THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
gave to Gailon; the third to, Alberic; the fourth and last (consisting of twenty-thousand men) he
kept for himself. And thus, in four companies, they gathered around the city of Hampton.
49-50: Dudon’s Death [summary]
During the first part of the siege, Dudon’s division was defeated and Dudon himself was killed.
Reconciliation with Pepin and the Death of Brandoria
51
When the emperor Pepin heard how Dudon had been slain and his men discomfited, he ordered
Otho to go into battle. Otho replied: “Your Sacred Majesty, you must pardon me, for Duke Guy of
Hampton was my liege lord, and my banners declare it. I will not here break my allegiance.” The
emperor, in a rage, mounted his horse, but Otho said: “Your Sacred Majesty, if it please you, I will
make peace between you and Bevis.” Pepin replied: “I will leave you my banners provided you keep
them safe for me.” And he promised this, and Pepin rode into battle with ten thousand men,
leaving his banners and tents and his prisoners in the charge of Otho of Trier, who promised to
render them back even as he had received them.
When Pepin arrived on the battlefield, a great outcry and conflict arose all round. Bevis, seeing the
king’s men coming, assembled all his host and rode out openly against him with a great lance in
hand. One army encountered the other, amid a huge clash of lances, and many men on both sides
were knocked down dead or wounded. Pepin and Bevis charged each other with their lances amid
the rest. Pepin broke his lance when he struck Bevis, but Bevis could not touch Pepin, who was so
short in the waist that his saddle-bow reached all the way to the visor of his helmet.