been demolished by the sword of the Biscayner.-Don Quixote, Book ii. c. 2.

AC

The combat which follows, between the two Tristrems and the ravisher of the younger knight's bride, assisted by his seven brethren, is detailed in the Fragments, (p. 374,) where the injurious baron is called Estuit l'Orgueilleux, of Castle-fer. But the death of Tristrem is differently narrated in the prose romance. cording to that authority, he was previously engaged in two desperate adventures. Urnoy, Count of Nantes, a vassal of the Duke of Bretagne, rebelled against his liege lord. This news was communicated to Tristrem, whose father-in-law was now dead, and who, in right of his wife, and yet more from his great prowess, seems to have become protector of Runalem, the young duke. The count's messenger came before him while he was playing at chess with his wife: "Tristrem." said he, "Urnoy, Count of Nantes, renounces thy homage, and thy protection, and will hold of thee, in future, neither land nor living."-"Since the count has defied me by thee," answered Tristrem, "by thee I defy him; and in eight days will be before Nantes with two thousand knights, to punish him as a traitor." Tristrem kept his word, defeated, wounded, and made prisoner the count, before his city. The town was also taken; but a tower, garrisoned by Urnoy's men-atarms, and commanded by Corbel with the short chin, master of his sergeants, held out against a storm. Tristrem was foremost in scaling the walls, but Corbel threw down on him a huge stone, which wounded his face desperately, and precipitated him from the ladder. His followers, incensed by his danger, stormed the tower, and slaughtered the garrison. Tristrem was borne home to the care of his wife, who, in skill in surgery, yielded only to her namesake and rival, Ysonde of Cornwall. In the intimacy, occasioned by her constant attendance, Tristrem forgot his situation, and his fealty to Queen Ysonde, and the Breton princess became his wife, in the tenderest sense of the word. Her happiness was, however, attended with fatal consequences to Tristrem's health; and Tressan, with more regard to dramatic effect than fidelity, chooses to represent it as the immediate cause of his death. But there is no authority for this trait of sentiment. Tristrem not only recovered, but again forgot the whitehand. ed Ysonde, (now doubly his own,) in the arms of his uncle's wife. a

The great quest of the Sangreal was now the object of ambition among all the knights of the Round Table. This Sangreal, or blessed tureen, was the vessel from which our Saviour and his disciples eat the last supper; which, according to tradition, was brought to England, along with the spear which pierced his side at the crucifixion, by Joseph of Arimathea, "the gentle knight," as he is called, "that tooke downe Jesus from the cross."-Morte Arthur, part iii. chap. 53. For some time, the Sangreal was visible to all pilgrims, and its presence conferred blessings upon the land in which it was preserved. One of the descendants of Joseph was always its guardian; who, to qualify himself for so pure a trust, was bound to observe the most rigid chastity, in deed, word, and thought. One of these holy men so far forgot himself, as to look, with unhallowed ardour, upon a young female pilgrim, whose vest was accidentally loosened, as she kneeled to receive his blessing. The sacred lance instantly punished his frailty, spontaneously piercing both his thighs. The blood continued to flow from the marvellous wound, and the guardian of the Sangreal was ever after called Le Roi pescheur. About the same period, certain wood-nymphs inhabited the caverns of Britain.

When a traveller passed the haunts of the beautiful and benevolent beings, one issued forth with a napkin, on which she spread store of the most delicious viands, and another with a cup of exquisite wine. But mankind are always ungrateful. An unlucky King Magins, with some unworthy knights, not satisfied with sharing the hospitality of these lovely nymphs, forcibly violated their chastity. They have never since appeared as formerly; and it must be owned, that our modern barmaids are but indifferent substitutes. Heaven was offended at these delinquencies. The Sangreal withdrew its visible presence from the crowds who

