Two Medieval Outlaws: The Romances of Eustace the Monk and Fouke Fitz Waryn

Eustace the Monk and Fouke Fitz Waryn belong in the great tradition of medieval outlaws, and aspects of their lives - part fact, part fiction - find a reflection in the life of that most famous of all outlaws, Robin Hood. This is a translation of the two medieval-French romances of the 13th century which relate their deeds: "Li Romans de Witasse le Moine" and "Fouke le Fitz Waryn". Both were born around 1170; both broke with their overlords (the Count of Boulogne and King John) at about the same time; and both spent a period as outlaws, during which they toyed with their lords and exacted revenge for the injustice they suffered. Eustace - not only an outlaw and a sea captain, but a pirate and magician - was one of the most feared men of his day. Fouke's life was dominated by his attempt to take possession of Whittington Castle in Shropshire, to which his family laid claim. Alongside the historical discussion of the lives of the protagonists of the two romances, Glyn Burgess reveals the multiple layers of the romances themselves: historically verifiable facts, information which cannot be proved but rings true, and a wide range of material which is manifestly imaginary, containing stock motifs also found in other romances of the period.