E.K. the old commentator on the pastorals has left us the following remark-" Ladies of the Lake be nymphes: for it was an old opinion among the antient heathens, that of every spring and fountaine was a goddesse the soveraine; which opinion stucke in the minds of men not many years since by meanes of certain fine fablers, or loose lyers; such as were the authors of King Arthur the Great. -Who tell many an unlawfull leesing of the 'Ladies of the Lake."-These fine fablers or loose lyers, are the authors of the romance above mentioned, viz. Morte Arthur, where many miracles are performed, and much enchantment is conducted, by the means and interposition of the "Lady of the Lake."Now it should be observed, that the "Lady of the Lake" was introduced to make part of Queen Elizabeth's entertainment at Kenelworth; as an evidence of which, I shall produce a passage from an ancient book, entitled, "A Letter, wherein part of the Entertainment untoo the Queen's Majesty at Killinworth Castl in Warwicksheer in this Soomer's progress, 1575, is signified*." The passage is this L * Killingworth castle was early made the theatre of romantic gallantries; and was the place where tilts and tournaments, after a long disuse, were re-established in their original splendour by Roger earl of Mortimer, in the reign of Edward I. Thus Earl Mortimer, his grandson, to Q. Isabell, in Drayton's Heroical Epistles. My grandson was the first since Arthur's reign To whose great court at Kenilworth did come "Where," says the note, "Roger Mortimer erected the round table at Kenelworth, after the antient order of King Arthur's table, with the retinue of an hundred knights, and a hundred ladies in his house, for the entertaining such adventurers as came thither from all parts of Christendom."-Walsingham mentions the re-establishment of this table at Kenelworth. Hearne has printed from the Red Book of the Exchequer, a curious Latin instrument of Richard I. concerning the places of holding turnaments in England, where Kenilworth is specified among the rest. I will give it in English at length. "Her highness all along this tilt-yard rode unto the inner gate, next the baze coourt Lady of the Lake' (famous in King Arthur's book) with too nymphes wayting upon her, arrayed all in of the castle; whear the ' "Richard, by the grace of God, &c. to the Reverend Father in Christ, Hubert, Arch. of Cant. &c. greeting. Know, that we have permitted turnaments to be held in England, in five places; between Sarum and Wilton, between Warewicke and Kenelingworthe, between Stamford and Warrinford [Wallingford], between Brakeley and Mixebery, between Blie and Tyke-hill, yet so that the peace of our land be not broken, nor justice hindered, nor damage done to our forests. And an earl, who shall turney there, shall pay us twenty marcs, and a baron ten marcs, and a knight, who has land, four marcs, and a knight, who has no land, two marcs. No foreigner shall turney there. Wherefore we command you, that on the day of the turnament you shall provide, at each place, two clerks, and [your] two knights, to receive the oaths from the earls and barons, for their satisfaction, concerning the aforesaid sums, &c.-" Tho. Hearnii præfat. ad Gul. Neubrig. Hist. pag. xlix,-. It is also printed in Selden, de Duello. Richard encouraged these exercises to the highest degree, æmulous of the French, who were famous in this way. He was a Troubadour. silkes, attended her highnes comming, from the midst of the pool, whear, upon a moveable island bright-blazing with torches, she floting to land, met her majesty with a wellpenned meter, and matter, after this sorte; first of the aunciente of the castl; who had been owners of the same e'en till this day, most allways in the hands of the earles of Leycester; how she had kept this lake syns King Arthur's dayes, and now understanding of her highnes hither coming, thought it both offis and duety; to discover, in humble wise, her, and her estate, offring up the same, hir lake, and power thearin; with promis of repair to the court. It pleased her highness to thank this lady, &c*." Gascoynet, in a little narrative called the "Pleasures of Kenelworth Castle," gives us court. Written by one Lancham, an attendant on the + Works, London, 1576. some of the above-mentioned metre, written by Ferrers, one of the contributors to the Mirror of Magistrates, of which these may serve as a specimen. I am the lady of this pleasant lake, Who since the time of great King Arthur's reigne, "Till now that this your third arrival here, Doth cause me come abroad, and boldly thus appeare. For after him such stormes this castle shooke, She is afterwards introduced complaining to the queen, that Sir Bruise had insulted her for doing an injury to Merlin, an incident related in Morte Arthur, and that he would have put her to death had not Neptune delivered her, by concealing her in that lake, from which confinement the queen is afterwards supposed to deliver her, &c. |