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meet him, and they crashed together so fiercely that their shields were torn apart and the horses fell to the ground, and both the English knight and the French knight were stunned so that many thought them dead. When Sir Lucas saw Sir Gryfflet lying on the ground, he charged into the French knights and laid about him with his sword and engaged with many at one time. And with that Sir Kay, followed by five knights, rode suddenly out and struck down six of the opponents. No one fought so well as Sir Kay that afternoon, but two French knights, Sir Ladynas and Sir Grastian, earned the praise of everyone. When the good knight Sir Placidas engaged Sir Kay and struck him down, horse and man, rage rose in Gryfflet so that he toppled Sir Placidas. Then the rage entered the five knights when they saw Sir Kay fallen and each of them picked out a French knight and each unhorsed his adversary.
    Now King Arthur and his allies, Ban and Bors, saw the battle rage rising on both sides and they knew that the tournament would cease to be a sport and turn to deadly war. The three leaped from the stand and mounted small hackneys and rode into the field to control the angry men. They ordered them to stop the fight and retire from the field and go to their quarters. And after a while the men cooled their anger and obeyed their kings. They went home and took off their armor and went quietly to evensong and, thus soothed, ate their suppers.
    After supper, the three kings went into a garden and there awarded the prizes for the tournament to Sir Kay, Sir Lucas the Butler and to young Gryfflet. And after that they went into council and called to them Sir Ulfius and Sir Brastias and Merlin. They discussed the coming war and argued about the means of fighting it, but they were weary and retired to bed. In the morning after they had heard Mass they came back to council and there were many opinions about what was best to do, but eventually they agreed upon a plan. Merlin and Sir Grastian and Sir Placidas should return to France—the two knights to guard and protect and govern the kingdoms there and Merlin to raise an army to bring across the Channel. The royal rings of Ban and Bors were given them as tokens of their authority.
    The three traveled to France and came to Benwick, where the people accepted the authority of the rings. They begged to know about the health and success of their kings and they were glad to hear good news of them.
    Then Merlin, by authority of the king, called all the available fighting men together, instructing them to come armed and armored and with provisions for the journey. Fifteen thousand men at arms answered the call, both horse and foot. They gathered on the coast with their equipment and provisions. Merlin chose ten thousand horsemen from among them and sent the rest back to help Grastian and Placidas defend the country against their enemy King Claudas.
    Then Merlin collected shipping and embarked the horses and the men at arms and his fleet crossed the Channel safely and landed at Dover. And he led his army northward by secret ways, under the cover of forests and by hidden valleys, and encamped them at Bedgrayne in a hidden valley surrounded by forest. He ordered them to remain hidden and then Merlin rode on to Arthur and the two kings and told them what he had done and how ten thousand horsemen, armed and ready, were secretly encamped in the Forest of Bedgrayne. The kings were amazed that Merlin had accomplished so much so quickly, for it seemed to them a miracle, and it was.
    Then King Arthur put his army of twenty thousand in motion, and to prevent spies from knowing his movements, he sent advance guards ahead to challenge and capture anyone who could not produce the king’s seal and token. His army moved day and night without resting until they came near to the Forest of Bedgrayne, where the kings went into the hidden valley and found the well-armed secret army. And they were very glad and ordered that everyone