brake the rest of his body Many converted at St. Amphibalus his martyrdom Jacob. Gonnen in vita S. Amp Manus Antiq. Capg in eodem After all which this holy Martyr stood with as chearful a countenance as if he had suffered no hurt at all and more constant though he now bore the signes of his Martyrdom in all his body Giving a miraculous spectacle of himself that he could still live after so great torments and so many kinds of death whereupon very many beholding and more and more wondering at the constancy of the blessed Martyr renouncing their Idols submitted themselves to the Christian faith and prayed with a loud voice to God that by the merits and intercession of the blessed Martyr they might be worthy to be partakers of everlasting life 1000 converted and presently put to death at the martyrdom of St. Amphibalus which when the Prince perceived and knew he presently called for the Tormentors and commanded all that had rejected and forsaken the worship of their Gods and embraced the doctrine of Amphibalus to be put to death Which savage Edict the Pagan Souldiers effected and killed a thousand which St. Amphibalus beholding and commending their souls to God perswaded his persecutors to renounce their errors and be converted to Christ without whom no salvation can be had nothing but hell and eternal damnation to be expected But the persecutors did still persevere in their impiety not ceasing so to torment this holy Saint with cruel stoning him besides so many tortures before remembred that when his body was afterward miraculously found there was not one whole bone in it Although it seemeth by the History of his life that many of his bones were broken with stones by those so enraged persecutors that after his blessed Soul was separated from his body thus lying still bound and tied they ceased not to break it more with their casting great stones upon it But so long as he lived in so great extremity of torments although the stones were cast at him as thick as hail as some write he still persevered in prayer never moving himself on the one side or other And being now come to the period of his punishments and to yield his Soul to God looking toward Heaven as another St. Stephen he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of his Father and heard a consort of Angels in Heaven and among them knew St. Alban whom he invocated to assist him saying O holy Alban pray unto our God that he will send a good Angel to meet me that the dreadful Robber lead me not nor the wicked part hinder me in my journey And a voice spake to him from Heaven in the hearing of all in this manner Verily I say unto thee this day thou shalt be with thy Disciple Alban in Paradise And two Angels shining with an heavenly brightness came down unto him and taking with them the Soul of the blessed resplendent with a wonderful whiteness with Hymnes and Praises carried it to Heaven which done to make him both glorious there and honourable on earth a Christian secretly conveying his body reverently buried it And God himself began now to honour him here and be revenged upon his Enemies and Persecutors Those lips of theirs which had been opened before to blaspheme towards God and revilings towards his holy Saints are now miraculously drawn away that their speech is hindred The tongues which had so abused him now burn and the faces of them which had so deformed him were made deformed all their members are so stiff that the stoners and tormentors of this holy man could not now lift one stone from the ground and the Judge or Prince himself losing his understanding of reason became mad and how many soever had lifted up their hands against our Lord did of him receive due revenge for their demerits Hereupon the whole City received the Faith of Christ and desired to be Baptized and many by the inspiration of God forsaking their goods go to Rome to bewail their sins and confess their errours With St. Amphibalus nine other Christians were martyred as Matthew of Paris writeth neither is it probable Matthew Paris Hist pag. 179 180 181. 182 183. that so renowned a Bishop as St. Amphibalus was apprehended alone being take as he was preaching to the people or such rage as then reigned in the persecutors would yield them much more favour than they did to St. Amphibalus but their malice being most unto him and he so famous all our Histories remember him almost forgetting the rest It is no great marvel though so few names of so great numbers and thousands are left unto us when by some Writers the persecution was so great in Britainy that except those which hid themselves and could not be Witnesses of things publickly done all the Christians of Brittain were then martyred Harpsfield Hist Eccle. Ang. in 6. primis soeculis c. 10. p. 17. and St. Gildas himself doth seem to declare no less when he saith they which were then left alive had hidden themselves in Woods Deserts and Dens yet he tempereth this hard assertion where he saith this persecution was so rigorous onely in some not all places of this Countrey And those parts which were then absolutely under the Romans command were by their merciless cruelty in this estate So many mutations of times changes of the names of Places the rages of Infidels Romans Saxons and others have deprived us both of the names and holy relicts of those Martyrs But after the death of so many renowned and glorious Martyrs Maria Sco. l. 2. Aetat 6. Col. 304. in Constant Flor. Wigorn. Chron. an 321. 299. Capg Catal. prefat in vita St. Helenae Marianas Sco. l. 2. Aetat 6. in Aurel. Bar tomo 2. Annal. an 306 Jac. Gordon an 273. in Aurel. Harris Hist Eccl. Britt Tom. 4. c. 2. Zosim l. 2. Suid. in Constan Matth. West an 273. Mar. Sco. l. 2. Aetat 6 in Aurel. whose blood beautified and encreased the Church of God Sanguis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae let us return to Constantius Clarus and his most admired consort and chaste Spouse St. Helena Some there be whether to detract so great a glory from his Nation and give it to another or of Ignorance in History do say that one Theodora was the first lawful wife of Constantius and the blessed Helena mother of that happy Emperour the great Constantine was not only a stranger to this Nation but of a mean estate and which is unworthy to be written not the wife but concubine of Constantius with name and attribute Concubina this the most noble Empress St. Helena is stiled by not onely among divers forreign Writers but of this Nation also as Marianus Scotus and Florentinus Nigorniensis as they are now published many of which do not to the dishonour of that most holy Lady and this her Countrey abstain from the same phrase of speech This errour being overthrown
quite environed with the Sea excepting the passage on the North side thereof Candida Casa vocatur locus in extremis Angliae juxta Scotiam finibus ubi beatus Confessor Niva requiescit Natione Brito qui primus ibidem Christi praedicationem Evangelizavit Nomen loco ex opere inditum quod Ecclesiam ibi ex lapide polito Britonibus miraculum fecerit The Count Palatine will have this King to have reigned fifteen years alone and speaks some thing favourably in his behalf Regina Martia saith he gubernaculum 7 annorum accepit cum filio unico adhuc puero qui Sisillius eo nomine secundus appellatur feliciter insequutus vestigia patris administrat quindecim annos postea solus mortuus Caerleili sepelitur To this account of fifteen years agreeth the English History saith Fabian but the Flower of Histories alloweth unto his Reign onely seven years howsoever Death demanded his due and summoned this King into another world Sisillius burled at Caerleon whose Body as Mr. Howes saith was buried at Caerleon and not at Caerlile but the nearnesse of the Names questionlesse breeds the mistake He left behind him his Son Kimarus to succeed him KIMARVS KIMARVS Son of Sisilius after the death of his Father was with all solemnity advanced to the Throne and Crown of Brittain in the year of the worlds Creation four thousand eight hundred fourscore and six The English Chronicle calleth him Kymor Fabian saith that there is no mention made of this King either concerning his deeds and course of life or concerning the length of his Reign yet he alledgeth an old Chronicle to aver that he was a wild young man and lived after his pleasure wherefore as he was at his disport of Hunting he was by his Ill-willers slain when he had ruled scarcely three years but the Count Palatine saith he was killed by wild Beasts Illius filius saith he speaking of Sisilius Chimarus in imperando successit moribus adolescens improbus suique in rebus omnibus agendis arbitrii ac voluntatis adeo ut post tres annos quibus rexit à feris bestiis dum venabatur occisus est Kimarus succeeded a young man of most dissolute life and behaviour who swayed all things according to the humour of his own vain and fantastick imagination and not according to the rule of reason and judgement insomuch that after the three years of his Reign he was devoured of wild Beasts It behoves Princes as well as others to have a care how they live For the holy Writ tells us Fire hail famine and death Eccles c. 39. all these things are created for mans punishment the Teeth of Beasts for the utter extermination of the wicked It is great reason that Princes should regulate their lives after the true square of vertue for a Prince cannot with reason expect that the severity of Laws or other Politick means shall represse in his Commonwealth any Vice which shall be Authorised by the Example of his own Practice For as the Poet saith Totus componitur Orbis Regis ad exemplum nec sic inflectere sensus Humanos edicta valent ut vita Regentis That is to say all the World is framed after the modell of the King and no Laws or Edicts can so move the mind of men as doth the life of the Governour which Plutarch confirmeth notably saying That even as a Square or Rule must be streight in it self before it can make other things streight so the Prince who is as it were the Rule of his Subjects ought first to rectifie himself before he go about by Laws or other means to rectifie his Commonwealth for he that is falling saith Plutarch is not fit to uphold others nor he that is ignorant to teach nor he that is incorrigible to correct nor he that is himself disordered to put others in order ELIANVS ELIANVS the Son of Kimarus whom some also call Danius as the Flower of Histories affirmeth but Gaufride saith he was Kimarus Brother was Crowned King of Brittain in the year of the worlds Creation four thousand eight hundred fourscore and nine This Prince by the English Book is called Howan one Chronicle will have Kimarus and Elianus to be one and the same person though others think otherwise and that he reigned two years little or nothing being left to posterity of any memorable Acts of his either good or bad only the Count Palatine tells us Frater eum sequitur Elianus natura stupidior legum spretor quocirca rem administrabat imprudenter bellis seditionibus undecunque vexatus neque pacem habere potuit vel publice vel privatim illis decem annis quibus imperabat Elianus his Brother succeeded him of a most stupid nature and a contemner of all Laws which was the cause that he governed with great indiscretion his Kingdome and Commonwealth being continually vexed and troubled with insurrections and seditions insomuch that during the ten years of his Reign he could never enjoy either privately or otherwise one hour of peace this was one amongst the Brittish Princes for whose sake as Gildas the wise writeth the whole Nation suffered MORINDVS MORINDVS the Bastard-son of Elianus as Gaufride affirmeth with others took upon him the Crown and Government of this Island of Great Brittain in the year of the worlds Creation four thousand eight hundred and ninety Elianus begat this Prince upon Tanguestula his Concubine who proved as Bastards commonly doe being gotten in the heat of Courage a most resolute and couragious Chieftain but so over-swayed by his own passions especially that of anger that in his fury no mans life was secure To the matchlesse strength of his body Nature added all those features which might make him the most handsome and accomplisht Gentleman in all his Kingdome these his admirable endowments he beautified with a most Princely liberality being very open-handed when the least merit required During the Reign of Morindus there arrived out of Mauritania which Country according to Strabo is seated between Hungaria and Fohemia a war-like and most cruel people which with Fire and Sword consumed all before them Morindus having tidings brought to him of those insolences and misdemeanours with all speed Levied an Army and with speedy Marches encounters his Enemy and after a most bloody Conflict compels the greatest part of the unwelcome Intruders back to their Ships the rest he sacrificeth to his own anger causing some to be dismembred others cast into the fire some chopt in pieces not a few strangled death acted several parts in this most horrid execution no manner of torment imaginable to Morindus was left uninflicted so great was the tyranny of his blood-thirsting revenge After this great overthrow and most cruel Massacre this Brittish King progressing a long the Sea coasts for his Recreation chanced to discry a most hideous Monster coming out of the Irish Ocean Morindus is overjoyed at this presented occasion to try the edge of his
blood and water did flow out of the wound of his side they set a reed in his right hand and put a crown of thorne upon his head and having done all things which mans cruelty could work against him they began to work him with words saying unto him Hail King of the Jewes If thou art the son of God now come down from thy cross and we believe thee and then they used many revilings against him that younge man answered not one word unto them At last when they had said what they could against him crying out with a great voice he sayed O Father into thy hands I commend my spirit and having so said gave up the Ghost His dead body was taken down from the cross the blood still largely issuing out of his wounds they shut it in a tomb of stone and covered it with a stone sealed appointing watchmen to keep it And a wonder to see his body thus being dead came to life again and receiving strength did go forth of the Sepulchre it still remaining shut How he did arose from death I did behold with my own eyes Men cloathed with garments as white as snow did come from Heaven and taking that Man with them returned from whence they came and an infinite army of Men cloathed all in white doth follow him which ceased not in all that journey to sing prayses and continually blessed a Father and his only begotten son great and unspeakable joy was among them so that none might worthily be compared unto it These and many other things which I neither will nor is lawfull for any mortal Man to tell have been shewed to me in vision this night what they do signifie I beseech thee not to conceal from me be not afraid St. Amphibalus hearing these things perceiving that his heart was visited by God exceedingly rejoyced in our Lord and forthwith pulling out a cross of our Lord which he had about him said behold in this sign thou maiest manifestly see what this vision this night meaneth what it signifieth For this Man coming from Heaven is my Lord Jesus Christ who did not refuse to undergo the punishment of the Cross that he might deliver us by his blood from the guilt wherewith we were held bound by the prevarication of our first parent Adam And so prosecuting to the mystery of the holy Trinity which I need not particularly to relate writing to Christian Readers to speak in this old Brittish Authors words again Alban greatly marvailing upon the speeches of St. Amphibalus brake out into these words The things which thou relatest of Christ are true and cannot in any respect be reproved as false for I this night have evidently known how Christ overcame the Divel and thrust him down to the bottom of Hell I have seen with my eyes how that horrible one lyeth enwrapped in the knots of chains hereby knowing that all thou hast spoken is true I believe and from this time this is my faith that there is no God but my Lord Jesus Christ who for the salutation of Men vouchsaving to take humanity upon him sustained the passion of the cross the which the Father and the Holy Ghost is one God and there is no other and having thus said he falleth down prostrate before the cross as if he had seen our Lord Jesus hanging thereon the blessed penitent craveth pardon for his sin Tears mingled with blood run down about his face and in great quantity fell down upon the venerable wood of the cross I saith he renounce the Devil and detest all the Enemies of Christ believing in him and commending my self to him who as thou affirmeth rose the third day from death Amphibalus saith unto him be of courage our Lord is with thee and his grace will never be wanting to thâ—â— That faith which other mortal men have deserved to receive by the Tradition of Men thou hast not learned it either of Man or by Man but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ Therefore being now secure of thee I determine to go further to preach unto the Gentiles but Alban entreating him to stay at the East one week longer that he might in that time be more perfectly instructed in the Faith of Christ he did so Thus writeth this old Brittish Author of St. Alban his conversion Gil lib. de Excid Brit. cap. 8 Bede Martyr 22. Julii Bede l. 1. Hist Eccle. c. 7. Matth. West an 303. which both St. Gildas and St. Bede and others do in effect and substance also deliver although not in so ample a manner during the time of their abode together afterward they spent their time as St. Amphibalus by Bedes relation did before St. Albans Conversion in continual watchings and prayers day and night a great motive to St. Alban to receive the Faith of Christ for every day towards evening they withdrew themselves from the City and Company of men going to an house which St. Alban had without the City where they spent the whole night in serving God and although they observed this camelous diligence to keep themselves secret from the persecutors yet it was by a wicked Pagan there revealed and told to the persecuting Judge which coming to the knowledge of St. Alban before the Pagan Prince and persecutor could execute his designment Gild. lib. 3. â—e exc l. 8. Bede l. 1. Hist c. 7. Galf. Mon. Hist Reg. Brit. l. 5. c. 3. Mat. West an 303. as at his first receiving o St. Amphibalus when he was as yet a Pagan as our antient Histories say he hid him in his house being pursued by his persecutors and presently had not St. Alban so prevented it to be apprehended so now being a Christian exposed himself unto danger of death for him imitating Christ that gave his own life for his sheep for when those enemies of Christ had raised their Troops even an Army as our Antiquaries name them to apprehend St. Amphibalus and St. Alban in the night he before conducteth him forth of his house and past danger and shifting garments with him to save him from all peril caused St. Amphibalus to wear his garment of dignity and priviledge in that time free from all trouble and molestation and the garment of St. Amphibalus where the danger was being a Caracalla a Priests vesture as they say having been discryed he put it it upon himself together with the danger and so returned to his own house alone having thus freed his holy Master and Tutor in Christ from that peril St. Amphibalus being thus at this time delivered by St. Alban the King Bed Hist li. c 7. Matth. West an 303. Jacob. Germen in vita St. Alba. Capgrave in vita St. Al. Prince or Judge for St. Bede Matth. Westm and other give all these Titles to that persecuting Magistrate sent his souldiers to come at these two holy Saints the old Brittish Writer of St. Albans life saith there were horse-men with an Army great multitude or
