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Version 2.
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Le texte de base est celui de ldition de Janet Cowen, Penguin Classics (2 vol.).
PREFACE OF WILLIAM CAXTON

1 AFTER that I had accomplished and nished divers histories, as well of contemplation as of
other historial and worldly acts of great conquerors and princes, and also certain books of examples
and doctrine, many noble and divers gentlemen of this realm of England camen and demanded
me many and ofttimes, wherefore that I have not do made and imprint the noble history of the
Sangrail, and of the most renowned Christian king, rst and chief of the three best Christian, and
worthy, King Arthur, which ought most to be remembered among us Englishmen tofore all other
Christian kings.
2 For it is notoyrly known through the universal world that there be nine worthy and the best
that ever were, that is to wit, three paynims, three Jews, and three Christian men. As for the
paynims, they were tofore the Incarnation of Christ, which were named: the rst Hector of Troy,
of whom the history is comen both in ballad and in prose; the second Alexander the Great; and
the third, Julius Caesar, Emperor of Rome, of whom the histories be well-known and had. And as
for the three Jews, which also were tofore the Incarnation of our Lord, of whom the rst was Duke
Joshua, which brought the children of Israel into the land of behest, the second David, King of
Jerusalem, and the third Judas Maccabaeus, of these three the Bible rehearseth all their noble
histories and acts. And sith the said Incarnation have been three noble Christian men stalled and
admitted through the universal world into the number of the nine best and worthy, of whom was
rst the noble Arthur, whose noble acts I purpose to write in this present book here following.
The second was Charlemagne, or Charles the Great, of whom the history is had in many places
both in French and in English; and the third and last was Godfrey of Bouillon, of whose acts and
life I made a book unto the excellent prince and king of noble memory, King Edward the Fourth.
3 The said noble gentlemen instantly required me to imprint the history of the said noble king
and conqueror King Arthur, and of his knights, with the history of the Sangrail, and of the death
and ending of the said Arthur; arming that I ought rather to imprint his acts and noble feats,
than of Godfrey of Bouillon, or any of the other eight, considering that he was a man born within
this realm, and king and emperor of the same; and that there be in French divers and many noble
volumes of his acts, and also of his knights.
4 To whom I answered, that divers men hold opinion that there was no such Arthur, and that
all such books as be made of him be but feigned and fables, because that some chronicles make of
him no mention nor remember him nothing, ne of his knights.
5 Whereto they answered, and one in special said, that in him that should say or think that
there was never such a king called Arthur might well be aretted great folly and blindness; for he
said that there were many evidences of the contrary: rst, ye may see his sepulture in the Monastery of Glastonbury; and also in Policronicon, in the fth book, the sixth chapter, and in the
seventh book the twenty-third chapter, where his body was buried, and after founden, and translated into the said monastery. Ye shall see also in the history of Boccaccio, in his book De Casu
Principum, part of his noble acts, and also of his fall. Also Galfridus in his British book recounteth
his life. And in divers places of England many remembrances be yet of him, and shall remain
perpetually, and also of his knights. First in the Abbey of Westminster, at Saint Edwards shrine,
remaineth the print of his seal in red wax closed in beryl, in which is written: Patricius Arthurus,
Britannie, Gallie, Germanie, Dacie, Imperator. Item in the Castle of Dover ye may see Gawains skull and
Cradoks mantle; at Winchester, the Round Table; at other places, Launcelots sword and many
other things. Then all these things considered, there can no man reasonably gainsay but there
was a king of this land named Arthur. For in all places, Christian and heathen, he is reputed and
taken for one of the nine worthy, and the rst of the three Christian men. And also he is more
spoken of beyond the sea, more books made of his noble acts than there be in England, as well in
Dutch, Italian, Spanish, and Greek, as in French. And yet of record remain in witness of him in
Wales, in the town of Camelot, the great stones and marvellous works of iron lying under the
ground, and royal vaults, which divers now living hath seen. Wherefore it is a marvel why he is
no more renowned in his own country, save only it accordeth to the word of God, which saith
that no man is accepted for a prophet in his own country.
6 Then, all these things aforesaid alleged, I could not well deny but that there was such a noble
king named Arthur, and reputed one of the nine worthy, and rst and chief of the Christian men.
And many noble volumes be made of him and of his noble knights in French, which I have seen
and read beyond the sea, which be not had in our maternal tongue, but in Welsh be many and
also in French, and some in English, but no where nigh all. Wherefore, such as have late been
drawn out briey into English I have after the simple cunning that God hath sent to me, under
the favour and correction of all noble lords and gentlemen, enprised to imprint a book of the
noble histories of the said King Arthur, and of certain of his knights, after a copy unto me delivered, which copy Sir Thomas Malory did take out of certain books of French, and reduced it into
English.
7 And I, according to my copy, have done set it in imprint, to the intent that noble men may
see and learn the noble acts of chivalry, the gentle and virtuous deeds that some knights used in
those days, by which they came to honour; and how they that were vicious were punished and oft
put to shame and rebuke; humbly beseeching all noble lords and ladies, with all other estates of
what estate or degree they been of, that shall see and read in this said book and work, that they
take the good and honest acts in their remembrance, and to follow the same, wherein they shall
nd many joyous and pleasant histories, and noble and renowned acts of humanity, gentleness,
and chivalry. For herein may be seen noble chivalry, courtesy, humanity, friendliness, hardiness,
love, friendship, cowardice, murder, hate, virtue, and sin. Do after the good and leave the evil,
and it shall bring you to good fame and renown.
8 And for to pass the time this book shall be pleasant to read in; but for to give faith and believe
that all is true that is contained herein, ye be at your liberty. But all is written for our doctrine,
and for to beware that we fall not to vice ne sin, but to exercise and follow virtue, by which we
may come and attain to good fame and renown in this life, and after this short and transitory life,
to come unto everlasting bliss in heaven, the which He grant us that reigneth in heaven, the
blessed Trinity. Amen.
9 Then to proceed forth in this said book, which I direct unto all noble princes, lords and ladies,
gentlemen or gentlewomen, that desire to read or hear read of the noble and joyous history of the
great conqueror and excellent king, King Arthur, sometime king of this noble realm, then called
Britain. I, William Caxton, simple person, present this book following, which I have enprised to
imprint; and treateth of the noble acts, feats of arms of chivalry, prowess, hardiness, humanity,
love, courtesy, and very gentleness, with many wonderful histories and adventures. And for to
understand briey the content of this volume, I have divided it into twenty-one books, and every
book chaptered, as hereafter shall by Gods grace follow. []1 The sum is twenty-one books, which
contain the sum of five hundred and seven chapters, as more plainly shall follow hereafter.
[ tort ou raison, je nai pas jug utile de traduire cette Prface.]
1 accomplished and nished premier redoublement synonymique/renforcement tautologique (sr et certain, libre et sans entrave, contraint et forc)
2 divers histories, as well of contemplation as of other historial and worldly acts of great conquerors and princes, and also certain books of examples and doctrine divers rcits, tant de rexion que dactions historiques et mondaines de grands conqurants et princes, ainsi que
certains livres diants et didactiques (cest chez Caxton quon trouve la 1re attestation de
history ; historial [emprunt au franais ; Amyot peut encore crire Toutes choes et
ctions que lon veut deguier du nom ditoriale verit ] a prcd historic(al))
3 camen maintien de la dsinence du vieil-anglais (de mme, au 2, le participe
pass comen et founden au 5) ; camen and demanded vinrent me demander (to demand na pas encore pris systmatiquement le sens dexiger)
4 many and ofttimes de nombreuses reprises et frquemment oft(en)times semble calqu sur souventes fois
5 wherefore pour quelle raison
6 I have not do made (factitif) had made [note de J. Cowen] do done ; wherefore
that I have not do made and imprint pourquoi je navais pas fait imprimer (Caxton emploie imprint, le futur print, pour imprimer et print [the print of his seal in red wax
closed in beryl] pour empreinte ) cf. camen and demanded
7 Sangrail = Holy Grail saint Graal (le mot dsignait un plat, une assiette)
8 the most renowned Christian king pour the moot renomed cryten kyng
9 chief anctre de chef , lancien-franais chief tait substantif (cf. de rechief) et
adjectif, cf. chef-lieu principal manoir dun seigneur (caput mansus, chef manse)
10 and worthy amorce du thme des Neuf Preux (The Nine Worthies dans la version
moderne, mais the Nine Worthy dans The Floure and the Leafe, par exemple)
11 King Arthur, which le texte a recours quatre relatifs possibles quand lantcdent
est une personne : 02 [absence de relatif], that, which, who.
1
2
Le passage omis est simplement la table des matires.

Les langues germaniques, au stade mdival, nont pas de relatifs propres. Franois Chevillet, 1994.
12 tofore avant
13 notoyrly (notoriously) known notoire ladverbe me semble bien tre un hapax,
hybride de surcrot
14 there be nine worthy forme usuelle du pluriel au prsent de lindicatif, concurremment avec are. Le motif des Neuf Preux remonte Jacques de Longuyon, les Vux du
Paon (1312), dont voici lextrait se rapportant au roi Arthur (source : Paul Meyer, Les
neuf preux , Bulletin de la Socit des anciens textes franais, IX, 1883, p. 51-52) :
.III. crestens resai tiex conques hons vivant
Ne vit a meillor deus porter hiaume luisant.
DArtus qui tint Bretaingne va le bruit tesmoingnant
Que il mata Ruiston, .j. jaiant en plain champ,
Qui tant par estoit fort, er et outrecuidant
Que de barbes de rois st fere .j. vestement,
Liquel roi li estoient par force obessant ;
Si vost avoir lArtus, mais il i fu faillant !
Sus le mont saint Michiel en roccist .j. si grant
Que tuit cil du pas en furent mervellant.
En plusors autrez lieus, se lestoire ne ment,
Vainqui cil rois Artus maint prince outrequidant.
il voulut avoir celle dArthur
Voir aussi Anne Salamon (Paris IV), tude de la gure dArthur la n du Moyen ge
travers le motif des Neuf Preux , 22e Congrs de la Socit Internationale Arthurienne,
Actes, 17 juillet 2008. Stith Thompson, Motif P672.1. Fur made of beards of conquered kings.
Ruiston (Rion dans Lestoire de Merlin) est Rience dans Le Morte. Voir notamment I, 17 20.
En V, 5 Arthur met galement un terme aux sinistres exploits dun personnage homonyme : gant, ogre, violeur et lui aussi collectionneur de barbes royales.
15 that is to wit [original : wete] savoir (locution qui a prcd cest--dire )
16 three paynims pagans cf. Roland Pois si escrient lenseigne paienime , puis ils poussent le cri de guerre paen ( comparer avec E si escriet lenseigne paienur , et il pousse le
cri de guerre des paens, paganorum)
17 in ballad en vers
18 of whom the histories be well-known and had disponibles, accessibles cf. of whom the
history is had in many places et which be not had in our maternal tongue
19 Duke Joshua [imitation du latin Iosue dux] Josu (Joshua t the battle of Jericho)
20 the land of behest la terre promise vieil-anglais behs cf. behote, behight
21 rehearseth [avec dsinence -e du vieil-anglais] rapporte, relate
22 sith (vieil-anglais s et le compos san [do sithen], cf. allemand seitdem) since
23 stalled forme aphrse de installed
24 I purpose to write in this present book here following le narrateur assumant le rle dauteur cantonne Malory (mentionn au 6) dans un rle subalterne
25 Dacie [= Daci] il sagit du Danemark, note Helen Cooper, 1998, p. 565 (et non pas,
en gros, de la Roumanie)
26 Godfrey of Bouillon Godefroy de Bouillon [ville et commune de Belgique, province de
Luxembourg, dont il tait seigneur mais il est peut-tre n Boulogne-sur-Mer], un des
principaux chefs de la 1re croisade ; Caxton a publi en 1481 Eracles, and also Godefrey of
Boloyne, traduction dune version franaise de lHistoria rerum in partibus transmarinis gestarum (dite Histoire dOutre-mer), de Guillaume de Tyr.
27 or any of the other eight J. Cowen a normalis et la construction dire : or ony the
other eyght
28 Edward the Fourth [1442-1483]
29 instantly instamment
30 be but feigned sont de pures inventions
31 ne ni (cf. 8 that we fall not to vice ne sin)
32 Whereto they answered, and one in special said quoi ils rpliqurent, et lun deux,
en particulier, dclara
33 in him that should say or think that there was never such a king called Arthur might well
be aretted great folly and blindness celui qui prtendrait ou croirait que jamais il ny a eu
de roi du nom dArthur, on pourrait bien adresser le reproche de grande sottise et daveuglement ancien-franais areter accuser (Je voudroie morir anois QuAmors mest de
fausset Ne de trason aret Jaimerais mieux mourir que de me voir accuser par Amour
de fausset et de trahison ).
34 many evidences nombreuses preuves ; nombreux tmoignages
35 ye may see his sepulture Le pronom personnel de 2e personne du pluriel tait chi
en vieil-anglais : nominatif / , accusatif/datif ow ; ces formes aboutissent en moyenanglais au cas-sujet ye et au cas-rgime you, ce dernier nissant par simposer, seul.
36 Glastonbury dans le Somerset
37 Polichronicon = Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden (XIVe sicle), dont Caxton a publi en
1482 une version rvise de la traduction anglaise par John (of) Trevisa
38 translated (on dit encore translation dune dpouille, de cendres, de reliques)
39 Boccaccio, in his book De Casu Principum il sagit de louvrage en latin intitul De
Casibus uirorum illustrium, sur le thme des vicissitudes de fortune ; De Arturo Britonum
rege se trouve en VIII, 19.
40 Galfridus = Georey of Monmouth (Galfridus de Monemuta) [1100-1154], vque de
Saint-Asaph (Llanelwy en gallois ; na jamais t un archevch), Historia regum Britanni
41 Item de mme
42 Gawain = Gauvain
43 Cradoks mantle Cradok est le Gallois Caradawc Vreichvras/Freichfras (armstrong)
[devenu Briefbras1 with a shrunken arm {Carados Briebraz dans le conte du Mantel mautailli ; Aprs fu Caradu Briebraz, uns chevaliers de grant solaz , dans rec} comme
Guillaume au corb nez au nez busqu est devenu au court nez] ; une des branches des
lgendes o il apparat le met en rapport avec le thme du manteau mal taill.
1
Voir Roger Sherman Loomis. Ltrange histoire de Caradoc de Vannes. In: Annales de Bretagne. T. 70, numro 2, 1963. pp. 165175.
44 Round Table Lcrivain emploie concurremment et sans quil y ait dcart signicatif
entre le nombre doccurrences table round et round table, mme si ce dernier lemporte.
This is the rownde table of kyng Arthur w(ith) xxiiii of his namyde knyattes.
S blubrys Sir Blioberis
S lacotemale tayle Sir La cotemal tail
S lucane Sir Lucan
S plomyd Sir Palamedes
S lamorak Sir Lamorak
S born de ganys Sir Bors
S safer Sir Saphar
S pelleus Sir Pellinore
Winchester Round Table (clich Wikimedia Commons); texte Wikipedia
S galahallt Sir Galahad

S launcelot deulake Sir Lancelot
S gauen Sir Gawaine
S p(er)cyvale Sir Percival
S Iyonell Sir Lionel
S trystram delyens Sir Tristan
S garethe Sir Gareth
S bedwere Sir Bedivere
= Libeaus Desconus [Li Biaus Descounes] ; Gingalin.
S kay Sir Kay

S Ectorde marys Sir Ector
S dagonet Sir Dagonet
S degore Sir Degore
S brumear Sir Brunar
S lybyus dyscovy(us)1 Sir Guinglain
S Alynore Sir Alymore
S mordrede Sir Mordred
45 there can no man reasonably gainsay but there was a king of this land named Arthur nul
ne saurait raisonnablement contester (gainsay) quil y a eu un roi de notre pays appel
Arthur (cf. VI, 3 there can no lady have thy love but one)
46 more books J. Cowen a normalis : ct de more (vieil-anglais mra), Caxton emploie loccasion moo (vieil-anglais m) /mo:/ la graphie boookes (p. 9) nest pas une faute
dimpression
47 Dutch, Italian, Spanish allemand
48 Camelot Point de divergence entre Caxton (qui situe Camelot au Pays de Galles) et
Malory (qui, en II, 19, lidentie Winchester [dans le Hampshire], called Camelot in those
days, II, 1).
Norris J. Lacy, 1987 :
Camelots geographical imprecision, whether conscious or not, is a stroke of genius on the part of
romance authors: for Camelot, located nowhere in particular, can be anywhere. In the world of
Arthurian romance, it is less a specic place than a state of mind, a source of inspiration, an idea.
49 no man is accepted for a prophet in his own country

