THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
oarsmen. They asked him in the English tongue who he was. And Bevis replied that he was an
unfortunate knight and asked them to take him aboard. They, seeing such a handsome knight, took
him and the horse on the boat and brought him to the ship.
This was God’s doing, for the ship that arrived here was commanded by Thierry of Castle Saint-
Simon who, having learned that Bevis was in Armenia, had left England for Armenia to find him.
Not finding him there, he proceeded to Apollonia, having learned that he was at Montefeltro and
how he had parted thence. Therefore he imagined that Bevis was wandering through the land to
seek his fortunes, and so he hired a great company of soldiers and was bringing them westward,
where his father was ever at war in Hampton.
When he saw Bevis, he asked him whence he came and what his name was. Bevis said that he was
called Anthony the Armenian. Thierry then asked if had ever seen Bevis, and he replied: “I have
heard him mentioned.” Then Bevis asked for something to eat, and while he was eating, Thierry
asked him if he would go to war with them in the west. Bevis said: “I would go even to the House
of Ill Fortune. But what do you call the place where you would take me?” Thierry answered: “It is a
castle in England, called Castle Saint-Simon, which is at war with a city called Hampton, whose lord
is a traitor from Maganza named Dudon. He murdered Duke Guy of Hampton during a hunt, aided
by the treachery of his wife.” Bevis asked how and why he murdered him, and Thierry told him the
whole story. Bevis began to weep, and told them he was weeping out of compassion for that Bevis
of whom they were telling him.
Then Thierry asked him where he had received the bearings that he displayed on his shield. Bevis
said: “Why do you ask me this?” Thierry replied: “Because Bevis’ father bore these very arms: a red
lion on a blue field, with a chevron of silver.” Said Bevis: “A lady who dubbed me knight gave me