HERMENGYLD, HERMENGYLDES. Hermengyld is the constable's wife in The Man of Law's Tale. Chaucer may have borrowed the name from Trevet's Les Chroniques Ecrites pour Marie d'Angleterre Fille d'Edward I (early fourteenth century). In Gower's Confessio Amantis II.587-1612 the name is spelled Hermyngheld, Hermyngeld. The name was originally masculine. Hermangild was the oldest son of Leuvigild, the Visigothic king of Spain (late sixth century). He married Ingund, daughter of King Siebert, and converted to Catholicism under her influence. This infuriated his father, who belonged to the Arian branch of the church. Leuvigild attacked Hermangild's city several times, exiled him twice, and finally killed his son (Gregory of Tours, The History of the Franks IV.39; V.38; VI.18, 40, 43; VIII.28). In Trevet and Chaucer, Dame Hermengyld becomes a Christian.

Custance converts Dame Hermengyld, MLT 531-539. Hermengyld restores a blind man's sight, and her husband is converted to Christianity, MLT 561-567. The young knight, whose love Custance has refused, slays Dame Hermengyld, and Custance is accused of the murder, MLT 581-630. [Alla: Custance: Donegild: Maurice]

Hermengyld, a variant of Trevet's Hermingyld, appears in medial positions only, MLT 533, 535, 539, 562, 597, 600, 625, 627; Hermengyldes, the ME genitive case, appears once in medial position, MLT 595.