arrival of the gifts at Launfal’s lodging, and the account
of the disappearance of Gyfre and Blaunchard. Other
episodes may have been made up by Chestre or may
have other sources; there is, for example, an analogue
to the Sir Valentyne episode in a story told by ANDREAS
CAPELLANUS in The Art of Courtly Love, and this anec-
dote has been accepted as the third source of Chestre’s
poem.
The eponymous hero of Sir Launfal is an extremely
generous knight who is made the king’s steward. Ten
years later, King ARTHUR marries Guinevere, whom
Launfal and all the other knights dislike because she is
reputed to behave wantonly. There is a sumptuous
wedding, and then, in order to show off her courteous-
ness, the queen gives out gold, silver, and jewels to all
the knights except Sir Launfal. Launfal then asks
Arthur’s permission to leave and is offered costly gifts
and two of Arthur’s nephews as escort.
Launfal and his party journey as far as Karlyoun, to
the mayor’s house. When Launfal makes it known that
he and the king are estranged, the mayor refuses him
lodging. Launfal makes to ride off, but the mayor asks
him to stay, offering to put him up in his orchard. After
a year, Arthur’s nephews leave Launfal, complaining
that all his wealth is gone. He asks them not to tell
anyone about his poverty, and they agree. At Trinity, a
feast is held, but Launfal is not invited on account of
his poverty. The mayor’s daughter goes to Launfal and
invites him to dine with her that day. He refuses, citing
his poverty, and rides off to seek solace in the country-
side. Launfal becomes the object of derision when his
horse slips in mud.
Launfal dismounts in a forest, and as he rests under
a tree, he sees two expensively dressed maidens carry-
ing vessels of gold and silk. They come toward him,
and he greets them courteously. They tell him that
their mistress, Tryamour, has sent them to speak to
him in secret. They lead him further into the forest,
where he sees an amazingly wrought pavilion. Inside is
Tryamour, daughter of the king of faeries, lying on a
bed canopied with purple linen. She is astonishingly
beautiful, charmingly disrobed because of the heat,
and announces that she loves him. After Launfal kisses
her, she tells him that if he will be her lover, she will
make him rich. She offers him a purse, which will
always contain a gold mark wherever he is. She also
offers him her horse, servant, and coat of arms. She
wines and dines Launfal, and then they go to bed
together. In the morning, she tells him that if ever he
wishes to speak to her, he should go somewhere pri-
vate, and she will come to him secretly. She warns him
not to brag about her, however. If he does, she will be
lost to him.
The servant, Gyfre, brings Launfal his horse, and he
journeys to Karlyoun in his poor clothes. Later, 10
men ride through the city, their horses loaded with
gold, silver, rich clothes, and bright armour, and, to
the chagrin of the mayor, they ask for Launfal. With
his new wealth, Launfal holds feasts for the poor and
distressed and buys horses, clothing, and gifts for
priests, prisoners, and minstrels. A tournament is
arranged in his honor, which Launfal wins. Every night
Tryamour comes to him in secret.
A giant knight named Valentyne issues a challenge to
Launfal. As the two knights fi ght, Launfal’s helmet is
knocked off. Valentyne laughs and Launfal is shamed. At
this point, an invisible Gyfre leaps onto Launfal’s horse
and helps Launfal defeat Valentyne. Launfal then kills all
the knights of Atalye who had sworn vengeance.
Arthur hears about Launfal’s prowess and summons
him to a feast at which he will be the steward. Follow-
ing the feast there is dancing, and Launfal catches the
queen’s eye. She tells Launfal that she has loved him
for more than seven years, and that if he does not
return her feelings, she will die. Launfal responds that
he will not betray the king. Guinevere then implies
that Launfal is not interested in women. At this, Laun-
fal can no longer keep quiet. He says that for more
than seven years, he has loved a woman more beautiful
than Guinevere has ever seen; this lady’s ugliest maid
would make a better queen than Guinevere. The queen
is furious and plots vengeance.
When Arthur returns from hunting, Guinevere tells
him that Launfal shamefully propositioned her and
insulted her beauty, and she begs Arthur to avenge her
honor. Arthur swears to kill Launfal and summons his
knights. Meanwhile, Launfal has gone to his room and
found that, true to her word, his lover has vanished.
There is now no money in his purse, Gyfre has left,
and his white armour has turned black. Launfal faintsSIR LAUNFAL 413