This that I have said it is Pers sawe1

Als he in romance2 lad ther after gan I drawe3.

It is not improbable that both these rhyming chroniclers cite from the English translation: if so, we may fairly suppose that this romance was translated in the reign of Edward I. or his predecessor Henry III. Perhaps earlier. This circumstance throws the French original to a still higher period.

In the royal library at Paris, there is 'Histoire de Richard Roi d'Angleterre et de maquemore d'Irlande en rime Richard is the last of our monarchs whose achievements were adorned with fiction and fable. If not a superstitious belief of the times, it was an hyperbolical invention started by the minstrels, which soon grew into a tradition, and is gravely recorded by the chroniclers, that Richard carried with him to the crusades king Arthur's celebrated sword CALIBURN, and that he presented it as a gift, or relic, of inestimable value to Tancred king of Sicily, in the year 11915. Rob. of Brunne calls this sword a jewel®. And Richard at that time gaf him a faire juelle,

The gude swerd CALIBURNE which Arthur luffed so well. [Chron. P. 153-]

Indeed the Arabian writer of the life of the Sultan Saladin, mentions some exploits of Richard almost incredible. But, as Lord Lyttelton justly observes, this historian is highly valuable on account of the knowledge he had of the facts which he relates. It is from this writer we learn, in the most authentic manner, the actions and negotiations of Richard in the course of the enterprise for the recovery of the holy land, and all the particulars of that memorable war. [History of Hen. II. vol. iv. p. 361. App.]

But before I produce a specimen of Richard's English romance, I stand still to give some more extracts from its Prologues, which contain matter much to our present purpose: as they have very fortunately preserved the subjects of many romances, perhaps metrical, then fashionable both in France and England. And on these therefore, and their origin, I shall take this opportunity of offering some remarks.

Many romayns men make newe
Of ther dedes men make romauns,

Of good knightes and of trewe :
Both in England and in Fraunce;
And of everie Dosepere

Of Rowland and of Olyvere, Of Alysaundre and Charlemayne Of kyng Arthur and of Gawayne;

1 'The words of my original Peter Langtoft.

2 In French.

3 P. 205 Du Cange recites an old French MSS. prose romance, entitled Histoire de la Mort de Richard Roy d'Angleterre. Gloss. Lat. ÎND. AUCT. i. p. cxci. There was one, pera, the same, among the MSS. of the late Mr. Martin of Palgrave in Suffolk.

51s retura for several vessels of gold and silver, horses, bales of silk, four great ships, and ffiemag lies, given by Tancred. Bencdict. Abb. p. 642. edit. Hearne.

In the general and true sense of the word. Robert de Brunne, in another place, asa nch pavilion a jewelle. p. 152.

Charlemagne's Twelve Peers. Douze Pairs. Fr.

90

THE HEROES OF ROMANCE IN THE MIDDLE AGES.

How they wer knyghtes good and curtoys, Of Turpin and of Oger the Danois. Of Troye men rede in ryme What folk they flewe in pres, &c1.

Of Hector and of Achilles

And again in a second Prologue, after a pause has been made by the minstrel in the course of singing the poem.

Herkene now how my tale gothe Though I swere to you no othe
I wyll you rede romaynes none Ne of Pertonape, ne of Ypomedon,
Ne of Alisaunder, ne of Charlemayne Ne of Arthur, ne of Gawayne,
Ne of Lancelot du Lake Ne of Bevis, ne of Guy of Sydrake3,
Ne of Ury, ne of Octavian,
Ne of Hector the strong man,
Ne of Jason, neither of Achilles, Ne of Eneas, neither Hercules.

Here, among others, some of the most capital and favourite stories of romance are mentioned, Arthur, Charlemagne, the Siege of Troy with its appendages, and Alexander the Great and there are four authors of high esteem in the dark ages, Geoffry of Monmouth, Turpin, Guido of Colonna, and Callisthenes, whose books were the grand repositories of these subjects, and contained most of the traditionary fictions, whether of Arabian or classical origin, which constantly supplied materials to the writers of romance. I shall speak of these authors, with their subjects, distinctly.

1 Fol. r. a. 2 Perhaps Parthenope, or Parshenopeus.

3 Read, 'ne of Guy ne of Sydrake."

4 Signat. P. iii. To some of these romances the author of the MSS. LIVES OF THE SAINTS, written about the year 1200, and cited above at large, alludes in a sort of prologue. SECT. 1. p. 14.

Wel auht we long cristendom that is so dere y bougt,
With our lorde's herte blode that she spere hath ye fougt.
Men wilnethe more yhere of batayle of kyngis,

And of knygtis hardy, that mochel is le syngis.

