34:
349:
Van Duzee makes a point there was a
Medieval association of the thorn tree "with magic, with wells, streams, or fords, and even with the traditional ford combat". In the present tale, Loosepine (the lady of the thorn) figures as the provider magical healing to the combatants, and the place where two
389:
In the present work, Greysteil too has the marks of being an
Otherworldly being, in that he is a "red man", with red hands, carrying a red shield and riding a huge red steed. Graysteil also has the oddity of having extra fingers on his hands. Otherworldly hounds often have eerie red ears, and Pwyll
250:
One looming and divisive issue has been whether this tale is one of essentially
Teutonic or of Celtic origins. Hales (1867) dismissed a Celtic origin, saying "We see no reason for referring it to Celtic traditions". Edith Rickert who published a popular translation of the tale has also stated that
317:
Deanna Delmar Evans has more recently looked at the question of
English or Scottish origin, noting the lack of intrinsic linguistic evidence in the surviving texts and concluding a root in cross-border ballad tradition, and the 'Huntingdon-Laing' version its Scottish branch. She also highlights
194:
Eger is nursed by
Lillias or Loosepain, who tells him his efforts are worthless if they are not reciprocated by his lady. Eger ignores this advice and decides to try again. As he is still weak from his wounds, his friend Sir Grime or Graham takes his armour and sets out, bidding farewell to
190:
Sir
Greysteil is a knight thought invincible who lives in the Land of Doubt or the Forbidden Country. He is challenged by Sir Eger or Eager who seeks to impress a high born lady, Winglaine. Eger is defeated, and Greysteil cuts off the little finger of his right hand.
406:. They are certainly both healers; the poem itself notes Loosepaine's skills in leechcraft (healing), "Why was she called Loosepaine?/A better Leeche was none certaine" (P, vv.1407-08), while Morgan is known for healing Arthur in Avalon according to the
415:
Van Duzee builds her case, not so much by comparing the two figures directly, but rather via other fays as intermediarie. One of the fays is the mistress of Urbain, the son of the Queen of
Blackthorn, whom Perceval defeats at the Ford Perilous in the
236:
Graham continues the charade, and Eger marries
Winglaine. After Graham's death, when Eger tells her the truth she leaves him. In a final episode sometimes suggested to be a late addition, Eger joins the crusades, and on his return marries Lillias.
530:"amongst us here in England; with similar stories "filling whole volumes with the ayrie imaginations of their unknown and unmatchable worth." The oldest published version now existing was printed in Glasgow in 1669.
108:
The name of the protagonist, a strong and agile knight, opulent, tainted with the black-arts, and vanquished by a magic sword provided by a powerful woman, was adopted as a nickname for two 16th-century
203:
for the price of a jewel of highest quality. She took the title deeds of both knights' lands as a pledge for the sword, with a warning that it should never come into a coward's hands, saying:
310:
French & Hale noted that the
Teutonic element is slight, but speculate that the name Grime may derive from a giant-god in Teutonic mythology, and Eger to come from the Germanic sea god
215:
Armed with virtue and now the love of
Lillias, Graham rides to the land of Doubt and overcomes Greysteil. When Greysteil is close to defeat, Graham asks him to yield;
506:
the Water Poet, who came to Scotland in 1617, recorded the popularity of tales of Sir 'Degre', Sir Grime and Sir Gray Steele in Scotland as comparable with those of
303:). Though this may lead one to believe Caldwell subscribed somewhat to the Germanic/Teutonic origins view, Van Duzee assures us that his thesis was that
390:
encounters them in the opening of his tale. Compare the horse with two red ears, ridden by the knight of the Ford of the Thorn in the aforementioned
418:
145:
is thought to have been written in the North of England in the mid-15th century, although a Scottish origin is argued for one of its two versions.
655:
1004:, vol. 17 no. 65 (July 1902), pp. 9-11: Lindsay perhaps refers to the lion in midst of Greysteil's heraldry and Craig Lyon Castle, near Kinneil.
126:
438:
Although the poem may have originally been an English composition, the oldest records of its performance and reception are Scottish. "
182:
The Percy copy P is considered the more faithful to the original work, the Laing-Huntington version being "corrupted and expanded."
