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016 - Book VIII Part 2 Aurelius Ambrosius Uther Pendragon · History of the Kings of Britain

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  Speaker 1: Book eight, Part two of History of the Kings of Britain.
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  Speaker 1: This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
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  Speaker 1: the public domain. For all information or to volunteer, please
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  Speaker 1: visit LibriVox dot org. History of the Kings of Britain
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  Speaker 1: by Geoffrey of Monmouth, translated by Aaron Thompson and J. A. Giles.
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  Speaker 1: Chapter fourteen, Percentius, assisted by the King of Ireland, again
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  Speaker 1: invades Britain. Aurelius dies by the treachery of aopah As
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  Speaker 1: Saxon Percentius. After this flight, Durst not return to Germany,
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  Speaker 1: but shifting his sails, went over to Kiloemanius in Ireland,
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  Speaker 1: by whom he was well received, and when he had
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  Speaker 1: given him an account of his misfortune, Ilimenius, in pity
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  Speaker 1: to him, promised him his assistance, and at the same
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  Speaker 1: time vented his complaint of the injuries done him by Uther,
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  Speaker 1: the brother of Arelius. When he came for the Giants
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  Speaker 1: dance at last, entering into confederacy. Together they made ready
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  Speaker 1: their fleet, in which they embarked and arrived at the
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  Speaker 1: city of Minavia. This news caused Uther pen Dragon to
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  Speaker 1: levy his forces and march into Cambria to fight them
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  Speaker 1: for his brother. Aurelius then lay sick at Winchester and
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  Speaker 1: was not able to go himself. When Persentius Illimenius and
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  Speaker 1: the Saxons heard of it, they highly rejoiced, flattering themselves
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  Speaker 1: that hiss would facilitate to them the conquest of Britain.
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  Speaker 1: While this occurrence was the subject of the people's discourse,
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  Speaker 1: one of the Saxons named Aopah, came to Percentius and said,
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  Speaker 1: what reward will you give the man that shall kill
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  Speaker 1: Aurelius Ambrosius for you, to whom Percentius answered, oh, that
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  Speaker 1: I could find a man of such resolution, I would
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  Speaker 1: give him a thousand pounds of silver and my friendship
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  Speaker 1: for life. And if by good fortune I can but
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  Speaker 1: gain the crown, I promise upon oath to make him
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  Speaker 1: a centurion. To this, Aoprah replied, I have learnt the
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  Speaker 1: British language, and know the manners of the people, and
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  Speaker 1: have skill in physic If therefore you will perform this promise,
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  Speaker 1: I will pretend to be a Christian and a Briton,
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  Speaker 1: and when as a physician I shall be admitted into
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  Speaker 1: the King's presence, I will make him a potion that
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  Speaker 1: will despatch him, and to gain the readier access to him,
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  Speaker 1: I will put on the appearance of a devout and
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  Speaker 1: learned monk. Upon the offer, Percentius entered into covenant with
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  Speaker 1: him and confirmed what he had promised with an oath.
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  Speaker 1: A Yopah therefore shaved his beard and head, and in
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  Speaker 1: the habit of a monk, hastened to Winchester, loaded with
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  Speaker 1: vessels full of medical preparations. As soon as he arrived there,
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  Speaker 1: he offered his service to those that attended about the king,
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  Speaker 1: and was graciously received by them, for to them nobody
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  Speaker 1: was now more acceptable than a physician. Being introduced into
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  Speaker 1: the king's presence. He promised to restore him to his
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  Speaker 1: health if he would but take his potions, upon which
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  Speaker 1: he had his orders forthwith to prepare one of them
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  Speaker 1: into which, when he had secretly conveyed a poisonous mixture,
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  Speaker 1: he gave it to the king. As soon as Aurelius
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  Speaker 1: had drunk it up. The wicked ambron ordered him presently
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  Speaker 1: to cover himself, close up and fall asleep, that the
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  Speaker 1: detestable poison might the better operate. The king readily obeyed
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  Speaker 1: his prescriptions, and, in hopes of his speedy recovery, fell asleep.
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  Speaker 1: The poison quickly diffused itself through all the pores and
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  Speaker 1: veins of his body, so that the sleep ended in death.
