ELAIN, sister of King Arthur by the same mother.  She married Sir Nentres of Carlot, and was by King Arthur the mother of Mordred. (See ELEIN)—­Sir T. Malory, History of Prince Arthur, i. (1470).

[Illustration] In some of the romances there is great confusion between Elain (the sister) and Morgause (the half-sister) of Arthur.  Both are called the mother of Mordred, and both are also called the wife of Lot.  This, however, is a mistake.  Elain was the wife of Sir Nentres, and Morgause of Lot; and if Gawain, Agrawain, Gareth and Gaheris were [half] brothers of Mordred, as we are told over and over again, then Morgause and not Elain was his mother.  Tennyson makes Bellicent the wife of Lot, but this is not in accordance with any of the legends collected by Sir T. Malory.

ELAINE (Dame), daughter of King Pelles (2 syl.) “the foragn country,” and the unwedded mother of Sir Galahad by Sir Launcelot du Lac.—­Sir T. Malory, History of Prince Arthur, iii. 1 (1470).

Elaine, daughter of King Brandeg’oris, by whom Sir Bors de Ganis had a child.

[Illustration] It is by no means clear from the history whether Elaine was the daughter of King Brandegoris, or the daughter of Sir Bors and granddaughter of King Brandegoris.

Elaine’ (2 syl.), the strong contrast of Guinevere.  Guinevere’s love for Launcelot was gross and sensual, Elaine’s was platonic and pure as that of a child; but both were masterful in their strength.  Elaine is called “the lily maid of Astolat” (Guildford), and knowing that Launcelot was pledged to celibacy, she pined and died.  According to her dying request, her dead body was placed on a bed in a barge, and was thus conveyed by a dumb servitor to the palace of King Arthur.  A letter was handed to the king, telling the tale of Elaine’s love, and the king ordered the body to be buried, and her story to be blazoned on her tomb.—­Tennyson, Idylls of the King ("Elaine").

EL’AMITES (3 syl.), Persians.  So called from Elam, son of Shem.

EL’BERICH, the most famous dwarf of German romance.—­The Heldenbuch.

EL’BOW, a well-meaning but loutish constable.—­Shakespeare, Measure for Measure (1603).

EL’EANOR, queen-consort of Henry II., alluded to by the Presbyterian minister in Woodstock, x. (1826).

“Believe me, young man, thy servant was more likely to see visions than to dream idle dreams in that apartment; for I have always heard that, next to Rosamond’s Bower, in which ... she played the wanton, and was afterwards poisoned by Queen Eleanor, Victor Lee’s chamber was the place ... peculiarly the haunt of evil spirits.”—­Sir W. Scott, Woodstock (time, Commonwealth).

ELEANOR CROSSES, twelve or fourteen crosses erected by Edward I. in the various towns where the body of his queen rested, when it was conveyed from Herdelie, near Lincoln, to Westminster.  The three that still remain are Geddington, Northampton, and Waltham.  ELEAZAR the Moor, insolent, bloodthirsty, lustful, and vindictive, like “Aaron,” in [Shakespeare’s?] Titus An-dron’icus. The lascivious queen of Spain is in love with this monster.—­C.  Marlowe, Lust’s dominion or The Lascivious Queen (1588).