came to worship, and an iron age succeeded the happiness which its arrival had diffused among the tribes of England. Merlin foretold to King Arthur, that from his Round Table should come a champion, who, not by dint of sword and lance, but by a purity, void even of the shadow of frailty, should achieve the adventure of the Sangreal, and restore the Roi pescheur to his pristine health. While Arthur and his knights held a high feast on Pentecost eve, they were surprised and enraptured by the marvellous appearance of the Sangreal. "Anon, they heard craking and crying of thunder, that them thought the place should all to rive. In the midst of the blaste, entered a sunne beame, more clear by seaven times than ever they saw day and all they were alighted of the grace of the Holy Ghost. Then began every knight to behold other, and either saw other by their seeming fairer than ever they saw other, not for then there was no knight that might speake any word a great while. And so they looked every man on other, as they had been dombe. Then there entered into the hall the holy grale, covered with white samite; but there was none that might see it, nor who bare it, and there was all the hall fulfilled with good odours. And every knight had such meat and drinke as he best loved in this world; and when the holy grale had been borne through the hall, then the holy vessel departed suddenly, that they wist not when it became." After this wondrous vision, most of the companions of the Round Table vowed to depart in quest of the Sangreal; and, indeed, they were never afterwards assembled. Cleanness of life being the principal requisite towards success, Sir Lancelot and Sir Tristrem, though the most redoubted knights of the Round Table, might have dispensed with undertaking this adventure.3 Both, however, attempted the quest of the Sangreal; and Lancelot, long persevering in it, underwent manifold insults and mortifications, for his presump. tion in taking upon him such an enterprise, while defiled with Ideadly sin, whereof he never had been confessed. As for Sir Tristrem, he soon gave up the adventure, as not reserved for him, and returned to Brittany, where he died in the following

manner:

Runalem, the young Duke of Brittany, was desperately enamoured of the fair Gorgeolain, wife of Bedalis, one of his barons, who, from jealousy, confined her in a moated castle. Tristrem, accustomed to find expedients on such occasions, and as complaisant to the loves of his brother-in-law, as ardent in his own, contrived to forge a set of false keys, by which the Duke visited Gorgeolain at pleasure, while her husband hunted in the neighbouring forest. Tristrem accompanied Runalem in these private excursions. Upon one fatal day, his cap unfortunately fell off as they entered the castle. This was not all. The considerate Tristrem, leaving the lovers alone, walked in an adjacent chamber, covered with fresh rushes, and hung with beautiful tapestry, representing the conquest of Bretagne by King Arthur. His present situation naturally led him to reflect on his past happiness; and while he was thus pensively musing, he indulged himself in a habit acquired in such fits of absence, of thrusting the rushes, one after another, through the figures in the tapestry. At length, the baron's horn being heard at a distance, Tristrem and Runalem quitted the castle. Bedalis entered soon after, when, finding the cap of Tristrem, and observing the rushes stuck into the tapestry, according to his well-known practice, he suspected his misfortune, though he mistook the author. The threat of immediate death extorted a confession from his wife, that Runalem and Tristrem had but just departed. He followed their traces with thirty attendants, and assailed them, without respect to the inequality of numbers, or of arms. Runalem was slain alter a desperate resistance, and Tristrem once more wounded with a poisoned sword. Assistance, however, arrived, and the traitorous baron was compelled to fly from Brittany. With seven hundred followers, he exercised the profession of "Ullague," that is, pirate, until he was surprised and slain by a force sent out against him by the merchants of Constantinople. As for Tristrem, he was carried home; and the history of his death is told nearly as in the metrical copy.

1 Corps d'Extraits des Romans, tom. i. p. 176.

Tristan, f. cxviii, et sequen.

3 The Sangreal was finally achieved by Galabad, assisted by Sir Bors and

Sir Percival. At this part of the ancient romance, the reader is surprised to perceive with what astonishing assurance the wildest superstitions are engrafted upon the licentious adventures of Sir Lancelot and Sir Tristrem.

CONCLUSION.

mande! jamais ne me verrea, ni moy vous! Dieu soit garde de vous, adieu, je m'envoys, je vous salut! Lors bat sa coulpe, et se recommande a nostre seigneur Jhe Crist, et le cueur luy creve, et l'ame s'en va."-Fueil. cxxiii.

The companyons fiftene,

To death did thai thringe.-P. 367, st. 1.

These concluding stanzas are intended to bear the same proportion to the French metrical fragment, which has been remarked to exist between that and the genuine effusions of Thomas of Ercel'doune. The facts, therefore, which the French minstrel gives at great length, are here shortly and concisely told, in imitation of the abrupt style of the poem, to which these verses are offered as a conclusion.

Fele salven thai bringe.-P. 367, st. 4.

