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>Y^LE«¥IMiWmSflTY- ¦ iLnsisAigy -

DEPOSITED BY THE

LINONIAN AND BROTHERS LIBRARY

01% €nglts!) Chronicles,

OF WHICH TWO ARE

HOW FIRST TRANSLATED FROM THE MONKISH LATIN ORIGINALS.

ETHELWERD'S CHRONICLE.
ASSER'S LIFE OF ALFRED.
GEOFFREY OF MONMOUTH'S BRITISH HISTORY.
GILDAS. NENNIUS.
AND
RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER.

EDITED, WITH ILLUSTRATIVE NOTES,
BY J-. A. (jELES, D.C.L,.
LATE FELLOW OF CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGE, OXFORD.

LONDON:
HENRY G. BOHN, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
M.DCCO.XLTIII.

EDITOR'S PREFAB

Of the present volume it will be sufficient to inform the
reader that it contains Six Chronicles, all relating to the
history of this country before the Norman Conquest, and
all of essential importance to those who like to study history
in the very words of contemporary writers.
"We will at once proceed to enumerate them severally.
Chap. I._ETHELWERD'S CHRONICLE.
The short chronicle, which passes under the name of
Ethelwerd, contains few facts which are not found in the
Saxon Chronicle its precursor. Of the author we know no
more than he has told us in his work. " Malmesbury calls
him * noble and magnificent' with reference to his rank ; for
he was descended from king Alfred : but he forgets his pecu
liar praise — that of being the only Latin historian for two
centuries ; though, like Xenophon, Cassar, and Alfred, he
wielded the sword as much as the pen."*
Ethelwerd dedicated his work to, and indeed wrote it for
the use of his relation Matilda, daughter of Otho the Great,
emperor of Germany, by his first empress Edgitha or
Editha ; who is mentioned in the Saxon Chronicle, a.d.
925, though not by name, as given to Otho by her brother,
king Athelstan. Ethelwerd adds, in his epistle to Matilda,
that Athelstan sent two sisters, in order that the engperor
might take Ms choice ; and that he preferred the mother of
Matilda. The chronology of Ethelwerd is occasionally a year or two
at variance with other authorities. The reader will be
* Ingram, p. viii, note.

PREFACE.

guided in reckoning the dates, not by the heading of eac
paragraph, .a.i>. 891, 975, &c, but by the actual words of th
author inserted in the body of the text. _ _
I have translated this short chronicle from the origins
text as well as I was able, and as closely as could be to th
author's text ; but I am by no means certain of having alwaj
succeeded in Mtting on his true meaning, for such is the es
traordinary barbarism of the style, that I beUeve many a
ancient Latin classic, if he could rise from his grave, woul
attempt in vain to interpret it.

Chap. IL— ASSER'S LIFE OF ALFRED.
This work is ascribed, on its own internal authority, 1-
Asser, who is said to have been bishop of St. David'
of Sherborne or of Exeter, in the time of king Alfrw
Though most of the public events recorded in this boo
are to be found in the Saxon Chronicle, yet for man
interesting circumstances in the life of our great Saxe
king we are indebted to this biography alone. But, as if r
part of history is ever to be free from suspicion, or froi
difficulty, a doubt has been raised concerning the authenticit
of tMs work.* There is also another short treatise called tl
Annals of Asser, or the Chronicle of St. Neot, different froi
the present : it is published in vol. iii. of Gale and Fell
Collection of Historians. And it has been suspected by
living writer that both of these works are to be looked upc
as compilations of a later date. The arguments upon wMc
this opinion is founded are drawn principally from the al
rupt and incoherent character of the work before us. Bi
we have neither time nor space to enter further into tb.
question. As the work has been edited by Petrie, so has
been here translated, and the reader, taking it upon its ow
merits, will find therein much of interest about our glorioi
king, concerning whom he will lament with me that all w
know is so little, so unsatisfying.
* See Wright's Biographia Literaria Anglo-Saxonica, p. 405. Dr. Li
gard, however, in his recent work on t' o History and Antiquities of tl
Anglo-Saxon Church, vol. ii. pp. 424 — 42S, has replied to Mr. Wright
objections, and vindicated the authenticity of Asser's Life.

PREFACE. vii
Chap. III.— GILDAS.
Of Gildas, the supposed author of the third work con
tained in this volume, Uttle or nothing is known. Mr. Ste
venson, in the preface to Ms edition of the original Latin,
lately pubUshed by the EngUsh Historical Society, says :
" We are unable to speak with certainty as to his parentage,
Ms country, or even Ms name, the period when he lived, or
the works of wMch he was the author." Such a statement
is surely sufficient to excuse us at present from saying more
on the subject, than that he is supposed to have Uved, and to
have written what remains under Ms name, during some part
of the sixth century. There are two legends* of the Ufe of
St. Gildas, as he is termed, but both of them abound with
such absurdities that they scarcely deserve to be noticed in
a serious history. Of the present translation, the first or
historic half is entirely new ; in the rest, consisting almost
entirely of texts from Scripture, the translator has thought it
quite sufficient to foUow the old translation of Habington,
correcting whatever errors he could detect, and in some
degree reUeving the quaint and obsolete character of the
language. It has been remarked by Polydore Virgil, that
Gildas quotes no other book but the Bible ; and it may be
added, that Ms quotations are in other words than those of
the Vulgate or common authorized translation. The title of
the old translation is as foUows : " The Epistle of Gildas the
most ancient British Author : who flourished in the yeere
if our Lord, 546. And who by Ms great erudition, sanc-
titie, and wisdome, acquired the name of Sapiens. Faithfully
translated out of the originaU Latine." London, 12mo. 1638.
Chap. IV.— NENNIUS.
The History of the Britons, wMch occupies the fourth
place in tMs volume is generally ascribed to Nennius, but
so Uttle is known about the author, that we have Jjardly any
information handed down to us respecting Mm except tMs
mention of his name. It is also far from certain at what
period the Mstory was written, and the difference is no less
than a period of two hundred years, some assigning the
* Both these works are given in the appendix to the editor's " History
of the Ancient Britons."

VUI PREFACE.
work to seven hundred and ninety-six, and others to nine
hundred and ninety-four. The recent inquiries of Mr.
Stevenson, to be found in the Preface to Ms new edition of
the original Latin, render it unnecessary at present to delay
the reader's attention from the work itself. The present trans
lation is substantially that of the Eev. W. Gunn, pubUshed
with the Latin original in 1819, under the foUowing title :
" The ' Historia Britonum,' commonly attributed to Nennius ;
from a manuscript lately discovered in the Ubrary of the
Vatican Palace at Eome : edited in the tenth century, by
Mark the Hermit ; with an EngUsh version, fac-simile of the
original, notes and illustrations." The kindness of that gentle
man has enabled the present editor to reprint the whole, with
only a few corrections of slight errata, wMch inadvertency
alone had occasioned, together with the two prologues and
several pages of genealogies, wMch did not occur in the
MS. used, by that gentleman.
Chap. V.— GEOFFREY OF MONMOUTH.
Geoffrey, surnamed of Monmouth, is celebrated in English
Uterature as the author, or at least the translator, of Historia
Britonum, a work from wMch nearly aU our great vernacu
lar poets have drawn the materials for some of their noblest
works of fiction and characters of romance. He Uved in
the early part of the twelfth century, and in the year 1152
was raised to the bishopric of St. Asaph.
The first of his writings, in point of time, was a Latin
translation of the Prophecies of MerUn, wMch he undertook
at the request of Alexander bishop of Lincoln. His next
work was that on which Ms fame principaUy rests, the His
toria Britonum, dedicated to Bobert, duke of Gloucester,
who died in 1147. Into tMs second work he inserted the
Latin translation above-mentioned, wMch now appears as
the seventh book of Historia Britonum. A third composi
tion has also been ascribed to Geoffrey, entitled Vita Merlini,
in Latin hexameter verse : but the internal evidence wMch it
affords, plainly proves that it is the work of a different author.
Although the list of our Chroniclers may be considered
as complete, without the addition of tMs work, yet we
have thought it worthy of a place in our series for many
reasons. It is not for historical accuracy that the book be-

PREFACE. IX
fore us is valuable ; for the great mass of scholars have come
to the decided conviction that it is full of fables. But it is
the romantic character which pervades the narrative, together
with its acknowledged antiquity, wMch make it desirable
that the book should not sink into oblivion. Those who
desire to possess it as a venerable relic of an early age, will now
have an opportunity of gratifying their wish ; whilst others,
who despise it as valueless, in their researches after historic
truth, may, nevertheless, find some Uttle pleasure in the tales
of imagination which it contains.
The value of tMs work is best evinced by the attention
wMch was paid to it for many centuries ; Henry of Hunt
ingdon made an abstract of it, which he subjoined as an
appendix to Ms history: and Alfred of Beverley, a later
writer, in Ms abridgment of tMs work which still exists,
has omitted Geoffrey's name, though he caUs the author of
the original, Britannicus.
An EngUsh translation of the work was first published by
Aaron Thompson, of Queen's College, Oxford, [8vo. Lond.
1718,] and lately revised and reprinted by the editor of this
volume. [8vo. Lond. 1842.] A long preface is prefixed to
that translation, wherein the author endeavoured to prove
Geoffrey of Monmouth to be a more faithful historian than
he is generally considered to be. His words are as follow :
— " I am not unsensible that I expose myself to the censures
of some persons, by publisMng this translation of a book,
wMch they think had better been suppressed and buried in
obUvion, as being at present generaUy exploded for a ground
less and fabulous story, such as our modern historians think
not worthy relating, or at least mention with contempt. And
though it is true, several men, and those of learning too,
censure this book who have but Uttle considered it, and
whose studies no ways qualify them to judge of it ; yet, I
own tMs consideration has for a long time deterred me from
pubUshing it : and I should not at last have been able to
surmount this difficulty, without the importunity and en
couragement of others, to whom I owe a singular regard. I
had indeed before I entered upon the work perused the prin
cipal writers both for and against this history, the effect of
which upon my own judgment, as to the swaying it to the
one side more than the other, was but very smaU ; and I

PREFACE.

must confess, that I find the most learned antiquaries the
most modest in their opinions concerning it, and that it seems
to me to be a piece of great rashness, to judge peremptorily
upon a matter, whereof at tMs great distance of time there
are no competent witnesses on either side. At least I can
not but think it a sufficient apology for my publishing tMs
book, to consider only, that though it seems to suffer under a
general prejudice at present, yet it has not long done so ;
but that upon its first appearing in the world, it met with
a universal approbation, and that too, from those who had
better opportunities of examining the truth of it, as there
were then more monuments extant, and the traditions more
fresh and uncorrupted concerning the ancient British affairs,
than any critics of the present age can pretend to ; that it
had no adversary before WiUiam of Newburgh about the
end of the reign of Eichard the First, whose virulent invec
tive against it, we are told, proceeded from a revenge he
thought he owed the Welsh for an affront they had given
Mm ; that Ms opposition was far from shaking the credit of
it with our succeeding historians, who have, most of them,
tiU the beginning of the last century, confirmed it with their
testimonies, and copied after it, as often as they had occasion
to treat of the same affairs : that its authority was aUeged by
king Edward the First and aU the nobiUty of the kingdom,
in a controversy of the greatest importance, before Boniface
the Eighth ; that even in tMs learned age, that is so indus
trious to detect any impostures, wMch through the creduUty
of former times had passed upon the world, the arguments
against this history are not thought so convincing, but that
several men of equal reputation for learning and judgment
with its adversaries, have written in favour of it ; that very
few have at last spoken decisively against it, or absolutely
condemned it ; and that it is stiU most frequently quoted by
our most learned historians and antiquaries. All these con
siderations, I say, if they do not amount to an apology for the
Mstory itself, show at least that it deserves to be better
known than at present it is ; wMch is sufficient to justify my
undertaking the pubUshing of it."
It is unnecessary in the present day to prove that kino-
Brute is a shadowy personage, who never existed but in the
regions of romance : but as the reader may justly expect to

PKEFACE. XI
find in this place some account of the controversy which has
existed respecting this work, the following remarks will not
be deemed inappropriate. There seems no good reason for
supposing that Geoffrey of Monmouth intended to deceive
the world respecting the Mstory of wMch he professed to be
the translator ; and it may be readily conceived that he did
no more than fulfil the task which he had undertaken,
of rendering the book into Latin out of the original language.
But those who, even as late as the beginning of the last
century, supported the authenticity of the history, have
grounded their opinions on such arguments as the following : —
1. That, upon its first appearance in the world, the book
met with universal approbation, and that too from those who
had better opportunities of examining the truth of it, as
there were then more monuments extant, and the traditions '
were more fresh and uncorrupted, concerning the ancient
British affairs, than any critics of the present age can pre
tend to.
2. That except WilUam of Newburgh, about the end of
the reign of Eichard I, it met with no opponents even down
to the seventeenth century, but was, on the contrary, quoted
by aU, in particular by Edward I, in a controversy before
Boniface the Eighth.
3. That we see in tMs Mstory the traces of venerable
antiquity. 4. That the story of Brute, and the descent of the Britons
from the Trojans, was universally aUowed by Giraldus Cam
brensis and others, and was opposed for the first time by
John of Wethamstede, [Nicolson's Eng. Hist. Lit. 2nd ed.
p. 1, c. v.] who Uved in the 15th century : that Polydore
Virgil's contempt for it proceeded from Ms wish to preserve
unimpaired the glory of the Eomans, and Buchanan's observ
ations betray his ignorance of the story.
5. That Leland, who Uved under Henry the Eighth,
HumpMey Lhwyd, Sir John Price, Dr. Caius, " Dr. Powel,
and others, have supported the story of Brute, etc.
Such arguments may have satisfied the credulous students
of the seventeenth century, but the more enUghtened criti
cism of the present day will no longer Usten to them. It
may not, however, be uninteresting to hear the account which
Thompson, the English translator gives of this work, which,

xjj PREFACE.
in Ms own words, and with Ms additional remarks upon it,
is as follows :— " The story, as eoUected from himself, Leland,
Bale, and Pitts, is that Walter Mapes, alias Calemus, arch
deacon of Oxford, who flourished in the reign of Henry L
and of whom Henry of Huntingdon, and other historians as
weU as Geoffrey himself, make honourable mention, being a
man very curious in the study of antiquity, and a diUgent
searcher into ancient libraries, and especiaUy after the works
of ancient authors, happened wMle he was in Armorica to
Ught upon a History of Britain, written in the British
tongue, and carrying marks of great antiquity. And being
overjoyed at it, as if he had found a vast treasure, he in a
short time after came over to England ; where inquiring for a
proper person to translate tMs curious but Mtherto unknown
book, he very opportunely met with Geoffrey of Monmouth,
a man profoundly versed in the Mstory and antiquities of
Britain, exceUently sMUed in the British tongue, and withal
(considering the time,) an elegant writer both in verse and
prose ; and so recommended this task to him. Accordingly,
Geoffrey, being incredibly delighted with tMs ancient book,
undertook the translating of it into Latin, wMch he performed,
with great diligence, approving himself, according to Matthew
Paris, a faithful translator. At first he divided it into four
books, written in a plain simple style, and dedicated it to
Eobert, earl of Gloucester, a copy whereof is said* to be at
Bennet College, in Cambridge, which was never yet pub
lished ; but afterwards he made some alterations and divided
it into eight books, to which he added the book of MerUn's
Prophecies, wMch he had also translated from British verse
into Latin prose, prefixing to it a preface, and a letter
to Alexander, bishop of Lincoln. A great many fabulous
and trifling stories are inserted in the Mstory : but that was
not Ms fault ; Ms business as a translator was to deUver
them faithfully such as they were, and leave them to the
jndgment of the learned to be discussed.
" To prove the truth of tMs relation, and to answer at
once aU objections against Geoffrey's integrity, one needs no
other argument than, an assurance that the original manuscript
which Geoffrey translated, of whose antiquity the curious
are able to judge in a great measure by the character, or any
* See Pitts and Voss.

preface. xiii
ancient and authentic copy of it, is yet extant. And in
deed, archbishop Usher* mentions an old Welsh Chronicle
in the Cottoman Library, that formerly was in the possession
of that learned antiquary, Humphrey Lhwyd, wMch he says
is thought to be that which Goffrey translated. But if that
be the original manuscript, it must be acknowledged that
Geoffrey was not merely a translator, but made some addi
tions of his own : since, as that most learned prelate informs
us, the account that we have in this History of the British
Flamens, and Archflamens, is nowhere to be found in it.
But besides this, there are several copies of it in the Welsh
tongue, mentioned by the late ingenious and learned Mr.
Lhwyd in Ms ' Archasologia Britannica.' And I myself
have met with a manuscript Mstory of our British affairs,
written above a hundred years ago by Mr. John Lewis, and
shortly to be published, wherein the author says, that he had
the original of the British History in parchment written in
the British tongue before Geoffrey's time, as he concludes
from tMs circumstance, that in his book Geoffrey's preface was
wanting, and the preface to his book was the second chapter
of that published by Geoffrey. My ignorance of the Welsh
tongue renders me unqualified for making any search into
these matters ; and though the search should be attended with
never so much satisfaction, to those who are able to judge of
the antiquity of manuscripts, yet to the generality of readers,
other arguments would perhaps be more convincing."
The passages wMch we have here quoted at length, will
give the reader the most ample information concerning the
nature of the question, and it only remains to inform the
reader what is my own opinion on tMs long-agitated literary
controversy. To those who have read the plain and simple statements
of Julius Coesar and the other classic historians who have
described the early state of Britain, it will be morally certain
that aU such accounts as we have in Geoffrey of Monmouth
are purely fabulous. The uncertainty of every thing, save
the bare fact, connected with the siege of Troy, is so great,
that to connect its fortunes with those of a distant and at
that time unheard-of island like Britain, can be admissible
only in the pages of romance. But in the latter part of the
* Brit. Eccl. Ffim. cap. 5.

XIV PREFACE.
work wMch contains the Mstory of Britain, during its con
quest by the Saxons, we may possibly find the germs of
facts unnoticed elsewhere.
This view does not militate against the veracity of Geoffrey,
who professes to have translated from an original in the
British language, but whether any manuscript copy of tMs
original now exists, is a point wMch has not been satisfac
torily ascertained. In 1811, the Eev. Peter Eoberts pub
lished the Chronicle of the Kings of Britain, translated from
Welsh manuscripts, and being in substance almost identicaUy
the same as Geoffrey's History of the Britons, — but it is most
likely that these Welsh MSS., which are aU comparatively
modern, are themselves re-translations from the Latin of
Geoffrey. If no other arguments could be adduced to prove the utter
incredibility ofthe earlier parts of tMs Mstory, the foUowing
Chronological Table would furmsh quite sufficient arguments
to establish it, by the extraordinary anachronisms wMch it con
tains. For instance, between the reigns of Brutus and LeiL is
an interval of 156 years ; and yet Geoffrey makes the capture
of the ark contemporaneous with the reign of Brutus, and
the building of Solomon's temple with that of LeiL Now
the interval between these two events cannot by any possi
bility be extended beyond eighty years. It is, moreover,
impossible to bring the chronology of the British kings them
selves into harmony with the dates before Christ, as there
is no mention made of the exact interval between the taking
of Troy and Brutus's landing in Britain.
Geoffrey inscribes Ms work to Eobert, earl of Gloucester,
son of Henry the Second.
GENEALOGICAL SUMMARY.
Latinus
~ Masas — Lavinia (  )
I.
Ascamus
Sylvius = (Niece of Lavinia). I.
Pandrasus I
Ignoge = 1. Brutus at the age of 15 kills his father. (I. 30 Reisns twtmtv
| four years. (ILL) ' gn» twenty-
At this time EU governed Israel, and the ark was taken by

PREFACE.

XV

the Philistines, and the sons of Hector reigned in Troy,
and Sylvius J3neas, uncle of Brutus, in Italy. (I. 17.)

| Corinams Albanact Kamber II. 1.
2. Locrin ~ 3. Guendoloena ( Locrin by Estrilda has Sabre, who being

r. 10 yrs.

15 years. ^ drowned in the Severn, gives name to
that river.

4. Maddan. II. 6. f At this time Samuel governed Israel, and
40 yrs. i Homer flourished.

/^A
5. Mempricius 20 yrs.
6. Ebraucus 40 yrs.
(or 60, qitcere.

Malim C Saul reigns in Judaea, Eurystheus in Lace-
l daemon.

;us j Ki:
) l
ere, II. 7, 8) (

King David — Sylvius Latinus — Gad — Na
than and Asaph.

7. Brutus II., 12 yrs. and 19 other sons and 30 daughters, II. 8.
C Solomon — Queen of Sheba — Sylvius E
\ tus.
Capys — Haggai — Amos — Joel — Azariah.

8. Leil 25 yrs.
I
9. Hudibras 39 yrs.
10. Bladud 20 yrs. II. 10.
I
11. Leir 60 jts. II. 11.

Elijah.

1 2. Gonorilla = Maglaunus, Regan = Henuinus, Cordeilla = Aganippus,

5 yrs.

D.of
Albania.

D.of
Cornwall.

K. of
Gaul.

Margan 13. Cunedagius (Isaiah — Hosea — Rome built
33 yrs. j by Romulusand Remus.
14. Rivallo

15. Gurgustius I
16. Sisilius

(T'
17. Jago

XVI

PREFACE.

18. Kinmarcus
19. Gorbogudo zz. Widen
I

Ferrex
Long civil wars.

Porrex

At length arose Dunwallo Molmutius, son of Cloten, king of
Cornwall. II. 17.
20. Dunwallo Molmutius zz. Conwenna
40 yrs.

r
21. Belinus
5 yrs. in concert with Brennius.
22. Gurgiunt Brabtruc. III. 1 1.
23. Guithelin r= Martia
24. Sisillius

Brenmus

25. Kimarus

26. Danius ~ Tangustela
I
27. Morvidus

28. Gorbonian 29. Arthgallo 30. Elidure 31. Vigenius 32. Peredure
IIII
ArthgaUo was deposed in favour of Elidure, who, after a
reign of five years, restored his brother, who reigned 10
years afterwards. Elidure then reigned a second time,
but was deposed by Vigenius and Peredure : after whose
deaths he reigned a third time.
33. GorbonianV- |
son, III. 19. I

34. Margan

35. Enniaunus

40. Coillus

38. Geruntius
39. Catellus
41. Porrex

36. Idwallo 37. Runno

4-2. Cherin

43. Fulgenius

44. Eldadus

45. Andragius I
46. Urianus

PREFACE. XVI]
47. Ehud 48. Cledaucus 49. Cletonus 50. Gurgintius 51. Merian us
52. Bleduno 53. Cap 54. Oenus 55. Sisillius

56. Blegabred 57. Arthmail
58. Eldol 59. Redion 60. Rederchius 61. Samuilpenissel 62. Pir
63. Capoir III. 19.
I
64. CligueiUus I
64. Heli
¦+¦

66. Lud. III. 20 67. Cassibellaun Nennius
Caesar's mvasion took place during Cassibellaun's reign.
68. Tenuantius

| ( Jesus Christ is born in the
69. Kymbelinus < reign of Kymbelinus or
| ( Cymbeline. Claudius

70. Guiderius 71. Arviragus zz Genuissa
I
72. Marius I
73. Coillus
74. Lucius IV. 19.
Lucius embraces Christianity : he dies, a.d. 156.
75. Severus I
76. Bassianus or Caracalla
77. Carausius, V. 3. 78. Allectus
79. Asclepiodotus 80. Coel I
Helena — 81 Constantius
| r. 1 1 yrs.
82. Constantine, emperor of Rome,
83. Octavius assumes the crown of Britain.
(Daughter) ~ 84. Maximian, V. 1 1.

XVU1 PREFACE.
85. Gratian Municeps
At this time the Picts and Scots harass the Britons, who apply to the
Romans.
86. Constantine, prince of Armorica, comes to assist the Britons
I 
87. Constans 89. Aurelius Ambrosius 90. Utherpendragon — Igema
VIII. 2. VIII. 17. VIIL 19.
88. Vortigern usurps the throne (VI. 9) and calls in the
Saxons.

90. Arthur IX. 1. Anne
King Arthur dies, a.d. 542 (XI. 3.)
92. Constantine 93. Aurelius Conan 94. Wortiporius 95. Malgo
96. Careticus 97. Cadwan
'  • I
Peanda (sister) — 98. Cadwallo
99. Cadwallader
Cadwallader goes to Rome, where he i3 confirmed in the faith of Christ by
pope Sergius, and dies a. o. 689.

Chap. VL— RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER.
Eichard, surnamed from his birth-place Eichard of Ciren
cester, flourished from the middle to the latter end of the
fourteenth century. No traces of his family or connections
can be discovered ; though they were at least of respectable
condition, for he received an education wMch in Ms time was
far beyond the attainment of the inferior ranks of society.
In 1350 he entered into the Benedictine monastery of St
Peter, Westminster, during the abbacy of Nicholas de LytUn<*-
ton, as appears from the rolls of the abbey ; and Ms name
occurs in various documents of that estabUshment in the
years 1387, 1397, and 1399.
He devoted Ms leisure hours to the study of British and
Anglo-Saxon Mstory and antiquities, in which he made such
proficiency that he is said to have been honoured with the
name of the Historiographer. Pitts informs us, without

PREFACE. XIX
specifying Ms authority, that Eichard visited different libra
ries and ecclesiastical establishments in England in order to
coUect materials. It is at least certain that he obtained a
Ucence to visit Eome, from his abbat, William of Colchester,
in 1391 ; and there can be Uttle doubt that a man of so in
dustrious, observant, and sagacious a character profited by
tMs journey to extend his historical and antiquarian know
ledge, and to augment Ms coUections. TMs license is given
by Stukeley from the communication of Mr. Widmore, libra
rian of Westminster, and bears honourable testimony to the
morals and piety of our author, and his regularity in per
forming the discipline of Ms order. He probably performed
this journey in the interval between 1391 and 1397, for he
appears to have been confined in the abbey infirmary in
1401, and died in that or the following year. His remains
were doubtlessly interred in the cloisters of the abbey, but we
cannot expect to find any memorial of a simple monk. We
have abundant cause to regret that he was restrained in the
pursuit of his favourite studies, by the authority of his abbat.
In the seventh chapter of his first book he enters into a
spirited justification of himself, but from the preface to Ms
chronology he appears to have found it necessary to submit
Ms better judgment to the will of his superior. His works
are — Historia ab Hengisto ad Ann. 1348, in two parts.
The first contains the period from the coming of the Saxons
to the death of Harold, and is preserved in the pubhc Ubrary
of the University of Cambridge, Ff. i. 28. WMtaker, the
historian of Manchester, thus speaks of it : — " The hope of
meeting with discoveries as great in the Eoman, British,
and Saxon Mstory as he has given us concerning the pre
ceding period, induced me to examine the work. But my
expectations were greatly disappointed. The learned scholar
and the deep antiquarian I found sunk into an ignorant
novice, sometimes the copier of Huntingdon, but generally
fhe transcriber of Geoffrey. Deprived of his Eomap guides,
Eichard showed himself as ignorant and as injudicious as
any of Ms illiterate contemporaries about Mm."*
The second part is probably a manuscript contained in the
library of the Eoyal Society, p. 137, with the title of Brito
num Anglorum, et Saxonum Historia. In the library of
* Hist, of Manchester, vol. i. p. 58. 4to.

XX PREFACE.
Bennet CoU. Cambridge, is Epitome Chron. Ric. Cor. West.
Lib. I. Other works of our author are supposed to be pre
served in the Lambeth Library, and at Oxford.
His theological writings were — Tractatus super Symbo-
lum Majus et Minus, and Liber de Officiis Ecclesiasticis. — In
the Peterborough Library.
But the treatise to wMch Eichard owes Ms celebrity is
that now presented to the reader. Its first discoverer was
Charles JuUus Bertram, Professor of the EngUsh Language
in the Eoyal Marine Academy at Copenhagen, who trans
mitted to the celebrated antiquary, Doctor Stukeley, a tran
script of the whole in letters, together with a copy of the
map. From tMs transcript Stukeley pubUshed an analysis
of the work, with the Itinerary, first in a tMn quarto, in
1757, and afterwards in the second volume of his Itinera-
rium Curiosum. In the same year the original itself was
published by Professor Bertram at Copenhagen, in a smaU
octavo volume, with the remains of Gildas and Nennius,
under tMs title — Britannicarum Gentium HistoricB An
tique Scriptores tres: Ricardus Corinensis, Gildas Bado-
nicus, Nennius Banchorensis, &c. Of tMs treatise Ber
tram thu-s speaks in Ms preface : " The work of Eichard
of Cirencester, wMch came into my possession in an extra
ordinary manner with many other curiosities, is not entirely
complete, yet its author is not to be classed with the most
inconsiderable historians of the middle age. It contains
many fragments of a better time, wMch would now in vain
be sought for elsewhere ; and aU are useful to the antiquary
***** It is considered by Dr. Stukeley, and those who
have inspected it, as a jewel, and worthy to be rescued
from destruction by the press. From respect for Mm I have
caused it to be printed."
Of the map Bertram observes: "I have added a very
antient map of Eoman Britain, skilfuUy drawn according to
the accounts of the ancients, wMch in rarity and antiquity
excels the rest of the Commentary of Eichard."
TMs map, however, as no longer of use in an ao-e when
so much hght has been thrown on its subject, has been
omitted.

THE CHEONICLE

FABIUS ETHELWERD,
FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD TO THE YEAR OF
OTJR LORD 975.
LN FOUE BOOKS.

To Matilda, the most eloquent and true handmaid of Christ,
Ethelwerd the patrician, health in the Lord ! I have re
ceived, dearest sister, your letter wMch I longed for, and I
not only read it with kisses, but laid it up in the treasury of
my heart. Often and often do I pray the grace of the Most
High, to preserve you in safety during tMs Ufe present, and
after death to lead you to Ms everlasting mansions. But as
I once before briefly Mnted to you by letter, I now, with
God's help, intend to begin in the way of annals from the
beginmng of the world, and explain to you more fully about
our common lineage and descent, to the end that the reader's
task may be Ughtened, and the pleasure of the hearer may
be augmented, wMlst he listens to it. Concermng the coming
of our first parents out of Germany into Britain, their num
berless wars and slaughters, and the dangers wMch they en
countered on ship-board among the waves of the ocean, in
the foUowing pages you wiU find a fuU description. In the
present letter therefore I have written, without perplexity of
style, of our modern Uneage and relationship, who were our
relations, and how, and where they came from : as far as our
memory can go, and according as our parents taught us. For
instance king Alfred was son of king Ethelwulf, from whom
we derive our origin, and who had five sons, one of whom
was king Ethelred* my ancestor, and another king Alfred
• Ethelred died and Alfred succeeded him A. D. 871.
B

2 ETHELWERD S CHRONICLE. [a. d. 430.
who was yours. This king Alfred sent his daughter Ethels-
witha into Germany to be the wife of Baldwin,* who had by
her two sons Ethelwulf and Arnuif, also two daughters Els-
wid and Armentruth. Now from Ethelswitha is descended
count ArnuU,t your neighbour. The daughter of king
Edward son of the above named Mng Alfred was named
Edgiva, and was sent by your aunt into Gaul to marry
Charles the Simple. Ethilda also was sent to be the wife of
Hugh, son of Eobert : and two others were sent by king
Athelstan to Otho that he might choose wMch of them he
Uked best to be his wife. He| chose Edgitha, from whom
you derive your lineage ; and united the other in marriage
to a certain king § near the Jupiterean Mountains, of whose
family no memorial has reached us, partly from the distance
and partly from the confusion of the times. It is your
province to inform us of these particulars, not only from your
relationsMp, but also because no lack of abiUty or interval
of space prevents you.[|
HERE ENDS THE PROLOGUE.

BOOK THE FIRST BEGINS.
The beginning of the world comes first. For on the first
day God, in the apparition of the Ught, created the angels :
on the second day, under the name of the firmament he
created the heavens ; &c. &c.1[
Rome was destroyed by the Goths in the eleven hundred
and forty-sixth year after it was built. From that time the
Eoman authority ceased in the island of Britain, and in
many other countries wMch they had held under the yoke of
slavery. For it was now four hundred and eighty-five years,
* Baldwin, count of Flanders died a. d. 918. See Malmesbury, p 121
+ Arnuif, count of.Flanders, a. d. 965.
t The emperor Otho married Edgitha a. j,. 930.
§ Lewis the blind.
|| The writer adds the barbarous verse, "Esto mihi valens cunctis per-
nemuter horis,' which is as easy to construe as to scan
If Here follow several pages, in which the miter, like other annalists.
deduces his history from the creation. It is now u^iversaTh xhe^u om
with modern writers and translators to omit such preliminary matter.

a.d. 449.] THE PICTS AND SCOTS. 3
beginning with Caius Julius Caesar, that they had held the
island above mentioned, wherein they had built cities and
castles, bridges and streets of admirable construction, which
are seen among us even to the present day. But whilst the
people of Britain were Uving carelessly within the wall,
which had been built by Severus to protect them, there arose
two nations, the Picts in the north and the Scots in the west,
and leading an army against them, devastated their country,
and inflicted many sufferings upon them for many years.
The Britons being unable to bear their misery, by a wise
device send to Eome a mournful letter*  the army
returned victorious to Eome. But the Scots and Picts,
hearing that the hostile army was gone, rejoiced with no Uttle
joy. Again they take up arms, and like wolves attack the
sheepfold which is left without a protector : they devastate
the northern districts as far as the ditch of Severus : the
Britons man the wall and fortify it with their arms ; but
fortune demed them success in the war. The cunning Scots,
knowing what to do against the Mgh wall and the deep
trench, contrive iron goads with mechanical art, and drag
ging down those who were standing on the wall, slay them
without mercy : they remain victors both within and with
out ; they at once plunder and take possession ; and a
slaughter is made worse than all that had been before. Thus
ended the four hundred and forty-fourth year since the in
carnation of our Lord
The Britons, seeing themselves on every side vanquished,
and that they could have no more hopes from Eome, devise,
in their agony and lamentations, a plan to adopt. For in
those days they heard, that the race of the Saxons were
active, in piratical enterprises, tMoughout the whole coast,
from the river Ehine to the Danish city,f wMch is now com
monly caUed Denmark, and strong in all matters connected
with war. They therefore send to them messengers, bearing
gifts, and ask assistance, promising them their alUance when
they should be at peace. But the mind of that degraded
race was debased by ignorance, and they saw not that they
* There is evidently a hiatus in this passage, but see Bede i. 13, p. 22
t Urbs, " city," seems here rather to designate country or territory.
B 2

4 ETHELWERD'S CHRONICLE. Tad. 449.
were preparing for themselves perpetual slavery, wMch is
the stepmother of aU misfortune.
The person who especiaUy gave tMs counsel was Vurth-
ern, * who at that time was king over alL and to Mm aU the
nobility assented. They preferred to procure assistance to
them from Germany. Already two young men, Hengist
and Horsa, were pre-eminent. They were the grandsons
of Woden, Mng of the barbarians, whom the pagans have
since raised to an abominable digmty, and honouring Mm as
a god, offer sacrifice to him for the sake of victory or valour,
and the people, deceived, beUeve what they see, as is their
wont. The aforesaid youths therefore arrive, according to
the petition of the Mng and Ms senate, with three vessels,
loaded with arms, and prepared with every kind of warUke
stores : the anchor is cast into the sea, and the sMps come to
land. Not long afterwards they are sent against the Scots
to try their mettle, and without delay they sheathe their
breasts in arms, and engage in a novel mode of battle. Man
clashes with man, now faUs a German and now a Scot : on
both sides is a most wretched scene of slaughter : at length
the Saxons remain masters of the field. For this the Mng
aforesaid honours them with a triumph ; and they privately
send home messengers, to tell their countrymen of the fer
tility of the country and the indolence of its cowardly people.
Their countrymen, without delay, Usten to their representa
tions, and send to them a large fleet and army. Forthwith
they were magnificently received by the king of the Britons,
and contracted a league of hospitaUty with the natives. The
Britons promise peace, worthy gifts of aUiance and honours,
provided that they might remain in ease under their protec
tion from the attacks of their enemies, and pay them im
mense stipends.
Thus much of the alUance and promises of the Britons:
now let us speak of their discord and iU fortune. For seeing
the cunningness of the new people, they partly feared and
partly despised them. They break their compact, and no
longer render them the honours of aUiance, but instead
thereof, they try to drive them from their shores. These
being their designs, the thing is made pubUc, the' treaty is
openly set aside, aU parties fly to arms: the Britons give
• Otherwise called Vortigern.

A». 449.] SUBJUGATION OF BRITAIN. 5
way, and the Saxons keep possession of the country. Again
they send to Germany, not secretly as before, but by a pubUc
embassy, as victors are wont to do, and demand reinforce
ments. A large multitude joined them from every province
of Germany ; and they carried on war against the Britons,
driving them from their territories with great slaughter, and
ever remaining masters of the field. At last the Britons
bend their necks to the yoke, and pay tribute. This migra
tion is said to have been made from the three provinces of
Germany, which are said to have been the most distin
guished, namely, from Saxony, Anglia, and Giota. The
Cantuarians derived their origin from the Giotse [Jutes],
and also the Uuhtii, who took their name from the island
Wihta [Isle of Wight], which lies on the coast of Britain.
For out of Saxony, wMch is now called Ald-Sexe, or Old
Saxony, came the tribes wMch are stiU caUed so among the
EngUsh, the East Saxons, South Saxons, and West Saxons ;
that is, those who are called in Latin, the Oriental, Austral,
and Occidental Saxons.
Out of the province of Anglia came the East AngUans,
Middle AngUans, Mercians, and aU the race of the Nor
thumbrians. Moreover Old AngUa is situated between the
Saxons and Jutes, having a capital town, wMch in Saxon is
called Sleswig, but in Danish Haithaby. Britain, therefore,
is now caUed AngUa [England], because it took the name of
its conquerors : for their leaders aforesaid were the first who
came thence to Britain ; namely, Hengist and Horsa, sons of
Wyhrtels :* their grandfather was Wecta, and their great
grandfather Withar, whose father was Woden, who also
was Mng of a multitude of barbarians. For the unbeUevers
of the North are oppressed by such delusion that they wor-
sMp him as a god even to tMs day, namely the Danes, the
Northmen, and the Suevi ; of whom Lucan says,
"Pours forth the yellow Suevi from the North."
So greatly did the invasion of those nations spread and
increase, that they by degrees obUterated aU memory of the
inhabitants who had formerly invited them with gifts. They
demand their stipends : the Britons refuse : they take up
arms, discord arises, and as we have before said, they drive
* More commonly called Wihtgils.

6 ETHEL WERD'S CHRONICLE. [a.d. 418—465.
the Britons into certain narrow isthmuses of the island, and
themselves hold possession of the island from sea to sea even
unto the present time.
A. 418. In the ninth year also after the sacking of Eome
by the Goths, those of Eoman race who were left in Britain,
not bearing the mamfold insults of the people, bury their
treasures in pits thinking that hereafter they might have
better fortune, wMch never was the case ; and taMng a por
tion, assemble on the coast, spread their canvas to the winds,
and seek an exile on the shores of GauL
A. 430. Twelve years after, bishop Palladius is sent by
the holy pope Celestinus to preach the gospel of Christ to
the Scots.
* CHAPTEE*
A. 449. When, therefore, nineteen years had elapsed,
Maurice and Valentine -j- became emperors of Eome; in
whose reign Hengist and Horsa at the invitation of Vorti-
gern king of the Britons arrive at the place caUed Wip-
pid's-fleet, at first on the plea of assisting the Britons:
but afterwards they rebeUed and became their enemies, as
we have already said. Now the number of years, completed
since the marvellous incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ
was four hundred and forty-nine.
A. 455. In the sixth year after, Hengist and Horsa
fought a battle against Vortigem in the plain of JEgels-
threp. There Horsa was killed, and Hengist obtained the
kingdom. A. 457. But after two years, Hengist and JEsc hia son
renewed the war against the Britons ; and there feU in that
day on the side of the Britons four thousand men. Then
the Britons, leaving Cantia, wMch is commonly.'caUed Kenl^
fled to the city of London.
A. 465. About eight years after, the same men took up
arms against the Britons, and there was a great slaughter
made on that day : twelve cMefs of the Britons feU near a
place called Wipped's-fleet ; there feU a soldier of the Saxons
called Wipped, from which circumstance that place took its
name; in the same way as the Thesean sea was so caUed
* Capitulum in the original : but no number is annexed.
t This Bhould be Marcian and Valentinian.

a.d. 473-530.] WARS AGAINST BRITAIN. 7
from Theseus, and the JEg&an sea from ^Egeus who was
drowned in it.
A. 473. After eight years were completed, Hengist with
Ms son iEsc, a second time make war against the Britons,
and having slaughtered their army, remain victors on the
field of battle, and carry off immense spoils.
A. 477. In the fourth year JEUa landed in Britain from
Germany with Ms three sons, at a place called Cymenes-
Ora, and defeated the Britons at Aldredes-leage.*
A. 485. After eight years, the same people fight against
the Britons, near a place called Mearcrsedsburn.
A. 488. After tMs, at an interval of three years, iEsc,
son of Hengist, began to reign in Kent.
A. 492. After three years, iEUa and Assa besieged a
town caUed Andreds-cester, and slew all its inhabitants.
both smaU and great, leaving not a single soul ahve.
A. 495. After the lapse of three more years, Cerdic and
his son Cynric sailed to Britain with five sMps, to a port
caUed Cerdic's-ore, and on the same day fought a battle
against the Britons, in wMch they were finally victorious.
A. 500. Six years after their arrival, they sailed round
the western part of Britain, wMch is now called Wessex.
A. 501. Also after a year Port landed in Britain with his
son Bieda.
A. 508. Seven years after Ms arrival, Cerdic with Ms son
Cynric slay Natan-Leod, Mng of the Britons, and five thou
sand men with Mm.
A. 514. Six years after, Stuf and Whitgar landed in
Britain at Cerdic's-ore, and suddenly make war on the Bri
tons, whom they put to flight, and themselves remain masters
of the field. Thus was completed the fifty-sixth f year since
Hengist and Horsa first landed in Britain.
A. 519. Five years after, Cerdic and Cynric fought a
battle against the Britons at Cerdic's-ford, j on the river
Avene, and that same year nominally began to reign. ^
A. 527. Eight years after, they renew the war against the
Britons. A. 530. After three years, they took the Isle of Wight,
* Perhaps an error for Andredes-leage, formerly Anderida, in Sussex.
t This number should be sixty-six.
} Charford, near Fordingbridge, Hants.

g ETHELWERD'S CHRONICLE. [a.d. 534-577,
the situation of which we have mentioned above : but they
did not MU many of the Britons. _ _
A. 534. Four years after, Cerdic with Ms son Cennc gives
up the Isle of Wight into the hands of their two cousins
Stuf and Wihtgar. In the course of the same year Cerdic
died, and Cenric Ms son began to reign after him, and he
reigned twenty-seven years.
A. 538. When he had reigned four years, the sun was
eclipsed from the first hour of the day to the tMrd.*
A. 540. Again, two years after, the sun was ecUpsed for
half-an-hour after the tMrd hour, so that the stars were
everywhere visible in the sky.
A. 547. In the seventh year after tMs, Ida began to
reign over the province of Northumberland, whose family
derive their Mngly title and nobiUty from Woden.
A. 552. Five years after, Cenric fought against the Britons
near the town of Scarburh [Old Sarum], and, having routed
them, slew a large number.
A. 556. The same, four years afterwards, fought with
Ceawlin against the Britons, near a place caUed Berin-byrig
[Banbury ?]
A. 560. At the end of about four years, Ceawlin began
to reign over the western part of Britain, wMch is now com
monly caUed Wessex. Moreover, EUa the Iffing is sent to
the race of Northumbria, whose ancestry extends up to the
Mghest, namely to Woden.
A. 565. Five years afterwards, Christ's servant Columba
came from Scotia [Ireland] to Britain, to preach the word of
God to the Picts.
A. 568. Three years after Ms coming, CeawUn and Cutha
stirred up a civil war against Ethelbert, and having defeated
Mm, pursued him into Kent, and slew his two cMefs, Oslaf
and Cnebba, in Wubbandune.j
A. 571. After three years, Cuthulf fought against the
Britons at Bedanford [Bedford], and took four royal cities,
namely Liganburh [Lenbury], Eglesburh [Aylesbury], Ben-
singtun [Benson], and Ignesham [Eynsham].
A. 577. After the lapse of six years, Cuthwin and Ceaw
lin fight against the Britons, and slay tMee of their Mngs,
* That is, from seven till nine o'clock in the mornmg.
f Wimbledon, or Worplesdoru Surrey,

a.d. 584— 596.] ARRIVAL OF AUGUSTINE. 9
Comail, Condidan, and Farinmeail, at a place called Deor-
hamme [Derham ?] ; and they took three of their most
distinguished cities, Gloucester, Cirencester, and Bath.
A. 584. After seven years, CeawUn and Cutha fought
against the Britons, at a place called Fethanleage [Frethern ?] :
there Cutha feU ; but CeawUn reduced a multitude of cities,
and took immense spoils.
A. 592. In the eighth year there was a great slaughter on
both sides, at a place caUed Wodnesbyrg [Wemborow ?] , so
that CeawUn was put to flight, and died at the end of one
more year.
A. 593. After him, Cwichelm, Crida, and Ethelfrid, suc
ceeded to the kingdom. HERE ENDS BOOK THE FIRST.

HERE BEGINS THE PROLOGUE TO BOOK THE SECOND.
In the beginning of tMs book it will not be necessary to
make a long preface, my dearest sister ; for I have gmded
my pen down tMough many perplexed subjects from the
Mghest point, and, omitting those tMngs extracted from sa
cred and profane Mstory, on wMch most persons have fixed
their attention, have left Mgher matters to the sMlful reader.
And now I must turn my pen to the description of those
things wMch properly concern our ancestors ; and though a
pupil is not properly caUed a member, yet it yields no Uttle
service to the other members.
We therefore entreat in God's name that our words may
not be despised by the malevolent, but rather that they may
give abundant thanks to the King of heaven, if they seem to
speak tMngs of Mgh import.
HERE ENDS THE PROLOGUE;
AND
THE SECOND BOOK BEGINS.
Chap. I. — Of the coming of Augustine, who was sent by the blessed Pope
Gregory, [a.d. 596. J
As Divine Providence, mercifully looMng down upon aU
tMngs from all eternity, is accustomed to rule them, not by
necessity, but by its powerful superintendence, and remain-

10 ETHEL WERD'S CHRONICLE. [a.d. 597.
ing always immoveable in itself, and disposing the different
elements by its word, and the human race to come to the
knowledge of the truth by the death of his only begotten •
Son, by whose blood the four quarters of the world are re
deemed, so now by his servant doth it dispel the darMiess in
the regions of the west.
WMlst therefore the blessed pope Gregory sat on the
episcopal seat, and sowed the seeds of the gospel of Christ,
there stood by Mm some men of unknown tongue and very
comely to look on. The holy man admiring the beauty of
their countenances, asked of them with earnestness from what
country they came. The young men with downcast looks
replied, that they were Angles. " Are you Christians," said
the holy man, "or heathens ?" "Certainly not Christians,"
said they, " for no one has yet opened our ears." Then the
holy man, Ufting up his eyes, repUed, " What man, when
there are stones at hand, lays a foundation with reeds ?"
They answer, "No man of prudence." "You have weU
said," answered he ; and he straightway took them into a
room, where he instructed them in the divine oracles, and
afterwards washed them with the baptism of Christ : and
further he arranged with them, that he would go with them
into their country. When the Eomans heard of tMs they
opposed Ms words, and were unwiUing to aUow their pastor
to go so far from home. The blessed pope Gregory, there
fore, seeing that the people were opposed to Mm, sent with
the men aforesaid one of his disciples, who was weU instructed
in the divine oracles, by name Augustine, and with him a
multitude of bretMen. When these men arrived, the En
gUsh received the faith and erected temples, and our Saviour
Jesus Christ exMbited innumerable miracles to his faithful
followers tMough the prayers of the bishop, St. Augustine;
at whose tomb, even to the present day, no smaU number of
miracles are wrought, with the assistance of our Lord.
Chap. IL— Of king Ethelbert, and of his baptism, [a.d. 597.]
When the man aforesaid arrived, Ethelbert bore rule over
Kent, and receiving the faith, submitted to be baptized with
aU Ms house. He was the first king among the Eno-lish who
received the word of CMist. Lastly Ethelbert was the son

a.d. 597— 606.] DEATH OF POPE GREGORY. 11
of Ermenric, whose grandfather was Ochta, who bore the
pramomen of Eise,* from which the Mngs of Kent were
afterwards named Esings, as the Eomans from Eomulus, the
Cecropidas from Cecrops, and the Tuscans from Tuscus.
For Eise was the father of Hengist, who was the first
consul and leader of the Angles out of Germany ; whose
father was Wihtgils, his grandfather Witta, his great-grand
father Wecta, his great-grandfather's father Woden, who
also was Mng of many nations, whom some of the pagans
now stiU worsMp as a god. And the number of years that
was completed from the incarnation of our Lord was four
years less, than six hundred, f
Chap. III. — Of Ceolwulf, Icing of the West-Saxons, and of his con
tinued wars.
A. 597. At the end of one year, Ceolwulf began to reign
over the Western EngUsh.J His family was derived from
Woden ; and so great was Ms ferocity that he is said to have
been always at war, either with Ms own nation or with the
Britons, or the Picts or Scots.
Chap. IV.— Concerning Augustine's pall of apostleship sent him by pope
Gregory.
A. 601. When he had reigned four years, pope Gregory
sent to Augustine the paU of apostlesMp.
Chap. V. — Of the faith ofthe East-Saxons, and of ihe decease of the
blessed pope Gregory.
A. 604. After tMee years, the eastern EngUsh § also re
ceived baptism in the reign of Sigebert [Sabert] their king.
A. 606. Two years afterwards, the blessed pope Gregory
departed tMs world, in the eleventh year after he had
bestowed baptism on the EngUsh by sending among them
Christ's servant Augustine. And the number of years that
* See William of Malmsbury, b. i. c. 1, p. 12, note. t a.d. 596.
J West-Saxons is the more correct term ; but Ethelwerd often uses the
more general name Angles or English, for all the tribes settled in England.
§ Orientates Angli is the expression of Ethelwerd, but it should be
Orientales Saxones, whose king's name is generally written Sabert. See
preceding note.

12 ETHELWERD'S CHRONICLE. [a-d. 627— 658.
was completed from the beginning of the world was more
than five thousand and eight hundred. *
Chap. VI. — Of the reign of king CynegUs, his wars; and of the coming of
bishop Birinus, of the baptism of the king, and the faith of the East-
Saxons,-^ and of the baptism of Cuthrid. [a.d. 615 — 639.]
Afterwards CynegUs received the Mngdom of the West-
Angles, and, in conjunction with CMchelm, he fought
against the Britons at a place caUed Beandune, % and having
defeated their army, slew more than two thousand and forty
of them.
A. 629. Fourteen years after, Cynegils and CMchelm
fought against Penda at Cirencester.
A. 635. After six years bishop Birinus came among the
Western Angles, preacMng to them the gospel of CMist,
And the number of years that elapsed since their arrival in
Britain out of Germany, was about one hundred and twenty.
At that time Cynegils received baptism from the holy bishop
Birinus, in a town caUed Dorchester.
A. 639. He baptized CutMed also four years after in the
same city, and adopted Mm as Ms son in baptism.
Chap. VII. — Ofthe reign of Kenwalk, and of his actions.
A. 648. When nine years were fuMUed, Kenwalk gave
to Ms relation, CutMed, out of Ms farms, tMee thousand
measures, adjacent to a MU named Esc's dune, [Aston ?]
A. 652. Four years after, he fought a battle against his
own people, at a place caUed Bradford, on the river Afene. §
A. 655. Three years afterwards Mng Penda died, and the
Mercians were baptized.
A. 658. After tMee years more, the kings Kenwalk and
Pionna|| renewed the war against the Britons, and pursued
them to a place caUed Pederydan. T
i * E'h^erd ^°.Pte that gys^m- »f chronology which makes 5300 to have
elapsed before Christ.
¦f Should be West-Saxons.
t Most probably Bampton in Oxfordshire. This battle took place in
614. bee the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle for that year.
§ Avon.
|| This should be « at Pionna," [Pen]. See Saxon Chronicle.
H Petherton.

a.d. 601— 682.] WULFHERE. — KENTWTN. 13
A. 661. After three years, Kenwalk again fought a battle
near the town of Pontesbury, and took prisoner Wulfhere, son
of Penda, at Esc'sdune [Ashdown], when he had defeated
Ms army.
A. 664. TMee years afterwards there was an eclipse of
the sun.
A. 670. When six years were fuMUed, Oswy, Mng of
Northumberland, died, and Egfrid succeeded Mm.
A. 671. After one year more, there was a great pestilence
among the birds, so that there was an intolerable stench by
sea and land, arising from the carcases of birds, both smaU
and great.
A. 672. Twelve months after Kenwalk, king of the West-
Angles, died ; and Ms wife, Sexburga, succeeded him in the
Mngdom, and reigned twelve months.
A. 673. After her Escwin succeeded to the throne, and
two years were fulfilled. His family traces to Cerdic.
Chap. VIII. — Of Wulfhere and Cenwulf* and ofthe council held by the
holy father Theodore.
A. 674. After one year, Wulfhere son of Penda, and
Cenwalh* fought a battle among themselves in a place called
Beadanhead [Bedwin].
A. 677. After tMee years a comet was seen.
A. 680. At the end of two years a council was held at
HetMege,! by the holy archbishop Theodore, to instruct the
people in the true faith. In the course of the same year
died CMist's servant, Hilda, abbess of the monastery caUed
Streaneshalch [WMtby].
Chap. IX. — Of king Kentwin and his wars
A. 682. After two years Mng Kentwin drove the Britons
out of their country to the sea.
A. 684. After he had reigned two years \ Ina became king
of the western EngUsh. A hundred and eighty-eight years
were then fulfilled from the time that Cerdic, his sixth
* These names are both wrong ; we must read Escwin.
t Heathfield or Hatfield.
J There is an error here : CaedwaUa is omitted, and three years are lost
in the chronology.

14 ETHEL WERD'S CHRONICLE. la-d. 682— 721.
ancestor, received the western part of the island from the
Britons. Chap. X. — Of Cmdwatta.-'s conversion to the faith of Christ.
A. 684. In the course of the same year CaedwaUa went to
Eome, and received baptism and the the faith of Christ;
after Ms baptism the pope of that year gave him the surname
of Peter.
A. 694. About six years afterwards, the Kentish men re
membered the cause which they had against Mng Ina when
they burnt his relation* with fire ; and they gave Mm tMrty
thousand sMMngs at a fixed rate of sixteen pence each.
Chap. — XI. Of the acts of Ethelred king of the Mercians.
A. 704. After ten years, Ethelred son of Penda and Mng of
the Mercians assumed the monastic habit, when he had com
pleted twenty-nine years of Ms reign.
A. 705. After twelve months died Alfrid Mng of North
umberland. And the number of years that was then ful
filled from the begmmng of the world was five thousand
nine hundred.
A. 709. Four years afterwards died the holy bishop Ald-
hehn, by whose wonderful art were composed the words wMch
are now read, and his bishopric was the province wMch is
now caUed Selwoodshire [Sherborne].
Chap. XII. — Of the reign of Ina, and of his acts.
A. 710. After a year, the kings and Ina made war against
king Wuthgirete ;f also duke Bertfrid against the Picts.
A. 714. After four years died Christ's servant GutMac.
A. 715. After a year Ina and Ceoked fought against
those who opposed them in arms at Wothnesbeorghge [Wan
borough.] A. 721. After seven years Ina slew Cynewulf, and after
six months made war agamst the Southern Eno-Ush.
* His name was MuU : the passage is obscure. See the Anglo-Saxon
Chronicle. t Called Gerent in the Saxon Chronicle, and Gerentius in Aldhelm's
works.

A.n. 726— 756.1 ETHELARD  SIGEBERT. 15
Chap. XIII.— Of king Ethelard.
A. 728. When six years were fulfiUed he went to Eome,
and Ethelard received the Mngdom of the West Saxons.
In the first year of Ms reign he made war against Oswy.*
A. 729. At the end of one year a comet appeared, and
the holy bishop Egbert died.
A. 731. After two years, Osric king of Northumberland
died and Ceolwulf succeeded to the kingdom.
Chap. XIV  Of the acts of king Ethelbald.
A. 733. Two years after these tMngs, Mng Ethelbald re
ceived under Ms dominion the royal vUl wMch is caUed
Somerton. The same year the sun was ecUpsed.
A. 734. After the lapse of one year, the moon appeared
as if stained with spots of blood, and by the same omen Tat-
wine and Bede j departed tMs life.
Chap. XV. — Of the reign of Eadbert and of his deeds.
A. 738. After four years, Eadbert succeeded to the Mngdom
of the Northumbrians, and Ms brother Egbert discharged
the arcMepiscopal office ; and now they both Ue buried in
the city of York, under the shade of the same porch.
Chap. XTI. — Of the rule of king Cuthred.
A. 750. After twelve years Mng CutMed began to make
war against duke Ethelhun, for some state-jealousy.
A. 752. Agam after two years he drew Ms sword against
king Ethelbald at a place caUed Beorgforda.J
A. 753. After another year he gratified the fierce propen
sities of his nature by maMng war against the Britons : and
after another year he died, a.d. 754.
Chap. XVII. — Of the acts of king Sigebert and of his reign.
Furthermore Sigebert received the Mngdom of the western
EngUsh. A. 756. At the end of one year after Sigebert began to
* Should be Oswald king of Northumberland.
t It is doubtful whether Bede died in 734 or 735.
{ Without doubt this is Burford in Oxfordshire.

16 ETHELWERD's CHRONICLE. U-d. 755.
reign, Cynewulf, invading Ms Mngdom, took it from him, and
drew away aU the wise men. of the west country, in conse
quence of the perverse deeds of the aforesaid Mng ; nor was
any part of Ms Mngdom left to Mm except one province only,
named HamptonsMre [Hampshire]. And he remained there no
long time ; for, instigated by an old affront, he slew a certain
duke, and Cynewulf drove Mm into the wUds of Andred:
and so he fled from thicket to tMcket, until he was at last
slain by a herdsman at a place named Pryffetesflodan,* and
so the blood of duke Cumbra was avenged.
Chap. XVIII. — Of the reign of Cynewulf, his war and deeds.
A. 755. These tMngs having been premised, Cynewulf fre
quently fought no sUght battles against the Britons. For
when tMrty-one years had passed, he tried to expel from Ms
territories a certain cMef named Cyneard, brother to Sige
bert, whose deeds have been related above. He was after
wards besieged by tMs prince, for it was told him that he was
in company of a certain courtezan at a place caUed Meranton
[Merton], and though he had with Mm only a few men, who
knew notMng of the matter, he surrounded the house with
arms. The Mng, seeing how he was situated, leaped to the
door, and bravely repeUed their weapons ; but maMng up Ms
mind he rushed upon the prince, and inflicted no sUght wounds
upon Mm ; Ms compamons, not forgetting Ms tMeats, raised
their weapons and slew the Mng. The report bemg spread,
the king's soldiers, who had been in Ms company, each for
himself, as was their custom, made an attack, uttering shouts.
But the prince, soothing them, promised them gifts and ample
honours. They desire death, now that their lord is dead;
nor do they attend to Ms promises, but rush with one accord
upon death. None of them escaped with Ufe except one
British hostage, and he had received severe wounds. When,
therefore, the day dawned, it became known to the soldiers,
who had remained behind the Mng's back, they assembled
together and set forth, and with them Osric the duke and
Wigferth the knight. They found the prince in the house,
where their master was lying dead. The doors are belea
guered on both sides. WitMn are the one party, and the
* Privett, Hampshire.

a.d. 755—756.] OFFA AND HIS DEEDS. 17
other party are without. The prince asks a truce, and makes
ample promises; Ms object is future sovereignty. The
Mng's friends spurn these offers, and rather seek to separate
from the prince their relations who were in his company.
These reject their proposals ; on the contrary they answer
their friends thus :* " No tie is so powerful as that wMch
binds us to our lord ; and whereas you ask us to depart, we
teU you that we made the same proposal to those who were slain
with your Mng, and they would not accede to it." To tMs
the other party rejoined, " But you will remain unhurt, if
you only depart, nor share in the vengeance which we shaU
inflict for those who were slain with the Mng." They re
turned no answer to this, but silently begin the battle ; sMeld
punishes sMeld, and arms are laced in bucMers, relation faUs
by Ms kinsman ; they smash the doors, one pursues after an
other, and a lamentable fight ensues. Alas ! they slay the
prince ; all his companions are laid low before Ms face, except
one, and he was the baptismal son of duke Osric, but half
aUve, and covered with wounds.
Now Cynewulf reigned thirty-one years, and his body Ues
entombed in the city of Winchester. The above-named prince
also reposes in the church commonly caUed Axanminster.-j-
Both their famiUes trace to Cerdic.
A. 755. In the same year Ethelbald, king of Mercia, was
slain at a place called Seccandune,| and his body rests in a
monastery called Eeopandune.§ Bernred succeeded to the
kingdom, and not long after he also died.

Chap. XIX. — Of the reign of king Offa and of his deeds.
A. 756. In the revolution of the same year, Offa suc
ceeded to the kingdom, a remarkable man, son of Thing-
ferth; his grandfather was Enwulf, his great-grandfather
Osmod, his great-grandfather's father Pybba, his great-grand
father's grandfather was Icel, his sixth ancestor Eoma3r, the
• This is a sort of paraphrase rather than a translation : the original is
not only bad in style and ungrammatical, but exceedingly corrupt and
very obscure.
t Now Axminster. The syllable an or en occurs similarly in many an
cient Saxon towns ; thus Bedanford, Oxenford, &c, and Seccandune, Reop-
andune below. $ Now Seckiugton. § Now Repton.
C

18 ETHEL WERD'a CHRONICLE. [a.d. 773-785.
seventh Angeltheow, the eighth Offa, the ninth Waermund,
the tenth Wihtlaeg, the eleventh Woden.
A. 773. Also after seventeen years, from the time that
Cynewulf took the Mngdom from Sigebert, the sign of our
Lord's cross appeared in the heavens after sun-set, and in the
same year a civil contest* took place between the people of
Kent and Mercia, at a place caUed Cittanford : f and in those
days some monstrous serpents were seen in the country of the
Southern Angles, wMch is caUed Sussex.
A. 777. About four years after, Cynewulf and Offa fought
a battle near the town of Bensington, wMch was gained by
Offa. A. 779. Two years afterwards, the Gauls and Saxons
stirred up no sUght contests with one another.
A. 783. In short, after four years, Cyneard slays Mng
Cynewulf, and is himself also slain there.
Chap. XX. — Of the acts of Ber'.ric, king of the West-Saxons.
A. 783. In the same year Bertric received the Mngdom
of the West- Angles, whose Uneage traces up to Cerdic.
A. 786. After tMee years, he took in marriage Offa's
daughter Eadburga. HERE ENDS BOOK THE SECOND,

THE PROLOGUE OF BOOK THE THIRD BEGINS.
After what has been written in the foregoMg pages, it re
mains that we declare the contents of our third book. We
exhort you, therefore, most beloved object of my desire, that
the present work may not be thought tedious by you for its
length of reading, smce to thee especiaUy I dedicate this.
Wherefore, the farther my mmd digresses, the more does my
affectionate love generate and expand itself.
HERE ENDS THE PROLOGUE,
* The term ' civile bellum * — civil war is used by Ethelwerd to denote
a battle between the kindred Anglo-Saxon kingdoms ; the classical reader
will also note the use of the word ' beUum ' for ' prrelium.'
t This should be Ottanford, or Otford, in Kent, a place of great
antiquity.

A.r>. 787—800.] KENULF  HIS WARS. 19

AND THE BOOK BEGINS.
Whilst the pious Mng Bertric was reigning over the west
ern parts of the EngUsh, and the innocent people spread
tMough their plains were enjoying themselves in tranquiUity
and yoMng their oxen to the plough, suddenly there arrived
on the coast a fleet of Danes, not large, but of tMee ships
only : tMs was their first arrival. When this became known,
the Mng's officer, who was already stopping in the town of
Dorchester, leaped on his horse and gaUopped forwards with
a few men to the port, tMnMng that they were merchants
rather than enemies, and, commanding them in an authorita
tive tone, ordered them to be made to go to the royal city ;
but he was slain on the spot by them, and aU who were with
Mm. The name of the officer was Beaduherd.
A. 787. And the number of years that was fulfiUed was
above tMee hundred and thirty-four, from the time that Hen
gist and Horsa arrived M Britain, in wMch also Bertric
married the daughter of Mng Offa.
A. 792. Moreover, it was after five years that Offa Mng
of the Mercians commanded the head of king Ethelbert to be
struck off.
A. 794. After two years Offa also died, and Egfert his
son succeeded to the kingdom, and died in the same year.
Pope Adrian also departed tMs Ufe. Ethelred, king of the
Northumbrians, was slain by his own people.
Chap. I. — Of Kenulf, king of the Mercians, and of his wars.
A. 796. After two years, Kenulf, king of the Mercians,
ravaged Kent and the province wMch is called Merscwari,*
and their Mng Pren was taken, whom they loaded with
chains, and led as far as Mercia.
A. 797. Then after a year, the enraged populace of Eome
cut out the tongue of the blessed pope Leo, and tore out his
eyes, and drove Mm from Ms apostolical seat. But suddenly,
by the aid of Christ, who is always wonderful in his works,
Ms sight was restored, and his tongue regifted with speech,
and he resumed Ms seat of apostleship as before.
A. 800. After tMee years, king Bertric died.
* The Merscwari are thought to have been the inhabitants of Romney,
in Kent, and its vicinity.
c2

20 ETIIEL WEED'S CHRONICLE. U-d. 805— 823.
Chap. II.— Of the reign of Egbert, and his deeds.
Therefore Egbert is raised to the Mngdom of the West-
Saxons. On the very same day, as king Ethehnund was
passing tMough a farm, Wiccum, intending to go to a ford
caUed Cynemseresford [Kempsford], duke Woxstan met Mm
there with the centuries of the inhabitants of the provmce
of Wilscetum [WUtshire]. Both of them feU in the battle,
but the Wilssetse remained the victors.
Also, down to the time that Egbert received the Mngdom,
there were completed from the beginning of the world 5995
years, from the incarnation of our Lord 800 years, from the
coming of Hengist and Horsa into Britain 350 years, from
the reign of Cerdic, the tenth ancestor of Mng Egbert, when
he subdued the western part of Britain, 300 years, and from
the coming of Augustine, who was sent by the blessed pope
Gregory to baptize the EngUsh nation, 204 years : and in
the tenth year afterwards the holy father Gregory died.
A. 805. After Mng Egbert had reigned five years, was the
death of Cuthred Mng of Kent.
Ai 812. In the seventh year Charles, Mng of the Franks,
departed tMs Ufe.
A. 814. After two years, the blessed pope Leo passed
from one virtue to another.
A. 819. After five years, Kenulf Mng of the Mercians
died. A. 821. His successor was Ceolwulf, who was deprived
of the Mngdom two years afterwards.
A. 822. A year afterwards a great synod was held at a
place called Cloveshoo,* and two dukes were there slain
Burhelm and Mucca.
A. 823. After one year a battle was fought against the
Britons in the province of Defna [Devonshire], at a place
called Camelford. In the same year Mng Egbert fought a
battle against Bernulf Mng of the Mercians at EUendune,f
and Egbert gained the victory : but there was a great loss
on both sides j and Hun duke of the province of Somerset
was there slain : he lies buried in the city of Winchester.
Lastly, Mng Egbert sent Ms son Ethelwulf with an army
* Near Rochester, Kent. f Wilton.

a.d. 824-836.] KING EGBERT'S CONQUESTS. 21
into Kent, and with him bishop Ealstan and duke Wulf herd.
They defeated the Kentish army, and pursued their Mng
Baldred into the northern parts beyond the Thames. To
whom the men of Kent are afterwards subjected, and also
the provinces of Surrey and Sussex, that is, the midland
and southern Angles.
A. 824. For in the course of the same year the king of
the East- Angles with the wise men of Ms realm, visits king
Egbert, for the sake of peace and protection, on account of
Ms fear of the Mercians.
A. 825. In the course of that year the aforesaid East-
Angles made war against Bernulf king of the Mercians, and
having defeated his army they slew Mm and five dukes with
Mm. His successor was WitMaf.
A. 827. Two years afterwards, the moon was eclipsed on
the very night of Christ's nativity. And in the same year
Mng Egbert reduced under Ms power all that part of the
Mngdom which Ues to the south of the river Humber : he
was the eighth Mng in Britain who was famous for his great
power. For the first was JElla, king of the South- Angles,
who possessed the same dominions as Egbert ; the second
was CeawUn king of the West- Angles ; the third Ethelbert
king of Kent ; the fourth Eedwald king of the East- Angles ;
the fifth Edwin king of Northumbria ; the sixth Oswald ;
the seventh Oswy brother of Oswald ; after whom the eighth
Egbert, of whom we have made mention above. He led Ms
army against the Northumbrians, who also bent their necks
and submitted to Mm.
A. 828. At the end of a year therefore, Withlaf again
received the Mngdom. At that time also, king Egbert led
Ms army against the northern Britons, and when he had sub
dued aU of them, he returned in peace.
A. 832. After four years therefore the pagans devastated
the territories of a place called Sceapige.*
A. 833. After one year Egbert fought againststhe pagan
fleet, in number thirty-five vessels, at a place called Carrum
[Charmouth] : and the Danes obtained the victory.
¦ A. 836. Lastly after tMee years, a large army of Britons
approached the frontiers of the West- Saxons : without de-
* The Isle of Sheppey.

22 ETHELWERD'S CHRONICLE. [a.d. 837-844.
lay they form themselves into a compact body, and carry
their arms against Egbert king of the Angles. Egbert
therefore having ascertained the state of things beforehand,
assembled Ms army and twice imbued their weapons in the
blood of the Britons at Hengeston,* and put them to flight.
A. 837. At the end of a year the powerful king Egbert
died. Chap. III. — Ofthe reign of Ethelwulf and of his deeds.
After Ms death, Athulff succeeded to the tMone of Ms
father Egbert, and he delivered up the Mngdom of Kent to
Ms son Athelstan, together with East- Saxony, South- Saxony,
and Surrey, i. e. the eastern, southern and midland parts.
A. 838. After one year, duke Wulfherd fought with the
pagan fleet near the town of Hamptun [Southampton],
and having slain many of them gained the victory : the
number of sMps in the fleet was tMrty-tMee. After tMs
exploit the duke himself died in peace. The same year
duke Ethelhelm, with the people of the province of Dorset,
fought another battle against the pagan army at Port, and
pursued them some distance : but afterwards the Danes
were victorious, and slew the duke and his companions with
Mm.
A. 839. After one year duke Herebert was slain by the
Danes at Merswarum ;| and the same year a great slaughter
was made by that army in the city of Lindsey, and m the
province of Kent, and in East AngUa.
A. 840. Also after one year, the same tMng took place in
the city of London, in Qmntanwic [Canterbury], and in the
town of Eochester.
A. 841. MeanwhUe, after one year Mng Ethelwulf fought
against the Danes at a place caUed Charmouth, by whom also
he was vanqMshed, and the victors kept possession of the
ground. A. 844. Three years afterwards duke Eanwulf, who
governed the province of Somerset, and bishop Ealstan
also, and Osric duke of Dorset, fought a battle against the
pagans at the mouth of the Parret before-mentioned ; where
* Hengston-hill, Cornwall.
+ Generally called Ethelwulf by modern writers.
t Romney Marsh.

a.d. 851— 855.] ALFRED CONSECRATED KING. 23
they gained the victory, having defeated the Danish army.
Also m the same year Mng Athelstan and duke Elchere
fought against the army of the above-mentioned nation in
the province of Kent, near the town of Sandwich, where
they slew many of them, put their troops to flight, and took
nine sMps.
A. 851. After seven years Ceorl duke of Devon fought a
battle against the pagans at Wembury,* where they slew many
of the Danes and gained the victory. In the course of the
same year, the barbarians wintered first in the isle of Thanet,
wMch Ues not far from Britain, and has fruitful but not large
corn fields. That year was not yet finished, when a large fleet
of pagans arrived, 350 sMps, at the mouth of the river
Thames, commonly caUed Thames-mouth, and destroyed the
city of Canterbury and the city of London, and put to flight
Berthwulf Mng of Mercia, having defeated Ms army. After
the battle they returned beyond the river Thames towards
the south tMough the province of Surrey, and there Mng
Ethelwulf with the Western Angles met them : an immense
number was slain on both sides, nor have we ever heard of a
more severe battle before that day : these tMngs happened
near Ockley Wood.
A. 854. After three years Mng Burhred asked assistance
from Mng Ethelwulf to subdue the Northern Britons : he
granted it, and having eoUected Ms army, passed through
the Mercian kingdom to go against the Britons : whom he
subdued and made tributary. In the same year Mng
Ethelwulf sent Ms son Alfred to Eome, in the days of our
lord pope Leo, J who consecrated Mm Mng and named Mm
Ms son in baptism, when we are accustomed to name Uttle
cMldren, when we receive them from the bishop's hand. In
the same year where fought battles in the isle of Thanet
against the pagans ; and there was a great slaughter made
on both sides, and many were drowned in the sea. The
same year also after Easter Mng Ethelwulf gave Ms daughter
in marriage to Mng Burhred.
. A. 855. After a year the pagans wintered in Sheppey. In
the same year Mng Ethelwulf gave the tenth of all Ms
possessiosn to be the Lord's portion, and so appointed it to
* Near Plymouth. t Leo the Fourth.

24 ETHEL WERD'S CHRONICLE. [a.d. 857.
be in all the government of his Mngdom. In the same year
he set out to Eome with great dignity, and stayed there
twelve months. As he returned home, therefore, to his
country, Charles, Mng of the Franks, gave Mm Ms daughter
in marriage, and he took her home with Mm to -Ms own
country. A. 857. Lastly, after a year king Ethelwulf died, and Ms
body reposes in the city of Winchester. Now the aforesaid
king was son of Mng Egbert, and Ms grandfather was
Elmund, his great-grandfather Eafa, Ms great-grandfather's
father was Eoppa, and Ms great-grandfather's grandfather
was Ingild, brother of Ina, Mng of the Western- Angles, who
ended Ms Ufe at Eome ; and the above-named kings derived
their origin from Mng Kenred. Kenred was the son of
Ceolwald, son of Cuthwin, son of CeawUn, son of Cynric,
son of Cerdic, who also was the first possessor of the
western parts of Britain, after he had defeated the armies of
the Britons : his father was Elesa, son of Esla, son of Gewis,
son of "Wig, son of Freawin, son of Frithogar, son of Brond,
son of Beldeg, son of Woden, son of Frithowald, son of
Frealaf, son of Frithuwulf, son of Finn, son of Godwulf, son
of Geat, son of Taetwa, son of Beaw, son of Sceldi, son of
Sceaf. TMs Sceaf came with one sMp to an island of the
ocean named Scam, sheathed in arms, and he was a young
boy, and unknown to the people of that land ; but he was
received by them, and they guarded Mm as their own with
much care, and afterwards chose Mm for their king. It is
from Mm that Mng Ethelwulf derives Ms descent. And
then was completed the fiftieth year from the beginning of
Mng Egbert's reign. HERE ENDS THE THTRD BOOK,
AND THE PROLOGUE OF THE FOURTH BOOK HERE BEGINS.
Three books are now finished, and it remains to guide my
pen to the fourth, in wMch also wiU be found greater gain,
and the origin of our race is more clearly intimated. And,
although I may seem to send you a load of reading, dearest
sister of my desire, do not judge me harshly, but as my
writings were in love to you, so may you read them.
And may God Almighty, who is praised both in Trimty

A.D. 860—807.] ETHELBALD AND ETHELRED. 25
and in Unipotence ever preserve you under the shadow of
his wings, and your companions with you. Amen !
HERE ENDS THE PROLOGUE.

Chap. I. — Of the reign of the sons of king Ethelwulf, namely Ethelbald
and Ethelbert.
MeanwMle, after the death of king Ethelwulf, his sons were
raised to the kingdom, namely Ethelbald over the Western
Angles, and Ethelbert over the men of Kent, and the
Eastern, Southern, and Midland Angles.
A. 861. When five years were completed, Mng Ethelbald
died, and Ms brother Ethelbert succeeded to the possessions
of both. In those days a large fleet of pagans came to land,
and destroyed the royal city wMch is caUed Winton. They
were encountered by Osric duke of Hampshire, and Ethel
wulf duke of Berkshire : a battle ensued ; the pagans were
routed, and the EngUsh gained the victory.
A. 865. After four years, from the death of king "Ethel
bald, the pagans strengthened their position in the isle of
Thanet, and promise to be at peace with the men of Kent,
who on their part prepare money, ignorant of the future.
But the Danes break their compact, and saUying out
privately by night, lay waste aU the eastern coast of Kent.
A. 866. After one year Mng Ethelbert died, and Ms body
rests peaceably in the monastery named Sherborne
Chap. II. — Of the reign of king Ethelred.
Ethelred succeeded to the tMone after the death of Ms
brother Ethelbert. In the same year the fleets of the tyrant
Hingwar arrived in England from the north, and wintered
among the East Angles, and having established their arms
there, they get on their horses, and make peace with all the
inhabitants in their own neighbourhood.
A. 867. After one year- that army, leaving the* eastern
parts, crossed the river Humber into Northumberland to the
city of Evoric, wliich is now commonly caUed the city of
Eoferwic [York]. For there was then a great civil dissen
sion between the inhabitants of that land, and they were so
enraged that they also expeUed their Mng Osbert from Ms

26 ETHEL WERD'S CHRONICLE. [a.d. 868-871.
seat ; and having confirmed their resolves, they chose an
obscure person for their Mng ; and after some delay they
turned their thoughts to raise an army and repulse those who
were advancmg. They collected together no smaU bodies of
troops, and reconnoitred the enemy : their rage was excited :
they jomed battle, a miserable slaughter took place on both
sides, and the kings were slain. Those of them who were
left made peace with the hostile army.
In the same year died Eanwulf, duke of Somerset ; also
bishop Ealstan, fifty years after Ms succession to the bishop
ric, in the diocese caUed Sherborne. There also Ms body
now reposes ; and that of the above-named duke in the
monastery caUed Glastonbury.
A. 868. After one year therefore, the army of the pagans,
of whose arrival we have spoken above, measured out their
camp in a place caUed Snotingaham [Nottingham], and there
they passed the winter, and BurMed king of the Mercians,
with Ms nobles, consented to their remainmg there without
reproach. A. 869. At the end of a year therefore, the army waa
transported to York, and there also they measured out their
camp in the winter season.
A. 870. Agam after a year they departed, and passed
through Mercia into East- AngUa, and there measured out
their camp for the winter at Thetford. King Edmund car
ried on war against them for a short time, but he was slain
there by them, and Ms body Ues entombed at a place caUed
Beodoricsworthe,* and the barbarians obtained the victory,
but with the loss of their Mng soon afterwards : for Mng
Hingwar died the same year ; archbishop CeoMoth also died
that same year, and is buried m the city of Canterbury.
A. 871. After one year therefore the army of the barba
rians above-mentioned set out for Beading, and the principal
object of the impious crew was to attack the West-Saxons ;
and three days after they came, their two consuls, foro-etting
that they were not on board their fleet, rode proudly throuoh
fields and meadows on horseback, wMch nature had denied
to them. J
• Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk.
t I shall be glad if my readers will find * better translation for this
obscure and inflated passage.

A.D. 871.J DUKE ETHELWULF SLAIN. 27
But duke Ethelwulf met them, and though his troops were
few, their hearts resided in brave dweMngs : they point
their darts, they rout the enemy, and triumph in abundant
spoils. At length four days after their meeting, Ethehed
arrives with Ms army ; an mdescribable battle is fought,
now these, now those urge on the fight with spears immove
able ; duke Ethelwulf faUs, who a short time before had
obtained the victory : the barbarians at last triumph. The
body of the above-named duke is privately withdrawn, and
carried into the province of the Mercians, to a place called
NorthwortMg, but Derby in the language of the Danes.
Four days after king Ethelred with Ms brother Alfred fought
again with aU the army of the Danes at iEscesdune ;* and
there was great slaughter on both sides : but at last king
Ethebed obtained the victory. But it is proper that I should
declare the names of those cMefs who feU there : Bagsac
king, the veteran Sidrac their consul, the younger Sidrac
also, the consul Osbern, the consul Frene, the consul Harold ;
and, so to speak, aU the flower of the barbarian youth was
there slain, so that neither before nor smce was ever such
destruction known since the Saxons first gained Britam by
their arms.
Fourteen days after, they again took courage and a second
battle was fought at a place caUed Basing : the barbarians
came and took part over against them ; the fight began, and
hope passed from the one side to the other ; the royal
army was deceived, the enemy had the victory, but gained no
spoils. Furthermore after two months the aforesaid Mng Ethelred
renewed the battle, and with Mm was Ms brother Alfred, at
Merton, against aU the army of the barbarians, and a large
number was slam on both sides. The barbarians obtained
the victory ; bishop Heahmund there feU by the sword, and
Ms body lies buried at Cffigmeshamme.f Many others also
feU or fled in that battle, concerning whom it seems to be a
loss of time to speak more minutely at present. Lastly,
after the above-mentioned battle, and after the Easter of the
same year, died Mng Ethelred, from whose famUy I derive
my origin.
" See William of Malmesbury, b. ii. c. 3, p. Ill, note. t Keynsham.

28 ETHELWERD'S CHRONICLE. [a.d. 87l.
And now I have followed up my plan, dear cousin Matilda,
and will begin to consolidate my subject ; and like a sMp
which, having sailed a long way over the waves, already
occupies the port, to which in her patient voyage she had
been tending : so we, like sailors, are already entering, and
as I briefly intimated to you in my former epistle, so also in
the prefaces to tMs present book, and without any impro
priety I again remmd you, and though I cut short the course
of that wMch is visionary, not hnpeUed by necessity, but
through love of your affection, I now send it you again more
fuUy to be meditated upon concermng the origin of our
family, and sufficiently embrace the study of your sincerity.*
Thus far then : I will now leave obscurity and begin to
speak concerning the sons of Ethelwulf. They were five in
number : the first was Ethelstan, who also shared the king
dom with his father: the second was Ethelbald, who also
was Mng of the Western EngUsh : the third was Ethelbert,
king of Kent : the fourth was EtheUed, who after the death
of Ethelbert succeeded to the Mngdom, and was also my
grandfather's grandfather : the fifth was Alfred, who suc
ceeded after aU the others to the whole sovereignty, and was
your grandfather's grandfather. Wherefore I make known
to you, my beloved cousm Matilda, that I receive these things
from ancient tradition, and have taken care in most brief
style to write the Mstory of our race down to these two
Mngs, from whom we have taken our origin. To you there
fore, most beloved, I devote tMs work, compeUed by the love
of our relationsMp : if others receive them with haughtiness,
they will be judged unworthy of the feast ; if otherwise, we
advise all in charity to gather what is set before them. Let
us return then to the story that we broke off, and to the
death of the above-named Ethelred. His reign lasted five
years, and he is buried in the monastery wMch goes by the
name of Wimborne. Chap. III.— Ofthe reign of king Alfred.
A. 871. After these things, Alfred obtained the kingdom
when his brothers were dead, — he also was the youngest son
of king Ethelwulf — over aU the'provinces of Britain.
* I must again request the reader to pardon the obscurity which so fre
quently occurs in our author's style, and my inability to deal' with such pas
sages ; the above is a tolerably close translation of the original.

ad. 871— 874.] TREATT OF PEACE. 29
There came a summer-army innumerable to Beading, and
were eager to fight against the army of the West- Angles : to
their aid also came those who had already long time been
ravaging. But the army of the Angles at that time was
smaU on account of the Mng's absence, who at the same time
had performed his brother's obsequies, and although their
ranks were not fuU, yet their hearts were firm in their
breasts, they rejoice in the fight, and repel the enemy : but
at length oppressed with fatigue, they cease from the fight.
The barbarians hold possession of a sterile field of battle :
afterwards also they spread themselves and ravage the
country. During their foul domination, there were tMee
battles fought by the Angles, besides the battles before-
mentioned, and eleven of their consuls, whom they caU
" earls," were slain, and one of their kings. Lastly, in the
same year the Eastern Angles made peace with them. And
the number of years to the encamping of the barbarian
army in Beading and to the death of king EtheUed and the
succession of Ms brother Alfred was the seventy-first from
the time that Egbert had first consolidated the Mngdom, and
forty-seven from the time that the Mercians and Western
Angles carried on civil wars at the place called EUandune,*
and Mng Egbert received the name of victor twenty-six
years from the time that the battle was fought in Pedredan
[Petherton] ; and twenty years after the contest wMch was
waged near the wood called OcMey, and lastly five years
from the arrival of the pagans in the country of the East
Angles : and without long delay, they then went to Beading.
A. 872. After a year had elapsed from the time of their
coming to Beading, they measured out their camp in the
neighbourhood of the city of London. But the Mercians
ratify a treaty with them, and pay a stipend.
A. 873. After one year the barbarians change their
position to the neighbourhood of the city of Lindsey in a
place called Torksey. The Mercian people renew their
treaty with them.
A. 874. After the lapse of a year, the barbarians at length
remove to a place called Eepton, and drive Mng BurMed
from the kingdom beyond the sea. Twenty and two years
* Allington, Wiltshire.

30 ETHEL WERD'S CHRONICLE. [a.d. 874-477.
are enumerated from the time that he first occupied his
father's kingdom. They now break the peace, and devastate
the lands of the Mercians. The above-named Mng did not
abandon Ms hope in Christ, but made a journey to Eome and
died there, and Ms body, laid m a worthy mausoleum, reposes
in the temple of Christ's blessed mother, wMch is now caUed
the school of the EngUsh. At the same time Ceolwulf
possessed the Mngdom of the Mercians.
A. 875. Lastly after a year, the barbarians divide the
Mngdom into two parts : and Halfdene the leader of the
barbarians took one part, namely the kingdom of the
Northumbrians, and there he chose his winter-quarters near
the river caUed the Tyne, and they ravaged the country
there on every side. But they also made frequent wars on
the Picts and the men of Cumberland. Oskytel also, and
GotMun, and Anwind, their tMee kings, with an immense
army, came from Bepton to a place caUed Grantabridge
[Cambridge], and there remained twelve months. Further
more in the summer of the same year, Mng Alfred came out
with Ms army on board a fleet by sea, and the barbarians
met them with seven taU vessels. A bartle ensues, and
the Danes are routed : the Mng takes one of their sMps.
A. 876. After one year, the tyrant Halfdene obtained the
Mngdom of the Northumbrians, aU of whom he reduced to
subjection. And in the course of the same year, the army
wMch had been at Cambridge made a junction with the
western army, a thing wMch they had not done before, near
the town wMch is caUed Wareham, and ravaged the greater
part of that province. Also the Mng ratified a treaty of
peace with them and gave them money. But they gave him
hostages chosen out of their army, and made oath to him on
their sacred bracelet wMch they had never done to the kings
of the other districts, that they would qMcMy leave their
territories. A. 877. But they broke the peace and contravened their
engagements, and the foUowing year extended their troops
into the province of Devon, where they passed the winter at
Exeter. Lastly their fleets put to sea and spread their sails
to the wind : but a lamentable storm came on, and the
greatest part of them, namely a hundred of their cMef sMps,
were sunk near the rock which is called Swanwich. The

a.d. 878.] KING OF THE DANES BAPTIZED. 31
barbarians renew their fraud and offer peace : hostages were
given, more than were demanded, to the effect that they would
withdraw out of the territories of king Alfred ; and they did
so. They devastate the Mngdom of the Mercians and drive
out aU the free men. They erect their huts M the town of
Gloucester. A. 878. At the end of that year therefore this foul mob
broke the compact which they had before solemnly made with
the Western Angles, and they take up their winter-quarters
at CMppenham. The people were everywhere unable to
resist : some of them were driven by the impious wretches
over the sea Mto Gaul. King Alfred was at tMs time
straitened more than was becoming. Ethelnoth also duke of
Somerset Uved with a narrow retinue in a certain wood, and
they bMlt a strong-hold in the island of AtheUngay,* which
seems to have been situated in a marsh. But the aforesaid
Mng fought daUy battles against the barbarians, having with
him the province of Somerset only ; no others assisted him,
except the servants who made use of the Mng's pastures. In
the same year arrived Halfdene brother of the tyrant
Hingwar with tMrty galleys, in the western parts of the
Angles, and besieged Odda duke of Devon in a certain
castle, and war was stirred up on aU sides. The Mng of the
barbarians feU, and eighty decads with Mm. At last the
Danes obtain the victory.
MeanwMle, after the Easter f of that year, Mng Alfred
fought against the army that was in Chippenham, at a place
caUed Ethandune,| and they obtain the victory. But after
¦the decision of the battle, the barbarians promise peace, ask
a truce, give hostages, and bind themselves by oath : their
Mng submits to be baptized; and Alfred the Mng receives
Mm from the laver in the marshy isle of AMey.§ Duke
EtheMoth also purified the same at a place called Wed
more, and Mng Alfred there bestowed upon Mm magnificent
honors. * Athelney, no longer an island is situated near Borough-bridge in
Somersetshire. + Easter Day was the 23rd of March in the year 878. J Heddington.
§ Some suppose that this is Aller near Athelingay, or Athelney; but
Athelney itself is called Alney by the common people: it is therefore more
likely- that Athelingay and Alney were the same place, as they are at
present.

32 ETHEL WERD'S CHRONICLE. La.d. 879— 883.
A. 879. After a year from the time of the pagan army
leaving Gloucester, they marched to Cirencester, and there
wintered. In the course of the same year the sun was
eclipsed. A. 880. A year after the ecUpse, the aforesaid army
struck their tents, and leaving Cirencester went into the
country of the East Angles, and pitcMng their camp, re
duced all the inhabitants of. those parts to subjection. And
it was now fourteen years since the barbarians first wmtered
in the country aforesaid, and ravaged it. In the same year,
when they had reduced the district aforesaid, they went in
a vessel to Gaul and took up a position at a place caned
Ghent : the same men who had formerly measured out their
camp at a pla<;e caUed Fulham.
A. 881. After a year, they attempt to proceed further;
but the armies of the Franks assaU them and gain the vic
tory ; the barbarians were put to flight.
A. 882. After a year the aforesaid army passed into the
upper districts of the Maese and measured out their camp at
a place caUed Escelum.* In the same year Mng Alfred
put to sea and feU in with four sMps ; wMch he defeated,
and destroyed two, the others surrendered.
A. 883. The next year the aforesaid army entered the
parishes of the Scald, t to a place called Cundath;^ and
there measured out their camp for the winter.
A. 884. After one year had expired, that pestilential
army aforesaid removed to the Mgher districts of the Somme,
to a place called Embenum,§ and there wintered.
A. 885. After a year they divide themselves mto two
parts: one to Sofenum,|| the other to Eochester; and they
laid siege to those towns. They also construct other smaUer
camps. Defeat prevails among the inhabitants until the ar
rival of Mng Alfred with an army. The foul plague was
vanquished, and sought reinforcement  % Some of them
made for the sea-coasts. The same year they renewed their
• Aschloha, or Ascloha, is on the Maese, about fourteen miles from the
Rhine. t The Scheldt. + Conde.
§ More commonly Ambiani, now Amiens. || Louvain.
U I acknowledge my inability to translate this and many other passage!
of this obscure author. The events which here follow for the next half
page are referred by the Saxon Chronicle to tlie year 894.

ad 885.] POPE MARTIN. 33
league, and gave hostages to the EngUsh, and twice in the
year they counted the spoil wMch they had obtained by
fraud, in the land wMch borders on the southern bank of
the Thames. The filthy crew wMch were then in possession
of the East Angles, suddenly removed to a place caUed Bam-
fleet ; and there the alUed band divided ; some of them re
mained, and some of them went beyond the sea. In the
same year, therefore, the aforesaid Mng Alfred sent Ms fleet
into the country of the East Angles, and immediately on
their arrival, there met them at a place caUed Stourmouth
sixteen sMps, which they forthwith ravaged, and slew the
captains with the sword. The rest of the pirate-crew met
them ; they ply their oars, their armour sMnes over the con-
stramed waters, the barbarians obtain the victory. In the
same year died Charles the Magmficent Mng of the Franks,
cut off by death before the revolution of one year ; after Mm
came Ms uterine brother who ruled over the western coasts
of Gaul. Both were sons of Louis, who had formerly pos
sessed the sole sovereignty : Ms Ufe had reached its termina
tion during the ecUpse of the sun aforesaid. He was" son of
the great king Charles, whose daughter Ethelwulf king of
the EngUsh had taken to wife. In the course of that year,
a great number of barbarians landed and filled the coasts of
the Old Saxons ; two battles were fought soon after : the
Saxons were the victors, and the Prisons also were present
in the contest. In the same year Charles the Younger suc
ceeded to the sovereignty of aU the western parts of Gaul as
far as the Tyrrheman sea, and, if I may so speak, of the
domimons of Ms grandfather, except the province of the
Lidwiccas.* His father was Lodwicus, brother of the middle
Charles whose daughter was married to Ethelwulf Mng of
the EngUsh. And both of these were sons of Lodwicus,
namely, Lodwicus was son of Charlemagne who was the
son of Pepin.
In the same year died the blessed pope Martin, -j- who also
gave freedom to the school of the EngUsh, by the appointment
of Mng Alfred, and sent as a present part of the thrice blessed
cross of Christ, who is the salvation of the world. In the
course of that year, the above-named pestilential crew broke
their engagements, and marched in arms against king Alfred.
* Armorica, or Bretagne. + This should be Marinus, not Martinus.
D

34 ETHELWERD'S CHRONICLE. La.d. 887—889.
Lastly, after a year, they went to the lower parts of Gaul,
and fixed on a place to winter near the river Seine. Mean
while, the city of London was fortified by Mng Alfred, whom
no civil discord could subdue, either by cunMng or by force:
all men received him as a saviour, and particularly the Sax
ons — except the barbarians — and those who were then held
prisoners in their hands. Also, after Ms army was strength
ened, Ethered was appointed leader there by the aforesaid
Mng, to guard the citadel.
A. 887. Now the army wMch were at that time ravaging
the country of Gaul cut their way tMough the bridge of the
citadel of Paris, and devastated the whole country along the
Seine, as far as the Marne, and above its vertex, as far as
Catsig [Chezy] , where they thrice fixed their wmter quarters.
In the same year also died Charles, Mng of the Franks, and his
cousin Arnuif succeeded to the kingdom, seven years before
Ms uncle's death. The kingdom was then divided Mto five,
and so many Mngs in the same : but aU tMngs are done by
the permission of Mng Arnuif, and they promised to be all
under Ms subjection, because they were not Uke him, de
scended from the paternal stock ; and he Uved after this on
the eastern side of the river EMne. But Bodulf occupied
the middle parts of the Mngdom, Oda the western parts, and
Beorngar with Witha held the kingdom of the Lombards
from the division of the Jovian mountain.* There they
began a civil war ; people assaUed people ; the lands of both
were continuaUy disturbed, nor was there any hope of qmet
The same year, in wMch the barbarians had settled on the
bridge of Paris, duke Ethelhelm received no smaU part of the
money paid from the diocese of the EngUsh by the Mng for
the people, and went to Eome. In the same year died
queen Ethelswith.
A. 888. In the lapse of the same year also, archbishop
Athelred deceased, and Ethelwold, commander in Kent.
A. 889. After one year, abbat Bernhelm carried to Eome
the alms for the people, and principaUy those of the western
EngUsh and of Mng Alfred. Then also GotMun, Mng of
the northern EngUsh, yielded his breath to Orcus ; he had
taken the name of Athelstan, as he came out of the baptis
mal laver, from Ms godfather, Mng Alfred, and had his seat
* Mount St. Barnard.

a.d. 891 -8S3.J DEFEAT OF THE DANES. 35
among the East- Angles, since he there also had held the
first station.
In the same year, the aforesaid army of barbarians re
moved from the river Seine to a place caUed Santlaudah,*
situated between the Bretons and the Franks ; but the Bre
tons met them m arms, and obtained the victory, and foUowed
them to the windings of a certain river, and there not a few
of them were drowned in the waters.
A. 891. One year afterwards, the bands of the aforesaid
army visited the eastern parts of France ; Mng Arnuif met
them ; a fight of cavalry took place before the fleets arrived.
An army of eastern Franks came up, Saxons and Bavarians ;
the pagans spread their sails to flee. In the same year,
tMee chosen men of Hibernian race, burning with piety,
leave their country : they privately form a boat by sewing
ox-Mdes ; they put into it provisions for a week ; they sail
seven days and seven nights, and arrive on the shores of
CornwaU : here they left their fleet, wMch had been guided,
not by the strength of their arms, but by the power of Him
who rules aU tMngs, and set out for the court of king Alfred,
who with Ms senate rejoice m their coming. From thence
they proceed to Eome, and, as is customary with teachers of
Christ, they essay to go thence to Jerusalem : -j" .... Then-
names were, Dubslane, the first ; Macbeth, the second ;
MaeUnmun, the third, flourisMng in the arts, skiUed in let
ters, and a distingMshed master of the Scots. Also in the
same year, after Easter a comet appeared, wMch some tMnk
to be an omen of foul times, which have already past ; but it
is the most approved theory of pMlosophers, that they fore-
tel future tMngs, as has been tried in many ways.
A. 893. One year after the barbarians fought against Mng
Arnuif, they go to Boulogne, and there bmld a fleet, and pass
over into England. There they station their fleet in the Lim-
nean port, at a place called Apoldre [ Appledore, in the eastern
part of Kent,] and destroy an ancient castle, because there
was but a small band of rustics witMn, and there they make
their wmter camp. In the course of tMs year, a large fleet be
longing to Hasten arrives on the banks of the river Thames,
* Saint Lo.
+ I omit this obscure passage rather than run the risk of misleading the
reader by an inaccurate translation of it.
d2

36 ETHELWERD'S CHRONICLE. Ia.d.893.
and found a citadel on the coasts of Kent, at a place caUed
Middleton [Milton] : they encamp there the whole winter ;
and the number of years that had elapsed from the glorious
nativity of our Saviour was nine hundred, aU but seven.
After the Easter of that year, the army wMch had come
from Gaul leave their camp, and trace the intricacies of a
certain immense wood, wMch is caUed Andred, and they ex
tend as far as the Western Angles. Slowly as they go, they
ravage the adjoining provinces, HampsMre and BerksMre :
these tMngs were told to the heir of Edward, son of Mng
Alfred, who had been exercising himself in the southern
parts of England. After this they reach the Western An
gles, who meet then with tMeatemng arms and dense array
at Farnham : they exult, freed by the arrival of the prince, like
sheep under the protection of the shepherd ; the tyrant is
wounded, and his troops are driven across the river Thames
into the northern countries.
MeanwMle, the Danes are held besieged m Thorney isle.
Earl Ethered, setting out from the city of London, lent his
aid to the prince. The barbarians asked peace and a treaty :
hostages are given, they promise by oath to leave the king
dom of the aforesaid Mng ; their words and deeds agree to
gether without delay. Lastly, they set out for the country
of the East- Angles, formerly governed by the king Saint
Edmund, and their sMps fly round to them from the Limnean
port to Meresige [Mersey] , a place M Kent.
In the course of the same year, Hasten breaks away with
Ms band from Bamfleet, and devastates aU Mercia, until they
arrive at the end of BritaM. The army, wMch was then in
the eastern part of the country, suppUed them with reinforce
ments, and the Northumbrian, in the same way. The illus
trious duke Ethelm, with a squadron of cavalry, and duke
Ethelnoth, with an army of Western-Angles, foUowed be-
Mnd them, and Ethered, earl of the Mercians, pressed after
them with great impetuosity. The youth of both people
join battle, and the Angles obtain the victory. These tMngs
are said by ancient writers to have been done at Buttington,
and the exertions of the Danes appeared futile ; they again
ratify peace, give hostages, and promise to leave that part of
the country. In the same year Danaasuda,* in Bamfleet, was
* This must be the fortress which Hasten's men built in Bamfleet.

A.D. 895-901.] KING EDWARD. 37
destroyed by the people, and they divide the treasure among
them. After tMs, Sigeferth, the pirate, lands from his fleet in
Northumbria, and twice devastates the coast, after wMch he
returns home.
A. 895. When two years were completed, from the time
that an immense fleet came from Boulogne to Limnaa, a town
of the Angles, duke EtheMoth set out from the western
parts of the Angles, and goes from the city of York against
the enemy, who devastate no smaU tracts of land in the king
dom of tne.Mercians, on the west of Stanford ; i. e. between
the courses of the river Weolod* and a tMck wood, caUed
Ceoftefne. A. 896. In the course of one year also, died Guthfrid,
Mng of the Northumbrians, on the birth-day of Christ's
apostle, St. Bartholomew, whose body is buried at York, in
the Mgh church.
A. 900. MeanwhUe, after four years, from the time that
the above-named Mng died, there was a great discord among
the EngUsh, because the foul bands of the Danes still re
mained throughout Northumberland. Lastly, in the same
year, Mng Alfred departed out of tMs world, that immove
able pillar ofthe Western Saxons, that man full of justice,
bold in arms, learned in speech, and, above all other things,
imbued with the divine instructions. For he had translated
into Ms own language, out of Latin, unnumbered volumes, of
so varied a nature, and so exceUently, that the sorrowful
book of BoetMus seemed, not only to the learned, but even
to those who heard it read, as it were, brought to life again.
The monarch died on the seventh day before the solemnity
of All Saints, and Ms body rests in peace in the city of Win-
ton. Pray, O reader, to CMist our Eedeemer, that he wiU
save Ms soul !
Chap. IV. — Of the reign of king Edward, and of his wars.
A. 901. The successor to the tMone was Edward, son of
the above-named king. He was elected by the nobles, and
crowned with the royal crown on Whitsunday, one hundred
years having elapsed since Ms great grandfather, Egbert,
* Welland, Northamptonshire.

38 ethelwerd's chronicle. [*¦»¦ 802-909.
had gained Ms present territories. In the same year Ethel
bald received, in the city of London, the bishopric of the
city of York ; and, it appears, that the number of years com
pleted, since Christ came in the flesh, was nine hundred full
A. 902. After two years was the battle of Hohne. * 
Five days after the festival of the blessed mother, they
lock together their sMelds, brandish their swords, and vi
brate their lances in both hands. There feU duke Siwulf
and Sigelm, and almost aU the Kentish nobiUty: and
Eohric, Mng of the barbarians, there descended to Orcus:
two princes of the English, in the flower of their youth, there
yield up the breath of Ufe, and explore the foreign regions,
under the waves of Acheron, and numbers of fuU-grown men
fall on both sides. The barbarians remain victors, and tri
umph on the field of battle.
A. 905. At length, after tMee years, the number of years
completed since the begimiing of the world, was six thousand
and one hundred.
A. 908. After tMee years archbishop Plegmund inaugn-
rized, in the city of WMchester, a lofty tower, wMch had
been recently founded M honour of Mary, the mother of
God. The pontiff aforesaid, in the course of the same year,
carried to Eome the alms for the people, and for king
Edward. / . 909. A fter one year the barbarians break their compact
with king Edward, and with earl Ethered, who then ruled
the provinces of Northumberland and Mercia. The lands of
the Mercians are laid waste on aU sides by the hosts afore
said, as far as the streams of the Avon, where begins the
frontier of the West-Saxons and the Mercians. Thence they
pass over the river Severn into the western regions, and
gained by their devastations no Uttle booty. But when they
had withdrawn homewards, rejoicmg in their rich spoils,
they passed over a bridge on the eastern side of the river
Severn, at a place commonly caUed Cantabridge, | the troops
of the Mercians and West-Saxons met them : a battle ensued,
* The particulars recorded in this passage, concerning the battle of
Holme, are ascribed, by Florence of Worcester and the Saxon Chronicle,
to another battle, fought three years later. This caused Petrie to suppose,
that the paragraph in question had Blipped out of its real place.
+ Cambridge, in Gloucestershire.

a.d. 910— 939.] KING ATHELSTAN. 39
and in the plain of Wodnesfield the EngUsh obtained the
victory : the Danish army fled, overwhelmed by the darts of
their enemies: these tMngs are said to have been done on
the fifth day of August ; and their three kings fell there in
that turmoil or battle, namely, Halfdener Ecwils, and Hing
war : they lost their sovereignty, and descended to the court
of the mfernal king, and their elders and nobles with them.
A. 910. After one year, Ethered, who survived of the
Mercians, departed tMs Ufe, and was buried peacefuUy in the
city of Gloucester.
A. 912. After two years, died Athulf in Northumbria ;
he was at that time commander of the town caUed Bebban-
burgh.* A. 913. After a year, a fleet entered the mouth of the
river Severn, but no severe battle was fought there that
year. Lastly, the greater part of that army go to Ireland,
formerly caUed Bretannis by the great JuUus Caesar.
A. 914. After one year, the day of Christ's nativity feU
on a Sunday ; and so great was the tranqMUity of that
winter, that no one can remember anything Uke it either
before or since.
A. 917. After tMee years, Ethelfled the king's sister
departed tMs Ufe, and her body Ues buried at Gloucester.
A. 926. Also in the ninth year died Edward, Mng of the
EngUsh. TMs was the end ; Ms name and Ms pertinacity
here ceased.
Chap. V. — Of the reign of king Athelstan, his wars and deeds.
A. 926. The year M wMch the stout Mng Athelstan
gained the crown of the Mngdom, was the nine hundred and
twenty-sixth from the glorious incarnation of our Saviour.
A. 939. Therefore, after tMrteen years, a fierce battle was
fought against the barbarians at Brunandune,j wherefore that
fight is caUed great even to the present day : then the
barbarian tribes are defeated and domineer no longer ; they
are driven beyond the ocean : the Scots and Picts also bow
the neck ; the lands of Britain are consolidated together, on
all sides is peace, and plenty of all things, nor ever did a
fleet again come to land except in friendsMp with the
EngUsh. * Bambrougb. + Brumby, Lincolnshire.

40 ETHELWERD'S CHRONICLE. [a-d. 941—959.
A. 941. Two years afterwards the venerated Mng Athel
stan died. Chap. VI.— Of the reign of king Edmund.
After him Edmund succeeded to the neglected Mngdom.
A. 948. After seven years, therefore, bishop Wulfstan and
the duke of the Mercians expeUed certain deserters, namely,
Eeginald and Anlaf from the city of York, and gave them
into the Mng's hand. In the same year died also queen
Elfgiva, wife of king Edmund, and afterwards was canonized.
In her tomb, with God's assistance, even to the present day,
miracles are performed in the monastery caUed Shaftesbury.
In the same period also died Mng Edmund on the solenmity
of Augustine the Less, who also was the apostle of the
EngUsh : and he held the Mngdom six years and a half.
Chap. VII. — Of the reign of king Edred.
Edmund's successor was Edred Ms brother, to whom all
the Northumbrians became subject ; and the Scots also give
oaths of aUegiance and immutable fideUty. Not long after
these tMngs he also departed in peace, on the birthday of the
blessed pope and martyr Clement. He had held the Mng
dom mne years and half.
Chap. VIIL— Of king Edwy.
His successor to the throne was Edwy, who, on account of
Ms great personal beauty, was caUed Pankalus by the
people. He held the sovereignty four years, and was much
beloved. Chap. IX. — Of the reign of king Edgar.
A. 959. After tMs, Edgar was crowned, and he was an
admirable Mng.* 
Moreover from the nativity of our Lord and Saviour was
then completed the number of 973 years.* 
HERE HAPPILY ENDS THE FOURTH BOOK OF
FABIUS ETHELWERD,
QTJESTOR AND PATRICIAN.
* Here follow two sets of Latin verses, of a most obscure and ungram-
matical character, and altogether un trans lat cable.

ANNALS OF THE REIGN

ALFRED THE GEEAT.

ANNALS OF THE REIGN
OF
ALFRED THE GREAT,
FROM A.D. 849 TO AD. 887.
BT ASSER OF SAINT DAVID'S.

In the year of our Lord's incarnation 849, was born Alfred,
king of the Anglo-Saxons, at the royal viUage of Wanating,*
m Berkshire, wMch country has its name from the wood of
Berroc, where the box-tree grows most abundantly. His gene
alogy is traced in the foUowing order. King Alfred was the son
of king Ethelwulf, who was the son of Egbert, who was the son
of Elmund, was the son of Eafa, who was the son of Eoppa,
who the son of Ingild. Ingild, and Ina, the famous king
of the West-Saxons, were two brothers. Ina went to Borne,
and there endmg tMs Me honourably, entered the heavenly
kingdom, to reign there for ever with Christ. Ingild and
Ina were the sons of Coenred, who was the son of Ceolwald,
who was the son of Cudam, who was the son of Cuthwin,
who was the son of CeawUn, who was the son of Cynric, who
was the son of Creoda, who was the son of Cerdic, who was
the son of Elesa, who was the son of Gewis, from whom the
Britons name all that nation Gegwis,f who was the son of
Brond, who was the son of Beldeg, who was the son of Woden,
who was the son of Frithowald, who was the son of Frealaf,
who was the son of Frithuwulf, who was the son of Finn
of Godwulf, who was the son of Geat, which Geat the pagans
long worshipped as a god. Sedulius makes mention of Mm
in his metrical Paschal poem, as foUows : —
When gentile poets with their fictions vain,
In tragic language and bombastic strain,
To their god Geat, comic deity,
Loud praises sing, &c.
* Wantage, t The Gewissse, generally understood to be the West-Saxons.

44 asser's life of Alfred. [a.d. 849— 851.
Geat was the son of Tsetwa, who was the son of Beaw,
who was the son of Sceldi, who was the son of Heremod,
who was the son of Itermon, who was the son of HatMa,
who was the son of Guala, who was the son of Bedwig, who
was the son of Shem, who was the son of Noah, who was
the son of Lamech, who was the son of Methusalem, who
was the son of Enoch, who was the son of Malaleel, who was
the son of Caiman, who was the son of Enos, who was the
son of Seth, who was the son of Adam.
The mother of Alfred was named Osburga, a reUgious
woman, noble both by birth and by nature ; she was daugh
ter of Oslac, the famous butler of Mng Ethelwulf, which
Oslac was a Goth by nation, descended from the Goths and
'Jutes, of the seed, namely, of Stuf and "Whitgar, two brothers
and counts ; who, havmg received possession of the Isle of
Wight from their uncle, king Cerdic, and his son Cynric
their cousin, slew the few British inhabitants whom they
could find in that island, at a place caUed Gwihtgaraburgh ;*
for the other mhabitants of the island had either been slain
or escaped into exUe.
In the year of our Lord's incarnation 851, wMch was the
third after the birth of kmg Alfred, Ceorl, earl of Devon, fought
%vith the men of Devon against the pagans at a place caUed
Wicgambeorg ;f and the Christians gained the victory ; and
that same year the pagans first wintered in the island caUed
Sheppey, which means the Sheep-isle, and is situated in the
river Thames between Essex and Kent, but is nearer to Kent
than to Essex ; it has in it a fine monastery. J
The same year also a great army of the pagans came with
three hundred and fifty ships to the mouth of the river
Thames, and sacked Dorobernia,§ which is the city of the Can-
tuarians, and also the city of London, which lies on the
north bank of the river Thames, on the confines of Essex
and Middlesex; but yet that city belongs m truth to Essex;
and they put to flight Berthwulf, king of Mercia, with all
the army, which he had led out to oppose them.
After these things, the aforesaid pagan host went into
Surrey, which is a district situated on^the south bank of
the river Thames, and to the west of Kent. And Ethelwulf,
* Carisbrooke, as may be conjectured from the name, which is a combina
tion of Wight and Caraburgh.
t Wembury. t Minster. § Canterbury.

A.D.853.] ALFRED SENT TO ROME. 45
kmg of the West-Saxons, and his son Ethelbald, with all
their army, fought a long time against them at a place called
Ac-lea,* i. e. the Oak-plain, and there, after a lengthened
battle, which was fought with much bravery on both sides,
the greater part of the pagan multitude was destroyed and
cut to pieces, so that we never heard of their being so de
feated, either before or smce, in any country, in one day;
and the Christians gained an honourable victory, and were
triumphant over their graves.
In the same year Mng Athelstan, son of king Ethelwulf,
and earl Ealhere slew a large army of pagans in Kent, at a
place caUed Sandwich, and took nine ships of their fleet ;
the others escaped by flight.
In the year of our Lord's incarnation 853, which was the
fifth of king Alfred, Burhred, king of the Mercians, sent
messengers, and prayed Ethelwulf, king of the West-Saxons,
to come and help him in reducing the midland Britons, who
dweU between Mercia and the western sea, and who struggled
against Mm most immoderately. So without delay, king
Ethelwulf, having received the embassy, moved his army,
and advanced with king Burhred against Britain,f and imme
diately, on entering that country, he began to ravage it ; and
having reduced it under subjection to king Burhred, he re
turned home.
In the same year, king Ethelwulf sent Ms son Alfred,
above-named, to Borne, with an honourable escort both of
nobles and commoners. Pope Leo [the fourth] at that time
presided over the apostolic see, and he anointed for king
the aforesaid Alfred, and adopted Mm as Ms spiritual son.
The same year also, earl Ealhere, with the men of Kent,
and Huda with the men of Surrey, fought bravely and re
solutely against an army of the pagans, in the island, which
is caUed m the Saxon tongue, Tenet,! but Ruim in the
British language. The battle lasted a long time, and many
feU on both sides, and also were drowned in the water ; and
both the earls were there slain. In the same year also, after
Easter, Ethelwulf, king of the West-Saxons, gave his daugh
ter to Burhred, king of the Mercians, and the marriage was
celebrated royaUy at the royal viU of Chippenham. §
* Ockley, in Surrey.
+ This is one the few instances to be met with ofthe name Britannia ap
plied to Wales. + Thanet. § Wilts.

46 asser's LIFE OF ALFRED. [a.d. 855.
In the year of our Lord's incarnation 855, which was the
seventh after the birth of the aforesaid kmg, Edmund the
most glorious Mng of the East- Angles began to reign, on the
eighth day before the kalends of January, i. e. on the birth
day of our Lord, in the fourteenth year of Ms age. In
this year also died Lothaire, the Roman emperor, son of the
pious Lewis Augustus. In the same year the aforesaid
venerable kmg Ethelwulf released the tenth part of aU his
Mngdom from aU royal service and tribute, and with a pen
never to be forgotten, offered it up to God the One and the
TMee in One, m the cross of Christ, for the redemption of
his own soul and of Ms predecessors. In the same year he
went to Borne with much honour ; and taMng with him his
son, the aforesaid kmg Alfred, for a second journey tMther,
because he loved Mm more than Ms other sons, he remained
there a whole year; after wMch he returned to his own
country, bringmg with Mm Judith, daughter of Charles, the
king of the Franks.
In the meantime, however, wMlst king Ethelwulf was re-
sidmg beyond the sea, a base deed was done, repugnant to
the morals of aU Christians, m the western part of Selwood.
For king Ethelbald [son of Mng Ethelwulf] and Ealstan,
bishop of the church of Sherborne, with Eanwulf, earl of the
district of Somerton, are said to have made a conspiracy
together, that king Ethelwulf, on Ms return from Rome,
should never agam be received mto his kingdom. TMs crime,
unheard-of in aU previous ages, is ascribed by many to the
bishop and earl alone, as resulting from their counsels. Many
also ascribe it solely to the insolence of the Mng, because
that Mng was pertinacious in this matter, and m many other
perversities, as we have heard related by certain persons ;
as also was proved by the result of that which foUows.
For as he was returmng from Rome, his son aforesaid, with
aU his counseUors, or, as I ought to say, Ms conspirators,
attempted to perpetrate the crime of repulsmg the Mng from
his own Mngdom ; but neither did God permit the deed, nor
would the nobles of all Saxony consent to it. For to prevent
this irremediable evil to Saxony, of a son warrmg against his
father, or rather of the whole nation carrying on civU war,
either on the side of the one or the other, the extraordinary
mUdness of the father, seconded by the consent of all the
nobles, divided between the two the kingdom which had

a.d. 855.] ETHELWULF' S RETURN FROM ROME. 47
hitherto been undivided ; the eastern parts were given to the
father, and the western to the son ; for where the father
ought by just right to reign, there his unjust and obstinate
son did reign ; for the western part of Saxony is always pre
ferable to the eastern.
When EthelwuU, therefore, was coming from Borne, aU
that nation, as was fitting, so delighted in the arrival of the
old man, that, if he permitted them, they would have ex-
peUed Ms rebelUous son Ethelbald, with aU his counseUors,
out of the kmgdom. But he, as we have said, acting with
great clemency and prudent counsel, so wished tMngs to be
done, that the Mngdom might not come into danger ; and he
placed Judith, daughter of Mng Charles, whom he had re
ceived from Ms father, by his own side on the regal throne,
without any controversy or enmity from his nobles, even to
the end of Ms life, contrary to the perverse custom of that
nation. For the nation of the West-Saxons do not aUow a
queen to sit beside the Mng, nor to be caUed a queen, but
only the king's wife ; which stigma the elders of that land
say arose from a certam obstinate and malevolent queen
of the same nation, who did all things so contrary to her
lord, and to aU the people, that she not only earned for herself
exclusion from the royal seat, but also entaUed the same
stigma upon those who came after her ; for m consequence
of the wickedness of that queen, all the nobles of that land
swore together, that they would never let any kmg reign over
them, who should attempt to place a queen on the throne by
his side.
And because, as I think, it is not known to many whence
tMs perverse and detestable custom arose in Saxony, contrary
to the custom of aU the Theotiscan nations, it seems to me
right to explain a Uttle more fuUy what I have heard from
my lord Alfred, Mng of the Anglo-Saxons, as he also had
heard it from many men of truth, who m great part recorded
that fact.
There was m Mercia, m recent times, a certarh valiant
king, who was feared by aU the kings and neighbouring
states around. His name was Offa, and it was he who had
the great rampart made from sea to sea between Britain* and
Mercia. His daughter, named Eadburga, was married to
Bertric, king of the West-Saxons ; who immediately, having
* Offa's dyke, between Wales and England.

48 asser's life of Alfred. [-».d. sot
the king's affections, and the control of ahnost aU the king
dom, began to Uve tyranmcaUy like her father, and to execrate
every man whom Bertric loved, and to do aU tMngs hateful
to God and man, and to accuse aU she could before the Mng,
and so to deprive them msidiously of their Ufe or power ;
and if she could not obtaM the king's consent, she used to
take them off by poison : as is ascertained to have been the
case with a certain young man beloved by the Mng, whom she
poisoned, finding that the Mng would not listen to any accu
sation agamst him. It is said, moreover, that Mng Bertric
unwittingly tasted of the poison, though the queen intended
to' give it to the young man only, and so both of them
perished. Bertric therefore being dead, the queen could remain no
longer among the West-Saxons, but saUed beyond the sea
with immense treasures, and went to the court of the great
and famous Charles, Mng of the Franks. As she stood
before the throne, and offered Mm money, Charles said to
her, " Choose, Eadburga, between me and my son, who stands
here with me." She repUed, foolisMy, and without dehher-
ation, " If I am to have my choice, I choose your son, he-
cause he is younger than you." At wMch Charles smiled
and answered, " If you had chosen me, you would have
had my son ; but as you have chosen him, you shaU not
have either of us."
However, he gave her a large convent of nuns, in wMch,
having laid aside the secular habit and taken the reUgions
dress, she discharged the office of abbess during a few years ;
for, as she is said to have Uved irrationally in her own country,
so she appears to have acted still more so m that foreign
country ; for being convicted of havmg had unlawful inter
course with a man of her own nation, she was expeUed from
the monastery by king Charles's order, and Uved a vicious life
of reproach in poverty and misery until her death ; so that
at last, accompanied by one slave only, as we have heard
from many who saw her, she begged her bread daUy at Pavia,
and so miserably died.
Now kmg Ethelwulf lived two years after his return from
Borne ; during which, among many other good deeds of this
present life, reflecting on Ms departure according to the way
of aU flesh, that his sons might not quarrel unreasonably
after their father's death, he ordered a wiU or letter of in-

a.d. 856.] ETHELWULF'S DEATH. 49
structions to be written, in which he ordered that his king
dom should be divided between his two eldest sons, his
private inheritance between his sons, his daughters, and his
relations, and the money which he left behind him between
Ms sons and nobles, and for the good of his soul. Of this
prudent policy we have thought fit to record a few instances out
of many for posterity to imitate ; namely, such as are under
stood to belong principally to the needs of the soul ; for the
others, which relate only to human dispensation, it is not
necessary to insert in this work, lest prolixity should create
disgust in those who read or wish to hear my work. For the
benefit of his soul, then, which he studied to promote in all
things from the first flower of his youth, he directed through
aU his hereditary dommions, that one poor man in ten, either
native or foreigner, should be supplied with meat, drink, and
clothing, by his successors, until the day of judgment ; sup
posing, however, that the country should still be inhabited
both by men and cattle, and should not become deserted.
He commanded also a large sum of money, namely, three
hundred mancuses, to be carried to Rome for the good of his
soul, to be distributed in the following manner : namely, a
hundred mancuses in honour of St. Peter, specially to buy
oil for the lights of the church of that apostle on Easter eve,
and also at the cock-crow : a hundred mancuses in honour of
St. Paul, for the same purpose of buying oil for the church of
St. Paul the apostle, to light the lamps on Easter eve and at
the cock-crow ; and a hundred mancuses for the universal
apostoUc pontiff.
But when king Ethelwulf was dead, and buried at Stem-
rugam,* his son Ethelbald, contrary to God's prohibition and
the digmty of a Christian, contrary also to the custom of aU
the pagans, ascended his father's bed, and married Judith,
daughter of Charles, king of the Franks, and drew down
much infamy upon himself from all who heard of it. During
two years and a half of licentiousness after his father he held
the government of the West-Saxons.
In the year of our Lord's mcarnation 856, which was the
eighth after Alfred's birth, the second year of king Charles
III, and the eighteenth year of the reign of Ethelwulf,
* Ingram supposes this to be Stonehenge. Staeningham, however, is the
common reading, which Camden thinks is Steyning, in SusBex. The Saxon
Ghronicle, a.d. 855, states, that Ethelwulf was buried at Winchester.
E

50 asser's life of Alfred. [a.d. seo— see.
king of the West-Saxons, Humbert, bishop of the East-
Angles, anointed with oil and consecrated as kmg the glo
rious Edmund, with much rejoicing and great honour m the
royal town called Burva, in which at that time was the royal
seat, in the fifteenth year of his age, on a Friday, the twenty-
fourth moon, being Christmas-day.
In the year of our Lord's incarnation 860, which was the
twelfth of king Alfred's age, died Ethelbald, Mng of the
West-Saxons, and was buried at Sherborne. His brother
Ethelbert, as was fittmg, jomed Kent, Surrey, and Sussex
also to his dominion.
In his days a large army of pagans came up from the sea,
and attacked and destroyed the city of Winchester. As they
were returnmg laden with booty to their sMps, Osric,
earl of Hampshire, with Ms men, and earl Ethelwulf, with
the men of Berkshire, confronted them bravely ; a severe
battle took place, and the pagans were slam on every side ;
and, finding themselves unable to resist, took to flight like
women, and the Christians obtained a triumph.
Ethelbert governed Ms Mngdom five years in peace, with
the love and respect of his subjects, who felt deep sorrow
when he went the way of aU flesh. His body was honour
ably interred at Sherborne by the side of Ms brothers.
In the year of our Lord's incarnation 864, the pagans
wintered in the isle of Thanet, and made a firm treaty with
the men of Kent, who promised them money for adhering to
their covenant ; but the pagans, like running foxes, burst
from their camp by night, and setting at naught their engage
ments, and spurning at the promised money, wMch they
knew was less than they could get by plunder, they ravaged
aU the eastern coast of Kent.
In the year of our Lord's incarnation 866, wMch was the
eighteenth of Mng Alfred, Ethelred, brother of Ethelbert,
king of the West Saxons, undertook the government of the
kingdom for five years ; and the same year a large fleet of
pagans came to Britam from the Danube, and wmtered in the
kingdom of the Eastern-Saxons, which is caUed m Saxon
East- Anglia ; and there they became principaUy an army of
cavalry. But, to speak in nautical phrase, I wiU no longer
commit my vessel to the power of the waves and of its sails,
or keeping off from land steer my round-about course through,
so many calamities of wars and series of years, but will

(

a.d. 804.] HIS EDUCATION. 51
return to that which first prompted me to this task ; that is to
say, I think it right in this place briefly to relate as much as
has come to my knowledge about the character of my revered
lord Alfred, king of the Anglo-Saxons, during the years that
he was an infant and a boy.
He was loved by his father and mother, and even by all
the people, above aU his brothers, and was educated alto
gether at the court of the king. As he advanced through
the years of infancy and youth, his form appeared more
comely than that of his brothers ; in look, in speeclM-and in
manners he was more graceful than they. His noble nature
implanted in Mm from his cradle a love of wisdom above all
tMngs ; but, with shame be it spoken, by the unworthy
neglect of Ms parents and nurses, he remained iUiterate even
till he was twelve years old or more ; but he listened with
serious attention to the Saxon poems which he often heard
recited, and easily retained them in his docile memory. He
was a zealous practiser of hunting in all its branches, and
hunted with great assiduity and success ; for skill and good
fortune in this art, as in aU others, are among the gifts of
God, as we also have often witnessed.
On a certam day, therefore, his mother* was showing him
and his brother a Saxon book of poetry, which she held in
her hand, and said, " Whichever of you shall the soonest
learn this volume shall have it for his own." Stimulated by
these words, or rather by the Divine inspiration, and allured
by the beautifuUy illuminated letter at the beginning of the
volume, he spoke before all his brothers, who, though Ms
semors in age, were not so in grace, and answered, " Will
you reaUy give that book to one of us, that is to say, to
Mm who can first understand and repeat it to you ?" At this
his mother snuled with satisfaction, and confirmed what she
had before said. Upon which the boy took the book out of
her hand, and went to his master to read it, and m due time
brought it to his mother and recited it.
After this he learned the daUy course, that is, the cele
bration of the hours, and afterwards certam psalms, and
several prayers, contained in a certam book which he kept
* We must understand this epithet as denoting his mother-in-law,
Judith, rather than his own mother, who was dead in a.d. 856, when Alfred
was not yet seven years old. When his father brought Judith from France
Alfred was thirteen years old.
E 2

52 asser's life of Alfred. [a.d. 867.
day and night m his bosom, as we ourselves have seen,
and carried about with him to assist his prayers, amid aU the
bustle and business of this present life. But, sad to say !
he could not gratify his most ardent wish to learn the Uberal
arts, because, as he said, there were no good readers at that
time in aU the Mngdom of the West-Saxons.
This he confessed, with many lamentations and sighs, to have
been one of Ms greatest difficulties and impediments m this Ufe,
namely, that when he was young and had the capacity for
learning, he could not find teachers ; but, when he was
more advanced in life, he was harassed by so many diseases
unknown to all the physicians of this island, as weU as by
internal and external anxieties of sovereignty, and by con
tinual invasions of the pagans, and had Ms teachers and
writers also so much disturbed, that there was no time for
reading. But yet among the impediments of this present
Ufe, from infancy up to the present time, and, as I beUeve,
even until his death, he continued to feel the same insatiable
desire of knowledge, and stiU aspires after it.
In the year of our Lord's mcarnation 867, which was the
nineteenth of the life of the aforesaid kmg Alfred, the army
of pagans before mentioned removed from the East-Angles
to the city of York, which is situated on the north bank of
the river Humber.
At that time a violent discord arose, by the instigation of
the devil, among the inhabitants of Northumberland ; as
always is used to happen among a people who have mcurred
the wrath of God. For the Northumbrians at that time, as
we have said, had expelled their lawful kmg Osbert, and
appointed a certain tyrant named .Mia, not of royal birth,
over the affairs of the kingdom ; but when the pagans ap
proached, by divme Providence, and the union of the nobles
for the common good, that discord was a Uttle appeased,
and Osbert and iEUa uniting their resources, and assembUng
an army, marched to York. The pagans fled at their ap
proach, and attempted to defend themselves within the waUs
of the city. The Christians, perceiving their flight and the
terror they were in, determined to destroy the waUs of the
town, which they succeeded in doing ; for that city was not
surrounded at that time with firm or strong walls, and when
the Christians had made a breach as they had purposed, and
many of them had entered into the town, the pagans, urged .

a.d. 86!).] HIS MARRIAGE. 53
by despair and necessity, made a fierce sally upon them, slew
them, routed them, and cut them down on all sides, both
within and without the waUs. In that battle fell almost all
the Northumbrian warriors, with both the kings and a mul
titude of nobles ; the remainder, who escaped, made peace
with the pagans.
In the same year, Ealstan, bishop of the church of Sher
borne, went the way of all flesh, after he had honourably
ruled his see four years, and he was buried at Sherborne.
In the year of our Lord's incarnation 868, which was the
twentieth of king Alfred's life, there was a severe famine.
Then the aforesaid revered king Alfred, but at that time oc-
cupymg a subordinate station, asked and obtained m marriage
a noble Mercian lady, daughter of Athelred, surnamed Mucil,*
earl of the Gaini.f The mother of this lady was named Ed-
burga, of the royal line of Mercia, whom we have often seen
with our own eyes a few years before her death. She was a
venerable lady, and after the decease of her husband, she
remained many years a widow, even tiU her own death.
In the same year, the above-named army of pagans, leaving
Northumberland, invaded Mercia and advanced to Notting
ham, which is caUed in the British tongue, " Tiggocobauc,"
but in Latin, the " House of Caves," and they wintered
there that same year. Immediately on their approach, Burh
red, Mng of Mercia, and all the nobles of that nation, sent
messengers to Ethelred, king of the West-Saxons, and his
brother Alfred, suppliantly entreating them to come and aid
them in fighting against the aforesaid army. Their request
was easily obtained ; for the brothers, as soon as promised,
assembled an immense army from all parts of their do
minions, and entering Mercia, came to Nottingham, all eager '
for battle, and when the pagans, defended by the castle, re
fused to fight, and the Christians were unable to destroy the
waU, peace was made between the Mercians and pagans, and
the two brothers, Ethelred and Alfred, returned home with
their troops. *¦
In the year of our Lord's incarnation 869, which was the
twenty-first of king Alfred's life, there was a great famine
and mortality of men, and a pestilence among the cattle.
• This nobleman occurs as a witness [Mucil, dux] to many Mercian
charters, dated from a.d. 814 to 866. f Inhabitants of Gainsborough.

54 ASSER'S LIFE OF ALFRED. [a.d.870.
And the aforesaid army of the pagans, galloping back to
Northumberland, went to York, and there passed the winter.
In the year of our Lord's incarnation 870, which was the
twenty-second of Mng Alfred's life, the above-named army
of pagans, passed through Mercia mto East-AngUa, and
wintered at Thetford.
In the same year Edmund, Mng of the East- Angles, fought
most fiercely agamst them; but, lamentable to say, the
pagans triumphed, Edmund was slam m the battle, and the
enemy reduced aU that country to subjection.
In the same year Ceolnoth, archbishop of Canterbury, went
the way of all flesh, and was buried peaceably m his own
city. In the year of our Lord's mcarnation 871, which was the
twenty-third of king Alfred's Ufe, the pagan army, of hate
ful memory, left the East- Angles, and entering the kingdom
of the West-Saxons, came to the royal city, caUed Reading,
situated on the south bank of the Thames, m the district
called Berkshire ; and there, on the third day after their ar
rival, their earls, with great part of the army, scoured the
country for plunder, while the others made a rampart between
the rivers Thames and Kennet on the right side of the same
royal city. They were encountered by Ethelwulf, earl of
Berkshire, with his men, at a place caUed Englefield ;* both
sides fought bravely, and made long resistance. At length
one of the pagan earls was slam, and the greater part of the
army destroyed; upon wMch the rest saved themselves
by flight, and the Christians gamed the victory.
Four days afterwards, EtheUed, kmg of the West-Saxons,
and Ms brother Alfred, united their forces and marched to
Reading, where, on their arrival, they cut to pieces the pagans
whom they found outside the fortifications. But the pagans,
nevertheless, sallied out from the gates, and a long and
fierce engagement ensued. At last, grief to say, the Christians
fled, the pagans obtained the victory, and the aforesaid earl
Ethelwulf was among the slam.
Roused by this calamity, the Christians, in shame and in
dignation, within four days, assembled aU their forces, and
again encountered the pagan army at a place caUed Ashdune.f
which means the " Hill of the Ash." The pagans had divided
• Englefield Green is about four miles from Windsor, f Aston, in Berkshire.

a.d. 871.] BATTLE AT ASHDUNE. 55
themselves into two bodies, and began to prepare defences,
for they had two kings and many earls, so they gave the
middle part of the army to the two kings, and the other
part to all their earls. Which the Christians perceiving,
divided their army also into two troops, and also began to
construct defences. But Alfred, as we have been told by
those who were present, and would not tell an untruth,
marched up promptly with his men to give them battle ;
for king Ethelred remained a long time in his tent in prayer,
hearing the mass, and said that he would not leave it, tiU
the priest had done, or abandon the divine protection for
that of men. And he did so too, which afterwards availed
him much with the Almighty, as we shall declare more fully
m the sequel.
Now the Christians had determined that king Ethelred,
with his men, should attack the two pagan kings, but that
his brother Alfred, with his troops, should take the chance
of war against the two earls. TMngs being so arranged, the
Mng remained a long time in prayer, and the pagans came
up rapidly to fight. Then Alfred, though possessing a sub
ordinate authority, could no longer support the troops of
the enemy, unless he retreated or charged upon them with
out waiting for his brother. At length he bravely led Ms
troops against the hostile army, as they had before arranged,
but without awaiting his brother's arrival ; for he relied in
the divine counsels, and forming Ms men mto a dense pha
lanx, marched on at once to meet the foe.
But here I must inform those who are ignorant of the
fact, that fhe field of battle was not equally advantageous
to both parties. The pagans occupied the higher ground,
and the Christians came up from below. There was also a sin
gle thorn-tree, of stunted growth, but we have ourselves never
seen it. Around this tree the opposing armies came to
gether with loud shouts from all sides, the one party to
pursue their wicked course, the other to fight for their lives,
their dearest ties, and their country. And when b8th armies
had fought long and bravely, at last the pagans, by the di
vine judgment, were no longer able to bear the attacks of
the Christians, and having lost great part of their army,
took to a disgraceful flight. One of their two kings, and
five earls were there slain, together with many thousand

56 asser's life of Alfred. [a.d. 871
pagans, who fell on all sides, covering with their bodies the
whole plain of Ashdune.
There fell in that battle king Bagsac, earl Sidrac the
elder, and earl Sidrac the younger, earl Osbern, earl Frene,
and earl Harold; and the whole pagan army pursued its
flight, not only until night but until the next day, even until
they reached the stronghold from which they had saUied.
The Christians followed, slaymg aU they could reach, until it
became dark.
After fourteen days had elapsed, kmg Ethelred, with his
brother Alfred, again joined their forces and marched to
Basing to fight with the pagans. The enemy came together
from all quarters, and after a long contest gamed the victory.
After this battle, another army came from beyond the sea,
and joined them.
The same year, after Easter, the aforesaid kmg Ethelred,
having bravely, honourably, and with good repute, governed
his kingdom five years, tMough much tribulation, went the
way of all flesh, and was buried m Wimborne Mmster,
where he awaits the coming of the Lord, and the first resur
rection with the just.
The same year, the aforesaid Alfred, who had been up to
that time only of secondary rank, wMlst Ms brothers were
alive, now, by God's permission, undertook the govern
ment of the whole kingdom, amid the acclamations of aU the
people ; and if he had chosen, he might have done so be
fore, whilst his brother above-named was stiU aUve ; for in
wisdom and other quaUties he surpassed aU his brothers, and
moreover, was warUke and victorious m aU Ms wars. And
when he had reigned one month, almost against his will, for
he did not think he could alone sustain the multitude and
ferocity of the pagans, though even during Ms brothers'
lives, he had borne the woes of many, — he fought a battle
with a few men, and on very unequal terms, against aU the
army of the pagans, at a hiU caUed Wuton, on the south
bank of the river Wily, from which river the whole of
that district is named, and after a long and fierce engage
ment, the pagans, seeing the danger they were m, and no
longer able to bear the attack of their enemies, turned their
backs and fled. But, oh, shame to say, they deceived their
too audacious pursuers, and again rallymg, gained the vie-

A.D. 871-875] KING OF MERCIA BANISHED. 57
tory .J Let no one be surprised that the Christians had but
a small number of men, for the Saxons had been worn out
by eight battles in one year, against the pagans, of whom
they had slain one kmg, nine dukes, and innumerable troops
of soldiers, besides endless skirmishes, both by night and
by day, in which the oft-named AUred, and all Ms chief
tains, with their men, and several of his ministers, were en
gaged without rest or cessation against the pagans. How
many thousand pagans feU in these numberless skirmishes
God alone knows, over and above those who were slain in
the eight battles above-mentioned. In the same year the
Saxons made peace with the pagans, on condition that they
should take their departure, and they did so.
In the year of our Lord's mcarnation 872, the twenty-
fourth of king Alfred's life, the above-named army of pagans
went to London, and there wmtered. The Mercians made
peace with them.
In the year of our Lord's incarnation 873, the twenty-
fifth of Mng Alfred, the above-named army, leaving Lon
don, went mto the country of the Northumbrians, and there
wintered m the district of Lindsey; and the Mercians again
made treaty with them.
In the year of our Lord's incarnation 874, the twenty-
sixth since the birth of king Alfred, the army before so
often mentioned left Lindsey and marched to Mercia,
where they wintered at Repton. Also they compelled Burh
red, king of Mercia, against his will, to leave his king
dom and go beyond the sea to Rome, in the twenty-second
year of Ms reign. He did not long Uve after his arrival,
but died there, and was honourably buried in the school of
the Saxons, in St. Mary's church, where he awaits the Lord's
coming and the first resurrection with the just. The pagans
also, after his expulsion, subjected the whole kingdom of the
Mercians to their dommion ; but by a most miserable ar
rangement, gave it into the custody of a certain foolish man,
named Ceolwulf, one of the king's ministers, on Condition
that he should restore it to them, whenever they should wish
to have it agam ; and to guarantee this agreement, he gave
them hostages, and swore that he would not oppose their wiU,
but be obedient to them in every respect.
In the year of our Lord's incarnation 875, which was the
27th of kmg Alfred, the above-named army leavMg Repton,

58 ASSER'S LIFE OF ALFRED. [a.d.876.
divided into two bodies, one of wMch went with Halfdene into
Northumbria, and having wintered there near the Tyne, re
duced all Northumberland to subjection; they also ravaged
the Picts and the Strath-Clydensians .* The other division, with
Gothrun, Oskytel, and Anwiund, three Mngs of the pagans,
went to a place caUed Grantabridge.T and there wintered.
In the same year, kmg Alfred fought a battle by sea
against six ships of the pagans, and took one of them ; the
rest escaped by flight.
In the year of our Lord's incarnation 876, being the twenty-
eighth year of king AUred's Ufe, the aforesaid army of the
pagans, leaving Grantabridge by mght, entered a castle called
Wareham, where there is a monasterium of holy virgins be
tween the two rivers FraunJ and Trent, m the district wMch
is called in British Burngueis, but m Saxon Thornsceta, placed
in a most secure situation, except that it was exposed to danger
on the western side from the nature of the ground. With
this army Alfred made a solemn treaty, to the effect that
they should depart out of the Mngdom, and for tMs they
made no hesitation to give as many hostages as he named; also
they swore an oath over the Christian relics,§ wMch with king
AUred were next m veneration after the Deity himself, that
they would depart speedily from the Mngdom. But they again
practised their usual treachery, and caring nothing for the
hostages or their oaths, they broke the treaty, and saUying forth
by night, slew all the horsemen that the kmg had round him,
and turning off mto Devon, to another place caUed m Saxon
Exanceaster \ but m British Cair-wisc, wMch means m Latin,
the city of Ex, situated on the eastern bank of the river Wise,
they directed their course suddenly towards the south sea,
which divides Britain and Gaul, and there passed the winter.
In the same year, Halfdene, Mng of those parts, divided
out the whole country of Northumberland between Mmself
and his men, and settled there with Ms army. In the same
year, Rollo with his followers penetrated mto Normandy.
This same RoUo, duke of the Normans, whilst wmtering in
Old Britam, or England, at the head of his troops, enjoyed
• Stratclyde Britons. t Cambridge. $ The Frome.
§ They swore oaths to Alfred on the holy ring, says the Saxon Chronicle,
p. 355. The most solemn manner of swearing among the Danes and other
northern nations was by their arms. Olaus Magnus, lib. viii. c. 2.
|| Exeter

A.D. 877, 878.] ENGAGEMENT AT SEA. 59
one mght a vision reveaUng to him the future. See more of
this Rollo in the Annals .*
In the year 877, the pagans, on the approach of autumn,
partly settled in Exeter, and partly marched for plunder into
Mercia. The number of that disorderly crew increased every
day, so that, if thirty thousand of them were slain in one
battle, others took their places to double the number. Then
king Alfred commanded boats and gaUeys, i. e. long ships, to
be buUt throughout the kingdom, in order to offer battle by
sea to the enemy as they were coming. On board of these
he placed seamen, and appointed them to watch the seas.
MeanwhUe he went Mmself to Exeter, where the pagans
were wmtermg, and having shut them up within the waUs,
laid siege to the town. He also gave orders to his sailors to
prevent them from obtaming any supplies by sea ; and his
saUors were encountered by a fleet of a hundred and twenty
ships full of armed soldiers, who were come to help their
countrymen. As soon as the king's men knew that they were
fitted with pagan soldiers, they leaped to their arms, and
bravely attacked those barbaric tribes : but the pagans, who
had now for almost a month been tossed and almost wrecked
among the waves of the sea, fought vainly against them ;
their bands were discomfited m a moment, and aU were sunk
and drowned in the sea, at a place caUed Suanewic.f
In the same year the army of pagans, leaving Wareham,
partly on horseback and partly by water, arrived at Suane-
wic, where one hundred and twenty of their ships were lost ;J
and king Alfred pursued their land-army as far as Exeter ;
there he made a covenant with them, and took hostages that
they would depart.
The same year, in the month of August, that army went
into Mercia, and gave part of that country to one Ceolwulf,
a weak-minded man, and one of the king's mimsters ; the
other part they divided among themselves.
In the year of our Lord's incarnation 878, which was the
* It is necessary to inform the reader that many passages of this work
are modern interpolations, made in the old MS. by a later hand. The
" Annals " referred to in the text are supposed not to be a genuine work
of Asser.
t Swanwich, in Dorsetshire.
t This clause is a mere repetition of the preceding. See a former note
in this pagp

60 asser's life of Alfred. u d. 878.
thirtieth of king Alfred's life, the army above-mentioned
left Exeter, and went to Chippenham, a royal vUla, situ
ated in the west of Wiltshire, and on the eastern bank of
the river, which is caUed in British, the Avon. There they
wintered, and drove many of the inhabitants of that country
beyond the sea by the force of their arms, and by want of
the necessaries of life. They reduced almost entirely to sub
jection all the people of that country.
At the same time the above-named Alfred, Mng of the
West-Saxons, with a few of his nobles, and certam soldiers
and vassals, used to lead an unquiet life among the wood
lands* of the county of Somerset, in great tribulation ; for he
had none of the necessaries of Ufe, except what he could
forage openly or stealtMly, by frequent saUies, from the pa
gans, or even from the Christians who had submitted to the
rule of the pagans, and as we read m the Life of St. Neot,
at the house of one of his cowherds.
But it happened on a certam day, that the countrywoman,
wife of the cowherd, was preparing some loaves to bake,
and the king, sitting at the hearth, made ready Ms bow and
arrows and other warlike instruments. The unlucky woman
espying the cakes burning at the fire, ran up to remove
them, and rebuking the brave kmg, exclaimed : —
Ca'sn thee mind the ke-aks, man, an' doossen zee 'em bum ?
I'm boun thee's eat 'em vast enough, az zoon az tiz the tum.+
The blundering woman little thought that it was king Al
fred, who had fought so many battles against the pagans, and
gained so many victories over them.
But the Almighty not only granted to the same glorious king
victories over his enemies, but also permitted him to be harass
ed by them, to be sunk down by adversities, and depressed
by the low estate of Ms followers, to the end that he might
learn that there is one Lord of aU things, to whom every
knee doth bow, and in whose hand are the hearts of Mngs;
who puts down the mighty from their seat and exalteth the
humble ; who suffers his servants when they are elevated at
the summit of prosperity to be touched by the rod of ad-
* Athelney, a morass formed by the conflux of the Thone and the Par-
ret. See Saxon Chron. p. 356, and Chronicle of Ethelwerd, p 31.
+ The original here is in Latin verse, and may therefore be rendered into
English verse, but such as every housewife in Somersetshire would under
stand.

