escaped from the City and the Battel sled to the City of Veij and afterwards under the conduct of Camillus who before was banished to Ardea but now made Dictator relieved those Senators which still held out the Capitol who compelled by famine had newly bought their lives and were paying the Gold Brennus had received the greatest part when Camillus came upon him and worsting him in a tumultuary skirmish forced him to quit Rome and following the Enemy fought a pitcht battel with him eight miles off in the Gabine Way where after a sharp dispute the Romans prevailed and the valiant Brennus with all his Gauls and Britans lost their lives upon the spot not one escaping as Livy writes Dec. 1. lib. 5. to carry the news Here was most of the Gold regained the rest being a long time after recovered by Livius Drusus Propraetor of Gallia Cisalpina Suâ—t in Tib. which at the first appearance of the Dictator had been sent away for Tuscany where the Gauls had then divers Colonics with some Troops to guard it who hearing the loss of their Companions entred into the Service of the Tyrant Dionysius Belinus had better fortune and subdued Pannonia where he settled the Gauls and most of his Britans married his Daughter Cambra a warlike Lady to Antenor King of the Sicambrians and returning home with Honour died in peace Next to him reigned his Son Gorguntius who slew the Danish King and conquered his countrey because he refused to pay the promised Tribute Then Guiteline Son to Gorguntius and Husband to the Learned Queen Martia Sisillius Son to Guiteline Chiomarus Son to Sisillius Danius Brother to Chiomarus and Morindus Son to Danius by his Concubine Tangustella by whom the King of the Morini invading this Land was overthrown and slain This victory he used cruelly putting all to the Sword that were taken Morindus is said to have aided the King of Orkney against Basanus King of the Sicambrians but lastly adventuring to fight singly with a Sea-monster he was devoured by it the Monster dying presently after of the wounds he had given it After his death the Kingdom was divided between his five Sons Gorbonian Archigallo Elidurus Eugenius and Peridurus Of these Gorbonian a just Prince dyed peaceably and was succeeded by his Son Regin Archigallo for Tyranny was expelled by his Nobles who gave his Kingdom to his Brother Elidurus through whose intercession he was restored and reigned afterwards very nobly parting his Principality at his death between his two Sons Morgan and Eneon But Elidurus found not the same kindness from his other two Brothers who took him prisoner and shared his Province between them till Eugenius dying first and then Peridurus he again recovered his Kingdom and left it to his Son Gerontius Edwal the Son of Eugenius or Owen and Runo the Son of Peridurus succeeded their Fathers like wise in their Provinces Thus was Britain cantoned into sundry parcels besides that the Descendents of those Princes who acknowledged the Soveraignty of Dunvallo and his Successors hitherto now renounced all manner of Subordination Which caused Tacitus to write of the Britans thus In vita Agric Heretofore they were governed by Kings now they are drawn by petty Princes into Partialities and Factions After Gerontius reigned his Son Cadellus for the British History takes no notice of the Posterity of the other Princes Then followed Coelus the Son of Cadellus Porrex the Son of Coelus Cherinus the Son of Porrex whose three Sons shared their Father's Inheritance between them Their names were Fulgentius Eldadus and Androgeus To this last succeeded his Son Vrianus after whom reigned these Kings in a direct line from Father to Son Flind Clidacus Clotenus Gorguntius Merianus Bladud Capys Owen and Sisillius who made another partition between his two Sons Blegâ—red and Archivallo Eldon the Son of Archivallo ruled after his Father and then followed in a lineal Succession Redion Rodericus Sawyl sirnamed Penissel Pyrrhus Caporius Gilquellus sirnamed Minocanus and Belinus he by his valour much enlarged his Hereditary Dominions for which he was entitled The Great For this is that B. M. Beli Maur so famous among the Cambrian Genealogists He had three Sons whom in his old age for he lived till the first coming of Caesar he assumed as Partners in his Kingdom assigning each of them a Province with Regal Authority and Title Immanuentius had the Trinobantes and was Sirnamed Lhud that is to fay Russet or Tawny it being usual with the Britans both ancient and modern to impose Names and Sirnames from colours Caswallan had the Cattieuchlani and is by Dion Cassius called Suellan corruptly for Cassuellan And indeed it is very likely that the same causes which lost us so many Books of that excellent Author might make some corruptions in them that were left unless we shall think Suellan or Swallan was his true name Cas being a Praeaddition taken from the Cassii the chief Sept of the Cattieuchlani as Cattimarus Teutobochus and Decebalus had the beginnings of their Names from the Catti Teutâ—nes and Daci though afterwards the name of Swallan grew out of use and Caswallan was used in its stead in honour of this Prince Nennius I conceive had Kent and might be the Father of Cyngetorix Carvilius Taximagulus and Segonax These three Princes acknowledged a subordination to their Father Belinus whom Geffrey of Monmouth will have to be dead some years before the Romans arrived here vainly esteeming it a disparagement to Lhud to reign under his Father and aiming to give Caswallan the entire honour of managing all the war from the first beginning and therefore makes that Belinus which then lived to be Caswallan's General and Counsellor not his Father contrary to Nonnius who expresly termes him King of the Britans And Henry of Huntington will needs have him to be his Brother and Cambden takes him for Caswallan himself contrary to the Cambrian Genealogists who all consent that he was his Father Thus far have we waded through the Maeandrian Intrigues of Antiquity from Samothes