STEWARD

When Béftrami’s father dies, he becomes a royal ward, and is summoned to court. H@léfhi loves him and is sad to see him go, but knows she can never have him because of the disparity in their rank. Phe@uDowager (@GuntEesS learns of her love and permits her to go to court and use her father’s medical knowledge, passed on to her on his deathbed, to cure the King of the fistula which afflicts him. ‘The Kimig has been advised to remain neutral in the war between Florence and Siena, but allows his lords to join on either side; Bertram, however, is deemed too young and required to stay at court. Helen wagers her life on the efficacy of her cure, and asks as her reward to be allowed her own choice of husband. She successfully heals the fistula and selects Bertram. He protests vehemently, but the King browbeats him into marriage. Rather than consummate the union, however, he runs away to the war and sends Helen word that he will only acknowledge her as his wife if she gets the ring from his finger and presents him with a child which he has lawfully begotten on her. She takes herself off, leaving word that she is going on a pilgrimage. Bertram acquits himself well in battle, but his companion Paroles allows the company’s drum to be captured by the Sienese. Passing through Florence, Helen encounters a widow whose daughter, Diama, is being solicited by Bertram for sex. She arranges for the widow to agree, on condition that Bertram gives up his ring; Helen then takes Diana’s place in bed, has sex with her husband, and exchanges rings with him. Meanwhile Paroles insists on trying to recover the lost drum, intending to return with no drum and a heroic story of insurmountable obstacles. He is ambushed by Florentine soldiers posing as the enemy, blindfolded, and put in fear of his life; under interrogation, he betrays the Florentine army’s military secrets and makes some uncomplimentary remarks about Bertram, only to find when the blindfold is removed that his captors are Florentines and that Bertram is present. With the war coming to an end, Bertram returns to France. Since Helen is presumed dead, he makes preparations to marry again, and sends his proposed fiancée his ring. The King identifies it as the ring he himself gave to Helen. Diana arrives, claiming the right to marry him after their supposed night together in Florence, and produces his own ring as proof. Bertram attempts to lie his way out of the situation, but is repeatedly caught out. Diana introduces Helen,…