Somerset, and he took Dorset, and in Devonshire the folk all
destroyed, and Wiltshire with hostility he greeted, he took all the
lands unto the sea strand. Then at the last, then caused he horns and
trumpets to be blown, and his host to be assembled, and forth he would
march, and Bath all besiege, and eke Bristol about berow. This was
their threat, ere they to Bath came. To Bath came the kaiser, and
belay the castle there; and the men within bravely began; they mounted
upon the stone walls, well weaponed over all, and defended the place
against Childric the strong. There lay the kaiser, and Colgrim his
companion, and Baldulf his brother, and many another.
Arthur was by the North, and knew nought hereof; he proceeded over all
Scotland, and set it in his own hand; Orkney and Galloway, Man and
Moray, and all the lands that lay thereto. Arthur it weened to be
certain thing, that Childric had departed to his own land, and that he
never more would come here. When the tidings came to Arthur the king,
that Childric the kaiser was come to land, and in the South end sorrow
there wrought, then said Arthur, noblest of kings: "Alas! alas! that I
spared my foe! that I had not with hunger destroyed him in the wood,
or with sword cut him all to pieces! Now he yields to me meed for my
good deeds. But so held me the Lord, who formed the daylight, he shall
therefore abide bitterest of all bales--hard games;--his bane I will
be! And Colgrim and Baldulf both I will kill, and all their people
shall suffer death. If the Ruler of Heaven will grant it, I will
worthily avenge all his hostile deeds; if the life in my breast may
last to me, and the Power that formed moon and sun will grant it to
me, never shall Childric eft deceive me!"
Now called Arthur, noblest of kings:--"Where be ye, my knights, brave
men and active! To horse, to horse, good warriors; and we shall march
toward Bath speedily! Let high gallows be up raised, and bring here
the hostages before our knights, and they shall hang on high trees!"
There he caused to be destroyed four-and-twenty children, Alemainish
men of very noble race.
Then came tidings to Arthur the king, that Howel, his relation, was
sick lying in Clud--therefore he was sorry--and there he left him.
Forth he gan to push exceeding hastily, until he beside Bath
approached to a plain; there he alighted, and all his knights; and on
with their burnies the stern men, and he in five divisions separated
his army.
When he had duly set all, and it all beseemed, then he put on his
burny, fashioned of steel, that an elvish smith made, with his
excellent craft; he was named Wygar, the witty wright. His shanks he
covered with hose of steel. Caliburn, his sword, he hung by his side;
it was wrought in Avalon, with magic craft. A helm he set on his head,
high of steel; thereon was many gemstone, all encompassed with gold;
it was Uther's, the noble king's; it was named Goswhit, each other
unlike. He hung on his neck a precious shield; its name was in British
called Pridwen; therein was engraved with red gold tracings a precious
image of God's mother. His spear he took in hand, that was named Ron.
When he had all his weeds, then leapt he on his steed. Then might he
behold, who stood beside, the fairest knight, that ever host should
lead; never saw any man better knight none, than Arthur he was,
noblest of race! Then called Arthur with loud voice: "Lo! where here
before us the heathen hounds, who slew our ancestors with their wicked
crafts; and they are to us in land loathest of all things. Now march
we to them, and starkly lay on them, and avenge worthily our kindred,
and our realm, and avenge the mickle shame by which they have
disgraced us, that they over the waves should have come to Dartmouth.
And all they are forsworn, and all they shall be destroyed; they shall
be all put to death, with the Lord's assistance! March we now forward,
fast together, even all as softly as if we thought no evil; and when
we come to them, myself I will commence; foremost of all the fight I
will begin. Now we shall ride, and over the land glide; and no man on
pain of his life make noise, but fare quickly; the Lord us aid!" Then
Arthur the rich man gan to ride; he proceeded over the weald, and Bath
would seek.
The tiding came to Childric, the strong and the rich, that Arthur came
with host all ready to fight. Childric and his brave men leapt them to
horse, and grasped their weapons—-they knew themselves to be hateful!
