by D. N. Carter
“May I copy this?” Gabirol asked.
“Of course,” the old man replied.
(1) original biblical Melchizedek Magi Kings from 10,068 BC;
(2) ancient Persian Magi Knights from 10,068 BC;
(3) ancient Egyptian Djedhi Magi Priests from 5,500 BC;
(4) ancient Sumerian Magi Fisher Priests from 3,500 BC;
(5) the Essenes ca. 250 BC through the Holy See of Antioch ca. AD 33;
(6) original Al-Banna Magi Sufi Order from AD 825;
(7) original Syrian Hashashin Sufi Order from AD 1080.
“What…it states here the last two are Sufic…even Hashashin,” Gabirol noted, surprised.
“Indeed. But let me continue…this priesthood also carries the original ancient Gnostic tradition, which underlies the earliest form of Christianity, descending from an additional seven sources of priestly succession since AD 33,” the old man explained and pushed a second vellum sheet to Gabirol.
(1) the Nazarene Essene Priesthood of Jesus from AD 33;
(2) Saint Mark the Apostle;
(3) Saint Thomas the Apostle;
(4) Saint Mary Magdalene the Disciple (and Gnostic Apostle) of Jesus;
(5) Saint Thecla the Disciple (and Gnostic Apostle) of the Apostle Peter;
(6) the Gnostic Church of the Cathars from AD 1054;
(7) Saint Bernard de Clairvaux the patron saint of the Knights Templar from AD 1129.
“So you are saying that all these fourteen sources of priestly and ecclesiastical authority constitute direct lines of initiatory Magistral succession?” Gabirol asked.
“Yes and each in turn additionally perfected by authenticity of doctrinal succession. This establishes a substantial level of ecclesiastical authority as a historical institution, effectively meeting the standards and criteria of the Vatican and Orthodox Churches under traditional Canon Law as it stands.”
“But that would mean that the Ancient Priesthood of Solomon of the Templar Order is genuinely the direct continuation of a 12,000 year old priesthood, possibly the oldest ecclesiastical authority in recorded human history that goes beyond the creation of the world as recounted within the Bible. ’Tis a contradiction surely?” Gabirol protested.
“There is no contradiction when the Bible is read and understood properly… codes and all,” the old man replied, winked and smiled. “The priesthood of Ancient Egypt was the central institution for academic knowledge and sciences. Science and religion were always in perfect harmony and spirituality itself was considered a discipline of science. The Pharaonic Temples actually served as universities teaching mathematics, astronomy, architectural engineering and other sciences, also serving as a medical school. The Egyptian priesthood even invented the practice of surgery. Authentic to that true history, the doctrines and practices within the Ancient Priesthood of Solomon include scholarship of the physics of classical esoteric knowledge. This involves energy sciences of the mechanics of consciousness, as applied to priestly sacraments, divine communion and meditation, workings of the Holy Spirit and related visitations and manifestations of spirit.”
“No wonder the Church is worried about the Templars for they compete directly against them for authority,” the farrier remarked.
“Believe it or not that despite the formidable basis, wealth of priestly heritage and legitimacy of the Templar Order’s ecclesiastical authority, they have never sought to compete with the Vatican or other Churches, but consistently choose only to support them,” the old man explained. “Although the Knights Templar know their Order is vested with the ecclesiastical authority of the Holy See of Antioch and the Ancient Priesthood of Solomon, they mostly build churches only for the Vatican or Celtic Church. The Templars only built churches or monasteries for themselves when necessary to serve as a working facility, to support the operations of a Commandery. And true to the Gnostic doctrines and ancient spirituality of its priesthood, the Order does not exercise its ecclesiastical authority in the form of a Church, and thus does not operate any standing churches with congregations. Instead, Templar Knights are sworn to be protectors of the original spirituality which is the basis for all religion, dedicated to supporting established Churches of all denominations and religious Orders of other traditions…including Islam.”
“So where does King Arthur come into this?” Simon asked.