, nemo propheta acceptus est in patria sua
50 all these things aforesaid alleged pour al thee thynges forayd aledged ( cites )
51 beyond the sea Caxton a sjourn Bruges et Cologne
52 but no where nigh all mais pas tous, tant sen faut nigh proche ; prs , vieilanglais n(a)h, correspondant lallemand nah et au nerlandais na ; les comparatif et superlatif sont near et next (nearer est donc le comparatif dun comparatif) neighbour.
53 cunning capacit, comptence
54 did take out (ce nest pas une forme dinsistance, emphatic form, mais un factitif)
55 reduced it lai traduit iay au employer quelques iours a reduire en fracois vng petit
liuret Jehan Lefebvre, Emblemes dAlciat, 1536.
56 for to pass the time for to nest pas encore redondant : si for indique le but, to
nest encore que la marque de linnitif
57 but for to give faith and believe that all is true that is contained herein, ye be at your liberty
mais quant ajouter foi et crance la vracit de tout ce que contient le prsent livre,
vous de juger Louvrage est donc clairement prsent comme une ction.
58 beware that we fall not to vice la construction ngative avec do est encore rare ; fall
est au subjonctif, de mme grant dans the which He grant us
59 to read or hear read depuis lantiquit, il tait habituel (quand cela tait possible) de
se faire lire les textes haute voix par un anagnoste ( ; Rabelais) [Vorleser]
60 everlasting bliss batitude ternelle
61 the which He grant us (subjonctif)
62 Then to proceed forth in this said book, which I direct unto Pour en venir, donc, au
livre en question, que je destine
63 sometime king qui fut un temps, un moment donn ( jadis) roi
64 simple person simple particulier (qui nest pas noble, roturier)

65 and very gentleness vraie/vritable noblesse (ancien-franais verai ; cf. vracit)
66 for to understand briey the content of this volume en vue de donner un aperu du
contenu du prsent volume
67 hereafter ci-aprs (cest aussi lau-del )
Voici, titre de comparaison, une transcription du mme texte dans ldition originale.
Fter that I had accomplyhed and fynyhed dyuers hytoryes as wel of

contemplacyon as of other hytoryal and wordly actes of grete conquerours &
prynces / And alo certeyn bookes of enaumples and doctryne / Many noble and
dyuers gentylmen of thys royame of Englond camen and demaunded me many and
oftymes / wherfore that I haue not do made & enprynte the noble hytorye of the aynt
greal / and of the moot renomed cryten kyng / Fyrt and chyef of the thre bet cryten
and worthy / kyng Arthur / whyche ought moot to be remembred emonge vs englyhe
men tofore al other cryten kynges / For it is notoyrly knowen thorugh the vnyueral
world / that there been ix worthy & the bet that euer were / That is to wete thre
paynyms / thre Iewes and thre cryten men / As for the paynyms they were tofore the
Incarnacyon of Cryt / whiche were named / the fyrt Hector of Troye / of whome
thytorye is comen bothe in balade and in proe / The econd Alyaunder the grete / &
the thyrd Iulyus Cezar Emperour of Rome of whome thytoryes ben wel kno and had /
And as for the thre Iewes whyche alo were tofore thyncarnacyon of our lord of whome
the fyrt was Duc Ioue whyche brought the chyldren of Irahel in to the londe of byhete
/ The econd Dauyd kyng of Iherualem / & the thyrd Iudas Machabeus of thee thre the
byble reherceth al theyr noble hytoryes & actes / And ythe the ayd Incarnacyon haue
ben thre noble cryten men talled and admytted thorugh the vnyueral world in to the
nombre of the ix bete & worthy / of whome was fyrt the noble Arthur / whos noble
actes I purpoe to wryte in thys preent book here folowyng / The econd was
Charlemayn or Charles the grete / of whome thytorye is had in many places bothe in
frenhe and englyhe / and the thyrd and lat was Godefray of boloyn / of whos actes &
lyf I made a book vnto thexcellent prynce and kyng of noble memorye kyng Edward the
fourth / the ayd noble Ientylmen Intantly requyred me temprynte thytorye of the
ayd noble kyng and conquerour kyng Arthur / and of his knyghtes wyth thytorye of
the aynt greal / and of the deth and endyng of the ayd Arthur / Affermyng that I out
rather tenprynte his actes and noble feates / than of godefroye of boloyne / or ony the
other eyght / conyderyng that he was a man borne wythin this royame and kyng and
Emperour of the ame / And that there ben in frenhe dyuers and many noble volumes
of his actes / and alo of his knyghtes / To whome I anwerd / that dyuers men holde
oppynyon / that there was no uche Arthur / and that alle uche bookes as been maad of
hym / ben fayned and fables / by caue that omme cronycles make of hym no mencyon
ne remembre hym noo thynge ne of his knyghtes / wherto they anwerd / and one if
pecyal ayd / that in hym that hold ay or thynke / that there was neuer uche a kynge
callyd Arthur / myght wel be aretted grete folye and blyndenee / For he ayd that
there were many euydences of the contrarye / Fyrt ye may ee his epulture in the
monaterye of Glatyngburye / And alo in polycronycon in the v book the yxte
chappytre / and in the euenth book the xxiij chappytre/ where his body was buryed
and after founden and tranlated in to the ayd monaterye / ye hal e alo in thytorye
of bochas in his book de cau principum / parte of his noble actes / and alo of his falle /
Alo galfrydus in his brutyhe book recounteth his lyf / and in dyuers places of Englond
/ many remembraunces ben yet of hym and hall remayne perpetuelly / and alo of his
knyghtes / Fyrt in the abbey of wetmetre at aynt Edwardes hryne remayneth the
prynte of his eal in reed Waxe cloed in beryll/ In whych is wryton Patricius Arthurus /
Britannie / Gallie / Germanie / dacie / Imperator / Item in the catel of douer ye may ee
Gauwayns kulle / & Cradoks mantle. At wyncheter the rounde table / in other places
Launcelottes werde and many other thynges / Thenne al thee thynges conydered
there can no man reonably gaynaye but there was a kyng of thys lande named Arthur /
For in al places cryten and hethen he is reputed and taken for one of the ix worthy /
And the fyrt of the thre Cryten men / And alo he is more poken of beyonde the ee
moo boookes made of his noble actes than there be in englond as wel in duche ytalyen
paynyhe and grekyhe as in frenhe / And yet of record remayne in wytnee of hym
in wales in the toune of Camelot the grete tones & meruayllous werkys of yron lyeng
vnder the grounde & ryal vautes which dyuers now lyuyng hath een / wherfor it is a
meruayl why he is nomore renomed in his owne contreye / auf onelye it accordeth to
the worde of god / whyche ayth that no man is accept for a prophete in his owne
contreye / Thene al thee thynges forayd aledged I coude not wel denye / but that there
was uche a noble kyng named arthur / and reputed one of the ix Worthy / & fyrt &
chyef of the criten men / & many noble volumes be made of hym & of his noble knytes
in frenhe which I haue een & redde beyonde the ee / which been not had in our
maternal tongue / but in walhe ben many & alo in frenhe / & somme in englyhe
but no wher nygh alle / wherfore uche as haue late ben drawen oute bryefly in to
englyhe / I haue after the ymple connynge that god hath ente to me / vnder the
fauour and correctyon of al noble lordes and gentylmen enprysed to enprynte a book of
the noble hytoryes of the ayd kynge Arthur / and of certeyn of his knyghtes after a
copye vnto me delyuerd / whyche copye Syr Thomas Malorye dyd take oute of certeyn
bookes of frenhe and reduced it in to Englyhe / And I accordyng to my copye haue
doon ette it in enprynte / to the entente that noble men may ee and lerne the noble
actes of chyualrye / the Ientyl and vertuous dedes that somme knyghtes ved in tho
dayes / by whyche they came to honour / and how they that were vycious were
punyhed and ofte put to hame and rebuke / humbly byechyng al noble lordes and
ladyes wyth al other etates of what etate or degree they been of / that hal ee and rede
in this ayd book and werke / that they take the good and honet actes in their
remembraunce / and to folowe the ame / Wherin they halle fynde many Ioyous and
playaunt hytoryes / and noble & renomed actes of humanyte / gentylnee and
chyualryes / For herein may be een noble chyualrye / Curtoye / Humanyte /
frendlynee / hardynee / loue / frendhyp / Cowardye / Murdre / hate / vertue / and
ynne / Doo after the good and leue the euyl / and it hal brynge you to good fame and
renommee / And for to pae the tyme thys boook hal be pleaunte to rede in / but for
to gyue fayth and byleue that al is trewe that is conteyned herin / ye be at your lyberte /
but al is wryton for our doctryne / and for to beware that we falle not to vyce ne ynne /
but texerye and folowe vertu / by whyche we may come and atteyne to good fame and
renomme in thys lyf / and after thys horte and tranytorye lyf to come vnto euerlatyng
blye in heuen / the whyche he graunte vs that reygneth in heuen the bleyd Trynyte
Amen /
THenne to procede forth in thys ayd book / whyche I dyrecte vnto alle noble prynces /
lordes and ladyes / gentylmen or gentylwymmen that deyre to rede or here redde of
the noble and Ioyous hytorye of the grete conquerour and excellent kyng. Kyng Arthur
/ omtyme kyng of thys noble royalme / thenne callyd / brytaygne / I wyllyam Caxton
ymple perone preent thys book folowyng / Whyche I haue enpryed tenprynte / And
treateth of the noble actes / feates of armes of chyualrye / prowee / hardynee /
humanyte loue / curtoye / and veray gentylnee / wyth many wonderful hytoryes and
adventures / And for to vndertonde bryefly the contente of thys volume / I haue
deuyded it in to xxj bookes / and euery book chapytred as here after hal by goddes
grace folowe / [] The omme is xxj bookes whyche conteyne the oome of v hondred &
vij chapytres / as more playnly hal folowe herafter /
Hormis le sparateur / et le pied-de-mouche (pilcrow sign) , le texte imprim na pas recours
une ponctuation. Par consquent, il ne note pas les lisions tout en les pratiquant : thytorye, thyncarnacyon, temprynte, thexcellent, texerye, formes que les diteurs prfrent le plus souvent moderniser (thytorye, thyncarnacyon, temprynte, thexcellent, texerye) pour ne pas drouter le lecteur,
allant jusqu rcrire le texte (the hystorye, the yncarnacyon, to emprynte, the excellent, to exerye) et
mettre les graphies en conformit avec les normes actuelles, ce qui a pour eet de crer linsu
du lecteur et au prix dun tassement chronologique une langue articielle o paraissent en synchronie des lments disparates.
Il sagit, de ma part, de prconiser non pas une reverence de lantiquaille en tant que telle, mais un
respect du texte et de la langue dans laquelle il a t crit.
Le graphme appel yogh ( : Unicode 021D) sest maintenu dans deux formes de la Prface : out et
knytes ( ct de ought et knyghtes) o il notait, du moins date ancienne, respectivement [], fricative uvulaire sourde ou ach-Laut, et [], chuintante vlaire sourde ou Ich-Laut.
clich maloryproject
Table des matires du premier livre

Chapter 1 [volet 1]
First, How Uther Pendragon sent for the Duke of Cornwall and Igraine his wife, and of their
departing suddenly again
Uther Pendragon convoque le duc de Cornouailles et Igraine, sa femme ; dans quelles
circonstances ils sclipsent
Chapter 2 [volet 2]
How Uther Pendragon made war on the Duke of Cornwall, and how by the mean of Merlin
he lay by the Duchess and gat Arthur
Uther Pendragon fait la guerre au duc de Cornouailles et, grce Merlin, couche
avec la duchesse et engendre Arthur
Chapter 3 [volet 3]
Of the birth of King Arthur and of his nurture
Naissance du roi Arthur ; comment il est lev
Chapter 4 [volet 4]
Of the death of King Uther Pendragon
Mort du roi Uther Pendragon
Chapter 5 [volet 5]
How Arthur was chosen king, and of wonders and marvels of a sword taken out of a stone
by the said Arthur
Arthur est choisi pour roi ; merveille et stupfaction : une pe est sortie dune
pierre par ledit Arthur
Chapter 6 [volet 6]
How King Arthur pulled out the sword divers times
Le roi Arthur dgage lpe du perron plusieurs reprises
Chapter 7 [volet 7]
How King Arthur was crowned, and how he made ocers
Le roi Arthur est couronn et procde des nominations aux grandes charges
Chapter 8 [volet 8]
How King Arthur held in Wales, at a Pentecost, a great feast, and what kings and lords came
to his feast
Le roi Arthur tient une grande fte au Pays de Galles, lors dune Pentecte ; quels
rois et seigneurs sy rendent
Chapter 9 [volet 9]
Of the rst war that King Arthur had, and how he won the eld
Premire guerre que mne le roi Arthur ; comment il la remporte
Chapter 10 [volet 10]
How Merlin counselled King Arthur to send for King Ban and King Bors, and of their counsel
taken for the war
Merlin recommande au roi Arthur de faire venir les rois Ban et Bohort ; ils prennent conseil sur la conduite de la guerre
Of a great tourney made by King Arthur and the two Kings Ban and Bors, and how they
went over the sea
Grand tournoi organis par le roi Arthur et les rois Ban et Bohort ; ces derniers
font la traverse
How eleven kings gathered a great host against King Arthur
Onze rois runissent une grande arme contre le roi Arthur
Of a dream of the King with the Hundred Knights
Songe du roi des Cent Chevaliers
How the eleven kings with their host fought against Arthur and his host, and many great
feats of the war
Combat des onze rois et de leur arme contre Arthur et la sienne, occasion de
nombreux faits darmes

Yet of the same battle
La bataille continue
Yet more of the same battle
[Sans titre chez J. Cowen.]
La bataille se poursuit
Yet more of the said battle, and how it was ended by Merlin
La bataille sternisant, Merlin y met un terme
How King Arthur, King Ban, and King Bors rescued King Leodegrance, and other incidents
Le roi Arthur, le roi Ban et le roi Bohort au secours du roi Lodagan, et autres pripties
How King Arthur rode to Caerleon, and of his dream, and how he saw the Questing Beast
Le roi Arthur chevauche jusqu Carlisle, fait un songe et voit la Bte Glatissante
How King Pellinor took Arthurs horse and followed the Questing Beast, and how Merlin met
with Arthur
Le roi Pellinor sempare du cheval dArthur et suit la Bte Glatissante ; Merlin rencontre Arthur
How Ulus apeached Queen Igraine, Arthurs mother, of treason; and how a knight came
and desired to have the death of his master revenged
Ulfin accuse la reine Igraine, mre dArthur, de lse-majest et un chevalier [lire :
un cuyer] vient demander que la mort de son matre soit venge
How Griet was made knight, and jousted with a knight
Griet, peine adoub, se mesure un autre chevalier

How the twelve knights came from Rome and asked truage for this land of Arthur, and how
Arthur fought with a knight
Les douze chevaliers venus de Rome exigent que le royaume dArthur devienne
tributaire ; Arthur se bat en duel contre un chevalier
How Merlin saved Arthurs life, and threw an enchantment on King Pellinor and made him
to sleep
Merlin sauve la vie dArthur en endormant le roi Pellinor grce un enchantement
How Arthur by the mean of Merlin gat Excalibur his sword of the Lady of the Lake
Grce Merlin, Arthur obtient de la Dame du Lac son pe, Excalibur
How tidings came to Arthur that King Rience had overcome eleven kings, and how he
desired Arthurs beard to pure his mantle
Arthur apprend que le roi Rion a remport la victoire sur onze rois et quil exige la
barbe dArthur pour en liserer son manteau
How all the children were sent for that were born on May-day, and how Mordred was saved
On fait rechercher tous les enfants ns un premier mai ; Mordred sauv des eaux
Version 1.2
Notes de lecture
8
BOOK I
CHAPTER 8. How King Arthur held in Wales, at a Pentecost, a great

feast, and what kings and lords came to his feast
1 Then the king removed into Wales, and let cry a great feast that it should be holden at Pentecost after the incoronation of him at the city of Caerleon. Unto the feast came King Lot of Lothian
and of Orkney, with five hundred knights with him. Also there came to the feast King Uriens of
Gore with four hundred knights with him. Also there came to that feast King Nentres of Garlot,
with seven hundred knights with him. Also there came to the feast the king of Scotland with six
hundred knights with him, and he was but a young man. Also there came to the feast a king that
was called the King with the Hundred Knights, but he and his men were passing well beseen at all
points. Also there came the king of Carados with five hundred knights.
2 And King Arthur was glad of their coming, for he weened that all the kings and knights had
come for great love, and to have done him worship at his feast, wherefore the king made great
joy, and sent the kings and knights great presents. But the kings would none receive, but rebuked
the messengers shamefully, and said they had no joy to receive no gifts of a beardless boy that
was come of low blood, and sent him word they would none of his gifts, but that they were come
to give him gifts with hard swords betwixt the neck and the shoulders; and therefore they came
thither, so they told to the messengers plainly, for it was great shame to all them to see such a
boy to have a rule of so noble a realm as this land was. With this answer the messengers departed
and told to King Arthur this answer. Wherefore, by the advice of his barons, he took him to a
strong tower with five hundred good men with him; and all the kings aforesaid in a manner laid a
siege tofore him, but King Arthur was well victualled.
3 And within fifteen days there came Merlin among them into the city of Caerleon. Then all the
kings were passing glad of Merlin, and asked him, For what cause is that boy Arthur made your king?
Sirs, said Merlin, I shall tell you the cause, for he is King Uther Pendragons son, born in wedlock,
gotten on Igraine, the Dukes wife of Tintagel.
Then is he a bastard, they said all.

