Now turne we to oure labour Arthur is preparing to cross the mountains to Rome,

And lat vs speke of Arthour:

He cast on herte sone

After þat to go to Rome, 536

And spak of Passage & hys wey

Forth ouer Mount Ioye.

And sone after vpon an owr when he hears of Mordred's treachery;

He horde of Mordred the tretour 540

That hadde alle þis loud on warde—

[pg 17 - Of Mordred's Treachery and Arthur's Return.]

Euylle moot suche fare, and harde.

Who may best bygyle a man

But suche as he tryst vpon? 544

Þer ys no man wel nye, y tryste,

Þat can be waar of hadde wyste.—

Mordred þis falss Man

Muche sorw þo bygan; 548

He stuffed alle castelle

Wyþ armyre & vytelle,

And strenghthed hym on eche syde

Wyth Men of countreys ferre & wyde: 552

He toke þe qwene, Arthoureȝ wyff, how the traitor had seized the queen, his (Arthur's) wife,

Aȝenst goddes lawe & gode lyff,

And putte heore to soiourne þo

At Euerwyk: god ȝyf hym wo. 556 and put her at York.

Yhork ys Euerwyk:

& so me calleþ hyt.

Arthour aryved at Whytsond Arthur then comes home,

Wyth gret Myght & strong hond, 560

And Mordred sainz fayl fights Mordred,

Ȝaf hym þo a strong batayl;

Many a man, as y rede,

Þat day was þere dede; 564

Arthoures nevew Waweyn

Þat day was þere y-sclayn, and Gawain is slain.

And oþer knyȝtes Many moo:

Þan Arthour was heuy & woo. 568

Mordred fly toward Londoun; Mordred flies to London,

He most not come in þe toun:

Þan fled he to wynchester

And wyth hys Maynee kep [?] hym þere; 572

And Arthour on gret haste

Pursywed after hym faste.

Mordred wythoute fayle

Fled in-to Cornewayle. 576 and then to Cornwall.

The qwene wyþoute lesyng

[pg 18 - Arthur's Last Battle with Mordred.]

Hurde of þis tydyng,

And how Mordred was flow,

And how to Cornewale he hym drow. 580

Heo of Mercy hadde noon hoope,

Ther-for he dude on a Russet cote, The Queen turns nun at Carlyon.

And to Carlyoun ys preuyly Rounne,

And made heore self þo a Nounne; 584

Fro þat place neuer heo wende,

But of heore lyf þere made an ende.

Waweynes body, as y reede, Gawain

And other lordes þat weere deede, 588

Arthour sente in-to skotlonde, is buried in Scotland.

And buryed ham þere, y vnderstonde.

Muche folke þerhenne he toke þo,

Of Northumber-lond also 592 Northern men and others come to Arthur.

Fram dyverse places to Arthour come

Hys wylle to werk & to done:

Thus he sembled a fulle gret Ost;

To Cornewayle he draweþ hym fast 596

After þat Mordred þe traytour

Þat hadde do hym Muche dyshonour.

That tretour hadde gret strength

And fulled þat lond on brede & lengthe, 600

Suche a batelle as þere was redy þo He gives Mordred battle.

Hadde neuer Arthour byfore y-doo:

They fowȝt tyl þer come doun bloode

As a(.) Ryver or (.)a(.) flood; 604

Þey fowȝt euer sorest sadde; Bellum arthuri apud Camelertonum in Cornubia.

Men nyst ho þe betere hadde;

But at þe last Certeyn

Was Mordred & alle hys y-sclayn; 608 Mordred is slain:

And Arthour y-bete wyþ wounde, Arthur wounded,

He Myght not stonde on grounde;

But on lyter ryȝt anon and carried to Avelon, or Auelona .l. insula pomorum Glastonia.

Was browȝt to Auelone, 612

Þat was a place fayr & Mury;

[pg 19 - Arthur Is Buried at Glastonbury.]

Now hyt hooteþ Glastyngbury. Glastonbury, where he dies,

Ther Arthour þat worthy kyng

Maked hys lyues endyng; 616

But