OfthefrstwarthatKngArthurhad，andhowhewonthefeld。
　　THENKngArthurcameoutofhstower，andhadunderhsgownajesserauntofdoublemal，andtherewentwthhmtheArchbshopofCanterbury，andSrBaudwnofBrtan，andSrKay，andSrBrastas：thesewerethemenofmostworshpthatwerewthhm。Andwhentheyweremettherewasnomeekness，butstoutwordsonbothsdes；butalwaysKngArthuransweredthem，andsadhewouldmakethemtobowanhelved。Whereforetheydepartedwthwrath，andKngArthurbadekeepthemwell，andtheybadethekngkeephmwell。Sothekngreturnedhmtothetoweraganandarmedhmandallhsknghts。Whatwllyedo？sadMerlntothekngs；yewerebetterfortostnt，foryeshallnothereprevalthoughyeweretentmessomany。Bewewelladvsedtobeafearedofadream-reader？sadKngLot。
　　WththatMerlnvanshedaway，andcametoKngArthur，andbadehmsetonthemfercely；andnthemeanwhletherewerethreehundredgoodmen，ofthebestthatwerewththekngs，thatwentstraghtuntoKngArthur，andthatcomfortedhmgreatly。Sr，sadMerlntoArthur，fghtnotwththeswordthatyehadbymracle，tllthatyeseeyegountotheworse，thendrawtoutanddoyourbest。SoforthwthalKngArthursetuponthemntherlodgng。AndSrBaudwn，SrKay，andSrBrastasslewontherghthandandonthelefthandthattwasmarvel；andalwaysKngArthuronhorsebackladonwthasword，andddmarvellousdeedsofarms，thatmanyofthekngshadgreatjoyofhsdeedsandhardness。
　　ThenKngLotbrakeoutonthebacksde，andtheKngwththeHundredKnghts，andKngCarados，andsetonArthurfercelybehndhm。WththatSrArthurturnedwthhsknghts，andsmotebehndandbefore，andeverSrArthurwasntheforemostpresstllhshorsewasslanunderneathhm。AndtherewthKngLotsmotedownKngArthur。Wththathsfourknghtsrecevedhmandsethmonhorseback。ThenhedrewhsswordExcalbur，buttwassobrghtnhsenemes’eyes，thattgavelghtlkethrtytorches。Andtherewthheputthema-
　　back，andslewmuchpeople。AndthenthecommonsofCarlonarosewthclubsandstavesandslewmanyknghts；butallthekngsheldthemtogetherwththerknghtsthatwereleftalve，andsofledanddeparted。AndMerlncameuntoArthur，andcounselledhmtofollowthemnofurther。
　　HowMerlncounselledKngArthurtosendforKngBanandKngBors，andofthercounseltakenforthewar。
　　SOafterthefeastandjourney，KngArthurdrewhmuntoLondon，andsobythecounselofMerln，thekngletcallhsbaronstocouncl，forMerlnhadtoldthekngthattheskngsthatmadewaruponhmwouldnallhastebeawrokeonhmandonhslands。Whereforethekngaskedcounselatthemall。Theycouldnocounselgve，butsadtheywerebgenough。Yesaywell，sadArthur；thankyouforyourgoodcourage，butwllyeallthatlovethmespeakwthMerln？yeknowwellthathehathdonemuchforme，andheknowethmanythngs，andwhenhesaforeyou，wouldthatyeprayedhmheartlyofhsbestadvce。Allthebaronssadtheywouldprayhmanddesrehm。SoMerlnwassentfor，andfardesredofallthebaronstogvethembestcounsel。shallsayyou，sadMerln，warnyouall，yourenemesarepassngstrongforyou，andtheyaregoodmenofarmsasbealve，andbythstmetheyhavegottentothemfourkngsmore，andamghtyduke；andunlessthatourknghavemorechvalrywthhmthanhemaymakewthntheboundsofhsownrealm，anhefghtwththemnbattle，heshallbeovercomeandslan。Whatwerebesttodonthscause？sadallthebarons。
　　shalltellyou，sadMerln，mneadvce；therearetwobrethrenbeyondthesea，andtheybekngsboth，andmarvellousgoodmenoftherhands；andthatonehghtKngBanofBenwck，andthatotherhghtKngBorsofGaul，thatsFrance。Andonthesetwokngswarrethamghtymanofmen，theKngClaudas，andstrvethwththemforacastle，andgreatwarsbetwxtthem。ButthsClaudasssomghtyofgoodswhereofhegettethgoodknghts，thatheputteththesetwokngsmostparttotheworse；whereforethssmycounsel，thatourkngandsoveregnlordsenduntothekngsBanandBorsbytwotrustyknghtswthletterswelldevsed，thatantheywllcomeandseeKngArthurandhscourt，andsohelphmnhswars，thathewllbeswornuntothemtohelpthemntherwarsaganstKngClaudas。Now，whatsayyeuntothscounsel？sadMerln。Thsswellcounselled，sadthekngandallthebarons。