A.D. 878J HIS SELF-WILL PUNISHED. 61
versity, that in their humility they may not despair of God's
mercy, and in their prosperity they may not boast of their
honours, but may also know, to whom they owe aU the
things which they possess.
We may believe that the calamity was brought upon the
king aforesaid, because, in the beginning of his reign, when
he was a youth, and influenced by youthful feelings, he would
not Usten to the petitions which his subjects made to him
for help in their necessities, or for relief from those who
oppressed them ; but he repulsed them from Mm, and paid
no heed to their requests. This particular gave much annoy
ance to the holy man St. Neot, who was his relation, and
often foretold to Mm, m the spirit of prophecy, that he would
suffer great adversity on this account ; but Alfred neither at
tended to the reproof of the man of God, nor listened to his
true prediction. Wherefore, seeing that a man's sins must
be corrected either m this world or the next, the true and
righteous Judge was wUling that his sin should not go un
punished in this world, to the end that he might spare
him in the world to come. From this cause, therefore, the
aforesaid Alfred often feU into such great misery, that some
times none of his subjects Miew where he was or what had
become of Mm.
In the same year the brother* of Hingwar and Halfdene,
with twenty-three ships, after much slaughter of the Chris
tians, came from the country of Demetia,f where he had
wintered, and sailed to Devon, where, with twelve hundred
others, he met with a miserable death, being slain while com
mitting Ms misdeeds, by the king's servants, before the castle
of Cynuit (Kynwith j), into which many of the king's servants,
with their followers, had fled for safety. The pagans, seeing
that the castle was altogether unprepared and unfortified,
except that it had waUs in our own fashion, determined not
to -assault it, because it was impregnable and secure on all
, sides, except on the eastern, as we ourselves have seen, but
they began to blockade it, thinking that those who were
inside would soon surrender either from famine or want of
water, for the castle had no spring near it. But the result
did not fall out as they expected ; for the Christians, before
they began to suffer from want, inspired' by Heaven, judging
* Probably the sanguinary Hubba. ¦(¦ Or South Wales.
% Kynwith castle stood on the river Taw. Camden, p. 35.

62 ASSER'S LIFE OF ALFRED. U-D. 878.
it much better to gain victory or death, attacked the pagans
suddenly in the morning, and from the first cut them down
in great numbers, slaying also their king, so that few escaped
to their ships ; and there they gained a very large booty, and
amongst other things the standard caUed Raven; for they
say that the three sisters of Hmgwar and Hubba, daughters
of Lodobroch, wove that flag and got it ready m one day.
They say, moreover, that m every battle, wherever that flag
went before them, if they were to gain the victory a live
crow would appear flymg on the middle of the flag ; but if
they were doomed to be defeated it would hang down motion
less, and' this was often proved to be so.
The same year, after Easter, kmg Alfred, with a few fol
lowers, made for himseU a stronghold m a place caUed
Athelney, and from thence saUied with his vassals and the
nobles of Somersetshire, to make frequent assaults upon the
pagans. Also, in the seventh week after Easter, he rode to
the stone of Egbert,* which is m the eastern part of the wood
which is caUed Selwood,f wMch means m Latin SUva Magna,
the Great Wood, but in British Coit-mawr. Here he was met
by aU the neighbouring folk of Somersetshire, and WUtshire,
and Hampshire, who had not, for fear of the pagans, fled
beyond the sea ; and when they saw the Mng aUve after such
great tribulation, they received Mm, as he deserved, with joy
and acclamations, and encamped there for one mght. When
the foUowing day dawned, the kmg struck his camp, and
went to Okely,J where he encamped for one mght. The
next mornmg he removed to Edmgton, and there fought
bravely and persevermgly against aU the army of the pagans,
whom, with the divme help, he defeated with great slaughter,
and pursued them flying to their fortification. Immediately
he slew aU the men, and carried off aU the booty that he
could find without the fortress, wMch he mamediately laid
siege to with all his army ; and when he had been there
fourteen days, the pagans, driven by famine, cold, fear, and
last of all by despair, asked for peace, on the condition that
they should give the king as many hostages as he pleased,
but should receive none of Mm m return, in which form they
• Now called Brixton Deverill, in Wilts.
T Selwood Forest extended from Frome to Burham, and was probably
much larger at one time.
J Or Iglea. Supposed to be Leigh, now Westbury, Wilts.

A.D. 876-882.] BAPTISM OF GOTHRTJN. 63
had never before made a treaty with any one. The king,
hearing that, took pity upon them, and received such hostages
as he chose ; after which the pagans swore, moreover, that
they would immediately leave the kingdom ; and their king,
GotMun, promised to embrace Christianity, and receive
baptism at Mng Alfred's hands. AU of which articles he
and his men fuMUed as they had promised. For after seven
weeks Gothrun, king of the pagans, with thirty men chosen
from the army, came to Alfred at a place called AUer, near
AtheMey, and there kmg Alfred, receiving him as Ms son
by adoption, raised him up from the holy laver of baptism
on the eighth day, at a royal villa named Wedmore,* where
the holy chrism was poured upon him.f After his baptism he
remained twelve nights with the king, who, with all his
nobles, gave Mm many fine houses.
In the year of our Lord's Mcarnation 879, which was the
thirty-first of Mng Alfred, the aforesaid army of pagans
leaving Chippenham, as they had promised, went to Ciren
cester, which is caUed in British Cair Cori, and is situate in
the southern part of the Wiccii,J and there they remamed
one year.
In the same year, a large army of pagans sailed from
foreign parts mto the river Thames, and jomed the army
which was aheady m the country. They wintered at Fulham
near the river Thames.
In the same year an ecUpse of the sun took place, between
three o'clock and the evenmg, but nearer to three o'clock.
In the year of our Lord's incarnation 880, which was the
thirty-second of Mng AUred, the above named army of
pagans left Cirencester, and went among the East Angles,
where they divided out the country and began to settle.
The same year the army of pagans, which had wintered at
Fulham, left the island of Britain, and saUed over the sea
to the eastern part of France, where they remained a year
at a place caUed Ghent.
In the year of our Lord's mcarnation 881, whicii was the
* Wedmore is four miles and three quarters from Axbridge, in Somer
setshire. + In the Saxon Chronicle (a.d. 878) it is said, that Gothrun was bap
tized at Aller, and his chrism-loosing was at Wedmore. The chrismal was
a white linen cloth put on the head at the administration of baptism, which
was taken off at the expiration of eight days.
% Inhabitants of Gloucester, Worcester, and part of Warwickshire.

64 ASSER'S LIFE OF ALFRED. [a.d. 883, 884.
thirty-third of Mng Alfred's life, the aforesaid army went higher
up into France ; and the French fought agamst them ; and
after the battle the pagans obtamed horses and became an
army of cavalry.
In the year of our Lord's incarnation 882, the thirty-fourth
of king Alfred's life, the above named army steered their
ships up into France by a river caUed the Mese [Meuse] and
there wintered one year.
In the same year Alfred, Mng of the Anglo-Saxons, fought
a battle by sea agamst the pagan fleet, of which he captured
two ships, having slain aU who were on board; and the
two commanders of two other sMps, with aU their crews,
distressed by the battle and the wounds which they had re
ceived, laid down their arms and submitted to the king.
In the year of our Lord's incarnation 883, wMch was the
thirty-fifth of kmg Alfred's Ufe, the aforesaid army went
up the river caUed Scald [Scheldt] to a convent of nuns caUed
Cundoht [Conde] and there remamed a year.
In the year of our Lord's incarnation 884, wMch was the
thirty-sixth of king AUred's life, the aforesaid army divided
into two parts ; one body of them went mto East France,
and the other coming to Britam entered Kent, where they
besieged a city caUed in Saxon Rochester, and situated on
the eastern bank of the river Medway. Before the gate of
the town the pagans suddenly erected a strong fortress, hut
yet they were unable to take the city, because the citizens
defended themselves bravely, until king Alfred came up to
help them with a large army. Then the pagans abandoned
their fortress, and aU their horses which they had brought
with them out of France, and leaving behind them in the
fortress the greater part of their prisoners, on the arrival of
the king, fled immediately to their ships, and the Saxons im
mediately seized on the prisoners and horses left by the
pagans ; and so the pagans, compeUed by stern necessity,
returned the same summer to France.
In the same year Alfred, king of the Anglo-Saxons, led
his fleet, full of fighting men, out of Kent to the country of
the East Angles, for the sake of plunder ;* and, when they
• This expression paints in Btrong colours the unfortunate and divided
state of England at this period, for it shows that the Danes had settled
possession of parts of it. In fact, all traces of the heptarchy, or ancient
division of the island into provinces, did not entirely disappear until some
years after the Norman conquest.

a.d. 884.] DEATH OF POPE MARTIN. 65
had arrived at the mouth of the river Stour,* immediately
thirteen ships of the pagans met them, prepared for battle ;
a fierce fight ensued, and all the pagans, after a brave resist
ance, were slain ; all the ships, with all their money, were
taken. After this, whUe the royal fleet were reposing, the
pagans, who Uved m the eastern part of England, assembled
their ships, met the same royal fleet at sea in the mouth of
the same river, and, after a naval battle, the pagans gained
the victory.
In the same year, also, Carloman, king of the Western
Franks, wMlst hunting a wUd boar, was miserably kiUed by
a large ammal of that species, which inflicted a dreadful
wound on Mm with its tusk. His brother Louis [III], who
had also been kmg of the Franks, died the year before. These
two brothers were sons of Loms, Mng of the Franks, who
had died in the year above mentioned, m which the ecUpse
of the sun took place ; and it was he whose daughter Judith
was given by her father's wish in marriage to Ethelwulf,
kmg of the West Saxons.
In the same year also a great army of the pagans came
from Germany mto the country of the ancient Saxons, which
is caUed m Saxon Ealdseaxum.f To oppose them the said
Saxons and Frisons joined their forces, and fought bravely
twice in that same year. In both those battles the Christians,
with the merciful aid of the Lord, obtained the victory.
In the same year also, Charles, kmg of the Almains, re
ceived, with universal consent, aU the territories which Ue
between the Tyrrhenian sea and that gulf which runs between
the old Saxons and the Gauls, except the kingdom of Ar
morica, i. e. Lesser Britam. This Charles was the son of
king Louis, who was brother of Charles, king of the Franks,
father of the aforesaid queen Judith; these two brothers
were sons of Louis, but Louis was the son of the great, the
ancient, and wise Charlemagne, who was the son of Pepin.
In the same year pope Martin, of blessed memory, went
the way of aU flesh ; it was he who, in regard for Alfred,
king of the Anglo-Saxons, and at his request, freed the
school of the Anglo-Saxons resident at Rome from all tribute
and tax. He also sent many gifts on that occasion, among
* Not the river Stour, in Kent; but the Stour which divides Essex from
Suffolk. Lambard fixes the battle at Harwich haven.
f Or, Old Saxons. J?

66 ASSER'S LIFE OF ALFRED. [a.d. 884.
which was no smaU portion of the holy and venerable cross
on which our Lord Jesus Christ was suspended, for the
general salvation of mankind.
In the same year also the army of pagans, which dwelt
among the East Angles, disgracefully broke the peace which
they had concluded with king Alfred.
Wherefore, to return to that from which I digressed, that
I may not be compeUed by my long navigation to abandon
the port of rest which I was makmg for, I propose, as far as
my knowledge wiU enable me, to speak of the Ufe and cha
racter and just conduct of my lord Alfred, Mng of the
Anglo-Saxons, after he married the above named respected
lady of Mercian race, his wife ; and, with God's blessing, I
will despatch it succinctly and briefly, as I promised, that I
may not offend the deUcate minds of my readers by prolixity
in relating each new event.
His nuptials were honourably celebrated in Mercia, among
innumerable multitudes of people of both sexes ; and after
continual feasts, both by night and by day, he was imme
diately seized, in presence of aU the people, by sudden and
overwhelming pain, as yet unknown to aU the physicians ;
for it was unknown to aU who were then present, and even
to those who daily see Mm up to the present time, — which,
sad to say ! is the worst of aU, that he should have protracted
it so long from the twentieth to the fortieth year of Ms life,
and even more than that through the space of so many years, —
from what cause so great a malady arose. For many thought
that this was occasioned by the favour and fascmation of
the people who surrounded Mm ; others, by some spite of the
devU, who is ever jealous of the good ; others, from an un
usual kind of fever. He had tMs sort of severe disease from
his chUdhood ; but once, divme Providence so ordered it,
that when he was on a visit to Cornwall for the sake of
hunting, and had turned out of the road to pray in a certain
chapel, in which rests the body of Saint Guerir,* and now
also St. Neotf rests there, — for king Alfred was always from
Ms infancy a frequent visitor of holy places for the sake of
prayer and almsgiving, — he prostrated Mmself for private
devotion, and, after some time spent therem, he entreated of
* St. Guerir's church was at Ham Stoke, in Cornwall.
t An interesting account of St. Neot will be found in Gorham's History
and Antiquities of Eyncsbury and St. Neot's.

A.D. 884.] HIS FAMILY. 67
God's mercy, that in his boundless clemency he would ex
change the torments of the malady which then afflicted him
for some other Ughter disease ; but with this condition, that
such disease should not show itself outwardly m his body,
lest he should be an object of contempt, and less able to
benefit mankind ; for he had great dread of leprosy or blind
ness, or any such complaint, as makes men useless or con
temptible when it afflicts them. When he had finished his
prayers, he proceeded on Ms journey, and not long after he
felt within Mm that by the hand of the Almighty he was
healed, according to his request, of Ms disorder, and that it
was entirely eradicated, although he had first had even tMs
complamt in the flower of his youth, by Ms devout and pious
prayers and suppUcations to Almighty God. For if I may
be aUowed to speak briefly, but in a somewhat preposterous
order, of his zealous piety to God, m the flower of his youth,
before he entered the marriage state, he wished to strengthen
his mind in the observance of God's commandments, for he
perceived that he could with difficulty abstain from gratifying
his carnal desires ; and, because he feared the anger of God,
if he should do anythmg contrary to his will, he used often
to rise in the mornmg at the cock-crow, and go to pray in the
churches and at the reUcs of the saints. There he prostrated
MmseU on the ground, and prayed that God m Ms mercy
would strengthen his mmd stiU more m his service by some
infirmity such as he might bear, but not such as would
render Mm imbecile and contemptible m Ms worldly duties ;
and when he had often prayed with much devotion to this
effect, after an interval of some time, Providence vouchsafed
to afflict him with the above-named disease, which he bore
long and pamfuUy for many years, and even despaired of
Ufe, until he entirely got rid of it by his prayers ; but, sad
to say ! it was replaced, as we have said, at Ms marriage by
another which mcessantly tormented him, night and day,
from the twentieth to the forty-fourth year of his Ufe. But
if ever, by God's mercy, he was relieved from this mfirmity
for a single day or mght, yet the fear and dread of that
dreadful malady never left him, but rendered him almost
useless, as he thought, for every duty, whether human or
divme. I
The sons and daughters, which he had by his wife above
mentioned were EtheMed the eldest, after whom came Ed-
f 2

68 asser's life of Alfred. La.d. 884.
ward, then Ethelgiva, then Ethelswitha, and Ethelwerd,
besides those who died m their infancy, one of whom was
Edmund. Ethelfled, when she arrived at a marriageable age,
was umted to Ethered, earl of Mercia ; Ethelgiva also was
dedicated to God, and submitted to the rules of a monastic
life. Ethelwerd the youngest, by the divme counsels and the
admirable prudence of the kmg, was consigned to the schools
of learning, where, with the children of almost aU the nobi
lity of the country, and many also who were not noble, he
prospered under the dUigent care of Ms teachers. Books in
both languages, namely, Latin and Saxon, were both read in
the school. They also learned to write ; so that before they
were of an age to practice manly arts, namely, hunting and
such pursuits as befit noblemen, they became studious and
clever in the liberal arts. Edward and Ethelswitha were bred
up in tha king's court and received great attention from their
attendants and nurses ; nay, they contmue to tMs day, with
the love of all about them, and showing affabiUty, and even
gentleness towards aU, both natives and foreigners, and in
complete subjection to their father; nor, among their other
studies which appertain to tMs life and are fit for noble
youths, are they suffered to pass their time idly and unprofit-
ably without learning the liberal arts ; for they have carefully
learned the Psalms and Saxon books, especiaUy the Saxon
poems, and are contmuaUy m the habit of maMng use of
books. In the meantime, the king, during the frequent wars and
other trammels of this present Ufe, the mvasions of the
pagans, and Ms own daily infirmities of body, continued to
carry on the government, and to exercise hunting m aU its
branches ; to teach his workers m gold and artificers of all
kinds, Ms falconers, hawkers and dog-keepers ; to buUd houses,
majestic and good, beyond all the precedents of Ms ances
tors, by his new mechanical inventions ; to recite the Saxon
books, and especiaUy to learn by heart the Saxon poems, and
to make others learn them ; and he alone never desisted from
studying, most diligently, to the best of his abUity; he attended
the mass and other daily services of religion ; he was fre
quent in psalm-singing and prayer, at the hours both of
the day and the night. He also went to the churches, as we
have already said, in the night-time to pray, secretly, and
unknown to his courtiers; he bestowed alms and largesses on

A.D. 884.] HIS THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE. 69
both natives and foreigners of aU countries ; he was affable
and pleasant to all, and curiously eager to mvestigate thmgs
unknown.^ Many Franks, Frisons, Gauls, pagans, Britons,
Scots, and Armoricans, noble and ignoble, submitted vo
luntarily to his dominion ; and aU of them, accordmg to
their nation and deserving, were ruled, loved, honoured, and
enriched with money and power. Moreover, the Mng was m
the habit of hearing the divme scriptures read by his own coun
trymen, or, if by any chance it so happened, in company with
foreigners, and he attended to it with sedulity and solicitude.
His bishops, too, and all ecclesiastics, his earls and nobles,
ministers and friends, were loved by him with wonderful af
fection, and their sons, who were bred up in the royal house
hold, were no less dear to Mm than his own ; he had them
instructed m all kinds of good morals, and among other
things, never ceased to teach them letters night and day ; but
as if he had no consolation m aU these tMngs, and suffered
no other annoyance either from within or without, yeti he
was harassed by daUy and nightly affliction, that he com
plained to God, and to aU who were admitted to his famUiar
love, that Almighty God had made him ignorant of divine
wisdom, and of the liberal arts ; in this emulating the pious,
the wise, and wealthy Solomon, king of the Hebrews, who
at first, despising all present glory and riches, asked wisdom
of God, and found both, namely, wisdom and worldly glory ;
as it is written, " Seek first the kingdom of God and his
righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.",
But God, who is always the mspector of the thoughts of the
mind within, and the mstigator of all good mtentions, and a
most plentiful aider, that good desires may be formed, — for
he would not mstigate a man to good intentions, unless he
also amply supplied that which the man justly and properly
wishes to have, — instigated the king's mind witMn ; as it is
written, " I wiU hearken what the Lord God wUl say concern
ing me." He would avail himself of every opportunity to
procure coadjutors in his good designs, to aid him in his
strivings after wisdom, that he might attain to what he aimed
at ; and, Uke a prudent bird, which rising in summer with
the early mornmg from her beloved nest, steers her rapid
flight through the uncertain tracks of ether, and descends
bn the manifold and varied flowers of grasses, herbs, and
shrubs, essaymg that which pleases most, that she may bear

70 ASSER S LIFE OF ALFRED. i^-D. 881.
it to her home, so did he direct his eyes afar, and seek
without, that which he had not witMn, namely, m Ms own
kingdom. But God at that time, as some consolation to the Mng's
benevolence, yielding to his complamt, sent certain lights
to illuminate him, namely, Werefrith, bishop of the church
of Worcester, a man well versed m divme scripture, who,
by the Mng's command, first turned the books of the
Dialogues of pope Gregory and Peter, Ms disciple, from
Latin into Saxon, and sometimes putting sense for sense,
interpreted them with clearness and elegance. After him.
was Plegmund, a Mercian by birth, archbishop of the church
of Canterbury, a venerable man, and endowed with wisdom ;
Ethelstan also, and Werewulf, his priests and chaplains, Mer
cians by birth, and erudite. These four had been Mvited out
of Mercia by Mng Alfred, who exalted them with many
honours and powers in the kmgdom of the West-Saxons,
besides the privileges which archbishop Plegmund and bishop
Werefrith enjoyed in Mercia. By their teaching and wisdom
the king's desires increased unceasingly, and were gratified.
Night and day, whenever he had leisure, he commanded such
men as these to read books to him ; for he never suffered
himself to be without one of them, wherefore he possessed a
knowledge of every book, though of himself he could not
yet understand anythmg of books, for he had not yet learned
to read any thing.
But the Mng's commendable avarice could not be gratified
even in this ; wherefore he sent messengers beyond the sea
to Gaul, to procure teachers, and he mvited from thence
Grimbald,* priest and monk, a venerable man, and good
singer, adorned with every kmd of ecclesiastical disciphne
and good morals, and most learned m holy scripture. He
also obtained from thence John,f also priest and monk, a man
of most energetic talents, and learned in aU kinds .of Uterary
science, and skilled in many other arts. By the teacMng of
these men the king's mmd was much enlarged, and he en
riched and honoured them with much influence.
In these times, I also came into Saxony out of the furthest
coasts of Western Britain ; and when I had proposed to go
to him through many intervening provmces, I arrived m the
• Grimbald was provost of St. Omer's.
t John had been connected with the monastery of Corbie.

a.d.884. asser, Alfred's teacher. 71
country of the Saxons, who live on the right hand, which in
Saxon is caUed Sussex, under the gmdance of some of that
nation ; and there I first saw him in the royal viU, which is
caUed Dene.* He received me with Mndness, and among
other familiar conversation, he asked me eagerly to devote
myself to his service and become his friend, to leave every
thing which I possessed on the left, or western bank of the
Severn, and he promised he would give more than an equi
valent for it m his own dominions. I replied that I could
not mcautiously and rashly promise such things ; for it
seemed to me unjust, that I should leave those sacred
places in which I had been bred, educated, and crowned,!
and at last ordained, for the sake of any earthly honour and
power, unless by compulsion. Upon this, he said, " If you
cannot accede to this, at least, let me have your service in
part : spend six months of the year with me here, and the
other six m Britam." To tMs, I repUed, " I could not even
promise that easily or hastily without the advice of my
friends." At length, however, when I perceived that he was
anxious for my services, though I Miew not why, I promised
Mm that, if my Ufe was spared, I would return to him after
six months, with such a reply as should be agreeable to him
as well as advantageous to me and mine. With this answer
he was satisfied, and when I had given him a pledge to return
at the appointed time, on the fourth day we left him anij
returned on horseback towards our own country.
After our departure, a violent fever seized me in the city
of Winchester, where I lay for twelve months and one week,
night and day, without hope of recovery. At the appomted
time, therefore, I could not fulfil my promise of visiting him,
and he sent messengers to hasten my journey, and to inquire
the cause of my delay. As I was unable to ride to him, I
sent a second messenger to tell him the cause of my delay,
and assure him that, if I recovered from my infirmity, I
would fulfil what I had promised. My complaint left me,
and by the advice and consent of aU my friends,* for the
benefit of that holy place, and of aU who dwelt therem,
• East Dene [or Dean] and West Dene are two villages near Chiches
ter. There are also other villages of the same name near East Bourne.
t This expression alludes to the tonsure, which was undergone by those
who became clerks. For a description of the ecclesiastical tonsure see
Bede's Eccles. Hist. p. 160.

72 asser's life of Alfred. [a.d. 884.
I did as I had promised to the king, and devoted myself
to his service, on the condition that I should remain with
Mm six months in every year, either continuously, if I
could spend six months with Mm at once, or alternately,
tMee months m Britain and three in Saxony* For my
friends hoped that they should sustam less tribulation and
harm from kmg Hemeid,+ who often plundered that monastery
and the parish of St. Deguus.J and sometimes expeUed the
prelates, as they expeUed archbishop Novis,§ my relation,
and myself ; if in any manner I could secure the notice and
friendship of the kmg.
At that time, and long before, all the countries on the right
hand side of Britam belonged to Mng Alfred and still he-
long to him. For instance, king Hemeid, with aU the
mhabitants of the region of Demetia, compeUed by the vio
lence of the six sons of Rotri, had submitted to the domimon
of the king. Howel also, son of Ris, Mng of Gleguising,
and BrocmaU and FernmaU, sons of Mouric, Mngs of Gwent,
compeUed by the violence and tyranny of earl Ethered and
of the Mercians, of their own accord sought Mng Alfred,
that they might enjoy his government and protection from
Mm against their enemies. Helised, also, son of Tendyr,
kmg of Brecon, compeUed by the force of the same sons of
Rotri, of his own accord sought the government of the afore
said kmg ; and Anarawd, son of Rotri, with his brother, at
length abandoning the friendship of the Northumbrians,
from which he received no good but harm, came mto king
Alfred's presence and eagerly sought his friendsMp. The
king received Mm honourably, received him as his son by
confirmation from the bishop's hand, and presented Mm with
many gifts. Thus he became subject to the kmg with aU
Ms people, on the same condition, that he should be obedient
to the king's wUl in aU respects, m the same way as Ethered
with the Mercians.
Nor was it m vam that aU these prmces gamed the
* The original Latin continues, " Et ilia adjuvaretur per rudimenta
Sancti Degui in omni causa, tamen pro viribus," which I do not under
stand, and therefore cannot translate.
+ A petty prince of South Wales.
t Or St. Dewi. Probably by the parish of St. Deguus is meant the
diocese of St. David's. Hence it is said, that Alfred gave to Asser the
whole parish (omnis parochia) of Exeter.
§ Archbishop of St. David's.

a.d. 886.] Alfred's gifts to asser. 73
friendship of the kmg. For those who desired to augment
their worldly power, obtained power ; those who desired
money, gained money; and in like way, those who desired
Ms friendship, or both money and friendship, succeeded in
getting what they wanted. But all of them gained his love
and guardianship and defence from every quarter, even as the
kmg with Ms men could protect Mmself.
When therefore I had come Mto his presence at the royal
vUl, caUed Leonaford, I was honourably received by him, and
remamed that time with him at his court eight months ; during
which I read to him whatever books he liked, and such as he
had at hand ;//for this is Ms most usual custom, both mght
and day, amid his many other occupations of mmd and body,
either himself to read books, or to listen whilst others read
them. / And when I frequently asked his leave to depart,
and could in no way obtain it, at length when I had made
up my mmd by all means to demand it, he caUed me to
Mm at twUight, on Christmas eve, and gave me two letters,
in wMch was a long Ust of aU the things which were in
two monasteries, caUed m Saxon, Ambresbury* and Banwelljf
and on that same day he delivered to me those two mo
nasteries with aU the things that were m them, and a sUken
paU of great value, and a load for a strong man, of incense,
adding these words, that he did not give me these trifling
presents, because he was unwiUing hereafter to give me
greater ; for in the course of time he unexpectedly gave me
Exeter, with all the diocese which belonged to him m SaxonyJ
and in CornwaU, besides gifts every day, without number, m
every kind of worldly wealth, which it would be too long to
enumerate here, lest they should make my reader tired.
But let no one suppose that I have mentioned these pre
sents in this place for the sake of glory or flattery, or to
obtain greater honour. I call God to witness, that I have
not done so ; but that I might certify to those who are igno
rant, how profuse he is in giving. He then at once gave
me permission to ride to those two rich monasteries and
afterwards to return to my own country.
In the year of our Lord's incarnation, 886, which was the
tMrty-eighth smce the birth of Alfred, the army so often
beforementioned again fled the country, and went into the
country of the Western Franks, directing their ships to the
* Amesbury, in Wilts. t In Somersetshire. J Wessex.

74 ASSER'S LIFE OF ALFRED. [a.d. 887/
river called the Seine, and saUed up it as far as the city of
Paris, and there they wmtered and measured out their camp.
They besieged that city a whole year, as far as the bridge,
that they might prevent the mhabitants from making use of
it ; for the city is situated on a smaU island m the middle
of the river; but by the merciful favour of God, and the
brave defence of citizens, the army could not force their way
mside the waUs.
In the same year, Alfred, Mng of the Anglo-Saxons, after
the burnmg of cities and the slaymg of the people, honour
ably rebuilt the city of London, and made it agam habitable.
He gave it mto the custody of Ms son-m-law, Ethered, earl
of Mercia, to which kmg aU the Angles and Saxons, who
before had been dispersed everywhere, or were m captivity
with the pagans, voluntarily turned and submitted themselves
to his dominion.
* [In the same year there arose a foul and deadly discord
at Oxford, between Grimbald, with those learned men whom
he had brought with him, and the old scholars whom he had
found there, who, on his arrival, refused altogether to em
brace the laws, modes, and forms of preelection mstituted hy
the same Grimbald. During tMee years there had been no
great dissension between them, but there was a secret enmity
which afterwards broke out with great atrocity, clearer than
the Ught itself. To appease tMs quarrel, that mvmcible Mng
Alfred, having been mformed of the strife by a messenger
from Grimbald, went to Oxford to put an end to the contro
versy, and endured much trouble m hearing the arguments
and complamts which were brought forwards on both sides.
The substance of the dispute was this : the old scholars con
tended, that Uterature had flourished at Oxford before the
coming of Grimbald, although the number of scholars was
smaller than in ancient time, because several had been driven
away by the cruelty and tyranny of the pagans. They also
proved and showed, by the undoubted testimony of ancient
annals, that the orders and mstitutions of that place had
been sanctioned by certain pious and learned men, as for
instance by Saint GUdas, Melkmus, Nenmus, Kentigern, and
others, who had all grown old there M Uterature, and happily
? The whole of this paragraph concerning Oxford is thought to be an
interpolation, because it is not known to have existed in more than one
MS. copy.

A.D. 8S7. DISPUTES AT OXFORD. 75
admmistered everything there m peace and concord ; and
also, that Samt Germanus had come to Oxford, and stopped
there half a year, at the time when he went through Britain
to preach agamst the Pelagian heresy ; he wonderfully ap
proved of the customs and institutions above-mentioned.
The Mng, with unheard-of humility, listened to both sides care
fuUy, and exhorted them again and again with pious and
wholesome admonitions to cherish mutual love and concord.
He therefore left them with this decision, that each party
should fbUow their own counsel, and preserve their own
mstitutions. Grimbald, displeased at this, immediately de
parted to the monastery at Winchester,* which had been
recently founded by kmg Alfred, and ordered a tomb to be
carried to Wmchester, m which he proposed, after this life,
that his bones should be laid in the vault which had been
made under the chancel of St. Peter's church m Oxford ;
which church the same Grimbald had buUt from its foun
dations, of stone poUshed with great care.]
In the year of our Lord's mcarnation 887, which was the
thirty-ninth of kmg Alfred's Ufe, the above mentioned army
of the pagans, leaving the city of Paris unmjured, because
they could not succeed agamst it, sailed up the river Seine
under the bridge, untU they reached the mouth of the river
Materne [Marne] ; where they left the Seine, and, foUowing
for a long time the course pf the Marne, at length, but not
without much labour, they arrived at a place called Chezy, a
royal vill, where they wintered one year. In the following
year they entered the mouth of the river Ionna [Yonne], not
without doing much damage to the country, and there re-
maine one year.
In the same year Charles, kmg of the Franks, went the
way of all flesh; but Arnuif, his brother's son, six weeks
before he died, had expeUed Mm from his kingdom. After
his death five Mngs were appointed, and the kmgdom was
spUt into five parts ; but the principal rank in the kingdom
justly and deservedly devolved on Arnutf, save only that he
committed an unworthy offence agamst his uncle. The other
four Mngs promised fidelity and obedience to Arnuif, as was
proper ; for none of these four kings was hereditary on Ms
father's side m his share of the Mngdom, as was Arnutf;
therefore, though the five Mngs were appomted immediately
• Hyde Abbey.

76- ASSER'S LIFE OF ALFRED. [a-d. 887.
on the death of Charles, yet the empire remamed m the
hands of Arnuif.
Such, then, was the division of the kingdom ; Arnutf re
ceived the countries on the east of the river Rhme ; Rodulf
the inner parts of the Mngdom; Oda the western part;
Beorngar and Gmdo, Lombardy, and those countries wMch
are m that part of the mountains ; but they did not keep
these large domimons in peace, for they twice fought a
pitched battle, and often mutually ravaged their kingdoms,
and drove each other out of their domimons.
In the same year m wMch that [pagan] army left Paris
and went to Chezy, Ethelhelm, earl of WUtshire, carried to
Rome the alms of king Alfred and of the Saxons.
In the same year also Alfred, Mng of the Anglo-Saxons,
so often before mentioned, by divine inspiration, began, on
one and the same day, to read and to mterpret ; but that I
may explain this more fuUy to those who are ignorant, I will
relate the cause of tMs long delay m beginning.
On a certam day we were both of us sitting in the king's
chamber, talMng on aU Mnds of subjects, as usual, and it
happened that I read to Mm a quotation out of a certain
book. He heard it attentively with both Ms ears, and ad'
dressed me with a thoughtful mind, showing me at the same
moment a book wMch he carried m Ms bosom, wherein the
daUy courses and psahns, and prayers which he had read in
Ms youth, were written, and he commanded me to write the
same quotation in that book. Hearing this, and perceiving
his mgenuous benevolence, and devout desire of studying
the words of divme wisdom, I gave, though m secret, bound
less thanks to Almighty God, who had implanted such a love
of wisdom m the Mng's heart. But I could not find any
empty space m that book wherem to write the quotation, for
it was already fuU of various matters ; wherefore I made a
Uttle delay, principaUy that I might stir up the bright intel
lect of the Mng to a higher acquamtance with the divme tes
timonies. Upon his urgmg me to make haste and write it
qmckly, I said to him, " Are you wilUng that I should write
that quotation on some leaf apart ? For it is not certain
whether we shaU not find one or more other such extracts
which will please you ; and if that should so happen, we
shaU be glad that we have kept them apart." " Your plan
is good," said he, and I gladly made haste to get ready a

a.d. 888.] HIS THEOLOGICAL STUDIES. 77 '
sheet, in the beginning of which I wrote what he bade me ;
and on that same day, I wrote therein, as I had anticipated,
no less than three other quotations which pleased him ; and
from that time we daily talked together, and found out other
quotations which pleased him, so that the sheet became fuU,
and deservedly so ; according as it is written, " The just
man builds upon a moderate foundation, and by degrees
passes to greater things." Thus, like a most productive bee,
he flew here and there, asking questions, as he went, until
he had eagerly and unceasingly collected many various
flowers of divine Scriptures, with wMch he tMcMy stored the
cells of his mind.
Now when that first quotation was copied, he was eager at
once to read, and to interpret in Saxon, and then to teach
others ; even as we read of that happy robber, who recog
nized his Lord, aye, the Lord of all men, as he was hangmg
on the blessed cross, and, saluting Mm with his bodUy eyes
only, because elsewhere he was all pierced with nails, cried,
" Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom !"
for it was only at the end of his life that he began to learn
the rudiments of the Christian faith. ' But the king, inspired
by God, began to study the rudiments of divine Scripture on
the sacred solemnity of St. Martin [Nov. 11], and he con
tinued to learn the flowers collected by certain masters, and
to reduce them into the form of one book, as he was then
able, although mixed one with another, until it became almost
as large as a psalter. This book he called his Enchiridion
or Manual, because he carefully kept it at hand day and
night, and found, as he told me, no smaU consolation therein.
But as has already been written by a certain wise man,
" Of watchful minds are they whose pious care
It is to govern well,"
so must I be watchful, in that I just now drew a kind of com
parison or similarity, though in dissimUar manner, between that
happy robber and the king ; for the cross is hateful 'to every
one, wherever there is suffering. But what can he do, if he
cannot save Mmself or escape thence ? or by what art can he
remam there and improve his cause ? He must, therefore,
whether he wiU or no, endure with pam and sorrow that
which he is suffering.
¦Now the king was pierced with many naUs of tribulation,

78 ASSER S LIFE OF ALFRED. [a.d. 8S&
though placed m the royal seat ; for from the twentieth year
of his age to the present year, which is Ms fortieth * he has
been constantly afflicted with most severe attacks of an un
known complaint, so that he has not a moment's ease either
from suffering the pam which it causes, or from the gloom
which is thrown over Mm by the apprehension of its corning.
Moreover, the constant mvasions of foreign nations, by which
he was continuaUy harassed by land and sea, without any
interval of quiet, were a just cause of disqmet. What
shall I say of his repeated expeditions agamst the pagans,
his wars, and incessant occupations of government ? Of the
daily embassies sent to him by foreign nations, from the
Tyrrhenian sea to the farthest end of Ireland ?f For we
have seen and read letters, accompamed with presents, which
were sent to Mm by Abel the patriarch of Jerusalem. What
shaU I say of the cities and towns wMch he restored, and
of others which he buUt, where none had been before ? of
the royal haUs and chambers, wonderfully erected by his
command, with stone and wood ? of the royal viUs constructed
of stone, removed from their old site, and handsomely rebuilt
by the Mng's command M more fitting places ? Besides the
disease above mentioned, he was disturbed by the quarrels of
his friends, who would voluntarUy endure Uttle or no toil,
though it was for the common necessity of the Mngdom ;
but he alone, sustained by the divme aid, like a skilful
pilot, strove to steer his sMp, laden with much wealth, into
the safe and much desired harbour of his country, though
almost all his crew were tired, and suffered them not to faint
or hesitate, though saiUng amid the manifold waves and
eddies of this present Ufe.
For aU his bishops, earls, nobles, favourite mmisters, and
prefects, who, next to God and the Mng, had the whole go
vernment of the kingdom, as is fitting, continuaUy received
from Mm mstruction, respect, exhortation, and command ;
nay, at last, when they were disobedient, and Ms long patience
was exhausted, he would reprove them severely, and censure
at pleasure their vulgar foUy and obstinacy ; and M tMs way
he directed their attention to the common mterests of the
kingdom.^ But, owmg to the sluggishness of the people,
• This must, consequently have been written in a.d. 888.
+ Wise conjectures that we ought to read Hibcrue, Spain, and not
Hibemiae, Ireland, in this passage.

A.D 888.] ERECTS TWO MONASTERIES. 79
these admonitions of the king were either not fulfilled, or
were begun late at the moment of necessity, and so ended
less to the advantage of those who put them in execution ;
for I wiU say notMng of the castles which he ordered to be
buUt, but wMch, being begun late, were never finished, because
the hostile troops broke m upon them by land and sea, and,
as often happened, the thwarters of the royal ordmances re
pented when it was too late, and blushed at their non-perform
ance of his commands), I speak of repentance when it is too
late, on the testimony of Scripture, whereby numberless
persons have had cause for too much sorrow when many in
sidious evUs have been wrought. But though by thase
means, sad to say, they may be bitterly afflicted and roused
to sorrow by the loss of fathers, wives, children, ministers,
servant-men, servant-maids,' and. furniture arid household
stuff, what is the use of hateful repentance when their kms-
men are dead, and they cannot aid them, or redeem those
who are captive from captivity ? for they are not able even to
assist those who have escaped, as they have not wherewith
to sustam even their own Uves. They repented, therefore,
when it was too late, and grieved at their incautious neglect
of the king's commands, and they praised the royal wisdom
with one voice, and tried with aU their power to fulfil what
they had before refused, namely, concernmg the erectior of
castles, and other tMngs generally useful to the whole
Mngdom. ^
Of his fixed purpose of holy meditation, which, m the
midst of prosperity and adversity he never neglected, I cannot
with advantage now omit to speak. (For, whereas he often
thought of the necessities of Ms soul, among the other good
deeds to which his thoughts were night and day turned, he
ordered that two monasteries should be built, one for monks
at AtheMey, which is a place surrounded by impassable
marshes and. rivers, where no one can enter but by boats, or
by a bridge laboriously constructed between two other
heights ; at the western end of which bridge was greeted a
strong tower, of beautiful work, by command of the aforesaid
kmg ; and in this monastery he collected monks of all kinds,
from every quarter, and placed them therein, n
For at first, because he had no one of, his own nation,
noble and free by birth, who was willing to enter the mo
nastic Ufe, except chUdren, who could neither choose good

80 ASSER'S LIFE OF ALFRED. [a.d. 888.
nor avoid evil in consequence of their tender years, because
for many previous years the love of a monastic Ufe had utterly
decayed from that nation as weU as from many other nations,
though many monasteries stiU remam in that country; yet, as
no one directed the rule of that Mnd of life M a regular way,
for what reason I cannot say, either from the mvasions of
foreigners which took place so frequently both by sea and
land, or because that people abounded M riches of every
Mnd, and so looked with contempt on the monastic blfe. It
was for this reason that kmg Alfred sought to gather monks
of different kinds to place M the same monastery.
First he placed there as abbat, John* the priest and monk,
an old Saxon by birth, then certam priests and deacons from
beyond the sea ; of whom, finding that he had not as large a
number as he wished, he procured as many as possible of the
same GaUic race, some of whom, being chUdren, he ordere&,|
to be taught m the same monastery, and at a later period to
be admitted to the monastic habit. I have myself seen a
young lad of pagan birth who was educated m that monastery,
and by no means the Mndmost of them aU.
There was also a deed done once m that monastery, wMch
I would utterly consign to obUvion, although it is an un
worthy deed ; for throughout the whole of Scripture the base
deeds of the wicked are mterspersed among the blessed deeds
of the just, as tares and darnel are sown among the wheat:
good deeds are recorded that they may be praised and imi
tated, and that their imitators may be held m aU honour ;
wicked deeds are there related, that they may be censured
and avoided, and their imitators be reproved with all odium,
contempt, and vengeance.
For once upon a time, a certain priest and a deacon, Gauls
by birth, and two of the aforesaid monks, by the insti
gation of the devil, and excited by some secret jealousy,
became so embittered m secret against their abbat, the above
mentioned John, that, like Jews, they circumvented and be
trayed their master. For whereas he had two servants, whom
he had hired out of Gaul, they taught these such wicked
practices, that m the night, when aU men were enjoymg the
sweet tranquiUity of sleep, they should make their way into
the church armed, and shutting it behmd them as usual, hide
themselves therem, and wait for the moment when the abbat
* Not the celebrated John. Scotus Eregina.

A.D. 888.] JOHN THE ABBAT. 81
should enter the church alone. At length; when he should
come alone to pray, and, bending his knees, bow before the
holy altar, the men should rush on him with hostility, and
try to slay him on the spot. They then should drag his
lifeless body out of the church, and throw it down before the
house of a certain harlot, as if he had been slain whilst on a
visit to her. This was their macMnation, adding crime to
crime, as it is said, " The last error shaU be worse than the
first." But the divine mercy, which always delights to aid the
innocent, frustrated in great part the wicked design of the
wicked men, so that it should not turn out in every respect
as they had proposed.
When, therefore, the whole of the evU counsel had been
explamed by those wicked teachers to their wicked agents,
and the night which had been fixed on as most fit was come,
the two armed ruffians were placed, with a promise of im
punity, to await in the church for the arrival of the abbat.
In the middle of the mght John, as usual, entered the
church to pray, without any one's knowing of it, and knelt
before the altar. The two ruffians rushed upon Mm with
drawn swords, and dealt him some severe wounds. But he,
hemg a man of a brave mind, and, as we have heard say, not
unacquamted with the art of self-defence, if he had not been
a foUower of a better caUing, no sooner heard the sound of
the robbers, before he saw them, than he rose up against
them before he was wounded, and, shouting as loud as he
could, struggled agamst them, crying out that they were
devils and not men; for he himself knew no better, as he
thought that no men would dare to attempt such a deed.
He was, however, wounded before any of his people could
come to his help. His attendants, roused by the noise, were
frightened when they heard the word devils, and both those
two who, Uke Jews, sought to betray their master, and the
Others who knew nothmg of the matter, rushed together to
the doors of the church ; but before they got there those
ruffians escaped, leavMg the abbat half dead. The monks
raised the old man, in a fainting condition, and carried him
home with tears and lamentations ; nor did those two de
ceitful monks shed tears less than the innocent. But God'*
mercy did not allow so bold a deed to pass unpunished ; the
ruffians who perpetrated it, and all who urged them to ft$
Q

82 ASSER'S LIF£ OF ALFRED. [a.d. 838.
were taken and put m prison, where, by various tortures,
they came to, a disgraceful end. Let us now return to our
narrative. Another monastery, also, was buUt by the same king as a
residence for nuns, near the eastern gate of Shaftesbury ; and
his own daughter, Ethelgiva, was placed m it as abbess.
With her many other noble ladies bound by the rules of the
monastic life, dweU in that monastery. These two edifices
were enriched by the kmg with much land, as weU as perso
nal property.
These things being thus disposed of, the Mng began, as
was his practice, to consider witMn Mmself, what more he
could do to augment and show forth Ms piety ; what he had
begun wisely, and thoughtfuUy conceived for the pubUc
benefit, was adhered to with equaUy beneficial result ; for
he had. heard it out of the book of the law, that the
Lord had promised to restore to him tenfold ; and he
knew that the Lord had kept his promise, and had actually
restored to him tenfold. Encouraged by tMs example, and
wishmg to, exceed the practices of his predecessors, he vowed
humbly and faithfully to devote to God half his services,
both day and night, and also half of aU his wealth, such as
lawfully and justly came annuaUy mto his possession; and
this vow, as far as human discretion can perceive and keep,
he skilfully and wisely endeavoured to fulfil. But, that he
might, with his usuai caution, avoid that wMch scripture
warns us against : " If you offer aright, but do not divide
aright, you sin," he considered how he might divide aright
that which he had vowed to God ; and as Solomon had said,
" The heart of the king is in the hand of God," that is, his
counsel he ordered with wise policy, which could come only
from above, that his officers should first divide mto two parts
the revenues of every year.
When this division was made, he assigned the first part to
worldly uses, and ordered that one-third of it should be paid
to his soldiers, and also to Ms ministers, the nobles who
dwelt at court where they discharged divers duties ; for so
the king's family was arranged at aU times into three classes.
The king's attendants were most wisely distributed into three
companies, so that the first company should be on duty at
qourt for one month, night and day, at the end of which they
Returned to their homes, and were relieved by the second

A.D. 888.] ALFRED S DEVOTEDNESS. 83
company. At the end of the second month, in the same
way, the third company relieved the second, who returned to
their homes, where they spent two months, untU their ser
vices were agam wanted. The third company also gave place
to the first m the same way, and also spent two months at
home. Thus was the threefold division of the companies ar
ranged at all times in the royal household.
To these therefore was paid the first of the three portions
aforesaid, to each according to their respective dignities and
pecuUar services ; the second to the operatives, whom he had
eoUected from every nation, and had about him in large num
bers, men skilled in every kind of construction ; the third
portion was assigned to foreigners who came to him out of
every nation far and near, whether they asked money of him
or not, he cheerfuUy gave to each with wonderful munificence
according to their respective merits, accordmg to what is
written : " God loveth a cheerful giver."
But the second part of all his revenues, which came 3'early
into his possession, and was mcluded in the receipts of the
exchequer, as we mentioned a little before, he, with ready de
votion, gave to God, ordering his ministers to divide it care
fuUy into four parts, on the condition that the first part should
be discreetly bestowed on the poor of every nation who came
to him ; and on this subject he said that, as far as human
discretion could guarantee, the remark of pope St. Gregory
should be followed : " Give not much to whom you should
give little, nor little to whom much, nor something to whom
nothing, nor nothmg to whom something." The second of
the four portions was given to the two monasteries which he
had built, and to those who therem had dedicated themselves
to God's service, as we have mentioned above. The third
portion was assigned to the school, which he had studiously
collected together, consisting of many of the nobiUty of his
own nation. The fourth portion was for the use of all
the neighbouring monasteries in all Saxony and Meileia, and '
also during some years, in turn, to the churches and servants
of God dweUing in Britain [Wales], Cornwall, Gaul, Ar
morica, Northumbria, and sometimes also in Ireland ; accord
ing to his means, he either distributed to them beforehand, or
afterwards, if life and success should not fail him.
When the kmg had arranged these matters, he remem
bered that sentence of divine scripture, " Whosoever will
g2

84 ASSER'S LIFE OF ALFRED: [a.d. 888.
give alms, ought to begin from himself," and prudently be
gan to reflect what he could offer to God from the service of
his body and mind ; for he proposed to consecrate to God no
less out of this than he had done of tMngs external to him
self. Moreover, he promised, as far as his infirmity and Ms
means would aUow, to give up to God the half of Ms ser
vices, bodily and mental, by night and by day, voluntarily,
and with all his might ; but, inasmuch as he could not
equally distinguish the lengths of the hours by Mght, on ac
count of the darkness, and ofttimes of the day, on account of
the storms and clouds, he began to consider, by what means
and without any difficulty, relying on the mercy of God, he
might discharge the promised tenor of his vow until his
death. After long reflection on these tMngs, he at length, by a
useful and shrewd invention, commanded Ms chaplams to
supply wax m a sufficient quantity, and he caused it to be
weighed in such a manner that when there was so much of
it in the scales, as would equal the weight of seventy-two
pence,* he caused the chaplains tb make six candles thereof,
each of equal length, so that each candle might have twelve
divisionsf marked longitudmaUy upon it. By this plan,
therefore, those six candles burned for twenty-four hours, a
night and day, without faU, before the sacred reUcs of many
of God's elect, which always accompanied Mm wherever he
went ; but sometimes when they would not continue burning
a whole day and mght, tiU the same hour that they were
lighted the precedmg evemng, from the violence of the wind,
which blew day and night without intermission tMough the
doors and windows of the churches, the fissures of the divi
sions, the plankings, or the waU, or the thin canvass of the
tents, they then unavoidably burned out and finished their
course before the appomted time ; the kmg therefore consi
dered by what means he might shut out the wind, and so hy
a useful and cunning invention, he ordered a lantern to he
beautifully constructed of wood and white ox-horn, which,
when skilfully planed till it is thm, is no less transparent
than a vessel of glass. This lantern, therefore, was wonder
fully made of wood and horn, as we before said, and hy
night a candle was put into it, which shone as brightly with
out as within, and was not extinguished by the wMd ; for the
• Denarii; f Uncise pollicis.

A.p. 86S] HIS IMPARTIALITY. 85
opening of the lantern was also closed up, according to the
king's command, by a door made of horn.
By this contrivance, then, six candles, lighted in succession,
lasted four and twenty hours, neither more nor less, and,
when these were extinguished, others were lighted.
When all these tMngs were properly arranged, the king,
eager to give up to God the half of Ms daUy service, as he
had vowed, and more also, if his ability on the one hand,
and his malady on the other, would allow him, showed
Mmself a minute investigator of the truth m all his judg
ments, and this especially for the sake of the poor, to whose
interest, day and night, among other duties of this life, he
ever was wonderfuUy attentive. For in the whole kingdom
the poor, besides him, had few or no protectors ; for all the
powerful and noble of that country had turned their thoughts
rather to secular than to heavenly things : each was more
bent on spcular matters, to his own profit, than on the public
good. He strove also, m his own judgments, for the benefit of
both the noble and the ignoble, who often perversely quar
relled at the meetings of Ms earls and officers, so that
hardly one of them admitted the justice of what had been
decided by the earls find prefects, and in consequence of
this pertinacious and obstinate dissension, all desired to
have the judgment pf the Mng, and both sides sought at
once to gratify their desire, But if any one was conscious
of mjustice on his side in the suit, though by law and
agreement he was compeUed, however reluctant, to go before
the king, yet with his own good wiU he never would consent
to go. For he knew, that ip the king's presence no part
of his wrong would be hidden ; and no wonder, for the king
was a most acute investigator in passing sentence, as he was
m aU other thmgs. He inquired into almost all the judgments
which were given in his own absence, throughout all his
dominion, whether they were just or unjust. If he perceived
there was iniquity in those judgments, he summoned the
judges, either through Ms own agency, or thrpugh others of
Ms faithful servants, and askpd them mildly, why they ha4
judged so unjustly ; whether through ignorance or malevo
lence ; i. e., whether for the lpve or fear of any one, or hatred of
others ; or also for the desire pf mpney. At length, if the
judges acknpwledged they had given judgment because they

86 asser's LIFE OF ALFRED. [a.d. 893.
knew no better, he discreetly and moderately reproved their
inexperience and folly in such terms as these : " I wonder
truly at your insolence, that, whereas by God's favour and
mine, you have occupied the rank and cffice of the wise,
you have neglected the studies and labours of the wise.
Either, therefore, at once give up the discharge of the tem
poral duties which you hold, or endeavour more zealously
to study the lessons of wisdom. Such are my commands."
At these words the earls and prefects would tremble
and endeavour to turn aU their thoughts to the study of
justice, so that, wonderful to say, almost all Ms earls, pre
fects, and officers, though unlearned from their cradles, were
sedulously bent upon acquiring learnmg, choosing rather la
boriously to acquire the Miowledge of a new disciplmfe than
to resign their functions ; but if any one of them from old
age or slowness of talent was unable to make progress in
liberal studies, he commanded his son, if he had one, or
one of his kinsmen, or, if there was no other person tb he
had, his own freedman or servant, whom he had some time
before advanced to the office of readMg, to recite Saxon
books before him night and day, whenever he had any lei
sure, and they lamented with deep sighs, m their inmost
hearts, that in their youth they had never attended to such
studies ; and they blessed the young men of our days, who
happily could be mstructed m the Uberal arts, whilst they
execrated their own lot, that they had not learned these
things in their youth, and now, when they are old, though
wishing to learn them, they are unable. But this skUl of
young and old in acquiring letters, we have explamed to
the knowledge of the aforesaid Mng.*
* Some of the MSS. record, in a note or appendix written by a later
hand, that king Alfred died on the 26th of October, a.d. 900, in the thir
tieth of his reign. " The different dates assigned to the death of Alfred,"
says Sir Francis Palgrave, " afford a singular proof of the uncertainty aris
ing from various modes of computation. The Saxon Chronicle and Flo
rence of Worcester agree in placing the event in 901. The first 'six nights
before All Saints;' the last, with more precision, ' Indictione quarta, et
Feria quarta, 5 Cal. Nov.' Simon of Durham, in 889, and the Saxon
Chronicle, in another passage, in 900. The concurrents of Florence of
Worcester seem to afford the greatest certainty, and the date of 901 has
therefore been preferred."

GEOFFREY OF MONMOUTH'S
BEITISH HISTOEY.

GEOFFREY OF MONMOUTH'S
BEITISH HISTOEY,

BOOK I,
Chap. I. — The epistle dedicatory to Robert earl of Gloucester.*
Whilst occupied on many and various studies, I happened
to Ught upon the History of the Kings of Britain, and
wondered that in the account wMch Gildas and Bede, in
their elegant treatises, had given of them, I found nothing
said of those kings who Uved here before the Incarnation of
Christ, nor of Arthur, and many others who succeeded after
the Incarnation ; though their actions both deserved immortal
fame, and were also, celebrated by many people in a pleasant
manner and by heart, as if they had been written. Whilst
I was intent upon these and such like thoughts, Walter,
archdeacon of Oxford, f a man of great eloquence, and
learned in foreign histories, offered me a very ancient book
M the British tongue, wMch, in a continued regular story
and elegant style, related the actions of them all, from
Brutus the first Mng of the Britons, down to Cadwallader
the son of Cadwallo. At his request, therefore, though I
had not made fine language my study, by coUecting florid
expressions from other authors, yet contented with my own
homely style, I undertook the translation of that book into
Latin. For if I had sweUed the pages with rhetorical
* Robert, earl of Gloucester was the natural son of king Henry I. by
whose command he swore fealty to the empress Matilda, daughter of that
monarch. To prove his fidelity, he rebelled against king Stephen, and
mainly contributed to the success of Henry son of the empress, afterwards
Henry II.
f Thought to be Walter Mapes the poet, author of several ludicrous
and satirical compositions.

90 Geoffrey's British history. [booki.
flourishes, I must have tired my readers, by employing their
attention more upon my words than upon the Mstory. To
you, therefore, Robert earl of Gloucester, tMs work humbly
sues for the favour of being so corrected by your advice, that
it may not be thought to be the poor offspring of Geoffrey of
Monmouth, but when polished by your refined wit and
judgment, the production of him who had Henry the glorious
Mng of England for Ms father, and whom we see an
accomplished scholar and phUosopher, as weU as a brave
soldier and expert commander ; so that Britain with joy
acknowledges, that in you she possesses another Henry.
Chap. II. — The first inhabitants of Britain.
Britain, the best of islands, is situated M the Western
Ocean, between France and Ireland, being eight hundred
miles long, and two hundred broad. It produces every
tMng that is useful to man, with a plenty that never fails.
It abounds with aU Mnds of metal, and has plams of large
extent, and MUs fit for the finest tillage, the richness of
whose soil affords variety of fruits in their proper seasons.
It has also forests weU stored with aU Mnds of wild beasts ;
in its lawns cattle find good change of pasture, and bees
variety of flowers for honey. Under its lofty mountains Ue
green meadows pleasantly situated, in. wMch the gentle
murmurs of crystal springs gliding along clear channels,
give those that pass an agreeable invitation to Ue down on
their banks and slumber. It is Ukewise weU watered with
lakes and rivers abounding with fish ; and besides the
narrow sea wMch is on the Southern coast towards France,
there are tMee noble rivers, stretcMhg out Uke tMee arms,
namely, the Thames, the Severn, and the Humber ; by
wMch foreign commodities from aU countries are brought
into it. It was formerly adorned with eight and twenty
cities,* of wMch some are in ruins and desolate, others
are still standing, beautified with lofty church-towers,
wherein religious worship is performed according to the
Christian institution. It is lastly inhabited by five different
nations, the Britons, Romans, Saxons, Picts, and Scots;
, * The names of thirty-three cities will be found in Nennius's History of
the Britons, § 7.

ch. 3.] BIRTH OF BRUTUS. 91
whereof the Britons before the rest did formerly possess
the whole island from sea to sea, tiU divine vengeance,
pumshing them for their pride, made them give way to
the Picts and Saxons. But in what manner, and from
whence, they first arrived here, remains notv to be related
in what foUows.*

Chap. III. — Brutus, being banished after the killing of his parents,
goes into Greece.
After the Trojan war, iEneas, flying with Ascanius from
the destruction of their city, sailed to Italy. There he was
honourably received by Mng Latinus, wMch raised against
him the envy of Turnus, king of the RutuU, who thereupon
made war against Mm; Upon their engagmg in battle,
JEneas got the victory, and having MUed Turnus, obtained
the Mngdom of Italy, and with it Lavinia the daughter of
Latinus. After Ms death, Ascanius, succeeding in the
Mngdom, bMlt Alba upon the Tiber, and begat a son named
Sylvius, who, in pursuit of a private amour, took to wife a
niece of Lavmia. The damsel soon after conceived, and the
father Ascanius, coming to the knowledge of it, commanded
Ms magicians to consult of what sex the chUd should be.
When they had satisfied themselves in the matter, they told
him she would give birth to a boy, who would kill Ms father
and mother, and after travelUng over many countries in
banishment, would at last arrive at the Mghest pitch of
glory. Nor were they mistaken in their prediction ; for at
the proper time the woman brought forth a son, and died of
Ms birth ; but the cMld was delivered to a nurse and caUed
Brutus; At length, after fifteen years were expired, the youth
accompamed Ms father in hunting, and killed him un
designedly by the shot of an arrow. For, as the servants
were driving up the deer towards them, Brutus, in.shooting
at them, smote Ms father under the breast. Upon his death;
he was expeUed from Italy, his kinsmen being enraged at
Mm for so hemous a deed. Thus banished he went into
Greece, where he found the posterity of Helenus, son of
• This brief description of Britain is taken almost word for word from
the more authentic historians, Bede, Orosius, &c'.

92 Geoffrey's British history- [boobi.
Priamus, kept in slavery by Pandrasus, kMg of the Greeks,,
For, after the destruction of Troy, Pyrrhus, the son of
Achilles, had brought Mther in chams Helenus and many
others ; and to revenge on them the death of Ms father, had
given command that they should be held in captivity.
Brutus, finding they were by descent Ms old countrymen,
took up Ms abode among them, and began to distinguish
Mmself by Ms conduct and bravery in war, so as to gam the
affection of Mngs and commanders, and above aU the young
men of the country. For he was esteemed a person of
• great capacity bpth in cpuncU and war, and signalized his
generpsity to Ms soldiers, by bestowing among them aU the
money and spoil he got. His fame, therefore, spreading over
aU countries, the Trojans from aU parts began to flock to
lum, desiring under Ms cqmmand to be freed from subjection
to the Greeks ; wMch they assured him might easUy be done,
considering how much their number was now increased in
the country, being seven thousand strong, besides women
and cMldren. There was likewise then in Greece a noble
youth named Assaracus, a favourer of their cause. For he
was descended on Ms mother's side from the Trojans, and
placed great confidence in them, that he might be able by
their assistance to oppose the designs of the Greeks. For
Ms brother had a quarrel with him for attempting to deprive
him of three castles wMch Ms father had given Mm at his
death, on account of his being only the son of a concubme ;
but as the brother was a Greek, both by Ms father's and
mother's side, he had prevailed with the Mng and the rest of
the Greeks to espouse his cause. Brutus, having taken a
view of the number of his men, and seen how Assaracus's
castles lay open to Mm, compUed with their request.*
Chap. IV. — Brutus's letter to Pandrasus.
Being, therefore, chosen their commander, he assembled the
Trojans from all parts, and fortified the towns belonging to
Assaracus. But he himself, with Assaracus and the whole
* It is unnecessary to remind the classical reader that the historians of
Greece and Italy make no mention of Brutus and his adventures. The
minuteness, pf detail, sp remarkable in the whole story, as related by
Geoffrey, is an obvious objection to its authenticity.

ch. 5.j BRTJTr/s's LETTER TO PANDRASUS. 93
body of men and women that adhered to him, retired tb the
woods and MUs, and then sent a letter to the Mng in these
words : —
" Brutus, general of the remainder of the Trojans, to
Pandrasus, Mng of the Greeks, sends greeting. As it was
beneath the dignity of a nation descended from the illus
trious race of Dardanus, to be treated in your kingdom
otherwise than the nobility of their birth required, they
have betaken themselves to the protection of the woods.
For they have preferred Uvmg after the manner of wild
beasts, upon flesh and herbs, with the enjoyment of liberty^
to continuing longer in the greatest luxury under the yoke
of slavery. If tMs gives your majesty any offence, impute
it not to them, but pardon it ; since it is the common sentp
ment of every captive, to be desirous of regaining his former
dignity. Let pity therefore move you to bestow on them
freely their lost Uberty, and permit them to inhabit the
tMckest of the Woods, to wMch they have retired to avoid
slavery. But if you deny them tMs favour, then by your
permission and assistance let them depart into some foreign
country." Chap. V. — Brutus falling upon the forces of Pandrasus by surprise,
routs them, and takes Antigonus, the brother of Pandrasus, with
Anacletus; prisoner.
Pandrasus, perceiving the purport of the letter, was be
yond measure surprised at the boldness of such a message
from those whom he had kept in slavery ; and having called
a council of Ms nobles, he determined to raise an army in
order to pursue them. But while he was upon his march to
the deserts, where he thought they were, and to the town of
Sparatinum, Brutus made a sally with three thousand men,
and fell upon Mm unawares. For having intelUgence of his
coming, he had got into the town the night before, with a
design to break forth upon them unexpectedly, while un
armed and marcMng without order. The sally being made,
the Trojans briskly attack them, and endeavour to make a
great slaughter. The Greeks, astonished, immediately give
way On all sides, and with the king at their head, hasten to
pass the river Akalon,* wMch runs near thS place ; but in
* The Achelous, or perhaps the Acheron.

94 GEOFFREY^ BRITISH HISTORY. [book i.
passing are in great danger from the rapidity of the stream.
Brutus gaUs them in their flight, and Mils some of them in
the stream, and some upon the banks; and running to and
fro, rejoices to see them in both places exposed to ruin.
But Antigonus, the brother of Pandrasus, grieved at this
sight, rallied Ms scattered troops, and made a qmck return
upon the furious Trojans ; for he rather chose to die making
a brave resistance, than to be drowned in a muddy pool in a
shameful flight. Thus attended with a close body of men,
he encouraged them to stand their ground, and employed
Ms whole force against the enemy with great vigour, but to
Uttle or no purpose ; for the Trojans had arms, but the others
none ; and from tMs advantage they were more eager M the
pursuit, and made a miserable slaughter ; nor did they give
over the assault tiU they had made nearly a total destruc
tion, and taken Antigonus, and Anacletus his companion
prisoners. Chap. VI. — The town of Sparatinum besieged by Pandrasus.
Brutus, after the victory, reinforced the town with six hun
dred men, and then retired to the woods, where the Trojan
people were expecting Ms protection. In the meantime
Pandrasus, grieving at his own flight and Ms brother's
captivity, endeavoured that mght to re-assemble Ms broken
forces, and the next morning went with a body of Ms people
wMch he had got together, to besiege the town, Mto which
he supposed Brutus had put himself with Antigonus and the
rest of the prisoners that he had taken. As soon as he was
arrived at the waUs, and had viewed the situation of the
castle, he divided his army into several bodies, and placed
them round it in different stations. One party was charged
not to suffer any of the besieged to go out ; another to turn
the courses of the rivers ; and a third to beat down the walls
with battering rams and other engines. In obedience to
those commands, they laboured with their utmost force to
distress the besieged ; and night coming on, made choice of
their bravest men to defend their camp and tents from the
incursions of the enemy, while the rest, who were fatigued
with labour, refreshed themselves with sleep.

STRATAGEM OF BRUTUS. 95

Chap. VII. — The besieged ask assistance of Brutus.
But the besieged, standing on the tpp of the walls, were no
less vigorous to repel the force of the enemies' engines, and
assault them with their own, and cast forth darts and fire
brands with a unanimous resolution to make a vaUant de
fence. And when a breach was made tMough the waU,
they compeUed the enemy to retire, by tMowing upon them
fire and scalding water. But being distressed tMough
scarcity of provision and daily labour, they sent an urgent
message to Brutus, to hasten to their assistance, for they
were afraid they might be so weakened as to be obliged to
quit the town. Brutus, though desirous of reUeving them,
was under great perplexity, as he had not men enough to
stand a pitched battle, and therefore made use of a strata
gem, by wMch he proposed to enter t;he enemies' camp by
mght, and haying deceived their watch to MU them in their
sleep. But because he knew tMs was impracticable without
the concurrence and assistance of some Greeks, he caUed to
Mm Anacletus, the compamon of Antigonus, and with a
drawn sword in Ms hand, spake to him after tMs manner : —
" Noble youth ! your own and Antigonus's Ufe is now at
an end, unless you will faithfully perform what I command
you. TMs mght I design to invade the camp of the Greeks,
and fall upon them unawares, but am afraid of being hin
dered in the attempt if the watch should- discover the strata
gem. Smce it wiU be necessary, therefore, to have them
MUed first, I desire to make use of you to deceive them, that
I may have the easier access to the rest. Do you therefore
manage tMs affair cunningly. At the second hour of the
mght go to the watch, and with fair speeches tell them that
you have brought away Antigonus from prison, and that he
is come to the bottom of the woods, where he Ues Md among
the shrubs, and cannot get any farther, by reason of the
fetters with wMch you shall pretend that he is bound.
Then you shaU conduct them, as if it were to deliver Mm,
to the end of the wood, where I will attend with a band of
men ready to Mil them."

96 GEOFFREYS BRITISH HISTORY. [BotKii
Chap. Vill.— Anacletus, in fear of death, betrays the army of the Greeks.
Anacletus, seeing the sword tMeaterung him with mime-1
diate death wMle these words were being pronounced, was
so terrified as to promise upon oath, that on condition he
and Antigonus should have longer Ufe granted them, he
would execute his command. Accordingly, the agreement
being confirmed, at the second hour of the mght he directs
Ms way towards the Grecian camp, and when he was come
near to it, the watch, who were then narrowly examining aU
ihe places where any one could Mde, ran out from aU parts
to meet him, and demanded the occasion of his commg, and
whether it was not to betray the army. He, with a show of
great joy, made the foUowing answer : — " I come not to be
tray my country, but having made my escape from the prison
of the Trojans, I fly tMther to desire you would go with me
to Antigonus, whom I have deUvered from Brutus's chains.
For being not able to come with me for the weight of his
fetters, I have a Uttle wMle ago caused bim to Ue Md among
the sMubs at the end of the wood, tiU I could meet with
some one whom I might conduct to Ms assistance." While
they were in suspense about the truth of this story, there
came one who knew Mm, and after he had saluted Mm, told
them who he was ; so that now, without any hesitation, they
quiddy caUed their absent compamons, and foUowed him to
the wood where he had told them Antigonus lay hid. But
at length, as they were going among the sMubs, Brutus with
Ms armed bands springs forth, and falls upon them, wMle
under the greatest astonishment, with a most cruel slaughter.
From thence he marches directly to the siege, arid divides
his men into three bands, assigning to each of them a dif
ferent part of the camp, and telUng them to advance dis
creetly, and without noise; and when entered, not to Mil
any body tiU he with Ms company should be possessed of
the Mng s tent, and should cause the trumpet to sound for a
signal. Chap. IX. — The taking of Pandrasus.
When he had given them these instructions, they forthwith
softly entered the camp in silence, and taking their appomted
Stations, awaited the promised signal, which Brutus delayed

cb.10.1 TAKING OF PANDRASUS. 97
not tp give as soon as he had got before the tent of Pan
drasus, to assault wMch was the thing he most desired. At
hearing the signal, they forthwith draw their swords, enter
in among the men in their sleep, make quick destruction of
them, and aUowing no quarter, in this manner traverse the
whole camp. The rest, awaked at the groans of the dying,
and seeing their assailants, were Uke sheep seized with a
sudden fear ; for they despaired of Ufe, since they had
neither time to take arms, nor to escape by flight. They
run up and down without arms among the armed, wMther-
soever the fury of the assault hurries them, but are on aU
sides cut down by the enemy rusMng in. Some that might
have escaped, were in the eagerness of flight dashed against
rocks, trees, or sMubs, and increased the misery of their
death. Others, that had only a shield, or some such cover
ing for their defence, in venturing upon the same rocks to
avoid death, feU down in the hurry and darkness of the
Mght, and broke either legs or arms. Others, that escaped
both these disasters, but did not know whither to fly, were
drowned in the adjacent rivers ; and scarcely one got away
without some unhappy accident befalling Mm. Besides, the
garrison in the town, upon notice of the coming of their
fellow soldiers, saUied forth, and redoubled the slaughter.
Chap. X. — A consultation about what is to be asked of the captive king.
But Brutus, as I said before, having possessed himself of
the king's tent, made it his business to keep him a safe pri
soner ; for he knew he could more easily attain his ends by
preserving his Ufe than by kilUng him ; but the party that
was with him, aUowing no quarter, made an utter destruc
tion in that part which they had gained. The night being
spent in this manner, when the next morning discovered to
their view so great an overthrow of the enemy, Brutus, in
transports of joy, gave full Uberty to Ms men to do what
they pleased with the plunder, and then entered the town
with the Mng, to stay there till they had shared it among
them ; wMch done, he again fortified the castle, gave orders
for burying the slain, and retired with Ms forces to the
woods in great joy for the victory. After the rejoicings of
Ms people on tMs occasion, their renowned general sum-
H

98 Geoffrey's British history. [book t.
moned the oldest of them and asked their advice, what he
had best desire of Pandrasus, who, being now in their
power, would readily grant whatever they would request of
Mm, in order to regain his Uberty. They, according to
their different fancies, desired different things ; some urged
him to request that a certain part of the Mngdom might be
assigned them for their habitation ; others that he would
demand leave to depart, and to be suppUed with necessaries
for their voyage. After they had been a long time m
suspense what to do, one of them, named Mempricius, rose
up, ahd having made sUence, spoke to them thus : —
" What can be the occasion of your suspense, fathers, in a
matter which I tMnk so much concerns your safety ? The
only thing you can request, with any prospect of a firm
peace and security to yourselves and your posterity, is
liberty to depart. For if you make no better terms with
Pandrasus for Ms life than only to have some part of the
country assigned you to live among the Greeks, you wiU
never enjoy a lasting peace wMle the brothers, sons, or
grandsons of those whom you Mlled yesterday shaU continue
to be your neighbours. So long as the memory of their
fathers' deaths shaU remain, they wiU be your mortal ene
mies, and upon the least trifling provocation wiU endeavour
to revenge themselves. Nor wiU you be sufficiently nume
rous to withstand so great a multitude of people. And if
you shall happen to faU out among yourselves, their number
will daily increase, yours diminish. I propose, therefore,
that you request of him Ms eldest daughter, Ignoge, for a
wife for our general, and with her, gold, sUver, corn, and
whatever else shaU be necessary for our voyage. If we
obtain this, we may with Ms leave remove to some other
country."Chap. XI. — Pandrasus gives his daughter Ignoge in marriage to Brutus,
who, after his departure from Greece, falls upon a desert island, where
he is told by the oracle of Diana what place he is to inhabit.
When he had ended Ms speech, in words to tMs effect, the
whole assembly acquiesced in Ms advice, and moved that
Pandrasus might be brought in among them, and condemned
to a most cruel death unless he would grant this request.
He was immediately brought in, and bemg placed M a chair

ch. 11.] DEPARTURE OF BRUTUS FROM GREECE. 99
above the rest, and informed of the tortures prepared for
Mm unless he would do what was commanded Mm, he made
them tMs answer : —
" Since my iU fate has deUvered me and my brother Anti
gonus into your hands, I can do no other than grant your
request, lest a refusal may cost us our Uves, which are now
entirely in your power. In my opinion Ufe is preferable to
aU other considerations; therefore, wonder not that I am
wiUing to redeem it at so great a price. But though it is
against my incUnation that I obey your commands, yet it
seems matter of comfort to me that I am to give my daugh
ter to so noble a youth, whose descent from the illustrious
race of Priamus and Anchises is clear, both from that great
ness of mind which appears in him, and the certain accounts
we have had of it. For who less than he could have re
leased from their chains the bamshed Trojans, when reduced
under slavery to so many great princes ? Who else could
have encouraged them to make head against the Greeks ? or
with so smaU a body of men vanquished so numerous and
powerful an army, and taken their king prisoner in the
engagement ? And, therefore, since this noble youth has
gained so much glory by the opposition which he has made
to me, I give Mm my daughter Ignoge, and also gold, silver,
ships, corn, wine, and oil, and whatever you shaU find neces
sary for your voyage. If you shall alter your resolution.
and tMnk fit to continue among the Greeks, I wiU grant you
the tMrd part of my kingdom for your habitation ; if not,
I wiU faithfuUy perform my promise, and for your greater
security wiU stay as a hostage among you tUl I have made
it good." Accordingly he held a councU, and directed messengers to
aU the shores of Greece, to get ships together ; which done,
he deUvered them to the Trojans, to the number of three
hundred and twenty-four, laden with all Mnds of provision,
and married Ms daughter to Brutus. He made alio a pre
sent of gold and sUver to each man according to Ms quaUty.
When everytMng was performed the king was set at liberty ;
and the Trojans, now released from his power, set sail with
a fair wind. But Ignoge, standing upon the stern of the
ship, swooned away several times in Brutus's arms, and with
many sighs and tears lamented the leaving her parents and
h 2

100 Geoffrey's British history. [book i.
country, nor ever turned her eyes from the shore wMle it
was in sight. Brutus, meanwhile, endeavoured to assuage
her grief by kind words and embraces intermixed with
Msses, and ceased not from these blandishments tiU she
grew weary of crying and fell asleep. During these and
other accidents, the winds continued fair for two days and a
night together, when at length they arrived at a certain
island called Leogecia, wMch had been formerly wasted by
the incursions of pirates, and was then uninhabited. Bru
tus, not knowing tMs, sent three hundred armed men ashore
to see who inhabited it; but they finding nobody, MUed
several Mnds of wild beasts wMch they met with in the
groves and woods, and came to a desolate city, in which they
found a temple of Diana, and in it a statue of that goddess
wMch gave answers to those that came to consult her. At
last, loading themselves with the prey wMch they had taken
in hunting, they return to their sMps, and give their com
panions an account of tMs country and city. Then they
advised their leader to go to the city, and after offering
sacrifices, to inquire of the deity of the place, what country
was allotted them for their place of settlement. To this
proposal aU assented ; so that Brutus, attended with Gerion,
the augur, and twelve of the oldest men, set forward to the
temple, with aU things necessary for the sacrifice. Being
arrived at the place, and presenting themselves before the
shrine with garlands about their temples, as the ancient
rites required, they made three fires to the tMee deities,
Jupiter, Mercury, and Diana, and offered sacrifices to each
of them. Brutus Mmself, holding before the altar of the
goddess a consecrated vessel fiUed with wine, and the blood
of a white hart, with his face looMng up to the image, broke
silence in these words : —
" Diva potens nemorum, terror sylvestribus apris;
Cui licet amfractus ire per aethereos,
Infernasque domos ; terrestria jura resolve,
Et die quas terras nos habitare velis ?
Die certam sedem qua te venerabor in sevum,
Qua tibi virgineis templa dicabo choris '! "
Goddess of woods, tremendous in the chase
To mountain boars, and all the savage race !
Wide o'er the ethereal walks extends thy sway,
And o'er the infernal mansions void of day !

<w. 11.] VISION OF BRUTUS. 101
Look upon us on earth ! unfold our fate,
And say what region is our destined seat ?
Where shall we next thy lasting temples raise .'
And choirs of virgins celebrate thy praise ?
These words he repeated nine times, after which he took
four turns round the altar, poured the wine into the fire, and
then laid Mmself down upon the hart's sMn, wMch he had
spread before the altar, where he fell asleep. About the
tMrd hour of the night, the usual time for deep sleep, the
goddess seemed to present herself before Mm, and foreteU
Ms future success as follows : —
" Brute ! sub occasum solis trans Gallica regna
Insula in oceano est undique clausa mari :
Insula in oceano est habitata gigantibus olim,
Nunc deserta quidem, gentibus apta tuis.
Hanc pete, namque tibi sedes erit ilia perennis :
Sic net natis altera Troja tuis.
Sic de prole tua reges nascentur : et ipsis
Totius terrae subditus orbis erit."
Brutus ! there lies beyond the Gallic bounds
An island which the western sea surrounds,
By giants once possessed ; now few remain
To bar thy entrance, or obstruct thy reign.
To reach that happy shore thy sails employ ;
There fate decrees to raise a second Troy,
And found an empire in thy royal line,
Which time shall ne'er destroy, nor bounds confine.
Awakened by the vision, he was for some time in doubt
with Mmself, whether what he had seen was a dream or a
real appearance of the goddess herself, foretelling to what
land he should go. At last he called to Ms companions, and
related to them in order the vision he had in his sleep, at
wMch they very much rejoiced, and were urgent to return
to their ships, and wMle the wind favoured them, to hasten
their voyage towards the west, in pursuit of what the god
dess had promised. Without delay, therefore, they returned
to their company, and set sail again, and after a cotirse of
thirty days came to Africa, being ignorant as yet whither to
steer. From thence they came to the Philenian altars, and
to a place caUed SaUnae, and sailed between Ruscicada and
the mountains of Azara,* where they underwent great dan-
* It is probably impossible to discover whether these names describe ex
isting places, or are purely .the invention of the author.

102 Geoffrey's British history. [booki.
ger from pirates, whom, notwithstanding, they vanqMshed,
and enriched themselves with their spoils.
Chap. XII. — Brutus enters Aquitaine with Corineus.
From thence, passing the river Malua, they arrived at
Mauritania, where at last, for want of provisions, they
were obliged to go ashore; and, dividmg themselves mto
several bands, they laid waste the whole country. When
they had weU stored their sMps, they steered to "the PUlars
of Hercules, where they saw some of those sea monsters,
called Syrens, wMch surrounded their sMps, and very nearly
overturned them. However, they made a sMft to escape,
and came to the Tyrrhenian Sea, upon the shores of wMch
they found four several nations descended from the bamshed
Trojans, that had accompanied Antenor* m Ms flight. The
name of their commander was Corineus, a modest man in
matters of council, and of great courage and boldness, who,
in an encounter with any person, even of gigantic stature,
would immediately overtMow Mm, as if he were a chUd.
When they understood from whom he was descended, they
joined company with Mm and those under Ms government,
who from the name of their leader were afterwards called
the Cornish people, and indeed were more serviceable to
Brutus than the rest in aU Ms engagements. From thence
they came to Aquitaine, and entering the mouth pf the
Loire, cast anchor. There they stayed seven days and
viewed the country. Goffarius Pictus, who was Mng of
Aquitaine at that time, having an account brought Mm of
the arrival of a foreign people with a great fleet upon his
coasts, sent ambassadors to them to demand whether they
breught with them peace er war. The ambassadors, on
their way towards the fleet, met Corineus, who was come
out with two hundred men, to hunt M the woods. They
demanded of him, who gave Mm leave to enter the Mng's
forests, and Mil his game ; (wMch by an ancient law nobody
was aUowed to do without leave from the prince.) Corineus
answered, that as for that matter there was no occasion for
asking leave; upon wMch one of them, named Imbertus,
rusMng forward, with a fuU drawn bow levelled a shot at
* See Virgil's iEneid i, -241.

ch. 13.] GOFFARIUS routed BY BRUTUS. 103
Mm. Corineus avoids the arrow and immediately runs up
to Mm, and with Ms bow in his hand breaks his head. The
rest narrowly escaped, and carried the news of this disaster
to Goffarius. The Pictavian general was struck with sorrow
for it, and immediately raised a vast army, to .revenge the
death of Ms ambassador. Brutus, on the other hand, upon
hearing the rumour of Ms coming, sends away the women
and children to the ships, wMch he took care to be well
guarded, and commands them to stay there, wMle he, with
the rest that were able to bear arms, should go to meet the
army. At last an assault being made, a bloody fight ensued ;
in wMch after a great part of the day had been spent, Cori
neus was ashamed to see the Aquitanians so bravely stand
their ground, and the Trojans maintaining the fight without
victory. He therefore takes fresh courage, and drawing off
Ms men to the right wing, breaks in upon the very thickest
of the enemies, where he made such slaughter on every side,
that at last he broke the Une and put them all to flight. In
tMs encounter he lost Ms sword, but by good fortune, met
with a battle-axe, with which he clave down to the waist
every one that stood in his way. Brutus and every body
else, both friends and enemies, were amazed at his courage
and strength, for he brandished about his battle-axe among
the flying troops, and terrified them not a little with these
insulting words, " WMther fly ye, cowards ? wMther fly ye,
base wretches ? stand your ground, that ye may encounter
Corineus. What ! for shame ! do so many thousands of you
fly one man ? However, take this comfort for your flight,
that you are pursued by one, before whom the Tyrrheman
giants could not stand their ground, but fell down slain in
heaps together." Chap. XIII. — Goffarius routed by Brutus.
At these words one of them, named Subardus, who was a
consul, returns with three hundred men to assault him ; but
Corineus with his shield wards off the blow, and lifting up
Ms battle-axe gave him such a stroke upon the top of his
helmet, that at once he clave him down to the waist; and
then rushing upon the rest he made terrible slaughter by
wheeUng about Ms battle-axe among them, and, runmng to

104 Geoffrey's British history. (.book*
and fro, seemed more anxious to inflict blows on the enemy
than careful to avoid those which they aimed at Mm. Some
had their hands and arms, some their very shoulders, some
again their heads, and others their legs cut off by Mm. All
fought with Mm only, and he alone seemed to fight with aU.
Brutus seeing him thus beset, out of regard to Mm, runs
with a band of men to his assistance : at which the battle is
again renewed with vigour and with loud shouts, and great
numbers slain on both sides. But now the Trojans presently
gain the victory, and put Goffarius with Ms Pictavians to
flight. The king after a narrow escape went to several
parts of Gaul, to procure succours among such princes as
were related or known to him. At that time Gaul was sub
ject to twelve princes, who with equal authority possessed the
whole country. These receive him courteously, and promise
with one consent to expel the foreigners from Aquitaine.
Chap. XIV. — Brutus, after his victory with Goffarius, ravages Aquitaine
with fire and sword.
Brutus, in joy for the victory, enriches his men with the
spoils of the slain, and then, divicUng them into several
bodies, marches into the country with a design to lay it
waste, and load his fleet with the spoil. With tMs view
he sets the cities on fire, seizes the riches that were in them,
destroys the fields, and makes dreadful slaughter among the
citizens and common people, being unwilling to leave so
much as one ahve of that wretched nation. WMle he was
i maMng tMs destruction over aU Aquitaine, he came to a
place where the city of Tours now stands, which he after
wards built, as Homer testifies. As soon as he had looked
out a place convenient for the purpose, he pitched his camp
there, for a place of safe retreat, when occasion should re
quire. For he was afraid on account of Goffarius's approach
with the Mngs and princes of Gaul, and a very great army,
which was now come near the place, ready to give him
battle. Having therefore finished Ms camp, he expected to
engage with Goffarius in two days' time, placing the utmost
confidence in the conduct and courage of the young men
under his command.

ch. 15.] GOFFARIUS S FIGHT WITH BRUTUS. 105
Chap. XV. — Goffarius's fight with Brutus.
Goffarius, being informed that the Trojans were in those
parts, marched day and night, till he came within a close
view of Brutus's camp ; and then with a stern look and
disdainful smile, broke out into these expressions, " Oh
wretched fate ! Have these base exiles made a camp also
in my kingdom ? Arm, arm, soldiers, and march through
their tMckest ranks : we shall soon take these pitiful fellows
Uke sheep, and disperse them throughout our kingdom for
slaves." At these words they prepared their arms, and ad
vanced in twelve bodies towards the enemy. Brutus, on the
other hand, with Ms forces drawn up in order, went forth
boldly to meet them, and gave Ms men directions for their
conduct, where they should assault and where they should
be upon the defensive. At the begmmng of the attack, the
Trojans had the advantage, and made a rapid slaughter of
the enemy, of whom there feU near two thousand, which so
terrified the rest, that they were on the point of running
away. But, as the victory generally faUs to that side wMch
has very much the superiority in numbers, so the Gauls,
being three to one in number, though overpowered at first,
yet at last joining in a great body together, broke in upon
the Trojans, and forced them to retire to their camp with
much slaughter. The victory thus gained, they besieged
them in their camp, with a design not to suffer them to stir
out until they should either surrender themselves prisoners,
or be crueUy starved to death with a long famine.
In the meantime, Corineus the Mght following entered
into consultation with Brutus, and proposed to go out that
mght by by-ways, and conceal Mmself in an adjacent wood
tiU break of day ; and wMle Brutus should sally forth upon
the enemy in the mormng twilight, he with Ms company
would surprise them from beMnd and put them to slaughter.
Brutus was pleased with this stratagem of Corineus, who
according to Ms engagement got out cunningly with three
thousand men, and put Mmself under the covert of the
woods. As soon as it was day Brutus marshalled Ms men
and opened the camp to go out to fight. The Gauls meet
Mm and begin the engagement : many thousands faU on
both sides, neither party giving quarter. There was present

106 Geoffrey's British history. [booki.
a Trojan, named Turonus, the nephew of Brutus, inferior to
none but Corineus in courage and strength of body. He
alone with his sword kUled six hundred men, but at last was
unfortunately slain Mmself by the number of Gauls that
rushed upon Mm. From Mm the city of Tours derived its
name, because he was buried there. WMle both armies
were thus warmly engaged, Corineus came upon them un
awares, and feU fiercely upon the rear of the enemy, wMch
put new courage into Ms friends on the other side, and made
them exert themselves with Mcreased vigour. The Gauls
were astonished at the very shout of Corineus's men, and
thinking their number to be much greater than it reaUy was,
they hastily quitted the field ; but the Trojans pursued them,
and killed them in the pursuit, nor did they desist tiU they
had gained a complete victory. Brutus, though m joy for
this great success, was yet afflicted to observe the number, of
Ms forces daily lessened, wMle that of the enemy mcreased
more and more. He was in suspense for some time, whether
he had better continue the war or not, but at last he deter
mined to return to his sMps wMle the greater part of his
follpwers was yet safe, and Mthertp victcripus, and to go in
quest of the island which the goddess had told Mm of. So
without further delay, with the consent of Ms company, he
repaired to the fleet, and loading it with the riches and
spoils he had taken, set sail with a fair wmd towards the
promised island, and arrived on the coast of Totness.

Chap. XVI. — Albion divided between Brutus and Corineus.
The island was then caUed Albion,* and was mhabited by
none but a few giants. NotwithstandMg tMs, the pleasant
situation of the places, the plenty of rivers abounding with
fish, and the engaging prospect of its woods, made Brutus
and Ms company very desirous to fix their habitation m it.
They therefore passed tMough aU the provmces, forced the
giants to fly into the caves of the mountains, and divided the
country among them according to the directions of their
* The earliest real notice of Albion occurs in a work attributed to Aris
totle [De Mundo, sec. 3], who wrote, before Christ 340, " Bcvond the
Pillars of Hercules is the ocean which flows round the earth. In it are
two very large islands, called Britannic ; these are Albion and lerne," &c.

™. IS.] DEATH OF GOEMAGOT. 107
commander. After this theybegan to till the ground and
build houses, so that in a Uttle time the country looked Uke
a place that had been long inhabited. At last Brutus called
the island after his own name Britain, and Ms companions
Britons ; for by these means he desired to perpetuate the
memory of Ms name. From whence afterwards the lan
guage of the nation, which at first bore the name of Trojan,
or rough Greek, was called British. But Corineus, in
imitation of his ieader, called that part of the island wMch
feU to Ms share, Corinea, and Ms people Corineans, after Ms
name ; and though he had Ms choice of the provinces before
aU the rest, yet he preferred this country, wMch is now
caUed m Latin Cornubia, either from its being in the shape
of a horn (in Latin Cornu), or from the corruption of the
said name.* For it was a diversion to him to encounter the
said giants, wMch were in greater numbers there than in aU
the other provinces that feU to the share of Ms companions.
Among the rest was one detestable monster, named Goema-
got, in stature twelve cubits, and of such prodigious strength
that at one shake he pulled up an oak as if it had been a
hazel wand. On a certain day, when Brutus was holding a
solemn festival to the gods, in the port where they at first
landed, tMs giant with twenty more of his companions came
in upon the Britons, among whom he made a dreadful
slaughter. But the Britons at last assembling together in a
body, put them to the rout, and MUed them every one but
Goemagot. Brutus had given orders to have him preserved
aUve, out of a desire to see a combat between Mm and Cori
neus, who took a great pleasure in such encounters. Cori
neus, overjoyed at this, prepared Mmself, and tMowing
aside his arms, chaUenged him to wrestle with Mm. At the
beginning of the encounter, Corineus and the giant, stand
ing, front to front, held each other strongly in their arms,
and panted aloud for breath ; but Goemagot presently grasp
ing Corineus with aU Ms might, broke tMee of Ms ribs, two
on Ms right side and one on his left. At wMch Corineus,
MgMy enraged, roused up his whole strength, and snatching
him upon Ms shoulders, ran with Mm, as fast as the weight
would aUow Mm, to the next shore, and there getting upon
* The etymology of the word Cornwall, as if Cornu-Galliae or Walliffi,
is equally imaginary.

108 Geoffrey's British history. [book i.
the top of a high rock, hurled down the savage monster into
the sea ; where falling on the sides of craggy rocks, he was
torn to pieces, and coloured the waves with his blood. The
place where he feU, taking its name from the giant's fall,
is called Lam Goemagot, that is, Goemagot's Leap, to this
day.*Chap. XVII. — The building of new Troy by Brutus, upon the river
Thames.
Brutus, having thus at last set eyes upon his Mngdom,
formed a design of building a city, and with this view, tra
veUed through the land to find out a convement situation,
and coming to the river Thames, he walked along the shore,
and at last pitched upon a place very fit for Ms purpose.
Here, therefore, he built a city, wMch he caUed New Troy ;
under which name it continued a long time after, tiU at last,
by the corruption of the original word, it come to be called
Trinovantum. But afterwards when Lud, the brother of
Cassibellaun, who made war against JuUus Csesar, obtamed
the government of the kingdom, he surrounded it with
stately waUs, and towers of admirable workmansMp, and
ordered it to be called after his name, Kaer-Lud, that is, the
City of Lud.f But this very tMng became afterwards the
occasion of a great quarrel between Mm and his brother
Nennius, who took offence at Ms abolisMng the name of
Troy in this country. Of tMs quarrel GUdas the Mstorian
has given a full account ; for wMch reason I pass it over, for
fear of debasing by my account of it, what so great a writer
has so eloquently related.
Chap. XVIII. — New Troy being built, and laws made for the government
i of it, it is given to the citizens that were io inhabit it.
After Brutus had finished the building of the city, he made
choice of the. citizens that were to inhabit it, and prescribed
them laws for their peaceable government. At this time
* It is now called the Haw, and is near Plymouth.
T This is the city now called London, and it is evident that the writer
wishes it to be supposed that the modern name is derived from the ancient,
as if it were Lud-ton or Lud-don. The first notice of London found in
authentic history occurs in Tacitus, Annal. lib. xiv. n. 33, the second notice
in Ptolemy, a.d. 120, lib. i. 15.

OT- 1. 2-] DEATH OF HUMBER. 109
EU the priest governed in Judea, and the ark of the cove
nant was taken by the Philistines. At the same time,
also, the sons of Hector, after the expulsion of the posterity
of Antenor, reigned in Troy ; as in Italy did Sylvius ./Eneas,
the son of ^Eneas, the uncle of Brutus, and the tMrd king
of the Latins.*

BOOK II.

Chap. I. — After the death of Brutus, his three sons succeed him in th*
kingdom.
During these transactions, Brutus had by his wife Ignoge
tMee famous sons, whose names were Locrin, Albanact, and
Kamber. These, after their father's death, which happened
in the twenty-fourth year after Ms arrival, buried him in the
city wMch he had built, and then having divided the king
dom of Britain among them, retired each to his government.
Locrin, the eldest, possessed the middle part of the island,
caUed afterwards from his name, Loegria. Kamber had that
part wMch Ues beyond the river Severn, now called Wales,
but which was for a long time named Kambria ; and hence
that people still call themselves in their British tongue Kam-
bri. Albanact, the younger brother, possessed the country
he caUed Albania, now Scotland. After they had a long
time reigned in peace together, Humber, king of the Huns,
arrived in Albania, and having killed Albanact in battle,
forced Ms people to fly to Locrin for protection.
Chap. II. — Locrin, having routed Humber, falls in love with Eslrildis.
Locrin, at hearing tMs news, joined his brother Kamber,
and went with the whole strength of the Mngdom "to meet
the Mng of the Huns, near the river now called Humber,
where he gave Mm battle, and put him to the rout. Humber
made towards the river in Ms flight, and was drowned in it,
on account of wMch it has since borne Ms name. Locrin,
* From this statement it would follow that the arrival of Brutus in
Britain is to be placed about the year 1100 before Christ.

110 Geoffrey's British history. [bookh.
after the victory, bestowed the plunder of the enemy upon
Ms own men, reserving for himself the gold and sUver
wMch he found in the sMps, together with three virgins of
admirable beauty, whereof one was the daughter of a king
in Germany, whom with the other two Humber had forcibly
brought away with Mm, after he had rMned their country.
Her name was Estrildis, and her beauty such as was hardly
to be matched. No ivory or new-faUen snow, no tily could
exceed the wMteness of her sMn. Locrin, smitten with
love, would have gladly married her, at wMch Corineus was
extremely incensed, on account of the engagement wMch
Locrin had entered mto with Mm to marry Ms daughter.
Chap. III. — Corineus resents the affront put upon his daughter.
He went, therefore, to the Mng, and wielding a battle-axe
in his right hand, vented Ms rage agMnst him in these
words : " Do you thus reward me, Locrin, for the many
wounds wMch I have suffered under your father's command
in his wars with strange nations, that you must sUght my
daughter, and debase yourself to marry a barbarian ?
WMle there is strength in tMs right hand, that has been de
structive to so many giants upon the TyrrheMan coasts, I
wiU never put up with tMs affront." And repeating tMs
again and again with a loud voice, he shook Ms battle-axe
as if he was gomg to strike Mm, tiU the friends of both
interposed, and after they had appeased Corineus, obUged
Locrin to perform Ms agreement.
Chap. IV. — Locrin at last marries Guendolcena, the daughter of
Corineus.
Locrin therefore married Corineus's daughter, named
Guendoloena, yet stiU retained Ms love for Estrildis, for
whom he made apartments under ground, in wMch he
entertained her, and caused her to be honourably attended.
For he was resolved at least to carry on a private amour
with her, since he could not live with her openly for fear of
Corineus. In tMs manner he concealed her, and made
frequent visits to her for seven years together, without the
privity of any but Ms most intimate domestics ; and all
under a pretence of performing some secret sacrifices to Ms

ch. 5,6.] LOCRIN KILLED. Ill
gods, by wMch he imposed on the creduUty of every body.
In the meantime Estrildis became with child, and was
delivered of a most beautiful daughter, whom she named
Sabre. Guendoloena was also with cMld, and brought forth
a son, who was named Maddan, and put under the care of
Ms grandfather Corineus to be educated.
Chap. V. — Locrin is killed; Estrildis and Sabre are thrown into a
river.
But in process of time, when Corineus was dead, Locrin
divorced Guendoloena, and advanced Estrildis to be queen.
Guendoloena, provoked beyond measure at this, retired into
CornwaU, where she assembled together aU the forces of that
kingdom, and began to raise disturbances against Locrin.
At last both armies joined battle near the river Sture, where
Locrin was MUed by the shot of an arrow. After his death,
Guendoloena took upon her the government of the whole
Mngdom, retaining her father's furious spirit. For she
commanded Estrildis and her daughter Sabre to be thrown
into the river now caUed the Severn, and pubUshed an edict
tMough aU Britain, that the river should bear the damsel's
name, hoping by tMs to perpetuate her memory, and by that
the infamy of her husband. So that to this day the river is
caUed in the British tongue Sabren, which by the corruption
of the name is in another language Sabrina.
Chap. VI. — Guendoloena delivers up the kingdom to Maddan, her son,
after whom succeeds Mempricius.
Guendolcena reigned fifteen years after the death of
Locrin, who had reigned ten, and then advanced her son
Maddan (whom she saw now at maturity) to the tMone,
contenting herself with the country of Cornwall for the
remainder of her Ufe. At tMs time Samuel the prophet
governed in Judasa, Sylvius .ZEneas was yet Uving, and
Homer was esteemed a famous orator and poet.* Maddan,
now in possession of the crown, had by Ms wife two sons,
Mempricius and Malim, and ruled the Mngdom in peace and
* It is only necessary to compare such passages as these with the
Grecian or Roman Histories, and we cannot avoid perceiving the legendary
character of Geoffrey of Monmouth's History.

112 Geoffrey's British history. [booku.
with care forty years. As soon as he was dead, the two
brothers quarreUed for the Mngdom, each being ambitious
of the sovereignty of the whole island. Mempricius,
mipatient to attain his ends, enters into treaty with MaUm,
under colour of maMng a composition with him, and, having
formed a conspiracy, murdered Mm in the assembly where
their ambassadors were met. By these means he obtained
the domimon of the whole island, over wMch he exercised
such tyranny, that he left scarcely a nobleman ahve m it,
and either by violence or treachery oppressed every one that
he apprehended might be Ukely to succeed Mm, pursuing his
hatred to Ms whole race. He also deserted his own wife, by
whom he had a noble youth named Ebraucus, and addicted
Mmself to sodomy, preferring unnatural lust to the pleasures
of the conjugal state. At last, in the twentieth year of his
reign, wMle he was hunting, he retired from Ms company
into a valley, where he was surrounded by a great multitude
of ravenous wolves, and devoured by them in a horrible
manner. Then did Saul reign in Judsea, and Eurystheus in
Lacedasmoma.

Chap. VII. — Ebraucus, the successor of Mempricius, conquers the
Gauls, and builds the towns Kaerebrauc, fyc.
Mempricius being dead, Ebraucus, Ms son, a man of great
stature and wonderful strength, took upon Mm the govern
ment of Britain, which he held forty years. He was the
first after Brutus who invaded Gaul with a fleet, and
distressed its provinces by kiUing their men and laying
waste their cities ; and having by .these means enriched
Mmself with an infinite quantity of gold and silver, he
returned victorious. After tMs he built a city on the other
side of the Humber, wMch, from Ms own name, he called
Kaerebrauc, that is, the city of Ebraucus,* about the time
that David reigned in Judasa, and Sylvius Latinus in Italy j
and that Gad, Nathan, and Asaph prophesied m Israel. He
also built the city of Alclud j towards Albani, and the town
• York seems to be a corruption of Ebrauc. It is first mentioned by
Ptolemy (ii. 3.) a.d. 120.
t Alclud or Alcluith is unknown to the classic writers : it is first
mentioned by Gildas, and is thought to be the modern Dumbarton.

ca. 8, 9.] BRUTUS'S REIGN. 113
of mount Agned, * called at tMs time the Castle of Maidens,
or the Mountain of Sorrow.
Chap. VIII. — Ebraucus's twenty sons go to Germany, and his thirty
daughters to Sylvius Alba, in Italy.
This prince had twenty sons and thirty daughters by twenty
wives, and with great valour governed the kingdom of
Britain sixty years. The namesj, of Ms sons were, Brutus
surnamed GreensMeld, Margadud, SisilUus, Kegin, Morivid,
Bladud, Lagon, Bodloan, Kincar, Spaden, Gaul, Darden,
Eldad, Ivor, Gangu, Hector, Kerin, Rud, Assarach, Buel.
The names of his daughters were, Gloigni, Ignogni, Oudas,
GuenUam, Gaudid, Angarad, Guendoloe, Tangustel, Gorgon,
Median, Methahel, Ourar, Malure, Kambreda, Ragan, GaeL,
Ecub, Nest, Cheum, Stadud, Gladud, Ebren, Blagan,
AbaUac, Angaes, Galaes, (the most celebrated beauty at
that time in Britain or Gaul,) Edra, Anaor, Stadial, Egron.
AU these daughters their father sent into Italy to Sylvius
Alba, who reigned after Sylvius Latinus, where they were
married among the Trojan nobility, the Latin and Sabine
women refusing to associate with them. But the sons,
under the conduct of their brother Assaracus, departed
in a fleet to Germany, and having, with the assistance
of Sylvius Alba, subdued the people there, obtained that
kingdom. Chap. IX. — After Ebraucus reigns Brutus his son, after him Leil, and
after Leil, Hudibras.
But Brutus, surnamed GreensMeld, Stayed with Ms father,
whom he succeeded in the government, and reigned twelve
years. After him reigned Leil, Ms son, a peaceful and just
prince, who, enjoying a prosperous reign, bmlt in the north
of Britain a city, called by Ms name, Kaerleil ; j at the same
time that Solomon began to build the temple of Jerusalem,
and the queen of Sheba came to hear Ms wisdom ; at which
time also Sylvius Epitus succeeded his father Alba, in Italy.
Leil reigned twenty-five years, but towards the latter end of
Ms Ufe grew more remiss in Ms government, so that his
neglect of affairs speedily occasioned a civil dissension in the
* Edinburgh. t Now Carlisle.

114 Geoffrey's British history. [book*
kingdom. After Mm reigned his son, Hudibras, thirty-nine
years, and composed the civil dissension among Ms people.
He built Kaerlem pr Canterbury, Kaerguen pr Winchester,
and the town pf Mount Paladur, now Shaftesbury. At this
place an eagle spoke, wMle the wall of the town was being
huilt ; and indeed I should have transmitted the speech to
posterity, had I thought it true, as the rest of the Mstory. At
this time reigned Capys, the son of Epitus ; and Haggai,
Amos, Joel, and Azariah, were prophets in IsraeL
Chap. X. — Bladud succeeds Hudibras in the kingdom, and practises
magical operations.
Next succeeded Bladud, Ms son, and reigned twenty years.
He built Kaerbadus, now Bath, and made hot baths in it
for the benefit of the pubUc, wMch he dedicated to the god
dess Minerva ; in whose temple he kept fires that never went
out nor consumed to ashes, but as soon as they began to de
cay were turned into baUs of stone. About tMs time the
prophet EUas prayed that it might not rain upon earth ; and
it did not rain for tMee years and six months. This prince
was a very ingem.ous man, and taught necromancy in his
kingdom, nor did he leave off pursMng Ms magical operations,
tiU he attempted to fly to the upper region of the air with
wings wMch he had prepared, and feU down upon the temple
of ApoUo, in the city of Trinovantum, where he was dashed
to pieces.
Chap. XL— Leir the son of Bladud, having no son, divides his kingdom
among his daughters.
After tMs unhappy fate of Bladud, Leir,* Ms son was
advanced to the throne, and nobly governed his country sixty
years. He built upon the river Sore a city, caUed in the
British tongue, Kaerleir, in the Saxon, Leircestre.-)- He
was without male issue, but had three daughters, whose
names were Gonorilla, Regau, and CordeiUa, of whom he
was dotingly fond, but especiaUy of Ms youngest, Cordeilla.
When he began to grow old, he had thoughts of dividing his
kingdom among them, and of bestowing them on such
husbands as were fit to be advanced to the government with
them. But to make trial who was worthy to have the best
? King Lear, the hero of Shakespeare's drama. t Leicester,

ch. 11.] KING LEIRS DAUGHTERS. 115
part of Ms Mngdom, he went to each of them to ask which
of them loved Mm most. The question being proposed,
GonoriUa, the eldest, made answer, " That she called heaven
to witness, she loved him more than her own soul." The
father repUed, " Since you have preferred my declining age
before your own Ufe, I wiU marry you, my dearest daughter,
to whomsoever you shall make choice of, and give with you
the third part of my Mngdom." Then Regau, the second
daughter, wiUing, after the example of her sister, to prevail
upon her father's good nature, answered with an oath, " That
she could not otherwise express her thoughts, but that she
loved him above aU creatures." The credulous father upon
tMs made her the same promise that he did to her eldest
sister, that is, the choice of a husband, with the third part of
Ms Mngdom. But Cordeilla, the youngest, understanding
how easily he was satisfied with the flattering expressions of
her sisters, was desirous to make trial of Ms affection after a
different manner. "My father," said Spe, "is there any
daughter that can love her father more than duty reqmres ?
In my opimon, whoever pretends to it, must disguise her
real sentiments under the veil of flattery. I have always
loved you as a father, nor do I yet depart from my purposed
duty; and if you insist to have sometMng more extorted
from me, hear now the greatness of my affection, which I
always bear you, and take tMs for a short answer to aU your
questions ; look how much you have, so much is your value,
and so much do I love you." The father, supposing that she
spoke tMs out of the abundance of her heart, was highly
provoked, and immediately replied, " Since you have so far
despised my old age as not to tMnk me worthy the love that
your sisters express for me, you shaU have from me the like
regard, and shaU be excluded from any share with your
sisters in my kingdom. Notwithstanding, I do not say but
that since you are my daughter, I wiU marry you to some
foreigner, if fortune offers you any such husband ; bilt wiU
never, I do assure you, make it my business to. procure so
honourable a match for you as for your sisters ; because,
though I have Mtherto loved you more than them, you have
in requital thought me less worthy of your affection than
they." And, without further delay, after consultation with
his nobUity, he bestowed Ms two other daughters upon the
I 2

116 GEOFFREY'S BRITISH HISTORY. LBooi.it
dukes of Cornwall and Albania, with half the island at
present, but after Ms death, the inheritance of the whole
monarchy of Britain.
It happened after tMs, that Aganippus, king of the
Franks, having heard of the fame of CordeiUa's beauty,
forthwith sent his ambassadors to the Mng to demand her in
marriage. The father, retaining yet Ms anger towards her,
made answer, "That he was very wiUing to bestow bis
daughter, but without either money or territories ; because
he had already given away Ms Mngdom with all Ms treasure
to Ms eldest daughters, GonoriUa and Regau." When this
was told Agamppus, he, being very much in love with the
lady, sent again to king Leir, to teU Mm, " That he had mo
ney and territories enough, as he possessed the tMrd part
of Gaul, and desired no more than Ms daughter oMy, that
he might have heirs by her." At last the match was
concluded ; CordeUla was sent to Gaul, and married to Agar
nippus;Chap. XII. — Leir, finding the ingratitude of his two eldest daughters,
betakes himself lo his youngest, Cordeilla, in Gaul.
A long time after this, when Leir came to be infirm through
old age, the two dukes, on whom he had bestowed Britain
with Ms two daughters, fostered an insurrection agamst him,
and deprived Mm of his kingdom, and of aU regal authority,
which he had hitherto exercised with great power and glory;
At length, by mutual agreement, Maglaunus, duke of Alba
nia, one of Ms sons-in-law, was to aUow Mm a maintenance
at his own house, together with sixty soldiers^who were to
be kept for state. After two years' stay with his .son-in-law,
Ms daughter Gonorilla grudged the number of Ms men, who
began to upbraid the ministers of the court with their scanty
allowance ; and, having spoken to her husband about it, she
gave orders that the numbers of her father's foUowers should
be reduced to thirty, and the rest discharged. The father,
resenting this treatment, left Maglaunus, and went to Henu
inus, duke of Cornwall, to whom he had married Ms daugh
ter Regau. Here he met with an honourable reception, but
before the year was at an end, a quarrel happened between
the two families, which raised Regau's indignation ; so that
she commanded her father to discharge aU his attendants but

ch.12.] KING LEIR TN DISTRESS, 117
five, and to be contented with their service. TMs second
affliction was insupportable to Mm, and made him return
again to his former daughter, with hopes that the misery of
Ms condition might move in her some sentiments of filial
piety, and that he, with Ms family, might find a subsistence
with her. But she, not forgetting her resentment, swore by
the gods he should not stay with her, unless he would dismiss
his retinue, and be contented with the attendance of one
man ; and with bitter reproaches she told Mm how iU his
desire of vain-glorious pomp suited Ms age and poverty.
When he found that she was by no means to be prevailed
upon, he was at last forced to comply, and, dismissing the
rest, to take up with one man only. But by tMs time he
began to reflect more sensibly with Mmself upon the gran
deur from wMch he had fallen, and the miserable state to
wMch he was now reduced, and to enter upon thoughts of going
beyond sea to Ms youngest daughter. Yet he doubted whe
ther he should be able to move her commiseration, because
(as was related above) he had treated her so unworthily.
However, disdaMing to bear any longer such base usage, he
took sMp for Gaul. In his passage he observed he had only
the tMrd place given Mm among the princes that were with
him in the sMp, at which, with deep sighs and tears, he burst
forth Mto the foUowing complaint ; —
" O irreversible decrees of the Fates, that never swerve
from your stated course ! why did you ever advance me to
an unstable feUcity, since the punishment of lost happiness
is greater than the sense of present misery ? The remem
brance of the thne when vast numbers of men obsequiously
attended me in the taking the cities and wasting the enemy's
countries, more deeply pierces my heart than the view of my
present calamity, wMch has exposed me to the derision of
those who were formerly prostrate at my feet. Oh ! the
enmity of fortune ! ShaU I ever again see the day when
I may be able to reward those according to their deserts who
have forsaken me in my distress ? How true was thy an
swer, CordeiUa, when I asked thee concerning thy love to
me, ' As much as you have, so much is your value, and so
much do I love you.' While I had anytMng to give they
valued me, being friends, not to me, but to my gifts : they
loved me then, but they loved my gifts much more : when

118 Geoffrey's British history. [bookh.
my gifts ceased, my friends vanished. But with what face
shaU I presume to see you, my dearest daughter, since in my
anger I married you upon worse terms than your sisters,
who, after aU the mighty favours they have received from
me, suffer me to be in banishment and poverty?"
As he was lamenting Ms condition in these and the Uke
expressions, he arrived at Karitia,* where his daughter was,
and waited before the city while he sent a messenger to in
form her of the misery he was faUen into, and to desire her
relief for a father who suffered both hunger and nakedness.
Cordeilla was startled at the news, and wept bitterly, and
with tears asked how many men her father had with him.
The messenger answered, he had none but one man, who had
been Ms armour-bearer, and was staying with Mm without
the town. Then she took what money she thought might be
sufficient, and gave it to the messenger, with orders to carry
her father to another city, and there give out that he was
sick, and to provide for Mm batMng, clothes, and aU other
nourishment. She Ukewise gave orders that he should take
into Ms service forty men, weU clothed and accoutred, and
that when aU things were thus prepared he should notify his
arrival to Mng Aganippus and Ms daughter. The messenger
quickly returmng, carried Leir to another city, and there
kept him concealed, tiU he had done every tMng that Cor-
deiUa had commanded.

Chap. XIII; — He is very honourably received by Cordeilla and the Mng
of Gaul.
As soon as he was provided with Ms royal apparel, orna
ments, and retinue, he sent word to Agamppus and his
daughter, that he was driven out of his Mngdom of Britain
by Ms sons-in-law, and was come to them to procure their
assistance for recovering his domMions. Upon wMch they,
attended with their cMef ministers of state and the nobility
of the kingdom, went out to meet him, and received him
honourably, and gave into Ms management the whole power
of Gaul, till such time as he should be restored to Ms former
dignity. • Calais.

ch. 14, 15.] DEATH OF CORDEILLA. 1 19

Chap. XIV. — Leir, being restored to the kingdom by the help of his son-
in-law and Cordeilla, dies.
In the meantime Aganippus sent officers over all Gaul to
raise an army, to restore his fathei--in-law to Ms kingdom of
Britam. WMch done, Leir returned to Britain with Ms son
and daughter and the forces wMch they had raised, where
he fought with his sons-in-law and routed them. Having
thus reduced the whole kingdom to his power, he died the
tMrd year after. Aganippus also died ; and Cordeilla,
obtaining the government of the kingdom, buried her father
in a certain vault, which she ordered to be made for Mm
under the river Sore, in Leicester, and wMch had been
bmlt originally under the ground to the honour of the god
Janus. And here all the workmen of the city, upon the
anmversary solemnity of that festival, used to begin their
yearly labours.
Chap. XV.— Cordeilla, being imprisoned, kills herself. Margan, aspiring
to the whole kingdom, is killed by Cunedagius.
After a peaceful possession of the government for five years,
CordeiUa began to meet with disturbances from the two sons
of her sisters, being both young men of great spirit, whereof
one, named Margan, was born to Maglaunus, and the other,
named Cunedagius, to Henuinus. These, after the death of
their fathers, succeeding them in their dukedoms, were in
censed to see Britain subject to a woman, and raised forces
in order to raise a rebellion against the queen ; nor would
they desist from hostiUties, tiU, after a general waste of her
countries, and several battles fought, they at last took her
and put her in prison, where for grief at the loss of her
kingdom she MUed herself. After this they divided the
island between them ; of which the part that reaches from
the north side of the Humber to Caithness, fell to Margan ;
the other part from the same river westward was Cuneda-
gius's share. At the end of two years, some restless spirits
that took pleasure in the troubles of the nation, had access to
Margan, and inspired Mm with vain conceits, by representing
to him how mean and disgraceful it was for Mm not to gov Tn
the whole island, which was his due by right of birth.
Stirred up with these and the like suggestions, he marched

120 Geoffrey's British history. [bookh.
with an army tMough Cunedagius's country, and began to
burn all before Mm. The war thus breaking out, he was
met by Cunedagius with aU Ms forces, who attacked Margan,
kiUing no smaU number of Ms men, and, putting him to
flight, pursued him from one province to another, tiU at last
he MUed him in a town of Kambria, wMch since Ms death
has been by the country people caUed Margan to tMs day.
After the victory, Cunedagius gained the monarchy of the
whole island, wMch he governed gloriously for three and
thirty years. At tMs time flourished the prophets Isaiah
and Hosea, and Rome was buUt upon the eleventh before
the Kalends of May by the two brothers, Romulus and
Remus.*Chap. XVI. — The successors of Cunedagius in the kingdom. Ferrex is
killed by his brother Porrex, in a dispute for the government.
At last Cunedagius dying, was succeeded by Ms son RivaUo,
a fortunate youth, who diUgently appUed himself to the
affairs of the government. In Ms time it raMed blood tMee
days together, and there feU vast swarms of flies, foUowed
by a great mortaUty among the people. After him succeeded
Gurgustius Ms son ; after him SisiUius ; after Mm Jago, the
nephew of Gurgustius ; after him Kinmarcus the son of
SisilUus ; after Mm Gorbogudo, who had two sons, Ferrex
and Porrex.
When their father grew old they began to quarrel about
the succession ; but Porrex, who was the most ambitious of
the two, forms a design of MlUng Ms brother by treachery,
which the other discovering, escaped, and passed over mto
Gaul. There he procured aid from Suard Mng of the
Franks, with wMch he returned and made war upon Ms
brother ; coming to an engagement, Ferrex was MUed and
aU Ms forces cut to pieces. When their mother, whose name
was Widen, came to be informed of her son's death, she fell
into a great rage, and conceived a mortal hatred against the
survivor. For she had a greater affection for the deceased
than for him, so that nothing less would appease her indigna
tion for his death, than her revenging it upon her surviving
son. She took therefore her oppportunity when he was
asleep, fell upon him, and with the assistance of her wo-i
• About the year before Christ, 753.

oh. 17,] DUNWALLO MOLMUTIUS. 121
men tore him to pieces. From that time a long civil
war oppressed the people, and the island became divided
under the power of five Mngs, who mutually harassed one
another.Chap. XVII. — Dunwallo Molmutius gains the sceptre of Britain, from
whom came ihe Molmutine laws.
At length arose a youth of great spirit, named Dunwallo
Molmutius, who was the son of Cloten king pf Cornwall,
and exceUed aU the Mngs of Britain in valour and graceful
ness of person. When his father was dead, he was no
sooner possessed of the government of that country, than he
made war against Ymner Mng of Loegria, and MUed Mm in
battle. Hereupon Rudaucus Mng of Kambria, and Staterius
Mng of Albania, had a meeting, wherein they formed an
aUiance together, and marched thence with their armies into
DunwaUo's country to destroy aU before them. Dunwallo
met them with thirty thousand men, and gave them battle ;
and when a great part of the day was spent in the fight, and
the victory yet dubious, he drew off six hundred of Ms
bravest men, and commanded them to put on the armour of
the enemies that were slain, as he Mmself also did, throwing
aside Ms own. Thus accoutred he marched up with speed
to the enemy's ranks, as if he was of their party, and ap
proaching the very place where Rudaucus and Staterius
were, commanded Ms men to faU upon them. In this
assault the two Mngs were MUed and many others with
them. But DunwaUo Molmutius, fearing lest in this disguise
his own men might fall upon Mm, returned with his com
panions to put off the enemy's armour, and take Ms own
again ; and then encouraged them to renew the assault,
wMch they did with great vigour, and in a short time got
the victory, by dispersing and putting to flight the enemy.
From hence he marched into the enemy's countries, destroyed
their towns and cities, and reduced the people unfler Ms
obedience. When he had made an entire reduction of the
whole island, he prepared for Mmself a crown of gold, and
restored the Mngdom to its ancient state. This prince
estabhshed what the Britons call the Molmutine laws, wMch
are famous among the English to this day. In these, among
pther tMngs, of which St, Gildas wrote a, long time after, he

122 Geoffrey's British history. [book™.
enacted, that the temples of the gods, as also cities, should
have the privilege of giving sanctuary and protection to any
fugitive or criminal, that should flee to them from Ms enemy.
He likewise enacted, that the ways leading to those temples
and cities, as also husbandman's ploughs, should be aUowed
the same privilege. So that in Ms day, the murders and
cruelties committed by robbers were prevented, and every
body passed safe without any violence offered Mm. At last,
after a reign of forty years spent in these and other acts of
government, he died, and was buried m the city of Trino-
vantum, near the temple of Concord, wMch he himseU built,
when he first estabhshed Ms laws.

BOOK III.
Chap. I. — Brennius quarrels with Belinus his brother, and in order to
make war against him, marries the daughter of the king of the Nor
wegians.
After this a violent quarrel happened between Ms two sons
Belinus and Brennius, who were both ambitious of succeed
ing to the Mngdom. The dispute was, wMch of them should
have the honour of wearing the crown. After a great many
sharp conflicts that passed between them, the friends of both
interposed, and brought them to agree on the division of the
kingdom on these terms : that BeUnus should enjoy the
crown cf . the island, with the dominions of Loegria, Kam-
bria, and Cornwall, because, according to the Trojan consti
tution, the right of inheritance would come to him as the
elder : and Brennius, as being the younger, should be subject
to his brother, and have for his share Northumberland,
which extended from the river Humber to Caithness. The
covenant therefore being confirmed upon these conditions,
they ruled the country for five years in peace and justice.
But such a state of prosperity could not long stand against
the endeavours of faction. For some lying incendiaries
gained access to Brennius and addressed him in this man
ner: —

ch. 1,2] brennius's sea-fight with guichthlac. 123
"What sluggish spirit has possessed you, that you can
bear subjection to Belinus, to whom by parentage and blood
you are equal ; besides your experience in miUtary affairs,
which you have gained in several engagements, when you so
often repulsed Cheulphus, general of the Morini, in his
Mvasions of our country, and drove Mm out of your
kingdom ? Be no longer bound by a treaty which is a
reproach to you, but marry the daughter of Elsingius, king
of the Norwegians, that with his assistance you may recover
your lost dignity." The young man, inflamed with these and
the Uke specious suggestions, hearkened to them, and went
to Norway, where he married the king's daughter, as Ms
flatterers had advised Mm.
Chap. II  Brennius's sea-fight with Guichthlac, king of the Dacians.
Guichthlac and Brennius's wife are driven ashore and taken by
Belinus.
In the meantime his brother, informed of this, was violently
incensed, that without Ms leave he had presumed to act thus
against him. Whereupon he marched into Northumberland,
and possessed himself of that country and the cities in it,
which he garrisoned with Ms own men. Brennius, upon
notice given Mm of what his brother had done, prepared a
fleet to return to Britain with a great army of Norwegians.
But wMle he was under sail with a fair wind, he was over
taken by GuichtMac, king of the Dacians,* who had pursued
Mm. TMs prince had been deeply in love with the young
lady that Brennius had married, and out of mere grief and
vexation for the loss of her, had prepared a fleet to pursue
Brennius with all expedition. In the sea-fight that happened
on tMs occasion, he had the fortune to take the very ship in
wMch the lady was, and brought her in among his com-
pamons. But during the engagement, contrary winds arose
on a sudden, which brought on a storm, and dispersed the
sMps upon different shores : so that the king of the Dacians,
being driven up and down, after a course of five days,
arrived with the lady at Northumberland, under dreadful
apprehensions, as not knowing upon what country this
unforeseen, casualty had tMown Mm. When tMs came
to be known to the country people, they took them and
• The Danes.

124 Geoffrey's British history, [nooKm-.
carried them to Belinus, who was upon the sea-coast,
expecting the arrival of Ms brother. There were with
Guichthlac's ship tMee others, one of wMch had belonged
to Brennius's fleet. As soon as they had declared to the
Mng who they were, he was overjoyed at tMs happy
accident, whUe he was endeavouring to revenge Mmself
on Ms brother,
Chap. III. — Belinus in a battle routs Brennius, who thereupon fees to
Gaul.
A few days after appeared Brenmus, with Ms fleet again
got together, and arrived in Albania ; and havMg received
information of the capture of Ms wife and others, and that
his brother had seized the kingdom of Northumberland in
his absence, he sent his ambassadors to Mm, to demand the
restitution of Ms wife and Mngdom ; and if he refused them,
to declare that he would destroy the whole island from sea to
sea, and MU Ms brother whenever he could come to an
engagement with Mm. On the other hand, BeUnus absolutely
refused to comply with Ms demands, and assembling together
the whole power of the island, went into Albania to give him
battle. Brennius, upon advice that he had suffered a repulse,
and that Ms brother was upon his march against him,
advanced to meet him in a wood caUed Calaterium, m order
to attack Mm. When they were arrived on the field of
battle, each of them divided his men mto several bodies, and
approacMng one another, began the fight. A great part
of the day was spent in it, because on both sides the bravest
men were engaged ; and much blood was shed by reason
of the fury with wMch they encountered each other. So
great was the slaughter, that the wounded fell in heaps, like
standing corn cut down by reapers. At last the Britons
prevaiUng, the Norwegians fled with their shattered troops
to their ships, but were pursued by Belinus, and MUed
without mercy. Fifteen thousand men feU in the battle, nor
were there a thousand of the rest that escaped unhurt.
Brennius with much difficulty securing one ship, went as
fortune drove him to the coasts of Gaul ; but the rest that
attended him, were forced to sculk up and down wherever
their misfortunes led them,

CH. i, 5.] THE DANES PAY TRIBUTE. 126'

Chap. IV. — The king of Dacia, with Brennius's wife, is released out of
prison.
Belinus, after tMs victory, called a council of his nobilitys
to advise with them what he should do with the Mng of the
Dacians, who had sent a message to him out of prison, that
he would submit Mmself and the kingdom of Dacia to him$
and also pay a yearly tribute, if he might have leave to
depart with Ms mistress. He offered Ukewise to confirm tMs
covenant with an oath, and the giving of hostages. When
this proposal was laid before the nobiUty, they unanimously
gave their assent that BeUnus should grant GuichtMac Ms^
petition upon the terms offered. Accordingly he did grant
it, and Guichthlac was released from prison, and returned
with Ms mistress into Dacia.
Chap, V. — Belinus revives and confirms the Molmutine laws, especially
about the highways.
Belinus now finding no body in the kingdom of BritaM
able to make head against him, and being possessed of the
sovereignty of the whole island from sea to sea, confirmed
the laws his father had made, and gave command for a
settled execution of justice through Ms kingdom. But above
aU tMngs he ordered that cities, and the roads leading to
them, should enjoy the same privilege of peace that Dunwallo
had estabUshed. But there arose a controversy about the
roads, because the Umits determining them were unknown.
The Mng, therefore, wiUing to clear the law of all
ambiguities, summoned all the workmen of the island
together, and commanded them to pave a causeway of
stone and mortar, which should run the whole length
of the island, from the sea of CornwaU, to the shores of
Caithness, and lead directly to the cities that lay along that
extent. He commanded another to be made over the breadth
of the Mngdom, leading from Menevia, that was situated upon
the Demetian Sea, to Hamo's Port, and to pass through the
interjacent cities. Other two he also made obliquely through
the island, for a passage to the rest of the cities.* He then
confirmed to them all honours and privUeges, and prescribed
* This seems to be a false account of the Roman roads in Britain.

126 GEOFFREY'S BRITISH HISTORY. [book ui.
a law for the punishment of any injury committed upon them.
But if any one is curious to Miow aU that he decreed con
cerning them, let Mm read the Molmutine laws, wMch Gilda3
the Mstorian translated from British into -Latin, and king
AUred into EngUsh.
Chap. VI. — Brennius, being made duke of the Allobroges, returns lo
Britain to fight with his brother.
While BeUnus was thus reigning in peace and tranquUUty,
Ms brother Brennius, who (as we said before) was driven
upon the coasts of Gaul, suffered great torments of mind.
For it was a great affliction to Mm to be bamshed from his
country, and to have no power of returning to retrieve Ms
loss. Being ignorant what course to take, he went among
the princes of Gaul, accompaMed oMy with twelve men ; and
when he had related Ms misfortune to every one of them, hut
could procure assistance from none, he went at last to Segi-
nus, duke of the Allobroges, from whom he had an honour
able reception. During Ms stay here, he contracted such an
intimacy with the duke, that he became the greatest favourite
in the court. For in aU affairs, both of peace and war, he
showed a great capacity, so that tMs prince loved him with
a paternal affection. He was besides of a graceful aspect,
tall and slender in stature, and expert in hunting and fowUng,
as became Ms princely birth. So great was the friendsMp
between them, that the duke resolved to give him Ms only
daughter in marriage ; and in case he himself should have
no male issue, he appointed Mm and Ms daughter to succeed
him in Ms dukedom of the Allobroges after Ms death. But
if he should yet have a son, then he promised his assistance
to advance bim to the Mngdom of Britain. Neither was
tMs the desire of the duke only, but of aU the nobiUty of
Ms court, with whom he had very much mgratiated Mmself.
So then without farther delay the marriage was solemmzed,
and the princes of the country paid their homage to Mm, as
the successor to the tMone. Scarcely was the year at an
end before the duke died ; and then Brennius took Ms oppor
tunity of engaging those princes of the country firmly in Ms
interest, whom before he had obUged with Ms friendsMp.
And tMs he did by bestowing generously upon them the

cm. 7.] BELINUS AND BRENNIUS RECONCILED. 127
duke's treasure, wMch had been hoarded up from the times
of his ancestors. But that wMch the Allobroges most
esteemed Mm for, was Ms sumptuous entertainments, and
keeping an open house for aU.
Chap. VII. — Belinus and Brennius being made friends by the mediation
of their mother, propose to subdue Gaul.
When he had thus gained umversal affection, he began to
consult with Mmself how he might take revenge upon Ms
brother BeUnus. And when he had sigmfied his intentions
concerning it to his subjects, they unanimously concurred
with Mm, and expressed their readiness to attend him to
whatever Mngdom he pleased to conduct them. He there
fore soon raised a vast army, and having entered into a treaty
with the Gauls for a free passage through their country into
Britain, fitted out a fleet upon the coast of Neustria, in which
he set sail, and with a fair wind arrived at the island. Upon .
hearing the rumour of Ms coming, Ms brother BeUnus,
accompanied with the whole strength of the Mngdom,
marched out to engage him. But when the two armies were
drawn out in order of battle, and just ready to begin the
attack, Conwenna, their mother, who was yet living, ran in
great haste tMough the ranks, impatient to see her son, whom
she had not seen for a long time. As soon, therefore, as she
had with trembUng steps reached the place where he stood,
she threw her arms about Ms neck, and in transports kissed
Mm ; then uncovering her bosom, she addressed herself to
Mm, in words interrupted with sighs, to tMs effect : —
" My son, remember these breasts which gave you suck,
and the womb wherein the Creator of all tMngs formed you,
and from whence he brought you forth into the world, wMle
I endured the greatest anguish. By the pams then which I
suffered for you, I entreat you to hear my request : pardon
your brother, and moderate your anger. You ought not to
revenge yoursetf upon Mm who has done you no injury. As
for what you complain of, — that you were banished your
country by Mm, — if you duly consider the result, in strict
ness can it be called injustice ? He did not banish you re
make your condition worse, but forced you to quit a meaner
that you might attain a Mgher dignity. At first you en
joyed only a part of a Mngdom, and that M subjection to your

128 Geoffrey's British history. [book id
brother. As spon as you lost that, you became his equal, by
gaining the Mngdom of the Allobroges. What has he then done,
but raised you from a vassal to be a Mng ? Consider farther,
that the difference between you began not tMough him, but
tMough yourself, who, with the assistance of the Mng of
Norway, raised an insurrection against him."
Moved by these representations of Ms mother, he obeyed
her with a composed mind, and putting off his helmet of Ms
own accord, went straight with her to Ms brother. BeUnus,
seeing Mm approach with a peaceable countenance, tMew
down Ms arms, and ran to embrace Mm ; so that now, with
out more ado, they again became friends ; and disarming their
forces marched with them peaceably together to Trinovantum.
And here, after consultation what enterprise to undertake,
they prepared to conduct their confederate army mto the
provinces of Gaul, and reduce that entire country to their
Subjection.
Chap. VIII. — Belinus and Brennius, after the conquest of Gaul, march
with their army to Rome.
They accordingly passed over Mto Gaul the year after, and
began to lay waste that country. The news of wMch spread
ing through those several nations, aU the petty Mngs of the
Franks entered into a confederacy, and went out to fight
against them. But the victory falling to BeUnus and Bren
nius, the Franks fled with their broken forces ; and the
Britons and Allobroges, elevated with their success, ceased
not to pursue them till they had taken their Mngs, and re
duced them to their power; Then fortifying the cities wMch
they had taken, in less than a year they brought the whole
Mngdom into subjection. At last, after a reduction of aU the
provinces, they marched with their whole army towards
Rome, and destroyed the cities and viUages as they passed
tMough Italy.
Chap. IX. — The RomartS make a covenant with Brennius, but aftencards
break it, for which reason Rome is besieged and taken by Brennius.
In those days the two consuls of Rome were Gabius and
Porsena,* to whose care the government of the country was
* The absurdity of describing Porsena king of Etruria, as one of the
Roman consuls, must be apparent to every reader. No less evident is it

ch. 9.] BRENNIUS BESIEGES ROME. 129
committed. When they saw that no nation was able to
withstand the power of BeUnus and Brennius, they came,
with the consent of the senate to them, to desire peace and
amity. They Ukewise offered large presents of gold and
sUver, and to pay a yearly tribute, on condition that they
might be suffered, to enjoy their own in peace. The two
Mngs therefore, taking hostages of them, yielded to their
petition, and drew back their forces into Germany. While
they were employing their arms in harassing that people,
the Romans repented of their agreement, and again taking
courage, went to assist the Germans. TMs step highly en
raged the Mngs against them, who concerted measures how
to carry on a war with both nations. For the greatness of
the Italian army was a terror to them. The result of their
council was, that BeUnus with the Britons stayed in Ger
many, to engage with the enemy there ; while Brennius and
Ms army marched to Rome, to revenge on the Romans their
breach of treaty. As soon as the Italians perceived their
design, they quitted the Germans, and hastened to get before
Brennius, in Ms march to Rome. Belinus had inteUigence
of it, and speedily marched with his army the same night,
and possessing himself of a valley through which the enemy
was to pass, lay Md there in expectation of their coming.
The next day the Italians came in full march to the place ;
but when they saw the valley gUttering with the enemy's
armour, they were struck with confusion, thinking Brennius
and the Galli Senones were there. At tMs favourable oppor
tunity, BeUnus on a sudden rushed forth, and fell furiously
upon them : the Romans on the other hand, thus taken by
surprise, fled the field, since they neither were armed, nor
marched in any order. But BeUnus gave them no quarter,
and was only prevented by night coming on, from making a
total destruction of them. With this victory he went straight
to Brennius, who had now besieged Rome three days. Then
joining their armies, they assaulted the city on every side,
and endeavoured to level the walls : and to strike a greater
terror into the besieged, erected gibbets before the gates of
the city, and tMeatened to hang up the hostages whom they
had given, uMess they would surrender. But the Romans,
that the whole of this fictitious account is founded upon the known fact,
that Rome was taken by the Gauls commanded by one Brennus.
K

130 Geoffrey's British history. [bookih.
nothing moved by the sufferings of their sons and relations,
continued inflexible, and resolute to defend themselves.
They therefore sometimes broke the force of the enemy's en
gines, by other engines of their own, sometimes repulsed
them from the walls with showers of darts. TMs so incensed
the two brothers, that they commanded four and twenty of
their noblest hostages to be hanged in the sight of their
parents. The Romans, however, were only more hardened
at the spectacle, and having received a message from Gabius
and Porsena, their consuls, that they would come the next
day to their assistance, they resolved to march out of the city,
and give the enemy battle. Accordingly, just as they were
ranging their troops in order, the consuls appeared with their
re-assembled forces, marching up to the attack, and ad
vancing in a close body, fell on the Britons and Allobroges by
surprise, and being joined by the citizens that saUied forth,
killed no small number. The brothers, M great grief to see
such destruction made of their feUow soldiers, began to rally
their men, and breaking in upon the enemy several times,
forced them to retire. In the end, after the loss of many
thousands of brave men on both sides, the brothers gained
the day, and took the city, not however tiU Gabius was killed
and Porsena taken prisoner. TMs done, they divided among
their men all the Mdden treasure of the city.
Chap. X. — Brennius oppresses Italy in a most tyrannical manner. Beli
nus returns to Britain.
After this complete victory, Brenmus stayed m Italy,
where he exercised unheard-of tyranny over the people.
But the rest of Ms actions and his death, seeing that they
are given in the Roman Mstories, I shaU here pass over, to
avoid proUxity and meddUng with what others have treated
of, which is foreign to my design. But BeUnus returned to
Britain, wMch he governed during the remainder of Ms Ufe
in peace ; he repaired the cities that were faUing to rMn, and
built many new ones. Among the rest he built one upon
the river Uske, near the sea of the Severn, wMch was for a
long time called Caerosc, and was the metropoUs of Di-
metia;* but after the invasion of the Romans it lost its
* Newport, the principal town of South Wales.

ch. 11, 12] DENMARK- RE-CONQUERED. 131
first name, and was called the City of Legions, from the
Roman legions which used to take up their winter quarters
in it. He also made a gate of wonderful structure in Trino-
vantum, upon the bank of the Thames, which the citizens
caU after Ms name BiMngsgate to this day. Over it he built
a prodigiously large tower, and under it a haven or quay for
sMps. He was a strict observer of justice, and re-estabUshed
Ms father's laws everywhere throughout the kingdom. In
Ms days there was so great an abundance of riches among
the people, that no age before or after is said to have shown
the Uke. At last, when he had finished Ms days, his body
was burned, and the ashes put up in a golden urn, which
they placed at Trinovantum, with wonderful art, on the top
of the tower abovementioned.
Chap. XI. — Gurgiunt Brabtruc, succeeding his father Belinus, reduces
Dacia, which was trying to shake off his yoke.
He was succeeded by Gurgiunt Brabtruc, his son, a sober
prudent prince, who followed the example of his father in aU
Ms actions, and was a lover of peace and justice. When
some neighbouring provinces rebelled against him, inheriting
with them the bravery of Ms father, he repressed their inso
lence in several fierce battles, and reduced them to a perfect
subjection. Among many other things it happened, that the
Mng of the Dacians, who paid tribute in his father's time,
refused not only tribute, but aU manner of homage to Mm.
TMs he seriously resented, and passed over in a fleet to
Dacia, where he harassed the people with a most cruel war,
slew their Mng, and reduced the country to its former
dependence.Chap. XII. — Ireland is given to be inhabited by the Barclenses, who had
been banished out of Spain.
At that time, as he was returning home from his conquest
tMough the Orkney islands, he found tMrty ships fuU of men
and women ; and upon Ms inqmring of them the occasion of
their coming tMther, their leader, named Partholoim, ap
proached Mm in a respectful and submissive manner, and
desired pardon and peace, telUng Mm that he had been driven
out of Spain, and was saiUng round those seas in quest of
K 2

132 Geoffrey's British history. [book™.
a habitation. He also desired some small part of Britain to
dwell in, that they might put an end to their tedious wan
derings ; for it was now a year and a half since he had
been driven from Ms country, aU of wMch time he and Ms
company had been out at sea. When Gurgiunt Brabtruc
understood that they came from Spain, and were caUed Bar-
clenses, he granted their petition, and sent men with them to
Ireland, wMch was then whoUy uMnhabited, and assigned it
to them. There they grew up and increased in number, and
have possessed that island to tMs very day. Gurgiunt
Brabtruc after this ended Ms days M peace, and was buried
in the City of Legions, wMch, after Ms father's death, he
ornamented with buildings and fortified with walls.

