The Romans of Lancelot of the Laik

PREFACE.


I.--DESCRIPTION OF THE MS., ETC.

A former edition of the present poem was printed for the Maitland Club,
in 1839, and edited by Joseph Stevenson, Esq. It has saved me all
trouble of transcription, but by no means, I am sorry to say, that of
correction. Those who possess the older edition will readily perceive
that it differs from the present one very frequently indeed, and that
the variations are often such as considerably to affect the sense. Many
of the errors in it (such as _casualtyee_ for _casualytee_, _grone_, for
_gone_, _reprent_ for _repent_) are clearly typographical, but there are
others which would incline me to believe that the transcription was too
hastily executed; several passages being quite meaningless. Near the
conclusion of Mr Stevenson’s preface we read: “The pieces which have
been selected for the present volume[P1] are printed with such errors of
transcription as have crept into them by the carelessness of the
scribe;” a statement which certainly implies that there was no intention
on his part of departing from the original. Yet that he sometimes
unconsciously did so to such an extent as considerably to alter (or
destroy) the sense, the reader may readily judge from a few examples:--

[Footnote P1: The volume contains other poems besides “Sir
Lancelot.”]

LINE. EDITION OF 1839. TRUE READING OF THE MS.

26. fatil (_fatal_), fatit (_fated_).
285. unarmyt (_unarmed_), enarmyt (_fully armed_).
682. can here, cam nere.
700. rendit (_rent_), vondit (_wounded_).
764. refuse (_refusal?_), reprefe (_defeat_).
861. felith (_feeleth_), ſetith (_setteth_).
1054. vyt, ry{ch}t.
1084. speiris, spuris.
1455. cumyng (_coming_), cunyng (_skill_).
1621. he war, be war (_beware_).
1641. promyß, punyß (_punish_).
2010. ane desyne, medysyne.
2092. born, lorn (_lost_).
2114. havin, harm.
2142. Hymene (!), hyme (_him_).
2219. such, furth (_forth_).
2245. al so y-vroght, al foly vroght.
2279. chichingis (!), thithingis (_tidings_).
2446. love, lore (_teaching_). Etc.