In this calamitous state of affairs, about A. D. 508, Arthur made his first appearance at the head of the Bri tish forces. From the confused chronology of that pe riod, we are not able to determine the precise year in which his earlier victories were achieved ; nor even whether they happened before or after his elevation to the supreme monarchy. It is probable that at least the twelve engagements recorded by Nennius were subse quent to that event. Equally adored by the chiefs and by the people while in subordinate command, he would now derive an additional claim to their attachment, from the arduous situation which he occupied. Though in vested with the supreme authority when only 18 years of age, or even younger, if we may believe the fables, he soon, by his prudena and address, converted the dis orderly levies into well disciplined, formidable armies. A new spirit was now infused into the tribes ; the youth crowded around the standard of their young chief; and the troops lately beaten and dispirited, became sudden ly animated with confidence and enthusiasm.
The Britons, thus renovated both in discipline and in spirit, were first conducted against the Saxons of the north. These had established settlements on the North umbrian coasts above half a century before ; and by this time had not only extended themselves along the whole of the eastern shore, but had penetrated nearly from sea to sea, between the Picts and the Britons ; murdering, in their progress, the defenceless inhabitants, and seiz ing on their possessions. But a dreadful retribution now awaited then:. In a series of tremendous engagements, in which, if we may believe the Scottish histories, Ar thur was assisted by the united forces of the Caledo nians, the Saxons were uniformly defeated, their tempo rary conquests wrested out of their hands, and their whole race exterminated or expelled from the northern provinces. The particular scenes of these glorious ac tions it is now impossible to ascertain. Amid the ter xors of contending barbarians, and the confusion of dif ferent languages, the names of the places mentioned by Nennius have been irrecoverably lost. Mr Whittaker, who seems rather too positive in these doubtful matters, is certain that the eleventh battle was decided on the Castlehill of Edinburgh ; there being an eminence in the neighbourhood still called Arthur Scat.
The Saxons being thus, in the course of several cam paigns, expelled from the North, where, till the arrival of a new colony under Ida, 50 years thereafter, we do not find that they made any figure ; the victorious duel directed his march td oppose the ravages of Cerdic, who then infested the southern provinces. Hither also his
good fortune attended Arthur. On Mount Badon, near Bath, where the Saxons had fortified themselves in great force, a most bloody and decisive engagement took place A. D. 520. In this battle, which Gildas more pro perly terms a siege, the Saxon lines were entered by storm ; Cerdic only and a few followers effected their escape ; and the British sword fearfully avenged, at one stroke, the calamities of half a century. By this dread ful blow the Saxon power, in this island, continued, for upwards of thirty years, completely stunned ; and the Britons, now nearly exhausted by their incessant efforts, obtained a welcome respite from their barbarous inva ders.
All that is known of Arthur, after this great event, is extremely unsatisfactory. Gildas complains, that though the recovered provinces were still in the great est misery, and their cities almost uninhabited, the ex ternal peace which followed the victory was productive of little repose. The wretched Britons were no sooner delivered from their Saxon oppressors, than they quar relled among themselves. According to the most pro bable accounts, Arthur lost his life in one of these tu mults, when fighting, about A. D. 540, against his kins man Mordred. This Mordred is, on that account, infa mous in the British annals, where he is held up to eter nal detestation, as being one of the three traitors, who, in different ages, ruined the independence of Britain. Thus perished, by the hands of his countrymen, an in comparable chief, who by his individual merit maintain ed the glory of a nation. Such, too, is all the genuine history which we are able, at this day, to furnish of king Arthur : a monarch, who, from the dazzling splendour of his renown, has himself become nearly invisible ! The romantic tales, of which Arthur is the subject, are not devoid of interest. The marvellous circum stances that preceded his birth, his matchless prowess in the fight, and above all, his truly affecting end, are incidents well calculated to amuse the fancy. The Death of Arthur is the title of a celebrated French romance ; and the reader has possibly seen a fine English ballad on the same subject. The greater part of these tales are evidently of no earlier date than the eleventh and twelfth centuries ; for, in the features which they be stow on the hero, we at once recognise those of the cru sader, the pilgrim, and the religious knight. The monks of that period too, had learning sufficient to be acquaint ed with the histories of Cxsar and Alexander ; and, that the Welsh might not be surpassed by the Greeks and Romans, they were resolved to have a great con queror of their own.