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system; but which the barber saves, because it is the best of the kind that had yet been composed, and unico en su arte—a matchless work.

A French translation of Amadis was first made by Nicolas d'Herberay, who, in 1540, began the publication: this was afterwards prolonged to four-and-twenty books, by the additional adventures of Esplandian, Florisando, Lisuarte, Perion, Florisel, the Amadis of Greece, Roger of Greece, and Silvio de la Silva. From the French it was translated into German, and published in folio in 1583. The old English version, by Munday, is dated 1618. The earliest abridgement is that of mademoiselle de Lubert.

Count Tressan modernised this and other romances of chivalry in a manner which rendered them popular novels at Paris. His delineation of queen Brisena was made to reflect a flattering likeness of the dauphiness Marie Antoinette: but he grossly violated the costume of manners and opinions, in order to introduce stimulant allusions to the personages and literature of his own times (1770 to 1780). The court of France gave a fashion to his publication; and three thousand copies were dispersed through the genteelest book-cases in Europe. Tressan pretends to prove that the original Amadis was written in what he calls the Picard language; that is, the Welsh patois, common to the opposite coasts of Brittany and Cornwall. Had it been a story-book about Arthur, one would have listened with credulity; but every symptom points to a southern origin.

Had the comte de Tressan' (says Mr. Southey in his most learned and interesting preface) been versed in Portugueze literature, he might have found one single evidence in favour of his assumption. In the "Agiologio Lusitano," t. 1, p. 480, Joze Cardoso says, that Pedro de Lobeira translated the history of Amadis de Gaul from the French language, by order of the infante Dom Pedro, son of king Joam I. He calls him Pedro, says Barboza, that he may be wrong in every thing. The first volume of the Agiologio" was printed in 1652. With this single exception, the Portugueze have always ascribed the work to Vasco Lobeira; and the authority of this tradition would alone outweigh all the possibilities of the French writer. It is substantiated by the work itself, and by old and unquestionable testimony.

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At the end of the 41st chapter, vol. 2, p. 42, it is said, that Briolania would have given herself and her kingdom to Amadis, but he told her right loyally how he was another's. In the Spanish version, ff. 72, this passage follows, " But though the infante Don Alfonso of Portugal, having pity upon this fair Damsel, ordered it to be set down after another manner, that was what was his good pleasure, and not what actually was written of their loves; and they relate that history of these loves thus, though with more reason faith is to be given to what we have before said. Briolania

being restored to her kingdom, and enjoying the company of Amadis and Agrayes, persisted in her love: and seeing no way whereby she could accomplish her mortal desires, she spake very secretly with the damsel to whom Amadis, and Galaor and Agrayes had each promised a boon if she would guide Don Galaor where he could find the Knight of the Forest. This damsel was now returned, and to her she disclosed her mind, and besought her with many tears to advise some remedy for that strong passion. The damsel then in pity to her lady, demanded as the performance of his promise from Amadis, that he should not go out of a certain tower, 'till he had a son or daughter by Briolania; and they say, that, upon this, Amadis went into the tower because he would not break his word, and there because he would not consent to Briolania's desires he remained, losing both his appetite and his sleep, 'till his life was in great danger. This being known in the court of king Lisuarte, his lady Oriana, that she might not lose him, sent and commanded him to grant the damsel's desire, and he having this command, and considering that by no other means could he recover his liberty or keep his word, took that fair queen for his leman, and had by her a son and a daughter at one birth. But it was not so, unless Briolania seeing how Amadis was drawing nigh to death in the tower, told the damsel to release him of his promise, if he would only remain 'till Don Galaor was arrived; doing thus, that she might so long enjoy the sight of that fair and famous knight, whom when she did not behold she thought herself in great darkness. This carries with it more reason why it should be believed, because this fair queen was afterwards married to Don Galaor, as the fourth book relates."

Here then it appears that an infante of Portugal commanded some alteration to be made in the story: because he was displeased that Briolania should love in vain. There exists a sonnet ascribed to an infante of Portugal, and addressed to Vasco Lobeira, praising him as the author of Amadis, and objecting to this very part of the story. It is thus printed in a work entitled "Obras ineditas dos nossos insignes Poetas dadas a luz por Antonio Lourenço Caminha. Lisboa 1791.

SONETO.

