THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

79
© 2009 Max Wickert
This being a day of great feasting at the court, with many pleasant events, the King that day showed
many favors to Bevis. At nightfall in Duke Hewellyn’s palace, Duke Hewellyn and King Marcabrun
conferred about what to do in the following manner:
Duke Hewellyn said: “You know, King Marcabrun, that I much resemble King Armin. I shall dress
in the royal robes with the crown on my head and the other regalia. Come midnight, I shall be
seated on the royal throne and you shall be with me along with some of our trusted friends. We
shall send for Bevis and make him swear to go wherever we may send him. Do you make a letter to
be delivered to King Baldras of Buldras, saying that the bearer of the letter is Bevis, who killed his
son Luciferus, and bid him to hang him.” All this happened even as they had planned.
Shortly after midnight, while Hewellyn sat on the throne as if he were king, he sent for Bevis. He
knelt before him believing him to be King Armin, for there were few light as and he kept in the
shadows, so that Bevis firmly believed that he was King Armin. He made him swear to assist him in
his necessity, and Bevis swore on his life to do as he commanded.
Then he commanded him to go to Buldras bearing this letter, and gave him the letter. Bevis did not
suspect what it said. He took it at once and went to arm himself. But Hewellyn said: “There is no
need for either armor or horse, for they will be more of a hindrance to you.” And he commanded
him to go to sea unarmed. He only carried Clarenza, his swords, and had an old nag conveyed in a
packet-boat.
As he sailed, he passed the island of Rhodes and, sailing through the Aegean Isles, passed the
Hellespont and landed in Apollonia. Then he rode for many days and, upon arrival in Buldras, did
not find the king but was told that he was in Slovenia in a city named Sinella. Bevis took the road
toward Sinella, and suffered much hunger on that road from Buldras to Sinella.