Arthur saw this, noblest of kings; he saw a heathen earl advance
against him, with seven hundred knights, all ready to fight. The earl
himself approached before all his troop, and Arthur himself rode
before all his host. Arthur the bold took Ron in hand; he extended
(couched) the stark shaft, the stiff-minded king; his horse he let
run, so that all the earth dinned. His shield he drew to his breast--
the king was incensed--he smote Borel the earl throughout the breast,
so that the heart sundered. And the king called anon, "The foremost is
dead! Now help us the Lord, and the heavenly queen, who the Lord
bore!" Then called Arthur, noblest of kings: "Now to them! now to
them! The commencement is well done!" The Britons laid on them, as men
should do on the wicked; they gave bitter strokes with axes and with
swords. There fell of Childric's men full two thousand, so that never
Arthur lost ever one of his men; there were the Saxish men of all folk
most wretched, and the Alemainish men most miserable of all people!
Arthur with his sword wrought destruction; all that he smote at, it
was soon destroyed! The king was all enraged as is the wild boar, when
he in the beech-wood meeteth many swine. Childric saw this, and gan
him to turn, and bent him over the Avon, to save himself. And Arthur
approached to him, as if it were a lion, and drove them to the flood,
there many were slain; they sunk to the bottom five-and-twenty
hundred, so that all Avon's stream was bridged with steel! Childric
over the water fled, with fifteen hundred knights; he thought forth to
push, and sail over the sea. Arthur saw Colgrim climb to the mount,
retreat to the hill that standeth over Bath; and Baldulf went after
him, with seven thousand knights; they thought on the hill to
withstand nobly, defend them with weapons, and do injury to Arthur.
When Arthur saw, noblest of kings, where Colgrim withstood, and eke
battle wrought, then called the king, keenly loud: "My bold thanes,
advance to the hills! For yesterday was Colgrim of all men keenest,
but now it is to him all as to the goat, where he guards the hill;
high upon the hill he fighteth with horns, when the wild wolf
approacheth toward him. Though the wolf be alone, without each herd,
and there were in a fold five hundred goats, the wolf to them goeth,
and all them biteth. So will I now to-day Colgrim all destroy; I am
the wolf and he is the goat; the man shall die!" The yet called
Arthur, noblest of kings: "Yesterday was Baldulf of all knights
boldest, but now he standeth on the hill, and beholdeth the Avon, how
the steel fishes lie in the stream! Armed with sword, their life is
destroyed; their scales float like gold-dyed shields; there float
their fins, as if it were spears. These are marvellous things come to
this land; such beasts on the hill, such fishes in the stream!
Yesterday was the kaiser keenest of all kings; now is he become a
hunter, and horns him follow; he flieth over the broad weald; his
hounds bark; he hath beside Bath his hunting deserted; from his deer
he flieth, and we it shall fell, and his bold threats bring to nought;
and so we shall enjoy our rights gained." Even with the words that the
king said, he drew his shield high before his breast; he grasped his
long spear, his horse he gan spur. Nigh all so swift as the fowl
flieth, five-and-twenty thousand of brave men, mad under arms,
followed the king; they proceeded to the hill with great strength, and
smote upon Colgrim with exceeding smart strokes. And Colgrim them
there received, and felled the Britons to ground; in the foremost
attack fell five hundred.
Arthur saw that, noblest of kings, and wrathed him wondrously much,
and thus gan to call Arthur, the noble man: "Where be ye, Britons, my
bold men! Here stand before us our foes all chosen; my good warriors,
lay we them to the ground!" Arthur grasped his sword right, and he
smote a Saxish knight, so that the sword that was so good at the teeth
stopt; and he smote another, who was this knight's brother, so that
his helm and his head fell to the ground, the third blow he soon gave,
and a knight in two clave. Then were the Britons greatly emboldened,
and laid on the Saxons laws (blows) most strong with their long spears
and with swords most strong; so that the Saxons there fell, and made
their death-time, by hundreds and hundreds sank to the ground, by
thousands and thousands fell there ever on the ground! When Colgrim
saw where Arthur came toward him, Colgrim might not for the
slaughtered flee on any side; there fought Baldulf beside his brother.
Then called Arthur with loud voice: "Here I come, Colgrim! to the
realm we two shall reach; now we shall divide this land, as shall be
to thee loathest of all!" Even with the words that the king said, his
broad sword he up heaved, and hardily down struck, and smote Colgrim's
helm, so that he clove it in the midst, and clove asunder the burny's
hood, so that it (the sword) stopt at the breast. And he smote toward
Baldulf with his left hand, and struck off the head, forth with the
helm.
