EXCHANGE J^CIiAN Ube mniverstt^ of Cbtcaao FOUNDED BY JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER LA BATAILLE DE TRENTE A MIDDLE-FRENCH POEM OF THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOLS OF ARTS AND LITERATURE IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (department of romance languages) BY HENRY RAYMOND BRUSH Reprinted from Modern Philology, Vol. IX, No. 4, and Vol. X, No. i, 1912 Chicago, 191 2 Ube IllnitJersitp of Cbtcago FOUNDED BY JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER LA BATAILLE DE TRENTE A MIDDLE-FRENCH POEM OF THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOLS OF ARTS AND LITERATURE IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (department of romance languages) BY HENRY RAYMOND BRUSH Reprinted from Modern Philology, Vol. IX, No. 4, and Vol. X, No. i, 1912 Chicago, 1912 PREFATORY NOTE The following dissertation had its inception some three years ago in an investigation of the French historical poetry relating to the Hundred Years' War. The original intention was to secure a bibli- ography and classification of this material, with the idea that such a work might prove useful, not only to the student of the literature of the period, but to the historical investigator as well. It was also the purpose to publish such short poems as might either be unprinted or be of difficult access to the general student. The rapid accumulation of material very soon made it evident that for the purpose of a dissertation some one work of importance must be chosen and the remainder left for a more extended investi- gation than would be possible in a work rather narrowly circum- scribed. My reasons for choosing the Bataille des Trente are (1) its importance as one of the very latest compositions in the chanson de geste style; (2) the fact that it had never been studied with refer- ence to historical or philological points; (3) its date, authorship, and the place of composition were merely a matter of conjecture; (4) although it had been published several times from one MS, the text was incomplete and had gaps which another, and better, MS enable us to fill. It is a pleasure gratefully to acknowledge the assistance and encouragement I have received from those who have been in touch with the investigation from the start. To them I owe many valu- able hints and corrections, but they are in no way responsible for any errors which may be found. My especial thanks are due to Pro- fessor T. A. Jenkins, of the University of Chicago, who first brought the subject of historical poetry to my notice and whose sound criti- cism, particularly in the matter of phonology and versification, has been invaluable. I owe a similar obligation to Professors W. A. Nitze, Karl Pietsch, and P. S. Allen, of the same university, for many useful comments. For practical points in securing information I am indebted to Professor C. C. Marden, of Johns Hopkins University, 261300 iv Prefatory Note and Professor F. M. Warren, of Yale University. Thanks are also due to the authorities of the Newberry Library of Chicago and those of the libraries of Harvard and Yale universities for the books and facilities placed at my disposal. Last, and by no means least, the aid and counsel of Professor John M. Manly, the editor of Modern Philology, have been a valuable assistance. H. R. Brush LA BATAILLE DE TRENT E ANGLOIS ET DE T RENTE BRETONS' I. HISTORICAL In an interesting passage of his Chronicles f^ Froissart calls attention to the popular historical poetry relating to the conflict in Brittany between the factions of Charles de Blois and Jean de Montfort, a struggle which lasted from the death of Duke Jean III (April 30, 1341) to the battle of Auray (September 29, 1364) .3 Probably no period of the Hundred Years' War was so full of romantic incidents and dramatic situations well adapted to stir the mind of the popular poet, as this combined civil and international strife. While the long contest between France and England had from the very first its semi- apocryphal record in poetry of various kinds, ranging from the dignified compositions of writers like Deschamps* to the coarse expressions of vulgar superstitions and racial hatred of unnamed authorship,^ probably the longest of these compositions relate to the Breton wars of which the battle of the Thirty was an incident. However, if Froissart recognizes the existence of this poetry, in the passage referred to, he expresses himself in plain terms as to its unreliability and tells us that in order to obtain the truth, ai ge all6 et cherchiet le plus grant partie de Bretaigne, et enquis et demand^ as seigneurs et as hiraux les gerrez, les prises, les assaux, les envaies, les bataillez, les rescousses et tous les biauxfes d'armes qui y sont avenut; and further, that he did so, k la requests de mes diz seigneurs et h ses frais. 1 In the MSS the poem is called La Bataille de Trente Anglois et de Trente Bretons; Other editors, however, have styled It Le Combat des Trente by which term it is frequently referred to. 2 Froissart, ed. S. Luce, Paris. 1870, II, 265. s This contest, due to the rival claims of Jean de Montfort and Jeanne de Penthidvre, wife of Charles de Blois, belongs to the domain of history and need not be considered here. The most exhaustive treatment is that of A. de La Borderie, Histoire de Bretagne, Bennes, 1906, III, 411 fif. « Cf. Ballade sur la mort de Bertrand du Guesclin, pub. by Leroux de Lincy in Chants hist, frang., 1841, I, 258, and Ballade sur la trhve faite avec V Angleterre, ibid., p. 273. s E.g., Leroux de Lincy, " Vaux-de-Vire du temps de I'occupation des Anglais," op. cit., pp. 300 flf. The very considerable mass of poetry of this kind has never been pub- lished in entirety or treated as a whole. The editor of this text is now collecting the material for a bibliography of the subject and expects to publish it in due time. 511] 1 [MoDEEN Philology, April, 1912 2 Henry Raymond Brush Consequently, we are compelled to consider Froissart's criticism both in the light of his trip to Brittany, which extended from April, 1366, to January, 1367,^ and also in that of the motives which influenced him and may have affected the accuracy of his statements. From his account we gather that there were many compositions of the popular sort and that the jongleurs had greatly departed from the truth.2 Froissart's criticism has been referred to in this connection.' But apparently it has not been considered important to note what Froissart himself states a little farther on in the same passage, namely, that his original was Jehan le Bel and that a large portion of the account of the wars in Brittany is almost a literal transcription of the latter's work. As a matter of authority we must turn at once to Jehan le Bel and if Froissart copies him, we must remember that the first redaction of Book I (which contains the wars in Brittany) was written between 1376 and 1380 at the instigation of Gui de Blois"* and that Froissart never is consciously unjust to the English side. As for Jehan le Bel, with whom we are directly concerned, we have also to remember that he gained his information by inquiry and hearsay from a distance and never, so far as we know, visited Brittany as did Froissart.^ He twice speaks of the poetical literature, once in terms of a single book or livre rind and again in the plural, indicating that he consulted several. I quote his words : Je ne sgay pas dire toutes les aventures qui leur sourvindrent, car je n'y fus pas, et ceulx qui m'en ont racont^ m'en dit en tant de diverses mani^res que je m'en sgay h, quoy tenir de la verity. J'ay trouv4 en ung livre rim6, que ung jongleur a fait, tant de bourdes et de menteries que je ne les oseroie dire. Si me tairay, afiin que je n'en soye repris de mensonge; et se j'en escris plus avant ou mains qu'il n'en fut, si me soit pardonn6 car je ne fus pas partout ou les aventures avindrent.^ and again: 1 Of. Froissart, ed. K. de Lettenhove, Bruxelles, 1870, I, Part I, 151-55. 2 "Pluiseur gongleour et enchanteour en place ont chantS et rimet lez guerrez de Bretagne et corromput, par leurs changons et rimes controuvSes, le juste et vraie histoire, etc.," Froissart, ed. S. Luce, II, p. 265. » Cf. Grober, Grundriss, II, Part I, p. 1087. * Cf. Froissart, ed. K. de Lettenhove, I, Part II, p. 35. » "Et poiu- chascun mielx infourmer comment tous ces maulx avindrent j'en conteray une partie ainsy que je le sgay et que j'en ay enquis et ouy dire 3, ceulx qui ont est6 oH je n'ay mie esU." — Jehan le Bel, ed. Polain, Bruxelles, 1863, 1, 226. • Op. ciL, II, 11 (Jehan le Bel is referring to events of 1343). 512 La Bataille de Trente 3 Je ne m'ose plus avant entremettre de conter comment ces deux grandes assemblies se departirent ne quelles aventures il y eut, car je n'y fus pas mye, et jasoit que je treuve en ces romans rim^s dont j'ay parl4 cy dessus biacop de choses, neantmoins, pour ce qu'elles sont plus plaines de mensonge que de verity, je ne les ose dire.^ These references indicate the existence of a body of popular poetry relating to current events. The amount of this poetry was probably much larger than what has been preserved and the compositions were unreliable historically, as would be expected. The most famous of the fes d'armes of which Froissart speaks is no doubt the Bataille de Trente, a bitterly contested duel by agreement between thirty Bretons headed by Jean de Beaumanoir, representing the party of Charles de Blois, and thirty combined English, Ger- mans, and Bretons under the leadership of Richard Brambro, captain of Ploermel, for the party of Edward III and Jean de Montfort. The most probable cause of the combat was the mistreatment of the peasants by the English commander, who extorted everything possible from them by imprisonment and even bodily torture. ^ Jean de Beaumanoir, the captain of Josselin, remonstrated with Brambro and was so discourteously treated that he challenged the latter to fight the matter out with an equal number on each side.^ As a result the English were defeated and made prisoners and Brambro was killed. This victory, coming only five years after the disastrous day at Cr^cy,* was one of the bright spots for the French in the midst of a long list of calamities and was celebrated by them in the poem with which we are concerned. It was also celebrated in the chronicles, whereas the English, with comprehensible reticence, fail to make mention of it in their records. For a long time it 1 Op. cit., II, 18. He is speaking of the armies of Edward III and of the Duke of Normandy. * Bretagne suffered greatly from this sort of treatment; cf. La Borderie, op. cit., pp. 509 and 511. It was out of such soldiery that the great companies were formed imder the leadership of men like Calverley, KnoUes, and Hawkwood, who made their names a terror even into Italy. (Further, cf. E. de Fr6ville, "Des grandes compagnies au XI V« siScle," Bib. Ec. Charles, l^^e ggr.. Ill, 258-81 and V, 232-53.) 8 There are a nxmiber of instances of this kind of combat in the Hundred Years' War. Cf. the combat between seven French and seven English in 1402, commemorated by a ballad of Christine de Pizan (Leroux de Lincy, op. cit., II, 287) ; that of fifteen French and fifteen English at Nantes in 1382 (cf. La Chronique du Loys de Bourbon, ed. Chazaud, Paris, 1876, pp. 127-29); of five EngUsh and five French at Vannes in 1382 (ibid., pp. 130-32) ; of ten Bretons and ten Germans at Rome in 1377 (cf . D. Morice, Histoire de Bretagne, Guingamp, 1835, V, 148). * The date of the battle of the Thirty was March 27, 1351. 513 4 Henry Raymond Brush does not seem to have been known through any work of earlier date than the Chronique de Jean de St. Paul of 1470/ and this circumstance gave rise to disputes as to its authenticity .^ In later years various accounts of the Bataille have been discovered which put an end to any doubt in the matter. The earliest historical version is that of Jehan le Bel which was written before 1357;' then follow the mention by Jean de Venette, the continuator of the work of Guillaume de Nangis, written between 1360 and 1368,*^ by the author of the Chioniqae Normande du XIV Steele, written 1369-72 ;5 by Froissart in the first redaction of Book I of the Chronicles, written after 1376;® and in the Chronique des Quatre Premiers ValoisJ There is also a mention by Christine de Pizan in her Life of Charles V, composed in 1403.8 These contemporary records leave no doubt that the combat actually occurred. Froissart even tells us that he saw one of the combatants, Yvain Charruel, at a banquet of the king of France (cf. ed. K. de Lettenhove, V, 295). The question remains as to whether any of these chroniclers ever saw a version of our poem and whether it was one of the productions criticized by Jehan le Bel and Froissart. There is nothing in the accounts given by Jean de Venette, by the author of the Chronique Normande, or by that of the Chronique des Quatre Premiers Valois to show that they knew the poem; their accounts consist only of a few lines each. By far the most extensive accounts of the combat are that of Jehan le Bel and the three versions of Froissart.^ The version of Jehan le 1 Stm unpubUshed: MS Arsenal 3912 (263 H.F.), fol. 111. « Cf. Daru, Histoire de Bretagne, Paris, 1826, II, 112 n. * Cf. Chronique de Jehan le Bel, I, Introduction, p. xxxvi. « "Et sicut In Plamelis ubi triginta de parte Gallicorum contra triginta de Anglicorum insimul concorditur pugnavenmt, ubi pars Anglicorum devicta est." — Ed. d'Achfiry, Spicilegium, Parisils, 1723, III, p. 106. For the date of the Chronicle, cf. H. G6raud, "Guillaxune de Nangis et ses continuateurs," Bib. Ec. Charles, 1^^ s6r.. Ill, 17 ff. » Ed. A. et |E. Mollnier, Paris, 1882, p. 101. For date of composition, cf. Intro- duction, p. XXV. • Cf. ed. K. de Lettenhove, I, Part I, p. 36. "> Ed. S. Luce, Soc. de I'histoire de France, 1862, p. 20. 8 Ed. Abb6 le Boeuf, 1742, Book II, chap. 26, quoted by De Courcy, Le Combat des Trente, St. Pol de Leon, 1857, p. 17. « I.e., in the first redaction of Book I (ed. K. de Lettenhove, V, 289 f.); in the third redaction of Book I, written 1400-1404 (op. cit., V, 291 f .) : and in the Chroniques abrigies, written 1404-10 (op. cit., XVII, 281f.)» For discussion of dates, cf. Froissart, ed. K. de Lettenhove, I, part II, pp. 168 flf. 514 La Bataille de Trente 5 Bel shows some discrepancies when compared with that of the poem. Jean de Beaumanoir is styled Robert de Beaumont; nothing is said of the oppression of the peasants and Beaumont (Beaumanoir) makes his challenge to fight for the honor of their dames whom Brambro calls amyes; Brambro is ung souldoyer d^ Alemaigne qu^on appeloit Brandebourch; the day of the combat is Wednesday; the sixty are represented as meeting and conversing before the battle began. On the other hand it is equally true that there are expressions in Jehan le Bel's account which strikingly recall certain lines of the poem. Beaumont (Beaumanoir) asks the English leader if he has ''nulz compaignons ou deux ou trois" who will respond to challenge (cf. D 110,^ ou trois ou cinq ou six, etc.); Brambro says "je vous diray que nous ferons, s'il vous plaist" (cf. B67, or le faison, Bomcbourc, s'il vous plaist, sagement); and "aussy, fait Brandebourch, le jure-je" (cf. B72, "Sire/' ce dit Bourcbourc, "et je le vous fianV). We may also compare '^Ainsy fut ceste besogne acord^e" with D107, B73, Ainsin fust (fu) la bataille, etc.; ''chascun des soixante se pourvei d'armeures ainsy qu'il poenf with Dill, Sans election d'armes, ainsin se comhatroient, en guise et maniere que chascun le vouldroint; also "Quant le jour fut venu les trente compaignons Brandebourch ouirent messe" with D225, Quant le temps fust passe et le jour fust venu; and D223, ilfist dire des messes par grant devocions; also "si les convint reposer par acord, Tung d'une part et Taultre d'aultre" with B313-14, Et toux par ordenance firent petticion, dialler toux querre a hoire d nulle arrestezon. Jehan le Bel also mentions the fact that the English were finally routed by a Frenchman mounted on horseback, but he does not speak of Montauban by name. Lastly, he indicates one of his sources at least as being among the participators in the combat, e.g., ainsy Vay-je oui raconter a ceulx qui y furent. The three accounts that Froissart gives in the redactions above mentioned are practically repetitions of the account of Jehan le Bel with some additions, of which two are worthy of notice. Beginning his account with the same sentence as Jehan le Bel, he adds the following, m£s le doit-on mettre avant pour tous hacelers encorragier (cf. B2). Again, in the third redaction {op. cit, p. 294) he adds the following to his previous version, "Vous poes bien croire qu'il firent 1 D refers to the Didot MS of the poem; B to the Bigot MS. 515 6 Henry Raymond Brush entre yaus mainte belle apertise d'armes, gens pour gens, corps k corps, et main k main; on rCavoit point en devant^ passet avoit C ans, oy recorder la cose pareille" with Which we compare — Sy s'esbatront souvent gentilz hons et clarjons De cy jusqu k cent ans, pour vray en leurs maisons. — B12 (also D12). Did Jehan le Bel have our poem before him at the time he wrote his account of the event ? We think probably not, but it seems likely that he had seen it in some form or heard a portion of it recited. The outline of the story is the same in the poem and in his account, the verbal coincidences are sufficiently numerous to attract attention, and the lack of more exact parallels can be explained as due to the great condensation in the chronicle. The discrepancies can be explained by Jehan's preference for hearsay evidence rather than the testimony of a livre rim6, and it is not astonishing that he fails to mention the poem since others who have used it have done the same.^ The substitution of Beaumont for Beaumanoir is probably an attempt to reflect glory on Jehan le Bel's patron, the sire de Beaumont, for whom the author wrote his chronicle ;2 the name Brandebourch and the statement that he was a German is also comprehensible ;3 and as the two leaders represented the warring duchesses, we can appreciate Jehan's readiness to assign this cause for the battle in place of an act of humanity not quite so much in accord with the spirit of the fourteenth century. There is nothing in Froissart's first account to indicate that he had seen more than the narrative of Jehan le Bel, but the addition quoted from the third redaction seems to indicate that he knew of the poem by that time. He had also had opportunity to get testimony from those present in the combat, for he mentions Yvain Charruel by name. Even then, his account contains inaccuracies.^ The poem was also the source of the Chronique de Jean de St. Paul, already mentioned; it was used by D'Argentre in his account;^ 1 The Chronique de Jean de St. Paul bears evidence in every line of being a copy of the poem; not only hemisticlis, but in one case a whole couplet with rimes is incorporated. Yet no credit is given to the poem. « Cf. Froissart, ed. K. de Lettenhove, I, Part I, p. 5. » Cf. Introduction II, imder Brambro. « E.g., his inclusion of Enguerrand d'Endin and Hues de Raincevaus in the list of combatants. s " I 'ay veu un tres-ancien livre, traitant de ce combat, fait en mauvaise rithme, d6s le mesme temps, comme il est ^ croire." — D'Argentr6, Histoire de Bretagne, Paris, 1588, p. 300. 