be celebrated, which is called the Purification, on the second day of February, and the pestilence ceased. The same year, Mordred, the nephew of Arthur, to whom Arthur had entrusted Britain, caused himself to be crowned with his uncle's diadem, and took his queen, Guenhumara, to be his own wife, violating the rights of her former marriage. And that traitor was confederate with the Saxons, who under the command of Cheldric came from Germany with eight hundred ships full of soldiers, who all obeyed Mordred as their own lord. And when the infamy of that wickedness came to the ears of Arthur, who had already began to ascend the Alps on his march towards Borne, he returned with only the kings of the island towards Britain, inflamed with the greatest wrath and inextinguishable hatred against Mordred. A.D . 541. A comet appeared in Gaul, so bright that the whole heaven appeared to be on fire. And the same year, real blood rained out of the clouds ; and about the same time, a certain individual's house was seen to be sprinkled with blood, and a terrible mortality of men followed. The same year, the noble king Arthur, coming to Britain with great haste, arranged to land in the harbour of Butupium, which is now called Sandwich. And while he was disembarking, Mordred, with a very numerous army came against him, and inflicted no small slaughter on his troops as they were landing. On that day Anguselus, King of Albany, fell, and Walwan, the king's grandson, and innumerable others. But at last, after a great deal of labour and a doubtful and bloody battle, Arthur and his army effected their landing. And then attacking the enemy with great impetuosity, they put Mordred and hie army to flight, with no ordinary loss. And Mordred, rallying his forces as well as he could, threw himself into 'Winchester. And when the news of this event was brought to queen Guenhumara, she fled in haste to Caerleon, and there took upon herself a religious habit amongst the nuns in the monastery of Julius the Martyr. Arthur, greatly enraged, hastened to Winchester and besieged Mordred, who had already entered that city. But in the morning, having marshalled his troops, Mordred sallied ont from the city and attacked the king vigorously. Then there was no small slaughter made of the opposing armies, but at