I. THE LAMBETH VERSION OF HAVELOK

Of the several abridgments of the Havelok story in the chronicles of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, that which is interpolated in the Lambeth Ms. of Robert Mannyng of Brunne's translation of Peter de Langtoft, is the longest and in many respects the most noteworthy. It has, however, not received the attention it merits. Madden attributes it to the scribe, who, he says, has made other changes in the Ms. He describes it as "an abridged outline of the story itself, copied apparently from the French chronicle of Gaimar," but presents no arguments to support his contention. Skeat simply

The present paper has grown out of a report made by the writer to the course on Early English Metrical Romances, given at Harvard University in the spring of 1899 by Professor George Lyman Kittredge, to whom thanks are due for valuable suggestions and advice.

The Lambeth version, frequently referred to as the Interpolation, is printed by Madden in his edition of Havelok for the Roxburghe Club, London, 1828, pp. xvii-xix, and again by Skeat in his reprint for the Early English Text Society, London, 1868, pp. xi-xiii. In neither case are the lines numbered, but the passage is so short that the references to lines need cause no trouble. A description of the rather interesting variations in the allusions to Havelok contained in Langtoft and Mannyng will be found in Madden, pp. xi-xix, and in Skeat, pp. v, ix-xiii. See also H. L. D. Ward, Catalogue of Romances, Vol. 1, London, 1883, pp. 442-443.

copies Madden. Kupferschmidt,' in his extremely valuable discussion of the relations of the various versions of Havelok one to another, accepts without investigation Madden's statement that the Interpolation is based on Gaimar. In view of the great interest attaching to the romance of Havelok a more careful investigation of this Interpolation may be of some service.

The Interpolation consists of 82 lines in rimed pairs. The meter is generally of six feet, but is not very regular. The language is such as might have been written at the end of the fourteenth century. The style is marked by extreme condensation, an entire incident often being told in a single line. As a result the story appears in a surprisingly complete form, as will be seen from the following analysis:

Gounter (the Danish king who has been fighting with Alfred and who has been baptized) goes with all his folk to Denmark (1). He has a war with a Breton king who came "out of Ingeland" to demand from Denmark the tribute "that Arthur whylom nam" (2-4). The Danes say they would rather fight (5-6). They are defeated and Gounter is killed (7-8). When he is dead the victors plan to bring his blood to shame (9). Gounter's wife was Eleyne, daughter of King Gatfere (10-11). With difficulty she escapes to the sea with her child Havelok (11-13). At the haven she meets Grym, "a wel god marinere," who knows her and promises to take her out of the land that night (14-16). On the sea they are attacked by outlaws and the queen is killed, but Grym, Havelok and five others escape (17-21). They arrive at the haven of Grymesby (22). Havelok is brought up by Grym and his wife as their own child; men do not know otherwise (23-24). He becomes large and strong and

'Max Kupferschmidt: "Die Haveloksage bei Gaimar und ihr Verhältniss zum Lai d'Havelok," in Böhmer's Romanische Studien, Vol. iv, pp. 411-430 (1880). On page 430, he says: "Dass die Interpolation in der Lambeth copy der Uebersetzung von Peter von Langtofts Chronik durch Robert of Brunne aus Gaimars Darstellung der Haveloksage geschöpft ist, hat schon Sir Fr. Madden gezeigt."

a "man of mykel cost," so that "for his grete sustinaunce, nedly serve he most" (25-26). He takes leave of Grym and Seburc "as of his sire & dame" (27-28). He goes northward to the court of King Edelsy, who holds the kingdom of Lyndeseye from the Humber to Rotland (29-30). Edelsy, who is "of Breton kynde," has married his sister Orewayn to Egelbright, a Dane, king of Northfolk, who holds the land from Colchestre to Holland. They have a daughter Argill (31-36). Egelbright and Orewayn die and therefore Edelsy is joyful. He takes "in hande" Argill and the kingdom "al at his owene will" (37-40). Havelok serves there as "quistron" and is called Coraunt (41). He is large, strong as a giant, bold, courteous, free, fair, and "god of manere." All the folk love him (42-44). The king, from a desire to disinherite Argill and because of a "chere" which he has seen her make to Coraunt, arrays them simply and weds them, although many are wroth (45-48). For a while they dwell at court in poor degree. Argill has shame and sorrow. She asks her master about his father, kin and friends. She says she would rather lead a poor life without shame than be a queen with shame (49-54). They go to Grymesby "al by his wyves red" (55). They find Grym and his wife dead (56). They find Aunger, Grym's cousin, whom Grym and his wife had told about Havelok (57-59). They tell Havelok who he is and advise him to go to his own country to see what grace he may find among his friends. They will arrange for the shipping (60-62). Aunger ships them and they sail for Denmark (63-64). He finds there "sire Sykar," who had been high steward of his father's property (65-66) Sykar is glad of his coming and promises to help him recover his heritage from King Edulf (67-68). They assemble great folk of his relatives and friends (69). King Edulf gathers his power, but he and his army are

'There is a slight confusion here, there being no antecedent for the pronoun "they." A comparison with the other versions shows that Aunger and his wife are probably meant.

overcome in the battle (70-71). Havelok conquers his heritage (72). He prepares great power to go to England to win his wife's kingdom (73-74). The king of Lyndeseye hears that he has come on the coast and gathers a great host (75-76). Edelsy is beaten in the battle and by treaty gives Argill (here called Argentille) her heritage (77-78). As she is next of blood he gives her Lyndeseye after his day and makes her his heir (79-80). At the last both Northfolk and Lyndeseye fall into the hands of Havelok (81-82).

It is obvious that both the names and the incidents in the Lambeth Interpolation are closer to the French versions of the romance than to the English. Grim and Havelok are the only names common to this and to both the English and the French versions. The names in the Interpolation, however, agree very well with those in Gaimar. Thus Gounter corresponds with Gunter, Gatfere with Gaifer, Seburc with Sabure, Edelsy with Edelsi, Orewayn with Orwain, Edelbright with Adelbrict, Aunger with Alger, Sykar with Sigar, and Edulf with Edulf. Argill appears once as Argentille, the form used by Gaimar. It will be seen too that when the names in the French versions vary, the Interpolation is closer to Gaimar than to the Lay, which has the forms Alsi, Ekenbright and Hodulf, while Gaifer and Alger are not found in the Lay. The names therefore show that the Interpolation cannot be derived from the English romance and that it is closer to Gaimar than to the Lay.

The most noteworthy thing discovered by a comparison of incidents is the omission in the Interpolation of everything supernatural or extravagantly fictitious. There is no flame. from Havelok's mouth, no dream, no throwing of stones from the church tower, no magic horn, no setting up of bodies on stakes to represent living men, all of which incidents are found in the French versions and the flame also in the English. Otherwise the incidents in the Interpolation agree fairly well with those which are common to Gaimar and the Lay as opposed to the English romance. Thus there is an