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  Speaker 1: In the meantime, the wicked traitor, having cunningly withdrawn himself
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  Speaker 1: first from one and then from another, was no longer
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  Speaker 1: to be found in the court. During these transactions, at Winchester,
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  Speaker 1: there appeared a star of wonderful magnitude and brightness, darting
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  Speaker 1: forth a ray, at the end of which was a
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  Speaker 1: globe of fire in the form of a dragon, out
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  Speaker 1: of whose mouth issued forth two rays, one of which
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  Speaker 1: seemed to stretch out itself beyond the extent of Gaul,
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  Speaker 1: the other towards the Irish Sea, and ended in seven
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  Speaker 1: lesser rays. Chapter fifteen a comet pre signifies the reign
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  Speaker 1: of Uther. At the appearance of this star, a general
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  Speaker 1: fear and amazement seized the people, and even Luther, the
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  Speaker 1: King's brother, who was then upon his march with his
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  Speaker 1: army into Cambria, being not a little terrified at it,
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  Speaker 1: was very curious to know of the learned men what
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  Speaker 1: it port ended. Among others, he ordered Merlin to be called,
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  Speaker 1: who also attended in this expedition to give his advice
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  Speaker 1: in the management of the war, and who, being now
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  Speaker 1: presented before him, was commanded to discover to him the
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  Speaker 1: signification of the star. At this he burst out into tears,
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  Speaker 1: and with a loud voice, cried out, Oh, irreparable loss,
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  Speaker 1: Oh distressed people of Britain. Alas the illustrious prince is departed,
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  Speaker 1: the renowned king of the Britons, Aurelius Ambrosius, is dead,
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  Speaker 1: whose death will prove fatal to us all, unless God
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  Speaker 1: be our helper, make haste. Therefore, most noble Luther, make
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  Speaker 1: haste to engage the enemy. The victory will be yours,
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  Speaker 1: and you shall be king of all Britain. For the
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  Speaker 1: star and the fiery dragon under it signifies yourself, and
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  Speaker 1: the ray extending towards the Gallic coast, pretends that you
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  Speaker 1: will have a most potent son, to whose power all
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  Speaker 1: those kingdoms shall be subject over which the ray reaches.
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  Speaker 1: But the other ray signifies a daughter, whose sons and
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  Speaker 1: grandsons shall successively enjoy the kingdom of Britain. Chapter sixteen,
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  Speaker 1: Percentius and Gillemanius are killed in battle. Uther, though he
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  Speaker 1: doubted the truth of what Merlin had declared, pursued his
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  Speaker 1: march against the enemy, for he was now come within
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  Speaker 1: half a day's march of Menavia. When Gillomanius, Percentius and
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  Speaker 1: the Saxons were informed of his approach, they went out
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  Speaker 1: to give him battle. As soon as they were come
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  Speaker 1: within sight of each other. Both armies began to form
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  Speaker 1: themselves into several bodies, and then advanced to a close attack,
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  Speaker 1: in which both sides suffered a lot of men, as
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  Speaker 1: usually happens in such engagements. At last, towards the close
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  Speaker 1: of day, the advantage was on Luther's side, and the
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  Speaker 1: death of Gillemanius and Centius made away for complete victory,
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  Speaker 1: so that the barbarians, being put to flight, hastened to
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  Speaker 1: their ships, but were slain by their pursuers. Thus, by
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  Speaker 1: the favor of Christ, the general had triumphant success, and then,
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  Speaker 1: with all possible expedition, after so great a fatigue, returned
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  Speaker 1: back to Winchester, for he had now been informed by
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  Speaker 1: messengers that arrived of the king's sad fate and of
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  Speaker 1: his burial by the bishops of the country near the
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  Speaker 1: convent of Ambrius within the Giants dance, which in his
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  Speaker 1: lifetime he had commanded to be made for upon hearing
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  Speaker 1: the news of his death, the bishops, Habits and all
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  Speaker 1: the clergy of that province had met together at Winchester
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  Speaker 1: to solemnize his funeral, And because in his lifetime he
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  Speaker 1: had given orders for his being buried in the sepulcher
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  Speaker 1: which he had prepared, they therefore carried his corpse thither
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  Speaker 1: and performed his exoquies with royal magnificence. Chapter seventeen, Uther
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  Speaker 1: Pendragon is made King of Britain. But Uther, his brother,
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  Speaker 1: having assembled the clergy of the kingdom, took the crown,
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  Speaker 1: and by universal consent, was advanced to the Kingdom. And,
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  Speaker 1: remembering the explanation which Merlin had made of the star
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  Speaker 1: above mentioned, he commanded two dragons to be made of gold,
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  Speaker 1: in likeness of the dragon which he had seen at
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  Speaker 1: the ray of the star. As soon as they were finished,
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  Speaker 1: which was done with wonderful nicety of workmanship, he made
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  Speaker 1: a present of one to the Cathedral Church of Winchester,
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  Speaker 1: but reserved the other for himself to be carried along
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  Speaker 1: with him to his wars. From this time therefore he
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  Speaker 1: was called Uther Pendragon, which in the British tongue signifies
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  Speaker 1: the dragon's head, the occasion of this appellation being Merlin's
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  Speaker 1: prediction from the appearance of a dragon that he should
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  Speaker 1: be king. Chapter eighteen, Octa and Aosa are taken in battle.