105:, Eger and Grime being the names of the two knights who fight Greysteil and whose contrasted virtues are the poem's real subject.
274:, two well known figures in medieval Arthurian romance (and the latter of which is one of the titular heroes of the 14th century
55:
42:
786:, vol. 1 (Edinburgh: STS, 1994), pp. 10-13; both the red-haired Lillias and Greysteil wear red, Hale (1867), lines 117, 793-5.
782:
Hales (1867), p. lines 344-603: The virtues were equated with jewels 'stones', and heraldic colours, see Houwen, LAJR, ed.,
122:
358:
where Gasozein guards the ford of the Blackthorn, and Van Duzee has many more Celtic and Arthurian examples to offer.
258:
as an early observer that this tale might be of Celtic tradition. Van Duzee (who draws parallels from romances of the
1089:
73:
293:
Caldwell (the editor of the parallel text edition) said the plot was taken from a Celtic variant of the widespread
153:
130:
515:
114:
972:, vol. 2, London (1792), 18: Evans (2001), 280: The 16th century legal writer Habakkuk Bisset calls the nearby
461:
383:
167:'s reprint in 1826 of an earlier chapbook (James Nicol, printer, issued in Aberdeen in 1711) runs 2860 lines.
470:, he has the boasting soldier Fynlaw place the Forbidden Country, which was bounded by sea and river, near
374:
figure. So another Celtic tale that Van Duzee uses as a parallel is the combat at the ford that the human
1099:
1084:
1109:
451:
91:("Graysteel") is a medieval poem popular in 16th century Scotland. Set to music, it was performed for
1094:
709:
542:
1104:
284:, while Winglaine is likely derived from Guenloie, the name of Yder's lover in the medieval French
254:
Mabel van Duzee's 1963 study, however, offers a more modern survey on this issue. She credits Sir
1119:
1114:
567:
Eger and Grime: a parallel-text edition of the Percy and Huntingdon-Laing versions of the Romance
263:
164:
370:
represents a sort of boundary with the otherworld, and hence the opponent represents a magical
299:
646:
537:
reconstructed a tune from manuscript notes and a transcription published in Robert Chamber's
456:
423:
350:
fords was the place where Eger combated Sir Greysteil. Other tales with this association are
773:
Thus collated together as the "Laing-Huntington version" in Caldwell's parallel text edition
1000:, vol. 2 (Edinburgh: STS, 1922), 131: JHS, 'The Traditions of the Grahams (continued),' in
375:
251:"The Story of Gray-Steel, fundamentally Teutonic, but with perhaps some Celtic admixture."
92:
593:
Eger and Grime: an early English romance, ed. from Bishop Percy's folio ms. about 1650 A.D
8:
519:
511:
195:
Winglaine. Following the advice of a third brother knight, Pallyas, Sir Graham obtains a
96:
450:
called 'Gray Steil' was given 5 shillings on 22 January 1508. The poem was mentioned by
199:
called 'Egeking' from Eger's aunt, Sir Egram's Lady. Egeking was wrought far beyond the
602:
Early Metrical Tales including the History of Sir Egeir, Sir Gryme, and Sir Gray Steill
503:
489:
426:
by the thorn tree and rears him into a great mage. Though Oriande is a figure from the
171:
499:
200:
488:
Lindsay also compares the valour of Sir Grim to William Meldrum of Cleische and the
1051:
955:
Laing (1826), xiv and corrigienda on p.310; quoting from the treasurer's accounts:
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354:, where a thorn tree grows at the ford where the hero combats, the Arthurian tale
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663:
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266:, etc.) further suggests that the characters of Eger and Grime are derived from
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However, no man of woman born could abide the drawing of the sword Egeking.
981:
583:
French, Walter Hoyt, and Hale, Charles Brockway, edd., "Eger and Grime" in
408:
255:
355:
1026:
Hales (1867), 8; from John Taylor's, Argument to the verses in praise of
977:
534:
430:
cycle, Van Duzee argues she is a transformation of the Morgan character.
427:
196:
157:
1042:, Robert Sanders, Glasgow (1669), 72 pages, cat. Wing (2nd ed.) / H2139.
402:
Van Duzee also seeks to establish a relationship between Loosepaine and
471:
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319:
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s plot "derived from purely Celtic sources (not Celtic and Teutonic)".
