The Bristol Merlin manuscript

[Duncan Head]

A few years ago, there was a news story about the finding of fragments of an MS of the Merlin story, the Suite Vulgate du Merlin, in Bristol Uni library - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-47062919

Now it appears the Bristol fragments are not only one of the oldest surviving MSS of the story, but contain some differences from the better-known versions:

There were longer, more detailed descriptions of the actions of various characters in certain sections—particularly in relation to battle action. One example of this is where Merlin gives instructions for who will lead each of the four divisions of Arthur's forces, the characters responsible for each division are different from the better-known version of the narrative.

https://phys.org/news/2021-09-bristol-manuscript-fragments-famous-merlin.html

[Imperial Dave]

shhhhh....dont tell Justin!

[Justin Swanton]

There you go: absolute proof that Arthur's army consisted of four units and that Merlin was his second-in-command. I knew it!

[DBS]

Was there ever a Rolls-Royce Hercules?   

[Erpingham]

Was there ever a Rolls-Royce Hercules?   

No.  I think you may be mixing this up with a document about WWII bomber engines, rather than mythological figures. 

[Justin Swanton]

Was there ever a Rolls-Royce Hercules?   

Of course. Royce is a variant of Roy which is the mediaeval French term for "king" (roi in modern French). Rolls is an affectionate abbreviation for Roland (like "Micks" for for "Mickey" which itself comes from "Michael"). That gives us "Roland king" which of course refers to Roland of Brittany (the Royce refers to his post as prefect of the Bretons). One of Charlemagne's ablest soldiers, he rightly deserves the epithet of "Hercules."

[Duncan Head]

Another version of the story of this version of the story...
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/sep/06/fragments-of-medieval-merlin-manuscript-found-in-bristol-library-reveal-chaster-story