Chapter Gabble Retchet to Galasp of G by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Gabrielle (Charmante), or La Belle Gabrielle, daughter of Antoine d’Estrées (grand-master of artillery and governor of the Ile de France). Henri IV. (1590) happened to stay for the night at the château de Cœuvres, and fell in love with Gabrielle, then 19 years old. To throw a veil over his intrigue, he gave her in marriage to Damerval de Liancourt, created her duchess of Beaufort, and took her to live with him at court.

(The song beginning “Charmante Gabrielle …” is ascribed to Henri IV.)

Gabrina, wife of Argeo baron of Servia, tried to seduce Philander, a Dutch knight; but Philander fled from the house, where he was a guest. She then accused him to her husband of a wanton insult; and Argeo, having apprehended him, confined him in a dungeon. One day, Gabrina visited him there, and implored him to save her from a knight who sought to dishonour her. Philander willingly espoused her cause, and slew the knight, who proved to be her husband. Gabrina then told her champion that if he refused to marry her, she would accuse him of murder to the magistrates. On this threat he married her, but ere long was killed by poison. Gabrina now wandered about the country as an old hag, and being fastened on Odorico, was hung by him to the branch of an elm.—Ariosto: Orlando Furioso (1516).

Gabrioletta, governess of Brittany, rescued by Amadis de Gaul from the hands of Balan (“the bravest and strongest of all giants”).—Vasco de Lobeira; Amadis de Gaul, iv. 129 (fourteenth century).

Gadshill, a companion of sir John Falstaff. This thief receives his name from a place called Gadshill, on the Kentish road, notorious for the many robberies committed there.—Shakespeare; 1 Henry IV. act ii. sc. 4 (1597).

(Charles Dickens resided at Gadshill for several years.)

Gaheris (Sir), son of Lot (king of Orkney) and Morgause (king Arthur’s sister). Being taken captive by sir Turquine, he was liberated by sir Launcelot du Lac. One night, sir Gaheris caught his mother in adultery with sir Lamorake, and, holding her by the hair, struck off her head.

“Alas! said sir Lamorake, “why have you slain your own mother? With more right should ye have slain me.” … And when it was known that sir Gaheris had slain his mother, king Arthur was passing wroth, and commanded him to leave his court.—Sir T. Malory: History of Prince Arthur, ii. 109 (1470).

Gaiour [Djow.’r], emperor of China, and father of Badoura (the “most beautiful woman ever seen upon earth”). Badoura married Camaralzaman, the most beautiful of men.—Arabian Nights (“Camaralzaman and Badoura”). (See Giaour.)

Galahad (Sir), the chaste son of sir Launcelot and the fair Elaine (king Pellês’s daughter, pt. iii. 2), and thus was fulfilled a prophecy that she should become the mother of the noblest knight that was ever born. Queen Guenever says that sir Launcelot “came of the eighth degree from our Saviour, and sir Galahad is of the ninth … and, therefore, be they the greatest gentlemen of all the world” (pt. iii. 35). His sword was that which sir Balin released from the maiden’s scabbard (see Balin), and his shield belonged to king Euelake (Evelake), who received it from Joseph of Arimathy. It was a snow-white shield, on which Joseph had made a cross with his blood (pt. iii. 39). After divers adventures, sir Galahad came to Sarras, where he was made king, was shown the sangraal by Joseph of Arimathy, and even “took the Lord’s body between his hands,” and died. Then suddenly “a great multitude of angels did bear his soul up to heaven,” and “sithence was never no man that could say he had seen the sangreal” (pt. iii. 103).

Sir Galahad was the only knight who could sit in the “Siege Perilous,” a seat in the Round Table reserved for the knight destined to achieve the quest of the holy graal, and no other person could sit in it without peril of his life (pt. iii. 32). He also drew from the iron and marble rock the sword which no other knight could release (pt. iii. 33). His great achievement was that of the holy graal. Whatever other persons may say of this mysterious subject, it is quite certain that the Arthurian legends mean that sir Galahad