this place by the Brittains we have already spoken Conon of Meriadoc now Denbighland in the year of Grace 384. was the first Prince of the Brittish blood in Armorica or Little Brittain the second was 2. Graldonus 3. Solomon I. The names of the Kings of little Brittain 4. Auldranus 5. Budicus I. 6. Howellus Magnus This Howel was with King Arthur in his wars 7. Howellus II. 8. Alanus I. 9. Howellus III. 10. Gilquellus 11. Solomon II. 12. Alanus II. Of whom mentions is made in this place who descended of a daughter of Rune the son of Mailgon Gwyneth King of Great Brittain who was married to the forenamed Howel II King of Little Brittain 13. Conobertus 14. Budicus II. 15. Theodoricus 16. Rualhonus 17. Daniel Dremrost i. e. with the red face 18. Aregstanus 19. Maconus 20. Neomenius 21. Haruspagius 22. Solomon III Who was slain by his own men and then was that Kingdom turned into an Earldom whereof Alen was the first Earl who valiantly resisted the Normans and vanquished them oft at last it was a Dukedom Cadwallader bein in Brittain was certified that a great number of strangers as Saxons Angles and Juthes had arrived in great Brittain and finding it desolate and without inhabitants saving a few Saxons who had called them in and certain poor Brittains who lived by roots in Rocks and Woods had overrun a great part thereof and dividing it into Territories and Kingdomes inhabited that part which was then and yet at this day by the Welsh who are the ancient Brittains called Lhoyger and in English England with all the Cities Townes Castles and Villages which the Brittains had builded ruled and inhabited by the space of 1827. years under divers Kings and Princes of great renown whereupon he purposed to return and by strength of Brittish Knights to recover his own Land again After he had prepared and made ready his Navy for the transporting of his own men with such succours as he had found at Alan's hand an Angel appeared to him in a Vision and declared that it was the will of God that he should not take his voyage towards Brittain but to Rome to Pope Sergius where he should end his life and be afterwards numbred among the blessed Which vision after that Cadwallader had declared to his friend Alan he sent for all his books of prophesies as the works of both Merdhines or Merlins to wit Ambrose and Sylvester surnamed Merdhin Wylht and the words which the Eagle spoke at the building of Caer Septon to be now come whereof they had prophesied To this very day the Welsh the very real ofspring of the Brittains are much addicted unto prophesies and so confident that out of their old books I know some my self and those of good quality they doubt not to tell you things to come but those prophesies are never discerned to have come to pass till it be too late as in Ragland Castle in Monmothshire and others which it concerns me not to speak of Alan upon the relation of Cadwallader his vision or dream counselled him to fullfil the will of God who did so and taking his journey to Rome lived there eight years in the service of God and dyed in the year of Christ 688. So that the Brittains ruled this Isle with the out-Isles of Wight Mon in English called Anglesey Manaw in English Man Orkney and Ewyst 1137. years before Christ until the year of his Incarnation 688. and thus ended the rule of the Brittains over the whole Isle This glorious King bore for his armes Azure a crosse firmie fitched Or. He slew Lothayre King of Kent and Aethelwald King of the South Saxons Ivor the son of Alan After Cadwallader had taken his journey towards Rome Gerard Leigh in his accidence of armory fol. 33. leaving his son named Edwal the Roo and his people with his Cousin Alan which Alan taking courage to him and not despairing of the conquest of Brittain manned his ships as well with a great number of his own people as with those which Cadwallader had brought with him and appointed Ivor his son and Inyr his Nephew to be leaders and chieftains of the same who sailing over the narrow seas landed in the West parts of Brittain of whose arrival when the Saxons were certified they gathered a great Army and gave Ivor battail where they were put to flight and lost a great number of their people and Ivor wan the Countries of Cornwall Devonshire and Somersetshire and peopled them with Brittains Whereupon Kentwinus King of West-Sex gathered a great number of Saxons and Angles together and came against the Brittains which were ready to abide the battail and as the armies were both in sight they were not very desirous to fight but fell to a composition and agreement that Ivor should take Ethelburga to wife who was Cofin to Kentwin and quietly enjoy all that he had during the reign of Ivor This Ivor is he whom our English Chronicles call Ive or Jew King of West Saxons H. Lhoyd that reigned after Cedwel and they say that he was a Saxon for Kentwin reigned full five years after Ivors coming into England and after him his Nephew Cedwel who after he had reigned over the west Saxons two years went to Rome and left his Kingdom to Ive his Cousin This Ive or Ivor whom the Brittains call the son of Alan and the Saxons the son of Kenred being King of the Saxons and Brittains which inhabited the West parts of Brittain after many victories atchived against the Kings of Kent Southsex and Mercia left his Kingdome to Adelred or as some call him Adelerdus his Cousin and took his journey to Rome where he made a godly end about the year of our Lord seven hundred and twenty Roderike or Rodri the Son of Edwal Yworch Roderike over the Brittains began his reign Anno. 720. against whom Adelred King of the West Saxons raised a great Army and destroying the Country of Devonshire The Brittains victorious against the Saxons in three battails entered Cornwall where Roderike with the Brittains gave him battail in with the Brittains had the victory over the Saxons the year after the Brittains obtained two other victories over the Saxons one in Northwales at a place called Garth Maelawc and an other in Southwales at Pencoed At this time Belin the Son of Elphin a noble Man among the Brittains died Ethelbaldus King of Mercia desirous to annex the fertile soil of the Country lying between Severn and Wye to his own Kingdom gathered an Army and entered into Wales A battail near Abergevenny and destroying all before him he came to the Mountain Carno not far from Abergevenny where a sore battail was fought between him and the Brittains Anno seven hundred twenty eight This Mercian King called to his aid Adelard King of the West Saxons and gave battail to the Brittains where after a long and terrible conflict he obtained a bloody victory
Coelique cupidine tactus Altius egit iter rapidi vicinia Solis Mollit odoratas pennarum vincula ceras Tabuerant cerae nudos quatit ille lacertos Remigioque carens non ullas concipit auras And so destitute of help he falls headlong a just reward of his temerity and breaks his neck upon the Temple of Troynovant as some affirm having Reigned 20 years The Greeks and Latines gave Names to this place according to the nature and condition of the Waters or Baths there being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hot waters Aquae solis waters of the Sun Bath is the chief City in Somersetshire seated in a very low plain and round about environed with Hills very high and steep From whence come many Rivulets and fresh water-springs to the great commodity of the people but that which brings most wealth unto the place are not the Waters from without but those within sending up from them much thin vapours and a strong scent withall which springs are very medicinable for many diseases Three of those Springs there are in all the waters of which being received in large and fitting receptacles for the publick use they call the Kings Bath the Cross Bath and the hot Bath the Cathedral a fair Church but belonging to Moncks found the heavy hand of K. H. 8. but it is now in indifferent repair Earl it had none till the time of Hen. 7. since it hath had divers Earls of BATH 1. Philbert de Chandew of little Brittain 2. John Bourchier Lord Fitzwarren Created E. of Bath Hen. 8. July 10. 3. John Bourchier 4. William Bourchier 5. Edward Bourchier 6. Henry Bourchier Argent a Cross engrailed Gules inter 4 water bougets sable a label of 3 points Azure charged with 9 flower de luces Or. LEIR the Son of BLADUD LEIR the Son of Bladud his Father through his own Arrogancy Ambition and Vanity or rather Foolery saepe feruntur in altum ut lapsu graviore ruant having soared to too high a place and so in a hasty stooping broke his neck began his Reign in the year from the Worlds creation iiii M. CCC XXXiii This King was of a most Noble and Heroick mind as being questionlesse bred under the Discipline of those Philosophers which his Father had brought from Athens besides a natural Propension of his own to moral Vertue insomuch that his Kingdom flourished in great Peace and abundance of Wealth This King to imitate his worthy Predecessors laid the Foundation of a Famous city calling it after his own Name Caerlirion and after Leircester this is one of those 28 cities where Flamens were Mr. Cambden tells us that it was called Ligecestria Leogora Legeocester and Leicester saying it rather savoured of Antiquity then handsomenesse yet acknowledeth that it was formerly a bishoprick but that the See being removed it much decayed in renown till at last Edelfleda optima Foemina the best of Women or a very good woman in the year 913. did repair it and inclose it with new Walls insomuch that Matthew of Paris in his lesser History saith Legecestria Vrbs pulentissima munitissim a muro indissolubili qui si Fundamento roboraretur nulli Vrbium secunda fuisset Leicester a most rich city with a wall unbreakable had it had a sufficient Foundation second to no city whatsoever In the time of King Henry the 2. this Town was in great distresse and much affliction by reason that Robert Bossu i. e. bunch-backt Earl of Leicester attempting innovations and conspiracies against his Prince and Soveraign forced Henry Propter contumaciam comitis Roberti contra Regem recalcibrantit obsessa est per Regem Hen. subversa Nobilis civitas Leicestria murus qui videbatur indissolubilis funditus in circuitu dirutus Vrbs enim muris Fundamento carentibus sub fossis fulciminibus tandem combustis maenium fragmenta ceciderunt quae usque in hodiernum diem propter caementi indissolubilis tenacitatem scopulorum retinent cum integritate magnitudinem King Leir beginning now to be aged and full of years having no Heir-male he called unto him his three Daughters Gonorilla Ragan and Cordeilla intending out of the discovery of their love and filial affection and duty towards Him to settle his Kingdome upon them to the Eldest he said Daughter I shall desire you to expresse unto me how well and dearly you love and esteem me your aged Father the young Lady hearing a question of so high a nature and so much concerning proposed unto Her First that her answer may not seem forged or to have any smack or rellish of dissimulation calls the immortal Gods being then the custome amongst Pagans and all the celestial Powers to witnesse her Assertion and then replies My Princely Lord and Father I love you more then my own soul the feeble old man was much taken with this Answer resting satisfied that his Daughter did cordially and entirely love him He calls for the second propounds the same question she thinking to out-vie her Eldest sister and thereby to endear and engratiate her self into the old Mans favour spares no oaths or invocations and imprecations assuring him that her Tongue was too slender a Messenger to deliver the depth of her affection and duty and that she loved him far beyond all creatures Leir is tickled and exceedingly solaced with these two Answers and thinks no mortal Man more happy in his children then himself Cordeilla is called for the same interrogatory used she wittily perceiving the deep dissimulation and fawning of her Sisters replies My dearest Father I am much joyed to see you so well pleased with the expressive Answers of my two sisters for my own part as a Father I have ever honoured obeyed and loved you and for ever shall and if you desire further expression from me Know honoured Sir That as much as you deserve to be beloved so much I love you and no more King LEIR being nothing pleased with the integrity of his third Daughters answer Obsequium amicos veritas Odium parit bethinks himself how he may best dispose and bestow his two eldest Daughters to their most content honour and advancement the Eldest therefore he espouseth to the Duke of Cornwall the second to the Duke of Albania which is now called Scotland dividing his Kingdom betwixt them in Reversion and a Moiety for their present maintenance and livelyhood nothing being left for the poor Lady Cordeilla whose tongue was the true Embassador of her heart and whose heart hated all dissimulation and hypocrisie Fame who is never slow in reporting the transactions of eminent persons especially Kings sounds this passage of King Leir in France and with a shrill Note ecchoes forth the beauty modesty vertue and all the adorning graces which wait upon Cordeilla Aganippus an eminent personage and by some stiled King of France through a great mistake for as Policronicon Petrus Pictaniensis Robert Gagwine Antonius Episcopus and divers others affirm the name of France was not
Army to them who overthrew them in battel by their disorder and lack of Government For the left point or wing of their battel was broken off at the first by the Gauls who charged them so furiously that they drave them headlong into the River The right wing then retiring out of the plain before they had any Charge given and having gotten certain Hills hard by them they had little hurt and most of them did recover Rome again the rest that escaped after the Enemies were weary of killing fled by night unto the City of Veies thinking Rome had been lost and all the City put to the Sword this overthrow was on the longest day in Summer the Moon being at the Full. The Romans were very superstitious in dayes Fortunate and Unfortunate which I here passe over as not material to our businesse in hand The day of this overthrow is one of those which the Romans take for one of the unfortunatest dayes that ever came unto them Now after the battel lost if the Gauls had hotly pursued the chase of their flying enemies nothing could have saved Rome from being Taken and the Inhabitants thereof from being put unto the Sword for the Romans that fled from the battel brought such a fear upon those that received them and filled the whole City of Rome with such grief and trembling that they wist not what to doe The Gauls again believing little their Victory was so great as it was fell to make good cheer for so great a joy received and divided among them the spoil of their Enemies goods they found in the Camp So gave they time and leisure by this means to the multitude of people that fled out of Rome to seek them some place of safety and to such as remain still they left good hope to save themselves and to make some provision for defence Thereupon they all fortified themselves within Mont Capitol and storing it with all kind of Victuals Armour and Ammunition they wholy did forsake the rest of the City but the first work they took in hand was this they did bring into their said Fort part of their sacred reliques and the professed Vestals brought thither all their holy Fire and all their holy Monuments c. Furthermore the Priests of other Gods and the most honourable old men of the City of Rome that had been Consulls aforetime or had past the honor of triumph had not the heart to forsake Rome but putting on all their costly Robes and Vestments did vow and most willingly sacrifice themselves unto the fortune that should befall them for the safety of their Countrey And using certain words and prayers which their high Bishop Fabius had taught them they went even thus apparelled unto the great market place and did sit them down there in Chaires of Ivory expecting the good will and pleasure of the Gods what should become of them Within three dayes after Brennus came to Rome with his Army who finding the Gates of the City all open and the Walls without watch he doubted some devise in it and feared some privy ambush had been layed as one hardly believing to have found the Romans of so base a mind as to forsake their City After being informed of the truth he entred into Rome by the gate Collina and took the same little more then 360 years after it was first builded if it be true at the least that there remained any certaine Chronicles of those times unto this present day considering the trouble and confusion of that time hath made many things more certaine then that doubtful unto us but so it was that the rumor ran to Greece incontinently how Rome was taken but yet withal somewhat doubtfully and uncertain but Brennus having now entred Rome did appoint part of his souldiers to besiege those that were gotten in Mont Capitol and he with the residue of his Army marched on towards the market-place where when he saw the ancient Senators sit gravely on their Chaires and speak never a word nor offered once to rise though they saw their enemies come Armed against them neither changed countenance nor colour at all but leaned softly upon their staves which they had in their hands seeming to be nothing affraid nor abashed but looked one upon another he wondered marvailously at it this their so strange manner at the first did so dump the Gauls that for a space they stood still and were in doubt to come near to touch them fearing least they had been some Gods until such time as one of them went boldly to Marcus Papirius and laid his hand fair and softly upon his long Beard The Majesty of the old Senatry set in the Market place of Rome but Papirius gave him such a wrap upon his Pate with his staffe that he made blood run about his Ears The Gaule was in such rage with the blow that he drew out his sword and slew him the other souldiers also killed the rest afterwards and so they continued many dayes afterwards spoyling and plundering all things they found in the houses and in the end did set all on fire and destroyed them every one Rome rased by Bâ—ennus the Brittish Prince for despite of those that kept the Capitol and would not yield upon their Summons but valiantly repulsed them when they scaled the Walls For this cause they rased the whole City and put all to the Sword that came into their hands young and old man woman and child Now this Siege continuing long and the Romans holding them out very stoutly victuals began to grow very scant in the Camp of the Gauls insomuch as they were driven on force to seek it abroad without the City Hereupon they divided themselves whereof some remained still with them at the Siege of the Capitol and the rest went a foraging and spoiling all the Champion Country and Villages there abouts scattered as it were by Bands and Companies some here some there fearing nothing nor passing upon watch or ward they lived in such security of their Victory Howbeit the greatest Company amongst them went by fortune towards the City of Ardea where Camillus dwelt living like a private man medling with no matters of State from the time of his Exile until that present But then he began not to bethink himself as a man that was in safety and might have escaped the hands of his enemies but rather sought how to devise and find all the means he could to subdue them if occasion were so offered whereupon considering that the Citizens of Ardea were enough in number to set upon them though faint-hearted and cowardly by reason of the sloth and negligence of the Governours and Captains who had no manner of experience in wars he began to cast out these words among the young men That they should not think the Romans misfortune fell upon them through the Valour of the Gauls nor that their Calamity who had refused good Councel had hapned unto them by any
Sermone vis infinita est Brittanicarum aictionum atque vetus cultus Hibernorum ut ait Cornelius Tacitus non multum differt à Brittanico Denique à Scriptoribus antiquis omnibus Insula ea Brittanica nominatur praefertius cum Romani suum imperium undique propagassent multi proculdubio ex Hispanis Gallia Brittannia se receperunt in Hiberniam ne potentiae Romanae subjicerentur quae res fecit Julium Agricolam persuadere Romanis capere Hiberniam si Britannos in officio continere vellent Attamen Hibernia licet ipso situ fuerit Imperio Romano summè necessaria ejusque aditus Portus per commercia cognita Romanis Julius Agricola quendam Hibernum Regulum seditionis expulsum retinuerit ad occasionem capiendae Insulae nunquam tamen à Romanis in ditionem accepta fuit If it be true which the Irish Writers affirm their Island may justly be called Ogygia that is very ancient for they aver Cesara to have there inhabited before the Deluge and the History of Brittany avoucheth that Hiberus and Hermio two Spaniards many ages after by the appointment of Gurguint King of Great Brittaine inhabited it with their Colonies and Planters I will neither say it nor gain-say it quoth Cambden but certainly it is very probable that Ireland was very anciently Inhabited when mankind was dispersed and spread abroad over the face of the whole earth and manifest it is the first Inhabitants to have come thither out of Brittannia for in the Irish Speech there are a multitude of Brittish words and accents and as Cornelius Tacitus tells us the mode of the Irish differs not much from the Brittains And for a Conclusion of this Discourse by the most ancient Writers that Island is called Brittanica or Brittish and evident it is that when the Roman valour and glory had conquered and spread it self almost throughout the whole known world divers as well out of Spain as France and Britttain fled thither for shelter not willing to submit their necks and shoulders under the Roman yoke which was indeed the very cause that moved Julius Agicola to perswade the Romans to get Possession of Ireland if they ever meant to keep the Brittains in s bjection And although that Iland was of great consequence and necessary to the Romans neither were their Ports and Haven by reason of the constant and dayly Commerce and Trafick to them unknown And Julius Agricola having got a certain Irish petty King into his clutches driven by sedition from his native soyl intended to make him his decoy to seize and fasten upon the Irish jurisdictions yet for all these stratagems Ireland never came under the Roman slavery or obedience Gurguint being hitherto victorious and fortunate returns home having his head enriched with Laurels of choicest honour and renown being a Prince of singular prudence and justice and having laid the Sword aside he applies himself to build Cities and Towns for the great beauty of his Kingdome The first place which he erected was as saith Howes citing J. Rouse Caierwerith that is Lancaster of which place the Learned Cambden speaking Lancaster built by Gurguim hath these words ' Vbi sub Britanniarum duce ut est in Notitia Provinciarum numerus Longovicariorum qui è loco suum nomen sunt mutuati stationem habuit Whereas we find in the notice of Provinces a company of the Longovicarians under the Lieutenant General of Brittain lay which took their name from the place that is from the River Lon which gave name also to Loncaster and Longovicum this is onely a Market town at this day the ancient Town stood where after was a Cloyster at the foot of the hill are fragments of old walls and oft-times Roman Coyns are found but above all there are the ruins of a very antique structure which is called Werywall Recentiori ut videtur hujus oppidi nomine Hoc enim oppidum saith Mr. Cambden ilii Caerwerid i. e. Vrbem viridem dixerunt à viridanti forsitan illo colle This Town the Brittains called Caerwerid that is to say the Green town perchance taking its Name from the Green hill which is there The first time this place became an Earldome was when K. Hen. 3. conferred that Title on his second Son Edm. and it was destinate to greatnesse in the first Foundation there being laid unto it at the very first besides this County the whole confiscated Estates of the Earls of Leicester and Derby and the Barony of Monmouth And into this by Marriages accrued in time the great Estates of William de Fortibus Earl of Aumerl and Lord of Holderness Beauford and other goodly Lands in France the Earldom of Lincoln and good part of that of Salisbury the Lordships of Ogncare and Kidwelly in Wales which were once the Chaworths John of Gaunt added thereunto the Castles and Honors of Hertford and Tickhill and his Son Bullingbroke a moiety of the Lands of Bohun being Earl of Hertford Essex and Northampton so that it was the greatest Patrimony as I verily think of any Subject Prince in Christendome Lancaster finally was made a County Palatine by King Ed. the 3. and hath been honoured with these Dukes and Earles of Lancaster Edmund Plantagenet 2. Son to K. Hen. 3. E. of Lan. Thomas Plantagenet Henry Plantagenet Henry Plantagenet first D. of Lan. John of Gaunt Son to K. Ed. 3. married the Lady Blanch Daughter of Henry D. of Lan. Henry of Bullinbroke Son of John of Gaunt after King of England by whom this County Palatine and all the Lands and Honors belonging and incorporate into the Dutchy of Lancaster were brought unto the Crown of England though governed as an Estate apart then by its proper Officers as it continued till the time of K. Ed. 4. who did appropriate it to the Crown and dissolved the former Government thereof to which it was restored again by K. Hen. 7. and so still remaineth under the guidance of Chancellor and other Officers of the same The next Town which Gurgunstus as Howes calls him built was Porchester in Hampshire of which place Cambden speaking of those parts saith In cujus interiori recessu olim floruit Port Peris ad quem Vespasianum appulisse nostri produnt Saxones novo Nomine Portchester dixerunt non à Porta Saxone sed à portu Ptolomaeo enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. portus magnus vocatur castrumque sanc amplum superest quod in subjectum portum longe lateque prospectat where in times past Port Peris flourished where in succeeding Ages our Writers affirm Porchester built by Garguint Vespasian when he came into Brittain first landed the Saxons changed the Name into Portchester but not deriving it from Porta the Saxon Chieftain but from Port i. e. Haven or Harbour in which sense Ptolomy useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Harbour or Port this by the ancient Brittains was called Caer Peris and was one of the eight and twenty Sees
