were enraged!  There was fight most strong—­all the host was stirred!  The emperor weened to destroy Walwain, that he might in after days boast for the deed.  But the Britons thronged towards them, most angrily, and the Romanish men liberated their emperor; and they charged together as if heaven would fall!  All the daylight they held afterwards the fight, a little while ere the sun went to ground.  Arthur then called—­noblest of all kings:  “Now go we all to them, my brave knights!  And God himself aid us our enemies to fell!”

Even with the words then blew men the trumpets; fifteen thousand anon thronged together to blow horns and trumps; the earth gan to tremble for the great blast, for the mickle clamour!  The Rome-folk turned backs to the fight; standards fell,—­noble men perished,—­those fled who might,—­the fated there fell!  Much man-slaughter was there; might it no man tell, how many hundred men were there hewed in pieces in the mickle throng, in the man-slaughter!  The emperor was slain in strange manner, so that no man of ever any country afterwards ever knew it to say, who killed the emperor.  But when the fight was all done, and the folk was all in joy, then found men the emperor pierced through with a spear.

Word came to Arthur, where he was in his tent, that the emperor was slam, and deprived of life-day.  Arthur caused a tent to be pitched, amidst a broad field, and thither caused to be borne Luces the emperor, and caused him to be covered with gold coloured clothes, and caused him there to be watched three full days, the while he caused to be made a work exceeding rich, a long chest; and it to be covered all with gold.  And he caused to be laid therein Luces of Rome, who was a most doughty man, the while his days lasted.  The yet did Arthur more, noblest of all Britons, Arthur caused to be sought all the powerful men, kings and earls, and the richest barons, who in the fight were slain, and deprived of life-day; he caused them to be buried with great pomp.  But he caused three kings to bear Luces the emperor, and caused a bier to be made, rich and exceeding lofty; and caused them soon to be sent to Rome.  And greeted all the Rome-people with a great taunt, and said that he sent them the tribute of his land, and eft would also send them more greeting, if they would yearn of Arthur’s gold; and thereafter full soon ride into Rome, and tell them tidings of the King of Britain, and Rome-walls repair, that were of yore fallen down;—­“And so will I rule the fierce Rome-folk!” All this boast was idly done, for otherwise it fared, all otherwise it happened:  the people he left, through wicked tiding, all through Modred his relative, wickedest of all men!