When it was daylight, then ready was their fight.  Arthur that perceived—­the king was enraged; he caused trumpets to be blown, and men to be assembled to battle; he commanded all his thanes, and his noble knights, together to take the fight, and fell his enemies, and the burgh all to destroy, and hang the burgh-folk.  They stept together, and sternly fought.  Modred then thought what he might do; and he did there as he did elsewhere, treachery with the most!  For ever he did wickedly; he betrayed his comrades before Winchester, and caused his dearest knights to be called to him anon, and his dearest friends all, of all his folk; and stole away from the fight—­the fiend him have!—­and let the good folk all there perish.  They fought all day; they weened that their lord there lay, and were near them at their great need.  Then bent he the way that toward Hampton lay; and bent toward the haven—­wickedest of men—­and took all the ships that there good were, and all the steersmen, to the need of the ships; and proceeded into Cornwall—­wickedest of kings in those days!  And Arthur besieged well firmly Winchester the burgh; and slew all the people—­there was sorrow enow—­the young and the old, all he killed.  When the folk was all dead, and the burgh all burnt, then caused he withal all the walls to be broken in pieces.  Then was it there come to pass, that Merlin whilom said: 

“Wretched shalt thou be, Winchester! the earth shall thee swallow!” So Merlin said, who was a great prophet.

The queen lay in York; never was she so sorrowful; that was Wenhaver the queen, most miserable of women!  She heard say sooth words, how often Modred fled, and how Arthur him pursued; woe was to her the while, that she was alive!  Out of York she went by night, and toward Kaerleon drew, as quickly as she might; thither she brought by night two of her knights; and men covered her head with a holy veil, and she was there a nun; woman most wretched!  Then men knew not of the queen, where she were gone, nor many years afterwards man knew it in sooth, whether she were dead, or whether she herself were sunk in the water.

Modred was in Cornwall, and gathered many knights; to Ireland he sent his messengers quickly; to Saxland he sent his messengers quickly; to Scotland he sent his messengers quickly; he ordered them all to come anon, that would have land, or silver, or gold, or possessions, or land; in each wise he warned himself each man;—­so doth each prudent man upon whom cometh need.

Arthur that heard, wrathest of kings, that Modred was in Cornwall with a mickle army, and there would abide until Arthur approached.  Arthur sent messengers over all his kingdom, and bade all to come that was alive in land, that to fight were good, weapons to bear; and whoso it neglected, that the king commanded, the king would him all consume alive in the land.  Innumerable folk it came toward the host, riding and on foot, as the rain down falleth!