GAUFRIDE. Geoffrey of Monmouth, c. 1100-c. 1155, was born and brought up in Wales. He was appointed Archdeacon of Llandaff in 1140 and consecrated Bishop of Asaph in 1152. His Historia regum Britanniae (History of the Kings of Britain) was completed c. 1136. In manuscripts E, D, and P of this work, Geoffrey says that his work is a translation into Latin from the British tongue, Historia regum Britanniae I.1. It is, however, compiled from Celtic myths, legends, and borrowings from Nennius, Historia Brittonum (c. 800). The fourth book of this work, called Prophetiae Merlini, is derived mainly from the oral tradition of the Breton conteurs. Wace, a Norman poet, paraphrased Geoffrey's work about 1155 and called it Le Roman de Brut, and from this work Layamon made his Brut in English about 1205.

Chaucer borrowed material from Historia regum Britanniae, IV.12-16, VIII.10-12, for parts of The Franklin's Tale. Englyssh Gaufride stands on a pillar of iron, the metal of Mars, HF III.1470. [Arveragus: Aurelie: Brut: Dorigen]

Gaufride, a variant of Latin genitive singular Gaufridi, appears medially, HF III.1470.