allowed a Esquire or Armour-bearer who attended them in all Battles CHAP. V. How King Arthur upon the Relation of a Hermit sailed into the Holy Land took Ioppa overthrew Salmanezar and took Ierusalem with what else happened remarkable on that occasion ABout this time King Arthur finding nothing worthy of his Sword at home and altogether impatient of ease studyed how he might imploy it abroad and whilst he was musing thereon 〈◊〉 Hermit in poor aray came to the Court and filled it at once with pitty and desire of revenge upon the dismal Relation he made which was That the Turks and Sarazens had fallen upon Iudea and Palatine with an Army of one million of Men and made such slaughter of the Christians in those parts that such that escaped were forced to fly into Rocks and Caves of the Earth and there were either starved to Death or became a Prey to wild Beasts And that they had taken the Holy City of Ierusalem after thirty days Siege and put almost all the Christians they found therein to the Sword polluting the Temple and Holy Sepulchre with their Heathenish Worship As also that they impailed the Patriarch alive for refusing to worship Mahomer This Story coming to the King's ear he could not refrain from shedding tears when sending for the Hermit in the presence of his Nobles he most strictly examined him to all particulars and finding he delivered nothing but what as he said himself had been an Eye witness too the King turning to his Lords said Hear you this my Lords shall we suffer the Enemies of our Lord and Saviour thus to Triumph over the professors of his Name To which they with one Voice reply'd That it was intollerable and they were ready to venture their Lives and Fortunes in that Holy War and in his Service Whereat the King highly commending their Resolutions vowed by the Passion of his blessed Lord whom those Infidels defied and blasphemed he would not take pleasure in any thing till he had faced those barbarous Nations and tryed his Fortune to free the Holy City from its Pollution and thereupon he sent to all the neighbouring Princess for Aid resolving to set sail in the Spring it being now the middle of August He likewise lay'd double Taxes upon his own Subjects and demanded double Tribute of the Saxon Princes who did not so willingly pay it at that time as was expected by reason most of them were unconverted and therefore secretly rejoyced at the Prosperity of their Brother Infidels But however the King raised a great Mass of Money and caused his Navy to be augmented so that from France Denmark and other parts of Spain having received fifty Ships of War most of them manned with Voluntiers of those Nations he with two hundred Sail on board of which he had five thousand Men in the beginning of April weighed Anchor and having a fair wind coasting France and Spain he joyned likewise divers other Ships who were ready to attend him for the noise of this War had overspread all all Christendons wher passing through the Straits into the Mediterenian Sea he brought such a fear upon the Sea towns that the 〈…〉 them fled with their substance to the Mountains into which the Christians entering found yet some booty but desirous to pass on to Jerusalem the King sailed to the Isle of Cyprus then governed by one Emanuel a Christian where having refreshed his Arms he again imbarqued and sailing through that tract of Seas arrived at Joppa a famous Sea port and the In-let of Palastine whiche he found strongly fortifled as likewise Salmanezer King of the Turks incampes with a Host of one million of Turks Jews and Sarazens about six miles from thence yet landing his Men he resolved to besiege the City and by taking it secure the Port whereupon causing his Enginers to make divers batterings after the Roman fashion which under the favour of the night notwithstanding the Besirged hurled down Wild fire and stones in grear abundance they ser to the Walls on the North side and by force of Cords battered with such fury that they rent the Vamures in divers places making the City tremble which so alarum'd the Infidels that they sallyed ten thousand strong upon the quarter guarded by the Earl of Merioneth but coming to handy strokes were forced to retire five thousand lefs than they came and the next morning by King Arthur's express Command a furious Assault was given on all parts when as the Britains with their shot of Arrows bearing the Besieged from their defences mounted and planted the King's Standard upon the wall entering and kissing the Infidels in great number so that all the streets ran Blood till such time as the King upon their throwing down their Arms and on their knecs brgging Mercy bid spare the Sword when having expesled them the Town he placed a Garison of divers Nations therein and marched to joyn Battle with Salmanezer The Victory thus happily gained the Christians found such store of Treasure in the Tams that 〈◊〉 was wounderful the which the King sharing amongst his Sowiers according as every and had deserved and well refeeshed his Army sending the Mounded of his pare to Ioppa and bursed the Slain he with Banners spread marched towards Iernsalem bringing a great fear on all the Cities in his way must of which surrendred upon the first Summons so that coming before the