and in the Temple of Caerwin was he buried Bladud built a Temple in Caerbadon there Sisill was buried Bladud fell downe vpon the aultar of Apollo when his flying failed him Prophane places Ebranke built a Castle in Edenbrough The Caue of Elstrid built by Locrin. The bellies of beastes were the toombers of Madian and Memprise Places out of this Iland mentioned are Neerer vs Germany thence Elstrid was brought by Humber thence Ebranke brought great spoyles Gallia whence Ebranke got many riches there Aganip the husband of Cordeil was Ruler Leyr and Ferrex in their neede fled thither Farder from vs Latium in Italy whether Ebranke sent his 30. daughters Athens in Greece where Bladud was taught and schooled For the trauailes of Brute before hee came to vs pertaine not to vs in respect of the places or otherwise Till hee was of our Commonwealth he was not with vs but against vs. THE GENEALOGY OR ISSVE OF CLOTO CLoto Duke of Cornwall descending from Corin Great Brutes nephew began the second family of the Brutan kinges and begat Mulmucie Mulmucie begat two sonnes of Conwen his wife the first was Belin the second was Brenne a verie personable man yet hee left no knowne seede behinde him Belin begat Gurguint Gurguint begat Guintelin Guintelin begat Sisill the second of Martia his wife Sisill begat Kymar the second Kymar begat Elane Elane begat Morind of his concubine Tanguestela Morind begat 5. sonnes the first Gorboman the second Archigall the third Elidure the fourth Vigeny the fift Peridure which died without any naturall issue onely Elidure begat Gorboman the second These are the 14. Generations of Cloto in the kingdome of Locry which 14. onely are well registred and acknowledged as true heires in the succession of the Brutan Crowne There are differences of Houses aswel for number as for time but opinion destroieth nature often or else some families would last euer the force of education is mightie THE ARTES AND ACTES OF Cloto and the Clotoans are in their Vertues and Vices Their vertue or Iustice appeareth in Diuiding Mulmucy of all the kings was first crowned with gold hee founded the Temple of Troynew Belin the first brother possessed the first part and Bren the second inherited the second after that Bren fled out of this Iland and left no children Belin tooke his kingdome for his owne Elidure being a younger brother to Archigall gaue ouer the kingdome vnto him accounting it rightly Archigals good for his life time Peridure after the death of his elder brother Vigeny tooke the kingdome into his handes because Vigeny died without issue and ioyned his owne kingdome and this in one Rewarding Mulmucy made of his Temples priuiledged sanctuaries that none should die or suffer any violence in them his lawes which he writ approue his righteousnesse Belin repaired the olde Citties which other kinges had built aforetime hee offered sacrifices and giftes freely to the Gods and most solemnly thanked them for the victorie he got against Brenne and his Norwaies He ordained three archflamins in three Citties hee confirmed his fathers lawes Martia was generally allowed for Ruler and king of the realme euen in the dayes of her husband and her sonne because her gift in iudgement was most singular and vnmacheable Gorboman repaired all the Temples in his whole kingdome throughout Elidure was chosen king three sundry times for his vpright dealing in all cases That constant vertue is happy that findeth her friendes constant like herselfe Punishing Belin would not restore Brens kingdome vnto him because hee had lost it by falshoode and in triall of warre Belin would not deliuer Guilthdake the Danish intruder out of prison and send him home to his kingdome in Denmarke vntill hee had taken a most sure order for a yearely tribute in consideration of his present deliuery to bee payd to Belin and his heires for euer Gurguint when the Dane denyed hys yearely tribute plagued the Dane incessantly by fire and sword till hee agreed to pay him the yearely tribute which was lawfully due to the king of Brutanie Archigall was depriued of the kingdome by his subiectes for his wicked life When Morind had ouerthrowne the Mores that inuaded his land hee burnt them before his face because they had burnt in some partes of this Countrey Heere wee may well consider the Iustice of Heauen which slewe many of Brens souldiers and wounded him to death when hee had spoyled a Temple Their Vice or Iniustice appeared in Diuiding Archigall sought by all meanes to aduaunce base men and rude vassals whom hee fauoured most and to pull downe the great and rich men whom hee liked not so much as them Like will to like tyranny respecteth onely herselfe Peredure and Vigeny enuying the grace and glory of their brother Elidure made warre against him and tooke him prisoner and kept him in hold while they liued without any other reason but the vnreasonable power of forcible entry Punishing Kymar the second being hated of some vngratious and desperate subiectes was slaine by them most wrongfully the more vnhappy man hee that coulde not foresee Morind was of so violent and boisterous a nature that whosoeuer offended him should surely dye for his fault though it were but a small trespasse because hee was displeased Euery offence is not deadly no man liueth without offences but a Prince without patience doth euer most mischiefe Their Vertue or fortitude is seene in Peace at home Mulmucy built Blackwell Hall and Malmesbury hee beganne to cut and lay out 4. High-waies vniuersall to this Land he restored chiualry Belin built those 4. waies and finished them he built a Citie and a Hauen with faire gates in Troynew and a Tower Guintelin built a Cittie Gorboman the first built two Citties Peace abroad Bren built some Citties in Italy and repayred some Warre at home Mulmucy vanquished 4. great Dukes which warred with him for the crowne of this kingdome Belin ouerthrew Brens armies twise he took Guilthdake prisoner and those ships that were sent against the Land Morind slewe an Irish Sea Monster he destroyed a Duke of the Mores and hys men that arriued in this Iland to destroy it Warre abroad Belin and Bren sayled together with both their forces into Gallia and subdued it Bren sought afterward newe kingdomes abroad he vanquished great partes of Italy and sacked Rome it selfe he got infinite spoyles in Macedonia Gurguint sayled into Denmarke and forced the king there in his owne Land to yeald vnto him Reuenging Bren gathered himselfe an Army in Norway to recouer his kingdom of Belin thereby So he prouided for himselfe afterward in Armoricke against Belin vppon the same cause and for the like purpose Their Vice or extreme Fortitude is in Ambition Bren arose with all his powers against Belin to take from him his right Dominion if hee could Vigeny and Peredure conspired against Elidure and tooke his kingdome from him by open force Rage Bren threatned Belin with wordes of great defiance
called Caerlud by his owne name but Stenny would haue it keepe the olde name in honour of the predecessors and Troians from whom he came It is iustice both to respect our auncestors and iustice to consider our own glory This were a pretty question for discourse which name ought to take place and stand in force if it were well handled Diuiding and deposing Cassiuelan the 2. sonne of Hely was the Protectour and Gouernour of the Realme in the minoritie and nonage of Luds two sonnes hys two nephewes Kingdomes are too heauy for childrens shoulders Cassiuelan ordained a common sacrifice to God that gaue him the victory against the Romanes and a publicke feast to his Nobles that helped him in the battels deuised many pastimes in honour of God and men Tenancy was made king by the treasonable absence of his elder brother Androgy Euery one of these kings hath his right succession except Cassiuelan which vsurpeth Punishing and correcting Cassiuelan summoned Eueline to appeare before him the Councell to answere for the death of Hirelda When he could not preuaile with Androgy by faire meanes he made warre vpon him to plague him for his stubbornesse Ought Androgy to bee at his call a disputable matter of great vse Nature preferreth the kings son to the Crowne before the kings brother but Pollicie preferred Cassiuelan before Androgy a good man before a bad Their Vice or Iniustice is in Diuiding Cassiuelan appointed vnto Androgy the eldest sonne of Lud the Citty of Caerlud and the land of Kent and to Tenancy the younger sonne the Land of Cornewall and kept the kingdome from them though