which Nomen-clation it yet keeps and Camber imitating his Father and Brother named his Moiety from Camber Cambria This partition or Cambers portion was formerly divided from that of Loegria by the River Severne in the East and on the North side by the River Dee and on the South by the River Vaga now called the River Wye at the Castle of Stringlinge Fabian fol. 11. a name which I find not elsewhere or rather Chepstow Castle but of this place what Mr. Cambden speaks take these his own words Chepstow in Monmouthshire Hinc fluctuoso volumine descendit in Austrum Vaga in quo Copiosa est Salmonum piscatura à Septembri ad Aprilem and by the way give me leave to tell you that when Salmons grow out of kind or season in Wye in the River Vsk which runneth through Caerlegion but ten Miles distant in the same County Salmons come in season so that in the County of Monmouth all the whole year Salmons are fit to be presented to an Emperors Table and if a Wye Salmon chance to come into Vsk or e contra the Fishermen are so skilfull as to tell you this is an Vsk Salmon this of Wye limes hodie inter Glocestrenses Monumethenses olim inter Anglos Wallos juxta illud Nichami versiculam Inde Vagos Vaga Cambrenses hinc respicit Anglos Qui cum jam ad ostium ferè devenerit Chepstow praeterfluit id est si e Saxonico interpreteris Forum viz. Negationis locus Brittannis Castle-went and is this day called Cass Gwent Oppidum hoc est celebre clivo a flumine surgenti Impositum manibus circumvallatur magno cambitu quae agros hortos in se includunt Castrum habet ad occiduum latus flumini impeudens in which Castle there is a stately Fabrick called Longius or Longinus Tower supposed to be built by that Centurion who was present at the death of our most sacred and blessed Saviour and out of this opinion it is hard to beat many of the Natives but who so pleaseth to read Surius xv Martii shall find That Longinus the Centurion one of the Jews who thirsted after his blood who most willingly shed it for the Redemption of Mankind signis prodigiis discussis tenebris veritatis splendorem Christi ipsius gratia quem in Crucem sustulerat videre meruit and detesting the impiety of the Jewes freely manifested the most glorious Resurrection of our Lord Jesus this his so confident and publick affirming of the truth for Crucis ei custodia ut Centurioni mandata postquam autem vivificum Christi Corpus sepulturae mandatum fuit eadem sacrosancti corporis custodia Longino commissa fuit caused the Jews to procure from Caesar a Sentence of death against him Longinus flies from Hierusalem leaving all his military Preferments with some religious and devout Christians he betakes himself into Capadocia where he converted many by his instruction and exemplar Life and Vertues to the faith knowledge and adoration of the true Messias Jesus Christ In Capadocia he is aprehended and there obtains the glorious Crown of Martyrdome his Head as a great Trophee is sent unto Pilate who to ingratiate himself and please the perfidious and stony-hearted Jews caused the holy relique to be placed before one of the Gates of that once holy City Hierusalem so that Longinus could not be the Founder or Erecter of that Edifice before spoken of But to follow Mr. Cambden a little further concerning Chepstow he continueth his Discourse saying Et e rigione stetit Prioratus cujus parte meliore demolita quod reliquum est in Ecclesiam parochialem convertitur Pons vero quo Vaga jungitur sublicius est admodum excelsus quia accedente aestu in magnam altitudinem fli vius exsurgit hujus Domini fuerunt e Clarensium familia nobiles a proximo castro Strigul quod incoluerunt Striguliae Pembrochiae comites dicti quorum ultimus Richardus vir infracto animo projectissimis brachiis StrongBow cognominatus quod arcu intentissimo uteretur nihil levi brachio ageret c. This place after by a Daughter and Heir came to the Bigots and now the Earls of Worcester or at least before the late Wars enjoyed both Town and Castle the eldest Son of that Family being stiled Lord Herbert of Chepstow To Albanact the third Son of Brutus was given the third part of great Britain now called Scotland which as it is now is called the second Kingdom of Great Britain and the North part of this Iland hath on the East the German Ocean on the North the Orkneys and Deucalidon Sea the West affronted by Ireland on the South it hath the River Tweed the Cheviot Hills and the adjacent Tract reaching to the Sulway Sands whereby it is separated from England This Kingdome is spacious and from the South borders spreadeth it self wide into the East and West till again it contracts it self narrower into the Northern Promontories furnished with all things befitting a famous Kingdom both for Air Soil Rivers Wood Mountains Fish Fowl Cattle and Corn so plenteous that it supplieth these with other Countries in their want Their Nobility and Gentry are very studious of learning and all civil knowledge for which end they not only frequent the three Universities of their own Kingdom St. Andrews Glasco and Edenborough the Nurseries of their Muses but also much addict themselves to travel into Forraign Countries especially France whose King hath a Guard of Scots the double Treshure florie in the Arms of the Kingdome makes manifest the French Interest in former time in that Nation If it is desired to know more of Scotland read their own Authors it is enough for me to say that Albanack from his own name called it Albania This Country is divided from Loegria or England as saith Venreable Bede by two arms of the Sea but they meet not The East arm of which beginneth about two Miles from the Minster of Eburcuring in the West side of Penulton The West arm had some time a strong City named Alclino which in the Brittish Tongue was called Clincston and stood upon the River Clint. Thus Brute having divided Britain into three Parts after he had ruled twenty two or four years after most Concordance of Writers he died and was interred in Troynovant commonly called London or Luds Town Locrinus second King of Brittain LOcrinus the first and eldest Son of the late deceased Brutus takes possession of his Kingdom of Loegria now England in the year from the Creation of the World four thousand fourscore and seven This Kingdome as it was the largest so was it the most beautifull rich and commodious both in respect of Navigable Rivers Ports and Havens as also fruitfulness of the Soils and abundance of stately Woods and Groves and according to the relation and assertion of Policronica and Guido de Collumna it stretched forth and extended it self as far as to the River Humber as
and ten poor people with a Collegiat Church a Dean twelve Canons Prebendaries as many Vicars sufficiently provided for with Revenues wherein himself lyeth buried and it was the greatest ornament of that City untill the hand of King Henry the eight lay over heavy upon all the like foundations and laid their lofty tops at his own feet In this City also was buried another Crouch-back viz. Richard the third in the Church of the Gray-Friers but now nothing remains of his Monument but only the stone chest wherein he was laid a drinking Trough now for horses in a common Inne This place hath given the Titles of honour to many Honourable Families year 1057 1057. 1. Algar the Saxon. year 1103 1103. 2. Edwin died 1071. 3. Robert de Bellamonte Gules a cinquefoyle Ermine 4. Robert de Bellamont 5. Robert de Bellamont L. Steward 6. Robert de Bellamont L. high Steward 7. Simon de Montfort married Amicia sister and coheir to the last Earl Robert L. high Steward 8. Simon de Montfort L. high Steward Gules a Lion rampant his tail double forked salteir wise Argent 9. Edmond Earl of Lancaster L. high Steward 10. Tho. Earl of Lancaster L. high Steward 11. Hen. D. of Lancaster L. high Steward 12. Henry D. of Lancaster L. high Steward England a Label of 5. points Ermine 13. William of Bavaria Earl of Heinalt married the Lady Maud of Lancaster Bendis losengè Argent and Azure 14. John of Gaunt D. of Lancaster L. high steward Henry D. of Lancaster Lord high steward Quarterly France and England a Label of 3. points Ermine Robert Dudleigh Lord Denbigh c. Or a Lyon rampant his tail double forked Vert. Robert Sidney Viscount Lisle descended of a sister of the said Robert Robert Sidney Earl of Leicester Or a Phaon Azure CORDEILLA THis Heroine Lady after just revenge taken upon her two sisters husbands and her fathers and husbands death by the consent of most Writers by the joynt suffrages and votes of the Brittains was admitted to the Royal Scepter in the year from the worlds creation four thousand three hundred and ninety eight years she governed her people and subjects for the space of five years with great applause and general liking but the two sons of her sisters Morgan of Albania and Cunedagius of Cambria and Cornwal envying her prosperity and thinking themselves injured in their birth-right their grandfather Leir having divided the kingdom equally betwixt their Mothers upon their Marriages conspire together and mustering their forces invade Cordeilla and reduce her to that necessity that she is taken prisoner and by her merciless Nephews cast into Gaol which she patiently a while endured but perceiving no hopes to regain her freedom or repossess her kingdom scorning to be any longer a slave to her insulting enemies seeing she could not free her body from bondage with true Trojan and masculine Heroick Spirit she makes a divorce between her purer soul and encaged carcass giving it free power to pass into another world leaving those parts which participated of drossie mold to be interred again in the earth from whence at first it came at Leicester in the Temple of Janus by the Sepulchre of her father Cunedagius and Morgan THe obstacle which hindered the designs of these two aspiring Princes Cordeilla the gallant Brittish Amazon and Virago being by violent death perpetrated by her own hand taken out of the way divide the kingdom betwixt them and became both kings in the year of the world four thousand four hundred and three but this gallantry lasted not long for the Court-Gnats whose life is a perpetual buzzing of news and flatteries fall upon the ear of Morgan and so fill his head with projects that he highly conceives he is injured by the equal dividing of the kingdom and thus discourses with himself And am not I the son of Gonorilla and she the eldest daughter of my Grand-father to me then as lawfull Heir Brittains Crown belongs Why then do I admit a corrival competitor and co-equal one firmament admits not two Suns nor one kingdom two kings no reason I should lose my birth-right no I am resolved I will not Cunedagius shall know that Morgan can rule the Brittains without his help this fire once kindled his flattering parasites bring fewel enough to augment it Cunedagius must bear rule no longer a private life or none at all must content him it is no small policy for Princes to have Spies in neighbouring Courts Cunedagius is quickly enformed of all the passages of his Cozen Morgan and thinks there is no security in delays and therefore puts himself into a posture as well to offend as defend yet to make his case the better and to ingratiate himself with the subjects he sends Messengers to Morgan who is already firing and destroying his Territories to Treat of a reconciliation and atonement but Morgan puft up with his imagined good success and thinking the offer of his kinsman to proceed either from fear or want of ability to resist him lends a deaf ear to the Treaty of peace and will have no other Arbitrator but the sword Cunedagius now resolved comes into the field and offers battell to his enemy his cause being just the Celestial powers seem to second his attempts and he who would have all or nothing is put to flight where the Conqueror makes use of his advantage and taking occasion by the foretop to prevent all hopes of recruiting and rallying again so hotly pursues his victory that Morgan is chased from place to place from Province to Province till being beaten into Cambria now Wales a Territory belonging to his Mortal Foe and there being most sharply put to it lost his life yet with this honour that that Country ever since from him hath had the appellation of Glanmorgan which is as much as to say in the vulgar tongue Morgans Land and thus after two years joyntlie reigning with his kinsman Morgan departed this life leaving Cunedagius to rule alone Cunedagius to shew an humble thankfulness to his Gods for so great a Victory having fully setled his Kingdom erects a stately Temple to Mars at Perth which is now St. Johns town in Albania now abusively called Scotland then a part of Brittannia and inhabited by the Brittish Nation We finde saith my Author in several Authors and Antiquaries to speak in their words that 800. years before the coming of Christ Cunedagius King of all Brittain Mr. Broughton fol. 336. 6. builded a Temple of Mars at Perth that is now St. Johns town in Scotland and placed there a Flamen Therefore we may not singularly deny unto this old city a Flamens Seat which Antiquaries generally grant unto all such in this time to have been changed into a Bishops See If any one ask what I have to do with Scotland my Scene being only the Brittish History I answer that to the great glory of the Brittains that which is now called Scotland was formerly
Stumpuis partly by petitioning and supplications but without doubt not without emptying his bags obtained that the Church might stand which is now the Parish-Church This Town saith a new Author Anonymus was by Antoninus in his Itinerarium called Cunetio from the River Kennet and Marleburgh as being seated in a Chalkie soyle which in some places still well called by the name of Marle Here Hen. 3. held a Parliament in which were many statutes and as the preamble saith right necessary for the peace and tranquility of the people now a title of honour and hath given stile of EARLE to 1. James L. Ley L. Tr. Created Earle of Marlborough 1. Car. Feb. 7. 2. Henry Ley. 3. James Ley E. of Mal. Argent a cheveron between 3 Bears Heads Couped Sable The next place which Mulmutius Dunwallo built was The-Vies which Florentius Wigorniensis calls Divisio another De vies and Nubrigensis Divisae Here was a Castle built by Roger the rich Bishop of Salisbury for scituation and workmanship giving place to none but Fortune is a Goddesse both blind and fickle for he who even now was the second Head in the Kingdom by the frowns or rather avarice of K. Stephen is not only plunder'd of his vast and almost inexhaustible Treasure but also cast into a loathsome Gaol where the poor old Man with Hunger and what with Afflictions and Miseries betwixt the fear of death and torments of his life would feign have died yet knew not how to die Mulmutius Dunwallo having with great honour rul'd the Brittains by the space of forty years yielded to death what was mortal and was buried in the Temple of Troynovant which he had built leaving his two Sons Bellinus and Brennus joyntly to succeed in the Kingdome BELLINVS and BRENNVS BEllinus and Brennus the two Sons of Mulmutius began to Reign joyntly as Kings of great Brittain in the year of the World four thousand eight hundred and eight To Bellinus according to the agreement of Partition fell Loegria Cambria and Cornwall that is to say England Wales and Cornwall and to Brennus by the same accord all the Land beyond the River of Humber This Partition according to Policron and others pleased and gave full content to both the Brothers for the space of five years The reason why Bellinus had the bigger and better share was Quia erat primogenitus Vitus fol. 209. Trojana consuetudo requirebat ut dignitas Haereditatis perveniret ad eum Hanc vero fuisse consuetudinem Trojanorum scribens Herodotus ad Alexandrum ait non erat perventurum Regnum cum Hector major natu Herodotus virtute praestantior quam ille Regnum defuncto Priamo suscepturus esset Idem scribit Messala Corvinus in libello de Augusti Progenie Troem à quo dicta Troja est Regem Trojanorum habuisse duos filios Ilum Assaracum atque Ilum defuncto patre quod ipse major natu esset obtinuisse Regnum Messala Corvinus Denique is qui dicitur Dares Phrygius in libro de excidio Trojae narrat Priamum commone fecisse filios quos habebat multos ut majores natu minoribus Imperarent ex quo sequitur ut minores majoribus subderentur Adeoque Legem hanc latam in Anglia esse propter ius istud Trojanae consuetudinis atque servatam esse scribit Andreas Taraquellus in praesatione primogenitorum Andreas Taraquellus Bartolus Bartolus ad l. 1. Codicis de summa Trinitate Consuetudinis est in Anglia inquit ut primogenitus succedat in omnibus bonis Because he was eldest and the Trojan custome was that the Inheritance should fall to the Eldest and this to have been the Trojan custome sheweth Herodotus saying that the Kingdom of Troy after the death of Priamus was not to fall to Alexander but to Hector who was both the more Valiant and also the Eldest by birth and Messala Corvinus in his Book of the Progeny of Augustus confirms as much saying that King Tros from whom Troy took its Name had two Sons Ilus and Assaracus and that Ilus his Father being dead for that he was the Eldest enjoyed the Kingdom and he also who is called Dares Phrygius in his Book of the Destruction of Troy tells us That Priamus who had many Sons admonished them that the Elder should have Power over the Younger c. and this Law to have taken root in England as being derived from the old Trojan Custome affirmeth Andreas Tarquellus After five years thus in brotherly love and amity expired Brennus supposing himself injured and intending to enlarge his Territories raised Forces and in hostile manner sets upon his brother Bellinus but as his quarrel was unjust so the sequel proved Fatal for he was totally Routed and to save his life compelled to fly into Armorica now called Little Brittain or as Gaufride will have it into the Country of the Allobroges others affirm that without the knowledge or consent of his Brother he sailed into Norway and there married the Daughter of Elfunge or Elfinge Duke of that place which tydings when they were brought to Bellinus he seized into his hands all the Lands of Brennus and fortified his Cities Castles and other strong Holds with his own Garrisons Fame quickly brought these Rumours to Brennus who neglected no time but gathering a strong Army of Norwegians ships himself for his own Principality where by the way he was met by Guilthdacus or Guiclidacus King of Denmark who being inflamed with the Love of the Lady whom Brennus had espoused awaited his coming and being now met the two Fleets strongly encounter each other and in short time come to grappling a most bitter and bloudy Conflict ensueth But the Danish King having surprized the Vessel in which the Object both of his love and anger was imbarked though he had totally dispersed his Enemies Navy pursued no further thinking himself highly rewarded with the beautiful prize which he had already taken and there withal resolves as a most victorious Conqueror to return to Denmark yet whether Fortune to shew her accustomed fickleness and cross the Designs of such as think themselves most fortunate and her darlings or rather Neptune incensed to see so violent a Rape committed within his watery Kingdom with his revenging trident turned up and undermined the calm waves and ploughed them into hideous ridges such a tempest arose that the Heavens were darkned the winds blustered the billows roared and made such a hideous noise that Guilthdacus each minute expected to be swallowed up in the mercilesse surges of the angry Ocean this death-threatning storm continued for the space of five dayes at the end whereof the skies began to clear the winds and waves to leave their Violence and the Danish King to understand he was driven upon the coasts of his Enemies Country for his tattered Fleet so much as was left of it was now arrived in Northumberland Belâ—inus to make good that he had already begun and
