2.8. Of Gorbodug and his two sonnes Fer|rex and Porrex, one brother killeth ano|ther, the mother slaieth hir sonne, and how Britaine by ciuill warres (for lacke of issue legitimate to the gouernment) of a mo|narchie became a pentarchie: the end of Brutes line. The eight Chapter.

Of Gorbodug and his two sonnes Fer|rex and Porrex, one brother killeth ano|ther, the mother slaieth hir sonne, and how Britaine by ciuill warres (for lacke of issue legitimate to the gouernment) of a mo|narchie became a pentarchie: the end of Brutes line. The eight Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _GOrbodug the sonne of Ki|nimacus began his reigne o|uer the Britains,Gorbodug the 18. ruler. in the yeare after the creation of the world 3418, from the building of the citie of Rome 202, the 58 of the Iews captiuitie at Baby|lon. This Gorbodug by most likelihood to bring histories to accord, should reigne about the tearme of 62 yeares, and then departing this world, was buried at London, leauing after him two sonnes Ferrex and Porrex, or after some wri|ters, Ferreus and Porreus.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 FErrex with Porrex his brother began iointlie to rule ouer the Britaines,Ferrex the 19. ruler. in the yeare of the world 3476, after the building of Rome 260, at which time, the people of Rome forsooke their citie in their rebel|lious mood. These two brethren continued for a time in good friendship and amitie, till at length through couetousnesse, and desire of greater dominion, pro|uoked by flatterers, they fell at variance and discord, whereby Ferrex was constreined to flée into Gallia,Ferrex fled into Gallia. and there purchased aid of a great duke called Gun|hardus or Suardus, and so returned into Britaine, thinking to preuaile and obteine the dominion of the whole Iland. But his brother Porrex was readie to receiue him with battell after he was landed, in the which battell Ferrex was slaine, with the more part of his people. The English chronicle saith, that Por|rex was he that fled into France, & at his returne, was slaine, and that Ferrex suruiued. But Geffrey of Monmouth & Polychronicon are of a contrarie opi|nion. Matthew Westmonasteriensis writeth, that Porrex deuising waies to kill Ferrex,Matth. West. atchiued his purpose and slue him. But whether of them so euer suruiued, the mother of them was so highlie offended for the death of him that was slaine, whom the most EEBO page image 15 intierlie loued, that setting apart all motherlie affec|tion, she found the meanes to enter the chamber [...] him that suruiued in the night season, and as he slept, the with the helpe of his maidens slue him, and cut him into small péeces, as the writers doo affirme. Such was the end of these two brethren,The mother killeth hir son. after they had reigned by the space of foure to fiue yeares.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 After this followed a troublous season, full of cruell warre, and seditious discord, wherby and in the end, [...] for the space of fiftie yeares, the monarchie or sole gouernement of the Iland became [...] that is, it was diuided betwixt fiue kings or rulers, till Dunwallon of Cornewall ouercame them all. Thus the line of Brute (according to the report of most writers) tooke an end: for after the death of the two foresaid brethren,Robert Record no rightfull inheritor was left a|liue to succéed them in the kingdome. The names of these fiue kings are found in certeine old pedegrées: and although the same be much corrupted in diuers copies, yet these vnder named are the most agréeable.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 But of these fiue kings or dukes, the English chronicle alloweth Cloton king of Cornewall for most rightfull heire. There appeareth not any time certeine by report of ancient authors how long this variance continued amongst the Britains but (as some say) it lasted for the space of 51 yeres, Fabian Ciuill Warres 51. yeares coniecturing so much by that which is recorded in Polychron who saith, who it endured euen till the beginning of the reigne of Mulmucius Dunwallon, who began to gouerne from the time that Brute first entred Britaine, about the space of 703 three yeares.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 ¶Here ye must note, that there is difference a|mongst writers about the supp [...]tation and account of these yeares, Insomuch that some making their reckoning after certeine writers, and finding the same to varie aboue thrée C. yeares, are brought in|to further doubt of the truth at the whole historie: but whereas other haue by [...]aligent search tried out the continuance of euerie gouernors reigne, and redu|ced the same to a likelihood of some conformitie, I haue thought best to follow the same, leauing the credit thereof with the first authors.

The pentarchie.

Compare 1577 edition: 1
• 1 Rudacus
• 2 Clotenus
• 3 Pinnor
• 4 Staterus
• 5 Yewan
• king of
• Wales.
• Cornewall.
• Loegria.
• Albania.
• Northumberland.

3.1. Of Mulmucius the first king of Britaine, who was crowned with a golden crowne, his lawes, his foundations, with other his acts and deeds. The first Chapter.