Holy City whither the greatest part of the scatrered Army was retired he having summoned the Infidels to yield and save their lives but receiving no answer he batrered it with his Rams War wolfes and other fearful Engines till a part of the wall on the South side fell upon which a furious Assault was given insomuch that the Insidels having drawn their greatest strength to defend 〈◊〉 breach a great slaughter was made yet the Thristians resolving to carry the City which then was but small and very ravenous pressed on with suth violence that the fearful Enemy being over-born were every-where slain and the Christians enteing plated King Arthur's Standard upon the Bulwarks which so dismayed the Infidels that such as could fled by the Posterns and over the Brock Cedron others hid themselves in Caves till the fury of the Soldiers were over and such is could not do either fell for the most part by the Sword This famous City being the first time thus taken by the Christians a great number of miserable Men and Women weré released out of Dungeons who had for a long time been fed with Bread of Affliction half starved and miserably used by the Infidels for publikly owning the Name of the Lord who not far from thence purchased them with his precious Blood to their unspeakable Ioy. CHAP. V. How upon notice that the Saxons invaded his Country he retruned and how upon his return the Saxon Kings laied down their Arms Also how King Arthur built many Religious Houses and gave great Largesses to the Poor and how he swore
Sword entred fix inches whereupon with a terrible groan he fell to the Earth and at what time the King stood on him and devided his Head from his Trunk the which he delivered to his Esquire that bore his Bow and Quiver Nor were the Knights of the Order idle for Sir Lancelot had by this time grievously wounded the Mercian King and taken him Prisoner and Sir Tristrian slain thirty six Captains besides thirty six common Soldiers so that the King of the East Angles seeing all go to wrack and his Men were disordered caused the Retreat to be sounded whereupon his Captains endeavoured to bring off their Men but they being in great Consternation and the Britains pressing on them fearful of death fled in all parts and left all the Booty they had gotten to the Conquerors who fiercely pursuing the flying Foe made terrible flaugheer insomuch that such as could not fly into Castles and Strongholds fell by the Sword to the number of twenty thousand This Overâ—how being noised abroad brought a great Fear upon all the Saxon Princes so that the Mertians wholly submitted and sent a great Ransom for their King who upon his swearing to become Tributary and Vassal to King Arthur was set at liberty Nor were there any of their petty Kings that then possessed this Island which they had devided into Heptiarchey but sent their Ambassadors with great Presents to intreat a Peace the which upon their acknowledging him their Supream Prince and paying eath two hundred Geldings a Faulcon and a Grey-hound yearly was accorded to And thus flourished this Renowned King in the beginning of his Reign but more dreadful and redoubted were his future Deeds as by the Sequel will appear CHAP. III. How King Arthur passed into Denmark conquered the Kingdom of Norway overthrew Burnamissa the Danish King besieged Copen-Hagen and how at the Intreaty of Geneura the Sister of the Danish King he hearkered to an Accord and had an Interview with Burnamissa and how a Peace was concluded between them upon the whole matter being left to the Princes's Award and how King Arthur falling in Love with the fair Princess married her THe King having in a manner brought England to his subjection resolved not to suffer the current of his Victory to be damed up with Ease took counsel with Merlyn and the most valiant of his Knights what Enterprize was next to be undertaken who advised him That it was most for his Honour to revenge the Injuries he had received by the Danes who roaming about those Seas had not only taken divers of his Ships but landing had surprized some smast Towns upon the Sea coast and burnt them corrying the Inhabitants into miserable Captivity and by ctuel Tortures obliged them to offer Sacrafice to their Idols that Kingdom being then unconverted This motion pleased the King whose restless spirit and desire of Glory made him impatient of ease whereupon he caused a great Navy of Ships to be rigg'd in Milford Haven and in all other Ports and gave Order for the building Men of War and Gallies so that in six Months space he had a Fleet of small and great Vessels that consisted of three hundred Sail on which early in the Spring he imbarqued with twenty eight thousand choice Soldiers and all manner of Warlike Provision having by this time inroled twenty new Knights to supply the places of such as fell by the Sword or dyed of divers Diseases and so with a fresh gale weighing Anthor and with a fair Wind arriving in the Baltick Ocean entered the Straits now guarded by the two famous Castles of Coronsburg and Elzeburg the latter standing on the Coast of Norway and there brought such a fear on either Shore that the Inhabitans in all parts fled with what they could most conveniantly carry leaving the rest for a prey to the Britains