516 La Bataille de Trente 7 by Dom Lobineau,^ by Dom Morice,^ and all investigations so fa made in the light of modern research go to confirm its historical accuracy. The event which it celebrates was one held dear by the Bretons and handed down from century to century. A plot of ground near My-voie, half-way from Josselin to Ploermel, which was the scene of the combat, is still called the "Champ aux An- glais,"^ for here, according to legend, the dead of Brambro's party were buried. As late as the early nineteenth century the popular poets were still composing lays telling of the victory won from the EngHsh.4 II. the combatants The names of the antagonists in the Bataille de Trente vary in the two MSS and also in the various chronicles of Brittany. Those of the Bretons remain fairly constant and the historians seem to be in substantial agreement, which is probably due to the fact that the knights all belonged to well-known Breton families. On the other hand, the members of the English party were for the most part for- eigners, and their names were consequently subject to misunderstand- ing and corruption. They were also mostly of inferior rank, common soldiers of adventure, known in many cases by the first name and a characteristic epithet. The scribe of B seems to have been more familiar with English names, for he does not mangle them out of recog- nizable shape as does the scribe of D; but he makes some mistakes in the rendering of the Breton names with which he is evidently unfa- miliar. Though B and D give evidence of being copied from different MSS, the ultimate source must have been the same, as the names occur in precisely the same order and are the same in number if we accept the reading Le Fonstenais in D159 instead of the plural. Lists of the combatants occur in the works of D'Argentre, Lobineau, Morice, and in the unpublished Chronique de Jean de St. Paul, of 1473.^ In 1 Dom Lobineau, Histoire de Bretagne, Paris, 1707, I, 343. 2 Dom Morice, Histoire de Bretagne, Guingamp, 1835. » De Courcy, op. cit., p. 15. « Th. Hersart de VillemarquS, Barzas Breiz, 6th ed., Paris, 1867, pp. 193 f., for poem "Stourm ami Tregont." 8 This I have consulted in the portion quoted by De Courcy, op. cit., pp. 19-26. The work of Alain Bouchard (Les grandes chroniques de Bretagne, Rennes, 1887, pub. by Maignien in Publications de la sociitS des bibliophiles bretons, and in 5 editions, 1514-41) does not contain a mention of the Bataille. I have not been able to consult the work of Pierre le Baud (first composed about 1480; cf. De Courcy, op. cit., p. 15, n.). D'Argentrg, however, mentions his acquaintance with the work. 517 8 Henry Raymond Brush the last-mentioned work the names agree almost exactly with those in the poem and occur in the same order, with but two exceptions. Lobineau and Morice practically agree with each other, but D'Argentr^ omits some names and substitutes others. D and B enumerate 30 Bretons, including Beaumanoir; Lobineau, Morice, and Jean de St. Paul give 31, while D'Argentr4 increases the list to 32. In regard to Le Fontenais he remarks that some include *'deux fr^res de la maison de Fontenais."^ The last four chroniclers mention a Messire Huon de St. Yvon after Robin Raguenel. The line in D, mentioning Raguenel reads, Et Robin Raganel, ou nom de Saintt Symon (145), while in B we have Et Robin Raguenel, en non de Saint Y[v]on (106). It seems probable that the chroniclers are in error here. Jehan le Bel mentions only Beaumanoir by name; he is followed by Froissart who, however, in another passage, speaks of Yvain Charruel and two others, not elsewhere mentioned, Enguerrant d'Endin, **un bon chevalier de Picardie'^ and *'un bon escuyer," Hues de Raincevaus. The following brief summary of references regarding the knights is taken in part from De Courcy who traces the genealogies. The Bretons 1. Jean de Beaumanoir, the Breton leader, is a well-known figure in history, his name occurring frequently .^ We find him at the battle of Mauron in 1352; as one of the ambassadors sent the same year to England to treat for the ransom of Charles de Blois; as governor of Brittany in 1357 when, by convention, the Duke of Lancaster gave him the keys of Rennes; as one of the hostages of the treaty of Evran in 1363; as a prisoner at Auray where Blois was killed in 1364, and as representing the widow at the treaty of Gu^rande in 1365. He died 1365-66. His will is preserved in MS Bib. Nat. 5842.3 2. (Le sire de) Tinteniac, or Tintiniac as D'Argentre and Lobineau call him, was seigneur also of B^cherel and Romille in Normandy. 1 Cf. D'Argentrg, op. ciU, p. 301. « Cf. Index to Vol. II of Cuvelier, Bertrand du Guesclin, s. nom., Chronique dea Quatre Premiers Valois, op. ciL, pp. 159, 193, 214, 331-34; and by Froissart (cf. ed. K. de Letten- hove. Index, Vol. XX). Cf. also De Courcy, p. 27 and Levot, Biog. Bret. (1852), I, 69-71. 3 Cf. Bib. Ec. Chartea, LVII (1896), p. 190. 518 La Bataille de Trente 9 He was killed at the battle of Mauron in 1352. According to De Courcy (p. 28) his granddaughter was the second wife of Bertrand du Guesclin; a later member of the family was Gaspard de Coligny, killed in the massacre of St. Bartholomew (cf. also Levot, Biog. Bret, 1857, II, 899). 3. Guy de Rochefort, called by De Courcy the seigneur de Harleix to distinguish him from his nephew, Guy de Rochefort, seigneur d'Asserac, is mentioned in a document received some months later (July, 1351) at Dinan by Thibaut de Rochefort, his cousin germain. In the same document are mentioned Caro de Bod^gat and Hugues Catus.i In 1354 he took the chateau of Nantes from the English (D'Argentr^, p. 303) ; and his name occurs in a document of Vitr^ in 1356, after which he is lost to history (cf. De Courcy, p. 29 and Levot, op. cit, II, 737). 4. Charruelj called Yves, Yvain or Even, seigneur of Gu^rand. He aided in 1342 in the defense of Rennes, was sent in 1352 to England to aid in the ransom of Charles de Blois, was chosen in 1357 to negotiate the prolongation of the truce concluded at Bordeaux, dis- tinguished himself at the battle of Cocherel in Normandy in 1364 (cf. D'Argentr^, Book V, chap, xl), and is cited in 1369 in the quality of commissioner to receive at Vitr^ the montres of men at arms, after which his name disappears.^ Froissart (ed. K. de Lettenhove, XVII, 284) tells of seeing him at a banquet, and he is mentioned four times in the Chronique des Quatre Premiers Valois {op. cit., pp. 137, 140, 145, 159). Further, see Levot, op. cit., I, 300-301. 5. Robin Raguenel, seigneur of Ch^teauloger, was the son of the counsellor of the dukes Jean II, Arthur II, and Jean III. Dom Morice {Preuves, I, col. 1479) gives a discharge of 1352, sealed with his arms. A daughter, Tiphaine, was the first wife of Bertrand du Guesclin.3 6. Caro de Bodegat, seigneur de Bod^gat, is cited only in the poem and in the document of July 1, 1351, already mentioned in connection with Gui de Rochefort. None of his descendants are known.'* 1 In view of the fact that neither D'ArgentrS, Morice, or Lobineau include Catns in the list of combatants, this document is important as circumstantially confirming the testimony of the poem. 2 Cf. De Courcy, p. 30. » Cf. ibid., p. 33, and Levot, op. cit., II, 677. * Cf. De Courcy, p. 34. 519 10 Henry Raymond Brush 7. Guillaume de la Marche. According to De Courcy (p. 31), there seems to be some uncertainty regarding the family of this knight. His arms are given by D. Morice {Preuves, I, cols. 1482-83) from discharges dated August 11, 1352, and he was killed three days later at Mauron with the sire de Tmt^niac, as the poem of Guillaume de St. Andr6 recalls.^ 8. Olivier Arrely seigneur of Kermarquer, accompanied Blois to the siege of La Roche Derrien in 1347, but not much else is known of him.* 9. Jehan Rousselet or Rousselot, according to De Courcy (p. 38), was a nephew of Raoul, bishop of St. Malo in 1310, of Laon in 1323.' 10. Geffroi du Bois is found in a montre of Jean de Beaumanoir, of June 22, 1351, in which figure also Alain de Keranrais, Louis Goueon, Olivier de Fontenay, and Tristan de Pestivien and likewise with the same in a montre of October 10, 1351, from which time on he disappears. De Courcy says that it is impossible to state to which of the twelve Breton families of that name he belonged. It will be noted that in D384 he calls Beaumanoir his "cousin germain'* (cf. Levot, op. cit.j I, 569). 11. Guillaume de Montauhan, who decided the fate of the battle, was present at Mauron, August 14, 1352. De Courcy (p. 39) gives his ancestry and states that he died unmarried and childless (cf. Levot, op. cit., II, 486). 12. Alain de TinUniac is mentioned as accompanying Charles de Blois to the siege of Quimper in 1344^ and was still living in 1356, as attested by a discharge cited by D. Morice (Preuves, I, col. 1506; cf. Levot, op. cit, II, 899). 13. Tristan de Pestivien was a younger brother of Jean, baron de Pestivien and appears later in montres of June 22 and October 11, 1351 (cf. De Courcy, p. 41, and Levot, op. cit., II, 594-95). 14. 15. Alain and Olivier de Keranrais. The uncle is not men- tioned later but Alain is found in montres of June 22 and August 30, 1351. De Courcy (p. 52) gives the later history of the family, which became extinct after 1550 (cf. Levot, op. cit., II, 7-8). 1 Litre du bon due Jehan, par G. de St. Andr6. ed. Charri6re, 1835, 11. 487 fl. « Cf. Levot, op. cit., I, 36-37. » Ibid., II, 787-88. * Enguite pour la canonisation de Charles de Blois en 1371 (Dom Morice, Preuves, II, col. 28, quoted by De Courcy, p. 40). 520 La Bataille de Trente 11 16. Louys Gouyon, Goyon or Goueon was a younger son of Etienne, seigneur de Matignon, and appears in montres of June 22 and August 30, 1351, already cited, as well as in a discharge signed with his arms and dated July 9, 1351. De Courcy (p. 43) says that his family was later connected by marriage with that of Chateaubriand's mother (cf. Levot, op. ciL, I, 826-27). 17. {Olivier) de Fontenay is mentioned in the montre of August 30, 1351, with the four companions — Du Bois, Pestivien, Keranrais, and Goueon — from whom he appears inseparable. According to De Courcj^ (p. 44) the name comes from a manor near Rennes. There is a question whether another of the name was also a participator in the Bataille; D apparently so indicates, but B speaks of only one as does the Chronique de Jean de St. Paul. Lobineau and Dom Morice say positively, *'les deux Fontenais," while D'Argentr^ quotes the fact on hearsay (cf. Levot, op. dt., I, 709). 18. Huet, Hauguet or Hugues Catus, seigneur of Breuil in Bas- Poitou, is descended from a family mentioned as early as 1185. His name is found in the montre of July 1, 1351, with Rochefort and Bodegat.^ The Chronique de St. Paul speaks of him, but he is not included in the lists of the Breton historians (cf. Levot, op. dt, I, 267). 19. Geffroi de la Roche, to whose grandfather the poem refers (cf. note to D163-B122), is not mentioned in later records and De Courcy is unable to establish his family connections. He does not think it probable that he was of Poitevin origin (op. dt., p. 46; cf. Levot, op. dt., II, 735-37). 20. Geffroi Poulart was the son of Pierre Poulart, the treasurer of the Countess of Blois, who founded the abbey of Beaufort in 1364. Other sons of Pierre receive mention in history but not Geffroi (cf. De Courcy, p. 47^48; see also Levot, op. dt., II, 655). 21. Morice de Trezeguidy came of a crusading family. His presence in the Bataille is attested not only by the poem but also by the Histoire de Louis II, Due de Bourbon, composed in 1429 by Jean d'Orronville,2 and he is mentioned by Christine de Pizan in a letter, 1 De Courcy says that a part of the genealogy of the family was written by AndrS du Chesne (Hist, de la Maison de Chateignier, 1634). 2 Ed. of Jean Papire Masson, 1612, chap, xv (quoted by De Courcy). 521 12 Henry Raymond Brush dated October 2, 1402, with Du Guesclin as an example of those who loved loyally. The Chronique de St. Paul gives his name, but the Benedictines confuse him with the family of Tronguidy. D'Argentr^ calls him ^^Huet" or '^Morice de Tronguidy," Lobineau says '^Morice de Tronguidy'* and mentions also a ^'Geslin de Tronguidy" which is repeated in the version of D. Morice. He is mentioned in a montre of Vitr6 of 1357, of 1363 at Chdteaugontier, and many times after in succeeding years. He was captain of Paris in 1380 (pay 1,200 livres parisis) and was still living in 1395, according to papers of a suit sus- tained against Olivier de Guesclin.^ See also Levot, op. dt, II, 928-29. 22. Guyon de Pont Blanc, not mentioned elsewhere, although De Courcy quotes various members of the family. He is not given by D'Argentr^ in the list of combatants. See Levot, op. cit., II, 633. 23. Morice du Pare is mentioned in the enquite for the canonization of Charles de Blois, in 1371. ^ He was later the captain of Quimper, contributed 5,000 icus in 1359 to ransom Blois, aided m the rout of the English before Chisey in Poitou in 1372, and was governor of La Rochelle m 1373.3 Cf. Levot, op. cit., II, 564-65. 24. Geffroi de Beaucours or Beau^orps came of a family from St. Brieuc, according to the Preuves of P. Anselme, V, 400, which De Courcy quotes (p. 52). Various members of the family appear in records during the period. See Levot, op. dt., 1, 67. 25. Lanlop or Villong. D172 says celuy de Villong (which La Bor- derie* suggests should be Villeon); B132 says celuy de Lenlop, while the Chronique de St. Paul calls him Geslin de Lanloup and the Benedic- tine historians do not include him in the list at all. De Courcy (p. 53) notes the fact that he is wrongly called Geslin d'Entra^uy (which name is unknown in the chartes) by D'Argentre and Geslin de Troguindy by Dom Morice. De Courcy traces the family for several centuries and appears to establish Lanlop's connection with the battle. The la Villong of D may possibly refer to some other estate which he possessed. 26. Geoffroi Moelon or Mellon, was probably of a family of this name at Rennes. A member of the family was one of the signers of » Cf. Preuves of D. Morice, quoted by De Courcy, op. cit.. pp. 4&-50. » Cf. note to Alain de TinUniac. * Le Laboureur, p. 54, quoted by De Courcy, op. cit., p. 51. * La Borderie, op. cit., p. 517. n. 2. 522 La Bataille de Trente 13 the association of nobility of Rennes, formed in 1379 to repel foreign invasion. De Courcy (p. 34) states that descendants still exist (i.e. in 1857). See also Levot, op. dt, II, 453-55. 27. Jehannot de Servant or Desserain (Sevens, D'Argentre; Sevvent, Lobineau and Morice), is mentioned by all the chroniclers and was the son of Alain de Serent, seigneur of Tromeur. Jehannot de Serent, in 1356, gave a discharge signed with his arms.^ His name and that of Jean, his eldest son, are frequently cited in montves of Olivier de Clisson, in 1375 and following years. See also Levot, op. cit, II, 847. 28. Oliviev Monteville. B has the right version of the name and is confirmed by all historians; the Bouteville of D is an error. He was seigneur of Launay and various members of the family are quoted in records of the time. See also Levot, op. cit., II, 492. 29. Guillaume de la Lande is quoted by both MSS and in all historical accounts. He was probably a younger son of the family, which had its seat at Guichen (lUe-et-Vilaine). He was a signer of the treaty of Gu^rande in 1365.^ 30. Simon Richavd {Pachavt in B) was seigneur of Kerjean (Finistere) and appears in a montve received by Charruel in 1356 and in one of Du Guesclin in 1370, he ratified the treaty of La Roche Derrien, May 2, 1381, to which his seal is appended. His name disappears after 1382. Further cf. De Courcy, p. 58 and Levot, op. dt, II, 704. In addition to the names listed in the poem and in place of some of them, D'Argentr^ mentions Mauvice and Geslin d'Entvaguy, who have already been discussed, Alexandve Favdet, Robin de Beaumont, Hatevel and a Huon de St. Yvon who is also quoted by all the chroni- clers. De Courcy (p. 34) calls him seigneur of St. Hugeon (Cotes- du-Nord) and says he does not occur in history after this. He would have increased the list of combatants to 31. The others quoted by D'Argentre are not mentioned elsewhere, so far as I know. The English The identification of the Englishmen is extremely difficult, as compared with that of the Bretons. They were mostly chosen from mercenaries engaged in the service of Montfort. For a number, the poem is our only reference, although a few, such as Calverley, Knolles, 1 Quoted by De Courcy, p. 55. 2 D. Morice, Preuves I, col. 1598, seals 249 (quoted by De Courcy, p. 56). 523 14 Henry Raymond Brush and Croquart, are figures known in history. Their names were unfamiliar to the author of the poem and are in the majority of cases mangled out of all recognizable shape. The task is made more difficult because in a number of instances only the first name is given, together with an epithet that is usually uncomplimentary .^ The poem itself calls them mercenaries (D137) and the humble origin of at least one (D91-95) is also affirmed. 1. Richard Brambro (D, Bramhroc(h), B, Bomchourc, Bourcbourc) the captain himself, cannot be identified with positive certainty. De Courcy (p. 60) considers him an Englishman and notes that a family of this name existed in Brittany down to the sixteenth century. According to Cuvelier {op. cit., I, 40) a Richard Bemhro, captain of Fougeray, was killed at the capture of that place by Du Guesclin in 1353 and a Guillaume Bembro was wounded in single combat by the same (p. 69). I have been imable to secure information in regard to Brambro from a search made for me in the documents of the British Record Office, as many records of the time are lost. The affairs of the English in Brittany seem to have been in a confused state from the death of Thomas Daggeworth^ to the coming of the king's lieutenant- general, Gautier de Bentley, in the early autumn of 1352.^ During this period the English power was represented by the captains of the various places. Jehan le Bel (ed. Polain, p. 163) speaks of Brambro as "ung souldoyer d'Alemaigne qu'on appeloit Brandebourch." This statement Froissart copies. But we have seen reasons for doubting Jehan le Bel's accuracy; it is quite possible that, as there were Germans in the combat, he confused their leader with them and from the similarity of names called him Brandebourch (Branden- burg), a name which occurs in the operations of the early part of the Hundred Years' War.* Froissart went in person to Brittany and we may ask why he did not correct Jehan le Bel's error; but, when we remember that the former was a prot^g^ of Queen Philippa of England and is in other ways closely connected with the English, it seems natural that he should allow the disgrace of the defeat to rest on the 1 E.g., Brambro is "le felon" others are designated as "renart, musart, couart, con- tart," etc. * Killed near Auray, in August, 1350; cf. La Borderie, op. cit., Ill, p. 509. » Cf. La Borderie, op. cit., p. 531. * Cf. Knyghton, Rolls Series, XCII, 11 (year 1339). 524 La Bataille de Trente 15 shoulders of a German. On the other hand, the circumstantial evidence that Brambro was an Englishman is very strong. The author of the Chronique Normande {op. dt, p. 100) speaks of "Robert Brambroc, chef d'iceulz Engloiz." It hardly seems natural that a foreigner should be in command over such Englishmen of note as Knolles and Calverley. Still more striking is the fact that in the same county of Cheshire from which the two last named came lies the town of Bamborough.^ A Bamborough family existed there in the fourteenth century and in the records the name is similar to the form in the poem.^ We know that such companies as served in the wars in France were frequently recruited from one locality and served under their liege lord. It therefore seems reasonable that Richard Brambro was no German but an Englishman from Cheshire. 2. Robert Knolles (D, Crolles; B, Canolez; D'Argentre, Knole; Lobineau, Cnole) was one of the best-known figures of the Hundred Years' War. He was bom in Cheshire about 1317 and after an adventurous life in the French wars he returned to England in 1381 and died about 1406 at his estate in Kent.