Nay, said Merlin, after the death of the duke, more than three hours, was Arthur begotten, and
thirteen days after, King Uther wedded Igraine; and therefore I prove him he is no bastard, and who saith
nay, he shall be king and overcome all his enemies; and, or he die, he shall be long king of all England, and
have under his obeissance Wales, Ireland, and Scotland, and more realms than I will now rehearse.
4 Some of the kings had marvel of Merlins words, and deemed well that it should be as he said;
and some of them laughed him to scorn, as King Lot; and more other called him a witch. But then
were they accorded with Merlin, that King Arthur should come out and speak with the kings, and
to come safe and to go safe, such surance there was made. So Merlin went unto King Arthur, and
told him how he had done, and bad him fear not, but come out boldly and speak with them, and spare
them not, but answer them as their king and chieftain, for ye shall overcome them all, whether they will or
nill.
Le roi Arthur tient une grande fte au Pays de Galles, lors dune Pentecte ;
quels rois et seigneurs sy rendent
1 Le roi se rendit alors au Pays de Galles et t annoncer par des crieurs quune grande fte se tiendrait dans la ville de Carlisle, la Pentecte suivant son couronnement. cette fte vinrent : Lot, roi
de Lothian et des Orcades, accompagn de cinq cents chevaliers ; Urien, roi du pays de Gore, avec
quatre cents chevaliers ; Nentres, roi du pays de Garlot, avec sept cents chevaliers ; le roi dcosse,
avec six cents chevaliers, et ce ntait encore quun jeune homme ; un roi appel le roi des Cent Chevaliers (lui et les siens avaient particulirement re allure) ; et le roi Caradoc avec cinq cents chevaliers.
2 Le roi Arthur se rjouissait de leur venue car il simaginait que tous les rois et chevaliers
avaient fait le dplacement par grande aection pour lui et pour lui faire honneur sa fte ; aussi,
prouvant cette grande satisfaction, il t parvenir aux rois et chevaliers de riches prsents. Mais
les rois ne voulurent en accepter aucun et, en outre, tancrent honteusement les messagers, expliquant que recevoir des prsents dun gamin imberbe de basse naissance ne leur faisait aucun
plaisir et faisant dire Arthur quils ne voulaient pas entendre parler de ses cadeaux et quils
taient venus lui en faire avec de solides pes entre le cou et les paules ; ainsi donc, ils taient
l, comme ils le dirent sans ambages aux messagers, parce quils trouvaient tous vraiment honteux de voir un tel gamin la tte dun si noble royaume que ce pays. Munis de cette rponse, les
messagers allrent retrouver le roi Arthur et len informrent. Ainsi prvenu, et sur les conseils
de ses barons, il senferma avec cinq cents hommes de valeur dans une tour fortie ; et tous les
rois dont il a t question investirent la tour compltement, mais le roi Arthur avait fait le plein
de provisions.
3 Dans la quinzaine qui suivit, Merlin vint parmi eux, dans la ville de Carlisle. Tous les rois se
rjouirent grandement de voir Merlin et lui demandrent : Comment se fait-il que ce gamin dArthur soit devenu votre roi ?
Messires, rpondit Merlin, il faut que je vous en indique la raison : il est le ls du roi Uther Pendragon, n dans les liens du mariage, conu dans le sein dIgraine, pouse du duc de Tintagel.
Dans ce cas, cest un btard, dirent-ils tous.
Non pas, dit Merlin ; cest aprs la mort du duc, plus de trois heures, quArthur fut engendr, et treize
jours plus tard le roi Uther pousa Igraine : voil comment je dmontre quil nest pas un btard, et qui le
nie, je dis quil sera roi et vaincra tous ses ennemis ; et avant de mourir, il rgnera longtemps sur toute
lAngleterre et aura sous son autorit le Pays de Galles, lIrlande, lcosse et plus de royaumes que je ne puis
en numrer maintenant.
4 Certains des rois furent plongs dans la stupfaction par les propos de Merlin et estimrent
possible quil en soit comme il lavait dit, certains autres (tel le roi Lot) rirent de lui pour manifester leur mpris, dautres encore, plus nombreux, le traitrent de sorcier. Mais il fut alors convenu
entre eux et Merlin que le roi Arthur sortirait parlementer avec les rois, sa sret tant garantie
laller comme au retour, aux termes de laccord conclu ce moment. Merlin alla de ce pas trouver
le roi Arthur, lui t part de sa dmarche et linvita bannir toute crainte : Sortez donc hardiment
et parlez-leur sans les mnager, leur rpondant en tant que leur souverain et leur chef, car vous ne manquerez pas de les vaincre tous, que cela leur plaise ou non.
1 what kings and lords which

2 it should be holden held (mais voir beholden)
3 after the incoronation of him latin mdival incoronatio ; litalien a conserv incoronazione. (On a vu au chapitre prcdent que Malory emploie galement coronation.)
4 the King with the Hundred Knights surnom de Berrant/Bar(r)ant le Apres, selon X, 60 et
XIX, 11. Voici lexplication que donne le narrateur dans Lancelot du Lac propos de
Malaguin:
Cil Rois des Cent Chevaliers estoit issi apelez por ce que il ne chevauchoit nule foiz hors de sa terre que il ne
menast cent chevaliers. Et com il voloit, il en avoit mout plus, car il estoit riches et postes et coisins Galehot,
lo l a la Bele Jaiande, si estoit sires de la terre dEstregor qui marchist au reiaume de Norgales et a la duchee
de Canbenic.
Ce Roi des Cent Chevaliers tait appel ainsi parce que jamais il ne sortait de son royaume sans
une escorte de cent chevaliers, et bien davantage sil le dsirait, car il tait riche et puissant. Il
tait cousin de Galehaut, le ls de la Belle Gante, et seigneur de la terre dEstregor [cf. Strangore
en I, 12], limitrophe du royaume de Norgales et du duch de Cambenync.
The King of the Hundred Knights has been variously identied as Aguysans, Ritschart, Malaguin/Margon
or Heraut/Barant le Apres. He was supposed to be the brother of the Lady of Malehaut and thus King of
that land. He was still a young man when he joined forces with the rebel kings in the early years of King
Arthurs reign. He had many more followers than his popular title suggests, however, for he was able to
pledge some 4,000 mounted warriors to the rebel cause. Two nights before the Battle of Bedegraine, the
King had a wondrous dream in which a great wind blew down all the castles and towns and their ruins
were slept away in a great ood. This was interpreted as meaning that he would do well in battle, and so
he did. The King of the Hundred Knights did not join King Lot of Orkneys second phase of rebellion, however, and submitted to the overlordship of Arthur. He was married to Riccarda, sister of his ally, King
Galehaut of Sorelais. They had sons named Marant and Cargril and a daughter named Landoine. The King
of the Hundred Knights besieged the Sore Pucelles castle on behalf of his son, Cargril, who was enamoured
of her. Cargil, however, was killed and his fathers forces defeated by Sir Gawain. The latter sent the King
of the Hundred Knights back to Camelot. He rescued his sister, the Lady of Malehaut, from an abductor en
route and, upon arrival, was made a Knight of the Round Table. He served in King Arthurs continental
invasions of the Roman Empire and died at the Battle of Lerline ghting for King Amorold of Ireland.
Most of the stories about the King of the Hundred Knights name him as Malaguin or Margon. This name
would seem to indicate that he is based on the historical, King Maelgwn Hir of Gwynedd who lived in the
early 6th century. This is backed up by Malaguin being given as the brother of the Lady of Malehaut, who
was mother of Sir Dodinel. Since Sir Dodinels mother was the niece of King Belinant, her most likely
father and therefore that of Malaguin is Belinants brother, King Cradelmant of Norgales. King
Cradelmant can be identied as the historical Maelgwns father, King Cadwallon Lawhir.
David Nash Fords Early British Kingdoms
http://www.earlybritishkingdoms.com/bios/100knights.html
Maelgwn remonte une forme atteste dans une graphie latinise Maglocunos quon
trouve ici et l rapproche de Malcolm, mais ce prnom veut dire serviteur de (saint)
Colomban [vieil-irlandais mal, de mailos chauve dont le crne a t ras les hommes libres avaient les cheveux longs, esclave tonsur serviteur , peut-tre
rapprocher du breton moal, Moal Enez le-Molne lle chauve, dnude , Molan-surMer] et aucun des termes du compos na le moindre rapport avec Maglocunos.
5 at all points on songe en tous points , mais il faut comprendre (arms) de pied
en cap
6 the king of Carados dordinaire king Carados, le roi Caradoc Voir volet 0 43.
7 they had no joy to receive no gifts of [from] a beardless boy pas plus quen franais de
lpoque les deux ngations ne sannulent en I, 26, Arthur tournera cette critique, beardless, en sarcasme, prenant tmoin le messager du roi Rion, thou mayest see my beard is
full young yet to make a pure of it; voil qui donne une ide de lge du roi au moment de
lpisode. Incident comique en VI, 5 o, la nuit et sous une tente, Lancelot est rveill
en sursaut par les baisers dun barbu qui croit enlacer son amante (leman, cf. lief lof) :
il y a eu mprise sur la personne.
8 to give him gifts jeu de mots tymologique (comme sil y avait "donner des dons,
prsenter des prsents"), recherch en anglais, vit en franais
9 they told to the messengers (de mme told to King Arthur) to tell admettait deux
constructions
10 in a manner laid a siege tofore him = thoroughly (note dE. Vinaver); autre exemple :
Sir Tristram in a manner refused him (IX, 24) sir Tristram lui refusa tout net, sans dtour .
Brantme emploie tout trac : Wolfgang Oder dest tout trac larme navale du Grand
Seigneur [devant Presbourg/Bratislava (Slovaquie) en 1529]
11 there came Merlin among them il na pas t prcis que Merlin a, pour un temps,
pris ses distances par rapport Arthur
12 Then all the kings were passing glad of Merlin, and asked him il est frquent de voir un
groupe de personnes poser une question ou faire une remarque en chur ; illustration tire du Tristan en prose :
Et li doi compaingnon [Keu et Gaheriet] li [ Dinas le Snchal] demandent tout maintenant [ aussitt ] : Dites nous, Dynas, se Diex vous saut1, queles nouveles nous aports vous de vostre dame ?
13 the Dukes wife of Tintagel the duke of Tintagels wife

14 called him a witch du vieil-anglais wia (masculin) sorcier, magicien, devin , le
fminin correspondant tant wie
15 such surance there was made : surance garantie, engagement est une forme
aphrse de assurance
16 chieftain ancien-franais chevetain chevetaigne, du latin cptneu(m) celui qui
est la tte, qui commande, chef cheftaine est, paradoxalement, un emprunt
langlais (XXe sicle).
puisse Dieu vous accorder le salut ternel ! formule ritualise, devenue simple intensif : pour lamour du ciel
Version 1.3
Notes de lecture
9
BOOK I
CHAPTER 9. Of the rst war that King Arthur had,

and how he won the eld
1 Then King Arthur came out of his tower, and had under his gown a jesseraunte of double mail,
and there went with him the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Sir Baudwin of Britain, and Sir Kay,
and Sir Brastias: these were the men of most worship that were with him. And when they were
met there was no meekness, but stout words on both sides; but always King Arthur answered
them, and said he would make them to bow and he lived. Wherefore they departed with wrath,
and King Arthur bad keep them well, and they bad the king keep him well. So the king returned
him to the tower again and armed him and all his knights.
2 What will ye do? said Merlin to the kings. Ye were better for to stint, for ye shall not here prevail
though ye were ten so many.
Be we well advised to be afeared of a dream-reader? said King Lot.
With that Merlin vanished away, and came to King Arthur, and bad him set on them ercely.
And in the meanwhile there were three hundred good men of the best that were with the kings,
that went straight unto King Arthur and that comforted him greatly.
Sir, said Merlin to Arthur, ght not with the sword that ye had by miracle, till that ye see ye go unto
the worse, then draw it out and do your best.
So forthwithal King Arthur set upon them in their lodging. And Sir Baudwin, Sir Kay, and Sir
Brastias slew on the right hand and on the left hand that it was marvel, and always King Arthur
on horseback laid on with a sword, and did marvellous deeds of arms that many of the kings had
great joy of his deeds and hardiness.
3 Then King Lot brake out on the back side, and the King with the Hundred Knights, and King
Carados, and set on Arthur ercely behind him. With that Sir Arthur turned with his knights, and
smote behind and before, and ever Sir Arthur was in the foremost press till his horse was slain
underneath him. And therewith King Lot smote down King Arthur. With that his four knights
received him and set him on horseback. Then he drew his sword Excalibur, but it was so bright in
his enemies eyen, that it gave light like thirty torches. And therewith he put them aback, and
slew much people. And then the commons of Caerleon arose with clubs and staves and slew many
knights; but all the kings held them together with their knights that were left alive, and so ed
and departed. And Merlin came unto Arthur, and counselled him to follow them no further.
Premire guerre que mne le roi Arthur ;

