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
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.
CHAPTER IV. How the battle was finished or he came, and how King Arthur
founded an abbey where the battle was.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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