that these vallanous rebess and traytors who speak what they wish shall soon find these words kindle fresh fire of valour in the breasts of all true Britaines so as the battell did as it were begin anew insomuch that the perfidious Mordred without hope fled with his rebellious remnant towards the Towns of Glasenbury in Somerset shire whither King Arthur and his Knights with the rest of his gallantry speedily pursued them and there began afresh to fight where King Arthur who in former fights had received ten severall wounds in his head but none mortall till now that the speele of a broken Launce hapned to pierce his skull and that proved his deaths wound but before he dyed even when he felt the very agony of death approaching in his hot incensed bloud he did wonderfull execution upon his enemies and still continued fighting as though he had felt no hurt till a messenger brought him tydings that the Trator Mordred was slain then said he the unresistable will and decree of heaven be done for I am well contented and willing to dye So soon as the Rebels heard and saw that their Captain Mordred was dead it is wonderfull to relate in what a disordered confusion they ran some one way and some another they were sensible by the testimony of conscience that their obstract persisting in rebellion against so rare a King had brought them beyond hope of pardon therefore they asked none in this destraction there was a greater number killed in the flâ—gâ—t then in the battell scarce a man of them had escaped if the sudden approach of good King Arthurs death had not pretented further pursuit there was slain in the battell twelve thousand and in the slight fifteen thousand Mordreds hatefull deeds in his life time procured him a generall hatred after death he dyed suddenly without any care for his soul thrust thorrow the heare with a Iavelin in the hand of a Common souldier and when he was dead none tooke care of his Body his own kindred a fit guerdon for a Traytor which were of the blood royall and was he being nephew to King Arthur as you have heard before the gallant Sir Gowin Knight of the Round Table who dyed bravely fighting for his King in this battell was his own brother he was cosen garman to that illustrate Cador Duke of Cornwall another Knight of the Round Table who also triumphed over death in his Soveraignes cause whose Son Constantine succeeded King Arthur in the Kingdome yet all this high birth and alience could not purchase a grave unless some Country hynde buried him in his Orchard or Garden for of his sepulcher though so great a personage no mention was ever made to this day Well enough of him unless he had been better now let us returne to K. Arthur who lying upon his death-Bed at Glasenbury where having like a worthy Christian as he alwayes had lived made an eternall peace between God and his foul and also a likely lasting peace for the future to his Kingdome appointing for his successor dying without any issue his Nephew Constantine the Son of Cador Duke of Cornwall as I told you lately So this renowned Christian worthy valiant King Arthur having first vanquished the Saxons at home and anexed six forraign Crownes to the Monarchy of Britain when he had thus victoriously raigned 26. years he rendred to death his interest and his soule to his Redeemer in the year of Grace 543. and was buryed at Glasenbury they where in this present modern age I meane within living mens memory there hath been an old Epitaph with some other memorials of him found the Epitaph so well as I can I think it not impertinent to render in English King Arthurs Epitaph Here lyes great Arthur Britains King ' Mongst Christian worthies one of three His fame throughout the world doth ring None did such doughty deeds as he Death all unto this passe doth bring He can subdue the greatest King FINIS London printed for Francis Coles at the signe of the Lamb in the Old-Bailey 1660.
The most admirable HISTORIE OF That most Renowned Christian Worthy ARTHVR King of the Britaines To 〈◊〉 those noble spirits who after antiquity joyned with truth WOrthy Country men or women by what name age title or quality soever you are distinguished I present you here with a piece of that huge volume of antiquity wherewith our ancestors were for the most part contentedly furnished Love to the party oftentimes causeth partiality in publishing of praise-worthy deeds this was the notion that the Zelots of that age so far superabounded in their historical relations of this indeed matchless mirror of Monarcks and example of heroical Actors insomuch that proposing improbabilities they have in some sort drowned realities to be brief where brevity is aimed at Geofry of Monmouth and other Clarks of that time have so fabulously written of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table that divers by these Hyperbolical discourses have been pusselled with ambiguity whether any such story were essential or no which to doubt were no less then to question whether Wil. the Son of Robert Duke of Normandy was ever King of England King Arthur is and hath been ever since his life and death accounted for one of the 3. Christian Worthies whereof not only our own Countrymen but also others of forraign Nations have interchangably written This have the French in as glorious a stile as they have done of their own Charls Maine or Godfrey of Bullaine therefore to explode one is to hisse all the rest from the stage of Christianity which I being confident you wil not refer to what follows truly collected by a lover of truth VVith antiquity M.P. The Contents of the severall Chapters in this following History Chap. 1. HOw King Vter sirnamed Pendragon slew in batel Coisen the proud Duke of Cornwall that rebelled against him and took his widow faire Igren to wife of whom he begot our renowned Arthur Chap. 2. How the learned Merlin who