29 



is noble in the land, and dear to all his men, and of royal lineage : 

 he was the son of Uther. Happen it will, in divers lands, where 

 good wariiors fight, that they win at first and lose at last. Such 

 is our luck this year : better may chance another season, if we 

 may but live." 



So twelve kniglits were forthwith sent to Arthur to ask for 

 peace. Then Arthur laughed with voice aloud : " Thanked now 

 be the Lord, the Disposer of all events, that Childric the strong is 

 weary of my land ! He who had divided my land among his free 

 knights is now like the hunted fox, which, from the proudest on 

 the wold, is become the most craven of beasts. Childric the 

 strong, the rich, the boastful, have I driven to bay ; and now I 

 have him at my Avill, either to hang or slay. Yet I will neither 

 slay nor hang, but will grant him peace, and take his hostages and 

 all their horses and weapons ; and shiftless they shall go to their 

 ships, and sail over sea to their land and tell of Arthur the king, 

 how I, of my generosity, had compassion on the unfortimate." 



This was the ruin of Arthur the king. There was no man so 

 bold as to dare to advise him ; but he sorely rued it a short time 

 after. 



Childric delivered hostages, all chosen men and noble bom ; 

 they deUvered their horses, their breastplates, spears and shields, 

 and long swords ; they relinquished all they had. Then they 

 marched to sea and shoved their ships from land, and were lost 

 to sight. But soon they reappeared at Dartmouth, and landed at 

 Totnes, and ravaged the country. They lived in plenty, made 

 songs of Arthur the king, and said they would make his land their 

 home both winter and summer. This was their game, but it fell 

 to their shame ! 



CMldric won all that his eyes looked upon : he ravaged Devon- 

 shire, he took Somerset and Dorset, and invaded Wiltshire. Then, 

 at last, with, sound of horns and trumpets, he set forth to besiege 

 Bath and blockade Bristol. To Bath came the Kaiser, and 

 beleaguered the castle, and the men -withm mounted the walls 

 and defended the place against Childric the strong. 



Meanwhile, Arthur was far away in the north, conquering 

 Scotland and making himself master in Orkney, and Galloway, 

 and Man, and Moray. Arthur thought for certain that Childric 

 was gone to return no more. But when tidings came how Childric 

 had landed, and what harm and sorrow he \vrought in the South 



