Music Welcome to Snewscast, the podcast designed to help you fall asleep. Find us at snewscast.com and also on our YouTube channel where you can listen to a King Arthur playlist. This episode is brought to you by a mighty Oath. Tonight we'll read another story from our King Arthur series. This one, Arthur drives the Saxons from his realm, comes from a book edited by Rupert S. Holland and published in 1919. The Saxons were a group of Germanic peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large former country in what is now Germany. In the late Roman Empire, the name was used to refer to Germanic coastal raiders, and as his name similar to the later Viking. In contrast, the British Saxons today refer to an English as Anglo-Saxonsons became a single nation bringing together migrant Germanic peoples and assimilated Celtic-Britain populations. The term Anglo-Saxon, combining the names of the Angles and the Saxons, came into use by the 8th century to distinguish the Germanic inhabitants of

Britain from continental Saxons. Let's get cozy. Close your eyes. Relax your body into the softness of your bed. Now take a few deep breaths. Anon came word to King Arthur that rites, King of North Wales was making war upon King Leo de Grants of Kamilgarde. Where at he was pathing Roth, for he loved Leo de Grance well and loathed Rhyne's. So he departed with kings, ban and boars, and twenty thousand men, and came to Camelguard, rescued Leo de Grance and slew ten thousand of rinds' men and put him to flight. Then Leo de Grance made a great festival to the three kings and treated them with every manner of of birth and pleasure which could be devised.

And there had King Arthur the first sight of Gwenovir, daughter of Leodegrains, whom in the end he married, as shall be told hereafter. Then, did kings ban and boars take leave and went to their own country, where king cloudus worked great mischief, and king Arthur would have gone with them, but they refused him, saying, nay, ye shall not at this time for ye have much to do in these lands of your own, and we, with the riches we have won here by your gifts, shall hire many good knights, and by the grace of God, withstand the malice of King Claudus. And the two kings had left, King Arthur rode to Curlion, and Thither came to him his half-sister bellicent, wife to King Lot, sent as a messenger, but in truth to aspy his power, and with her came a noble red anew, and also her four sons. But when she saw King Arthur and his nobleness and the splendor of his knights and service, she forebore to spy upon him as a foe, and told him of her husband's plots against him and his throne. And the king, not knowing that she was his half-sister, made great court to her, and being full of admiration for her beauty, loved her out of measure, and kept her a long Carlyon. Wherefore her husband, King Lot, was more than ever King Arthur's enemy. At that time King Arthur had a marvelous dream which gave him great disquietness of heart. He dreamed that the whole land was full of many fiery griffins and serpents, and then that he himself fought with them, and that they did him mighty injuries, but that at last he overcame and slew them all. When he woke he sat in great heaviness of spirit and pensiveness, thinking what this dream might signify, but, by and by, when he could by no means satisfy himself what it might mean to rid himself of all his thoughts of it, he made ready with a great

company to ride out hunting. As soon as he was in the forest, the king saw a great heart before him, and spurred his horse and rode long eagerly after it, and chased until his horse lost

breath and fell down from under him.

Then, seeing the heart escaped and his horse lying down, he sat down by a fountain and fell into deep thought again. And as he sat there alone, he thought he heard the noise of hounds as it were some thirty couple in number. And looking up, he saw coming towards him the strangest beast that ever he had seen or heard tell of which ran towards the fountain and drank of the water. Its head was like a serpents with a leopard's body and a lion's tail, and it was footed like a stag, and the noise was in its belly as it were the baying or questing of thirty couple of hounds. While it drank there was no noise within it, but presently, having finished, it departed with a greater sound than ever. The king was amazed at all this, but being greatly worried, he fell asleep and was before long waked up by a knight on foot who said, Night, full of thought and sleepy. tell me if thou sawst a strange beast pass this way. Such a one I saw," said King Arthur to the night. But that is now two miles distant at the east. What would you with that beast?" Sir, said the knight. I have followed it for a long time and have lost my horse, and would to heaven I had another to pursue my quest with all. At that moment came a yam-man with another horse for the king, which, when the night saw, he earnestly prayed to be given him. For I have followed this quest, said he, 12 months, and either I shall achieve him or sacrifice my life to the chase. It was King Pelanor, who at that time followed the questing beast, but neither he nor King Arthur knew each other. Sir Knight said King Arthur, leave that quest and suffer me to have it, and I will follow it other twelve months." "'Augh, fool,' said the knight. The High Desire is utterly in vain, for it shall never be achieved but by me, or by my next of kin.' with he he started to the king's horse, and mounted to the saddle, cried out, Grammar C, this horse's mine. Well, said the king, thou mayest take my horse by force, and I will not say nay.