According to the French folio, one poor physician, from the school of Salerno, discovered the cause of Tristrem's malady, and was in a fair way to effect a cure; but the ignorant faculty of Bretagne mutinied upon his prophecy of a supervening inflammation, and upbraided him with presumption and poverty. "Seigneurs," fait il, "je suis poure [pauvre]. Dieu me donnera assez quant il luy plaira. Non pourtant le sens n'est pas en draps ne en vestemens, mais au cueur ou Dieu l'a mis."—Fueil. cxxi. Upon this retort the court physicians became outrageous, and not only refused to consult with the sage of Salerno, but even threatened to leave Tristrem to his sole charge, if he were not instantly dismissed. In truth, they could not have done the patient a greater favour. His wife, however, judged and acted as most women would have done in her situation-dismissed the tattered scholar, and retained his ignorant but well-habited rivals, who soon reduced Tristrem to the desperate state described in the text.

His kind hert it brake.-P. 368, st. 11.

The affecting scene of Tristrem's death is thus narrated in the metrical fragment:~~

➖➖➖“turne sei vers la pareie;
Dunc dit, Deus salt Ysolt et mei!
Quant a mei ne voler venir,
Pur votre amur m'estuet murrir.
Je ne puis plus tenir ma vie :
Pur vus muers Ysolt, bele amie!
N'aver pitié de ma langur,
Mais de ma mort aurez dolur!
Co mést m'amle, grant confert,
Que pité aurir de ma ment!
Amie Ysolt!' trei fez dit,

A la quarte rend l'esprit."

The prose romance describes it thus: "Tristan se tourna de l'autre part, et dist, Ha, ha! doulce amye, a Dieu vous recom

Murneth olde and yinge.-P. 368, st. 12.

"Lors y accourent grans et petits, crians et bruyans, et font tel deuil, que l'on ny'ouyst pas dieu tonnant."-Tristan. Sec. part. f. cxxii.

Gone is he than,

Of Ingloud the flore.-P. 369, st. 13.

The eulogium pronounced over the body of Sir Lancelot, by Bors de Ganes, is equally applicable to Sir Tristrem, his brother in arms. "And now, I dare say," said Sir Bors, "that Sir Lancelot, there thou liest, that were never matched of none earthly knight's hands; and thou wert the curtiest knight that ever bare shield; and thou wert the truest friend to thy lover that ever bestrode horse; and thou wert the truest lover, of a sinful man, that ever loved woman; and thou wert the kindest man that ever struck stroke with sword; and thou wert the goodliest person that ever came among press of knights; and thou wert the meekest man, and the gentlest, that ever eate in hall among ladies; and thou wert the sternest knight to thy mortal foe that ever put spear into the rest."-Morte Arthur, last chapter.

Swiche lovers als thei

Never schal be moe.-P. 369, st. 15.

The bodies of the unfortunate lovers were conveyed to Cornwall. Mark, still glowing with recollection of his injuries, refused to permit them to be buried in his dominions, but he relented upon perusing a letter written during Tristrem's last illness, which he had attached to the hilt of his sword, and addressed to his uncle. On seeing the blade, which had relieved Cornwall from bondage, and learning from the letter the fatal tale of the boire amoureuse, Mark wept piteously over a passion, more the effect of enchantment, or destiny, than of volition. "Helas dolent! pourquoy ne scavoys je ceste avanture! Je les eusse aincoys cellez; et consenty qu'ilz ne feussent ja partis de moy. Las! or ay je perdu mon nepveu et ma femme."-Fueil. cxxv. Mark caused to be erected over the bodies a splendid chapel, in which was first displayed that miracle since narrated in so many ballads. Out of the tomb of Tristrem sprung a fair eglantine, and twisted itself around the monument of Ysonde. It was three times cut, by order of King Mark, but was ever found, on the next morning, to have revived in all its beauty. Ce miracle estoit sur Monseigneur Tristan, et sur le Royne Iseulte.

at win, p. 335. Atwinne. At winne. Auentours. Adventures. Aught, v. To pertain to. Aughtest. Oughtest. Auter. Allar. Auwine.

An. If. "An than." As then, Atvinne. Between, or perhaps when. Anay. One no. "This lond nis worth anay." This land does not merit even to be refused, if offered in a gift. A night. One night. Anker. Anchor. Anough. Enough, sufficiently.

