CHAPTER X
 
 How King Arthur had a battle against Nero and King Lot of Orkney,
 and how King Lot was deceived by Merlin, and how twelve kings
 were slain.
 
 THEN King Arthur made ready his host in ten battles and Nero was
 ready in the field afore the Castle Terrabil with a great host,
 and he had ten battles, with many more people than Arthur had. 
 Then Nero had the vanguard with the most part of his people, and
 Merlin came to King Lot of the Isle of Orkney, and held him with
 a tale of prophecy, till Nero and his people were destroyed.  And
 there Sir Kay the seneschal did passingly well, that the days of
 his life the worship went never from him; and Sir Hervis de Revel
 did marvellous deeds with King Arthur, and King Arthur slew that
 day twenty knights <63>and maimed forty.  At that time came in
 the Knight with the Two Swords and his brother Balan, but they
 two did so marvellously that the king and all the knights
 marvelled of them, and all they that beheld them said they were
 sent from heaven as angels, or devils from hell; and King Arthur
 said himself they were the best knights that ever he saw, for
 they gave such strokes that all men had wonder of them.
 
 In the meanwhile came one to King Lot, and told him while he
 tarried there Nero was destroyed and slain with all his people. 
 Alas, said King Lot, I am ashamed, for by my default there is
 many a worshipful man slain, for an we had been together there
 had been none host under the heaven that had been able for to
 have matched with us; this faiter with his prophecy hath mocked
 me.  All that did Merlin, for he knew well that an King Lot had
 been with his body there at the first battle, King Arthur had
 been slain, and all his people destroyed; and well Merlin knew
 that one of the kings should be dead that day, and loath was
 Merlin that any of them both should be slain; but of the twain,
 he had liefer King Lot had been slain than King Arthur.  Now what
 is best to do? said King Lot of Orkney; whether is me better to
 treat with King Arthur or to fight, for the greater part of our
 people are slain and destroyed?  Sir, said a knight, set on
 Arthur for they are weary and forfoughten and we be fresh.  As
 for me, said King Lot, I would every knight would do his part as
 I would do mine.  And then they advanced banners and smote
 together and all to-shivered their spears; and Arthur's knights,
 with the help of the Knight with the Two Swords and his brother
 Balan put King Lot and his host to the worse.  But always King
 Lot held him in the foremost front, and did marvellous deeds of
 arms, for all his host was borne up by his hands, for he abode
 all knights.  Alas he might not endure, the which was great pity,
 that so worthy a knight as he was one should be overmatched, that
 of late time afore had been a knight of King Arthur's, and wedded
 the sister of King Arthur; and for King Arthur lay by King Lot's
 <64>wife, the which was Arthur's sister, and gat on her Mordred,
 therefore King Lot held against Arthur.  So there was a knight
 that was called the Knight with the Strange Beast, and at that
 time his right name was called Pellinore, the which was a good
 man of prowess, and he smote a mighty stroke at King Lot as he
 fought with all his enemies, and he failed of his stroke, and
 smote the horse's neck, that he fell to the ground with King Lot. 
 And therewith anon Pellinore smote him a great stroke through the
 helm and head unto the brows.  And then all the host of Orkney
 fled for the death of King Lot, and there were slain many
 mothers' sons.  But King Pellinore bare the wite of the death of
 King Lot, wherefore Sir Gawaine revenged the death of his father
 the tenth year after he was made knight, and slew King Pellinore
 with his own hands.  Also there were slain at that battle twelve
 kings on the side of King Lot with Nero, and all were buried in
 the Church of Saint Stephen's in Camelot, and the remnant of
 knights and of others were buried in a great rock.