There came into the hall marvellous tales!—­there came twelve thanes bold, clad with pall; noble warriors, noble men with weapon; each had on hand a great ring of gold, and with a band of gold each had his head encircled.  Ever two and two walked together; each with his hand held his companion; and glided over the floor, before Arthur, so long that they came before Arthur, the sovereign.  They greeted Arthur anon with their noble words:  “Hail be thou, Arthur king, darling of Britons; and hail be thy people, and all thy lordly folk!  We are twelve knights come here forthright, rich and noble; we are from Rome.  Hither we are come from our emperor, who is named Luces, who ruleth Rome-people.  He commanded us to proceed hither, to Arthur the king, and bade thee to be greeted with his grim words, and saith that he is astonished, wondrously much, where thou tookest the mood in this middle-earth, that thou darest of Rome oppose any doom (will), or heave up thine eyes against our ancestors; and who dared it thee to counsel, that thou art so doughty become, that thou darest threaten the lord of dooms, Luces, the emperor, highest of men alive!  Thou boldest all thy kingdom in thine own hand, and wilt not serve the emperor of the land; of the same land that Julius had in hand, who in former days won it with fight; and thou it hast retained in thy power; and with thy bold knights deprivest us of our rights.  But say us, Arthur, soon, and send word to Rome; we shall thine errand bear to Luces our emperor, if thou wilt acknowledge that he is king over thee, and if thou wilt his man become, and acknowledge him for lord, and do right to the emperor on account of Frolle the king, whom thou slewest with wrong at Paris, and now holdest all his land with un-right in thy hand.  If thou within these twelve weeks turn to the right, and if thou wilt of Rome any doom suffer, then mightest thou live, among thy people.  And if thou wilt not do so, thou shalt receive worse, for the emperor will come here, as king shall to his own, king most keen; and take thee with strength, lead thee bound before Rome-folk;—­then must thou suffer what thou erst despisedest!”

At these words the Britons leapt from the board; there was Arthur’s court exceedingly enraged; and swore mickle oath, upon our mighty Lord, that they all were (should be) dead, who this errand bare; with horses drawn in pieces, death they should suffer.  There leapt towards them the Britons exceeding wrath; tore them by the hair, and laid them to the ground.  There were (would have been) the Romanish men pitifully treated, if Arthur had not leapt to them, as if it were a lion; and said these words—­wisest of all Britons!—­“Leave ye, leave quickly these knights alive!  They shall not in my court suffer any harm; they are hither ridden out of Rome, as their lord commanded them, who is named Luces.  Each man must go where his lord biddeth him go; no man ought to sentence a messenger to death, unless he were so evilly behaved, that he were traitor of his lord.  But sit ye down still, knights in hall; and I will me counsel of such need, what word they shall bear to Luces the emperor.”