HowtwelveagedambassadorsofRomecametoKngArthurtodemandtruageforBrtan。
　　WHENKngArthurhadafterlongwarrested，andheldaroyalfeastandTableRoundwthhsallesofkngs，prnces，andnobleknghtsalloftheRoundTable，therecamentohshall，hesttngnhsthroneroyal，twelveancentmen，bearngeachofthemabranchofolve，ntokenthattheycameasambassadorsandmessengersfromtheEmperorLucus，whchwascalledatthattme，DctatororProcurorofthePublcWealofRome。Whchsadmessengers，aftertherenterngandcomngntothepresenceofKngArthur，ddtohmtherobesancenmakngtohmreverence，andsadtohmnthswse：ThehghandmghtyEmperorLucussendethtotheKngofBrtangreetng，commandngtheetoacknowledgehmforthylord，andtosendhmthetruagedueofthsrealmuntotheEmpre，whchthyfatherandotherto-forethyprecessorshavepadassofrecord，andthouasrebelnotknownghmasthysoveregn，wthholdestandretanestcontrarytothestatutesanddecreesmadebythenobleandworthyJulusCesar，conquerorofthsrealm，andfrstEmperorofRome。Andfthourefusehsdemandandcommandmentknowthouforcertanthatheshallmakestrongwaraganstthee，thyrealmsandlands，andshallchastsetheeandthysubjects，thattshallbeensampleperpetualuntoallkngsandprnces，fortodenythertruageuntothatnobleemprewhchdomnethupontheunversalworld。Thenwhentheyhadshowedtheeffectofthermessage，thekngcommandedthemtowthdrawthem，andsadheshouldtakeadvceofcounclandgvetothemananswer。Thensomeoftheyoungknghts，hearngthsthermessage，wouldhaverunonthemtohaveslanthem，sayngthattwasarebuketoalltheknghtstherebengpresenttosufferthemtosaysotothekng。Andanonthekngcommandedthatnoneofthem，uponpanofdeath，tomssaythemnordothemanyharm，andcommandedaknghttobrngthemtotherlodgng，andseethattheyhaveallthatsnecessaryandrequsteforthem，wththebestcheer，andthatnodantybespared，fortheRomansbegreatlords，andthoughthermessagepleasemenotnormycourt，yetmustremembermnehonour。
　　AfterthsthekngletcallallhslordsandknghtsoftheRoundTabletocounseluponthsmatter，anddesredthemtosaytheradvce。ThenSrCadorofCornwallspakefrstandsad，Sr，thsmessagelkethmewell，forwehavemanydaysrestedusandhavebeendle，andnowhopeyeshallmakesharpwarontheRomans，wheredoubtnotweshallgethonour。belevewell，sadArthur，thatthsmatterpleaseththeewell，buttheseanswersmaynotbeanswered，forthedemandgrevethmesore，fortrulywllneverpaytruagetoRome，whereforeprayyoutocounselme。haveunderstoodthatBelnusandBrenus，kngsofBrtan，havehadtheemprentherhandsmanydays，andalsoConstantnethesonofHelene，whchsanopenevdencethatweowenotrbutetoRomebutofrghtwethatbedescendedofthemhaverghttoclamthettleoftheempre。
　　HowthekngsandlordspromsedtoKngArthuradandhelpagansttheRomans。
　　THENansweredKngAngushofScotland，Sr，yeoughtofrghttobeaboveallotherkngs，foruntoyousnonelkenorparelnChrstendom，ofknghthoodnorofdgnty，andcounselyounevertoobeytheRomans，forwhentheyregnedonustheydstressedourelders，andputthslandtogreatextortonsandtalles，whereforemakeheremneavowtoavengemeonthem；
　　andfortostrengthenyourquarrelshallfurnshtwentythousandgoodmenofwar，andwagethemonmycosts，whchshallawatonyouwthmyselfwhentshallpleaseyou。AndthekngofLttleBrtangrantedhmtothesamethrtythousand；
　　whereforeKngArthurthankedthem。Andtheneverymanagreedtomakewar，andtoadaftertherpower；thatstowt，thelordofWestWalespromsedtobrngthrtythousandmen，andSrUwane，Srderhsson，wththercousns，promsedtobrngthrtythousand。ThenSrLauncelotwthallotherpromsednlkewseeverymanagreatmulttude。
