of name for residence of him and his knights were this Caer-leon, Winchester (where his table is yet supposed to be, but that seems of later date) and Camelot, in Somersetshire. Some put his number twelve. I have seen them anciently pictured twenty-four, in a poetical story of him; and in Denbighshire, Stow tells us, in the parish of Lansannan, on the side of a stony bill, in a circular plain, cut out of a main rock, with some twentyfour seats unequal, which they call Arthur's round table. Some catalogues of arms have the coats of the knights blazoned; but I think with as good warrant as Rabelais (1) can justify that sir Lancelot du Lac flays horses in Hell, and that, "Tous les chevaliers de la table ronde estoient pouvres gaigne deniers, tirans la rame pur passer les riveres de Cocyte, Phlegeton, Styx, Acheron & Lethe, quand messieurs les diables se veulent esbatre sur l'eau, come font les basteliers de Lyon et gondoliers de Venise. Mais pour chacune pas-reader, the first mistaking might be as soon as the sade ils n'ont qu'un nazarde, & sur le soir quelque morceau de pain chaumeny (2). Of them, their number, exploits, and prodigious performances, you may read Caxton's published volume, digested by him into twenty-one books, out of divers French and Italian fables. From such I abstain, as I may. And for Caermardhin's sake. Two Merlins (w) have our stories: One of Scotland, commonly titled Sylvester, or Caledonius, living under Arthur; the other Ambrosius (of whom before) born of a nun (daughter to the king of South-Wales) in Caermardhin, not naming the place (for rather in British his name is Merdhia) but the place (which in Ptolemy is Maridunum) naming him; begotten, as the vulgar, by an incubus. For his burial (in supposition as uncertain as his birth, actions, and all of those too fabulously mixt stories) and his lady of the lake, it is by liberty of profession laid in France by that Italian Ariosto (r): which perhaps is as credible as some more of his attributes, seeing no persuading authority, in any of them, rectifies the uncertainty. But for his birth are the next song, and to it more. Tuisco Gomer's son from unbuilt Babel brought. According to the text (y), the Jews affirm that all the sons of Noah were dispersed through the Earth, and every one's name left to the land he possessed. Upon this tradition, and false Berosus' testimony, it is affirmed that Yuisco (son of Noah, gotten with others after the flood (3) upon his wife Arezia) took to his part the coast about Rhine, and that thence came the name of Teutschland and Teutsch, which we call Dutch, through Germany. Some (a) make him the same with Gomer, eldest son to Japhet (by whom these parts of Europe were peopled) out of notation of his name, (1) Livre 2. cap. 30. (u) "The knights of the round table used to ferry spirits over Styx, Acheron, and other rivers, and for their fare have a fillip on the nose and a piece of mouldy bread.” () Giral. Itiner. Camb. 2. cap. 8. (a) Orland. Furios. cant. 3. See Spenser's (z) Munster. Cosm. 1. 3. deriving Tuiscon or Tuiston (for so Tacitus calla They Saxons first were call'а- Quippe brevis gladius apud illos Saxa vocatur, A faculty for which the English have had no small honour in their later wars with the French) both Goropius, with long argument in his Becceselana, our judicious Camden, and others, will have them, as it were, Sacai's so.s. According hereto is that name of Sacasena ('), which a colony of them gave to part of Armenia, and the Sasones (m) in Scythia, on this side of Imaus. Howsoever, the author's conceit thus chosen is very apt, nor disagreeing to this other, in that some community was betwixt the name of Sacæ or Sagæ, and a certain sharp weapon called sagaris, used by the Amazons, Sacans, and Persians, as the Greek stories inform us (2). to fit those concurrents. sion, thereby omitting twenty-two. For although Marian's published chronicle (which is but a defloration (7) by Robert of Lorrain, bishop of Hereford, under Henry the First, and an epitome of Marian) goes near from the ordinary time of incarnation under Augustus, yet he lays it also, according to the Roman abbot, Dionysius, in the twenty-third year following, which was rather by taking advantage of Dionysius's errour, than following his opinion. For when he (about Justinian's time) made his period of D.XXXII. years of the golden number and cycle of the sun multiplied, it fell out so in his computation, that the fifteenth moon following the Jews' passover, the dominical letter, Friday, and other concurrents according The Britons here allur'd to call them to her aid. to ecclesiastical tradition supposed for the pasMost suppose them sent to by the Britons, much sion, could not be but in the twelfth (s) year subject to the irruptions of Picts and Scots, and after his birth (a lapse by himself much repented) so invited hither for aid: but the stories of Gildas and then supposing Christ lived thirty-four years, and Neunins have no such thing, but only that twenty-two must needs be omitted; a collection there landed of them (as banished their country, directly against his meaning; having only forgotten which Geffery of Monmouth expresses also) three This account (in itself, long boats in Kent, with Horsa and Hengist, capand by the abbot's purpose, as our vulgar is now, tains. They afterward were most willingly rebut with some little difference) erroneously