The yet spake Frolle, free man in heart:  “Nay, so help me the Lord that shaped the daylight, will I nevermore yearn Arthur’s grace; but fight I will, without any knight’s aid, body against body, before my people; hand against hand, with Arthur the king!  Whetherso of us is the weaker, soon he will be the leather; whetherso of us there may live, to his friends he will be the liefer; and whether of us that may of the other obtain the better (superiority), have he all this other’s land, and set it in his own hand.  This I will yearn, if Arthur will it grant; and this I will swear upon my sword.  And hostages I will find, three kings’ sons, that I will hold firmly this covenant; that I will it not violate, by my quick life!  For liefer it is to me to lie dead, before my people, than that I should see them on the ground perish with hunger.  For we have with fight destroyed our knights—­men felled fifty thousand; and many a good woman have made miserable widow, many a child fatherless, and bereaved of comfort; and now this folk with hunger have wondrously harmed.  It is better therefore betwixt ourselves to deal and to dispose of this kingdom with fight; and have it the better man, and possess it in joy!” Frolle took twelve knights, with these words forth-right, and sent them in message to Arthur the king, to know if he would hold this covenant, and with his own hand win the kingdom, or lie dead before, to the harm of his people; and if he it won, should have it in his power.

Arthur heard that, noblest of kings; was he never so blithe ere in his life, for the tiding liked to him from Frolle the king; and these words said Arthur the good:  “Well saith Frolle, who is King of France; better it is that we two contest this realm, than there should be slain our brave thanes.  This covenant I approve, before my people, at an appointed day to do what he me biddeth; that shall be to-morrow, before our men, that fight we shall by ourselves, and fall the worst of us!  And whether (which) of us that goeth aback, and this fight will forsake, be he in each land proclaimed for a recreant!  Then may men sing of one such king, that his brag (or threat) hath made, and his knighthood forsaken!”

Frolle heard that, who was King of France, that Arthur would fight himself, without any knight.  Strong man was Frolle, and stark man in mood; and his boast he had made, before all his people, and he might not for much shame disgrace himself; quit his bold bragging that he had said in the burgh.  But said he whatever he said, in sooth he it weened, that Arthur would it forsake, and no whit take to (accept) the fight.  For if Frolle, who was King in France, had it known, that Arthur would grant him that he had yearned, he would not have done it for a shipful of gold!  Nevertheless was Frolle to the fight exceeding keen; tall knight and strong man, and moody in heart; and said that he would hold the day, in the island that with water is surrounded—­the island standeth full truly in the burgh of Paris.—­“There I will with fight obtain my rights, with shield, and with steel, and with knight’s weed; now to-morrow is the day; have it he that may it win!”