SOURCE: Green, Herman J. “Fromont, a Traitor in the Chansons de geste.” Modern Language Notes 56, no. 5 (May 1941): 329-37.

In the following essay, Green probes possible historical sources for the treacherous figure of Fromont in Garin le Loherain and related works.

A character by the name of Fromont plays a rôle of the first importance in Garin le Loherain and throughout the entire Loherain cycle of which Garin forms the nucleus.¹ We also find a Fromont in the principal villainous role in Jourdain de Blaivies.² In Berthe aus grans piés³ a reference is made to this character from the Loherain cycle, while in Gaydon³ there is mention of ‘Fromont dou gaut foillu,’ by which is doubtless meant the forest at Lens where Begon was killed. Langlois, probably on the strength of this, considers him as belonging to the ‘lignage des traîtres.’² Fromonts are mentioned also in...