^ The most reliable accounts of his life are given by De Courcy (pp. 61-62) and by Ormerod {Hist, of Cheshire, II, 764). Additional notes of interest are recorded by D'Auvergne in Archeologia, VI (1782), p. 144 f. 3. Calverley. Sir Hugh de Calverley or Calveley was of a family of Cheshire, township of Lea in Broxton Hundred. The genealogy of the family is given by Ormerod.'^ The Bataille was Calverley's first appearance in history and from this time on until 1383 his name is frequent in the chronicles. De Courcy (pp. 63-64) reviews his life and mentions that at the combat of Montmuran in 1354 he was captured by Enguerrand de Hedin, or Endin, a Picard nobleman, whom Froissart wrongly styled one of the Thirty. 4. Croquart was a German adventurer who rose from the position of valet to one of wealth and military dignity.^ He remained faithful to the English although the French king tried to bribe him. Froissart 1 Township of Lea in Broxton Hundred. 2 Cf. Recognizance Rolls, Bromburgh, Brumburgh, Bromborch, quoted by Ormerod, History of Cheshire, II, 428 and also 767. » A note by Ainsworth in Bentley's Miscellany, XLV (1859), 9, says Knolles was buried at Grey Friars Church in London, August 18, 1407. < Op. cit., II. 285-86. B Cf. ed. S. Luce. IV. 69-70. 525 16 Henry Raymond Brush says that his death was due to a fall from his horse. Further, cf. De Courcy, op. dt, p. 65. 5, Plesanton; 6, Ridele; 7, Helecoq; 8, Repefort, are all mentioned by all the historians but we have no other mention of them save in the Baiaille. Plesanton, from his title, appears to have been a man of rank. 9. Taillart (D, Renequin Relcart), called Jannequin Taillart by all the chroniclers, is said to have been identical with Jannequin Toign^^ who captured Du Guesclin and put him to ransom as related by D'Argentr^.^ I am unable to see De Courcy's reasons for this assumption. 10. Richard de la Lande, dit Le Fier, occurs in montres of Olivier de Clisson, received at Vannes in 1375 and following years. 11. Belifort {Billefort, D'Argentr^) is identified by De Courcy with a Thomelin Henefort, who is found in 1381 at the siege of Nantes with Calverly and Knolles. As both MSS and the historians agree on the name, De Courcy is probably wrong. There is no other men- tion of Belifort. 12. Clamaban or Clomean {Clervabariy D'Argentr^) is known only by the poem. 13. Herouart (D, Helcart; Lobineau, Henouart) may be the H^rouart, squire named in a montre of Eustache de Mauny, in 1371 (De Courcy). The name may be Hereward(?). 14. Hulhure, Huehnie {HuUnte, D'Argentr^) according to the poem, was a soldier of low degree but of great strength; he is not mentioned again. 15. Betonchamp or Begurcamp (called Gamehoup by D'Argentr^ and Lobineau; Guennechoup by Dom Morice; Guenehoup by Chron. de St. Paul) is also known only from the Baiaille. 16. Gaule VAlemant, as his name shows, was one of the six Germans in the Baiaille. Croquart is the only other one who can be identified as German. 17. Jeannequin or Renequin Mareschal; 18. Thomelin Houlnanton or Houalton {Huleton, D'Argentre) ;3 19. Rdbinet Melipart, together » De Courcy, p. 65. « D'Argentr6, op. cit.. Book V, chap, xxviii. » The name may be Walton ( ?). 526 La Bataille de Trente 17 with 16, are mentioned by both MSS and all the chroniclers but are not known to occur elsewhere. 20. Helichon (or Harclou) le Musart is named only in the poem; none of the chroniclers mention him. 21. Isinnay, Isanay {Yfray or Isannay, D'Argentr^) in 1363 took part in the attempt to relieve Becherel, besieged by Charles de Blois . 22. Bicquillay is mentioned by D alone. 23. Troussel (Roussel, Dom Morice) is connected by De Courcy with a Guillaume Troussel who fought against Du Guesclin at Rennes in 1356. D'Argentr^ (op. cit, Book X, chap, xxxv) records the incident but says nothing of any relationship. 24. Robin Ades (the Nadres of D is probably an error) imder the leadership of Knolles captured Du Guesclin at the bridge of Evran in 1352.2 25. Huelton le Contart (B. Dango le Couart) is a personage about whose real name there is some question. The Chroniqae de St. Paul calls him Andele and by De Courcy (p. 68) he is identified with a James d' Andele who is found with Knolles in the army of the Duke of Lancaster at the siege of Rennes in 1356.' This is a good example of the way the scribes confused the names. 26. Dagorne was a nephew of Thomas Daggeworth whose murder led up to the battle. His name was Nicolas^ and he is omitted by D'Argentr^. His name occurs in the Chroniqae des Quatre Premiers Valois.^ 27. Perrot de Commellan (Camaleon or Commelan, D'Argentrd; Comenan, La Borderie) was of a Breton family of which other mem- bers are cited by De Courcy (p. 69). 28. Guillemin le Gaillart (Hamon, D; Jean, D'Argentr^; le Caillart, Dom Morice and Chron. de St. Paul) was of a family fre- quently mentioned in the fourteenth century.^ 29. Raoulet d'Aspremont (Du Primant, D; Raoullet Prevost, D'Argentr^) is recorded as having married in 1351 and having 1 Cf. De Courcy, op. cit., p. 67. « Op. cit., Book V, chap, xxvili. » Cf. Lobineau, op. cit., p. 315. * Cf. La Borderie, op. cit., Ill, 518, n. 5. 6 Op. cit., p. 49. • Cf. De Courcy, p. 70. 527 18 Henry Raymond Brush acquired the right of burial in the abbey of Redon where, in 1364, with his consort he founded the chaplaincy of La Perche.^ 30. D^ArdainCf who was killed at the end of the combat, belonged to a family holding the barony of Foug^res (Ille-et-Vilaine). The name first appears in 1150 (cf. De Courcy, p. 71). Of the English contestants D'Argentr^ enumerates but 26, Lobineau 28,^ Dom Morice 28, and the Chronique de St, Paul but 25. However, D'Argentr^ includes in the list: 1. Hervi de Lexualen, who is also cited by Lobineau and Dom Morice though the name does not occur in either MS. 2. Valentin, also cited by Christine de Pizan under the name of Vuin (Gwynn?).^ He is mentioned by all the chroniclers. MS B speaks of the four Bretons as Brehenchons; possibly a Picard scribe was more inclined to consider Brabanters fighting for the English than Bretons. Certainly Flanders and England were in close relations, with a Flemish princess, Philippa, as English queen. III. THE MANUSCRIPTS Two manuscripts of the poem are known to exist : I. (D), Biblioth^que Nationale, No. 4165, Nouv. Acq. Fr., called Didot as it belonged to the library of Firmin Didot and was sold to the Biblioth^que Nationale in 1878,* being No. 35 of the list of the sale. The following portion of the description is taken from Delisle:^ Petit volume sur parchemin de 8 feuillets, 230 min./156 mm. Ecriture du XV® si^cle. Miniature en t^te. Reli6 par Cap6 en maroquin rouge. The miniature to which Delisle refers occupies about a third of 1' and represents the knights standing in readiness for combat; unlike the miniature reproduced by De Courcy, the battle is not being fought and the detail is very scant. The MS contains 33 lines to the page and is in very good condition. The scribe made compara- tively few errors in copying, for it is a copy as shown by the nature » Cf. also De Courcy, p. 70. » Lobineau adds, "On ignore les noms de trois autres." » "En eel an dessus dit (1372) arriva en France Yvain de Galles . . . . et avec luy un sien parent et compaignon moult vaillant ecuyer, qui jadls avoit est6 de la Bataille des Trente, du cSt€ des Anglois, appelS Jehan de Vuin, dit le poursuivant d'amours, avecques autres Gallois, etc." — Le Livre des Fails et des bonnes moeurs du Sage Roi Charles V, compose en 1403 par Christine de Pizan, ed. 1743, II, chap. xxvi. * Cf. Ro. VII, 479. ' Cf. L. Delisle, Milangea de paUographie, Paris, 1880, pp. 163-64 528 La Bataille de Trente 19 of the gaps in the text. In one instance, we have a gap of an entire page.i The abbreviations are not numerous: mm is regularly represented by m; the omission of n is usually indicated by (-) over the preceding vowel (e.g., souvat, 12) although in some cases the n is written and the vowel is represented by n{hn, 14), or by n(gnt, 37). Other occasional abbreviations are, chun—chascun; cend^=cendre; d'onne^ =d'onneur; mess.—messire; q = que; le'=leurs; vo^ =vous; ^ = qui; cfial=cheval; nre=nostre; Jhucnst=Jhesuscrist; Guitte = Guillaume; jusqz=jusquez; Bretaig^=Bretaigne; pnt = present; vre = vostre; yet these abbreviations are by no means consistently used. Numerals are generally written out; where they are not, I have substituted the words in the text and indicated the variants; u within the word is regularly used for v, with which I have replaced it in the transcription. In some cases it is hard to distinguish between the copyist's u and n. The MS contains 499 lines. II. (B), Biblioth^que Nationale, No. 1555, called Bigot from having belonged to a Picard scholar. Bigot, in the seventeenth century .2 It occupies ff. 50v.-58v. The following is from the Crapelet edition of 1827: Ce ms. forme un volume petit in 4°, sur v^lin, fatigu^, sali, dechir6 et raccommod^ en plusieurs endroits. II est d'une Venture ronde, peu r^gulidre, du commencement du XV« si^cle. II contient 225 feuillets numerot^s en chiffres arabes, d'une main moderne. Apr^s trois feuillets d'une Venture cursive gothique, qui servent de garde, on lit au bas de la premiere page du texte: Ms de Mrs. Bigot, 328 R. 7595 2. On trouve des reclames ^ la fin de chaque cahier, et chacun de ces cahiers se compose d'un nombre in^gal des feuillets. Le volume a 6U rogn4, et plusieurs lettres du haut des pages ont 6t6 atteintes. Un certain nombre de feuillets qui conservent des traces d'^criture ont ^t^ gratt^s pour ^tre employes dans le volume, dont les deux derniers feuillets sent blancs. On lit sur le verso du dernier, vers le milieu de la page, ces mots en ^criture gothique: "Ce livre appartient d Symon Pierres, conseiller en court lay, demourant d Vernon sur Seine.'' 1 Laisse XXXV and part of Laisse XXXIV of B are lacking in D. 2 La Borderie, Histoire de Bretagne, Rennes, 1906, III, 510, n. 1. 529 20 Henry Raymond Brush Trois autre feuillets, qui ont 6t6 gratt^s, terminent le volume et laissent ^galement apercevoir plusieurs lignes d'6criture. Crapelet, pp. 2 ff., gives a full description of the 27 different works contained in the MS, of which a few only need be mentioned. I refer to them by the order of occurrence. 3. La Bataille de XXX Englois et de XXX Bretons quifufaite en Bretaigne, etc. Ff. 5()v.-58v. 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22— The Lives of various saints. 12. Ave Maria, glossed. 20. Cy commence le livre de la passion Nostre Segneur Jhesucrist. 21. Cy commence la vanganche Notre Segneur Jhesucrist. 23. La cau^e pourquoy (no) on doit amer et visiter le saint lieu de Fescamp et denotement entendre Vhistoire du precieu^ sane. 24. Four miracles about the vial of blood at Fecamp. 25. Piece, without title, upon a comet.^ The large number of religious works and the space given to the miracles indicate that the scribe was possibly a monk at Fecamp, or, that it was written in that town. As has been noted by La Borderie and others, B is much mferior to D in execution. In B the letters are not so plain, and there are many omissions of single words through carelessness. Twice an omitted line is put at the bottom of the page;^ in various instances the scribe does not take the trouble to erase a miswritten word but draws a line through it and adds the correction. His treatment of the names has already been mentioned.^ It is hardly necessary to add that, like D, B is also a copy of an earlier form; as it stands, it contains 519 lines. The scribe of B does not use so many abbreviations as we find in D — m and n frequently stand for the doubled consonant; chlrs is not uncommon for chevaliers; mess, for messire; vo^ =vous; GuilVe=Guillaume; a vowel with (-) for vowel +^ (e.g., ericofener); ff for livres (155) ; n(f =nous are the commonest abbreviations found, but words are generally written out in full. V within a word is written as u which I have altered to v in the transcription, as in the case of D. The most casual inspection of the two MSS shows that they are themselves copies. The number of lines which are literal parallels 1 This composition speaks of a comet which appeared in 1402 and consequently the MS is posterior to that date. » E.g.. U. 221 and 324. » Cf. Introduction, II, "The Combatants." 530 La Bataille de Trente 21 is surprisingly small, and even when we add the lines that vary but so slightly that the variations may be ascribed to a copyist, we still come far short of the total number. As for the rest, there is some- times a complete variant or else the words are materially altered. A striking illustration of this is the substitution of the arms of Agappart (B159-160) for those of jadis roy Edouart (D199). While there are some passages in which B is the clearer in sense, in general D offers the fewest difficulties and requires less emendation; con- sequently, it may be considered as representing more nearly the original form. A combination of D with the lines supplied by B would result in a poem of 575 lines. The last of B, XXXIV, all of B, XXXV, B, XXVII, and B, 11. 431-40 have undoubtedly been omitted from D. If we add them we get 550 lines, which is probably not far from the original form. It is very likely that B contains some interpolated lines, as indicated in the notes. IV. EDITIONS The poem has been published in its entirety five times, in each case from the Bigot MS alone; D seems to have been entirely unknown to the early editors. The following are the editions. I. Le Chevalier de FRfiMiNviLLE.^ " La Bataille des Trente, Brest, 1819 (Lefournier at Deperiers), in 8°, 39 pp. Po^me du XIV® siecle transcrit sur le MS originale, conserve k la biblioth^que du roi et accompagn^ de notes historiques." The history of the Freminville edition is given by Crapelet in the Avertissement of his 1827 edition of the Bataille, q.v. En 1813, M. le Chevalier de Freminville, en s'occupant avec M. de Penhouet, ancien officier de la marine royale, de recherches historiques sur les antiquit^s de la Bretagne, decouvrit k Paris, dans un recueil de pieces manuscrits de la Bibliotheque du Roi, le r^cit en vers du Combat des Trente. Continuing, Crapelet recognizes the service done by Freminville but severely criticizes the inaccuracy of his transcription, saying that it offers so many differences from the MS : 1 1 have not been able to consult the Frgminville edition, not being able to find it in America. However, the work was used by Crapelet, De Courcy, and others. By them it is considered inaccurate and, as it contains scarcely more than the text, it can hardly be considered a valuable or an accurate work. 531 22 Henry Raymond Brush que j'ai dout^ un instant s'il ne se trouvait pas deux manuscrits .... ^ la Biblioth^que du Roi, ce qui n'existe pas en effet. He notes, comment nombre des mots ont €t4 changes et remplac^s par d'autres, dont I'editeur donne m^me Tinterpretation; comment plusieurs vers ont 4t6 omis, d'autres transposes; enfin comment il se trouvent cinq cent dix neuf vers dans le manuscrit original et seidement cinq cent un dans VHition de M. de Friminville. From Crapelet's account one might suspect that this edition was taken from another MS now lost. He, however, seems to be satis- fied that it was based on the Bigot MS, and that the inaccuracies are due to recopying and printing. n. J. A. BUCHON. Collection des Chroniques Nationales Frangaises, Vol. XIV, Paris, 1826, pp. 301-20. In a note Buchon acknowledges having received a copy of the MS from ''M. M^on,^ employ^ aux Manuscrits de la Bibliotheque du Roi." Buchon^s text is a close reproduction of B with all the errors as they stand. III. G. A. Crapelet. Le Combat de T rente Bretons contre Trente Anglais, public d'apr^s le manuscrit de la Bibliotheque du Roi, Paris, 1827. (Imprimerie de Crapelet.) This is an octavo volume. No. Ill of the Collection des andens monuments de Vhistoire et de la langue frangaise, according to the title- page, "Imprim^ sous les auspices de M^'- Le Comte de Corbiere ministre et secretaire d'!l6tat au D^partement de rint^rieur." It contains vii+110 pp. with frontispiece described as " Le monument de la Bataille des Trente, eiev^ dans la Lande de Mi-voie en 1819." At the end of the volume are six plates giving the armorial bearings, 31 in number, of the Bretons.^ There is also a list of the English participants, 7 chevaliers, 9 ^cuyers, and 15 gendarmes; and a table of contents. After the introduction Crapelet reproduces ff. 50'-51'" of B, followed by the description. The text occupies pp. 13-35; the translation into modern French with notes, pp. 37-58; Froissart's account, pp. 59-68; a long account of the monument » Cf . Crapelet, ed. 1827, avertissement. * Both Nos, 25 and 26 are those of Tr6z6guidy. 532 La Bataille de Trente 23 raised July 11, 1819. This last recounts the speeches and the names of the principal participators and spectators. Crapelet evidently- had no intention of omitting anybody who had a pretense to impor- tance. As to the text, it is practically identical with the Buchon text, save that, while Buchon solves the MS abbreviations, and changes u to v, Crapelet aims at exact reproduction. IV. G. A. Crapelet, Paris, 1837, chez Jules R6nouard. The second edition has the same pagination as the first edition (of 1827) and is a reproduction of it, apparently from the same plates. In the 1837 edition the rubrics are poorly marked and, through an error, the six plates with the armorial bearings are interposed between pages 96 and 97 instead of coming at the end after page 110. Save for this and the difference in publishers, they are the same. V. Pitre-Chevalier. In La Bretagne Ancienne et Moderne, Paris (no date),^ in-folio, pp. 365-85. Pp. 371-85 contain the text, with some notes. After criticizing the edition of Fr^minville as "assez incorrecte" and that of Crapelet as ''plus brillante que rigoureuse,"^ Pitre-Chevalier says, Nous imprimons ici Texcellente copie faite par M. M^on lui-m^me pour M. Buchon C'est le fac-simile parfait de I'original, avec toutes les naivetes de son style, etc. This edition adds practically nothing to our knowledge of the subject. Partial Reproductions I. K. Bartsch, Chrestomathie de Vancien frangais, X® ed., Leipzig, 1910. This is based mainly on the edition of Crapelet which is collated with D from a copy made by M. Apfelstedt for K. Bartsch. It is a text reconstructed from both D and B and comprises 186 lines, repre- senting D to 1. 186 and B to 1. 145. A number of emendations are made, usually good, but occasionally without seeming justification. II. Pol de Courcy, Le Combat de Trente Bretons contre Trente Anglais, St. Pol de L^on, 1857, in 4°, title, 78 pp. +2 plates with armorial bearings. The frontispiece is a picture of the battle, taken from the original miniature of Pierre le Baud, reproduced in color. It repre- sents the sky and sea in the background (an error, as the sea is a 1 The signature to the preface indicates the date as 1844. 2 Op. cit.. p. 370. 