5.69.
ArthurArthure.
ArthurArthure.
[figure appears here on page 131]
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1
2
3 After the deceaſe of Vter
Pendragon (as we finde in the Britiſhe hiſtories, his ſonne Arthur, a yong
towardly Gentleman, of the age of .xv. yeares or theraboutes, began his
reigne ouer the Britons in the yere of our lord .516. or as Math.516. Math. VVeſt hath noted .5 [...]
Weſt. hath .57. in ye .18. yere of the emperor Ana|ſtaſius,
& in the .iij. yere of the reignes of Ch [...]|bert, Clathare, Clodain [...]e, & Theodorik brethrẽ, yt were [...] of the Frenchmẽ. Of this Arthure [...] are writen beyond credite, for that there is no ancient author of
authoritie that cõ|firmeth the ſame: But [...]inely as may be thought he was ſome worthie man, and by all [...] a great [...] to the Saxons, by rea [...] wherof the Wei [...]hemen which or the very Brytons in [...] haue [...] fa [...]
[...]. He fought as the common report of him goeth .xi [...]. notable batayles agaynſt the Saxons, and in euery of them wente
awaye with the victorie. But yet hee myghte not vtterlye dryue them oute of
EEBO page image 136 the lande, but that they kepte ſtill the countreys
whiche they had in poſſeſſion, as Kent, South|rey, Northfolke, and others:
howbeit ſome wri|ters teſtifie, that they helde theſe countreyes as
tributaries to Arthure. But trouth it is (as dy|uers authours agree) that
hee helde continuall warre agaynſt them, and alſo agaynſt the Pic|tes, the
whiche were alyed wyth the Saxons: For as in the Scottiſhe hiſtories is
conteyned, euen at the fyrſte beginning of hys reigne, the two kings of Scottes and Pictes ſeemed to en|uie hys
aduauncemente to the crowne of Bry|tayne, bycauſe that they had maryed the
two ſyſters of the two brethren, Aurelius Ambro|ſius, and Vter Pendragon,
that is to witte, Loth kyng of Pictes hadde maryed Anne theyr eldeſt ſyſter,
and Conran kyng of Scottes had in maryage Alda theyr yonger ſiſter, ſo that
bi|cauſe Arthur was begot out of wedlocke, they thoughte it ſtoode wyth more
reaſon, that the kyngdome of the Brytons
ſhould haue deſcen|ded vnto the ſiſters ſonnes rather than to a ba|ſtarde,
namely Loth the Pictiſhe king, whyche had iſſue by his wyfe Anna, ſore
repined at the matter: and therefore at the fyrſt when he ſawe that by ſuite
he coulde not preuayle, hee ioyned in league wyth the Saxons, and ayding
them agaynſte Arthure, loſte many of his menne of warre being ouerthrown in
battayle, which he had ſent vnto the ſuccours of Colgerne the Sa|xon
Prince that ruled as then in the north
par|tes. But fynallye a league was concluded be|twixte Arthur and the
foreſayde Lothe kyng of Pictes, vpon certain conditions, as in the
Scot|tiſhe hiſtory is expreſſed, where ye may read the ſame, with many other
things touching the acts of Arthure, ſomewhat in other order, than oure
writers haue recorded.
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1 The Britiſhe authors
declare, that Arthure immediately after he had receyued the Crowne of
Dubrighte Biſhoppe of Caerlleon, wente wyth his power of Brytons agaynſt the
Sax|ons of Northumberlande, whiche had to their Capitayne, as before is
ſayde one Colgrime or Colgerne, whome Arthure diſcomfited and cha|ſed into
the Citie of Yorke,Yorke beſie|ged. within which
place Arthur beſieged him, til at length the ſame Col|grime eſcaped out of
the Citie,Cheldrike co|nmeth in ap [...] of Colgrime. and leauing it in charge with his brother
called Bladulffe paſſed ouer into Germanie vnto Cheldrike kyng of that
Countrey, of whome he obteyned ſuccors, ſo that the ſayde Cheldrike made
prouiſion of menne and ſhippes,Mat [...]. VVeſt hath but [...] hundred. and came hymſelfe ouer i [...]|to Scotlande, hauing in his company .xv. hun|dred ſayles of one and
other.