Then laughed Arthur, the noble king, and thus gan to speak with
gameful words: "Lie thou there, Colgrim; thou wert climbed too high;
and Baldulf, thy brother, he by thy side; now set I all this kingdom
in your own hands; dales and downs, and all my good folk! Thou climbed
on this hill wondrously high, as if thou wouldst ascend to heaven; but
now thou shalt to hell, and there thou mayest know much of thy
kindred. And greet thou there Hengest, that was fairest of knights,
Ebissa, and Ossa, Octa, and more of thy kin, and bid them there dwell
winter and summer; and we shall here in land live in bliss, pray for
your souls, that happiness never come to them; and here shall your
yones lie, beside Bath!"
Arthur, the king, called Cador, the keen;--of Cornwall he was earl,
the knight was most keen:--"Hearken to me, Cador, thou art mine own
kin. Now is Childric flown, and awayward gone; he thinketh with safety
again to come hither. But take of my host five thousand men, and go
forth-right, by day and by night, until thou come to the sea, before
Childric; and all that thou mayest win, possess it with joy; and if
thou mayest with evil kill there the kaiser, I will give thee all
Dorset to meed." All as the noble king these words had said, Cador
sprang to horse, as spark it doth from fire; full seven thousand
followed the earl. Cador the keen, and much of his kindred, proceeded
over wealds, and over wilderness, over dales and over downs, and over
deep waters. Cador knew the way that toward his country lay, by the
nearest he proceeded full surely right toward Totnes, day and night,
until he came there forth-right, so that Childric never knew any
manner of his coming. Cador came to the country before Childric, and
caused to advance before him all the folk of the land, churls full
sagacious, with clubs exceeding great, with spears and with great
staves, chosen for the purpose, and placed them all clean into the
ships' holds, and ordered them there to stoop low, that Childric were
not aware of them, and when his folk came, and in would climb, to
grasp their bats, and bravely on smite; with their staves and with
their spears to murder Childric's host. The churls did all, as Cador
them taught. To the ships proceeded the valiant churls; in every ship
a hundred and half. And Cador the keen withdrew, in toward a wood
high, five miles from the place where the ships stood, and hid him a
while, wondrously still. And Childric soon approached, over the weald,
and would flee to the ships, and push from land. So soon as Cador saw
this, who was the earl keen, that Childric was in land, between him
and the churls, then called Cador, with loud voice: "Where be ye,
knights, brave men and active? Bethink ye what Arthur, who is our
noble king, at Bath besought us, ere we went from the host. Lo! where
Childric wendeth, and will flee from the land, and thinketh to pass to
Alemaine, where his ancestors are, and will obtain an army, and eft
come hither, and will fare in hither; and thinketh to avenge Colgrim,
and Baldulf, his brother, who rest at Bath. But he never shall abide
the day, he shall not, if we may prevent him!"
Even with the speech, that the powerful earl spake, and promptly he
gan ride, that was stern in mood, the warriors most keen advanced out
of the wood-shaw, and after Childric pursued, the strong and the rich
Childric's knights looked behind them; they saw over the weald the
standards wind, approach over the fields five thousand shields. Then
became Childric careful in heart, and these words said the powerful
kaiser: "This is Arthur the king, who will us all kill, flee we now
quickly, and into ship go, and voyage forth with the water, reck we
never whither!" When Childric the kaiser had said these words, then
gan he to flee exceeding quickly, and Cador the keen came soon after
him. Childric and his knights came to ship forthright; they weened to
shove the strong ships from the land. The churls with their bats were
there within, the bats they up heaved, and adown right swung, there
was soon slain many a knight with their clubs; with their pitch-forks
they felled them to ground, and Cador and his knights slew them
behind. Then saw Childric, that it befell to them evilly; that all his
mickle folk fell to the ground, now saw he there beside a hill
exceeding great, the water floweth there under, that is named Teine,
the hill is named Teinewic, thitherward fled Childric, as quickly as
he might, with four-and-twenty knights. Then Cador saw, how it then
fared there, that the kaiser fled, and toward the hill retreated, and
Cador pursued after him, as speedily as he might, and came up to him,
and overtook him soon. Then said Cador, the earl most keen: "Abide,
abide, Childric! I will give thee Teinewic!" Cador heaved up his
sword, and he Childric slew. Many that there fled, to the water they
drew, in Teine the water, there they perished; Cador killed all that
he found alive; and some they crept into the wood, and all he them
there destroyed. When Cador had overcome them all, and eke all the
land taken, he set peace most good, that thereafter long stood, though
each man bare in hand rings of gold, durst never any man greet another
evilly.
