic, et comment ilz parlementerent ensemble. f. i.

King Ban, his wife, and his son Lancelot repair to the court of Arthur.

¶ Comment le roy ban de benoic, accompaigne de sa femme et de son filz lancelot, auecques vng seul escuyer, se partirent du chasteau de trible pour aller querir secours deuers le roy Artus a la grant bretaigne. Fueillet ii.

The Castle of Trible is treacherously given up to Claudas.

¶ Comment apres ce que le roy ban fut party de son chasteau de trible, le seneschal a qui il auoit baille la garde trahit ledit chasteau, et le liura es mains du roy claudas. Fueillet. ii.

King Ban dies of grief, and Lancelot is taken away by the lady of the lake.

¶ Comment le roy ban mourut de dueil quant il veit son chasteau ardoir et brouyr. Et comment la dame du lac emporta son filz lancelot.[3] Fueillet. iiii.

¶ Comment la royne helaine, apres que le roy fut mort et elle eut perdu son filz, se rendit nonnain en labbaye du monstier royal. Fueillet. v.

The two sisters, widows of kings Ban and Boort, retreat to a monastery.

¶ Comment le roy de gauues mourut | & comment la Royne sa femme, pour paour de claudas, sen partit de son chasteau pour aller au monstier royal, ou sa seur estait rendue, et comment ses enfans Lyonnel et Boort luy furent ostez. Fueillet vi.

¶ Comment la royne de Gauues, apres que son seigneur fut mort et que elle eut perdu ses deux enfans, se vint rendre au monastere ou estoit sa seur la royne de benoic. Fueillet vi.

Merlin’s love for the lady of the lake.

¶ Comment merlin fut engendre du dyable: Et comment il fut amoureux de la dame du lac. Fueillet vii.

Sir Farien secretly nourishes the two sons of king Boort, and is made seneschal to king Claudas.

¶ Comment le cheualier farien, qui auoit tollu a la royne de Gauues ses deux enfans, les emporta en sa maison | et les feist nourrir vne espace de temps. Et comment le roy claudas fut amoureux de la femme du dict Farien | et pource le fist son seneschal. Fueillet viii.

Claudas accuses Sir Farien of treason.

¶ Comment le roy claudas fist appeller son cheualier farien de trahison par ladmonnestement de sa femme, disant quil gardoit les deux enfans du roy boort de gauues. Fueillet. viii.

Claudas, in disguise, visits Arthur’s court.

¶ comment le roy claudas en maniere de cheualier estrange, se partit du royaulme de gauues pour aller en la grant bretaigne a la court du roy artus pour veoir sa puissance & son gouuernement. Fueillet x.

The lady of the lake informs Lancelot that he is a king’s son.

¶ Comment la dame du lac bailla a lancelot vng maistre pour linstruyre comme il appartenoit a filz de roy. Fueillet xii.

¶ Comment la royne helaine alloit faire chascun iour son dueil au lieu ou son seigneur mourut | et de la alloit au lac ou elle perdit son filz. Fueillet xv.

¶ Comment le bon Religieux qui auoit dit nouuelles a la royne helaine de son filz lancelot, print conge de elle, et sen vint au roy artus en la grant bretaigne. Fueillet xvi.

The lady of the lake seeks to deliver the sons of king Boort.

¶ Comment la dame du lac enuoya sa damoyselle a la court du roy claudas, pour delyurer les deux enfans au roy boort que claudas tenoit en prison. Fueillet xvii.

¶ Comment farien, seneschal du roy claudas par le commandement de son seigneur, alla querir en prison les deux filz au roy de Gauues. Fueillet xviii.

Lyonnel and Boort wound king Claudas, and slay his son Dorin.

¶ Comment les deux enfans au roy de gauues blecerent le roy claudas, & occirent dorin son filz | et comment la damoyselle du lac les emmena en semblance de deux leuriers. fueil. xix.

¶ De la grant ioye et du grant honneur que la dame du lac fist aux deux enfans quant elle les veit en sa maison. Fueillet xx.

Claudas bewails his son’s death.

¶ Comment le roy claudas mena tres grant dueil pour la mort de dorin son filz que boort auoit occis. Fueillet xx.

¶ Comment farien et le peuple de la cyte de gauues sesmeurent contre le roy claudas a cause que il vouloit faire mourir les deux filz au roy boort de gauues. Fueillet. xxi.

Farien saves Claudas’ life.

¶ Comment le roy claudas se partit de gauues | et comment ceulx dudit lieu le vouloient occire, se neust este farien le bon cheualier. f. xxiii.

¶ Comment le roy claudas se deffendit vaillamment contre ceulx de Gauues qui le vouloyent occire. Fueillet. xxv.

¶ Comment lyonnel et boort perdirent le boire et le manger pource quilz ne scauoyent nouuelles de leur maistres | lesquelz estoyent demourez auec le roy claudas | & comment la dame du lac enuoya vne sienne damoyselle a gauues pour les amener. Fueillet. xxvii.

Leonce and Lambegues go to seek Lyonnel and Boort.

¶ Comment, par le conseil des barons de gauues: leonce & lambegues sen allerent auecques la damoyselle pour veoir leurs seigneurs lyonnel et boort. Fueillet xxviii.

¶ Comment la dame du lac sen retourna apres ce quelle eut monstre a leonce et a lambegues les enfans du roy de gauues leurs seigneurs, et comment lesditz cheualiers sen retournerent a gauues. Fueillet xxx.

Claudas meditates revenge.

¶ Comment le roy claudas retourna a gauues, pour soy venger de la honte quon luy auoit faicte, et pour la mort de son filz. Fueil. xxxi.

¶ Comment lappointement fut fait entre le roy claudas et les barons, par le moyen de farien et lambegues son nepueu. fueillet. xxxiii.

Death of Farien.

¶ Comment farien | sa femme, et son nepueu lambegues sen partirent pour aller veoir lyonnel et boort, qui estoyent au lac | & comment farien mourut. Fueillet xxxv.

The widow of king Boort sees her children and Lancelot in a vision, and dies.

¶ Comment les deux roynes menerent saincte vie au monstier royal | et comment celle de gauues veit ces deux enfans & lancelot en aduision | et comment elle trespassa de ce siecle. Fueillet. xxxv.

Arthur holds a tournament, and Banin, son of king Ban, is the victor.

¶ Comment le roy artus assembla le iour de pasques tous ses barons, & tint grant court a karahes, et comment banin le filleul au Roy ban emporta le pris du behourdys celluy iour. Fueillet. xxxvi.

The lady of the lake sends Lancelot to Arthur to be knighted, and provides for him white armour.

¶ Comment la dame du lac se pourpensa de mener lancelot au roy artus pour le faire cheualier,[4] et elle luy bailla armes blanches, et partit du lac a tout quarante cheualliers pour le conuoyer. Fueillet xxxvii.

Of the wounded knight who came to Arthur’s court.

¶ Comment vng cheuallier naure, lequel auoit vne espee fichee en la teste et deux troncons de lance parmy le corps,[5] vint a la court du roy artus | et comment la dame du lac le mena deuant le roy artus, et luy prya quil le fist cheualier. Fueillet xxxix.

Lancelot is knighted.

¶ Comment messire yuain, a qui le roy Artus auoit recommande lancelot, alla faire sa requeste audit roy artus, que le lendemain il fist ledit lancelot cheualier, et comment ledit lancelot defferra le cheualier naure.[6] Fueillet. xli.

How the white knight defended the lady of Nohalt,

¶ Comment la dame de noehault[7] enuoya deuers le roy artus, luy supplier quil luy enuoyast secours contre le Roy de norhombellande qui luy menoit guerre. Et comment Lancelot requist au roy artus quil luy donnast congie dy aller | & il luy octroya. Fueillet xlii.

and won the battle for her.

¶ Comment le nouueau cheualier aux armes blanches vainquit la bataille pour la dame de noehault. Fueillet xliii.

¶ Comment lancelot apres ce quil se fut party de la dame de noehault, se combatit auec vng cheualier qui lauoit mouille. Fueillet xlv.

How Lancelot conquered the “Sorrowful Castle.”

¶ Comment lancelot conquist vaillamment par sa force et proesse le chasteau de la douloureuse garde que nul aultre ne pouoit conquerre.[8] Fueillet xlv.

How Arthur hears of it, and sends Gawain to see if it is true.

¶ Comment les nouuelles vindrent au roy artus que la douloureuse garde estoit conquise par la cheualier aux armes blanches | Et le roy y enuoya messire gauuain pour en scauoir la verite. Fueillet xlviii.

Gawain is imprisoned, and supposed to be dead.

¶ Comment messire Gauuain fut mys en prison | et comment le roy et la royne entrerent en la premiere porte de la | et la veirent des tumbes ou il y auoit escript que monseigneur gauuain estoit mort, et plusieures aultres cheualiers. Fueillet. xlix.

Lancelot hears of Gawain’s imprisonment,

¶ Comment vne damoyselle de lhostel de la dame du lac feist assauoir au cheuallier blanc que monseigneur gauuain & ses compaignons estoyent emprisonnez par celluy qui auoit este seigneur de la douloureuse garde. Fueillet l.

and delivers him and his companions.

¶ Comment le blanc cheualier se combatit encontre celluy qui auoit este seigneur de la douloureuse garde, qui tenoit en prison messire gauuain et ses compaignons.[9] Fueillet. l.

¶ Comment le cheuallier blanc emmena le cheualier conquis en vng hermitaige. et comment ledit cheualier conquis luy rendit audit hermitage gauuain & ses compaignons. f. lii.

Gawain returns to Arthur and his Queen at Douloureuse Garde.

¶ Comment messire gauuain et ses compaignons sen vindrent par deuers le roy artus qui estoit a la douloureuse garde. Et comment le roy et la royne furent ioyeulx quant ilz les virent. Fueillet. liii.

Lancelot hears of the war to come between Arthur and Galiot.

¶ Comment le cheuallier blanc retourna a labbaye ou il auoit laisse ses escuyers | et comment il sceut lassemblee qui deuoit estre entre le roy artus et le roy doultre les marches, & comment il conquist le cheualier qui disoit mieulx aymer le cheualier qui auoit naure que celluy qui lauoit este.[10] Fueillet. liiii.

Gawain goes to seek the white knight,

¶ Comment messire gauuain se mist en queste pour trouuer le blanc cheuallier.[11] Et comment la meslee dentre les gens au roy des cent cheualiers et les gens de la dame de noehault fut appaisee. Fueillet lv.

who is wounded in the battle against Galiot by the king-of-a-hundred-knights.

¶ Comment le blanc cheualier vainquit lassemble dentre les deux roys | et comment il fut naure du roy des cent cheualiers. Fueillet. lvi.

Arthur and Queen Genure return home.

¶ Comment apres que le cheualier qui auoit gangne le tournoyement dentre le roy doultre les marches sen fut alle, le roy artus & la royne genieure se partirent pour aller en leurs pays. Fueillet lvii.

¶ Comment messire gauuain se combatit a brehain-sans-pitie, et le rua par terre. et comment apres ilz sen allerent a la douloureuse garde: & comment les deux pucelles que messire Gauuain menoit luy furent tollues. Fueillet. lviii.

Lancelot ends the adventures of the “Sorrowful Castle.”

¶ Comment lancelot print congie de son mire | et comment il mist a fin les aduentures de la douloureuse garde. Fueillet lx.

Lancelot is again victorious in the combat between Arthur and Galiot.

¶ Comment messire gauuain recouura les deux pucelles qui luy auoyent este tollues, Et comment lancelot vainquit la seconde assemblee dentre le roy artus & le roy doultre les marches. Fueillet lxi.

Gawain returns to Arthur’s court.

¶ Comment messire gauuain retourna a la court du roy artus apres la seconde assemblee dentre le roy artus & le roy doultre les marches, et comment lancelot vainquit le cheualier qui gardoit le gue. Fueillet lxiii.

[Here begins the Scotch Translation.]

Arthur’s evil dreams.

¶ Comment le roy Artus songea plusieurs songes | et apres manda tous les saiges clercs de son royaulme pour en scauoir la signifiance.[12] Fueillet lxiiii.

Galiot defies Arthur.

¶ Comment le roy doultre les marches, nomme gallehault, enuoya deffier le roy artus[13] | et comment Lancelot occist deux geans empres kamalot.[14] Fueillet lxv.

Lancelot is assailed by forty knights, and imprisoned by the lady of Melyhalt.

¶ Comment lancelot occist vng cheualier qui disoit moins aymer le cheualier naure que celluy qui lauoit naure.[15] | et comment il fut assailly de .xl. cheualliers, et mys en prison de la dame de mallehault.[16] Fueillet lxviii.

Lancelot, released from prison, is again victorious against Galiot.

