burgh, all the burghers with piteous cries.  So soon as they saw him, they said to him:  “Uther, thy favour, now and evermore!  Our king we have lost, woe is to us therefore.  Thou wert his brother—­he had no other, nor he had no son, who might become king.  But take thou the crown, it is thy right, and we will help thee, and hold for lord, with weapons and with goods, and with all our might.”  Uther heard this; he was wise and he was aware, that there was no other course, since his brother was dead.  He took the crown, that came to him exceeding well, and he worthily became king, and held good laws, and loved his folk.  Whilst that he was king, and chose his ministers, Merlin disappeared; he knew not ever whither he went, nor ever in the worlds-realm what became of him.  Woe was the king, so was all his people, and all his courtiers were therefore mourning.  The king caused men to ride wide and far; he offered gold and treasure to each travelling man, whosoever might find Merlin in the land thereto he laid mickle praise, but he heard no whit of him.  Then bethought Uther, what Merlin said to him ere, in the expedition into Welsh land, where they saw the dragon, to each worm incomparable, and he thought of the tokens that Merlin taught him.  The king was exceeding sorry, and sorrowful in heart, for he lost never a dearer man, since he was alive, never any other, not even Aurelie, his brother.  The king caused to be worked two images, two golden dragons, all for Merlin’s love—­ so greatly he desired his coming.  When the dragons were ready, the one was his companion, wheresoever he in the land led his army, it was his standard, in every hap, the other he worthily gave into Winchester, into the bishop’s see, where he stead holdeth.  Thereto he gave his good spear, wherewith men should bear the dragon, when men should carry relics at processions.  The Britons saw this, these dragons that were thus made, ever since they called Uther, who for a standard bare the dragon, the name they laid on him, that was Uther Pendragon; Pendragon in British, Dragon’s-head in English.

Now was Uther their good king, but of Merlin he had nothing.  This word heard Octa, where he dwelt northward, and Ebissa his wed-brother, and Ossa the other, that Aurelie sent thither, and set them there in his peace, and gave them in hand sixty hides of land.  Octa heard full truly all how it was transacted, of Aurehe’s death, and of Uther’s kingdom.  Octa called to him his kin that was nearest, they betook them to counsel, of their old deeds, that they would by their life desert Christendom.  They held husting, and became heathens, then came there together, of Hengest’s kindred, five and sixty hundred of heathen men.  Soon was the word reported and over the land known, that Octa, Hengest’s son, was become heathen, and all these same men to whom Aurelie had granted peace.  Octa sent his messengers into Welsh land, after the Irish that from Uther were fled, and after the Alemains (Germans), that away were drawn,