they were his elder brothers true sons and vsurped it himselfe by force He is not fit to be a Protector that is ambitious it is a wofull thing to be a childe among our enimies or amongst the enuious sectaries Reuenging Androgy being vnable of himselfe to withstand Cassiuelan sent letters to I. Caesar in Gallia and certified him that if he would come into Brutany he should be welcome when hee had gotten Caesars Army to set vppon Cassiuelan in the valley of Dorobernia or Canterbury and the fight had endured till both partes were almost weary he came vpon Cassiuelan with a fresh reply and put him to flight and thus he displeased the whole realme to please himself yet his owne hurt was neuer the lesse for making the misery of his Country greater But when Cassiuelan thought to punish Androgy he punished himselfe as much as him he did euen put fire to Brimstone and flaxe to the flame It was traiterously done of him to warre against his legitimate king and of Androgy to make his natiue Country subiect to outlandish Powers Their Vertue or Prudence is in Order Cassiuelan brought vp Androgy and Tenancy Princes sonnes princely in all points Cassiuelan considering that the two victories which he had gotten of the Romans concerned himselfe and all his Noblemen most specially caused an assembly of them to be made that in a generall meeting there might bee a generall thankesgiuing to God almighty and to one another for their seruices and actes done in the Field Nothing teacheth men more courage then a beleefe of heauenly assistance with an honourable remembrance of their vertues this way of harting men is chiefest Desire of knowledge Lucy seeking al means to make his people true and louing among themselues and hearing that Christians were without hatred and falshood desired to heare their religion and receiue their doctrine and sent two Noble schollers Eluane and Meduine to Eleuthery Bishop of Roome with letters desiring to be taught Christianitie Reformacion Lucy changed the three Archflamins and the 28. Flamins into three Archbishops and 28. Bishops he destroyed the Temple of Apollo in the Ile Thorney and made a Temple in honour of the Almighty God which we now call Westminster Discipline Lucy seeing that men were executed for disobeying the law because heerein they disobeyed God and that the kings pardon was not so much to be esteemed as a pardon from God and perceiuing the heartie and vnfained repentance of some offenders and knowing that God forgaue such men thought it no reason that such Penitents should be put to death but reserued to a better vse wherefore he ordained that if any man did offend by mischance and repent him or any one were oppressed and could not otherwise escape oppression then by appealing to Gods word that such men should get them into the Temple of God and ther approue themselues to be true godly men and so be safe both body and goods Their vice or folly is in Permission the Brutans forgetting the true title that Luds two sonnes had to the kingdom of their father and feeling the liberall gifts of Cassiuelan an vsurper suffered him to keep the Rule Key of all the Land and taught one another to disinherit one another by causelesse and deceitfull popularitie and flattery Hatred the Brutans could not agree vpon a king no not in fifteene yeares space when Lucy was dead though euery countrey must needs see one nearer the Crowne then another if they could aduise thēselues marke euery family in good māer They could not foresee the miseries of forrain Dominion they were blinded with malice selfewill among themselues Improuidence Cymbelin was brought vp in Roome both in contempt of all his own countrey learning in slauery to outlandish with Coil the second was brought vp in Roome as if hee were borne to serue Roome and not to serue Brutany Of the two extreames it is safer to haue our men vplandish then outlandish plain then perilous Deceit the Brutans set great long sharp stakes closely in the bankes where the Romanes should arriue and so troubled them extreamely in theyr landing a poore and pittifull inuention to slay and Host Their vertue or temperance is in Behauiour Lud was bountifull in housekeeping and by that means beloued generally Cimbelin with the moderate vsage of himselfe so pleased the Emperour that he loued him greatly and receiued manie good words and gifts from him if this were not intemperance to please an enemy Aruirage got into such fauour with Claudius the Emperor that he married his daughter Genissa if this were not incontinence to be linked with outlandish that was mightier then himselfe He was beloued of his subiectes for his vsage toward them in all cases Marius was of honourable demeanour euery way He accepted the pitition of the vanquished Pictes he allotted to them the fardest part of Albany afterward he gaue himselfe to the wealth of the realme Lucy was loued of all his subiectes for his good life hys loynes were in the cloudes and hys seed among the starres he had rather be a father in Morals then in Naturals such was his abstinence It may be Galaxias the milky bright way in heauen was made in honour of such men as Lucy was no meaner then a Saint Marriage the Brutans would not in any case ioyne their daughters
so vnauisedly that with them he gathered the ilwill of the Brutans To haue is not the rule but to get well a mans glorie is not in mony but the glory of mony is in a man Their vertue or fortitude is in Victories Bassian and the Brutans slew Geta and the Romanes by night Maximinian ouerranne great partes of Gallia and Germania Octauy ouerthrew Traherne and the Romanes three legions neere Winchester and made them flie euen into Albany and pursued them into Westmerland Gracian being sent into the field from Maximinian ouercame Guany the Duke of the Huns and Melga the Duke of the Pictes and kept this Land from their furor by the helpe of the Brutans Coil Earle of Colchester which hee built rose against Asclepiodate and slew him and was made king Battels Bassian was able to endure all the pains of war a right Emperour for the campe The Brutans seeing the valiant wit of Carasse made him their king in spite of the Romans rather then they would yeeld to Roome they dyed in battell Death is better then slauery among enemies Constantine the first armed himselfe with the Brutans and fought against Maxentius did he not good among them to doe them the more mischiefe as the Philistines suspected Dauid who was a true saint of God Conan Meriadocke made war with Maximinian at diuers times because hee was a Roman O it is an hard bone to digest Rome which counteth all birdes dawes besides her owne chickens the man that hath another maister beside himselfe in his owne house is beside himselfe or else I beleeue he shalbe set beside his cushion at the last Magnanimitie Maximinian called Armorica Litle Brutany in honour of Brutans because they conquered it that a man winneth is his owne a man may call his owne possession by what name it pleaseth him new Lordes will haue newe names for their newe landes Octauy being appointed king in the absence of Constantine and hearing that Constantine was then made Emperor of Rome thought verily that he had enough to do in Roome though hee medled not with Brutany and tooke the Crowne to himselfe and chased the Romanes vp and downe in the land and played Rex with them at all handes to redeeme his Countrey from thraldome as hee counted it Home is for the homeborne Their vice or extreme fortitude is in Ambition Carasse a Brutan of lowe birth of a high heart but a venturous man a very hardydardy in deede as euer liued keeping the Hauens and playing the Sea captaine aspired to the kingdome and got it both by greater promises then hee coulde perperforme and by gathering more bankrupts ruffians to his side then he could keepe and contemning all noble and great men in the Land there was but one way with him and that was in his head onely all was one with him so that one might be all selfe-loue was selfewill and both were for himselfe Abiection of minde When Coil the third saw that Constantius was come from Roome with a great armie he feared and graunted him tribute and peace and euery thing els to be out of danger yet the most danger and damage in graunting these A babies wit in a kings estate The Brutans being afflicted by the Picts two times promised the Romanes a tribute to helpe them then they submitted themselues to Aldroene of little Brutany that he might succour them O Heauens where was olde Brutanie now where but