¶ Comment gallehault assembla au roy artus vng iour durant que lancelot estoit en prison[17] | et comment le lendemain lancelot fut deliure de prison[18] | et vainquit lassemblee dentre les deux roys.[19] Fueillet lxvii.

Arthur is reproved by Amytans, and Galiot proposes a truce for a year.

¶ Comment le roy artus fut reprins de ses vices, et moult bien conseille par vng cheualier qui suruint en son ost[20] | Et comment gallehault donna tresues au roy Artus iusques a vng an.[21] Fueillet lxix.

Lancelot returns to the lady of Melyhalt.

¶ Comment lancelot, apres ce quil eut vaincu lassemblee, retourna en la prison de la dame de mallehault[22] | et comment elle le congneut, a son cheual et par les playes quil auoit, que cestoit celluy qui auoit vaincu lassemblee.[23] Fueillet lxxii.

Gawain, with 39 comrades, departs to seek the red knight.

¶ Comment messire gauuain, soy quarantiesme de compaignons, se mist en queste pour trouuer le cheuallier qui auoit porte lescu vermeil a lassemblee dentre le roy artus et Gallehault.[24] Fueillet lxxii.

The lady of Melyhalt accepts Lancelot’s ransom.

¶ Comment la dame de mallehault mist a rancon le cheuallier quelle tenoit en prison, et le laissa aller quant elle veit quelle ne peult scauoir son nom.[25] fu. lxxiii.

The truce ended, Galiot again attacks Arthur.

¶ Comment messire gauuain et ses compaignons retournerent de leur queste[26] | et comment apres les treues faillies galehault vint assembler contre le roy artus, & tous ses gens en furent moult troublez.[27] fu. lxxiiii.

Galiot gains over the black knight.

¶ Comment gallehault suyuit le cheuallier aux noires armes,[28] & fist tant par belles parolles quil lemmena en son ost, dont le roy artus et tous ses gens en furent moult troublez. Fueillet lxxviii.

Lancelot induces Galiot to submit to Arthur.

¶ Comment lancelot par sa prouesse conquist tout, et fist tant que gallehault crya mercy au roy artus. fu. lxxix.

The Queen and Lancelot meet.

¶ Comment gallehault fist tant que la royne vit lancelot | & comment ilz se arraisonnerent ensemble. fu. lxxxi.

The Queen knows Lancelot from his adventures that he tells her.

¶ Comment la royne congneut lancelot apres ce quil eut longuement parle a elle, & quil luy eut compte de ses aduentures. & comment la premiere acointance fut faicte entre la royne & lancelot par le moyen de galehault. fu. lxxxii.

Galiot becomes acquainted with the lady of Melyhalt.

¶ Comment la premiere acointance fut faicte de galehault & de la dame de malehault par le moyen de la royne de logres, & comme[nt] lancelot & galehault sen alloyent esbatre & deuiser auecques leurs dames. fu. lxxxiiii.

II. The Chapter of the French romance from which the translator has taken the beginning of his First Book is here given, in order to shew in what manner he has treated his original. It begins at Fol. lxiii. a, col. 1.

Arthur’s evil dreams.

Comment le roy artus songea plusieurs songes, et apres manda tous les sages clercz de son royaulme pour en scauoir la signifiance.

OR dit le compte King Arthur being at Cardueil, que le roy artus auoit longuement seiourne a cardueil. his knights are annoyed at meeting with no adventures. Et pource ny auenoit mie grandement de aduentures, il ennuya moult aux compaignons du Roy de ce quilz auoient si longuement seiourne, & ne veoient riens de ce quilz souloyent veoir. Principallement keu le seneschal en fut trop ennuye Et en parloit moult souuent, et disoyt deuant le roy que trop estoit ce seiour ennuyeulx, & trop auoit dure. Le roy luy demande “Keu | que vouldriez vous que nous feissons?” Sir Kay counsels that they should go to Camelot. “Certes,” fait keu, “ie conseilleroye que nous allissions a kamalot | car la cite est plus aduantureuse que vous ayez | et la nous verrions souuent et orrions choses de merueilles que nous ne voyons pas icy. Nous auons seiourne ia icy plus de deux moys, et oncques ne y veismes gueres de choses aduenir.” The king consents to go; “Or alons donc,” fait le roy, “a Kamalot, puis que vous le conseillez.” but the same night dreams that all his hair falls off, which delays him. Lendemain deust partir le roy | mais la nuyct luy aduint vne merueilleuse aduenture. Il songa que tous les cheueulx de sa teste cheoient, et tous les poilz de sa barbe, dont il fut moult espouente. Et par ce demoura encores en la ville. The third night after he dreams that all his fingers fall off except his thumbs. La tierce nuyt apres il songa que il luy estoit aduis que tous les dois luy cheoient fors les poulces, & lors fut plus esbahy que deuant.

A Lautre nuyct songea Again, that all his toes fall off except his great toes. il que tous les ortelz des piedz luy cheoient fors les poulces. de ce fut si trouble que plus ne peult. The Queen and his chaplain disregard the dreams; “Sire,” fait son chappelain a qui il lauoit dit, “ne vous chaille | car songes ne sont pas a croire;” le roy le dit a la royne, et elle respond tout ainsi que luy auoit fait son chappelain. but Arthur sends for his bishops, archbishops, and their wisest clerks; “En verite,” dist il, “ie ne laisseray pas la chose ainsi” | il fait mander ses euesques et archeuesques quilz soient a luy au .ix iour ensuyuant a kamalot, & quilz amainent auec eulx tous les plus sages clercz quils pourroient auoir et trouuer. whom he imprisons till they shall tell him what the dreams mean. A tant se part de cardueil & sen va par les chasteaulx et par les citez | tant que au neufniesme iour est venu a kamalot, et aussi sont venus les clercz du pays. Il leur demande conseil de son songe, et ilz elisent dix des plus sages: le roy les fist bien enserrer, et dist que iamais nen sortiroient de prison deuant quilz luy auroient dit la signifiance de son songe. After trying for nine days, they fail. Ilz esprouuerent la force de leur science par neuf iours, et puis vindrent au roy, & dirent quilz nauoient riens trouue. “Ainsi maist dieu,” dit le roy, “ia ainsi neschapperez.” They twice obtain a delay of three days. Et ils demandent respit iusques au troisiesme iour ensuyuant, et il leur donne. Les .iii iours passez, ilz reuiennent deuant le roy, et dient que ilz ne peuent riens trouuer | et demandent encores autre delay | et ilz ont. Et de rechief vindrent pour demander aultres troys iours de dilacion, ainsi que le roy auoit songe de tierce nuyt en tierce nuyt. “Or sachez,” fait le roy, “que iamais plus nen aurez.” The king threatens to slay them. Quant vint au tiers iour ilz dirent quilz nauoient rien trouue; “ce ne vault rien,” fait le roy, “ie vous feray tous destruire se vous ne me dictes la verite;” et ils dirent. “Sire nous ne vous en scairions que dire.” Lors se pense le roy quil leur fera paour de mort. Five are to be burnt, and five hung. Il fait fair vng grant feu, & commanda en leurs presences que les .v. y fussent mis, et que les autres cinq soyent penduz | mais priueement deffent a ses baillifz quilz ne les menassent que iusques a la paour de mourir. The five who are to be hung, having the cords round their necks, offer to speak out. Quant les cinq qui furent menez aux fourches euerent les cordes entour leurs colz, ils eurent paour de mourir, et dirent, que se les aultres cinq le vouloyent dire, ilz le diroyent. La nouuelle vint au .v. que len menoit ardre | et ilz dirent que, se les autres le vouloyent dire, ils le diroyent | They stipulate not to be held as liars if their interpretations fail. ils furent amenez ensemble deuant le roy, et les plus sages dirent | “sire, nous vous dirons ce que nous auons trouue | mais nous ne vouldrions mie que vous nous tenissiez a menteurs se il ne aduenoit | car nous vouldrions bien quil nen fust rien, et voulons, comment quil en aduiengne, que vous nous asseurez que ia mal ne nous en aduiendra;” et il leur promet. The dreams mean that he will lose his land and his honour. Lors dist lung de eulx qui pour tous parla. “Sire, sachez que ceste terre et tout honneur vous conuiendra perdre et ceulx en qui plus vous fiez vous fauldront; telle est la substance et signifiance de voz songes.” Arthur asks if anything can avert such fate. De ceste chose fut le roy moult effraye, “Or me dictes,” fait il, “sil est chose qui men peult garantir.” “Certes,” fait le maistre, “nous auons veu une chose | Mais cest si grande merueille que on ne le pourroyt penser, et ne la vous osons dire.” “Dictes,” fait il, “seurement | car pis ne me pouez vous dire que vous mauez dit.” He is told, “nothing, except the savage lion and the leech without medicine, by help of the counsel of the flower.” “Sire, riens ne vous peult garder de perdre tout honneur terrien fors le lyon sauluaige, et le mire sans medecine, par le conseil de la fleur, & se nous semble estre si grande folie que nous ne losions dire | Car lyon sauluaige ne y peult estre, ne mire sans medecine | ne fleur qui parlast |” le roy est moult entreprins de ceste chose: mais plus en fait belle chiere que le cueur ne luy apporte. Arthur goes to the chase. Ung iour alla le roy chasser au boys bien matin | et mena auec luy messire gauuain, keu le seneschal, et ceulx qui lui pleust. Si laisse icy le compte a parler de luy, et retourne a parler du cheualier dont messire Gauuain aporta le nom en court.

QVant[29] le cheuallier Lancelot on his wanderings. qui lassemblee auoyt vaincu se partast de la ou il se combatist a son hoste, il erra toute iour sans autre aduanture trouuer. Il se logea la nuyt chiez une veufue dame a lyssue dune forest a cinq lieues angleches pres de kamelot. He meets an esquire, Le cheualier se leua matin, et erra, luy et ses escuyers et sa damoyselle, tant quil encontra vng escuyer. and asks him, “what news?” “Varlet,” fait il, “scez tu nulles nouuelles?” “Ouy,” fait il, “The queen,” he says, “is at Camelot.” “ma dame la royne est icy pres a kamalot.” “quelle royne” fait il “Le femme au roy artus,” fait lescuyer. Lancelot goes on till he sees a large house, a lady, and her damsel. Le cheuallier sen part, et cheuauche tant quil treuue vne maison forte, et voit vne dame en son surcot, qui regardoit les prez et la forest | & auoit auec elle vne damoiselle. He regards her fixedly. Le cheuallier se arreste, et regarde la dame moult longuement tant quil oublie tout autre chose. Et maintenant passa vng cheuallier arme de toutes armes, qui luy dist. An armed knight, passing, asks him what he is regarding so closely. “Sire cheualier, que attendez vous?” et celluy ne respond mot | car il ne la pas ouy. Et le cheualier le boutte, et luy demande quil regarde. He replies, that he looks at what pleases him. “Je regarde,” fait il, “ce que me plaist: Et vous nestes mie courtois, qui de mon penser me auez iecte.” The knight asks if he knows who the lady is, “Par la foy que vous deuez o dieu,” fait le cheuallier estrange, “scauez vous bien qui la dame est que vous regardez?” “Je le cuyde bien scauoir,” fait le bon cheualier. “Et qui este elle,” fait lautre. and he replies that he knows it is the queen. “Cest ma dame la royne.” “Si maist dieu, estrangement la congnoissez, deables vous font bien regarder dames.” “Pourquoy,” faict il. “Pource que vous ne me oseriez suyuir par deuant la Royne la ou ie yroye.” “Certes,” faict le bon cheuallier, “se vous osiez aller la ou ie vous oseray suyuir, vous aurez passez de couraige tous les plus grans oseurs qui oncques furent.” A tant sen part le cheualier. Et le bon cheualier va apres. The stranger takes Lancelot home to lodge with him, Et quant ilz ont vne piece alle, lautre luy dist, “vous he[r]bergerez ennuyt auec moy, et le matin ie vous meneray la ou ie vous diz;” et le bon cheuallier luy demande sil conuient ainsi faire. “Oy” | fait il. Et il dist que donc lottroyera il. and he is well entertained. Il geut la nuyt chez le cheualier sur la riuiere de kamalot, et fut moult bien herberge, et sa pucelle | et ses escuyers.

III. Our last extract will shew exactly where the Scottish poem suddenly ceases, and how the story was probably continued. For the latter purpose, four chapters of the French Romance are added beyond the point where the Scotch ends; and it is possible (judging from lines 306-312 of the Prologue) that the author did not intend to go very much further. The passage begins, in the French copy, at Fol. lxxvii. b, col. 1; and, in the Scotch poem, at [l. 3427].

