determined of Modred's death, he took his swain quickly, and sent to
this land; and sent word to Wenhaver, how it had happened, and how
Arthur was on his march, with a great host, and how he would take on,
and all how he would do. The queen came to Modred, who was to her
dearest of men, and told him tiding of Arthur the king, how he would
take on, and all how he would do.
Modred took his messengers, and sent to Saxland, after Childrich, who
was king most powerful, and bade him come to Britain--thereof he
should have possession. Modred bade Childrich, the strong and the
rich, to send messengers wide, on the four sides of Saxland, and bid
all the knights that they might get, that they should come soon to
this kingdom; and he would to Childrich give part of his realm, all
beyond the Humber; because he should him help to fight against his
uncle King Arthur. Childrich proceeded soon into Britain. When Modred
had assembled his host of men, then were there told sixty thousand
hardy warriors of heathen folk, when they were come hither, for
Arthur's harm, and to help Modred, wickedest of men! When the army was
gathered of each people, then were they there in a heap an hundred
thousand, heathens and christians, with Modred the king.
Arthur lay at Whitsand; a fortnight seemed to him too long; and Modred
knew all what Arthur there would; each day came messengers to him from
the king's army. Then befell it on a time, much rain it gan to rain,
and the wind it gan to turn, and stood from the east end. And Arthur
proceeded to ship with all his host, and ordered that his shipmen
should bring him to Romney, where he thought to come up into this
land. When he came to the haven, Modred was opposite to him, as the
day gan light, they began to fight, all the day long; many a man dead
there lay! Some they fought on land, some by the strand; some they let
fly sharp spears out of the ships. Walwain went before, and cleared
the way; and slew there soon eleven thanes; he slew Childrich's son,
who was come there with his father. To rest went the sun; woe was then
to the men! There was Walwain slain, and deprived of life-day, through
a Saxish earl--sorry be his soul! Then was Arthur sorry, and sorrowful
therefore in heart; and these words said, mightiest of all Britons:
"Now I have lost my loved swains! I knew by my dream, what sorrow were
given to me! Slain is Angel the king, who was mine own darling, and
Walwain, my sister's son--woe is me that I was born man! Up now from
ship, quickly, my brave knights!"
Even with the words sixty thousand good warriors pressed anon to the
fight, and brake Modred's ranks, and well nigh himself was taken.
Modred began to flee, and his folk to follow after; they fled
exceedingly, the fields eke trembled; the stones jar with the
blood-streams! There would have been all the fight ended, but the
night came too soon; if the night had not been, they all would have
been slain!
The night separated them over slades and over downs; and Modred came
so far forth, that he was at London. The burghmen heard how it had all
fared, and denied him entry, and all his folk. Modred thence went
toward Winchester; and they him received, with all his men. And Arthur
pursued after, with all his might, until he came to Winchester, with a
mickle host, and the burgh all besieged; and Modred therein abode.
When Modred saw that Arthur was so nigh to him, oft he bethought him
what he might do. Then on the same night, he ordered all his knights,
with all their weapons, to march out of the burgh; and said that he
would with fight there make a stand. He promised the burghmen free law
evermore, on condition that they should help him at his great need.
When it was daylight, then ready was their fight. Arthur that
perceived--the king was enraged; he caused trumpets to be blown, and
men to be assembled to battle; he commanded all his thanes, and his
noble knights, together to take the fight, and fell his enemies, and
the burgh all to destroy, and hang the burgh-folk. They stept
together, and sternly fought. Modred then thought what he might do;
and he did there as he did elsewhere, treachery with the most! For
ever he did wickedly; he betrayed his comrades before Winchester, and
caused his dearest knights to be called to him anon, and his dearest
friends all, of all his folk; and stole away from the fight--the fiend
him have!--and let the good folk all there perish. They fought all
day; they weened that their lord there lay, and were near them at
their great need. Then bent he the way that toward Hampton lay; and
bent toward the haven--wickedest of men--and took all the ships that
there good were, and all the steersmen, to the need of the ships; and
proceeded into Cornwall—-wickedest of kings in those days! And Arthur
besieged well firmly Winchester the burgh; and slew all the
people—-there was sorrow enow--the young and the old, all he killed.
