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.

[PROLOGUE.]

[Fol. 1.]

THe ſoft morow ande The luſtee Aperill,

The wynter set, the stormys in exill,

In April, when the fresh luminary upriseth,

Quhen that the brycht and freſch illumynare

4 Upriſith arly in his fyre chare

His hot courß in to the orient,

and sendeth from his sphere his golden streams,

And frome his ſpere his goldine ſtremis sent

Wpone the grond, in maner off meſag,

8 One euery thing to valkyne thar curage,

That natur haith set wnder hire mycht,

Boith gyrß, and flour, and euery luſty vicht:

And namly thame that felith the aſſay

12 Of lufe, to ſchew the kalendis of may,

Throw birdis ſonge with opine wox one hy,

That ſeſſit not one lufaris for to cry,

Leſt thai forȝhet, throw ſlewth of Ignorans,

16 The old wſage of lowis obſeruans.

and when I espy his bright face,

And from̅e I can the bricht face aſſpy,

It deuit me no langare fore to ly,

Nore that loue schuld ſleuth In to me finde,

THE POET BEWAILS HIS LOT.

I walk forth, bewailing my sad life.

20 Bot walkine furth, bewalinge in my mynde

the dredful lyve endurit al to longe,

Sufferans in loue of ſorouful harmys ſtronge,

The ſcharpe dais and the hewy ȝerys,

24 Quhill phebus thris haith paſſith al his ſperis,

Vithoutine hope ore traiſtinge of comfort;

So be such meine fatit was my sort.

Thus in my ſaull Rolinge al my wo,

The sword of love carves my heart.

28 My carful hart carwing cañ In two

The derdful ſuerd of lowis hot diſſire;

So be the morow set I was a-fyre

In felinge of the acceß hot and colde,

32 That haith my hart in ſich a fevir holde,

Only to me thare was noñe vthir eß

Bot thinkine qhow I ſchulde my lady pleß.

The ſcharp aſſay and ek the Inwart peine

36 Of dowblit wo me neulyngis cañ conſtrein,

Quhen that I have remembrit one my thocht

My lady knoweth not how I am wobegone.

How sche, quhois bewte al my harm̅ haith wrocht,

[Fol. 1 b.]

Ne knouith not how I ame wo begoñe,

40 Nor how that I ame of hire ſeruandis oñe;

And in my ſelf I cañ nocht fynde the meyne

In to quhat wyß I ſal my wo compleine.

HE SEES A VISION OF A GREEN BIRD.

I walked thus in the field, and came to a well-beseen garden.

Thus in the feild I walkith to and froo,

44 As thochtful wicht that felt of nocht bot woo,

Syne to o gardinge, that weß weil beſeñ,

Of quiche the feild was al depaynt with greñ.

The tendyre and the luſty flouris new

48 Up thrōue the greñ vpone thar ſtalkis grew

Aȝhane the ſone, and thare levis ſpred,

Quharwith that al the gardinge was I-clede;

That pryapus, in to his tyme before,

52 In o luſtear walkith nevir more;

It was closely environed with leaves.

And al about enweronyt and Icloſit

One ſich o wyß, that none within ſuppoſit

Fore to be ſeñ with ony vicht thare owt;

56 So dide the levis cloſ it1 all about.

Thar was the flour, thar was the queñ alpheſt,2

Rycht wering being of the nychtis reſt,

Wncloſing gañe the crownel for the day;

The sun illumined the sprays;

60 The brycht ſone illumynit haith the ſpray,

The nychtis ſobir ande the moſt ſchowris,

As criſtoll terys withhong vpone the flouris,

Haith vpwarpith In the luſty aire,

64 The morow makith soft, ameyne, and faire;

the birds sang till the woods resounded;

And the byrdis thar mychty voce out-throng,

Quhill al the wood reſonite of thar ſonge,

That gret confort till ony vicht It wer

68 That pleſſith thame of luſtenes to here.

Bot gladneß til the thochtful, euer mo

The more he ſeith, the more he haith of wo.

the garden was adorned with flowers.

