The Cambridge History of English and American Literature in 18 Volumes (1907–21).
Volume II. The End of the Middle Ages.
§ 6. Morte Arthure
Panton and Donaldson, the editors for the Early English Text Society of the interminable Gest Hystoriale of the Destruction of Troy (it contains over 14,000 lines), were the first to point out that this unrimed alliterative translation of Guido delle Colonne’s Hystoria Troiana must, from identity in style and phraseology, be attributed to the same author as Morte Arthure, though it had been copied from a Scottish original by a west midland scribe. Their opinion has been developed and confirmed by Neilson’s work on Huchoun. As Morte Arthure is admittedly superior in execution to the Gest Hystoriale and as, unless it had some source still undiscovered or now lost, it is a very independent rendering of the story of Arthur as related in Books IX and X of Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Histora Regum Britanniae, it may be used to illustrate the style of Huchoun. Morte Arthure begins with a rude demand from Lucius Iberius, emperor of Rome, for tribute from King Arthur. Arthur, after considering the matter with his council, comes to the conclusion that he has more right to the empire than Lucius has to tribute from him; he will, therefore, anticipate Lucius’s threats of invasion by taking the field against him. Accordingly, he appoints Mordred to rule in his absence and charges him especially with the care of Waynour (Guinevere). Arthur himself crosses the Channel with his host, and, after an unpleasant dream, fights a great battle with a giant from Genoa “engendered of fiends,” who lives on human flesh, has ravaged the Cotentin and, last of all, has carried off and slain the Duchess of Brittany. The author, who is excessively fond of alliteration, excels himself, in his description of the giant, by carrying an alliteration on the same letter through four consecutive verses; so that the first twelve lines (1074–85) make three stanzas of this sort, of which the last, as the least repulsive, may be taken as a specimen:
Hardly has Arthur had time to thank Heaven for his success in the combat, ere urgent messengers arrive from the marshal of France to say that he must have help at once against the emperor, who has entered the country and is carrying destruction far and wide. Sir Boice, Sir Gawain, Sir Bedivere and some others are hastily despatched to delay the emperor, who has brought with him all the powers of eastern heathenesse; and these knights, with the help of an ambuscade, win a victory. In the great battle which follows many noble deeds are done; these are described with great vigour. Arthur himself with Collbrande (Excalibur) has a short way with his foemen:
The emperor himself perishes at the hands of Arthur, and his knights, having slaughtered the paynim till they are tired, fall upon the spoil, and help themselves, not only to “hakkenays and horses of armes,” but to all kinds of wonderful animals, “kamells and sekadrisses [whatever they may be], dromondaries,”
No sooner is Metz won with gallant chivalry than we are carried over the Alps with Arthur, who advances into Tuscany and halts “in the Vertennon vale, the vines imangez.” There the “cunningest cardinal” invites him to Rome to help the pope and to be crowned. But already fortune’s wheel, which Arthur sees in a dreadful dream, is on the turn. The king has passed the topmost point of his glory, for Sir Cradok comes to tell that Mordred has rebelled and has “weddede Waynore.” Forthwith the camp is broken up, and they hurry homewards. Mordred’s allies, the Danes, meet them at sea and a great naval battle is admirably described. The Danes are defeated, and, after landing, Gawain meets Mordred in single combat and is slain. It is the wicked Mordred in single combat and is slain. It is the wicked Mordred himself who in admiration declares,