Feito polo Senhor Infante Dom Pedro, Filho do Senhor Rey Dom Joam primeiro. Outros dizem que he do Senhor Rey Dom Affonso quarto, mais provase que foi do antecedente, porque o Lubera morreo no anno de 1403.

Bom Vasco de Lubera, e de graō sem
De pram que vos avades bem contado
O feito de Amadis o namorado,
Sem que dar ende por contar irem,
E tanto vos approve, e a tambem,
Que vos seredes sempre ende loado.
E antre os homes hos por homētado,
Que vos eraō adiante, e que era bem.
Mais porque vos fizeste a formoza

Brioranja amar endoado hu nom,
Esto cobade, e contra sa amarom vontade:
Ca eu hey grao formozura, e sa bondade,
E hor porque alfim amor no lho paragaō.

Tom. 1. 213.

"In the reign of Joam I. says Manuel de Faria y Sousa, the in fante Don Pedro wrote the sonnets Bom Vasco' &c. Vinha Amor' &c. in praise of Vasco Lobeira, the inventor of the books of chivalry by that of Amadis." I know not where the second of these sonnets is to be found, neither of them are among the infante Dom Pedro's poems published by Joseph Soares da Sylva at the end of his "Memorias para a Historia del Rey Dom Joam I." as copied from the "Cancioneiro of Resendé; nor do I recollect them in that very rare and valuable collection, to which I cannot now refer. But it is impossible that this sonnet should have been written by either of the princes to whom it has been ascribed. The infante Dom Pedro was but in his eleventh year when Vasco Lobeira died, and Lobeira himself must have been a boy at the time of Alfonso the IVth's death. Montalvo and Manuel de Faria and the Portugueze editor are in this point all in the wrong. If it be the composition of a royal or of a princely author, it must be king Pedro. This however must remain uncertain. But we may believe what Montalvo tells us, that the story had been altered in compliance with the taste of some noble Portugueze. The language of this sonnet is certainly as old as the time of Joam I. It agrees with the opinion of the person whom Montalvo calls the infante Alfonso, and it addresses Vasco Lobeira by name as the author of Amadis of Gaul.

This evidence is sufficiently decisive. It is incontrovertibly confirmed by Gomes Eannes de Zurara, in his "Chronica do Conde Dom Pedro de Menezes;" a work written in 1463, and first published in the "Collecção de Livros Ineditos de Historia Portugueza, 1792." He expressly says that Vasco Lobeira wrote the book of Amadis, and that the whole was his own invention. Could he have foreseen that it would have ever become a subject of controversy, his testimony could not have been more decisive. "Jaa seja, que muitos autores cobiçosos d'allargar suas obras, forneciam seus livros recontando tempos que os principes passavam em convites, e assy de festas, e jogos, e tempos allegres, de bue se nom seguia outra cousa, se nom a deleitaçaõ delles mesmos, assy como som os primeiros feitos de Ingraterra, que se chamava Gram Bretanha, e assy o livro d'Amadis, como quer que soomente este fosse feito a prazer de hum homem, que se chamava Vasco Lobeira, em tempo d'El Rey Dom Fernando, sendo toda-las cousas do dito livro fingidas do autor." T. 2. p. 422.

• Therefore it can no longer be doubted, that Vasco Lobeira is the author of Amadis of Gaul. The romance was written towards the close of the fourteenth century; if in Fernando's reign, before 1383, but certainly after Edward III. had laid claim to the crown of France, and when the court of Windsor was the most splendid in Europe. This is evident from the work itself. Had it been

written later, even by one generation, Montalvo could not have complained of its rude and ancient style.

Barboza says the original work was preserved in the family of the Aveiros. If this copy has escaped the earthquake, it may probably be traced from the wreck of that family; and it is greatly to be wished that the Royal Academy of Lisbon would publish it for the honour of Portugueze literature, to which that academy has already rendered such essential services, and which by other nations is little valued, only because it is little known.' Vol. i. p. iv.

