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And at that Maldebrwm, one of the pagans' chief men, called Gwenlwyd to him, and gave him a sword with its hilt of noble gold, and he spoke with him thus: "By this sword," he said, "than which no better sword went on a [man's] side, I will bind myself to you in friendship. And for that, noble, honorable vassal, I ask that you arrange, as far as you are able, for me to fight with Rolant before anyone. And I swear to you on the relics of Mahumet that, unless I am killed first, Rolant will be killed by my right hand."

And then Kilbrwm came toward Gwenlwyd to offer him his helmet, with this speech: "Take, good vassal, that which is fitting for you - a fine gift. This gift," he said, "never has a helmet better than it gone on a man's head - the most precious gold solders and welds its bands; and a carbuncle in its crest adorns it at the top, and that lights through the night the way it goes, as the sun the day, as far as it reaches. And reciprocate to me, by way of recompense for so great a gift as that, by having us meet Rolant so that we can bring low his pride." "If I understand the transaction," said Gwenlwyd, "I shall bring it about that you have your desire concerning that."

At the Spanish king Marsli's court, Gwenlwyd (who has by now made a pact with the pagan wiseman Balacawnt to betray Rolant) has made a speech before the king and his head warriors, explaining that Chiarlymaen would essentially cease to be a threat to the pagan world if Rolant, his right hand, were killed, along with the Twelve Peers. The pagans are planning their ambush on Chiarlymaen's rearguard, which will be led by Rolant. Cân Rolant gives a relatively large number of explicit individual voices to the pagans, whose newly-discovered hatred for Rolant is expressed here.

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