in the Sea as a dead sea Whale THE TIMES OF THESE Romano-Brutans AFter there had been a king for 15. yeares space in which time Clemens Alexandrinus liued the Prophets were translated into Greeke Bassian began his Raigne in the yeare of the world 4179. and raigned 6. yeares in this time Papinian the great Ciuilian Chauncellor to Seuerus flourished Carasse began in the yeare 4185 and ruled 8. years in this time Origen began to shew himselfe Tertullian flourished Alectus beganne in the yeare 4193. and raigned sixe yeares about this time Zephirine chaunged the Communion cuppe into glasse for more decency which had been of wood commonly Asclepiodate began 4199. and ruled 30. yeares now Calistus appointed the 4. Ember weekes for the 4. quarters Vrban ordained that diuine vessels should be gold or siluer Coil the third began 4238. and raigned 27. yeares now Philip was the first christened Emperour Cyprian was martyred Decius the persecuter was swallowed of a quagmire Paul the first Hermite liued Constantius began 4265. and ruled 30. yeares in his time Eutychian bishop of Roome buried 300. martyrs with his owne hands Carus the Emperour was killed with lightning the Citty Spira in Germany was built Constantine the first began 4295. and raigned ten yeares nowe 20000. Christians were burnt in a Church on Christmas day at night Arnobius was famous Octauy beganne 4305. and ruled 54. yeares now Siluester refused to weare a golden Crowne which great Constantine offered him the great Nicene Councell was held Lactantius and Hilary were famous Moonkes beganne in Antonie the Hermite and Nuns in Marcella and Sophronia Constantinople was built Maximinian began in the yeare 4359. and raigned 8. yeares about this time Athanasius and Basilius flourished the Thalmud of the Iewes was compiled by Rabbi Iohanan Iulian the Apostata and Libanius raged Gracian began 4367. and ruled 4. yeares now Epiphanius wrote against heretickes Vphila found out the Gotes Letters or a b c about this time Gregory Nazianzene and Ambrose flourished So the Gouernement of these Brutanoromans continued for the space of 183. yeares but heere was no certaine Ruler in Brutany for 36. yeares after THE SIXT GENEALOGY OF Brutan Kinges THe Brutans chose Constantine the second the sonne of Aldroene king of litle Brutany for their king and he raigned ouer them and begat three sonnes the first was Constancie the second Aurely the third Vter but then Credulity slew him Constancie the eldest son succeeded his father but died without issue for Doltishnesse and Treason slewe him and Force lifted vp Vortiger to the kingdome but Self-will sharpned him so that the people hated him and by plaine might created his sonne Vortimer their king then Wichery puld him downe and Insinuation restored Vortiger yet Right and Vengeance at last destroyed him then Common Consent made Aurely the second son of Constantine the second a king but the diuels Art slew him and he dyed without issue so Vter the third son of Constantine succeeded him in the kingdome and begat vppon Igerne his wife or rather concubine Arthur the king who raigned and left no seede behind him then Constantine the third the sonne of Cador a Cornish Duke Arthurs coosin was made king but lasted not for Conan his kinsman slew him and became king begat Vortipory who liued and dyed without issue then Malgo the nephew of Conan raigned as king hee was of stature and personage the goodliest among all men of his time but left no Royall seede behinde him thus Carency got the kingdome by the goodwill of
if he had not his kingdome of him againe He spoyled the Temple of Macedonia in despite of all gouernment Pusillanimitie Elidure was content to bee taken and prisoned rather then giue any cause of bloudshed among his people by meanes of warre Their Vertue or Prudence is set forth in Writinges Mulmucy made many positiue lawes in his natiue language and caused them to be published that all men might read them for their direction and better aduisement Marcia a queene made many statutes to teach the subiects aright and easie way of morall life Right in respect of the crooked way and easie in respect of the loose and carelesse way which breedeth sorrowes Doinges Mulmucie fauoured all learned men of all kindes being minded to vse euery one in his mistery Belin fortified the late kingdome of his brother and now his owne kingdome with his owne souldiers and put out all Brens men for his sake and his owne safetie hee allowed his fathers lawes for his time lesse any man should obiectiuely quarrell with him Archigall seeing by dayly experience the dayly miseries of a wicked and inconsiderate life learned a new lesson and led his life orderly euer after Bren knowing his owne bodily beautie applied himselfe to that vaine and got goodwill by marrying great women in forraine Landes when he could not stay at home Belin was more carefull of his owne land then for outlandish goodes and returned from Gallia to Brutanie where his greatest charge was Their vice or folly is in Conceite or opinion Mulmucy dedicated a Temple to Apollo as if the dead man were wise and mightie Ignoraunce Elane ruled fondly and vnrulily Presumption Morind fought with a Sea monster and made no man of his counsell herein Improuidence Kymar was slaine by his enemies in time of hunting where they tooke him alone at a dead vantage The best Remedie against Follies Wichery is a tryall of all causes which belong to any effect Hee that can follow this Rule infallibly cannot be foyled in his Actions Their Vertue or Tēperance is known by Liberalitie Mulmucy accounting the Cittie and the Countrey two pillars of his kingdome priuiledged the waies which went to Citties and which were for plowes that the Cittizens and husbandmen of the land might be loued the more and better vsed for their immunities among themselues and with souldiers Bren gaue much treasure to his Noble Lordes in little Brutanie to winne their goodwill and wage battell with their helpe against Belin. A man alone is but halfe himselfe Marriage Bren married the Duke Elfinges daughter in Norway he married the dukes onely daughter of little Brutany and thereby was mightie in both places for fauour and power but I cannot tell certainly what became of his first wife he was an od man of wit and practise Concord Conwen the mother of Belin and Bren ioyned her two sonnes in one yea euen them two which was somewhat strange but what may not wordes do if they be well tempered and seasoned with true modestie when they were readie with their armies to ioyne in battell insomuch that straitwaies they ruled their former rages and went brotherly together against the common enemy Gurguint liued peaceably so did Guintelin so did Sisill the second so did Kymar the second so did Gorboman the second A sober heart maketh peace a drunken head strife Mercie Gurguint meeting with a Nauy of 30. strange shippes in the Scottish Seas and seeing plainly their extreame neede and hearing withall their pittifull Supplication gaue them his goodwill to dwell in Ireland and assured them of his good fauour so long as they liued well and neighbourly Elidure for his notable mildnesse and mercifull nature was named Meeke he heartily lamented his brother Archigals poore and wretched estate therefore he fayned himselfe sicke that by these meanes all his Noblemen and Lordes might come and visite him and at their being with him hee sued to them as it had been for his life That he might resigne his kingdom vnto Archigall Their Vice or Intemperance is known by Anger Morind was outragious alwaies and intollerable in his heate Maleuolence Archigall gaue himselfe to breede quarrels chiefly against his Noblemen and Rich-men Incontinency Bren being wounded to death in a tempest sent from the cloudes slew himselfe in a desperate rage Who can saue him whom God hateth It was wonderous that the Heauens should fight for Apollo I may thinke the Sprite of the Ayre was suffered to play this part to vpholde Apollonisme THE CHRONOLOGY OF Clotos offspring AFter the yeare of the worldes Creation 3480. there was ciuill Warre continually in this Iland for the space of 50. yeares in which time vainglorious Xerxes was weakened of the Greekes both by Sea and Land then the 12. Tables of Lawes were brought to Roome then Euripides was born then Esdras began to restore the Temple at Ierusalem Mulmucy began in the yeare 3530. and raigned 40. yeares in which time Bellum Peloponnesiacum began and ended then Socrates died violently by poyson malice Belin began