GLASTONBURY ABBEY. 101 
the earth, but they alighted upon a tomb or grave 
stone, on the upper face whereof was fastened a 
broad crosse of lead, grossly wrought, which, being 
taken forth, shewed an inscription of letters; and 
under the said stone, almost nine foot deeper, was 
found a sepulchre of oak, made hollow, wherein 
the bones of that famous Arthur were bestowed; 
which inscription or epitaph, as it was sometimes 
exemplified and drawn out of the first copie in the 
abbey of Glastonbury, I thought good for the an- 
tiquity of the character, here to put down. The 
letters being made after a barbarous manner, and 
resembling the Gothish character, betray plainly 
the barbarism of that age, when ignorance, as it 
were by a fatal destiny, bare such sway, that there 
was none to be found, by whose writings the re- 
nown of Arthur might be blazed and commended 
to posterity; a matter and argument doubtless 
meet to have been handled by the skill and 
eloquence of some right learned man, who in cele- 
brating the praises of so great a Prince, might 
have won due commendation also for his own wit; 
for the most valiant champion of the British em- 
pire seemeth even in this behalf only most unfor- 
tunate, that he never met such a trumpeter, as 
might worthily have sounded out the praise of his 
valour, but behold the said crosse and the epitaph 
therein.” 
Now this description, the truth of which has 
often been called in question, though why it should 
