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A05297 A learned and true assertion of the original, life, actes, and death of the most noble, valiant, and renoumed Prince Arthure, King of great Brittaine Who succeeding his father Vther Pendragon, and right nobly gouerning this land sixe and twentie yeares, then dyed of a mortall wounde receyued in battell, together vvith victory ouer his enemies. As appeareth cap. 9. And was buried at Glastenbury. cap. 12. an. 543. Collected and written of late yeares in lattin, by the learned English antiquarie of worthy memory Iohn Leyland. Newly translated into English by Richard Robinson citizen of London. Anno Domini. 1582.; Assertio inclytissimi Arturii Regis Britanniae. English Leland, John, 1506?-1552.; Robinson, Richard, citizen of London. 1582 (1582) STC 15441; ESTC S108439 67,318 92

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of greate Alder trees which by a certaine nature are growing cōmodious for the ground there Moreouer agayne I thinke the inhabitants of Aualonia were not so ignorāt of natural things y ● they should beleeue y ● Oake would continue longer in somwhat a moyst ground then the watery Alder tree which is growing in the grounde They which haue writtē of Trees willingly attribute somwhat moist groūds to be apt both for Alder Elme trees to be brought forth in thē There also remaineth another doubt which if I any thing rightly iudge shall rather seeme a plaine errour then any doubt at all Gyraldus confirmeth that Arthures Tombe was founde betwene two Pyrameds in the religious place at Aualonia In which opinion as it were so confirmed with testimonie of ancient writers euen I also remaine But I am so farre frō beleeuing any thing to be engrauē in thē which thing Arthures tombe as Giraldus declareth y ● verie same should shew expresse or make famous that in deede vnto me may appeare nothing lesse like to be true If there had beene any such thing I pray you who more truly or more playnly should haue manifested y ● same thē Gulielmus Meildunēsis vnto whom alone all posteritie ought to refer both their portractures inscriptions But hee in deede speaketh not so much as one worde of Arthure whome elswhere he diligently extolleth Doubtlesse it is a coniecture probable that Giraldus was vtterly ignorāt what inscriptions those Pyrameds contayned seeing he saith the letters were worne out by antiquitie or oldnes of time But I let passe Giraldus a mā truly otherwise learned a great greedy deuourer of anciēt knowledge as I am prouoked by another care not vnprofitable for the purpose Namely that I should not onely by the testimonie of two whom I haue aboue named but also by a full number of writers confirme establish and persuade as it were ratified Arthures Tombe founde Also to the end that that thing may more commodiously be done I thinke there are causes agreeable why I may more profoundly repeate all and singuler testimonies of famous men within a certaine conuenient and euydent scope of matter In which behalfe Claudius a frēchman to the end the reader may vnderstand that the credible report of Arthures Tombe found hapned euen vnto straungers vpright and perfect shall be a greate witnesse in matter aboundant Anno 1217. The bodie of Arthure that Noble king of Brittaine which had lyen buried 600. and moe yeeres was found in the Church of S. Mary at Glastenbury Heere in computation of the yeeres either by the Authors negligence or as more sincerelie the Interpreter saith by the negligence of the booke writer did there creepe in a faule error For Henry the Secōd of that name king of England dyed about the yeere after Christes byrth a thousand one hundreth and nyntie and the Tombe was founde in the first yeare of the raigne of King Richard the 1. his sonne The Cronicles of Persor Abbey doe make relation of these thinges Anno Domini 1191. the Tombe of Arthure Kinge of Brittaine was found at Glastenbury the leaden crosse vpon his brest declaring that his name was there written Iohannes Fiberius who is also commonly called Beuer writeth these thinges most briefly and by way of running it ouer Anno Domini 1191. were founde at Glastenbury the bones of Arthure Matthew Paris Moncke of the Monastery of S. Albane at the racing and seege of that most auncient Cittie Verolamium nere vnto S. Albones in the Countie of Hartford thus mentioneth of the Tombe The bones of the most famouse King Arthure were founde at Glastenbury laide vp in a certaine most auncient Tombe there about the which stoode erected two most auncient Pirameds wherein the letters were engrauen but by reason of the too much rudnesse