Idylls of the King

by Alfred Tennyson

  443. mien: facial expression.

  446–50. Malory vii 1–2: “Upon paine of my life he was brought up and fostred in some abbey, and howsomever it was they failed of meate and drinke, and so hither he is come for sustenance… and into the kitchen I shall bring him, and there he shall have fat browesse every day, that he shall bee as fat by the twelve-monethes end as a porke hog.”

  447. brewis: ‘broth’ (T.).

  451—9. Malory vii 2 includes: ‘And especially sir Launcelot, for hee bad sir Kay leave his mocking, “for I dare lay my head he shall prove a man of great worship.” ’

  454. fluent: growing in abundant quantity and falling in graceful curves.

  463–5. Malory vii 1: ’ “That shall little neede,” said sir Kay, “to doe such cost upon him, for I dare well undertake that hee is a villaine borne, and never will make man, for and hee had beene come of a gentleman, hee would have asked of you horse and harneis, but such as hee is hath asked. And sithen hee hath no name, I shall give him a name, that shal be Beaumains, that is to say, faire hands.” ’

  463. Tut: a characteristic of Kay. See also II. 702, 715.

  465–7. Tennyson’s addition to Malory.

  470–72. Malory vii 2: ‘And so sir Kay had got him a place, and sat downe to meate. So Beaumains went to the hall dore, and sat him downe among boyes and lads, and there hee eate sadly.’

  476. broach: ‘spit’ (T.).

  485. For Lancelot was the first in Tournament,/ But Arthur mightiest on the battlefield: see LE 309–16 and G 325–34.

  487–94. Cf. Bellicent’s account in CA 358–91.

  489. tarns: small mountain lakes having no significant tributaries.

  490. Caer-Eryri’s highest: ‘Snowdon’ (T.).

  491. the Prophet: Merlin.

  492 – 3. He passes to the Isle Avilion/ He passes and is heal’d and cannot die: see CA 420–21 and PA 28. Avilion is a variant of Avalon.

  496. roundelay, a short simple song with a refrain.

  506–14. Malory vii 2: ‘But ever when hee knew of any justing of knights, that would he see and hee might… And where as were any masteries done, there would hee be; and there might none cast the barre or stone to him by two yards.’

  515–72. Added to Malory.

  519. Between the in-crescent and de-crescent moon: between the waxing and waning of the moon, chiefly in heraldry.

  521—6. Similar to a memory of Tennyson’s own childhood, Memoir i 4.

  542. hardihood: boldness, audacity.

  549. mellow: good-humoured, genial, jovial.

  555–6. In Malory it is Lancelot himself who makes Gareth knight.

  573–96. Malory vii 2: ‘Right.so there came in a damosell, and saluted the king, and praied him for succour. “For whom?” said the king: “what is the adventure?” “Sir,” said she, “I have a lady of great worship and renown, and she is besieged with a tyrant, so that shee may not goe out of her castle, and because that heere in your court are called the noblest knights of the world, I come unto you and pray you for succour.” “What call ye your lady, and where dwelleth she, and who is hee and what is his name that hath besieged her?” “Sir king,” said shee, “as for my ladies name, that shall not bee knowne for me as at this time; but I let you wit shee is a lady of great worship, and of great lands. And as for the tyrant that besiegeth her and destroyeth her land, hee is called the red knight of the reede lands.” “I know him not,” said the king… there bee knights heere that would doe their power to rescew your lady, but because ye wil not tell her name nor where she dwelleth, therefore none of my knights that be here now shall goe with you by my will.” “Then must I speake (seek) further,” said the damosell.’

  584. lonest hold: most remote castle or keep.

  624. And wears a helmet mounted with a skull: ‘Upon his head he wore an Helmet light,/Made of a dead mans skull, that seemd a ghastly sight’ of Maleger, Faerie Queene II xi 22.

  630–49. Malory vii 3: ‘Then with these words came before the king Beaumains, while the damosel was there; and thus he said: “Sir king, God thanke you, I have beene this twelve monethes in your kitchen, and have had my full sustenance, and now I will aske my two gifts that bee behind.” “Ask upon my perill,” said the king. “Sir, these shal be my two gifts: first, that ye will grant mee to have this adventure of the damosell, for it belongeth to me.” “Thou shalt have it,” said the king; “I graunt it thee.” “Then, sir, this is now the other gift; that ye shall bid sir Launcelot du Lake to make me a knight, for of him I will bee made knight, and else of none; and when I am past, I pray you let him ride after mee, and make mee knight when I require him.” “All this sh ll be done,” said the king. “Fie on thee,” said the damosell; “shall I have. none but one that is your kitchen page?” Then was shee wroth, and tooke her horse and departed.’