　　AndwhenKngArthurunderstoodthercouragesandgoodwllshethankedthemheartly，andafterletcalltheambassadorstoheartheranswer。Andnpresenceofallhslordsandknghtshesadtothemnthswse：wllthatyereturnuntoyourlordandProcuroroftheCommonWealfortheRomans，andsayyetohm，Ofhsdemandandcommandmentsetnothng，andthatknowofnotruagenortrbutethatowetohm，nortononeearthlyprnce，Chrstannorheathen；butpretendtohaveandoccupythesoveregntyoftheempre，wherenamenttledbytherghtofmypredecessors，sometmekngsofthsland；andsaytohmthatamdelberedandfullyconcluded，togowthmnearmywthstrengthandpoweruntoRome，bythegraceofGod，totakepossessonntheempreandsubduethemthatberebel。
　　WhereforecommandhmandallthemofRome，thatncontnenttheymaketometherhomage，andtoacknowledgemefortherEmperorandGovernor，uponpanthatshallensue。Andthenhecommandedhstreasurertogvetothemgreatandlargegfts，andtopayalltherdspenses，andassgnedSrCadortoconveythemoutoftheland。Andsotheytooktherleaveanddeparted，andtookthershppngatSandwch，andpassedforthbyFlanders，Almane，themountans，andalltaly，untltheycameuntoLucus。Andafterthereverencemade，theymaderelatonoftheranswer，lkeasyeto-forehaveheard。
　　WhentheEmperorLucushadwellunderstoodthercredence，hewassoremovedashehadbeenallaraged，andsad，hadsupposedthatArthurwouldhaveobeyedtomycommandment，andhaveservedyouhmself，ashmwellbeseemedoranyotherkngtodo。OSr，sadoneofthesenators，letbesuchvanwords，forweletyouwtthatandmyfellowswerefullsoreafeardtobeholdhscountenance；fearmeyehavemadearodforyourself，forhentendethtobelordofthsempre，whchsorestobedoubtedfhecome，forhesallanothermanthanyeween，andholdeththemostnoblecourtoftheworld，allotherkngsnorprncesmaynotcompareuntohsnoblemantenance。OnNewYear’sDaywesawhmnhsestate，whchwastheroyalestthateverwesaw，forhewasservedathstablewthnnekngs，andthenoblestfellowshpofotherprnces，lords，andknghtsthatbentheworld，andeveryknghtapprovedandlkealord，andholdethTableRound：andnhspersonthemostmanlymanthatlveth，andslketoconqueralltheworld，foruntohscouragetstoolttle：whereforeadvseyoutokeepwellyourmarchesandstratsnthemountans；forcertanlyhesalordtobedoubted。Well，sadLucus，beforeEastersupposetopassthemountans，andsoforthntoFrance，andtherebereavehmhslandswthGenoeseandothermghtywarrorsofTuscanyandLombardy。AndshallsendforthemallthatbesubjectsandalledtotheempreofRometocometomnead。Andforthwthsentoldwseknghtsuntothesecountresfollowng：frsttoAmbageandArrage，toAlexandra，tonda，toArmena，whereastherverofEuphratesrunnethntoAsa，toAfrca，andEuropetheLarge，toErtayneandElamye，toAraby，Egypt，andtoDamascus，toDamettaandCayer，toCappadoca，toTarsus，Turkey，PontusandPamphyla，toSyraandGalata。AndalltheseweresubjecttoRomeandmanymore，asGreece，Cyprus，Macedona，Calabra，Cateland，Portugal，wthmanythousandsofSpanards。Thusallthesekngs，dukes，andadmrals，assembledaboutRome，wthsxteenkngsatonce，wthgreatmulttudeofpeople。WhentheemperorunderstoodthercomnghemadereadyhsRomansandallthepeoplebetweenhmandFlanders。
