_How the kings and lords promised to king Arthur aid and help against
the Romans._
Then answered king Anguish of Scotland, Sir, ye ought of right to be
above all other kings, for unto you is none like nor pareil in all
Christendom, of knighthood ne of dignity, and I counsel you never to
obey the Romans, for when they reigned on us they distressed our
elders, and put this land to great extortions and tallages, wherefore I
make here mine avow to avenge me on them; and for to strengthen your
quarrel I shall furnish twenty thousand good men of war, and wage them
on my costs, which shall await on you with myself, when it shall please
you. And the king of Little Britain granted him to the same thirty
thousand; wherefore king Arthur thanked them. And then every man agreed
to make war, and to aid after their power; that is to wit, the lord of
West Wales promised to bring thirty thousand men, and Sir Uwaine, Sir
Ider his son, with their cousins, promised to bring thirty thousand.
Then Sir Launcelot with all other promised in likewise every man a
great multitude. And when king Arthur understood their courages and
good wills he thanked them heartily, and after let call the ambassadors
to hear their answer. And in presence of all his lords and knights he
said to them in this wise: I will that ye return unto your lord and
Procuror of the Common Weal for the Romans, and say to him, Of his
demand and commandment I set nothing, and that I know of no truage, ne
tribute, that I owe to him, ne to none earthly prince, Christian ne
heathen; but I pretend to have and occupy the sovereignty of the
empire, wherein I am entitled by the right of my predecessors, sometime
kings of this land; and say to him that I am deliberated, and fully
concluded, to go with mine army with strength and power unto Rome by
the grace of God to take possession in the empire, and subdue them that
be rebel. Wherefore I command him, and all them of Rome, that
incontinent they make to me their homage, and to acknowledge me for
their emperor and governor, upon pain that shall ensue. And then he
commanded his treasurer to give them great and large gifts, and to pay
all their expenses, and assigned Sir Cador to convey them out of the
land. And so they took their leave and departed, and took their
shipping at Sandwich, and passed forth by Flanders, Almain, the
mountains, and all Italy, until they came unto Lucius. And after the
reverence made, they made relation of their answer, like as ye tofore
have heard. When the emperor Lucius had well understood their credence,
he was sore moved as he had been all enraged, and said: I had supposed
that Arthur would have obeyed to my commandment, and have served you
himself, as him well beseemed or any other king to do. O sir, said one
of the senators, let be such vain words, for we let you wit that I and
my fellows were full sore afeard to behold his countenance; I fear me
ye have made a rod for yourself, for he intendeth to be lord of this
empire, which sore is to be doubted if he come, for he is all another
man than ye ween, and holdeth the most noble court of the world; all
other kings ne princes may not compare unto his noble maintenance. On
new year’s day we saw him in his estate, which was the royalest that
ever we saw, for he was served at his table with nine kings and the
noblest fellowship of other princes, lords, and knights, that be in the
world, and every knight approved and like a lord, and holdeth Table
Round: and in his person the most manly man that liveth, and is like to
conquer all the world, for unto his courage it is too little: wherefore
I advise you to keep well your marches and straits in the mountains;
for certainly he is a lord to be doubted. Well, said Lucius, before
Easter I suppose to pass the mountains and so forth into France, and
there bereave him his lands with Genoese and other mighty warriors of
Tuscany and Lombardy. And I shall send for them all that be subjects
and allied to the empire of Rome to come to mine aid. And forthwith
sent old wise knights unto these countries following: first, to Ambage
and Arrage, to Alisandrie, to Inde, to Hermonie where as the river of
Euphrates runneth into Asia, to Affrike, and Europe the large, to
Ertaine and Elamie, to Arabie, Egypt, and to Damaske, to Damiete and
Cayer, to Capadoce, to Tarce, Turkey, Pounce, and Pampoille, to Surrie,
and Galacie. And all these were subject to Rome, and many more, as
Greece, Cyprus, Macedone, Calabre, Cateland, Portingale, with many
thousands of Spaniards. Thus all these kings, dukes, and admirals
assembled about Rome with sixteen kings at once, with great multitude
of people. When the emperor understood their coming, he made ready his
Romans and all the people between him and Flanders. Also he had gotten
with him fifty giants which had been born of fiends; and they were
ordained to guard his person, and to break the front of the battle of
king Arthur.
And thus he departed from Rome, and came down the mountains for to
destroy the lands that king Arthur had conquered, and came to Cologne,
and besieged a castle thereby, and won it soon, and stuffed it with two
hundred Saracens or infidels, and after destroyed many fair countries
which Arthur had won of king Claudas. And thus Lucius came with all his
host which were spread out threescore mile in breadth, and commanded
them to meet with him in Burgoyne, for he purposed to destroy the realm
of Little Britain.