garments, filled from the top to the bottom, in safety.  And afterwards he would swear, that he would not prove false.  Arthur heard this, noblest of kings, that AEscil, King of the Danes, would be his underling, without any fight, he and all his knights.  Then was gladdened Arthur the rich, and thus answered with mild words:  “Well worth the man, that with wisdom obtaineth to him peace and amity, and friendship to hold!  When he seeth that he is bound with strength, and his dear realm ready all to destruction, with art he must slacken his odious bonds.”  Arthur ordered the king to come, and bring his eldest son; and he so did soon, the King of Denmark.  Arthur’s will soon he gan to fulfill; together they came, and were reconciled.

The yet said Arthur, noblest of kings:  “Fare I will to France, with my mickle host.  I will have of Norway nine thousand knights; and of Denmark I will lead nine thousand of the people; and of Orkney eleven hundred; and of Moray three thousand men; and of Galloway five thousand of the folk; and of Ireland eleven thousand, and of Britain my knights bold shall march before me, thirty thousand; and of Gutland I will lead ten thousand of the people; and of Frisland five thousand men; and of Little Britain Howel the bold, and with such folk France I will seek.  And as I expect God’s mercy, yet I will promise more; that of all the lands, that stand in my hand, I will order each brave man, that can bear his weapons, as he would wish to live, and have his limbs, that he go with me, to fight with Frolle, who is King of the French—­slain he shall be!—­he was born in Rome, of Romanish kin.”  Forth proceeded Arthur, until he came to Flanders, the land he gan conquer, and set it with his men.  And next he marched thence, into Boulogne, and all Boulogne’s land took it in his own hand.

And afterwards he took the way that in toward France lay.  Then bade he his command to all his men, that fare wheresoever they should fare, they should take no whit, unless they might it obtain with right; with just purchase, in the king’s host.  Frolle heard that, where he was in France, of Arthur’s speed (success), and of all his deeds; and how he all won that he looked on, and how it all to him submitted that he saw with eyes, then was the King Frolle horribly afraid!  At the same time that this was transacted, the land of the French was named Gaul; and Frolle was from Rome come into France, and each year sent tribute of the land, ten hundred pounds of silver and of gold.  Now heard Frolle, who was chief of France, of the great sorrow that Arthur did in the land.  He sent messengers soon the nearest way toward Rome, and bade the Romanish folk advise them between, how many thousand knights they thither would send, that he might the easier fight with Arthur, and drive from the land Arthur the strong.  Knights gan to ride out of Rome-land; five-and-twenty thousand proceeded toward France.  Frolle heard this, with his mickle host, that the Romanish folk rode toward the land.  Frolle and his host marched against them, so that they came together, keen men and brave, of all the earth an immense force.