who under the Conduct of their victorious King intiched themselves with a great booty when incamping before Nidrosia in Norway summoned the City to yield but there being a strong Garison therein they returned Answer That they kept the City for Burnamissa King of Denmark and would in no wise yi ld it without his Order whereupon the King commanded the Assault to be made by twelve thousand Men under the leading of forty faut Knights of the order of the Round Table who heving their Scaling Engines in a readiness on Easter-eve marched to the Wall and with a showre of Arrows and Wild-fire drdve the defendants thence when as Sir Ector bearing the Royal Seandard mounted and making great slaughter of suek as opposed cutting of Arms Legs and Helmed Heads placed it on the chief Bulwark which the rest seeing on all sides sfreve to imitate him so within less than six hours the City was won which the Conquered perceiving retired to the Marker-place and throwing down their Arms begged Mercy which the King generously granted yet gave the Spoil of the City to the Soldiers not reserving any part to himself which so heightned them that leaving a Garison there passed on to Bergen which upon the first Summons surrendred and by its Example all the remaining Cities and walled Towns did the like so that the Kingdom of Norway was entirely at King Arthur's Devotion whereupon finding no more to conquer he having received a supply of five thousand Men to make up the number he brought by reason he was forced to leave the like Number in Garison imbarqued and passed the Straits landed upon the Dainish Shore filling all with Terror and Amazement when as that King having gathered a huge Army advanced to give him Battle which did not a little rejoyce King Arthur who greatly desired to try his strength in Mar when jayning on the great Plain before Copen-Hagen a dreadful Fight began but Victory who never declined our Heroick Prince soon declared for the Britains so that the Danish King Anding the Battle swerve and that he could not stay his Men longer from open flight to cover their Shame sounded the Retreat whereupon they retiring in great Confusion King Arthur and his Knights following so furiously that all the Plain was strewed with the bodies of the slain and so hotly they pressed on that e're three parts of the Army entered the City the Gates were shut up and a third pars shut out for fear the Britains should enter pell-most with them who were by the furious Soldiers slain in the fight of their Friends though the compassionate King bid spare the Sword The Danes thus overthrown the King intamped before the City resolving to carry it by force and the next Day prepared for the Assault resolving to march in the head of his Knights to win immortal Fame by his planting his Srandard upon the Wall with his own Hands or to lose his Life nor could the Peeswasion of his Nobles make him decline it but as he approached the Wall the Gates opened whereupon he supposed the Foe intended to sally but inflead of armed Men there issued
King hed order to attend the Queen having a fair gale on the ninth of October landed where they first imbarqued and were received with universal joy whereupon the King coming to a Castle of his near 〈◊〉 feasted the Dainish Nobility in a mast spianded manner But whilst he remained there he had notice That Magor King of Ierland who by his Amiassaders had courted the fair Gemna and been refused was to revenge it on his Arrival landed with great Power in South Wales whereupan the King comforting his Queen who was greatly grieved that through her cause such suddenly Troubles should arise passed on with his victorious Army and gave him Battle near Merioneth and utterly discomfited him so that flying with his broken Army and being every-where assaises by the Country Peasants who had laid the way for him he scarcely escaped to his Ships with five thousand out of his thirty thousand so that King Arthur speedy as Cesar in his victories returned to his fair Queen with the Trophies of his conquered Enemies long before he was expected to have fought the Battle when sending four thousand Men under the leading of Sir Lancelot and divers of her good Knighes they landed on the Isle of Angle 〈◊〉 and drove thence the French that had for some time past during the troubles of this Kingdom setled themselves there The King's Victories daily increasing the Terror of his Name being spread wide it made the most redoubted Monarch tremble yet durst France then powerful at Sea invade our Coait and with fire and sword spoiled many Sea-towns carrying away great booty as also the People the Men they made cow in their Gallies and the Women to satiate their prodigious Lust when as the crys of his suffering sujects reaching his ear where he was delighting himself with his Queen he resolved once more to forsake the Camp of Venus and her soft Delighis to court Fame and Glory in the Camp of Mars whereupon having sent to Lotharioâ— for Restitution and receiving rather scorns than a satisfactory answer from that imperious King he made great proparations for the War and had at that time twelve Sale of Ships sent to his aid by his Brother of Denmark when being in a readiness with an Army of thirty four thousand he coasted the