{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_13624/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_13624","id":"gutenberg_13624","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13624","summary":null,"tags":["Category: History - Ancient","Category: History - British","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Great Britain -- History -- To 55 B.C.","United Kingdom"],"text":"THE SECOND BOOKE\n\nOF THE\n\nHISTORIE OF ENGLAND.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n\n\n\n_Of Brute and his descent, how he slue his father in hunting, his\nbanishment, his letter to king Pandrasus, against whom he wageth battell,\ntaketh him prisoner, and concludeth peace vpon conditions._\n\nTHE FIRST CHAPTER.\n\n\nHitherto haue we spoken of the inhabitants of this Ile before the comming\nof Brute, although some will n\u00e9eds haue it, that he was the first which\ninhabited the same with his people descended of the Troians, some few\ngiants onelie excepted whom he vtterlie destroied, and left not one of\nthem aliue through the whole Ile. But as we shall not doubt of Brutes\ncomming hither, so may we assuredly thinke, that he found the Ile peopled\neither with the generation of those which Albion the giant had placed\nhere, or some other kind of people whom he did subdue, and so reigned as\nwell ouer them as ouer those which he brought with him.\n\n[Sidenote: _Humfr. Lhoyd_.]\nThis Brutus, or Brytus [for this letter (Y) hath of ancient time had the\nsounds both of V and I] (as the author of the booke which Geffrey of\nMonmouth translated dooth affirme) was the sonne of Siluius, the sonne of\nAscanius, the sonne of Aeneas the Troian, begotten of his wife Creusa, &\nborne in Troie, before the citie was destroied. But as other doo take it,\n[Sidenote: _Harding. Alex. Neuil. W. Har._]\nthe author of that booke (whatsoeuer he was) and such other as follow\nhim, are deceiued onelie in this point, mistaking the matter, in that\nPosthumus the sonne of Aeneas (begotten of his wife Lauinia, and borne\nafter his fathers deceasse in Italie) was called Ascanius, who had issue\na sonne named Iulius, who (as these other doo coniecture) was the father\nof Brute, that noble chieftaine and aduenturous leader of those people,\nwhich being descended (for the more part in the fourth generation)\nfrom those Troians that escaped with life, when that roiall citie was\ndestroied by the Gr\u00e9ekes, got possession of this woorthie and most famous\nIle.\n\nTo this opinion Giouan Villani a Florentine in his vniuersall historie,\nspeaking of Aeneas and his ofspring kings in Italie, s\u00e9emeth to agr\u00e9e,\nwhere he saith: \"Siluius (the sonne of Aeneas by his wife Lauinia) fell\nin loue with a n\u00e9ece of his mother Lauinia, and by hir had a sonne, of\nwhom she died in trauell, and therefore was called Brutus, who after\nas he grew in some stature, and hunting in a forrest slue his father\nvnwares, and therevpon for feare of his grandfather Siluius Posthumus he\nfled the countrie, and with a retinue of such as followed him, passing\nthrough diuers seas, at length he arriued in the Ile of Britaine.\"\n\nConcerning therefore our Brute, whether his father Iulius was sonne to\nAscanius the sonne of Aeneas by his wife Creusa, or sonne to Posthumus\ncalled also Ascanius, and sonne to Aeneas by his wife Lauinia, we will\nnot further stand. But this, we find, that when he came to the age of 15.\ny\u00e9eres, so that he was now able to ride abrode with his father into\nthe forrests and chases, he fortuned (either by mishap, or by Gods\n[Sidenote: Brute killeth his father.]\nprouidence) to strike his father with an arrow, in shooting at a d\u00e9ere,\nof which wound he also died. His grandfather (whether the same was\nPosthumus, or his elder brother) hearing of this great misfortune that\nhad chanced to his sonne Siluius, liued not long after, but died for\nverie greefe and sorow (as is supposed) which he conceiued thereof. And\nthe young gentleman, immediatlie after he had slaine his father (in maner\nbefore alledged) was banished his countrie, and therevpon got him into\nGrecia, where trauelling the countrie, he lighted by chance among some of\nthe Troian ofspring, and associating himselfe with them, grew by meanes\nof the linage (whereof he was descended) in proces of time into great\nreputation among them: chieflie by reason there were yet diuers of the\n[Sidenote: Pausanias.]\nTroian race, and that of great authoritie in that countrie. For Pyrrhus\nthe sonne of Achilles, hauing no issue by his wife Hermione, maried\nAndromache, late wife vnto Hector: and by hir had thr\u00e9e sonnes, Molossus,\nPileus, and Pergamus, who in their time grew to be of great power in\nthose places and countries, and their ofspring likewise: whereby Brutus\nor Brytus wanted no friendship. For euen at his first comming thither,\ndiuers of the Troians that remained in seruitude, being desirous of\nlibertie, by flocks resorted vnto him. And amongst other, Assaracus was\none, whom Brute intertained, receiuing at his hands the possession of\nsundrie forts and places of defense, before that the king of those\nparties could haue vnderstanding or knowledge of any such thing. Herewith\nalso such as were readie to make the aduenture with him, repaired to him\non ech side, wherevpon he first placed garisons in those townes which\nhad bene thus deliuered vnto him, and afterwards with Assaracus and the\nresidue of the multitude he withdrew into the mountains n\u00e9ere adioining.\nAnd thus being made strong with such assistance, by consultation had with\nthem that were of most authoritie about him, wrote vnto the king of that\ncountrie called Pandrasus, in forme as followeth.\n\n_A letter of Brute to Pandrasus, as I find it set downe in Galfride\nMonumetensis._\n\n\"Brute leader of the remnant of the Troian people, to Pandrasus king of\nthe Gr\u00e9ekes, sendeth greeting. Bicause it hath beene thought a thing\nvnworthie, that the people descended of the noble linage of Dardanus\nshould be otherwise dealt with than the honour of their nobilitie dooth\nrequire: they haue withdrawne themselues within the close couert of the\nwoods. For they haue chosen rather (after the maner of wild beasts) to\nliue on flesh and herbs in libertie, than furnished with all the riches\nin the world to continue vnder the yoke of seruile thraldome. But if this\ntheir dooing offend thy mightie highnesse, they are not to be blamed, but\nrather in this behalfe to be pardoned, sith euerie captiue prisoner\nis desirous to be restored vnto his former estate and dignitie. You\ntherefore pitieng their case, vouchsafe to grant them their abridged\nlibertie, and suffer them to remaine in quiet within these woods which\nthey haue got into their possession: if not so, yet giue them licence to\ndepart forth of this countrie into some other parts.\"\n\nThe sight of these letters, and request in them conteined, made Pandrasus\nat the first somewhat amazed, howbeit deliberating further of the matter,\nand considering their small number, he made no great account of them, but\n[Sidenote: Pandrasus prepareth an armie to supress the Troian ofspring.]\ndetermined out of hand to suppresse them by force, before they should\ngrow to a greater multitude. And to bring his intention the better to\n[Sidenote: Sparatinum.]\npasse, he passed by a towne called Sparatinum, & marching toward the\nwoods where he thoght to haue found his enimies, he was suddenlie\nassalted by Brute, who with three thousand men came foorth of the woods,\nand fiercelie setting vpon his enimies, made great slaughter of them,\nso that they were vtterlie discomfited, & sought by flight to saue\n[Sidenote: Peraduenture Achelous.]