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015 - Book VIII Part 1 Aurelius Ambrosius · History of the Kings of Britain

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  Speaker 1: Book eight, Part one of History of the Kings of Britain.
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  Speaker 1: This is LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the
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  Speaker 1: public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit
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  Speaker 1: LibriVox dot org. History of the Kings of Britain by
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  Speaker 1: Geoffrey of Monmouth, translated by Aaron Thompson and J. A. Garles.
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  Speaker 1: Chapter one, Vortigern asks Merlin concerning his own death. Merlin,
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  Speaker 1: by delivering these and many other prophecies, caused in all
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  Speaker 1: that were present and admiration at the ambiguity of his expressions.
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  Speaker 1: But Vortign above all the rest both admired and applauded
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  Speaker 1: the wisdom and prophetical spirit of the young man, for
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  Speaker 1: that Aige had none that ever talked in such a
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  Speaker 1: manner before him. Being therefore curious to learn his own fate,
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  Speaker 1: he desired the young man to tell him what he
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  Speaker 1: knew concerning that particular. Merlin answered, fly the fire of
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  Speaker 1: the sons of Constantine, if you were able to do it.
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  Speaker 1: Already they are fitting out their ships already, are they
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  Speaker 1: leaving the Armorican show? Already are they spreading out their
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  Speaker 1: sails to the wind. They will steer towards Britain. They
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  Speaker 1: will invade the Saxon nation. They will subdue that wicked people,
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  Speaker 1: but they will first burn you, being shut up in
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  Speaker 1: a tower, to your own ruin. Did you prove a
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  Speaker 1: traitor to their father and invite the Saxons into the island.
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  Speaker 1: You invited them for your safeguard, but they came for
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  Speaker 1: a punishment to you. Two deaths instantly threaten you. Nor
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  Speaker 1: is it easy to determine which you can best avoid.
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  Speaker 1: For on the one hand, the Saxons shall lay waste
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  Speaker 1: to your country and endeavor to kill you. On the
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  Speaker 1: other shall arrive the two brothers u Ralius Ambrosius and
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  Speaker 1: Uther Pendragon, whose business will be to revenge their father's murder.
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  Speaker 1: Upon you seek out some refuge if you can. Tomorrow
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  Speaker 1: they shall be on the shores of Totness. The faces
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  Speaker 1: of the Saxons shall look red with blood. Hengis shall
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  Speaker 1: be killed, and Ralius Ambrosius shall be crowned. He will
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  Speaker 1: bring peace to the nation. He shall restore the churches,
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  Speaker 1: but shall die of poison. His brother Uther Pendragon shall
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  Speaker 1: succeed him, whose day shauls be cut short by poison.
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  Speaker 1: There should be present at the commission of this treason
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  Speaker 1: your own issue, whom the bore of Cornwall shall devour accordingly.
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  Speaker 1: The next day early arrived Aurelius Ambrosius and his brother
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  Speaker 1: with ten thousand men. Chapter two. Aurelius Ambrosius, being anointed
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  Speaker 1: king of Britain Burns. Vortigan besieged in a tower. As
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  Speaker 1: soon as the news of his coming was divulged. The Britons,
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  Speaker 1: who had been dispersed by their great calamities, met together
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  Speaker 1: from all parts, and, gaining this new accession of strength
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  Speaker 1: from their countrymen, displayed unusual vigor. Having assembled together the clergy,
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  Speaker 1: they anointed Aralius king and paid him the customary homage.
