His sepulchre is here, whose womb contains It is said that Merlin intended to build a wall of brass round Maridunum; and so says Drayton, Polyolbion, song IV. How Merlin by his skill and magic's wond'rous might And for Caermarden's sake would fain have brought to pass And set his fiends to work upon the mighty frame; Then how the lab'ring spirits to rocks by fetters bound, With bellows rumbling groans, and hammers thund'ring sound, A fearful horrid din still in the earth do keep, Their master to awake, suppos'd by them to sleep; As at their work how still the grieved spirits repine, Tormented in the fire, and tired in the mine. Spenser again, ............A little while, Before that Merlin dy'd, he did intend In the mean time by that false lady's train, B. iii. C. iii. His living soul must with his corse repose, 75 This lady of the lake appears to have been a fairy or nymph, with whom Merlin was enamoured: the story of her deceiving him is thus related in the romance called Morte Arthur, or the life and death of prince Arthur, printed by Caxton in 1485. "The lady of the lake and Merlin departed; and by the way, as they went, Merlin shewed to her many wonders, and came into Cornwaile: And alwaies laid about the lady for to have her favour; and she was ever passing weary of him, and fain would have been delivered of him; for she was afraid of him, because he was a divells sonne, and she could not put him away by no means. And so, upon a time it hapned that Merlin shewed to her a roche (rock) whereas a great wonder, and wrought by inchantment, which went under a stone, so by her craft and working she made Merlin to go under that stone, to let him wit of the marvailes there. But she wrought so there for him, that he never came out, for all the craft that he could doe." B. i. C. lx. But in the life of Merlin, this adventure is related with circumstances nearer the account given by our author. "Merlin's mother having secretly conceived by a demon, was, after her delivery, condemned to be put to death, for breach of chastity; but her son, an infant, defended, and set his mother at liberty. Merlin, being grown up, went to the court of Uther Pendragon, where he established the famous round table, wrought many wonderful works, and uttered a number of prophesies; here he fell in love with the lady of the lake, whom he used to call the white serpent; before his death he erected a tomb, in the forest of Nortes, capable to hold him and his mistress; and having shewed it her, he taught her a charm that would close the stone, so that it could never be opened. The lady, who secretly hated him, began one day to caress him exceedingly, and at last made him go into the tomb, in order to try whether it was large enough: Merlin, being entered, she closed the stone upon him, where he died: his spirit being likewise confined by the force of the spell, continued from time to time to speak, and to give answers to such questions as were put to him." His voice survives, and oft is heard to come In tuneful music from the marble tomb. To all that question, is his wisdom shown; He tells the past, and makes the future known: 80 We shall quote one more passage of Spenser, where he gives a noble description of the cave, which was the scene of Merlin's incantations. Britomart, and her nurse old Glauce, go to consult this magician: To Maridunum, that is now by change, Of name Cayr Mardin call'd, they took their way; When so he counsell'd with his sprights encompass'd round. And if thou ever happen that same way To enter into that same baleful bower, For fear the cruel fiends should thee unwares devour. But standing high aloft, low lay thine ear, B. iii. C. iii. This description is not entirely the fiction of the poet, as there are sufficient vouchers to produce for the truth of the story. "In a rock of the island of Barry, in Glamorganshire, there is a narrow chink or cleft, to which, if you put your ear, you shall perceive all such sort of noises, as you may fancy smiths at work under ground; I many days have in this cave remain'd, To which I travell'd from a distant land; She said, and Amon's daughter, while she spoke, Then rapt with joy at such a blest event, The ghost of Merlin with his bones remain'd. 85 90 95 100 strokes of hammers, blowing of bellows, grinding of tools, &c." See Cambden's Britannia. Drayton, in the above lines, alludes to this story of the lady of the lake, and to this marvellous cave. Ariosto, with the liberty of a romance-writer, places Merlin's grot in France, and removes the scene of several of his actions to that place." See Upton and Warton's Observations on Spenser. Not far from Caermarthen, is a hill called Merlin's hill, near the brow of which is a rock, known by the name of Merlin's chair, in which it is said, that famous prophet used to sit, when he uttered his prophesies. (As best may seem) this wonder was compos'd: Scarce o'er the threshold pass'd the warrior-dame, 105 When from the breathless clay with pleasing strain, 110 T'accost the fair the spirit thus began. May fortune all thy just endeavours aid, O ever chaste, and ever honour'd maid! From whose glad womb must spring the fruitful race That ancient blood, which once in Ilium shin'd, Hence chiefs shall rise, and many a valiant knight, And spread in war the glory of her name. 115 120 125 Ver. 116. That ancient blood,--] Rogero and Bradamant, both descended from Astyanax: Rogero, son to Rogero of Risa, and Bradamant, niece to Charlemain. See note on B. ii. Ver. 216. Ver. 119.--The Danube and the Nile---] The Danube, a river in Germany; the Nile, a river in Egypt; the Tagus, a river in Portugal; the Ind, or Indus, a river in India, whence the country receives its name: By the Antartic skies, is meant the south pole; and by Calisto, the north, being a constellation in that part of the heavens. |