and deformitie they could not be reade And they were found by this occasion For as they digged there to bury a certaine Moncke which with a vehement desire in his life time had before wished for this place as to be therein buried they founde a certaine close Tombe vpon the which was put a leade crosse wherein was engrauen HIC IACET INCLITVS BRITONVM REX ARTVRIVS IN INSVLA AVALONIAE SEPVLTVS But that place beinge rounde about encompassed with Marish groundes was in times past called the Isle of Aualon for truth that is the Ile of Aples Like as by Good right I fauour verie much the authoritie of this Matthew so I am sory that a fewe wordes chaunced redounding to this declaration in the inscription Certes that which he mentioneth of the Moncke I neuer hearde of before neyther doth he so farre forth perswade mee of the truth Ranulphus Higeden of Chester also maketh mention of King Arthure his Tombe I omit to mention other Authours and that with employed diligence because I would not seeme to affectate the number of witnesses in a matter so manifestly knowne and credited CAP. XVI The Translation of King Arthures bones I Remember that in my Epistle dedicatory I haue spoken of Arthures Lyneamentes three times translated Whereof which was the first because it appeareth not euident enough by the greater Church at Glastenbury from whence they write these were first of all conueyed I will somewhat more manifestly and more lightsomely notify I learned of the Monckes at Glastenbury most diligent reseruers no doubte of the Antiquitie pertayning to their Cloyster that Arthures Lyneamentes were translated into the greate Church which worke was greatly augmented by the liberallitie of Henry Plantagenet from the religiouse place but not laide in that place at that time where they now be There is a porch towardes the South parte and a Chappell from whence they go into the Treasury In this place men affirmed that Arthures bones remayned for a certaine season after that againe that they were translated into the midle Iles of the Queare By which interchaunge of time a newe stately and magnificent Tombe out of blacke Marble such as we see the Lydian or tutch stone was both heawne and cut out at that time together framed by vnaccustomed workmanshippe and witty deuise concerning which and also the translation thereof to write at this present it were vndoubtedly a needlesse thinge seeing that in the chapter before going touching Arthures Tombe founde all those matters appeare together in their order Therefore let our history apply it selfe vnto the third translation which was made in y ● dayes of Edward sirnamed Longshanke K. of England not only the cheefest patrone of Arthures praise but also y e louer great reuerencer of his fame when as all y e Lyneamentes of them remayning in the most stately Tombe where they tooke their rest together before sauing the shinne bones of the King and of the Queene which he commaunded to be kept abroade it was no doubte a spectacle of Antiquitie very acceptable vnto
times past there was on y e sea shoare a Castle called Galouine touching which the Authour M●ildunensis as aboue hath written whose footesteppes are as yet apparant But that was not the habitation of the Gyant as neyther perhappes of that Galouine of Arthures but of some latter vycegerent bearing the same name But y ● which he mētioneth of Arthures Tombe at that time is most true No one man more curiously searched forth at any time all the treasures of the library at Glastenbury This onely was here wanting in him towardes knowledge that he dying about the first yeare of the Raigne of Henry y ● second King of England knew nothing of Arthurs tombe For so much as y ● same tombe was found afterwards in y e beginning of y ● raigne of K. Richard coeurde lyon But I returne w t William Meildunensis into fau●ur out of the which as yet I haue not openly fallen By whome a man as in his age most learned in all kind of Good letters and of singuler wit diligence and care in searching forth Antiquitie I confesse and in deede that franckly must a●●irme my selfe to haue beene oftentimes helped in the knowledge of Antiquitie Undoubtedly it is a poynte of honestie to acknowledge by whom a man profiteth It liketh me well here vnto the conclusion to adde the notation which I my selfe gather of the name of Gallouinus out of the Brittish language Walle signifieth straungers or walsh Guin Album or white Like as if a man by this phrase would dedescribe a comely elegant and beawtifull personage except a man more rightly thinke that he tooke his originall from the Saxonish rude language as Walwine