sand 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.

Arthur heard that, noblest of kings, and assembled his army, and
advanced against them. But never was there any king, that was alive on
earth, that ever ere on land such folk (multitude) commanded; for from
all the kingdoms that A