fore Meneve--there thou shalt
fight; ere thou thence depart, slaughter thou shalt make; for thou
shalt both slay there, Pascent and Gillomar, and many thousands of the
men that are with them hither come. The token of the star, that we saw
so far, sooth it is, Uther dear, that betokened thy brother's death.
Before the star was the dragon, to each worm unlike; the token was on
thy half, that was thou, Uther, thyself! Thou shalt have this land,
and thy authority be great and strong. Such tokens are marvellous that
came of the dragon's mouth, two gleams proceeded forth that were
wondrously light. The one stretched far south, out over France--that
signifies a powerful son, that of thy body shall come, who shall win
many kingdoms with conflict, and in the end he shall rule many a
nation. The other gleam that stretched west, wondrously light, that
shall be a daughter, that to thee shall be exceeding dear. The gleams
that gan to spread in seven fair strings, are seven fair sons, who
shall come of thy daughter, who shall win to their own hand many a
kingdom; they shall be well strong, on water and on land. Now thou
hast of me heard what will thee help, quickly forth-right march to thy
fight." And Merlin gan to slumber, as if he would sleep.

Up arose Uther, now he was wise and wary, and ordered his knights
forth-right to horse, and ordered them quickly to proceed to Meneve;
and all their expedition (or forces) to prepare, as if they should
fight. In the troop before he had knights well chosen; seven thousand
knights, brave men and active. He had in the middle knights well
beseen, other seven thousand good thanes. He had behind brave knights
eighteen thousand, brave warriors, and of folk on foot so many
thousands, that in no speech might any man tell them! Forth they
marched quickly, until they came to Meneve.

There saw Gillomar where Uther came to him, and commanded his knights
to weapon them forth-right. And they very speedily grasped their
knives, and off with their breeches--strange were their looks--and
grasped in their hands their long spears, and hung on their shoulders
great battle-axes. Then said Gillomar the king a thing very
strange:--"Here cometh Uther, Aurelie's brother; he will ask my peace,
and not fight with me. The foremost are his swains; march we against
them; ye need never reek, though ye slay the wretches! For if Uther,
Constantine's son, will here become my man, and give to Pascent his
father's realm, I w