\nthemselues in passing a riuer n\u00e9ere hand called Akalon. Brute with his\nmen following fast upon the aduersaries, caused them to plunge into the\nwater at aduenture, so that manie of them were drowned. Howbeit Antigonus\n[Sidenote: Antigonus, the brother of Pandrasus.]\nthe brother of Pandrasus did what he could to stay the Grecians from\nfl\u00e9eing, and calling them backe againe did get some of them togither,\nplaced them in order, and began a new field: but it nothing auailed, for\nthe Troians, preasing vpon him, tooke him prisoner, slue and scattred\nhis companie, and ceased not till they had rid the fields of all their\naduersaries.\n\n[Sidenote: Brute entreth into Sparatinum.]\nThis doone, Brute entering the towne, furnished it with six hundred able\nsouldiours, and afterwards went backe to the residue of his people that\nwere incamped in the woods, where he was receiued with vnspeakeable ioy\nfor this prosperous atchiued enterprise. But although this euill successe\nat the first beginning sore troubled Pandrasus, as well for the losse of\nthe field, as for the taking of his brother, yet was he rather kindled\nin desire to s\u00e9eke reuenge, than otherwise discouraged. And therefore\nassembling his people againe togither that were scattered here and there,\nhe came the next day before the towne of Sparatinum, where he thought to\nhaue found Brute inclosed togither with the prisoners, and therfore he\nshewed his whole endeuour by hard siege and fierce assaults to force them\nwithin to yeeld.\n\nTo conclude, so long he continued the siege, till victuals began to waxe\nscant within, so that there was no way but to yeeld, if present succour\ncame not to remoue the siege: wherevpon they signified their necessitie\nvnto Brute, who for that he had not power sufficient to fight with the\nenimies in open field, he ment to giue them a camisado in the night\nseason, and so ordered his businesse, that inforsing a prisoner (named\nAnacletus whome he had taken in the last battell) to serue his turne, by\nconstreining him to take an oth (which he durst not for conscience sake\nbreake) he found means to encounter with his enimies vpon the aduantage,\nthat he did not onelie ouerthrowe their whole power, but also tooke\n[Sidenote: Pandrasus taken prisoner.]\nPandrasus prisoner, whereby all the trouble was ended: and shortlie after\na perfect peace concluded, vpon these conditions following.\n\n[Sidenote: The conditions of the agr\u00e9ement betwixt Brute & Pandrasus.]\nFirst, that Pandrasus should giue his daughter Innogen vnto Brute in\nmariage, with a competent summe of gold and siluer for hir dowrie.\n\nSecondlie, to furnish him and his people with a nauie of ships, and to\nstore the same with victuals and all other necessaries.\n\nThirdlie, that Brute with his people should haue licence to depart the\ncountrie, to s\u00e9eke aduentures whither so euer it should please them to\ndirect their course, without let, impeachment, or trouble to be offered\nanie waies by the Gr\u00e9eks.\n\nTo all these conditions (bicause they touched not the prerogatiue of his\nkingdome) Pandrasus did willinglie agr\u00e9e, and likewise performed.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n\n\n\n_Brute and his wife Innogen arriue in Leogitia, they aske counsell of an\noracle where they shall inhabit, he meeteth with a remnant of Troians on\nthe coasts neere the shooting downe of the Pyrenine hills into the sea._\n\nTHE SECOND CHAPTER.\n\n\nAl things being thus brought to passe according to Brutes desire, wind\nalso and wether seruing the purpose, he with his wife Innogen and his\npeople imbarked, and hoising vp sailes departed from the coasts of\nGrecia. Now after two daies and a nights sailing, they arriued at\nLeogitia (in some old written bookes of the British historie noted downe\nLergetia) an Iland, where they consulted with an oracle. Brute himselfe\nkn\u00e9eling before the idoll, and holding in his right hand a boll prepared\nfor sacrifice full of wine, and the bloud of a white hinde, spake in this\nmaner as here followeth:\n\n\n     Diua potens nemorum, terror syluestribus apris,\n          Cui licet anfractus ire per \u00e6thereos,\n     Infernasq; domos, terrestria iura resolue,\n          Et die quas terras nos habitare velis:\n     Dic certam sedem qua te venerabor in \u00e6uum,\n          Qua tibi virgineis templa dicabo choris.\n\n\nThese verses (as Ponticus Virumnius and others also doo gesse) were\nwritten by Gildas Cambrius in his booke intituled _Cambreidos,_ and may\nthus be Englished:\n\n\n     Thou goddesse that doost rule\n         the woods and forrests greene,\n     And chasest foming boares\n         that flee thine awfull sight,\n     Thou that maist passe aloft\n         in airie skies so sheene,\n     And walke eke vnder earth\n         in places void of light,\n     Discouer earthlie states,\n         direct our course aright,\n     And shew where we shall dwell,\n         according to thy will,\n     In seates of sure abode,\n         where temples we may dight\n     For virgins that shall sound\n         thy laud with voices shrill.\n\n\nAfter this praier and ceremonie done, according to\nthe pagane rite and custome, Brute abiding his answer, fell asl\u00e9epe: in\nwhich sl\u00e9epe appeared to him the said goddesse vttering this answer in\nthe verses following expressed.\n\n\n     Brute, sub occasum solis trans Gallica regna,\n          Insula in oceano est, vndiq; clausa mari,\n     Insula in oceano est, habitata gigantibus olim,\n          Nunc deserta quid\u00e8m, gentibus apta tuis:\n     Hanc pete, n\u00e1mq; tibi sedes erit ilia perennis,\n          H\u00eec fiet natis altera Troia tuis:\n     H\u00eec de prole tua reges nascentur, & ipsis\n          Totius terr\u00e6 subditus orbis erit.\n\n\n\n     Brute, farre by-west beyond the Gallike\n          land is found,\n     An Ile which with the ocean seas\n          inclosed is about,\n     Where giants dwelt sometime,\n          but now is desart ground,\n     Most meet where thou maist plant\n          thy selfe with all thy rout:\n     Make thitherwards with speed,\n          for there thou shalt find out\n     An euerduring seat,\n          and Troie shall rise anew,\n     Vnto thy race, of whom\n          shall kings be borne no dout,\n     That with their mightie power\n          the world shall whole subdew.\n\n\nAfter he awaked out of sl\u00e9epe, and had called his dreame to\nremembrance, he first doubted whether it were a verie dreame, or a true\nvision, the goddes hauing spoken to him with liuelie voice. Wherevpon\ncalling such of his companie vnto him as he thought requisite in such\na case, he declared vnto them the whole matter with the circumstances,\nwhereat they greatlie reioising, caused mightie bonfires to be made, in\nthe which they cast wine, milke, and other liquors, with diuers gums\nand spices of most sweet smell and sauour, as in the pagan religion was\naccustomed. Which obseruances and ceremonies performed and brought to\nend, they returned streightwaies to their ships, and as soone as the wind\nserved, passed forward on their iournie with great ioy and gladnesse, as\nmen put in comfort to find out the wished seats for their firme and sure\n[Sidenote: Brute with his companie landed in Affrike.]