flourished in those daies had the tuition of the young Prince Arthur committed unto him and how he tutured him Chap. 3. The death of King Vter Pendragon and how Prince Arthur at the age of 18. years was crowned King of Britain by common consent Chap. 4 Of the great triumphs tilts and turnaments used in his Court at the beginning of his reign and the wonderfull resort of gallant warriers Chap. 5. Of his war with the Saxons and how he victoriously overcame them in 12. several set battels to the uter subduing of their pride and preventing the progress of their conquests during his own and his next successors reign Chap. 6. How King Arthur crost the Seas and subdued Denmark and Norway unto him in which voyage many admirable occurances hapned well worth observation Chap 7. How King Arthur instituted the order of the Round Table and graced it with a 150. Knights and the reason of its institution to maintain concord with the names of the first Knights of the Order so in all none under the degree of Baron Chap 8. How King Arthur fought against the Picks Scots Irish and Saxons in one battell and slew Colgrim King of the Saxons Bladust his Brother and Childrick a Prince of Germany who came to their aide and how he forced Guillamore King of Ireland to become tributary unto him Chap. 9. How King Arthur sayled to subdue Ireland which he performed with great honor converting that People and all the adjacent Lands to Christianity and obedience to him and the British Monarchy Chap. 10. How King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table went into Palestine to fight against the Pagan Infidels where they performed wonderfull feats of Arms to the honor of Christ and Christendome converting or confounding all where ever they came and how in the intrim the traytor Mordred nephew to King Arthur whom as Viceroy he had left to govern the Land in his absence usurped the Crown which King Arthur hearing of made hast to come home and in his march through France encountred and overcame Lucius the Roman Consul and many Princes of great birth and valour Chap. 11. How King Arthur returned into England He and Mordred were both slain in battel and how noble King Arthur was buried at Glasenbury in Summerset-Shire The History of Arthur King of Britain CHAP. I. How King Uter sirnamed Pendragon slew in battell Coisen the proud Duke of Cornwall that rebelled against him and took his widow fair Igren to wife of whom he begat one renowned King Arthur THe Britains having drawn their necks out of the Roman yoak which they had borne almost 500. years from Julius Caesar who conquered Casibelan King of Britain unto Gratian the last Roman governour here who ended his life and with him the domination over this Iland in Anno domini 376. After this Vortiger of the Race Royall of Britain did by murder and usurpation possess the Diadem and jurisdiction over this noble Kingdome but by his execrable life and wicked government gowing hatefull in the Subjects eyes he fearing their justly instigated arming against him sends over into Germany to a Noble and warlike Nation there called the Saxons of Saxonie to intreat their aid against his Natives whom he called Subjects The Saxons under the conduct of their two Princely Leaders Hengist and Horsus having gotten an invitative entrance into this Land which pleased them so well they never lest of procéeding their warlike policy until they became in fine sole Masters of the Field chasing the Britaines by degrees into that monntanous County now called Wales then Cambria which hapned about the year 590 under Careticus the Britaine 's deposing usurping Votiger put Vortimer his Son into his stead who being poisoned by Voitigers wife who was Hergists Daughter Vortiger reassumes the dominion raigns with much vexation 19. yeare and then both he and Rowan his Saxon wife are burnt in their Castle by Aurelius Ambrose of the linage of Constance whom Vortiger to get the Crown had murthered To this Aurelius Ambrose after 32. years raigne succéeded Uter Pendragon his Brother All the premises are as so many steps ascendant to our story this Uter was the Father of our renowned Christian worthy King Arthur the great of Great Britain King and Emperor the noble subject of this Kingly and most Heroick History in the begining of King Uters reigne the great Duke of Cornwall named Coisen prompted by ambition avarice and oppulency three strong cords to draw an evill disposed man to destruction raised an open Rebellion against his Soveraign in which lawless enterprise he was slain and his Wife Igren the mirror of Ladies for her beauty and vertue became as lawfull prise to King Uter and although the death of Coisen her late Husband might seeme to be some obstract yet the justness of his death the Kings cause and request overcomming all niceties to the increase of her joy and dignity by the marriage of the King she became Queen of Britain Of this gallant Lady Queen
Igren our worthy Arthur was begotten and born of whose matchless achievments for the honour of God and his Nation and the terror of his enemies this following epitomy or abstract of his History gives a briefe and reall notion this first Chapter serving as a proeme to what follows in order according to the Rule of Chronography or History CHAP. 2. How the learned Merlin who flourished in those daies had the tuition of Prince Arthur committed unto him and how he tutored him IN those daies lived and flourished that learned Clark Mrlin by some accounted a Negromancer by all a Prophet of whose predictions Prophecies so much talk is at this day especially among the Welch who being in great favour with King Uter as one by whose counsell he was chiefly governed in all his actions to him was committed the tuition and education of the young Prince whose advice gave him his name Arthur for some cause which he propounded Merlin having