him to know whither he (the emperor) would go. Arthur caused soon his
host to be assembled, stilly by night his best knights; and forth the
king marched with his good folk. On his right hand he let Lengres
stand, and proceeded forward in the way that Luces would pass. When he
came in a dale, under a down, there he gan halt, keenest of all
kings,—-the dale is in sooth named Sosie. Arthur there alighted down,
and ordered all his people that they in haste should get ready their
weapons, and prepare them to fight, as brave knights should; so that
when the Rome folk there should come riding, that they should attack
them, as brave knights should do. All the swains, and the impotent
thanes, and of the small (base) folk many thousands, the king set them
on a hill, with many standards,--that he did for stratagem; thereof he
thought to boast, as it afterwards happened, thereafter full soon.
Arthur took ten thousand of his noble knights, and sent on the right
hand, clad in armour, he caused other ten thousand to march on his
left hand; ten thousand before; ten thousand behind, with himself he
held sixteen thousand; aside he sent into a fair wood seventeen
thousand good knights, well weaponed men, the wood to guard, so that
they might fare thither, if to him were need. Then was of Gloucester
an earl with the best, Moruith he was named, a man exceeding keen; to
him he committed the wood and the host. "And if it befalleth, as the
living God will, that they be overcome, and begin to flee; pursue ye
after them, with all your might, and all that ye may overtake deprive
it of life-day; the fat and the lean, the rich and the poor. For in
never any land, nor in any nation are knights all so good as are with
myself, knights all so brave, knights all so powerful, knights all so
strong, in ever any land! Ye are under Christ knights keenest of all,
and I am mightiest of all kings under God himself. Do we well this
deed, God us well speed!" The knights then answered, stilly under
heaven: "All we shall well do, and all we shall undertake; nuthing be
the knight, that sheweth not his might here right!" Then sent they on
both sides, all the men on foot; then caused he the Dragon to be set
up, the matchless standard, delivered it to a king who well could it
hold. Angel, King of Scotland, held in hand (commanded) the foremost
troop; Cador, the Earl of Cornwall, held the troop behind; Beof had
one, the Earl of Oxford; the Earl of Chester, Gerin, the fourth troop
held with him. The force upon the down held AEscil, King of Denmark.
Lot held the one, who was dear to the king, Howel of Britanny held
another. Walwain the keen was by the king. Kay commanded one, who was
steward of the king; Beduer another, who was the king's cup-bearer.
The Earl of Flanders, Howeldin, had a troop with him. A mickle troop
had Gwitard, the King of Gascony land. Wigein, Earl of Leicester, and
Jonathas, Earl of Dorchester, they commanded the two troops that there
were on foot. The Earl of Chester, Cursaleyn, and the Earl of Bath,
who hight Urgein, they commanded both the troops that were there
beside; these should on two sides advance to the fight, with these two
earls, that brave knights were,--Arthur had troth the earls were true.
When all the troops were set as Arthur thought good, then called to
him the King of Britain all his councillors, that were skilfullest in
judgment; and thus said Arthur anon to his noble men: "Hearken now
towards me, my dear friends; ye have twice attacked the Romanish men,
and twice they are overcome, and slain, and captured, because they all
with wrong covet our land. And my heart saith to me, through our high
Lord, that yet they shall be overcome, both slain and captured. Ye
have overcome Norwegians; ye have overcome Danes, Scotland and Ireland
ye have all won to your hand; Normandy and France ye have conquered
with fight. Three and thirty kingdoms I hold in mine own hand, that ye
have won for me under the sun! And these are the worst men of all men
alive; heathen people! To God they are loathsome; our Lord they
desert, and to Mahoun they draw. And Luces, the emperor, of God's self
hath no care, who hath for companions heathen hounds, God's enemies;
we shall them destroy, and lay them to ground, and ourselves be safe,
with the Lord's will, that ruleth all deeds!" Then answered the earls
there: "All we are ready, to live and to lie with our dear king!"
When this army was all prepared, then was it daylight; and Luces at
Langres moved, and all his Rome-folk; he commanded his men to blow his
golden trumpets, get ready his host, for forth he would march from
Lengres to Aust, as his way right lay. And forth gan ride the Romanish
people, until they came a mile near to Arthur.
