ll do. My writs I will
make, that shall be well indited, and send to the emperor minds sorrow
and mickle care, and I will full soon fare into Rome. I will not
thither any tribute bring, but the emperor I will bind, and afterwards
I will him hang; and all the land I will destroy, and all the knights
put to death, that stand against me in fight!"

Arthur took his writ in hand, with hostile words, and delivered it to
the men, that had brought the errand, and afterwards he caused them to
be clothed with each pomp, with the noblest garments that he had in
bower, and bade them fare soon to Luces of Rome, and he would come
after them as quickly as he might.

These twelve went their way toward their land; were in no land knights
so bedecked with silver and with gold, nor through all things so well
arrayed as these were by Arthur the king. Thus Arthur them treated,
all for their words! These twelve knights proceeded until they came to
Rome; they greeted their emperor, their sovereign: "Hail be thou,
Luces, thou art highest over us! We were with the fierce man, with
Arthur the king, we have brought thee writs, words exceeding great
Arthur is the keenest man that we ever looked on, and he is wondrous
powerful, and his thanes are bold, there is every knave as if he were
knight, there is every swain as if he were rich thane, there are the
knights as if it were kings, meat there is most abundant, and men most
bold, and the fairest women that dwell alive; and Arthur the bold
himself fairest over all! By us he sendeth word to thee, that he will
come to this land, no tribute he will bring, but thyself he will bind,
and afterwards he will thee hang, and this land all destroy, and take
Alemaine and Lumbardy, Burgundy, France, and Normandy. And Frolle he
slew, his foe, so he will to us all do, and possess himself alone the
land that we own all clean, hereto he will lead kings, earls, and
chieftains. And here we have in hand the writs that he thee sendeth
that telleth thee what he will do, when he cometh in hither."

When the errand was said, the emperor was a full sorrowful man, and
all the Rome-folk were stirred with strong wrath. Oft they went to
counsel, oft they went to communing, ere to them might be determined
what they would do. Nevertheless at the end a counsel they found, that
was through the senator, who held the senate, the emperor they
counselled that he should write letters, and send his messengers over
many kingdoms, and b