signifieth Gallus Amicus Leoflwyn Charus Amicus and Aldwyne Vetus Amicus Now approcheth Augusellus of whom we haue aboue spoken a fewe wordes Who was in so feruent fauour with Arthure that hee was deseruingly made a beneficiall Gouernour ouer the Scottes This man ●endered like for like Being sent for amongst many other Princes to the end he might performe him selfe a companion with Arthure in his expedition towardes Fraunce so ●arre refused hee not his enioyned charge that with greate example of valiancie there manifested and retorning home on the Coast of Richborow with much more prowesse Mordred beinge ouercome in ciuil wars and there put to flight he falling amōgst the Hoastes with bloud lyfe endaungered valiantly behaued himselfe as y ● Authour of those bookes Schalechronica one Grayius as I suppose is none euil witnesse at al thereof And because touching the chusing out or election of those Princes vnto Arthure being obedient we haue formerly made promise it auaileth here to signifie that there were many notable elections not spoken of by him But that was most notable of all which appeared in Isca or Exceter otherwise in the Cittie of Caerlegion or Chester vpon Vske What time it was proclamed vnto wars against y e French But what haue the Muses to do with Mars vndoubtedly either little or nothing And yet if there were a iust familiaritie betweene them they shoulde rather wish well vnto Mars that for his sake they might deseruingly giue Arthure greate thankes who either restored or instituted a Learned Quier of Ecclesiasticall persons in the saide cittie of Caerlegion if Geoffrey of Munmouth Iohn Burgensis and Rossus Verouicensis declare the trueth This in meane time appeareth plaine by the historie of Anonimus the writer that Amphibalus Iulius Aarona martyres did worship Christ and also had learning in estimation in the saide cittie of Caerlegion or Chester vpon Vske From whome agayne credible it is that others receiued the same letters frō hand to hande There is also if we may beleeue credible reporte in the treasuries at Cambridge at this daye a Table of the priuiledge by Arthure sometime confirmed to the furderāce of studēts But as yet haue I not searched out the credite of this deede Iderus sometime a speciall fauourer of K. Arthures court comes nowe to the number of those Cheualyers This man beeing neare alyed in blood vnto Arthure performed many valyant examples of prowesse and continually did cleaue to his Princes side And at length by what hap I knowe not hee dying left a speciall welwishing vnto Arthure who also carefully accomplished his funerall at Aualonia I haue reade at Glastenburie a little booke of the antiquitie thereof gathered very dilligently by a certaine Moncke of that place In which booke he declareth many thinges of Arthures good will towardes this man departed and of y ● liberalitie or beneficiall goodnesse for y ● same his cosens sake bestowed vpon religious persons there inhabiting Of late there did hang a Table at a pillor within y ● Church of Glastenburie which accoūted Iderus amongst the Benefactors and restorers of the Church at Glastenburie Lancelot a man most famous requireth place euen amongest y ● most excellent Cheualyers to be giuen him Unto which desire I easilie graunt as one readie to speake this in his commendation that hee was a certaine vpright and faithfull friende of Arthures His valiancy appeared largely at y ● battle which was fought betweene Mordred the traytor and Arthure He liued in deede after the battle as I reade once or twice conueyed vnto Guenhera mourning at Arthures death the bodie from Ambersburie vnto Glastenburie But Gyraldus seemeth sincerely to attribute his buriall in one place or other at Glast̄bury as in his Speculo Ecclesiastico in his worke De Institutione Principis appeareth Although it rather seemeth to me in mine opinion y ● he tooke his firste tombe at Ambersburie Caradocus a name of noble prowesse martiall followed Arthure in his expedition towardes Fraunce And returning homewarde was slaine as it seemeth on the coast of Richborowe in the ciuill battle The Cronicles of the porte of Dorcester a worke sauouring of antiquitie makes mention of Caradocus The inhabitants of the Castle there euen at this day after a sorte renewe the memorie of Caradocus affirming that they haue in their Custodie I knowe not what Lyneamentes of his And not so contented they sette foorth Arthures Courte and Guenheras lodging Nowe ruffleth in the number and traine of Arthures noble warriours But I so y ● it be done without offence to them because I haue onely taken vpon me to name the most excellentest of them and to praise them haue purposed to ouerpasse the residue yet otherwise praise worthie and last of all to adioyne that Cadorus of Cornewale Hee was of the most noble progeny of the kinges of Brittaine and gouerned the people in the Mountayny soyles of Cornewale Undoubtedly he was a stoute defender of his princes dignitie and had perpetuall familiaritie with the Brittaines At length when hee dyed hee left after him a sonne named Constantine who after the Death of Arthure was made Ruler ouer Brittaine Hee to the ende they following