Of Roulond and of Olyvere, and Guy of Warwyk,

Of Wawayen and Tristram that ne foundde here y like,

Who so loveth to here tales of suche thinge,

Here he may y here thyng that nys no lesynge,

Of postoles and marteres that hardi knygttes were

And stedfast were in bataile and fledde nogt for no fere, &c.

The anonymous author of an antient MSS. poem, called 'The boke of Stories called Cursor 'MUNDI,' translated from the French, seems to have been of the same opinion. His work consists of religious legends; but in the prologue he takes occasion to mention many tales of another kind, which were more agreeable to the generality of readers. MSS. Laud, K. 53. f. 117. Bibl. Bodl.

Men lykyn Jestis for to here
Of Alexandre the conquerour,
Of Greece and Troy the strong stryf,
Of Brut that baron bold of hand
Of kyng Artour that was so ryche,
Of wonders that among his knyghts felle,
As Gaweyn and othir full abylle
How kyng Charles and Rowland fawght
Of Toystam and Ysoude the swete,
Of kyng John and of Isenboas
Stories of divers thynges
Many songs of divers ryme

This ylke boke is

Into English tong to rede
Ffor comyn folk
Syldyn yt ys for any chaunce

And romans rede in divers manere
Of Julius Cesar the emperour,
Ther many a man lost his lyf:
The first conquerour of Englond,
Was non in hys tyme so ilyche:
And auntyrs dedyn as men her telle,
Which that kept the round tabyll,
With Sarazins, nold thei be cawght;
How thei with love first gan mete.
Of Ydoyne and Amadas.

Of princes, prelates, and kynges,
As English, French, and Latyne, &c.
translate

For the love of English lede
of England, &c.

English tong preched is in Fraunce, &c.

Montf. Par. MSS. 7540.

But I do not mean to repeat here what has been already observed, concerning the writings of Geoffry of Monmouth and Turpin. It will be sufficient to say at present, that these two fabulous historians recorded the achievements of Charlemagne and of Arthur: and that Turpin's history was artfully forged under the name of that archbishop about the year 1110, with a design of giving countenance to the crusades from the example of so high an authority as Charlemagne, whose pretended visit to the holy sepulchre is described in the twentieth chapter.

As to the Siege of Troy, it appears that both Homer's poems were unknown, at least not understood in Europe, from the abolition of literature by the Goths in the fourth century, to the fourteenth. Geoffry of Monmouth indeed, who wrote about the year 1160, a man of learning for that age, produces Homer in attestation of a fact asserted in his history: but in such a manner, as shews that he knew little more than Homer's name, and was but imperfectly acquainted with Homer's subject. Geoffry says, that Brutus having ravaged the province of Aquitaine with fire and sword, came to a place where the city of Tours now stands, as Homer testifies. [L. i. ch. 14.] But the Trojan story was still kept alive in two Latin pieces, which passed under the names of Dares Phrygius and Dictys Cretensis. Dares's history of the destruction of Troy, as it was called, pretended to have been translated from the Greek of Dares Phrygius into Latin prose by Cornelius Nepos, is a wretched performance, and forged under those specious names in the decline of Latin literature1. Dictys Cretensis is a prose Latin history of the Trojan war, in six books, paraphrased about the reign of Dioclesian or Constantine, by one Septimius, from some Grecian history on the same subject, said to be discovered under a sepulchre by means of an earthquake in the city of Cnossus, about the time of Nero, and to have been composed by Dictys, a Cretan, and a soldier in the Trojan war. The fraud of discovering copies of books in this extraordinary manner, in order to infer from thence their high and indubitable antiquity, so frequently practised, betrays itself. But that the present Latin Dictys had a Greek original, now lost, appears from the numerous grecisms with which it abounds: and from the literal correspondence of many passages with the Greek fragments of one Dictys cited by ancient authors. The Greek original was very probably forged under the name of Dictys, a traditionary writer on the subject, in the reign of Nero, who is said to have been 1 In the Epistle prefixed, the pretended translator Nepos says, that he found this work at Athens, in the hand-writing of Dares. He add, speaking of the controverted authenticity of Hitnet, De ea re Athenis JUDICIUM fuit, cum pro infano Homerus haberetur quod does cum kominibus belligerasse descripsit. In which words he does not refer to any public decree of the Athenian judges, but to Plato's opinion in his REPUBLIC. Dares, with Dictys Cretensis next mentioned in the text, was first printed at Milan in 1477. Mabillon says, that a MSS. of the Pseudo-Dares occurs in the Laurentian library at Florence, upwards of 800 years old. Mas Ital. i. p. 169. This work was abridged by Vincestius Bellovacensis, a friar of Burgundy, about the year 1244. Specul. Histor. lib. iii. 63.

