Version 1

Notes de lecture
107
Le texte de base est celui de ldition de Janet Cowen, Penguin Classics (2 vol.).

BOOK VI

CHAPTER 6. How Sir Launcelot was received of King Bagdemagus daughter,

and how he made his complaint to her father

1
And as soon as1 Sir Launcelot came within the abbey yard, the daughter of King Bagdemagus
heard a great horse go on the pavement. And she then arose and yede unto a window, and there she
saw Sir Launcelot, and anon she made men fast to take his horse from him and let lead him into a
stable, and himself was led into a fair chamber, and unarmed him, and the lady sent him a long gown,
and anon she came herself. And then she made Launcelot passing good cheer, and she said he was the
knight in the world was most welcome to her.
Then in all haste she sent for her father Bagdemagus that was within twelve mile of that abbey,
and afore even he came with a fair fellowship of knights with him. And when the king was alit o his
horse he yode straight unto Sir Launcelots chamber and there he found his daughter, and then the
king embraced Sir Launcelot in his arms and either made other good cheer.
2
Anon Sir Launcelot made his complaint unto the king how he was betrayed, and how his brother
Sir Lionel was departed from him he nist not where, and how his daughter had delivered him out of
prison. Therefore while I live I shall do her service and all her kindred.
Then am I sure of your help, said the king, on Tuesday next coming?
Yea, sir, said Sir Launcelot, I shall not fail you, for so I have promised my lady your daughter. But, sir,
what knights be they of my lord Arthurs that were with the King of Northgales?
And the king said, It was Sir Mador de la Porte, and Sir Mordred and Sir Gahalantine that all for-fared
my knights, for against them three I nor my knights might bear no strength.

Caxton : And oone as ; Winchester folio 100r : And as oone as.

Sir, said Sir Launcelot, as I hear say that the tournament shall be here within this three mile of this
abbey, ye shall send unto me three knights of yours, such as ye trust, and look that the three knights have all white
shields, and I also, and no painture on the shields, and we four will come out of a little wood in midst of both parties, and we shall fall in the front of our enemies and grieve them that we may; and thus shall I not be known what
knight I am.
3
So they took their rest that night, and this was on the Sunday, and so the king departed, and
sent unto Sir Launcelot three knights with the four white shields. And on the Tuesday they lodged
them in a little leaved wood beside there the tournament should be. And there were scaolds and holes
that lords and ladies might behold and to give the prize.
Then came into the eld the King of Northgales with eight1 score helms. And then the three
knights of Arthurs stood by themself. Then came into the eld King Bagdemagus with four score of
helms. And then they feutred their spears, and came together with a great dash, and there were slain of
knights at the rst recounter twelve of King Bagdemagus party, and six of the King of Northgales
party, and King Bagdemagus party was far set aback.

Sire Lancelot est reu par la lle du roi Bademagu

et fait part de ses msaventures son pre

1
Ds que sire Lancelot pntra dans la cour de labbaye, la lle du roi Bademagu entendit le martlement des sabots dun grand cheval sur le pav. Elle se leva, alla une fentre, aperut sire Lancelot,
ordonna linstant quon lui prenne son cheval pour le mener dans une curie, tandis quon conduisait
le cavalier dans une belle chambre, o il retira son armure, la dame lui t parvenir une longue robe de
chambre et sy rendit aussitt en personne. Elle t trs bon visage Lancelot et lui dit quil tait le chevalier au monde quelle avait le plus grand plaisir accueillir.
Puis elle se hta de faire venir son pre Bademagu, qui se trouvait moins de douze milles de
labbaye, et il arriva avant le soir, la tte dune belle troupe de chevaliers. Ds que le roi fut descendu
de cheval, il se rendit directement la chambre de sire Lancelot, o il trouva sa lle ; le roi serra alors
sire Lancelot dans ses bras et ils changrent des civilits.
2
Sans plus attendre, sire Lancelot exposa au roi les circonstances dans lesquelles il avait t pris
en tratre, son frre Lionel lavait laiss pour aller Dieu sait o, et sa lle lavait libr de captivit. Par
consquent, tant que je vivrai, elle pourra disposer de moi, ainsi que toute sa famille.
Je peux donc, demanda le roi, compter sur votre aide mardi prochain ?
Oui, messire, rpondit sire Lancelot, sans faute, car jen ai fait la promesse ma dame votre lle. Mais,
messire, quels sont donc les chevaliers de mon seigneur Arthur qui combattaient aux cts du roi de Norgales ?
Et le roi de rpondre : Ctaient sire Mador de la Porte, sire Mordred et sire Gahalantin, qui ont provoqu la perte complte de mes chevaliers, car contre eux trois ni moi ni mes chevaliers ntions de taille nous dfendre.
Messire, dcida sire Lancelot, le tournoi devant ce quon ma dit se drouler aux alentours,
moins de trois milles de cette abbaye, vous voudrez bien menvoyer trois chevaliers de votre cour qui aient votre
conance et donner pour instructions que ces trois chevaliers et moi soyons quips de boucliers blancs, dpourvus
demblme ; nous sortirons tous quatre dun petit bois, au beau milieu des deux groupes, et nous jaillirons devant
nos ennemis, et leur inigerons tout le mal que nous pourrons. De la sorte, bien malin qui saura quel chevalier je
suis.