Arthur was forth marched into Scotland; for Howel lay in Clud, fast
inclosed. The Scots had besieged him with their wicked crafts, and if
Arthur were not the earlier come, then were Howel taken, and all his
folk there slain, and deprived of life day. But Arthur came soon, with
good strength, and the Scots gan to flee far from the land, into
Moray, with a mickle host. And Cador came to Scotland, where he Arthur
found. Arthur and Cador proceeded into Clud, and found Howel there,
with great bliss in health, of all his sickness whole he was become;
great was the bliss that then was in the burgh! The Scots were in
Moray, and there thought to dwell, and with their bold words made
their boast, and said that they would rule the realm, and Arthur there
abide, with bold strength, for Arthur durst never for his life come
there. When Arthur heard, void of fear, what the Scots had said with
their scornful words, then said Arthur, noblest of kings: "Where art
thou, Howel, highest of my kindred, and Cador the keen, out of
Cornwall? Let the trumpets blow, and assemble our host, and at the
midnight we shall march forth right toward Moray, our honour to win.
If the Lord will it, who shaped the daylight, we shall them tell
sorrowful tales, and fell their boast, and themselves kill." At the
midnight Arthur forth-right arose; horns men gan to blow with loud
sound; knights gan arise, and stern words to speak. With a great army
he marched into Moray; forth gan press thirteen thousand in the
foremost flock, men exceeding keen. Afterwards came Cador, the Earl of
Cornwall, with seventeen thousand good thanes. Next came Howel, with
his champions exceeding well, with one-and-twenty thousand noble
champions. Then came Arthur himself, noblest of kings; with
seven-and-twenty thousand followed them afterward; the shields there
glistened, and light it gan to dawn.
The tidings came to the Scots, there where they dwelt, how Arthur the
king came toward their land, exceeding quickly, with innumerable folk.
Then were they fearfullest, who ere were boldest, and gan to flee
exceeding quickly into the water, where wonders are enow! That is a
marvellous lake, set in middle-earth, with fen, and with reed, and
with water exceeding broad; with fish, and with fowl, with evil
things! The water is immeasurably broad; nikers therein bathe; there
is play of elves in the hideous pool. Sixty islands are in the long
water; in each of the islands is a rock high and strong; there nest
eagles, and other great fowls. The eagles have a law by every king's
day; whensoever any army cometh to the country, then fly the fowls far
into the sky, many hundred thousands, and mickle fight make. Then is
the folk without doubt, that sorrow is to come to them from people of
some kind, that will seek the land. Two days or three thus shall this
token be, ere foreign men approach to the land. Yet there is a
marvellous thing to say of the water; there falleth in the lake, on
many a side, from dales and from downs, and from deep valleys, sixty
streams, all there collected; yet never out of the lake any man
findeth that thereout they flow, except a small brook at one end, that
from the lake falleth, and wendeth very stilly into the sea. The Scots
were dispersed with much misery, over all the many mounts that were in
the water. And Arthur sought ships, and gan to enter them; and slew
there without number, many and enow; and many a thousand there was
dead, because all bread failed them. Arthur the noble was on the east
side; Howel the good was on the south half; and Cador the keen guarded
them by the north; and his inferior folk he set all by the west side.
Then were the Scots accounted for sots, where they lay around the
cliffs, fast inclosed; there were sixty thousand with sorrow
destroyed.
Then was come into haven the King of Ireland; twelve miles from
Arthur, where he lay with an army, to help the Scots, and Howel to
destroy. Arthur heard this, noblest of kings, and took one host of
his, and thitherward marched; and found the King Gillomar, who was
come there to land. And Arthur fought with him, and would give him no
peace (quarter), and felled the Irish men exceedingly to the ground.
And Gillomar with twelve ships departed from the land, and proceeded
to Ireland, with harm most strong. And Arthur in the land slew all
that he found; and afterwards he went to the lake, where he left his
relation Howel the fair, noblest of Britain, except Arthur, noblest of
kings. Arthur found Howel, where he was by the haven, by the broad
lake, where he had abode. Then rejoiced greatly the folk in the host,
of Arthur's arrival, and of his noble deeds; there was Arthur
forth-right, two days and two nights. The Scots lay over the rocks,
many thousands dead, with hunger destroyed, most miserable of all
folk!