Chap. XIII. — Guithelin, reigning after Gurgiunt Brabtruc, the Martian
law is instituted by Martia, a noble woman.
After him GuitheUn wore the crown, wMch he enjoyed all
his life, treating Ms subjects with mUdness and affection.
He had for Ms wife a noble lady named Martia, accompUshed
in all Mnds of learmng. Among many other admirable pro
ductions of her wit, she was the author of what the Britons
call the Martian law. TMs also among other tMngs Mng
Alfred translated, and called it m the Saxon tongue, Pa
Marchitle Lage. Upon the death of GMtheUn, the govern
ment of the Mngdom remained M the hands of this queen
and her son Sisilius, who was then but seven years old,
and therefore unfit to take the government upon Mmself
alone.

Chap. XIV. — Guithelin's successors in the kingdom.
For tMs reason the mother had the sole management of
affairs committed to her, out of a regard to her great sense
and judgment. But on her death, SisiUus took the crown
and government. After him reigned Kimarus his son, to
whom succeeded Danius Ms brother. After Ms death the
crown came to Morvidus, whom he had by Ms concubine
Tangustela. He would have been a prmce of extraordinary
worth, had he not been addicted to immoderate cruelty, so
far that m his anger he spared nobody, if any weapon were

ch. 15, 16 ] CHARACTER OF GORBONIAN. 133
at hand. He was of a graceful aspect, extremely Uberal,
and of such vast strength as not to have Ms match in the
whole Mngdom.
Chap. XV. — Morvidus, a most cruel tyrant, after the conquest of the king
of the Morini, is devoured by a monster.
In Ms thne a certain Mng of the Morini* arrived with a
great force M Northumberland, and began to destroy the
country. But Morvidus, with aU the strength of the king
dom, marched out against him, and fought him. In this
battle he alone did more than the greatest part of Ms army,
and after the victory, suffered none of the enemy to escape
aUve. For he commanded them to be brought to him one
after another, that he might satisfy his cruelty in seeing
them kiUed ; and when he grew tired of this, he gave orders
that they should be flayed alive and burned. During these
and other monstrous acts of cruelty, an accident happened
wMch put a period to Ms wickedness. There came from the
coasts of the Irish sea, a most cruel monster, that was con
tinuaUy devouring the people upon the sea-coasts. As soon
as he heard of it, he ventured to go and encounter it alone ;
when he had in vain spent all Ms darts upon it, the monster
rushed upon him, and with open jaws swallowed Mm up Uke
a small fish.
Chap. XVI — Gorbonian, a most just king of the Britons.
He had five sons, whereof the eldest, Gorbonian, ascended
the throne. There was not in his time a greater lover of
justice and equity, or a more careful ruler of the people.
The performance of due worship to the gods, and doing jus
tice to the common people, were his continual employments.
TMough aU the cities of Britain, he repaired the temples of
the gods, and built many new ones. In all Ms days, the
island abounded with riches, more than aU the neighbouring
countries. For he gave great encouragement to husbandmen
in their tiUage, by protecting them against any injury or op
pression Of their lords ; and the soldiers he amply rewarded
with monej, so that no one had occasion to do wrong to an-
* The people who Uved near Boulogne.

134 Geoffrey's British history. [bookih.
other. Amidst these and many other acts of Ms innate
goodness, he paid the debt of nature, and was buried at
Trinovantum.
Chap. XVII. — ArthgaUo is deposed by the Britons, and is succeeded by
Elidure, who restores him again his kingdom.
After him ArthgaUo, Ms brother, was dignified with the
crown, and in all his actions he was the very reverse of his
brother. He everywhere endeavoured to depress the nobiUty,
and advance the baser sort of the people. He plundered the
rich, and by those means amassed vast treasures. But the
nobiUty, disdaining to bear Ms tyranny any longer, made an
insurrection against Mm, and deposed Mm ; and then advanced
Elidure, his brother, who was afterwards surnamed the pious,
on account of Ms commiseration to ArthgaUo vn distress. For
after five years' possession of the Mngdom, as he happened to
be hunting in the wood Calaterium, he met Ms brother that
had been deposed. For he had traveUed over several king
doms, to desire assistance for the recovery of Ms lost
dominions, but had procured none. And beMg now no
longer abie to bear the poverty to wMch he was reduced,
he returned back to BritaM, attended only by ten men, with
a design to repair to those who had been formerly his friends.
It was at this time, as he was passing through the wood, his
brother EUdure, who little expected it, got sight of Mm, and
forgetting all injuries, ran to him, and affectionately embraced
Mm. Now as he had long lamented Ms brother's affliction,
he carried him with hiin to the city Alclud, where he Md
Mm in Ms bed-chamber. After tMs, he feigned himself
sick, and sent messengers over the whole kingdom, to
signify to all his prime nobiUty that they should come to
visit Mm. Accordingly, when they were aU met together at
the city where he lay, he gave orders that they should come
into his chamber one by one, softly, and without noise : Ms
pretence for wMch was, that their talk would be a disturb
ance to his head, should they aU crowd in together. Thus,
in obedience to Ms commands, and without the least suspicion
of any design, they entered his house one after another. But
Elidure had given charge to 'his servants, who were set ready
for the purpose, to take each of them as they entered, aud cut
off their heads, unless they would again submit themselves to

ch. 17, 18.] ELIDURE IMPRISONED. 135
ArthgaUo Ms brother. Thus did he with every one of them
apart, and compelled them, tMough fear, to be reconciled to
ArthgaUo. At last the agreement being ratified, Elidure
conducted ArthgaUo to York, where he took the crown from
Ms own head, and put it on that of his brother. From this
act of extraordinary affection to his brother, he obtained the
surname of Pious. ArthgaUo after this reigned ten years,
and made amends for his former mal-administration, by
pursuing measures of an entirely opposite tendency, in
depressing the baser sort, and advancing men of good
birth ; in suffering every one to enjoy Ms own, and exer
cising strict justice towards all men. At last sickness
seizmg Mm, he died, and was buried in the city Kaerleir.

Chap. XVIII. — Elidure is imprisoned by Peredure, after whose death he
is a third time advanced to the throne.
Then EUdure was again advanced to the throne, and restored
to Ms former dignity. But while in his government he
foUowed the example of Ms eldest brother Gorbonian, in
performing aU acts of grace ; Ms two remaining brothers,
Vigenius and Peredure, raised an army, and made war
against Mm, in wMch they proved victorious ; so that they
took Mm prisoner, and shut him up in the tower* at
Trinovantum, where they placed a guard over him. They
then divided the kingdom betwixt them ; that part which is
from the river Humber westward faUing to Vigenius's share,
and the remainder with all Albama to Peredure's. After
seven years Vigenius died, and so the whole kingdom came
to Peredure, who. from that time governed the people with
generosity and mildness, so that he even excelled Ms other
brothers who had preceded Mm, nor was any mention now
made of EUdure. But irresistible fate at last removed Mm
suddenly, and so made way for EUdure's release from prison,
and advancement to the throne the third time ; whe finished
the course of Ms life in just and virtuous actions, and after
death left an example of piety to Ms successors.
* The tower of London was built or at least repaired and enlarged by
William Rufus. The story of its having been originally constructed by
Julius Cassar is an absurd fiction irreconcilable with the Commentaries of
that general. See William of Malmesbury, p. 341.

136 GEOFFREYS BRITISH HISTORY. [book in.

Chap. XIX.— The names of Elidure's thirty-three successors.
Elidure being dead, Gorboman's son enjoyed the crown,
and imitated Ms uncle's wise and prudent government
For he abhorred tyranny, and practised justice and mildness
towards the people, nor did he ever swerve from the rule of
equity. After him reigned Margan, the son of ArthgaUo,
who, being instructed by the examples of Ms knmediate
predecessors, held the government in peace. To him
succeeded Enniaunus, Ms brother, who took a contrary
course, and in the sixth year of Ms reign was deposed,
for havmg preferred a tyrannical to a just and legal admin
istration. In Ms room was placed Ms kinsman IdwaUo, the
son of Vigenius, who, being admonished by Enmaunus's ill
success, became a strict observer of justice and eqMty. To
Mm succeeded Runno, the son of Peredure, whose successor
was Geruntius, the son of EUdure. After Mm reigned
Catellus, Ms son ; after CateUus, CoiUus ; after CoiUus,
Porrex ; after Porrex, Cherin. TMs prince had tMee
sons, Fulgenius, Eldadus, and Andragius, who aU reigned
one after another. Then succeeded Urianus, the son of
Andragius ; after whom reigned in order, EUud, Cledaucus,
Cletonus, Gurgintius, Merianus, Bleduno, Cap, Oenus,
SisiUus, Blegabred. TMs last prince, in smgmg and
playing upon musical instruments, exceUed aU the musicians
that had been before him, so that he seemed worthy of the
title of the God of Jesters. After Mm reigned Art.rima.il,
Ms brother ; after ArthmaU, Eldol ; to whom succeeded in
order, Redion, RedercMus, SamuUpemssel, Pir, Capoir, and
Cligueillus the son of Capoir, a man prudent and mild M all
Ms actions, and who above aU tMngs made it Ms business to
exercise true justice among Ms people.
Chap. XX. — Heli's three sons ; the first of whom, vix. Lud, gives name
to the city of London.
Next to him succeeded Ms son HeU, who reigned forty
years. He had tMee sons, Lud, CassibeUaun,* and
Nenmus ; of whom Lud, being the eldest, succeeded to
the kingdom after Ms father's death. He became famous
• The British name of this prince is probably Caswallon.

»i- 20.] LONDON — ITS ORIGIN. 137
for the building of cities, and for rebuilding the walls of
Trinovantum, which he also surrounded with innumerable
towers. He Ukewise commanded the citizens to build
houses, and aU other Mnds of structures in it, so that no city
in aU foreign countries to a great distance round could
show more beautiful palaces. He was withal a warUke
man, and very magnificent in his feasts and pubUc enter-
tamments. And though he had many other cities, yet he
loved tMs above them aU, and resided in it the greater
part of the year ; for wMch reason it was afterwards
caUed Kaerlud, and by the corruption of the word, Caer-
london ; and again by change of languages, in process
of time, London ; as also by foreigners who arrived here,
and reduced tMs country under their subjection, it was
caUed Londres. At last, when he was dead, his body
was buried by the gate wMch to this time is called in
the British tongue after his name, Parthlud,* and in the
Saxon, Ludesgata. He had two sons, Androgeus and
Tenuantius, who were incapable of governing on account
of their age : and therefore their uncle CassibeUaun was
preferred to the Mngdom in their room. As soon as he
was crowned, he began to display his generosity and magnifi
cence to such a degree, that his fame reached to distant king
doms ; wMch was the reason that the monarchy of the whole
Mngdom came to be invested in him, and not in Ms
nephews. Notwithstanding CassibeUaun, from an impulse
of piety, would not suffer them to be without their share
m the kingdom, but assigned a large part of it to them.
For he bestowed the city of Trinovantum, with the duke
dom of Kent, on Androgeus ; and the dukedom of Cornwall
on Tenuantius. But he Mmself, as possessing the crown,
had the sovereignty over them, and aU the other princes
of the island. * In Latin Porta-Lud.

138 Geoffrey's British history. [bookiv.

BOOK IV.
Chap. I. — Julius Ccssar invades Britain,
About tMs time it happened, (as is found in the Roman
Mstories,) that JuUus Caesar, havmg subdued Gaul, came
to the shore of the Rutem. And when from thence he
had got a prospect of the island of Britain, he inqmred
of those about Mm what country it was, and what people
inhabited it. Then fixing Ms eyes upon the ocean, as
soon as he was informed of the name of the Mngdom
and the people, he said : * "In truth we Romans and the
Britons have the same origm, since both are descended
from the Trojan race. Our first father, after the de
struction of Troy, was ^Eneas ; theirs, Brutus, whose
father was Sylvius, the son of Ascamus, the son of
iEneas. But I am deceived, if they are not very much
degenerated from us, and know nothing of the art of war,
since they Uve separated by the ocean from the whole world.
They may be easily forced to become our tributaries, and
subjects to the Roman state. But before the Romans offer
to invade or assault them, we must send them word that
they pay tribute as other nations do, and submit themselves
to the senate ; for fear we should violate the ancient nobiUty
of our father Priamus, by shedding the blood of our Mns-
men." AU which he accordingly took care to signify in
writing to CassibeUaun ; who in great Mdignation returned
him an answer in the foUowmg letter.
Chap. II. — Cassibellaunus's letter to Julius Ctesar.
" Cassibellaun, king of the Britons, to Caius JuUus Caesar.
We cannot but wonder, Caesar, at the avarice of the Roman
people, since their insatiable tMrst for money cannot let us
alone, though the dangers of the ocean have placed us in a
manner out of the world ; but they must have the presump
tion to covet our substance, wMch we have Mtherto enjoyed
• It is ridiculous to suppose that Caesar said any thing of the kind, for
he knew well the slender historical evidence on which the Trojan story
depended.

ch. 3. j Cesar's arrival in Britain. 139
in quiet. Neither is this indeed sufficient : we must also
choose subjection and slavery to them, before the enjoyment
of our native Uberty. Your demand, therefore, Caesar, is
scandalous, since the same vein of nobiUty flows from iEneas
in both Britons and Romans, and one and the same chain of
consanguinity unites us : wMch ought to be a band of firm
union and friendship. It was that, which you should have .
demanded of us, and not slavery : we have learned to admit
of the one, but never to bear the other. And so much have
we been accustomed to Uberty, that we are perfectly ignorant
what it is to submit to slavery. And if even the gods them
selves should attempt to deprive us of our Uberty, we would,
to the utmost of our power, resist them in defence of it.
Know then, Caesar, that we are ready to fight for that and
our Mngdom, if, as you threaten, you shaU attempt to invade
BritaM." Chap. III. — Ctesar is routed by CassibeUaun.
On receiving tMs answer, Caesar made ready Ms fleet, and
waited for a fair wind to execute his threats against Cassi
beUaun. As soon as the wind stood fair, he hoisted his sails,
and arrived with his army at the mouth of the river Thames.
The ships were now just come close to land, when Cassibel-
laun with aU his forces appeared on his march against them,
and coming to the town of Dorobellum, he consulted with his
nobiUty how to drive out the enemy. There was present
with Mm BeUnus, general of his army, by whose counsel the
whole kingdom was governed. There were also his two
nephews, Androgeus, duke of Trinovantum, and Tenuantius,
duke of CornwaU, together with three inferior kings, Cridious,
Mng of Albama, Guerthaeth of Venedotia, and Britael of
Dimetia, who, as they had encouraged the rest to fight the
enemy, gave their advice to march directly to Caesar's camp,
and drive them out of the country before they could Jake any
city or town. For if he should possess Mmself of any forti
fied places, they said it would be more difficult to force him
out, because he would then know whither to make a retreat
with Ms men. To this proposal they all agreed, and ad
vanced towards the shore where Julius Caesar had pitched
Ms camp. And now both armies drew out in order of battle,
and began the fight, wherein both bows and swords were

140 Geoffrey's British history. [bookiv.
employed. Immediately the wounded feU in heaps on each
side, and the ground was drenched with the blood of the
slain, as much as if it had been washed with the sudden
return of the tide. WMle the armies were thus engaged, it
happened that Nennius and Androgeus, with the citizens of
Canterbury and Trinovantum, whom they commanded, had
the fortune to meet with the "troop in wMch Caesar him
self was present. And upon an assault made, the general's
cohort was very nearly routed by the Britons faUing upon
them in a close body. During tMs action, fortune gave
Nennius an opportumty of encountering Caesar. Nenmns
therefore boldly made up to bim, and was in great joy that
he could but give so much as one blow to so great a man.
On the other hand, Caesar bemg aware of Ms design, stretched
out Ms sMeld to receive him, and with aU his might struck
him upon the helmet with Ms drawn sword, wMch he Ufted
up again with an intention to finish Ms first blow, and make
it mortal ; but Nennius carefuUy prevented Mm with his
sMeld, upon wMch Caesar's sword glancmg with great force
from the heMiet, became so firmly fastened thereM, that when
by the intervention of the troops they could no longer con
tinue the encounter, the general was not able to draw it out
again. Nennius, thus becoming master of Caesar's sword,
tMew away Ms own, and puUmg the other out, made haste
to employ it against the enemy. Whomsoever he struck
with it, he either cut off Ms head, or left Mm wounded with
out hopes of recovery. WMle he was thus exerting Mmself,
he was met by Labienus, a tribune, whom he MUed m the
very beginning of the encounter. At last, after the greatest
part of the day was spent, the Britons poured in so fast, and
made such vigorous efforts, that by the blessmg of God they
obtained the victory, and Caesar, with Ms broken forces,
retired to Ms camp and fleet. The very same mght, as soon
as he had got Ms men together agam, he went on board his
fleet, rejoicing that he had the sea for Ms camp. And upon
Ms compaMons dissuading him from continumg the war any
longer, he acquiesced in their advice, and returned back to
Gaul.

ch. i, 5.] CiESAR RETREATS TO GAUL. 141

Chap. IV. — Nennius, the brother of CassibeUaun, being wounded in
battle by Ccssar, dies.
Cassibellaun, in joy for tMs triumph, returned solemn
thanks to God ; and caUing the companions of Ms victory
together, amply rewarded every one of them, according as
they had distinguished themselves. On the other hand, he
was very much oppressed with grief for his brother Nennius,
who lay mortally wounded, and at the very point of death.
For Caesar had wounded him in the encounter, and the blow
wMch he had given Mm proved incurable ; so that fifteen
days after the battle he died, and was buried at Trinovan
tum, by the North Gate. His funeral obsequies were per
formed with regal pomp, and Caesar's sword put into the •
tomb with Mm, wMch he had kept possession of, when struck
into his sMeld in the combat. The name of the sword
was Crocea Mors (YeUow Death), as being mortal to every
body that was wounded with it.
Chap. V. — Ccesar's inglorious return to Gaul.
After this flight of Caesar, and his arrival on the GaUic
coast, the Gauls attempted to rebel and throw off Ms yoke.
For they thought he was so much weakened, that Ms forces
could be no longer a terror to them. Besides, a general
report was spread among them, that Cassibellaun was now
out at sea with a vast fleet to pursue him in Ms flight ; on
wMch account the Gauls, growing still more bold, began to
tMnk of driving him from their coasts. Caesar, aware of
their designs, was not wiUing to engage in a doubtful war
with a fierce people, but rather chose to go to all their first
nobiUty with open treasures, and reconcile them with presents.
To the common people he promised Uberty, to the dispos
sessed the restitution of their estates, and to the slaves their
freedom. Thus he that had insulted them beforetwith the
fierceness of a Uon, and plundered them of aU, now, with
the mildness of a lamb, fawns on them with submissive
abject speeches, and is glad to restore all again. To these
acts of meanness he was forced to condescend tiU he had
pacified them, and was able to regain Ms lost power. In the
meantime not a day passed without his reflecting upon his
flight, and the victory of the Britons.

142 Geoffrey's British history. r«°°Kiv.

Chap. VI. — Cassibellaun forms a stratagem for sinking Caesar's ships.
After two years were expired, he prepared to cross the sea
again, and revenge himself on Cassibellaun, who having in
telligence of his design, everywhere fortified Ms cities, re
paired the ruined walls, and placed armed men at aU the
ports. In the river Thames, on wMch Caesar intended to
sail up to Trinovantum, he caused iron and leaden stakes,
each as thick as a man's tMgh, to be fixed under the surface
of the water, that Caesar's sMps might founder. He then
assembled all the forces of the island, and took up Ms quar
ters with them near the sea-coasts, in expectation of the
tenemy's coming.
Chap. VII. — Ccesar a second time vanquished by the Britons.
After he had furnished Mmself with aU necessaries, the
Roman general embarked with a vast army, eager to revenge
Mmself on a people that had defeated him ; in wMch he un
doubtedly would have succeeded, if he could but have brought
Ms fleet safe to land ; but tMs he was not able to do. For
in saiUng up the Thames to Trinovantum, the sMps struck
against the stakes, which so endangered them aU on a sudden,
that many thousands of the men were drowned, whUe the
ships being pierced sank into the river. Caesar, upon this,
employed aU Ms force to sMft Ms saUs, and hastened to get
back again to land. And so those that remained, after a
narrow escape, went on shore with him. CassibeUaun, who
was present upon the bank, with joy observed the disaster of
the drowned, but grieved at the escape of the rest ; and upon
his giving a signal to his men, made an attack upon the
Romans, who, notwithstanding the danger they had suffered
M the river, when landed, bravely withstood the Britons ;
and having no other fence to trust to but their own courage,
they made no small slaughter ; but yet suffered a greater loss
themselves, than that wMch they were able to give the enemy.
For their number was considerably diminished by their los9
m the river; whereas the Britons being hourly increased
with new recruits, were tM-ee times tlieir number, and by
that advantage defeated them. Caesar, seeing he could no
longer maintaM Ms ground, fled with a small body of men to

ch. 8.] EVELINUS KILLS HIRELGLAS. 143
Ms sMps, and made the sea his safe retreat ; and as the wind
stood fair, he hoisted Ms sails, and steered to the shore of
the Morini. From thence he repaired to a certain tower,
which he had built at a place caUed Odnea, before this second
expedition into Britain. For he durst not trust the fickle
ness of the Gauls, who he feared would faU upon Mm a
second time, as we have said already they did before, after
the first flight he was forced to make before the Britons.
And on that account he had built this tower for a refuge to
Mmself, that he might be able to maintain his ground against
a rebeUious people, if they should make insurrection against
him.Chap. VIII. — Evelinus kills Hirelglas. Androgeus desires Gesar's assist
ance against Cassibellaun.
Cassibellaun, elevated with joy for this second victory,
pubUshed a decree, to summon aU the nobiUty of Britain with
their wives to Trinovantum, in order to perform solemn
sacrifices to their tutelary gods who had given them the
victory over so great a commander. Accordingly, they all
appeared, and prepared a variety of sacrifices, for which
there was a great slaughter of cattle. At this solemnity
they offered forty thousand cows, and a hundred thousand
sheep, and also fowls of several kinds without number, be
sides tMrty thousand wild beasts of several Mnds. As soon
as they had performed these solemn honours to their gods,
they feasted themselves on the remainder, as was usual at
such sacrifices, and spent the rest of the day and night in
various plays and sports. Amidst these diversions, it hap
pened that two noble youths, whereof one was nephew to the
king, the other to duke Androgeus, wrestled together, and
afterwards had a dispute about the victory. The name of
the Mng's nephew was Hirelglas, the other's Evelinus. As
they were reproacMng each other, Evelinus snatchedj up his
sword and cut off the head of Ms rival. TMs sudden disas
ter put the whole court into a consternation, upon which the
Mng ordered EveUnus to be brought before him, that he
might be ready to undergo such punishment as the nobility
should determine, and that the death of Hirelglas might be
revenged upon Mm, if he were unjustly MUed. Androgeus,
suspecting the king's intentions, made answer, that he had

144 Geoffrey's British history. [bookiv.
a court of his own, and that whatever should be aUeged
against Ms own men, ought to be determmed there. If,
therefore, he was resolved to demand justice of EveUnus, he
might have it at Trinovantum, according to ancient custom.
CassibeUaun, finding he could not attain Ms ends, tMeatened
Androgeus to destroy his country with fire and sword, if he
would not comply with Ms demands. But Androgeus, now
incensed, scorned aU compUance with Mm. On the other
hand, Cassibellaun, in a great rage, hastened to make good
Ms tMeats, and ravage the country. This forced Androgeus
to make use of daily sohcitations to the king, by means of
such as were related to Mm, or Mtimate with him, to divert
Ms rage. But when he found these methods ineffectual, he
began in earnest to consider how to oppose Mm, At last,
when aU other hopes faUed, he resolved to request assistance
from Caesar, and wrote a letter to Mm to tMs effect : —
" Androgeus, duke of Trinovantum, to Caius JuUus Caesar,
instead of wisMng death as formerly, now wishes health. I
repent that ever I acted against you, when you made war
against the Mng. Had I never been guilty of such exploits,
you would have vanquished CassibeUaun, who is so swoUen
with pride since Ms victory, that he is endeavouring to drive
me out of Ms coasts, who procured Mm that triumph. Us
this a fit reward for my services ? I have settled hirn in an
inheritance ; and he endeavours to disinherit me. I have a
second time restored Mm to the Mngdom : and he endeavours
to destroy me. AU tMs have I done for Mm in fighting
against you. I caU the gods to witness I have not deserved
Ms anger, unless I can be said to deserve it for refusmg to
deUver up my nephew, whom he would have condemned to
die unjustly. Of which, that you may be better able to
judge, hear this account of the matter. It happened that for
joy of the victory we performed solemn honours to our
tutelary gods, in which after we had finished our sacrifices,
our youth began to divert themselves with sports. Among
the rest our two nephews, encouraged by the example of the
others, entered the Usts ; and when mine had got the better,
the other without any cause was incensed, and just going to
strike Mm ; but he avoided the blow, and taMng him by the
hand that held the sword, strove to wrest it from Mm. In
tMs struggle the Mng's nephew happened to faU upon the

ch. 9.] DEFEAT OF CASSD3ELLAUNUS. 145
sword's point, and died upon the spot. When the king was
informed of it, he commanded me to deUver up the youth,
that he might be punished for murder. I refused do it ;
whereupon he invaded my provinces with all Ms forces, and
has given me very great disturbance ; flying, therefore, to
your clemency, I desire your assistance, that by you I may
be restored to my dignity, and by me you may gain posses
sion of Britain. Let no doubts or suspicion of treachery in
tMs matter detain you. Be influenced by the common motive
of manMnd ; let past enmities beget a desire of friendship ;
and after defeat make you more eager for Victory."
Chap. IX. — Cassibellaun, being put to flight, and besieged by Ctesar,
desires peace.
Caesar, having read the letter, was advised by Ms friends
not to go into Britain upon a bare verbal invitation of the
duke, unless he would send such hostages as might be for
his security. Without delay, therefore, Androgeus sent his
son Scaeva with thirty young noblemen nearly related to
Mm. Upon delivery of the hostages, Caesar, relieved from
his suspicion, reassembled Ms forces, and with a fair wind
arrived at the port of Rutupi. In the meantime Cassibellaun
had begun to besiege Trinovantum and ravage the country
towns ; but finding that Caesar was arrived, he raised the
siege and hastened to meet him. As soon as he entered a
vaUey near Dorobernia,* he saw the Roman army preparing
their camp : for Androgeus had conducted them to this place,
for the convenience of making a sudden assault upon the city.
The Romans, seeing the Britons advancing towards them,
quickly flew to their arms, and ranged themselves in several
bodies. The Britons^ also put on their arms, and placed
themselves in their ranks. But Androgeus with five
thousand men lay Md in a wood hard by, to be ready to
assist Caesar, and spring forth on a sudden upon Cassibellaun
and his party. Both armies now approached to *begin the
fight, some with bows and arrows, some with swords, so that
much blood was shed on both sides, and the wounded feU
down like leaves in autumn. While they were thus engaged,
Androgeus sallied forth from the wood, and feU upon the
rear of Cassibellaun's army, upon which the hopes of the
* Canterbury. L

146 Geoffrey's British history. Lbookiv.
battle entirely depended. And now, what with the breach
which the Romans had made tMough them just before, what
with the furious irruption of their own countrymen, they
were no longer able to stand their ground, but were obliged
with their broken forces to quit the field. Near the place
stood a rocky mountain, on the top of wMch was a tMck
hazel wood- Hither Cassibellaun fled with Ms men after he
found hhnself worsted ; and having climbed up to the top of
the mountain, bravely defended himself and MUed the
pursuing enemy. For the Roman forces with those of
Androgeus pursued him to disperse Ms flying troops, and
cUmbing up the mountain after them made many assaults,
but aU to little purpose ; for the rockiness of the mountain
and great height of its top was a defence to the Britons, and
the advantage of higher ground gave them an opportunity
of kiUing great numbers of the enemy. Caesar hereupon
besieged the mountain that whole Mght, which had now
overtaken them, and shut up aU the avenues to it ; intending
to reduce the Mng by famme, since he could not do it by
force of arms. Such was the wonderful valpur pf the
British nation m those times, that they, were able to put
the conqueror of the world twice to flight ; and being ready
to die for the defence of their country and Uberty, they, even
though defeated, withstood Mm whom the whole world could
not withstand. Hence Lucan in their praise says of Caesar,
" Territa quaesitis Ostendit terga Britannis."
With pride he sought the Britons, but when found,
Dreaded their force, and fled the hostile ground.
Two days were now passed, when CassibeUaun having
consumed aU Ms provision, feared famme would obUge bim
to surrender Mmself' prisoner to Caesar. For tMs reason he
sent a message to Androgeus to make Ms peace with Julius,
lest the honour of the nation might suffer ,by Ms bemg taken
prisoner. He Ukewise represented to Mm, that he did not
deserve to be pursued to death for the annoyance wMch he
had given him. As soon as the messengers had told tMs to
Androgeus, he made answer : — "That prince deserves not
to be loved, who in, war is mild as a lamb, but in peace cruel
as. a, lMn. Ye. gods pf heaven and earth ! Does my lord

ch.9, 10.] ANDHOGEUS'S SPEECH TO CvESAH. 147
then condescend to entreat me now, whom before he took
upon Mm to command ? Does he desire to be reconciled and
make his submission to Caesar, of whom Caesar himself had
before desired peace ? He ought therefore to have con
sidered, that he who was able to drive so great a commander
out of the kingdom, was able also to bring him back again.
I ought not to have been so unjustly treated, who had then
done Mm so much service, as well as now so muoh injury.
He must be mad who either injures or reproaches his fellow
soldiers by whom he defeats the enemy. The victory is not
the commander's, but theirs who lose their blood in fighting
for Mm. However, I wiU procure him peace if I can, for
the injury which he has done me is sufficiently revenged
upon him, since he sues for mercy to me."

Chap. \.—Androgeus's speech to Casar.
Androgeus after this went to Caesar, and after a respectful
salutation addressed him in this manner: — "You have
sufficiently revenged yourseff upon Cassibellaun ; and now
let clemency take place of vengeance. What more is there
to be done than that he make his submission and pay tribute
to the Roman state ? " To this Caesar returned Mm no
answer : upon wMch Androgeus said again ; " My whole
engagement with you, Caesar, was only to reduce Britain
under your power, by the submission of CassibeUaun.
Behold ! Cassibellaun is now vanquished, and Britain by my
assistance become subject to you. What further service do
I owe you ? God forbid that I should suffer my sovereign,
who sues to me for pgjce, and makes me satisfaction for the
injury wMch he has done me, to be in prison or in chains.
It is no easy matter to put Cassibellaun to death wMle I
have Ufe ; and if you do not comply with my demand, I
shaU not be ashamed to give Mm my assistance.* Caesar,
alarmed at these menaces of Androgeus, was forced to
comply, and entered into peace with Cassibellaun, on
condition that he should pay a yearly tribute of tMee
thousand pounds of silver. So then Julius and Cassibellaun
from tMs time became friends, and made presents to each
other. After this, Caesar wintered in Britain, and the
L 2

148 Geoffrey's British history. [book it.
following spring returned into Gaul.* At length he
assembled all Ms forces, and marched towards Rome
against Pompey.
Chap. XI. — Tenuantius is made king of Britain after Cassibellaun.
After seven years had expired, CassibeUaun died and was
buried at York. He was succeeded by Tenuantius, duke of
Cornwall, and brother of Androgeus : for Androgeus was
gone to Rome with Caesar. Tenuantius therefore, now
wearing the crown, governed the Mngdom with dihgence.
He was a warUke man, and a strict observer of justice.
After him KymbeUnus Ms son was advanced to the tMone,
being a great soldier, and brought up by Augustus Caesar.
He had contracted so great a friendsMp with the Romans,
that he freely paid them tribute when he might have very
* " Cm sar's expedition against the Britons was of singular boldness ; for
he was the first who proceeded with a fleet to the Western Ocean, and
sailed over the Atlantic Sea, conducting an army to war ; and being
desirous of possessing an island, for its size hardly believed in, and giving
occasion for much controversy to various writers, as if a name and a tale
had been invented of a place which never had been nor was yet in
existence, he advanced the dominion of the Romans beyond the limits
of the known world ; and having twice sailed over to the island from the
opposite coast of Gaul, and having rather worsted his enemies in many
.battles, than advantaged his own soldiers, for there was nothing worth
taking from men who had a bare subsistence and were poor, he terminated
the war not in the way he wished ; but taking hostages from the king, and
appointing tributes, he departed from the island." — Pldtabch. This is the
language of a writer favourable to the reputation of Caesar, and may teach
us how worthless are the old British or rather Welsh legends in comparison
with the classic historians.
But the classic historians deal sometimes in fables. Witness the
following quotation from Polysenus :
" Caesar attempting to pass a large river in Britain, Cassoiaulus, king of
the Britons, obstructed him with many horsemen and chariots. Casar had
in his train a very large elephant, an animal hitherto unseen by the Britons.
Having armed him with scales of iron, and put a large tower upon him, and
placed therein archers and slingers, he ordered them to enter the stream.
The Britons were amazed at beholding a beast till then unseen, and of an
extraordinary nature. As to the horses, what need to write of them i since
even among the Greeks, horses fly on seeing elephants even without harness,
but thus towered and armed, and casting darts and slinging, they oould not
endure even to look upon the sight. The Britons therefore fled with their
horses and chariots. Thus the Romans passed the river without molesta
tion, having terrified the enemy by a single animal."

ch. 18, 13.] BIRTH OF CHRIST. 149
weU refused it. In Ms days was born our Lord Jesus CMist,
by whose precious blood mankind was redeemed from the
devil, under whom they had been before enslaved.
Chap. XII. — Upon Guiderius's refusing to pay tribute to the Romans,
Claudius Cmsar invades Britain.
Kymbelinus, when he had governed Britain ten years, begat
two sons, the elder named GMderius, the other Arviragus.
After his death the government feU to Guiderius. TMs
prince refused to pay tribute to the Romans ; for wMch reason
Claudius, who was now emperor, marched against Mm. He
was attended in tMs expedition by the commander of Ms
army, who was called in the British tongue, Leuis Hamo, by
whose advice the foUowing war was to be carried on. This
man, therefore, arriving at the city of Portcestre, [Portches-
ter,] began to block up the gates with a wall, and denied the
citizens aU Uberty of passMg out. For Ms design was either
to reduce them to subjection by famine, or MU them without
mercy. Chap. XIII. — Leuis Hamo, u Roman, by wicked treachery kills Guiderius.
Gutderius, upon the news of Claudius's coming, assembled
all the soldiery of the kingdom, and went to meet the Roman
army. In the battle that ensued, he began the assault with
great eagerness, and did more execution with Ms own sword
than the greater part of Ms army. Claudius was now on
the point of retreating to Ms ships, and the Romans very
nearly routed, when the crafty Hamo, tMowing aside Ms own
armour, put on that of the Britons, and as a Briton fought
against Ms own men. Then he exhorted the Britons to a
vigorous assault, promising them a speedy victory. For he
had learned their language and manners, having been edu
cated among the British hostages at Rome. By these means
he approached by Uttle and Uttle to the king, and seizing a
favourable opportunity, stabbed him wMle under* no appre
hension of danger, and then escaped through the enemy's
ranks to return to Ms men with the news of his detestable
exploit. But Arviragus, Ms brother, seeing him MUed,
forthwith put off Ms own and put on Ms brother's habiliments,
and, as if he had been Guiderius himself, encouraged the
Britons to stand their ground. Accordingly, as they knew

150 Geoffrey's British history. [book it.
notMng of the Mng's disaster, they made a vigorous resist
ance, fought courageously, and MUed no smaU number of the
enemy. At last the Romans gave ground, and dividmg
themselves into two bodies, basely qmtted the field. Caesar
with one part, to secure himself, retired to Ms sMps ; but
Hamo fled to the woods, because he had not time to get
to the sMps. Arviragus, therefore, tMnMng that Claudius
fled along with Mm, pursued Mm with all speech, and did not
leave off harassing him from place to place, tiU he overtook
Mm upon a part of the sea-coast, wMch, from the name of
Hamo, is now caUed Southampton. There was at the same
place a convenient haven for sMps, and some merchant-sMps
at anchor. And just as Hamo was attempting to get on
board them, Arviragus came upon Mm unawares, and forth
with killed him. And ever since that time the haven has
been caUed Hamo's port
Chap. XIV. — Arviragus, king of Britain, makes his submission to Clau
dius, who with his assistance conquers the Orkney islands.
In the meantime, Claudius, with Ms remaimng forces,'
assaulted the city above mentioned, wMch was then called
Kaerperis, now Portcestre, and presently leveUed the walls,
and having reduced the citizens to subjection, went after
Arviragus, who had entered Winchester. Afterwards he
besieged that city, and employed a variety of engines against
it. Arviragus, seeing hhnself M these straits, called his
troops together, and opened the gates, to march out and give
him battle. But just as he was ready to begin the attack,
Claudius, who feared the boldness of the Mng, and the
bravery of the Britons, sent a message to him with a propo
sal of peace ; choosing rather to reduce them by wisdom and
poUcy, than run the hazard of a battle. To tMs purpose he
offered a reconciliation with Mm, and promised to give him
his daughter, if he would only acknowledge the kingdom of
Britain subject to the Roman state. The nobiUty hereupon
persuaded Mm to lay aside thoughts of war, and be content
with Claudius's promise ; representing to him at the same time,
that it was no disgrace to be subject to the Romans, who en
joyed the empire of the whole world. By these and many
other arguments he was prevailed upon to hearken to their
advice, and make Ms submission to Caesar. After wMch

ch. IS.] ORKNEY ISLANDS. 151
Claudius sent to Rome for Ms daughter, and then, with the
assistance of Arviragus, reduced the Orkney and the provin
cial islands to Ms power.*
Chap. XV. — Claudius gives his daughter Genuissa 'for a wife to Arvira
gus, and returns io Rome.
As soon as the winter was over, those that were sent for
Claudius's daughter returned with her, and presented her to
her father. The damsel's name was Genuissa, and so great
was her beauty, that it raised the admiration of all that saw
her. After her marriage with the king, she gained so great
an ascendant over Ms affections, that he in a manner valued
notMng but her alone : insomuch that he was desirous to
have the place honoured where the nuptials were solemnized,
and moved Claudius to build a city upon it, for a monument
* Claudius never was in Orkney; he spent only sixteen days altogether
in Britain. Of certain sacred isles in the neighbourhood of Britain, Plu
tarch gives the following account, showing now little the Greeks knew of
Britain eighty years 'after the reign of Cla'uafus :
" A short time before Callistratus celebrated the Pythian games, two holy
men from the Opposite parts ofthe habitable earth came to us at Delphos,
Demetrius the grammarian from Britain, returning home to Tarsus, and
Cleombrotus the Lacedaemonian. .... But Demetrius said, that there are
many desert islands scattered around Britain, some of which have the name
of being the islands of genii and heroes : that he had been sent by the
emperor, for the sake of describing and viewing them, to that which lay
nearest to the desert isles, and which had but few inhabitants ; all of whom
were esteemed by the Britons sacred and inviolable. Very soon after his
arrival there was great turbulence in the air, and many portentous storms ;
the winds became tempestuous, and fiery whirlwinds rushed forth. When
these ceased, the islanders said that the departure of some one of the
superior genii had taken place. For as a light when burning, say they, has
nothmg disagreeable, but when extinguished is offensive to many ; so like
wise lofty spirits afford an illumination benignant and mild, but their ex
tinction and destruction frequently, as at the present moment, excite winds
and storms, and often infect the atmosphere with pestilential evils. More
over, that there was one island there, wherein Saturn was confined by
Briareus in sleep : for that sleep had been devised for his bonds ; and that
around him were many genii as his companions and attendants.
" Asclepiades asserts, that after their thirtieth year the Ethiopians, being
scorched by the sun, quickly grow old, in consequence of their bodies being
overheated ; whereas in Britain they advance to an hundred and twenty
years, in consequence of the coldness of the place and their retaining
within themselves the vital heat : for the bodies of the Ethiopians are more
slender from their being relaxed by the sun, whereas the inhabitants of the
north are thick set in their persons, and on this account longer lived."

152 GEOFFREY S BRITISH HISTORY. [bookiv.
to posterity of so great and happy a marriage. Claudius
consented to it, and commanded a city to be built, .wMch after
his name is called Kaerglou, that is Gloucester, to this day,
and is situated on the confines of Dimetia and Loegria, upon
the banks of the Severn. But some say that it derived its
name from Duke Gloius, a son that was born to Claudius
there, and to whom, after the death of Arviragus, feU the
dukedom of Dimetia. The city being fimshed, and the island
now enjoying peace, Claudius returned to Rpme, leaving to
Arviragus the government of the British islands. At the
same time the apostle Peter founded the Church of Antioch ;
and afterwards coming to Rome, was bishop there, and sent
Mark, the evangeUst, into Egypt to preach the gospel wMch
he had written.
Chap. XVI. — Arviragus revolting from the Romans, Vespasian is sent
into Britain.
After the departure of Claudius, Arviragus began to show
Ms wisdom and courage, to rebuild cities and towns, and to
exercise so great authority over his own people, that he be
came a terror to the Mngs of remote countries. But tMs so
elevated Mm with pride that he despised the Roman power,
disdained any longer subjectien to the senate, and assumed
to himself the sole authority in every tMng. Upon tMs news
Vespasian was sent by Claudius to procure a reconciUation
with Arviragus, or to reduce Mm to the subjection of the
Romans. When, therefore, Vespasian arrived at the haven
pf Rutupi,* Arviragus met Mm, and prevented Ms entering
the pert. Fpr he breugbt sp great an army aleng with him,
that the Romans, for fear of Ms faUing upon them, durst not
come ashore. Vespasian upon tMs withdrew from that port,
and sMfting Ms sails arrived at the shore of Totness. As
soon as he was landed, he marched directly to besiege Kaer-
penhuelgoit, now Exeter; and after lying before it seven
days, was overtaken by Arviragus and Ms army, who gave
Mm battle. That day great destruction was made in both
armies, but neither got the victory. The next mornmg, by
the mediation of queen Genuissa, the two leaders were made
friends, and sent their men over to Ireland. As soon as
winter was over, Vespasian returned to Rome, But Arvi-
• Richborough.

ch.17.] MARIUS CONQUERS RODRIC. 153
ragus continued stiU in Britain. Afterwards, when he grew
old, he began to show much respect to the senate, and to
govern Ms Mngdom in peace and tranquiUity. He confirmed
the old laws of Ms ancestors, and enacted some new ones,
and made very ample presents to all persons of merit. So
that his fame spread over all Europe, and he was both loved
and feared by the Romans, and became the subject of their
discourse more than any Mng in his time. Hence Juvenal
relates how a certain blind man, speaMng of a turbot that
was taken, said : —
" Regem aliquem capies, aut de temone Britanno
Decidet Arviragus."*
Arviragus shall from his chariot fall,
Or thee his lord some captive king shall call.
In war none was more fierce than he, in peace none more •
mUd, none more pleasing, or in Ms presents more magnificent.
When he had finished his course of Ufe, he was buried at
Gloucester, in a certain temple wMch he had built and
dedicated to the honour of Claudius.f

Chap. XVII. — Rodric, leader of the Picts, is vanquished by Marius.
His son Marius, a man of admirable prudence and wisdom,
succeeded Mm in the kingdom. In Ms reign a certain king
of the Picts, named Rodric, came from ScytMa with a great
fleet, and arrived in the north part of Britain, which is caUed
Albania, and began to ravage that country. Marius there
fore raising an army went in quest of Mm, and killed Mm in
battle, and gained the victory ; for a monument of which he
set up a stone in the province, wMch from Ms name was
afterwards caUed Westmoreland, where there is an inscription
retaining Ms memory to this day. He gave the conquered
people that came with Rodric Uberty to inhabit, that part
of Albama which is called Caithness, that had been a long
time desert and uncultivated. And as they had no wives,
* Juven. Sat. iv. 26.
f Although this narrative of the reign of Arviragus is purely imagina
tive, yet it is not impossible that Gloucester may have been a station
founded by Claudius, and hence called Claudii Castrum, or Caer Glau.

154 Geoffrey's British history. [bookiv.
they desired to have the daughters and Mnswomen of the
Britons. But the Britons refused, disdaining to uMte with
such a people. Having suffered a repulse here, they sailed
over into Ireland, and married the women of that country,
and by their offspring increased their number. But let thus
much suffice concermng them, since I do not propose to write
the Mstory of this people, or of the Scots, who derived their
original from them and the Irish. Marius, after he had
settled the island in perfect peace, began to love the Roman
people, paying the tribute that was demanded of Mm ; and
in imitation of Ms father's example practised justice, law,
peace, and every tMng that was honourable m Ms Mngdom.
Chap. XVIII. — Marius dying, is succeeded by CoiUus.
As soon as he had ended Ms days, Ms son CoiUus took upon
• Mm the government of the kingdom. He had been brought
up from Ms Mfancy at Rome, and having been taught the
Roman manners, had contracted a most strict amity with
them. He likewise paid them tribute, and dechned maMng
them any opposition, because he saw the whole world subject
to them, and that no town or country was out of the limits
of their power. By paymg therefore what was required
of Mm, he enjoyed Ms Mngdom in peace : and no king ever
showed greater respect to Ms nobiUty, not only permitting
them to enjoy their own with quiet, but also binding them to
Mm by his continual bounty and munificence.
Chap. XIX. — Lucius is the first British king that embraces the Christian
faith, together with his people.
Coillus had but one son, named Lucius, who, obtainmg the
crown after his fathers decease, imitated aU his acts of good
ness, and seemed to Ms people to be no other than CoiUus
himself revived. As he had made so good a beginning, he
was wiUing to make a better end : for wMch purpose he sent
letters to pope Eleutherius, desiring to be instructed by him
in the Christian reUgion. For the miracles wMch Christ's
disciples performed in several nations wrought a conviction
in Ms mind ; so that being inflamed with an ardent love of
the true faith, he obtained the accompUsMnent of Ms pious
request. For that holy pope, upon receipt of tMs devout

ch.19, 20.] LUCIUS EMBRACES CHRISTIANITY. 155
petition, sent to Mm two most religious doctors, Faganus
and Duvanus, who, after they had preached concerning the
incarnation of the Word of God, administered baptism to
Mm, and made him a proselyte to the Christian faith.
Immediately upon tMs, people from aU countries, assembling
together, foUowed the king's example, and being washed in
the same holy laver, were made partakers of the kingdom of
heaven. The holy doctors, after they had almost extinguished
paganism over the whole island, dedicated the temples, that
had been founded m honour of many gods, to the one only
God and Ms saints, and fiUed them with congregations
of Christians. There were then in Britain eight and twenty
flamens, as also tMee archflamens, to whose jurisdiction the
other judges and enthusiasts were subject. These also,
according to the apostoUc command, they deUvered from
idolatry, and where they were flamens made them bishops,
where archflamens, archbishops. The seats of the arch-
flamens were at the three noblest cities, viz. London,* York,
and the City of Legions, which its old walls and buildings
show to have been situated upon the river Uske in Glamor-
gansMre. To these three, nOw purified from superstition,
were made subject twenty-eight bishops, with their dioceses.
To the metropoUtan of York were subject Deira and Albania,
wMch the great river Humber divides from Loegria. To the
metropolitan of London were subject Loegria and Cornwall.
These two provinces the Severn divides from Kambria or
Wales, which was subject to the City of Legions.
Chap. XX. — Paganus and Duvanus give an account at Rome, of what
ihey had done in Britain.
At last, when they had made an entire reformation here, the
two prelates returned to Rome, and desired the pope to
confirm what they had done. As soon as they had obtained
a confirmation, they returned again to Britain, accompanied
with many ethers, by whose doctrine the British nation was
in a short time strengthened in the faith. Their names and
acts are recorded in a book which Gildas wrote concerning
* This fabulous story of the flamens and archflamens, and of the sub
stitution of bishops and archbishops in their places, led, in later years, to
serious disputes between the bishops of Canterbury, York, and London.

156 GEOFFREY OF MONMOUTH. [book v. ch. 1.
the victory of AureUus Ambrosius ; and what is delivered
in so bright a treatise, needs not to be repeated here m a
meaner style.*

BOOK V.
Chap. I. — Lucius dies without issue, and is a benefactor to the churches.
In the meantime, the glorious Mng Lucius MgMy rejoiced
at the great progress wMch the true faith and worsMp had
made in his Mngdom, and permitted the possessipns and
territories wMch formerly belonged to the temples of the
gods, to be converted to a better use, and appropriated to
Christian churches. And because a greater honour was due
to them than to the others, he made large additions of lands
and manor-houses, and all Mnds of privileges to them.
Amidst these and other acts of Ms great piety, he departed
this Ufe in the city of Gloucester, and was honourably buried
in the cathedral church, in the hundred and fifty-sixth year
after our Lord's incarnation. He had no issue to succeed
him, so that after Ms decease there arose a dissension
among the Britons, and the Roman power was much
weakened.Chap. II. — Severus, a senator, subdues part of Britain : his war with
Fulgenius.
When tMs news was brought to Rome, the senate despatched
Severus, a senator, with two legions, to reduce the country
to subjection. As soon as he was arrived, he came to a
battle with the Britons, part of whom he obUged to submit
to Mm, and the other part wMch he could not subdue he
endeavoured to distress in several cruel engagements, and
forced them to fly beyond Den-a into Albania. Notwithstand
ing wMch they opposed him with aU their might under the
• This treatise has not been preserved, and most probably never was
written. The only information which has come down to us about king
Lucius, at all likely to be of an authentic character, is a brief notice of him
in Bede's Ecclesiastical History, p. 10.

a.d. 207.] DEATH OF SEVERUS. 157
conduct of Fulgenius, and often made great slaughter both
of their own countrymen and of the Romans. For Fulgenius,
brought to Ms assistance aU the people of the islands that he
could find, and so frequently gained the victory. The empe
ror, not being able to resist the irruptions which he made,
commanded a waU to be built between Deira and Albania, to
Mnder Ms excursions upon them ; they accordingly made
one at the common charge from sea to sea, which for a long
time hindered the approach of the enemy. But Fulgenius,
when he was unable to make any longer resistance, made a
voyage into ScytMa, to desire the assistance of the Picts
towards his restoration. And when he had got together aU
the forces of that country, he returned with a great fleet into
Britain, and besieged York. Upon tMs news being spread
tMough the country, the greatest part of the Britons deserted
Severus, and went over to Fulgenius. However this did not
make Severus desist from Ms enterprise : but calUng together
the Romans, and the rest of the Britons that adhered to him,
he marched to the siege, and fought with Fulgenius ; but the
engagement proving very sharp, he was killed with many of
Ms followers : Fulgenius also was mortally wounded. After
wards Severus was buried at York, wMch city was taken by
his legions.* He left two sons, Bassianus and Geta, whereof
* The following is an extract from the true account of the expedition of
Severus into Britain taken from Herodian :
" [Severus] received letters from the praefect of Britain relating that the
barbarians tjiere were in a state of insurrection, overrunning the country,
driving off booty, and laying every thing waste ; so that for the defence of
the island there was need either of greater force, or ofthe presence ofthe
emperor himself. Severus heard this with pleasure, by nature a lover of
glory, and anxious, after his victories in the east and north and his conse
quent titles, to obtain a trophy from the Britons : moreover, willing to
withdraw his sons from Rome, that they might grow up in the discipline and
sobriety of a military life, far removed from the blandishments and luxury
prevalent in Rome, he orders an expedition against Britain, although now old
and labouring under an arthritic affection ; but as to his mind, hfe was vigo
rous beyond any youth. For the most part he performed the march carried
in a litter, nor did he ever continue long in one place. Having completed
the journey with his sons, and crossed over the sea more quickly than could
be described or expected, he advanced against the Britons, and having
drawn together his soldiers from all sides, and concentrated a vast force, he
prepared for the war.
" The Britons, much struck with the sudden arrival of the emperor, and
learning that sucli a mighty force was collected against them, sent ambas-

1 58 Geoffrey's British history. Lbook v. ch. 3.
Geta had a Roman for Ms mother, but Bassianus* a Briton.
Therefore upon the death of their father the Romans made
Geta Mng, favouring Mm on account of his being a Roman
by both Ms parents : but the Britons rejected Mm, and
advanced Bassianus, as being their countryman by Ms
mother's side. TMs proved the occasion of a battle between
the two brothers, in which Geta was MUed ; and so Bassi
anus obtained the sovereignty.
Chap. III. — Carausius advanced to be king of Britain.
At that time there was in Britain one Carausius, a young
man of mean birth, who, havmg given proof of Ms bravery
sadors, sued for peace, and were willing to excuse their past transgressions.
But Severus, purposely seeking delay that he might not again return to
Rome without his object, and, moreover, desirous to obtain from Britain
a victory and a title, sent away their ambassadors without effecting
their purpose, and prepared all things for the contest. He more espe
cially endeavoured to render the marshy places stable by means of
causeways, that his soldiers, treading with safety, might easily pass them,
and, having firm footing, fight to advantage. For many parts of the British
country, being constantly flooded bythe tides ofthe ocean, become marshy.
In these the natives are accustomed to swim and traverse about being im
mersed as high as their waists : for going naked as to the greater part of
their bodies, they contemn the mud. Indeed they know not the use of
clothing, but encircle their loins and necks with iron ; deeming this an
ornament and an evidence of opulence, in like manner as other barbarians
esteem gold. But they puncture their bodies with pictured forms of every
sort of animals ; on which account they wear no clothing, lest they should
hide the figures on their body. They are a most warlike and sanguinary
race, carrying only a small shield and a spear, and a sword girded to their
naked bodies. Of a breast-plate or an helmet they know not the use,
esteeming them an impediment to their progress through the marshes ;
from the vapours and exhalations of which the atmosphere in that country
always appears dense.
"Against such things, therefore, Severus prepared whatever could be
serviceable to the Roman army, but hurtful and detrimental to the designs
of the barbarians. And when every thing appeared to him sufficiently
arranged for the war, leaving his younger son, named Geta, in that part of
the island which was subjugated to the Romans, for the purpose of adminis
tering justice and directing other civil matters ofthe government, giving hhn
as assessors the more aged of his friends ; and taking Antoninus with him
self, he led the way against the barbarians. His army having passed be
yond the rivers and fortresses which defended the Roman territory, there
were frequent attacks and skirmishes and retreats on the side of the barba
rians. To these, indeed, flight was an easy matter, and they lay hidden
in the thickets and marshes through their local knowledge ; all which things
being adverse to the Romans, served to protract the war."
* Otherwise called Caracalla.

a.d. 293.] CARAUSIUS, KING OF BRITAIN. 159
in many engagements, went to Rome, and soUcited the
senate for leave to defend with a fleet the maritime coasts of
Britain, from the incursions of barbarians ; wMch if they
would grant him, he promised to do more for the honour and
service of the commonwealth, than by deUvering up to them
the kingdom of BritaM. The senate, deluded by Ms specious
promises, granted Mm Ms request, and so, with Ms commis
sion sealed, he returned to BritaM. Then by wicked prac
tices getting a fleet together, he enUsted into Ms service a
body of the bravest youths, and putting out to sea, sailed
round the whole Mngdom, causing very great disturbance
among the people. In the meantime he invaded the adjacent
islands, where he destroyed aU before him, countries, cities,
and towns, and plundered the inhabitants of all they had.
By tMs conduct he encouraged all manner of dissolute fellows
¦ to flock to Mm in hope of plunder, and in a very short time
was attended by an army wMch no neighbouring prince was
able to oppose. TMs made him begin to sweU with pride,
and to propose to the Britons, that they should make Mm
their Mng ; for wMch consideration he promised to kill and
bamsh the Romans, and free the whole island from the inva
sions of barbarous nations. Accordingly obtaining his re
quest, he feU upon Bassianus and MUed him, and then took
upon Mm the government of the kingdom- For Bassianus
was betrayed by the Picts, whom Fulgenius Ms mother's
brother had brought with him into Britain, and who being
corrupted by the promises and presents of Carausius, instead
of assisting Bassianus, deserted Mm in the very battle, and
fell upon Ms men ; so that the rest were put into a consterna
tion, and not knowing their friends from their foes, quickly
gave ground, and left the victory to Carausius. Then he, to
reward the Picts for tMs success, gave them a habitation
in Albania, where they continued afterwards mixed with
the Britons, »
Chap. IV. — Allectus kills Carausius, but is afterwards hirnself slain in
flight by Asclepiodotus.
When the news of these proceedings of Carausius arrived
at Rome, the senate commissioned* Allectus, with three
* Roman history must have been very little known in England, when
such a statement as this could be put forth as true. Euijropius [ix. 22]

160 Geoffrey's British history. [book v. ch. 4.
legions, to MU the tyrant, and restore the Mngdom of Britain
to the Roman power. No sooner was he arrived, than he
fought with Carausius, MUed him, and took upon Mmself the
government. After wMch he miserably oppressed the
Britons, for having deserted the commonwealth, and adhered
to Carausius. But the Britons, not enduring tMs, advanced
Asclepiodotus, duke of CornwaU, to be their Mng, and then
unanimously marched against Allectus, and chaUenged him
to battle. He was then at London, celebrating a feast to his
tutelary gods ; but being informed of the coming of Ascle
piodotus, he quitted the sacrifice, and went out with aU Ms
forces to meet Mm, and engaged with Mm in a sharp fight
But Asclepiodotus had the advantage, and dispersed and put
to flight AUectus's troops, and in the pursmt MUed many
thousands, as also Mng AUectus himself. After tMs victory,
Livius Gallus, the coUeague of AUectus, assembled the rest
6f the Romans, shut the gates of the city, and placed Ms men
in the towers and other fortifications, tMnMng by these
means either to make a stand against Asclepiodotus, or at
least to avoid imminent death. But Asclepiodotus seeing
tMs laid siege to the city, and sent word to aU the dukes of
Britain, that he had MUed AUectus with a great number of
Ms men, and was besieging GaUus and the rest of the Romans
in London ; and therefore earnestly entreated them to hasten
to his assistance, representing to them withal, how easy it
was to extirpate the whole race of the Romans out of Britain,
provided they would all join their forces agamst the besieged.
At tMs summons came the Dimetians, Venedotians, Deirans,
Albanians, and all others of the British race. And as soon
as they appeared before the duke, he commanded vast num
bers of engines to be made, to beat down the walls of the
city. Accordingly every one readily executed Ms orders
with great bravery, and made a violent assault upon the city,
the walls of which were in a very short time battered down,
and a passage made into it. After these preparations, they
began a bloody assault upon the Romans, who, seeing tlieir
fellow soldiers faUing before them without intermission, per
suaded GaUus to offer a surrender on the terms ef having
quarter granted them, and leave to depart : for they were
says " Carausius, after seven years, was murdered by his companion Allec
tus, who after him held the government three years longer."

a.d. 303.f DIOCLETIAN PERSECUTION. It?!
now all killed except one legion, which still held out. GaUus
consented to the proposal, and accordingly surrendered Mm
self and his men to Asclepiodotus, who was disposed to give
them quarter ; but he was prevented by a body of Venedo-
tians, who rushed upon them, and the same day cut off aU
their heads upon a brook within the city, which from the
name of the commander was afterwards called in the British
tongue NautgalUm, and m the Saxon GaUemboufne.
Chap. V. — Asclepiodotus obtains the crown. Diocletian's massacre 'of the
Christians in Britain.
The Romans being thus defeated, Asclepiodotus,* with the
consent of the people, placed the crown upon Ms own head,
and governed the country in justice and peace ten years, and
curbed the insolence and outrages'-committed by plunderers
and robbers. In his days began the persecution of the empe
ror Diocletian ; and Christianity, which from the time of
Mng Lucius had continued fixed and undisturbed* was almost
aboUshed over the whole island. This was principally owing
to Maximianus Herculius, general of that tyrant's army, by
whose command all the churches were pulled down, and all
the copies of the Holy Scriptures that could be found,
were burned in the public markets. The priests also, with
the believers under their care, were put to death, and with
emulation pressed in crowds together for a speedy passage to
the joys of heaven, as their proper dwelUng place. God
therefore magnified his goodness to us, forasmuch as he did,
in that time of persecution, of Ms mere grace, light up the
bright lamps of the holy martyrs, to prevent the spreading of
gross darkness over the people of Britain ; whose sepulchres
and places of suffering might have been a means of inflaming
our minds with the greatest fervency of divine love, had not
the deplorable impiety of barbarians deprived us of them.
Among others of both sexes who continued firm in»the army
of Christ, and suffered^ were Alban of Verulam, and Julius
and Aaron, both of the City of Legions. Of these, Alban;
out of the fervour of his charity, when Ms confessor, AmpM-
* Asclepiodotus is hardly mentioned in the authentic history of this
period. He was praefectus praetorio under Constantius Chlorus, who was
the general that really recovered Britain from Allectus.
M.

162 Geoffrey's British history. [book v. ch. e.
balus, was pursued by the persecutors, and just ready to be
apprehended, first hid him in Ms house, and then offered
himself to die for him ; imitating in tMs Christ Mm3elf, who
laid down hia life for Ms sheep. The other two, after being
torn U.mb from limb, in a manner unheard of, received the
crown, of martyrdom, and were elevated up to the gates of
the heavenly Jerusalem.
Chap. VI.' — An insurrection against Asclepiodotus, by Coel, whose
daughter Helena Constantius marries^
In the meantime Coel,* duke of Kaercolvin or Colchester,
made an msurrection against Mng Asclepiodotus, and m a
pitched battle MUed Mm, and took possession of Ms crown.
The senate, hearing this, rejoiced at the Mng's death, who
had given such disturbance to the Roman power : and reflect
ing on the damage which they had sustained by the loss of
this Mngdom, they sent Constantius the senator, a man of
prudence and courage, who had reduced Spain under their
subjection, and who was above aU the rest industrious to
promote the good of the commonwealth. Coel, havmg in
formation of his coming, was afraid to engage him in battle,
on account of a report, that no Mng was able to stand before
Mm. Therefore, as soon as Constantius was arrived at the
island, Coel sent ambassadors to him with offers of peace and
submission, on condition that he should enjoy the Mngdom
of Britain! and pay no more than the usual tribute to the
Roman state. Constantius consented to tMs proposal, and so,
upon their giving hostages, peace was confirmed between
them, The month after Coel was seized with a very great
sickness, of which he died within eight days. After Ms
decease, Constantius himself was crowned, and married the
daughter of Coel, whose name was Helena. She surpassed
all the ladies of the country in beauty, as she did all others
of the time in her skiU in music and the Uberal arts. Her
father had no other issue to succeed Mm on the throne ; for
which reason he was very careful about her education, that
she might be better quaUfied to govern the Mngdom. Con
stantius, therefore, having made her partner of Ms bed, had
• This king seems to be the same as the hero of the old popular ditty,
«01d king Coel was a merrj old soul," &c.

a.d. 312.] CONSTANTINE REDUCES ROME, 163
a son by her caUed Constantine.* After eleven years were
expired, he died at York, and bestowed the Mngdom upon
Ms son, who, witMn a few years after he was raised to tMs
dignity, began to give proofs of heroic virtue, undaunted
courage, and strict observance of justice towards his people.
He put a stop to the depredations of robbers, suppressed the
insolence of tyrants, and endeavoured everywhere to restore
peace. Chap, Xll.-~The Romans desire Constantine's assistance against the
cruelty of Maxentius.
At that time there was a tyrant at Rome, named Maxentius, f
who made it Ms endeavour to confiscate the estates of aU the
best of the nobility, and oppressed the commonwealth with
his grievous tyranny. WMlst he, therefore, was proceeding
in Ms cruelty, those that were banished fled to Constantine
in Britain, and were honourably entertained by Mm. At
last, when a great many such had resorted to him, they
endeavoured to raise in him an abhorrence of the tyrant,
and frequently expostulated with Mm after tMs manner : —
"How long, Constantine, will you suffer our distress and
banishment ? Why do you delay to restore us to our native
country ? You are the only person of our nation that can
restore to us what we have lost, by driving out Maxentius.
For what prince is to be compared with the Mng of Britain,
either for brave and gallant soldiers, or for large treasures ?
We entreat you to restore us to pur estates, wives, and
chUdren, by conducting us with an army to Rome."
Chap. VIII. — Constantine, homing reduced Rome, obtains the empire of
the world. Octavius, duke of the Wisseans, is put io flight by
Trahern, .
Constantine, moved with these and the Uke speeches, made
an expedition to Rome, and reduced it under his power, and
afterwards obtamed the empire of the whole world/ In this
expedition he carried along with Mm three uncles of Helena,
viz. LeoUn, Trahern, and Marius, and advanced them to the
* Constantine was born long before Constantius Chlorus went to Britain.
See the Roman Historians.
f Maxentius was son of Maximian who abdicated. The skeleton of this
part of the history is taken from the authentic writers : but the details are
entirely fictitious. tt 2

164 Geoffrey's British history. [book v. ch. 8; a.
degree of senators. In the meantime Octavius, duke of the
Wisseans, rebelled against the Roman proconsuls, to whom
the government of the island had been committed, and having
killed them, took possession of the throne. Constantine, upon
information of this, sent Trahern, the uncle of Helena, with
tMee legions to reduce the island. Trahern came to shore
near the city, which in the British tongue is caUed Kaerperis,
and having assailed it, took it in two days. TMs news
spreading over the whole country, king Octavius assembled
all the forces of the land, and went to meet him not far from
Winchester, in a field called in the British tongue Maisuriam,
where he engaged with Mm in battle, and routed him*
Trahern, upon this loss, betook Mmself with Ms broken
forces to Ms ships, and in them made a voyage to Albama,
in the provinces of wMch he made great destruction. When
Octavius received inteUigence of tMs, he foUowed Mm with
his forces, and encountered him in Westmoreland, but fled,
having lost the victory. On the other hand, Trahern, when
he found the day was his own, pursued Octavius, nor ever
suffered him to be at rest tiU he had dispossessed him both
of Ms cities and crown. Octavius, in great grief for the loss
of Ms kingdom, went with Ms fleet to Norway, to obtain
assistance from Mng Gombert. In the meantime he had
given orders to Ms most intimate adherents to watch
carefully aU opportunities of kiUing Trahern, wMch
accordingly was not long after done by the magistrate
of a certain privileged town, who had a more than
ordinary love for him. For as Trahern was one day
upon a journey from London, he lay Md with a hundred
men in the vale of a wood, through which he was to pass,
and there feU upon him unawares, and MUed him in the
midst of his men. This news being brought to Octavius, he
returned back to Britain, where he dispersed the Romans,
and recovered the throne. In a short time after this, he
arrived to such greatness and wealth that he feared nobody,
and possessed the Mngdom until the reign of Gratian and
Valentinian. Chap. IX. — Moximian is desired for a king of Britain.
At last, in his old age, being willing to settle the govern-
toent, he asked Ms council which of his family they desired

A-ij. 381,] CARADOC, DUKE OF CORNWALL. 165
to have for their king after his decease. For he had no son,
and only one daughter, to whom he could leave the crown.
Some, therefore, advised him to bestow his daughter with
the Mngdom upon some noble Roman, to the end that they
might enjoy a firmer peace. Others were of opinion that
Conan Meriadoc, Ms nephew, ought to be preferred to the
throne, and the daughter married to some prince of another
kingdom with a dowry in money. While these tMngs were
in agitation among them, there came Caradoc, duke of
CornwaU, and gave Ms advice to invite over Maximian * the
senator, and to bestow the lady with the kingdom upon Mm,
wMch would be a means of securing to them a lasting peace.
For his father Leolin, the uncle of Constantine, whom we
mentioned before, was a Briton, but by his mother and place
of birth he was a Roman, and by both parents he was
descended of royal blood. And there was a sure prospect
of a firm and secure peace under him, on account of the right
which he had to Britain by his descent from the emperors,
and also from the British blood. But the duke of Cornwall,
by deUvering this advice, brought upon Mmself the dis
pleasure of Conan, the Mng's nephew, who was very
ambitious of succeeding to the kingdom, and put the
whole eourt into confusion about it. However, Caradoc,
being unwiUing to recede from Ms proposal, sent his son
Mauricius to Rome to acquaint Maximian with what had
passed. Mauricius was a person of large and well-propor
tioned stature, as well as great courage and boldness, and
could not bear to have Ms judgment contradicted without a
recourse to arms and duelling. On presenting himself before
Maximian, he met with a reception suitable to Ms quaUty,
and had the greatest honours paid him of any that were
about Mm. There happened to be at that time a great
contest between Maximian and the two emperors, Gratian
and Valentinian, on account of his being refused^ the third
part of the empire, which he demanded. When, therefore,
Mauricius saw Maximian ill-treated by the emperors, he took
occasion from thence to address him injihis manner : " Why
need you, Maximian, stand in fear of Gratian, when you have
so fair an opportunity of wresting the empire from him ?
Come with me into Britain, and you shall take possession
* Maximus is the correct name of this usurper.

166 GEOFFfiEY*S BRITISH HISTORY. [book v;c. 1ft
of that crown. For king Octavius, being now grown old
and Infirnl, desires notMng more than to find some such
proper person, to bestow Ms kingdom and daughter upon.
He has no male issue, and therefore has asked the advice
of his nobiUty, to whom he should marry Ms daughter with
the kingdom ; and they to Ms satisfaction have past a decree,
that the kingdom and lady be given to you, and have sent
me to acquaint you with it. So that if you go with me, and
accompUsh tMs affair, you may with the treasure and forces
of Britain be able to return back to Rome, drive out the
emperors, and gain the empire to yourself. For in this
maimer did your kinsman Constantius, and several Others
of our Mngs who raised themselves to the empire."
Chap. X. — Maximian, coming into Britain, artfuUy declines fighting
with Conan.
Maximian was pleased with the offer, and took Ms journey
to Britain ; but in Ms way subdued the cities of the Franks,
by which he amassed a great treasure of gold and sUver, and
raised men for his service in aU parts. Afterwards he set
sail with a fair wind, and arrived at Hamo's Port ; the news
of which struck the Mng with fear and astonishment, who
took this to be a hostile Mvasion. Whereupon he called to
Mm his nephew Conan, and commanded him to raise aU the
forces of the kingdom, and go to meet the enemy. Conan,
having made the necessary preparations, marched accordingly
to Hamo's Port, where Maximian had pitched bis tents ;
who, upon seeing the approach of so numerous an army,
was under the gfeatest perplexities what course to take.
For as he was attended with a smaUer body of men, and had
no hopes of being entertained peaceably, he dreaded both the
number and courage of the enemy. Under these difficulties
he caUed a council of the oldest men, together with Mauricius,
to ask their advice what was to be done at tMs critical junc
ture. " It is not for us," said Mauricius, " to hazard a battle
with such a numerous and powerful army : neither was the
reduction of Britain by arms the end of our coming. Our
business must be to desire peace and a hospitable treatment,
till we can learn the king's mind. Let us say that we are sent
by the emperors upon an embassy to Octavius, and let us
with artful speeches pacify the people." When all had shown

A-n. 383.] MAXIMIAN, USURPER. 167
themselves pleased with tMs advice, he took with him twelve
aged men with grey hairs, eminent beyond the rest for their
quality and wisdom, and bearing oUve-branches in their right
hands, and went to meet Conan. The Britons, seeing they
were men of a Venerable age, and that they bore olive-
branches as a token of peace, rose up before them in a
respectful manner, and opened a way for their free access
to their commander. Then presenting themselves before
Conan Meriadoo, they saluted Mm in the name of the
emperors and the senate, and told him, that Maximian
was sent to Octavius upon an embassy from Gratian and
ValentiMan. Conan made answer : " Why is he then
attended with so great a multitude ? This does not look
like the appearance of ambassadors, but the invasion of
enemies." To wMch Mauricius repUed-: " It did not become
so great a man to appear abroad in a mean figure, or without
soldiers for Ms guard ; especiaUy considering, that by reason
of the Roman powers and the actions of his ancestors, he is
become obnoxious to many kings. If he had but a smaU
retinue, he might have been MUed by the enemies of the
commonwealth. He is come m peace, and it is peace wMch
he desires. For, from the time of our arrival, our behaviour
has been such as to give no offence to any body. We have
bought necessaries at ottr own experfses, as peaceable people
do, and have taken nothing from any by violence." While
Conan was in suspense, whether to give them peace, or
begin the battle, Caradoc, duke of Cornwall, with others
of the nobility, came to Mm, and dissuaded Mm from pro
ceeding in the war after tMs representation ; whereupon,
though much against Ms wiU, he laid down his arms, and
granted them peace. Then he conducted Maximian to
London, where he gave the Mng an account of the whole
proceeding. Chap. XI. — The kingdom of Britain is bestowed on Maximian.
Caradoc, after this, taMng along with him Ms son Mauri
cius, commanded everybody to withdraw from the king's
presence, and then addressed Mm in these words : " Behold,
that wMch your more faithful and loyal subjects have long
wished for, is now by the good providence of God brought
about. You commanded your nobUity to give their advice,

168 Geoffrey's British history. [boor v. eh. 11.
how to dispose of your daughter and Mngdom, as being wiU
ing to hold the government no longer on account of your
great age. Some, therefore, were for having the kingdom
delivered up to Conan your nephew, and a sMtable match
procured for- your daughter elsewhere ; as fearing the ruin
of our people, if any prince that is a stranger to our lan
guage should be set over us. Others were for granting the
kingdom to your daughter and some nobleman of our own
country, who should succeed you after your death. But the
greater number recommended some person descended of the
family of the emperors, on whom you should bestow your
daughter and crown. For they promised themselves a firm
and lasting peace, as the consequence of such a marriage,
since they would be under the protection of the Roman
state. See then ! God has vouchsafed to bring to you a
young man, who is both a Roman, and also of the royal
family of Britain ; and to whom, if you foUow my advice,
you wiU not delay to marry your daughter. And mdeed,
should you refuse him, what right could you plead to the
crown of Britain against Mm ? For he is the cousm of Com
stantine, and the nephew of Mng Coel, whose daughter
Helena possessed the crown by an undemable hereditary
right." When Caradoc had represented these tMngs to Mm,
Octavius acquiesced, a'nd with the general consent of his
people bestowed the kingdom and Ms daughter upon him.
Conan Meriadoc, finding how tMngs went, was beyond ex
pression incensed, and, retiring into Albania, used aU Ms
interest to raise an army, that he might give disturbance to
Maximian. And when he had got a great body of men
together, he passed the Humber, and wasted the provinces
on each side of it. At the news whereof, Maximian
hastened to assemble Ms forces against Mm, and then gave
him battle, and returned with victory. But tMs proved np
decisive blow to Conan, who with Ms re-assembled troops
still continued to ravage the provinces, and provoked Max
imian to return again and renew the war, in which he had
various success, bemg sometimes victorious, sometimes de
feated. At last, after great damages done on both sides,
they were brought by the mediation of friends to a recon
ciUation.

a.d.384.] CONQUEST OF ARMORICA. 169

Chap. XII. — Maximian overthrows the Armoricans: his speech to
Conan.
Five years after tMs, Maximian, proud of the vast treasures
that daily flowed in upon Mm, fitted out a great fleet, and
assembled together all the forces in Britain. For this king
dom was now not sufiicient for him ; he was ambitious of
adding Gaul also to it. With this view he set sail, and
arrived first at the kingdom of Armorica, now called Bre
tagne, and began hostilities upon the Gallic people that
inhabited it. But the Gauls, under the command of Im-
baltus, met Mm, and engaged him in battle, in which the
greater part being in danger, they were forced to fly, and
leave Lmbaltus with fifteen thousand men killed, all of them
Armoricans. This severe overthrow was matter of the
greatest joy to Maximian, who knew the reduction of that
country would be very easy, after the loss pf so many men.
Upon this occasion he called Conan aside from the army,
and smiling said : — " See, we have already conquered one of
the best kingdoms in Gaul : we may now have hopes of
gaining all the rest. Let us make haste to take the cities
and towns, before the rumour of their danger spread to the
remoter parts of Gaul, and raise all the people up in arms.
For if we can but get possession of tMs Mngdom, I make no
dpubt of reducing aU Gaul under our power. Be not there
fore concerned that you have yielded up the island of
Britain to me, notwithstanding the hopes you once had of
succeeding to it ; because whatever you have lost in it, I
wiU restore to you in this country. For my design is to
advance you to the throne of this kingdom ; and this shall
be another Britain, which we wiU people with our own
countrymen, and drive out the old inhabitants. The land is
fruitful in corn, the rivers abound with fish, the woods
afford a beautiful prospect, and the forests are everywhere
pleasant ; nor is there in my opinion anywhere a more de
lightful country." Upon this, Conan, with a submissive
bow, gave him his thanks, and promised te continue loyal to
Mm as long as he Uved.

170 Geoffrey's British history, [book v. ch. 13, it

Chap. XIII.— Redonum taken by Maximian.
After this they marched with their forces to Redonum,*
and took it the same day. For the citizens, hearing of the
bravery of the Britons, and what slaughter they had made,
fled away with haste, leaving their wives and chUdren
behind them. And the rest of the cities and towns soon
followed their example ; so that there was an easy entrance
into them for the Britons, who wherever they entered MUed
aU they found left of the male sex, and spared only the
women. At last, when they had whoUy extirpated the
inhabitants of aU those provinces, they garrisoned the cities
and towns with British soldiers, and made fortifications in
several places. The fame of Maximian's exploits spreading
over the rest of the provinces of GauL aU their dukes and
princes were in a dreadful consternation, and had no other
hopes left but in their prayers to their gods. Maximian,
finding that he had struck terror into theim began to tMnk
of still bolder attempts, and by profusely distributing pre
sents, augmented Ms army. For aU persons that he knew
to be eager for plunder, he enlisted Mto his service, and
by plentifully bestowing Ms money and other valuable things
among them, kept them firm to Ms Mterest.
Chap. XIV. — Maximian, after the conquest of Gaul and Germany, makes
friers ihe seat of his empire.
By these means he raised such a numerous army, as he
thought would be sufficient for the conquest of aU GauL
Notwithstanding wMch he suspended Ms arms for a time,
tiU he had settled the kingdom wMch he had taken, and
peopled it with Britons. To tMs end he published a decree,
for the assembUng together of a hundred thousand of the
common people of Britain, who were to come over to settle
in the country ; besides tMrty thousand soldiers, to defend
them from hostile attack. As soon as the people were
arrived according to Ms orders, he distributed them through
aU the countries of Armorica, and made another Britain of
it, and then bestowed it on Conan Meriadoc. But he him-
self> with the rest of Ms fellow soldiers, marched Mto the
* Rennes.

A.D. 385, 386. 1 CONAN AND THE AQUITANIANS. 171
further part of Gaul, whichj after many bloody battles, he
subdued, as he did also all Germany, being everywhere
victorious. But the seat of Ms empire he made at Triers,
and feU so furiously upon the two emperors, Gratian and
Valentinian, that he MUed the pne, and forced the pther to
flee from Romei
Chap. XV. — A fight between the Aquitanians and Conan.
In the meantime, the Gauls and Aquitanians gave disturb
ance to Conan and the Armerican Britons, and harassed
them with their frequent incursicns ; but he as pften defeated
them, and bravely defended the ccuntry ccmmitted to him.
After he had entirely vanquished them, he had a mind to
bestow wives on Ms fellow soldiers^ by whom they might
have issue to keep perpetual possession of the country ; and
to avoid aU mixture with the Gauls, he sent over to the
island of Britain for wives for thenn In order to accom
plish tMs> messengers were sent to recommend the manage
ment of this affair to Dianotus, king of Cornwall, who had
succeeded Ms brother Caradoc in that Mngdom. He was a
very noble and powerful prince* and to him Maximian had
committed the government, while he was employed in affairs
abroad. He had also a daughter of wonderful beauty,
named Ursula* with whom Conan was most passionately
M lovei
Chap. XVI. — Guanius and Melga murder eleven thousand virgins. Max
imian is killed at Rome.
Dianotus, upon tMs message sent him by Conanj was very
ready to execute Ms orders, and summoned together the
daughters of the nobility from aU provinces, to the number
Of eleven thousand ; but of the meaner sort, sixty thousand ;
and commanded them all to appear together in the city of
London. He likewise ordered sMps to be brought* from aU
shores, for their transportation to their future husbands.
And though, in so great a multitude many were pleased with
this order, yet it was displeasing to the greater part, who
had a greater affection for their relations and native country.
Nor, perhaps, were there wanting some who, preferring
virginity to the married state, would, have rather lost thei*

172 Geoffrey's British history. [book v. ch. is.
Uves in any cpuntry, than enjpyed the greatest plenty in
wedleck. In shprt, mpst of them had views and wishes dif
ferent from one another, had they been left to their own
Uberty. But now the sMps being ready, they went on
board, and saiUng down the Thames, made towards the sea.
At last, as they were steering towards the Armorican coast,
contrary winds arose and dispersed the whole fleet. In this
storm the greater part of the sMps foundered; but the
women that escaped the danger of the sea, were driven upon
Strange islands, and by a barbarous people either murdered
or made slaves. For they happened to faU Mto the hands of
the cruel army of Guamus and Melga, who, by the com
mand of Gratian,* were maMng terrible destruction in Ger
many, and the nations on the searcoast. Guamus was king
of the Huns, and Melga of the Picts, whom Gratian had
engaged in Ms party, and had sent Mm Mto Germany to
harass those of Maximian's party along the sea-coasts.
WMle they were thus exercismg their barbarous rage, they
happened to Ught upon these virgins, who had been driven
on those parts, and were so inflamed with their beauty, that
they courted them to their brutish embraces ; wMch, when
the -women would not submit to, the Ambrons feU upon
them, and without remorse murdered the greatest part of
them. This done, the two wicked leaders of the Picts and
Huns, Guanius and Melga, being the partizans of Gratian
and Valentinian, when they had learned that the island of
Britain was drained of all its soldiers, made a speedy voyage
towards it ; and, taMng into their assistance the people of
the adjacent islands, arrived in Albania. Then joining in a
body, they invaded the kingdom, wliich was left without
either government or defence, and made miserable destruc
tion among the common people. For Maximian, as we have
already related, had carried away with him aU the warUke
youth that pould be found, and had left beMnd him only the
husbandmen, who had neither sense nor arms, for the defence
of their country. Guanius and Melga, finding that they
were not able to make the least opposition, began to domineer
most insolently, and to lay waste their cities and countries,"
as if they had only been pens of sheep. The news of this
* That is, Gratian the emperor, and brothel of Valentinian, not Gratian
Municeps.

A.D. 407.J DEATH OF GRATIAN MUNICEPS. 173
grievous calamity, coming to Maximian, he sent away Gra
tian Municeps,* with two legions, to their assistance ; whp,
as soon as they arrived, fought with the enemy, and after a
most bloody victory over them, forced them to fly over into
Ireland. In the meantime, Maximian was MUed at Rome
by Gratian's friends ; j and the Britons whom he had carried
with him were also slain or dispersed. Those of them that
could escape, went to their countrymen in Armorica, wMch
was now caUed the other Britain.

BOOK VI.
Chap. I. — Gratian, being advanced to the throne, is killed by ihe common
people. The Britons desire the Romans to defend them against Guanius
and Melga.
But Gratian Municeps,| hearing of the death of Maximian;
seized the crown, and made himself king. After tMs he
exercised such tyranny that the common people fell upon
him in a tumultuous manner, and murdered him. When
this news reached other countries, their former enemies re
turned back from Ireland, and bringing with them the Scots,
Norwegians, and Dacians, made dreadful devastations with
fire and sword over the whole kingdom, from sea to sea.
Upon tMs most grievous calamity and oppression, ambassa
dors are despatched with letters to Rome, to beseech, with
tears and vows of perpetual subjectien, that a bpdy of men
might be sent to revenge their injuries, and drive out the
enemy from them. The ambassadors in a short time pre
vailed so far, that, unmindful of past injuries, the Romans
granted them one legion, wMch was transported in a fleet to
their country, and there speedily encountered the* enemy.
• This Gratian was called Municeps, because he was a citizen of Bri
tain. T Maximus was besieged in Aijuileia, and slain by Theodosius, emperor
of the East, a.d. 388.
J There was also one Marcus at this time, whom the soldiers in Britain
ad vanced to the sovereignty ; but he was soon got rid of.

174 Geoffrey's British history. [book
At last, after the slaughter of a vast multitude of them, the,
drove them entirely out of the country, and rescued the
miserable people from their outrageous cruelty. Then they
gave orders for a wall to be built between Albania and
Deira, from one sea to the pther, for a terror tp the enemy,
and safeguard to the country. At that time Albania was
wholly laid waste, by the frequent invasions of barbarous
nations ; and whatever enemies made an attempt upon the
country, met with a convement landing-place there. So
that the inhabitants were diUgent in working upon the
waU,* wMch they finished partly at the pubUc, partly upon
private charge.
Chap. II. — Guethelin's speech io the Britons when the Romans left them.
The Romans, after tMs, declared to the Britons, that they
should not be able for the future to undergo the fatigue of
such laborious expeditions ; and that it was beneath the dig-
Mty of the Roman state to harass so great and brave an
army, both by land and sea, against base and vagabond rob*
bers ; but that they ought to apply themselves to the use of
arms, and to fight bravely in defending to the utmost of their
power, their country, riches, wives, chUdren, and, what is
dearer than aU these, their Uberty and Uves. As soon as
they had ^iven them tMs exhortation, they commanded aU
the men of the island that were fit for war, to appear
together at London, because the Romans were about to
return home. When, therefore, they were aU assembled,
GuetheUn, the metropoUtan of London, had orders to make
a speech to them, wMch he did in these words : —
" Though I am appointed by the princes here present to
speak to you, I find myself rather ready to burst mto tears,
than to make an eloquent oration. It is a most sensible
affliction to me to observe the weak and destitute state into
wMch you are faUen since Maximian drew away with Mm
aU the forces and youth of tMs Mngdom. You that were
left were people whoUy inexperienced in war, and occupied
with other employments, as tiUing the ground, and several
kinds of mechanical trades. So that when your enemies
* It was unnecessary for the Britons to build a wall, because there was
one built for them by Severus 290 years before.

-.d. 408.] INCURSIONS OF GUANIUS AND MELGA. 175
from foreign cetintries came upon you, as sheep wandering
withput a shepherd, they forced ypu to quit, your fplds, till
the Reman power restored you to them again. Must your
hopes, therefore, always depend upon foreign assistance ?
And will you never use yourselves to handle arms against a
band of rpbbers, that are by np means strenger than ypur-
selves, if ypu are not dispirited by sleth and cpwardice ?
The Romans are now tired with the continual voyages
wherewith they are harassed to defend you against your
enemies : they rather choose to remit to you the tribute
you pay them, than undergo any longer tMs fatigue by land
and sea. Because you were only the common people at the
time when we had soldiers of our own, do you therefore
tMnk that manhopd has quite forsaken you ? Are not men
in the course of human generation often the reverse of one
another ? Is not a ploughman often the father of a soldier,
and a soldier of a ploughman ? Does not the same diversity
happen in a mechamc and a soldier ? Since then, in this
manner, one produces another, I cannot tMnk it possible for
manhood to be lost among them. As then you are men, be
have yourselves Uke men : caU upon the name of Christ,
that he may inspire you with courage to defend your
Uberties." No sooner had he concluded Ms speech, than the people
raised such a shout, that one would have thought them on a
sudden inspired with courage from heaven.
Chap. III. — The Bunion* aire again cruelly harassed by Guanius and
Melga.
After tMs the Romans encouraged the timorous people as
much as they could, and left them patterns of their arms.
They Ukewise commanded towers, having a prospect towards
the sea, to be placed at proper distances along all the south
coast, where their ships were, and from whence they feared
the invasions of the barbarians. But, according to the pro
verb, " It is easier to make a hawk of a kite, than a scholar
of a ploughman ;" aU learning to Mm is but as a pearl thrown
before swine. Thus, no sooner had the Romans taken their
farewell of them, than the two leaders, Guanius and Melga,
issued forth from their sMps, in wMch they had fled over
into Ireland, and with their bands of Scots, Picts, Norwe-

176 Geoffrey's British history. [book\
gians, Dacians, and others, whom they had brought along
with them, seized upon all Albania as far as the vefy wall.
Understanding, likewise, that the Romans were gone, never
to return any more, they now, in a more insolent manner
than before, began their devastations in the island. Herea
upon the country fellows upon the battlements of the walls
sat night and day with quaking hearts, not daring to stir
from their seats, and readier for flight than maMng the least
resistance. In the meantime the enemies ceased not with
their hooks to puU them down headlong, and dash the
wretched herd to pieces upon the ground ; who gained at
least this advantage by their speedy death, that they avoided
the sight of that most deplorable calamity, wMch forthwith
tMeatened their relations and dearest children. Such was
the terrible vengeance of God for that most wicked madness
of Maximian, in draining the Mngdom of aU its forces, who,
had they been present, would have repulsed any nation that
invaded them ; an evident proof of wMch they gave, by the
vast conquests they made abroad, even in remote countries ;
and also by maintaining their own country in peace, wMle
they continued here. But thus it happens when a country
is left to the defence of country clowns. In short, quitting
their high waU and their cities, the country people were forced
again to fly, and to suffer a more fatal dispersion, a more
furious pursuit of the enemy, a more cruel and more general
slaughter than before ; and like lambs before wolves, so was
that miserable people torn to pieces by the merciless barba
rians. Again, therefore, the wretched remainder send letters
to Agitius, a man of great power among the Romans, to this
effect. " To Agitius,* thrice consul, the groans of the
Britons." And after some few other complaints they add :
" The sea drives us to the barbarians, and the barbarians
drive us back to the sea : thus are we tossed to and fro be
tween two kinds of death, being either drpwned pr put to
the swerd." Notwithstanding tMs mpst moving address,
they procured no relief, and the ambassadors returning back
in great heaviness, declared to their countrymen the repulse
which they had suffered.
* ..Etuis is the name of this general in the classic writers.

408] ' ALDROEN, KING OF ARMORICA. 177

Chap. IV. — Guethelin desires succours of Aldroen,
Hereupon, after a consultation together, Guethelin, arch
bishop of London, passed over into Lesser Britain, called then
Armorica, or Letavia, to desire assistance of their brethren.
At that time Aldroen reigned there, being the fourth king
from Conan, to whom, as has been already related, Maximian
had given that kingdom. This prince, seeing a prelate of so
great dignity arrive, received him with honour, and inquired
after the occasion of Ms coming. To whom GuetheUn : —
" Your majesty can be no stranger to the misery wMch we,
your Britons, have suffered (which may even demand your
tears), since the time that Maximian drained our island of
its soldiers, to people the kingdom wMch you enjoy, and
wMch God grant you may long enjoy in peace. For against
us the poor remains of the British race, all the people of the
adjacent islands, have risen up, and made an utter devasta
tion in our country, which then abounded with all Mnds of
riches ; so that the people now are wholly destitute of all
manner of sustenance, but what they can get in hunting.
Nor had we any power or knowledge of miUtary affairs left
among us to encounter the enemy. For the Romans are
tired of us, and have absolutely refused their assistance. So
that now, deprived of all other hope, we come to implore
your clemency, that you would furnish us with forces, and
protect a kingdom, which is of right your own, from the in
cursions of barbarians. For who but yourself, ought, with
out your consent, to wear the crown of Constantine and
Maximian, since the right your ancestors had to it is now
devolved upon you ? Prepare then your fleet, and go with
me. Behold ! I deUver the Mngdom of Britain into your
hands." To this Aldroen made answer : " There was a time for
merly when I would not have refused to accept of the island
of Britain, if it had been offered me ; for I do not think there
was anywhere a more fruitful country while it enjoyed peace
and tranquiUity. But now, since the calamities that have
befaUen it, it is become of less value, and odious both to me
and all other princes. But above all things the power of the
Romans was so destructive to it, that nobody could enjoy
any settled state or authority in it, without loss of liberty,
N

178 Geoffrey's British history. [bookj
and bearing the yoke of slavery under them. And win,
would not prefer the possession of a lesser country with
Uberty, to aU the riches of that island in servitude ? The
Mngdom that is now under my subjectipn I enjpy with
hpnpur, and without paying hpmage to any superier ; sp that
I prefer it to aU pther countries, since I can govern it with
out being controlled. Nevertheless, out of respect to the
right that my ancestors for many generations have had to
your island, I deliver to you my brother Constantine with
two thousand men, that with the good providence of God,
he may free your country from the inroads of barbarians,
and obtain the crown for himself. For I have a brother
caUed by that name, who is an expert soldier, and m aU other
respects an accompUshed man. If you please to accept of
Mm, I will not refuse to send him with you, together with
the said number of men ; for Mdeed a larger number I do
not mention to you, because I am daUy tMeatened with dis
turbance from the Gauls." He had scarcely done speaking
before the archbishop returned Mm thanks, and when Con
stantine was called in, broke out mto these expressions of
joy : " Christ conquers ; Christ commands ; Christ reigns :
behold the Mng of desolate Britain ! Be Christ only present,
and behold our defence, our hope and joy." In short, the
sMps being got ready, the men who were chosen out from
aU parts of the kingdom, were deUvered to GuetheUn.
Chap. V. — Constantine, being made king of Britain, leaves three sons.
When they had made aU necessary preparations, they em
barked, and arrived at the port of Totness ; and then with
out delay assembled together the youth that was left m the
island, and encountered the enemy ; over whom, by the
merit of the holy prelate, they obtained the victory. After
tMs the Britons, before dispersed, flocked together from all
parts, and in a council held at Silchester, prompted Constan
tine to the throne, and there performed the ceremony of his
coronation. They also married him to a lady, descended
from a noble Roman family, whom archbishop GuetheUn had
educated, and by whom the king had afterwards tMee sons,
Constans, Aurelius Ambrosius, and Uther Pendragon. Con-
stans, who was the eldest, he deUvered to the church of Am-
phihalus in Winchester, that he might there take upon hira

a.d. 409.] CORONATION OF CONSTANS. 179
the monastic order. But the other two, viz. Aurelius and
Uther, he committed to the care of GuetheUn for their edu
cation. At last, after ten years were expired, there came a
certain Piet, who had entered in his service, and under pre
tence of holding some private discourse with Mm, in a
nursery of young trees where nobody was present, stabbed
him with a dagger.
Chap. VI. — Constans is by Vortigern crowned king of Britain.
Upon the death of Constantine, a dissension arose among the
nobility, about a successor to the throne. Some were for
setting up AureUus Ambrosius ; others Uther Pendragon ;
others again some other persons of the royal family. At last,
when they could come to no conclusion, Vortigern, consul
of the Gewisseans, who was himself very ambitious of the
crown, went to Constans the monk,* and thus addressed
himself to Mm : " You see your father is dead, and your
brothers on account of their age are incapable of the govern
ment ; neither do I see any of your family besides yourself,
whom the people ought to promote to the kingdom. If you
will therefore follow my advice, I will, on condition of your
increasing my private estate, disppse the people te favpur
your advancement, and free you from that habit, notwith
standing that it is against the rule of your order." Constans,
overjoyed at the proposal, promised, with an oath, that upon
these terms he would grant him whatever he would desire.
Then Vortigern took him, and investing Mm in his regal
habiUments, conducted Mm to London, and made Mm king,
though not with the free consent of the people. Arch
bishop GuetheUn was then dead, nor was there any other
that durst perform the ceremony of Ms unction, on account
of Ms having quitted the monastic order. However, tMs
proved no hindrance to Ms coronation, for Vortigern Mmself
performed the ceremony instead of a bishop.
* It is true that Constans, the son of Constantine, entered into the
sacerdotal profession, but both he and his father Constantine were slain in
Gaul, which they had made the seat of their empire, to the entire neglect
of Britain.
N 2

180 Geoffrey's British history. [book vi. ch. 7.

Chap. VII. — Vortigern treacherously contrives to get king Constans
assassinated.
Constans, being thus advanced, committed the whole
government of the kingdom to Vertigern, and surrendered
Mmself up se entirely to his counsels, that he did nothing
without his order. His own incapacity for government
obliged him to do this, for he had learned any thing else
rather than state affairs witMn Ms cloister. Vortigern
became sensible of this, and therefore began to deUberate
with himself what course to take to obtain the crown, of
which he had been before extremely ambitious. He saw
that now was Ms proper time to gain Ms end easUy, when
the kingdom was wholly intrusted to Ms management ; and
Constans, who bore the title of Mng, was no more than the
shadow of one ; for he was of a soft temper, a bad judge in
matters of right, and not in the least feared, either by his
own people, or by the neighbouring states. And as for his
two brothers, Uther Pendragon and AureUus Ambrosius,
they were only children in their cradles, and therefore
incapable of the government. There was Ukewise this
farther misfortune, that all the older persons of the nobiUty
were dead, so that Vortigern seemed to be the only man
surviving, that had craft, policy, and experience in matters
of state ; and aU the rest in a manner chUdren, or raw
youths, who only inherited the honours of their parents and
relations that had been killed in the former wars. Vortigern,
finding a concurrence of so many favourable circumstances,
contrived how he might easily and cunningly depose Constans
the monk, and immediately estabUsh himself in his place.
But in order to do this, he waited until he had first well
established Ms power and interest in several countries. He
therefore petitioned to have the king's treasures, and Ms
fortified cities, in his own custody ; pretending there was a
rumour, that the neighbouring islanders designed an invasion
of the kingdom. This being granted him, he placed Ms own
creatures in those cities, to secure them for himself. Then
having formed a scheme hew tp execute his treascnahle
designs, he went te the king, and represented to him the
necessity cf augmenting the number pf his dpmestics, that

a.d 410.] VORTIGERN SUPPLANTS CONSTANS. 181
he might more safely oppose the invasion of the enemy.
" Have not I left all things to your disposal ?" said Constans:
" Do what you will as to that, so that they be but faithful to
me." Vortigern replied, " I am informed that the Picts are
going to bring the Dacians and Norwegians in upon us, with
a design to give us very great annoyance. I would therefore
advise you, and in my opinion it is the best course you can
take, that you maintain some Picts in your court, who may
do you good service among those of that nation. For if it
is true that they are preparing to begin a rebeUion, you may
employ them as spies upon their countrymen in their plots
and stratagems, so as easily to escape them." This was the
dark treason of a secret enemy ; for he did not recommend
tMs out of regard to the safety of Constans, but because he
knew the Picts to be a giddy people, and ready for all
manner of wickedness ; so that, in a fit of drunkenness or
passion, they might easily be incensed against the Mng, and
make no scruple to assassinate Mm. And such an accident,
when it should happen, would make an open way for his
accession to the tMone, which he so often had in view.
Hereupon he despatched messengers into Scotland, with an
invitation to a hundred Pictish soldiers, whom accordingly
he received into the Mng's household ; and when admitted,
he showed them more respect than all the rest of the domes
tics, by maMng them several presents, and allowing them a
luxurious table, insomuch that they looked upon him as the
Mng. So great was the regard they had for Mm, that they
made songs of Mm about the streets, the subject of which
was, that Vortigern deserved the government, deserved the
sceptre of Britain ; but that Constans was unworthy of it.
TMs encouraged Vortigern to show them still more favour,
in order the more firmly to engage them in Ms interest ; and
when by these practices he had made them entirely his
creatures, he took an opportunity, when they were, drunk, to
tell them, that he was going to retire out of Britain*, to see if
he could get a better estate ; for the small revenue he had
then, he said, would not so much as enable him to maintain a
retinue of fifty men. Then putting on a look of sadness, he
withdrew to his own apartment, and left them drinking in
the hall. The Picts at this sight were in inexpressible sorrow,
as thinMng what he had said was true, and murmuring said

182 Geoffrey's British history, [bookvi. ch s, &
one to another, " Why do we suffer this monk to live ? Why
do not we kUl Mm, that Vortigern may enjoy his crown ?
Who is so fit to succeed as he ? A man so generous to us is
worthy to rule, and deserves all the honour and dignity that
we can bestow upon Mm."
Chap. VIII. — Aurelius Ambrosius and Uther Pendragon flee front
Vortigern, and go to Lesser Britain.
After tMs, breaMng into Constan's bed-chamber, they feU
upen him and killed Mm, and carried Ms head to Vprtigern.
At the sight of it, he put on a mournful countenance, and
burst forth into tears, though at the same time he was
almost transported with joy. However, he summoned
together the citizens of London, (for there the fact was
committed,) and commanded aU the assassins to be bound,
and their heads to be cut off for tMs abominable parricide.
In the meantime there were some who had a suspicion, that
this piece of villany was whoUy the contrivance of Vortigern,
and that the Picts were only Ms instruments to execute it.
Others again as positively asserted Ms innocence. At last
the matter being left M doubt, those who had the care of the
two brothers, Aurelius Ambrosius, and Uther Pendragon,
fled over with them into Lesser Britain, for fear of being
killed by Vortigern. There they were kindly received by
king Budes, who took care to give them an education smtable
to their royal birth.
Chap. IX. — Vortigern makes himself king of Britain.
Now Vortigern, seeing nobody to rival him in the Mngdom,
placed the crown on Ms own head, and thus gamed the pre
eminence over all the rest of the princes. At last Ms treason
being discovered, the people of the adjacent islands, whom
the Picts had brought into Albania, made insurrection
against him. For the Picts were enraged on account of the
death of their feUow soldiers, who had been slain for the
murder of Constans, and endeavoured to revenge that injury
upon Mm. Vortigern therefore was daily in great distress,
and lost a considerable part of his army in a war with them.
He had likewise no less trouble from another quarter, for
fear of AureUus Ambrosius, and his brother Uther Pendra-

a.d. 449.] THE SAXONS ASSIST VORTIGERN. 183
gon, who, as we said before, had fled, on his account, into
Lesser Britain. For he heard it rumoured, day after day,
that they had now arrived at man's estate, and had built a
vast fleet, with a design to return back to the Mngdom, which
was their undoubted right.

Chap. X. — Vortigern takes the Saxons that were new-comers, to his
assistance.
In the meantime there arrived in Kent three brigandines, or
long galleys, fuU of armed men, under the command of two
brothers, Horsa and Hengist.* Vortigern was then at
Doroberma, now Canterbury, which city he used often to
visit ; and bemg informed of the arrival of some tall
strangers M large ships, he ordered that they should be
received peaceably, and conducted into his presence. As
soon as they were brought before Mm, he cast his eyes upon
the two brothers, who excelled all the rest both in nobiUty
and gracefuMess of person ; and having taken a view of the
whole company, asked them of what country they were, and
what was the occasion of their coming into his kingdom.
To whom Hengist (whose years and wisdom entitled him to
a precedence), in the name of the rest, made the following
answer : —
" Most noble Mng, Saxony, which is one of the countries
of Germany, was the place of our birth ; and the occasion
of our coming was to offer our service to you or some other
prince. For we were driven out of our native country, for
no other reason, but that the laws of the kingdom reqmred
it. It is customary among us, that when we come to be
overstocked with people, our princes from all the provinces
meet together, and command all the youths of the Mngdom
to assemble before them ; then casting lots, they make choice
of the strongest and ablest of them, to go into foreign nations,
to procure themselves a subsistence, and free tlieir native
country from a superfluous multitude of people. Our
country, therefore, being of late overstocked, our princes
met, and after having cast lots, made choice of the youth
wMch you see in your presence, and have obUged us to obey
* It is the generally received opinion that Hengist and Horsa landed ia
Britain a.d. 449.

184 Geoffrey's British history. [bookvi.ch.ii.
the custom which has been established of old. And us two
brothers, Hengist and Horsa, they made generals over them,
out of respect to our ancestors, who enjoyed the same honour.
In obedience, therefore, to the laws so long established, we
put out to sea, and under the good guidance of Mercury
have arrived in your kingdom."
The king, at the name of Mercury, looMng earnestly upon
them, asked them what reUgion they professed. " We wor
ship," repUed Hengist, " our country's gods, Saturn and Jupi
ter, and the other deities that govern the world, but especially
Mercury, whom M our language we caU Woden, and to
whom our ancestors consecrated the fourth day of the week,
stiU called after his name Wodensday. Next to him we
worsMp the powerful goddess, Frea, to whom they also dedi
cated the sixth day, which after her name we caU Friday."
Vortigern repUed, " For your creduUty, or rather increduUty,
I am much grieved, but I rejoice at your arrival, wMch,
whether by God's providence or some other agency, happens
very seasonably for me in my present difficulties. For I am
oppressed by my enemies on every side, and if you will
engage with me in my wars, I wiU entertam you honourably
in my Mngdom, and bestow upon you lands and other pos
sessions." The barbarians readily accepted Ms offer, and
the agreement between them being ratified, they resided at
his court. Soon after tMs, the Picts, issumg forth from
Albama, with a very great army, began to lay waste the
northern parts of the island. When Vortigern had mform-
ation of it, he assembled Ms forces, and went to meet them
beyond the Humber. Upon their engagmg, the battle
proved very fierce on both sides, though there was but Uttle
occasion for the Britons to exert themselves, for the Saxons
fought sp bravely, that the enemy, formerly so victorious,
were speedily put to flight.
Chap. XI. — Hengist brings over great numbers of Saxons into Britain:
his crafty petition to Vortigern.
Vortigern, therefore, as he owed the victory to them, m-
creased his bounty to themv and gave their general, Hengist,
large possessions of land M Lindesia,* for the subsistence of
* Or Lindsey. See Bede's Eccles. Hist. p. 99, note .

a.d. 450.] hengist's petition. 185
MmseU and Ms feUow soldiers. Hereupon Hengist, who
was a man of experience and subtilty, finding how much
mterest he had with the king, addressed him in this manner :
— " Sir, your enemies give you disturbance from aU- quarters,
and few of your subjects love you. They all threaten you,
and say, they are going to bring over Aurelius Ambrosius
from Armorica, to depose you, and make him king. If you
please, let us send to our country to invite over some more
soldiers, that with our forces increased we may be better
able to oppose them. But there is one tMng which I would
desire of your clemency, if I did not fear a refusal." Vorti
gern made answer, " Send your messengers to Germany, and
invite over whom you please, and you shall have no refusal
from me in whatever you shall desire." Hengist, with a low
bow, returned him thanks, and said, " The possessions which
you have given me in land and houses are very large, but
you have not yet done me that honour wMch becomes my
station and birth, because, among other things, I should
have had some town or city granted me, that I might be
entitled to greater esteem among the nobiUty of your king
dom. I ought to have been made a consul or prince, since
my ancestors enjoyed both those dignities." "It is not in
my power," replied Vortigern, "to do you so much honour,
because you are strangers and pagans ; neither am I yet so
far acquainted with your manners and customs, as to set you
upon a level with my natural born subjects. And, indeed,
if I did esteem you as my subjects, I should not be forward
to do so, because the nobility of my kingdom would strongly "
dissuade me from it." " Give your servant," said Hengist,
" only so much ground in the place you have assigned me,
as I can encompass with a leathern thong, for to build a for
tress upon, as a place of retreat if occasion should require.
For I wiU always be faithful to you, as I have been hitherto,
and pursue no other design in the request wMch I have
made." With these words the king was prevailed upon to
grant him his petition ; and ordered him to despatch messen
gers into Germany, to invite more men over speedily to his
assistance. Hengist immediately executed his orders, and
taking a buU's Mde, made one thong out of the whole, with
wMch he encompassed a rocky place that he had carefully
made choice of, and within that circuit began to build a

186 Geoffrey's British history. [book vi. ch. 12.
castle, wMch, when finished, took its name from the thong
wherewith it had been measured; for it was afterwards
caUed, in the British tongue, Kaercorrei ; M Saxon, Than-
castre, that is, Thong Castle.*
Chap. XII. — Vortigern marries Rowen,f the daughter of Hengist.'
In the meantime, the messengers returned from Germany,
with eighteen sMps fuU of the best soldiers they could get
They also brought along with them Rowen, the daughter of
Hengist, one of the most accompUshed beauties of that age.
After their arrival, Hengist Mvited the king to Ms house, to
view Ms new bMldings, and the new soldiers that were
come over. The Mng readily accepted of Ms Mvitation, but
privately, and having MgMy commended the magnificence of
the structure, enUsted the men Mto his service. Here he
was entertamed at a royal banquet ; and when that was
over, the young lady came out of her chamber bearing a
golden cup fuU of wine, with wMch she approached the
king, and maMng a low courtesy, said to Mm, "Lauerd J Mng
wacht heil ! " The king, at the sight of the lady's face, was
on a sudden both surprised and inflamed with her beauty ;
and caUing to Ms Mterpreter, asked Mm what she said, and
what answer he should make her. " She caUed you, ' Lord
king,'" said the interpreter, "and offered to drink your health
Your answer to her must be, 'Drinc heil!'" Vortigern
accordingly answered, " Drinc heU ! " and bade her drink ;
after wMch he took the cup from her hand, kissed her, and
drank MmseU. From that time to tMs, it has been the
custom in Britain, that he who drinks to any one says,
"Wacht heil!" and he that pledges Mm, answers "Drinc
heil ! " Vortigern being now drunk with the variety of
Uquors, the devil took this opportunity to enter into his
heart, and to make him in love with the damsel, so that he
became suitor to her father for her. It was, I say, by the
devil's entering into his heart, that he, who was a Christian,
should faU in love with a^pagan. By this example, Hengist,
• Now called Caistor, twenty-three miles N.N.E. from Lincoln.
t More commonly and elegantly called Rowena ; Ronwen and Ronwenna
occur in some of the MSS.
* That is, Lord.

A.D. 429.J ARRIVAL OF GERMANUS AND LUPUS. 187
being a prudent man, discovered the king's levity, and con
sulted with his brother Horsa and the other ancient men
present, what to do in relation to the king's request. They
unanimously advised him to give Mm Ms daughter, and in con
sideration of her to demand the province of Kent. Accord-
mgly the daughter was without delay delivered to Vortigern,
and the province of Kent to Hengist, without the knowledge
of Gorangan, who had the government of it. The king the
same night married the pagan lady, and became extremely
delighted with her ; by wMch he quickly brought upon him
self the hatred of the nobiUty, and of Ms own sons. For he
had already three sons, whose names were Vortimer, Cati-
gern, and Pascentius.
Chap. XIII. — The bishops, Germanus and Lupus, restore the Christian
faith that had been corrupted in Britain. Octa and Ebissa are four
times routed by Vortimer.
At that time came St. Germanus, bishop of Auxerre, and
Lupus, bishop of Troyes, to preach the gospel to the Britons.
For the Christian faith had been corrupted among them,
partly by the pagans whom the king had brought into
society with them, partly by the Pelagian heresy, with
the poison whereof they had been a long time infected. But
by the preaching of these holy men, the true faith and wor
ship was again restored, the many miracles they wrought
giving success to their labours. Gildas has in Ms elegant
treatise given an account of the many miracles God wrought
by them. The king being now, as we have said, possessed
of the lady, Hengist said to Mm : "As I am your father, I
claim the right of being your counsellor : do not therefore
sUght my advice, since it is to my countrymen you must owe
the conquest of aU your enemies. Let us invite over my
son Octa and his brother Ebissa, who are brave soldiers, and
give them the countries that are in the northern parts of
Britain, by the wall, between Deira and Albania. For they
wiU hinder the inroads of the barbarians, and so you shaU
enjoy peace on the other side of the Humber." Vortigern
complied with his request, and ordered them to invite over
whomsoever they knew able to assist him. Immediately
upon the receipt of tMs message, came Octa, Ebissa, and
Cherdich, with tMee hundred ships fiUed with soldiers, who

188 Geoffrey's British history. [book vi. ch. 13.
were all kindly received by Vortigern, and had ample
presents made them. For by their assistance he vanquished
his enemies, and in every engagement proved victorious.
Hengist in the meantime continued to invite over more and
more ships, and to augment Ms numbers daUy. Which
when the Britons observed, they were afraid of being be
trayed by them, and moved the king to bamsh them out of
his coasts. For it was contrary to the rule of the gospel
that Christians should hold feUowsMp, or have any inter
course, with pagans. Besides wMch, the number of those
that were come over was now so great, that they were a
terror to Ms subjects ; and nobody could now know who was
a pagan, or who a Christian, since pagans married the
daughters and Mnswomen of Christians. These tMngs they
represented to the Mng, and endeavoured to dissuade Mm
from entertaining them, lest they might, by some treacherous
conspiracy, prove an overmatch for the native inhabitants.
But Vortigern, who loved them above aU other nations on
account of Ms wife, was deaf to their advice. For tMs reason
the Britons quickly desert him, and unammously set up Vorti
mer his son for their king ; who at their instigation began to
drive out the barbarians, and to make dreadful Mcursions upon
them. Four battles he fought with them, and was victorious
in aU : the first upon the river Dereuent ;* the second upon
the ford of Epsford, where Horsa and Catigern, another
son of Vortigern, met and, after a sharp encounter, killed
each other ;| the tMrd upon the sea-shore, where the enemies
fled shamefully to their ships, and betook themselves for
refuge to the Isle of Thanet. But Vortimer besieged them
there, and daily distressed them with Ms fleet. And when
they were no longer able to bear the assaults of the Britons,
they sent king Vortigern, who was present with them in all
those wars, to Ms son Vortimer, to desire leave to depart,
and return back safe to Germany. And wMle a confer
ence upon this subject was bemg held, they in the mean
time went on board their long gaUeys, and, leaving their
wives and children beMnd them, returned back to Germany.
* The Dereuent seems to be the Darent, a stream which gives its name
to Dartford.
t The very remarkable monument, called Kit Cotty's house, is tradition
ally supposed to mark the grave of Catigern.

a.d. 465, 472.] VORTIMER POISONED. 189

Chap. XIV. — Vortimer' s kindness to his soldiers at his death,
Vortimer, after this great success, began to restore his sub
jects to their possessions which had been taken from them,
and to show them aU marks of his affection and esteem, and at
the instance of St. Germanus to rebuild their churches. But
his goodness quickly stirred up the enmity of the devil
against Mm, who entering into the heart of his stepmother
Rowen, excited her to contrive his death. For this purpose
she consulted with the poisoners, and procured one who was
intimate with him, whom she corrupted with large and
numerous presents, to give him a poisonous draught ; so that
tMs brave soldier, as soon as he had taken it, was seized with
a sudden iUness, that deprived him of aU hopes of Ufe. Here
upon he forthwith ordered all Ms men to come to him, and
having shown them how near he was to his end, distributed
among them aU the treasure Ms predecessors had heaped up,
and endeavoured to comfort them in their sorrow and lamen
tation for him, teUing them, he was only going the way of
aU flesh. But he exhorted those brave and warlike young
men, who had attended Mm in all Ms victories, to persist
courageously in the defence of their country against all hostile
invasion ; and with wonderful greatness of mind, commanded
a brazen pyramid to be placed in the port where the Saxons
used to land, and his body when dead to be buried on the
top of it, that the sight of his tomb might frighten back the
barbarians to Germany. For he said none of them would
dare approach the country, that should but get a sight of Ms
tomb. Such was the admirable bravery of this great man,
who, as he had been a terror to them wMle living, en
deavoured to be no less so when dead. Notwithstanding
wMch, he was no sooner dead, than the Britons had no
regard to his orders, but buried him at London. «
Chap, XV. — Hengist, having wickedly murdered the princes of Britain,
keeps Vortigern prisoner.
Vortigern, after the death of Ms son, was again restored to
the kingdom, and at the request of his wife sent messengers
into Germany to Hengist, with an invitation to return into
Britain, but privately, and with a small retinue, to prevent a
quarrel between the barbarians and Ms subjects. But Hen-

190 Geoffrey's British history. [book vi. ch. is.
gist, hearing that Vortimer was dead, raised an army of no
less than three hundred thousand men, and fitting out a fleet
returned with them to Britain. When Vortigern and the
nobiUty heard of the arrival of so vast a multitude, they were
immoderately incensed, and, after consultation together, re
solved to fight them, and drive them from their coasts.
Hengist, being Mfbrmed of their design by messengers sent
from Ms daughter, immediately entered into deliberation
what course to pursue against them. After several strata
gems had been considered, he judged it most feasible, to im
pose upon the nation by making show of peace. With this
view he sent ambassadors to the Mng, to declare to Mm, that
he had not brought so great a number of men for the pur
pose either of staying with him, or offering any violence to
the country. But the reason why he brought them, was
because he thought Vortimer was yet Uving, and that he
should have occasion for them against Mm, M case of an
assault. But now since he no longer doubted of bis being
dead, he submitted himseU and Ms people to the disposal of
Vortigern ; so that he might retain as many of them as he
should tMnk fit, and whomsoever he rejected Hengist would
aUow to return back without delay to Germany. And if
these terms pleased Vortigern, he desired him to appomt a
time and place for their meeting, and adjusting matters
according to Ms pleasure. When these tMngs were repre
sented to the Mng, he was mightUy pleased, as bemg very
unwilling to part with Hengist ; and at last ordered Ms sub
jects and the Saxons to meet upon the kalends of May, wMch
were now very near, at the monastery of Ambrius,* for the
settling of the matters above mentioned. The appointment
being agreed to on both sides, Hengist, with a new design of
viUany in Ms head, ordered Ms soldiers to carry every one
of them a long dagger under their garments ; and wMle the
conference should be held with the Britons, who would have
no suspicion of them, he would give them this word of com
mand, " Nemet oure Saxas ;" at wMch moment they were all
to be ready to seize boldly every one his next man, and with
Ms drawn dagger stab Mm. Accordingly they aU met at the
time and place appointed, and began to treat of peace ; and
when a fit opportunity offered for executing his viUany,
• Ambresbury.

a.d. 476] SLAUGHTER OF BRITONS. 191
Hengist cried out, " Nemet oure Saxas," and the same in
stant seized Vortigern, and held Mm by Ms cloak. The
Saxons, upon the signal given, drew their daggers, and fall-
mg upon the princes, who Uttle suspected any such design,
assassmated them to the number of four hundred and sixty
barons and consuls ; to whose bodies St. Eldad afterwards
gave CMistian burial, not far from Kaercaradauc, now SaUs
bury, in a burying-place near the monastery of Ambrius, the
abbat, who was the founder of it. For they aU came without
arms, having no thoughts of anytMng but treating of peace ;
wMch gave the others a fairer opportumty of exercising their
viUainous design against them. But the pagans did not
escape unpunished wMle they acted tMs wickedness ; a great
number of them being MUed during tMs massacre of their
enemies. For the Britons, taMng up clubs and stones from
the ground, resolutely defended themselves, and did good
execution upon the traitors.
Chap. XVI. — EldoVs valiant exploit. Hengist forces Vortigern to yield
up the strongest fortifications in Britain, in consideration of his release.
There was present one Eldol, consul* of Gloucester, who,
at the sight of tMs treachery, took up a stake which he hap
pened to find, and with that made his defence. Every blow
he gave carried death along with it ; and by breaMng
either the head, arms, shoulders, or legs of a great many, he
struck no smaU terror into the traitors, nor did he move from
the spot before he had MUed with that weapon seventy men.
But being no longer able to stand Ms ground against such
numbers, he made Ms escape from them, and retired to his
own city. Many fell on both sides, but the Saxons got the
victory; because the Britons, having no suspicion of treachery,
came unarmed, and therefore made a weaker defence. After
the commission of this detestable villany, the Saxons would
not MU Vortigern ; but having threatened him with death
and bound Mm, demanded his cities and fortifiea places in
consideration of their granting him Ms Ufe. He, to secure
Mmself, demed them nothing ; and when they had made Mm
confirm his grants with an oath, they released him from Ms
chams, and then marched first to London, wMch they took,
as they did afterwards York, LincoM, and Winchester ;
* This term must be considered as equivalent to comes, count, or earl.

192 Geoffrey's British history. [book vi. ch. 17.
wasting the countries through wMch they passed, and de
stroying the people, as wolves do sheep when left by their
shepherds. When Vortigern saw the desolation wMch they
made, he retired into the parts of Cambria, not knowing
what to do against so barbarous a people.
Chap. XVII. — Vortigern, after consultation with magicians, orders a
youth to be brought that never had a father.
At last he had recourse to magicians for their advice, and
commanded them to teU him what course to take. They
advised him to build a very strong tower for Ms own safety,
since he had lost aU Ms other fortified places. Accordingly
he made a progress about the country, to find out a conve
nient situation, and came at last to Mount Erir, where he
assembled workmen from several countries, and ordered them
to build the tower. The Mulders, therefore, began to lay
the foundation ; but whatever they did one day the earth
swallowed up the next, so as to leave no appearance of their
work. Vortigern being informed of tMs again consulted
with his magicians concerning the cause of it, who told him
that he must find out a youth that never had a father, and
MU him, and then sprinkle the stones and cement with his
blood ; for by those means, they said, he would have a firm
foundation. Hereupon messengers were despatched away
over all the provinces, to inquire out such a man. In their
travels they came to a city, caUed afterwards Kaermerdin,
where they saw some young men, playing before the gate,
and went up to them ; but being weary with their journey,
they sat down in the ring, to see if they could meet with
what they were in quest of. Towards evemng, there hap
pened on a sudden a quarrel between two of the young men,
whose names were MerUn and Dabutius. In the dispute,
Dabutius said to Merlin : " You fool, do you presume to
quarrel with me ? Is there any equality in our birth ? I am
descended of royal race, both by my father and mother's side.
As for you, nobody knows what you are, for you never had a
father." At that word the messengers looked earnestly upon
Merlin, and asked the by-standers who he was. They told
him, it was not known who was Ms father ; but that his
mother was daughter to the king of Dimetia, and that she
lived in St. Peter's church among the nuns of that city.

a.d. 477.J merlin's origin. 193
Chap. XVIII. — Vortigern inquires of Merlin's mother concerning her
conception of him.
Upon tMs the messengers hastened to the governor of the
city, and ordered Mm, in the Mng's name, to send MerUn and
Ms mother to the king. As soon as the governor understood
the occasion of their message, he readily obeyed the order,
and sent them to Vortigern to complete Ms design. When
they were introduced into the Mng's presence, he received
the mother in a very respectful manner, on account of her
noble birth ; and began to inqmre of her by what man she
had conceived. " My sovereign lord," said she, " by the life
of your soul and mine, I know nobody that begot Mm of me.
Only tMs I Miow, that as I was once with my companions in
our chambers, there appeared to me a person in the shape of
a most beautiful young man, who often embraced me eagerly
in Ms arms, and Mssed me ; and when he had stayed a Uttle
time, he suddenly vanished out of my sight. But many
times after tMs he would talk with me when I sat alone,
without maMng any visible appearance. When he had a
long time haunted me in tMs manner, he at last lay with me
several times in the shape of a man, and left me with child.
And I do affirm to you, my sovereign lord, that excepting
that young man, I know no body that begot Mm of
me." The king full of admiration at this account, ordered
Maugantius to be caUed, that he might satisfy him as to the
possibiUty of what the woman had related. Maugantius,
being introduced, and having the whole matter repeated to
Mm, said to Vortigern : " In the books of our pMlosophers,
and in a great many histories, I have found that several men
have had the Uke original. For, as Apuleius informs us in
Ms book concermng the Demon of Socrates, between the
moon and the earth Mhabit those spirits, wMch we wiU call
Mcubuses. These are of the nature partly of men, and
partly of angels, and whenever they please assume human
shapes, and Ue with women. Perhaps one of them appeared
to tMs woman, and begot that young man of her."
Chap. XIX. — Merlin's speech to the king's magicians, and advice about
the building of ihe tower.
Merlin in the meantime was attentive to aU that had
passed, and then approached the king, and said to Mm, "For
o

194. Geoffrey's British history. [bookvu. ch.i,
what reason am I and my mother introduced into your pre
sence ?" — "My magicians," answered Vortigern, "advised
me to seek out a man that had no father, with whose blood
my building is to be sprinMed, in order to make it stand." —
" Order your magicians," said Merlin, " to come before me,
and I wiU convict them of a Ue." The Mng was surprised
at Ms words, and presently ordered the magicians to come,
and sit down before Merlin, who spoke to them after this
manner : " Because you are ignorant what it is that Mnders
the foundation of the tower, you have recommended the
shedding of my blood for cement to it, as if that would pre
sently make it stand. But tell me now, what is there under
the foundation ? For sometMng there is that wiU not suffer
it to stand." The magicians at tMs began to be afraid, and
made him no answer. Then said Merhn, who was also called
Ambrose, "I entreat your majesty would command your
workmen to dig into the ground, and you wiU find a pond
which causes the foundation to sink." TMs accordingly was
done, and then presently they found a pond deep under
ground, wMch had made it give way. MerUIn after this went
again to the magicians, and said, " TeU me ye false syco
phants, what is there under the pond." But they were
silent. Then said he agam to the Mng, " Command the pond
to be drained, and at the bottom you wiU see two hoUow
stones, and in them two dragons asleep." The Mng made
no scruple of beUeving him, since he had found true what
he said of the pond, and therefore ordered it to be drained :
wMch done, he found as Merhn had said ; and now was
possessed with the greatest admiration of Mm. Nor were
the rest that were present less amazed at his wisdom, tiiink-
ing it to be no less than divme inspiration.

BOOK VII.
CONCERNING THE PROPHECD3S OF MERLIN.