533 24 Henry Raymond Brush considerable distance from the scene of the fight). Two castles are to be seen on the shore, on opposites sides of the picture; nearer, and in the center, is the **Ch6ne de Mi-Voie." In the foreground are the knights, engaged in combat, their figures well distinguished. Part of the combatants on both sides are clad in silver-colored armor and part in gold. The Bretons are marked by black crosses on a white background on their breasts and their opponents by red crosses on a white background. Beaumanoir with his coat of arms (d'azur avec onze billets d'argent) is seen to the left, urging on his men, and is the only knight to be identified. After a historical sketch of the locality and his visit to it (pp. 1-3), the author proceeds to an account of the battle and events preceding (pp. 4-14), a note on the monuments erected (pp. 15-19), an extract from the Chronique de Jean de St. Paul (pp. 19-26). Then follows the really important part of the work (pp. 27-72), the biographies and genealogies of the Breton knights and of some of the English party. The author's sources are various chroniclers, the Benedictines Dom Morice, Dom Lobineau, and D'Argentr^ and various documents dating from the period. It contains a large proportion of the information obtainable on the subject, in many cases conclusive, although the author evidently is striving for a glorification of the Breton nobility and seeks to connect the heroes of the Bataille with contemporary families whenever he can do so. In the course of his work De Courcy quotes 127 lines of the poem, either from B itself, or from one of the editions of it. His reproduction consists merely of a line or two at a time, modernized freely. III. A. DE LA BoRDERiE, Histoive de Bretagne, Rennes, 1906, III, pp. 510-29. Quotes in all 44 lines of the poem, partly from the Crapelet text, partly from the Didot MS which he mentions.^ V. LANGUAGE AND VERSIFICATION I. The poem in D and B consists of 499 and 519 Alexandrine lines respectively, divided into monorimed laisses of very unequal length. The longest laisse of D is IV (44 lines in e) and of B is IV (43 lines 1 There Is also a translation into English verse by W. H. Ainsworth in BentUy't Miscellany, XLV (1859), 5 fl. and 445 ff., entitled The Combat of the Thirty. It is a trans- lation of one of the editions of B and is accompanied by some biographical notes. 534 La Bataille de Trente 25 in e); the shortest is the assonanced laisse in on — e (D, XIV; B, XIII), which contains only 4 lines in both MSS. The rimes are but 22 in number and as some of these are but slight variations the list might be reduced still further. The list of rimes, arranged alphabetically, is as follows: 1) -a (D, XXXII, 17; B, XXXII, 19). 2) -aige, -age (D, XVIII, 13; XXIV, 9; B, XVII, 13; XXIII, 8). 3) Assonanced -an— e (D, VIII, 10; XIII, 8; B, VII, 9; XII, 7). This assonance presents no mixture of an — en for, although we have alienee (D, 180) and pestilence (B, 140), we also have aliance (D, 133) and pestilance (D, 182). 4) -ant (D, XXXI, 23; B, XXXI, 25). Free from mixture with -en. 5) -art (D, XV, 27; B, XIV, 29). 6) -e (D, III, 44; XIX, 8; B, III, 43; XVIII, 8). This rime in- cludes the form e for ui < hddie (B, 210; D, 249). This develop- ment of g-\-i is a dialectical feature of certain districts in the west. Latin MODIA appears as mee in place names in depts. Eure-et- Loir, Mayenne, Manche, Sarthe, lUe-et-Vilaine (cf. Ostberg, Les voyelles velaires accentuees, 1899, p. 88), instead of Muids which is the form outside this district. Cf. also, pee for puis, pi6e for pluie, net for nuitj etc. (Goerlich, Die nordwestlichen Dialekte der Langue d^o'il, in Rom. Studien, V, pp. 50-51). See also Atlas linguistique, map 72 (aujourd'hui), s.e. Morbihan. The rimes in -e are also mixed with -ie (1 syl.), e.g., devii (B, 21; D, 21), pitie (B, 24; D, 23; B, 38; D, 37), pechiS (B, 45; D, 44), pie (B, 63; D, 64), etc. 7) -ee (D, XXIII, 18; VI, 9; B, XXII, 19; VII, 8). 8) -el (D, XXXIII, 14; B, XXXIII, 22). 9) Assonanced -en — e (D, II, 8; B, II, 8). Free from mixture with -an. 10) -ent (D, IV, 8; B, IV, 9). Contains a trace of mixture with -an (D, 72 avant; B, 71 avant, B, 72 fiant) — of these B, 72 may be an interpolation (cf. note to text). 11) -er (D, V, 34; XI, 14; B, XXXV, 24; X, 14). Contains some mixture of -ier (1 syl.) with -er (cf. pautonnier, D, 95, etc.). 12) -es (-ez) (D, XXXIV, 25; XXX, 21; B, XXXIV, 36; XXX, 20). 535 26 Henry Raymond Brush 13) -ie (D, XXVII, 28; XXV, 17; XXXV, 11; B, XXVIII, 27; XXIV, 21; XXXVI, 10). This rime contains no trace of reduction of -i#e to -ie, save aillie (B, 281; B332; D357) which is probably a common expression from the Francian. (Cf . note to D275.) 14) -iers (D, IX, 7; B, VIII, 7). In all cases without diaeresis. 15) -is (D, XX, 11; XXII, 7; B, XIX, 11; XXI, 8). 16) -oint (D, V, 8; B, VI, 5). For feroint, etc., cf. Versification, 11,3. 17) -on (D, X, 12; B, IX, 11; XXVII, 7). 18) -ons (D, I, 13; XVI, 11; B, I, 13; XV, 11). 19) Assonance in -on— e (D, XIV, 4; B, XIII, 4). 20) -ort (D, XXVI, 10; B, XXV, 11). 21) -u (D, XXIX, 19; XXVII, 15; XVII, 6; XXI, 5; B, XXIX, 19; XXVI, 15; XVI, 6; XX, 6). In the list of these rimes occurs several times the form lu for luy (B, 310, 348, 355; D, 340, 373, 378, etc.). This form is not Picard (although it is found in eastern France — cf. Rydberg, in Baustdm d. rom. Phil., Festgahe Mussafia, Halle, 1905, p. 370), nor is it quoted by Goerlich, but it is found in Anglo-Norman (cf. Suchier, Les Voyelles Toniques, Sec. 24, 4, h) ; it is used by Frdre Angier (cf . Cloran, Dialogues of Gregory the Great, translated into Anglo- Norman French by Frere Angier, Strassburg, 1901, p. 57). M. K. Pope (cf. Study of the Language of Frere Angier, Paris, 1903) advances the theory that Angier wrote in the dialect of Anjou (cf. the review of by A. Thomas, Romania, XXXIII). This would accord well with the other dialect features of the Bataille. The form occurs in the patois of Maine as late as the seven- teenth century, e.g., "o lu Ten ne fait," Dialogue de Trois vi- gnerons du Pais du Maine sur les mishres de ce temps, Jean Lousnor (2d ed. Rouen, 1630, pp. 22 and 37). 22) -y(-i) (D, XII, 8; B, XI, 8). This laisse rimes ly (pron.) with mercy; etc. There occur no rimes in -ou and -eu or in -oi and -ei, so that it is impossible to consider the author's usage under these two heads. In both MSS eu occurs regularly in the tonic syllable, as in Francian; ou is, however, found in seignours (Dl), executour (D53), flour (D305, 536 La Bataille de Trente 27 D312), paour (D331), goule (D396), chalour (D439). Ei for oi (regular in the Livre des Manieres) does not occur in the Bataille. Records of the thirteenth century (cf. Schwan-Behrens, Afz. Gram., 8th ed., pp. 285-87) give frequent examples, but Reis in his work on Guillaume de St. Andr^ {Die Sprache im Lihvre du hon Jehan, due de Bretagne, Erlangen, 1903, pp. 23-24) finds no traces of it in this composition of the late fourteenth century. The form vroy for vray also occurs. II. The number of syllables — 1) 8 between consonants regularly has metrical value save in the following csLses—messire (B36, 108, 110, 146, 150, 293, 356, 391; D35, 187, 191, 379); sire (D149?). Messire is 3 syl., D417; sire is 2 syl., B236, 247; D284, 327; eglis{e) chanta, D437; michie) ne, B437; royaulm{e) de, D132. 2) Enclisis. There are no cases in the Bataille. 3) 8 following the tonic vowel and in hiatus with it frequently occurs : (A) Where followed by a vowel — mye achive, D52; espee et, B447; journee est (!) B480. (B) Where consonant follows — prye, D19; prie, D494; envoye, D185; espies et, D219; Montjoie, B480. (C) Has no metrical value when followed by consonant — journee sera, B396; My{e)-voy{e) , D451; dient, B394. (D) The -ent of pres. 6, ind. and subj. regularly has metrical value save in aient (ayent), B52, D51, D496; soient, B516, 517; soint, D497. (E) The -ent of fut. and cond. 6 is always without value and is often not written — estoient, B48; devoient, B187, D226; faisoint, D416; comhatoient, B4:15; vouloyent,T>4iQl; feroyent, etc., 'DlOS-112; feroient, B276; devroient, B126; vouldroint, D112, etc. 4) A pretonic 8 immediately following another pretonic vowel is doubly treated. It has metrical value in poeste, D59; escuierie, D312; praerie, D342; prayerie, D489; pra[e]rie, B318. In the future it is regularly without metrical value and is sometimes not written — hayeront, D240; haerront, B201; envoieray, B232; tuerai, B359; mainront, D334; amerron, B216; merront, B303; and in the conditional, daigneroient, B275 (2 syl.). However in envoyere, D255, D270; remuera, D289 a has metrical value. 537 28 Henry Raymond Brush 5) An atonic d preceding a tonic vowel in hiatus is found both with and without metrical value. (A) With metrical value — menestreelx, B4; veu^ B301; 6ew, B316; congneu, B356; ew, B490; Clomean, D197, etc. (B) Without metrical value — veoir, D36; seurs, B214; congneUy D331; veu, B352; cheu, B354, B365; aconcheu, B357; Jehan, BllO, B150, D191, etc. The iormjeuna, B418 (2 syl.) is also found. A similar double treatment exists in the lAvre of Guill. de St. Andr^ (cf. Reis, op. cit, p. 14). 6) Elision of 9 — (A) Before h aspirate a is always retained with metrical value, e.g., de hache, B90; de honte, B143, D184; le hardy, B166. (B) The feminine form of the possessive adjective is regular in the Bataille — m* entente, 'B227; w'amte, B336, D361 ; s'image, B2Q1; once, mon entente, D265. (C) Elision of vowel in monosyllable. (1) Que (pronoun and conjunction) is generally elided, but examples of hiatus are also common, e.g., que \ on, B18; que\il, D29; que\aions, B92, D286; que \ est, D371; que I oublier, B107; que \ une, D426, etc. (2) Qui is never elided — qui est, D18, B108, B109; qui aura, B71, D72, etc. (3) Si{sy) < SIC is never elided— B44, B321, D43, D102, D128, etc. (4) Se < SI is elided— Bll, B299, D210, D242, etc. (5) The object pronouns, se, me, te, le, la, are always elided. (6) je is usually elided; but also not— B283, D270, D274. (7) ce is regularly elided; but occasionally not — ce \ auray, B236. (8) ne < NEC and ne < NON, and de are invariably elided. (9) Li(ly), nom. plu. masc. is never elided. 7) Hiatus is often avoided by the elision of a final a but also occurs frequently — (A) After a single consonant, or doubled consonant. (1) With e — istoire \ en, BD7; trente \ Englois, BD8; vueille \ ayder, D91; chose \ est, D129; hache \ et, D285; cruelle \ est, D425, etc. 538 La Bataille de Trente 29 (2) With other vowels — parlera \ on, B93; verra \ on, B70; ainsi \ est, B431. (B) After a mute+liquid — ventre \ ot, D97; vostre \ estoutie, B265, D412; chappie \ orrihle, B386, D434; combatre \ ensemble, D116, etc.; but combatre ensemble, D126, is to be read with elision. 8) Synaeresis is rare but occurs twice — n'y en, B215; n'y a, B447. 9) Metrical value of groups. Diaeresis is found of, -ie in Hen, D387 (cf. Reis, op, cit., p. 13), e.g., achier, B155; liepart, D206 (but not in liespart, B168) ; regularly in words ending in -ion, e.g., religions, B3, D4; nacions, B403, etc.; -oe- in Ploermel, B32, D31 (cf. Pelmel, B78) ; -oua- in Houalton, B165, Edouart, B58, D58, D199, D255 (but as one syl. in B216, B232, D270); -cue- in jouel, B439; -ue- in Huelcoc, D192, etc., Charruel, B104, D144, etc. (but as 1 syl. in B257, D294). To be noted also without diaeresis is -oie- = -oi- in Beau- manoier, B188, B192, B226. 10) Epenthesis. Epenthetic e occurs once — esbateront, Dll. III. Cesura. — The author strongly favors masculine cesura. Of the 499 lines of D no less than 334 (67 per cent) have masculine cesura and 165 feminine; in B the figures are 353 (68 per cent) and 166 feminine. The tendency to strengthen cesura is also shown by the large proportion of words of more than one syllable upon which the cesura falls (238 masc. cesuras in D on such words and 250 in B). Moreover, a cesura resting on the tonic syllable alone is comparatively rare (40 times in both D and B). Such a thing as a weakening of the sixth syllable is unknown and thus the verse, like much epic verse, presents an impression of imrelieved monotony. IV. Rime. — Rich rimes are frequent in the Bataille, occurring 42 times in both D and B in consecutive lines; occasionally leonine rime isfound—D310-12, 443-45, 465-66; B59-60, 403-4, 412-13, etc. The rimes in the laisses are consistent with but few exceptions. Asso- nance occurs only in the laisses with a nasal followed by e; -age is unmixed in B but the -aige laisses of D have a few cases of mixture, e.g., oultrage, D232, viage, D240, and rage, D300. This peculiarity of mge is mentioned by Reis {op. cit., p. 34) who quotes Palsgrave's reference to the word. Leroux, Marche du patois actuel dans Vancien pays de la Mee, St. Brieuc, 1886, p. 8 (quoted by Reis) affirms this 539 3iO Henry Raymond Brush mixture of -aige and -age. The reduction in one case of -iee to -ie and the occurrence of lu in rimes with ahatu, etc., have already been discussed (1, 13, 1, 21). Forms in -er occur rarely in -es laisses, e.g., blechiers, B378; pensers, D476, D482. Conversely, -es and -ez are found in -er laisses, e.g., postez, B490; tappichiSs, B502. Lui becomes ly and rimes with mercy, aussy, etc., B134, D174, etc. In laisses in -es (ez) an ungrammatical s is very frequently added, e.g., passes, B364, D389; Veritas, B367, D392; enversSs, B371, etc.; hlechiez, B452, D467; alosis, B454 (even alosers, D469); d son gris, B458. Sometimes the author changes a modifying pronoun to the plural to agree, e.g., d ses grSs, D471. V. Enjamhement. — Enjambement occurs 24 times in both D and B, e.g., DB17-18, D55-56, B56-57, D102-3, D105-6, D125-26, B146-47, etc. I have included only the most marked cases such as a noun followed by a modifying prepositional phrase in the next line. VI. Faulty verses. — Faulty verses occur rarely in D, 11. 192, 200 (misunderstanding of proper names), and possibly 294; in B they occur 23 times in the MS— 15a, 866, 115a6, 128&, 142a6, 151a, 151a, 2156, 2756, 330a, 3536, 365a, 3716, 380a, 387a, 390a, 3996, 411a, 417a, 4296, 440a, 495a, 497a. Nearly all of these are scribal errors and corrections are either made in the text or indicated in the notes. In the case of 142a6 I have not ventured to do more than prefer the reading of D. VII. The versions of the poem vary considerably in the two MSS, for, of the 499 and 519 lines of D and B, only 138 are identical in both, and even if we add to this the 188 which differ only in a word or in word order, we have still a third of the lines which are not parallel; some are in laisses missing in the one or the other MS; yet, even with such allowance, the reconstruction of a text becomes a questionable matter and for that reason it has seemed preferable to print both MSS as they stand. VI. DATE AND PLACE OF COMPOSITION The Bataille de Trente has generally been assigned to the latter half of the fourteenth century by the various editors of the text up to this time. Freminville remarks that, "L'oeil le moins exerc^ serait frappe de sa ressemblance mat^rielle avec les Chroniques de 540 La Bataille de Trente 31 Saint Denis, ann^es 1375-80."^ He also notes that the arms and armor cited in the poem belong to this period, "notamment le fauchard et le branc et le branc d'acier qui disparut au si^cle suivant." Another part of Fr^minville's introduction is still more specific. He says, "c'est un r^cit en vers, .... compost dans le temps m^me oii elle eut lieu. Ce r^cit, trds detains, a 6t6 6cnt sous le regne de Charles V, c'est k dire seulement quelques ann^es apres Taffaire^^ (1364-79). There is apparently no good reason for doubting Fr^minville's rather general surmise that the Bataille was at least as early as the date indicated. Although B was certainly not copied until after 1402,^ it says of the combatants quer le plus sunt en cendre (B20). At the time the poem was written then, some of them must still have been alive. The fact that D20 reads car les corps sont en cendre does not prevent this assumption. It is evident from the reference to jadis roy Edouart (D199) that D was copied after 1377 but we do not know how much later. There are, however, good reasons for believing that the original poem was written considerably before 1377 and the reference to the demise of Edward III does not stand in the way of an acceptance of this theory because this reference does not occur in B where we find the comparison made to the Agap- part oi"^ he Cycle d^ Orange fame. It is likely that D was copied shortly after Edward's death, when that occurrence was still fresh in the popular mind and his name was therefore substituted by the scribe for the less familiar Agappart (or it may be that Agappart is a sub- stitution of the scribe of B). If the theory be accepted that Jehan le Bel either saw the poem or heard it recited, the date is at once fixed within narrow limits as it is shown by Polain* that from the time of the battle of Poitiers (1356) to the end of his chronicle, which stops abruptly in 1361, he sketched events in diary style, while events from from 1340-1357 are written in a more deliberate manner. If he had an acquaintance with the poem, the latter must have been written before 1357 and this conclusion we are inclined to accept from the tenor of the poem itself. It is written in the full tide of partisan conflict, when the struggle between Blois and Montfort was far from 1 Quoted by Pitre-Chevaller, op. dt., p. 370. 2 Quoted by Daru, op. cit., p. 112, note. » Cf. note to Piece 25 in Bigot MS in Introduction, III, ii. * Op. cit., p. xxxvi. 541 32 Henry Raymond Brush being decided. Eastern Brittany is still in the hands of the Blois party and the idea of its capture by the English is regarded as an idle jest;^ Charles de Blois is apparently no longer a prisoner in England* and his fortunes have not yet taken the desperate turn that they did after the coming of the duke of Lancaster in 1355;* lastly, at the very least, the poem was written while Charles de Blois, who was killed at Auray, in 1364, was still alive.'* Thus, disregarding any considera- tion of Jehan le Bel, the poem was written not later than 1364 nor earlier than 1353. It is probable that it was composed before 1355. As to the locality in which the poem in its original form was composed, all the evidence goes to show that it was written not very far from the scene of the combat. It is intensely partisan in its spirit but the author is in plain sympathy with the French as well as with Charles de Blois;* we have a vivid realistic picture of the miserable peasants led in chains to Ploermel, such a picture as an eyewitness might well have sketched. The author is acquainted with the geographical features which he describes. The moult beau pri with its vegetation and the chesne de Mye-voie are known to him. All the members of both parties are named. This would not be surprising in the case of the Bretons but it would astonish us if he could enumer- ate all the English, for the most part men of comparative insignifi- cance, unless he had some personal knowledge of them. The conclusion we draw is also borne out by what we are permitted to judge of the original language of the poem. Both MSS, as might be expected of any composition of so late a date, are filled with Francian traits which occur in D along with the western forms. The scantiness of rimes has already been mentioned; however, two are significant for the language of the author. In D249, B210 occurs the form au jour d'S for au jour d'ui (cf. Introduction, V, I, 6) which is found in lUe-et-Vilaine. This brings us within a short distance of the scene of the combat. Further west at this time the Breton language was spoken. The local tone eliminates a consideration of the more easterly portion of g-\-i development. The other form in rime is lu (for luy) in D228, B189, etc. (cf. Introduction, V, I, 21), which, « Cf. D66-64; B56-63. * He was ransomed early In 1353; cf. La Borderie, op. cit.. Ill, 536. » Cf. La Borderie, op. cit.. Ill, 547. * Cf. D238; B199. » Cf. D237; B198. 542 La Bataille de Trente 33 according to Miss Pope, is regular for Anjou, just south of where we suppose the Bataille to have been written. Its occurrence in the popular speech of Maine has also been affirmed. Putting these linguistic features together, we believe we are justified in concluding that the Bataille was written in the southern part of lUe-et-Vilaine, not far from the boimdary of Morbihan, or possibly even in the eastern part of the latter department. VII. AUTHOR The authorship of the Bataille has been ascribed to Cuvelier,^ the author of the Vie Vaillant de Bertrand du Guescliriy^ on account of a great similarity of style. It is not to be denied that the work of Cuvelier, written in the same meter, soimds in many places like the Bataille. On the other hand, a great deal of this effect is produced by repetitions of epic phrases and conventional terms that are a general characteristic of the chanson de geste and not to the Bataille and the Vie Vaillant de Bertrand du Guesclin alone. We have seen that the Bataille was written probably as early as 1355, while the poem of Cuvelier was composed after 1380.