in the yeare 3570. raigned 26. yeares in the first fiue yeares he and his brother Bren liued quietly together in this time Roome was taken of the Gauls now Aristotle was borne may the world be glad thereof Gurguint began in the yeare 3596. and raigned 19. yeares in this time Xenophons greeke History is ended now Alexander the great is borne to begin a peece of a new world Guintelin beganne 3615. and ruled 26. yeares in which time Plato dyed the more the pitie then Isocrates and Demosthenes plaied their partes with Philip then the Greeke Monarchy began to go on foote hereabout Buchanan begins his Scottish kinges 330. yeares before Christes Natiuitie Sisill began 3641. and ruled 7. yeares in this time Alexanders kingdoms were deuided betweene his worthies Kymar the second began 3648. and ruled 3. yeares in this time Cassander restoreth the Cittie Thebes the 20. yeare after Alexander destroyed it Elane began 3651. and raigned 9. yeares in this time Seleucus beganne his raigne in Syria and Demetrius deliuered Athens from the Macedonian yoke Morind began 3660. and raigned 8. yeares in this time Flauius a Secretary published the Ciuill Lawe which the high Priest onely knew aforetime Gorboman began 3668. and raigned 11. yeares in which time Decius the sonne deuoted himself to death for his Country Rome in the wars of the Samnites Archigall began 3679. and ruled 5. yeares in this time the Consul T. Coruncanus began first to professe the Ciuill Law now Pirrhus the Epyrote made warre with the Romans Elidure began 3684. and ruled 5. yeares in this time Ptolomeus Philadelphus entertained many learned and wise men Archigal began again 3689. and ruled 10. yeares Elidure began againe 3699. and ruled 2. yeares Vigeny and Peredure began 3701. and ruled 9. years in this time the 70. translated the Bible into greeke in this time the first Punick war beganne now Phalereus the Rhetorician now Theocritus the Poet now Euclides
the Geometrician now Aratus the Astrologian liued Elidure began again 3710. and raigned 4. yeares Gorboman the second began in the yeare of the world 3714. and raigned 10. yeares in this time the people created T. Coruncanus the high Bishop in Roome Thus the Time of Clotoes offspring seemeeh to end in the yeare of the word 3724. and to haue endured 194. yeares in the Rule of Brutany a verie little time of continuance for so many kings but all plantes haue not roote alike some are rooted broadway as Elmes and fall quickly some are rooted downward as Okes and stand in the mids of the windes euen till the violent axe or verie age ouerturne them THE TOPOGRAPHY MENTIOned in Clotoes Offspring The places named are in the Iland general Cambry where Rudank ruled in the conflict of Mulmcy Locry where Pinnor ruled in that conflict Belin and his successors ruled there Vigeny ruled ther. Albany where Statery was Ruler in that time of conflict Bren and Peredure raigned there Northumberland there Yeuan ruled in the time of the conflict here Belin prepared an Army against Brens comming speciall More burials Mulmucy buried in Troynew Tēple so was Gurguint Belin at Belinsgate Guintelin in the Temple Archigall at Grantam Elidure at Caerleyl Lesse cities and the foure high-wais c Warwicke built by Guintelin Cambridge Grantam built by Gorboman Caerusk built by Belin here he ordained an archflamin Troynew where Belin consulted with his Lords and with Bren. Other places not so generall are these the Tower of Troynew built by Belin there Elidure was imprisoned Belinsgate built by Belin Blackwell Hall an Malmesbury and Pauls founded by Mulmucy Bristo by Bren Calater a wood neere Caerbranke where Bren was discomfited in his first and second wars against Belin there Elidure met Archigal Caerbranke the place where Belin counselled with his Lordes about Guilthdake there hee ordained an archflamin there Elidure restored Archigall by the assent of his Lordes The places named out of the Iland general Ireland there Gurguint placed the 30. sayle of shippes that he met on the Sea Orcades there he met those ships wādring Norway Bren fled thither from Belin and there he gathered his second army against him Armorica or litle Brutany where Bren prepared his third Army Denmark from that countrey Guilthdake came in armes against this Iland Gurguint sayled thither to fight for his owne goodes Gallia there Bren ruled repaired some Cities Italy here Bren became most victorious Macedony here Bren spoiled himself all Mauritany Morind ouercame an Army of Mores which came against this Iland speciall Roome here Bren made hauocke of all Capitoll Bren besieged it and for one thousand poundes of gold brake vp and departed Millan Pauy Bergomum Comum Brixia Verona Tridentum Vincentia and other Cities built or repaired by Bren the rauenous and magnificent Prince Thus one Generation of men passeth and another commeth but the vertues of men are euerlasting yea their bodies by traduction are immortall So a vertuous man shall be a mortall God if his minde or body haue their issues THE THIRD GENERATION or rather succession of Brutan Kings THe death of Gorboman the second begat a politicke body in this Iland without an head This Acephalia begat Vnrulinesse in the lower partes Vnrulinesse begat Strife among the Nobles and Commons Strife begat Trouble on both partes Trouble begat Wearinesse and Weaknesse Weaknesse begat Desire of rest Desire of rest begat Election and Election begat Morgan and made him Ruler Morgan begat Goodwill in his subiectes Goodwill for his sake begat Emerian his brother who died as the other did without issue his death let Ambition a traytor out of prison Ambition begat Sedition Sedition begat Confusion Confusion begat Vnquietnesse Vnquietnesse begat Desire of order Desire of order begat Deliberation and Deliberation begat Iual and made him king The death of Iuall begat Emulation Emulation begat Wit and Inuention Inuention begat Friendship Frendship begat Rimo and made him Ruler When he was dead his companion Geruncie was made king in respect of that familiaritie which he had with Rimo Then Cathel so handled hys matters in pleasing the chiefe men by hys liberall behauiour that hee raigned next and dyed Then Coil ouercame mens hearts with hys vertuous actiuitie and was annointed king and dyed then Porrex the second wrought many good works and was next king to him and dyed Then Cheryn fed all the mad fellowes humours in the realme that he could heare of and by voices got the kingdome Cheryn begat a sonne and called hym Fulgen who dyed without issue then Eldrid by faire and large promises got the Crowne and dyed then Androgy outwent hym in all kinds of allurement and succeeded him and begat Vrian that dyed without issue Then Eliud by his misticall artes did extraordinary and admirable acts and thereby was made king After him Merian by inuenting newe practises for warres and occupations was so honoured generally that he was Ruler Then Bladune arose from priuate desertes to publicke fauours and at length hee was king the same kinde of nature begat Capene and next hym Ouine and euen such a pacificatory mind preferred Sily After hym Bledgabrede by hys pleasant demeanour and merrimentes pleased all the Nobles and became theyr Ruler Then Redargy arose next him in such a sort and so did Samuly But Penisell being vnmachable in strength succeeded hym then Pirrhy for his strange swiftnesse and incomparable dexteritie in all feates of manhood was ruler of his brethren In those dayes publicke actions made kings These are the 24. rulers which succeeded Gorboman the second make a line of succession rather then of genealogy Yet wee may call this a politicke generation rightly in the whole body of the realme though it be not a naturall generation in theyr owne proper bodyes from Morgan to Pirrhy All men haue not the gift of children of all these Rulers here are but two sons and their two fathers the other seeme to haue left no seede behinde them Sometime the imperfection is in the wife sometime in the husband there are watry loynes and rotten thighes in both sexes Some men are barren naturally some are barren artificially some are barren by olde age some make themselues barren with preternaturall dyet some are made of other men by chirurgicall incisions Or if they had children and were not barren the more vnhappy they that coulde not continue as they began Some families are taken away by sicknesse some by wars some by mischances in theyr dyet and exercise some are put from theyr owne and are euer in thraldome and are neuer againe heard of in the worlde God almighty knoweth all thinges from the first to the last but if a man shoulde sucke the stars or be sucked himselfe as they say of the king of Fayries he should not finde a perfite History of this time of these Kinges Yet such as it is I beleeue a reader may go farther and speed