Then heard the Rome-folk hard tidings; they saw all the dales, and all
the downs, and all the hills covered with helms; high standards,
warriors them held, sixty thousand waving with the wind; shields
glitter, burnies shine; gold-coloured vests, men most stern; steeds
leap—-the earth stirred! The emperor saw the king fare, where he was
by the wood-shaw; then said he Luces, the lord of Rome, and spake with
his men with loud voice: "What are these outlaws, that have preceded
us in this way? Take we our weapons, and march we to them; they shall
be slain, and some alive flayed, they all shall be dead, with torment
destroyed!" Even with the words they seized their weapons. When they
were arrayed with their good weapons, then spake soon Luces, the lord
of Rome: "Quickly advance we to them; we all shall do well!" There
were come with him five and twenty kings, heathen folk all, that held
of Rome, earls and eke dukes, of the eastern world. "Lordings," quoth
Luces then, "Mahoun be gracious to you! Ye are powerful kings, and
obey unto Rome. Rome is my right, richest of all burghs; and I ought
to be highest of all men alive. Ye see here on the field those who are
our foes; they think to rule highly over our realm; hold us for base,
and themselves become rich. But we shall oppose them with bold
strength; for our race was highest of all men alive, and won all the
lands that they looked on; and Julius the strong marched into Britain,
and won to his hands many kingdoms. Now would our underlings be kings
over us, but they shall buy it with their bare backs; never again
shall they return to Britain!"
Even with the words then moved the army; by thousands and by thousands
they thronged together; each king prepared host of his folk. When it
was all formed, and the army appointed, then were there right told
full fifteen hosts; two kings there were ever comrades; four earls and
a duke disposed them together, and the emperor by himself, with ten
thousand champions. When the folk gan to stir, the earth gan to din;
trumpets there blew; hosts were arrayed; horns there resounded with
loud voice, sixty thousand blew together. More there sounded of
Arthur's companions than sixty thousand men with horns; the welkin gan
to din, the earth gan to tremble! Together they charged as if heaven
would fall! First they let fly, exceedingly quick darts all as thick
as the snow down falleth; stones they let afterwards sternly wind
through the air. Then cracked spears; shivered spears,—-helms rolled,
noble men fell; —-burnies brake in pieces, blood outflowed;—-the
fields were discoloured, standards fell! Wounded knights over all
wandered over the weald, and sixty hundred there were trodden to death
by horses! Knights there perished, blood out ran;—-flowed by paths
bloody streams,—-woe was among the folk,—-the harm was without bounds!
So all as say the writings that skilful men made, that was the third
greatest battle that ever here was fought, so that at the last no
warrior knew on whom he should smite, and whom he should spare; for no
man knew other there, for the quantity of blood!
Then removed the fight from the place where they ere fought, and they
began widely to rush together; and a new conflict began, narrowly
contested;—-there were the Rome-people grievously treated! Then came
there three kings, of heathen land; of Ethiopia was the one; the
second was an African; the third was of Lybia, of heathen land. They
came to the host at the east end, and brake the body-of-troops that
the Britons there held, and anon felled fifteen hundred bold thanes of
Arthur's folk; then the Britons turned the backs soon. But then came
there riding two keen earls, that was, Beduer and Kay, Arthur's
cup-bearer and his relative; their Britons they saw hewed in pieces
with swords. There became enraged the earls most bold, and with ten
thousand knights pressed to the fight, amid the throng, where they
were thickest, and slew the Rome-folk very grievously; and went over
the fight, after their will. Then were they too daring, and ruled them
too evilly; alas! alas! that they were not then wary; that they could
not guard themselves against their enemies! For they were too keen,
and too presumptuous, and fought too rashly, and too far advanced, and
spread too widely over the broad conflict. Then came the King of
Media, the mickle and the broad; a heathen chief,—-there he harm
wrought; he led for companions twenty thousand riders; he held in his
hand a spear exceeding strong. The spear he forth thrust with his
strong might, and smote the Earl Beduer before in the breast, so that
the burny soon burst, before and behind, and his breast was opened;
the blood came forth lukewarm. There fell Beduer anon, dead upon the
ground; there was misery and sorrow enow! There Kay found Beduer lie
him dead there, and Kay would carry away the body with himself; with
twenty hundred knights he approached thereabout, and strongly fought,
and felled the Rome-folk, and slew there many thousand men of Media;
the fight was exceeding strong, and they were thereat long. Then
arrived there a king most hateful, with sixty thousand good men of his
land; Setor the keen, who came him from Lybia. There the strong king
gan him fight with Kay, and wounded Kay sorely in the strong fight, to
the bare death—-grievous was the deed!