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  Speaker 1: In the meantime, Octa, the son of Hengist, and his
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  Speaker 1: kinsman Aosa, seeing that they were no longer bound by
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  Speaker 1: the treaty which they had made with Aralius Ambrosius, began
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  Speaker 1: to raise disturbances against the king and infest his countries,
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  Speaker 1: for they were now joining with the Saxons, whom Pacentius
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  Speaker 1: had over and sending messengers into Germany for the rest.
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  Speaker 1: Being therefore attended with a vast army, he invaded the
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  Speaker 1: northern provinces and in an outrageous manner, destroyed all the
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  Speaker 1: cities and fortified places from Albania to York. At last,
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  Speaker 1: as he was beginning the siege of that city, Uther
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  Speaker 1: Pendragon came upon him with the whole power of the
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  Speaker 1: kingdom and gave him battle. The Saxons behaved with great gallantry, and,
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  Speaker 1: having sustained the assaults of the Britons, forced them to fly,
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  Speaker 1: and upon this advantage, pursued them with slaughter to the
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  Speaker 1: mountain Damen, which was as long as they could do
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  Speaker 1: it with daylight. The mountain was high and had a
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  Speaker 1: hazel wood upon the top of it, and about the
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  Speaker 1: middle broken and caveous rocks, which were our harbor to
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  Speaker 1: wild beasts. The Britons made up to it and stayed
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  Speaker 1: there all night among the rocks and hazel bushes. But
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  Speaker 1: as it began to draw towards day, Uther commanded the
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  Speaker 1: consuls and princes to be called together, that he might
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  Speaker 1: consult with them in what manner to assault the enemy.
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  Speaker 1: Whereupon they forthwith appeared before the king, who commanded them
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  Speaker 1: to give their advice, and Gorloy's, Duke of Cornwall, had
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  Speaker 1: orders to deliver his opinion first out of regard to
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  Speaker 1: his years and great deliverance. There is no occasion, said he,
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  Speaker 1: for ceremonies or speeches, while we see that it is
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  Speaker 1: still night. But there is for boldness and courage if
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  Speaker 1: you desire any longer enployment of your life and liberty.
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  Speaker 1: The Pagans are very numerous and eager to fight, and
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  Speaker 1: we much inferior to them in number, so that if
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  Speaker 1: we stay till daybreak, we cannot, in my opinion, attack
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  Speaker 1: them to advantage. Come on, therefore, while we have the
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  Speaker 1: favor of night, and let us go down in a
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  Speaker 1: close body and surprise them in their camp with a
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  Speaker 1: sudden assault. There can be no doubt of success if,
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  Speaker 1: with one consent, we fall upon them bodily, while they
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  Speaker 1: think themselves secure and have no expectation of our coming
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  Speaker 1: in such a manner. The King and all that were
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  Speaker 1: present were pleased with his advice and pursued it. For
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  Speaker 1: as soon as they were armed and placed in their ranks,
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  Speaker 1: they made towards the enemy's camp, designing a general assault.