obtruding nothing upon the Reader 's belief of this that we have taken either from Annius of Viterbo or Geffrey of Monmouth though both those Authors have been followed and owned by some Learned men Neither is there any thing herein more incongruous or incredible than what the Greek and Roman Writers have delivered concerning the Originals of their Nations which things are yet allowed a place in many Authentick Historians and Chronologers What follows comes from the hands of more approved Authors In the year of the World's Creation Three Thousand Eight Hundred Ninety five according to the common Computation Pompey and Crassus being Consuls the second time Calus Julius Caesar having now by Conquests over-run Gaul out of an innate desire of Glory allured also as Suetonius saith with hope of Pearls which as he was informed were ingendred and gathered in the Creeks of the British Sea and being incensed against the Britans for sending
near Oatlands still Nennius ascribes this to Dolobellus chief Commander now under Caswallan as he had been under his Father before But all was spoiled by Traiterous Fugitives and discovered to Caesar who sending over a party of Horse first ordered his Foot to follow which they resolutely performed wading up to the neck with such speed and violence and fell on so boldly that they soon put the amazed Britans to slight whom Polyaenus falsly reports to have been frightned at the sight of an Elephant with a Turret upon his back Caswallan now despairing of success by open force resolves to try if he can weary out his Enemy and therefore retaining with him only four thousand Charioteers he attends the motions of the Romans By the advantage he had in the knowledge of the Countrey he saved himself from being forced to fight and as often as their Horsemen went forth and strayed out in the fields for Forrage or Booty he sent out his Chariots upon them from the Woods who slaughtering some and terrifying others made them afraid to range abroad and Caesar himself was induced to give strict command that none should part from the Legions who in all their march had nothing left them in their way but empty Fields and Houses which they spoil'd and burnt the Cattel being before driven away by the Britans In the mean time the Trinobantes submit to Caesar requesting him to send their Prince Mandubratius to them and to protect him against Caswallan's violence Of them Caesar required and received forty Hostages and Corn for his Army and therewith sent Mandubratius to them The Cenimagni Segontiaci Ancalites Bibroci and Cassij follow their example and yield to Caesar who learns by the last that Caswallan's chief Town supposed to be Vernlam was not far off Thither he speeds and assaults it in two several places the Britans soon quitting it of whom many were taken in their flight and put to the sword In Kent Cyngetorix Carrilius Taximagulus and Segonax by Caswallan's orders assail the Roman Camp but were repulsed by those that were left to guard it who in a Sally did good execution upon them and took Cyngetorix Prisoner Caswallan after so many losses finding himself basely deserted by the other States by means of Comius of Artois sought and obtained at Caesar's hands a Peace upon these termes That he should pay a certain Tribute yearly and no wayes molest Mandubratius or the Trinobantes and that Hostages should be given for the performance which was accordingly done And thus the Victor having spent almost all the Summer here with a great number of Captives returns into Gaul being forced to transport his Army at two several passages by reason of the loss of Ships which the forementioned Storm had caused After this Caswallan whom Caesar calls Cassivellaunus reigned seven years and dyed in peace having reigned in all nineteen years eleven with his Father as likewise did Lhud and eight after his death Mandubratius is by Beda called Androgorius by Orosius and Monumethensis Andregeus and is in the Book of Triads reckoned the first of the Three most infamous persons that Britain ever bred as who was not content to have recovered his own but also procured by his insinuating solicitations the submission of those other Cities which ruined all the brave endeavours of his Heroick Uncle for his Countreys liberty who as Caesar tells us was Maximè permotus defectione Civitatum Most of all troubled with the Revolt of the States The Monmouth Writer makes this Androgeus in stead of Comius the procurer of his Uncles peace and the valiant Scaeva to be his Son and one of the thirty Hostages abating ten of the true number whereas the Traitor Bericus of whom anon had been a sitter Son for such a Father and Scaeva by better Authors appears to be a Roman and to have been in Caesar's Service before the delivery of those Hostages Then he tells us that Androgeus forsook his Principality and went with Caesar to Rome which is evinced to be false by the injunction laid upon Caswallan not to meddle with him His Brother Tenevantius was of a more publick spirit and would not seek to revenge the wrongs done to his Family by the enslaving of his Countrey but joyned with his Uncle against the common Enemy whereby he so won upon him that dying issueless he left him his Kingdom which was enlarged by the accession of the Province of the Trinobantes upon the death of Mandubratius who also had no Children This King withheld the Tribute whereupon Augustus about twenty years after Julius Caesar's last Invasion resolved upon an Expedition hither rather than put up such a contempt from a Countrey of little note in those dayes but being come into Ganl he there heard news of the Revolt of the Pannonians which diverted him for that time Seven years after he was coming again but finding Gaul in an unsettled condition he accepted the offers of the British Ambassadors who promised Obedience and Satisfaction for the Tribute detained But upon fail of payment he the next year prepared for a third Expedition which to prevent the Britans again send