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  Speaker 1: And when the people were urgent to fall upon the Saxons,
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  Speaker 1: he dissuaded them from it, because his desire was to
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  Speaker 1: pursue Vortigan first, for the treason committed against his father
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  Speaker 1: so very much affected him that he thought nothing done
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  Speaker 1: till that was first avenged. In pursuance Therefore, of this design,
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  Speaker 1: he marched with his army into Cambria, to the town
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  Speaker 1: of Generou, where the vortign had fled for refuge. That
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  Speaker 1: town was in the country of Rgin. Upon the river
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  Speaker 1: Gania in a mountain called Cloarius. As sus Ambrosis was
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  Speaker 1: arrived there, bearing in his mind to the murder of
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  Speaker 1: his father and brother. He spake thus to Eldol, Duke
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  Speaker 1: of Gloucester, thee most noble Duke, whether the walls of
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  Speaker 1: this city are able to protect Vortigen against my sheathing
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  Speaker 1: this sword in his bowels. He deserves to die, and
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  Speaker 1: you cannot, I suppose, be ignorant of his desert, almost
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  Speaker 1: villainous of men whose crimes deserve inexpressible tortures. First he
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  Speaker 1: betrayed my father Constantine, who had delivered him and his
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  Speaker 1: country from the inroads of the Picts. Afterwards my brother Constans,
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  Speaker 1: whom he made king on purpose to destroy him again,
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  Speaker 1: when by his craft he had usurped the crown. He
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  Speaker 1: introduced pagans among the natives in order to abuse those
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  Speaker 1: who continued steadfast and their loyalty to me. But by
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  Speaker 1: the good providence of God, he unwarily fell into this
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  Speaker 1: snare which he had laid for my faithful subjects. For
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  Speaker 1: the Saxons, when they found him out in his wickedness,
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  Speaker 1: drove him from the kingdom for which nobody ought to
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  Speaker 1: be concerned. But this I think matter of just grief,
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  Speaker 1: that this odious people, whom that detestable traitor invited over,
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  Speaker 1: has expelled the nobility they'd waste a fruitful country, destroyed
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  Speaker 1: the holy churches, and almost extinguished Christianity over the whole kingdom. Now, therefore,
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  Speaker 1: my countrymen, show yourselves. Men, First, revenge yourselves upon him
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  Speaker 1: that was the occasion of all these disasters. Then let
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  Speaker 1: us turn our arms against our enemies and free our
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  Speaker 1: country from their brutish tyranny. Immediately Therefore, they set their
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  Speaker 1: engines to work and labored to beat down the walls.
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  Speaker 1: But at last, when all other attempts failed, they had
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  Speaker 1: recoursed a fire, which, meeting with proper fuel, ceased not
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  Speaker 1: to rage till it had burnt down the tower, and
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  Speaker 1: Vortigan in it chapter three, the praise of Aurelius's valor
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  Speaker 1: of the Scots exposed forces raised against Hengist. Hengist, with
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  Speaker 1: his saxons, was struck with terror at this news, for
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  Speaker 1: he dreaded the valor of Aurelius. Such was the bravery
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  Speaker 1: and courage this Prince's master of that while he was
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  Speaker 1: in Gaul, there was none that Durst encounter with him,
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  Speaker 1: for in all encounters he either dismounted his adversary or
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  Speaker 1: broke his spear. Besides, he was magnificent in his presence,
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  Speaker 1: constant at his devotions, temperate in all respects, and above
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  Speaker 1: all things, hated a lie, a brave soldier on foot,
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  Speaker 1: a better on horseback, an expert in the discipline of
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  Speaker 1: an army. Reports of these his noble accomplishments, while he
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  Speaker 1: yet continued in our Morrican Britain, were daily brought over
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  Speaker 1: into the island. Therefore, the Saxons, for fear of him,
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  Speaker 1: retired beyond the Humber, and in those parts fortified the
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  Speaker 1: cities and towns, For that country always was a place
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  Speaker 1: of refuge to them, their safety lying in the neighborhood
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  Speaker 1: of Scotland, which used to watch all opportunities of distressing
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  Speaker 1: the nation. For that country, being in itself a frightful
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  Speaker 1: place to live in and wholly uninhabited, had been a
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  Speaker 1: safe retreat for strangers. By its situation, it lay open
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  Speaker 1: to the Pitts, Scots, Dations, Norwegians and others that came
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  Speaker 1: to plunder the island. Being therefore secure of a safe
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  Speaker 1: reception in this country, they fled towards it, that if
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  Speaker 1: there should be occasion, they might retreat into it as
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  Speaker 1: into their own camp. This was good news to Aralius
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  Speaker 1: and made him conceive greater hopes of victory, so assembling
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  Speaker 1: his people quickly to get he augmented his army and
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  Speaker 1: made an expeditious march towards the north. In his passage
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  Speaker 1: through the countries, he was grieved to see the desolation
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  Speaker 1: made in them, but especially that the churches were leveled
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  Speaker 1: to the ground, and he promised to rebuild them if
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  Speaker 1: he gained the victory. Chapter four, Hengust marches with his
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  Speaker 1: army against Aralius into the field of maize Belly. But Hengust,
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  Speaker 1: upon his approach, took courage again and chose out the
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  Speaker 1: bravest of his men, whom he exhorted to make a
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  Speaker 1: gallant defense and not be daunted at Aurelius, who, he
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  Speaker 1: told them, had but few Armorican Britons with him, since
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  Speaker 1: their number did not exceed ten thousand, and as for
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  Speaker 1: native Britons, he made no account of them, since they
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  Speaker 1: had been so often defeated by him. He therefore promised
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  Speaker 1: them the victory and that they should come off safely.
