and I am to thee come, and I would learn what is thy will, and for
what thing I am brought to the king?" Then said the king with quick
speech: "Merlin, thou art hither come; thou art son of no man! Much
thou longest after loath speech; learn thou wilt the adventure--now
thou shalt hear it. I have begun a work with great strength, that hath
my treasure well much taken away; five thousand men work each day
thereon. And I have lime and stone, in the world is none better, nor
in any land workmen so good. All that they lay in the day--in sooth I
may say it--ere day in the morrow all it is down; each stone from the
other felled to the ground! Now say my wise and my sage men, that if I
take thy blood, out of thy breast, and work my will, and put to my
lime, then may it stand to the world's end. Now thou knowest it all,
how it shall be to thee." Merlin heard this, and angered in his mood,
and said these words, though he were wrath: "God himself, who is lord
of men, will it never, that the castle should stand for my heart's
blood, nor ever thy stone wall lie still. For all thy sages are
exceeding deceitful, they say leasings before thyself--that thou shalt
find in this day's space. For Joram said this, who is my full foe; the
tidings seem to me sport, I was shapen to his bane! Let Joram thy sage
come before thee, and all his companions, forth-right here, who told
these leasings to the king, and if I say thee my sooth words of thy
wall, and why it down falleth, and with sooth it prove, that their
tales are leasing, give me their heads, if I thy work heal." Then
answered the king with quick voice: "So help me my hand, this covenant
I hold thee!"
To the king was brought Joram the sage, and seven of his companions--
all they were fated to die! Merlin angered, and he spake wrathly:--
"Say me, Joram, traitor--loathsome to me in heart--why falleth this
wall to the ground, say me why it happeneth that the wall falleth,
what men may find at the dyke's bottom?" Joram was still, he could not
tell. Then said Merlin these words: "King, hold to me covenant! Cause
this dyke to be dug anon seven feet deeper than it is now; they shall
find a stone wondrously fair, it is fair and broad, for folk to
behold." The dyke was dug seven feet deeper, then they found anon
there-right the stone. Then said Merlin these words: "King, hold to me
covenant! Say to me, Joram, man to me most hateful, and say to this
king what kind of thing hath taken station under this stone?" Joram
was still; he could not tell.
Then said Merlin a wonder: "A water here is under; do away this stone,
the water ye shall find anon." They did away the stone before the king
anon, the water they found anon. Then said Merlin: "Ask me Joram, who
is my full foe, after a while, to say thee of the bottom, what
dwelleth in the water, winter and summer." The king asked Joram, but
he knew nought thereof. The yet said Merlin these words: "King, hold
to me covenant! Cause this water to be carried off, and away cast;
there dwell at the bottom two strong dragons; the one is on the north
side, the other on the south side, the one is milk-white, to each
beast unlike, the other as red as blood, boldest of all worms! Each
midnight they begin to fight, and through their fight thy works fell,
the earth began to sink, and thy wall to tumble; and through such
wonder thy wall is fallen, that happened in this flood, and not for my
blood." This water was all carried off; the king's men were glad,
great was the bliss before the monarch, and soon there-after they were
sorry; ere the day came to an end, strange tidings they heard.
When the water was all carried off, and the pit was empty, then came
out these two dragons, and made great din, and fought fiercely down in
the dyke. Never saw any man any loathlier fight; flames of fire flew
from their mouths! The monarch saw this fight, their grim gestures;
then was he astonished in this worlds-realm, what this tokening were,
that he saw there at the bottom, and how Merlin knew it, that no other
man knew. First was the white above, and afterwards he was beneath,
and the red dragon wounded him to death; and either went to his hole--
no man born saw them afterwards! Thus fared this thing that Vortiger
the king saw. And all that were with him loved Merlin greatly; and the
king hated Joram, and deprived him of his head, and all his seven
comrades that with him were there.
