Medieval Romance
A Good Tale of Ipomadon
12th century, Anglo-Norman French, Hue de Rotelande | 15th century Middle English verse translation at Chetham's Library Manchester.
'Greet your lady for me,' said Ipomadon, 'and tell her that you have spoken to me when I was a white knight, then a red knight, and now a black.'
The tournament ended. The black knight had been far and away the best knight there, but as evening closed in he rode towards the forest as fast as he could. He looked around and saw Jason.
'Jason! Come and speak with me!' he cried.
'How do you know my name?' asked the other.
'We were once friends! I have jousted here for three days and each day in a different colour. And I thank God that I have achieved so much and performed so well! Greet your lady for me and tell her that you have spoken to me when I was a white knight, then a red knight, and now a black. For I must go. Greet that beautiful lady a thousand times for me. Do this for me, my friend, and tell her that I shall speak with her at leisure sometime, if God wills it. Tell her this from me.'
'Sir!' exclaimed Jason. 'If you leave her like this she will be destroyed!'
Ipomadon rode into the crowd and Jason lost him.
Story fragment recounted from: Purdie, Rhiannon, 2001. Ipomadon. Published for the Early English Text Society by Oxford University Press. Text from MS Chetham 8009 (Manchester) in Middle English. Translation and retelling of lines 4627–69.
