is now known. A single MS.
version of 1650 survives, however, in the Percy Folio.[64] This is another
translation from the same French original, but made by some one acquainted
with Thomas Chestre's version.

The story as told in the first of these manuscripts may be condensed as
follows. Launfal had been ten years a steward to King Arthur before the
King's marriage. He did not like Guinevere, who gave him no gift at her
wedding; so he asked leave of the King to go home and bury his father. He
went to Caerleon, with two knights given him by Arthur, and sojourned with
the mayor; but when his money was spent, he fell into debt, and his knights
returned to Arthur's court in rags; but at Launfal's request, they gave out
that he was faring well.

One day Launfal rode out in poor attire into the forest, and sat him under
a tree to rest. After a while, two fair damsels, beautifully attired and
bearing a gold basin and a silk towel, approached him, and bade him come
speak with their lady, Dame Triamour, daughter to the King of Olyroun, king
of fairy. Launfal was led to where the lady lay, and "all his love in her
was light."

On the morrow she promised him rich presents, and said she would come to
him whenever he wished for her in a secret place; but he was never to boast
of her love. Her presents came to him at the mayor's house of Caerleon, and
he spent his riches charitably.

The King, hearing of an exploit of Launfal's, summoned him back to court.
The Queen tempted him, but he repulsed her by saying he loved a fairer
woman; this of course lost him Triamour. Guinevere (by a trick common in
romances) accused Launfal to Arthur; but he was saved from disgrace by the
appearance of Triamour, who then carried him off into fairy-land to
Olyroun.

The romance of _Sir Orpheo_, a mediaeval version of the classical story of
Orpheus and Eurydice, has come down to us in three manuscripts,[65] two of
which are not quite complete, which are to be assigned to the fifteenth
century at latest. As in the case of _Launfal_, it is doubtless a
translation from the French; but as there is no extant original, this can
only be presumed. Orpheus becomes Orpheo or Orfeo, and Eurydice becomes
Erodys, Heurodis, or Meroudys; in the last the initial letter may be due to
the _m_ in "dame," the word preceding it.

The story is told as follows.

In all the world there was no better harper than King Orfeo [Sir Orpheo],
and no fairer lady than dame Me