Great Britain -- History -- Anglo-Saxon period, 449-1066; Middle Ages -- Sources
Of the matter now to be treated of, most noble consul, Geoffrey of
Monmouth shall be silent; but will, nevertheless, though in a mean
style, briefly relate what he found in the British book above-mentioned,
and heard from that most learned historian, Walter, archdeacon of
Oxford, concerning the wars which this renowned king, upon his return to
Britain after this victory, waged against his nephew. As soon,
therefore, as the report, of this flagrant wickedness reached him, he
immediately desisted from his enterprise against Leo, king of the
Romans; and having sent away Hoel, duke of the Armoricans, with the army
of Gaul, to restore peace in those parts, returned back with speed to
Britain, attended only by the kings of the islands, and their armies.
But the wicked traitor, Modred, had sent Cheldric, the Saxon leader,
into Germany, there to raise all the forces he could find, and return
with all speed: and in consideration of this service, had promised him
all that part of the island, which reaches from the Humber to Scotland,
and whatever Hengist and Horsa had possessed of Kent in the time of
Vortigern. So that he, in obedience to his commands, had arrived with
eight hundred ships filled with pagan soldiers, and had entered into
covenant to obey the traitor as his sovereign; who had also drawn to his
assistance the Scots, Picts, Irish, and all others whom he knew to be
enemies to his uncle. His whole army, taking pagans and Christians
together, amounted to eighty thousand men; with the help of whom he met
Arthur just after his landing at the port of Rutupi, and joining battle
with him, made a very great slaughter of his men. For the same day fell
Augusel, king of Albania, and Walgan, the king's nephew, with
innumerable others. Augusel was succeeded in his kingdom by Eventus, his
brother Urian's son, who afterwards performed many famous exploits in
those wars. After they had at last, with much difficulty, got ashore,
they paid back the slaughter, and put Modred and his army to flight.
For, by long practice in war, they had learned an excellent way of
ordering their forces; which was so managed, that while their foot were
employed either in an assault or upon the defensive, the horse would
come in at full speed obliquely, break through the enemy's ranks, and so
force them to flee. Nevertheless, this perjured usurper got his forces
together again, and the night following entered Winchester. As soon as
queen Guanhumara heard this, she immediately, despairing of success,
fled from York to the City of Legions, where she resolved to lead a
chaste life among the nuns in the church of Julius the Martyr, and
entered herself one of their order.
CHAP. II.--_Modred, after being twice besieged and routed, is killed.
Arthur, being wounded, gives up the kingdom to Constantine._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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