Ambassadors to him who coming to Rome offered Gifts in the Capitol and sacrificed to the Roman Gods swore him Fealty in the Temple of Mars agreeing to pay Tolls and Customs for all Wares which they transported into other parts and paid him their Tribute By this obsequious address Augustus was pacified not being over-ambitious to catch at all opportunities of enlarging his Empire which he thought was already great enough as likewise did his Successor Tiberius To Tenevantius after twenty three years Reign succeded his Son Cunoheline Augustus was now in peace with all the world a fit time for our Saviour the Prince of Peace to be born in at whose very Birth the Devil's Oracles began to cease For about this time that mighty Emperour consulting the Oracle about his Successor received this Answer as Suidas saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Hebrew Child whom the Blest Gods adore Hath bid me leave these Shrines and pack to Hell So that of Oracle I can no more In Silence leave our Altar and sarewell Hereupon at his coming home he in the Capitol erected an Altar and therâ—â—n in Captial 〈◊〉 caused this Inseription to be engraven HAEC EST AKAPKIMO-GENITI DEI This is the Altar of the First-begetten Son of God In Tiberius his time the Britans kept very fair correspondence with the Romans as may be gathered out of Tacitus from their friendly sending back to Germanious â— then warring in Germany such of his Soldiers as had been cast upon their Coasts Caligula intended to invade them but that by his shittle head sudden repentance and foolish attempts against Germany it came to nothing Yet he came on as far as Batavia where Adminius the Son of Cunobeline being for some offence banished by his Father was with those few that
Son to Olbius Namnes Son to Galates and Rhemus Son to Namnes During the Reigns of these Samothean Kings hapned nothing remarkable only that in the time of King Lucus Osiris the great King of Egypt was slain by his Brother Typhon with the help of Laestrigon Antaeus Gerion Albion and Bergion the Grandsons of the murdered Heroe by his Son Neptune after which Albion and Bergion with a multitude of Africans coming into Spain where Gerion reigned from thence invaded and conquered Britain and Ireland where they ruled for some years But in the time of Celtes Hereules pursuing the revenge of his Father's death kills Typhon and Antaeus settles his Brother Orus and his mother Isis in the Kingdom of Egypt destroyes Gerion in Spain and marches into Gaule with intention to pass into Italy Celtes joyfully entertains him in requital whereof he built the City of Alexia Albion and Bergion suspecting he would at length call them to an account resolved to be before hand with him and came against him with a puissant Army who having married Galatea and increased his Army with Gaulish Supplies encountred them in a place named The Stony Strond or Stony Field now called by the French Le Craux where after a long and terrible fight the two Brothers were deseated and slain From thence Hercules departed into Italy where he slew Laestrygon The Samotheans in Britain emboldned by the success of this Battel took up Arms against the residue of the Africans that were lest behind commencing a long war which continued till the coming of Brutus In this interval the fifty Daughters of Dioclesian King of Syria having all murdered their Husbands in one night were for their punishment embarqued in a Ship well victualled but without Pilot Mast or Sail and so committed to the mercy of the Seas At last they were cast upon the Western Coast of this Island then inhabited by the African Progeny to whom women were very welcome in regard the Samotheans disdained to give their Daughters to them The Eldest of these named Albina was married to the Prince of these Barbarians and renewed to this Isle the name of Albion which had been before imposed by Neptune's forementioned Son of that name but now was worn out This Fable I conceive to be founded upon the Grecian Story of Danaus his Daughters King Remus having no other children but one Daughter gave her in marriage to Franicus Francus or Francion Son to Hector King of the Germans whose Father Brennus was lineally descended from the ancient Tuisco He succeeded his Father and Father-in-Law and kept his residence in a City of Pannonia which himself had built and called Sicambria after the name of his Son Sicamber who reigned after him and married a Lady named Galatea having first slain his Rival Acis a Sicilian Prince The Greeks for his valour called him Polyphemus which signifies famous and the Poets fable him to be a Cyclopian Giant and Son of Neptune whom they generally make the Father of Gigantick Issues This Polyphemus Sicamder is by the Germans named Woltheim Sichinger At his death he divided his Kingdom between his three Sons to Celtes he left Germany who extended the name of Celts to all the people of that Land Gaule and so much of Britain as was held by the Samotheans fell to Galates and Pannonia to Illyrius who by Conquest added to it the Countrey which of him took the name of Illyris Francus had parcelled Gaule into twelve Provinces and appointed over each of them a Vice-roy with orders to be aiding to his Samothean Subjects as occasion should require but Ambition prompted them to other Designs whereunto they were animated by their Princes over-large Bounty who it seems had made their Prefectures Hereditary so that after the death of Galates whose Reign was spent in Wars abroad they assumed to themselves the Royal Title and Power In the Reign of Wolfheim Sichinger the famous City of Troy was taken by the Greeks whereupon Aeneas and Antenor were forced to seek new seats of whom the latter found means to settle himself about Padua the other in Latium whose Son and Successour Ascanius built Alba Longa. But far worse fortune had many of their Countreymen who with their Families were carried away Captive into Greece by Pyrrhus and by him kept in slavery From him descended one