The two contenders met, with all their troops, on the field of Camlan tonegotiate. Both sides were fully armed, and desperately suspicious that theother side was going to try some ruse or stratagem. The negotiations weregoing along smoothly until one of the knights was stung by an asp, and drew hissword to kill the reptile. The others saw the sword being drawn andimmediately fell upon each other. A tremendous slaughter ensued. Thechronicle is quite specific about the point that the slaughter was excessivechiefly because the battle took place without preparations or premeditation.