counted himself high, the other much higher. Then blew men the
trumpets, and spread the tables; water men brought on floor, with
golden bowls; next soft clothes, all of white silk. Then sate Arthur
down, and by him Wenhaver the queen; next sate the earls, and
thereafter the barons; next the knights, all as men them disposed. And
the high-born men bare the meat even forth-right then to the knights;
then toward the thanes, then toward the swains, then toward the
porters, forth at the board. The people became angered, and blows
there were rife; at first they threw the loaves, the while that they
lasted, and the silver bowls, filled with wine, and afterwards with
the fists approached to necks. Then leapt there forth a young man, who
came out of Winetland; he was given to Arthur to hold as hostage; he
was Rumareth's son, the King of Winet. Thus said the knight there to
Arthur the king: "Lord Arthur, go quickly into thy chamber, and thy
queen with thee, and thy known relatives, and we shall decide this
combat against these foreign warriors." Even with the words he leapt
to the board where lay the knives before the sovereign; three knives
he grasped, and with the one he smote the knight in the neck, that
first began the same fight, so that his head on the floor fell to the
ground. Soon he slew another, this same thane's brother; ere the
swords came, seven he felled. There was fight exceeding great; each
man smote other; there was much blood shed, mischief was among the
folk!

Then approached the king out of his chamber; with him an hundred
nobles, with helms and with burnies; each bare in his right hand a
white steel brand. Then called Arthur, noblest of kings: "Sit ye, sit
ye quickly, each man on his life! And whoso will not that do, he shall
be put to death. Take ye me the same man, that this fight first began,
and put withy on his neck, and draw him to a moor, and put him in a
low fen, there he shall lie. And take ye all his dearest kin, that ye
may find, and strike off the heads of them with your broad swords, the
women that ye may find of his nearest kindred, carve ye off their
noses, and let their beauty go to destruction; and so I will all
destroy the race that he of came. And if I evermore subsequently hear,
that any of my folk, of high or of low, eft arear strife on account of
this same slaughter, there shall ransom him neither gold nor any
treasure, fine horse nor war-garment, that he should not be dead, or
with hor