Compare 1587 edition: 1 Firſt ſuche Ambaſſadors as were ſent from Mordred vnto Eugenius king of the Scottes,Eugenius the Scottiſh king agreeable to the requeſt of the Pictes. found him very agreeable vnto their requeſts, and the ſooner, for that ſuch Scottiſh rebels as fledde vnto Arthure, were not onely receyued by him, but alſo mainteyned to make rodes and incurſi|ons into the Scottiſh borders.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Arthur hauing knowledge of the deuiſes of his enimies (the warres being firſt proclaymed) hee furniſhed all the ſea coaſts with notable numbers of men, to withſtand the landing of the Saxons, if they ſhould fortune to attempt any inuaſion.Arthure ſet|teth forwarde towarde the Scottes and Pictes. That done, he paſſed forth with the reſidue of his people towarde the Scottes and Pictes, who were alreadie aſſembled in campe, and were come [figure appears here on page 133] as farre as the Ryuer of Humber,Humber a fa|tall place for the Brytaynes to be vanqui|ſhed at. neare to the bankes whereof they had pitched their tents, as in a place fatall for the Brytaynes to be vanqui|ſhed in.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Both the armies being brought here into or|der of battaile,Biſhops trauel betwixt the parties to bring them to cõmunication for a peace. the one in ſight of the other, there were certain Biſhops of thoſe three nations, that tooke great paynes to ride to and fro betwixt thẽ, to exhort the kings vnto peace and concord, con|ſidering what miſchiefe & great bloudſhed ſhould enſue, if vpon wilfulneſſe they would ſeeke to trie that by dint of ſworde, which they might make an ende of, by meanes of amiable treatie & friend|ly agreement. Again, they could not do the thing that might more content the Saxons, common enimies to the chriſtian religion, than if by theyr encoũtring togither in battail, they ſhould ſo en|feeble their whole powers, whereby the Saxons might haue readie meanes and occaſion offred to execute their greedy deſires to cõquer y^e whole ile.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 The Pictish ambassadors returning home with this The Picts purpose to be reuenged on the Britains by open war. answer, caused the whole nation to take such dis [...]aine therewith, that immediatlie they resolued to re|uenge their wrongs by open warres; but first they thought good to trie if they might procure the Sco|tishmen to take part with them, in reuenge of such The Picts solicit both Scots and Saxons to make warre vpon the Bri|tains. iniuries as they had in like maner latelie receiued at the Britains hands. Moreouer, repenting them|selues, that they had in times past aided the Bri|tains against the Saxons, they purpose to trie if they might now mooue the same Saxons [...]tsoones to make warres vpon the Britains, thereby to be the better able to mainteine their owne quarrell against them. First, such ambassadours as were sent from Mordred vnto Eugenius king of the Scots, found Eugenius the Scotish king agréeable to the request of the Picts. him verie agreeable vnto their requests, and the soo|ner, for that such Scotish rebels as fled vnto Ar|thur, were not onelie receiued by him, but also main|teined to make rodes and incursions into the Sco|tish borders.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 5 Arthur hauing knowledge of the deuises of his enimies (the warres being first proclamed) he fur|nished all the sea-coasts with notable numbers of EEBO page image 106 men, to withstand the landing of the Saxons, if they Arthur set+teth forward toward the Scots and Picts. Humber a fa|tall place for the Britains to be vanqui|shed in. should fortune to attempt anie inuasion. That doone, he passed foorth with the residue of his people to|wards the Scots & Picts, who were alreadie assem|bled in campe, and were come as farre as the riuer of Humber, néere to the bankes whereof they had pitched their tents, as in a place fatall for the Bri|tains to be vanquished in. Both the armies being brought here into order of battell, the one in sight of the other, there were certeine bishops of those thrée Bishops tra|uell betwixt the parties to bring them to communica|tion for a peace. nations that tooke great pains to ride to and fro be|twixt them, to exhort the kings vnto peace and con|cord, considering what mischiefe and great bloud|shed should insue, if vpon wilfullnesse they would séeke to trie that by dint of sword, which they might make an end of by means of amiable treatie and friendlie agréement. Againe, they could not doo the thing that might more content the Saxons, com|mon enimies to christian religion, than if by their incountring togither in battell, they should so infée|ble their whole powers, whereby the Saxons might haue readie means and occasion offered to execute their gréedie desires to conquere the whole Ile. Mor|dred and Eugenius were persuaded by this earnest Mordred and Eugenius were persua|ded vnto peace. trauell of the bishops, to put their matter in com|promise, and to lay away their armour and weapon, if they might haue assurance that the league made with king Loth should in euerie point be obserued. Arthur likewise at the sute of the same bishops, would haue béene contented for his part to haue a|gréed herevnto; but other of the Britains, namelie those that were of kin and aliance vnto Constan|tine The Bri|tains would not consent to haue anie peace talked vpon. their prince, could in no wise be persuaded therevnto; but rather with manie reprochfull words rebuked the bishops for their vntimelie sute, seeing the enimies readie ranged in battell at point to giue the onset, so that (as they alledged) it might be doub|ted what they meant by their motion, vnlesse they went about to betraie the armie, vnder pretense of a cloked treatie for an vnprofitable agréement. These or such like words were vnneth ended, when The battell is begun. suddenlie the noise being raised on both sides; the battels rushed togither right fiercelie. The Bri|tains had the disaduantage of the place, being so in|cumbred with mires, bogs, and mosses, that they could not well aid themselues, nor handle their wea|pons to anie purpose. Yet did the battell continue A cruell bat|tell. a long time, to the destruction of such numbers of men; that the riuer Humber (néere vnto the which this field was fought) was so mingled with bloud; that the water thereof being all coloured red, caried no small number of dead bodies downe into the sea. In the middest of the fight, there was one with lowd A craftie po|licie. This was one of the Picts. voice in the British toong cried out to the Britains (of purpose prompted therevnto) that Arthur with other of the nobles on his side were slaine, and there|fore it were but follie to trust anie longer vpon vic|torie, but rather were it wisdome for euerie man by flight to prouide for his owne safetie.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 5 This voice woonderfullie incouraged the Scotish|men The Bri|tains put to flight. and Picts, but the Britains were put in such feare therewith, that the most part of them imme|diatlie herevpon fell to running away. Others of them iudging this to be but some craftie and subtill practise of the enimies deuised of purpose, as it was in déed, to discomfort them with, abode by it still: manfullie continuing in fight, till they were beaten downe and slaine in maner euerie mothers sonne. This victorie being thus hardlie got, cost more mens liues than anie other had doone of manie yeares be|fore; Twentie thousand of Scots and Picts slaine. Mordred is slaine. for of the Scots and Picts being vanquishers, there died in that mortall battell aboue 20000 men, togither with Mordred, and a great number of the nobilitie of both the nations. Of the Britains and such other as were with them in aid, there were slaine, what in battell and what in chase, at the point of 30000, among whome was Arthur himselfe, with Arthur with 30000 Bri|tains slaine. Gawan is slaine. Gawan or Galuan (as some bookes haue) brother vnto Mordred, who bare such good will and intire loue vnto his lord and maister the said Arthur, that he fought that day most earnestlie on his side against his owne naturall brother the said Mordred. Also there were killed Caime and Gawolan, with the Caime and Gawolan are slaine. most part of all the residue of the British nobilitie, and manie prisoners taken, by reason that Humber kept them in from flieng anie way foorth on the one side, which prisoners also were afterwards slaine, the gentlemen onelie excepted.