\nhabitations. From hence therefore they cast about, and making westward,\nfirst arrived in Affrica, and after k\u00e9eping on their course, they passed\nthe straits of Gibralterra, and coasting alongst the shore on the right\nhand, they found another companie that were likewise descended of the\n[Sidenote: The mistaking of those that haue copied the British historie\nputting _Mare Tyrrhenum_, for _Pyren\u00e6um_] Troian progenie, on\nthe coasts nere where the Pyrenine hils shoot downe to the sea, whereof\nthe same sea by good reason (as some suppose) was named in those daies\nMare Pyren\u00e6um, although hitherto by fault of writers & copiers of the\nBritish historie receiued, in this place Mare Tyrrhenum, was slightlie\nput downe in stead of Pyren\u00e6um.\n\nThe ofspring of those Troians, with whom Brute and his companie thus did\nm\u00e9et, were a remnant of them that came away with Antenor. Their capteine\nhight Corineus, a man of great modestie and approoued wisedome, and\nthereto of incomparable strength and boldnesse.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n\n\n\n_Brute and the said Troians with their capteine Corineus doo associat,\nthey take landing within the dominion of king Goffarus, he raiseth an\narmie against Brute and his power, but is discomfited: of the citie of\nTours: Brutes arrivall in this Iland with his companie._\n\nTHE THIRD CHAPTER.\n\n\n[Sidenote: Brute and Corineus ioin their companies together.]\nAfter that Brute and the said Troians, by conference interchangeablie\nhad, vnderstood one anothers estates, and how they were descended from\none countrie and progenie, they vnited themselves togither, greatlie\nreioising that they were so fortunatlie met: and hoising vp their sailes,\n[Sidenote: They arrive on the coasts of Gallia, now called France.]\ndirected their course forward still, till they arriued within the mouth\nof the riuer of Loire, which diuideth Aquitaine from Gall Celtike, where\nthey tooke land within the dominion of a king called Goffarius, surnamed\nPictus, by reason he was descended of the people Agathyrsi, otherwise\n[Sidenote: Goffarius surnamed Pictus _Les annales d'Aquitaine_.]\nnamed Picts, bicause they used to paint their faces and bodies, insomuch\nthat the richer a man was amongst them, the more cost he bestowed in\n[Sidenote: Agathyrsi, otherwise called Picts, of painting their bodies.\n_Marcellus Plinie. Herodotus li.4_.]\npainting himselfe; and commonlie the haire of their head was red, or (as\nprobable writers say) of skie colour. Herodotus calleth them [Greek:\nchrysoth\u00f3rous] bicause they did weare much gold about them. They vsed\ntheir wives in common, and bicause they are all supposed to be brethren,\nthere is no strife nor discord among them. Of these Agathyrsi, it is\nrecorded by the said Herodotus, that they refused to succour the\nScythians against Darius, giving this reason of their refusall; bicause\nthey would not make warre against him who had doone them no wrong. And\nof this people dooth the poet make mention, saieng,\n\n[Sidenote: _Virg. Aeneid. 4_.]\nCret\u00e9sq; Dryop\u00e9sq; fremunt pict\u00edq; Agathyrsi.\n\n[Sidenote: _C\u00e6sar com. li. 5_.]\nTo paint their faces not for amiablenesse, but for terriblenesse, the\nBritons in old time vsed, and that with a kind of herbe like vnto\nplantine. In which respect I s\u00e9e no reason why they also should not be\ncalled Picts, as well as the Agathyrsi; s\u00e9eing the denomination sprang\n[Sidenote: _P. Mart; com. part 2. sect. 60_.]\nof a vaine custome in them both. And here by the way, sithens we have\ntouched this follie in two severall people, let it not s\u00e9eme tedious to\nread this one tricke of the Indians, among whom there is great plentie of\npretious stones, wherewith they adorne themselves in this maner; namelie,\nin certein hollow places which they make in their flesh, they inclose and\nriuet in precious stones, and that as well in their forheads as their\nch\u00e9ekes, to none other purpose, than the Agathyrsi in the vse of their\npainting.\n\nThe countrie of Poictou (as some hold) where the said Goffarius reigned,\ntooke name of this people: & likewise a part of this our Ile of Britaine\nnow conteined within Scotland, which in ancient time was called Pightland\n[Sidenote: Pightland or Pictland.]\nor Pictland, as elsewhere both in this historie of England, and also of\nScotland may further appeare. But to our purpose.\n\n[Sidenote: Goffarius sendeth vnto Brute.]\nWhen Goffarius the king of Poictou was aduertised of the landing of these\nstrangers within his countrie, he sent first certeine of his people to\nvnderstand what they ment by their comming a land within his dominion,\nwithout licence or leaue of him obteined. They that were thus sent, came\nby chance to a place where Corineus with two hundred of the companie\nwere come from the ships into a forrest n\u00e9ere the sea side, to kill some\nveneson for their sustenance: and being rebuked with some disdainfull\nspeach of those Poictouins, he shaped them a round answer: insomuch that\n[Sidenote: Corineus answereth the messengers. Imbert.]\none of them whose name was Imbert, let driue an arrow at Corineus: but he\nauoiding the danger thereof, shot againe at Imbert, in reuenge of that\n[Sidenote: Imbert is slaine by Corineus.]\niniurie offered, and claue his head in sunder. The rest of the Poictouins\nfled therevpon, and brought word to Goffarius what had happened: who\n[Sidenote: Goffarius raiseth an armie.]\nimmediatlie with a mightie armie made forward to encounter with the\nTroians, and comming to ioine with them in battell, after a sharpe and\n[Sidenote: Goffarius is discomfited.]\nsore conflict, in the end Brute with his armie obteined a triumphant\nvictorie, speciallie through the noble prowesse of Corineus.\n\n[Sidenote: Goffarius s\u00e9eketh aid against Brute.]\nGoffarius escaping from the field, fled into the inner parts of Gallia,\nmaking sute for assistance vnto such kings as in those daies reigned in\ndiuers prouinces of that land, who promised to aid him with all their\nforces, and to expell out of the coasts of Aquitaine, such strangers as\nwithout his licence were thus entred the countrie. But Brute in the meane\n[Sidenote: Brute spoileth the countrie.]\ntime passed forward, and with fire and sword made hauocke in places where\nhe came: and gathering great spoiles, fraught his ships with plentie of\nriches. At length he came to the place, where afterwards he built a citie\n[Sidenote: Turonium or Tours built by Brute.]\nnamed Turonium, that is, Tours.\n\n[Sidenote: Goffarius hauing renewed his forces, fighteth eftsoones with\nBrute.]\nHere Goffarius with such Galles as were assembled to his aid, gaue\nbattell againe vnto the Troians that were incamped to abide his comming.\nWhere after they had fought a long time with singular manhood on both\nparties: the Troians in fine oppressed with multitudes of aduersaries\n(euen thirtie times as manie mo as the Troians) were constreined to\nretire into their campe, within the which the Galles kept them as\nbesieged, lodging round about them, and purposing by famine to compell\nthem to y\u00e9eld themselues vnto their mercie. But Corineus taking counsell\nwith Brute, deuised to depart in the darke of the night out of the campe,\nto lodge himselfe with thr\u00e9e thousand chosen souldiers secretlie in a\nwood, and there to remaine in couert till the morning that Brute should\ncome foorth and giue a charge vpon the enimies, wherewith Corineus should\nbreake foorth and assaile the Galles on the backes.