5.29. Belinus and Brennus, the ſonnes of Mulmucius.
Belinus and Brennus, the ſonnes of Mulmucius.
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1
[figure appears here on page 23] BRennus and Be|linus began to raigne ioyntly
as Kings in Britaine,Belinus and Brennus. in ye
yeere of the World .3574. after the buil|ding of ye Ci|tie of Rome. 355.
and after the deliuerance of the Iſraelites out of captiuitie .142. which
was about ye ſeuenth yere of Artaxerxes ſurnamed Mnenon,3574 the ſeuẽth K. of the Perſians. Belinus held vnder his
gouer|nance Loegria, Wales, & Cornewale:M.W. and Brẽ|nus all thoſe countreys ouer and beyonde Hum|ber.
And with this partition were they contented by the tearme of ſixe or ſeuen
yeres,5. hath Policr. after whyche time
expired, Brennus coueting to haue more than his portiõ came to, firſt
thought to purchaſe himſelfe ayd in forreine parties,Brennus not content with his portion. and therefore by the
prouocation & counſel 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 countrey.
Beline offended with his brother, that he ſhoulde thus withoute his aduice
marrie with a ſtranger, now in his abſence ſeaſed al his lands, townes and
fortreſſes into his owne hands, placing garriſons of men of warre where he
thought conuenient.
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1 In the meane time, Brenne
aduertized hereof, aſſembled a great nauie of Ships, well furniſhed with
people and Souldiers of the Norwegians, with the whiche he tooke his courſe
homewardes, but in the way he was encountred by Guilthda|cus king of
Denmarke,Guilthdacus King of Den|marke. the
whiche had layen lõg in awaite for him, bycauſe of ye yong Lady whi|che
Bren had married, for whom he had bin a ſu|tor to hir father Elſing of long
time. Whẽ theſe two fleetes of ye Danes & Norwegiãs met, there
EEBO page image 24 was a ſore battell betwixte them, but finally, the Danes
ouercame them of Norway, and tooke ye Ship wherein the new Bride was
conueyed, and then was ſhe brought aboorde ye Ship of Guilth|dachus. Brenne
eſcaped by flighte as well as hee might. But when Guilthdachus had thus
obtai|ned the victory & pray, ſodaynly thervpon roſe a ſore tẽpeſt
of winde & weather,A tempeſt. which
eſcattered the Daniſhe fleete, and put the King in daunger to haue bin loſt:
but finally within fiue dayes af|ter,Guithdachus [...]anded in the North.
being driuen by force of winde, he landed
in Northumberland, with a fewe ſuche Shippes as kept togither with him.
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1
2 Beline being then in that
countrie, prouidyng for defence againſte his brother, vpon knowledge had of
the King of Denmarkes arriuall, cauſed him to be ſtayed. Shortly after,
Brenne hauyng recouered and gote togither the moſt parte of hys Shippes,
that were diſperſed by the diſcomfiture, and thẽ newly rigged and furniſhed
of al things neceſſary, ſente worde to his brother Beline, both to reſtore
to him his wife wrongfully rauiſhed by Guithdacus, and alſo his lands
iniuriouſly by him ſeaſed into his poſſeſſion. Theſe requeſtes be|ing
playnely and ſhortly denyed, Brenne made no long delay, but ſpeedily made
towards Alba|nia, and landing with his army in a part thereof, encountred
with his brother Beline neere vnto a Wood named as then Calater,Calãder [...] is in Scotland where after cruell fight, and mortall
battell betwixt them, at lẽgth
[figure appears here on page 24] the victory
abode with the Britons, and the diſ|comfiture light ſo on the Norwegians,
that the moſt of them were ſlayne, and left dead vpon the groũd. Hereby
Brenne being forced to flee, made ſhift, and gote ouer into Gallia, where
after hee had ſued to this Prince and that, at lẽgth he was wel receiued of one Seguinus or Seginus Duke of
the people called then Allobroges,Seguinus or Seginus
Duke of the Allo|broges, nowe the Delphi|na [...]e or Sauoy. as Galfrid of Monmoth ſaith, or rather Armorica,
whyche now 'is called Britaine, as Policronicon, and the Engliſhe hiſtorie
printed by Caxton, more truely may ſeme to affirme. But Belyne hauing got
the vpper hand of his enimies, aſſembling hys counſell at Caerbranke, now
called Yorke, tooke aduice what he ſhould do with the King of Dẽ|marke:
where it was ordeyned, that he ſhould bee
ſet at libertie, with condition and vnder couenãt, to acknowledge himſelfe
by doing homage, to holde his lande of the King of Britaine, and to pay him
a yeerely tribute.The Danes tributarie to the
Britons. Theſe couenauntes therefore beeing agreed vnto, and
hoſtages taken for aſſurance, he was ſet at libertie, and ſo retur|ned into
his countrey. The tribute that he coue|nãted to pay, was a thouſand pound,
as ye Eng|liſh Chronicle ſaith.