　　Rghtsonallhastetherewereordanedtogotwoknghtsonthemessageuntothetwokngs。SoweretheremadelettersnthepleasantwseaccordnguntoKngArthur’sdesre。UlfusandBrastasweremadethemessengers，andsorodeforthwellhorsedandwellarmedandasthegusewasthattme，andsopassedtheseaandrodetowardthectyofBenwck。Andtherebesdeswereeghtknghtsthatespedthem，andatastratpassagetheymetwthUlfusandBrastas，andwouldhavetakenthemprsoners；sotheyprayedthemthattheymghtpass，fortheyweremessengersuntoKngBanandBorssentfromKngArthur。Therefore，sadtheeghtknghts，yeshalldeorbeprsoners，forwebeknghtsofKngClaudas。Andtherewthtwoofthemdressedtherspears，andUlfusandBrastasdressedtherspears，andrantogetherwthgreatraundom。AndClaudas’
　　knghtsbraketherspears，andthersto-heldandbarethetwoknghtsoutofthersaddlestotheearth，andsoleftthemlyng，androdetherways。Andtheothersknghtsrodeaforetoapassagetomeetwththemagan，andsoUlfusandBrastassmoteothertwodown，andsopassedontherways。Andatthefourthpassagetheremettwofortwo，andbothwereladuntotheearth；sotherewasnoneoftheeghtknghtsbuthewassorehurtorbrused。AndwhentheycometoBenwcktfortunedtherewerebothkngs，BanandBors。
　　Andwhentwastoldthekngsthattherewerecomemessengers，thereweresentuntothemtwoknghtsofworshp，theonehghtLonses，lordofthecountryofPayarne，andSrPharanceaworshpfulknght。Anontheyaskedfromwhencetheycame，andtheysadfromKngArthur，kngofEngland；sotheytookthemntherarmsandmadegreatjoyeachofother。Butanon，asthetwokngswsttheyweremessengersofArthur’s，therewasmadenotarryng，butforthwththeyspakewththeknghts，andwelcomedthemnthefathfullestwse，andsadtheyweremostwelcomeuntothembeforeallthekngslvng；andtherewththeykssedthelettersanddelveredthem。AndwhenBanandBorsunderstoodtheletters，thentheyweremorewelcomethantheywerebefore。Andafterthehasteoftheletterstheygavethemthsanswer，thattheywouldfulflthedesreofKngArthur’swrtng，andUlfusandBrastas，tarrythereaslongastheywould，theyshouldhavesuchcheerasmghtbemadethemnthosemarches。ThenUlfusandBrastastoldthekngsoftheadventureattherpassagesoftheeghtknghts。Ha!ah!sadBanandBors，theyweremygoodfrends。wouldhadwstofthem；theyshouldnothaveescapedso。SoUlfusandBrastashadgoodcheerandgreatgfts，asmuchastheymghtbearaway；
　　andhadtheranswerbymouthandbywrtng，thatthosetwokngswouldcomeuntoArthurnallthehastethattheymght。
　　Sothetwoknghtsrodeonafore，andpassedthesea，andcametotherlord，andtoldhmhowtheyhadsped，whereofKngArthurwaspassngglad。Atwhattmesupposeyethetwokngswllbehere？Sr，sadthey，aforeAllHallowmass。Thenthekngletpurveyforagreatfeast，andletcryagreatjousts。AndbyAllHallowmassthetwokngswerecomeovertheseawththreehundredknghtswellarrayedbothforthepeaceandforthewar。
　　AndKngArthurmetwththemtenmleoutofLondon，andtherewasgreatjoyascouldbethoughtormade。AndonAllHallowmassatthegreatfeast，satnthehallthethreekngs，andSrKayseneschalservednthehall，andSrLucasthebutler，thatwasDukeCorneus’son，andSrGrflet，thatwasthesonofCardol，thesethreeknghtshadtheruleofalltheservcethatservedthekngs。Andanon，astheyhadwashenandrsen，allknghtsthatwouldjoustmadethemready；bythentheywerereadyonhorsebackthereweresevenhundredknghts。AndArthur，Ban，andBors，wththeArchbshopofCanterbury，andSrEctor，Kay’sfather，theywerenaplacecoveredwthclothofgoldlkeanhall，wthladesandgentlewomen，fortobeholdwhoddbest，andthereontogvejudgment。