Lors descent de son cheual, et la baille au cheualier. Galiot gives Lancelot his own horse, Et celluy si y monte sans arrest. Et gallehault monta sur vng autre, et vient a son conroy | and gives orders to his own men. Si prent auec soy les dix mille, et dit quilz voisent assembler deuant; “et vous,” fait il au roy vend, “viendres apres, si ne assemblerez mie si tost comme ceulx cy seront assemblez | mais quant les derrains de ceulx de dela seront venus, vous assemblerez, & moy mesmes vous iray querir.” He commands the trumpets to be sounded. A tant amaine les dix mille pour assembler,[30] Et quant il fut entre en la bataille il fist sonner ses busines tant que tout en retentissoit.[31] Quant le noir cheuallier les ouyt venir, si luy sembla que grant effort de gens eut la, si se retrait vng pou vers les siens, et les appella entour luy, & leur dist. Lancelot harangues his men. “Seigneurs, vous estes tous amys du roy. Or y perra comment vous le ferez.”[32] Sir Yvain comforts Arthur’s soldiers. Et messire yuain, qui les vit venir, dist a ses gens, “Or soyes tous asseurs que nous ne perdrons au iourdhuy par force de gens.”[33] Et ce disoit il pource quil cuidoit que les gens gallehault fussent tous venus.[34]

QVant les .x.m. de gallehault sassemblerent, si fut grande la noise, et moult en abbatent a leur venir | mais quant messire yuain vint, si reconforta moult les gens du roy artus | et tous les fuyans retournent auec luy. Galiot orders charge. Et gallehault sen va arriere a son conroy, et commande quilz cheuauchent fermement | et quilz se frappent es gens du roy artus[35] de telle maniere[36] que nul dentreulz ne demeure a cheual“Vous estes tous frays. Or y perra comment vous le ferez.” A tant cheuauchent les conroys deuers leurs gens, Car ilz auoyent ia du pire. Galiot’s reserve arriving, his men awhile prevail. Et quant le conroy de Gallehault fut venu, si changa moult laffaire | Car moult y auoyt grant effort de gens. Et fut a leur venue le cheualier noir mis a terre.[37] Et aussi les six compaignons qui toute iour auoyent este pres de luy.[38] Galiot again remounts Lancelot. Lors vint gallehault, qui le remonta sur le cheual mesmes ou son corps seoit.[39] Et si tost comme il fut monte, il sen reuint a la meslee aussi frays comme il auoit le iour este. Et quant il vint aux coups donner, tous ceulx qui le veoyent sen esmerueilloyent, Ainsi dura la bataille iusques a la nuyt. Night arriving, the hosts retreat. Et quant il vint au soir ilz se departirent | et toutesfoys les gens du roy Artus en eurent du meilleur. Lancelot tries to depart unobserved, Le bon cheualier se departit de lost le plus coyement quil peut,[40] et sen alla par vng chemin entre les prestz et vng tertre, et cuyda que nul ne le veist | mais Gallehault sen print tres bien garde, but is followed by Galiot, et picqua tant son cheual qui luy fut au deuant par vne adresse, et le vint rencontrer au pied du tertre. Si le salue, et dit ‘que dieu le conduit.’ Et celuy le regarde en trauers, et luy a a moult grant peine rendu son salut. “Bel amy,” fait galehault, “qui estes vous?” “Sire,” fait il, “ie suis vng cheualier, ce pouez vous veoir.” who prays him to lodge with him for that night. “Certes,” fait galehault, “cheualier estes vous meilleur qui soit | & vous estes lhomme du monde que plus ie vouldroye honnourer,[41] et si vous suis venu prier que vous herbergez ceste nuyt auec moy.” Et il luy dist ainsi comme sil ne lauoit huy veu, “Qui estes vous, sire, qui me auez prie de me he[r]berger?” “Je suis gallehault, le sire de ces gens icy, vers qui vous auez au iourdhuy garanty le royaulme de logres, lequel ie eusse ia conquis se ne fust vostre corps.” “Comment” (fait il) “vous estes ennemy de monseigneur le roy artus, et me priez de herberger? | Lancelot at first refuses, till Galiot agrees to do whatever Lancelot may require of him, Auec vous ne herbergeray ie mie en ce point.” “Haa sire,” faict gallehault, “plus feray ie pour vous, et si nay mye a commencer. Et ie vous prie que vous y herbergiez par tel conuenant que ie feray tout ce que me scaurez requerre.” A tant se arresta le cheuallier, et dist a gallehault; “Sire, vous promettez assez | mais ie ne scay comment il est du rendre” | et gallehault luy dist. and promises to entertain him sumptuously; “Sire, se vous he[r]bergez ennuyt auec moy, ie vous donneray tout ce que vous oserez diuiser de bouche, et bien vous en feray seur,” whereupon they return together to Galiot’s camp. Et lors luy fiance, & apres luy promet bailler bons plaiges; Adonc sen vont tous deux en lost.

¶ Comment gallehault suyuit le cheuallier aux noires armes, et fist tant par belles parolles quil lemmena en son ost, donc le roy artus & tous ses gens en furent moult troublez.

MEssire gauuain Gawain, seeing Lancelot with Galiot, auoyt veu aller le cheuallier au noir escu, & le eust voulentiers suiuy sil eust peu monter a cheual. tells the Queen that now they are all lost; Lors regarde contre val la riuiere, et voit gallehault et le cheuallier noir qui retournoyent pour venir a lost, et dist a la royne, “Haa dame, or pouons nous bien dire que nous sommes gens perdus | regardez que gallehault a conquis par scauoir,” Et elle regarde, & voyt que cest le cheuallier noir que gallehault emmaine; si en est tant iree quelle ne peut dire mot. and swoons away more than three times. Et messire gauuain se pasme en pou dheure plus de trois fois. Le roi artus vint leans | et ouyt le cry que chascun disoit, “il est mort, il est mort.” Si vint a luy, et lembrassa, et commenca a plorer moult tendrement. Et reuient monseigneur Gauuain de pasmoison; He tells Arthur that his time of misfortune is come; Et quant il veit le roy artus, il commence a le blasmer, et dit. “Ores est venu le terme que les clercz vous disrent. for their protector is lost. Regardez le tresor que vous auez huy perdu. celluy vous toldra terre qui toute iour la vous a garantie par son corps, et se vous fussiez preudhomme vous leussiez retenu, ainsi comme a fait le plus preudhomme qui viue, qui par cy deuant lemmaine.” Arthur also sees Galiot, and is deeply grieved, but tries to comfort his nephew. Lors voit le roy gallehault, qui emmenoit le cheuallier, dont il a tel dueil que a pou quil ne est cheut | mais de plorer ne se peut tenir, et toutesfois faict il la plus belle chere quil peut pour son nepueu reconforter. Et si tost que il vit en la salle, il fist grant dueil | aussi fist chascun preudhomme.

TAnt sont allez Galiot and Lancelot arrive at Galiot’s camp, gallehault et le cheualier quilz sont venus empres lost, Adonc luy dist le cheualier, and Lancelot asks to speak with the two men whom Galiot most trusts. “Sire, ains que ie entre dedans vostre ost, faictes moi parler aux deux plus preudhommes que vous ayez et esquelz vous fiez le plus.” Et gallehault lottroye. Lors sen va en son tref, et prent deux des hommes du monde ou plus il se fie, et leur dist, “Venez auec moy et vous verrez le plus riche homme du monde.” “Comment,” font ilz, “nestes vous mie le plus riche qui soit au monde?” Galiot takes him to the “first-conquest” king and the king of a hundred knights, and “Nenny,” dist il | “mais ie le seray ains que ie dorme.” Ces deux estoyent le roy premier conquis | et le roi des cent cheualliers. Quant ilz virent le cheuallier, si lui firent moult grant ioye | Car ilz le congneurent bien par ses armes. Et le cheuallier leur demanda qui ilz estoient | et ilz se nommerent sicomme vous auez ouy | et il leur dist. “Seigneurs, vostre sire vous faict moult grant honneur | Car il dit que vous estes les deux hommes du monde que plus il ayme, et entre luy et moy a vne conuenance que ie vueil que vous oyez | Car il ma fiance que pour en nuyt herberger auec luy me donnera ce que ie luy vouldray demander.” Lancelot repeats to them his compact with Galiot, Et gallehault dist | “vous dictes verite.” “Sire,” faict le cheuallier, “ie vueil encores auoir la seurte de ses hommes.” Et gallehault dist, “Dictes moy comment.” and takes their pledge that they will forsake Galiot if he breaks his agreement, and will go with himself (Lancelot). “Ilz me fianceront,” fait le cheuallier, “que se vous me faillez de conuenant, ilz vous guerpiront et sen viendront auec moy la ou ie diray,” Et gallehault dit que ainsi le veult | et il le fait fiancer. Lors appella gallehault le roy premier conquis a vne part, et luy dist. “Allez auant & dictes a mes barons quilz assemblent maintenant a monstre si honnorablement comme ilz pourront, et gardez que en mon tref soient tous les deduys que len pourra trouuer en tout lost.” Galiot orders all kinds of entertainments to be brought to his tent. Lors sen va celluy au ferir des esperons, & fist le commandement de son seigneur. Et gallehault tient le cheualier aux parolles, luy & son seneschal, tant que le commandement fust fait. Twenty-eight kings, beside dukes and counts, come to the feast, and honour Lancelot as the flower of the knighthood of the world. Si ne demoura gueres que encontre eulx vindrent deux cens barons qui tous estoient hommes de gallehault, .xxviii. roys, et les autres estoient ducz et contes; la fut le cheuallier tellement honnoure que oncques si grant feste ne fut pour vng homme mescongneu comme len fit pour luy a celle fois | et disoient grans & petis, “Bien viengnez, la fleur de la cheualerie du monde” | et il en auoit grant honte. Ainsi vindrent iusques au tref de gallehault, si ne pourroient estre comtez les deduys et les instrumens qui leans estoient. Lancelot is richly attired, and nobly served. A telle ioye fut receu, et quant il fut desarme, gallehault luy fit apporter vne robe moult riche, et il la vestit. quant le manger fut prest, ilz se assirent a table, et furent noblement seruis, et le cheualier fut moult honnoure.

