520
520 Manchester-Wigan
Hollinworth,
in his Mancuniensis, refers to a tradition which must have been current in
his, the seventeenth century. "It is sayd," he observes, "that Sir Tarquine,
a stout enemie of King Arthur, kept this castle, and neere to the foard
in Medlock, about Mabhouse, hung a bason on a tree, on which bason whosoever did
strike, Sir Tarquine, or some of his company, would come and fight with him, and
that Sir Launcelot du Lake, a knight of King Arthur's Round Table, did
beate uppon the bason, fought with Tarquine, killed him, possessed himselfe of
the castle, and loosed the prisoners. Whosoever thinketh it worth his pains to
read more of it may read the history of King Arthur. It is certain that about
A.D. 520 there was such a prince as King Arthur, and it is not incredible that
he or his knights might contest about this castle when he was in this county,
and (as Ninius sayth) bee put ye Saxons to flight in a memorable battell near
Wigan, about twelve miles off" (pp.21, 22).
The Arthurian localities have been a subject of vigorous debate, and it
may be regarded as utterly impossible to settle them with any reasonable degree
of certainty. Mr. Skene identifies places in the North, Dr. Guest
is equally confident as to localities in the South; Hollinworth, Whitaker,
and Mr. D. H. Haigh are positive as to Lancashire.
The river Duglas and the region Linius remain unidentified. The various
theories are carefully summarised by Mr. CLarles Hardwick in his
Lancashire Battlefields.