s he never so
blithe ere in his life! Vortiger took leave, and forth he gan pass,
and so he proceeded through all Britain's land, all the castles and
all the land he set in his own hand, and the fealty he took ever where
he came. And so he took his messengers, and sent to Scotland, and
ordered the Peohtes, the knights best of all, three hundred to come to
him, and he would well do to them. And the knights came to him
thereafter well soon; thus spake the traitorous man: "Knights, ye are
welcome. I have in my hand all this regal land, with me ye shall go,
and I will you love, and I will you bring before our king; ye shall
have silver and gold, the best horses of this land, clothes, and fair
wives; your will I will perform Ye shall be to me dear, for the
Britons are hateful to me, loud and still I will do your will, if ye
will in land hold me for lord." Then forth-right answered the knights
"We will do all thy will," and they gan proceed to Constance the king.
To the king came Vortiger--of evil he was well ware--and said him of--
had done--"And here I have the Peohtes, who shall be household
knights; and I have most well stored all thy castles, and these
foreign knights shall before us fight." The king commended all as
Vortiger purposed, but alas! that the king knew nothing of his
thoughts, nor of his treachery, that he did soon thereafter! These
knights were in court highly honoured, full two years with the king
they dwelt there, and Vortiger the steward was lord of them all. Ever
he said that the Britons were not of use, but he said that the Peohtes
were good knights. Ever were the Britons deprived of goods, and the
Peohtes wielded all that they would. They had drink, they had meat,
they had eke much bliss. Vortiger granted them all that they would,
and was to them as dear as their own life; so that they all spake,
where they ate their meat, that Vortiger were worthy to govern this
realm throughout all things, better than three such kings! Vortiger
gave these men very much treasure.

Then befell it on a day, that Vortiger lay at his inn; he took his two
knights and sent after the Peohtes, bade them come here, for they all
should eat there. Forth-right the knights came to him, to his inn, he
tried them with words as they sate at the board, he caused draughts to
be brought them of many kinds of drinks, they drank, they revelled,
the day there forth passed. When they were so drunk that their shanks
weakened, then spake Vor