Chap. I. — Geoffrey of Monmouth's preface to Merlin's prophecy.
I had not got thus far in my Mstory, when the subject of
public discourse happening to be concerning MerUn, I was
obliged to publish his prophecies at the request of my

a.d. 480.] Geoffrey's letter to Alexander. 195
acquaintance, but especially of Alexander, bishop of Lincoln,
a prelate of the greatest piety and wisdom. There was not
any person, either among the clergy or laity, that was at
tended with such a train of knights and noblemen, whom
Ms settled piety and great munificence engaged in Ms
service. Out of a desire, therefore, to gratify Mm, I trans
lated these prophecies, and sent them to him with the
foUowmg letter.
Chap. II. — Geoffrey's letter to Alexander, bishop of Lincoln.
" The regard wMch I owe to your great worth, most noble
prelate, has obUged me to undertake the translation of Mer-
Un's prophecies out of British into Latin, before I had made
an end of the Mstory wMch I had begun concerning the acts
of the British Mngs. For my design was to have finished
that first, and afterwards to have taken tMs work in hand ;
lest by being engaged on both at once, I should be less
capable of attending with any exactness to either. Notwith
standing, since the deference wMch is paid to your penetrat
ing judgment wiU screen me from censure, I have employed
my rude pen, and M a coarse style present you with a trans
lation out of a language with wMch you are unacquainted.
At the same time, I cannot but wonder at your recommend
ing tMs matter to one of my low gemus, when you might
have caused so many men of greater learning, and a richer
vein of inteUect, to undertake it ; who, with their sublime
strains, would much more agreeably have entertained you.
Besides, without any disparagement to all the pMlosophers
in Britain, I must take the Uberty to say, that you yourself,
if the business of your high station would give you leisure,
are capable of furmsMng us with loftier productions of tMs
kind than any man Uving. However, since it was your
pleasure that Geoffrey of Monmouth should be employed in
this prophecy, he hopes you wUl favourably accept of Mg
performance, and vouchsafe to give a finer turn to whatever
you shall find unpolished, or otherwise faulty in it.
Chap. III. — The prophecy of Merlin.
As Vortigern, king of the Britons, was sitting upon the
bank of the dramed pond, the two dragons, one of wMch
o 2

196 Geoffrey's British history. [book vii. ch. a
was wMte, the other red, came forth, and, approaching one
another, began a terrible fight, and cast forth fire with their
breath. But the wMte dragon had the advantage, and made
the other fly to the end of the lake. And he, for grief at
his flight, renewed the assault upon Ms pursuer, and forced
him to retire. After tMs battle of the dragons, the Mng
commanded Ambrose MerUn to teU him what it portended.
Upon wMch he, bursting into tears, deUvered what his pro
phetical spirit suggested to him, as foUows : — *
" Woe to the red dragon, for Ms banishment hasteneth on.
His lurMng holes shaU be siezed by the wMte dragon, wMch
signifies the Saxons whom you invited over; but the red
denotes the British nation, wMch shaU be oppressed by
the wMte. Therefore shall its mountains be leveUed as the
vaUeys, and the rivers of the vaUeys shaU run with blood.
The exercise of reUgion shaU be destroyed, and churches
be laid open to ruin. At last the oppressed shaU prevail,
and oppose the cruelty of foreigners. For a boar of Corn-
waU shaU give Ms assistance, and trample their necks under
his feet. The islands of the ocean shaU be subject to his
power, and he shaU possess the forests of Gaul. The house
of Romulus shaU dread Ms courage, and his end shaU be
doubtful. He shaU be celebrated M the mouths of the
people ; and Ms exploits shaU be food to those that relate them.
Six of Ms posterity shaU sway the sceptre, but after them
shaU arise a German worm. He shaU be advanced by a sea-
woff, whom the woods of Africa shaU accompany. ReUgion
shaU be again aboUshed, and there shaU be a translation of
the metropolitan sees. The dignity of London shaU adorn
Dorobernia, and the seventh pastor of York shaU be resorted
to in the kingdom of Armorica. Menevia shaU put on the
paU of the City of Legions, and a preacher of Ireland shaU
be dumb on account of an infant growing M the womb. It
shall rain a shower of blood, and a ragmg famine shaU afflict
mankind. When these tMngs happen, the red one shaU be
* The prophecy which follows has been commented on by various
writers, who have taken the trouble to point out the events in English his
tory which answer to the various predictions which it contains. Such
labour seems to be altogether superfluous in the present day : the prophecy
may be allowed to remain as an illustration of the absurd credulity of
termer times.

a.d. 480] MERLINS PROPHECY. 197
grieved; but when his fatigue is over, shall grew strong.
Then shall misfortunes hasten upon the white one,
and the buildings of Ms gardens shall be pulled down.
Seven that sway the sceptre shall be MUed, one of whom
shaU become a saint. The wombs of mothers shall be ripped
up, and mfants be abortive. There shall be a most grievous
punishment of men, that the natives may be restored. He
that shaU do these tMngs shaU put on the brazen man, and
upon a brazen horse shall for a long time guard the gates of
London. After tMs, shaU the red dragon return to his
proper manners, and turn his rage upon Mmself. Therefore
shaU the revenge of the Thunderer show itself, for every
field shall disappoint the husbandmen. Mortality shall
snatch away the people, and make a desolation over all
countries. The remainder shaU quit their native soil, and
make foreign plantations. A blessed king shaU prepare a
fleet, and shaU be reckoned the tweffth in the court among the
saints. There shaU be a miserable desolation of the king
dom, and the floors of the harvests shall return to the fruit
ful forests. The wMte dragon shall rise again, and invite
over a daughter of Germany. Our gardens shaU be again
replemshed with foreign seed, and the red one shall pine
away at the end of the pond. After that, shall the German
worm be crowned, and the brazen prince buried. He has
Ms bounds assigned Mm, wMch he shall not be able to pass.
For a hundred and fifty years he shall continue in trouble
and subjection, but shaU bear sway three hundred. Then
shaU the north wind rise against Mm, and shall snatch away
the flowers wMch the west wind produced. There shall be
gilding in the temples, nor shall the edge of the sword cease.
The German dragon shaU hardly get to his holes, because the
revenge of Ms treason shaU overtake him. At last he shall
flourish for a Uttle time, but the decimation of Neustria shall
hurt him. For a people in wood and in iron coats shall
come, and revenge upon Mm Ms wickedness, ifhey shall
restore the ancient inhabitants to their dwellings, and there
shaU be an open destruction of foreigners. The seed of the
wMte dragon shall be swept out of our gardens, and the
remainder of Ms generation shaU be decimated. They shall
bear the yoke of slavery, and wound their mother with
spades and ploughs. After this shaU succeed two dragons,

198 Geoffrey's British history. [book vn. ch. j
whereof one shaU be Mlled with the sting of envy, but the
other shall return under the shadow of a name. Then shall
succeed a lion of justice, at whose roar the GalUcan towers
and the island dragons shaU tremble. In those days gold
shaU be squeezed from the Uly and the nettle, and silver shall
flow from the hoofs of beUowing cattle. The frizzled shall
put on various fleeces, and the outward habit denote the in
ward parts. The feet of barkers shall be cut off; wild
beasts shall enjoy peace ; manMnd shaU be grieved at their
punishment; the form of commerce shaU be divided; the
half shall be round. The ravenousness of Mtes shaU be de
stroyed, and the teeth pf wolves blunted. The lion's whelps
shall be transformed into sea-fishes ; and an eagle shaU build
her nest upon Mount Aravius. Venedotia shaU grow red
with the blood of mothers, and the house of Corineus kill
six brethren. The island shall be wet with night tears ; so
that all shaU be provoked to aU tMngs. Woe to thee, Neus-
tria, because the lion's braM shall be poured upon thee : and
he shall be banished with shattered limbs from Ms native
soil. Posterity shall endeavour to fly above the Mgh
est places ; but the favour of new comers shaU be exalted.
Piety shaU hurt the possessor of tMngs got by Mvpiety, till
he shaU have put on Ms Father : therefore, being armed with
the teeth of a boar, he shall ascend above the tops of moun
tains, and the shadow of Mm that wears a helmet. Albania
shall be enraged, and, assemhting her neighbours, shall be
employed in shedding blood. There shaU be put into her
jaws a bridle that shall be made on the coast of Armorica.
The eagle of the broken covenant shall gild it over, and re
joice in her tMrd nest. The roaring whelps shah watch,
and, leaving the woods, shall hunt witMn the waUs of cities.
They shall make no smaU slaughter of those that oppose
them, and shall cut off the tongues of bulls. They shall
load the necks of roaring lions with chains, and restore the
times of their ancestors. Then from the first to the fourth,
from the fourth to the third, from the tMrd to the second,
the thumb shall roll in oil. The sixth shaU overturn the
walls of Ireland, and change the woods into a plain. He
shall reduce several parts to one, and be crowned with the
head of a lion. His beginning shall lay open to wandering
affection, but Ms end shaU carry Mm up to the blessed, who

A.D. 480.] MERLQTS PROPHECY. ] 99
are above. For he shall restore the seats of saints in their
countries, and settle pastors in convenient places. Two
cities he shaU invest with two palls, and shall bestow virgin-
presents upon virgins. He shall merit by tMs the favour of
the Thunderer, and shaU be placed among the saints. From
Mm shall proceed a lynx penetrating aU things, who shaU be
bent upon the ruin of his own nation; for, tMough Mm,
Neustria shall lose both islands, and be deprived of its
ancient dignity. Then shall the natives return back to the
island ; for there shaU arise a dissension among foreigners.
Also a hoary old man, sitting upon a snow-wMte horse,
shaU turn the course of the river Periron, and shall measure
out a miU upon it with a wMte rod. CadwaUader shall call
upon Conan, and take Albama into alUance. Then shall
there be a slaughter of foreigners ; then shall the rivers run
with blood. Then shall break forth the fountains of Armo
rica, and they shaU be crowned with the diadem of Brutus.
Cambria shall be fiUed with joy ; and the oaks of CornwaU
shaU flourish. The island shaU be caUed by the name of
Brutus: and the name given it by foreigners shall be
aboUshed. From Conan shaU proceed a warUke boar, that
shaU exercise the sharpness of Ms tusks within the Gallic
woods. For he shaU cut down all the larger oaks, and shall
be a defence to the smaller. The Arabians and Africans
shall dread him ; for he shaU pursue ' Ms furious course to
the farther part of Spain. There shaU succeed the goat of
the Venereal castle, having golden horns and a silver beard,
who shall breathe such a cloud out of Ms nostrils, as shall
darken the whole surface of the island. There shall be
peace in Ms time ; and corn shaU abound by reason of the
fruitfulness of the soil. Women shaU become serpents in
their gait, and all their motions shall be fuU of pride. The
camp of Venus shall be restored ; nor shaU the arrows of
Cupid cease to wound. The fountain of a river shall be
turned into blood ; and two kings shall fight a duel at Staf
ford for a Uoness. Luxury shall overspread the whole
ground ; and fornication not cease to debauch mankind. All
these tMngs shall three ages see ; till the buried kings shall
be exposed to pubUc view in the city of London. Famine shall
again return; mortality shall return; and the inhabitants
shaU grieve for the destruction of their cities. Then shall

200 Geoffrey's British history. [book vn. ch. 4.
come the board of commerce, who shall recall the scattered
flocks to the pasture they had lost. His breast shaU be food
to the hungry, and Ms tongue drink to the tMrsty. Out of
his mouth shall flow rivers, that shall water the parched jaws
of men. After tMs shall be produced a tree upon the
Tower of London, which, having no more than tMee
branches, shall overshadow the surface of the whole island
with the breadth of its leaves. Its adversary, the north
wind, shall come upon it, and with its noxious blast shaU
snatch away the third branch ; but the two remaimng ones
shaU possess its place, tiU they shaU destroy one another
by the multitude of their leaves ; and then shaU it ob
tain the place of those two, and shaU give sustenance to
birds of foreign nations. It shaU be esteemed hurtful to
native fowls ; for they shaU not be able to fly freely for fear
of its shadow. There shaU succeed the ass of wickedness,
swift against the goldsmiths, but slow agamst the ravenous-
ness of wolves. In those days the oaks of the forests shaU
burn, and acorns grow upon the branches of teU trees.
The Severn sea shaU discharge itself tMough seven moutiis,
and the river Uske burn seven months. Fishes shaU die
with the heat thereof; and of them shall be engendered
serpents. The baths of Badon shaU grow cold, and their
salubrious waters engender death. London shaU mourn for
the death of twenty thousand ; and the river Thames shaU
be turned into blood. The monks in their cowls shaU be
forced to marry, and their cry shaU be heard upon the
mountains of the Alps."
Chap. IV. — The continuation of the prophecy.
" Three springs shaU break forth m the city of Winchester,
whose rivulets shaU divide the island into tMee parts.
Whoever shaU drink of the first, shaU enjoy long Ufe, and
shall never be afflicted with sickness. He that shaU drink
of the second, shaU die of hunger, and paleness and horror
shall sit in his countenance. He that shaU drink of the
third, shall be surprised with sudden death, neither shaU his
body be capable of burial. Those that are willing to escape
so great a surfeit, will endeavour to hide it with several
coverings : but whatever bulk shaU be laid upon it, shaU

A.D. 480.] merlin's prophecy. 201
receive the form of another body. For earth shall be turned
into stones ; stones into water ; wood into ashes ; ashes into
water, if cast over it. Also a damsel shall be sent from the
city of the forest of Canute to administer a cure, who, after
she shaU have practised aU her arts, shall dry up the noxious
fountains only with her breath. Afterwards, as soon as she
shall have refreshed herself with the wholesome liqour, she
shah bear in her right hand the wood of Caledon, and in her
left the forts of the waUs of London. Wherever she shall
go, she shaU make sulphureous steps, wMch will smoke with
a double flame. That smoke shaU rouse up the city of
Ruteni, and shaU make food for the inhabitants of the deep.
She shall overflow with rueful tears, and shall fiU the island
with her dreadful cry. She shaU be killed by a hart with
ten branches, four of wMch shaU bear golden diadems ; but
the other six shaU be turned into buffalo's horns, whose
Mdeous sound shaU astonish the three islands of Britain.
The Daneian wood shaU be stirred up, and breaMng forth
mto a human voice, shaU cry : Come, 0 Cambria, and join
CornwaU to thy side, and say to Winchester, the earth shall
swaUow thee up. Translate the seat of thy pastor to the
place where ships come to harbour, and the rest of the
members will foUow the head. For the day hasteneth, in
wMch thy citizens shaU perish on account of the guilt of
perjury. The wMteness of wool has been hurtful to thee,
and the variety of its tinctures. Woe to the perjured nation,
for whose sake the renowned city shaU come to ruin. The
sMps shaU rejoice at so great an augmentation, and one shaU
be made out of two. It shaU be rebuUt by Eric, loaden with
apples, to the smeU whereof the birds of several woods shall
flock together. He shaU add to it a vast palace, and waU it
round with six hundred towers. Therefore shall London
envy it, and triply increase her waUs. The river Thames
shaU encompass it round, and the fame of the work shall pass
beyond the Alps. Eric shall Mde Ms apples witMn it, and
shall make subterraneous passages. At that time shaU the
stones speak, and the sea towards the GaUic coast be con
tracted into a narrow space. On each bank shall one man
hear another, and the soil of the island shaU be enlarged.
The secrets of the deep shall be revealed, and Gaul shall
tremble for fear. After these tMngs shaU come forth a hern

202 Geoffrey's British history. [book vu. ch. 4.
from the forest of Calaterium, wMch shall fly round the
island for two years together. With her nocturnal cry she
shall call together the winged kind, and assemble to her aU
sorts of fowls. They shaU invade the tiUage of husbandmen,
and devour all the grain of the harvests. Then shall foUow
a famine upon the people, and a grievous mortaUty upon the
famine. But when this calamity shaU be over, a detestable
bird shall go to the vaUey of Galabes, and shaU raise it to
be a high mountain. Upon the top thereof it shaU also plant
an oak, and build its nest in its branches. TMee eggs shaU
be produced in the nest, from whence shaU come forth a fox,
a wolf, and a bear. The fox shaU devour her mother, and
bear the head of an ass. In tMs monstrous form shaU she
frighten her brothers, and make them fly into Neustria. But
they shaU stir up the tusky boar, and returmng in a fleet
shall encounter with the fox ; who at the beginmng of the
fight shaU feign herself dead, and move the boar to com
passion. Then shaU the boar approach her carcass, and
standing over her, shall breathe upon her face and eyes.
But she, not forgetting her cunmng, shaU bite Ms left foot,
and pluck it off from Ms body. Then shall she leap upon
him, and snatch away Ms right ear and taU, and Mde herseU
in the caverns of the mountains. Therefore shall the deluded
boar reqMre the wolf and bear to restore him Ms members ;
who, as soon as they shaU enter into the cause, shaU promise
two feet of the fox, together with the ear and tail, and of
these they shall make up the members of a hog. With this
he shaU be satisfied, and expect the promised restitution.
In the meantime shaU the fox descend from the mountains,
and change herseU into a woU, and under pretence of holding
a conference with the boar, she shaU go to Mm, and craftily
devour Mm. After that she shaU transform herself into a
boar, and feigning a loss of some members, shall wait for her
brothers ; but as soon as they are come, she shaU suddenly
kill them with her tusks, and shaU be crowned with the bead
of a Uon. In her days shaU a serpent be brought forth,
wMch shall be a destroyer of mankind. With its length it
shall encompass London, and devour all that pass by it. The
mountain ox shall take the head of a wolf, and whiten his
teeth in the Severn. He shall gather to him the flocks of Alba
nia and Cambria, whicii shall drink the river Thames dry.

a.d. 4so.] merlin's prophecy. 203
The ass shaU caU the goat with the long beard, and shaU
borrow Ms shape. Therefore shaU the mountain ox be
incensed, and having caUed the woU, shaU become a horned
buU against them. In the exercise of Ms cruelty he shaU
devour their flesh and bones, but shaU be burned upon the
top of Urian. The ashes of Ms funeral-pUe shall be turned
into swans, that shaU swim on dry ground as on a river.
They shall devour fishes in fishes, and swaUow up men in
men. But when old age shall come upon them, they shall
become sea-wolves, and practise their frauds in the deep.
They shall drown sMps, and collect no smaU quantity of
silver. The Thames shall again flow, and assembling
together the rivers, shall pass beyond the bounds of its
channel. It shall cover the adjacent cities, and overturn
the mountains that oppose its course. Being fuU of deceit
and wickedness, it shall make use of the fountain Galabes.
Hence shaU arise factions provoking the Venedotians to war.
The oaks of the forest shall meet together, and encounter the
rocks of the Gewisseans. A raven shall attend with the
Mtes, and devour the carcasses of the slain. An . owl shall
build her nest upon the waUs of Gloucester, and in her nest
shall be brought forth an ass. The serpent of Malvernia
shall bring him up, and put Mm upon many fraudulent prac
tices. Having taken the crown, he shall ascend on Mgh, and
frighten the people of the country with his hideous braying.
In Ms days shall the Pachaian mountains tremble, and the
provinces be deprived of their woods. For there shall come
a worm with a fiery breath, and with the vapour it sends
forth shaU burn up the trees. Out of it shaU proceed seven
Uons deformed with the heads of goats. With the stench
of their nostrils they shaU corrupt women, and make wives
turn common prostitutes. The father shall not know Ms
own son, because they shaU grow wanton Uke brute beasts.
Then shaU come the giant of wickedness, and terrify all with
the sharpness of his eyes. Against him shall arise the
dragon of Worcester, and shaU endeavour to banish Mm.
But in the engagement the dragon shaU be worsted, and
oppressed by the wickedness of the conqueror. For he shaU
mount upon the dragon, and putting off his garment shall sit
upon him naked. The dragon shall bear Mm up on Mgh,
and beat Ms naked rider with Ms tail erected. Upon tMs

204 Geoffrey's British history. [book to. ch. l
the giant rousing up Ms whole strength, shall break his jaws
with his sword. At last the dragon shaU fold itself up
under its tail and die of poison. After Mm shaU succeed
the boar of Totness, and oppress the people with grievous
tyranny. Gloucester shall send forth a Uon, and shaU
disturb him M his cruelty, in several battles. He shaU
trample Mm under his feet, and terrify Mm with open jaws.
At last the lion shall quarrel with the kingdom, and get upon
the backs of the nobiUty. A buU shaU come into the quarrel,
and strike the Uon with Ms right foot. He shaU drive him
through all the inns in the kingdom, but shaU break Ms
horns against the walls of Oxford. The fox of Kaerdubalem
shall take revenge on the Uon, and destroy Mm entirely with
her teeth. She shaU be encompassed by the adder of LincoM,
who with a horrible Mss shaU give notice of his presence to
a multitude of dragons. Then shaU the dragons encounter,
and tear one another to pieces. The winged shaU oppress
that wMch wants wings, and fasten its claws mto the
poisonous cheeks. Others shaU come into the quarrel, and
kill one another. A fifth shall succeed those that are slain,
and by various stratagems shaU destroy the rest. He shaU
get upon the back of one with Ms sword, and sever his head
from Ms body. Then tMowing off Ms garment, he shaU get
upon another, and put Ms right and left hand upon Ms tail.
Thus being naked shaU he overcome Mm, whom when
clothed he was not able to deal with. The rest he shaU
gall in their flight, and drive them round the kingdom.
Upon this shaU come a roaring Uon dreadful for Ms
monstrous cruelty. Fifteen parts shaU he reduce to one,
and shaU alone possess the people. The giant of the snow-
wMte colour shaU sMne, and cause the white people to
flourish. Pleasures shaU effeminate the princes, and they
shaU suddenly be changed into beasts. Among them shaU
arise a lion swelled with human gore. Under him shall a
reaper be placed in the standing corn, who, while he is
reaping, shall be oppressed by Mm. A charioteer of York
shall appease them, and having banished Ms lord, shall
mount upon the chariot which he shaU drive. With Ms
sword unsheathed shaU he threaten the East, and fiU the
tracks of his wheels with blood. Afterwards he shaU
become a sea-fish, who, bemg roused up with the Mssing

a.d. 480.] merlin's prophecy. 205
of a serpent, shaU engender with him. From hence shall
be produced three thundering buUs, who having eaten up
their pastures shaU be turned into trees. The first
shaU carry a wMp of vipers, and turn his back upon
the next. He shall endeavour to snatch away the whip,
but shaU be taken by the last. They shall turn away their
faces from one another, tiU they have tMown away the
poisoned cup. To Mm shall succeed a husbandman of
Albama, at whose back shaU be a serpent. He shaU be
employed M plougMng the ground, that the country may
become wMte with corn. The serpent shaU endeavour to
diffuse Ms poison, in order to blast tne harvest. A grievous
mortality shaU sweep away the people, and the walls of cities
shaU be made desolate. There shall be given for a remedy
the city of Claudius, wMch shaU interpose the nurse of the
Scourger. For she shaU bear a dose of medicine, and in a
short time the island shaU be restored. Then shaU two
successively sway the sceptre, whom a horned dragon shall
serve. One shaU come in armour, and shall ride upon a
flying serpent. He shall sit upon Ms back with Ms naked
body, and cast Ms right hand upon Ms tail. With Ms cry
shall the seas be moved, and he shall strike terror into the
second. The second therefore shaU enter into confederacy
with the Uon ; but a quarrel happening, they shaU encounter
one another. They shaU distress one another, but the
courage of the beast shaU gain the advantage. Then shaU
come one with a drum, and appease the rage of the lion.
Therefore shaU the people of the kingdom be at peace, and
provoke the Uon to a dose of physic. In his established seat
he shaU adjust the weights, but shaU stretch out his hands
mto Albama. For wMch reason the northern provmces
shall be grieved, and open the gates of the temples. The
sign-bearing woU shall lead Ms troops, and surround
Cornwall with his tail. He shaU be opposed byia soldier in
a chariot, who shaU transform that people into a boar. The
boar therefore shaU ravage the provinces, but shall Mde Ms
head in the depth of Severn. A man shaU embrace a lion
in wine, and the dazzUng brightness of gold shaU blind the
eyes- of beholders. Silver shall whiten in the circumference,
and torment several wine presses. Men shaU be drunk with
wine, and, regardless of heaven. shaU be Mtent upon the

206 Geoffrey's British history. Lbook vm. ch. l
earth. From them shaU the stars turn away their faces, and
confound their usual course. Corn wiU wither at their
maUgn aspects ; and there shall fall no dew from heaven.
The roots and branches will change their places, and the
novelty of the thing shall pass for a miracle. The brightness
of the sun shall fade at the amber of Mercury, and horror
shall seize the beholders. Stilbon of Arcadia shaU change
his shield ; the helmet of Mars shaU caU Venus. The
helmet of Mars shaU make a shadow ; and the rage of
Mercury pass Ms bounds. Iron Orion shaU unsheath Ms
sword : the marine Phoebus shaU torment the clouds ;
Jupiter shall go out of Ms lawful paths ; and Venus
forsake her stated Unes. The maUgmty of the star Saturn
shaU fall down in rain, and slay mankind with a crooked
sicHe. The twelve houses of the star shaU lament the
irregular excursions of their guests ; and Gemim omit their
usual embraces, and caU the urn to the fountains. The
scales of Libra shall hang obUquely, tiU Aries puts his
crooked horns under them. The taU of Scorpio shaU
produce Ughtning, and Cancer quarrel -with the Sun-
Virgo shaU mount upon the back of Sagittarius, and
darken her virgin flowers. The chariot of the Moon
shaU disorder the zodiac, and the Pleiades break forth
into weeping. No offices of Janus shaU hereafter return,
but Ms gate being shut shall Ue Md in the chinks of
Ariadne. The seas shaU rise up in the twinkling of an
eye, and the dust of the ancients shaU be restored. The
winds shaU fight together with a dreadful blast, and their
sound shaU reach the stars.

BOOK VIII.

Chap. I. — Vortigern asks Merlin concerning his own death.
Merlin, by delivering these and many other prophecies,
caused in aU that were present an admiration at the ambiguity
of his expressions. But Vortigern above aU the rest both
admired and applauded the wisdom, and prophetical spirit of

a.d. 481.] merltn's prophecy. 207
the young man : for that age had produced none that ever
talked in such a manner before him. I Being therefore curious
to learn his own fate, he desired the young man to tell him
what he knew concerning that particular. Merhn answered :
— " Fly the fire of the sons of Constantine, if you are able to
. do it : already are they fitting out their sMps : already are they
leaving theArmorican shore : already are they spreading out
their sails to the wind. They will steer towards Britain : they
wiU invade the Saxon nation : they wiU subdue that wicked
people ; but they will first burn you being shut up in a tower.
To your own ruin did you prove a traitor to their father, and
Mvite the Saxons into the island. You invited them for your
safeguard ; but they came for a pumshment to you. Two
deaths instantly threaten you ; nor is it easy to determine,
which you can best avoid. For on the one hand the Saxons
shaU lay waste your country, and endeavour to Mil you : on the
other shaU arrive the two brothers, Aurelius Ambrosius and
Uther Pendragon, whose business wiU be to revenge their
father's murder upon you. Seek out some refuge if you can :
to-morrow they wiU be on the shore of Totness. The
faces of the Saxons shaU look red with blood, Hengist shall
be killed, and Aurelius Ambrosius shall be crowned. He
shaU bring peace to the nation ; he shall restore the churches ;
but shaU die of poison. His brother Uther Pendragon shaU
succeed Mm, whose days also shaU be cut short by poison.
There shaU be present at the commission of this treason your
own issue, whom the boar of Cornwall shaU devour." Accord
ingly the next day early, arrived AureUus Ambrosius and
Ms brother, with ten thousand men.
Chap. II. — Aurelius Ambrosius, being anointed king of Britain, burns
Vortigern besieged in a tower.
As soon as the news of Ms coming was divulged, the Britons,
who had been dispersed by their great calamities, met together
from aU parts, and gaining tMs new accession of strength
from their countrymen, displayed unusual vigour. Having
assembled together the clergy, they anointed AureUus king,
and paid Mm the customary homage. And when the people
were urgent to faU upon the Saxons, he dissuaded them from
it, because Ms desire was to pursue Vortigern first. For the
treason committed against Ms father so very much affected

208 Geoffrey's British history. [book vm.cH.a
Mm, that he thought notMng done tiU that was first avenged.
In pursuance therefore of tMs design, he marched with Ms
army Mto Cambria, to the town of Genoreu, wMther Vorti
gern had fled for refuge. That town was in the country of
Hergin, upon the river Gania, in the mountam caUed
Cloarius. As soon as Ambrosius was arrived there, bearing
in Ms mind the murder of Ms father and brother, he spake
thus to Eldol, duke of Gloucester.
" See, most noble duke, whether the walls of tMs city are
able to protect Vortigern against my sheathing tMs sword m
Ms bowels. He deserves to die, and you cannot, I suppose,
be ignorant of Ms desert. Oh most vUhunous of men, whose
crimes deserve inexpressible tortures ! First he betrayed my
father Constantine, who had deUvered him and his country
from the inroads of the Picts ; afterwards my brother Con
stans whom he made Mng on purpose to destroy Mm. Again,
when by Ms craft he had usurped the crown, he mtroduced
pagans among the natives, in order to abuse those who con
tinued stedfast in their loyalty to me : but by the good pro
vidence of God, he unwarily feU mto the snare, wMch he
had laid for my faithful subjects. For the Saxons, when
they found Mm out M Ms wickedness, drove him from the
Mngdom ; for wMch nobody ought to be concerned. But
tMs I tMnk matter of just grief, that tMs odious people,
whom that detestable traitor mvited over, has expeUed the
nobility, laid waste a frMtful country, destroyed the holy
churches, and almost extingMshed CMistiamty over the
whole Mngdom. Now, therefore, my countrymen, show
yourselves men ; first revenge yourselves upon Mm that was
the occasion of aU these disasters ; then let us turn our
arms against our enemies, and free our country from their
brutish tyranny."
Immediately, therefore, they set their engmes to work,
and laboured to beat down the walls. But at last, when aU
other attempts. failed, they had recourse to fire, which meet
ing with proper fuel, ceased not to rage, tiU it had burned
down the tower and Vortigern in it.

A.r>. *S7.) AURELIUS'S VALOUR. 209

Chap. III. — The praise of Aurelius's valour. The levity of the Scots
exposed. Forces raised against Hengist.
Hengist, with Ms Saxons, was struck with terror at this
news, for he dreaded the valour of AureUus. Such was the
bravery and courage tMs prince was master pf, that while
he was in Gaul, there was npne that durst enceunter with
him. Fpr in aU enccunters he either dismounted his adver
sary, or broke Ms spear. Besides, he was magmficent in Ms
presents, constant at his devotiens, temperate in aU respects,
and abeve aU tMngs hated a Ue. A brave soldier on foot, a
better on horseback, and expert in the disciphne of an army.
Reports of these Ms noble accompUshments, wMle he yet
continued M Armorican Britain, were daUy brought over into
the island. Therefore, the Saxons, for fear of Mm, retired
beyond the Humber, and in those parts fortified the cities
and towns ; for that country always was a place of refuge to
them ; their safety lying in the neighbourhood of Scotland,
wMch used to watch all opportunities of distressing the
nation ; for that country being in itself a frightful place
to Uve in, and wholly uninhabited, had been a safe retreat
for strangers. By its situation it lay open to the Picts, Scots,
Dacians, Norwegians, and others, that came to plunder the
island. Being, therefore, secure of a safe reception in tMs
country, they fled towards it, that, if there should be occa
sion, they might retreat into it as into their own camp. This
was good news to AureUus, and made him conceive greater
hopes of victory. So assembling his people quicMy together,
he augmented Ms army, and made an expeditious march
towards the north. In his passage tMough the countries,
he was grieved to see the desolation made in them, but
especiaUy that the churches were leveUed with the ground ;
and he promised to rebuUd them, if he gained the victory.
Chap. IV. —Hengist marches with his army against Aurelius, into the
field of Maisbeli.
But Hengist, upon his approach, took courage again, and
chose out the bravest of his men, whom he exhorted to make
a gallant defence, and not be daunted at Aurelius, who, he
told them, had but few Armorican Britons with Mm, since
their number did not exceed ten thousand. And as for the
P

210 Geoffrey's British history. [book vm. ch. j.
native Britons, he made no account of them, since they had
been so often defeated by Mm. He therefore promised them
the victory, and that they should come off safely, considering
the superiority of their number, wMch amounted to two
hundred thousand men in arms. After he had in tMs manner
animated Ms men, he advanced with them towards AureUus,
into a field called MaisbeU, tMough wMch AureUus was to
pass. For Ms intention was to make a sudden assault by a
surprise, and faU upon the Britons before they were prepared.
But AureUus perceived the design, and yet did not, on that
account, delay going to the field, but rather pursued Ms
march with more expedition. When he was come witMn
sight of the enemy, he put Ms troops M order, commanding
three thousand Armoricans tp attend the cavalry, and drew
put the rest together with the islanders Mto Une pf battle.
The Dimetians he placed upon the bills, and the Vene-
dptians in the adjacent wppds. His reaspn for wMch was,
that they might be there ready tp faU uppn the Saxpns, in
case they shpuld flee in that direction.
Chap. V. — A battle between Aurelius and Hengist.
In the meantime, Eldol, duke of Gloucester, went to the
king, and said, " This one day sheuld suffice for aU the days
of my life, if by good providence I could but get an oppor
tunity to engage with Hengist ; for one of us should die
before we parted. I stiU retain deeply fixed m my memory
the day appointed for our peaceably treating together, but
which he villainously made use of to assassinate aU that were
present at the treaty, except myself oMy, who stood upon my
defence with a stake wMch I accidentaUy found, until I made
my escape. That very day proved fatal, tMough Ms treachery,
to no less than four hundred and sixty barons and consuls,
who aU went unarmed. From that conspiracy God was
pleased to deUver me, by tMowMg a stake in my way, where
with I defended myself and escaped." Thus spoke Eldol.
Then AureUus exhorted Ms compamons to place aU their
hope in the Son pf Gpd, and to make a brave assault with
one consent upon the enemy, in defence pf their ceuntry.
Nor was Hengist less busy on the other hand in forming Ms
troops, and giving them directions how to behave themselves
in the battle ; and he walked himseU' tMough their several

a.d. 488.] AURELIUS DEFEATS HENGIST. 21 1
ranks, the more to spirit them up. At last, both armies,
being drawn out in order of battle, began the attack, which
they maintained with great bravery, and no small loss of
blood, both to the Britons and Saxons. AureUus animated
the CMistians, Hengist the pagans ; and all the time of the
engagement, Eldol's cMef endeavour was to encounter Hen
gist, but he had no opportunity for it. For Hengist, when
he found that Ms own men were routed, and that the Chris
tians, by the especial favour of God, had the advantage, fled
to the town caUed Kaerconan, now Cunungeburg. AureUus
pursued him, and either MUed or made slaves of all he found
in the way. When Hengist saw that he was pursued by
Aurelius, he would not enter the town, but assembled Ms
troops, and prepared them to stand another engagement.
For he knew the town would not hold out against AureUus,
and that Ms whole security now lay in his sword. At last
AureUus overtook Mm, and after marshaUing his forces, be
gan another most furious fight. And here the Saxons
steadily maintained their ground, notwithstanding the num
bers that feU. On both sides there was a great slaughter,
the groans of the dying causing a greater rage in those that
survived. In short, the Saxons would have gained the day,
had not a detachment of horse from the Armorican Britons
come in upon them. For AureUus had appointed them the
same station wMch they had in the former battle ; so that,
upon their advancing, the Saxons gave ground, and when
once a Uttle dispersed, were not able to rally again. The
Britons, encouraged by this advantage, exerted them
selves, and laboured with aU their might to distress the
enemy. AU the time AureUus was fully employed, not only
in giving commands, but encouraging his men by Ms own
example ; for with his own hand he MUed aU that stood in
Ms way, and pursued those that fled. Nor was Eldol less
active in all parts of the field, runnMg to and fro to assault
his adversaries ; but stiU Ms main endeavour was to find
opportunity of encountering Hengist.
Chap. VI. — Hengist, in a duel with Eldol, is taken by him. The Saxons
are slain by ihe Britons without mercy.
As there were therefore several movements made by the
parties engaged on each side, an opportunity occurred for their
p2

212 Geoffrey's British history. [book vm. ch. 7.
meeting, and brisMy engaging each other. In tMs encounter
of the two greatest champions in the field, the fire sparkled
with the clashing of their arms, and every stroke in a manner
produced both thunder and Ughtmng. For a long time was the
victory in suspense, as it seemed sometimes to favour the one,
sometimes the other. WMle they were thus hotly engaged,
Gorlois, duke of Cornwall, came up to them with the party he
commanded, and did great execution upon the enemies' troops.
At the sight of Mm, Eldol, assured of victory, seized on the
helmet of Hengist, and by main force dragged Mm in among
the Britons, and then in transports of joy cried out with a
loud voice, " God has fulfilled my desire ! My brave soldiers,
down, down, with your enemies the Ambrons.* The victory
is now in your hands : Hengist is defeated, and the day is
your own." In the meantime the Britons faUed not to per
form every one Ms part agamst the pagans, upon whom they
made many vigorous assaults ; and though they were obUged
sometimes to give ground, yet their courage did not faU them
in maMng a good resistance ; so that they gave the enemy
no respite tiU they had vanqMshed them. The Saxons
therefore fled wMthersoever their consternation hurried them,
some to the cities, some to the woods upon the hills, and
others to their sMps. But Octa, the son of Hengist, made
Ms retreat with a great body of men to York : and Eosa,
Ms kinsman, to the city of Alclud, where he had a very large
army for Ms guard.
Chap. VII. — Hengist is beheaded by Eldol.
Aurelius, after this victory, took the city of Conan above-
mentioned, and stayed there tMee days. During tMs time
he gave orders for the burial of the slain, for curing the
wounded, and for the ease and refreshment of Ms forces that
were fatigued. Then he caUed a councU of his principal
officers, to deliberate what was to be done with Hengist.
There was present at the assembly Eldad, bishop of Glouces
ter, and brother of Eldol, a prelate of very great wisdom
and piety. As soon as he beheld Hengist standing in the
king's presence, he demanded silence, and said, " Though aU
should be unanimous for setting Mm at Uberty, yet would I
* The meaning of this word is doubtful ; it is applied to the Saxons,
and probably is descriptive of their fierce and savage character.

A.D. 488.] OCTA SURRENDERS TO AURELIUS. 213
cut Mm to pieces. The prophet Samuel is my warrant, who,
when he had Agag, Mng of Amalek, in his power, hewed
him in pieces, saying, As thy sword hath made women child
less, so shaU thy mother be cMldless among women. Do
therefore the same to Hengist, who is a second Agag."
Accordingly Eldol took Ms sword, and drew Mm out of the
city, and then cut off Ms head. But AureUus, who showed
moderation in aU Ms conduct, commanded Mm to be buried,
and a heap of earth to be raised over Ms body, according to
the custom of the pagans.
Chap. VIII. — Octa, being besieged in York, surrenders himself to the
mercy of Aurelius.
From hence AureUus conducted Ms army to York, to besiege
Octa, Hengist's son. When the city was invested, Octa was
doubtful whether he should give Mm any opposition, and
stand a siege against such a powerful army. After consulta
tion upon it, he went out with his principal nobiUty that were
present, carrjdng a chain in Ms hand, and sand upon Ms
head, and presented himseU to the Mng with tMs address :
" My gods are vanqmshed, and I doubt not that the sovereign
power is in your God, who has compelled so many noble per
sons to come before you in tMs suppUant manner. Be pleased
therefore to accept of us, and of this chain. Lf you do not
tMnk us fit objects of your clemency, we here present our
selves ready to be fettered, and to undergo whatever punish
ment you shaU adjudge us to." AureUus was moved with
pity at the spectacle, and demanded the advice of Ms council
what should be done with them. After various proposals
upon tMs subject, Eldad the bishop rose up, and deUvered
Ms opinion in these words : " The Gibeonites came volun
tarily to the cMldren of Israel to desire mercy, and they
obtained it. And shaU we Christians be worse than the
Jews, in refusing them mercy ? It is mercy wMch they beg,
and let them have it. The island of Britain is large, and in
many places umnhabited. Let us make a covenant with
them, and suffer them at least to inhabit the desert places,
that they may be our vassals for ever." The Mng acquiesced
in Eldad s advice, and suffered them to partake of Ms clemency.
After tMs Eosa and the rest that fled, being encouraged by
Octa's success, came also, and were admitted to the same

214 Geoffrey's British history, [book vm. ch. ».
favour. The Mng therefore granted them the country border
ing upon Scotland, and made a firm covenant with them.
Chap. IX. — AurSlius, hailing- entirely routed the enemies, restores all
things in Britain, especially ecclesiastical affairs, to their ancient state.
The enemies being now entirely reduced,* fhe Mng sum
moned the consuls and princes of the kingdom together at
York, where he gave orders for the restoration of the
churches, which the Saxons had destroyed. He Mmself
undertook the rebmlding of the metropoUtan church of that
city, as also the other cathedral churches in that provmce.
After fifteen days, when he had settled workmen in several
places, he went to London, which city had not escaped the
fury of the enemy. He beheld with great sorrow the de
struction made in it, and recaUed the remamder of the citi
zens from aU parts, and began the restoration of it. Here
he settled the affairs ef the whole kingdom, revived the
laws, restored the right heirs to the possessions of their an
cestors ; and these estates, whereef the heirs had been lost M
the late grievous calamity, he distributed among bis feUpw
spldiers. In these impertant cpncerns, pf restoring the na-
tipn to its ancient state, repairing the churches, re-establish
ing peace and law, and settUng the administration of justice,
was his time wholly employed. From hence he went to
Winchester, to repair the ruins pf it, as he did of other
cities ; and when the work was finished there, he went, at
the instance of bishop Eldad, to the monastery near Kaer-
caradoc, now SaUsbury, where the consuls and princes,
whom the wicked Hengist had treacherously murdered, lay
buried. At this place was a convent that maintamed tMee
hundred friars, situated on the mountain of Ambrius, who,
as is reported, had been the founder of it. The sight of
the place where the dead lay, made the Mng, who was of a
compassionate temper, shed tears, and at last enter upon
thoughts, what Mnd of monument to erect upon it. For, he
thought something ought to be done to perpetuate the
* The conquest of England was achieved slowly by the Saxons, yet it
was sure and permanent : the assertion in the text is untrue. There
was no expulsion or subjugation of the invaders when they were once
landed.

A.D. 489.] MERLIN'S ADVICE TO AURELIUS. 215
memory of that piece of ground, which was honoured with
the bodies of so many noble patriots, that died for their
country.

Chap. X. — Aurelius is advised by Merlin to remove the Giant's Dance
from the mountain Killar'aus.
For tMs purpose he summoned together several carpenters
and masons, and commanded them to employ the utmost of
their art, in contriving some new structure, for a lasting
monument to those great men. But they, in diffidence of
their own sMU, refusing to undertake it, Tremounus, arch
bishop of the City of Legions, went to the king, and said,
" If any one living is able to execute your commands, Mer-
Un, the prophet of Vortigern, is the man. In my opinion
there is not in aU your Mngdom a person of a brighter
genius, either in predicting future events, or in mechamcal
contrivances. Order Mm to come to you, and exercise his
sMU in the work wMch you design." Whereupon AureUus,
after he had asked a great many questipns cpncerning him,
despatched several messengers into the country to find Mm
out, and bring him to Mm. After passing through several
provinces, they found Mm in the country of the Gewisseans,
at the fountain of Galabes, which he frequently resorted to.
As soon as they had deUvered their message to Mm, they
conducted Mm to the king, who received him with joy, and,
being curious to hear some of his wonderful speeches, com
manded him to prophesy. MerUn made answer : " Mysteries
of tMs Mnd are not to be revealed but when there is the
greatest necessity for it. If I should pretend to utter them
for ostentation or diversion, the spirit that instructs me
would be sUent, and would leave me when I should have
occasion for it." When he had made the same refusal to all
the rest present, the Mng would not urge him any longer
about Ms predictions, but spoke to Mm concerning the monu
ment wMch he designed. "If you are desirous," said Merlin,
" to honour the burying-place of these men with an ever
lasting monument, send for the Giant's Dance, which is in
Killaraus, a mountain in Ireland. For there is a structure
of stones there, wMch none of tMs age could raise, without
A profound knowledge of the mechanical arts. They are

216 Geoffrey's British history. i.book vm. ch. 11, 12.
stones of a vast magnitude and wonderful quality ; and if
they can be placed here, as they are there, round tMs spot of
ground, they wiU stand for ever."
Chap. XI. — Uther Pendragon is appointed with Merlin to bring over the
Giant's Dance.
At these words of MerUn, AureUus burst into laughter, and
said, " How is it possible to remove such vast stones from so
distant a country, as if BritaM was not furnished with stones
fit for the work ?" MerUn repUed, " I entreat your majesty
to forbear vain laughter ; for what I say is without vanity.
They are mystical stones, and of a medicinal virtue. The
giants of old brought them from the farthest coast of Africa,
and placed them in Ireland, wMle they mhabited that coun
try. Their design m tMs was to make baths m them, when
they should be taken with any ilMess. For their method
was to wash the stones, and put their sick Mto the water,
which infaUibly cured them. With the hke success they
cured wounds also, adding only the appUcation of some
herbs. There is not a stone there wMch has not some heal
ing virtue." When the Britons heard tMs, they resolved to
send for the stones, and to make war upon the people of
Ireland if they should offer to detain them. And to accom-
pUsh this business, they made choice of Uther Pendragon,
who was to be attended with fifteen thousand men. They
chose also Merhn MmseU, by whose direction the whole
affair was to be managed. A fleet being therefore got
ready, they set sail, and with a fair wind arrived m Ire
land.

Chap. XII. — Gillomanius being routed by Uther, ihe Britons bring over
the Giant's dance into Britain.
At that time GiUomanius, a youth of wonderful valour,
reigned in Ireland; who, upon the news of the arrival of
the Britons in his Mngdom, levied a vast army, and marched
out against them. And when he had learned the occasion
of their coming, he smiled, and said to those about Mm,
" No wonder a cowardly race of people were able to make
so great a devastation in the island of Britain, when the
Britons are such brutes and fools. Was ever the Uke folly

AJ>. 490.] GIANT'S DANCE BROUGHT TO ENGLAND. 217
heard of ? What are the stones of Ireland better than those
of Britain, that our Mngdom must be put to tMs disturbance
for them ? To arms, soldiers, and defend your country ;
wMle I have Ufe they shaU not take from us the least stone
of the Giant's Dance." Uther, seeing them prepared for a
battle, attacked them ; nor was it long ere the Britons had
the advantage, who, having dispersed and MUed the Irish,
forced GiUomamus to flee. After the victory they went to
the mountain KiUaraus, and arrived at the structure of stones,
the sight of wMch filled them both with joy and admiration.
And wMle they were aU standing round them, MerUn came
up to them and said, " Now try your forces, young men, and
see whether strength or art can do the most towards taMng
down these stones." At tMs word they aU set to their
engMes with one accord, and attempted the removing of the
Giant's Dance. Some prepared cables, others smaU ropes,
others ladders for the work, but aU to no purpose. MerUn
laughed at their vain efforts, and then began Ms own contri
vances. When he had placed in order the engines that were
necessary, he took down the stones with an incredible facility,
and gave directions for carrying them to the ships, and
placing them therein. TMs done, they with joy set saU
agaM, to return to Britain ; where they arrived with a fair
gale, and repaired to the burying-place with the stones.
When AureUus had notice of it, he sent messengers to all
parts of BritaM, to summon the clergy and people together
to the mount of Ambrius, in order to celebrate with joy and
honour the erection of the monument. Upon tMs summons
appeared the bishops, abbats, and people of aU other orders and
qualities ; and upon the day and place appointed for their
general meeting, AureUus placed the crown upon his head,
and with royal pomp celebrated the feast of Pentecost, \he
solenmity whereof he continued the tMee foUowing days.
In the meantime, aU places of honour that were vacant, he
bestowed upon Ms domestics as rewards for their good ser
vices. At that time the two metropoUtan sees of York and
Legions were vacant ; and with the general oonsent of the
people, whom he was wUUng to please in tMs choice, he
granted York to Sanxo, a man of great quality, and much
celebrated for his piety ; and the City of Legions to Dubri-
cius, whom divme providence had pcinted put as a mpst use-

218 Geoffrey's British history, [bookvih.ch. 13, 14.
ful pastor in that place. As soon as he had settled these
and other affairs in the Mngdom, he ordered MerUn to
set up the stones brought over from Ireland, about the
sepulcMe; which he accordingly did, and placed them in
the same manner as they had been in the mountain KUlaraus;
and thereby gave a mamfest proof of the prevalence of art
above strength.*
Chap. XIII. — Pascentius brings in the Saxons against the Britons.
At the same time Pascentius, the son of Vortigern, who
had fled over into Germany, was levying aU the forces of
that kingdom against Aurelius Ambrosius, with a design to
revenge Ms father's death,- and promised Ms men an Mi-
mense treasure of gold and silver, if with their assistance he
could succeed in reducMg Britain under Ms power. When
he had at last corrupted all the youth of the country with
his large promises, he prepared a vast fleet, and arrived in
the northern parts of the island, upon wMch he began to
make great devastations. The Mng, on the other hand,
hearing tMs news, assembled Ms army, and marchMg agamst
them chaUenged the enraged enemy to a battle ; the chal
lenge was accepted, and by the blessing of God the enemy
was defeated and put to flight.
Chap. XIV. — Pascentius, assisted by the king of Ireland, again invades
Britain. Aurelius dies by the treachery of Eopa, a Saxon.
Pascentius, after tMs flight, durst not return to Germany,
but shifting Ms sails, went over to GiUomamus, in Ireland,
by whom he was weU received. And when he had given
him an account of Ms misfortune, GiUomanius, in pity to Mm,
promised Mm Ms assistance, and at the same time vented Ms
complaint of the injuries done Mm by Uther, the brother of
Aurelius, when he came for the Giant's Dance. At last,
entering into confederacy together, they made ready their
fleet, in which they embarked, and arrived at the city of
Menevia. TMs news caused Uther Pendragon to levy his
* This is the venerable monument of antiquity, now called Stonehenge,
of the origin of which we know no more than we know of the solid frame
work of the globe itself. It was certainly erected by a people who hved
long before the beginning Of authentic history.

A. D. 497— 508.] EOPA POISONS AURELIUS; 219
forces, and march into Cambria to fight therm For Ms
brother AureUus then lay sick at Winchester, and was not
able to go Mmself. When Pascentius, Gillomanius, and the
Saxons heard of it, they Mghly rejoiced, flattering them
selves, that Ms sickness would faciUtate tp them the cenquest
pf Britain; WMle tMs pccurrence was the subject cf the
people's discpurse, pne pf the Saxons, named Eopa, came to
Pascentius, and said, " What reward wiU yeu give the man
that shall MU AureUus Ambresius for ypu ?" To whom
Pascentius answered, " 0 that I could find a man of such
resolution ! I weuld give Mm a theusand pounds of silver,
and my friendsMp for life ; and if by gOod fortune I can but
gain the crown, I promise upon oath to mfike-him a centu
rion." To tMs Eopa repUed, " I have learned the British
language, and know the manners of the people, and have skill
in physic. If, therefore, you wiU perform tMs promise, I
wUl pretend to be a Christian and a Briton, and when, as a
physician, I shall be admitted into the Mng's presence, I will
Make Mm a potion that shaU despatch Mm. And to gain the
readier access to him, I will put on the appearance of a de
vout and learned monk." Upon tMs offer, Pascentius entered
into covenant with Mm, and confirmed what he had promised
with an oath. Eopa, therefore, shaved Ms beard and head, and
in the habit of a menk hastened tp Winchester, leaded with
vessels fuU pf medical preparations. As soon as he arrived
there, he offered Ms service to those that attended about the
Mng, and was graciously received by them ; for to them
nobody was now more acceptable than a physician. Being
introduced into the Mng's presence, he promised to restore
Mm to Ms health, if he would but take Ms potions. Upon
wMch he had Ms orders forthwith to prepare one of them,
into which when he had secretly conveyed a poisonous mix
ture, he gave it the kmg. As soon as AureUus had drunk
it up, the wicked Ambron ordered Mm presently to cover
Mmself close up, and faU asleep, that the detestable potion
might the better operate. The Mng readily obeyed Ms pre
scriptions, and m hopes of Ms speedy recovery fell asleep.
But the poison qMcMy diffused itself through all the pores
and veins of his body, so that the sleep ended in death. In
the meantime the wicked traitor, having cunningly with
drawn Mmself first from one and then from another, was no

220 Geoffrey's British history, [book vm. ch 15, ie.
longer to be found in the court. During these transactions
at Winchester, there appeared a star of wonderful magmtude
and brightness, darting forth a ray, at the end of wMch was
a globe of fire in form of a dragon, out of whose mouth
issued forth two rays ; one of wMch seemed to stretch out
itself beyond the extent of Gaul, the other towards the Irish
Sea, and ended M seven lesser rays.
Chap. XV. — A comet presignifies the reign of Uther.
At the appearance of tMs star, a general fear and amaze
ment seized the people ; and even Uther, the king's brother,
who was then upon Ms march with Ms army mto Cambria,
being not a Uttle terrified at it, was very curious to know of
the learned men, what it portended. Among others, he
ordered MerUn to be caUed, who also attended M tMs expe
dition to give Ms advice in the management of the war ; and
who, being now presented before Mm, was commanded to
discover to Mm the signification of the star. At tMs he
burst out into tears, and with a loud voice cried out, " 0
irreparable loss ! O distressed people of BritaM ! Alas !
the illustrious prince is departed ! The renowned Mng of
the Britons, AureUus Ambrosius, is dead ! whose death wiU
prove fatal to us all, unless God be our helper. Make haste,
therefore, most noble Uther, make haste to engage the enemy :
the victory wiU be yours, and you shaU be Mng of aU Britain.
For the star, and the fiery dragon under it, signifies yourself,
and the ray extending towards the Galtic coast, portends that
you shall have a most potent son, to whose power aU those
kingdoms shaU be subject over wMch the ray reaches. But
the other ray signifies a daughter, whose sons and grandsons
shaU successively enjoy the Mngdom of Britain."
Chap. XVI. — Pascentius and Gillomanius are killed tn battle.
Uther, though he doubted of the truth of what MerUn had
declared, pursued Ms march agamst the enemy, for he was
now come witMn half a day's march of Menevia. When Gil
lomanius, Pascentius, and the Saxons were Mformed of Ms
approach, they went put to give him battle. As spon as
they were ccme within sight pf each pther, beth armies began
to form themselves into several bpdies, and then advanced to

A;D. 509. J TJTHER, KING OF BRITAIN. 221
a close attack, in which ficth sides suffered a less pf men, as
usuaUy happens in sueh engagements. At last, tewards the
Clpse pf the day, the advantage was en Uther's side, and the
death of GiUemanius and Pascentius made a way for com
plete victory. So that the barbarians, being put to flight,
hastened to their sMps, but were slain by their pursuers.
Thus, by the favour of CMist, the general had triumphant
success, and then with all possible expedition, after so great
a fatigue, returned back to Winchester : for he had now
been informed, by messengers that arrived, of the king's sad
fate, and of Ms burial by the bishops of the country, near
the convent of Ambrius, within the Giant's Dance, wMch
m Ms lifetime he had commanded to be made. For upon
hearing the news of his death, the bishops, abbats, and aU
the clergy of that province, had met together at Winchester,
to solemnize Ms funeral. And -because in Ms Ufetime he
had given orders for his being buried in the sepulchre which
he had prepared, they therefore carried Ms corpse thither,
and performed Ms exseqMes with royal magmficence.
Chap. XVII. — Uther Pendragon is made king of Britain.
But Uther Ms brother, having assembled the clergy of the
Mngdom, took the crown, and by universal consent was
advanced to the kingdom. And remembering the explana
tion wMch MerUn had made of the star above-mentioned,
he commanded two dragons to be made of gold, in UkeneSs
of the dragon wMch he had seen at the ray of the star. As
soon as they were finished, wMch was done with wonderful
nicety of workmansMp, he made a present of one to the
cathedral church of Winchester, but reserved the other for
himseU, to be carried along with Mm to his wars. From
tMs time, therefore, he was caUed Uther Pendragon, wMch
in the British tongue signifies the dragon's head ; the occa
sion of tMs appeUation being Merlin's predicting, from the
appearance of a dragon, that he should be king.
Chap. XVIII. — Octa and Eosa are taken iri battle.
In the meantime Octa the son of Hengist, and his kinsman
Eosa, seeing they were no longer bound by the treaty which
they had made with Aurelius Ambrosius, began to raise dis-

222 Geoffrey's British history. [book vm. ch. is.
turbances against the king, and infest Ms countries. For
they were now joining with the Saxons whom Pascentius
had brpught over, and sending messengers into Germany for
the rest. Being therefore attended with a vast army, he in
vaded the northern provinces, and in an outrageous manner
destroyed all the cities and fortified places, from Albania to
York. At last, as he was beginmng the siege of that city,
, Uther Pendragon came upon Mm with the whole power of
the Mngdom, and gave Mm battle. The Saxons behaved
with great gaUantry, and, having sustained the assaults of
the Britons, forced them to fly ; and upon tMs advantage
pursued them with slaughter to the mountain Damen, wMch
was as long as they could do it with day-Ught. The moun
tain was Mgh, and had a hazel-wood upon the top of it, and
about the middle broken and cavernous rocks, wMch were a
harbour to wild beasts. The Britons made up to it, and
stayed there aU night among the rocks and hazel-bushes.
But as it began to draw towards day, Uther commanded the
consuls and princes to be caUed together, that he might con
sult with them in what manner to assault the enemy. Where^
upon they forthwith appeared before the Mng, who com
manded them to give their advice ; and Gorlois, duke of
CornwaU, had orders to deUver Ms opimon first, out of regard
to his years and great experience. " There is no occasion,"
said he, " for ceremomes or speeches, wMle we see that it is
still night : but there is for boldness and courage, if you
desire any longer enjoyment of your life and Uberty. The
pagans are very numerous, and eager to fight, and we much
inferior to them m number ; so that if we stay tiU daybreak,
we cannot, in my opinion, attack them to advantage. Come
on, therefore, while we have the favour of the Mght, let us
go down in a close body, and surprise them in their camp
with a sudden assault. There can be no doubt of success,
if with one consent we faU upon them boldly, wMle they
tMnk themselves secure, and have no expectation of our
coming in such a manner." The Mng and aU that were pre
sent, were pleased with Ms advice, and pursued it. For as
soon as they were armed and placed in their ranks, they
made towards the enemies' camp, designing a general assault.
But upon approaching to it, they were discovered by the
watch, who with sound of trumpet awaked their companions.

A.D. 509.] OCTA AND EOSA TAKEN PRISONERS. 223
The enemies being hereupon put into confusion and astonish
ment, part pf them hastened towards the sea, and part ran
up and down wMthersoever their fear or precipitation drove
them. The Rritons, finding their coming discovered, hastened
their march, and keeping still close together in their ranks,
assailed the camp ; into wMch when they had found an en
trance, they ran with their drawn swords upon the enemy ;
who in this sudden surprise made but a faint defence against
their vigorous and regular attack ; and pursuing tMs blow
with great eagerness they destroyed some thousands of the
pagans, took Qcta and Eosa prisoners, and entirely dispersed
the Saxons.
Cha-p. XIX. — Uther, falling in love with Igerna, enjoys her by the assist
ance of Merlin's magical operations.
After this victory Uther repaired to the city of Alclud,
where he settled the affairs of that province, and restored
peace everywhere. He also made a progress round all the
countries of the Scots, and tamed the fierceness of that rebel-
Uous people, by such a strict administration of justice, as
none of Ms predecessors had exercised before : so that in
his time offenders were everywhere under great terror, since
they were sure of being punished without mercy. At last,
when he had estabhshed peace in the northern provinces, he
went to London, and commanded Octa and Eosa to be kept
in prison there. The Easter following he ordered all the
nobility of the Mngdom to meet at that city, in order to
celebrate that great festival ; in honour of wMch he designed
to wear Ms crown. The summons was everywhere obeyed,
and there was a great concourse from all cities to celebrate
the day. So the Mng observed the festival with great
solemnity, as he had designed, and very joyfuUy entertained
Ms nobility, of whom there was a very great muster, with
their wives and daughters, suitably to the magnificence of
the banquet prepared for them. And having been received
with joy by the Mng, they also expressed the same in
their deportment before him. Among the rest was pre
sent Gorlois, duke of Cornwall, with his wife Igerna, the
greatest beauty in aU Britain. No sooner had the king cast
Ms eyes upon her among the rest of the ladies, than he feU
passionately in love with her, and little regarding the rest,

224 Geoffrey's British history. [book vm. ch. 19. r
made her the subject of aU his thoughts. She was the only
lady that he continuaUy served with fresh dishes, and to
whom he sent golden cups by bis confidants ; on her he
bestowed all his smiles, and to her addressed aU Ms dis-
30urse. The husband, discovering tMs, feU Mto a great
rage, and retired from the court without taMng leave : nor
was there any body that could stop Mm, wMle he was under
fear of losing the chief object of his deUght. Uther, there
fore, in great wrath commanded Mm to return back to court,
to make him satisfaction for tMs affront. But Gorlois
refused to obey ; upon which the king was highly incensed,
and swore he would destroy Ms country, if he did not
speedily compound for Ms offence. Accordingly, without
delay, while their anger was hot against each other, the Mng
got together a great army, and marched into Cornwall, the
cities and towns whereof he set on fire. But Gorlois durst
not engage with Mm, on account of the inferiority of Ms
numbers ; and thought it a wiser course to fortify his towns,
tiU he could get succour from Ireland. And as he was under
more concern for Ms wife than MmseU, he put her mto the
town pf Tintagel,* uppn the sea-shpre, which he looked
upon as a place of great safety. But he Mmself entered the
castle of Dimilioc, to prevent their being both at once in
volved in the same danger, if any should happen. The Mng,
informed of this, went to the town where Gorlois was, which
he besieged, and shut up aU the avenues to it. A whole
week was now past, when, retaMing in mind Ms love to
Igerna, he said to one of Ms confidants, named Ulfin de
Ricaradoch : " My passion for Igerna is such, that I can
neither have ease of mind, nor health of body, tiU I obtain
her : and if you cannot assist me with your advice how to
accomplish my desire, the inward torments I endure wiU Mil
me." — "Who can advise you in tMs matter," said Ulfin,
"when no force wiU enable us to have access to her in the
town of Tintagel ? For it is situated upon the sea, aud on
every side surrounded by it ; and there is but one entrance
Mtc it, and that through a straight rock, wMch tMee men
shaU be able to defend against the whole power of the king
dom. Notwithstanding, if the prophet MerUn would in
* The ruins of this castle denote that it must have been a place of great
strength.

A.D. 492.] UTHER AND OTHERS METAMORPHOSED. 225
earnest set about this attempt, I am of opinion, you might
with his advice obtain your wishes." The king readily be
Ueved what he was so weU incUned to, and ordered Merlin,
who was also come to the siege, to be caUed. MerUn, there
fore, being introduced into the Mng's presence, was com
manded to give Ms advice, how the Mng might accomplish
his desire with respect to Igerna. And he, finding the great
anguish of the king, was moved by such excessive love, and
said, " To accomplish your desire, you must make use of
such arts as have not been heard of in your time. 1 know
how, by the force of my medicines, to give you the exact
likeness of Gorlois, so that in aU respects you shall seem to
be no other than Mmself. If you wiU therefore obey my
prescriptions, I wiU metamorphose you into the true sem
blance of Gorlois, and Ulfin into Jordan of Tintagel, his
familiar friend ; and I myself, being transformed into another
shape, wiU make the third in the adventure ; and in this
disguise you may go safely to the town where Igerna is, and
have admittance to her." The king complied with the pro
posal, and acted with great caution in this affair ; and when
he had committed the care of the siege to Ms intimate
friends, underwent the medical appUcations of MerUn, by
whom he was transformed into the likeness of Gorlois ; as
was Ulfin also into Jordan, and Merlin Mmself into Bricel ;
so that nobody could see any remains now of their former
Ukeness. They then set forward on their way to Tintagel,
at wMch they arrived in the evening twilight, and forthwith
signified to the porter, that the consul was come ; upon which
the gates were opened, and the men let in. For what room
could there be for suspicion, when Gorlois himself seemed to
be there present ? The king therefore stayed that night with
Igerna, and had the fuU enjoyment of her, for she was de-/.
ceived with the false disguise which he had put on, and the
artful and amorous discourses wherewith he entertained her.
He told her he had left Ms own place besieged, purely to
provide for the safety of her dear self, and the town she was
in ; so that believing aU that he said, she refused him notMng
which he desired. The same night therefore she conceived
of the most renowned Arthur, whose heroic and wonderful
actions have justly rendered Ms name famous to posterity,
Q

226 Geoffrey's British history, [book vm. ch. 20, 21.
Chap. XX. — Gorlois being killed, Uther marries Igerna.
In the meantime, as sopn as the Mng's absence was discovered
at the siege, Ms army unadvisedly made an assault upon the
walls, and provoked the besieged count to a battle ; who
Mmself also, acting as inconsiderately as they, saUied forth
with Ms men, tMnMng with such a smaU mindful to oppose
a powerful army ; but happened to be MUed m the very first
brunt of the fight, and had aU Ms men routed. The town
also was taken ; but aU the riches of it were not shared
equaUy among the besiegers, but every one greedUy took
what he could get, according as fortune or Ms own strength
favoured Mm. After tMs bold attempt, came messengers to
Igerna, with the news both of the duke's death, and of the
event of the siege. But when they saw the kmg M the
likeness of the consul, sitting close by her, they were struck
with shame and astomshment at Ms safe arrival there, whom
they had left dead at the siege ; for they were whoUy
ignorant of the miracles wMch MerUn had wrought with Ms
medicines. The Mng therefore smUed at the news, and em
bracing the countess, said to her : " Your own eyes may
convince you that I am not dead, but ahve. But notwith
standing, the destruction of the town, and the slaughter of
my men, is what very much grieves me ; so that there is
reason to fear the Mng's commg upon us, and taMng us m
tMs place. To prevent wMch, I wiU go out to meet him,
and make my peace with Mm, for fear of a worse disaster."
Accordingly, as soon as he was out of the town, he went to
his army, and haying put off the disgMse of Gorlois, was
now Uther Pendragon again. When he had a fuU relation
made to Mm how matters had succeeded, he was sorry for
the death of Gorlois, but rejoiced that Igerna was now at
Uberty to marry again. Then he returned to the town of
Tintagel, which he took, and in it, what he impatiently
wished for, Igerna herself. After this they continued to
Uve together with much affection for each other, and had a
son and daughter, whose names were Arthur and Anne.
Chap. XXL — Octa and Eosa renew the war. Lot, a consul, marries tlie
king's daughter.
In process of time the king was taken Ul of a lingering
distemper ; and meanwhile the keepers of the prison,

a.d. 493.J UTHER CARRIED TO THE BATTLE-FIELD. 227
wherein Octa and Eosa (as we related before) led a weary
life, had fled over with them into Germany, and occasioned
great fear over the Mngdom. For there was a report of their
great levies in Germany, and the vast fleet wMch they had
prepared for their return to destroy the island : wMch the
event verified. For they returned in a great fleet, and with
a prodigious number of men, and invaded the parts of
Albania, where they destroyed both cities and inhabitants
with fire and sword. Wherefore, m order to repulse the
enemies, the command of the British army was committed to
Lot of Londonesia, who was a consul, and a most vaUant
Mvight, and grown up to maturity both of years and wisdom.
Out of respect to Ms eminent merits, the king had given him
Ms daughter Anne, and entrusted him with the care of the
Mngdom, during Ms iUness. In Ms expedition against the
enemies he had various success, being often repulsed by
them, and forced to retreat to the cities ; but he oftener
routed and dispersed them, and compelled them to flee
sometimes into the woods, sometimes to their ships. So
that in a war attended with so many turns of fortune, it
was hard to know which side had the better. The greatest
injury to the Britons was their own pride, in disdaimng
to obey the consul's commands ; for wMch reason all
their efforts agamst the enemy were less vigorous and
successful.

Chap. XXII. — Uther, being ill, is carried in a horse-litter against the
enemy.
The island being by tMs conduct now almost laid waste, the
Mng, having information of the matter, feU into a greater
rage than Ms weakness could bear, and commanded all his
nobiUty to come before Mm, that he might reprove them
severely for their pride and cowardice. And as soon as they
were aU entered mto his presence, he sharply rebuked them
in menacmg language, and swore he Mmself would lead them
agamst the enemy. For this purpose he ordered a horse-
Utter to be made, in which he designed to be carried, for Ms
infirmity would not suffer Mm to use any other sort of
veMcle ; and he charged them to be aU ready to march
against the enemy on the first opportumty. So, without
Q2

228 Geoffrey's British history, [book vui. ch. 23.
delay, the horse-Utter and aU Ms attendants were got ready,
and the day arrived wMch had been appointed for their
march.Chap. XXIII. — Octa and Eosa, with a great number of their men, are
killed.
The king, therefore, being put into Ms veMcle, they marched
directly to Verulam, where the Saxons were grievously
oppressing the people. When Octa and Eosa had inteUigence
that the Britons were come, and that the Mng was brought
in a horse-Utter, they disdained to fight with Mm, saying, it
would be a shame for such brave men to fight with one that
was half dead. For wMch reason they retired into the city,
and, as it were in contempt of any danger from the enemy,
left their gates wide open. But Uther, upon Mformation
of this, instantly commanded Ms men to lay siege to the city,
and assault the walls on all sides ; wMch orders they strictly
executed ; and were just entering the breaches wMch they
had made in the waUs, and ready to begm a general assault,
when the Saxons, seeing the advantages wMch the Britons
had gained, and being forced to abate somewhat of their
haughty pride, condescended so far as to put themselves into
a posture of defence. They therefore mounted the walls,
from whence they poured down showers of arrows, and
repulsed the Britons. On both sides the contest continued
till night released them from the fatigue of their arms, wMch
was what many of the Britons desired, though the greater
part of them were for having the matter qMcMy decided
with the enemy. The Saxons, on the other hand, finding
how prejudicial their own pride had been to them, and that
the advantage was on the side of the Britons, resolved to
make a sally at break of day, and try their fortune with the
enemy in the open field ; which accordingly was done. For
no sooner was it dayUght, than they marched out with tMs
design, all in their proper ranks. The Britons, seeing them,
divided their men into several bodies, and advancing towards
them, began the attack first, their part being to assault, wMle
the others were only upon the defensive. However, much
blood was shed on both sides, and the greatest part of the
day spent in the fight, when at last, Octa and Eosa being
MUed, the Saxons turned their backs, and left the Britons a

A D. 494.] UTHER treacherously poisoned. 229 .
complete victory. The king at this was in such an ecstasy
of joy, that whereas before he could hardly raise up himself
without the help of others, he now without any difficulty sat
upright in Ms horse-Utter of Mmself, as if he was on a sudden
restored to health ; and said with a laughing and merry
countenance, " These Ambrons called me the half-dead king,
because my sickness obliged me to lie on a horse-litter ; and
indeed so I was. Yet victory to me half dead, is better than
to be safe and sound and vanquished. For to die with
honour, is preferable to living with disgrace."
Chap. XXIV. — Uther, upon drinking spring water that was treacherously
poisoned by the Saxons, dies.
The Saxons, notwithstanding this defeat, persisted still in
their maUce, and entering the northern provinces, without
respite infested the people there. Uther's purpose was to
have pursued them ; but his princes dissuaded him from it,
because Ms iUness had increased since the victory. This
gave new courage to the enemy, who left nothing unattempted
to make conquest of the Mngdom. And now they have
recourse to their former treacherous practices, and contrive
how to compass the Mng's death by secret villainy. And
because they could have no access to Mm otherwise, they
resolved to take Mm off by poison ; in which they succeeded.
For wMle he was lying ill at Verulam, they sent away some
spies in a poor habit, to learn the state of the court ; and
when they had thoroughly informed themselves of the
posture of affairs, they found out an expedient by wMch
they might best accomphsh their viUainy. For there was
near the court a spring of very clear water, which the king
used to drink of, when Ms distemper had made all other
Uquors nauseous to him. TMs the detestable conspirators
made use of to destroy him, by so poisoning the whole mass
of water wMch sprang up, that the next time the king drank
of it, he was siezed with sudden death, as were also a hundred
other persons after Mm, till the villainy was discovered, and a
heap of earth thrown over the well. As soon as the king's
death was divulged, the bishops and clergy of the Mngdom
assembled, and carried his body to the convent of Ambrius,
where they buried it with regal solemnity, close by AureUus
Ambrosius, within the Giant's Dance.

230 Geoffrey's British history. r«»* «• <*• i-

BOOK IX.
Chap. 1.— Arthur succeeds Uther his father in the kingdom of Britain,
and besieges Colgrin.
Uther Pendragon being dead, the nobiUty from several
provinces assembled together at Silchester, and proposed to
.Dubricius, archbishop of Legions, that he should consecrate
Arthur, Uther's son, to be their Mng. For they were now
M great straits, because, upon hearing of the king's death,
the Saxons had invited over their countrymen from Germany,
and, under the command of Colgrin, were attempting to ex
terminate the whole British race. They had also entirely
subdued aU that part of the island wMch extends from the
Humber to the sea of Caithness. Dubricius, therefore,
grieving for the calamities of Ms country, in conjunction
with the other bishops, set the crown upon Arthur's head.
Arthur was then fifteen years old, but a youth of such
unparaUeled courage and generosity, jomed with that sweet
ness of temper and innate goodness, as gained Mm universal
love. When Ms coronation was over, he, accordMg to usual
custom, showed Ms bounty and mumficence to the pepple.
And such a number cf spldiers flpcked to bim upon it, that
Ms treasury was not able to answer that vast expense. But
such a spirit of generosity, joined with valour, can never long
want means to support itsetf. Arthur, therefore, the better
to keep up his mumficence, resolved to make use of Ms
courage, and to faU upon the Saxons, that he might enrich
Ms foUowers with their wealth. To this he was also moved
by the justice of the cause, smce the entire monarchy of
Britain belonged to Mm by hereditary right. Hereupon
assemhting the youth under Ms command, he marched to
York, of which, when Colgrin had MteUigence, he met Mm
with a very great army, composed of Saxons, Scots, and
Picts, by the river Duglas ; where a battle happened, with
the loss of the greater part of both armies. Notwithstanding,
the victory fell to Arthur, who pursued Colgrin to York, and
there besieged him. Baldulph, upon the news of Ms brother's
flight, went towards the siege with a body of six thousand
men, to his reUef ; for at the time of the battle he was upon

a-d. 500.] ARTHUR BESIEGES COLGRllN. 231
the sea-coast, waiting the arrival of duke Cheldric with
succours from Germany. And being now no more than ten
mUes distant from the city, Ms purpose was to make a speedy-
march in the night-time, and fall upon the enemy by way of
surprise. But Arthur, having inteUigence of his design, sent
a detachment of six hundred horse, and three thousand foot,
under the command of Cador, duke of Cornwall, to meet him
the same night. Cador, therefore, faUing into the same road
along which the enemy was passing, made a sudden assault
upon them, and entirely defeated the Saxons, and put them
to flight. BaMulph was excessively grieved at this disap
pointment in the relief wMch he intended for his brother,
and began to think of some other stratagem to gain access to
Mm ; in which if he could but succeed, he thought they
might concert measures together for their safety. And since
he had no other way for it, he shaved his head and beard,
and put on the habit of a jester with a harp, and in this
disguise walked up and down in the camp, playing upon Ms
instrument as if he had been a harper. He thus passed
unsuspected, and by a little and little went up to the waUs
of the city, where he was at last discovered by the besieged,
who thereupon drew him up with cords, and conducted Mm
to Ms brother. At tMs unexpected, though much desired
meeting, they spent some time in joyfuUy embracing each
Other, and then began to consider various stratagems for
their deUvery. At last, just as they were considering their
case desperate, the ambassadors returned from Germany, and
brought with them to Albania a fleet of six hundred sail,
laden with brave soldiers, under the command of Cheldric.
Upon this news, Arthur was dissuaded by Ms council from
continuing the siege any longer, for fear of hazarding a battle
with so powerful and numerous an army.
Chap. II. — Hoel sends fifteen thousand men to Arthurs assistance.
Arthur complied with their advice, and made his retreat to
London, where he caUed an assembly of aU the clergy and
nobiUty of the Mngdom, to ask their advice, what course to
take against the formidable power of the pagans. After
some deUberation, it was agreed that ambassadors should be
"despatched into Armorica, to king Hoel, to represent to him

232 Geoffrey's British history. [book ix. ch. 3.
the calamitous state of Britain. Hoel was the son of Arthur's
sister by Dubricius, king of the Armorican Britons ; so that,
upon advice of the disturbances his uncle was tMeatened
with, he ordered Ms fleet to be got ready, and, having
assembled fifteen thousand men, he arrived with the first
fair wind at Hamo's Port,* and was received with aU sMt-
able honour by Arthur, and most affectionately embraced
by Mm. Chap. III. — Arthur makes the Saxons his tributaries.
After a few days they went to reUeve the city KaerUudcoit,
that was besieged by the pagans ; wMch being situated upon
a mountain, between two rivers in the provmce of Lindisia,
is called by another name LindocoUnum.-)"^ As soon as they
arrived there with all their forces, they" fought with the
Saxons, and made a grievous slaughter of them, to the num
ber of six thousand; part of whom were drowned M the
rivers, part fell by the hands of the Britons. The rest m a
great consternation quitted the siege and fled, but were
closely pursued by Arthur, tiU they came to the wood of
Celidon, where they endeavoured to form themselves into a
body again, and make a stand. And here they again jomed
battle with the Britons, and made a brave defence, whilst
the trees that were in the place secured them agaMst the
enemies' arrows. Arthur, seeing tMs, commanded the trees
that were in that part of the wood to be cut do-wn, and the
trunks to be placed quite round them, so as to Mnder their
getting out; resolving to keep them pent up here tiU he
could reduce them by famine. He then commanded Ms
troops to besiege the wood, and continued tMee davs M that
place. The Saxons, having now no provisions to sustam
them, and being just ready to starve with hunger, begged
for leave to go out ; in consideration whereof they offered to
leave all their gold and silver behind them, and return back
to Germany with nothing but their empty ships. They pro
mised also that they would pay Mm tribute from Germany,
and leave hostages with Mm. Arthur, after consultation,
about it, granted their petition ; allowing them only leave to
depart, and retaining all their treasures, as also hostages for
* Southampton. f Lincoln.

A.D. 501.] SPEECH OF ST. DUBRICIUS. 233
payment of the tribute. But as they were under sail on
their return home, they repented of their bargain, and
tacked about again towards Britain, and went on shore at
Totness. No sooner were they landed, than they made an
utter devastation of the country as far as the Severn sea,
and put aU the peasants to the sword. From thence they
pursued their furious march to the town of Bath, and laid
siege to it. When the king had inteUigence of it, he was
beyond measure surprised at their proceedings, and immedi
ately gave orders for the execution of the hostages. And
desisting from an attempt wMch he had entered upon to re
duce the Scots and Picts, he marched with the utmost expe
dition to raise the siege ; but laboured under very great
difficulties, because he had left Ms nephew Hoel sick at
Alclud. At length, having entered the province of Somerset,
and beheld how the siege was carried on, he addressed him
self to Ms foUowers in these words : " Since these impious
and detestable Saxons have disdained to keep faith with me,
I, to keep faith with God, will endeavour to revenge the
blood of my countrymen tMs day upon them. To arms,
soldiers, to arms, and courageously fall upon the perfidious
wretches, over whom we shall, with CMist assisting us, un
doubtedly obtain the victory."
Chap. IV, — Dubricius's speech against ihe treacherous Saxons. Arthur
with his own hand kills four hundred and seventy Saxons in one battle.
Co/grin and Baldulph are killed in ihe same.
When he had done speaking, St. Dubricius, archbishop of
Legions, going to the top of a MU, cried out with a loud
voice, " You that have the honour to profess the CMistian
faith, keep fixed in your minds the love wMch you owe to
your country and fellow subjects, whose sufferings by the
treachery of the pagans will be an everlasting reproach to
you, if you do not courageously defend them. It is your
country wMch you fight for, and for which you*should, when
required, voluntarily suffer death ; for that itseU is victory
and the cure of the soul. For he that shaU die for his bre
thren, offers himself a living sacrifice to God, and has Christ
for his example, who condescended to lay down his life for
his brethren. If therefore any of you shall be killed in
tMs war, that death itself, which is suffered in so glorious a

234 Geoffrey's British history. [book ix. ch. 4.
cause, shaU be to Mm for penance and absolution of aU Ms
sins." At these words, aU of them, encouraged with the
benediction of the holy prelate, instantly armed themselves,
and prepared to obey his orders. Also Arthur himself, hav
ing put on a coat of maU suitable to the grandeur of so
powerful a Mng, placed a golden helmet upon Ms head, on
which was engraven the figure of a dragon; and on Ms
shoulders Ms sMeld called Priwen ; upon wMch the picture
of the blessed Mary, mother of God, was painted, in order
to put Mm frequently in mind of her. Then girding on Ms
CaUburn, wMch was an excellent sword made in the isle of
AvaUon, he graced Ms right hand with Ms lance, named
Ron, wMch was hard, broad, and fit for slaughter. After
tMs, having placed Ms men in order, he boldly attacked the
Saxons, who were drawn out m the shape of a wedge, as
their manner was. And they, notwithstanding that the
Britons fought with great eagerness, made a noble defence
all that day ; but at length, towards sunsetting, climbed up
the next mountain, which served them for a camp : for they
desired no larger extent of ground, since they confided very
much in their numbers. The next morning Arthur, with
Ms army, went up the mountain, but lost many of Ms men
in the ascent, by the advantage wMch the Saxons had in
their station on the top, from whence they could pour down
upon Mm with much greater speed, than he was able to ad
vance against them. Notwithstanding, after a very hard
struggle, the Britons gained the summit of the MIL and
quickly came to a close engagement with the enemy, who
again gave them a warm reception, and made a vigorous de
fence. In tMs manner was a great part of that day also
spent ; whereupon Arthur, provoked to see the Uttle advan
tage he had yet gained, and that victory still continued in
suspense, drew out his CaUburn, and, calling upon the name
of the Messed Virgin, rushed forward with great fury into
the tMckest ef the enemy's ranks ; of whom (such was the
merit of his prayers) not one escaped aUve that felt the fury
of his sword; neither did he give over the fury of Ms
assault until he had, with his CaUburn alone, MUed four
hundred and seventy men. The Britons, seeing this, fol
lowed their leader in great multitudes, and made slaughter
on all sides ; so that Colgrin, and Baldulph his brother, and

A.D.J02.] DEATH OF CHELDRIC. 235
many thousands more, feU before them. But Cheldric, in
tMs imminent danger of Ms men, betook Mmself to flight.

Chap. V.—The Saxons, after their leader Cheldrib was killed, are all
compelled by Cador to surrender.
The victory being thus gained, the Mng commanded Cador,
duke of Cornwall, to pursue them, wMle he himself should
hasten Ms march into Albania : from whence he had advice
that the Scots and Picts were besieging Alclud, in which, as
we said before, Hoel lay sick. Therefore he hastened to Ms
assistance, for fear he might faU into the hands of the bar
barians. In the meantime the duke of CornwaU, who had
the command of ten thousand men, would not as yet pursue
the Saxons in their flight, but speedily made himself master
of their sMps, to Mnder their getting on board, and manned
them with his best soldiers, who were to beat back the
pagans in case they should flee thither : after this he hastily
pursued the enemy, according »to Arthur's command, and
aUowed no quarter to those he could overtake. So that they
whose behaviour before was so cruel and insolent, now with
timorous hearts fled for shelter, sometimes to the coverts of
the woods, sometimes to mountains and caves, to prolong a
wretched Ufe. At last, when none of these places could
afford them a safe retreat, they entered the Isle of Thanet with
their broken forces ; but neither did they there get free from
the duke of CornwaU's pursuit, for he still continued slaugh
tering them, and gave them no respite tiU he had MUed
Cheldric, and taken hostages for the surrender of the
rest. Chap. VI. — Arthur grants a pardon to the Scots and Picts, besieged at
the Lake Lumond.
Having therefore settled peace here, he directed Ms march
to Alclud, wMch Arthur had reUeved from the«oppression of
barbarians, and from thence conducted Ms army to Mureif,
where the Scots and Picts were besieged ; after three several
battles with the Mng and his nephew, they had fled as far as
this province, and entering upon the lake Lumond, sought
for refuge in the islands that are upon it. This lake con
tains sixty islands^ and receives sixty rivers mto it, wliich

236 Geoffrey's British history. [book n. ch. 7.
empty themselves into the sea by no more than one mouth.
There is also an equal number of rocks in these islands, as
also of eagles' nests in those rocks, which flocked together
there every year, and, by the loud and general noise wMch
they now made, foreboded some remarkable event that should
happen to the kingdom. To these islands, therefore, had
the enemy fled, thinMng the lake would serve them instead
of a fortification ; but it proved of Uttle advantage to them.
For Arthur, having got together a fleet, saUed round the
rivers, and besieged the enemy fifteen days together, by wMch
they were so straitened with hunger, that they died by thou
sands. WMle he was harassing them in tM3 manner GuU-
lamurius, king of Ireland, came up in a fleet with a very
great army of barbarians, in order to reUeve the besieged.
TMs obliged Arthur to raise the siege, and turn his arms
against the Irish, whom he slew without mercy, and com
pelled the rest to return back to their country. After tMs
victory, be proceeded in Ms first attempt, wMch was to
extirpate the whole race of the Scots and Picts, and treated
them with an unparaUeled severity. And as he aUowed
quarter to none, the bishops of that miserable country, with
all the inferior clergy, met together, and bearing the reliques
of the saints and other consecrated tMngs of the church
before them, barefooted, came to implore the Mng's mercy
for their people. As soon as they were admitted into his
presence, they feU down upon their knees, and humbly be
sought him to have pity on their distressed country, smce
the sufferings wMch he had already made it undergo, were
sufficient ; nor was there any necessity to cut off the small
remainder to a man ; and that he would aUow them the
enjoyment of a small part of the country, since they were
wiUing to bear the yoke which he should impose upon them.
The king was moved at the manner of their delivering this
petition, and could not forbear expressing Ms clemency to
them with tears ; and at the request of those holy men,
granted them pardon.
Chap. VII. — Arthur relates the wonderful nature of some ponds.
This affair being concluded, Hoel had the curiosity to view
the situation of the lake, and wondered to find the number
of the rivers, islands, rocks, and eagles' nests, so exactly

A-D. 503.] WONDERS OF SOME PONDS. 237
correspond : and wMle he was reflecting upon it as some
thmg that appeared miraculous, Arthur came to Mm, and
told him of another pond in the same province, wMch was
yet more wonderful. For not far from thence was one whose
length and breadth were each twenty feet, and depth five
feet. But whether its square figure was natural or arti
ficial, the wonder of it was, there were four different sorts of
fishes in the four several corners of it, none of wMch were
ever found in any other part of the pond but their own. He
told him Ukewise of another pond in Wales, near the Severn,
caUed by the country people Linligwan, into which when the
sea flows, it receives it in the manner of a gulf, but so as to
swaUow up the tide, and never be filled, or have its banks
covered by it. But at the ebbing of the sea, it tMows out
the waters wMch it had swallowed, as Mgh as a mountain,
and at last dashes and covers the banks with them. In the
meantime, if all the people of that country should stand near
with their faces towards it, and happened to have their clothes
sprinkled with the dasMng of the waves, they would hardly,
if at aU, escape being swaUowed up by the pond. But with
their backs towards it, they need not fear being dashed,
though they stood upon the very banks.
Chap. VIII. — Arthur restores York to its ancient beauty, especially as to
its churches.'
The Mng, after Ms general pardon granted to the Scots, went
to York to celebrate the feast of Christ's nativity, which was
now at hand. On entering the city, he beheld with grief
the desolation of the churches ; for upon the expulsion of
the holy Archbishop Sanxo, and of all the clergy there,
the temples wMch were half burned down, had no longer
divine service performed in them : so much had the impious
rage of the pagans prevailed. After this, in an assembly o''
the clergy and people, he appointed Pyramus Ms chaplain
metropolitan of that see. The churches that lay leVel with
the ground, he rebuilt, and (wMch was their chief ornament)
saw them fiUed with assemblies of devout persons of both
sexes. Also the nobiUty that were driven out by the dis-
turbanceS of the Saxons, he restored to their country.

238 Geoffrey's British history, [bookix.ch.io.

Chap. IX, — Arthwr honours Augusel with the sceptre of the Scots ; Urian
with that of Mureif ; and Lot with the consulship of Londonesia.
There were there tMee brothers of royal blood, viz. Lot,
Urian, and Augusel, who, before the Saxons had prevaUed,
held the government of those parts. Bemg willing therefore
to bestow on these, as he did on others, the rights of their
ancestors, he restored to Augusel the sovereignty over the
Scots; Ms brother Urian he honoured with the sceptre of
Mureif ; and Lot, who in time of AureUus Ambrosius had
married Ms sister, by whom he had two sons, Walgan and
Modred, he re-established in the consulsMp of Londonesia,
and the other provinces belonging to Mm. At length, when
the whole country was reduced by bim to its ancient state,
he took to wife Guanhumara, descended from a noble family
of Romans, who was educated under duke Cador, and m
beauty surpassed aU the women of the island.
Chap. X. — Arthur adds to his government Ireland, Iceland, Gothland,
and the Orkneys.
The next summer he fitted out a fleet, and made an expedi
tion into Ireland, wMch he was desirous to reduce. Upon
landing there, he was met by Mng GMUamurius before men
tioned, with a vast number of men, who came with a design
to fight Mm ; but at the very begmmng of the battle, those
naked and unarmed people were miserably routed, and fled
to such places as lay open to them for shelter. Guillamurius
also in a short time was taken prisoner, and forced to submit ;
as were also all the other princes of the country after the
Mng's example, being under great consternation at what had
happened. After an entire conquest of Ireland, he made a
voyage with Ms fleet to Iceland, wMch he also subdued.
And now a rumour spreading over the rest of the islands,
that no country was able to withstand Mm, Doldavius, Mng
of Gothland, and Gunfasius, king of the Orknevs, came
voluntarily, and made their submission, on a promise of pay
ing tribute. Then, as soon as winter was over, he returned
back to Britain, where having established the kingdom, he
resided in it for twelve years together in peace.

a.d. 506.] Arthur's conquests. 239
Chap. XI. — Arthur subdues Norwav, Dacia, Aquitaine, and Gaul.
After tMs, havmg Mvited over to Mm all persons whatso
ever that were famous for valour in foreign nations, he began
to augment the number of his domestics, and introduced such
pohteness mto Ms court, as people of the remotest countries
thought worthy of their imitation. So that there was not a
nobleman who thought himseU of any consideration, unless
Ms clothes and arms were made in the same fashion as those
of Arthur's knights. At length the fame of his munificence
and valour spreading over the whole world, he became a ter
ror to the Mngs of other countries, who grievously feared
the loss of their dominions, if he should make any attempt
upon them. Being much perplexed with these anxious cares,
they repaired their cities and towers, and built towns m con-
vement places, the better to fortify themselves against any
enterprise of Arthur, when occasion should require. Arthur,
being Mformed of what they were doing, was deUghted to
find how much they stood in awe of Mm, and formed a
design for the conquest of all Europe. Then having pre
pared his fleet, he first attempted Norway, that he might
procure the crown of it for Lot, Ms sister's husband. TMs
Lot was the nephew of SicheUn, king of the Norwegians,
who beMg then dead, had appointed him his successor in the
kingdom. But the Norwegians, disdaining to receive Mm,
had advanced one Riculf to the sovereignty, and having for
tified their cities, thought they were able to oppose Arthur.
Walgan, the son of Lot, was then a youth twelve years old,
and was recommended by Ms uncle to the service of pope
Supplicius, from whom he received arms. But to return to
the Mstory : as soon as Arthur arrived on the coast of Nor
way, king Riculf, attended with the whole power of that
kingdom, met Mm, and gave him battle, in wMch, after a
great loss of blood on both sides, the Britons at length had
the advantage, and maMng a vigorous charge, killed RicuU
and many others with Mm. Having thus defeated them,
they set the cities on fire, dispersed the country people, and
pursued the victory till they had reduced all Norway, as also
Dacia, under the dominion of Arthur. After the conquest
of these countries, and establishment of Lot upon the throne
of Norway, Arthur made a voyage to Gaul, and dividing Ms

240 Geoffrey's British history. [bookixich.il
army into several bodies, began to lay waste that country on
all sides. The province of Gaul was then committed to
Flollo, a Roman tribune, who held the government of it un--
der the emperor Leo. Upon intelligence of Arthur's coming,
he raised aU the forces that were under Ms command, and
made war against him, but without success. For Arthur was
attended with the youth of aU the islands that he had sub
dued; for wMch reason he was reported to have such an
army as was thought invincible. And even the greater part
of the Gallic army, encouraged by his bounty, came over to
Ms service. Therefore Flollo, seeing the disadvantages he lay
under, left Ms camp, and fled with a smaU number to Paris.
There having recrMted Ms army, he fortified the city, and
resolved to stand another engagement with Arthur. But
while hewastMnking of strengthening himseU with auxiUary
forces in the neighbouring countries, Arthur came upon
Mm unawares, and besieged Mm in the city. When a month
had passed, Flollo, with grief observing Ms people perish
with hunger, sent a message to Arthur, that they two alone
should decide the conquest for the kingdom m a duel : for
being a person of great stature, boldness and courage, he
gave this challenge in confidence of success. Arthur was
extremely pleased at Flollo's proposal, and sent Mm word
back again, that he would give him the meeting which he
desired. A treaty, therefore, being on both sides agreed to,
they met together in the island without the city, where the
people waited to see the event. They were both gracefuUy
armed, and mounted on admirably swift horses ; and it was
hard to tell which gave greater hopes of victory. When they
had presented themselves against each other with their lances
aloft, they put spurs to their horses, and began a fierce en
counter. But Arthur, who handled his lance more warily,
struck it into the upper part of Flollo's breast, and avoiding
Ms enemy's weapon, laid him prostrate upon the ground, and
was just going to despatch him with his drawn sword, when
Flollo, starting up on a sudden, met him with Ms lance
couched, wherewith he mortally stabbed the breast of Arthur's
horse, and caused both him and Ms rider to faU. The
Britons, when they saw their Mng lying on the ground,
fearing he was killed, could hardly be restrained from breach
of covenant, and falling with one consent upon the Gauls.

a.d. 505.] ARTHUR BESIEGES PARIS. 241
But just as they were upon rusMng into the Usts, Arthur
hastily got up, and guarding MmseU with his shield, advanced
with speed against Flollo. And now they renewed the
assault with great rage, eagerly bent upon one another's
destruction. At length FloUo, watcMng his advantage, gave
Arthur a blow upon the forehead, wMch might have proved
mortal, had he not blunted the edge of Ms weapon against
the helmet. When Arthur saw Ms coat of maU and sMeld
red with blood, he was inflamed with still greater rage, and
Ufting up Ms CaUburn with Ms utmost strength struck it
tMough the helmet into FloUo's head, and made a terrible
gash. With tMs wound FloUo feU down, tearing the ground
with Ms spurs, and expired. As soon as tMs news was
spread through the army, the citizens ran together, and open
ing the gates, surrendered the city to Arthur. After the
victory, he divided Ms army into two parts ; one of which he
committed to the conduct of Hoel, whom he ordered to march
against Guitard, commander of the Pictavians ; wMle he
with the other part should endeavour to reduce the other
provinces. Hoel upon this entered Aquitaine, possessed
Mmself of the cities of that country, and. after distressing
Guitard in several battles, forced Mm to surrender. He
also destroyed Gascony with fire and sword, and subdued
the princes of it. At the end of nine years, in which time
all the parts of Gaul were entirely reduced, Arthur returned
back to Paris, where he kept his court, and caUing an assembly
of the clergy and people, established peace and the just
administration of the laws in that Mngdom. Then he be
stowed Neustria, now called Normandy, upon Bedver, Ms
butler ; the province of Andegavia upon Caius, his sewer ;
and several other provinces upon Ms great men that attended
Mm. Thus having settled the peace of the cities and
countries there, he returned back in the beginmng of spring
to Britain.*

* It is wonderful that the contents of this book should ever have passed
for authentic history; our ancestors of the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth
centuries must have been singularly ignorant of every thing concerning the
latter ages of the Roman empire, and the formation of the modern king
doms of Prance and Germany, &c., if they could believe that king Arthur
ever held his court in Paris. R

242 Geoffrey's British history. [book ix. ch. 12.

Chap. XII. — Arthur summons a great many kings, princes, archbishops,
Sre. to a solemn assembly at the City of Legions.
Upon the approach of the feast of Pentecost, Arthur, the
better to demonstrate Ms joy after such triumphant success,
and for the more solemn observation of that festival, and
reconciUng the minds of the princes that were now subject
to him, resolved, during that season, to hold a magmficent
court, to place the crown upon Ms head, and to invite aU the
kings and dukes under his subjection, to the solemmty. And
when he had communicated Ms design to Ms familiar friends,
he pitched upon the City of Legions as a proper place for Ms
purpose. For besides its great wealth above the other cities,
its situation, wMch was in Glamorganshire upon the river
Uske, near the Severn sea, was most pleasant, and fit for so
great a solemnity. For on one side it was washed by that
noble river, so that the Mngs and princes from the countries
beyond the seas might have the convenience of saiUng up to
it. On the other side, the beauty of the meadows and groves,
and magnificence of the royal palaces with lofty gilded roofs
that adorned it, made it even rival the grandeur of Rome.
It was also famous for two churches ; whereof one was buUt
in honour of the martyr Julius, and adorned with a choir
of virgins, who had devoted themselves whoUy to the service
of God ; but the other, which was founded M memory of St.
Aaron, his companion, and maintamed a convent of canons,
was the third metropoUtan church of BritaM. Besides, there
was a coUege of two hundred pMlosophers, who, being
learned in astronomy and the other arts, were diUgent m
observing the courses of the stars, and gave Arthur true
predictions of the events that would happen at that time.
In this place, therefore, wMch afforded such deUghts, were
preparations made for the ensMng festival. Ambassadors
were then sent into several kingdoms, to invite to court the
princes both of Gaul and all the adjacent islands. Ac
cordingly there came Augusel, Mng of Albama, now
Scotland ; Urian, Mng of Mureif ; Cadwallo Lewirh, Mng
of the Venedotians, now called the North Wales men ;
Sater, king of the Demetians, or South Wales men ; Cador,
king of Cornwall ; also the archbishops of the three metro
poUtan sees, London, York, and Dubricius of the City of

a.d. 508] Arthur's tributary kings. 243
Legions. This prelate, who was primate of Britain, and
legate of the apostoUcal see, was so eminent for his piety,
that he could cure any sick person by his prayers. There
came also the consuls of the principal cities, viz. Morvid,
consul of Gloucester ; Mauron, of Worcester ; Anaraut, of
SaUsbury ; Arthgal, of Cargueit or Warguit ; Jugein,
of Legecester ; Cursalen, of Kaicester ; Kinmare, duke
of Dorobernia ; GaUuc, of SaUsbury ; Urgennius, of Bath ;
Jonathal, of Dorchester ; Boso, of Ridoc, that is, Oxford.
Besides the consuls, came the foUowing worthies of no less
dignity : Danaut, Map papo ; Cheneus, Map coil ; Peredur,
Mab eridur ; ' Guiful, Map Nogoit ; Regin, Map claut ;
Eddelein, Map cledauc ; Kincar, Mab bagan ; Kimmare ;
Gorboroniam, Map goit ; Clofaut, Rupmaneton ; Kimbelim,
Map trunat ; Cathleus, Map catel ; KinUch, Map neton ; and
many others too tedious to enumerate. From the adjacent
islands came GuiUamurius, king of Ireland ; Malvasius, Mng
of Iceland ; Doldavius, king of Gothland ; Gunfasius, king
of the Orkneys ; Lot, king of Norway ; AscMUius, king of
>the Dacians. From the parts beyond the seas, came Holdin,
Mng of Ruteni ; Leodegarius, consul of Bolonia ; Bedver,
the butler, duke of Normandy ; BoreUus, of Cenomania ;
Caius, the sewer, duke of Andegavia ; Guitard, of Pictavia ;
also the twelve peers of Gaul, whom Guerinus Carnotensis
brought along with him : Hoel, duke of the Armorican
Britons, and Ms nobility, who came with such a train of
mules, horses, and rich furniture, as it is difficult to describe.
Besides these, there remained no prince of any consideration
on tMs side of Spain, who came not upon tMs invitation.
And no wonder, when Arthur's munificence, wMch was
celebrated over the whole world, made Mm beloved by aU
people. Chap. XIII. — A description of the royal pomp at the coronation of
Arthur.
When aU were assembled together in the city, upon the day
of the solemnity, the archbishops were conducted to the
palace, in order to place the crown upon the king's head.
Therefore Dubricius, inasmuch as the court was kept in Ms
diocese, made Mmself ready to celebrate the office, and
r 2

244 Geoffrey's British history. [book ik. ch. 13.
undertook the ordering of whatever related to it. As soon
as the Mng was invested with Ms royal habiliments, he was
conducted in great pomp to the metropoUtan church, sup
ported on each side by two archbishops, and having four
kings, viz. of Albania, CornwaU, Demetia, and Venedotia,
whose right it was, bearing four golden swords before Mm.
He was also attended with a concert of aU sorts of music,
which made most exceUent harmony. On another part was
the queen, dressed out in her richest ornaments, conducted
by the archbishops and bishops to the Temple of Virgins ;
the four queens also of the Mngs last mentioned, bearing
before her four wMte doves according to ancient custom ;
and after her there followed a retinue of women, making all
Unaginable demonstrations of joy. When the whole procession
was ended, so transporting was the harmony of the musical
instruments and voices, whereof there was a vast variety m
both churches, that the knights who attended were in doubt
wMch to prefer, and therefore crowded from the one to the
other by turns, and were far from being tired with the
solemnity, though the whole day had been spent in it. At
last, when divine service was over at both churches, the king
and queen put off their crowns, and putting on their Ughter
ornaments, went to the banquet ; he to one palace with the
men, and she to another with the women. For the Britons
stiU observed the ancient custom of Troy, by wMch the men
and women used to celebrate their festivals apart. When
they had all taken their seats according to precedence, Caius
the sewer, in rich robes of ermine, with a thousand young
noblemen, aU in Uke manner clothed with ermine, served up
the dishes. From another part, Bedver the butler was
followed with the same number of attendants, in various
habits, who waited with aU kinds of cups and chinking
vessels. In the queen's palace, were innumerable waiters,
dressed with variety of ornaments, aU performing their
respective offices ; which if I should describe particularly,
I should draw out the history to a tedious length. For at
that time Britain had arrived at such a pitch of grandeur,
that in abundance of riches, luxury of ornaments, and polite
ness of inhabitants, it far surpassed aU other kingdoms. The
knights in it that were famous for feats of cMvalry, wore
their clothes and arms all of the same colour and fasMon :

a.d. 519.] festivities at Arthur's coronation. 245
and the women also no less celebrated for their wit, wore aU
the same kind of apparel ; and esteemed none worthy of their
love, but such as had given a proof of their valour in tMee
several battles. Thus was the valour of the men an
encouragement for the women's chastity, and the love of the
women a spur to the spldier's bravery.
Chap. XIV. — After a variety of sports at the coronation, Arthur amply
rewards his servants.
As soon as the banquets were over, they went into the fields
without the city, to divert themselves with various sports.
The miUtary men composed a kind of diversion m imitation
of a fight on horseback ; and the ladies, placed on the top
of the waUs as spectators, in a sportive manner darted their
amorous glances at the courtiers, the more to encourage
them. Others spent the remainder of the day in other
diversions, such as shooting with bows and arrows, tossing
the pike, casting of heavy stones and rocks, playing at dice
and the Uke, and aU these inoffensively and without quarrel-
lmg. Whoever gained the victory in any of these sports,
was rewarded with a rich prize by Arthur. In this manner
were the first three days spent ; and on the fourth, all who,
upon account of their titles, bore any kind of office at this
solemnity, were called together to receive honours and
preferments M reward of their services, and to fill up
the vacancies in the governments of cities and castles,
archbishoprics, bishoprics, abbeys, and other posts of
honour. Chap. XV. — A letter from Lucius Tiberius, general of the Romans, to
Arthur being read, they consult about an answer to it.
But St. Dubricius, from a pious desire of leading a hermit's
Ufe, made a voluntary resignation of his archiepiscopal
dignity ; and in his room was consecrated Davidj. the king's
uncle, whose life was a perfect example of that goodness
wMch by his doctrine he taught. In place of St. Samson,
archbishop of Dole, was appointed, with the consent of Hoel,
Mng of the Armorican Britons, Chelianus, [Kilian] a priest
of Llandaff, a person highly recommended for his good life
and character. The bishopric of Silchester was conferred

246 Geoffrey's British history. [book ix. ck. is.
upon Mauganius, that of Winchester upon Diwanius, and
that of Alclud upon Eledanius. WMle he was disposmg
of these preferments upon them, it happened that twelve
men of an advanced age, and venerable aspect, and bearing
oUve branches in their right hands, for a token that they
were come upon an embassy, appeared before the king,
moving towards him with a slow pace, and speaMng with
a soft voice ; and after their compliments paid, presented
Mm with a letter from Lucius Tiberius, in these words : —
"Lucius, procurator of the commonwealth, to Arthur,
Mng of Britain, according to Ms desert. The insolence
of your tyranny is what fills me with the Mghest admiration,
and the injuries you have done to Rome stiU mcrease my
wonder. But it is provoking to reflect, that you are grown
so much above yourself, as wilfuUy to avoid seemg tMs : nor
do you consider what it is to have offended by unjust deeds
a senate, to whom you cannot be ignorant the whole world
owes vassalage. For the tribute of BritaM, wMch the senate
had enjoined you to pay, and wMch used to be paid to the
Roman emperors successively from the time of JuUus Caesar,
you have had the presumption to withhold, M contempt of
their imperial authority. You have seized upon the province
of the Allobroges, and. aU the islands of the ocean, whose
Mngs, wMle the Roman power prevaUed M those parts, paid
tribute to our ancestors. And because the senate have
decreed to demand justice of you for such repeated mjuries,
I command you to appear at Rome before the middle of
August the next year, there to make satisfaction to your
masters, and undergo such sentence as they shaU M justice
pass upon you. WMch if you refuse to do, I shall come to
you, and endeavour to recover with my sword, what you in
your madness have robbed us of."
As soon as the letter was read in the presence of the Mngs
and consuls, Arthur withdrew with them Mto the Giant's
Tower, which was at the entrance of the. palace, to tMnk
what answer was fit to be returned to such an insolent mes
sage. As they were going up the stairs, Cador, duke of
Cornwall, who was a man of a merry disposition, said to the
king in a jocose manner: "I have been till now under fear,
lest the easy life which the Britons lead, by enjoying a long
peace, might make them cowards, and extinguish the fame of

». ». 520— 530.] Arthur's royal council. 247
their gaUantry, by which they have raised"their name above
aU other nations. For where the exercise of arms is want-
mg, and the pleasures of women, dice, and other diversions
take place, no doubt, what remains of virtue, honour, courage,
and tMrst of praise, will be tainted with the rust of idleness.
For now almost five years have passed, since we have been
abandoned to these delights, and have had no exercise of war.
Therefore, to deUver us from sloth, God has stirred up tMs
spirit of the Romans, to restore our miUtary virtues to their
ancient state." In this manner did he entertain them with
discourse, tiU they were come to their seats, on wMch
when they were aU placed, Arthur spoke to them after tMs
manner.

Chap- XVI. — Arthur, holding a council with the kings, desires every one
of them to deliver tlieir opinions.
" My companions both in good and bad fortune, whose abiU-
ties both m counsel and war I have Mtherto experienced ;
the present exigence of affairs, after the message wMch we
have received, requires your careful deliberation and prudent
resolutions ; for whatever is wisely concerted, is easily exe
cuted. Therefore we shaU be the better able to bear the
annoyance wMch Lucius tiireatens to give us, if we unam-
mously apply ourselves to consider how to overcome it. In
my opinion we have no great reason to fear him, when we
reflect upon the unjust pretence on which he demands
tribute of us. He says he has a right to it, because it was
paid to JuUus Caesar, and Ms successors, who invaded
Britain with an army at the invitation of the ancient Britons,
when they were quarreUing among themselves, and by force
reduced the country under their power, when weakened by
civil dissension. And because they gained it in this manner,
they had the injustice to take tribute of it. For that can
never be possessed justly, which is gained by force and
violence. So that he has no reasonable grounds to pretend
we are of right his tributaries. But since he has the pre
sumption to make an unjust demand of us, we have certainly
as good reason to demand of him tribute from Rome ; let
the longer sword therefore determine the right between us.
For if Rome has decreed that tribute ought to be paid to it

248 Geoffrey's British history. [book ix. ch. 17.
from Britain, on account of its having been formerly under
the yoke of JuUus Caesar, and other Roman emperors ; I for
the same reason now decree, that Rome ought to pay tribute
tp me, because my predecesscrs fcrmerly held the govern-
ment pf it. Fpr Belinus, that glpripus king pf the Britons,
with the assistance ef Ms brother Brennus, duke pf the
AUpbrpges, after they had hanged up twenty neble Romans
M the middle of the market-place, took their city, and kept
possession of it a long time, Likewise Constantine, the son
of Helena, and Maximian [Maximus], whp were both my
Mnsmen, and both wore the crown of Britain, gained the hn-
perial tMone of Rome. Do not you, therefore, tMnk that we
ought to demand tribute pf the Romans ? As for Gaul and
the adjacent islands cf the pcean, we have np occasion to
return them any answer, since they did not defend them,
when we attempted to free them frpm their ppwer." As
soon as he had done speaMng to this effect, Hoel, Mng ef
the Armerican Britons, whp had the precedence of the rest,
made answer M these words.
Chap. XVII. — The opinion of Hoel, king of Armorica, concerning a
war with the Romans.
" After the most profound deUberatien that any pf us shaU
be able to make, I tMnk better advice cannct be given, than
what yeur majesty in yeur great wisdpm and pphcy npw pffers.
Yeur speech, wMch is np less wise than eloquent, has super
seded aU consultaticn pn pur part ; and notMng remains for us
te dp, but tp admire and gratefuUy acknpwledge ypur majesty's
firmness of mmd, and depth of ppUcy, to wMch we ewe such
exceUent advice. Fer if uppn this mptive ypu are pleased to
make an expeditien to Rome, I doubt not but it wiU be crowned
with glorious success ; since it wiU be undertaken for the de
fence of our liberties, and to demand justly of our enemies,
what they have unjustly demanded of us. For that person who
would rob another, deserves to lose Ms own by Mm against
whom the attempt is made. And, therefore, since the Romans
threatened us with this injury, it wiU undoubtedly turn to
their own loss, if we can have but an opportunity of engag
ing with them. This is what the Britons universally desire ;
this is what we have promised us in the SibyUine prophecies,
wMch expressly declare, that the Roman empire shall be

A.D. 520- -530.] THE SPEECH OF AUGUSEL. 249
obtained by three persons, natives of Britain. The oracle
is fuMlled in two of them, since it is manifest (as your
majesty observed) that those two celebrated princes, Belinus
and Constantine, governed the Roman empire : and now you
are the third to whom tMs supreme dignity is promised.
Make haste, therefore, to receive what God makes no delay
to give you ; to subdue those who are ready to receive your
yoke ; and to advance us aU, who for your advancement wiU
spare neither timbs nor Ufe. And that you may accomplish tMs,
I mysetf wiU attend you in person with ten thousand men."
Chap. XVIII. — The opinion of Augusel.
When Hoel concluded Ms speech, Augusel, Mng of Albania,
declared Ms good affection to the cause after tMs manner.
"I am not able to express the joy that has transported me,
since my lord has declared to us Ms designs. For we seem
to have done notMng by aU our past wars with so many and
potent princes, if the Romans and Germans be suffered to
enjoy peace, and we do not severely revenge on them the
grievous oppressions which they formerly brought upon tMs
country. But now, since we are at liberty to encounter
them, I am overwhelmed with joy and eagerness of desire,
to see a battle with them, when the blood of those cruei
oppressors will be no less acceptable to me than a spring of
water is to one who is parched with thirst. If I shall but
Uve to see that day, how sweet wiU be the wounds which
I shall then either receive or give ? Nay, how sweet wiU
be even death itself, when suffered in revenging the injuries
done to our ancestors, in defending our Uberties, and in pro
moting the glory of our king ! Let us then begin with
these poltropns, and spoil them of aU their trophies, by
maMng an entire conquest of them. And I for my share
wiU add to the army two thousand horse, besides foot."
Chap. XIX. — They unanimously agree upon a war with the Romans.
To the same effect spoke aU the rest, and promised each of
them their fuU quota of forces ; so that besides those pro
mised by the duke of Armorica, the number of men from
the island of Britain alone was sixty thousand, all com
pletely armed. But the kings of the other islands, as they

250 Geoffrey's British history. [eookxcrl
had not been accustomed to any cavalry, promised their
quota of infantry ; and, from the six provincial islands, viz.
Ireland, Iceland, Gothland, the Orkneys, Norway, and
Dacia, were reckoned a hundred and twenty thousand. From
the duchies of Gaul, that is, of the Ruteni, the Portunians,
the Estrusians, the Cenomanm, the Andegavians, and Picta-
vians, were eighty thousand. From the twelve consulsMps
of those who came along with Guerinus Carnotensis, twelve
hundred. All together made up a hundred and eighty-tMee
thousand two hundred, besides foot wMch did not easUy faU
under number.
Chap. XX. — Arthur prepares for a war, and refuses to pay tribute to
the Romans.
Ktng Arthur, seeing all unanimously ready for his service,
ordered them to return back to their countries with speed,
and get ready the forces which they had promised, and to
hasten to the general rendezvous upon the kalends of
August, at the mouth of the river Barba, that from thence
they might advance with them to the borders of the Allo
broges, to meet the Romans. Then he sent word to the
emperors by their ambassadors ; that as to paying them
tribute, he would in no wise obey their commands ; and that
the journey he was about to make to Rome, was not to stand
the award of their sentence, but to demand of them what
they had judiciaUy decreed to demand of Mm. With tMs
answer the ambassadors departed ; and at the same time
also departed all the Mngs and noblemen, to perform with
aU expedition the orders that had been given them.

BOOK X.
Chap. I. — Lucius Tiberius calls together the eastern kings against the
Britons.
Lucius Tiberius, on receiving tMs answer, by order of the
senate published a decree, for the eastern kings to come with
their forces, and assist in the conquest of Britain. In obe-

a.d. 520—540.] Arthur's dream. 251
dience to wMch there came in a very short time, Epistro-
pMus, king of the Grecians; Mustensar, king of the Afri
cans ; AUfantinam, king of Spain ; Hirtacius, Mng of the
PartMans; Boccus, of the Medes; Sertorius, of Libya;
Teucer, Mng of Phrygia ; Serses, Mng of the Itureans ;
Pandrasus, king of Egypt; Micipsa, king of Babylon;
Polytetes, duke of Bithynia ; Teucer, duke of Phrygia ;
Evander, of Syria; ^EtMon, of Boeotia;. Hippolytus, of
Crete, with the generals and nobility under them. Of the
senatorian order also came, Lucius Catellus, Marius Lepidus,
Caius MeteUus Cotta, Quintus Milvius Catulus, Quintus Ca-
rutius, and as many others as made up the number of forty
thousand one hundred and sixty.*
Chap. II. — Arthur commits to his nephew Modred the government of
Britain. His dream at Hamo's Port.
After the necessary dispositions were made, upon the ka
lends of August, they began their march towards Britain,
wMch when Arthur had intelhgence of, he committed the
government of the kingdom to his nephew Modred, and
queen Guanhumara, and marched with Ms army to Hamo's
Port, where the wind stood fair for Mm. But while he, sur
rounded with all Ms numerous fleet, was sailing joyfully with
a brisk gale, it happened that about midnight he fell into a
very sound sleep, and in a dream saw a bear flying in the
air, at the noise of wMch all the shores trembled; also a
terrible dragon flying from the west, which enlightened the
country with the brightness of its eyes. When these two
met, they began a dreadful fight ; but the dragon with its fiery
breath burned the bear which often assaulted Mm, and threw
him down scorched to the ground. Arthur upon this awak
ing, related his dream to those that stood about him, who
took upon them to interpret it, and told him that the dragon
signified himself, but the bear, some giant that should en
counter with him; and that the fight portendea the duel
that would be between them, and the dragon's victory the
same that would happen to MmseU'. But Arthur conjec-
* It is almost unnecessary to inform the reader that not one of these
kings ever existed ; and yet this caution may be of use, so prone are men
to indulge the bias of the imagination at the expense of historic truth.

252 Geoffrey's British history. [bookx.ch.s.
tured it portended sometMng else, and that the visien was
applicable te Mmself and the emperor. As sepn as the
mprning after tMs night's saU appeared, they fpund them
selves arrived at the mouth of the river Barba. And there
they pitched their tents, to wait the arrival of the Mngs of
the islands and the generals of the other provinces.
Chap. III. — Arthur kills a Spanish giant who had stolen away Helena,
the niece of Hoel.
In the meantime Arthur had news brought him, that a giant
pf mpnstrous size was ccme frpm the shores of SpaM, and
had forcibly taken away Helena, the Mece of duke Hoel,
from her guard, and fled with her to the top of that wMch
is now called Michael's Mount ;* and that the soldiers of the
country who pursued him were able to de nptbing against
Mm. Fpr whether they attacked Mm by sea pr land, he
either overturned their sMps with vast rocks, or MUed them
with several sorts of darts, besides many pf them that he
tppk and devpured haU ative. The next mght, therefore, at
the second hour, Arthur, takmg aleng with him Caius the
sewer, and Bedver the butler, went eut privately frpm the
camp, and hastened towards the mountain. For bemg a man
of undaunted courage, he did net care to lead Ms army
against such mensters ; beth because he cculd M this manner
animate Ms men by Ms own example, and also because he
was alene sufficient te deal with them. As soon as they
came near the mountain, they saw a fire bunting upon the top
of it, and another on a lesser mountam, that was npt far
from it. And being in dpubt uppn wMch pf them the giant
dwelt, they sent away Bedver to know the certamty of the
matter. So he, finding a beat, sailed over in it first to the
lesser mountain, to wMch he could in no other way have
access, because it was situated M the sea. When he had
begun te cUmb up to the top of it, he was at first frightened
with a dismal howUng cry of a woman from above, and
imagined the monster to be there : but quickly rousMg up
Ms ccurage, he drew Ms swerd, and having reached the top,
* This moBt romantic and interesting rock is crowned by a singularly
quaint structure, half monastic and half castellated. It must have been a
place of great strength before the invention of powder, and contains some
curious rooms, a dungeon and other remains of feudality.

a.d. 517-1 1 FIGHT BETWEEN ARTHUR AND A GIANT. 253
found nptMng but the fire wMch he had before seen at a dis
tance. He discevered alsp a grave newly made, and an pld
wpman weeping and hewUng by it, whp at the sight pf him
instantly cried put in wprds interrupted with sighs, " 0, un
happy man, what misfprtune brmgs ypu to tMs place ? 0 the
inexpressible tortures pf death that you must suffer ! I pity
you, I pity you, because the detestable monster wiU this night
destroy the flower of your youth. For that most wicked and
odious giant, who brought the duke's niece, whom I have just
now buried here, and me, her nurse, along with her into this
mountain, wtil come and immediately murder you in a most
cruel manner. 0 deplorable fate ! TMs most illustrious
princess, sinMng under the fear her tender heart conceived,
wMle the foul monster Would have embraced her, fainted
away and expired. And when he could not satiate Ms
brutish lust upon her, who was the very soul, joy, and happi
ness of my Ufe, being enraged at the disappointment of Ms
bestial desire, he forcibly committed a rape upon me, who
(let God and my old age witness) abhorred his embraces.
Fly, dear sir, fly, for fear he may come, as he usually does,
to Ue with me, and finding you here most barbarously butcher
you." Bedver, moved at what she said, as much as it is
possible for human nature to be, endeavoured with kmd
words to assuage her grief, and to comfort her with the
promise of speedy help : and then returned back to Arthur,
and gave him an account of what he had met with. Aj-thur
very much lamented the damsel's sad fate, and ordered Ms
companions to leave Mm to deal with him alone ; unless there
was an absolute necessity, and then they were to come in
boldly to Ms assistance. From hence they went directly tc
the next mountain, leaving their horses with their armour-
bearers, and ascended to the top, Arthur leading the way.
The deformed savage was then by the fire, with Ms face
besmeared with the clotted blood of swine, part of which he
already devoured, and was roasting the remaincter upon spits
by the fire. But at the sight of them, whose appearance
was a surprise to Mm, he hastened to his club, which two
strong men could hardly lift from the ground. Upon tMs
the king drew his sword, and guarding himself with his
shield, ran with all his speed to prevent his getting it. But
the other, who was not ignorant of Ms design, had by tMs

254

GEOFFREY S BRITISH HISTORY. [book x. ch. 3.

time snatched it up, and gave the Mng such a terrible blow
upon Ms shield, that he made the shores ring with the noise,
and perfectly stunned the king's ears with it. Arthur, fired
with rage at this, lifted up Ms sword, and gave him a wound
in the forehead, wMch was not indeed mortal, but yet such
as made the blood gush out over Ms face and eyes, and so
bUnded him ; for he had partly warded off the stroke from
his forehead with his club, and prevented its being fatal.
However, Ms loss of sight, by reason of the blood flowing
over his eyes, made Mm exert himself with greater fury, and
Uke an enraged boar against a hunting-spear, so did he rush
in against Arthur's sword, and graspmg him about the waist,
forced him down upon Ms knees. But Arthur, nothmg
daunted, slipped out of his hands, and so exerted MmseU
with his sword, that he gave the giant no respite ttil he had
struck it up to the very back through Ms skulk At tMs
the Mdeous monster raised a dreadful roar, and Uke an oak
torn up from the roots by the winds, so did he make the
ground resound with Ms faU. Arthur, bursting out into a
fit of laughter at the sight, commanded Bedver to cut off M3
head, and give it to one of the armour-bearers, who was to
carry it to the camp, and there expose it to pubUc view,
but with orders for the spectators of tMs combat to keep
silence. He told them he had found none of so great strength,
since he MUed the giant Ritho, who had chaUenged Mm to
fight, upon the mountain Aravius. TMs giant had made
Mmself furs of the beards of Mngs he had MUed, and had
sent word to Arthur carefuUy to cut off Ms beard and send
it to Mm ; and then, out of respect to Ms pre-eminence over
other Mngs, Ms beard should have the honour of the principal
place. But if he refused to do it, he chaUenged him to a
duel, with tMs offer, that the conqueror should have the furs,
and also the beard of the vanqmshed for a trophy of his
victory. In his conflict, therefore, Arthur proved victorious,
and took the beard and spoils of the giant : and, as he said
before, had met with none that could be compared to Mm
for strength, till Ms last engagement. After this victory,
they returned at the second watch of the Mght to the camp
with the head ; to see which there was a great concourse of
people, all extolUng this wonderful exploit of Arthur, by
wMch he had freed the country from a most destructive and

a.d. 520— 540. WALGAN SLAYS QUINTILIANUS. 255
voracious monster. But Hoel, in great grief for the loss of
his niece, commanded a mausoleum to be built over her body
in the mountain where she was buried, which, taking the
damsel's name, is called Helena's Tomb to tMs day.
Chap. IV. — Arthur's ambassadors to Lucius Tiberius deliver Pelreius
Cotta, whom they took prisoner to Arthur.
As soon as all the forces were arrived which Arthur expected,
he marched from thence to Augustodunum, where he sup
posed the general was. But when he came to the river
Alba, he had intelhgence brought him of Ms having encamped
not far off, and that he was come with so vast an army, that
he would not be able to withstand it. However, this did not
deter Mm from pursuing Ms enterprise ; but he pitched his
camp upon the bank of the river, to facilitate the bringing
up of his forces, and to secure Ms retreat, if there should be
occasion ; and sent Boso the consul of Oxford, and Guerinus
Carnotensis, with his nephew Walgan, to Lucius Tiberius,
requiring him either to retire from the coasts of Gaul, or
come the next day, that they might try their right to that
country with their swords. The retinue of young courtiers
that attended Walgan, Mghly rejoicing at tMs opportunity,
were urgent with him to find some occasion for a quarrel in
the commander's camp, that so they might engage the Romans.
Accordingly they went to Lucius, and commanded Mm to
retire out of Gaul, or hazard a battle the next day. But
wMle he was answering them, that he was not come to retire,
but to govern the country, there was present Caius QuintiU-
anus, Ms nephew, who said, " That the Britons were better
at boasting and tMeatening, than they were at fighting."
Walgan immediately took fire at tMs, and ran upon him with
Ms drawn sword, wherewith he cut off Ms head, and then
retreated speedily with Ms companions to their horses. The
•Romans, both horse and foot, pursued to revenge the loss of
their countryman upon the ambassadors, who fledf>with great
precipitation. But Guerinus Carnotensis, just as one of
them was come up to Mm, ralUed on a sudden, and with his
lance struck at once through Ms armour and the very middle
of Ms body, and laid Mm prostrate on the ground. The
sight of this noble exploit raised the emulation of Boso pf
Oxfprd, whp, wheeUng abput Ms hprse, struck Ms lance into

256 Geoffrey's British history. [bookx.ch.4.
the throat of the first man he met with, and dismounted him
mortally wounded. In the meantime, MarceUus Mutius,
with great eagerness to revenge QMntiUan's death, was just
upon the back of Walgan, and laid hold pf him ; wMch the
ether quicMy pbliged Mm to quit, by cleaving bcth his
helmet and head te the breast with Ms sword. He also bade
Mm, when he arrived at the infernal regions, teU the man he
had MUed in the camp, " That m tMs manner the Britons
showed their boasting and threatening." Then havmg re
assembled his men, he encouraged them to despatch every
one his pursuer in the same manner as he had done ; wMch
accordingly they did not fati to accomplish. Notwithstand
ing, the Romans continued their pursMt with lances and
swords, wherewith they annoyed the others, though without
slaughter or taMng any prisoners. But as they came near a
certain wood, a party of six thousand Britons, who seeing
the flight of the consuls, had Md themselves, to be m readi
ness for their assistance, saltied forth, and putting spurs to
their horses, rent the air with then- loud shouts, and bemg
weU fenced with their sMelds, assaulted the Romans sud
denly, and forced them to fly. And now it was the Britons'
turn to pursue, wMch they did with better success, for they
dismounted, MUed, or took several of the enemy. Petreius,
the senator, upon tMs news, hastened to the assistance of Ms
countrymen with ten thousand men, and compeUed the Britons
to retreat to the wood from whence they had saltied forth ;
though not without loss of Ms own men. For the Britons,
being weU acquainted with the ground, in their flight MUed
a great number of their pursuers. The Britons thus givmg
ground, Hider, with another reinforcement of five thousand
men, advanced with speed to sustain them ; so that they
again faced those, upon whom they had turned their backs,
and renewed the assault with great vigour. The Romans
also stood their ground, and continued the fight with various
success. The great fault of the Britons was, that though
they had been very eager to begin the fight, yet when begun
they were less careful of the hazard they ran. Whereas the
Romans were under better disciphne, and had the advantage
of a prudent commander, Petreius Cotta, to teU them where
to advance, and where to give ground, and by these means
did great injury to the enemy. When Boso observed this,

i.D. 520-540.] THE ROMAN GENERAL PRISONER. 257
he drew off from the rest a large party of those whom he
knew to be the stoutest men, and spoke to them after this
manner : " Since we have begun tMs fight without Arthur's
knowledge, we must take care that we be not defeated in
the enterprise. For, if we should, we shah both very much
endanger our men, and incur the king's high displeasure.
Rouse up your courage, and foUow me through the Roman
squadrons, that with the favour of good fortune we may
either kill or take Petreius prisoner." With this they put
spurs to their horses, and piercing through the enemies'
thickest ranks, reached the place where Petreius was giving
his commands. Boso hastily ran in upon him, and grasping
Mm about the neck, fell with Mm to the ground, as he had
intended. The Romans hereupon ran to his detivery, as did
the Britons to Boso's assistance ; which occasioned on both
sides great slaughter, noise, and confusion, while one party
strove to rescue their leader, and the other to keep him
prisoner. So that tMs proved the sharpest part of the whole
. fight, and wherein their spears, swords, and arrows had the
- fullest employment. At length, the Britons, joining M a
close body, and sustaimng patiently the assaults of the
Romans, retired to the main body of their army with Pe
treius : wMch they had no sooner done, than they again
attacked them, being now deprived of their leader, very much
weakened, dispirited, and just beginning to flee. They,
therefore, eagerly pursued, beat down, arid killed several of
them, and as soon as they had plundered them, pursued the
rest : but they took the greatest number of them prisoners,
being desirous to present them to the Mng. When they had
at last sufficiently harassed them, they returned with their
plunder and prisoners to the camp ; where they gave an
account of what had happened, and presented Petreius Cotta
with the other prisoners before Arthur, with great joy for
the victory. Arthur congratulated them upon it, and pro
mised them advancement to greater honours, for behaving
themselves sp gaUantly when he was absent from them.
Then he gave Ms ccmmand tp some of his men, to conduct
the prisoners the next day to Paris, and deliver them to be
kept in custody there till further orders. The party that
were to undertake this charge, he ordered to be conducted
by Cador, Bedver, and the two consuls, Borellus and Rich-

258 Geoffrey's British history. [bookx. ch. s.
erius, with their servants, tiU they should be out of aU fear
of disturbance from the Romans.

Chap. V.—The Romans attack the Britons with a very great force, but
are put to flight by them.
But the Romans, happemng to get inteUigence of their de
sign, at the command cf their general chcse out fifteen thou
sand men, who that night were to get before the others in
their march, and rescue their feUow soldiers out of their
hands. They were to be commanded by Vulteius CateUus
and Quintus Carutius, senators, as also Evander, Mng of
Syria, and Sertorius, Mng of Libya. Accordingly they
began their march that very Mght, and possessed them
selves of a place convement for lying m ambuscade, tMough
wMch they supposed the others would pass. In the
mormng the Britons set forward along the same road with
their prisoners, and were now approacMng the place m per
fect ignerance pf the cunMng stratagem of the enemy. No
sooner had they entered it, than the Romans, to their great
surprise, sprang forth and feU furipusly upon them. Not
withstanding, the Britens, at length recpvering from their
censternatipn, assembled together, and prepared for a bold
opposition, by appointing a party to guard the prisoners, and
drawing out the rest m erder pf battle against the enemy.
Richerius and Bedver had the cpmmand pf the party that
were set over the prisoners ; but Cador, duke of Cornwall,
and BpreUus headed the pthers. But all the Romans had
made their sally without bemg placed in any order, and
cared not to form themselves, that they might lose no time
in the slaughter ef the Britons, whpm they saw busied in
marshalting their treops, and preparing only for their
defence. By tMs conduct the Britons were extremely weak
ened, and would have shamefuUy lost their prisoners, had
not good fortune rendered them assistance. For GMtard,
commander of the Pictavians, happened to get information
of the designed stratagem, and was come up with tMee thou
sand men, by the help of which they at last got the advan
tage, and paid back the slaughter upon their insolent assail
ants. Nevertheless, the loss which they sustained at the
beginning of tMs action was very considerable. For they

a.d. 520—540,] LUCIUS TIBERIUS ENTERS LENGRLE. 259
lost Borellus, the famous consul of the Cenomanni, in an
encounter with Evander, Mng of Syria, who stuck his lance
into Ms throat ; besides four noblemen, viz. Hirelgas Depe-
rirus, Mauricius Cadorcanensis, AUduc of Tintagel, and
Hider his son, than whom braver men were hardly to be
found. But yet neither did this loss dispirit the Britons, but
rather made them more resolute to keep the prisoners, and kill
the enemy. The Romans, now finding themselves unable to
maintain the fight any longer, suddenly quitted the field, and
made towards their camp ; but were pursued with slaughter
by the Britons, who also took many of them, and aUowed
them no respite tiU they had MUed Vulteius CateUus and
Evander, Mng of Syria, and whoUy dispersed the rest.
After which they sent away their former prisoners to Paris,
wMther they were to conduct them, and returned back with
those newly taken to the king ; to whom they gave great
hopes of a complete conquest of their enemies, since very
few of the great number that came against them had met
with any success.

Chap. VI. — Lucius Tiberius goes to Lengriae. Arthur, designing to van
quish him, by a stratagem possesses himself of the valley of Suesia.
These repeated disasters wrought no smaU disturbance in
the mind of Lucius Tiberius, and made him hesitate whether
to bring it to a general battle with Arthur, or to retire into
Augustodunum, and stay tiU the emperor Leo with his forces
could come to his assistance. At length, giving way to his fears,
he entered Lengriae with Ms army, intending to reach the other
city the night following. Arthur, finding this, and being
desirous to get before Mm in his march, left the city on the
left hand, and the same night entered a certain valley called
Suesia, tMough wMch Lucius was to pass. There he
divided his men into several bodies, commanding, one legion,
over wMch Morvid, consul of Gloucester, was appointed
general, to wait close by, that he might retreat to them if
there should be occasion, and from thence rally his broken
forces for a second battle. The rest he divided into seven
parts, in each of which he placed five thousand five hundred
and fifty-five men, all completely armed. He also appointed
different stations to Ms horse and foot, and gave command
s 2

260 GEOFFREY'S BRITISH HISTORY. [Bookx. ch. 1.
that just as the foot should advance to the attack, the horse,
keeping close together in their ranks, should at the same
moment march up obliquely, and endeavour to put the
enemy into disorder. The compames of foot were, after the
British manner, drawn out into a square, with a right and
left wing, under the command of Augusel, king of Albama,
and Cador, duke of Cornwall; the one presiding over the
right wing, the other over the left. Over another party
were placed the two famous consuls, Guerinus of Chartres
and Boso of RicMden, caUed M the Saxon tongue Oxineford ;
over a third were AschilUus, Mng of the Dacians, and Lot,
Mng of the Norwegians ; the fourth bemg commanded by
Hoel, duke of the Armoricans, and Walgan, the king's
nephew. After these were four other parties placed in the
rear ; the first commanded by Caius the sewer, and Bedver
the butler ; the second by Hoktin, duke of the Ruteni, and
Guitard of the Pictavians ; the tMrd by Vigems of Lege-
cester, Jonathal of Dorchester, and Cursalem of Caicester;
the fourth by UrbgenMus of Bath. BeMnd aU these,
Arthur, for MmseU and the legion that was to attend near
him, made choice of a place, where he set up a golden
dragon for a standard, wMther the wounded or fatigued
might in case of necessity retreat, as mto their camp. The
legion that was with Mm consisted of six thousand six hun
dred and sixty-six men.
Chap. VII. — Arthur's exhortation to his soldiers.
After he had thus placed them aU in their stations, he
made the foUowing speech to Ms soldiers: — "My brave
countrymen, who have made Britain the mistress of tMrty
kingdoms, I congratulate you upon your late noble exploit,
which to me is a proof that your valour is so far from being
impaired, that it is rather increased. Though you have
been five years without exercise, whereM the softemng
pleasures of an easy life had a greater share of your time
than the use of arms ; yet aU this has not made you degene
rate from your natural bravery, wliich you have shown in
forcing the Romans to flee. The pride of their leaders has
animated them to attempt the invasion of your Uberties.
They have tried you in battle, with numbers superior to

A.D. 520-540.] SPEECH OF LUCIUS TIBERIUS. 261
yours, and have not been able to stand before you ; but have
basely withdrawn themselves into that city, from which they
are now ready to march out, and to pass tMough tMs valley
in their way to Augustodunum ; so that you may have an
opportunity of falting upon them unawares like a flock of
sheep. Certainly they expected to find in you the cowardice
of the Eastern nations, when they thought to make your
country tributary, and you their slaves. What, haye they
never heard of your wars, with the Dacians, Norwegians,
and princes of the Gauls, whom you reduced under my
power, and freed from their shameful yoke ? We, then, that
have had success in a greater war, need not doubt of it in a
less, if we do but endeavour with the same spirit to vanquish
these poltroons. You shaU want no rewards of honour,
if as faithful soldiers you do but strictly obey my com
mands. For as soon as we have routed them, we will
march straight to Rome, and take it ; and then aU the
gold, stiver, palaces, towers, towns, cities, and other riches
of the vanquished shall be yours." He had hardly done
speaMng before they aU with one voice declared, that they
were ready to suffer death, rather than quit the field while
he had Ufe,
Chap. VIIL — Lucius Tiberius, discovering Arthur's design, in a speech
animates his followers to fight.
But Lucius Tiberius, discovering the designs that were
formed against him, would not flee, as he had at first in
tended, but taMng new courage, resolved to march to the
same valley against them ; and caUing together his principal
commanders, spoke to them in these words : — " Venerable
fathers, to whose empire both the Eastern and Western
Mngdoms owe obedience, remember the virtues of your
ancestors, who were not afraid to shed their blood, when the
vanquishing of the enemies of the commonwealth required
it ; but to leave an example of their courage and military
virtues to their posterity, behaved themselves in all battles
with that contempt of death, as if God had given them some
security against it. By tMs conduct they often triumphed,
and by triumphing escaped death. Such was the reward of
their virtue from Divine Providence, wMch overrules aU
events. The increase of the commonwealth, and of their

262 Geoffrey's British history. [book x. ch. s.
own valour was owing to this ; and all those virtues that
usually adorn the great, as integrity, honour, and munifi
cence, flourisMng a long time in them, raised them and their
posterity to the empire of the whole world. Let their noble
examples animate you : rouse up the spirit of the ancient Ro
mans, and be not afraid to march out against our enemies that
are lying in ambush before us in the valley, but boldly with
your swords demand of them your just rights. Do not tMnk
that I retired into tMs city for fear of engaging with them ;
but I thought that, as their pursuit of us was rash and fooUsh,
so we might hence on a sudden mtercept them in it, and by
dividing their main body make a great slaughter of them.
But now, smce they have altered the measures wMch we
supposed they had taken, let us also alter ours. Let us go
in quest of them and bravely faU upon them; or if they
shall happen to have the advantage in the begmmng of the
battle, let us only stand our ground during the fury of their
first assault, and the victory wiU undoubtedly be ours ; for
in many battles tMs manner of conduct has been attended
with victory." As soon as he had made an end of speaking
these and other things, they all declared their assent, pro
mised with an oath to stand by Mm, and hastened to arm
themselves. Which when they had done, they marched
out of Lengriae to the valley where Arthur had drawn out
his forces in order of battle. Then they also began to mar
shal their army, wMch they divided into twelve companies,
and according to the Roman manner of battle, drew out each
company into the form of a wedge, consisting of six thou
sand six hundred and sixty-six men. Each company also
had its respective leaders, who were to give direction when
to advance, or when to be upon the defensive. One of them
was headed by Lucius CateUus the senator, and AUfantinam,
Mng of Spain ; another by Hirtacius, king of the PartMans,
and Marius Lepidus, a senator ; a third by Boccus, Mng of
the Medes, and Caius Metellus, a senator ; a fourth by Ser-
torius, king of Libya, and QMntus Milvius, a senator.
These four companies were placed in the front of the
army. In the rear of these were four others, whereof
one was commanded by Serses, Mng of the Itureans;
another by Pandrasus, king of Egypt; a third by Poly-
tetes, duke of Bithynia; a fourth by Teucer, duke of

A.D. 520—540.] BATTLE BETWEEN ARTHUR AND TIBERIUS. 263
PMygia. And again behind all these four others, whereof
the commanders were Quintus Carucius, a senator, LseUus
Ostiensis, Sulpitius Subuculus, and Mauricius Sylvanus.
As for the general MmseU, he was sometimes in one place,
sometimes another, to encourage and direct as there should
be occasion. For a standard he ordered a golden eagle
to be firmly set up in the centre, for his men to repair to
whenever they should happen to be separated from their
company.

Chap. IX. — A battle between Arthur and Lucius Tiberius.
And now the Britons and Romans stood presenting their
arms at one another ; when forthwith at the sound of the
trumpets, the company that was headed by the king of Spain
and Lucius CateUus, boldly rushed forward against that
wMch the Mng of Scotland and duke of Cornwall led, but
were not able to make the least breach in their firm ranks.
So that whtie these stood their ground, up came Guerinus
and Boso with a body of horse upon their full speed, broke
tMough the party that began the assault, and met with
another wMch the Mng of the PartMans was leading up
against AschilUus, Mng of Dacia. After tMs first onset,
there foUowed a general engagement of both armies with
great violence, and several breaches were made on each side.
The shouts, the slaughter, the quantity of blood spiUed, and
the agomes of the dying, made a dreadful scene of horror.
At first, the Britons sustained a great loss, by having Bedver
the butler Mlled, and Caius the sewer mortally wounded.
For, as Bedver met Boccus, king of the Medes, he feU dead
by a stab of Ms lance amidst the enemies' troops. And
Caius, in endeavouring to revenge Ms death, was surrounded
by the Median troops, and there received a mortal wound ;
yet as a brave soldier he opened Mmself a way with the wing
wMch he led, MUed and dispersed the Medes, and would
have made a safe retreat with all his men, had he not met
the Mng of Libya with the forces under Mm, who put his
whole company into disorder ; yet not so great, but that he
was stiU able to get off with a few, and flee with Bedver's
corps to the golden dragon. The Neustrians grievously
lamented at the sight of their leader's mangled body ; and so

264 GEOFFREY S BRITISH HISTORY. [book x. ch. 10.
did the Andegayians, when they beheld their consul wounded.
But there was now no room, for complaints, for the furious
and bloody shocks of both armies made it necessary to
provide for their own defence. Therefore Hirelgas, the
nephew of Bedver, being extremely enraged at Ms death,
called up to him three hundred men, and Uke a wUd boar
amongst a pack of dogs, broke tMough the enemies' ranks
with Ms horse, maMng towards the place where he had seen
the standard of the Mng of the Medes ; Uttle regarding what
might befall him, if he could but revenge the loss of Ms
uncle. At length he reached the place, MUed the Mng,
brought off Ms body to his companions, and laid it by that
of his uncle, where he mangled it M the same manner. Then
calling with a loud voice to Ms countrymen, he animated
their troops, and vehemently pressed them to exert them-.
selves to the utmost, now that their spirits were raised, and
the enemy disheartened ; and especiaUy as they had the
advantage of them in being placed M better order, and so
might the more grievously annoy them. Encouraged with
this exhortation, they began a general assault upon the
enemy, wMch was attended with a terrible slaughter on both
sides. For on the part of the Romans, besides many others,
fell Atifantinam, Mng of Spain, Micipsa of Babylon, as also
Qmntus Milvius and Marius Lepidus, senators. On the part
of the Britons, Holdin, Mng of the RuteM, Leodegarius of
Bolonia, and three consuls of Britain, Cursalem of Caicester,
GaUuc of SaUsbury, and UrbgenMus of Bath. So that the
troops wMch they commanded, being extremely weakened,
retreated till they came to the army of the Armorican
Britons, commanded by Hoel and Walgan. But these,
being inflamed at the retreat of their friends, encouraged
them to stand their ground, and caused them with the help
of their own forces to put their pursuers to flight. WMle
they continued this pursuit, they beat down and MUed
several of them, and gave them no respite, tiU they came
to the general's troop ; who, seeing the distress of Ms com
panions, hastened to their assistance.
Chap. X. — Hoel and Walgan signalize their valour in tke fight.
And now in this latter encounter the Britons were worsted,
with the loss of Kimarcoc, consul of Trigeria, and two thou-

a.d. J20--540,] LUCIUS TIBERIUS KILLED, 265
sand with him ; besides three famous noblemen, Riehomarcus,
Bloccovius, and Jagivius of Bodloan, who, had they but
enjoyed the dignity of princes, would have been celebrated
for their valour through aU succeeding ages, For, during
tiiis assault which they made in conjunction with Hoel and
Walgan, there was not an enemy witMn their reach that
could escape the fury of their sword or lance. But upon
their faUing in among Lucius's party, they were surrounded
by them, and suffered the same fate with the consul and the
other men. The loss of these men made those matchless
heroes, Hoel and Walgan, much more eager to assault the
general's ranks, and 'to try on aU sides where to make the
greatest impression. But Walgan, whose valour was never
to be foUed, endeavoured to gain access to Lucius himself,
that he might encounter Mm, and with tMs view beat down
and killed aU that stood in Ms way. And Hoel, not inferior
to Mm, did no less service in another part, by spiriting up
his men, and giving and receiving blows among the enemy
with the same undaunted courage. It was hard to determine.
which of them was the stoutest soldier.

