The Betrothed is one of the Waverley novels by Sir Walter Scott, published in 1825. Set in the Welsh Marches in the 12th century, it is the first of two Tales of the Crusaders, the second being The Talisman.
Parts of the novel were incorporated into Francesco Maria Piave's libretto for Giuseppe Verdi's 1857 opera, Aroldo, itself a re-working of an earlier Verdi opera, Stiffelio.
Contents
Composition and sources
At the beginning of April 1824, two months before he completed Redgauntlet, Scott envisaged that it would be followed by a four-volume publication containing two tales, at least one of which would be based on the Crusades. He began composition of the first story, The Betrothed, in June, but progress was to be excruciatingly slow. Initially the problem was numerous interruptions with visitors to Abbotsford. By mid-August proofs had only passed the middle of the first volume and in September Scott was able to write only sporadically, so that the first volume was not complete until early October. Then there were objections to the novel from James Ballantyne, and it is likely that at some point in the autumn Scott changed course and began the companion novel The Talisman. On 17 December it was actually decided that The Betrothed should be formally laid aside, though the second volume was well advanced, and the sheets already printed were sealed up. In mid-February 1825 the December decision was rescinded and composition was complete by mid-March, though Scott returned to the work to adjust the conclusion at the beginning of June.
Like all of Scott's novels The Betrothed is full of literary echoes, particularly from medieval romances. For the prominent Welsh element he made considerable use of two sources, one dating from the twelfth century, the other a product of his own time: the translation by Sir Richard Colt Hoare from the original Latin of The Itinerary of Archbishop Baldwin through Wales by Giraldus Cambrensis (1806), and The Cambrian Biography by William Owen (1803).
Editions
The first edition was published as part of Tales of the Crusaders in Edinburgh by Archibald Constable and Co. on 22 June 1825. It was advertised for publication by Hurst, Robinson, and Co. in London on the same date, but apparently not issued until 11 July. The price was two guineas (£2 2s or £2.10). As with all of the Waverley novels until 1827 publication was anonymous. There is no conclusive evidence that Scott returned to The Betrothed until the spring of 1831 when he revised the text and provided an introduction and notes for the 'Magnum' edition, in which it appeared as Volume 37 in June 1832.
The standard modern edition, by J. B. Ellis with J. H. Alexander and David Hewitt, was published as Volume 18a of the Edinburgh Edition of the Waverley Novels in 2009: this is based on the first edition with emendations mainly from the manuscript; the 'Magnum' material appears in Volume 25b (2012).
Plot introduction
The action takes place in the Welsh Marches during the latter part of the reign of Henry II, after 1187. Eveline, the 16-year-old daughter of Sir Raymond Berenger, is rescued from a Welsh siege by the forces of Damian Lacy. She is betrothed to his uncle Sir Hugo, who leaves on a crusade. Rebels led by Ranald Lacy attempt to kidnap her, and Damian fights them off, but a confused sequence of events convinces the King that she and her beloved are in league against him.
Plot summary
Baldwin, the Archbishop of Canterbury, had exhorted the Britons, and the Anglo-Normans who were settled on the borders of the Welsh principalities, to lay aside their feuds and join in the third Crusade. Accordingly, Gwenwyn, the Prince of Powys-land, and Sir Raymond Berenger, the Knight of Garde Doloureuse, had accepted each other's hospitality, and Gwenwyn, at the suggestion of his chaplain, had arranged to divorce his wife Brengwan, in order that he might marry Sir Raymond's daughter Eveline. In reply to his proposal, however, a messenger brought a letter stating that she was promised to Sir Hugo de Lacy, the Constable of Chester. This being taken by the Welsh as an affront, the call to war was sung by the bards, the Norman castle was attacked, and its owner slain in a combat with his would-be son-in-law. Nerved by the presence of Eveline on the battlements, and supplied with food by a ruse of her father's vassal the Flemish weaver, the garrison, assisted by the military predilections of their chaplain, held out until Damian Lacy arrived with a large force, when the brave but unarmoured Britons were repulsed, and their prince Gwenwyn was killed.
