as it afterwards happened, thereafter full soon.
Arthur took ten thousand of his noble knights, and sent on the right
hand, clad in armour, he caused other ten thousand to march on his
left hand; ten thousand before; ten thousand behind, with himself he
held sixteen thousand; aside he sent into a fair wood seventeen
thousand good knights, well weaponed men, the wood to guard, so that
they might fare thither, if to him were need. Then was of Gloucester
an earl with the best, Moruith he was named, a man exceeding keen; to
him he committed the wood and the host. "And if it befalleth, as the
living God will, that they be overcome, and begin to flee; pursue ye
after them, with all your might, and all that ye may overtake deprive
it of life-day; the fat and the lean, the rich and the poor. For in
never any land, nor in any nation are knights all so good as are with
myself, knights all so brave, knights all so powerful, knights all so
strong, in ever any land! Ye are under Christ knights keenest of all,
and I am mightiest of all kings under God himself. Do we well this
deed, God us well speed!" The knights then answered, stilly under
heaven: "All we shall well do, and all we shall undertake; nuthing be
the knight, that sheweth not his might here right!" Then sent they on
both sides, all the men on foot; then caused he the Dragon to be set
up, the matchless standard, delivered it to a king who well could it
hold. Angel, King of Scotland, held in hand (commanded) the foremost
troop; Cador, the Earl of Cornwall, held the troop behind; Beof had
one, the Earl of Oxford; the Earl of Chester, Gerin, the fourth troop
held with him. The force upon the down held AEscil, King of Denmark.
Lot held the one, who was dear to the king, Howel of Britanny held
another. Walwain the keen was by the king. Kay commanded one, who was
steward of the king; Beduer another, who was the king's cup-bearer.
The Earl of Flanders, Howeldin, had a troop with him. A mickle troop
had Gwitard, the King of Gascony land. Wigein, Earl of Leicester, and
Jonathas, Earl of Dorchester, they commanded the two troops that there
were on foot. The Earl of Chester, Cursaleyn, and the Earl of Bath,
who hight Urgein, they commanded both the troops that were there
beside; these should on two sides advance to the fight, with these two
earls, that brave knights were,--Arthur had troth the earls were true.
When all the troops were set as Arthur thought good, then called to
him the