chiefest City at this day in Essex wherein Lucius Helena and Constantine the first Christian King Empress and Emperour in the world were born which made Nechan to sing as he did From Colchester there sprung a star The rayes whereof gave glorious light Throughout the world in climates far Great Constantine Romes Emperour bright This City is walled about raised upon a high trench of earth though now much decaied having six gates of entrance and three posterns in the West wall besides nine watch Towers for defence and containeth in compasse 1980 paces wherein stand 8 fair Churches and two other without the walls for Gods divine Service St. Tenants the Black-fryars decayed in the suburbs St. Mary Magdelens the Nunnery St. John's and the Crochiet Fryers suppressed within towards the East is mounted an old Castle and elder ruines upon a trench containing two Acres of Ground where as yet may be seen the provident care they had against all ensuing assault This City was graced with the honour of a Viscount by K. James who Created Thomas Darcy Lord Darcy of Chich 1621. Viscount Colchester in Essex to him during his life the remainder to Sir Thomis Savage of Roch Savage in the County of Chester Knight and Baronet who had Married one of his Daughters and Coheirs Thomas Lord Darcy Argent 3 cinque foils Gules John Savage Viscount Rochester Colchester Argent 6 Lyons ramp 321 sable Now was the time come namely about one hundred and fourscore years after the Birth of our Saviour when Christian Religion which many years together had been for the most part shadowed with dark clouds of Heathenish superstition began to discover it self more openly in this Iland by the means of Lucius sirnamed Lever-Maur who by permission of the Roman Lieutenant did govern as King a great part of the Province For it appeareth by the testimony of some ancient Writers that Brittain received the Christian Faith even in the Infancy of the Church immediately after the death of our Saviour whose Apostles and Disciples according to his Commandment published and dispersed the same in divers Regions partly by themselves in their own persons partly by their Ministers among whom were sent into Brittany Simon Chananaeus that after his peregrination in Mauritania as it is reported was slain and buried in this Iland Aristobulus a Roman Brittish History fol. 108. l. 3. c. 3. of whom St. Paul in his Epistles maketh mention and Joseph of Arimathea a noble Man of Jury specially remembred of Posterity for his charitable Act in burying the Body of our Saviour This Man was appointed by St. Philip the Apostle then preaching the Christian Faith in Gallia to instruct the ancient Brittains among whom he began first as some write to institute an Eremitical life in a place then called Duellonia and afterwards Glastenbury where himself and his Companions imitating the austerity and zeal of solitude which they had observed in Mary Magdalen with whom they travelled out of Jury unto Marsilia in France sequestred themselves from all worldly Affairs that they might freely attend to the exercise of piety which they professed yea some Writers of former Ages have writ that the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul in their own persons at several times came into Brittain and that afterwards one Sueton a noble Mans Son of that Country being converted by such Christians as first planted the Faith there and called after his Baptisme Beatus was sent by them to Rome unto St. Peter to be better instructed and confirmed in Christianity and that in his return homewards through Switzerland he found in the Inhabitants there such a desire and readinesse to receive the Christian Faith as he resolved to continue in that place where he erected an Oratory to exercise a Monastical life and departed the world about the year of Grace 110. but who were the very first Teachers and at that time the Christian Faith was first of all received there it is not certainly known saith this Author Howbeit it is likely that in the Expedition of Claudius the Emperor which was about the third year of his Reign and twelve years after the Ascension of our Saviour some Christians of Rome and Scholars of the Apostles themselves became first known unto the Brittains who in processe of time were drawn by the Exhortations and Examples of their Teachers to embrace the Truth The unblamable life of those religious Men moving sometimes even their Princes though yet unbelieving to protect and regard them as is shewn in Arviragus and others as Lucius then began to doe besides that the Roman Lieutenants also as well in Brittain as in other places did sometimes tolerate the exercise of Christian Religion as not altogether disliking it howsoever for worldly respects they forbare to shew themselves openly in favour of it But Lucius declared his inclination thereunto after another manner For inwardly disliking the prophane superstition then used among the Romans by the great constancy vertue and patience of the Christians at Rome and other places suffering Persecution and Martyrdome for the Faith of Christ the number of Christians whom many men esteemed for the Miracles they wrought as contrary to common expectation daily encreased That Pertinax and Tretellius two worthy Senators of Rome had been lately converted from Paganisme to Christianity that Marcus Aurelius the Roman Emperor then reigning began to conceive a better opinion of them then himself and his Predecessors had done and so much the rather by reason that not long before he had obtained a famous victory against his enemies the prosperous Event whereof he attributed to the prayers of the Christians at Rome Upon these considerations Lucius determined to be instructed in the Religion which they professed and first of all commanded Elevanus and Meduinus two learned Men of the Brittish Nation to go to Rome where Elutherius was then Bishop to require some meet persons to be sent into Brittain to instruct him and his people for which purpose Fugatius and Damianus were specially appointed by Elutherius with all speed to repair thither where they afterwards not without some danger by tempest upon the Seas arrived and applyed themselves both by doctrine and examples to perform the charge committed unto them the successe therein proving answerable to their endeavours for the prince and his Family was by them baptized some of the Inhabitants that had formerly received the Faith were confirmed therein and others that remained as yet in their infidelity were converted to Christianity But Lucius the Prince having received instructions from the Sea of Rome for direction of himself and his people in the profession and exercise of Christian Religion not desirous also to order his temporal estate according the Roman policy and to that end sollicited Elutherius the Bishop to send unto him the Lawes of the Empire out of which he might elect and compose some certain Ordinances for the Administration of civil justice whereupon Elutherius sent Letters to the
blood and water did flow out of the wound of his side they set a reed in his right hand and put a crown of thorne upon his head and having done all things which mans cruelty could work against him they began to work him with words saying unto him Hail King of the Jewes If thou art the son of God now come down from thy cross and we believe thee and then they used many revilings against him that younge man answered not one word unto them At last when they had said what they could against him crying out with a great voice he sayed O Father into thy hands I commend my spirit and having so said gave up the Ghost His dead body was taken down from the cross the blood still largely issuing out of his wounds they shut it in a tomb of stone and covered it with a stone sealed appointing watchmen to keep it And a wonder to see his body thus being dead came to life again and receiving strength did go forth of the Sepulchre it still remaining shut How he did arose from death I did behold with my own eyes Men cloathed with garments as white as snow did come from Heaven and taking that Man with them returned from whence they came and an infinite army of Men cloathed all in white doth follow him which ceased not in all that journey to sing prayses and continually blessed a Father and his only begotten son great and unspeakable joy was among them so that none might worthily be compared unto it These and many other things which I neither will nor is lawfull for any mortal Man to tell have been shewed to me in vision this night what they do signifie I beseech thee not to conceal from me be not afraid St. Amphibalus hearing these things perceiving that his heart was visited by God exceedingly rejoyced in our Lord and forthwith pulling out a cross of our Lord which he had about him said behold in this sign thou maiest manifestly see what this vision this night meaneth what it signifieth For this Man coming from Heaven is my Lord Jesus Christ who did not refuse to undergo the punishment of the Cross that he might deliver us by his blood from the guilt wherewith we were held bound by the prevarication of our first parent Adam And so prosecuting to the mystery of the holy Trinity which I need not particularly to relate writing to Christian Readers to speak in this old Brittish Authors words again Alban greatly marvailing upon the speeches of St. Amphibalus brake out into these words The things which thou relatest of Christ are true and cannot in any respect be reproved as false for I this night have evidently known how Christ overcame the Divel and thrust him down to the bottom of Hell I have seen with my eyes how that horrible one lyeth enwrapped in the knots of chains hereby knowing that all thou hast spoken is true I believe and from this time this is my faith that there is no God but my Lord Jesus Christ who for the salutation of Men vouchsaving to take humanity upon him sustained the passion of the cross the which the Father and the Holy Ghost is one God and there is no other and having thus said he falleth down prostrate before the cross as if he had seen our Lord Jesus hanging thereon the blessed penitent craveth pardon for his sin Tears mingled with blood run down about his face and in great quantity fell down upon the venerable wood of the cross I saith he renounce the Devil and detest all the Enemies of Christ believing in him and commending my self to him who as thou affirmeth rose the third day from death Amphibalus saith unto him be of courage our Lord is with thee and his grace will never be wanting to thâ—â— That faith which other mortal men have deserved to receive by the Tradition of Men thou hast not learned it either of Man or by Man but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ Therefore being now secure of thee I determine to go further to preach unto the Gentiles but Alban entreating him to stay at the East one week longer that he might in that time be more perfectly instructed in the Faith of Christ he did so Thus writeth this old Brittish Author of St. Alban his conversion Gil lib. de Excid Brit. cap. 8 Bede Martyr 22. Julii Bede l. 1. Hist Eccle. c. 7. Matth. West an 303. which both St. Gildas and St. Bede and others do in effect and substance also deliver although not in so ample a manner during the time of their abode together afterward they spent their time as St. Amphibalus by Bedes relation did before St. Albans Conversion in continual watchings and prayers day and night a great motive to St. Alban to receive the Faith of Christ for every day towards evening they withdrew themselves from the City and Company of men going to an house which St. Alban had without the City where they spent the whole night in serving God and although they observed this camelous diligence to keep themselves secret from the persecutors yet it was by a wicked Pagan there revealed and told to the persecuting Judge which coming to the knowledge of St. Alban before the Pagan Prince and persecutor could execute his designment Gild. lib. 3. â—e exc l. 8. Bede l. 1. Hist c. 7. Galf. Mon. Hist Reg. Brit. l. 5. c. 3. Mat. West an 303. as at his first receiving o St. Amphibalus when he was as yet a Pagan as our antient Histories say he hid him in his house being pursued by his persecutors and presently had not St. Alban so prevented it to be apprehended so now being a Christian exposed himself unto danger of death for him imitating Christ that gave his own life for his sheep for when those enemies of Christ had raised their Troops even an Army as our Antiquaries name them to apprehend St. Amphibalus and St. Alban in the night he before conducteth him forth of his house and past danger and shifting garments with him to save him from all peril caused St. Amphibalus to wear his garment of dignity and priviledge in that time free from all trouble and molestation and the garment of St. Amphibalus where the danger was being a Caracalla a Priests vesture as they say having been discryed he put it it upon himself together with the danger and so returned to his own house alone having thus freed his holy Master and Tutor in Christ from that peril St. Amphibalus being thus at this time delivered by St. Alban the King Bed Hist li. c 7. Matth. West an 303. Jacob. Germen in vita St. Alba. Capgrave in vita St. Al. Prince or Judge for St. Bede Matth. Westm and other give all these Titles to that persecuting Magistrate sent his souldiers to come at these two holy Saints the old Brittish Writer of St. Albans life saith there were horse-men with an Army great multitude or
an Officer entituled by him with a limitation of place and restriction of that power which the ancient Praefectus Praetorio had under the first Emperors Then Constantine intending to make war in Persia either to defend or enlarge the limits of the East Empire removed the Emperial Seat from Rome to the City of Bizantium which he re-edified and caused the same to be called of his own Name Constantinople drawing thither the Legions in Germany that guarded the Fronteers of the Western Empire which was thereby laid open to the Incursions of those barbarous People that afterwards assayed it and in the end possessed the greatest part thereof The borders also of the Province in Brittain were weakened by removing the Garrisons there into other Cities and Towns which being pestered with Soldiers for the most part unruly Guests were abandoned by the ancient Inhabitants There be Authors that write Hollin Hist of Engl. f. 92. that Constantine conveyed over Sea with him a great Army of Brittains by whose Industry obtaining Victory as he wished he placed a great number of such as were discharged out of pay and licensed to give over the War in a part of Gallia toward the West Sea coast where their posterity remain unto this day and marvellously encreased afterwards somewhat now differing from our Brittains the Welshmen in manners and language Among those Noblemen which he took with him when he departed out of this Land as our Writers do testifie were the three Uncles of his Mother Helen Hoelus Trabernus and Marius whom he made Senators in Rome After the wars betwixt Constantine and the Persians Mr. Br. fol. 532. the King of Persia sent Embassadors unto Constantine to procure peace and he writ back unto King Sapores that the Christians in his Dominions which were there in great numbers might live at liberty and freedom for their Religion And if we may believe Eusebius then living Euseb lib. 4. Sozom. lib. 2. Hist cap. 14. and best knowing the affairs and proceedings of this most noble Emperor after all these things were compassed and brought to an end he began that glorious and renowned work and Foundation of the most sumptuous Church of the twelve Apostles in Constantinople where it is evident by this then living Author and witness that he did not begin to build this Church till long after his triennial Feast And yet the glory and stateliness of that work as it is described by the same Writer was such that it could not be effected and finished under many years and yet that it was finished before his death it is certain for he there erected a Tomb for his own body to be buried in and there was interred There he erected saith Eusebius twelve Monuments to the honour and memory of the twelve Apostles and in the midst between them he placed his own Tomb with six Apostles encompassed on either side surely as I have said before considering with discreet Councel Euseb ut sup that the Tabernacle of his dead body should worthily and decently rest there when he had considered these things long time before he dedicated the Church to the Apostles thinking that their memory would bring much profit to his soul And both Baronius and Spondanus confess that Constantine did not begin this great and wonderfull work until the 336. Baronius Spond Annal. in ann 336. year of Christ and after his concluding peace with the Persians had not before so much as resolved it Therefore this Church being so costly and magnificent as these men confess and Eusebius at large proveth and yet Constantius lived to see it roofed and quite finished he must needs live a longer time than until the next year the 337. of Christ which they limit unto him to live and much more longer than Socrates their Author continueth his life for by his reckoning setting down his death the same year wherein the Persian Embassadors came to him for peace we must be forced to say this admirable Church was quite finished in the space of seven weeks or if we should adventure as Baronius doth to make Socrates our Author and yet add unto his account a whole year as he doth it must needs be yielded unto by such calculation that it was not begun or any materials prepared for it and yet quite finished within the space of one year and seven weeks for as before it was not begun at the Feast of Easter and yet ended the same year by Socrates before the Feast of Pentecost when by Eusebius Constantine died and by Socrates about the eleventh of the Calends of June the 22. day of May and by Baronius before the Feast of Pentecost and the 22. day of May the year following which is morally impossibly to be true for besides the amplitude thereof and Ornaments therein Euseb lib. 4. de Vit. Const c. 64. Socr. l. 1. c. ult Eusebius who had seen it and knew the building of it saith that Constantine erected it to an infinite altitude and made it from the ground with all variety of Stones even to the top the Roof was curiously wrought and within covered with Gold throughout and covered above with Brasse and much Gold And therefore Nicephorus also a Greek Author who had diligently examined Socrates and citeth his very words of this matter before related affirmeth plainly and constantly notwithstanding that opinion that Constantine did not die until the 342. year of Christ in the Feast of Pentecost Euseb lib. 4. de vit Const c. 64. Cap. 66. sup towards the end of it about noon time of the day to speak in Eusebius his words this Emperor was received to his God leaving his mortal part like to other mortal men to the earth but joyning his Intelligence and Divine part of his Soul unto God He dying in Bethinia his Soldiers enclosing his Body in a Golden Coffin covered it all over with Purple and conveyed it to Constantinople and placed it in the Emperial Palace adorned with Emperial Robes Purple and a Diadem Lights set upon Golden Candlesticks round about it which gave such an admirable shew unto the Beholders as was never seen All the Nobles of his Army which worshipped him whilst he lived kept their old manner and custom at certain times entring in and prostrating themselves on the ground saluted the Emperor after his death lying in his Coffin as if he had been still living The Senate and all other Magistrates worshipped his Body with like reverence All sorts of people even Women and Children in infinite number came to see the solemnity and these things were performed many daies This blessed Emperor was he alone which reigned when he was dead Euseb Ca. 66. and to him alone God himself being Author thereof all honors which were wont to be given when he lived were given after his death For he being the only Emperor which in all the actions of his life piously and religiously worshiped God the King of
and mis-believing Pagans many Ages past but now ruinous had erected a sumptuous Temple to Dina Diana This when Brute understood his zeal moving and his particular devotion to that Goddess seconding it thither attended with his whole Train as an humble Supplicant and Votary he bends his course and Religiously according to the manner of those profane Rights and Ceremonies if that may be religious which is profane in the highest superlative and there prostrates his Princely knees and from a soul as he imagines full fraught with pleasing vows and gratefull Orasons to his adored Goddess he thus declares himself Dina potens Nemorum Terror silvestribus Apris Cui licet Amfractus ne per aethereos Inferuasque Domos terrestria jura resolve Et dic quas terras nos habitare velis Dic certam sedem qua te venerabor in aevum Qua tibi virgineis Templa dicabo choris These verses are translated in Fabian and because they smell of Antiquity I judge it better to leave them as they are then to dress them in the garb mode and stile now in use in England and therefore courteous Reader be pleased to accept of them as also the others which follow in answer in the Language in which they were writ Celestial Goddess the weldest Frith and Wood The wilde Bore and Beasts thou fearest by thy might Guider of Shipmen passing the Rageous flood The Infernal Houses for and the Earth of right Behold and search and shew where I shall light Tell the certain place where everlastingly A Temple of Virgins I shall to thee edifie These Ceremonies Rights and Occasions ended the Goddesse pleased with the Sacrifice of his Devotions sends Morpheus in a thick and drowsie Mist who with his somniferous Rod lulls this humble Votary locking up all his sences within the sable curtains of a most profound sleep whilst the courteous Diety in a Vision or rather imaginary Fancy distills and infuseth into his sollicitous Soul this Oracle Brute sub occasum solis trans Gallica regna The Gyants lay destroyed before Brutes coming The Language which he brought must needs be that which we now call Welsh Insula in Oceano est undique clausa mari Insule in Oceano est habitata Gyantibus olim Nunc deserti quidem Gentibus apta tuis Hic de sobole tua Reges nascentur ipsis Totius terrae subditus Orbis erit Hanc pete namque tibi sedes erit illec perennis Hîc fiet natis altera Troja tuis In ENGLISH thus Brute for the West over the Land of France An I le in Ocean there is all closed with the Sea This I le with Gyants whilone inhabit by chance Now being desert as apt for the people and thee In this of thy body Kings born shall be And of this Isle thou shalt be Lord and King Search this for here a perpetuall Sea to thee And here to thy Children a new Troy shall be When our Pilgrime awaked the Vision had so fully possest him that deliberating with himself what was best to be done he pitcht upon this Resolution to call together and Assemble the Noblest and best able for Judgement Wit and Experience of all his Colonie which done he imparted the secret unto them which begat a general rejoycing in them all and all Unanimously decree a Thanksgiving to be due unto the Goddesse and therefore out of hand the Flamen takes Milk calls for divers Aromatick spices and several Liquors of which he composeth an offering of most sweet and precious Perfumes to offer to the Diety great Fires are made and Wine cast into them according to the Pagan rights and when things were performed in thankfulnesse to the Numen in a joyful procession they hast towards the Ships not willing to admit of any delay In an instant as it were so desirous was every one to see the event of this specious Oracle and enjoy quiet the object and end of all travel and labour the Sayls are hoist and the Canvas filled with such prosperous gales that in a trice the Navy is without ken of Land bending their full endeavours for the West Thus they sayled for the space of thirty dayes passing by many adventures and dangers as of Philenes The Lake called Lacus-Salinarium the place where Salt is made as also the River Maeloa and Hercules Pillars at length they enter the Turon or Tyrrhen Sea where they met with a small Fleet and those also Trojans whereof Corineus Nephew to Brute was Admirall great were the acclamations and expressions of joy for this so fortunate though accidental meeting an happy omen of future successe and being thus joyned together to sayl to a Province of Gallia called Guyan whose Prince was Groffarius to whom was brought â—iding of the approach of this unexpected Fleet He wisely to prevent ensuing danger musters his Souldiers and in a full body marcheth towards the Sea coast there intending to fight his as yet unknown Enemy before he should get any firm footing within his Territories but the Trojans whose resolution was either to win or die so behaved themselves that Groffarius with all his Knights had the worst and were put to flight whilst the Trojan bravely maintain'd kept the Field No joy on earth so absolute and compleat but it is intermingled with some sorrow or disaster great questionlesse was the solace and mirth of the Trojan for this so fortunate a Victory but when the dead bodies were viewed amongst those who had ended their lives in the bed of honour was found Turonus a Nephew to Valiant Brute which caused a petty Ecclipse to their Victory but to eternize the Name and perpetuate the never dying honour of his deceased Nephew and couragious fellow-souldiers Brute built that well known City in France which to this very day is called Turon After the atchievment of this Victory and of the City Brute which Corineus and the rest of the Trojans betook themselves again to the Seas as yet not having attained to the Iland appointed by the propitious Goddesse 2828. III c. lxxxii DCCCI which hapned about iiii M. lxx before the building of Rome saith Mr. Fabian following the foresaid account iiii C lxx before the Incarnation of Christ xi C. xxxvi and before Alexander the Great conquered the world viii C. xi also before any King reigned over the Frenchmen Monarchally or that they were free from Tribute to Rome xv C. lvi The Arrivall of Brute in Albion Brute having now past the pikes of many hazardous passages and exanclated dangers arrives at last at the long hop'd for Haven of his fore-promised happinesse the first thing he did was to progresse the whole Iland to view and consider the comodiousnesse thereof which he found no way to frustrate his hopes and longing expectation he finds it fertile and well stored with Woods garnished with pleasant and enamel'd Meadows and embroidered with many goodly Rivers and purling Brooks and Rivulets replenished with abundance of Fish like
