KING ARTHUR. 
367 
withstanding superstition and the fiction of the ancient bards, who 
have thrown such confusion over the life of this prince, it would be 
the utmost folly to imagine that the histories of Arthur's castle, his 
open encampments, round table, the accounts of his repeated 
victories and Christian principles should originate without some 
foundation." Lingard is cautious, and considers that the facts of 
Arthur's existence, that he warred with the Saxons, and that his 
remains were found at Glastonbury, constitute all that we really 
know. The subject is discussed in a very careful and interesting 
way in Sharon Turner's History of the Anglo-Saxons, with the 
result of, to a certain extent, diminishing Arthur's exploits. 
The earliest historical mention of Arthur is by Nennius (seventh 
or eighth century). He treats at length of him, and names all his 
battles. Taliessin, one of the earliest known Welsh bards, lived in 
the time of Arthur and sang of him. 
The chronicler Henry of Huntingdon (eleventh century), who is 
considered a careful writer, and not a mere copyist ; and William 
of Malmesbury, of the same period ; also record the main facts of 
Arthur's life. Many other chroniclers do the same, but they 
appear to be copyists. 
But it was Geoffrey of Monmouth, Bishop of St. Asaph, who 
died a.d. 1154, who first brought before the world the long and 
detailed account of Arthur, which has formed the foundation for 
all the subsequent romances and additions. 
It is true that neither Gildas nor Bede mention Arthur, but this 
is explained by some on the ground that he did not exactly come 
within the scope of their works. Geoffrey alleges that he trans- 
lated the narrative from the British tongue; that he had been 
wondering that the two writers above mentioned did not refer to 
Arthur when this book was discovered by Walter, Archdeacon of 
Oxford, and handed by him to Geoffrey for translation. 
A short account was then given (derived from Geoffrey and other 
chroniclers) of Arthur's lineage and birth, his coronation, the 
splendours of Caerleon on the Usk and at Camelot, his successful 
wars and heroic feats, and his good government in times of peace. 
Drayton says, " Some too hyperbolic stories make him a large con- 
queror in every adjacent country. The bards' songs have with this 
kind of unlimited attribute so laden him, that you can hardly 
guess what is true of him. Such indulgence to false report hath 
wronged many worthies." 
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