fubfidies, aids, &c. given and fent in from the munificence, and free gifts of the fubject; and he calls by an easy kind of metonymy that munificence, which was fent in or given by munificence, viz. fubfidies. I cannot think the poet by munificence meant munition, ammunition, or fortifications: but however the reader is to think for himself. XVII. Encountred him in batteil well ordain'd.] This is a Latinifm, Praelio bene ordinato: copiis bene ordinatis. The reader may fee this ftory in Jeffry of Monmouth. Milton alludes to it in his Mask and fo does Drayton, Polyolbion, pag. 90. XIX. Pronounce Cairleon as of two fyllables. Behold the boiling baths at CAIREADON.] The one she slew upon the present floure.] So the Ift He brought with him four philofophers wife, quarto, but the 2d and folios. The one she flew in that impatient floure. How oft that day did fad Brunchildis fee The green field dyde in dolorous vermell? That not fcuith guiridth it mote feeme to bee, But rather y Jeuith gogh, figne of fad crueltee.] Ebrank had twenty fons, and these twenty brothers or germans conquered, and gave name to Germany; and thirty daughters, who went into Italy. His eldeft fon was Brutus furnamed Greenfhield. See Jeff. of Monm. B. ii. C. 8. This Brutus to repair his father's lofs, fought another battle in Henault with Brunchild, at the mouth of the river Scaldis, and encamped on the river Hania. Compare Holinfhed. B. ii. pag. 12. And Milton's hiftory of England. I have two copies of the 1ft quarto edit. printed anno, 1590. In one copy the Welsh words which fignify the green field, and bloody fhield are omitted, and likewife figne of fad crueltee:" in another copy the words are fupplied. XXV. And built Cairleil and BUILT Cairleon ftrong.] Leill And built Carleil and REBUILT Cairleon ftrong. Schole to hold in Britayn and exercyfe. His philofophers (as Merlyn doth fay) Ibid. That to HER people wealth they forth do well.] Forth And these rich heapes of wealth doeft hide apart, the received reading; which appears not fo Ab! who can love the worker of their fmart? But her two other fifters ftanding by Her lewd gainfaid, and both HER champions bad So the 1st edition, but others read, THEIR XXIX. So wedded th' one to Maglan king of Scots, XXXIV. His fon Rivall his dead roome did fupply, Ibid. THEN his ambitious fonnes-] So the rft quarto, the 2d TILL. the folios, WHEN his ambitious fonnes-The reading in the 2d quarto, TILL feems owing to the word above catching the eye of the printer, TILL far in yeare he grew. Ibid. Next great GURGUSTUS, then faire CAECILY, This account of Brutus and his facred progeny, is taken chiefly from Jeffry of Monmouth: and as it will be almoft impoffible for the reader to understand many paffages in this episode, without perpetually turning to this author, so I fhall tranfcribe from him what may serve to illuftrate our poet. The whole history of Brutus is treated by fome of our best historians as a meer romantic fable; whilst others vindicate this old tale; and all allow it ferves very well for poetry.-Æneas, after the destruction of Troy, being fettled in Italy, was fucceeded by Afcanius, and he by Sylvius: whose fon, Brutus, having unfortunately flain his father, was banished the kingdom, and retiring into Greece, married Innogen, daughter of king Pandrafus and by him was furnished with a fleet to feek his fortune in a diftant country.Diana in a vifion appears to Brutus, and tells him to seek a western region beyond Gaul, where a new Troy fhould arife. Weftward therefore he fails, and arrived at what is now called Tot The nefs in Devonshire. This ifland, then called an an infamous reign was devoured by wolves. His fon Ebraucus falved both their infamies: he was victorious in Gaul; and having returned from thence loaded with spoils he built feveral cities : he had 20 fons, and 30 daughters: his fons, excepting the eldeft, all fettled in Germany, which from these Germans or brothers, received its appellation, Ebraucus pufhing on his conquefts abroad, was flain by Brunchildis, lord of Henault. To him fucceeded Brutus, furnamed Green-fhield, who to repair his father's lofs, fought a second battle in Henault with Brunchild at the mouth of the river Scaldis, and encamped on the river Hania. After him reigned in order, Leil, Rudhuddibras or Hudibras, Bladud, Leir: whose three well-known daughters were married, the eldest to the duke of Albania, the second to the duke of Cornwal, and the youngest to a king in Gaul; who, though most injured by her father, was the moft dutiful: for the reftored him to the crown of Britain, which fhe enjoyed after him; but was deposed by Margannus and Cunedagius, her two fifters fons; and being imprisoned by them, fhe put an end to her life. These two bloody brothers divided the kingdom