The Brut, or The chronicles of England. Edited from Ms. Raw. B171, Bodleian Library, &c., by Friedrich W. D. Brie, with introduction, notes, and glossary ...

How Arthure enchacede Mordrede þe traitour, and how he was slayne, and Kyng Arthure also wondede to þe dethe. ¶ Capitulo ¶ Octogesimo ¶ Octauo.

WHen þis tydynges come to Kyng Arthure þere þat he was in Burgoyne, he was ful sore annoiede, and toke al Fraunce to Hoel forto kepe, wiþ haluendele his men, & praiede him þat he wolde hit kepe til þat he comen aȝeyne, ffor him-self wolde wende into Britaigne and avenge him oppon Mordrede þat was his traitoure; and fourþ went his waye, and come to Switsand, & made his men to gone into shippe, & wolde haue arryuede at Sandewiche, and brouȝt wiþ him an grete hoste of Fraunce also wiþ his owen lande. but er þat he myght come to lande wiþ his peple þat were comen out of þe shippis, Mordrede was comen wiþ all his power, and ȝaf a stronge bataile, so þat Kyng Arthure loste meny a man er þat he miȝt comen to land; ffor þere was Gaweyn his Nevewe slayne, and Anguissel þat helde Scotland, and meny oþere, wherof Kyng Arthure was ful sory. ¶ But after þat þai were comen to lande, Mordrede myght nougt aȝeynes him endure, but anone was [MS Rawlinson B 171 46b] descomfitede, and flede þens þat same nyȝt Wiþ his men, and oppon þe morwe come to London; but þo of the citee wolde nouȝt soffre ham come in; and fro þens he fledde to Wynchestre, and þere helde him wiþ his peple þat with him come. Kyng Arthure lete take þe body of Gaweyn his cosyn, & þe body of Anguissel, and lete ham bene borne into Scotland into her owen contre, and þere þai were enterede.

¶ And anone after þat, Kyng Arthur toke his wey to destroie Mordrede; and he fledde fro þens into Cornewaile. ¶ The Quene Gunnore, þat was Kyng Arthures wif, þat þo soiournede at Ȝork, and herde þat Mordrede was fledde þens þat he was, and miȝt nouȝt endure aȝeynes Kyng Arthure, she was sore adrade, and hade grete doute, and wist nouȝt what was best al forto done, for she wiste wel here lorde Kyng Arthure wolde nouȝt of her haue

mercy, for þe grete shame þat she to him hade done; and toke her wai priuely wiþ iiij men and wiþ no mo, & come to Kerlioun, and þere she duellede al her lifes tyme, þat neuer was seyn amonges folc, her lif duryng. ¶ Arthure wist þat Mordrede was fledde into Cornewail. he lete sende after his men into Scotland, & into Northumberland vnto Humber, and lete assemble folc wiþout noumbre, & come fro þens into Cornewaile to seche and pursue after Mordrede. and Mordrede hade assemblede al þe folc of Cornwayle, and hade peple wiþoute nombre, & wist þat [MS Rawlinson B 171 47a] Arthure Was comyng. he hade leuer to Dye and tak his chaunce, þan lenger flee, and abode and ȝaf an harde bataile to Kyng Arthur & to his peple, so þat so miche peple was slayn,— What in þat one halfe and in þat oþer,—þat noman wiste who þat hade þe better partie. ¶ But so hit bifelle at the laste, þat Mordrede was slayn, and al his folc, and al þe gode chiualry þat Kyng Arthure hade gaderede and norisshede of diuerseȝ landes; and also þe noble Knyghtes of þe rounde table, þat so miche were preisede þrouȝ al þe worlde, weren þere slayn; and Arthure himself was wondede to þe deth. but he lete him bene born in a liter to Auyoun, to bene helede of his wondes; and ȝitte þe Britons supposen þat he Leueþ in a-noþere lande, and þat he shal come ȝit and conquere al Britaigne; but certes þis is þe prophecie of Merlyn: he saide þat his deþ shulde bene dotous; and he saide sothe, for men þerof ȝitte hauen doute, and shal for euermore, as me saiþ, for men weten nouȝt wheþer þat he leueþ or is dede. ¶ Arthure was born to Auyoun þe xxij ȝere of his regne After þe Incarnacioun of oure lorde Ihesu Crist v. C and xlvj^ti ȝere.