When Easter was gone, and summer come to land, then took Arthur his counsel, with his noble men, that he would in Kaerleon bear on him his crown, and on Whitsunday his folk there assemble.  In those days men gan deem, that no burgh so fair was in any land, nor so widely known as Kaerleon by Usk, unless it were the rich burgh that is named Rome.  The yet many a man was with the king in land, that pronounced the burgh of Kaerleon richer than Rome, and that Usk were the best of all waters.  Meadows there were broad, beside the burgh; there was fish, there was fowl, and fairness enow; there was wood and wild deer, wondrous many; there was all the mirth that any man might think of.  But never since Arthur thither came, the burgh afterwards thrived, nor ever may, between this and dooms-day.  Some books say certainly that the burgh was bewitched, and that is well seen, sooth that it be.  In the burgh were two minsters exceeding noble; one minster was of Saint Aaron; therein was mickle relique; the other of the martyr Saint Julian, who is high with the Lord; therein were nuns good, many a high born woman.

The bishop’s stool was at Saint Aaron; therein was many a good man; canons there were, who known were wide; there was many a good clerk, who well could (were well skilled) in learning.  Much they used the craft to look in the sky; to look in the stars, nigh and far;—­the craft is named Astronomy.  Well often they said of many things to the king; they made known to him what should happen to him in the land.  Such was the burgh of Kaerleon; there was much wealth; there was much bliss with the busy king.

The king took his messengers, and sent over his land; bade come earls; bade come barons; bade come kings, and eke chieftains; bade come bishops, bade come knights; bade all the free men that ever were in the land; by their life he bade them be at Kaerleon on Whitsunday.  Knights gan to ride exceeding wide, rode toward Kaerleon from lands of many kind.  At the Whitsunday there came the King Angel, King of Scotland, with his fair folk; many was the fair man that followed the king.  Of Moray King Urien, and his fair son Ywam; Stater, King of South Wales, and Cadwal, the King of North Wales; Cador, Earl of Cornwall, whom the king loved; Morvith of Gloucester; Maurm of Winchester; Gurguint, Earl of Hereford, and Beof, Earl of Oxford; Cursal the bold, from Bath there came riding; Urgent of Chester; Jonathas of Dorchester; Arnalf of Salisbury, and Kinmare of Canterbury; Bahen of Silchester; Wigen of Leicester; Argal, Earl of Warwick, with folk exceeding strange (or numerous); Dunwale, son of Apnes, and Kegem, son of Elauth; Kineus, that was Coit’s son, and Cradoc, Catel’s son, AEdlem, Cledauk’s son; Grimarc, Kinmark’s son; Run, Margoit, and Netan; Clofard, Kincar, and Aican; Kenn, Neton, and Peredur; Madoc, Trahern, and Elidur.  These were Arthur’s noble earls, and the highest thanes brave of all this land, without (besides) the nobles of Arthur’s board, that no man might ken, nor all the folk name.  Then were archbishops three in this country; in London, and in York; and in Kaerleon, Saint Dubrich—­he was a man exceeding holy, through all things excellent!  At London lay the archbishop’s stool, that to Canterbury was subsequently removed, after that Englishmen had won to them this land.