Of Mulmucius the first king of Britaine, who was crowned with a golden crowne, his lawes, his foundations, with other his acts and deeds. The first Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 _NOw to proceede Mul|mucius. Matth. West. Polyd. with the aforesaid authors, Mulmu|cius Dunwallõ, or as other saie Dun|uallo Mulmucius, the sonne of Clo|ton (as testifieth th' english chronicle and also Geffrey of Monmouth) got the vpper hand of the other dukes or rulers: and after his fathers deceasse began his reigne ouer the whole monarchie of Britaine, in the yéere of the world 3529, after the building of Rome 314, and after the deliuerance of the Israelites out of captiuitie 97, and about the 26 yéere of Darius Artaxerxes Longimanus, the fift king of the Persi|ans. This Mulmucius Dunuallo is named in the en|glish chronicle Donebant, and prooued a right wor|thie prince. He builded within the citie of London then called Troinouant, a temple, and named it the temple of peace: the which (as some hold opinion, Fabian. See more in the descripti|on. I wote not vpon what ground) was the same which now is called Blackwell hall, where the market for buieng and selling of cloths is kept. The chronicle of England affirmeth,Malmesburie and the Uies built. Matth. West. Lawes made. that Mulmucius (whome the old booke nameth Molle) builded the two townes Malmesburie and the Uies. He also made manie good lawes, which were long after vsed, called Mul|mucius lawes, turned out of the British spéech into the Latine by Gildas Priscus, and long time after translated out of latine into english by Alfred king of England, and mingled in his statutes. He moreo|uer gaue priuileges to temples, to plowes, to cities, and to high waies leading to the same, so that whoso|euer fled to them, should be in safegard from bodilie harme, and from thence he might depart into what countrie he would, with indemnitie of his per|son. Some authors write,Caxton and Polychron. that he began to make the foure great high waies of Britaine, the which were finished by his sonne Blinus, as after shall be decla|red.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 EEBO page image 16 After he had established his land and set his Bri|tains in good and conuenient order,The first king that was crowned with a golden crowne. he ordeined him by the aduise of his lords a crowne of gold, & caused himselfe with great solemnitie to be crowned, accor|ding to the custome of [...] lawes then in vse: & bicause he was the first that bare a crowne héere in Britaine, after the opinion of some writers, he is named the first king of Britaine, and all the other before rehearsed are named rulers, dukes, or gouer|nors.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Amongst other of his ordinances, Polyd. Weights and measures. he appointed weights and measures, with the which men should buy and sell. And further he deuised sore and streight orders for the punishing of theft.Theft puni|shed. Fabian. Finallie, after he had guided the land by the space of fortie yéeres, he di|ed, and was buried in the foresaid temple of peace which he had erected within the citie of Troinouant now called London, as before ye haue heard, appoin|ting in his life time, that his kingdome should be di|uided betwixt his two sonnes, Brennus and Beli|nus (as some men doo coniecture.)

3.2. The ioint-gouernment of Belinus and Brennus the two sonnes of Mulmucius, their discontentment, the stratagems of the one against the other, the expulsion of Brennus out of Britaine. The second Chapter.

