If you fightwith Sir Modred to-morrow, you must be slain, and most of your people onboth sides." So Sir Gawaine and all the ladies vanished, and then the kingcalled upon his knights and squires and yeomen, and summoned his lords andbishops. They agreed to propose to Sir Modred that they should have amonth's delay, and meanwhile agreed to meet him with fourteen persons oneach side, besides Arthur and Modred.Each of these leaders warned his army, when they met, to watch the other,and not to draw their swords until they saw a drawn sword on the otherside. In that case they were to come on fiercely. So the small party ofchosen men on each side met and drank wine together, and agreed upon amonth's delay before fighting; but while this was going on an adder cameout of a bush and stung a knight on the foot, and he drew his sword toslay it and thought of nothing farther. At the sight of that sword the twoarmies were in motion, trumpets were blown instantly, and the men of eacharmy thought that the other army had begun the fray. "Alas, this unhappyday!" cried King Arthur; and, as the old chronicle says, "nothing therewas but rushing and riding, fencing and striking, and many a grim word wasthere spoken either to other, and many a deadly stroke."The following is the oldest account of the battle, translated into quaintand literal English by Madden from the book called "Layamon's Brut";"Innumerable folk it came toward the host, riding and on foot, as the raindown falleth! Arthur marched to Cornwall, with an immense army.
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