worse the most morals the best Historie but a man may insert phisicall obseruations vpon occasion to good vse and purpose so long as History is an example of life in both wayes of Action THEIR ARTES AND ACTES are set downe in their Vertues and Vices Their Vertue or Iustice was approued in Diuiding Emerean succeeded Morgan because hee was his brother for brethren are twigs of the same branch fingers of one hand partes of the same body If one twig fall off the sap of the tree must feed the other twig which standeth on If some of the fingers be cut off the vaines must serue the fingers that remaine if one arme be rotted of the other arme must be in stead of both armes Fulgan succeeded his father Cherin and Vrian his father Androgy For the sonnes body is the fathers body deriued and continued it is the old body made young againe the sons and fathers body are as the same body of one tree in right length the seedes of trees bring forth all theyr owne kindes in which respect Morind is a true king by Natures law Rewarding Iual among the Noblemen was chosen the king for his moderate vertues and equall iudgementes that appeared euer in all his wordes and works A rare instance of worthinesse worthily considered and may of it selfe deserue a Treatise to proue the Ciuilitie of olde Brutanie which many disgrace for malice and more for ignorance and most for company Their vertue or prudence was shewed In the art of Musicke Bledgabrede both studied and practised musicke hee was very famous and I thinke in respect of his charge and gouernment very wonderfull A monasticall liuer and much more an oeconomicall hath no partes of time for such young childish studies if he looke wel about him and how can a king that is the keeper of all other men haue any time for such vaine insignificant voices Yet the circular wisdome of this king had such a capacitie by some myraculous infusion from heauen that hee was fit both for the grauest and the lightest studies either to learne them by contemplation or to vse and teach them by action He saw by his instrumentes how to tune and string his kingdome he could preuent and pacifie tumultes with his musick he might perhaps allay the waues of the Sea and breake the thunders aloft with his diuine melodie he coulde keepe himselfe from wearinesse by his musicke he could mitigate the violence of diseases with his sweete voices musicke was his prosody his pronunciation his disposition his instrument of instrument and the life of his life Their vertue or Temperance appeared in Behauiour Coil liued all his time quietly without any war and tumult A contented mind is not contentious Porrex the 2. behaued himselfe either fatherly toward his youngers or brotherly toward his equals or gently toward all men By this meane he was more happie with the helpe of the Graces then the first Porrex whome the Furies destroied The Graces are moderate Vertues the Furies are immoderate Vices Their vice or Intemperance was in Diet Cheryn was a drunkard a cupleache a bellygod a water rat he had been well vsed if hee had been punished with abasement and turned out of his throne into a wineseller and of a winebibber made a winedrawer Manners Vrian was nothing but a carnall man his wit was carnall his bodie was carnall his life was sensuall he was without anie diuine or humane excellencie What should such a man haue an excellent place in the commonwealth why may the Heauenly Power abide so vnholy a beast to represent his inuisible king in so holy a Seat as the imperiall Seate of a Prince a singular place a singular incumbent The other kinges that are not once noted with any vertuous or vicious actes might as good haue not been borne they are certainly miserable men that leaue no memorable act behinde them but are onely named as a man may giue a name for distinctions sake to a tree or a hill or a house or a field or a stone or anie dead thing without any father account or regard of them The greatest Name maketh and sheweth the greatest man the least name the least man the greatest name springeth from the greatest actions it is not the number of Actes which beget a great Name All goodes that a man hath within and without him all are giuen and lent him to doe good the Pillars of the life are Health Wisedome and Riches yet some men are famous for their sicknesse folly and beggery A memorable man euen with these three plagues is happier then an obscure man with those three blessings al the goods we haue serue for the life and yet the life consisteth not in the possessions which wee haue Riches serue for Health and Health serueth for Wisedome and the actions which belong vnto her Wisdome serueth for life and to keepe vs from the pathes of destruction death Life serueth to get a Name by doing good I would reioyce more in this to haue my name written in heauen where it may euer be in sight and remembrance then be all these 24. kinges fortunati infoelices whose renowne is layd in Hell and deuoured of the Graue A liuing Cynick more happy then a dying Caesar A liuing dogge better then a dead Lyon Yet let go vainglory and bannish selfewill A name without true vertue deserueth no memorie Many are recorded that are not worthy of a register now there is no remedie or else it might haue probably been wished that no obiect or vile examples of base men had been written For my part I cannot thinke that so many kinges could liue and die without some glorious actions howsoeuer mishap or enuie or the Deuill hath blotted them out from our eye-sight The Times of these Kinges MOrgan began to raign in the yeare of the world 3724. and ruled 14. yeares now the Panareton of Syracides was written and then the Panareton of Brutanie fell into a dead sleepe wherein it lay still aboue 100. yeares Emerian began in the yeare 3738. and raigned seuen yeares now was Ennius the Poet borne now Archimides the Mathematician liued with admiration Iual beganne 3745. and raigned 20. yeares now Naeuius and Plautus flourished now Hanniball began the second Punick warre Rimo began 3765. and ruled 16. yeares in this time Hanniball fled to Antiochus for succour Geruncy began 3781. and raigned 20. yeares in this time Antiochus raged in Iewry Cathel began 3801. and ruled 10. yeares nowe the Macabees bestirred them like Bees now Terence the Poet flourished Coil began 3811. and raigned 20. yeares in this time the third Punick Warres began Porrex the 2. began 3831. and ruled 4. yeares now the Citty of Numantia in Spaine was rased Cherin raigned one yeare Fulgen two yeares Eldred ruled one yeare Androgy one yeare Vrian raigned 3. yeares Eliud 5. yeares Merian ruled two yeares Bladune two yeares Capen ruled 3. yeares Ouine two yeares Sily raigned 2. yeares eleuen kinges in
24. yeares About this time the Saduces and Pharisees beganne their sects in Iewry now the warre of Iurguth began and ended nowe Tully was borne in the yeare of the world 3859 an hundred and three yeares before Christ Bledgabrede began 3860. and raigned 20. yeares in this time was Pompei borne into the world Redargy began 3880. and ruled 3. yeares in this time was I. Caesar borne into the world Samuly ruled two yeares Penisell three yeares Pirry raigned 2. yeares foure kinges in 10. yeares and ended in the yeare of the worlde 3890 in which time Antony and Crassus the Oratours of Roome and in Q.M. Scaeuola the Lawyer liued So these 24. kinges continued 166. yeares in the Gouernment of Brutanie Heere is no Topography heere is no place named they were now I may well say kinges Abstracts that they did it no where either incomprehēsibly like Gods or metaphisically like strange men The musicke of Bledgabred and the actions of the rest were belike in no place of any great account Yet because they were kinges and enioyed their kingdomes theyr doomes must needes be giuen somewhere and their cunning must needes be shewed in some place and that was euen the generall Land of Brutany without any particular nomination of lesse places Right Soueraignes and perfit kings whose Actes were vniuersall common to the whole realme not appropriate or fancied to any one Region therein If the head moue and guide the body it doth more then if it moue or guide one part thereof A generall