ful tales; their
fierceness shall turn to themselves to sorrow. For never loved I long
peace in my land; for through peace we are bound, and well nigh all in
swoon."

That heard Walwain, who was Arthur's relative, and angered him much
with Cador, who said these words; and thus answered Walwain the good:
"Cador, thou art a powerful man; thy counsels are not good; for good
is peace and good is amity, whoso freely therewith holdeth, and God
himself it made, through his divinity; for peace maketh a good man
work good works, for all men are the better, and the land is the
merrier."

Then heard Arthur the dispute of these knights; and thus spake the
mighty man with his fierce folk: "Sit ye down quickly, my knights all,
and each by his life listen my words!" All it was still that dwelt in
the hall. Then spake the bold king to his noble folk: "My earls, my
barons, my bold thanes, my doughty men, my dear friends; through you I
have conquered under the sun, so that I am man most powerful, and
fierce against my enemies; gold I have and treasure; of men I am
ruler. I won it not alone, but we did, all clean. To many a fight I
have led you, and ever ye were well skilled, so that many kingdoms
stand in my hand. Ye are good knights, brave men and active; that I
have proved in well many lands" The yet spake him Arthur, noblest of
kings: "But now ye have heard, my noble thanes, what the Romanish men
counsel them between, and what words they send us here, into our land,
with writ and with words, and with great wrath. Now we must bethink
how we may with right defend our country and our great honour, against
this powerful folk, against this Rome-people, and send them answer
with our good words; with much wisdom send our writ to Rome, and learn
at the emperor, for what thing he us hateth; for what thing he greets
us with threat and with scorn Exceeding sorely it incenseth me, and
immoderately it shameth, that he reproaches us our loss that we before
have lost. They say that Julius Caesar won it (Britain) with combat in
fight. With strength and with fight men do many wrongs; for Caesar
sought Britain with bold strength. The Britons might not against him
defend their land, but with strength they went in hand, and delivered
him all their land; and thereafter soon all became his men. Some of
our kin they had slain, and some with horses drawn to pieces; some
they led bound out of this land; and thus this land won with wrong and
with sin, and n