best men of Britain were all dead, now were the king's brothers both
full little, and Guencehn the archbishop therebefore was dead, and
this land's king himself of the law knew nothing. Vortiger saw this,
and he came to the king, with mild speech his lord he gan greet: "Hail
be thou, Constance, Britain's lord! I am come thus nigh thee for much
need, for to say to thee tidings that are come to land, of very great
danger. Now thee behoveth might, now weapons behove thee to defend thy
country. Here are chapmen arrived from other lands, as it is the
custom; they have brought to me toll for their goods, and they have
told me and plighted troth, that the King of Norway will newly fare
hither, and the Danish king these Danes will seek, and the King of
Russia, sternest of all knights, and the King of Gothland with host
most strong, and the King of Frise--therefore it alarmeth me. The
tidings are evil that are come to land; herefore I am most adread, for
I know no good counsel, unless we may with might send after knights,
that are good and strong, and that are well able in land, and fill thy
castles with keen men, and so thou mightest defend thy kingdom against
foreigners, and maintain thy worship with high strength. For there is
no kingdom, so broad nor so long, that will not soon be taken if there
are too few warriors."

Then answered the king--of land he knew nothing--"Vortiger, thou art
steward over all Britain's land, and thou shalt it rule after thy
will. Send after knights that are good in fight; and take all in thine
hand, my castles and my land, and do all thy will, and I will be
still, except the single thing, that I will be called king."

Then laughed Vortiger--he was of evil most ware--was he never so
blithe ere in his life! Vortiger took leave, and forth he gan pass,
and so he proceeded through all Britain's land, all the castles and