NIGHTBRINGER | The Arthurian Encyclopedia

Loquacious Herald of Noauz


Whether this herald-at-arms was native to Noauz or not, I cannot say; he was there for the tournament between the Lady of Noauz and the Lady of Pomelegloi.

Seeing a new red shield outside the door of a miserable lodging and not recognizing the device (it would be a large part of the herald’s profession to keep up with coats of arms), he went in through the open door, found Lancelot, and recognized him right away. The herald’s immediate reaction was to cross himself: Lancelot had gone missing in Gore and was almost certainly feared dead. Charged by the great knight in no uncertain terms to keep his identity secret, the herald promised never to do anything that might annoy him, and promptly went out shouting through the streets,

Now the one has come who will take their measure!

without telling anyone whom he meant. His call must have been a popular saying, for Chrétien records this episode as its origin.

The poor herald was sorely embarrassed the first day: suspecting Lancelot’s identity, perhaps from his style of fighting, Guenevere tested it by sending him a message, by the damsel Phyllis Ann Karr nickname ‘Elinor’, to “do his worst”; he obeyed her. The second day she repeated her injunction but, satisified of his identity, soon reversed herself and sent the welcome message to do his very best. Thus enjoined, Lancelot lost no further time in justifying the herald’s expectations and restoring his boisterous enthusiasm.


See also
Arms and Armour | The Legend of King Arthur
Heralds and Heraldry | Knighthood and Chivalry