Pandrasus as Geffrey calls him though the Greeks had another name for him who shewed himself very cruel to the issue of these Trojans In his time a certain Nobleman dying left two Sons the one by a Greek wife the other named Assaracus by a Trojan who falling out about the sharing of their Father's Territory caused the King to interest himself in the quarrel who hating the Trojan Nation and consequently Assaracus for his relation to them took his Brothers part against him and would by force have disseised him of his Inheritance if he had not been opportunely succour'd by Brutus of whom we come now to speak Ascanius King of Alba dying there arose a controversie about the succession between his Son Julus and his Half-Brother Sylivins Posthumus the Son of Aeneas by Lavinia the first being favoured by the Trojans the other by the Latines who being more numerous advanced Posthumus to the Crown assigning the Pontificate to Julus who upon the reconciliation assumed his Uncles name for his Praenomen and was called Sylvius Julus It was made a piea against him that he was not of years sufficient to manage the weighty affairs of a Kingdom by which it appears that he married very young having had two Sons before his Fathers death from the Elder of whom the Julian Family descended The Younger named Brutus proved fatal to both his Parents for his Mother died in Child-bed and at fifteen years of age he by mischance killed his Father at a hunting for which he was banished by Posthumus and went into Greece where upon sundry occasions he gave such proofs of his valour as encouraged the poor oppressed Trojans to repair to him and request him to undertake the freeing of them from the Grecian Bondage Brutus becomes their Prince and entring league with Assaracus wins two victories of Pandrasus In the first Antigonus the King's Brother and his friend Anacletus were taken Prisoners in the other the King himself Hereupon by the means of a Trojan named Mempricius ensued a peace whereby Assaracus was secured in his Right and Brutus obtained in marriage the King 's eldest Daughter Innogen with a Fleet of three hundred twenty four Ships well provided with all necessaries to transport the Trojans and their Families to another Country The first place he arrived at was an Island where Diana had a Temple whose Oracle he with his Soothsayer Gerion consults about the success of his Voyage and receives a propitious Answer From hence departing he sailed along the coast of Africk conquering by the way the Pirates of those Seas and for a fresh supply of provision was forced to land in Mauritania
both Naval and Land supplies to his Enemies and entertaining such as run from him took up a resolution to make the Puissance of Rome known to these Islanders which being discovered by Merchants some particular States sent Ambassadors to him promising to put in Pledges and yeild obedience to the Roman Empire Caesar commending their Prudence and exherting them to continue in the same mind sends them back with Comius in their company whom he had made King of Artois giving him instructions to work them to a suller submission and prepare them to give him a quiet admission with his forces into their Countrey Hereupon the British Princes joyn to oppose him of whom Geffrey nameth these Caswallan Androgeus and Tenerantius with Crederus King of Albania Guitellus of Venedotia and Britael of Demetia Lhud as he writes though falsely was dead some years before and therefore is not here mentioned and King Belinus as I said before is only brought in to be his Son's General Caesar having gained what knowledge he could of the British coast from C. Volusenus whom he had sent out to descry it embarques two Legions in eighty Ships of burthen and some Gallies and endeavours to land in Kent Here Dolobellus General to King Belinus as appears by Nennius who calls him his Proconful stood ready to receive him and performed his part so bravely that the noble Roman confessed the terror of such resolute opposition made his Veteran Soldiers forget their wonted valour But in the end they gained the Shore and put the Britans to flight with extraordinary slaughter In Caesar â—â— Caesar is brought in by Julian attributing to himself the honour if it be at all an honour to that person which he suâ—â—ained of being the first that left his Ship and 〈◊〉 Land but this were to make him not understand what became him and he acknowledges it was the Eagle-bearer of the tenth Legion Lib. 4. de bello Galliâ—â—o Caesar marching forwards encamps upon a great Plain supposed to be Barham-Down where he beheld the dispersion and loss of a considerable part of his Flect by the violence of an unexpected storm Comius found not such entertainment as he expected being imprisoned as a Spy by the Britans who were wise enough to perceive that the Romans aimed at more than they should be willing to grant yet finding by the late conflict that there was an apparent inequality in the match between the Roman and Britain Arms and discipline they judged it convenient to make their best termes and submit to which end they dispatcht Ambassadors to him and with them sent back Comius thinking by the one to moderate his anger and by the other in consequence to procure a peace which they obtained the â—aslier by reason of the late Wrack and the approach of Winter yet were enjoyned to deliver Hostages But understanding his want of Horsemen and the losses he had sustamed by the Tempest they took courage again and slew to Arms. About a thousand Horsemen were coming after him in eighteen Ships which being got within view of the Camp were driven by a sudden storm some back to the Gallick coast others upon the Western part of the Island from whence they had much adoe to recover the Continent again and those Ships that were with him fared as ill for the Gallies which were drawn up to the Shore were filled with the Tide and the Ships of burden that lay at Anchor were so shaken with the Tempest that they were almost rendred