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"Le Morte DArthur": Notes de Lecture Volet 128
"Le Morte DArthur": Notes de Lecture Volet 128
"Le Morte DArthur": Notes de Lecture Volet 128
Notes de lecture
128
Le texte de base est celui de ldition de Janet Cowen, Penguin Classics (2 vol.).
BOOK VII
CHAPTER 9. How the damosel [Lynet] again rebuked Beaumains, and would not
suer him to sit at her table, but called him kitchen boy
1
And ever she rebuked Beaumains, and would not suer him to sit at her table, but as the Green
Knight took him and sat him at a side table.
Marvel methinketh, said the Green Knight to the damosel, why ye rebuke this noble knight as ye do,
for I warn you, damosel, he is a full noble knight, and I know no knight is able to match him; therefore ye do great
wrong to rebuke him, for he shall do you right good service, for whatsomever he maketh himself, ye shall prove at
the end that he is come of a noble blood and of kings lineage.
Fie, e, said the damosel, it is shame for you to say of him such worship.
Truly, said the Green Knight, it were shame for me to say of him any disworship, for he hath proved
himself a better knight than I am, yet have I met with many knights in my days, and never or this time have I found
no knight his match.
And so that night they yede unto rest, and all that night the Green Knight commanded thirty
knights privily to watch Beaumains, for to keep him from all treason.
2
And so on the morn they all arose, and heard their mass and brake their fast; and then they took
their horses and rode on their way, and the Green Knight conveyed them through the forest; and there
the Green Knight said, My lord Beaumains, I and these thirty knights shall be always at your summons, both
early and late, at your calling and whither that ever ye will send us.
It is well said, said Beaumains; when that I call upon you ye must yield you unto King Arthur, and all
your knights.
If that ye so command us, we shall be ready at all times, said the Green Knight.
Fie, e upon thee, in the devils name, said the damosel, that any good knights should be obedient unto
a kitchen knave.
3
So then departed the Green Knight and the damosel. And then she said unto Beaumains, Why
followest thou me, thou kitchen boy? Cast away thy shield and thy spear, and ee away; yet I counsel thee betimes
or thou shalt say right soon, alas; for wert thou as wight as ever was Wade or Launcelot, Tristram, or the good
knight Sir Lamorak, thou shalt not pass a pass here that is called the Pass Perilous.
Damosel, said Beaumains, who is afeard let him ee, for it were shame to turn again sithen I have ridden so long with you.
Well, said the damosel, ye shall soon, whether ye will or not.
MED :
wight (adj.) Also wighte, wiht(e, wit(e, with, wiht(e, with(t, wit(e, weight, whit, white, (N) vight, (early) wicth,
wite & (in surnames) wigh-, wicht, wict-, whight; comp. wighter, wighttere, wit(t)ere; sup. wightest(e, etc. &
wightes, witthest, (early) wicteste; pl. (early gen.) wihtere.
[ON: cp. OI vgt, neut. of vgr in ghting condition, able to ght, skilled in ghting .]
1. (a) Brave, valiant; also as epithet [sometimes dicult to distinguish from (c)]; also, sup. as noun: the
most valiant men [quot. c1400(?c1390)];
(b) of a deed or an action: valorous, courageous;
(c) physically powerful; stout, stalwart; of a weapon: sturdy; of a dragons wing: strong, powerful;
3 as ever was Wade or Launcelot, Tristram, or the good knight Sir Lamorak
Note de J. Cowen :
Wade. The legend of Wade, a famous hero of antiquity, is mentioned by many medieval writers,
including Chaucer (Merchants Tale, 1424.). In Scandinavian writings he appears as a giant, the
father of Wayland. Vlunr/Vlunr, le dieu forgeron ; Wieland, en allemand et en nerlandais ;
Galan, dans Doon de Mayence.
Tristram is here referred to as a grown man. An account of his birth and early life appears later,
at the beginning of Book VIII.
4 the Pass Perilous il peut sagir dun pont, dun gu, dun dl, dun col, ou bien
dun pas darmes. Annonce qui nest pas suivie deet : il nen sera plus question.
Cuer et Deir combattent Soulcy sur le pont appel le Pas-Perilleux, en prsence de la vieille
Melencolie, dans le Cuer damours epris, de Ren dAnjou ; BN fr. 24 399.
5 Well, said the damosel, ye shall soon, whether ye will or not La demoiselle vouvoie le
souillon (le mot a dabord t du genre masculin).
Godefroy (extrait) :
DMF :
SOUILLON, subst. masc.
[GDC : souillon ; FEW XII, 64a : solium ; TLF XV, 750a : souillon]
A. - Valet de cuisine : Et puis queurt [Ysae] aux soullons de le cuisine et en prent quatre et lez jette
avoecques, et quant le caudiere fu plaine parmy lautre char qui y estoit, sy sache lez ungz hors dez
aultrez et jette enmy le salle, et puis vient a luis et le reclot. (Ysae Triste G., p.1400, 199). Regarde et
voy, de mes faiz de jadiz, Mains vaillans homs par moy mors et roiddiz, Et nes, ce sais, envers eulx
ung soullon. (VILLON, Pomes varis R.H., c.1456-1463, 64). Et je [Villon] croy bien que pas nen ment,
Car chassi fut [Villon] comme ung soullon De ses amours, hayneusement, Tant que dicy a Roussillon Brosses ny a ne brossillon Qui neust, ce dit il sans mentir, Ung lambeau de son cotillon
(VILLON, Test. R.H., 1461-1462, 150).
B. - couvillon, torchon : Lung poit, lung vesse de fachon, Et donne a boire a son sochon, Qui
drincque a le bouteille ; Lung torque son nez dung soullon, Et lautre gratte son coullon, Quant le
cul lui cateille [ chatouille ]. (MOLINET, Faictz Dictz D., 1467-1506, 727).
Lexique complmentaire
Pierre Cromer