Caxton : with eyght core helmes, mais Winchester folio 101r : wt ix core helmys.

3
Ils se reposrent donc cette nuit-l, qui tait celle de dimanche [ lundi], le roi repartit et envoya
sire Lancelot trois chevaliers avec les quatre boucliers blancs. Et le mardi, [les quatre] sinstallrent
dans un petit bois feuillu, jouxtant le champ clos. Des tribunes avaient t dresses, avec des ouvertures
permettant aux seigneurs et aux dames dobserver [les combats] pour dcider qui dcerner la palme.
Entra dabord en lice le roi de Norgales avec ses cent soixante guerriers, puis, part, les trois
chevaliers de la cour dArthur, et enn le roi Bademagu avec ses quatre-vingts guerriers. Tous afautrrent leur lance et se rurent les uns contre les autres : lissue de ce premier choc, le camp du roi Bademagu comptait douze morts, celui du roi de Norgales six ; le roi Bademagu et les siens avaient t repousss trs loin.

1 yede unto a window he yode straight Winchester 100r-100v yode les 2 fois; OED :
yode I. yode, yede, v.1 Obs.
Past tense of go v. (= went, went away, proceeded, took his course). [12th cent. ME. (north-east
midland) eode, ede (iede), prob. altered form of OE., ME. eode (ede, ode), pa. tense of go v., by
prothesis of -glide induced by the hiatus in such collocations as he eode, we eoden. Later, when the
form ode, arising from the development of eo as a rising diphthong, became established, it would
help to extend the currency of the form ede by analogical inuence upon ede, the normal representative of ode with a falling diphthong. A parallel development is furnished by ME. York,
Yerk:OE. Eoforwc (see York). Moreover, the OE. compound form eode, pa. tense of egn igo v.,
examples of which are here given with the meaning of the simple ode, may have survived in localities where the prefix e- = y- persisted in ME., and so have furthered the spread of ede and
ode.
Beowulf 1967 Hi si druon, elne eeodon. Ibid. 2676 Ac se maa eonga under his mes scyld elne eeode. c 725 Corpus Gloss. (Hessels) A 217 Adgrediuntur, eeodun [Epinal 76 ihiodun]. c 950 Lindisf.
Gosp. Matt. xx. 5 Exiit, e-eode. Ibid. John x. 23 Ambulabat, e-eade.]
Illustration of Forms.
. 24 eode (4 iode).
a 1122 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1070 Hi..eodon into e mynstre. c 1260 K. Horn (Camb. MS.) 401 He
eode in wel rite To Rymenhild e brite. c 1275 Lay. 253312 Ofte hii eode [c 1205 eoden] to reade, ofte
hii eode to roune. c 1305 Judas 31 in E.E.P. (1862) 108 e quene eode adai and pleide bi e stronde. 13..
Cursor M. 19920 (Edin.) Quen ai of Petir undirstode, His coming, sone gain him ai iode. 1387 Trevisa
Higden (Rolls) IV. 397 A lampe..in at hevene..at ede [MS. eode] adoun westward as it were e sonne.
a 1400 Pistill of Susan 228 To the ate aply ei eoden [v.rr. edyn, ede] wel are. c 1400 R. Gloucesters Chron. (Rolls) 8409 (MS. ) oru wham e heene men eoden al to schonde.
() 2. de, iede, ide, 25 ede, 34 iede, 4 ide, ed, yhed, Sc. heid, 45 eide, hede, eede, 46 yeede,
(also 9 Sc.) yede, 5 eyde, hed, Sc. heide, 56 Sc. eid, yeid, 56 (8 Sc.) yeed, 6 yheid, yead(e, 8 yeed.
a 1122 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1070 Syon eden heom to scipe, ferden heom to Eli. 1154 Ibid. an.
1137 Sume ieden on lmes e waren sum wile rice men. Ibid., Me dide cnotted strenges abuton here hued
& uurythen to et it de to e hrnes. Ibid. 1140 Sc eh & ide on fote to Walingford. c 1200 Vices &
Virtues 69