Binius when it is evident that St. Claudia our Brittish Lady was the only wife of St. Pudens and Mother to those Saints Therefore to excuse the one from Errour and the other from Contradiction they must hold that both the Mother of St. Claudia and her self also was sometime called Priscilla as she was in Vmbria called Sabinella of her Husbands house at Sabinum there and this may sufficiently be gathered from those Antiquities Baronius citeth in which one St. Priscilla is called Priscilla senior the Elder or old Priscilla to make which justifiable Mr. Bro. f. 60. 8. we must also have Priscilla Junior the younger or young Priscilla and this is usual for distinction sake where the Mother and Daughter Father and Son be of one and the same name to call the Father and Mother by their names with the addition of Old or elder then the Sonne and Daughter with the distinction of young and younger added to them and there be other distinctions between these two The eldest Grandmother to these holy Children as the Roman Martyrology with others testifyeth who died at Rome having imployed her self and her goods to the service of Martyrs where we see her Festivity kept upon the 16. day of February Martyr Rom. 16. Feb. and that she dyed at Rome Of the other the younger if by any called Priscilla we find no such observation nor that she dyed at Rome but quite otherwise that after her husband St. Pudens death she lived so long at his house at Sabinum in Vmbria that she thereupon took her name Sabellina and by all writers died there far from Rome Secondly St. Pastor who lived in the Apostles time and familiarly in that our Brittish house in witnesse even Baronius acknowledging it that the elder St. Priscilla the Grandmother to St. Novatus Timotheus St. Pastor in actis St. Praxedis apud Baron in Anno Mart. Rom. die 16. Jan. Pudentia and Praxedes which were St. Claudia her Children was foundresse of that renowned Church-yard in via Salaria at Rome which bare her name and was founded before St. Claudia was of years to be foundresse thereof And it must needs be this and no other which prepared that most charitable Christian costly work for we find no other Saints of that name especially in that time but only her and St. Priscilla wife to St. Aquila divers times mentioned by St. Paul being a Jew who could not be Author of that foundation at Rome being at Corinth and there saluted by St. Paul in his first Epistle to the Corinthians and was with her Husband Coadjutrice to St. Paul in those parts as the same Apostle testifyeth 1 Cor. c. 16. Neither did she with her Husband stay so long at Rome to effect such a businesse for as St. Luke proveth they came from Rome upon the banishment of the Jews from thence by Claudius Rom. 16. which was soon after their coming thither Acts 18. and they were at or near Ephesus a little before St. Pauls death as he proveth writing in his 2d Epistle then to St. Timothy 2 Tim. 4. Salute Priscilla and Aquila and the old Roman Martyrology with others give evidence they ended their lives in Asia the less upon the 8th day of July when the other St. Priscilla died as before Mart. Rom. 8. July at Rome far from thence the 16. of Jan. And Baronius who was an eye-witnesse of the chargeable work of that foundation found in his time shall prove all the wealth both of this St. Priscilla and her Husband St. Aquila being but Tent-makers as the scripture testifyeth was not able to effect such a work Baronius who had seen and often visited it Baronius Annal Tom. 2. An. 130. The costly and admirable building of a Brittish Lady in Rome Marty Rom. 21 Jul. Act. St. Prax. in Breviario die 2 Jul. St. Pudentianae die 19 Mai. St. Peters first Church and Seat at Rome in the house of a Brittish Lady compareth it to a City for largenesse and streets under the Earth relating that the whole City of Rome was amazed to see it so wonderful and chargeable a work with such streets turnings Churches places for divine service and Conventions Images of Saints and other things of great price as they argue the rich and noble decree of the blessed Foundresse so for a Lady of Brittain a stranger there to be at such excessive charge and expences to provide such a sanctuary for the honour of Christ safety reliefe and comfort both temporal and spiritual of his servants in a Forraign Country must be a perpetual Glory to this Nation and too give further testimony that this our renowned Country-woman was Foundresse thereof we find expresly that divers of her family and posterity namely St. Pudens her son in Law her Grandchildren his Daughters St. Pudentia and St. Praxedes as likely St. Timotheus and Novatus were honourably interred there And yet besides this memorable foundation for the publick good of the Church of Christ these Romans themselves do tell us and the late continued buildings do testifie that there was another such secret Church-yard at her own house to hide protect and bury holy Martyrs in And thus we have found out now at the last the house of our noble Christian Brittains at Rome to have been the first lodging of the great Apostle St. Peter there his first Church and seat the harbour of St. Paul and many of their Disciples and successors Popes of Rome after them the first Seminary Colledge or Mother of Christian Learning there or in the Western world the common and ordinary place of holy Christian Assemblies and Exercises from whence as from the Originall Well and Fountain the water of life did take course and current to diffuse it self unto all parts and Nations of the Occidental world we may make some estimate and apprehension of the wonderful charitable help and assistance this most happy house of our Noble Brittish Christian parents of St. Claudia yielded to the holy work of converting this and all other Western Countries if besides their extraordinary love to their own Nation we do reflect upon that the old Roman Martyrology hath told us of this Priscilla imploying her self and her substance to serve the Saints and servants of Christ That she and her husband were two of the chiefest of the Nobility of the Brittains kept Hostages at Rome for this Kingdome and yet after so many years spent and their Honourable Revenues much exhausted in these pious works in maintaining and relieving distressed Christians by themselves substance and great number of Attendants and servants attending also to those holy ends they left so much to posterity that in the Family of their Grand-child St. Pudentia in the same House there were Ninety six Christian men ordinary Attendants and St. Praxedes her sister being there nineteen holy Christians were Martyred in that House at one time Theat of great Brit. l. 9. c.
people the present occasion seemed to offer means of redresse while the Roman General was making War in Mona whereupon they resolved to take Arms inciting the Trinobants and other Nations that were wholly brought under subjection to doe the like Then they began to discourse of their miseries of bondage to lay their injuries together aggravating them by their own constructions and complaining that their patience had profited them nothing but to draw heavy burdens upon them as men that would gently bear That whereas in former times they had only one Commander now there was two thrust upon them the Lieutenant to suck their blood the Procurator their substance whose disagreement was the vexation of the subject and agreement utter undoing while the one burdened them with Souldiers and Captains the other with wrongs and indignities That the lust and covetousnesse of these their Enemies laid hold upon all persons without exception that though in the field he that spoileth be commonly the stronger yet themselves were by Cowards and Weaklings for the most part dispossessed of their Houses bereft of their Children enjoyned to yield Souldiers for other mens behoof as though they were such a kind of people as knew how to doe any thing else save onely to die for their Country For otherwise there was but a handful of Souldiers come over if they did but reckon their own number considering withall that Germany had already shaken off the yoak having no Ocean-Sea but a River to defend it That the causes then moving them to take Arms were just and honourable namely to recover their liberty and to defend their Parents Wives Children and Country whereas the Romans had nothing to provoke them to war but their own covetousnesse and wanton lust and were likely enough to depart as Julius Caesar had done if themselves would imitate the vertues of their Progenitors and not be dismaid with the doubtful event of one skirmish or two seeing that men in misery have commonly more courage then at other times and more constancy to continue and now the Heavens themselves seemed to pity their poor estate by sending the Roman Governour out of the way and confining the Army as it were into another Iland by which means opportunity of revenge and hope of liberty was offered and finally that being Assembled to advise and deliberate together they had obtained the hardest point in an action of that nature wherein it were more dangerous to be taken consulting then doing with these and the like Speeches they stirred up one another each man laying his own particular grievances and adding them to the common cause About this time divers prodigious Signs were noted to portend the subversion of the Roman Colony as namely an Image of victory falling down reversed at Camalodunum strange noyses sounding in the Air strange apparitions seen in the Sea the Ocean bloody in shew and the prints of mens bodies on the Sands diverse constructions were made of these things as ominous whether that they proceeded of some natural causes though not alwaies observed or else that they do necessarily forgoe the ruine and change of great states howbeit commonly in such cases mens minds do misgive them while they frame the future event of things answerable to their own fearful imaginations and great alterations falling out sometimes after like accidents they superstitiously suppose them to be alwaies the certaine forerunners of destruction the apprehension of these things at the first struck the Romans with great fear by reason of the absence of their General and thereupon they required the aid of Catus Decianus the a Receiver of the revenues of the Province Procurator who sent a small company badly armed to re-enforce the Garison The old Souldiers that had been left within the Town although few in number yet trusting to the Frenchise of the Temple and not doubting the secret conspiracies of their confederates were in a manner carelesse as in times of peace following their pleasures and making no provision for defence The Brittains having in the mean time taken Armes under the conduct of Voadica a Lady of the blood of their Kings for in matter of Government they made no difference of Sex and being informed of the state of the Colony determined first to assaile the Towns and Forts in their passage thither which they attempted accordingly and with no great difficulty surprised the greatest number of them The good successe the Brittains had in taking in some places of defence as they marched forward made them desirous and adventerous to invade the Colony it self and Voadica as their Leader being a Woman of great Spirit and comely Personage apparaled in a loose Gown of divers colours with a Golden Chain about her Neck and a light Spear in her hand standing upon a heap of Turfes the better to be seen her Daughters on each side of her with a shrill voice uttered these or the like words The Oration of the gallant Lady Voadica to the Brittains IT is no new custome for the Brittains to make War under the leading of a Woman Enobled by their Birth and Discent the examples of former times can well witnesse the experience thereof howbeit at this present I will disclaim all Titles of Dignity and Prerogatives of blood and what difference soever there is in our Estates yet shall our Fortune in this action be indifferent and common to us both it shall not need to repeat that which you all know but too well namely what miseries we have endured under the Tyranny of this proud Nation you have had the triall both of Liberty and Bondage and I doubt not but you find now how much the one is to be preferred before the other and howsoever some of you heretofore for private respects have inclined to the Roman Governours as Favourers of their usurped Sovereignty yet I suppose you will now confesse with me that freedome in a poor Estate is better then Golden Fetters for what abuse can there be named so vile or indignity so disgraceful that hath not been offered us without respect of Degree Age or Sex we Till our ground and sweat for other Men that reap the sweat of our Travels the wealth that we gather together to maintain our selves and our Families is by other men wastfully and riotously mispent we have nothing our own but what they leave us and nothing left us but labour and vexation our bodies and estates being consumed to satisfie their ambition and covetousnesse we have not so much as our heads toll-free so narrowly we are sifted from the highest to the lowest Other subdued Nations are yet by death free from Bondage but we even after death seem to live still in Thraldome while we are inforced to pay Tribute as well for the dead as the living what are we a Nation so contemptible that we can serve to no other use then to be slaves or so unhappy that death it self cannot acquit us from being miserable How long
with ease shaken off the yoak and prevented our perill we as yet never touched never subdued but born to be free not slaves to the Romans we I say are now to make proof of our Valour and to shew in this encounter what manner of men Calidonia hath reserved in store for her self Do you think that the Romans be Valiant in War as they are wanton in peace no you are deceived for they are grown famous not by their own vertue but by our jars and discord while they make use of their enemies faults to the glory of their own Army composed of most divers Nations and therefore as by present prosperity it is holden together so doubtlesse if fortune frown on that side it will soon be dissolved unlesse you suppose the Gauls and the Germans and to our shame be it spoken many of our own Nation which now lend their lives to establish a Foreign Usurper to be led with any true-hearted and faithful affection No it is rather with terrour and distrust weak-workers of love which if you remove then those which have made an end to fear will soon begin to hate All things that may encourage and give hope of Victory are now for us The Romans have no Wives to hearten them on if they faint nor Parents to upbraid them if they fly most of them have no Country at all or if they have it is some other mens They stand like a sort of fearful persons trembling and gazing at the strangenesse of Heaven it self at the sea and the Woods And now the Heavens favouring our cause have delivered them mewed up as it were and fettered into our hands be not terrified or dismaid with the vain-shew and glittering of their gold and silver which of themselves do neither offend nor defend And think that even amongst our enemies we shall find some of our side when the Brittains shall acknowledge their own cause the Gauls remember their old Freedom and the rest of the Germans forsake them as of late the Vsipians did what then should we fear The Castles are empty the Colonies peopled with aged and impotent persons the free Cities discontented and distracted with factions whilst they which are under obey with ill will and they do govern and rule without right Here is the Roman General and the Army their Tributes Mines with other miseries inseparably following such as live under subjection of others which whether we are to endure for ever or speedily to revenge it lieth this day in this Field to determine wherefore being now to joyn Battel bear in mind I beseech you both your Ancestors which lived in the happy estate of Liberty and your Successors who if you fail in this enterprize shall live hereafter in perpetual servitude This Speech delivered with great vehemency of voice and action was chearfully received by the Brittains with a Song after their fashion accompanied with confused cries and acclamations As the Roman Cohorts drew together and discovered themselves whilst some of the boldest pressed forward the rest put themselves in array and Agricola albeit his Souldiers were glad of that day and could scarce with words have been withholden yet supposing it fit to say somewhat He encouraged them in this wise AGRICOLA his Speech to his Souldiers FEllow-souldiers and Companions in Arms your faithful diligence and service these eight years so painfully performed by the Vertue and Fortune of the Roman Empire hath at length conquered Brittany In so many Journeys so many Battels we were of necessity to shew our selves either valiant against the Enemy or patient and laborious above and against nature it self in all which Exploits we have both of us carried our selves as neither I desired better Souldiers nor you other Captains We have exceeded the limits I of my Predecessors and you likewise of yours The end of Brittany is now found not by Fame and Report but we are with our Arms and Pavillions really invested thereof Brittany is found and subdued In your marching heretofore when the passage of Bogs Mountains and Rivers troubled and tired you how often have I heard the valiant Souldiers say When will the Enemy present himself Lo now they are put out of their holes and here they are come lo now your wish lo here the place for trial of your Vertue and all things likely to follow in a good and easie course if you win contrariwise all against you if you lose For as to have gone so much ground escaped the Woods and Bogs and passed over so many arms of the sea are honourable testimonies of your forwardnesse so if we fly the advantage we have had will become our greatest disadvantage For we are not so skilful in the Countrey we have not the like store of provision we have only hands and weapons wherein our Hopes our Fortune and all things else are included For mine own part I have been long since resolved that to shew our backs is dishonourable both for Souldier and General and therefore a commendable death is better then life with reproach surety and honour commonly dwelling together Howbeit if ought should mishappen in this Enterprize yet this will be a glory for us to have died even in the utmost end of the world and of nature if new Nations and Souldiers unknown were in the field I would by the example of other Armies encourage you But now I require you only to recount your own victorious Exploits and to ask counsel of your own eyes these are the same men which the last year assailed one Legion by stealth in the night and were suddenly and in a manner by the blasts of your mouths overthrown These of all the Brittains have been most nimble in running away and by that means have escaped the longest alive For as in Forrests and Woods the strongest Beasts are chased away by main force and the cowardly and fearful scarce only by the noise of the Hunters so the most valiant of the Brittish Nation we have already dispatched the raskal herd of dastardly cowards only remaineth and lo we have now at length found them not as intending to stay and making Head against us but as last overtaken and by extreme passion of fear standing like stocks and presenting to us occasion in this place of a worthy and memorable Victory Now therefore make a short work of a long warfare and to almost fifty years travel let this day impose a glorious end Let each of you shew his Valour and approve to your Country that this Army of ours could never justly be charged either with protracting the War for fear or upon false pretences for not accomplishing the Conquest As Agricola was speaking the Souldiers gave great tokens of their fervent desire to fight and when he had ended his Speech they joyfully applauded it running streight wayes to their weapons and rushing furiously forward which the Roman General perceiving forthwith ordered his Army in this manner with the Auxiliary Footmen he fortified the
