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The Tournaments of Tottenham and Lappenhausen

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 December 2020

George F. Jones
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Extract

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the literary, folkloristic, and social significance of the “peasant-tournament,” a type of mock-epic generally neglected by literary historians. Perhaps the two outstanding examples of this genre are The Turnament of Totenham and the tournament in Heinrich Wittenwiler's Ring, both of which appear to date from the first half of the fifteenth century. The Turnament is an alliterative burlesque written sometime before 1456 by an unknown English author, who set the scene of his work at Tottenham, a village near London. Its 234 verses tell of a peasant tournament in which doughty village swains contend for the hand of Tyb, the reeve's daughter. The tournament of Lappenhausen is the opening episode in Wittenwiler's Ring, an amazing comic-didactic poem written in northeastern Switzerland about 1420. The Ring tells of the love, courtship, and marriage, of Bertschi Triefnas and his lovely hunchbacked, flatfooted, goitered sweetheart, Metzli Ruerenzumph. In the opening scene, which comprises about a thousand verses (vv. 105-659, 830-1279), Bertschi and his twelve companions ride to the village green and challenge all comers to joust in the name of womanhood. Finding no one who dares withstand them, they joust with each other until joined by Neidhart of Reuental, a peasant-hating nobleman who arrives in disguise and gives them a thorough drubbing.

Type
Research Article
Information
PMLA , Volume 66 , Issue 6 , December 1951 , pp. 1123 - 1140
Copyright
Copyright © Modern Language Association of America, 1951

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References

Note 1 in page 1123 Thomas Percy, Reliques of Ancient English Poetry, ed. H. B. Wheatley (London, 1886), H, 17 ff.; Thomas Wright, The Turnament of Totenham and the Feest (London, 1836); W. C. Hazlitt, Remains of the Early Popular Poetry of England (London, 1886), iii, 82 ff.; W. H. French and C. B. Hale, Middle English Metrical Romances (New York, 1930), pp. 989 ff.

Note 2 in page 1123 Cited hereafter from E. Wiessner, Heinrich Wittenwilers Ring (Leipzig, 1931). Previously published by L. Bechstein (Stuttgart, 1851), BLVS, xxiii.

Note 5 in page 1123 Bishop Percy (ii, 18) dates one MS. ca. 1456. French and Hale (p. 989) say the poem is in dialect of the north of ca. 1400–40.

Note 4 in page 1123 It has been traditionally ascribed to Gilbert Pilkington, whose name appears on one MS. His authorship is championed by Oscar Cargill, PMLA, xxi (Dec. 1926), 810 ff., and opposed by Frances Foster, PMLA, xliii (March 1928), 124 ff., and Mendal Framp-ton, PMLA, xxvii (Sept. 1932), 622 ff.

Note 6 in page 1123 Cargill (p. 827) believed the scene to be Tottington in Lancaster, but Frampton (p. 627) discredits this theory.

Note 6 in page 1123 For date of Ring, see E. Bleisch, Zum Ring Heinrich Witlenweilers, Halle diss. (Halle, 1891), and E. Wiessner, “TJrkundliche Zeugnisse fiber Heinrich von Wittenwil,” in Fest-gàbefiir Samuel Singer (Tubingen, 1930), pp. 98 ff.

Note 7 in page 1124 Folengo, Opère Italiane, éd. Umberto Renda (Bari, 1911), Vol. i.

Note 8 in page 1124 Reproduced by L. Maeterlinck, Le Genre Satirique dans la Peinture Flamande (Brussels, 1902), fig. 163; and Alwin Schultz, Deutsches Leben im XIV. und XV. Jahrhundert (Wien, 1892), fig. 207.

Note 9 in page 1125 Das Narrenschiffvon Sebastian Brant, ed. K. Goedeke (Leipzig, 1872), 110b, vv. 76 ff.

Note 10 in page 1125 Johann Fiscliarts Geschùhtklitterung, ed. A. Alsleben (Halle, 1891), NDL, lxv, 73.

Note 11 in page 1125 Cf. Sachs's poem “Der Nasentanz zu Giimpelsbrunn” in E. Goetze, SUmtliche Fabeln uni Schw&nke von Bans Sachs (Halle, 1893), NDL, cx, 125 ff., and the painting by Nicolaus Meldemann on the same theme (reproduced in Maeterlinck, fig. 146, and Schultz, fig. 212).

Note 12 in page 1125 Goetze, p. 179, vv. 50 ff. For pictures of kolbenslechen, see Schultz, figs. 493,497, 500; 494, 495; 496, 498.

Note 13 in page 1125 E. Goetze, Samlliche Faslnachtspiele von Hans Sachs (Halle, 1881), Vol. ii, NDL, XXXI, 33, vv. 211–219.

