There saw Gillomar where Uther came to him, and commanded his knights to weapon them forth-right.  And they very speedily grasped their knives, and off with their breeches—­strange were their looks—­and grasped in their hands their long spears, and hung on their shoulders great battle-axes.  Then said Gillomar the king a thing very strange:—­“Here cometh Uther, Aurelie’s brother; he will ask my peace, and not fight with me.  The foremost are his swains; march we against them; ye need never reek, though ye slay the wretches!  For if Uther, Constantine’s son, will here become my man, and give to Pascent his father’s realm, I will him grant peace, and let him live, and in fair bonds lead him to my land.”  The king spake thus, the while worse him befell!

Uther’s knights were in the town forth-right, and laid fire in the town, and fought sharply; with swords rushed towards them; and the Irish were naked.  When the Irish men saw, that the Britons were in conflict, they fought fiercely, and nevertheless they fell; they called on their king:  “Where art thou, nithing! why wilt thou not come hither? thou lettest us here be destroyed;—­and Pascent, thy comrade, saw us fall here;—­come ye to us to help, with great strength!” Gillomar heard this; therefore his heart was sore; with his Irish knights he came to the fight, and Pascent forth with him—­both they were fated!  When Uther saw, that Gillomar was there come, to him he gan ride, and smote him in the side, so that the spear through pierced, and glided to the heart.  Hastily he passed by him, and overtook Pascent; and said these words Uther the good:  “Pascent, thou shalt abide; here cometh Uther riding!” He smote him upon the head, so that he fell down, and the sword put in his mouth—­such meat to him was strange—­so that the point of the sword went in the earth.  Then said Uther:  “Pascent, lie now there; now thou hast Britain all won to thy hand!  So is now hap to thee; therein thou art dead; dwell ye shall here, thou, and Gillomar thy companion, and possess well Britain!  For now I deliver it to you in hand, so that ye may presently dwell with us here; ye need not ever dread who you shall feed!” Thus said Uther, and afterwards he there ran, and drove the Irish men over waters and over fens, and slew all the host that with Pascent came to land.  Some to the sea fled, and leapt into their ships; with weather and with water there they perished!  Thus they sped here, Pascent and Gillomar.  Now was this fight done; and Uther back came, and forth-right marched into Winchester.

In a broad way he gan meet three knights and their swains, who came toward him.  Anon as they met him, fair they him greeted:  “Hail be thou, Uther; these territories are thine own.  Dead is Aurelie, noblest of kings; he hath set to thee in hand all his regal land; he bade thee be in prosperity, and think of his soul.”  Then wept Uther wondrously much there.  Uther proceeded forth-right into Winchester; then were before him, without the