Meanwhile, King Arthur having held a parliament at York, left the realm in charge of Sir Badewine and Sir Constantine, and crossed the sea from Sandwich to meet Lucius.  And so soon as he was landed, he sent Sir Gawain, Sir Bors, Sir Lionel, and Sir Bedivere to the Emperor, commanding him “to move swiftly and in haste out of his land, and, if not, to make himself ready for battle, and not continue ravaging the country and slaying harmless people.”  Anon, those noble knights attired themselves and set forth on horseback to where they saw, in a meadow, many silken tents of divers colours, and the Emperor’s pavilion in the midst, with a golden eagle set above it.

Then Sir Gawain and Sir Bors rode forward, leaving the other two behind in ambush, and gave King Arthur’s message.  To which the Emperor replied, “Return, and tell your lord that I am come to conquer him and all his land.”

At this, Sir Gawain burned with anger, and cried out, “I had rather than all France that I might fight with thee alone!”

“And I also,” said Sir Bors.

Then a knight named Ganius, a near cousin of the Emperor, laughed out aloud, and said, “Lo! how these Britons boast and are full of pride, bragging as though they bare up all the world!”

At these words, Sir Gawain could refrain no longer, but drew forth his sword and with one blow shore oft Ganius’ head; then with Sir Bors, he turned his horse and rode over waters and through woods, back to the ambush, where Sir Lionel and Sir Bedivere were waiting.  The Romans followed fast behind them till the knights turned and stood, and then Sir Bors smote the foremost of them through the body with a spear, and slew him on the spot.  Then came on Calibere, a huge Pavian, but Sir Bors overthrew him also.  And then the company of Sir Lionel and Sir Bedivere brake from their ambush and fell on the Romans, and slew and hewed them down, and forced them to return and flee, chasing them to their tents.

But as they neared the camp, a great host more rushed forth, and turned the battle backwards, and in the turmoil, Sir Bors and Sir Berel fell into the Romans’ hands.  When Sir Gawain saw that, he drew his good sword Galotine, and swore to see King Arthur’s face no more if those two knights were not delivered; and then, with good Sir Idrus, made so sore an onslaught that the Romans fled and left Sir Bors and Sir Berel to their friends.  So the Britons returned in triumph to King Arthur, having slain more than ten thousand Romans, and lost no man of worship from amongst themselves.

When the Emperor Lucius heard of that discomfiture he arose, with all his army, to crush King Arthur, and met him in the vale of Soissons.  Then speaking to all his host, he said, “Sirs, I admonish you that this day ye fight and acquit yourselves as men; and remembering how Rome is chief of all the earth, and mistress of the universal world, suffer not these barbarous and savage Britons to abide our onset.”  At that, the trumpets blew so loud, that the ground trembled and shook.