comment il la remporte
1 Le roi Arthur sortit alors de sa tour, portant sous sa longue cotte un jaseran double maillage et
accompagn de larchevque de Cantorbry, de sire Baudoin de Bretagne, de sire Keu et de sire Brastias : tels taient les personnages les plus honorables qui faisaient partie de sa dlgation. La rencontre ne fut pas empreinte de douceur et des propos sans amnit furent prononcs de part et dautre ;
mais le roi avait du rpondant et leur annona quil leur ferait courber lchine, si Dieu lui prtait vie.
Sur quoi, les rois brisrent l, furieux, le roi Arthur les invitant veiller sur leur sant et eux lui rendant la politesse. Aprs quoi, le roi Arthur rentra dans sa tour et endossa son armure, imit en cela par
ses chevaliers.
2 Que vous proposez-vous de faire ? demanda Merlin aux rois. Vous feriez mieux den rester l, car
vous ne lemporterez pas, quand bien mme vous seriez dix fois plus nombreux.
Avons-nous raison davoir peur dun interprte des songes ? demanda le roi Lot.
ce moment, Merlin disparut et alla trouver le roi Arthur, lui prconisant de lancer contre
eux une violente attaque. Et dans lintervalle, trois cents braves chevaliers appartenant llite
des troupes des rois se rangrent sous la bannire du roi Arthur, ce qui lui fut dun grand rconfort.
Messire, dit Merlin Arthur, ne vous servez pour combattre de lpe que vous devez un miracle
que lorsque vous constaterez que vous avez le dessous ; ce moment, sortez-la du fourreau et montrez toute
votre valeur.
Aussitt, le roi Arthur les attaqua dans leur campement. Et ctait merveille de voir sire Baudoin, sire Keu et sire Brastias frapper droite et gauche et le roi Arthur, sur son cheval, donner
sans cesse des coups avec une pe et accomplir des faits darmes extraordinaires, dont de nombreux rois se rjouissaient devant ses exploits et sa rsistance.
3 Le roi Lot surgit alors sur les lignes arrires, ainsi que le roi des Cent Chevaliers et le roi Caradoc et ils attaqurent violemment larrire des troupes dArthur. Pour cette raison, le roi Arthur
et ses chevaliers se retournrent, bataillant devant eux et derrire eux, et sire Arthur se trouvait
toujours au cur de la mle, jusquau moment o son cheval fut tu sous lui ; aussitt le roi Lot
lui t mordre la poussire, mais ses quatre chevaliers le recueillirent et le remirent en selle [sur
une autre monture]. ce moment, il dgaina son pe Excalibur : elle blouissait tant les yeux de ses
ennemis quelle dgageait une lueur semblable celle de trente torches. Et ainsi il les repoussa et
tua de nombreux ennemis. Puis le peuple de Carlisle, arm de gourdins et de btons, se souleva et
tua des chevaliers en grand nombre ; tous les rois se regrouprent avec les survivants parmi leurs
chevaliers et, prenant la fuite, quittrent le champ de bataille. Et Merlin vint trouver Arthur et lui
conseilla de ne pas se lancer leur poursuite.
1 gown de notre gonne (diminutif : gonnelle) ; Claude Fauchet, 1610 :
Cf. Governal dans le Tristan de Broul : Encor ai-je soz ma gonele / Tel rien qui vos ert bone et
bele. / Un hauberjon fort et legier / Que vos porra avoir mestier. Litalien a conserv gonna
et le diminutif gonnella.
2 jesseraunte jaseran, cotte de mailles ; TLFi :
Ca 1100 adj. jazerenc fait de mailles de fer (Roland, d. J. Bdier, 1647 : losberc jazerenc); b) n
XIIe s. subst. jaserant cotte de mailles (Aliscans, d. E. Wienbeck, W. Hartnacke, P. Rasch, 4056);
[] Adaptation, au moyen de lanc. su. -enc (DG t. 1, p. 66, 142; NYROP t. 3, 361-363) devenu -an
(cf. suff. -an* ds TLF t. 2, p. 903a) dune anc. forme *jaserin, suppose dapr. lital. ghiazarino cotte
de mailles (XIVe s. ds BATT., s.v. ghiazzerino), lesp. cota jacerina id. (1586 ds COR.) et le lat.
mdiv. jasarinus (lecture propose par THOMAS (A.) Essais, p. 410 pour jafarinus de couleur de
safran 1031 Narbonne ds DU CANGE : uncias duas de auro Jafarino obtimo), empr. lar. azir
dAlger , ville do lon importait ces cottes de mailles (dapr. COVARRUBIAS, cf. DIEZ, p. 162 et
COR., s.v. jacerino). Voir FEW t. 19, pp. 56-57.
3 though ye were ten so many ten times so many (note dE. Vinaver)
4 dream-reader oniromancien ( ; coniector); vieil-anglais swefen-reere.
Dans la Suite du roman de Merlin, voici comment lenchanteur se fait connatre Balin :
Je sui Merlins li devineres, cil dont tant de gent parolent.
5 the sword that ye had by miracle = a sword taken out of a stone (I, 5); mais voir 8.
6 brake la forme plus rcente broke est analogique du participe pass
7 was in the foremost press multitude, masse, foule
8 his sword Excalibur According to Malorys later account (Book I, ch. 25) Excalibur is
also the name of the sword which Arthur receives from the Lady of the Lake. [note de J.
Cowen.] Voir larticle de Patrick Moran, Les pes du roi Arthur , dans Questes no11
(mars 2007), p. 26-35.
9 his enemies eyen vieil-anglais (singulier ae ) pluriel aan ; cf. allemand (Auge
) Augen, nerlandais (oog ) ogen.
10 he put them aback a- est la forme (proclitique) faible de on
11 the commons of Caerleon cest la cinquime mention (en neuf chapitres) du (petit)
peuple , du commun, toujours favorable Arthur
Version 1.2
Notes de lecture
12
BOOK I
CHAPTER 12. How eleven kings gathered a great host against King Arthur
1 And so within a little space the three kings came unto the Castle of Bedegraine, and found
there a passing fair fellowship, and well beseen, whereof they had great joy, and victual they wanted none.
This was the cause of the northern host: that they were reared for the despite and rebuke the
six kings had at Caerleon. And those six kings by their means, gat unto them five other kings; and
thus they began to gather their people; and now1 they sware that for weal nor woe, they should
not leave other, till they had destroyed Arthur. And then they made an oath. The first that began
the oath was the Duke of Cambenet, that he would bring with him five thousand men of arms, the
which were ready on horseback. Then sware King Brandegoris of Strangore that he would bring
five thousand men of arms on horseback. Then sware King Clarivaus of Northumberland he would
bring three thousand men of arms. Then sware the King of the Hundred Knights, that was a passing good man and a young, that he would bring four thousand men of arms on horseback. Then
there swore King Lot, a passing good knight, and Sir Gawains father, that he would bring five
thousand men of arms on horseback. Also there swore King Uriens, that was Sir Uwains father, of
the land of Gore, and he would bring six thousand men of arms on horseback. Also there swore
King Idres of Cornwall, that he would bring five thousand men of arms on horseback. Also there
swore King Cradelment to bring five thousand men on horseback. Also there swore King Agwisance of Ireland to bring five thousand men of arms on horseback. Also there swore King Nentres
to bring five thousand men of arms on horseback. Also there swore King Carados to bring five
thousand men of arms on horseback. So their whole host was of clean men of arms on horseback
fifty thousand, and a-foot ten thousand, of good mens bodies. Then were they soon ready, and
mounted upon horse and sent forth their fore-riders, for these eleven kings in their ways laid a
siege unto the Castle of Bedegraine; and so they departed and drew toward Arthur, and left few to
Le texte de J. Cowen porte how : telle est la leon du manuscrit de Winchester.
abide at the siege, for the Castle of Bedegraine was holden of King Arthur, and the men that were
therein were Arthurs.
Onze rois runissent une grande arme contre le roi Arthur

1 Et donc, en peu de temps, les trois rois parvinrent au chteau de Bdingran et y retrouvrent une
compagnie qui avait re allure et tait bien quipe, ce qui remplit leur cur de joie, et les provisions ne faisaient pas dfaut.
Voici la raison dtre de larme du nord : elle avait t leve la suite de lhumiliation et du revers quils avaient subis Carlisle. Et ces six rois, par des intermdiaires, avaient ralli leur cause
cinq autres rois ; et de la sorte, ils commencrent rassembler leurs gens et jurrent ce moment-l
que, solidaires dans les bons comme dans les mauvais jours, ils ne quitteraient pas lalliance avant
davoir caus la perte dArthur. Et ils prtrent alors serment. Le premier se lier de la sorte fut le duc
[Escant] de Cambenync, avec un contingent de cinq mille hommes darmes, dj monts. Puis ce fut
au tour de Brandegore, roi dEstrangorre, qui se jura prt fournir un contingent de cinq mille cavaliers en armes ; suivi de Clarivaus, roi de Northumberland, qui se jura prt fournir un contingent de
trois mille hommes darmes ; suivi du roi des Cent Chevaliers, trs valeureux, bien quencore jeune,
qui se jura prt fournir un contingent de quatre mille cavaliers en armes ; suivi du roi Lot, chevalier
trs valeureux et pre de sire Gauvain, qui se jura prt fournir un contingent de cinq mille cavaliers
en armes. Suivit de mme Urien, roi du pays de Gore et pre de sire Yvain : il fournirait un contingent
de six mille cavaliers en armes ; de mme Idiers, roi de Cornouailles, un contingent de cinq mille cavaliers en armes ; de mme le roi Cradelment, un contingent de cinq mille cavaliers ; de mme Aguisans, roi dIrlande, un contingent de cinq mille cavaliers en armes ; de mme Nentres [roi du pays de
Garlot], un contingent de cinq mille cavaliers en armes ; et de mme le roi Caradoc, un contingent de
cinq mille cavaliers en armes. Ainsi donc lensemble de leur arme comptait cinquante mille hommes
darmes impeccables cheval et dix mille hommes de pied, de solides gaillards. Ils ne tardrent pas
tre prts, se mirent en selle et envoyrent en avant des claireurs de cavalerie, car, chemin faisant,
les onze rois mirent le sige devant le chteau de Bdingran ; ils quittrent les lieux et se rapprochrent dArthur, ne laissant sur place quune petite troupe pour maintenir le sige, car le chteau de Bdingran appartenait Arthur et les hommes qui se trouvaient lintrieur taient lui.
1 the Castle of Bedegraine La bataille de Bdingran1 occupe les chapitres 14 17 inclus.

On apprend en I, 17 que le chteau de Bdingran (quon aurait pu croire situ dans la fort du mme nom, mentionne en I, 11) se trouve dans la fort bien relle de Sherwood, dans le Nottinghamshire. On voit mal comment on pourrait concilier cette indication avec ce que dclare Arthur (Lancelot du Lac III, La fausse Guenivre, 1998, p. 106) : a
cel jor serai je a Bedigran qui est en la marche dIrlande et de Tamerlude [Carmlide] .
2 This was the cause of the northern host le dtail du dploiement de forces est un cho,
bien aaibli, du catalogue des vaisseaux ( ) de lIliade. Laccumulation
est impressionnante et donne plus de prix la victoire du hros.
3 reared nulle part il ny avait darme rgulire, permanente (standing army)
Le Morte emploie plutt rear pour lever (des troupes) mais on relve par exemple he
raised the country il souleva la province , he should put down all the people that he had raised sire Dinas devait renvoyer dans leurs foyers toutes les troupes quil avait leves , to
arise the people against your king soulever la population contre son propre roi , Sir Mor1
Cf. la chasse au sanglier dans la fort de Bredigan pour faire dArthur le prisonnier de la fausse Guenivre (Lancelot en prose).
dred araised much people about London sire Mordred ameuta les foules dans les environs
de Londres .
4 despite outrage, aront, camouet, avanie, humiliation ; aphrse, do spite
(de ce fait, le rapport entre to despise et in spite of nest plus peru)
5 rebuke ce nest pas une rebuade, mais un revers militaire , de rebuchier repousser
6 for weal nor woe la locution for weal or woe est un clich ; le 1er sens de weal tait
richesse (cf. common weal, pour rendre bonum publicum le bien commun , devenu
Commonwealth) dans loriginal : noer for well nothyr wo
7 they should not leave other = leave each other [note de J. Cowen.]
8 Agwisance of Ireland (var. Angwyshaunce, Anguish 1, Anguisel) Anguin, pre dIseut ;
dans le Lancelot en prose, Aguiscanz (Aguisans, Aviscans, Aguisars dEscoche) est cousin
dArthur
9 fore-riders avant-coureurs cf. Andr de La Vigne, Le Voyage de Naples : quant on
cuyda marcher oultre pour aller donner dedens, les avantcoureux vindrent qui dirent que ce
nestoit riens Cf. les diverses acceptions de fourrier fourrageur ; avant-coureur ; ocier charg de pourvoir au logement des troupes et la rpartition des subsistances .
En V, 2, volet 91, Anguish est roi dcosse ; en VIII, 1, volet 155, Anguish est roi dIrlande.
Version 1.2
Notes de lecture
19
BOOK I
CHAPTER 19. How King Arthur rode to Caerleon, and of his dream,
and how he saw the Questing Beast
1 Then after the departing of King Ban and of King Bors, King Arthur rode unto Caerleon. And
thither came to him King Lots wife, of Orkney, in manner of a message, but she was sent thither
to espy the court of King Arthur; and she came richly beseen, with her four sons, Gawain, Gaheris,
Agravain, and Gareth, with many other knights and ladies. For she was a passing fair lady, therefore the king cast great love unto her, and desired to lie by her. So they were agreed, and he begat
upon her Mordred, and she was his sister, on the mother side, Igraine. So there she rested her a
month, and at the last departed.
Then the king dreamed a marvellous dream whereof he was sore adread. But all this time
King Arthur knew not that King Lots wife was his sister. Thus was the dream of Arthur:
Him thought there was come into this land grins and serpents, and him thought they burnt
and slew all the people in the land, and then him thought he fought with them, and they did him
passing great harm, and wounded him full sore, but at the last he slew them.
When the king awaked, he was passing heavy of his dream, and so to put it out of thoughts,
he made him ready with many knights to ride on hunting. As soon as he was in the forest the king
saw a great hart afore him.
This hart will I chase, said King Arthur, and so he spurred the horse, and rode after long, and
so by ne force oft he was like to have smitten the hart; whereas the king had chased the hart so
long, that his horse lost his breath, and fell down dead; then a yeoman fetched the king another
horse. So the king saw the hart ambushed, and his horse dead; he set him down by a fountain, and
there he fell in great thoughts.
And as he sat so, him thought he heard a noise of hounds, to the sum of thirty. And with that
the king saw coming toward him the strangest beast that ever he saw or heard of. So the beast
went to the well and drank, and the noise was in the beasts belly like unto the questing of thirty
couple hounds; but all the while the beast drank there was no noise in the beasts belly: and there-
with the beast departed with a great noise, whereof the king had great marvel. And so he was in a
great thought, and therewith he fell asleep.
Right so there came a knight afoot unto Arthur and said, Knight full of thought and sleepy, tell
me if thou sawest a strange beast pass this way.
Such one saw I, said King Arthur, that is past two mile; what would ye with the beast? said Arthur.
Sir, I have followed that beast long time, and killed mine horse, so would God I had another to follow my
quest.
Right so came one with the kings horse, and when the knight saw the horse, he prayed the
king to give him the horse: for I have followed this quest this twelvemonth, and either I shall achieve
him, or bleed of the best blood of my body.
Pellinor, that time king, followed the Questing Beast, and after his death Sir Palomides followed it.
Le roi Arthur chevauche jusqu Carlisle, fait un songe

et voit la Bte Glatissante
1 Aprs le dpart du roi Ban et du roi Bohort, le roi Arthur chevaucha jusqu Carlisle. Il y reut la
visite de lpouse de Lot, roi des Orcades, en qualit de porteuse dun message [de son mari], mais envoye sur place pour espionner la cour du roi Arthur ; elle vint richement pare, accompagne de ses
quatre ls, Gauvain, Guerrehet, Agravain et Gahriet, et dun entourage nombreux dautres chevaliers
et de dames. Comme ctait une dame dune trs grande beaut, le roi la dsira et voulut coucher avec
elle ; la proposition ayant t faite et accepte, il lengrossa de Mordred alors quelle tait sa sur du
ct de sa mre, Igraine. Son sjour la cour dura un mois, puis elle repartit.
Le roi t alors un songe trange qui lpouvanta. Mais pendant tout ce temps Arthur ignorait que
lpouse du roi Lot tait sa propre sur. Voici ce quArthur vit en songe :
Lillusion le portait croire que son pays tait envahi par des grions et des serpents, il eut limpression quils brlaient et tuaient tous les habitants du pays, il en vint alors croire quil les combattait et quils lui inigeaient de trs grandes sourances, mais quen n de compte il les exterminait.
son rveil, le songe lui avait laiss le cur gros, aussi, pour le bannir de ses penses, se prparat-il, avec bon nombre de ses chevaliers, une chasse courre. Ds quil se trouva dans la fort, le roi
aperut un grand cerf devant lui.
Cest la poursuite de ce cerf que je veux me lancer dit le roi Arthur, peronnant sa monture. Il le
poursuivit longtemps et, par la force des choses, faillit souvent abattre le cerf ; pourtant, quand le roi
eut poursuivi ce cerf si longtemps, son cheval suoqua et tomba mort : un serviteur partit chercher
un autre cheval pour le roi. Le roi voyant alors le cerf qui stait embch et le cadavre de son propre
cheval, sassit prs dune source et sabma dans de grandes rexions.
Tandis quil tait assis cet endroit, il lui sembla entendre la clameur dune meute de trente
chiens courants et le roi vit ce moment-l venir dans sa direction la bte la plus trange quil eut jamais vue ou dont il eut jamais entendu parler. La bte alla donc la source et sabreuva, et on entendait dans le ventre de la bte un bruit semblable la clameur de trente chiens quteurs coupls, mais
aussi longtemps que la bte buvait aucun bruit ne provenait de son ventre ; l-dessus, la bte repartit,
accompagne de cette clameur, ce qui remplit le roi de stupfaction. Ainsi plong dans ses penses, il
sendormit.
Cest ce moment quun chevalier, venant pied, sapprocha dArthur et lui dit : Chevalier lourd
de penses et de sommeil, dis-moi si tu as vu une bte trange passer par ici.
Jai bien vu une telle bte, rpondit le roi Arthur, qui est passe et a d entre-temps parcourir deux
milles ; mais que voulez-vous cette bte ? demanda Arthur.
Messire, je poursuis cette bte depuis longtemps et jy ai tu mon cheval ; puisse donc Dieu mentendre, car il men faudrait un autre pour continuer ma qute.
Cest ce moment quon amena le cheval du roi, et quand le chevalier vit le cheval, il pria le
roi de le lui donner car je poursuis cette qute depuis douze mois et soit je vaincrai cette bte, soit jy
perdrai tout mon sang.
Pellinor, qui rgnait alors, poursuivit la Bte Glatissante et, aprs sa mort, sire Palamde prit
la relve.
1 the Questing Beast