Note 14 in page 1126 Neidhart und das Bauernturnier in Eeinrich Wittenwilers “Ring” in Festschrift Max H. Jellinek (Leipzig, 1928), p. 199.

Note 15 in page 1126 This is particularly true of A. Hagelstange, SUddeutsches Bauernleben im Mittelalter (Leipzig, 1898), Schultz, op. cit., and J. Janssen, Geschichte des deutschen Volkes (Freiburg, 1883).

Note 16 in page 1126 Der deutsche Bauer im Mittelalter (Bern, 1928), pp. 13, 136–137. Samuel Singer seems to have been the first to note the influence of Shrovetide custom on the Ring tournament: Neidhart Studien (Tubingen, 1920), p. 41.

Note 17 in page 1126 Goetze, Samtliche Fabeln, p. 178, vv. 54 ff.

Note 18 in page 1727 “ . . . und zuletst kamen 16 auf die pan, die waren mit grttnen kitteln und mit heu ausgefiilt angetan und hetten stroen helm auf und stachen mit krucken mit einander, das was mit grosser kurtzweil zu sehen” (ibid., p. 482).

Note 19 in page 1727 DWb, v, 2489.

Note 20 in page 1727 “...am mittwuchen den 10. merzens huit man den kubelturnier. es zogen nach essens 20 riitter . . . uf den renblatz, hatten anstatt der helmen grosze ktibel oder sester uf . . . . TJber die risting hatten sy zwilchene schwartz kuttinierte juppen, auch ploder gsess, gar wol mit heuw ausgefietret, ritten schlechte pferdt, sassen uf kleinen wagensettelin, ohne gurt und vorbiig oder schwantzriemen, on alien hangenden stegreif, hatten hôltzene lange sper, davornen stumpf wie weinstôszel,” etc. (ibid., with words added from version cited in Wiessner, op. cit., p. 197). Cf. “kitteln” and “zwilchene” in the above passages with “kittel” and “zwilch” in a satirical Shrovetide poem in L. Uhland, Aile hoch- und nieder-deutsche Volkslieder (Stuttgart & Berlin, ii.d.), I, No. 244, vv. 3 ff.

Note 21 in page 1128 Schultz, fig. 230, pp. 486 ff., and fig. 502. W. Stammler (“Die biirgerliche Dichtung des Spâtmittelalters,” ZfdA, Lin [1928], 3) claims that burghers did joust with knights; but his evidence (MGH, DChr., iv, 101 ff.) suggests that the urban jousters were patrician1.

Note 22 in page 1128 For symbolism of the late-medieval bagpipe, see G. F. Jones, “Wittenwiler's Becki and the Medieval Bagpipe,” JEGP, XLVHI (April 1949), 209 ff.

Note 23 in page 1129 A History of German Literature (London, 1931), p. 154.

Note 24 in page 1129 Reinmar von Zweter, ed. G. Roethe (Leipzig, 1887), p. 464, no. 106. Other versions give “tôtraez” and “mordes” in place of “tôtreis” and “mundes” (ibid.).

Note 25 in page 1129 Bertold von Regensburg, ed. F. Pfeiffer (Wien, 1862), i, 25, v. 12.

Note 26 in page 1129 Der Renner von Hugo von Trimberg, ed. G. Ehrismann (Tubingen, 1909) (BLVS, Vols. 247–248, 252, 256), Vol. ii, vv. 11, 567 ff.

Note 27 in page 1130 Des Teufels Netz, ed. K. A. Barack (Stuttgart, 1863), BLVS, LXX, V. 13, 465.

Note 28 in page 1130 EETS, O.S. 119–123, vv. 4571–1630.

Note 29 in page 1130 Tournaments were forbidden by two councils under Pope Innocent II “parce qu'ils sont souvent homicides.” Histoire des Conciles, ed. C. J. Hefele (Paris, 1912), v, 688. Cf. p. 729.

Note 30 in page 1130 Phallic origins are echoed in the emphasis upon reproductive functions in the Shrovetide plays. Cf. the proverb: “Every November child has two fathers.” Fasching and Mardi Gras on the Continent still retain much of this spirit.

Note 31 in page 1130 “ . . . mit ursprunglich kultischer Bedeutung” (Hûgli, p. 137).

Note 32 in page 1130 Ring, vv. 5535 ff. and v. 1044; Turnament, vv. 226 ff. All references to the Turnament, unless otherwise specified, are from French and Hale, op. cit. I wish to thank Professor Roger Sherman Loomis for calling my attention to this edition, as well as giving much other valuable advice.