was already gone before Then he planted Garisons upon the borders between Blota and Bodotria and disposed of his Footmen and Horsemen in the wintering places within the Province Thus after many Conflicts about the space of one hundred thirty six years from Julius Caesar's first entrance the utmost limits of Brittany and the Isles of the Orcades lying on the North side of it were by the Valour and Industry of Julius Agricola first discovered and made known to the Romans and the South part of the Isle in the fourth year of the Reign of Domitian being in the year of our Redemption 86 reduced into a full Province the Government whereof was particular to the Roman Emperours themselves and not at the disposition of the Senate This state of affairs here Agricola signified by letters without any amplifying terms to Domitian the Successour of Titus his brother in the Empire who after his manner with a chearful countenance and grieved heart received the news being inwardly pricked with anger and disdain to think that his late counterfeit triumph of Germany wherein a shew was made of slaves bought for mony attired like Captives of that Country was had in derision and justly scorned whereas now a true great victory so many thousand of Enemies being slain was currant in every mans mouth besides he esteemed it a most perilous point in a state that a private mans name should be exalted above the name of a Prince and he supposed that he had in vain suppressed the study of Oratory and all other publick Arts if he should in military Glory be excelled by another for matters of other kinds as he supposed might more easily be passed over but to be a good Commander of an Army was to be above a private estate that being a private estate peculiar to a Prince Domitian being tormented with these and the like conceits and musing much in his closet above which was commonly noted as a sign of some mischief in working thought it best for the present to cloak and dissemble his malice till the heat of Agricola's glory and the love of his Souldiers were somewhat abated for as yet Agricola remained in office wherefore he commanded that all the houours of Triumphal Ornaments the image Triumphal and what else was usually bestowed in lieu of triumph should in most ample and honourable terms be awarded him in the Senate and then sending a Successour he caused a brute to spread that the Province of Syria which was then void and specially reserved for men of great quality should be assigned to Agricola the common opinion was that Domitian sending one of his most secret trusty servants unto him sent with all the Commission for the Lieutenancie of Syria with private instructions that if Agoicola at the time of his coming should be still in Brittain then it should be delivered if otherwise it should be kept back and that the same man meeting Agricola as he crossed the Seas without speaking to him or delivering the message returned again unto Domitian whether this were true or fained upon a probable surmise as agreeable to the Princes disposition it could not be directly affirmed But in the mean season Agricola had yielded up the Province in good and peaceable estate unto Neus Trebellius or rather as some Authors report to Salustius Lucullus Agricola least his coming to Rome should have bin noted by reason of the multitude of people which would have gone out to see and meet him did warily cut off the occasion of that curtesie entring the City by night and by night as he was commanded came to the Palace where being admitted to the Princes presence and received with a short salutation and no further speech he sorted himself with other Gentlemen of his rank carrying himself ever after very temperately warily in all his actions as knowing the present state of those times the dangerous inclination of the Emperor himself who being as all other Princes are commonly more fearful and jealous of the good then the bad envyed in him those vertues that honourable reputation whereof himself was not capable yet as good deserts cannot be hide true worthinesse shining even in darknesse it self so the retired life which Agricola led did nothing diminish his glory but rather like water sprinkled on a burning fire encreased and continued the heat thereof Divers times was he accused in his absence which ministred to his ill-willers opportunity of working his disgrace and as often in absence was he acquitted the opinion only of his good deserts and no matter of crime giving occasion while such as highly commended him to the Emperor seeming his friends but indeed being the most pestilent kind of Enemies procured underhand his peril and ruine in the end Howbeit the ill successe of the Roman Armies in divers Provinces at that time serving as a foil to set out his Honourable Actions drew him perforce into glory and Domitian made pretences of his purpose to employ him thinking thereby to satisfie the people who then complained of the want of good Leaders But vertue that never continueth long time in prosperous Estate as being the common object of envy hastned the death of Agricola who as the constant fame went was made away by poison and that not without the Emperors knowledge and consent These things concerning Agricola's Government in Brittain I have set down particularly as they are reported by Cornelius Tacitus who writ the Story of his life which remaineth to the World as a perpetual Monument of the Doings of the one and the Writings of the other Salustius Lucullus succeeding Agricola left little Memory of himself by doing any thing here either for that no occasion was then offered to shew himself in action or else for that the Fame of so worthy a Predecessor blemished his Reputation for having held the Office but a short time he was by commandment of Domitian put to death for suffering certain Spears of a new fashion to be called by his own name About this time Arviragus a Brittain by birth and education did Govern as King part of the Isle of Brittain the Romans accounting it a point of policy to permit the Brittains sometimes to be ruled by Princes of their own Nation whose Aid and Counsel they might use upon occasions to the pacifying of Rebellion and the establishing of their own greatnesse For the common people whose affection doth oftentimes sway the Fortunes of Princes are much more easily brought under the Obedience of their own Countrymen then of Strangers The Succession of the Roman Emperors from Nerva Cocceius unto Honorius in whose time the Romans gave over the Government of the Isle of Brittain 13 NErva Cocceius reigned one year and four Months 14 Vlpius Trajanus a Spaniard 19 years and 6 months 15 Ælius Adrianus 20 years 16 Antoninus Pius 23 years 17 M. Aurel. Antoninus Philosophus 19 years L. Verus his Colleague in the Empire 18 Aurel Comodus the son of
hold he was Bishop of Curre in Germany and Martyred there say his Martyrdome was about the year of Christ 182. whereas this our King was living nine years after besides they say that St. Emerita was his sister But it is evident by our Histories that our first Christian King Lucius had neither brother sister nor child begotten by King Coillus in his old Age having no other Child whereby it is evident that this King Lucius had neither brother nor sister and with what probability can it be affirmed that a King so holy and loving of his Countries good and quiet having no Christian Heir to suceeed him would or in conscience could forsake his Native Country and Subjects in such a case that were in justice belonging to his chiefest charge which no other could execute to preach unto Forreigners which many of his Subjects and others could and at his request most willingly would have performed We read in Histories that many descended of Regal race have in such cases been taken forth of their Monasteries and Religious Conversation to govern Kingdoms destitute of Heirs but that a King so vertuous wise loving and beloved of his Country having no such Heir to succeed him but by such course to expose and leave his Kingdom to so many certain miseries and calamities as fell upon Brittain by the death of King Lucius and probably were foreseen of all wisemen did might would or could take such a course Antiquities have no example Justice denyeth it Charity cannot allow it Seb. Munster Cosmog l. 3. c. 344. Mr Bro. f 349. Coxion Hist part f in K. Lucius Manu Hist Antiq. in Luco Sebastian Manster saith plainly that whereas there is a Vulgar report he maketh no more of any Lucius preaching there that one Lucius preached there if it were so it could not possibly be our first Christian King Lucius for he never went out of Brittain but very Godly lived and dyed here Gaspar Bruchius doth also plainly reject all that History as it is applyed by some to our Lucius and among other reasons addeth that the great difference of years will not permit it to be true An old French Manuscript joyneth in the same leaveth him living dying buried in Brittain And if we come home to our own Historians and Antiquities most likely to make the most true and certain relation of this their so renowned King they set down the year the day Antiq. Eccles St. Petri Cornhil Harding Cron. c. 51. f. 44. and particular place of his death and the very Church one of his own foundation where his body was interred the day and year they say was the 201. year of Christ the third day of October For the place our old Brittish History saith he dyed at Glocester and was with honour buried there in the Cathedral Church so likewise writeth Ponticus Virunnius Matthew of Westminster setting down the time as before saith he dyed at Glocester and was honourably buried there in the Cathedral The old Manuscript of St. Peters Church in Cornhil at London avoucheth from divers Antiquities that he was buried at Glocester where the Church of St. Francis was after builded being at the time of his death the Cathedral and Episcopal Church of the City John Harding also witnesseth of this Kings death and burial at Glocester At Caerglove buried after his dignity And not to exclude the testimony of our later writers in this relation in their Theater of Great Brittain written and composed by divers able Historians Theater of great Brittain l. 6. c. 9. sect 18. and published with common applause they make this History of King Lucius his death in Brittain a matter without question true and thus scoffingly condemn those writers which would carry him to end his dayes in Germany That this Lucius be the Apostle of the Banarians or that his sister Emerita was crowned with the flames of Martyrdom Harrison disc of Brittain Stow Howe 's Hist fifteen years after his death I leave to the credit of Aegidius Schudus and Hermanus Schedelius the Reporters Others of them plainly say Lucius was buried at Glocester yet this general consent of Antiquaries for his first burial at Glocester doth nothing hinder but as the known devotion both of the Brittains as Saxons after them towards holy Relicks did often and with great devotion and solemnity remove the bodies of holy Saints or parts of them for their greater honour So it might or did after fall out with the whole body of this renowned King or some part thereof And the Tradition of Winchester is that the whole body of King Lucius or a great part thereof being once removed before probably to Caerleon for some say he was buried there was the second time translated thither and there lyeth in the body of the great Church under a marble stone elevated about two foot from the pavement the same stone being now broaken in two places having upon it and those holy Relicks a cross of seven great brass buttons whereof 5. are set down in length the other two making the perfect figure and forme of the cross one on each side of the others making the length And this Reverend Translation of St. Lucius his body to divers places in Brittain is sufficiently insinuated by the old Author of the French Manuscript History who although he confidently affirmeth that King Lucius dyed at Glocester yet he addeth that he was afterwards buried in the chief See at Caerleon and this he saith was in the year of Christs incarnation 196. four or five years sooner then others before have set down his death except the Manuscript Compilation which hath the same computation of his death saying Sepultus est anno Incarnationis Domini 196. herede carens he was buried in the 196. year after the incarnation of our Lord wanting Issue or heir And both to assure us further of the undoubted truth of those Histories which testifie the death and burial of St. Lucius to have been in Brittain and not in any forraign Region as also to give us better notion and trial what honour peace and quiet spiritual and temporal with other happiness this Kingdom enjoyed by King Lucius life and lost them by the loss of him it is the constant agreement of Antiquities that Brittain now made by his death destitute not only of so worthy a King but also of any certain heir or successor of that Regal race fell to intestine discord and variance by which it was miserably afflicted long time upon that occasion a late Author tells us King Lucius dyed without issue by reason whereof after his decease the Brittains fell at variance which continued about the space of fifteen years as Fabian thinketh howbeit the old English Cronicle affirmeth that the contention among them remained fifty years though Harding affirmeth but four which his words of Hardings opinion that this variance among them continued but 4. years are to be amended for Harding setteth down
Empress Martia a Brittain And by the Roman writers themselves he was at this time when he was slain at Yorke 65 years old And although he left thirty two Legions as Dio writeth to defend that his temporal Empire which had so persecuted the Church of Christ yet that temporal Empire with all those props began to stagger Tertul. adver Judaeos c. 7. and notwithstanding so great persecution in the Kingdom of Christ as Tertullian then living witnesseth was adored and ruled in all places and particularly here in Brittain And it is generally agreed upon by our both Brittish and Saxon Historians and Antiquaries that after his discomfiture by Severus he went over into Scythia interpreted to be that Country which we now call Denmark Geff. Mon. sup c. 3. Fab. Hist Polycr Harris discrip of Brit. c. 22. Hollensh Hist of Eng. l. 4. c. 23. Bede Eccl. Hist l. 1. Capg in St. Ninian Hect. Boet. Scoto Hist l. 7. Bal. l. de scrip cent 1. in Ninia and brought with him a great army of the people of that Nation which our Antiquities call Picts before he fought with Severus and they both were there slain or died at York These were none of the Christian Picts or Scots which lived in our Islands who had joyned with Fulgenius before and many of them were slain as the same Authors testify but they were Pagan Picts of whom many remained here after the death of these two Generalls and had a place given them to inhabit in the Country of Albania Thus write our Brittish Historians and our modern Antiquaries agree when they say that Carausius gave unto the Scots Picts and Scythians the Country of Cathnesse in Scotland which they afterward inhabited so these were those Pagan Picts and people which St. Ninian and others sent from Rome did long after convert to the faith of Christ as St. Bede and others testify for the Islanders which were Picts and Scots were converted in Pope Victor his time which is another argument against the Scottish writers which would have themselves seated in the Country now called Scotland so long a duration of years as they claim Bassianus being advertised of his fathers death practised with the Souldiers by bribes and fair promises that he might be declared sole Emperour whereto when he could not perswade them for the reverence they bare to his father Severus he made a league with the Northern Brittains that then assailed the Borders and returned to York to meet with Julia the Empresse his mother in law and Geta his brother There he caused the Physitians to be put to death for not ridding his father sooner out of the way as he had commanded them then he appointed secretly to the slaughter all those that for their vertue and wisdom had been esteemed and advanced by his father and all such as having been Tutors to him and his brother and advised them to mutual concord This done he entred into consultation about his fathers funerals which were solemnized by the Army with all due rights according to the ancient custome in time of war The ashes of the dead body being put into a golden Urne were afterwards by Julia the Empresse accompanied with the two Caesars carried to Rome where Severus after the usuall ceremony was consecrated a God Severus left as is related two sons Bassianus and Geta and if Fulgenius who is by divers called King though indeed he was only Dux populi had any right by descent to the Crown of Brittain seeing we read of no child or brother he left behind him that the title which he claimed must needs descend to the eldest son of Severus which was Bassianus son also to the sister of Fulgenius as some before have written now having by the death of his Father Severus and Uncle Fulgenius both their titles with the allowance of the Empress Martia his mother lawfully invested in him Therefore to decide and end all controversies in this businesse the Brittains with common assent did chuse and accept Bassianus both for their King being the next and undoubted heir whether we shall stand either upon his father or Uncles title as also for Emperor Mr. Bro. 370. 1 2. as the Eldest son and heir of Severus undoubted Emperor and for his leaving sons behind as the chiefest cause made a God among the Romans So writeth Herodian with others Herodian l. 4. Stow. Hist Roman in Severo Mos est Romanis consecrare Imperatores qui superstitibus filiis vel successoribus moriuntur And an English Antiquary though not citing authority delivereth the same in these words The Romans accustomed to consecrate with immortality such Emperors as at their death leave either Children or successors in the Empire behind them Harrison disc of Brit. c. 22. French manusc antiq c. 109. Galf. Mon. l. 5 c. 2. Pont. Virun l. 5. c. 2. Mat. West an 206. Harding Chro in Sever. Bass Hollensh Hist of Eng. l. 4. c. 22. Harris disc Brit. c. 22. Tertul. ad scapu c. 4. Spartian in Caracalla and those which are endued with that honour they Canonize among the Gods Therefore to use the speech of an other late Author Severus by birth a Roman but in blood a Brittain and the lineal heir of the body of Androgeas son of Lud and Nephew to Cassibelan was Emperor and King of Brittain Geta born of a Roman woman Julia was chosen Emperor by divers Romans but soon after slain by his halfe brother Bassianus the Brittain This Bassianus reigned alone both Emperour King of Brittain till his death besides his hereditary title to this Kingdom it seemeth that the Christian Brittains here were not a little moved to chuse and receive him for their King for the hope they had he would either become a Christan or at least a friend and no enemy to that profession of which in his youth and tender years he had given no vulgar argument for besides many other hopeful graces and gifts he was then endued with he was brought up by a Christian Nurse and with Christian Children when he did see any Christian Martyrs brought to wild beasts to be killed and devoured he would weep and turne his face away as Spartianus is an ample witnesse And being but seven years old hearing that one of his Christian Play-fellowes was grievously beaten for that his Religion as the common interpretation is he could not long after endure the Procures of his beating And in this hope of the Brittains now Christians that Bassianus would rather be a friend then persecutor of such they were not deceived For although contrary to his first education when he was with Christians being separated from them he fell to so many kinds of impieties as writers do report and put innumerable of the Pagan Roman Nobles to death and many of them which had been greatest enemies to Christians yet he died innocent from Christian blood and persecution Mr. Br. 371. and by his severe