His knights there right carried him from the fight, with mickle
strength through the fight they pierced. Woe was to Arthur the king
for the tiding! That saw the rich thane, who was named Ridwathlan,
Beduer's sister's son, of noble Britons he was descended, that Boccus
with his strong spear had slain Beduer. Woe was to him alive, when his
uncle was dead; for he of all men most him loved. He called knights
most good of his kindred, and of the dearest of all that he knew
alive; five hundred by tale advanced together. Then said Ridwathlan,
noble man of Britain: "Knights, ye are of my kindred, come ye here to
me, and avenge we Beduer, mine uncle, who was best of our race, whom
Boccus hath slain with his strong spear. Go we all together, and fell
our foes!"
Even with the words he forth pushed, and all his noble companions with
him anon; and Boccus the king they knew, where he was in the combat;
with his spear and with his shield many a knight he killed. Ridwathlan
drew out his sword soon, and struck at him, and smote the king on the
helm, so that it severed in two, and eke the burny-hood, so that it
(the sword) stopt at the teeth; and the heathen king fell to the
ground, and his foul soul sank into hell! Ridwathlan then said--cruel
he was in mood--"Boccus, now thou hast bought dear that Beduer thou
slew; and thy soul shall now be companion of the Worse!" Even with the
words, as if it were the wind, he pressed to the fight; as a whirlwind
doth in the field, when it heaveth the dust high from the earth, all
so Ridwathlan rushed on his enemies. All they it slew that they came
nigh, the while that they might wield their noble weapons; in all the
fight were no knights better, the while that the life lasted them in
their breasts. Boccus the king they slew, and a thousand of his
knights; then was Beduer avenged well with the best!
There was a brave earl, of noble race, who was named Leir, lord of
Boulogne; he beheld in the fight an enemy advance, that was an
admiral, of Babylon he was prince; much folk he felled down to the
ground. And the earl that perceived; in heart was to him uneasiness;
he drew to his breast a broad shield, and he grasped in his hand a
spear that was most strong, and spurred his horse with all his main,
and hit the admiral with a smart blow under the breast, that the burny
gan to burst, so that the spear pierced through there behind him full
a fathom; the wretch fell to the ground! That saw soon the admiral's
son, who is named Gecron; and grasped his spear anon, and smote Leir
the earl sore on the left side, throughout the heart,--the earl down
fell. Walwain perceived that, where he was in the fight; and he
wrathed him wondrously much; that saw Howel, noble man of Brittany,
and he thither advanced, with fifteen hundred men; hardy warriors with
Howel went; and Walwain before them man most stern of mood; he had for
comrades five and twenty hundred bold Britons,--then began they to
fight!
There were the Rome-folk grievously treated; Howel them attacked,
Walwain them met; there was wondrous cry, the welkin resounded; the
earth gan to tremble, the stones there shivered! Streams of blood ran
from the wretched folk, the slaughter was immense, then were the
Britons weary! Kinard, the Earl of Striguil, left the King Howel, and
took with him Labius, Rimarc, and Boclovius. These were the keenest
men that any king had, these were among men earls mighty strong! They
would not, for their mickle mood (pride), follow Howel the good, but
by themselves they slew all that they came nigh. That saw a powerful
man of the Rome-people, how Kinard the keen killed there their folk,
and the knight gan him alight from his dear steed, and took him in his
hand a spear made of steel, and bathed it in blood; and he aside went,
until he came to the spot where Kinard the strong fought. Kinard's
burny he up raised, and he the earl there slew. Then shouted loud all
the Rome-folk, and turned to the Britons, and brake their troops; and
felled the standards, the folk down sank; shields there shivered,
warriors there fell; there fell to ground fifteen thousand bold
Britons--mischief there was rife! So lasted long the fight exceeding
strong.
Walwain gan pass over the mickle slaughter, and assembled all his
knights, where he found them in the fight. There near came riding
Howel the mighty; they assembled their fair folk anon, and forth they
gan wend, and rode to the Rome-folk with strong wrath, and quickly
approached them, and brake their French ranks. And Walwain forth
right, there he found Luces the emperor live under shield, and Walwain
struck at him with the steel sword, and the emperor struck at him, who
was man exceeding stern; shield against shield, the pieces there flew;
sword against sword clashed well often, fire flew from the steel; the
adversaries were enraged! There was fight most strong--all the host
was stirred! The emperor weened to destroy Walwain, that he might in
after days boast for the deed. But the Britons thronged towards them,
most angrily, and the Romanish men liberated their emperor; and they
charged together as if heaven would fall! All the daylight they held
afterwards the fight, a little while ere the sun went to ground.
Arthur then called--noblest of all kings: "Now go we all to them, my
brave knights! And God himself aid us our enemies to fell!"
