# XVI explained — Ivanhoe

> Chapter companion for Ivanhoe by Walter Scott.

## What happens

The Black Knight, known as Le Noir Faineant, travels northward after the tournament, eventually finding shelter at the hermitage of Copmanhurst. The hermit, who proves to be a jovial and uncanonical figure, provides him with a hearty meal of venison pasty and wine. Their conversation turns to the hermit's hidden weapons and his skill with the harp, and they engage in a friendly but tense exchange about the hermit's way of life.

## Themes in this chapter

### Chivalry and Honor

The Black Knight's journey and his interaction with the hermit highlight the chivalric ideals of hospitality, disguise, and the testing of one's mettle.

## Character check-ins

### King Richard the Lionheart

The Black Knight, revealed to be King Richard, travels incognito and seeks shelter at the hermitage.

### Friar Tuck

The hermit of Copmanhurst, who is actually Friar Tuck, provides hospitality and reveals his hidden weapons and love of good food and drink.

## Key lines

> The reader cannot have forgotten that the event of the tournament was decided by the exertions of an unknown knight, whom, on account of the passive and indifferent conduct which he had manifested on the former part of the day, the spectators had entitled, Le Noir Faineant.

The tournament was won by a mysterious knight who had been nicknamed 'The Black Sluggard' because he seemed lazy earlier in the day.

_Introduces the Black Knight and his nickname._

> The path which the animal adopted rather turned off from the course pursued by the knight during the day; but as the horse seemed confident in his choice, the rider abandoned himself to his discretion.

The horse chose a different path from the one the knight had been following, and the knight trusted the horse's instinct.

_The knight lets his horse guide him to the hermitage._

> I promise thee, brother Clerk, said he, I will ask thee no more offensive questions. The contents of that cupboard are an answer to all my enquiries; and I see a weapon there (here he stooped and took out the harp) on which I would more gladly prove my skill with thee, than at the sword and buckler.

The knight says he will stop prying, having seen the hermit's hidden weapons, and suggests they compete in music rather than combat.

_The knight discovers the hermit's hidden weapons and proposes a musical contest._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/ivanhoe_se/chapters/xvi
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/ivanhoe_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/ivanhoe_se/chapters