he after addeth thereunto Hermanius Sehedelius addeth also how he went into Rhetia with Emerita his Sister and near unto the City Augusta converted the Curienses unto the Faith of Christ and there likewise being put to death in Castro Martis lyeth buried in the same Town where his feast is held upon the third day of December The Curienses converted to the faith by a Brittain That Schedelius erreth not herein also the ancient monuments of the said Abbey whereof he was the original beginner do yield sufficient testimony beside an Hymne made in the commendation intituled Gaude Lucionum c. The said Schedelius setteth down likewise that his sister Emerita was martyred in Trine castle neer unto the place where the said Lucius dwelled and the same Authour saith further that he converted all Bavaria and Rhetia between the Alps and this narration is confirmed by Gaspar Bruchius thus Bavaria and Rhetia converted to Christianity by a Brittain St. Lucius which preached to the Germans was born of the regal race among the Brittains and propogating the faith of Christ came out of Brittainy into Germany and preached first at Salisbury then at Austburg from whence he was cast out by the Infidels there and then went with his sister St. Emerita to the City of Chur where preaching again both he and his sister Emerita were martyred by the Pagans St. Lucius at Chur in the castle of Mars and St. Emerita at Trine Castle Lucius and Emerita being thus by means of the Roman Emperours Dioclesian and Maximian both banished and martyred to make all sure in their proceedings they detained Constantine the other child as Hostage at their command and placed here in Brittain none to bear office but such as were Pagans ready to execute the cruel and savage resolutions of that bloody persecuting Tyrant against the holy christians here These things thus compleated the state of Brittain by such means was now brought into the same condition for persecution with other nations or rather worse the number of christians being here then far greater both in respect it was a christian Kingdom and so had both more christian inhabitants then other nations and by the immunities and priviledges it should have enjoyed many christians of other regions fled and resorted hither in hope of quiet and security from persecution This violent storme of persecution raging through the whole Roman Empire acted many tragical Scaenes in this Isle Harding in his Chronicle saith Hard. c. 57. f. 41 The Emperour Dioclesian Into Brittaon sent Maximian This Maximian to sirname Hercelius A Tyrant false that Christenty annoyd Through all Brittain a work malicious The Christen folk felly and sore destroyed And thus the people with him foul accloyed Religious men the Priests and Clerks all Women with child and bedrid folk all Children sucking upon their their Mothers pappis The mothers also without any pitty And children all in their mothers lappis The Creples eke and all the Christentee He killed and slew with full great cruelty The Churches brent all books and ornaments Bells Relicks that to the Church appends Dioclesian came to the Empire in the year of Christ 282 and did within two years after begin his most cruel persecution the first that felt the heavy but yet most blessed stroak here in Brittain was St. Allan Dicetus Dean of St. Pauls London doth set down this persecution in Brittain in the year of Christ 287. The old manuscript Annals of Winchester say that S. Allan in the eight year of Dioclesian Maximian was put to death and the same antiquities tell us that the Monks of Winchester were martyred by the Officers of Dioclesian in the second year of his reign and their Church then destroyed Godwin a late Bishop as he citeth from some Antiquities of that Church saith this happened in the year of Christ 289. and addeth that at this time Dioclesian endeavouring to root out Christian Religion in Brittain not only killed the professours of the same Mr Br. f. 415. Hollen Hist of Engl. l. 4. but also pulled down all churches anywhere consecrated to the exercise thereof The instruments of Dioclesian herein were Quintus Bassianus Hircius Alectus Gallus as the most principal with others of inferior degrees and Mamertinus the Panegyrist hath avouched to Maximian the persecutor before that he was here in Brittain in his own person which is confirmed by our own Antiquaries Adding further that he persecuted in the Occidental parts by commission from Dioclesian John Lydgat l. 8. so testifieth John Lydgate the Monck of Bury with others Ant. Brit. Antiq. in tit S. Alb. Cadgrave in eodem St. Alban our first Martyr was rather descended of Noble Roman then Brittish blood but probably both of Roman and Brittish blood his abode and dwelling was at Caermunip or Verulam where all professed Roman Paganisme and there he entertained either for old acquaintance for they were both Knighted at the same time in Rome or hospitality sake as being a man eminent and by some stiled High Steward of the Brittains St. Amphibalus but when he began to speak of Jesus Christ the son of God and incarnate for mans redemption he was so farr off from being a christian that he had scarce heard of Christ before but said this testimony of Christ was strange unto him and St. Amphibalus more particularly declaring the mysteries of Christs Nativity Passion Resurrection and Ascension Alban was yet so far from believing that he told St. Amphibalus he was mad to preach such things that understanding did not apprehend nor reason allow and if the Citizens of that place did know what he spake concerning Christ they would most cruelly put him to death and feared much that he would fall into trouble before he could go forth of his house But what the preaching of St. Amphibalus prevailed not in his earnest prayer and watching obtained of God for Alban For as the old Brittish writer of his life living in that time relateth this History St. Amphibalus watching in prayers all the night following a strange and admirable vision appeared to Alban wherewith he being exceedingly terrified and perplexed presently rose and went to St. Amphibalus thus declaring his vision and desiring the exposition thereof in this order and these words O my friend if these things which thou preachest of Christ are true I beseech thee be not afraid to tell unto me the true meaning of my dream or vision I did attend and behold a Man came from Heaven whom a great and innumerable multitude of Men apprehended and laid divers kinds of Torments upon him his hands were bound with cords his body worne with whips and grievously torne his body hanged upon a cross and his hands stretched cross upon it The Man which was thus tortured was naked and had no shoes upon his feet His hands and feet were pierced with nails his side thrust through with a spear and as it seemed to me
for their delivery O Lord Jesus Christ from whose most holy side I have seen both blood and water to flow grant I beseech thee that the waters decrease and the River may go away that all this people may safe and sound be present at my Passion A wonderful thing to behold whilst St. Alban thus kneeled and prayed the stream was dryed up and the tears of St. Alban left no waters in the Channel the power of his Prayer consumed the River and made a way for the people between the waters and they whom the violence of the water had taken away inclosed and destroyed were found in the bottom of the River without any hurt having no sign of death in them the Souldier which drew St. Alban to these torments seeing this strange Miracle was as strangely thereby converted to the Faith of Christ threw away his Sword and prostrating himself at the feet of the Saint craved pardon but the other Pagans drew St. Alban up down among the Bryers rough places so that the thorns and roots of trees did pull pieces of flesh from his feet and yet this merciful and miraculous Saint seeing the people to be afflicted with thirst in the Mountain thus prayed for their relief O God who didst create man of the slime of the earth I beseech thee suffer no creature to sustain any hurt for my cause and presently a Well of water sprung up before his feet by which they were refreshed The Executioner cut off St. Albans head but his eyes fell out of his own head therewith Hiericus Gallus in vita St. Gor. many so witnessing among whom Hiericus Gallus in St. Germans life Millia poenarum Christi pro nomine passus Quem tandem rapuit capitis sententia caesi Sed non Lictori cessit res tuta superbo Vtque caput Sancto reciderunt lumina saevo So hath the Brittish Writer of St. Albans life then living a Pagan as himself confesseth and as may be gathered by his own Narration present at his Martyrdom least they which shall come hereafter may be doubtful of my name they shall call me a wretched and the greatest sinner And I go to Rome that casting off the error of Paganisme I may be baptised and deserve to obtain pardon of my sins and this my short treatise I will offer to the Examination of the Romans That if any thing shall be uttered in it otherwise then it ought Our Lord Jesus Christ who Liveth and Reigneth God World without end may vouchsafe by them to amend it wherefore see the great Honour and Reverence which the Christians and Christianly men of that age even here in Brittain did acknowledge as due to that holy See that they referred the examen and censure of their writings even of Historical and practicall things acted so far from thence to the judgment thereof But to finish this funeral honour of this our glorious Martyr although we do not find any man then which for fear of the persecutors presented himself to bury his holy body but the valiant Souldier now the Souldier of Christ converted unto him which had boldly before them all reverenced the Reliques of St. Alban who there digged a grave and laid the Martyrs body therein which was all he could do then Mat. West an 303. yet God willing in whose sight the death of his Saints is precious as he had now glorified his Martyrs soul in heaven so yielded he from thence extraordinary honour to his body so meanly buried making his poor grave more glorious then the sumptuous Tombe of any Roman Emperour his persecutor or other for in the next night now following a pillar of light was seen of all the Pagans themselves to stretch up from the grave of the holy Martyr unto heaven by which Angels descending and ascending spent all the night in praysing God and among other things which they did sing these words were often repeated and heard The renowned man Alban the Martyr Mr Br. f 441. 5. Autho â—o Britt vitae S. Albani Manus Antiq. in vita eius Capg in eodem Manus Antiq in vita S. Amp Capg in eodem Bed l. 1. Hist c 7. Hen. Hunt l 1. Hist M W. an 303. Manus Antiq. in S Amp. Cap. in eodem Bede l 1. Hist c 18. Tho. Walsing Hist Angl. in Edw. 2. Tho. Walsing ut supra And a thousand of Pagans were hereby converted to Christ St. Bede witnesseth that from the martyrdom of St. Alban to his time cures and oft miracles were wrought in the place of his martyrdom so hath Henry Huntington long after for his dayes also The Crosse which he had in his hand when he suffered Martyrdom and was thereby sprinkled with his holy blood was reverently preserved by the Christians then and presented to St. Amphibalus with great honour the very ground whereon St. Alban suffered retained drops of his blood when St. Germain was sent thither by Pope Caelestine and he carried part thereof with him as a great Relict His coat Caracalla which he had of St. Amphibalus and wherein he suffered Martyrdom was kept as a great Relict and in the time of K. Edward the II. the King himself with many Nobles present witnesses was so freshly bespotted with this Martyrs blood as if it had been done but the day before so miraculously preserved as the blood in the place of his passion Great is the honour which our own both Brittish and English Histories and also forraign yield to the Souldier untill then Pagan who being one that led St. Alban to his martyrdom and converted by his miracles by the way was then and there also most cruelly martyred St. Gildas saith this martyr being converted by the miracles St. Alban shewed when by his prayers the deep river gave place to him and a thousand with him to passe over not wetting their feet the waters on both sides standing like walls as they did to the people of Israel to give them passage was of a wolfe made a lamb and did both vehemently desire and valiantly endure martyrdom with him St. Bede relateth this History in like manner yet with more Emphasis of his glory for having spoken of the same strange miracle by which this Souldier was converted calling him Carnifex the designed executioner to put St. Alban to death as S. Gildas and others do to shew how wonderfully the grace of Christ wrought in him he addeth that by divine Inspiration he made all speed he could to come to St. Alban and casting away his sword that was drawn to behead St. Alban prostrated himself before his feet the whole assembly beholding it greatly desiring that he himself might be worthy to be put to death with the martyr which he was commanded to strike and so of a persecutor he became a companion in Truth and faith This St. Heraclius for so was this happy souldier called having resolutely denyed his Paganisme craved pardon for his error and confessed Christ openly
before so many persecutors and in the highest of their malice and rage against St. Alban fell thereby into the same degree of hatred with them for presently thereupon to speak in an old Authors words The Enemies of truth apprehended him beat out his teeth rent his holy mouth and brake all his bones and although nothing remained in his body without hurt Gild. l. 2. de excid Brit. c. 8. yet his fervent faith remained without harme and being thus left so maimed lame and baptised in his own blood and also half dead with all the power and strength he could with his hands crept up to the hill where St. Alban was martyred whom when the judge espied he said unto him pray to thy Alban to set thy bones in order and lay his head here stricken off to thy body and thou shalt receive perfect health from him bury thou him and let him cure thee Heraclius answered I most firmly believe that St. Alban by his merits is able to heal me and easily performe that you mock us with Then reverently taking the head of St. Alban and devoutly laying it to his body he began to recover the former strength of the same despaired before and being thus miraculously recovered and made whole ceased not in the hearing of all the people to preach unto them the merit of St. Alban and power of Christ and digging the earth buried the body of the martyred Saint before them there which the Pagans seeing said among themselves what shall we do this man cannot be put to death with sword we have already broken his body and he hath already received his former strength again And apprehending him with horrible torment they tare his holy body in pieces and lastly cut off his head And so this happy Souldier persevering in the faith of Christ together with St. Alban deserved to be honoured with the crown of martydom The Judge himself was hereby so moved and convinced Mr. Br. 443. 2. that he presently commanded the persecution to cease Jacobus Genuensis Bishop of Genoa and his old English translation say this Souldier called by some before Herculius was a Knight And they yield a reason besides their assertion which was the noble renown of St. Alban who as they say was Lord of the City of Verulam and Prince of the Knights and Steward of the land Bede l. 1. c. 7. and the Judge dread for to slay him because of the great love that the Emperour had to him and for reverence of his dignity and power of his kindred unto the time that he had informed Dioclesian Jacob. Gon. in vit St. Alb. S. Amp. Anglica translat ibid. Mr. Br. f. 455. And therefore when judgment was pronounced against him the which was deferred six weeks until Miximian his coming into Brittain to see such wicked executions thus they deliver then Maximian and Asclepiodotus gave final sentence on him saying In the time of the Emperour Dioclesian Alban Lord of Verulam Prince of Knights and Steward of Brittain during his life hath despised Jubiter and Apollin Gods and to them hath done derogation and disworship wherefore he ought by the law to be dead by the hand of some Knight and the body to be buryed in the same place where his head shall be smitten of and his Sepulchre to be made worshipfully for the honour of Knighthood whereof he was Prince And also the crosse that he bare and Sklavin that he ware should be buried with him and his body to be closed in a chest of lead and so laid in his Sepulchre This sentence hath law ordained because he hath renied our principal Gods These Authours say Maximian and King Asclepiodotus gave this sentence we have spoken elsewhere of those Martyrs which suffered at Litchfield Let us therefore return to St. Amphibalus whom Almighty God had made the instrument to the conversion of so many souls These bloody persecutors having thus barbarously and without all commpassion of lineage kindred friendship country or whatsoever relation of love or mercy put these holy Saints to death they now pour out the bottom of their malice upon St. Amphibalus neither regarding his noble descent before remembred venerable and old years Mat. West an 303. Manus Antiq. in vita S. Amp Capg in eodem Mr. Br f. 447. 1 learning or whatsoever but bind his arms with thongs and drive him barefooted before their horses so long a journey from the borders of Brittain where they apprehended him unto the City of Verulam where the Prefect and Lieutenant then was resident And as they thus contemptibly carried him barefooted and bound a sick man lying in the way in the sight and hearing of them all cryed out unto him O thou servant of God Almighty help me that I which lye oppressed by my own infirmity may be relieved by thy intercession for I do believe that by the calling upon the name of Christ thou art able presently to restore my health unto me And forthwith the man which lay thus sick before the eyes of them all arose up joyfully and perfectly well When these wicked Pagan persecutors had thus barbarously brought him within the sight of the walls of the City as though this holy Saint had been unworthy to enter into it and their Troops so great by that is said before that they could not be conveniently received therein they stay themselves as it were pitching their tents in a place then desart now called Redburne three miles from St. Albans throwing down their shields and striking their speers into the ground And thus resting themselves only St. Amphibalus rested not but preached continually the doctrine of salvation to his enemies who in the mean time gave notice to the Prince and those of the City of their return and bringing with them the instructor of St. Alban and that they had put all those Christians before spoken of to death in the uttermost parts of the Kingdom after their long journey thither which when the Governour heard he called the people together and exhorted them Let us all go forth and meet our enemy that he that hath offended may receive revenge of us all And so hasting forth striving as it were who should go first went by the way leading to the North as our antiquities say the better to set down the old place and situation of that antient City which they then left almost vacant And coming in this raging madnesse and multitude to torment and Martyr this holy Saint they find him all wrapped in chains and bonds and presently stripped him naked slit his belly and pulled out his entrails tying them to a stake which they had fastned in the ground enforcing him to be led round about it And the holy Saint of God shewing no signe of grief at all among such and so many afflictions the wicked persecutors thereby the more enraged sent him for a mark as it were and with their knives and spears pierced and