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  Speaker 1: Considering the superiority of their number, which amounted to two
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  Speaker 1: hundred thousand men in arms. After he had, in this
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  Speaker 1: manner animated his men, he advanced with them toward Aurelius,
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  Speaker 1: into a field called Maize Belly, through which Aurelius was
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  Speaker 1: to pass, for his intention was to make a sudden
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  Speaker 1: assault by surprise and fall upon the Britons before they
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  Speaker 1: were prepared. But Aurelius perceived the design, and yet did not,
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  Speaker 1: on that account delay going to the field, but rather
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  Speaker 1: pursued his march with more expedition. When he was come
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  Speaker 1: within sight of the enemy, he put his troops into order,
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  Speaker 1: commanding three thousand Armrricans to attend the cavalry, and drew
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  Speaker 1: out the rest, together with the Islanders, into line of battle.
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  Speaker 1: The Domitians he placed upon the hills, and the Venedotians
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  Speaker 1: in the adjacent woods, his reason for which was that
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  Speaker 1: they might be there ready to fall upon the Saxons
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  Speaker 1: in case they should flee in that direction. Chapter five
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  Speaker 1: a battle between Aurelius and Hengist. In the meantime, Eldol,
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  Speaker 1: Duke of Gloucester, went to the king and said, this
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  Speaker 1: one day should suffice for all the days of my
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  Speaker 1: life if by good providence I could but get an
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  Speaker 1: opportunity to engage with Hengist, for one of us should
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  Speaker 1: die before we parted. I still retained deeply fixed in
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  Speaker 1: my memory the day appointed for our peaceably treating together,
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  Speaker 1: but which he villainously made use of to assassinate all
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  Speaker 1: that were at the treaty, except myself only, who stood
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  Speaker 1: upon my defense with a stake that I accidentally found
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  Speaker 1: until I made my escape. That day proved fatal through
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  Speaker 1: his treachery to no less than four hundred and sixty
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  Speaker 1: barons and consuls, who all went unarmed from that conspiracy.
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  Speaker 1: God was pleased to deliver me by throwing a stake
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  Speaker 1: in my way, wherewith I defended myself and escaped. Thus
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  Speaker 1: spoke Eldol. Then Aurelius exhorted his companions to place all
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  Speaker 1: their hope in the Son of God, and to make
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  Speaker 1: a brave assault with one consent upon the enemy in
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  Speaker 1: defense of their country. Nor was Hengist less busy, on
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  Speaker 1: the other hand, in forming his troops and giving them
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  Speaker 1: directions how to behave themselves of the battle, and walked
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  Speaker 1: himself through their several ranks, the more to spirit them up.
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  Speaker 1: At last, Both armies, being drawn out in order of battle,
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  Speaker 1: began the attack, which they maintained with great bravery and
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  Speaker 1: no small loss of blood, both of the Britons and
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  Speaker 1: the Saxons. Aurelius animated the Christians, Hengis, the Pagans, and
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  Speaker 1: all the time of the engagement, Elderld's chief endeavor was
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  Speaker 1: to encounter Hengist, but he had no opportunity for it.
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  Speaker 1: For Hengist, when he found that his own men were
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  Speaker 1: outed and that the Christians, by the especial favor of God,
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  Speaker 1: had the advantage, fled to the town called Kaiakonen now Cannenengeberg.
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  Speaker 1: Aurelius pursued him and either killed or made slaves of
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  Speaker 1: all he found in the way. When Hengis saw that
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  Speaker 1: he was ensued by Aurelius, he would not enter the town,
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  Speaker 1: but assembled his troops and prepared them to stand another engagement,
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  Speaker 1: for he knew the town would not hold out against Aralius,
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  Speaker 1: and that his whole security now lay in his sword.