\n\nThis policie was put in practise, and tooke such effect as the deuisers\nthemselues wished: for the Galles being sharplie assailed on the front by\nBrute and his companie, were now with the sudden comming of Corineus (who\nset vpon them behind on their backes) brought into such a feare, that\nincontinentlie they tooke them to flight, whom the Troians egerlie\npursued, making no small slaughter of them as they did ouertake them. In\nthis battell Brute lost manie of his men, and amongst other one of his\nnephues named Turinus, after he had shewed maruellous proofe of his\nmanhood. Of him (as some haue written) the foresaid citie of Tours tooke\nthe name, and was called _Turonium_, bicause the said Turinus was there\nburied.\n\n[Sidenote: _Theuet_.]\nAndrew Theuet affirmeth the contrarie, and mainteineth that one Taurus\nthe nephue of Haniball was the first that inclosed it about with a pale\nof wood (as the maner of those daies was of fensing their townes) in the\n[Sidenote: 3374.]\nyeare of the world 3374. and before the birth of our sauiour 197.\n\nBut to our matter concerning Brute, who after he had obteined so famous\na victorie, albeit there was good cause for him to reioise, yet it sore\ntroubled him to consider that his numbers dailie decaied, and his enimies\nstill increased, and grew stronger: wherevpon resting doubtfull what to\n[Sidenote: Brute in dout what to doo.]\ndoo, whether to proc\u00e9ed against the Galles, or returne to his ships to\ns\u00e9eke the Ile that was appointed him by oracle, at length he chose the\nsurest and best way, as he tooke it, and as it proued. For whilest the\ngreater part of his armie was yet left aliue, and that the victorie\nremained on his side, he drew to his nauie, and lading his ships with\nexc\u00e9eding great store of riches which his people had got abroad in the\ncountrie, he tooke the seas againe.\n[Sidenote Brute with his remnant of Troians arriue in this ile. _Anno\nmundi. 2850_. 1116.]\nAfter a few daies sailing they landed at the hauen now called Totnesse,\nthe yeare of the world 2850, after the destruction of Troy 66, after\nthe deliuerance of the Israelites from the captiuitie of Babylon 397,\nalmost ended; in the 18 yeare of the reigne of Tineas king of Babylon,\n13 of Melanthus king of Athens, before the building of Rome 368, which\nwas before the natiuitie of our Sauior Christ 1116, almost ended, and\nbefore the reigne of Alexander the great 783.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n\n\n_Brute discouereth the commodities of this Iland, mightie giants\nwithstand him, Gogmagog and Corineus wrestle together at a place beside\nDouer: he buildeth the citie of Trinouant now termed London, calleth this\nIland by the name of Britaine, and diuideth it into three parts among his\nthree sonnes._\n\nTHE FOURTH CHAPTER.\n\n\nWhen Brute had entred this land, immediatlie after his arriuall (as\nwriters doo record) he searched the countrie from side to side, and from\nend to end, finding it in most places verie fertile and plentious of wood\nand grasse, and full of pleasant springs and faire riuers. As he thus\n[Sidenote: Brute encountered by the giants.]\ntrauelled to discouer the state and commodities of the Iland, he was\nencountred by diuers strong and mightie giants, whome he destroied and\nslue, or rather subdued, with all such other people as he found in the\nIland, which were more in number than by report of some authors it should\nappeare there were. Among these giants (as Geffrey of Monmouth writeth)\nthere was one of passing strength and great estimation, named Gogmagog,\n[Sidenote: Corineus wrestleth with Gogmagog.]\nwhome Brute caused Corineus to wrestle at a place beside Douer, where it\nchanced that the giant brake a rib in the side of Corineus while they\nstroue to claspe, and the one to ouerthrow the other: wherewith Corineus\nbeing sore chafed and stirred to wrath, did so double his force that he\ngot the vpper hand of the giant, and cast him downe headlong from one of\n[Sidenote: Gogmagog is slaine.]\nthe rocks there, not farre from Douer, and so dispatched him: by reason\nwhereof the place was named long after, _The fall or leape of Gogmagog_,\nbut afterward it was called _The fall of Douer_. For this valiant d\u00e9ed,\nand other the like seruices first and last atchiued, Brute gaue vnto\n[Sidenote: Cornwall giuen to Corineus.]\nCorineus the whole countrie of Cornwall. To be briefe, after that Brute\nhad destroied such as stood against him, and brought such people vnder\nhis subiection as he found in the Ile, and searched the land from the one\nend to the other: he was desirous to build a citie, that the same might\nbe the seate roiall of his empire or kingdome. Wherevpon he chose a plot\nof ground lieng on the north side of the riuer of Thames, which by good\nconsideration s\u00e9emed to be most pleasant and conuenient for any great\nmultitude of inhabitants, aswell for holsomnesse of aire, goodnesse of\nsoile, plentie of woods, and commoditie of the riuer, seruing as well to\nbring in as to carrie out all kinds of merchandize and things necessarie\nfor the gaine, store, and vse of them that there should inhabit.\n\nHere therefore he began to build and lay the foundation of a citie, in\nthe tenth or (as other thinke) in the second yeare after his arriuall,\nwhich he named (saith Gal. Mon.) Troinouant, or (as Hum. Llhoyd saith)\nTroinewith, that is, new Troy, in remembrance of that noble citie of Troy\nfrom whence he and his people were for the greater part descended.\n\nWhen Brutus had builded this citie, and brought the Iland fullie vnder\nhis subiection, he by the aduise of his nobles commanded this Ile (which\nbefore hight Albion) to be called Britaine, and the inhabitants Britons\nafter his name, for a perpetuall memorie that he was the first bringer\nof them into the land. In this meane while also he had by his wife.\niii. sonnes, the first named Locrinus or Locrine, the second Cambris or\nCamber, and the third Albanactus or Albanact. Now when the time of his\ndeath drew n\u00e9ere, to the first he betooke the gouernment of that part of\nthe land nowe knowne by the name of England: so that the same was long\nafter called Loegria, or Logiers, of the said Locrinus. To the second he\nappointed the countrie of Wales, which of him was first named Cambria,\ndiuided from Loegria by the riuer of Seuerne. To his third sonne Albanact\nhe deliuered all the north part of the Ile, afterward called Albania,\nafter the name of the said Albanact: which portion of the said He lieth\nbeyond the Humber northward. Thus when Brutus had diuided the Ile of\nBritaine (as before is mentioned) into 3. parts, and had gouerned the\n[Sidenote: In the daies of this our Brute Saule and Samuell gouerned\nIsraell.]\nsame by the space of 15. yeares, he died in the 24 yeare after his\narriuall (as Harison noteth) and was buried at Troinouant or London:\nalthough the place of his said buriall there be now be growne out of\nmemorie.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n\n\n\n_Of Locrine the eldest sonne of Brute, of Albanact his yoongest sonne,\nand his death: of Madan, Mempricius, Ebranke, Brute Greenesheeld, Leill,\nLudhurdibras, Baldud, and Leir, the nine rulers of Britaine successiuelie\nafter Brute._\n\nTHE FIFT CHAPTER.\n\n\n[Sidenote: LOCRINE THE SECOND RULER OF BRITAIN. _Gal. Mon. Mat. West.