5.70. Conſtantine.

EEBO page image 158

Conſtantine.

Conſtã|tine. [figure appears here on page 158]

Compare 1587 edition: 1 After the death of Arthur, his couſin Cõſtan|tine the ſon of Cadõr, duke or earle of Corn|wall beganne his reigne ouer the Brytayns, in yeare of our Lorde .542. whiche was aboute the .xv. yeare of the Emperour Iuſtinianus al|moſt ended the .29. of Childebert K. of Fraunce,54 [...] and the firſt yeare welnere complete of the reigne of Totiles kyng of the Gothes in Italy.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Arthur when he perceyued that he ſhould dye,Galfri [...]. Mat. VV [...] ordeyned this Conſtantine to ſucceede him, and ſo by the conſent of the more parte of the Bry|tons, he was crowned kyng: but the ſonnes of Mordred ſore repined thereat, as they that clay|med the rule of the land by iuſte title and clayme of inheritaunce to them from theyr father deſ|cended.

[figure appears here on page 158]

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Ciuill warre.Herevpon followed ciuill warre, ſo that dy|ners batayles were ſtricken betwene them, and in the ende the two brethren were conſtrayned to withdrawe for refuge, the one to London, and the other to Wincheſter: but Conſtantine par|ſriving them, firſte came to Wyncheſter, and by force entred the Citie, and ſlewe the one bro|ther that was fledde thyther within the churche of Saincte Amphibalus: And after commyng to London, entred that Citie alſo, and findyng the other brother within a Churche, there ſlewe hym in lyke maner as he had done the other. And ſo hauing diſpatched his aduerſaries, he thoughte to haue purchaſed to himſelfe ſafetie: but ſhortly after,Aurelius Co|nanus. his own kinſman, one Aurelius Conanus arreared warre agaynſt him, who ioyning with him in battaile,Conſtantine ſlayne. ſlew him in the field, after he had reigned foure yeares. His body was conueyed to Stonehenge, and there duryed beſyde his aun|ceſtour Vter Pendragon.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Of this Conſtantine that ſeemeth to be ment whiche Gildas writeth in his booke entitled De excidio Brytannia, Gildas. where inueying agaynſte the rulers of the Brytons in his tyme, hee writeth thus:

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 Britayn hath kings, but the ſame be tyrants: Iudges it hath, but they be wicked, oftentymes pilling and harmyng the innocent people, reuen|ging and defending, but whome? ſuche as bee giltie perſons and robbers. Hauing many wy|ues, but yet breakyng wedlocke: Oftentymes ſwearyng and yet forſwearing themſelues: vo|wing, and for the more parte lying: Warring, but maynteynyg ciuill and vniuſt warres, pur|ſuyng in deede theeues that are abroade in the countreye, and yet not onely cheriſhyng thoſe that ſitte euen at table with them, but alſo high|ly rewarding them: giuing almes largely but on the other parte heaping vp a myghtie mount of ſynnes: Sitting in the ſeate of ſentence, but ſeldom ſeeking the rule of rightuous iudgement: deſpiſing the innocent and humble perſons, and exalting ſo farre as in them lyeth, euen vp to the heauens, the bloudy and proud murtherers, thee|ues and adulterers, yea the verye expreſſe eni|mies of God, if he woulde ſo permitte: keeping many in priſon, whom they oppreſſe in lodging them with yrons through crafte, rather to ſerue their owne purpoſe, than for any guilte of the perſons ſo impriſoned: takyng ſolemne othes a|fore the aultars, and ſhortly after, deſpiſing the ſame aulters as vile and filthie ſtones of whiche heynous and wicked offence, Conſtantine the tyrannicall whelpe of the Lyoneſſe of Deuon|ſhire, is not ignorãt, who this yeare after the re|ceyuing of his dreadfull othe whereby he bounde himſelf that in no wiſe he ſhould hurt his ſubiec|tes, (God fyrſt, and then his othe, with the com|panie of Sainctes, and his mother beeing there preſente) did notwithſtanding in the reuerente laps of the two mothers, as the Church, & their carnall mother, vnder the coule of the holy Ab|botte, deuoure with ſworde and ſpeare inſtead of teeth, the tender ſides, yea and the entray|les of two chyldren of noble and kyngly race, and likewiſe of their two gouernours, yea and EEBO page image 139 that (as I ſayde) amongeſt the ſacred aultares: the armes of whyche perſones ſo ſlayne, not ſtretched foorth to defend themſelues with wea|pons) the whyche fewe in thoſe dayes hand|led more valyauntly than they) but ſtretched foorth I ſaye to God and to his altare in the daye of Iudgemente, ſhall lette vp theyr reue|rente enſignes of their pacience and fayth at the gatrs of the Citie of Chriſte, whyche ſo haue couered the ſeate of the Celeſtiall ſacrifice, as it were wyth the redde mantell of their cluttered bloud.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 And theſe thinges he didde not after any good deedes doone by hym deſeruyng prayſe: for ma|nye yeares before ouercome wyth the often and chaungeable fylthes of adulterie, forſakyng his lawfull wyfe contrarye to the Lawes of God &c. hee nowe broughte foorthe thys cryme of quellyng hys owne kinſemenne, and violatyng the Churche, but neyther being lewſed from the ſnares of his former euyls, he encreaſeth the new with the olde.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Thus in effecte hathe Gildas written of thus Conſtantine with more, for tourning his tale to him by way of calling to hym, he reproueth him of his faultes, and counſelleth hym to repente.