so many veins and arteries running through the whole body of the Iland these things could not but please but yet they are not solely to be enjoyed without some danger for as the Trojans passe from place to place to view the scituation and opportune places to inhabit they are oft encountered with grisly creatures exceeding humane proportion who give them but rude and savage welcome and these were they whom the Goddesse meant when she said habitata Gygantibus olim amongst these prodigious Caitiffs one exceeded all the rest in bulk and robustiousnesse who was called Gogmagog with whom Corineus Nephew to Brute wrestled who although he had a rib broken by this Monster yet so foiled him that he cast him down from the Cliffs for which cause the place afterwards was called The Fall of Gogmagog I have heard some say that in Glamorganshire there is a place which the Inhabitants in their own Mother tongue call Cwymp y Cawr which is as much as to say The Gyants fall or overthrow but that Name being changed it was afterwards called The Fall of Dover For this most valiant Act and speciall good Services Brute gave and allotted unto Corineus the Province or Country now called Cornwall Brute having destroyed that race of Gyants formerly mentioned after a perfect discovery of the whole Island passing by the River of Thames for his Recreation and finding a place in all respects fit to build a City to make the Capital and prime habitation of his new atchieved Kingdome set Workmen of all Arts and Callings to accomplish and finish this his Design which being brought to perfection to renew like a Phenix out of Ashes Old Troy he caused it to be called Troynovant i. new Troy which name continued till K. Lud enjoyed the Scepter and rule in Great Brittaine upon that time saith my Author of M. lxviii Fabian fol. 10. who then caused it to be called Luds Town and now London This now Glorious City Rome it self was not built in one day and formerly as glorious a stile being called Augusta for we read in divers Grave and Learned Authors that St. Augulus was Bishop of Augusta viz. London in England as both Catholicks and Protestants expound it and among them one in a Sermon before K. James saith Your City hath been anciently stiled Augusta for we read both in the ancient Roman Martyrologe St. Bede Vsuardus Ado Vandalbertus Petrus de Natalibus and others that this Augulus was Bishop of Augusta in Brittannia Augusta or London in Brittanny and was a Martyr Augusta in Brittannia natalis beati Auguli Episcopi qui aetatis cursum per Martyrium explens aeterna proemia suscipere meruit Baronius saith he cannot tell when he suffered Quo tempore passius sit hactenus mihi obscurum But if we compare the name of London at that time it was called Augusta with other circumstances and with the Catalogue of the Bishops of London after the time of K. Lucius we shall very probably find that this our worthy Saint Bishop of London is to be reckoned one of the first Bishops that were consecrated in this Kingdom and long before our common Conversion in the dayes of K. Lucius and so consequently of St. Peter or his Disciple St. Aristobulus no other then being here with eminent Authority to consecrate him Bishop and settle him Bishop of Augusta London or first this City was not called Augusta in the Reign of K. Lucius when this Nation was generally converted but onely Londinum London nor never since that time or by any before but by the Romans at their first setling here in the time of Claudius and that the general opinion was that London was called Augusta Dio. And Xiphelinus writ That Legio Augustalis non nata hibernabat in superiore Britannia The Roman Legion so termed wintered in the upper Brittany near London as is thought it was long before Dioclesian's time when it was thus called in the dayes of Caesar Augustus or soon after A late French Author of this our Brittain in his History seemeth to say or think that Caerlegeon was in the time of Julius Agricola and by him named Augusta which if it were so it only varyeth the particular place of his Martyrdome viz. St. Augulus nothing detracting from him or the glory of this Nation and that this Saint was Bishop of Augusta i. London and not Augusta Caerlegion this reason may conclude for that Tremonius and St. Dubritius be the first that be named Bishops of Augusta Caerlegion Certainly Mr. Cambden observeth very well That London was called Augusta quia ea dignitate floruit Londinum ut Augusta dici caeperit and many forraign Cities very famous were called Augusta in that Respect as Augusta Taurinorum Aug. Trieastinorum Aug. Veromanduor m Aug. Valeria Aug. Emerita Aug. Bracchara Aug. Acilia Aug. Tiberii Aug. Vindeliciorum Aug. Caesarea Aug. Vestorum Aug. Trevirorum Now as concerning Bishops not onely Augusta London St. Anacletus it being ordered by the Church to constitute Primates where Pagans had their Arch-flamens but also other places ordered by his Tome or the Catalogues of St. Peter St. Clement Caerlegion ex Anacleto hujus insulae divisionem Canterbury London Caerlegeon York and Alba in Scotland by some taken to be the now St. Andrews urbs legionum observe in the Latin Caerlegion i. urbs Legionum put in the first place Cantuaria Londonia Eboraca and Alba unde Albania Provincia were designed Sees of such Primates as Giraldus Cam. Sir John Price Matthew Parker 1 Arch. B. Pro. do testifie Thus much concerning this famous and renowned City of London not without cause called Augusta Brute having finished this structure and given name to it to perpetuate the memory of that City of which the Poet saith Nunc seges est ubi Troja fuit gave also a name to the whole Iland calling it Britania à Bruto so did Romulus by Rome Alexander by Alexandria and Caesar by Casarea and so divers other great and eminent Commanders and Potentates named both whole Kingdoms Ilands and great Cities after their own names that in them their Memories might live for ever Brute having accomplished the thred of life allotted by the fatal Sisters and having left Rules for his Britons to live in civil Amity and orderly Government after a prosperous Reigne and happy in a hopeful posterity he bethinks himself of setling his Estate whereby to avoid all Contention and Discord betwixt his Sons which were three Locrine Camber and Albanact betwixt these three he divides his new acquired Kingdom to the eldest he gives Troynovant with all the Countries adjacent which are now called England containing East West and South but as his Father had called the whole Iland Britannia and his Subjects Britannos or Britones so Locrinus after his name called his Share Loegria and at this very day the Welsh call England Lloegre to his second Son Camber he bequeathed that part which after the Saxons call Wales
which Nomen-clation it yet keeps and Camber imitating his Father and Brother named his Moiety from Camber Cambria This partition or Cambers portion was formerly divided from that of Loegria by the River Severne in the East and on the North side by the River Dee and on the South by the River Vaga now called the River Wye at the Castle of Stringlinge Fabian fol. 11. a name which I find not elsewhere or rather Chepstow Castle but of this place what Mr. Cambden speaks take these his own words Chepstow in Monmouthshire Hinc fluctuoso volumine descendit in Austrum Vaga in quo Copiosa est Salmonum piscatura à Septembri ad Aprilem and by the way give me leave to tell you that when Salmons grow out of kind or season in Wye in the River Vsk which runneth through Caerlegion but ten Miles distant in the same County Salmons come in season so that in the County of Monmouth all the whole year Salmons are fit to be presented to an Emperors Table and if a Wye Salmon chance to come into Vsk or e contra the Fishermen are so skilfull as to tell you this is an Vsk Salmon this of Wye limes hodie inter Glocestrenses Monumethenses olim inter Anglos Wallos juxta illud Nichami versiculam Inde Vagos Vaga Cambrenses hinc respicit Anglos Qui cum jam ad ostium ferè devenerit Chepstow praeterfluit id est si e Saxonico interpreteris Forum viz. Negationis locus Brittannis Castle-went and is this day called Cass Gwent Oppidum hoc est celebre clivo a flumine surgenti Impositum manibus circumvallatur magno cambitu quae agros hortos in se includunt Castrum habet ad occiduum latus flumini impeudens in which Castle there is a stately Fabrick called Longius or Longinus Tower supposed to be built by that Centurion who was present at the death of our most sacred and blessed Saviour and out of this opinion it is hard to beat many of the Natives but who so pleaseth to read Surius xv Martii shall find That Longinus the Centurion one of the Jews who thirsted after his blood who most willingly shed it for the Redemption of Mankind signis prodigiis discussis tenebris veritatis splendorem Christi ipsius gratia quem in Crucem sustulerat videre meruit and detesting the impiety of the Jewes freely manifested the most glorious Resurrection of our Lord Jesus this his so confident and publick affirming of the truth for Crucis ei custodia ut Centurioni mandata postquam autem vivificum Christi Corpus sepulturae mandatum fuit eadem sacrosancti corporis custodia Longino commissa fuit caused the Jews to procure from Caesar a Sentence of death against him Longinus flies from Hierusalem leaving all his military Preferments with some religious and devout Christians he betakes himself into Capadocia where he converted many by his instruction and exemplar Life and Vertues to the faith knowledge and adoration of the true Messias Jesus Christ In Capadocia he is aprehended and there obtains the glorious Crown of Martyrdome his Head as a great Trophee is sent unto Pilate who to ingratiate himself and please the perfidious and stony-hearted Jews caused the holy relique to be placed before one of the Gates of that once holy City Hierusalem so that Longinus could not be the Founder or Erecter of that Edifice before spoken of But to follow Mr. Cambden a little further concerning Chepstow he continueth his Discourse saying Et e rigione stetit Prioratus cujus parte meliore demolita quod reliquum est in Ecclesiam parochialem convertitur Pons vero quo Vaga jungitur sublicius est admodum excelsus quia accedente aestu in magnam altitudinem fli vius exsurgit hujus Domini fuerunt e Clarensium familia nobiles a proximo castro Strigul quod incoluerunt Striguliae Pembrochiae comites dicti quorum ultimus Richardus vir infracto animo projectissimis brachiis StrongBow cognominatus quod arcu intentissimo uteretur nihil levi brachio ageret c. This place after by a Daughter and Heir came to the Bigots and now the Earls of Worcester or at least before the late Wars enjoyed both Town and Castle the eldest Son of that Family being stiled Lord Herbert of Chepstow To Albanact the third Son of Brutus was given the third part of great Britain now called Scotland which as it is now is called the second Kingdom of Great Britain and the North part of this Iland hath on the East the German Ocean on the North the Orkneys and Deucalidon Sea the West affronted by Ireland on the South it hath the River Tweed the Cheviot Hills and the adjacent Tract reaching to the Sulway Sands whereby it is separated from England This Kingdome is spacious and from the South borders spreadeth it self wide into the East and West till again it contracts it self narrower into the Northern Promontories furnished with all things befitting a famous Kingdom both for Air Soil Rivers Wood Mountains Fish Fowl Cattle and Corn so plenteous that it supplieth these with other Countries in their want Their Nobility and Gentry are very studious of learning and all civil knowledge for which end they not only frequent the three Universities of their own Kingdom St. Andrews Glasco and Edenborough the Nurseries of their Muses but also much addict themselves to travel into Forraign Countries especially France whose King hath a Guard of Scots the double Treshure florie in the Arms of the Kingdome makes manifest the French Interest in former time in that Nation If it is desired to know more of Scotland read their own Authors it is enough for me to say that Albanack from his own name called it Albania This Country is divided from Loegria or England as saith Venreable Bede by two arms of the Sea but they meet not The East arm of which beginneth about two Miles from the Minster of Eburcuring in the West side of Penulton The West arm had some time a strong City named Alclino which in the Brittish Tongue was called Clincston and stood upon the River Clint. Thus Brute having divided Britain into three Parts after he had ruled twenty two or four years after most Concordance of Writers he died and was interred in Troynovant commonly called London or Luds Town Locrinus second King of Brittain LOcrinus the first and eldest Son of the late deceased Brutus takes possession of his Kingdom of Loegria now England in the year from the Creation of the World four thousand fourscore and seven This Kingdome as it was the largest so was it the most beautifull rich and commodious both in respect of Navigable Rivers Ports and Havens as also fruitfulness of the Soils and abundance of stately Woods and Groves and according to the relation and assertion of Policronica and Guido de Collumna it stretched forth and extended it self as far as to the River Humber as
been digged up and found there and although it suffered great detriment and ruine by the irruptions and inroades of the barbarous Picts and Scots yet it ever retained the stile and dignity of a City In processe of time to wit in the 619 year of the Incarnation of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus Egfridus King of the Northumbers gave it to St. Cuthbert these are the words of the Donation Donavi etiam civitatem quae vocatur Caerlile Luguballia in circuitu ejus xv Mr. Camb. in Cumberland milliaria at which time the walls were firme and whole venerable Bede affirmeth Cuthbertum duxerunt cives ut maenia videret fontemque in ea quendam Romanorum opere extructum The Citizens led Cuthbert to behold the walls and view a Fountaine which the Romans formerly had made who as saith the Register or book of Durham congregationem sanctimonielium Abbatissam ordinavit scholasque ibi constituit who instituted there a Cloyster of Religious Virgins or Nuns and also Schooles but the fury of the Danes afterwards so demolished and destroyed this City that for the space of near upon two hundred years it lay buried in its own ashes William of Malmesbury saith That in this City Visum erat triclinium Romanum ex lapidibus fornacibus concameratum quod nulla unquam tempestatum injuria aut ignium flamma labefactare potuit in cujus fronte scriptum erat Marii VICTORIA some suppose this Marius was that gallant Arviragus the Brittain of whom we shall have occasion to speak much hereafter William commonly called Rufus reedified this so long buried Caerlile and furnished it with stately Buildings strengthing it with a Princely Castle though some think that Richard 3. by reason of his Arms found there in the building erected it These are Mr. Cambden's words Ad occidentem est castrum satis magno ambitu quod Regem Ric. 3. ex insignibus vendicat The same Author further saith that Caerlile est Vrbs vetustissima à Septentrione Itunae i. Eden alveo ab Ortu Peterillo i. Peterell ab occasu Cauda i. Cauda praeter haec defendentis naturae munimentis firmis maenibus è saxo Castello Citadella quam vocant armata And a little after Ad ortum vero Citadella quam propugnaculis variis firmo opere posuit Hen. 8. defenditur Thus much for the honour of our Brittish King Leill the Founder of this ancient and strong City a Bulwark against the Scots of which I could say more but it may be it would be out of season and therefore I will onely tell you that Caerlile hath given the honour of Earl onely to two Families 1. To Andrew de Harcla who did bear for his Arms argent a cross gules upon the canton point a Mertlet sable but for proving a Traytor his Armes reversed his Spurs hackt from his heels and all his Honours being taken from him he was Drawn Hanged and Quartered The second James Hay Viscount Doncaster Created E. of Caerlile 18 Jac. Sept. 17. James Hay c. Argent 3 escoucheons Gules King Leill also repaired Chester which Ptolomy calls DEVNANA Antoninus DENAM from the River Dena or Dina. The first Inhabitants of this Isle the ancient Brittains called it Caerlegion Caerleon Vaur Caerleon or Dufyr Dwy and Caer as who would say the City or the only City in way of eminency and superiority The Saxons called it Leze acentep names which without all doubt were taken from the Legion which was called Victrix sent into these remote parts the Pretorian and Consular Legats standing in fear of it Some as Mr. Hen. Bradshaw for one will bring and deduce the Name from a terrible Gyant long before Brute and to make their invention good they call this Gyant Leon Vaur but being before Brute how he came by this Brittish name my brains cannot find and therefore as a fictitious imagination and mere Chymera I leave it but that the xx Legion called Victrex resided in this City it is most apparent by the Coyns oft found there the one side having this Inscription Col. DINANA LEG XX. Victrix but now there remains very few Marks and Signes of the Roman magnificence and state unlesse some small parcels of checker or Mosaick work which are usually found where the Romans formerly inhabited Hear what Ranulphus once a Monk of this City saith concerning these Antiquities these are his words Viae sunt hic subterraneae lapideo opere mirabiliter testudineatae triclinia concamerata Insculpti lapides praegrandes antiquorum nomina praeferentes hic numismata Julii Caesaris aliorumque illustrium inscriptione insiguita quandoque sunt effossa Here are passages under ground with stone-work most wonderously vaulted over banquetting rooms with arched roofs vast stones inscribed with the names of ancient Romans Coyns stamped with the Inscription of Julius Caesar and other famous Commanders Rogerus Cestrensis in Policratico saith Intuenti fundamenta lapidum in viis ingenio videtur potius Romano sive Gyganteo labore quam Britannico sudore sundata Whosoever shall view the foundations and consider the vast proportion and huge bulk of the stones shall judge the work rather finished by the toyl and labour of Gyants or the ingenious Roman industry then by the sweat of any Brittish brow the City is quadrate the Walls containing four Miles in compasse the building beautiful and neat the prime Streets so deckt with Galleries that in rainy dayes passengers walk dry the Castle is of late erection this City hath been defaced several times once by Egfride King of the Northumbers after by the Danes often repaired by Adelfleda Lady and Queen of the Mercians Over the River Dena or Dee a fair stone-bridge leadeth built upon eight Arches at either end whereof is a Gate from whence in a long quadran-wise the Walls do encompasse the City high and strong built with four fair Gates opening unto the four winds besides three Posterns with four Watch-towers extending in compasse 1940 paces On the South side is mounted a strong and stately Castle on the North side is the Minster first built by Earl Lerfrick to the honour of St. Werburga the Virgin and after most sumptuously repaired by Hugh the first Earl of Chester of the Normans Now the Cathedral of the Bishops See Herein lyeth interred as report doth relate the body of Henry the 4. Emperor of Almain who leaving his Imperial estate led lastly an Hermits life Who built this stately and ancient City appeareth not but in that it was repaired by the Brittish Leill to him the glory must needs belong to the Romans thanks belong for its first name or at least to the twentieth Legion called Victrix a Legion of the Romans as Vigetius reporteth contained 6000 Souldiers or more and was divided into ten bands the first exceeding all the rest both in number and estimation For this band bare the Eagle which was the chief Standard of all the Romans it contained 1105 Foot men heavy armed
Horsemen 132. and was named Cohors Miliaria that is to say a company of One thousand and more souldiers This Band hath the preheminence above all the Legions when they go to Fight for they are placed in the Forefront and begin the battel The second Band containeth 555 Footmen and 66 Horsemen of heavy Armour and is called Cohors Quinquegintaria The third band hath also 555 Footmen and 66 Horsemen The Fifth had as many These Five bands are set in array in the first battel The other Five bands have equally each band the like number so that these ten bands make a compleat Legion containing 6100 Footmen and 726. Horsemen King Leill in the end of his Reign fell to sloth and lust whereby civil dissentions arose which ended not in his life He reigned 25 years and was buried at Caleile alias Chester which hath given the honour of Earle to these honourable Families 1. Hugh sirnamed Lupus Azure a Wolfs head erased Argent 2. Richard Son of Hugh Gules crutely Or a Wolfs head erased Arg. 3. Randolph de Meschines Or a Lyon rampant with his tail erected Gules 4. Randolph de Gernoniis Gules a Lyon rampant with his tail erected Arg. 5. Hugh Kivilioc son of Randolph Azure 6 garbs 3. 2. 1. 6. Randolph Blondevil Son of Hugh Azure 3 garbs Or. 7. John le Scot Son to the Lady Maud eldest sister of Randolph Or 3 piles Gules Edward eldest Son to K. Ed. 3. England a label of 3 points Symon de Montfort E. of Leicester after whose death Chester was laid unto the Crown and hath been since united to the Principality of Wales Lud or Lud Hurdribras alias Cicuber KIng Lud his Father being Dead with general applause and consent ascends the Royall Throne of great Brittaine in the Year of the Worlds Creation 4279. as Mr. Fabian accounteth the First businesse which he took in hand was to settle his Kingdom for his Father towards the latter end of his Age addicting himself to sloath and giving way to the youthful sin of lust a vice most hateful in an old Man gave occasion to his Subjects who lived in Ease Wealth and Delights to stir up commotions and dissentions these broyls Lud though young yet wisely endeavours by all means and diligence to suppresse knowing that peace and quiet is the Object and chief effect which all distempers and Wars how just soever aim'd at by his studious endeavours and assistance of faithful Friends and careful Councellours he obtains his desire and having settled all distempers and reduced them to their due order and motion he set his mind wholly upon the beautifying of Britanny and therefore in imitation of his Royal Progenitors he begins a City which he calls Caer gant or Kaer kin which afterwards the Saxons call Canterbury which is to say the Court of Kentishmen True it is that Canterbury is now a Metropolitan Church and Archbishops See but it never had an Archflamen St. Augustine out of an affection of his own though some Authors affirm London according to the general rule of placing Archbishops where Archflamens were and bishops where Flamens was appointed by Pope Gregory to be the place there settled his Archiepiscopal chair For Canterbury it was first a Flamens Seat And the old Manuscript History called Abbreviatios Chronicorum saith in this time and setling of Bishops in King Lucius his Reign That the old Church of St. Martins was builded tunc constructa est extra Cantuariam Ecclesia sancti Martini and to notifie that he meant thereby a Cathedral and Episcopal Church he addeth this when he speaketh of changing Flamens into Bishops and all Histories testifie that the holy Bishop Lethardus which came hither with Queen Bertha before St. Augustin's time used it as his Episcopal See And Canterbury besides the Arch-bishop had another Bishop in that Church of Saint Martin divers hundreds of years and Mr. Lambert the Antiquary of Kent saith from Antiquities St. Martins Church built by the Romans in Canterbury was a bishops See untill the Normans came in and so two in one City thus substitute to the Archbishop Giâ—â—â—us And that Canterbury was a Primates See Mr. Broughton fol. 178. out of other Authors Ex Anacleto hujus Insulae divisionem Canterburie London Caerlegion York and Alba in Scotland by some taken to be St. Andrews Vrbs Legionum Cantuaria Londonia Eboraca Alba unde Albania Provincia were designed Primate Sees for such as Giraldus Cambrensis in his second book to Innocentius the 3. Sir John Price Matthew Parker the first Arch-bishop of Canterbury with others testifie Mr. Cambden calls this City Dorovernum saying that the River Stoure runs most swiftly by it which seems partly to give name unto it for that Durwherne signifies in the Brittish tongue a swift or fierce running river he saith it is Vrbs pervetusta Romanoque seculo proculdubio illustris And Malmesbury tels us Nec adeo magna nec euiliter parva quae terrae positione soli assinis maxima ubertate integro murorum ambitu fluviis irriguae nemorum opportunitate inclyta praeterea maris vicinitate piscium faecunda if any desire to satisfie himself further concerning this famous and glorious Brittish City let him read Mr. Cambden in his description of Kent The next City which King Lud founded was Caerguent Ptolomeus and Antoninus call this City Venta Belgarum the Saxons þinvancesvor the Latines Vintonia at this day Winchester some seem to derive the Etymologie from Vento others from Vine and not a few from Wina the Bishop But Lelands conjecture pleaseth better who from the Brittish word Guin or Guen i. e. white doth derive it and so maketh Caer Guin the White City so ab albedine prisci latini Albam Longam Albam Regiam nominarunt for this venta as the other two Venta Icenorum and Venta silurum in the midst between Chepstow and Caerleon in Monmouthshire in times past a Flamens Seat a City and an University or School of Philosophers Nunc seges est ubi venta fuit the high way â—or road is through the midst of it This City was remarkable in the Romans days In qua textrina sua sacra Imperatores Romani habuisse viderentur their weaving houses for according to Guidus Pancirolus illa Gynecia constituta sunt texendis principis ut militum vestibus navium velis stragulis aliis ad Instruendas mansiones necessariis to weave vestures and garments for Princes and Souldiers sails for ships linnen coverings or coverlids and other necessaries to furnish habitations the Cathedral Church of Winchester saith Godwin according to a respect that I finde in an old Manuscript was first built and erected by King Lucius and to speak further in his words This Church was hallowed and dedicated October the 29. 189. by Faganus and Damianus Bishops and he proveth from the same Antiquity that in the year 309. one Constance was Bishop there and in Saint Dubritius time Godwin Catal.
