The Holinshed Project

Holinshed Project Home

The Texts

Previous | Next

3.7. Of Gorbonianus, Archigallus, Elidu|rus, Vigenius, and Peredurus, the fiue sons of Morindus, the building of Cam|bridge, the restitution of Archigallus to the regiment after his depriuation, Elidurus three times admitted King, his death and place of interrament. The seuenth Chapter.

Of Gorbonianus, Archigallus, Elidu|rus, Vigenius, and Peredurus, the fiue sons of Morindus, the building of Cam|bridge, the restitution of Archigallus to the regiment after his depriuation, Elidurus three times admitted King, his death and place of interrament. The seuenth Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 _GOrbonianus the first son of Morindus succéeded his fa|ther in the kingdome of Bri|tain,Gorbo|men or Gorboni|anus. in the yéere of the world 3676, after the building of Rome 461, and fourth yéere of the 121, Olimpiad. This Gorbonianus in the English chronicle is named Granbodian,A righteous and religious prince. and was a righte|ous prince in his gouernment, and verie deuout (ac|cording to such deuotion as he had) towards the ad|uancing of the religion of his gods: and thervpon he repaired all the old temples through his kingdome, and erected some new.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 He also builded the townes of Cambridge and Grantham (as Caxton writeth) and was beloued both of the rich and poore, for he honoured the rich, and relieued the poore in time of their necessities. In his time was more plentie of all things necessarie for the wealthfull state of man, than had béene before in anie of his predecessors daies. He died without is|sue, after he had reigned (by the accord of most wri|ters) about the terme of ten yeares.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Some write that this Gorbonian built the townes of Cairgrant,Cambridge by whome it was built. now called Cambridge, & also Gran|tham, but some thinke that those which haue so writ|ten are deceiued, in mistaking the name; for that Cambridge was at the first called Granta: and by that meanes it might be that Gorbonian built onlie Grantham, and not Cambridge, namelie because other write how that Cambridge (as before is said) was built in the daies of Gurguntius the sonne of Beline, by one Cantaber a Spaniard, brother to Partholoin, which Partholoin by the aduice of the same Gurguntius, got seates for himselfe and his companie in Ireland (as before ye haue heard.)

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The said Cantaber also obteining licence of Gur|guntius, builded a towne vpon the side of the riuer called Canta, which he closed with walles, and forti|fied with a strong tower or castell, and after pro|curing philosophers to come hither from Athens (where in his youth he had bene a student) he placed them there, and so euen then was that place furni|shed (as they saie) with learned men, and such as were readie to instruct others in knowledge of let|ters and philosophicall doctrine. But by whome or in what time soeuer it was built, certeine it is that there was a citie or towne walled in that place be|fore the comming of the Saxons, called by the Bri|taines, EEBO page image 21 Caergrant, and by the Saxons Gran|chester.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 This towne fell so to ruine by the inuasion of the Saxons, that at length it was in maner left deso|late, and at this day remaineth as a village. But néere therevnto vnder the Saxon kings, an other towne was built, now called Cambridge, where by the fauour of king Sigebert and [...] Burgun|dian, that was bishop of Dunwich, [...] schoole was erected, as in place conuenient shall appeare.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 ARchigallus,Archi|gallus. the second sonne of Morindus, and brother vnto Gorliomanus, was admitted king of Britaine, in the yeare 3686, after the buil|ding of the citie of Rome 470, after the deliuerance of the Israelites out of captiuitie 25 [...]; and in the first yeare of Softhenes king of Macedonia.He is giuen to nourish dis|sention. This Archigalius (in the English chronicle called Arto|gaill) followed not the steppes of his brother, but gi|uing himselfe to dissention and strise, imagined causos against his nobles, that he might displace them, and set such in their roomes as were men of base birth and of euill conditions. Also he sought by vnlawfull meanes to bereaue his wealthie subiects of their goods and riches, so to inrich himselfe and impouerish his people. For the which his inordinate dooings, his nobles conspired against him, and final|lie depriued him of all his honor and kinglie dig|nitie, after he had reigned about the space of one yeare.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 ELidurus the third sonne of Morindus,Elidurus. and bro|ther to Archigallus, was by one consent of the Britains chosen to reigne ouer them in his bro|thers stead, after the creation of the world 3687, and after the building of the citie of Rome 471, after the deliuerance of the Israelites 256, & in the first yeare of Sosthenes king of Macedonia. This Elidurus in the English chronicle named Hesider, or Esoder, prooued a most righteous prince, and doubting least he should doo otherwise than became him, if he did not take care for his brother Archigallus estate, a man might woonder what diligence he shewed in trauelling with the nobles of the realme to haue his brother restored to the crowne againe.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Now as it chanced one dahy (being abroad on hun|ting in the wood called Calater) neare vnto Yorke,By this it should séeme that Acliud should not be in Scotland, contrarie to the Scotish authors. he found his brother Archigall wandering there in the thickest of that wildernesse, whom in most louing maner he secretlie conneied home to his house, being as then in the citie of Aldud, otherwise called Acliud. Shortlie after he feined himselfe sicke, and in all hast sent messengers about to assemble his barons, who being come at the day appointed, he called them one after another into his priuie chamber, and there handled them in such effectuous sort with wise and discréet words, that he got their good wils to further him to their powers, for the reducing of the king|dome eftsoones into the hands of his brother Archi|gallus.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 After this he assembled a councell at Yorke, where he so vsed the matter with the commons, that in con|clusion, when the said Elidurus had gouerned the land well and honourablie the space of thrée yeares, he resigned wholie his crowne and kinglie title vnto his brother Archigallo, who was receiued of the Bri|taines againe as king by mediation of his brother in manner as before is said. ¶A rare example of brotherlie loue,An example of brotherlie loue. if a man shall reuolue in his mind what an inordinate desire remaineth amongst mor|tall men to atteine to the supreme souereintie of ru|ling, and to kéepe the same when they haue it once in possession. He had well learned this lesson (as may appeare by his contentation and resignation) name|lie, that

