Twelve knights guarded them day and night, who
were wearily oppressed with watching, in London. Octa heard say of the
sickness of the king, and spake with the guardsmen, who should keep
him: "Hearken to me now, knights, what I will make known to you. We
lie here in London fast bound, and ye many a long day have watched
over us. Better were it for us to live in Saxland, with much wealth,
than thus miserably here lie asleep. And if ye would in all things
accomplish this, and do my will, I would give you land, much silver
and gold, so that ever ye might richly rule in the land, and live your
life as to you shall be liefest of all. For ye shall never have good
gifts of Uther, your king, for now full soon he will be dead, and his
people all desert, then will ye have neither, the one nor the other.
But bethink you, brave men, and give to us your compassion, and think
what were lief to you, if ye thus lay bound, and might in your land
live in joy." Very oft Octa spake so with these knights. The knights
gan to commune, the knights gan to counsel, and to Octa they said full
still: "We shall do thy will.
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