Jai relev chez Caxton 7 occurrences de yode pour 40 de yede ;

Winchester : 59 occurrences de yode (seule forme prsente).
2 he nist not where

OED :

I. nist
for ne wist, knew not: see ne and wit v. Forms: 1, 45 nyste, 12, 4 neste, 25 nuste, 34 niste, 45 nist,
nyst. pl. 1 nyston (-on), 2 nesten, nusten, 2, 4 nysten, 4 nisten.

c 825 Vesp. Psalter lxxii. 22 Ic to nowihte ebeed eam & ic hit nyste. c 888 K. lfred Boeth. xxxviii. 1
Hi nyston nnne oerne god on ne timan. 971 Blickl. Hom. 79 Ns t na t he nyste hwt se blinda
wolde. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 93 His wif..nuste hwet hire were ilumpen wes. a 1200 Moral Ode 229 (Trin.
Coll. MS.), Ic wille seggen hit o e hit hem self nesten. c 1230 Hali Meid. 59 Ha nuste hwuch wei ha come
eneward. a 1300 K. Horn 276 e stuard..nuste what to do. c 1320 Sir Tristr. 246 He nist it whom to wite.
1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xiii. 25 There I say a maistre; what man he was I neste. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 313 Thei
nysten what fortune abide. 1447 O. Bokenham Seyntys (Roxb.) 52 She astoyned..Was that she nyst what
she myght seye.

Voir aussi MED sous witen.

3 that all for-fared my knights MED : forfaran [OE forfaran, -fr, -faren.]
1. (a) Of persons: to perish, be destroyed; of property: to be wasted, go to ruin; (b) to ruin or kill
(someone); to destroy, waste, or ruin (goods, property); man forfaren, a ruined man, ?an outlaw.

4 there were scaolds and holes1 OED :

I. scaold, n.
(skfd)
Forms: . 4 scaot, 5 skaaut, 4, 6, 9 dial. -at. . 4 scaalde, 45 skaf(f)ald, 5 scahold, skafold, 56
scaolde, scafold(e, 57 skaold, 6 scaald, -ould, skefold, schapfold, 4 scaold. . 5 schafhold, cha-,
schaold, shaolde. . 6 skaell, -oll.
[a. NFr. forms corresponding to Central OF. schaaut, eschaaut, eschafal, eschaiphal, earlier escadafaut = Pr. escadafalc, formed with prex es- (:L. ex- out) on the Com. Rom. word represented by
OF. chafau(l)t (mod.F. chafaud 2), earlier caafau-s, cadefaut, Pr. cadafalc, OCat. cadafal, Sp. cadafalso,
now cadahalso, cadalso, Pg. cadafalso, It. catafalco (whence F. catafalque catafalque):popular L.
*catafalcum, of uncertain formation: according to some scholars, f. Gr. prex - (see under
catafalque) + -falicum, f. fala, phala wooden tower or gallery.
For other related forms see catafalque, and cf. med.Lat. scadafale (12th c.), scadafaltum (13th c.), scafaldus, scalfaudus, etc. (15th c.). The Romanic word has been adopted by continental Teut. langs.:
(M)Du. schavot, G. schavot(t, Da. skafot. With the -forms in Eng. cf. scaoldage.]
A. Illustration of Forms.
1349 Skaotes [see B. 1]. 1375 Barbour Bruce xvii. 343 Scaatis, ledderis, and coueryngis. a 1575
Diurn. Occurr. (Bannatyne Cl.) 68 Vpoun twa skaattis. 1869 Lonsdale Gloss., Skaat, corr. of scaold.
1354 Skaald [see B. 1]. 1435 Contract Fotheringhay Ch. (1841) 28 Ladderis, Tymbre, Scaolds,
Gynnes. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 442/1 Scafold, stage, fala. c 1450 Cov. Myst. (Shaks. Soc.) 298 Here Pylat
syttyth in his skaald. 1533 Bellenden Livy v. viii. (S.T.S.) II. 176 To be rehersit on scaaldis for admiratioun and delite. 1536 Kyngston in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. i. II. 63 The preparacion of skefolds. 1570 Levins
Manip. 219/10 A Scaould, theatrum, scena. c 1618 Moryson Itin. iv. (1903) 308 Mounting vpon stalls,
or litle skaolds.
147085 Malory Arthur x. xliv. 484 They were set vpon schafholdes to gyue the Iugement of these two
Knyghtes. 1514 Acc. St. Johns Hosp., Canterb. (MS.), Payd for x naylls for e chaoldes. a 1552 Leland
Itin. (1769) IX. 140 Apon Schaoldis yn the midle of the market place.
1581 Sc. Acts Jas. VI (1814) III. 197/1 Wpoun the skaell the tyme of his executioun.
B. Signication.
1. a. A temporary platform usually supported on poles or (sometimes) trestles, but occasionally
suspended, and designed to hold the workmen and materials employed in the erection, repairing,
or decoration of a building. Also pl., but now usually sing., an assemblage of such platforms with
their supporting poles, = scaolding.
pl. 1349 Acc. Exch. K.R. Bundle 462 No. 16 lf. 7 In .xxvj. peciis maeremii emptis pro scaotes ad idem
opus. 1646 W. Jenkyn Ref. Remora 30 The buildings set up, let the scaolds be pulld down. []