ab eo quem laeserat veniam impetraverit That the Temples of the Gods should enjoy such immunities and priviledges that no malefactor flying unto them for succour should be drawn from thence untill he should obtain pardon from him whom he had offended Vt hujusmodi privilegium immunitatis habeant etiam ipsae viae quae ducunt ad templa urbes that the high ways leading to the Temples and Cities should enjoy the like immunities and priviledges Immo jumenta quoque illa quae rei rusticae subserviunt denique Colonorum aratra ipsa tali prerogativa libertatis perfruantur nay even the Cattle which were imployed in husbandry should have like priviledges Ne qua terra vacaret cultura neve populus inopia rei frumentariae premeretur aut ea minueretur si pecora sola occuparent agros qui ab hominibus coli deberent constituit quot aratra quaelibet Diaecesis haberet ac paenas statuit per quas ille numerus aratrorum minueretur Least any Land should lie until'd or the people be famisht for want of bread-Corn or Grain be diminished by feeding Herds and Flocks where Tillage ought to be to which end he appointed how many Ploughs should be in every Diocess or Shire inflicting a punishment upon whomsoever should diminish the number of them Item vetuit bovem aratorem pro debito pecuniae assignari creditoribus si alia bona creditoris essent He also prohibited the working Oxen or Plough-bullock to be distrained upon for any debt if any other Chattels or personal estate be to be found Ita fore ne compendii causa homines pecuarii agros incultos redderent sic enim fore nequid earum rerum quas natura praebet hominibus usquam deesse posset that by that means Grasiers and Drovers for their own private interest should not deprive their fellow Subjects of natures benefits and liberal gifts Optimus iste Rex viros incumbentes ad bonas artes opibus favore juvit adeo ut exemplo suo principes regni ad faciendum idem juventatem totam ad virtutes capessendas excitaverit This good King was such a patron to those who endeavoured to learn Arts and Sciences that he not only graced them with his countenance but also assisted them with competent subsistance by which his example he invited other Nobles of his Realm to do the like a great encouragement to youth to endeavour to train themselves up in vertuous education Item pondera mensuras rebus emendis vendendisque posuit fures omne noxium genus hominum severissime punivit Itaque sub hoc principe latrocinia rapinae saevitia generis omnis aberat à populo nec audebat quisquam vim alteri inferre vel injuriam propter exquisitam legis observationem He caused weights and measures to be made for buyers and sellers Thieves and all loytering idle vagabonds he severely banished so that none was found who durst to offer either force or violence to any man being terrified with the severity of the Laws Having now regulated all things for the due and requisite Governing of the Commonwealth by the general request and advice of his Nobles and Council he caused a Diadem of Gold to be made with which according to the Rights and Ceremonies of those times he was solemnly Crowned in so much that properly speaking we may call him the first King or rather Monarch of Great Brittaine He caused several Cities and Towns to be made amongst which Malmesbury seems to have been the chief a verity which Mr. Cambden seems not much to deny Dum exilis est Malmesburie collem sibi imminentem substringit receptoque profluente fere incingit Oppidum sane elegans pannis laneis sane celebre quod ut in Historiarum Eulogio le itur Dunwallo Mulmutius Brittannorum Rex una cum Lacok Tetbury castris adjacentibus construxit Caer Bladon nominavit Malmesbury a polite and neat Town and famous for Wollen Cloaths which as it is written in the Eulogy of Histories was founded by Dunwallo Mulmutius as also the Neighbouring Castles Lacock and Tetbury which Town he called Caer Bladon The Saxons called this Town in their tongue Ingelborn which appellation continued a long time till Maildulphus a Scot a man of singular learning and piety being much taken with the shades and solitarinesse of the Woods and Groves he resolved there to live an Heremetical life and there setting up a schoole he himself together with his Scholars and Auditors addicted himself to a monastical rule of living so that from this Maildulphus the old appellations both Caer Bladon the Brittish and Ingleborn the Saxon being by little and little worn out the Town got a new name and was called Maildulfesburge Bede calls it Maildulphi Vrbs others Meldunum corruptly Malmesbury Amongst the Disciples of this Maildulph the chiefest and most remarkable was Adelmus his appointed Successour who by the help of Adelmus a West Saxon Bishop to whom the jurisdiction of that place belonged built there a most famous Monastery and was therein the first Prior or Abbot insomuch that in an ancient manuscript this Town is called Adelmesberg but this new nomenclation quickly vanished though the memory of Adelmus continued in esteem he being canonized and registred amongst the happy number of the Saints after his death not as the Saints in these our times who are Saints while they live and I know not what after death upon the feast day of this St. the Fair is kept where souldiers were appointed to guard and watch least jangling and discord should arise amongst so great concourse of people Truly saith Mr. Cambden he deserved that his name should everlastingly flourish being the first who writ in Latin and taught the English Art of Poetry and versifying as he himselfe witnesseth Primus ego in patriam mecum modo vita supersit Aonio rediens deducam vertice Musas If Heaven lend life from Helicon I 'le bring Th' Aonian Muses in this Isle to sing Athelstane the great who had made choice of this Saint for his patron for his sake honoured this Town with many priviledges and enriched the Monastery with many princely gifts making choice of it for the place of his Sepulchre as the Inhabitants will inform you to this day shewing his Monument From Athelstanes time this Monastery flourished in abundance of wealth and was the prop and upholder of the Town when by the love and expenses of Robert Bishop of Salisbury it was fortifyed with a Castle and inclosed with Walls in the time of the Wars betwixt Henry the Son of Matilda and King Stephen in which season it indured a siege by Hen. 2d but shortly by the permission of K. John in favour of the Monks it was demolished thereby to inlarge the precincts of their Monastery and so continued till the fatal hand of Henry the 8. laid it level with the ground yet a wealthy and rich Clothier whom Mr. Cambden colls
Gildas saith of them that they stood out in the Army of Christ with greatest magnanimity Giral sup Itin. com l. 1. c. 5. Summa magnanimitate in acie Christi praestantes dico Giraldus Cambrensis is witness that amongst the Martyrs of that time they were the chiefest next to St. Alban and St. Amphibalus Post Albanum Amphibalum praecipui martyrio coronati Julius Aron How they were honoured of the holy Catholick Christians of that time with Churches dedicated to them Pilgrimages to the places of their Martyrdom and they both there and in other places honoured invocated and prayed unto presently upon the ceasing of the Persecution Now it will suffice to conclude with that their title of glory and renown which the ancient and learned Bishop of their Nation before hath given them and the due and honour to the place of their triumphant death Jacent hic duo nobilis Brittanniae Majoris Protomartyres ibidem Martyrio coronati Julius Aron Here lie at Caerlegion the two Noble Protomartyrs of great Brittain Julius and Aron and there crowned with Martyrdom This title to be the first Martyrs of Brittain in the most terrible persecution and with such exceeding magnanimity and Christian constancy as hath been related in induring torments till then never heard of without any example going before them but giving themselves the first example hereof so wonderfull patience love of Christ and Heroical true fortitude to so many thousands which by their singular example with invincible courage imitated them therein is the greatest honour we can yeild to such blessed Saints on earth their Festivity is celebrated by the old Roman Martyrologie upon the first day of July Baronius in Indice non Sanct. in Julie Arone On which day as Baronius plainly writeth many others suffered Martyrdom with them Julius Aron Martyres cum aliis plurimis in Brittania sub Dioclesiano primo die Julii So likewise affirmeth the English Writer and the Roman Martyrologe which Baronius glosseth upon may very well carry that construction for setting down for a certain truth that these two holy Martyrs were put to death in Brittany upon the first day of July Primo die Julii in Brittannia Sanctorum Martyrum Julii Aron qui in persecutione Dioclesiani passi sunt it presently addeth quo tempore ibidem quam plurimi diversis cruciatibus torti saevissime lacerati ad supernae civitatis gaudia consummato agone pervenerunt At the same time in the same place very many tortured with divers torments and most cruelly torn having ended their combats came to the joys of heaven And St. Bede saith that ea tempestate at that time when St. Julius and St. Aron were martyred divers others both men and women were put to death Alii utriusque sexus passi sunt ea tempestate So hath Henry of Huntington Passi sunt eo tempore Julius Aron alii quoque plures utriusque sexus And we cannot probably think that these raging Persecutors who in places where there were not in any degree so many Christians as in this renowned City an Archiepiscopal See and Christian University put them to death by thousands sent these here by cruel Martyrdom to heaven alone These holy Martyrs by all Antiquities suffered Martyrdom at Caerlegion and both Giraldus Cambrensis and Ranulphus Higeden writing at Winchester As also our late Antiquaries of the same Country plainly say it was at Caerlegion in Monmouthshire which was the Archiepiscopal City and School distinguishing it from Winchester by some called Caerlegion also I will only cite one Englished to my hand by a Modern In this Region Monmouthshire is seated the most ancient and most noble City of Legions which our Countrymen call Caerleon on Usk that is to say the City of Legions upon Usk for difference sake between it and the other which is built in Northwales upon the River Dee of which Giraldus writeth thus The same was a Noble and ancient Town the tokens whereof remain as yet an huge Palace a Giant like Tower goodly Baths and Hot-houses Reliques of Churches and places like Theaters compassed with beautifull walls partly yet standing also buildings under the ground Conducts secret passages and Vaults under the Earth framed with wondeâ—full Workmanship There lyeth Julius and Aron which had Churches dedicated unto them Vna Julii Martyris altera Araonis In the Church of St. Julius which is now called St. Julians and is distant from the now Caerleon a mile seated fast by the River of Vsk which runneth through the Town belonging to the Right Honourable Edward Lord Herbert of Cherbury and Castle Issand a most stately house in this Church formerly Virgineo choro de corata was a Nunnery for in this Town were two famous Monasteries one of Monks or Canon Regulars the other of Nuns M. Broug fol. 603. 9. Matth. Westm an 541. dedicated to St. Julius in which Queen Guenhumara wife to King Arthur did after receive the habit of Religion Guenhumara Regina in Monasterio Julii Martyris inter Moniales habitum Religionis suscepit Not far from Caerlegion is a place called St. Albans standing on the ascent of a hill at the bottom whereof runneth the River of Vsk where by an old Tradition the Inhabitants believe St. Alban was put to death and will not be perswaded out of their errour by any reason wherefore to convince that mistake Mr. Br. 443 though the circumstances of the place be something alike where St. Alban was put to death for St. Bede writeth that the people who came to behold his Martyrdom were so many that being to passe over the River by a Bridge if St. Alban had not so miraculously dryed up the River they could hardly have gone over by the Bridge before night Ita fluminis occupabat pontem ut intra vesperam transire vix posset There was scarcely any left in the City Cunctis pene egressis a great multitude of both Sexes divers Estates and Ages came thither by instinct Vtriusque sexus conditionis diversae aetatis quae sine dubio divinitatis instinctu ad obsequium beatissimi confessoris ac Martyris vocabantur Therefore so many of divers conditions being thus called by the inspiration of God to such an holy purpose we cannot but think many of them were there converted at that time St. Bede setetth this to be done at St. Albans death before the great miracle of Angels appearing and praising of God and honouring St. Alban the night following at his place of burial and so soon as this miracle appeared the Pagans presently came thither in great numbers to hear and see it publikely professing that those Miracles were wrought by the power of Christ the Sonne of GOD and so being converted unto him a thousand of them at one time took their Journey to seek Saint Amphibalus in those parts which we now call Wales so far distant from Verulamium now St. Albans in England where by the help
which the ebbing Sea in that place had make accessible The Brittains espying them made thitherwards the rest of the Romans escaping Scaeva was left alone upon the Rock to which Island the fury of the enraged multitude assailed him with their darts which he received upon his Shield and thrust at them with his Spear till it was broken and his Helmet and Shield lost then being tyred with extreme toyl and dangerously wounded he betook himself to flight carrying two little Harnesses on his back with much difficulty recovered Caesars Tent where he craved pardon for making so bold an attempt without commandment of his General Caesar did both remit the Offence and rewarded the Offender by bestowing upon him the Office of a Centurion This was that Scaeva who afterwards gave good cause to have his Name remembred in the Roman Histories for the memorable service he did to Caesar in the time of the civil Wars between him and Pompey at the battail near Dyrrachium The Romans having at length got footing on the dry land gave a fresh charge unto the Brittains and in the end forced them to turn their backs and leave the shore though they could not pursue them far into the Land for want of Horsemen Caesars accustomed Fortune failing him in this one accident The Brittains after this overthrow assembling themselves together upon consultation had amongst them sent Embassadors to Caesar promising to deliver in pledges or to do whatsoever else he would command them With these Embassadors came Comius of Arras whom Caesar had sent before out of Gallia into Brittain where having delivered the Message he had then in charge he was apprehended and committed to Prison and now after the battel released The chief States of the Brittains seeking to excuse their attempt laid the blame upon the multitude who being the greater number and wilfully bent to take Arms would neither by perswasion nor Authority be restrained And they pretended their own ignorance as being a free people and not experienced in the Customes of other Nations Caesar although he reproved them for making War in that manner considering that of their own accord they had sent Embassadors to him before his arrival in Brittany to desire peace yet was content to pardon them upon delivery of pledges whereof some he received presently and the rest being to come from remote places he appointed to be sent in by a set day so the Brittains were dismissed to return into their Countries and in the mean time there came divers Princes from other parts of the Isle to submit themselves and their Cities to Caesar The fourth day after the Romans Landing the ships before mentioned appointed for Transportation of Caesars Horse men having a favourable Gail of wind put out to Sea from the upper Haven and approaching near the Island in view of the Roman Camp a suddain storme arose and scattered them driving some back again to the Port from whence they came and some others upon the lower part of the Island Westward where after they had cast Anchor their Keeles being all most overwhelmed with the Waves they were carried by violence of the storm in the night into the Main and with very great peril recovered a harbour in the Continent The same night the Moon was at the full at which time commonly the Sea in those parts is much troubled and overfloweth the banks by reason of the high Tides a matter unknown unto the Romans insomuch as the long Boats which transported the Army then lying upon the shore were filled with the flood and the ships of burden that lay at Anchor were beaten with the storm and split in pieces the greater number of them perishing in the water and the rest being made altogether unserviceable the Anchors lost and Tacklings broken wherewith the Romans were much perplexed for that they neither had any other ships to transport them back again nor any means to repair what the Tempest had Ruined and Caesar had formerly resolved to winter in Gallia by reason he was unfurnished of victuals to maintaine his Army during the Winter season which being known to the chief States of the Brittains who had met together about the accomplishment of such things as Caesar had commanded them they supposed a fit opportunity was offered them to revolt while the Romans wanted Horsemen shipping and all manner of provisions the number of their Forces seeming also the lesse in respect of the small circuit of their Camp Caesar having transported his Legions without any Carriages or such like Warlike necessaries whereupon they concluded to keep them from Victuals and to prolong the War till Winter assuring themselves that if they could either vanquish the Romans or bar them from returning thence there would no Forraigne Nation after them adventure to set foot again in Brittany and hereupon they conveyed themselves by stealth out of the Roman Camp and gathered company to them privily from divers parts to make head against their Enemies Caesar albeit he was ignorant of the Brittains purpose yet supposing that the State of his Army and the loss of his ships were to them known and considering that they had broken day with him in detaining the pledges contrary to the contract he suspected that which afterwards proved true And therefore to provide remedies against all chances he caused b The Brittains not ignorant of Agriculture as som aver they then were as the Author from whom I took this seemeth to say Corn to be brought daily out of the Fields into his Camp and such ships as could not be made fit for service were used to repair the rest and such other things as were wanting thereto he appointed to be brought out of the same continent by which means and the diligence of his Souldiers by losse of twelve ships the rest of the Navy was made able to bear sail and brook the Seas again while these things were in doing the seventh Legion according to custome was sent forth a Forraging till which time the Brittains revolt was not certainly known for that some of them remained abroad in the Fields and others came ordinarily into the Roman Camp The Warders in the station before the Camp gave notice to Caesar that the same way which the Legion went there appeared a greater dust then was wont to be seen Caesar mistrusting some new practice of the Brittains commanded the Companies that kept Ward to march thither appointing two others to supply their rooms and the rest of his Forces to Arme themselves with speed and follow him when he approached near the place discried he perceived his Souldiers to be over-charged by the Brittains who assailed them on all sides with darts For the Brittains having commanded their Corn from all other parts this onely excerted and suspecting that the Romans would come thither lay in the woods all night to intexcept them and finding them dispersed and unready they suddenly set upon them as they were reaping killing a few of
with his Countrymen by working their subversion to his own dishonour and advantage of a Forraign enemy His Father Imanentius having been sometime chief Ruler of the City of Trinobantes and well esteemed among them was slain by Cassibelin the present Governour against whom the Citizens desired Caesar to protect Mandubratius and to commit unto him the Government of that City which Caesar granted upon delivery of a certain number of Pledges and a sufficient proportion of Victuals for provision of his Army Hereupon divers petty states thereabout sent Embassadors and yielded themselves to Caesar who understood by them that Cassibelina his Town being well stored with Men and Cattle was not far from thence this Town was only a circuit of ground inclosed with wood and marshes or else entrenched with a Ranger of Earth about it Caesar coming with his Legion to this place which he found very strong as being fortifyed Naturally and also by the industry of man began to assail it on both sides The Brittains having expected a while the event of the enterprise and perceiving themselves unable to withstand the assault issued out at a back way where many of them being slain and some taken as they fled the Town it self and all the provisions within it were left as a spoil to the Romans while these things were doing among the Trinobants Cassabelin dispatched messengers into Kent or Cantium that lyes upon the Sea The Inhabitants of these parts were better furnished to make War then any other of the Isle the Country at that time was Governed by four Kings as Caesar himself calleth them either for that they had among them a kind of absolute Government in several or else for that being the Register of his own Acts he supposed it would be more for his glory to be reputed a Conqueror of Kings their names were Cingetorix Carvilius Taximugulus and Segonax whom Cassibelin then required to raise all the power they could make and on the sudden to assail the Roman Forces that Guarded their ships at the Sea side This was attempted accordingly but with ill successe for that the Romans having timely advertisement of their purpose prevented the execution thereof by setting upon them as they drew near the Roman Army and so after a great slaughter made of the Brittains Cingetorix a Noble Captain and one of the Princes being taking prisoner the Romans returned safe to their Camp Cassibelin hearing of the unhappy issue of his enterprize after so many losses sustained on his part his Country being wasted with War and himself in a manner forsaken by the revolt of the Cities round about which most of all discâ—uraged him sent Embassadors to Caesar by Comius of Arras offering to submit himself upon reasonable conditions Caesar determining to winter in Gallia the state of his affairs there requiring it and the summer being almost spent commanded that he should deliver certain pledges for assurance of his obedience and that he should offer no wrong nor give cause of offence to Mandubratius or the Troynobants whom he had taken into special protection and then having imposed a Tribute to be paid yearly by the Brittains to the people of Rome he marched towards the sea side where he embarked his Forces and arrived with them safely in the Continent Thus Caesar having rather shewed some part of Brittain to the Romans then made a Conquest of the whole supposed he had done sufficiently for his own glory in undertaking a matter so rare and difficult in those Times At his coming to Rome he presented there certain Captives which he had taken in the Brittish Wars whose strangenesse of shape and behaviour filled the peoples eyes both with wonder and delight He offered also in the Temple of Venus Genetrix a Surcote embroidered with Brittish Pearl as a Trophy and spoil of the Ocean leaving to posterity a perpetual remembrance of his Enterprize in this Iland to the honour both of his own Name and of the Roman Nation After the death of Julius Caesar by reason of the civil Wars among the Romans the Isle of Brittain was for a time neglected and Augustus Caesar being setled in the Empire which was then grown to such greatness as it seemed even cumbred therewith accounted it good policy to contain the same within it known bounds Besides the attempt was like to prove dangerous and a matter of very great expence to send an Army so far off to make War with the Brittish Nation for desire of glory only no special cause besides moving thereto Howbeit as some Writers Report above Twenty years after Julius Caesar's first Entrance Augustus intended a Voyage hither in person alledging for pretence of the War the wrong offered to the Roman State by such Princes of the Isle as had for certaine years witheld the Tribute which Caesar his Praedecessor had imposed upon them intelligence whereof being got the Brittains sent over Embassadours who meeting the Emperour in a The Countrey between the Rivers Garony and Seinin France Gallia Celtica declared their submission and desired pardon And the better to win favour they had carried over certain gifts of good value to be presented as offerings in the Roman Capitol having already learned the Art to flatter for Advantage and to appease Princes by rewards Hereupon a conditional peace was granted them and the Emperour having pacifyed some troubles in Gallia returned to Rome then began the Ilanders to pay Tribute and Custome of all kind of Wares which they exchanged with the Gaules as namely Ivory boxes Iron chaines and other trinkets of Amber and Glasse which were Transported Too and Fro both out of Gallia and Brittain The year following the Brittains having failed in performance of Conditions he prepared for another expedition but being set forward on his Voyage the revolt of the b The Biscayans Cantabrians and c The Inhabitants between Gallicia and Portugal Assyrians stayed him from proceeding any further therein after which time the Brittains were left to themselves to enjoy their Liberty and use their own Laws without molestation of forraign Invaders for that the Romans having found the sweetnesse of peace after long civil Wars sought rather to keep in obedience such Provinces as had been before time brought under subjection then by attempting new Conquests to hazard the losse of that they had already gotten In those dayes the Countrey of the Troynobants in Brittain was Governed by Conobelin who kept his residence at a Malden in Essex Camalodunum he began first to reclaim the Brittains from their ill customes and to make his state more respected he afterwards caused his own Image to be stamped on his Coyne after the manner of the Romans a custome never used by the Brittains before his dayes and but then newly received by the Romans themselves for before that time the Brittains used Rings of Iron and little plates of Brasse of a certaine weight instead of Coyne During the time of his Government