APres manger After supper four beds are prepared, one larger than the rest, for Lancelot. commanda gallehault a faire quatre litz desquelz lung estoit plus grant que les aultres. Quant les litz furent si richement atournez, gallehault maine le cheuallier coucher. Et dist. “Sire, vous gerrez icy;” “Et qui gerra de la?” fait le cheualier. “Quattre sergens,” faict gallehault, “qui vous seruiront | Et ie iray en vne chambre par dela, affin que vous soyez icy plus en paix.” “Haa, Sire, pour dieu,” faict il, “ne me faictes gesir plus ayse que ces aultres cheualiers | car tant ne me deuez a vilennir.” “Nayez garde,” faict galehault, “Car ia pour chose que vous faciez pour moi vous ne serez tenu a villain.” Galiot awhile departs, and Lancelot falls asleep. A tant sen part gallehault. Et le cheuallier commence a penser au grant honneur que gallehault luy faisoit. Si lenprise moult | puis se coucha, et tantost il sendormit | car moult estoit las; Galiot then returns, and lies near Lancelot, Et quant gallehault sceut quil fut endormy, le plus coyement quil peut se coucha en vng autre lit empres luy | et es deux aultres litz se coucherent deux cheualiers, et nestoyent en la chambre que eulx quatre, sans plus. and hears how his guest murmurs in his sleep. La nuyt se plaint moult le cheualier en son dormant, et gallehault loit bien, car il ne dormoit gueres. Ains pensa toute la nuyt a le retenir. Next day they go to hear mass, Lendemain le cheualier se leua et alla ouyr messe; et ia estoit gallehault leue | car il ne voulut mie que le cheualier laperceust. and Lancelot then demands his arms, wishing to depart. Quant ilz vindrent du monstier, le cheualier demanda ses armes, & gallehault demande pourquoy. Et il dist quil sen vouloit aller. Et gallehault luy dist. “Beau doulx amy, demourez | et ne cuydez mye que ie vous vueille deceuoir. Car vous noserez ia riens demander que vous nayez. Et sachez que vous pourriez bien auoir compagnie de plus riche homme que ie suis | mais vous ne laurez iamais a homme qui plus vous ayme.” “Sire,” faict le cheuallier, “ie demoureray donc puis quil vous plaist. Galiot induces him to stay, Car meilleure compaignie que la vostre ne pourroye ie mye auoir | Mais ie vous diray presentement le don pourquoy ie demoureray auec vous | et se ie ne lay, ie ny demoureray ia.” but again promises to do for him whatever he asks. “Sire,” fait gallehault, “dictes seurement et vous laurez, se cest chose que ie puisse acomplir;” Lancelot then demands that Galiot shall submit himself to Arthur. Et le cheuallier appella ses deux plaiges et dist deuant eulx, “Je vous demande,” fait il, “que si tost que vous serez au dessus du roy artus, que vous luy alliez crier mercy si tost comme ie vous en semondray.” Quant gallehault lentent, si en est tout esbahy, et commence a penser. Et les deux roys luy dirent. “A quoy pensez vous icy endroit, de penser nauez mestier | car vous auez tant couru que vous ne pouez retourner.” Galiot is confounded, and ponders, but then grants Lancelot’s request. “Comment,” faict Gallehault, “cuydez vous que ie me vueille repentir | se tout le monde estoit mien si luy oseroye ie bien donner. mais ie pensoye a vng seul mot quil a dit | mais ia dieu ne maist,” dist il, “se vous nauez le don | car ie ne pourroye riens faire pour vous ou ie peusse auoir honte. Mais ie vous prye que ne me tollez vostre compagnie pour la donner a aultruy;” et le cheualier luy creanca. Ainsi demoura | et ilz se asseirent au manger qui estoit appreste. Si font moult grant ioye par tout lost du cheualier qui est demoure. Lancelot remains with him another night. Ainsi passerent celle nuyt. Lendemain gallehault et son compaignon allerent ouyr messe, et gallehault luy deist | “Sire, il est huy iour dassembler; voullez vous armes porter?” “Ouy,” dist il. “donc porterez vous les miennes,” fait gallehault, “pour le commencement.” Et il dist quil les porteroit voulentiers | “mais vous ne porterez armes,” feist il a gallehault, “si non comme mon sergent?” “Non,” dist il. Lors firent apporter les armes, & armerent le cheuallier du fort haulbert, & des chausses qui trop estoyent longues & lees; Next day, the hosts are again armed for battle. Lors se armerent les gens de gallehault. et pareillement les gens du roy Artus, & passerent les lices de telz y eut. Touteffoys le roy auoyt deffendu que nul ne les passast. Si y eut de bonnes ioustes en pou dheure | si se assemblerent tous les ostz deuant la lice, & commencerent a faire armes. Le roy artus estoit a son estandart, et auoit commande que ilz menassent la royne a sauluete se la descomfiture tournoit sur eulx | quant tous les ostz furent assemblez et le bon cheualier fust arme, si cuida chascun que ce fust gallehault, & disoyent tous. Lancelot is at first mistaken for Galiot; but is recognized by Gawain. “Voicy gallehault, voicy gallehault” | messire gauuain le congneust bien & dist. “Ce nest mye gallehault | ains est le cheualier aux armes noires, le meilleur cheualier du monde” | Arthur’s men cannot stand against Lancelot. & si tost comme ilz furent assemblez, oncques ne se tint le roy Artus ne ses gens depuis que le cheualier y fut arriue | et trop se desconfortoyent du bon cheualier qui contre eulx estoit, si furent menez iusques a la lice. car trop estoient grans gens auec gallehault. au partir des lices ce tindrent vne piece et souffrirent longuement | mais le souffrit ny peut riens valoir. Grant fut le meschief des gens au roy artus. et dit le compte que le cheualier neust mie moins de peine de tenir les gens de gallehault que ilz ne passassent oultre la lice quil auoit de chasser les gens au roy Artus. Et nompourtant moult les auoit supportez | & il les eut mis oultre a force sil eust voulu | mais il demoura emmy le pas pour les aultres detenir. Lancelot calls upon Galiot to keep his compact. Lors regarda tout entour de luy, et commenca a hucher | “gallehault, gallehault.” et gallehault vient grant alleure, et dist. “bel amy, que voulez vous?” “quoy,” faict il, “ie vueil que mon conuenant me tenez;” “Par ma foy,” fait gallehault, “ie suis tout prest de lacomplir puis quil vous plaist.” Galiot rides forward, and finds Arthur ready to kill himself for grief, the Queen being escorted away by a guard of forty knights, and Gawain wishing to die. Lors picque le cheual des esperons & vient iusques a lestandart ou le roy artus estoit, qui faisoit si tresgrant dueil que a peu quil ne se occioit pource quil estoit desconfit. Si estoit ia la royne montee, et lemmenoyent quarante cheualliers. Et monseigneur gauuain, que on vouloit emporter en lictiere | mais il dit quil aymeroit mieulx mourir en ce point que veoir toute cheualerie morte et honnye: si se pasma tellement que len cuydoit bien que il mourust incontinent.

How Lancelot makes Galiot cry mercy to Arthur.

¶ Comment lancelot par la prouesse conquis tout, et fist tant que galehault cria mercy au roy artus.

QVant le cheualier veit gallehault prest dacomplir son conuenant, il iura bien que oncques si loyal compaignon ne fut trouue. Il en a telle pytie quil en souspire moult fort, & dit entre ses dens. Galiot demands to see King Arthur, “Haa dieu, qui pourra ce desseruir?” & gallehault cheuauche iusques a lestandart et demande le roy artus. Il vient auant moult dolent & esmaye comme celluy qui tout honneur et toute ioye terrienne cuyde auoir perdue; Et quant gallehault le voit, si luy dit. “sire, roy artus, venez auant, & nayez paour | car ie vueil a vous parler.” and, at sight of him, dismounts, kneels to him, et quant le roy louyt, il sesmerueille moult que ce peult estre; Et de si loing comme galehault le voit venir, il descend de son cheual et se agenouille, et dit. and submits himself to him humbly. “Sire, ie vous viens faire droit de ce que ie vous ay meffait; si men repens, et me metz en vostre mercy.”

QVant le roy lentend, Arthur, overjoyed, praises God. il a merueilleusement grant ioye, et lieue les mains vers le ciel, louant Dieu de ceste aduanture | et se le roy fait bonne chere, encores la faict meilleure Gallehault. et il se lieue de genoulx, & sentrebaisent, en font moult grande chere lung a lautre. lors dist Gallehault | “sire, faictes vostre plaisir de moy | car ie metz en vostre saisine mon corps pour en faire ce que il vous plaira. Galiot, first asking Arthur’s leave, dismisses his troops to their tents. Et sil vous plaist, ie yray retraire mes gens arriere, & puis reuiendray a vous incontinent.” “Allez doncques,” fait le roy | “car ie vueil parler a vous.” A tant sen part gallehault & reuient a ses gens | & les en faict aller. Et le roy enuoya apres la royne, qui sen alloit faisant grand dueil. et les messages cheuauchent tant que ilz lattaingnent | et sont venus a elle, & luy comptent la ioye que aduenue leur est. Et elle ne le peult croire tant quelle voy les enseignes que le roy luy enuoye. tant coururent les nouuelles que monseigneur gauuain le sceut, lequel en eut grant ioye sur tous les aultres, et dist au roy. The Queen and Sir Gawain rejoice greatly. “Sire, comment a ce este?” “Certes, ie ne scay,” fait il: “mais ie croy que telle a este le plaisir de nostre seigneur.” moult est grande la ioye, & moult se esmerueille chascun comment ce peult estre aduenu. Gallehault dist a son compaignon. “que voulez vous que ie face? iay fait vostre commandement; & le roy ma dit que ie retourne | mais ie vous conuoyeray auant iusques a voz tentes.” “Haa sire,” fait le cheualier, “aincoys vous irez au roy & luy porterez le plus grant honneur que vous pourrez. Lancelot prays Galiot not to reveal where he is, and they return to their tents. Et tant auez fait pour moy que ie ne le pourroye desseruir | mais tant vous prye, pour dieu | et pour lamour que vous auez a moy, que nul ne sache ou ie suis” | ainsi sen vont parlant iusques a leurs tentes. chascun scait que la paix est faicte | mais plusieurs en sont dolens | car mieulx aymassent la guerre que la paix. lors sont descenduz les deux compaignons, et si tost quilz furent desarmez, Gallehault print vne de ses meilleures robbes pour aller a la court. et feist cryer par tout son ost que chascun sen allast, fors tant seullement ceulx de son hostel. Galiot commits his guest to the care of the two kings, and departs to speak with Arthur. Apres appella les deux roys, et leur baille son compaignon, & leur commande quilz facent autant de luy comme de son corps mesmes. A tant monte Gallehault, et sen va a la court du roy artus. Et le roy luy vint alencontre, et la royne qui ia estoit retournee, & la dame de malehault auec plusieurs dames & damoyselles. Arthur and Galiot go together to the tower where Gawain lies ill. A tant vont en la bretesche ou monseigneur gauuain gisoit malade. et quant il sceut que gallehault venoit, il sefforce de belle chere faire, comme celluy qui oncques mes ne lauoit veu de si pres. Gawain welcomes Galiot. lors luy dist | “bien soyez vous venu comme de celluy dont ie desiroye moult lacointance | car vous estes lhomme du monde qui plus doibt estre prise & ayme a droit de toutes gens. Et ie cuyde que nul ne scait si bien congnoistre preudhomme comme vous & bien y a paru.” Ainsi parle messire gauuain a gallehault, & il luy demande comment il luy est | et Gauuain dist. “Jay este pres de mort. mais la grant amour qui est entre vous & le roy ma guery.” The Queen, the King, and Gawain rejoice at Galiot’s coming, Moult font grant ioye le roy artus & la royne & monseigneur gauuain de la venue de gallehault | et tout le iour ont parle de amour et daccointance. Mais du noir cheualier ne tiennent ilz nulles parolles | ains passent le iour a resiouyr lung lautre tant quil vint au vespre. Lors demande gallehault congie de ses gens aller veoir. but he, soon after, departs to see Lancelot for a short time, promising to return. Et le roy le luy donne | “mais vous reuiendrez,” fait il, “incontinent;” et gallehault le luy octroye | si senreuient a son compaignon & luy demande comment il a depuis fait | et il luy respondit que bien; “Sire,” fait gallehault, “comment feray ie |: le roy ma moult prie que ie retourne a luy, & il me feroit mal de vous laisser en ce point.” Lancelot tells Galiot to do whatever Arthur wishes. “Haa, sire cheualier, pour dieu mercy, vous ferez ce que monseigneur le roy vouldra. car iamais a plus preudhomme que il est ne eustes accointance. Mais ie vueil que vous me donnez vng don.” Et gallehault luy dist. He charges Galiot again not to ask his name, but to tell him about Arthur. “Demandez ce quil vous plaira | car ie ne vous escondiroye iamais;” “Sire,” fait il, “ie vous remercye. Vous me auez donne que vous ne me demanderez mon nom deuant que ie le vous diray.” “Et ie men tiendray a tant puis que vous le voulez,” dit gallehault. “Et ne doubtez pas que ce eust este la premiere chose que ie vous eusse demande, si men tairay a tant.” Lors luy demanda de laccointance du roy artus | mais il ne nomme mie la royne | et gallehault dit que “le roy est moult preudhomme, & moult me poyse que ie ne lay congneu pieca | Car moult en feusse amende | Galiot praises the Queen, mais ma dame la royne est sy vaillante que oncques plus honneste dame ne vey.” et quant le cheualier ouyt parler de la royne, si se embronche et commence a souspirer durement. and Lancelot sheds tears. et gallehault le regarde et se esmerueille moult pource que les larmes luy cheoyent des yeulx, si commence a parler daultre chose.

