sand knights they
brought forthright; and of this land Arthur took in hand fifty
thousand knights, keen and brave men in battle. Howel of Brittany led
ten thousand of his land-folk, knights with the best. Of footmen; when
they forth marched, through no kind of speech could any man them
number!

Arthur then ordered, noblest of kings, the folk to be assembled at a
set time, by their bare life, at Barbefleote; and there he would
gather his good people. This land he delivered to a famous knight; he
was Walwain's brother, there was no other; he was named Modred,
wickedest of men; truth he had none to ever any man; he was Arthur's
relation, of his noble race; but knight he was wondrous good, and he
had very much pride; he was Arthur's sister's son; to the queen was
his resort--that was evilly done--to his uncle he did treachery. But
it was all secret, in host and in hall, for no man it weened, that it
should be, but men in sooth weened him, because Walwain was his
brother, the truest man of all that came to the folk; through Walwain
was Modred by men the more beloved, and Arthur the keen full well was
pleased with him. He took all his kingdom, and set it to Modred in
hand, and Wenhaver, his queen, worthiest of women, that then in this
nation dwelt in land. Arthur gave to them all that he possessed, to
Modred and the queen--that to them was pleasing. That was evilly done,
that they were (should have been) born; this land they destroyed with
numerous sorrows; and themselves at the end the Worse gan disgrace (or
destroy), so that they there lost their lives and their souls, and
ever afterwards became odious in every land, so that never any man
would offer a good prayer for their souls, on account of the treachery
that he did to Arthur, his uncle. All that Arthur possessed he gave to
Modred, his land and his people, and his dear queen; and afterwards he
took his army of folk most fair, and marched full soon toward
Southampton.

There came numerous ships soon sailing over the wide sea, to the
king's folk; the king distributed the folk over the long ships; by
thousands and by thousands to the ships they thronged; the father wept
on the son, sister on the brother; mother on the daughter, when the
host departed. The weather stood at will, the wind waxed in hand;
anchors they up drew, joy was among the folk. The thanes wondrous
blithe wound their way into the wide sea, the ships thereforth
pressed, the glee-men there sung; sails th