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1
2 When Beline had thus
expelled his brother, and was alone poſſeſſed of all the land of Brit|taine,
he firſte confirmed the lawes made by hys father: and for ſo much as the
foure wayes begun by his father were not brought to perfection,The foure high wayes finiſhed. hee therefore cauſed
workmen to be called foorth and aſſembled, whom he ſet in hand to paue the
ſayde wayes with ſtone, for the better paſſage and eaſe of all that ſhould
trauell through the countreyes from place to place, as occaſiõ ſhuld
require. The firſt of theſe foure wayes is named Foſſe,The Foſſe. & ſtret|cheth from the South into the North,
beginning at ye corner of Totneſſe in Cornewaile, & ſo paſ|ſing
forth by Deuonſhire, and Somerſetſhire, by Tutbery, on Cotteſwold, &
then forwarde beſide Couentrie vnto Leiceſter, & from thence by
wilde playnes toward Newarke,Watling Streete.
& endeth at the Citie of Lincoln. The ſecond way was named Wat|ling
ſtreete, the which ſtretcheth ouerthwart the Foſſe, out of the Southeaſt
into the Northeaſt, beginning at Douer, and paſſing by the middle of Kent
ouer Thames beſide London, by Weſt of Weſtminſter as ſome haue thought,
& ſo forth EEBO page image 25 by S. Albanes, & by ye Weſt
ſide of Dunſtable, Stratford, Touceſter, and Wedon by ſouth of Lilleborne,
by Atherſton, Gilberts hill, that nowe is called the Wreken, and ſo forth by
Seuerne, paſſing beſide Worceſter, vnto Stratton to the middle of Wales, and
ſo vnto a place called Car|digan, at the Iriſh ſea.
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[...]ing ſtreet.The thirde waye was named Erming|ſtreete, the
which ſtretched out of the weſt north|weſt, vnto the eaſt ſoutheaſt, and
begynneth at Monenia, the which is in
Saint Dauids lande in weſt Wales, and ſo vnto Southampton.
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1
[...]nelſtreete.The fourth and laſt way hight Hikenelſtreete,
which leadeth by Worceſter, Winchcomb, Bir|mingham, Lichfield, Darby,
Cheſterfielde, and by Yorke, and ſo forth vnto Tinmouth.
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1
[...]iuiledges [...]unted to [...] wayes.And after he had cauſed theſe wayes to be wel and
ſufficiently reyſed and made, hee confirmed vnto them all ſuche priuileges
as were graunted by his father.
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1 In this meane tyme that
Beline was thus occupied about the neceſſarie affayres of his realm and
kingdome, his brother Brenne that was fled into Gallia onely with .xij.
perſons, bycauſe hee was a goodly Gentleman, and ſeemed to vnder|ſtande what
apperteyned to honour, grew ſhortly into fauor with Seginus the Duke afore
menti|oned, and declaring vnto him his aduerſitie, and the whole
circumſtaunce of his miſhap, at length was ſo highly cheriſhed of the ſayde
Seginus, de|liting in ſuch worthie
qualities as he ſaw in him dayly appearing,
[...]renne mary| [...]th the duke of [...]he Alobroges daughter. that he gaue to him his daugh|ter in
maryage, with condition, that if he dyed without iſſue Male, then ſhoulde he
inherite his eſtate and Dukedome: and if it happened him to leaue and heyre
Male behinde him, then ſhoulde he yet helpe him to recouer his lande and
domi|nion in Brytaine, bereft frõ him by his brother.
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1 Theſe conditions well and
ſurely vppon the Dukes part by the aſſent of the Nobles of his lande concluded, ratified, and aſſured, the ſayde
Duke within the ſpace of one yeare after dyed. And then after a certaine
time it beeing knowne that the Duches was not with childe, all the Lords of
that Countrey did homage vnto Bren, receyuing him as their Lorde and ſupreme
go|uernour, vpon whome he likewiſe for his part in recompence of their
curteſie, beſtowed a great por|tion of his treaſure.