QVant ilz ont longuement parle ensemble, le cheualier noir luy dist. Lancelot asks Galiot to return to Arthur, and to report to him all the conversation. “Allez, si ferez a monseigneur le roy compaignie, et si escoutez sy vouz orrez de moy nulles parolles, & vous me compterez demain ce que vous aurez ouy.” “Voulentiers, sire,” faict gallehault | lors le accolle, et dit aux roys. “Je vous baille en garde cest homme comme le cueur de mon ventre.” Ainsi sen va gallehault & le cheuallier demeure en la garde de deux preu[d]hommes du pays de Gallehault | mais il ne fault mye demander sil fust honnore | car len faisoit assez plus pour luy quil neust voulu. Lancelot sleeps with the two kings in Galiot’s tent; celle nuyt geurent les deux roys au tref gallehault pour lamour du cheualier & luy firent entendant quilz ny coucheroyent mye | & ilz le firent coucher ainsi que Gallehault auoit fait lautre nuyt. but awakes at midnight, and makes a great moaning. Au commencement dormit le cheualier moult fort, et quant vint a mynuit si commenca a soy tourner, et commenca a faire vng dueil si grant que tous ceulz qui entour luy estoyent sen esueillerent. Et en son refrain disoit souuent. “Haa chetif, que pourray ie faire?” Et toute nuyt demena tel deuil. Au matin se leuerent les deux roys le plus coyement quilz peurent | & moult se merueillent quil pouoit auoir. Galiot comes to see after Lancelot, daultre part fut gallehault leue, & vint a son tref veoir son compaignon. Il demande aux deux roys que son compaignon fait. Et ilz luy dient quil auoit toute nuyt mene grant dueil. Lors entre en la chambre ou il estoit, et si tost comme il le ouyt venir il essuye ses yeulx; Adonc gallehault, cuidant que il dormist, saillist dehors de la chambre incontinent; apres le cheualier se leua. finds him with his eyes red and swoln, Et gallehault vit que il auoit les yeulx rouges et enflez. Adonc le prent par la main, et le tyre a part, et luy dist. “Beau doulx compaignon, pourquoy vous occiez vous ainsi? dont vous vient ce dueil que vous auez toute nuyt demene, & le desplaisir que vous auez? and conjures him to tell him what the matter is. Je vous prye pour dieu que vous me diez la cause, et ie vous ayderay se nul homme mortel y peult conseil mettre;” Lancelot cries bitterly, & commence a plourer si durement comme sil veist mort la chose du monde que mieulx aymast. Lors est gallehault moult a malayse et luy dit, “Beau doulx compaignon, dictes moy vostre mescheance | car il nest nul homme au monde, sil vous auoit riens forfait, que ie nen pourchassasse vostre droit.” Et il dist que nul ne luy a riens meffait. “beau doulx amy, pourquoy menez vous doncques si grant dueil? Vous poise il que ie vous ay fait mon maistre & mon compaignon?” and says that it is his heart, which has all the dread that it is possible for mortal heart to have. “Haa,” fait il, “vous auez assez plus fait pour moy que ie ne pourroye desseruir, ne riens du monde ne me met a malaise que mon cueur, qui a toute paour que cueur mortel pourrait auoir. Si doubte moult que vostre grant debonnairete ne me occie.” De ceste chose est gallehault moult a malayse, si reconforte son compaignon. They go to Mass, Apres allerent ouyr masse. and Lancelot declares his belief that the Bread is the Body of Christ. Quant vint que le prestre eut fait trois parties du corps de nostre seigneur, gallehault se trait auant, et tient son compaignon par la main, & luy monstre le corps de nostre seigneur que le prestre tenoit entre ses mains; Puis luy dist. “doncques ne croyez vous pas bien que cest le corps de nostre saulueur?” “Voirement le croy ie bien,” fait le cheualier. Et gallehault luy dist. “beau doulx amy, or ne me mescreez mye que ces trois parties de chair que ie vois en semblance de pain, ia ne feray en ma vie chose que ie cuyde qui vous ennuye: mais toutes les choses que ie scauray qui vous plairont, pourchasseray a mon pouoir.” “sire,” fait il, “grant mercys.” After Mass, Lancelot bids Galiot go again to Arthur. A tant se taisent iusques apres la messe | et lors demanda gallehault a son compaignon quil fera; “Sire,” fait il, “vous ne laisserez mie le roy en ce point | ains yrez luy faire compaignie.” “Sire,” faict il, “grant mercys;” A tant sen part de luy, si le rebaille aux preudhommes de la court du roy artus. si font de luy grant signeurie sicomme ilz peuent.

ET quant vint apres disner, After dinner the King and Queen visit Gawain, and he asks Galiot who made peace between him and Arthur. sy furent le roy & la royne & gallehault appuyez au lict de messire gauuain, tant que messire gauuain dist a gallehault. “Sire, or ne vous poise dune chose que ie vous demanderay.” “Certes,” fait galehault, “non fera il.” “sire, celle paix qui fut entre vous & mon oncle, par qui fut elle, par la chose au monde qui plus vous aymez?” “A knight,” says Galiot. “But what knight?” asks Gawain. “Sire,” fait il, “vous me auez tant coniure que ie le vous diray. Vng cheualier la fist.” “Et qui est le cheualier?” fait messire gauuain. “Si maist dieu,” fait gallehault, “ie ne scay.” “Qui fut celluy aux noires armes?” deist messire gauuain. “Ce fut,” fait il, “vng cheualier;” “Tant,” fait il, “en pouez vous bien dire | mais acquitter vous conuient.” “Je me suis acquite de ce que me coniurastes. Ne plus ne vous en diray ores | ne rien ne vous en eusse ores dit, se vous ne me eussiez coniure.” “The Black Knight,” answers the Queen; “show him to us.” “Par dieu,” faict la royne, “ce fut le cheuallier noir | mais faictes le nous monstrer.” “Qui | moy, dame?” faict gallehault, “ie le vous puys bien monstrer sicomme celluy qui riens nen scait!” “Taisez vous,” fait la royne, “il est demoure auec vous, & hier porta voz armes.” “I cannot,” says Galiot; “he is not from my country;” “Dame,” fait il | “il est vray | mais ie ne le vys oncques puis que ie party du roy a la premiere fois.” “comment,” fait le roy, “ne le cognoissiez vous mye | ie cuydoye que il fust de vostre terre.” “Si maist dieu, non est,” fait gallehault. “certes,” fait le roy, “ne de la myenne non est il mye.” | and Galiot will not disclose the knight’s name, Moult tindrent longuement gallehault a parolle le roy et la royne pour auoir le nom du cheualier | mais plus nen peurent traire. et messire gauuain craint quil ne ennuye a gallehault, si dist au roy. “Or en laissez a tant le parler. certes le cheualier est preudhomme, & pleust a dieu que ie luy ressemblasse.” Moult loe messire gauuain le cheualier. Si en ont la parolle laissee | et gallehault la recommence et dit. but asks Arthur if he ever saw a better knight, and what he would give to know him henceforth. “Sire, veistes vous oncques meilleur cheuallier que celluy au noir escu?” “certes,” fait le roy, “ie ne vy oncques cheualier de qui ie aymasse mieulx laccointance pour cheualerie;” “Non,” | fait gallehault. “Or me dictes,” faict gallehault, “par la foy que vous deuez a ma dame qui cy est, combien vous vouldriez auoir donne pour auoir son accointance a tousioursmais?” “Half of all I have, except my wife,” Says Arthur. “Si maist dieu,” faict il, “ie luy partiroye la moytie de tout ce que ie pourroye auoir, fors seullement de ceste dame.” “Certes,” fait gallehault, “assez y mettriez. “And what would you give, Gawain?” Et vous, messire gauuain, se dieu vous doint sante que tant desirez, quel meschief en feriez vous pour auoir compaignie a si preudhomme?” Et quant messire gauuain lot, si pense vng petit comme celluy qui ne cuyde iamais auoir sante. “I should like to turn woman if he would love me all his life.” “Se dieu me donnoit la sante que ie desire | ie vouldroye orendroit estre vne des plus belles dames du monde, par conuenant quil me aymast tous les iours de sa vie.” “par ma foy,” fait gallehault, “assez y auez mis.” “Et vous, madame, quel meschef feriez vous par conuenant que vng tel cheualier fust tousiours en vostre seruice?” “I can offer no more than Gawain,” says the Queen. “par dieu,” fait elle, “messire gauuain y a mis toutes les offres que dame y peult mettre.” Et monseigneur gauuain & tous aultres se commencerent a rire. “Gallehault,” fait messire gauuain, “qui tous nous auez adiurez par le serment que ie vous coniuray, ores qui vouldriez vous y auoir mys?” “Well,” says Galiot, “I would turn all my honour into shame, for his sake.” “Si maist dieu,” faict gallehault, “ie y vouldroye auoir tourne mon honneur a honte, par tel si que ieusse a tousioursmais vng si bon cheualier en ma compaignie.” “Sy maist dieu,” faict messire gauuain, “plus y auez mys que nous.” So Gawain concludes that it was the Black Knight who brought about the peace. et lors se pensa messire gauuain que cestoit le noir cheualier qui le paix auoit faicte | car pour luy auoit tourne son honneur a honte, quant il veit quil estoyt au dessus. Et le dist gauuain a la royne, & se fut la cause dont gallehault fut plus prise; Moult tindrent longuement parolles du cheualier. The Queen walks away with Galiot, tells him she loves him much, and prays him to let her see the Black Knight. et la royne sadressa, et dist quelle sen voulloit aller vers la bretesche pour veoir les prez, et gallehault la conuoye: si le print la royne par la main & luy dist. “Gallehault, ie vous ayme moult, & il est vray que vous auez le cheualier en vostre baillie, & par aduenture il est tel que ie le congnois bien; si vous prie si cher que vous auez mamour, que vous faciez tant que ie le voye.” “Dame,” fait gallehault, “ie nen ay encores nulle saisine | & ne le vy puis que la paix fut faicte de moy & du roy. He promises to do all he can for her; Et se il estoit or en mon tref, si y conuiendroit il aultre voulente que le vostre & que la mienne. Et bien saichez que tant me auez coniure que ie mettray tout le pouoir que ie pourray. comment vous pourrez parler a luy?” and the Queen says, “I shall be sure to see him if you try, “se vous en faictes vostre pouoir,” fait elle, “ie le verray bien, & ie men attens a vous, et faictes tant que ie soye vostre a tousiours: car cest vng des hommes du monde que ie verroye plus voulentiers.” “Dame,” fait il, “ie en feray mon pouoir.” “Grant mercys,” fait elle. for he is in your custody. Send and get him.” “Or gardez que ie le voye au plus tost que vous pourrez | car il est en vostre baillie, ie le scay bien | et se il est en vostre terre, enuoyez le querre.” Atant sen part gallehault & sen vient au roy. Arthur wishes Galiot’s people and his own to be brought nearer to one another. Et monseigneur gauuain & le roy lui dient. “gallehault, ie suis deliure de mes gens, ores faictes approcher voz gens des nostres, ou ie feray approcher les nostres des vostres | Car nous sommes a priuee mesgnie.” “Sire,” faict gallehault, “ie feray approcher les miens daultre part de cest riuiere si que mon tref sera endroit le vostre, et sera vne nef appareillee en quoy nous passerons dicy la et de la icy.” “Certes,” fait le roy, “moult auez bien dit.”

LOrs sen va Gaillehault en sa tente, Galiot returns to Lancelot, et trouue son compaignon moult pensif. Il luy demande comment il a puis fait; Et il dist, “bien, se paour ne me mestriast.” et gallehault dist, “de quoy auez vous telle paour?” “que ie ne soye congneu,” dist il. “or nen ayez mie paour, car vous ny serez ia congneu, se vostre voulente ne y est;” tells him what the King, Gawain, and the Queen have said of him, Lors luy compte les offres que le roy et messire gauuain ont faict pour luy, et ce que la royne dit | et comment la royne la tenu a grant parlement de le veoir | et comme il luy respondit. “et saichez que elle na de nully si tres grant desir de veoir comme de vous. Et monseigneur la Roy ma prye que ie face mes gens approcher | car nous sommes trop loing lung de lautre. and asks him what answer he shall give the Queen. Or me dictes que vous voulez que je face | car il est en vostre plaisir.” “Je loue que vous facez ce que monseigneur le roy vous prye;” “Et a ma dame que respondray ie, beau doulx amy?” “Certes,” fait il, “ie ne scay.” Lors commence a souspirer. Lancelot sighs, Et gallehault luy deist. “Beau doulx amy, ne vous esmayez point | mais dictes moy comment vous voulez quil soit | car bien saichez quil sera ainsi comme vous vouldrez | et ie aymeroye mieulx estre courrouce a la moytie du monde que a vous tout seul. ores me dictes quil vous en plaist.” and says, “Whatever you advise.” “Sire,” faict ledit cheualier, “ce que vous me louerez | car ie suis en vostre garde desormais.” “There will be no harm in seeing her,” answers Galiot. “Certes,” fait gallehault, “il me semble que pour veoir ma dame la royne il ne vous peult empyrer.” Lancelot says the matter must be managed secretly; and they agree that Galiot shall tell the Queen he has sent to seek for Lancelot. Lors apperceut galehault assez de son penser, & le tient si court quil luy octroye ce quil demande | “mais il conuiendra,” faict il, “que il soyt faict celeement, que nul ne le saiche | fors moy et vous.” Et gallehault dit que il ne se soulcye point. “Or dictes,” (fait le cheualier a gallehault,) “a ma dame que vous me auez enuoye querre.” “Sur moy en laissez le surplus,” dit Gallehault. Lors sen part a tant, et commanda ses trefz a tendre la ou il auoit en conuenant au roy | et son seneschal fist son commandement.

How Guinevere and Lancelot meet and talk.

¶ Comment gallehault fist tant que la royne veit Lancelot, Et comment ilz se araisonnerent ensemble, et parlerent de plusieurs choses.