When the folk was all dead, and the burgh all burnt, then caused he
withal all the walls to be broken in pieces. Then was it there come to
pass, that Merlin whilom said:
"Wretched shalt thou be, Winchester! the earth shall thee swallow!" So
Merlin said, who was a great prophet.
The queen lay in York; never was she so sorrowful; that was Wenhaver
the queen, most miserable of women! She heard say sooth words, how
often Modred fled, and how Arthur him pursued; woe was to her the
while, that she was alive! Out of York she went by night, and toward
Kaerleon drew, as quickly as she might; thither she brought by night
two of her knights; and men covered her head with a holy veil, and she
was there a nun; woman most wretched! Then men knew not of the queen,
where she were gone, nor many years afterwards man knew it in sooth,
whether she were dead, or whether she herself were sunk in the water.
Modred was in Cornwall, and gathered many knights; to Ireland he sent
his messengers quickly; to Saxland he sent his messengers quickly; to
Scotland he sent his messengers quickly; he ordered them all to come
anon, that would have land, or silver, or gold, or possessions, or
land; in each wise he warned himself each man;--so doth each prudent
man upon whom cometh need.
Arthur that heard, wrathest of kings, that Modred was in Cornwall with
a mickle army, and there would abide until Arthur approached. Arthur
sent messengers over all his kingdom, and bade all to come that was
alive in land, that to fight were good, weapons to bear; and whoso it
neglected, that the king commanded, the king would him all consume
alive in the land. Innumerable folk it came toward the host, riding
and on foot, as the rain down falleth!
Arthur marched to Cornwall, with an immense army. Modred heard that,
and advanced against him with innumerable folk--there were many fated!
Upon the Tambre they came together; the place hight Camelford,
evermore lasted the same word. And at Camelford was assembled sixty
thousand men, and more thousands thereto; Modred was their chief. Then
thitherward gan ride Arthur the mighty, with innumerable folk--fated
though it were! Upon the Tambre they encountered together; elevated
their standards; advanced together; drew their long swords, and smote
on the helms; fire out sprang; spears splintered; shields gan shiver;
shafts brake in pieces! There fought all together innumerable folk!
Tambre was in flood with blood to excess; there might no man in the
fight know any warrior, nor who did worse, nor who did better, so was
the conflict mingled! For each slew downright, were he swain, were he
knight. There was Modred slain, and deprived of life-day, and all his
knights slain in the fight. There were slain all the brave, Arthur's
warriors, high and low, and all the Britons of Arthur's board, and all
his dependants, of many kingdoms. And Arthur himself wounded with a
broad slaughter-spear; fifteen dreadful wounds he had; in the least
one might thrust two gloves! Then was there no more remained in the
fight, of two hundred thousand men that there lay hewed in pieces,
except Arthur the king alone, and two of his knights.
Arthur was wounded wondrously much. There came to him a lad, who was
of his kindred; he was Cador's son, the Earl of Cornwall; Constantine
the lad hight, he was dear to the king. Arthur looked on him, where he
lay on the ground, and said these words, with sorrowful heart:
"Constantine, thou art welcome; thou wert Cador's son. I give thee
here my kingdom, and defend thou my Britons ever in thy life, and
maintain them all the laws that have stood in my days, and all the
good laws that in Uther's days stood. And I will fare to Avalun, to
the fairest of all maidens, to Argante the queen, an elf most fair,
and she shall make my wounds all sound; make me all whole with healing
draughts. And afterwards I will come again to my kingdom, and dwell
with the Britons with mickle joy."
Even with the words there approached from the sea that was a short
boat, floating with the waves; and two women therein, wondrously
formed; and they took Arthur anon, and bare him quickly, and laid him
softly down, and forth they gan depart.
Then was it accomplished that Merlin whilom said, that mickle care
should be of Arthur's departure. The Britons believe yet that he is
alive, and dwelleth in Avalun with the fairest of all elves; and the
Britons ever yet expect when Arthur shall return. Was never the man
born, of ever any lady chosen, that knoweth of the sooth, to say more
of Arthur. But whilom was a sage hight Merlin; he said with words--his
sayings were sooth--that an Arthur should yet come to help the
English.