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1
Brenne with an armie retur|neth into
Bry|taine.Shortly after alſo, with their aſſent he gathe|red
an army, and with the ſame eftſoones
came o|uer into Brytayne, to make new warre vpon his brother Belyne. Of
whoſe landing when Be|line was informed, he aſſembled his people and made
himſelfe readie to meete him,Brenne and Beline made
friendes by in|terceſsion of their mother. but as they were at
poynt to haue ioyned battell, by the in|terceſſiõ of their mother that came
betwixt them, and demeaned hirſelfe in all motherly order, and moſte louing
maner towardes them both, they fell to an agreement, and were made friendes
or euer they parted aſunder.
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1 After this they repayred
to London, and there taking aduice togyther with their Peeres and
Counſellors, for the good order and quieting of the lande, at length they
accorded to paſſe wyth both their armies into Gallia to ſubdue that whole
Countrey, and ſo following this determi|nation, they tooke ſhipping and
ſayled ouer into Gallia, where beginning the warre with fire and ſword, they
wrought ſuch mayſteries,They inuade Gallia and
Italie. that with|in a ſhort time (as ſayth Geffrey of Monmouth)
they conquered a great part of Gallia, Italy, and Germanie, and brought it
to their ſubiection. In the ende they tooke Rome by this occaſion (as
wryters report, if theſe be the ſame that had the leading of thoſe
Galli, which in this ſeaſon did ſo much hurt in Italy and other
parts of the world.
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1 After they had paſſed the
mountaynes, & were entred into Tuſkaine,Now
Chiuſt. they beſieged the Citie of Cluſium, the Citizens whereof
beeing in greate daunger, ſent to Rome for ayde agaynſt theyr enimies.
Wherevpon the Romaines conſidering with themſelues, that although they were
not in any league of ſocietie with the Cluſians, yet if they were ouercome,
the daũger of the next brunt were like to be theirs:Ambaſſadors. ſent from Rome. with all ſpeed they ſent
am|baſſadours to intreate betwixte the parties for ſome peace to be had.
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1 They that were ſent,
required the Captaynes of the Gaulles in name of the Senate and Citi|zens of
Rome,Brennus an|ſwere. not to moleſt the
friendes of the Romaines: Wherevnto anſwere was made by Brennus, that for
his part he could be content to haue peace, if it were ſo that the Cluſians
would be agreeable that the Gaulles might haue part of theyr Countrey, which
they held being more than they did alreadie well occupie, for otherwiſe
(ſayd he) there could be no peace graunted.
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1 The Romaine Ambaſſadors
being offended with theſe wordes, demaunded what the Gaules had to do in
Tuſkain.The treatie of peace brea|keth off. By
reaſon of which and other the like ouerthwart wordes, the parties be|gan to
kindle in diſpleaſure ſo farre, yt their cõmu|nication brake of, and ſo
they from treating fell a|gaine to trie the matter by dynt of ſworde.
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1 The Romaine Ambaſſadors
alſo to ſhewe of what prowes the Romaines were, contrarie to the law of
Nations, yt forbiddeth ſuch as come in Ambaſſade about any treatie of
peace, to take ei|ther one part or other, took weapon in hand &
ioy|ned themſelues with the Cluſians, wherewith the Gaulles were ſo muche
diſpleaſed, that inconti|nently with one voyce, they requyred to haue the
ſiege rayſed from Cluſium, that they might go to Rome. But Brennus thought
good firſt to ſend Meſſengers thither, to require the deliuerie of ſuch EEBO page image 42 as had broken the lawe, that puniſhment might be done on
them accordingly as they had deſer|ued. This was done, and knowledge brought
a|gaine, that the Ambaſſadors were not onely not puniſhed, but alſo choſen
to be Tribunes for the next yeare.
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1 The Gaulles then became
in ſuch a rage (by|cauſe they ſaw there was nothing to be looked for at the
handes of the Romaines, but warre, [...]iu|rious wrongs, and deceytfull traynes) that they turned all their
force agaynſt them,The Ga [...] make [...] Rome. marching ſtreight towards Rome, and by the way
deſtroy|ing all that ſtoode before them.
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1 The Romaines aduertiſed
thereof, aſſembled themſelues togither to the number of .xl.M. and
encountring with Beline and Brenne,The Rom [...] enco [...] with the [...] are ouer|throwne. neare to the riuer Allia, about .xj.
miles on this ſide Rome, were ſlaine and quite diſcomfited.