Author that he both was a Christian and Converted by St. Joseph and plainly alledgeth Nennius Authority Thus he writeth Joseph converted this King Arviragus By his Preaching to know the Law divine And baptized him as written hath Nennius The Chronicler in Brittain Tongue full fine And to Christ's Law made him incline The Antiquity of the Crosse for England And gave him then a Shield of silver white A Cross end long overthwart full perfect Thus writeth this Author but without Warrant of any thing I can find for whereas as he citeth Nennius to have written thus in the Brittish Language it is evident by all Antiquities that Nennius which wrote in that Tongue was long before the Birth of Arviragus or St. Joseph and dead 50 years before the Nativity of Christ and was Brother to King Lud and Cassibelin and was named Nennius Helius and he could not write any such thing the other Nennius called Bancharensis as all Authors agree wrote onely in Latine and consequently could not write so in the Brittish Tongue as that Author thinketh or our best modern Authors affirm they find no such thing in any copy of Nennius Codices ii quos consuluisse me Nennii antiquos contigit hnjusce rei parum sunt memores Neither is King Arviragus or St. Joseph named by him The places which he allowed to St. Joseph and his companions were propter munitiones Arundineti fluminis paludis so compassed and invironed with Reeds River and Fens that they builded a poor Oratory themselves of such base Elderwands as that Fenny wildernesse afforded which giveth sufficient testimony how far Arviragus was from being a Christian that had nothing but such abject and outcast things to allow to Christ and his servants when for the maintenance of the Pagan Idolatry which he professed both as the Brittish History Matthew of Westminster Ponticus Virunnius and as well Modern as Ancient are witnesses he was Author of stately and sumptuos buildings and so far from diminishing any honour that was then given to the false gods of the Brittains that he added more unto them namely worshipped the wicked Emperor Claudius whose Bastard-daughter he had taken as wife as god dedicated a costly Temple unto him soon after his death yet after this his acquaintance with S. Joseph for as I find in an old Manuscript-history and others do not dissent the City of Gloucester then Caer Glou Anonymus his Maps in Glocestershire the City of Claudius was built by King Arviragus in the year of Christ 66. This City was first won from the Brittains by Chenlin the first King of the West Saxons about the year of Christ 570. and afterwards under the Mercians it flourished with great honour where Offirick King of Northumberland by the sustenance of Ethelred of Mercia founded a most stately Monastery of Nuns whereof Kinelburgh Eadburgh and Eve Queens of the Mercians were Prioresses successively each after other Edelfled a most renowned Lady Sister to King Edward the Elder in this City built a fair Church wherein her self was interr'd which being overthrown by the Danes was afterwards rebuilt and made the Cathedral of that See dedicated unto the honour of St. Peter in this Church the unfortunate Prince King Ed. 2. under a Monument of Alabaster doth lie who being murdered at Berkley Castle by the cruelty of the French Isabell his wife was there intombed And not far from him an other Prince as unfortunate namely Robert Curthose the eldest Son of William the Conqueror lyeth in a painted wooden Tomb in the midst of the Quire whose eyes were pluckt out in Cardiff Castle where he was kept Prisoner twenty years with all contumelious indignities until through extreme anguish he ended his life and before any of these saith our Brittish Historian the body of Lucius our first Christian King or rather at Caerleon in Monmouthshire was Interred and before his days the Brittain Arviragus This City hath given Honourable Titles to these Dukes and Earls 1 Robert Base Son to K. Hen. 1 Earle Gules three rests Or. 2 William 3 John Sansterre Son to K. Hen. 1 who Married Isabell Daughter and Coheir of Will E. of Gloucester England a bend Azure 4 Geofry de Mandevile E. of Essex 2d Husband of Isabell Quarterly Or and Gules over all an Escurbuncle Pomet and Flory Sable 5 Almerich de Evereux Son of Mabell another Coheir of E. William some put this Almerich before Geofry but erroneously as I conceive Partly perpale endented Arg. and Gules 6 Gilbert de Clare Son of Annice another of the Coheirs 7 Rich. de Clare 8 Gilbert de Clare who Married Joan of Acres Daughter to King Edw. 1. Or 3 Cheverons Gules 9 Ralph de mont Hermen 2 d. Husband of Joan of Acres Or an Eagle displayed Vert membred and leaked Gules 10 Gilbert de Clare Son of Gilbert and Joan. Or three Cheverous Or. 11 Hugh de Audley Married Isabell sister and Coheir of Gilbert Gules Alfret Or. border argent 12 Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Gloucester and Lord Constable Quarterly France and England a border arg 13 Thomas Lord Spencer Grand-son to Elinor Coheir of Gilbert Earl Quarterly the 1. and 4. or 2. and 3. Gules there on a fret Or a bend sable 14 Rich. Plantagenet Brother to K. Edw. 4. Lord Adm. and Constable D. Quarterly France and England a Label of 3 Ermine as many Cantons Gules 15 Humphrey Plantagenet son to King Hen. 4. This Hump. place immediately before Rich. Quarterly France and England a border argent 16 Henry 3d. Son of the late King Charles declared by his Royal Father Duke of Gloucester Anno 1641. but not create And to demonstrate that he both lived and died a Pagan this King Arviragus was and that by his own order buried in that Pagan Temple in the year of our Lord Christ 73. ten years after St. Josephs coming hither Arviragus ut dies suos explevit sepultus est Claudiocestriae in quodam templo quod in honore Claudii dedicaverat ut construxerat And Scut Virunnius further addeth that he did every month offer sacrifice in that Temple after the Pagans manner so much be loved him singulis mensibus sacrificabat tanto eum amore prosequibatur And it is further evident by many Antiquities that Arviragus did many publick acts besides this which Christian Religon could not permit as that after he had been long time Married to Voada sister to Cataracus King of the Scots and had divers Children by her he disinherited the Children put away and imprisoned the Mother and Married Genuisse the supposed Bastard Daughter of Claudius and kept her the other yet living and left the Kingdome to Marius her Son and was so far from repenting this barbarous act contrary to Christian Religion that being challenged for that impiety he wrote a book in defence of this his wickednesse Mr. Bron. fol. 132. affirming therein that it was lawful for him to have plurality of Wives because
that neither the Roman nor the Brittish Pagan Laws as he avouched denyed that to Princes never speaking of or regarding the Law of Christ and in this state he lived and died Moreover all Antiquaries whatsoever of any credit tell us plainly that Arviragus was no Christian but persisted in his Pagan Religion First William of Malmsbury saith Rex qui tunc regnabat fuit Barbarus praedicationi eorum consentirie noluit nec Paternas traditiones commutare volebat The King which then reigned was a Pagan and would not consent to their preachings â—or would he change his Ancestors Traditions The Antiquities of Glasâ—eâ—â—ury Capgrave and many other Ancients write Rex Barbarus cum sua gente tam nova audiens inconsueta nec praedicationi eorum renuebâ—t The Pagan King with his people hearing such new and unaccustomed things as St. Joseph and his fellows taught would not change his Ancestors traditions for the better but refused their preaching The first Protestant Arch-Bishop of Canterbury with his followers affirmeth Quorum praedicatione Rex Arviragus cum proceribus suis ab inveterata Druidum religione abduci noluit King Arviragus with his Nobles would not by the preaching of Joseph and his companions be drawn from the inveterate Religion of the Druids Thus we see it manifestly declared that King Arviragus was in all his actions life and death far from being a Christian in profession Fabian tells us that after the departure of Claudius Arviragus progressed through his Dominions and with great cost care and expences repaired Cities and Towns which were dismantled and defaced by the Roman Souldiers and behaved himself with such gallantry that he was more beloved and also feared then any of his Praedecessors in tract of time he accumulated heaps of Treasure but wealth begot pride and that again a presumption of his own strength and power which caused him to deny payment of the Tribute but the Senate having speedy notice of his Transactions Caius Caligula is speedily dispatched with order to reduce him to his former obedience who with certain Legions a Legion consisteth of six thousand six hundred and sixty six men arrives in Brittain forceth him to pay Tribute or rather he is perswaded so to do by his Wife Genissa Caius Caligula had a meaning doubtlesse to have invaded the I le of Brittain had not his rash entrance into the Action The Brittish History c. 10. and his ill successe in the German War overthrown the Enterprize by reason whereof he brought nothing to Effect but onely made a ridiculous expedition answerable to the vanity of his humour bringing an Army into the hither parts of Belgia and there having received into protection Admimus or Adaminus whom Cunobelin his Father had banished and certain other Brittish Fugitives that came with him he Writ vaunting Letters to the Senate as though the whole Iland had yielded it self giving special charge to the Messenger that his Letters should be carried in a Chariot to the Forum and not delivered to the Consuls but in a full Senate and in the Temple of Mars afterwards drawing his Forces down to the sea coasts of Belgia where with wonder he beheld the high cliffs of the I le possessed with the Natives he placed his Souldiers in Battell-array upon the shore and himself entring into a Long-boat was rowed a little way upon the 8ea but not daring to adventure further he returned speedily to land and then commanding a charge to be sounded as though he would have began to fight he appointed his Souldiers to gather Cockels and Muskels in their Helmets terming them spoils of the Ocean and meet to be preserved as offerings due to the Capitol For this Exploit he after coming to Rome was not ashamed to demand a Triumph and divine honours to be assigned him but finding the Senators for the most part to be unwilling to give their Assent he burst out into threats and had slain some of them in the place if they had not speedily avoided his fury After this himself in open Assembly made a Declaration of his journey and what adventures he had passed in the Conquest of the Ocean as himself vainly termed it whereat the common people either for fear or flattery gave a general applause which he taking as a testimony of their desire to have him placed among their gods rewarded in this shameful manner he caused a great quantity of gold and silver to be scattered on the ground and certain caltrops poysoned of Iron to be cast among them whereby many were killed partly with those envenomed Engines and partly with the press of one another each Man being earnest in gathering and supposing another Mans gain his own losse so naturally was he inclined to all kind of wickednesse as he spared not the lives even of those whom he thought to deserve best at his hands Yet we read not among the many Vices which he had that ever he was a persecutor of Christians for those Outrages which he committed against the Jews which amongst others our own Histories do report were rather in revenge against the Jews for the death of Christ and the persecuting Christians then for any hatred to Christian Religion And it was a just punishment of God towards that incredulous people and their holy Temple that had been so long renowned for the true worship and sacrifice of God To see it now polluted with the Idolatrous sacrifices of the Gentils Matth. Westm an 40. Theat of Britt in Caius Caligul the Idol of Jupiter and the Emperor himself a vile and wicked man to be worshipped and adored there as the Lord of Heaven and Earth Caesar templum quod erat Hierosolymis jussit prophanari sacrificiis Gentilium Jovis statuam ibi collocat seque ut Dominum coeli terrae coli adorari praecepit When as concerning Christians he permitted the favourable Edict of Tiberius to remain in force He banished Pilate by whom Christ was crucified He deprived Herod of his Kingdom and together with Herodiâ— his brothers wife which he kept the occasion of the Martyrdome of St. John Baptist he drave into banishment and these and such favours and justice he extended unto Christians that although he seemed to make War against the Brittains it was not for Religion sake Though mention be made concerning several passages betwixt Claudius and Arviragus yet the Reader must know that Caligula preceded in Government Julius being first Augustus second Tiberius third Caligula fourth and Claudius fifth but to conclude with Arviragus Fabian saith That after he had nobly Ruled the Brittains thirty years he died and was buried at Caergloin Caerloon Claudiocestria or Glocester leaving after him one Son named Marius or Maurius MARIVS MARIVS the son of Arviragus was crowned King of Brittain in the year of Christs Incarnation threescore and fourteen the English Chronicle calleth this Prince Westmer-Gaufride saith that he Governed his Subjects in great Affluence Peace and Tranquillity some dispute
rest of the Voyage he made by Land to a Bolein in Picardie Gessoriacum in Gallia where he embarked His forces being safely transported into the Isle were led towards the River Thamesis where Plantius and Vespasian with their power attended his coming so the two Armes being joyned together crossed the River again the Brittains that were assembled to encounter them began to Fight which was sharply maintained on both sides till in the end a great number of the Ilanders being slain the rest fled into the woods through which the Romans pursued them even to the Town of b Malden in Essex Camolodanum which had been the Royal seat of Canobeliâ—â— and was then one of the most defensible places in the Dominions of the Trynobâ—bâ— this town they supprized and afterwards fortifyed planting therein a Colony of old Souldiers to strengthen those parts and to keep the Inhabitants therein obedience Then were the Brittains disarmed howbeâ—â— Claudius remitted the confiscation of their goods for which favour the Ilanders erected a Temple and an Altar unto him honouring him as a God Now the states of the Country round about being so weakned by the losse of their Neighbours and their own civil dissensions as they were unable to resist the Roman power any longer began to offer their submission promising to obey and live peaceably under the Roman Government and so by little and little the hither part of the Isle was reduced into the form of a Province In honour of this Victyro Claudius was divers times saluted by the name of Imperator contrary to the Roman custome which permitted it but once for one expedition The Senate of Rome also upon advertisement of his successe decreed that he should be called Brittanicus and that his son should have the same Title as a surname proper and hereditary to the Claudian Family Massilina his Wife the monster of her sex for impudency and lasciviousnesse had the first place in council assigned her as Sivia the Wife of Augustas sometime had and was also licensed to ride in a Chariot at his return to Rome which was the sixth month after his departure thence having continued but sixteen dayes onely in this Isle he entred the City in triumph performed with more then usual ceremonies of state whereat certaine Presidents of Provinces and banished men were permitted to be present On the top of his pallace was placed a crown set with stems and fore-parts of ships which the Romans called Corona Navalis as a sign of the conquest of the Ocean divers Captains that had served under him in Brittany were honoured with Triumphal ornaments yearly playes were appointed for him and two Arches of Triumph adorned with Trophies were erected the one at Rome the other at Gessoriacum where he embarked for Brittany to remain to succeeding Ages as perpetual records of his victory and a work of such merit to have subdued so small a part of this Island About this time as it may be probably conjectured Christian Religion being yet green and of small growth began to cast forth some small sparkes of her brightnesse in the Isle of Brittain whether Christians of Rome and other countries then flying persecution resorted for safety and quietnesse as to a place remote and by reason of the Wars and Troubles there not much subjected to inquisition whereas also divers Brittains remaining at Rome where Christianity then increased either for Hostages The History of Great Brittain part 1. fol. 35. or detained as Prisoners or haply for some private respects of profit and pleasure had opportunity and liberty to converse with the Roman Christians and to be by them instructed and confirmed in the Faith of Christ The gate being now set open by this Author to discourse of our Famous and Saintly Brittains who even with the very first submitted themselves to the most heavenly and sweet yoak of their divine Master and Lord eternal Redeemer of Mankind God and Man Christ Jesus I shall endeavour to make it evident by the Testimony of Learned and apporved Antiquities to the great glory of the Brittish Nation that divers of them were the adopted sons and children of their eternal Father and the never-erring Catholick Church their Mother within few years after the Death and Passion of our most blessed Redeemer To begin therefore this intended Relation I will begin with St. Mansuetus the Disciple of St. Peter the Apostle and by him ordained the first Bishop of Tullum or Teul in Lorain who was born in that part of Brittain which now and for many years hath been called Scotland but whether he was a Brittain or a Scot will more fully appear hereafter and that he was by birth that part of the I le now called Scotland being at that time a part of Brittain and long after which among others Martial the Poet maketh manifest for that time who writing to Quintus Ovidius who was to to travel into those parts saith Quinte Caledonios Ovidi visure Britannos a Caius Calig Quintus Ovidius Roman called so To view the Caledonian Brittains now doth go St. Mansuetus a Brittain by St. Peter Consecrated Bishop of Tullum In the time of this Emperor we read that St. Peter the Apostle consecrated our holy Countryman St. Mansuctus whom he had Christened before in the time of Tiberius a Bishop and sent him to Tullum in Loraine The inhabitants of Tullum in Loraine had for their Apostle and first Bishop of their Faith in Christ St. Mansuetus a Scot by Nation the Disciple of St. Peter the Apostle and companion of St. Clement This is testified also by many others as Gulielmus Eisengrenius Antonius Democharez Petrus de Natalibus with others saying Mansuetus by Nation a Scot so they term our Northern Brittains according to the last Name thereof born of a Noble Family the Disciple of Simon Bar-Jonas the chief of the Apostles fellow of Saint Clement the Bishop of Metz was consecrated by Saint Peter the first Bishop in the city of Tullum Hitherto these Authors onely the difference I find between them is this Mr. Bro. f. 31.3 that Arnoldus Mirmanunus saith St. Clement whose companion Mansuetus was was Bishop of Metz by St. Peters appointment in the 40 year of Christ when Caius Caligula was Emperor and Eisengrenius tells us that St. Mansuetus was Bishop of Tullum in the year 49. eight or nine years after which may easily be reconciled together by saying St. Mansuetus was sent by St. Peter in the year of Christ 40. and took not upon the charge of Tullum untill the year 49. in the mean time being otherwise or elsewhere imployed in preaching the Gospel of Christ Neither will it avail or prove any thing to the contrary for any man to object that S. Peter was not yet come to Rome nor after until the beginning of the Empire of Claudius for although he came not thither to make any residence there til about that time yet this nothing hindred