Thar was the garding with the flouris ourfret,

72 Quich is in poſy fore my lady set,

That hire Repreſent to me oft befor,

And thane alſo; thus al day gan be ſor3

Of thocht my goſt with torment occupy,

[Fol. 2.]

I fell there into an ecstasy or sleep,

76 That I becam̅e In to one exaſy,

Ore ſlep, or how I wot; bot ſo befell

My wo haith done my livis goſt expell,

And in ſich wiß weil long I can endwr,

80 So me betid o wondir aventur.

As I thus lay, Rycht to my ſpreit vas ſeñ

and saw in my dream a green bird, who said:

A birde, yat was as ony lawrare greñ,

A-licht, and ſayth in to hir birdis chere;

THE BIRD’S MESSAGE.

84 “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,

“The God of Love is discontent with thee.

For in his court yhoue lewith in diſſpar,

88 And vilfully suſtenis al thi care,

And ſchapith no thinge of thine awn remede,

Bot clepith ay and cryith apone dede.

Yhow callith the birdis be morow fro thar bouris,

92 Yhoue devith boith the erbis and the flouris,

And clepit hyme vnfaithful king of lowe,

Yow dewith hyme in to his rigne abufe,

Yhow tempith hyme, yhoue doith thi ſelf no gud,

You are destitute of wit.

96 Yhoue are o moñ of wit al deſtitude.

Wot yhoue nocht that al liwis creatwre

Haith of thi wo in to his hand the cwre?

Though you call on trees, your lady hears not.

And ſet yhoue clep one erbis and one treis,

100 Sche heris not thi wo, nore ȝhit ſche ſeis;

For none may know the dirkneß of thi thocht,

Ne blamyth her thi wo ſche knowith nocht.

And It is weil accordinge It be so

104 He ſuffir harme, that to redreß his wo

Previdith not; for long ore he be ſonde,

Holl of his leich, that ſchewith not his vound.

Ovid says it is better to shew, than to conceal love.

And of owid ye autor ſchall yhow knaw

108 Of lufe that ſeith, for to conſel or ſchow,

The laſt he clepith althir-beſt of two;

And that is ſuth, and ſal be euer mo.

And loue alſo haith chargit me to ſay,

[Fol. 2 b.]

112 Set yhoue preſume, ore beleif, ye aſſay

Of his ſeruice, as It wil ryne ore go,

Preſwme It not, fore It wil not be so;

Al magre thine a ſeruand ſchal yow bee.

As touching thine adversity, seek the remedy.”

116 And as tueching thine aduerſytee,

Complen and sek of the ramed, the cwre,

Ore, gif yhow likith, furth thi wo endure.”

And, as me thocht, I anſuerde aȝaiñe

Then answered I:

120 Thus to the byrde, in wordis ſchort and plane:

“It ganyth not, as I have harde Recorde,

The ſeruand for to diſput with ye lord;

“Love knows the reason of my wo.”

Bot well he knowith of al my vo the quhy,

124 And in quhat wyß he hath me ſet, quhar I

Nore may I not, nore can I not attane,

Nore to hir hienes dare I not complane.”

SHE BIDS HIM WRITE A POEM.

“Fool,” said the bird, “despair not;

“Ful!” quod the bird, “lat be thi nyß diſpare,

128 For in this erith no lady is ſo fare,

So hie eſtat, nore of ſo gret empriß,

That in hire ſelf haith viſdome ore gentrice,

Yf that o wicht, that worthy is to be

132 Of lovis court, ſchew til hir that he

Seruith hire in lovis hartly wyß,

That ſchall thar for hyme hating or diſpiß.

the God of Love charges thee to speak out your love, or else to write thy plaint;

The god of love thus chargit the, at ſchort,

136 That to thi lady yhoue thi wo Report;

Yf yhoue may not, thi plant ſchall yhov vrit.