The king went to his house, and led Merlin with him, and said to him
with much love: "Merlin, thou art welcome, and I will give thee all
that thou desirest, of my land, of silver and of gold." He weened
through Merlin to win all the land, but it happened all otherwise ere
the day's end came. The king thus asked his dear friend Merlin, "Say
me now, Merlin, man to me dearest, what betoken the dragons that made
the din, and the stone, and the water, and the wondrous fight? Say me,
if thy will is, what betokeneth all this? And afterwards thou must
counsel me how I shall guide me, and how I may win my kingdom from
Hengest, my wife's father, who hath harmed me greatly." Then answered
Merlin to the king that spake with him: "King, thou art unwise, and
foolish in counsel, thou askest of the dragons that made the din, and
what betokened their fight, and their fierce assaults? They betoken
kings that yet are to come, and their fight, and their adventure, and
their fated folk! But if thou wert so wise a man, and so prudent in
thought, that thou haddest inquired of me of thy many sorrows, thy
great care, that is to come to thee, I would say to thee of thy
sorrow." Then quoth Vortiger the king: "Dear friend Merlin, say me of
the things that are to come to me." "Blithely," quoth Merlin, with
bold voice, "I will say to thee; but ever it will thee rue. King,
king, be-see thee (see to thyself), sorrow is to thee given of
Constantine's kin!--his son thou killedest; thou causedest Constance
to be slain, who was king in this land; thou causedst thy Peohtes to
betray (or destroy) him basely; therefore thou shalt suffer sorrows
most of all! Afterwards thou drewest upon thee foreign people, the
Saxons to this land, therefore thou shalt be destroyed! Now are the
barons of Britain arrived; it is, Aurelie and Uther--now thou art
thereof aware;--they shall come to-morrow, full truly, in this land at
Totnes, I do thee well to wit, with seven hundred ships; and now they
sail speedily in the sea. Thou hast much evil done to them, and now
thou must the harm receive; thou hast on both sides bane that to thee
shall seem; for now thy foes are before thee, and thy enemies behind.
But flee, flee thy way, and save thy life--and flee whither that thou
fleest, they will pursue after thee! Ambrosie Aurelie he shall have
first this kingdom; but he through draught of poison shall suffer
death. And afterwards shall Uther Pendragon have this kingdom; but thy
kin shall kill him with poison; but ere he suffer death, he shall din
(contest) make. Uther shall have a son, out of Cornwall he shall come,
that shall be a wild boar, bristled with steel; the boar shall consume
the noble burghs; he shall destroy (or devour) all the traitors with
authority; he shall kill with death all thy rich kindred; he shall be
man most brave, and noble in thought; hence into Rome this same shall
rule; all his foes he shall fell to the ground. Sooth I have said to
thee, but it is not to thee the softer;—-but flee with thine host, thy
foes come to thee to thy court!" Then Merlin the wise ceased his
words, and the king caused thirteen trumpets to be blown, and marched
forth with his army exceeding quickly. There was not forth-right but
space of one night, that the brothers came, both together, to the
sea-strand full truly, at Dartmouth in Totnes.
The Britons heard this, and were full surely blithe; they drew
themselves out of the woods, and out of the wilderness, by sixty, and
by sixty, and by seven hundred, by thirty, and by thirty, and by many
thousands—-when they came together, full good it seemed to them! And
the brothers brought to this land a numerous host, and here came
before them these bold Britons, a numerous folk, who would it all
avenge, that ere were over the woods wondrously scattered, through the
mickle dread, and through the great misery, and through the mickle
harm that Hengest wrought them, and who had murdered all their chief
men with knives, with axes cut in pieces the good thanes! The Britons
held husting with great wisdom; they took anon Aurelie, the elder
brother, in the noble husting, and raised him to be king. Then were
the Britons filled with bliss, blithe in mood who ere were mournful.
These tidings came to Vortiger the king, that Aurelie was chosen and
raised to be king. Then was Vortiger woe, and eft to him was worse!
Vortiger proceeded far to a castle, named Genoure, upon a high mount;
Cloard hight the mount, and Hergin hight the land, near the Wye, that
is a fair water (stream). Vortiger's men took all that they came nigh;
they took weapons and meat, on many a wise; to the castle they brought
as much as they cared for, so that they had enow, though it little
helped them. Aurehe and Uther were aware of Vortiger, where he was
upon Cloard, inclosed in a castle. They caused trumpets to be blown,
their host to be assembled--a numerous folk of many a land--they
marched to Genoure, where Vortiger lay. A king was within, a king was
without; knights there fought with fierce encounters; every good man
made himself ready. When they saw that they had not the victory, then
a wondrous great force went to the wood; they felled the wood down,
and drew to the castle, and filled all the dyke that was wondrously
deep. And fire they sent in, on every side, and called to Vortiger:
"Now thou shalt warm thee there, for thou slewest Constance, who was
king of this land, and afterwards Constantine his son. Now is Aurelie
come, and Uther his brother, who send thee bale!" The wind wafted the
fire, so that it burnt wonderfully; the castle gan to burn, the
chambers there were consumed; the halls fell to the ground. Might no
man there against the fire make fight; the fire went over all, and
burnt house, and burnt wall; and the King Vortiger therein he gan to
burn; all it was consumed that therein dwelt! Thus ended there, with
mickle harm, Vortiger!