　　Alsohehadgottenwthhmfftygantswhchhadbeenengenderedoffends；andtheywereordanedtoguardhsperson，andtobreakthefrontofthebattleofKngArthur。AndthusdepartedfromRome，andcamedownthemountansfortodestroythelandsthatArthurhadconquered，andcameuntoCologne，andbesegedacastlethereby，andwontsoon，andstuffedtwthtwohundredSaracensornfdels，andafterdestroyedmanyfarcountreswhchArthurhadwonofKngClaudas。AndthusLucuscamewthallhshost，whchweredsperplydsxtymlenbreadth，andcommandedthemtomeetwthhmnBurgoyne，forhepurposedtodestroytherealmofLttleBrtan。
　　HowKngArthurheldaparlamentatYork，andhowheordanedtherealmshouldbegovernednhsabsence。
　　NOWleaveweofLucustheEmperorandspeakweofKngArthur，thatcommandedallthemofhsretnuetobereadyattheutasofHlaryfortoholdaparlamentatYork。Andatthatparlamentwasconcludedtoarrestallthenavyoftheland，andtobereadywthnffteendaysatSandwch，andthereheshowedtohsarmyhowhepurposedtoconquertheemprewhchheoughttohaveofrght。Andthereheordanedtwogovernorsofthsrealm，thatstosay，SrBaudwnofBrtan，fortocounseltothebest，andSrConstantne，sontoSrCadorofCornwall，whchafterthedeathofArthurwaskngofthsrealm。AndnthepresenceofallhslordsheresgnedtheruleoftherealmandGueneverhsqueentothem，whereforeSrLauncelotwaswroth，forheleftSrTrstramwthKngMarkfortheloveofBealesould。ThentheQueenGuenevermadegreatsorrowforthedepartngofherlordandother，andswoonednsuchwsethattheladesbareherntoherchamber。Thusthekngwthhsgreatarmydeparted，leavngthequeenandrealmnthegovernanceofSrBaudwnandConstantne。Andwhenhewasonhshorsehesadwthanhghvoce，fdenthsjourney
　　wllthatSrConstantnebemneherandkngcrownedofthsrealmasnextofmyblood。AndafterdepartedandenteredntotheseaatSandwchwthallhsarmy，wthagreatmulttudeofshps，galleys，cogs，anddromounds，salngonthesea。
　　HowKngArthurbengshppedandlyngnhscabnhadamarvellousdreamandoftheexpostonthereof。
　　ANDastheknglaynhscabnntheshp，hefellnaslumbernganddreamedamarvellousdream：hmseemedthatadreadfuldragondddrownmuchofhspeople，andhecameflyngoutofthewest，andhsheadwasenamelledwthazure，andhsshouldersshoneasgold，hsbellylkemalsofamarvelloushue，hstalfulloftatters，hsfeetfulloffnesable，andhsclawslkefnegold；andanhdeousflameoffreflewoutofhsmouth，lkeasthelandandwaterhadflamedalloffre。After，hmseemedtherecameoutoftheorent，agrmlyboarallblacknacloud，andhspawsasbgasapost；hewasruggedlookngroughly，hewasthefoulestbeastthatevermansaw，heroaredandromedsohdeouslythattweremarveltohear。Thenthedreadfuldragonadvancedhmandcamenthewndlkeafalcongvnggreatstrokesontheboar，andtheboarhthmaganwthhsgrzzlytusksthathsbreastwasallbloody，andthatthehotbloodmadeallthesearedofhsblood。Thenthedragonflewawayallonanheght，andcamedownwthsuchaswough，andsmotetheboarontherdge，whchwastenfootlargefromtheheadtothetal，andsmotetheboaralltopowderbothfleshandbones，thattfltteredallabroadonthesea。
　　Andtherewththekngawokeanon，andwassoreabashedofthsdream，andsentanonforawsephlosopher，commandngtotellhmthesgnfcatonofhsdream。Sr，sadthephlosopher，thedragonthatthoudreamedstofbetokeneththneownpersonthatsalesthere，andthecoloursofhswngsbethyrealmsthatthouhastwon，andhstalwhchsallto-tatteredsgnfeththenobleknghtsoftheRoundTable；andtheboarthatthedragonslewcomngfromthecloudsbetokenethsometyrantthattormenteththepeople，orelsethouartlketofghtwthsomegantthyself，benghorrbleandabomnable，whosepeeryesawnevernyourdays，whereforeofthsdreadfuldreamdoubttheenothng，butasaconquerorcomeforththyself。