knights and sent after the Peohtes, bade them come here, for they all
should eat there. Forth-right the knights came to him, to his inn, he
tried them with words as they sate at the board, he caused draughts to
be brought them of many kinds of drinks, they drank, they revelled,
the day there forth passed. When they were so drunk that their shanks
weakened, then spake Vortiger what he had previously thought: "Hearken
now to me, knights, I will say to you forth-right of my mickle sorrow
that I for you have mourned. The king delivered me this land for to be
his steward. Ye are to me liefest of all men alive, but I have not
wealth to give my knights, for this king possesses all this land, and
he is young and also strong, and all I must yield to him that I take
of his land, and if I destroy his goods, I shall suffer the law, and
mine own wealth I have spent, because I would please you. And now I
must depart hence far to some king, serve him with peace, and gain
wealth with him; I may not for much shame have here this abode, but
forth I must go to foreign lands And if the day shall ever come that I
may acquire wealth, and I may so well thrive, that ye come in the land
where I am, I will well reward you with much worship. And have now all
good day, for to-night I will go away, it is a great doubt whether ye
see me evermore"--These knights knew not what the traitor thought
Vortiger was treacherous, for here he betrayed his lord, and the
knights held it for sooth, what the traitor said Vortiger ordered his
swains to saddle his steeds, and named twelve men to lead with
himself, to horse they went as if they would depart from the land.

The Peohtes saw that--the drunken knights--how Vortiger would depart,
herefore they had much care, they went to counsel, they went to
communing, all they lamented their life exceedingly, because Vortiger
was so dear to them And thus said the Peohtes, the drunken knights:
"What may we now in counsel? who shall us now advise? who shall us