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1 When Arthur was
aduertiſed thereof, he rey|ſed his ſiege, and withdrewe to London, ſending
letters with all ſpeede vnto Howell king of lit|tle Britayne in Fraunce,
that was his ſiſters ſonne, requiring hym in moſte earneſt wyſe of
ayde.Hovvell [...] of Britayn [...]|meth ouer a ayde of [...]
Howell incontinentely aſſembled hys people, to the number of xv.
thouſande men, and taking the ſea, landed with them at Southamp|ton, where
Arthure was ready to receyue hym with great ioye and gladneſſe. From thence
they drewe Northewardes, where both the hoſtes of Arthur and Howell beeing
aſſembled together, marched forewarde to Lyncolne, whiche Citie Cheldrike
did as then beſiege.
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1 Heere Arthur and Howell
aſſayling the Sa|xons
[figure appears here on page 136] with greate force and
manhoode, and at lengthe after greate ſlaughter made of the eni|myes, they
obteyned the victorye, and chaſed Chelderyke) wyth the reſ [...]dewe of the Saxons that were lefte alyue) vnto a woodde, where they
compaſſed them aboute wythin the ſame,Childerike
o|uerthrovvne in batayle. in ſuche wyſe, that in the ende they
were con|ſtreyned to yeelde themſelues, wyth condition EEBO page image 133
that they myghte bee ſuffred to departe a foote to their ſhippes, and ſo
auoyde the lande, leauyng theyr horſe, armour, and other furniture vnto the
Brytons.
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1 Heerevpon the Brytons
takyng good hoſt a|ges for aſſuraunce, permitted the Saxons to go their
ways, and ſo Cheldrike and his people got them to theyr ſhippes, in purpoſe
to returne in|to their countrey: but being on the ſea, they were forted by
wynde to chaunge theyr courſe, and comming
on the coaſtes of the Weaſt partes of Britayne, they arriued at Totneſſe,
and con|trarye to the couenaunted articles of theyr laſte compoſition wyth
Arthure, inuade the countrey of newe, and taking ſuch armure as they could
fynde, marched foorth in robbing and ſpoyling the people, til they came to
Bathe, which towne the Brytons kepte and defended agaynſt them, not ſuffryng
them by any meanes to enter there,Bathe beſieged
wherevppon the Saxons enuironed it with a ſtrong ſiege.
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1 Arthur enfourmed hereof,
with all ſpeede ha|ſted
[figure appears here on page 133] thyther, &
giuyng the enimies battayle, ſlew the moſte parte of Cheldrikes men.The Saxons ouerthrovve Colgrime and Bladulff.
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1 There were ſlayne both
Colgrime and Bla|dulff, howbeit Cheldrike himſelfe fled out of the fielde
towardes his ſhippes, but beeing purſued by Cador Earle of Cornewall (that
had with him .x.Cheldrik ſlayne by Cador duke of
Cornvvall. thouſande men) by Arthures appoynte|ment, he was
ouertaken and in fight ſlayn with all his people.
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1 Arthur himſelfe retourned
from this battayle foughten at Bathe with all ſpeede towardes the marches of
Scotlande, for that he hadde recey|ued aduertiſement,K.
Hovvell be|ſieged by the Scottes. howe the Scottes had be|ſieged
Howell kyng of Brytayne there, as hee laye ſicke.
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1 Alſo when Cador had
accompliſhed his en|terpryſe and ſlayne Chelderike, hee retourned with as
muche ſpeede as was poſſible towardes Arthure, and founde him in Scotlande,
where he reſkued Howell, and afterwarde purſued the Scottes which fled before him by heapes.
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1
Guillomer.About the ſame tyme one Guillomer king
of Ireland arriued in Scotlande with a myghtie power of Iriſhmen (neare to
the place where Ar|thur lodged) to healpe the Scottes agaynſte the Britons:
whervpon Arthur turning his forces towardes the ſame Guillomer, vanquiſhed
him, and chaſed him into Irelande.
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1 This don, he cõtinued in
purſute of the Scots til he cauſed thẽ to ſue for pardon, and to ſubmit
themſelues wholly to him, and ſo receiuing them to mercie, and taking homage
of them, hee re|turned to Yorke,Guenever. and
ſhortly after tooke to wyfe one Guenhera a right beautifull Lady, that was
neere kinſwoman to Cador Erle of Cornwall.
