The Mammoth Book of King Arthur

by Mike Ashley

  → The Scottish adaptation, Lancelot of the Laik (late 1480s) is a hybrid of this and the Prose Lancelot. It omits the early adventures and the war between Arthur and Galiot (Galehaut) and expands a political discourse which is but a few lines in the original into a much longer argument which alludes to the prevailing conditions in Scotland.

  A translation of the original version by Corin Corley is Lancelot of the Lake by Elspeth Kennedy (Oxford University Press, 1989).

  PROSE LANCELOT, anon. (French, soon after 1215)

  This is the first of three romances, sometimes called the Roman de Lancelot, which together with Queste del Saint Graal and Mort Artu form what is usually referred to as the Lancelot-Grail. Though probably written by separate authors, these three seem to have been planned as a whole, perhaps by one unifying mind, though the scale of collaboration is uncertain. A decade or so later two further romances were added, Estoire del Saint Graal and Merlin, and together all five were known as the Vulgate Cycle, though at the time it was completed it seems to have been called L’Estoire de Lancelot.

  At the start we are introduced to Lancelot’s father, Ban king of Banwick, in France. Later in the story Banwick is associated with Bourges, though Malory subsequently says it was Bayonne. We also learn that Lancelot’s mother is descended from the house of David. Their son is called Galahad, and whilst the author tells us that the name Lancelot will be explained, it is not. Ban was a vassal of Uther Pendragon and had assisted in driving King Claudas out of his lands, which were known as the Waste Lands. However, after Uther’s death Claudas seeks revenge, regains his lands and destroys Ban’s castle. Ban dies of a broken heart. On hearing of his death his brother Bors also dies, leaving two sons, Lionel and Bors the Younger.

  The next day a woman arrives and takes Lancelot. She is Niniane, a fey who learned the magic arts from Merlin and who lives in a magical lake. Bors and Lionel in the meantime are looked after first by Pharien, a former vassal of Bors’s father, and later by Claudas. Claudas believes he is all-powerful and considers attacking Arthur but first visits him in disguise. He is impressed with what he sees. Arthur has not been king for long and has only recently married Guinevere. He is still in battle against the rebel kings, in particular King Yon of Little Ireland (Corin Corley has suggested this means the Isle of Man but it may also mean Dál Riata), King Aguissant of Scotland (later described as Arthur’s cousin) and the King of Galone (perhaps Galloway). Claudas returns to consider his plans.

  In the meantime Lancelot is maturing. There is a lengthy description of his physical beauty including a forward reference to a remark by Guinevere that “if I were God, I should have made Lancelot just as he is.” One of Niniane’s maidens, Saraide, is sent to collect Lionel and Bors, and arrives in time to find them in conflict with Claudas, during which Claudas’s only son is killed. Saraide turns the boys into hounds and the King’s hounds into boys, and in the confusion is able to smuggle the boys away to the Lake where they are raised with Lancelot.

  When Lancelot reaches eighteen he wishes to be a knight and the Lady of the Lake agrees to take him to King Arthur’s court, though not before she tells him what she knows of the virtues of knighthood and chivalry. She also imparts some clues about the Grail, referring to Joseph of Arimathea and his son Galahad, and also to King Pelles of that line and his brother Alain. She decks Lancelot out in white and silver and gives him a magic ring that will break enchantments and help him find her again.

  A retinue of over forty leave for Arthur’s court, crossing to England to arrive at Floudehoug, which might possibly be Fleet, near Weymouth. It takes them four days to travel to a castle called Lawenor, which is 22 leagues from Camelot. This may be Lavernock, near Cardiff in South Wales, which at the time Lancelot was composed was known as Lawernach. The writer describes Camelot as a town, not simply a castle. When Arthur leaves to go hunting he exits by the Welsh Gate, suggesting that Camelot was close to Wales.

  The Lady of the Lake hands Lancelot over to King Arthur who puts him in the care of Yvain to train him in the knightly arts. Ever impatient, Lancelot (whose name is still not revealed) states that he wishes to be knighted the next day. The court finds amusement in this, though Gawain can see the champion in him. Guinevere is puzzled by him, recognising that he is inhibited in her presence. He later asks if he may be her knight and she agrees. At the knighting ceremony Arthur forgets to give Lancelot his new sword and Lancelot later receives his sword from the Queen, so placing him under an obligation to her.

