THE THIRD BOOKE of the Historie of England.

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.

[1] [2] [3] _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.

[1] [page 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.

[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.)