Then Lucas saw King Agwisance, that late had slain Moris de la Roche,
and Lucas ran to him with a short spear that was great, that he gave
him such a fall, that the horse fell down to the earth. Also Lucas
found there on foot, Bloias de La Flandres, and Sir Gwinas, two hardy
knights, and in that woodness that Lucas was in, he slew two bachelors
and horsed them again. Then waxed the battle passing hard on both
parties, but Arthur was glad that his knights were horsed again, and
then they fought together, that the noise and sound rang by the water
and the wood. Wherefore King Ban and King Bors made them ready, and
dressed their shields and harness, and they were so courageous that
many knights shook and bevered for eagerness. All this while Lucas, and
Gwinas, and Briant, and Bellias of Flanders, held strong medley against
six kings, that was King Lot, King Nentres, King Brandegoris, King
Idres, King Uriens, and King Agwisance. So with the help of Sir Kay and
of Sir Griflet they held these six kings hard, that unnethe they had
any power to defend them. But when Sir Arthur saw the battle would not
be ended by no manner, he fared wood as a lion, and steered his horse
here and there, on the right hand, and on the left hand, that he
stinted not till he had slain twenty knights. Also he wounded King Lot
sore on the shoulder, and made him to leave that ground, for Sir Kay
and Griflet did with King Arthur there great deeds of arms. Then
Ulfius, and Brastias, and Sir Ector encountered against the Duke
Eustace, and King Cradelment, and King Clariance of Northumberland, and
King Carados, and against the King with the Hundred Knights. So these
knights encountered with these kings, that they made them to avoid the
ground. Then King Lot made great dole for his damages and his fellows,
and said unto the ten kings, But if ye will do as I devise we shall be
slain and destroyed; let me have the King with the Hundred Knights, and
King Agwisance, and King Idres, and the Duke of Cambenet, and we five
kings will have fifteen thousand men of arms with us, and we will go
apart while ye six kings hold medley with twelve thousand; an we see
that ye have foughten with them long, then will we come on fiercely,
and else shall we never match them, said King Lot, but by this mean. So
they departed as they here devised, and six kings made their party
strong against Arthur, and made great war long.
In the meanwhile brake the ambushment of King Ban and King Bors, and
Lionses and Phariance had the vanguard, and they two knights met with
King Idres and his fellowship, and there began a great medley of
breaking of spears, and smiting of swords, with slaying of men and
horses, and King Idres was near at discomforture.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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