Nec abnuendum si dat imperium Deus,Sen. in Thiest.
Nec appetendum,
otherwise he would not haue béene led with such an equabilitie of mind. For this great good will and bro|therlie loue by him shewed thus toward his brother, he was surnamed the godlie and vertuous.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 WHen Archigallus was thus restored to the kingedome,Archigal|lus again. and hauing learned by due cor|rection that he must turne the leafe, and take out a new lesson, by changing his former trade of liuing into better, if he would reigne in suertie: he became a new man, vsing himselfe vprightlie in the admini|stration of iustice, and behauing himselfe so woorihi|lie in all his doings, both toward the nobles & com|mons of his realme, that he was both beloued and dread of all his subiects. And so continuing the whole tearme of his life, finallie departed out of this world, after he had reigned this second time the space of ten yeares, and was buried at Yorke.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 ELidurus brother to this Archigallus was then a|gaine admitted king by consent of all the Bri|taines,Elidurus againe. 3700 of the world.Matt. West. But his two yonger brethren, Uigenius and Peredurus,Brother a|gainst bro|ther. enuieng the happie state of this woorthie prince, so highlie for his vertue and good gouernance esteemed of the Bri|tains, of a grounded malice conspired against him, and assembling an armie, leuied warre against him, and in a pitcht field tooke him prisoner, and put him in the tower of London, there to be kept close priso|ner,Elidure com|mitted to prison. after he had reigned now this last time the space of one yeare.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 VIgenius and Peredurus,Vigenius and Pe|redurus. the yoongest sonnes of Morindus, and brethren to Elidurus, began to reigne iointlie as kings of Britaine, in the yeare of the world 3701, after the building of Rome 485, af|ter the deliuerance of the Israelites 266 complet, and in the 12 yeare of Antigonus Gonaias, the sonne of Demetrius king of the Macedonians. These two brethren in the English chronicles are named Higanius and Petitur, who (as Gal. Mon. testifieth) diuided the realme betwixt them,Britaine di|uided into two realmes. so that all the land from Humber westward fell to Uigenius, or Higanius, the other part beyond Humber north|ward Peredure held. But other affirme, that Pere|durus onelie reigned, and held his brother Elidurus in prison by his owne consent, forsomuch as he was not willing to gouerne.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 But Gal. Mon. saith, that Uigenius died after he had reigned 7 yeares, and then Peredurus seized all the land into his owne rule, and gouerned it with such sobrietie and wisedome, that he was praised a|boue all his brethren, so that Elidurus was quite for|gotten of the Britains. But others write that he was a verie tyrant,Uarietie in writers. and vsed himselfe verie cruellie towards the lords of his land, wherevpon they re|belled and slue him. But whether by violent hand, or by naturall sicknesse, he finallie departed this life, af|ter the consent of most writers, when he had reigned eight yeares,Caxton. Eth. Bur. leauing no issue behind him to succéed in the gouernance of the kingdome. He builded the towne of Pikering, where his bodie was buried.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 ELidurus then,Elidurus the third time. as soone as his brother Peredurus was dead, for as much as he was next heire to the crowne, was deliuered out of prison, and now the third time admitted king of Britaine, who vsed him|selfe (as before) verie orderlie in ministring to all persons right and iustice all the daies of his life, and lastlie being growne to great age died, when he had reigned now this third time (after most concordance of writers) the tearme of foure yeares:He is buried at Caerleill. and was bu|ried at Caerleill.

Previous | Next

5.40. Elidure againe.

Elidure againe.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 ELidurus brother to this Archigallo,Mat. VVeſt. was then again admitted king by conſent of al the Bri|taynes .3700. of the worlde. But his two yonger brethren, Vigenius and Peredurus,Brother a|gaynſt bro|ther. enuying the happie ſtate of this worthie Prince, ſo highly for his vertue and good gouernaunce eſteemed of the Brytaynes, of a grounded malice conſpired a|gaynſt him, and aſſembling an armie, leuied war agaynſt him, and in a pight field tooke him priſo|ner, and put him in the Tower of London,Elidure com|mitted to pri|ſon. there to be kept ſafely as a priſoner, after he had raigned now this laſt time the ſpace of one yeare.