Se, as yhoue cane, be maner oft endit

In metir, quhich that no man haith ſuſſpek,

140 Set oft tyme thai contenyng gret effecc;

Thus one ſume wyß yhow ſchal thi wo dwclar.

And, for thir ſedulis and thir billis are

So generall, and ek ſo ſchort at lyte,

144 And ſwme of thaim is loſt the appetit,

write, then, some treatise for her to read;

Sum trety ſchall yhoue for yi lady ſak,

That wnkouth is, als tak one hand and mak,

Of love, ore armys, or of ſum othir thing,

148 That may hir one to thi Remembryng brynge;

[Fol. 3.]

Qwich ſoundith Not one to no hewynes,

Bot one to gladneß and to luſteneß,

one that may please her and get her thanks.

That yhoue belevis may thi lady pleß,

152 To have hir thonk and be one to hir eß;

That ſche may wit in ſeruice yhow art one.

Farewell, and be merry.”

Faire weil,” quod ſche, “thus ſchal yhow the diſpone,

And mak thi ſelf als mery as yhoue may,

156 It helpith not thus fore to wex al way.”

With that, the bird ſche haith hir leif tak,

Thereon I awoke, and wondered what it might mean.

For fere of quich I can onone to wak;

Sche was ago, and to my ſelf thocht I

160 Quhat may yis meyne? quhat may this ſignify?

Is It of troucht, or of Illuſioune?

HE RESOLVES TO DO SO.

Bot finaly, as in concluſioune,

Be as be may, I ſchal me not discharge,

164 Sen It apperith be of lovis charg;

And ek myne hart noñe othir biſſynes

Haith bot my ladice ſeruice, as I geß;

I determined to take in hand this occupation.

Among al vtheris I ſchal one honde tak

168 This litil occupatioune for hire ſak.

Bot hyme I pray, the mychty gode of loue,

That ſitith hie in to his ſpir abuf,

(At command of o wyß quhois viſioune

172 My goſt haith takin this opvnioune,)

That my lawboure may to my lady pleß

And do wnto hir ladeſchip ſum eß,

So that my trauell be nocht tynt, and I

176 Quhat vtheris ſay ſetith nothing by.

I know it will but hurt my name, when men hear my feeble negligence.

For wel I know that, be this worldis fam̅e.

It ſchal not be bot hurting to my nam̅e,

Quhen that thai here my febil negligens,

180 That empit is, and bare of eloquens,

Of diſcreſſioune, and ek of Retoryk;

The metire and the cuning both elyk

So fere diſcording frome perfeccioune;

I submit my poem to the correction of the wise;

184 Quhilk I ſubmyt to the correccioune

Of yaim the quhich that is diſcret and wyß,

And enterit is of loue in the ſeruice;

[Fol. 3 b.]

Quhich knouyth that no lovare dare withſtonde,

188 Quhat loue hyme chargit he mot tak one honde,

Deith, or defam̅, or ony maner wo;

And at this tyme with me It ſtant rycht ſo,

for I dare not oppose Love’s command.

As I that dar makine no demande

192 To quhat I wot It lykith loue commande.

Tueching his chargis, as with al deſtitut,

Within my mynd ſchortly I conclud

For to fulfyll, for ned I mot do ſo.

HE THINKS OF THE STORY OF LANCELOT.

196 Thane in my thocht rolling to and fro

Quhare that I myhct ſum wnkouth mater fynde,

At last I thought of the story of “Lancelot of the Lake,”

Quhill at ye laſt it fell in to my mynd

Of o ſtory, that I befor had ſene,

200 That boith of loue and armys can conteñ,

Was of o knycht clepit lancelot of ye laik,

The ſone of bane was, king of albanak;

Of quhois fame and worſchipful dedis

204 Clerkis in to diuerß bukis redis,

of whom I here think to write something.

