Close connection with edition 1533, Philippe Lenoire--Importance of these two versions for criticism of Malory's compilation 151 Detailed comparison of texts with Dr. Sommer's summary of prose _Lancelot_ and with original text of Malory 152-164 CHAPTER X THE QUESTE VERSIONS Comparison of texts continued--Dutch _Lancelot_--French 1533--Malory--Welsh _Queste_--Dr. Furnivall's _Queste_--Dr. Sommer's summary 166-185 Conclusion--General agreement of the first four against the last two--The former representing a superior family of texts--Malory's source an _Agravain-Queste_ MS. belonging to same family as 1533 and Dutch translation--No proof that Malory knew earlier section of _Lancelot_ 185-188 Variations of _Queste_ MSS. apparently due to copyist rather than to compiler--The romance a _Lancelot_, rather than a _Grail_, romance 188-193 CHAPTER XI THE MORT ARTUR Comparison of texts continued 195-205 Results confirm previous conclusion, showing continued agreement of 1533 and Dutch translation, and strengthen theory that text used by Malory belonged to same family 205 CHAPTER XII CONCLUSION Summary of investigation--Results arrived at 206-212 The mutual relations of _Perceval_ and _Lancelot_ stories of primary importance in evolution of Arthurian romantic cycle--Necessity for critical editions of these texts 212-214 APPENDIX The _Lancelot_ section of D.L. 215-247 INDEX 248 THE LEGEND OF SIR LANCELOT DU LAC CHAPTER I INTRODUCTORY To the great majority of English readers, those who are familiar with the Arthurian legend through the pages of Malory and Tennyson, the name which occurs most readily to their minds in connection with the court and Table of King Arthur is that of Lancelot du Lac, at once the most gallant servant of the king, and the secret lover of the queen. To many the story of Lancelot and Guinevere is the most famous of all stories of unlawful love. True, of late years the popularity of Wagner's music has made their ears, at least, familiar with the names of Tristan and Iseult. Still, that Tristan and Iseult were ever as famous as Lancelot and Guinevere, few outside the ranks of professed students of mediæval literature would believe; still fewer admit that the loves of Arthur's queen and Arthur's knight were suggested by, if not imitated from, the older, more poetic, and infinitely more convincing, Celtic love-tale; that Lancelot, as Arthur's knight and Guinevere's lover, is a comparatively late addition to the Arthurian legend.