# VII: The Story of the Heritage explained — Chivalry > Chapter companion for Chivalry by James Branch Cabell. ## What happens The chapter recounts the tale of Edward Maudelain, who lived as the hermit Evrawc in Wales, tormented by demonic visions. A mysterious messenger from a Bohemian woman brings him a lock of hair and the message 'Time is!', prompting Maudelain to abandon his hermitage and impersonate his half-brother King Richard II. The narrative describes his successful imposture and eventual death at the hands of Piers Exton and his men, who strike him down from behind in a felonious blow. ## Themes in this chapter ### Illusion vs. Reality Maudelain's imposture blurs the line between king and hermit, and the demonic visions challenge the boundary between the supernatural and the psychological. ### Sacrifice and Suffering Maudelain endures years of ascetic suffering, then sacrifices his life by taking Richard's place and dying in his stead. ### The Taint of Blood and Heredity Maudelain speaks of his 'accursed race' and the 'devil's blood' from Oriander, suggesting an inherited flaw that drives his violent end. ## Character check-ins ### Edward Maudelain The hermit Evrawc, tormented by devils, who receives a message and token prompting him to impersonate King Richard II; he dies fighting Exton's men. ### King Richard Maudelain's half-brother, whom Maudelain impersonates; the punishment intended for Richard falls on Maudelain. ### Piers Exton Leads the eight men-at-arms who trap and kill Maudelain, striking him from behind with a poleaxe. ### Isabel of Valois King Richard's eleven-year-old wife, who is attributed by Nicolas de Caen with co-operating in Maudelain's imposture. ### Owain Glyndwyr Hinted to have had a hand in the affair, based on the mention of Orvendile. ### Nicolas de Caen The narrator within the story, who attributes the imposture to Isabel's co-operation and claims knowledge that the prisoner in Pontefract was not Richard. ## Key lines > Time is, O fellow satrap! The time has come, my fellow ruler. _The mysterious messenger's cryptic call to action for Maudelain._ > I charge you all to witness how willingly I render to Caesar's daughter that which was ever hers. I ask you all to see how gladly I give back to Caesar's daughter what always belonged to her. _Maudelain's dying words, alluding to his death as a repayment to the state or to Isabel._ > For of ice and of lust and of hellfire are all we sprung; old records attest it; and fickle and cold and ravenous and without fear are all our race until the end. Our lineage comes from ice, lust, and hellfire, as ancient writings confirm; our kind is changeable, cold, greedy, and fearless until the very end. _Maudelain's declaration of his cursed heritage before his final battle._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/chivalry_se/chapters/vii-the-story-of-the-heritage - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/chivalry_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/chivalry_se/chapters