should depart
unto their lodging. And so they went home and unarmed them, and so to
evensong and supper. And after, the three kings went into a garden, and
gave the prize unto Sir Kay, and to Lucas the butler, and unto Sir
Griflet. And then they went unto council, and with them Gwenbaus, the
brother unto Sir Ban and Bors, a wise clerk, and thither went Ulfius and
Brastias, and Merlin. And after they had been in council, they went unto
bed. And on the morn they heard mass, and to dinner, and so to their
council, and made many arguments what were best to do. At the last they
were concluded, that Merlin should go with a token of King Ban, and that
was a ring, unto his men and King Bors'; and Gracian and Placidas should
go again and keep their castles and their countries, as for [dread of
King Claudas] King Ban of Benwick, and King Bors of Gaul had ordained
them, and so passed the sea and came to Benwick. And when the people saw
King Ban's ring, and Gracian and Placidas, they were glad, and asked how
the kings fared, and made great joy of their welfare and cording, and
according unto the sovereign lords desire, the men of war made them
ready in all haste possible, so that they were fifteen thousand on horse
and foot, and they had great plenty of victual with them, by Merlin's
provision. But Gracian and Placidas were left to furnish and garnish the
castles, for dread of King Claudas. Right so Merlin passed the sea, well
victualled both by water and by land. And when he came to the sea he
sent home the footmen again, and took no more with him but ten thousand
men on horseback, the most part men of arms, and so shipped and passed
the sea into England, and landed at Dover; and through the wit of
Merlin, he had the host northward, the priviest way that could be
thought, unto the forest of Bedegraine, and there in a valley he lodged
them secretly.

Then rode Merlin unto Arthur and the two kings, and told them how he had
sped; whereof they had great marvel, that man on earth might speed so
soon, and go and come. So Merlin told them ten thousand were in the
forest of Bedegraine, well armed at all points. Then was there no more
to say, but to horseback went all the host as Arthur had afore purveyed.
So with twenty thousand he passed by night and day, but there was made
such an ordinance afore by Merlin, that there should no man of war ride
nor go in no country on this side Trent water, but if he had a token
from King Arthur, where t