Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK I CHAPTER XIV

CHAPTER XIV

How the eleven kings with their host fought against Arthur
and his host, and many great feats of the war.

THEN King Arthur and King Ban and King Bors, with their good and
trusty knights, set on them so fiercely that they made them
overthrow their pavilions on their heads, but the eleven kings,
by manly prowess of arms, took a fair champaign, but there was
slain that morrowtide ten thousand good men's bodies.  And so
they had afore them a strong passage, yet were they fifty
thousand of hardy men.  Then it drew toward day.  Now shall ye do
by mine advice, said Merlin unto the three kings:  I would that
King Ban and King Bors, with their fellowship of ten thousand
men, were put in a wood here beside, in an ambushment, and keep
them privy, and that they be laid or the light of the day come,
and that they stir not till ye and your knights have fought with
them long.  And when it is daylight, dress your battle even afore
them and the passage, that they may see all your host, for then
will they be the more hardy, when they see you but about twenty
thousand men, and cause them to be the gladder to suffer you and
your host to come over the passage.  All the three kings and the
whole barons said that Merlin said passingly well, and it was
done anon as Merlin had devised.  So on the morn, when either
host saw other, the host of the north was well comforted.  Then
to Ulfius <23 CH. XIV  ELEVEN KINGS WAR WITH ARTHUR>and Brastias
were delivered three thousand men of arms, and they set on them
fiercely in the passage, and slew on the right hand and on the
left hand that it was wonder to tell.

When that the eleven kings saw that there was so few a fellowship
did such deeds of arms, they were ashamed and set on them again
fiercely; and there was Sir Ulfius's horse slain under him, but
he did marvellously well on foot.  But the Duke Eustace of
Cambenet and King Clariance of Northumberland, were alway
grievous on Ulfius.  Then Brastias saw his fellow fared so withal
he smote the duke with a spear, that horse and man fell down. 
That saw King Clariance and returned unto Brastias, and either
smote other so that horse and man went to the earth, and so they
lay long astonied, and their horses' knees brast to the hard
bone.  Then came Sir Kay the seneschal with six fellows with him,
and did passing well.  With that came the eleven kings, and there
was Griflet put to the earth, horse and man, and Lucas the
butler, horse and man, by King Brandegoris, and King Idres, and
King Agwisance.  Then waxed the medley passing hard on both
parties.  When Sir Kay saw Griflet on foot, he rode on King
Nentres and smote him down, and led his horse unto Sir Griflet,
and horsed him again.  Also Sir Kay with the same spear smote
down King Lot, and hurt him passing sore.  That saw the King with
the Hundred Knights, and ran unto Sir Kay and smote him down, and
took his horse, and gave him King Lot, whereof he said gramercy. 
When Sir Griflet saw Sir Kay and Lucas the butler on foot, he
took a sharp spear, great and square, and rode to Pinel, a good
man of arms, and smote horse and man down, and then he took his
horse, and gave him unto Sir Kay.  Then King Lot saw King Nentres
on foot, he ran unto Melot de la Roche, and smote him down, horse
and man, and gave King Nentres the horse, and horsed him again. 
Also the King of the Hundred Knights saw King Idres on foot; then
he ran unto Gwiniart de Bloi, and smote him down, horse and man,
and gave King Idres the horse, and <24>horsed him again; and King
Lot smote down Clariance de la Forest Savage, and gave the horse
unto Duke Eustace.  And so when they had horsed the kings again
they drew them, all eleven kings, together, and said they would
be revenged of the damage that they had taken that day.  The
meanwhile came in Sir Ector with an eager countenance, and found
Ulfius and Brastias on foot, in great peril of death, that were
foul defoiled under horse-feet.

Then Arthur as a lion, ran unto King Cradelment of North Wales,
and smote him through the left side, that the horse and the king
fell down; and then he took the horse by the rein, and led him
unto Ulfius, and said, Have this horse, mine old friend, for
great need hast thou of horse.  Gramercy, said Ulfius.  Then Sir
Arthur did so marvellously in arms, that all men had wonder. 
When the King with the Hundred Knights saw King Cradelment on
foot, he ran unto Sir Ector, that was well horsed, Sir Kay's
father, and smote horse and man down, and gave the horse unto the
king, and horsed him again.  And when King Arthur saw the king
ride on Sir Ector's horse, he was wroth and with his sword he
smote the king on the helm, that a quarter of the helm and shield
fell down, and so the sword carved down unto the horse's neck,
and so the king and the horse fell down to the ground.  Then Sir
Kay came unto Sir Morganore, seneschal with the King of the
Hundred Knights, and smote him down, horse and man, and led the
horse unto his father, Sir Ector; then Sir Ector ran unto a
knight, hight Lardans, and smote horse and man down, and led the
horse unto Sir Brastias, that great need had of an horse, and was
greatly defoiled.  When Brastias beheld Lucas the butler, that
lay like a dead man under the horses' feet, and ever Sir Griflet
did marvellously for to rescue him, and there were always
fourteen knights on Sir Lucas; then Brastias smote one of them on
the helm, that it went to the teeth, and he rode to another and
smote him, that the arm flew into the field.  Then he went to the
third and smote him on the shoulder, that shoulder and arm flew
in the field.  <25 CHAP. XV  YET OF THE SAME BATTLE>And when
Griflet saw rescues, he smote a knight on the temples, that head
and helm went to the earth, and Griflet took the horse of that
knight, and led him unto Sir Lucas, and bade him mount upon the
horse and revenge his hurts.  For Brastias had slain a knight to-
fore and horsed Griflet.