Then Aurelie had all the land in his hand. There was the strong earl,
named Aldolf, he was of Gloucester, of all knights skilfullest; there
in the land Aurehe made him his steward. Then had Aurelie, and Uther
his brother, felled their foes, and were therefore the blither!
Hengest heard this, strongest of all knights; then was he afraid
exceeding greatly. He marched his host, and fled toward the Scots, and
Aurelie the king went after him in haste. And Hengest thought that he
would, with all his army, if men pursued him, flee into Scotland, so
that he might thence with guile escape, if he might not for Aurelie
remain in the land. Aurelie marched forth, and led his host right
north, with all his might, full a se'nnight. The Britons were bold,
and proceeded over the weald. Then had Aurelie a numerous force; he
found ravaged land, the people slain, and all the churches burnt, and
the Britons consumed. Then said Aurelie the king, Britain's darling:
"If I might abide, that I should back ride; and if the Lord it will,
who shaped the daylight, that I might in safety obtain my right (or
country), churches I will arear, and God I will worship. I will give
to each man his right, and to every person, the old and the young, I
will be gracious, if God will grant to me my land to win!"
Tidings came to Hengest of Aurelie the king, that he brought an army
of innumerable folk. Then spake Hengest, most treacherous of all
knights: "Hearken now, my men--honour to you is given--here cometh
Aurelie, and Uther eke, his brother; they bring very much folk, but
all they are fated! For the king is unwise, so are his knights, and a
knave is his brother, the one as the other; therefore may Britons be
much the un-bolder, when the head (leader) is bad, the heap
(multitude) is the worse. And well ye may it remember, what I will
say; better are fifty of us, than of them five hundred--that they many
times have found, since they in land sought the people. For known it
is wide, of our bold feats, that we are chosen warriors with the best!
We shall against them stand, and drive them from land, and possess
this realm after our will." Thus bold Hengest, fairest of all knights,
emboldened his host, where he was in field, but otherwise it was
disposed ere came the day a se'nnight. Forth came the tidings to
Aurelie the king, where Hengest abode upon a mount.
Aurelie had for companions thirty thousand riders, bold Britons, who
made their threat; and eke he had Welsh, wondrously many. Then caused
he his knights to be ever weaponed, day and night, as if they should
go to battle; for ever he had care of the heathen folk. And Aurelie
with his host marched quickly towards him. When Hengest heard that
Aurelie was near, he took his army, and marched against him. When
Aurelie was aware that Hengest would come there, he went into a field,
well weaponed under shield; he took forth-right ten thousand knights,
that were the best born and chosen of his force, and set them in the
field, on foot under shield. Ten thousand Welsh he sent to the wood;
ten thousand Scots he sent aside, to meet the heathens by ways and by
streets; himself he took his earls and his good warriors, and his
faithfullest men, that he had in hand, and made his shield-troop, as
it were a wild wood; five thousand there rode, who should all this
folk well defend. Then called Aldolf, Earl of Gloucester, "If the
Lord, that ruleth all dooms, grant it to me, that I might abide, that
Hengest should come riding, who has in this land so long remained, and
betrayed my dear friends with his long axes beside Ambresbury, with
miserable death! But if I might of the earl win to me the country;
then might I say my sooth words, that God himself had granted good to
me, if I might fell my foes to ground anon, and avenge my dear
kindred, whom they have laid adown!"