  665. casque: helmet.

  665–85. Malory vii 3–4: ‘And with that there came one to Beaumains, and told him that his horse and armour was come for him, and there was a dwarfe come with al things that him needed in the richest manner. Thereat all the court had much marvaile from whence came all that geare. So when hee was armed, there was none but few so goodly a man as hee was. And right so he came into the hall, and tooke his leave of king Arthur and of sir Gawaine, and of sir Launcelot, and prayed him that he would hie after him; and so departed and rode after the damosell. But there went many after to behold how well he was horsed and trapped in cloth of gold, but hee had neither shield nor speare.’

  670–73. and flash’d as those/ Dull-coated things, that making slide apart/Their dusk wing-cases, all beneath there bums/A jewell’d harness, ere they pass and fly: ‘Certain insects which have brilliant bodies underneath dull wing-cases’ (T.).

  678. trenchant: having a keen edge.

  681. lustier: more vigorously.

  690–718. Malory vii 4: ‘Then sir Kay said openly in the hall: “I will ride after my boy of the kitching, for to with whether hee will know mee for his better.” Sir Launcelot and sir Gawaine said, “yet abide at home.” So sir Kay made him ready, and tooke his horse and his speare, and rode after him.’

  726. And there were none but few goodlier than he: Malory vii 3: ‘So when hee was armed there was none but few so goodly a man as he was.’

  728–9. as one/That smells a foul-fresh’d agaric in the holt: ‘An evil-smelling fungus of the wood common at Aldworth’ (T.).

  733. Malory vii 5: ’ “What doest thou heere? thou stinkest all of the kitching; thy clothes bee all bawdy (dirty) of the grease and tallow.” ’

  735–40. Malory vii 4: ‘And right as Beaumains overtooke the damosell, so came sir Kay, and said: “What, sir Beaumains, know yee not mee?” Then hee turned his horse, and knew that it was sir Kay, which had done him all the despite that yee have heard afore. “Yee,” said Beaumains, “I know you for an ungentle knight of the court, and therefore beware of me.” Therewith sir Kay put his speare in the rest, and runne straight to him, and Beaumains came as fast upon him with his sword in his hand; and so hee put away the speare with his sword, and with a foyne thrust him through the side, that sir Kaye fell downe as hee had beene dead; and he alight downe, and tooke sir Kays shield and his speare, and start upon his owne horse and rode his way.’

  746–52. Malory vii 5: ’ “Wenest thou,” said shee, “that I alow thee for yonder knight that thou hast slaine? nay, truely, for thou slewest him unhappily and cowardly, therefore returne againe, bawdy kitching page. I know thee well, for sir Kay named thee Beaumains. What art thou but a luske and a turner of broaches and a washer of dishes!” ’

  748. device: trick, stratagem.

  751. loon: a boor, lout, clown, untaught and ill-bred person.

  753–6. Malory vii 5: ’ “Damosell,” said sir Beaumains, “say to mee what ye list, I wil not goe from you whatsoever yee say, for I have undertaken of king Arthur for to atchieve your adventure, and I shall finish it to the end, or I shall die therefore.” ’

  756–62. Malory vii 5:
‘“Fie on thee, kitching knave. Wilt thou finish mine adventure? thou shalt anon bee met withall, that thou wouldest not, for all the broth that ever thou suppest, once looke him in the face.” ’

  763. assay: put to the test.

  I shall assay,’ said Gareth with a smile: Malory vii 5: ” ’I shall assay,” said Beaumains.’

  781–3. Malory vii 5: ‘So as they thus rode in the wood, there came a man flying all that he might. “Whether wilt thou?” said Beaumains. “O Lord,” said he, “helpe mee, for hereby in a slade (sludge) are six theeves which have taken my lord and bound him, and I am afraid least they will slay him.”’ Another of Tennyson’s editions has “sludge” for “slade” and presumably 11. 789–96 were suggested by it.

  791. haling: hauling, pulling.

  791–6. Malory vii 5: ‘And so they rode together till they came there as the knight was bound, and then hee rode unto the theeves, and strake one at the first strooke to death, and then another, and at the third strooke hee slew the third thiefe; and then the other three fled, and hee rod after and overtooke them, and then those three theeves turned againe and hard assailed sir Beaumains; but at the last hee slew them: and then returned and unbound the knight.’