  Lancelot immediately volunteers for a challenge to fight on behalf of the Lady of Nohaut against the King of Northumberland who is after her land. He easily accomplishes this task even though he had been wounded in a confrontation on his way north. He also has to contend with Kay interfering with the combat.

  After achieving his first challenge Lancelot goes adventuring and finds himself in a battle to regain the castle called Dolorous Garde. This becomes a siege of superhuman demands. Lancelot encounters a young maiden whose lover has been killed trying to capture Dolorous Garde. The castle is enchanted. It has two outer walls each manned with ten knights. Lancelot can only approach through a gate and fight one knight at a time, but every time that knight grows tired he steps back and another takes over. So the knights remain fresh while Lancelot tires. He learns that he has to complete his conquest before nightfall or he has to start all over again. Unable to complete that day he retires, anxious to fight the next. In one of the most vivid sequences in Arthurian romance, we see Lancelot fighting throughout the day, seeking to defeat each knight rather than let them escape to fight again. A damsel sent by the Lady of the Lake helps replace his shield, lance and helm, but still he fights. After defeating the first ten knights, he fights through to the second wall. The Lord of the Castle, Brandin of the Isles, is so overcome by Lancelot’s bravery that he flees the castle. Lancelot, still fighting the next bank of ten knights, is unable to catch him. He defeats four more knights but the rest escape.

  Lancelot is now in charge of Dolorous Garde but he learns that he must remain at the castle for forty days in order to rid it of its enchantments. He is also led to a cemetery that contains the graves not only of dead knights but of those yet to die. Here is a tomb with a heavy slab on which is written his identity. He alone manages to lift the slab, learns his name and that he is the son of Ban of Banwick. Only the damsel also sees the inscription, otherwise Lancelot retains the secret.

  News of his victory spreads and Arthur and his knights come to Dolorous Garde to see for themselves. They are captured by the escaped knights, however, and there is further fighting until they are freed.

  Not surprisingly Lancelot does not remain at Dolorous Garde for the necessary forty days, so the townsfolk lure him back on the pretext that they have captured Guinevere. Once returned, Lancelot determines to lift the curse, not by staying forty days, but by finding the source of the enchantment. This results in another astonishing sequence as Lancelot battles through various magical hurdles beneath the castle until he is able to release the demons. From that day on the castle is renamed Joyeuse Garde.

  There has been much interest in where Lancelot’s castle is located. The romance provides a location, stating that it is on a high rock alongside the River Humber near the town of Chaneviere. The land along the Humber is renowned for its flatness and there is certainly no rocky prominence. Malory suggested Bamburgh in Northumberland, perhaps because Nennius had called that site Din Garde, whilst others have suggested Alnwick or the castle rock at Edinburgh. However, the association with Brandin, or Brian, of the Isles may mean that it was either Peveril Castle in the Peak District or Knaresborough Castle in Yorkshire. Both of these fit the description and both were in the charge of the real Brian de Lisle during the reign of King John. Peveril Castle had to be wrested from Brian’s hands as he refused to give it up.

  In the meantime, Arthur has become involved in hostilities with Galehaut, the Lord of Sorelois and King of the Remote Isles. This first manifest
s itself in chivalrous manner with a tournament which Lancelot, though still wounded from his adventures, determines to attend. He still wishes to keep his identity a secret and though still accoutred in his white armour bears a different shield. Gawain determines to identify him but with little success. Lancelot fights bravely but is seriously wounded by Galehaut’s cousin Malaguin, and returns into the care of the Lady of Nohaut. Meanwhile Gawain learns Lancelot’s identity from one of the damsels of the Lady of the Lake and spreads the news around Arthur’s court. Lancelot, in the meantime, recovers from his wounds and undertakes other adventures until he falls captive to the Lady of Malehaut. She also tries to find his identity but even though she travels to Arthur’s court, she does not learn it.

  By now Arthur is preparing for his battle against Galehaut. Lancelot begs to attend, and the Lady of Malehaut releases him on condition that he returns after the battle. Lancelot fights valiantly but Gawain is seriously wounded. Galehaut, realising his forces greatly outnumber Arthur’s, gallantly withdraws and agrees to fight a year hence. Lancelot returns to his prison at Malehaut. Gawain, once he has recovered, sets out to find Lancelot but neither he nor any of the other knights are successful.