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1 In the yeare
folowing,VVil. Harriſon noteth it to be which
Hariſon noteth to be. 525. he went into Irelande, and diſcomfi|ting king
Guillomere in battayle,525. hee conſtray|ned him
to yelde, and to acknowledge by doing his fealtie to holde the realme of
Ireland of him.
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1 It is further remembred
in thoſe Britiſhe hi|ſtories,Gothland [...]. that hee ſubdued Gutlande and Iſeland with all the Iſles
in and about thoſe ſeas.
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1 Alſo that hee ouercame
the Romaines in the countrey aboute Parys wyth theyr capitayne Lucius, and
waſted the moſte parte of all Fraunce, and ſlewe in ſyngular combates
cer|tayne Gyauntes that were of paſſyng force and hugeneſſe of ſtature.
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1 And if he had not bene
reuoked home to reſiſt his couſin Mordred that was ſon to Loth king of
Pightlande that rebelled in his countrey, he had paſſed to Rome, intending
to make himſelfe Emperour, and afterwarde to vanquiſhe the o|ther Emperoure,
that then ruled the Empire: but for ſo muche as there is not anye appro|ued
EEBO page image 134 authour dothe ſpeake of any ſuche doings, the Britons
are thoughte to haue regiſtred mere fables in ſtede of true matter, vpon a
vayne de|ſire to aduaunce more than reaſon woulde, thys Arthur theyr noble
champion, as the Frenche|men haue doone by their Roulande, and others. But
to proceede.
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1 At his returne into
Britayne, he found [...] that Mordred had cauſed himſelfe to be made kyng,Rather Cer|dick as Io. Le|land thinketh. and hauing alyed himſelf
with Cheldrike a Sa|xon, not hym whome
Galfride (as yee haue heard,) ſuppoſeth to haue ben ſlaine before, was
readie to reſiſt his landing, ſo that before he could come a lande, he loſt
many of his men: but yet at lengthe hee repulſed the enimies, and ſo tooke
lande at Sandwiche, where he fyrſte arriued: and then ioyning in battayle
wyth his enimies, diſ|comfited them, but not without great loſſe of his
people: ſpecially hee ſore lamented the death of Gawayn the brother of
Mordred, whyche lyke a faythfull
gentleman, regarding more his ho|nour and loyall truthe than neareneſſe of
bloud and couſinage, choſe rather to fight in the qua|rell of his liege king
and louing maiſter, than to take parte with his naturall brother in an
vn|iuſt cauſe, and ſo there in the battaile was ſlayn, together alſo with
Anguſſell, to whome Arthur afore tyme had committed the gouernemente of
Scotland. Mordred fled from this battayle, and getting ſhippes, ſayled
Weſtwarde, and fy|nally landed in Cornewall.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 King Arthur cauſed the
corps of Gaway [...] to be buryed at Douer,Gawa [...]ed at [...]
(as ſome holde opinion:) But Willyam Malmeſburie ſuppoſeth, he was
buryed in Wales, as after ſhall be ſhewed.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 The dead bodie of
Anguyſſell was conueyed into Scotlande, and was there buryed.
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1 After that Arthur hadde
put his enimies to flight, and had knowledge into what part Mor|dred was
withdrawne, wyth all ſpeede he rein|forced his armie with newe ſupplyes of
ſouldi|ours called out of diuers parties, and with hys whole puiſſaunce,
haſted forwarde; not reſting tyll hee came neere to the place where Mordred
was encamped, wyth ſuche an A [...]iye as hee coulde aſſemble togither oute of all ſuch parties where he
had any frendes.
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1 Here (as it appeareth by
Iohn Leylande, in his booke entitled, The Aſſertion of Arthure,) it
may be doubted in what place Mordred was en|camped: but Geffrey of Monmouthe
ſheweth, that after Arthure hadde diſcomfyted Mordred in Kent at the firſte
landyng, it chaunced ſo that Mordred eſcaped, and fledde to Wyncheſter,
whyther Arthure followed hym, and there gy|uyng hym battayle the ſeconde
tyme, didde al|ſo put hym to flyght. And following him from thence, foughte
efteſoones wyth hym at a place called Camblan, or Kemelene in Cornewall, (or
as ſome Authours haue neere vnto Glaſten|bury.)
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1 This battayle was foughte ſo to the vtte|rance,Richarde To|ner.