  799. caitiff: vile, base, mean.

  809. fain: gladly, willingly.

  810–23. Malory vii 5: ’ “Sir,” said sir Beaumains, “I will no reward have; I was this day made knight of the noble sir Launcelot, and therefore I will have no reward, but God reward me. And also I must follow this damosell.” And when hee came nigh her, shee bad him ride from her, “for thou smellest all of the kitching. Wenest thou that I have joy of thee? for all this deede that thou hast done, is but mishapned thee. But thou shalt see a sight that shall make thee to turne againe, and that lightly.’”

  810. guerdon: reward.

  811. for the deed’s sake have I done the deed: echoing the king’s words, 1. 559.

  813. harbourage: shelter, lodging.

  825–46. Malory vii 5: ‘Then the same knight which was rescued of the theeves rode after the damosell, and prayed her to lodge with him all that night. And because it was neere night, the damosell rode with him to his castle, and there they had great cheere. And at supper the knight set sir Beaumains before the damosell. “Fie, fie,” said shee, “sir knight, yee are uncurteous for to set a kitching page before me: him beseemeth better to sticke a swine then to sit before a damosell of high parentage.” ’

  826. All in a full-fair manor and a rich: Malory iv 7: ‘and so he keepeth from him a full fair manor and a rich’.

  828. viand: provisions, victuals.

  829. cate: dainty, delicacy.

  839. frontless: ‘shameless’ (T.).

  847–51. Malory vii 5: ‘Then the knight was ashamed of her words, and tooke him up and sat before him at a side boord, and set himselfe before him. And so all that night they had good and merry rest.’

  848–9. left/The damsel by the peacock in his pride: ‘Brought in on the trencher with his tail-feathers left’ (T.). Hallam Tennyson quotes Edward Stanley’s History of Birds: when it was served, ‘all the guests, male and female, took a solemn vow; the knights vowing bravery, and the ladies engaging to be loving and faithful’.

  862. I but speak for thine avail: Malory vii 6: ‘I say it for thine availe’. avail: advantage, profit.

  871. stoat: European ermine.

  873. ruth: pity, compassion.

  880–82. and thou wilt find/My fortunes all as fair as hers who lay/Among the ashes and wedded the King’s son: ‘Cinderella’s’ (T.).

  883. Then to the shore of one of those long loops: ‘The three loops of the river typify the three ages of life; and the guardians at the crossing the temptations of these ages’ (T.).

  889. Lent-lily, ‘daffodil’ (T.).

  893–900. Malory vii 7: ‘With that the blacke knight came to the damosell, and said, “faire damosell, have yee brought this knight from king Arthurs court to be your champion?” “Nay, faire knight,” said shee, “this is but a kitching knave, that hath beene fed in king Arthurs kitching for almes.’ ”

  896. In Malory there is a succession of knights, among them the Black Knight, the Green Knight, and the Red Knight. Tennyson reorganizes details according to his allegory of time and colour.

  901–7. Partly suggested by Malory vii 11 and containing in 1. 904 a detail from Malory vii 8: ‘And there he blew three deadly notes, and there came three damsels that lightly armed him.’

  908. Avanturine: ‘sometimes called the Panther-stone – a kind of gray-green or brown quartz with sparkles in it’ (T.).

  914. Immingled: mixed or blended intimately.

  918–20. Malory vii 7: ‘When the damosell saw the blacke knight, shee bad sir Beaumains flee downe the valey, for his horse was not sadled. “I thanke you,” said sir Beaumains, “for alwayes yee will have mee a coward.” ’

  921–4. Malory vii 11: ‘“Dámosell,” said sir Beaumains, “yee are to blame so to rebuke me, for I had rather to doe five battailes then so to be rebuked. Let him come, and then let him doe his worst… All the missaying that ye missayed mee furthered me in my battailes.” ’

  922. Far liefer, far more willingly.

  929–36. Malory vii 7: ‘“Wherefore commeth he in such aray?” said the knight, “it is great shame that he beareth you company… I shall put him downe upon his feete, and his horse and his armour he shall leave with me, for it were shame for mee to doe him any more harme… for it beseemeth not a kitchin knave to ride with such a lady.” ’

