nights, so that none there remained near the stones, as
far as a man might cast a stone. And Merlin went about, and diligently
gan behold, thrice he went about, within and without, and moved his
tongue as if he sung his beads. Thus did Merlin there, then called he
Uther: "Uther, come quickly, and all thy knights with thee, and take
ye these stones all, ye shall not leave one; for now ye may heave them
like feather balls; and so ye shall with counsel carry them to our
ships." These stones they carried away, as Merlin counselled them, and
placed them in their ships, and sailed forth to wit, and so they gan
proceed into this land, and brought them on a plain that is wondrously
broad, broad it is and most pleasant, near Ambresbury, where Hengest
betrayed the Britons with axes. Merlin gan rear them, as they ere
stood, so never any other man could do the craft, nor ever ere
there-before was any man so wise born, that could the work raise, and
the stones dispose.

The tidings came to the king in the north end, of Merlin's proceeding,
and of Uther, his brother, that they were with safety come to this
land, and that the work was all disposed, and set up right. The king
was in breast wondrously blithe; and caused a husting to be summoned,
so wide as was all his land, that all his merry folk so very joyous
should come to Ambresbury, all his people, at Whitsunday, and the king
would be there, and honour the place. Thither came Aurelie the king,
and all his folk with him, on Whitsunday he there made a feast, as I
will thee tell in this book-story. There were on the weald tents
raised, on the broad plain, nine thousand tents. All the Whitsunday
the king on the plain lay; ordered the place to be hallowed, that
hight Stonehenge. Full three days the king dwelt still; on the third
day, his people he highly honoured; he made two bishops, wondrously
good, Saint Dubriz at Kaerleon, and Saint Samson at York; both they
became holy, and with God high. On the fourth day people separated,
and so a time it stood in the same wise.

The yet there was a wicked man, Pascent, Vortiger's son; was the same
Pascent gone into Welsh land, and there in the same days was become
outlaw. But he durst not long dwell there, for Aurelie and for Uther;
but he procured good ships, and went by the sea flood, into Germany he
proceeded, with five hundred men, and there he won much folk, and made
a fleet, and voyaged so long that he came to this land, into the
Humber