may seem by such acclamations against his own Inclination to have given way to persecution And the rather because the Gnostick Hereticks given then over to all filthiness that as Irenaeus Nicephorus and others write they did publickly profess and so practise that all which would come to perfection of their Sect which they onely allowed must commit all wickedness These Heretiques being accounted Christians with the Pagans might sooner provoke the Emperour by such mens informations against the most holy Professors of Christian Religion which were so free from being such as they were falsly reputed with those their enemies to be Athenagoras Orat. pro Christian that as Athenagoras in his Oration for them in the name of the Christians desired no mercy or favour but to be utterly rooted out if those impious slanders could be proved true against them Nicephorus saith Christianity flourished in his time and Tertullian then living affirmeth That Severus also himself father to Antoninus was kind to Christians for he sought for Proculus a Christian who had some time before cured him with Oyl and kept him in his Pallace with him so long as he lived Tertul. li. ad Scap. c. 4. he was exceedingly well known to Antoninus that was nursed by a Christian woman and Severus knowing both renowned women as also most honourable men to be of this profession was so far from doing them any hurt that he commended them and openly resisted even to their faces the raging people Therefore if Severus the Emperour was of his own disposition so great a Lover of Christians in general if he honoured Proculus in his Pallace so long as he lived gave allowance that his son and heir Antoninus Bassianus King of Brittain and Emperour after his father should both be nursed by a Christian woman and be so familiar with such known professed Christians as Proculus was and was the Overseer of Evodus the Tutor or Bringer up of Bassianus his son as may be gathered both by Tertullian Dio and others and both Severus himself so great an honourer both of renowned Christian men and women and his Lady and Empress Martia of Brittain so far affected and disposed to Christian Religion that if she did not profess it in act yet in affection and desire did so honour it that she would not permit her son and heir to be nursed by any but a Christian woman and the Overseer of so great a charge to be a Christian so famous and renowned for Faith as Proculus was known of all men to be These considered I dare not boldly say that Severus did in any time or place of his own inclination wittingly or willingly without great incitation condescend to such persecutions as are remembred in Histories to have been in his Empire And after his coming into Brittain we do not find the least suspition in our Antiquities that he did of himself or suffer any other to persecute any for Christian Religion but rather both of himself and at the instance of his Brittish Empress at the least a Christian in affection and both powerable with him and their son Bassianus his heir and successor and for that love and trust he found in the Brittish Christians of all that part of Brittain South to the Wall and Trench which Adrian and he made joining with him against his enemies to possess him of the Crown of Brittain he was a grateful friend to them and their holy profession And all our Histories are clear that Religion was here in quiet without molestation and affliction until the Empire of Dioclesian that great persecutor yet we cannot deny but all places in Brittain being now full of war-like miseries and the Christians here both in Albania Loegria and Cambria mixed and joined both with Roman and Scythian Infidels many of them fell both to wickedness and Paganism also which occasioned holy Gildas to write that Christianity was received but coldly of the Inhabitants of Brittain and with some continued perfect but not so with others before Dioclesian his persecution And not onely in the time of Dioclesian his persecution following in this age we find even whole Cities and Towns as Verulamium and others wholly destitute of Christians but long before or about this time we are assured that there were very many Brittains not of mean estate but such as were publickly employed about the affairs of the Kingdom sent from hence to Rome about it that either were fallen from Christianity or never forsook their Pagan Religion for we read both in antient Manuscripts and other Authours in the life of St. Mello after Archbishop of Rhoan in Normandy sent thither by St. Stephen Pope not onely that he and his Brittish Companions which were then sent to Rome to pay the tribute of Brittains there were Pagans and Sacrificed in the temple of Mars but it was then the custom of the Brittains coming thither about that Office so to do which to be a custom could not be younger than these dayes time short enough between this and that time to make a custom And it seemeth this custom had been from the first submission of the Brittains to the Romans for both late Writers and others affirm that in Octavius Augustus time Ambassadors came from Brittain to Rome swearing sealty in the temple of Mars offering gifts in the Capitol to the gods of the Romans and we have testimony in our Histories that after the death of King Lucius and this very time which we have now in hand it was the use custom of our Brittains here when any of their Nobility 〈…〉 were to obtain the dignity of Knighthood to send them to Rome to receive that honour there and after such Pagan rights and ceremonies that Christians could not in Conscience so accept thereof And yet such multitudes even in this time flocked thither from hence so to be created Severus of himself was not addicted to a wicked life but much renowned not onely for warlike affairs but also for learning and knowledge in philosophy and so great an enemy to incontinency that he punished adultery by law with death with such severity that Dio writeth that when he was Consul he found by record that 3000 had been put to death for that offence He was after his death made a God among the Pagans and Herodianus saith he died rather of grief for his childrens wickednesse then of sicknesse which grief for the sins of his sons as also of his own in permitting the Christians in many places be to most grievously persecuted I would not deny but that he dyed in any such grief is untrue being most certain that he after so many conquests in other Countries when he came to fight against this Country Christians was enforced dishonourably to make a wall and trench above 130 miles in length to keep his enemies back from invading him and slain in battail by Fulgenius or as others call him Fulgentius brother to his first lawful true wife the
he after addeth thereunto Hermanius Sehedelius addeth also how he went into Rhetia with Emerita his Sister and near unto the City Augusta converted the Curienses unto the Faith of Christ and there likewise being put to death in Castro Martis lyeth buried in the same Town where his feast is held upon the third day of December The Curienses converted to the faith by a Brittain That Schedelius erreth not herein also the ancient monuments of the said Abbey whereof he was the original beginner do yield sufficient testimony beside an Hymne made in the commendation intituled Gaude Lucionum c. The said Schedelius setteth down likewise that his sister Emerita was martyred in Trine castle neer unto the place where the said Lucius dwelled and the same Authour saith further that he converted all Bavaria and Rhetia between the Alps and this narration is confirmed by Gaspar Bruchius thus Bavaria and Rhetia converted to Christianity by a Brittain St. Lucius which preached to the Germans was born of the regal race among the Brittains and propogating the faith of Christ came out of Brittainy into Germany and preached first at Salisbury then at Austburg from whence he was cast out by the Infidels there and then went with his sister St. Emerita to the City of Chur where preaching again both he and his sister Emerita were martyred by the Pagans St. Lucius at Chur in the castle of Mars and St. Emerita at Trine Castle Lucius and Emerita being thus by means of the Roman Emperours Dioclesian and Maximian both banished and martyred to make all sure in their proceedings they detained Constantine the other child as Hostage at their command and placed here in Brittain none to bear office but such as were Pagans ready to execute the cruel and savage resolutions of that bloody persecuting Tyrant against the holy christians here These things thus compleated the state of Brittain by such means was now brought into the same condition for persecution with other nations or rather worse the number of christians being here then far greater both in respect it was a christian Kingdom and so had both more christian inhabitants then other nations and by the immunities and priviledges it should have enjoyed many christians of other regions fled and resorted hither in hope of quiet and security from persecution This violent storme of persecution raging through the whole Roman Empire acted many tragical Scaenes in this Isle Harding in his Chronicle saith Hard. c. 57. f. 41 The Emperour Dioclesian Into Brittaon sent Maximian This Maximian to sirname Hercelius A Tyrant false that Christenty annoyd Through all Brittain a work malicious The Christen folk felly and sore destroyed And thus the people with him foul accloyed Religious men the Priests and Clerks all Women with child and bedrid folk all Children sucking upon their their Mothers pappis The mothers also without any pitty And children all in their mothers lappis The Creples eke and all the Christentee He killed and slew with full great cruelty The Churches brent all books and ornaments Bells Relicks that to the Church appends Dioclesian came to the Empire in the year of Christ 282 and did within two years after begin his most cruel persecution the first that felt the heavy but yet most blessed stroak here in Brittain was St. Allan Dicetus Dean of St. Pauls London doth set down this persecution in Brittain in the year of Christ 287. The old manuscript Annals of Winchester say that S. Allan in the eight year of Dioclesian Maximian was put to death and the same antiquities tell us that the Monks of Winchester were martyred by the Officers of Dioclesian in the second year of his reign and their Church then destroyed Godwin a late Bishop as he citeth from some Antiquities of that Church saith this happened in the year of Christ 289. and addeth that at this time Dioclesian endeavouring to root out Christian Religion in Brittain not only killed the professours of the same Mr Br. f. 415. Hollen Hist of Engl. l. 4. but also pulled down all churches anywhere consecrated to the exercise thereof The instruments of Dioclesian herein were Quintus Bassianus Hircius Alectus Gallus as the most principal with others of inferior degrees and Mamertinus the Panegyrist hath avouched to Maximian the persecutor before that he was here in Brittain in his own person which is confirmed by our own Antiquaries Adding further that he persecuted in the Occidental parts by commission from Dioclesian John Lydgat l. 8. so testifieth John Lydgate the Monck of Bury with others Ant. Brit. Antiq. in tit S. Alb. Cadgrave in eodem St. Alban our first Martyr was rather descended of Noble Roman then Brittish blood but probably both of Roman and Brittish blood his abode and dwelling was at Caermunip or Verulam where all professed Roman Paganisme and there he entertained either for old acquaintance for they were both Knighted at the same time in Rome or hospitality sake as being a man eminent and by some stiled High Steward of the Brittains St. Amphibalus but when he began to speak of Jesus Christ the son of God and incarnate for mans redemption he was so farr off from being a christian that he had scarce heard of Christ before but said this testimony of Christ was strange unto him and St. Amphibalus more particularly declaring the mysteries of Christs Nativity Passion Resurrection and Ascension Alban was yet so far from believing that he told St. Amphibalus he was mad to preach such things that understanding did not apprehend nor reason allow and if the Citizens of that place did know what he spake concerning Christ they would most cruelly put him to death and feared much that he would fall into trouble before he could go forth of his house But what the preaching of St. Amphibalus prevailed not in his earnest prayer and watching obtained of God for Alban For as the old Brittish writer of his life living in that time relateth this History St. Amphibalus watching in prayers all the night following a strange and admirable vision appeared to Alban wherewith he being exceedingly terrified and perplexed presently rose and went to St. Amphibalus thus declaring his vision and desiring the exposition thereof in this order and these words O my friend if these things which thou preachest of Christ are true I beseech thee be not afraid to tell unto me the true meaning of my dream or vision I did attend and behold a Man came from Heaven whom a great and innumerable multitude of Men apprehended and laid divers kinds of Torments upon him his hands were bound with cords his body worne with whips and grievously torne his body hanged upon a cross and his hands stretched cross upon it The Man which was thus tortured was naked and had no shoes upon his feet His hands and feet were pierced with nails his side thrust through with a spear and as it seemed to me
Daughter to Hen. 7. and Grandchild to Owen Tudor lineally descended from the Prince of South-Wales Ferdinando Sans Issue male  William Earl of Derby Elizabeth Daughter to Edward Vere Earl of Oxon and Anne Cecil his Wife by which March as in the Pologâ—â—â— of Oxford Salisbury and Ex câ—â—â—â— appears this Family descends from the Brittish Princely Stâ—â—â— James Earl of Derby lost his head as a most faithfull and loyal Subject for his leige Lord King Charles of blessed memory Charlâ—t Daughter to the Duke of Tremulia Charles Earl of Derby Lord Stanley of Latham Lord Strange of Knocking and of the Isle of Man a faithfull Subject to his King a Patron to his Countrey and Terror to his Enemies  DErby is a part of the Coritain and took that name from Derby the cheif City a Town coveniently seated on the River of Derwent beautified with five Parish Churches a goodly stone Bridge and a large Market place and no less famous for good Ale than Banbury for good Cakes and Cheese finally the Town is well traded and of good resort and is the usuall place of holding Sessions and Assises for all the County The Countrey of the East and South parts well manured and fruitfull yielding a very spacious and pleasing prospect both out of Cutbury Castle and that of Boulsover The West part which they call the Peak is not so pleasing to the eye though possibly as profitable to the Purse being rich in Iron Lead and Coals which it yields abundantly and grazing multitudes of Sheep on the Mountain tops It contains in it 106 Parishes of the which eight be Market-Towns the chief thereof being Derby as before is said the Catalogue of whose Earls here followeth 1. William de Ferrars 2. William de Ferrars 3. William de Ferrars 4. Robert de Ferrars 5. Edm of Lancaster second Son to K. Hen. 3. after which this Title was continued in the House of Lancaster 6. Henry of Lancaster Son of Henry Earl of Lancaster created Earl of Derby in his Fathers life time 11. Edw. 3. 7. Henry of Bullingbrook son of John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster created Earl of Derby in his Fathers life 9 Ri. 2. 8. Thomas Stanley created Earl of Derby by K. Hen. 7. Lord Constable 9. Thomas Stanley 10. Edward Stanley 11. Henry Stanley 12. Ferdinando Stanley 13. William Stanley 14. James Stanley 15. Charles Stanley now Earl 1661. The End of the first Part or Tome CAMBRIA TRIVMPHANS OR BRITTAIN IN ITS PERFECT LUSTRE SHEVVING THE Origen and Antiquity OF THAT ILLUSTRIOUS NATION THE Succession of their Kings and Princes from the First to KING CHARLES Of Happy Memory The Description of the Countrey The History of the Antient and Moderne Estate The manner of the Investure of the Princes with the Coats of Arms Of the Nobility The Second Tome By PERCY ENDERBIE Gent. LONDON Printed for Andrew Crooke and are to be sold at the Green Dragon in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1661. TO HIS ROYAL GRACE THE DUKE BROTHER TO His Sacred Majesty MONARCH of Great BRITTAIN King of France and Ireland c. SIR GOld the sinue and nerve of war without which the greatest Princes and Polititians fall short of their desired ends and History the faithfull mirrour in which the most accomplish't of Commanders may dress and modifie themselves even to the very height of vertue and perfection in this walk hand in hand and keep an equal sympathy that whether they flow from the hands of Peers or Peasants they still retain the same vigour force and vertue why did great Alexander set so great an estimate upon grave Homers works but that he found in them examples worthy imitation and also inglorious deeds to be avoyded like Rocks in raging Tempests This work great Prince which most humbly begs your Protection as the safest Azylum proceeds from a pen altogether Rural yet doth it contain matter fit for imitation selected from Authors of faithfull integrity Behold a Constantius memorable for an Act recorded by many Ancient Historians who to make trial of true Christians and accordingly advance them first exiled from his Court all who would not perpetrate themselves and adore the Pagan Gods and after trial made the Complyers he abhor'd and revoked the constant refusers preferring them to places of greatest trust and honour affirming that they would never be true to a mortal Emperour that would be false to an immortal Diety Quomodo inquit fidem erga Imperatorem servare poterunt inviolatam qui adversus Deum optimum maximum perfidi esse manifesto convincuntur and therefore saith the same Author Decrevit secum hos qui se fideles erga D. O. M. declarassent in amicorum atque adeo consiliorum munero habere And for this and such like his pious and vertuous transactions Fertur Constantio Angelus astistisse which Pomponius Laetus in these words confirmes Cum Pater Caesarem fecerat celesti nuntio admonitus Constantinum c. The body of this glorious Caesar was first withall Princely solemnity interred at York and after translated to Carnarvon in the time of King Edward I. and by him commanded to be enshrined in that Church Apud Carnarvon maximi principis patris nobilis Imperatoris Constantini erat inventum rege jubente honorifice collocatum Thus we clearly see vertue and Noble actions not only crowned here upon Earth with glorious Sepultures and inscriptions but even approved by Heaven it self by Divine and Celestial Revelation Let us march a little further into the Court of Honour and great Theater where mighty Emperors and Monarchs act their parts and there we shall find a great Brittish Constantine the first Christian Emperor doing what taking in hand a doubtfull yet cruel war what did he then Deum quem pater sancte adoravisset solum observandum colendumque statuit Quo circa hujus opem precibus imploravit hunc oravit hunc obtestatus est ut tum quinam esset ipsi vellet significare tum rebus quas apud animum proposuisset dexteram velut adjutricem porrigere he resolved to have the true God whom his Father adored devoutly to be only adored and worshiped wherefore by his prayers he implored his help he prayed and intreated his aid him he besought to declare himself unto him and assist him in his enterprise and what followed these divine and Heavenly ejaculations and inspirations About noon the day somewhat declining Constantine saw in the Sky a lightsome pillar in form of a cross wherein were these words engraven In this sign overcome and the night following in his sleep he beheld Christ who said thus unto him Frame unto thy self the form of a Cross after the example of the sign which appeared unto thee and bear the same against thy Enemies as a fit banner or token of victory And that the effects were answerable to the divine promises hear what Eusebius relates as spoken by Constantine himself Hoc salutari figno vero fortitudinis judicio vestram
with all those Meteors which are engendered in the middle Region of the Air From whence the name Thursday first derived consecrating to him the fifth day of the week which was afterwards called Thursday The name of Woden they attributed to Mercury or as some write to Mars whom they reverenced as a Protector in war and a giver of strength and courage against their Enemies To him they usually sacrificed with mans blood and dedicated the fourth day of the week naming it Wodensday as yet retaining the first denomination with very little difference Wednesday from whence Under the name of Freâ— they sacrificed to Venus as the giver of peace and pleasure whom they adored sometimes under the figure of Priapus committing to her the Patronage of the sixth day called Frea-day Of these three Thor was placed upon a three footed stool in the midst Friday from whence and Woden and Frea on each side To the Goddess Eoster they alwayes offered Sacrifice in the moneth of April which thereupon was called Eoster-moneth In their consultations of any weighty matter they observed south-saying and casting of lots Their custom of casting of lots was first to cut a branch from a fruit-bearing tree into many pieces which being distinguished with several marks they did cast upon a white garment at a venture then if the matter concerned the Common-Wealth in general the Priest The manner of casting lots among the Saxons if a private person only the Master of the house having prayed the Gods and looked towards heaven did take up every one of the said pieces three times and interpreted the future success according to the form and similitude of the marks if the lots fell out contrary to their minds they consulted no more that day if otherwayes yet they would make further tryal by observing the flying and singing of birds They had another practise also to search out the event of great and weighty battails with their Enemies For they would get some one of that Nation with which the war should be made and then take another choice man of their own arming them both after their Country guise Horses much honoured by the Saxons and so make trial of their valour conjecturing by the success of that fight on whose side the victory should afterwards fall but of all other passages the neying of horses was of greatest credit both with the Preists and People who fondly supposed that those beasts understood and were privy to their secrets Why a horse for the Saxons Armes And hereupon as some suppose the Dukes of Saxony in times past gave a horse for their Ensign The names also of Hengist and Horsa the first men of note of the Saxon Nation that arrived in Brittain do signifie in their own language a horse Brit. Hist part 2. fol. 195. Mr. Bro. fol. 199. Jo. Gosc Hist Eccle. Mat. Parker Antiq. Brit. p. 8. Antiq. Glast Capgrave in vita St. Patricii Gul. Malm. l. de Antiq. Caenob Glast which denominations whether they were given in respect of their strength and courage qualities by nature proper to that beast or whether they received them upon any other occasion or accident I cannot certainly affirm sayes my Authour In this age we had here in Brittain many Monasteries and Religious houses both of Men and Women Our old Religious house in Glastenbury continued in this age as in the former having twelve religious Eremites belonging unto it dwelling in the places and Cells of the first twelve in the time of St. Joseph of Aramathea This is testified by the old Manuscripts of that place and Will of Malms in his book of the antiquity thereof witnesseth that those holy men in the number of twelve thus successively lived and served God untill St. Patricks coming The names of the twelve then living were Brunbam Dyregaan The great sanctity of the Brittish Nobility Viwall Wentreth Bantonnewing Adeloobre Loyor Wellyas Breden Swellwis Hinloirmus and Alius all of them descended of noble families rather preferred this poor penitential eremitical life then worldly honour The antiquities of Glestenbury further witness that about this time there was new founded or renewed an other little Religious house in honour of St. Michael the Archangel and particularly to honour and pray to him And that Arnulphus and Ogmar two religious holy men were the first that supplyed that office and duty there Math. West an 543. That there were divers Monasteries in Brittain as well in London Winchester Kent and other places appeareth evidently by divers Authors For say they Hengist the Pagan Saxon at his coming into Kent Stow. Howes Brit. Sax. in Const Vortiger found many religious houses both of Men and Women and many of them were glorious Martyrs by the Saxon persecutors Hengist slew the good Archbishop Vodine and many other Priests and Religious Men. All the Churches in Kent were polluted with blood the Nunns with other Religious persons were by force put from their houses and goods These religious houses must needs be builded and so furnished with goods and consecrated persons before the Saxons entred and so in or before this age these men being then Pagans were no founders but destroyers of such monuments Bed 1. c. 6. not only in Kent but all places where they prevailed by all histories Among these these sumptuous and stately Church Math. West an 313. 586. and Monastery of St. Alban builded within ten years after his Martyrdome was one for the Monastery there was not as Math. West proveth founded first by King Offa Kaer Carodoc Salisbury Manuscript Gallic Antiq. c. 24. Galf. Mon. Hist Brit. l. 8. c. 9 but being destroyed by the Saxons was re-edified by him There was also a noble monastery at Amsbury in Wiltshire near Salisbury in which as an old French Manuscript and others say there were at this time three hundred This was founded long before the Saxons came by one Ambrius near Kaer Carodoc Salisbury Our old English Chronicle treating of the desolation which the Pagan Saxons wrought in this Kingdom in destroying religious Houses and Churches and how Aurelius Ambrosius restored and builded them again thus delivereth that in general and particularly of this Monastery King Aurelambros went throughout the Land Mr. Breugron fol. 610. and put away the name of Hengist Land that Hengist after his name had called it before Then he let call it again great Brittain and let make again Churches and Houses of Religion Castles and Cities and Boroughs Old English Chronicle part 5. fol. 43. and Townes that the Saxons had destroyed The Brittains led him to the Mount of Ambrian where sometime was an house of Religion which then was destroyed through the Paynims whereof a Knight that was called Ambross that sometime was founder of that house and therefore the hill was called the holy Mount of Ambrian and after it was called Ambesbury The King Aurclambros let amend and
