[31] Afterwards, to all those who had married the maids of the empress and of the princess, he gave generous gifts, so that they could live well and in honor, and each one according to his rank. As a result all were very happy. And in time, as a worthy lord ought, he gave all the others maids in marriage.
The passage just quoted seems to have been intended for the conclusion of _Tirant lo Blanch_. This indication, together with the fact that the last chapter seems unnecessary and superfluous, surely justifies the suggestion that probably de Galba wrote “la fi del libre,” but not the fourth part, unless he called these last few lines “la quarta part.”
The best explanation that we can suggest in regard to de Galba’s statement is, that on account of preparing the manuscript for the printer, he considered himself entitled to some credit in the production of this book. Why he claims to have translated the fourth part can only be a matter of conjecture. Perhaps that part was in special need of revision. He may have made some changes or additions, but we cannot admit that he wrote or translated the whole or a considerable portion of it.
COMPARATIVE STUDY OF _TIRANT LO BLANCH_ AND THE SOURCES: _GUY OF WARWICK_, LIFE OF ROGER DE FLOR IN MUNTANER’S _CHRONICA_, AND LULL’S _LIBRE DEL ORDE D’CAUAYLERIA_.
WILLIAM OF WARWICK STANDS FOR THE MATURE GUY OF WARWICK
Towards the end of his book, the author of _Tirant lo Blanch_ annexed to the life of his hero, with extensive modifications however, the latter part of the career of the famous Catalan hero, Roger de Flor, whose life from childhood to death is related in Muntaner’s _Chronica_. It is not so strange, then, that those who have read _Tirant lo Blanch_ and are acquainted with the life of Roger de Flor should designate Martorell’s work as a kind of historical novel.
In his excellent _Estudio crítico de Tirant lo Blanch_, Givanel Mas exclaims:
Cuán acertado estuvo Amador de los Ríos al indicar que la principal fuente del libro de caballerías catalán, fueron las proezas de aquel caudillo [Roger de Flor] cuyas hazañas llenan bastantes páginas de la Crónica de Muntaner.[32]
In Denk’s _Geschichte der altcatalanischen Litteratur_ we read the following statement: