otherwise be doubted, whether anie such Arthur was at all, as the
British histories mention, bicause neither Gyldas nor Beda in their
woorks speake anie thing of him) it may appéere, the circumstances
considered, that suerly such one there was of that name, hardie and
valiant in armes, though not in diuerse points so famous as some
writers paint him out. William Malmesburie a writer of good credit and
authoritie amongst the learned, hath these woords in his first booke
intituled "De regibus Anglorum," saieng: "But he being dead [meaning
Vortimer] the force of the Britains waxed féeble, their decaied
hope went backward apace: and euen then suerlie had they gon to
destruction, if Ambrosius (who alone of the Romans remained yet aliue,
and was king after Vortigerne) had not kept vnder and staied the
loftie barbarous people, that is to say the Saxons, by the notable aid
and assistance of the valiant Arthur."

This is the same Arthur, of whom the trifling tales of the Britains
euen to this day fantasticallie doo descant and report woonders: but
woorthie was he doubtlesse, of whom feined fables should not haue so
dreamed, but rather that true histories might haue set foorth his
woorthie praises, as he that did for a long season susteine and hold
vp his countrie that was readie to go to vtter ruine and decaie,
incouraging the bold harts of the Britains vnto the warre, and
finallie in the siege of Badon hill, he set vpon nine hundred of the
enimies, and with incredible slaughter did put them all to flight. On
the contrarie part, the English Saxons, although they were tossed with
sundrie haps of fortune, yet still they renewed their bands with new
supplies of their countriemen that came out of Germanie, and so with
bolder courage assailed their enimies, and by little and little
causing them to giue place, spread themselues ouer the whole Ile. For
although there were manie battels, in the which sometime the Saxons