ancien-franais glatir [voir DEAF] cf. dans la Chanson de Roland (laisse CCLVI : il
sagit de larme de Baligant) Cil dOcant i braint e henissent, E cil dArguille si cume chen
glatissent ; Bloch et Wartburg, glapir :
GLAPIR,
vers 1200. Altration, daprs japper, de lanc. verbe glatir, lat. glattre, verbe onomatopique, qui se disait spcial. du cri des jeunes chiens, do it. ghiattire, esp. [et portugais] latir, a. pr.
glatir. On trouve aussi la variante clatir, 1690, hors dusage aujourdhui.
Cf. la meute qui jappe (chez Florian et Hugo), le rcri de la meute qui donne de la voix.
Anglo-Norman Dictionary :
glatir
v.n. (of dogs) to howl: Cil dOcian i braient e henissent, E cil dArguille si cume chen glatissent Roland
3527; Home ne parole greu, caldeu ne latin, Ensement glatissent cum fussent mastin Rom Chev
ANTS 1616; (g.) (of persons) to howl: Hebreus enchacent les paens glatissant, U il les trovent de
mort nont garant Anc Test (B) 6326; Ne nera de labaier Ne de glatir a tuit poer S Modw 8536;
sbst. inf. shouting: Kil ne pouent de Dieu penser Pur lour glatir, pur lour noiser Chev D 574.
En X, 53 on peut lire une variante curieuse (cest sire Palamde qui parle) : I found never
no knight in my quest of this Glasting Beast, but and he would joust I never refused him. Mais
cette leon est errone, car le manuscrit de Winchester f 281v donne : I fynde neuer no
knyght in my quete of this glatiynge bete but and he wolde Jute I neuer yet refued hym.
la bete glatiant, the bete Glatyaunt
Voir : William A[lbert] Nitze [1876-1957], The Beste Glatissant in Arthurian Romance in
Zeitschrift fr romanische Philologie, LVI (1936), p. 409-418. Edina Bozky, La Bte Glatissant et le Graal. Les transformations dun thme allgorique dans quelques romans
arthuriens, in : Revue de lhistoire des religions, t. 186 n2, 1974, p. 127-148. Anne Labia, La
naissance de la Bte Glatissante, in : Mdivales, n6, 1984, p. 37-47.
source possible William of Malmesbury, Gesta Regum :
[Il sagit du roi Edgar (adgr) the Peaceful, qui rgna de 959 975. Au cours dune partie de chasse,
le roi, spar de ses compagnons et les attendant, descend de cheval et se repose.] Iacebat ergo sub
malo siluatica stratus, ubi penduli per circuitum rami foliatam eerant cameram. Lassitudine itaque suadente, riuus subter scatebris loquacibus uens soporem inuitabat : cum canis fmina, cui cura ferarum uestigia insequi, prgnans, et iuxta pedes accubans, dormitantem exterruit ; namque, matre tacente, catuli
aluo inclusi latratus multiformes et sonoros reddidere, quodam nimirum sui carceris gaudio incitati. []
He lay down, therefore, under a wild apple-tree, where the clustering branches had formed a
shady canopy all around. A river, owing softly beside him, adding to his drowsiness, by its gentle
murmur soothed him to sleep; when a bitch, of the hunting breed, pregnant, and lying down at
his feet, terried him in his slumbers. Though the mother was silent, yet the whelps within her
womb barked [latratus reddidere] in various sonorous tones, incited, as it were, by a singular delight in the place of their connement. J. A. Giles, 1847.
puis Li Hauz Livres du Graal/Perlesvaus :

de la forest oissi une beste blanche conme noif negiee [ comme de la neige frachement tombe ], et estoit
greindre dun goupil et mendre dun lievre1. La beste vint en la lande, toute esfraee, car ele avoit en son ventre XV
cheaus qui glapissoient autressint dedanz li conme chien en bois, et ele san fuioit aval la lande por la peor
des chiens dont ele ot le glai dedanz lui. [...] li chael qui en li sont ne cessent de glatir, de quoi ele a mout
grant peor.
The beast came into the launde all scared, for she had twelve hounds in her belly, that quested
within like as it were hounds in a wood, and she ed adown the launde for fear of the hounds, the
questing whereof she had within her. [...] the hounds that are within her cease not of their questing, whereof is she sore adread. Translation by Sebastian Evans, 1898.
Julien Ribot, Le Bestiaire dans le Haut Livre du Graal, Perlesvaus (2009), p. 164 :
Lapparition de cet animal Perlesvaus inaugure la Branche IX de notre rcit. Au cours de son priple, le
chevalier arrive, lheure de midi, jusqu une lande isole dans la fort, et croise une petite bte blanche,
avec des yeux couleur meraude, dont la taille est entre celle du livre et du renard. Visiblement affole
par les aboiements qui proviennent des chiots dont elle est pleine, la bte glatissante finit par subir, au
pied dune croix qui se trouvait dans la lande, une csarienne force de la part de ses douze petits, qui
la dpecrent sans la manger avant de senfuir. Par la suite, les restes de lanimal sont rcuprs par une
demoiselle et un chevalier, qui repartent leur tour dans la fort, Enfin, deux prtres viennent jusqu la
croix : lun se prosterne devant elle tandis que lautre la bat avec des verges. [...]
[Le texte contient une contradiction dont le commentateur ne rend pas compte : Li chien
lorent avironne et li coururent sus de toutes parz, si la depecierent toute au danz ; ms norent
onques povoir que il manjassent de la chair ne que il lesloignassent de la croiz.* Quant li chien
orent la teste mengie, si san fouirent el bois autresint conme tuit enragi. ] *mais ils ne furent
en mesure ni de la dvorer ni de lloigner du calvaire.
Repre suivant : le Tristan en prose, o apparat laspect composite chez lanimal que poursuit Palamde :
Celle beste avoit tot droitement piez de cerf, cuisses et queue de lion, cors de liepart ; et issoit de li unz glatissemenz si granz com sele est dedenz li dusqua vint brachez toz glatissanz.
Jajouterai LEstoire del Saint Graal (d. J.-P. Ponceau, I, 1997, p. 13) :
Et si sachis kele estoit diverse en toutes coses, car ele avoit teste et col de brebis et blanc comme noif negie ; et si avoit pis de chien et gambes et cuisses et tout chou estoit noir comme carbon ; et si avoit le pis et le
cors et la crupe de woupil et la keue de lon : et si estoit la beste de diverses samblanches.
(Pour une des principales transformations ultrieures mais prcdant louvrage de Malory, voir Perceforest, 3e partie, ch. XL, d G. Roussineau t. II [1991], notamment p. 216 :
Ceste beste tant merveilleuse avoit corps de liepard, piez de cerf, cuisses et queue de lyon, et
quant elle avoit faim, elle crioit comme un braquet glatissant. )
Malory parle de the Beast Glatisant en IX, 12 ; X, 13 (o le narrateur emploie lexpression
franaise et la traduit) et 63 (2 occurrences).
the quetyng beet [avec jeu de mot sur questing qui constitue lobjet dune qute ]
Moyen-anglais questen (a) Of hunters or hunting dogs: to seek game, hunt;
(b) of hunting dogs: to bay, bark.
plus grande quun renard et plus petite quun livre : erreur manifeste (du rdacteur ? dun copiste ?).
Ex. de (b) chez Malory, IX, 20 :

Then the queen [Isoud] had always a little brachet with her that Sir Tristram gave her the rst time that
ever she came into Cornwall, and never would that brachet depart from her but if Sir Tristram was nigh
thereas was La Beale Isoud; and this brachet was sent from the kings daughter of France unto Sir Tristram
for great love. And anon as this little brachet felt a savour of Sir Tristram, she leapt upon him and licked his
lears [ joues ] and his ears, and then she whined and quested [ jappa ], and she smelled at his feet
and at his hands, and on all parts of his body that she might come to.
La graphie questen ne doit pas faire illusion : la comparaison avec les couples
soften/softening, glisten/glistening, moisten/moistening, listen/listening
montre que linnitif tait prononc quest, sinon la forme en -ING serait **questening**.
Questen, dans le vocabulaire de la chasse, est un emprunt direct au franais quester
chercher la bte traque, les fumes, les traces (DMF) :
Cet bonne chae que de cerf, car cet belle choe que de bien queter ung cerf, et belle choe de le bien detourner, belle choe de le laier courre, belle choe de le chaer, et belle choe de rechaer, et belle choe aux
abaiz, oit en eaue ou en terre, et belle choe la curee et belle choe lecorchier & leuer les droiz et belle choe
et bonne la venoion. Et il et belle choe et diuere tant quen regardant toutes choes je tiens que cet la plus
noble chae que on peut chaer.
Gaston Phebus, Livre de chasse.
2 King Lots wife, of Orkney selon I, 2 7 il sagit de Margawse1, sur utrine dArthur
(mais lintresse le sait-elle ? Arthur, lui, lignore) Le rle du roi Lot est confus : un
des vaincus de la bataille de Bdingran envoie sa femme en dlgation la cour de son
ennemi, en observatrice ?
3 in manner of a message = in the capacity of (note dE. Vinaver) Dist li mesages :
Aparmain le sarez (Le messager rpondit : Vous ne tarderez pas lapprendre. )
4 she was sent thither to espy the court comme le montre le passage correspondant de
Lestoire de Merlin (source, ici, de Le Morte) quon trouvera annot en annexe, cette
prcision, destine pimenter le rcit, est de linvention de Malory
5 En face de Guerrehet et Gahriet, Gaheris et Gareth : lesquels correspondent et estce toujours vrai ? Question prement dbattue depuis des dcennies.
6 Him thought On pourra consulter deux ouvrages dissemblables bien des gards :
Willem van der Gaaf [1867-1937], The Transition from the Impersonal to the Personal Construction in Middle English (1904); Ruth Mhlig-Falke, The Early English Impersonal Construction :
1
(variantes, dont Morgause)
An Analysis of Verbal and Constructional Meaning (2012).

En vieil-anglais, dun verbe signiant penser enan (prtrit hte) avait t tir un
factitif/causatif ynan (prtrit hte) sembler, paratre : m is eht il me semble , him hte il lui sembla (do him thought, avec nivellement des formes et rattachement erron to think ; cf. methinks comme meseemeth et Mich dnkt, die Alte
spricht im Fieber Jai limpression que la vieille parle sous leffet de la vre, dit Faust).
La distinction est encore oprante chez Chaucer :
thenke(n) penser And after wyn on Venus moste I thynke aprs boire, je dois penser lamour
Nay, nay, I thoghte it nevere, trewely! non, non, cela ne mest jamais venu lide, vraiment !
thynke(n) sembler Which was the mooste fre, as thynketh yow? Qui fut le plus gnreux, votre avis ?
But nathelees, hir thoughte that she dyde, That she so longe sholde a conseil hyde Toutefois, [la femme de
Midas] trouva que ctait mourir de devoir si longtemps cacher un secret
7 the king saw a great hart afore him le cerf est considr comme un gibier de choix,
notamment parce quil est capable de ruses pour chapper ses poursuivants
8 awaked en vieil-anglais, le verbe avait un prtrit fort onwc, wc (do awoke) et
un prtrit faible wacode
9 by ne force invitablement
10 yeoman le smantisme du terme a uctu entre domestique, valet et alleutier ;
franc tenancier .
tymologie trs incertaine. On a rapproch gotique gawi, allemand Gau, nerlandais gouw
district ; on a suppos une variante dgrade de young man.
Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeoman) se surpasse en rapprochant, au mpris de la loi de
Grimm, le grec ye (ge) : The word ye (ge) in Greek means land and Ye means the
Earth. est sans tym. Cest en grec moderne que se prononce / i/.
11 ambushed La bte sembche, quand, poursuivie, elle entre dans le bois [dans son
gte]. Littr ; cf. dbucher, rembucher. Second emploi du terme dans cette acception en
IV, 6 :
Then were they all three on foot, and ever they saw the hart afore them passing weary and ambushed .
En dehors du vocabulaire de la vnerie, enbuschier/embuschier se cacher dans un bois

et de(s)buchier sortir du bois ont t supplants par des formes italianisantes, embusquer et dbusquer ; du coup, le franais se retrouve avec embche et embuscade.
12 he set him down by a fountain il ne peut sagir que dune source (spring of water)
13 a knight afoot limage dun chevalier rduit la marche pied est incongrue
14 thou sawest tutoiement pour la prise de contact, mais Arthur garde ses distances.
La conversation se poursuit au chapitre suivant et les deux hommes se tutoient.
15 Such one saw I that is past two mile sous lieue , Littr cite un passage de Perceforest qui claire cette formulation (titre du chapitre : Coment le roy Perceforet trouua le
temple incogneu/et des merueilles quil y vit) : Lors [Perceforest] regarde le preudhome qui etoit mys ur es coutes a genoulx par deuant lautel/et fut en tel point lepace dune lieue de terre
et resta ainsi pendant une heure [le temps moyen estim pour parcourir une lieue, sur
terre et pied]. (La lieue de terre ou commune faisait 4, 44 km environ.)
On trouve dautres exemples de lieue dans cette acception chez La Curne de Sainte-Palaye,
Du Cange, Godefroy et le Dictionnaire du Moyen Franais (1330-1500) ; chantillons :
Lexposant estant couchi en son lit avec sa femme, vint environ trois Lieues de nuit un appell Jehan Coanne
lhuys dudit exposant (1376).
Ce sachiez vos bien de part moi
que chevalier ni pot antrer
qui i post mie arester
demie liue vis ne sains,
qui fust de covoitise plains
ne qui ait en lui nul mal vice
de losainge ne davarice.
Car sachez bien, cest moi qui vous le dis,

quil serait impossible un chevalier dy pntrer
et de sy maintenir en vie et en sant
une demi-heure
sil tait plein de convoitise,
ou quil ft perdu dun vice pouvantable
de mensonge ou davarice.
Chrtien de Troyes, Le Conte du Graal, d. de Charles Mla (1994), daprs le ms. Berne 354.
On comparera lemploi de furlong par Chaucer dcrivant le bouche--oreille, la rumeur :

But al the wondermost was this:
Whan oon had herd a thing, ywis,
He com forth ryght to another wight,
And gan him tellen anon-ryght
The same that to him was told,
Or hyt a forlong way was old
Mais voici ce quil y avait de plus surprenant :