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  Speaker 1: But upon approaching to it, they were discovered by the watch, who,
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  Speaker 1: with sound of trumpet, awakened their companions. The enemies, being
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  Speaker 1: hereupon put into confusion and astonishment, part of them hastened
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  Speaker 1: towards the sea, and part ran up and down whithersoever
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  Speaker 1: their fear or precipitation drove them. The Britons, finding their
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  Speaker 1: coming discovered, hastened their march, and, keeping still close together
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  Speaker 1: in their ranks, assailed the camp, into which, when they
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  Speaker 1: had found an entrance, they ran with their drawn swords
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  Speaker 1: upon the enemy, who, in this sudden surprise, made a
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  Speaker 1: faint defense against their vigorous and regular attack, and pursuing
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  Speaker 1: this blow with great eagerness, they destroyed some thousands of
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  Speaker 1: the Pagans, took Octa and Eosa prisoners, and entirely dispersed
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  Speaker 1: the Saxons. Chapter nineteen, Uther, falling in love with a girner,
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  Speaker 1: enjoys her by the assistance of Merlin's magical operations. After
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  Speaker 1: this victory, Uther repaired to the city of Arklad, where
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  Speaker 1: he settled the affairs of that province and restored peace everywhere.
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  Speaker 1: He also made a progress around all the countries of
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  Speaker 1: the Scots, and tamed the fierceness of that rebellious people
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  Speaker 1: by such a strict administration of justice as none of
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  Speaker 1: his predecessors had exercised before, so that in his time
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  Speaker 1: offenders were everywhere under great terror, since they were sure
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  Speaker 1: of being punished without mercy. At last, when he had
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  Speaker 1: established peace in the northern provinces, he went to London
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  Speaker 1: and commanded Octa and Aosa to be kept in prison
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  Speaker 1: there the east of Following he ordered all the nobility
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  Speaker 1: of the kingdom to meet him at that city in
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  Speaker 1: order to celebrate that great festival in honor of which
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  Speaker 1: he designed to wear his crown. The summons was everywhere obeyed,
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  Speaker 1: and there was a great concourse from all cities to
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  Speaker 1: celebrate the day. So the King observed the festival with
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  Speaker 1: great solemnity as he had designed, and very joyfully entertained
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  Speaker 1: his nobility, of whom there was a very great muster,
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  Speaker 1: with their wives and daughters, suitably to the magnificence of
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  Speaker 1: the banquet prepared for them, and having been received with
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  Speaker 1: troy by the King, they also expressed the same in
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  Speaker 1: their deportment before him. Among the rest was present Carloys,
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  Speaker 1: King of Cornwall, with his wife a Goerner, the greatest
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  Speaker 1: beauty in all Britain. No sooner had the King cast
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  Speaker 1: his eyes upon her among the rest of the ladies,
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  Speaker 1: than he fell passionately in love with her, and little
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  Speaker 1: regard and the rest made her the subject of all
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  Speaker 1: his thoughts. She was the only lady that he continually
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  Speaker 1: served with fresh dishes, and to whom he sent golden cups.
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  Speaker 1: By his confidence on her, he bestowed all his smiles,
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  Speaker 1: and to her addressed all his discourse. The husband, discovering this,
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  Speaker 1: fell into a great rage and retired from the court
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  Speaker 1: without taking leave. Nor was there anybody that could stop him.
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  Speaker 1: While he was under fear of losing the chief object
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  Speaker 1: of his delight. Uther, therefore, in great wrath, commanded him
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  Speaker 1: to return back to court to make satisfaction for this affront,
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  Speaker 1: But Gaulays refused to obey, upon which the King was
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  Speaker 1: highly incensed, and swore he would destroy his country if
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  Speaker 1: he did not speedily compound for his offense. Accordingly, without delay,
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  Speaker 1: while their anger was hot against each other, the King
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  Speaker 1: got together a great army and marched into Cornwall, the
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  Speaker 1: cities and towns whereof he set on fire. But Gorloys
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  Speaker 1: durst not engage with him on account of the inferiority
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  Speaker 1: of his numbers, and thought it a wiser course to
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  Speaker 1: fortify his towns till he could get succor from Ireland.