　　OfagreattourneymadebyKngArthurandthetwokngsBanandBors，andhowtheywentoverthesea。
　　ANDKngArthurandthetwokngsletdepartthesevenhundredknghtsntwopartes。AndtherewerethreehundredknghtsoftherealmofBenwckandofGaulturnedontheothersde。Thentheydressedthershelds，andbegantocouchtherspearsmanygoodknghts。SoGrfletwasthefrstthatmetwthaknght，oneLadnas，andtheymetsoeagerlythatallmenhadwonder；andtheysofoughtthatthersheldsfelltopeces，andhorseandmanfelltotheearth；andboththeFrenchknghtandtheEnglshknghtlaysolongthatallmenweenedtheyhadbeendead。WhenLucasthebutlersawGrfletsole，hehorsedhmagananon，andtheytwoddmarvellousdeedsofarmswthmanybachelors。
　　AlsoSrKaycameoutofanambushmentwthfveknghtswthhm，andtheyssmoteothersdown。ButSrKayddthatdaymarvellousdeedsofarms，thattherewasnoneddsowellashethatday。ThentherecameLadnasandGracan，twoknghtsofFrance，andddpassngwell，thatallmenprasedthem。
　　ThencamethereSrPlacdas，agoodknght，andmetwthSrKay，andsmotehmdownhorseandman，whereforeSrGrfletwaswroth，andmetwthSrPlacdassohard，thathorseandmanfelltotheearth。ButwhenthefveknghtswstthatSrKayhadafall，theywerewrothoutofwt，andtherewtheachofthemfvebaredownaknght。
　　WhenKngArthurandthetwokngssawthembegntowawrothonbothpartes，theyleaptonsmallhackneys，andletcrythatallmenshoulddepartuntotherlodgng。Andsotheywenthomeandunarmedthem，andsotoevensongandsupper。Andafter，thethreekngswentntoagarden，andgavetheprzeuntoSrKay，andtoLucasthebutler，anduntoSrGrflet。Andthentheywentuntocouncl，andwththemGwenbaus，thebrotheruntoSrBanandBors，awseclerk，andththerwentUlfusandBrastas，andMerln。Andaftertheyhadbeenncouncl，theywentuntobed。Andonthemorntheyheardmass，andtodnner，andsotothercouncl，andmademanyargumentswhatwerebesttodo。Atthelasttheywereconcluded，thatMerlnshouldgowthatokenofKngBan，andthatwasarng，untohsmenandKngBors’；
　　andGracanandPlacdasshouldgoaganandkeepthercastlesandthercountres，asfor[dreadofKngClaudas]KngBanofBenwck，andKngBorsofGaulhadordanedthem，andsopassedtheseaandcametoBenwck。AndwhenthepeoplesawKngBan’srng，andGracanandPlacdas，theywereglad，andaskedhowthekngsfared，andmadegreatjoyoftherwelfareandcordng，andaccordnguntothesoveregnlordsdesre，themenofwarmadethemreadynallhastepossble，sothattheywereffteenthousandonhorseandfoot，andtheyhadgreatplentyofvctualwththem，byMerln’sprovson。ButGracanandPlacdaswerelefttofurnshandgarnshthecastles，fordreadofKngClaudas。RghtsoMerlnpassedthesea，wellvctualledbothbywaterandbyland。Andwhenhecametotheseahesenthomethefootmenagan，andtooknomorewthhmbuttenthousandmenonhorseback，themostpartmenofarms，andsoshppedandpassedtheseantoEngland，andlandedatDover；andthroughthewtofMerln，hehadthehostnorthward，theprvestwaythatcouldbethought，untotheforestofBedegrane，andtherenavalleyhelodgedthemsecretly。
　　ThenrodeMerlnuntoArthurandthetwokngs，andtoldthemhowhehadsped；whereoftheyhadgreatmarvel，thatmanonearthmghtspeedsosoon，andgoandcome。SoMerlntoldthemtenthousandwerentheforestofBedegrane，wellarmedatallponts。Thenwastherenomoretosay，buttohorsebackwentallthehostasArthurhadaforepurveyed。Sowthtwentythousandhepassedbynghtandday，buttherewasmadesuchanordnanceaforebyMerln，thatthereshouldnomanofwarrdenorgonnocountryonthssdeTrentwater，butfhehadatokenfromKngArthur，wherethroughthekng’senemesdurstnotrdeastheyddto-foretoespy。