praise is greatest and this was these kinges speciall glory aboue others to rule all places to rule the Land The best vse of one commendation or other is to encounter some one dispraise or other that hath been or may be but they that do all thinges well haue no neede themselues of particular History If Sily ruled 2. yeares suppose in reason hee was no silly one If the other kinges were kinges that was all in all A king cannot possibly be without his excellencies and memorials Now I diuine modestly heere were actors without recorders of their actions patrons of learning but no learned men or they were of both sortes but their studies came to no effect by some force or they were very old when they came to the Crown and could do nothing or the furies and helhoundes raged so extreamely that the Muses and Graces coulde not bee quiet for them or their actes were wrought in needle-worke onely and so worne out or the senses and senslesse desires so ruled them that theyr liues were not so short as their actes or the Histories were written in some strange kind of polygraphy and steganography and coulde neuer yet be read but remaine in some obscure place or they made little account of writers and these set as light by them or they that take most pains at their booke were not most regarded and thereupon studied to themselues or some infortunate and maleuolent configuration of mouable skies and starres and spirites remoued all Histories out of the way or the Kinges and People agreed among themselues to bee remembred by being not remembred wishing to haue their time called The vnknowe Regiment adiudging secrecie greatest wisedome or our Countrimen listened so much after other Noble Actors in the earth that they had no leisure to doe any thing themselues or they disdained to haue them theyr iudges after their death whom they would scorne to haue their iudges in their life or some outlandish enuy destroyed the rowles and registers of our Histories to make vs seem barbarous or the Vniuersitie men of Stamford had by some Priuiledge got them wiues and so forth and had no leisure to do any thing but liue or before the kings were crowned they were worthy men and after theyr coronations they fell to make books of nothing or they could tell how to get a Soueraigntie but they knewe not how to keepe it or they writ their Chronicle hieroglyphically and set the pictures of other creatures in the places of their kinges and by the ignorance of some carelesse men were esteemed as gaies and not otherwise regarded or it was not thus or so perhaps neither this nor that but some other way I cannot tell howe nor I care not greatly for feare I may bee thought neither idle nor well occupied Now good Reader albeit I ioyne a morall genealogy with a naturall and seeme to breake the stile of history yet because affections rule otherwhile asmuch as kinges I may truely say my deuise is allowable in itselfe Where issue wanteth in the Prince there the issue of the people is considered seeing some Princes are begotten of the people as some are of their parents these are heires by the law of particular nature and they by the reason of vniuersall nature and of grace As for the other partes of this third Offspring I hope they are seemely and fit enough for this place It is lawfull to make the best vse and most gaine that wee can honestly of anie thing that we read or write probable additions and reasonable collections are neuer amisse it is better of the two extreames to make more then wee neede of our Countreimen rather than make lesse of them then wee should superfluitie is not best nor scarcitie that history is most worth which doth a man most good THE FOVRTH GENEALOGY or issue of Capor LAbour the sonne of Parsimony the daughter of Queene Temperance made Capor a man of infinite wealth then Order the sonne of Reason the daughter of the Empresse Truth made him a man of greatest fauour in this Land by these two meanes ioyned with his royall bloud he became Ruler of Brutany and begat Dinel Dinel begat Hely Hely begat three sonnes the first Lud the second Cassiuelan the third Stenny Lud begat 2. sonnes the first Androgy the second Tenancy Then came Death and tooke away Lud and hys brother Stenny while his two sonnes were children and Age made Cassiuelan Ruler then came Discontent and begat Rage in the minde of Androgy that hee went away then arose Parentage and created Tenancy for the king Tenancy begat Cimbelin Cimbelin begat 2. sonnes the first Guinder the second Aruirage then came Deceite and slew Guinder then Deuise set forth Aruirage and made him right king Aruirage begat Marius of his wife Senissa the daughter of Claudius the Emperour Marius begat Coil the 2. Coil begat Lucy which dyed without issue These are the 11. heires males and successors of Capor in his kingdom for the Generation of Cassiuelan of Stenny of Androgy and of Guinder are vnknown the more is the pity seeing they were very singular men in their kinds Albranches of a tree prosper not euer some are withered rotten The Arts and Actes of Capor and the Caporites are seene by their Vertues and Vices Their Vertue or Iustice is in Defending and regarding Lud and Stenny were at great variance betweene themselues because Lud would haue the City of Troy new
at home more vniuersal Albany the Prouince of the Archbishop of Caerbrank or Yorke Cambry the Prouince of the Archbishop of Caerusk Locry the Prouince of the Archbishop of Caerlud or London lesse vniuersal Kent Cornewal VVestmaria named of Marius the Ile of Ely more particular Ludgate the Temple of Apollo the bankes where the Romanes landed in Cassiuelans time the Northgate of Caerlud where Stenny was buried Hamons hauen Douer Castell the hauens of Sandwich and Totnes lesse particular Caerlud there Tenancy and Cymbelin where buried Dorobernia or Cantorbury the valley there Caerbrank there Cassiuelan and Coil were buried Claudiocaer or Glocester there was Aruirage buried Excester the Towne vnder the Wood. Caerliel there was Marius buried abroad Gallia Roome The reasonable metaphors of this fourth genealogy may well be allowed because they stand vpon reasonable causes The morals which follow them might be more sententious and effectuall by much then they are if I might speake no more then good reasons fitly vsed but all wordes are not fit personally which are most fit really and so I let them go for this time perhaps looking for a better conuenience of time and place to vtter them The Synchronisme which followeth is right if the chronology be right which neuerthelesse agreeth with one writer though it differeth from another that is worth the labour which is materiall the quantities of times teach vs no qualities of good life Mathematicks haue not the rules of moralities the heart of histories is the actions of men the life of the actions is the vertue of the actors If the phrase be not exquisit or the obseruation not singular or the method not exact and perfit it is but one part of an Essaye among the rest it is but a tryall of that may be done it is but the token of a good minde to this businesse Yet take me euen as I am and I know that my Essaye is not behinde any other writer in this theame whome I haue seene for those vses which are required in a History euen take me as ye finde me not as any momes feigne vpon me The Genealogy of the Romano-Brutans BRutany by meanes of much trouble bred doubtfulnesse in it selfe and hereof grew Resistance till Resolution held with Kindred and tooke the sonne of a Brutan before the child of a Romane thus Basianus Caracalla was for his good mothers sake made king but his elder brother Geta was refused Busines sent Caracalla to his Romane Empire Fauour made Carasse the Viceroy for a time and Flattery with Perswasion and Vsurpation made him Ruler War ouerthrew him Victory created Alectus a Roman the king of Brutany Displeasure puld him downe and Comparison set vp Asclepiodate Duke of Cornewall yet Coil the Earle of Colechester brought the peoples goodwill into such a wheele and so turned it to himselfeward that he slew Asclepiodate and was the third of that name king next him then Feare amazed Coil till Marriage ioined Constantius a Roman Duke with his daughter Helen the fayrest mayd aliue then Contentment setled them both in the kingdome and Loue brought them foorth into the world Constantine the first whom Excellency lifted vp to the Roman Empire but Agreement appointed Octauy Duke of Cambry the ruler of this Iland then Enuy flew from Roome and brought Traherne on his