University of Virginia Library

Some future inquirer may perhaps be obliged by the following intimation.

The writer of this poem, in the year 1800, visited the Roman Camp, lying on the brow of the hill, near Westbury, in Wiltshire, of which Camden has given the following notice. “Near the middle of the camp is a large oblong Barrow, under which have been found many human skulls and bones, mixed with stag's horns and pieces of ironweapons, and mill-stones, sixteen and eighteen inches in diameter.” On viewing the external appearance of the Barrow, there was no indication of its ever having been examined, and as Camden has not accompanied his remark with any authority which might satisfy the reader that he spake either from the evidence of another, or his own personal observation, the writer thought it possible that he might have spoken from tradition, and that it might not have been examined, or otherwise have been examined superficially, and therefore having obtained the permission and concurrence of the proprietor and the worthy clergyman of the parish, he had the Barrow opened, of which the following is briefly the result. The workmen cut a trench in the longest direction, and afterwards two transverse trenches. When they had descended about ten or twelve feet, they came to a thin layer of charcoal, (some of which has been preserved, and which, though small, is as dry and as perfect as though but recently burnt.) Immediately under the charcoal were found a great number of human bones, possessing nearly their natural solidity. It is to be observed, that after the workmen had cut through the thin layer of decayed vegetable mould, they came to successive strata of flint (embedded in chalk, their usual accompaniment) clay, and a marly kind of earth. The strata were about a foot thick, regular in their divisions, and all horizontal. This appearance, in an artificial mound, was unexpected, and so similar were the stratas, to the natural undisturbed state of the earth, that after the men had descended several feet, the writer was almost discouraged from proceeding further; a perseverance, however, for two or three more feet disclosed the few particulars before named. After descending below the level of the adjacent ground, and in different directions, and it not being likely that any thing more would be observed, the excavations were again filled up.

The various Barrows which Dr. Stukeley examined on the Downs of Wiltshire, were all covered with a regular layer of flint partly decomposed, from the action of the atmosphere, into chalk. The sanctity attached to such mounds always preserves them from wanton dilapidation, whilst the sod, with which Nature soon invests them, from its vivifying and incorruptible property, seems to confer as much stability on these simple Cemeteries, as any thing human can boast.

“At the Coronation of King Edward, five hundred great Horses were turned loose, catch them who could.”—Stow's Chron.

“Henry II. who in our time actuated by youthful and indiscreet ardour, made a hostile irruption into Wales, and presuming to pass thro' that narrow and woody defile, experienced a signal defeat and a very heavy loss of men.” —Giraldus.

“In the meanewhile King Edward to restreine the rebellious attempts of those Welshmen, caused the Woods of Wales to be cut down, wherein before time the Welshmen were accustomed to hide themselves.” —Hotinshed.

“The People of Salop were very useful to King Edward, in opening a large road thro' a long tract of Wood, which extended from England to Caernarvonshire.” —Carte's England.

An opinion very generally prevailed in Cambria, (founded on a prophecy of Merlin) that Arthur was still living, and would yet appear to redeem his country. To correct this prejudice, Edward, subsequently, in the presence of several Cambrians, caused the tomb of Arthur, at Glastonbury Abbey, to be opened, where his remains were still visible. The exploits of Arthur, which have been handed down to us, by the old Historians, almost surpass the feats of the Scandinavian giants, Starchaterus, Harthin, Horldam, Arverod, &c. as described by Olaus Magnus. The following is Joffery of Monmouth's account of Arthur's combat with a Spanish giant, who had stolen away Helen the niece of Duke Hoel.

“News was brought to Arthur that a Giant of monstrous size was come from the parts of Spain, and had forceably taken away Helena, the Niece of Duke Hoel, and fled with her to the top of Mount Michael (in Cornwall), and that the men who pursued after him were able to do nothing against him. For whether they attacked him by sea or land, he either overturned their ships with vast rocks, or killed them with several sorts of darts, besides, many of them he took and devoured half alive. The next night therefore Arthur taking two men with him, went out privately from the camp and hastened toward the mountain. As soon as they came near they saw a fire burning on the top of it, and another fire on a lesser mountain. Being in doubt on which of them the Giant dwelt, he sends one of his men to know the certainty. Finding a boat, Arthur now sails over to the lesser mountain. When he had begun to climb up to the top of it, he was at first frightened with a dismal howling cry of a woman from above, and imagined the monster to be there, when quickly rousing up his courage, he drew his sword, and having reached the top, found nothing but the fire which he had before seen at a distance. He discovered also a grave, newly made, and an old woman sitting and howling by it, who at the sight of him instantly cried out, ‘O unhappy man, what misfortune brings you to this place. I pity you! I pity you! The Monster will this night destroy the flower of your youth. The odious Giant who carried away the Duke's Niece, (whom I have just buried here) and me her Nurse, into this mountain, will soon be here and will immediately murder you. This most illustrious Princess, sinking under the fear her tender heart conceived, fainted away and expired. Fly, fly, the Giant will soon return, and instantly slay you.’ The man directly returned to Arthur and gave him an account of all he had met with. Arthur lamented the damsel's sad fate, and determined to attack him immediately in single combat. For this purpose, he and his companions arriving at the mountain, they ascended to the top, Arthur leading the way. The horrible savage was then by the fire, with his face all besmeared with the clotted blood of swine, part of which he had already devoured, and was roasting the remainder before the fire. At the sight of them he hastened to his club, which two strong men could hardly lift from the ground. Upon this the king, ordering his companions to keep back, drew his sword and ran with all speed, to prevent him from getting it; but the Giant snatched it up and gave the King such a terrible blow on the shield, that he made the shores ring with the noise. Arthur at this being fired with rage, lifted up his sword and gave him a wound in his forehead which made the blood gush over his face and eyes. This made him exert himself with greater fury, and rushing on Arthur, he grasped him about the waist and forced him on his knees. Arthur nothing daunted slid out of his hands and now so bestirred himself with his sword, that he gave the Giant no respite till he stuck it up to the hilt in his skull. On this the monster gave a hideous roar and expired. Arthur cut off his head, and returning to his camp, all there received him as a champion who had freed his country from a most destructive and voracious monster. Duke Hoel, in grief for the loss of his Niece, commanded a mausoleum to be built over her body, in the mountain, where she was buried, which, taking the damsel's name, is called Helena's tomb to this day.”

When Llewellyn commenced his contest with Edward, (consistently with the superstition of the age) he consulted an old woman, who was regarded as a Prophetess, respecting the consequences of the war. She encouraged him to persist, and assured him that in the result he would triumphantly ride through Cheapside in London, with a Crown on his head.

The Cambrians, under the most unpropitious circumstances, were encouraged by one of Merlin's prophecies, which predicted that a Prince of Cambria should conquer the whole Island, and again wield the sceptre of Brutus, the founder of their empire.