A Tant sen partit gallehault The Queen asks Galiot what he has done for her. & sen vient au tref du roy, & si tost comme la royne le voit, si luy courut a lencontre, & luy demande comment il auoit exploycte la besongne. “dame,” faict il, “ie en ay fait tant que ie craing que lamour de vostre pryere ne me tolle la chose du monde que ie ayme plus.” “Sy maist dieu,” faict elle, “vous ne perderez riens par moy que ie ne vous rende ou double | mais que y pouez vous,” fait elle, “perdre?” “Celluy mesmes que vous demandez,” fait gallehault | “Car ie doubte quil ne se courrouce, et que ie ne le perde a tousiours.” “Certes,” faict elle, “ce ne pourray ie pas rendre | mais ia par moy ne le perderez, se dieu plaist. Et touteffoys dictes moy quant il viendra” | “Sent to seek for your knight,” says he. “dame,” fait il, “quant il pourra | car ie lay enuoye querre, et croy que il ne demourra mye longuement.” De leur conseil entendit ung peu la dame de mallehault qui sen prenoit garde et nen faisoit mye semblant. Galiot returns to his men, Lors sen partit gallehault et vient a ses gens qui estoyent logez la ou il auoit commande.

QVant il fut descendu, and tells his Seneschal to bring Lancelot when he sends for him. il parla a son Seneschal et luy deist | “quant ie vous enuoyeray querir, venez a moy, vous & mon compaignon en ce lieu la.” Et le roy des cent cheualiers, qui son seneschal estoit, dist que moult voulentiers feroit son commandement & son plaisir. Galiot then goes back to the Queen, says he thinks she will see her knight that evening, and appoints to meet her in an Orchard below. Lors salua Gallehault son compaignon, et sen retourna a la court. Et quant la royne veit gallehault qui estoit venu, elle luy dist que il gardast bien et loyaulment ce quil luy auoit promis. Et il luy dist | “dame, ie cuyde que vous verrez ennuyt ce que vous auez tant desire.” Quant elle ouyt ce, si en fut moult ioyeuse, et moult luy ennuya ce iour pour sa voulente acomplir du desir que elle auoit de parler a celuy ou toutes ses pensees estoyent. Lors luy deist Gallehault, “nous yrons apres soupper en ce vergier la aual” | et elle luy octroye. After supper the Queen goes to the Orchard, Quant ce vint apres souper, si appelle la royne | la dame de mallehault | et dame Lore de cardueil, une sienne pucelle, et sen vont tout droit la ou gallehault auoyt dit | et gallehault prent ung escuyer et luy dist. and Galiot sends for his Seneschal and the Knight, “Va et dy a mon seneschal que il viengne la ou ie luy commanday.” Et celuy y va. who come. Apres ne demoura guaires que le seneschal y vint, luy et le cheualier. Ilz estoyent tous deux de grant beaulte; Quant ilz approcherent, si congneut la dame de mallehault le cheualier comme celluy que elle auoyt eu maint iour en sa baillie. Et pource quelle ne vouloit mye que il la congneut, se embroncha, et ilz passent oultre. le seneschal les salue. Et gallehault dit a la royne. “Dame, lequel vous semble il que se soit?” | et elle dit. The Queen at first cannot think that either is the black knight, “Certes, ilz sont tous deux beaulx cheualliers | mais ie ne voy corps ou il puisse auoir tant de prouesse que le noir cheualier auoit.” “or saichez, dame, que cest lung de ces deux” | a tant sont venuz auant, et le cheuallier tremble si que a peine peult saluer la royne, & la royne sen esmerueille. but one is so bashful that she fixes on him, lors se agenouillent eulx deux, et le cheualier la salue | mais cest moult pourement | car moult estoit honteux. Lors se pense la royne que cest il. Et gallehault dit au seneschal. “allez, si faictes a ces dames compaignie.” Et celluy fait ce que son sire luy commande. seats him by her, smiles on him, says she has so longed to see him, A doncques la royne prent le cheualier par la main & le assiet iouxte elle. Sy luy fait moult beau semblant & dit en riant. and now he must tell her who he is. “I don’t know,” he answers. “Sire, moult vous auons desire, tant que, dieu mercy et gallehault, vous voyons. et nonpourtant encores ne croy ie mye que ce soit celluy que ie demande | & gallehault ma dit que cestes vous | & encores vouldroye scauoir qui vous estes par vostre bouche mesmes, se vostre plaisir y estoit.” Et celuy dit que il ne scait | et oncques ne la regarda au visaige. Et la royne ce esmerueille que il peult auoir, tant quelle souspeconne une partie de ce quil a. Et gallehault, qui le voigt si honteux, Galiot leaves the two to themselves, pense quil veult dire a la royne son penser seul a seul. lors sen vient messire gauuain celle part, et fait rasseoir les damoyselles pour ce que leuees sestoient encontre luy. Puis commencent a parler de maintes choses. and the Queen asks the knight, “Are not you he who wore the black armour, and overcame everyone?” Et la Royne dit au cheuallier, “Beau sire, pourquoy vous celez vous de moy? Certes il ne y a cause pourquoy; nestes vous mie celluy qui porta les noires armes, et qui vainquist lassemblee?” “Dame, nenny” | “et nestes vous pas celluy qui porta lendemain les armes a gallehault?” “Dame, ouy;” “Donc estes vous celluy qui vainquistes lassemblee qui fut faicte le premier iour par deuers nous et par[42] deuers Gallehault?” “No, I am not,” saith he, “Dame, non suis.” refusing to praise himself. Quant la royne ot ainsi parler le cheualier, a donc appercoit elle bien quil ne veult mie congnoistre quil eust vaincue lassemblee, si len prise mieulx la royne | car quant vng homme se loe luy mesmes, il tourne son honneur a honte | et quant aultruy le loe, adonc il est mieulx prise. “Then who made you a knight, and when?” “Or me dictes,” fait la royne a lancelot | “qui vous fist cheuallier?” “Dame,” fait il, “vous;” “Moy?” fait elle, “Et quant?” “You, at Kamalot, when the pieces of a spear were drawn out of the wounded knight, “Dame,” fait il, “vous remembrez vous point quant vng cheuallier vint a Kamalot, lequel estoyt naure de deux troncons de lance au corps, et dune espee parmy la teste, et que vng varlet vint a court en vng vendredy, et fut cheualier le dymenche, et deffera le cheuallier?” “De ce,” fait elle, “me souient il bien | et se dieu vous aist, feustes vous ce que la dame du lac amena en court vestu dune robe blanche?” “Dame, ouy.” “Et pourquoy dictes vous donc que ie vous fis cheuallier?” “Dame,” fait il, “ie dys vray | Car la coustume est telle que nul ne peut estre cheuallier sans ceindre espee. and you girded on my sword, thus knighting me, Et celluy de qui il tient lespee, le faict cheuallier; de vous la tiens ie. Car le roy ne la me donna onques. Pour ce dis ie que vous me feistes cheualier.” De ce est la royne moult ioyeuse | “ou vous en allastes vous au partir de court?” and I went away to help the Lady of Noehault, and sent you two damsels. “Dame, ie men allay pour secourir la dame de noehault;” “Et durant ce temps me mandastes vous riens?” “Dame, ouy | ie vous enuoyay peux pucelles.” “Il est vray,” dist la royne. “Et quant vous partistes de noehault, trouuastes vous nul cheuallier qui se reclamast de moy?” Then I met a man, who said he was your knight, “Dame, ouy; vng qui gardoit vng gue, et me dist que descendisse de dessus mon cheual et le vouloit auoir, et ie luy demanday a qui il estoit | et il dist a vous. Puis luy demanday apres, qui le commandoyt. Et il me dist quil nauoyt nul commandement que le sien. Et adoncques remys le pied en lestrief et remontay | and I fought him (for which I crave your pardon). Car ie estoye ia descendu | et luy dis que il ne lauoyt point, et me combatis a luy. Et ie scay bien que ie vous fis oultraige, si vous en crie mercy” | “Certes a moy ne en feistes vous point | Car il nestoyt mye a moy | et luy sceuz mauluais gre de ce quil ce reclama de moy. Mais or me dictes on vous en allastes la?” After that I took the Sorrowful Castle, and there I saw you thrice, “Dame, ie men allay a la douloureuse garde” | “& qui la conquist?” “Dame, ie y entray” | “et ne vous y viz ie oncques.” “Ouy, plus de troys foys.” “Et en quel temps?” fist elle. “Dame,” fist il, “vng iour que ie vous demanday se vous vouliez leans entrer; Et vous deistes ouy | et estiez moult esbahye par semblant.” “Et quel escu portiez vous?” “Dame, ie portay a la premiere foys vng escu blanc a vne bande de belif vermeille. Et lautre foys vng ou il y auoyt deux bendes” | “Et vous vys ie plus?” last when you thought you had lost Gawain and his companions, “Ouy, la nuyt que vous cuidiez auoir perdu messire Gauuain et ses compaignons, et que les gens cryoyent que len me prenist; Je vins hors a tout mon escu a troys bendes.” “Certes,” faict elle, “ce poise moy | car se on vous eust detenu, tous les enchantements feussent demourez | and I helped to deliver him from prison.” Mais or me dictes, fustes vous ce qui iettastes messire Gauain de prison?” “Dame, ie y ayday a mon pouoir.” “Certes,” faict elle, “en toutes les choses que vous me dictes ie nay trouue si non verite. The Queen asks the knight who was in the turret above his room there. Mais or me dictes qui estoit en vne tournelle dessus la chambre monseigneur.” “A damsel whom I never dishonoured, “Dame, cestoyt vne pucelle que ie ne villennay oncques | Car ma dame du lac la me auoyt enuoyee | si me trouua en ceste tournelle | il fut assez qui la honnora pour moy. but I asked her not to leave till she saw my messenger or me, which I then forgot, and kept her there a very long time.” Quant ie ouy nouuelles de monseigneur Gauuain, si en fut moult angoisseux, et men party de la Damoyselle qui auecques moy debuoit venir, et luy priay que elle ne se remuast tant que elle eust mon messaige ou moy. Si fus si surprins de tresgrant affaire que ie loubliay | et elle fut plus loyalle uers moy que ie ne fus courtois vers elle | car oncques ne se remua iusques a ce quelle eut mes enseignes, et ce fut grant piece apres.”

How the Queen knew Lancelot.

Comment la royne congneut Lancelot apres quil eut longuement parle a elle, et quil luy eut compte de ses aduentures. Et comment la premiere acointance fut faicte entre lancelot et la royne genieure par le moyen de gallehault.