Of quhome I thynk her ſum thing for to writ

At louis charge, and as I cane, endit;

Set men tharin ſal by experiens

208 Know my conſait, and al my negligens.

But because my ignorance cannot comprehend the French romance,

Bot for that ſtory is ſo paſing larg,

One to my wit It war ſo gret o charg

For to tranſlait the romans of that knycht;

212 It paſſith fare my cunyng and my mycht,

Myne Ignorans may It not comprehende;

HE BRIEFLY ENUMERATES

I shall not tell how he was born;

Quharfor thare one I wil me not depend

How he was borne, nor how his fader deid

216 And ek his moder, nore how he was denyed

Efter thare deth, preſumyng he was ded,

nor how he was nourished by the Lady of the Lake;

Of al ye lond, nore how he fra that ſtede

In sacret wyß wnwyſt away was tak,

220 And nwriſt with ye lady of ye lak.

nor how he was brought to Arthur’s court,

Nor, in his ȝouth, think I not to tell

The auentouris, quhich to hyme befell;

Nor how the lady of the laik hyme had

224 One to the court, quhare that he knycht was mad;

[Fol. 4.]

None wiſt his nome, nore how that he was tak

By loue, and was Iwondit to the ſtak,

and pierced to the heart by the beauty of Wanore (Guinevere),

And throuch and throuch perſit to ye hart,

228 That al his tyme he couth It not aſtart;

For thare of loue he enterit in ſeruice,

Of wanore throuch the beute and franchis,

for whose service he wrought many wonders;

Throuch quhois ſeruice in armys he has vrocht

232 Mony wonderis, and perellis he has socht.

Nor how he thor, in to his ȝoung curage,

nor how he made a vow to revenge a wounded knight,

Hath maid awoue, and in to louis rage,

In the rewenging of o wondit knycht

236 That cumyne was in to the court that nycht;

who had a broken sword in his head, and a truncheon of a broken spear in his body;

In to his hed a brokin4 ſuerd had he,

And in his body alſo mycht men see

The tronſione of o brokine ſper that was,

240 Quhich no man out dedenyt to aras;

Nor how he haith the wapnis out tak,

And his awow apone this wis can mak,

That he ſchuld hyme Reweng at his poware

244 One euery knycht that louith the hurtare

Better thane hyme, the quhich that vas Iwond.

Throw quich awoue in armys hath ben founde

a vow which caused the death of many a wight warrior;

The deth of mony wereoure ful wicht;5

248 For, fro tho wow was knowing of the knycht,

Thare was ful mony o paſage in the londe

By men of armys kepit to withſtond

This knycht, of quhome thai ben al set afyre

252 Thaim to reweng in armys of deſir.

or how he and Sir Kay were sent to defend the lady of Nohalt;

Nor how that thane incontynent was ſend

He and ſir kay togidder to defend

The lady of nohalt, nor how that hee

256 Gouernit hyme thare, nore in quhat degre.

Nor how the gret paſing vaſſolag

He eſcheuit, thrōue the outragouß curag,

or how he conquered the Sorrowful Castle;

In conquiryng of the sorowful caſtell.

260 Nor how he paſſith doune in the cauis fell,

And furth ye keys of Inchantment brocht,

That al diſtroyt quhich that thare vas vrocht.

[Fol. 4 b.]

or how he rescued Sir Gawane and his nine fellows;

Nore howe that he reſkewit ſir gawane,

264 With his ix falouß in to preſone tane;

Nore mony vthere diuerß aduenture,

Quhich to report I tak not in my cwre,

LANCELOT’S EARLY DEEDS.

nor of the many “assemblies” Gawane held to find out his name;

Nor mony aſſemblay that gawane gart be maid

268 To wit his name; nor how that he hyme hade

Wnwiſt, and hath the worſchip and empriß;

Nor of the knychtis in to mony6 diuerß wyß

Throuch his awoue that hath thare dethis found;

nor of his suffering caused by love’s wound;