[figure appears here on page 134] that finally Mordred was ſlayne, wyth the
more parte of his whole armie, and Arthur receyuyng diuers mortall woundes
dyed of the ſame ſhortly after, when he had reigned ouer the Britons by the
terme of .xxvj. yeares. His corps was buryed at Glaſtenburye aforeſayde, in
the Churche yarde, betwixte two pillers: where it was founde in the dayes of
kyng Henry the ſe|conde, about the yeare of our Lorde .1191. which was in
the laſte yeare of the reigne of the ſame Henry, more than ſixe hundred
yeeres after the buryal therof. He was layd .xvj. foot deepe vnder grounde,
for doubte that his enimies the Saxons ſhoulde haue founde hym. But thoſe
that dig|ged the grounde there to fynde his bodye, after they had entred
aboute seuen foote deepe into the earth
EEBO page image 135 earth,
they founde a myghtie broade stone with a leaden crosse fastned to that
parte whiche laye downewardes towarde the corps, conteynyng this incription.
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1
Hic iacet sepultus inclytus rex Arthurius inInsula Aualonia.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 Thys inscription was grauen on that syde of the Crosse whiche was
nexte to the stone: so that till the Crosse was taken from the stone, it was
not seene. His body was founde, not enclosed within a tombe of marble or
other stone curiously wrought, but within a greate tree made hollow for the
nonce lyke a trounke, the whych being founde and digged vp, was opened, and
therein was founde the kyngs bones, of suche maruellous bignesse, that the
shinne bone of his legge being sette on the grounde, reached vp to
the middle thighe of a ryghte tall
manne: As a Monke of that Abbey hath written, whyche did lyue in those dayes, and sawe it. But Giraldus
Cambrensis, whyche also lyued in those dayes, and spake with the Abbot of
the place, by whome the boanes of thys Arthure were then founde, affirmeth,
that by reporte of the same Abbotte, hee learned, that the shinne boane of
the sayd Arthur being sette vp by the legge of a very tall manne, (the
whiche the Abbot shewed to the same Giraldus) came aboue the knee of the
same man the length of three fingers breadth, whiche is a greate deale more lykely than the other.
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1 The skull of his head was also of a wonderfull largenesse, so
that the space of his forheade betwixt his two eyes was a spanne broade.
There appeared in his heade the signes and printes of tenne woundes or moe:
All the whyche were growen into one wemme, excepte only that whereof it
should seeme hee dyed, whiche beyng greater than the residue, appeared very
playne. Also in openyng the Tombe of his wyfe queene Guenhera, that was buryed wyth hym, they founde the
tresses of hir haire whole and perfect, and fynely platted, of colour lyke
to the burnished golde, the whiche being touched, immediately fell to duste.
The Abbotte, whyche then was gouernour of the house, hyght Stephan, or Henry
de Bloys, Henricus Ble+cenſis ſeu So|liacenſis. Io.
Leland. otherwyse de Sullie, nephew to king Henry the second (by
whose commaundement he hadde searched for the graue of Arthure) translated
the boanes as well of him as of Queene
Guineuer, beyng so founde, into the greate Churche, and there buryed them in
a fayre double Tombe of Marble, laying the bodye of the kyng at the head of
the Tombe, and the bodye of the Queene at his feete towardes the weast
parte.
Iohn Lelande in his booke entitled Assertio Arthuri,
hath for the worthie memorie of so noble a prince, honored him with a
learned Epitaph, as here follovveth.
Saxonicas toties qui fudit marte cruento
Turmas, & peperit spolijs sibi nomen opimis.
Fulmineo toties Pictos qui contudit ense,
Imposuitq(ue) iugum Scotti cervicibus ingens:
Qui tumidos Gallos, Germanos quiq(ue) feroceis
Perculit, & Dacos bello confregit aperto:
Deniq(ue) Mordredum e medio qui sustulit illud
Monstru(m), horrendu(m) inge(n)s, dirum, saeuu(m)q(ue) tyrranu(m),
Hoc iacet extinctus monumento Arturius alto,
Militae clarum decus, & virtutis alumnus:
Gloria nunc cuius, terram circumuolat omnem,
Aetherijq(ue) petit sublimia tecta Tonantis.
Vos igitur gentis proles generosa Britannae,
Induperatori ter magno assurgite vestro,
Et tumulo sacro roseas inferte corollas,
Officij testes redolentia munera vestri.
