Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Wherevpon incountering them twise in battell, Arthur dis|comfiteth the Saxons twise in battel & then againe laieth siege to yorke and winneth it. he obteined the victorie, and then besieging Yorke, at length he entered into that citie, by meanes of a Britaine, who dwelling amongst the Saxons there, in the night season conueied a sort of Britains into the citie, the which breaking open the gates in the dead of the night, did let in all the whole host. Where Arthur would not suffer his men to make any great murther of the enimies, which were content to yéeld themselues, but vsed them very gently, therby to win Arthur vseth the victo [...]e with gentle|nesse. more praise amongst all those that heard of his woor|thie victories. The Britains hauing thus conquered the citie of Yorke, manie feats of armes were dai|lie practised betwixt them and the Saxons, which held possession still of the countrie thereabouts. But the Britains lieng in that citie all the summer and win|ter The Bri|tains soiour|ning for the winter time within yorke, giue thẽselues vnto banket|ting & volup|tuousnesse. following, at length began to take their ease, namelie in the depth of winter, and therewith gaue themselues to banketting, drinking, plaie, and other kinds of voluptuous pleasures, so that it seemed they trusted more to their passed victories, than to their present force, not fearing such dangers as was like to follow.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 It is thought of some, that about the same time, Arthur first instituted, that the seast of Christmasse should be kept with such excesse of meats and drinks, in all kinds of inordinate banketting and reuell for the space of thirteene daies togither, according to the custome vsed still through both the realmes of England and Scotland euen vnto this day, resem|bling the feasts which the gentiles vsed to kéepe in the honor of their drunken god Bacchus, called in Latin Bacchanalia: wherein all kinds of beastlie lust and Christmasse bankets re|sembling the feasts Bac|chanalia. sensuall voluptuousnes was put in vre. But whence soeuer, or by whome soeuer this insatiable gourman|dise came vp amongst vs, suerlie a great abuse it is, to see the people at such a solemne feast, where they ought to be occupied in thanks giuing to almightie God, for the sending downe of his onelie begotten sonne amongst vs, to giue themselues in manner wholie to gluttonie, and excessiue filling of their bel|lies, with such maner of lewd and wanton pastimes, as though they should rather celebrate the same feasts of Bacchanalia, and those other which the gen|tiles also kept, called Floralia, and Priapalia, than the remembrance of Christs natiuitie, who abhorreth all maner of such excesse.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 But now to my purpose. When the next sum|mer was once come, Arthur led foorth his Britains against their enimies, but by reason of such ease and pleasure as they had taken whilest they soiourned in Yorke, being now come into the field, they were able The Bri|tains through rest and ease became vnapt to susteine the paines of warres. A league con|cluded be|twixt Arthur king of Bri|tains, & Loth king of Picts. to abide no paines, so that no good was doone of cer|teine yéers after, till finallie Arthur ioined in league with Loth king of the Picts. The conditions of which league were these. That Arthur during his naturall life should reigne as king of the Britains, and after his decease, the kingdome to remaine vnto Mordred and his issue, if he chanced to haue anie. That the Picts should aid the Britains against the Saxons, and haue all such land as might be recouered of them beyond Humber. Also the league which was betwixt them and the Scots, they should dulie obsurue. Mor|dred should marrie the daughter of Gawolan a no|ble Mordred ma|r [...]h the daughter of one Gawolan a Britaine. man amongst the Britains, and of highest autho|ritie next vnto Arthur himselfe: the children of this marriage to be brought vp with their grandfather in Britaine, till they came to yeeres of discretion. Gawan the brother of the foresaid Mordred, should Gawan or Gawen in ser|uice with [...]. Arthur. serue king Arthur, and receiue at his hands large interteinment, and great possessions to mainteine therewith his estate.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The Brytaines hauing thus conquered the Citie of Yorke, many feates of armes were day|ly practized betwixt them and the Saxons, which held poſſeſſion ſtill of the countrey there aboutes. But the Britaines lying in that citie al the ſom|mer and winter following,The Brytaines ſoiourning for the winter time within Yorke, giue themſelues vnto banket|ting and vo|luptuouſneſſe. at length beganne to take their eaſe, namely in the depth of the winter, and therewith gaue themſelues to banketting, drinking, play, and other kindes of voluptuous pleſures, ſo y^t it ſeemed they truſted more to their paſſed victories than to their preſent force, not fearing ſuche danger as was like to follow.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 It is thought of ſome, that aboute the ſame tyme, Arthur firſte inſtituted, that the feaſte of Chriſtmaſſe ſhoulde be kept with ſuch exceſſe of meates and drinkes, in all kyndes of inor|dinate banquetting and reuell for the ſpace of thirtene dayes togyther, according to the cu|ſtome vſed ſtill throughe both the Realmes EEBO page image 128 of England and Scotlande euen vnto this day, reſembling the feaſtes which the Gentiles vſed to keepe in the honour of their dronken God Bac|chus,Chriſtmas ban+kets reſem|bling the feaſtes Bac|chanalia. called in latine Bacchanalia: wherein all kindes of beaſtly luſt and ſenſuall voluptuouſ|neſſe was put in vre. But whence ſoeuer, or by whom ſoeuer this inſatiable gourmandiſe came vp amongſt vs, ſurely a great abuſe it is, to ſee the people at ſuche a ſolemne feaſt (where they ought to bee occupied in thankes giuing to al|mightie God, for the ſending downe of his onely begotten ſonne amongſt vs to giue themſelues in maner wholy to gluttonie and exceſſiue fil|ling of their bellies, with ſuch maner of lewd and wanton paſtimes, as though they ſhoulde rather celebrate the ſame feaſtes of Bacchanalia, and thoſe other which the Gentiles alſo kept, called Floralia, and Priapalia, than the remembrance of Chriſtes natiuitie, who abhorreth all maner of ſuch exceſſe.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 But nowe to my purpoſe. When the next Sommer was once come, Arthure led forth hys Brytaynes agaynſt their enimies, but by reaſon of ſuch eaſe and pleaſure as they had taken why|leſt they ſoiourned in Yorke,The Brytaines through reſt and eaſe be|came vnapt to ſuſteyne the paynes of warres. being nowe come into the field, they were able to abide no paynes, ſo that no good was done of certaine yeares af|ter, till finally Arthure ioyned in league wyth Loth king of the Picts. The conditions of which league were theſe. That Arthure during his na|turall life ſhould raigne as king of the Brytains,A league con|cluded be|twixt Arthure king of Bry|taynes, and Loth king of Pictes. and after his deceaſſe, the kingdome to remaine vnto Mordred and his iſſue, if he chaunced to haue any. That the Pictes ſhould ayde the Bri|taynes agaynſt the Saxons, and haue all ſuche landes as might bee recouered of them beyonde Humber. Alſo the league whiche was betwixt them and the Scottes,Mordred ma|rieth the daughter of one Gawolane a Brytayne. they ſhould duely obſerue. Mordred ſhould marrie the daughter of Gawo|lan a noble man amongſt the Brytaynes, and of higheſt authoritie next vnto Arthure himſelfe: the children of this maryage to bee brought vp with their grandfather in Brytain, till they came to yeares of diſcretion.Gawan or Ga|wen in ſeruice with king Arthure. Gawan the brother of the foreſayde Mordred, ſhoulde ſerue king Ar|thure, and receyue at his handes large entertain|ment, and great poſſeſſions to mainteyne there|with his eſtate.