The Knightly Tale of Gologras and Gawain (also commonly spelt Golagros and Gawane) is a Middle Scots Arthurian romance written in alliterative verse of 1362 lines, known solely from a printed edition of 1508 in the possession of the National Library of Scotland. No manuscript copy of this lively and exciting tale has survived..
Though the story is set during Arthur and his band's journey of pilgrimage to the Holy Land, most of the action takes place in France, with Sir Gawain, King Arthur's nephew as its main hero. The tale actually contains two episodes borrowed from the First Continuation to Chrétien de Troyes's Perceval, the Story of the Grail., gives summary of the parallel episodes from the First Perceval Continuation
In the first episode, which ostensibly occurs in France somewhere west of the Rhone River, Sir Gawain succeeds in obtaining provisions merely by graciously asking, rather than by confiscating the supplies by brute force as Sir Kay tries to do. In the second, far longer, episode, Arthur and his men come to a castle on the Rhone, and learn that its lord (named Gologras), pledges allegiance to no higher sovereign. Aghast at the thought, Arthur returns to the castle after completing his pilgrimage, and besieges it. The bitter conflict is decided by single-combat between Sir Gawain and Gologras.
The tale upholds the longstanding Arthurian tradition that Sir Gawain represents the paragon of chivalry, and his characteristic fairness makes him gain more for King Arthur than will violence alone. In the Gologras episode, Gawain's soft-spoken words alone fail to achieve results, but Gawain prevails by in combat where the others have failed. And even there, it is the combination of both "knightly honor and prowess" that stamps the hallmark of Gawain's chivalry: for Gawain, ever the gracious victor, agrees to participate in a charade pretending to be the vanquished loser, in order to save face for his adversary Gologras. Striking friendship with such dreaded foe is reminiscent of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
Texts
Dating and authorship No manuscript copy survives, and the work is known solely through The Knightly Tale of Golagrus and Gawane, a blackletter printed book issued in Edinburgh by the Chepman and Myllar Press (1508). This year was the advent of the very first books being printed in Scotland, by the aforementioned press (Walter Chepman and Androw Myllar, proprietors).
Modern commentators do not identify an author, and date the composition to "not long before" this printing, i.e., the late 15th century. However, Frederic Madden in his edition (1839) ascribed the work to the poet of The Awntyrs off Arthure (whereas modern commentators do not venture farther than to remark on the identical stanzaic structure). Madden also gave credence to the notion that Awyntyrs (and by extension Gologras too) were the work of one "Clerk of Tranent", acting on the hint in a line of William Dunbar's poetry. Accordingly, Madden dated the composition to the first half of the 15th century, coincident with the activity of the "Clerk". Another name also crops up as a speculated author of the two metrical romances, namely Huchown, mentioned in passing in Andrew of Wyntoun's poem.
Printed editions Of the 1508 printed book, only one copy is known, preserved at the National Library of Scotland. It is bound together with other "tracts" of the period, 11 in all, comprising a single volume referred to as the Chepman and Myllar prints. The present work is the second tract, occupying pages 7–48. The volume was once owned by the Advocates Library, with shelfmark H.30.a.
The text resurfaced in J. Pinkerton, poems, volume III, (1792), but "negligently reprinted" according to Madden. A facsimile edition was published by David Laing (1827), though this was not a literal replica but a proofed and corrected version. This 1827 facsimile was the base text later employed by Madden in his edition of the work, included in the anthology Syr Gawaine. though Madden does not mention Laing, only that it was the scarce 1827 "fac-simile impression"
Golagros and Gawane is the spelling employed by many past commentators. But Hahn's edition substituted "Gologras" in the title, because that was the most frequently occurring in the text.
Plot
Geographical identifications (lines 1~26; 302, 310, etc.) Arthur and his band are on a pilgrimaging voyage back and forth from the Holy Land (Jerusalem). Neither "Holy Land" nor "Jerusalem" is mentioned explicitly, and the line "Seeking Him over the sea who was sackless [innocent] but sold (by Judas).." implies going to Jerusalem,, footnotes to line3 and to 310 the site of the Holy Sepulchre, tomb of Christ. (ll. 1-4, ll.2-4 "The King turnit on ane tyde towart Tuskane,/Hym to seik ovr the sey, that saiklese wes sald,/The syre that sendis all seill, suthly to sane")
The opening lines mention they are heading towards Tuscany, but the two major episodes take place somewhere in France. The city where Arthur replenishes provisions is of uncertain location, but presumably somewhere still to the west of the Rhône.. "ane cieté ... With torris and turatis" (lines 41-42). The location is ostensibly France west of the Rhône. Golagros's castle is in the Rhône valley (somewhat confusing since on the first instance (line 319) the original print reads "Rome,")Chepman & Myllar p.16 but this is to be emended as "Rone," as occurs elsewhere., 310 and notes "Rone here then would seem to indicate not the city of St. Peter, but the Rhône valley. Further evidence for this identification occurs at line 1345: On the riche river of Rone ryot thai maid. .." Arthur vows to subjugate Golagros's castle on his way to the Holy Land, but only puts this into action after reaching Jerusalem, retracing his route back to the Rhône.
