Page:Studies on the legend of the Holy Grail.djvu/146

120 French in origin, as is shown by the mention of Meaux in the Grand St. Graal. As for the date of Borron's poem, a terminus ad quem is fixed by that of the Conte du Graal ( 1180 1189 ); and as the poem is dedicated to Gautier of Montbeliard, who can hardly have been born before 1150, and who must have attained a certain age before he could become Robert's patron, it must fall between the years 1170 and 1190.

The results of the investigation may be summed up as follows: the origin of the Grail romances must be sought for in a Christian legend based partly upon the canonical, partly upon the uncanonical, writings. This Christian legend was woven into the Breton sagas by the author of the oldest Grail romance; the theories of Provençal Spanish, or Celtic origin are equally untenable, nor is there any need to countenance the fable of a Latin original. Chronologically, the versions arrange themselves thus:—