QVant la royne eut parle de la damoiselle, When she heard of this damsel the Queen knew it must be Lancelot, si scait bien que cest Lancelot. Si luy enquist de toutes les choses quelle auoit ouy de luy, et de toutes le trouua vray disant; “Or me dictes,” fait elle, “vous vy ie puis?” “Ouy, dame, telle heure que vous me eustes bien mestier | car ieusse este noye a kamalot se ne eussiez vous este.” and asks him if he was the knight whom Daguenet took. He answers “Yes;” and that two rascals killed his horse, and Ywain gave him another. “Comment! feustes vous celluy que daguenet le fol print?” “Dame, prins fus ie sans faulte.” “Et ou alliez vous?” “Dame, ie alloye apres vng cheuallier.” “Et vous combatistes vous a luy” | “dame, ouy.” “Et dillec ou allastes vous?” “Dame, ie trouuay deux grans villains que me occirent mon cheual | mais messire yuain, qui bonne aduenture ayt, men donna vng.” “Ah, then your name is Lancelot,” says she, “Ha, ha,” fait elle, “ie scay bien qui vous estes; Vous auez nom lancelot du lac.” Il se taist. “Par dieu,” faict elle, “pourneant le celez | long temps a que messire Gauuain apporta nouuelles de vostre nom a court;” Lors luy compta comment messire yuain auoit compte que la damoyselle auoit dit | cest la tierce. “Et anten quelles armes portastes vous?” “Vnes vermeilles.” “Par mon chef cest verite. “and for what lady or damsel did you do such feats of arms the day before yesterday?” Et auant hier pourquoy feistes vous tant darmes comme vous feistes?” Et il commenca a souspirer. “Dictes moy seurement | Car ie scay bien que pour aulcune dame ou damoyselle le feistes vous, et me dictes qui elle est, par la foy que vous me deuez.” “For you, Lady; and for you I broke the three lances that your maiden brought me “Haa, dame, ie voy bien quil le me conuient dire, cestes vous.” “Moy?” faict elle. “Voire, dame.” “Pour moy ne rompistes vous pas les troys lances que ma pucelle vous porta?” “Car ie me mis bien hors du mandement, dame; ie fis pour elle ce que ie deuz, et pour vous ce que ie peux.” “Et combien a il que vous me aymez tant?” “Des le iour que ie fus tenu pour cheuallier, et ie ne lestoye mye” | “Par la foy que vous me deuez, dont vindrent ces amours que vous auez en moy mises?” for you had made me your friend, and said I was your knight in all lands, and bid me adieu as your own sweet friend. “dame,” fait il, “vous le me feistes faire qui de moy feistes vostre amy, se vostre bouche ne me a menty.” “Mon amy!” faict elle, “comment?” “Dame,” fait il, “ie vins deuant vous quant ie eu prins congie monseigneur le roy | si vous commanday a dieu, et dis que ie estoye vostre cheuallier en tous lieux. Et vous me dictes que vostre amy et vostre cheuallier voulliez vous que ie feusse. Printed as shown: inner and outer quotes both use double quotation marks. Et ie dys, “a dieu! dame.” Et vous distes “a dieu! mon beau doulx amy!” That word has never left me, but always been my strength and wealth.” Ce fut le mot qui preudhomme me fera, se ie le suis, ne oncques puis ne fus a si grant meschef que il ne men remembrast. Ce mot ma conforte en tous mes ennuys. Cest mot ma de tous maulx guary. Cest mot ma fait riche en mes pouretez;” “Par ma foy,” fait la royne, “ce mot fut en bonne heure dict | et dieu en soyt aoure | ne ie ne le prenoye pas acertes comme vous feistes, et a maint preudhomme ay ie ce dict ou ie ne pensay oncques riens que le dire. “Oh, but that was only an ordinary compliment,” says Guinevere, to tease him. Mais la coustume est telle des cheualliers que font a mainte dame semblant de telles choses dont a gueres ne leur est au cueur.” Et ce disoit elle pour veoir de combien elle le pourroit mettre en malaise; This grieves Lancelot so that he nearly faints, at which Galiot is greatly grieved, Car elle veoit bien quil ne pretendoit a autre amour que a la sienne | mais elle se delectoyt a sa malaisete veoir, et il eut si grant angoisse que par vng pou quil ne se pasma | & la royne eut paour quil ne cheist, si appella gallehault, et il y vint acourant. Quant il voyt que son compaignon est si courrouce, si en a si grant angoisse que plus ne peut. “Haa, dame,” fait gallehault, “vous le nous pourrez bien tollir, et ce seroit trop grand dommaige.” “Certes, sire, se seroit mon;” tells the Queen that Lancelot is the gallantest and truest of men, “Et ne scauez vous pour qui il a tant fait darmes?” faict gallehault. “Certes, nenny,” faict elle | “mais, se il est veoir ce qui ma este dict, cest pour moy;” “Dame, se maist dieu, bien len pouez croire | car aussi comme il est le plus preudhomme de tous les hommes | aussi est son cueur plus vray que tous aultres.” “Voirement,” fait elle, “diriez vous quil seroit preudhomme se vous scauiez quil a fait darmes puis quil fut cheuallier.” Lors luy compte tout ainsi comment vous auez ouy | “et saichez quil a ce faict seullement pour moy,” fait elle. Lors luy prie gallehault, & dist. and prays her to have mercy on him. “Pour dieu, dame, ayez de luy mercy, et faictes pour moy ainsi comme ie fis pour vous quant vous men priastes.” “What mercy?” says she; “Quelle mercy voulez vous que ien aye?” “Dame, vous scauez que ie vous ayme sur toutes, et il a fait pour vous plus que oncques cheualier ne fist pour dame, et sachez que la paix de moy et de monseigneur neust ia este faicte se neust il este.” “there is nothing he can ask of me that I will not do; but he will not ask.” “Certes,” faict elle, “il a plus faict pour moy que ne pourroye desseruir, ne il ne me pourroyt chose requerre dont ie le peuisse esconduyre | mais il ne me requiert de riens | ains est tant melencolieux que merueilles.” “Dame,” fait gallehault, “auez en mercy; il est celluy qui vous ayme plus que soy mesmes. Si maist dieu, ie ne scauoye riens de sa voulente quant il vint, fors quil doubtoit de estre congneu, ne oncques plus ne men descouurit.” “Je en auray,” fait elle, “telle mercy comme vous vouldrez.” “Dame, vous auez fait ce que ie vous ay requis; aussi doy ie bien faire ce que vous me requerez.” Se dit la royne, “il ne me requiert de riens.” “He does not dare,” answers Galiot, “but I will ask for him.” “Certes, dame,” fait gallehault, “il ne ose | car len ne aymera ia riens par amours que len ne craigne | mais ie vous en prie pour luy, & se ie ne vous en priasse, si le deussiez vous pourchasser. Car plus riche tresor ne pourriez vous conquester.” “Then I will grant it,” says Queen Guinevere. Galiot prays her to give Lancelot her love, and become his loyal lady all her life. “Certes,” fait elle, “ie le scay bien et ie en feray tout ce que vous commanderez.” “Dame,” fait Gallehault, “grant mercy. Je vous prie que vous luy donnez vostre amour, et le retenez pour vostre cheuallier a tousiours, et deuenez sa loyalle dame toute vostre vie | et vous le aurez fait plus riche que se vous luy auiez donne tout le monde.” She promises to be Lancelot’s, “Certes,” faict elle, “ie luy ottroye que il soyt mien | et moy toute sienne, et que par vous soyent amendez tous les meffaitz.” and that she will do everything she is told. “Dame,” faict Gallehault, “grant mercy. Or conuient il commencement de seruice;” “Vous ne deuiserez riens,” fait la royne, “que ie ne face.” “Then kiss Lancelot before me,” says Galiot. “Dame,” faict il, “grant mercy | donc baisez le deuant moy pour commencement de vrayes amours.” “Du baiser,” faict elle, “ie ne voy ne lieu ne temps | et ne doubtez pas,” faict elle, “que ie ne le voulsisse faire aussi voullentiers quil feroit | mais ces dames sont cy qui moult se merueillent que nous auons tant fait, si ne pourroyt estre que ilz ne le vissent. This Guinevere agrees to do, if Lancelot wishes it. Nompourtant, se il veult, ie le baiseray voullentiers.” Et il en est si ioyeulx que il ne peult respondre si non tant quil dict. “Dame,” faict il, “grant mercy” | Galiot says there is no doubt about Lancelot’s wish; “dame,” faict Gallehault, “de son vouloir nen doubtez ia | Car il est tout vostre, bien le saichez, ne ia nul ne sen apperceuera; Nous troys serons ensemble ainsi comme se nous conseillions” | “Dequoy me feroye ie pryer” | faict elle | “plus le vueil ie que vous.” Lors se trayent a part, et font semblant de conseiller. and as he is bashful, the Queen takes him by the chin, and kisses him before Galiot. (The Lady of Mallehault sees her.) La Royne voyt que le cheuallier nen ose plus faire, si le prent par le menton, et baise deuant Gallehault assez longuement. Et la dame de Mallehauli (sic) sceut de vray que elle le baisoyt. Lors parla la Royne qui moult estoyt sage & vaillant dame. Guinevere tells Lancelot that she is his, but charges him to keep the matter secret, “Beau doulx amy,” faict elle, “tant auez faict que ie suys vostre; Et moult en ay grant ioye. Or gardez que la chose soyt celee. Car mestier en est. Je suys une des Dames du monde dont len a greigneur bien dict, Et se ma renommee empiroyt par vous, il y auroyt layde amour et villaine | and Galiot too. et vous, Gallehault, ie vous prye que mon honneur gardez | Car vous estes le plus saige | Et se mal men venoyt, ce ne seroyt si non par vous; Et se ien ay bien et ioye, vous me lauez donnee.” Galiot promises this, “Dame,” faict Gallehault, “il ne pourroyt vers vous mesprendre, et ien ay bien faict ce que vous me commandastes. Or vous prye que faciez ma voulente ainsi comme iay fait la vostre;” “Dictes,” fait elle, “tout ce quil vous plaira hardyment | car vous ne me scauriez chose commander que ie ne face.” and asks Guinevere to make Lancelot his companion for ever. “Dame,” faict il, “donc mauez vous ottroye que ie seray son compaignon a tousiours.” “Certes,” fait elle, “se de ce vous failloit, vous auriez mal employe la peine que vous auez prinse pour luy et pour moy.” She takes Lancelot’s hand, gives him to Galiot, Lors prent le cheuallier par la main, et dict. “Gallehault, ie vous donne ce cheualier a tousiours sans ce que iay auant eu, et vous le me creancez ainsi” | et aussi le cheualier luy creance | and says she has given him Lancelot of the Lake, son of King Ban. “scauez vous,” fait elle, “Gallehault, que ie vous ay donne lancelot du lac, le filz au roy ban de benoic;” Ainsi luy a fait le cheualier congnoistre, qui moult en a grant honte. This gives Galiot more joy than ever he had before, as he had often heard how Lancelot was the gallantest knight in the world. Lors a gallehault greigneure ioye quil neust oncques | car il auoit maintesfois ouy dire, comme parolles vont, que cestoyt le meilleur cheualier et le plus preux du monde, et bien scauoit que le roy ban auoit este moult gentil homme, et moult puissant de amys et de terre.

AInsi fut faicte la premiere acointance de la royne et de lancelot par gallehault | et Gallehault ne lauoit oncques congneu que de veue, et pource luy fait creancer quil ne luy demanderoit son nom tant quil luy dist, ou autre pour luy. Lors se leuerent tous troys, et il anuytoit durement. By the bright moonlight they recross the meads towards Lancelot’s tent, Mais la lune estoyt leuee, si faisoit cler | Si que elle luysoyt par toute la praerie | Lors sen retournerent a vne part contrement les prez droit vers le tref le cheualier, & le seneschal et gallehault vint apres luy & les dames tant quilz vindrent endroit les tentes de gallehault. and Galiot sends Lancelot there, while he conducts the Queen to Arthur’s tent, Lors enuoya Gallehault son compaignon a son tref, et prent conge de la royne, et gallehault la conuoye iusques au tref du Roy. Et quant le roy les veyt, si demanda dont ilz venoyent. and tells him they have only been looking at the fields by themselves. “Sire,” fait Gallehault, “nous uenons de veoir ces pres a si peu de compaignie comment vous veez.” Lors se assient, et parlent de plusieurs choses; si sont la Royne et Gallehault moult ayses.

AV chef de piece se leua la royne, et sen alla en la bretesche; gallehault la conuoya iusques la. Galiot sees the Queen to her tower, Puis la commande a dieu, et dist quil sen yroit gesir auec son compaignon. “Bien auez fait,” dit la royne, “il en sera plus ayse” | A tant sen part gallehault, et vient au roy prendre congie, et dist quil ne luy desplaise, et que il yra gesir auec les gens pource quil ny auoyt geu de grant piece, et dist. and then takes leave of Arthur and of Gawain, “Sire, ie me doibz pener de faire leur voulente | car ilz me ayment moult.” “Sire,” fait messire gauuain, “vous dictes bien, et len doit bien honnorer telz preudhommes qui les a.” Lors sen part gallehault et vient a son compaignon; and goes to Lancelot’s bed. Ilz se coucherent tous deux en vng lict, et deviserent la une piece. Si nous laisserons ores a parler de gallehault & de son compaignon, et dirons de la royne qui est venu en la bretesche.

