THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

52
© 2009 Max Wickert
Dudon knew who of the lady, how young and fair she was, and he had heard from various traveling
minstrels that she loved Duke Guy but little. Therefore he readily trusted the plan, but after he had
read the letter, he mused greatly over its contents and at once took counsel with his brother Alberic,
to whom he read the letter, which in brief contained the following words:
“To Dudon, son of Rainier, Marquis and Count of Maganza, cordial greetings. Your lover
Brandoria, daughter of King Otho of Gascony, commends herself to you. Partaking of your love,
she suffers two torments on your account: One is the love I bear you, for even as I am ever far from
you in body, I am ever near you in thought. The other torment of mine is that, loving you, I
remember hearing it said that my old husband, unworthy of me, has killed your father in the
presence of the Emperor Angelus Constantine and King Pepin, and has never been avenged. If the
old duke should die now, on whom shall you be avenged? His son is a mere boy and will be kept
under guard. Meanwhile you shall grow old, and there will be no Brandoria to love you and supply
the means, as I will now supply them in order to have you for my husband and to make you lord of
all this land. Once he is dead, none of his race shall remain, for we shall keep Bevis in prison. For,
as you know, Guy has been outlawed, and the King of France shall be pleased at his death. Come
seize both the realm and me as your wife. Go lie in ambush at Hampton, and I will put him safely
into your hands. After you have slain him, I will surrender the city of Hampton and myself to your
mercy. Come quickly, so that Guy may not suspect your arrival.”
After his brother Alberic had heard the letter, Count Dudon asked him what he deemed fit to do.
He replied: “Let whoever of us refuses to undertake this enterprise be considered a traitor.” So in
few days they assembled as many armed men as they could, and secretly commanded a ship to be