Arthur had his spies in the army of the emperor, and they soon caused him to know whither he (the emperor) would go.  Arthur caused soon his host to be assembled, stilly by night his best knights; and forth the king marched with his good folk.  On his right hand he let Lengres stand, and proceeded forward in the way that Luces would pass.  When he came in a dale, under a down, there he gan halt, keenest of all kings,—­the dale is in sooth named Sosie.  Arthur there alighted down, and ordered all his people that they in haste should get ready their weapons, and prepare them to fight, as brave knights should; so that when the Rome folk there should come riding, that they should attack them, as brave knights should do.  All the swains, and the impotent thanes, and of the small (base) folk many thousands, the king set them on a hill, with many standards,—­that he did for stratagem; thereof he thought to boast, 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,