vsed in many battels and specially in that battell at Bathe In such tryfling matters I do not much force to write But by the way that is not a thing vnworthie to be heard of the godly which Samuel the writer of Brittaine and Disciple of Elbodus the Bishoppe who flourished about nyne hundreth yeares agoe thus maketh mention of concerning Arthures expedition or rather peregrenation Arthure went vnto Ierusalem when as he tooke with him the signe of the Crosse of wood in memory of his Sauiour whereof the fragmentes are at this day reserued in Wedale a towne of Lodoneia six miles from Mailros Finally he exceedingly estéemed of those Church men at Glastenbury as partly I haue aboue saide in Idero and as I will here more largely shewe Siluester Gyraldus in his booke De Institutione Principis thus wryteth For aboue all the Churches in his Kingedome he fauoured and beare best good will vnto the Church of our Lady S. Mary at Glastenbury and with greater deuotion aduaunced the same before other Churches Polidorus according to his equitie and iudgment and so farre as his aucthoritie serueth him declareth there was no Monasterie at Glastenbury in Arthures time So exquisite a iudge is he of Antiquitie and specially concerning Brittaine He also contendeth that euen all the whole worlde by this rule but in deeds a most vniust rule is constrayned to embrace maintaine and beleeue that which is spoken of him touching Antiquitie as that which is pronounced for an Oracle To that he saith and writeth in truth will I as Virgill saith Ense leuis nudo parmaque inglorius alba That is With naked sword and sclender bright sheelde without boasting easely defend his aucthoritie and iudgment so auncient But what he falsly or vntruly declareth which thing he doth somewhat oftener through all partes of his History I may not beare with all I can not abide it neyther will I suffer it but the truth so much as it shall stand me vpon will I restore to her comelynesse fame and glory as one cheerefull and nothing fearefull in so doing though the enemies of truth burst them selues with inwarde mallice For vnto this most honest opinion that I should couragiously clea●e in this behalfe the thing done by those two Apostles of the Brittaines namely Fugatius and Damianus and the Epistle of Patritius the great which I haue in my custody confirming the same to omit for breuitie sake the testimonies of many others do will me or rather commaund me Henry Plātagenet the Nephew of Henry Beauclarcke King of England by the daughter of Mathilda affirmeth by prescript and manifest wordes in a certaine deede of gift that he saw and that it should not want vpright credit that hee read the couenants and articles concerning a certaine beneuolence of Arthures extended towardes the religiouse persons inhabiting Aualonia But I will hereunto annexe the very wordes of King Henries gift out of the originall deede Moreouer what thinges so euer haue beene giuen me from my Predecessors William the first William the second and Henry my Vnckle Yea of their Ancestors namely of Eadgar the father of Sir Edwarde of Edmond and of his father Edward and of Ealfred the Grandsire of the same of Brinwalchius Kenwinus Baldredus Ina Cuthredus and of Arthure and many other Christian Kinges And also of Kenwalchius the Pagan King whose priuileges and writings I haue diligently caused to be searched and to be presēted read in my presence Thus far the deed of gift If these witnesses of sure credit make not sufficiēt for most apparant knowledge of the truth surely there can nothing at any time auaylably serue For not to be satisfied with these being receyued and knowen at full is neyther the parte of a wise head no nor yet of a good iudgment CAP. VIII King Atthures Seale ANd because I haue againe entred into the Misteries of sacred Antiquitie and am descended a curious searcher into the bowels thereof it liketh me to bring forth to light an other matter namely Arthures Seale a monumēt most cunningly engrauen auncient and reuerent Concerninge which Caxodunus maketh mention yet breefly and sclenderly