Hengest, most deceitful of all knights:  “Hail be thou, lord king, each is to thee thy subject!  If ever any of thy men hath weapon by his side, send it with friendship far from ourselves, and be we in amity, and speak we of concord; how we may with peace our lives live.”  Thus the wicked man spake there to the Britons.  Then answered Vortiger—­here he was too unwary—­“If here is any knight so wild, that hath weapon by his side, he shall lose the hand through his own brand, unless he soon send it hence.”  Their weapons they sent away, then had they nought in hand;—­knights went upward, knights went downward, each spake with other as if he were his brother.

When the Britons were mingled with the Saxons, then called Hengest, of knights most treacherous, “Take your saexes, my good warriors, and bravely bestir you, and spare ye none!” Noble Britons were there, but they knew not of the speech, what the Saxish men said them between.  They drew out the saexes, all aside; they smote on the right side, they smote on the left side, before and behind they laid them to the ground, all they slew that they came nigh; of the king’s men there fell four hundred and five—­woe was the king alive!  Then Hengest grasped him with his grim gripe, and drew him to him by the mantle, so that the strings brake.  And the Saxons set on him, and would the king kill, and Hengest gan him defend, and would not suffer it; but he held him full fast, the while the fight lasted.  There was many noble Briton bereaved of the life!  Some they fled quickly over the broad plain, and defended them with stones, for weapons had they none.  There was fight exceeding hard, there fell many a good knight!  There was a bold churl of Salisbury come, he bare on his back a great strong club.

Then was there a noble earl, named Aldolf, knight with the best, he possessed Gloucester, he leapt to the churl, as if it were a lion, and took from him the club, that he bare on his back; whomsoever he smote therewith, there forth-right he died; before and behind he laid them to the ground.  Three and fifty there he slew and afterwards drew towards a steed, he leapt upon the steed, and quickly gan him ride, he rode to Gloucester, and the gates locked full fast.  And anon forth-right caused his knights to arm, and marched over all the land, and took what they found, they took cattle, they took corn, and all that they found alive, and brought to the burgh with great bliss; the gates they closed fast, and well them guarded.

Let we it thus stand, and speak we of the king.  The Saxons leapt towards him, and would kill the king, but Hengest called forth-right, “Stop, my knights, ye shall him not destroy; for us he hath had much care, and he hath for queen my daughter who is fair.  But all his burghs he shall deliver to us, if he will enjoy his life, or else is sorrow given to him.”  Then was Vortiger fast bound, gyves exceeding great they put on his feet, he might not ever bite meat,