It is apparent from our study that Wace was thoroughly in control of what he was doing throughout his Roman de Brut. His translation is based on an in-depth analysis of the themes and implications of the Historia Regum Britanniae, as represented by the Variant version of the text. Though the Norman writer was clearly familiar with the vulgate text and did not hesitate to borrow from it, the general framework supporting his narrative is firmly that of the Variant, with occasional interpolations. Geoffrey of Monmouth's vulgate text is not, therefore, markedly different in status to the tales mentioned in reference to the Round Table, or Goscelin of St Bertin's Life of Saint Augustine. Moreover, whereas one can find many passages (some quite extensive) where the Variant text can be read line by line alongside the French poem, it is virtually impossible to detect any evidence that Wace had the vulgate text on his work table whilst composing his Roman de Brut. Even in the few cases of obvious borrowing from the vulgate text, the influence is felt ‘ad rem’ rather than ‘ad verbum’ (though a striking metaphor might be adopted here or there). As with his Vie de sainte Marguerite, Wace's work is founded on close textual study of his source material, which he adapts to reflect his personal interpretation of the material, but also to respond to the expectations of a non-clerical audience whose interest would presumably have been mainly in the figure of Arthur. Moreover, as with the Vie de saint Nicolas, Wace relaxes his strict narrative control over Geoffrey's material at key points, to encourage a mixed audience to continue listening. In this, he was helped by the fact that Geoffrey of Monmouth himself followed the same strategy (this explains the presence of the memorable account of the story of Leir and his daughters after a rather dry stretch of narrative): adapting from the already polished work of a brilliant writer was undoubtedly a major advantage. This advantage was exploited to the full by Wace, and his Roman de Brut fully deserved its success. The superb job made of this one piece of historiography led to royal patronage and the undertaking of another major historiographical project: the adaptation in French of the history of the dukes of Normandy.