for the bulk of the
Lancelot legends being, as has been said, anterior to the end of the
twelfth century, is much older than the bulk of the Gawain romances,
which, owing their origin to English, and especially to northern,
patriotism, do not seem to date earlier than the thirteenth or even
the fourteenth. But it is true that Gawain, as we have seen, makes an
appearance, though no very elaborate one, in the most ancient forms of
the legend itself, where we hear nothing of Lancelot; and also that
his appearances in _Merlin_ do not bear anything like the contrast
(similar to that afterwards developed in the Iberian romance-cycle as
between Galaor and Amadis) which other authorities make between him
and Lancelot.[52] Generally speaking, the knights are divisible into
three classes. First there are the older knights, from Ulfius (who had
even taken part in the expedition which cheated Igraine) and Antor,
down to Bedivere, Lucan, and the most famous of this group, Sir Kay,
who, alike in older and in later versions, bears the uniform character
of a disagreeable person, not indeed a coward, though of prowess not
equal to his attempts and needs; but a boaster, envious, spiteful, and
constantly provoking by his tongue incidents in which his hands do not
help him out quite sufficiently.[53] Then there is the younger and
main body, of whom Lancelot and Gawain (still keeping Tristram apart)
are the chiefs; and lastly the outsiders, whether the "felon" knights
who are at internecine, or the mere foreigners who are in friendly,
antagonism with the knights of the "Rowntabull."

[Footnote 52: Since I wrote this passage I have learnt with pleasure
that there is a good chance of the whole of the Gawain romances,
English and foreign, being examined together by a very competent hand,
that of Mr I. Gollancz of Christ's College, Cambridge.]

[Footnote 53: The Welsh passages relating to Kay seem to be older than
most others.]

Of these the chief are Sir Palomides or Palamedes (a gallant Saracen,
who is Tristram's unlucky rival for the affections of Iseult, while
his special task is the pursuit of the Questing Beast, a symbol of
Slander), and Tristram himself.

[Sidenote: _Sir Tristram._]

The appearance of this last personage in the Legend is one of the most
curious and interesting points in it. Although on this, as on every
one of such points, the widest diversity of opinion prevails, an
impartial examination of the texts perhaps enabl