Note 33 in page 1130 Ring, vv. 6458 ff. Mannyng also preaches against gluttony at tournaments (Handlyng Synne, v. 4599).

Note 34 in page 1130 From Wiessner, p. 199.

Note 36 in page 1131 Handlyng Synne, vv. 4593–98. Note that he also claims that tournaments incite boasting (ibid., v. 4576), as is apparent in the Ring (vv. 569 ff., 597 ff.); and Turnament, (vv. 91 ff.).

Note 36 in page 1131 Goetze, Samtliche Fastnachtspiele, p. 25, vv. 41 ff.

Note 37 in page 1131 Dos Bauerntum im deutschen Schrifttum (Halle, 1944), p. 187. It may be argued that Wittenwiler both praised and ridiculed chivalry; for, as F. Ranke (“Zum Formwillen und Lebensgefuhl in der deutschen Dichtung des spâten Mittelalters,” DVjschr, xviii [1940], 313 ff.) has so ably demonstrated, Wittenwiler and other 15th-century writers enjoyed such contradictions.

Note 38 in page 1132 “Die helm sam chôrbe warent gstricht” (Ring, v. 165); “Ich muoss dir deinen chiibel rtieren” (v. 467).

Note 39 in page 1132 See Wiessner, p. 201.

Note 40 in page 1132 The Waning of the Middle Ages (London, 1924), p. 71. Cf. Jerome Bosch's “Satire against Chivalry,” in Maeterlinck, fig. 153. See also figs. 36,48,49.

Note 41 in page 1132 Renner, vv. 11, 583 ff.

Note 42 in page 1132 See Hugli, pp. 13 ff., also pp. 120 ff.

Note 43 in page 1133 An echo of this tradition can be seen in the above-cited play by Hans Sachs when the knight complains that the peasants are no longer “Ainfeltig, schlecht, gerecht, und frum” (Goetze, SâmtlicheFastnachtspiele, n, 29, vv. 96 ff.).

Note 44 in page 1133 Ring, v. 68 “junkherr”; v. 140 “Graf.” Cf. “re, duchi, marchesi” (Orlandino, n, v. 7,4).

Note 45 in page 1134 Werner Wittich, DieFrageder Freibauern (Weimar, 1901), p. 2.

Note 46 in page 1134 ii, v. 11, 8 “magro e vecchio”; v. 12, 1 “zoppo”; v. 13, 4 “duole da' quattro piedi, cento magagne.”

Note 47 in page 1134 Wright, note to stanza xi. The work-horse in Chaucer's “Reeve's Tale” is named Bayard;

Note 48 in page 1134 Complete Works of Chaucer, ed. W. W. Skeat (London, 1894), iv, A v. 4115; D vv. 1554,2150; A vv. 4088,4105; H v. 64; H v. 78.

Note 49 in page 1134 The Ring uses the words “merhen” (vv. 579, 608,1139,1203), “riissin” (v. 1205), and “veltrossen” (v. 175). In the above mentioned play by Sachs, the knight calls the peasant a “stuete” (Goetze, Samtliche Faslnachtspiele, ii, 28, v. 78); and in the Great Neidhart Play a damsel calls a peasant “du grober paur, Du ackergurr,” Fastnachtspiele aus demfilnfzehn-ten Jahrhundert, ed. A. v. Keller (Stuttgart, 1853), BLVS, xxviii, 396, v. 12. This kind of abuse must have been very ancient; for, according to Paulus Diaconus, the Lombards called their enemies “white-footed mares.” (G. Baesecke, Vorund Frilhgeschichte des deutschen Schrifltums [Halle, 1940], i, 140).

Note 50 in page 1135 The Harleian MS. says, “Whyls me is left my merth, thou gets hurr not swa” (cited by Percy, with word “merth” in footnote). The Cambridge MS. (followed by Wright and Hazlitt) gives a similar reading: “Whil I am most mery thu gets hir not swa.” This would mean that the heroine Tyb carried Dubman from Hyssylton to Hakenay on a long summer day. Bishop Percy noted this discrepancy and emended the text to read, “Whyls me ys left my mare . ..”

Note 51 in page 1135 Skeat, ed. cit. Vol. iv, A v. 541. The humble status of the mare explains why St. Erken-wald, the Bishop of London, rode to St. Paul's on a “meere” (Si. Erhenwald, ed. H. Savage [Yale, 1926], p. 8). Likewise in Sir Perceval of Gales the ludicrously naive young hero rides a mare (ed. J. Halliwell, v. 346).

Note 52 in page 1135 Die Geschichte des Pfarrers von Kalenberg, in Narrenbuch, ed. F. Bobertag (Berlin and Stuttgart, 1884), DNL, xi, vv. 1821 ff.

