Arthurian Chronicles: Roman de Brut | Page 8

ff.
[10] See _Excursus III_.
[11] Vs. 1 ff.
[12] Layamon's statement that he "read books" at Arnley is?interpreted to mean that he read the services in the church.
[13] The poem is written in part in alliterative lines on the Anglo-Saxon system, in part in rhymed couplets of unequal length.
[14] Vs. 18086 ff.
[15] Vs. 20110 ff. More famous speeches still are Arthur's?comparison of Childric the Dane to a fox (vs. 20827 ff.) and his taunt over his fallen foes, Baldulf and Colgrim (vs. 31431 ff.).
[16] Vs. 12972 ff.
[17] Vs. 27992 ff.
[18] Vs. 19887 ff.
[19] discussion of this point see J.L. Weston, in _Melanges de philologie romane offerts a M. Wilmotte_, Paris, 1910, pp. 801, 802.
[20] See _Mabinogion_, translated by Lady Charlotte Guest,?London, 1849.
[21] Ed. Michel and Wright, Paris, 1837.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
GENERAL WORKS OF REFERENCE FOR THE CHRONICLES
R.H. FLETCHER, _The Arthurian Material in the Chronicles (Studies and Notes in Philology and Literature, X)_, Boston, 1906.
W. LEWIS JONES, King Arthur in History and Legend, London, 1911.
M.W. MACCALLUM, _Tennyson's Idylls of the King_, Glasgow, 1894.
H. MAYNADIER, _The Arthur of the English Poets_, Boston and New York, 1907.
G. PARIS, _Histoire litteraire de la France_, Paris, 1888.
J. RHYS, _Studies in the Arthurian Legend_, Oxford, 1891.
W.H. SCHOFIELD, _English Literature from the Norman Conquest to Chaucer_, New York and London, 1906.
B. TEN BRINK, _Geschichte der Englischen Literatur_, and ed., A Brandl, Strassburg, 1899. Translated into English, 1st ed, I., H.M. Kennedy, New York, 1888, II., i., W.C. Robinson, 1893, II., ii., L.D. Schmidt, 1896.
AUTHORS AND WORKS
GEOFFREY GAIMAR, _L'Estorie des Engles_, ed. T.D. Hardy and T.C. Marten (Rolls Series), 1888-1889.
GEOFFREY OF MONMOUTH, _Historia Regum Britanniae_, ed. San Marte (A. Schulz) Halle, 1854. Translated, J.A. Giles, _Six Old English Chronicles_, London, 1896; S. Evans, London, 1903.
LAYAMON, _Brut_, ed. with translation, Sir F. Madden, 3 vols, London, 1847. WORKS ON LAYAMON--Introduction, Madden's ed. of _Brut_. H. Morley, English Writers, London, 1888-1890, III, 206-231. L. Stephen and S. Lee, _Dictionary of National Biography_, London, 1885-1904, under Layamon. For a further bibliography, see Fletcher (as above), p. 148, note 1.
WACE, _Roman de Brut_, ed. Le Roux de Lucy, 2 vols, Rouen, 1836-1838. _Roman de Rou_, ed. F. Pluquet, 2 vols, Rouen, 1827, H. Andresen, 2 vols, Heilbronn, 1877-1879, translated by E. Taylor (_Chronicle of the Norman Conquest_), London, 1837. WORKS ON WACE--E. Du Meril, _La vie et les ouvrages de Wace_, in _Jahrbuch fuer romanische u. englische Literatur, I, i ff.; also in his _Etudes sur quelques points d'Archeologie_, Paris and Leipzig, 1862. Grober, _Grundriss der romanischen Philologie_, Strassburg, 1888-1902, II, i, 635 ff. H. Morley, _English Writers_, III, 55. G. Paris, _Romania_, IX, 592 ff. L. Stephens and S. Lee, _Dictionary National Biography_, under Wace. A Ulbrich, _Romanische Forschungen_, XXVI, 181 ff. For further bibliography, see Fletcher (as above), p. 128, note 1.
WACE'S ROMAN DE BRUT
Constantine came to Totnes, and many a stout knight with him--there was not one but was worthy of the kingship. The host set forth towards London, and sent messages in every part, bidding the Britons to their aid, for as yet they were too fearful to come from their secret places. When the Britons heard these tidings they drew, thick as rain, from the woodlands and the mountain, and came before the host in troops and companies. To make short a long matter, these marched so far and wrought such deeds that in the end they altogether discomfited those evil men who had done such sore mischief to the land. After these things they held a great council at Cirencester, commanding thereto all the lords and barons of the realm. In that place they chose Constantine as their king, with no long tarrying, none being so bold as to say him nay. So when they had ordained him king, they set the crown on his head with marvellous joy, and owned themselves as his men. Afterwards, by their counsel, Constantine took to wife a dame who was come of gentle Roman blood. On this lady he begat three sons. The eldest--whom the king named Constant--he caused to be nourished at Winchester, and there he made him to be vowed a monk. The second son was called Aurelius, and his surname Ambrosius. Lastly was born Uther, and it was he whose days were longest in the land. These two varlets were held in ward by Gosselyn, the archbishop.
So long as Constantine lived the realm had rest and peace; but he died before his time had come, for he reigned but twelve short years. There was a certain Pict of his household, a traitor, a foul felon, who for a great while had been about his person. I cannot tell the reason why he bore the king so mortal a grudge. This Pict took the king aside privily in an orchard, as though he would speak to him of some hidden matter. The