^ It is also significant that, while Cuvelier mentions Beaumanoir and several others who were in the Bataille de Trente, he nowhere refers to that event as he would certainly be likely to do if he had been the author of our poem. Again, in the passage of Cuvelier's poem (11. 1670 ff.), in the account of the capture of Fougerai he brings Du Guesclin into conflict with two Englishmen, Guillaume and Robert de Brambroc. Who these individuals were has not been determined. Charridre* thinks it probable that tradition has established a connection between the English leader of the Bataille and the leader at Fougerai. However that may be, one thing is certain, namely, that if Cuvelier wrote the Bataille he would not have been likely to cause Brambro to be killed a second time, by Du Guesclin. This deduction from the subject matter is also borne out by the rimes in the poem of Cuvelier. A laisse in u, which is so favored by the author of the Bataille, is almost unknown in the approxi- mately 23,000 lines of the Bertrand du Guesclin where we find only 1 Cf. De Courcy, op. cit., p. 15. » Cf. ed. CharriSre, 2 vols., Paris, 1835. » Cf. ed. CharriSre, op. cit., I, p. Ixvi. * Op. cit., II, p. 337. 543 34 Henry Raymond Brush one laisse (11. 19928-72) with this termination and only nine laisses in -us. While the form lu is found four times in rime in both MSS of the Bataille it is entirely lacking in Cuvelier and is even avoided by inversion (e.g., 395, de lui quatre festus). Lui is frequent in laisses in -i. The development p-fi = ^ is also unknown; instead, we have regularly m (e.g., /im, 1778; anm7, 19969; anm^te, 1404; pluie : prae- He, 18364-65). On the other hand we have laisses in -ie which show numerous reductions of -iee to -ie which is entirely lacking in the Bataille save for the easily explained aillie. Who then did write the Bataille? De Courcy says, "wn trouvere inconnu^'^ and probably not much more can be affirmed. We may hazard a conjecture that the author was of the clergy, possibly con- nected with Saint MarceP (D455), for the religious note is frequently struck. Moreover, there are many learned words, especially in B laisses XXVII and XV; D XVI. But whatever his standing, it seems very probable that he was a Breton from not far from the scene of the battle and that he wrote within a few years after it occurred. Henry Raymond Brush Hope College » Op. cit., p. 16. « Cf. note to D455. 544 LA BATAILLE DE TRENTE ANGLOIS ET DE TRENTE BRETONS. II [Bigot MS] f. 50p. Cy commence la bataille de .xxx. Englois et de .xxx. Bretons qui fu faite em Bretaigne, Tan de grace mil trois cent cinquante, le sanmiedi devant htare Jherusalem. I Seignem^, or faites paix, chevaliers et barons, Bannerois bachelers, et trestoux nobles hons, Evesques et abb^s, gens de religions, Heraulx, menestreelx, et tons bons compaignons, Gentilz hons et bourgois de toutes nacions, 5 Escoutez cest roumant que dire vous voulons. L'istoire en est vraie et lez dix en sont bons; Conmient trente Englois, hardix comme hons, Combatirent un jour contre trente Bretons, f. 51r. Et pour ce j'en vueil dire le vray et lez raisons, 10 Sy s'esbatront sou vent gentilz hons et clarjons De cy jusqu'^ cent ans, pour vray, en leurs maisons. n T>ons dix, quant ilz sunt bons et de bonne centence, -■-' Toux gens de bien, d'onneur, et de grant sapience. Pour ouir et conter, y maitent leur entente; 15 Mais faillis et jaloux sy n'y veulent entendre. Or en wueil commenchier et raison en wueil rendre De la noble bataille que on a dit dez trente; Sy pri k celluy Dieu, qui sa char laissa vendre, Qu'il ait mercy des armes, quer le plus sunt en cendre. 20 III Quant Dagorne fu mort, de cest siecle devi6, — Devant Auray le fort fu fin^e sa vie — Dez barons de Bretaingne et de leur compaignie, Dieu leur face mercy, par sa sainte piti^! En son vivant avoit pour certain ordonn^ 25 Que [les] menues gens (de ville), ceulx qui gaingnent le hU, Ne seroient dez Englois plus prins ne guerroi^. 8, trente] xxx; 9, trente] xxx; 15, conter] esconter. Modern Philology, July, 1912] 36 [82 La Bataille de Trente 37 [DiDOT MS] I f . Ir. O eignours, or escoutez, et trestous bons barons, ^ Baneretz chevaliers et trestous nobles horns, Evesques et abb^s, gents de religions, Gentilz homes, bourgois de toutes nacions, Heraultz, haulx menestriers, et tons bons compaignons; 5 Escoutez cest romants que dire vous voulons. L'istoire en est vroye et les motz en sont bons; Coment trente Engloix, hardiz comme lyons, Combatirent ung jour contre trente Bretons. Et pour ce le vueil dire: droict le vieult, et raisons; 10 Si s'en esbateront gentilz homs et clergons Dedans cent ans encore souvant en leurs maisons. II L'en dist quar il est vroy et de belle sentence, Trestous les gents de bien, d'onneur et sapience. Pour ouyr et compter, mettent bien leur entente; 15 Mais faillis et gloutons sy n'y veulent entendre. /^r vous vueil commencier et raison vous vueil rendre ^^ De la noble bataille qui est nomm6[e] de trente. Sy prye celuy Dieu, qui sa char laissa vendre, Qu'il ait piti6 des ammes, car les corps sont en cendre. 20 III de c f . Iv. y^ Devant Auh-ay le fort fust le baron tu^ — /^uant Dagome fut mort, de ce si^cle devi^, — Dieu luy face mercy, par sa saincte piti^! En son vivant avoit pour certen ordonn^ Que les menues gents, ceulx qui gaignent le bl6, 25 Ne fussent des Angloix plus prins ne guerroy^. 17, rendre] tendre; 20, ammes] ames. 83 38 Henrt Raymond Brush [Bigot MS] Quant le baron fu mort, tantost fu oubli6, Quer Bomcbourc pour certain est pour luy demour^, Qui jure Saint Thomas que bien sera vengi6; 30 Puis a la terre prinse et le pais gast6, Et embla Ploermel k doeul et k vilt^. Bien faisoit de Bretaingne toute sa voulant^, Tant qu'avint la journ^e que Dieu oust ordonn^, Que Beaumaner le bon, qui tant fu alos6, 35 Messire Jehan le sage, le preux et le sen6, Vers lez Englois alia pour parler k seurt^. Sy vit pener chetifz dont il oust grant piti^; Ly un estoit en chesp et ly aultre ferr6, Ly aultre §s gresiUons et ly ault(e)re en cel6, 40 Deux et deux, trois et trois, chascun sy fu \i6. Comme(nt) vaches et bouefz que Ten maine au marchi^. f . 51v. Quant Beaumanoir lez vit, du coeur a soupir^, Sy a dit ^ Bomcbourc par moult tres grant fiert^: "Chevaliers d'Engleterre, vous faictes grant pechi^ 45 De travaillier lez povres, ceulz qui siement le bl6, Et la char et le vin de quoy a von plants. Se laboureux n'estoient, je vous dy mon pens6, Lez noblez convendroit travaillier en I'er^ Au flaiel (et) k (la) houette, et souffrir povret4; 60 Et ce seroit grant paine quant n'est acoustum^. Paix aient d'or en avant, quer trop Font endur^, Le testament Dagorne est bien tost oubli4." It Bomcbourc sy respont par moult tres grant fiert^: -"Beaumaner, taisi6s-vous, de ce n'y soit (plus) parl6. 55 Monfort sy sera due de la noble duchi^ De Pontorsum k Nantez, jusquez k Saint Mah6; Edouart sera roy de France couronn^; Englois auront mestrie, partout auront post^, Maulgr^ tous lez Franchois et ceulx de leur cost6." 60 Et Beaumaner respont par grant humility : — "Songi^s un aultre songe, cetuy est mal songi6, Quer jamais par tel voie n'en auriez demy pi^." 31, gast6] gaistS; 32, Ploermel] Pelmel; 37, alia] allerent; 39, en] un; 40, 5s gre- siUons] egreslUons; 42, vaches et bouefz] bouefz et vaches; 55, n'y soit] n'aist. 84 E^ La Bataille de Trente 89 [DiDOT MS] Quant le baron fust mort, tout ce fust oubly^, Car Brambroc pour certein pour luy est demour6, Qui jura Sainct Thomas que il sera veng^, Et ot toute la terre et le pais gast^. 30 Lors ambla Ploearmel k dueil et h, vilt6; Bien faisoit de Bretaigne toute sa volenti, Jusques vint la journee que Dieux ot ordonn^, Que Beaumanoir le bon, qui tant fust alos^, Messire Jehan le saige, le preux et le sen6, 35 Aloit veoir les Angloix et parler k seurt6. Si vit paouvres chetififz dont il eust grant piti6; Les imgs estoint ds septs et les aultres ferr^, Deux et deux, trois et trois, ainsin estoint ly^s, Comme vachez et beuffz que Ten maine au marcM, 40 Chascun souffroit grant peine, douleur orphanit^. Quant Beaumanoir les vit, du cueur a souspir4; V A Brambroc sy a dist par grant humility : "Chevalier d' Angle terre, vous faictes grant pechi6 De travailler le peuple qui laboure le bl4; 46 Et la char et le bl6 de ceulx avons plants. Si laboureurs ne fussent, ie vous dy mon pans6, Les nobles couvendroit travailler en Tar^ Au flayeul, k houette, et souffrir pouvret^; Ellas! ce seroit peine k qui n'a coustum^. 50 Paix ayent d'or en avant, ass4s ont endur^, Le testament Dagorne n'est mye achiv4; Executour en estes, qu'il soit execute." Et Brambroc luy a dist par moult tres grant fiert^: f. 2r. — "Beaumanoir, taisiez-vous, de ce n'y soit parl4; 55 Montf ort sy sera due de la noble duchi^ De Pontorson k Nantes, jusques k Saint Mah6; Edouart sera roy de France couronn6; Angloix auront le haut partout et poest6, Maulgr^ tous les Frangoys et ceulx de leur cost^." 60 Et Beaumanoir respont, le preux et le sen6, A Brambroc et a dist par moult tres grant fiert^: — "Song^s ung aultre songe, car cestuy est song^, Car jamais par tel voye n'y aur6s demy pi6." 49, a houette] la houette. 40 Henry Raymond Brush [Bigot MS] IV "Bomcbourc," dit Beaumaner, "sachiez certainement Que toutes vos gouberges sy ne valent noient: 65 Ceulx qui le plus en dient, en la fin leur mesprent. Or le faison, Bomcbourc, s'il vous plaist, sagement; Combaton nous ensemblez k un ajournement, Soixante compaignons, ou quatre vingt, ou cent; Adonc verra on bien, pour vray certainement, 70 Qui aura tort ou droit sans aller plus avant." — "Sire," ce dit Bomcbourc, "et je le vous fiant." 69. quatre vingt]. iiij. zx. La Bataille de Trente 41 [DlDOT MS] IV 'T>rambroc," dist Beaumanoir, "saichez certeinement 65 -^ Que trestous voz goberges n'y valent ung nyent; Celuy qui plus en parle, maintes foiz se mesprent. Or le faesmes, beau sire, si vous plaist, saigement; Combatons nous ensemble h img adioumement, — Sexante compaignons, ou quatre vingt, ou cent — 70 Et lors verra Ton cler adoncques et vrayment, Qui aura tort ou droit, sans aller plus avant." B- rambroc," dist Beaumanoir, "pour Dieu le droitturier, Vous estes vaillant honune et moult soutiff guerrier; Ven^s k la journ^e sans exoine mander. 75 L'an dist mainte parole qu'on vouldroit rappeller Et dist on grants goberges souvant dessus disner; Si ne me faictes mie, comme k Pierres Angier, Le vaillant homme noble, le gentil bachelier. vous il print joumee, ce fust pour batailler; 80 A Ambissat la ville, comme ie ouy compter, y Et 1^ vint au dit lieu, pour sa foy acquiter, A six vingts esperons, tons faitz d'or et d'acier. Brambroc, vous deffaillistes, n'y osastes aler; Cest faict cy est moult grant, vous n'en dev^s mocquer, 86 De cy k ung grant temps Ton en vouldra parler." — "T>eaumanoir," dist Brambroc, "pour Dieu laiss^s ester, f. 2v. XJ Qar je seroy ou champ pour certein le premier; Avec moy trente hommes, sans croistre ne besser. Qui seront tons couvers de bon fer et d'acier. 90 Ja n'y menroy villain, Dieu me vueille ayder, Car le maindre de tous sy sera escuyer, Portant timicles d'armes, luy ou son davancier." Mais Brambroc sy mentist, h celer ne vous quier, II meina ung villein avoueltre pautonnier 95 Qui portoit bien de febves, sur son coul ung sextier; Le ventre ot plus gros que celuy d'ung coursier. Brambroc, par grant fiert^, ce jour le fist armer; Par luy cuida la mort de Dagorne venger; Il|devoit tout abatre, le villein losengier. 100 |e Beaumanoir le noble je vous en vueil compter; A Brambroc sy a dist: " Je vueil de cy aler 70, quatre vingt] iiij. xx. 87 D 42 Henry Raymond Brush [Bigot MS] V A insi fu la bataille jur^e par tel point -^^ Que, sans barast ne fraude, loiaulment le fero[i]nt Et, d'un cost6 et d'aultre, toux k cheval sero[i]nt. 76 f . 62r. Sy pri au roy de gloire, qui tout sait et tout voi[n]t, Qu'il en aist au droit, quer ce en est le point. o VI r ont ils k Pelmel la bataille jur6e. A trente compaingnons, chascun de sa men^e. Puis s'en vint Beaumaner, k la chiere membr^e, 80 Au chasteau Josselin, la nouvelle a compt^e, Le fait et rent[r]eprinse, mestier n'y a cel^e, De luy et de Bomcbourc comment ell[el est al4e. L^ trouva des barons moult tres grant assembl^e; Chacun la mercy Dieu en out moult merchi^e. 85 VII — * ' Q eigneurs," dit Beaumaner, "sachiez sans demourance ^ Qu'entre Bomcbourc et moy avon fait acordance, A trente compaignons, chacun de grant puissance. Sy feroit bon choisir qui bien ferroit de lance, Et de hache et d'esp^e et de dague pesante. 90 Sy pry le roy de gloire, le Dieu de sapience, Qu[e] aions Tavantage, ne seron en doubtance. As4s em parlera on en roiaulme de France Et par toutes lez terres de cy jusqu' h Plaisance." VIII [A] Beaumaner ont dit (lez) nobilles bacheliers; 95 Et la chevalerie, servans et escuiers, Dient k Biaumaner, "Nous (y) yron volentiers Pour destruire Bomcbourc et toux sez soudoiers. 76, sait] soit; 78, ont] onlt; 82, mestier n'yacel6e] maistrey n'y a celSe; 85, out] on 86, demourance] doubtance; 88, trente] xxx; 95, bacheliers] barons. La Bataille de Trente 43 [DiDOT MS] A chasteau Jocelin pour mes gents ordrenner." — "Al^s," se dist Brambroc, "auxi je vueil mander; Par toute la duchi6 je fer^ assambler 105 Touts les nobles Angloix que je pourroy trouver." VI A insin fust la bataille jur^e par tel point, ■^-^ Et que, sans nulle fraude, loyaulment le feroyent, Et d'ung cost6 et d'aultre, touts k cheval seroyent, Ou trois, ou cinq, ou six, ou touts se ilz vouloint; 110 Sans election d'armes, ainxin se combatroint. En guise et maniere que chascun le vouldroint. Sy pry au roy de gloire, qui voit et bas et mont, Qu[e]il aide au droit, car icy est le poinct. o- VII |r ont k Ploearmel la bataille jur^e 115 D'eulx combatre ensemble, k certeine journ^e, A trente compaignons, chascun de sa livr^e. Puis s'en vint Beaumanoir, k la chere membr^e, A chasteau Jocehn, la nouvelle a compt^e, Et le faict(e) et la chose comme[nt] eUe est al^e; 120 f. 3r. De luy et de Brambroc n'y a chose ceMe. L^ trouva des barons moult grande Tassambl^e; Chascun la Nostre Dame en eust moult graci^e. VIII — "Oeigneurs," dist Beaumanoir, "sachez sans demourance ^ Qu'entre Brambroch et moy en avons accordance 125 De nous combattre ensemble, sans nulle deffaillance, A trente compaignons, chascun de grant puissance. Si auroit bon mestier choisir qui fiert de lance Et de bon branc d'acier, car la chose est grande; Et si Jhesucrist donne par sa saincte puissance 130 Que Tavantaige ayons, ne soyez en doubtance, Moult en sera parl^ par le royaulme de France Et par tout le pays qui tient son aUance." IX /^r vont k Beaumanoir les nobles bacheliers ^^ Et la chevalerie, servants et escuyers, 135 Et dyent, "Noble sire, nous irons volentiers Pour destruire Brambroch, luy et ses souldoyers; 110, ou cinq, ou six] ou. v. ou. vj. 89 44 Henry Raymond Brush [Bigot MS] II n'aura ja de nous ne ranchon ne deniers, Car nous sommes hardix et vaillans et entiers; 100 Nous ferron sur Engloiz de moult grans coux planiers. IX T>ren6s qu'il vous plaira, tres nobile baron." — " Je pren[dray] Tintinlac, k Dieu soit beneichon, Et Guy de Rochefort et Charruel le bon, Guillaume de La Marche sera mon compaignon, 105 Et Robin Raguenel, en non de Saint Y[v]on, Caron de Boscdegas, qu (e)* oublier ne doit on, Messire Giuffrai de Bou^s, qui est de grant renon, f . 52p. Et Olivier Arel, qui est hardy Breton, Messire Jehan Rousselot, qui a coeur de lion; 110 Se ceulx ne se defifendent de Bomcbourc le felon, Jamais je n'auray joye par mon entencion." A pres convient choisir moult trez noble escuier; De Montauban Guillaume prendray tout le premier, (Et) de Tintinlac Alain, qui tant est [bon et] fier, 116 Pinctinien Tritran, qui tant fait k proisier, Alain de Carramois et son oncle Olivier, Lois Guion vendra ferir d'un branc d'achier, Luy et le Fonstenois, pour lem^s corps essoier. Hauguet Capus le sage ne doit on oublier, 120 Et Giuffrai de la Roche sera fait cevalier, De Brice, son bon pere, qui ala guerroier Jusques (en) Costentinnoble, pour grant honneur gaingner: Se ceulx ne se deffendent de Bourcbourc le merchier. Qui chaillenge Bretaingne, — Dieu luy dont encombrier! 125 Jamais ils ne devroient chaindre de branc d'achier. XI /^hoisy a Beaumanoir, ainsy com vous ay dit, ^^ Giuffray Poulart, Morisce, — [cil] de Tris[6]guidy — Et Guion de Pontblanc ne mestroy en oubly, Et Morisce Du Pare, un escuier hardy, 130 107, Boscdegas] Bosc de gas; 111, ceulx] ib eidx; 114, Montauban] Mont Auban; 118, Lois Guion vendra] Lors Guion y vendra; 121, de La Roche] de Roche; 129, Pont- blanc] Porcblant; 130, Du Pare] Du Part. 90 La Bataille de Trente 45 [DiDOT MS] De nous n'aura il mye ne ransczons ne deniers, Car nous sommes hardis et courants et legiers; Et ferrous sur Angloix de moult grans coups et fiers. 140 Prenez qui vous plaira, tres droit noble baron." — "Oeigneurs," dist Beaumanoir, "si les enchoisisson." ^ Et prindrent Tyntjmiac, h Dieu le beneisson, Et Guy de Rocheffort et Charruel le bon, Et Robin Raganel, ou nom de Saintt Symon, 145 Caro de Bodegat, qui moult est bel et bon, Guillaume de la Lande sera son compaignon, Et Olivier Arrel, qui est hardy Breton, Sire Jehan Rousselet, qui a cueur de leon, Messire Geffray Du Boys, le gentil compaignon: 160 Si ceulx ne se deffendent de Brambroch le fellon, Jamais je n'auroy joie en mon entencion. XI A mpres couvint choisir maint gentil escuyer; f; 3c. -l\. j)g Montauban Guillaume prindrent tout le primier, De Tyntyniac Alain, qui tant a le cueur fier, 155 De Pestivien Tristan, qui tant est bon guerrier, Alain de Keranraes et son oncle Olivier; Louys Gouyon vendra ferir du branc d'acier, Luy et le Fontenais, pour leurs corps aloser, Huet Captus le noble ne devons oublier, 160 Et Geffroy de la Roche sera fait chevaUer; Si Dieu plaist, la joum^e luy debvra remambrer De la bont6 son pere, qui ala guerroyer Jusques Constentinnoble, pour son corps aloser. Ceulx cy se deffendront de Brambroch le baffier, 165 Qui chalonge la terre, — Dieu luy doint encombrier! XII /'"^hoisy a Beaumanoir, ainsi comme vous dy, ^^ Gefifroy Poulart, Morice, — cil de Tr^z^guidy — Et Guyon de Pontblanc, qui est moult bon amy, Et Morice Du Pare, ung escuyer hardy, 170 159, le] les. 91 46 Henry Raymond Brush [Bigot MS] Et Guiffray de Beaucorps, qui est moult son amy, Et celuy de Lenlop, Giuflfray Mellon aussy. Tous ceulx que il appele luy en rendent mercy; lis sunt touz k present, ils s'enclinent vers luy. XII A pres print Beaumanoir, c'est chose sans doubtance, 135 •^-^ Jehanot Desserain, Guillaume de la Lande, Olivier Montevile, homme de grant puissance, Et Symonnet Pachart, pas n'i fera faillance. Toux y metront leurs coeurs et leurs corps em balance Et tant simt assembles sans nulle demourance. 140 Dieu lez wueille garder de male pestilence! XIII f. 53r. i~\T choisy Beaumanoir tout son nombre ^^ De trente bons Bretons, — or lez gart Dieu de honte Et k leurs anemis envoit Dieu tele encontre, Qu'ilz soient desconfis, voiant de tout le monde! 145 XIV TV/Tessire Robert Bomcbourc a choysy d'aultre part -^'^ A trente compaingnons dont il avoit grant tart; Je vous djTay leurs nons, par le corps Saint Be[r]nart. Ly un sy fu Canolez, Carvalay et Crucart, Messire Jehan Plansanton, Ridel e le gaillart, 150 Helecoq son frere, et Jennequin Taillart, Rippefort le vaiUant, et d'llande Richart, Tommelin Belifort, qui moult sust du renart, — Cil combatoit d'un mail qui pesoit bien le quart De cent livres d'achier, se Dieu ait en moy part. 155 Huceton Clemenbean combatoit d'un fauchart Qui tailloit d'un cost^, crochu fu d'aultre part, Devant fu amour6 trop plus que n'est un dart. II poursembloit lez armes jadix roy Agappart Quant combaty de lance encontre Renouart; 160 Cil qu'il ataint k coup, I'ame du corps lui part. Jennequin Betoncamp, Renequin Herouart, Et Gaule rAl[e]mant, Huebnie le vilart, 143, trente] xxx; 144, envoit] avoit; 147. trente] xxx; 155, livres] 11. 