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type story, that is, it was a cognate of "The Two Brothers" from the
110:
20:
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A published edition was noted in the stock of an Edinburgh printer,
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on 17 April 1498 who were paid 9 shillings for their performance. A
342:-like lady Loospine had a name which was a corruption of the French
989:
523:
141:
Though the poem was popular in 16th century Scotland, the original
649:
Graysteil - Music from the Middle Ages and Renaissance in Scotland
346:, or "the Lady of the Thorn" (the hawthorn, or white thorn tree).
527:
443:
327:
271:
326:. In the poem itself, the action is located in 'Beame', meaning
311:
379:
129:
in the 17th-century, and was a given name of the 20th-century
906:
Williams, Matthew, 'Book review: Mabel Van Duzee (1963),' in
572:
Evans, Deanna Delmar, 'Re-evaluating the case for a Scottish
322:
place-names suggesting an association at some date with the
615:
Purser, John, 'Greysteil', in Hadley Williams, Janet, ed.,
545:, c.1627-29, and it was performed for BBC Radio Scotland's
460:. When Lindsay mentions the poem in his 1552 prologue, the
447:
378:, prince of Dyfed takes up with his Otherworldly adversary
333:
708:
Gowrie was called 'Greysteil' posthumously in a letter of
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Early English romances in verse, Chatto and Windus (1908)
339:
1040:
The History of Sir Eger, Sir Grahame and Sir Gray-Steel
697:
David Hume of Godscroft's History of the House of Angus
422:. Another is the fay Oriande, who discovers the infant
1002:
The Scottish Antiquary, or, Northern Notes and Queries
910:, vol.21 part 1, University of California (1967), 141.
636:(Selected Papers in Literature and Criticism Number 2)
148:
The text survives only in these three late versions:
992:", (Other ancient boundaries in Britain are called
433:
988:, bk.7 cp.16., where Graham destroys the "wall of
622:Rickert, Edith, tr. "The Story of Gray-Steel" in:
591:Hales, John W. & Furnival, Frederick J., ed.,
976:'Graham's Dyke' and says it was destroyed by the
558:Basilius, H.A., 'The Rhymes in "Eger and Grime',
1076:
632:A medieval romance of friendship: Eger and Grime
117:who was said to have been dominated by his wife
748:
746:
744:
608:Purdie, Rhiannon, & Cichon, Michael, edd.,
442:" was sung by "twa fithelaris " to James IV at
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1017:(Glasgow, 2000), p. 166, line 1318 & note.
970:Scottish Poems, reprinted from Scarce Editions
695:(Edinburgh: John Donald), p. 128: David Reid,
670:Scottish Poems Reprinted From Scarce Editions
245:
741:
576:', in Caie, Lyall, Mapstone, Simpson, edd.,
562:, vol. 35, no. 2 (Nov., 1937), pp. 129-133.
127:Alexander Montgomery, 6th Earl of Eglinton
361:
223:the other said, thou mayest lightlye lye;
219:Grime sayd, "yeeld thee, Sir Gray-Steele,
74:Learn how and when to remove this message
19:For the village in Northern Ireland, see
693:Princelie Majestie: The Court of James V
338:Van Duzee observed that the name of the
334:Lady of the thorn and combat at the ford
1077:
699:, 1 (Edinburgh: STS, 2005), pp. 101-2.
478:This is the sword that slew Greysteill
160:manuscript (ca. 1650) runs 1474 lines.
957:Accounts of the Treasurer of Scotland
595:, N. Trübner & co., London (1867)
352:Lay of the Thorn (Le lai de l'espine)
229:shall make me yeelde, one man to one.
209:but for want of grace and governinge,
619:, Tuckwell (1996), pp. 142–152.
27:
959:, vol. 1 (Edinburgh, 1877), p. 330.
714:Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland
610:Medieval Romance, Medieval Contexts
123:William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie
13:
812:, (1867), pp.51-2 lines 1061-1066.
578:The European Sun: 1993 proceedings
552:
227:that man was never of woman borne,
14:
1131:
1015:Sir David Lyndsay: selected poems
727:The Cambridge Guide to Literature
712:, 31 July 1600: Hales (1867), 7:
640:
221:for thou can never doe soe weele.
