THE SCENE: In order to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, two commanders conduct a one-on-one duel to see which army should prevail.
THE TEXT: King Ivor summoned his marshals Arabele and Judas to him and said: ‘Advise me. Should I offer single combat to Bevis of Hampton, this knight of great renown?’
‘We think that you should,’ they replied.
‘You have a powerful contingent of knights,’ King Ivor shouted to Bevis, ‘and I have many knights here as well, trustworthy, courageous and eager to fight, but will you agree to meet me in single combat? If you kill me, I promise that all my titles and all my honour will go to you.’
The romance says that Bevis gave his assent to this. They threw down their gauntlets in agreement to these terms, then armed themselves and leapt onto their horses. They crossed the water onto an island and each made a prayer to his own god.
Then they rode fiercely at one another, each thrusting his spear at the other’s shield, sending pieces flying. Their shields were split and broken, their coats of chainmail torn and damaged. They turned their horses around and rushed at each other again. Bevis drew his sword and struck King Ivor with Morglay high upon the head, so hard that the crest of his helmet broke away and fell off, a corner of the king’s shield flew to the ground and a part of his saddle was cut clean away. It’s no surprise that King Ivor fell off his horse! Bevis was proud of that stroke, as you might imagine.
King Ivor got back onto his feet. Sir Bevis dismounted. King Ivor drew his sword and angrily brought it down onto Bevis’s head. The keen blade made a great dent in Bevis’s helmet. Bevis was furious and with a great stroke of his sword, he cut off King Ivor’s head.
– Sir Bevis of Hampton, 13th Century AD
