Arthur was in the world wise king and powerful, good man and peaceful, his men him loved.  Knights he had proud, and great in their mood, and they spake to the king of marvellous thing, and thus the assemblage said to the high king:  “Lord Arthur, go we to the realm of France, and win all the land to thine own hand, drive away all the French, and their king slay; all the castles occupy, and set (garrison) them with Britons, and rule in the realm with fierce strength” Then answered Arthur, noblest of kings “Your will I will do, but ere (previously) I will go to Norway, and I will lead with me Loth my brother-in-law, he who is Walwain’s father, whom I well love.  For new tidings are come from Norway, that Sichelm the king is there dead, his people has left, and he hath ere bequeathed all his kingdom to Loth.  For the king is of all bereaved, son and eke daughter, and Loth is his sister’s son—­the better to him shall it befall—­for I will make him new king in Norway, and well instruct him to govern well the people.  And when I have done thus, I will afterwards come home, and get ready my army, and pass into France, and if the king withstandeth me, and will not yearn my peace, I will fell him with fight to the ground”

Arthur caused to be blown horns and trumpets, and caused to be summoned to the sea the Britons most bold.  Ships he had good by the sea-flood, fifteen hundred pushed from the land, and flew along the sea, as if they had flight (wings), and bent their course into Norway, with bold strength.  So soon as they came, they took haven, with mickle strength they stept (disembarked) on the realm Arthur sent his messengers wide over the land, and ordered them to come soon, and have Loth for king, and if they would not that, he would slay them all.  Then they took their messengers, the Norwegian earls, and sent to the king, and bade him back go—­“And if thou wilt not depart, thou shalt have here sorrow and care; for so long as is ever, that shall never come to pass, that we shall raise a foreign man for king.  For if Sichelm is departed (dead), here are others choice, whom we may by our will raise to be king.  And this is the sooth; there is no other, either move thee awayward, and turn thee right homeward, either to-day a se’nnight, thou shalt have great fight.”

The Norwegian earls betook them to counsel, that a king they would have of their own race, for all Sichelm’s words they held to be folly.—­“And so long as is ever, it shall not ever stand!  But we shall take Riculf, who is an earl exceeding powerful, and raise him to be king—­this is to us pleasing—­and assemble our forces over all this country, and march towards Arthur, and defeat him with fight, and Loth we shall chase, and drive from land, or else we shall fell him with fight.”  They took Riculf, the Earl of Norway, and raised him to be king, though it were not to him by right, and they assembled their host over Norway’s land.  And Arthur on his part, over the land gan march; the