Quand lun dentre eux avait entendu un cancan, cest sr,
Il allait de ce pas en trouver un deuxime
Et se mettait en devoir, sans dlai, de lui apprendre
Cela mme quon lui avait appris
Le temps quil ait parcouru deux cents mtres.
16 Pellinor, that time king, followed the Questing Beast, and after his death Sir Palomides followed it. En dehors de ce chapitre et du suivant, le nom de Pellinor ne sera plus mentionn en rapport avec la Bte Glatissante quen II, 10 (the Knight with the Strange Beast); Palamde prend la relve sans attendre la mort de Pellinor.
La seule mention de Pellinor sut voquer un joyeux dsordre : passe que les versions
de Wikipedia soient en dsaccord selon la langue dans laquelle on les consulte, mais
Christopher W. Bruce, The Arthurian Name Dictionary (1999) renforce cette impression.
Quon en juge :
Pellehan
A Grail King of Listenois in the Vulgate romances. The rst appearance of his name in the Vulgate
Queste del Saint Graal suggests that he was Percevals father, which would make him the origin of Pellinore (and also, probably, of Pelles). The Vulgate Estoire del Saint Graal, however, calls him the son of
King Lambor and the father of Pelles and Pellinore, making him Percevals grandfather and Galahads great-grandfather. Like all Grail Kings, he inherited the title of Fisher King from Bron, the first
of his lineage. Later, however, he fell ill with a festering wound and became known as the Maimed
King. The circumstances behind this wound vary: the Vulgate Estoire tells us that he received it in a
battle in Rome; in the Vulgate Queste, we learn that he was struck through the thighs by a holy spear
when he tried to draw the Sword with the Strange Hangings, meant only for Galahad.
The Post-Vulgate Merlin continuation provides a much longer story. Here, he has a brother
named Garlon, an invisible knight who commits murder and is pursued by Balin. Balin eventually
slew Garlon during a feast in Pellehans Perilous Castle, for which Pellehan attacked Balin, shattering the latters sword. Pellehan pursued Balin throughout his castle as Balin ran from room to
room looking for a weapon. Eventually, he found the Bleeding Lancethe spear that killed
Christand struck Pellehan through the thighs with it. This blow was called the Dolorous Stroke,
and it caused the castle to crumble and turn Listenois into a Waste Land. (In another version,
however, the Dolorous Stroke occurs in an episode with Pellehans father, Lambor.)
Pellehans wound refused to heal, and he lay ill for many years. At the end of the Grail Quest,
Galahad cured him with some blood from the Bleeding Lance, and Pellehan retired to a hermitage.
Tennyson alone names Pellehan as one of the kings who joined Lots rebellion against King Arthur at the beginning of Arthurs reign. [VulgQuest, VulgEst, PostMer, Malory1]
Pelles
The Vulgate Grail King. He was the father of Elaine (or Amite) and grandfather of Galahad. His
origin may lie with the Welsh characters Pwyll, lord of Dyfed, or Beli, king of Britain. Another possible source for his name is the Cornish peller, meaning enchanter (Loomis, Romance, 267).
Pelles was the son of Pellehan (usually the Maimed King) and the brother of Pellinore, although
all three were probably once the same character. According to Perlesvaus, in which Pelles makes
his rst appearance, he was Percevals maternal uncle. His siblings included Yglais (Percevals
mother, also called the Widowed Lady), Messois the Fisher King, and the evil King of the Castle
Mortal. Perlesvaus calls him the Hermit King, for he retired to a hermitage after his son, Joseus,
killed his wife.
In the Vulgate romances, Pelles is himself the Fisher Kingthe king of the land of Listenois (a.k.a
the Strange Land) and the Grail Castle, Corbenic. (The Vulgate Merlin, however, names Alain as
the Fisher King and Pelles as his brother.) He was descended from Bron, the rst Fisher King. His
son, Eliezer, was one of Arthurs knights. According to the Post-Vulgate Cycle, his two sisters
married Lac and Dirac, the father and uncle of Sir Erec.
Pelles was aware of various prophecies that Galahad, the yet-conceived son of Lancelot and
Elaine, would complete the Grail Quest and restore the land of Listenois. Thus, he conspired with
Brisen, Elaines maidservant, to get Lancelot into Elaines bed. When Lancelot was visiting Corbenic, Pelles drugged his wine and told him that Guinevere was waiting for him at Case Castle.
Lancelot rode there, climbed into Elaines bed and, believing he was with Guinevere, fathered
Galahad. Some years later, Lancelot went insane and eventually found his way to Corbenic. Pelles
took him to the Palace of Adventures, where the Grail was kept, and cured him. At the culmination of the Grail Quest, Pelles received Galahad, Perceval, and Bors in his castle, presented them
with the Grail, and led Galahad to heal the Maimed King.
Malory confuses matters by attaching to Pelles a story given in the Vulgate Queste del Saint Graal to
Pellehan: As a youth, Pelles came across a ship that had been built by King Solomon of Israel.
Aboard the ship, he tried to draw the Sword with the Strange Hangings, which was meant only for
Galahad, and he received a holy wound through his thighs, rendering him inrm. Thus, in Malory, Pelles also may be identied with the Maimed King.
Neither the Vulgate stories nor Malory describe Pelless death. In Perlesvaus, he is slain by Aristor
of Amorave, an evil knight who is later killed by Perceval. [Perlesvaus, LancLac, VulgLanc, VulgQuest,
PostMer, PostQuest, Malory2]
Pellinore
A king of Listenois, Wales, or the Isles rst mentioned in the Vulgate Merlin and the Livre
dArtus as the Maimed King, who was wounded by a holy lance after he doubted the wonders of
the Grail, and who would only be healed at the conclusion of the Grail Quest. He was the son of
Pellehan and the brother of Pelles (the Fisher King), although all three kings were probably originally the same character. R. S. Loomis thought that the origin of his name was Beli Mawr (Beli
the Great), a character in Welsh mythology.
The Vulgate Merlin says that Pellinore had twelve sons and a second brother named Alain. The
Post-Vulgate romances expand and change his role. Pellinores father, Pellehan, becomes the
Maimed King, and Pellinore is given a number of adventures at Arthurs court. He is also named
Vulgate Queste del Saint Graal, Vulgate Estoire del Saint Graal, Post-Vulgate Suite du Merlin, Sir Thomas Malory Le Morte Darthur
Perlesvaus, Lancelot do Lac, Vulgate Lancelot, Vulgate Queste del Saint Graal, Post-Vulgate Suite du Merlin, Post-Vulgate Queste
del Saint Graal, Sir Thomas Malory Le Morte Darthur
1
2
in the Post-Vulgate as the father of Perceval, Lamorat (who is his brother in Palamedes), Drian,
Aglovale, and Torve noted Knights of the Round Table. In Palamedes, he has a sister called the
Lady of the Island of Fairies. Malory says that he married the Queen of Flanders. Malory reproduces his adventures from the Post-Vulgate, but removes his association with the Grail family.
The Livre dArtus, in an apparent attempt to reconcile conicting traditions, actually includes two
characters named Pellinore. The are cousins. The rst is the father of Perceval and 16 other sons.
He was wounded in the manner described above and can only nd sport in shing. He is thus
both the Maimed King and the Fisher King. Fourteen of his sons were killed when King Agrippe
invaded the Waste Land, causing Pellinore to retire to the Castle of Marvels and to await his healing. The second Pellinore is the king of Listenois (the Waste Land) and Corbenic (the Grail Castle).
He has twelve sons. Like his cousin, he has been wounded, by the Bleeding Lance, and must await
healing from Galahad. The two Pellinores are destined to be healed on the same day. No source
beyond the Livre dArtus includes this duplication.
According to the Post-Vulgate Merlin continuation, Pellinore pursued the horrid and elusive
Questing Beast, giving him the nickname Knight with the Strange Beast. In his rst appearance,
Arthur challenges him for the right to pursue the Questing Beast (and for the injury of the young
Sir Giret). Pellinore wins the combat, but Merlin stops him from slaying Arthur. He later enters
Arthurs service. At the battle of Tarabel, he kills King Lot of Lothian, sparking a feud between his
sons and the sons of Lot (Gawain, Aggravain, Gaheris, and Mordred). Arthur promoted Pellinore
to the Round Table. In another adventure, Pellinore, intent on rescuing one maiden from Sir Hontzlake of Wentland, declined to help another, who later turned out to be Alyne, his own daughter
by the Lady of the Rule. She killed herself when she realized that Pellinore would not help her
avenge her slain lover. According to the French Palamedes, Pellinore conquered Wales and helped
Arthur quash a Saxon invasion.
In the traditional legend, Pellinore is slain by Gawain and his brothers in revenge for Lots death.
In the Italian Chantari di Lancelotto, however, he is alive at the end of Arthurs reign, and he helps
Lancelot defend Joyous Guard against Arthur. [VulgMer, Livre, ProsTris, Palamedes, PostMer, PostQuest, Chantari, Malory1]
En II, 14 (volet 41) un personnage mentionne King Pellam of Listinoise ; aucun moment ce titre nest
aussi clairement associ Pellinor. Un roi sans royaume ? Non, car dans le Tristan en prose, le royaume a
sa tte Pellinor, chez Malory Pellehan/Pellam.
Voir la mise au point de Franois Moss dans son introduction Lancelot

du Lac III : La Fausse Guenivre , Lettres gothiques, 1998.
Vulgate Merlin, Le Livre dArtus, Prose Tristan, Palamedes, Post-Vulgate Suite du Merlin, Post-Vulgate Queste del Saint Graal, Li
Chantari di Lancelotto, Sir Thomas Malory Le Morte Darthur
1
Version 1.3
Notes de lecture
20
BOOK I
CHAPTER 20. How King Pellinor took Arthurs horse and followed
the Questing Beast, and how Merlin met with Arthur
1 Sir knight, said the king, leave that quest, and suer me to have it, and I will follow it another twelvemonth.
Ah, fool, said the knight unto Arthur, it is in vain thy desire, for it shall never be achieved but by
me, or my next kin. Therewith he started unto the kings horse and mounted into the saddle, and
said, Gramercy, this horse is my own.
Well, said the king, thou mayst take my horse by force, but and I might prove thee whether thou
were better on horseback or I.
Well, said the knight, seek me here when thou wilt, and here nigh this well thou shalt nd me, and
so passed on his way.
2 Then the king sat in a study, and bad his men fetch his horse as fast as ever they might. Right
so came by him Merlin like a child of fourteen year of age, and saluted the king, and asked him
why he was so pensive.
I may well be pensive, said the king, for I have seen the marvellest sight that ever I saw.
That know I well, said Merlin, as well as thyself, and of all thy thoughts, but thou art but a fool to
take thought, for it will not amend thee. Also I know what thou art, and who was thy father, and of whom
thou wert begotten; King Uther Pendragon was thy father, and begat thee on Igraine.
That is false, said King Arthur. How shouldest thou know it, for thou art not so old of years to know
my father?
Yes, said Merlin, I know it better than ye or any man living.
I will not believe thee, said Arthur, and was wroth with the child.
So departed Merlin, and came again in the likeness of an old man of fourscore year of age,
whereof the king was right glad, for he seemed to be right wise. Then said the old man, Why are
ye so sad?
3 I may well be heavy, said Arthur, for many things. Also here was a child, and told me many things
that meseemeth he should not know, for he was not of age to know my father.
Yes, said the old man, the child told you truth, and more would he have told you and ye would have
suered him. But ye have done a thing late that God is displeased with you, for ye have lain by your sister,
and on her ye have gotten a child that shall destroy you and all the knights of your realm.
What are ye, said Arthur, that tell me these tidings?
I am Merlin, and I was he in the childs likeness.
Ah, said King Arthur, ye are a marvellous man, but I marvel much of thy words that I must die in
battle.
Marvel not, said Merlin, for it is Gods will your body to be punished for your foul deeds. But I may
well be sorry, said Merlin, for I shall die a shameful death, to be put in the earth quick, and ye shall die a
worshipful death. And as they talked this, came one with the kings horse, and so the king mounted
on his horse, and Merlin on another, and so rode unto Caerleon.
4 And anon the king asked Ector and Ulus how he was begotten, and they told him Uther Pendragon was his father and Queen Igraine his mother. Then he said to Merlin, I will that my mother
be sent for that I may speak with her; and if she say so herself then will I believe it.
In all haste, the queen was sent for, and she came and brought with her Morgan le Fay, her
daughter, that was as fair a lady as any might be, and the king welcomed Igraine in the best manner.
Le roi Pellinor sempare du cheval dArthur et suit la Bte Glatissante ;

Merlin va trouver Arthur
1 Messire chevalier, dclara le roi, renoncez donc cette qute et consentez ce que je prenne la relve, et
je la poursuivrai mon tour pendant douze mois.
Ah ! sot que tu es, rpondit le chevalier Arthur, tu tillusionnes car cette qute ne sera jamais mene
son terme que par moi ou mon plus proche parent. Et sur ces mots, il se prcipita vers le cheval du roi et
se mit en selle, ajoutant : Dieu te le rende ! Ce cheval mappartient.
Soit, rpliqua le roi, rien ne tempche de temparer de force de mon cheval ; reste savoir lequel de nous
deux se rvlerait le meilleur combattant cheval, si je pouvais taronter.
Eh bien, conclut le chevalier, viens me chercher ici quand bon te semblera et tu ne manqueras pas de
me trouver ici, prs de la source et sur ces paroles reprit sa route.
2 Puis le roi sassit, plong dans ses penses, et ordonna ses hommes daller aussi vite quils le
pourraient lui chercher son cheval. Cest ce moment prcis que vint le trouver Merlin en apparence un gamin de quatorze ans , qui, aprs avoir salu le roi, lui demanda ce qui le rendait si
songeur. Jai de bonnes raisons dtre songeur, rpondit le roi, car jai eu la vision la plus trange que
jaie jamais vue.
Je suis dj au courant, rpondit Merlin, aussi bien que toi-mme, ainsi que de toutes tes penses.
Mais tu nes quun sot de tabsorber dans tes rflexions car cela ne redressera pas la situation en ce qui te
concerne. En outre, je sais qui tu es, qui tait ton pre et par qui tu as t engendr : cest le roi Uther Pendragon qui tait ton pre et tu es le ls quil a eu dIgraine.
Voil qui est faux, rpliqua le roi Arthur. Comment ferais-tu, toi, pour le savoir, alors que tu nes
pas assez grand pour avoir connu mon pre ?
Si, je le sais, reprit Merlin, mieux que vous ou qume qui vive.
Je refuse de te croire, conclut Arthur, courrouc contre le gamin.
Merlin partit alors, pour revenir en ayant pris lapparence dun vieillard de quatre-vingts ans,
ce dont le roi fut rempli daise, voyant en lui un homme de grande exprience. Le vieil homme lui
demanda alors : Quest-ce qui vous rend si triste ?
3 Rien dtonnant ce que jaie le cur gros, rpondit Arthur, les raisons ne manquent pas. Au surplus, un gamin tait l tout lheure, qui ma fait part de connaissances qu mon avis il devrait tre hors
dtat de possder, tant trop jeune pour avoir connu mon pre.
Mais si, rtorqua le vieillard, le gamin a dit vrai, et il vous en aurait dit davantage si vous ny aviez
pas mis obstacle. Mais vous avez commis il y a peu un acte qui a entran le mcontentement de Dieu votre
gard, car vous avez couch avec votre sur et lavez rendue mre dun enfant qui vous dtruira vous, ainsi
que tous les chevaliers de votre royaume.
Qui tes-vous donc, demanda Arthur, pour mapprendre de telles nouvelles ?
Je suis Merlin et ctait aussi moi sous lapparence du gamin.
Ah ! scria le roi Arthur, vous tes un homme tonnant, mais tu mas dit que mon destin tait de
mourir en combattant, ce qui ma laiss perplexe.
Ne soyez pas surpris, rpondit Merlin, car Dieu veut que votre corps soit puni pour vos actes abominables. Mais, ajouta-t-il, jai de bonnes raisons de mapitoyer sur mon sort car la mort qui mattend est
ignominieuse : je serai enterr vif, alors que vous tes vou une mort qui vous fera honneur. Pendant
quils devisaient ainsi, on amena le cheval du roi : Arthur se hissa sur sa monture, Merlin sur la
sienne, et ils gagnrent ainsi Carlisle.
4 Aussitt arriv, Arthur senquit auprs dEctor et dUln des circonstances dans lesquelles ils
avait t conu et ils linformrent que son pre tait Uther Pendragon et sa mre la reine Igraine.
Il sadressa alors Merlin : Je veux quon fasse venir ma mre an que je mentretienne avec elle ; et je
ne serai convaincu que si jen entends la conrmation de sa propre bouche.
La reine[-mre] fut mande en toute hte et elle vint, accompagne de sa lle, la fe Morgane,
une femme des plus belles, et Arthur rserva Igraine laccueil qui lui tait d.
1 but and I might prove thee whether thou were better on horseback or I
Note de J. Cowen :
The sense is obviously defective here. A better reading is found in W : but and I might prove it, I
would wit whether thou were better
Winchester f 17v :
but and I myght preve hit I wolde weete wheer ou were bettir worthy to haue hym or I.
Le verbe moyen-anglais est prve(n) : Mais sil mtait possible de chercher le dterminer
[en combat singulier], je saurais lequel, de toi ou de moi, est le plus digne de lavoir.
2 here nigh this well dsigne, comme fountain, une source (spring of water)
3 the king sat in a study le sens de mditation, rverie ne sest maintenu que dans
le clich (to be) in a brown study (tre) perdu dans ses penses, plong dans ses
rexions
4 Merlin like a child of fourteen year of age in the likeness of an old man of fourscore year of
age Ses deux transformations prfres.
Lpisode le plus marquant de ce point de vue est celui, dans Lestoire de Merlin (publie
par Sommer), o, lors dune fte organise Camelot par Arthur loccasion dune victoire militaire, Merlin fait son apparition sous deux formes successives :
dabord comme mnestrel aveugle saccompagnant la harpe pour chanter un lai
breton qui remplit lauditoire (y compris Keu) dadmiration, le salaire quil demande
tant lhonneur dtre le porte-tendard dArthur sur le prochain champ de bataille, fa-
veur qui lui est refuse, sur quoi il disparat en un instant (mais le roi Ban la reconnu) ;
ensuite comme garonnet de 8 ans, entrepel (dont le cuir chevelu est dgarni par
plaques, comme sil avait la pelade) et sans braies, une massue la main, qui fait la mme
demande que le mnestrel et obtient satisfaction.
5 marvellest most marvelous; pseudo-superlatif
6 That know I well as well as thyself, and of all thy thoughts petite ritournelle propre au
personnage, signe de reconnaissance (auquel seul Arthur est insensible). Fluctuations
du vouvoie-/tutoiement dans les conversations entre les deux hommes.
7 Yes, said Merlin : Yes ntait pas la particule darmation ordinaire (rle dvolu
yea, cf. II, 5 : Yea, said the Irish knight), mais la rponse une question ngative
(Arent you John Doe? Yes, I am Ntes-vous pas Untel ? Mais si, cest moi )
8 to be put in the earth quick annonce de IV, 1 (volet 62); Merlin sait ce qui lattend,
mais cela ninchit pas son destin. Le sens initial de quick est vivant (voir la double acception de vif ) ; la forme est apparente au latin uuus, au grec /bios, au
russe [ 'voj], etc.
9 And anon the king asked Ector and Ulus how he was begotten, and they told him Uther
Pendragon was his father and Queen Igraine his mother Note de J. Cowen :
How Ulus and Brastias got to know about Arthurs origins is not explained.
Lgre confusion : il nest pas question de Brastias (ancien proche de Gorlois, devenu
proche dArthur), mais dEctor (pre nourricier dArthur et pre naturel du snchal,
sire Keu).
Version 1.2
Notes de lecture
25
BOOK I
CHAPTER 25. How Arthur by the mean of Merlin gat Excalibur his sword
of the Lady of the Lake
1 Right so the king and he departed, and went unto an hermit that was a good man and a great
leech. So the hermit searched all his wounds and gave him good salves; so the king was there
three days, and then were his wounds well amended that he might ride and go, and so departed.
And as they rode, Arthur said, I have no sword.
No force, said Merlin, hereby is a sword that shall be yours, and I may.
So they rode till they came to a lake, the which was a fair water and broad, and in the midst
of the lake Arthur was ware of an arm clothed in white samite, that held a fair sword in that hand.
Lo! said Merlin, yonder is that sword that I spake of.
With that they saw a damosel going upon the lake.
What damosel is that? said Arthur.
That is the Lady of the Lake, said Merlin; and within that lake is a rock, and therein is as fair a palace as any on earth, and richly beseen; and this damosel will come to you anon, and then speak ye fair to her
that she will give you that sword.
Anon withal came the damosel unto Arthur, and saluted him, and he her again.
Damosel, said Arthur, what sword is that, that yonder the arm holdeth above the water? I would it
were mine, for I have no sword.
Sir Arthur, king, said the damosel, that sword is mine, and if ye will give me a gift when I ask it you,
ye shall have it.
By my faith, said Arthur, I will give you what gift ye will ask.
Well! said the damosel, go ye into yonder barge, and row yourself to the sword, and take it and the
scabbard with you, and I will ask my gift when I see my time.
So Sir Arthur and Merlin alit and tied their horses to two trees, and so they went into the
ship, and when they came to the sword that the hand held, Sir Arthur took it up by the handles,
and took it with him, and the arm and the hand went under the water, and so came unto the land
and rode forth, and then Sir Arthur saw a rich pavilion.
What signieth yonder pavilion?

