Compare 1587 edition: 1 After this, iſſuing forth of the citie,Arthures ex|hortation to his people. he willed al his men to be of good comfort, as they that fought in a iuſt quarell agaynſt Pagans, and enimies of the fayth. Mordred and his father in law Ga|wolane paſſed on before the battayles with fiue thouſande horſemen, and being come within fiue myles of the Saxons, who likewiſe were aſſem|bled in campe,An offer made by the Saxons vnto king Arthure. there came from them vnto Ar|thur Ambaſſadors, requiring him to ſtay his ior|ney for they were readie if they might haue liber|tie ſo to do, to depart out of the lande, with theyr goods and ſubſtance, without further moleſting the Brytains, either by one meanes or other.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 Arthur would neither conſent hereunto, nor yet graunt a truce for three dayes, for the which they made earneſt ſute, but bad them depart for that time, only aſſuring thẽ that he woulde not come paſſing two miles forward for that day, ſo that if they thought good, they might returne to him in the morning, and haue anſwere what the chiefeſt gouernors of his hoſt thought touching their re|queſt, by whom he woulde haue the matter more throughly debated. In the meane time whyleſt the Brytaines were buſied with hearing of theſe Ambaſſadors, & taking aduiſe what was beſt to do touching their demaund, the Saxons marched forth with all ſpeed,The Saxons comming vp|on Mordred and Gawolan, put them with their people to the worſe. and cõming vpon Mordred and Gawolan at vnwares, they gaue the onſet freſhly vpon them, & that very muche to the diſ|aduauntage of the Brytains & Pictes, who not|withſtanding through the earneſt exhortation of their captains, receyued their enimies right fierce|ly, in doing that which was poſſible for ſo ſmall a nũber to do, howbeit in the ende oppreſſed with multitude, they were forced to flie and ſo did, not reſting till they came in ſight of the whole armie. In which flight, Mordred and Gawolan by help of their ſoldiers, being moũted vpon their horſes, eſcaped without hurt, though they loſt no ſmall number of their cõpanie, as wel in the fight as in the chaſe. The Saxons Ambaſſadors being not yet departed out of the Britiſh campe, were here|vpon ſtayed till the next morning, and then had EEBO page image 130 anſwere giuen them,What anſwer the Saxons Embaſſadors had at Ar|thurs hands. that from thenceforth the Brytaynes were not mynded to heare any meſ|ſengers of the Saxons comming to intreate of peace, ſith it was manifeſt inough, they ment no|thing but falſhoode, as well appeared in that they had againſt the law of armes whileſt their Am|baſſadors were in cõmunicatiõ, diſtreſſed part of the Britiſh army, and therfore they ſhould aſſure thẽſelues, to haue at Arthures hands nothing but cruel war to the vttermoſt of his power in reuẽge of ſuch their great vntruthes & cloked dealings.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 They had vneth receyued their anſwere, but that there came from the Saxons .xl. other Am|baſſadors being mẽ of great authoritie amongſt them, to excuſe that whiche had happened ouer night,The excuſe of the Saxons. in laying the fault vpon a ſort of vndiſcrete perſons, nothing priuie vnto that which the go|uerners of the armie had done, touching the ſen|ding of their Ambaſſadours, and therevpon had without their aduiſe made that ſkirmiſh.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 By meanes also of the league, he had with him in this iournie ten thousand Picts, & as manie Scots: Eugenius nephue to king Conran by his brother Congall being generall ouer the Scots, and Mor|dred The opinion which men had conceiued o [...] Mordred for his wit & towardlinesse. the sonne of king Loth by his wife Anne, go|uerning the Picts, a lustie yoong gentleman, verie wittie and towardlie in all his dooings. Further|more, Arthur vnderstanding what hurt rest and ease had doone amongst his men of warre, caused them to keepe the field in all this iournie, and passing by Lon|don, lodged them a little beside the riuer of Thames. But he himselfe with some of his nobles, entred in|to the citie, causing supplications to be made vnto almightie God thrée daies together, for good successe to follow against the Saxons. On the fourth day hearing diuine seruice celebrated by the bishop of London, and causing a sermon to be made in the market place, he committed himselfe and his whole armie vnto the tuition of Christ, and his mother the Arthurs badge. virgine, whose image in stéed of a badge he bare in his shield continuallie from that day forward, as di|uerse héeretofore haue written. After this, issuing foorth of the citie, he willed all his men to be of good comfort, as they that fought in a iust quarell against Arthurs ex|hortation to his people. Pagans, and enimies of the faith. Mordred and his father in law Gawolane passed on before the battels with fiue thousand horssemen, and being come with|in fiue miles of the Saxons, who likewise were as|sembled in campe, there came from them vnto Ar|thur ambassadors, requiring him to staie his iour|nie, An offer made by the Sax|ons vnto king Arthur. for they were readie (if they might haue libertie so to doo) to depart out of the land with their goods and substance, without further molesting the Britains, either by one meanes or other.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Arthur would neither consent heerevnto, nor yet grant a truce for thrée daies, [...]or the which they made earnest sute, but bad them depart for that time, one|lie assuring them that he would not come passing two miles forwards for that day, so that if they thought good, they might returne to him in the mor|ning, and haue answer what the chiefest gouernors of his host thought touching their request, by whome he would haue the matter more throughlie debated. In the meane time, whilest the Britains were busied with hearing of these ambassadors, and taking ad|uise what was best to doo touching their demand, the Saxons marched foorth with all spéed, and comming vpon Mordred and Gawolan at vnwares, they gaue The Saxons comming vp|on Mordred and Gawolan put them with their people to the woorse. the onset freshlie vpon them, and that verie much to the disaduantage of the Britains and Picts, who not|withstanding, through the earnest exhortation of their capteins, receiued their enimies verie fiercelie, in dooing that which was possible for so small a num|ber to doo, howbeit in the end oppressed with multi|tude, they were forced to flée, and so did, not res [...]ng till they came in sight of the whole armie. In which flight, Mordred and Gawolan by helpe of their soul|diers, being mounted vpon their horsses, escaped without hurt, though they lost no small number of their companie, as well in the fight as in the chase.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 The Saxons ambassadors being not yet departed out of the British campe, were héerevpon staied till the next morning, and then had answer giuen them, What answer the Saxons ambassadors had at Ar|thurs hands. that from thencefoorth the Britains were not minded to heare anie messengers of the Saxons comming to intreat of peace, since it was manifest enough, they ment nothing but falshood, as well appéered in that they had against the law of armes, whilest their ambassadors were in communication, distressed part of the British armie, and therefore they should assure themselues, to haue at Arthurs hands nothing but cruell war to the vttermost of his power, in re|uenge of such their great vntruths and cloked dea|lings. They had scarse receiued their answer, but that there came from the Saxons fortie other ambassa|dors, being men of great authoritie amongst them, to excuse that which had happened ouer night, in lai|eng the fault vpon a sort of vndiscréet persons, no|thing The excuse of the Saxons. priuie vnto that which the gouernors of the ar|mie had doone, touching the sending of their ambas|sadors, and therevpon had without their aduise made that skirmish.