[figure appears here on page 42]
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1 The Galles could vneth
beleeue that they had got the victorie with ſo ſmall reſiſtance: but whẽ
they perceyued that the Romaines were wholy ouerthrowne, and that the field was clerely rid of them, they got
togither the ſpoyle, and made to|wards Rome it ſelfe, where ſuch feare and
terror was ſtryken into the heartes of the people, that all men were in
diſpayre to defende the Citie:The Romains in deſpayre
withdraw into the Capitoll. and therefore the Senate with all the
warrelike youth of the Citizens got them into the Capitoll, which they
furniſhed with vitayles and all things ne|ceſſarie for the maintenance of
the ſame agaynſt a long ſiege. The honourable fathers and all the multitude of other people not apt for warres,
re|mayned ſtil in the Citie, as it were to periſh with their Countrey, if
happe ſo befell.
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1
The Gaules enter into Rome.In the meane time came
the Gaulles to the Citie, and entring by the gate Collina they paſſe forth
the right way vnto the Market place, mar|ueyling to ſee the houſes of the
poorer ſort to bee ſhut agaynſt them, and thoſe of the rycher to re|maine
wide open, wherefore being doubtfull of ſome deceytfull traynes, they were
not ouer raſhe to enter the ſame, but
after they had eſpied the an|cient fathers ſit in theyr Chayres apparelled
in theyr riche Robes, as if they had beene in the Se|nate,The reuerend aſpect of the Senators. they reuerenced them as
Gods, ſo honorable was their port, graueneſſe in countnaunce, and ſhew of
apparell.
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1
Marcus Papy|rius.In the meane time it chaunced,
that Marcus Papyrius ſtroke one of the Gaulles on the heade with his ſtaffe,
bycauſe he preſumed to ſtroke his bearde: with whiche iniurie the Gaulle
beeing prouoked, ſlue Papyrius (as he ſate) with hys ſworde, and therewith
the ſlaughter being begun with one, all the reſidue of thoſe auncient
father|ly men as they ſat in theyr Chayres were ſlaine and cruelly
murthered.
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1 After this all the people
founde in the Citie without reſpect or difference at al,Rome [...]
were put to the ſworde, and the houſes ſacked. And thus was Rome
taken by the two brethren, Beline, and Brenne . [...]65. yeares after the firſt building therof.365
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1 After this,The Capi [...]l defended. the Gaulles attempted in the night ſeaſon to
haue entred the Capitoll: and in deede ordered their enterpriſe ſo
ſecretely, that they had atchieued their purpoſe, if a ſort of Ganders had
not with their crie and noyſe diſcloſed them, in wakening the Romaines that
were aſleepe: and ſo by that meanes were the Gaulles beaten backe and
repulſed.
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1 The Romaines beeing thus
put to their ex|treeme ſhift, deuiſed among themſelues howe to reuoke Furius
Camillus from exile, whome not long before they had vniuſtly baniſhed out of
the Citie.Camillus [...]|uoked [...] exile. In the ende they did not onely ſende for him home,
but alſo created him Dictator, com|mitting into his handes (ſo long as his
office la|ſted) an abſolute power ouer all men, both of life and death.
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1 Camilius forgetful of the
iniurie done to him, and mindful of his dutie towards his Countrey, EEBO page image 27 and lamenting the ſtate thereof, withoute delay gathereth
ſuche an armie as the preſent time per|mitted.
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1 In the meane time thoſe
that kept the Capi|toll (being almoſt famiſhed for lacke of vitayles)
compounded with Brenne and Beline, that for the ſumme of a thouſand pounde
weight in gold,
[...]poſition. the Romaines ſhould redeeme theyr liberties: and
the ſayd Brenne and Beline to depart with their armie out of the Citie and
all the territories of Rome. But at the
deliuerie of the money, and by a certaine kinde of happe, the Romaines name
was preſerued at that time from ſuche diſhonour and ignominie as was
like [...]
[...] haue inſued. For ſome of the couetous ſort of the Gaulles, not
cõ|tented with the iuſt weight of [...] golde, did caſt their ſwordes alſo into the Ballance where the
weightes lay, thereby to haue ouer weight: wher|vpon the Romains refuſed to
make payment af|ter that weight.
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1 And thus whileſt they
were in altercation a|bout this matter, the one importunate to haue, the
other not willing to graunt, the time paſſed, till in the meane ſeaſon
Camillus commeth in amongeſt them with his power,
[...]millus diſ| [...]ointeth [...] Gaulles of [...] payment. commaunding that the gold ſhould be had away, and
affyrming that without conſent of the Dictator, no compo|ſition or agreement
might bee concluded by the meaner Magiſtrate. He giueth a ſigne to the
Gaulles to prepare themſelues to battaile, where|vnto they lightly agreed, and togither they went. The battaile
being once begon, the Gaulles that looked earſt for golde, and not for
battaile, were eaſily ouercome, ſuch as ſtoode to the brunt were
ſlaine,
[...]he Gaulles [...]erthrowne. and the reſt by flight conſtrayned to de|part the
Citie.