It is the knights pavilion, said Merlin, that ye fought with last, Sir Pellinor; but he is out, he is not
there. He hath ado with a knight of yours that hight Egglame, and they have foughten together, but at the
last Egglame ed, and else he had been dead, and he hath chased him even to Caerleon, and we shall meet
with him anon in the highway.
That is well said, said Arthur, now have I a sword, now will I wage battle with him, and be avenged
on him.
Sir, you shall not so, said Merlin, for the knight is weary of ghting and chasing, so that ye shall have
no worship to have ado with him; also he will not be lightly matched of one knight living, and therefore it is
my counsel, let him pass, for he shall do you good service in short time, and his sons after his days. Also ye
shall see that day in short space, you shall be right glad to give him your sister to wed.
When I see him, I will do as ye advise, said Arthur.
2 Then Sir Arthur looked on the sword, and liked it passing well.
Whether liketh you better, said Merlin, the sword or the scabbard?
Me liketh better the sword, said Arthur.
Ye are more unwise, said Merlin, for the scabbard is worth ten of the swords, for whiles ye have the
scabbard upon you, ye shall never lose no blood, be ye never so sore wounded; therefore keep well the scabbard always with you.
So they rode unto Caerleon, and by the way they met with Sir Pellinor; but Merlin had done
such a craft, that Pellinor saw not Arthur, and he passed by without any words.
I marvel, said Arthur, that the knight would not speak.
Sir, said Merlin, he saw you not, for and he had seen you, ye had not lightly departed.
So they came unto Caerleon, whereof his knights were passing glad. And when they heard of
his adventures, they marvelled that he would jeopard his person so, alone. But all men of worship
said it was merry to be under such a chieftain, that would put his person in adventure as other
poor knights did.
Grce Merlin, Arthur obtient de la Dame du Lac son pe, Excalibur

1 Sans plus attendre, Arthur et Merlin quittrent les lieux et allrent trouver un ermite qui tait
homme de bien et grand mdecin. Lermite examina donc les blessures du roi et lui donna des onguents bienfaisants ; aprs trois jours passs chez lermite, le roi fut susamment remis de ses blessures pour pouvoir remonter cheval et partir, ce quil t [en compagnie de lenchanteur].
Chemin faisant, Arthur remarqua : Me voil sans pe.
Quimporte, rpondit Merlin, il y a non loin une pe qui ne manquera pas dtre vtre, sil ne tient qu
moi.
Ils poursuivirent leur route jusqu ce quils arrivent un lac, grand et beau plan deau, au milieu
duquel Arthur aperut un bras dans une manche de samit blanc et dont la main tenait une belle pe.
Voyez l-bas, expliqua Merlin, cest lpe dont je vous ai parl.
ce moment, ils aperurent une demoiselle qui marchait sur le lac.
Qui est cette demoiselle ? demanda Arthur.
Cest la Dame du Lac, rpondit Merlin. Au fond du lac, il y a de la roche et, lintrieur, un des plus
beaux palais de notre plante, richement dcore ; cette demoiselle va vous rejoindre dans un instant : parlez-lui
avec courtoisie an quelle vous fasse prsent de cette pe.
Sur ces entrefaites, la demoiselle sapprocha dArthur et le salua, et il lui rendit son salut.
Damoiselle, lui demanda Arthur, quest-ce donc que cette pe que le bras tient l-bas hors de leau ? Je la
voudrais mienne, car je suis sans pe.
Roi Arthur, rpondit la demoiselle, cette pe mappartient et si vous consentez maccorder un don
quand je vous le demanderai, elle deviendra vtre.
Sur ma foi, dit Arthur, je vous accorderai le don que vous me demanderez.
Parfait ! conclut la demoiselle ; montez dans la barque qui est mouille l-bas et ramez jusqu lpe,
puis prenez-la avec son fourreau : je vous demanderai mon don quand je le jugerai opportun.
Ayant mis pied terre, Arthur et Merlin attachrent leurs chevaux deux arbres, puis montrent
bord de la barque. Quand ils atteignirent lendroit o se dressait le bras arm, sire Arthur saisit
lpe par les quillons et lemporta : le bras et la main senfoncrent dans leau et disparurent. Les
deux passagers de la barque regagnrent la terre ferme et reprirent leur chevauche. un moment
donn, sire Arthur aperut un riche pavillon.
Comment se fait-il quil y ait une tente dresse l-bas ?
Cest celle du chevalier contre lequel vous vous tes battu dernirement, sire Pellinor, expliqua Merlin,
mais il est sorti et ne sy trouve pas ; il a aront un de vos chevaliers du nom dEgglame et ils ont rompu des
lances, mais en n de compte Egglame a pris la fuite, sinon il aurait t tu : sire Pellinor sest lanc sa poursuite
jusqu Carlisle mme et nous sommes srs de le rencontrer sous peu sur la grand-route.
Cela tombe bien, rpliqua Arthur, car tant maintenant pourvu dune pe, je veux livrer bataille contre
lui et en tirer vengeance.
Messire, vous nen ferez rien, rtorqua Merlin, car ce chevalier est fourbu davoir combattu contre
Egglame et de se lancer sa poursuite, et lui livrer bataille dans ces conditions ne sera pas votre honneur ; du
reste, on trouverait dicilement son pareil parmi tous les chevaliers vivants et par consquent, si vous voulez
men croire, ne vous occupez pas de lui, car il vous rendra sous peu de signals services, et ses ls aprs lui. De surcrot, le jour viendra (il ne saurait tarder) o vous serez bien heureux de lui accorder la main de votre sur.
Quand je le verrai, conclut Arthur, je suivrai votre conseil.
2 Arthur regarda alors son pe et trouva quelle lui convenait merveille.
Quest-ce qui a votre prfrence, lui demanda Merlin, cette pe ou bien son fourreau ?
Je prfre lpe, rpondit Arthur.
Votre erreur de jugement est dautant plus agrante, commenta Merlin, que le fourreau a dix fois
plus de valeur que lpe : tant que vous le ceindrez, vous ne saignerez jamais, si graves que puissent tre vos
blessures ; veillez donc bien toujours porter ce fourreau votre ct.
Ils poursuivirent donc leur route jusqu Carlisle et, en chemin, rencontrrent sire Pellinor ;
mais Merlin avait us dun sortilge qui rendait Arthur invisible aux yeux de Pellinor, qui passa
ct du roi sans mot dire.
Je trouve dconcertant que ce chevalier nait rien dit, dclara Arthur.
Messire, expliqua Merlin, la raison en est quil ne vous a pas vu ; autrement, vous nauriez pas continu votre chemin sans encombre.
Ils parvinrent ainsi Carlisle, ce qui combla daise les chevaliers dArthur, et quand ils apprirent quelles aventures lui taient arrives, ils stonnrent quil mette ainsi, sans la moindre escorte, sa personne en danger ; mais tous les preux parmi eux dirent quelle joie ctait davoir
leur tte un tel chef, capable de risquer sa vie, comme les autres pauvres chevaliers.
1 Excalibur1 Voir Christopher W. Bruce, The Arthurian Name Dictionary (1999) sous Caledfwlch, Caliburn et Excalibur [le latin chalybs est une adaptation du grec [], ]
2 No force : Middle English Dictionary s.u. force, 10a :
(a) Account, value, worth, importance; (b) no ~ (it) is, (it) is no ~, it does not matter, it is not important; with inn.: there is no need (to do something); (c) no ~, adverb or exclamation: no matter;often with of phrase indicating that which is regarded as unimportant; (d) what ~, what does
it matter, who cares.
(a) (a1398) * Trev. Barth.(Add 27944) 220b/a: e seed..at make moche noyse whanne it is
ysmyte is litel fors [L parum at tendenda].
?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511) p.20: Of his body was no force, non for him wild
murne.
c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171) 285/18: ai prikeden hir maistres hors wi e Spores forto kepe ham
Verbatim : Souvent, il tait aperu que lpe du roi Arthur est Excalibur qui ntaient quune seule et mme arme, bien
que certaines versions aient montr le contraire. http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excalibur Dernire modication de cette
page le 24 mars 2013 01:00 Par la suite, cette remarque a t retire de la page.
1
fro perile, and sette her maistres at no force.

c1425(a1420) Lydg. TB (Aug A.4) 5.3512: Alle swiche at can nat be stilleLitel forse wher thei
seie good or ille.
c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9) 77: Some doctoures seien that he begged in thoo thre dayes;
but therof litel force, so that we folwe hym in perte mekenes.
c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916) 95/6: It is wioute recche, withoute fors, wioute compassioun.
c1450(c1385) Chaucer Mars (Benson-Robinson) 197: But were she sauf, hit were no fors of me.
(b) c1390 Hilton ML (Vrn) 290: Hit is no force.
(c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert) E.1835: It is no fors how longe that we pleye, In trewe
wedlok coupled be we tweye.
a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3) 13044: Of hir nam es na force [Frf: kepe I not] to tell.
a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396) 329/1: an it is no force [L non sit tibi cure] ou i medicyn be not
stiptica.
a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson) 4.322: Forthi no fors is, though the body sterve.1
?c1425 Craft Number.(Eg 2622) 22/24: It is no fors quych of hem tweyn ou take.
a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279) 33: Bynd hym vppe with our [of] Rys, oer with whetyn oure, it
is no fors.
a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner) 2268: Though ye hym slee, no force it is.
a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11) 63: Therof no force is for to enquere.
(c) (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert) B.285: I wrecche womman, no fors thogh I spille.
(c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert) E.1092: No fors of deeth, ne whan my spirit pace!
(c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert) E.2430: Ther of no fors, lat alle swiche thynges go.
c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137) 15.10: Ho can do bet, no forse!
c1425(a1420) Lydg. TB (Aug A.4) 4.6501: Of me no fors, ou ou make as blive e swerd of Grekis
oru myn hert rive.
a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson) 5.755: This purpos wol ich holde..No fors of wikked
tonges janglerie.
(?a1439) Lydg. FP (Bod 263) 4.970: No fors who lauhhe or pleyne.
c1450(c1390) Chaucer Ven.(Benson-Robinson) 53: No fors thogh Jelosye me turmente!
c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719) 190/10: No fors of my gudis.
(1471) Paston 5.108: No fors, so I have yowr blyssyng.2
c1475(c1450) Idley Instr. 2.A.1119: How the goodis be goten, therof noo force.
a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1) 19/374: No force, I wote wheder I shall; In hell I wote mon
be my stall.
(d) (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert) E.1295: What force thogh Theofraste liste lye.
c1400(1375) Canticum Creat.(Trin-O 57) 291: What e god be wi me wroht, What fors shel it be?
a1450 St.Kath.(3) (Richardson 44) 43: What force is hit to me wheer e ymage be maad lyke e
face of a fayre womman?
a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11) 126: What forse..whateuer thei be, lete vs go take from hem
theire horse.
Emprunt au franais :
Pathelin Le Bergier
Maistre Pierre
Be !
Dea ! lon ne te trouvera point.
Ne dy plus be ; il ny a force.
Les quinze joies de mariage

Et sil pleut ou gelle ou grelle et le mary soit dehors, lune delles dira ainxin : Hellas ! mon compre a maintenant mal endurer, qui est dehors. Et lautre respond quil ny a force et quil est bien
aise.
Tiers Livre, ch. II in ne
1
2
Cela non force.
Quimporte, par consquent, que le corps soit mortel

Peu importe, pourvu que jaie votre bndiction
Montaigne I, 25 De linstitution des enfans
(Je ne suis pas de ceux qui pensent que la bonne rime fasse le bon pome : laissez-le, si cela lui
chante, allonger une syllabe brve, cela ne tire pas consquence.)
3 damosel voir en I, 17 17.

Texte du ms. de Winchester (source : lemortedarthuronline.com) :
So with that they aw a dameell goynge vppon the laake [lacune] eyde M there ys a grete roche
and there In ys as fayre a paleyce1 as ony on erthe and rychely be ayne And thys dameel woll
com to you a none And than peke ye fayre to hir that he may gy you that werde So anone com
is dameel to Arthure and alewed hym and he hir a gayne Dameell eyde Arthure What werde
ys that yondir that the arme holdith aboven the watir I wolde hit were myne for I haue no werde
Sir Arthure eyde the dameel that werde ys myne And if ye woll gy me a gyte whan I ake hit
you ye hall haue hit Be my feyth eyde Arthure I woll gy you what gyte that ye woll ake //
Well eyde the dameell go ye in to yondir Barge and rowe youre ele to the werde and take hit
and e cawberde with you And I woll ake my gyte whan I e my tyme
OED, aprs avoir recens une petite trentaine de variantes graphiques sous damsel, damosel, prsente lhistorique suivant :
Early ME. dameisele, damaisele, a. OF. dameisele (damisele) (12th c.), later damoisele, -elle (the only
form in Cotgrave), demoiselle (14th c.). The OF. dameisele was a new formation from dame, instead
of the popular danzele, dansele, doncele = Pr. and It. donzella, Sp. doncella:late L. *dominicella, med.L.
domnicella, domicella, dim. of domina mistress, lady, fem. of dominus lord. (There is a 10th c. F. instance of the learned form domnizelle.) In Eng. the middle syllable was reduced from ei (ai), to i, ,
and nally disappeared. The variant damoiselle was introduced in 15th c. from Parisian F. (by Lydgate, Caxton, etc.), and gave rise here to damosel, damozel, so frequent in 16-17th c., and aected in
19th c. in sense 1. See also DOUZEL.
Alors que pucelle et maid dsignaient une jeune lle clibataire, damoiselle indique le statut social dune jeune lle noble ou dune femme marie noble :
Pietres dou Bos [Pieter van den Bossche, un des capitaines de Bruges] sen vint un soir [en 1381]
chis ce Phelippes [dArtevelde] qui demoroit avoecques sa damoiselle de mere, et vivoient de leurs
rentes [ revenus ] tout bellement Froissart
En rgle gnrale, au contraire, damosel ne sapplique pas une femme marie, bien que
OED en cite un exemple tir de Blanchardyn and Eglantine (d. de Caxton) :
whan he rydeth by the feldes awaye / he commeth allewayes behynde, ferre ynoughe from all
her folke, hauynge onely beyde her a goode auncyent damoyell, whiche dyde noryhe her of
her bretys in her moot tender and yonge age / And is called her nouryce and maytree.
4 in the midst of the lake Arthur was ware of an arm clothed in white samite, that held a fair
sword in that hand Je ne crois pas que le rapprochement ait dj t signal : la description voque le meuble hraldique appel dextrochre arm (on prononce /-k/)
donc palace (de prfrence place, texte de J. Cowen)
Le dextrochre provient de Wikimedia Commons; lillustration est, au dpart, luvre dAlfred Kappes (1850-1894).
Dextrochre, hybride form du thme de ladj. latin dexter (du ct) droit et du grec main , cf. chiromancie (et
chirurgien, ce qui est incohrent), dsignait en latin tardif un bracelet (port au bras/armlet, et non au poignet/wristlet).
Erat [C. Iulius Verus Maximinus, bel oxymore] prterea, ut refert Cordus, magnitudine tanta ut octo
pedes digitis sex diceretur egressus, pollice ita uasto ut uxoris dextrocherio uteretur pro anulo.
En outre, comme le rapporte Cordus, on disait Maximin [lempereur Maximin Ier le Thrace,173238, successeur dAlexandre Svre] si grand quil dpassait de six doigts les huit pieds, et son
pouce tait si gros quil y mettait comme bague le bracelet que sa femme portait au bras. Iulius
Capitolinus, dans lHistoire Auguste.
Voir aussi Du Cange, sous DEXTROCHERIUM.