The city of provisions (Lines 27~221) Approaching a certain city, Arthur's large band starts running out of victuals, and Sir Kay is sent inside to buy food and provisions. The hall is deserted, but in an adjoining kitchen is a dwarf roasting a fowl, and Kay is so hungry he grabs the meat. The lord of the castle appears and rebukes him, but Kay answers defiantly, earning a thrashing. (ll. 40-118) King Arthur now sends Sir Gawain to bargain with its lord. Sir Gawain courteously entreats the lord of the castle to furnish supplies at whatever price he asks. The lord says he cannot comply, but all he meant was he cannot possibly accept payment, because that would bring him insufferable shame, deserving of being drawn by a horse). The city's lord promises to furnish Arthur with an army of 30,000 whenever in need. Arthur's band is given a feast that lasts for four days, and is supplied with wine and wastell bread aplenty. (ll. 119-221)
Castle of Gologras (Lines 222~1362) After many more weary days of travel, King Arthur reaches a magnificent castle on the river Rhône, in southern France. The castle boasted thirty-three towers in its edifice. Moored alongside are forty sea-going vessels bound for distant corners of the world and King Arthur asks who is the overlord of this wonderful place. On being told by the knowledgeable Sir Spynagrose that its lord owes allegiance to nobody, Arthur is horrified and vows to make the lord (Golagros) submit to him upon his return.
King Arthur reaches the Holy Land, and returns to Gologras's castle on the Rhône. Arthur and his retinue camp before the castle, pitching pavilion type tents, planning their strategy, with the possibility of laying a siege in case negotiations break down. Arthur sends out three knights as emissaries, Gawain, Lancelot, and Ewane (Ywain). But Gologras refuses to pay homage to Arthur as liege-lord. The emissaries return to Arthur, and they begin preparations for a siege. Cannonballs (, sing. Dictionary of the Scots Language) were loaded into gaping brass cannons (), and there were sharpened darts (, sing. ), making huge noise. Trees were felled, and hurdles put up.
Inside the castle, Gologras's army too were preparing, wearing their greavesDictionary of the Scots Language Greis n. pl. Greaves on their shins and garatouris (sing. garitourDictionary of the Scots Language Garitour1 OF. garete - Armour for the knee.) on their knees. At a glance there were 140 shields in row, with a sturdy helmet and lance upon each shield. Each knight's heraldic device"cunysance". Dictionary of the Scots Language. Con(n)ysance n. A heraldic cognizance was on display, with the inscribed name clearly visible. Then a great sound of the trumpet was heard from the castle, and the man who blew it strutted towards a tower, fully armed, flashing sunlight in his direction from his shield and brandishing his spear. King Arthur asked the meaning of this, and Sir Spinogras explained it was a challenge to single combat.
King Arthur chooses GaudifeirAccording to , this knight of Arthur's appears only in this work to face off against Galiot., note to line 557. In Lancelot of the Laik 302 there is a knight by this name who can be equated with Malory's Galehaut, but he cannot possibly be Galiot here. Gaudifeir rode a berry-brown or a bay horse, and the other a blanchard or a white horse.From the original text, it is not quite clear which knight mounted which colored horse, owing to a lacuna occurring after line 550 (, note to line 550). However, the modern prose version in reads: "Sir Gaudifeir went and prepared for battle. He chose all his war gear, careful to be sure he lacked nothing. His horse was berry brown.." Gaudifeir triumphs, and Galiot is taken to Arthur's stronghold. The following day, Gologras sends out Sir Rigal of Rone, and King Arthur counters with Sir Rannald. After a long and hard battle, the two knights kill one another, and are buried. Gologras then sends out four knights, Louis, Edmond, Bantellas, and Sanguel/Sangwell, who are matched against Sir Lionel, Ywain, Bedivere, and Gyromalance, respectively.As for Gyromance, identifies two knights with a similar name (Guiromelant). One of them appears in the Vulgate Esoire de Merlin as an underling of Amant, and he declared he would neve serve Arthur; Hahn sees pointed irony in this. Following this battle in which honours are even, Gologras sends out five knights, Agalus, Ewmond, Mychin, Meligor, and Hew. From the Round Table appeared four knights, Cador of Cornwall, Owales, Iwell, and Myreot (and possibly a fifth knight named Emell.The text reads "emell" (uncapitalized). Hahn notes that edition "is inclined to capitalize Emell as a proper name, making the fifth champion of the Round Table, though Hahn does not favor this emendation IV, p. 46. (On p.112, the lists, or roster of opponents: Cador vs. Agalus; Owales vs. Ewmond; Iwell vs. Mychin; Myreot vs. Meligor; Emell vs. Hew)) Arthur's side lose Owales and Iwell as prisoners, but capture Agalus and Hew, so the honours at the end of it all, remain even.
At this point Golgros's eyes flare in anger, and he declares "I sal bargane abyde, and ane end bryng;" (I shall take up the combat, and make and end of it). Two small bells are rung in the castle's belfry. Arthur inquires its meaning, and again Spynagrose explains that the bells were an announcement that the castle lord Gologras himself was now entering the combat in person. It was Arthur's nephew Sir Gawain who insists upon taking up this challenge on the king's behalf. Spynagrose is fearful of Gawain's safety and survival, and offers him specific tips in combat, such as to sustain consecutive blows with the shield no matter what happens, and to strike back when the adversary finally lets up, being out of breath. Meanwhile, Sir Kay who is not assigned an opponent challenges a man on a brown steed and prevails.