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1 Polybius wryteth, that
the Gaulles were fur|ned from the ſiege of the Citie, through warres which
chaunced amongeſt their owne people at home, and therefore they concluded a
peace wyth the Romaines, and leauing them
in libertie re|turned home againe.
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1 But howſoeuer the matter
paſſed, thus muche haue we ſlept from our purpoſe, to ſhewe ſome|what of
that noble and moſt famous Captayne Brennus, the which as not onely our
Hyſtories, but alſo as Giouan Villani the Florentine doth report, was a
Brytain, and brother to Beline (as before is mentioned) although I know that
ma|ny other writers are not of that mind, affyrming him to be a Gaul, and likewiſe that after this pre|ſent
time of the taking of Rome by this Brennus 110. yeares, or there aboutes,
there was another Brennus a Gaull alſo by Nation (ſay they) vn|der whoſe
conduct an other armie of the Gaulles inuaded Grecia, whiche Brennus had a
brother that hight Belgius, althoughe Humfrey Llhuyd, and ſir Iohn Price doe
flatly denie the ſame, by reaſon of ſome diſcordance in writers, and name|ly
in the computation of the yeares ſet downe by thẽ that haue recorded the
doings of thoſe times, whereof the error is growen. Howbeit I doubt not but
that the truth of this matter ſhall be more fully ſifted out in time by the
learned and ſtudi|ous of ſuch antiquities.
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1 But now to our purpoſe.
This is alſo to bee noted, yt where our Hiſtories make mention, that Beline
was abrode with Brennus in the moſte part of his victories, both in Gallia,
Germany,Tit. Lin. Polidor. & Italy,
Titus Liuius ſpeaketh but only of Bren|nus: wherevpon ſome write, that after
the two brethren were by their mothers intreatance made friendes, Brennus
onely went ouer into Gallia, and there through proufe of his worthie prowes,
atteyned to ſuch eſtimation amongeſt the people called Galli
Senones, that he was choſen to be their general Captaine at theyr
going ouer the moun|taynes into Italie.Ma. VVest
But whether Beline went ouer with his brother, and finally returned backe
againe leauing Brennus behinde him, as ſome write, or that he went not at
all, but remayned ſtill at home whileſt his brother was abrode, wee can
affyrme no certaintie.
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1 The truth is, that the
moſte part of all ours writers make report of many worthie deedes
ac|compliſhed by Beline, in repayring of Cities de|cayed, and erecting of
other newe buyldings, to the adorning and beautifying of his Realme and
kingdome.
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1 And amongeſt other workes
which were by him erected,
Paliche. Gal. M. Cairlleon r Wiske buylt by Belin. he
buylded a Citie in the ſouth parte of Wales, neare to the place where the
riuer Vſke falleth into Seuerne, faſt by Glaumorgan, which citie hight
Cairlleon, or Cairllegion Ar Wiſke.
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1 This Cairllegion was the
principall Citie in tyme paſt of all Demetia, nowe called South|wales. Many
notable monumentes are remay|ning there till this day, teſtifying the great
mag|nificence and royall buyldings of that Citie in olde tyme.
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1 There were in the ſame
Citie alſo ſithe the time of Chriſt three Churches, one of Saint Iu|lius the
Martyr, an other of Saint Aron, and the third was the mother Church of all
Demetia, and the chiefe Sea: but after the ſame ſea was tranſlated vnto
Meneuia, (that is to ſay) Saint Dauid in Weſtwales.
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1 In this Cairlleon was
Amphibulus [...] that taught and inſtructed Saint Albon.
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1 Alſo this Beline buylded
an hauen,Fabian. with a gate ouer the ſame, within
the Citie of Troyno|uant, or London, in the ſummer whereof after|wards was
ſet a veſſell of Braſſe, in the whiche were put the aſhes of his bodie,
which bodie after his deceaſſe was burnt, as the maner of burying in thoſe
dayes did require.
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1
EEBO page image 21
Iohn Leyland.This gate was long after called
Bellinus gate, and at length by corruption of language Bellings gate.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 He buylded alſo a Caſtell
Eaſtwarde from this gate (as ſome haue written) whiche was long tyme after
likewyſe called Bellyns Ca|ſtell,The tower of London
built by Beline. and is the ſame whiche nowe wee call the Tower of
London.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 Thus Beline ſtudying
dayly to beautifie this lande with goodly buyldings and famous works,
at length departed this lyfe, after he
had raig|ned with his brother and alone, the ſpace of .xxvj. yeare.