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  Speaker 1: And as he was more under concern for his wife
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  Speaker 1: than himself, he put her into the town of Tintagel
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  Speaker 1: upon the seashore, which he looked upon as a place
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  Speaker 1: of great safety. But he himself entered the castle of
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  Speaker 1: Dimloch to prevent their being both at once involved in
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  Speaker 1: the same danger if any should happen. The King, informed
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  Speaker 1: of this, went to the town where Gouloys was. She
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  Speaker 1: besieged and shut up all the avenues to it. A
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  Speaker 1: whole week was now passed. When retaining in mind his
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  Speaker 1: love to a governer, he said to one of his
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  Speaker 1: confidants named Elphin de Ricaradoc, My passion for a girner
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  Speaker 1: is such that I can neither have ease of mind
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  Speaker 1: nor ease of body till I obtain her. And if
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  Speaker 1: you cannot assist me with your advice how to accomplish
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  Speaker 1: my desire, the inward torments I endure will kill me.
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  Speaker 1: Who can advise you in this matter? Said Elphin, when
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  Speaker 1: no force will enable us to have access to her
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  Speaker 1: in the town of Tintatral, For it is situated upon
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  Speaker 1: the sea, and on every side surrounded by it, and
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  Speaker 1: there is but one entrance into it, and that through
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  Speaker 1: a straight rock, which three men shall be able to
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  Speaker 1: defend against the whole power of the kingdom. Notwithstanding, if
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  Speaker 1: the prophet Merlin would in earnest set about this attempt,
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  Speaker 1: I am of opinion you might, with his advice, obtain
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  Speaker 1: your wishes. The king readily believed what he was so
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  Speaker 1: well inclined to, and ordered Merlin, who was also come
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  Speaker 1: to the siege to be called Merlin, therefore, being introduced
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  Speaker 1: into the king's presence, was commanded to give his advice
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  Speaker 1: how the King might accomplish his desire with respect to
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  Speaker 1: a governer, And he, finding the great anguish of the king,
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  Speaker 1: was moved by such excessive love, and said, to accomplish
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  Speaker 1: your desire, you must make use of such arts as
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  Speaker 1: have not been heard of in your time. I know, how,
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  Speaker 1: by the foot of my medicines, to give you the
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  Speaker 1: exact likeness of Gorloys, so that in all respects you
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  Speaker 1: shall seem to be no other than himself. If you
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  Speaker 1: will therefore obey my prescriptions, I will metamorphize you into
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  Speaker 1: the true semblance of Gorloys, and Elphin into Jordan of Tintagel,
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  Speaker 1: his familiar friend, and I myself, being transformed into another shape,
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  Speaker 1: will make the third in the adventure. And in this
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  Speaker 1: disguise you may go safely into the town where your
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  Speaker 1: goerner is and have admittance to her. The king complied
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  Speaker 1: with the proposal and acted with great caution in this affair,
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  Speaker 1: And when he had committed the care of the siege
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  Speaker 1: to his intimate friends, underwent the medical applications of Merlin,
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  Speaker 1: by whom he was transformed into the likeness of Gorlays
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  Speaker 1: Asolphin also into Jordan and Murdin himself into Brickle, so
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  Speaker 1: that nobody could see any remains now of their former likeness.