Even with the words then blew men the trumpets; fifteen thousand anon
thronged together to blow horns and trumps; the earth gan to tremble
for the great blast, for the mickle clamour! The Rome-folk turned
backs to the fight; standards fell,--noble men perished,--those fled
who might,--the fated there fell! Much man-slaughter was there; might
it no man tell, how many hundred men were there hewed in pieces in the
mickle throng, in the man-slaughter! The emperor was slain in strange
manner, so that no man of ever any country afterwards ever knew it to
say, who killed the emperor. But when the fight was all done, and the
folk was all in joy, then found men the emperor pierced through with a
spear.
Word came to Arthur, where he was in his tent, that the emperor was
slam, and deprived of life-day. Arthur caused a tent to be pitched,
amidst a broad field, and thither caused to be borne Luces the
emperor, and caused him to be covered with gold coloured clothes, and
caused him there to be watched three full days, the while he caused to
be made a work exceeding rich, a long chest; and it to be covered all
with gold. And he caused to be laid therein Luces of Rome, who was a
most doughty man, the while his days lasted. The yet did Arthur more,
noblest of all Britons, Arthur caused to be sought all the powerful
men, kings and earls, and the richest barons, who in the fight were
slain, and deprived of life-day; he caused them to be buried with
great pomp. But he caused three kings to bear Luces the emperor, and
caused a bier to be made, rich and exceeding lofty; and caused them
soon to be sent to Rome. And greeted all the Rome-people with a great
taunt, and said that he sent them the tribute of his land, and eft
would also send them more greeting, if they would yearn of Arthur's
gold; and thereafter full soon ride into Rome, and tell them tidings
of the King of Britain, and Rome-walls repair, that were of yore
fallen down;--"And so will I rule the fierce Rome-folk!" All this
boast was idly done, for otherwise it fared, all otherwise it
happened: the people he left, through wicked tiding, all through
Modred his relative, wickedest of all men!
In the mickle fight Arthur lost of his knights, five and twenty
thousand, hewed in pieces on the ground, of Britons most bold,
bereaved of life. Kay was wounded sore, wondrously much; to Kinun he
was carried, and soon thereafter he was dead. He was buried there
beside the castle, among hermits, who was the noble man. Kay hight the
earl, Kinun the castle, Arthur gave him the town, and he thereat was
entombed, and set there the name after himself; for Kay's death he
named it Kain (Caen); now and evermore so it hight there. After Beduer
was slain, and deprived of life day, Arthur caused him to be borne to
his castle Baeios (Bayeux), and there he was buried, in the burgh;
without the south gate in earth men him laid. Howeldin was floated
forth into Flanders; and all his best knights there floated
forth-right into the earldoms whence they there came. And all the dead
in earth men them laid; in Terouane they lie all clean.
Leir, the earl, men carried into Boulogne; and Arthur then thereafter
dwelt in a land in Burgundy, that to him seemed best; the land he all
ruled, and all the castles appointed; and said that he would himself
hold the land. And afterwards he made his threat, that he would in
summer march into Rome, and acquire all the realm, and himself be
emperor where Luces ere dwelt. And many of the Rome folk would that it
so should be, for they were adread to their bare death, so that many
away there fled, and their castles abandoned; and many sent messengers
to Arthur the strong; and many spake with him, and yearned Arthur's
peace; and some they would against Arthur hold, and hold Rome against
him, and defend the realm. And nevertheless they were afraid for their
destruction, so that they knew not under Christ any good counsel. Then
was it there come to pass, what Merlin said erewhile, that Rome-walls
should fall down before Arthur; that was fulfilled there by the
emperor, who fell there in the fight, with fifty thousand men; there
sank to the ground the rich Rome-people! Then Arthur weened in sooth
to win all Rome, and dwelt in Burgundy, noblest of all kings.