Scarcely was this speech said to the end, that they saw Hengest
approach over the down. With a numerous host they fiercely marched,
together soon they came, and terribly they slew, there the stern men
together rushed themselves, helms there gan resound, knights there
fell, steel went against the bones, mischief there was rife; streams
of blood flowed in the ways; the fields were dyed, and the grass
changed colour! When Hengest saw that his help failed him, then
withdrew he from the fight, and fled aside, and his folk after
speedily moved. The Christians pursued after, and laid on them, and
called Christ, God's son, to be to them in aid; and the heathen people
also called loud, "Our God Tervagant, why failest thou us now?" When
Hengest saw the heathens recede, and the Christian men come upon them,
then fled Hengest through and through, until he came to Coningsburgh;
in the burgh he went, safety to obtain. And the King Aurelie went
after him anon, and called to his people with loud voice: "Run ever
forth and forth! Hengest is gone northwards!" And they pursued after
him until they came to the burgh. When Hengest and his son saw all the
host come after them, then said Hengest, of all knights wrathest,
"Will I no more flee, but now I will fight, and my son Octa, and his
wed-brother Ebissa! And all my army, stir ye your weapons, and march
we against them, and make we strong slaughter! And if we fell them
not, then be we dead, laid on the field, and deprived of friends!"
Hengest marched on the weald, and left all his tents; and made his
shield troop all of his heathen men. Then came Aurelie the king, and
many thousands with him, and began there another fight, that was
exceeding strong; there was many great stroke dealt in the combat!
There were the Christians well nigh overcome. Then approached there
five thousand riders, that Aurelie had on horse to fight; they smote
on the heathens, so that they down fell; there was fight most strong,
combat full stern!
In the fight came the Earl Aldolf of Gloucester, and found Hengest,
wickedest of knights, where he fought fiercely, and felled the
Christians. Aldolf drew his good sword, and upon Hengest smote; and
Hengest cast the shield before him, and else were his life destroyed;
and Aldolf smote on the shield, so that it was shivered in two. And
Hengest leapt to him, as if it were a lion, and smote upon Aldolf's
helm, so that it parted in two. Then hewed they with swords—-the
strokes were grim—-fire flew from the steel, oft and well frequent!
After a time, then leapt Aldolf to the ground, and saw by him Gorlois,
who was a keen man full truly; of Cornwall he was earl, he was widely
known. Then was the baron Aldolf much the bolder, and heaved high his
sword, and let it down swing, and smote Hengest on the hand, so that
he let go his good brand; and in haste grasped him, with his grim
looks, by the cuirasses hood that was on his head, and with great
strength struck him down; and then he him up drew, as if he would
crush him, and with arms embraced him, and forth him led. Now was
Hengest taken, through Aldolf, the brave man! Then called Aldolf, the
Earl of Gloucester: "Hengest, it is not so merry for thee now as it
was whilom by Ambresbury, where thou drewest the axes, and slew the
Britons, with much treachery thou slewest my kindred! Now thou shalt
pay retribution, and lose thy friends; with cruel death perish in the
world!" Hengest proceeded still (without speaking); he saw no help;
Aldolf led him to his sovereign, and greeted the sovereign with loving
words: "Hail be thou, Aurelie, of noble race! Here I bring before thee
Hengest, the heathen, who was thy kindred's bane, who hath sought to
us harm; God granted it to me, that I have him grasped! Now I give him
to thee, for dearest of men art thou to me; and let thy attendants
play with this hound, shoot with their arrows, and his race anon
destroy!" Then answered the king with quick voice: "Blessed be thou,
Aldolf, noblest of all earls! Thou art to me dear as my life, thou
shalt be chief of people!" There men took Hengest, and there men bound
Hengest; there was then Hengest of all knights most wretched! This
fight was overcome, and the heathens fled. Then saw Octa, that his
father was full woe; and with Ebissa, his wed brother, joined them
together, and fled into York, with harm enow, and made ready the
walls, and pulled down the halls. Some of the heathens went to the
wood, where the folk on foot laid them to ground.
Then was Aurelie the king pleased well through all things; he
proceeded into Coningsburgh, with all his folk, and thanked the Lord
for such might. Three days and three nights the king dwelt there
forth-right, to heal the wounds of his dear knights, and rest in the
burgh their weary bones. When the third day came, and the folk had
made none, then caused the king the trumpets to blow, and summoned his
earls, that they should come to husting, to Aurelie the king. When
they came together, the king asked them soon, what they would counsel
him, who were his rich men, by what death Hengest should die, and how
he might best avenge his dearest friends, who lay buried near
Ambresbury.
