the sixth or seventh century, which represented the Trojans as the founders of Rome, the capital of the supreme pontiff, and a city which, in the early ages of christianity, was regarded with a sort of reverential admiration. The monks and other ecclesiastics, the only readers and writers of the age, were interested in propaging the opinion; and in proportion as the barbarous European nations received a tincture of literature, they eagerly imbibed the prevalent fashion of deducing their original from some of the nations the most renowned in ancient story. Some nations boasted their descent from some of the generals of Alexander the Great; from Prusias of Bithynia; * from the Greeks, or the Egyptians. The Britons, as likewise other European nations, who were long provincial to Rome, probably derived their notions of Trojan extraction, from their conquerors.

The legend of Brutus, with the history of his successors, is presumed not to have been contrived, till after the ninth century; since Nennius, who florished about the middle of that century, though he gives an obscure outline of the story of Brutus, is totally uninformed respecting the affairs of Britain, prior to Cæ

sar's invasion. Again, Alfred's translation of the Mercian law, is mentioned ; and Charlemagne's twelve peers are said to have been present at king Arthur's magnificent coronation in the city of Caerleon-anachronisms not uncommon in romance. "It were easy (says Warton,) to produce instances that this Chronicle was undoubtedly framed after the legend of St. Ursula, the acts of St. Lucius, and the historical writings of the venerable Bede, had undergone some degree of circulation in the world." Some parts of it again must have been written as low down, or after the eleventh century: for Canute's Forest, or Cannock-Wood, in Staf fordshire, occurs; and Canute died in 1036. Moreover, at the ideal coronation of king Arthur, a splendid tournament is described; and tournaments did not exist, in all their peculiar formalities and ceremonious usages, till several centuries after the time of Arthur. The burial of Hengist too, the Saxon chief, who is said to have been interred not after the Pagan fashion, but after the manner of the Soldans, conspires with the above arguments, to prove that the Chronicle in question was compiled about the time of the crusades: for it was subsequent to those holy expeditions, that the

soldans or sultans of Babylon, of Egypt, of Iconium, and other Eastern kingdoms, became familiar in Europe.

The conclusion, however, of Warton, that the fictions in Geoffrey of Monmouth, instead of being fabricated by the Welsh bards, are all inventions of Arabian origin, seems to require important limitations. Mr. Ellis, in the introductory sections to his " Specimens ofearly English Metrical Romances," 1805, supposes, with greater appearance of probability, "that the scenes and characters of our romantic histories, were very generally, though not exclusively, derived from the Britons, or from the Welsh of this island; that much of the colouring, and perhaps some particular adventures, may be of Scandinavian origin; and that occasional episodes, together with part of the machinery, may have been borrowed from the Arabians." It is unnecessary, in this place, to enter further into the controversy, to which difference of opinion on this subject has given birth; and particularly, as Mr. Ellis, in the publication above alluded to, has treated it at considerable length. I shall simply exhibit, therefore, his general conclusion from the whole; referring the reader

H

for a detailed account of the dispute, to his preliminary essays.

It has been asserted, that Geoffrey of Monmouth invented a very considerable part of the Chronicle, which he professed to translate from a British original; since the fables it contains are calculated to give an exaggerated idea of British greatness. But the outline of the fable of Brutus is contained in Nennius, who traces the genealogy of that prince up to Adam. The same historian also gives a circumstantial account of Merlin. Hence, the invention of these tales must be placed three centuries prior to Geoffrey. Mr. Ellis supposes, moreover, that the Chronicle in question was fabricated gradually; and progressively erected on the foundation of Nennius's History; and concludes generally, "that Geof frey's Chronicle is, as it professes to be, a translation from some British original; and that this original was compiled between the ninth and twelfth centuries, and presents a faithful picture of the traditions and fables then received as history."

To proceed now to the story. The author begins with observing:

Before that I will speak of Brute, it shall be shewed how the land of England was first named Albion, and by what encheson' it was so named.

Of the noble land of Syria, there was a royal king and mighty, and a man of great renown, that was called Dioclesian, that well and worthily him governed and ruled thro' his noble chivalry; so that he conquered all the lands about him; so that almost all the kings of the world to him were attendant. It befel thus that this Dioclesian spoused a gentle damsel that was wonder fair, that was his uncle's daughter, Labana. And she loved him as reason would; so that he gat upon her thirty-three daughters; of the which the eldest was called Albine. And these damsels, when they came unto age, became so fair that it was wonder. Whereof Dioclesian anon let make a summoning, and commanded by his letters, that all the kings that held of him should come at a certain day, as in his letters were con

At which day, thi

tained, to make a feast royal. ther they came, and brought with them admirals, princes, and dukes, and noble chivalry. The feast was royally arrayed; and there they lived in joy and mirth enough, that it was wonder to wyte. And it befel thus, that Dioclesian thought to marry his daughters among all those kings that were of that solemnity. And so they spake and did, that Albine,

1 chance.