5 samite (Littr na pas ce mot en vedette, mais on le trouve dans lhistorique des articles corps, coudre, courroie, doublet, oriamme, reconnaissance et retentir.) Sorte de satin
dont la trame de soie tait soutenue par une trame de l. (Acad.) Voir louvrage de
Francisque Michel au titre euve Recherches sur le commerce, la fabrication et lusage
des toes de soie, dor et dargent et autres tissus prcieux en Occident, particulirement en France, pendant le moyen ge , 2 vol., 1852.
Explication traditionnelle : de xamitum (cf. Du Cange), forme aphrse dexamitum [pour
*hexamiton], adaptation du grec du bas-empire (cf. russe , allemand
Sammet, Samt, italien sciamito, castillan jamete, jams) six brins ; six ls .
Des voix discordantes se sont leves, il y a belle lurette, voir p. ex. en annexe1
Ernest Pariset [1826-1912], Histoire de la soie, II (1865), Appendice p. 378-384.
mais Mommsen (qui ne cite que Waddington) a rfut en 1893 lhypothse du soyeux.
Quen pensent nos contemporains ?
En marge, voir aussi la diatribe en 1838 entre Paulin Paris et Benjamin Gurard relate dans ltude dHlne Biu, Paulin
Paris et la redcouverte de la littrature mdivale, p. 75-90 du recueil Mmoire des chevaliers Edition, diusion et rception des
romans de chevalerie du XVIIe au XXe sicle, tudes runies par Isabelle Diu, Elisabeth Parinet et Franoise Vielliard (2007).
1
6 That is the Lady of the Lake Ici, comme dans le titre du chapitre, Malory gare le lecteur : il sut de comparer avec le passage en IV, 1 (volet 62) o il prcise, propos de
Nimue, she was one of the damosels of the lake. Note dE. Vinaver :
The Lady of the Laake is not Viviane (Malorys Nyneve, Nyvene), who is also called the Lady of the
Lake, and who in the French romance brings up the young Lancelot and causes the death of Merlin. The damsel who asks for Balins head is never described in Malorys source otherwise than as
une damoisiele.
7 Anon withal (les deux termes sont ici synonymes) Aussitt et sans plus attendre
8 barge il sagit dune petite embarcation fond plat, et non dune pniche
9 you shall be right glad to give him your sister to wed Pellinor ne semble avoir pous
aucune des surs ou demi-surs dArthur. Sagit-il dune option abandonne en cours
de route ?
10 Merlin had done such a craft, that Pellinor saw not Arthur [version originale : But Merlion had done uche a craute vnto kynge Pellinore aw nat kynge Arthure] note dE. Vinaver :
= with the result that King Pellinor could not see King Arthur. [] Puzzled by this construction Caxton substituted that for unto.
Version 1.1
Notes de lecture
86
BOOK IV
CHAPTER 25. How Sir Marhaus fought with the duke and his six sons
and made them to yield them
1
Then came the four sons by couple, and two of them brake their spears, and so did the other
two. And all this while Sir Marhaus touched them not. Then Sir Marhaus ran to the duke, and smote
him with his spear that horse and man fell to the earth, and so he served his sons; and then Sir Marhaus
alit down and bad the duke yield him or else he would slay him.
And then some of his sons recovered, and would have set upon Sir Marhaus; then Sir Marhaus
said to the duke, Cease thy sons, or else I will do the uttermost to you all.
Then the duke saw he might not escape the death, he cried to his sons, and charged them to
yield them to Sir Marhaus; and they kneeled all down and put the pommels of their swords to the
knight, and so he received them. And then they halp up their father, and so by their commmunal assent
promised to Sir Marhaus never to be foes unto King Arthur, and thereupon at Whitsuntide after, to
come, he and his sons, and put them in the kings grace.
Then Sir Marhaus departed, and within two days his damosel brought him whereas was a great
tournament that the Lady de Vawse had cried. And who that did best should have a rich circlet of gold
worth a thousand bezants. And there Sir Marhaus did so nobly that he was renowned, and had sometime down forty knights, and so the circlet of gold was rewarded him.
2
Then he departed from them with great worship; and so within seven nights his damosel
brought him to an earls place, his name was the Earl Fergus, that after was Sir Tristrams knight; and
this earl was but a young man, and late come into his lands, and there was a giant fast by him that hight
Taulurd, and he had another brother in Cornwall that hight Taulas, that Sir Tristram slew when he was
out of his mind. So this earl made his complaint unto Sir Marhaus, that there was a giant by him that
destroyed all his lands, and how he durst nowhere ride nor go for him.
Sir, said the knight, whether useth he to ght, on horseback or on foot?
Nay, said the earl, there may no horse bear him.
Well, said Sir Marhaus, then will I ght with him on foot.
So on the morn Sir Marhaus prayed the earl that one of his men might bring him whereas the
giant was; and so he was, for he saw him sit under a tree of holly, and many clubs of iron and gisarmes
about him.
So this knight dressed him to the giant, putting his shield afore him, and the giant took an iron
club in his hand, and at the rst stroke he clave Sir Marhaus shield in two pieces. And there he was in
great peril, for the giant was a wily ghter, but at last Sir Marhaus smote o his right arm above the
elbow. Then the giant ed and the knight after him, and so he drove him into a water, but the giant was
so high that he might not wade after him. And then Sir Marhaus made the Earl Fergus man to fetch
him stones, and with those stones the knight gave the giant many sore knocks, till at the last he made
him fall down into the water, and so was he there dead.
Then Sir Marhaus went unto the giants castle, and there he delivered twenty-four ladies and
twelve knights out of the giants prison, and there he had great riches without number, so that the days
of his life he was never poor man. Then he returned to the Earl Fergus, the which thanked him greatly,
and would have given him half his lands, but he would none take.
So Sir Marhaus dwelled with the earl nigh half a year, for he was sore bruised with the giant,
and at the last he took his leave. And as he rode by the way, he met with Sir Gawain and Sir Uwain, and
so by adventure he met with four knights of Arthurs court, the rst was Sir Sagramore le Desirous, Sir
Ozana [le Cure Hardy], Sir Dodinas le Savage, and Sir Felot of Listinoise; and there Sir Marhaus with one
spear smote down these four knights, and hurt them sore. So he departed to meet at his day aforeset.
Sire Morhaut aronte le duc et ses six ls et les rduit merci

1
Prirent alors part les quatre ls restants, deux par deux, les premiers charger brisant leurs
lances, les suivants aussi, sans que, pendant tout ce temps, sire Morhaut cherche frapper ses adversaires. Puis sire Morhaut galopa jusquau duc et le frappa de sa lance, si bien que monture et cavalier
mordirent la poussire, les quatre ls subissant le mme sort ; sire Morhaut mit alors pied terre et
intima au duc lordre de se reconnatre vaincu, faute de quoi il le tuerait.
Comme certains de ses ls avaient rcupr et voulurent ce moment attaquer leur vainqueur,
celui-ci ordonna au duc : Calme les ardeurs de tes ls, sinon jen viendrai la dernire extrmit avec vous
tous.
Le duc comprit alors quil nchapperait pas la mise mort et cria ses ls davoir rendre les
armes sire Morhaut ; sur quoi, tous [les six] sagenouillrent et prsentrent leurs pes sire Morhaut, le pommeau tourn vers lui, et il les prit ; puis ils aidrent leur pre se relever et, dun commun
accord, [les sept] promirent sire Morhaut de renoncer dsormais tout acte hostile envers le roi Arthur et de venir la Pentecte suivante rentrer en grce auprs du roi.
Sire Marhaus reprit alors la route et, en moins de deux jours, la demoiselle de trente ans le
conduisit l o se droulait un grand tournoi que la dame de Vawse avait fait annoncer : le chevalier qui
remporterait la palme se verrait remettre un troit bandeau dor ouvr, dune valeur de mille besants.
Sire Morhaut y t preuve dune telle valeur quil devint clbre, dsaronnant jusqu quarante chevaliers, et la rcompense du bandeau dor lui fut attribue.
2
Sire Morhaut partit du tournoi aprs y avoir suscit ladmiration et, en moins dune semaine,
son accompagnatrice le conduisit la demeure dun comte qui sappelait le comte Fergus et fut par la
suite chevalier de sire Tristan ; ce ntait encore quun jeune homme, entr depuis peu en possession de
ses terres, et il y avait dans les parages un gant du nom de Taulurd (qui avait en Cornouailles un frre
du nom de Taulas [de la Montagne], que sire Tristan tua quand il avait perdu la raison) ; et ce comte
Fergus, donc, se plaignit auprs de sire Morhaut davoir pour voisin un gant qui ravageait ses terres,
au point que lui-mme nosait se rendre nulle part cheval ni sattaquer lui.
Messire, demanda le chevalier, est-ce quil combat cheval ou bien pied ?
La question ne se pose pas, rpondit le comte, aucun cheval ne pourrait le porter.
Soit, conclut sire Morhaut, cest donc pied que je le combattrai.
Le lendemain matin, par consquent, sire Morhaut pria le comte de le faire accompagner dun
de ses serviteurs pour lui montrer le repaire du gant ; et celui-ci sy trouvait eectivement, car le
chevalier laperut, assis sous un houx, de nombreuses massues de fer et guisarmes ses cts.
Le chevalier se dirigea alors vers le gant, se protgeant de son bouclier ; le gant saisit une
massue de fer et, du premier coup, brisa en deux le bouclier de sire Morhaut. Le chevalier se trouva
donc en grand danger car son adversaire tait rompu aux feintes et ruses de combat, mais sire Morhaut
nit par lui trancher le bras droit au-dessus du coude. Le gant prit alors la fuite, poursuivi par le
chevalier qui le fora se rfugier dans un plan deau, mais telle tait la taille du gant quil tait impossible de sy engager sa suite. Sire Morhaut t alors chercher des pierres par le serviteur du comte
Fergus et, en lanant ces pierres sur le gant, le chevalier lui inigea bien des blessures graves, jusqu
ce quenn il seondre dans leau et y meure.
Sire Morhaut se rendit alors au chteau de Taulurd, o il libra des cachots du gant vingtquatre dames et douze chevaliers, et mit la main sur dinnombrables richesses, ce qui le mit labri du
besoin pour le restant de ses jours. Puis il retourna auprs du comte Fergus, qui lui prodigua des remerciements et voulut lui faire don de la moiti de ses terres, mais il naccepta rien.
Sire Morhaut demeura ainsi prs de six mois chez le comte, ayant t grivement bless par le
gant, et au bout de ce terme il prit cong. En cours de route, il rencontra sire Gauvain et sire Yvain,
puis, toujours par hasard, quatre chevaliers de la cour du roi Arthur : sire Sagremor le Batailleur, sire
Osenain [(le) Cur Hardi], sire Dodinel le Sauvage et sire Felot de Listenois ; et l, au moyen dune seule
lance, sire Morhaut t mordre la poussire ces quatre chevaliers, sans compter les blessures, bosses et
contusions. Sur quoi, il se remit en chemin pour gagner le lieu de son rendez-vous au jour x.
1 Lady de Vawse Cf. , 9, volet 36, 1.

2 a thousand bezants comme son nom lindique, le besant tait une monnaie dor
frappe (du moins lorigine) Byzance ; le mot est attest en franais depuis la Chanson
de Roland, en anglais depuis 1165 environ.
3 Fergus vieil-irlandais fer homme (cf. latin ur) et gus force, vigueur, imptuosit (apparent latin gustus, grec ancien , anglais to choose, etc.) ; le second
lment se retrouve dans le vieil-irlandais engus (forme moderne anglicise : Angus).
4 Taulas le gant de ce nom (Winchester folio 68r) sappelle Tauleas en IX, 19, volet
214 = folio 204v ; Caxton : Taulas ici, et, au livre IX, une fois Tawleas, trois fois Tauleas.
= Taulas de la Montagne, dans le roman de Tristan en prose.
5 gisarmes voir Viollet-Le-Duc, Dictionnaire raisonn du mobilier franais de lpoque carlovingienne la renaissance, VI (1875), p. 492-495,
et Victor Gay, Glossaire archologique du Moyen-ge et de la Renaissance, I (1887), p. 804-805.
6 Sir Sagramore le Desirous cf. IV, 4, volet 65, 3.
7 Ozana [le Cure Hardy] cf. X, 11, volet 249; XVIII, 10, volet 440, etc.; et X, 13, volet 251
(Ozana with the hardy heart) Winchester folio 68v : Sir Ozanna le cure hardy, Caxton :
Sir Ozanna.
= Osenain, Ossenam
Or sachez que jai non Ossenam Cuer Hardi. En lostel le roi Artuz fu norriz petiz enfez, et por mon servise
me st chevalier li plus preudome du monde, cest li rois Artus. Et puis s je tant, la Dieu merci, que la devine
porveance me mist en la hautesce et en lonor de la Table Reonde au jour dune Pentecouste : et assis en un
des sieges de la Table Reonde, et de lors me mis ge a enquerre et encerchier les aventures du Saint Graal.
Le Roman de Tristan en prose (version du manuscrit 757 de la Bibliothque nationale de Paris) [V.I], ed. J.
Blanchard, M. Qureuil, I, Paris, Champion, 1997, 19, p. 97-98.

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Version 2.

PREFACE OF WILLIAM CAXTON

Le passage omis est simplement la table des matires.

il voulut avoir celle dArthur

Winchester Round Table (clich Wikimedia Commons); texte Wikipedia

S galahallt Sir Galahad

= Libeaus Desconus [Li Biaus Descounes] ; Gingalin.

S kay Sir Kay

49 no man is accepted for a prophet in his own country

64 simple person simple particulier (qui nest pas noble, roturier)

Fter that I had accomplyhed and fynyhed dyuers hytoryes as wel of

Table des matires du premier livre

Chapter 15 [volet 15]

[Sans titre chez J. Cowen.]

Chapter 23 [volet 23]

CHAPTER 8. How King Arthur held in Wales, at a Pentecost, a great

Then is he a bastard, they said all.

1 what kings and lords which

David Nash Fords Early British Kingdoms

13 the Dukes wife of Tintagel the duke of Tintagels wife

CHAPTER 9. Of the rst war that King Arthur had,

Premire guerre que mne le roi Arthur ;

1 gown de notre gonne (diminutif : gonnelle) ; Claude Fauchet, 1610 :

Le texte de J. Cowen porte how : telle est la leon du manuscrit de Winchester.

Onze rois runissent une grande arme contre le roi Arthur

1 the Castle of Bedegraine La bataille de Bdingran1 occupe les chapitres 14 17 inclus.

Le roi Arthur chevauche jusqu Carlisle, fait un songe

1 the Questing Beast

puis Li Hauz Livres du Graal/Perlesvaus :

Ex. de (b) chez Malory, IX, 20 :

(variantes, dont Morgause)

An Analysis of Verbal and Constructional Meaning (2012).

En dehors du vocabulaire de la vnerie, enbuschier/embuschier se cacher dans un bois

Car sachez bien, cest moi qui vous le dis,

On comparera lemploi de furlong par Chaucer dcrivant le bouche--oreille, la rumeur :

Mais voici ce quil y avait de plus surprenant :

Voir la mise au point de Franois Moss dans son introduction Lancelot

Le roi Pellinor sempare du cheval dArthur et suit la Bte Glatissante ;

What signieth yonder pavilion?

Grce Merlin, Arthur obtient de la Dame du Lac son pe, Excalibur

fro perile, and sette her maistres at no force.

Les quinze joies de mariage

Cela non force.

Quimporte, par consquent, que le corps soit mortel

Montaigne I, 25 De linstitution des enfans

3 damosel voir en I, 17 17.

donc palace (de prfrence place, texte de J. Cowen)

Voir aussi Du Cange, sous DEXTROCHERIUM.

Sire Morhaut aronte le duc et ses six ls et les rduit merci

1 Lady de Vawse Cf. , 9, volet 36, 1.

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