“Aper etenim Cornubiæ succursum præstabit [si non potius erit] et colla eorum sub pedibus suis conculcabit, insulæ oceani potestati ipsius subdentur; et Galicanos saltus possidebit; tremebit Romulea Domus sevitiam ipsius; et exitus ejus dubius erit; in ore populorum cœlebrabitur, et actus ejus cibus erit narrantibus. Sex posteri ejus tenebunt sceptrum,” &c.
Which in English amounts to this:
“That the boar of Cornwall shall bring aid and assistance, and shall tread the necks of our enemies under his feet, the islands of the ocean shall be subject to his power, and the Gaulish forests he shall possess, the house of Romulus shall tremble at his wrath. As for his death or end, it shall be doubtful or uncertain. His name shall be celebrated by the people, and his famous acts shall be food to those that do relate them. Six of his lineage shall sway the sceptre,” &c.
King Arthur no sooner succeeded to his father’s dominions but he applied himself with great piety and religion to administer law and justice to his people, the best expedients to establish a tottering sceptre. In the next place
he took care to fortify and strengthen himself with soldiers and arms against his Saxon enemies, a mighty and warlike people, then possessed of the greatest part of this kingdom by the late misfortunes of his father and other princes, in battle with them, so that only Wiltshire, Devon, Dorset, Cornwall, and Wales, made up his dominion. Against these King Arthur drew into the field a mighty army of soldiers, and after eleven pitched battles against them, overthrew their whole armies, and obtained the total dominion of this kingdom, and confined the Saxons, on condition of tribute and submission, only to the kingdom of Kent. And recorded it is by annalists, that in one of those battles which King Arthur had with them, he girded himself with an approved sword, called Callib-burne, with which in one day he slew with his own hands 800 Saxons. It seems, this weapon was like Goliah’s sword wrapped in the ephod, there was no sword like it. And thus, according to Merlin’s prophecy, did the boar of Cornwall bring help and assistance, and tread Britain’s enemies under his feet.
But no sooner was this land settled in peace at home, but plots and designs from abroad were laid to disturb the tranquillity thereof. For at that time the Romans, having made a peace with their enemies the Vandals, sent messengers to King Arthur, demanding 3,000l. per annum tribute, a prodigious sum in those days, many years in arrear, according to the agreement Julius Cæsar made with King Cassibellan, and was still due to the senate. At which demand King Arthur was so distasted, that he sent away the messengers in scorn, and prohibited any Romans ever after to come into this land upon that account. Especially for that the Romans for many years had voluntarily quitted or forsaken the government thereof, so that the Britains had neither their protection nor aid against their Saxon or other enemies. When these messengers returned to Rome, this contempt of King Arthur was resented by the Senate, who thereupon unanimously voted a war against him. And accordingly a great army was raised in order to conquer
and reduce this land, which arrived here under conduct of Lucius, their prince or emperor, as historians tell us, together with ten kings, his confederates and auxiliaries. Against these king Arthur advanced with a mighty host, and gave them battle, where, after a sharp and bloody conflict, the Roman Emperor Lucius was slain, his body afterwards sent to Rome, the whole Roman army routed, and the greatest part of them put to the sword, and those whose lives he spared he made his feodors and vassals.
But, alas! notwithstanding King Arthur’s good fortune in this island against the Romans, he was not contented therewith, but he resolved to be further revenged upon them for his wrongs, bloodshed, and indignity, and for prevention of any such invasion for the future, to make a descent with his army upon the Roman territories in Gaul, especially for that from thence the Romans were assisted with great numbers of soldiers, under Lucius, to invade his kingdom of Britain. Whereupon King Arthur, with a considerable fleet of ships, and a great army of soldiers, landed in Normandy, then called Neustria, and summoned the people either to come and submit to his sceptre, or give him battle. But they, confiding in the strength of the Roman legions in that country, slighted his offer, and gave him battle, in which contest they were totally overthrown, routed, or slain. So that, soon after the province of Normandy submitted to his mercy, cast down armour, and payed tribute. Whereupon he gave to Gaius his taster, the earldom of Andegavia, now Angieurs; and to Bedeverus, his cupbearer, the dukedom of Normandy, for their good services. In memory of which donations, it grew to a custom amongst the kings of France, for many ages after, to make their tasters and cupbearers Earls of Andegavia and Normandy.
After this victory King Arthur dislodged his forces, and advanced further into the Roman Gaulish provinces, and subdued by conquest to his sceptre Flanders, Burgundy, Aquitain, and Andegavia, and as some tell us afterwards
Poland, and obliged those people to pay him an annual tribute according; as Merlin had predicted of him, that the Gaulish forests he should possess, and that the house of Romulus should tremble at his wrath. After those victories he returned safe into Britain, and then also by his fleet and army reduced to his dominion, Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, Gothland, Norway, Dacia, and made them all tributary, which also was foretold by Merlin in those words, “the islands of the ocean shall be subject to his power.”