But till we prove whether thou or I be best on horseback, I shall not rest content."

Seek me here, said the night, whenever thou wilt, and hereby this fountain thou shalt find

me, and so he passed forth on his way. and here by this fountain thou shalt find me.

And so he passed forth on his way. Then sat King Arthur in a deep fit of study, and bade his yamen fetch him yet another horse as quickly as they could. when they left him all alone came Merlin.

Disguised as a child they could. And when they left him all alone came Merlin, disguised as a child of fourteen years of age, and saluted the king, and asked him why he was so pensive and heavy. I may well be pensive and heavy," he replied.

For here, even now, I have seen the strangest sight I ever saw.' "'That know I well,' said Merlin, as well as I self, and also all thy thoughts, but thou art foolish to take thought, for will not amend thee. Also, I know what Thou art,

and know thy father and thy mother. That is false," said King Arthur, how shouldst thou know thy years are not enough? YAY said Merlin, but I know better than thou, how thou was born, and better than any living man. "'I will not believe thee,' said King Arthur. So Merlin departed and came again in the likeness of an old man, a four-score years of age. And the king was glad at his coming, for he seemed wise and venerable. Then set the old man. Why are souse so sad? diverse reasons, said King Arthur. For I have seen strange things today, and but this moment there was here a child who told me things beyond his years to know. Yeh, said the old man. But he told thee truth, and more he would have told thee had thou suffered him, but I will tell thee wherefore thou art sad, for thou hast done a thing of late for which God is displeased with thee, and what it is thou knowest in thy heart, Though no man else may know. What are thou, said King Arthur, Starting up all pale, That tellest me these tidings? I am Merlin, said he, and I was he in the child's likeness also.

Ah, said King Arthur, thou art a marvelous and right fearful man, and I would ask until the things all day. As they talked came one with the king's horses, and so King Arthur mounting one, and Merlin another, they rode together to Carlyone. And now King Arthur, having utterly dispersed and overwhelmed those kings who had so long delayed his coronation. Turned all his mind to overthrow the Saxon heathens, who yet in many places spoiled the land. Calling together, therefore, his knights and men at arms, he rode with all his hosts to York, where Colgrin the Saxon lay with a great army, and there he fought a mighty battle. Beldov, Colgrin's brother, came secretly with 6,000 men to assail King Arthur and to raise the siege. The King Arthur was aware of him and sent 600 horsemen and 3,000 foot to meet and fall on him instead. This therefore they did, encountering them at midnight and utterly defeated them till they fled away for life. Bound, Bound of, Full of grief, resolved to share his brother's peril, wherefore he shaved his head and beard, and disguised himself as a jester, and so passed through King Arthur's camp, singing and playing on a harp. Till by-degrees he drew near to the city walls, where presently he made himself known and was drawn up by ropes into the town. Anon while Arthur closely watched the city, came news that full 600 ships had landed countless swarms of sacksens under childric on the eastern coast. At that he raised the siege, and anonking Arthur dressed in armor shining with golden jewels, and wearing on his head a helmet with a golden dragon took a shield painted with the likeness of the blessed Mary. and, girding on ex-caliber, and taking in his right hand, his great lance, Ron, he placed his men in order, and led them out against the enemy, who stood for battle on the slope of Baton Hill, ranged in the form of a wedge as their custom was. And they, resisting all the onslaughts of King Arthur and his host, made that day a stout defense, and at night lay down upon the hill. But on the next day Arthur led his army once again. He drove the heathen step by step before him. Backwards and upwards, till he stood with all his noblest knights upon the summit of the hill. And then men saw him, red as the rising sun from spur to plume, lift up his sword, and killing, kiss the cross of it, and after, rising to his feet, set might and main with all his fellowship upon the foe, till, as a troop of lions roaring for their prey, they drove them like a scattered herd along the plains. Then turned he back to his own realm and came to York for Christmas, and there with high solemnity observed that holy tide. being passing grieved to see the ruin of the churches and houses, which the pagans had destroyed, he rebuilt them and restored the city to its ancient happy state. And on a certain day, as the king sat with his barons, there came into the court a squire on horseback, carrying a slain knight before him, and told the knight that hard buy in the forest was a night who had reared up a pavilion by the fountain, and hath slain my master, a valiant knight whose name was Nurles, wherefore I besieged the Lord, my master may be buried, and that some good night may avenge his death. At that stepped forth a squire named Gryfflett, who was very young, being of the same age with King Arthur, and besought the King for all the service he had done to give him knighthood.

Thou art full young and tender of age, said King Arthur, to take so high in order upon thee. Sir, said Grifflett, I besiege thee, make me a knight.