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  Speaker 1: At last, Aralius overtook him, and, after marshaling his forces,
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  Speaker 1: began another most furious fight. And here the Saxons steadily
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  Speaker 1: maintained their ground, notwithstanding the numbers that fell on both sides,
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  Speaker 1: there was great slaughter, the groans of the dying, causing
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  Speaker 1: a greater rage in those that survived. In short, the
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  Speaker 1: Saxons would have gained the day had not a detachment
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  Speaker 1: of horse from the Armorican Britons come in upon them,
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  Speaker 1: For Aralius had appointed them the same station which they
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  Speaker 1: had in the former battle, so that upon their advancing,
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  Speaker 1: the Saxons gave ground, when, once a little dispersed, were
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  Speaker 1: not able to rally again. The Britons, encouraged by this advantage,
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  Speaker 1: exerted themselves and labored with all their might to distress
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  Speaker 1: the enemy. All the time Aurelius was fully employed, not
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  Speaker 1: only in giving commands, but encouraging his men by his
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  Speaker 1: own example, For with his own hand he killed all
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  Speaker 1: that stood in his way and pursued those that fled.
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  Speaker 1: Nor was Eldol less active in all parts of field,
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  Speaker 1: running to and fro to assault his enemies. But still
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  Speaker 1: his main endeavor was to find an opportunity of encountering Hengist.
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  Speaker 1: Chapter six. Hengist, in a deal with Eldol, is taken
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  Speaker 1: by him. The Saxons are slain by the Britons without mercy.
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  Speaker 1: As there were therefore several movements made by the parties
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  Speaker 1: engaged on each side, an opportunity occurred for their meeting
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  Speaker 1: and briskly engaging with each other. In this encounter of
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  Speaker 1: the two greatest champions in the field, the fire sparkled
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  Speaker 1: with the clashing of their arms, and every stroke in
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  Speaker 1: a manner produced both thunder and lightning. For a long
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  Speaker 1: time was the victory in suspense, as it seemed sometimes
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  Speaker 1: to favor the one, sometimes the other. While they were
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  Speaker 1: thus hotly engaged, Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall, came up to
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  Speaker 1: them with the party he commanded, and did great execution
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  Speaker 1: upon the enemy's troops. At the sight of him, Eldore,
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  Speaker 1: assured of victory, seized on the helmet of Hengist, and
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  Speaker 1: by main force dragged him in among the Britons, and then,
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  Speaker 1: in transport of joy, cried out but with a loud voice,
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  Speaker 1: God has fulfilled my desire. My brave soldiers, down down
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  Speaker 1: with your enemies, the Ambrons. The victory is now in
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  Speaker 1: your hands. Hengist is defeated, and the day is your own.
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  Speaker 1: In the meantime, the Britons failed not to perform everyone
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  Speaker 1: his part against the Pagans, upon whom they made many
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  Speaker 1: vigorous assaults, and though they were obliged sometimes to give ground,
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  Speaker 1: yet their courage did not fail them in making a
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  Speaker 1: good resistance, so that they gave the enemy no respite
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  Speaker 1: till they had vanquished them. The Saxons therefore fled whithersoever.
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  Speaker 1: Their consternation hurried them, some to the cities, some to
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  Speaker 1: the woods upon the hills, and others to their ships.