between them; but fuch kind of fellowship does not laft long. After Cunedagius, reigned Rivallo, in whofe time (fays Jeffry of Monmouth) it reigned blood. Next fucceeded Gurguftus, Sifillius, Lago or Jago, Kinmarchus, Gorbogudo or Gorbodego, who had two fons Ferrex and Porrex: these contended for the crown during their father's life, Porrex drove his brother into France, and afterwards flew him his mother Videna, who loved Ferrex beft, had Porrex afterwards affaffinated. And thus ended the famous line of Brutus, which reigned in this island, according to Jeffry of Monmouth, 650 years, or as Spenfer in a round number says, 700 years. XXXVII. Then up arofe a man of matchless might-] Let me defire the reader to ftop a moment, and confider, with what poetical art Spenfer raises the expectation; and how he keeps you in fufpenfe and delay-Then up arofe a man-You know not who this man is; in the next Stanza you hear his atchievements; after that you hear of him as a lawgiver; then to fatisfy your curi ofity, and with the finest pathos he adds, Dunwallo dide. This hero, on whom Spenfer fo finely expatiates, was Dunwallo Molmutius. See Jeff. of Monmouth, B. ii. C. 17. And Drayton's Polyolbion; pag. 113. XXXVIII. And Ymmer flew of Logris mifcreate.] i. e. And After him raigned Guitheline his hayre, XLIII. Her fonne SIFILLUS after her did raigne, to whom fucceeded Danius his brother. He dying, the Crown came to MORVIDUS, [Mor indus in the Mirror of Magiftrates, fol. 61. and in Drayton's Polyolbion pag. 114.] who had made. an excellent prince, had he not been addicted to cruelty. Jeffry of Monmouth, B. iii. C. 13. and 14. 'Tis with great doubt and difficulty am led to propose any alteration in these proper names, very well knowing what latitude our poet particularly, and all the old poets allowed themselves in fpelling and in altering as they pleased. I Her fonne SIFILLUS [SISILIUS] after her did raigne. In the Mirror of Magiftrates, fol. 59. 2. 'tis written Cicilius. In Stowe, Cicilius, in Holinfhed P. 19. Sicilius. Ibid. Against the forreine Morands-] In the reign of Morvidus, whom Spenfer names Morindus, a certain king of the MORINES, i. e. the old inhabitants of the Boulognois in France, landed with an army in Northumberland, but Morvidus marched against him and flew him. Jeff. of M. B. iii. C. 15. Compare Holinfhed, pag. 20. The Morands or Morines, whom Spenfer calls forreign, Virgil calls extremi hominum, Æn. viii. 727. So Pliny, ultimi homiuum exiftimati Morini. meaning that they lived on the utmost boundaries of the Roman government; oppofite to Britain, which was looked on as another world. He left two fonnes, too young to rule aright, Androgeus and TENANTIUS-] Lud left two fons, Androgeus and TENANTIUS, both uncapable through their age of governing; and therefore their uncle CASSIBELLAUN was made king in their room. Jeff. of Monm. B. iii. C. XX. XLVIII. Yet twife they were repulfed backe againe—] INTACTUS aut Britannus ut defcenderet Sacra catenatus viâ. XLIX. But loft bis fword, yet to be feene this day.] According to our old British hiftorian, Caefar and Nennius fighting in fingle combat, the fwordof Caefar faftned fo hard in the fhield of Nennius, that he could not draw it out again. Nennius however was mortally wounded in this battle; and his exequies were royally performed by Caffibellaun; and Caefar's fword was put into his tomb with him. See likewise the See likewise the Mirrour of Magiftrates, Fol. 70. Ibid. Till Arthur all that reckoning defrayde.] 'Tis mentioned in Jeff. of Monmouth, and in the Hiftory of Arthur. How Embaffadors came from Rome to demand truage for the realm of Britain: and afterwards we read of his victories against the Romans.. Arthur reads this account of himfelf, but knows not that he is pointed at. See B. i. C. 9. St. 3. Having above mentioned the fucceffion of Kings from Brutus to Ferrex and Porrex, when the line of Brutus ended: I fhall here whom Spenfer in great measure follows, give from the fame Author, Jeffry of Monmouth, a fhort account of the British kings, from Ferrex and Porrex, to the times of Julius Cæfar. After the extinction of the family' of Brutus, the kingdom was divided into factions, till the whole was again reduced into a monarchy by Dunwallo Molmutius, the famous lawgiver; who left behind him two fons, Brennus and Belinus, who took Rome, and over-run Gaul. Next Gurguntius was king, who fubdued the Dane, refufing to pay the tribute covenanted to his father Belinus : as Gurguntius was returning from his victories in Denmark, he found near the Orkneys 30 Spanish fhips, whofe captain, Bartholinus, being wrongfully banished, befought the British king to affign him fome part of his territories to dwell in: Gurguntius fent them with fome of his own men to Ireland, then