92 GUIDO DE COLONNA, AN AUTHOR OF REPUTE IN HIS TIME.

fond of the Trojan story1. On the whole, the work appears to have been an arbitrary metaphrase of Homer, with many fabulous interpolations. At length Guido de Colonna, a native of Messina in Sicily, a learned civilian and no contemptible Italian poet, about the year 1260, engrafting on Dares and Dictys many new romantic inventions, which the taste of his age dictated, and which the connection between Grecian and Gothic fiction easily admitted ; at the same time comprehending in his plan the Theban and Argonautic stories from Ovid, Statius, and Valerius Flaccus2, compiled a grand prose romance in Latin, containing fifteen books, and entitled in most MSS. Historia de bella Trojano3. It was written at the request of Mattheo de Porta, archbishop of Salerno. Dares Phrygius and Dictys Cretensis seem to have been in some measure superseded by this improved and comprehensive history of the Grecian heroes: and from this period Achilles, Jason, and Hercules, were adopted into romance, and celebrated in common with Lancelot, Rowland, Gawain, Oliver, and other Christian champions, whom they so nearly resembled in the extravagance of their adventures. This work abounds with oriental imagery, of which the subject was extremely susceptible. It has also some traits of Arabian literature. The Trojan horse is a horse of brass; and Hercules is taught astronomy, and the seven liberal sciences. But I forbear to enter at present into a more particular examination of this history, as it must often occasionally be cited hereafter. I shall here only further observe in general, that this work is the chief source from which Chaucer derived his ideas about the Trojan story; that it was

1 Perizon. Differsat. de Dict. Cretens. sect. xxix. Constantinus, Lascaris, a learned monk of Constantinople, one of the restorers of Grecian literature in Europe near four hundred years ago, says that Dictys Cretensis in Greek was lost. The writer is not once mentsoned by Eustathius, who lived about the year 1170, in his elaborate and extensive commentary on Homer. The Argonautics of Valerius Flaccus are cited in Chaucer's Hypsipile and Medea. him reade the book-Argonauticon.' v. 9o. But Guido is afterwards cited as a writer on that

subject, ibid. 97. Valerius Flaccus is a common manuscript.

'Let

3 It was first printed Argentorat, 1486. and ibid. 1489. fol. The work was finished, as appears by a note at the end, in 1287. It was translated into Italian by Philip or Christophe Cessio, a Florentine, and this translation was first printed at Venice in 1481. 4to. It has also been translated into German. Lambec ii. 948. The purity of our author's Italian style has been much commended. For his Italian poetry, see Mongitor, ubi supr. p. 167. Compare also Diar. Eruditor. Ital. xiii. 258. Montfaucon mentions, in the royal library at Paris, Le de Tiebes qui sut racine de Troye le grand. Catal. MSS. ii, p, 923-198,

4 Bale says, that Edward III, having met with our author in Sicily, in returning from Asia, invited him into England, xiii. 36. This prince was interested in the Trojan story, as we shall see below. Our historians relate, that he wintered in Sicily in the year 1270. Chron. Rob. Brun, p. 227. 'Preface to Hearne's Rob. of Gloucester, p. lx. And Strype's ANNALS, ii. p 313. edit. 1725. Where Stowe is mentioned as an industrious collector of ancient chronicles. In the year 1568, among the proofs of Stowe's attachment to popery, it was reported to the privy council by archbishop Grindal, that he had a great sort of foolish fabulous books of old print, as of sir DEGORY, Sir TRYAMOUR, &c. A great parcell also of old-written English chronicles, both in parchment and paper.' See Strype's GRINDALL, B. i. ch. xiii. pag. 125. And APPEND. NUM. xvii.' A writer quoted by Hearne, supposed to be John Stowe the chronicler, says, that 'Guido de Columpna arriving in England at the commaundement of king Edward the firste, made scholies and annotations upon Dictys Cretensis and Dares Phrigius. Besides these, he writ at large the Battayle of Troy.' Hemming. Cartul. ii. 649.

dmong his works is recited Historia de Reuibus Rebusque Anuiix. It is quoted by many

writers under the title of Chronicum Britannorum. He is said also to have written Chronicum Magnum libris xxxvi. Mongitor. Bibl. Sic. i. 265.

professedly paraphrased by Lydgate, in the year 1420, into a prolix English poem, called the Boke of Troye1, at the command of Henry V.; that it became the ground-work of a new compilation in French, on the same subject, written by Raoul le Feure chaplain to the duke of Burgundy, in the year 1464, and partly translated into English prose in the year 1471, by Caxton, under the title of the Recuyel of the histories of Troy, at the request of Margaret duchess of Burgundy : and that from Caxton's book afterwards modernised, Shakespeare borrowed his drama of Troilus and Cressida.