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1 These verses I haue the more willyngly inserted, for that I had
the same deliuered to mee turned into Englishe by maister Nicholas
Roscarock, both right aptly yelding the sense, & also properly
aunswering the Latine, verse for verse.
VVho vanquisht Saxon troupes, with battayles bloudie broyles,
And purchaste to himselfe a name with warlyke wealthie spoyles,
Who hath with shiuering shining sworde, the Picts so oft dismayde,
And eke vnweildie seruile yoke on neck of Scots hath layde:
VVho Frenchmen pufft with pride, & who the Germaines fierce in
fight
Discomfited, and daunted Danes with mayne and martiall might:
Who of that murdring Mordred did the vitall breath
expell,
That monster grisly, lothsom, huge, that diresom tyrant fell,
Here lyuelesse Arthur lies entombde, within this stately hearse,
Of chiualrie the brighte renoume, and vertues nurslyng fierce:
VVhose glorie great, nowe ouer all the worlde doth compasse flye,
And of the ayry thunder skales, the loftie buylding hye.
Therfore you noble progenie of Brytayne lyne and race,
Aryse vnto your Emprour great, of thryce renoumed grace,
And caste vpon his sacred tombe, the roseal garlandes gaye,
That fragrant smell may witnesse well, your duties you display,
Compare 1587 edition:
1
EEBO page image 156The occaſion that moued kyng Henry the ſe|conde to cauſe
his nephew the layd Abbotte to ſearche for the gra [...]e of kyng Arthur was, for that hee vnderſtoode by a Welch [...] minſtrell or Barde (as they call him) that coulde ſing manye
hiſtories in the Welche language of the acts of the aunciente Brytons, that
in the foreſayde Churcheyarde at Glaſtenburye, betwixte the ſayde two
pillers the bodye of Arthur was to bee founde buryed ſixteene foote deepe
vnder the grounde. Bi [...]aldus Cambrenſis affirmeth, that the tree in the whyche Arthurs bodie
was founde ſo [...]oſed, was an oke, but other ſuppoſe, that it was an Alder tree,
bycauſe that in the ſame place a great number of that kynde of trees doe
growe, and alſo for that it is knowne, that an Alder lying vnder grounde
where moyſture is, will long continue without rotting.
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1 By the fynding thus of
the bodie of Arthure buryed (as before ye haue heard) ſuche as hither|to
beleeued that he was not dead,As for example in a caue neere a vvater called Ponde
peril|lous at Salisbu|rye, vvhere he and his knights should ſlepe ar|med,
till an o|ther knighte should be born that shoulde come and a|vvake
them. but conueyed away by the Fairies into ſome pleaſaunt place,
where he ſhoulde remayne till a tyme, and then to returne agayne, and reigne
in as great autho|ritie as euer he didde before, mighte well perceiue
themſelues deceyued in crediting ſo vayne a fa|ble: but yet (where it myghte
otherwyſe be dou|ted whether any ſuche Arthur was at all, as the Britiſhe
hiſtories mencion, bicauſe neyther Gil|das nor Beda in their workes ſpeake
any thyng of hym) it maye appeare, the
circumſtaunces conſidered, that ſurely ſuche one there was of that name
hardie and valiaunt in armes, though not in diuers poyntes ſo famous as ſome
wri|ters paint him out.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 William Malmeſburie a
writer of good cre|dite and authoritie amongeſt the learned hathe theſe
wordes in his fyrſte booke entitled De regi|bus Anglorum,
VVil. Mal. lib. 1. de regi|bus Ang.
ſaying: But he being dead (mea|ning Vortimer) the force of the Britons waxed
feeble, their decayed hope went
backewarde a|pace: and euen then ſurely hadde they gone to deſtruction, if
Ambroſius (whiche alone of the Romaynes remayned yet alyue, and was king
after Vortigerne) hadde not kepte vnder, and ſtayed the loftye Barbarous
people, that is to meane the Saxons, by the notable ayde and aſ|ſiſtaunce of
the valiaunt Arthur.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 This is the ſame Arthur,
of whome the tri|fling tales of the Britons euen to this day fan|taſtically
doe deſcante and reporte wounders: but
worthie was he doubtleſſe of whome feigned fables ſhoulde not haue ſo
dreamed, but rather that true Hiſtories myghte haue ſette foorth hys
woorthye prayſes, as he that dyd for a long ſea|ſon ſuſteyne and holde vp
hys Countrey that was readie to goe to vtter ruyne and decaye, en|couraging
the bolde hearts of the Brytons vn|to the wa [...]e, and finally in the ſiege of Ba [...]o [...] hyll, hee ſette vppon nyne hundred of the [...]|myes, and with incredible ſlaughter didde p [...]e them all to flighte.