Chap. XI. — Lucius Tiberius being killed, the Britons obtain the victory.
But Walgan, by forcing his way through the enemy's troops,
as we said before, found at last (what he had wished for)
access to the general, and immediately encountered him.
Lucius, being then in the flower of his youth, and a person
of great courage and vigour, desired notMng more than to
engage with such a one as might put Ms strength to its full
trial. Putting Mmself, therefore, into a posture of defence, he
received Walgan with joy, and was not a Uttle proud to try
Ms courage with one of whom he had heard such great thmgs.
The fight continued between them a long time, with great
force of blows, and no less dexterity in warding them off,
each being resolved upon the other's destruction. During
tMs sharp conflict between them, the Romans, on a sudden,
recovering their courage, made an assault upon the Armori
cans, and having reUeved their general, repulsed Hoel and
Walgan, with their troops, till they found themselves
unawares met by Arthur and the forces under him. For
he, hearing of the slaughter that was a little before made

266 Geoffrey's British history. [bookx.ch.h.
of Ms men, had speedily advanced with Ms legion, and
drawing out Ms CaUburn, spoke to them, with a loud voice,
after this manner : " What are you doing, spldiers ? Will
yeu suffer these effemmate wretches to escape ? Let not one
of them get off aUve. Remember the force of your arms,
that have reduced tMrty Mngdoms under my subjection.
Remember your ancestors, whom the Romans, when at the
height of their power, made tributary. Remember your
liberties, wMch these pitiful feUows, that are much your
inferiors, attempt to deprive you of. Let none of them
escape aUve. What are you domg ? " With these expos
tulations, he rushed upon the enemy, made terrible havoc
among them, and not a man did he meet but at one blow
he laid either Mm or Ms horse dead upon the ground. They,
therefore, in astomshment fled from Mm, as a flock of sheep
from a fierce Uon, whom raging hunger provokes to devour
whatever happens to come near Mm. Their arms were no
manner of protection to them against the force with wMch
this vatiant prince wielded Ms CaUburn. Two kings,
Sertorius of Libya, and Polytetes of Bithyma, unfortunately
felt its fury, and had their heads cut off by it. The Britons,
when they saw the Mng performing such wonders, took
courage again. With one consent they assaulted the
Romans, kept close together in their ranks, and wMle
they assailed the foot in one part, endeavoured to beat
down and pierce tMough the horse in another. Notwith
standing, the Romans made a brave defence, and at the
instigation of Lucius laboured to pay back their slaughter
upon the Britons. The eagerness and force that were now
shown on both sides were as great as if it was the beginning
of the battle. Arthur continued to do great execution with
his own hand, and encouraged the Britons to mamtain the
fight ; as Lucius Tiberius did the Romans, and made them
perform many memorable exploits. He himseU, m the
meantime, was very active in going from place to place,
and suffered none to escape with Ufe that happened to ccme
within the reach ef his sword or lance. The slaughter that
was now made on both sides was very dreadful, and the
turns of fortune various, sometimes the Britons prevaihng,
sometimes the Romans. At last, wMle this sharp dispute
continued. Morvid, consul of Gloucester, with Ms legion,

a.d. 520— 540.] SURRENDER OF THE ROMANS. 267
wMch, as we said before, was placed between the Mils, came
up with speed upon the rear of the enemy, and to their great
surprise assaulted, broke through, and dispersed them with
great slaughter. TMs last and decisive blow proved fatal to
many thousands of Romans, and even to the general Lucius
MmseU, who was MUed among the crowds with a lance by
an unknown hand. But the Britons, by long maintaining
the fight, at last with great difficulty gained the victory.
Chap. XII. — Part of the Romans flee ; the rest, of their own accord,
surrender themselves for slaves.
The Romans, bemg now, therefore, dispersed, betook them
selves tMough fear, some to the by-ways and woods, some to
the cities and towns, and all other places, where they could
be most safe ; but were either killed or taken and plundered
by the Britons who pursued : so that great part of them
voluntarily and shamefully held forth their hands, to receive
their chains, in order to prolong for a while a wretched Ufe.
In aU which the justice of Divine Providence was very
visible ; considering how unjustly the ancestors of the Britons
were formerly invaded and harassed by those ofthe Romans ;
and that these stood only in defence of that Uberty, which
the others would have deprived them of; and refused the
tribute, wMch the others had no right to demand.
Chap. XIII. — The bodies ofthe slain are decently buried, each in their
respective countries.
Arthur, after he had completed his victory, gave orders for
separating the bodies of his nobiUty from those of the enemy,
and preparing a pompous funeral for them ; and that, when
ready, they should be carried to the abbeys of their respective
countries, there to be honourably buried. But Bedver the
butler was, with great lamentation of the Neustrians, carried
to Ms own city Bajocae, wMch Bedver the first, his great
grandfather, had built. There he was, with great solemnity,
laid close by the walk in a burying-place on the south side of
the city. But Cheudo was carried, grievously wounded to
Camus, a town wMch he had Mmself built, where in a short
time he died of his wounds, and was buried, as became a
duke of Andegavia, in a convent of hermits, which was in
a wood not far from the town. Also Holdin, duke of Ruteni,

268 GEOFFREY'S BRITISH HISTORY. [boob: xl ch. I.
was carried to Flanders, and buried in Ms own city Terivana.
The other censuls and npblemen were conveyed to the neigh
bouring abbeys, according to Arthur's orders. Out of bis
great clemency, also, he ordered the country people to take
care of the burial of the enemy, and to carry the body of
Lucius to the senate, and teU them, that was the only tribute
which Britain ought to pay them. After tMs he stayed in
those parts till the next winter was over, and employed his
time in reducing the cities of the Allobroges. But at the
beginning of the following summer, as he was on Ms march
towards Rome, and was begiiming to pass the Alps, he had
news brought Mm that Ms nephew Modred, to whose care
he had entrusted Britain, had by tyranmcal and treasonable
practices set the crown upon Ms own head ; and that queen
Guanhumara, in violation of her first marriage, had wickedly
married Mm.

BOOK XI.

Chap. I. — Modred makes a great slaughter of Arthur's men, but is
beaten, and flees to Winchester.
Of the matter now to be treated of, most nqble consul,
Geoffrey of Monmouth shall be silent ; but witi, nevertheless,
though in a mean style, briefly relate what he found in the
British book above mentioned, and heard from that most
learned historian, Walter, archdeacon of Oxford, concermng
the wars which tMs renowned Mng, upon Ms return to BritaM
after tMs victory, waged against his nephew. As soon,
therefore, as the report, of tMs flagrant wickedness reached
Mm, he immediately desisted from his enterprise against Leo,
king of the Romans ; and havmg sent away Hoel, duke of
the Armoricans, with the army of Gaul, to restore peace in
those parts, returned back with speed to Britain, attended
only by the Mngs of the islands, and their armies. But the
wicked traitor, Modred, had sent Cheldric, the Saxon leader,
into Germany, there to raise all the forces he could find, and
return with all speed : and in consideration of this service,
had promised him all that part of the island, which reaches

A.D. 542.] TREACHERY OF MODRED. 269
from the Humber to Scotland, and whatever Hengist and
Horsa had possessed of Kent in the time of Vortigern. So
that he, in obedience to Ms commands, had arrived with
eight hundred ships fiUed with pagan soldiers, and had
entered into covenant tp pbey the traitor as his spvereign ;
who had also drawn to Ms assistance the Scots, Picts, Irish,
and aU others whom he knew to be enemies to Ms uncle;
His whole army, taMng pagans and Christians together;
amounted to eighty thousand men ; with the help of whom
he met Arthur just after his landing at the port of Rutupi,
and joining battle with Mm, made a very great slaughter of
Ms men. For the same day feU Augusel, king of Albama,
and Walgan, the king's nephew, with innumerable others.
Augusel was succeeded in his kingdom by Eventus, Ms
brother Urian's son, who afterwards performed many famous
exploits in those wars. After they had at last, with much
difficulty, got ashore, they paid back the slaughter, and put
Modred and Ms army to flight. For, by long practice in
war, they had learned an exceUent way of ordering their
forces ; which was so managed, that wMle their foot were
employed either in an assault or upon the defensive, the
horse would come in at full speed obliquely, break through
the enemy's ranks, and so force them to flee. Nevertheless,
tMs perjured usurper got Ms forces together again, and the
mght foUowing entered Winchester. As soon as queen
Guanhumara heard tMs, she immediately, despairing of suc
cess, fled from York to the City of Legions, where she resolved
to lead a chaste Ufe among the nuns in the church of Julius
the Martyr, and entered herself one of their order.
Chap. II. — Modred, after being twice besieged and routed, is killed.
Arthur, being wounded, gives up the kingdom to Constantine.
But Arthur, whose anger was now much more inflamed,
upon the loss of so many hundreds of Ms feUow soldiers,
after he had buried his slain, went on the tMrd day to the
city, and there besieged the traitor, who, notwithstanding;
was unwilUng to desist from his enterprise, but used all
methods to encourage' his adherents, and marcMng out with
Ms troops prepared to fight Ms uncle. In the battle that
foUowed hereupon, great numbers lost their lives on both
Sides ; but at last Modred's army suffered most, so that hd

270 Geoffrey's British history. [book xi. ch. 2.
was forced to quit the fleld shamefully. From hence he made
a precipitate flight, and, without taMng any care for the
burial of his slain, marched in haste towards CornwaU.
Arthur, being inwardly grieved that he should so often
escape, forthwith pursued him into that country as far as the
river Cambula, where the other was expecting Ms conung.
And Modred, as he was the boldest of men, and always the
quickest at maMng an attack, immediately placed Ms troops
in order, resolving either to conquer or to die, rather than
continue his flight any longer. He had yet remaining with
him sixty thousand men, out of whom he composed tMee
bodies, which contained each of them six thousand six hun
dred and sixty-six men : but aU the rest he jomed m pne
bpdy ; and having assigned to each pf the pther parties their
leaders, he tepk the ccmmand of tMs upon MmseU. After
he had made tMs disposition of Ms forces, he endeavoured to
animate them, and promised them the estates of their enemies
if they came off with victory. Arthur, on the other side,
also marshalled Ms army, which he divided into Mne square
cpmpanies, with a right and left wMg ; and havmg appointed
to each of them their commanders, exhorted them to make a
total rout of those robbers and perjured villains, who, bemg
brought over into the island from foreign countries at the
instance of the arch-traitor, were attemptmg to rob them of
aU their honpurs. He Ukewise told them that a mixed army
comppsed pf barbarous people of so many different countries,
and who were aU raw soldiers and Mexperienced m war,
would never be able to stand against such brave veteran
troops as they were, provided they did their duty. After
tMs encouragement given by each general to his feUow
soldiers, the battle on a sudden began with great fury ;
wherein it would be both grievous and tedious to relate the
slaughter, the cruel havoc, and the excess of fury that was
to be seen on both sides. In tMs manner they spent a good
part of the day, tiU Arthur at last made a push with his com
pany, consisting of six thousand six hundred and sixty-six
men, against that in which he knew Modred was ; and having
opened a way with their swords, they pierced quite tMough
it, and made a grievous slaughter. For in tMs assault feU
the wicked traitor himself, and many thousands with Mm.
But notwithstanding the loss of Mm, the rest did not flee,

a.d. 542.] REBELLION of the SAXONS. 271
but running together from aU parts of the field maintained
their ground with undaunted courage. The fight now
grew more furious than ever, and proved fatal to almost all
the commanders and their forces. For on Modred's side feU
Cheldric, Elasius, Egbrict, and Bunignus, Saxons ; Gtila-
patric, Gillamor, Gistafel, and GiUarius, Irish ; also the
Scots and Picts, with almost all their leaders : on Arthur's
side, Olbrict, Mng of Norway ; AschilUus, Mng of Dacia ;
Cador Limenic Cassibellaun, with many thousands of others, as
weU Britons as foreigners, that he had brought with him.
And even the renowned king Arthur himself was mortaUy
wounded ; and being carried thence to the isle of Avallon to
be cured of his wounds, he gave up the crown of Britain to
Ms Mnsman Constantine, the son of Cador, duke of Corn
wall, in the five hundred and forty-second year of our Lord's
incarnation.*

Chap. 111,—Coristantine meets with disturbances from the Sasgons and
Modred's sons.
Upon Constantino's advancement to the throne, the Saxons,
with the two sons of Modred, made insurrection against him,
though without success ; for after many battles they fled,
one to London, the other to Winchester, and possessed them
selves of those places. Then died Saint Daniel, the pious
prelate of the church of Bangor; and Theon, bishop of
Gloucester, was elected archbishop of London. At the
same time also died David, the pious archbishop of Legions.
at the city of Menevia, in his own abbey ; which he loved
above aU the other monasteries of Ms diocese, because Saint
Patrick, who had propheticaUy foretold Ms birth, was the
founder of it. For during his residence there among Ms
friars, he was taken with a sudden UMess, of which he
died, and, at the command of Malgo, Mng of the Venedo-
tians, was buried in that church. He was succeeded in
the metropoUtan see by Cynoc, bishop of the church of
Llan-Patern, who was thus promoted to a Mgher dignity.
* The mention of Constantine brings Geoffrey's work into connection
with that of Gildas : the reader may perhaps from tbis point detect some
slight degree of verisimilitude in this otherwise fictitious narrative.

272 Geoffrey's British history. [book xi. ch. 4—7.

Chap. IV. — Constantine, having murdered the two sons of Modred, is him
self killed by Conan.
But Constantine pursued the Saxons, and reduced them
under Ms yoke. He also took the two sons of Modred;
and one of them, who had fled for sanctuary to the church
of St. AmpMbalus, in Winchester, he murdered before the
altar. The other had Mdden MmseU in a convent of friars
at London, but at last was found out by him, brought before
the altar, and there put to death. Three years after tMs, he
MmseU, by the vengeance of God pursMng Mm, was MUed by
Conan, and buried close by Uther Pendragon witMn the
structure of stones, which was set up with wonderful art not far
from SaUsbury, and caUed in the EngUsh tongue, Stonehenge.
Chap. V. — Aurelius Conan reigns after Constantine.
After him succeeded AureUus Conan, Ms nephew, a youth
of wonderful valour ; who, as he gamed the monarchy of
the whole island, would have been worthy the crown of
it, had he not deUghted M civil war. He raised disturb
ances against Ms uncle, who ought to have reigned after
Constantine, and cast Mm into prison ; and then killing his
two sons, obtained the Mngdom, but died m the second year
of Ms reign.
Chap. VI. — Wortiporius, being declared king, conquers the Saxons.
After Conan succeeded Wortiporius, against whom the
Saxons made insurrection, and brought over their countrymen
from Germany in a very great fleet. But he gave them
battle and came off with victory, so that he obtained the
monarchy of the whole Mngdom, and governed the people
carefuUy and peacefuUy four years.
Chap. VII. — Malgo, king of Britain, and a most graceful person, addicts
himself to sodomy.
After Mm succeeded Malgo, one of the handsomest of
men in Britain, a great scourge of tyrants, and a man of
great strength, extraordinary munificence, and matcMess
valour, but addicted very much to the detestable vice of
sodomy, by which he made himseU abominable to God. He

*.». 577.] Geoffrey's apostrophe to the people. 2?3
lalso possessed the whole island, to which, after a cruel war,
he added the six provincial islands, viz. Ireland, Iceland^
Gothland, the Orkneys, Norway, and Dacia.
Chap. VIII. — Britain, in the flame of a civil war under king Careticus, is
miserably wasted by the Saxons and Africans.
After Malgo succeeded Careticus, a lover of civil war, and
hateful to God and to the Britons. The Saxons, discovering
Ms fickle disposition, went to Ireland for Gormund, king of
the Africans, who had arrived there with a very great
fleet, and had subdued that country. From thence, at
their traitorous instigation, he sailed over into Britain,
wMch the perfidious Saxons in one part, in another the
Britons by their continual wars among themselves were
whoUy laying waste. Entering therefore into alliance
with the Saxons, he made war upon Mng Careticus, and
after several battles fought, drove him from city to city, till
at length he forced Mm to Cirecester, and there besieged
Mm. Here Isembard, the nephew of Lewis, king of the
Franks, came and made a league of amity with him, and out
of respect to Mm renounced the Christian faith, on condition
that he would assist Mm to gain the kingdom of Gaul from
his uncle, by whom, he said, he was forcibly and unjustly
expelled out of it. At last, after taking and burning the
city, he had another fight with Careticus, and made Mm flee
beyond the Severn into Wales. He then made an utter
devastation of the country, set fire to the adjacent cities,
and continued these outrages until he had almest burned
up the whele surface of the island from the one sea to
the other ; so that the tiUage was everywhere destroyed,
and a general destruction made of the husbandmen and
clergy, with fire and sword. TMs terrible calamity caused
the rest to flee wMthersoever they had any hopes of
safety. Chap. IX. — The author upbraids the Britons.
" Why fooUsh nation ! oppressed with the weight of your
abominable wickedness, why did you, in your insatiable
thirst after civil wars, so weaken yourself by domestic con
fusions, that whereas formerly you brought distant kingdoms
under your yoke, now, Uke a good vineyard degenerated and
T

274 GEOFFREY'S BRITISH HISTORY. [book xi. ch. 1C,
turned to bitterness, you cannot defeni your country, your
wives, and cMldren, against your enemies ? Go on, go on
in your civil dissensions, Uttle understanding the saying in
the Gospel, ' Every kingdom divided against itself shaU be
brought to desolation, and a house divided against itself shall
fall.' Since then your kingdom was divided against itself ;
since the rage of civil discord, and the fumes of envy, have
darkened your minds, since your pride would not suffer you
to pay obedience to pne king ; you see, therefore, your coun
try made desolate by impious pagans, and your houses faffing
one upon another ; wMch shaU be the cause of lasting sor
row to your posterity. For the barbarous Uonesses shati see
their whelps enjoying the towns, cities, and other possessions
of your cMldren ; from wMch they shaU be miserably ex
pelled, and hardly if ever recover their former flourishing
state," Chap. H..y-Loegria is again inhabited by the Saxons. The Britons, with
their bishops, retire into Cornwall and Wales.
But to return to the Mstory; when the inhuman tyrant,
with many thousands of his Africans, had made a devastation
almost over the whole island, he yielded up the greater part
of it, called Loegria. to the Saxons, whose viUamy had been
the occasion of his arrival. Therefore the remamder of the
Britons retired into the western parts of the Mngdom, that
is, Cornwati and Wales ; from whence they contmuaUy
made frequent and fierce irruptions upon the enemy. The
tMee archbishops, viz. the archbishop of Legions, Theon of
Lpndpn, and Thadipcus pf Yprk, when they beheld aU the
churches in their jurisdictien lying level with the ground,
fled with aU the clergy that remained after sp great a de-
structicn, to the coverts of the woods in Wales, carrymg
with them the relics of the saints, for fear the sacred bones
of so many holy men of old might be destroyed by the bar
barians, if they should leave them in that imminent danger,
and themselves instantly suffer martyrdom. Many more
went over in a great fleet into Armorican Britain ; so that
the whole church of the two provinces, Loegria and North
umberland, had its convents destroyed. But these things I
shall relate elsewhere, when I translate the book concernmg
their banishment.

a.d.596.] ARRIVAL OF ST. AUGUSTINE, 275
Chap. XI. — The Britons lose their kingdom.
For a long time after this the Britons were dispossessed
of the crown of the Mngdom, and the monarchy of the
island, and made no endeavours to recover their ancient
dignity ; but even that part of the country which yet
remained to them, being subject not to one king, but three
tyrants, was often wasted by civil wars. But neither did
the Saxons yet obtain the crown, but were also subject to
tMee kings, who harassed sometimes one another, sometimes
the Britons.

Chap. XII,— Augustine, being sent by pope Gregory into Britain,
preaches the gospel to the Angles.
In the meantime Augustine was sent by pope Saint Gregory
into Britain, to preach the word of God to the Angles, who,
being blinded with pagan superstition, had entirely extin
guished Christianity in that part of the island which they
possessed. But among the Britons, the Christian faith still
flourished, and never failed among them from the time of
pope Eleutherius, when it was first planted here. But when
Augustine came, he found in their province seven bishoprics
and an archbishopric, all filled with most devout prelates, and
a great number of abbeys ; by wMch the flock of Christ was
stiU kept in good order. Among the rest, there was in the
city of Bangor a most noble church, in wMch it is reported
there was so great a number of monks, that when the
monastery was divided into seven parts, having each their
priors over them, not one of them had less than three
hundred monks, who all lived by the labour of their own
hands. The name of their abbat was Dinooth, a man
admirably skiUed in the Uberal arts ; who, when Augustine
required the subjection of the British bishops, and would
have persuaded them to undertake the work of the gospel
with Mm among the Angles, answered him with several
arguments, that they owed no subjection to him, neither
would they preach to their enemies ; since they had their
own archbishop, and because the Saxon nation persisted in
depriving them of their country. For this reason they
esteemed them their mortal enemies, reckoned their faith
I 2

276 Geoffrey's British history. [book h. ch. ij
and religion as nothing, and would no more communicate
with the Angles than with dogs.
Chap. XIII. — Ethelfrid kills a great number of the British monks, but is
at last routed by the Britons.
Therefore Ethelbert, king of Kent, when he saw that the
Britons disdained subjection to Augustine, and despised Ms
preaching, was Mghly provoked, and stirred up Ethelfrid,
Mng of the Northumbrians, and the other petty Mngs of the
Saxons, to raise a great army, and march to the city of
Bangor, to destroy the abbat Dinooth, and the rest of the
clergy who held them in contempt. At Ms instigation,
therefore, they assembled a prodigious army, and in their
march to the province of the Britons, came to Legecester,
where Brocmail, consul of the city, was awaiting their
coming. To the same city were come innumerable monks
and hermits from several provinces of the Britons, but
especially from the city of Bangor, to pray for the safety
of their people. Whereupon EtheUrid, Mng of the Nor
thumbrians, coUecting aU Ms forces, joined battle with
Brocmail, who, having a less army to withstand Mm, at
last quitted the city and fled, though not without havmg
> made a great slaughter of the enemy. But EtheUrid, when
he had taken the city, and understood upon what occasion
the mpnks were come thither, commanded Ms men to turn
their arms first against them ; and so two hundred of them
were honoured with the crown of martyrdom, and admitted
into the kingdom of heaven that same day. From thence
this Saxcn tyrant proceeded on his march to Bangor ; but
upon the news of Ms outrageous madness, the leaders of the
Britons, viz. Blederic, duke of Cornwall, Margaduc, Mng
of the Demetians, and Cadwan, of the Venedotians, came
from all parts to meet Mm, anS joimng battle with Mm,
wounded Mm, and forced Mm to flee ; and ktiled of his
army to the number of ten thousand and sixty-six men. On
the Britons' side fell Blederic, duke of Cornwall, who was
their commander in those wars.

a. D. 608—620.] CADWAN AND ETHELFRID DIVIDE BRITAIN. 277

BOOK XII.
Chap. I. — Cadwan acquires by treaty all Britain on this side of the Hum
ber, and Ethelfrid the rest.
After this all the princes of the Britons met together at
the city of Legecester, and consented to make Cadwan their
Mng, that under his command they might pursue EtheUrid
beyond the Humber. Accordingly, as soon as he was
crowned, they flocked together from all parts, and passed the
Humber ; of wMch when Ethelfrid received intelligence, he
entered into a confederacy with all the Saxon kings, and
went to meet Cadwan. At last, as they were forming their
troops for a battle, their friends came, and made peace
between them on these terms : that Cadwan should enjoy
that part of Britain wMchties on tMs side of the Humber, and
Ethelfrid that wMch is beyond it. As soon as they had
confirmed tMs agreement with an oath made to their
hostages, there ccmmenced such a friendsMp between them,
that they had aU tMngs common. In the meantime it
happened, that EtheUrid banished Ms own wife and married
another, and bore so great a hatred to her that was bamshed,
that he would not suffer her to Uve in the kmgdom of
Northumberland, Whereupon she, being with cMld, went
to Mng Cadwan, that by his mediation she might be restored
to her husband. But when Ethelfrid could by no means be
brought to consent to it, she continued to Uve with Cadwan,
tUl she was deUvered of the son which she had conceived.
A short time after her deUvery, Cadwan also had a son born
to Mm by the queen, Ms wife. Then were the two boys
brought up together in a manner suitable to their royal
birth, one of wMch was caUed Cadwalla, the other Edwin,
When they were nearly arrived at men's estate, their parents
sent them to Salomon, king of the Armorican Britons, that
in Ms court they might learn the discipline of war, and other
princely quaUfications. TMs prince, therefore, received them
graciously, and admitted them to an intimacy with him ; so
that there was none of their age in the whole court, that had
a free access, or more familiarly discoursed with the king
than they. At last he himself was an eye-witness of their

278 GEOFFREY'S BRITISH HISTORY. [book xii. ch.J.
exploits against the enemy, in wMch they very much signa«
lized their valour-.

Chap. II. — Cadwalla breaks the covenant he had made With Edwin,
In process of time, when their parents were dead, they
returned to Britain, where they took upon them the
government of the Mngdom, and began to form the same
friendship as their fathers. Two years after this, Edwm
asked leave of' Cadwalla to wear a crown, and to celebrate
the same selemmties, as had been used pf old m Northum
berland. And when they had begun a treaty upon tMs
subject by the river Duglas, that the matter might be
adjusted according to the advice of their wise counseUers ;
it happened that CadwaUa was lying en the pther side of the
river in the lap of a certain nephew of Ms, whpse name was
Brian. WMle ambassadors were negotiating between them,
Brian wept, and shed tears so plentifuUy, that the Mng's face
and beard were wet with them. The Mng, imagining that
it rained, lifted up his face, and seeing the ypung man in
tears, asked him the eccasion of such sudden grief. " Good
reason," said he, " have I to weep continuaUy, as weU as the
whole British nation, wMch has groaned under the oppression
of barbarians ever since the time of Malgo, and has not yet
got a prince, to restore it to its ancient flourishmg state. And
even the Uttle honour that it had left, is lessened by your
indulgence ; since the Saxons, who are only strangers, and
always traitors to our country, must now be permitted to
wear the same crown as you do. For when once they shaU
attam to regal dignity, it wtil be a great addition to their
glory in the country from whence they came. ; and they wiU
the sooner invite over their countrymen, for the utter extirp'-
ation of our race. For they have been always accustomed
to treachery, and never to keep faith with any ; wMch I
think should be a reason for our keepmg them under, and
not for exalting them. When Mng Vortigern first retained
them in his service, they made a show of Uving peaceably,
and fighting for our country, till they had an opportunity of
practising their wickedness ; and then they returned evil for
good, betrayed him, and made a cruel massacre of the people
of the kingdom. Afterwards they betrayed AureUus Am-

ad. 630.] EDWIN CONQUERS CADWALLA. 279
brosius, to whom, even after the most tremendous Oaths
of fidelity, at a banquet with Mm they gave a draught
of poison. They also betrayed Arthur, when, setting aside
the covenant by wMch they were bound, they joined with
his nephew Modred, and fought against Mm. Lastly, they
broke faith with Mng Careticus, and brought upon him
Gormund, king of the Africans, by whose disturbances our
people were robbed of their country, and the king disgrace-
fuUy driven out.
Chap. III. — A quarrel between Cadwalla and Edwin.
At the mention of these tMngs, Cadwalla repented of enter
ing into this treaty, and sent word to Edwin that he could
by no means induce his counseUors to consent to Ms petition.
Por they aUeged that it was contrary to law and the ancient
estabUshment, that an island, which has always had no more
than one crown, should be now under subjection to two
crowned heads. This message incensed Edwin, and made
Mm break off the conference, and retire into Northumber
land, saying, he would be crowned without Cadwalla's
leave. When Cadwalla was told this, he declared to him
by his ambassadors that he would cut off his crowned head,
if he presumed to wear a crown witMn the kingdom of
Britain.
Chap. IV. — Cadwalla is vanquished by Edwin, and driven out of the
kingdom.
This proved the occasion of a war between them, in which,
after several engagements between their men, they at last
met together themselves beyond the Humber, and had a
battle, wherein Cadwalla lost many thousands of his fol
lowers, and was put to flight.* From hence he marched
with precipitation through Albama, and went over to Ireland.
But Edwin, after tMs victory, led Ms army through the pro
vmces of the Britons, and burning the cities before him, griev
ously afflicted the citizens and country people. During tMs
exercise of Ms cruelty, CadwaUa never ceased endeavouring
to return back to his country in a fleet, but without success ;
because to whatever port he steered, Edwin met Mm with
his forces, and Mndered Ms landing. For there was Come to
• See Malmesbury's Hist, of the Kings, p. 46.

280 Geoffrey's British history. [book xr. ch. t.
him from Spain a very skilful soothsayer, named PelUtus,
who, by the flight of birds and the courses of the stars,
foretold all the disasters that would happen.. By these
means Edwin, getting knowledge of Cadwalla's return, pre^
pared to meet him, and shattered Ms ships so that he drowned
his men, and beat him off from all his ports. Cadwalla, not
knowing what course to take, was almost in despair of ever
returning. At last it came into Ms head tc gp to Salpmon,
king pf the Armorican Britons, and desire his assistance and,
advice, to enable Mm to return to Ms Mngdom. And so, as
he was steering towards Armorica, a strong tempest rose on
a sudden, which dispersed the ships of Ms compamons, and
in a short time left no two of them together. The pUot of
the king's ship was seized immediately with so great a fear,
that qMtting the stern, he left the vessel to the disposal of
fortune ; so that all that night it was tossed up and down in
great danger by the raging waves. The next morning they
arrived at a certain island called Garnareia, where with
great difficulty they got ashore. CadwaUa was forthwith
seized with such grief for the loss of Ms companions, that
for tMee days and nights together he refused to eat, but lay
sick upon his, bed. The fourth day he was taken with a very
great longing for some venison, and causing Brian to be
called, made him acquainted with it. Whereupon Brian
took his bow and quiver, and went tMough the island, that
if he could light on any wild beast, he might make booty of
it. And when he had walked over the whole'island without
finding what he was in quest of, he was extremely concerned
that he could not gratify Ms master's desire ; and was afraid
Ms sickness would prove mortal if his longing were not
satisfied. He, therefore, fell upon a new device, and cut a
piece of flesh out of his own thigh, which he roasted upon a
spit, and carried to the king for venison. The Mng, think-.
ing it to be real venison, began to eat of it to Ms great re-?
freshment, admiring the sweetness of it, wMch he fancied
exceeded any flesh he ever had tasted before. At last, when
he had fully satisfied his appetite, he became more cheerful,
and in three days was perfectly weU again. Then the wind
standing fair, he got ready his ship, and hoisting sails
they pursued their voyage, and arrived at the city Ki-
daleta. From thence they went tc king Salpmpn, by

a.o.031.] SPEECH OF KING SALOMON. 281
whom they were received kindly and with aU suitable re
spect ; and as soon as he had learned the occasion of their
coming, he made them a promise of assistance, and spoke to
them as foUows.
Chap. V. — The speech of Salomon, king of Armorica, to Cadwalla.
" It is a grief to us, noble youths, that the country of your
ancestors is oppressed by a barbarous nation, and that you
are ignommiously driven out of it. But since other men are
able to defend their Mngdoms, it is a wonder your people
should lose so fruitful an island, and not be able to with
stand the nation of the Angles, whom our countrymen hold
in contempt. WMle the people of this country Uved toge
ther with yours in Britain, they bore sway over all the pro-?
vincial kingdoms, and never could be subdued by any nation
but the Romans. Neither did the Romans do this by their
Own power, as I have been lately informed, but by a dissen
sion among the nobiUty of the island. And even the
Romans, though they held it under their subjection for a
time, yet upon the loss and slaughter of their rulers, were
driven out with disgrace. But after the Britons came into
tMs province under the conduct of Maximian and Conan,
those that remained never had the happiness afterwards of
holding an umnterrupted possession of the crown. For
though many of their princes maintained the ancient dignity
of their ancestors, yet their weak heirs that succeeded,
though more in number, entirely lost it, upon the invasion
of their enemies. Therefore I am grieved for the weakness
of your people, since we are of the same race with you, and
the name of Britons is common to you, and to the nation that
bravely defends their country, wMch you see at war with all
its neighbours." Chap. VI, — Cadwalla's answer to Salomon.
When he had concluded his speech, Cadwalla, who was a
Uttle put to the blush, answered him after this manner :
"Royal sir, whose descent is from a race of Mngs, I give
you many thanks for your promise of assisting me to recover
my Mngdom, But what you say is a wonder, that my people
have not maintained the dignity of their ancestors, since the

282 Geoffrey's British history. [book m, on. «.
time that the Britons came to these provinces, I am far from
tMnking to be such. Fer the npblest men ef the whole
Mngdom followed those leaders, and there remained only the
baser sort to enjoy their honours ; who being raised to a
Mgh quality, on a sudden were puffed up above their sta
tion ; and growing wanton with riches gave themselves up to
commit such formcation as is not so much as named among the
Gentiles ; and (as Gildas the historian testifies) were not only-
guilty of this vice, but of aU the enormities that are mcident
to human nature. And what cMefly prevailed, to the entire
overthrew of aU goodness, was the hatred of truth with its
assertors, the love of a Ue with the Mventors of it, the em
bracing of evil for good, the veneration of -wickedness for
grace, the receiving of Satan for an angel of Ught. Kings
were anointed, not for the sake of God, but such as were
more cruel than the rest ; and were soon after murdered by
their anointers, without examination, having chosen others
yet more cruel in their room, But if any of them showed
any mildness, or seemed a favourer of truth, agamst Mm, as
the subverter of Britain, were aU their matice and their
weapons bent. In short, tMngs pleasmg to God or displeas
ing, with them had the same weight, even if the worse were
not the weightier. Therefore were aU affairs managed con
trary to pubUc safety, as if the true physician of all had left
them destitute of cure. And thus was every tiling done
without discretion, and that not only by secular men, but by
the Lord's flock and its pastors. Therefore it is not to be
wpndered, that such a degenerate race, so odious to Gpd for
their vices, lost a country wMch they had so heinously cor
rupted. For God was wiUing to execute Ms vengeance upon
them, by suffering a foreign people to come upon them, and
drive them out of their possessipns. Notwithstanding it
wpuld be a werthy act, if Gpd wpuld permit it, tp restore
our subjects to their ancient digmty, te prevent the reproach
that may be thrown uppn pur race, that we were weak
rulers, who did npt exert purselves in pur own defence*
And I dc the more freely ask your assistance, as you are of
the same blood with us. For the great Malgo, whp was the
fourth king pf Britain after Arthur, had two sons, named
Ennianus and Runo; EnManUs begot Behn ; BeUn, Jago ;
Jago, Cadwan, whp was my father. Runo, who, after Ms

A.D630-] DEATH OF EDWIN'S MAGICIAN. 283
brother's death, was driven out by the Saxons, came to tMs
province and bestowed his daughter on duke Hoel, the son
of that great Hoel who shared with Arthur in his conquests.
Of her was born Alan ; of Alan, Hoel your father, who
wMle he Uved was a terror to aU Gaul."
Chap. VII. — Brian kills Edwin's magician.
In the meantime, wMle he was spending the winter with
Salomon, they entered into a resolution, that Brian should
pass over into Britain, and take some method to kill Edwin's
magician, lest he might by his usual art inform him of Cad-
walla's coming. And when with tMs design he had arrived
at Hamo's Port, he took upon Mm the habit of a poor man,
and made MmseU a staff of iron sharp at the end, with
wMch he might MU the magician if he should happen to
meet with him. From thence he weht to York, where Ed-
wm then resided; and having entered that city joined him
seU to the poor people that waited for alms before the king's
gate. But as he was going to and fro, it happened that Ms
sister came out of the haU, with a basin in her hand, to
fetch water for the queen. She had been taken by Edwin
at the city of Worcester, when after CadwaUa's flight he
was acting Ms hostiUties upon the provinces of the Britons.
As she was therefore passing by Brian, he immediately knew
her, and, breaking forth into tears, called to her with a low
voice ; at which the damsel turning her face, was in doubt at
first who it could be, but upon a nearer approach discovered
it to be her brother, and was near falUng into a swoon, for
fear that he might by some unlucky accident be known and
taken by the enemy. She therefore refrained from saluting
him, or entering mto famiUar discourse with him, but told
Mm, as if she was talking upon some other subject, the
state of the court, and showed him the magician, that he
was inquiring for, who was at that very time waUting among
the poor people, wMle the alms were being* distributed
among them. Brian, as soon as he had taken knowledge of
the man, ordered Ms sister to steal out privately from her
apartment the night foUowing, and come to Mm near an old
church without the city, where he would conceal MmseU in
expectation of her. Then dismissing her, he thrust MmseU
in among the crowd of poor people, in that part where Pel-

284 Geoffrey's British history. [book xn. ch. a
Utus was placing them. And the same moment he got
access to him, he Ufted up his staff, and at once gave Mm a
stab under the breast wMch MUed Mm. This done, he tMew
away his staff, and passed among the rest undistinguished
and unsuspected by any of the by-standers, and by good pro->
vidence got to the place of concealment wMch he had ap
pointed. His sister, when night came on, endeavoured all
she could to get out, but was not able ; because Edwin, bemg
terrified at the killing of PeUitus, had set a strict watch
about the court, who, making a narrow search, refused to let
her go out. When Brian found tMs, he retired from that
place, and went to Exeter, where he caUed together the
Britons, and told them what he had done. Afterwards hav-.
ing despatched away messengers to Cadwalla, he fortified
that city, and sent word to aU the British nobility, that they
should bravely defend their cities and towns, and joyfuUy
expect Cadwalla's coming to their reUef in a short time with
auxiUary forces from Salomon. Upon the spreading of this
news over the whole island, Penda, Mng of the Mercians,
with a very great army of Saxons, came to Exeter, and be
sieged Brian.
Chap. VIII. — Cadwalla takes Penda, and routs his army.
In the meantime CadwaUa arrived with ten thousand men,
whom king Salomon had deUvered to Mm ; and with them
he marched straight to the siege agamst Mng Penda. But,
as he was going, he divided Ms forces into four parts, and
then made no delay to advance and join battle with the
enemy, wherein Penda was forthwith taken, and his army
routed. For, finding no other way for his own safety, he
surrendered himself to Cadwalla, and gave hostages, with a
promise that he would assist him against the Saxons. Cad
waUa, after tMs success against him, summoned together Ms
nobility, that had been a long time in a decaying state, and
marched to Northumberland against Edwin, and made con
tinual devastations in that country. When Edwin was in
formed of it, he assembled all the petty Mngs of the An "les,
and meeting the Britons in a field caUed Heathfield,* presently
gave them battle, but was killed, and almost all the people
See Bede's Eccles. Hist. p. 106,

a.d. 634-642.] CADWALLA'S CONQUESTS. 285
with Mm, together with Osfrid, his son, and Godbold, Mng
of the Orkneys, who had come to their assistance.
Chap. IX. — Cadwalla kills Osric arid Aidan in fight.
Having thus obtained the victory, Cadwalla marched through
the provinces of the Angles, and committed such outrages
upon the Saxons, that he neither spared age nor sex ; for Ms
resolution being to extirpate the whole race out of Britain,
aU that he found he put to extreme tortures; After this he
had a battle with Osric, Edwin's successor, and killed him
together with his two nephews, who ought to have reigned
after him. He also MUed Aidan, Mng of the Scots, who
came to their assistance.
Chap. X. — Oswald routs Penda in fight, but is killed by Cadwalla coming
in upon him.
Their deaths made room for Oswald to succeed to the Mng*
dom of Northumberland ; but CadwaUa drove Mm, with the
rest that had given him disturbance, to the very wall wMch
the emperor Severus had formerly buUt between Britain and
Scotland. Afterwards he sent Penda, king of the Mercians,
and the greatest part of his army, to the same place, to give
Mm battle. But Oswald, as he was besieged one night by
Penda, in the place called Heavenfield, that is, the Heavenly
Field,* set up there our Lord's cross, and commanded Ms
men to speak with a very loud voice these words : " Let us
aU kneel down, and pray the Almighty, living and true
God, to defend us from the proud army of the king of Britain,
and Ms wicked leader Penda. For he knows how justly we
wage tMs war for the safety of our people." They all there
fore did as he commanded them, and advanced at break of
day against the enemy, and by their faith gained the victory.
Cadwalla, upon hearing this news, being inflamed with rage,
assembled Ms army, and went in pursuit of the holy king
Oswald ; and in a battle which he had with Mm at a place
called Burne, Penda broke in upon Mm and ktiled him.
Chap. XL — Oswy submits to Cadwalla. Penda desires leave of Cadwalla
to make war against him.
Oswald, with many thousands of his men, being kUled, Ms
brother Oswy succeeded him in the Mngdom of Northumber*
• See Bede's Eccles. Hist. p. 110.

286 Geoffrey's British history. [book xu. ch. 12.
land,* and by maMng large presents of gold and stiver to
Cadwalla, who was now possessed of the government of ati
Britain, made Ms peace and submission to him. Upon this
Alfrid, his brother, and EthelwalrLt Ms brother's son, began
an insurrection ; but, not being able to hold out against him,
they fled to Penda, king of the Mercians, desiring him tp
assemble Ms army and pass the Humber with them, that he
might deprive Oswy of his kingdom. But Penda, fearing to
break the peace, which CadwaUa had settled tMough the
Mngdom of Britain, deferred beginning any disturbance witM
out Ms leave, tiU he could some way work Mm up, either to
make war MmseU upon Oswy, or allow him the Uberty of
doing it. At a certain Pentecost therefore, when CadwaUa
was celebrating that festival at London, and for the greater
solemnity wore the crown of Britain, aU the kings of the
Angles, excepting only Oswy, being present, as also aU the
dukes of the Britons ; Penda went to the Mng, and mquired
of Mm the reason, why Oswy alone was wanting, when aU
the princes of the Saxons were present. CadwaUa answered,
that his sicMiess was the cause of it ; to wMch the other
replied, that he had sent over to Germany for more Saxons,
to revenge the death of Ms brother Oswald upon them both
He told Mm further, that he had broken the peace of the
kingdom, as bemg the sole author of the war and dissension
among them ; since EtheUrid, king of Northumberland, and
Ethelwald, Ms brother's son, had been by Mm harassed with
a war, and driven out of their own country. He also desired
leave, either to MU Mm, or banish him the kingdom.
Chap. XII. — Cadwalla is advised to suffer Penda to make an insurrection
against Oswy.
This matter caused the king to enter upon much deUberation,
and hold a private consultation with his intimate friends,
what course to take. Among the rest that offered their pro
posals, Margadud, king of the Dimetians, spoke as foUows :
— " Rpyal sir, since ypu have proposed to expel the race of
the Angles from the ceasts pf Britain, why dp ypu after ypur
resplutipn, and suffer them to cpntinue in peace ameng us ?
At least yeu shpuld permit them to faU out among them-
• Or Bernicia, see Bede, p. 131. t Who reigned over the Deiri.

a.d, 642.] KING CAPWALLA's DEATH, 287
selves, and let our country owe its deliverance to their own
civil broils. No faith is to be kept with one that is treach
erous, and is continually laying snares for Mm to whom he
owes fidelity. Such have the Saxons always been to our
nation, from the very first time of their coming among us.
What faith ought we to keep with them ? Let Penda imme
diately have leave to go against Oswy, that by this civil dis
sension and destruction of one another, our island may get
rid of them. Chap. XIII, — Penda is killed by Oswy. Cadwalla dies.
By these and other words to the same effect, Cadwalla was
prevailed upon to grant the permission desired. And Penda,
having assembled a vast army, went to the Humber, and
laying waste that country, began a fierce war upon the king.
Oswy was at last reduced to such extremity, that he was
forced to promise Mm innumerable royal ornaments, and
other presents more than one would beUeve, if he would
desist from ruining his country, and return home without
committing any more hostiUties. But when the other could
by no entreaties be prevailed upon to do it, the king, in hopes
of divine assistance, though he had a less army, however,
gave Mm battle near the River Winwid, and having killed
Penda and thirty other commanders, gained the victory.
Penda's son WuUred, by a grant from Cadwalla, succeeded
to the kingdom, and joining with Eafa and. Eadbert, two
leaders of the Mercians, rebeUed against Oswy ; but at last,
by CadwaUa's command, made peace with hhn. At length,
after forty-eight years were expired, that most noble and
potent Mng of the Britons, CadwaUa, being grown infirm with
age and sickness, departed tMs life upon the fifteenth before
the kalends of December. The Britons embahned his body,
and placed it with wonderful art in a brazen statue, which
was cast according to the measure of his stature. This
statue they set up with complete armour, on an admirable and
beautiful brazen horse, over the western gate of London, for
a monument of the above-mentioned victory, and for a terror
to the Saxons. They also built under it a church in honour
of St. Martin, in wMch divine ceremonies are celebrated for
Mm and the others who departed in the faith.

288 Geoffrey's British history, [book xii. ch.14.is
Chap. XTf .—Cadwallader succeeds Cadwalla.
He was succeeded in the Mngdom by Cadwallader,* Ms son,
Whom Bede calls the youth EUdwalda. At first he mam^
tained the government with peace and honour ; but after
twelve years* enjoyment of the crown, he fell into a fit of
sickness, and a civil war broke out among the Britons. His
mother was Penda's sister, by the same father but a different
mother, descended from the noble race of the Gewisseans;
For CadwaUa, after Ms reconciUation with her brother, made
her the partner of Ms bed, and had CadwaUader by her.
Chap. XV. — The Britons are compelled, by pestilence and famine, to leave
Britain. Cadwallader's lamentation.
During his sickness, the Britons, (as we said before,) quar-
relUng among themselves, made a wicked destruction of a
rich country 5 and tMs again was attended with another mis
fortune. For tMs besotted people was puMshed with a
grievous and memorable fantine ; so that every provmce was
destitute of aU sustenance, except what could be taken m
hunting. After the famine foUowed a terrible pestilence,
wMch in a short time destroyed such multitudes of people,
that the Uving were not sufficient to bury the dead. Those
of them that remamed, flying their country m whole troops
together, went to the countries beyond the sea, and while
they were under sail, they with a mournful howtihg voice
sang, " Thou hast given us, O God, Uke sheep appointed for
meat, and hast scattered us among the heathen." Also Cad
wallader Mmself, in Ms voyage, with Ms miserable fleet to
Armorica, made tMs addition to the lamentation, " Woe to
us sinners, for our grievous impieties, wherewith we have
not ceased to provoke God, wMle we had space for repent
ance. Therefore the revenge of his power Ues heavy upon
us, ahd drives us out of our native soil, wMch neither the
Romans of oldj nor the Scots or Picts afterwards, nor yet
the treacherous Saxons with aU their craft, were able to do.
But in vain have we recovered our country so often from
them ; since it was not the wtil of God that we should per-
*¦ Probably the same as Csedwalla, king of Wessex, noticed by Bede
and the Saxon Chronicle, although the British and Saxon authorities differ
in their genealogical statements.

a.d. 689.] SAXONS POSSESS ALL BRITAIN. 289
petually hold the government of it. He who is the true Judge,
when he saw we were by no means to be reclaimed from our
wickedness, and that no human power could expel our race,
was wilting to chastise our foUy Mmself ; and has turned his
anger against us, by which we are driven out in crowds
from our native country. Return, therefore, ye Romans ;
return, Scots and Picts ; return, Ambrons and Saxons : be
hold, Britain Ues open to you, being by the wrath of God
made desolate, wMch you were never able to do. It is not
your valour that expels us ; but the power of the supreme
KMg, whom we have never ceased to provoke."
Chap. XVI. — Cadwallader with his people goes to Alan. The Saxons
seize all Britain.
With these dolorous complaints he arrived at the Armorican
coast, and went with Ms whole company to Mng Alan, the
nephew of Salomon by whom he was honourably received. So
that BritaM, being now destitute of its ancient inhabitants, ex
cepting a few in Wales that escaped the general mortaUty,
became a frightful place even to the Britons themselves for
eleven years after. Neither was it at the same time more
favourable to the Saxons, who died in it without intermission.
Notwithstanding the remainder of them, after this raging
plague was ceased, according to their old custom sent word
over to their countrymen, that the island of Britain was now
freed of its native inhabitants, and lay open to them, if they
would come over and inhabit it. As soon as they had re
ceived tMs information, that odious people, gathering together
an innumerable multitude of men and women, arrived in
Northumberland, and inhabited the provinces that lay deso
late from Albania to Cornwall. For there was now nobody
to Mnder them, excepting the poor remains of the Britons,
who continued together in the thickets of the woods in Wales.
From that time the power of the Britons ceased in the island,
and the Angles began their reign. *
Chap. XVII. — Cadwallader is by the voice of an angel deterred from
returning to Britain.
After some time, when the people had recovered strength,
Cadwallader, being mindful of his kingdom, which was now
free from the contagion of the pestilence, desired assistance
u

290 Geoffrey's British history, [book xn. ch. is.
of Alan towards the recovery of his dominions. The Mng
granted his request ; but as he was getting ready a fleet, he
was commanded by the loud voice of an angel to desist from
his enterprise. For God was not wiUing that the Britons
should reign any longer in the island, before the time came of
wMch MerUn propheticaUy foretold Arthur. It also com
manded Mm to go to Rome to pope Sergius, where, after
doing penance, he should be enrolled among the samts. It
told Mm withal, that the Britons, by the merit of their faith,
should again recover the island, when the time decreed for
it was come. But tMs would not be accompUshed before
they should be possessed of Ms reUques, and transpprt them
from Rpme into Britain. At the same time also the reUques
of the other saints should be found, wMch had been Mdden
on account of the invasion of pagans ; and then at last would
they recover their lost kingdom. When the holy prince had
received the heaveMy message, he went straight to Mng Alan,
and gave him an account of what had been told him.
Chap. XVIII. — Cadwallader goes to Rome and dies.
Then Alan had recourse to several books, as the prophecies
of the eagle that prophesied at Shaftesbury, and the verses
of Sibyl and MerUn ; and made diUgent search M them, to
see whether the revelatien made to CadwaUader agreed with
those written pracles. And when he could find notMng
contradictory to it, he admonished CadwaUader to submit to
the divine dispensation, and laying aside the thoughts of
BritaM, perform what the angelical voice had commanded
him. But he urged Mm to send Ms son Ivor and Ms nephew
Ini over into the island, to govern the remaMder of the
Britons ; lest a nation, descended of so ancient a race, should
lose their Uberty by the incursions of barbarians. Then
Cadwallader, renouncing worldly cares for the sake of God
and Ms everlasting Mngdom, went to Rome, and was con
firmed by pope Sergius : and being seized with a sudden til-
ness, was, upon the twelfth before the kalends of May, in the
six hundred and eighty-ninth year of our Lord's incarnation
freed from the corruption of the flesh, and admitted int;o the
glories of the heavenly Mngdom.

a.d. 688.-1 Geoffrey's conclusion. 291

Chap. XIX. — The two Britons, Ivor and Ini, in vain attack the nation
of the Angles. Athelstan the first king of the Angles.
As soon as Ivor and Ini had got together their ships, they
with aU the forces they could raise, arrived in the island, and
for forty-mne years together fiercely attacked the nation of
the Angles, but to Uttle purpose. For the above-mentioned
mortahty and famine, together with the inveterate spirit of
faction that was among them, had made tMs proud people so
much degenerate, that they were not able to gain any advan
tage of the enemy. And being now also overrun with bar
barism, they were no longer caUed Britons, but Gualenses,
Welshmen ; a word derived either from Gualo their leader,
or Guales their queen, or from their barbarism. But the
Saxons managed affairs with more prudence, maintained
peace and concord among themselves, tiUed their grounds,
rebuUt their cities and towns, and so tMowing off the domi-
mon of the Britons, bore sway over all Loegria, under their
leader Athelstan, who first wore a crown amongst them.
But the Welshmen, being very much degenerated from the
nobility of the Britons, never after recovered the monarchy
of the island ; on the contrary, by quarrels among themselves,
and wars with the Saxons, their country was a perpetual
scene of misery and slaughter.
Chap. XX. — Geoffrey of Monmouth's conclusion.
But as for the Mngs that have succeeded among them in
Wales, since that time, I leave the history of them to Cara
doc of Lancarvan, my contemporary ; as I do also the Mngs
of the Saxons to WUUam of Malmesbury, and Henry of
Huntingdon. But I advise them to be silent concermng the
kings ofthe Britons,* since they have not that book written
* This advice might be thought judicious, if we could be persuaded of
the authenticity of Geoffrey's cherished discovery, but there, are lamentable
defects, of a grave character, attending upon this British volume.
1. It was first made known six hundred years after the events which it
relates. 2. No MS. copy is now in existence, nor any record of its ever having
Been multiplied by transcription.
3. It relates stories utterly at variance with acknowledged history.
4. It abounds in miraculous stories, which, like leaven, ferment and cor
rupt the whole mass. 1-2

292 Geoffrey's British history. [bookxui.ch. 20.
in the British tongue, which Walter, archdeaccn pf Oxford,
brought out of Brittany, and which being a true history,
pubUshed in henpur of those princes, I have thus taken care
to translate.
5. It labours under great suspicion from the mendacious character of
the people, whose credit it was written to support.
With these remarks we leave the work to the consideration of the reader,
who may compare it, if he likes, with the Chronicles of Gildas and Nen
nius, which form the next portions of this volume.

THE
WORKS OF GILDAS,

SURNAMED

"SAPIENS," OR THE WISE.

THE
WORKS OF GILDAS,

SURNAMED

"SAPIENS," OR THE WISE.

I. THE PREFACE.
§ 1. Whatever in this my epistle I may write in my
humble but weU-meaning manner, rather by way of lament
ation than for display, let ne pne supppse that it springs
frpm cpntempt ef pthers, pr that I fppUsMy esteem myseU
as better than they ; — fer, alas ! the subject pf my cpmplaint i,
is the general destructicn pf every tMng that is gepd, and ,
the general growth pf evil tMpughout the land ; — but that I
would condole with my country in her distress and rejoice to
see her revive therefrem : for it is my present purpese to
relate the deeds of an indolent and slothful race, rather than
the exploits of those who have been valiant in the field.* I
have kept silence, I confess, with much mental anguish,
compunction of feeUng and contrition of heart, wMlst I
revolved aU these tMngs witMn myseU; and, as God the
searcher of the reins is witness, for the space of even ten
years or more, [ | my inexperience, as at present also, and
my unwortMness preventmg me from taMng upon myself
the character of a censor. But I read how the iUustrious
* Notwithstanding this remark of Gildas, the Britons must have shown
great bravery and resolution in their battles against the Saxons, or they
would not have resisted their encroachments so long. When Gildas was
writing, a hundred years had elapsed, and the Britons still possessed a large
portion of their native country.
t All that follows, enclosed within brackets, up to page 298, is omitted
in some copies.

296 the works of gildas. Ism. i
lawgiver, for one word's doubting, was not aUowed to enter
the desired land ; that the sons of the Mgh-priest, for placing
strange fire upon God's altar, were cut off by a speedy death;
that God's people, for breaking the law of God, save two
only, were slain by wild beasts, by fire and sword M the
deserts of Arabia, though God had so loved them that he
had made a way for them tMough the Red Sea, had fed
them with bread from heaven, and water from the rock, and
by the Ufting up of a hand merely had made their armies
invincible ; and then, when they had crossed the Jordan
and entered the unknown land, and the walls of the city
had fallen down flat at the sound only of a trumpet, the
taking ef a clpak and a little gpld frpm the accursed tMngs
caused the deaths of many : and again the breach of their
treaty with the Gibeenites, thpugh that treaty had been
pbtained by fraud, brought destructien uppn many ; and I
took warning from the sins of the people wMch caUed down
upon them the reprehensions of the prophets and also of
Jeremiah, with Ms fourfold Lamentations written m alpha
betic order. I saw moreover m my own time, as that prophet
also had complained, that the city had sat down lone and
widowed, which before was fuU of people ; that the queen
of nations and the prmcess of provmces (i. e. the church),
had been made tributary ; that the gold was obscured, and
the most exceUent colour (wMch is the brightness of God's
word) changed ; that the sons of Sion (t. e. of holy mother
church), once famous and clothed M the finest gold, groveUed
in dung ; and what added intolerably to the weight pf grief
ef that illustripus man, and to1 -mme, theugh but an abject,
whilst he had thus meurned them m their happy and
prosperous condition, "Her Nazarites were fairer than
snow, more ruddy than old ivory, more beautiful than the
sappMre." These and many other passages m the ancient
Scriptures I regarded as a kind of mirror of human Ufe, and
I turned also to the New, wherein I read more clearly what
perhaps to me before was dark, for the darkness fled, and
truth shed her steady Ught — I read therein that the Lord
had said, " I came not but to the lost sheep of the house
of Israel ; " and on the other hand, " But the cMldren of tMs
kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness ; there shaU
be weeping and gnasMng of teeth : " and agam, " It is not

sbc. 1.] THE PREFACE. 297
good to take the cMldren's meat and to give it to dogs : "
also, " Woe to you, scribes and pharisees, hypocrites ! " I
heard how "many shaU come from the east and the west,
and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the
Mngdom of heaven : " and on the contrary, " I wiU then say
to them, ' Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity ! '" I
read, " Blessed are the barren, and the teats which have not
given suck ; " and on the contrary, " Those, who were ready,
entered with him to the wedding ; afterwards came the ether
virgins alsp, saying ' Lprd, Lprd, open to us : ' to whom it
was answered, 'I do not know you.'" I heard, forspoth,
" Whoever shaU beUeve and be baptized, shall be saved,
but whoever shaU not beUeve shall be damned." I read
in the words of the apostle that the branch of the wild
oUve was grafted upon the good oUve, but should never
theless be cut off from the communion of the root of its
fatness, if it did not hold itself in fear, but entertained
lofty thoughts. I knew the mercy of the Lord, but I also
feared his judgment : I praised his grace, but I feared the
rendering to every man according to Ms works : perceiving
the sheep of the same fold to be different, I deservedly com
mended Peter for Ms entire confession of Christ, but called
Judas most wretched, for Ms love of covetousness : I thought
Stephen most glorious on account of the paMi of martyrdom,
but Nicholas wretched for Ms mark of unclean heresy : I
read assuredly, "They had aU tMngs common:" but Ukewise
also, as it is written, " Why have ye conspired to tempt the
Spirit of God ? " I saw, on the other hand, how much
security had grown upon the men of our time, as if there
were notMng to cause them fear. These tMngs, therefore,
and many more wMch for brevity's sake we have determined
to omit, I revolved again and again in my amazed mind with
compunction in my heart, and I thought to myself, " If God's
peculiar people, chosen from aU the people of the world, the
royal seed, and holy nation, to whom he had said, 'My first-
begotten Israel,' its priests, prophets, and Mngs, throughout
so many ages, his servant and apostle, and the members of
his primitive church, were not spared when they deviated
from the right path, what will he do to the darkness of this
our age, in which, besides all the huge and hemous sins,
wMch it has in common with aU the wicked of the world

298 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [sec. I.
committed, is found an innate, Mdelible, and irremediable
load of folly and inconstancy ?" "What, wretched man (I
say to myself) is it given to you, as if you were an Ulustrious
and learned teacher, to oppose the force of so violent a
torrent, and keep the charge committed to you against such
a series of inveterate crimes wMch has spread far and wide,
without interruption, for so many years ? Hold thy peace :
to do otherwise, is to teU the foot to see, and the hand to
speak. Britain has rulers, and she has watchmen : why dost
thou incUne thyself thus uselessly to prate ? " She has such,
I say, not too many, perhaps, but surely not too few : but,
because they are bent down and pressed beneath so heavy a
burden, they have not time aUowed them to take breath.
My senses, therefore, as if feeUng a portion of my debt and
obUgation, preoccupied themselves with such objections, and
with others yet more strong. They struggled, as I said, no
short time, in a fearful strait, whilst I read, " There is a time
for speaMng, and a time for keeping silence." At length,
the creditor's side prevaUed and bore off the victory : if
(said he) thou art not bold enough to be marked with the
comely mark of golden Uberty among the prophetic creatures,
who enjoy the rank as reasonmg beings next to the angels,
refuse not the inspiration of the understanding ass, to that
day dumb, wMch would not carry forward the tiara'd magi
cian who was going to curse God's people, but M the narrow
pass of the vineyard crushed Ms loosened foot, and thereby
felt the lash ; and though he was, with Ms ungrateful and
furious hand, against right justice, beatmg her Mnocent
sides, she pointed out to Mm the heavenly messenger holding
the naked sword, and standing in Ms way, though he had not
seen him.]
Wherefore in zeal for the house of God and for Ms holy
law, constrained either by the reasonmgs of my own thoughts,
or by the pious entreaties of my brethren, I now discharge
the debt so long exacted of me ; humble, indeed, in style,
but faithful, as I think, and friendly to aU Christ's youthful
soldiers, but severe and insupportable to fooUsh apostates ;
the former of whom, if I am not deceived, wtil receive the
same with tears flowing from God's love ; but the others with
sorrow, such as is extorted from the indignation and pusU-
lanimity of a convicted conscience.

»BC- 2, 3.] BRITAIN — ITS SITUATION. 299
§ 2. I wiU, therefore, if God be wilting, endeavour to say
a few words about the situation of Britain, her disobedience
and subjection, her rebeUion, second subjection and dreadful
slavery — of her reUgion, persecution, holy martyrs, heresies
of different Mnds — of her tyrants, her two hostile and
ravaging nations — of her first devastation, her defence, her
second devastation and second taking vengeance — of her
third devastation, of her famme, and the letters to Agitius *
— of her victory and her crimes — of the sudden rumour of
enemies— of her famous pestilence — of her counsels — of her
last enemy, far more cruel than the first — of the subversion
of her cities, and of the remnant that escaped ; and finally,
of the peace wMch, by the wiU of God, has been granted her
in these our times.

II. THE HISTORY.
§ 3. The island of Britain, situated on ahnost the utmost
border of the earth, towards the south and west, and poised
in the divine balance, as it is said, wMch supports the whole
world, stretches out from the south-west towards the north
pole, and is eight hundred miles long and two hundred
broad,* except where the headlands of sundry promontories
stretch farther Mto the sea. It is surrounded by the ocean,
wMch forms winding bays, and is strongly defended by
tMs ample, and, if I may so caU it, impassable barrier, save
on the south side, where the narrow sea affords a passage to
Belgic Gaul. It is enriched by the mouths of two noble
rivers, the Thames and the Severn, as it were two arms, by
wMch foreign luxuries were of old imported, and by other
streams of less importance. It is famous for eight and
twenty cities, and is embeltished by certain castles, with
waUs, towers, weU barred gates, and houses with tMeatening
battlements butit on Mgh, and provided with aU requisite
* Or Mtim, see page 307.
T The description of Britain is given in very nearly the same terms, by
Orosius, Bede, and others, but the numbers, denoting the length and
breadth and other dimensions, are different in almost every MS. copy.

300 THE WORKS OF GU.DAS. Ishc. 4.
instruments of defence. Its plains are spacious, its MUs are
pleasantly situated, adapted for superior tillage, and its
mountains are admirably calculated for the alternate pastur
age of cattle, where flowers of various colours, trodden by
the feet of' man, give it the appearance of a lovely picture.
It is decked, Uke a man's chosen bride, with divers jewels,
with lucid fountains and abundant brooks wandering over
the snow white sands ; with transparent rivers, flowing in
gentle murmurs, and offering a sweet pledge of slumber* to
those who recline upon their banks, wMlst it is irrigated
by abundant lakes, wMch pour forth cool torrents of refresh
ing water.
§ 4. TMs island, stiff-necked and stubborn-mmded, from
the time of its being first inhabited, ungratefuUy rebels,
sometimes against God, sometimes agamst her own citizens,
and frequently, also, against foreign kings and their subjects.
For what can there either be, or be committed, more dis
graceful or more unrighteous in human affairs, than to refuse
to show fear to God or affection to one's own countrymen, and
(without detriment to one's faith) to refuse due honour to
those of Mgher dignity, to cast off aU regard to reason.
human and divine, and, in contempt of heaven and earth, to
be guided by one's own sensual Mventions ? I shall, there
fore, omit those ancient errors common to aU the nations of
the earth, in wMch, before Christ came m the flesh, aU man
kind were bound ; nor shaU I enumerate those diaboUcal
idols of my country, wMch almost surpassed in number
those of Egypt, and of wMch we stiU see some mouldering
away witMn or without the deserted temples, with stiff and
deformed features as was customary. Nor wiU I call out upon
the mountains, fountains, or bills, or upon the rivers, which
now are subservient to the use of men, but once were an
abomination and destruction to them, and to wMch the bUnd
people paid divine honour. I shati also pass over the by
gone times of our cruel tyrants, whose notoriety was spread
over to far distant countries ; so that Porphyry, that dog who
in the east was always so fierce against the church, M Ms mad
and vain style added this also, that " Britain is a land fertile
* " Soporem" in some MSS., " saporem " in others ; it is difficult from
the turgidity and superabundance of the style to determine which is the
best meaning.

esc. 5, 6.] REBELLION OF THE BRITONS. 301
in tyrants."* I will only endeavour to relate the evils
wMch Britain suffered in the times of the Roman emperors,
and also those wMch she caused to distant states ; but so far
as Ues in my power, I shall not foUow the writings and
records of my own country, wMch (if there ever were any
of them) have been consumed in the fires of the enemy, or
have accompamed my exiled countrymen into distant lands,
but be guided by the relations of foreign writers, which,
bemg broken and interrupted in many places, are therefore
by no means clear.
§ 5. For when the rulers of Rome had obtained the
empire of the world, subdued aU the neighbouring nations
and islands towards the east, and strengthened their renown
by the first peace wMch they made with the Parthians, who
border on India, there was a general cessation from war
throughout the whole world; the fierce flame which they
Mndled could not be extinguished or checked by the Western
Ocean, but passing beyond the sea, imposed submission upon
our island without resistance, and entirely reduced to obedi
ence its unwarUke but faithless people, not so much by fire
and sword and warUke engines, like other nations, but threats.
alone, and menaces of judgments frowning on their counte
nance, whilst terror penetrated to their hearts.
§ 6. When afterwards they returned to Rome, for want
of pay, as is said, and had no suspicion of an approacMng
rebeUion, that deceitful Uoness (Boadicea) put to death the
rulers who had been left among them, to unfold more fuUy
and to confirm the enterprises of the Romans. When
the report of these things reached the senate, and they
with a speedy army made haste to take vengfiance on the
crafty foxes, f as they caUed them, there was no bold navy
on the sea to fight bravely for the country ; by land there
was no marshaUed army, no right wing of battle, nor other
preparation for resistance ; but their backs were their sMelds
against their vanquishers, and they presented their necks to
* Gildas here confuses the modern idea of a tyrant with that of an
usurper. The latter is the sense in which Britain was said to be fertile in
tyrants, viz. in usurpers of the imperial dignity.
f- The Britons who fought under Boadicea were anything but " crafty
foxes." " Bold lions " is a much more appropriate appellation ; they
would also have been victorious if they had had half the military advantages
of the Romans.

302 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [skc 7-9.
their swords, wMlst cMU terror ran through every limb,
and they stretched out their hands to be bound, Uke women ;
so that it has become a proverb far and wide, that the
Britons are neither brave m war nor faithful m time of
. peace. § 7. The Romans, therefore, having slain many of the
rebels, and reserved others for slaves, that the land might
not be entirely reduced to desolation, left the island, destitute
as it was of wine and oil, and returned to Italy, leavMg behmd
them taskmasters, to scourge the shoulders of the natives, to
reduce their necks to the yoke, and their soil to the vassalage
of a Roman province ; to chastise the crafty race, not with
warUke weapons, but with rods, and if necessary to gird
upon their sides the naked sword, so that it was no longer
thought to be Britain, but a Roman island ; and aU their
money, whether of copper, gold, or silver, was stamped with
Caesar's image.
§ 8. MeanwhUe these islands, stiff with cold and frost,
and in a distant region of the world, remote from the visible
sun, received the beams of Ught, that is, the holy precepts
of Christ, the true Sun, showmg to the whole world his
splendour, not only from the temporal firmament, but from
the height of heaven, wMch surpasses every thing temporal,
at the latter part, as we know, of the reign of Tiberius
Cassar, by whom Ms reUgion was propagated without mi-
pediment, and death tMeatened to those who mterfered with
its professors.
§ 9. These rays of Ught were received with lukewarm
minds by the inhabitants, but they nevertheless took root
among some of them in a greater or less degree, until the
Mne years' persecution of the tyrant Diocletian, when the
churches tMoughout the whole world were overtMown, aU
the copies of the Holy Scriptures wMch could be found
burned in the streets, and the chosen pastors of God's flock
butchered, together with their innocent sheep, in order that
not a vestige, if possible, might remain in some provinces of
Christ's reUgion. What disgraceful flights then took place
— what slaughter and death inflicted by way of punishment
in divers shapes, — what dreadful apostacies from reUgion;
and on the contrary, what glorious crowns of martyrdom
then were won, — what raving fury was displayed by the

fur 10, ll.] MARTYRDOM OF ST. ALBAN. 303
persecutors, and patience on the part of the suffering saints,
ecclesiastical history informs us ; for the whole church were
crowding in a body, to leave behind them the dark things
of tMs world, and to make the best of their way to the
happy mansions of heaven, as if to their proper home.
§ 10. God, therefore, who wishes all men to be saved, and
who caUs sinners no less than those who tMnk themselves
righteous, magnified Ms mercy towards us, and, as we know,
during the above-named persecution, that Britain might not
totally be enveloped in the dark shades of night, he, of his
own free gift, Mndled up among us bright luminaries of holy
martyrs, whose places of burial and of martyrdom, had they
not for our manifold crimes been interfered with and de
stroyed by the barbarians, would have still kindled in the
minds of the beholders no smaU fire of divine charity. Such
were St. Alban of Verulam, Aaron and Julius, citizens of
Carlisle,* and the rest, of both sexes, who in different places
stood their ground in the Christian contest.
§11. The first of these martyrs, St. Alban, for charity's
sake saved another confessor who was pursued by his perse
cutors, and was on the point of being seized, by hiding him
in Ms house, and then by changMg clothes with Mm, imita
ting in tMs the example of CMist, who laid down Ms Ufe
for Ms sheep, and exposmg MmseU in the other's clothes to
be pursued in his stead. So pleasing to God was this con
duct, that between Ms confession and martyrdom, he was
honoured with the performance of wonderful miracles in
presence of the impious blasphemers who were carrying the
Roman standards, and like the Israelites of old, who trod
dry-foot an unfrequented path whilst the ark of the cove
nant stood some time on the sands in the midst of Jordan ;
so also the martyr, with a thousand others, opened a path
across the noble river Thames, whose waters stood abrupt
Uke precipices on either side ; and seeing tMs, the first of
Ms executors was stricken with awe, and from a woU became
a lamb ; so that he thirsted for martyrdom, and boldly un
derwent that for which he thirsted. The other holy martyrs
were tormented with divers sufferings, and their limbs were
racked in such unheard of ways, that they, without delay,
erected the trophies of their glorious martyrdom even in the
* Or Caerleon. See Bede's Eccles. Hist. p. 15, note.

304 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. . . [sec. 12, 13.
gates of the city of Jerusalem. For those who survived,
Md themselves in woods and deserts, and secret caves,
waiting until God, who is the righteous judge of all, should
reward their persecutors with judgment, and themselves with
protection of their lives.
§ 12. In less than ten years, therefore, of the above-
named persecution, and when these bloody decrees began to
fail in consequence of the death of their authors, all Christ's
young disciples, after so long and wintry a mght, begin to
behold the gemal Ught of heaven. They rebuild the
churches, which had been levelled to the ground ; they
found, erect, and finish churches to the holy martyrs, and
everywhere show their ensigns as token of their victory;
festivals are celebrated and sacraments received with clean
hearts and Ups, and aU the church's sons rejoice as it were
in the fostering bosom of a mother. For this holy union
remained between Christ their head and the members of Ms
church, untU the Arian treason, fatal as a serpent, and vomiting
its poison from beyond the sea, caused deadly dissension be
tween brothers inhabiting the same house, and thus, as if a road
were made across the sea, Uke wild beasts of aU descriptions,
and darting the poison of every heresy from their jaws, they
inflicted dreadful wounds upon their country, wMch is ever
desirous to hear sometMng new, and remains constant long
to nothing.
§ 13. At length also, new races of tyrants sprang up, m
terrific numbers, and the island, stiU bearing its Roman
name, but casting off her institutes and laws, sent forth
among the Gauls that bitter scion of her own planting
Maximus, with a great number of foUowers, and the ensigns
of royalty, wMch he bore without decency and -without law
ful right, but in a tyrannical manner, and amid the disturb
ances of the seditious soldiery. He, by cunning arts rather
than by valour, attacMng to Ms rule, by perjury and false
hood, aU the neighbouring towns and provinces, against the
Roman state, extended one of Ms wings to SpaM, the other
to Italy, fixed the seat of Ms unholy government at Treves,
and so furiously pushed Ms rebeUion agamst Ms lawful
emperors that he drove one of them out of Rome, and caused
the other to terminate Ms most holy life. Trusting to these
successful attempts, he not long after lost Ms accursed head

sec. 14—17.] • DESTITUTE STATE OF BRITAIN. 305
before the waUs of Aquileia, whereas he had before cut off
the crowned heads of almost all the world.
§ 14. After tMs, Britain is left deprived of all her soldiery
and armed bands, of her cruel governors, and of the flower
of her youth, who went with Maximus, but never again re
turned ; and utterly ignorant as she was of the art of war,
groaned in amazement for many years under the cruelty of
two foreign nations — 'the Scots from the north-west, and the
Picts from the north.
§ 15. The Britons, impatient at the assaults of the Scots
and Picts; their hostilities and dreadful oppressions, send am
bassadors to Rome with letters, entreating in piteous terms
the assistance of an armed band to protect them, and offering
loyal and ready submission to the authority of Rome, if they
only would expel their invading foes. A legion is imme
diately sent, forgetting their past rebelUon, and provided
sufficiently with arms. When they had crossed over the sea
and landed, they came at once to close conflict with their
cruel enemies, and slew great numbers of them. AU of.
them were driven beyond the borders, and the humiUated
natives rescued from the bloody slavery which awaited them.
By the advice of their protectors, they now built a wall
across the island from one sea to the other^ which being
manned with a proper force, might be a terror to the foes
whom it was intended to repel, and a protection to their
friends whom it covered. But this wall, being made of turf
instead of stone, was of no use to that fooUsh people, who
had no head to guide them.
§ 16. The Roman legion had no sooner returned home in
joy and triumph, than their former foes, Uke hungry and
ravening wolves, rushing with greedy jaws upon the fold
wMch is left without a shepherd, and wafted both by the
strength of oarsmen and the blowing wind, break through
the boundaries, and spread slaughter on every side, and like
mowers cutting down the ripe corn, they cut up, ft-ead under
foot, and overrun the whole country.
§ 17. And now again they send suppUant ambassadors,
with their garments rent and their heads covered with ashes,
imploring assistance from the Romans, and Uke timorous
cMckens, crowding under the protecting wings of their
parents, that their wretched country might not altogether be

306 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. . [sec. 18.
destroyed, and that the Roman name, which now was but
an empty sound to fiU the ear, might not become a reproach
even to distant nations. Upon this, the Romans,, moved
with compassion, as far as human nature can be, at the
relations of such horrors, send forward, like eagles in their
flight, their unexpected bands of cavalry by land and mari
ners by sea, and planting their terrible swords upon the
shoulders of their enemies, they mow them down Uke leaves
wMch faU at the destined period ; and as a mountain-torrent
swelled with numerous streams, and bursting its banks with
roaring noise, with foaming crest and yeasty wave rismg to
the stars, by whose eddying currents our eyes are as it were
dazzled, does with one of its biUows overwhelm every obstacle
in its way, so did our illustrious defenders vigorously drive
our enemies' band beyond the sea, if any could so escape them ;
for it was beyond those same seas that they transported, year
after year, the plunder wMch they had gained, no one daring
to resist them.
§ 18. The Romans, therefore, left the country, givmg
notice that they could no longer be harassed by such
laborious expeditions, nor suffer the Roman standards, with
so large and brave an army, to be worn out by sea and land
by fighting against these unwarUke, plundering vagabonds ;
but that the islanders, inuring themselves to warUke weapons,
and bravely fighting, should vaUantly protect their country,
their property, wives and chUdren, and, what is dearer than
these, their Uberty and Uves ; that they should not suffer
their hands to be tied beMnd their backs by a nation wMch,
unless they were enervated by idleness and sloth, was not
more powerful than themselves, but that they should arm
those hands with buckler, sword, and spear, ready for the
field of battle ; and, because they thought this also of
advantage to the people they were about to leave, they,
with the help of the miserable natives, bMlt a waU different
from the former, by pubUc and private contributions, and
of the same structure as waUs generaUy, extending m a
straight line from sea to sea, between some cities, wMch,
from fear of their enemies, had there by chance been bmlt.
They then give energetic counsel to the timorous natives,
and leave them patterns by which to manufacture arms.
Moreover, on the south coast where their vessels lay, as

sec. 19, 30.] "INVASION OF PICTS AND SCOTS. 307
there was some apprehension lest the barbarians might
land, they erected towers at stated intervals, commanding
a prospect of the sea; and then left the island never to
return. § 19. No sooner were they gone, than the Picts and Scots,
Uke worms wMch in the heat of mid-day come forth from
their holes, hastily land again from their canoes, in which
they had been carried beyond the Cichican * vaUey, differing
one from another in manners, but inspired with the same
avidity fpr bipod, and aU more eager to sMoud their viUainous
faces in bushy hair than to cover with decent clotMng those
parts of their body wMch required it. Moreover, having
heard of the departure of our friends, and their resolution
never to return, they seized with greater boldness than before
on aU the country towards the extreme north as far as the
waU. To oppose them there was placed on the heights a
garrison equally slow to fight and ill adapted to run away, a
useless and panic-struck company, who slumbered away
days and nights on their unprofitable watch. Meanwhile
the hooked weapons of their enemies were not idle, and our
wretched countrymen were dragged from the waU and dashed
against the ground. Such premature death, however, painful
as it was, saved them from seeing the miserable sufferings of
their brothers and cMldren. But why should I say more ?
They left their cities, abandoned the protection of the wall,
and dispersed themselves in flight more desperately than
before. The enemy, on the other hand, pursued them with
more unrelenting cruelty than before, and butchered our
countrymen Uke sheep, so that their habitations were like
those of savage beasts; for they turned their arms upon
each other, and for the sake of a Uttle sustenance, imbrued
their hands in the blood of their fellow countrymen. Thus
foreign calamities were augmented by domestic feuds ; so
that the whole country was entirely destitute of .provisions,
save such as could be procured in the chase.
§ 20. AgaM, therefore, the wretched remnant, sending to
JEtius, a powerful Roman citizen, address Mm as follows : —
" To -flUtiuSjf now consul for the tMrd time : the groans of
* The meaning of this expression is not known. O'Connor thinks it is
the Irish Sea.
f Or Agitius, according to another reading,
x 2

308 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [Sec. 21.
the Britons." And again a little further, thus: — "The
barbarians drive us to the sea; the sea throws us back
on the barbarians : thus two modes of death await us, we
are either slain or drowned." The Romans, however, could
not assist them, and M the meantime the discomfited people,
wandering in the woods, began to feel the effects of a severe
famine, which compelled many of them without delay to
yield themselves up to their cruel persecutors, to obtain
subsistence: others of them, however, lying Md m moun-'
tains, caves, and woods, continually salUed out from thence
to renew the war. And then it was, for fhe first time, that
they overthrew their enemies, who had for so many years
been Uving in their country ; for their trust was not in man,
but in God ; according to the maxim of PMlo, " We must
have divine assistance, when that of man fails." The bold
ness of the enemy was for a wMle checked, but not the
wickedness of our countrymen : the enemy left our people,
but the people did not leave their sins.
§ 21. For it has always been a custom with our nation, as
it is at present, to be mapotent in repelUng foreign foes, but
bold and invincible in raising civil war, and bearing the
burdens of their offences : they are impotent, I say, m
following the standard of peace and truth, but bold m
wickedness and falsehood. The audacious invaders there
fore return to their wMter quarters, determmed before long
again to return and plunder. And then, too, the Picts for
the first time seated themselves at the extremity of the island,
where they afterwards continued, occasionaUy plundering and
wasting the country. During these truces, the wounds of
the distressed people are healed, but another sore, sttil more
venomous, broke out. No sooner were the ravages of the
enemy checked, than the island was deluged with a most
extraordinary plenty of all tMngs, greater than was before
known, and with it grew up every Mnd of luxury and
licentiousness. It grew with so firm a root, that one might
truly say of it, " Such fornication is heard of among you, as
never was known the Uke among the Gentiles." But besides
this vice, there arose also every other, to wMch human nature
is Uable, and in particular that hatred of truth, together with
her supporters, which still at present destroys every tiling
good in the island ; the love of falsehood, together with ita

SEC.S2.] VICES OF THE BRITONS. 309
Mventors, the reception of crime in the place of virtue, the
respect shown to wickedness rather than goodness, the love
of darkness instead of the sun, the admission of Satan as an
angel of Ught. Kings were anointed, not according to God's
ordinance, but such as showed themselves more cruel than
the rest ; and soon after, they were put to death by those
who had elected them, without any inquiry into their merits,
but because others stiU more cruel were chosen to succeed
them. If any one of these was of a milder nature than the
rest, or in any way more regardful of the truth, he was
looked upon as the rMner of the country, every body cast a
dart at Mm, and they valued tMngs alike whether pleasing
or displeasing to God, unless it so happened that what dis
pleased Mm was pleasing to themselves. So that the words
of the prophet, addressed to the people of old, might weU be
appUed to our own countrymen : " CMldren without a law,
have ye left God and provoked to anger the holy one of
Israel ? * Why wiU ye stiU inquire, adding iniquity ?
Every head is langMd and every heart is sad ; from the
sole of the foot to the crown, there is no health in Mm."
And thus they did aU things eontrary to their salvation, as
if no remedy could be appUed to the world by the true
Physician of aU men. And not only the laity did so, but
our Lord's own flock and its shepherds, who ought to have
been an example to the people, slumbered away their time in
drunkenness, as if they had been dipped in wine ; whilst the
sweltings of pride, the jar of strife, the griping talons of envy,
and the confused estimate of right and wrong, got such entire
possession of them, that there seemed to be ppured eut (and
the same still ccntinueth) ccntempt uppn princes, and to
be made by their vamties to wander astray and npt in the
way. § 22. MeanwMle, Gpd being willing tp purify Ms family
whp were infected by sc deep a stain pf woe, and at the
hearing pnly pf their calamities to amend them*; a vague
rumour suddenly as if on wings reaches the ears of all, that
their inveterate foes were rapidly approaching to destroy the
* Isa. i. 4, 5. In most of these quotations there is great verbal variation
frorrr the authorised version : the author probably quoted from memory, if
not from the Latin version.

310 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [sec. 23.
whole country, and to take possession of it, as of old, from
one end to the other. But yet they derived no advantage
from tMs inteUigence ; for, Uke frantic beasts, taMng the bit
of reason between their teeth, they abandoned the safe and
narrow road, and rushed forward upon the broad downward
path of vice, which leads to death. Whilst, therefore, as
Solomon says, the stubborn servant is not cured by words,
the fool is scourged and feels it not : a pestilential disease
mortally affected the fooUsh people, wMch, without the
sword, cut off so large a number of persons, that the Uving
were not able to bury them. But even tMs was no warning
to them, that in them also might be fulfilled the words of
Isaiah the prophet, "And God hath caUed Ms people to
lamentation, to baldness, and to the girdle of sackcloth;
behold they begin to MU calves, and to slay rams, to eat, to
drink, and to say, ' We wiU eat and drink, for to-morrow we
shall die.' " For the time was approacMng, when aU their
iniquities, as formerly those of the Amorrhasans, should be
fuMUed. For a council was caUed to settle what was best
and most expedient to be done, M order to repel such
frequent and fatal irruptions and plunderings of the above-
named nations.
§ 23. Then aU the counciUors, togetherwith that proud tyrant
Gurthrigern [Vortigern], the British Mng, were so btinded,
that, as a protection to their country, they sealed its doom by
inviting in among them (like wolves mto the sheep-fold), the
fierce and impious Saxons, a race hateful both to God and
men, to repel the mvasions of the northern nations. No
tMng was ever so pernicious to our country, notMng was
ever so unlucky. What palpable darkness must have enve
loped their minds — darkness desperate and cruel ! Those
very people whom, when absent, they dreaded more than
death itseU, were invited to reside, as one may say, under
the seUsame roof. FooUsh are the princes, as it is said, of
Thafneos, giving counsel to unwise Pharaoh. A multitude
of whelps came forth from the lair of tMs barbaric Uoness,
in tMee cyuls, as they call them, that is, in tMee sMps of
war, with their sails wafted by the wind and with omens and
prophecies favourable, for it was foretold by a certain sooth
sayer among them, that they should occupy the country to
which they were saiUng three hundred years, and haU of

sec. 24.] CALAMITOUS STATE OF BRITAIN. 311
that time, a hundred and fifty years, should plunder and
despoil the Same. They first landed on the eastern side of
the island, by the invitation of the unlucky king, and there
fixed their sharp talons, apparently to fight in favour of the
island, but alas ! more truly against it. Their mother-land,
finding her first brood thus successful, sends forth a larger
company of her woMsh offspring, which sailing over, join
themselves to their bastard-born comrades. From that time
the germ of imqmty and the root of contention planted
their poison amongst us, as we deserved, and shot forth into
leaves and branches. The barbarians bemg thus introduced
as soldiers into the island, to encounter, as they falsely said,
any dangers in defence of their hospitable entertainers, ob
tain an allowance of provisions, which, for some time being
plentifuUy bestowed, stopped, their doggish mouths. Yet
they complain that their monthly supplies are npt furnished
in sufficient abundance, and they industriously aggravate
each occasion of quarrel, saying that unless more liberality
is shown them, they wiU break the treaty and plunder the
whole island. In a short time, they foUow up ¦ their threats
with deeds.
§ 24. For the fire of vengeance, justly Mndled by former
crimes, spread from sea to sea, fed by the hands of our foes
in the east, and did not cease, until, destroying the neigh
bouring towns and lands, it reached the other side of the
island, and dipped its red and savage tongue in the western
ocean. In these assaults, therefore, not unhke that of the
Assyrian upon Judea, was fulfiUed in our case what the pro
phet describes in words of lamentation : " They have burned
with fire the sanctuary; they have poUuted on earth the
tabernacle of thy name." And again, " O God, the gentiles
have come into thme inheritance ; thy holy temple have they
defiled," &c. So that all the columns were leveUed with
the ground by the frequent strokes of the battering-ram, all
the husbandmen routed, together with their biships, priests,
and people, wMlst the sword gleamed, and the flames
crackled around them on every side. Lamentable to behold,
in the midst of the streets lay the tops of lofty towers,
tumbled to the ground, stones of high walls, holy altars,
fragments of human bodies, covered with livid clots of coagu
lated blood, looking as if they had been squeezed together in

312 THE WORKS OE GILDAS. [sec. 25,
a press ;* and with no chance of being buried, save in the
ruins of the houses, or in the ravening belUes of wild beasts
and birds ; with reverence be it spoken for their blessed
souls, if, indeed, there were many found who were carried,
at that time, into the Mgh heaven by the holy angels. So
entirely had the vintage, once so fine, degenerated and be
come bitter, that, in the words of the prophet, there was
hardly a grape or ear of corn to be seen where the husband
man had turned Ms back.
§ 25. Some, therefore, of the miserable remnant, being
taken in the mountains, were murdered in great numbers ;
others, constramed by famine, came and yielded themselves
to be slaves for ever to their foes, runMng the risk of bemg
instantly slain, which truly was the greatest favour that
could be offered them : some Qthers passed beyond the seas
with loud lamentations instead of the voice of exhortation.
" Thou hast given us as sheep to be slaughtered, and among
the Gentiles hast thou dispersed us." Others, committing
the safeguard of their lives, wMch were in continual jeopardy,
to the mountains, precipices, tMckly wooded forests, and
to the rocks of the seas (albeit with trembting hearts),
remained still in their country. But in the meanwhUe, an
opportunity happening, when these most cruel robbers were
returned home, the poor remnants of our nation (to whom
flocked from divers places round about our miserable coun
trymen as fast as bees to their hives, for fear of an ensuing
storm), being strengthened by God, caUing upon Mm with
all their hearts, as the poet says, —
" With their unnumbered vows they burden heaven,"
that they might not be brought to utter destruction, took
arms under the conduct of Ambrosius AureUanus, a modest
man, who of aU the Roman nation was then alone in the
confusion of tMs troubled period by chance left aUve. His
parents, who for their merit were adorned with the purple,
had been slain in these same broils, and now his progeny in
these our days, although shamefully degenerated from the
worthiness of their ancestors, provoke to battle their cruel
* These are the words of the old translation ; the original is obscure,
and perhaps corrupt.

sec. 26.] SIEGE OF BATH-HILL. 313
conquerors, and by the goodness of our Lord obtain the
victory. § 26. After this, sometimes our countrymen, sometimes
the enemy, won the field, to the end that our Lord might in
this land try after Ms accustomed manner these his Israelites,
whether they loved Mm or not, until the year of the siege of
Bath-hill, when took place also the last almost, though not
the least slaughter of our cruel foes, wMch was (as I am
sure) forty-four years and one month after the landing of the
Saxons, and also the time of my own _ nativity. And yet
neither to this day are the cities of our country inhabited as
before, but being forsaken and overtMown, still Ue desolate ;
our foreign wars having ceased, but our civil troubles stiU
remaining. For as weU the remembrance of such a terrible
desolation of the island, as also of the unexpected recovery
of the same, remained in the minds of those who were eye
witnesses of the wonderful events of both, and in regard
thereof, Mngs, public magistrates, and private persons, with
priests and clergymen, did aU and every one of them Uve
orderly according to their several vocations. But when
these had departed out of this world, and a new race suc
ceeded, who were ignorant of this troublesome time, and had
only experience of the present prosperity, all the laws of
truth and justice were so shaken and subverted, that not so
much as a vestige or remembrance of these virtues remained
among the above-named orders of men, except among a very
few who, compared with the great multitude wMch were
daily rusMng headlong down to hell, are accounted so small
a number, that our reverend mother, the church, scarcely
beholds them, her only true cMldren, reposing in her bosom ;
whose worthy lives, being a pattern to aU men, and beloved
of Gpd, inasmuch as by their hply prayers, as by certain
pillars and most profitable supporters, our infirmity is sus
tained up, that it may not utterly be broken down, I would
have no one suppose I intended to reprove, if forced by the
increasing multitude of offences, I have freely, aye, with an
guish, not so much declared as bewailed the wickedness of
those who are become servants, not only to their bellies, but
also to the devil rather than to CMist, who is our blessed
God, world without end.
For why shaU their countrymen conceal what foreign na-

314 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [sec. 27, 28.
tions round about now not only know, but also continuaUy
are casting in their teeth ?
III. THE EPISTLE.
§ 27. Britain has Mngs, but they are tyrants ; she has
judges, but unrighteous ones ; generaUy engaged in plunder
and rapine, but always preying on the innocent ; whenever
they exert themselves to avenge or protect, it is sure to be
in favour of robbers and criminals ; they have an abundance
of wives, yet are they addicted to fornication and adultery ;
they are ever ready to take oaths, and as often perjure
themselves ; they make a vow and almost immediately act
falsely ; they make war, but their wars are against their
countrymen, and are unjust ones; they rigorously prosecute
thieves throughout their country, but those who sit at table
with them are robbers, and they not only cherish but reward
them ; they give alms plentifuUy, but in contrast to this is a
whole pile of crimes which they have committed ; they sit
on the seat of justice, but rarely seek for the rule of right
judgment; they despise the innocent and the humble, but
seize every occasion of exalting to the utmost the bloody-
minded ; the proud, murderers, the combined and adulterers,
enemies of God, who ought to be utterly destroyed and their
names forgotten.
They have many prisoners in their gaols, loaded with
chains, but tMs is done M treachery rather than M just
punishment for crimes ; and when they have stood before
the altar, swearing by the name of God, they go away and
think no more of the holy altar than if it were a mere heap
of dirty stones.
§ 28. Of tMs horrid abomination, Constantine,* the
tyrannical whelp of the unclean Uoness of Damnoma,| is
not ignorant.
TMs same year, after taMng a dreadful oath (whereby he
* Probably Cystennyn of the Bards. Constantine is a name often
occurring in the British royal families. The Constantine of Gildas is
supposed to have been king of Cornwall, who abdicated his throne, and
afterwards preached the gospel to the Picts and Scots. Some account of
him will be found in the Aberdeen Breviary, in the Acta Sanctorum, March,
vol. ii. p. 64, and in Whitaker's Cathedral of Cornwall, i. 325.
+ The present counties of Devon and Cornwall.

sue. 29.] GILDAS REPROVES CONSTANTINE. 315
bound himself first before God, by a solemn protestation, and
then caUed all the saints, and Mother of God, to witness,
that he would not contrive any deceit against his country
men), he nevertheless, in the habit of a holy abbat amid the
sacred altars, did with sword and javelin, as if with teeth,
wound and tear, even in the bosoms of their temporal
mother, and of the church their spiritual mother, two royal
youths, with their two attendants, whose arms, although not
cased in armour, were yet boldly used, and, stretched out
towards God and Ms altar, witi hang up at the gates of thy
city, O CMist, the venerable ensigns of their faith and
patience; and when he had done it, the cloaks, red with
coagulated blood, did touch the place of the heavenly
sacrifice. And not one worthy act could he boast of pre
vious to tMs cruel deed; for many years before he had
stamed Mmself with the abomination of many adulteries,
having put away his wife contrary to the command of
Christ, the teacher of the world, who hath said : " What
God hath joined together, let not man separate," and again :
" Husbands, love your wives." For he had planted in the
ground of his heart (an unfruitful soil for any good seed) a
bitter scion of increduUty and folly, taken from the vine of
Sodom, wMch being watered with his vulgar and domestic
impieties, Uke poisonous showers, and afterwards audaciously
springing up to the offence of God, brought forth into the
world the sin of horrible murder and sacrilege ; and not yet
discharged from the entangling nets of his former offences,
he added new wickedness to the former.
§ 29. Go to now, I reprove thee as present, whom I
know as yet to be in tMs Ufe extant. Why standest thou
astonished, O thou butcher of thine own soul ? Why dOst
thou wilfully kindle against thyself the eternal fires of hell ?
Why dost thou, in place of enemies, desperately stab thyself
with thine own sword, with thine own javeUn ? Cannot
those same poisonous cups of offences yet satisfy thy
stomach ? Look back (I beseech thee) and come to Christ
(for thou labourest, and art pressed down to the earth with
this huge burden), and he himself, as he said, will give
thee rest. Come to Mm who wisheth not the death of a
sinner, but that he should be rather converted and Uve.
Unloose (according to the prophet) the bands of thy neck,

316 THE "WORKS OF GILDAS. [sec. 30, 31.
O thou son of Sion. Return (I pray thee), although from
the far remote regions of sins, unto the most holy Father,
who, for Ms son that wiU despise the filthy food of swine,
and fear a death of cruel famine, and so come back to Mm
again, hath with great joy been accustomed to MU Ms fatted
calf, and bring forth for the wanderer, the first robe and
royal ring, and then taMng as it were a taste of the heaveMy
hope, thou shalt perceive how sweet our Lord is. For if
thou dost contemn these, be thou assured, thou shalt almost
instantly be tossed and tormented in the mevitable and dark
floods of endless fire.
§ 30. What dost thou also, thou Uon's whelp (as the
prophet saith), Aurelius Conanus ?* Art not thou as the
former (if not far more foul) to thy utter destruction,
swaUowed up in the fllthiness of horrible murders, forni
cations, and adulteries, as by an overwhehnmg flood of the
sea ? Hast not thou by hating, as a deadly serpent, the
peace of thy country, and tMrsting unjustly after civti wars
and frequent spoil, shut the gates of heavenly peace and
repose against tMne own soul ? Being now left alone as a
withering tree in the midst of a field, remember (I beseech
thee) the vain and idle fancies of thy parents and bretMen,
together with the untimely death that befeU them m the
prime of their youth; and shalt thou, for thy reUgious
deserts, be reserved out of aU thy famtiy to Uve a hundred
years, or to attain to the age of a Methusalem ? No, surely,
but uMess (as the psalmist saith) thou shalt be speedily
converted unto our Lord, that King wiU shortly brandish Ms
sword against thee, who hath said by Ms prophet, " I wiU
MU, and I wiU cause to Uve ; I wiU strike, and I wiU heal ;
and there is no one who can deliver out of my hand." Be
thou therefore shaken out of thy filthy dust, and with aU
thy heart converted to Him who hath created thee, that
"when Ms wrath shaU shortly burn out, thou mayst be
blessed by fixing thy hopes on Mm." But if otherwise,
eternal pains wiU be heaped up for thee, where thou shalt be
ever tormented and never consumed in the cruel jaws of heU.
§ 31. Thou also, who like to the spotted leopard, art
diverse in manners and in mischief, whose head now is
growing grey, who art seated on a throne fuU of deceits, and
* King of Powisland, which for some time formed a distinct kingdom.

sue. 35.1 CUNEGLASSE REPROVED. 317
from the bottom even to the top art stained with murder and
adulteries, thou naughty son of a good king, Uke Manasses
sprung from EzecMah, Vortipore, theu foolish tyrant of the
Demetians,* why art thou so stiff ? What ! do not such
violent gulfs of sin (which thou dost swallow up like
pleasant wine, nay rather wMch swallow thee up), as yet
satisfy thee, especiaUy since the end of thy life is daily now
approaching? Why dost thou heavily clog thy miserable
soul with the sin of lust, which is fouler than any other, by
putting away thy wife, and after her honourable death, by
the base practices of thy shameless daughter ? Waste not (I
beseech thee) the residue of thy life in offending God,
because as yet an acceptable time and day of salvation
shines on the faces of the penitent, wherein thou mayest
take care that thy flight may not be in the winter, or on the
sabbath day! " Turn away (according to the psalmist) from
evil, and do good, seek peace and ensue it," because the eyes
of our Lord wiU be cast upon thee, when thou doest righte
ousness, and Ms ears wiU be then open unto thy prayers,
and he wiU not destroy thy memory out of the land of the
living ; thou shalt cry, and he will hear thee, and out of thy
tribulations deliver thee ; for Christ doth never despise a
heart that is contrite and humbled with fear of Mm.
Otherwise, the worm of thy torture shall not die, and the
fire of thy burning shall never be extinguished.
§ 32. And thou too, Cuneglasse, j1 why art thou faUen into
the filth of thy former naughtiness, yea, since the very first
spring of thy tender youth, thou bear, thou rider and ruler
of many, and guider of the chariot wMch is the receptacle
of the bear, thou contemner of God, and vilifier of Ms
order, thou tawny butcher, as in the Latin tongue thy name
signifies. Why dost thou raise so great a war as weU
against men as also against God himself, against men, yea,
thy own countrymen, with thy deadly weapons, and against
God with tMne infinite offences ? Why, besides tfoine other
Mnumerable backslidings, having thrown out of doors thy
wife, dost thou, in the lust, or rather stupidity of thy mind,
against the apostle's express prohibition, denouncing that no
* Inhabitants of the counties of Cardigan, Pembroke, and Carmarthen.
+ His dominions were north of Cambria, between the Severn and the
Western Sea.

318 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [bec. 33.
adulterers can be partakers cf the Mngdpm of heaven,
esteem her detestable sister, who had vowed unto God the
everlasting continency, as the very flewef (in the language
pf the ppet) pf the celestial nymphs? Why dcst thou
provoke with thy frequent injuries the lamentations and
sighs of saints, by thy means corporaUy afflicted, wMch wUl
in time to come, Uke a fierce Uoness, break thy bones in
pieces ? Desist, I beseech thee (as the prophet saith) from
wrath, and leave off thy deadly fury, wMch thou breathest
out against heaven and earth, against God and Ms flock, and
which in time wiU be thy own terment ; rather with altered
mind ebtain the prayers pf those who possess a power of
binding over tMs world, when in tMs world they bind the
guilty, and of loosing when they loose the peMtent. Be not
(as the apostle saith) proudly wise, nor hope thou m the
uncertainty of riches, but in God who giveth thee many
tMngs abundantly, and by the amendment of thy manners
purchase unto thyseU a good foundation for hereafter, and
seek to enter into that real and true state of existence wMch
wiU be not transitory but everlasting. Otherwise, thou
shalt know and see, yea, in this very world, how bad and
bitter a tMng it is for thee to leave the Lord thy God, and
not have Ms fear before tMne eyes, and in the next, how
thou shalt be burned in the foul encompassmg flames of
endless fire, nor yet by any manner of means shalt ever die.
For the souls of the sinful are as eternal M perpetual fire, as
the souls of the just in perpetual joy and gladness.
§ 33. And likewise, O theu dragpn pf the island, whe
hast deprived many tyrants, as weU pf their Mngdpms as pf
their Uves, and though the last-mentioned m my writing,
the first in miscMef, exceeding many M power, and also in
matice, more Uberal than others in givmg, more Ucentious in
sinning, strong in arms, but stronger in working thine own
soul's destruction, Maglocune,* why art thou (as if soaked
in the wine of the Sodomitical grape) footishly rolting in
that black pool of thine offences ? Why dost thou wilfully
heap like a mountain, upon thy Mngly shoulders, such a load
of sins ? Why dost thou show thyself unto the King of kings
(who hath made thee as well in kingdom as in stature of body
higher than almost all the other cMefs of Britain) not better
* Probably Maelgwn Gwynedd, king of North Wales.

sec. 34.] GILDAS REPROVES MAGLOCUNE. 319
Ukewise in virtues than the rest ; but on the contrary for thy
sins much worse ? Listen then awMle and hear patiently the
following enumeration of thy deeds, wherein I wiU not
touch any domestic and Ught offences (if yet any of them are
light) but only those open ones wMch are spread far and
wide in the knowledge of ati men. Didst not thou, in the
very beginmng of thy youth, terribly oppress with sword,
spear, and fire, the Mng tMne uncle, together with Ms coura
geous bands of soldiers, whose countenances in battle were
not unUke those of young tions ? Not regarding the words
of the prophet, who says, " The blood-thirsty and deceitful
men shaU not Uve out haU their days ;" and even if the
sequel of thy sins were not such as ensued, yet what retribution
couldst thou expect for tMs offence only at the hands of the
just Judge, who hath said by his prophet : " Woe be to thee
who spoilest, and shalt not thou thyself be spoiled ? and thou
who MUest, shalt not thyseU be Mlled ? and when thou shalt
make an end of thy spoiling, then shalt thou thyself faU."
§ 34. But when the imagmation of thy violent rule had
succeeded according to thy wishes, and thou wast urged by a
desire to return into the right way, night and day the con
sciousness of thy crimes afflicted thee, wMlst thou didst
rummate on the Lord's ritual and the ordinances of the
monks, and then pubtish to the world and vow thyseU before
God a monk with no intention to be unfaithful, as thou didst
say, having burst through those toils in which such great
beasts as thyseU were used to become entangled, whether it
were love of rule, of gold, or silver, or, what is stronger
stiU, the fancies of thy own heart. And didst thou not, as a
dove wMch cleaves the yielding air with its pinions, and by
its rapid turns escapes the furious hawk, safely return to the
ceUs where the saints repose, as a most certain place of
refuge ? Oh how great a joy sh H it have been to our
mother church, if the enemy of aU manMnd had not lament
ably puUed thee, as it were, out of her bosom ! Oh what an
abundant flame of heavenly hope would have been Mndled in
the hearts of desperate sinners, hadst thou remained in thy
blessed estate ! Oh what great rewards in the Mngdom of
Christ would have been laid up for thy soul against the day
of judgment, if that crafty woU had not caught thee, who of
a woU wast now become a lamb (not much against thine own

320 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [sec. 35.
wiU) out of the fold of our Lord, and made thee of a lamb, a
wolf like unto Mmself, again ? Oh how great a joy would
the preservation of thy salvation have been to God the
Father of aU saints, had not the devil, the father of aU cast
aways, as an eagle of monstrous wings and claws, carried
thee captive away against all right and reason, to the un
happy band of Ms cMldren ? And to be short, thy conver
sion to righteousness gave as great joy to heaven and earth,
as now thy detestable return, Uke a dog to Ms vomit,
breedeth grief and lamentation : wMch being done, "the
members wMch should have been busUy employed, as the
armour of justice for the Lord, are now become the armour
of iniquity for sin and the devil ;" for now thou dost not
Usten to the praises of God sweetly sounded forth by the
pleasant voices of Christ's soldiers, nor the instruments of
ecclesiastical melody, but thy own praises (wMch are notMng)
rung out after the fasMon of the giddy rout of Bacchus by
the mouths of thy viUainous foUowers, accompamed with Ues
and malice, to the utter destruction of the neighbours ; so
that the vessel prepared for the service of God, is now
turned to a vessel of dirt, and what was once reputed worthy
of heavenly honour, is now cast as it deserves into the
bottomless pit of hell.
§ 35. Yet neither is thy sensual mind (wMch is overcome
by the excess of thy folUes) at all checked in its course with
committing so many sins, but hot and prone (Uke a young
colt that coveteth every pleasant pasture) runneth headlong
forward, with irrecoverable fury, through the intended fields
of crime, continually increasing the number of its trans
gressions. For the former marriage of thy first wife
(although after thy violated vow of reUgion she was not
lawfully thine, but only by right of the time she was with
thee), was now despised by thee, and another woman, the
wife of a man then Uving, and he no stranger, but thy own
brother's son, enjoyed thy affections. Upon wMch occasion
that stiff neck of tMne (already laden with sins) is now
burdened with two monstrous murders, the one of thy aforesaid
nephew, the other, of her who once was thy wedded wife :
and thou art now from low to lower, and from bad to worse,
bowed, bent, and sunk down into the lowest depth of sacri
lege. Afterwards, also didst thou pubUcly niarry the widow

sec. 35.] GILDAS REPROVES MAGLOCUNE. 321
by whose deceit and suggestion such a heavy weight of
offences was undergone, and take her, lawfully, as the flatter-
mg tongues of thy parasites with false words pronounced it,
but as we say, most wickedly, to be thine own in wedlock.
And therefore what holy man is there, who, moved with the
narration of such a history, would not presently break out
mto weeping and lamentations ? What priest (whose heart
Ueth open unto God) would not instantly, upon hearing this,
exclaim with anguish in the language ofthe prophet : " Who
shaU give water to my head, and to my eyes a fountain of
tears, and I wiU day and night bewail those of my people,
who are slaughtered* For full Uttle (alas !) hast thou with
tMne ears Ustened to that reprehension of the prophet speak
ing in this wise : " Woe be unto you, O wicked men, who
have left the law of the most holy God, and if ye shaU be
born, your portion shaU be to malediction, and if ye die, to
malediction shaU be your portion, all things that are from
the earth, to the earth shaU be converted again, so shall the
wicked from malediction pass to perdition :" if they return
not unto our Lord, listening to tMs admonition : " Son, thou
hast offended 5 add no further offence thereunto, but rather
pray for the forgiveness of the former." And again, " Be
not slow to be converted unto our Lord, neither put off the
same from day to day, for Ms wrath doth come suddenly."
Because, as the Scripture saith, " When the king heareth the
unjust word, all under his dominion become wicked." And,
the just Mng (according to the prophet) raiseth up Ms region.
But warnings truly are not wanting to thee, since thou hast
had for thy instructor the most eloquent master of ahnost all
Britain. Take heed, thereof, lest that wMch Solomon noteth,
befaU thee, wMch is, " Even as he who stirreth up a sleep
ing man out of Ms heavy sleep, so is that person who de-
clareth wisdom unto a fool, for in the end of his speech wiU
he say, What hast thou first spoken ? Wash thine heart (as
it is written) from maUce, O Jerusalem, that thiju mayest
be saved." Despise not (I beseech thee) the unspeakable
mercy of God, calling by Ms prophet the wicked in this way
from their offences : "I will on a sudden speak to the
nation, and to the kingdom, that I may root out, and dis
perse, and destroy, and overthrow." As for the sinner he
doth in this wise exhort Mm vehemently to repent. " And
T

322 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [sec. 3&
if the same people shall repent from their pffence, I will also
repent of the evil which I have said that I would do unto
them." And again, " Who will give them such an heart,
that they may hear me, and keep my commandments, and
that it may be weU with them all the days of their lives."
And also in the Canticle of Deuteronomy, " A people with
out counsel and prudence, I wish they would be wise, and
understand, and foresee the last of aU, how one pursueth a
thousand and two put to flight ten thousand." And again,
our Lord in the gospel, " Come unto me, aU ye who do labour
and are burdened, and I wiU make you rest. Take my
yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek and
humble of heart, and ye shaU find repose for your souls."
For if thou turn a deaf ear to these admonitions, contemn
the prophets, and despise Christ, and make no account of us,
humble though we be, so long as with smcere piety and
purity of mind we bear in mind that saying of the prophet,
that we may net be found, " Dumb dogs, not able to bark ;"
(however I for my part may not be of that singular fortitude,
in the spirit and virtue of our Lord, as to declare, " To the
house of Jacob their sins, and the house of Israel their
offences ;") and so leng as we shaU remember that pf Solo-
mpn, " He whp says that the wicked are just, shall be ac
cursed ameng the people, and odious to nations, for they who
reprove them shaU have better hopes." And again, " Respect,
not with reverence thy neighbour in Ms rum, nor forbear to
speak in time of salvation." And as long also as we forget
not tMs, " Root out those who are led to death, and forbear
not to redeem them who are murdered ;" because, as the
same prophet says, " Riches shaU not profit M the day of
wrath, but justice detivereth from death." And, " If the just
indeed be hardly saved, where shall the wicked and sinner
appear .? If, as I said, thou scorn us, who obey these texts,
the dark flppd pf heU shall withput dpubt eternaUy drown
thee in that deadly whirlpool, and those terrible streams of
fire that shall ever torment and never consume thee, and
then shall the confession of thy pains and sorrow for thy sms
be altogether too late and unprofitable to one, wrho now in tMs
accepted time and day of salvation deferreth his conversion
to a more righteous way of Ufe.
§ 37. And here, indeed, if not before, was tMs lamentable

sec. 38.] SAMUEL. 323
Mstory of the miseries of our time to have been brought to
a conclusion, that I might no further discourse of the deeds
of men ; but that I may not be thought timid or weary,
whereby I might the less carefully avoid that saying of
Isaiah, " Woe be to them who caU good evil, and evil good,
placmg darkness for Ught, and light for darkness, bitter for
sweet, and sweet for bitter, who seeing see not, and hearing
hear not, whose hearts are overshadowed with a thick and
black cloud of vices ;" I wiU briefly set down the threaten-
ings wMch are denounced against these five aforesaid lasci
vious horses, the frantic followers of Pharaoh, tM-ough whom
his army is wtifuUy urged forward to their utter destruction
in the Red Sea, and also against such others, by the sacred
oracles, with whose holy testimonies the frame of tMs our
Uttle work is, as it were, roofed in, that it may not be sub
ject to the showers of the envious, wMch otherwise would be
poured thereon. Let, therefore, God's holy prophets, who
are to mortal men the mouth of God, and the organ of the
Holy Ghost, forbidding evils, and favouring goodness, an
swer for us as weU now as formerly, against the stubborn
and proud princes of tMs our age, that they may not say we
menace them with such threats, and such great terrors of our
own invention only, and with rash and over-zealous meddting.
For to no wise man is it doubtful how far more grievous the
sms of this our time are than those of the primitive age,
when the apostle said, " Any one transgressing the law, be
ing convicted by two or three witnesses, shaU die, how much
worse punishment tMnk ye then that he deserveth, who shall
trample under his foot the Son of God?"
§ 38. And first of aU appears before us, Samuel, by
God's commandment, the establisher of a lawful kingdom,
dedicated to God before Ms birth, undoubtedly known by
marvellous signs, to be a true prophet unto all the people,
from Dan even to Beersheba, out of whose mouth the Holy
Ghost thundereth to all the potentates of the world, de
nouncing Saul the first Mng of the Hebrews, only because
he did not accompUsh some matters commanded him of our
Lord, in these words which foUow : " Thou hast done
footisMy, neither yet hast thou kept the commandments of
our Lord thy God, that he hath given thee in charge ; which
if thou hadst not committed, even now had our Lord pre-
Y 2

324 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [sec. 39.
pared thy reign over Israel for ever, but thy Mngdom shaU
no farther arise." And what did he commit, whether it
were adultery or murder, like to the offences of the present
time ? No, truly, but broke in part one of God's command
ments, for, as one of our writers says, " The question is not
of the quality of the sin, but of the violating of the pre
cept." Also when he endeavoured to answer (as he thought)
the objections of Samuel, and after the fashion of men wisely
to make excuses for his offence in tMs manner : " Tea, I
have obeyed the voice of our Lord, and walked in the way
through which he hath sent me ;" with this rebuke was he
corrected by Mm : " What ! will our Lord have burnt offer
ings or oblations, and not rather that the voice of our Lord
should be obeyed ? Obedience is better than oblations, and
to hearken unto him, better than to offer the fat of rams.
For as it is the sin of soothsaying to resist, so is it the
offence of idolatry not to obey ; in regard, therefore, that
thou hast cast away the word of our Lord, he hath also cast
thee away that thou be not king." And a Uttle after, " Our
Lord hath tMs day rent the kingdom of Israel from thee,
and deUvered it up to thy neighbour, a man better than thy
seU. The Triumpher of Israel truly wiU not spare, and witi not
be bowed with repentance, neither yet is he a man that he
should repent ;" that is to say, upon the stony hearts of the
wicked : wherein it is to be noted how he saith, that to be
disobedient unto God is the sin of idolatry. Let not, there
fore, our wicked transgressors (while they do not openly
sacrifice to the gods of the Gentiles) flatter themselves that
they are not idolaters, wMlst they tread like swme the most
precious pearls of Christ under their feet.
§ 39. But although tMs one example as an mvincible
affirmation might abundantly suffice to correct the wicked ;
yet, that by the mouths of many witnesses aU the offences
of Britain may be proved, let us pass to the rest. What
happened to David for numbering Ms people, when the pro
phet Gad spake unto Mm in tMs sort? Thus saith our
Lord : " The choice of tMee things is offered thee, choose
which thou wilt, that I may execute it upon thee. ShaU
there befaU thee a famine for seven years, or shalt thou flee
three months before thine enemies, and they pursue thee, or
shall there be three days' pestilence in thy land?" For be-

sac. 40.] OF JEROBOAM AND BAASHA. 325
ing brought into great straits by tMs condition, and wiUing
rather to faU into the hands of God who is merciful, than
into those of men, he was humbled with the slaughter of
seventy thousand of his subjects, and unless with the affec
tion of an apostoUc charity, he had desired to die Mmself
for Ms countrymen, that the plague might not further con
sume them, saying, "I am he that has offended, I the
shepherd have dealt unjustly: but these sheep, what have
they sinned ? Let thy hand, I beseech thee, be turned
against me, and against the house of my father ;" he would
have atoned for the unadvised pride of his heart with Ms
own death. For what does the scripture afterwards declare
of Ms son ? " And Solomon wrought that wMch was not
pleasing before our Lord, and he did not fiU up the measure
of Ms good deeds by foUowing the Lord Uke Ms father
David. And our Lord said unto him, Because thou hast
thus behaved thyseU, and not observed my covenant and
precepts, wMch I have commanded thee, breaMng it asun
der ; I wiU divide thy Mngdom, and give the same unto thy
servant." § 40. Hear now Ukewise what feU upon the two sacrile
gious Mngs of Israel (even such as ours are), Jeroboam and
Baasha, unto whom the sentence and doom of our Lord is
by the prophet M tMs way directed : " For what cause have
I exalted thee a prince over Israel, in regard that they have
provoked me by their vamties. Behold I wiU stir up after
Baasha and after Ms house, and I wiU give over Ms house as
the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. Whoso of Ms
blood shaU die M the city, the dogs shall eat Mm, and the
dead carcass of Mm that dieth in the field shall the fowls of
the air eat" What doth he also threaten unto that wicked
Mng of Israel, a worthy compamon of the former, by whose
collusion and his wife's deceit, innocent Naboth was for Ms
father's vineyard put to death, when the holy mouth of EUas,
yea, the seUsame mouth that was instructed with the fiery
speech of our Lord, thus spake unto Mm : " Hast thou MUed
and also taken possession, and after this wilt thou yet add
more ? Thus saith our Lord, in tMs very place, wherein
the dogs have licked the blood of Naboth, they shaU lick up
thy blood also." Which fell out afterwards in that very
sort, as we have certain proof. But lest perchance (as befeU

326 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [8BC- «¦
Ahab also) the lying spirit, which pronounceth vain things
in the mouths of your prophets may seduce you, hearken
to the words of the prophet Micaiah : " Behold God hath
suffered the spirit of lying to possess the mouths of aU thy
prophets that do here remain, and our Lord hath pronounced
evil against thee." For even now it is certain that there are
some teachers inspired with a contrary spirit, preaching and
affirming rather what is pleasing, however depraved, than
what is true : whose words are softer than oil, and the same
are darts, who say, peace, peace, and there shaU be no peace
to them, who persevere in their sins, as says the prophet in
another place also, " It is not for the wicked to rejoice, saith
our Lord."
§ 41. Azarias, also, the son of Obed, spoke unto Asa,
who returned from the slaughter of the army of ten hun
dred thousand EtMopians, sayMg, " Our Lord is with you
wMle you remain with Mm, and if you wtil seek Mm out,
he wiU be found by you, and if you wtil leave him, he
witi leave you also." For if Jehosaphat for only assisting a
wicked Mng, was thus reproved by the prophet Jehu, the
son of Ananias, saying, " If thou givest aid to a sinner, or
lovest them whom our Lord doth hate, the wrath of God
doth therefore hang over thee," what shall become of them
who are fettered in the snares of their own offences ? whose
sin we must of necessity hate, if not their souls, if we wish
to fight in the army of the Lord, accordMg to the words of
the Psalmist, " Hate ye evil, who love our Lord." What
was said to Jehoram, the son of the above-named Jehosa
phat, that most horrible murderer (who being MmseU a
bastard, slew his noble bretMen, that he might possess the
throne in their place, by the prophet EUas, who was the
chariot and charioteer of Israel ? " Thus speaketh the
Lord God of thy father David. Because thou hast not
walked in the way of thy father Jehosaphat, and in the
ways of Asa the Mng of Judah, but hast walked in the
ways of the kings of Israel, and in adultery according to the
behaviour of the house of Ahab, and hast moreover MUed
thy brethren, the sons of Jehosaphat, men far better than
thyself, behold, our Lord shall strike thee and thy cMldren
with a mighty plague." And a little afterwards, " And thou
shalt be very sick of a disease of thy betiy, until thy entrails

sbc. 42.] isaiah's prophecies. 327
shall, together with the malady itself, from day to day, come
forth out of thee." And listen also what the prophet Zacha
riah, the son of Jehoiades, menaced to Joash, the king of
Israel, when he abandoned our Lord even as ye now do, and
the prophet spoke in this manner to the people : " Thus saith
our Lord, Why do ye transgress the commandments of our
Lord and do not prosper ? Because ye have left our Lord,
he will also leave you."
§ 42. What shaU I mention of Isaiah, the first and chief
of the -prophets, who beginneth his prophecy, or rather
vision, in tMs way : " Hear, 0 ye heavens, and O thou earth
conceive in thine ears, because our Lord hath spoken, I have
nourished children, and exalted them, but they themselves
have despised me. The ox hath known his owner, and the
ass Ms master's crib, but Israel hath not known me, and my
people hath not understood." And a little further with
threatenings answerable to so great a folly, he saith, " The
daughter of Sion shaU be utterly left as a tabernacle in the
vmeyard, and as a hovel in the cucumber garden, and a city
that is sacked." And especially, convening and accusing the
princes, he saith, " Hear the word of our Lord, 0 ye princes
of Sodom, perceive ye the law of our Lord, O ye people of
Gomorrah." Wherein it is to be noted, that unjust Mngs
are termed the princes of Sodom, for our Lord, forbidding
sacrifices and gifts to be offered to him by such persons, and
seeing that we greedily receive those offerings wMch in all
nations are displeasing unto God, and to our own destruction
suffer them not to be bestowed on the poor and needy, speak
thus to them who, laden with riches, are Ukewise given to
offend on tMs head : " Offer no more your sacrifice in vam,
your incense is abomination unto me," And again he
denounceth them thus: "And when ye shall stretch cut
ypur hands, I will turn away mine -eyes from ypu, and when
ye shaU multiply your prayers, I will not hear." And he
declareth wherefore he does this, saying, " Your»hands are
fuU of blood." And Ukewise showing how he may be
appeased, he says, "Be ye washed, be ye clean, take away
the evil of your thoughts from mine eyes : cease to do evil,
learn to do weU: seek for judgment, succour the oppressed,
do justice to the pupil or orphan." And then assuming as it
were the part of a reconciling mediator, he adds, " Though

328 the works of gildas. [sec. 43.
your sins shaU be as scarlet, they shall be made white as
snow : though they shaU be as red as the Uttle worm,* they
shaU be as wMte as wool. Lf ye shaU be wiUing to hear me,
ye shall feed on the good things of the land ; but if ye wtil
not, but provoke me unto wrath, the sword shaU devour you."
§ 43. Receive ye the true and pubUc avoucher, witnessing,
without any falsehood or flattery, the reward of your good
and evil, not Uke the sootMng humble tips of your parasites,
which wMsper poisons into your ears. And also directing
Ms sentence against ravenous judges, he saith thus : " Thy
princes are unfaitMul,, compamons of tMeves, aU love gifts,
hunt after rewards: they do no justice to the orphan, the
widow's cause entereth not unto them. For thus saith our
Lord God of hosts, the strong one of Israel, Alas, I wtil
take consolation upon my foes, and be revenged upon mine
enemies ; and the heinous sinners shall be broken to powder,
and offenders together with them, and aU who have left our
Lord, shall be consumed." And afterwards, " The eyes of
the lofty man shall be brought low, and the height of men
hath bowed down." And again, " Woe be to the wicked,
evil befaU him, for he shaU be rewarded accordMg to his
handy-work." And a Uttle after, " Woe be unto you who
arise early to follow drunkenness, and to drink even to the
very evemng, that ye may fume with wine. The harp, and
the lyre, and the tabor, and the pipe, and wine are in your
banquets, and the work of our Lord ye respect not, neither
yet consider ye the works of Ms hands. Therefore is my
people led captive away, because they have not had know
ledge, and their nobles have perished with famine, and their
multitude hath withered away with tMrst. Therefore hath
heU enlarged and dilated Ms spirit, and without measure
opened Ms mouth, and his strong ones, and Ms people, and
Ms lofty and glorious ones, shaU descend down unto Mm."
And afterwards, " Woe be unto you who are mighty for the
drinking of wine, and strong men for the procuring of
drunkenness, who justify the wicked for rewards, and
deprive the just man of Ms justice. For this cause even as
the tongue of the fire devoureth the stubble, and as the heat
of the flame burnetii up, so shall their root be as the ashes,
and their branch shaU rise up as the dust. For they have
* Vermilion, the English version, seems derived from vermes, a worm.

sec. 44, 45.] ISAIAH'S PROPHECIES. 329
cast away the law of our Lord of hosts, and despised the
speech of the holy one of Israel. In aU these the fury of
our Lord is not turned away, but as yet his hand is stretched
out." § 44. And further on, speaking of the day of judgment
and the unspeakable fears of sinners, he says, " Howl ye,
because the day of our Lord is near at hand (if so near at
that time, what shall it now be thought to be ?) for destruction
shall proceed from God. For tMs shall aU hands be
dissolved, and every man's heart shall wither away, and be
brmsed ; tortures and dolours shaU hold them, as a woman in
labour so shall they be grieved, every man shaU at his
neighbour stand astomshed, burned faces shall be their
countenances. Behold, the day of our Lord shaU come,
fierce and fuU of indignation, and of wrath, and fury, to
turn the earth into a desert, and break her sinners in smaU
pieces from off her; because the stars of heaven and the
brightness of them, shall not unfold their light, the sun in
Ms rising shaU be covered over with darkness, and the moon
shaU not sMne in her season ; and I will visit upon the evils
of the world, and against the wicked, their own iniquity, and
I wtil make the pride of the unfaithful to cease, and the
arrogancy of the strong, I will bring low." And again,
" Behold our Lord witi disperse the earth, and he wiU strip
her naked, and afflict her face, and scatter her inhabitants ;
and as the people, so shaU be the priest ; and as the slave, so
shall be Ms lord ; as the handmaid, so shaU be her lady ; as
the purchaser, so shaU be the seUer ; as the usurer, so shall
be he that borroweth; as he who demandeth, so shaU he be
that oweth. With dispersing shall the earth be scattered,
and with sacMng shaU she be spoiled. For our Lord hath
spoken tMs word. The earth hath bewailed, and hath flitted
away ; the world hath run to nothing, she is weakened by
her inhabitants, because they have transgressed laws,
changed right, brought to ruin the eternal truce. For tMs
shati malediction devour the earth."
§ 45. And afterwards, "They shaU lament aU of them
who now in heart rejoice, the deUght of the timbrels hath
ceased, the sound of the gladsome shall be silent, the
sweetness of the harp shall be hushed, they shall not with
singing drink their wine, bitter shall be the potion to the

330 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [sec. 46.
drinkers thereof. The city of vanity is wasted, every house
is shut up, no man entering in ; an outcry shall be in the
streets over the wine, all gladness is forsaken, the joy of the
land is transferred, solitariness is left in the town, and
calamity shaU oppress the gates, because these things shall
be in the midst of the land, and in the midst of the people."
And a little further, " Swerving from the truth, they have
wandered out of the right way, with the straggling of
transgressors have they gone astray. Fear and intrapping
faUs, and a snare upon thee who art the mhabitant of the
earth. And it shall come to pass : whoso shaU flee from the
voice of the fear, shaU tumble down into the intrapping pit ;
and whoso shall deliver MmseU out of the downfall, shall be
caught in the entangting snare : because the flood-gates from
aloft shaU be opened, and the foundations of the earth shall
De shaken. With bruising shaU the earth be broken, with
commotion shall she be moved, with tossing shall she be
shaken Uke a drunken man, and she shaU be taken away as
if she were a paviUon of one mght's pitcMng, and her
iniquities shall hang heavy upon her, and she shaU faU
down, and shall not attempt to rise again. And it shati be,
that our Lord in the same day shaU look on the warfare of
heaven on Mgh, and on the kings of the earth, who are
upon the earth, and they shati be gathered together in the
bundle of one burden into the lake, and shaU there be shut
up in prison, and after many days shall they be visited.
And the moon shaU blush, and the sun be confounded,
when our Lord of hosts shall reign in Mount Sion and in
Jerusalem, and be glorified in the sight of Ms semors."
§ 46. And after a while, giving a reason why he tMeat-
eneth in that sort, he says thus : " Behold the hand of our
Lord is not shortened that he cannot save, neither is Ms ear
made heavy that he may not hear. But your iniquities have
divided between you and your God, and your offences have
hid his face from you, that he might not hear. For your
hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity :
your lips have spoken lying, and your tongue uttereth
iniquity. There is noue who caUeth on justice, neither is
there he who judgeth truly, but they trust in notMng, and
speak vanities, and have conceived grief, and brought forth
iniquity." And a Uttle after, " Their works are unprofitable,

sec. 470 Jeremiah's prophecies. 331
and the work of iniquity is in their hands ; their feet run
into evil, and make haste that they may shed the innocent
blood ; their thoughts are unprofitable thoughts, spoil and
confusion are in their ways, and the way of peace they have
not known, and in their steps there is no judgment, their
paths are made crooked unto them, every one who treadeth
in them is ignorant of peace ; in this respect is judgment
removed far off from you, and justice taketh no hold on you."
And after a few words, "And judgment hath been turned
back, and justice hath stood afar off, because truth hath
fallen down in the streets, and equity could not enter in ; and
truth is turned into obUvion, and whoso hath departed from
evil, hath lain open to spoil. And our Lord hath seen,
and it was not pleasing in Ms eyes, because there is not
judgment." § 47. And thus far may it suffice among many, to have
recited a few sentences out of the prophet Isaiah.
But now with diUgent ears hearken unto him, who was
foreknown before he was formed in the belly, sanctified
before he came out of the womb, and appointed a prophet in
aU nations : I mean Jeremiah, and hear what he hath pro
nounced of foolish people and cruel Mngs, beginning his pro
phecy in his mild and gentle manner.
" And the word of God was spoken unto me, saying, Go
and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, and thou shalt pronounce,
Hear the word of our Lord, thou house of Jacob, and all ye
kindred of the house of Israel : Thus saith our Lord ; What
iniquity have your fathers found in me, who have been far
removed from me, and walked after vanity, and are become
vain, and have not said, Where is he who made us go up out
of the land of Egypt ?" And after a few words, " From the
beginning of thine age thou hast broken my yoke, violated
my bands, and said, I will not serve, I have planted thee my
chosen vine, all true seed. How art thou therefore converted
into naughtiness ? 0 strange vine ! If thou shalt wash thee
with nitre, and multiply unto thee the herb borith, thou art
spotted in my sight with thine iniquity, saith our Lord."
And afterwards, " Why will ye contend with me in judg
ment ? Ye have all forsaken me, saith our Lord, in vain
have I corrected your children, they have not received dis
cipline. Hear ye the word of our Lord. Am I made a soli-

332 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [sec 48, 49.
tariness unto Israel, or a late bearing land ! why therefore
hath my people said, we have departed, we witi come no
more unto thee ? Doth the virgin forget her ornament, or
the spouse her gorget ? my people truly hath forgotten me
for innumerable days. Because my people are foolish, they
have not known me, they are unwise and mad children.
They are wise to do evil, but to do well they have been
ignorant." § 48. Then the prophet speaketh in his own person saymg,
" O Lord tMne eyes do respect faith, thou hast stricken them,
and they have not sorrowed, thou hast broken them and they
have refused to receive discipUne, they have made their
faces harder than the rock, and wiU not return." And also
our Lord : " Declare ye tMs same to the house of Jacob,
and make it to be heard in Judah, saying, Hear, ye fooUsh
people who have no heart, who havmg eyes see not, and ears
hear not. WiU ye not therefore dread me, saith our Lord,
and wiU ye not conceive grief from my countenance, who
have placed the sand as the bound of the sea, an eternal
commandment wMch she shaU not break, and her waves -
shaU be moved, and they cannot, and her surge shall swell,
and yet not pass the same ? But to this people is framed an
incredulous and an exasperating heart, they have retired
and gone their ways, and not in their heart said, Let us fear
our Lord God." And agaM, "Because there are found
among my people wicked ones, framing wiles to entangle as
if they were fowlers, setting snares and gMs to catch men :
as a net that is full of birds, so are their houses fiUed with
deceits. Therefore are they magnified and enriched; they
are become gross and fat, and have neglected my speeches
most vilely, the orphans' cause they have not decided, and
the justice of the poor they have not adjudged. What !
shall I not visit these men, saith our Lord ? or shall not my
soul be revenged upon such a nation ?"
§ 49. But God forbid that ever should happen unto you,
that which foUoweth, "Thou shalt speak aU these words
unto them, and they shaU not hear thee ; and thou shalt caU
them, and they shall not answer thee ; and thou shalt say un
to them, This is the nation that hath not heard the voice of
their Lord God, nor yet received discipline, faith hath
perished, and been taken away from out of their mouth."

sec. 49.] JEREMIAHS PROPHECIES. 333
And after some few speeches, " Whoso faUeth doth he not
arise again, and whoso is turned away, shall he not return
again ? why therefore is this people in Jerusalem, with a
contentious aversion atienated ? they have apprehended
lying, and they will not come back again. I have been
attentive, and hearkened diligently, no man speaketh what
is good. There is none who repenteth of his sin, saying,
What have I done ? AU are turned unto their own course,
like a horse passing with violence to battle. The kite in
the sky hath known her time, the turtle, and swaUow, and
stork have kept the season of their coming, but my people
hath not known the judgment of God." And the prophet,
being smitten with fear at so wonderful a blindness, and un
speakable drunkenness of the sacrilegious, and lamenting
them who did not lament themselves (even according to the
present behaviour of these our unfortunate tyrants), be-
seecheth of our Lord, that an augmentation of tears might
be granted Mm, speaMng in tMs manner, "I am contrite
upon the contrition of the daughter of my people, astonish
ment hath possessed me : is there no balm in Gilead, or is
there no physician there ? Why therefore is not the wound
of the daughter of my people healed ? Who shall give water
unto my head, and to mine eyes a fountain of tears, and I
will day and mght bewail the slaughtered of my people ?
who wiU grant me in the wilderness the inn of passengers ?
and I wiU utterly leave my people, and depart from them ;
because they are aU of them adulterers, a root of offenders,
and they have bent their tongue as the bow of lying, and
not of truth, they are comforted in the earth, because they
have passed from evil to evil, and not known me, saith our
Lord." And again : " And our Lord hath said, Because
they have forsaken my law, which I have given them, and
not heard my voice, nor walked thereafter, and have wan
dered away after the wickedness of their own heart, in that
respect our Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saith these
words, Behold I wiU feed this people with wormwood, and
give them to drink the water of gaU." And a little after
(speaMng in the person of God), " See therefore thou do not
pray for tMs people, nor assume thou for them praise and
prayer, because I will not hear in the time of their outcry
unto me, and of their afflicticn."

