[1] _NOw will we returne to Uortigerne, of whome we read in the British historie, that after the Saxons had constreined him to deliuer into their hands a great part of the south and east parts of the realme, so that they had in possession London, Yorke, Lincolne, & Winchester,Galfrid. with other cities & townes, he not onelie fearing their puissance, but also the re|turne of Aurelius Ambrosius, and his brother Uter pendragon, withdrew him into Wales, where he be|gan to build a strong castell vpon a mounteine called Breigh,Caxton. or after other Cloaric,Fabian. néere to the riuer of Guana,Polychron. which is in the west side of Wales in a place within the compasse of the same hill called Generon [page 84] or Guemeren.Mount Erir he calleth it in one place of his booke. Of the building of this castell, and of the hinderance in erecting the same, with the mon|strous birth of Merlin and his knowledge in prophe|sieng, the British histories tell a long processe, the which in Caxton, and in Galf [...]ides bookes is also set foorth, as there ye maie sée: but for that the same sée|meth not of such credit as deserueth to be registred in anie sound historie, we haue with silence passed it ouer.
[1] Whilest Uortigerne was busied in building of this castell,Aurelius and Uter brethren returne into Britaine. the two foresaid brethren Aurelius and Uter prepared a nauie of ships, and an armie of men, by helpe of such their kinsmen and fréends as they found in Britaine Armorike, and so passed the sea, and landed at Totnesse: whereof when the Bri|tains were aduertised, the which were scattered a|broad and seuered in diuers parties and countries, they drew vnto the said two brethren with all spéed that might be. When Aurelius and his brother Uter perceiued that they were sufficientlie furnished of people, they marched foorth towards Wales against Uortigerne,Uortigerne burnt to death. who hauing knowledge of their approch, had fortified his castell verie strongly with men, mu|nition and vittels, but yet all auailed him nothing, for in the end after his enimies had giuen diuers assaults to the said castell,Wild fire not yet inuented as some think. they found meanes with wild fire to burne it downe to the earth, and so con|sumed it by fire togither with the king, and all other that were within it.
[1] [2] [3] Thus did Uortigerne end his life (as in the Bri|tish historie is recorded.) Much euill is reported of him by the same historie, and also by other writers, and among other things it is written, that he should lie by his owne daughter, and of hir beget a sonne, in hope that kings should come of him, and therefore he was excommunicated by S. Germane. It is al|so said, Polychron.. A feined tale of S. Ger|mane. that when the same S. Germane came into Britaine (as before ye haue heard) this Uortigerne on a time should denie the same S. Germane har|bour: but one that kept the kings heards of cat|tell receiued him into his house,A caluish narration. and lodged him, and slue a calfe for his supper, which calfe after supper was ended, S. Germane restored againe to life: and on the morrow by the ordinance of God, he caused Uortigerne to be deposed from his kinglie estate, and tooke the heardman and made him king. But Ranulfe Hig. in his Polychronicon, alledging Gyl|das for his author, saith that this chand to a ceking that ruled in Powsey, whose name was Bulie, and not to Uortigerne: so that the successors of that Bu|lie reigning in that side of Wales, came of the li|nage of the same heardman.
[1] Moreouer it hath beene said (as one writer re|cordeth)H. Hunt. that when Uortigerne refused to heare the preaching of saint Germane, and fled from him as he would haue instructed him, one night there fell fire from heauen vpon the castell wherein the king was lodged, and so the king being destroied with the fall of the house and the fire togither, was neuer af|ter séene. ¶But these are fables, and therfore I passe them ouer, hoping that it shall suffice to shew here with what stuffe our old historiographers haue far|ced vp their huge volumes, not so much regarding the credit of an historie, as satisfieng the vanitie of their owne fond fantasies, studieng with a preten|ded skilfulnesse to cast glorious colours vpon lies, that the readers (whom they presupposed either igno|rant or credulous) would be led away with a flowing streme of woords void of reason and common sense. Which kind of men knew not (belike) that the na|ture of an historie) defined to be Rei verè gestae memoria) will not beare the burthen or lode of a lie, sith the same is too heauie: otherwise they would haue depo|sed matters conspiring with the truth.