sent old wise knights unto these countries following: first to Ambage
and Arrage, to Alexandria, to India, to Armenia, whereas the river of
Euphrates runneth into Asia, to Africa, and Europe the Large, to
Ertayne and Elamye, to Araby, Egypt, and to Damascus, to Damietta and
Cayer, to Cappadocia, to Tarsus, Turkey, Pontus and Pamphylia, to Syria
and Galatia. And all these were subject to Rome and many more, as
Greece, Cyprus, Macedonia, Calabria, Cateland, Portugal, with many
thousands of Spaniards. Thus all these kings, dukes, and admirals,
assembled about Rome, with sixteen kings at once, with great multitude
of people. When the emperor understood their coming he made ready his
Romans and all the people between him and Flanders.
Also he had gotten with him fifty giants which had been engendered of
fiends; and they were ordained to guard his person, and to break the
front of the battle of King Arthur. And thus departed from Rome, and
came down the mountains for to destroy the lands that Arthur had
conquered, and came unto Cologne, and besieged a castle thereby, and
won it soon, and stuffed it with two hundred Saracens or Infidels, and
after destroyed many fair countries which Arthur had won of King
Claudas. And thus Lucius came with all his host, which were disperplyd
sixty mile in breadth, and commanded them to meet with him in Burgoyne,
for he purposed to destroy the realm of Little Britain.
CHAPTER III. How King Arthur held a parliament at York, and how he
ordained the realm should be governed in his absence.
Now leave we of Lucius the Emperor and speak we of King Arthur, that
commanded all them of his retinue to be ready at the utas of Hilary for
to hold a parliament at York. And at that parliament was concluded to
arrest all the navy of the land, and to be ready within fifteen days at
Sandwich, and there he showed to his army how he purposed to conquer
the empire which he ought to have of right. And there he ordained two
governors of this realm, that is to say, Sir Baudwin of Britain, for to
counsel to the best, and Sir Constantine, son to Sir Cador of Cornwall,
which after the death of Arthur was king of this realm. And in the
presence of all his lords he resigned the rule of the realm and
Guenever his queen to them, wherefore Sir Launcelot was wroth, for he
left Sir Tristram with King Mark for the love of Beale Isould. Then the
Queen Guenever made great sorrow for the departing of her lord and
other, and swooned in such wise that the ladies bare her into her
chamber. Thus the king with his great army departed, leaving the queen
and realm in the governance of Sir Baudwin and Constantine. And when he
was on his horse he said with an high voice, If I die in this journey I
will that Sir Constantine be mine heir and king crowned of this realm
as next of my blood. And after departed and entered into the sea at
Sandwich with all his army, with a great multitude of ships, galleys,
cogs, and dromounds, sailing on the sea.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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