Bevis of Hampton

Bevis of Hampton, the hero of a popular English medieval romance. The son of Sir Guy, Earl of Hamtoun, who was treacherously murdered by Divoun, emperor of Almayne, he was given by his false mother to some heathen merchants to be sold for a slave among the Paynim. By them he was carried to Ermony, where he soon became dear to King Ermyn, and dearer still to his only daughter, the lovely Josian. His chief exploits were the overthrow of Brademond of Damascus, of a monstrous boar, of the giant Ascapard whom he spared to become his squire, and of a dreadful dragon near Cologne. His famous sword Morglay he won in battle; his horse Arundel was the gift of Josian. Still more romantic episodes in his story are his carrying his own death-warrant in a sealed letter to the vassal Brademond, his escape from his noisome dungeon after seven years' imprisonment, and recovery of his wife who had preserved his love, though nominally the wife of King Ynor of Monbraunt. He next returned to England to avenge his father's death, then sailed for Ermony and defeated Ynor in a desperate battle. His last great fight was in the streets of London, when he slaughtered sixty thousand citizens, and forced King Edgar to grant him terms. Thirty-three years he then spent in love and perfect happiness at Ermony, dying at the same moment as his wife, while his famous steed Arundel had died just before. The romance was edited by Dr E. Kølbing for the Early English Text Society in 1885.