Roman de Jaufre

On the Feast of Pentecost, King Arthur refused to begin dinner until there is an adventure. He finally decides to leave with his knights to find an adventure. He hears the voice of a damsel in distress and leaves his knights to go see if he can help her. She complains that a giant beast is eating all her grain. King Arthur tries to get the beast to leave, but it won’t budge. Finally, he grabs the horns of the beast and his hands are attached by enchantment and he can’t let go!

Roman de Jaufre, Source: gallica.bnf.fr
Bibliothèque nationale de France, Département des manuscrits, Français 2164, fol. 2v.

Gauvain sees the King being carried off and chases down the beast. Arthur calls out to him and orders him not to kill the beast.

Fol. 3r.

The beast carries the king to the top of a high ridge and dangles the king over the edge of a precipice. Gauvain and the knights fear so much for his safety that they create a pile of all their clothing under the king in case he falls.

Fol. 3v.

As the beast jumps down onto the pile of clothes, it transforms into a knight who is known to have powers of enchantment. He kneels before the king and tells him that they can now eat since they have seen an adventure as well as an amusing prank that caused all the knights to remove their clothing.

Fol. 4r.

They all return back to court and begin their feast. A stately squire enters the hall.

Fol. 5r.

The handsome squire asks King Arthur to make him a knight and grant him a boon. Arthur promises to make him a knight after they eat.

Fol. 5r.

Another fierce knight, Taulat de Rogimon, rides into the banquet hall, slays a knight and leaves his body at the feet of the queen. He rages that he promises to bring dishonor upon the king and will return every year to repeat his attack.

Fol. 5v.

After the fierce knight departs, the squire asks that the king now grant his request to make him a knight and let him pursue Taulat. The foul-mouthed senechal Keu mocks the young man, but King Arthur dresses him in armor, kisses him and attached the spur on his right heel.

Fol. 6r.

The new knight reveals he is Jaufre, son of Dozon. Arthur remembers fondly the great knight Dozon as Jaufre jumps upon his new horse and receives shield, lance, and sword.

Fol. 6v.

As Jaufre leaves the castle, he learns from two bystanders that Taulat has made a good head start. Jaufre leaves in hot pursuit.

Fol. 6v.

Near dark, Jaufre hears the clash of battle ahead. He finds a knight who has been slain.

Fol. 7r.

He hears another battle, but again arrives only to find one slain knight.

Fol. 7v.

The third knight he finds is seriously wounded, but is able to explain what has happened. He is the lord of a nearby castle. An evil and powerful knight named Estout de Vertfueil has been attacking them. The Lord and two of his knights pursued him in the dark, but were each defeated in turn. Jaufre vows to avenge this ruthless attack. The Lord asks Jaufre to go to his castle to ask his men to come recover his body.

Fol. 8r.

Jaufre finds two men with crossbows at the castle gates and recounts the fate of their Lord and knights. Jaufre continues his pursuit of either Estout or Taulat.

Fol. 8v.

(End of Part 1)