And Merlin also advising the king to grant his request. Well, said Arthur, be it then so, and knighted him forthwith. Then said he to him, since I have granted thee this favor, thou must in turn grant me a gift. Whatsoever thou wilt, my Lord, replied, Sir Grifflett. Promise me, said King Arthur, by the faith of thy body, that when thou hast jousted with this night at the fountain, Thou will return to me straight way, unless he sleigh thee. I promise, said Sircraflet, and, taking his horse in haste, he dressed his shield, and took a spear in his hand, and rode full gallop till he came to the fountain, by the side of which he saw a rich pavilion, and a great horse standing, well-saddled and brightled, and on a tree close by there hung a shield of many colors, and a long lance. Then, Sir Grifflett smote upon the shield with the butt of his spear until he cast it to the ground. With that, a knight came out of the pavilion and said, fair knight, why smoke ye down my shield? Because, said Gryfflett, I would joust with thee. were better not replied the night, for thou art young and but lately made a night, and thy strength is small compared to mine. For all that said Sir Grifflett, I will choust with thee. I am full loathe, replied the night, but if I must, I must. Then did they wheel their horses far apart and running them together, the strange night shivered Sir Grifflett's spear to fragments, and smote him through the shield and the left side and broke his own spear into Sir Grifflett's body so that the trunchean stuck there, and Sir Grifflett and his horse fell down. But when the strange knight saw him overthrown, he was sore grieved and hastily elided for he thought that he had slain him. Then he unleashed his helm and gave him air and tended him carefully till he come out of his wound, and leaving the truncine of his spear in his body, he set him upon horse and commended him to God, and said he had a mighty heart, and if he lived, would prove a passing good night. And so, Sir Grifflett rode to the court, where, by aid of good physicians, he was healed in time, and his life saved. At that time there came before the king twelve old men, ambassadors from Lucius Tiberius, Emperor of Rome, and demanded of Arthur tribute unto Caesar for his realm, or else, said they, that Emperor would destroy both him and his land, to whom King Arthur answered that he owed the Emperor no tribute, nor would send him any, but said he, on a fair field I will pay him his proper tribute, with a sharp spear and sword, and by my father's soul that tribute shall he take from me, whether he will or not. So the ambassadors departed passing Roth, and King Arthur was as angry as they. But on the morrow of Sir Grifflett's hurt, the king commanded to take his horse and armor secretly outside the city walls before sunrise of the next morning. And rising along while before dawn, he mounted up and took his shield and spear and bade his Chamberlain, Terry, till he came again. But he forebore to take ex-caliber, for he had given it for safety into charge of his sister, Queen Morgan Lafay. And as the king rode at a soft pace, he saw suddenly three villains chasing Merlin and making to attack and slay him. Clapping spurs to his horse, he rushed towards them and cried out in a terrible voice. Fle flee, Charles, or take your deaths. But they, as soon as they perceive tonight, fled away with the haste of hairs. O Merlin, said the King.

Here hats thou been killed, despite thy many crafts, had I not chance to pass. Not so, said Merlin, for when I would I could have saved myself, but thou art nearer to thy death than I, for without special

help from heaven thou writest now towards thy grave. And as they were thus talking, they came to the fountain and the rich pavilion pitched beside it and saw a night sitting all armed on a chair in the opening of the tent. Sir Knight said King Arthur, for what cause a bytiss thou here to joust with any knight that passeth by? If so, I caution thee to quit that custom. That custom said the knight, have I followed, and will follow, let whosoever will say nay, and if any is aggrieved at it, let him who will amend it.

I will amend it, sit King Arthur, and I will defend it, answered the night. Then the night mounted his horse and made himself ready. And charging at each other, they met so hard that both their lances splintered into pieces. Then King Arthur drew his sword, but the knight cried out, not so, but let us run another tilt together with sharp spears. I would with a good will, said Arthur, but I have no more spears. I have enough of spears, replied the night, and called a squire who brought two good new lances. Then, spurring their horses, they rush together with all their might, and broke each one his own spear short off in the hand. Then the king again put his hand to his sword, but the night once more cried out, nay, yet abide a while. He are the best jouser that I ever met with, for the love of knighthood, let us joust yet once again. So once again they tilted with their fullest force, and this time King Arthur's spear was but the knights held whole and drove so furiously against the king that both his horse and he were hurled to the ground. At that, King Arthur was enraged and drew his sword and said, I will attack the now-ser-night on foot, for on horseback I have lost the honor. I will be on horseback, said the night. But when he saw him come on foot, he lighted from his horse, thinking it shame to have so great advantage. And then began they a strong battle with many great strokes and blows, and so huge with their swords that the fragments of their armor flew about the fields. thus they fought long and mightily, and an on after brief rest fell to again, and so hurtled together like two wild boars that they both rolled to the ground. you you