Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IV CHAPTER III

CHAPTER III

How King Arthur had ado with them and overthrew them,
and slew the five kings and made the remnant to flee.

UNTO this counsel these five kings assented, and so they passed
forth with their host through North Wales, and came upon Arthur
by night, and set upon his host as the king and his knights were
in their pavilions.  King Arthur was unarmed, and had laid him to
rest with his Queen Guenever.  Sir, said Sir Kay, it is not good
we be unarmed. We shall have no need, said Sir Gawaine and Sir
Griflet, that lay in a little pavilion by the king.  With that
they heard a great noise, and many cried, Treason, treason! 
Alas, said King Arthur, we be betrayed!  Unto arms, fellows, then
he cried.  So they were armed anon at all points.  Then came
there a wounded knight unto the king, and said, Sir, save
yourself and my lady the queen, for our host is destroyed, and
much people of ours slain. So anon the king and the queen and the
three knights took their horses, and rode toward Humber to pass
over it, and the water was so rough that they were afraid to pass
over. Now may ye choose, said King Arthur, whether ye will abide
and take the adventure on this side, for an ye be taken they will
slay you.  It were me liefer, said the queen, to die in the water
than to fall in your enemies' hands and there be slain.

<106>
And as they stood so talking, Sir Kay saw the five kings coming
on horseback by themselves alone, with their spears in their
hands even toward them.  Lo, said Sir Kay, yonder be the five
kings; let us go to them and match them.  That were folly, said
Sir Gawaine, for we are but three and they be five.  That is
truth, said Sir Griflet.  No force, said Sir Kay, I will
undertake for two of them, and then may ye three undertake for
the other three.  And therewithal, Sir Kay let his horse run as
fast as he might, and struck one of them through the shield and
the body a fathom, that the king fell to the earth stark dead. 
That saw Sir Gawaine, and ran unto another king so hard that he
smote him through the body.  And therewithal King Arthur ran to
another, and smote him through the body with a spear, that he
fell to the earth dead Then Sir Griflet ran unto the fourth king,
and gave him such a fall that his neck brake.  Anon Sir Kay ran
unto the fifth king, and smote him so hard on the helm that the
stroke clave the helm and the head to the earth.  That was well
stricken, said King Arthur, and worshipfully hast thou holden thy
promise, therefore I shall honour thee while that I live.  And
therewithal they set the queen in a barge into Humber; but always
Queen Guenever praised Sir Kay for his deeds, and said, What lady
that ye love, and she love you not again she were greatly to
blame; and among ladies, said the queen, I shall bear your noble
fame, for ye spake a great word, and fulfilled it worshipfully. 
And therewith the queen departed.

Then the king and the three knights rode into the forest, for
there they supposed to hear of them that were escaped; and there
he found the most part of his people, and told them all how the
five kings were dead.  And therefore let us hold us together till
it be day, and when their host have espied that their chieftains
be slain, they will make such dole that they shall no more help
themselves.  And right so as the king said, so it was; for when
they found the five kings dead, they made such dole that they
fell from their horses.  Therewithal came King Arthur but with a
few people, and slew on the left hand and on the <107>right hand,
that well-nigh there escaped no man, but all were slain to the
number thirty thousand.  And when the battle was all ended, the
king kneeled down and thanked God meekly.  And then he sent for
the queen, and soon she was come, and she made great joy of the
overcoming of that battle.