The Middle Dutch Prose Lancelot Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen The Middle Dutch Prose Lancelot A study of the Rotterdam Fragments and their place in the French, German, and Dutch Lancelot en prose tradition With an edition of the text Orlanda Soei Han Lie Noord-Hollandsche Uitgevers Maatschappij, Amsterdam/Oxford/New York, 1987 MIDDELNEDERLANDSE LANCELOTROMANS III Uitgegeven onder auspicien van het Bureau Basisvoorziening Tekstedities der Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen Begeleidingscommissie: W. Blok, Groningen; S. Dresden, Leiden; A. H. F. van Elslander, Gent; W. P. Gerritsen, Utrecht; E. K. Grootes, Amsterdam; F. J. van Ingen, Amsterdam; W. R. H. Koops, Groningen; M. A. Schenkeveld-van der Dussen, Utrecht; A. L. Si:itemann, Utrecht Copyright van deze uitgave © 1987 Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen, Amsterdam Contents Acknowledgements 8 Introduction 9 I. The Old French Lancelot en prose Tradition 10 2. The Middle High German Lancelot en prose Tradition 16 3. The Middle Dutch Lancelot en prose Tradition 25 4. Principles of Classification 31 II A Comparative Study of the First Rotterdam Fragment, the Lancelot Compilation, Lantsloot vander Haghedochte, and the French Lancelot en prose Manuscripts 39 I. A Classification of the French Lancelot en prose Manuscripts 39 2. A Comparison between the First Rotterdam Fragment, the Lancelot Compilation and the French Manuscript Tradition of the Chastel del Moulin Episode 49 3. A Comparison between Lantsloot vander Haghedochte (LH) and the French Manu script Tradition of the Chastel del Moulin Episode 51 4. A Classification of the Manuscripts of the Short Version 57 5. A Comparison between the Lancelot Compilation and the Manuscripts of the Short Version 61 6. A Comparison between the First Rotterdam Fragment and the Manuscripts of the Short Version 64 7· Conclusion 69 III A Comparative Study of the Second Rotterdam Fragment, the German Prose Lancelot of Heidelberg (Pal. Germ. 147), the Lancelot Compilation and the French Manuscripts 73 I. The French Manuscript Tradition of the Virgin Love Covenant Episode 73 2. A Comparison between the Second Rotterdam Fragment, the Lancelot Compilation, Pal. Germ. 147 and the French Manuscript Tradition of the Virgin Love Covenant Episode 81 3. A Classification of the Manuscripts of Group I 86 5