Then came there on a time a brave man riding, and brought tiding to
Arthur the king, from Modred, his sister's son; to Arthur he was
welcome, for he weened that he brought news most good. Arthur lay all
the night long, and spake with the young knight; so never would he say
to him sooth how it fared. When it was day on the morrow, and people
gan to stir, Arthur then up arose, and stretched his arms; he arose
up, and sate down, as if he were exceeding sick. Then asked him a fair
knight--"Lord, how hast thou fared to-night?" Arthur then answered--in
mind he was uneasy: "To-night in my sleep, where I lay in chamber, I
dreamt a dream--therefore I am full sorry. I dreamt that men raised me
upon a hall; the hall I gan bestride, as if I would ride; all the
lands that I possessed, all I there overlooked. And Walwain sate
before me; my sword he bare in hand. Then approached Modred there,
with innumerable folk; he bare in his hand a battle-axe strong; he
began to hew exceeding hardily; and the posts all hewed in pieces,
that held up the hall. There I saw Wenhaver eke, dearest of women to
me; all the mickle hall roof with her hand she drew down; the hall gan
to tumble, and I tumbled to the ground, so that my right arm brake in
pieces,--then said Modred, 'Have that!' Down fell the hall; and
Walwain gan to fall, and fell on the earth; his arms both brake. And I
grasped my dear sword with my left hand, and smote off Modred his
head, so that it rolled on the field. And the queen I cut all in
pieces with my dear sword, and afterwards I set her down in a black
pit. And all my good people set to flight, so that I knew not under
Christ, where they were gone. But myself I gan stand upon a weald, and
I there gan to wander wide over the moors, there I saw gripes, and
grisly fowls! Then approached a golden lion over the down;—-a beast
most fair, that our Lord made;—-the lion ran towards me, and took me
by the middle, and forth gan her move, and to the sea went. And I saw
the waves drive in the sea; and the lion in the flood went with
myself. When we came in the sea, the waves took her from me; but there
approached a fish, and brought me to land;—-then was I all wet, and
weary from sorrow, and sick. When I gan to wake, greatly gan I to
quake; then gan I to tremble as if I all burnt with fire. And so I
have all night of my dream much thought; for I wot with certainty,
gone is all my bliss, for ever in my life sorrow I must endure! Alas!
that I have not here Wenhaver, my queen!"
Then answered the knight: "Lord, thou hast wrong; men should never a
dream with sorrow interpret. Thou art the mightiest man, that reigneth
in land, and the wisest of all that dwelleth under heaven. If it were
befallen—-as will it not our Lord!—-that Modred, thy sister's son, had
taken thy queen, and set all thy royal land in his own hand, that thou
to him committedest, when thou thoughtest to go to Rome; and had he
done all this with his treachery, the yet thou mightest thee avenge
with weapon worthily, and eft thy land hold, and govern thy people,
and thine enemies fell, who did evil to thee, and slay them all clean,
that there remain not one."
Arthur then answered, noblest of all kings: "So long as is ever,
weened I that never, that ever Modred, my relative, who is man dearest
to me, would betray me, for all my realm, nor Wenhaver, my queen,
weaken in thought; would it not begin, for any worldly man!"
Even with the words forth-right then answered the knight: "I say thee
sooth, dear king, for I am thy underling. Thus hath Modred done; thy
queen he hath taken, and thy fair land set in his own hand. He is
king, and she is queen; of thy coming is there no expectation, for
they ween not ever in sooth, that thou shalt come back from Rome. I am
thine own man, and saw this treason; and I am come to thyself, to say
thee sooth. My head be in pledge, that I have said thee sooth, without
leasing, of thy loved queen, and of Modred, thy sister's son, how he
hath taken Britain from thee."
Then sate it all still in Arthur's hall; then was there sorrow with
the good king; then were the British men therefore exceedingly
dispirited. Then after a while voices there stirred; wide men might
hear the Britons' clamour, and gan to tell in speeches of many kind,
how they would destroy Modred and the queen, and slay all the people
that held with Modred.
Arthur then called, fairest of all Britons: "Sit ye down still,
knights in hall, and I will you tell strange discourse. Now to-morrow,
when it is day, and the Lord it sendeth, forth I will march in toward
Britain; and Modred I will slay, and burn the queen; and all I will
destroy, that approved the treachery. And here I will leave the
dearest of men to me, Howel, my loved relative, noblest of my kin; and
half my army I will leave in this land, to maintain all this kingdom,
that I have in my hand. And when these things are all done, back I
will come to Rome, and deliver my fair land to Walwain my relation;
and afterwards perform my threat, by my bare life; all my enemies
shall be destroyed!"
Then stood him up Walwain, who was Arthur's relative, and said these
words,--the earl was incensed: "Almighty God! ruler of dooms, guardian
of all middle-earth! Why is it befallen, that my brother Modred this
sin has wrought? But to-day I forsake him here, before this assembly;
and I will him destroy with the Lord's will; myself I will him hang,
highest of all wretches; the queen I will, with God's law, draw all in
pieces with horses. For may I never be blithe, the while I am alive,
until I have avenged mine uncle with the best!"
Then answered the Britons with bold voice: "All our weapons are ready;
now to-morrow we shall march!" On the morrow when it was day, and the
Lord it sent, Arthur forth him moved, with his good folk; half he it
left, and half it forth led. Forth he marched through the land until
he came to Whitsand; ships he had soon, many and excellent; but full a
fortnight there lay the host, abiding the weather, deprived of wind
(becalmed).