Anglo-Norman Lay of Haveloc

About this book

The story of Haveloc first appears in the oldest chronicle of the kings of England Britain, Geffrei Gaimar's 'Estoire des Engleis', and it is found in a substantial number of later accounts of English history. It is unusual in that it seemingly deals with "real" persons and events; but although names for the prototypes of Haveloc and other personages have been put forward, any search for historical evidence has been largely fruitless. The Haveloc story remains a legend, indeed one of the most compelling legends of the Middle Ages. The Anglo-Norman lay of Haveloc survives in only two manuscripts, one (H) unedited since the nineteenth century and the other (P) since 1925. This volume provides new editions of both versions and an English facing-page translation of the version in H. Also included is a translation of the Haveloc episode in Gaimar's chronicle and an edition and translation of the various shorter chronicle accounts, in French, English and Latin, which continued into the seventeenth century and survive in a modern English folk-tale.