followquested to multiply their number by sending fored, I conjecture, made them, which too much desired more of their countrymen to help king Vortigern; correction, add the supposed evangelical twenty-two and under that colour, and by Ronix (daughter years to such times as were before true; and so to Hengist, and wife to Vortigern) her womanish came CCCC.XXVIII. to be CCCC.XLIX. and subtilty, in greater number were here planted. CCCC.L. which White, of Basingstoke (although Of this, more large in every common story. Bat aiming to be accurate) unjustly follows. Subtracto believe their first arrival rather for new place tion of this number, and, in some, addition (of of habitation, than upon embassage of the Britons, addition you shall have perhaps example in I am persuaded by this, that among the Cim- amien ment of the C.L VI. year for king Lucius' brians, Gauls, Goths, Dacians, Scythians, and letters to pope Fleutherias) will rectify many gross absurdities in our chronologies, which are by especially the Sacans(o) (if Strabo deceive not, from whom our Saxons) with other northern people, it transcribing, interpolation, misprinting, and creepwas a custom upon numerous abundance, to trans-ing in of antichronisms now and then, strangely disordered. plant colonies: from which use the Parthians (sent ont of Scythia, as th. Romans did their Ver ($) Sacrum) retain that name, signifying banished (says Trogus;) not unlikely, from the Hebrew Faratz (q), which is to separate, and also to multiply in this kind of propagation, as it is used in the promise to Abraham, and in Isaiah's consolation to the church. Here being the main change of the British name and state, a word or two of the time and year is not untimely. Most put it under CD. XL. IX. (according to Bede's copies and their followers) or CD. L. of Christ; whereas indeed, by apparent proof, it was in CD.XXVIII. and the fourth of Valentinian, the emperor. Prise and Camden (out of an old fragment annexed to Nennius) and, before them, the author of Fasciculus Temporum have placed it. errour I imagine to be from restoring of worn-out times, in Bele and others, by those which fell into the same errour with Florence of Worcester, and Marian the Scot, who begin the received Caristian account but twelve years before the pas () Strabo. I. 12. So The To get their seat in Gaul, which on Nuestria light. Call'd North-men, from the north of Germany What is now Normandy is, in some, stiled Neustria and Nuestria, corruptly, as most think, for Westria, that is, West-rich, i. e. the West kingdom (confined anciently betwixt the Meuse and Loire) in respect of Austrich or Oostrich, i. e. the East kingdom, now Lorrain, upon such reason as the archdukedom bath his name at this day. Rollo (1), son of a Danish potentate, accompanied with divers Danes, Norwegians, Scythians, Goths, and a supplement of English, which he had of King Athelstan, about the year D.CCCC. made transmigration into France, and there, after some martial discords, honoured in holy tincture of Christianity with the name of Robert, received (2) sister) Gilla, this tract as her dower, containing of Charles the Simple, with his daughter (or (as before) more than Normandy. It is report ed (v), that when the bishops at this donation re (1) Ptolem. geograph. lib. 5. can. id. (7) Herodot. Polyhyman. Xenoph. &vaßár. d. Stra- quired him to kiss the king's foot for homage bo, lib. See the eighth song. after scornful refusal, he commanded one of his (r) Malmesb. lib. 4. de Pontificib. (u) Paul. Em. hist. Franc. 3. (v) Guil. Gemeticens. lib. 2. cap. 17. knights to do it; the knight took up the king's leg, and in straining it to his mouth, overturned him; yet nothing but honourable respect followed on either part. befleu and Southampton, was cast away, so that Heaven only spared him this issue, Maud, the empress, married, at last, to Geffrey Plantagenet, earl of Anjou, from whom, in a continued race through Henry the Second (son to this Maud) possessed the royal throne of England. That as the conquerors' blood did to the conquer'd until Richard the Third, that most noble surname run. Object not that duke Robert got the Conqueror upon Arietta (from whom perhaps came our name of harlot) his concubine, nor that consanguinitatis & agnotionis jura à patre tantum & legitimis nuptiis oriuntur (y), as the civil law, and upon the matter the English also defines; but rather allow it by law of nature and nobility, which jus tifies the bastard's bearing of his father's coat, distinguished with a bend sinister: Nicolas Upton calls it, fissura, eò quod finditur à patriâ hæreditate (2); which is but his conceit and read Heuter's tract de liberâ hominis nativitate, where you shall find a kind of legitimation of that now disgraceful name bastard: which in more antique times was, as a proud title, inserted in the style of great and most honourable princes. Pretending this consanguinity, saint Edward's adoption, and king Harold's oath, aided by successful arms, the Norman acquired the English crown; although William of Poicters affirms (a), that on his death bed he made protestation, that his right was not hereditary, but by effusion of blood, and loss of many lives. Who him a daughter brought, which Heaven did strangely spare. POLY-OLBION. THE FIFTH SONG. THE ARGUMENT. In this song, Severn gives the doom Now Sabrine, as a queen, miraculously fair, won. To