272 Nor of the ſufferans that by louis wounde

He in his trawel ſufferith auer more;

Nor in the quenis presens how tharfor

nor how he was nearly drowned at Camelot;

By camelot, in to that gret Revare,

276 He was ner dround. I wil It not declare

How that he was in louis hewy thocht

nor how he was brought to court by Dagenet;

By dagenet in to the court I-brocht;

Nor how the knycht that tyme he cane perſew,

nor of the giants he slew at Camelot;

280 Nor of the gyantis by camelot he ſlew;

Nor wil I not her tell the maner how

He ſlew o knycht, by natur of his wow,

nor how he slew a knight of Melyholt;

Off melyholt; nore how in to that toune

284 Thar came one hyme o gret confuſione

Of pupil and [of] knychtis, al enarmyt,

and there defended himself against a crowd;

Nor how he thar haith kepit hyme wnharmyt;

Nor of his worſchip, nor of his gret prowes,

288 Nor his defens of armys in the pres.

whereupon the lady of Melyhalt prayed him to yield his sword to her; and kept him in her power.

Nor how the lady of melyhalt yat ſche

Came to the feild, and pray[i]th hyme that he

As to o lady to hir7 his ſuerd hath ȝold,

292 Nor how he was in to hir keping hold;

And mony vthir nobil deid alſo

I wil report quharfor I lat ourgo.

Whoever likes, might make of these things a long story.

For quho thaim lykith for to ſpecyfy,

296 Of one of thaim mycht mak o gret ſtory;

Nor thing I not of his hye renōwn

My febil wit to makin menſioune;

But I think to tell of the wars between Arthur and Galiot;

Bot of the weris that was ſcharp and ſtrong,

300 Richt perellouß, and hath enduryt long,

[Fol. 5.]

Of Arthur In defending of his lond

Frome galiot, ſone of the fair gyonde,

That brocht of knychtis o paſing confluens;

wherein Lancelot won renown by his defence of Arthur;

304 And how lancelot of arthuris hol defens

And of the veris berith the renowñ;

And how he be the wais of fortoune

and at last made peace between the two princes.

Tuex the two princis makith the accorde,

308 Of al there mortall weris to concorde;

I shall also tell how Venus rewarded him.

And how that venus, ſiting hie abuf,

Reuardith hyme of trauell in to loue,

And makith hyme his ladice grace to have,

312 And thankfully his ſeruice cane reſave;

This is the mater quhich I think to tell.

Bot ſtil he mot rycht with the lady duell,

Quhill tyme cum eft that we ſchal of hym ſpek.

My summary must end for the present.

316 This proceß [now] mot cloſine beñ and ſtek;

And furth I wil one to my mater go.

THE DEDICATION.

But I pray for the support of a very great poet,

Bot first I pray, and I beſek also,

One to the moſt conpilour to ſupport,

320 Flour of poyetis, quhois nome I wil report

To me nor to noñ vthir It accordit,

whose name I may not mention;

In to our rymyng his nam̅ to be recordit;

For ſum ſuld deme It of preſumpſioune,

for our riming is but derision, when his excellence is remembered.

324 And ek our rymyng is al bot deryſioune,

Quhen that remembrit is his excellens,

So hie abuf that ſtant in reuerans.

Ye freſch enditing of his laiting toung

The world knows his eloquence in inditing Latin;

328 Out throuch yis world ſo wid is yroung,

Of eloquens, and ek of retoryk;

Nor is, nor was, nore neuer beith hyme lyk,

and none can ever gladden the world like him:

This world gladith of his ſuet poetry.

332 His ſaul I blyß conſeruyt be for-thy;

to him be the thanks for my success.

And yf that ony lusty terme I wryt

He haith the thonk yerof, and this endit.

EXPLICIT PROLOGUS, ET INCIPIT PRIMUS LIBER.

ARTHUR AT CARLISLE.