the great army of assailants at bay, though hard pressed, till of a sudden they perceived a strong body of the citizens advancing from London, where the convoy which had been recovered by Gawain had arrived, and informed the mayor and citizens of the danger of their deliverer.  The arrival of the Londoners soon decided the contest.  The enemy fled in all directions, and Gawain and his friends, escorted by the grateful citizens, entered London, and were received with acclamations.

CHAPTER V

Arthur (Continued)

After the great victory of Mount Badon, by which the Saxons were for the time effectually put down, Arthur turned his arms against the Scots and Picts, whom he routed at Lake Lomond, and compelled to sue for mercy.  He then went to York to keep his Christmas, and employed himself in restoring the Christian churches which the Pagans had rifled and overthrown.  The following summer he conquered Ireland, and then made a voyage with his fleet to Iceland, which he also subdued.  The kings of Gothland and of the Orkneys came voluntarily and made their submission, promising to pay tribute.  Then he returned to Britain, where, having established the kingdom, he dwelt twelve years in peace.

During this time he invited over to him all persons whatsoever that were famous for valor in foreign nations, and augmented the number of his domestics, and introduced such politeness into his court as people of the remotest countries thought worthy of their imitation.  So that there was not a nobleman who thought himself of any consideration unless his clothes and arms were made in the same fashion as those of Arthur’s knights.

Finding himself so powerful at home, Arthur began to form designs for extending his power abroad.  So, having prepared his fleet, he first attempted Norway, that he might procure the crown of it for Lot, his sister’s husband.  Arthur landed in Norway, fought a great battle with the king of that country, defeated him, and pursued the victory till he had reduced the whole country under his dominion, and established Lot upon the throne.  Then Arthur made a voyage to Gaul and laid siege to the city of Paris.  Gaul was at that time a Roman province, and governed by Flollo, the Tribune.  When the siege of Paris had continued a month, and the people began to suffer from famine, Flollo challenged Arthur to single combat, proposing to decide the conquest of the province in that way.  Arthur gladly accepted the challenge, and slew his adversary in the contest, upon which the citizens surrendered the city to him.  After the victory Arthur divided his army into two parts, one of which he committed to the conduct of Hoel, whom he ordered to march into Aquitaine, while he with the other part should endeavor to subdue the other provinces.  At the end of nine years, in which time all the parts of Gaul were entirely reduced, Arthur returned to Paris, where he kept his court,