winges against Octauy and made him fly abroad for a time but Strength and Hope carried him home againe and Prouidence counselled him to marry his daughter with Maximinian one of Helens kindred and him Conueyance made king against Conans minde then Superioritie remoued Maximinian to Roome and Gracian by grace and desert supplyed hys roume in Brutany but Crueltie so alienated the people from him that Force destroyed him as an vngratious Ruler then ill Neighbourhood in Albany made the Brutans to seeke vppon Roome and Submission obteined help of the Romans two times but varietie of Wars made Roome leaue Brutany at this time and good Neighbourhood in little Brutanie caused their king Aldroene to assist the great Brutans but yet dangers held them without a Ruler many yeares When Romanes raigne as much as Brutans I must not make long account of them both and in this respect I call them Romanobrutans or Brutanoromans which you will their Genealogy is so mingled and put together that a Grammarian Doctor might make a great question of the name and shew much conceit I had rather point at such slight and needlesse questions then intreate of them more or lesse and partly vppon such a cause I containe Topography at this time in the morall Tables of Vertues and Vices and would chuse to ioyne the places with the actions hereafter rather then diuide them and set them seuerally as I did before with more reason then I can now One day telleth an other and one night certifieth another new and old names are diuersly considered Their Arts and Acts are in their Vertues and Vices Their Vertue or Iustice is in Diuiding the Brutans knowing that Bassian the second sonne of Seuerus the Emperour was borne of a Brutan woman and that the first sonne Geta was borne of a Romane iudged that a Brutan had more to do in Brutanie then a Roman and therefore ioyned with Bassian against Geta and made him king but Geta was slaine Consanguinitie is more valuable then Primogeniture the part then the adiunct life then time Correcting the Brutans feeling how Alectus brought in many exactions cruelly vpon them forsooke hym and chose Asclepiodate a Brutan for their king and pursued the Romans from place to place til they had slaine their captaine Alectus by Caerlud for his crueltie Asclepiodate threw Liuius Gallus a Roman captain into the Brooke which ranne from More-field into the Tems and drowned him for his rebellion in remembrance of this iustice hee called the riuer Gal-brooke or Walbrooke to this day that other outlandish might euer learne to be quiet with our Princes in their owne Countries and Kingdomes Obeying the Brutans seeing how Gracian held hys Rule onely by force of armes against all right and reason arose against him and slew the Romane by force and rid himselfe from his enforcementes Conan Meriadock being commanded from Octauy his Prince to be quiet and not once seeme to hinder the comming of Maximinian into this Land whome he sent for obeyed his Princes rather then his owne will layd away his armour suffered him to enter and do euen as Octauy would What should a subiect striue against his Soueraigne a stranger may come into the land if he be sent for Rewarding When Maximinian had ouercome the Gauls in Armorica the Brutans and Romans his souldiers proclaimed him Emperour in the field for hys glorious Act. See what it is to please good subiects A Princes chief treasure Seuerus buried at Caerbrank so was Constantius Alectus in Caerlud Coel at Colchester Carasse in the field Octauy in Caerusk Asclepiodate where Coil slew him Their vice or Iniustice is in
Persecuting Maximinian liuing quietly and honourably both because he was a chosen Prince married a Brutan kings daughter was not content with the Brutans due reuerence toward him but he sought meanes to destroy them yea the most honest and innocent men among them euen the good Christians which were like harmelesse lambes in the Land whom he persecuted vnrighteously vpon the opinion of his owne heathenish religion more then any right iudgement A true christian neuer deserueth death he is so moderate and reasonable in al points so that he is most vniust that will trouble such a man Hee that aforetime was iniurious to a Philosopher was accounted a tyrant but he that tormenteth a true Christian which is a true Philosopher and a perfite wise man is worthy to be iudged a deuill incarnate a bloudsuccour a monstrous man Such a man was Maximinian and may well be chronicled the king with the hellish heart and bloudy hand Their vertue or temperance is in Marriage Helen the daughter of Coil the third married Constantius a Roman by the agreemēt of the Brutans not on her owne head lesse she should seeme incontinent she was but a part of hir countrey not aboue it or out of it Octauy married his daughter to Maximinian a Roman by the consent of his Lordes lesse he should seeme to make more of his owne will then the benefite of all other men a publicke matter must be allowed publikly of them whom it concerneth most Dionote Duke of Cornwall sent his daughter Vrsula and 11000. Virgins with her to Conan a Brutan the king of Armorica that he should not ioyne himselfe and his knightes and men with strange bloud but with very right Brutans Conan desired this and Dionote perfourmed it both constant and prouident to auoide confusion of nations which causeth all Tragedies and Rages in the end Wordes and liberalitie Constantius was a man of speciall affabilitie familiaritie with all his men which propertie if he had not at Roome he learned in Brutanie where the people are generally of freest heartes fardest from bondage and must bee well vsed in speach of all thinges he was of a singular liberalitie he cared more for his subiects goodes then his owne his saying was That wealth doth more good in many handes then in few or none or in the Princes Treasure house a saying farre enough from tyranny Octauy so behaued himselfe toward the Brutans of all sortes in the time of his Royal Lieuetenantship that all men for the moste part fauoured and furthered him greatly euen to the attainement of the kingdome it selfe the chiefest wonders and noblest acts and famous thinges haue euer commonly begunne and ended with the power of wordes the ordering of wordes maketh a man aboue beastes and that man a king of men that can order them best of all other Maximinian gaue the country of Armorica to Conan a Brutan to hold it from him and his heires for euer and to content him for missing the kingdome of great Brutany by this meanes they were good friendes at the last and forgat old enmities Toleration Constantine the sonne of Helen suffered the Brutans to vse their religion he was no tyrant in forcing them against their consciences as other had been although he were a Pagan because he desired chiefly to keep them in peace See what a good mother doth otherwhile in time of neede I beleeue Helen played the Princely Oratour for Christians and defended them before her sonne for good men and good subiects and was their best friend in Brutany next the inuisible and immortall defence that came from heauen and bred a desire of peace in Constantines minde by besetting him with businesse on euery side Their vice or intemperance is in Flattery Carasse being vnable to ouerthrow the Picts and louing them somwhat for helping him against the Romanes stoode in a maze betweene hope and feare and gaue them a part of Albany for their possessions that they might be quiet and not stirre vp warre against him liberalitie or courtesie shewed to a barbarous nature is a weapon turned vpon your selfe Bores and Bares cannot vnderstand fayre wordes and deedes neuer hold vp a candle to the diuell Rusticitie Constantius was of so vile prouision in housekeeping though he were a king that on festiuall dayes hee borrowed plate of his friendes to furnish his tables and cupbordes therewith It is an vnseemly thing for any man to set forth himself with other mens goodes it is small credite for a scholler to seeke credite by vsing that oration or sermon that is not his owne among all men a Prince must be sufficient of himselfe for all matters that pertaine vnto him if he be deficient his grace is lost his maiestie diminishyd and hee euen rurified like a priuate subiect Let not the beastes eate mans flesh in anie case lesse they loue it Their vertue or prudence is in Discerning Helen in her virginitie was learned in all points of true morall wisedome afterward eyther by some diuine inspiration or by some humane information at Hierusalem shee