Lord Herbert of Cherbery and Castle Island unto whom it was presented by Dr. Johnson a grave and learned Physitian in Worcester who had it from a Manuscript in the Library of the right honourable Thomas Lord Windesore which here I will insert for my Readers recreation As it fell out upon a Pentecost day King Arthur at Camelot kept his Court Royal With his fair Queen Gwinever the gay And many princes sitting in hall Hold Barons Knights and Squires that day Ladies attired in purple and pall With Herehaughts in hewkes howling full high Cried Larges Larges Chaveliers treshardie A doughty Dwarf to the uppermost Desk Boldly gan prick kneeling on knee Said King Arthur God thee save and see Sr. Reimes of North Gales greeteth well thee And bids thee anon thy Beard thou him send Else from thy jawes he will it off rend For his robe of State is a rich scarlet mantle With eleven Knights beards bordred about And there is room left yet in a Kantle For thine to stand to make the twelfth out This must be done be thou never so stout This must be done I tell thee no fable Maugre the teeth of all the round table When this mortal message from his mouth past The Kings fum'd the Queens scrich't Ladies were agast Princes pufft Barons blusterd Lords began to lower Knights storm'd Squires startl'd like steeds in a Stower Pages and Yeomen yeld out in the hall With that came in Sr. Kay the Seneschal Silence my Soveraign quoth the courteous Knight And therewith all the stur began to still The Dwarfs dinner full deerly was dight Of Wine and wisely he had his fill An hundred peices of fine coyned Gold Were given the Dwarf for his message bold But say to Sr. Rayns thou Dwarf quoth the King â—hat for his bold message I him defie â—or shortly I mean with Basons him to ring â—â—t of North Gales where he and I â—ith swords and not rasors will quickly try Whether he or K. Arthur will prove the best Barbor And therewith he struck his good sword Esculabor Concerning the mantle trimd with beards of Kings or Knights Fol. 62. Mr. Draiton in his Polialbion giveth a hint but something differing from the preceding Relation his lines are these Then told how himself great Arthur did advance To meet with his Allies the puissant force of France By Lucius thither led those Armies that while ere Affrighted all the World by him struck dead with fear Th' report of his great acts that over Europe ran Is that most famous field which he with Emp'rour wan This is but a Poetical fancy for Helena was never ravished As how great Rithout self be slew in his repair Who ravisht Howels Neece young Helena the fair And for a Trophie brought the Giants coat away Made of the beards of Kings then bravely chaunted they The several twelve picht fields he with the Saxons fought The certain day and place to memory they brought Then by false Mordreds hand how last he chanc't to fall The hour of his decease the place of buriall These I have intermingled as Poets do interludes in the playes setting Horace his rules before me Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci. Constantine Howes ut sup Constantine Kinsman to Arthur and son to Cador Duke of Cornewal was ordained King of Brittain and reigned three years This man was by the two sons of Mordred grievously vexed for they claimed the land by the right of their father But after many battails they fled the one to London the other to Winchester which Cities they obtained and took them But Constantine followed and subdued them and gained the Cities And one of these young Lords he found in an Abbey at London here he slew him neer the Altar cruelly and then buried him near Vter Pendragon at Stone-hedge The other brother was found at Winchester where he was also slain flying into the Church of St. Amphibalus Aurelius Conanus a Brittain raised mortal War against Constantine the King and afer sore fight slew him in the field after three years reign he was buryed at Stone-hedge Of this Constantine that seemeth to be meant which holy Gildas writeth in his Book entituled De excidio Brittaniae where inveighing against the Rulers of the Brittains in his time he writeth thus Brittain hath Kings but they be Tyrants Judges it hath but they be wicked oft-times killing and harming the innocent people revenging and defending but whom such as be guilty persons and robbers having many wives but yet breaking wedlock oft-times swearing and yet forswearing themselves vowing and for the more part lying warring but maintaing civil and unjust war pursuing rude thieves that are abroad in the Country and yet not only cherishing those that sit even at table with them but also highly rewarding them giving almes largely but on the other part heaping up a mighty mount of sins sitting in the seat of sentence but seldome seeking the rule of righteous judgment despising the humble and innocent persons exalting so far as in them lyeth even up to the heavens the bloody and proud murderers thieves and adulterers yea the very expresse enemies of God if he would so permit keeping many in prison whom they oppresse in loading them with Irons through craft rather to serve their own purpose then for any guilt of the persons imprisoned taking solemn oathes before the Altars and shortly after despising the same Altars as vile and filthy stones of which heinous and wicked offence Constantine the tyrannical whelp of the Lioness of Devonshire is not ignorant who this year after the receiving of his dreadfull oath whereby he bound himself that in no wise he would hurt his subjects God first and then his oath with the company of Saints and his mother being there present did notwithstanding in the reverent laps of the two mothers as the Church and their carnal mother under the Coul of the holy Abbot devour with sword and spear instead of teeth the tender sides yea and the entrails of two Children of noble and Kingly race and likewise of their two Governours yea and that as said among the sacred Altars the arms of which persons so slain not stretched forth to defend themselves with weapons the which few in those dayes handled more valiantly then they but stretched forth I say to God and to his altar in the day of judgment shall set up the ensignes of their patience and faith at the gates of the City of Christ which so have covered the seat of the coelestial sacrifice as it were with the red mantle of their clottered blood And those things he did not after any good deeds done by him deserving praise For many years before overcome with the often and changeable filths of adultery forsaking his lawfull Wife contrary to the Laws of God c. he now brought forth this Crime of killing his own Kinsman and violating the Church but neither being loosed or unbound from his
Morganwc now Glamorganshire containeth 4 cantrefs with 15 comots as cantref Croveth with these comots Rwngueth ac Vvan Tir Yr Hwndrwd and Maenor Clynogwr Cantref Pennythen with these Meyskin Glynrhodny Maenor Talavan and Maenor Ruthyn Cantref Brenbinol with these Gibowr Senghennyth Vwcheaeth and Iscaeth Cantref Gwenthwy which is now in Monmothshire with these comots Yrhardh Ganol and Eithafdylygion In this part are these towns and castles Lhandaf the Bishops See Caerdiffe called Caerdhyeth Cowbridge called in Welsh Y bont Vaen which is as much as to say Stonebridge Lantwid Caerftyli and others and hath divers rivers which run to the South sea as Lay Taf Tawy Neth Avan Ogwr and Lhychwr it hath on the South the sea of Severne which divideth it from Devonshire and Cornewall upon the West and Northwest Caermardhynshire upon the Northeast Brechnocshire and upon the East Monmothshire of this you shall read very little for one Jestyn being chief of the Country and having war with his Neighbours called on Robert Fitz Hamon with a great number of strangers to his aid who after they had atchived his desires liked so well the Country that they found occasion to fall out with Jestyn and inhabited the country themselves and their heirs at least some of them to this day The fifth pat was called Gwent and now is in Monmothshire which hath three cant and ten comots as cant Gwent which had these comots Ymynyth Iscoed Lhefnydh and Tref Y Grug Cant. Iscoed these Brinbuga Vwchcoed Y Teirtref and Ergnig ac Ewyas now in Hereford-shire Cant. Cough was the 7th cant of Morgamoc which is now in Glocester-shire and is called the Forrest of Dean In this part is the ancient City of Caerlheon upon Vsk where was the Archbishops See of Wales here are also divers Towns and Castles as Chepstow Glyn Strigol Ros Tinterne upon the River Wy There is also Newport called Ycastelh Newyth Visc called Brynbuga Grosmond Raglan White Castle Abergaveny and many others as I shall shew God willing in my description of Monmothshire this is a fair and fertile Countrey of which likewise the Gentlemen were never obedient to their Prince which was the cause of their own destruction It hath on the West Glamorgan and Brechnock-shire on the North Hereford-shire Glocester-shire and the River VVy and upon the South and South-East Severne Last of all cometh Brecheinoc now Brechnoch shire which hath three cant and 8. comots as cant Selef which hath these comots Selef and Trahayern Cantref Canol these Talgarth Ystradyw and Brwynlhys or Eglwys yail. Cant. Mawr hath these Tir Raulfe Lhywel and Cerrig Howel In this part is the town of Brechnock upon the meeting of Vsk and Hodui and is called Aberhodni and Hay called Y Celhy which Talgarth Buelt Lhangors it hath West Carmardhin-shire with the river of Tawy upon the North Radnor-shire with Wy upon the East Hereford-shire and Monmoth upon the South Glamorgan This for the most part is full of Mountains Woods and Rivers especially Buelt And the Lords of that Country called Bruses with the Mortimers most of all other Lords Marches sometimes by might Omne regnum in se divisum nō postest stare but oftner by treason have molested and grieved the Princes of Wales as you shall understand by the Historie following This Land came after the Bruses to the Bohunes Earls of Hereford and so to the Straffords D. of Buckingham Proditionem amo Proditorem odi These six Shires being subject to the Territory of Dynevour with Radnorshire which was belonging to Mathraval are now commonly called Southwales which Countrey is both great and large with many fair plains and valleys for corn high mountains and rocks full of pasture for cattel great and thick woods with forrests and parks for red and fallow dear clear and deep rivers full of fish of which Severne is the chiefest which with Wy and Reidol springs out of a high mountain called Pymlhyman in the edge of Cardigan-shire and are commonly called the Three Sisters Severne runneth full East through Cydwin and under the Castle of Shraden to Shrewsberie from whence it turneth Southward and turneth to Bridgenorth Beaudley VVorcester Glocester and so to the sea The second Sister is Gwy in English VVy which took her journey South-East by Rayader Gwy to Buelt where Irwon meeteth her thence to Glacebury and so to Hereford and Monmoth and to the sea of Severne at Chepstow for so they call Môr Hafren the sea which severeth VVales from Somerset-shire Devon-shire and Conwall The third Sister named Reidol ran Northward to the sea being not farr of at Aberystwyth There be other fair rivers as Vsk which riseth in a high mountain called Y Mynydh duy in the Southwest part of Brechnochshire it runneth to Brechnoch and so to Monmothshire to the town of Vsk Caerleon Newport and so to the said south sea Tywy also rising not far from Wy runneth South to Lhanymdhyfri and then South West by Lhandeilo and Dinevour to Abingwily and Gaermardhen so by Lhansteshen to the sea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greek Fiber Latine Beaver English Avane Brit. Teini likewise which riseth in the edge of Caermardhenshire and runneth North West by Embly Cilgerren Caerdegion and so to the North sea In Teini above all the rivers in Wales were in Giraldus time a great number of Castors which may be Englished Beavers and are called in Welsh Avane which name only remaineth in Wales at this day but what it is very few can tell It is a beast not much unlike the Otter but that it is bigger all hairy saving the tail which is like a fish tail as broad as a mans head this beast useth as well the water as the land and hath very sharp teeth and biteth cruelly till he perceive the bones crack his stones be of great efficacy in physick He that will learn what strong nests they make And believe him if ye please this species here spoken of is now I think quite lost if it ever were which Giraldus calls Castles which they build upon the face of the water with great boughs which they cut with their teeth and how some lye upon their backs holding the wood with his fore feet which the other draweth with a crosse stick the which he holdeth in his mouth to the water side with all other particularities of their nature let him read Giraldus in his Topographia of Wales There be besides these a great number of Rivers of which some run to the South and some to the West and North sea as Tywy in Glamorganshire Taf also in Caermardhenshire which runneth to Cledhen two rivers either called Cledhen which do give Milford the name of Abergavgledhw in Pembrockshire Arth Aeron and Ystwyth in Caerdigan There be also divers Lordships which be added to other shires and were taken heretofore for parts of Wales and in most part of them at this day the Welsh language is spoken as Oswestre Knocking VVhittington Esmer
resigned to the King his Heirs and to the Crown of England the name and Title of Principality Cadel the youngest son and Prince of Demetia or South-VVales which the VVelshmen call'd Dehenbarsh that is the Right Side or South part this Country although it be very fruitfull and far greater then North Wales yet was it alwaies esteemed the worser part and the reason was for that the Nobles thereof refused to obey their Princes and the sea-coast was evermore infested and troubled with the invasion of the English men Normans and Flemings by which the Prince was enforced to leave his royal Seat at Marydune and place the same at Dynefar in Cantremaur And although these Princes had great Authority in VVales yet after Rhese the Son of Theodore the great was by Treason of his own people slain in the time of VVilliam Rufus Anno Domini 1093 they were no more called by the names of Dukes or Princes but onely Lords until at last by civil Wars amongst themselves and the Lands divided among strangers and many others the English seeking to possess all the Principality was so weakned and brought so low that after the death of Rhese the Son of Griffith a most worthy man they lost both Name and Authority of Principality and Lordship And all this while the Lines of the Princes of Venedosia or North-VVales did prosperously continue and held on their course as shall hereafter be specified by that which followeth THE SECOND BOOK TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE ANTHONY GREY Earl of Kent Lord Grey of Ruthen Hastings and Valence John Mannors Earl of Rutland Lord Ross of Hamlake Trusbut and Belvoir Philip Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery Lord Herbert of Cardiff Ross of Kendal Par Marnnon and Saint Quintin Edward Sackvil Earl of Dorset Lord Buâ—khurst William Earl of Salisbury Viscount Crambourn Lord Cecil of Essenden David Earl of Exeter Lord Burley THE EARLES OF KENT GRiffith ap Meredith ap Blethin Owen Cynelioc Gwenwynwyn Griffith of Gwenwynwyn Owen ap Griffith Lord Powis John Charleton Lord of Powis by the gift of King Edward the first to whom he was Valectus Regis jure uxoris Lord of Powis Hawis Gardan i. e. the Hardy Son and Heir to Owen ap Griffith Lord of Powis John Charleton second Lord of Powis of that name John Charleton third Lord of Powis of that Name One of these Johns married a daughter to Roger Lord Mortimer by which means this Family descended from the Brittish blood Edward Charleton fourth Lord of Powis of that Name Alianor daughter and one of the heirs of Thomas Holland Earl of Kent Edward Charleton the last John dying without Issue fifth Lord of Powis and last of that Family who left onely two daughters his heirs  Sir John Grey Knight Jane daughter and co-heir to Edward Charleton Lord of Powis Henry Grey Lord Powis created Earl of Tankervile Antigone natural daughter to umphery Duke of Glocester Edward * Or Edmund Grey Lord of Ruthine descended from the Lord Grey Lord of Powis created Earl of Kent Katherine daughter to Henry Percy second Earl of Northumberland by which match the Brittish blood descended George Grey Earl of Kent Anne Daughter to Richard Woodvile Earl Rivers Richard Grey Earl of Kent sans Issue Elizabeth Daughter to Sir VVilliam Hussey Knight Lord chief Justice Reiginold Grey grand-child to George by his second Wife daughter of VVilliam Herbert Earl of Pembroke by which match comes in the Brittish blood sans Issue  Henry Grey Brother and Heir to Reginold Earl of Kent Sans Issue Mary daughter to Sir George Cotton of Cheshire Knight Charles Grey Brother to the two former Earls and their Heir Susan daughter to Richard Cotton of Hantshire squire Henry Grey Earl of Kent sans Issue Elizabeth daughter and co-heir to Gilbert Earl of Shrewsbury Anthony Grey of Burbage Com. Leic. son of George son of Anthony Grey of Branspath son of George Hrey Lord Grey of Ruthin second Earl of Kent by his wife Daughter to William Herbert Earl of Pembroke continueth the Brittish line Henry Lord Grey KENT Kent is a very rich and pleasant Country lying between the Thames and the narrow Seas A country very good for Corn and fit for pastorage according to the several Plots and parts thereof and wondrous full of fruitfull and well ordered Orchards from whence the City of London is supplyed with most sort of Fruit the Villages and Towns stand exceeding thick being in all three hundred ninety eight parishes besides lesser Hamlets which make up the two Diocesses of Canterbury and Rochester It hath also divers safe Roads and sure Harbours for Ships and those exceeding well defended with Forts and Castles Caesar when he arrived in Kent found here four Kings for so they called the chief of the principal Families and gives this Testimony of the People that they were the most courteous and civil of all the Brittains in the declining of whose Empire Vortiger gave this County unto the Saxons who being Heathens when the rest of the Isle were Christians gave an occasion to the Proverb Kent and Christendome at that time it was made a Kingdome as in the entrance of the Normans it was made an Earldome and so it hath continued in the persons of these Earles of KENT Odo Bishop of Baieux half Brother to the Conquerour Lord chief Justice and Lord Treasurer William of Ypres Hugh de Burg Lord chief Justice Edmund of Woodstock Son to King Edward the First Edmund Plantagenet John Plantagenet Thomas Holland Thomas Holland Thomas Holland Duke of Surrey Edmund Holland Lord Admiral Edmund Grey Lord Ruthin Earl of Kent George Grey Richard Grey Reginald Grey Henry Grey Charles Grey Henry Grey Anthony Grey now living 1661 Henry Lord Grey heir apparent The Earle of Rutland Owen ap Griffith Lord of Powis who left one only daughter and heir who married as followeth Iohn Charleton born in Appley near Wellington was Valectus Regis Hawis Guardan i. e. the hardy sole daughter and heir to Griffith L. of Powis formerly a Prinpality Iohn Charleton L. of Powis  Iohn Charleton L. of Powis  Iohn Charleton L. of Powis  Edward Charleton his brother dying without issue Lord of Powis who left two daughters his heirs Elinor one of the daughters and coheirs of T. Holland E. of Kent Iohn Lord Typtoft of Worcester Ioyce D. and Co-h. to Ed. L. Powis Iohn L. Typtoft E. of Wocester sans issue left his four sisters his co-heirs  Thomas L. Ross of Hamlack which line devolved into the family of Mannours E. of Rutland by the marriage of Elianor sister and heir of Ed. L. Ross of Hamlack Belvoir Trusbut to Sr Roger Mannours Grandfather to Thomas first E. of Rutland of that name Philip the eldest daughter and coheir to Iohn L. Tiptoft E. of Worcester Thom. Mannours first E. of Rutland Elinor daughter to Sr. Will. Paston of Norfolk Sir Iohn Mannours second son Kt. Elizabeth daughter and co-heir of George Vernon of Haddon in