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  Speaker 1: But Octa, the son of Hengi, made his retreat with
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  Speaker 1: a great body of men to york ad Aeosa his kinsman,
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  Speaker 1: to the city of Alclad, where he had a very
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  Speaker 1: large army for his guard. Chapter seven, hengist Is beheaded
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  Speaker 1: by eldol Aurelius. After this victory, took the city of
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  Speaker 1: Conan above mentioned, and stayed there for three days. During
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  Speaker 1: this time he gave orders for the burial of the slain,
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  Speaker 1: for curing the wounded, and for the ease and refreshment
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  Speaker 1: of his forces that were fatigued. Then he called a
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  Speaker 1: council with his principal officers to deliberate what was to
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  Speaker 1: be done with Hengist. There was at the assembly el Dad,
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  Speaker 1: bishop of Gloucester and brother of Eldul, a prelate of
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  Speaker 1: very great wisdom, and piety. As soon as he beheld
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  Speaker 1: Hengist standing in the king's presence, he demanded silence, and said,
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  Speaker 1: though all would be unanimous for setting him at liberty,
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  Speaker 1: yet I would cut him to pieces. The prophet Samuel
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  Speaker 1: is my warrant, who, when he had Agag, king of
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  Speaker 1: Amelech in his power, hewed him in pieces, saying, as
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  Speaker 1: thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother
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  Speaker 1: be childless among women? Do therefore the same to Hengist,
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  Speaker 1: who is a second a Gag. Accordingly, Aldol took his
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  Speaker 1: sword and drew him out of the city, and then
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  Speaker 1: cut off his head. But Aurelius, who showed moderation in
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  Speaker 1: all his conduct, commanded him to be buried, and a
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  Speaker 1: heap of earth to be raised over his body. According
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  Speaker 1: to the custom of the Pagans. Chapter eight, Octa, being
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  Speaker 1: besieged in York, surrenders himself to the mercy of Aurelius.
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  Speaker 1: From hence Aurelius conducted his army to York to besiege Octa,
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  Speaker 1: Hengist's son. When the city was invested, Octa was doubtful
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  Speaker 1: whether he should give him any opposition and stand a
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  Speaker 1: siege against such a powerful army. After consultation upon it,
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  Speaker 1: he went out with his principal nobility that were present,
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  Speaker 1: carrying a chain in his hand, and stand upon his head,
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  Speaker 1: and presented himself to the king with this address. My
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  Speaker 1: gods are vanquished, and I doubt not that the sovereign
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  Speaker 1: power is in your God, who has compelled so many
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  Speaker 1: noble persons to come before you in this suppliant manner.
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  Speaker 1: Be pleased therefore to accept of us and of this chain.
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  Speaker 1: If you do not think us fit objects of your clemency,
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  Speaker 1: We here present ourselves, ready to be fettered, and to
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  Speaker 1: undergo whatever punishment you shall adjudge us to. Aurelius was
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  Speaker 1: moved to pity at the spectacle, and demanded the advice
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  Speaker 1: of his counsel what should be done with them. After
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  Speaker 1: various proposals upon the subject, elder of the Bishop rose
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  Speaker 1: up and delivered his opinion in these words. The Gibionites
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  Speaker 1: came voluntarily to the children of Israel to desire mercy,
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  Speaker 1: and they obtained it. And shall we Christians be worse
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  Speaker 1: than the Jews in refusing them mercy. It is mercy
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  Speaker 1: which they beg and let them have it. The island
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  Speaker 1: of Britain is large, and in many places uninhabited. Let
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  Speaker 1: us make a covenant with them, and suffer them at
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  Speaker 1: least to inhabit the desert places, that they may be
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  Speaker 1: our vassals forever. The King acquiesced in Aldad's advice and
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  Speaker 1: suffered them to partake of his clemency. After this, Aosa
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  Speaker 1: and the rest that fled, being encouraged by Ox's success,
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  Speaker 1: came also and were admitted to the same favor. The
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  Speaker 1: King therefore granted them the country bordering upon Scotland, and
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  Speaker 1: made a firm covenant with them. Chapter nine, Aurelius, having
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  Speaker 1: entirely routed the enemies, restores all things in Britain, vicially
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  Speaker 1: ecclesiastical affairs to their ancient state. The enemies being now
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  Speaker 1: entirely reduced, the king summoned the consuls and princes of
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  Speaker 1: the kingdom together at York, where he gave orders for
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  Speaker 1: the restoration of the churches which the Saxons had destroyed.
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  Speaker 1: He himself undertook the rebuilding of the metropolitan church of
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  Speaker 1: that city, as also the other cathedral cities in that province.
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  Speaker 1: After fifteen days, when he had settled workmen in several places,
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  Speaker 1: he went to London, which city had not escaped the
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  Speaker 1: fury of the enemy. He beheld with great sorrow the
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  Speaker 1: destruction made in it, and recalled the remainder of the
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  Speaker 1: citizens from all parts, and began the restoration of it.