unserviceable The seventh Legion being sent out to fetch in Corn was set upon by the Britans and in danger of being cut off if Caesar had not seasonably come to the rescue who contenting himself with putting his Enemies to a stand considering it was not now a fit time to offer Battel while his men were scarce recovered of so late a fear only keeps his ground for a while and soon after returns to his Camp The Britans giving themselves out for Victors sent straight to all the neigbouring States for more forces and getting together a great multitude drew towards the Romans but Caesar encouraging his Soldiers received these Guests with a battel before his Camp put them to rout with slaughter and burnt and laid wast all round about Daunted with this ill success they again crave peace which he granted them but withal severely reproved them for their breach of faith and imposed a double number of Hostages to be sent after him into Gaul whither the season of the year required him to hasten so that all his Ships but twelve being by this time made able to abide the Sea by incessant labour of the Soldiers he hoisted sail about midnight and arrived safely with all but eleven Ships of burden upon the Continent these not keeping their course landed at a Port of the Morini who would have put them to the sword in hopes of prey if Caesar hearing of their peril had not sent his Horsemen to fetch them off The Senate advertised of these passages by his Letters decreed a solemn Procession and Supplication of twenty dayes and himself ordering Labienus to chastise the rebellious Morini went to Rome as he used to do every Winter to look after his concernments there About this time died King Belinus having reigned forty years yet did not his death hinder the Britans from celebrating a solemn Festival in Trinovant for joy of Caesar's departure But here fell out an unlucky accident which proved of very ill consequence As the Youth were exercising themselves at Martial sports it chanced that two young Noblemen fell out the one named Hireldas is by Geffrey of Monmouth said to be Nophew to Caswallan the other named Evelinus to Mandubratius Henry of Huntington saith they were their Sons In this quarrel Hireldas was slain by Evelinus whem Caswallan would therefore have had to be put to death but Mandubratius prevailed with his Father Immanuentius to protect him Caswallan thought it too difficult a matter to contest at that time with his Brother in his own Royal City he departs therefore but quickly returns with strong Forces which he had in readiness kills Immanuentius seizes the greatest part of his Kingdom and compells Mandubratius to flee for safety of his life into Gaul Nennius who adhered so saithfully to him in his war against the Romans may seem likely to have sided with him now there being a grudg between him and Immanuentius for going about to change the name of Trinovant to Caer Lud as the * Lib. 1. cap. 10. Monmouth Writer tells us These proceedings of Caswallan allarm'd the Neighbour-States who thereupon took up Arms against him And thus were the Britans embroiled in Civil wars not fearing belike Caesar's return whose hasty departure they looked upon as little better than flight and thought he was as desirous to leave them as they were to have him and therefore all the States but two neglected the sending of their Hostages after him Here now
the Lieutenant's endeavours to have any peace with the Romans Against him therefore Ostorius bends all his Force having given some Cities to a British King named Cogidunus to engage him against those that should raise any disturbances while he was dealing with the Silures Caradock considering how Siluria was hemm'd in between the Severn and the Sea marched into the countrey of the Ordovices who were confederated with him where all the odds were to his own party all the difficulties to his Enemies Ostorius follows and near Clun-castle in Shropshire forced him to a Battel wherein though he and his Britans fought stoutly yet the fortune of Rome prevailed Here his Wife and Daughter were taken Prisoners and some Brothers of his yielded themselves himself escaping to Cartisinandua Queen of the Brigantes was by her command unworthily bound with Irons and delivered to his Enemies in the ninth year of the war and the seventh year of his Reign Which being made known at Rome all desired to see this Warriour who had so long held out against their power Thither he was sent and at his coming the people were assembled as to a solemn spectacle and the Emperour's Guard stood in Arms. First passed his Servants bearing his Trophies won in former Wars next his Brothers Wife and Daughter last of all himself who coming to the Emperour's Tribunal without any manner of dejectedness thus spake to him If my moderation in prosperity had been as great as my Nobility and Fortune was I had come rather a Friend into this City than a Captive neither would you have disdained to receive me with Covenants of Peace being a Prince descended of Noble Ancestors and commanding many Nations My present estate as it is to me dishonourable so to you it is glorious I had Horses Men Armour Wealth no wonder if I was unwilling to lose them If you will reign over all all must obey If I had sooner yielded and been delivered into your hands neither had my Fortune nor your Glory been so renowned and in your severest determining of me both will be quickly buried in oblivion But if you spare me I shall be an Example of your Clemency for ever Caesar moved with the bravery of his Carriage pardoned him with his Wife and Brethren and most probably his Daughter too though forgotten by Tacitus who being unbound did their reverence to the Emperour and the Empress Agrippina Then the Senators being called together discoursed of the Shew and affirmed it to be no less Honourable than when Scipio shewed Syphax or Aemylius Perseus or whosoever else exhibited conquered Kings to the people wherefore the ornaments of a Triumph were decreed to Ostorius