  The year passes and time comes for the next battle against Galehaut. Lancelot again begs leave and the Lady agrees. This time Lancelot goes as a Black Knight so as not to be recognised. Once again Gawain is seriously injured but Lancelot fights so valiantly that Galehaut becomes intrigued by his identity. The two becomes friends and Lancelot agrees to fight on Galehaut’s side on condition that if Arthur is on the verge of defeat, Galahaut should surrender. And so it happens.

  Galehaut becomes firm friends with Lancelot, though still does not learn his identity. He does, however, learn of his adoration for Guinevere and it is Galehaut who arranges the assignation between Lancelot and Guinevere that leads to their love affair. Although Galehaut keeps their meetings secret the Lady of Malehaut guesses at Lancelot’s love for the queen. In time, thanks to Guinevere, Galehaut and Malehaut become lovers.

  Lancelot, now joined by his cousin Lionel as his squire, accompanies Galehaut back to his kingdom. From a later rather convoluted description, it seems that the kingdom of Sorelois is close to Arthur’s kingdom, separated only by a narrow strait of water, suggesting that this may be Anglesey. The Faraway Islands may therefore be the Hebrides. From 1156 to 1164, Somerled ruled the Kingdom of Man and the Isles, which included all of the Hebrides. Thereafter the kingdom of Man included the Outer Hebrides, whilst the Inner Hebrides formed part of the Kingdom of the Isles.

  Lancelot is distraught at being his separated from Guinevere and Galehaut shows him a retreat on the Lost Island. Gawain endeavours to track him down. He is joined by Lancelot’s half-brother Hector. When Gawain and Lancelot eventually confront each other neither recognises the other and they do battle until Lionel comes to the rescue. Gawain has been told by the Queen that Lancelot must do whatever Gawain asks of him, so at last Lancelot confirms his identity. They now receive news that Arthur is leading an army into Scotland to confront an invasion of Saxons and Irish, and Arthur begs that they join him.

  They arrive to find Arthur besieging Saxon Rock which, it is revealed, was a castle once fortified by Vortigern. The text reveals that Saxon Rock is within twelve leagues of the town of Arestel, which may be a corruption of Arwystli, a district in southern Powys which borders on Vortigern’s old province of Gwrtheyrnion. It would also be about twelve leagues from Dinas Emrys. It is at Arestel that Arthur meets the Saxon princess Gamille who lures him into her toils, and Arthur becomes a prisoner. This is an episode akin to Vortigern’s love for Renwein.

  Arthur’s infidelity allows the author to develop Lancelot’s affair with Guinevere. Guinevere had previously received a shield from the Lady of the Lake which depicts a knight and a lady in near embrace, but the shield is broken down the middle, separating the lovers. The Lady of the Lake says that once the Queen has consummated her relationship with her true lover the shield will mend, and that is how she finds it after her night with Lancelot.

  Soon after, Lancelot is captured, along with Gawain, Hector and Galehaut, and spends several nights in prison during which time he goes crazy. Because of his condition he is released and recuperates with Guinevere. His madness is cured when he puts on the mended shield. Recovered, he sets off on a one-man crusade to free Arthur and his companions. With Lancelot back on the battle-field, Arthur’s forces rally and they win the day. Released, and with Lancelot’s story now revealed by Gawain, Arthur requests that Lancelot return to Camelot and become one of the Round Table. He agrees, but only because the Queen asks him. Galehaut also agrees to join the Round Table, though is unable to stay at Camelot because he still has lands to rule. However, when Galehaut returns with Lancelot to Sorelois he discovers that his castles are crumbling and fears this is a punishment from God because he dared to challenge Arthur.

  There now follows the strange episode of the False Guinevere. A lady appears at court with a letter, accompanied by an elderly knight. The letter purports to be from the real Guinevere who had married Arthur but who on their wedding night had been captured and a False Guinevere, the real Guinevere’s hand maiden, substituted for her. The facts are supported by the elderly knight, Bertilay. Before the Queen can deny the charges Gawain stands as her champion but as he refuses to fight an old knight Arthur agrees to put Guinevere on trial. Arthur is captured by Bertilay and drugged so as to love the False Guinevere. He consequently finds the Queen guilty and sentences her to be executed. Arthur’s knights find this intolerable, particularly Gawain, and they defect from Arthur. When Lancelot learns of the Queen’s predicament he sets out with Galehaut to rescue the Queen, which he does on the day set for her execution. With Arthur still under the influence of the drug, Lancelot and Galehaut take the Queen back to Sorelois for her protection, and there she and Lancelot continue their relationship. Arthur lives with the False Guinevere for over two years and it is not until she and Bertilay fall ill and confess that Arthur realizes his folly. Although reluctant to return to Arthur, Guinevere is eventually reconciled with the king.

