Great Britain -- History -- Anglo-Saxon period, 449-1066; Middle Ages -- Sources
the great number that came against them had met with any success.
CHAP. VI.--_Lucius Tiberius goes to Lengriæ. Arthur, designing to
vanquish him, by a stratagem possesses himself of the valley of Suesia._
These repeated disasters wrought no small disturbance in the mind of
Lucius Tiberius, and made him hesitate whether to bring it to a general
battle with Arthur, or to retire into Augustodunum, and stay till the
emperor Leo with his forces could come to his assistance. At length,
giving way to his fears, he entered Lengriæ with his army, intending to
reach the other city the night following. Arthur, finding this, and
being desirous to get before him in his march, left the city on the left
hand, and the same night entered a certain valley called Suesia, through
which Lucius was to pass. There he divided his men into several bodies,
commanding one legion, over which Morvid, consul of Gloucester, was
appointed general, to wait close by, that he might retreat to them if
there should be occasion, and from thence rally his broken forces for a
second battle. The rest he divided into seven parts, in each of which he
placed five thousand five hundred and fifty-five men, all completely
armed. He also appointed different stations to his horse and foot, and
gave command that just as the foot should advance to the attack, the
horse, keeping close together in their ranks, should at the same moment
march up obliquely, and endeavour to put the enemy into disorder. The
companies of foot were, after the British manner, drawn out into a
square, with a right and left wing, under the command of Augusel, king
of Albania, and Cador, duke of Cornwall; the one presiding over the
right wing, the other over the left. Over another party were placed the
two famous consuls, Guerinus of Chartres and Boso of Richiden, called in
the Saxon tongue Oxineford; over a third were Aschillius, king of the
Dacians, and Lot, king of the Norwegians; the fourth being commanded by
Hoel, duke of the Armoricans, and Walgan, the king's nephew. After these
were four other parties placed in the rear; the first commanded by Caius
the sewer, and Bedver the butler; the second by Holdin, duke of the
Ruteni, and Guitard of the Pictavians; the third by Vigenis of
Legecester, Jonathal of Dorchester, and Cursalem of Caicester; the
fourth by Urbgennius of Bath. Behind all these, Arthur, for himself and
the legion that was to attend near him, made choice of a place, where he
set up a golden dragon for a standard, whither the wounded or fatigued
might in case of necessity retreat, as into their camp. The legion that
was with him consisted of six thousand six hundred and sixty-six men.
CHAP. VII.--_Arthur's exhortation to his soldiers._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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