in his preface to the history of Arthure which the common people readeth printed in the English tongue Being moued with the testimony of Caxodunus whatsoeuer it were I went vnto Westminster to the end that what so as an eare witnesse I had heard I might at length also as an eye witnesse beholde the same Pondering well that sayinge of Plautus in my minde Pluris valet oculatus testis vnus quam Auriti decem Of more force standes eye witnesse one Then ten eare witnesses among The keeper of those secretes being requested of mee to shew me this monument by and by delyuered it both to bee seene and handled The sight of the Antiquitie pleased me at full and for a long time the Maiestie thereof not onely drewe away but also detayned myne eyes from me to the beholding thereof Of such force it is for a man aptly to chaunce vpon a thing with greate care desired The substance which tooke the most lyuelyest figure of Arthure imprinted vpon the Seale and which as yet doth firmely keepe the same still is ware of redde coloure which by some mishape or iniury of long time perished is crazed here there into peeces But so yet notwithstanding as no part of it is altogether lacking For the fragmentes or litle peeces thereof being before time by some mischaunce crazed are so closed vp together with siluer plates which is of rounde forme such as is the vtter side of the Seale that no parte of them may fall off For vpon the vtterside of this seale it is thus engraued with these breefe but in very deede most excellent most hauty and most magnificent tytles That is to say PATRICIVS ARTVRIVS BRITTANNIAE GALLIAE GERMANIAE DACIAE IMPERATOR And of trueth this inscription circleth the outermost compasse of the Seale The former parte thereof is most bright shining by a circle of christall which being taken off streightway may any man touch the war which by reason of the Antiquitie is most harde But the Portracture of Arthure printed thereupon resembleth I wotte neare what Heroyicall Maiestie For the Prince as it were inuested with purple royally sitteth vpon a halfe circle such one as we see the raine boe is Hauing a crowne vpon his heade he shineth like the sunne In his right hand riseth vp a scepter wrought with a Flowerdeluce at the toppe And his left hand holdeth a globe adorned with a crosse His bearde also groweth comely large and at length and euen that is a maiestie The other side of the Seale is altogether couered ouer with a thinne plate of Siluer By meanes wherof also it is vncertaine of what fashion it is There hangeth downe at the same a string chainefashionlike twisted of Siluer Certes Reader I pray God I
suppose of Henry the second King of England but as others thinke vnto whom I easely assent in the beginning of the raigne of Richard the first his Sonne Touching both this searching for and finding out of the bones two persons specially amongst others haue written their mindes of which two one was a Moncke of Glastenbury and by name vnknowne to me but the other was Siluester Giraldus Furdermore there had beene hereunto added also Gulielmus Meildunensis as the third witnesse to be conferred with them both but that death had taken him away in his aged yeares before the Scpulcre or Tombe was found The testimonies of these men will I vse especially and at this instant I will bring hether the wordes of Annonymus the Moncke King Arthure was entombed like as by K. Henry y e second Henry y ● Abbot had learned whose cosen germane familier friend he of late was But y e King had often times heard this out of the actes of the Brittaines of their historicall singers that Arthure was buried neare vnto the old Church in the religiouse place betweene two Pyramedes in times past nobly engrauen and erected as it is reported for the memory of him And King Arthure was buryed verie deeply for feare of the Saxons whom he had often times vanquished whome he had altogether reiected or cast out of the Isle of Brittaine And whome Mordred his mischeeuous Nephew had first called backe againe and brought thither against him least they should also with mallice of minde raige in crueltie towardes the deade body which had laboured by tooth naile euen now to possesse againe the whole Island after his death Againe for and in respect of the same feare he was laide in a certaine broade stone as it were at a graue found of them which digged there of seauen foote as it were vnder y e earth when yet notwithstanding Arthures Tombe was founde more lower of nyne foote depth There was moreouer founde a leaden crosse not set into the vppermost but rather neathermost parte of the stone hauing thereon these