Then stood up Eldadus, and with the king he spake thus;—towards God he
was good, he was a holy bishop, Aldolf the earl's brother, he had no
other:--"Lord king, listen now to me, what I will thee tell. I will
make the sentence, how he shall be put to death. For he is most
hateful of men to us in the world, and hath slain our kindred, and
deprived of life-day; and he is a heathen hound—hell he shall seek;
there he shall sink for his treachery! Lord king, hearken to me, what
I thee will tell. A king was in Jerusalem, who was named Saul; and in
heathendom was a king of mickle might, who was named Agag—Jerusalem he
hated—he was king of the Amalech—the Worse was full nigh to him! Ever
he hated Jerusalem with harm the most; never would he give them peace,
but ever he withstood them; he burnt them, he slew them, he did them
sorrow enow! It fell on a time that the sun gan to shine; then sate
Agag the king on his high chair; his fated blood was troubled, and
urged him to march. He called his knights anon forth-right: 'Quick to
your steeds! and forth we shall ride; we shall burn and slay all about
Jerusalem!' Forth went the king, and a great host with him; the land
they gan through-run, and the towns to consume. The men saw that who
dwelt in Jerusalem; and they advanced against them, knights and
swains, and fought with the king, and with fight him overcame, and
slew all his folk, and Agag the king they took; and so they with him
came to Saul the king. Then was Saul the king blithe through all
things! The king asked counsel at his rich knights anon, which he
might the better do to him, either slay or up hang. Then leapt up
Samuel, a prophet of Israel;—he was a man exceeding holy, high toward
the Lord; no man knew in those days man so high in God's law. Samuel
took Agag the king, and led him in the market-place, and caused him
most fast to a stake to be bound; and took with his right hand a
precious brand; and thus called to him Samuel, the good man: 'Thou
hightest Agag the king, now thou art in sorrow! Now thou shalt receive
the retribution for that thou destroyedest Jerusalem, for that thou
hast this noble burgh so greatly injured, and many a good man slain,
and deprived of life-day! As I hope for mercy, shalt thou do so no
more.' Samuel heaved up the sword, and strongly down struck, and cut
the king all in pieces in Jerusalem's market, and threw the pieces
wide over the streets. Thus Samuel took-on (acted), and so oughtest
thou do to Hengest."
Aldolf heard this, the Earl of Gloucester; toward Hengest he leapt, as
if it were a lion, and grasped him by the head, and after him hauled
him, and drew him through and through, and throughout all
Coningsburgh; and without the burgh he caused him to be bound. Aldolf
drew his sword, and smote off Hengest's head; and the king took him
forth-right, because he was so brave a knight, and laid him in earth,
after the heathen law, and prayed for the soul, that it never were
happy.
And now Aurelie the king caused a husting to be summoned, and caused
trumpets to be blown, and his army to assemble--there was wondrous
folk--and marched right to York, and inclosed Octa with his men there
within. The king caused a dyke to be dug, all about York, that no man
might there either go out or in. Octa saw that; therefore he was full
woe. And his heathen folk, that he had in the burgh, they betook them
to counsel, what they might do. And thus spake Octa with his companion
Ebissa: "I have now bethought me, what I will do. I and my knights
shall forth-right in our bare-breech go out of the burgh, hang on my
neck a chain, and come to the king, praying his mercy. We all shall
else be dead, except we follow this counsel." And, they all did so, as
Octa them advised; put off their clothes the careful knights, and
proceeded out of the burgh, miserable thanes, twain and twain, twenty
hundred! Aurelie beheld this, noblest of kings, strange it seemed to
him of the naked knights. Together came the host that lay over the
land; they saw Octa naked come, that was Hengest's son. He bare in his
hand a long chain; he came to the king, and before his warriors he
fell upon the ground, and the king's feet sought; and these words then
said Hengest's son Octa: "Mercy, my lord king, through God the mild;
for the love of God Almighty have mercy of my knights! For all our
heathendom is become base, our laws and our people, for loathsome we
are to the Lord. For us has failed in hand Appolin, and Tervagant,
Woden, and Mercurius, Jupiter, and Saturnus, Venus, and Didon, Frea,
and Mamilon, and all our beliefs are now to us odious, but we will
believe on thy dear Lord, for all it faileth us now in hand, that we
worshipped. We yearn thy favour, now and evermore; if thou wilt me
grant peace, and if thou wilt me grant amity, we will draw to thee,
and be thy faithful men; love thy people, and hold thy laws, if thou
wilt not that, do thy will, whetherso (whatsoever) thou wilt do, or
slay us or up hang us."