And as Sir Modred was at Dover with his host, came King Arthur, with a great number of ships and galleys, and there was Sir Modred awaiting upon the landing.  Then was there launching of great boats and small, full of noble men of arms, and there was much slaughter of gentle knights on both parts.  But King Arthur was so courageous, there might no manner of knights prevent him to land, and his knights fiercely followed him; and so they landed, and put Sir Modred aback so that he fled, and all his people.  And when the battle was done, King Arthur commanded to bury his people that were dead.  And then was noble Sir Gawain found, in a great boat, lying more than half dead.  And King Arthur went to him, and made sorrow out of measure.  “Mine uncle,” said Sir Gawain, “know thou well my death-day is come, and all is through mine own hastiness and wilfulness, for I am smitten upon the old wound which Sir Launcelot gave me, of which I feel I must die.  And had Sir Launcelot been with you as of old, this war had never begun, and of all this I am the cause.”  Then Sir Gawain prayed the king to send for Sir Launcelot, and to cherish him above all other knights.  And so at the hour of noon Sir Gawain yielded up his spirit, and then the king bade inter him in a chapel within Dover Castle; and there all men may see the skull of him, and the same wound is seen that Sir Launcelot gave him in battle.

Then was it told the king that Sir Modred had pitched his camp upon Barrendown; and the king rode thither, and there was a great battle betwixt them, and King Arthur’s party stood best, and Sir Modred and his party fled unto Canterbury.

And there was a day assigned betwixt King Arthur and Sir Modred that they should meet upon a down beside Salisbury, and not far from the sea-side, to do battle yet again.  And at night, as the king slept, he dreamed a wonderful dream.  It seemed him verily that there came Sir Gawain unto him, with a number of fair ladies with him.  And when King Arthur saw him, he said, “Welcome, my sister’s son; I weened thou hadst been dead; and now I see thee alive great is my joy.  But, O fair nephew, what be these ladies that hither be come with you?” “Sir,” said Sir Gawain, “all these be ladies for whom I have fought when I was a living man; and because I did battle for them in righteous quarrel they have given me grace to bring me hither unto you to warn you of your death, if ye fight to-morrow with Sir Modred.  Therefore take ye treaty, and proffer you largely for a month’s delay; for within a month shall come Sir Launcelot and all his noble knights, and rescue you worshipfully, and slay Sir Modred and all that hold with him.”  And then Sir Gawain and all the ladies vanished.  And anon the king called to fetch his noble lords and wise bishops unto him.  And when they were come, the king told them his vision, and what Sir Gawain had told him.  Then the king sent Sir Lucan, the butler, and Sir Bedivere, with two bishops, and charged them in any wise to take a treaty for a month and a day with Sir Modred.  So they departed, and came to Sir Modred; and so, at the last, Sir Modred was agreed to have Cornwall and Kent during Arthur’s life, and all England after his death.