unpeopled, and gave them that ifland to hold of him as in homage. After him reigned his fon Guitheline; whofe wife Martia is faid to be the author of the Marcian laws. Then in order Sifillius, Kimarus, Danius, Morvidus; who left behind him 5 fons, viz. Gorbonian, Arthgallo, Elidure, Vigenius, Peredure: these reigned fucceffively; and then the fons of these five brethren: after whom a long defcent of kings is mentioned, of whom little or nothing is faid: fo that Spenfer comes at once to Hely, who had 3 fons, Lud, Caffibelan and Nennius: [I think 'tis a miftake of Spenfer, or rather his printer, in St. 46. He had Two fons :-] Lud, who fucceeded him, enlarged Troynovant, and called it from his own name, Caer-lud, now London. He left two fons, Androgeus and Tenuantius, under the tuition of their uncle Caffibelan: in whose time Julius Cæfar invaded Britain. L. Next him Tenantius raignd, then Kimbeline--] Caffibellaun was fucceeded by Tenuantius: after him reigned Kymbelinus his fon, a great foldier, and educated by Auguftus Cæfar. He freely paid the Romans tribute, when he might have refufed it. This prince had two fons, Guiderius and Arviragus, after whom the elder, Guiderius, reigned; who refused to pay tribute to the Romans, for which reafon Claudius, the emperor, invaded Britain. In the battle between the Romans and Britons, Guiderius was flain through the treachery of a Roman named See the Mirrour of Magiftrates, Fol. 87, 88. Soone after this the Romans him warrayd; Both in his arms, and crowne, and by that draught.] Both in arms: quifition of Lancelot de Lac with the tradition of the HOLY GRAAL about the fix hundred companions and the prince of Media - But I can find no better authority (fays Stillingfleet) for one part than for the other; and for all that I can fee, the HOLY GRAAL deferves as much credit, as the book taken out of Pilat's palace, or Melkinus Avalonius - Helinandus takes notice of the vision t the British Eremit about that time concerning Jofeph of Arimathea, and the difh, wherein our Saviour ate the pallover with his difciples, which fort of dish, he faith, was then called in French GRAAL; but others think the true name of SANGREAL, being fome of CHRIST'S REAL BLOOD, which he shed upon the cross, which was faid to be fomewhere found by king Arthur: and to confirm this, it is faid in the authentic writing of Melkinus, that in the blood and fweat of Jefus the prophet. Spenfer, coffin of Jofeph were two filver veffels filled with the by HOLY GRAAL, plainly means the facred difh wherein our Saviour ate the paffover: this is plain not only from what is cited above from Stillingfleet, but what follows from Menage, GRAAL ou GREAL un vaffeau de terre, une terrine. ce mot vient de grais, parce que ces vaiffeaux font fait de grais cuit. Il y a un Roman ancien, intitulé La CON QUESTE DU SAINGREAL [this romance was borrowed or imitated by the compiler of the History of prince Arthur. See Part iii. Chap. xxxv.] c'est à dire, du S. Vaffeau où eftoit le fang de Jefus Christ, qu'il appelle auffi le SANG REAL, d'eft a dire, le fang royal: et ainfi ces deux chofes font confondues tellement, qu'on ne connoift qu'avec peine quand les anciens Romans qui en parlent fort omitting his, by an error of the prefs. The Jouvent, entendent le Vasseau ou le Sang. Folios, In arms and eke in crown. LII. His daughter Genuifa-] Claudius, emperor of Rome, married his daughter Genuiffa to Arviragus. Jeff. of Mon. L. iv. C. xv. See Holinfhed, p. 36. LIII. Before that day Hither came Jofeph of Arimathy, Who brought with him the holy grail (they fay.)] They fay, i. e. 'tis the general opinion, ita aiunt, Terent. Andr. Act I. Sc. 2. See Donatus : and the ingenious Broukhous: in his notes on Propert. pag. 163.-Stillingfleet in his antiquities of the British churches thinks, with good reason, that this tradition of Jofeph of Arimathea, was an invention of the Monks of Glaffenbury to advance the reputation of their monaftery and in pag. 13. he mentions a book entitled, the Acts of K, Arthur, and the In LXIII. The Spoylefull Pits and fwarming Eafterlings.] The Picts came originally (as Jeffry of Monthia, and fettled in the north part of Brimouth, L. iv. C. xvii. writes) from Scytain; where likewife the Huns fettled under their leader Humber, L. ii. C. 1. The Eafterlings or Ofterlinghers, mean the northern nations in general. As to the famous Picts Wall here mentioned, the reader at his leifure may Cambden's Britannia, pag. 1043. and Gordon's confult Jeffry of Monm. L. vi. C. 1. Bede. Itinerarium feptentrionale. Compare B. iv.C.11. St. 36. LXIV. Three fonnes be dying left-] Conftantine 2d, of Armorica or Bretagne in France, left three fons, all under age, Conftans, Aurelius Ambrofius, Uther Pendragon. These three fons their tutors, gathering |