Merlin was soon of sent, pled it was him soon, That he should the best rede say, what were to don. Merlin was sorry enow for the kinge's folly, And natheless, 'Sir king,' he said, 'there may to mast'ry, The earl hath two men him near, Brithoel and Jordan. I will make thyself, if thou wilt, through art that I can, Have all the forme of the earl, as thou were right he, And Olfyn as Jordan, and as Brithoel me.' This art was all clean ydo, that all changed they were, They three in the others' form, the solve as it were. Against even he went forth, nuste[8] no man that cas; To the castle they come right as it even was. The porter ysaw his lord come, and his most privy twei, With good heart he let his lord in, and his men bey. The countess was glad enow, when her lord to her come And either other in their arms myd great joy nome. When they to bedde come, that so long a-two were, With them was so great delight, that between them there Begot was the best body, that ever was in this land, King Arthur the noble man, that ever worthy understand. When the king's men nuste amorrow, where he was become, They fared as wodemen, and wend[9] he were ynome.[10] They assaileden the castle, as it should adown anon, They that within were, garked them each one, And smote out in a full will, and fought myd there fone: So that the earl was yslaw, and of his men many one, And the castle was ynome, and the folk to-sprad there, Yet, though they hadde all ydo, they ne found not the king there. The tiding to the countess soon was ycome, That her lord was yslaw, and the castle ynome. And when the messenger him saw the earl, as him thought, That he had so foul plow, full sore him of thought, The countess made somedeal deol,[11] for no sothness they nuste. The king, for to glad her, beclipt her and cust. 'Dame,' he said,' no sixt thou well, that les it is all this: Ne wo'st thou well I am alive. I will thee say how it is. Out of the castle stillelich I went all in privity, That none of mine men it nuste, for to speak with thee. And when they mist me to-day, and nuste where I was, They fareden right as giddy men, myd whom no rede n'as, And foughte with the folk without, and have in this mannere Ylore the castle and themselve, and well thou wo'st I am here. And for my castle, that is ylore, sorry I am enow, And for my men, that the king and his power slew. And my power is to lute, therefore I dreade sore, Leste the king us nyme[12] here, and sorrow that we were more. Therefore I will, how so it be, wend against the king, And make my peace with him, ere he us to shame bring.' Forth he went, and het[13] his men if the king come, That they shoulde him the castle yield, ere he with strength it nome. So he come toward his men, his own form he nome, And leaved the earl's form, and the king Uther become. Sore him of thought the earle's death, and in other half he found