le.

THIS meanwhile came a messenger from King Rience of North Wales, and
king he was of all Ireland, and of many isles. And this was his message,
greeting well King Arthur in this manner wise, saying that King Rience
had discomfited and overcome eleven kings, and everych of them did him
homage, and that was this, they gave him their beards clean flayed off,
as much as there was; wherefore the messenger came for King Arthur's
beard. For King Rience had purfled a mantle with kings' beards, and
there lacked one place of the mantle; wherefore he sent for his beard,
or else he would enter into his lands, and burn and slay, and never
leave till he have the head and the beard. Well, said Arthur, thou hast
said thy message, the which is the most villainous and lewdest message
that ever man heard sent unto a king; also thou mayest see my beard is
full young yet to make a purfle of it. But tell thou thy king this: I
owe him none homage, nor none of mine elders; but or it be long to, he
shall do me homage on both his knees, or else he shall lose his head, by
the faith of my body, for this is the most shamefulest message that ever
I heard speak of. I have espied thy king met never yet with worshipful
man, but tell him, I will have his head without he do me homage. Then
the messenger departed.

Now is there any here, said Arthur, that knoweth King Rience? Then
answered a knight that hight Naram, Sir, I know the king well; he is a
passing good man of his body, as few be living, and a passing proud man,
and Sir, doubt ye not he will make war on you with a mighty puissance.
Well, said Arthur, I shall ordain for him in short time.

CHAPTER XXVII. How all the children were sent for that were born on
May-day, and how Mordred was saved.

THEN King Arthur let send for all the children born on May-day, begotten
of lords and born of ladies; for Merlin told King Arthur that he that
should destroy him should be born on May-day, wherefore he sent for them
all, upon pain of death; and so there were found many lords' sons, and
all were sent unto the king, and so was Mordred sent by King Lot's wife,
and all were put in a ship to the sea, and some were four weeks old, and
some less. And so by fortune the ship drave unto a castle, and was all
to-riven, and destroyed the most part, save that Mordred was cast up,
and a good man found him, and nourished him till he was fourteen year
old, and then he brought him to the court, as it rehearseth aft