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  Speaker 1: They then set forward on their way to Tintattle, at
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  Speaker 1: which they arrived in the evening twilight, and forthwith signified
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  Speaker 1: to the porter that the consul was come, upon which
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  Speaker 1: the gates were opened and the men let in, for
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  Speaker 1: what room could there be for suspicion when Gorloys himself
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  Speaker 1: seemed to be there present. The king therefore stayed that
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  Speaker 1: night with the governer, and had the full enjoyment of her,
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  Speaker 1: for she was deceived with the falster disguise which he
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  Speaker 1: had put on, and the artful and amorous discourses wherewith
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  Speaker 1: he entertained her. He told her that he had left
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  Speaker 1: his own place besieged, purely to provide for the safety
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  Speaker 1: of her dear self and the town she was in,
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  Speaker 1: so that, believing all that he said, she refused him
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  Speaker 1: nothing which he desired. The same knight, therefore she conceived
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  Speaker 1: of the most renowned Arthur, whose heroic and wonderful actions
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  Speaker 1: have justly rendered his name famous to posterity. Chapter twenty
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  Speaker 1: gaulays being killed, Uther marries a Gerna in the meantime,
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  Speaker 1: as soon as the king's absence was discovered at the siege,
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  Speaker 1: his army unadvisedly made an assault upon the walls and
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  Speaker 1: provoked the besieged count to a battle, who himself, also,
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  Speaker 1: acting as inconsiderately as they sallied forth with his men,
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  Speaker 1: thinking with such a small handful to oppose a powerful army,
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  Speaker 1: but happened to be killed in the very first brunt
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  Speaker 1: of the fight, and had all his men routed. The
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  Speaker 1: town also was taken, but all the riches of it
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  Speaker 1: were not shared equally among the besiegers, but everyone greedily
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  Speaker 1: took what he could get, according a fortune or his
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  Speaker 1: own strength favored him. After this bold attempt, came messengers
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  Speaker 1: to a gerna with the news both of the Duke's
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  Speaker 1: death and of the event of the siege. But when
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  Speaker 1: they saw the king in the likeness of the consul
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  Speaker 1: sitting close by her, they were struck with shame and
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  Speaker 1: astonishment at his safe arrival there, whom they had left
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  Speaker 1: dead at the siege, for there were wholly ignorant of
• 25:45
  Speaker 1: the miracles which Merlin had wrought with his medicines. The
• 25:51
  Speaker 1: king therefore smiled at the news and embracing the countess,
• 25:55
  Speaker 1: said to her, your own eyes may convince you that
• 25:58
  Speaker 1: I am not dead but live. But notwithstanding the destruction
• 26:05
  Speaker 1: of the town and the slaughter of my men, is
• 26:08
  Speaker 1: what very much grieves me, so that there is reason
• 26:12
  Speaker 1: to fear the King's coming upon us and taking us
• 26:16
  Speaker 1: in this place, to prevent which I will go out
• 26:21
  Speaker 1: to meet him and make my peace with him, for
• 26:25
  Speaker 1: fear of a worse disaster. Accordingly, as soon as he
• 26:31
  Speaker 1: was out of the town, he went to his army, and,
• 26:35
  Speaker 1: having put off the disguise of Gorloys, was now with
• 26:39
  Speaker 1: the Pendragon again. When he had had a full relation
• 26:44
  Speaker 1: made to him of how matters had succeeded, he was
• 26:48
  Speaker 1: sorry for the death of Gorloys, but rejoiced that Daguerrino
• 26:51
  Speaker 1: was now at liberty to marry again. Then he returned
• 26:55
  Speaker 1: to the Talatin Padel, which he took and in it
• 26:59
  Speaker 1: what he patiently wished for a Gerner herself. After this
• 27:06
  Speaker 1: they continued to live together with much affection for each other,
• 27:11
  Speaker 1: and had a son and daughter whose names were Arthur
• 27:16
  Speaker 1: and Anne. Chapter twenty one Octa and Aosa renew the war.
• 27:27
  Speaker 1: Lot A consul marries the King's daughter. In process of time,
• 27:36
  Speaker 1: the king was taken ill of a lingering distemper, and
• 27:41
  Speaker 1: meanwhile the keepers of the prison, wherein Octa and Aeosa,
• 27:44
  Speaker 1: as we related before, led a weary life, had fled
• 27:49
  Speaker 1: over with them into Germany, and occasioned great fear over
• 27:53
  Speaker 1: the Kingdom, for there was a report of their great
• 27:57
  Speaker 1: levies in Germany and the vast fleet which they had
• 28:01
  Speaker 1: prepared for their return to destroy the island, which the
• 28:05
  Speaker 1: event verified, for they returned in a great fleet and
• 28:11
  Speaker 1: with a prodigious number of men, and invaded the parts
• 28:14
  Speaker 1: of Albania, where they destroyed both cities and inhabitants with
• 28:19
  Speaker 1: fire and sword. Wherefore, in order to repulse the enemies,
• 28:26
  Speaker 1: the command of the British army was committed to Lot
• 28:30
  Speaker 1: of Londonesia, who was a consul and a most valiant
• 28:34
  Speaker 1: knight and grown up to maturity both of years and wisdom.