of the persecution during ten years and addeth that then the church of St. Alban was built to his honour within ten years of his martyrdom in the quiet of Christian times here which by that is said before must needs be in the time of Constantius Likewise we find in the antiquitie of the old Church of Winchester that being destroyed with the rest in this late persecution it was perfectly re-edified in the year of Christ 309. and so either was in building or warranted to be built in the dayes of Constantius then so or lately before by all accounts living and reigning here that it could not be done without his warrant or allowance The like we say of the Churches of St. Julius and St. Aaron and other Martyrs of that time and all both Cathedral churches and others destroyed here by Maximian the most horrible fact-man as Henry of Huntington calls him after whose leaving the Empire Christians were quiet here as he saith and restored to their former liberties and as Regino writteth not only in Brittain but generally where he ruled both Bishops were restored to their private Sees and many other things granted for the profit of Christian Religion and particularly saith that the Monastery of Trevers was begun in his time then much more in Brittain where he was both absolute Emperour and King to command and no man daring to resist him to this our late Antiquaries have given sufficient allowance when they grant that Constantius abolished the superstition of the Gentiles in this Dominions especially in Brittain where he now lived King and Emperour as also in abolishing the Pagan rights and observances for dislike of them and love to Christian Religion must needs for his short time be an extraordinary advancer thereof Stow Howes in Constant But when he had happily begun this holy work in repairing the ruines of the Church of Christ in this Kingdom and before he could bring it to due and his desired perfection he fell sick at the City of York where soon after he deceased Yet in this short time of his sicknesse his greatest care was to leave and commit this his charge both concerning his Empire and this Kingdom to his Eldest son Constantine Son of St. Helen who as he hoped for many reasons would be most ready and willing to maintain and defend true Religion and with Justice govern his Subjects And to this happy choice as both Zonoras and Pompeius Laetus do plainly testify Zonoras Annal Tom. 2. in Constant Pomp. Laetus Rom. Hist Camp in Const max. Eseb l. 1. de vita Const mag c. 18. Grin amart in cum locum and Eusebius and others sufficiently insinuate he was admonished and instructed by Gods direction and an Angell which is confimed by the effect and event it self not only of the general establishing of Christian religion in the world by Constantine in the time of his Empire but his extraordinary and miraculous preservation before he came to it and at this very time of his fathers sicknesse strangely escaping the Tyrants hands in Italy and coming safely unto his sick Father Constantius at York in our Brittain by the great providence of God as Eusebius noteth who had often preserved him to bring him thither so long and dangerous a journey at that very time to succeed his Father And this Author immediately addeth For presently when Constantine had escaped the stratagems of the deceits he came with all speed to his Father Euseb in vita Const l. 1. c. 14. and after a long space of time which he had been absent from him presented him to his sight at that moment Constantius was ready to die but when contrary to all hope he saw his sonne leaping out of bed he embraced him saying that he had now cast that out of his mind Cap. 15. which only troubled him at the point of death which was the absence of his Son and therefore did earnestly pray and give thanks for it to God affirming that now he rather desired to die then live and setting himself in the midst of his Children and in his place lying upon his Kingly bed giving over the inheritance of his Kingdom to his Eldest Son he departed this Life Thus hath Eusebius then living in that time Our Moderne Writers citing other ancient Authors not differing from Eusebius Hollenshed Hist of England l. 4 c. 28. 27. cit Euseb Sext Aurel. vict Nicep Tripart Hist thus Translate and Epitomate this History from them Whilest Constantine remained at Rome in manner as he had been a pledge with Gallerius in his Fathers time fled from hence and with all post hast returned to his Father in Brittain killing and hewing by the way all such horses as were appointed to stand at Inns ready for such as would ride in Post least being pursued he should have been overtaken and brought back again by such as might be sent on purpose after him Constantius whilest he lay on his death bed somewhat before he departed this life hearing that his son Constantine was come and escaped from the Emperors Dioclesian and Maximian with whom he remained as a pledge he received him with all joy and raising himself up in his bed in presence of his other sons and Councellours with a great number of other people and strangers that were come to visit him He set the Crown upon his sons head and adorned him with other Imperi-Robes and garments executing as it were himself the Office of an Herald and with all spake these words unto his said son and to his Councellours there about him Now is my death come unto me more welcome and my departure hence more pleasant I have here a large Epitaph and Monument of buriall to wit mine own son and one whom in earth I leave to be Emperour in my place which by Gods good help shall wipe away the tears of the Christians and revenge the cruelty exexercised by Tyrants This I reckon to chance unto me instead of most felecity Thus careful was this holy Emperour even at his death to advance the honour of Christ This he did prophesying how his son after him should advance Christian Religion now by his father declared Emperour but as Esebius writeth long before designed to that dignity by God the King of all This renowned Emperour Constantius died by divers in the year 306. by others 307 and by some 308. and by all at such time as it is already proved it must needs be he which among the Roman Emperours first gave order and warrant for the restoring and re-establishing Christian Religion here in Brittain after the desolation thereof by Dioclesian and Maximian and died happily and most blessedly And was so renowned that even by the Pagans he was accounted a God and had after his death all honour given unto him which belonged to an Emperour he was most honourably and Christian like buryed in the City of York Constantine his son the new Emperour present
an Officer entituled by him with a limitation of place and restriction of that power which the ancient Praefectus Praetorio had under the first Emperors Then Constantine intending to make war in Persia either to defend or enlarge the limits of the East Empire removed the Emperial Seat from Rome to the City of Bizantium which he re-edified and caused the same to be called of his own Name Constantinople drawing thither the Legions in Germany that guarded the Fronteers of the Western Empire which was thereby laid open to the Incursions of those barbarous People that afterwards assayed it and in the end possessed the greatest part thereof The borders also of the Province in Brittain were weakened by removing the Garrisons there into other Cities and Towns which being pestered with Soldiers for the most part unruly Guests were abandoned by the ancient Inhabitants There be Authors that write Hollin Hist of Engl. f. 92. that Constantine conveyed over Sea with him a great Army of Brittains by whose Industry obtaining Victory as he wished he placed a great number of such as were discharged out of pay and licensed to give over the War in a part of Gallia toward the West Sea coast where their posterity remain unto this day and marvellously encreased afterwards somewhat now differing from our Brittains the Welshmen in manners and language Among those Noblemen which he took with him when he departed out of this Land as our Writers do testifie were the three Uncles of his Mother Helen Hoelus Trabernus and Marius whom he made Senators in Rome After the wars betwixt Constantine and the Persians Mr. Br. fol. 532. the King of Persia sent Embassadors unto Constantine to procure peace and he writ back unto King Sapores that the Christians in his Dominions which were there in great numbers might live at liberty and freedom for their Religion And if we may believe Eusebius then living Euseb lib. 4. Sozom. lib. 2. Hist cap. 14. and best knowing the affairs and proceedings of this most noble Emperor after all these things were compassed and brought to an end he began that glorious and renowned work and Foundation of the most sumptuous Church of the twelve Apostles in Constantinople where it is evident by this then living Author and witness that he did not begin to build this Church till long after his triennial Feast And yet the glory and stateliness of that work as it is described by the same Writer was such that it could not be effected and finished under many years and yet that it was finished before his death it is certain for he there erected a Tomb for his own body to be buried in and there was interred There he erected saith Eusebius twelve Monuments to the honour and memory of the twelve Apostles and in the midst between them he placed his own Tomb with six Apostles encompassed on either side surely as I have said before considering with discreet Councel Euseb ut sup that the Tabernacle of his dead body should worthily and decently rest there when he had considered these things long time before he dedicated the Church to the Apostles thinking that their memory would bring much profit to his soul And both Baronius and Spondanus confess that Constantine did not begin this great and wonderfull work until the 336. Baronius Spond Annal. in ann 336. year of Christ and after his concluding peace with the Persians had not before so much as resolved it Therefore this Church being so costly and magnificent as these men confess and Eusebius at large proveth and yet Constantius lived to see it roofed and quite finished he must needs live a longer time than until the next year the 337. of Christ which they limit unto him to live and much more longer than Socrates their Author continueth his life for by his reckoning setting down his death the same year wherein the Persian Embassadors came to him for peace we must be forced to say this admirable Church was quite finished in the space of seven weeks or if we should adventure as Baronius doth to make Socrates our Author and yet add unto his account a whole year as he doth it must needs be yielded unto by such calculation that it was not begun or any materials prepared for it and yet quite finished within the space of one year and seven weeks for as before it was not begun at the Feast of Easter and yet ended the same year by Socrates before the Feast of Pentecost when by Eusebius Constantine died and by Socrates about the eleventh of the Calends of June the 22. day of May and by Baronius before the Feast of Pentecost and the 22. day of May the year following which is morally impossibly to be true for besides the amplitude thereof and Ornaments therein Euseb lib. 4. de Vit. Const c. 64. Socr. l. 1. c. ult Eusebius who had seen it and knew the building of it saith that Constantine erected it to an infinite altitude and made it from the ground with all variety of Stones even to the top the Roof was curiously wrought and within covered with Gold throughout and covered above with Brasse and much Gold And therefore Nicephorus also a Greek Author who had diligently examined Socrates and citeth his very words of this matter before related affirmeth plainly and constantly notwithstanding that opinion that Constantine did not die until the 342. year of Christ in the Feast of Pentecost Euseb lib. 4. de vit Const c. 64. Cap. 66. sup towards the end of it about noon time of the day to speak in Eusebius his words this Emperor was received to his God leaving his mortal part like to other mortal men to the earth but joyning his Intelligence and Divine part of his Soul unto God He dying in Bethinia his Soldiers enclosing his Body in a Golden Coffin covered it all over with Purple and conveyed it to Constantinople and placed it in the Emperial Palace adorned with Emperial Robes Purple and a Diadem Lights set upon Golden Candlesticks round about it which gave such an admirable shew unto the Beholders as was never seen All the Nobles of his Army which worshipped him whilst he lived kept their old manner and custom at certain times entring in and prostrating themselves on the ground saluted the Emperor after his death lying in his Coffin as if he had been still living The Senate and all other Magistrates worshipped his Body with like reverence All sorts of people even Women and Children in infinite number came to see the solemnity and these things were performed many daies This blessed Emperor was he alone which reigned when he was dead Euseb Ca. 66. and to him alone God himself being Author thereof all honors which were wont to be given when he lived were given after his death For he being the only Emperor which in all the actions of his life piously and religiously worshiped God the King of
cogitations he nourished his ambitious humour howbeit knowing well that the forces which were already brought into the Isle would not be sufficient to accomplish the enterprize he perswaded Vortiger it was very necessary that more aid should be sent for out of Germany and to that end he named his Brother Octha and his Son Ebusa men of approved valour who might be directed to land with a power in the Picts own Country and to assail the Inhabitants there while himself in the South parts pursued the rest of them with whom he had already encountered whose Forces being by that means diverted from the heart of the Isle to succour their Country men at home or wanting their wanted supplies which should then of force be employed elsewhere for defence there might be some hope of a speedy and full end of the war The event whereof otherwise was now more to be feared then in former times if the North Brittains whetted with the desire of revenge and having space of breathing given them should make head and assail them again This counsel seeming profitable howsoever it proved pernicious in the end was allowed by the King either for that he foresaw not the peril likely to ensue thereupon or else for that such things as God himself hath determined are doubtlesse though sometimes foreseen yet never prevented In the mean while the Germains inflamed with continual reports of the wealth and fruitfulnesse of the Isle and sollicited by Hengist who discovered unto them the weak estate of the Brittains and the facility of supplanting them hired certain small vessels wherein themselves Wives Children and Families were transported into divers parts of the land At which time Rowen the Daughter of Hengist a woman of excellent beauty and not of the worst behaviour having been specially sent for by her Father arrived in Kent and was forthwith conveyed to the Pallace where Vortiger and Hengist made their abode Of those Germains that then came over there were three several kinds of people namely Saxons Juites and Angles though the Saxons seemed to bear the most sway by reason both of the general respect of that Nation for their many and great exployts A God of the Saxons from whence we call the third day in the week Wedesnday and also for the authority of their Captains Hengist and Horsa who where of the linage of Woden from whom the Saxon Princes that afterwards raigned in this Isle used alwaies for honours sake to derive their descent From these Saxons the East West and South Saxons had their Original The Juites as some Authours report and as the affinity of the names may seem in some sort to inferr were descended from the Jetes and Bothes and dwelt in the upper part of Denmark which is at this day called Juiteland from them the Kentish men The Kentish men from whence with the Inhabitants of the Isle of Wight and of that part of the Land which lyeth over against it had their beginning The name of the Juites was of no long continuance in Brittain notwithstanding their posterity was incorporated into the Saxons and Angels who were accounted but one Nation the name of either of them being indifferently used as common to both till in the end the Angles possessing the greatest part of the land they were all known and called by that name alone The Angles in those dayes were a people well esteemed among the Germains and in number exceeded both Saxons and Juites Lin olnsh Yorlsh Northum Noting Derby c. from whence Touching their ancient seat the opinions of writers are differing though it be most probable that they did sometimes inhabit that part of Denmark yet retaining the name of Angle which lyeth between Juitland and Holsutia From them came the East Angles Mercians and Northumbers But Hengist knowing well that fraud and cunning practises oft times prevail where force it self cannot resolved as occasion might serve to make use of both and to that end observing well the Kings humour he applyed himself in all things to follow it specially by soothing and nourishing him in those vices to which by nature he was most addicted supposing thereby to strengthen his own estate and with more security to accomplish his desire while the King intended nothing more then the satisfaction of his own immoderate appetites in sensuall pleasures Brittish Hist par 2. fol. 188 which had already brought him in contempt and hatred with his people and would by all likelyhood open the way to his speedy destruction Whereupon one day inviting Vortiger to a feast he appointed Rowen his daughter to attend upon him as his Cup-bearer at which time by her fathers instruction she behaved her self in such manner as the King fell in love with her and although he had a wife then living yet was he not ashamed to tell Hengist in plain termes that he earnestly desired to become his Son in Law if he might attain his consent for the marriage of his daughter Hengist who had cast out this bait on purpose to catch him pretended respect of Vortigers own reputation which as he said should be too much impaired by matching with a poor maid a stranger by birth far inferiour to him in degree and no way worthy of so great Fortune howbeit in the end he seemed by intreaty to yield to that which himself would voluntarily have offered and so making use of the occasion he was content to take the thanks which he of right should have given Hereupon Vortiger having cast behind him all regard both of Divine and Humane Lawes did put away his lawful wife by whom he had three children and contrary to the advice of his faithful Councellours Vortiger marrieth Hengistâ— daughter having a wife of his own married Hengist the Saâ—â—â—s daughter Upon the conclusion of this marriage a great part of the Country of Kent which had been many years together governed by Guorongus as the Kings Deputy there was assigned to Hengist who like a wilie serpent having now gotten in his head found means in short time to wind in his whole body It is reported by some writers that Vodin then Arch-bishop of London reproving the King for his incontinency and other vices which drew him down with his Realm to ruine was by the commandment of Hengist put to death The Archbishop of London put to death by Hengists command with many other Priests and religious Votaries as persons too well affected to their Country and odious to the Saxons for profession of Christianity This inconsiderate match and immeasurable bounty of the King was much disliked by the Brittains for that the Saxons presuming of the Kings favour by reason of his new affinity with them came over daily in great numbers pestering the East parts of the Isle and many times offering abuse to the natural Inhabitants whereupon the Brittish Nobility complained to the King Vortiger neglects to hear his Brittish Nobles counsell that their estate was