“Much popular awareness and a significant part of the public image of the Templars has and is being shaped and promoted by the Arthurian tales. Chretien de Troyes for a start certainly does this well. The many portrayals of knights in shining armour fighting to champion noble causes, and always pursuing deeply spiritual Quests, seeking profound esoteric wisdom by pursuing or protecting the Holy Grail, are all an artistic expression of the genuine traditional values and religious beliefs of the Templars. The Arthurian legends have their own historical value as symbolic esoteric teachings. But separate from this, however, is the identity and factual history of a real historical figure, who was later transformed into the legendary King Arthur of Camelot as many of you know,” the old man said and moved in his chair stretching his legs beneath the table.
“I always believed he was real,” Ayleth stated.
“And he is, and just like Jesus he too has had much added upon his shoulders. Official royal records of Alba reveal that when Columba, a Catholic priest, performed the induction ceremony for the coronation of King Aidan of Dalriada in AD 574, Aidan’s eldest son was Arthur, indicating that he was born in AD 559. The second reference to Arthur in a historical context was in a ninth century Latin text, the ‘Historia Brittonum’, which reported Arthur as ‘dux bellorum’ meaning ‘war commander’, fighting alongside the kings of the Britons against the invading Picts and Saxons. In this work, the chronological order of the appearance of Arthur in between other dated events indicates the peak of Arthur’s notable activities as during the early to middle sixth century AD. The third historical record of Arthur using the Celtic spelling Artuir was in the eleventh century Irish ‘Annals of Tighernac’, which reports ‘Death of the sons of Aidan’ including Arthur at the battle of Chirchind, in which Aidan was victorious. This account confirms that Arthur was the son of the Scottish King Aidan, and that he died in a battle allied with Briton kings fighting against the Picts and the Saxons.”
“Hmmm, this is not what I have been taught,” Gabirol remarked as he wrote some notes.
“These records are all available for scrutiny and genuine…and it is because of them being so historically significant, they became attributed with inspiring and leading to most of the later Arthurian legends telling various symbolic tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, and their Quests for the Holy Grail. But now with added esoteric additions to continue the codes of antiquity.”
“And you say all this is written within authentic documents?” Gabirol asked.
“Yes. The connection between the historical Prince Arturius Aidan and the legendary King Arthur is confirmed by an eighth century manuscript, ‘The Martyrology of Oengus the Culdee’. It contains a clear reference to Morgan as the daughter of King Aidan, being the half-sister, same word as for ‘sister’, of Arturius. This matches the legendary King Arthur having a sister, Morganna, the feminine grammar for Morgan as a woman’s name, also known as Morgan Le Fey, simply adding The Fairy as a title of honour after the same name Morgan. Arthur Aidan’s mother was reported to be Ygerna del Acqs, better known as Igrain, the High Queen of the Celtic kingdoms. Accordingly, Arthur’s grandmother was Vivien del Acqs, the Queen of Avalon and a High Priestess of the ancient Celtic religion. Arthur’s father, King Aedan, was the son of King Gabran and Lluan of Brecknock, and Lluan was reported to be a direct descendant of the Biblical Joseph of Arimathea, thereby entitling King Aedan mac Gabran to the title of Pendragon, which means Chief Warrior, being a king higher than other kings to unite them. The name Merlin was also a title, which meant Seer to the King, a position which was reserved for a High Priest of the Celtic religion. One person of ma
ny at different times who held the title Merlin was Emrys of Powys, the son of Aurelius, and Emrys was an elder cousin to King Aedan, Arthur’s father. But you all here now know the original name and person behind the name Mer EL In,” the old man said and looked at their expressions before continuing. “Arthur had three brothers, Eochaid Find, Eochaid Buide and Domingart. Since Arthur was the eldest son and Crown-Prince, however, Merlin was assigned to mentor, guide and train Arthur. Therefore, although Arthur was not an only child and not without a living father, the legendary accounts in stories that Merlin raised Arthur from childhood are a fair description which does not contradict the historical record. These facts placed Prince Arthur Aidan in the unique position of being both ancient Celtic royalty and biblical and Catholic royalty, simultaneously. Merlin became a title of respect like the Caesars after Caesar in Rome. This made Arthur the embodiment of balance and reconciliation between the developing Catholicism and the ancient Celtic religion, resulting in their effective merger into the medieval form of the Celtic Church. The battle in which Arthur died was variously called the battle of Miathi, of Manann, of Chirchind and of Camlann. None of the four historical accounts specify the location, but all of them describe the same royal Arthur leading the same battle against the same invaders, thereby confirming that it happened in the same place. The varied historical references to King Arthur’s death at this battle are reasonably close considering the prevailing practices of mostly oral history during that time period, around AD 589. Arthur’s birth in AD 559, becoming Commander at age sixteen in AD 575, and beginning of active battles at age seventeen in AD 576 would make him 30 years old at the time of his death around AD 589, having a total of fourteen years of military experience by that time. That timeline and resulting level of experience would explain how that last battle he led was victorious, despite his being killed in the process. Therefore, reliable and verifiable historical evidence does establish that, in fact, the legendary King Arthur was the Celtic Crown-Prince Arturius Aidan of Scotland, AD 559–589, who facilitated establishment of the Celtic Church, which integrated Catholicism with ancient Celtic spirituality.”