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  Speaker 1: Here he settled the affairs of the whole kingdom, revived
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  Speaker 1: the laws, restored the right to the possessions of their ancestors,
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  Speaker 1: and those estates whereof the years had been lost in
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  Speaker 1: late grievous calamity. He distributed among his fellow soldiers in
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  Speaker 1: these important concerns of restoring the nation to its ancient state,
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  Speaker 1: repairing the churches, re establishing peace and law, and settling
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  Speaker 1: the administration of justice was his time wholly employed. From
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  Speaker 1: hence he went to Winchester to repair the ruins of it,
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  Speaker 1: as he did for other cities, And when the work
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  Speaker 1: was finished there, he went, at the insistence of Bishop Eldad,
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  Speaker 1: to the monastery near caer Caradoc now Salisbury, where the
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  Speaker 1: consuls and princes whom the wicked Hengus had treacherously murdered
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  Speaker 1: lay buried. At this place was a convent that maintained
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  Speaker 1: three hundred friars, situated on the mountain of Ambrius, who,
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  Speaker 1: as is reported, had been the founder of it. The
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  Speaker 1: sight of the place where the dead lay made the King,
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  Speaker 1: who was of a compassionate temper, shed tears, and at
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  Speaker 1: last enter upon thoughts what kind of monument to erect
• 25:16
  Speaker 1: upon it? For he thought something ought to be done
• 25:21
  Speaker 1: to perpetuate the memory of that piece of ground, which
• 25:24
  Speaker 1: was honored with the bodies of so many noble patriots
• 25:28
  Speaker 1: that died for their country. Chapter ten, Aurelius is advised
• 25:36
  Speaker 1: by Merlin to remove the giant's dance from the mountain Killerouse.
• 25:43
  Speaker 1: For this purpose, he summoned together several carpenters and masons
• 25:47
  Speaker 1: and commanded them to employ the utmost of their art
• 25:50
  Speaker 1: in contriving some new structure for a lasting monument to
• 25:53
  Speaker 1: those great men. But they, in diffidence of their own skill,
• 25:59
  Speaker 1: refusing to undertake it. Tremaunus, archbishop with the city of Legions,
• 26:04
  Speaker 1: went to the king and said, if anyone living is
• 26:08
  Speaker 1: able to execute your commands, Merlin, the prophet of Vortigern
• 26:13
  Speaker 1: is the man. In my opinion, there is not in
• 26:17
  Speaker 1: all your kingdom a person of brighter genius, either in
• 26:21
  Speaker 1: predicting future events or in mechanical contrivances. Order him to
• 26:27
  Speaker 1: come to you and exercise his skill in the work
• 26:31
  Speaker 1: which you design. Whereupon Aurelius, after he had asked great
• 26:37
  Speaker 1: many questions concerning him, dispatched several messengers into the countries
• 26:42
  Speaker 1: to find him out and bring him to him. After
• 26:47
  Speaker 1: passing through several provinces, they found him in the country
• 26:50
  Speaker 1: of the Gavisians and the fountain of Galibis, which he
• 26:55
  Speaker 1: frequently resorted to. As soon as they had delivered their
• 26:59
  Speaker 1: message to him, they conducted him to the king, who
• 27:02
  Speaker 1: received him with joy, and, being curious to hear some
• 27:06
  Speaker 1: of his wonderful speeches, commanded him to prophesy. Merlin made answer,
• 27:14
  Speaker 1: mysteries of this kind are not to be revealed, but
• 27:17
  Speaker 1: when there is the greatest necessity for it. If I
• 27:22
  Speaker 1: should pretend to utter them, either for ostentation or diversion,
• 27:26
  Speaker 1: the spirit that instructs me would be silent, and would
• 27:30
  Speaker 1: leave me when I should have occasion for it. When
• 27:35
  Speaker 1: he had made the same refusal to all the rest present,
• 27:38
  Speaker 1: the King would not urge him any longer about his predictions,
• 27:42
  Speaker 1: but spoke to him concerning the monument which he designed.
• 27:47
  Speaker 1: If you are desirous, said Merlin, to honor the burying
• 27:51
  Speaker 1: place of these men with an everlasting monument, send for
• 27:56
  Speaker 1: the Giant's dance, which is in Killerouse, a mountain in Ireland.
