SOURCE: "The Contents of the Romance" in The Romance of Sir Beues of Hamptoun, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co., 1885, pp. xlv-lxvi, vii-xliii.

In the following excerpt, Kölbing provides a detailed summary of the narrative of Bevis of Hampton, generally following the plot line in the Auchinleck manuscript but drawing upon other texts as well.

… The story [of Sir Beues of Hamtoun] begins with our hero's father, Guy, Earl of South-Hampton, a most strong and valiant man, who unfortunately does not marry till he is old, exhausted and worn out by his battles and warlike expeditions. Then he makes up his mind to marry the daughter of the King of Scotland, a beautiful young lady, with whom the Emperor of Almaine, named Devoun, had been in love before. Her father refuses Devoun her hand, and gives her to Sir Guy. The result of this marriage is a pretty...