It was no whit long before five knights’ sons who had travelled quickly came to the king; they said to the king new tidings:  “Now forth-right the Peohtes are come; through thy land they run, and harry, and burn, and all the north end fell to the ground; hereof thou must advise thee, or we all shall be dead.”  The king bethought him what he might do, he sent to the inn, after all his men.  There came Hengest, there came Hors, there came many a man full brave; there came the Saxish men, Hengest’s kinsmen, and the Alemainish knights, who are good in fight.  The King Vortiger saw this; blithe was he then there.

The Peohtes did, as was their custom, on this side of the Humber they were come.  And the King Vortiger of their coming was full aware; together they came (encountered), and many there slew; there was fight most strong, combat most stern!  The Peohtes were oft accustomed to overcome Vortiger, and so they thought then to do, but it befell then in other wise, for it was safety to them (the Britons) that Hengest was there, and the strong knights who came from Saxland, and the brave Alemainish, who came thither with Hors, for very many Peohtes they slew in the fight; fiercely they fought, the fated fell!  When the noon was come, then were the Peohtes overcome, and quickly away they fled, on each side they forth fled, and all day they fled, many and without number.  The King Vortiger went back to lodging, and ever were nigh to him Hors and Hengest.  Hengest was dear to the king, and to him he gave Lindesey, and he gave Hors treasures enow, and all their knights he treated exceeding well, and thus a good time it stood in the same wise.  The Peohtes durst never come into the land, no robbers nor outlaws, that they were not soon slain; and Hengest exceeding fairly served the king.

Then befell it on a time, that the king was very blithe, on a high-day, among his people.  Hengest bethought him what he might do, for he would hold secret discourse with the king; he went before the king, and gan greet fair.  The king up stood, and set him by himself; they drank, they revelled—­bliss was among them.  Then quoth Hengest to the king:  “Lord, hearken tidings, and I will tell thee of secret discourse, if thou wilt well listen to my advice, and not hold in wrath what I well teach.”  And the king answered as Hengest would it.  Then said Hengest, fairest of all knights:  “Lord, I have many a day advanced thy honour, and been thy faithful man in thy rich court, and in each fight the highest of thy knights.  And I have often heard anxious whisperings among thy courtiers; they hate thee exceedingly, unto the bare death, if they it durst show.  Oft they speak stilly, and discourse with whispers, of two young men, that dwell far hence; the one hight Uther, the other Ambrosie—­the third hight Constance who was king in this land, and he here was slain through traitorous usage.  The others will now come, and avenge their brother, all consume thy land, and slay