reeted Loth, his son-in-law, and bade him be in health, and ordered
him to take in his own hand all his royal land; knights and freemen,
and freely hold them, and lead them in a host, as the laws are in the
land. And he ordered his dear knights to be obedient to Loth, with
loving looks, as if he were sovereign. For Loth was very good knight,
and had held many fight, and he was liberal to every man, he delivered
to him the government of all this land. Octa held much war, and Loth
often fought with him, and oft he gained possessions, and oft he them
lost. The Britons had mickle mood, and immoderate pride, and were void
of dread, on account of the king's age; and looked very contemptuously
on Loth the earl, and did very evilly all his commands, and were all
two counsels--their care was the more! This was soon said to the sick
king, that his high men Loth all despised.

Now will I tell thee, in this history, how Uther the king disposed
himself. He said that he would go to his host, and see with his eyes
who would there do well. He caused there to be made a good
horse-litter, and caused an army to be assembled over all his kingdom;
that each man by (on pain of) his life should come to him quickly, by
their lives and by their limbs, to avenge the king's shame.--"And if
there is any man, who will not come hastily, I will speedily destroy
him, either slay either hang." All full soon to the court (or to the
army) they came, durst there none remain, nor the fat nor the lean.
The king forth-right took all his knights, and marched him anon to the
town of Verulam; about Verolam's town came him Uther Pendragon; Octa
was within with all his men. Then was Verulam a most royal town, Saint
Alban was there slain, and deprived of life-day; the burgh was
subsequently destroyed, and much folk there was slain. Uther lay
without, and Octa within. Uther's army advanced to the wall, the
powerful thanes fiercely assaulted it, they might not of the wall one
stone detach, nor with any strength the wall injure.

Well blithe was then Hengest's son Octa, when he saw the Britons
recede from the walls, and go sorrowful again to their tents. Then
said Octa to his comrade Ebissa: "Here is come to Verulam Uther, the
lame man, and will with us here fight in his litter; he weened with
his crutch to thrust us down! But to-morrow when it is day, the people
shall arise, and open our castle-gate, and this realm we shall all
win; shall we never lie here for one