Then spoke earl Adils,
'Now, methinks, that has come to pass,
O king, which I said,
that ye would find tricksters in the English.
We have sat here long time and waited
while they have gathered to them all their forces,
whereas their king can have been nowhere
near when we came here.
They will have been assembling a multitude
while we were sitting still.
Now this is my counsel, O king,
that we two brothers ride at once forward
this very night with our troop.
It may be they will have no fear for themselves,
now they know that their king is near with a large army.
So we shall make a dash upon them.
But if they turn and fly, they will lose some of their men,
and be less bold afterwards for conflict with us.'

The king thought
this good counsel.
'We will here make
ready our army,' said he,
'as soon as it is light,
and move to support you.'
This plan they fixed upon,
and so ended the council.