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DONEGILD is King Alla's mother in The Man of Law's Tale. In Trevet's Les Chroniques, King Alla's mother is called Deumylde or Doumnilde, meaning "sweet mildness," a name in direct contradistinction to her character and actions.

Donegild persecutes her daughter-in-law Custance, wife of her son Alla. Word is sent to Alla at the front that Custance has given birth to a beautiful son. On his way to King Alla's camp, the messenger stops at Donegild's court. She drugs him and substitutes another letter, telling the king that the child Custance has borne is a fiendly creature, contrary to the information in the Constable's original letter, which describes a beautiful child and a happy birth, MLT 729-784. On his way back to Custance from King Alla, the messenger again stops at Donegild's court; again she drugs him and substitutes a letter, this one banishing Custance and her child from the realm, contrary to King Alla's instructions that his wife and child be kept safe until his return, MLT 785-805. When King Alla comes home victorious and discovers his mother's evil actions, he slays her, MLT 890-896. [Alla: Custance: Hermengyld: Maurice]

Donegild, a Welsh name without connotations of good or evil, appears initially with two syllables, MLT 740, and four times in medial positions, with two syllables, MLT 695, 778, and with three syllables, MLT 805, 896.


M. Schlauch, ed., "Trivet's Life of Constance." S&A, 172-173.
From CHAUCER NAME DICTIONARY
Copyright © 1988, 1996 Jacqueline de Weever
Published by Garland Publishing, Inc., New York and London.

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