grace her goodly steps. And where she meant son. Before all other floods how far her beauties be: [wise, Who was by Nereus taught, the most profoundly After composition of French troubles, Henry That learned her the skill of hidden prophecies, the first returning into England, the ship wherein By Thetis' special care; as Chiron ' erst had done his sons William and Richard were, betwixt Bar-To that proud bane of Tray, her god-resembling [flood For her wise censure now, whilst ev'ry list'ning (When reason somewhat cool'dtheir late distemper'd mood) Inclosed Severn in; before this mighty rout, She sitting well prepar'd, with count'nance grave and stout, [cause, Like some great learned judge, to end a weighty Well furnish'd with the force of arguments and laws, & lib. 3. (w) Marcian. Heracleot. #ıgızλ. ß. (r) Gemiticens. lib. 7. cap. 36. cap 18. (y) ff. Unde cognati 1. 4. spurius. & tit. de grad. affin. lib. 4. non facile. §. 8. Sciendum. "Right of blood and kindred comes only by lawful marriage." (z)" A division, because he is separated from his father's inheritance." Co.LX, VI. (4) Histor. Cadomens. And every special proof that justly may be brought; Now with a constant brow, a firm and settled thought, And at the point to give the last and final doom: Which grafted in the stock of great Plantagenet, So happily produc'd out of that prosperous bed, wastes bestow'd, (As you are all made one) be one unto you all? Then take my final doom pronounced lastly, this; That Lundy like ally'd to Wales and England is." t 2 James the fourth, sirnamed Steward, married Margaret, eldest daughter to Henry the seventh, king of England. VOL. IV. Each part most highly pleas'd, then up the When to the learned maids again invention spake; Wise Nature oft herself her workmanship admires, Such relish I may give in my delicious lays, [call, As when his Tritons' trumps do them to battle Kept Severn yet herself, till being grown too great, glide, As Tovy doth entice: who setteth out prepar'd Or by revenue left by some dead ancestor; "Near Denevoir, the seat of the Demetian king | Being those immortals long before the Heaven, that Whilst Cambria was herself, full, strong, and flourishing, [abide There is a pleasant spring ", that constant doth Hard by these winding shores wherein we nimbly slide; Long of the ocean lov'd, since his victorious hand First proudly did insult upon the conquer'd land. And though a hundred nymphs in fair D metia be, Whose features might allure the sea-gods more than she, His faucy takes her form, and her he only likes: To him her secret vows perpetually doth keep, Now Tovy tow'rd her fall (Langaddoc over-gone) Her Dulas forward drives: and Cothy coming on The train to over-take, the nearest way doth cast Ere she Caermarden get: where Gwilly, making haste, Bright Tovy entertains at that most famous town Which her great prophet bred, who Wales doth So renown: 6 And taking her a harp, and tuning well the strings, To princely Tovy thus she of the prophet sings: "Of Merlin and his skill what region doth not hear? run, The world shall still be full of Merlin every where. A thousand lingering years his prophecies have [done: And scarcely shall have end till time itself be Who of a British nymph was gotten, whilst she play'd With a seducing spirit, which won the godly maid; (As all Demetia through, there was not found her peer) [near, Who, be'ng so much renown'd for beauty far and Great lords her liking sought, but still in vain they prov'd: [lov'd; 5. That spirit (to her unknown) this virgin only Which taking human shape, of such perfection seem'd. As (all her suitors scorn'd) she only him esteem'd. Of things to come foretold until the general doom." Of the unconstant Moon; to tempt us daily here. Some, earthly mixture take; as others, which aspire, fell, Whose deprivation thence, determined their Hell: And losing through their pride that place to them assign'd, Predestined that was to man's regenerate kind, Inveigling it with tastes of counterfeited good, They reason so will clothe, as well the mind can course Tow'rds the Sabrinian shores, as sweeping from her invade: And oft the lustful fawns and satyrs from her shade Were by the streams entic'd, abode with them to make. Then Morlas meeting Taw, her kindly in doth take: Cair coming with the rest, their wat'ry tracts that tread, Increase the Cowen all; that as their general head Their largess doth receive, to bear out his expense: Who to vast Neptune leads this courtly contiuence. To the Pembrokian parts the Muse her still doth Upon that utmost point to the Iberian deep, [keep, By Cowdra coming in: where clear delightful air, (That forests most affect) doth welcome her repair ; The Heliconian maids in pleasa t groves delight: (Floods cannot still content their wanton appetite) And wand'ring in the woods, the neighbouring hills below, With wise Apollo meet, (who with his ivory bow Those beams then lay'd aside he us'd in Heaven to satyrs stand [high, (The sylvans' chief resort) the shores then sitting Which under water now so many fathoms ly: Them subt'ler shapes resume, of water, air, and fire, And wallowing porpice sport and lord it in the flood, 4 Of Southwales. Ebbing and flowing with the sea. Merlin, born in Caermarden. Where once the portlike oak, and large-limb'd poplar stood. Of all the forest's kind these two now only left. But time, as guilty since to man's insatiate theft, |