This Caradock Sirnamed Frichfras viz. with the strong Arm is in the Book of Triads named First of the Three most valiant Britans the Roman Writers call him Caratacus Caractacus Cataractacus and Catacratus what became of him afterwards I find not but I suppose that he did not long survive his entrance into Rome for else it is likely he would have returned to his Kingdom and in point of Gratitude have restrained his Silures from continuing Hostility against the Romans Caradock had one Brother yet at liberty which was the brave Arviragus who succeeding in the Kingdom soon made the Enemy know that the Britans wanted not a General He took old Caswallan's course to avoid set Battels and to watch for Advantages The Prefect of the Camp with his Legionary Cohorts who were ordered to build Fortresses in the Countrey of the Silures he surprised and killed with eight Centurions and many of the stoutest Soldiers and had cut them all off if speedy Succours had not come from the neighbouring Villages and Castles Shortly after he fell upon the Forragers and routed them and the Troops of Horse that were sent to help them nor could Ostorius stay their flight by sending out some Cohorts lightly appointed till the weighty Legions coming on put a stop to the violence of the Pursuers and made them retreat After this passed divers Skirmishes the Silures omitting no opportunity commanded or without command to assail the Enemy from their Woods and Bogs being strongly incensed at a Report that Claudius was resolved to extinguish their very Name They in thâ—s heat intercepted two Auxiliary Cohorts who were forraging too securely to feed the Avarice of their greedy Prefects and by sending abroad liberal shares of the Spoils and Captives which they took drew other Nations to joyn with them These and some other adverse Accidents so troubled Ostorius that worn out with cares and travels he dyed whom Avitus Didius Gallus succeeded in the Lieutenantship He was dispatched hither in great hast that the Province might not be destitute of a Governour yet could not make such speed but that before his coming the Legion of Manlius Valens had been defeated by the Silures who made large excursions into the Roman Pale till the Lieutenant marching out kept them somewhat more within their own Bounds The Brigantes would willingly have engaged in their Countreys cause against Ostorius at his first coming if their King Venutius could have been induced to own the Quarrrel but he reigning in right of his Wife Cartismandua suffered himself to be wholly guided by her who judging the friendship of the Romans very conducible to her designs restrained the peoples forwardness and made up the breach with Osterius to his full satisfaction But growing weary of her Husband and falling in love with Velocatus who was his Servant and Armour-bearer she abused her marriage-bed and laboured to make the Adulterer King Venutius nettled with these injuries and the intercepting of his Brother and some of his nearest Kindred took Arms against the faithless Queen and brought her to such Exigencies that Didius was fain to send some Cohorts to her Aid by whose help she won a Battel of her Husband and in another conflict Caesius Nasica with his Legion had somewhat the better But Venutius quickly recruited his Forces the people flocking to him apace out of indignation against the Adulteress whose Treachery to him and Caradock had made her generally odious And so stoutly he maintained the War against the Romans that though they rescued Cartismandua from his just vengeance yet he kept possession of the Kingdom in despight of them so that Didius being aged had enough to do to keep up a Defensive War which he was fain to manage by Deputies only building here and there a Fortress further into the Countrey that he might seem to enlarge his Province Nero was now Emperour who but for very shame would have withdrawn his Forces out of Britain To Didius succeeded Verannius who dyed in the first year of his Government having only made a few Inrodes upon the Silures and left a great Boast behind him That if he had lived but two years more he would have conquered all thereby at his death manifesting his vanity though while he lived he had carried a great name of precise
against him with the strength of the Empire Albinus hereupon bestirs himself and encreasing his Army with the Flower of the British Youth crosses over into Gaul where near Lyons a Battel was fought between them in which at first Albinus had the better but was at last overthrown and killed his Head being sent to Rome by the Conquerour as a token of the Victory After which Severus divided the Roman Province here into two Prefectures of which the Southern part was termed the Higher and the Northern was termed the Lower About the beginning of Albinus his Government here Fagan and Dwywan went to Glastonbury where they found nothing but ruine and desolation for the Hermits who took care of the Church were all dead long ago This Church they repaired and placed there twelve of their Associates procuring King Lucius to confirm to them and their Successors by Charter the Donation of such Lands as had been given by his three Predecessors to Joseph and his Companions Nine years they are said to have spent in this place and then having visited their Converts and confirmed them in the Faith to have deceased in Britain where divers Churches were afterwards erected and consecrated to their memory After Theon's death Elvan was Bishop of London and is said to have built a Library adjoyning to his Cathedral and to have converted many of the Druids to Christianity King Lucius having built St. Peter's Church at Westminster St. Maries at Dover and a Church at Canterbury which was afterwards called St. Martins dyed and was buried in the Cathedral of Gloucester as Geffrey saith in the year two Hundred and eight as Hollinshed out of ancient Writers tells us having reigned three and forty years according to the Author of the Genealogicon de