of measure, and purveyed him for a great host, as it rehearseth
after in the book of Balin le Savage, that followeth next after,
how by adventure Balin gat the sword.

Explicit liber primus. Incipit liber secundus


BOOK II


CHAPTER I

Of a damosel which came girt with a sword for to find a
man of such virtue to draw it out of the scabbard.

AFTER the death of Uther Pendragon reigned Arthur his son, the
which had great war in his days for to get all England into his
hand. For there were many kings within the realm of England, and
in Wales, Scotland, and Cornwall. So it befell on a time when
King Arthur was at London, there came a knight and told the king
tidings how that the King Rience of North Wales had reared a
great number of people, and were entered into the land, and burnt
and slew the king's true liege people. If this be true, said
Arthur, it were great shame unto mine estate but that he were
mightily withstood. It is truth, said the knight, for I saw the
host myself. Well, said the king, let make a cry, that all the
lords, knights, and gentlemen of arms, should draw unto a castle
called Camelot in those days, and there the king would let make a
council-general and a great jousts.