Mr. Southey's epitome is not from the Portuguese original, but from the Spanish version by Garcia Ordonnez de Montalvo, of Medina del Campo, where probably the first edition made its appearance about 1510;-the older edition of Seville is dated 1526, and the newer, 1547. This abridgement is the work of a superior hand. The incidents were marvelous and impressive, but they were too successive and trailing: by the omission of merely expletive circumstance, and of idle circumlocutory dialogue, the requisite throng and pressure of event is attained, attention kept awake, and curiosity on the stretch. Traits of sentiment and character of the age and country, picturesque accidents of scenery or action, are carefully preserved; what delicacy forbade to reprint, is carefully suppressed. It deserves to become the model of future similar abstracts, from its excellency of abbreviation; for it consults every purpose of convenient amusement, while it preserves for the philosopher and the historian all they can hope to learn of the manners and the times.

The style is in costume; it has that quaint unaffectedness of character which reminds of the inartificial manner of the early chroniclers, but which is itself less natural to us now, than phrases of a more various and more sweeping march. The second chapter narrates an interesting discovery.

It so happened, that as he was one day walking in the hall with the damsel, young Melicia, king Perion's daughter, past by him weeping. He asked her why she wept, and she told him for a ring, which her father had given her to keep while he slept, and which she had lost. I will give you another as good, said the child, and he gave her one from his finger. She looked at it, and cried, this is the one I lost. Not so, said he.-Then it is the one in the world most like it. So much the better: you may give it for the other. And, leaving her, he went with the damsel to his chamber, and laid [lay] upon his bed, and she upon another that was there.

The king awoke, and asked his daughter for the ring; then gave she him the same she had of the prince, which he put on, thinking it was his own; but presently he saw his own lying where Melicia had dropt it, and taking it up he compared it with the other, which he then saw was the one which he had given to Elisena, and which she told him, when he had enquired for it, had been lost. He demanded of the little girl how she came by that CRIT. REV. Vol. 1. January, 1804. E

ring; and she, who was much afraid of him, told him what had happened. Immediately he began to suspect the queen, that she had fallen into some dishonest liking of the young knight for his great worth and exceeding beauty; and he took his sword, and went into the queen's chamber, and fastened the door. Madam, said he, you always denied to me the ring which I gave you, and the Child of the Sea has now given it to Melicia! How came he by it if you tell me a lie, your head shall pay for it. Ah God, mercy! quoth Elisena, and fell at his feet. I will tell you what I have hitherto concealed, but now you suspect me! And then she told him how she had exposed the infant, with whom the ring and the sword were placed; and then she lamented, and beat her face. Holy Mary! cried the king, I believe that this is our child! The queen stretched out her hands,-may it please God! With that they went into his chamber, whom they found sleeping; but Elisena wept bitterly because of her husband's suspicion. The king took the child's sword which was at the bed's-head, and looking at it he knew it well, as one wherewith he had given many and hard blows; and he said to Elisena, By my God I know the sword! Then Elisena took the child by the arm, and wakened him, who awoke in wonder, and asked her why she wept. Ah! said she, whose son art thou?-So help me God I know not, for by great hap I was found in the sea! The queen fell at his feet, hearing him, and he cried, My God! what is all this? My son, quoth she, you see your parents!

When the first joy had a little subsided he remembered the writing, and took it from his bosom. Elisena saw it was what Da rioletta had written. Ah, my son, quoth she, when last I saw this writing I was in all trouble and anguish, and now am I in all happiness,-blessed be God!

It were long to tell what joy Agrayes made and the lords of the realm at this discovery. The damsel of Denmark could now no longer abide. Sir Amadis, said she, I will go carry these good tidings to my lady, for you must tarry to give joy and gladness to those eyes that have shed so many tears for your sake. God have you in his keeping! replied Amadis. I shall soon follow, and will come in arms like those I wore against king Abies, so shall ye

know me.

At this time would Agrayes also depart; for the damsel, when she brought him Galpano's helmet, came with a message from his mistress, Olinda, daughter to king Vanayn of Norway, desiring to see him with all convenient speed. He had won her love when he was with Galvanes in that kingdom. Now Galvanes was his uncle, and because he had only one poor castle to his heritage, they called him Lackland. Cousin, said Agrayes, I desire your company above all other things, but I must now go where my heart leads me. Where shall I find you on my return? In the house of king Lisuarte, said Amadis, for there they tell me is chivalry more worthily maintained than in the house of any other king or emperor in the world; and I pray you commend me to your parents, for they as well as you may ever esteem me in their service for the education they gave me. This said, Agrayes took leave of the queen his

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