Gestis Anglorum I know there is great difference in Writers about the time of his Reign and Conversion which I conceive was partly occasioned through the variety of Computations of the years both of Christ's Nativity and Passion As for his Reign some allot him but twelve years as Caxton Bale Grafton Stow and Basing stochius too short a space by far for the many memorable works done in his time others allow him seventy seven years as Matthew Westminster the Chronicle of Salisbury and the Pensile-Table of St. Peter's Church in London but these then take from the years of his Predecessors and make his Great Grandfather Arviragus and his Grandfather Marius to be dead before Domitian's time They generally give him the Character of a Religious and Munificent Prince and say that he did very liberally give Possessions and Territories to Churches and Church-men which he confirmed to them by Charters and that he priviledged Churches and Churchyards to be Sanctuaries and places of Refuge for such Offenders as fled to them He was the first Europaean King that we read of who received the Christian Faith and Britain the first Land in which it was by Publick Authority professed A high and singular Honour for our Country and which next to Divine Providence is in a great measure to be ascribed to the clemency of the Emperour Aurelius to the Christians upon his miraculous victory over the Germans Some with a manifest Antichronisme confound this King with Lucius the Apostle of the Rhetians and Bavarians but Achilles Cassarus in his description of Augspurg as we have him in Munster's Cosmography and Archbishop Vsher of Armagh Cap. 6. in his Treatise De Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Primordiis do judiciously distinguish the one from the other Again others in opposition to a whole cloud of Eminent Witnesses make him a meer Larva denying that ever there was any such King because Britain was then subject to the Romans But these do not consider that it was customary with the Romans to permit Kings to reign in several Countreys which they had subdued as in Judaea Herod in Cilicia Tarcondemus in Cappadocia Archelaus in Pontus Polemon in Mauritania Juba and here in Britain Cogidunus and that even at this time the Emperour Lucius Verus having finished the Parthian War did as Julius Capitolinus saith distribute Kingdoms to Kings and Provincial Governments to his Counts I do not fondly suppose that he was King of all Britain as Geffrey would perswade us nor yet of the greater part of it but I rather think that after Arviragus was driven out of Siluria by Frontinus and out of Ordovicia by Agricola the Province of the Belgae with part of the Province of the Dobuni might upon his submission be granted to him as places not so difficult to be reconquered if he or his Successors should revolt being an open Champaine Countrey of easie access and surrounded in a manner with Roman Garrisons That Arviragus Marius Coelus and Lucius bore some sway in this part of the Island I am the rather inclined to believe because I read of their Sepulture at Gloucester and their Bounty to Glastonbury besides the last King's Liberality to Winchester and Congresbury all which places stand within this Territory Neither did Lucius restrain his Beneficence within the limits of his own Kingdom but piously extended it to several other parts of Britain where Christianity had taken any footing This we find written of him by Bale Lucium pium Coeli filium unicum Romanorum fautorem Caesaris Marci Antonini Veri tum benevolentiâ tum autoritate Britannis post patrem imperâsse That Lucius the Godly the onely Son of Coelus a friend to the Romans by the favour and authority of the Emperour Marcus Antoninus Verus reigned over the Britains And Archbishop Vsher in his Primordia saith Cap. 3. that there were found here in England two ancient pieces of Coin one of Silver which was in the keeping of M. Josephus Hollandus the other of Gold which himself saw among the Cimelia in Sr. Robert Cotton's Library stamped with the effigies of a Christian King as appeared by the Cross upon which these three Letters LVC were inscribed In the mean time Virius Lupus was so overmatched by the Maeatae and Caledonians that he was constrained to buy his Peace and the liberty of some Prisoners with great Sums of Money but understanding that Severus had now ended his other Wars he sends him an account of the British Affairs who thereupon taking with him his two Sons Bassianus and Geta sets forward with a mighty Army to revenge his Lieutenant's disgrace he arrives in Britain in the same year that Lucius dyed and finding divers Competitors striving to succeed him puts an end to the Conquest by laying the Kingdom to the Higher Province The Northern people terrified with his coming crave peace but in vain whereupon the Prince of the Caledonians whom Fordon Boetius and Lesley call Fulgentius though Geffrey names him Fulgenius and saith that he was Brother to Martia the first wife of Severus sails over to Scandia to procure a fresh Supply of Picts with which and his own Subjects and Confederates by the advantage of Loughs Bogs Mears