Having granted an interview to her deliverer, Eveline was escorted by her suitor the Constable, and a numerous retinue, to her aunt's nunnery at Gloucester. On her way thither she passed a night at the house of a Saxon kinswoman, the Lady of Baldringham, where she occupied a haunted chamber, and saw the ghost of an ancestor's wife, who foretold that she would be
Widowed wife, and married maid,
Betrothed, betrayer, and betrayed.
During her visit to the abbess she was formally espoused to Sir Hugo; but the archbishop having the next day commanded him to proceed to Palestine for three years, he offered to annul their engagement. Eveline, contrary to her aunt's advice, promised to await his return; and it was arranged that she should reside in her castle, with Rose and Dame Gillian as her attendants, and Damian as her guardian. Wearied with her monotonous life during this seclusion, she was induced one day to join in a hawking expedition unaccompanied by her usual escort, and was seized by rebels secretly instigated by Ranald Lacy. In attempting to rescue her Damian was severely wounded, and she insisted on nursing him in the castle, while Amelot led his men-at-arms in pursuit of the outlaws, whose disaffection had reached the king's ears, with a rumour that Damian was their captain. Sir Guy Monthermer was, accordingly, sent to demand admittance to Garde Doloureuse, where he was reported to be concealed; and when Eveline ordered the portcullis to be dropped against him, a herald proclaimed her, and all who aided and abetted her, as traitors.
Characters
Principal characters in bold
Gwenwyn, the Prince of Powys-land
Brengwain, his wife
Father Einion, his chaplain
Jorworth ap Jevan, his messenger
Cadwallon, his principal bard
Caradoc of Menwygent, another bard
Baldwin, Archbishop of Canterbury
Sir Raymond Berenger, of Garde Doloureuse
Eveline Berenger, his daughter
The Benedictine Abbess at Gloucester, his sister
Father Aldrovand, his chaplain
Dennis Morolt, his squire
Reinold, his butler
Raoul Gillian, his huntsman
Dame Gillian, his wife
Sir Hugo de Lacy, Constable of Chester
Damian de Lacy, his nephew
Randal de Lacy, their kinsman
Wild Wenlock, another kinsman
Philip Guarine, Sir Hugo's squire
Amelot, Damian Lacy's page
Ralph Genvil, his banner-bearer
Chapter summary
Introduction (to Tales of the Crusaders): 'Minutes of sederunt of a general meeting of the share-holders designing to form a joint-stock company, united for the purpose of writing and publishing the class of works called the Waverley Novels'.
Volume One
Ch. 1: The Welsh prince Guenwyn plans to marry Eveline, daughter of his old Norman rival Raymond Beranger, and begins proceedings to divorce his wife Brengwain.
Ch. 2: Guenwyn receives a letter from Raymond rejecting his proposal, and turns his thought to war.
Ch. 3: As the Welsh forces advance on the Garde Douloureuse, Raymond tells his squire Morolt and Wilkin Flammock that he has vowed to afford Guenwyn a fair field. Entrusted with the defence of the castle, Wilkin fortifies himself with drink.
Ch. 4: Raymond is killed in the battle.
Ch. 5: Wilkin and Father Aldrovand prepare to defend the castle. Wilkin pretends to bargain with Iorworth, Guenwyn's messenger, for its surrender.
Ch. 6: Eveline vows to the Virgin to give her hand to any knight who delivers the castle. Rose defends her father against Aldrovand's accusation of treachery.
Ch. 7: Wilkin explains his ruse to Aldrovand and sends Ioworth packing, having received provisions by his deception.
Ch. 8: Eveline prepares for the attack. The Welsh are repelled on their first assault.
Ch. 9: The Constable of Chester, Sir Hugo de Lacy, arrives and routs the Welsh. His nephew Damian enters the castle.
Reception
The reviewers generally found The Betrothed inferior to The Talisman, and their articles tend to concentrate on the latter, but more than half of them were decidedly favourable to the former, and only four highly critical. The most frequent objections were directed with varying degrees of force at a tendency to heaviness and dullness. The Introduction had more critics than admirers. Among the characters, Wilkin Flammock and his daughter Rose were often singled out for high praise.