334 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [sec. 50.
§ 50. What then shall npw pur miserable gpvernprs dp,
these few whe found put the narrow way and left the large,
were by God forbidden to pour out their prayers for such as
persevered in their evils, and so highly provoked Ms wrath,
against whom on the contrary side when they returned with
all their hearts unto Gpd (Ms divine Majesty being unwilUng
that the seul of man should perish, but caUing back the cast
away that he should not utterly be destroyed) the same pro
phets could not procure the heavenly revenge, because Jonas,
when he desired the like most earnestly against the Nine-
rites, could not pbtain it. But in the meanwhile pmitting
our own words, let us rather hear what the prophetic trumpet
soundeth in our ears speaMng thus : " If thou shalt say M
thy heart, Why have these evils befallen ? For the multitude
of tMnc iniqMties. If the EtMopian can change Ms skin, or
the leopard Ms sundry spots, ye may also do weU when ye
have learned evil," ever supposing that ye wiU not. And
afterwards : " These words doth our Lord say to tMs people,
who have loved to move their feet, and have not rested, and
not pleased our Lord, Now shaU he remember their imqM-
ties, and visit their offences ; and our Lord said unto me,
Pray thou not for tMs people to work their good, when they
fast, I wiU not hear their prayers ; and if they offer burnt
sacrifices and oblations, I witi not receive them." And again,
" And our Lord said unto me, If Moses and Samuel shall
stand before me, my soul is not bent to this people, cast them
out away from my face, and let them depart." And after a
few words : " Who shall have pity on thee Jerusalem, or
who shaU be sorrowful for thee, or who shall pray for thy
peace ? Thou hast left me (saith our Lord) and gone away
backward, and I will stretch forth my hand over thee, and
Mil thee." And somewhat after : " Thus saith our Lord,
Behold I imagine a thought against you, let every man re
turn from his evil course, and make straight your ways and
endeavours, who said, we despair, we will go after our own
thoughts, and every one of us will do the naughtiness of Ms
evil heart. Thus therefore saith our Lord, Ask the Gen
tiles, who hath heard such horrible matters, which the virgin
Israel hath too often committed ? Shall there fail from the
rock of the field, the snow of Libanus ? or can the waters
be drawn dry that gush out cold and flowMg ? because my

sec. 50-33.] ABRAHAM, HOSEA, AMOS. 335
people hath forgotten me." And somewhat also after this,
propounding unto them an election, he speaking saith,
"Thus saith our Lord, Do ye judgment and justice, and
deUver him who by power is oppressed out of the hand of
the maUcious accuser ; and for the stranger, and orphan, and
widow, do not provoke their sorrow, neither yet work ye un
justly the grief of others, nor shed ye forth the innocent
blood. For if indeed ye shall accomplish this word, there
shaU enter in through the gates of tMs house, Mngs of the
hheage of David, sitting upon his throne. But if ye will
not hearken unto these words, by myself I have sworn (saith
our Lord) that tMs house shall be turned into a desart."
And again (for he spoke of a wicked king), " As I live (saith
our Lord) if so be that Jechomas shall be a ring on my
right hand, I wtil pluck Mm away, and give him over into
the hands of them who seek his Ufe."
§ 51. Moreover, holy Abraham crieth out, saying, "Woe
be unto them who build a city in blood, and prepare a town
in iniquities, saying, Are not these tMngs from our almighty
Lord ? and many people have failed in fire, and many nations
nave been diminished." And thus complaining, he begins
Ms prophecy : " How long, 0 Lord, shaU I caU, and thou wilt
not hear ? ShaU I cry out unto thee, to what end hast thou
given me labours and griefs, to behold misery and impiety?"
And on the other side, " And judgment was sat upon, and
the judge hath taken in regard hereof, the law is rent in
pieces, and judgment is not brought fuUy to his conclusion,
because the wicked tMough power treadeth the just under
foot. In tMs respect hath passed forth perverse judg
ment." § 52. And mark ye also what blessed Hosea the prophet
says of princes : " For that they have transgressed my cove
nant, and ordained against my law, and exclaimed, we have
Miown thee, because thou art against Israel. They have
persecuted good, as if it were evil. They^have reigned for
themselves and not by me ; they have held a principality,
neither yet have they acknowledged me."
§ 53. And hear ye Ukewise the holy prophet Amos, in
this sort tMeatemng : " In three heinous offences of the sons
of Judah, and in four I wiU not convert them, for that they
have cast away the law of our Lord, and not kept Ms com-

336 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [sec. 53.
mandments, but their vamties have seduced them. And I
will send fire upen Judah, and it shall eat the foundations of
Jerusalem. Thus saith our Lord ; In tMee grievous sins of
Israel, and in four I will not convert them, for that they have
sold the just for money, and the poor man for shoes, wMch
they tread upon the dust of the earth, and with buffets they
did beat the heads of the poor, and have eschewed the way
of the humble." And after a few words, " Seek our Lord
and ye shaU live, that the house of Joseph may not sMne as
fire, and the flame devour it, and he shall not be, that can
extingMsh it. The house of Israel hath hated Mm who re-
buketh in the gates, and abhorred the upright word." WMch
Amos, being forbidden to prophesy M Israel, without any
fawning flattery, saith m answer, " I was not a prophet, nor
yet the son of a prophet, but a goatherd ; I was plucking
sycamores and our Lord took me from my herd, and our
Lord said unto me, Go thy way and prophesy agamst my
people of Israel : and now hear thou the word of our Lord
(for he directed his speech unto the Mng), thou sayest, do
not prophesy against Israel, and thou shalt not assemble
troops against the house of Jacob. For wMch cause our
Lord saith thus, thy wife in the city shaU play the harlot,
and thy sons and daughters shaU die by the sword, and thy
ground be measured by the cord, and thou M a poUuted land
shalt end thy Ufe, but for Israel, she shati be led from Ms
own country a captive." And afterwards, " Hear therefore
these words, ye who do outrageously afflict the poor, and
practise your mighty power against the needy of the earth,
who say, when shaU the month pass over that we may pur
chase, and the sabbaths that we may open the treasuries."
And witMn a few words after, " Our Lord doth swear against
the pride of Jacob, if he shaU in contempt forget your ac
tions, and if in these the earth shall not be disturbed, and
every inhabitant thereof fall to lamentation, and the final
end as a flood ascend, and I will turn your festival days into
waiting, and cast haircloth on the loins of every one, and on
the head of every man baldness, and make him as the mourn
ing of one over beloved, and those who are with Mm as the
day of his sorrow." And again, " In the sword shall die aU -
the sinners of my people, who say, evils shall not approach,
nor yet shall Ught upon usi"

sec. 54-57.] MICHAH, ZEPHANIAH, HAGGAI, ZACHARIAS. 337
§ 54. And listen ye, likewise, what holy Michah the
prophet hath spoken, saymg, " Hearken, ye tribes. And
what shall adorn the city ? Shall not fire ? and the house
of the wicked hoarding up unjust treasures, and with
injury unrighteousness ? If the wrongful dealer shall be
justified in the balance, and deceitful weights in the scales,
by wMch they have heaped up their riches in ungodli
ness." § 55. And hear also what threats the famous prophet
Zephaniah thundereth out : saith he, " The great day of our
Lord is near ; it is at hand, and very swiftly approacheth.
The voice of the day of our Lord is appointed to be bitter
and mighty, that day, a day of wrath, a day of tribulation
and necessity, a day of clouds and mist, a day of the trum
pet and outcry, a day of misery and extermination, a day of
darMiess and dimness upon the strong cities and high corners.
And I wiU bring men to tribulation, and they shall go as if
they were blind, because they have offended our Lord, and I
wiU pour out their blood as dust, and their flesh as the dung
of oxen, and their silver and gold shall not be able to deUver
them in the day of the wrath of our Lord. And in the fire
of his zeal shaU the whole earth be consumed, when the
Lord shaU accompUsh his absolute end, and bring solitariness
upon aU the mhabitants of the earth. Come together and
be joined in one, thou nation without discipline, before ye be
made as the fading flower, before the wrath of our Lord faUeth
upon ye."
§ 56. And give ear also unto that wMch the prophet
Haggai speaketh : " Thus saith our Lord, I wiU once move
the heaven, and earth, and sea, and dry land, and I wiU
drive away the tMones of kings, and root out the power of
the kings of the Gentties, and I wiU chase away the chariots
of those who mount upon them."
§ 57. Now also behold what Zaeharias the son of Addo,
that chosen prophet, said, beginning Ms prophecy in tMs
manner: "Return to me, and I witi return* unto you, saith
our Lord, and be not Uke your fathers, to whom the former
prophets have imputed, saying, Thus saith our almighty
Lord, Turn away from your ways, and they have not marked
whereby they might obediently hear me." And afterwards,
" And the angel asked me, what dost thou see ? And I
2

338 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [sec. 58, 59,
said, I see a flying scythe, wMch containeth in length
twenty cubits. The malediction wMch hath proceeded upon
the face of the whole earth ; because every one of her
thieves shall be pumshed even to the death; and I will tMow
him away, saith our almighty Lord, and he shaU enter into
the house of fury, and into the house of swearing falsehood
in my name."
§ 58. Holy Malachy the prophet also saith, " Behold,
the day of our Lord shaU come, inflamed as a furnace,
and all proud men, and aU workers of imqmty shaU be
as stubble, and the approaching day of the Lord of hosts
shaU set them pn fire, wMch shall npt leave a root nor a bud
of them."
§ 59. And hearken ye also what holy Job debateth of the
beginning and end of the ungodly, saying, " For what pur
pose do the wicked live, and have grown old dishonestly, and
their issue hath been according to their own desire, and
their sons before their faces, and their houses are fruitful,
and np fear npr yet the scourge of our Lord is upon them.
Their cow hath not been abortive, their great with young
hath brought forth her young ones and not missed, but re-
maineth as an eternal breed ; and their cMldren rejoice, and
taMng the psaltery and harp, have finished their days in feU
city and faUen peaceably asleep down into heU." Doth God,
therefore, not behold the works of the wicked ? Not so,
truly, " But the candle of the ungodly shall be extmgMshed,
and destruction shaU fall upon them, and pains as of pne in
childbirth, shall withhold them from wrath ; and they shaU
be as chaff before the wind, and as the dust wMch the whirl
wind hath carried away. Let aU goodness fail his cMldren ;
let his eyes behold Ms own slaughter, nor yet by our Lord
let Mm be redeemed." And a Uttle after, he saith of the
same men, " Who have ravenously taken the flock with the
shepherd, and driven away the beast of the orphans, and en
gaged the ox of the widow, and deceiving, have decblned
from the way of necessity. They have reaped other men's
fields before the time ; the poor have laboured in the vine
yards of the mighty without hire and meat, they have made
many to sleep naked without garments : of the covering of
their life they have bereaved them." And somewhat after
wards, when he had thoroughly understood their works, he

sec. 60, 61,] ESDRAS, EZECHIEL. 339
delivered them over to darkness. " Let, therefore, his por
tion be accursed from the earth ; let his plantings bring forth
witherings ; let Mm for this be rewarded according to Ms
deaUngs ; let every wicked man like the unsound wood be
broken in pieces. For arising in Ms wrath hath he over
thrown the impotent. Wherefore truly shall he have no
trust of Ms life ; when he shall begin to grow diseased, let
Mm not hope for health, but fall into languishing. For his
pride hath been the hurt of many, and he is become decayed
and rotten, as the mallows in the scorching heat, or as the
ear of corn when it faUeth off from its stubble." And after
wards, " If his cMldren shaU be many, they shall be turned
to the slaughter, and if he gather together silver as if it were
earth, and Ukewise purify his gold as if it were dirt, aU
these same shall the just obtain."
§ 60. Hear ye moreover what blessed Esdras, that cyclo
paedia of the divine law, threateneth in Ms discourse. " Thus
saith our Lord God : My right hand shaU not be sparing
upon sinners, neither shall the sword cease over them who
spill the innocent blood on the earth. Fire shall proceed
from out of my wrath, and devour the foundations of the
earth, and sinners as if they were inflamed straw. Woe be
unto them who offend, and observe not my commandments,
saith our Lord, I will not forbear them. Depart from me ye
apostatizing cMldren, and do not pollute my sanctuary. God
doth know who offend against Mm, and he will therefore
deUver them over to death and to slaughter. For now have
many evils passed over the round compass of the earth, A
sword of fire is sent out against you, and who is he that
shall restrain it ? shall any man repulse a lion that hungereth
in the wood ? or shall any one quench out the fire when the
straw is burning ? our Lord God wiU send out evUs, and who
is he that shall repress them ? and fire will pass forth from
out of his wrath, and who shall extinguish it ? it shall
brandishing shine, and who will not fear it ? it shall thunder,
and who will not shake with dread ? God will threaten all,
and who will not be terrified ? before his face the earth
doth tremble, and the foundations of the sea shake from the
depths." § 61. And mark ye also what Ezechiel the renowned
prophet, and admirable beholder of the four evangetical
z 2

340 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [sei . W.
creatures, speaketh of wicked offenders, unto whom pitifully
lamenting beforehand the scourge that hung over Israel, our
Lord doth say, " Too far hath the titiquity of the house of
Israel and Judah prevailed, because the earth is ftiled with
iniquity and uncleanness. Behold I am, mine eyes shaU not
spare, nor will I take pity." And afterwards, " Because the
earth is replenished with people, and the city fraughted with
iniquity, I will also turn away the force of their power, and
their holy things shall be poUuted, prayer shall approach and
sue for peace, and it shaU not be obtained." And somewhat
after, " The word of our Lord, quoth he, was spoken unto me,
saying, Thou son of man, the land that shall so far sm against
me as to commit an offence, I wtil stretch forth my hand upon
her, and break in pieces her foundation of bread, and send
upon her famine, and take away mankind and cattle from her;
and if these tMee men, Noah, Darnel, and Job, be m the
midst of her, they shaU not deUver her, but they M then-
justice shall be saved, saith our Lord. If so be that also I
shall bring in evil beasts upon the land and punish her, she
Ukewise shaU be turned to destruction, and there shaU not be
one who shaU have free passage from the face of the beasts,
and although these tMee men are M the midst of her, as I
live, saith our Lord, their sons and daughters shaU not be
preserved, but they alone shall be saved, and as for the land
it shall faU to confusion." And again, " The son shall not
receive the unrighteousness of the father, neither the father
the son's unrighteousness. The justice of the just shall be
upon Mmself. And the unjust man, if he turneth bim away
from aU the iniqmties wMch he hath done, and keepeth all
my commandments, and doth justice and abundance of mercy,
he shall Uve in Ufe and shall not die. AU Ms sins, whatsoever
he hath committed, shaU have no further bemg ; he shall live
the life in his own justice which he hath performed. Do I
with my will voluntarily wish the death of the unrighteous,
saith our Lord, rather than that he should return from his
evil way and live ? But when the just shall turn MmseU
away from his justice, and do iniquity, according to aU the
iniquities wMch the unrighteous hath committed, aU the just
actions (which he hath done) shall remain no further in
memory. In Ms offence wherein he hath faUen, and in Ms
sins in which he hath transgressed, he shaU die." And,

sec. 62.1 SOLOMON. 341
withm some words afterwards : " And all nations shall
understand, that the house of Israel are led captive away
for their offences, because they have forsaken me. And I
have turned my face from them, and yielded them over into
the hands of their enemies, and all have perished by the
sword ; according unto their unclean sins, and after their
iniquities have I dealt with them, and turned my face away
from them."
§ 62. TMs wMch I have spoken may suffice concerning
the tMeats of the holy prophets : only I have thought it
necessary to intermingle in tMs little work of mine, not only
these menaces, but also a few words borrowed out of the
wisdom of Solomon, to declare unto Mngs matters of exhor
tation or instruction, that they may not say I am wiUing to
load the shoulders of men with heavy and insupportable
burdens of words, but not so much as once with mine own
finger (that is, with speech of consolation) to move the same.
Let us therefore hear what the prophet hath spoken to rule
us. "Love justice," saith he, "ye that judge the earth." TMs
testimony alone (if it were with a full and perfect heart
observed) would abundantly suffice to reform the governors
of our country. For if they had loved justice, they would
also love God, who is in a sort the fountain and original of
all justice. " Serve our Lord in goodness, and seek Mm in
simplicity of heart." Alas ! who shall Uve (as a certain one
before us hath said) when such tMngs are done by our
countrymen, if perchance they may be any where accom
pUshed ? " Because he is found of those who do not tempt
him, he appeareth tntiy to them who have faith in him."
For these men without respect do tempt God, whose com
mandments with stubborn despite they contemn, neither yet
do they keep to him their faith, unto whose oracles be they
pleasing, or somewhat severe, they turn their backs and not
their faces. " For perverse thoughts do separate from God,"
and tMs in the tyrants of our time very pl|Mly appeareth.
But why doth our meanness intermeddle in tMs so maMfest
a determination ? Let therefore Mm who alone is true (as
we have said) speak for us, I mean the Holy Ghost, of whom
it is now pronounced, " The Holy Ghost verily will avoid
the counterfeiting of disciphne." And again, " Because the
Spirit of God hath filled the globe of the earth." And after-

342 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. f3EC- 63.
wards (shpwing with an evident judgment the end ef the
evil and righteous) he saith, " How is the hope of the wicked
as the down that is blown away with the wind, and as the
smoke that with the blast is dispersed, and as the slender
froth that -with a storm is scattered, and as the memory of a
guest who is a passenger of one day. But the just shall Uve
for ever, and with God remaineth their reward, and their
cogitation is with the Highest. Therefore shall they receive
the kingdom of glory, and the crown of beauty from the
hand of our Lord. Because with Ms right hand he will
protect them, and with Ms holy arm defend them." For
very far unlike in quaUty are the just and ungodly, as put
Lord verily hath spoken, sayMg, "Them who honour me
I will honour, and whoso despise me shall be of no
estimation." § 63. But let us pass over to the rest : " Hearken, (saith
he) all ye Mngs, and understand ye ; learn, ye judges of the
bounds of the earth, Usten with your ears who keep multi
tudes in awe, and please yourselves in the troops of natipns.
Because pewer is given unto you from Gpd, and pMssance
frpm the Mghest, who will examine your actions, and sift
your thoughts. For that when ye were mtitisters of Ms
kingdom, ye have not judged uprightly, nor kept the law of
justice, nor yet walked according to his will. It shall
dreadfully and suddenly appear unto you, that a most severe
judgment shall be given on them who govern. For to the
meaner is mercy granted, but the mighty shall mightily
sustain torments. For he shall have np respect pf persens,
whp is the ruler pf aU, nor yet shati he reverence the
greatness of any one, because he himseU hath made both
small and great, and care alike he hath of aU ; but for the
stronger is at hand a stronger affliction. Unto you therefore,
0 Mngs, are these my speeches, that you may learn wisdom,
and not faU away from her. For whoso observeth what
tMngs are just shati be justified, and whoso learneth what
things are holy, shall be sanctified."
§ 64. Hitherto have we discoursed no less by the oracles
of the prophets, than by her pwn speeches with the Mngs ef
pur country, being willing they should know what the
prophet hath spoken, saying, " As from the face of a serpent,
so fly thou from sins : if thou shalt approach unto them they

sbc. 65, 06.] DEPRAVITY OF THE CLERGY. 343
wiU catch thee, their teeth are the teeth of a Uon, such as
kiU the souls of men." And again, " How mighty is the
mercy of our Lord, and his forgiveness to such as turn unto
him." And if we have not in us such apostolical zeal, that
we may say, " I did verily desire to be anathematized by
Christ for my brethren," notwithstanding that we may from
the bottom of our hearts speak that prophetic saying,
" Alas ! that the soul perisheth." And again, " Let us
search out our ways, and seek and return unto our Lord : let
us Uft our hearts together with our hands to God in heaven."
And also that of the apostle, " We covet that every one of
you should be in the bowels of Christ."
§ 65. And how wiUingly, as one tossed on the waves of
the sea, and now arrived in a desired haven, would I in this
place make an end (shame forbidding me further to proceed),
did I not behold such great masses of evil deeds done
agamst God by bishops or other priests, or clerks, yea some
of our own order, whom as witnesses myself must of
necessity first of all stone (according unto the law) with the
hard blows of words, lest I should be otherwise reproved
for partiatity towards persons, and then afterwards the
people (if as yet they keep their decrees) must pursue with
their whole powers the same execution upon them, not to
their corporal death, but to the death of their vices and their
eternal Ufe with God. Yet, as I before said, I crave pardon
of them, whose Uves I not only praise, but also prefer before
all earthly treasure, and of the wMch, if it may be, yet
before my death I desire and thirst to be a partaker : and so
having both my sides defended with the double shields of
saints, and by those means invincibly strengthened to sustain
aU that arise against me, arming moreover my head in place
of a helmet with the help of our Lord, and being most
assuredly protected with the sundry aids of the prophets, I
wtil boldly proceed notwithstanding the stones of worldly
rioters fly never so fast about me.
§ 66. Britain hath priests, but they are unwise; very
Jiany that minister, but many of them impudent ; clerks she
hath, but certain of them are deceitful raveners ; pastors (as
they are called) but rather wolves prepared for the slaughter
of souls (for they provide not for the good of the common
people, but covet rather the gluttony of their own bellies),

344 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. f«BC- 66.
possessing the houses of the church, but obtainmg them for
filthy lucre's sake ; instructing the laity, but showing withal
most depraved examples, vices, and evil manners; seldom
sacrificing, and seldom with clean hearts, standing at the
altars; not correcting the commonality for their offences,
wMle they commit the same sins themselves/ despismg the
commandments of Christ, and being careful with their
whole hearts to fulfil their own lustful desires, some of them
usurping with unclean feet the seat of the apostle Peter;
but for the demerit of their covetousness falling down Mto
the pestilent chair of the traitor Judas ; detracting often,
and seldpm speaMng truly ; hating verity as an open enemy,
and favpuring falsehoods, as their most beloved bretMen ;
lppMng pn the just, the poor, and the hnpotent, with stern
countenances, as if they were detested serpents, and reve
rencing the sMful rich men without any respect of shame,
as if they were heavenly angels, preaching with their
outward Ups that alms are to be disbursed upon the needy,
but of themselves not bestowing one haUpenny ; concealing
the horrible sins of the people, and amplifying injuries
offered unto themselves, as if they were done against our
Saviour Christ ; expelling out of their houses their reUgious
mother, perhaps, or sisters, and familiarly and mdecently
entertaiMng strange women, as if it were for some more
secret pffice, er rather, to speak truly, though fondly (and
yet not fondly to me, but to such as commit these matters),
debasmg themselves unto such bad creatures ; and after all
these seeMng rather ambitiously for ecclesiastical digmties,
than for the kingdom of heaven; and defending after a
tyrannical fasMon their achieved preferments, npr even
labeuring with lawful manners, to adprn the same ; negtigent
and dull to Usten to the precepts of the holy saints (if ever
they did sp much as once hear that wMch Ml often they
ought to hear), but diligent and attentive to the plays and
fopUsh fables pf secular men, as if they were the very ways
tc Ufe, which indeed are but the passages tp death ; being
hearse, after the fashien pf bulls, with the abundance of
fatness, and miserably prompt tp all unlawful actipns;
bearing their ceuntenances arrogantly alpft, and havmg
nevertheless their inward senses, with tormenting and
gnawing consciences; depressed down to the bottom or

sec. 67.] SIMONY OF THE CLERGY. 345
rather to the bottomless pit; glad at the gaining of one
penny, and at the loss of the like value sad; slothful and
dumb in the apostolical decrees (be it for ignorance or rather
the burden of their offences), and stopping also the mouths
of the learned, but singularly experienced m the deceitful
sMfts of worldly affairs ; and many of this sort and wicked
conversation, violently intruding themselves into the pre
ferments of the church ; yea, rather buying the same at a
Mgh rate, than being any way drawn thereunto, and more
over as unworthy wretches, wallowing, after the fasMon of
swine, in their old and unhappy puddle of intolerable
wickedness, after they have attained unto the seat of the
priesthood or episcopal dignity (who neither have been
installed, or resident on the same), for usurping only the
name of priesthood, they have not received the orders or
apostoUcal preeminence ; but how can they who are not as
yet fuUy instructed in faith, nor have done penance for their
sins, be any way supposed meet and convenient to ascend
unto any ecclesiastical degree (that I may not speak of the
Mghest) which none but holy and perfect men, and foUowers
of the apostles, and, to use the words of the teacher of the
Gentiles, persons free from reprehension, can lawfuUy and
without the foul offence of sacrilege undertake.
§ 67. For what is so wicked and so sinful as after the ex
ample of Simon Magus (even tf with other faults he had not
been defiled before), for any man with earthly price to pur
chase the office of a bishop or priest, which with holiness
and righteous Ufe alone ought lawfully to be obtained ; but
herein they do more wilfuUy and desperately err, in that
they buy their deceitful and unprofitable ecclesiastical degrees,
not of the apostles or their successors, but of tyrannical
princes, and their father the devil ; yea, rather they raise
tMs as a certain roof and covering of all offences, over the
frame of their former serious Ufe, that being protected under
the shadow thereof, no man should lightly hereafter lay to
their charge their oid or new wickedness ; ami hereupon they
build their desires of covetousness and gluttony, for that
being now the rulers of many they may more freely make
havoc at their pleasure. For if truly any such offer of
purchasing ecclesiastical promotions were made by these im
pudent sinners (I wtil not say with St. Peter), but to any

346 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. Lssc. 67, 68.
holy priest, or godly king, they would no doubt receive the
same answer which their father Simon Magus had from the
mouth of the apostle Peter, saying : " Thy money be with
thee unto thy perdition." But, alas ! perhaps they who
order and advance these ambitious aspirers, yea, they who
rather throw them under foot, and for a blessing give them
a cursing, wMlst of sinners they make them not penitents
(which were more consonant to reason), but sacrilegious and
desperate offenders, and in a sort install Judas, that traitor
to Ms Master, in the chair of Peter, and Nicholas, the author
of that foul heresy, in the seat of St. Stephen the martyr, it
may be, at first obtained their own priesthood by the same
means, and therefore do not greatly dislike M their cMldren,
but rather respect the course, that they their fathers did
before follow. And also, if finding resistance, in obtaining
their dioceses at home, and some who severely renounce this
chaffering of church-Uvings, they cannot there attaM to such
a precious pearl, then it doth not so much loath as deUght
them (after they have carefully sent their messengers before
hand) to cross the seas, and travel over most large countries,
that so, in the end, yea even with the sale of their whole sub
stance, they may win and compass such a pomp, and such an
incomparable glory, or to speak more truly, such a dirty and
base deceit and iUusion. And afterwards with great show and
magnificent ostentation, or rather madness, returiting back to
their own native soil, they grow frpm stoutness to statetiness,
and from being used to level their looks to the tops of the
mountains, they now lift up their drowsy eyes mto the air,
even to the Mghest clouds, and as Novatus, that foul hog,
and persecutor of our Lord's precious jewel, did once at
Rome, so do these intrude themselves again mto their own
country, as creatures of a new mould, or rather as Mstru-
ments of the devil, being even ready in tMs state and fasMon
to stretch out violently their hands (not so worthy of the
holy altars as of the avenging flames of heU) upon Christ's
most holy sacrifices.
§ 68. What do you therefore, O unhappy people ! expect
from such beUy beasts ? (as the apostle calleth them). Shall
your manners be amended by these, who not only do not
apply their minds to any goodness, but according to the up
braiding of the prophet, labour also to deal wickedly ? Shall

sre. 69.] HELY, ABEL, ENOCH. 347
ye be iUuminated with such eyes as are only with greediness
cast on those tMngs that lead headlong to vices (that is to
say), to the gates of hell ? Nay truly, if according to the
saymg of our Saviour, ye flee not these most ravenous wolves
Uke those of Arabia, or avoid them as Lot, who ran most
speedily from the fiery shower of Sodom up to the mountains,
then, being btind and led by the btind, ye wtil both to
gether tumble down into the infernal ditch.
§ 69. But some man perchance wiU objecting say, that all
bishops or all priests (according to our former exception),
are not so wickedly given, because they are not defiled with
the infamy of scMsm, pride, or unclean Ufe, wMch neither
we ourselves will deny, but albeit we know them to be chaste,
and virtuous, yet will we briefly answer.
What did it profit the Mgh-priest Hely, that he alone did
not violate the commandments of our Lord, in taking flesh
with forks out of the pots, before the fat was offered unto
God, wMle he was punished with the same revenge of death
wherewith Ms sons were ? What one, I beseech you, of them,
whose manners we have before sufficiently declared, hath
been martyred Uke Abel, from maticious jealousy of Ms more
acceptable sacrifice, which with the heavenly fire ascended
up into the sMes, since they fear the reproach even of an
ordinary word ? Which of them " hath hated the counsel of
the malicious, and not sat with the ungodly," so that of Mm
as a prophet, the same might be verified which was said of
Enoch, " Enoch walked with God and was not to be found"
in the vanity (forsooth) of the whole world, as then leaving
our Lord, and beginning to halt after idolatry ? Which of
them, like Noah in the time of the deluge, hath not admitted
into the ark of salvation (which is the present church) any
adversary unto God, that it may be most apparent that none
but innocents or singular penitents, ought to remain in the
house of our Lord ? Who is he that offering sacrifice Uke
MelcMsedeck, hath only blessed the conquerors, and them
who with the number of tMee hundred (wMch was in the
sacrament of the Trinity) detivering the just man, have over
tMown the deadly armies of the five Mngs, together with
their vanquisMng troops, and not coveted the goods of others ?
WMch of them hath like Abraham, at the commandment of
God freely offered Ms own son on the altar to be slain, that

348 THE WORKS OF GLLDAS. [sec. 70.
he might accomptish a precept of Christ, agreeable to tMs
saying, Thy right eye, if it cause thee to offend, ought to be
pulled out ; and another of the prophet, That he is accursed
who withholdeth Ms sword from shedding blood ? Who is he
that Uke Joseph, hath rooted out of his heart the remem
brance of an offered mjury ? Who is he that Uke Moses,
speaking with our Lord in the mountain, and not there terri
fied with the sounding trumpets, hath in a figurative sense
presented unto the incredulous people the two tables, and Ms
horned face wMch they could not endure to see, but trem
bled to behold ? WMch of them, praymg for the offences of
the people, has from the very bottom of his heart cried out,
Uke unto Mm, saying : " O Lord tMs people hath committed
a grievous sin, wMch if thou wilt forgive them, forgive it ;
otherwise blot me guilty out of thy book ?"
§ 70. WMch of them, inflamed with the admirable zeal of
God, hath courageously risen to punish fornication, curing
without delay by the present medicine of penance, the affec
tion of filthy lust, lest the fire of the wrath of God should
otherwise consume the people, as PMneas the priest did,
that by these means justice for ever might be reputed unto
Mm ? WMch of them hath in moral understanding imitated
Joshua, the son of Nun, either for the utter rooting forth,
even to the slaughter of the last and least of all, the seven
nations out of the land of promise, or for the establishing of
spiritual Israel in their places ? WMch of them hath showed
unto the people of God their final bounds beyond Jordan
that it might be known what was smted to every tribe, in
such sort as the aforenamed PMneas and Jesus have wisely
divided the land ? Who is he that to overtMow the Mnumer-
able thousands of Gentiles, adversaries to the chosen people
of God, hath, as another Jephtha, for a votive and propitia
tory sacrifice, slain his own daughter (by wMch is to be un-
derstppd Ms own proper wiU), imitating alsp therein the
apestle, saying, " Net seeMng what is profitable to me, but to
many, that they may be saved ;" wMch daughter of bis
met the conquerors with drums and dances, by wMch are
to be understood the lustful desires of the flesh ? Which of
them, that he might disorder, put to flight, and overtMow
the camps of the proud Gentiles, by the number of tMee
hundred, (being, as we before said, the mystery of the blessed

sec. 71.] GIDEON, SAMPSON, SAMUEL. 349
Trmity,) and with Ms men holding in their hands those noble
sounding trumpets, (which are prophetical and apostolical
senses, according as our Lord said to the prophet, " Exalt
thy voice as a trumpet ;" and the psalmist of the apostles,
" Their sound hath passed tMoughout the whole earth,") and
bearing aU those famous flagons sMning in the night with
that most gUttering fiery light, (wMch are to be interpreted
the bodies of saints joined to good works, and burning with
the flame of the Holy Ghost, yea having, as the apostle
writes, " TMs treasure in earthen vessels,") hath after hewing
down the idolatrous grave (by wMch is moraUy meant dark
and foul desire) marched on Uke Gideon, with an assured faith
in the evident sign of the fleece, wMch to the Jews was void
of the heavenly moisture, but to the Gentiles made wet with
the dew of the Holy Ghost ?
§ 71. Who is he among them that (earnestly wisMng to
die to tMs world, and live to Christ) hath, as another Samp
son, utterly cut off such innumerable luxurious banqueters
of the Gentile, wMle they praised their gods, (by which is
meant, while the senses of men extoUed these earthly riches,
according to the apostle speaking thus : " And covetousness,
wMch is idolatry"), shaMng with the power of both Ms arms
the two pillars (by which are to be understood the wicked
pleasures of the soul and body), by which the house of all
worldly wickedness is in a sort compacted and underpropped ?
WMch of them, like Samuel, with prayers and the burnt
sacrifice of a sucMng lamb, hath driven away the fear of the
PMUstines, raised unexpected thunderclaps, and showering
clouds, estabhshed without flattery a Mng, deppsed him
when he displeased Gpd, and anpinted anpther his better in
Ms place and Mngdem ; and when he shaU give to the people
his last fareweU, shaU appear Uke Samuel in tMs sort, saying,
"Behold, I am ready, speak ye before our Lord and Ms
anointed, whether I ever took away the ox or ass of any
man, if I have falsely accused any one, if I have oppressed
anybody, if I have received a bribe from the hands of any?"
Unto whom it was answered by the people, " Thou bast not
wrongfuUy charged us, nor oppressed us, nor taken anything
from the hands of any." WMch of them, Uke the famous
prophet Elias, who consumed with heavenly fire the hundred
proud men, and preserved the fifty that humbled themselves ;

350 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [sec. 72.
and afterwards denounced without flattery or dissimulation,
the impending death of the unjust Mng (that sought not the
counsel of God by his prophets, but of the idol Accaron),
hath utterly overtMown all the prophets of Baal (by wMch
are meant the worldly senses ever bent, as we have already
said, to envy and avarice), with the lightning sword (wMch
is the word of God) ? And as the same EUas, moved with
the zeal of God, after taMng away the showers of rain from
the land of the wicked, who were now shut up with famine
in a strong prison, as it were of penury, for tMee years and
six months, being himself ready to die for tMrst in the
desert, hath, complaining, said, " They have murdered, O
Lord, thy prophets, and underntined tMne altars, and I alone
am left, and they seek my Ufe ?"
§ 72. WMch of them, Uke Etisha, hath punished his
dearly beloved disciple, if not with an everlasting leprosy,
yet at least by abandoning Mm, if burdened too much with
the weight of worldly covetousness for those very gifts
wMch Ms master before (although very earnestly entreated
thereto) had despised to receive ? And wMch of these
among us hath tike him revealed unto Ms servant, (who
despaired of Ufe, and on a sudden trembled at tbe warUke
army of the enemies that besieged the city wherein he was),
tMough the fervency of his prayers poured out unto God,
those spiritual visions, so that he might behold a mountam
replemshed with a heavenly assisting army, of warUke cha
riots and horsemen, shining with fiery countenances, and that
he might also beUeve that he was stronger to save, than the
foe to hurt ? And wMch of them, Uke the above-named
EUsha, with the touch of Ms body, being dead to the world,
but livmg unto God, shati raise up another, whose fate had
been different from Ms, namely, death to Gpd, but Ufe te Ms
vices, se that instantly revived, he may yield humble thanks
te CMist for Ms unexpected recovery from the hellish tor
ments of Ms mortal crimes ? Which of them hath Ms Ups
purified and made clean with the fiery coals carried by the
tongues of the cherubim, from off the altar, (that Ms sins
may be wiped away with the humiUty of confession), as it is
written of Esaias, by whose effectual prayers, together with
the aid of the godly king Ezechias. a hundred fourscore and
five thousand of the Assyrian army, through the stroke of

sec. 73.] EXAMPLES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 351
one angel, without the least print of any appearing wound,
were overtMown and slain ? WMch of them, Uke blessed
Jeremiah, for accompUsMng the commandments of God, — for
denouncing the threats thundered out from heaven, and for
preaching the truth even to such as would not hear the same,
hath suffered loathsome stinMng prisons as momentary
deaths ? And to be brief, what one of them (as the teacher
of the Gentiles said) hath endured Uke the holy prophets to
wander in mountains, in dens, and caves of the earth, to be
stoned, to be sawn in sunder, and assailed with all Mnds of
death, for the name of our Lord ?
§ 73. But why do we dwell in examples of the Old Tes
tament as if there were none in the New ? Let, therefore,
those, who suppose they can, without any labour at all, under
the naked pretence of the name of priesthood, enter tMs
strait and narrow passage of Christian religion, hearken unto
me wMle I recite and gather into one a few of the chiefest
flowers out of the large and pleasant meadow of the saintly
soldiers of the New Testament. WMch of you (who rather
sleep than lawfuUy sit in the chair of the priesthood), being
cast out of the council of the wicked, hath, after the stripes
of sundry rods, Uke the holy apostles, from the bottom of his
heart, given thanks to the blessed Trinity that he was found
worthy to suffer disgrace for Christ's true deity ? What
one, for the undoubted testimony of God, having Ms brains
dashed out with the fuller's club, hath, like James the first,
a bishop of the New Testament, suffered corporal death ?
WMch of you, like James the brother of John, has by the
unjust prmce been beheaded ? Who, like the first deacon
and martyr of the gospel, (having but tMs only accusation,
that he saw God, whom the wicked could not behold), has
by ungodly hands been stoned to death ? What one of you,
Uke the worthy keeper of the keys of the heavenly kingdom,
has been nailed to the cross with his feet upward, in rever
ence for Christ, whom, no less in his death than in Ms life,
he endeavoured to honour, and hath so breathed Ms last ?
WMch of you, for the confession of the true word of Christ,
hath, like the vessel of election, and chosen teacher of the
Gentiles, after suffering imprisonment and shipwreck, after
the terrible scourges of whips, the continual dangers of seas,
of tMeves, of Gentiles, of Jews, and of false apostles, after

352 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [sic. 74-
the labours of famine, fasting, and watcMng, after incessant
care over all the churches, after Ms trouble for such as
scandaUzed, after his infirmity for the weak, after Ms won
derful travels over almost the whole world in preacMng the
gospel of Christ, lost Ms head at last by the stroke of the
descending sword ?"
§ 74. Which of you, Uke the holy martyr Ignatius, bishop
of the city of Antioch, hath after Ms miraculous actions in
CMist, for testimony of him been torn by the jaws of tions,
as he was once at Rome ? whose words, as he was led to Ms
passion, when you shall hear (if ever your countenances
were overcome with blushing), you will not only, in com
parison of him, esteem yourselves no priests, but not so much
even as the meanest Christians ; for in the epistle wMch he
sent to the church of Rome, he writeth thus : " From Syria
even unto Rome, I fight with beasts, by land and sea, bemg
bound and chained unto ten leopards, I mean the soldiers
appointed for my sustody, who for our benefit bestowed upon
them become more "cruel; but I am the better instructed by
their wickedness, neither yet am I in tMs justified; oh!
when shall those beasts come the workers of my salvation,
wMch are for me prepared ? when shall they be let loose at
me ? when shall it be lawful for my carcass to enjoy them?
whom I do most earnestly wish to be eagerly enraged agamst
me, and truly I wiU incite them to devour me ; moreover, I
will humbly pray, lest perchance they should dread to touch
my body (as in some others they have before done), yea also,
if they hesitate, I will offer violence, I will force myself
upon them. Pardon me, I beseech you, I know what is
commodious for me, even now I begin to be the disciple of
CMist ; let all envy, whether of human affection or spiritual
wickedness cease, that I may endeavour to obtain CMist
Jesus ; let fires, let crosses, let cruelty of beasts, let breaking
pf bpnes, and rendmg of limbs, with aU the pains of the
whele bpdy, and aU the torments devised by the art of the
devil, be together peured out on me alone, so that I may
merit to attain unto Christ Jesus." Why do you behold
these tMngs with the sleepy eyes of your souls ? why do you
hearken unto them with the deaf ears of your senses?
Shake off, I beseech you, the dark and black mist of
slothfulness from your hearts, that so you may see the

sec. 75.] EXAMPLES OF POLYCARP AND BASIL. 353
glorious light of truth and humility. A Christian, and he
not mean, but a perfect one, and a priest not base, but one of
the Mghest, a martyr of no ordinary sort, but one of the
chiefest, saith : " Now I begin to be the disciple of Christ."
And you, Uke the same Lucifer, who was thrown down out
of heaven, are puffed up with words, and not with power,
and after a sort do chew under the tooth, and make pretence
in your actions, as the author of tMs your wickedness hath
thus expressed : " I will mount up into the heavens, and be
Uke unto the Highest." And again : " I have digged and
drunk water, and dried up with the steps of my feet all the
rivers of the banks." You would more rightly have
imitated Mm and hearkened unto his words, who is without
doubt the most true example of all goodness and humitity,
saying by his prophet, " I am verily a worm and not a man,
the reproach of men, and the outcast of the people." Oh
unspeakable matter ! that he caUed himself " the reproach of
men," when he washed away the reproaches of the whole
world. And again in the gospel ; " I am not able to do any
tMng of myseU," when at the same time he was co-eternal
with the Father, coequal with the Holy Ghost, and con-
substantial with both, and created, not by the help of
another, but by Ms own almighty power, the heaven and
earth, with all their inestimable ornaments ; and ye never
theless have arrogantly lifted up your voices, notwithstanding
the prophet saith, "Why do earth and ashes sweU with
pride?" § 75. But let us return unto our subject. WMch of you,
I say, Uke Polycarp, the famous bishop of the church of
Smyrna, that witness of Christ, hath courteously entertained
as guests at his table, those who violently drew Mm out to
be burned? and when for the charity which he did bear
unto Christ, he was brought to the stake, said, " He who
gave me grace to endure the torment of the fire, wiU
Ukewise grant me without fastening of nails to bear the
flames with patience." And now passing osrer in tMs my
discourse the mighty armies of saints, I will yet touch on
one only, for example's sake, Basil the bishop of Ceesaria,
who when he was thus by the unrighteous prince threatened
that, unless he would on the next day be as the rest, defiled
in the dirty dungMll of the Arian heresy, he should be put

354 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [sec It.
to death, answered, as it is reported, " I will be to-morrow
the same as to-day, and for thee, I do not wish thee to
change thy determination." And again, "Would that I
had some worthy reward to bestow on Mm that would
discharge Basil from the bands of tMs breathing beUows."
Which one of you doth endeavour to daunt the menaces of
tyrants, by inviolably keeping the rule of the apostoUcal
speech, which in aU times and ages hath been observed by
all holy priests, to suppress the suggestion of men when they
sought to draw them mto wickedness, saying M tMs manner ;
" It behoveth us to obey God rather than men."
§ 76. Wherefore after our accustomed manner, taMng
refuge in the mercy of our Lord, and in the sentences of Ms
holy prophets, that they on our behalf may now level the
darts of their oracles at imperfect pastors (as before at
tyrants), so that thereby they may receive compunction and
be amended, let us see what manner of tMeats our Lord doth
by Ms prophets utter against slothful and dishonest priests,
and such as do not, both by examples and words, rightly
instruct the people. For even EU, the priest in Shilo,
because he did not severely proceed, with a zeal worthy of
God, in punishing Ms sons, when they contemned our Lord,
but, as a man overswayed with a fatherly affection, too
mildly and remissly admonished them, was sentenced with
this judgment by the prophet speaking unto Mm: "Thus
saith our Lord ; I have manifestly showed mysetf unto the
house of thy father, when they were the servants of Pharaoh
in Egypt, and have chosen the house of thy father out of aU
the tribes of Israel, for a priesthood unto me." And a Uttle
after, " Why hast thou looked upon mine incense, and upon
my sacrifice, with a dishonest eye ? and hast honoured thy
cMldren more than me, that thou mightest bless them from
the beginning in all sacrifices in my presence ? And now so
saith our Lord : Because whoever honoureth me I wtil honour
him again ; and whoso maketh no account of me shall be
brought to nothing. Behold the days shall come, and I wiU
destroy thy name, and the seed of thy father's house. And
let this be to thee the sign, which shall fall upon thy two sons,
Hophni and PMneas, in one day shall they both die by the
sword of men." If thus therefore they shall suffer, who
correct them that are under their charge, with words only,

sec 77, 78.] PROPHECY OF ISAIAS. 355
and not with condign punishment, what shall become of those
who by offending exhort you, and draw others unto wickedness ?
§ 77. It is apparent also what befell unto the true prophet,
who was sent from Judah to prophesy in Bethel, and
forbidden to taste any meat in that place, after the sign
wMch he foretold was fuMlled, and after he had restored to
the wicked king his withered hand again, being deceived by
another prophet, as he was termed, and so make to take but
a Uttle bread and water, Ms host speaking in tMs sort unto
Mm : " Thus saith our Lord God : Because thou hast been
disobedient to the mouth of our Lord, and hast not observed
the precept wMch the Lord thy God hath commanded, and
hast returned, and eaten bread, and drunk water in this
place, in wMch I have charged thee that thou shouldest
neither eat bread nor drink water, thy body shall not be
buried in the sepulchre of thy forefathers. And so (saith
the scripture) it came to pass, that after he had eaten bread
and drunk water, he made ready Ms ass, and departed, and a
Uon found him in the way and slew him."
§ 78. Hear ye also the holy prophet Isaias, how he
speaketh of priests on this wise. " Woe be to the ungodly,
may evil befall him ; for the reward of his hands shall light
upon Mm. Her own exactors have spoiled my people, and
women have borne sway over her. O my people, they who
term thee blessed, themselves deceive thee, and destroy the
way of thy footsteps. Our Lord standeth to judge, and
standeth to judge the people. Our Lord will come unto
judgment with the elders of the people and her princes. Ye
have consumed my vine, the spoil of the poor is in your
house. Why do ye break in pieces my people, and grind the
faces of the poor ? saith our Lord of hosts." And also ;
" Woe be unto them who compose ungodly laws, and in their
writing have written injustice, that they may oppress the
poor in judgment, and work violence to the cause of the
lowly of my people, that widows may be their prey, and they
make spoil of the orphans ; what will ye do in the day of
visitation and calamity approacMng from afar off ? " And
afterwards : " But these also in regard of wine have been
ignorant, and in respect of drunkenness have wandered
astray ; the priests have not understood, because of drunken
ness, and have been swallowed up in wine, they have erred
A A 2

356 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [«=c. 79.
in drunkenness, they have not known him who seeth, they
have been ignorant of judgment. For all tables are fiUed
with the vomit of their uncleanness, in so much as there is
not any free place to be found."
§ 79. " Hear therefore the word of our Lord, O ye
deceivers, who bear authority over my people that is in
Jerusalem. For ye have said, We have entered into a truce
with death, and with heU we have made a covenant. The
overflowing scourge when it shati pass forth shaU not faU
upon us, because we have placed falsehood for our hope, and
by lying we have been defended." And somewhat after :
" And hail shaU overthrow the hope of lying, together with
the defence. Waters shall overflow, and your truce with
death shall be destroyed, and your covenant with hell shaU
not continue, when the overflowMg scourge shall pass forth ;
ye shall also be trodden under foot, whensoever it shall pass
along through you, it shall sweep ypu away withal." And
again : " And pur Lprd hath said : Because tMs people
approacheth with their mouth, and with their Ups glorify
me, but their heart is far from me ; behold, therefore, I will
cause tMs people to wonder by a great and stupendous
miracle. For wisdom shall decay and fall away from her
wise men, and the understanding of her sages shaU be con
cealed. Woe be unto you that are profound M heart, to
conceal counsel from our Lord, whose works are m darkness,
and they say, who seeth us ? And who hath known us ? for
this thought of yours is perverse." And afterwards : '' Thus
saith our Lord, Heaven is my seat, and the earth my foot
stool. What is this house that ye wtil erect unto me, and
what place shaU be found for my resting-place ? aU these
things hath my hand made, and these umversally have been
all created, saith our Lord. On whom truly shaU I cast
mine eye, but on the humble poor man, and the contrite
in spirit, and him that dreadeth my speeches ? he that
sacrificeth an ox, is as he that MUeth a man ; he that
slaughtereth a beast for sacrifice, is like Mm who beateth
out the brains of a dog ; he that offereth an oblation, is as
he that offereth the blood of a hog ; he that is mindful of
frankincense, is as he that honoureth an idol : of aU these
things have they made choice in their ways, and in their
abominations hath their soul been deUghted."

sec. 80.] PROPHECY OF JEREMY. 357
§ 80. Hear also what Jeremy, that virgin prophet, speaketh
unto the unwise pastors in this sort : " Thus saith our Lord,
What iniquity have your fathers found in me, because they
have removed themselves far off from me, and walked after
vanity, and are become vain ? " And again : " And entering
in, ye have defiled my land, and made mine inheritance
abomination. The priests have not said, Where is our Lord ?
and the rulers of the law have not known me, and the pastors
have dealt treacherously against me. Wherefore I will as
yet contend in judgment with you, saith our Lord, and
debate the matter with your cMldren." And a little after
wards : " AstonisMnent and wonders have been wrought in
the land. Prophets did preach lying, and priests did applaud
with their hands, and my people have loved such matters.
Y\ hat therefore shall be done in her last and final ends r To
whom shaU I speak and make protestation that he may hear
me ? Behold their ears are uncircumcised, and they cannot
hear. Behold the word of our Lord is uttered unto them
for their reproach, and they receive it not : because I will
stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the earth, saith
our Lord. For why, from the lesser even unto the greater,
all study avarice, and from the prophet even unto the priest,
all work deceit, and they cured the contrition of the daughter
of my people, with ignominy, saying, Peace, peace, and peace
there shall not be. Confounded they are, who have wrought
abomination : but they are not with confusion confounded,
and have not understood how to be ashamed. Wherefore
they shall faU among those who are faUing, in the time of
their visitation shall they rush headlong down together, saith
our Lord." And again : " All these princes of the declining
sort, walMng fraudulently, being brass and iron, are uni-
versaUy corrupted, the blowing bellows have failed in the
fire, the finer of metals in vain hath melted, their malicious
acts are not consumed, call them refuse and reprobate
silver, because our Lord hath thrown them away." And
after a few words: " I am, I am, I have seen,*saith our Lord.
Go your ways to my place in Shilo, where my name hath
inhabited from the beginning, and behold what I have done
thereunto for the malice of my people Israel. And now
because ye have wrought all these works, saith our Lord,
and I have spoken unto you, arising in the morning, and

358 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [sec. 81, 82.
talking, and yet ye have not heard me, and I have called
you, and yet ye have not answered, I wtil so deal towards
tMs house, wherein my name is now caUed upon, and wherem
ye have confidence, and to this place which I have given unto
you, and to your fathers, as I have done to SMlo, and I wtil
cast you away from my countenance."
§ 81. And again : "My cMldren have departed from me,
and have no abiding, and there is none who any more pitcheth
my tent, and advanceth my pavilion : for the pastors have
dealt fondly and not sought out our Lord. Wherefore they
have not understood, and their flock hath been dispersed."
And a Uttle after : " What is the matter that my beloved
hath in my houses committed many offences ? shall the holy
flesh take away thy maUciousness from thee, wherein thou
hast glorified ? our Lord shaU caU thy name a plentiful, fair,
fruitful, goodly olive ; at the sound of the speech a mighty
fire hath been inflamed in her, and her orchards have been
quite consumed therewith." And again : " Come ye to me,
and be ye gathered^ together, all ye beasts of the earth, make
haste to devour. Many pastors have thrown down my vine,
they have trampled my part under foot, they have given over
my portion wMch was weU worthy to be desired, into a
desert of solitariness." And agam he speaketh : " Thus
saith our Lord unto tMs people, wMch have loved to move
their feet, and not rested, nor yet pleased our Lord ; now
shall he remember their imquities and visit their offences.
Prophets say unto them, Ye shaU not see the sword, and
there shall be no famine among you, but our Lord shaU give
true peace unto you in this place. And our Lord hath said
unto me, The prophets do falsely foreteU M my name ; I have
not sent them, nor laid my commandment on them ; they
prophesy unto you a lying vision, and divination together
with deceitfulness, and the seducement of their own hearts.
And therefore thus saith our Lord : In sword and famine
shall those prophets be consumed ; and the people to whom
they have prophesied shall by means of the famine and sword
be cast out into the streets of Jerusalem, and there shall be
none to bury them."
§ 82. And moreover : " Woe be to the pastors whp de
stroy and rend in pieces the fleck of my pasture, saith our
Lord. Thus, therefore, saith our Lord God of Israel, unto

sbc. 83.] PROPHECY OF JOEL. 359
the pastors who guide my people, Ye have dispersed my
flock, and cast them forth, and not visited them. Behold I
wiU visit upon you the malice of your endeavours, saith our
Lord. For the prophet and the priest are both defiled, and
in my house have I found their evil, saith our Lord, and
therefore shall their way be as a slippery place in the dark,
for they shall be thrust forward, and fall down together
therein, for I will bring evils upon them, the year of their
visitation, saith our Lord. And in the prophets of Samaria
I have seen foolishness, and they did prophesy in Baal, and
deceived my people Israel, and in the prophets of Jerusalem,
have I seen the Uke resemblance, adultery, and the way of
lying, and they have comforted the hands of the vilest offen
ders, that every man may not be converted from his malice :
they have been all made to me as Sodom, and the inhabit
ants thereof as those of Gomorrha. Thus, therefore, saith
our Lord to the prophets : Behold, I will give them wormwood
for their food, and gall for their drink. For there hath passed
from the prophet of Jerusalem poUution over the whole earth.
Thus saith our Lord of hosts, Listen not to the words of pro
phets, who prophesy unto you, and deceive you, for they
speak the vision of their own heart, and not from the mouth
of our Lord. For they say unto those w|ho blaspheme me,
Our Lord hath spoken, peace shall be unto you ; and to all
that walk in the wickedness of their own hearts, they have
said, evil shall not fall upon them. For who was present in
the counsel of our Lord, and hath seen and heard his speech,
who hath considered of his word, and hearkened thereunto ?
Behold, the wMrlwind of the indignation of our Lord
passeth out, and a tempest breaking forth, shall faU upon the
heads of the wicked ; the fury of our Lord shaU not return,
until the time that he worketh, and until he fulfilleth the
cogitation of Ms heart. In the last days of aU shaU ye un
derstand his counsel."
§ 83. And Uttle also do ye conceive and put in execu
tion that wMch the holy prophet Joel hath likewise spoken
in admonishment of slothful priests, and lamentation of
the people's suffering for their iniquities, saying : " Awake,
ye who are drunk, from your wine, and weep and bewail ye
aU, who have drunk wine even to drunkenness, because joy
and deUght are taken away from your mouths. Mourn, ye

360 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [sec. 84, 85.
priests, who serve the altar, because the fields have been
made miserable. Let the earth mourn, because corn hath
become miserable, and wine been dried up, oil diminished,
and husbandmen withered away. Lament ye possessions, in
regard of wheat and barley, because the vintage hath per
ished out of the field, the vine withered up, the figs dimin
ished ; the pomegranates, and palm, and apple, and all trees
of the field are withered away, in respect that the children
of men have confounded their joy." All wMch tMngs are
spiritually to be understood by you, that your souls may not
wither away with so pestilent a famine, for want of the word
pf God. And again, " Weep out ye priests, who serve our
Lord, saying, Spare, 0 Lord, thy people, and give not over
thine inheritance unto reproach, and let net natipns hold
dominipn pver them, that Gentiles may not say, Where is
their God ? " And yet ye yield not your ears unto these
sayings, but admit of aU matters by wMch the Mdignation
of God's fury is more vehemently inflamed.
§ 84. With diligence also attend ye what holy Hosea the
prophet hath sppken unto priests ef your behaviour. " Hear
these words, O ye priests, and let the house of Israel, toge
ther with the king's house, mark them ; fasten ye them in
your ears, for unto. you pertameth judgment, because ye are
made an entangling snare to the espymg watch, and as a net
stretched over the toils wMch the foUowers of hunting have
framed." § 85. To you also may tMs Mnd of aUenation from our
Lord be meant by the prophet Amos, saying, " I have hated
and rejected your festival days, and I wiU not receive the
savour in your solemn assembUes, because albeit ye offer
your burnt sacrifices and hosts, I wtil not accept them, and
I will not cast mine eye on the vows of your declaration.
Take away from me the sound of your songs, and the psalm
of your organs I will not hear." For the famine of the
evangelical meat consuming, in your abundance of victuals,
the very bowels of your souls, rageth violently within you,
according as the aforesaid prophet hath foretold, saying,
"Behold, the days shall come, saith our Lord, and I wtil
send out a famine upon the earth ; not the famine of bread,
nor the thirst of water, but a famine in hearing the word
of God, and the waters shall be moved from sea to sea.

sec. 86.] PROPHECY OF MICAH. 361
and they shall run over from the north even unto the east,
seeking the word of our Lord, and shall not find it."
§ 86. Let holy Micah also pierce your ears, who like a
heavenly trumpet soundeth loudly forth against the deceit
ful princes of the people, saying, " Hearken now ye princes
of the house of Jacob, Is it not for you to know judgment,
who hate goodness, and seek after miscMef, who pluck their
sMns from off men, and their flesh from their bones ? Even
as they have eaten the flesh of my people, and flayed their
sMns from them, broken their bones to pieces, and hewed
them smaU as meat to the pot, they shall cry to God, and he
witi not hear them, and in that season turn his face away
from them, even as they before have wickedly behaved them
selves in their inventions. Thus speaketh our Lord of the
prophets who seduce my people, who bite with their teeth,
and preach against them peace, and if a man giveth nothing
to stop their mouths, they raise and sanctify a war upon
Mm. Night shall therefore be unto you in place of a
vision, and darkness unto you in lieu of divination, and
the sun shall set upon your prophets, and the day shall
wax dark upon them, and seeing dreams they shall be
confounded, and the diviners shall be derided, and they
shaU speak ill against all men, because there shall not be any
one that will hear them, but that I myself shall do mine ut
termost and strongest endeavour in the spirit of our Lord, in
judgment and in power, that I may declare unto the house
of Jacob their impieties, and to Israel their offences. Heark
en, therefore, unto these words, ye captains of the house of
Jacob, and ye remnants of the house of Israel, who abhor
judgment, and overthrow all righteousness, who build up
Sion in blood, and Jerusalem in imquities : her rulers did
judge for rewards, and her priests answered for hire, and
her prophets did for money divine, and rested on our Lord,
saying, And is not the Lord among us ? Evils shall not fall
upon us. For your cause, therefore, shall Sion be ploughed
up as a field, and Jerusalem as the watch-house of a garden,
and the mountain of the house as the place of a woody wil
derness." And after some words ensuing : " Woe is me for
that I am become as he that gathereth stubble in the harvest,
and a cluster of grapes in the vintage, when the principal
branch is not left to be eaten. Woe is me that a soul hath

362 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [sec. 87, 88.
perished through earthly actions, the reverence of sinners
ariseth even with reverence from the earth, and he appeareth
not that shall use correction among men. All contend
in judgment for blood, and every one with tribulation
aflticteth Ms neighbour, for miscMef he prepareth Ms
hands. § 87. Listen ye Ukewise how the famous prophet Zepha-
niah debated also in times past, concerrting your revellers
(for he spake of Jerusalem, wMch is spiritually to be under
stood the church or the soul), saymg, " O the city that was
beautiful and set at liberty, the confiding dove hath not
hearkened to the voice, nor yet entertamed disciptine, she
hath not trusted in our Lord, and to her God she hath not
approached." And he showeth the reason why, " Her prin
ces have been Uke unto roaring tions, her judges as wolves of
Arabia did not leave towards the mornmg, her prophets
carrying the spirit of a contemptuous despising man ; her
priests did profane what was holy, and dealt wickedly in the
law, but our Lord is upright in the midst of Ms people, and
in the mormng he will not do mjustice, M the mormng wtil
he give Ms judgment."
§ 88. But hear ye also blessed Zachariah the prophet, in the
word of God, admonisMng you : " For thus saith our
Almighty Lord, Judge ye righteous judgment, and work ye
every one towards Ms brother mercy and pity, and hurt ve
not through your power the widow, or orphan, or stranger,
or poor man, and let not any man remember M Ms heart the
malice of Ms brother ; and they have been stubborn not to
observe these, and have yielded their backs to foolishness, and
made heavy their ears that they might not hearken, and framed
their hearts not to be persuaded that they might not listen to
my law and wprds, wMch our Almighty Lord hath sent m Ms
Spirit, through the hands of Ms former prophets, and mighty
wrath hath been raised by our Almighty Lord." And again ;
" Because they who have spoken, have spoken molestations,
and diviners have uttered false visions and deceitful dreams,
and given vain consolations ; in respect hereof they are made
as dry as sheep, and are afflicted because no health was to be
found ; my wrath is heaped upon the shepherds, and upon
the lambs will I visit." And witMn a few words after :
" The voice of lamenting pastors, because their greatness is

sec. 89.] PROPHECY OF MALACH1. 363
become miserable. The voice of roaring tions, because the
fall of Jordan is become miserable : thus saith our Almighty
Lord : They who possessed have murdered, and yet hath it
not repented them, and they who sold them, have said, Our
Lord is blessed and we have been enriched, and their pastors
have suffered notMng concerning them. For which I wiU
now bear no sparing hand over the inhabitants of the earth,
saith our Lord."
§ 89. Hear ye moreover what the holy prophet MalacM
denounceth unto you, saying : " Ye priests who despise my
name, and have said : Wherein do we despise thy name ? in
offering on mine altar poUuted bread : and ye have said,
Wherein have we poUuted it ? In that ye have said : The
table of our Lord is as nothing, and have despised such things
as have been placed thereon ; because if ye bring what is
bhnd for an offering, is it not evil ? If ye set and apply what is
lame or languishing, is it not evil ? Offer therefore the same
unto thy governor, if he will receive it, if he will accept of
thy person, saith our Almighty Lord. And now do ye
humbly pray before the countenance of your God, and
earnestly beseech Mm (for in your hands have these tMngs
been committed) if happily he will accept of your persons."
And again : "And out of your ravenous theft ye have
brought in the lame and languishing, and brought it in as an
offering. ShaU I receive the same at your hands, saith our
Lord ? Accursed is the deceitful man who hath in Ms flock
one of the male kind, and yet making his vow offereth the
feeble unto our Lord, because I am a mighty king, saith our
Lord of hosts, and my name is terrible among the Gentiles.
And now unto you appertaineth tMs commandment, 0 ye
priests, if ye witi not hear, and resolve in your hearts to yield
glory unto my name, saith our Lord of hosts, I will send
upon you poverty, and accurse your blessings, because ye
have not settled these tMngs on your hearts. Behold I will
stretch out my arm over ye, and disperse upon your counte
nances the dung of your solemnities." BrA that ye may
in the meantime, with more zeal prepare your organs and
instruments of mischief, to be converted into goodness,
hearken ye (if there remain ever so little disposition to listen
in your hearts) what he speaketh of a holy priest, saying :
" My covenant of Ufe and peace was with Mm (for histori-

364 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. Tsec. 89, 90.
cally he did speak of Levi and Moses) : I gave fear unto him,
and he was timorous of me, he dreaded before the countenance
of my name ; the law of truth was in Ms mouth, and imquity
was net found in his lips ; he walked with me in peace
and equity, and turned many away from unrighteous
ness. For the Ups of the priest shall keep knowledge, and
from out of his mouth they shall require the law, because he
is the Angel of our Lord of hosts." And now again he
changeth his style, and ceaseth not to rebuke and reprove
the unrighteous, saying : " Ye have departed from the way,
and scandatized many in the law, and made void my cove
nant with Levi, saith our Lord of hosts. In regard whereof
I have also given you over as contemptible and abject among
my people, according as ye have not observed my ways, and
accepted countenance of men in the law. What, is there
not one Father of us all ? What, hath not one God created
us ? Why therefore doth every one despise his brother ?"
And again, "Behold our Lord of hosts witi come, and who
can conceive the day of his coming, and who shaU endure to
stand to behold Mm ? For he shati pass forth as a bunting
fire, and as the fuller's herb, and shaU sit melting and tryMg
silver, and ye shaU purge the sons of Levi, and cleanse them
as gold and as silver." And somewhat afterwards : " Your
words have grown strong against me, saith our Lord, and ye
have spoken thus : He is vain who serveth God, and what
profit because we have kept Ms commandments, and walked
sorrowfully before our Lord of hosts. We shall therefore
now call the arrogant blessed, for because they are erected and
builded up, wMle they work iniquity, they have tempted
God, and are made safe."
§ 90. But hear ye also what Ezechiel the prophet hath
spoken, saying, " Woe upon woe shaU come, and messenger
upon messenger shall be, and the vision shati be sought for
of the prophet, and the law shaU perish from the priests, and
counsel from the elders." And agam : '• Thus saith our
Lord : In respect that your speeches are lying, and your
divinations vain. For tMs cause, behold, I will come unto
you, saith our Lord ; I will stretch out my hand on your
prophets, who see lies, and them who speak vain tMngs ; in
the discipline of my people they shall not be, and in the
Scripture of the house of Israel, they shall not be written,

ssc. 91.] PROPHECY OF EZECHIEL. 365
and into the land of Israel they shall not enter, and ye shall
know that I am the Lord, because they have seduced my
people, saying, The peace of our Lord, and there is not the
peace of our Lord. Here have they built the wall ; and they
anointed it, and it shall faU." And within some words after
wards : " Woe be unto these who fashion pillows, apt for
every elbow of the hand, and make veils upon every head
of all ages to the subversion of souls, and the souls of my
people are subverted, and they possess their souls, and con
taminated me unto my people for a handful of barley, and a
piece of bread to the slaughter of the souls, whom it be
hoved not to die, and to the delivery of the souls, that were
not fit to Uve, wMle ye talk unto my people that listeneth
after vain speeches." And afterwards : " Say, thou son of
man, thou art earth wMch is not watered with rain, neither
yet hath rain faUen upon thee in the day of wrath, in which
thy princes were in the midst of thee as roaring Uons, raven
ing on their prey, devouring souls in their potent might, and
receiving rewards, and thy widows were multiplied in the
midst of thee, and her priests have despised my law, and
denied my holy tMngs. Between holy and poUuted, they did
not distinguish, and divided not equally between the unclean
and clean, and from my sabbaths they veiled their eyes, and
in the midst of them they defiled."
§ 91. And again: "And I sought among them a man of
upright conversation, and one who should altogether stand
before my face, to prevent the times that might fall upon the
earth, that I should not in the end utterly destroy it, and I
found him not. And I poured out upon it, the whole design
of my mmd, in the fire of my wrath for the consuming of
them : I repaid their ways on their heads, saith our Lord."
And somewhat after: "And the word of our Lord was
spoken unto me, saying : O son of man, speak to the children
of my people, and they shalt say unto them : The land
whereupon I shaU bring my sword, and the, people of the
land shaU take some one man among them, and ordain him
to he a watchman over them, and he shall espy the sword
coming uppn the land, and spund with his trumpet, and
signify unto the peeple, whesp truly shall then hear the
sound ef the trumpet, and yet hearing shall npt beware :
and the swprd shaU ccme and catch Mm, Ms blcpd shall light

366 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [sec. 92.
upon his own head, because when he heard the sound of the
trumpet, he was not watchful, his blood shaU be upon Mm,
and tMs man, for that he hath preserved Ms own soul, hath
delivered MmseU. But the watchman if he shaU see the
sword coming, and not give notice with Ms trumpet, and the
people shaU not be aware, and the sword coming shaU take
away a soul from among them, both the soul itself is caught
a captive for her iniquities, and I wtil also require her blood
at the hand of the watchman. And thou, O son of man, I
have appointed thee a watchman over the house of Israel,
and if thou shalt hear the word from out of my mouth,
when I shaU say to a sinner, Thou shalt die the death, and
yet wilt npt speak whereby the wicked may return from his
way: both the unjust MmseU sMtil die M Ms MiqMty, and
truly I wiU require Ms blood also at thy hands. But tf
thou shalt forewarn the wicked of Ms . way, that he may
avoid the same, and he nevertheless wtil not withdraw
himself from Ms course, this man shaU die m Ms impiety,
and thou hast preserved tMne own souL"
§ 92. And so let these few among a multitude of
prophetical testimomes suffice, by wMch the pride or sloth
pf pur stubbprn priests may be repeUed, to the end they
may not suppose that we act rather of our own mvention,
but by the authority of the laws, and saints, denounce such
threats against them. And now let us also behold what the
trumpet of the gospel, sounding to the whole world, speaketh
Ukewise to disordered priests ; for as we have often said,
tMs our discourse tendeth not to treat of them, who obtain
lawfully the apostoUcal seat, and such as rightly and
sMlfully understand how to dispose of their spiritual food
(in time convenient) unto their fellow servants, if yet at tMs
time there remain any great number of these in tMs our
country; but we only talk of ignorant and unexpert shepherds,
who leave their flock, and feed on vain matters, and have
not the words of a learned pastor. And therefore it is an
evident token that he is not a lawful pastor, yea not an
ordinary Christian, who rejecteth and denieth these sayings,
which are not so much ours (who of ourselves are very Uttle
worth), as the decrees of the Old and New Testament, even
as one of ours right well doth say, " We do exceedmgly
desire that the enemies of the church should also, withput

sec. 93.1 NEW TESTAMENT QUOTATIONS. 367
any manner of truce be our adversaries : and that the
friends and defenders thereof should not only be accounted
our confederates, but also our fathers and governors." For
let every one, with true examination, call his own conscience
unto account, and so shall he easily find, whether according
to true reason he possesseth Ms priestly chair or no. Let us
see, I say, what the Saviour and Creator of the world hath
spoken. " Ye are," saith he, " the salt of the earth ; if that
the salt vanisheth away, wherein shall it be salted ? it
prevaUeth to no purpose any farther, but that it be cast out
of doors, and trampled under the feet of men."
§ 93. This only testimony might abundantly suffice to
confute all such as are impudent ; but that it may be yet, by
the words of Christ, more evidently proved with what
intolerable bonds of crimes these false priests entangle and
oppress themselves, some other sayings are also to be
adjoined ; for it followetb : " Ye are the light of the world.
A city placed on a mountain cannot be hid : neither do they
light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but upon a
candlestick, that it may shine unto all who are in the house."
What priest therefore of tMs fasMon and time, who is so
possessed with the blindness of ignorance, doth, as the Ught
of a most bright candle, shine with the lamp of learning and
good works, in any house, to aU that sit in the darksome
mght? What one is so accounted a safe pubUc and con
spicuous refuge, to aU the cMldren umversally of the church,
that he may be to his countrymen a defensible and strong
city, situated on the top of a high mountain ? Moreover,
which one of them can accomplish one day together, that
wMch foUoweth : " Let your light so shine before men, that
they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who
is in heaven :" since rather a certain most obscuie cloud of
theirs, and the black night of offences, hang over the island,
in such a manner, that they all turn almost away from the
righteous course, and make them to wander astray through
unpassable and cumbersome paths of wickedness, and so
their heavenly Father is not only by their works not magni
fied, but also by the same intolerably blasphemed. These
testimonies of holy scripture, which are either already cited,
or hereafter to be intermixed M tMs epistle, I would gladly

368 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [sec 94, 95.
wish to interpret in some Mstorical or moral sense, as far as
my meanness would allow.
§ 94. But for fear lest tMs our tittle work should be
immeasurably tedious unto those who despise, loathe, and
disdain, not so much our speeches as God's sayings, I have
already alleged, and mean hereafter to affirm tliese sentences
plainly without any circumstance. And to proceed, witMn
a few words after : " For whoever shaU break one of the
least of these commandments, and so instruct men, shaU be
called the least in the Mngdom of heaven." And again:
"Judge ye not that ye may not be judged; for in what
judgment ye shall judge, ye shall be judged." And wMch
one, I pray you, of your company wiU regard tMs same that
followeth : " But why dost thou see," saith he, " the mote M
thy brother's eye, and considerest not the beam m tMne own
eye ? or how dost thou say to thy brother, suffer me to cast
the mote out of tMne eye, and behold the beam remaineth
stiU in tMne own eye?" Or tMs wMch foUows: "Do not
give what is holy to dogs, neither yet shall ye cast your
pearls before swine, lest perchance they tread them under
their feet, and turn again and rend you," wMch hath often
befallen you. And, admomsMng the people, that they should
not by deceitful doctors, such as ye, be seduced, he saith :
" Keep yourselves carefully from false prophets, who come
unto you in sheep's clotMng, but Mwardly are ravenous
wolves : by their fruit shaU ye know them. Do men gather
grapes of thorns, or figs of tMstles ? So every good tree
beareth good fruit, and the evU, evil fruit." And somewhat
afterward : " Not every one who saith unto me, Lord, Lord,
shall enter into the Mngdom of heaven ; but whoso doeth the
wiU of my Father that is in heaven, he shall enter into the
Mngdom of heaven."
§ 95. And what shaU then become of you, who, as the
prophet hath said, believe God only with your Ups, and do
not adhere to Mm with your hearts ? And how do ye fulfil
that which followeth : " Behold I send you forth as sheep m
the midst of wolves?" Whereas you act quite contrariwise,
and proceed as wolves against a flock of sheep : or the other
following sentence : " Be ye wise as serpents aud simple as
doves?" since ye are only wise to bite others with your
deadly mouths, and not, with the interposition pf ypur whple

sec. 96.] NEW TESTAMENT QUOTATIONS. 369
body, to defend your head, which is Christ, whom with all
the endeavours of your evil actions you tread under foot ;
neither yet have ye the simplicity of doves, but the
resemblance rather of the black crow, which taking her
flight out of the ark, that is, the church of God, and finding
the carrion of eartMy pleasures, did never with a pure
return back thither again. But let us look on the rest.
" Fear not," saith he, " them who kill the body, but are not
able to slay the soul ; but fear him who can overthrow both
soul and body in hell." Revolve in your minds which of
these ye have performed? And what one of you is not
wounded in the very secrets of Ms heart, by this testimony
foUowing, which our Saviour uttereth unto Ms apostles, of
evil prelates, saying, " Do ye suffer them, the bUnd leaders
of the bUnd, but if the blind be a guide to the bUnd, both
shaU faU into the ditch?" But the people doubtless whom
ye have governed, or rather beguiled, have just occasion to
listen hereunto.
§ 96. Mark ye also the words of our Lord speaMng unto
his apostles, and to the people, wMch words Ukewise (as I
hear) ye yourselves are not ashamed to pronounce often in
pubhc: "Upon the chair of Moses have the scribes and
Pharisees sat, observe ye therefore and accompUsh all that
they shall speak unto you, but do not according to their
works. For they only speak, but of themselves do nothing."
It is truly to priests a dangerous and superfluous doctrine,
wMch is overclouded with sinful actions. "Woe be unto
you, hypocrites, who shut up the Mngdom of heaven before
men, and neither yourselves enter in, nor yet suffer those
that would to enter in." For ye shaU with horrible pains be
tormented, not only in respect of your great offences, wMch
ye heap up for punishment in the world to come, but also in
regard of those who daily perish tMough your bad example,
whose blood in the day of judgment shall be required at
your hands.
Yield ye also ditigent attention unto the misfery, which the
parable setteth before your eyes, that is spoken of the ser
vant, who saith in Ms heart, " My Lord delayeth his com
ing," and upon this occasion, perchance, " hath begun to
strike his feUow servants, eating and drinking with drunkards.
The Lord of the same servant, therefore, saith he, wiU come on
B B

370 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [sec. 97, 98.
a day when he doth not expect him, and in an hour whereof
he is ignorant, and will divide Mm, away from Ms holy
priests, and witi place Ms portion with the hypocrites (that
is, with them who under the pretence of priesthood do con
ceal much imquity), affirming that there shall be weepmg
and gnashing of teeth ;" such as they have not experienced
in this present Ufe, either for the daily ruin of the children
of our holy mother church, or for the desire of the kingdom
of heaven.
§ 97. But let us see what Paul, the true scholar of Christ,
and master of the Gentiles, who is a mirror of every ecclesi
astical doctor, " Even as I am the disciple cf Christ," speak -
eth about a work of such importance m his first epistle on
this wise : " Because when they have known God, they have
not magnified Mm as God, or given thanks unto Mm ; but
vanished m their own cogitations, and their fooUsh heart is
blinded ; affirming themselves to be wise, they are made fools."
Although this seemeth to be spoken unto the Gentiles, look mto
it notwithstanding, because it may convemently be appUed to
the priests and people of tMs age. And after a few words,
" Who have changed," saith he, "the truth of God Mto lying,
and have reverenced and served the creature rather than the
Creator, who is blessed for ever ; therefore hath God given
them over unto passions of ignominy." And again , " And
even as they have not approved themselves to have God in
their knowledge, so God hath yielded them up to a reprobate
sense, that they may do such tMngs as are not con Yemeni,
being replenished with all imquity, malice, uncleanness of
life, fornication, covetousness, naughtiness, full of envy,
murder (i.e. of the souls of the people), contention, deceit,
wickedness, backbiters, detractors, hateful to God, spiteful,
proud, puffed up, devisers of miscMef, disobedient to their
parents, senseless, disordered, without mercy, without affec
tion, who, when they had known the justice of God, under
stood not that they who commit such things, are worthy of
death." § 98. And npw what pne pf the aforesaid sort hath indeed
been void pf all these ? And if he were, yet perhaps he
may be caught in the sense ef the ensuing sentence, wherein
he saith : " Not only those who do these things, but those
also who consent unto them," for none of them truly are free

esc. 99, 100.] ST. PAUL S EPISTLES. 371
from this wickedness. And afterwards, " But thou, accord
ing to thy hardness and impenitent heart, dost lay up for
thyseU wrath, against the day of wrath, and revelation of
the just judgment of God, who wtil yield unto every pne
according unto Ms wprks." And again, "Fpr there is np
acceptatien pf perspns with Gpd. Fpr whpspever have
offended without the law, shaU also without the law perish ;
whosoever have offended in the law, shaU by the law be
judged. For the hearers of the law shall not with God be
accounted just, but the doers of the law shall be justified."
How severe a sentence shall they therefore sustain, who not
only leave undone what they ought to accomptish, and for
bear not what they are forbidden, but also flee away from
the very hearing of the word of God, as from a serpent,
though tightly sounding in their ears.
§ 99. But let us pass over to that wMch followeth to this
effect : " What shall we therefore say, shall we continue
stiU in sin that grace may abound ? God forbid, for we who
are dead to sm, how shall we again Uve in the same ?" And
somewhat afterwards, "Who shall separate us," saith he,
"from the love of CMist, tribulation, or distress, or persecu
tion, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword ? "
What one, I pray you, of aU you, shaU with such an
affection be possessed in the inward secret of Ms heart, since
ye do not only labour for acMeving of piety, but also endure
many tMngs for the worMng of impiety, and offending of
Christ ? Or who hath respected tMs that foUoweth ? " The
night hath passed, and the day approached. Let us there
fore cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armour
of Ught, even as in the day : let us honestly walk, net in
banqueting, and drunkenness, npt in couches, and wanton
ness, net in ccntentien, and emulatipn ; but put ye en our
Lord Jesus CMist, and make no care to bestow your flesh in
concupiscences." § 100. And again, in the first Epistle to the Corinthians,
he saith: "As a wise workmaster have I laid the foundation,
another bmldeth thereupon, but let every man consider how
he bmldeth thereon. For no other man can lay any other
foundation besides that wMch is laid, even Christ Jesus.
But if any man buildeth upon this, gold, and silver, precious
stones, hay, wood, stubble, every one's work shati be mani-
B B 2

372 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [sec 101, 102.
fest ; for the day of our Lord shaU declare the same, because
it shall be revealed in fire, and the fire shall prove what
every man's work is. If any man's work shall remain, aU
by the fire shaU be adjudged. Whoso shaU build thereupon,
shall receive reward. If any man's wprk shall burn, he
shall suffer detriment. Know ye not that ye are the temple
of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you ? But
if any man violate the temple of God, God wtil destroy
Mm." And again, " If any man seemeth to be wise among
you in this world, let him be made a fool that he may be
come wise. For the wisdom of tMs world is fooUshness with
God." And witMn a few words afterwards, " Your glorymg
is not good. Know ye not that a Uttle leaven corrupteth the
whole mass ? Purge ye, therefore, the old leaven that ye
may be a new sprinkUng." How shaU the old leaven, wMch
is sin, be purged away, that from day to day with your utter
most endeavours is increased? And yet again, "I have
written unto you in mine epistle, that ye be not mter-
mingled with fornicators, not truly the formcators of
this world, or the avaricious, ravenous, or idolatrous,
otherwise ye ought to depart out of tbis world. But
now have I written unto you, that ye be not intermingled, if
any one is named a brother, and be a fornicator, or avarf-
cious, or an idolator, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or raven
ous, with such an one ye should not so much as eat." But a
felon condemneth not Ms feUow tMef for steaUng, or other
open robbery, whom he rather Uketh, defendeth, and loveth,
as a companion of Ms offence.
§ 101. Also in his second epistle unto the Corinthians;
" Having therefore," saith he, " tMs admMistration. accordMg
as we have obtained mercy, let us not fail, but let us cast
away the secrets of shame, not walMng in subttiity, nor yet
corrupting the word of God," (that is, by evil example and
flattery.) And in that which foUoweth, he thus discourseth
of wicked teachers, saying : " For such false apostles are
deceitful workmen, transfiguring themselves into the apostles
of Christ. And no wonder : for Satan MmseU transfigureth
himself into an angel of light. It is not much therefore if
Ms ministers are transfigured as ministers of justice, whose
end will be according unto their works."
§ 102. Hear Ukewise what he speaketh unto the Ephe-

sec. 103.] ISF1STLE TO THE THESSALONIANS. 373
sians ; and consider if ye find not your consciences attainted
as culpable of this that followeth? where he denounceth
thus : " I say and testify this in our Lord, that ye do not as
now walk Uke the Gentiles in the vanity of their own sense,
having their understanding obscured with darkness, aUenated
from the way of God, tMough ignorance, which remaineth
in them in regard of the bUndness of their heart, who
despairing, have yielded themselves over to uncleanness of
Ufe, for the worMng of aU filtMness and avarice." And
which of ye hath wiUingly fulfilled that which next ensueth ?
" Therefore be ye not made unwise, but understanding what
is the wtil of God, and be ye not drunk with wine, wherein
there is riotousness, but be ye fuMUed with the Holy
Ghost." § 103. Or that wMch he saith to the Thessalonians.
" For neither have we been with you at any time in the
speech of flattery, as yourselves do know; neither upon
occasion of avarice, neither seeking to be glorified by men,
neither by you, nor any others, when we might be honoured,
as other apostles of Christ. But we have been made as
Uttle ones in the midst of you; or even as the nurse
cherisheth her small tender cMldren, so desiring you, we
would very gladly deUver unto you, not only the gospel, but
also our very Uves." If in all things ye retained tMs
affection of the apostle, then might ye be likewise assured,
that ye lawfully possessed his chair. Or how have ye
observed this that foUoweth ? " Ye know," saith he, " what
precepts I have deUvered unto you. TMs is the will of our
Lord, your sanctification, that ye abstain from fornication ;
and that every one of you know how to possess his own
vessel, in honour and sanctification, not in the passion of
desire, Uke the Gentiles who are ignorant of God ; and that
none of you do encroach upon or circumvent his brother in
his business, because our Lord is the revenger of all these.
For God hath not caUed us unto uncleanness, but unto
sanctification. Therefore whoso despiseth these, doth not
despise man, but God." What one also among you hath
advisedly and warily kept tMs that ensueth: "Mortify
therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication,
uncleanness of Ufe, lust, and evil concupiscence, for which
the wrath of God hath come upon the children of diffidence ?"

374 THE WORKS OF GLLDAS. [««c. 104, 105.
Ye perceive therefore upon what offences the wrath pf Gpd
dpth cMefly arise.
§ 104. In wMch respect hear Ukewise what the same
holy apostle, with a prophetical spirit, foreteUeth of you, and
such as yourselves, writing pktinly in tMs sort to Timothy :
" Fpr knpw ypu tMs, that in the last days there shaU be
dangerous times at hand. For men shall be setf-lovers,
cpvetous, puffed up, proud, blasphemous, disobedient to their
parents, ungrateful, wicked, without affection, mcontinent,
unmeek, without bemgmty, betrayers, froward, lofty, rather
lovers of sensual pleasures, than of God, having a show of
piety, but renouncing the virtue thereof." Avoid thou these
men, even as the prophet saith: "I have hated the con
gregation of the malicious, and with the wicked I wtil not
sit." And a tittle after, he uttereth that (wMch in our age
we behold to increase), saying : " Ever learning, and never
attaining unto the knowledge of truth ; for even as Jannes
and Mambres resisted Moses, so do these also withstand the
truth: men corrupted in mind, reprobate against faith, but
they shall prosper no further ; for their foUy shall be mamfest
unto all, as theirs Ukewise was."
§ 105. And evidently doth he also declare how priests in
their office ought to behave themselves, writing thus to
Titus : " Show thyseU an example of good works, in
learnmg, in integrity, M gravity, having thy word sound
without offence, that he who standeth on the adverse part
may be afraid, having no evil to speak of us." And moreover
he saith unto Timothy, " Labour thou as a good soldier of
Christ Jesus ; no man fighting in God's quarrel entangleth
himself in worldly busmess, that he may please Mm unto
whom he hath approved himself; for whoso striveth in the
lists for the mastery, receiveth not the crown, unless he hath
lawfuUy contended." TMs is Ms exhortation to the good.
Other matter also wMch the same epistles contain, is a
threatening advertisement to the wicked (such as yourselves,
in the judgment of all understanding persons, appear to be).
" If any one," saith he, " teacheth otherwise, and doth not
peaceably assent to the sound sayings of our Lord Jesus
CMist, and that doctrine which is according to piety, he is
proud, having no knowledge, but languishing about questions,
and contentions of words, out of which do sprint envies,

sec 106.] THE APOSTLE PETER. 375
debates, blasphemies, evil suspicions, conflicts of men
corrupted in mind, who are deprived of truth, esteeming
commodity to be piety."
§ 106. But why in using these testimonies, here and
there dispersed, are we any longer, as it were, tossed up and
down m the siUy boat of ojr simple understanding, on the
waves of sundry interpretations ? We have now therefore
at length thought it necessary to have recourse to those
lessons,* wMch are gathered out of Holy Scriptures, to the
end that they should not only be rehearsed, but also be
assenting and assisting unto the benediction, wherewith the
hands of priests, and others of inferior sacred orders, are
first consecrated, and that thereby they may continually be
warned never, by degenerating from their priestly dignity,
to digress from the commandments, which are faithfully con
tained in the same ; so as it may be plain and apparent unto
all, that everlasting torments are reserved for them, and that
they are not priests, or the servants of God, who do not
with their utmost power foUow and fulfil the instructions
and precepts. Wherefore let us hear what the prince of the
apostles, Saint Peter, hath signified about this so weighty a
matter, saying: "Blessed be God, and the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, who through Ms mercy hath regenerated
us into the hope of eternal life, by the resurrection of our
Lord Jesus CMist from the dead, into an inheritance which
can never corrupt, never wither, neither be defiled, preserved
in heaven for you, who are kept in the virtue of God;" why
then do ye fondly violate such an inheritance, which is not
as an earthly one, transitory, but immortal and eternal ?
And somewhat afterwards : " For wMch cause be ye girded
in the loins of your mind, sober, perfectly hoping in that
grace which is offered to you in the revelation of Jesus
Christ:" examine ye now the depths of your hearts,
whether ye be sober and do perfectly preserve the grace of
priesthood, wMch shaU be duly discussed and, decided in the
revelation of our Lord. And again he saith : " As cMldren
of the benediction, not configuring yourselves to those
former desires of your ignorance ; but according unto him
who hath called you holy, be ye also holy in aU conversation.
* Gildas, in this and the following section, evidently alludes to tha
Ordination Ritual of the Ancient British Church.

376 THE WORKS OF GLLDAS. [sec. 107.
For which cause it is written, Be ye holy, because I am
holy." Which one of you, I pray, hath with Ms whole
mind so pursued sanctity, that he hath earnestly hastened, as
much as in him lay, to fulfil the same ? But let us behold
what in the second lesson of the same apostle is contained :
"My dearest," saith he, "sanctify your souls for the
obedience of faith, through the Spirit, in charity, in brother
hood, loving one another out of a true heart perpetuaUy, as
born again not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible,
through the word of God, tivMg and remaimng for
ever." § 107. These are truly the commandments ofthe apostle ;
and read in the day of your ordination, to the end ye should
inviolably observe the same, but they are not fuUUled by you
in discretion and judgment, nay not so much as duly con
sidered or understood. And afterwards : " Laying therefore
aside all matice, and aU deceits, and dissembtings, envy, and
detractions, as infants newly born, reasonable and without
guile covet ye milk, that ye may thereby grow to salvation,
because our Lord is sweet." Consider ye also in your ntinds,
if these sayings wMch have sounded in your deaf ears have
not often Ukewise been trodden by you under foot : and
again : " Ye truly are the chosen tineage, the royal priest
hood, the holy nation, the people for adoption, that ye may
declare his virtues who hath called you out of darkness mto
his marvellous Ught." But truly by you are not only the
virtues of God not declared and made more glorious, but also
through your wicked examples are they (by such as have not
perfect belief) despised. Ye have perchance at the same time
likewise heard, what is read in the lesson of the Acts, on
this wise : " Peter arising M the midst of the disciples said :
Men and brethren, it is expedient that the Scripture be
fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost hath by the mouth of David
foretold of Judas." And a tittle after : " TMs man therefore
purchased a field, of the reward of iniquity." TMs have ye
heard with a careless or rather blockish heart, as though the
reading thereof notMng at all appertained unto yourselves.
What one of you (I pray you) doth not seek the field of the
reward of iniquity ? For Judas robbed and pillaged the
purse, and ye spoil and waste the sacred gifts and treasures
of the church, together with the souls of her cMldren. He

sbc. 108.] THE APOSTLE PAUL, 377
went to the Jews to make a market of God, ye pass to the
tyrants, and their father the devil, that ye may despise
Christ. He set to sale the Saviour of the world for thirty
pence, and you do so even for one poor haU-penny.
§ 108. What need many words ? The example of Mat
thias is apparently laid before you for your confusion, who
was chosen into Ms place, not by his own proper will, but
by the election of the holy apostles, or rather the judgment
of Christ, whereat ye being bUnded, do not perceive how far
ye run astray from Ms merits, while ye fail witiully and
headlong into the manners and affection of Judas the traitor.
It is therefore manifest that he who wittingly from Ms heart
termeth you priests, is not Mmself a true and worthy Chris
tian. And now I will assuredly speak what I think : this
reprehension might have been framed after a milder fashion,
but what availeth it to touch only with the hand, or dress
with gentle ointment, that wound wMch with imposthumation
or stinMng corruption is now grown so horrible, that it
reqmreth the searing iron, or the ordinary help of the fire,
if happily by any means it may be cured, the diseased in the
meanwMle not seeking a medicine, and the physician much
erring from a rightful remedy ? 0 ye enemies of God, and
not priests ! 0 ye traders of wickedness, and not bishops !
0 ye betrayers, and not successors of the holy apostles ! O
ye adversaries, and not servants of CMist ! Ye have certainly
heard at the least, the sound of the words, wMch are in the
second lesson taken out of the apostle Saint Paul, although
ye have no way observed the admonitions and virtue of them,
hut even as statues (that neither see nor hear) stood that day
at the altar, wMle both then, and continually since he hath
thundered in your ears, saying : " BretMen, it is a faithful
speech, and worthy of all acceptance." He called it faithful
and worthy, but ye have despised it as unfaitMul and un
worthy. "If any man desireth a bishopric, he desireth a
good work." Ye do mightily covet a bishoprip in respect of
avarice, but not for spiritual convenience and for the good
work which is suitable to the place, ye want it. " It behoveth
therefore such a one to be free from all cause of reprehension."
At this saying we have more need to shed tears than utter
words ; for it is as much as if the apostle had said, he ought
to be of aU others most free from occasion of rebuke. " The

378 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. [ssc- 109,
husband of one wife," which is likewise so condemned among
us, as if that word had never proceeded from him ; " Sober,
wise ; " yea, wMch of ye hath once desired to have these
virtues engrafted in Mm, "usMg hospitality." For this, if
perchance it hath been found among you, yet being neverthe
less rather done to purchase the favour of the people, than
to accompUsh the commandment, it is of no avail, our Lord
and Saviour saying thus : "Verily, I say unto ypu, they have
received their reward." Mcrepver, "A man adprned, npt
given to wine ; no fighter, but modest : not contentious, not
covetous : " O lamentable change ! O horrible contempt of
the heavenly commandments ! And do ye npt cpntinuatiy
use the force of your words and actions, for the overtMowing
or rather overwhelming of these, for whose defence and con
firmation, if need had reqMred, ye ought to have suffered
pains, yea, and to have lost your very Uves.
§ 109. But let us see what foUoweth : " WeU governing,"
saith he, " his house, havmg Ms cMldren subjected with aU
chastity." Imperfect therefore is the chastity of the parents,
if the cMldren be not also endued with the same. But how
shaU it be, where neither the father, nor the son, depraved
by the example of his evil parent, is found to be chaste ?
"But if any one knoweth not how to rule over Ms own
house, how shall he employ Ms care over the church of
God ? " These are the words, that with apparent effects,
should be made good and approved. "Deacons in Uke
manner, that they should be chaste, not doubled tongued,
not overgiven to much wine, not foUowers of filthy gam,
having the mystery of faith in a preconscience, and let these
also be first approved, and so let them adntinister, having no
offence." And now trembting truly to make any longer stay
on these matters, I can for a conclusion affirm one tMng
certainly, wMch is, that aU these are changed mto contrary
actions, in so much that clerks (wMch not without grief of
heart, I here confess,) are shameless and deceitful M their
speeches, given to drinking, covetous of filthy lucre, ha-ving
faith (or to say more truly) unfaithfuMess in an impure con
science, ministering not upon probation of their good works,
but upon foreknowledge of their evil actions, and being thus
defiled with innumerable offences, they are notwithstanding
admitted unto the holy office ; ye have Ukewise heard on the

sec. 109.] THE APOSTLE PETER. 379
same day (wherein ye should with far more right and reason
have been drawn to prispn pr pumshment, than preferred
unto priesthpod) when eur Lprd demanded whpm Ms disciples
supposed Mm to be, how Peter answered, " Thou art Christ,
the Son of the Uving God ;" and eur Lprd in respect cf such
his ccnfessien, said unto Mm : " Blessed art theu, Simpn
Bar-jpnas, because flesh and blcpd hath npt revealed it unto
thee, but my Father whp is in heaven." Peter therefore,
instructed by Ged the Father, did rightly ccnfess Christ ;
but ye being taught by the devil yeur father, do, with yeur
lewd actions, wickedly deny our Saviour. It is said to the
true priest, " Thou art Peter, and upon tMs rock will I build
my church : " but ye resembled " the fooUsh man, who hath
buUded Ms house upon the sand." And verily it is to be
noted, that God joineth not in the workmansMp with the
unwise, when they build their house upon the deceitful
uncertainty of the sands, according unto that saying : " They
have made Mngs unto themselves, and not by me." Similarly
that (wMch foUoweth) soundeth in Uke sort, speaking thus :
"And the gates of heU (whereby infernal sins are to be
understood) shall not prevail." But of your frail and deadly
frame, mark what is pronounced : " The floods came, and the
winds blew, and dashed upon that house and it fell, and great
was the ruin thereof." To Peter and his successors, our
Lord doth say, " And I will give unto thee the keys of the
kingdom of heaven." But unto you, "I know you not,
• depart from me all ye workers of iniquity," that being
separated with the goats of the left hand, ye may together
with them go mto eternal fire. It is also promised unto
every good priest, "Whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth,
shaU be Ukewise loosed in heaven : and whatsoever thou shalt
bind upon earth, shaU be in Uke sort bound M heaven." But
how shaU ye loose any tiling, that it may be loosed also in
heaven, since yourselves for your sins are severed from
heaven, and hampered in the bands of your own heinous
offences, as Solomon saith, "With the cords of Ms sins,
every one is tied ? " And with what reason shall ye bind
any thing on tMs earth, that above this world may be Uke
wise bound, unless it be your only selves, who, entangled in
your iniquities, are so defamed on tMs earth, that ye cannot
ascend into heaven, but without your conversion unto our

380 THE WORKS OF GILDAS. fSEC- n0-
Lord in tMs Ufe, will fall down into the miserable prison of
hell? § 1 10. Neither yet let any priest flatter MmseU upon the
knowledge of the particular cleanness of Ms own body, since
their souls (over whom he hath government) shaU in the day
of judgment be required at Ms Minds as the murderer of
them, if any through Ms ignorance, sloth, or fawning adula
tion, have perished, because the stroke of death is not less
terrible, that is given by a good man, than that wMch is in
flicted by an evil person ; otherwise would the apostle never
have said that wMch he left unto Ms successors, as a fatherly
legacy, " I am clear and clean from the blood of aU : for I
have not forborne to declare unto you aU the counsel of
God." Being therefore mightily drunken with the use and
custom of sins, and extremely overwhelmed with the waves
(as it were) of Mcreasing offences, seek ye now forthwith the
uttermost endeavours of your minds (after tMs your sMp-
wreck), that one plank of repentance wMch is left, whereby
ye may escape and swim to the land of the Uving, that from
you may be turned away the wrath of our Lord, who saith,
" I will not the death of a sinner : but that he may be con
verted and live." And may the same Almighty God, of all
consolation and mercy, preserve Ms few good pastors from
all evil, and (the common enemy being overcome) make them
free inhabitants of the heavenly city of Jerusalem, which is
the congregation of all saints ; grant tMs, O Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost, to whom be honour and glory, world with
out end. Amen,

NENNIUS'S
HISTORY OF THE BRITONS.

NENNIUS'S
HISTORY OF THE BRITONS.

I.— THE PROLOGUE.

§ 1. Nennius, the lowly minister and servant of the ser
vants of God, by the grace of God, disciple of St. Elbotus,*
to aU the followers of truth sendeth health.
Be it known to your charity, that being dull in intellect
and rude of speech, I have presumed to deliver these things
in the Latin tongue, not trusting to my own learning, which
is Uttle or none at aU, but partly from traditions of our an-r
cestors, partly from writings and monuments of the ancient
inhabitants of Britain, partly from the annals of the Romans,
and the chronicles of the sacred fathers, Isidore, Hieronymus,
Prosper, Eusebius, and from the histories of the Scots and
Saxons, although our enemies, not following my own inclina
tions, but, to the best of my ability, obeying the commands
of my seniors ; I have lispingly put together tMs history
from various sources, and have endeavoured, from shame, to
deUver down to posterity the few remaining ears of corn
about past transactions, that they might not be trodden under
foot, seeing that an ample crop has been snatched away
already by the hostile reapers of foreign nations. For many
things have been in my way, and I, to tMs day, have hardly
been able to understand, even superficially, as was necessary,
the sayings of other men ; much less was I able in my
own strength, but tike a barbarian, have I murdered and
defiled the language of others. But I bore about with
me an inward wound, and I was indignant, that the name
of my own people, formerly famous and distinguished,
should smk into obtivion, and Uke smoke be dissipated.
But smce, however, I had rather mysetf be the Mstorian
of the Britons than nobody, although so many are to be
* Or Elvod, bishop of Bangor, a.d. 755, who first adopted in the Cam
brian church the new cycle for regulating Easter.

384 nennius's history of the britons.
found who might much more satisfactorily discharge the
labour thus imposed on me ; I humbly entreat my readers,
whose ears I may offend by the inelegance of my words, that
they will fulfil the wish of my seniors, and grant me the
easy task of listening with candour to my history. For
zealous efforts very often fail : but bold enthusiasm, were it
in its power, would not suffer me to fail. May, therefore,
candour be shown where the inelegance of my words is in
sufficient, and may the truth of tMs Mstory, wMch my rustic
tongue has ventured, as a Mnd of plough, to trace out in
furrows, lose none of its influence from that cause, M the
ears of my hearers. For it is better to drink a wholesome
draught of truth from a humble vessel, than poison mixed
with honey from a golden goblet.
§ 2. And do not be loath, diligent reader, to winnow my
chaff, and lay up the wheat in the storehouse of your memory :
for truth regards not who is the speaker, nor in what manner
it is spoken, but that the tiling be true ; and she does not
despise the jewel wMch she has rescued from the mud, but
she adds it to her former treasures.
For I yield to those who are greater and more eloquent
than myseU, who, kindled with generous ardour, have en
deavoured by Roman eloquence to smooth the jarring ele
ments of their tongue, if they have left unshaken any pillar
of Mstory wMch I wished to see remain. TMs Mstory
therefore has been compiled from a wish to benefit my infe
riors, not from envy of those who are superior to me, in the
858th year of our Lord's incarnation, and m the 24th year
of Mervin, king of the Britons, and I hope that the prayers
of my betters will be offered up for me in recompence of my
labour. But tMs is sufficient by way of preface. I shall
obediently accomptish the rest to the utmost of my power.
IL— THE APOLOGY OF NEXXITJS.
Here begins the apology of NenMus, the Mstoriographer
of the Britons, of the race of the Britons.
§ 3. 1, Nennius, disciple of St. Elbotus, have endeavoured to
write some extracts which the duMess of the British nation
had cast away, because teachers had no knowledge, nor gave
any information m their books about this island of Britain.

chronology of principal events. 385
But I have gpt together aU that I could find as well from the
annals of the Romans as from the chronicles of the sacred
fathers, Hieronymus, Eusebius, Isidorus, Prosper, and from
the annals of the Scots and Saxons, and from our ancient
traditions. Many teachers and scribes have attempted to
write tMs, but somehow or other have abandoned it from its
difficulty, either on account of frequent deaths, or the often
recurring calamities of war. I pray that every reader who
shaU read tMs book, may pardon me, for having attempted,
like a chattering jay, or like some weak witness, to write
these tMngs, after they had failed. I yield to Mm who knows
more of these tMngs than I do.
III.— THE HISTORY.
§ 4, 5. From Adam to the flood, are two thousand and
forty-two years. From the flood to Abraham, nine hundred
and forty-two. From Abraham to Moses, six hundred.*
From Moses to Solomon, and the first building of the tem
ple, four hundred and forty-eight. From Solomon to the
rebmlding of the temple, wMch was under Darius, king of
the Persians, six hundred and twelve years are computed.
From Darius to the mimstry of our Lord Jesus CMist,. and
to the fifteenth year of the emperor Tiberius, are five hun
dred and forty-eight years. So that from Adam to the
mimstry of Christ and the fifteenth year of the emperor
Tiberius, are five thousand two hundred and twenty-eight
years. From the passion of Christ are completed nine hun
dred and forty-six ; from Ms incarnation, nine hundred and
seventy-six: being the fifth year of Edmund, Mng of the
Angles. § 6. The first age of the world is from Adam to Noah ;
the second from Noah to Abraham ; the third from Abraham
to David ; the fourth from David to Daniel ; * the fifth to John
the Baptist ; the sixth from John to the judgment, when our
Lord Jesus CMist wtil come to judge the -living and the
dead, and the world by fire.
The first Julius. The second Claudius. The tMrd Se-
* And forty, according to Stevenson's new edition. The rest of this
chronology is much contracted in several of the manuscripts, and hardly
two of them contain it exactly the same.
C C

386

NENNIUS S HISTORY OF THE BRITONS.

verus. The fourth Carinus. The fifth Constantius. The
sixth Maximus. The seventh Maximianus. The eighth
another Severus iEquantius. The ninth Constantius.*
Here beginneth the history of the Britons, edited by
Mark the anchorite, a holy bishop of that people.
§ 7. The island of Britain derives its name from Brutus, a
Roman consul. Taken from the south-west point it incUnes
a Uttle towards the west, and to its northern extremity mea
sures eight hundred miles, and is M breadth two hundred
It contains thirty-tMee cities, f viz. Cair britoc (Bristol).
Cair megnaid (Meivod).
Cair maaiguid (Manchester).
Cair ligion {Cluster).
Cair guent ( Winchester, or Caerwent,
in JUonmoutltsliire).
Cair collon [Colchester, or SL Colon,
Cornwall).
Cair londein (London).
Cair gnorcon ( Worren, or Woran,
in Pembrokeshire.
Cair lerion (Leicester).
Cair draithoa (Drayton).
Cair pensavelooit (Pevensey, in Sus
sex).
L Pair teim ( Teyn-Grace, in Devonshire).
Cair Umahc (Wroxeter, in Shrop
shire).
Cair cclemion (Camalet, in Somer
setshire).
OaLr loit ooit (LUiooln).
These are the names of the ancient cities of the island of
Britain. It has also a vast many promontories, and castles
innumerable, built of brick and stone. Its inhabitants con
sist of four different people ; the Scots, the Picts, the Saxons,
and the ancient Britons.
§ 8. TMee considerable islands belong to it ; one, on the
south, opposite the Armorican shore, called Wight ;§ an
other between Ireland and Britain, called EuboMa or Man ;
and another directly north, beyond the Picts, named Orkney ;
• This list of the Roman emperors who visited Britain, is omitted in
many of the MSS. t V. R Twenty-eight, twenty-one.
J Site unknown. See note at sec. 42, p. 404. § Iiiis-gueith,.or Gueith,

1. Cair ebrauc {York).

19.

2. Cair ceint [Canterbury).

20.

3. Cair gurcoc [Anglesey ?)

21.

4. Cair guorthegern4

22.

5. Cair custeint (Carnarvon).

23.

6. Cair guoranegon ( Worcester).

7. Cair segeint (Silckester).

24.

8. Cair guin truis {Norwich, or Win-

ioick).

25.

9. Cair merdin (Caerntarthen).

26.

10. Cair peris (Porchester).

11. Cair lion (Caerleon-upon-Usk).

"27-

12. Cairmencipit (Vendam).

28.

13. Cair oarataue (Catterick).

29.

14. Cair ceri (Cirencester).

15. Cair gloui (Gldiiceeter).
30.
16. Cair luilid (Carlisle). '
31.
17. Cair granf (Grantchester, now Cam
bridge).
32.
18. Cair daun (Doncaster), or Cair dauxi
(Dorchester).
33.
THE TROJANS SETTLE IN BRITAIN. 387
and hence it was anciently a proverbial expression, in refer
ence to its kings and rulers, " He reigned over Britain and
its tMee islands."
§ 9. It is fertitized by several rivers, which traverse it in
aU directions, to the east and west, to the south and north ;
but there are two pre-eminently distinguished among the
rest, the Thames and the ' Severn, which formerly, Uke the
two arms of Britain, bore the ships employed in the convey
ance of the riches acquired by commerce. The Britons were
once very populous, and exercised extensive dominion from
sea to sea.
§ 10.* Respecting the period when this island became in
habited subsequently to the flood, I have seen two distinct
relations. According to the annals of the Roman Mstory,
the Britons deduce their origin both from the Greeks and
Romans. (On the side of the mother, from Lavinia, the
daughter of Latinus, king of Italy} and of the race of Silva-
nus, the son of Inachus, the son of Dardanus ; who was the
son of Saturn, king of the Greeks, and who, having pos^
sessed MmseU of a part of Asia, built the city of Troy.
'Dardanus was the father of Troius, who was the father of
Priam and AncMses ; Anchises was the father of JEneas,
who was the father of Ascanius and Silvius ; and this Sil-
vius was the son of .SSneas and Lavinia, the daughter of the
Mng of Italy. From the sons of iEneas and Lavinia de
scended Romulus and Remus, who were the sons of the holy
queen Rhea, and the founders of Rome. Brutus wras consul
when he conquered Spain, and reduced that country to a
Roman province. He afterwards subdued the island of
Britain, whose inhabitants were the descendants of the
Eomans, from Silvius Posthumus. He was called Posthu-
mus because he was born after the death of iEneas his father ;
and Ms" mother Lavinia concealed herseU during her preg
nancy ; he was caUed Silvius, because he was born in a wood.
Hence the Roman kings were called Silvan, and the Britons
who sprang from him ; but they were called -Britons from
Brutus, and rose from the family of Brutus.
iEneas, after the Trojan war, arrived with his son in Italy ;
and havmg vanquished Turnus, married Lavinia, the daugh-
* The whole of this, as far as the end of the paragraph, is omitted in
several MSS.
cc2

388 NENNIUS's HISTORY OF THE BRITONS.
ter of king Latinus, who was the son of Faunus, the son of
Picus, the son of Saturn. After the death of Latinus, iEneas
obtained the kingdom of the Romans, and Lavima brought
forth a son, who was named Silvius. Ascamus founded
Alba, and afterwards married. And Lavinia bore to iEneas
a son, named Silvius ; but Ascanius* married a wife, who
conceived and became pregnant. And IEneas, having been
informed that Ms daughter-in-law was pregnant, ordered his
son to send Ms magician to examine Ms -wife, whether the child
conceived were male or female. The magician came and ex
amined the wife and pronounced it to be a son, who should
become the most valiant among the ItaUans, and the most
beloved of all men.-j- In consequence of this prediction, the
magician was put to death by Ascamus ; but it happened
that the mother of the child dying at its birth, he was named
Brutus ; and after a certain interval, agreeably to what the
magician had foretold, wMlst he was playMg with some
others he shot Ms father with an arrow, not intentionally but
by accident.^ He was, for tMs cause, expeUed from Italy,
and came to the islands of the Tyrrhene sea, when he was
exiled on account of the death of Turnus, sktin by iEneas.
He then went among the Gauls, and bmlt the city of the
Turones, called Turms.§ At length he came to tMs island,
named from Mm Britanma, dwelt there, and filled it with his
own descendants, and it has been Mhabited from that time to
the present period.
§ 11. iEneas reigned over the Latins tMee years; Asca
nius tMrty-tMee years ; after whom Silvius reigned twelve
years, and Posthumus thirty-Mne|| years: the latter, from
. whom the Mngs of Alba are called Silvan, w-as brother to
Brutus, who governed Britain at the time Eli the Mgh-priest
judged Israel, and when the ark of the covenant was taken
by a foreign people. But Posthumus Ms brother reigned
among the Latins.
§ 12. After an interval of not less than eight hundred
years, came the Picts, and occupied the Orkney Islands:
whence they laid waste many regions, and seized those on
• Other MSS. Silvius. f V. R. Who should slay hia father and
mother, and be hated by all mankind.
J V. R. He displayed such superiority among his play-fellows, that they
seemed to consider him as their chief. § Tours. || V. R. Thirty-seven.

ARRIVAL OF PARTHOLOMUS IN IRELAND. 389
the left hand side of Britain, where they still remain, keep
ing possession of a tMrd part of Britain to this day.*
§ 13. Long after this, the Scots arrived in Ireland from
Spain. The first that came was Partholomus,j with a
thousand men and women ; these increased to four thousand ;
but a mortality coming suddenly upon them, they ali
perished in one week. The second was Nimech, the son of
 4 who, according to report, after having been at
sea a year and a haU, and having his ships shattered, arrived
at a port in Ireland, and continuing there several years,
returned at length with Ms followers to Spain. After
these came tMee sons of a Spamsh soldier with thirty ships,
each of which contained thirty wives ; and having remained
there during the space of a year, there appeared to them, in
the middle of the sea, a tower of glass, the summit of
which seemed covered with men, to whom they often spoke,
but received no answer. At length they determined to
besiege the tower ; and after a year's preparation, advanced
towards it, with the whole number of their ships, and all
the women, one ship only excepted, which had been
wrecked, and in wMch were thirty men, and as many
women ; but when all had disembarked on the shore which
surrounded the tower, the sea opened and swallowed them
up. Ireland, however, was peopled, to the present period,
from the family remaining in the vessel wMch was wrecked.
Afterwards, others came from Spain, and possessed them
selves of various parts of Britain.
§ 14. Last of all came one Hoctor,§ who continued there,
and whose descendants remain there to this day. Istoreth,
the son of Istorinus, with Ms followers, held Dalrieta ; Builc
had the island Eubonia, and other adjacent places. The
sons of Liethali || obtained the country of the Dimetas, where
is a city caUed Menavia,^T and the province Guiher and
Cetgueli,** which they held tiU they were expelled from
every part of Britain, by Cunedda and his sons.
* See Bede's Eccles. Hist. pp. 5, 6, note.
t V. R. Partholomseus, or Bartholomaeus.
J A blank is here in the MS. Agnomen is found in some ofthe others.
§ Y. R. Damhoctor, Clamhoctor, and Elamhoctor.
II V. R. Liethan, Bethan, Vethan. f St. David's.
* * Guiher, probably the Welsh district Gower. Cetgueli is Caer Kid
welly, in Carmarthenshire.

390 NENNIUS'S HISTORY OF THE BRITONS.
§ 15. According to the most learned among the Scots, if
any one desires to learn what I am now going to state,
Ireland was a desert, and umnhabited, when the children of
Israel crossed the Red Sea, in wMch, as we read in the
Book of the Law, the Egyptians who followed them were
drowned. At that period, there lived among tMs people,
with a numerous family, a ScytMan of noble birth, who had
been banished from Ms country, and did not go to pursue
the people of God. The Egyptians who were left, seeing
the destruction of the great men of their nation, and fearing
lest he should possess himseU of their territory, took counsel
together, and expeUed him. Thus reduced, he wandered
forty-two years in Africa, and arrived, with Ms family, at
the altars of the Philistines, by the Lake of Osiers. Then
passing between Rusicada and the htily country of Syria,
they travelled by the river Malva tMough Mauritania as far
as the Pillars of Hercules ; and crossMg the Tyrrhene Sea,
landed in Spain, where they continued many years, having
greatly increased and multipUed. Thence, a thousand and two
years after the Egyptians were lost m the Red Sea, they passed
into Ireland, and the district of Dalrieta.* At that period, Bru
tus, who first exercised the consular office, reigned over the
Romans ; and the state, which before was governed by regal
power, was afterwards ruled, during four hundred and forty-
seven years, by consuls, tribunes of the people, and dictators.
The Britons came to Britain in the third age of the world ;
and in the fourth, the Scots took possession of Ireland.
The Britons who, suspecting no hostilities, were un
provided with the means of defence, were unanimously and
incessantly attacked, both by the Scots from the west, and
by the Picts from the north. A long interval after tMs, the
Romans obtained the empire of the world.
§ 16. From the first arrival of the Saxons into BritaM,
to the fourth year of king Mermenus, are computed four
hundred and twenty-eight years ; from the nativity of our
Lord to the coming of St. Patrick among the Scots, four
hundred and five years ; from the death of St. Patrick to
that of St. Bridget, forty years ; and from the birth of
Columcillej- to the death of St. Bridget four years.J
• North-western part of Antrim in Ulster. f V. R. Columba.
J Some MSS. add, the beginning of the calculation is 23 cycles of 1 9

FIRST INHABITANTS OF BRITAIN. 391
§ 17. I have learned another account of this Brutus from
the ancient books of our ancestors.* After the deluge, the
tMee sons of Noah severally occupied three different parts
of the earth : Shem extended his borders into Asia, Ham
into Africa, and Japheth into Europe.
The first man that dwelt in Europe was Alanus, with his
tMee sons, Hisicion, Armenon, and Neugio. Hisicion had
four sons, Francus, Romanus, Alamanus, and Brutus.
Armenon had five sons, Gothus, Valagothus, Cibidus,
Burgundus, and Longobardus. Neugio had three sons,
Vandalus, Saxo, and Boganus. From Hisicion arose four
nations — the Franks, the Latins, the Germans, and Britons :
from Armenon, the Gothi, ValagotM, Cibidi, Burgundi, and
Longobardi : from Neugio, the Bogari, VandaU, Saxones,
and Tarincgi. The whole of Europe was subdivided into
these tribes.
Alanus is said to have been the son of Fethuir ;f Fethuir,
the son of Ogomuin, who was the son of Thoi ; Thoi was
the son of Boibus, Boibus of Semion, Semion of Mair,
Mair of Ecthactus, Ecthactus of Aurthack, Aurthack of
Ethec, Ethec of Ooth, Ooth of Aber, Aber of Ra, Ra of
Esraa, Esraa of Hisrau, Hisrau of Bath, Bath of Jobath,
Jobath of Joham, Joham of Japheth, Japheth of Noah,
Noah of Lamech, Lamech of Mathusalem, Mathusalem of
Enoch, Enoch of Jared, Jared of Malalehel, Malalehel of
Caman, Cainan of Enos, Enos of Seth, Seth of Adam, and
Adam was formed by the living God. We have obtained
tMs information respecting the origmal inhabitants of Britain
from ancient tradition.
§ 18. The Britons were thus caUed from Brutus : Brutus
was the son of Hisicion, Hisicion was the son of Alanus,
Alanus was the son of Rhea Silvia, Rhea Silvia was the
daughter of Numa Pomptiius, Numa was the son of
Ascanius, Ascanius of Eneas, Eneas of AncMses, AncMses
of Troius, Troius of Dardanus, Dardanus of Flisa, FUsa of
years from the incarnation of our Lord to the arrival of St. Patrick in
Ireland, and they make 438 years. And from the arrival of St. Patrick
to the cycle of 19 years in which we live are 22 cycles, which make 421
years. * This proves the tradition of Brutus to be older than Geoffrey or
Tyssilio, unless these notices of Brutus have been interpolated in the origi
nal work of Nennius. f This genealogy is different in almost all the MSS.

392 NENNIUS'S HISTORY OF THE BRITONS.
Juuin, Jumn of Japheth; but Japheth had seven sons;
from the first, named Gomer, descended the Galli ; from the
second, Magog, the ScytM and Gothi; from the tMrd,
Madian, the Medi; from the fourth, Juuan, the Greeks;
from the fifth, Tubal, arose the Hebrei, Hispam, and ItaU ;
from the sixth, Mosoch, sprung the Cappadoces; and
from the seventh, named Tiras, descended the TMaces :
these are the sons of Japheth, the son of Noah, the son of
Lamech. § 19.* The Romans having obtamed the domimon of the
world, sent legates or deputies to the Britons to demand of
them hostages and tribute, wMch they received from aU
other countries and islands ; but they, fierce, disdainful, and
haughty, treated the legation with contempt.
Then Julius Caesar, the first who had acquired absolute
power at Rome, MgHy incensed against the Britons, sailed
with sixty vessels to the mouth of the Thames, where they
suffered sMpwreck wMlst he fought against DolobeUu3,-f- (the
proconsul of the British Mng, who was caUed BeUnus,J and
who wa3 the son of Minocannus who governed all the
islands of the Tyrrhene Sea), and thus Julius Caesar
returned home without victory, having had his soldiers shun,
and Ms sMps shattered.
§ 20. But after three years he again appeared with a
large army, and tMee hundred sMps, at the mouth of the
Thames, where he renewed hostiUties. In this attempt
many of Ms soldiers and horses were killed ; for the same
consul had placed iron pikes in the shallow part of the
river, and tMs havmg been effected with so much skill and
secrecy as to escape the notice of the Roman soldiers, did
them considerable injury; thus Caesar was once more
compeUed to return without peace or victory. The Romans
were, therefore, a third time sent against the Britons ; and
under the command of JuUus, defeated them near a place
called Trinovantum [London], forty-seven years before the
birth of Christ, and five thousand two hundred and twelve
years from the creation.
• Some MSS. add, I will now return to the point from which I made
this digression.
t There is here some corruption or defect in the original. See Geoffrey
of Monmouth, p. 139 of this volume. J V. R Cassibelanus.

a.d. 44— 207.] EMPERORS OF BRITAIN. 393
JuUus was the first exercising supreme power over the
Romans who invaded Britain : in honour of him the Romans
decreed the fifth month to be called after his name. He was
assassinated in the Curia, in the ides of March, and Octa
vius Augustus succeeded to the empire of the world. He
was the only emperor who received tribute from the Britons,
accordMg to the following verse of Virgil :
" Purpurea intexti tollunt auliea Britanni."
§ 21. The second after him, who came into Britain, was
the emperor Claudius, who reigned forty-seven years after
the birth of CMist. He carried with Mm war and devasta
tion ; and, though not without loss of men, he at length con
quered Britain. He next sailed to the Orkneys, which he
likewise conquered, and afterwards rendered tributary. No
tribute was in Ms time received from the Britons ; but it
was paid to British emperors. He reigned thirteen years
and eight months. His monument is to be seen at Moguntia
(among the Lombards), where he died in his way to Rome.
§ 22. After the birth of Christ, one hundred and sixty-
seven years, Mng Lucius, with all the cMefs of the British
people, received baptism, in consequence of a legation sent
by the Roman emperors and pope Evaristus.*
§ 23. Severus was the third emperor who passed the sea to
Britain, where, to protect the provinces recovered from
barbaric incursions, he ordered a wall and a rampart to be
made between the Britons, the Scots, and the Picts, extend
ing across the island from sea to sea, M length one hundred
and thirty-three -f miles : and it is called in the British
language, GwaLJ Moreover, he ordered it to be made be-
* V. R. Eucharistus. A marginal note in the Arundel MS. adds, " He
is wrong, because the first year of Evaristus was a.d. 79, whereas the
first year of Eleutherius, whom he ought to have named, was a.d. 161."
Usher says, that in one MS. of Nennius he found the name of Eleutherius.
See Bede's Eccles. Hist. p. 10. t "V. R. Thirty-two.
t Or, the Wall. One MS. here adds, " The above-mentioned Severus
constructed it of rude workmanship in length 132 miles ; i. e. from Pen-
guaul, which village is called in Scottish Cenail, in English Peneltun, to
the mouth of the river Cluth and Cairpentaloch, where this wall terminates ;
but it was of no avail. The emperor Carausius afterwards rebuilt it, and
fortified it with seven castles between the two mouths : he built also a
round house of polished stones on the banks of the river Carun [CarronJ :
he likewise erected a triumphal arch, on which he inscribed his own name
in memory of his victory."

394 NENNIUS'S HISTORY OF THE BRITONS. [ad. 286—424
tween the Britons, ana the Picts and Scots ; for the Scots
from the west, and the Picts from the north, unanimously
made war against the Britons ; but were at peace among
themselves. Not long after Severus dies in Britain.
§ 24. The fourth was the emperor and tyrant, Carausius,
who, incensed at the murder of Severus, passed mto Britain,
and attended by the leaders of the Roman people, severely
avenged upon the cMefs and rulers of the Britons, the cause
of Severus.*
§ 25. The fifth was Constantius the father of Constantine
the Great. He died in Britain ; Ms sepulcMe, as it appears
by the inscription on his tomb, is stiti seen near the city
named Cair segont (near Carnarvon). Upon the pavement of
the above-mentioned city he sowed tMee seeds of gold, silver,
and brass, that no poor person might ever be found m it. It
is also caUed Minmanton.f
§ 26. Maximianus | was the sixth emperor that ruled m
Britain. It was in Ms time that consuls § began, and that
the appellation of Caesar was discontinued : at tMs period
also, St. Martin became celebrated for his virtues and mira
cles, and held a conversation with him.
§ 27. The seventh emperor was Maximus. He withdrew
from Britain with ati Ms miUtary force, slew Gratian, the
Mng of the Romans, and obtained the sovereignty of all
Europe. UnwiUing to send back Ms warUke companions to
their wives, cMldren, and possessions m BritaM, he conferred
upon them numerous districts from the lake on the summit
of Mons Jovis, to the city called Cant GMc, and to the
western Tumulus, that is, to Cruc Occident. [| These are
the Armoric Britons, and they remam there to the present
* This passage is corrupt, the meaning is briefly given in the translation.
T V. R. Mirmantum, Mirmantun, Minmanto, Minimantone. The Segon-
tium of Antoninus, situated on a small river named Seiont, near Carnarvon.
t This is an inaccuracy of Nennius ; Maximus and Maximianus were
one and the some person ; or rather no such person as Maximianus ever
reigned in Britain.
§ Geoffrey of Monmouth gives the title of consul to several British gene
rals who lived after this time. It is not unlikely that the town, name, and
dignity, still lingered in the provmce after the Romans were gone, particu
larly as the cities of Britain maintained for a time a species of independ
ence. || This district, in modern language, extended from the great St. Ber
nard in Piedmont to Cantavic in Picardy, and from Picardy to the western
coast of France.

a.d. 381— 422.1 THE ROMAN DEPUTIES SLAIN. 395
day. In consequence of their absence, Britain being over
come by foreign nations, the lawful heirs were cast out, till
God interposed with Ms assistance. We are informed, by
the tradition of our ancestors that seven emperors went into
BritaM, though the Romans affirm there were nine.
The eighth was another Severus, who Uved occasionally
m Britain, and sometimes at Rome, where he died.
The ninth was Constantius who reigned sixteen years in
Britain, and, according to report, was treacherously murdered
in the seventeenth year of Ms reign.
§ 28. Thus, agreeably to the account given by the Britons,
the Romans governed them four hundred and nine years.
After this, the Britons despised the authority ofthe Romans,
equaUy refusing to pay them tribute, or to receive their kings ;
nor durst the Romans any longer attempt the government
of a country, the natives of which massacred their deputies.
§ 29. We must now return to the tyrant Maximus. Gra
tian, with Ms brother Valentinian, reigned seven years.
Ambrose, bishop of Milan, was then eminent for his skill in
the dogmata of the CathoUcs. Valentinianus and Theodo
sius reigned eight years. At that time a synod was held at
Constantinople, attended by tMee hundred and fifty of the
fathers, and m which all heresies were condemned. Jerome,
the presbyter of Bethlehem, was then universaUy celebrated.
WMlst Gratian exercised supreme dominion over the world,
Maximus, in a sedition of the soldiers, was saluted emperor
m BritaM, and soon after crossed the sea to Gaul. At Paris,
by the treachery of Mellobaudes, his master of the horse,
Gratian was defeated, and fleeing to Lyons, was taken and
put to death ; Maximus afterwards associated his son Victor
in the government.
Martin, distinguished for his great virtues, was at this
period bishop of Tours. After a considerable space of time,
Maximus was divested of royal power by the consuls Valen
tinianus and Theodosius, and sentenced to be beheaded at
the third mile-stone from Aquileia : in the same year also Ms
son Victor was Mlled in Gaul by Arbogastes, five thousand
six hundred and ninety years from the creation of the world.
§ 30. TMice were the Roman deputies put to death by
the Britons, and yet these, when harassed by the incursions
of the barbarous nations, viz. of the Scots and Picts, earnestly

396 NENNIUS'S HISTORY OF THE BRITONS. [a.d. 383—446.
solicited the aid of the Romans. To give effect to their en
treaties, ambassadors were sent, who made their entrance
with impressions of deep sorrow, having their heads covered
with dust, and carrying rich presents to expiate the murder
of the deputies. They were favourably received by the con
suls, and swore submission to the Roman yoke, with what
ever severity it might be imposed.
The Romans, therefore, came with a powerful army to the
assistance of the Britons ; and havmg appointed over them
a ruler, and settled the government, returned to Rome : and
this took place alternately during the space of tMee hundred
and forty-eight years. The Britons, however, from the
oppression of the empire, again massacred the Roman depu
ties, and again petitioned for succour. Once more the
Romans undertook the government of the Britons, and assisted
them in repelUng their neighbours ; and, after havmg ex
hausted the country of its gold, silver, brass, honey, and
costly vestments, and having besides received rich gifts, they
returned in great triumph to Rome.
§ 31. After the above-said war between the Britons and
Romans, the assassination of their rulers, and the victory of
Maximus, who slew Gratian, and the termination of the
Roman power in Britain, they were M alarm forty years.
Vortigern then reigned in BritaM. In Ms time, the
natives had cause of dread, not only from the inroads of the
Scots and Picts, but also from the Romans, and their appre
hensions of Ambrosius.*
In the meantime, three vessels, exiled from Germany,
arrived in Britain. They were commanded by Horsa and
Hengist, brothers, and sons of Wihtgils. Wihtgils was the
son of Witta ; Witta of Wecta ; Wecta of Woden ; Woden
of Frithowald ; Frithowald of FrithuwuU ; FrithuwuU of
Finn ; Finn of GodwuU ; GodwuU of Geat, who, as they
say, was the son of a god, not f of the omnipotent God and
* These words relate evidently to some cause of dispute between the
Romans, Ambrosius, and Vortigern. Vortigern is said to have been sove
reign of the Dimeta;, and Ambrosius son to the king of the Damnonii. The
latter was half a Roman by descent, and naturally supported the Roman
interest : the former was entirely a Briton, and as naturally seconded by the
original Britons. See Whitaker's Manchester, b. ii. c. 2.
t V. R. not the God of gods, the Amen, the Lord of Hosts, but one of
their idols which they worshipped.

AD. 429-447.] PREACHING OF ST. GERMANUS. 397
our Lord Jesus Christ (who before the beginning of the
world, was with the Father and the Holy Spirit, co-eternal
and of the same substance, and who, in compassion to human
nature, disdained not to assume the form of a servant), but
the offspring of one of their idols, and whom, btinded by
some demon, they worshipped according to the custom of the
heathen. Vortigern received them as friends, and deUvered
up to them the island which is in their language caUed
Thanet, and, by the Britons, Ruym.* Gratianus -ZEquantius
at that time reigned in Rome. The Saxons were received
by Vortigern, four hundred and forty-seven years after the
passion of Christ, and,! according to the tradition of our
ancestors, from the period of their first arrival in Britain,
to the first year of the reign of king Edmund, five hundred
and forty-two years ; and to that in which we now write,
wMch is the fifth of his reign, five hundred and forty-seven
years. § 32. At that time St. Germanus, distinguished for Ms
numerous virtues, came to preach in Britain : by Ms ministry
many were saved ; but many likewise died- unconverted. Of
the various miracles which God enabled him to perform, I
shaU here mention only a few : I shall first advert, to that
concerning an iniquitous and tyrannical king, named Benlli.J
The holy man, informed of his wicked conduct, hastened to
visit Mm, for the purpose of remonstrating with him. When
the man of God, with his attendants, arrived at the gate of
the city, they were respectfully received by the keeper of it,
who came out and saluted them. Him they commissioned to
communicate their intention to the king, who returned a
harsh answer, declaring, with an oath, that although they
remained there a year, they should not enter the city. While
waiting for an answer, the evening came on, and they knew
not where to go. At length, came one of the king's servants,
who bowing MmseU before the man of God, announced the
* Sometimes called Ruoichin, Ruith-in, or " river island," separated
from the rest of Kent and the mainland of Britain by the estuary of the
Wantsum, which, though now a small brook, was formerly navigable for
large vessels, and in Bede's time was three stadia broad, and fordable only
at two places. See Bede's Eccles. Hist. p. 37, note.
+ The rest of this sentence is omitted in some of the MSS.
j King of Powys. V. R. Benli in the district of lal (in Derbyshire) ;
fa the district of Dalrieta; Belinus; Beluni; and Benty.

398 NENNIUS'S HISTORY OF THE BRITONS. [ A.D. 429-447.
words of the tyrant, inviting them, at the same time, to his
own house, to wMch they went, and were Mndly receives.
It happened, however, that he had no cattle, except one cow
and a caU, the latter of wMch, urged by generous hospitality
to Ms guests, he MUed, dressed, and set before them. But
holy St. Germanus ordered his companions not to break a
bone of the calf ; and, the next morning, it was found ative
uninjured, and standing by its mother.
§ 33. Early the same day, they again went to the gate of
the city, to solicit audience of the wicked Mng ; and, whilst
engaged in fervent prayer they were waiting for admission, a
man, covered with sweat, came out, and prostrated MmseU
before them. Then St. Germanus, addressMg Mm, said,
" Dost thou believe in the Holy Trimty ? " To wMch the
man having repUed, " I do beUeve," he baptized, and Mssed
Mm, saying, " Go in peace ; witMn tMs hour thou shalt die :
the angels of God are waiting for thee m the air ; with them
thou shalt ascend to that God in whom thou hast beUeved."
He, overjoyed, entered the city, and bemg met by the prefect,
was seized, bound, and conducted before the tyrant, who
having passed sentence upon Mm, he was immediately put to
death ; for it was a law of tMs wicked Mng, that whoever
was not at his labour before sun-rising should be beheaded in
the citadel. In the meantime, St. Germanus, with Ms attend
ants, waited the whole day before the gate, without obtainmg
admission to the tyrant.
§ 34. The man above-mentioned, however, remamed with
them. " Take care," said St. Germanus to him, " that none
of your friends remain this night witMn these walls. Upon
this he hastily entered the city, brought out Ms nine sons,
and with them retired to the house where he had exercised
such generous hospitality. Here St. Germanus ordered them
to continue, fasting ; and when the gates were shut, "Watch,"
said he, " and whatever shaU happen in the citadel, turn not
thither your eyes ; but pray without ceasing, and invoke the
protection of the true God." And, behold, early in the
night, fire feU from heaven, and burned the city, together with
all those who were with the tyrant, so that not one escaped ;
and that citadel has never been rebuilt even to tMs day.
§ 35. The foUowing day, the hospitable man who had
been converted by the preacMng of St. Germanus, was

a.d. 449— 456.] VORTIGERN AND HENGIST. 399
baptized, with his sons, and aU the inhabitants of that part
of the country ; and St. Germanus blessed him, saying, " a
Mng shall not be wanting of thy seed for ever." The name
of this person is Catel Drunluc :* " from henceforward thou
shalt be a king all the days of thy life." Thus was fulfilled
the prophecy of the Psalmist : " He raiseth up the poor out
of the dust, and lifteth up the needy out of the dunghill."
And agreeably to the prediction of St. Germanus, from a
servant he became a king : all his sons were kings, and from
their offspring the whole country of Powys has been governed
to this day.
§ 36. After the Saxons had continued some time in the
island of Thanet, Vortigern promised to supply them with
clothing and provision, on condition they would engage to
fight against the enemies of Ms country. But the barbarians
having greatly increased in number, the Britons became
incapable of fulfilling their engagement ; and when the
Saxons, according to the promise they had received, claimed
a supply of provisions and clothing, the Britons replied,
" Tour number is increased ; your assistance is now un
necessary ; you may, therefore, return home, for we can
no longer support you ; " and hereupon they began to devise
means of breaMng the peace between them.
§ 37. But Hengist, in whom united craft and penetration,
perceiving he had to act with an ignorant king, and a fluctu
ating people, incapable of opposing much resistance, replied
to Vortigern, " We are, indeed, few in number ; but, if you
wtil give us leave, we will send to our country for an
additional number of forces, with whom we wall fight for you
and your subjects." Vortigern assenting to this proposal,
messengers were despatched to Scythia, where selecting a
number of warlike troops, they returned with sixteen vessels,
bringing with them the beautiful daughter of Hengist. And
now the Saxon chief prepared an entertainment, to which he
invited the Mng, his officers, and Ceretic, his interpreter,
having previously enjoined his daughter to serve them so
profusely with wine and ale, that they might soon become
intoxicated. This plan succeeded ; and Vortigern, at the
instigation of the devil, and enamoured with the beauty
* Or Cadell Deyrnllug, prince of the Vale Royal and the upper part
of Powys.

400 NENNIUS'S HISTORY OF THE BRITONS. a.d. 449— tSC.
of the damsel, demanded her, through the medium of his
interpreter, of the father, promising to give for her whatever
he should ask. Then Hengist, who had akeady consulted
with the elders who attended him of the Oghgul* race,
demanded for Ms daughter the province, called in EngUsh,
Centland, in British, Ceint, (Kent.) TMs cession was made
without the knowledge of the Mng, Guoyrancgonus,f who
then reigned in Kent, and who experienced no inconsiderable
share of grief, from seeing Ms Mngdom thus clandestinely,
fraudulently, and imprudently resigned to foreigners. Thus
the maid was deUvered up to the Mng, who slept with her,
and loved her exceedingly.
§ 38. Hengist, after this, said to Vortigern, " I witi be to
you both a father and an adviser ; despise not my counsels,
and you shall have no reason to fear being conquered by any
man or any nation whatever ; for the people of my country
are strong, warlike, and robust : if you approve, I will send
for my son and Ms brother, both vaUant men, who at my
invitation will fight against the Scots, and you can give them
the countries in the north, near the waU caUed Gual." 1 The
incautious sovereign having assented to this, Octa and Ebusa
arrived with forty sMps. In these they sailed round the
country of the Picts, laid waste the Orkneys, and took
possession of many regions, even to the Pictish confines. §
But Hengist continued, by degrees, sending for sMps from
his own country, so that some islands whence they came were
left without inhabitants ; and wMlst Ms people were increas
ing in power and number, they came to the above-named
province of Kent.
§ 39. In the meantime, Vortigern, as if desirous of add
ing to the evils he had already occasioned, married Ms own
daughter, by whom he had a son. When tMs was made
* V. R. Who had come with him from the island of Oghgul, Oehgul
(or Tingle), Angul. According to Gunn, a small island in the duchy of
Sleswick in Denmark, now called Angel, of which Flensburg is the metro
polis. Hence the origin of the Angles.
t V. R. Gnoiram cono, Goiranegono, Guoiracgono. Malmesbury, Go-
rougi ; Camden, Guorong, supposed to mean governor, or viceroy.
$ Antoninus's wall.
§ Some MSS. add, " beyond the Frenesic, Fresicnm (or Fresic) sea," i. e.
which is between us and the Scotch. The sea between Scotland and Ireland.
Camden translates it " beyond the Frith ;" Langhorne says, " Solway Frith."

A.D. 452.] VORTIGERN RETIRES TO GUENET. 401
known to St. Germanus, he came, with aU the British clergy,
to reprove Mm : and whilst a numerous assembly of the eccle
siastics and laity were in consultation, the weak king- ordered
his daughter to appear before them, and in the presence of
aU to present her son to St. Germanus, and declare that he
was the father of the child. The immodest* woman obeyed ;
and St. Germanus, taMng the child, said, " I wiU be a father
to you, my son; nor will I dismiss you till a razor, scis
sors, and comb, are given to me, and it is allowed you to
give them to your carnal father." The child obeyed St.
Germanus, and, going to his father Vortigern, said to him,
" Thou art my father ; shave and cut the hair of my head."
The king blushed, and was silent ; and, without replying to
the cMld, arose in great anger, and fled from the presence of
St. Germanus, execrated and condemned by the whole synod.
§ 40. But soon after, caUing together his twelve wise
men, to consult what was to be done, they said to him, " Re
tire to the remote boundaries of your kingdom ; there build
and fortify a city y to defend yourself, for the people you have
received are treacherous ; they are seeking to subdue you by
stratagem, and, even during your life, to seize upon all the
countries subject to your power, how much more will they
attempt, after your death !" The king, pleased with tMs
advice, departed with his wise men, and travelled through
many parts of Ms territories, in search of a place convenient
for the purpose of building a citadel. Having, to no pur
pose, travelled far and wide, they came at length to a pro
vince called Guenet ;J and having surveyed the mountains of
Heremus,§ they discovered, on the summit of one of them, a
situation, adapted to the construction of a citadel. Upon
tMs, the wise men said to the king, "Build here a city; for,
in tMs place, it wiU ever be secure against the barbarians."
Then the king sent for artificers, carpenters,_ stone-masons,
and eoUected aU the materials requisite to building ; but the
whole of these disappeared in one night, so that notMng re-
* V. R. " Immodest " is omitted in some MSS.
t V. R. You shall find a fortified city in winch you may defend yourself.
J V. R. Guined, Guoienet, Guenez, North Wales.
§ V. R. Heremi, Henri, or Eryri, signifying eairle rocks, the mountains
of Snowdon, in Carnarvonshire. The spot alluded to is supposed to be
Dinas Emrys, or the fortress of Ambrosius. r» d

402 NENNIUS'S HISTORY OF THE BRITONS. 1AD- «*¦
mained of what had been provided for the constructing of
the citadel. Materials were, therefore, from aU parts, pro
cured a second and third time, and again vanished as before,
leaving and rendering every effort ineffectual. Vortigern
inquired of his wise men the cause of tMs opposition to Ms
undertaking, and of so much useless expense of labour ?
They replied, " You must find a cMld born without a father,
put Mm to death, and sprinkle with Ms blood the ground
on which the citadel is to be Mult, or you will never accom
plish your purpose."
§ 41. In consequence of tMs reply, the Mng sent messen
gers tMoughout Britain, in search of a cMld born without a
father. After having inquired in aU the provinces, they
came to the field of ^Electi,* in the district of Glevesing,f
where a party of boys were playing at baU. And two of
them quarreUing, one said to the other, " O boy without a
father, no good will ever happen to you." Upon tMs, the
messengers ditigently inquired of the mother and the other
boys, whether he had had a father ? WMch Ms mother de
nied, saying, "In what manner he was conceived I know-
not, for I have never had intercourse with any man ;" and
then she solemnly affirmed that he had no mortal father. The
boy was, therefore, led away, and conducted before Vorti
gern the king.
§ 42. A meeting took place the next day for the purpose
of putting Mm to death. Then the boy said to the Mng,
" Why have your servants brought me Mther ?" " That you
may be put to death," repUed the king, " and that the ground
on which my citadel is to stand, may be sprinMed with your
blood, without which I shaU be unable to build it." " Who,"
said the boy, " instructed you to do tMs ? " " My wise
men," answered the king. " Order them Mther," returned
the boy ; tMs being complied with, he thus questioned them :
" By what means was it revealed to you that tMs citadel
couid not be built, unless the spot were previously sprinkled
with my blood ? Speak without disguise, and declare who
discovered me to you ;" then turning to the Mng, " I wtil
soon," said he, " unfold to you every thing ; but I desire to
question your wise men, and wish them to disclose to you
* V. R. Elleti, Electi, Gleti. Supposed to be Bassalig in Monmouthshire.
f The district between the Usk and Rumney, in Monmouthshire.

A.D. 452. VORTIGERN AND THE BOY AMBROSE. 403
what is hidden under this pavement:" they acknowledging
their ignorance, " there is," said he, " a pool ; come and dig :"
they did so, and found the pool. " Now," continued he,
"teU me what is in it;" but they were ashamed, and made
no reply. " I," said the boy, " can discover it to you : there
are two vases in the pool ;" they examined, and found it so :
continuing Ms questions, " What is in the vases ?" they were
silent : " there is a tent in them," said the boy ; " separate
them, and you shall find it so ;" tMs being done by the king's
command, there was found in them a folded tent. The boy,
going on with his questions, asked the wise men what was in
it ? But they not knowing what to reply, " There are,"
said he, " two serpents, one white and the other red ; unfold
the tent;" they obeyed, and two sleeping serpents were dis
covered ; " consider attentively," said the boy, " what they
are doMg." The serpents began to struggle with each other ;
and the wMte one, raising himself up, threw down the other
into the middle of the tent, and sometimes drove Mm to the
edge of it ; and this was repeated thrice. At length the red
one, apparently the weaker of the two, recovering his
strengtn, expelled the white one from the tent; and the
latter bemg pursued through the pool by the red one, disap
peared. Then the boy, asMng the wise men what was
signified by this wonderful omen, and they expressing their
ignorance, he said to the king, " I will now unfold to you
the meaning of this mystery. The pool is the emblem of
this world, and the tent that of your kingdom : the two ser
pents are two dragons ; the red serpent is your dragon, but
the wMte serpent is the dragon of the people who occupy
several provinces and districts of Britain, even almost from
sea to sea: at length, however, our people shall rise and
drive away the Saxon race from beyond the sea, whence
they originaUy came ; but do you depart from this place, where
you are not permitted to erect a citadel ; I, to whom fate has
aUotted this mansion, shall remain here ; whilst to you it is
incumbent to seek other provinces, where you may build a
fortress." "What is your name?" asked the king ; "I am
caUed Ambrose (in British Embresguletic)," returned the
boy; and in answer to the Mng's question, "What is your
origin ?" he replied, " A Roman consul was my father."
Then the king assigned Mm that city, with all the western
D D 2

404 NENNIUS'S HISTORY OF THE BRITONS, [a.d. 452.
provinces of Britain ; and departing with Ms wise men to
the sinistral district, he arrived in the region named Gueneri,
where he built a city wMch, accordMg to Ms name, was caUed
Cair Guorthegirn.*
§ 43. At length Vortimer, the son of Vortigern, valiantly
fought against Hengist, Horsa, and Ms people ; drove them
to the isle of Thanet, and thrice enclosed them witMn it, and
beset them on the western side.
The Saxons now despatched deputies to Germany to soUcit
large reinforcements, and an additional number of sMps :
having obtained these, they fought against the Mngs and
princes of Britain, and sometimes extended their boundaries
by victory, and sometimes were conquered and driven back.
§ 44. Four times did Vortimer valorously encounter the
enemy ;| the first has been mentioned, the second was upon
the river Darent, the tMrd at the Ford, m their language
called Epsford, though in ours Set titirgabail,J there Horsa
fell, and Catigern, the son of Vortigern ; the fourth battle he
fought, was near the stone § on the shore of the GaMc sea,
where the Saxons being defeated, fled to their sMps.
* An ancient scholiast adds, " He then built Guasmoric, near Lugubalia
[Carlisle], a city which in English is called Palmecaster." Some differ
ence of opinion exists among antiquaries respecting the site of Vortigern 's
castle or city. Usher places it at Gwent, Monmouthshire, which name,
he says, was taken from Caer- Went, near Chepstow. This appears to agree
with Geoffrey's account, in page 208 of this volume. See Usher's Britan.
Eccles. cap. v. p. 23. According to others, supposed to be the city from
the ruins of which arose the castle of Gurthrenion, in Radnorshire, Cam
den's Britannia, p. 479. Whitaker, however, says that Cair Guorthegirn
was the Maridunum of the Romans, and the present Caermarthen. (Hist.
of Manchester, book ii. c. 1.) See also Nennius, sec. 47.
t Some MSS. here add, " This Vortimer, the son of Vortigern, in a synod
held at Guarthemiaun, after the wicked king, on account of the incest com
mitted with his daughter, fled from the face of Germanus and the British
clergy, would not consent to his father's wickedness ; but returning to St.
Germanus, and falling down at his feet, he sued for pardon ; and in atone
ment for the calumny brought upon Germanus by his father and sister,
gave him the land, in which the forementioned bishop had endured such
abuse, to be his own for ever. Whence, in memory of St. Germanus, it
received the name of Guarenniaun (Guarthemiaun, Gurthrenion, Gwarth
Ennian) which signifies, a calumny justly retorted, since, when he thought
to reproach the bishop, he covered himself with reproach."
Jf According to Langhorne (p. 13), Epsford was afterwards called, in
the British tongue, Saessenaeg habail, or ' the slaughter of the Saxons.'
See also the note at page 1 88 of this volume. § V. B» " The stone
of Titulus," thought to be Stone in Kent, or Larger-stone in Suffolk.