92 La Bataille de Trente 47 [DiDOT MS] Et Geffroy de Beaucours, n'en soyez esbahy, Celuy de la Villong, Geffroy Moelon auxi. Tous ceulx qu'il en appelle luy en rendent mercy Et vont tous k genoulx, escuyers devant luy. XIII Ampres print Beaumanoir, c'est chose sans doubtance, 175 Jahannot de Serrant, homme de grant puissance, Olivier Bouteville, Guillaume de La Lande, Et S3nnonet Richard, ceulx n'y feront faillance. Ceulx y mettront leurs cueurs et leurs corps en balance Pour garder leurs pais de male aUence. 180 Atant se sont partis sans point de demourance, — Dieu les vueille garder de male pestilance! XIV Or si a Beaumanoir choisy trestout son nombre De trente compaignons, — Dieu les garde de honte Et k leurs ennemis envoye male encontre, 185 Que ilz soint desconfilz, voyant trestout le mondel XV f. 4r. ~|%/ressire Robert Brambroch a choisy d'aultre part ^^ De trente compaignons dont il avoit grant tart; Je ne s^ay pas leurs noms, mais le cueur si m'en art, Mais o luy fust CroU^s, Tavarllay et Conchart, 190 Messire Jehan Plesanton, Redoure le gaillart, Huelcoc et son frere, Renequin Relcart Ripeffart le vaillant, et ung aultre Richard, Thomehn Belliffart, qui fust fier de regard, — Gil combatoit d'ung mail qui pesoit bien le marc 195 De cent livres d'acier, sy Dieu m'ait en sa part. Huelcoq Glomean combatoit d'ung fussart Qui tailloit d'ung cost^, crochu fust d'aultre part; Ce jour sambloit les armes jadis roy Edouart. Jehannot Begurcamp, Renequin Helcart, 200 Et Gaultier I'Alemant, Hulbure le veillart, 172, Moelon] Moelou; 185, encontre] honte. 93 48 Henry Raymond Brush [Bigot MS] Renequin Mareschal, cy mouru celle part, Thommelin Houalton, Robinet Melipart, 165 Isanay le hardy, Helichon le musart, Troussel, Robin Ad6s et Dango le couart, Et le nepveu Dagorne, fier fu com un liespart, Et quatre Brebenchons, par le corps Saint Godart, Perrot de Commelain, Guillemin le gaillart, 170 (Et) Raoulet d'Aspremont, d'Ardaine fu le quart. Bretons desconfiront, ce dient, par leur art, Et conquerront Bretaingne jusqu'aupres de Dinart; Mais de fole vantance est maint tenu musart. XV f. 53c. f~\r a Robert Bomcbourc choysy ses compaignons. 175 ^^ Trente furent par nombre et de trois nations; Car vingt Englois y oust, hardis comme lions, Et six bons Alemans et quatre Brebenchons. Armez furent de plates, bacines, hauberjons: Espies ourent, et dagues et lancez et fauchons; 180 Et Englois jurent Dieu, qui souffri passions, Beaumanoir sera mort, le gentilz et li bons. Mais ly preux et ly sages jfist ses devocions Et faisoit dire messes par grant oblacions Que Dieu leur soit en aide par sez saintismes nons. 185 XVI Quant le temps fu pass^ et le jour fu venu Que rendre se devoient dessus le pr6 herbu, Beaimianoier le vaillant, que Dieu croisse en vertu, Sez compaignons apele; qu'ilz vindrent toux k luy, Et leur fist dire messez, chacun fu absolu, 190 Prinrent leur sacrement en non du roy Jhesu. XVII "O eigneurs," dit Beaumanoier o le hardy visage, ^ " Ja trouverois Englois, qui sunt de grant courage, lis sunt en volenti de nous faire doumage: Sy vous pry et requier, chascun de bon courage, 195 177, vingt] XX.; 178, six] vj; 182, bons] hons. 94 La Bataille de Trente 49 [DiDOT MS] Jennequin Mareschal, qui momst celle part, Thomelin Houlnanton, Robinet Melipart, Issinay, Bicquillay, et Harclou le musart, Trousel, Robin Nadr^s, Huelton le contart, 205 Et le nepvou Dagorne, fier comme ung liepart. Quatre Bretons y furent, par le corps Saint Lenart, Perrot de Cornelian et Hamon le gaillart, Raoulet du Primant, Dagorne Renouart, Trente furent nommez des gents roy Edouart; 210 Bretons desconfiront s'ilz treuvent en leur art, Et concquerront Bretaigne jusquez chasteau Dynart; Mais de folle cuydance est moult tenu musart. O XVI ir a Robert Brambroch choisy ses compaignons. Trente furent par nombre et de trois nacions; 215 Car vingt Anglois y eust, hardis comme lyons, Avecq six Al[e]mans avoit quatre Bretons. Arm^s furent de plates, bacynes, haubergons, Et espies et lances et de maintes faescons. f. 4:V. Tous jur(er)ent Jhesucrist, qui souffrist passions, 220 Beaumanoir sera prins, le gentil et le bons. Mais le preux et le sage fit ses de visions; II fist dire des messes par grant devocions, Que Dieu luy soit [en] aide, par ses santismes noms. XVII Quant le temps fust pass6 et le iour fust venu 225 Que rendre se debvoient dedans le pr6 herbu, Beaumanoir le vaillant, k qui Dieu doint salu, Ses compaignons appelle et vindrent tous k lu. II leur fist dire messes, chascun fust absolu, Et prindrent sacrement ou nom du doulx Jhesu. 230 XVIII "O eigneurs," dist Beaumanoir o le hardy visaige; ^ " Ja trouverons Angloix qui sont de grant oultrage, Et en grant volenti de nous faire domaige; Si vous pry et requiers, ait chascun bon couraige, 218. plates] places. 95 so Henry Raymond Brush [Bigot MS] Ten^s-vous Tun k I'autre, com gent vaillant et sage; Se Jhesucrist vous donne la force et Tavantage, Moult en ara grant joye de France le bernage Et le due debonnaire, k qui j'ay fait houmage, Et la f ranee duchesse, k qui suis de lignage: 200 Jamais ne nous haerront k jour de leur aage." Et chascun jure Dieu, qui hons fist en s'image: "Se nous trouvons Bomcbourc au plain, hors du boscage, Jamais ne le verra honune de son lignage." o- XVIII ir diroy de Bomcbourc qui tant a exploiti^ 205 De trente compaignons dont il est ali^. Ensemble lez amaine belement, droit au pr6, f. 54r. Et leur a dist k toux, c'est fine verity : "J'ay fait lire mez livrez, Merlin a destin^ Que nous aron victoire sur Bretons au jour d'6, 210 Et puis sera Bretaigne [et] France, de ver(i)t6 Au bon roy Edouart, car je Tay ordonn^. " XIX "Oeigneurs," ce dit Bomcbourc, "soiez baulx et jolis; ^ Soiez seurs et certains que Beaumanoir est prins, Lui et sez compaignons, pi6 n'y en demourra vis, 215 Et puis lez amerron k Edouart le gentilz, Le franc roy d'Engleterre, qui cy nous a tramis. Sy fera de leurs corps trestout k son devis; Nous lui rendron lez terres prinses jusqu'^ Paris, Puis ne nous atendront lez Bretons vis k vis." 220 Ainsy le dit Bomcbourc, c'estoit tout son avis; Mais se il plaist k Dieu, le roy de paradix, Pas ne vendra si tost k chief de ses devis. XX i~\T a tant fait Bomcbourc, qu'il est premier venu ^^ A trente compaignons dedens le pr6 herbu; 225 A haulte vois s'escrie, "Beaumanoier, oil es-tu? Je croy bien k m'entente que tu es defalu, Des c'on f [ejist (em) bataille, k riens ne t'a[s] tenu." A yceste parole Beaumanoier est venu. 202, flst]f fist; 204, le verra] le le verra; 209, Merlin] Meslin; 225, trente] xxx. 96 La Bataille de Trente 51 [DiDOT MS] Ten^s vous Tun k I'autre, comme vaillans et saige; 235 Et si Jhesucrist done que ayons Favantaige, Moult en aura grant joye de France le barnaige Et le due debonaire, k qui je fis hommaige, Et la f ranche duchesse, k qui suys de lignaige : Jamais ne nous hayeront, a jour de leur viage." 240 Chascun en jure Dieu, qui les fist a s'(on) ymaige, Que s'ilz trouvent Brambroch en plain, hors de bocaige, Que jamais ne verra homme de son lignaige. XIX /~\t dirons de Brambroch qui tant a explet^ ^^ De trente compaignons dont il est ali^, 245 Ensemble les ameine, bellement par le pr6, Et leur a dist k tous, c'est pure verity : " J'ay fait lire mes livres, Merlin a destin^ Que nous aurons victoire sur Bretons au jour d'^; Et puis sera Bretaingne et France abandonn^ 250 Au bon roy Edouart, car je Tay ordenn6." XX "Oeigneurs," ce dist Brambroch, "soi^s b(e)aulx et jolis, f. 5r. ►^ Et tous seurs et certains que Beaumanoir est prins; Luy et ses compaignons n'auront ung pi6 d'avis, Tous les envoyer^ k Edouart [le] gentilz, 255 Le franc roy d'Angleterre, qui cy nous a transmis. II fera de leurs corps trestout k ses devis; Nous luy rendrons les terres prinses jusques Paris; Plus ne nous actendront les Bretons vis ^ vis." Ainsin estoit par foy trestout son grant advis; 260 Mais, sy Dieu plaist, le pere et roy de paradis, II n'yra pas sy tost k chieff de ses devis. XXI f~\T a tant fait Brambroc, que premier est venu ^-^ A trente compaignons dedans le pr6 herbu; A haulte voix il crie, "Beaumanoir, ou es tu? 265 Je crois en mon entent[e] que tu es deffaillu." A yceste parolle est Beaumanoir venu. * 97 52 Henry Raymond Brush [Bigot MS] XXI "T>eaiimanoir," dit Bomcbourc, "se nous voulons, amis, 230 -^-^ (Re)muons ceste journ^e et soit ariere mis; Et j'envoieray nouvelles k Edouart le gentilz Et vous yr6s parler au roy de Saint Denis; Et se le fait leur plaist, ainsy com il est prins, Nous nous rendron ycy, un jour que sera mis." 236 "Sire," dit Beaumanoir, "de ce auray avis." XXII T>eaumanoir le vaillant, k la chiere membr^e, -*-* A(s) ses gens em present la nouvelle a compt^. "Seigneurs, Bourcbourc vouldroit la chose remu^e, Que chascun s'en alast sans y ferir collie; 240 Sy veueil bien qu'entre vous m'en di^s vo pens^e; f . 54r. Car par ycelluy Dieu, qui fit ciel et rous^e, Dendroit moy n'en prendroye tout Tor d'une contr^e Que yceste bataille ne fust faicte ne oultr^e." Lors parla Charuel, la couleur a mu^e, 245 N'y oust meilleur de luy de chi la mer sal^e: "Sire, nous sommez trente venus en ceste pr6e, N'y a celluy qui n'ait dague, lance et esp^e. Tons praes[t] de nous combatre, en non Saincte Homour^e, A Bomcbourc, puisqu'il a la terre chalengi^e 250 Au franc due debonnaire. Cil ait male dur^e Qui jamais s'en ira sans y ferir col^e, Ne qui la (re)muera pour prendre aultre joum^e." Puis respont Beaumaner, "Ceste chose m'agr^e; Alons k la bataille comment ell[e] est jur^e." 255 XXIII "T>omcbourc," dit Beaumanoir, "vous orrois mon courage; ■^-^ Voyez 1^ Charuel o le hardy visage, Et toux lez compaignons, que te seroit hontage De (re)muer la bataille qu'as offerte k [IJ'oultrage [Qu]'avoiz fait au franc due, qui est courtoiz et sage; 260 Si jure(nt) chacun Dieu, qui hons fist en s'image, Que vous morrois k honte, voyant tout le bernage; Et vous et tons vos gens, et tout par vostre oultrage." 247, trente] xxx. 98 La Bataille de Trente 53 [DiDOT MS] XXII "Beaumanoir," dist Brambroc, "je vous pry, beaux amys, Remuons cestuy terme et soit en avant mis Et je envoyer^ k Edouart le gentilz 270 Et vous yr6s parler au roy de Saint Denis; Et si le fait leur plaist, ainsin que il est prins, Si nous rend[r]on icy, le jour que sera mis." "Brambroc," dist Beaumanoir, "je auroy bien advis." XXIII "Oeaumanoir le vaillant, o la chi^re li4e, 275 A ses gents en present la nouvelle a cont^e. "Seigneurs, Brambroc vouldroit la chose remu^e Et que chascun iroit sans y ferir col^; Si vueil bien qu'entre vous dig^s vostre pens^e, — Car par icelluy Dieu qui fist ciel et rous^e, 280 Dendroit moy ne prandroie tout Tor d'une contr^e Que surement bataille ne soit faicte et oultr^e." Lors parla Charruel a la chi^re membr^e, "Sire, nous sommes trente venus en ceste pr^e; N'a celuy qui n'a lance et hache et esp4e, 285 f. 5v. Tons prestz de nous combatre, ou nom Saincte Anor^e, Brambroc, puisqu'il a la terre chaleng^e Par sa desesperance. Qu'il ait male dur^e Qui mais remuera pour prendre aultre joum^e!" Puis respont Beaumanoir, "Ceste chose m'agr^e." 290 Et a dist k Brambroc, "Ne soit chose cel^e: Mais alon en bataille conmie elle est jur^e." XXIV "T>rambroc," dist Beaumanoir, "vous oii^s mon doubtaige; Voyez que dist Charruel o le hardy visaige, Et tons mes compaignons, que ce seroit hontaige 295 De remuer bataille sur fait de grant oultraige Qu'av^s fait au franc due, qui est proudoms et saige. Si jure chascun Dieu, qui les fist a s'(on) ymaige, Que vous mourr4s k honte, voyant tout le barnaige; Et vous et tous voz gientz, comme Engloix de rage, 300 Ser^s prins et Hez et n'est pas grant oultraige." 272, que il] qu'il; 276, la nouvelle a cont€e] a la nouvelle cont6e; 296, de remuer] et remuer. 99 64 Henry Raymond Brush [Bigot MS] XXIV "T>eaumanoir," dit Bomcbourc, "vous faictes grant folic -'^ Que vous mect^s k mort par vostre estoutie 265 La fleur de la duchi^, par sy tres grant folic. Car, quant ilz seront mors ct trespasses dc vie, Jamais en la duchi6 ne lez trouvcrois mie." " Oomcboure," dit Beaumanoir, ''pour Dieu ne pens^s mie ■'-^ Que j'ay cy amen6 (la) noble chevalerie; 270 Laval [ne] Rochefort, Eleac n'y est mie, Montfort, Rohan, Quntin, ne la grant compaignie. Mais j'ay bien de certain noble chevalerie, Et de toute Bretaigne la fleur de Tescurie, f . 55r. Qui ne daigneroient fuir, ne k mort ne k vie, 276 Ne feroicnt traison, faulset6 ne boudie. Chacun [d'eulx] jure Dieu, le filz Sainte Marie, Que vous mourrois k honte, voiant la compaignie, Et vous et toux lez vostrez, quoique chacun en die, Serois prins et Hez ains I'oeure de comphe." 280 Et Bourcbourc sy respont, "Je ne prise une aillie Tretoute vo(stre) post6 ne vostre segneurie; Car, maugr6 vous, ce jour je auray la maistrie Et conquerroy Bretaigne et toute Normendie." XXV "Oomcbourc dit aux Englois, "Seigneurs, Bretons ont tort! 285 -*-^ Fer^s, frappez su eulx, mect^s tout k la mort, Guard^s que rien m'eschappe, [non] ne flebe ne fort!" D'assaiUir lez soixante, ilz sunt toux d'un accort; A la premiere [joincte] fu grant le desconfort; Charugl sy fu prins, Giuffray Mellon fu mort, 290 Et le vaillant Tritran, qui estoit grant et fort, Fu feru du martel k douleiu* et k tort, Messire Jehan Rousselot fu feru presqu'll (la) mort. Se Jhesucrist n'en pense, qui tout maine k droit port, Lez Bretons ont du piis vers eulx, je m'en fais fort. 295 273, noble chevalerie] noble 1 chevalerie; 288, soixante] Ix. 100 La Bataille de Trente 55 [DiDOT MS] T ors respondist Brambroc o la chiere hardye, -■-' Et dist k Beaumanoir, "Vous faictes grant follie De mectre ainsin h mort par vostre grant maistrie La flour de la duchi^, par vostre desverie." 305 *X>rambroc," dist Beaumanoir, "pour Dieu ne pens^s mie Que j'ay cy amein4 la noble compaignie; Laval ne Rochefort, Loheac n'y sont mie, Montfort, Ro(c)han, Quintin, ne la grant baronie, Leon ne Tournemine, qui sont de grant maistrie. 310 Mais j'ay bien admein6 noble chevalerie, De toutes pars la flour, et de Tescuierie, Qui point ne fouyront, ne pour mort ne pour vie; Ne feront traison [ne] faulte ne boydie. Chascun d'eux jure Dieu, le fllz Saincte Marie, 316 Que vous mourr^s k honte, voyant la compaignie, Et vous et tons voz gients, quel que chascun en die, Ser^s prins et liez, ains I'eure de compile." XXVI f. 6r. "Drambroc dist aux Angloix, "Bretons aront le tort! Fer^s et frap^s sus, mect^s les tous k mort! 320 Guard^s que rien n'eschappe, non n,e feble ne fort!" De s'assembler ensemble sont trestous d'ung accord: A la premiere joincte fut fort le desconfort. Charruel fust bleci6, Geffroy Moelon fut mort, Et le vaillant Tristan, qui estoit grant et fort, 325 Fust feru d'ung martel k douleur et a tort. Sire Jehan Rouxellet dont fust grant desconfort, Auxi Geffroy Poulart, qui dessus le champ dort. 305, desverie] desveerie; 314, feront] seront; 324, Moelon] Moelou. 101 56 Henry Raymond Brush [Bigot MS] XXVI Grande fu la bataille dedens le pr6 herbu, Caron de Bosdegas fu du martel (con)fondu, Et le vaiUant Tritran fu k la mort feru. Lors s'escria moult hault, "Beaumanoir, oil es-tu? Lez Englois sy m'en mainent, blechi^ et derompu! 300 Je n' eus onquez paour le jour que t'ay veil; Se le vray Dieu n'en pense par sa sainte vertu, Englois sy m'enmerront et vous m'aurois perdu." Beaumanoir jure Dieu qui en crois fu pendu, Avant y ara il maint rude coup feru 305 Et rompu mainte lance et perchi^ maint escu. A ces parolez tient le biau branc esmoulu, — f. 55fl. Cil qu'il ataint h coup (en) est mort ou abatu — Lez Englois radement se deffendent de lu: Trestoute la post6 ne prisent un festu. 310 XXVII Forte fu la bataille et le chappie felon Et d'un cost4 et d'aultre urent coeur de lion Et toux par ordenance firent petticion D'aller toux querre k boire k nulle arrestezon, Chascun en sa boutaille, vin d'Anjou y fu bon. 315 Quant toux urent beti par ordination, Lors vont k la bataille sans faire targison. XXVIII Grande fu la bataille en my la pra[e]rie Et le chappie orrible et dure Testurmie. Lez Bretons ont du piis, ne vous mentiray mie; 320 Car deux sy en sunt mors et trespasses de vie, Et trois sunt prisonnier, — (o) leur soit Dieu en aye! Ne sunt que vingt et cinq em bataille fournie. Mais Giuffroy de la Roche requiert chevalerie, Un escuier moult noble de grant anchesourie, 325 Et Beaumanoir lui donne, en non Sainte Marie, Et lui dit, ''Beau doulx filx, or ne t'espargne mie; Membre toy de celuy qui, par cevalerie, Fu en Constentinnoble k bele compaignie." 323, vingt et cinq] xxv; 329, Constentinnoble] Constentimnoble. 102 La Bataille de Trente 57 IDlDOT MS] XXVII Quant le vaillant Tristan santist qu'il fut fern, A haulte voiz cria, "Beaumanoir, oii es tu? 330 Je n'eu onques nul paour en lieu od t'ay congneu; Les Anglois m'ont bleci^, ilz m'ont k mort batu, Sy Damme Dieu ne pause par la sienne vertu, lis me mainront o eulx et tu m'auras perdu." Beaumanoir sy jura le vroy corps de Jhesu, 335 Avant y aura il maint rude coup feru, Et perci6 mainte lance et perci6 maint escu. A ces paroUes traict le bon branc esmoulu, — Ce qu'il ataint k coup est tout mort abatu — Les Angloix roidement se deffendent de lu; 340 Tous ses dis et ses faitz ne prisent ung festu. XXVIII Grande fust la bataille en my la praeerie, T?t le chappie horrible et dure Tescremie; -^-^ Bretons en ont du pire, ne vous mentir^ mie, Car deux d'eulx en sont morts et trespasses de vie 345 Et trois sont prisoniers, — Dieu leur soit en aye! Plus n'a que vingt et cinq en bataille foumie. Beaumanoir les conforte, o la chi^re hardie, Et Geffroy de la Roche requist chevalerie, Ung escuier moult noble de grant assessourie, 350 Et Beaimianoir lui donne, ou nom Saincte Marie, Et luy a dist, "Beau filz, si ne t'oublie mie; Remembre toy de cil qui, pour chevalerie. Fust en Constentinnoble en belle compaignie." 103 58 Henry Raymond Brush [Bigot MS] Et Giuffroy jure Dieu, qui tout a em baillie, 330 Que Englois la comperront ains Toeure de compile. Et Bomcbourc I'entendy, ne le prise une aillie, Trestoute leur post6 ne leur grant seigneurie; Ains dit k Biaumanoir par moult grant estoutie, "Rent toy tost, Beaumanoir, je ne t'ochiray mie, 335 Mais je feray de toy un present k m'amie, Car je luy ay promis, ne luy mentiray mie, Qu'au jour d'uy te mectray en sa chambre jolie." Et Beaumanoir respont, " Je le te sourenvie; Nous I'entendon moult bien, moy et ma compaignie, 340 S'il plaist au roy de gloire et k Sainte Marie, f . 56r. A Saint Yves le bon, en qui moult je me fie. Or giete tost le d6 et sy ne te faing mie; Sur toy sera hazart, courte sera ta vie." XXIX Alain de Carromois si Ta bien entendu 345 Et luy dit, "Glout trichierre, qu'est ce que pensez tu? Penses tu amoir homme de tel vertu ? Le mien corps te deffie au jour d'uy de par lu; Mointenant te ferray de mon glayve esmoulu." Alain de Carromois I'oust k present feru 350 Par devant de sa lance dont le fer fu agu. Que par my le visage, sy que chacun Ta veu, Jusques en la cervele lui a le fer (em)battu. II estendy son glaive si que Bomcbourc est cheu; II sailli sur lez pi^s et cuida joindre k lu. 355 Messire Giuffroy de Bonds si I'a bien congneti, Et le fiert d'une lance sy qu'il Ta aconcheu; Et Bomcbourc chay mort k la terre abatu. Sy s'escria le(z) Bouez, "Beaumanoir, oii es-tu? De cestu es (tu) vengi6; il giest mort estendu." 360 Et Beaumanoir respont, que bien Ta entendu, "Seigneurs, combat^s fort; le temps en est venu! Pour Dieu, allez aus aultrez et si laissez cestu!" 