THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
Then Dudon rushed up and seized Bevis by the hair with his left hand and held him suspended in
the air, and drew his sword intending to disembowel him, saying: “I killed your father, and you shall
not be the cause, nor your offspring, of my undoing.” But one gentle man-at-arms said: “My lord,
for God’s sake, do not give such a scandal to your line as to be called cruel. Think of his mother,
who has made you master. There are plenty of means to kill him, without being blameworthy.”
At these words, Dudon threw him to the ground and said: “Seize him and bring him to the duchess
Brandoria, and bid her guard him well until my return.” Then he went from there to Castle Saint-
Simon, and laid siege to it, threatening to destroy it. But this fortress was strongly situated, strong in
towers and walls, strong in armed defenders, and at all times furnished with victuals for four years.
They made mock of him; nonetheless he pitched his camp there.
Bevis was brought to his mother, who locked him up in a well-guarded room from which it was
impossible to flee, keeping the keys in her own chamber so that none other could open for him.
And when Dudon did not come to the city by nightfall, Brandoria lamented greatly, like the
lecherous and cruel villainess that she was.
6
One night, when two days after Bevis was imprisoned by his mother had passed, Dudon of Maganza
dreamt, while encamped near Castle Saint-Simon, that he was hunting and took many wild beasts,
among which he took a little lion cub, and it seemed to get away from him and then turned on
Dudon and killed him.
Dudon awoke and arose and called to him Alberic and some others and told them what he had
dreamt. One, the eldest of them, said: “Upon my faith, you show poor judgment to nurture a