When I created this blog I had just completed the translation of the Auchinleck MS version of Sir Bevis, but wanted to signal the fact that the story moves from the ill-treatment of the child named Bevis towards the exploits of the hero later known as Sir Bevis. Now I am about to move further into my research, leaving behind the translation, as I recognise the need for more focussed work on specific areas of the history of the texts not only of Sir Bevis, but of the earlier Boeve. Indeed, this needs to be more fully historicised in order bring out the political point of the later Sir Bevis text of the first half of the 14th century. In order to signal the development of my interests, I have slightly altered the title of the blog to give it what I consider to be a more ‘generic’ title of Sir Bevis as the name by which the story is more familiar.
There will however, be a short intermission while other matters take up my time and energy, and also allow my thoughts coalesce around the new areas of Bevis research, and new directions for publication.
Sir Bevis of Hampton - Local Hero 