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The “ Old coarse stone about eight foot above the ground,” bearing the incised 
figure of the Cross, should be the object of careful searches and enquiries. Such 
a stone would not have been broken up, and may yet be found built into the 
wall of some house or out-building. A careful—very careful—exploration should 
be made in the supporting mound, directed particularly towards a large stone 
shewing evident traces of toul-work, now lying against the bank of an adjacent 
hedge-row. 
Now as to King Arthur. Whittaker’s very able and learned treatise tells us 
his principal exploits were against the Northern Saxons, whilst he was only the 
Prince of the Silures, and Ambrosius was Pendragon, or Dictator of the Britons. 
In a series of probably five campaigns, and in a succession of certainly eleven 
victories, this great Commander expelled the Saxons from the greater part of 
Britain. The twelfth battle of Arthur was fought in the South of England, after 
he was elected to the Pendragonship, against Kerdic, the Saxon. This extra- 
ordinary victory completed the circle of his military glories. The whole of our 
Island is in traditionary possession of his character, and more than six hundred 
places within it are still distinguished by his name. It is well established that 
the city of Caerleon, the capital of Silures, was his habitual residence, and as 
Arthur’s Stone is distant some thirty-one or thirty-two miles only from that 
ancient capital, and lies immediately between it and the scenes of some of his 
martial exploits, it is not unreasonable to suppose that he made frequent visits to 
this mystical structure, before the hand of the Spoiler, Time, had destroyed its 
symmetry and marred its rude magnificence. Indeed it would require but little 
effort of the imagination to see his stout spear, Rone, made of ebon wood; and 
his well dinted shield Pridwen, lying on the great altar now before us; while he, 
grasping his trusty sword Excalibar, given to him by the Lady of the Lake, 
stood on the very spot we now occupy. 
These arms were described in the uncouth, but remarkable language of 
Layamon, in the 12th century, and again three hundred years afterwards, in the 
rude numbers of Michael Drayton. 
‘The temper of his sword, the tried Excaliber, 
The bigness and the length of Rone his noble spear, 
With Pridwen, his great shield, and what the proof could bear.” 
DRAYTON. 
Sir Walter Scott has drawn a vivid picture of King Arthur surrounded by his 
favourite Knights ; this may have been the very place of their assemblage, and 
thus he sings about them— 
There Galaad sat with manly grace, 
Yet maiden meekness in his face ; 
There Morolt of the iron mace, 
And love-lorn Tristrem there : 
And Dinadam with lively glance, 
And Lanval with the fairy lance, 
And Mordred with his looks askance, 
Brunor and Bevidere. 
Why should | tell of numbers more? 
Sir Cay, Sir Banier, and Sir Bore, 
Sir Caradoc the keen. 
The gentle Gawain’s courteous lore 
Hector de Mares, and Pellinore 
And Lancelot that evermore 
Looked stol’n-wise on the Queen. 