now much worse then before the Saxons arrival that strangers under the colour of friendship robbed them of their goods and bereaved them of their lands that the secret practises of such as they trusted were no lesse to be feared then open Hostility and that if speedy order were not taken to expell them they would in short time root out the ancient Brittains and make themselves Lords of the whole Island But Vorteger whose affection to his wife and her Kindred weighed down all other respects whatsoever neglected their complaints till by his own experience he was taught what dangerous inconveniences proceed from wilful rashnesse and mis-government For the Brittains disdaining to be any longer commanded by such a Prince Vortiger despised by his own Subjects as had neither power to command his own affections nor care to provide for the safety of his Subjects declared him uncapable and by a general consent deprived him of all Regall Authority Vortimer Vortimer the Son of Vortiger a Man in disposition of mind much like his Father was declared King and renewed the war with the Saxons whom he encountered in a pitcht field near Alisford in Kent In that conflict Catigern his Brother and Horsa the Brother of Hengist fighting hand to hand were both slain whereby though the Saxons perished in greater number then the Brittains yet by the loss of the Generals on both sides the fortune of the Battail seemed in a manner to be equal On the part of the Brittains there died no man of name save only Catigern in remembrance of whose death there was afterwards a Sepulchre of stone erected where the battail was fought the like monument was also built by the Saxons for Horsa their Captain though time hath now defaced it howbeit the memory of the place it self if credit may be given to the inhabitants there iscontinued amongst them even to this day by a small village in East Kent yet bearing his name After this the Brittains made divers attempts upon their Enemies sometimes winning sometimes loosing and then recovering again that which they had lost when Vortimer the King ended his dayes either by a natural death or by the treachery of Rowen his Stepmother He was a Prince of great courage adorned with many morall vertues and as some writers have reported a favourer and professor of Christian religion Vortiger restored Now was Vortiger either by an hope that adversity had wrought upon him a reformation of mind Brittish Hist part second fol. 191. or else for fear least any civil discord should arise by the election of an other revoked with common consent of the Brittains and restored to his former Estate During his Sons reign as Histories report he lived a private life near Radnor in Wales where he bestowed much cost in building a Castle for defence as he vainly imagined against any suddain assault In the mean time the strength of the Saxons encreased by new supplies which came daily out of Germany and the Brittains doubted their own Estates so much the more by reason that the Picts and Scottish Men their ancient Enemies were dispersed in most parts of the Isle The Saxons also for their own advantage entering often times into secret conferences and mutual leagues with them But Hengist supposing that he could not with safety enjoy the possession of that Territory which Vortiger had assigned unto him so long as the chief and most valiant of the Brittish Nation remained alive The treachery of the Saxons devised by a cunning practice under pretence of hospitality and friendship to draw them together into one place and on the suddain to supprise them To this end he prepared a solemne banquet at which the King with divers noble personages as bidden guests were present suspecting nothing less then what was intended against them For the Brittains being warm with good cheer and wine whereof they had drunk immeasurably were scoft at by the Saxons Drunkenness the ruine of the Brittains the one provoking the other so far with reproachfull terms that in the end they fell from words to blowes in such furious manner as the Brittains being about 300 in number all un armed and surcharged with wine were slain in the place and Vortiger their King taken prisoner who soon after delivering for his ransome the whole Country of Kent with other Provinces thereto belonging and adjoyning into the Saxons hands fled to his Castle in Wales where supposing himself free from danger he continued his vitious and prophane manner of living till in the end both himself and his Castle as some writers affirm was by lighting from Heaven consumed to ashes Thus Vortiger the last King of the Brittish blood a Prince in manners dissolute and weak in actions was by strangers dispossessed of his Kingdom living to see the ruine of his Country whereof himself was the principal cause and dying in the end a strange and unnatural death which is commonly the issue of a disordered and infamous life The report goeth that this fatal meeting was held upon Salisbury-plains where not many years after Aurelius Ambrosius caused that strange building of stone now call'd Stone-hedge to be erected as a perpetual monument of so many worthy Brittains slain and buried there concerning which sundry conjectures have been made as being either framed according to mens particular conceits or grounded upon common reports received by tradition But by what means so ever they came thither they are accounted at this day one of the miracles of England in regard both of the stones themselves which are of a huge bigness as also of their position and order whereby they seem in a manner to be supported with their own weight in hanging one by an other considering withall that there are no stones for building to be found within many miles of that place Now were the Brittains driven from place to place some flying to the mountains others hiding themselves in Caves under ground where they either perished for want of food or coming abroad to seek for relief were cruelly murdered their Enemies in the mean time ranging up and down without resistance rafing their houses The wofull condition of the Brittains polluting the Altars in their Temples with the blood of their Priests burning the Temples themselves and committing all manner of sacriledge and outrage without regard of place or person For the Saxons as by little and little they planted themselves in the most wealthy and fruitfull parts of the Isle so they endeavoured to supplant the true Christian religion whereof they professed themselves open Enemies as men meerly addicted to heathenish superstition in worshipping divers Gods and Goddesses among whom the Images of Thor Woden Frea and Eoster were placed in their Temples as their chief Patrons they painted Thor with a Scepter in his hand after the same manner that the Poets used to describe the Image of Jupiter and him they reverenced as the commander and disposer of thunder and lightning
Will. of Malms de Reg. Angliae first requiting his banishment with great detriment and loss to those his Enemies wherein he was partaker by his just desert of his Uncles worthy praise for that he stayed for a great many years the destruction of his country which was now runing headlong into utter ruine and decay Hollenshed Hist of Engl. fol. 156. But Arthurs grave no were appeareth but the others tombe was in the dayes of William the Conquerour upon the Sea side and contained in length fourteen foot where he was as some say wounded by his Enemies and cast up by shipwrack but other write that he was slain at a publick feast or banquet by his own Countrimen But here you must consider that Malmesbury departed this life about the begining of the reign of King Henry 2. certain years before the bones of King Arthur were found But now to speak some things of the Queen King Arthur his consort some are of opinion that she took that name from her excellent beauty because Cuynne if truly written in the Welsh tongue signifieth fair so that she was named Guenuere or Guenllean even as you would say the fair and butifull Heonere or Helen she was brought up in the house of Cador D. or E. of Cornwall before Arthur married her and as it appeareth by writers she was evill reported of as noted of Incontinency and breech of faith to her husband but excellent beauties seldom escape the venemous blasts of detracting and envious tongues and never want the amorous courtings of lascivious wantons The Brittish history affirmeth that she did not only abuse her self by unlawfull company with Mordred but that also in Arthurs absence she consented to take him to husband It is likewise found recorded by an old writer that Arthur besieged the Marches near Glastenbury for displeasure that he bore unto a certain Lord called Melva who had ravished Guuennere and led her into those Marches and there did keep her Arthur had two wives as Girald Cam. affirmeth of which the later saith he was buried with him and her bones found in his own Sepulchre so devided yet that two parts of the Tombe towards the head were appointed to receive the bones of the man and the third part towards the feet contained the womans bones a part by themselves Hector Boetius writeth that Queen Guennere being taken by the Picts was conveyed into Scotland were finally she died and was there buried in Angus And this may be true if Arthur had three several wives each of them bearing the name of Guenhere as Sir John Price avoucheth But by reason of the disagreeing of writers touching the great acts atchieved by this Arthur and also for that some difference there is amongst them about the time in which he should reign many have doubted of the truth of the whole history which is written of him The Brittish histories as also the Scotch do agree that he reigned in the dayes of the Emperour Justinian about the fifteenth year of whose reign he died which was in the year of our Lord five hundred forty one as Harrison also confirmeth some write otherwayes The writer of the book called Aurea Historia affirmeth that in the tenth year of Cerdicus King of West Saxons Leyland Arthur the warriour arose amongst the Brittains Also Divionensis writeth that Cerdicus fighting oftimes with Arthur if he were overcame in one moneth he rose in another more strong and fierce then before At length King Arthur over toyled with hard labour and warfair after the twelfth year of the coming of Cerdicus gave unto him upon his homage done and fealty received the Shires of South-Hampton and Somerset the which Country Cerdicus named West Saxon. West Saxon. In the while that this Kingdom was thus troubled with war and destruction between the Brittains and Saxons the Christian Religion was not only abolished in places where the Saxons seated themselves but also among the Brittains the right faith was brought into danger by the reviving of the Pelagian Heresie which began to be broached saith Hollenshed by divers naughty persons and questionless they were so and all such as follow them And although in the first part of this History speaking of this most pestiferous Arch-heretick and his damnable doctrine I then expressed not his Theses yet upon better consideration that all vertuous Christians may avoid them I think it not altogether amiss to lay them open to the World and I must heartily wish that none may follow them The Heresies of Pelagius 1. First he was charged that Adam was made motral and should have died whether he had sinned or no. 2. That his sin did only hurt himself and not humane kind 3. That infants new born are in the same State wherein Adam was before his fall 4. That by the death and prevarication of Adam all Mankind doth not die nor all mankind rise again by the Resurrection of Christ 5. Children may have eternal life though they be not baptized 6. Rich men that be baptized except they renounce all their goods if they are taught to do any good thing it shall not be reputed to them neither can they have the Kingdom of God 7. That the grace and help of God is not given to every act but is from the will or in the Law or Doctrine 8. That the grace of God is given according to our own demerits 9. That Men cannot be called the Children of God except they be altogether without sin 10. And that it is not free-will if it wanteth the help of God because every one hath in his own will to do any thing or not to do it 11. That our victory is not from the help of God but from freewill 12 That to them that seek pardon pardon is not given according to the Grace and mercy of God but according to the labour and merits of them which by penance are worthy of mercy St. Augustine in divers places speaketh of this Arch-heritique and of the Articles whereof he was charged and recanted by Pelagius though dissemblingly for fear as appeared by him afterward so did divers others and add more errours which he held as that 1. Before Christ man was without sin 2. Prayer is not necessary 3. Man is able by the power of Freewill not onely not to sin but not to be tempted 4. That Women ought to sing in the Church 5. That all men ought to be cloathed like Monks St. Augustine addeth that 1. Man might not â—ear at all 2. The life of just men in this life to be altogether without sin and that the Church of Christ in this world consisteth of such 3. He denyed that the Church should offer prayers either for Infidels and such as resisted the doctrine of God that they might be converted unto him or for the faithfull that their faith might be encreased and they persevere in it For these heresies as is said before he was condemned by a
general Councell or Councels but harder it is to reclaim an Heretick then to convert an Infidel yet Almighty God out of his infinite goodness never suffereth any heresy to arise but presently he sendeth a remedy by providing both Learned and Pious men to withstand oppose and suppresse it Dubritius therefore that was Bishop of Landaff and after Archbishop of Caerleon Arnaske and his successor David with other learned men earnestly both by preaching and writing defended the contrary cause to the confuting of those errours and re-establishing the truth This holy Bishop St. Dubritius was of such sanctity of life that after St. German and his Associates departure hence Capg in St. Dubritius Antiq. Eccl. Hard. Harpsfield Hist Eccl. Angliae fol. 38. he together with St. David were the Popes Legats or greatest commanders here by the highest spiritual power St. Dubritius was a famous Master to many learned Schollers Harpsfield speaking of the remarkable holy and learned men of that time saith Amongst whom Dubritius Gainius Vagensis of or neer the River Wye a South-Wales man of Monmoth shire first comes in order to be spoken of who first set up a school neer the River Wye where Thelianus Samson and Aidan were his schollers he himself having formerly been a Disciple of St. German under whose conduct the Brittains obtained a miraculous victory against the Saxons who was an earnest opposer of the Pelagian heresie whose example St. Dubritius followed both by preaching and writing John Capg John Leyland he was first Bishop of Landaff and afterwards Atchbishop of Caerleon Harpsfield here mistaketh and placeth his See at Westchester which never had either Arch flamen or Arch-bishop but both these Cityes being called indifferently Caerleon breeds that errour Mr. Porter in in his Lives of Saints is in the same mistake This blessed man growing full in years left his honours and dignities Pitseus Conc. Polid. and with other associates betook himself to the Wildernesse or solitary and unfrequented mountains where they lived by the labour of their hands and then at last rendred up his pure soul in all peace and tranquillity to his creator the eightenth of the Kalends of December Whilst this blessed man held the See of Landaff Nod a Son of King Arthur gave certain lands lying by the River of Taff or Teiny unto that Church which were called Benalin and Landeiliaw Vanur Hen. Hunt l. 2. Cap. 13. as is recorded in the monuments of that Church This Bishop set the Brittish Crown upon the heads both of Aurelius Ambrosius as also Arthur and in the famous and renowned battail fought against the Saxons at the City of Badan now called Bath besieging that place this Dubritius was personally present with sweet and divine exhortations encouraging the soldiers to fight manfully against the Pagans and enemies of Christian faith laying before their eyes the lamentable destruction of their Country occasioned by those miscreants and how glorious that death would be where life was spent in so good a cause and likewise what reward they might expect at the hands of Almighty God for so Christian-like service that day proved most glorious unto the Brittains who purchased a most absolute victory obtained as all imagined by the prayers of St. Dubritius He dyed in the year of our Lord 555. in the wilderness or solitude before spoken of called Enli But in the year eleven hundred and twenty his body was translated to the Cathedral Church of Landaff by Vrban Bishop of that See I esteem saith Harpsfield King Arthur though many things are ridiculously foysted upon him a Prince so worthy to have his glory eternized that even in Ecclesiasticall History he deserves to have his name registred For what can be more renowned and becoming a true Christian Prince then to expose his life estate and all for Gods sake with Arthur who most valiantly opposed and overthrew the Saxons who not only had trodden the Brittans but even Religion it self under foot Twelve times he joyned battail with them and twelve times came out of the field victorious amongst all which the greatest trophy and triumph which he purchased was that at Bath in which saith this Authour praecipue post Deum in beatae Mariae ope spem posuit after Almighty God he put his chiefest confidence in the help of the B. Virgin and therefore advanced her effigies and picture in his shield King Arthurs armes Mr. Boswel in his armory fol. 22. King Arthur that mighty Conquerour and Worthy had so great affection and love to the sign of the cross that he left his armes which he bare before wherein were figured three Dragons and another of three crownes or thirteen as the French say 33331. Viz. Azure 13. crownes Or and assumed and took to his armes as proper to his desire a cross silver in a field Verd. on the first quarter whereof was figured an image of our Lady with her Son in her armes and bearing that sign he did many marvails in armes as in his book of acts and valiant conquests are remembred And what can be spoken saith the former writer more honourably of any conquerour then may be said of this our Arthur For that scum or dregs of miscreants the Saxons being in a manner quite swept out of Brittain he soly applyed his thoughts to the repairing of Temples and Churches Hen. Hunt li. 9. p. 167. K. 168. which those Pagans had demolished and ruined especially at York where the storm of that persecution did most rage besides many others as at Glastenbury where he spared no cost nor charge In the time of this most heroick King this Island was adorned with divers learned and eminent Men as Iltutus Canigellus David Machutus and sundry others Iltutus born in the county of Glamorgan and therefore called Morganensis whom some also call Eclhutus contemning the greatness of his birth and all the vanities and follies of the World as impediments to devotion and heavenly contemplation withdrew himself from all company of Worldlings and went unto St. Dubritius to lead an austere and solitary life where he arived unto so great perfection that he himself became a spirituall Master and had many Disciples as Sampson David Paulinus and Gildas Badonicus and others Iltutus died in the Ides of November the Welsh even to these our dayes celebrate an Annual Festival day in honour of this Saint as is manifest by the Church dedicated unto him and in that language called Llan Iltutus Congellus was Abbot of the famous monastery of Bangor the nursery from whence so many learned men as filled the whole Christian World with admiration of their learning and sanctity did spring Disciples to this Saintly Abbot were St. Columbanus and St. Brandon Columbanus took the habit of Religion at Bangor and filled Scotland Ireland Italy Gallia and Germany with admiration of his sanctity and learning King Arthur in the beginning of his reign had Enemies Lotho and Conradus his allies who