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1 On the contrarye parte,
the Engliſhe Sa|xons, althoughe they were toſſed with ſundrye happes of
Fortune, yet ſtill they [...]hued theyr bandes wyth newe ſupplyes of their countrey|menne that came
out of Germany, and ſo with holder courage aſſayled their enemies, and by
little and little cau [...]yng them to giue place, ſpred themſelues ouer the whole Iſle. For
althoughe there were manye battayles in the whiche ſome|tyme the Saxons and
ſometyme the Brytons got the better, yet the greater number of Sax|ons that
was ſlayne, the greater number of them ſtill came ouer to the ſuccour of
their coun|treymen, being called in and ſente for out of eue|ry quarter
about them.
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1 Here is alſo to be noted,
that where the Bri|tiſhe hiſtorie declareth, that Gawen or Ga [...]lo|wy [...] beeing ſlay [...]ie in the battayle [...]oughte be|twixte Arthure and Mordred in [...], was bu|ryed at Douer,Ga [...]
[...] he is buryed. ſo that his boane [...] remayned there to be ſhewed of long time after: yet by that whyche
the foreſayde Willyam Malmeſburye writeth in the thirde booke of his volume
enti|titled De regibus Anglorum,
VVil. M [...]|li. [...] de reg|bus. the contrarie may ſeeme true: his woordes are
theſe Then (ſayth he) in the prouince of Wales, whiche is called Roſſe, the
ſepulture of Walwyne was founde, the whyche was [...]phue to Arthur by his ſiſter, not going out of kind from ſo worthy an
vnel [...]. He reigned in that part of Britaine whiche vnto this daye is called
VValwithia, a knighte for hys high prowes moſt highly, renoumed,
but exp [...]l|ſed out of his kingdome by the brother & nephew of Hengiſt,
of whome in the firſte booke we haue made mention, firſte requiting his
baniſhemente with greate detrimente and loſſe to thoſe his eni|mies, wherein
he was partaker by iuſt deſerte of his vncles worthy praiſe, for that he
ſtayed for a great many yeres, the deſtruction of his countrey which was now
running hedlong into vtter ru|ine and decay. But Arthurs graue no w [...]ere ap|peareth: but the others tombe (as I haue ſayde) was founde in
the dayes of William the Con|queror, king of England, vpon the ſeaſide, and
conteyned in length fourtene foote, where he was (as ſome ſay) wounded by
his enimies, and caſt vp by ſhipwrack. But other write, that he was ſlayne
at a publike feaſte or banket by his owne countreymen. Thus hathe William
Mal|meſburye.
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1 But here you muſte
conſider, that the ſayde Malmeſburie departed this lyfe about the begin|nyng
of the reigne of kyng Henry the ſeconde, certayne yeres before the boanes of
Arthur were EEBO page image 157 found as before ye haue hearde.
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1 But now to speak somewhat of queene Guenhera or Guennever, Io. Leland. some iudge that she tooke the name of hir
excellent beautie, bycause Guynne or Guenne in the Welch toung signifieth
fayre, Quene Gury|here. so that she was named
Guennere or rather Gue(n)llean: euen (as you wold say) the faire or
beautyfull Leonore or Helene. She was brought vp in the house of Cador Earle
of Cornewall before Arthur maryed hir: and as it appeareth by writers,
she was euill reported of, as noted of
incontinencie and breache of faith to hir husbande, in sorte as for the more
parte women of excellente beautie hardly escape the venimous blast of euill
toungs, and the sharpe assaultes of the followers of Venus. The Britishe
historie affirmeth, that she did not onely abuse hir selfe by vnlawfull
co(m)panying wyth Mordred, but that also in Arthurs absence, she consented
to take him to husbande.