A.D. 452 ] HENGIST'S BLOODY TREACHERY. 405
After a short interval Vortimer died ; before his decease,
anxious for the future prosperity of his country, he charged
his friends to inter his body at the entrance of the Saxon
port, viz. upon the rock where the Saxons first landed ; " for
though," said he, " they may inhabit other parts of Britain,
yet if you follow my commands, they will never remain in
tMs island." They imprudently disobeyed this last injunc
tion, and neglected to bury Mm where he had appointed. *
§ 45. After tMs the barbarians became firmly incorpo
rated, and were assisted by foreign pagans ; for Vortigern
was their friend, on account of the daughter-)- of Hengist,
whom he so much loved, that no one durst fight against him
— M the meantime they soothed the imprudent king, and
wMlst practising every appearance of fondness, were plotting
with his enemies. And let him that reads understand, that
the Saxons were victorious, and ruled Britain, not from
their superior prowess, but on account of the great sins of
the Britons : God so permitting it.
For what wise man will resist the wholesome counsel of
God ? The Almighty is the King of kings, and the Lord of
lords, ruUng and judging every one, according to Ms own
pleasure. After the death of Vortimer, Hengist being strengthened
by new accessions, collected his ships, and calling his leaders
together, consulted by what stratagem they might overcome
Vortigern and his army ; with insidious intention they sent
messengers to the king, with offers of peace and perpetual
friendsMp ; unsuspicious of treachery, the monarch, after
advising with Ms elders, accepted the proposals.
§ 46. Hengist, under pretence of ratifying the treaty, pre
pared an entertainment, to wMch he invited the king, the
nobles, and military officers, in number about three hundred ;
speciously concealing his wicked intention, he ordered tMee
hundred Saxons to conceal each a knife under his feet, and
to mix with the Britons ; " and when," said he,, " they are
sufficiently inebriated, &c. cry out, ' Nimed eure Saxes,' then
let each draw his knife, and MU his man ; but spare the king,
* Rapin says he was buried at Lincoln ; Geoffrey, at London, see p.' 189.
t V. R. Of his wife, and no one was able manfully to drive them off be
cause they had occupied Britain not from their own valour, but by God's
permission.

406 NENNIUS'S HISTORY OF THE BRITONS. [a.d. 452.
on account of his marriage with my daughter, for it is better
that he should be ransomed than Mlled."*
The king with his company, appeared at the feast ; and
mixing with the Saxons, who, whilst they spoke peace with
their tongues, cherished treachery in their hearts, each man
was placed next his enemy.
After they had eaten and drunk, and were much intoxi
cated, Hengist suddenly vociferated, " Nimed eure Saxes !"
and instantly Ms adherents drew their knives, and rushing
upon the Britons, each slew him that sat next to him, and
there was slain three hundred of the nobles of Vortigern.
The king being a captive, purchased Ms redemption, by de-
Uvering up the tMee provinces of East, South, and Middle
Sex, besides other districts at the option of his betrayers.
§ 47. St. Germanus admonished Vortigern to turn to the
true God, and abstain from aU unlawful mtercourse with Ms
daughter ; but the unhappy wretch fled for refuge to the
province Guorthegirnaim,f so caUed from Ms own name,
where he concealed himself with Ms wives : but St. Ger
manus followed Mm with aU the British clergy, and upon a
rock prayed for his sins during forty days and forty nights.
The blessed man was unanimously chosen commander
against the Saxons. And then, not by the clang of trum
pets, but by praying, singing hallelujah, and by the cries of
the army to God, the enemies were routed, and driven even
to the sea.J
Again Vortigern ignominiously flew from St. Germanus
to the Mngdom of the Dimetae, where, on the river Towy,§
he bMlt a castle, wMch he named Cair Guothergirn. The
saint, as usual, followed Mm there, and with Ms clergy fasted
and prayed to the Lord three days, and as many nights. On
the third night, at the tMrd hour, fire fell suddenly from
heaven, and totally burned the castle. Vortigern, the daughter
of Hengist, Ms other wives, and all the inhabitants, both men
and women, miserably perished : such was the end of tMs un
happy king, as we find written in the Ufe of St. Germanus.
§ 48. Others assure us, that being hated by att the people
of BritaM, for having received the Saxons, and being pub-
• The VV. RR. of this section are too numerous to be inserted.
t A district of Radnorshire, forming the present hundred of Rhaiadr.
j V. R. This paragraph is omitted in the MSS. § The Tobias of Ptolemy.

a.d. 452.] GENEALOGY OF VORTIGERN. 407
Ucly charged by St. Germanus and the clergy in the sight of
God, he betook Mmself to flight ; and, that deserted and a
wanderer, he sought a place of refuge, tiU broken hearted,
he made an ignomimous end.
Some accounts state, that the earth opened and swallowed
him up, on the night his castle was burned ; as no remains
were discovered the foUowing morning, either of Mm, or of
those who were burned with him.
He had three sons : the eldest was Vortimer, who, as we
have seen, fought four times against the Saxons, and put them
to flight ; the second Categirn, who was slain in the same
battle with Horsa ; the tMrd was Pascent, who reigned in
the two provinces Builth and Guorthegirnaim,* after the
death of Ms father. These were granted Mm by Ambrosius,
who was the great king among the Mngs of Britain. The
fourth was Faustus, born of an incestuous marriage with Ms
daughter, who was brought up and educated by St. Germa
nus. He built a large monastery on the banks of the river
Renis, called after his name, and wMch remains to the pre
sent period.f
§ 49. TMs is the genealogy of Vortigern, wMch goes back
to Fernvail,J who reigned in the Mngdom of Guorthegir
naim,! and was the son of Teudor ; Teudor was the son of
Pascent ; Pascent of Guoidcant ; Guoidcant of Moriud ;
Moriud of Eltat ; Eltat of Eldoc ; Eldoc of Paul ; Paul of
Meuprit ; Meuprit of Braciat ; Braciat of Pascent ; Pascent
of Guorthegirn ; Guorthegirn of Guortheneu ; Guortheneu of
Guitaul ; GMtaul of Guitolion ; GuitoUon of GloM. Bonus,
Paul, Mauron, GuoteUn, were four brothers, who built Gloi-
uda, a great city upon the banks of the river Severn, and in
British is called Cair Gloui, in Saxon, Gloucester. Enough
has been said of Vortigern.
§ 50. St. Germanus, after Ms death, returned into Ms own
country. |At that time, the Saxons greatly increased, in Britain,
* In the northern part of the present counties of Radnor and Brecknock.
+ V. R. The MSS. add, ' and he had one daughter, who was the mother
of St. Faustus.'
% Fernvail, or Farinmail, appears to have been king of Gwent or Mon
mouth. § V. R. ' Two provinces, Builth and Guorthegirnaim.'
|| V. R. All this to the word ' Amen,' in other MSS. is placed after the
legend of St. Patrick.

408 NENNIUS'S HISTORY OF THE BRITONS. [a.d. 432.
both in strength and numbers. And Octa, after the death
of his father Hengist, came from the sinistral part of the
island to the kingdom of Kent, and from Mm have proceeded
all the kings of that province, to the present period.
Then it was, that the magnanimous Arthur, -with all the
Mngs and miUtary force of Britain, fought against the
Saxons. And though there were many more noble than
MmseU, yet he was twelve times chosen their commander,
and was as often conqueror. The first battle m wMch he
was engaged, was at the mouth of the river GleM.* The
second, tMrd, fourth, and fifth, were on another river, by the
Britons called Duglas, f in the region Ltiutis. The sixth,
on the river Bassas.J The seventh in the wood Cetidon,
which the Britons caU Cat Coit CeUdon.§ The eighth
was near Gurnion castle, || where Arthur bore the image of
the Holy Virgin,l[ mother of God, upon Ms shoulders, and
through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the holy
Mary, put the Saxons to flight, and pursued them the whole
day with great slaughter.** The mnth was at the City of
Legion,| | which is called Cair Lion. The tenth was on the

* Supposed by some to be the Glem, in Lincolnshire ; but most probably
the Glen, in the northern part of Northumberland.
+ Or Dubglas. The little river Dunglas, which formed the southern
boundary of Lothian. Whitaker says, the river Duglas, in Lancashire,
near Wigan.
J Not a river, but an isolated rock in the Frith of Forth, near the town
of North Berwick, called " The Bass." Some think it is the river Lusas, in
Hampshire. $ The Caledonian forest ; or the forest of Englewood, extending from
Penrith to Carlisle.
|| Variously supposed to be in Cornwall, or Binchester in Durham, but most
probably the Roman station of Garionenum, near Yarmouth, in Norfolk,
If V. R. The image of the cross of Christ, and of the perpetual Virgin
St. Mary.
** V.R. For Arthur proceeded to Jerusalem,and there made a cross to the
size of the Saviour's cross, and there it was consecrated, and for three suc
cessive days he fasted, watched, and prayed, before the Lord's cross, that
the Lord would give him the victory, by this sign, over the heathen ; which
also took place, and he took with him the image of St. Man-, the fragments
of which are still preserved in great veneration at Wedale, in English Wo-
dale, in Latin Vallis-doloris. Wodale is a village in the province of Lodo-
nesia, but now of the jurisdiction of the bishop of St. Andrew's, of Scot
land, six miles on the west of that heretofore noble and eminent monastery
of Meilros. +t Exeter.

A.D. 452.] ST. PATRICK. 409
banks ofthe river Trat Treuroit.* The eleventh was on the
mountain Breguoin, which we call Cat Bregion.f The
twelfth was a most severe contest, when Arthur penetrated
to the hill of Badon.J In tMs engagement, nine hundred
and forty fell by his hand alone, no one but the Lord afford
ing Mm assistance. In all these engagements the Britons
were successful. For no strength can avail against the will
of the Almighty.
The more the Saxons were vanquished, the more they
sought for new suppUes of Saxons from Germany ; so that
Mngs, commanders, and miUtary bands were invited over
from almost every province. And this practice they con
tinued till the reign of Ida, who was the son of Eoppa, he,
of the Saxon race, was the first Mng in Bernicia, and in
Cair Ebrauc (York).
When Gratian jEquantius was consul at Rome, because
then the whole world was governed by the Roman consuls,
the Saxons were received by Vortigern in the year of our
Lord four hundred and forty-seven, and to the year in which
we now write, five hundred and forty-seven. And whosoever
shall read herein may receive instruction, the Lord Jesus
Christ affording assistance, who, co-eternal with the Father and
the Holy Ghost, lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
In those days Saint Patrick was a captive among the
Scots. His master's name was Milcho, to whom he was a
swineherd for seven years. When he had attained the age
of seventeen he gave Mm Ms Uberty. By the divine
hnpulse, he applied himself to reading of the Scriptures,
and afterwards went to Rome ; where, replenished with the
Holy Spirit, he continued a great while, studying the sacred
mysteries of those writings. During Ms continuance there,
PaUadius, the first bishop, was sent by pope Celestine to
convert the Scots [the Irish]. But tempests and signs from
God prevented Ms landing, for no one can arrive in any
country, except it be allowed from above ; altering therefore
his course from Ireland, he came to Britain and died in
the land of the Picts, §
* Or Ribroit, the Brue, in Somersetshire ; or the Ribble, in Lancashire.
t Or Agned Cathregonion, Cadbury, in Somersetshire ; or Edinburgh.
1 Bath.
j At Fordun, in the district of Meams, in Scotland. — Usher.

410 NENNIUS'S HISTORY OF THE BRITONS. [aj>. 452
§ 51. The death of Palladius being known, the Roman
patricians, Theodosius and Valentinian, then reigning, pope
Celestine. sent Patrick to convert the Scots to the faith
of the Holy Trinity; Victor, the angel of God, accom
panying, admonisMng, and assisting Mm, and also the bishop
Germanus. Germanus then sent the ancient Segerus with him as a
venerable and praiseworthy bishop, to king Amatheus,* who
Uved near, and who had prescience of what was to happen ;
he was consecrated bishop m the reign of that king by the
holy pontiff,| assuming the name of Patrick, havmg Mtherto
been known by that of Maun; Auxtiius, Issernmus, and
other brothers were ordained with him to Mferior degrees.
§ 52. Having distributed benedictions, and perfected aU
in the name of the Holy Trinity, he embarked on the sea
which is between the Gauls and the Britons ; and after a
quick passage arrived in Britain, where he preached for
some time. Every necessary preparation bemg made, and
the angel giving Mm warmng, he came to the Irish Sea.
And having fiUed the ship with foreign gtits and spiritual
treasures, by the permission of God he arrived M Ireland,
where he baptized and preached.
§ 53. From the beginning of the world, to the fifth year
of king Logiore, when the Irish were baptized, and faith in
the unity of the individual Trinity was pubUshed to them.
are five thousand tMee hundred and thirty years.
§ 54. Saint Patrick taught the gospel in foreign nations
for the space of forty years. Endued with apostoheal
powers, he gave sight to the btind, cleansed the lepers, gave
hearing to the deaf, cast out devils, raised nine from the
dead, redeemed many captives of both sexes at Ms own
charge, and set them free in the name of the Holy Trinity.
He taught the servants of God, and he wrote tMee hundred
and sixty-five canonical and other books relating to the
cathotic faith. He founded as many churches, and conse-
* V. R. Germanus " sent the elder Segerus with him to a wonderful
man, the holy bishop Amathearex." Another MS. "Sent the elder Sege
rus, a bishop, with him to Amatheorex."
+ V. R. " Received the episcopal degree from the holy bishop Amatheo
rex." Another MS. " Received the episcopal degree from Matheorex and
the holy bishop."

A.D. 452.] DEATH OF ST. PATRICK. 411
crated the same number of bishops, strengthemng them with
the Holy Ghost. He ordained tliree thousand presbyters ;
and converted and baptized twelve thousand persons in the
provmce of Connaught. And, in one day baptized seven
Mngs, who were the seven sons of Amalgaid.* He con
tinued fasting forty days and nights, on the summit of the
mountain Eli, that is Cruachan-Aichle i\ and preferred tMee
petitions to God for the Irish, that had embraced the faith.
The Scots say, the first was, that he would receive every
repenting sinner, even at the latest extremity of life; the
second, that they should never be exterminated by barbarians ;
and the third, that as IrelandJ wtil be overflowed with
water, seven years before the coming of our Lord to judge
the qMck and the dead, the crimes of the people might be
washed away tMough Ms intercession, and their souls
purified at the last day. He gave the people his benediction
from the upper part of the mountain, and going up Mgher,
that he might pray for them ; and that if it pleased God, he
might see the effects of his labours, there appeared to him
an innumerable flock of birds of many colours, signifying
the number of holy persons of both sexes of the Irish
nation, who should come to Mm as their apostle at the day
of judgment, to be presented before the tribunal of Christ.
After a life spent in the active exertion of good to mankind,
St. Patrick, in a healthy old age, passed from this world to
the Lord, and changing tMs life for a better, with the saints
and elect of God he rejoices for evermore.
§ 55. Saint Patrick resembled Moses in four particulars.
The angel spoke to Mm in the burning bush. He fasted
forty days and forty Mghts upon the mountain. He attained
the period of one hundred and twenty years. No one knows
Ms sepulchre, nor where, he was buried; sixteen § years he
was in captivity. In his twenty-fifth year, he was conse
crated bishop by Saint Matheus, || and he was eighty-five
years the apostle of the Irish. It might be profitable to
* King of Connaught.
t A mountain in the west of Connaught, county of Mayo, now called
Croagh-Patrick. t V. R. that no Irishman may be alive on the day of judgment, becaus-
thcy will be destroyed seven vears before in honour of St. Patrick.
6 V. R. Fifteen. fl V. R. By the holy bishop Amatheus.

412 NENNIUS'S HISTORY OF THE BRITONS. [a.d. 4S2
treat more at large of the life of this saint, but it is now
time to conclude this epitome of Ms labours.*
[Here endeth the Ufe of the holy bishop, Saint Patrick.]
(After this, the MSS. give as § 56, the legend of king Arthur, which in
this edition occurs in § 50.)
GENEALOGY OF THE KINGS OF BERNICIA.f
§ 57. Woden begat Beldeg, who begat Beornec, who begat
Gethbrond, who begat Aluson, who begat Ingwi, who begat
Edibrith, who begat Esa, who begat Eoppa, who begat Ida.
But Ida had twelve sons, Adda, Belric, Theodric, Ethelric,
Theodhere, Osmer, and one queen, Bearnoch, Ealric. Ethel
ric begat Ethelfrid : the same is jEdlfred Flesaur. For he
also had seven sons, Eanfrid, Oswald, Oswin, Oswy,
Oswudu, Oslac, Offa. Oswy begat Alfrid, EUwin, and
Egfrid. Egfrid is he who made war agamst Ms cousin
Brudei, king of the Picts, and he feU therein with aU the
strength of his army, and the Picts with their Mng gained
the victory ; and the Saxons never again reduced the Picts
so as to exact tribute from them. Smce the time of this
war it is called Gueithtin Garan.
But Oswy had two wives, Riemmelth, the daughter of
Royth, son of Rum ; and Eanfled, the daughter of Edwin,
son of AUa. THE GENEALOGY OF THE KINGS OF KENT.
§ 58. Hengist begat Octa, who begat Ossa, who begat
Eormenric, who begat Ethelbert, who begat Eadbald, who
begat Ercombert, who begat Egbert.
THE ORIGIN OF THE KINGS OF EAST-ANGLIA.
§ 59. Woden begat Casser, who begat Titinon, who begat
Trigil, who begat Rodmunt, who begat Rippa, who begat
Guillem Guercha,| who was the first Mng of the East Angles.
• Here ends the Vatican MS. collated by Mr. Gunn.
f These titles are not part of the original work, but added in the MSS.
by a later hand.
J Guercha is a distortion of the name of Uffa or Wuffa, arising in the
first instance from the pronunciation of the British writer ; and, in the next
place, from the error of the transcriber. — Palgrave.

A.D. 452.] KINGS OF THE DEIRI. 4] 3
Guercha begat Uffa, who begat Tytillus, who begat Eni, who
begat Edric, who begat AldwuU, who begat Elric.
THE GENEALOGY OF THE MERCIANS.
§ 60. Woden begat Guedolgeat, who begat Gueagon, who
begat Guithleg, who begat Guerdmund, who begat Ossa, who
begat Ongen, who begat Eamer, who begat Pubba.* This
Pubba had twelve sons, of whom two are better known to me
than the others, that is Penda and Eawa. EadUt is the son
of Pantha, Penda, son of Pubba, Ealbald, son of Alguing,
son of Eawa, son of Penda, son of Pubba. Egfert, son of
Offa, son of Thingferth, son of Enwulf, son of Ossulf, son
of Eawa, son of Pubba.

THE KINGS OF THE DEIRI.
§ 61. Woden begat Beldeg, Brond begat Siggar, who
begat Sibald, who begat Zegulf, who begat Soemil, who
first separatedf Deur from Berneich ( Deira from Bernicia.)
Soemil begat Sguerthing, who begat Giulglis, who begat
Wfrea, who begat Iffi, who begat Ulli, Edwin, Osfrid, and
Eanfrid. There were two sons of Edwin, who fell with
him in battle at Meicen,| and the kingdom was never
renewed in his family, because not one of his race escaped
from that war ; but all were slain with him by the army of
Catguollaunus, § Mng of the Guendota. Oswy begat Egfrid,
the same is Ailguin, who begat Oslach, who begat Alhun,
who begat Adlsing, who begat Echun, who begat Oslaph.
Ida begat Eadric, who begat Ecgulf, who begat Leodwald,
who begat Eata, the same is GUnmaur, who begat Eadbert
and Egbert, who was the first bishop of their nation.
Ida, the son of Eoppa, possessed countries on the left-hand
side of Britain, i. e. of the Humbrian sea, and reigned twelve
years, and united || Dynguayth Guarth-Berneich.
§ 62. Then Dutigirn at that time fought bAvely against
* Or Wibba. f V. R. Conquered.
% Hatfield, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. See Bede's Eccles. Hist.
p. 106. § Cadwalla, king of the Western Britons.
|| V. R. United the castle, i. e. Dinguerin and Gurdbernech, which two
countries were in one country, i. e. Deurabernech ; Anglice Deira and Ber
nicia. Another MS. Built Dinguayrh Guarth Berneich.

414 NENNIUS'S HISTORY OF THE BRITONS. [a.d. 452.
the nation of the Angles. At that time, Talhaiarn Cataguen*
was famed for poetry, and Neirin, and Taliesin and Bluch-
bard, and Cian, who is called Guemth Guaut, were all famous
at the same time in British poetry.
The great Mng, Mailcun, f reigned among the Britons, i. e.
in the district of Guenedota, because Ms great-great-grand
father, Cunedda, with Ms twelve sons, had come before from
the left-hand part, i. e. from the country wMch is called
Manau Gustodin, one hundred and forty-six years before
Mailcun reigned, and expelled the Scots with much slaughter
from those countries, and they never returned again to
inhabit them.
§ 63. Adda, son of Ida, reigned eight years ; Ethelric,
son of Adda, reigned four years. Theodoric, son of Ida,
reigned seven years. Freothwulf reigned six years. In
whose time the kingdom of Kent, by the mission of Gregory,
received baptism. Hussa reigned seven years. AgaMst
him fought four Mngs, Urien, and Ryderthen, and Gual-
lauc, and Morcant. Theodoric fought bravely, together with
his sons, against that Urien. But at that time sometimes
the enemy and sometimes our countrymen were defeated,
and he shut them up three days and tMee nights in the
island of Metcaut ; and whilst he was on an expedition he
was murdered, at the instance of Morcant, out of envy,
because he possessed so much superiority over all the kings
in military science. Eadfered Flesaurs reigned twelve years
in Bernicia, and twelve others in Deira, and gave to Ms wife
Bebba, the town of Dynguoaroy, wMch from her is caUed
Bebbanburg.J Edwin, son of AUa, reigned seventeen years, seized
on Elmete, and expelled Cerdic, its Mng. Eanfled, Ms
daughter, received baptism, on the twelfth day after
Pentecost, with all her foUowers, both men and women.
The following Easter Edwin MmseU received baptism, and
twelve thousand of Ms subjects with him. If any one wishes
to know who baptized them, it was Rum Map Urbgen : § he
* Talhaiarn was a descendant of Coel Godebog, and chaplain to Am
brosius. f Better known as Maelgwn.
% Bambrough. See Bede, iii. 6, and Sax. Chron. a.d. 547.
$ See Bede's Eccles. Hist, p. 96. From the share which Paulinus had

A.D. 625— 642.] KINGS OF THE DEIRI. 415
was engaged forty days in baptizing all classes of the Saxons,
and by his preacMng many believed on Christ.
§ 64. Oswald son of EtheUrid, reigned nine years ; the
same is Oswald Llauiguin ;* he slew Catgublaun (Cadwalla), -j-
king of Guenedot,| in the battle of Catscaul,§ with much loss
to his own army. Oswy, son of Ethelfrid, reigned twenty-
eight years and six months. During his reign, there was a
dreadful mortality among Ms subjects, when Catgualart
(CadwaUader) was king among the Britons, succeeding his
father, and he MmseU died amongst the rest. || He slew
Penda in the field of Gai, and now took place the slaughter
of Gai Campi, and the kings of the Britons, who went out
with Penda on the expedition as far as the city of Judeu,
were slain.
§ 65. Then Oswy restored all the wealth, which was
with Mm in the city, to Penda ; who distributed it among
the kings of the Britons, that is, Atbert Judeu. But
Catgabail alone, Mng of Guenedot, rising up in the night,
escaped, together with his army, wherefore he was called
Catgabail Catguommed. Egfrid, son of Oswy, reigned nine
years. In his time the holy bishop Cuthbert died in the
island of Medcaut.^f It was he who made war against the
Picts, and was by them slain.
Penda, son of Pybba, reigned ten years ; he first separated
the kingdom of Mercia from that of the North-men, and slew
by treachery Anna, Mng of the East Anglians, and St.
in the conversion of the Northumbrian king, it has been inferred that he
actually baptized him ; but Nennius expressly states, that the holy sacra
ment was administered by Rhun, the son of Urien. The Welsh name of
Paulinus is Pawl Hen, or Polin Esgob.
* Llauiguin, means the " fair," or the " bounteous hand."
t This name has been variously written ; Bede spells it Caedualla (Cad
waUa); Nennius, Catgublaun; the Saxon Chronicle, Ceadwalla; and the
Welsh writers, Cadwatton and Katwallawn : and though the identity of the
person may be clearly proved, it is necessary to observe these particulars to
distinguish him from Cadwaladr, and from another Caedualla or Cadwalla,
a king, of the West Saxons ; all of whom, as they lived within a short
time of each other, have been frequently confounded together. — Rees's
Welsh Saints. J Gwynedd, North Wales.
§ Bede says at Denis's-brook. Eccles. Hist. p. 10.9.
II The British chronicles assert that Cadwallader died at Rome, whilst
Nennius would lead us to conclude that he perished in the pestilence at
home. See Geoffrey, p. 288. f The isle of Fame.

416 NENNIUS'S HISTORY OF THE BRITONS. [a.d. 625—042.
Oswald, king of the North-men. He fought the battle of
Cocboy,* in which fell Eawa, son of Pybba, Ms brother, king
of the Mercians, and Oswald, king of the North-men, and
he gained the victory by diaboUcal agency. He was not
baptized, and never beUeved in God.
§ 66. From the beginmng of the world to Constantinus
and Rufus, are found to be five thousand six hundred and
fifty-eight years.
Also from the two consuls, Rufus and RubeUus, to the
consul Stilicho, are three hundred and seventy-tMee years.
Also from Stilicho to Valentinian, son of Placida, and the
reign of Vortigern, are twenty-eight years.
And from the reign of Vortigern to the quarrel between
Guitolinus and Ambrosius, are twelve years, wMch is Guo-
loppum, that is Catgwaloph.f Vortigern reigned M Britain
when Theodosius and Valentinian were consuls, and in the
fourth year of Ms reign the Saxons came to BritaM, in the
consulsMp of FeUx and Taurus, M the four hundredth year
from the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
From the year in which the Saxons came into Britain,
and were received by Vortigern, to the time of Decius and
Valerian, are sixty-nme years.
* Maserfield. See Bede's Eccles. Hist. p. 123.
t In Carmarthenshire. Perhaps the town now called Kidwelly.

RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER

ANCIENT STATE OF BRITAIN.

EE

RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER

ANCIENT STATE OF BRITAIN.

BOOK I.

CHAPTER I.
1. The shore of Gaul would be the boundary of the
world, did not the island1 of Britain claim from its magm-
tude almost the appeUation of another world; for if mea
sured to the Caledonian promontory2 it extends more than
eight hundred miles in length.3
2. BritaM was first caUed by the ancients Albion,* from
1 The early Greeks and Romans doubted whether Britain was an island,
or part of the continent. This uncertainty gave rise to a controversy which
was not settled till the time of the propraetor Julius Agricola. — Tac. Vit.
Agric. c. 38. Dio. Cass. Hist. Rom. lib. 39. 2 Dunnet Head.
' Richard gives too great an extent to our island, which, according to
the most accurate observations, stretches only from lat. 49° 48', the most
southern point, to Dunnet Head, which is in lat. 58° 40' or. scarcely 540
geographical miles.
4 Various explanations haye been given of the names of Albion and
Britain, applied to our island. Some derive Albion from the white rocks
which bound the coast ; some from Albion, a son of Neptune, who is re
presented as its first discoverer and cultivator ; others have likewise derived
the name Britain from the Phoenician or Hebrew Baratanac, signifying the
land of tin. It was also called by the natives, Hyperborea, Atlanlica,
Oassiteris, Romana, and Thule,
According to the British Triads, "the three names given to the isle of
Britain, from the beginning, were : before it was inhabited, the name of
Ctas Merddyn (or the green spot defended by water) ; after it was inhab
ited, T Vel Ynys (the honey island) ; and, after it was brought under one

420 RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER. [b. I. ch. 1.
its white cliffs ; and afterwards in the language of the na^
tives, Britain. Hence all the islands hereafter described
were denominated British.5
3. Britain is situated between the north and west, Oppo
site to, though at some distance from, Germany, Gaul, and
Spain, the most considerable parts of Eufope, and is bounded
by the Atlantic Ocean.
4. On the south of Britain Ues Belgic Gaul, from wMch
coast passengers usuaUy sail to the Rhutupian port.7 TMs
place is distant from Gessoriacum,8 a town of the Morini,
the port most frequented by the Britons, fifty miles, or
according to others, four hundred and fifty stadia. From
thence may be seen the country of the Britons whom Vir
gil in his Eclogues describes as separated from the whole
world, — " — penitus toto divisos orbe Britannos."
5. By Agrippa, an ancient geographer, its breadth is esti
mated at three hundred miles ; but with more truth by Bede
at two hundred, exclusive of the promontories.9 If their
sinuosities be taken into the computation, its circMt wiU be
three thousand six hundred miles. Marcian, a Greek author,
agrees with me in stating it at mdioolxxv.1
government by Prydain, son of Aedd, it was called Ynys Prydain (or the
isle of Britain).
In some old writings it is also termed, Yr Ynys Wen, (or the white
island.) 5 This part is taken from Pliny, who enumerates the British isles in the
following order: — Orcades, 40; Acmodae, 7; Haebudes, 30. Between
Britain and Ireland, Mona, Menapia, Ricnea, Vectis, Silimnus, Andros;
beneath, Siambis and Axuntos : on the opposite side, towards the German
Sea, the Glessariae, called Electrides by the later Greek writers, from the
amber found there : and last of all, Thule.
He refers to others mentioned by different authors, viz., Mictis, Scandia,
Dumnia, Bergos, and Nerigos.
* That is, from Rome. Richard, in copying the Roman writers, adopted
their expressions in regard to the relative positions of places.
7 Richborough, Kent. 8 Boulogne.
9 Richard errs in supposing the estimation of Bede more accurate than
that of Agrippa.
1 The numerals are here so incorrect that it is difficult to discover what
number was meant by Richard. Marcian observes that the circuit of our
island is not more than 28,604 stadia, or 3575 miles, nor less than 20,52<i,
or 2570 miles. Hence Bertram is led to prefer the greater number.

. ch. 2,; OF THE EXTENT OF BRITAIN. 421

CHAP. H.
1. Albion, caUed by Chrysostom Great Britain, is, accord
ing to Caesar, of a triangular shape, resembling Sicily. One
of the sides Ues opposite to Celtic Gaul. One angle of this
side, which is the Cantian promontory,2 is situated to the
east; the other, the Ocrinian promontory,3 in the country
of the Damnonii, faces the south and the province of Tarra-
conensis in Spain. This side is about five hundred miles in
length. 2. Another side stretches towards Ireland and the west,
the length of wMch, according to the opinion of the ancients,
is seven hundred miles.
3. The third side is situated to the north, and is opposite to
no land except a few islands ;4 but the angle of this side
cMefly trends towards Germania Magna.3 The length from
the Novantian Chersonesus,6 through the country of the
TaixaU, to the Cantian promontory,7 is estimated at eight
hundred miles. Thus all erroneously compute the circuit of
the island to be two thousand miles ; for from the Cantian
promontory to Ocrinum,8 the distance is four hundred miles ;
from thence to Novantum, a thousand ; and from thence to
the Cantian promontory, two thousand two hundred. The
circumference of the whole island is therefore three thousand
six hundred mties.9
4. Livy and Fabius Rusticus compare the form of Britain
to an oblong sMeld or battle-axe ; and as, according to Taci--
tus, it bears that figure on the side of Caledonia, the compar
ison was extended to the whole island, though the bold pro
montories at its further extremity give it the shape of a
wedge. But Caesar and Pomponius Mela assert that its form
is triangular.
1 North Foreland. ¦ Lizard Point.
4 The Orkney and Shetland isles.
5 Under this name the ancients comprised not only^Germany proper,
but Denmark, Norway, &c.
* Rens of Galloway.
7 North Foreland. " Lizard Point.
* Bertram has endeavoured to reconcile the various and discordant cal
culations given by different ancient authors of the circuit of our island.
On such vague principles as these estimations are made, it would be almost
impossible, even now, for two persons to produce the same result.

422 RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER. [*. i. ch. 1
5. If credit may be given to the celebrated geographer
Ptolemy and Ms contemporary writers, the island resembles
an inverted Z,1 but accordMg to the maps the comparison is
not exact. The triangular shape, howeverj seems to belong
to England alone*2
chap* ill
1. The original inhabitants of Britain, whether Mdigenous
or foreign, are, like those of most other countries, unknown.
The Jews alone, and by their means the contiguous nations,
have the happiness of tracing their descent smce the creation
of the world from undoubted documents.
2. From the difference of personal appearance different
conjectures have been drawn. The red hair and large Umbs
of the CaledoMans proclaim their German origin; the
painted faces and curled locks of the Stiures, and their
situation opposite to Spain, corroborate the assertion of
Tacitus, that the ancient Iberians passed over and occupied
tMs country and Ireland. Thos« who Uve nearest the Gauls
resemble them, either from the strength of the original stock,
or from the effects wMch the same positions of the heavens
produce on the human body;
3. If I were inctined to Mdulge a conjecture, I might
here mention that the Veneti3 in their commercial expe
ditions first introduced inhabitants and reUgion Mto tMs
country. Writers are not wanting, who assert that
Hercules came Mther and established a sovereignty. But it
is needless to dwell on such remote antiqMties and idle tales.4
1 Ptolemy's expression is obscure ; but he was evidently led to this sup
position by the notion that Caledonia or Scotland trended to the east, a?
appears from his latitudes and longitudes. This formj therefore, he not
unaptly compares to the inverted Z. It would be a trespass on the patience
of the reader to attempt to reconcile what is irreconcileable.
2 These words are chiefly taken from Tacitus. The obscurity of the
expression and the absurdity of the comparison, will sufficiently show the
ignorance of those ancients whose works have reached the present time, in
regard to our island. — Tacit. Vit. Agricola;, sec. 10.
' The Veneti, a tribe seated on the coast of Armorica or Bretaguej
distinguished fof their maritime power, and with whom Caesar waged war.
Their territory according to his description, was part of Celtie Gaul, and
the present Vannes was their capital.
* To these conjectures relative to the original inhabitants, and subsequent

b. i. ch. 3.1 ANCIENT BRITONS, THEIR HABITS. 423
4. On the whole, however, it is probable that the Gauls
occupied the contiguous regions. According to Tacitus,
their sacred rites and superstitions may be traced; nor is
the language very different ; and lastly, the tradition of the
druids, with the names of the states which still retain the
same appellations as the people sprung from the cities of
Gaul, who came Mther and began to cultivate the country.5
5. According to Cassar, the country was extremely populous,
and contained numerous buildings, not dissmtilar to those of
the Gauls. It was rich in cattle.
6. The inhabitants of the southern part were the most
civihzed, and in. their customs differed Uttle from the Gauls.
Those of the more distant parts did not raise corn ; but Uved
on fruits and flesh. They were ignorant of the use of wool
and garments, although in severe weather they covered
themselves with the sMns of sheep or deer. They were
accustomed to bathe in the rivers.
7. AU the Britons formerly stained their bodies of a blue
colour, wMch according to C*sar gave them a more terrible
appearance in battlei They wore their hair long, and
colonists of Britain, it may not be uninteresting to add the accounts
preserved in the Welsh Triads.
The historical Triads record that the first colonists of Britain were
Oymry, who originally came from Defrobani Gwlad Yr Hav, the summer
land, or Tauric Chersonesus. There they have left many traces of their
name preserved by ancient authors, among which we may instance the
Cimmerian Bosphorus.
Subsequent colonists arrived from the neighbouring continent at various
times. The Loegrwys (Loegrians) from Gascogne; the Brython from
Ijydaw (Britanny), who were descendants from the original stock of the
Ct/mry. Two descents are also mentioned in Albin, or North Britain ; one
caUed the tribe of Celyddon, the other the primitive Gwyddelians.
Another descent is said to have been made in the south, in Ynys-Wyth,
or the Isle of Wight, by the men of Galedin (the Belgae), when their
native country was inundated. Another colony called the Corani came
from the country of the Pwyl (Poland), and settled on the sea coast, about
the river Humber. A descent in Albin, or North Britain, of a colony of
Gwyddelian Picti [Irish Picts], who are described as corning from the sea
of Loclyn (the Baltic); and a partial settlement of the men of Loclyn
(Scandinavians), who were expelled after remaining for three generations.
The arrival of the Romans and Saxons is also mentioned, as well as
some partial settlements of Gwyddelians from Ireland.
8 We discover a few cities in Gaul, bearing nearly the same appellations
as those of Britain ; and in both countries we find the Atrebates, the
Morini, the Mini, the Senones, the MeUapii, and the Rhemi.

424 RICHARD OF CDSENCESTER. !»• '• ch. 3.
shaved all parts of the body except the head and the upper
lip. 8. Ten or twelve Britons had their wives in common;
and tMs custom particularly prevailed among brethren, and
between fathers and sons ; but the children were considered
as belonging to Mm who had first taken the virgin to wife.
The mothers sucMed their own children, and did not employ
maids and nurses.
9. According to Caesar also they used brass money, and
iron rings of a certain weight instead of coin.6
10. The Britons deemed it unlawful to eat Mires,7 fowls,
or geese ; but they kept those animals for pleasure.
11. They had pearls, bits made of ivory, bracelets, vessels
of amber and glass, agates, and, what surpasses all, great
abundance of tin.
12. They navigated M barks, the keels and ribs of wMch
were formed of Ught materials ; the other parts were made
of wicker and covered with the Mdes of oxen.8 During
their voyages, as SoUnus asserts, they abstain from food.9
13. Britain produces people and Mngs of people, as
Pomponius Mela writes in Ms tMrd book ; but they are aU
unciviUzed, and in proportion as they are more distant from
the continent, are more ignorant of riches; their wealth
consisting cMefly in cattle and land. They are addicted to
litigation and war, and frequently attack each other, from a
desire of command, and of enlarging their possessions. It
is customary indeed for the Britons to wage war under the
guidance of women, and not to regard the difference of sex
in the distribution of power.
14. The Britons not only fought on foot and on horseback,
but in chariots drawn by two horses, and armed in the Gallic
" The natives of China and Japan follow a similar custom in regard to
gold and silver, which are not coined, but pass according to weight.
7 It seems that they considered the appearance of a hare a fortunate
omen ; for the Roman historians observe that Boadicea, after haranguing
her troops, let loose a hare which she had conceaJed in her garments.
9 This species of boat is still used on the Welsh rivers, and is called a
coricle in English, and cwch in Welsh. It is so light that a man may carry
one on his back.
9 Richard has mistaken the sense of Solinus, who, in describing the
passage from Great Britain to Ireland, observes that from its shortness
they abstained from food. " Navigantes escis abstinent, pro freti lati-
tudine." C. 25.

B.I.CH. 3J BRITONS, THEIR MODE OF WAR. 425
manner. Those chariots, to the axle-trees of wMeh scythes
were fixed, were caUed covini, or wains.
15. Caasar relates that they employed cavalry in their
wars, which before the coming of the Romans were almost
perpetual. AU were sMUed in war ; each in proportion to
Ms family and wealth supported a number of retainers, and
tMs was the only species of honour with wMch they were
acquamted.1 16. The principal strength of the Britons was in their
infantry, who fought with darts, large swords, and short
targets! According to Tacitus, their swords were blunt at
the point.
17. Caasar in Ms fourth book thus describes their mode of
fighting in that species of chariots called essedce.2 At first
1 In all periods the Britons seem to have been divided into numerous
petty communities or states, headed by chiefs, who are here dignified with
the title of kings. From the jealousies and weakness attending such a
state of society, the island first became a prey to the Romans, and
afterwards to the Saxons; and when the Britons were confined to the
mountains of Wales, the same causes hastened the annexation of then-
country to England.
1 In the early ages chariots were universally used in wan. In the
Scriptures they are frequently mentioned as forming the principal strength
of an army; and the mode of fighting in chariots among the Greeks and
Trojans, according to the description of Homer, was exactly similar to that
of the Britons. The steeds of his heroes were
" Practised alike to stop, to turn, to chase,
To dare the shock, or urge the rapid race."
His warriors sometimes drive through the ranks of the enemy, sometimes
fight from their chariots, and sometimes alight and maintain the combat on
foot, while their chariots retire to the rear.
" This counsel pleased, the godlike Hector sprung
Swift from his s,eat; his clanging armour rung,
The chief's example follow'd by his train,
Each quits his car and issues on the plain;
By orders strict the charioteers enjoin'd
Compel the coursers to their ranks behind,"
The Britons, however, appear to have devised an improvement in this
mode of warfare, which was unknown to the Greeks. Their chariots seem
W have been of two kinds, the covini or wains, heavy and armed with
scythes, to break the thickest order of the enemy; and the essedie, a
lighter kind, adapted probably to situations and circumstances in which
the covini could not act, and occasionally performing the duties of cavalry.
The esseda, with the cavalry, were pushed forward to oppose the first
landing of Caesar; and Cassivellaunus afterwards left 4000 esseda as

426 RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER. (b. lch. 3.
they drove tMough the army in all directions, hurling their
darts ; and by the terror of the horses, and the noise of the
wheels, generally tMew the ranks of the enemy into disorder.
When they had penetrated between the troops of cavalry,
they leaped from their chariots and waged unequal war on
foot. Meanwhile the chariots were drawn up at a distance
from the battle, and placed in such a position, that if pressed
by the enemy, the warriors could effect a retreat to their
own army. They thus displayed the rapid evolutions of
cavalry, and the firmness of infantry, and were so expert by
exercise, as to hold up the horses in steep descents, to check
and turn them suddenly at full speed, to run along the pole,
stand on the yoke, and then spring into the chariot.
18. The mode of fighting on horseback tMeatened equal
danger to those who gave way, or those who pursued. They
never engaged in close lines, but M scattered bodies, and
with great intervals ; they had their appointed stations, and
relieved each other by turns ; and fresh combatants suc
ceeded those who were fatigued. The cavalry also used
darts. 19. It is not easy to determine the form of government
in Britain previous to the coming ofthe Romans. It is how
ever certain that before their times there was no vestige of a
monarchy, but rather of a democracy, unless perhaps it may
seem to have resembled an aristrocracy.3 The authority of
the Druids in affairs of the greatest moment was consider
able. Some cMefs are commemorated in their ancient re
cords, yet these appear to have possessed no permanent
power ; but to have been created, like the Roman dictators,
in times of imminent danger. Nor are instances wanting
a corps of observation to watch his movements. — Ctesar. Comment, lib.
5, sec. 15.
* The government of the ancient Britons may be denominated patri
archal. Each community was governed by its elders ; and every indi
vidual who could not prove his kindred to some community, through nine
descents, and the same number of collateral affinities, was not considered
as a freeman. Beyond this degree of kindred, they were formed into new
communities. The elders of the different communities were subordinate to
the elders of the tribes. But in times of public danger, as is recorded in
the Triads, some chief of d stinguished abiUties was entrusted with the
supreme authority over the tribes or communities, who united in Common
rlofence — Such were Caswallon (Cassivellaunus), Caradwg (Carachkcus),
and Owain, son of Macsen.

B. l. ch. 3.] STATURE AND DRESS OF THE BRITONS. 427
among them, as among other1 brave nations, when they chose
even the leader of their adversaries to conduct their armies.
He, therefore^ who before was their enemy^ afterwards
fought on their side.
20. The Britons exceeded in stature both the Gauls and
the Romans. Strabo affirms that he saw at Rome some
British youths, who were considerably taller than the
Romans. 21. The more wealthy inhabitants of South Britain were
accustomed to ornament the middle finger of the left hand
with a gold ring ; but a gold coUar* round the neck was the
distinguisMng mark of eminence; Those of the northern
regions, who were the indigenous inhabitants of the island
from time immemorial, were almost wholly ignorant of the
use of clothes, and surrounded their waists and necks, as
Herodian reports, with iron rings, which they considered as
ornaments and proofs of wealtin They carried a narrow
shield, fitter for use than ornament, and a lance, with a sword
pendant from their naked and painted bodies. They rejected
* This torques, chain, or rather wreath^ is frequently alluded to by the
early British barus>
" Yet in the battle of Arderydd I Wore the golden torques''
Merddin Avellanaw.
* Four arid twenty sons I have had
Wearing the golden wreath, leaders of armies." Llywarch Hin.
" Of all who went to Cattraeth, wearing the golden tore or wreath."
Aneurin.
The same bard states that in the battle of Cattraeth were three hundred
and sixty who wore the golden torques.
We give a description of one of these ornaments found near the castle of
Harlech, in Merionethshire, in 1692. "It is a wreathed bar of gold, or per
haps three or four rods jointly twisted, about four feet long, but naturally
bending only one way, in the form of a hatband. It is hooked at both
ends. It is of a round form, about an inch in circumference, and weighs
eight ounces."— Gibson's Camden, p. 658.
Another mark of dignity was a string of amber beads worn round the
head. To this Aneurin alludes —
" With wreaths of amber twined round his temples."
These beads have been frequently found in tumuli, particularly in those
on Salisbury Plain. — See Turner's Vindication of the 'Welsh Bards.-"
Owen's Elegies ofLiyUiarch Hin.

428 RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER. [b- 1 ch. 3.
or despised the breast-plate and helmet, because such armour
impeded their passage through the marshes.
22. Among other particulars, tbis custom prevailed m
Britain. They stopped travellers and merchants, and com
peUed them to relate what they had heard, or knew, worthy
of notice. The common people usuaUy surrounded foreign
merchants in the towns, and obUged them to teU from whence
they came, and what curious tMngs they had observed. On
such vague reports they often rasMy acted, and thus were
generally deceived ; for many answered them agreeably to
their desires with fictitious stories.5
23. Their interments were magMficent 5 and aU things
which they prized during Ufe, even arms and animals, were
thrown into the funeral pile. A heap of earth and turf formed
the sepulcMe.6
' This is Caesar's account of a Gallic custom ; but it is applied, not withr
out reason, to the Britons, and indeed is equally applicable to all un
civilized people.
6 As the classic authors have left us no description of the modes of in
terment among the Britons, Richard was induced, by the conformity of
their manners and customs to those of the Gauls, to adopt the words used
by Caesar in his account of the Gallic funerals. Unfortunately the remains
of the British bards afford Uttle assistance in supplying this deficiency. It
appears, however, that the Britons raised tumuli over their dead, and
continued the practice till after the introduction of Christianity ; and
that their other modes of interment were the earned, or heap of stones ;
the cistvaen, or stone chest ; and perhaps the cromlec, or hanging
stone. From * curious fragment commemorating the graves of the
British warriors, which is printed in the first volume of the Welch Archae
ology, we learn further, that they buried their dead on the top of hills and
lofty cliffs, on declivities, in heaths and secluded vaUeys, on the banks and
near the fords of rivers, and on the sea-shore "where the ninth wave
breaks." Allusions are also made to corresponding stones raised on these
graves ; and it is said, " the long graves in Gwanas, no one knows to whom
they belong nor what is their history."
As the modes of interment among all early nations were in many re
spects similar, there is perhaps no part of our national antiquities which has
given scope to so much conjecture as this. The reader who is desirous of
more particular information relative to this subject, may at least find
amusement in consulting the works of Stukeley, Douglas's Nenia Britan
nica, the Archaologia, and various accounts scattered jn different periodi
cal publications.

a, i.ch. 4.J BRITONS-^THEIR SACRED RITES. 429"

CHAP. IV.
1. All the Britons, Uke the Gauls, were much addicted
to superstitious ceremonies ; and those who laboured under
severe disorders, or were exposed to the dangers of war,
either offered human victims, or made a vow to perform
such a sacrifice.
2. The druids were employed in the performance of these
cruel rites ; and they beUeved that the gods could not be
appeased unless the life of a man was ransomed with human
blood. Hence' arose the public institution of such sacrifices;
and those who had been surprised in theft, robbery, or any
other dehnquency, were considered as the most acceptable
victims. But when criminals could not be obtained, even
the innocent were put to death, that the gods might be
appeased. 3. The sacred ceremonies could not be performed except
in the presence of the druids ; and on them devolved the
office of providing for the pubUc as weU as private rites*
They were the guardians of religion and the interpreters
of mysteries ; and being skilled in medicine, were consulted
for the preservation or restoration of health.
4. Among their gods, the principal object of their worsMp
was Mercury.7 Next to him they adored justice (under the
name of Astarte), then ApoUo, and Mars (who was called
Titucadrus), Jupiter, Minerva, Hercules, Victory (called
Andate), Diana, Cybele, and Pluto. Of these deities they
held the same opimons as other nations.
5. The Britons, like the Gauls, endeavoured to derive
tlieir origin from Dis or Pluto, boasting of tMs ancient
tradition of the dritids. For tMs reason they divided time,
not by the number of days, but of nights, and thus distin-
7 This passage has puzzled the British antiquaries, because it militates
against the grand principle of the druidic theology, and because, as they
assert, no traces of the Greek or Roman deities are found among the early
Britons. Possibly some of the British tribes might have brought this mode
of worship from Gaul ; but more probably the assertion was derived from
the misconception of the ancient authors themselves, who gave the names
of their own deities to the objects of adoration distinguished by Bimila*
attributes in other countries. The account is borrowed from Csesar'a
description of the Gauls, lib. vi. $ 15.

430 EICHARD OF CIRENCESTER. [B. I. ch. 4.
guished the commencement of the month, and the time of
their birth. This custom agrees with the ancient mode
of computation adopted in Genesis, chapter i.8
6, The druids, being held in Mgh veneration, were greatly
followed by the young men for the sake of their instructions.
They decided almost all pubUc and private controversies, and
determined disputes relative to inheritance or the boundaries
of lands. They decreed rewards and punishments, and
enforced their decisions by an exclusion from the sacrifices.
TMs exclusion was deemed the severest pumshment ; because
the interdicted, being deemed tinpious and wicked, were
shunned as if contagious ; justice was refused to their
supplications, and they were aUowed no marks of honour.9
7. Over the druids presided a cMef, vested with supreme
authority. At Ms death he was succeeded by the next m
dignity ; but if there were several of equal rank, the contest
was decided by the suffrages of their body ; and sometimes
they even contended in arms for this honour.1
8. The druids went not to war, paid no tribute Uke the
rest of the people, were exempted from miUtary duties, and
enjoyed immunities in all tMngs, From these Mgh privileges
many either voluntarily entered mto their order, or were
placed in it by friends or parents.
9. They learned a number of verses, wMch were the only
kind of memorials or annals m use among them.2 Some
persons accordingly remained twenty years under their
instruction, wMch they did not deem it lawful to commit
to writing, though on other subjects they employed the
Greek alphabet. " TMs custom," to use the words of JuUus
Caasar, " seems to have been adopted for two reasons : first,
not to expose their doctrines to the common people ; and,
secondly, lest their scholars, trusting to letters, should
» " And the evening and the morning were the first day," &c. ver. 5.
We also stiU say a se'nnight, a fortnight.
' Like the excommunication of the catholic church.
1 Such a custom would contravene the principles of the druidic or bardic
system, which prohibited them from using arms. The remark seems to have
been extended to a general application by Richard, from a single instance
recorded by Caesar, of a druidic election in Gaul thus decided.
a According to the opinion of the Welsh antiquaries, the system of
druidical knowledge forms the basis of the Triads. If this be the case, it
must be confessed that the bards possessed a profound knowledge of human
nature, uncommon critical sagacity, and a perfect acquaintance with the

B. I. ch. 4.] TRIADS. 431
be less anxious to remember their precepts ; for such
assistance commonly diminishes application, and weakens
the memory."
10. In the first place t1 ey circulated the doctrine that
souls do not die, but migrate into other bodies.3 By this
harmony of language and the properties of metre. For example, the
subjects of the poetical Triads are,
Tile Welsh language.
Fancy and invention.
The design of poetry.
Nature of just thinking.
Rules of arrangement.
Rules of description.
Variety of matter and invention.
Rules of composition ; comprising the laws of
verse, rhyme, stanzas, consonancy or allitera
tion, and accent.
We quote a few of these Triads to show their nature and structure.
The three qualifications of poetry ; — endowment of genius, judgment
jiom experience, and happiness of mind.
The three foundations of judgment ; — bold design, frequent practice;
and frequent mistakes.
The three foundations of learning ; — seeing much, suffering much, and
studying much.
The three foundations of happiness ; — a suffering with contentment, a
hope that it will come, and a belief that it wiU be.
The three foundations of thought ; — perspicuity, amplitude, and justness.
The three canons of perspicuity ; — the word that is necessary, the
quantity that is necessary, and the manner that is necessary.
The three canons of ampUtude ; — appropriate thought, variety of thought.
and requisite thought.
* According to the Triads, the theology of the bards was pure monotheism.
They taught also the transmigration of souls ; believing that the soul passed
by death through all the gradations of animal life, from Anoom, the bok
tomless abyss, or lowest degree of animation, up to the highest degree of
spiritual existence next to the Supreme Being. Human nature was con
sidered as the middle point of this scale. As this was a state of liberty,
jn which the soul could attach itself to either good or evil ; if evil predom-
mated, it was after death obliged to retrace its former transmigrations from
a point in the animal creation equal to its turpitude, and it again and again
became man till it was attached to good. Above humanity, though it
might again animate the body of man, it was incapable of relapse ; but
continued progressively rising to a degree of goodness and happiness, inferior
only to the Deity.
It is remarkable that many singular points of coincidence have been
discovered in comparing the reUgious system of the Hindoos with that
of the ancient Britons ; and in the languages of these two people some
staking similarities occur in those proverbs and forms of expression which
are derived from national customs and religious ceremonies,

432 RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER. [»• '. ch. 4
principle they hoped men would be more powerfuUy actuated
to virtue, and delivered from the fear of death. They
likewise instructed students in the knowledge of the heavenly
bodies, in geography, the nature of things, and the power
of the gods.4
11. Their admiration of the mistletoe must not be omitted.
The druids esteemed notMng more sacred than the mistletoe,
and the tree on wMch it grew, if an oak. They particularly
deUghted in groves of oaks,5 and performed no sacred rite
without branches of that tree, and hence seems to be
derived their name of druids, Agu/o's;. Whatever grew on
an oak was considered as sent from heaven, and as a sign
that the tree was chosen by God himseU1. The mistletoe was
difficult to be found, and when discovered was gathered with
religious ceremomes, particularly at the sixth day of the
moon (from wMch period they dated their months and years,
and their cycle of tMrty years,) because the moon was
supposed to possess extraordinary powers when she had not
completed her second quarter. The mistletoe was caUed M
their language all heal.6 The sacrifice and the feast being
* This account of the druids, Uke some of the preceding paragraphs, is
borrowed from Caesar's description of the Gauls.
* Gen. xxi. 33.
8 The worship and reUgious ceremonies of the druids have formed the
subject of many and voluminous dissertations ; and the mistletoe, from its
connection with their sacred rites, is a plant that has always been interest
ing to antiquaries. In a letter recently received by the editor from the
learned and scientific Professor of Botany, Dr. Daubeny, of Magdalen
College, Oxford, that gentleman observes, that though the mistletoe is
occasionaUy found on the oak in Britain, yet this occurs so rarely that it is
difficult to suppose the druids could have got a supply for their purposes
from such a source.
" There is a plant nearly aUied to the mistletoe, the Loranthus Euro-
paeus, which grows freely on the oak, when it occurs; but unfortunately the
most western locality known is the garden of Schoenbrunn near Vienna,
but out of the hmits, I beUeve, within which the druidical worship existed:
it is very uncommon in Hungary.
"This circumstance has given rise to an hypothesis, which I may repeat
without attaching to it any very great importance, namely, that the Loran
thus is the mistletoe of the druids, and that when the druidical worship
was exterminated, this plant, as being introduced into their rites, was ex
tirpated from all those parts of Europe, where the druids were known."
The oak among the ancient Britons was peculiarly sacred as the place or
Worship, and consequently branches of this tree were used to adorn the
altar, and garlands of its leaves to decorate the priest or druid ; and the

fbyji 4.1 druids. 433
duly prepared under the tree, they led tMther two white
bulls, whose horns were then bound for the first time.7 The
priest," clothed in a white vestment, ascending the tree, cut
off the mistletoe with a golden bill, and received it in a white.
cloth. They then slew the victims, invoMng the favour of
the Deity on their offering. They conceived that the mistle
toe cured sterility in animals ; and considered it as a specific
against all poisons. So great was the superstition generally
prevailing among nations with respect to frivolous objects.
The doctrine of the druids is said to have been first in*
vented in Britain, and from thence carried into Gaul ; on
which account Pliny says (in his thirtieth book), "But why
should I commemorate these things with regard to an art
wliich has passed over the sea, and reached the bounds of
nature ? Britain even at tMs time celebrates it with so
many wonderful ceremonies, that she seems to have taught
it to the Persians." Julius Caesar affirms the same in his
Commentaries : " And now those persons who wish to acquire
mistletoe, being so seldom found on the oak, was considered so great and
desirable an appendage, that no solemn festival was held without it.
It has been observed by naturalists that the blossom of the mistletoe falls
within a few days of the summer solstice, and the berry within a few days
of the winter solstice. These incidents therefore marked the return of two
of the usual seasons for holding the bardic conventions and festivals. When
the sacrifice was over, the berries of this plant were taken by the ovate, the
physician of the tribe, and converted to medical purposes. That these
berries possessed medicinal virtues can hardly be doubted. The following
passage respecting this sacred plant occurs in Bacon : — " Mistletoe groweth
chiefly upon crab trees, apple trees, sometimes upon hazels, and rarely upon
oaks ; the mistletoe whereof is counted very medicinal. It is ever green,
winter and summer, and beareth a white glistening berry : and it is a plant
utterly differing from the plant on which it groweth."
Sir John Colbach published a Dissertation on the efficacy of the
mistletoe in 1720 ; but in medicine, as in fashion, what is deemed of high
value in one age is discontinued in the next, and thought nothing of. Such
is the fate of the mistletoe in the nresent day as to any medicinal use that
is made of it.
7 As the plough was fastened to the horns of the beasts, this expression
signifies that the animal had never been employed in labour.
It is a singular coincidence of circumstances that bulls perfectly white
were sacrificed by the Egyptians to Apis. When such an animal was
found unblemished, and without a single black hair, the priest tied a fillet
about his horns, and sealed it with the signet of his ring; it being a capital
crime to sacrifice one of these animals except it was thus marked.-"
Herodotus F F

434 RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER. Lb. r. cb. 4.
a more extensive knowledge of such tMngs, repair £o Britain
for information."
13. At a certain time of the year the druids retired to a
consecrated grove in the island of Mona, wMther aU persons
among whom controversies had arisen, repaired for the deci
sion of their disputes.
14. Besides the dntids, there were among the Gauls and
Britons poets, called bards,9 who sang m heroic measures the
deeds of the gods and heroes, accompamed with the sweet
notes of the lyre.
15. Concermng the dntids and bards, I shall conclude
tMs chapter m the words of Lucan : — ?
" You too, ye bards ! whom sacred raptures fire.
To chant your heroes to your country's lyre;
Who consecrate, in your immortal strain,
Brave patriot souls, in righteous battle slain,
Securely now the tuneful task renew,
And noblest themes in deathless songs pursue.
The druids now, while arms are heard no more,
Old mysteries and barbarous rites restore,
A tribe who singular reUgion love,
And haunt the lonely coverts of the grove.
To these, and these of all mankind alone,
The gods are sure revealed or sure unknown.
If dying mortals' doom they sing aright,
No ghosts descend to dweU in dreadful night ;
N.o parting souls to grisly Pluto go,
Nor seek the dreary sUent shades below ;
But forth they fly immortal in their kind,
And other bodies in new worlds they find ;
Thus Ufe for ever runs its endless race,
And Uke a Une death but divides, the space,
A stop which can but for a, moment last,
A point between the future and the past.
Thrice happy they beneath their northern skies,
Who that worst fear — the fear of death— despise
Hence they no cares for this frail being feel,
But rush undaunted on the pointed steel;
Provoke approaching fate, and bravely scorn
To spare that life which must so soon return."
Rowc's Lucan, book i.
8 According to the Wielsh antiquaries, these distinctions are erroneous.
The druidical, or rather bardic, system consisted of three classes : the bard
proper, whose province was philosophy and poetry ; the druid, or mmister
of religion ; and the ovate, or mechanic and artist For a curious account
of the bardic system and institutions the reader is referred to the Introduc
tion to Owen's Translations of the Elegies of Llywarch Hen

s.i.c.5.] THE PRODUCTIONS OF BRITAIN. 435
CHAP. y.
1. This island is rich in corn and wood, is well adapted
for the maintenance of flocks and cattle, and in some places
produces vines. It also abounds with marine and land
birds, and contains copious springs, and numerous rivers,
stored with fish, and plentifully suppUed with salmon and
eels. 2. Sea-cows or seals,9 and dolpMns are caught, and whales,
of wMch mention is made by the satirist :
" Quanto delphinis baleena Britannica major."
3. There are besides several sorts of sheU-fish, among
wliich are muscles, containing pearls often of the best Mnd,
and of every colour : that is, red, purple, violet, green (jpra-
sini), but principally wMte, as we find in the venerable
Bede's Ecclesiastical History.
4. Shells1 are stiU more abundant, from wMch is prepared
a scarlet dye of the most beautiful hue, wMch never fades
from the effect of the sun or rain, but becomes finer as it
grows older,
5. In Britain are salt and warm springs, from wMch are
formed hot baths, suited to aU ages, with distinct places for
the two sexes,2
6. WMte lead is found in the midland Regions, and iron in
the maritime, but in smaU quantities gold and silver are also
produced, but brass is imported. Jet of the purest quaUty
abounds ; it is of a shining black, and MgMy inflammable.3
When burned, it drives away serpents, and when warmed by
friction attracts bodies, Uke amber.
7. Britain being situated almost under the north pole, the
' We do not find that Pennant mentions, among the amphibious animals,
the Vituli Marini, by which Richard probably meant seals.
1 Richard calls these shells Cochlem, or snails, though he probably alludes
to the species styled by naturalists Murea, which contained the famous
Tyrian purple, so much valued by the ancients. Yet, whatever our island
may have formerly produced, we discern no traces in later ages, of any tes
taceous animal yielding a purple or scarlet dye.
2 Richard here doubtless principaUy aUudes to Bath, the Aquae Sous of
the ancients.
* This substance appears to have been wrought into ornaments for the
person. In the barrows, jet beads of a long elliptical form were found, to
gether with others of amber, and a coarse blue glass.
F F 2

436 ' RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER. [s. r. c. 0.
nights are so light in summer, that it is often doubtful whe
ther the evening or morning twilight prevails ; because the
sun, in returning to the east, does not long remam below the
horizon. Hence, also, according to Cleomenes, the longest
day in summer, and the longest night in winter, when the
sun declines towards the south, is eighteen hours ; and the
shortest night in summer, and day in winter, is six hours.
In the same manner as in Armenia, Macedon, Italy, and the
regions under the same parallel, the longest day is fifteen,
and the shortest Mne hours.
8. But I have given a sufficient account of BritaM and the
Britons in general. I shall now descend to particulars ; and
in the succeeding pages, shall describe the state and revolu
tions of the different nations who Mhabited tMs island, the
cities which ennobled it, with other particulars, and their
condition under the Roman domimon.
CHAP. VI.
1. Britain, according to the most accurate and authentic
accounts of the ancients, was divided into seven parts,
six of which were at different times subjected to the Ro
man empire, and the seventh held by the uncivitized Cale
donians. 2. These divisions were called Britannia Prima, Seeunda,
Flavia, Maxima, Valentia, and Vespasiana, which last did
not long remain under the power of the Romans. Britannia
Prima is separated by the river Thamesis from Flavia, and
by the sea4 from Britannia Seeunda. Flavia begins from the
German Ocean, is bounded by the Thamesis,5 by the Sa
brina,6 on the side of the Silures and Ordovices, and trends
towards the north and the region of the Brigantes.7 Max
ima, beginning at the extreme boundary of Flavia, reaches
to the wall,8 which traverses the whole island, and faces the
north. Valentia occupies the whole space between tMs wall
4 Rather by the estuary of the Severn. s Thames. * Severn.
7 Here some word is evidently omitted in the original. We would sup
ply it by comparing this description with that of Britannia Seeunda in the
second section, and read " Sabrina et Deva," &tc, by the Severn and the
Di-0 from the Silures and Ordovices."
8 The wall or vallum erected by Severus between the Solway Frith and
the mouth of the Tvne.

B. i. ch. 6.] OF THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 437
and that built by the emperor Antoninus Pius, from the
estuary of the Bdora? to that of the Clydda.1 Vespasiana
stretches from the estuary of the Bdora to the city of Al-
cluith,5 from whence a Une drawn to the mouth of the Varar3
shows the boundary. Britannia Seeunda faces the Irish Sea
to the north and west. But sufficient notice has now been
taken of the provinces.
3. Before we proceed to a more minute description, let us
touch upon the form of government. In remote times all
Britain was divided among petty princes and states, some of
whom are said to have existed after the country was occupied
by the Romans ; though, under the Roman domination, they
retained scarcely the shadow of regal authority. A legate
being appointed by the emperor over the conquered countries,
Britain became a proconsular province. TMs form of go
vernment continued several ages, although in the meantime
the island underwent many divisions, first into the Upper
and Lower districts, and then, as we have before shown, into
seven parts. It afterwards became the imperial residence of
Carausius and those whom he admitted to a share of Ms
power. Constantine the Great, the glory and defence of
Christianity, is supposed to have raised Maxima and Valen
tia to consular provinces, and Prima, Seeunda, and Flavia, to
prsesidials. But over the whole island was appointed a
deputy-governor, under the authority of the praBtorian pre
fect of Gaul. Besides whom, an ancient volume, written
about that period, mentions a person of great dignity, by
the title of comes, or count of the Britons, another as count
of the Saxon coast, and a third as leader or duke of Britain ;
with many others, who, although possessed of great offices,
must be passed over in silence, for want of certain inform
ation.* 4. I now commence my long journey, to examine minutely
the whole island and its particular parts, and shaU follow the
footsteps of the best authors. I begin with the extreme part
of the first province, whose coasts are opposite Gaul. This
province contains three celebrated and powerful states,
9 Bodora and Bodotria, Frith of Forth.
' Clotta. Clyde. 2 Dumbarton. a Murray Frith.
4 These remarks seem to have been drawn from the Notitia Imperii ;
and consequently refer to a late period of the empire.

438 RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER. *. i. ca. 6.
namely, Cantium, Belgium, and DamnoMum, each of wMch
in particular I shall carefully examine.
First of Cantium.
5. Cantium,5 situated at the extremity of Britannia Prima,
was inhabited by the Cantii, and contains the cities of Duro-
brobis6 and CantiopoUs,7 wMch was the metropoUs, and the
burial-place of St. Augustin, the apostle of the English ;
Dubras,8 Lemanus,9 and Regutinum1 garrisoned by the
Romans ; also their primary station Rhutupis,2 wMch was
colonized and became the metropoUs, and where a haven was
formed capable of containing the Roman fleet wMch com
manded the North Sea. This city was of such celebrity that
it gave the name of Rhutupme to the neighbouring shores ;
wMch Lucan, " Aut vaga quum Thetis Rhutupinaque littora fervent.™
From hence oysters of a large size and superior flavour were
sent to Rome, as Juvenal observes, " Cireaeis nata forent, an
Lucrinnm ad saxum, Rhutupinove edita fundo
Ostrea, caUebat primo deprendere morsn."
It was the station of the second Augustan legion, under the
count of the Saxon coast, a person of Mgh distinction.
6. The Mngdom of Cantium is watered by many rivers.
The principal are Madus3, Sturius,4 Dubris,5 and Lemanus,6
which last separates the Cantii from the Bibroci.
7. Among the tMee principal promontories of Britain, that
which derives its name from Cantium7 is most distingMshed.
There the ocean, being confined in an angle, according to the
tradition of the ancients, graduaUy forced its way, and
formed the strait wMch renders BritaM an island.
8. The vast forest caUed by some the Anderidan, and by
others the Caledonian, stretches from Cantium a hundred
and fifty miles, through the countries of the Bibroci and the
Segontiaci, to the confines of the HedM. It is thus men
tioned by the poet Lucan : —
5 Cantium contained the present county of Kent, as far as the Rother,
except a small district in which Holwood HiU is situated, and which be
longed to the Rhemi. * Rochester. ' Canterbury.
9 Dover. 9 Situated on the Lymne. l Reculver.
» ltichborough. 3 The Medway. * The Stour.
1 A rivulet at Dover. * The Rother. ' The North Foreland".

r. i. CH. 6.J TRIBES INHABITING BRITAIN. 439
"Unde Caledoniis fallit turbata Britannos."
9. The Bibroci7 were situated next to the Cantii, and, as
some imagine, were subject to them. They were also called
Rhemi, and are not unknown in record. They inhabited
Bibrocum,8 Regentium,9 and Noviomagus,1 wMch was their
metropoUs. The Romans held Anderida.2
10. On their confines, and bordering on the Thames,
dwelt the Attrebates,3 whose primary city was Calleba.*
11. Below them, nearer the river Kunetius,5 Uved the
Segontiaci,6 whose chief city was Vindonum.7
12. Below, towards the ocean, and bordering on the Bib
roci, Uved the Belgas,8 whose cMef cities were Clausentum,9
now caUed Southampton ; Portus Magnus j1 Venta,2 a noble
city situated upon the river Antona. Sorbiodunum3 was
garrisoned by the Romans. AU the Belgse are Allobroges,
or foreigners, and derived their origin from the Belga? and
Celts. The latter, not many ages before the arrival of
Caesar, qmtted their native country, GauL wMch was con
quered by the Romans and Germans, and passed over to tMs
island : the former, after crossing the RMne, and Occupying
the conquered country, Ukewise sent out colonies, of wMch
Caesar has spoken more at large.4
13. AU the regions south of the Thamesis3 were, accord
ing to ancient records, occupied by the warUke nations of the
Senones. These people, under the guidance of their re
nowned Mng Brennus, penetrated tMough Gaul, forced a
7 The Bibroci, Rhemi, or Regni, inhabited part of Hants, and of Berks,
Sussex, Surrey, and a small portion of Kent.
" Uncertain. Stukeley calls it Bibrox, Bibrax, or the Bibracte of the
Itinerary. * Chichester. l HolwoodHill.
2 Pevensey 3 Part of Hants, and Berks.
4 Silchester. For the proofs that this place was the site of Calleva see
the Commentary on the Itinerary.
6 Kennet. « Part of Hants, and Berks.
7 Probably Egbury Camp.
8 The Belgas occupied those parts of Hants and Wilts not held by the
Segontiaci. 8 This is an error : the ancient Clausentum was at Bittern, on the Itchin,
opposite Northam. i Portchester. * Winchester. 3 Old Sarum.
* This passage as printed in the original is very obscure ; but the mean
ing is suppUed by Caesar, from whom it is taken, and a. subsequent page
where Richard mentions the same fact. — Vide the Chronology in b. ii. c. i.
sect. 9. 5 Thames.

440 RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER. [b.i.ch.6.
passage over the Alps, Mtherto deemed impracticable, and
would have razed proud Rome, had not the fates, wMch
seemed like to carry the republic in their bosom, till it reached
its destined height of glory, averted the tMeatened calamity.
By the cacMe of a goose Manlius was warned of the danger,
and hurled the barbarians from the capitol, in their mid
night attack. The same protecting influence afterwards sent
CamiUus to Ms assistance, who, by assaiUng them in the rear,
quenched the conflagration wMch they had Mndled, in
Senonic blood, and preserved the city from impending de
struction. In consequence of tMs vast expedition, the land
of the Senones,5 being left without inhabitants, and full of
spoils, was occupied by the above-mentioned Belgae.
14. Near the Sabrina and below the Thamesis Uved the
Hedui,6 whose principal cities were IschaUs7 and AvaloMa.8
The baths,9 wMch were also caUed Aquas Solis, were made
the seat of a colony, and became the perpetual residence of
the Romans who possessed tMs part of BritaM. TMs was a
celebrated city, situated upon the river Abona, remarkable
for its hot springs, wMch were formed mto baths at a great
expense. Apollo and Minerva1 were the tutelary deities, in
whose temples the perpetual fire never fell mto ashes, but as
it wasted away turned into globes of stone.
15. Below the Hedui are situated the Durotriges, who are
sometimes called Mormi. Their metropoUs was Durinum,2
and their territory extended to the promontory VindeUa.3
In their country the land is graduaUy contracted, and seems
to form an tinmense arm wMch repels the waves of the
ocean. 16. In tMs arm was the region of the Cimbri,4 whose
country was divided from that of the Hedui by the river
UxeUa.5 It is not ascertained whether the Cimbri gave to
s There was a tribe of Celts called Senones seated on the banks of the
Seine as late as the time of Caesar, and this was one of the tribes who
marched with Brennus against Rome. But we cannot discover from
whence Richard drew his information that these Senones originally emi
grated from Britain, leaving their country to be occupied by the Belgae.
6 Nearly all Somersetshire. 7 Ilchester. 8 Glastonbury. 9 Bath.
1 This is drawn from SoUnus, who speaks of Britain in general. We
know not on what authority it was applied by Richard to Bath.
? Maiden Castle, near Dorchester. * Isle of Portland,
* Part of Somerset a^id Devon, 9 The Parret

b. i. ch. 6.] CORNWALL — DEVON. 441
Wales its modern name, or whether their origin is more
remote. Their qMef cities were Termolus8 and Artavia.9
From hence, aocording to the ancients, are seen the pillars of
Hercules, and the island Herculea1 not far distant. From
the Uxella a chain of mountains called Ocrinum extends to
the promontory known by the same name.
17. Beyond the Cimbri the Carnabii inhabited the
extreme angle of the island,2 from whom this district pro
bably obtained its present name of Carnubia (CornwaU).
Their chief cities were Musidum3 and Halangium.4 But as
the Romans never frequented these almost desert and
uncultivated parts of Britain, their cities seem to have been
of httle consequence, and were therefore neglected by
historians; though geographers mention the promontories
Bolerium and Antivestaaum.5
18. Near the above-mentioned people on the sea-coast
towards the south, and bordering on the Belga? Allobroges,
Uved the Damnonii, the most powerful people of those parts ;
on wMch account Ptolemy assigns to them aU the country
extending into the sea Uke an arm.6 Their cities were
Uxella,7 Tamara,8 Voluba,9 Cenia,1 and Isca,2 the mother of
all, situated upon the Isca. Their cMef rivers were the Isca,3
Durius,4 Tamarus,5 and Cenius.6 Their coasts are dis
tinguished by tMee promontories, which will be hereafter
mentioned. TMs region was much frequented by the Phoe
nician, Grecian, and Gallic merchants, for the metals with
which it abounded, particularly for its tin. Proofs of tMs
may be drawn from the namss of the above-mentioned
promontories, namely Hellenis,7 Ocrinum,8 and Kgiov fj/iToivovfi
as well as the numerous appeUations of cities, which show a
Grecian or Phoenician derivation.
19. Beyond tMs arm are the isles called Sygdiles,1 wMch
are also denominated CEstromenides and Cassiterides.
* Uncertain, — probably in Devonshire. 9 Ibid. 1 Lundy Island.
* Part of CornwaU. 3 Near Stratton. , 4 Carnbre.
' Land's End, and Lizard Point.
6 CornwaU, Devon, Dorset, and part of Somerset.
7 Probably near Bridgewater. 8 On the Tamar,
9 On the Fowey, 1 Qn the Fal.
2 Exeter. a Ex.
* The Dart. » Tamar. « The Fal.
7 Probably Berry Head. s Lizard Point. " Ram Head.
1 Scilly Isles.

442 RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER. Ib- i. ch. 0.
20. It is affirmed that the emperor Vespasian fought
thirty battles with the united forces of the Damnonii and
Belgae. The ten different tribes who inhabited the south
banks of the Thames and Severn being graduaUy subdued,
their country was formed into the province of Britanma
Prima, so called because it was the first fruit of victory
obtained by the Romans.
21. Next in order is Britanma Seeunda, wMch is divided
from Britamtia Prima by the countries atieady mentioned,
and from the Flavian province by the Sabrina2 and the
Deva ;3 and the remaimng parts are bounded by the internal
sea. This was the renowned region of the Silures,4 in
habited by tMee powerful tribes. Among these were
particularly distinguished the Silures Proper, whom the
turbid estuary of the Severn divides from the country we
have just described. These people, according to SoUnus,
still retain their ancient manners, have neither markets nor
money, but barter their commodities, regarding rather utiUry
than price. They worsMp the gods, and both men and
women are supposed to foreteU future events.
22. The cMef cities of the Silures were, Saricomum,5
Magna,6 Gobaneum,7 and Venta8 their capital. A Roman
colony possessed the city built on the Isca,9 and called after
that name, for many years the station of the second or
Augustan legion, until it was transferred to the Valentian
province, and Rhutupis.1 TMs was the prhnary station of
the Romans in Britanma Seeunda.
23. The country of the Silures was long powerful,
particularly under Caractacus, who during Mne years with-
2 Severn. * Dee.
4 The Silures, with their two dependent tribes, the Dimetiae and the
Ordovices, possessed all the country to the west of the Severn and the Dee,
together with the island of Anglesey.
" Of these territories the Dimetiae had the counties of Pembroke,
Cardigan, and Caermarthen ; while the Silures possessed all the rest of
South Wales, as well as such parts of England as lay to the west of the
Severn and to the South of the Teme : while the Ordovices occupied all
North Wales, as well as all the country to the North of the Teme, and to
the West of the Severn and the Dee, except a small tract to the West of
Bangor and Penmorvay, which together with the isle of Anglesey
belonged to their subordinate clan the Cangani."
8 Rose or Berry Hill, in Weston. 6 Kentchester.
7 Abergavenny. ' Caerwent. * Caerleon on Usk.
1 RichboroUgh in Kent.

a. i. ra. 6.J THE ORDOVICES AJ*D DIMETLE. 443
stood the Roman arms, and frequently triumphed over them,
until he was defeated by Ostorius, as he was preparing to
attack the Romans. Caractacus, however, escaped from the
battle, and in applying for assistance to the neighbouring
chieftams was delivered up to the Romans, by the artifices of
a Eoman matron, CartMsmandua, who had married Venutius,
cMef of Brigantia. After this defeat the Stiures bravely
defended their country till it was overrun by Veranius, and
being finally conquered by Frontinus, it was reduced into a
Eoman province under the name of Britannia Seeunda.
24. Two other tribes were subject to the Silures. First
the Ordovices, who inhabited the north towards the isle of
Mona ;2 and secondly the Dimetise, who occupied the west,
where the promontory Octorupium3 is situated, and from
whence is a passage of thirty miles4 to Ireland. The cities
of the Dmietiee were Menapia5 and Maridunum6 the metro
poUs. The Romans seized upon Lovantium^ as their station.
Beyond these, and the borders of the Silures, were the
Ordovices, whose cities were Mediolanum8 and Branno-
genium.9 The Sabrina, which rises in their mountains, is
justly reckoned One of the three largest rivers of Britain,
the Thamesis (Thames) and the Tavus (Tay) being the
other two. The name of the Ordovices is first distinguished
in Mstory on account of the revenge which they took for
the captivity of their renowned chief. Hence they con
tinually harassed the Roman army, and would have succeeded
in anmMlatmg their power, had not Agricola turned hither
his victorious arms, subdued the whole nation, and put the
greater part to the sword.
25. The territory situated north of the Ordovices, and
washed by the ocean, was formerly under their dominion.
These parts were certainly inhabited by the Cangiani, whose
chief city was Segontium,1 near the Cangian promontory,2
on the Minevian shore, opposite Mona,3 an island long
distinguished as the residence of the druids. TMs island
contained many towns, though it was scarcely sixty miles in
circuit ; and, as PUny asserts, is distant from the colony of
* Anglesey. * St. David's Head.
' XXX miUiarium. 5 St. David's. 5 Caermarthen.
' Llanio Issau on the Teivi. 8 On the bank of the Tanat.
8 Near Lentwardinev ' Caer Segont. 2 Brach y PwyU Pointi
Anglesey.

444 RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER. [b. ,. ch. 6.
Camalodunum two hundred miles. The rivers of the
Cangiani were Tosibus,4 caUed also Canovius, and the Deva,5
which was their boundary. In this region is the stupendous
mountain Eriri.6 Ordovicia, together with the regions of
the Cangiani and Carnabti, unless report deceives me, consti
tuted a province called Genania, under the reign of the
emperors subsequent to Trajan.
26. I now proceed to the Flavian province ; but for want
of authentic documents, am unable to ascertain whether it
derived its name from Flavia JuUa Helena, mother of Con
stantine the Great, who was born in these parts, or from the
Flavian family.
27. Towards the river Deva were situated, M the first
place, the Carnabti.7 Their principal places were Benonae,8
Etocetum,9 and Banchorium,1 the last the most celebrated
monastery in the whole island, wMch being overtMown in
the dispute with Augustine was never afterwards restored ;
and the mother of the rest, Uricomum,2 esteemed one of the
largest cities in Britain. In the extreme angle of this
country, near the Deva, was the Roman colony Deva,3 the
work of the twentieth legion, which was called Victrix, and
was formerly the defence of the region. This place is sup
posed to be what is now termed West Chester.
28. Below these people stretched the kingdom, or rather
the repubUc, of the Cassii, called by Ptolemy CatieucMani,
which arose from the union of two nations. Those nearest
the Sabrina were called the Dobum, or, accordMg to the
annals of Dio, the Boduni.4 In their country the Thames
rises, and, proceeding tMough the territories of the HedM,
Attrebates, Cassii, Bibroci, Trinobantes, and Cantii, after a
long course flows into the German Ocean. The cities of the
4 The Conway. B Dee. • Snowdon.
7 The territory of the Carnabii was bounded on the north by the Mer
sey, west by the Severn, east by part of the Watling Street, and to the
south by Staffordshire.
8 Benonis ; High Cross. s -Wall.
1 Banchor. s Wroxeter. 3 Chester.
4 The Dobuni were bounded on the west by the Severn, on the south
by the Thames, on the east by the Charwell, and on the north by the
Carnabii. The Cassii, bounded on the south by the Thames, on the west by the
Dobuni, on the east by the Trent, and on the north by the Iceni.

"• »¦ CH- S-I OF THE TEINOBASTES. 445
Dobuni were SaUnas5 Branogena,6 on the left of the Sabrina
[Severn], Alauna,7 and the most venerable of all, Corinium,8
a famous city supposed to have been built by Vespasian.
But Glevum,9 situated in the extreme part of the kingdom,
towards the territory of the Silures, was occupied by a Eo'
man colony, which, according to the writers of those times,
was introduced by Claudius Caesar. Adjoining to these were
the Cassii, whose chief cities were Forum Diana?1 and Ver-
ulamium.2 ^ But when the last was raised by the Romans to
the municipal rank, it obtained the pre-eminence over the
other cities. St. Alban the martyr was here born. TMs
city was involved in the ruin of Camalodunum3 and Londi
nium,4 in the insurrection of Bonduica, which is related by
Tacitus. The Cassii were conspicuous above the other
nations of the island ; and Caesar in his second invasion had
the severest conflicts with their renowned chief Cassibelli-
nus, to whom many people were tributary ; and was repulsed
by the Cassii in league with the Silures ; to which Lucan
aUudes : — " Territa qucesitis ostendit terga Britannis." But
on the coming of Claudius, they, with the neighbouring
people, were subdued, and their country reduced to a Roman
province, first called Caasariensis, and afterwards Flavia.
29. Near the Cassii, where the river Thamesis approaches
the ocean, was the region of the Trinobantes,5 who not only
entered into alUance with the Romans, but resigned to them
Londinium their metropoUs, and Camalodunum situated near
the sea, for the purpose of estabUshing colonies. In this
city was supposed to be born Flavia Julia Helena, the pious
wife of Constantine Chlorus and mother of Constantine the
Great, who was descended from the blood of the British
Mngs. It was the chief colony of the Romans in Britain,
and distinguished by a temple of Claudius, an image of
Victory, with many ornaments.6 But Londinium was and
ever will be a city of great eminence. It was first named
Trinovantum, then Londinium, afterwards Augusta, and now
5 Droitwich. 8 Near Lentwardine. 7 Alcester.
" Cirencester in Gloucestershire. 9 Gloucester, ' Dunstable.
2 Old St. Albans. 3 Colchester. * London.
5 It stretched from the Thames to the Stour on the north, and on the
west to the Brent and the Ouse.
a This temple with its ornaments is mentioned in Tacitus.

446 RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER. [b. i. ch. 6
again Londona. According to the chronicles it is more
ancient than Rome. It is situated upon the banks of the
Thamesis, and is the great emporium of many nations trading
by land or sea. TMs city was surrounded with a waU by
the empress Helena, the discoverer of tbe Holy Cross ; and,
if reliance may be placed on tradition, wMch is not always
erroneous, was called Augusta, as Britain was distinguished
by the name of the Roman Island.
30. The boundary of tMs people towards the north wa3
the river Surius,7 beyond wMch Uved the Icem, a famous
people divided into two tribes. The first of these, the Ceno^
manni, dwelt to the north towards the Trinobantes and
Cassii, and bordered on the ocean towards the east. Their
cities were Durnomagus,8 and their metropolis Venta.9
Camboricum1 was a Roman colony. A tongue of land
stretcMng mto the sea towards the east was caUed Flavia
Extrema.2 Their most remarkable rivers are the Garion,3
the Surius,1 and the Aufona5 wMch falls into the bay of
Metaris.6 Beyond the Aufona, bordering on the Carnabti,
Brigantes, and the ocean, Uved the Coitam,7 in a tract of
country overspread with woods, wMch, Uke aU the woods
of Britain, was caUed Caledoma.8 This is mentioned by
the Mstorian FIorus.9 The cMef city of the Coitani was
Rag*.1 Besides tMs was Lindum,2 a Roman colony, on the
eastern extremity of the provmce. The river TrivoMa3
divides the whole country into two parts. The nation of
the Icem, being of a warlike character, neglected husbandry
as weU as the civil arts ; they voluntarily jomed the Romans ;
but, revolting, and exciting others to follow their example,
were first subdued by Ostorius. A few years afterwards,
Praesutagus their king, at Ms decease, made Caesar and Ms
descendants Ms heirs. But the Romans, abusMg the friendi
sMp of these people and givmg themselves up to every species
7 Sturius, the Stour. 8 Castor near Chesterton.
9 Castor near Norwich. x Cambridge.
2 Part ofthe Suffolk Coast. s The Yar. * The Stour.
s The Nen. " Boston Deep.
7 In the map given by Bertram these people are called the Coritani.
They seem to have inhabited Lincoln, Leicester, and Nottingham.
8 Calyddnn means coverts or thickets.
* B. iii. ch. 10, where, speaking of Cresar, he says, " Caledonias se-
quutus in sylvas.'' ' Leicester. 2 Lincoln. s Trent.

n. i. ch. 60 THE PARISH AND BRIGANTES. 447
of debauchery, excited their resentment, and the Iceni with
their alties, under the warUke Bonduica, widow of Pra?-
sutagus, destroyed their colonies, and massacred eighty thou
sand Roman citizens. They were afterwards reduced by
the legate Suetonius, a man Mghly esteemed for prudence.
31. On the northern part of this region is the river Abus,1
which faUs into the ocean, and was one of the boundaries of
the province Maxima, as Seteja5 was the other. This pro
vince was also caUed the kingdom of Brigantia, because it com
prehended the region of that name inhabited by three nations.
At the eastern point,6 where the promontories of OxeUum7
and of the Brigantes8 stretch into the sea, lived the Paristi,
whose cities were Petuaria9 and Portus Felix.1
32. Above, but on the side of the Parisii, are the proper
Brigantes,2 a numerous people who once gave law to the
whole province. Their towns were Epiacum,3 Vinovium,4
Cambodunum,5 Cataracton,6 Galacum,7 Oticana,8 and the
cMef city Isurium.9 Eboracum,1 on the Urus,2 was the
metropolis, first a colony of the Romans, called Sexta, from
being the station of the sixth legion, termed the Victorious,
and afterwards distinguished by the presence of many empe
rors, and raised to the privileges of a municipal city.
33. This province is divided into two equal parts by a
cham of mountains called the Pennine Alps, wMch rismg on
the confines of the IceM and Carnabii, near the river Tri-
vona,3 extend towards the north in a continued series of
fifty miles.
34. The people to the west of tMs chain4 are the Voluntii
and Sistuntii, who are united in a close confederacy,* Their
4 The Humber. * The Mersey.
6 Part of the East Riding of York. ? Spurn Head;.
8 Flamborough Head. a Broughton on Humber.
1 Near Bridlington Bay.
2 Their territory stretched from the bounds of the Parisii northward to
the Tine, and from the Humber and Don to the mountains of Lancashire,
Westmoreland and Cumberland. 3 Lanchester. > * Binchester.
5 Slack. 6 Catteric. 7 Galgacum, uncertain. s Ukley.
9 Aldborough. x York.
2 Probably from the Ure, which receives the name of Ouse above York,
on its junction with the Nid. 3 Trent.
4 To the Voluntii belonged the western part of Lancashire ; and to the
Sistuntii, the west of Westmoreland and Cumberland as far as the wall.
5 Hence, in § 31, they are called one people.

448 RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER. lb. lch.6
cities are Rerigonium,6 Coccium,7 and Lugubalium.8 The
two last were occupied by Roman garrisons.
35. The northern frontier of this province was protected
by a waU9 of stupendous magmtude built by the Romans
across the Isthmus, eighty miles in length, twelve feet Mgh
and (nine) thick, strengthened with towers.
36. We collect from Mstory, that these people were first
attacked by the emperor Claudius, then overrun by the legate
Ostorius, and finally defeated by CereaUs. By their volun
tary submission to Agricola they obtained peace. The
actions and unheard-of perfidy of their queen have disgraced
their name in Mstory. These people were descended from
those powerful nations, who in search of new habitations
quitted their country, wMch was situated between the
6 Ribchester. 7 Blackrode. 8 Carlisle.
9 The wall of Severus. The exact site of the barrier erected by Severus
against the northern tribes, has furnished matter of dispute to many of our
antiquaries. The researches of others, particularly Horsley, have, however,
Bet this question at rest. From their information, joined to the scanty evi»
dence of history, it has been proved that three walls or ramparts were
erected by the Romans at different times, to secure the northern frontier of
their dominions in Britain.
The first was a rampart of earth, from the Solway Frith to the Tine,
raised by Hadrian about the year 120 ; but its form and construction have
not been satisfactorily ascertained, it was, however, evidently nothing
more than a line intended to obstruct the passage of an enemy between the
stations which constituted the real defences of the frontier.
The second was raised by Lollius Urbicus under the reign of Antoninus
Pius, about 140, between the Friths of Forth and Clyde. This was like
wise of earth, though perhaps faced with stone, and, hke that of Hadrian,
seems to have been intended as a Une connecting the chain of stations,
which formed a new barrier on the advance of the Roman arms. In the
course of both these was a miUtary road communicating from station to
station. The last and most important is that begun by Severus, after his expedi
tion against the Caledonians, about -208. It runs nearly over the same
ground as that of Hadrian ; but is a complete and well combined system
of fortification. From an examination of its remains it appears to have
been built of stone, fifteen feet high and nine thick. It had parapet and
ditch, a military road, and was defended by eighteen greater stations placed
at intervals of three to six miles ; eighty-three castles at intervals of six
to eight furlongs, and, as it is imagined, a considerable number of turrets
placed at shorter distances.
Either from superior sagacity or superior information, Richard clearly
distinguishes these three walls, which so much puzzled later writers, though
it must be confessed that in other places he has suffered himself to be led
into some errors in regard to their situation, and the persons by whom they

a. .. ch. 6.] THE SELGOY-ffi! AND NOVANTES. 449
Danube, the Alps, and the Rhone.1 Some of them after
wards emigrated into Ireland, as appears from authentic
documents. 37. Further north were situated those powerful nations,
who in former times were known under the name of Ma3atse,
and from whom that fratricide Bassianus,2 after the death of
Ms father, basely purchased peace. They possessed Otta-
dinia towards the east, Gadenia, Selgovia, Novantia, and
further north Damnia.
38. Nearest the wall dwelt the Gadeni,3 whose metropolis
was Curia.4 The Ottadini5 were situated nearer the sea.
Their cMef city was Bremenium,6 and their rivers Tueda,7
Alauna,8 and the two Tinas,9 wMch ran witMn the wall.
39. The Selgovse1 inhabited the country to the west.
Their cities were Corbantorigum,2 TJxeUum,3 and Trimon-
tium,4 wMch, according to ancient documents, was a long
time occupied by a Roman garrison. The principal rivers
of this region were Novius,5 Deva,6 and partly the Ituna.7
40. The Novantes8 dwell beyond the Deva, in the extreme
part of the island, near the sea, and opposite Ireland. In
their country was the famous Novantum Chersonesus,9 dis-
were erected.— See b. ii. ch. 1, sect. 22, 27, 36, 37 ; ch. 2, sect. 17, 23.
For a detailed account of these works the reader is referred to Horsley's
Britannia Romana ; Warburton's Account of the Roman Wall ; Hutch
inson's Northumberland ; Roy's Military Antiquities ; Hutton's Account
of the Roman Wall.
1 These were the Helvetii, whose emigration is mentioned in Cas. Comm.
de Bell. Gal. lib. i. We have not discovered from what authority Richard
draws his account of their emigration to Ireland. 2 Caracalla.
3 The Gadeni appear to have occupied the midland parts from the wall,
probably as far as the Forth.
4 Uncertain,
5 The Ottadini stretched along the eastern coast, from the wall as far as
the Frith of Forth, and were bounded on the west by the Gadeni.
6 Ribchester. 7 Tweed. 8 The Coquet.-
9 The North and South Tine.
1 The Selgovae appear to have occupied aU the shire of Dumfries, and
part of Kirkudbright. 2 Drumlanrig, or Kirkudb<ight.
s Uncertain. 4 Birrenswork HiU. 5 Nith.
6 The Dee. ( 7 The Eden.
8 The Novantes held the south-western district of Scotland, from the
Dee to the Mull of Galloway ; that is, the west of Kirkudbright and Wig
town, and part of the Carrick division of Ayr.
9 Rens of Galloway. It is not, however, more than eighteen miles from
the nearest part of Ireland. G Q

450 RICHARD OF CTRENCESTER. Ib. i. ch. 6.
tant twenty-eight miles from Ireland, and esteemed by the
ancients the most northern promontory of Britain,1 though
without sufficient reason. Their metropoUs was LucopMbia,
or Casse Candidse ;2 their rivers Abrasuanus,3 Jena,4 and
Deva,5 which was the boundary towards the east.
41, The Dammi6 dwelt to the north of the Novantes, the
Selgovae, and the Gadeni, and were separated from them by
the chain of the UxeUan mountains.7 They were a very
powerful people, but lost a considerable portion of their terri
tory when the wall was built, bemg subdued and spoiled by
the Caledomans. Besides wMch, a Roman garrison occupied
Vanduarium8 to defend the wall.
42. In tMs part, Britain, as if again deUghted with the
embraces of the sea, becomes narrower than elsewhere, in
consequence of the rapid influx of the two estuaries,
Bodotria and Clotta.9 Agricola first secured tMs isthmus
with fortifications, and the emperor Antoninus1 erected
another waU celebrated in history, wMch extended nearly
five and tMrty miles, in order to cheek the Mcursions of the
barbarians. It was repaired, and strengthened with eleven
towers, by the general iEtius. These regions probably
constituted that province, wMch, bemg recovered by the
victorious arms of the Romans under Theodosius, was sup
posed to have been named Valentia, m honour of the family
from whom the reigmng emperor was descended.
43. Beyond the wall lay the provmce Vespasiana. This
is the Caledoman region so much coveted by the Romans,
and so bravely defended by the natives, facts wMch the
Roman Mstorians, generaUy too silent M regard to such
tMngs, have amply detatied. In these districts may be seen
the river Tavus,2 which appears to separate the eountry into
two parts. There are also found the steep and horrid Gram-
1 By an error in the geographical or astronomical observations preserved
by Ptolemy, the latitudes north of this point appear to have been mistaken
for the longitudes, and consequently this part of Britain is thrown to the
east. '2 Wigtown, Horsley. Whithem, Stukeley, Roy.
3 The Luce. * Cree, Roy. « Dee.
" These people inhabited the principal part of what are called the Low
lands. Their territories beyond the Isthmus evidently stretched as far as
the Grampians, consisting of great part of Ayr, all Renfrew and Lanark, a
considerable part of Stirling, and perhaps Linlithgow.
7 The Lothers. Paisley, or Renfrew, Roy.
9 Friths of Forth and Clyde. l See page 448. " 2 Tav.

s. i. ch. 6.] NATIONS SUBJECT TO THE ROMANS. 45 1
pian MUs, which divide the province. In this region was
fought that famous battle between Agricola and Galgacus,
wMch was so decisive in favour of the Romans.3 The
magnitude of the works at tMs day displays the power
of the Romans, and the ancient mode of castrametation ;
for, in the place where the battle was fought, certain persons
of our order, who passed that way, affirmed that they saw
immense camps, and other proofs which corroborated the
relation of Tacitus.
44. The nations wMch were subject to the Romans shall
now foUow in their order. Beyond the Isthmus, as far as the
Tavus, Uved the Horestii.4 Their cities, wMch before the
building of the wall belonged to the Dammi, were Alauna,5
Lindum,6 and Victoria,7 the last not less glorious in reaUty
than in name. It was built by Agricola on the Tavus,
twenty miles above its mouth.
45. Above these, beyond the Tavus, wMch formed the
boundary, lived the Vecturones or Venricones,8 whose chief
city was Orrea,9 and their rivers iEsica1 and Tina.2
46. The Taixati3 inhabited the coast beyond the boundaries
of the Vecturones. Their principal city was Devana,4 and
their rivers the Deva5 and Ituna.6 A part of the Grampian
MUs, which extends Uke a promontory into the sea, as it were
to meet Germany, borrows its name from them.7
47. To the west of these, beyond the Grampian MUs, Uved
the Vacomagi,8 who possessed an extensive tract of country.
3 It may perhaps appear superfluous to refer the antiquary to Roy's
masterly Commentary on the campaigns of Agricola in this part of Britain ;
but it will scarcely be deemed so to observe, that we see few instances in
which military and local knowledge are so weU apphed to the elucidation
of antiquities.
4 The Horestii occupied Clackmannan and Kinross, and part of Perth
as far as the Tay. To them belonged Ukewise aU the country stretching
from the Grampians to Loch Lomond. 5 Uncertain. • Ardoch.
7 Dealgin Ross.
8 The Vecturones occupied the eastern part of Perth, Forfar, Kincardin,
and part of Aberdeen. * Bertha, or Old Perth. » * South Esk.
2 Tine.
'* The Taixali held the eastern coast of Aberdeen, apparently as far as
Kinnaird Head. 4 Probably Old Aberdeen. 5 Dee.
6 Ithan. '-' Kinnaird Head.
8 The Vacomagi were spread over an extensive region west of the Taixali
and north of the Grampians, comprising a considerable part of Aberdeen,
aU Banff, Murray, Elgin, and Nairn, with the north-east of Inverness.
gg2

452 RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER. [b. r. ch. «.
Their cities were Tuessis,9 Tamea,1 and Banatia.2 Ptoroton,3
situated at the mouth of the Varar,4 on the coast, was at the
same time a Roman station, and the cMef city of the pro
vince. The most remarkable rivers of tMs region, after the
Varar, wMch formed the boundary, were the Tuesis5 and
Celnius.6 48. WitMn the Vacomagi, and the Tavus, lived the
Damnii Albani,7 a people Uttle known, bemg whoUy secluded
among lakes and mountains.
49. Lower down, to the banks of the Clotta, mhabited the
Attacotti,8 a people once formidable to all BritaM. In tMs
part is situated the great lake formerly called Lynchatidor,9
at the mouth of which the city of Alcuith1 was built by the
Romans, and not long afterwards received its name from
Theodosius, who recovered that province from the barbarians.
These people deserved high praise for having sustamed the
attacks of the enemy after the subjugation of the neighbour
ing provinces.
50. TMs province was named Vespasiana, in honour of
the Flavian family, to wMch the emperor Domitian owed Ms
origin, and under whom it was conquered. If I am not
mistaken, it was caUed under the later emperors Thule,
wMch Claudian mentions in these Unes :
" Incaluit Pictorum sanguine Thule,
Scotorum cumulos flevit glaciaUs Hierne."
But tMs country was so short a time under the power of the
Romans, that posterity cannot ascertam its appeUations or
subjugation. We have now examined m a cursory manner
the state of Britain under the Romans ; we shall next as
briefly treat of the country of the Caledomans.
CONCERNING CALEDONIA.
51. Although aU the parts of BritaM lyMg beyond the
9 On the Spey. i Brae Mar Castle.
2 Uncertain, but near the Ness ; perhaps Inverness or Bonness.
5 Burgh Head. 4 Murray Frith. s Spev. ' Dovem.
7 The Damnii Albani may have been a remnant of the Damnii, who,
after the erection of the wall, being cut off from the rest of their tribe,
were gradually circumscribed by the neighbouring people, to Braidalbane,
and a smaU part of the west of Perth and east of Argyle.
8 The Attacotti occupied a considerable part of Argyle, as far as Lochfvn.
' Loch Lomond. x Dumbarton. It was afterwards called Theodosia.

»¦ r- CH- 6-1 THE CALEDONIANS. 453
Isthmus may be termed Caledonia, yet the proper Caledonians
dwelt beyond the Varar, from which a Une drawn accurately
points out the boundary of the Roman empire in Britain.
The Mthermost part of the island was at different times in
their possession, and the remainder, as we have related, was
occupied by barbarous Britons. The ancient documents of
history afford some information thus far ; but beyond the
Varar the Ught is extinct, and we are enveloped in darkness.3
Although we know that the Romans erected altars there to
mark the limits of their empire, and that Ulysses, tossed by a
violent tempest, here fuMUed his vows ; yet the tMck woods
and a continued chain of rugged mountains forbid all further
research. We must therefore be satisfied with the following
information, gleaned from the wandering merchants of the
Britons, wMch we leave for the use of posterity.
52. The Caledonians,4 properly so called, mhabited the
country to the westward of the Varar, and part of their
territory was covered by the extensive forest called the Cale-
doman wood.
53. Less considerable people dwelt near the coast. Of
these the Cant*5 were situated beyond the Varar, and the
above-mentioned altars, to the river Loxa,6 and M their
territory was the promontory PenoxuUum.7
54. Next in order is the river Abona,8 and the inhabitants
near it, the Logi.9 Then the river Ba,1 near wMch Uved
the Carnabii,2 the most remote of the Britons. These
people being subdued by the proprartor Ostorius, and
impatiently bearing the Roman yoke, joined the Canta?, as
3 It must be confessed that the information preserved by Richard, in
regard to this remote part of our island, is extremely obscure, and that his
descriptions wiU only assist us in guessing at the situation of the different
tribes. Perhaps this can scarcely be deemed extraordinary, when we con
sider how imperfectly the interior of this country is known even at present.
4 The country of the proper Caledonians was the central part of
Inverness and Ross.
6 The Cantae seem to have held Cromarty and East Ross.
Frith of Cromartie, Stukeley. Loth R. Roy.
' Tarbet Ness, Stukeley. Ord Head, Caithness, Roy.
8 Frith of Dornoch, Stukeley.
9 The Logi seem to have held the south-east of Strathnavem, and north
east of Sutherland. 1 All, Stukeley. Shiel, Roy.
2 The Carnabii inhabited part of Caithness, the north of Ross, and
central part of Sutherland.

454 RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER. [b. i. ch. 6.
tradition relates, and, crossing the sea, here fixed their
residence. Britain in these parts branches out into many
promontories, the chief of wMch, the extremity of CaledoMa,
was called by the ancients Vinvedrum, and afterwards
Verubium.3 55. After these people were placed the Catini,4 and the
Merte5 further Mland near the Logi. In these regions was
the promontory of the Orcades,6 contiguous to wMch are the
islands of that name. Beyond tMs part flowed the Nabaeus,7
which bounded the territory of the Carnabti.
56. In the lower part of tMs region were situated the
Carnonacas,8 in whose territories was the promontory Ebu-
dum,9 beyond wMch the ocean forms a large bay, formerly
called Volsas.1 The lower coast of tMs bay was mhabited
by the Cerones ;2 and beyond the Itys,3 the territory of the
Creones extended as far as the Longus.4 The promontory
stretcMng from thence, and washed by the ocean and the bay
Lelanus,5 is named after the mhabitants the Epidii.6
57. I cannot repass the Varar without expressmg my
wonder that the Romans, in other respects so much dis
tinguished for judgment and investigation, should have
entertained the absurd notion, that the remainder of BritaM
exceeded in length and breadth the regions wMch they had
subdued and occupied. There is, however, sufficient evidence
that such was their opimon ; for whoever attentively considers
their insatiable desire of rule, and reflects on the labour
employed in the erection of those stupendous works wMch
excite the wonder of the world, in order to exclude an
enemy scarcely worthy of their notice or resentment, must
3 Ness or Noss Head, Stukeley.
4 The Catini held part of Caithness and the east of Sutherland.
5 The Mertas held the country comprised between the Catini and
Carnabii. 8 Dunnet Head, Stukeley. Duncansby Head, Roy. 7 Navem.
8 The Carnonaca? seem to have held the detached portion of Cromarty,
situated near Loch Broom, and a small part on the border of Sutherland.
9 Cape Wrath. l Loch Broom.
2 The Cerones held the north-west part of Ross;— the Creones south
west of Ross and Inverness, and a part of Argyle. • Shiel, Roy.
4 Loch Loch, Stukeley. Linnhe Loch, Roy. s Lochfyn.
• The Epidii probably occupied the Western part of Argyle, as far as
the Mull of Cantyr, and were bounded on one side by the sea and on the
other by Lochfyn.

"• '• CH- 7-J OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 455
in tMs respect, as in all others, adore the providence of the
Divine Being, to whom all kingdoms are subject, and
perpetual glory is due, now and for ever. Amen !
CHAP. VH.
The different parts of Britain having been cursorily
examined according to my original design, it seems necessary,
before I proceed to a description of the islands, to attend to
a doubt suggested by a certaM person.7 " Where," asks he,
"are the vestiges of those cities and names wMch you
commemorate ? There are none." This question may be
answered by another : Where are now the Assyrians, Par-
tMans, Sarmatians, Celtiberians ? None will be bold enough
to deny the existence of those nations. Are there not also
at tMs time many countries and cities bearing the same
names as they did two or tMee thousand years ago ? Judea,
Italy, Gaul, Britain, are as clearly known now as in former
times ; LondMium is stiU styled m the common language,
with a stight change of sound, London. The negtigence and
mattention of our ancestors in omitting to coUect and preserve
such documents as might have been serviceable in tMs
particular, are not deserving of heavy censure, for scarcely
any but those in holy orders employed themselves m writing
books, and such even esteemed it inconsistent with their sacred
office to engage in such profane labours. I rather think I
may without danger, and without offence, transmit to posterity
that information which I have drawn from a careful exami
nation and accurate scrutiny of ancient records concermng the
state of tMs Mngdom in former periods. The good abbat,
mdeed, had nearly inspired me with other sentiments, by thus
seeming to address me : Are you ignorant how short a time
is aUotted us in tMs world; that the greatest exertions
cannot exempt us from the appeUation of unprofitable
servants ; and that aU our studies should be directed to the
purpose of being useful to others? Of What service are
these tMngs, but to delude the world with unmeamng trifles ?
7 These remarks prove how much Richard rose superior to the prejudices
of his age and his profession. From the tone which he assumes, it is
however, evident that he found it advisable to yield to the remonstrances
of his superior.

456 RICHARD OF CDJENCESTER. Lb- i- ch. 7.
To these remarks I answer with propriety . Is then every
honest gratification forbidden ? . Do not such narratives
exhibit proofs of Divine Providence? Does it not hence
appear, that an evangeUcal sermon concernmg the death and
merits of Christ enUghtened and subdued a world overrun
with Gentile superstitions ? To the reply, that such tMngs
are properly treated of in systems of cMonology, I rejoin:
Nor is it too much to know that our ancestors were not, as
some assert, Autochthones, sprung from the earth ; but that
God opened the book of nature to display Ms onmipotence,
such as it is described in the writings of Moses. When the
abbat answered, that works which were intended merely to
acquire reputation for their authors from posterity, should
be committed to the flames, I confess with gratitude that I
repented of tMs undertaMng. The remamder of the work
is therefore only a cMonological abridgment, wMch I present
to the reader, whom I commend to the goodness and pro
tection of God ; and at the same time request, that he wiU
pray for me to our holy Father, who is merciful and McUned
to forgiveness.
The foUowing Itinerary is collected from certam fragments
left by a Roman general. The order is changed m some M-
stances, according to Ptolemy and others, and it is hoped,
with improvement.

Among the Britons were formerly mnety-two cities, of wMch
tMrty-three were more celebrated and conspicuous. Two
municipal,9 Verolamium ;l and Eboracum.2 Nine colomal ;3
namely, Londinium4 Augusta, Camalodunum5 Gemin/B Mar-
tics, Rhutupis,6 ***** Thermae7 Aqute Solis, Isca8 Se-
0 Municipia were towns whose mhabitants possessed in general all the
rights of Roman citizens, except those which could not be enjoyed without
an actual residence at Rome. They followed their own laws and customs,
and had the option of adopting or rejecting those of Rome. — Rosini Antiq.
Rom. b. x. c. 23. l St. Alban's. 2 York.
3 There were different kinds of colonies, each entitled to different rights
and privileges ; but we have no criterion to ascertain the rank occupied by
those in Britain. 4 London. B Colchester.
6 Richborough in Kent. ' Bath. • Caerleon.

B- '• ch. 8.] IRELAND. 457
cunda, Deva9 Getica, Glevum1 Claudia, Lindum,2 * * * *
Camboricum3. * *** Ten .cities under the Latian law;4
namely, Durnomagus,5 Catarracton, 6 Cambodunum,7 Coc-
cium,8 Lugubatia,9 Ptoroton,1 Victoria,2 Theodosia,3 Cori-
num,4 Sorbiodunum.5 Twelve stipendiary6 and of lesser
consequence ; Venta Silurum,7 Venta Belgarum,8 Venta Ice-
norum,9 Segontium,1 Maridunum,2 Ragae,3 Cantiopolis,4 Duri-
num,5 Isca,6 Bremenium,7 Vindonum,8 and Durobriva3.9
But let no one tightly imagine that the Romans had not
many others besides those above-mentioned. I have only
commemorated the more celebrated. For who can doubt
that they who, as conquerors of the world, were at Uberty to
choose, did not select places fitted for their purposes ? They
for the most part took up their abode in fortresses wMch
they constructed for themselves.
(The Itinerary, wMch follows here in the original Latin,
being a dry list of names, is omitted. See the Appendix,
No. I.)
chap. vin.
1. Havtng now finished our survey of Albion, we shall
describe the neighbouring country, Hibernia or Ireland, with
the same brevity.
2. Hibernia is situated more westerly than any other
country except England ; but as it does not extend so far
9 Chester. 1 Gloucester. 2 Lincoln. 3 Cambridge.
4 The Latian law consisted of the privileges granted to the ancient in
habitants of Latium. These are not distinctly known ; but appear princi-
paUy to have been the right of foUowing their own laws, an exemption from
the edicts of the Roman praetor, and the option of adopting the laws and
customs of Rome. — Rosini. 5 Castor on Nen. G Catteric.
' Slack. B Blackrode.
9 Carlisle. 1 Burgh Head, Elgin, Scotland.
2 Dealgin Ross. 3 Dumbarton. 4 Cirencester, Gloc.
5 Old Sarum.
6 The stipendiary were those who paid their taxes in money, in contra
distinction from those who gave a certain portion of the produce of the soil,
and were called Vectigales. — Rosini.
7 Caerwent, Monmouth. 8 Winchester.
9 Castor, near Norwich. 1 Caer Segont. 2 Caermarthen.
3 Leicester. 4 Canterbury. 5 Dorchester. ¦ Exeter.
7 Riechester, Northumberland. 8 Possibly Egbury camp, Hants.
9 Rochester.

458 RICHARD OF CHtENCESTER. [b. i. ch. 8,
north, so it stretches further than England towards the south,
and the Spanish province of Tarraconensis, from wMch it is
separated by the ocean.1
3. The sea wMch flows between Britain and Hiberma is
subject to storms, and accordMg to Sotinus, is navigable only
during a few days in summer. Midway between the two
countries is the island caUed Monoeda,2 but now Manavia.
4. According to Bede, Hiberma is preferable to BritaM,
on account of its situation, salubrity, and serene air, insomuch
that snow seldom remams more than tMee days, nor is it usual
to make hay for the wmter, or build stalls for cattle.
5. No reptile is found there, nor does it maintain a viper
or serpent ; for serpents frequently carried from England
have died on approacMng the shore. Indeed almost all
things m the island are antidotes to poison. We have seen an
infusion of scraped pieces of bark brought from Hiberma,
given to persons bitten by serpents, wMch immediately de
prived the poison of its force, and abated the swelhhg.
6. TMs island, according to the venerable Bede, is rich in
milk and honey ; nor is it without vmes. It abounds with
fish and birds, and affords deer and goats for the chase.
7. The inhabitants, says Mela, are more than other nations
uncivilized and without virtue, and those who have a Uttle
knowledge are whoUy destitute of piety. Sotinus calls them
an inhospitable and warlike people. The conquerors, after
drinMng the blood of the slain, daub their faces with the
remainder. They know no distinction between right and
wrong. When a woman brings forth a son, she places its
first food on the point of her husband's sword, and, mtrodu-
cing it into the mouth of the mfant, wishes accordMg to the
custom of the country, that he may die amidst arms and in
battle. Those who are fond of ornaments adorn the hilts of
their swords with the teeth of marine animals, wMch they
poUsh to a degree of wMteness equal to ivory ; for the prin
cipal glory of a man consists in the splendour of his arms.
8. Agrippa states the length of Hiberma to be six hundred
miles, and the breadth tMee hundred. It was formerly in-
1 As we have neither the assistance of an Itinerary to guide us in our
researches, nor a local knowledge of Ireland, we have not attempted to
specify the situation of the ancient states and cities in that island.
8 Man.

s.i. ch. 8.] i>RlNCD?AX PLACES IN IRELAND. . 459
habited by twenty tribes, of whom (fourteen*) lived on the
coast. 9. TMs is the true country of the Scots, who emigrating
from hence added a tMrd nation to the Britons and Picts in
Albion. But I cannot agree with Bede, who affirms that the
Scots were foreigners. For, according to the testimony of
other authors, I conceive they derived their origin from
Britain, situated at no considerable distance, passed over from
thence, and obtained a settlement in tMs island. It is certain
that the Damnii, Voluntii, Brigantes, Cangi, and other
nations, were descended from the Britons, and passed over
tMther after Divitiacus, or Claudius, or Ostorius, or other vic
torious generals had invaded their original countries. Lastly,
the ancient language wMch resembles the old British and
Galtic tongues, affords another argument, as is weU known
to persons sMUed M both languages.4
10. The Deucatidonian Ocean washes the northern side of
Hibernia ; the Vergivian and Internal the eastern, the Can-
tabric the south, as the great British or Atlantic Ocean does
the western. According to this order, we shall give a de
scription of the island and the most remarkable places.
11. The Rhobogdii occupied the coast of the island next
to the Deucaledonian Sea. Their metropoUs was Rhobogdium.
In the eastern part of their territories was situated the
promontory of the same name; in the Western the
Promontorium Boreum, or Northern Promontory. Their
rivers were the Banna, Darabouna, Argitta, and Vidua;
and towards the south, mountains separated them from the
Scotti. 12. On the coast between the northern and Venicnian
Promontory, and as far as the mouth of the Rhebeus, dwelt
the Vemcnti. To them the contiguous islands owe their
name. Their capital was Rheba. The Nagnatae dwelt
below the Rhebeus as far as the Libnius, and their celebrated
metropoUs was caUed after them. The Auterii lived in a
recess of the bay of Ausoba, towards the south, and their
* In the original is an error in the numerals, the number afterwards
specified is fourteen.
4 Nearly one-third of the words in the Irish tongue are the same as the
modern Welsh, and many idioms and modes of speech are common to
both languages.

460 RICHARD OF CTRENCESTER. [b. i. ch. 8.
chief city was named after them. The Concangii occupied
the lower part of the same region, near the southern confines
of which flowed the river Senus, a noble river, on wMch
was situated their cMef city Macobicum. Hibernia in tMs
part being contracted, terminates in a narrow point. The
Velatorii inhabited the country near the southern promontory
by the river Senus ; their metropoUs was Regia, and their
river Durius. The Lucani were situated where the river
Ibernus flows into the ocean
13. The southern side of the island stretched from the
Promontorium Austriacum, or Southern Promontory, to the
Sacred Promontory. Here Uved the roernii, whose metropoUs
was Rhufina. Next was the river Dobona, and the people
called Vodise, whose promontory of the same name Ues
opposite to the Promontorium Antivestaeum in England, at
about the distance of one hundred and forty-five miles. Not
far from thence is the river Dabrona, the boundary of the
Brigantes, who have also the river Briga for their Umit, and
whose cMef city is caUed Brigantia.
14. The part of tMs island wMch reaches from the Sacred
Promontory as far as Rhobogdium is caUed the Eastern.
The Menapii, inhabiting the Sacred Promontory, had their
chief city upon the river Modona called by the same name.
From tMs part to Menapia5 in Dimetia, the distance,
according to Pliny, is tMrty miles. One of these countries,
but wMch is uncertain, gave birth to Carausius. Beyond
these people the Cauci had their metropoUs Dunum [Down] ;
and the river Oboca washed their boundaries. Both these
nations were undoubtedly of Teutomc origin ; but it is not
known at what precise time their ancestors first passed over,
though most probably a Uttle wMle before Caesar's arrival M
Britain. 15. Beyond these were the Eblanae, whose cMef city was
Mediolanum, upon the river Lcebius. More to the north
was Lebarum, the city of the Voluntii, t. Lose rivers were
Vinderus and Buvinda. The Damnti occupied the part of
the island lying above these people, and contiguous to the
Rhobogdii. Their cMef city was Dunum [Down], where
St. Patrick, St. Columba, and St. Bridget are supposed to be
buried in one tomb. 9 St. David's.

b.i. ch. 8.] IRELAND  ITS INHABITANTS. 461
16. It remains now to give some account of those people
who lived in the interior parts. The Coriondii bordered
upon the Cauci and Menapii, above the Brigantes; the
Scotti possessed the remaining part of the island, which
from them took the name of Scotia. Among many of their
cities, the remembrance of two only has reached our times :
the one Rheba, on the lake and river Rhebius ; the other
Ibernia, situated at the east side of the river Senus.
17. I cannot omit mentioning in this place that the
Damnii, Voluntii, Brigantes, and Cangiam were aU nations
of British origin, who being either molested by neighbouring
enemies, or unable to pay the heavy tribute exacted of them,
graduaUy passed over into this country in search of new
settlements. With respect to the Menapii, Cauci, and some
other people, it has been before remarked that many tMngs
occur wMch cannot safely be relied upon. Tacitus relates
that Hibernia was more frequented by foreigners than
Albion. But in that case, the ancients would undoubtedly
have left us a more ample and credible account of tMs island.
WMle I am writing a description of Hibernia, it seems right
to add, that it was reduced under the Roman power, not by
arms, but by fear: and moreover, that Ptolemy, in Ms
second map of Europe, and other celebrated geographers,
have erred in placmg it at too great a distance from Britain,
and from the northern part of the province Seeunda, as
appears from their books and maps.
18. North of Hibernia are the Hebudes, five6 in number,
the inhabitants of which know not the use of corn, but live
on fish and milk. They are all, according to Sotinus, subject
to one chief, for they are only divided from each other by
narrow straits. The cMef possessed no pecuUar property,
but was maintained by general contribution : he was bound
by certain laws; and lest avarice should seduce Mm from
equity, he learned justice from poverty, having no house nor
property, and being maintained at the public expense. He
had no wife ; but took by turns any woman for whom he
felt an inchnation, and hence had neither a wish nor hope
8 The Hebudes amount to more than five. From hence it may perhaps
be inferred that the Roman fleet in their voyage of discovery did not reach
these seas, though they coasted the northern part of Scotland, for the
Orcades are rightly numbered.

462 RICHARD OF CTRENCESTER. [u. i ch. 8.
for cMldren. Some persons have written concerning these
Hebudes, that during winter darkness continues for the space
of thirty days ? but Caesar upon diUgent Mquiry found this
assertion untrue, and only discovered by certain water-mea
sures of time that the Mghts were shorter here than m Gaul.
19. The Orcades, according to some accounts, are distant
from the Hebudes seven days and nights' sail; but tMs
is erroneous. They are tMrty m number, and contiguous to
each other. They were unmhabited, without wood, and
abounded with reeds : several were formed only of sand and
rocks, as may be eoUected from SoUnus and others.
20. Thule, the last of the British isles, is placed by Mela
opposite to7 the coast of the Belgas. It has been celebrated
in Greek and Roman verse. Thus the Mantuan Homer

"Et tibi serviat ultima Thule."
Here are no mghts during the solstice when the sun passes
the sign of Cancer ; and on the other hand, in the winter
there are no days, as PUny asserts. These circumstances
are supposed to happen for six whole months. The inha
bitants, as SoUnus affirms, in the beginning of the spring
Uve among their cattle upon herbs, then upon milk, and. lay
up fritits against the winter. They have their women in
common without marriages. Thule, according to the same
author, abounds in fruits. At the distance of a day's sail
from Thule the sea is difficult to pass tMough, and frozen ;
it is by some called Cromum. From Thule to Caledoma is
two days' sail.
21. The isle of Thanatos8 is bounded by a narrow channel,
and separated from the continent of Britain by a smaU
estuary caUed the Wantsum.9 It is rich in pasture and corn.
According to Isiodorus, its soil is not only salubrious to
itself, but to others, for no snakes live in it, and the earth
being carried to a distance destroys them. It is not far
distant from Rhutupis.1
22. The isle of Vecta,2 conquered by Vespasian, is tMrty
7 Littori apposita, Richard. From the sense in wliich this phrase is
generaUy used in geography, it might be rendered under the same
meridian. " Thanet. ' See Bede's Eccles. Hist. p. 37, note.
1 Richborough. * Wight,

B. n. oh. 1.] GUERNSEY, JERSEY, ETC. 463
miles in length, on the side next to the Belgse, from east to
west, and twelve from north to south. In the eastern part it
is six miles, in the western three, from the above-mentioned
southern shore of Britain.
23. Besides the isles just specified, there were VH Ac
modae,3 Ricnea,4 Stiimnus,5 Andros,6 Sigdiles,7 XL Vindilios,8
Sarna,9 Caesarea,1 and Cassiterides.2
24. The island Sena, opposite the Ossismican3 coast, is
accordMg to Mela famous for the oracle of the Galtic deity,
of whom the priestesses, sanctified by perpetual virginity,
are said to have been nine in number. The Gauls caU them
Senae, and suppose them gifted with singular powers ; that
they raise the winds and the seas with incantations, change
themselves into what ammals they please, and cure disorders
wMch in other places yield to no remedy ; that they have the
knowledge of future events, and prophesy. They are not
favourable except to mariners, and only to such as go tMther
for the purpose of consulting them.
25. The rest of the isles of smaller size and consequence
wMch Ue round Albion will be better perceived and known
bythe inspection of the annexed map4 than from any descrip
tion. Here, therefore, we stop, and anxiously commend our
labours to the favour and judgment of the benevolent reader.
The first book of the geographical Commentary on the
situation of Britain, and those stations wMch the Romans
erected in that island, is happily finished, through the assist
ance of God, by the hand of Richard, servant of Christ and
monk of Westminster. Thanks be to God !

BOOK II.
PREFACE.
We have thought prop'er to add as a supplement to the
description of ancient Britain in the same summary manner:
I-* No geographer has hitherto attempted to ascertain the modern
names of these islands. 9 Guernsey. 1 Jersey. 2 Scilly Isles.
3 From a. tribe of the Veneti called Ossismii, who inhabited part of
Bretagne. 
4 The map being no longer of any use, has been omitted in this edition.

464 RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER. [b. n. ch. 1
— I. An epitome of cMonology from the creation to the sack
of Rome by the Goths : H. A short account of the Roman
emperors, and governors, who presided over this country :
III. Some persons wiU perhaps say that tMs Mnd of work is
not absolutely necessary either for divine worsMp or greater
tMngs. But let them know that leisure hours may be
dedicated to the study of the antiquities of our country
without any derogation from the sacred character. Yet
if censorious people envy us such pleasures at leisure hours,
hastening to the end and almost arrived at the goal, we here
check our steps.
CHAP. I.
IV. In the beginning, the Almighty Creator made this
world, inhabited by us and other creatures, out of notMng,
in the space of six days.
V. In the year of the world 1656, the Creator, to punish
the increasing wickedness of manMnd, sent a flood upon the
earth, wMch, overwhelming the whole world, destroyed every
living creature except those wMch had entered the ark, and
whose progeny replenished the new world with colomes of
living beings.
VI. 3000. About this time some persons affirm that Britain
was cultivated and first inhabited, when it was visited by the
Greek and Phcemcian merchants. Nor are those wanting
who beUeve that London was shortly after built by a Mno-
caUed Bryto.
VII. 3228. The brothers Romulus and Remus laid the
foundation of Rome, wMch M time became the common
terror of aU nations.
VHI. 3600. The Senones, having emigrated from Britain,
passed tMough GauL with the intent to mvade Italy and
attack Rome.
EX. 3650. The Belgas entered this country, and the Celta.
occupied the region deserted by the Senones. Divitiacus
Mng of the iEdui soon afterwards passed over with an army
and subdued great part of this kingdom. About tins time
the Britons who were expeUed by the Belgaj emigrated to
Ireland, formed a settlement, and were thenceforward caUed
Scoti.

b. u. ch. 1.] CHRONOLOGY OF PRINCIPAL EVENTS. 465
X. 3943. CassibeUnus waged war with the maritime
states.4 XI. 3946. Caesar overcame the Germans, Gauls, and also
the Britons, to whom, before this time, even the name of the
Romans was unknown. The conqueror, having received
hostages, rendered the people tributary.
XII. 3947. At length coming a second time into this
country, upon the invitation, as he pretended, of the Trino-
bantes, he waged war with CassibeUnus king of the Cassii.
Suetonius, however, asserts, with greater probabitity, that he
was aUured by the costly pearls of Britain.
Xni. 4044. The emperor Claudius passed over to
Britain, and in the space of six months, almost without
effusion of blood, reduced a great part of the island, wMch
he ordered to be called Caesariensis.
XIV. 4045. Vespasian, at that time in a private station,
being sent by the emperor Claudius with the second legion
into tMs country, attacked the Belgae and Damnonii, and
having fought tMrty-two battles and taken twenty cities,
reduced them under the Roman power, together with the
Isle of Wight.
XV. 4047. The Romans occupied Thermae and Glebon.
XVI. 4050. Ostorius the Roman general, after a war of
nine years, overcame Caracticus king of the Silures, great
part of Britain was reduced into a province, and the colony
of Camalodunum founded.
XVH. 4052. Certain cities of the Belgae were yielded by
the Romans to Cogibundus, that he might form a Mngdom.
About this time the Cangi and Brigantes went over and
settled in Ireland.
XVHI. 4061. The emperor Nero, having no courage for
miUtary enterprises, nearly lost Britain ; for under Mm its
two greatest cities were taken and destroyed. Bonduica, in
order to revenge the injury offered to her by the Romans,
rose in arms, burned the Roman colonies of London, Camalo
dunum, and the mumcipal town Verulamium, and slew more
than eighty thousand Roman citizens. She was at length
overcome by Suetonius, who amply avenged the loss, by
slaughtering an equal number of her subjects.
4 Probably from Caesar, though the precise date seems to be fixed
Wthout authority, — Ctes. de Bell. Gall. lib. v., § 9.
II H

466 RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER. [b. il ch. i.
XLX. 4073. Cerealis conquered the Brigantes.
XX. 4076. Frontinus punished the Ordovices.
XXI. 4080. Agricola after a severe engagement subdued
Galgacus Mng of the Caledomans. He ordered all the
island to be examined by a fleet, and having sailed round its
coasts, added the Orcades to the Roman empire.
XXH. 4120. The emperor Hadrian himseU came mto
the island, and separated one part of it from the other by an
immense waU.
XXIH. 4140. Urbicus being sent Mther by AntoMnus
Pius, distinguished himself by Ms victories.
XXIV. 4150. Aurelius AntoMnus also obtamed victories
over some of the Britons.
XXV. 4160. Britain was enlightened by the introduction
of Christianity, during the reign of Lucius, who first
submitted MmseU to the cross of Christ.
XXVI. 4170. The Romans were driven from the
Vespasian province. About tMs time it is supposed thai
Mng Reuda came with Ms people, the Picts, from the
islands into Britain.
XXVII. 4207. The emperor Severus, passMg over into
Britain, repaired the wall built by the Romans, wMch had
been ruined, and died not long after, by the visitation of
God, at York.
XXVHI. 4211. Bassianus (CaracaUa) obtained a venal
peace from the Masatas.
XXIX 4220. During these times the Roman armies con
fined themselves witMn the wall, and aU the island enjoyed
a profound peace.
XXX. 4290. Carausius, having assumed the purple,
seized upon Britain ; but ten years afterwards it was re
covered by Asclepiodorus.
XXXI. 4304. A cruel and inveterate persecution, in
which within the space of a month seventeen thousand
martyrs suffered in the cause of CMist. TMs persecution
spread over the sea, and the Britons, Alban, Aaron, and
Julius, with great numbers of men and women, were
condemned to a happy death.
XXXII. 4306. Constantius, a man of the greatest
humanity, having conquered Allectus, died at Eboracum in
the sixteenth year of his reign.

B. n. ch. 2.J CHRONOLOGY OF PRINCIPAL EVENTS. 467
XXXQI. 4307. Constantine, afterwards called the Great,
son of Constantius by Helena, a British woman, was created
emperor in Britain ; and Ireland voluntarily became tribu
tary to Mm.
XXXIV. 4320. The " Scoti entered Britain under the
conduct of the Mng Fergusius, and here fixed their resi
dence. XXXV. Theodosius slew Maximus the tyrant three
miles from Aquileia. Maximus having nearly drained
Britain of all its warlike youth, who foUowed the footsteps
of Ms tyranny over Gaul, the fierce transmarine nations of
the Scots from the south, and the Picts from the north, per
ceiving the island without soldiers and defenceless, oppressed
it and laid it waste during a long series of years.
XXXVI. 4396. The Britons indignantly submitting to
the attacks of the Scots and Picts, sent to Rome, made an
offer of submission, and requested assistance against their
enemies. A legion being accordingly despatched to their
assistance, slew a great multitude of the barbarians, and
drove the remainder beyond the confines of Britain. The
legion, upon its departure homewards, advised its aUies to
construct a wall between the two estuaries, to restrain the
enemy. A wall was accordingly made in an unskilful man
ner, with a greater proportion of turf than stone, which was
of no advantage ; for on the departure of the Romans the
former enemies returned in sMps, slew, trampled on, and de
voured aU tMngs before them like a ripened harvest.
XXXVII. 4400. Assistance being again entreated, the
Romans came, and with the aid of the Britons drove the
enemy beyond sea, and built a wall from sea to sea, not as
before with earth, but with solid stone, between the fortresses
erected in that part to curb the enemy. On the southern
coast, where an invasion of the Saxons was apprehended, he
erected watch towers. TMs was the work of StiUcho, as
appears from Claudian.
XXXVHI. 4411. Rome, the seat of the fourth and
greatest of the monarcMes, was seized by the Goths, as
Daniel prophesied, in the year one thousand one hundred
ahd sixty-four after its foundation.
From this time ceased the Roman empire in Britain, four
hh2

468 RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER. [b. n. ch. 2.
hundred and sixty-five years after the arrival of JuUus
Caesar. XXXIX. 4446. The Roman legion retiring from Britain,
and refusing to return, the Scots and Picts ravaged aU the
island from the north as far as the wall, the guards of wMch
being slain, taken prisoners, or driven away, and the waU
itself broken through, the predatory enemy then poured into
the country. An epistle was sent filled with tears and sor
rows to Fl. .lEtius, thrice consul, in the twenty-third year of
Theodosius, begging the assistance of the Roman power, but
without effect.
CHAP. n.
1. Having followed truth as far as possible, if any tiling
should occur not strictly consistent with it, I request it may
not be imputed to me as a fault. Confimng myseU closely
to the rules and laws of Mstory, I have eoUected all the
accounts of other persons wMch I found most accurate and
deserving of credit. The reader must not expect any tMng
beyond an enumeration of those emperors and Roman gover
nors who had authority over this island. With an account
of these I shall close my book.
2. Julius Cassar the dictator was the first of the Romans
who invaded Britain with an army, during the reign of Cas
sibeUnus ; but, although he defeated the inhabitants M one
battle, and occupied the coast, as Tacitus observes, he rather
seems to have shown the way to his successors than to have
given them possession.
3. In a short time the civil wars succeeding, the arms of
the cMefs were turned against the republic. Britain was
also long neglected by the advice of Augustus and the com
mand of Tiberius. It is certain that Caligula intended to
enter BritaM ; but Ms quick temper and proneness to change,
or the unsuccessful attempts against the Germans, prevented
him. 4. Claudius, however, carried war into Britain which no
Roman emperor since Julius Ca3sar had reached, and, having
transported Ms legions and allies without danger or blood
shed, in a few days reduced a part of the island. He after
wards sent over Vespasian, at that time m a private station

"•«. ch. 2.] GOVERNORS OF BRITAIN. 463
who fought two and thirty battles with the enemy, and added
to the Roman empire two very powerful nations, with their
kings, twenty cities, and the isle of Vecta, contiguous to
Britain. He overcame the remainder by means of Cneas
Sentius and Aulus Plautius. For these exploits he obtained
a great triumph.
5. To him succeeded Ostorius Scapula, a man famous in
war, who reduced the nearest part of Britain into a province,
and added the colony of the veterans, Camalodunum. Cer
tam cities were deUvered up to the chief Cogibundus, who,
according to Tacitus, remained faithful tiU the accession of
Trajan to the empire.
6. Avitus Didius Gallus kept possession of what his pre
decessors had acquired, a few posts only being removed fur
ther into the interior, in order to obtain the credit of extend-
mg Ms dominion.
7. Didius Verannius, who succeeded, died within a year.
8. Suetomus Paulinus continued prosperous for two years.
The tribes being reduced and garrisons established, he
attacked the isle of Mona, because it gave succour to the
rebeUious and afforded opportunities for invasion. For the
absence of the governor removing all fear, the Britons began
to recover courage, and rose in arms under the conduct of
Bonduica, a woman of royal descent. Having reduced the
troops scattered in the garrisons, they attacked the colony*
itself, as the seat of slavery, and in the height of rage and
victory, exercised every species of savage barbarity. Had
not Pautinus, on receiving the intelhgence, lucidly hastened
to crush the revolt, Britain must have been lost. But the
fortune of one battle restored it to its former submission.
Many of the natives, from the consciousness of their defec
tion, and fear of the governor, continued under arms.
9. Suetonius, in other respects an illustrious man, but
arrogant to the vanquished and prompt to avenge Ms own
mjuries, being likely to exercise severity, he was replaced by
Petronius TurpiUanus, who was more merciful, a stranger to
the offences of the enemy, and therefore more likely to be
softened by their repentance. Having settled the distur
bances, he gave up the province to TrebeUius Maximus.
10. TrebeUius, being of a slothful disposition and unused
* Camalodunum.

470 RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER. [b. ii. c. 2.
to war, retained the province by gentleness. The barbarous
Britons ceasing to be ignorant of luxury, and the termination
of civil wars, gave him an excuse for inactivity. But dis
cord called forth Ms exertions ; for the soldiery, when re
leased from miUtary labours, grew wanton from too much
rest. TrebelUus, having evaded the rage of the army by
flight, was shortly allowed to resume the command, the tieen-
tiousness of the soldiery becoming as it were a composition
for the safety of the general. TMs sedition ended without
bloodshed. 11. Nor did Vectius Bolanus, although the civil wars sttil
continued, harass Britain by restoring discipUne. There
was the same inactivity towards the enemy, and the same in
subordination in the garrisons ; but Bolanus, bemg a good
man and not disliked, acqmred affection instead of authority.
12. But when, with the rest of the world, Vespasian had
recovered Britain, we see distinguished generals, famous
armies, and the enemy dispirited : Petitius Cereatis imme
diately excited terror by attacMng the state of the Brigantes,
which was esteemed the most populous of the province.
Many battles were fought, some of wMch were bloody, and
a great part of the Brigantian territory was either con
quered or invaded.
13. But although Cereatis had diminished the care and
fame of Ms successor, the burden was sustained by Jutius
Frontinus, a man of Mgh courage. Overcoming at once the
spirit of the enemy and the difficulties of the country, he
subjugated the warUke and powerful nation of the Silures.
14. To him succeeded Agricola, who not only maintamed
the peace of the province ; but for seven years carried on
war against the Caledonians and their warUke Mng Galga-
cus. He thus added to the Roman empire nations Mtherto
unknown. 15. But Domitian, envying the superior glory of Agricola,
recaUed Mm, and sent Ms Ueutenant LucuUus Mto BritaM,
because he had suffered lances of a new form to be named
Luculleas after Mm.
16. His successor was TrebeUius, under whom the two
provinces, namely, Vespasiana and Maeata, were wrested
from the Roman government ; for the Romans gave them
selves up to luxury.

in. ch. 2.] GOVERNORS OF BRITAIN. 471
17. About tMs time the emperor Hadrian visiting tMs
island, erected a wall justly wonderful, and left JuUus
Severus Ms deputy in Britain.
18. From tMs time nothing worthy of attention is related,
until AntoMnus Pius carried on so many wars by Ms gene
rals. He conquered the Britons by means of LoUius Urbi-
cus, the propraetor, and Saturninus, prefect of the fleet, and,
the barbarians being driven back, another wall was built.
He recovered the province afterwards called Valentia.
19. Pius dying, AureUus Antoninus gained many victo
ries over the Britons and Germans.
20. On the death of Antoninus, when the Romans deemed
their acquisitions insufficient, they suffered a great defeat
under MarceUus.
21. To him succeeded Pertinax, who conducted himseU as
an able general.
22. The next was Clodius Albinus, who contended with
Severus for the sceptre and purple.
23. After these, the first who enjoyed the title of lieu
tenant was Virius Lupus : he did not perform many splendid
actions ; for Ms glory was intercepted by the unconquerable
Severus, who, having rapidly put the enemy to flight, re
paired the waU of Hadrian, now become ruinous, and restored
it to its former perfection. Had he Uved, he intended to
extirpate the very name of the barbarians ; but he died by
the visitation of God, among the Brigantes, in the city of
Eboracum. 24. Alexander succeeded, who gained some victories in
the East, and died at Edessa.
25. His successors were the lieutenants Lucilianus, M.
Furius, N. PMUppus ******** *; wno, if we except the
preservation of the boundaries, performed hardly any tMng
worthy of notice.
26. Afterwards*****

Tha rest is wanting.

