How King Arthur had a battle against Nero and King Lot of Orkney,
and how King Lot was deceived by Merlin, and how twelve kings
were slain.

THEN King Arthur made ready his host in ten battles and Nero was
ready in the field afore the Castle Terrabil with a great host,
and he had ten battles, with many more people than Arthur had.
Then Nero had the vanguard with the most part of his people, and
Merlin came to King Lot of the Isle of Orkney, and held him with
a tale of prophecy, till Nero and his people were destroyed. And
there Sir Kay the seneschal did passingly well, that the days of
his life the worship went never from him; and Sir Hervis de Revel
did marvellous deeds with King Arthur, and King Arthur slew that
day twenty knights <63>and maimed forty. At that time came in
the Knight with the Two Swords and his brother Balan, but they
two did so marvellously that the king and all the knights
marvelled of them, and all they that beheld them said they were
sent from heaven as angels, or devils from hell; and King Arthur
said himself they were the best knights that ever he saw, for
they gave such strokes that all men had wonder of them.

In the meanwhile came one to King Lot, and told him while he
tarried there Nero was destroyed and slain with all his people.
Alas, said King Lot, I am ashamed, for by my default there is
many a worshipful man slain, for an we had been together there
had been none host under the heaven that had been able for to
have matched with us; this faiter with his prophecy hath mocked
me. All that did Merlin, for he knew well that an King Lot had
been with his body there at the first battle, King Arthur had
been slain, and all his people destroyed; and well Merlin knew