QVant gallehault fut party, Queen Guinevere goes to the window to think, la royne sen alla en vne fenestre, et commence a penser a ce que plus luy plaisoyt. La dame de mallehault saprocha delle quant elle la vit seulle, et luy dist le plus priueement que elle peut. and the Lady of Mallehault asks her why four are bad company. “Haa, dame! pourquoy ne est bonne la compaignie de quatre?” At first Guinevere will not hear this, but the Lady repeats it; the Queen asks why she says it, and the Lady asks pardon, as perhaps she has said too much. La royne le ouyst bien, si ne dit mot, et fait semblant que riens nen ouyt. Et ne demoura gueres que la dame dist celle parolle mesmes; la royne lapella et dist. “Dame, pourquoy auez ce dit?” “Dame,” fait elle, “pardonnez moi, ie nen diray ores plus | car par aduenture en ay plus dit que a moy napartient | & len ne se doit mi faire plus priuee de sa dame que len est | car tost en acquiert on hayne.” “No,” says Guinevere, “Si maist dieu,” fait la royne, “vous ne me pourriez riens dire dont vous eussiez ma haine | ie vous tiens tant a saige et a courtoyse, que vous ne diriez riens qui fust encontre ma voulente | “speak boldly out; I wish it.” Mais dictes hardyment | Car ie le vueil, et si vous en prie.” “Then I must say that I think four very good company. I saw the new acquaintance you made to-day, and know he is the man who loves you most in the world. “Dame,” fait elle, “donc le vous diray ie | Je dy que moult est bonne la compaignie de quatre; Jay huy veu nouueau accointement que vous auez faict au cheuallier qui parla a vous la bas en ce vergier. Et scay bien que cest la personne du monde qui plus vous ayme, et vous ne auez pas tort se vous laymez | car vous ne pourriez vostre amour mieulx employer;” “Comment,” fait la royne, “le congnoissez vous?” I kept him a year and a half in prison, and gave him both the red and the black arms in which he won the tourneys; “Dame,” fait elle, “telle heure a este ouen que ie vous en eusse bien peu faire refus comme vous en pouez ores faire a moy | car ie lay tenu vng an et demy en prison. Cest celluy qui vaincquit lassemblee aux armes vermeilles | & celle de deuant hier aux armes noires, les vnes & les autres luy baillay ie; Et quant il fut auant hier sur la riuiere pensif, et ie luy voulu mander que il fist vaillamment armes, ie ne le faisoye sinon pour ce que ie esperoye quil vous aymast; si cuydoye telle heure fust que il me aymast | and I thought then that he loved me, but he soon undeceived me.” Mais il me mist tost hors de cuyder, tant me descouurit de son penser.” Lors luy compta comment elle lauoyt tenu en prison an et demy | et pourquoy elle lauoit prins. The Queen answers, “But tell me why four are better company than three.” “Or me dictes,” fait la royne, “quelle compaignie vault mieulx de quatre que de troys | car mieulx est vne chose celee par trois que par quatre.” “Certes non est cy endroit, et si vous diray. “Because, though your knight loves you, he loves Galiot too, and they will not stay here Vray est que le cheualier vous ayme, et aussi fait il gallehault, et desormais se conforteront lung lautre en quelque terre quilz soient. Car icy ne seront ilz pas longuement: et vous demourerez cy toute seule, et ne le scaura nul fors vous | long, but you will; and if you have no one else to tell your thought to, you will be forced to keep your faith to yourself; but if you will let me be a fourth, we can comfort one another.” ne si ne aurez a qui descouurir vostre pensee, si porterez ainsi vostre faix toute seulle | mais sil vous pleust que ie fusse la quarte en la compaignie entre nous deux dames, nous solacierons ainsi comme entre eulx deux cheualiers feront, si en seriez plus aise.” “Scauez vous,” fait la royne, “qui est le cheuallier?” “Se maist dieu,” fait la dame, “nenny.” “Vous auez bien ouy comment il se couurit vers moy.” Queen Guinevere agrees to this with great joy, “Certes,” faict la royne, “moult estes apparceuante, et moult conuiendroit estre sage qui vous vouldroit rien embler, & puis que ainsi est que vous lauez aperceu, et que vous me requerez la compagnie, vous laurez | mais ie vueil que vous portez vostre faix ainsi comme ie feray le mien.” “Dame,” faict elle, “ie feray ce que il vous plaira, pour ci haulte compaignie auoir.” “En verite,” faict la royne, “vous laurez | car meilleure compaignie que vous ne pourroye ie mye auoir,” “Dame,” fait elle, “nous serons ensemble toutes les heures quil vous plaira.” “Jen suys ioyeuse,” faict la Royne. “Et nous affermerons demain la compaignie de nous quattre.” and tells the Lady that the knight is Lancelot of the Lake. Lors luy compte de Lancelot, comment il auoyt ploure quant il regarda deuers elle, “et ie scay que il vous congneut, et saichez que cest lancelot du lac, le meilleur cheuallier qui viue.” Ainsi parlerent longuement entre elles deux | et font moult grant ioye de leur accointement nouueau. At night the ladies sleep together, Icelle nuyct ne souffrit oncques la Royne de logres que la dame de mallehault geust sinon auec elle | mais elle y geut a force. Car elle doubtoyt moult de gesir auec si riche dame; and talk of their new loves, Quant elles furent couchees si commencerent a parler de leurs nouuelles amours; La royne demanda a la dame de mallehault selle a[y]me nulluy par amours, et elle luy dict que nenny. the Lady of Mallehault saying that she never loved but one, and then only in thought (and that was Lancelot). “Saichez, dame, que ie naymay oncques que vne foys, ne de celle amour ne fis ie que penser;” et ce dit elle de lancelot, quelle auoit tant ayme comme femme pourroit aymer homme mortel | Mais elle nen auoit oncques aultre ioye eue, non pourtant ne dit pas que ce eust il este. The Queen thinks she will make the Lady and Galiot fall in love with one another. La royne pensa quelle feroyt ses amours de elle et de gallehault, mais elle nen veult parler iusques a tant quelle scaura de gallehault sil la veult aymer ou non | car autrement ne len requerroit elle pas. Next morning they go to Arthur’s tent and wake him, and then return over the meadows Lendemain se leuerent matin elles deux, & allerent au tref du roy, qui gisoit la pour faire a monseigneur gauuain et aux aultres cheualiers compaignie. La royne sesueilla, & dist, “que moult estoyt mauluais qui a ceste heure dormoyt.” Lors se tournerent contreual les prez, et dames et damoyselles auec elles. where the meeting with Lancelot took place, and the Queen tells the Lady of Mallehault all about it, and then praises Galiot as the wisest and best man in the world. Et ils allerent la ou laccointement damours auoyt este faict, et dict la Royne a la dame de mallehault toute laccointance de lancelot | et comme il estoit esbahy deuant elle, et riens ne luy laissa a dire. Puis commenca a louer gallehault, et dit que cestoit le plus saige homme et le plus vertueulx du monde; “Certes,” fait elle, “ie luy compteray lacointance de nous deux quant il viendra, et sachez que il en aura grant ioye. Or allons | car il ne demourra gueres quil ne viengne.”

The rubric of the next chapter is as follows:

How Galiot became acquainted with the Lady of Melyhalt.

¶ Comment la premiere acointance fut faicte de gallehault et de la dame de malehault par le moyen de la royne de logres. Et comment lancelot & gallehault sen alloient esbatre et deuiser auec leurs dames.

It relates how Queen Guinevere requires Galiot to let her dispose of his love as he had disposed of hers. To this he consents, and she commends him to the Lady of Mallehault. Next, they arrange for the promised parlement de eulx quatre; and the queen points out to Lancelot the lady who had so many a day kept him in prison, i.e., the Lady of Mallehault. At recognizing his old acquaintance, Lancelot feels somewhat distressed, but is reassured by observing the new love-making between her and Galiot. Seated in a wood, the four “demourerent grant piece, ne oncques ne tindrent parolles, fors tant seullement de accoller & de baiser comme ceulx qui voulentiers le faisoyent.”

We next hear of Gawain’s recovery, and of the separation of the party of four above spoken of. Galiot takes Lancelot home with him to his own country, whilst the Lady of Mallehault remains for a time with the queen and Arthur. When Lancelot is next spoken of, he is in Galiot’s country, where we will now leave him.

[ NOTES TO THE APPENDIX.]

[P. xxiii.] Descosse = d’Écosse, of Scotland. In Old French, words are frequently run together; thus we have labbaye for l’abbaye, sesmeurent for s’émeurent, etc. Also the letter s is often replaced in modern French by an acute or circumflex accent; so that Escosse = Êcosse; chasteau = château, etc.

The word si often occurs below with a great variety of meanings, viz. I, he; and, also; so, thus; etc.

[P. xxiv.] baille, given, entrusted.

brouyr (brûler), being burnt.

monstier, monastery.

gauues, so in the original throughout; gaunes is used in other romances.

[P. xxv.] auecques = avec, with.

[P. xxvi.] aduision, vision.

behourdys, tournament.

naure, wounded.

deffera = desferra, un-ironed; it means that Lancelot drew the weapons out of the knight’s wounds.

deuers, “Préposition relative au temps et au lieu dont on parle; près, vers, contre, proche; de versus.” Roquefort.

octroya, permitted (authorized).

mouille, lit. wetted; insulted.

[P. xxvii.] veirent, saw.

escript (écrit), written.

lassemblee, the gathering; i.e. the war, strife.

rua, overthrew.

[P. xxviii.] mire, physician.

gue, ford, pass.

tresues, a truce; spelt treues on p. xxix.

[P. xxix.] esbatre, to divert oneself. In modern French, s’ébattre.

[P. xxx.] orrions, shall hear.

deust = dût.

cheoient, from cheoir, to fall. Compare chûte.

poilz, hairs.

esbahy, amazed.

ortelz, toes.

chaille; from chaloir, to be anxious about.

dilacion, delay.

[P. xxxi.] paour, fear.

mire, physician.

veufue, old.

[P. xxxii.] cheuauche, rides.

boutte, buts, pushes.

iecte (jeté), cast.

cuyde, I believe.

Si maist dieu, so God aid me. Here maist is put for m’aist.

oncques, ever.

ennuyt, this night, to-night.

lottroyera, will grant him his request.

conroy, troops.

[P. xxxiii.] derrains (derniers), last.

busines, trumpets.

Or y perra, now it will appear.

cuidoit, believed; from the old verb quider.

cheuauchent, ride.

ia, already.

tertre, a small hill.

[P. xxxiv.] adresse, a cross-path.

huy, just before; lit. this day. Lat. hodiè.

se pasme, swoons.

leans, thither.

[P. xxxv.] ores, now.

huy, to-day.

preudhomme, a wise and prudent man.

lottroye, permits him.

tref, tent.

nenny, no!

ains, before.

guerpiront, will leave.

deduys, amusements, diversions.

[P. xxxvi.] leans, there.

gerrez, will lie.

las, tired.

Ains, but.

[P. xxxvii.] semondray, shall ask.

esbahy, amazed.

tollez, take away.

creanca, promised.

lees, wide, full.

lices, lists.

[P. xxxviii.] emmy le pas, in the midst of the passage.

hucher, to cry aloud.

[P. xxxix.] lieue, lifts.

saisine, disposal.

enseignes, tokens.

aincoys, first of all.

[P. xl.] oncques mes, never.

a resiouyr (réjouir), in amusing.

escondiroye, will refuse.

me poyse, it troubles me.

pieca, long ago.

se embronche, covers his face.

[P. xli.] sen esueillerent, awoke thereat.

Adonc, then.

riens forfait, anyway injured.

[P. xlii.] ne me mescreez mye que, do not doubt me more than.

[P. xliii.] doint, gives, were to give.

[P. xliv.] mesgnie, properly the suite or household of a prince; see Roquefort s.v. magnie and maignee.

nef, a boat.

loue, advise.

[P. xlv.] vous esmayez, afflict yourself.

courrouce, wroth, displeased.

[P. xlvi.] vergier, orchard.

aual, below.

se embroncha, she veiled herself, or, hid herself.

iouxte, beside.

[P. xlvii.] maintes, many.

ot, heard.

len prise mieulx, esteemed it better.

loe, praises.

deffera, dis-ironed, drew the weapons out of.

lestrief, the stirrup.

[P. xlviii.] leans (la dédans), there.

belif. We find in Cotgrave’s French Dictionary, “Belic, a kind of red or geueles, in Blazon.”

enseignes, tokens, message.

[P. xlix.] mestier, serviceable.

dillec, thence.

pourneant, for nothing, in vain.

voire, truly.

commanday a dieu, commended to God, bade farewell.

[P. li.] mestier en est, there is need of it.

greigneur bien, exceedingly well, very highly.

[P. lii.] greigneure, greater.

anuytoit, became night.

ie me doibz pener, I ought to take pains.

[P. liii.] ouen, this year.

[1] The extracts are from the Paris edition of 1513, 3 vols. folio, a copy of which is in the King’s Library in the British Museum. There are also two other editions in the Museum, one in the Grenville Library, 3 vols. Paris, 1494, folio; the other in one folio volume, Paris, 1520.

[2] See [ll. 1447-1449].

[3] Lines [215], [220].

[4] Line [223].

[5] Lines [237-245].

[6] Lines [249-252].

[7] Line [255].

[8] Lines [257-259].

[9] Lines [263, -4].

[10] See [ll. 244, -5].

[11] Line [267].

[12] Lines [363-527].

[13] Lines [540-592].

[14] Line [280].

[15] Lines [233-252].

[16] Lines [281-292].

[17] Lines [634-894].

[18] Lines [895-974].

[19] Lines [975-1138].

[20] Lines [1275-2130].

[21] Lines [1543-1584].

[22] Lines [1139-1152].

[23] Lines [1181-1274].

[24] Lines [2161-2256].

[25] Lines [2347-2442].

[26] Lines [2504-2530].

[27] Lines [2531-3268].

[28] Lines [3343-3487].

[29] There is no trace of the rest of this chapter in the Scottish poem.

[30] Line [3432].

[31] Lines [3435-3440].

[32] Lines [3441-3476].

[33] Lines [3477-3480].

[34] Lines [3481-3484].

[35] Lines [3485, 6].

[36] Line [3487] and last.

[37] Compare lines [3365-3368].

[38] Lines [3369, 70].

[39] Compare lines [3391-3426].

[40] Compare line [1140].

[41] Compare lines [2845-8].

[42] The original has pat.