that were gone to the wood, the while men slew Pascent, and hid them well everywhere, the while men slew Gillomar, the folk out of the wood drew, and toward Scotland proceeded.  There came ever more and more, and proceeded toward Octa, when they together were all come, then were there thirty thousand, without the women, of Hengest’s kin.  They took their host, and forth gan to fare, and set all in their hand beyond the Humber, and the people, where they gan march, there was a marvellous host!  And they proceeded right to York, and on each side the heathen people gan ride about the burgh, and the burgh besieged, and took it all in their hand, forth into Scotland, all that they saw they accounted their own.  But Uther’s knights who were in the castle, defended the town within, so that they might never get within, in no place heard any one, of few men that did so well!

So soon as Uther of this thing was aware, he assembled a strong army, over all his kingdom, and he very speedily marched toward York, proceeded forth-right anon, where Octa him lay.  Octa and his forces marched against them; encountered them together with grim strength, hewed hardily, helms resounded; the fields were dyed with the blood of the slain, and the heathen souls hell sought!  When the day’s end arrived, then was it so evilly done, that the heathen folk had the upper hand, and with great strength routed the Britons, and drove them to a mount that was exceeding strong.  And Uther with his men drew to the mount, and had lost in the fight his dear knights, full seven hundred—­his hap was the worse!  The mount hight Dunian, that Uther was upon, the mount was overgrown with a fair wood.  The king was there within with very many men, and Octa besieged him with the heathen men night and day—­besieged him all about, woe was to the Britons!  Woe was the King Uther, that he was not ere aware, that he had not in land better understood.  Oft they went to counsel of such need, how they might overcome Octa, Hengest’s son.

There was an earl Gorlois, bold man full truly—­knight he was good, he was Uther’s man,—­Earl of Cornwall, known he was wide—­he was a very wise man, in all things excellent.  To him said Uther, sorry in heart:  “Hail be thou, Gorlois, lord of men!  Thou art mine own man, and very well I thee treat; thou art knight good, great is thy wisdom, all my people I put in thy counsel, and all we shall work after thy will.”  Then hung he his brows down, the King Uther Pendragon, and stood him full still, and bade Gorlois say his will.  Then answered Gorlois, who was courteous full truly, “Say me, Uther Pendragon, why bowest thou thy head down?  Knowest thou not that God alone is better than we all clean?  He may to whomsoever he will give worship.  Promise we him in life that we will not him deceive, and let we counsel us of our misdeeds.  Each man forth-right take shrift of all his sins, each man shrive other, as if it were his brother, and every good knight take