in Eumenius and an old Historian published with Ammianus Marcellinus by Henricus Valesius His Father when he was made Caesar to assure Galerius of his fraternal love had put this his Son to him to be trained up in Martial Discipline out of his Stepmother Theodora's sight But he discerning him to be of a great a spiring soul exposed him to continual perils wherein he so behaved himself that he always came off with Honour This made his envious Guardian cause him to be the more narrowly observed resolving either by policy or force ever to detain him in his power Constantine perceiving himself to be in some sort a prisoner determined to take the first opportunity for his Escape so that when Maximinus and Severus were made Caesars by Galerius which was according to Eusebius his Chronicle in the year preceding the death of Constantius he knowing himself as worthy of that Dignity as they procured a feigned permission to return to his Father And coming to Rome took Post there and maimed all the Post-horses by the way till he got out of Italy to prevent the pursuit of Severus Caesar whom he understood to have private Instructions from Galerius to apprehend him Coming safe to Constantius he was by him before his Embarquing declared Caesar the same year as Aurelius Victor saith He staid behind to govern Gaul in his Fathers absence but hearing that he lay sick at York he hasted thither to see him who upon his death-bed appointed him to succeed him not without the envy of his Brothers who csteemed him as the Son of a British Princess not so nobly born as themselves whose Mother was a Roman Emperour's Daughter-in-law Which stuck so deep in the stomach of his ungracious Nephew Julian that he was not ashamed to style the Empress Helena 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anaughty and mean woman and Zosimus terms her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A shameful Mother and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An unworthy woman who was not the lawful wife of Constantius the falseness of which appears in that he was forced to put her away in order to his marriage with Theodora And both Jews and Gentiles by way of reproach called her Stabularia or Hostess because she so devoutly sought out that Inn and Stable at Bethlehem where Christ was born and there founded a Church which gave occasion to that fabulous report of her keeping an Hostelry at Drepanum in Bithynia But her Heroick Son was so far from being ashamed of his Mother that he declared her Augusta and at Triers she had a stately Palace for her residence while he kept his Imperial Court there which retaining her Name long time after caused the Abbot Berengosius and others to imagine her a Native of that City Constantine pursuing the Relicks of the Pictish War soon brought the Enemy to terms of Submission and then crossed the Sea to Gaul where the next year he married Fausta the Daughter of the late Emperour Maximian by whom he was then declared Augustus which Title he had forborn till that time Octavius Lord of the Evissaei people inhabiting part of the Counties of Monmouth and Hereford which from them took the name of Ewias leaguing himself with the Northern men rose up in Rebellion here against whom the Emperour sent back his Uncle Traherne who happened at that time to be with him upon some business between whom near Winchester was sought a Battel in which the British King was put to the worst and compelled to flee into the Countrey of the Brigantes where the greatest part of the Roman Army lay to oppose the Picts and their Allies The Rebel following him thither presuming much upon the strength and power of his Confederates where another Battel was fought in which Traherne and the Romans prevailed who pursued Octavius so eagerly that they forced him to quit the Land and sail to Scandia leaving orders with his Friends to contrive some means for dispatching the King which was quickly effected for Traherne thinking himself secure rode out of London with a small Retinue and was intercepted by the Lord of Verulam who with an hundred men lay in Ambush for him and slew him in the year three hundred and eleven when he had reigned two and twenty years Hereof Octavius was immediately advertised who hastning his return and getting his Complices together became very strong but Constantine coming against him in person the same year subdued him and upon his submission suffered him to hold some part of Cambria with the Title of King under him Eusebius speaks of this Exploit saying That Constantine after he had furnished his Army with mild and modest Instructions of piety Euseb de vita Constantin lib. 1. cap. 4. invaded Britain that he might likewise reform those who dwell environed round about with the waves of the Ocean bounding the Sun's setting as it were with his Coasts And in another place Cap. 19. He passed over to the Britans enclosed on every side within the Banks of the Ocean whom when he had overcome he began to compass in his mind other parts of the world that he might come in time to succour those that wanted his help After this he overcame and killed Maxentius and Licinius and established Christian Religion throughout the Roman Empire He caused the Council of Arles to be assembled in the year three hundred and fourteen about the Donatists to which Eborius Bishop of York Restitutus Bishop of London Adelphius Bishop of Colchester Sacerdos a Presbyter and Arminius a Deacon repaired out of Britain and subscribed He also called the Famous Nicene Council against the Arians in the year three hundred twenty five whereat some of the British Clergy were present and held with the Orthodox men In his time the Government of Propraetors or Lieutenants ceased in Britain in stead whereof succeeded Vice-gerents or Vicars General of whom Pacatianus was the first In the year three hundred thirty seven dyed the Emperour Constantine the Great and Singular Ornament of this his Native Countrey in respect whereof the Panegyrist crieth out Panegyric 3. O Fortunate Britain and more happy now than all other Lands that hadst the first sight of Constantinus Caesar But Livineius will not allow this Honour to Britain and tells us That this passage only imports that he was here made Caesar whereas we have already shewed out of Aurelius Victor that he was made Caesar the same year with Maximinus and Severus when he came to his Father in Gaul just as he was embarquing for Britain Lib. 7. c. 19. which is acknowledged by Nicephorus Ad that those two were made Caesars the year before the death of Constantius is expresly affirmed by Eusebius in his Chronicle Lib. 4. c. 53. who likewise in his life of this Emperour deduceth his Reign from that year saying that he reigned two and thirty years wanting some odd months and dayes For if he had computed his Reign from his Fathers death which was on the