THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
He once more swore never to love any other woman. Meanwhile, the people of Tunis took comfort in the return of their
defender. He became fast friends with King Philoter and, after a year’s stay, decided to take him to France to have
him converted and baptized.
. . . . . . .
BOOK TWO: FLORAVANT
Floravant’s Banishment
1: The Royal Birthmark [summary]
Richier, the First Paladin of France, reigned as Duke of Saxony, a faithful and beloved retainer to King Florellus of
France. The King married a Bavarian princess. His brother Floris, King of Arden, already had too sons, Leo and
Lionel, but Florellus’ wife long remained barren. Twenty years passed before she at last bore him a boy. At his birth,
the child had a mark on his right shoulder, shaped like a red cross. From that time forward, all the true successors to
the crown of France bore such a mark. The child was named Floravant, after the French phrase meaning “This
flower will greatly advance,” for it was prophesied that he would grow up to rule many provinces and kingdoms, and
that this mark was a sign thereof. Later this mark was called “the niello mark”, since those who were born after him
had it in the form, not of a cross, but of a floret of niello-work. (After Floravant, the first four who were thus born
were Bevis of Hampton, Charlemagne, Roland and William of Orange.) Floravant was brought up in the finest
learning and chivalry under the special care of Richier. So much did Florellus and his queen love him that he became
their only idol. But God does not wish His children to be loved better than God Himself, and He therefore afflicted
the king with tribulation, so that he might repent.
2-6: Salard’s Beard
When Floravant completed his eighteenth year, having heard of the exploits that his grandfather
Flovus had performed at that age, he grew ashamed of being idle and of wasting his youth in
inaction. Mindful of what he heard Richier say about his deeds when he was at Floravant’s age, he
felt it shameful to remain a scholar. One morning, when his father had returned from church and
was sitting on his throne giving audience, Floravant came before him, knelt to him, and asked to be