• 28:03
  Speaker 1: For there is a structure of stones there which none
• 28:06
  Speaker 1: of this age could raise without a profound knowledge of
• 28:10
  Speaker 1: the mechanical arts. They are stones of a great magnitude
• 28:16
  Speaker 1: and wonderful quality, and if they can be placed here
• 28:20
  Speaker 1: as they are there round this spot of ground, they
• 28:24
  Speaker 1: will stand forever. Chapter eleven, Uther Pendragon is appointed with
• 28:35
  Speaker 1: Merlin to bring over the Giant's Dance. At these words
• 28:41
  Speaker 1: of Merlin, Aurelius burst into laughter, and said, how how
• 28:46
  Speaker 1: is it possible to remove such fast stones from so
• 28:49
  Speaker 1: distant a country, as if Britain was not furnished with
• 28:52
  Speaker 1: stones fit for the work. Merlin replied, I entreat your
• 28:57
  Speaker 1: majesty to forbear vain laughter, for what I say is
• 29:01
  Speaker 1: without vanity. They are mystical stones and of a medicinal virtue.
• 29:10
  Speaker 1: The giants of old brought them from the farthest coasts
• 29:14
  Speaker 1: of Africa and placed them in Ireland while they inhabited
• 29:19
  Speaker 1: that country. Their design in this was to make baths
• 29:24
  Speaker 1: in them when they should be taken with any illness.
• 29:29
  Speaker 1: For their method was to wash the stones and put
• 29:32
  Speaker 1: their sick into the water, which infallibly cured them. With
• 29:38
  Speaker 1: the like success they cured wounds, also adding only the
• 29:42
  Speaker 1: application of some herbs. There is not a stone there
• 29:47
  Speaker 1: which has not some healing virtue. When the Britons heard this,
• 29:54
  Speaker 1: they resolved to send for the stones, and to make
• 29:57
  Speaker 1: war upon the people of Ireland, if they should offer
• 30:01
  Speaker 1: to detain them. And to accomplish this business, they made
• 30:07
  Speaker 1: choice of Uther Pendragon, who was to be attended with
• 30:10
  Speaker 1: fifteen thousand men. They chose also Merlin himself, by whose
• 30:16
  Speaker 1: direction the whole affair was to be managed. A fleet
• 30:20
  Speaker 1: being therefore got ready, they set sail, and with a
• 30:24
  Speaker 1: fair wind, arrived in Ireland. Chapter twelve, Gilomenius being routed
• 30:33
  Speaker 1: by Uther the Briton to bring over the Giant's dance
• 30:36
  Speaker 1: into Britain. At that time Gillomanius, a youth of wonderful valor,
• 30:45
  Speaker 1: reigned in Ireland, who, upon the news of the arrival
• 30:48
  Speaker 1: of the Britons in his kingdom, levied a vast army
• 30:51
  Speaker 1: and marched out against them. And when he had learnt
• 30:57
  Speaker 1: the occasion of their coming, he smiled and said to
• 31:00
  Speaker 1: those about him, ha, no wonder a cowardly race of
• 31:04
  Speaker 1: people were able to make so great devastation in the
• 31:07
  Speaker 1: island of Britain, when the Britons are such brutes and fools,
• 31:11
  Speaker 1: was ever the like folly heard of? What are the
• 31:13
  Speaker 1: stones of Ireland better than those of Britain? That our
• 31:16
  Speaker 1: kingdom must be put to this disturbance, for them to
• 31:19
  Speaker 1: armed soldiers and defend your country while I have life.
• 31:22
  Speaker 1: They shall not take from us the least stone of
• 31:25
  Speaker 1: the try AND's dance. Uther, seeing them prepared for a battle,
• 31:31
  Speaker 1: attacked them. Nor was it long ere the Britons had
• 31:35
  Speaker 1: the advantage, who, having dispersed and killed the Irish, forced
• 31:40
  Speaker 1: Gilomenius to flee. After the victory, they went to the
• 31:45
  Speaker 1: mountain Killerouse, and arrived at the structure of stones, the
• 31:49
  Speaker 1: sight of which filled them both withdraw and admiration. And
• 31:54
  Speaker 1: while they were all standing round them, Merlin came up
• 31:57
  Speaker 1: to them and said, now try your forces yet, young men,
• 32:00
  Speaker 1: and see whether strength or art can do the most
• 32:04
  Speaker 1: towards taking down these stones. At this word, they all
• 32:10
  Speaker 1: set to their engines with one accord, and attempted the
• 32:13
  Speaker 1: removal of the Tiad's dance. Some prepared cables, others small ropes,
• 32:21
  Speaker 1: others ladders for the work, but all to no purpose.