• 28:42
  Speaker 1: Out of respect to his eminent merits, the King had
• 28:46
  Speaker 1: given him his daughter Anne and entrusted him with the
• 28:50
  Speaker 1: care of the kingdom during his illness. In his expedition
• 28:56
  Speaker 1: against the enemies, he had various success, being often repulsed
• 29:02
  Speaker 1: by them and forced to retreat to the cities, but
• 29:07
  Speaker 1: he often routed and dispersed them, and compelled them to flee,
• 29:11
  Speaker 1: sometimes into the woods, sometimes to their ships, so that
• 29:15
  Speaker 1: in a war attended with so many turns of fortune,
• 29:19
  Speaker 1: it was hard to know which side had the better.
• 29:23
  Speaker 1: The greatest injury to the Britons was their own pride
• 29:27
  Speaker 1: in disdaining to obey the consul's commands, for which reason
• 29:31
  Speaker 1: all their efforts against the enemy were less rigorous and successful.
• 29:38
  Speaker 1: Chapter twenty two. Uther, being ill, is carried in a
• 29:43
  Speaker 1: horse litter against the enemy, the island being by this
• 29:51
  Speaker 1: conduct now almost laid waste. The King, having information of
• 29:56
  Speaker 1: the matter, fell into a greater rage than his weakness
• 29:59
  Speaker 1: could bear, and commanded all his nobility to come before him,
• 30:05
  Speaker 1: that he might reprove them severely for their pride and cowardice.
• 30:10
  Speaker 1: As soon as they were all entered into his presence,
• 30:13
  Speaker 1: he sharply rebuked them in menacing language, and swore he
• 30:18
  Speaker 1: himself would lead them against the enemy. For this purpose,
• 30:24
  Speaker 1: he ordered a horse litter to be made in which
• 30:26
  Speaker 1: he designed to be carried, for his infirmity would not
• 30:30
  Speaker 1: suffer him to use any other sort of vehicle, and
• 30:35
  Speaker 1: he charged them all to be ready to march against
• 30:37
  Speaker 1: the enemy on the first opportunity. So without delay, the
• 30:44
  Speaker 1: horse litter and all his attendants were got ready, and
• 30:48
  Speaker 1: the day arrived which had been appointed for their march.
• 30:53
  Speaker 1: Chapter twenty three, Octa and Eosa, with a great number
• 30:59
  Speaker 1: of their men, are killed, the king therefore being put
• 31:05
  Speaker 1: into his vehicle. They marched directly to Verulam, where the
• 31:10
  Speaker 1: Saxons were grievously oppressing the people. When Octa and Aosa
• 31:16
  Speaker 1: had intelligence that the Britons were come, and that the
• 31:19
  Speaker 1: king was brought in a horse litter, they disdained to
• 31:22
  Speaker 1: fight with him, saying it would be a shame for
• 31:24
  Speaker 1: such brave men to fight with one that was half dead,
• 31:30
  Speaker 1: for which reason they retired into the city, and, as
• 31:34
  Speaker 1: it were, in contempt of any danger from the enemy,
• 31:37
  Speaker 1: left their gates wide open. But Dutha, upon information of this,
• 31:44
  Speaker 1: instantly commanded his men to lay siege to the city
• 31:48
  Speaker 1: and assault the walls on all sides, which orders they
• 31:51
  Speaker 1: strictly executed, and were just entering the breeches which they
• 31:55
  Speaker 1: had made in the walls, and ready to begin a
• 31:57
  Speaker 1: general assault, when the Saxons, seeing the advantages which the
• 32:01
  Speaker 1: Britons had gained, and, being forced to abate somewhat of
• 32:06
  Speaker 1: their haughty pride, condescended so far as to put themselves
• 32:11
  Speaker 1: into a posture of defense. They therefore mounted the walls,
• 32:16
  Speaker 1: from whence they poured down showers of arrows and repulsed
• 32:19
  Speaker 1: the Britons on both sides. The contest continued till night
• 32:25
  Speaker 1: released them from the fatigue of their arms, which was
• 32:29
  Speaker 1: what many of the Britons desired, though the greater part
• 32:32
  Speaker 1: of them were for having the matter quickly decided with
• 32:35
  Speaker 1: the enemy. The Saxons, on the other hand, finding how
• 32:40
  Speaker 1: prejudicial their own pride had been to them, and that
• 32:43
  Speaker 1: the advantage was on the side of the Britons, resolved
• 32:46
  Speaker 1: to make a salient break of day and try their
• 32:49
  Speaker 1: fortune with the enemy in the open field, which accordingly
• 32:54
  Speaker 1: was done, for no sooner was it daylight than they
• 32:59
  Speaker 1: marched out with this design, all in their proper ranks.