On the third day, it gan to dawn fair; then came toward the host all
that were hooded, and three wise bishops, in book well learned;
priests and monks, many without number; canons there came, many and
good, with all the reliques that were noblest in the land, and yearned
Arthur's peace, and his compassion. Thither came the women, that dwelt
in the land; they carried in their arms their miserable children; they
wept before Arthur wondrously much, and their fair hair threw to the
earth; cut off their locks, and there down laid at the king's feet,
before all his people; set their nails to their face, so that
afterwards it bled. They were naked nigh (nearly) all clean; and
sorrowfully they gan to call to Arthur the king, and together thus
said, where they were in affliction: "King, we are on earth most
wretched of all folk; we yearn thy mercy, through the mild God! Thou
hast in this land our people slain, with hunger and with strife, and
with many kind of harms; with weapon, with water, and with many
mischiefs our children made fatherless and deprived of comfort. Thou
art a Christian man, and we are also; the Saxish men are heathen
hounds. They came to this land, and this folk here killed; if we
obeyed them, that was because of our harm, for we had no man that
might accord us with them. They did us much woe, and thou dost to us
also; the heathens us hate, and the Christians make us sorrowful;--
whereto and what shall become of us!"-—quoth the women to the king.
"Give us yet the men alive, who lie over these rocks; and if thou
givest grace to this multitude, thy honour will be the greater, now
and evermore. Lord Arthur our king, loosen our bonds! Thou has taken
(conquered) all this land, and all this folk is overcome; we are under
thy foot; in thee is all the remedy."
Arthur heard this, noblest of kings; this weeping and this lament, and
immoderate sorrow; then took he to counsel, and had pity in heart; he
found in his counsel to do what they him prayed, he gave them life, he
gave them limb, and their land to hold. He caused the trumpets to be
blown, and the Scots to be summoned; and they came out of the rocks to
the ships; on every side approached toward land. They were greatly
harmed by the sharp hunger; and oaths they swore, that they would not
deceive; and they then gave hostages to the king, and all full soon
became the king's men. And then they gan depart; the folk there
separated, each man to the end, where he was dwelling, and Arthur
there set peace, good with the best.
Then said Arthur: "Where art thou, Howel, my relation, dearest of men
to me? Seest thou this great lake, where the Scots are harmed, seest
thou these high trees, and seest thou these eagles fly? In this fen is
fish innumerable. Seest thou these islands, that stand over this
water?" Marvellous it seemed to Howel, of such a sight, and he
wondered greatly by the water-flood, and thus there spake Howel, of
noble race: "Since I was born man of my mother's bosom, saw I in no
land things thus wonderful, as I here before me behold with eyes!" The
Britons wondered wondrously much. Then spake Arthur, noblest of kings:
"Howel, mine own relative, dearest to me of men, listen to my words,
of a much greater wonder that I will tell to thee in my sooth speech.
By this lake's end, where this water floweth, is a certain little
lake, to the wonder of men! It is in length four-and-sixty palms; it
is in measure in breadth five-and-twenty feet; five feet it is deep,
elves it dug! Four-cornered it is, and therein is fish of four kinds,
and each fish in his end where he findeth his kind, may there none go
to other, except all as belongeth to his kind. Was never any man born,
nor of so wise craft chosen, live he ever so long, that may understand
it, what letteth (hindereth) the fish to swim to the others; for there
is nought between but water clean!" The yet spake Arthur, noblest of
kings: "Howel, in this land's end, nigh the sea-strand, is a lake
exceeding great--the water is evil--and when the sea floweth, as if it
would rage, and falleth in the lake exceeding quickly, the lake is
never the more increased in water. But when the sea falleth in (ebbs),
and the ground becomes fair, and in it is all in its old seat, then
swelleth the lake, and the waves darken; out the waves there leap,
exceeding great, flow out on the land, and the people soon terrify. If
any man cometh there, that knoweth nought thereof, to behold the
marvel by the sea strand, if he turneth his face toward the lake, be
he nought (never) so low born, full well he shall be saved, the water
glideth him beside, and the man there remaineth easy, after his will
he dwelleth there full still, so that he is not because of the water
anything injured!" Then said Howel, noble man of Brittany: "Now I hear
tell a wonderful story, and marvellous is the Lord that it all made!"