the third, that he should live long; they gave to him the prince virtues most good, so that he was most generous of all men alive.  This the elves gave him, and thus the child thrived.  After Arthur, the blessed lady was born, she was named Anna, the blessed maiden; and afterwards she took (married) Loth, who possessed Leoneis (Lothian), she was in Leoneis lady of the people.  Long lived Uther with mickle bliss here, with good peace, with much quiet, free in his kingdom.

When that he was an old man, then came illness on him; the illness laid him down, sick was Uther Pendragon, so he was here sick seven years.  Then became the Britons much emboldened, they did oft wickedly, all for absence of dread.  The yet lay Octa, Hengest’s son, bound in the prison of London, who was taken at York, and his comrade Ebissa, and his other Ossa.  Twelve knights guarded them day and night, who were wearily oppressed with watching, in London.  Octa heard say of the sickness of the king, and spake with the guardsmen, who should keep him:  “Hearken to me now, knights, what I will make known to you.  We lie here in London fast bound, and ye many a long day have watched over us.  Better were it for us to live in Saxland, with much wealth, than thus miserably here lie asleep.  And if ye would in all things accomplish this, and do my will, I would give you land, much silver and gold, so that ever ye might richly rule in the land, and live your life as to you shall be liefest of all.  For ye shall never have good gifts of Uther, your king, for now full soon he will be dead, and his people all desert, then will ye have neither, the one nor the other.  But bethink you, brave men, and give to us your compassion, and think what were lief to you, if ye thus lay bound, and might in your land live in joy.”  Very oft Octa spake so with these knights.  The knights gan to commune, the knights gan to counsel, and to Octa they said full still:  “We shall do thy will.”  Oaths they swore, that they would not deceive.  It was on a night that the wind went right; forth went the knights at the midnight, and led forth Octa, and Ebissa, and Ossa, along the Thames they proceeded forth into the sea; forth they passed into Saxland.  Their kindred came towards them with great flocks (forces); they marched over all the land, as to them was liefest, men gave them gifts and land; men gave them silver and gold Octa bethought him what he might do; he thought to come hither, and avenge his father’s wounds.  They procured a host of innumerable folk, to the sea they proceeded with great threats, they came to Scotland; soon they pushed on land, and greeted it with fire; the Saxons were cruel, the Scots they slew; with fire they down laid thirty hundred towns; the Scots they slew, many and innumerable.