APPENDIX.— No. I

COMMENTARY ON THE ITINERARY.
No people are so barbarous as to be totally destitute of the means of inter
nal communication ; and in proportion as they become more civiUzed and
have more intercourse with other nations, these means are augmented and
facilitated. By the early accounts of the Britons it appears that they
maintained a considerable foreign commerce, that they had formed towns
or large communities, and used chariots for warUke, and undoubtedly for
civil purposes. Hence it is evident that their internal communications
must have been free and numerous. We need not therefore be surprised, if,
after the lapse of so many centuries, marks of such British roads appear
even at present to a careful observer, differing in many respects from the
roads subsequently made by the Romans, and traversing the island in every
direction. These ancient ways may be distinguished from those made by the Romans
by unequivocal marks.
I. They are not raised nor paved, nor always straight ; but often wind
along the tops or sides of the chains of hills which Ue in their course.
II. They do not lead to Roman towns, or notice such towns, except when
placed on the sites of British fortresses.
III. They are attended by tumuli like those of the Romans ; but
usually throw out branches, which, after running parallel for some miles,
are reunited to the original stem.
When the Romans obtained a footing in this island, they directed all
their operations, according to their practice, by miUtary principles. They
civilized indeed as they conquered, but conquest was their principal object.
Hence, as each tribe was successively subdued, they fortified such primary
posts as were best adapted to support their future operations, established
secondary posts to secure their communications, and connected the whole
by miUtary ways. From local circumstances, and the principles of war,
their primary posts were either at or near the sites of the British towns, or
on the principal rivers. If therefore the British towns and trackways were
suited to their purposes, they adopted them ; if not, they constructed
others. But both their towns and roads differed materiaUy from those of
the original inhabitants. The Romans in their towns or fortresses foUowed
the system of their own castramentation, in like manner as in modern war
fare the construction of permanent and temporary works is guided by the
same general principles. These towns are of a regular figure, bounded by
lines as straight as the shape of the ground will permit, generaUy square or
oblong, and consisting commonly in a single wall and ditch, unless in posi
tions peculiarly dangerous, or where local circumstances rendered additional
defences necessary. On the contrary the British towns, which were occu
pied by the Romans, although irregularly shaped, still partake of their
original figure.
Specimens of the first kind, or perfect Roman towns, may be seen in
Colchester, Winchester, Caerleon, Caerwent, Castor near Norwich, and all

APPENDIX. 473
the military stations bordering on the wall of Severus. Of the latter, in
Bath, Silchester, Kentchester, Canterbury, and other places.
Similar marks of difference between the original British trackways and
the Roman roads appear in the Foss, and the Iknield Street ; — the latter,
during the greater part of its course, keeping along the chain of hiUs which
lay in its way, not leading decidedly to Roman towns, throwing out parallel
branches, attended always with tumuli, still bearing its British name, and
appearing from its direction to have been made for commercial purposes.
On the other hand the adopted roads, but more especially those made by
the Romans themselves, are distinguished by peculiar marks. Posts or
towns are placed on them at nearly regular distances, seldom exceeding
twenty miles, the length of a single march, and also at the point where two
roads intersect each other, or where several roads diverge. These roads
are elevated with surprising labour to the height of ten feet, and sometimes
even more, instances of which may be seen on the heath near Woodyates
Inn in Dorsetshire, near Old Sarum on the side of Ford, in Chute
Park, Wilts, between Ancaster and Lincoln, and still more remarkably on
Bramham Moor, near Tadcaster in Yorkshire. They were formed of mate-
rials often brought from a considerable distance, such as chalk, pebbles, or
gravel ; and the most considerable are paved with stones, which are visible
to this day. Tumuli also, which seem to have been the direction-posts of
antiquity, attended their course, and occur in almost every instance where
a road descends a hill, approaches a station, or throws off a branch.
Another peculiarity of the Roman ways is their straight direction, from
which they seldom deviate, except to avoid a rapid ascent or descent, to
throw off another road, or to approach a station, which, from the circum
stances before mentioned, had been fixed out of the general Une. Of this
there is a curious instance where the Foss, in approaching Cirencester from
the north, meets the Akeman Street, bearing to the same point from the
north-east, and evidently bends out of its course to join and enter the. sta
tion with it.
Of many of the Roman roads, not only in England, but in the greater
part of the Roman empire, an account has been preserved under the name
of the Itinerary of Antoninus, which specifies the towns or stations on
each road, and shows the distances between them. This record was long
supposed to be a public directory or guide for the march of soldiers ; but
if this were the case, it is extremely confused and imperfect. It often omits
in one Iter or journey towns which are directly in its course, and yet speci
fies them in another, as may be seen in the first, second, sixth, and eighth
Iters. It traces the same road more than once, and passes unnoticed some
of the most remarkable roads in the island, namely a great part of the
Foss, and the whole of the Via Devana (a road from Colchester to Ches
ter.) Hence this Itinerary has been more justly considered as the heads oi a
journal formed by some traveller or officer, who visited the different parts
of the empire from business or duty ; and, as Mr. Reynolds conjectures
with, great appearance of probability, in the suite of the emperor Adrian.
In this Ught it may be considered as copious, and the advantages which it
has afforded to the antiquary will be gratefully and universally acknow
ledged. Still, however, from the incoherence which appears in that part
relating to our island, and from the mutilated copies which have been
found, there is reason to imagine that the whole of this interesting record
has not escaped the ravages of time.

474 RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER.
Such an itinerary, but varying in many respects from that of An-
tonine, is one of the most important parts of the work now presented to the
reader. In fixing the sites of the towns specified in these Itineraries, our anti
quaries have assumed the most unjustifiable latitude. The mere resem
blance of a name was considered as a reason sufficient to outweigh all
others ; even the great Camden suffered himself to be misled by this re
semblance, in fixing Ariconium at Kentchester, Camalodunum at Maldon,
Bennavenna at Bensford, Pons jEUi at Pont Eland, and Ad-Pontem at
Paunton. The explanation of the names to 6uit the supposed situation
has been another fruitful source of error ; not only British and Latin, but
Saxon, Greek, and even Hebrew, have been exhausted to discover signifi
cant appellations ; and where one language was not sufficient, half a word
has been borrowed from one language and half from another to support
a favourite hypothesis.* The commentary now presented to the reader is
founded on the following principles.
I. The vestiges of roads actually existing are taken as much as possible
for guides ; and the extremes or direction of each Iter, ascertained from
two or more undoubted stations, or other unequivocal proofs.
II. In general, no place is regarded as the site of a Roman station,
unless fixed Roman remains, such as buildings, baths, &c. are found at or
near it ; and unless it is situated on or near the line of a Roman road.
III. An exception has, however, been sometimes unavoidably made to
this rule. After the Romans had estabhshed their power, and completed
their system of internal communication, they undoubtedly lessened the
number of their garrisons, to avoid either too great a division of their force,
or to reduce that part of it which was necessarily stationary. Hence we
have sometimes considered the direction of the road, and the general dis
tance, as sufficient data for determining a station or stations, either when they
were situated between two considerable fortified points, or when covered
by others on every side ; because it is probable such posts were merely tem
porary, and were dilapidated or demoUshed, even before the decline of the
Roman power.
• IV. In assigning a specific Roman name to a place, it has not been
deemed sufficient that fixed antiquities or other equivalent evidence prove a
town to have existed on the spot, unless the order of the names, and the
distances marked in the Itinerary, justify the appellation.
V. Where the line of the Roman road is tolerably perfect, no station is
sought far from it, except where the excess of the Itinerary over the real
distance, or accurate measurement, affords sufficient authority for the
deviation. VI. The numbers which determine the distances being written in Roman
numerals, which gave great latitude for errorf and substitutions, recourse
has been had to this rule.
* On this subject it may not be improper to observe, that the name of
Castor, Cester, or Chester, generally points out a Roman station ; and Sam,
Street, Stane and Stone, (Strat, and Stan, when compounded) as generaUy
show the course of a British or Roman way.
t For example these marks " " ', being the mutilated parts of numerals,
might have been easily transformed by the copyist into IIIII. XIII. VIII.

APPENDIX. 475
Where the road still exists, the whole intermediate space between cwo
stations already determined, has been examined to discover what places,
from their relative distance, from their site, or the antiquities found in them,
have the fairest claim to be considered as Roman posts ; and to such
places the names have been affixed according to the evidence afforded in
the Itinerary.
After this development of the principles on which we have proceeded in
our examination, it is necessary to add a few observations on the Roman
mile, the standard of measurement used in compiling the Itineraries; because
many difficulties in determining the stations arise from our uncertainty
respecting its real length. It may indeed appear easy to ascertain this
point, by a careful measurement of the space between two miUtary columns,
stiU existing on any known Roman road. But in Britain such an ex
periment has been hitherto impracticable; for the columns in our island
have been so universaUy defaced or removed, that, far from two existing on
the same road, only one has been found* whose original station is known
with any degree of certainty. In France and Italy many of these columns
still exist, and Danville has adduced three instances in Languedoc, in which
the distances between them accurately measured amounted in one to 756,
in another to 753, and in a third to 752 toises and two feet, The average
754 toises and two feet, seems to determine the length of the Roman mile
with sufficient precision; and the result is confirmed by a comparison with
the Roman foot, still preserved in the capitol ; for the exact length of the
miles between the miUtary columns on the Appian way, in the neighbour
hood of Rome, as measured by Bianchini, was 5010 of these Roman feet,
which reduced to toises is 756 toises four feet and a half. From these
results Danville estimates the Roman mile at 755 toises, or 1593 yardsf
EngUsh measure.
Unfortunately this mensuration does not lessen the difficulties of the
EngUsh antiquary; for the distance between any two of our known stations,
if measured by this standard, disagrees in almost every instance with the
numbers of the Itineraries. Different conjectures have been advanced to
solve this difficulty. One, supported by the respectable authority of
Horsley, is, that the Romans measured only the horizontal distance, without
regarding the inequalities of the surface; or that the space between station
and station was ascertained from maps accurately constructed. This idea
receives some support from a fact acknowledged by every British antiquary,
namely, that the Itinerary miles bear a regular proportion to the EngUsh
miles on plains, but fall short of them in hilly grounds. Another opinion
is, that the Itinerary miles were not measured by an invariable standard,
but in the distant provinces were derived from the common measures of the
country. In support of this conjecture a supposed coincidence between the
computed and measured miles, noticed by Horsley and others, has been
adduced; but if this were the case, there would not be so exact a con
formity between the miles of France and Italy as appears in the instance
before mentioned.
To remove, however, as many causes of error as possible, considerable
XVI. XIX. or XXI. and single numerals might have been omitted, as
XX. and XXIII. for XIX. and XXXIII.
• Near Leicester. t Hist, de l'Academie, t. 88, p. 661.

476 RICHARD OF CHiENCESTER.
pains have been taken to correct the numbers, by a comparison of aU the
earliest and most authentic copies of the Itinerary. These are: The
Itinerary of Talbot, published in Leland's works. That of Camden. Two
copies by Harrison, pubUshed first in HoUingshed, and republished by
Burton. That of Gale. That of Surita, who coUated five copies, four of
which he thus designates : — 1. BibUothecae Regiae ad D. Laurent, vetustiss.
Codex Ovetensis jEra IaCCCCXX descriptus. 2. BibUothecas Blandinias
pervetustus codex a CCCC. circiter annis transcriptus. 3. BibUothecaa
NeapoUtanorum Regum qui post cardinalis de Ursinis fuit anno
M.CCCCXXVII. exscriptus. 4. Christophori Longolii exemplar ab H.
Stephano. Parisiis editum, anno MJqXH.
As the Roman posts and roads were in a great degree connected with,
or derived from, the British towns and trackways, we proceed to trace first
the course of the British roads which still exist, and to specify the towns
whose sites are known, premising that of the ninety-two capital towns of
the Britons commemorated by historians, the names of only eighty-eight
have been preserved.
The British ways were, —
1. The Watlinq Street, or Irish road, in two branches, northern and
southern. 2. The I km eld Street, or road of the Iceni, the inhabitants of the
eastern coast.
3. The Ryknield Street, leading through the country of the Upper
Iceni or Coritani.
4. The Ermyn Street, leading from the coast of Sussex to the south
east part of Scotland.
5. The Akeman Street, or intermediate road between the Iknield and
Ryknield Street.
6. The Upper Salt-way, leading from the saltmines at Droitwich to
the coast of Lincolnshire.
7. The Lower Salt-way, leading from the same mines to the south
eastern coast.
8. A road which appears to have skirted the western coast, as the Ermyn
Street did the eastern.
Besides these, there is reason to conjecture from several detached pieces,
that another road followed the shores round the island.
watling street.
The south-eastern branch of the Watling Street proceeded from Rich-
borough on the coast of Kent, to Canterbury; and from thence, nearly in
the Une of the present turnpike, towards Rochester. It left that city to
the right, passed the Medway by a ford, and ran almost straight, through
lord Darnley's park, to Southfleet. It bent to the left to avoid the
marshes near London, continued along a road now lost to Holwood HUl
the capital of the Rhemi, and then foUowed the course of the present road
to London. — Having crossed the Thames, it ran by Edgeware to Verulam*
and from thence, with the present great Irish road, through Dunstable and'
Towcester to Weedon. Hence, instead of bending to the left with the
present turnpike, it proceeded straight by Dovebridge, Hi»h Cross Fazelev
Wall, and Wellington, to Wroxeter. It then passed the Severn and con
tinued by Rowton, Pen y Pont, and Bala, to Tomiuen y Mawr,' where it

APPENDIX. 477
divided into two branches. One ran by Beth Gellert to Caernarvon and
Anglesea, the other by Dolwyddelan, through the mountains to the banks
ofthe Menai, where it joined the north-eastern branch (which will be pre
sently described), and ended at Holy Head, the great port ofthe Irish.
In its course are the British towns Rhutupis, Richborough, Durovernum,
Canterbury, Durobrivce, Rochester, Noviomagus, Holwood Hill, Trinoban-
tum, London, Verolamiam, St. Alban's, Durocobrivce, Dunstable, Urico-
nium, Wroxeter, Mediolanum on the banks of the Tanad, Segontium, Caer
Segont, and possibly a town, of which the name is lost, at Holy Head.
The north-western branch of the Watling Street, coming from the interior
of Scotland by Cramond and Jedburgh, enters England at Chew Green, and
continues by Riechester io Corbridge. There, crossing the Tyne, it ran
through Ebchester, LanflfiBter, and Binchester, and passed the Tees by a
ford near Pierce Bridge. Hence it went by Catterie, Newton, Masham,
and Kirby Malside to Ukley, and near HaUfax to Manchester. Over the
moors between these two last places it is called the Devil's Causeway.
From Manchester, where it passed the Mersey, it proceeded by Street,
Northwich, Chester, Caerhun, and over the mountains to Aber, where it
fell into the south-western branch, in its course to Holy Head.
On it were the British towns, Bremenium, Riechester, Epiacum, Lan-
chester, Vinoviam, Binchester, Cataractonis, Catterick, Olicana, ilkley,
and Devaflhester. THE IKNIELO STREET,
Or road of the Iceni, proceeds from the coast near Great Yarmouth.
Passing through Taesborough, it runs by Icklingham and Newmarket, and,
skirting the chain of hills which stretches through Cambridgeshire, Bed
fordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire, continues by Bournbridge to
Icoldon aud Royston (where it intersects the Ermyn Street). Thence it
proceeds by Baldock, over Wilbury Hill, to Dunstable (where it crosses
the Watling Street), Tring, Wendover, Elsborough, near Richborough
Chinor, Watlington, Woodcote, and Goring, and, passing the Thames at
Streetly, throws off a collateral branch, which will be noticed under the
Dame ofthe Ridgeway. From hence it proceeded, as Stukeley imagined,
by Aldworth, Newbury Street, Ashmansworth, Tangley, and Tidworth, to
Old Sarum. Thence by the two Stratfords, across Vernditch Chase,
Woodyates Inn, the Gussages, Badbury, Shapwick, Shitterton, Maiden
Castle, Eggardon, Bridport, Axminster, Honiton, Exeter, Totness, &c, to
the Land's End.
The collateral branch called the Ridgeway, ran from Streetly along the
hills, by Cuckhamsley HUl, Whitehorse Hill, and Ashbury, towards Abury,
from whence its course is unknown. Possibly it ran towards Glastonbury.
From Elworthy barrows, above Taunton, it passes south-westerley into
Devonshire, and from Stretton in CornwaU, it kept along the ridge of hills
to Redruth and the Land's End. »
The British towns on this way were Ad Taum, Taesborough, the ancient
capital of the Iceni Magni, Durocobrivce, Dunstable, Sorbiodunum, Old
Sarum, Durinum, probably Maiden Castle, Isca, Exeter, Tamara, a post
on the Tamar, Voluba on the Fowey, and tenia on the Fal.
On the Ridgeway, possibly Avalonia, Glastonbury, Termolus, by some
supposed to be Molland in Devon, Artavia,  Musidum, near
Strattor, and Halangium, Carnbre\

478 RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER.
RYKNIELD STEEET,
Or street ofthe upper Iceni, said to begin at the mouth ofthe Tyne, ran
by Chester le Street to Binchester, where it joined the Watling Street, and
continued with it to Catterick. Then, bearing more easterly, it ran with
the present great northern road to within two miles of Borough Bridge,
where it left the turnpike to the right, and crossed the Eure to Aldborough.
From thence it went by Coptgrave, Ribston, Spofforth, through Stokeld
Park, to Thorner, Medley, Foleby, Bolton, Graesborough, Holme, Great
Brook near Tretown, Chesterfield, Alfreton, Little Chester, Egginton, to
Burton, and Wall (where it crossed the WatUng Street). Thence through
Sutton Colefield, to Birmingham, King's Norton, Alchester, Bitford, Sedge-
barrow, Tewkesbury, Glocester, Lidney, Chepstow, and probably by Aber
gavenny, Brecon, Landilo, and Caermarthen to St. David's.
It passed the British towns of Vinovium, Binchester, Cataracton, Cat
terick, Isurium, Aldborough, Elocetum, WaU, Alauna, Alcester, Glevum,
Glocester, Maridunum, Caermarthen, and Menapia, St. David's.
THE ERMYN STREET
Came from the eastern side of Scotland, and, crossing the Tweed west of
Berwick, ran near Wooler, Hedgely, Brumpton, Brinkburn, Netherwittern,
Hartburn, and Rial, to Corbridge, where it joined the North WatUng Street.
Passing with that Way the two great rivers the Tyne and the Tees, it con
tinued to Catterick, where it divided into two branches.
The western branch went with the Ryknield Street as far as Aldborough,
and then, leaving that way to the right, proceeded by Little Ouseboum, to
Helensford, over Bramham Heath, to Aberford, Castleford, Houghton,
Stapleton, Adwick, Doncaster, Bawtry, and probably by Tuxford, South
well, and over the Trent to Thorp (where it passed the Foss), Staunton,
and Stainby, where it joined the
Eastern branch. This branch ran from Catterick by North Allerton,
Thirsk, Easingwold, Stamford Bridge, Market Weighton, and South Cave,
and, crossing the Humber, continued by Wintringham, Lincoln, and
Ancaster, to near Witham, when it was reunited with the western branch
above mentioned. Both continued to Brig Casterton, near Stamford,
Chesterton, Stilton, Godmanchester, Rpyston (where it crossed the
Icknield Street), Buntingford, Puckeridge, Ware Park, west of Roxbourn,
Cheshunt, Enfield, Wood Green, and London. Here it again divided into
two branches. The more westerly went by Dorking, Coldharbour, Stone
Street, and Pulborough to Chichester; while the easterly was continued by
Bromley, Holwood HiU, Tunbridge WeUs, Wadhurst, Mayfield, and East-
bourn, to Pevensey.
On it were the British towns Vinovium, Binchester, Cataractonis, Cat
terick, Isurium, Aldborough, Lindum, Lincoln, Durnomagus, Castor near
Peterborough, Trinovantum, London, Regentium or Regnum, Chichester,
Noviomagus, Holwood Hill, and Anderida Portus, Pevensey.
AKEMAN STREET
Appears to have passed from the eastern side of the island, probably by
Bedford, Newport Pagnel, Stony Stratford, and Buckingham (or as others
think by Fenny Stratford and Winsborough), to Alcester. It then ran by
Kirklington, Woodstock, Stonefield, Astall, aud Coin St. Alwin's, to Ciren-

APPENDIX. 479
cester, Rodmarton, Cherrington, Bagspath, and Symonds' Hall. From
thence it is said to be continued by Cromehall to Aust, where, passing the
Severn, it probably ran through Caerwent, Caerleon, and along the coast by
Caerdiff, Neath, Lwghor, to Caermarthen, and the Irish port at St. David's.
The British towns were Corinum, Cirencester, Venta Silurum, Caerwent,
Isca, Caerleon, Maridunum, Caermarthen, and Menapia, St. David's.
THE UPPER SALT-WAY,
Which appears to have been the communication between the sea coast of
Lincolnshire and the Salt-mines at Droitwich. It is first known as leading
from the neighbourhood of Stainsfield, towards Paunton and Denton, and
then running not far from Saltby and Croxton, is continued straight by
Warmby and Grimston, to Sedgehill on the Foss. Here it appears to bear
towards Barrow on the Soar, and crossing Charnwood Forest, is again seen
at Stretton on the borders of Warwickshire, from whence it is easily traced
to Birmingham and over the Lickey to Droitwich.
British town Salina, Droitwich.
The Second Salt-way is little known, although the parts here described
have been actually traced. It came from Droitwich, crossed Worcester
shire under the name of the Salt- way, appears to have passed the Avon,
somewhere below Evesham, tended towards the chain of hills aBove Sudeley
Castle, where it is still visible, attended by tumuli as it runs by Hawling.
Thence it proceeds to Northleach, where it crossed the Foss, in its way to
Coin St. Aldwin's, on the Akeman Street, and led to the sea coast of
Hampshire. Venta Belgarum, Winchester, and Portus Magnus, Porchester, or
Clausentum, Bittern near Southampton — were probably situated in its
course. In many places are vestiges of a continued road skirting the western side
of the island, in the same manner as the Ermyn Street did the eastern, of
which parts were never adopted by the Romans. There is great reason to
suppose it British, because it connects many of the British towns. It
appears to have commenced on the coast of Devon, perhaps not far from
the mouth of the Ex, and to have gone by Exeter, Taunton, Bridgewater,
Bristol, Glocester, Kidderminster, Claverley, Weston, High Offley, Betley,
Middlewich, Northwich, Warrington, Preston, Lancaster. Here probably
dividing into two branches, one ran by Kendal, Penrith, and Carlisle, to
the extreme parts of the island, while the other passed, by Kirby Lonsdale
and Orton, to Kirby Thure, from whence it continued under the name of
the Maiden- Way, by the Wall and Bewcastle into the interior parts of
Scotland. On this Street were Isca, Exeter, Uxella, possibly near Bridge-
water, Glevum, Gloucester, Branogenium, Worcester, Salince, Droitwich,
Coceium, Blackrode, and Luguballium, Carlisle.
Besides these, and the separate communications between the different
towns, there is reason to imagine that a general road ran round the whole
coast of the island, parts of which have been observed near the southern
coast of Dorsetshire, particularly from Abbotsbury to the isle of Purbeck;
likewise in Hampshire, along Portsdown Hill; and from Old Winchester
through Sussex, on the tops of the hills between Midhurst and Chichester,
to Arundel and Brighthelmstone. Also in Essex from Maldon to Colchester,
and in Suffolk by Stretford, Ipswich, Stretford, and Blythburgh, to the

480 RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER.
banks of the Yar. In Lincolnshire are two branches, one running clearly
from Tattersal, by Horncastle, Ludford, Strinton, Caistor, and Somerby,
and a second nearer to the coast from Lowth towards Brocklesby, and both
tending to the passage of the Humber, not fer from Barton. Also along
the principal part of the coast through Yorkshire, Durham, and Northum
berland. On the western side of the island it appears to have passed on
the hills which skirt the northern coast of Devonshire and Somersetshire,
and possibly might be traced through Wales and towards Scotland.
As the original text of so important a document as Richard's Itinerary is
essential to the thorough comprehension of its meaning, it is here subjoined:
it follows after the end of Chapter VII.
DIAPHRAGMATA.
Iter I. Rhutupis prima in Britannia insula civitas versus Galliam apud
Cantios sita a Gessoriago Bonnoniae portu, unde commodissimus in supra-
dictam insulam transitus obtingit, CCCCL. stadia, vel ut alii volunt XLVI.
mille passuum remota : ab eadem civitate dueta est via GuetheUnga dicta,
usque in Segontium per m. p. CCCXXIIII. plus minus sic : — CantiopoU,
qua? et Duroverno, m. p. X. Durosevo XII. Duroprovis XXV.
deinde m. p. XXVII. transis Thamesin intrasque provinciam Flaviam et
civitatem Londinium (Augustam), Sulo Mago m. p. Villi. Verolamio
municipio XII. unde fuit Amphibalus et Albanus Martyres. Foro Dianas
XII. Magio Vinio XII. Lactorodo XII. Isanta Varia XII. Tripon-
tio XII. Benonis Villi. Hie bisecatur via, alterutrumque ejus brachium
Lindum usque, alterum versus Viriconium protenditur, sic: — Mandues-
suedo m. p. XII. Etoceto XIII. Pennocrucio XII. Uxaconia XII.
Virioconio XI. Banchorio XXVI. Deva Colonia X Fines Flaviae et
Secundae, Varis m. p. XXX. Conovio XX. Seguntio XXIIII.
Iter II. A Seguntio Virioconium usque, m. p. LXXIII. sic : — Heriri
monte m. p. XXV. Mediolano XXV. Rutunio XII. Virioconio XI.
Iter III. A Londinio Lindum coloniam usque, sic : — Durosito m. p.
XII. Cffisaro Mago XVI. Canonio XV. Camaloduno colonia Villi.
ibi erat templum Claudii, arx triumphaUs, et imago Victorias deae. Ad
Sturium amnem m. p. VI. et finibus Trinobantum Cenimannos advenis,
Cambretonio m. p. XV. Sito Mago XXII. Venta Cenom. XXIII 
Camborico colonia XX. DuraU ponte XX. Dumo Mago XX. Isinnis
XX. LindoXX.
Iter IV. A Lindo ad VaUum usque, sic : — ArgoUco m. p. XIIII. Dano
XX. Ibi intras Maximam Caesariensem, Legotio m. p. XVI. Eboraco
municip. olim colonia sexta m. p. XXI. Isurio XVI. Cattaractoni
XXIIII. ad Tisam X. Vinovio XII. Epiaco XVIIII. ad Murum
Villi, trans Murum intras Valentiam. Alauna amne m. p XXV. Tueda
flumine XXX. ad VaUum 
Iter V. A limite Praeturiam usque, sic : — Curia m. p. ... ad Fines m.
p. . . . Bremenio m. p. . . . CorstopUo XX. Vindomora Villi. Vindo-
vio XVIIII. Cattaractoni XXII. Eboraco XL. Derventione VII
Delgovicia XIII. Praturio XXV.
Iter VI. Ab Eboraco Devam usque, sic : — Calcaria m. p. Villi. Cam-
boduno XXII. Mancunio XVIII. Finibus Maxima; et Flavias ro d.
XVIII. Condate XVIII. Deva XVIII. 'r

APPENDIX I. 481
Iter VII. A Portu Sistuntiorum Eboracum usque, sic : — Rerigonio m.
p. XXIII. ad Alpes Peninos VIII. Alicana X. Isurio XVIII. Ebo
raco XVI.
Iter VIII. Ab Eboraco Luguvalium usque; sic : — Cattaractoni m. p;
XL. Lataris XVI. Varans XVI. Brocavonacis XVIII. Vorreda
XVIII. Luguballia XVIII.
Iter Villi. A Luguballio Ptorotonim usque, sic : — Trimontio mi p.
. . . Gadanica m. p. . . . Corio m. p. ... ad Vallum m. p. . . . Incipit
Vespasiana. Alauna m. p: XII. Lindo Villi. Victoria Villi, ad Hier-
nam Villi. Orrea XIIII. ad Tavum XVIIII. ad jEsicam XXIII. ad
Tinam VIIL; Devana XXIII. ad Itunanr XXIIII. ad Montem Gram-
pium m. p. . . . ad Selinam m. p. . . : Tuessis XVIIII. Ptorotone m.
p. . . .
Iter X. Ab ultima Ptorotone per medium insulae Isca Damnonorum
usque, sic:— Varism. p. VIIL ad Tuessim XVIII. Tamea XXVIIII.
 m. p. XXI. in Medio Villi. Orrea Villi. Victoria XVIII.
ad VaUum XXXII. Luguballia LXXX. Brocavonacis XXII. ad Alau-
nam m. p. . . . Coccio m. p. . . . Mancunio XVIII. Condate XXIII.
Mediolano XVIII. Etoceto m. p  Salinis m. p  Glebon
colonia m. p. . . . Corino XIIII. Aquas Solis m. p. ... ad Aquas
XVIII. ad Uxellam amnem m. p  Isca m. p 
Iter XI. Ab Aquis per Viam Juliam Menapiam usque, sic : — ad Abo-
nam m. p. VI. ad Sabrinam VI. unde trajectu intras in Britanniam Secun-
dam et stationem Trajectum m. p. III. Venta Silurum VIII. Isca colonia
Villi, unde fuit Aaron Martyr. Tibia anme m. p. VIII. Bovio XX.
Nido XV. Leucaro XV. ad Vigesimum XX. ad Menapiam XVIIII. Ab
hac urbe per XXX. m. p. navigas in Hyberniam.
Iter XII. Ab Aquis Londinium usque, sic : — Verlucione m. p. XV.
Cunetione XX. Spinis XV. Calleba Attrebatum XV. Bibracte XX.
Londinio XX.
Iter XIII. Ab Isca UriconiUm usque, sic : — Bultro m. p. VIII. Go-
bannio XII. Magna XXIII. Branogenio XXIII. Urioconio XXVII.
Iter XIIII. Ab Isca per Glebon Lindum usque, sic : — Ballio m. p. VIII.
Blestio XII. Saricoilio XI. Glebon colonia XV. ad Antonam XV.
Alauna XV  ;.-... Vennonis XII. Ratiscorion XII. Venromento
XII. Margiduno XII. ad Pontem XII. Croco colana Lindum XII.
Iter XV. A Londinio per Clausentum in Londinium, sifc :— Caleba m. p.
XLIIII. Vindomi XV. Venta Belgarum XXI. ad Lapidem VI. Clau-
Bento IIII. Portu Magno X. Regno X. ad Decimum X. Anderida
portu m. p  ; ad Lemanum m. p. XXV. Lemaniano portu X.
Dubris X. Rhutupis colonia X. Regulbio X. Contiopoli X. Durelevo
XVIII. Mado XII. Vagnaca XVIII. Novio Mago XVIII. Londi
nio XV.
Iter XVI. :A Londinio Ceniam usque, sic : — Veiita Belgarum m. p.
XC. Brige XI. Sorbioduno VIII. Ventageladia XII. Durnovaria
Villi. Moriduno XXXIII. Isca Damnon. XV  Durio amne
m. p. ..... Tamara m. p  Voluba m.p  Cenia m. p. . . .
Iter XVII. Ab Anderida [Eboracum] usque, sic : — Sylva Ande
rida m. p  Noviomago m.p  , . Lon
dinio m. p. XV. ad Fines m. p  Durolisponte m. p  Dur-
homago m. p. XXX. Corisennis XXX. Lindo XXX. in Medio XV.
II

482

RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER.

ad Abum XV. unde transis in Maximam, ad Petuariam m. p. VI. deinde
Eboraco, ut supra, m. p. XLVI.
Iter XVIII. Ab Eboraco, per medium insulae Clausentum usque, sic : —
Legiolio m. p. XXI. ad Fines XVIII  m. p. XVI  m. p. XVI.
 Derventione m. p. XVI. ad Trivonam XII. Etoceto XII. Man-
duessuedo XVI. Benonnis XII. Tripontio XI. Isannavaria XII. Bri-
navis XII. -Elia castra XVI. Dorocina XV. Tamesi VL Vindomi
XV. Clausento XLVI.
Plurima insuper habebant Romani in Britanniis castella, suis quieque
muris, turribus, portis, et repagulis munita.
finis Itingrariorum,
Quod hactenus auribus, in hoc capite percipitur pene oculis intuentibus :
nam huic adjuncta est mappa Britannia; artificiaUter depicta, quas omnia
loca cet. evidenter exprimit, ut ex ea cunctarum regionum incolas dignos-
cere detur.

ancient and modern names of the stations tn richard
of Cirencester's itixerart.
[From the London Edition, 8vo. 1809.]

Iter I.
(1) A Rhutupi ducta est " Via Guethel-
inga" dicta, usque in Segontium, per m.
p. CCCXXIIII. plus minus, sic : —
Corrected numbers.

(2) Cantiopoli quae et Du-
roverno X
(3) Durosevo XII
(4) Duroprovis XXV
Deinde m. p. XXVII
transis Thamesin in-
trasque provinciam
Flaviam et civitatem
(5) Londinium Augustam
(6) Sulo Mago Villi
(7) Verolamio Municipio XII
Unde fuit Amphibalus
et Albanus, martyres.
(8) Foro Dianas XII
(9) Magio Vinio XII

(10) Lactorodo

XII

XI
XII
XVI
XXVII

XII

vim

XII XII
xvi

Sites op the Stations.
From Richborough to Caer
Segont, by the WatUng
Street.

Canterbury. Stone Chaple, in Ospringe.
Rochester.

London.
On the site of Mr. Napier^
house at Brockley HUl,
Verulam.

Dunstable. Old Fields. South of Fenny
Stratford.
Berry Mount, in Towcester.

APPENDIX I.

483

(11) IsantaVaria XII

(12) Tripontio

XII

(13) Benonis

Villi

Hie bisecatur Via ;

alterutrumque ejus

brachium

Lindum

usque, alterum ver

sus Viriconium pro-

tenditur, sic :

— .

(14) Manduessuedo

XII

(15) Etoceto

XIII

(16) Pennocrucio

XII

(17) Uxaconia

XII

(18) Virioconio

XI

(19) Banchorio

XXVI

(20) Deva Colonia

X

Fines Flaviae

et Se-

cundae

(21) Varis

XXX

(22) Conovio

XX

(23) Segontio

XXIIII

XIIXII
vim

XXVII xx
XXIIII

Burnt WaUs near Daventry.
Near Lilbourn.
High Cross.

XII

Manceter,

XVI

Wall.

XII

On the Penk.

XII

Red Hill, near Okenyate

XI

Wroxeter.

XXVI

Probably Banchor.

xv.

Chester,

Banks of the Clwydd, near
Bodfari.
Caer Hun.
Caer Segont, near Caernar-

The first Iter having run uniformly on the traces of the British road
called WatUng Street (except the small distance from Southfleet to Lon-
,don), and the road remaining tolerably perfect, there can be little difficulty
in fixing the several stations, or indeed in correcting the sometimes corrupted
numbers of the Itinerary. It begins at Richborough, and, although at
present obscure from the improved cultivation of the country, may be easily
traced to Canterbury, from whence it went in the direction of the present
turnpike to Rochester, leaving the intermediate station at Stone Chaple, in
Ospringe, a little to the left hand. At Rochester it passed the Medway,
considerably above the present bridge, and instead of running to the right
with the modern turnpike, it went as straight as the nature of the ground
would permit, by Cobham Park, and Shinglewell, to Barkfields, in South-
fleet (the station Vagniacis in Antonine,) then to Swanscombe Parkwood,
through which it passed, and rejoined the Dover road between the fifteenth
and sixteenth milestone, near Dartford Brent. Hence it went by Shooter's
Hill over the Thames to London ; and then as before mentioned, by the
site of Mr. Napier's house at.Brockley Hill, Verulam, Dunstable, Fenny
Stratford, Towcester, Burnt Walls,* near Lilbourne, High Cross, Mance
ter, Wall, Okenyate, to Wroxeter. Here, quitting the south-west branch
ofthe Watling Street, it bore to the right by Uffington, Broughton, Over-
ley, Hammer, and Sam Bridge to Banchor ; and from thence ran clearly
by Stockach and Aldford, over the Dee to Chester.
The Roman road here joining the North-east Watling Street, before
* Burnt Walls was the Roman post of Isannavaria ; Borough HUl, on
the hill above it, was the great British fortification, Bennavenna,
n2

484

RICHARD OF CLRENCESTE&

mentioned, continued with it to Bodfari, and crossing Denbighshire, went
over the Conway to Caer Hiin ; and is supposed to have run as straight as
the country would permit, to Caer Segont, about half a mile south of Caer
narvon.

Iter II.
(23) A Segontio Virioconium usque, m. p.
LXXIII. sic :—

Correctednumbers.

(24) Heriri Monte

XXV

XXV

(25) Mediolano
(26) Rutunio

XXV

XXVII

XII

XVI

(18) Virioconio

XI

XI

Sites op the Stations.
From Gaer Segont to Wrox
eter.

Tommen yMur, in Maentrwg:
On the bank of the Tanad.
Rowton. Wroxeter.
This Iter runs on a branch of the South-east Watling Street, from Caer
Segont, nearly in the direction of the present road to Tommen y Mur, an
undoubted station iri the parish of Maentrwg, by the common name of
Sam Helen, or the " paved way of the Legion." From hence it is con
tinued to Bala ; and on the banks of the Tanad, not fer from the point
where it is intersected by the Roman road from Caersws to Chester, was
probably the lost town of Mediolanum. From Mediolanum the road runs
under the north end of the Brythen, straight, although obscurely, to Row-
ton, and from thence over the Severn to Wroxeter.

Iter III.
(5) A Londinio Lindum coloniam usque,
sic i— Corrected
numbers. XII
XVI
XV

(27) Durosito
(28) Ciesaro Mago
(29) Canonio,
(30) Camaloduno

XII
XVI XV
Colonia Villi
Ibi erat templum
Claudu, arx trium-
phalis, et imago Vic
torias dete.
(31) Ad Sturium amnem VI
Et finibus Trinobantum
Cenimannos advenis
(32) Cambrelonio XV
(33) SitoMago XXII
(34) Venta Cenom. XXIII

Villi

VI

Sites of the Stations.
From London to Lincoln:

Near Romford.
Near Chelmsford.
On the east of Kelvedon.

Colchester.

Banks of the Stour.

Castor, near Norwich:

(35) Camborico Colonia XX

APPENDIX J.

485
North side of the Cam, Cam
bridge.
Godmanchester. Castor. Durobrivis was Chesterton

(36) Duralipontef
(37) Durno MagoJ

XXXX

XV
XX

(38) Isinis$
(39) Lindo||

XX
xx

xxv XXI

pn the Nen, near jt.
Ancaster.Lincoln.

As it is fifty-one measured miles from London to Colchester, and as it
is probable that the stone from whence the Roman miles were measured
was at least one mile west of Whitechapel church, we cannot allow any
material deviation from the course of the present road, except in the
neighbourhood of the capital, where the Roman road, instead of passing
through MUe End, went much straighter over the Lee at Old Ford, and
fell again into (he course of the prpsent turnpike at Stratford. The Itine
rary allowing only fifty-two miles between London and Colchester, and the
fifth Iter of Antonine agreeing with this of Richard, by stating twenty-
eight as the distance between London and Ccesaromagus, we may implicitly
adopt the distances here given, and fix the intermediate stations near Rum-
ford, Chelmsford, and Kelvedon. From Colchester the road ran to the
Stour, where probably stood the Mansio ad Ansani. From hence to Cas
tor, near Norwich, (the Venta Icenorum^) the stations and course of the
road are unknown. Some commentators have supposed it ran westerly, by
Biettenham and Thetford ; others by Ipswich, Stowmarket, and Scole
Ini ; and others have carried it more easterly, by Ipswich and Blythburgh,
or Dunwich, to the capital of the Iceni. In favour of the first, there is
merely the supposed resemblance of the name of Brettenham to Cambre-
tonium ; ofthe second, traces of a Roman way, called the Pye Road ; and
ofthe third, a British track-way, and another Roman road, called the
Stone Street. But the distances suit none of these sites, and no Roman
remains have any where been found, betweeS the Stour and Castor, suffi
cient to justify an alteration of the numerals.
Icianis may have been Icklingham ; and Camboricum was most pro
bably at Cambridge, from whence there is a Roman road discoverable to
Lincoln. To the first station, Godmanchester, this Iter goes on the great
communication between Colchester and Chester, which for the sake of dis
tinction may be called the Via Devana; and from Godmanchester to Lin
coln, on the eastern branch of the Ermyn Street, which was adopted by
the Romans. Twenty miles from Godmanchester, we find the great station
of Chesterton, on one side of the Nen, and Castor on the other ; which
probably gave rise to the two names of Durobrivce, and Durnomagus, the
Eoman and British towns severally noticed by Antonie and Richard.
About twenty-five miles further, in the course of the road which cannot be
mistaken, we find Ancaster, the Isinnis, Corisennis, or Causennis of the
Itineraries, from whence twenty-one additipnal miles bring us to Lincoln.

* Icianis XXVIII. Stukeley.
} Iter 17, XXX-,

Iter 17, XXX

+ Durolisponte, Iter 1 7.
(S Corisennis XXX, Iter 17,

486

RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER.

Iter IV.
(39) A Lindo ad VaUum usque, sic :
Corrected
Numbers.
(40) Argolico XIIII XIIII
(41) Dano XX XXI
Ibi intras Maximam
Caisariensem
(42) Legotio * m.p. XVI XVI
(43) Eburaco Municip. olim
Colonia Sexta f XXI XXI
(44) Isurio XVI XVII
(45) Cattaractoni J XXHII XXIIII
(46) Ad Tisam X XII
(47) Vinovio XII X
(48) Epiaco XVIII \ XIIII
(49) Ad Muram Villi $ Villi
trans Murum intras
Valentiam
(50) Alauna amne XXV XXV
(51) Tueda flumine XXX XXXV
(52) Ad Vallum

Sites oe the Stations.
From Lincoln to the WaU.

Littleborougb.
Doncaster.

CastlefordiYork. Aldborough.
Catterick.Pierce Bridge.
Binchester.Lanchester.Halton Chester on the Wall.

Banks of the Coquet,
Banks of the Tweed.
The Wall

The fourth Iter left Lincoln with the Eastern Ermyn Street, which ran
to the Humber ; and, after continuing on it about five miles, turned sud
denly to the left, pursuing its course in a straight line to the Trent, which
it passed immediately opposite to the station of Littleborough. The Rod
man road may be traced from hence to Austerfield and Doncaster, where
it feU in with the Western Ermyn Street, and is visible all the way by
Castleford, Aberford, and Tadcaster, to York. In tbis Iter, the station of
Tadcaster is passed unnoticed, as in the former the station of Brig Cas-
terton, near Stamford.
From York the Iter is continued along the left bank of the Ouse, till it
crossed the river to Aldborough. From hence rejoining the Western
Ermyn Street, it passed the Eure, and ran straight through Catterick to the
Tees, which it crossed at Piercebridge. It continued by the Royal Oak,
St. Andrew Aukland, and the Bishop's Park, to Binchester, where, after
fording the Were, it went with the North Watling Street to Lanchester ;
and, without noticing either Ebchester or Corbridge, over the Tyne to Hal-
ton Chester ori the Wall. Here separating from the North Watling Street,
it ran with the Ermyn Street, now known in Northumberland by the name
of the Devil's Causeway, to the bank of the Coquet and the Tweed, and
entering Scotland on the East, was continued to the wall of Antonine.
• LegioUo, Iter 18. f Iter 5 and 8, Eburaco. + Cataractone XL.

APPENDIX I.

487

Iter V.
(52) A Umite Praeturiam usque, sic :—

Sites op the Stations.
To Flamborough Head.

Corrected

Numbers.
(53) Curia *
(54) Ad fines
Chew Green.
(55) Bremenio
VII
Riechester.
(56) CorstopUo
XX
XXV
Corbridge.
(57) Vindomora
vim
Villi
Ebchester.
(47) Vindovio t
(45) Cattaractoni
XVIIII
XVIIII
Binchester.
XXII
XXII
Catterick.
(43) Eboraco
XL
XL
York.
(.58) Derventione
VII
VII
On the Derwent,
ford Bridge.
near Stam
(59) Delgovicia
1XIII
.
,
(60) Praeturio
t xxv
XXXVIII
Near Flamborou
;h Head.
In regard to the part of the country traversed by this Iter, there appears
to have been so little connection between the work of our author and the
map which accompanies it, that we can rely little on the latter either to
assist or correct us. This Iter is made to begin from Curia, a town pro
bably on the confines of some petty kingdom, and to pass to the first certain
post of Bremenium, or Riechester. Now, on referring to the map, Curia,
the principal town of the Gadeni, so far from lying on the road which leads
to Bremenium, the capital of the Ottadini, is considerably to the westward
of its course. From this disagreement, commentators have suspected a,
mistake of the transcriber, and imagine that Curia is intended for Corium.
It is certain, at least, that this Iter, running oii the east side of the island,
on the track of the Northern Watling Street, enters Northumberland at
Chew Green, goes from thence to Riechester (leaving unnoticed the station
at Risingham), and runs with it to Corbridge, Ebchester, Binchester, Catte
rick, and York.
From York to Flamborough Head, a Roman road may still be traced ;
and as the distance agrees with the Itinerary, and there must have been a
Eoman post on or near that headland, we should think it more probable
that this was the site of Prceturium,% although we have not yet discovered
the remains of any post on the Derwent, or the intermediate station of
Delgovicia. So many Roman roads from different quarters point towards
Stamford bridge, that there is no doubt the station of Derventio was
near it.
* Probably Corium, Stukeley.
+ Vinovio, Iter 4. i XXXVIII.
§ This Prceturium and the Prcetorium of Antonine must be carefully
distinguished from the Petuaria, mentioned by our author in the 17th Iter,
for Petuaria was certainly at Brough on the Humber.
488

RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER.

Iter VI.
(43) Ab Eboraco Devam usque, sic : —

Sites of the Stations.
From York to Chester.

Corrected

Numbers. vim
XXXII XXIII

Tadcaster.
Slack. Manchester.

VI
XXIII XVIII

Stretford on Mersey
Kinderton. Chester.

(6.) Calcaria m. p. Villi
(62) Camboduno XXII
(63) Mancunio * XVIII
(64) Finibus Maximae et Fla
vian XVIII
(65) Condate * XVIII
(20) Deva XVIII
Such appears to be the incorrectness of the numerals attached to this
Iter, as well as to the corresponding Iter of Antonine, that, although four
of the six stations, are well known, and a fifth can scarcely be mistaken,
yet, we can in no other way obviate the difficulty than by supposing a station
omitted, or by altering the numerals, none of which, except the first, agree
with the distances between the vestiges of the different stations and then-
supposed sites ; for example, in the first part between York and Manches
ter, where the Itinerary gives only 49 mUes, the nearest road through
Heathersfield amounts to 65.
As the only great and undoubted Roman station between Tadcaster and
Manchester is at Slack (for the camps at Kirklees, and Castleshaw, are
only temporary posts), it wiU perhaps be justifiable to fix this point as the
site of Cambodunum ; to suppose ten miles omitted in this stage ; and in
the next to conjecture that, by a common error in copying the Roman
numerals, XVIII. has been substituted for XXIII. the exact distance from
Slack to Manchester.
As the Mersey was undoubtedly the boundary on the West between tlie
Roman provinces of Maxima and Flavia, and as tbe Roman road still
existing crossed it at' Stretford, we fix the next point there, and change the
number XVII. to VI. The two next stations of Condate and Deva, the
numerals (with a sUght alteration) permit us to fix at Kinderton and
Chester. It is worthy of remark, that with these alterations the sum total
of the numerals remains nearly the same.

Iter VII.
(66) A Portu Sistuntiorum Eboracum usque,
sic : — Corrected
Numbers. XIII
XXIII X
XVIII XVII

Sites of the Stations.
From Freckleton to York.

(67) Rerigonio XXIII
(68) Ad Alpes Peninos VIII
(69) Alicana X
(44)isuriof XVIII
(43) Eboraco XVI

Ribchester.Burrens in Broughton.
Ilkley. Aldborough.York.

Iter 10, Mancunio— Condate XXIII. f Stukeley, XVIIII,

APPENDIX I.

489

This Iter runs from Freckleton on the Ribble to Ribchester, and then
over the mountains to Broughton, Ilkley, Aldborough and York. As the
Roman road is tolerably perfect all the way to Aldborough, and the ves
tiges of the stations are undoubted, we are justified in the alteration of the
first two numbers, as by this alteration they will correspond with the pre
sent distances and the situations of the posts.

Iter VIII.
(43) Ab Eboraco Luguvalium usque, sic :—
Corrected

(45) Cattaractoni XL
(70) Lataris * XVI
(71) Vataris + XVI
(72) Brocavonacis t XVIII
(Brovonacis,)
(73) Vorreda XVIII
(74) Lugubaha § XVIII

Numbers. XL
XVIII XIIII XIII
XIIII XIII

Sites op the Stations.
From York to Carlisle.

Catterick. Bowes.Brough.
Kirby Thur.
Plumpton Wall.
CarUsle.

The road from York to Catterick has been traced before, and the Romam
way from thence to CarUsle ran nearly in the direction of the present turn
pike. The only doubt which occurs, therefore, in this Iter, is whether,
from a similarity of sound, the transcriber of Richard has not erroneously
written Brocavonacis for Brovonacis, whicii are two neighbouring posts in
this direction, the first Brougham, and the second Kirby Thur. As the
conjecture is not improbable, the corrected distance is given from the
latter. It is worthy of observation that in this Iter four successive Vs have
been added by mistake of the transcriber, as is the case in regard to the
X's omitted in the third Iter.

Iter IX.

Sites of the Stations.

(74) A Luguballio Btorotomioa usque,

From Carlisle to Burgh

sic :—

Head.

Corrected

Numbers.

(75) Trimontio m. p.
Birrenswork Hill.
(76) Gadanica
*
(77) Corio
(52) Ad VaUum
Cameloii.
Incipit Vespasiana
(78) Alauna XII
XIII
Kier,
* Lataris. XVII. Stuk. t XVI. Stuk.
j Iter 10 inverted, Brocavonacis — Luguvallia, XXII.
XX. Stuk.
490

RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER.

(79) Lindo

Villi

Villi

Ardoch.

(80) Victoria

Villi

Villi

Dealgin Ross.

(81) Ad Hiernam

Villi

vim

Strageth.

(82) Orrea

XIIII

XIIII

On the Tay above Perth.

(83) Ad Tavum

XVIIII

XVIIII

Near Invergowrie.

(84) Ad ^Esicam

XXIII

XXIII

Brechin on South Esk.

(85) Ad Tinam

VIII

VIII

Fordun.

(86) Devana

XXIII

XXIII

Norman Dikes near Peter
Culter.

(87) Ad Itunam

xxiiii

XXVI

GlenmaiUn on the Ithan.

(88) Ad Montem

irampium

XIII

Near Knock HUl.

(89) Ad Selinam

X

On the CuUen near Deskford.

(90) Tuessis

XVIIII

xvii

On the Spey near Belhe.

(91) Ptorotone

XVII

Burgh Head.

Innumerable difficulties occur on every side in endeavouring to explain
this Iter. There is great reason to beUeve that the Trimontium of this
Iter was Birrenswork Hill, and that the road ran from thence along the
western side of the island as it is traced in the map of Richard. Camelon
is allowed by all antiquaries to be the Ad Vallum: but it is impossible to
draw the line between these two points; for although General Roy has
mentioned a road from Carlisle on the eastern side of the EUdon Hills, and
another on the western beyond Clegbom to Castle Cary, there is Uttle
authority for the existence of either. Lynekirk has every appearance of a
station, lay within the territories of the Gadeni, and would suit the situation
assigned to Gadanica, but no road has hitherto been discovered leading to
or from it. If the western trended at Biggar as much to the east, as that
part which remains in the direction of Glasgow does to the west, it would
have passed Borthwich Castle or the Gore, which Roy supposes was the
Corium. Admitting the identity of this station would clear up the whole
of this Iter to the Wall. There is no doubt that the sites of Lindum,
Victoria, and Ad Hiernam were at Ardoch, Dealgin Ross, and Strageth.
Notwithstanding the difficulties which occur in tracing this Iter from
Carlisle to the Wall, yet from thence to the Tay the direction of the road,
and the situation of the stations as fixed by General Roy agree so perfectly
with the Itinerary, as to leave no doubt that he has ascertained their real
position. But although he discovered a road north of the Tay, yet, as he
found no vestiges of stations, Mr. Chalmers seems to have been more
successful in fixing the posts between that river and Ptorotone
It does not appear that the road was ever completed: however, from
Orrea on the Tay, a little above Perth, he observes, that the communication
ran through the passage of the Sidlaw Hills, and along the Carse of Gowrie
to the north end of the estuary of the Tay near Dundee; two mUes west
of which place, and half a mile north of Invergowrie, are the remains of a
Roman camp about two hundred yards square, fortified with a high
rampart and spacious ditchi Here he plates Ad Tavum. Proceeding
hence north-easterly through the natural opening Of the country, and
passing in the way the camp at Harefaulds, nt the distance of twenty-three
miles is Brechin on the South Esk, the station Ad Msicam, exactly in the
line laid down in Richard's map, and at the distance given in tlie Itinerarv.
Continuing from the South Esk in a north-north-easterly direction, at the

APPENDIX I.

491

distance of five miles and a half, we reach the North Esk, the supposed
Ad Tinann We pass that river at King's Ford, and proceeding up the
valley of Lutherwater, at the distance of eight miles and a half find
Fordun, where there are the remains of two Roman camps-. From thence
proceeding seventeen miles, to the well khowh camp at Raedikes, and
continuing in a northerly direction six miles beyond, is the rectangular
camp on the Dee at Peter Culter, called Norman Dikes, the Devana of
the Iter. This point is exactly thirty-one mUes from Brechin on the South
Esk, agrees with the aggregate distances in the Itinerary Ad Tinam VIII,
and Ad Devanam XXIII, and corresponds with the track delineated on
Richard's map.
The obvious openings through this rugged country point out the way by
which the Romans must have penetrated northerly by the right of Achlea
Fiddy and Kinmundy, to Kintore on the Don. They followed the Strath
to the ford where the high road has always passed to Inverurie, and
proceeded north-north-west through the moorlands, to the sources of the
Ithan, and the camp at GlenmaiUn, the Ituna of Richard, a distance of
twenty-six mUes. From thence proceeding northward, across the Doverna
at Achengoul, where are still considerable remains of military works; and
at the distance of thirteen miles, we reach the high ground north of Foggy
lone, at the east side of Knock HiU, the Mons Grampius of the Iter.
Hence the road runs to Ad Selinam, which is supposed to be on the
Cullen, near the old Tower of Deskford, at the distance of ten mues.
FoUowing the course of the river, and the coast of the Murray Frith,
seventeen mues, we arrive at the Roman post of Tuessis, on the high bank
of the Spey, below the church of Bellie. Seventeen mUes further is
Burgh Head, the Ptorotone of Richard.

Iter X.

Sites of the Stations.

(91) Ab ultima Ptorotone

per mediam

From Burgh Head

through

insula; Isca Damnonorum usqUe, sie : —

the middle Of the island

Corrected

to Exeter.

Numbers.
(92) Varis*m. p. VIII
m
Fores
Villi
(93) Ad Tuessim XVIII
»l
Cromdall on Spey
XX
(94) Tamea XXVIIII
15
Braemar Castle
XXX
(95)  XXI
£ 2
Barra Castle on Ila
XXX
(96) In Medio Villi
"S 1 "
Inchstuthill
XII
(82) Orrea Villi
Bertha on Tay
Villi
(80) Victoria XVIII
« _
Dealgin Ross
XXIIII
(52) Ad Vallumt XXXII
B §
c5 tin
Camelon
XXXII
(74) Luguballia LXXX
"A
V
Carlisle CXVIIII
(97) Brocavonacis XXII
XXI
I
Brougham.
* Villi. Stukeley.
t XXX. Iter 9.
492

RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER,

(98 Ad Alaunam
(99) Coccio
(63) Mancunio
(65) Condate
(100) Mediolanq
(15) Etoceto

XVIII
XXIII XVIII

(101) Salinis m. p.

(102) Glebon Colon, m. p.
(103) Corino XIIII
(104) Aquas Solis m. p. . .
(105) Ad Aquas XVIII
(106) Ad; Uxellam amnem
m. p. . . . .
(107) Iscam. p. . . .

XXXXVII XXXVI XVIII
XXIII XVI
XXXV XXII
XXXII II
XVIII xxx XX
XXI
xxxxv

Lancaster.Blackrode.Manchester.Kinderton.Chesterton.Wall.

Droitwich.

Gloucester.Cirencester.Bath.Probably Wells.
Probably Bridgewater.
Exeter.

The first part of this Iter is taken from General Roy ; and as we have
none of the intermediate stations between Carlisle and the Wall, every
commentator may choose what route he pleases, although none will
coincide with the distances of the Itinerary. From Carlisle, if we place
any reliance on the numbers, the next station, Brocavonavis, can only be
fixed at Brougham. Thence the road to the banks of the Lune, as well as
the station on it, is uncertain ; for, whether we choose Overborough or Lan
caster, we know of no road to direct us ; and the only reason for preferring
the latter is the supposed site of the next station, Coccium, at Blackrode,
and the course of the road throughLancaster, tending more immediately tp
that point, than the road through Overborough. The two next stations,
Mancunium and Condate, as well as the connecting line of road, are weU
known. From Kinderton, although there is a Roman way pointing tq
Chesterton in Staffordshire, the Mediolanum of this Iter, and the site of
Etocetum is undoubtedly Wall, yet we speak with hesitation of the Une of
communication betwixt them ; though we presume it ran through New
castle, Stone, and Ridgeley. From WaU, which is on the WatUng Street,
the Iter continues along the Ryknield Street, through Sutton Colfield Park,
to Birmingham. There falling in with the first Salt-Way, it proceeds to
Droitwich, and is continued by the Western Road, through Worcester to
Gloucester. Here, turning nearly at a right angle, it passes by the well
known Roman road over BirdUp HUl to Cirencester ; and trending to the
right, proceeds by the Foss to Aqua Solis or Bath. Quitting the Foss, and
still bearing to the right, it continues along the lower road to Wells, and
from thence to Uxella, which was probably at Bridgewater. From the
banks of the Parret it ran in the track of the British Way, and the pre?
pent turnpike by Taunton, WeUington, and Collumpton, to Exeter.

APPENDIX 1.

493

Iter XI.
(104) Ab Aquis, per Viam JuUam, Mena
piam usque, Sic : — Corrected
Numbers.
[103) Ad Abonam m. p. VI VI )
(109) Ad Sabrinam VI Villi \
Unde Trajec'tu* in
tras in Britanniam
Secundam
(110) Et Stationem Trajec-
tumt HI III
(111) Venta Silurum JVIII Villi
(112) Isca Colonia Villi Villi
Unde fuit Aaron
Martyr.
(113) Tibia Amne§ VIII

(114) Bovio
(115) Nido
(116) Leucaro (Muridunum

XX XV XV
omit.
XX)
(117) Ad Vigesimum XX
(118) Ad MenapianrXVIIII
Ab hac urbe per m.p.
XXX
Navigas in Hyberniam.

XV
XX
XX X
XX
XX
XVIII

Sites of the Stations.
From Bath by the Julian
Wuf to St; David's

Bitton. Sea Milk.

Severn Side.
Caerwent. Caerleon.

Batiks of the Taaf, possibly
Caireu or Caerdiff.
In Evenny Park.
Near Neath.
Perhaps Lwghor.
Caermarthen.Castel Flemish. ||
Near St. David's.

As the course of the Roman road connecting the stations of this Iter
is still discernible, we do not hesitate in correcting the imperfections of
Richard by the corresponding Iter of Antonine. At Bitton, six miles from
Bath, we find marks of a post attended with tumuli, which whether called
Abone or Trajectus% is of little importance, because, like the next, Sea
MiUs, it wiU suit either appeUatioo, from its position on the Avon, and
commanding a passage over that river. From Bitton the Roman way ran
nearly in the direction of the present turnpike, north of the river as far as
St. George's church ; thence it proceeded straight near St. Paul's ; ascended

* Statio Trajectus. Comtn. + Ad Sabrirkm: Comm.
1 Villi. Stukley. § Tibia VII. Stukley.
|| This station was discovered by Mr. Fenton during his researches for
his History of Pembrokeshire. It lies in the parish of Ambleston;
H We prefer the nameof^lione for Sea Mills, because it bears that
name in old deeds ; on the other hand, there appears to be no instance in
which the name of Trajectus is applied to a town unless at the passage Of
a river.

494

RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER.

the Downs behind Mr. Daubeney's house to the direction-post, from whence
it crossed Durdham Down, and skirted Mrs. Jackson's park waU to Sea
Mills, a great maritime post at the confluence of the Trim and the Avon.
It continued by Lord De Clifford's house straight to fhe Severn, crossed that
river, and passed by Caldecot Castle through Caerwent and Caerleon to the
bank of the Taaf and Evenny Park, which last place Roman remains lead
us to conjecture was the site of Bovium. At Neath we have also little
hesitation in fixing the site of Nidus, because a road from the Gaer near
Brecon evidently leads to the same spot.
The remainder of this Iter is obscure. Leucaro has been fixed at
Lwghor, principaUy from the resemblance of the name. From thence the
road may have run to Caermarthen (Maridunum), which appears to have
been omitted ; and was probably continued as straight as the country would
permit to Castel Flemish and St. David's, where we would place the stations
Vigesimum and Menapia.*

Iter XII.
(104) Ab Aquis Londinium usque, sjc :-

(119) Verlucionem. p. XV
(120) Cunetione XX
(121) Spinis XV
'122) Calleva Atrebatum
XV
(123) Bibracte .... XX }
(5) Londinio XX J

Corrected Numbers. XV XV
XX

XXXXIIII

Sites op the Stations.

Highfield, near Sacdv Lane.
Folly Farm, E. of "Marlbo
rough.
Spene. Silchester.
London.

As the traces of a Roman road from Bath towards Marlborough are still
visible, we have only to examine in what points of its course remains have
been found sufficient to justify us in determining the sites of the different
Stations. Accordingly, at fifteen miles from Bath we have Highfield, in
Sandy Lane, near Heddington ; and at fifteen more FoUy Farm, near
Marlborough. From hence twenty miles bring us to Spene ; and although
at this place few remains have been discovered, yet the direction of another
Roman road, from Cirencester to the same point, sufficiently proves the
existence of a station. Of the site of Calleva at Silchesterf there can be

* The bishops of St. David's being called in Latin Menapienses hy the
earliest of our ecclesiatical writers, is an argument that the station is near
the present town. The site of the station itself was probably at a short
distance from the modern city, at a place called the Burrows, and just
above a fine harbour called the Porth Mawr.
t Few of the Roman stations have been fixed at so many different
places as that of Calleva Atrebatum. It has been placed at Silchester,
Henley, Wallingford, and Reading, by different antiquaries ; yet in no

APPENDIX I,

495

little doubt ; although the course of the road from Spene is uncertain. The
road from Silchester, still known hy the name of the Devil's Causeway, as
it runs over Bagshot Heath, as well as evident traces of it between Staines
and London, still exist ; but the intermediate station of Bibracte is doubt
ful. If the numbers in this Iter be correct, we cannot deviate from the
straight line, and this post must be placed near the hill at Egham, or
the head of the Virginia Water.

Iter XIII.
(112) Ab Isca Uriconium usque, sic : —
Corrected

(124) Bultro m. p. VIII
(125) Gobannio XII
(126) Magna XXIII
(127) Branogenio XXIII
(18) Urioconio XXVII

Numbers. VIII XII
XXIII
XXIII
XXVII

Sites of the Stations.
From Caerleon to Wroxeter,

Usk.Abergavenny,
Kentchester.Lentwardine,
Wroxeter.

The beginning of this Iter cannot be traced, notwithstanding two out of
the three stations are well known ; and we have little doubt that Ballrum
or Burrium was at Usk (though no Roman remains have been found there),
because the distance given from Caerleon to Gobannium or Abergavenny
will not admit of any deviation from the straight line. From Abergavenny,
after passing the Munnow, the Roman road still exists, particularly near
Madley, pointing to Kentchester, and from thence may be traced by the
next post of Lentwardine on the Teme, to Wroxeter.

doubtful case do more testimonies concur to ascertain the site, It was
evidently a station of importance, because it appears as a central point, to
which the roads traversed by three different Iters of Antonine (the 13th,
14th, and 15th,) converge. It was the capital of the Atrebates ; situated
at known distances from London, Winchester, Bath, Spene, and Caerleon ;
and at a doubtful one, though easily supplied, from Cirencester and Old
Sarum. These circumstances cannot by any expedient be brought to coin
cide, either with Henley, Wallingford, or Reading ; but all agree in regard
to Silchester. Its distance nearly accords with the Itinerary distance of
Calleva from London, Bath, Spene, Winchester, and Caerleon, and, if a
station (which is evidently lost) in the Iter of Antonine Be supplied, with
that from Cirencester. The present remains are those of a great Roman
town ; it is situated in the district formerly inhabited by the Atrebates ;
and in every direction traces of Roman roads converging to this point still
plainly exist, from London, Spene, Winchester, Old 'Sarum, Bath, and
Cirencester.

496

RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER.

Iter XIV.
(112) Ab Isca, per Glebon, Lindum, usque,
sic : — Corrected
Numbers. XIII XII XV
XX XV
XVIIII XXI XII
XIIXII VII
VII
XII

(124) Ballio* m. p. VIII
(128) Blestio XII
(129) Sariconio XI
(102) Glebon Colonia XV
(130) Ad Antonam XV
(131) Alauna XV
(121) 

.(13) Vennonis
(133) Ratiscorion
(134) Venromento
(135) Margiduno
(1 36) Ad Pontem
(137) Crococolana
(39) Lindum

XII
XII XII
xn xn
XII

Sites of the Stations.

ter, to Lincoln.

Usk.Monmouth.
Rose orBerry HUl in Weston.
Gloucester.
On the Avon.
Alcester on the Aln.
Camp at Chesterton on the
Foss, near Harwood's house.
High Cross.
Leicester.WUloughby.
East Bridgeford.
Near Thorpe turnpike.
Brough.
Lincoln.

This Iter ran, Uke the former, from Caerleon to Usk, where bending to
the right it traversed the country to Monmouth. From hence, although we
cannot trace the exact line of the road, yet we have no doubt that it crossed
the Wye to the next station at Berry HiU, in Weston, under Penyard ;
and continued nearly in a direct Une to Gloucester. As the author has
only left the name of a river for the next station, it must be placed in such
a situation on the Avon as to admit the distance of fifteen miles from the
next station of Alcester, which was the site of Alauna. This would carry
it to the westward of Evesham. From Alcester, Ukewise, till we reach the
Foss, we have neither a road nor distance, nor even the name of a station.
For this reason we deem ourselves justified in considering the undoubted
Roman camp at Chesterton on the Foss, as the post omitted by our author,
and from thence we proceed on that known miUtary way to the certain
stations of High Cross, Leicester, WUloughby, Bridgeford, Brough, and
Lincoln.

Iter XV.
(5) A Londinio, per Clausentum, in Lon
dinium usque, sic : — Corrected
Numbers.
(122) Caleba m. p. XLIII1 XLIIII
(138) Vindomi XV XV
'139) Venta Belgarum XXI XXI

Sites of the Stations.
From London, through Bit
tern, again to London.

SUch ester.
Near St, Mary Bourne:
Winchester.

Bultrojlter 13

APPENDIX I.

497

(140) Ad Lapidem VI
(141) Clausento IIII
(142) Portu Magno X
(143) Regno X
(144) Ad Decimum X
(145) Anderida Portu . . .
(146) Ad Lemanum XXV
(147) Lemaniano Portu X
(148) Dubris X
(1) Rhutupis Colonia X
(149) Regulbio X
(2) ContiopoU X
(3) Durelevo XVIII
(150) Mado XII
(151) Vagnaca XVIII
(152) Novio Mago XVIII
(5) Londinio XV

VI
IIII
XV
XV X
*XLV XXV XX X
XV
vim x
xn
XVIII vim xv

Stoneham.Bittern, near Southampton.
Portchester. Chichester.
On the Arun.
Pevensey. On the Rother.
Lymne.Dover.Richborough.Reculver.Canterbury.Stone Chaple in Ospringe.
On the bank of the Medway.
Barkfields in Southfleet.
Holwood HiU.
London.

XV
This- Iter leads from London to the south-west part of Hampshire, and
from thence, skirting the Sussex and Kentish coasts, back to the capital.
At the first step the author gives forty-four miles as the distance between
London and Silchester, instead of forty, as in the twelfth Iter ; hence we
may deviates Uttle in settling the site of Bibracte or Ad Pontes. Of the
next station we can merely offer a conjecture. As the country of the At
rebates and their capital, Calleva or SUchester, is by our author described
as lying near the Thames, in distinction from that of the Segontiaci,f whose
capital, Vindomis, was further distant from that river, and nearer the Ken-
net, one point only appears to suit the distances, which bears the proper
relation to the neighbouring stations, and at the same time falls at the inter
section of two known Roman roads. This is in the neighbourhood of St.
Mary Bourne, and affords reason for considering Egbury Camp, or ' some
spot near it, as the capital of the Segontiaci. For by following the Roman
road called the Portway from SUchester, at the distance of fifteen nriles is
the rivulet near St. Mary Bourne, and not far from it, the point where the
Portway is intersected by the Roman road from Winchester to Cirencester ;
and proceeding along this last we have another distance of twenty-one
miles to Winchester. The road from Winchester by Otterbourne to Stone-
ham, and thence by the Green Lane to Bittern, is well known, and the
distance sufficiently exact. But from thence, although traces of the road
are occasionally discoverable on Ridgway, and to the north of Bursledon
HUl, pointing towards Fareham and Portchester, yet the latter part is almost
totally unknown or lost. From Portchester it ran in the track of the pre
sent turnpike to Chichester ; and over the Arun not far from Arundel ; and
then along the coast to Pevensey, the banks of the Rother, Lymne, Dover,
Richborough, Reculver, and Canterbury. There falling into the track of
* Stukeley, X.
+ Richard, b. 1, c. 6, sect. 28, describing the several nations whose terri
tories were watered by the Thames in its course to the German Ocean,
places the Atrebates between the Hedui and the Cassii, without even men
tioning the Segontiaci, a proof that their territories did not approach the
river.
K K

498

RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER.

the first Iter, it went along the Watling Street to the bank of the Medway,
and passing that river, proceeded by Barkfields in Southfleet, a station
omitted before, across the country with the ancient WatUng Street, (by a
road now unknown *), to Holwood HUl, the capital of the Regni, and from
thence to London.

Iter XVI.
(5) A Londinio Ceniam usque, sic : —
Corrected
Numbers.
(139) Venta Belgarum m. i
(153) Brige
(154) Sorbioduno
(155) Ventageladia

. XC XI
VIII XII

(156) Durnovaria
(157) Moriduno

Villi
XXXIII

(107) Isca Damnon XV
(158) Durio Amne . . .
(159) Tamara.

(,160) Voluba

LXXX XI
Villi XV
xxx xxx
XXVIII XXIII XXVI
XXVIII XX

Sites of the Stations.
From London to the Fal.

Winchester.
Near Broughton.
Old Sarum.
Gussage Cow Down.
Dorchester. Seaton.Exeter.On the Dart.
Or. the Tamar.
On the Fowey.
On the Fal.

(161) Cenia
The exact route from London to Winchester not being defined, we may
suppose that it ran, as before, through SUchester, and from thence by
St. Mary Bourne, as in the 15th Iter. From Winchester, as the road still
exists leading to Old Sarum, the distance of eleven miles will probably
give the site of Brige, although the station itself is not known; and the
nine following will lead us to Old Sarum. Pursuing the course of the
road, which may be stiU traced quite to Dorchester, remains found on
Gussage Cow Down point out the site of Ventageladia ; and the disagree
ment between tbe Itinerary and real distance from thence to Dorchester
justifies us in supposing that some intermediate post has been omitted.
The site of Moridunum is doubtful; some thinking it to be Eggerdon, or
the Hill of the Morini, with which the distance of nine miles would not
disagree; while others, with more reason, prefer Seaton, the great port of
the West, because the Foss leads from Uchester directly to it. Intermediate
stations have evidently been lost between this place and Exeter, as has also
been the case between that place and the Dart, the Tamar, the Fowey and
the Fal. From Honiton the road is visible pointing to Exeter, as well as
from Exeter to Totness, and according to tlie ingenious Borlase, even to
Lostwithiel.

* In Hasted 's History of Kent is a passage which countenances the idea
of an ancient road having traversed the country in this Une.

APPENDIX I.
Iter XVII.
Ab Anderida [Eboracum] usque, sic: —
Corrected
(162) Sylva Anderida Numbers.
m. p. . .
(1521 Novio Mago XXXX
(5) Londinio XV XV
(163) Ad Fines' XXVIII
(36) Durolispontef XXX
(37 Durnomago XXX XX

499
Sites op the Stations.
From East bourne to York.

(38) Corisennis XXX
(39) Lindo XXX
(164) In Medio XV
(165) Ad Abum XV
Unde transis in Max
imam
(166) Ad Petuariam VI
(43) Deinde Eboraco, ut
supra (It. 5)
, p. XLVI

XXV XXI XV XV

VI

XXX

East Bourne.
Holwood HUl.
London.Brougham.Godmanchester.
Castor, on the left bank of
the Nen.
Ancaster.
Lincoln. Winterton.

Brough.

York.

This Iter ran in the track of the British Ermyn Street, from Pevensey
and East Bourne, which were perhaps the Anderida Partus and Anderida
of the 15th Iter, along the ridge of hills to Holwood HiU (already
mentioned as the capital of the Rhemi), and from thence to London, but
its traces are now so obscure as to be almost forgotten. Some think that
from London it proceeded along the British Street, by the Green Lanes,
Cheshunt, and to the west of Broxbourne to Ware; whUe others suppose
that this Roman road went much straighter, and nearly in the course of
the present turnpike through Ware to Broughing, a post at the confluence
of the Rib and the Quin, where was probably the station Ad Fines, the
boundary between the countries of the Iceni, the Cassii, and the Trino-
bantes. From hence the Roman road is so perfect by Caxton quite to
Lincoln, that we fix the station of Durnomagus at the great camp near
Castor, and the three others at Godmanchester, Ancaster, and Lincoln.
From Lincoln the Roman road proceeds directly to the banks of the Humber,
having, at the distance assigned in the Iter, the Mansio in Medio, and the
postat Winterton; from whence six mUes carry us across the river to Brough,
or Petuaria, a post often confounded with the Pratorium of the 6th Iter.
As there is a Roman road still existing from Brough towards Weighton,
and then over Barmby Moor to York, there can be little doubt in
considering it as the course of this Iter. Should, however, the forty-six
miles given in the Itinerary (which appears to have been an error arising
from the mistake of the transcriber in confounding Petuaria and
Prtsturium) be considered as correct, the course of the Iter may be
Bupposed to have run from Brough by Londesborough and Millington, to
the great road from Flamborough, and then to have turned with it to York,
making exactly the forty-six miles of the Itinerary.
• Stuk. XXX.
t It. 3. Duraliponte — Durnomago XX.-
K K 2

-Isinnis XX.— Lindo XX.

500

RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER.

Iter XVIII.
(43) Ab Eboraco per medium insulae
Clausentum usque, sic : — Corrected
numbers.
(42) Legiolio m. p. XXI XXI
(167) Ad Fines XVIII XXIII

(168) 
(169) 
(170) Derventione*
(171) Ad Trivonam
"(15) Etocetof
(14) Manduesuedo
(13) Benonnis
(12) Tripontio
(ll) Isannavaria
(172) Brinavis

XVIXVI
XVI XII XII
XVI XII XI
XII XII

C173) M\h. Castra
(174) Dorocina
(175) Tamesi Vindomi >
(122) Calleva ]
(141) Clausento XXXXVI

XVI XV VI
XV

XVI XII
XII XII
XII
XVI XII XI X
XII
XVI
XVI VI

Sites of the Stations.
From York through the mid
dle of the island to Bittern.

Castleford.Temple Brough, on the bank
of the Don.
Tapton HiU near Chesterfield.
Camp near Penkridge.
Little Chester.
Berry Farm, in Branston.
Wall
Manceter. High Cross.
Near Dove Bridge.
Burnt Walls.
Black Ground, near Chipping
Norton.
Alcester, near Bicester.
Dorchester. On the Thames.
SUchester.

Bittern, near Southampton.

XX
xxxxv
This Iter proceeds from York in the same direction as the fourth to
Castleford, where, bearing to the right to join the Ryknield Street, it
continues with it through the several stations of Temple Brough on the
Don, Chesterfield, Penkridge, Little Chester, and Branston, to WaU.
Here diverging to the left with the Watling Street, it passed through
Manceter, High Cross, and Dove Bridge, to Burnt WaUs. It there quitted
the known road, and bore across the country, by an unknown route, to
Alcester, on the Akeman street ; but the considerable remains found at
Black Ground, near Chippington Norton, would lead us to place the
station of Brinavis there, if the Roman road did not make any material
deviation between Burnt Walls and Alcester.
From Alcester the road runs plainly over Ottmoor, and indeed almost
all the way to Dorchester. But from thence as we can discover no traces
of a road, and as our next post appears to have been only six miles distant
and on the Thames, if any reliance can be placed on the number, it may
be the point where the Roman road from Wantage apparently passes that
river opposite Mongewell. The next distance of fifteen miles, being
insufficient to lead us by any road to Vindomis, if it were placed either at
SUchester or near St. Mary Bourne, it is more than probable that there is
Bome eiTor in the name of the station ; and as the foUowing number of
forty-six miles agrees with the distance in the 1 5th Iter of the road from
Silchester passing near Egbury to Bittern, we cannot help supposing that
the name of Vindomis has been inserted by mistake for that of Calleva.
* XVI. f It. 2, inv. Etoceto. — Manduesuedo XIII. — Benonnis
XII. — Tripontio Isantia Varia XII.

APPPNDTX n.

501

APPENDIX.— No. II.

HANES TALIESIN, OR THE HISTORY OF TALIESIN.

The primary domestic bard
Am 1 to Elphin,
And my original country
Is the region of Cherubims.
Joannes the divine
CaUed me Merddin,
At length every king
Will caU me TaUesin.
I was fuU nine months
In the womb of mother Cyridwen ;*
I was Uttle Gwion heretofore,
Taliesin am I now.
I was with my Lord
In the superior state,
When Lucifer did faU
To the infernal deep.
I have borne a banner
Before Alexander :
I know the names of the stars
From the north to Auster.
I have been in the circle of Gwdion
Tetragammaton ;+
I conducted Hean f
To the depth of Ebron vale,
I was in Canaan
When Absalom was slain,
I was in the Court of Don §
Before Gwdion was born,
I was an attendant
On EU and Enoc ;
I was on the cross-devoting sentence
Of the Son of the merciful God.
I have been chief keeper
Of the.-work of Nimrod's tower ;
I have been three revolutions
In the circle of Arianrod.H
I was in the Ark

With Noah and Alpha ;
I beheld the destruction
Of Sodoma and Gomorra ;
I was in Africa
Before Rome was buUt :
I am come here
To the remnants of Troia.
I was with my Lord
In the manger of the she-ass ;
I strengthened Moses
Through the Jordan water.
I have been in the firmament
With Mary Magdalen ;
I have been gifted with genius
From the Cauldron of Cyridwen.
I have been bard of the harp
To the Teon of Lochlyn fl
I have endured hunger
For the son of the Virgin.
I have been in the White HUl * *
In the court of Cynvelyn,
In stocks and fetters,
For a year and a day.
I have had my abode
In the kingdom of the Trinity ;
It is not known what is my body,
Whether flesh or fish.
I have been an instructor
To the whole universe ;
I shall remain till the day of doom
On the face of the earth,
I have been in an agitated seat
Above the circle of Sidin,+f
And that continues revolving
Between three elements :
Is it not a wonder to the world,
That it reflects not a splendour ?

[From Meyrick's History of Cardiganshire, p. 65, 2 vols. London, 1806.]
* Venus. t The Galaxy. i The Divine Spirit.
§ Or Llys Don, i. e. Cassiopeia. || The Northern Crown. II Denmark.
* * Tower of London. +t Perhaps Caer Sidin, or the Zodiac.

GENERAL INDEX.

Aaron, a British martyr, 161, 242, 303, 466"
jElla, king of the South Saxons, 1.
jElla, usurper of Northumbria, 52.
jEneas, the Trojan, marries Lavinia, 91,
387.
-ffisc, king of Kent, 7.
Aetius, a Roman general, 307, 450.
Aganippus, king of the Franks, 116.
Agricola, Roman governor, 443, 448, 450,
466, 470.
Aidan, king of the Scots, 285.
Alan, king of Armorica, 290.
Alban, St. bis martyrdom, 161, 303, 445,
466.
Albanact, a son of Brutus, killed, 109.
Aldhelm, bishop, 14.
Aldroen, king of Armorica, 177.
Alfred, Asser's Life of, 43 — 48 , some
further notices of, 1, 2, 27—37, 132 ; bis
children, 2, 68.
Alfrid, king of Northumbria, 14, 286.
Alifantinam, king of Spain, slain, 264.
Alia [Ella] king of Northumbria, 8.
Allectus, emperor in Britain, 159, 160.
Alleluiatic victory, 406.
Allobroges, in Switzerland, 126.
Amalgaid, king of Connaught, 410.
Amatheus consecrates St. Patrick, 410.
Ambrius, founder of a monastery, 190.
Ambrosius [Emrys Wledig], 182, 207 —
219,396,403,407,416.
Amphibalus, St. 161.
Anacletus taken prisoner by Brutus, 94 — 96.
Andragius, a king of Britain, 136.
Androgeus, duke of Trinovantum, 137.
Anglia, East, genealogy ofthe kings, 412.
Antenor, Trojan, 102.
Antigonus taken prisoner by Brutus, 94.
Antoninus's wall, 450.
Anwind, a Danish king, 30, 58.
Archflamins made archbishops, 155.
A nanism spreads in Britain, 304.
Arthgallo deposed, 134, 135.
Arthmail, a king of Britain, 136.
Arthur, king, not noticed by Gildas or
Bede, 89; his exploits, 225—271, 408;
coronation, 243—245, death, 271-
Arviragus, a king of Britain, 149 — 153.
Ascanius, son of jEneaa, 91, 387, 388.
AschiUius, king of Dacia, slain, 271-
Asclcpiodatus frees Britain fi om the
Romans, 160—162, 466.
Assa (Cissa), king of the South Saxons, 7.
Assaracus joins Brutus against the Gre
cian nt, 82,
Assuvacus, king of Germany, 113-

Asser, archbishop of St. David's, Life of
Alfred, vi. 43—86 ; visits king Alfred, 70.
Athelred, archbishop of Canterbury, 34.
Athelstan, king of Kent, <fcc. 22, 23, 45.
Athelstan, king of Mercia, 39, 40.
Angusil, king of Albania, 238, 249, 269.
Augustine, archbishop of Canterbury, 9 — 11,
275, 438, 444.
Aulus Planting visits Britain, 469.
Aurelius Antoninus' victories in Britain,
466.
Auxilius, a bishop of Ireland, 410.
Bagsac, a Danish king, slain, 56.
Baldulph, a Saxon chief, 230—234.
Bards, tbe British poets, 434.
Bassianus kills his brother Geta, 157—159,
449, 466.
Battles between the Romans and the
Britons at the invasion, 138 — 153 ; oo
the Grampian hills, 451.
Battles between the Britons and Saxons at
Anderida, 7 ; Badon-hill, 313, 409 ; the
river Bassas, 498 ; Beandune, 12 ; Bedan-
ford, 8 ; Berin-byrig, 8 ; Breguoin, 409 ;
Cat Coit Celidon, 408 ; Cerdic's-ore, 7 ;
Cirencester, 12 ; the river Darent, 404 ;
Deorhamme, 9 ; the river Duglas, 230, 270,
408 ; Fethanleage, 9 : the river Gleni, 408 ;
Gnrnion castle, 40S ; Hengeston, 22 ;
Mearcraedsburn, 7 ; Scarburh, 8 ; Stone,
404 ; Trat Treuroit, 409 ; Verulam, 228.
Battles between the English and the Danes
at Ac-lea, 45 ; -Escendune, 27, 54 ;
Basing, 27, 56 ; Brumby, 39 ; Cambridge,
38; Canterbury, 44; Charmouth, 21,
22 ; Devonshire, 30, 44, 61 ; East An
glia, 22, 26, 33, 50 ; Edington, 62 ; Ethun-
dune ; 31 ; Exeter, 59 ; Hampshire, 25,
50 ; Holme, 38 ; Kent, 22, 25, 45, 50, 61 ;
Mercia, 26 ; Merton, 27 ; Nottingham,
53 ; Port, 22 ; Reading, 29, 54 ; South
ampton, 22 ; the Stour, 65 ; Surrey, 23,
44 ; Swanwich, 59 ; "Wareham, 58 ; Wes
sex, 26 ; "Wilton. 56 ; York, 52.
Beadaherd, reve of the shire, 19.
Bede noticed, 15, 89.
Bedver, governor of Neustria, 241, 244.
252—264.
Belinus, king of Britain, 122—130, 392.
Belinus, general of Cassibelaun's army, 139.
Benlli, king of Powys, 397.
Bernhelm, abbat, 34.
Bcrnioia, genealogy ofthe kings, 412.
Bernulf, king of Mercia, 21.
Berthwulf, king of Mercia, 23 44.

GENERAX INDEX.

503

Bertric, king of Wessex, 18, 19, 48,
Birinus, bishop, 12.
Bladud, king of Britain, 114.
Blederic, killed by Ethelfrid, 276.
Bleduno, a king of Britain, 136.
Blegabred, a king of Britain, 136.
Boadicea , or Bonduca, queen of the Iceni
301, 445, 447, 465, 469.
Boccus, king ofthe Medes, 263.
Borellus, consul of the Cenomanni, 259.
Boso's gallantry against the Romans, 255.
Brennius quarrels with Belinus, 122 — 130.
Brian, nephew to Cadwalla, 278—284.
Bridget, an Irish saint, 390, 460.
Britael, king of Demetia, 139.
Britain, described, 3, 90, 106, 133, 244, 289,
299, 386, 419—422, 435 ; its original in
habitants, 90, 386, 422—428, 464 ; invaded
by Julius Cssar, 3, 301, 445, 468 ; Chris
tianity introduced into, 30*2, 466 ; di
vided into provinces, 436 ; boundary of
the Roman empire in Britain, 453 ;
finally quitted by the Romans, 2,
305, 396, 467, 468 ; occupied bv Saxons,
3 ; invaded by the Danes, 19—39, 50—66.
British cities, ancient, 90, 155.
Brocmail defeated by Ethelfrid, 276.
Brutus, xiv, his history, 91—109, 386—388,
391.
Brutus, surnamed Greenshield, 113.
Bryto supposed to have built London, 464.
Budes, king of Armorica, 182.
Builc settles in Eubonia, 389.
Burhred, king of Mercia, 23, 26, 45, 53, 57.
Cador, duke of Cornwall 231, 235, 24€.
Cadwan, makes a treaty with Ethelfrid,
277.
Cadwalla, a British king, 277—288, 415.
Cadwallader, a British king, 199, 288—290,
415.
Casdwalla, king of Wessex, 14.
Csesar, Julius, invasion, 138 — 150, 392,
393, 465, 468.
Caius, governor of Andegavia, 241 — 244.
Caliburn, the sword of Arthur, 234, 241.
Cap, one of the kings of Britain, 136.
Capoir, one of the kings of Britain, 136.
Caracalla. See Bassianus.
Caractacus (Caradog), 442, 443, 465.
Caradoc, duke of Cornwall, 165—168.
Carausius, governor of Britain, 158 — 160,
394, 437, 466.
Careticus (Ceredig), a British king, 273.
Cartismandua, queen of Brigantia, 443.
Cassibellaun (Caswallon) 136 — 148, 445,
465, 468.
Catellus, a British king, "¦ Jr.
Catel Drunluc, or Cadell Deyrnllug, prince i
of Powys, 399.
Catigern, son of Vortigern, 188.
Ceawlin, king of Wessex, 8, 9.
Celestine, pope, 409, 410.
Cenric, king of the West Saxons, 7, 8, 44.
Ceolnoth, abp. of Canterbury, 26, 54.
Ceolred, king of Mercia, 14.
Ceolwulf, king of Wessex, 11.

Ceolwulf, king of Northumbria, 15.
Ceolwulf, king of Mercia, 20, 30.
Cerdic, king of Wessex, 7, 8, 44.
C erealis, Roman governor of Britain, 448
4C6, 470.
Cheldric arrives from Germany, 231, 235,
assists Modred against Arthur, 268, 271.
Chelianus, appointed archbishop of Dole,
245.
Cherdich, a Saxon chief, 187.
Cherin, an ancient British king, 136.
Cheulphus repulsed by Brennius, 123.
Chrism -losing, what, 63.
Claudius invades Britain, 149, — 152, 393,
445, 448, 465, 468.
Cledaucus, an ancient British king, 136.
Cletonus, an ancient British king, 136.
Cligueillus, a king of Britain, 136.
Clodius Albinus, Roman governor of
Britain, 471.
Cloten, king of Cornwall, 121.
Coel rebels against Asclepiodotus, 162.
Cogibundus, a British regulus, 465, 469.
CoiUus, a British king, 136.
CoiUus, a British king, 154.
Colgrin, a Saxon chief, 230—234.
Columba, St. 8, 460.
Comet appeared, 13, ">*, 35, 220.
Conan kills Constantine, 199, 272.
Conan Meriadoc, 166—171.
Conanus (Aurelius), 316.
Constans, a monk, king of Britain, 179 —
182, 208.
Constantine the Great, 163, 248, 394, 437,
467.
Constantine the Armorican, made king,
178, 208.
Constantine, Arthur's successor, 271, 272,
314.
Constantius, governor of Britain, 162, 394,
395, 466.
Councils, ecclesiastical, at Heathfield, 13 ;
Cloveshoo, 20 ; Constantinople, 395 ; Caer
Guorthegirn, 401.
Conwenna's speech to Brennius, 127.
Cordeilla, daughter of Leir, 114 — 119.
Corineus, duke of Cornwall, 102— llu.
Cridious, king of Albania, 139,
Crocea mors, the name of Caesar's sword,
141.
Cuichelm, king of Wessex, 12.
Cunedagius kills his brother, 119.
Cuneglasse, a British prince, 317.
Cutha, 8.
Cuthbert, bishop of Lindisfarne, 415.
Cuthred, king, 12.
Cuthred, king of Wessex, 15.
Cuthred, king of Klnt, 20.
Cynegils, king of Wessex, 12.
Cynewulf, king of Wessex, 16* — 18.
Dabutius reproaches Merlin, 192.
Danes arrive in England, 19—36, 50 — 66.
Danius, an ancient British king, 132.
David, St. archbp. of Menevia, 245, 271.
Diana's answer to Brutus, 100.
Dianotus, king of Cornwall, 171.

.504

GENERAL INDEX.

Dinooth, abbat of Bangor, 275, 276.
Diocletian persecution, 161, 302, 466.
Divitiacus subdues part of Britain, 464.
Diwanius, bishop of Winchester, 246.
Doldavius, king of Gothland, 238.
Dolobellns, a British proconBuI, 302.
Dress of the ancient Britons, 427.
Druidism, 429—434.
Dubritius, abp. of Caerleon, 217, 230, 233,
242—245.
Dunwallo Molmutius (Dynval Moelmvd)
121.
Duvanus, bishop, sent from Rome, 155.
Eadbert, king of Northumbria, 15.
Eadburga, Bertric's queen, account of, 47,48.
Eadfered Flesaurs, king of Northumbria,
412, 414.
Eagle, said to have spoken, 114.
Ealstan, bishop, 21, 22, 26, 46, 53.
Ebissa, or Eosa, the Saxon chief, 187, 212,
223, 227, 228, 400.
Ebraucus, king of Britain, 112, 113.
Eclipses, 8, 13, 15, 21, 32, 63.
Ecwils, a Danish king, killed, 39.
Edgar, king, 40.
Edmund, (St.) king of East Anglia, 26, 46,
50, 54.
Edmund, king, 40.
Edred, king, 40.
Edward (the elder,) king, 37—39.
Edwin, king of Northumbria, 277, 279, 284,
414.
Edwy, king, 40.
Egbert, king of Wessex, 20—22.
Egbert, bishop, 15.
Egfert, king of Mercia, 19.
Egfrid, king of Northumbria, 13, 415.
Eise, king of Kent, 11.
Elbotus, or Elvod, bp. of Bangor, 383, 384.
Eldad, bishop of Gloucester. 191, 212—214.
Eldadus, an ancient British king, 136.
Eldol, duke of Gloucester, 191, 210—213.
Eldol, an ancient British king, 136.
Eledanius, bishop of Alclud, 246.
Eleutherius, pope, 155, 393.
Elfgiva, king Edmund's queen, 40.
Elidure, surnamed the pious, 134, 135.
EHud, an ancient British king, 136.
Elsingius, king of Norway, 323.
Enniaunus, king of Britain, 136.
Eohric, a Danish king, 38.
Escwin, king of Wessex, 13.
EBtrildis, concubine of Locrin, 110, 111.
Ethelard, king of Wessex, 15.
Ethelbald, king of Mercia, 15, 17.
Ethelbald, king of Wessex, 25, 45—47, 49,
50.
Ethelbald, archbishop of York, 38.
Ethelbert, king of Kent, 8, 10, 276.
Ethelbert II. king of Kent, «fcc. 25, 50.
Ethelfrid, king of Northumbria, 9, 276, 277.
Ethelgiva, abbess of Shaftesbury, 68, 82.
Ethelred, king of Meroia, 14.
Ethelred, king of England, 1.
Ethelred, king of Northumbria, 19.

Ethered, [Ethered] king of Wessex. 25,
27, 50—56.
Ethelwald rebels against Oswy, 286.
Ethelswitha, daughter of Alfred, 2.
Ethered, earl of Mercia, 34—39, 74.
Ethelwekd'b Chbonicle, 1 — 40 ; account
of the author, v. vi.
Ethelwulf, king of Wessex, 22—25,44—49.
Evander, king of Syria, killed, 258.
Evelinus, nephew of Androgeus, 143, 144.
Eventus, king of Albania, 260.
Faganus sent to convert tbe Britons, 155.
Famine in Britain, 53
Fergusius emigrates from Ireland, 467.
Ferrex killed by bis brother Porrex, 120.
Flamens made bishops, 155.
Flollo, a Roman tribune, 240, 241.
Friday, so called from the goddess Frea, 184.
Frontinns, a Roman gov. 443, 466, 470.
Fulgenius, a British king, 136.
Fulgenius wars against Severus, 157.
Funeral rites of the ancient Britons, 428.
Gabius, a Roman consul, 130.
Galgacus, king of the Caledonians, 466, 470.
Gallus, Livius, besieged in London, 160, 469.
Genuissa, daughter of Claudius, 151, 152.
Geoffrey of Monmouth's British His
tory ; 89 — 292. Some account of the
author, viii. 89.
Gerion, the augur, 100.
Germanus, St. bishop of Auxerre, 75, 187,
397—407.
Geruntius, an ancient British king, 136.
Geta, son of Severus, killed, 157, 158.
Giant, killed by Arthur, 252.
Giant's Dance, its removal, 215—219, 229.
Gildas* Works, 293—380 ; notices of the
author, vii, 89, 108, 121, 126.
Gillomanius, king of Ireland, 216—221.
Godbold, king of the Orkneys, killed, 285.
Goemagot, a giant killed, 107.
Goffarius, king of Aquitaine, 102 — 105.
Gombert, king of Norway, 164.
Gonorilla, one of Leir's daughters, 114—116.
Gorbogudo, a British king, 120.
Gorbonian, a British king, 133.
Gorlois, duke of CorwaU, 222, 226.
Gormund, king of the Africans, 273.
Gothrun, a Danish king, 30, 34, 58, 03.
Gratian, emp. slain by Maximus, 394 — 396,
Gratian Municeps, a British king, 172, 173.
Gregory I, pope, 10, 11-
Grimbald, abbat of Hyde Abbey, 70, 74, 75.
Guanhumara, wife of Arthur, 238, 268, 269.
Guanius, king of the Huns. 172, 175.
Guendolmna, wife of Locrin, 111.
Guerthaeth, king of Venedotia, 139.
Guethelin, archbp. of London, 174, 177.
Guichthlac, king of Dacia, 123, 125.
Guiderius, a British king, 149.
Guillamurius, king of Ireland, 236, 238.
Guitard defeated by Hoel, 241, 258.
Guithelin, a British king, 132.
Guitolinus quarrela -with Ambrosius, 416.

GENERAL INDEX.

50S

Gunfasius, king of the Orkneys, 238.
Guoyrancgonus, a king of Kent, 400.
Gurgintius, a British king, 136.
Gurgiunt Brabtruc, king of Britain, 131.
Gurgustius, a British king, 120.
Guthfrid, king of Northumbria, 37.
Hadrian's wall, 466, 471.
Halfdene, a Danish chieftain, 30, 31, 39,
58, 61, 62.
Hamo, Leuis, a Roman general, 149.
Hasten, invades England, 35, 36.
Heahmund, bishop, 27-
Helena, mother of Constantine, 162,444—
446, 467.
Helena, niece of Hoel, 252.
Heli, king of Britain, 136.
Hengist and Horsa, 4—7, 183—191, 209—
212, 396—400, 405, 406.
Henry I. king of England, 90.
Henuinus, duke of Cornwall, 116.
Hider, a British general, 256.
Hilda, abbess, 13.
Hirelgas, Bedver's nephew, 264.
Hirelgas, Cassibellaun's nephew, 143.
Hingwar, Danish chief, 25, 26, 39, 61, 62.
Hoctor settles in Ireland, 389.
Hoel, king of Armorica, 231, 241, 248, 264.
Holdin, king of the Ruteni, 264.
Horsus, brother of Hengist, 4, 6, 183, 188.
Hudibras, king of Britain, 114.
Humber, king of the Huns, 109, 110.
Humbert, bishop ofthe East Angles, 50.
Ida, king of Northumbria, 8, 409.
Idwallo, a just king of Britain, 136.
Igerna, wife of Gorlois, 223—226.
Ignone, daughter of Pandrasui, 98.
Imbertus, ambassador, 102.
Ina, king of Wessex, 13, 14, 43.
Inbaltus, commander of the Gauls, 169.
Ireland, its first inhabitants, 389,390, 464;
description of, 457—462.
Isembard renounces Christianity, 273.
Isserninus, a biBhop of Ireland, 410.
Istereth settles in Dalrieta, 389.
Ivor and Ini, British chiefs, 290, 291.
Jago, an ancient British king, 120.
John, abbat of Athelney, 70, 79—81.
Judith, Alfred's queen, 46—51, 65.
Julius, a British martyr, 161, 242, 466.
Kamber, son of.Brutus, 109.
Kent, genealogy of the kings, 412.
Kentwin, king of Wessex, 13.
Kenulf, king of Mercia, 19, 20.
Kenwalk, king of Wessex, 12, 13.
Kimarus, a British king, 132.
Kinmarcus, a British king, 120.
Kinocus, (Cynog), archbp. of Menevia, 271.
Kymbelinus, king of Britain, 148.
Lambienus, a Roman tribune, 140.
Lantern made by king Alfred, 84.
Latian law, what, 457.

Lavinia, the wife iEneas, 91, 387, 388.
Leil, a good king of Britain, 113.
Leir, king of Britain, 114 — 119.
Leo III. pope, 19, 20.
Leo IV. pope, anoints king Alfred, 45.
Lepidus, Marius, a Roman senator, 264.
Liethali settles in South Wales, 389.
Locrin, son of Brutus, 109—111.
Logiore, an Irish king, 410.
Lot, a British chief, 226, 238, 239.
Lucius, the first Christian king of Britain,
154—156, 393.
Lucius Tiberius, 245, 250, 259—266.
Lucullus, Roman governor of Britain, 470.
Lud, beautifier of London, 136.
Lumond, a wonderful lake, 235.
Lupus, bishop of Troyes, 187.
Madden advanced to the throne, 111.
Magicians, 91, 192—194, 388.
Maglaunus, duke of Cornwall, 116.
Malgo, or Malgocune, a British king, 272,
318.
Malim murdered by Mempricius, 112.
Marcellus, Roman gov. of Britain, 471.
Marcellus Mutius killed, 256.
Margadud, king of Demetia, 286.
Margan, duke, 119.
Margan, king of Britain, 136.
Marinus, pope, died, 33, 65.
Marius, king of Britain, 153.
Mark, editor of Nennius's History, viii, 386.
Martia, qn., author of the Martian law, 132.
Martin, bishop of Tours, 395.
Matilda, daughter of Otho the Great, v, 1.
Mauganius, bishop of Silchester, 246.
Maugantius, a philosopher, 193.
Mauricius, son of Caradoc, 165—167.
Maxentius, Roman emperor, 163.
Maximian invited to Britain, 164 — 173.
Maximianus Herculius, 161.
Maximus (Macsen Wledig), usurper, 304,
394—396, 467.
Mellobaudes, Gratian's general, slain, 395.
Mempricius's advice to the Trojans, 98.
Mempricius, a British king, 112.
Merianus, a British king, 136.
Merlin's history and prophecies, 192 — 224.
Mermenus, a king of Britain, 390.
Mervin, a British king, 384.
Milcho, St. Patrick's master, 409.
Micipsa, king of Babylon, 264.
Milvius, Quintus, Roman senator, 264.
Mistletoe, a sacred plant, 432, 433.
Modred, Arthur's nephew, 238, 268—272.
Molmutine laws, 121, 125.
Monasteries, Amesburt 73, 190, 229; Athel
ney, 79 ; Banwell, 73 ; Hyde Abbey, 75 ;
Menevia, 271 ; Salisbury, 214 ; Shaftes
bury, 82 ; Wareham, 58 ; Wembury, 44.
Morvid, consul of Gloucester, 266. '
Morvidus, a tyrant of Britain, 133.
Natan-leod, king of the Britons, 7.
Nennius's History of the Britons, vii,
383—416,

506

GENERAL INDEX.

Nennius, brother of Cassibellaun, 136, 140,
141.
Neot, St., vi, 00, 61, 66.
Nimech settles in Ireland, 389.
Novis, abp. of St. David's, 72-
Oak, peculiarly sacred to the Druids, 432.
Octa, son of Hengist, 187, 212, 213, 221—
228, 400.
Octavius (Eudav), rebels against the Ro
mans, 164—168.
Offa, king of Mercia, 17—19, 47.
Ordinal of the British Church quoted, 375.
Osbert, king of Northumbria, 25, 52.
Osburga, king Alfred's mother, 44.
Oskytel, a Danish king, 30, 58.
Osric, king of Northumbria, 15, 285.
Ostorius, Roman governor, 443, 446, 448,
453, 469.
Oswald, king of Northumbria, 15, 285, 415.
Oswy, king of Northumbria, 13, 285—287.
Oxford university, 74.
Palladius, bishop, sent to the Scots, 6, 409.
Pandrasus, king of Greece, 92—99.
Parthlud, Ludgate, in London, 137.
Partholoim settles in Ireland, 131, 389.
Pascentius, son of Vortigern, 218 — 221.
Patrick, St., 271, 390, 407, 410, 411, 460.
Pelagian heresy, 187.
Penda, king of Mercia, 12, 284—288, 415.
Peredure deposeB Elidure, 135.
Pertinex, Roman gov. of Britain, 471.
Pestilence among the birds, 13.
Petreius, Cotta, a Roman general, 256.
Petronius Turpilianus, a Roman governor
of Britain, 469.
Phikenian altars in Africa, 101.
Pictavians, inhabitants of Poictou, 104.
Picts and Scots, 3, 39, 153, 159, 182—184,
305—308, 390, 394, 396, 467, 468.
Pir, an ancient British king, 136.
Plegmund, abp. of Canterbury, 38, 70.
Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, 353.
Polytetes, king of Bithynia, 266.
Porrex, king of Britain, 120.
Porrex, another king of Britain, 136.
Porsena, a Roman consul, killed, 130.
Port arrives in Britain, 7.
Posthumus, brother to Brutus, 387, 388.
Praesulagus, a British king, 446, 447.
Priwen, the name of Arthur's shield, 234,
Pyrannus, abp. of York, 237.
Quintilianus killed by Walgan, 255.
Raven, the Danish Btandard, 62.
Rederchius, an ancient king of Britain, 136.
Redion, an ancient king of Britain, 136.
Regau, daughter of king Leir, 116.
Reuda, king of tbe Picts, 466.
Richard of Cirencester's Historv of
Britain, 419; account of the author,
xviii, 455, 456; discovery of his work, xx.
Riculf, king of Norway, defeated, 239.
Kitho, the giant, 252.

Rivallo, king of Britain, 120.
Robert, earl of Gloucester, 89, 90.
Rodric, king of the Picts, 153.
Rollo, duke of Normandy, 58, 59.
Roman governors of Britain, 465—471
Rome taken by Belinus, 129.
Ron, the name of Arthur's lance, 234.
Rowena, daughter of Hengist, 186 — 190.
Roy's Commentary on the campaigns of
Agricola, 450.
Rudaucus, king of Cambria, 121.
Runno, an ancient king of Britain, 136.
Sabre, daughter of Estrildis, 111.
Salomon, king of Armorica, 281.
Samuilpenissel, king of Britain, 136.
Samson, abp. of Dole, 245,
Sanxo, abp. of York, 217.
Saturninus, prefect of the Roman fleet, 471.
Saxons settle in Britain, 3—9, 183—191,
232—235, 272—274, 285—290, 396.
Scaeva, son of Androgens, 145.
Scots, their origin, 389, 459, 461.
Scots and Picts. See Picts.
Segerus conseciated with St. Patrick, 410.
Seginus, duke of the Allobroges, 126.
Sertorius, king of Libya, 266.
Severus, gov. of Britain, 156, 393—395, 471.
Severus's wall, 393, 448, 406.
Sexburga, queen of Wessex, 13.
Sigebert, king of the East Saxons, 11.
Sigebert, king of Wessex, 15.
Sisilius, name of three British kings, 120,
132, 136.
Staterius, king of Albania, 121,
Stilicho builds a wall, 467-
Stipendiary cities, 457.
Stuf, lord of the Isle of Wight, 7, 44.
Suard, king of the Franks, 120.
Suetonius, Roman British consul, 447 405
469.
Sylvius, father of Brutus, 91, 387.
Tenuantius, duke of Cornwall, 137.
Thadiocus, abp. of York, 274.
Theodore, abp, of Canterbury, 14.
Theodosius, emperor, 395, 450, 452, 467.
Theon, abp. of London, 274.
Thompson (Aaron), defends Geoffrey's His
tory, ix.
Torques, a gold collar worn by the Britons,
427.
Tower of glass, 389.
Tower of London, 135, 200.
Trahern, uncle of Helena, 163.
TrebeUius, Roman gov. of Britain, 470.
TrebeUius Maximus, Roman gov. of Bri
tain, 469.
Tremounus, abp. of Caerleon, 215.
Triads, the Welsh, 430, 431
Trojans settle in Britain, 106, 387.
Turonus, nephew of Brutus, 106.
Tyrants of Britain, 304, 314.
Ulfin of Ricaradoch, 224.
Urbicus, a Roman general, 466, 471.

TOPOGRAPHICAI, INDEX.

507

Urian honoured by Arthur, 238.
Urianus, a British king, 136.
Ursula and the Virgins, 171,
Uther Pendragon, his history, 220—230.
Valentinian, emperor, 395, 416.
Vectius Bolanus, Roman gov. of Britain,
470.
Veranius, Roman governor, 443, 469.
Vespasian sent to Britain, 152, 442, 465,
468, 470.
Victor, son of Maximus, 395.
Victi'ix, the name of the sixth legion, 447.
Vigenius imprisons his brother, 135.
Virius Lupus, Roman lieutenant of Bri
tain, 471.
Vortigern (Gicrtheyrn), king, 4, 6, 179—193,
206-208, 310, 396—407, 416.
Vortimer (Gwrthe/yr), 188, 189, 404—407.
Vortipore, a British prince, 317.

Vulteius Catellus, a Roman chief, 258.
Walgan, Arthur's nephew, 255, 264—269.
Wall between Deira and Albania, 174;
Severus's, 393, 448, 466 ; Antoninus's,
450 ; Hadrian's, 466, 471 ; Stilicho's,
467.
Walter, archdeacon of Oxford, xii, 89, 268,
291.
Wednesday, so called from Woden, 184.
Werefrith, bishop of Worcester, 70.
Whitgar, lord of the Isle of Wight, 7, 44.
Widen slays her son Porrex, 120.
Withlaf, king of Mercia, 21.
Wortiporius, king of Britain, 272,
Wulfhere, king of Mercia, 13.
Wulfred, king of Mercia, 287.
Wulfstan, abp. of York, 40.
York made an archiepiscopal see, 155.

TOPOGRAPHICAL INDEX.

Abona, river, 440, 453.
Abrasuanus, river, 450.
Abus, river, 447-
Ac-lea, Ockley, 45.
Acmodse, islands, 463.
Ad Abum, station, 499.
Ad Abonam, station, 493.
Ad ^Esicum, station, 490.
Ad Alaunam Amnem, sta
tion, 492.
Ad Alpes Penninos, sta. 488.
Ad Antonam, station, 496.
Ad Aquas, station, 492.
jEdui, 464.
-Electi, 402.
yElia Castra, station, 500.
jEscendune, 27.
¦iEsica, river, 451.
Afene, river, 12.
Agned, Edinburgh, 113.
Akalon, river in Greece, 93.
Akeman Street, 478.
Alauna, city, 445, 451, 478,
489, 496.
 river, 449, 486.
Alba, now Albano in Italy,
91.
Albania, now Scotland, 109.
Albion, notices of, 106, 419,
421.
Alcluith, city, 112, 134, 212,
235, 437, 452.
Alicana, 488.
Allobroges, in Switzerland,
126.
Alps, Pennine, 447.

Ambrius, mt., 214, 217, 221.
Ambrons, 212, 229.
Anderida, port, 478, 497.
 wood, 438, 499.
town, 439, 499.

Andros, iBles, 463.
Angles, their origin, 400.
Anglia, 5.
Andredes-leage, Anderida, 7.
Antivesteeum, prom. 441,460.
Antona, river, 439.
Antoninus's Itinerary, 473.
Apoldre, Appledore, 35.
Aqu® Solis, 440, 456, 492—
494.
Aquitaine, in France, 102.
Aravius, mountain, 254.
Argitta, river, 499.
Argolicum, station, 486.
Armorica, 169, 177.
Artavia, 441, 477.
Ashdune, Aston, 54.
Athelingay, Athelney, 31.
Atlantic Ocean, 459.
Attacotti, 452.
Attrebates, 439, 497-
Aufona, river, 446.
Augusta, London, 445.
Ausoba, bay, 459.
Austrinum, 460.
Auterii, 459.
Auterum, town, 460.
Avalonia, city, 271, 440, 477.
Avene, river, 7-
Axanminster, 17.
Azara, mountains, 101.

Badon Hill, 200, 313, 409.
Ballium, station, 496.
Banat i a, town, 452.
Banchi irium, station and mo
nastery, 275, 444, 483.
Banna, river, 459.
Barba, river, 250, 252.
Bassas, river, 408.
Bath. Vide Agum SoUs ana
TJiermw.
Bdora, estuary, 437.
Beadanhead, Bedwin. 13.
Bean dune, 12.
Bebbanburgh, Bambrough,
39, 414.
Bedanford, Bedford, 8.
Belgse, 439.
Bennavenna, 483.
Benonse, 444.
Benonnis, 483, 500.
Bensingtun, Benson, 8.
Beodoricsworthe, Bury St.
Edmonds, 26.
Beorgforda, Burford, 15
Berin-byrig, Banbury? 8.
Berneich, province, 413, 414.
Bibraote, 494, 495, 497-
Bibrocum, town, 439.
Billingsgate, 131.
Blestium, station, 496.
Bodotria, estuary, 450.
Boduni, 444.
Bolerium, promontory, 441.
Bovium, station, 493,
Brannogenium, town, 443,
479, 495.

508

TOPOGRAPHICAL INDEX.

Branogena, town, 445.
Breguoin, mountain, 409.
Bremenium, stip., 449, 457,
477, 487.
Briga, station, 498.
Brigantes, 447, 465.
Brigantia, kingdom, 447.
¦  city, 460.
Brigantum, Extrema, 447.
Briga, river, 460.
Brinavae, station, 500.
Britannia Inferior, pTO.,437.
 Prima, pro., 436
 Seeunda, pro., 437,
443.
 Superior, pro.,437,
British provinces, 436.
Brocavonaca, Bta., 491, 492.
Brunandune, Brumby, 39.
Builth, province, 407.
Bubinda, Buvinda, river,460.
Bultrum, station, 495.
Burae, 285.
Burva, or Barva, 50.
Cagineshamme, Keynsham,
27.
Caer-badus, 114, 200.
Caer-britoc, 386.
Caer-caradauc, 191, 214.
Caer-caratauc, 386.
Caer-ceint, 386.
Caer-celemion, 386.
Caer-ceri, or cori, 63, 386.
Caer-collon,orcol vin, 162,386.
Caer-conan, 211, 212.
Caer-corrie, 186.
Caer-custeint, 386.
Caer-dubalem, 204.
Caer-daun, 386.
Caer-dauri, 386.
Caer-draithou, 386.
Caer-ebrauc, 386, 409.
Caer-gloui, 152, 153,386, 407.
Caer-graut, 386.
Caer-guent, 386.
Caer-guintruis, 386.
Caer-guoranegon, 386.
Caer-guorcon, 386.
Caer-guorthegern, 386, 404,
406.
Caer-gurcoc, 386.
Caer-lem, 114.
Caer-liel, or luilid, 113, 386.
Caer-leir, or lerion, 114, 135,
386.
Caer-ligion, 386.
Caer-lion, or Caer-osc, 130,
386, 408.
Caer-loit-coit, 232, 386.
Caer-lud, or londein, 108,
137, 386.
Caer-maniguid, 386.
Caer-meguaid, 386.
Caer-moncipit, 386.
Caer-mordin, 192, 386.

Caer-penhuelgoit, 152.
Caer-pensavelcoit, 386.
Caer-peris, 130, 149, 150, 164,
386.
Caer-segeint, 386.
Caer-segont, 394, 443.
Caer-teim, 386.
Caer-urnahc, 386.
Caer-went, 404.
Caer- wise, 58.
Cffisarea, island, 463.
Casariensis, province, 445.
Cffisaromagus, sta., 484, 485.
Cair. For words with this
prefix, see Caer.
Calcaria, station, 488.
Caledonia, 450, 452.
Caledonian wood, 232, 438.
446, 453-
Caledonian promontory, 454.
Caledonia extrema, 454.
Caledonii, 453.
Caleterium, a wood, 124, 134,
201, 202.
Calleba, city, 439, 494, 496,
497, 500.
Camalodunum, called Gemi-
nae Martia;, 444, 445, 456,
465, 469, 484.
Cambodunum, town, Latian,
447, 457, 488.
Camboricum, colony, 446,
457, 485.
Cambretonum, sta. 484, 485.
Cambria, 109.
Cambula, river, 270.
Cangani, 442.
Canganum, promontory ,443.
Cangi, 459, 465.
Cangian promontory, 443.
Cangiani, 443, 444, 461.
Cangiorum, station, 444.
Canonium, station, 484.
Canovius, river, 444.
Cantabric, ocean, 459.
Cantabridge, Cambridge, 38.
Cantse, 453.
Cant Guic, 394.
Cantian state, 6, 438.
 promontory, 421.
Cantropolis,sripendiary, 438.
457, 482.
Cantium, promont. 422, 438.
 region of, 438.
Carnabii, region of, 441, 444,
453.
Carnonaca, 454.
Carnubia, region of, 107, 441.
Carrum, Chai-mouth, 21.
Carun, river, 393.
Casa Candida, town, 450.
Cassii, kingd. of. 444, 445,497-
Cassiterides, isles, 441, 463
Cataracton, Caturacton ,to wn
under the Latian law, 447,
457, 477, 478, 486, 487,489.

Cat Bregion, mountain, 409.
CatgwaJoph, 416.
Catini, 454.
Catscaul, 415.
Cauci, 461.
Celidon, wood, 201, 232,408.
Celnius, river, 452.
Celts, 439.
CenaU, 393.
Cenia, city, 441, 477, 498.
Ceniue, river, 441.
Cenomanni, 446.
Cerdic's-ore, 7-
Cerdic's-ford, 7.
Cerones, 454.
Cetgueli, 389.
Chippenham, a royal villa,
60,63.
Cichican, valley, 307.
Cimbri, region of, 423, 440.
Cittanford (Ottanford?) 18.
Clas Merddyn, island, 419.
Clausentnm, 439, 479, 497,
500.
Clotta, Clydda, est. 437, 450.
Cloveshoo, in Kent, 20.
Cocboy, 416.
Coccium, city, 448, 457, 479,
492.
Coitanl Coitanni, 446.
Coit-mawr, Selwood, 62.
Concangii, 460.
Condate, station, 488, 492.
Conovio, 483.
Conovium, station, 483.
Consular provinces in Bri
tain, 438.
Contiopoli, 497.
Corbantorigum, 449.
Corinium, Corinum, town,
Latian, 445, 457, 479, 492.
Coriondii, 461.
Corisenns, station, 485, 499.
Corium, 489} 490.
Cornish people, so called
from Corineus, 102.
Corstopitum, Corstoplio,
station, 4S7.
Creones, 454.
Crococolana, station, 496.
Cruachan-Aichle, mt. 41L
Cruc Occident, 394.
Cunetio, station, 494.
Cunetium, river, 439.
Curia, town, 449, 4S7.
Qymry, see Cimbri.
Cvnemaresford, Kempsford,
20.
Cynuit, Kynwith, 61.
Dabrona, river, 460.
Dacia, 123, 131.
Dalrieta, 389.
Damnia, region of. 449.
Damnii, 314, 450, 460, 461.
 Albani, 432.

TOPOGRAPHICAL INDEX.

509

Damnonii, state of, 421, 438,
441,465.
Daneian, wood, 201.
Danum, station, 486.
Darabona, Darrabouna, riv.
459.
Decimum (Ad), station, 497.
Defna, Devonshire, 20.
Delgovicia, station, 487.
Demetians, 242, 317.
Dene, a royal villa, 71.
Derbentio, town, 481.
Dereuent, the river Darent,
188, 404.
Derventione, sta. 487, 500.
Deva, colony, called Getica,
444, 457, 477, 433, 488.
 river, 444, 451.
Devana, city, 451.
 sta. 473, 485, 490,
491.
Deu Caledonian, ocean, 459.
Deorhamme, 9.
Deur, province, 413.
Diana Fomm, 445, 482.
Dimetia, 317, 389, 406, 443.
Dinas Emrys, 401
Dobona, river, 460.
Dobuni, 444.
Dolobellum, or Dorobellum,
139, 392.
Dorobernia, Canterbury, 44,
145, 183.
Dorocina, station, 500.
Dubrae, city and port, 438.
Dubris, river, 438, 497.
Duglas, river, 230, 270, 408.
Dunum, city, 460.
Duralipons, station, 485.
Durinum, stip. 440, 457, 477.
Durius, river, 441, 460, 498.
Durngueis, 58.
Durnomagus, Latian, 446,
457, 478, 485, 499.
Durnovaria, station, 498.
Durocobriva, 477.
Durolevum, Durosevum,
station, 482, 497.
Durolispons, station, 499.
Durobris, Durobrobus, Du-
roprova, Durobriva, sti.
438, 457, 477, 482, 485.
Durositum, station, 484.
Durotriges, 440.
Durovernum, 477.
Dynguayth, province, 413.
Dynguoaroy, town, 414.
Eblana, Eblani, 460.
Eboracum, Eburacum, mu
nicipal and metropolis,
112,447, 456,486- 489, 499.
Ebudium, Ebudum, promon
tory, 454.
Egbert 's-stone, Brixton
Deverill, 62.

Eglesburh, Aylesbury, 8.
Ellandune, Allington, 29.
Elmete, 414.
Epiacum,town, 447, 477, 486.
Epidii, 454.
Epidium, promontory, 454.
Ermyn Street, 478.
El'iri, mount, 444.
Esc's-dune, 12, 13.
Ethandune, 31, 62.
Etocetum, town, 444, 478,
483, 492, 500.
Eubonia, 386, 389.
Evoric,orEoferwic.York, 25.
Exanceaster, Exreter, 58.
Extremitas Caledonia, 454.

Fines (Ad), 487,499, 500.
Fines Flavia et Seeunda.
483.
 Maxima et Flavia, 488.
 Trinobantum, 484.
Flavia Extrema, 446.
 province, 436, 444.
Forum Diana, town, 445.
Foss, the, 473.
Fraun, river, 58.
Fresicum, orFresic sea, 400.
Fretum Meneviacum, 443.
 — Sabrina, 442.

Gadanica, Btation, 489, 490.
Gadeni, 449.
Gadenia, region, 449.
 town, 449.

Gai Campi, battle, 415.
Gaini, inhabitants of Gains
borough, 53.
Galabes, fountain, 215.
Galacium, Galgacum, town.
447.
Gallembourne, 161.
Gania, river, 208.
Garion, Garionis, river, 446.
Garionenum, station, 408.
Gamareia, 280.
Genania, region, 444.
Genoreu, 208.
Gessoriacum, port, 420.
Gewissas, 43, 203, 215.
Glebon, Gle vum, colony called
Claudia, 445, 457, 465, 478,
479, 492, 496.
Gleni, river, 408.
Glevesing, 402.
Gloui, Gloucester, 252, 407.
Gobanium, Gobannium,
town, 442, 495.
Goemagot's leap, 108.
Grampius, mount, 450.
Grantabridge, or Grantches-
ter, Cambriige, 30, 58.
Guasmoric, 404.
Guenet, or Guined, 401, 414
Guiher, province, 389.

Guoloppum, 416.
Guorthegirnaim, province,
406, 407.
Gurnion Castle, 408.
Gurthrenion, 404.
Gwent, 404, 407.
Gwyddelians, 423.
Gwynedd, province, 415.
Halanguim,Holongum,town, 441, 477.
Hamo's Port, Southampton,
125, 150, 160, 232.
Hamptonshire, Hampshire,
16.
Hamptun, Southampton,, 22.
Heathfield, 284.
Heavenfield, 285.
Hebudes, isles, 461, 462.
Hedui, 440, 497.
Helenis, Helenum, pro. 441.
Hengeston, in Cornwall, 22.
Herculea, isle, 441,
Hercules, pillars of, 441.
Herculis, promontory,
Hereri, mount, sta. 401, 404.
Hethlege, Hatfield, 13.
Hibernia, 457, 464, 465, 467.
Hiernam (Ad), station, 490.
Horestii, 451.
Ibernia, town, 461.
Ibernii, 460.
Ibernus, river, 460.
Iceni, 447, 478.
Iglea, Okeley, 62.
Ignesham, Eynsham, 8.
Iknield Street, 473, 477.
Ila, river, 453.
Inis-gueith, or Gueith, 386.
Internal sea, 459.
Ireland, vide Hibernia.
Isannavaria, Isanta Varia,
station, 483, 500.
Isca, colony, metropolis,
named Seeunda, 442, 456.
Isca, (Caerleon) 456, 493,
495, 496-
— — river, 441, 442.
 stipendiary, Exeter,
441,477,479,492,498.
Ischalis, 440.
Isinna, station, 485.
Isurium, city, 447, 478, 486,
488.
Itineraries, various, 476.
Ituna, river, 449, 451.
Itunam (Ad), sta. 490, 491.
Itys, river, 454.
Jena, river, 450.
Kaer, for words with this
prefix, see Catr.
Karitia, 118.
Kidaleta, 280.

MO

TOPOGRAPHICAL INDEX.

Killaurus, mountain, 215,
217.
Kriou metopon, prom. 441.
Kunetius, river, 430.
Lactorodum, station, 482.
Lapidem 'Ad), station, 407.
Latian law, cities or towns,
governed by, 457.
Latara, station, 489. _
Lebaram, 460.
Legecester, 276, 277.
Legiolium, Legotium, sta
tion, 486, 500.
LegionB, city, 131, 132, 155,
161.217, 242, 269, 271,408.
Leircestre, Leicester, 111,
114.
Lelanus, bay 454.
Lemanianus, Portus, 497.
Lemanum, station, 497*
Lemanus, river, 438.
 town, 438.
Leonaford, a royal villa, 73.
Letavia, 177.
Leucarum, station, 493.
Libnius, river, 459
Liganburh, Lenbury, 8.
Limite, station, 487.
Lindesia, or Lindsey, 184,
232.
Lindocolinum, 232.
Linligwan, 237.
Lindum, 451, 490.
 colony, 446, 457,
478, 484-486, 496, 499.
Linuis, province, 408.
Llan-Patern, bishopric, 271.
Lcebius, river, 460.
Loegria, 109, 423.
Logi, 453.
Londinum Augusta, col- and
met. Londinium, 108, 227,
238, 445,456, 465, 482, 484,
494, 496-499.
London, rebuilt byAlfred, 74.
Longus, river, 454.
Lovantum, town, 443.
Loxa, river. 453.
Lucani, 460.
Lucophibia, town, 450.
Ludgate, London, 137.
Lugubalia, Luguballium,
Luguballie, Luguvalium,
town, Latian, 404, 448,
457, 479, 489, 491.
Lumond, lake, 235.
Lyncalidor, lake of, 452.
Maata, 449. 466.
Macobicum, Macolicum,460.
Madus, river, 438.
 station, 497.
Magiovinium, station, 462.
Magna, 442, 495.

Maiden Way, 479.
Maisbeli, Maybury, 210.
Maisuriam, 164.
Malua, river, 102.
Manau Gustodin, prov. 414.
Manavia, 458.
Mancunium, sta. 488, 492,
500.
Manduessuedum, 483.
Mansio in Medio, 499.
Mare Internum, 459.
 Vergivum, 459.
 Thule, 459.
Margan. 119, 120.
Margidunum, station, 496.
Maridunum. 404, 443, 457,
478, 479, 494.
Maxima, province, 436, 447.
Maxima Casariensis, 486.
Mearcradsburn, 7-
Medio (In), station, 491, 499.
Mediolanum, 443. station, 477,

484, 492.

Hib. 460.

Meicen, town, 413
Menapia, ct. 443,460,478,479
Menapiam (Ad) st.493, 494.
Menapii, 461 .
Menavia, 389-
Meranton, Merton, 16.
Meresige, Mersey, 36.
Merscwari, 19, 22.
Merta, 454.
Metaris, estuary, 446.
Michael's Mount, 252.
Middleton, Milton, 36.
Mile, the Roman, 475.
Minmanton, 394.
Modona, river, 460.
Mona, isle, 434, 443, 469.
Monoeda, island, 458.
Mons Jovis, 394.
Montem Grampium ( Ad).
station, 490, 491.
Moridunum, 498. -
Morini, 133, 440.
Mount Paladur, Shaftesbury.
114
Muridunum, stip. 443, 457.
Murum (Ad), station, 436.
Musidum, town. 441, 477.
Nabaua, river, 454.
Nagnata, town, 459.
Nautgallim, 161.
Nid urn, station, 493.
Northworthig, Derby, 27.
Novanta, 449.
Novantia, region, 449.
Novantum Chersonesus, 421,
449.
Noviomagus, town, 439,477,
478, 497, 499.
Novius, river, 449.

Oboca, river, 460.
Oceanus Athlanticua, or
Britannicus, 450.
 Cantabricus, 459.
D eucalidonius,459.

 Internus, •
 Vergivus, 450.
Ocrinum, mount, 441.
 prom. 421, 441.
Octorupium, promont. 443.
CEstromenides, isles, 441.
Oghgul race, 400.
Olicana, Alicana, town, 447,
477.
Orcades, isles, 462, 466.
Orcadum, promontory, 454.
Ordovicia, region of, 444
Ordovices, 442, 443.
Orrea, town, 451, 490, 491 .
Ossismii, 463.
Ottadini, 449.
Ottadinia, 449.
Oxellum, promontory, 447.
Paladur, 114
Palmecaster, 404.
Parisii, 447.
Pederydan, Petherton, 12.
Peneltun, 393.
Penguaul, 393.
Pennocrucium, 483.
Penoxnllum, proinont., 453,
Petuaria, 447, 487, 499.
Picti, 466, 467.
Pontem (Ad), sta., 496, 497.
Pontesbury, 13.
Portcester, Porchester, 149.
Praturium, station, 487.
Prasutagus, 447
Prima, province, 436, 442.
Portus, Anderida, 478, 497.
 Felix, 447-
 Leminianus, 497-
 Magnus, 439, 479, 497-
— ¦  Rhutupis, 420.
 Sistuntiorum, 488.
Pryffetesflodan, Privett, 16.
Ptoroton, metropolis, La
tian, 452, 457, 490, 491.
Quintanwic, Canterbury, 22.

i, stip., 446, 457.
Ratiscorion, 496.
Redonum, 170.
Rtfgia, 460.
Regnum, Regentium, 439,
478, 437.
Regulbium, 438, 497.
Renis, river, 407.
Reopandune, Repton, 17.
Rerigonium, 448, 4S8.
Rheba, metropolis, 419, 461.
Rhebeus, 459.

- river, 461.

TOPOGRAPHICAL INDEX.

511

Rhebeus, lake, 461.
Rhemi, 439.
Rhobogdii, 459.
Rhobogdium, 459.
Him fin a. 460.
Rhutupis, colony and metro
polis, 438, 456, 482, 497.
 portus, 145, 152,420.
Richard's Itinerary, original
text, 480.
Ricnea, isle, 463.
Roman roads in Britain, 125,
472—500.
Romana Insula, 446.
Ruim, isle of Thanet, 45, 397.
Ruteni, 138.
Rutunium, station, 484
Ryknield Street, 478.
Sabrina, estuary, river, 111,
440, 442, 443, 445.
 strait of, 441.
Sabrinam (Ad), station, 493.
Sacrum, promontory, 460.
Saessenaeg habail, 404.
Salinas, 445, 479, 492.
Salt Way, the Upper, 479.
Sariconum, 442, 496.
Sarna, isle, 463.
Scarburh, Old Sarum, 8.
Sceapige, the Isle of Sheppey,
21.
Scotti, 450, 461, 464, 468.
Seccandune, Seckington, 17.
Seeunda, prov., 436, 437,442.
Segontiaci, 438, 439, 497.
Segontium, Seguntium, stip.,
440,443, 457, 477, 483, 484

Selgovia, region of, 449.
Selinam (Ad), sta., 4ii0, 491.
Selwoodshire, Sherborne, 14
Sena, isles, 463.
Senones, 429, 443, 464
Senus, river, 460.
Seteja, river, 447.
Set thirgabail, 404.
Sexta Colonia, see Eboracum.
Sigdiles, isles, 463.
Silimnus, isles, 463.
Silures, 422, 442, 443, 470.
Sistuntii, 447.
Sistuntiorum Portus, 488.
Sitomagus, station, 484.
Snotingaham, Nottingh., 26.
Sorbiodunum, town, Latian,
439, 457, 477, 498.
Sows, river, 114, 119.
Southampton, 439
Spina, station, 494.
Streningham, Steyning, 49.
Stemrugam, Stonehenge? 49.
Stipendiary towns, 457.
Stonehenge, 272.
Streaneshalch, Whitby, 13.

Sture, river, 111.
Sturium Amnem (Ad), sta
tion, 484
Sturius, river, 438.
Suanewic, Swanwich, 59.
Sulomagus, station, 482.
Surius, river, 446.
Sygdiles, isles, 441.
Taixali, 451.
Taixalorum, promont., 451.
Tamara, river, 498.
 town, 441, 477.
Tamarus, river, 441.
Tamea, 452, 491.
Tamesis, station, 500.
Tavum (Ad), station, 490.
Taum, 477.
Tavus, river, 443, 451.
Tenet, Isle of Thanet, 45.
Termolus, 441, 477.
Thamesis, river, 436, 439,
443,444.
Thanatos, isle, 462.
Thancastre, 186.
Theodosia, town, Latian,
452, 457.
Thermae, colony, named A-
qua Solis, 456, 465.
Thornsata, 58.
Thule, isle, 419, 462.
 province, 452.
Tibia, river, 493.
Tiggocobauc, Nottingham,
53.
Tina, river, 449, 451.
Tinam (Ad), sta., 490, 491.
Tintagel, 224.
Tisam (Ad), 486.
Tosibus, river, 444.
Totness, 106, 207, 233.
Towy, river, 406.
Trajectus, station, 493. n
Trat Treuroit, river, 409.
Trimontium, 449, 489, 490.
Trinobantes, 444.
Trinobantia, region of, 444.
Trinobantum, 108, 114, 122,
131, 137, 142, 145, 392, 445,
477, 478.
Tripontium, sta., 483, 500.
Trivonia, river, 446.
Trivonam (Ad), 500.
Troy, New, 108.
Tueda, river, 449, 436.
Tuessis, river, 452.
town, 452.

Uxella, mount, 450.
 town, 441, 479.
Uxellam Amnem (Adl, sta
tion, 492.
Uxellum, town, 449.
Vacomagi, 451.
Vagnaca, station, 483, 497
Valentia, province, 436, 450,
471.
Vallis-doloris, 408.
Vallum of Hadrian, 466.
 Antoninus, 450.
 Severus, 436, 448,

- (Ad), station, 486,

Tuessim (Ad), sta., 490,491.
Turnis, city, 388.
Uriconium,Urioconium,444, 477, 483, 495.
Urus, river, 447.
Uxaconia, station, 483.
Uxella, river, 440.

489-491.
Vanduaria, 450.
Varar, estuary, 437, 452.
 river, 437, 452.
Varis, station, 483, 491,
Vatara, station, 489.
Vecta, Vectis, isle, 5, 7, 8,
462, 469.
Vecturones, 451.
Velatorii, 460.
Veneti, 422, 463.
Venicnii, islands, 459.
Venicnium, head or promon
tory, 459.
Venisnia, island, 459.
Vennicnii, 459.
Vennonis, 496.
Venricones, 451.
Venromentum, station, 496.
Venta, Belgarum, stip., 439,
446, 457, 470, 496, 498.
Cenom. or Icenor ,
stip., 446, 457, 484, 485.
 Silurum, stip., 442,
457, 479, 493.
Ventagladia, station, 498.
Verlucione, 494.
Verolamium, Verulamium,
municipal, 445, 456, 465,
417, 482.
Verubium, or Vinvedrum,
promontory, 454.
Vespasiana, province, 436,
450, 452.
Via Julia, 493.
Victoria, town under the La
tian law, 451, 457, 490, 491.
Vidua, river, 459.
Vegesimum,(Ad),st.,493,494Vindelia, Vindilios, island,
440, 463.
Vindei&s, river, 460.
Vindomora, station, 487.
Vindomis, 496. 497, 500.
Vindonum, stip., 439, 457.
Vinovium, Vindovium, 447,
477, 478, 486, 487.
Vinvedrum, Virvedrum, pro
montory, 454.

512

TOPOGRAPHICAL INDEX.

Viiioconium, Viriconium,
483, 484. .
Vodia, 460.
Vodium, promontory, 460.
Volsas Sinus, 454.
Voluba, 441, 477, 498.
Voluntii, 459, 460, 461.
Vorreda, station, 489.
Walls, Roman, 441

Wanating, Wantage, 43.
Wantsum, estuary, 397,462.
Wales, 441.
Watling Street, 476.
Wedale, or Wodale, 408.
West Chester, 442.
Wiccii, 63.
Wicgambeorg, Wembury,44
Wight, Island, see Vecta.
Weolod, Welland, river, 37

Westmaria, 153.
Wilsatum, Wiltshire, 20. l
Wisseans, 164
Wodnesbyrg, 9.
Wothnesbeorghge, Wanbo
rough, 14.
Wubbandune, 8.
Y Vel Ynys, island, 419.

ROMAN PROVINCES AND ENGLISH COUNTIES.
1. Cornabii and Danmonia.. .People of Cornwall and Devonshire.
2. Durotriges  Dorsetshire.
3. lfKLi;..£  Somerset, Wilts, and the greater part of
Hants, including tbe Isle of Wight.
4. Atrkbatii  Berkshire.
5. Regni  Surrey, Sussex, and the south-eastern part of
Hants.
6. Cantii  Kent.
7. Trinobantes  Middlesex and Essex.
8. Iceni.,  Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridge, and Hunting
don shhe.
9. Catieuchlani  Bucks, Bedford, and Hertfordshire.
10. Dobuni  Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire.
11. Silures  Hereford, Monmouth, Radnor, Brecon, and
Glamorgansh ire.
12. Dimetve  Carmarthen, Pembroke, and Cardiganshire.
13. Ordovices  Flint, Denbigh, Merioneth, Montgomery, Car
narvonshire, and Anglesey.
14. Cornavii  Cheshire, Shropshire, Stafford, Warwick, and
Worcestershire.
15. Corjtani  Lincoln, Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, Rut
land, and Northamptonshire.
16. Brigantes  Yorkshire. Lancashire, Westmorland, Cum
berland, and Durham.
17- Attadini, or Ottaduni... Northumberland.

4. UADUON, PHINTBR, CASTLE STRKKT, frlNSHUKY.

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