Anour. Honour. Query, in

Accomplish their purpose. The Scottish phrase exists, "to win to a place," instead of to get thither. Awede. Swoon. An acute disorder in the bowels is, in Scottish, termed a weed. Awrake. Did wreak, or avenged.

p. 333, ought we not rather to read Amour? Aplight. At once, literally one ply. Reply is in common use, and duplies and triplies are still law-terms in Scot- Awreken. Awroken, land. Are. Erst, formerly.

ged.

reven

broche and beize?" Who distributed princely rewards. Belami. BELAMI, Fr. Fair Friend. Beld. Build. Beld. Bold. "of bot sche was him beld." She courageously, or generously, gave him aid.

Bem. Beam. Sonne-bem. Sunbeam.

Bende. Bandage. Blodbende. Bandage to restrain the blood.

Bene, ben. Been.
Benisoun. Blessing.
Bere. To bear.

p. 560. Bed, bede. Proffered, or pled- Bes. Beest, be. ged. Bet, v. p. 367. To abate. Bede. Prohibition, from BE- Bethe. "Of gate nas ther DEN, Sax. no bede." There was no pro

Be.

Better speed. With greater speed. Biden. Did abide.

hibition of passage, p. 335. Beize, beighe, BET, BEAT, Cor- Bidene.

na, Sax.coronel.

"Who gaf

hand.

Immediately, off

Biforn. Before.

Behight. Promised. Hight is

more commonly used. Beseketh. Beseecheth. Besieged. Besieged.

Be sight. By sight, apparently.
Bileighe. Bely.

Bist, p. 357. Abyest.
Bistode, bystaid. Withstood.
Bitake, v. To commit.
Bitaught. Committed to. "Bi-
taught him God and gode day."
Wished them God's gui-
dance and good day.
Bithen. Between.
Bithen. Then.
Biyande. Beyond.
Bituene, bitvene, bitwene. Be-
tween.

Blake, blalc. Black.
Blede. Blood.
Blethely. Blithely.
Bleynte. Drew aside.
Blehand. Blue, from bleah.
Sax. Cœruleus. Blehand
brown. A bluish brown.
Blinne. To stop, or cause to

stop. Sax. BLINNAN. Cessare.
Blo. Dark, properly blue.
Blod. Blood.
Boathe. Both.

Bode. Order, appointment.
Bok. Book.

Bonair. De bon air. Fr. Courteous.

D.

Cuntre. Country.

Death.

Devil.

Dragoun. Dragon.

Parted, se- Drain.

E.

Drawn.

For bede. Previously proffered, p. 361.

Ferd. Feared, scared, or frigh- Forbede. Forbid.

tened.

Ferden. Did fare.

Foren. To fare.

Forgaf. Forgave.

Fere. Companion. Trew fere. Forlain. Lain by.

Gaf. Gave.

Gamme. Games.
Gare. Gear, dress.

Gat. Gate, passage.
Gate. The road. "To take

the gate," Scottish, to depart,
p. 353.

Gayn, p. 348, ful gayn. Gain-
ful, useful.
Geaunte. Giant.

Gert. Gerred, caused be.
Gile. Guile.

Giltles. Guiltless.
Ginne. Engine, deceit.

Bot yiue it he thurch ginne, A selly man is he, p. 332. The meaning seems to be, He is a fortunate man, unless he has acquired my affections by artifice or witchcraft. See SELLY. Give. Gif. The original of if. Gle. Music.

Glewe. Glee; properly the joyous science of the minstrels.

Haggards. Wild hawks, metaphorically, loose women. Hald. Hold. The sense is obcure in p. 341.

By al Markes hald

The truwage was tan.

It seems to mean, that the tri

H.

Goinfainoun. Gonfalone, Ital.

A pennon, or standard. Graithed. Arrayed.

Grene. Green.

Gret. Greeted, did greet.
Grete. To weep, still used in.
Scotland.

Grete, from græade, Sax. Corn.

"Al white it was the grete,"
p. 359. The corn was now
ripe.

Greteth. Greet ye.
Grewe. Grew. "That al games

of grewe." Of whom grew
(i. e. were invented) all
games.

Greves. Meadows. Grimli. Grimly. Grisly. Ghastly. Guede. "No guede." No whit. The words are more nearly allied than might be conjectured from their appearance, gu frequently being converted into w, and d into the similar sound of t. It is the nequid of the Latin. Gun. Gun, began.

bute was submitted to by all Mark's hold, or castle, i. e. by all his counsellors, Tristrem excepted. Han. Have. "He dede him han on heye." He caused him instantly to have.