  930. Such fight not I, but answer scorn with scorn: cf. Zephon, Paradise Lost iv 834: ‘answering scorn with scorn’.

  936–48. Malory vii 7: ‘“Thou liest,” said sir Beaumains, “I am a gentleman borne, and of more high linage then thou art, and that I will prove upon thy body.” Then in great wrath they departed with their horses, and came together as it had beene thunder, and the blacke knights speare brake, and sir Beaumains thrust him through both his. sides, and therewith his speare brake, and the truncheon stucke still in his side, but neverthelesse the blacke knight drew his sword and smote many eager strookes and of great might, and hurt sir Beaumains full sore. But at the last the blacke knight within an houre and a halfe fell downe from his horse in a sound (swoon), and there died forthwith.’

  942. crupper, leathern strap buckled to the back of the saddle and passing under the horse’s tail, to prevent the saddle from slipping forwards.

  947. Till Gareth’s shield was cloven: from another combat, Malory vii 8.

  949–59. Based on Malory vii 8.

  967–9. Malory vii 7: ‘“Away, kitchen knave, goe out of the wind, for the smell of thy baudy cloathes grieveth me.” ’

  972. Malory vii 7: ‘ “Alas! that ever such a knave as thou art should by mishap sley so good a knight as thou has slaine, but all this is through thine unhappinesses.” ’

  980. Malory vii 7: ‘“But hereby is a knight that shall pay thee all thy payment.” ’

  1002–5. As if the flower…all sun: ‘The dandelion’ (T.).

  1008–11. Malory vii 8: ‘ “Is that my brother the blacke knight that ye have brought with you?” “Nay, nay,” said she, “this unhappie kitchin knave hath slaine your brother through unhappinesse.” ’

  1009. athwart: across from side to side, transversely.

  1013. cipher: empty,

  1015–31. Malory vii 6: ‘And therewith hee rashed into the water, and in the midest of the water either brake their speares to their hands, and then they drew their swords and smote at other egerly; and at the last, sir Beaumains smote the other upon the helme that his head was astonied, and therewith hee fell downe into the water, and there was drowned… “Alas,” said shee, “that ever kitching page should have the fortune to destroy such two doughty knights! thou weenest thou hast done doughtily, and that is not so, for the first knights horse stumbled and there he was drowned in the water, and never it was by thy force and might; and the last knight by mishap thou earnest behind him an
d shamefully thou slewest him.” ’

  1029. point: of the compass.

  1033. unhappiness: ‘mischance’ (T.).

  1044. our good King: this heroic epithet for Arthur also occurs GL 1143, MG 152, BB 525, MV 781, LE 278, G 96, 207, 219.

  1052. mavis: song-thrush

  merle: blackbird.

  1060. bow: an arch of masonry: bridge of treble bow: bridge comprising three arches.

  1067. only wrapt in harden’d skins: ‘Allegory of habit’ (T.).’

  1071.’0 brother-star, why shine ye here so low?’: Hallam Tennyson notes that ‘Gareth has taken the shield of the Morning-Star.’ Gareth’s original shield was destroyed – see 1. 947.

  1092ff. Cf. the fight with Maleger, Faerie Queene II xi 20–46.

  1130. trefoil: the three-leaved clover, in heraldry symbolizing fidelity and constancy in love.

  1135—6. Shamed am I that I so rebuked, reviled,/Missaid thee: ‘“Alas,” said shee, “faire sir Beaumains, forgive me all that I have missayed and misdone against you.” ’

  1141. mazed my wit: confused my mind.

  1155. hern: heron.

  1163. comb: a deep hollow or valley.

  1172–5. Tennyson comments: ‘Years ago when I was visiting the Howards at Naworth castle, I drove over to the little river Gelt to see the inscription carved upon the crags. It seemed to me very pathetic, this sole record of the vexillary or standard-bearer of the sacred Legion (Augusta). This is the inscription: VEX.LLEG.II AVG. ON. AP. APRO E MAXIMO CONSULIBUS SUB AGRICOLA OP. OFICINA MERCATI.’ Of the ‘figures’, Hallam Tennyson says: ‘Symbolical of the temptations of youth, of middle-age, of later life, and of death overcome by the youthful and joyous Gareth.’

  1182. dislocated Kay. from being ‘shoulder-slipt’, 1. 740. Malory’s Kay suffers more severely.

  1184. error: wayward direction or track.

  1185–93. Suggested by Gareth’s jousting with Lancelot, Malory vii 4.

  1189. felon: wicked.