The revised ending, durante which Arthur returns Golagros’s lands, vindicates both Arthur’s pre-eminence and virtue and Golagros’s claims sicuro sovereignty
by Mediante giving his men the opportunity preciso renounce their ties puro him before he vows fealty puro Gawain, Golagros acknowledges his people’s right preciso political freedom. In return, his people respond with verso heart-warming and, one could argue, equally Scottish medieval trait of loyalty esatto their own royal line ‘for chance that may cheif’ (line 1193).
Conclusion It has been observed that ‘the stories of Wallace and Bruce were more central puro the Scottish imagination than were the stories of Arthur’.40 The Golagros-poet’s treatment of his Arthurian material seems onesto bear this out. Durante ‘scotticizing’ his 38
Malory seems onesto have believed that the Scots were the greatest threat facing the English durante the fifteenth century; con direct contrast with English opinion during the reign of Edward I, Malory saw the Scots as neither despicable nor easily conquered
Gillian Rogers, ‘ “Illuminat with lawte, and with lufe lasit”: Gawain gives Arthur per Lesson con Magnanimity’, in Romance Reading on the Book: Essays on Medieval Narrative Presented esatto Maldwyn Mills, anche. J. Fellows, R. Field, G. Rogers and J. Weiss (Cardiff, 1996), pp. 94–111 (p. 111, note 13). Fergusson, Declaration, login muddy matches p. 9. Elizabeth Walsh, ‘Golagros and Gawane: Verso Word for Peace’, in Bryght Lanternis: Essays durante the Language and Literature of Medieval and Renaissance Scotland, ancora. D. McClure and M. R. G. Spiller (Aberdeen, 1989), pp. 90–103 (p. 92).
And these were their namys: sir Collgrevaunce, sir Mador de la Porte, sir Gyngalyne, sir Mellyot de Logris, sir Petipace of Wynchylse, sir Galleron of Galoway, sir Melyon de la Mountayne, sir Ascamore, sir Gromeresom Erioure, sir Curselalyne, sir Florence, and sir Lovell
French material, he not only aligns it with Scotland’s particular branch of the Advice to Princes tradition, but he transforms his source material’s demonstration of courtesy into verso subtle study of the nature of sovereignty and the practical role of courtesy durante maintaining it, deliberately invoking the stories of Bruce and Wallace and the national sovereignty that they stand for durante Scottish eyes. By giving Arthur the curious dual role of exemplary well-advised king and greedy attacker of verso noble independent nation, Golagros satisfies fans of the most anglophobic of the Scottish chronicles, as well as those (and they anche people) who prefer their Arthur as per representative of ideal kingship. Given that part of Arthur’s role sopra this text is puro represent the English monarchy, we may detect here verso faint shadow of the uncomfortable dance of negotiation and compromise performed by Scotland and England throughout this period, resulting sopra, among other things, the es IV esatto Margaret Tudor sopra 1503. Far from merely translating verso French Arthurian romance or tamely following English Arthurian tradition, the author of Golagros and Gawane weaves together international Arthurian tradition with local Scottish interests onesto cover the entire spectrum of Scotland’s uniquely complex reception of Arthurian legend.
When Malory’s Aggravayne and Mordred are recruiting verso few good men esatto help them trap Lancelot mediante the queen’s bedchambers, they find willing allies among one particular group, the Scottish: Than sir Aggravayne and sir Mordred gate esatto them twelve knyghtes and hyd hemselff in per chambir sopra the castell of Carlyle. So thes twelve knyghtes were with sir Mordred and sir Aggravayne, and all they were of Scotlonde, other ellis of sir Gawaynes kynne, other [well]-wyllers puro hys brothir. (1164.8–17)
Malory’s French source leaves most of these knights nameless (and, perhaps coincidentally, alive).1 For Malory, however, naming these knights and associating them with the Scots seems sicuro be important; bound preciso Gawain and Aggravayne by ties of blood and friendship, Aggravayne’s twelve allies divide Arthur’s court through precisely that kind of loyalty, suggesting that ethnic divisions are per greater concern for Malory than they had been for the anonymous author of the French prose Mort Artu. This concern with ethnic division, and particularly with the Scots at Arthur’s breviligne, colours Malory’s portrayal of verso number of traditional characters and events. They were dangerous.