“So where is Camelot as I thought we already covered that and it was in Colchester… isn’t it?” Peter asked bluntly.
“As many here know, the land of the Arthurian legends was known as Avalon, described as an island. Avalon was most notably described by the renowned British–Welsh poet, Bard Taliesin. He was the author of fifty-six Welsh manuscripts from the sixth century. He himself has become a legendary mythic hero, now a contemporary companion of Bran the Blessed and King Arthur. Most scholars who translated the sixth century manuscripts assumed that they were written in Old French, instead of the Old German Celtic languages they were originally written in. Thus, Bard Taliesin’s description of Avalon as Insula Pororum Fortunata was mistranslated as Old French for Island of Apples, even disregarding the significance of the third word, which was omitted from translations. However, since Taliesin in his time spoke ancient Celtic, his words Insula Pororum Fortunata originally meant an Island by the Sea, one characterised by abundance, Fortunata. This full and more accurate translation is additionally supported by various accounts of the profuse vegetation on the island of Avalon, and the inhabitants accordingly living long life spans.”
“So I ask again, where is Avalon?” Peter demanded, his tone impatient.
“Peel Castle on Saint Peter’s Isle on the Isle of Man, ‘Ellin Vannin’, is one of the main historical sites of the legendary Arthurian ‘Avalon’. The ancient Celtic name for the Isle of Man, in its native Manx language, is Ellin Vannin, literally the Island by the Sea. This shows that the Isle of Man was exactly the same place with the same ancient name as described by Bard Taliesin in his own native language, thus being the true historical location of Avalon of the Arthurian legends. In the Arthurian legends, Guinevere’s father was named King Orry. Chretien de Troyes, a Templar by the way, and Marie de France found the name Orry to come from the Manx word Gorrie, clearly identifying the Isle of Man. That fact also explains the otherwise strange spelling of the name Guinevere, which is actually a Pictish name. During the historical time period of Arthur, the Picts were ruling the Isle of Man. The Irish Annals of Ulster documented in the historical record a battle of Manann, described as identical to the battle of Miathi fought by Arthur against the Picts as established in the Scottish ‘Vita Sancti Columbae’. The battle of Miathi and the battle of Manann are identifiable as the same event, because the Miathi Picts lived in the Ochill Hills, directly opposite Manann, which is the ancient Celtic name of the Isle of Man.”
“So in short, Arthur fought and died in that battle which took place on the Isle of Man?” Gabirol asked.
“In short yes. Saint Patrick’s Isle, the three-sided island with ‘crooked banks’, Isle of Man. The tenth century ‘Annales Cambriae’ manuscripts referred to the place where Arthur died as the battle of Camlann. The name Camlann is a Celtic version of the Old English word Camboglanna meaning crooked bank, and the Celtic word Camlann is similar to the Manx Manann. Therefore, the description of a crooked bank refers to a bank or shore of the Isle of Man. There is one particular part of the Isle of Man that has a mini island off the west side of the main isle. This part is called Saint Patrick’s Isle, whereupon stands the castle built by the Vikings…Peel Castle. The small separation between the Isle of Man and its adjunct Saint Patrick’s Isle creates a sort of river with crooked banks on both sides, and the sea side of the mini isle itself prominently features a wide stretch of crooked bank.”