207:"There was no fault with Egeking,
585:Middle English Metrical Romances
434:Performance, reception, and tune
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752:French & Hale's anthology '
738:Hales & Furnivall's edition
674:, p. 18, Findlaw's boasts.
211:may loose a kingdom and a king.
197:sword of supernatural character
115:Archibald Douglas of Kilspindie
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729:(CUP, 1993), 291: Evans (2001)
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659:of Marie de France, wikisource
502:, in 1577. An English writer,
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1030:, Henry Gosson, London (1622)
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612:, Boydell & Brewer (2011)
170:H - Unique copy owned by the
888:Evans, (2001), 280-282, 286.
821:Hales (1867), lines 570-572.
398:Loosepaine and Morgan le Fay
7:
795:Hales & Furnival, ed.,
541:from the lost lute book of
240:
225:that man I shall never see;
99:. The poem was also called
10:
1136:
799:, (1867), p.37 lines 503-6
754:, pp.671-717 with preface.
452:David Lindsay of the Mount
246:Celtic or Teutonic origins
18:
861:Van Duzee (1963), p.89-92
710:Robert Logan of Restalrig
651:, vocals, lute & harp
543:Robert Gordon of Straloch
480:Nocht half a myle beyond
318:possible similarities to
1090:16th century in Scotland
1068:Purser (1996), 142, 147.
919:Van Duzee (1963), p.97ff
852:Van Duzee (1963), p.14ff
46:may need to be rewritten
1013:Janet Hadley Williams,
830:Hales & Furnivall,
617:Stewart Style 1513-1542
454:and listed in the 1549
264:Lais of Marie de France
185:
136:
102:Syr Egeir and Syr Gryme
946:Van Duzee (1963), p.62
937:Van Duzee (1963), p.61
928:Van Duzee (1963), p.60
897:Van Duzee (1963), p.55
870:Van Duzee (1963), p.15
486:
362:Otherworldly adversary
231:
213:
174:of a 1687 blackletter
549:, broadcast in 1991.
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457:Complaynt of Scotland
217:
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580:, (2001), pp.276-287
565:Caldwell, James R.,
93:James IV of Scotland
716:, 4 (1816), p. 422.
668:in John Pinkerton,
600:Laing, David, ed.,
344:la dame de l'Espine
300:Grimms' Fairy Tales
97:James V of Scotland
1100:Middle Scots poems
1085:16th-century poems
998:Rolment of Courtis
843:Rickert (1908), xx
630:Van Duzee, Mabel,
490:House of the Binns
424:Maugis d'Aigremont
172:Huntington Library
131:2nd Earl of Gowrie
16:Medieval epic poem
1110:Music of Scotland
1028:The Great O'Toole
908:Romance Philology
784:Deidis of Armorie
587:vol. II, 671–717.
533:The musicologist
500:Thomas Bassendyne
463:Auld Man and Wife
201:Mediterranean Sea
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154:Bishop Percy
152:P - Text in
147:
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61:
50:Please help
45:
43:lead section
25:
666:Cupar Banns
535:John Purser
504:John Taylor
467:Cupar Banns
428:Charlemagne
165:David Laing
158:Percy Folio
1079:Categories
679:References
440:Gray Steil
320:Cumberland
1053:Greysteil
520:Palmerine
356:Diu Crône
111:courtiers
88:Greysteil
64:July 2018
21:Greysteel
990:Abercorn
986:Historia
634:, (1963)
604:, (1826)
528:Tristram
524:Lancelot
512:Gogmagog
448:lutenist
384:Mabinogi
278:romance
241:Analysis
1055:in the
647:Album;
482:Kinneil
472:Bo'ness
465:in the
444:Lecropt
382:in the
328:Bohemia
272:Gawaine
834:I, 342
516:Chinon
380:Hafgan
262:, the
125:, and
121:, and
508:Bevis
376:Pwyll
526:and
368:ford
366:The
312:Ægir
270:and
268:Yder
186:Plot
176:Eger
163:L -
137:Text
95:and
996:),
492:in
340:fay
156:'s
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984:,
743:^
522:,
518:,
514:,
510:,
412:.
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