330, Giuffroy] je; 331, comperront] comperrront; 354, estendy] estemdy. 1(M La Bataille de Trente 59 [DiDOT MS] Et Geffroy jure Dieu, qui tout a en baillie, 355 Angloix le comparront ains Teure de compile. "als Brambroc Tentendist, ne le prise ung aillie, M Ains dist k Beaumanoir par moult grant estourdie, "Rens toy tost, Beaumanoir, et ne te tuer6 mie, Soy^s sur et certain que ne te fauldr4 mie; 360 Mais je fer6 de toy ung presant k m'amye. Je te luy ay gr66, ne luy mantir^ mie, Et te dy haultement ceste bataille envie." Et Beaumanoir respont, "Et je la sourenvie; Nous la tendrons moult bien, moy et ma compaignie, 365 S'il plaist au roy des roys, qui naquist de Marie, Et au tres bon Sainct Yves, en qui bien je me fie. Gette bien tost les detz et si ne te faing mie; Sur toy sera hasart, courte sera ta vie." XXIX A lain de Keranrais Brambroc a entendu 370 ■^^ Et luy a dist, " Glouton, que est ce que dis tu ? Pens6[s] bien avoir homme qui est de tiel vertu ? Le mien corps te deffie en ce jour de par lu; Maintenant sentiras mon glaive esmoulu!" Alain de Keranrais Fa en present feru 375 Par devant de sa lance dont le fer fust agu, Jusques k la cervelle il a son glaive batu. Brambroc lors saillist sus et cuida joindre k lu; Messire Geffroy du Bois si I'a bien actendu, Le vaillant homme et noble, qui fust de grant vertu, 380 Et le fiert de sa hache qui luy rompist le bu. Et Brambroc chet tout mort k [la] terre estandu. Puis s'escrie le bon, "Beaumanoir, ou es tu, Mon cher cousin germain, k qui Dieu doint salu ? f. 7r. De cest es tu veng6 car il est abatu." 385 Et Beaumanoir respont, qui Fa bien entendu, "Pens^s de bien faire car le temps est venu; Pour Dieu aUs es aultres, laisses meshuy cestui" 377, il a] la. 105 60 Henry Raymond Brush [Bigot MS] XXX Or voient bien Englois que Bomcbourc est passes, (Et) Torguel de lui cheii et lez grandes fiert^s. 366 Lors appelle Crucart, un Alement dev4s, "Segneurs, saichi^s de vray, en fine veritez, Failly nous a Bomcbourc qui cy nous a (a)menez; Toux lez livrez Merlin, que il a tant amez, Ne luy ont pas valu deulx deniers monnoi^s; 370 II gist gueule b[a]6e, [et] mort et envers^s. Je vous pry, beaulx seigneurs, faictez com gens membrez; Tenez vous Tun k I'aultre estroitement serr^s; Cil qui vendra sur vous soit mort ou affol^s." f. 56c. Dieu! tant est Beaumanoir marry et courrouchi^s, 375 S'ilz ne sunt departis k honte et k vieultez. A yceste parole est Charuel lev6s Et le vaillant Tritran, qui moult estoit blechiers, Caron de Boscdegas, le preux et Talos^s; Toux (trois) estoient prisonniers k Bomcbourc le dev^s; 380 Mais quant Bourcbourc fu mort ilz furent raquitez. Chacun prent k (s)ses poings le bon branc acherez; De ferir sur Englois ont bonnez volentez. XXXI A pres la mort Bomcbourc, le hardy combatant, -^^ Fu grande la bataille et ly estour pesant, 385 Et le chappie orible et merveilleux et grant. Apres [y] demoura dam Crucart I'Alemant Et Thomas Belifort y fu comme g(u)6ant, — Cil combatoit d'un mail d'achier qui fu pesant — (Et) Hue de Carvalay sy en faisoit autant. 390 Messire Robert Canole, qui fu mal engingnant, Et toux leurs compaignons et chacun ensuivant. Alemans et Englois s'e[n] vont toux effroiant Et dient, "Venjons Bomcbourc, nostre loial amant! Metton toux k ]a mort, n'alon riens espargnant! 395 La journ^e sera nostre ains le soleil couchant!" Mais Beaumanoir le noble leur fu au vis devant, Lui et sez compaignons que il parama tant; L^ commencha un chappie, moult cruel et (moult) dolent, 369. MerUn] Meslin. 106 La Bataille de Trente 61 [DiDOT MS] XXX Or voyent les Anglois que Brambroc est passes Et Tourgouil de luy chet, et la grande fiert^s. 390 Adonc paria Contart, ung Al[e]ment dev^s, ''Seigneurs, saich^s de vroy, c'est fine Veritas, Failly nous a Brambroc qui cy nous a mein^s; Tous les livres Merlin, que il a tant ajon^s, Ne luy ont pas valu ung denier monnoy^s; 396 II gist goule bay^e, mort tout plat en ces pr^s. Sy vous pry, bons Anglois, comme gents remembr^s, Ten^s vous Tung h I'aultre estroictement serr^s; Cil qui viendra sur nous, qu'il soit mort ou bleci4s." Ainsin le firent ilz comme gents bien sen4s. 400 Dieu! tant est Beaumanoir marry et courrouc^s S'ilz ne sont departiz h honte et k vilt4s. Et k ceste paroUe est Charruel lev^s Et le vaillant Tristan, qui ot est4 bleeps, Caro de Bodegat, le preux et le sen^s; 406 Ceulx estoint prisoniers k Brambroc le dev^s; Mais quant il estoit mort ilz furent aquitt^s. Ceulx prindrent o les poings les brancs bien acier^s; De ferir sur Anglois ont bone voulunt^s. XXXI A mpres la mort Brambroc, le hardy combatant, 410 -^^ Fust grande la bataille et ly estour pesant Et le chappie horrible et merveilleux et grant. Pour Brambroc demoura dom Contart TAlemant, Thomelin Beliffart qui fust comme ung g^ant, — Cil combatoit d'ung maill d'acier qui fust pesant — 416 Rippeffart, Cavalray, ceulx cy faisoint autant; Messire Robin CroU^s, qui fust mal engignant, f. 7v. Et tous leurs compaignons et chascun ensuivant. Alemans et Anglois s'en vont tous efforcent, Disant, "Vengon Brambroc, nostre loyal amant! 420 Metton tous a la mort, n'alons nulz espargnant! La journ^e est nostre avant souleil couchant!" Mais Beaumanoir le noble leur fust bien au devant, Luy et ses bons Bretons que il parayma tant, Et commencza bataille, cruelle et pesant, 425 418, et] de. 107 62 Henry Raymond Brush [Bigot MS] Qu'(e) un quart de lieue entour en va retentissant 400 Des coupx, qui s'entredonnent sur leurs testez, moult grant; L^ mourru deux Englois et un bon Alemant Et d'Ardaine de Rains, ly convert soudoiant, Fu mort et abatu ens en pr6 verdoiant. Aussy Giufifroy Poulart gesoit trestout dormant, 405 Et Beaumanoir blechi^, le hardy combatant; Se Jhesucrist n'en pense, le pere tout puissant, f. 57r. Et d'un cost6 ne d'aultre nul n'en est eschapant. XXXII Grande fu la bataille et longement dura Et le chappie orrible et dechi et del^; 410 Ce fu (k) un semmedy que le soleil roia, L'an mil trois cent cinquante, croie m'ent qui vouldra; Le dimence d'apres, sainte egUse chanta Letare Jherusalem. En yce saint temps 1^ Forment se combatoient, Tun I'autre n'espargna; 415 La chaleur fu moult grande, chacun sy tressua; De sueur et de sane la terre rosoya. A ce bon semmedy Beaumanoir sy jeuna; Grant soif oust le baron, k boire demanda. Messire Giuffroy de Bonds tantost respondu a, 420 "Boif ton sane, Beaumanoir, la soif te passera! Ce jour aron honneur, chacun sy gaignera Vaillante renoum^e, ja blasm6(e) ne sera." Beaumanoir le vaillant adonc s'esvertua; Tel deul oust et tel yre que la soif luy passa. 425 Et d'un cost (r) 6 et d'aultre le chappie commensa; Mors furent ou blechiez, gaieres n'en eschappa. XXXIII Tj^orte fu la bataille et le chappie mortel ^ My-voie de Jossehn et du chasteau (da) Pelmel. Dedens un moult beau pr6, s^ant sur un cenel, 430 Le chesne d'en My-voie, ainsi est son appel. Le lone d'un genestay qui estoit vert et bel, L^ furent lez Englois tretoux en un moncel, Carvalay le vaillant, le hardy jovencel, 403, d'Ardaine de Rains] d'Ardaine da derains; 403, convert] conuett; 412, trois cent] ccc. 108 La Bataille de Trente 63 [DiDOT MS] Que une lieue entour va tout restondissant, Des coups qu'ilz s'entredonent 1^ fut le son tres grant; Lors mourust deux Anglois, pour voir, et ung Alment. Beaumanoir fut bleci^ ou visaige devant Et fust Geffroy Poulart abatu tout dormant; 430 Si Jhesucrist ne pense, le roy tout puissant, Ne d'ung coust6 ne d'aultre ne va nul eschappant. XXXII jpt^rande fut la bataille et longuement dura ^^ Et le chappie horrible et decza et del^; Ce fut ung sabmedi que le souleil raya, 435 L'an mil trois cent cinquante, corrige qui vouldra, Le dimenche devant que saincte eglise chanta Letare Jherusalem. En icest sainct temps 1^ La chalour fut moult grande, chascun y tressuya. Que le sang tout vermoil sur son corps desgoutta. 440 Quant soeff ot Beaumanoir, k boire demanda. Messire Geffroy du Boys tantost respondu I'a, "Boy ton sang, Beaumanoir, ta soiff te passera! Ce jour est la journ^e que chascun gaignera Honeur et renomm^e, ou defin^ sera." 445 Beaumanoir le vaillant adonc s'evertua; Tiel deul eust et tiel ire que la soeff luy passa. Et d'ung coust§ et d'aultre la chappie commencza; Trestous furent bleci^s, guaires n'en demoura. XXXIII Grande fut la bataille et le chappie mortel 450 X. w, . Mye-voie de Jocelin k chasteau Ploearmel. Dedans ung moult beau plain, plants y a chenel, L^ fut don6 maint coup de hache et de martel, 436, trois cent cinquante] cccl; 438, icest] itest; 446, s'evertua] se vertua. 109 64 Henry Raymond Brush [Bigot MS] Et Thoumas Belifort combatoit d'un martel, — 435 Cil qu'il ataint k coup dessus son hasterel Jamais ne mengera de miche ne de gastel. Beaumanoir lez regarde, k qui point n'en fu bel, Moult grant deul a de voir devant luy tel jouel; For(men)t fu desconfort^, or luy aist Saint Michiel. 440 f. 57 V. Messire Giuffroy de Bou^z, qui fu fort et ysnel, Noblement le conforte com gentil demoisel Et dit, "Gentil baron, voiez cy Charuel [Et] Tintinlat le bon et Robin Raguenel Guillaume de La Marche et Olivier Arel 445 Et Gui de Rochefort, — voiez son pennoncel. N*y a cellui qui n'ait lance, esp6e et coutel; Toux pres sunt d'eulx combatre com gentil joencel; Encore feront eulx aux Englois doeul nouvel." XXXIV Grande fu la bataille, jamais tele n'orr^s. 450 Forment se contenoient lez Englois aliez; Homme n'entre sur eulx ne soit mort ou blechiez; Toux sunt en un moncel com si fussent liez. De Montauben Guillaume, le preux et I'alos^s, De I'estour est yssu et lez a regardez; 455 Grant courage lui print, le coeur lui est enflez, Et jure Jhesucrist, qui en crois fu pen^s, S'il fust sur im cheval bien mont6 k son gr^s, Tretoux lez departist k honte et k vieultez. Bons esperons trenchans lors caucha en ses piez, 460 Monta sur un cheval qui fu de grant fiertez Et lors print une lance dont le fer fu carrez; Semblant fist de fuir, ly escuier membrez. Beaumanoir le regarde, puis I'a aroissonnez, Et dyt, "Amy Guillaume, qu'est ce que vous pens^s? 465 Comme faulx et mauvais, comant, vous en all^s ? A vous et k vos hoirs vous sera repreuchiez." Quant Guillaume Fentent, un ris en a gettez; A haulte vois parla que bien fu escoutez: "Besoigniez, Beaumanoir, franc chevalier membrez, 470 Car bien besoingneray; ce sunt toux mes pens^s." 454, Montauben] Mont auben; 466, courant] comant(?); 467, hoirs] hoirez. 110 La Bataille de Trente 65 [DiDOT MSI Missire Geffroy du Boys, qui fut fort et isgnel, Conforte Beaumanoir ou nom de Sainct Marcel 455 Et luy dist, "Noble sire, voy4s cy Charniel, Guillaume de la Marche et Olivier Arrel, Et Tintiniac le bon et Robin Raganel Et Guy de Rochefort, — voiez (cy) son panoncel — Et Geffroy de la Roche, le chevalier nouvel. 460 N'y a cil qui n'aet lance, ou esp^e ou coutel; Tons sont prests de combatre ou nom de jouvencel; Encore seront ilz aux Anglois deul nouvel." XXXIV Grande fut la bataille, jamais telle n'orr^s. Fortement se tenoyent les Anglois ali^s; 465 Tretous s'entretenoyent si come gents U4s; Homme n'entre sur eulx qui n'est mort ou bleci^s. Mais grandement les a Guillaume reguard^s, Celuy de Montauban, qui tant fust alos^rs, Et jure Jhesucrist, qui fut en croys penn^s, 470 Que s'il fust k cheval bien mont6 k ses gr^s, II les despareroit k honte et k vilt^s. Deus esperons poignans a chauss^s en ses pi^s, Monte sur ung cheval qui fut de grant bont^s. Beaumanoir le reguarde, qui Ta araisonn^s, 475 Et luy a dist, "Guillaume, quelles sont voz pensers? Comme faulx et traistre, courant vous en al^s; A jamais en ta vie te sera reprouch^s." Et Montauban respont par moult tres grant fiertes Et haultement parla, qui bien fut escoutes, 480 "Besoign^s, Beaumanoir, franc chevalier menbr^s, Car je besoigner^; et telz sont mes pensers." 472 dispareroit] dispararoit. Ill 66 Henry Raymond Brush [Bigot MS] Lors broche le cheval par flans et par cost^s Que le sane tout vermeil en chay sur lez pr^s. f. 68r. Par lez Englois se boute, sept en a trebuchiez; Au retour en a trois soubz lui agravent^s. 475 A ce coup lez Englois furent esparpilli^s; Toux perdirent lez coeurs, c'est fine Veritas, Qui veult y a choisy, prins et serementez. Montauban hault parla quant lez a regard^s. "Montjoie!" s'escria, "barons, or y fer^s! 480 Essoins vous tretoux, frans chevaliers membrez, Tintiniat le bon, le preux et Talos^s Et Gui de Rochefort, Charuel Tamornez, Tretoux nous compaignons, que Dieu croisse [en] bontez, Vengiez vous dez Englois, tous k vo(u)s volentez!" 485 XXXV Grande fu la bataille et li estour planier; Tintiniat le bon estoit tout le premier, Celluy de Beaumanoir, que Ten doibt renommer, Que toux jours pour ce fait orra on de lui parler, Dez Englois ont eii la force et lez po(o)stez. v' 490 Ly im sunt fianci^, ly aultre prisonnier; Canole et Carvalay sy sunt en grant dangler Et Thoumas Belifort n'y oust que courouchier Et toux leurs compaignons, sans point de Tatargier. Par r(e) emprise Bomcbourc, qui estoit fort et fier. 495 Messire Jehan Plansanton, Ridele le guerrier, H[u]ellecoq son frere ne fait k oublier, Rippefort le vaillant et d'lllande le fier Au chasteau Josselin sunt men^s sans targier. Et pour ceste bataille orrois souvent parler, 500 Car Ten soit lez vieulx dis et tout par romnander, Ly ims par lettre escripte ou painte en tappichi^s, Par trestoux lez roiaulmez qui sunt de chi la men Et s'en vouldront esbatre maint gentil chevalier Et mainte noble dame qui moult a le vis cler, 505 Comment Ten soit d'Artus et de Charlez le ber, f. 582;. De Guillaimae au cornair, Roulant et Olivier; De cy h trois cens ans en vouldront roumander (De) la bataille dez trente qui fu faicte sans per. 479, Montauban] Mont auban; 489, toux] tour. 112 La Bataille de Trente 67 [DiDOT MS] Lors heurta le cheval par flancs et par cost^s, Que le sang tout vermoil en sailloit par les pr^s. Ampres print une lance dont le fer fust carr^s; 485 Par Anglois se bouta, sept en a trebusch^s; Au retour en a trois et lietz k ses detz. A ce coup les Anglois furent desconfit^s. 113 68 Henry Raymond Brush G [Bigot MS] XXXVI rande fu la bataille, certez n'en doubtez mie; 510 Englois sunt desconfis, qui vouldrent par envie Avoir sur lez Bretons post6 et seigneurie; Mais tretout leur orgueil touma en grant folie. Sy pry k celluy Dieu, qui nasqui de Marie, Pour toux ceulx qui furent en celle compaignie, 515 Soient Bretons ou Englois, — partout Dieu en deprie, Au jour de jugement que dampnez ne soient mie. Saint Michiel, Gabriel, ee jour leur soit (en) aie; Or en ditez, "amen," tretoux, que Dieu Toctrie! Cy fine la bataille de trente^ Englois et de trente^ Bretons qui fu faite em Bretaigne, I'an de grace mil trois cens cinquante, le senunedy devant letare Jherusalem. 519, octrie] octroie. 1 trente] xxx; * trente] xxx. 114 La Bataille de Trente 69 [DiDOT MS] XXXV Grande fut la bataille en my la prayerie; Mercy au roy des roys, qui nacquist de Marie; 490 Anglois sont desconfitz, qui vouloyent par lourdie Avoir sur les Bretons puissance et seignourie; Mais toute leur pens^e tourna en grant follie. Si prie celuy Dieu, qui tout a en baillie, Pour tous ceulx qui y furent, pour yceulx le deprie, 495 Qu'ilz ayent de paradis la pardurable vie; Au jour du jugement que dampn^s ne soint mye. Sainct Michel, Gabriel, leur soy^s en aye; Or en dirons "amen," chascun que Dieu Tottrie! Explicit la bataille de trante. 115 70 Henry Raymond Brush NOTES TO THE TEXT Da, haneretz chevaliers; B2, bannerols bachelers. The tenn bannerets was ordinarily used with chevaliers to indicate a chevalier of some distinction. In turn chevalier is of greater distinction than bacheler. Cf . : "L'ordre de banneret est plus que chevaliers, Comme apres chevalier acconsuit bachelier." — Les chevaliers bannerets (Pieces rel. k I'histoire de France, XII, 437). A chevalier banneret was one "qui avait assez de vassaux pour en composer une compagnie et lever banni^re" (cf . Godef . Supp.) . On banneret, cf . Romania XXXII, 181-84 (A. Thomas). The word is first used in the Coutumes de Beauvoisis (ed. Salmon, sec. 1242). The bacheler were a yoimger and secondary degree of knight- hood (cf. Lacroix, La Vie Militaire, p. 48). It is surprising to see the expression bannerois bachelers, though Gautier {La Chevalerie, Paris, 1884, p. 192) quotes illustrations from the Charroi de Nimes (23-25) and P arise la Duchesse (1522) to show that a bachelier might also be a chevalier. Cf. also W. A. Stowell in Studies in Honor of A. M. Elliott, Baltimore, 1911, Vol. I, pp. 225-36. B4. — menestreelx: Picard form for menesterelx. DB7. — vroye, vraie: Bartsch avoids hiatus of feminine e in histoire by writing veraye. However, hiatus is fairly common in the Bataille. — clergons, clarjons. According to Godefroy (q.v.) the word is still used in Poitou in the sense of "choir boy." D17. — raison voils vtieil rendre: MS has tendre but rendre raison is found as late as the seventeenth century (cf . Pascal, Pensees, X, ed. Havet; Corneille, Sertorius, V,2). D20. — ammes; MS ames. This sign (-), used by the Didot scribe, invariably indicates m when placed over a vowel before m. The form ammes occurs in a document of 1268 of Chaumont (Loir et Cher) ; cf . Godefroy, Supp. s.v. B20. — quer (qua re) in accented position. Schwan-Behrens (8th ed. sect. 52, 1, a) calls quer a crossing of quare and que. BD21. — Bartsch writes du siecle devie, which receives justification as devi6 (devitare). In both MSS it is 2 syl. (cf. oubli6 [oblitare] D27, B28). The couplet in -ie (B22-23) does not belong in the laisse. B23 is not in D and seems an interpolation. The correct reading is undoubtedly that of D, thus removing all inconsistency in the laisse. DB22. — Aulray, Auray. In Breton, Abrac; today chef Ueu of canton, d^pt. Morbihan, arr. L'Orient. According to Le Baud, the founder was King Arthur. D24. — certen. A Francian form (cf. Metzke, 65, p. 59) Bartsch alters to certein. B26. — menues gens de ville is impossible, for the article is needed and even as it stands the hemistich makes menues dissyllabic. D26 is correct. Gens here "personnes"; cf. other examples in Godefroy, s.v. D28 — B29. — pour luy demoure: i.e., "has remained in his place." The idiom demourer pour qqn. is used in the fourteenth century as se porter garant pour qqn. (cf. Godefroy for examples from Froissart and Perceforest). The sense in the 116 La Bataille de Trente 71 text seems not so much the idea of going bail for Daggeworth as that of standing in his place to make good his promises. D31. — Ploedrmel (Lat., Plamelium), mod. Ploermel, Breton, Plou-Arthmael. The city honors as its founder St. Arthmael, an Anglo-Saxon monk, who traversed Bretagne on his way to the court of King Childebert. Plou, "people" (Breton) (cf. A. J. C. Hare; Northwestern France, London, 1904, p. 223, note). B writes Pelmel incorrectly. The word is always three syllables in Froissart (cf. ed. K. de Lettenhove, III, 368; IV, 166; V, 289, 292, etc., and in the Livre du Ion due Jehan, 11. 946, 3757, ed. Charriere. D35— B36.— messire; two syUables; cf. D150, 187, 191, 380, etc.; B108, 146, 150, 293, etc.; sire is also found as a monosyllable, D328; but dissyllabic, B72, 236. Jehan: here dissyllabic as in D328 (cf. Reis, Die Sprache des Livre du bon Jehan, due de Bretagne, Erlangen, 1903, p. 14); as a monosyllable, D191; B150, 293, 495. Both sire and messire are terms of respect, the latter being used only with nobles of highest rank (cf. Stowell, Old French Titles of Respect, Baltimore, 1908, pp. 202 and 221). veoir, seurt6: the pretonic e has no metrical value. It begins to disappear about this time, though diaeresis is found in the poems of Christine de Pizan (cf . Mod. Phil, July, 1908). D37. — chetiffz: a final v becomes vf and is written ff in the west. Examples of this are frequent in the Livre (cf. hrieff, 14, 986, 1514; chetiffs, 3454; neuff, 658, etc ). According to Reis (op. dt., p. 30) these doubled consonants were pronounced. Cf. also in the Bataille, heuffs, 40; soutiff, 74. D39. — ainsin: this form is attested by rime in the Livre (cf. 11. 