\nFa. out of G. de Co. Gal Mon. Mat. West._]\nLocrinus or Locrine the first begotten sonne of Brute began to reigne\nouer the countrie called Logiers, in the yeare of the world 1874, and\nheld to his part the countrie that reached from the south sea vnto the\nriuer of Humber. While this Locrinus gouerned Logiers, his brother\nAlbanact ruled in Albania, where in fine he was slaine in a battell by a\nking of the Hunnes or Scythians, called Humber, who inuaded that part\nof Britaine, and got possession thereof, till Locrinus with his brother\nCamber, in reuenge of their other brothers death, and for the recouerie\nof the kingdome, gathered their powers togither, and comming against\nthe said king of the Hunnes, by the valiancie of their people they\n[Sidenote: It should se\u00e9me that he was come over the Humber.\n_Gal. Mon._]\ndiscomfited him in battell, and chased him so egerlie, that he himselfe\nand a great number of his men were drowned in the gulfe that then parted\nLoegria and Albania, which after tooke name of the said king, and was\ncalled Humber, and so continueth vnto this daie.\n\n\nMoreouer in this battell against the Hunnes were thr\u00e9e yong damsels taken\nof excellent beautie, specially one of them, whose name was Estrild,\ndaughter to a certeine king of Scythia. With this Estrild king Locrine\nfell so farre in loue, notwithstanding a former contract made betwixt him\nand the ladie Guendoloena, daughter to Corineus duke of Cornwall, that he\nmeant yet with all sp\u00e9ed to marie the same Estrild. But being earnestlie\ncalled vpon, and in manner forced thereto by Corineus, h\u00e9e changed his\npurpose, and married Guendoloena, k\u00e9eping neuertheles the aforesaid\nEstrild as paramour still after a secret sort, during the life of\nCorineus his father in law.\n\nNow after that Corineus was departed this world, Locrine forsooke\nGuendoloena, and maried Estrild. Guendoloena therefore being cast off by\nhir husband, got hir into Cornewall to hir friends and kinred, and there\nprocured them to make warre against the said Locrine hir husband, in the\nwhich warres h\u00e9e was slaine, and a battell fought n\u00e9ere to the riuer of\n[Sidenote: _Mat. West._]\nSture, after he had reigned (as writers affirme) twentie yeares, & was\nburied by his father in the citie of Troinouant, leauing behind him\na yoong sonne (begotten of his wife Guendoloena) named Madan, as yet\nvnm\u00e9ete to gouerne.\n[Sidenote: Sh\u00e9e is not numbred amongst those that reigned as rulers in\nthis land by _Mat. West._]\n\nGuendoloena or Guendoline the wife of Locrinus, and daughter of Corineus\nduke of Cornewall, for so much as hir sonne Madan was not of yeeres\nsufficient to gouerne, was by common consent of the Britons made ruler of\nthe Ile, in the y\u00e9ere of the world 2894, and so hauing the administration\nin hir hands, she did right discreetlie vse hir selfe therein, to the\ncomfort of all hir subiects, till hir sonne Madan came to lawfull age,\nand then she gaue ouer the rule and dominion to him, after she had\n[Sidenote: _Gal. Mon_.]\ngouerned by the space of fifteene yeares.\n\n[Sidenote: MADAN THE THIRD RULER]\nMadan the sonne of Locrine and Guendoline entred into the gouernement of\nBritaine in the 2909, of the world. There is little left in writing of\nhis doings, sauing that he vsed great tyrannie amongst his Britons: and\ntherefore after he had ruled this land the tearme of 40. yeares, he was\ndeuoured of wild beastes, as he was abroad in hunting. He left behind\nhim two sonnes, Mempricius and Manlius. He builded (as is reported)\nMadancaistre, now Dancastre, which reteineth still the later part of his\nname.\n\n[Sidenote: MEMPRICIUS THE FOURTH RULER. _Fabian_. Manlius is slaine.\n_Gal. Mon._ Slouth engendred lecherie]\nMempricius the eldest sonne of Madan began his reigne ouer the Britons in\nthe yeare of the world 2949, he continued not long in peace. For his\nbrother Manlius vpon an ambitious mind prouoked the Britons to rebell\nagainst him, so that sore and deadly warre continued long betweene them.\nBut finallie, vnder colour of a treatie, Manlius was slaine by his\nbrother Mempricius, so that then he liued in more tranquillitie and rest.\nHowbeit, being deliuered thus from trouble of warres, he fell into slouth,\nand so into vnlawfull lust of lecherie, and thereby into the hatred of\nhis people, by forcing of their wiues and daughters: and finallie became\nso beastlie, that he forsooke his lawfull wife and all his concubines,\nand fell into the abhominable sinne of Sodomie. And thus from one vice he\n[Sidenote: Mempricius is deuoured of beastes.]\nfell into another, till he became odious to God and man, and at length,\ngoing on hunting, was lost of his people, and destroied of wild beastes,\nwhen he had reigned twentie yeares, leauing behind him a noble yoong sonne\nnamed Ebranke, begotten of his lawfull wife.\n\n[Sidenote: EBRANKE THE FIFT RULER. Ebranke had 21. wiues: his thirtie\ndaughters sent into Italie. _Bergomas lib. 6_.]\nEbranke the sonne of Mempricius began to rule ouer the Britons in the\nyeare of the world 2969. He had as writers doo of him record, one and\ntwentie wiues, on whom he begot 20. sonnes and 30. daughters, of the\nwhich the eldest hight Guales, or Gualea. These daughters he sent to\nAlba Syluius, which was the eleuenth king of Italie, or the sixt king of\nthe Latines, to the end they might be married to his noble men of the\nbloud of Troians, because the Sabines refused to ioine their daughters\nwith them in marriage. Furthermore, he was the first prince of his land\nthat euer inuaded France after Brute, and is commended as author and\noriginall builder of many cities, both in his owne kingdome, and else\nwhere. His sonnes also vnder the conduct of Assaracus, one of their\neldest brethren, returning out of Italie, after they had conducted their\nsisters thither, inuaded Germanie, being first molested by the people of\nthat countrie in their rage, and by the helpe of the said Alba subdued a\ngreat part of that countrie, & there planted themselues. Our histories\nsay, that Ebracus their father married them in their returne, and aided\n[Sidenote: The citie of Caerbranke builded. _Matth. West._]\nthem in their conquests, and that he builded the citie of Caerbranke,\nnow called Yorke, about the 14, yeare of his reigne. He builded also in\nAlbania now called Scotland, the castle of Maidens, afterward called\nEdenburgh of Adian one of their kings. The citie of Alclud was builded\nlikewise by him (as some write) now decaied. After which cities thus\n[Sidenote: Fortie yeares hath _Math. West._ and _Gal. Monuine_.]\nbuilded, he sailed ouer into Gallia, now called France, with a great\narmie, and subduing the Galles as is aforesaid, he returned home with\ngreat riches and triumph. Now when he had guided the land of Britaine\nin noble wise by the tearme of fortie yeares, he died, and was buried\nat Yorke.\n\n[Sidenote: BRUTE GREENESHIELD THE SIXT RULER. _Iacobus Lef._]\nBrute Greeneshield, the sonne of Ebranke, was made gouernor of this\nland in the yeare of the world 3009, Asa reigning in Iuda, and Baasa in\nIsraell. This prince bare alwaies in the field a gr\u00e9ene shield, whereof\nhe tooke his surname, and of him some forraine authors affirme, that he\nmade an attempt to bring the whole realme of France vnder his subiection,\nwhich he performed, because his father susteined some dishonor and losse\nin his last voiage into that countrie. Howbeit they say, that when he\ncame into Henaud, Brinchild a prince of that quarter gaue him also\na great ouerthrow, and compelled him to retire home againe into his\ncountrie. This I borrow out of William Harison, who in his chronologie\ntoucheth the same at large, concluding in the end, that the said passage\nof this prince into France is verie likelie to be true, and that he named\na parcell of Armorica lieng on the south, and in manner vpon the verie\nloine after his owne name, and also a citie which he builded there\n[Sidenote: _Strabo lib. 4_.]