Brittain was imprisoned and Edwal Voel the Son of Anarawd and Elise his Brother were slain in a battel which they fought against the Danes and Englishmen This Edwal had six sons Meiric Janaf or Jenan Jago which is James Conan Edwal Vachan and Roderick after whose death Howel Dha his Cosin German ruled all VVales during his life Elise also had Issue Conan and a Daughter named Trawst which was Mother to Conan ap Sitsylht Gruffith ap Sitsylht and Blethin ap Covyn which two last were afterwards Princes of VVales Howel Dha This Howel Dha King or Prince of Southwales and of Powis long before this time after the death of Edwal Voel his cosin took upon him the rule and government of all VVales about the year of Christ 940. who notwithstanding the sons of Edwal did something murmur against him was for his godly behaviour discreet and just rule beloved of men This Howel constituted and made Laws to be kept through his Dominions which were used in Wales till such time as the Inhabitants received the laws of England in the time of King Edward the First and in some places thereof long after These laws are to be seen at this day both in VVelsh and Latine Howel Dha perceiving the laws and customes of his country to have grown unto great abuse sent for the Arch-Bishop of Menenia and all the other Bishops and chief of the Clergy A pious example for all Princes to the number of one hundred and forty Prelates and all the Barons and Nobles of VVales and caused six men of the wisest and best esteemed in every Comote to be called before him whom he commanded to meet altogether at his house called Y Tuy Gwyn Taf that is The white house upon the River Taf. Thither he came himself and there remained with those his Nobles Prelates and Subjects all the Lent in prayer and fasting craving the Assistance and direction of Gods holy Spirit that he might reform the Laws and Customes of the Country of VVales to the honour of God and quiet government of the people About the end of Lent he chose out of that company twelve men of the wisest gravest and of the greatest experience to whom he added one Clerk or Doctour of the lawes named Blegored a singular learned and perfect wise man These had in charge to examine the old lawes and customes of Wales and to gather of such as were meet for the government of the Country which they did retaining those that were wholesome and profitable expounding those that were doubtful and ambiguous and abrogating those that were superfluous and hurtful and so ordained three sorts of Laws The first for ordering of the King or Princes Houshold and his Court. The second of the affairs of the Country and Common-wealth The third of the special customes belonging to particular places and persons Of all the which being read allowed and proclamed he caused three severall books to be written one for his dayly use to follow his Court an other to lye in his Palace at Abersfrew and the third at Dinevour that all the three Provinces of Wales might have the use of the same when need required The King and Princes of Brittain much observant of the See Apostolike And for the better observation of these lawes he procured of the Archbishop of St. Davids to denounce sentence of excommunication against such of his Subjects as refused to obey the same whithin a while after Howel because he would omit nothing that could bring countenance and authority to his said laws went to Rome taking with him the Archbishop of St. Davids the Bishop of Bangor and Asaph and thirteen other of the learnedst and wisest men in VVales where the said lavves being recited before the Pope vvere by his authority confirmed then having finished his devoted pilgrimage he returned home again vvith his company 1. By these lawes they might not morgage their lands but to one of the same family or kindred which were de eadem Parentela 2. Every tenant holding of any other then his Prince or Lord of the Fee paid a fine pro defensione Regia which was called Arian Ardhel in Latine Advocarii 3. No Legacy of goods by Will was good otherwise then those which were given to the Church to the Lord of the Fee or for payment of debts 4. Every man might destrain as well for debts as for rent of Lands any goods or Cattel saving horses which were counted to serve for a mans necessary defence and were not destrainable without the Princes licence 5. Causes of Inheritance were not heard or determined but from the ninth of November till the ninth of February or from the ninth of May until the ninth of August the rest of the year was counted a time of vacation for sowing in the spring and reaping in the harvest This also is to be observed that all matters of inheritance of Land were determined and adjudged by the King or Prince in person or his special Deputy if he were sick or impotent and that upon the view of the said Land calling unto him the Freeholders of the same place two Elders of his Councel the Chief Justice attending alwaies in the Court the ordinary Judge of the Country where the Land lay and the Priest The manner of their proceeding was thus the King or Prince sat in his Judicial seat higher then the rest with an Elder on his right hand and an other on his left and the Freeholders on both sides next unto them which for this cause as I think were called Vchelwyr Before him directly a certain distance off and a little lower sat the Chief Justice having the Priest on his right hand and the ordinary Judg of that Countrey on the left The court being set the Plaintiff came in with his Advocate Champion and Rhyngyth and stood on the right side and last of all the Witnesses on both parties came which stood directly before the Chief Justice at the lower end of the Hall untill they were called up to testify the truth of their knowledge in the matter in varitance The figure of which I thought good here to lay down as ye see Vnderneath Uchelwyr An Elder The King An Elder Uchelwyr The Priest THE Chief Justice The Judge The Defendant  The Plaintiff Rhyngyth  Rhyngyth Advocate  Advocate Champion The VVitnesses Champion After the hearing of this book read the depositions of the witnesses and full pleading of the cause in open Court upon warning given by the Rhyngyth the chief Justice the Priest and the Ordinary Judge withdrew themselves for a while to consult of the matter and then secundum Allegata probata brought their verdict the Court sitting Whereupon the King or Prince after consultation had with the Elders or Seniors which sat by him gave definitive sentence except the matter was so obscure and intricate that right and truth appeared not in the which case it was tryed by the two Champions and so
was coming towards Shrewsbury upon the hills of Cefn Digolh not far from Caurus Castle where after a long fight Madoc was taken and his men discomfited and put to flight Then he was sent to the Tower of London there to remain in perpetuall prison Some there be who affirm that Madoc was not taken but rather after many adventures and sundry conflicts when the VVelshmen were brought into great extremity the said Madoc came in and submitted himself to the Kings peace and was received upon condition that he should pursue Morgan till he had taken him and brought him to the Kings prison which was done and so all things were quieted and many hostages of the chiefest Nobility of Wales were delivered to the King who sent them to divers Castles of England where they were safely kept almost to the end of the wars which followed in Scotland In the 29th year of K. Edw. 1. Edw. Prince of Wales came to Chester where he received the homage of the Free-holders of Wales as Henry Earl of Lancaster did homage and fealty for Monmoth Regynald Grey for Ruthyn Fulk Fitz Waren for his lands in Wales The Lord William Martin for his lands in Cemais Roger Mortimer for his lands in Wales Henry Lacy Earl of Lincolne for the land of Ros and Ryveneoc in Wales Robert Lord Montalt for his land in Wales Gruffith Lord of Poole for the Lordship of Powis Sr. Gruffith Lhoyd Knight Tuder ap Grono of Anglesey Madoc ap Tuder Archdeacon of Angelsey Eneon ap Howel of Caernarvon Tuder ap Gruffith Lhewelyn ap Edninet Gruffith Vachan the Son of Gruffith ap Jorwerth Madoc Vachan d'Englefield Lhewelyn Bishop of St. Asaph Mr. Richard de Pnelesdon this man as appeareth by the Records in the Tower was made Sheriff of Caernarvonshire during his life with the stipend of 40 l. staring yearly Anno. 12. Ed. 1. Gruffith ap Tuder Ithel Vachan Ithel ah Blethyn c. The Lord Richard Sutton Baron of Malpas did homage and fealty to Edward Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester for the said Barony of Malpas apud Ruthlan 27. die Aprilis Anno supradicto Aniamis or Eneon Bishop of Bangor and David Abbot of Maynan did homage and fealty to the said Edward Prince of Wales apud Conwey 28. April An. sup dict Lewis de Felton the son of Richard de Felton did homage and fealty to Prince Edward for the Lands which the said Richard held of the Prince in Maelor Saesneg John Earl Warren did homage and fealty to Edward Prince of Wales in the Chappel of the Lord John de Kerby sometime Bishop of Ely at London 25. die Julii Anno. 30. Ed. 1. for the Lordships of Bromfield and Yale The same John Earl Warren swore fealty unto the said Ed. P. of Wales for the lands in Hopedale The Lord Edmund Mortimer the 6th day of November an 30. Ed. 1. in the house of the Bishop of Ely at London did homage and fealty to Edward P. of Wales before his Councel for his lands in Cery and Cydewen About the year 1322. one Sr. Gruffith Lhoyd Knight gathered a great number of Welshmen and took divers Castles in Wales which were kept by the people of the Lord Mortimer the Elder he took also the Castles of Mould Chirk c. The keepers whereof coming to P. Edward at Shrewsbury who then was King of England submitted themselves to him and were shortly after sent to the Tower of London year 1822 This Edward of Carnarvon was known by the name of Edward the second King of England living in a turbulent time between him and his Barons was after deposed for his ill Government and came to a violent death in the Castle of Berkeley nevertheless in his life time he created his son P. of Wales Hol. p. 863. Edward of Windsor The same year being the 15. of K. Ed. the second Edward de Windesore the Kings Eldest Son was in a Parliament holden at York created Prince of Wales and Duke of Aquitane Edward of Woodstock surnamed the Black Prince Mr. Mills ut ante Edward born at Woodstock Son and Heir to King Edward was created Prince of Wales 12. of May anno 17. Ed. patris when he was fourteen years of age who in time grew to be the flower of Chivalry of all Europe he took John the French King prisoner at the battail of Poyteirs and dyed his Father yet living the eighth of July in the 46. year of his age and the 50. of his Fathers Reign a Prince of such excellent demeanour so valiant wise and politick in his actions that the very and perfect representation of Knighthood appeared most lively in his person for such was his towardness or rather perfection in Princely Government that if he had lived and attained the crown every man Judged that he would surely have exceeded all his predecessors Sr. John Dodridge fol. 6. Edward the third saith Judge Dodrige at a Parliament holden at Westminster 15. regni created Edward his eldest Son Ex. harta creationis in Parliamento a. 15. Ed. 3. surnamed the black Prince Prince of Wales being then of tender years and invested him in the said principality with these ensignes of honour as in the Charter is contained Per sertum in Capite anulum in digito aureum virgam argenteam juxta morem by a Chaplet of gold made in manner of a garland for so the word sertum importeth by a gold ring set on his finger and by a Verge rod and Scepter of silver howbeit in the investure of succeeding Princes this Rod or Scepter as appeareth by the Charters of their several Creations was changed into a Verge of gold The said King for the better maintainance of the said Prince his Son in honourable support according to such his State and dignity gave unto him by his Charter Dated 12. of May in the 17. year of his Reign of England and in the 4. year of his reign of France and inrolled in the Exchequer in the Term of St. Hillary in the 18. year of the said King Edward the Third the said principality and the mannors Lordships Castles and land ensuing to appertain to the said principality Viz. All his lands and Lordships in Northwales Westwales and Southwales 1. The Lordship Castle Town and County of Caernarvon 2. The Lordship Castle and Town of Convey 3. The Lordship Castle and Town of Crucketh 4. The Lordship Castle and Town of Beaumarish 5. The Lordship Castle and Town of Hardlagh 6. The Lordship Castle and Townes and Counties of Anglesey and Merioneth 7. The Lordship Castle and Town and County of Caermaden 8. The Lordship Castle and Town of Lampader vawr 9. The Lordship and Stewardship of Canter mawr 10. The Lordship Castle Town and County of Cardigan 11. The Lordship Castle and Town of Emelyn 12. The Lordship Castle and Town of Buelht 13. The Lordship Castle and Town of Hâ—verford 14. The Lordship Castle and Town of Montgomery
did take out of the several profits of those years and did cast them all into one summe which they again divided into three several parts equally esteeming one of the said three parts to be the just yearly value of the said Revenues Communibus annis that is one year with an other And in this account we find no other charges allowed then the Justics Fees only This survay and account made about 200 years past is here inserted to the end it might appear what the Revenues of this Principality alone was The said prince of VVales surnamed the Black prince Mr. Mills fol. 315. after many fortunate victories atchieved by him having subdued a great part of France and having taken John the French King prisoner at Poyteers in France and after that also having vanquished Henry at Naveroit in Spain and restored Peter King of Aragon dyed in June Sr. John Dodridge fol. 15. leaving behind him Richard his Son and Heir born at Burdeux and thereof sirnamed Richard of Burdeux Richard of Burdeux Richard son of Edward Prince of VVales was after the death of his father created prince of VVales at Havering at Bower the 20. day of November in the 50. year of King Edw. III. his Grandfather he was after the death of his said Grandfather K. of England by the name of K. Rich. II. This Richard saith Judge Dodridge sirnamed of Burdeux son and heir of Edward the black prince was created prince of VVales ut supra being about the age of XI years and upon Christmas day next following the said King Edward the third caused the said prince being his Nephew or Grandchild to sit at the table in high estate above all his Uncles being the Kings sons as representing the personage of the heir apparent to the Crown and gave to him the two parts of all the said principality Counties Lordships Castles and the most of the said Lands which belonged to the said black prince and the reversion of the third part thereof the possession of the third part there of then being to the mother of the said Rich. to her dowry with an 113 l. 6 s. 8 d. yearly rent payable by the Earle of March as a Fee Farm for the Lordship and Lands of Buelht and 85. marks for the fee farm of the Castle Lordship and Land of Montgomery with the vacations of Bishopricks excepting the Fees of the Baron Marchers of VVales who do alwaies hold of the Crown in Capite and excepting the avoydance of the Bishoprick of St. Davids in VVales which anciently also belonged to the Crown with the like limitation to the estate viz. To the said Richard and his heirs Kings of England It seemeth that these Lordships of Buelht and Montgomery being formerly granted to Edw. the black prince were before this time given away in Fee Farm After the death of the said K. Edw. III. which was in the 51 year of his reign the Kingdom of England descended to the said Richard being his grandchild and he was crowned King thereof by the name of Richard the second and in the 23 year of his reign he resigned his Kingdom or to speak more truly was deposed against his will and after by a violent death departed this life without issue Henry of Monmoth Henry of Bullingbrock a Town or Castle in Lincolneshire and heretofore belonging to the Lacies Earles of Lincolne and by the marriage with Alice daughter and heir of Henry Lacy Earle of Lincolne to Thomas Earle of Lancaster this with the residue of the lands of Lincolne became united and incorporated with those of Lancaster It hath been almost ever since this time one of the honours as we call them of the Crown of England but never made any honorary title unto any family untill King James conferred it on Sr. Oliver Saint John who possibly might affect to be thence denominated as fetching his descent from the Lady Margaret Beauchamp Grandmother to King Henry the seventh the heirs of the Lancastrian family by which descent likewise as well as otherwayes he is descended of the Welsh blood and beareth for his armes Argent on a chief gules two mullets Or but to our former matter this Henry of Bullingbrock by the name of Henry IV. who was formerly Duke of Lancaster and Hereford Earle of Derbie Leicester and Lincolne son and heir of John of Gaunt the fourth son to K. Edward the third by his Charter dated at Westminster 15. Octob. in the first year of his reign created Henry his eldest son prince of Wales and invested him in the said princely Ornaments viz. the chaplet gold ring verge or rod of gold To have and to hold unto him and his heirs Kings of England And by another Charter of the same date gave to him and his heirs Kings of England the said principality with the Lordships Sr. John Dodridge fol. 17. Castles and Lands before mentioned in the Charter made to the black prince together with four Comots in the county of Caernarvon viz. the comots of Ifaph Vghaph Nantconwey and Crewthin not named before and the reversion of the Lordship of Haverford with the prices of Wines there and of the Lordships of Newin and Pughby in Northwales which Thomas Percy then Earle of Worcester held for term of life of the demise of King Richard the Second together also with the reversion of the county and lordship of Anglesey in Northwales and the castle of Beaumarish and the comots lands tenements and hereditaments belonging thereunto which Henry Percy son of the Earle of Northumberland then held for terme of his life of the demise of the said K. Hen. IV. and by an act of Parliament made in the first year of K. H. IV. whereby the Dutchy of Lancaster is severed from the Crown of Engl. the stile of the said P. is declared to be this P. of Wales D. of Aquitane of Lancaster of Cornwal E. of Chester for the said K. H. IV. having been himself D. of Lancaster before his assumption to the Crown and knowing that the name of Duke being an inferiour dignity would extinguish and be surrounded in the crown as in the superior desired as by that Act of Parliament appeareth not only to separate the said Dutchy of Lancaster and the lands thereof from the Crown to the intent he might still hold the said Dutchy as his antient patrimony if he were put from the Crown it being but his new acquired dignity but also to preserve the said stile Mr. Lhoyd fol. 385. title and name of Duke of Lancaster in his posterity which as the said act affirmeth his ancestours had so worthily borne and sustained In the time of K. Rich. II. there was one Owen ap Gruffith Vachan descended of a younger son of Gruffith ap Madoc Lord of Bromfield This Owen was first a Student at the Lawes of the Realme and became an utter Barrister or an apprentise of the law as they term it and served King Richard in