found the Crosse whereon Christ was crucified and the three nayles wherewith he was nayled they that seeke in zeale shall finde in ioy Constantine vsed to haue the booke of God which is the Spirite and Rule of Regiment carried before him wheresoeuer he want he caused the Bible to be copyed out and sent into the partes of his kingdome he sawe by a vision a crosse in heauen with these wordes vpon it In this signe is victory Such are the heauenly fruites of a heauenly minde so we shall reape euer as we sowe Prouiding Octauy being restored to his kingdome gathered together infinite riches to be better able then he was aforetime to wage warre against the ambitious and laborious Romanes Souldiers run to the greatest pay He sent for Maximinian coosin german to Constantine the Emperor and offered him his daughter in his life time lesse hee should be marred with ill Counsell and married to another after his death which he perceiued to be at hand guide them that cannot guide themselues Maximinian made his sonne Victor fellow with the Emperour of Roome that he might strengthen himselfe on both sides both at home and abroad it is surer standing on two legges then on one surer holding with two handes then with one Their vice or imprudence is in Murder An Earle of Brutany that fauoured Octauy much seeing how wofully he was fled into Norway for feare of Traherne and the Romanes which ouercame him in Westmerland considering in his hot wit that Traherne being Helens vncle and a Brutan ought not to haue done such wrong for the Romans sakes to the king of Brutany but haue rather fought for him neither vndermined him one way nor other but with a butcherly wisedome layd violent handes vpon him and slewe him that Octauy might returne safely into the realme againe Defect of inuention turneth a man into a bloudy beast Improuidence Maximinian gathered his riches
Constance he lamented for ioy of his death and lesse he might be suspected of the fact hee caused the 100. Picts to be executed after the law and of all men was most against them yet so that some men perceiued his shites He that hath any lawfull title in any possession is wisest if he seeke it lawfully or els he may be put iustly from his owne The Duke of Cornwall had more right to the Crown then the Dukes sonne of little Brutanie but was it not extreame folly to chalenge it in so villanous a maner and was not Constance a most improuident creature to be garded with them which scarsely regarded him so much as a countriman doth his beast Surely God was angry with Brutans when hee suffered their Rulers to liue so rudely without the Rule of wisedome O yee Heauens blesse ye our Nobles and al other Regents on the earth or els they will be without Regiment in their liues and end basely with vile death Constance had been fit to be a poore mans Sowe in a sty which is content with any vsage so the trough be ful and the bones at rest lay a logge into a cloyster and it will come out all worme eaten and fit onely to be burnt Their vertue of fortitude is in Magnificence and Magnanimitie When Vortimer saw that he must die hee called his souldiers before hym and gaue all that he had among them and exhorted them euer to hold their owne against the Saxons and all forraine enemies A true heart is vertuous to the last gaspe Ambrius built the Abbey of Amsbruy Arthur built the castle of Windsor and founded the order of knightes of the round table Artgall the first Eare of Warwicke one of Arthurs knights chose a Beare for his beast because Arth in that language signified a Beare in remembrance of his name among all his posteritie Quicheline gaue seuen myles compasse of land to Berine Bishop of Winchester to build his See there and Kenwalke his sonne finished it Saint Osuald gaue his daughter Elfleda xii Lordships to build xii Monasteries with them vi in Bernicia and vi in Deyra When Cadwallader had conquered the Saxons in Kent and in the Ile of Might hee gaue the fourth part of the Ile that is 300. households to Wilfride in honour of religion and of his owne name Victories Edolf Earle of Chester seeing how Hengist slew the Brutans with secret kniues got him to a hedge and defended himselfe with a stake and slew of the Saxons 70. men and escaped Vortimer the sonne of Vortiger hated the Saxons more then hys father loued them hee pursued them and gaue them battell at the riuer of Darwent and ouerthrew them at Epyford he ouercame them hee chased them by the sea side into the Ile of Might he vanquished them at Cole More he turmoyled them in Norfolk in Essex in Kent he put them out of their possessions he droue them to the Ile of Tenet there he besieged them by water and by land and neuer left them till they fled out of the land Aurely with the aid of the king of little Brutany tooke Caerbranke from Octa and tooke him prisoner he sought with Hengist at Crekinford and slewe 4000. souldiers and 4. Dukes of the Saxons he droue them out of Locry euery where except Kent hee quitted himselfe from Ella and Porth two mightie Saxons Vter in the time of his brothers sicknesse put to flight Pascenty the sonne of Vortiger with his army of Germans and afterward slew him and Guillioman the Irish Prince at S. Dauids in Cambry and Cossa and Octa the Saxons Arthur fought 12. battels with the Saxons and euery time ouerthrew them he made them pay him tribute when hee was in Gallia and heard of Mordreds treason he returned and fought with him at Sandwich and ouercame him and againe hee ouerthrew him at Winchester and at Bathe he slew him Constantine the third vanquished the two sons of Mordred and put them to flight when they rose against him and chalenged the Crowne by theyr fathers title Vortipory the son of Conan discomfited the Saxons in many battels and got the vpper hand of them alwaies Malgo subdued the Saxons in all his wars he conquered Ireland Scotland Iseland Norway Denmarke the Orcades and possessed them Arthur slew in one day an hundred and fortie Saxons with his owne hand Cadwallader slew Lothary Prince of Kent and Athelwald king of Southsex and possessed those landes Cadwallin droue the Saxons all along to Middlesex and made Penda pay him tribute Now armies stay in Saxony and papermen flye from those coastes these do more harme in many places then those old armies did these will be sauced as they were and hunted out of the land by order of discipline none so busie as they and yet none more slight then they there is an Arthur in paper-worke against their inuasions which may in all right and equitie giue them twelue disgraces at the least and perhaps twelue times twelue let the triall proue all or let that labour be lost if they can recouer there 12 losses of this newe Arthur Their vice or extreme fortitude is in Ambition Vortiger tooke Constance out of a Monasterie to be king that he might do what he list in the kingdome vnder such an innocent and milksop and make his simplicitie a meanes for himselfe to get the Crowne as it proued afterward Mordred Arthurs kinsman being appointed Vicegerent in his royalty gaue great giftes and castels more then his owne to Cerdrick a Saxon and agreed with him to be crowned at Winchester with his goodwill so that himself might be crowned at Caerlud by his liking The two sonnes of Mordred the vsurper rebelled against Constantine the third for the kingdome and lost it No right or trueth can stay an aspyring humour Pusillanimitie Arthur gaue two Shyres to Cerdrick Duke of the Westsaxons to the end hee might be quiet those two shyres could do Brutans more good then Arthurs peregrination an enemie must not giue or take any thing but winne all by might or sleight When Cadwallader had raigned 12. yeares hee forsooke all his princely attyre and went to Roome and led a monasticall life euer after he preferd rest before riches the hood aboue the Crowne Rage or crueltie The Pictes to please their captaine Vortiger slew Constance their king and presented hys head to Vortiger imagining they had done the best act that coulde be to redresse his poore estate wherof he had complained to them Renowne the daughter of Hengist the concubine of Vortiger seeing what Vortimer had done in spight of the Saxons her countreymen and friends how he had taken away their possessions howe he reedified Churches which they destroyed howe hee was like to destroy them all if he liued a while sought out witches and magicians to charme or charactize him to death by some practise but when they could not worke vpon him she insinuated her selfe to one of his neerest men and