“Then why is this not told as part of the legends for all to know?” Ayleth asked, puzzled.
“Because the story would become dull and boring,” the old man replied. “Peel Castle on the Isle of Man was used by the historical Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. Thus, the report of Arthur’s final battle at Camlann is consistent with the seventh century Scottish record in ‘Vita Sancti Columbae’, indicating that it took place at Manann, on the Isle of Man. The small mini island of Saint Patrick bearing Peel Castle was a very important strategic holy site for the early Catholic Church, such that the Pope sent Saint Germanus to that site in the fifth century, to begin integrating the pagan Celtics to Christianity. Saint Patrick after whom the mini island was named led worship and preached there in AD 444. Perhaps more significantly, if Saint Patrick’s Isle at the Isle of Man was the historical site of the Arthurian Avalon, then Peel Castle itself would be the headquarters of the legendary King Arthur and his kingdom and royal court affectionately known in the later medieval tales as Camelot. But as you should understand, the very first original Camelot was indeed that of the ancient town of Colchis with all its connections to Jason and the Golden Fleece…but in more modern times it was re-seated. For in our recent times Avalon, the Grail Castle and Arthur’s third castle, Galoches, were all in fact on the Isle of Man. But the Camelot or Camulod in Colchester, the very first Camelot, there still lies a secret connected to Orion and Sirius,” the old man remarked with a smile.[101]
“I know of the three legged emblem you mention for I have seen it upon many a knight’s saddle bags that have passed through this way,” the farrier commented.
“That does not surprise me. The Isle of Man has an official three-legged heraldry, labelled ‘Whichever Way You Throw It, It Stands’ in Latin. This was confirmed by the British lawyer, scholar, Vatican ecclesiast and Canon Law advisor to King Henry the Second, Gervase of Tilbury, who is still alive this day, who described King Arthur in a royal establishment, explaining that the palace was located on a three sided, three legged island. As a consequence many English knights have adopted the emblem when heading for the Holy Lands. The symbol from its most ancient Celtic times is three legs joined at the thighs. It is also relevant and interesting that all factual historical data for the real Prince Arthur Aidan who later became the legendary King Arthur was recorded primarily only in the Emerald Isle and Alba, equally. This fact is significant, because the Isle of Man is located in
the sea at equal distance from the Emerald Isle and Alba, and is the only part of Britain that has experienced several millennia of mixing Irish and Scottish culture, while alternating Irish and Scottish rule, before the British later got involved with the territory.”
“So basically what you are saying is that the Isle of Man is the location of the most recent Arthurian Avalon?” Simon asked.
“Yes. But also keep in mind that a far more ancient castle of his was in Camulud, the old Roman Town of Camuludinum, Colchis as already mentioned. In Latin the D and T are interchangeable so the step from Camulud to Camulut is not a long one, as I have previously explained during the telling of this tale.”
“I know that much of what is written about the Grail romances comes from Chretien de Troyes as you state, most written in about AD 1188, and was produced in the very city where Templarism was born, Troyes…yes?” Gabirol asked.
“Yes. He was given much assistance by Philip and others at that time…to ensure the messages of antiquity were and are carried forwards,” the old man explained. “It was at the Council of Troyes here in France in AD 1127, where Bernard de Clairvaux established the Roman Catholic Cistercian rule of the Templar Order. Subsequent Grail stories have since emanated from various parts of Europe, and many of them mention Templar, or Templar styled knights, and espouse their virtues as holy knights. From the first to last, Templars have written or have sanctioned many of the Grail stories. It is the very same Chretien de Troyes whose translations from ancient Celtic Gaelic identified the Isle of Man as the historical location of the legendary Avalon. Accordingly, it is as one of the original second generation of Knights Templar that Chretien de Troyes began the tradition of Arthurian legends embodying ancient mythology and sacred wisdom, possessing a connection to factual academic knowledge of the true historical Prince Arthur Aidan of the sixth century.”