\nBritaine. For (saith he) it should s\u00e9eme by Strabo. lib. 4. that there\nwas a noble citie of that name long before his time in the said countrie,\nwhereof Plinie also speaketh lib. 4. cap. 7. albeit that he ascribe it\nvnto France after a disordered maner. More I find not of this foresaid\nBrute, sauing that he ruled the land a certeine time, his father yet\nliuing, and after his decease the tearme of twelue yeares, and then died,\nand was buried at Caerbranke now called Yorke.\n\n[Sidenote: LEILL THE SEVENTH RULER. Carleil builded. Chester repaired.]\nLEILL the sonne of Brute Greeneshield, began to reigne in the yeare of\nthe world 3021, the same time that Asa was reigning in Iuda, and Ambri in\nIsraell. He built the citie now called Carleil, which then after his\nowne name was called Caerleil, that is, Leill his citie, or the citie of\nLeill. He repaired also (as Henrie Bradshaw saith) the citie of Caerleon\nnow called Chester, which (as in the same Bradshaw appeareth) was built\nbefore Brutus entrie into this land by a giant named Leon Gauer. But what\nauthoritie he had to auouch this, it may be doubted, for Ranulfe Higden\nin his woorke intituled \"Polychronicon,\" saith in plaine wordes, that it\nis vnknowen who was the first founder of Chester, but that it tooke the\nname of the soiourning there of some Romaine legions, by whome also it is\nnot vnlike that it might be first built by P. Ostorius Scapula, who as we\nfind, after he had subdued Caratacus king of the Ordouices that inhabited\nthe countries now called Lancashire, Cheshire, and Salopshire, built in\nthose parts, and among the Silures, certeine places of defense, for the\nbetter harbrough of his men of warre, and k\u00e9eping downe of such Britaines\nas were still readie to moue rebellion.\n\nBut now to the purpose concerning K. Leill. We find it recorded that he\nwas in the beginning of his reigne verie vpright, and desirous to s\u00e9e\niustice executed, and aboue all thinges loued peace & quietnesse; but as\nyeares increased with him, so his vertues began to diminish, in so much\nthat abandoning the care for the bodie of the commonwealth, he suffered\nhis owne bodie to welter in all vice and voluptuousnesse, and so\nprocuring the hatred of his subiects, caused malice and discord to rise\namongst them, which during his life he was neuer able to appease. But\nleauing them so at variance, he departed this life, & was buried at\nCarleil, which as ye haue heard he had builded while he liued.\n\n[Sidenote: LUD or LUDHURDIBRAS THE EIGHT RULER.\nKaerkin or Canterburie is builded. Caerguent is builded. Paladour is\nbuilded.]\nLud or Ludhurdibras the sonne of Leill began to gouerne in the yeare of\nthe world 3046. In the beginning of his reigne, h\u00e9e sought to appease the\ndebate that was raised in his fathers daies, and bring the realme to\nhir former quietnesse, and after that he had brought it to good end, he\nbuilded the towne of Kaerkin now called Canterburie: also the towne\nof Caerguent now cleped Winchester, and mount Paladour now called\nShaftsburie. About the building of which towne of Shaftsburie, Aquila\na prophet of the British nation wrote his prophesies, of which some\nfragments remaine yet to be scene, translated into the Latine by some\nancient writers. When this Lud had reigned 29 yeares, he died, and left a\nsonne behind him named Baldud.\n\n[Sidenote: BALDUD OR BLADUD THE NINTH RULER.\n_Gal. Mon._ The king was learned. Hot bathes.]\n\nBaldud the sonne of Ludhurdibras began to rule ouer the Britaines in\nthe yeare of the world 3085. This man was well s\u00e9ene in the sciences of\nastronomie and nigromancie, by which (as the common report saith) he made\nthe hot bathes in the citie of Caerbran now called Bath. But William of\nMalmesburie is of a contrarie opinion, affirming that Iulius Cesar made\nthose bathes, or rather repaired them when he was here in England: which\nis not like to be true: for Iulius Cesar, as by good coniecture we haue\nto thinke, neuer came so farre within the land that way forward. But of\nthese bathes more shall be said in the description. Now to proc\u00e9ed. This\n[Sidenote: _Mat. West._ The prince did flie.]\nBaldud tooke such pleasure in artificiall practises & magike, that he\ntaught this art throughout all his realme. And to shew his cunning in\nother points, vpon a presumptuous pleasure which he had therein, he tooke\nvpon him to flie in the aire, but he fell vpon the temple of Apollo,\nwhich stood in the citie of Troinouant, and there was torne in p\u00e9eces\nafter he had ruled the Britaines by the space of 20 yeares.\n\n[Sidenote: LEIR THE 10. RULER. _Mat. West._ Leicester is builded.]\nLeir the sonne of Baldud was admitted ruler ouer the Britaines, in the\nyeare of the world 3105, at what time Ioas reigned in Iuda. This Leir\nwas a prince of right noble demeanor, gouerning his land and subiects in\ngreat wealth. He made the towne of Caerleir now called Leicester, which\nstandeth vpon the riuer of Sore. It is written that he had by his wife\nthree daughters without other issue, whose names were Gonorilla, Regan,\nand Cordeilla, which daughters he greatly loued, but specially Cordeilla\nthe yoongest farre aboue the two elder. When this Leir therefore was\ncome to great yeres, & began to waxe vnweldie through age, he thought to\n[Sidenote: _Gal. Mon._]\nvnderstand the affections of his daughters towards him, and preferre hir\nwhome he best loued, to the succession ouer the kingdome. Whervpon he\nfirst asked Gonorilla the eldest, how well she loued him: who calling hir\n[Sidenote: A triall of loue.]\ngods to record, protested that she \"loued him more than hir owne life,\nwhich by right and reason should be most d\u00e9ere vnto hir. With which\nanswer the father being well pleased, turned to the second, and demanded\nof hir how well she loued him: who answered (confirming hir saiengs with\ngreat othes) that she loued him more than toong could expresse, and farre\naboue all other creatures of the world.\"\n\nThen called he his yoongest daughter Cordeilla before him, and asked of\nhir what account she made of him, vnto whome she made this answer as\nfolloweth: \"Knowing the great loue and fatherlie zeale that you haue\n[Sidenote: The answer of the yoongest daughter.]\nalwaies borne towards me (for the which I maie not answere you otherwise\nthan I thinke, and as my conscience leadeth me) I protest vnto you, that\nI haue loued you euer, and will continuallie (while I liue) loue you as\nmy naturall father. And if you would more vnderstand of the loue that I\nbeare you, assertaine your selfe, that so much as you haue, so much you\nare woorth, and so much I loue you, and no more. The father being nothing\ncontent with this answer, married his two eldest daughters, the one vnto\n[Sidenote: The two eldest daughters are maried. The realme is promised to\nhis two daughters.]\nHenninus the duke of Cornewall, and the other vnto Maglanus the duke of\nAlbania, betwixt whome he willed and ordeined that his land should be\ndiuided after his death, and the one halfe thereof immediatlie should\nbe assigned to them in hand: but for the third daughter Cordeilla he\nreserued nothing.