then mightest thou in joy thy life all spend, with hawks and with hounds court-play love; needest thou never have care of foreign people.”  Then answered Vortiger—­of each evil he was ware—­“Send thy messengers into Saxland, after thy son Octa, and after thy friends more.  Cause him to know well, that he send his writs after all the knights that are good in fight, over all Saxland, that they come to my need, and though he bring ten thousand men, all they shall be welcome to me.”  Hengest heard this, fairest of all knights, then was he so blithe as he was never in his life.

Hengest sent his messengers into Saxland, and bade Octa come, and his wed-brother Ebissa, and all of their kindred that they might gain, and all the knights that they might get.  Octa sent messengers over three kingdoms, and bade each brave man speedily to come to him, who would obtain land, or silver or gold.  They came soon to the army, as hail that falleth, that was to wit, with three hundred ships.  Forth went with Octa thirty thousand and eke more, brave men and keen; and Ebissa, his companion, afterwards arrived with numberless folk, and he led to wit an hundred and fifty ships; thereafter arrived five and five, by six, by seven, by ten, and by eleven; and thus the heathen warriors they arrived toward this land, to the court of this king, so that this land was so full of foreign people, that there was no man so wise, nor so quick-witted, that might separate the Christians and the heathens, for the heathens were so rife, and ever they speedily came!

When the Britons saw that sorrow was in the land, therefore they were sorry, and in their heart dreary, and proceeded to the king, the highest of this land, and thus to him said with sorrowful voice:  “Listen to us, lord king, of our discourse; thou art through us (by our means) bold king in this Britain, and thou hast procured to thee harm and much sin; brought heathen folk—­yet it may thee harm;—­and thou forsakest God’s law, for foreign folk, and wilt not worship our Lord, for these heathen knights.  And we would pray thee, for all God’s peace, that thou leave them, and drive from thy land.  If thou else (otherwise) mightest not, we will make mickle fight, and drive them from land, or fell them down, or we ourselves will lie slain, and let the heathen folk hold this realm, possess it with joy, if they may it win.  And if they all are heathen, and thou alone Christian, they will never long have thee for king, except thou in thy days receive the heathen law, and desert the high God, and praise their idols.  Then shalt thou perish in this world’s realm, and thy wretched soul sink to hell; then hast thou dearly bought the love of thy bride!” Then answered Vortiger—­of each evil he was ware:—­“I will not leave them, by my quick life!  For Hengest is hither come, he is my father, and I his son; and I have for mistress his daughter Rouwenne, and I have wedded her, and had in my bed, and afterwards I sent after Octa, and after more of his companions;—­how