such was understood to be the meaning of the name Avalon), which is the domain of a supernatural maiden, wise and beautiful, Morgen by name, who understands the healing art, and who promises the king that he shall be made whole again if he abides long with her. This is the first mention in literature of Morgan la Fée, the most powerful fay of French romance, and regularly the traditional healer of Arthur's wounds in Avalon.

The Argante of Layamon's version is doubtless the same being as Morgana, for whose name, which in any of its current spellings had the appearance of a masculine proper name, Layamon either may have substituted a more familiar Welsh name, Argante, as I have already shown he might easily have done (Studies in the Fairy Mythology of Arthurian Romance, Boston, 1903, pp. 26-28), or, as Professor J.L. Bruce, with equal plausibility, has recently suggested, he may have used a corruption of one form of the fay's name, Morgant (Modern Language Notes, March, 1911, pp. 65-68).

[I have discussed the various versions of Arthur's stay in Avalon in Studies in Fairy Mythology, chapter III. On Avalon, see id., p. 40, note 2. On the early belief in Arthur's return to earth, see Geoffrey of Monmouth (Everyman's Library), Introduction, p. 10.]

NOTES:

[1] i.e., Paris, in the Ile de France. Vs. 10440 ff.

[2] Vs. 16530 ff.

[3] Roman de Rou, vs. 6415 ff.

[4] Roman de Brut, vs. 10038 ff.

[5] Id., vs. 7733 ff.

[6] Id., vs. 11472 ff. Cf. for other examples: Arthur's conquest of Denmark, Historia, ix. 11; Brut, vs. 10123 ff.; Arthur's return to Britain from France, Historia, ix. 11; Brut, vs. 10427 ff.; Arthur's coronation, Historia, ix. 12 ff.; Brut, vs. 10610 ff.

[7] Vs. 13149 ff.

[8] See Excursus II.

[9] Vs. 11048 ff.

[10] See Excursus III.

[11] Vs. 1 ff.

[12] Layamon's statement that he "read books" at Arnley is interpreted to mean that he read the services in the church.

[13] The poem is written in part in alliterative lines on the Anglo-Saxon system, in part in rhymed couplets of unequal length.

[14] Vs. 18086 ff.

[15] Vs. 20110 ff. More famous speeches still are Arthur's comparison of Childric the Dane to a fox (vs. 20827 ff.) and his taunt over his fallen foes, Baldulf and Colgrim (vs. 31431 ff.).

[16] Vs. 12972 ff.

[17] Vs. 27992 ff.

[18] Vs. 19887 ff.

[19] discussion of this point see J.L. Weston, in Melanges de philologie romane offerts ŕ M. Wilmotte, Paris, 1910, pp. 801, 802.

[20] See Mabinogion, translated by Lady Charlotte Guest, London, 1849.

[21] Ed. Michel and Wright, Paris, 1837.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

GENERAL WORKS OF REFERENCE FOR THE CHRONICLES

R.H. FLETCHER, The Arthurian Material in the Chronicles (Studies and
Notes in Philology and Literature, X), Boston, 1906.

W. LEWIS JONES, King Arthur in History and Legend, London, 1911.

M.W. MACCALLUM, Tennyson's Idylls of the King, Glasgow, 1894.

H. MAYNADIER, The Arthur of the English Poets, Boston and New York, 1907.

G. PARIS, Histoire littéraire de la France, Paris, 1888.

J. RHYS, Studies in the Arthurian Legend, Oxford, 1891.

W.H. SCHOFIELD, English Literature from the Norman Conquest to Chaucer,
New York and London, 1906.

B. TEN BRINK, Geschichte der Englischen Literatur, and ed., A Brandl,
Strassburg, 1899. Translated into English, 1st ed, I., H.M. Kennedy,
New York, 1888, II., i., W.C. Robinson, 1893, II., ii., L.D. Schmidt,
1896.

AUTHORS AND WORKS

GEOFFREY GAIMAR, L'Estorie des Engles, ed. T.D. Hardy and T.C. Marten
(Rolls Series), 1888-1889.

GEOFFREY OF MONMOUTH, Historia Regum Britanniae, ed. San Marte (A.
Schulz) Halle, 1854. Translated, J.A. Giles, Six Old English Chronicles,
London, 1896; S. Evans, London, 1903.

LAYAMON, Brut, ed. with translation, Sir F. Madden, 3 vols, London, 1847. WORKS ON LAYAMON—Introduction, Madden's ed. of Brut. H. Morley, English Writers, London, 1888-1890, III, 206-231. L. Stephen and S. Lee, Dictionary of National Biography, London, 1885-1904, under Layamon. For a further bibliography, see Fletcher (as above), p. 148, note 1.

WACE, Roman de Brut, ed. Le Roux de Lucy, 2 vols, Rouen, 1836-1838. Roman de Rou, ed. F. Pluquet, 2 vols, Rouen, 1827, H. Andresen, 2 vols, Heilbronn, 1877-1879, translated by E. Taylor (Chronicle of the Norman Conquest), London, 1837. WORKS ON WACE—E. Du Méril, La vie et les ouvrages de Wace, in _Jahrbuch für romanische u. englische Literatur, I, i ff.; also in his Etudes sur quelques points d'Archéologie, Paris and Leipzig, 1862. Grober, Grundriss der romanischen Philologie, Strassburg, 1888-1902, II, i, 635 ff. H. Morley, English Writers, III, 55. G. Paris, Romania, IX, 592 ff. L. Stephens and S. Lee, Dictionary National Biography, under Wace. A Ulbrich, Romanische Forschungen, XXVI, 181 ff. For further bibliography, see Fletcher (as above), p. 128, note 1.

WACE'S ROMAN DE BRUT

Constantine came to Totnes, and many a stout knight with him—there was not one but was worthy of the kingship. The host set forth towards London, and sent messages in every part, bidding the Britons to their aid, for as yet they were too fearful to come from their secret places. When the Britons heard these tidings they drew, thick as rain, from the woodlands and the mountain, and came before the host in troops and companies. To make short a long matter, these marched so far and wrought such deeds that in the end they altogether discomfited those evil men who had done such sore mischief to the land. After these things they held a great council at Cirencester, commanding thereto all the lords and barons of the realm. In that place they chose Constantine as their king, with no long tarrying, none being so bold as to say him nay. So when they had ordained him king, they set the crown on his head with marvellous joy, and owned themselves as his men. Afterwards, by their counsel, Constantine took to wife a dame who was come of gentle Roman blood. On this lady he begat three sons. The eldest—whom the king named Constant—he caused to be nourished at Winchester, and there he made him to be vowed a monk. The second son was called Aurelius, and his surname Ambrosius. Lastly was born Uther, and it was he whose days were longest in the land. These two varlets were held in ward by Gosselyn, the archbishop.

So long as Constantine lived the realm had rest and peace; but he died before his time had come, for he reigned but twelve short years. There was a certain Pict of his household, a traitor, a foul felon, who for a great while had been about his person. I cannot tell the reason why he bore the king so mortal a grudge. This Pict took the king aside privily in an orchard, as though he would speak to him of some hidden matter. The king had no thought to keep himself from this false felon, who whilst he made seeming to speak in his master's ear, drew forth a knife