Country and puning into the bay of Marselies with his shot of Arrows that flew like Haile drove the defendants from the shore on which himself with his own Standard first leaped and stood like an inraged Lyon though a thousand that is flew round his Head and many 〈◊〉 from his glittering shield but long it was not e're the valiant Knights of the Order imsrating their Soveraign thrust their Ships to Land and putting their Soldiers in Battle-aray charged furiously upon the formost Battailian of the Enemy lead by the Duke 〈◊〉 Vallois so that being overset they retreated in great disorder and finding no place to be received broke the Ranks of their Friends when as the Duke De Nevers advanced with the right wing of Horse to their succour but was so gauled with the shot of Arrows that the Horses mischiefet more the Riders than the Britains In this Confusion the King drawing out six thousand of his choice Men charged upon the disordered Enemy with such courage that he pierced their main Battle making lanes of death where-ever he came cutting off Arms Heads and Legs insomuth that the Danish General Gironeus imitating him the French Soldiers routed in all parts left their Commanders and fled insomuch that the slaughter of the Nobility was great a Fare even incident to that Kingdom nor would they trust to the weak wall of Marselies but flying to Lyons and Paris left that part of the Country naked to be possessed of the Britains The terror of this overthrow alarming the French Court and finding that brought home to them which they had used to others abroad the People with Tears besought their King to appease the Conquerer in time and thereby prevent worse desolation who considering his tottering Kingdom was at stake sent four of his prime Lords to beg a Week's Cessation or Truce to which King Arthur whose 〈◊〉 was more at Glory and Renown than Advanvantage accorded during which time the King having raised a Mistion of Crowns sent them in divers Waggons with other rich Presents to purchase his Peace and the depatrure of his new come Guest yet prevailed they not e're he had made his Acknowledgment for the indignity put upon the King's Ambassadors and deliver the Town and 〈…〉 Marselies to be possessed as a Pledge of future Peace by the Britains for the spare of twenty Years to come and upon pain of forfeiting it for ever no Hostilities to be used by Lend nor Depravations by Sea These Articles accorded the Kinâ— hastened to his own Country with the grearest part of his Army leaving only 〈…〉 Solders in Marselies and having amply rewarded the 〈◊〉 dismissed them Vpon King 〈…〉 he found to his unspeakable joy his fair Queen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lovely Boy who by the Advice of Merlyn he namâ—d Constantius those Victories and great Exploits that Prophet forâ—… which after his Father's death he succeeding him in his Throne exactly came to pass and now the joy bring great throughout the British Dominisns all the Saxon Kings came to King Arthur's Court then removed to the then floursihing City of Hereford and made their Homage complementing him highly on his Marriage and the birth of his Son presenting the Queen and Royal Infant with great Presents as Iewels Gold and fragrant Spice of Arabia promising for them and their Heirs to be obedient to the British Stepter though before and after the Death of King Arthur they brake their Vaws though to their great disadvantage For the young Prince almost as successful in War as his Father grasped the Kingdoms of the Mercians and East-angles with so hard a hand that during his Life they could not wrest them from him but to our purpose King Arthur being the chief Favourite of Fortune and the eldest Son of Fame began to enlarge the splendor of his Court and increase the number of the Knights of the Round Table in whom consisted his chief Strength for scarce was there any one of them but durst encounter ten ordinary Men hand to hand and as he increased them so he enlarged their Pensions which drew the most Valiant of all Nations to serve him though none were admitted before they were tryed The habit they ordinarily wore when without their Armour was a Vest lined with Sables and on the back of it a red Cross and on their Thighs Cushes of highest proof their Stockings were in the manner of Bugkins and their Shoes of Camelsskin the Hair appearing outward on their Heads they wore Caps made of Seal-skins lined with Silk and Cotted and about their neck Silk of divers colours each of them in War carrying a double Faulchion a Battle-axe a Bow and Quiver a Launce being severally
