Merlin or the Early history of King Arthur: a prose romance (about 1450-1460 A.D.)

348 Pages·2016·16.12 MB·English

by  Wheatley B.H.

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VOL. II.
:
HERTFORD
Printed by Stkphen Ai'stin and Sons.
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win (garig gi^targ o| ^iing glrthur:
A PROSE ROMANCE
(about 1450-1460 a.d.).
EDITED FROM THE XTN^QFE MS. ly TBCE UlflVEBSITY LIBRAET, CAMBRIDGE,
BY
HEXRY WHEATLEY,
B. F.S.A.
With ax INTRODUCTION co.vtaixixg
OUTLINES OF THE HISTORY OF THE LEGEXD
OF MERLIX.
BY
WILLIAM EDWARD MEAD, Ph.D. (Lips.).
ALSO,
ESSAYS ON MERLIN THE ENCHANTER AND MERLIN THE BARD,
by D. W. Nash, F.S.A. and ARTHURIAN LOCALITIES,
;
bv J. S. Sttart Glennie.
^
VOL. II.
^7
LONDON
PUBLISHT FOR THE EARLY ENGLISH TEXT SOCIETY,
Br KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRUBNER & CO., Ltd.
MDCCCXCIS.
PR
I.
INTRODUCTION.
Of the great cycles of mediaeval romance none was more
popular throughout Europe than the Arthurian cycle. From
the first introduction of the Arthurian legends into French
literature they caught the popular favour, and stimulated
writers to an unwonted activity for a period embracing a
well-rounded century, beginning toward the middle of the
twelfth century and ending before the close of the thirteenth.^
In the history of the cycle we may distinguish with more
—
or less accuracy three periods' a period of preparation, a
period of production, a period of translation and imitation.
To the first period belongs the work of the Welsh bards and
the pseudo-historic Latin chroniclers, Nennius and Geofirey
of Monmouth. To the second period belongs the work of
the French romancers. To the third period belongs the work
of translators and imitators in England and in the north
and south of Europe.
In each of the romances the interest centres in a very
small group of characters; so that what the story lacks in
breadth it makes up in minuteness of detail. The earlier
forms of the romances contain two figures that stand out
—
most clearly Arthur the King and Merlin the Enchanter.
So great an interest attaches to these two names that we learn
^ G. Paris, Mitt. Litt. dela France, ixx. p. 1.
3 Weneedscarcelyremarkthat these periodsoverlaponeanothertosomeextent.
:
VI INTRODUCTION. [M.
with some surprise that there is no adequate treatment in
any language of the origin and development of the romances
dealing with Arthur and Merlin. But there are two facts
that have especially hindered the solution of the numerous
problems involved in a history of the Arthurian romances
first, the vagueness and paucity of the earlier sources; and,
secondly, the wide range of the later materials, which
demand if they are to be satisfactorily treated an extensive
and critical acquaintance with the French and Celtic literatures.
Such an equipment is possessed by scarcely anyone who has
thus far discussed the subject, and is expressly disclaimed
by some of the most eminent investigators of portions of
the Arthurian cycle.
Especial difficulties in the way of a demonstrable conclusion
with regard both to the origin of the legend ofMerlin and the
development of the prose romance from earlier sources, meet
the student at the beginning of his investigation and attend
every step of his way. An initial difficulty appears in the
chronology of the possible sources. We do not really know
how much older any of the extant Welsh literature is than
Geoffrey of Monmouth's Hhtoria Regum Britanmae (1135-47),
to say nothing of the ninth-century Nennius.^ As Mr. Nutt
well observes: " The studyofCeltic traditionis only beginning
to be placed upon a firm basis, and the stores of Celtic myth
and legend are only beginning to be thrown open to the non-
Celtic scholar." A little further on he adds that " as a whole
Welsh literature is late, meagre, and has kept little that is
archaic."^ If this be true of Welsh literature as a whole, still
more is it true of the portions available for our purpose. Even
after including all the poems, spurious and genuine alike, that
assume the existence of Myrddin, we have only a few lines
with which to construct a portrait. But when we are
1 Butseepp. Ixxxiv-cxii. * StudiesontheLegendoftheHoly Grail,p. xiii.