Merlin sate him still, a long time, as if he with dream full greatly laboured.  They said who saw it with their own eyes, that oft he turned him, as if it were a worm!  At length he gan to awake, then gan he to quake, and these words said Merlin the prophet:  “Walaway!  Walaway! in this worlds-realm, much is the sorrow that is come to the land!  Where art thou, Uther?  Set before me here, and I will say to thee of sorrows enow.  Dead is Aurelie, noblest of kings, so is the other, Constance, thy brother, whom Vortiger betrayed with his treachery.  Now hath Vortiger’s kin killed Aurelie; now art thou alone of thy noble kindred.  But hope not thou for counsel of them that he dead, but think of thyself—­prosperity shall be given to thee;—­for seldom he faileth, who to himself thinketh.  Thou shalt become good king, and lord of men.  And thou at the midnight weapon thy knights, that we in the morning-light may come forth-right, before Meneve—­there thou shalt fight; ere thou thence depart, slaughter thou shalt make; for thou shalt both slay there, Pascent and Gillomar, and many thousands of the men that are with them hither come.  The token of the star, that we saw so far, sooth it is, Uther dear, that betokened thy brother’s death.  Before the star was the dragon, to each worm unlike; the token was on thy half, that was thou, Uther, thyself!  Thou shalt have this land, and thy authority be great and strong.  Such tokens are marvellous that came of the dragon’s mouth, two gleams proceeded forth that were wondrously light.  The one stretched far south, out over France—­that signifies a powerful son, that of thy body shall come, who shall win many kingdoms with conflict, and in the end he shall rule many a nation.  The other gleam that stretched west, wondrously light, that shall be a daughter, that to thee shall be exceeding dear.  The gleams that gan to spread in seven fair strings, are seven fair sons, who shall come of thy daughter, who shall win to their own hand many a kingdom; they shall be well strong, on water and on land.  Now thou hast of me heard what will thee help, quickly forth-right march to thy fight.”  And Merlin gan to slumber, as if he would sleep.

Up arose Uther, now he was wise and wary, and ordered his knights forth-right to horse, and ordered them quickly to proceed to Meneve; and all their expedition (or forces) to prepare, as if they should fight.  In the troop before he had knights well chosen; seven thousand knights, brave men and active.  He had in the middle knights well beseen, other seven thousand good thanes.  He had behind brave knights eighteen thousand, brave warriors, and of folk on foot so many thousands, that in no speech might any man tell them!  Forth they marched quickly, until they came to Meneve.