\"\n\nNeuertheles it fortuned that one of the princes of Gallia (which now\nis called France) whose name was Aganippus, hearing of the beautie,\nwomanhood, and good conditions of the said Cordeilla, desired to haue hir\nin mariage, and sent ouer to hir father, requiring that he might haue hir\nto wife: to whome answer was made, that he might haue his daughter, but\nas for anie dower he could haue none, for all was promised and assured\nto hir other sisters alreadie. Aganippus notwithstanding this answer of\ndeniall to receiue anie thing by way of dower with Cordeilla, tooke hir\nto wife, onlie moued thereto (I saie) for respect of hir person and\namiable vertues. This Aganippus was one of the twelue kings that ruled\nGallia in those daies, as in the British historie it is recorded. But to\nproceed.\n\n[Sidenote: He gouerned the third part of Gallia as _Gal. Mon._ saith.]\nAfter that Leir was fallen into age, the two dukes that had married his\ntwo eldest daughters, thinking it long yer the gouernment of the land did\ncome to their hands, arose against him in armour, and reft from him the\ngouernance of the land, vpon conditions to be continued for terme of\nlife: by the which he was put to his portion, that is, to liue after a\nrate assigned to him for the maintenance of his estate, which in processe\nof time was diminished as well by Maglanus as by Henninus. But the\ngreatest griefe that Leir tooke, was to see the vnkindnesse of his\ndaughters, which seemed to thinke that all was too much which their\nfather had, the same being neuer so little: in so much that going from\nthe one to the other, he was brought to that miserie, that scarslie they\nwould allow him one seruant to wait vpon him.\n\nIn the end, such was the vnkindnesse, or (as I maie saie) the\nvnnaturalnesse which he found in his two daughters, notwithstanding their\nfaire and pleasant words vttered in time past, that being constreined of\nnecessitie, he fled the land, & sailed into Gallia, there to seeke some\ncomfort of his yongest daughter Cordeilla, whom before time he hated. The\nladie Cordeilla hearing that he was arriued in poore estate, she first\nsent to him priuilie a certeine summe of monie to apparell himselfe\nwithall, and to reteine a certeine number of seruants that might attend\nvpon him in honorable wise, as apperteined to the estate which he had\nborne: and then so accompanied, she appointed him to come to the court,\nwhich he did, and was so ioifullie, honorablie, and louinglie receiued,\nboth by his sonne in law Aganippus, and also by his daughter Cordeilla,\nthat his hart was greatlie comforted: for he was no lesse honored, than\nif he had beene king of the whole countrie himselfe.\n\nNow when he had informed his sonne in law and his daughter in what sort\nhe had b\u00e9ene vsed by his other daughters, Aganippus caused a mightie\narmie to be put in a readinesse, and likewise a great nauie of ships to\nbe rigged, to passe ouer into Britaine with Leir his father in law, to\ns\u00e9e him againe restored to his kingdome. It was accorded, that Cordeilla\nshould also go with him to take possession of the land, the which he\npromised to leaue vnto hir, as the rightfull inheritour after his\ndecesse, notwithstanding any former grant made to hir sisters or to their\nhusbands in anie maner of wise.\n\nHerevpon, when this armie and nauie of ships were readie, Leir and his\ndaughter Cordeilla with hir husband tooke the sea, and arriuing in\nBritaine, fought with their enimies, and discomfited them in battell, in\nthe which Maglanus and Henninus were slaine: and then was Leir restored\nto his kingdome, which he ruled after this by the space of two y\u00e9eres,\n[Sidenote: _Matth. West_]\nand then died, fortie yeeres after he first began to reigne. His bodie\nwas buried at Leicester in a vaut vnder the chanell of the riuer of Sore\nbeneath the towne.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n\n\n\n_The gunarchie of queene Cordeilla, how she was vanquished, of hir\nimprisonment and selfe-murther: the contention betweene Cunedag and\nMargan nephewes for gouernement, and the euill end thereof._\n\nTHE SIXT CHAPTER.\n\n\n[Sidenote: QUEENE CORDEILLA]\nCordeilla the yoongest daughter of Leir was admitted Q. and supreme\ngouernesse of Britaine, in the y\u00e9ere of the world 3155, before the\nbylding of Rome 54, Vzia then reigning in Iuda, and Ieroboam ouer\nIsraell. This Cordeilla after hir fathers deceasse ruled the land of\nBritaine right worthilie during the space of fiue y\u00e9eres, in which meane\ntime hir husband died, and then about the end of those fiue y\u00e9eres,\nhir two nephewes Margan and Cunedag, sonnes to hir aforesaid sisters,\ndisdaining to be vnder the gouernment of a woman, leuied warre against\nhir, and destroied a great part of the land, and finallie tooke hir\nprisoner, and laid hir fast in ward, wherewith she tooke such griefe,\nbeing a woman of a manlie courage, and despairing to recouer libertie,\nthere she slue hirselfe, when she had reigned (as before is mentioned)\nthe tearme of fiue y\u00e9eres.\n\n[Sidenote: CUNEDAG AND MARGAN.]\nCunedagius and Marganus nephewes to Cordeilla, hauing recouered the land\nout of hir hands, diuided the same betwixt them, that is to saie, the\ncountrie ouer and beyond Humber fell to Margan, as it stretcheth euen to\nCatnesse, and the other part lieng south and by-west, was assigned to\nCunedagius. This partition chanced in the y\u00e9ere of the world 3170, before\nthe building of Rome 47, Uzia as then reigning in Iuda, and Ieroboam\nin Israell. Afterwards, these two cousins, Cunedag and Margan, had not\nreigned thus past a two y\u00e9eres, but thorough some seditious persons,\nMargan was persuaded to raise warre against Cunedag, telling him in his\neare, how it was a shame for him being come of the elder sister, not to\nhaue the rule of the whole Ile in his hand. Herevpon ouercome with pride,\n[Sidenote: Margan inuadeth his cousine Cunedag.]\nambition, and couetousnesse, he raised an armie, and entring into the\nland of Cunedag, he burned and destroied the countrie before him in\nmiserable maner.\n\nCunedag in all hast to resist his aduersarie, assembled also all the\npower he could make, and comming with the same against Margan, gaue him\nbattell, in the which he slue a great number of Margans people, and put\nthe residue to flight, and furthermore pursued him from countrie to\ncountrie, till he came into Cambria, now called Wales, where the said\nMargan gaue him eftsoones a new battell: but being too weake in number\nof men, he was there ouercome and slaine in the field, by reason whereof\n[Sidenote: Margan is slaine. _Matt. West._]\nthat countrie tooke name of him, being there slaine, and so is called to\nthis daie Glau Margan, which is to meane in our English toong, Margans\nland. This was the end of that Margan, after he had reigned with his\nbrother two y\u00e9eres, or thereabouts.\n\n[Sidenote: CUNEDAGUS ALONE.]\nAfter the death of Margan, Cunedag the sonne of Hennius and Ragaie\n(middlemost daughter of Leir before mentioned) became ruler of all the\nwhole land of Britaine, in the yeare of the world 3172, before the\nbuilding of Rome 45, Vzia still reigning in Iuda, and Ieroboam in\nIsraell. He gouerned this Ile well and honourablie for the tearme of 33\nyeares, and then dieng, his bodie was buried at Troinouant or London.\nMoreouer, our writers doo report, that he builded thr\u00e9e temples, one to\nMars at Perth in Scotland, another to Mercurie at Bangor, and the third\nto Apollo in Cornewall.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n\n\n\n_Of Riuallus, Gurgustius, Sysillius, Iago, and Kinimacus, rulers of\nBritaine by succession, and of the accidents coincident with their\ntimes_.