place where so many noble men lay memorable, he sent Merlin, the prophet, to enquire diligently how he might best fulfil the design which he was anxious about. But when Merlin had been conducted into the presence of the king, he related to him the circumstances of the death of the beforementioned noble men, how the Saxons had betrayed them, and told him his own wish also, to mark the place with due honour. Then Merlin, having been for a short time rapt in an ecstasy of mind, at length answered him, and said, "If, my lord king, you wish to adorn the place of their burial with a perpetual monument, send for the Giant's Dance, which is on Killard, a mountain of Ireland, where there is such a structure of stones as no one of this age has ever beheld with his eyes. For they are large and wonderfully put together, and if they are arranged in this place, they will stand for ever as a memorial and representation of the memorable slaughter that you have spoken of/' On this, Aurelius burst out laughing, and answered Merlin, " Are the stones of Ireland better than the stones of this country, that they need be brought from such a distance into Britain ? 9 9 And Merlin answered, " Do not indulge, Ο king, in unwise laughter, for they are mystical stones, and wholesome as cures for different diseases. The giants formerly brought them over from the most remote districts of Africa, in order to make baths of them here for themselves when they were attacked with various infirmities. For they washed the stones in various confections of herbs, and poured them into baths in which the sick were cured. Nor% is there one stone among them which has not some medicinal property." And when the Britons heard this, they determined to send for the stones. Therefore, Uther Pendragon, the brother of the king, was selected, with fifteen thousand armed men, to bring away the stones by force, in case any one endea voured to hinder them. Merlin was also appointed to superintend the work, that everything might be done by his genius end prudence. Accordingly, when ships had been prepared, they set sail and came, after a prosperous voyage, to Ireland. And when Gillomannius, king of Ireland, had heard of their arrival and of its cause, he said to those who stood by, " Arm yourselves, Ο men, arm yourselves, because as long as life is in me, they