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1 It is lykewyſe founde
recorded by an olde w [...]yter, that Arthure beſieged on a tyme thẽ mariſhes neere to
Glaſtenburye, for diſpleaſur [...] that he bare vnto a certayne Lorde that hyghte Mel [...]: whiche hadde rauiſhed Gumnere, and ledde h [...] into thoſe Marſhes, and there dydd [...] keepe hir. Hir corps notwithſtandyng (as be|fore is recited) was
enterred togyther wyth: Ar|thurs, ſo that it is thought ſhe liued not long
af|ter his deceaſſe.
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1 Arthur had two wynes, as
Giralou [...] Cam|brenſis affirmeth, of whiche
the latter (ſayth hee) was buryed wyth hyde, and hi [...] boanes founde with his mone Sepulchre, ſo deuided yet, that two
partes of the Tombe towardes the heade were appoynted to receyue the bones
of the man, and the thyrde parte towardes the feete con|teyned the womans
boanes, a parte by them ſelues.
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1 Here is to bee remembred,
that Hector Boe|tius wryteth otherwyſe of
the death of Arthure than before in thys booke is mencioned, and al|ſo that
Guen [...]ere beeyng taken pryſon [...] by the Pictes, was conueyed into Scotlande, where fynally ſhee dyed,
and was there buryed in A [...]|gus, as in the Scottiſhe Chronicle further ap|peareth.
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1 And thys may be true, if
he hadde three ſun|drye wyues, eche of them bearing the name of Guenhere, as
ſir Iohn Price doth auouche that hee had.
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1 Bycauſe of the
contrarie [...]ie in wryters tou|chyng the greate
actes atchieued by this Arthur, and alſo for that ſome difference there is
amon|geſt them, aboute the tyme in whyche he ſhould reigne, many haue
doubted of the truthe of the whole hiſtorie whyche of hym is written (as
be|fore ye haue hearde.)
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1 The Britiſhe hiſtories
and alſo the Scottiſhe Chronicles doe agree, that he lyued in the days of
the Emperour Iuſtinian, about the fifteenth yeare of whoſe reigne hee dyed,
whiche was in the yeare of our Lorde: 542.542. as
Harriſon alſo confirmeth. Howbeit ſome write farther from all lykely [...], that he was aboute the tyme of the Emperor [...]eno, who began his reign about the yeare of our Lord. 47 [...].
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1 The writer of the booke entitled Aurea historia
affirmeth, Aurea hi|ſtoria. Leland. that in the
tenth yeare of Cerdicus king of Weast Saxons, Arthur the warriour rose
amongest the Brytons. Also Diovionensis writeth, that Cerdicius fyghtyng
oftentymes with Arthur, if he were ouercome in one moneth, he rose in
another moneth more fierce and strong to giue battayle than before.
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1 At length Arthure awearyed with yrksomnesse, VVeſtſexon. after the twelfth yeare of the comming of Cerdicius,
gaue vnto him vpon his homage don and feaultie receyued the shyres of
Southampton and Somerset, the whiche countreys Cerdicius named West
saxon.
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1 This Cerdicius or Cerdicus came into Britayne aboute the yeare of
oure Lorde. 495. and xxiiij. yere after his commyng hither, that is to
witte, about the yeare of our Lorde. 519. he beganne his reigne ouer the
Weast Saxons, and gouerned them as kyng by the space of xv. yeares, as
before ye haue heard.
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1 But to followe the courſe
of oure Chroni|cles accordingly as we haue begunne, we muſte allowe of their
accompte herein as in other pla|ces and ſo proceede.
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1 In this meane [...] that the Real [...] was diſ [...]eted with ſore and continuall warres be|twixte the Brytons and Saxons
[...] (a [...] before you haue hearde) the chriſtian religion was not only aboliſhed
in places where the Saxons got habitation [...], but alſo amongſt the Britons,The hereſie of the
Pelagiane reu [...]ded the ryght faithe was broughte into daunger by the
remnaunt of the Pelagian hereſye whiche be|ganne agayne to be brached by
dyuers naughtie
[figure appears here on page 157] perſones.
Hist. Mag. Dubritius and Dauid learned Bishops. But
Dubritius that was fyrſte Bi|ſhoppe of Lan|daffe, and after Archbiſhoppe of
Ca [...]l [...]on. Ar|wſke and hys ſucceſſoure Da|uid, with other lerned men
ear|neſtlye bothe by preaching and writing defended the contrarye cauſe, to
the confuting of thoſe errours, and ree|ſtabliſhing of the truth.