• 32:26
  Speaker 1: Merlin laughed at their vain efforts, and then began his
• 32:29
  Speaker 1: own contrivances. When he had placed in order the engines
• 32:35
  Speaker 1: that were necessary, he took down the stones with an
• 32:37
  Speaker 1: incredible facility, and gave directions for carrying them to the
• 32:41
  Speaker 1: ships and placing them Therein this done, they withdraw set
• 32:46
  Speaker 1: sail again to return to Britain, where they arrived with
• 32:50
  Speaker 1: a fair gale, and repaired to the burying place with
• 32:53
  Speaker 1: the stones. When Aurelius had notice of it, he sent
• 32:59
  Speaker 1: messenger to all parts of Britain to summon the clergy
• 33:02
  Speaker 1: and people together to the Mount of Ambrius in order
• 33:06
  Speaker 1: to celebrate with joy and honor the erection of the monument.
• 33:12
  Speaker 1: Upon this summons appeared the bishops, habots, and people of
• 33:16
  Speaker 1: all other orders and qualities, And upon the day and
• 33:20
  Speaker 1: place appointed for their general meeting, Aurelius placed the crown
• 33:23
  Speaker 1: upon his head, and with royal pomp, celebrated the Feast
• 33:28
  Speaker 1: of Pentecost, the solemnity, whereof he continued the three following days.
• 33:36
  Speaker 1: In the meantime, all places of honor that were vacant
• 33:40
  Speaker 1: he bestowed upon his domestics as rewards for their good services.
• 33:46
  Speaker 1: At that time the two Metropolitans sees of York and
• 33:49
  Speaker 1: Legions were vacant, and with the general consent of the
• 33:53
  Speaker 1: people whom he was willing to please in this choice,
• 33:57
  Speaker 1: he granted York to Sancso, a man of great quality
• 34:02
  Speaker 1: and much celebrated for his piety, and the city of
• 34:05
  Speaker 1: Legions to Dubricius, whom Divine Providence had pointed out as
• 34:10
  Speaker 1: a most useful pastor in that place. As soon as
• 34:15
  Speaker 1: he had settled these and other affairs in the kingdom,
• 34:19
  Speaker 1: he ordered Merlin to set up the stones brought over
• 34:22
  Speaker 1: from Ireland about the Sepulcher, which he accordingly did, and
• 34:26
  Speaker 1: placed them in the same manner as they had been
• 34:29
  Speaker 1: in the Mountain Killerouse, and thereby gave a manifest proof
• 34:33
  Speaker 1: of the prevalence of art above strength. Chapter thirteen, Percentius
• 34:43
  Speaker 1: brings in the Saxons against the Britons. At the same time, Percentius,
• 34:51
  Speaker 1: the son of Vortigen, who had fled over into Germany,
• 34:55
  Speaker 1: was levying all the forces of that kingdom against Urralius Ambrosius,
• 35:00
  Speaker 1: with a design to revenge his father's death, and promised
• 35:04
  Speaker 1: his men an immense treasure of gold and silver, if
• 35:09
  Speaker 1: with their assistance he could succeed in reducing Britain under
• 35:13
  Speaker 1: his power. When he had at last corrupted all the
• 35:18
  Speaker 1: youth of the country with his large promises, he prepared
• 35:22
  Speaker 1: a vast fleet and arrived in the northern parts of
• 35:25
  Speaker 1: the island, upon which he began to make great devastation.
• 35:31
  Speaker 1: The king, on the other hand, hearing this news, assembled
• 35:34
  Speaker 1: his army, and, marching against them, challenged the enraged enemy
• 35:39
  Speaker 1: to a battle. The challenge was accepted, and, by the
• 35:43
  Speaker 1: blessing of God, the enemy was defeated and put to flight.
• 35:51
  Speaker 1: End of Book eight, Part one,