Proofs have been given in the two prologues just cited, of the general popularity of Alexander's story, another branch of Grecian history famous in the dark ages. To these we may add the evidence

of Chaucer.

1 Who mentions it in a French as well as Latin 'romance.' In Lincolns-inn library there is a poem entitled BELLUM TROJANUM, Num. 150. Pr. Sichen god hade this worlde wroght.

Edit. 1555. Signat. B. i. pag. 2.

As in the latyn and the frenshe yt is.

It occurs in French, MSS. Bibl. Reg. Brit. Mus. 16. F. ix. This MSS. was probably written not long after the year 1300.

The western nations, in early times, have been fond of deducing their origin from Troy. This tradition seems to be couched under Odin's original emigration from that part of Asia which is connected with Phrygia. Asgard, or Asia's fortress, was the city from which Odin ed las colony; and by some it is called Troy. To this place also they supposed Odin to return after his death, where he was to receive those who died in battle, in a hall roofed with glittering Shields. Barthelin. L. ii. cap. 8. p. 402. seq. This hall, says the Edda, is in the city of Asgard, which is called the Field of Ida. Bartholin. ibid. In the very sublime ode on the Dissolution of the World, cited by Bartholine, it is said, that after the twilight of the gods should be ended, and the new world appear, the Ase shall meet in the field of Ida, and ll of the destroyed habitations. Barthol. L. ii. cap. 14. p. 597. Compare Arngrim. Jon. Crying 1. i. c. 4. P. 45. 46. Edda, fab. 5. In the proem to Resenius's Edda, it is said, On appointed twelve judges or princes, at Sigtune in Scandinavia, as at TROY; and established there all the laws of TROY, and the customs of the TROJANS.' Hickes. Thesaur.

se.ves

i Disertat. Epist. p. 39. Mallett's Hist. Dannem. ii. p. 34. Bartholinus thinks, that the compler of the Eddic mythology, who lived A.D. 1070, finding that the Britons and Francs drew their descent from Troy, was ambitious of assigning the same boasted origin to Odin. But this tradition appears to have been older than the Edda. And it is more probable, that the Britons and Francs borrowed it from the Scandinavian Goths, and adapted it to themun ess we suppose that these nations, I mean the former, were branches of the Gothic stem, which gave them a sort of inherent right to the claim. This reasoning may perhaps account for the early existence and extraordinary popularity of the Trojan story among nations ignorant and illiterate, who could only have received it by tradition. Geoffry of Monmouth took this descent of the Britons from Trov, from the Welsh or Armoric bards, and they perhaps had it in common with the Scandinavian scalders. There is not a syllable of it n the authentic historians of England, who wrote before him: particularly those antient ones, Fede, Gildas, and the uninterpolated Nennius. Henry of Huntingdon began his history from. Ca.17; and it was only on further information that he added Brute. But this informaun was from a MSS. found by him in his way to Rome in the abbey of Bec in Normandy, probably Geoffry's original. H. Hunt, Epistol. ad Warin. MSS. Cantabr. Bibl. Publ. cod. 251 I have mentioned in another place, that Witlas, a king of the West Saxons, grants in his Charter, dated A. D. 833, among other things, to Croyland-abbey, his robe of tissue, on which enkroidered The Destruction of Troy. Obs. on Spenser's Fairy Queen, i. sect. v. p. 176. To proves the story to have been in high veneration even long before that period: and it at the same time be remembered, that the Saxons came from Scandinavia. This fable of the descent of the Britons from the Trojans was solemnly alledged as an aertic and undeniable proof in a controversy of great national importance, by Edward I. and his nobility, without the least objection from the opposite party. It was in the famous dapure concerning the subjection of the crown of England to that of Scotland, about the year 1991 The allegations are in a letter to pope Boniface, signed and sealed by the keg and his lords. Ypodigm. Neustr. apud Camd. Angl. Norman. p. 492. Here is a curious marance of the implicit faith with which this tradition continued to be believed, even in a more enlightened age; and an evidence that it was equally credited in Scotland.