beheld Uther, who was the king’s brother, and Merlin the prophet said these words:  “Uther, draw thee back, and assemble thy knights, and stand ye all about, and diligently behold, and be ye all still, so that no man there stir ere I say to you now anon how we shall commence, ‘Take ye each a stone.’” Uther drew him back, and assembled his knights, so that none there remained near the stones, as far as a man might cast a stone.  And Merlin went about, and diligently gan behold, thrice he went about, within and without, and moved his tongue as if he sung his beads.  Thus did Merlin there, then called he Uther:  “Uther, come quickly, and all thy knights with thee, and take ye these stones all, ye shall not leave one; for now ye may heave them like feather balls; and so ye shall with counsel carry them to our ships.”  These stones they carried away, as Merlin counselled them, and placed them in their ships, and sailed forth to wit, and so they gan proceed into this land, and brought them on a plain that is wondrously broad, broad it is and most pleasant, near Ambresbury, where Hengest betrayed the Britons with axes.  Merlin gan rear them, as they ere stood, so never any other man could do the craft, nor ever ere there-before was any man so wise born, that could the work raise, and the stones dispose.

The tidings came to the king in the north end, of Merlin’s proceeding, and of Uther, his brother, that they were with safety come to this land, and that the work was all disposed, and set up right.  The king was in breast wondrously blithe; and caused a husting to be summoned, so wide as was all his land, that all his merry folk so very joyous should come to Ambresbury, all his people, at Whitsunday, and the king would be there, and honour the place.  Thither came Aurelie the king, and all his folk with him, on Whitsunday he there made a feast, as I will thee tell in this book-story.  There were on the weald tents raised, on the broad plain, nine thousand tents.  All the Whitsunday the king on the plain lay; ordered the place to be hallowed, that hight Stonehenge.  Full three days the king dwelt still; on the third day, his people he highly honoured; he made two bishops, wondrously good, Saint Dubriz at Kaerleon, and Saint Samson at York; both they became holy, and with God high.  On the fourth day people separated, and so a time it stood in the same wise.

The yet there was a wicked man, Pascent, Vortiger’s son; was the same Pascent gone into Welsh land, and there in the same days was become outlaw.  But he durst not long dwell there, for Aurelie and for Uther; but he procured good ships, and went by the sea flood, into Germany he proceeded, with five hundred men, and there he won much folk, and made a fleet, and voyaged so long that he came to this land, into the Humber, where he harm wrought.  But he durst not long remain in the territory.  The king marched thitherward, and Pascent fled awayward, by sea so long that he came to Ireland.