THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
While Bevis was being conducted to the gallows by command of the king, he came to pass outside
the city alongside one of the king’s gardens, where stood one of the king’s daughter, who was called
Margery. Hearing the noise, she went with some of her ladies to see, and asked: “Who is this man
who is being brought to justice?” She received this answer: “This is Bevis of Hampton, the man
who killed your brother with sword in hand in the city of Armenias.” Margery: “Is he the man, then,
who is reputed to be such a great warrior? By my faith, I would not that he should die so honorable
a death!” and she ran ahead of them in order to see him; and made them remove the blindfold
which they had put over his eyes. When she saw so young and handsome a knight, she asked him
whether he had been knighted. Bevis replied, “My lady, I am a night, and the son of a duke and a
queen. I have been wrongfully condemned to death here, because Luciferus fought me in fair fight.”
Margery said: “Bind up his eyes again, for I do not wish him to die so honorable a death, but I want
him to die like a traitor.” And she commanded the to hold him there while she went to her father,
King Baldras.
She, with some of her ladies and some of her knight, mounted and went to the king. There she
knelt at his feet, asking for a boon. Her father granted her wish, and she said: “Let Bevis, whom you
have sent to the gallows, be delivered to me alive and well. For I wish to make him die slowly in
revenge for Luciferus, my brother. I intend to hold him in the dungeon of our tower called
Madkeep.
Her father, who had no other sons or daughters, granted her boon, and give her a ring from his
treasury that he drew from his finger so that she should be believed. She returned to the gallows
and had Bevis brought to the palace and made them cast him in the dungeon of the Madkeep