lame man! Out we shall ride upon
our good steeds, and advance to Uther, and fell his folk; for all they
are fated (shall die) that hither are ridden; and take the lame man,
and lay in our bonds, and hold the wretch until that he dies; and so
men shall leach his limbs that are sore, and heal his bones with
bitter steel!" Thus spake him Octa with his comrade Ebissa; but all it
happened otherwise than they weened. On the morrow when it dawned,
they unfastened the doors; up arose Octa, Ebissa, and Ossa, and
ordered their knights to prepare them for fight, to undo their broad
gates, and unfasten the burgh. Octa rode him out, and much folk
followed after him; with his bold warriors there he bale found! Uther
saw him this, that Octa approached to them, and thought to fell his
host to the ground.

Then called Uther with quick voice there: "Where be ye, Britons, my
bold thanes? Now is come that day, that the Lord may help us;--that
Octa shall find, in that he threatened me to bind. Think of your
ancestors, how good they were in fight; think of the worship that I
have to you well given; nor let ye ever this heathen enjoy your homes,
or these same raging hounds possess your lands. And I will pray to the
Lord who formed the daylight, and to all the hallows, that sit high in
heaven, that I on this field may be succoured. Now march quickly to
them,--may the Lord aid you, may the all-ruling God protect my
thanes!" Knights gan to ride, spears gan to glide, and broad spears
brake, shivered shields--helms there were severed, men fell! The
Britons were bold, and busy in fight, and the heathen hounds fell to
the ground. There was slain Octa, Ebissa, and Ossa; there seventeen
thousand sunk into hell; and many there escaped toward the north end.
And all the daylight Uther's knights slew and captured all that they
came nigh; when it was even, then was it all won. Then sung the
soldiers with great strength, and said these words in their merry
songs: "Here is Uther Pendragon come to Verulam's town; and he hath so
beaten Octa, and Ebissa, and Ossa, and given them in the land laws
most strong, so that men may tell their kin in story, and thereof make
songs in Saxland!" Then was Uther blithe, and exceeding glad, and
spake with his people, that was dear to him in heart, and these words
said Uther the old: "Saxish men have accounted me for base; my
sickness they twitted me with their scornful words, because I was led
here in a horse-litter; and sai