1 See Carol M. Meale, ‘Manuscripts, Readers and Patrons in Fifteenth-Century England: Sir Thomas Malory and Arthurian Romance’, Arthurian Literature, 4 (1985), 93–126.
2 The following account is indebted to P. J. C. Field, The Life and Times of Sir Thomas Malory (Cambridge, 1993), modified in the light of Christine Carpenter, ‘Sir Thomas Malory and Fifteenth-century Local Polities’, Bulletin of the Institute of Historical Research, 53 (1980), 31–43.
3 See William Matthews, The Ill-Framed Knight: A Skeptical Enquiry into the Identity of Sir Thomas Malory (Berkeley, California, 1966); and Richard R. Griffith, ‘The Authorship Question Reconsidered: A Case for Sir Thomas Malory of Papworth St Agnes, Cambridgeshire’, in Aspects of Malory, ed. Toshiyuki Takamiya and Derek Brewer (Cambridge, 1981), 159–77.
4 Edward D. Kennedy, ‘Malory and his English Sources’, gives a more extended study of these (in Aspects of Malory, ed. Takamiya and Brewer, 27–55).
1 ‘The Malory Manuscript and Caxton’, in Aspects of Malory, ed. Takamiya and Brewer, 127–41.
2 ‘Editor/Compositor at Work: The Case of Caxton’s Malory’, in Arthurian and Other Studies presented to Shunichi Noguchi, ed. T. Suzuki and T. Mukai (Cambridge, 1993), 143–51.
3 Arthuriana 5: 2 (Summer 1995) and 7: 1 (Spring 1997) are devoted to this issue.
passing°] surpassingly (° see Glossary, p. xxxii)
accorded both] brought to agreement
stuff him and garnish him] furnish himself with men and provisions
biggest°] strongest
anon°] immediately
hight°] was called
ado] concern
there shall be … desire] you shall have whatever you want within reason
deal] part
worship°] honour
the child’s avail … worth] to the child’s advantage, as noble as he is
wait] be careful
slain or° ever] slain even before
fain°] gladly
and° it might] if it might
purvey you] provide
privy postern] secluded gate
made affiance to] promised
but° if] unless
battle] battalion
appurtenance] associated rights and privileges
worshipfully°] honourably
longed°] pertained, was appropriate to
weened°] intended, thought
cursing] excommunication
All Hallowmas] All Saints’ Day (1 November)
wist°] knew
is no mastery] needs no great skill
wot°] know
weened°] believed, thought
betaken] given, entrusted
dole°] grief
Twelfth-day] i.e. Twelfth Night (6 January)
sped]succeeded
bereft] taken from
beseen°] clothed, equipped
whoever saith nay] no matter who denies it
nill] will not
jesseraunt] mail coat
to bow and he lived] to submit if he survived
stint°] cease
awroke] revenged
more chivalry … may make] more knights than he can gather
with bands … gold] i.e. as his heraldic device
avoid] leave the field
battles] battalions
astoned°] stunned, disorientated
wood°] furiously, madly
cantle] piece
trapper] trapping, horse-armour
broached] pierced
mister] need
me repents°] I regret
actual] active, vigorous
put them on a heap all together] kept as close together as they could
dress° him] set himself, prepare
lightly that he be slain] let him be killed swiftly
plumb] block
dere] injure
Merlin did° his master … write them] Merlin had his master … write them
disport] amusement
So the King … imbossed] when the King saw the hart had taken cover
Gramercy°] thank you, grand merci:
quick] alive
pavilion°] ornamental tent
sith°] since
dressed°] set in place
divers°] various
to-shivered] broke in pieces
truncheon°] broken part of a spear
betook] commended
leeches°] doctors
truage] tribute
rede°] advise
maugre°] despite
defend°] forbid, prevent
cantles] pieces
danger] power
me list°] it pleases me
rased°] pulled
wrothe] twisted
liever°] rather
stint] value
ride and go] ride and walk
No force] no matter
and I may] if I can bring it about
samite°] rich silk
purfiled] trimmed
orgulous and lewdest] arrogant and boorish
without] unless
puissance] power
to–riven] smashed to pieces
wite] blame
reared] raised
but that he were] if he were not
let make a cry] had it pro-claimed
beseemeth you not] does not become you, is not fitting for you speed]succeed
gentle°] noble
put him not far in press] did not push himself forward
it seemeth not you] you are not likely
tatches] qualities
