Chapter Garcias to Garlic of G by Brewer's Readers Handbook

consent to his so doing if he concealed his nam e and went as a scullion for twelve months. To this he agreed, and sir Kay, the king’s steward, nickna med him “Beaumains,” because his hands were unusually large. At the end of the year he was knighted, and obtained the quest of Linet, who craved the aid of some knight to liberate her sister Lionês, who was held prisoner by sir Ironside in Castle Perilous. Linet treated sir Gareth with great contumely, calling him a washer of dishes and a kitchen knave; but he overthrew the five knights and liberated the lady, whom he married. The knights were—first, the Black Knight of the Black Lands or sir Peread , the Green Knight or sir Pertolope, the Red Knight or sir Peri monês, the Blue Knight or sir Persaunt of India (four brothers), and lastly the Red Knight of the Red Lands or sir Ironside.—Sir T. Malory: History of Prince Arthur, i. 120–123 (1470).

According to Tennyson, sir Gareth was “the last and tallest son of Lot king of Orkney and of Bellicent his wife.” He served as a kitchen knave in king Arthur’s hall a twelvemonth and a day, and was nicknamed “Beaumains.” At the end of twelve months he was knighted, and obtained leave to accompany Lynette to the liberation of her sister Lyonors, who was held captive in Castle Perilous by a knight called Death or Mors. The passages to the castle were kept by four brothers, called by Tennyson Morning Star or Phosphorus, Noonday Sun or Meridies, Evening Star or Hesperus, and Night or Nox, all of whom he overthrew. At length Death leapt from the cleft skull of Night, and prayed the knight not to kill him, seeing that what he did his brothers had made him do. At starting, Lynette treated Gareth with great contumely, but softened to him more and more after each victory, and at last married him.

He that told the tale in olden times
Says that sir Gareth wedded Lyonors;
But he that told it later says Lynette.
   —Tennyson: Idylls of the King (“Gareth and Lynette”).

Gareth and Linet is in reality an allegory, a sort of Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, describing the warfare of a Christian from birth to his entrance into glory. The “Bride” lived in Castle Perilous, and was named Lionês; Linet represents the “carnal world,” which, like the inhabitants of the City of Destruction, jest and jeer at everything the Christian does. Sir Gareth fought with four knights, keepers of the roads to “Zion” or Castle Perilous, viz. Night, Dawn, Midday, and Evening, meaning the temptations of the four ages of man. Having conquered in all these, he had to encounter the last enemy, which is Death, and then the bride was won—the bride who lived in Castle Perilous or Mount Zion.

Tennyson, in his version of this beautiful allegory, has fallen into several grave errors, the worst of which is his making Gareth marry Lynette (as he spells the name), instead of the true bride. This is like landing his Pilgrim in the City of Destruction, after having finished his journey and passed the flood. Gareth’s brother was wedded to the world (i.e. Linet), but Gareth himself was married to the “true Bride,” who dwelt in Castle Perilous. Another grave error is making Death crave of Gareth not to kill him, as what he did he was compelled to do by his elder brothers. I must confess that this to me is quite past understanding. (See Notes and Queries, January 19, February 16, March 16, 1878.)

Gargamelle , wife of Grangousier and daughter of the king of the Parpaillons. On the day that she gave birth to Gargantua she ate 16 qrs. 2 bush. 3 pecks and a pipkin of dirt, the mere remains left in the tripe which she had for supper, although the tripe had been cleaned with the utmost care.—Rabelais: Gargantua, i. 4 (1533).

(Gargamelle is an allegorical skit on the extravagance of queens, and the dirt is their pin-money.)

Gargantua, son of Grangousier and Gargamelle. It needed 17,913 cows to supply the babe with milk. Like Garagantua (q.v.), he ate in his salad lettuces as big as walnut trees, in which were lurking six pilgrims from Sebastian. He founded and endowed the abbey of Theleme , in remembrance of his victory over Picrochole .—Rabelais: Gargantua, i. 7 (1533).

(Of course, Gargantua is an allegorical skit on the allowance accorded to princes for their maintenance. The name was familiar in fable before: Rabelais appropriated it. When Shakespeare refers to it in As You Like It, he probably refers to one of the older stories, and not to Rabelais.)