his Nobles and Knights to his Son Constantius and so died THe King having thus performed his vow repaired the Walls buit a strong Castle and placed seven thousand Soldiers therein besides the Christians of Syria and India that daily flocked thither in great number he received notice that the Saxon petty Kings in his absence had cast off his Allegience and being united invaded his Country insomuch that his Queen Son and those that he has left in charge with the Kingdom being overchrawn in a spirited Battle were fled to the softnesses of Snowdown Mounains Which News greatly perplexed the King so that having made his Offering at the Holy Sepuchre and constituted Religious Men to keep it he with three parts of his Army he brought returned to his Ships the other part being either slain in the Battle petiâ—â—â—ed by sickness or left in the Garison yet e're he could 〈◊〉 twenty seven thousand Turks Sarazens and Aegiptians lying in ambush in a Wood for that purpose fell upon the Rear of his Army and cut off three or four hundred Britans and Danes e're the King with the Gross of his Battle could draw up to â—â—eir relief yet fatal was it to the Infidels for being unexpectedly inclosed by the Christians who fetch'd a compass behind divers littly Hills they were almost all of them cut off This second Overthrow given the King quictly imbarqued his Soldiers and sailing by divers Islands destroyed the Earisons possessed by the Infidels When one day going on shore on the Promentory of Carthage with a few of his Knights he was set upon by four hundred Moors who sallyed out of 〈◊〉 is but such was his and his Knights invincible Courage that they drawing their Swords slaughteren the Barbarians in such manner that they fled with great crys raking them to be more than mortal whereupon the King causing eight thousand Men instantly to come on shore desieged the City and with Wild sice burnt it about the Batharians Ears putting many of them to the Sword And then marching up farther into the Country there come against them six huge Lyons bred in the Muritatian Forrest with whom the King and twenty of his Knights encountering killed tweive and put the other four to flight King Arthur impatient of stay least whilst he conquered abroad his Country should suffer with great spoyl put again to Sea and sayiing homeward met with a Fleet of Dyrates who taking his Ships for Merchams set upon the foremost Souardran with loud Souts casting great quantity of stones and Wild-fire amongst them but coming to graple they soon found their mistake and then in vain endeavouring to fly were miserable slaughtered insomuch that out of thiety but five escaped In these Ships many miserable Christian Captives both Men and Women were found of which the King taking compassion sent them into their respective Countries allowing them all things necessary for their maintenance during the space of a year and so passed on towards his own Country The King's approach being known to the Saxon Princes who not long before had news that he was dead in the Holy Land and thereby were animated to take up Arms so discouraged them that withdrawing their Forces every one retired into his own Province to sludy how to appease the Victorious Monarch whom they had justly incensed by their persideons Treachery and as soon as they had norice the King was landed and preparing his Forces to War against them they sent their respective Deputies with rich Presents to excuse their rash and unadvised actions promising never for the future to transgress in the like nature yet the King being highly incensed would at no cheaper a rate pass over their persldeous dealings than a personal acknowledgment and the sum of two thousand Marks each As to be the better assured of them for the future that each of them should send his Son Hostage and that those that had no Sons to send their nearest Kinsmen and over and above to make reparation for such damages as could be by any of the King's Subjects proved to be sustained by their unlawful Arms. This being performed a Peace ensued and the King dismissed his Auxiliaries with great Rewards King Arthur now having 〈◊〉 to repose in Peace and think and think on his many wonderful Deliverances resolved to apply his mind to deeds of Piety and thereupon caused many Monastries and Religious houses be built giving yearly maintenance to divers poor People but espersally to such as had lived in splendor and were fallen to decay And daily he visteed the Sick giving them Christian Comfort and using his utmost endeavour to therish Learning and Arts 〈◊〉 which ended his proper charge he built likewise many Schools 〈◊〉 Colledges giving himself wholly up to the study of the seven Liverall 〈◊〉 and so well profited he therein that he became the greatest 〈◊〉 therein of his Age But most of all he fixed his 〈…〉 upon his latter end and with Solomon was frequently heard to say All Worldly things were but Vanity and Vexation of Spirst and that on Earth no real nor substantial joys were to be found When in the sixeth Year of his Age and the forty ninth Year of his Reign salling sick and by the opinions of his Physicians not likely to recover he sent for all his Nobles and the Knights of the Order and he caused them to 〈◊〉 fealty to his Son 〈…〉 in the 〈◊〉 wise and thereupon finding 〈…〉 pious Expressions and Prayers 〈◊〉 his Nobles to be careful of securing his Son in his Throne and having great respect to his Queen he gave up the Ghost to the great grief of his Subjects but more of his fair Queen who took it so grievously that soon after fading into a Feaver she died and was buried with him in a Monastery built by him at Monmouth whose tomb richly adorned continued visible till the Dissolution of the Fabrick in the time of Henry the Eight Thus Friendly Reader I 've 〈◊〉 â—ere King Arthur's Noble Acts which doth appear More fully in the larger ten Sheet Book If thou therein will cast a friendly Look FINIS