arrayment] clothing and outward show
all miss] whatever amiss
I take no force though] I don’t mind if
me forthinketh°] I regret
strait] narrow way
freshly] eagerly
win] profit
porters] gate-keepers
evil deserved it again] repaid him badly
purveyed] prepared
battles] battalions
faitor] impostor
body] troops
Whether … to treat] is it better for me to negotiate
forfoughten] exhausted with fighting
borne up by his hands] sustained by his prowess
wite] blame
gentleness°] nobility
more than apace] very fast
glaive] sword
clean] pure
advised] gazed at
steven] appointed moment
brast] broke
void out of] leave
dole, tray, and tene] grief, pain, and suffering
semblant] outward show
I would be fain there my death should be] I would gladly be where my death is to happen
blessed him] crossed himself
aventred] readied for combat
tamed] pierced
doubt] fearful thing
yede°] went
and ye might have slain me] if you had been able to kill me
hoved] floated
but as Merlin] except as Merlin
noblesse] nobility
freshly] gaily
lief] dear
sieges°] seats
the better be in will] be the more willing
such cries I let make] I had such proclamations made
appair] damage
hardily] indeed
sib] blood relation
tatches] marks
void in the sieges] empty among the seats
trenchant] sharp
brachet°] hunting-dog
side boards] lower tables
I may not do therewith] I cannot do anything about that
evil bought] purchased for a bitter price
stooned] crushed
thirled] flowed
take no force of] care nothing for
did make King Arthur] had King Arthur order
enforce] rape
quick] alive
Take no heaviness] do not grieve
shift] rid
conceit] intelligence
and he had done] even if he had done
so free] so eager to gallop
imbossed] taken cover
blew the prize and dight] blew his horn for the capture and killed
a cloth laid richly beseen … table] a richly decorated cloth laid with everything appropriate for a meal
sore] heavily
but as] except for what
severally] one by one
uneath°] scarcely
With this] on this condition
void] unoccupied
glaive] sword
sure handles] hilt guards
nor bated no cheer] nor looked less fierce
wite] blame
withheld with] retained by
opinion] judgement
orgulous] proud
restore … of all their harms] i.e. make satisfactory reparation for their injury
thereafter] corresponding
largeness] generosity
let fetch leeches] had doctors fetched
let me deal] leave everything to me
awaited] looked
save my worship and discover me not] preserve my good name and don’t inform on me
be about] set about
and she abode] if she were to stay [at court]
had been dead] i.e. he would have killed her
as one might stand by another] set as closely together as possible
beseem me] be proper for me
cousin germain] first cousin
all the estates] all ranks
laund] open space, glade
hoved] lingered
fewtered°] laid in rest ready for combat
and me list] if it pleased me
and I might die] if I could die
but if I did] if I did not act
harness] armour
come within her] get access to her
either clipping other] embracing each other
or it be long] before long
But as] although
quit] requited
truage] tribute
misdo] mistreat
sithen°] since
breme] fierce
wise doctors] learned men
neither child nor horse faulted nothing] that nothing should be wanting to either page or horse
like me well] please me well
spiteous] contemptuous
kind elders] natural ancestors
evidence enough] a sufficient claim
sith] afterwards
hie you that ye were hence] make haste to be gone
take no keep] do not care
and that ye be in the water] unless you are at sea hard
conduct] dangerous safe-conduct
able] sufficient
gastfullest] most frightening
credence] message
served you unto your hands] waited on you
beseemed] ought
saws] words
dures] exist
fail of none] are second to none
Almain] Germany
cast me] intend
feoffed] peopled
Barfleet] Barfleur
utas of St Hilary] i.e. 21 January: the eighth day after St Hilary’s Day
arrest] commandeer
condescended] agreed
sought] made their way
galliard] high-spirited
falleth] is required
cog] ship
womb] belly
dressed him] prepared for combat
railed] flowed
Le Morte Darthur: The Winchester Manuscript (Oxford World's Classics) Page 77