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The High History of the Holy Graal By: Anonymous |
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Translation by Sebastian Evans, 1898. The High History of the Holy Graal SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY: ORIGINAL TEXT Potvin, Ch. (Ed.): "Perceval le Gallois ou le conte du Graal", Vol. I
(Soc. Bibl. Belges., Mons., 1866). RECOMMENDED READING Anonymous (Trans. P.M. Matarasso): "The Quest for the Holy Graal"
(Penguin Classics, London, 1969). DeTroyes, Chretien (Trans. William W. Kibler & Carleton W. Carroll):
"Arthurian Romances" (Penguin Classics, London, 1991). Contains the
unfinished work "Perceval". Eschenbach, Wolfram von (Trans. A.T. Hatto): "Parzival" (Penguin
Classics, London, 1980). Malory, Sir Thomas (Ed. Janet Cowen): "Le Morte D'Arthur", Vol. I & II
(Penguin Classics, London, 1969). INTRODUCTION This book is translated from the first volume of "Perceval le Gallois
ou le conte du Graal"; edited by M. Ch. Potvin for 'La Societe des
Bibliophiles Belges' in 1866, (1) from the MS. numbered 11,145 in the
library of the Dukes of Burgundy at Brussels. This MS. I find thus
described in M. F. J. Marchal's catalogue of that priceless collection:
'"Le Roman de Saint Graal", beginning "Ores lestoires", in the French
language; date, first third of the sixteenth century; with ornamental
capitals.' (2) Written three centuries later than the original
romance, and full as it is of faults of the scribe, this manuscript is
by far the most complete known copy of the "Book of the Graal" in
existence, being defective only in Branch XXI. Titles 8 and 9, the
substance of which is fortunately preserved elsewhere. Large
fragments, however, amounting in all to nearly one seventh of the
whole, of a copy in handwriting of the thirteenth century, are
preserved in six consecutive leaves and one detached leaf bound up with
a number of other works in a MS. numbered 113 in the City Library at
Berne. The volume is in folio on vellum closely written in three
columns to the page, and the seven leaves follow the last poem
contained in it, entitled "Duremart le Gallois". The manuscript is well
known, having been lent to M. de Sainte Palaye for use in the Monuments
of French History issued by the Benedictines of the Congregation of St
Maur. Selections from the poems it contains are given in Sinner's
"Extraits de Poesie du XIII. Siecle", (3) and it is described,
unfortunately without any reference to these particular leaves, by the
same learned librarian in the "Catalogus Codicum MSS. Bibl. Bernensis",
J.R. Sinner. (4) M. Potvin has carefully collated for his edition all that is preserved
of the Romance in this manuscript, comprising all the beginning of the
work as far as Branch III. Title 8, about the middle, and from Branch
XIX. Title 23, near the beginning, to Branch XXX. Title 5, in the
middle. Making allowance for variations of spelling and sundry minor
differences of reading, by no means always in favour of the earlier
scribe, the Berne fragments are identical with the corresponding
portions of the Brussels manuscript, and it is therefore safe to assume
that the latter is on the whole an accurate transcript of the entire
original Romance. The only note of time in the book itself is contained in the
declaration at the end. From this it appears that it was written by
order of the Seingnor of Cambrein for Messire Jehan the Seingnor of
Neele. M. Potvin, without giving any reason for so doing, assumes that
this Lord of Cambrein is none other than the Bishop of Cambrai. If
this assumption be correct, the person referred to was probably either
John of Berhune, who held the see from 1200 till July 27, 1219, or his
successor Godfrey of Fontaines (Conde), who held it till 1237. To me,
however, it seems more likely that the personage intended was in
reality the 'Seingnor' of Cambrin, the chef lieu of a canton of the
same name, on a small hill overlooking the peat marshes of Bethune,
albeit I can find no other record of any such landed proprietor's
existence... Continue reading book >>
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Literature |
Myths/Legends |
Romance |
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