  The next adventure introduces Morgan le Fay. She has control over the enchanted Valley of No Return. Anyone who ventures into it who has been unfaithful becomes trapped. Gawain was abducted by Karados and held prisoner in the Dolorous Tower. To reach the Tower would-be rescuers have to pass through the valley. Yvain and Gawain’s brother fail in their attempt, but Lancelot succeeds, though he disturbs Morgan asleep in her tent. She drugs Lancelot and steals the ring given to him by Guinevere, and sends it to Arthur saying that Lancelot is dying and that he confesses the sin of his love for the Queen. Guinevere is able to explain that her love was only for a valiant hero who had saved her and Arthur accepts this.

  Galehaut believes that Lancelot is dying and becomes distraught. Although Morgan releases Lancelot he is too late to save Galehaut who has died of grief. Lancelot arranges for Galehaut to be buried at Joyeuse Garde so that he may also lie beside Galehaut when his time comes.

  The next section follows Chrétien’s original story, “The Knight of the Cart”, about Guinevere’s abduction by Meleagant and her rescue by Lancelot. It is told in more detail and, within the context of the whole story, provides greater insight into Lancelot’s actions. This includes the episode where Lancelot enters a monastery and finds the tomb of Galahad, the son of Joseph of Arimathea. This name was withheld in Chrétien’s earlier version, but here it becomes the link between Joseph (and the Grail, though that has yet to be introduced), Lancelot (whose baptismal name we now learn was Galahad), and Lancelot’s future son. In this same episode the monks, amazed at Lancelot’s strength in lifting the slab, take Lancelot to a cave where there is a second, more resplendent, tomb surrounded by fire. Lancelot is not allowed to approach the tomb. He will not succeed in the Grail Quest because he has sinned with the Queen. Lancelot also learns that his mother Helen is still alive and living in a nunnery.

  The story
moves on to the Grail episodes. There is a clear divide between the past set of adventures and the next set, the continuing link being Lancelot’s affair with Guinevere. It is likely that the author melded together two or more earlier tales, such as Chrétien’s Lancelot and Perceval, except that Perceval has now been sidelined and Lancelot has taken centre stage. Perceval appears later in the story as the younger brother of another Grail Quester, Aglovale.

  After a series of minor adventures Lancelot is again missing from Camelot and the Queen believes he has been killed. Gawain and a party of knights set out to search for him. Most of the knights end up defeated by a giant of a knight called Tericam who throws them into prison. Gawain, however, first encounters Eliezer, son of King Pelles, the Fisher King, who tests Gawain to see if he can repair a broken sword. He can’t. Gawain also encounters the fiery tomb, but is beaten back. Gawain finds his way to the Grail Castle, Corbenic, and undergoes further tests. First he is unable to rescue a damsel from a tub of boiling water. Then Gawain witnesses the Grail Procession when dining but is so overcome by the beauty of the Grail Maiden, King Pelles’s daughter Elaine, that he fails to ask the right question. He then sleeps in the Adventurous Bed and, though attacked and wounded by a blazing lance and beset with terrible visions, he survives the night. His wound is cured by Elaine with the Grail. Gawain, however, is forced to leave Corbenic in disgrace.

  When Lancelot reaches Corbenic, however, he passes all the tests. He rescues the maiden from the boiling water. He also lifts the stone from another tomb which further confirms the prophecy that whoever lifts the stone will father a great knight. A fiery dragon is released which Lancelot soon kills. At the Grail dinner Lancelot also admires Elaine’s beauty but not as lustfully as Gawain, though he still fails to ask the right question. Elaine falls in love with Lancelot and, through a potion provided by Elaine’s governess Brisane, she tricks Lancelot into believing that she is Guenevere. The two spend the night together and Galahad is conceived.