letters engrauen HIC IACET SEPVLTVS INCLITVS REX ARTHVRIVS IN INSVLA AVALONIAE And the Crosse taken out of the stone the saide Abbot Henry shewing the same we haue seene with our eyes and haue reade these letters But like as the Crosse was infired to the neathermost parte of the stone So that parte of the crosse engrauen to the ende it might bee more secrete was turned towardes the stone Doubtlesse a wonderfull industrie and exquisite wisdome of the men in that age who by all endeuoures desired to hide in secret manner the body of so greate a personage and their Soueraigne Lord especially the Patrone of that place by reason of the instant troubled state And who yet had further care that at one or other time afterwardes when the trouble surceased by the perfect order of those letters engrauen in the Crosse and found out other whiles they might make apparant testimonies of his buriall And as the foresaide King Henry had before declared all the matter to the Abbot so the body of Arthure was found not in a marble Tombe as it befitted so notable a Kinge NOw in fit time comes forth Siluester Giraldus that same eye witnesse of Arthures bones and ashes found and aptly adioyneth his accounte vnto these wordes And his body which as it were fantasticall in the end and as it were by spirites translated vnto places a farre off and not subiect vnto death fables so fully had fayned was in these our dayes by wonderfull and as it were meruailous tokens founde out buried more deeper in the earth at Glastenburie betweene two Pyrameds in old time set vp within the religious place and by a hollow Oake marked or knowne was with honor trāslated into the Church decētly bestowed in a Marble Tombe Whereupon a leaden crosse being engrauen in the stone not in the vpper part as it is accustomed but on the lowermost part rather which wee also haue seene for we haue handled the same conteyned these letters engrauen and not eminent and extant but rather inwardlie turned to the stone HIC IACET SEPVLTVS INCLITVS REX ARTVRIVS IN INSVLA AVALONIAE And these wordes follow euen there And seeing there were some euident tokens of finding the bodie there by his inscriptions and some by the Pyramedes engrauen although as very much defaced and ouerworne by too much oldnesse of time yet most chiefely and most euidentlie did Henry the second king of England declare and manifest full and whole vnto those Monckes according as he had harde of that auncient historicall Musician the Brittaine namely that they should finde him buried deepely in the earth for xvi foote at the least not in a Tombe of stone but in a hollow Oake And therefore his body beeing laide and as it were hidden so deepe to the end that it might not be founde of the Saxons inhabiting the Island after his death whome he in his life time had so puissantly subdued almost destroyed might sarcely at any time be found And for this cause were the letters as testimonies of truth engrauen vpon the crosse turned inwardes to the stone to the end they should at-that time kepe in secret what they conteyned and that sometime also according to the place time requisite they might discouer or manifest that same meaning Moreouer also he writeth these words euen in the same place We must also know that the bones of Arthures bodie which were foūd were so greate that euē that saying of the poet might seeme in these words to be fulfilled Grandiaque effossis mirabitur ossa Sepulchris And the Tombes being digged forth right He shall maruaile at the greate bones in sight FOr the bone of his shinne beeing layde to the shinne of a most tall person which also the Abbot shewed vs and as it was fastned vnto that grounde neare vnto his foote retched it selfe largly three fingers ouer his knee Also the scalp of his head as it were a wonder or spectacle was capable and grosse in so much as betweene the eye bryes and the eyes it largely conteyned a hande bignesse There appeared in this tenne or moe woundes all which except one only greater then the rest which gaped wide and which onely seemed to bee a deadlie wounde grewe together into one whole scarre Nowe if it shall auaile any man either to repeate y ● very selfe same thinges which I haue ere while recited out of Giraldus or not much vnlike to these let him read his booke viz. Speculum Ecclesiasticū where as two chapters lightsomly entreat of this matter In meane time yet I haue somwhat which helds me doubtfull For Giraldus affirmeth y t his burying place was of Oake which as I doe not streyght way affirme to be false So I will insinuate those thinges which vehemētly persuade me to y ● cōtrary First the nūber