The ioint-gouernment of Belinus and Brennus the two sonnes of Mulmucius, their discontentment, the stratagems of the one against the other, the expulsion of Brennus out of Britaine. The second Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _BRennus and Belinus began to reigne iointlie as kings in Britaine,Belinus and Brennus. in the yéere of the world 3574, af|ter the building of the citie of Rome 355, and after the de|liuerance of the Israelites out of captiuitie 142,3574 which was about the seuenth yéere of Artaxerxes surna|med Mnenon, the seuenth king of the Persians. Be|linus held vnder his gouernment Loegria,Matth. West. Wales, and Cornwall: and Brennus all those countries o|uer and beyond Humber. And with this partition were they contented by the tearme of six or seuen yéeres, Polyd. saith 5. Brennus not content with his portion. after which time expired, Brennus coueting to haue more than his portion came to, first thought to purchase himselfe aid in forreine parties, & there|fore by the prouocation and counsell of yong vnquiet heads, sailed ouer into Norway, and there married the daughter of Elsung or Elsing,Elsingius. as then duke or ruler of that countrie. Beline offended with his bro|ther, that he should thus without his aduice marrie with a stranger, now in his absence seized all his lands, townes, and fortresses into his owne hands, placing garisons of men of warre where he thought conuenient.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 In the meane time, Brenne aduertised hereof, as|sembled a great nauie of ships, well furnished with people and souldiers of the Norwegians, with the which he tooke his course homewards, but in the waie he was encountred by Guilthdacus king of Den|marke,Guilthdacus king of Den|marke. the which had laid long in wait for him, bi|cause of the yoong ladie which Brenne had maried, for whome he had béene a sutor to hir father Elsing of long time. When these two fléetes of the Danes and Norwegians met, there was a sore battell betwixt them, but finallie the Danes ouercame them of Norway, and tooke the ship wherein the new bride was conueied, and then was she brought aboord the ship of Guilthdacus. Brenne escaped by flight as well as he might. But when Guilthdacus had thus obtained the victorie and prey, suddenlie therevpon arose a sore tempest of wind and weather,A tempest. which scattered the Danish fleete, and put the king in dan|gers to haue béene lost [...] but finallie within fiue daies after, being driuen by force of wind, he landed in Northumberland, with a few such ships as kept togi|ther with him.Guilthdacus landed in the north.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Beline being then in that countrie, prouiding for defense against his brother, vpon knowledge of the king of Denmarks arriuall, caused him to be staied. Shortlie after, Brenne hauing recouered and gotten togither the most part of his ships that were disper|sed by the discomfiture, and then newlie rigged and furnished of all things necessarie, sent word to his brother Beline, both to restore vnto him his wife wrongfullie rauished by Guilthdacus, and also his lands iniuriouslie by him seized and his possession. These requests being plainlie and shortlie denied, Brenne made no long delaie, but spéedilie made to|ward Albania, and landing with his armie in a part thereof, incountred with his brother Beline néere vnto a wood named as then Calater, where (after cru|ell fight,Calater wood is in Scotland. and mortall battell betwixt them) at length the victorie abode with the Britains, and the discomfi|ture did light so on the Norwegians, that the most of them were wounded, slaine, and left dead vpon the ground.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Hereby Brenne being forced to flée, made shift, and got ouer into Gallia, where after he had sued to this prince, at length he abode, and was well receiued of one Seguinus or Seginus duke of the people called then Allobrogs (as Galfrid of Monmouth saith) or rather Armorica,Seguinus or Seginus duke of the Allobrogs, now the D [...]|phinat or Sauoy. which now is called Britaine, as Polychronicon, and the english historie printed by Caxton, more trulie maie seeme to affirme. But Be|line hauing got the vpper hand of his enimies, assem|bling his councell at Caerbranke, now called York, tooke aduise what he should doo with the king of Den|marke: where it was ordeined, that he should be set at libertie, with condition and vnder couenant, to ac|knowledge himselfe by dooing homage, to hold his land of the king of Britaine, and to paie him a yéere|lie tribute. These couenants being agréed vpon,The Danes tributarie to the Britains. and hostages taken for assurance, he was set at libertie, and so returned into his countrie. The tribute that he couenanted to paie, was a thousand pounds, as the English chronicle saith.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 When Beline had thus expelled his brother, and was alone possessed of all the land of Britaine, he first confirmed the lawes made by his father: and for so much as the foure waies begun by his father were not brought to perfection,The foure high waies fi|nished. he therefore caused workmen to be called foorth and assembled, whom he set in hand to paue the said waies with stone, for the better passage and ease of all that should trauell through the countries from place to place, as occasi|on should require.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 The first of these foure waies is named Fosse,The fosse. and stretcheth from the south into the north, beginning at the corner of Totnesse in Cornewall, and so passing foorth by Deuonshire, and Somersetshire, by Tuthe|rie, on Cotteswold, and then forward beside Couen|trie vnto Leicester, and from thence by wild plaines towards Newarke, and endeth at the citie of Lin|colne. The second waie was named Watling stréete, the which stretcheth ouerthwart the Fosse,Watling street out of the southeast into the northeast, beginning at Douer, and passing by the middle of Kent ouer Tha|mes beside London, by-west of Westminster, as some haue thought, and so foorth by S. Albons, and by the west side of Dunstable, Stratford, Toucester, and Wedon by-south of Lilleborne, by Atherston, Gilberts hill, that now is called the Wreken, and so foorth by Seuerne, passing beside Worcester, vnto Stratton to the middle of Wales, and so vnto a EEBO page image 17 place called Cardigan, at the Irish sea. The third way was named Ermingstréet,Ermingstréet which stretched out of the west northwest, vnto the east southeast, and be|ginneth at Meneuia, the which is in Saint Dauids land in west Wales, and so vnto Southampton. The fourth and last waie hight Hiknelstréete,Hiknelstréete. which lea|deth by Worcester, Winchcombe, Birmingham, Lichfield, Darbie, Chesterfield, and by Yorke, and so foorth vnto Tinmouth. After he had caused these waies to be well and sufficientlie raised and made,Priuileges granted to the waies. he confirmed vnto them all such priuileges as were granted by his father.