1
2

Note de J. Cowen : i.e. windows.

Le chafaut dsigne le fenil dans lYonne et la Nivre. Mario Rossi, Les Noms de lieux du Brionnais-Charolais (2009), p. 280.

DME :
CHAFFAUT, subst. masc.[GD : chaaut ; FEW II-1, 486a : *catafalicum]
A. chafaudage : ...lez chadefaux (Comptes Archev. Rouen J., 1391-1392, 27).
- Chaaut de maon : ...lequel frre, ainsi navr et bleci, sen cuida fouyr hors de ladicte maison en
ung chauault de maon qui estoit joignant de ladicte maison, mais il tomba dicellui chauault
terre (Doc. Poitou G., t.10, 1462, 394).
B. - Hourd, estrade : Et lempereur commenda quil fust escouts par toute gent. Et lors Climent monta sur un Chafaut et se mist a sermoner (Veng. Nostre-Seign. F., t.1, c.1300-1400, 78). Et le
roy et la rone et sa dame qui estoyent aux chaafaux disoyent que lescuier aux armes blanches
estoit de grant prosse (Cardenois C., c.1380-1400, 77). Quant les dames furent montees sur les
chafaulx (...), si fu si grant noise et si grant cry au froesier des lances que on ny ost dieu tonnant (Chev. papegau H., c.1400-1500, 39). Mais le rat dit quil ne luy chault Et a ce se vint opposer,
La souriz si vint proposer Ung preschement en ung chaault Qui dist au peuple tout en hault : Mal
endurant ne peult durer. (RGN., F.A., 1432-c.1465, 27). Item et au coust devers la Roche, aura
plusieurs petiz et jeunes enfans sur chaufaulx, bien en point et habilliez, criant a haulte voix : Vive
le Roy ! (Entres roy. G.L., 1476,,, 203).
- chafaudage sur lequel on joue une pice, estrade : En toyle, pour faire des abillemens pour
la moralit de lOmme mondain, II fo. ceulx qui ont faitz les chaaux, et pour le louage des planches, II o. (Roi Ren vie L., 1476, 374).
C. - chafaud : Or sus ! compaignons, amenez Vous prisonniers, que vous avez Estaichiers a ces
coloineaux ; Trainns les nous fault comme veaux Au grant chaal de la justice (Myst. st Adr. P.,
c.1450-1485, 152). ...et ja avoit fait faire le chanfault pour lui coupper la teste (GRUEL, Chron. Richemont L., c.1459-1466, 158). [Cest la Mort qui parle] Sur ung chaauld lay trespass Et ton duc
dedans ung foss. (DU PRIER, Songe past. D.-M., c.1477-1508, 116).
Synthse