Note 53 in page 1135 Satiren und Pasquille aus der Reformationszeit, ed. 0. Schade (Hannover, 1856), I, 167, v. 471. In “Die bauern von sanct Pôlten” all the peasants ride “hengste”; but the judge rides “einfaule mare” (Uhland, No. 248, v. 3).

Note 54 in page 1135 Asses are usually mentioned only in anecdotes and fables which appear to be of foreign origin. Meier Belmbrechl, which, in the opinion of Clair Hayden Bell, gives a good picture of German farm life, mentions many beasts but no asses. See Peasant Life in Old German Epics (New York, 1931), pp. 3 ff. In England even the miller usually had a horse, e.g., in “The King and the Miller of Mansfield” the miller has mill-horses (Percy, m, 185, v. 53).

Note 55 in page 1136 ii, v. 10, 7 “asina”; 11, 8 “mulo”; 14, 8 “asinel,” etc.

Note 56 in page 1136 This is done in many pictures of tournaments, e.g., Schultz, figs. 502 and 503. In the Ring the ass Hagen is blindfolded so he will run against Neidhart's spear (vv. 498 ff).

Note 57 in page 1136 Hermann von Saehsenheim, ed. E. Martin (Tubingen, 1878), BLVS, cxxxvii, v. 4929. Cf.w.4104ff.

Note 58 in page 1137 Percy, ii, 22.

Note 59 in page 1137 Ring, v. 179 et passim. In “Die bauern von sanct Pôlten” (Uhland, No. 248, v. 9) the constable uses an “ofenkrUcke.” An “of en krucken” is also used in A us der Sterzinger Lieder-handschrift, ed. K. Gusinde, in Festschrift des germanischen Vereins in Breslau (Leipzig, 1902), p. 221, v. 43.

Note 60 in page 1137 Meier Betz, v, 409, in Das Liederbuch der Clara Hâtzlerin, ed. C. Haltaus (Quedlinburg and Berlin, 1840), no. 67. As we have seen, rakes appear on the villagers' coats of arms in both poems.

Note 61 in page 1137 Die Kaiserchronik eines Regensburger Geistlichen, ed. E. Schroder (Hannover, 1892), v. 14, 812. A pitchfork is also used in Meier Betz, v. 409.

Note 62 in page 1137 “forcone,” Orlandino, ii, v. 13,1 and 14,4.

Note 63 in page 1137 Cf. Meier Betz, v. 409. The jousters in Orlandino (ii, v. 14,1) use “cannucia.”

Note 64 in page 1138 This can be seen by a comparison of the Ring and Meier Betz.

Note 65 in page 1138 Turnament, v. 66. In Chaucer's “Miller's Tale” Absolon's hair is spread out “as a fanne large and brode” (Skeat, Vol. iv, A v. 3315). This use of a “fanne” as a symbol of breadth may throw some light on an obscure passage describing a peasant brawl in one of the Neid-harl Songs; namely, “von alten pfannen / als die wannen / sint si ahselbreit” (HMS, in, 190, no. 8, str. 4). Cf. Hugh, p. 137.

Note 66 in page 1138 Irschilt: daz warent wannen“ (Ring, v. 168).

Note 67 in page 1138 “Ain alte wann was sein schilt” (Meier Betz, v. 405); cf. “wannen” (HMS, in, 190, no. 8, str.4).

Note 68 in page 1138 French and Hale explain the latter word to mean “sledges or hurdles.” The first of these interpretations reminds one of the sledge in which Bertschi returns to the tournament (Ring, v. 831), and it corresponds to the wheelbarrows used by some of the women in the Turnament to fetch their husbands (Turnament, v. 207). The second interpretation would make the “harwes” synonymous with the “hyrdyllys” which are used as stretchers a few verses later.

Note 69 in page 1138 Turnament, v. 1 “kene,” v. 4 “hardy,” v. 8 “dughty,” v. 9 “stalworth,” v. 55 “bold”; Ring, v. 451 “kuen,” v. 325 “unverzait.”

Note 70 in page 1138 Note that “Adel” (nobility) and “uodal” (property) are cognates.

Note 71 in page 1139 Cf. Meier Belz, vv. 43 ff.

Note 72 in page 1139 Explained thus by Percy.

Note 73 in page 1139 For dietary satire, see G. F. Jones, Realism and Social Satire in Heinrich Wittenwiler's “Ring”, Columbia Univ. Diss., University Microfilms (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Pub. No. 1864, pp. 93 ff.

Note 74 in page 1139 For a good example in English, see Bell, op. cit., pp. 77 ff. Wittenwiler is exceptional among peasant satirists in not having his village marriage consummated, as well as solemnized, before the church ceremony.