my noble thanes, what the Romanish men counsel them between, and what words they send us here, into our land, with writ and with words, and with great wrath.  Now we must bethink how we may with right defend our country and our great honour, against this powerful folk, against this Rome-people, and send them answer with our good words; with much wisdom send our writ to Rome, and learn at the emperor, for what thing he us hateth; for what thing he greets us with threat and with scorn Exceeding sorely it incenseth me, and immoderately it shameth, that he reproaches us our loss that we before have lost.  They say that Julius Caesar won it (Britain) with combat in fight.  With strength and with fight men do many wrongs; for Caesar sought Britain with bold strength.  The Britons might not against him defend their land, but with strength they went in hand, and delivered him all their land; and thereafter soon all became his men.  Some of our kin they had slain, and some with horses drawn to pieces; some they led bound out of this land; and thus this land won with wrong and with sin, and now asketh by right tribute of this land!  All so we may do, if we it do will, through right of Belin king, and of Brenne, his brother, the Duke of Burgundy.  These were our ancestors, of whom we are come; these belay Rome, and the realm all conquered, and before Rome the strong their hostages up hung, and afterwards they took all the land, and set it in their own hand, and thou ought we with right to besiege Rome.  Now will I let remain Belin and Brenne, and speak of the caiser, Constantine the strong, he was Helen’s son, all of Britons come (descended), he won Rome, and possessed the realm.  Let (leave) we now of Constantine, who won Rome all to him, and speak of Maximian, who was a man most strong, he was King of Britain, he conquered France.  Maximian the strong he took Rome in hand, and Alemaine (Germany) he won eke, with wondrous great strength, and all from Rome into Normandy.  And all these were my ancestors, my noble progenitors; and possessed all the lands that unto Rome lay; and through such authority I ought to obtain Rome.  They yearn of me in hand tribute of my land; all so will I of Rome, if I have counsel.  I desire in my thoughts to possess all Rome; and he desireth in Britain to bind me most fast, and slay my Britons, with his evil attacks.  But if my Lord grant it, who formed day and night, he shall sorely pay for his bold threat, and his Rome-people shall therefore perish; and I will be bold, wherein he now ruleth!  Dwell ye now all still, I will say my will, no man shall do it otherwise, but it shall stand thereon.  He desireth all, and I desire all that we both possess; have it now and ever who may it easier win, for now we shall prove to whom God will grant it!”

Thus spake the bold king, that had Britain under his rule, that was Arthur the king, Britain’s darling!  His warriors sate, and to his words listened; some they sate still, a great while; some they made much communing between them; some it seemed to them good; some it disturbed their mood.