Robert Martin / Pierre Cromer

TLFi et cnrtl :
1. Ca 1170 eschaafauz charpente, chafaudage (B. DE STE-MAURE, Ducs Normandie, d. C. Fahlin,
21267); 2. ca 1170 eschalfaut estrade (pour un prdicateur) (G. DE SAINT-PAIR, Mont Saint-Michel,
d. P. Redlich, 1003); 1319 eschaiffaut estrade pour jouer (cit ds Mmoires de la Socit de
lhistoire de Paris et de lle-de-France, 1876, 350 : eschaiaut aus trompeurs encontre la venue du
roy); 1550 g. chaufaut (RONSARD, Ode Baf, d. P. Laumonier, p. 130); 3. fin XIIIe s. escaaus
estrade pour spectateurs (Chastelain de Coucy, d. J.E. Matzke et M. Delbouille, 1390); 4. 1357
eschafaud (L. DOTTIN, Recherches sur Orlans, t. 1, p. 154 : eschafaud, sur lequel se retirent les
criminels). Altration dapr. chelle (Regula ds Z. rom. Philol., t. 44, p. 646) ou chasse tai (Brch
ds Z. fr. Spr. Lit., t. 50, p. 336) de la. fr. chafaud chafaudage (ca 1160, B. DE STE-MAURE,
Troie, d. L. Constans, 3016) encore attest dans quelques pat. (FEW t. 2, p. 486 a), dun lat. pop.
*catafalicum (v. aussi catafalque) issu du croisement du lat. class. fala tour de dfense en bois
prf. dorig. et du gr. cata-, sur le modle de catasta (gr. ) estrade o lon expose les
esclaves vendre , cf. aussi *catalectus (v. chlit) (FEW t. 2, p. 487 b).

5 with eight score [0] helms with four score helms

Pour score, voir volet 17, 4. Citation tire de Jean-Franois Fraud (1787-1788) : Des
femmes enceintes au nombre de huit vingts et plus. helm au sens de combattant,
guerrier , MED :
(a) A helmet; casten up ~, to raise the visor of a helmet; under ~, wearing a helmet; ~ ston, ?coping
stone of a roof [ fatire ]; (b) the crown of thorns; (c) g. ~ of hele, ~ of hope, etc.; (d) a warrior;
(e) a sign of an inn or shop; also a representation of a helmet in a heraldic device; (f) ~ bereres,
soldiers servants, batmen [ ordonnances (dans larme) ].

Cf. volet 90, p. 12, Winchester folio 72v :

Sir Launcelot de Laake with a light herte & eyde vnto kynge Arthure thoue my londis marche nyghe thyne
enemyes yet hall I make myne a vow aftir my power at of good men of armys aftir my bloode thus many I
hall brynge with me xxMl helmys In haubirkes attyred at hall neuer fayle you whyles oure lyves latyth

Cet emploi mtonymique a t celui de lancien-franais heaume, DMF : Le chevalier qui

porte le heaume, chevalier : Maint bacinet et maint heaume Avec eulz ont. (Mir. ste
Bauth., c.1376, 127). ...[lempereur Svre] se pourta vaillemment Contre eulx [les Parthes], aussi pareillement Contre larabique royaume, Car plus donze cent mille heaumes
Il mesna contre ces Parthois (Myst. st Adr. P., c.1450-1485, 54).
DEAF emploi mtonymique homme darmes agn. ca. 1368, lettre dexercice [al nounbre
de vint millers helmes lusantz et atant dez archers Stone1]
Froissart : Moneigneur, dit le conte de Fois, puis que nous ommes ci aemblz, nous
irons combatre voz ennemis. Ce coneil fu tenu; tantot ilz sarmerent et ordonnerent
leurs gens, lesquelz etoient environ XIIC heaumes et ix mil hommes de pi.
The Online Froissart, Besanon 865, folio 219r.
helme, Chanson de Roland ; elmes, La vengeance Raguidel XIIIe s. helm Layamon, The Brut,
c1275 (?a1200) ; helmet King Ponthus and the Fair Sidone, c1450.
propos de N score [0] ~ N score
Cest la seule occurrence de score of dans le texte de Caxton. Malory/Winchester
emploie les deux constructions. OED :
A group or set of twenty. Primarily a sb., const. of (in OE. gen. pl.), but owing to ellipsis and loss of
inexions often serving (when preceded by a, or in uninected pl. by a numeral) as a numeral adj.
(Cf. dozen, hundred, thousand, etc.)

William Rothwell L.W. Stone T.B.W. Reid, with the assistance of D. Evans, S. Gregory, David A. Trotter, P.
Staniforth, Anglo-Norman Dictionary, London (The Mod. Humanities Research Assoc.) 1977 - 1992. Cf. ZrP 107,418-442; 112,148150; RLiR 64,391-407. Travaux depuis 1947. Sans intgration des dict. antrieurs. [Dans les vol. G et H du DEAF, ce dict. a t
cit sous le sigle de Stone, en accord avec les premires pages titre.]
1