and swore by his hand, that he would him hang,
unless he him pledged, that he would forthright unhood Constance the
king's son of this land, and for such need he should be king of this
country. The abbot durst no other, there he unhooded his brother, and
the child gave the abbot in hand twenty ploughlands, and afterwards
they proceeded forth into London. Vortiger the high forbade his
attendants, that they to no man should tell what they had in design.
Vortiger lay in London, until the same set day came, that the knights
of this land should come to husting.

At the day they came, many and numerous; they counselled, they
communed, the stern warriors, that they would have Ambrosie, and raise
for king; for Uther was too little--the yet he might suck--and
Constance was monk, who was eldest of them, and they would not for
anything make a monk king. Vortiger heard this, who was crafty and
most wary, and leapt on foot as if it were a lion. None of the Britons
there knew what Vortiger had done. He had in a chamber Constance the
dear, well bathed and clothed, and afterwards hid with twelve knights.
Then thus spake Vortiger--he was of craft wary: "Listen, lordings, the
while that I speak of kings. I was in Winchester, where I well sped, I
spake with the abbot, who is a holy man and good, and said him the
need that is come to this nation by Constantin's death--therefore he
is uneasy--and of Constance the child, that he had holden. And I bade
him for love of God, to take off the child's hood, and for such need
he should be king in the country. And the abbot took his counsel, and
did all that I bade him; and here I have his monks, who are good and
chief, who shall witness bear before you all. Lo! where here is the
same child, make we hereof a king, and here I hold the crown that
thereto behoveth, and whoso will this withsay, he shall it buy dear!"

Vortiger was most strong, the highest man of Britain, was there never
any so bold that his words durst deprecate. In the same town was the
archbishop dead, and there was no bishop that forth on his way did not
pass, nor monk nor any abbot, that he on his way did not ride, for
they durst not for fear of God do there the wrong, to take the monk
child, and make him Britain's king. Vortiger saw this--of all evil he
was well ware, up he gan to stand, the crown he took in hand, and he
set it upon Constance--that was to him in thought. Was there never any
man that might there do Christendom, tha