noblest of kings’ Here I bring twain, my sons both; their mother is of king’s race, she is mine own queen; I won her with spoil, out of Russia.  Here I deliver thee my dear sons, and myself I will become thy man.  And I will send thee tribute of my land, every year as thin? bestowed, I will send thee into London seven thousand pounds.  That I will swear, that I will never be false, but here I will become thy man—­thy honour is the greater—­so long as is ever, I will deceive thee never!”

Arthur took his messengers, and sent to Winetland, to Rumareth the king, and bade him know in haste, that he had in his hand Britain and Scotland, Gutland and Ireland, Orcany and Iceland.  He ordered Rumareth to come, and bring him his eldest son; and if he would not do that, he would drive him from land, and if he might him capture, he would slay him or hang, and destroy all his land, his people exterminate.  Rumareth heard this, the rich King of Winet; greatly he was afraid, all as the others were ere; loath to him were the tidings from Arthur the king.  Nevertheless the King Rumareth hearkened counsels; he took his eldest son, and twelve good earls, and proceeded to Arthur the noble king, and sate at his feet, and gan him fair greet:  “Hail be thou, Arthur, noblest of Britons’ I hight Rumareth, the King of Winetland, enow I have heard declared of thy valour; that thou art wide known, keenest of all kings.  Thou hast won many kingdom all to thine own hand, there is no king in land that may thee withstand, king nor kaiser, in ever any combat; of all that thou beginnest, thou dost thy will.  Here am I to thee come, and brought thee my eldest son; here I set thee in hand myself and my kingdom, and my dear son, and all my people, my wife and my weeds, and all my possessions, on condition that thou give me protection against thy fierce attacks.  And be thou my high king, and I will be thy underling, and send thee to hand five hundred pounds of gold; these gifts I will thee find, every year.”

Arthur granted him all that the king yearned, and afterwards he held communing with his good thanes, and said that he would return again into this land, and see Wenhaver, the comely queen of the country.  Trumpets he caused to be blown, and his army to assemble; and to ship marched the thanes wondrous blithe.  The wind still stood them at will; weather as they would; blithe they were all therefore; up they came to Grumesby.  That heard soon the highest of this land, and to the queen came tiding of Arthur the king, that he was come in safety, and his folk in prosperity.  Then were in Britain joys enow!  Here was fiddling and song, here was harping among, pipes and trumps sang there merrily.  Poets there sung of Arthur the king, and of the great honour, that he had won.  Folk came in concourse of many kind of land; wide and far the folk was in prosperity.  All that Arthur saw, all it submitted to him, rich men and poor, as the hail that falleth; was there no Briton so wretched, that he was not enriched!