fought at a place called Meilon of the which it was called Maes Rhos Meilon year 907 The year 907. died Cadeth King or Prince of South-Wales third Son to Roderick the Great leaving behinde him three Sons Howel Dha that is to say Howel the Good who succeded his Father in the Kingdome of South-Wales Meyric and Clydawc Shortly after there came a great Navy from Tydwick with Vther and Rahald and past the Western Sea to Wales and destroyed Saint Davids and there fought the Battel Dinerth where Mayloc the Son of Peredur Gam was slain year 913 In the year 913 Anaawd chief King of Wales dyed and left behinde him two Sons Edwal Voel who reigned after him and Elise 〈…〉 Mr. Mills fol. 292. Anno 877. Mr. Mills differeth here from Mr. Powel the one setting Voel the other Mervin to succeed I will therefore set down both Writings the former of these two saith Mervin the first begotten son of Rhoderick the Great Prince of all VVales by the Gift and Grant of his Father was made Lord or Prince of that Country of Wales which the Inhabitants call Gwyneth the Englishmen North-VVales and the Latines Venedotia This province was divided into four countries or quarters which contained fifteen Cantreds This word Cantred being compounded of the Brittish and Irish Language is said to be such a portion of Land as may contain an hundred Villages The chief and principal place of this Country was the Isle of Anglesey or Mon and in Aberfraw a city thereof was the Royal pallace of the Kings of North-VVales now the reason why the Kings of Gwyneth were called Kings of Aberfraw was for that in the Laws of the good Howel Prince and Law-giver it was decreed That as the Kings of Aberfraw ought of Right to pay threescore and three pounds in way of Tribute to the King of London so the King of Dynefur and Mathraval should also be hound in like manner to pay the like mony unto the King of Aberfraw as it were also by way of Tribute by vvhich it appeareth that this Lord vvas the chief Prince of VVales The VVife of Mervin the Son of Roderick Prince of Venedotia or North-VVales thus saith Mr. Mills but names her not Their Issue Idwallo surnamed Voel Prince of Venedotia Edwal Voel Ut ante After that Edwal Voel began his Dominion over North-Wales Mr. Powel fol. 46. Howel Dha being King or Prince of South-VVales and Powis land a terrible Comet appeared in the Firmament at which time the year following Leicester was nevv built year 917 The next year follovving the men of Denelm did destroy the Isle of Môn or Anglesey and the year 917. Clydawc the Son of Cadeth vvas slain by the hands of his brother Meyric and about the same time the Englishmen did overthrovv the Danes Much about this time Elfled Dutchess of Mercia sent her vvhole Army into VVales Ren. Cest Math. West Hel. pa. 222. and fought vvith the VVelshmen and vvan Brecknock and took the Queen and three and thirty men This vvas it vvhich is called in VVelsh Gweythy Dinas Newydh that is to say The battel of the new Citty also she vvon the Tovvn of Derby John Castoreus reporteth this story in this manner Huganus Lord of VVest VVales Jo. Cast perceiving King Edward to be occupied in the Danish VVar far enough from him gathered an Army of Brittains and entred the Kings Land whereupon Elfled Lady of Mercia and Sister to King Edward came to Wales with a strong Army and fought with the Welshmen at Brecknock and putting Huganus to flight took his Wife and thirty four Captives and led them with her to Mercia Huganus thus discomfited fled to Derby and there being peaceably entertained of the Countrymen with fifteen men of War and two hundred Souldiers well appointed joyned himself with the Kings adversaries the Danes of which thing when Elfled was certified by the men of Derby she followed him with a great Army and entred the Gates of that Town where Huganus resisted her and slew four of her chief Officers But Gwyane Lord of the Isle of Ely her Steward set the Gates on fire and furiously running upon the Brittains entred the Town then Huganus being overmatched A stout resolution of a valiant Welshman and choosing rather to dye by the Sword then to yield himself to a Woman was there slain The same Authour also reporteth that about this time Leofred a Dane and Gruffith of Madoc Brother in Law to the Prince of West Wales came to Ireland with a great Army to Snowdon and minding to bring all Wales and the Marches thereof to their subjection overran and subdued all the Countrey to Chester before King Edward could be certified of their Arrival whereat he was much discontented and being loth to trouble his subjctes in that behalf made a vow that he and his Sons with their own people would he revenged on Leofred and Gruffith and thereupon came to Chester and wan the City from them after which he divided his army into two Battails whereof he and his Son Athelstane led the first and Edmund and Eldred the second and so followed them with as much celerity as he could and overtook them at the Forrest of Walewood now Sherwood where Leofred and Cruffith set upon him fiercely so that the King in the beginning was in some Distress until Athelstane stepped in between his Father and Leofred and wounded the Dane in the arme in such sort that he being not able to hold his spear was soon taken and committed to the custody of Athelstane In the mean time Edmund and Edred encountring with Gruffith slew him and brought his head to their Father Then Athelstane caused Leofred to be beheaded and so both their heads were set up together on the top of the Tower of Chester The year 933. Owen the Son of Gruffith was slain by the men of Cardigan 933. Wil. Malmsh Hol. p. 225. Jo. Cast Mat. West Ren. Cest Pâ—wâ—l fol. â—50 The Bâ—â—tains removed into Cornwal Math West Hol. pag. 226. Then Athelstane did enter Wales with a great Army and brought the Kings of the Country to subjection and received yearly of Tribute twenty pounds in gold and three hundred paid in silver and two hundred head of Cattel yet the Laws of Howel appointed to the King of Aberfraw to pay yearly to the King of London no more but sixty six pounds for a Tribute and that the Prince of Dinevowre and the Prince of Powis should pay a like summ of sixty six pounds yearly to the King of Aberfraw In the year 936. dyed Euneth the son of Clydawc and Meiric the son of Cadeth at this time also Athelstane did remove the Brittains that dwelt in Exeter and thereabouts to Cornwal and appointed the River Cambria to be the utter Mere towards England as he had before appointed the River Wy to be the Mere of England and Wales About the year 940. Cadeth the son of Arthvael a noble
And all the lands that were of Rees ap Meredyth The large liberties and priviledges of the Prince of Wales which came to the hands of King Edward the First together with all the Lordships Cities Castles Burrowes Townes Manours Members Hamlets and Tenements Knights fees Voydances of Bishopricks Advowsons of Churches and of Abbeys Priories and of Hospitals with customes and prisages of wines The exercise and Execution of Justice and a Chancery Forrests Chases Parks Woods Warrens Hundreds Comoâ—s c. And all other Hereditaments as well unto the said principality as unto the said King in those parts then belonging To have and to hold the same unto the sad Prince and his heirs Kings of England This limitation of Estate of this principality unto the prince and his heirs Kings of England may seem strange to our Modern Lawyers For how is it possible that the Kings of England can inherit the principality since the principality being the lesser dignity is extinguished in the Kingly Estate being the greater for in presentia majoris cessat id quod minus est for as much as the Heir apparent of the crown being Prince is presently upon the death of his Ancestor eo instante King himself and the principality as the lesser not compatible with the Kingdom being the greater But when I consider that this age where in this Charter was penned was a learned age of Judges and Lawyers by whose advice no doubt in a matter of this importance this Charter was penned and this age much commended for exquisite knowledg of the lawes by those learned Men that lived in the succeeding times I cannot but think reverently of antiquity although I cannot yield sufficient reason of their doings therein Nevertheless for as much as all the Charters in the ages following made to the Prince do hold the same manner of limitation of Estate Sr. John Dodridge his opinion concerning a difficulty I am perswaded some mystery of good policy lies hid therein which as I conceive may be this or such like The Kings of England thought to confer upon the Prince and heir apparent an Estate in Fee simple in the lands that they bestowed upon him for a lesser than an Inheritance had not been answerable to so great a dignity And yet they were not willing to give him any larger Estate then such as should extinguish again in the Crown when he came to be King or died for that he being King should also have the like power to create the Prince or his heir apparent and to invest him into that dignity as he being the Father was invested by his Progenitor For the wisdom of the Kings of England was such as that they would not deprive themselves of that honour but that every of them might make new Creations and Investitures of the principality to ther Eldest Son and next succeeding heir apparent and that those lands so given unto the Prince might when he was King be annexed knit and united again to the crown and out of the crown to be anew conferred which could not so have been if those lands had been given to the Prince and his heirs generall for then the lands so given would have rested in the natural person of the Princes after they came to the Kingdome distinct from the Crown Lands and might as the case should happen descend to others then those which were his heirs apparent to the Crown And herein I do observe a difference between the principality of Wales given to the Prince and the Dutchy of Cornewall given unto him For every Prince needeth and so hath had a new creation and investiture But he is Duke of Cornewal as soon as he is born if his Ancestor be then King of England and if not he is Duke of Cornwall eo instante that his father is King of England The said King also by an another charter dated the 20 of September in the said 17. year of his reign granted unto the said prince all arrerages of rents duties accompts Stocks stores goods and chattels remaining in all and every the said parts due or by right belonging unto the King and thereupon the prince accordingly was possessed by vertue of these charters of all these aforesaid It resteth that here we set down the Total Annual value of the said Principality of Wales by it self as it appeareth upon a diligent Survey thereof taken in the 5. year of the reign of the said King Edw. the III. of England and in the 37. of his reign over France The survey of the principality of Wales is drawn out of a long Record and to avoid tediousness the value of the revenues of every County or Shire is here set down and then the total of the whole omitting the particulars of every Mannour Lordship Town or other profit in every of the said Counties The setting down whereof at large would have been exceeding combersome and intricate It is therefore in this manner The Province of Northwales The summe total of all the Princes Revenues in the County or Shire of Caernarvon 1134l 16 s 2d ob q. The summe total of the Revenues of the province in the County of Anglesey 832l 14 s 6d ob q. The sum total of the revenues in the county of Meryoneth amounteth unto 748l 11 s 3d. ob q The perquisites and profits of the Sessions of the Justices of Northwales The summe Total of all the former Revenues in Northwales amounteth to 3041l 7 s 6d. q. Whereof deducted the yearly Fee of the Justice of Northwales and there remains the summe of 3001l 7 s 6d. q. The Province of Southwales The summe totall of the yearly Revenue of the prince in the county of Caerdigan 374l 11 s 3d. q. The summe total of the yearly Revenue of the prince arising in the County of Caermardhyn 406l 1 s 7d. The Fee Farme of Buelht 113l 6 s 8d. Montgomery 56l 13 s 4d. Perquisites and profits of the Sessions of the Justice of Southwales 738l 6 s 9d. ob Perquisites of the Courts of Haverford 41l. 5 s. 3d. ob The summe total of the Revenues in Southwales 1730l 4 s 11d q. Out of which deducted for the Fee of the Justice of Southwales 50l. there then remaineth 1681l 4s 11d q. The total of all which Revenues of the Principality of VVales cast up in one entire summe together is 4681l 12 s 5d q. This survey was made upon this occasion as it seemeth after the death of the prince called the black Prince the Princesse his wife was to have her dowry to be allotted unto her out of those Revenues which could not be without an extent or survey thereof first had by Commissioners thereunto appointed And because the yearly value of the said revenues by reason of the casual profits thereof were more or lesse yearly and not of one certain value the Commissioners observed this course they did make choice of three several years viz. 47 and 48 and 49. of Edw. III. and
great credit and favour between whom and the Lord Grey of Ruthin happen some discord about a piece of Commons lying between the Lordship of Ruthin and the Lordship of Glyndourdwy whereof Owen was owner and thereof took the sirname of Glindour during the reign of K. Richard Owen was too hard for the Lord Grey being then a servitour in court with K. Rich. with whom he was at the time of his taking in the castle of Flint by the Duke of Lancaster but after that K. Richard was put down the Lord Grey being now better friended then Owen entred upon the said Commons whereupon Owen having many friends and followers in his country as those that be great with princes commonly have put himself in armour against the Lord Grey whom he meeting in the field overcame and took prisoner The Welsh ever addicted to believe prophesies This was the very beginning and cause Owens rising and attempts upon the taking of the Lord Grey and spoyling of his Lordship of Ruthin many resorted to Owen from all parts of Wales some thinking that he was now as well in favour as in K. Richards time some other putting in his head that now the time was come wherein the Brittains through his means might recover again the honour and liberty of their ancestours A caveat for Mr. Pugh and such as are over credulous in prophesies These things being laid before Owen by such as were very cunning in Merlins prophesies and the interpretations of the same for there were in those dayes as I fear there be now some singular men which are deeply overseen in those mysteries and hope one day to mete velvet upon London bridge with their bowes brought him into such a fools paradice that he never considering what title he might pretend or what right he had proceeded and made war upon the Earle of March who was the the right Inheritor as well to the principality of Wales as appeareth formerly as to the Crown of England after the death of K. Rich. being descended from the elder brother next to Edw. Prince of Wales father of K. Rich. of which insurrection rebellion there ensued much mischief unto the Welshmen for the King conceiving great hatred against them shewed himself a manifest opressour of all that nation making rigorous lawes against them whereby he took in a manner all the liberties of subjects from them Cruel Lawes against the Welsh probibiting all Welshmen from purchasing lands or to be chosen or received Citizens or Burgesses in any City Burrough or market towns or to be receied or accepted to any office of Maior Bailiffe Chamberlain Constable or Keeper of the gates or of the goale or to be of the Councel of any City Burrough or Town or to bear any manner of armour within any City c. And if any suit happened between a Welshman an Englishman it was by law ordained that the Englishman should not be convict unlesse it were by the judgment of English Judges and by the verdict of the whole English Burgesses or by Inquests of English Burroughs and Towns of the signiories where the suit lay also that all Englishmen that married Welshwomen should be disfranchized of their liberty no congregation or meetings in councel was permitted to Welshmen but by licence of the chief Officers of the said signiory and in the presence of the same Officers That no victualls nor armour should be brought into Wales without the special licence of the King or his Councel That no Welshman should have any Castle Fortresse or house defensive of his own or of any other mans to keep no Welshman to be made Justice Chamberlain Chancellour Treasurer Sheriff Steward Constable of Castle Receiver Eschetor Coronor nor chief Forrester nor other Officer nor Keeper of Records nor Lieutenant in any of the said Offices in no part of Wales nor of the councel of any English Lord notwithstanding any patent or licence made to the contrary That no Englishman which in the time to come shall marry any Welshwoman be put in any Office in VVales or in the Marches of the same These with other lawes both unreasonable and unconcionable such as no prince among the Heathen ever offered to his subjects were ordained and severely executed against them Neither was it any reason that for the offence of one man his complices all the whole nation should be so persecuted whereby not only they that lived in that time but also their children and posterity should be brought to perpetual thraldom and misery A law more cruel then that Julian the Apostate for these lawes were not ordained for their Reformation but of meer purpose to work their utter ruine and destruction which doth evidently appear in that they were forbidden to keep their children at learning or to put them to be apprentises to any occupation in any Town or Burrough in this realme Let any indifferent man therefore judge and consider whether this extremity of law where Justice it self is meer injury and cruelty be not a cause and matter sufficient to withdraw any people from civility to barbarisme 〈…〉 This Hen. dyed in the 10th year of his reign leaving a son behind him being an infant of ten moneths who by reason of his tender age was not as by any word extent can be proved ever created prince but was proclaimed King immediately after the death of his father by the name of Henry the Sixt. Edward of Westminster Henry the sixt by the advice of his Lords Spiritual and Temporal given to him in his Parliament holden in the 31 year of his reign did afterwards by his charter bearing date 15 day of March 32. Regni created Edward his son born at Westminster by one and the self same patent to be both prince of Wales and Earle of Chester and invested him therein His Creation with the usual Ensignes of that dignity as had been in former time accustomed TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the said dignities to him and his heirs Kings of England Sr. J. Dodridge which Charter is recited in the Act of Parliament holden at Westminster 9. Julii anno 33. regni In the which Act of Parliament is also recited another Charter likewise confirmed by the said Parliament whereby the said King did give unto the said Prince the said principality of Wales together with all the Lordships and lands Castles and Tenements by speciall names above mentioned and all in the former Charters granted and conveied to the former Princes and the said Fee Farms and Rents of 113 l. 13 s. ob out of the Lordship and Town of Buelht and the said 56l 13s 4d out of the Lordship Castle and Town of Montgomery likewise mentioned in the Charters of the former Prince To have and to hold to him and his heirs Kings of England By the same Act of Parliament also it was enacted because the said prince was then of tender years and there was assigned unto him a certain
' Imperator victoriam suam gaudenter attribuit And this I take to be the chiefest occasion of the mistakings in some Historians or their Scribes setting down so many and several times when King Lucius received the Christian Faith or professed it many saying it was in the year of Christ 156. Others in the year 164. and others 185 as William of Malmesbury and others Henry of Hartford 169. and others in other and later times That such was the state of Brittany for spiritual Affairs in this Idolatry and superstition daily diminishing and decaying and Christian Religion in all places and persons increasing and multiplying both Authority and the known certain effect it self the surest testimony in such cases shall witnesse And this was the condition thereof until about the beginning of the Papacy of St. Soter or in the end of the first year thereof about the year of our Redemption 175. when as it appeareth by the Edict of Marcus Aurelius Emperor before the strange delivery of him and his Army by the Christians miraculous prayers he suffered many Christians to live in quiet and had a great number of them about him Invenique magnam eorum multitudinem and seeing himself and his Army in distresse sent for them and intreated them to pray for his delivery Eos qui apud nos Christiani dicuntur ac accersivi ac rogavi Which he would not have done being a wise and learned Emperor but that either by the Apology of Athenagoras the Vertues and miracles of many Christians or some other invincible Argument his judgement was then wholly or almost convicted that their Religion was holy and they also and therefore likely to be powerable with God to procure his safety which his own prayers and sacrifices to his Pagan gods were not able to doe ' Deos patrios votis ' susceptis rogavi sed cum ab eis negligerer as himself publickly professed and therefore preferring the prayers of the Christians appealed unto them But after God by the prayers of the Christians which he procured them to make had so miraculously delivered him and his Army consisting but of four Legions not 27 thousand Men environed almost with a thousand thousands of Enemies as the common reading is ' Hostium nonagintorum septuaginta ' septem millia and his people distressed with thirst and hunger not having drunk in five days by sending a most cooling and comforting Rain into the Camp of the distressed Emperor and Hail like fire and lightning among his Enemies confounding and discomfitting them he presently sent out his Imperial Letters and Edict charging the Senate of Rome to confirm them with their Decree wherein wholly ascribing this Delivery of his Army and himself and confusion of his Enemies to the God of the Christians and their prayers unto him wherein he gave free Liberty for any man to be a Christian Concedamus talibus ut sint Christiani And no Man should be molested for being a Christian for Religion censeo neminem quod CHRISTIANVS sit esse in Crimen vel Judicium vocandum And he that should accuse any Christian for Religion should be burned alive and that he that shall professe himself to be a Christian shall be freed from all danger intended against him for that cause and no Governour of any Province shall punish any such for his Religion or deprive him of Liberty Volo eum qui Christianum accusarit vivum exuri illum vero qui se Christianum esse professus fuerit periculo omni quod ob eam rem intendebatur liberatum Is cui provincia commissa est nequaquam ad poenitentiam adigat aut libertatem ei adimat And he willed these things to be confirmed by the Senates decree and this his edict to be proposed in open market place to be read and that the prefect of the City then Vetrasius Pollio should cause it to be sent to all Provinces and no man should be forbidden to write it out Haec autem Senatus consulto etiam sanciri volo atque hoc meum edictum in foro Divi Trajani proponi ut legi possit curae autem erit Vetrasio Pollioni praefecto urbis ut ad omnes provincias haec constitutio mittatur neque quisquam qui eam exscribere vel ipse uti voluerit prohibeatur This was sent to the whole Senate of Rome Senatui Populoque Romano and by the Emperours publick charge and command as into other Provinces so likewise sent into Brittany for the priviledge of all Christians there by the Emperours publick Officer in such Affairs the Ruler of the Ctiy of Rome ad omnes Provincias haec constituo mittatur Any man that would might freely be a Christian and no man under pain of cruel death to burnt be alive might call any into question for that cause And to give greater testimony of those things in Brittain and see this Imperial edict for the freedom of Christians here take place and effect whereas our English Antiquaries and others tells us Floren. Wigorn. Chronic. anno 159. 181. that Trebellius and Pertinax the Roman Lieutenants here about this time were Christians our Countryman Florentius VVigorniensis plainly affirmeth that Pertinax was a chief Commander in the Emperours Army when this miraculous victory was by the Christians prayers and this edict written and decreed for their freedome and liberty and probably was then converted to the faith by this miracle and the Emperour himself who in his publick cited edict doth say of Christians that in equity he must think them now to be defended by God whom before he accounted for wicked men and alienated from God must needs be a Christian in Conscience and Judgement and he must needs at the least believe that true God whom he said the Christians did bear in their conscience And in no wise a learned Emperour could or would in Judgement Reason Equity and Conscience make a Law to condemn men to so cruel a death as burning alive which he afflicted upon the accusers of Christians except he knew or probably thought their accusation was unjust and the cause of the accused Lawful Just and Holy COILLVS COILLVS the Son of Marius was after his Fathers decease made King of Brittain in the year of our Lord 125. K. Coillus brought up at Rome saith Holinshed Fabian saith 126. This Coillus or Coill had his youthful education amongst the Romans in the very Imperial City it self who being of a Martial spirit applyed his time to warlike exercises in which he so excelled that he was both admired and beloved by the Romans and to requite their favours and to continue towards him their good affections he payed without any grudging or seeming discontent their accustomed Tribute by which means he spent his dayes in peace and tranquillity he so far excelled in bounty liberality that he drew unto himself the hearts and good wills both of the Nobles and Commons The building of Colchester is ascribed to this King which is the