• 33:05
  Speaker 1: The Britons, seeing them, divided their men into several bodies, and,
• 33:10
  Speaker 1: advancing towards them, began the attack first, their part being
• 33:15
  Speaker 1: to assault, while the others were only upon the defensive. However,
• 33:21
  Speaker 1: much blood was shed on both sides, and the greatest
• 33:25
  Speaker 1: part of the day spent in the fight. When at
• 33:28
  Speaker 1: last Octor and Diosa being killed, the Saxons turned their
• 33:32
  Speaker 1: backs and left the Britons a complete victory. The king
• 33:38
  Speaker 1: of this was in such an ecstasy of joy that,
• 33:42
  Speaker 1: whereas before he could hardly raise himself up without the
• 33:45
  Speaker 1: help of others, he now, without any difficulty, sat upright
• 33:49
  Speaker 1: in his horse litter of himself as if he was
• 33:52
  Speaker 1: on a sudden restored to health, and said, with a
• 33:56
  Speaker 1: laughing and merry countenance, those Ambrons called me the half
• 34:00
  Speaker 1: dead King, because my sickness obliged me to lie in
• 34:03
  Speaker 1: a horse litter, and indeed so I was yet victory.
• 34:08
  Speaker 1: To me, half dead is better than to be safe
• 34:11
  Speaker 1: and sound and vanquished, For to die with honor is
• 34:16
  Speaker 1: preferable to living with disgrace. Chapter twenty four. Uther, upon
• 34:26
  Speaker 1: drinking spring water that was treacherously poisoned by the Saxons, dies.
• 34:35
  Speaker 1: The Saxons, notwithstanding this defeat, persisted still in their malice, and,
• 34:41
  Speaker 1: entering the northern provinces without respite, infested the people there.
• 34:48
  Speaker 1: Uther's purpose was to have pursued them, but his princes
• 34:52
  Speaker 1: dissuaded him from it because his illness had increased since
• 34:56
  Speaker 1: the victory this gave new courage to the enemy, who
• 35:00
  Speaker 1: left nothing unattempted to make conquest of the kingdom. And
• 35:05
  Speaker 1: now they have recoursed their former treacherous practices and contrive
• 35:10
  Speaker 1: how to compass the king's death by secret villainy. And
• 35:16
  Speaker 1: because they could have no access to him otherwise, they
• 35:19
  Speaker 1: resolved to take him off by poison, in which they succeeded,
• 35:24
  Speaker 1: for while he was lying ill at Verulam, they sent
• 35:27
  Speaker 1: away some spies in a poor habit to learn the
• 35:30
  Speaker 1: state of the court. And when they had thoroughly informed
• 35:35
  Speaker 1: themselves of the posture of affairs, they found out an
• 35:38
  Speaker 1: expedient by which they might best accomplish their villainy. For
• 35:42
  Speaker 1: there was near the court a spring of very clear water,
• 35:47
  Speaker 1: which the king used to drink of when his distemper
• 35:49
  Speaker 1: had made all other liquors nauseous to him. This the
• 35:53
  Speaker 1: detestable conspirators made use of to destroy him by so
• 35:57
  Speaker 1: poisoning the whole mass of water, which sprung up that
• 36:00
  Speaker 1: the next time the king drank of it, he was
• 36:03
  Speaker 1: seized with sudden death, as were also a hundred other
• 36:07
  Speaker 1: persons after him, till the villany was discovered and a
• 36:11
  Speaker 1: heap of earth thrown over the well. As soon as
• 36:16
  Speaker 1: the king's death was divulged, the bishops and clergy of
• 36:20
  Speaker 1: the kingdom assembled and carried his body off to the
• 36:23
  Speaker 1: Convent of Ambrius, where they buried it with regal solemnity,
• 36:28
  Speaker 1: close by Aurelius Ambrosius within the Giant's Dance, end of
• 36:34
  Speaker 1: Book eight, Part two,