gotten himselfe to be intrusted with the government of this Child of whom he Prophecied great and admirable deeds to be done applied all his best of skill and industry to continue and augment the good opinion which both the King and his People conceived of his Learning Wisedome Gravity and Fidelity to his Nation and his Soveraign so that he nurtured the Prince in his minority in rudiments sutable to his age and procliuity and as he grew and increased in years so Art Learning and Vertue grew and increased in him insomuch that in him appeared all that might promise a future greatnesse and goodness his mind and study above all things earthly he dedicated to divine documents and next unto that his discourses were all military and his déeds answerable exceeding the compass of his age briefly what may be possibly expected in a Prince every way pointed out or set apart for God and his Countrey honour and service in our Arthur was so conspicuous and visible that the whole world made him the severall objects of both envy and hope Thus much concerning his education under Merlin in the next Chapter we will bring his to Father his Sepulcher and him to his Throne CHAP. III. Of the death of King Vter Pendragon and how Prince Arthur at the age of 18. years was crowned King of Britaine by common consent KIng Uter having royally and lovingly both governed and nourished the sickly estate of Britain for the space of 28. years in which time he had gotten many fortunate battels against the Saxons then being a prevailing party here at last to verifie our now common saying too much familiarity breeds contempt growing too much familiar with a Saxon Prince called Enerinus he was by him or his appointment poisoned at a great feast held in the Town of Salop leaving his noble Son Prince Arthur the expectation of England and the just revenger of his Fathers death who immediately seconded his exit with his own entrance upon the stage of majesty he was at that time but a strippling in age having past over but 18. Winters and as many Summers but in Statute Strength Wisdome and Valour he passed thousands that doubled his days Such majesty in his eyes such gravity in his gesture and countenance such mediocrity and modesty in his behaviour and comportment joyned with subtle wisedome prudence and temperance in his words that justice and fortitude in his actions were void of doubt or question so that his wise and cunning Tutor presenting his Pupill so exquisitly qualified gained the lasting love of the Common-Wealth for his so artificially yoaking grace and nature to draw on the Chariot of Britains honour and happiness The same night that his Father was poisoned Prince Authur in a dream saw a vision in this manner a huge spreading Vine with great ripe clusters shewed themselves red and ready to be crushed From the root of this Vine issued a venomous Viper which Viper was seconded with a great Snake between the Viper and the Snake was a cruell Combate the Snake for her advantage wound her selfe about the body of the Vine and from thence parlied with her enemy the Viper breathing out threatnings against the Snake instead of hurting her with his venemous breath poisoned the grapes which a man in sad sable habit comming after to tast of died immediately Soon after all this came in a lusty raging Lyon that with his roaring scared away both the Viper and the Snake and also awaked Prince Arthur This dream and vision Merlin disected in these or the like words most noble branch of British Royalty whom my prophetick spirit dares in the present tense regarding of the future call the sole and absolute Monarch of all Christendome this last night thy royall Father hath by late reconciled enemies whom we are forbidden to trust been invited to a supper and though as yet fame hath not sounded the trumpet of his death neither do I know any thing by the voice of the People but that he is very well and in perfect good health yet worthy Prince my genius conspiring with your highness dream and vision dictats to my thoughts that he is by this time to our great sorrow dead being poisoned by Remon at the appointment of Querinus the Saxon Prince who was lately of a fierce foe transformed into the shape of a feined friend This I tell you and this you will find true these are the Viper and the Snake for they were at variance before but agreed for the poisoning of Vter which have between them poisoned the Vine intimated by the grapes which your Father signified by the man in a sable habit a fit emblem of death tasted and dyed thereof well what renowned Prince remains now but that you must be that raging fierce revenging and roaring Lyon who with your powerfull and frightfull voyce of command shall make this Snake and this Viper this Remon and this Querinus with all the rest of that hellish rabble of heathenish Pagans these miscreant Saxons to fly away and hide themselves from your Lyon like fury No sooner were these speeches by learned Merlin uttered but presently a Post came in all hast to give information of the business signifying that King Uter Pendragon was poisoned the Saxons had possest themselves of the Town of Salop having most treacherously butchered man woman and child that were therein first ravishing both Wives and Virgins before their Husbands and Parents faces and then made a generall massacre of all together When Prince Arthur heard this sad and horrible report after sundry short ejaculations invoking divine assistance he turning to his Tutor Merlin said thus learned Sir your words are oracles and so I shall ever esteem of the same during my mortal life when I swerve from your counsell I can expect nothing but destruction to my self and my people and if Alexander esteemed so much a dead Homers works what shall I Arthur deem of a learne◠Merlins voyce the noblest Barrons Prelates common people of the Kingdom