359, 583, 1201, etc.). The nasal pronunciation was long current as attested by Baif and H. Estienne (cf. Thurot, II, 498 and Reis, op. dt., p. 47). Bartsch wrote ainsi. B39. — en chesp; MS un chesp. Buchon and Crapelet also correct to en. D46. — de ceulx ( ?), B47, de quay is the correct reading. D48 — B49. — are, erS: the feminine arie is more common =ferre labourSe, i.e., "ploughed land." Cf. "de opere rm-ah, id est arato vel vinea vel sectione, messione." .... Du Cange, Glossaire, I, 353. Prof. Foerster in ZrP, XXIX, 4 ff., quotes this passage and says "kann nur Ackerland, Acker, bedeuten." Cf. also G, Paris, Romania XIII, 130. D49. — flayeul: eul for el is regular in the northwest, e.g., qualem queu with corresponding fem. queule. Cf . Vocahulaire du Haute-Maine, quoted by Goerlich, Rom. Stud., V. 17. Dsob. — It is possible that the scribe confused with the idiom avoir costume. B51 has the smoother reading. D52. — Bartsch interpolates il unnecessarily. D56. — Bartsch writes se for sy; both MSS are plain. DB57. — Saint Mahe: "ville et abb6 de Finistere a la pointe Saint-Mathieu," mentioned also by Cuvelier, Bertrand du Guesclin, 1. 18720 and in Roman d'Aquin, 1. 2153 (ed. F. Jouon des Longrais, Nantes, 1880, in Soc. d. Bibliophiles bretons). D59. — haul: Bartsch writes baut (!) 117 72 Henry Raymond Brush D67 — B66. — Proverbs of similar tenor on boasting are to be found listed by A. Kadler {Ausg. u. Abhand., XLIX, 84-85). Cf. D76-77. D72 — B71. — The combat is thus to determine who is in the right, not who is the stronger. That it was so intended is confirmed by the mass attended by the Bretons (cf . D229, B190) ; one notes the omission of this act on the part of the English. Whether the author makes this omission intentionally, to give us the idea that the latter did not receive the blessing of God, cannot be said. Such masses were usually said before judicial combat (cf. L. Gautier, La Chevalerie, 42-44). D73-106. — Laisse V of D is omitted from B. It contains exactly 33 lines, the regular number contained in a page of B, so that the scribe has evidently omitted one page in copying, or, it may be, he copied from a MS which omitted it. The correspondance of D and B begins with D107 — B73; B72, which con- tains Brambro's acceptance, is not found in D and may be an interpolation by the scribe who was conscious of a lacuna. D78. — Pierres Angier: the man and the event referred to have not been identified. The chronicles contain no mention of them or of a place named Ambissat (1. 81). D'Argentr6 (op. ciL, p. 299) calls him "Pierre Bigier" and the place "Boussac"; a town of this name is in lUe-et-Vilaine (arr. St. Malo). D85. — Bartsch writes grans. Dpi. — I have preferred to write this line vueille ayder rather than viieille ayder as cases of undoubted hiatus in the poem are sufficiently frequent to justify it; aide (B185) is undoubtedly to be written without diaeresis and likewise in D114 if we write quie) il there. Still we find aide.subside in the fifteenth century (cf. Godefroy, s.v.) and according to Reis (op. dt., p. 14) a+i is frequent in the Livre both as one and two syllables. Cf. pais (DB30). Dioo. — ahatre: it simplified to t. The process is frequent in the Ldvre (cf. batre, 11. 507, 508, 1133). D103. — ordrenner: Bartsch writes ordenner. Jocelin; dept. Morbihan, arr. Ploermel. The place owes its name to the castle built by Jocelin de Porhoet and is mentioned by Froissart (ed. K. de Lettenhove, XXIV, 385). B72. — je le vous fiant : tioTts(z). D108. — Bartsch writes loyaulmens; MS has loyaulmet. Bartsch has feroint: seroint. Duo. — Bartsch writes doutz (douze). The MS reading is plain and the emendation does not improve the sense. D110-112. — These important lines are lacking in B and give the justification for Guillaume de Montauban's seemingly unknightly act (cf. D470-489; B454- 476) which brought about the discomfiture of the English. This matter provided material for discussion for the historians, none of whom, till recently, were acquainted with the Didot version (cf. Pitre-Chevalier, op. dt., p. 385; also La Borderie, op. cU., p. 514, n. 5). D113 — B76. — Both MSS corrupted, D badly so: voit (B), voinKviNciT; cf. Vers de la Mort, ed. Wulfif and Walberg, Str. 25, 11. 118 La Bataille de Trente 73 D114. — Bartsch writes Qu'il en as in B77. B82-83 . — D has much the smoother reading for this passage. For the phrase mestier n'y a ceUe, cf. Florence de Rome, 11. 1662, 3731, 4945. B86. — demourance (MS doubtance, which makes the hemistich one syl. short); cf. D124; the copyist was misled by B92. Bpsa. — Is hypermetric; D132 probably represents the correct reading. B94. — Plaisance. The particular town cannot be identified. Froissart mentions three places of this name, none of which seems likely to be the Plaisance of the Bataille (cf. Oeuvres, ed. K. de Lettenhove, IX, 550; XVIII, 368; XVIII, 463). It may be noted that the name is a common one in the Diet, des Communes by Gindre de Mancy. No less than six are located in the west: (1) Loire- Inf^rieure; (2) Loiret; (3) Loiret; (4) Loiret; (5) Maine-et-Loire; (6) La Manche. Bpsff. — F.: reads very roughly and is probably corrupt; the Didot version is much clearer and more satisfactory. B95 reads barons, which may be due to the influence of B102. The rime requires bacheliers as in D134. DX29. — Bartsch reads movlt grande. D132. — If the line is correct we have a case of the loss of final feminine e after two consonants in royaulme. Such a loss is without parallel in the Bataille. Possibly B represents the correct reading here. Bartsch reads el royavlme. Bio3.—pren [dray]: cf. B114. B106. — F[v]on; MS Yon. For the oblique case, cf. Cuvelier, Bertrand, 1. 13784. Crapelet suggests Huon; D has St. Symon. But St. Yves was a popular Breton saint who died at Lohanec, May 19, 1303 (cf. Benjoy, La vie de St. Yves, tir^e d^un ms. sur velin du Z/F«. sibcle, St. Brieuc, 1884. reviewed in Bib. Ec. C^artes, XLVI[1885]); cf. also D368; B342. D138. — ransczons: cz for s is common in the northwest, particularly after a nasal (cf. Ldvre, 1. 85; D426, 435, 449). See also Goerlich, op. cit., p. 64. D147. — Guillaum£ de la Lande: confusion with the squire of that name; cf. D177. B107. — Boscdegas, Bodegat (D146). MS has Base de Gas (as also Buchon). The Picard scribe was unfamiliar with the name and confuses with the Picard doublet of bois which is bos(c). B108. — BoTibs; D, Boys; Buchon, Boves; Crapelet, Bones. MS writes u plainly. The meter demands monosyllabic value; e=ai here. De Courcy, op. cit., p. 36, states that the name is written Bouais by some members of the family. Biisb. — Two syllables short; cf. D155 for correct reading. D157. — Keranraes for Keranrais (Bartsch, Carramois); ae for ai is frequent in the west before a strong sibilant; cf. faesmes (D68), faescons (D219); also Livre, 1545, 1547, 2603, etc. (Reis, op. cit., p. 18; Goerlich, op. cit., p. 21). D159. — leurs; MS has Ze«. This abbreviation stands for both singular (cf. D189) and plural; I write leurs on the authority of D179, where the word is written out. B118. — Lois Guion; MS Lors; Crapelet, Lors; Buchon, Lots. 119 74 Henry Raymond Brush D163 — Bi32. — hoTiU, Brice. D has a clearer reading (honU here "bravery"; cf. Ren. de Montauban, in Bartsch-Horning, p. 63, 1. 124). De Courcy, op. dt., p. 46, mentions an Eudes de la Roche (also named Budes and quaUfied as hon pere) who as crusader accompanied Baudouin, count of Flanders, to the siege of Constantinople and to Greece, in 1204. Members of the la Roche family occur as dukes of Athens in the thirteenth century. This traditional association with Baudouin may have led the Picard scribe to assume a connection. Beaumanoir also refers again to Geoflfroy's father (cf. D353, B328). D164 — B123. — Bartsch writes Constentinohle. D165 — B124. — The completion of the condition (B126), which is not found in D, is responsible for the change of tense. It is impossible to say whether the original contained this condition. B125. — dont: the old subjunctive: a stereotyped phrase (cf. /ScAioan-fie^rens, Sec. 353); note also gart (B143). Dx74 — B134. — luy: in laisse with mercy, etc. In the fourteenth century luy was often pronounced li (cf. Meyer-Ltibke, Hist. Gram. d. frz. Spr., Sec. 265). B128. — Trisguidy: the second hemistich is two syllables short in MS (cf. D168 which has the correct reading). TrSzSguidy is the proper form; cf. Intro- duction, II. B129. — Poniblanc: this is the proper form of the name (cf. D. Morice, op. cU., p. 235; De Courcy, op. cit., p. 50; D. Lobineau, op. cit., X, 98 (p. 343). B130. — The historians agree on the form Du Pare. D171 — B131. — Beaucours: Beaucorps, both forms of the name are known; cf . Introduction, II. D172. — Villong: the g emphasizes the pronunciation of n together with a guttural (cf. GoerUch, op. cit, p. 62). D176-77. — ^The second hemistichs are reversed from the order in B136-37. B142. — Neither hemistich is metrically correct, probably on account of the scribe's carelessness (cf. D183). D185. — encontre: MS has honte which is repeated from the preceding line. Possibly we should also read tele for male as in B144. B144. — envoit: so also Bartsch (1. 185). The old subjunctive again as demanded by the following line. Crapelet notes, '^avoit .... envoie." We. might also read a[n]voit. D188 — B147. — tart: avoir tart — "il m'est besoin." It will be remembered that Brambro was short of men since he had to fill up his number with Germans and Bretons. D189. — Je ne sgay pa,s lews noma. A seeming contradiction, for the author proceeds to enimierate them, although very inaccurately. B148 is much more to the point. D190. — Conchart for Crucart (B149). This may be an attempt of the author to twist Crucart's name into an epithet. Cf. Contart, D391, 413; also Huceton le contort (D205); conchie = dupe {Roman de la Rose, Bartsch, Chrest. St. 61, 1. 149). D192 — B151. — Huelcoc: metrically three syllables. Both lines are incorrect metrically in the MS. It is accepted that Helecoq (or Huelcoc) was the brother of 120 La Bataille de Trente 75 Redoure (Ridele) ; cf . De Courcy (op. dt, p. 65) ; La Borderie (op. cit., p. 515) although D. Morice {op. cit., p. 236) apparently indicates the contrary. We should perhaps emend by placing et at the beginning of both lines and also begin the second hemistich with et as in B. The name occurs again in B497 where a similar change is necessitated by the meter. The scribe may well have omitted the connective which occurs several times in the passage. Huelcoc {Helecoq, Hillecoq)—Hue le Coq (?). D195. — marc: should probably read quart as in B154. Godefroy cites marc as a weight of 8 oz., serving to weigh gold and silver. D197. — Huelcoq: should read Huceton. The scribe has confused the Hne with 1. 192. Cf. D. Morice, op. cit., p. 226. B1S9-160. — Agappart — Renouart. B. also mentions other characters of the old French epic in 11. 506-7. Langlois (Table des noma propres) cities four of the name Agappart. The combat referred to here is recorded in Aliscans (ed. Guessard), pp. 180-84. Renouart or Renouart au tinel, the son of Saracen king Desrami (in Aliscans); baptized, he fights by the side of Guillaume d'Orange against the Saracens. D200. — Renequin Helcart; the second hemistich is short on^ syllable. Pos- sibly the Herouart of B (cf. D. Morice et al.) is the correct reading. B168. — liespart: 2 syl., if fu is correct. We may read as in D206, but the word is found both as 2 syl. and as 3 syl. in the fourteenth century (cf . forms like liepart, lepart, lipart, in E. Deschamps, ed. Soc. Anc. Textes, X, 76). The s is unetymological. D207 — B169. — St. Lenart, St. Godart. The most famous saint named Lenart was the hermit of Micy who founded the monastery of Noblac (Nobilia- cense) in Limousin, four miles from Limoges. He died 559 (?), Saint's Day, November 6. (Cf. U. Chevalier, Bio-Bihliographie, Paris, 1907.) He preached the gospel in central France (Berry). There are also three other saints from this locaUty (cf. Wetzer-Welte, Katholisches Kirchenlexikon, 2d ed., art. "Leonhard"): (1) of Vandreuve (Vendoperense), bishop of Le Mans (day, Oct. 15); (2) of Dunois, honored in bishopric of Blois (day, December 8); (3) abbot of Celles in Berry (day, December 30). St. Leonard of Vandreuve is probably the one in the author's mind, but very likely these various personages were more or less blended into one in the popular conception. St. Godard, bishop of Rouen, b. ca. 490, d. 525 (day, June 8). He is the natural saint for a Picard scribe to have in mind. Cf. Bolland, Bib. hag. lat. (1899), p. 527. His life is found, Gildardi Vita, in Analecta Bollandiae, Bruxelles, Vol. VIII (1889), pp. 393-402. D209. — Dagorne: a scribal error for d'Ardaine (D206). B173 — D212. — Dynart: com. of Saint-Enogat (Ille-et-Vilaine), 4 km. from St. Malo. D213. — moult for maint (B174). D224. — santismes; a-\-i element —a. Goerlich, op. cit., p. 21, quotes similar instances from Anjou, in which he sees only the learned influence. As for the use of the plural form, see K. Tolle, Das Betheuern u. Beschworen in d. altrom. Poesie, Eriangen, 1883, pp. 28-29. 121 76 Henry Raymond Brush D228 — B189. — lu, luy: the luy of B is equivalent to lu of D despite the epelling. D2S2,—oultrage: is the MS reading. But cf. 296, 301. D238 — B199. — le due dehonaire, i.e., Charles de Blois. D239 — B200. — la franche duchesae, i.e., Jeanne de PenthiSvre, daughter of Gui de Bretagne. D248 — B209. — livres: Ainsworth, Bentley's Miscellany, V, 446, refers to these as an illustration of illiteracy on Brambro's part and suggests that they are probably mystical characters (!). These are the prophecies ascribed to MerUn and inserted by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the Historia Regum Brit. (cf. A. de la Borderie, Les vMiabUs propMties de Merlin; examen des pohmes hretons attritmia d ce barde, Paris, 1883; rev. by G. Paris, Romania, XII, 375-76 who doubts the authenticity of those which Borderie accepts). The first redaction was of 1135. Geoffrey's work was continued by different persons at various times and enjoyed great popularity, particularly in the fourteenth century. Cf . Ward, Cat. of Rom. in Bnt. Mus., I (1883), pp. 278-344. A Cambridge MS mentioned by P. Meyer (Ro., XV, 295) is ascribed to the time of Edward III, and relates to the times of Henry III and his successors. It begins, "Ici comence alcunes de les propheties des merveilles de Merlin, dit en soun temps de Engleterre, etc." On MerUn and his alleged prophecies cf. also Brugger, ZffzSL, XXX, 210; W. E. Mead, MerUn, 2 vols., E.E.T.S., London, 1899, pp. xlv.-xUx.; Lucy A. Paton, PMLA, XXII, 234-76; Fletcher, Arthurian Material in the Chronicles, Harvard Studies, X. Mentions in contemporary literature are frequent (cf. E. Deschamps, Oeuvres, ed. Soc. Anc. Textes, I, 106, 20; II, 33, 222; VI, 185; XIII, xiii.; also CuveUer, Bertrand du Guesclin, ed. Charri^re, 11. 3286-87, 3427, 6772, 10089. D254. — n'auront ung pii d'avis; B215. — pii n'y en demourra vis. The second hemistich in both MSS is evidently corrupted and presents difficulty which I am not able to solve with certainty. I am unfamiliar with an idiom pi6 d'avis and can find no parallel for it. Avis, meaning "opinion," etc., is regularly spelled advis by the scribe of D (cf. 260, 274). The scribe of B was not familiar with the expression since he altered it to give the meaning "not a man will remain alive," in which pie = " man," a figurative sense that is found in Froissart (cf. onques pi4s n'en escapa, Oeuvres, ed. K. de Lettenhove, IV, 306; jamais pies n'en retoumera, ibid., V, 46; XI, 160). Ne .... pie exists as a negative construction (cf . Godefroy), though apparently not with ung as in D. A possible solution is to read de vis for d'avis. The sense of Brambro's speech would then be "have not a chance of living" (i.e., being conquered, their fives would be forfeited unless Edward saw fit to put them to ransom. The meaning then agrees with B. Cf. also Guardez seignurs, que il n'en algent vif, Roland, 2061. B228. — Des c'on f[e]ist (em) bataille; MS desconfist. The fine is lacking in D possibly because it was already corrupt and the scribe omitted it for that reason. Brambro could hardly call Beaumanoir "discomfited in battle" before any battle had been fought. The emendation gives the sense "as soon as a battle was to be fought, you did not come at all to the scratch," an effective taunt. For the idiom, /aire bataille, cf. Rol. 3336; f[e]ist is monosyllabic, as similarly in the Livre. cf. Reis, op. cit., p. 14. 122 La Bataille de Trente 77 D271 — B233. — Le roy de Saint Denis, i.e., the king of France, so styled by the English who maintained Edward Ill's title to the throne (cf. La Borderie, op. ciL, III, 519, n. 2). Still, this title was also used by the French themselves, as Bertrand's speech shows (cf. CuveUer, Bert, du Guesdin, I, 238; II, 285). D275. — liee: should possibly be replaced by membree as in B237; yet Hie may also be kept as the expression was one used in Francian and may be used either with or without reduction. LiSe is regular in the west, though the lAvre has both lie and liie in rime and so also aillie (cf. D357, B332) which Reis, op. cit., p. 40, explains as due to the fact that it is used in common expression. Otherwise the reduction of He to ie is not found either in the Bataille or in the lAvre. D279. — diges: an odd form. Dottin et Langouet, Gloss, du Parler de PUchdtel (Canton de Bain, Ille-et-Vilaine), Rennes et Paris, 1901, give the modem pronunciation as dizii. Guill. de St. Andre, Livre 1302 has diez. B246. — de chi la mer salie, i.e., in France. Chamiel is the best warrior of the Breton party ("on this side the salt sea"), as distinguished from the English. D286. — Anoree; B249. — Homourie. Chevalier, op. cit., Usts three saints Honorata: (1) the patroness of Bar-sur-Aube (fifth century); (2) martyred at Carthage, February 11, 304; (3) of Pavia, d. January 11, 500. Apparently none of these have any significance to western France. It is quite possible that there may be a confusion here with St. Henore, or Anora as La Borderie calls her, who is famous in Brittany. She was the wife of an Irish prince who came to Brittany in the early part of the sixth century and who is known as St. Efflam. Their shrine is at Plestin (C6tes-du-Nord). Chevalier quotes a work upon her, viz., Miorcec de Kerdanet, Notice sur S'. Honore de Lesneven, Brest, 1853. For the romantic story of Efflam and Anora, see La Borderie, op. cit., I, 361-62, and the Vita S. Enflami, in Annates de Bretagne, VII, 289. D294. — Voyez que dist Charruel: meter correct if Charruel is dissyllabic, though regularly trissyllabic elsewhere in the poem (cf. 144, 283, 324, 403). B257 has the fine metrically correct but Voyez Id does not go well with the sense of the following lines. D probably represents the correct reading despite the metrical value of Charruel. Reductions of U-\-I to U are common in the N.W. dialects to the present day. Goerlich, op. cit., p. 57, gives illustrations from Anjou and Maine. They are frequent also as attested by rime in the Livre (cf. Reis, op. cit., p. 43). D296. — de: required by the sense. The et of the MS is probably a scribal error due to the et of the preceding line. D300. — gientz. Goerlich, op. cit., pp. 28-29, calls attention to the readiness of E to become IE after g in the departments of Morbihan, Loire-Inf6rieure, and C6tes-du-Nord (no examples in Ille-et-Vilaine). A similar i appears after c in Anjou, Maine, and Berry. B267-68. — mie: the repetition of the rime mie suggests an interpolation. The sense does not require these Hues and they are wanting in D. B275b.— Is hypermetric; cf. D313. D321. — non: < (necunu) — "pas un." Godefroy quotes similar examples. fehle (