\n\nTHE SEUENTH CHAPTER.\n\n\n[Sidenote: RIUALLUS THE I3. RULER.]\nRiuallus, the sonne of Cunedag, began to reigne ouer the Britaines in the\nyeare of the world 3203, before the building of Rome 15, Ioathan as then\nbeing king of Iuda, and Phacea king of Israel. This Riuall gouerned the\nIland in great welth and prosperitie. In his time it rained bloud by the\n[Sidenote: It rained blood. _Matth. West._]\nspace of thr\u00e9e daies togither; after which raine ensued such an exc\u00e9eding\nnumber and multitude of flies, so noisome and contagious, that much\npeople died by reason thereof. When he had reigned 46 yeares he died, and\n[Sidenote: Rome builded.]\nwas buried at Caerbranke now called Yorke. In the time of this Riuals\nreigne was the citie of Rome builded, after concordance of most part of\nwriters. Perdix also a wizard, and a learned astrologian florished and\nwrit his prophesies, and Herene also.\n\n[Sidenote: GURGUSTIUS THE 14. RULER.]\nGurgustius, the son of the before named Riuall, began to gouerne the\nBritaines in the yeare after the creation of the world 3249, and after\nthe first foundation of Rome 33, Ezechias reigning in Iuda. This\nGurgustius in the chronicle of England, is called Gorbodian the sonne of\nReignold, he reigned 37 yeares, then departing this life, was buried at\nCaerbranke (now called Yorke) by his father.\n\n[Sidenote: SYSILLIUS THE 15. RULER.]\nSysillius, or after some writers SYLUIUS, the brother of Gurgustius, was\nchosen to haue the gouernance of Britaine, in the yere of the world 3287,\nand after the building of Rome 71, Manasses still reigning in Iuda. This\nSysillius in the English chronicle is named Secill. He reigned 49 yeares,\nand then died, and was buried at Carbadon, now called Bath.\n\n[Sidenote: JAGO THE 16. RULER.]\nIago or Lago, the cousin of Gurgustius, as next inheritor to Sysillius,\ntooke vpon him the gouernement of Britaine, in the yeare of the world\n3386, and after the building of Rome 120, in whose time the citie of\nIerusalem was taken by Nabuchodonozar and the king of Iuda, Mathania,\notherwise called Zedechias, being slaine. This Iago or Lago died without\nissue, when he had reigned 28 yeares, and was buried at Yorke.\n\n[Sidenote: KINIMACUS THE 17. RULER.]\nKinimacus or Kinmarus the sonne of Sysillius as some write, or rather the\nbrother of Iago, began to gouerne the land of Britain, in the yere of the\nworld 3364, and after the building of Rome 148, the Iewes as then being\nin the third yeare of their captiuitie of Babylon. This Kinimacus\ndeparted this life, after he had reigned 54 yeares, and was buried at\nYorke.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n\n\n\n_Of Gorbodug and his two sonnes Ferrex and Porrex, one brother killeth\nanother, the mother sluieth hir sonne, and how Britaine by ciuill warres\n(for lacke of issue legitimate to the government) of a monarchie became a\npentarchie: the end of Brutes line_.\n\nTHE EIGHT CHAPTER.\n\n\n[Sidenote: GORBODUG THE 18. RULER.]\nGorbodug the sonne of Kinimacus began his reigne ouer the Britains, in\nthe yeare after the creation of the world 3418, from the building of\nthe citie of Rome 202, the 58 of the Iews captiuitie at Babylon. This\nGorbodug by most likelihood to bring histories to accord, should reigne\nabout the tearme of 62 yeares, and then departing this world, was buried\nat London, leauing after him two sonnes Ferrex and Porrex, or after some\nwriters, Ferreus and Porreus.\n\n[Sidenote: FERREX THE 19. RULER]\nFerrex with Porrex his brother began iointlie to rule ouer the Britaines,\nin the yeare of the world 3476, after the building of Rome 260, at which\ntime, the people of Rome forsooke their citie in their rebellious mood.\nThese two brethren continued for a time in good friendship and amitie,\ntill at length through couetousnesse, and desire of greater dominion,\nprouoked by flatterers, they fell at variance and discord, wherby Ferrex\n[Sidenote: Ferrex fled into Gallia.]\nwas constreined to fl\u00e9e into Gallia, and there purchased aid of a great\nduke called Gunhardus or Suardus, and so returned into Britaine, thinking\nto preuaile and obteine the dominion of the whole Iland. But his brother\nPorrex was readie to receiue him with battell after he was landed, in the\nwhich battell Ferrex was slaine, with the more part of his people. The\nEnglish chronicle saith, that Porrex was he that fled into France, &\nat his returne, was slaine, and that Ferrex suruiued. But Geffrey\nof Monmouth & Polychronicon are of a contrarie opinion. Matthew\n[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]\nWestmonasteriensis writeth, that Porrex deuising waies to kill Ferrex,\natchiued his purpose and slue him. But whether of them so euer suruiued,\nthe mother of them was so highlie offended for the death of him that was\nslaine, whom she most intierlie loued, that setting apart all motherlie\naffection, she found the meanes to enter the chamber of him that suruiue\n[Sidenote: The mother killeth hir son.]\nin the night season, and as he slept, she with the helpe of hir maidens\nslue him, and cut him into small p\u00e9eces, as the writers doo affirme. Such\nwas the end of these two brethren, after they had reigned by the space of\nfoure or fiue yeares.\n\nAfter this followed a troublous season, full of cruell warre, and\nseditious discord, whereby in the end, and for the space of fiftie\nyeares, the monarchie or sole gouernement of the Iland became a\npentarchie, that is, it was diuided betwixt fiue kings or rulers,\ntill Dunwallon of Cornewall ouercame them all. Thus the line of Brute\n(according to the report of most writers) tooke an end: for after the\n[Sidenote: _Robert Record_.]\ndeath of the two foresaid brethren, no rightfull inheritor was left aliue\nto succ\u00e9ed them in the kingdome. The names of these fiue kings are found\nin certeine old pedegr\u00e9es: and although the same be much corrupted in\ndiuers copies, yet these vndernamed are the most agr\u00e9eable.\n\nBut of these fiue kings or dukes, the English chronicle alloweth Cloton\nking of Cornewall for most rightfull heire. There appeareth not any time\ncerteine by report of ancient authors, how long this variance continued\n[Sidenote: _Fabian_. Ciuill warres 51. yeares.]\namongst the Britains: but (as some say) it lasted for the space of 51\nyeres, coniecturing so much by that which is recorded in Polychron, who\nsaith, who it endured euen till the beginning of the reigne of Mulmucius\nDunwallon, who began to gouerne from the time that Brute first entred\nBritaine, about the space of 703 thr\u00e9e yeares. (sic)\n\n\u00b6 Here ye must note, that there is difference amongst writers about the\nsupputation and account of these yeares, insomuch that some making their\nreckoning after certeine writers, and finding the same to varie aboue\nthr\u00e9e C. yeares, are brought into further doubt of the truth of the\nwhole historie: but whereas other haue by diligent search tried out\nthe continuance of euerie gouernors reigne, and reduced the same to a\nlikelihood of some conformitie, I haue thought best to follow the same,\nleauing the credit thereof with the first authors.\n\n\nTHE PENTARCHIE.\n\n1 Rudacus  king of  Wales.\n2 Clotenus king of  Cornewall.\n3 Pinnor   king of  Loegria.\n4 Staterus king of  Albania.\n5 Yewan    king of  Northumberland.\n\n\n\nTHE END OF THE SECOND BOOKE.","title":"Holinshed's Chronicles, vol. 1 of 6, slice 3 of 9. England, early history","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":9957}