Medieval Literature: Key Texts and Manuscript Analysis

Posted on Dec 8, 2024 in Medicine & Health

Key Texts of Medieval Literature

The Wife of Bath: 1392-1395

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: c. 1375-1400

Le Morte d’Arthur: 1469-70 (Winchester MS 1470-1480)

Manuscript 4: 14th or 15th Century

Textura semiquadrata formata, early 15th century

  1. Whereof may well be justified
  2. That they may not be deified
  3. And who that taketh away the honor
  4. Which due is to the creator
  5. And giveth it to the creature
  6. He doth too great a forfeiture
  7. But of Chaldee nonetheless
  8. Upon this faith though it belies
  9. They hold affirmed the credance
  10. So that of hell the penance
  11. As folk which stand out of belief
  12. They shall receive as we believe
  13. Of the Chaldeans lo in this wise
  14. Stands the belief out of assize
  15. But in Egypt worst of all
  16. The faith is false how so it fall
  17. For they diverse beasts there
  18. Honor as though they gods were
  19. And napless sit forth withal
  20. Three gods most in special
  21. They have forth with a goddess
  22. In whom is all her sureness
  23. Those gods they sit cleped thus
  24. Orus, Tiphon, and Isirus
  25. Then were bremen all three
  26. And the godliness in her degree
  27. Her sister was and Isis height
  28. Whom Isirus forlay by night
  29. And held her after as his wife
  30. So it befell that upon strife
  31. Tiphon hath slain his brother
  32. Which had a child to fare Orayn
  33. And he his fair dry thereto
  34. So took that in may not start
  35. And that the land began to green
  36. Which whilom had be barren
  37. For the earth bare after the kind
  38. His due church, this I find
  39. That she of birth the goddess
  40. Is deped, so that in distress
  41. The women there upon childing
  42. To her death and her offering
  43. They bear when that they be light
  44. From reason stands in my misbelief
  45. For lack of lore as I believe
  46. Among the Greeks out of the way
  47. As they that reason put away
  48. There was as the Croniqi saith
  49. Of misbelief another faith
  50. That they her gods and goddesses
  51. Of such as were full of vice
  52. To whom they made her sacrifice
  53. The high god so as they said
  54. Saturnus higher and king of Crete
  55. He had be but of his feet
  56. He was put down as he stood
  57. In frenzy and was so wood
  58. That from his wife which Rea hight
  59. His own children he sought
  60. And ate them of his common won
  61. But Jupiter which was his son
  62. And of fuel age his father …..
  63. And cut off with his own hand
  64. His genitals which also fast
  65. In to the deep sea he cast

Manuscript 8: The Winchester Manuscript

Textura formata combined with Secretaria formata. From line 7 onwards, Secretary formata/facilis. (First line: texture caudrata) 1470-1480

  1. So after these quests of Sir Gawain, Sir
  2. Tor, and King Pellinore, then it befell that Merlin
  3. Fell in dotage on the damsel that King Pellinore
  4. Brought to court, and she was one of the damsels of the Lady of the
  5. Lake that hight Nenyve. But Merlin would not let her have
  6. No rest, but always he would be with her, and ever she made
  7. Merlin good cheer till she had learned of him all manner of thing
  8. That she desired, and he was assoted upon her that he
  9. Might not be from her. “So on a time he told to King
  10. Arthur that he should not endure long, but for all
  11. His crafts he should be put into the earth quick, and so
  12. He told the king many things that should befall,
  13. But always he warned the king to keep well his sword
  14. And the scabbard should be stolen by a woman from
  15. Him that he most trusted. Also he told King Arthur
  16. That he should miss him. “And yet had ye liever than all
  17. Your lands have me again.” “Ah,” said the king, “since ye
  18. Know of your evil adventure, purvey for it, and put
  19. It away by your crafts that missed adventure.” “Nay,” said
  20. Merlin, “it will not be.” He departed from the king. And within
  21. A while the damsel of the lake departed, and Merlin
  22. Went with her evermore where some ever she went. And oftentimes
  23. Merlin would have had her privily away by his subtle
  24. Crafts. Then she made him to swear that he should never do
  25. None enchantment upon her if he would have his will.
  26. And so he swore. Then she and Merlin went over the sea unto
  27. The land of Benwick, there as King Ban was king
  28. That had great war against King Claudas. And there
  29. Merlin spoke with King Ban’s wife, a fair lady and a good, her
  30. Name was Elaine. And there he saw young Launcelot.
  31. And there the queen made great sorrow for the mortal
  32. War that King Claudas made on her lords.