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4.30. Maximianus or Maximus gouerneth this Ile, why writers speake ill of him, strife betwixt him and Conan duke of Cornewall, Maximus is proclaimed emperour in Britaine, he transporteth the British youth seruiceable for warres into France, little Britaine in France why so called, eleuen thousand maids sent thither to match with Conans people, whereof some were drowned, and other some murthe|red in the way by Guanius king of Hunnes and Melga king of Picts, they flie into Ireland, murther requited with murther, the words of Gyldas concerning Maximus. The xxx. Chapter.

Maximianus or Maximus gouerneth this Ile, why writers speake ill of him, strife betwixt him and Conan duke of Cornewall, Maximus is proclaimed emperour in Britaine, he transporteth the British youth seruiceable for warres into France, little Britaine in France why so called, eleuen thousand maids sent thither to match with Conans people, whereof some were drowned, and other some murthe|red in the way by Guanius king of Hunnes and Melga king of Picts, they flie into Ireland, murther requited with murther, the words of Gyldas concerning Maximus. The xxx. Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 _AFter the deceasse of Octa|uius or Octauian (as the old English chronicle namethMaximi|anus or Maximus him) Maximianus or Maxi|mus (as the Romane writers call him) began to rule the Britains in the yéere of our Lord 383,383 he was the sonne of one Leonine, and coosen germane to Constantine the great, a valiant personage, & hardie of stomach: but yet because he was cruell of nature, and (as Fa|bian saith) somewhat persecuted the christians, he was infamed by writers: but the chiefe cause why he was euill reported, was for that he slue his soue|reigne lord the emperour Gratianus, as after shall appeare, for otherwise he is supposed woorthie to haue had the rule of the empire committed to his hands in ech respect. Betwixt him and the abouenamed Co|nan Meridoc duke of Cornewall, chanced strife and debate, so that Conan got him into Scotland, and there purchasing aid, returned, and comming ouer Humber, wasted the countrie on ech side. Maximia|nus thereof hauing aduertisement, raised his power and went against him, and so fighting with him di|uers battels, sometime departed awaie with victo|rie, and sometime with losse. At length through medi|ation EEBO page image 67 of friends, a peace was made betwixt them. Finallie this Maximianus, or (as the Romane histo|ries say) Maximus, was by the souldiers chosen and proclaimed emperour here in Britaine: although some write that this was doone in Spaine.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 After he had taken vpon him the imperiall dig|nitie, vpon desire to haue inlarged his dominion, Gal. Mon. Fabian. Caxton. Matth. West The British youth led forth of the realme by Maximia|nus. he assembled togither all the chosen youth of this land méet to doo seruice in the warres, with the which he passed ouer into France,Britaine in France. & there (as our writers re|cord) he first subdued the countrie ancientlie called Armorica, and slue in battell the king thereof called Imball. This doone he gaue the countrie vnto Co|nan Meridoc, which was there with him, to hold the same of him, and of the kings of great Britaine for euer. He also commanded that the said countrie from thencefoorth should be called litle Britaine, and so was the name changed. What people soeuer inha|bited there before, the ancient name argueth that they were rather Britains than anie other: for Ar|morica in the British toong signifieth as much as a countrie lieng vpon the sea.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Conan then placing himselfe and his Britains in that quarter of Gallia, auoided all the old inhabi|tants, peopling that countrie onelie with Britains, which abhorring to ioine themselues with women borne in Gallia, Conan was counselled to send into Britaine for maids to be coupled with his people in mariage. Herevpon a messenger was dispatched vnto Dionethus at that time duke of Cornwall,Dionethus duke of Corn|wall. and gouernour of Britaine vnder Maximianus,Maids sent foorth. requi|ring him to send ouer into little Britaine 11000 maids, that is to say, 8000 to be bestowed vpon the meaner fort of Conans people, and 3000 to be ioi|ned in mariage with the nobles and gentlemen. Di|onethus at Conans request, assembled the appoin|ted number of maids, and amongst them he also ap|pointed his daugther Ursula, a ladie of excellent beautie, to go ouer and to be giuen in mariage to the foresaid Conan Meridoc, as he had earnestlie re|quested.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 These number of maids were shipped in Thames, and passing forward toward Britaine,Ursula the daughter of Dionethus. were by force of weather and rage of wind scattered abroad, and part or them drowned, and the residue (among whom was the foresaid Ursula) were slaine by Guanius king of the Hunnes, and Melga king of the Picts, into whose hands they fell, the which Guanius and Melga were sent by the emperour Gracian to the sea coasts of Germanie, to oppresse and subdue all such as were friends and mainteiners of the part of Maximianus. We find in some bookes, that there were sent ouer at that time 51000 maids, that is to say, 11000 gentlewomen, and 40000 other.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 After that Guanius and Melga had murthered the foresaid virgins,Guanius and Melga. they entred into the north parts of Britaine, where the Scots now inhabit, and be|gan to make sore warre on the Britains, whereof when Maximus was aduertised, he sent into Bri|taine one Gratianus with thrée legions of souldiers, who bare himselfe so manfullie against the enimies, that he constreined the said Guanius and Melga to flie out of the land, and to withdraw into Ireland. In this meane while, Maximus hauing slaine the empe|ror Gratian at Lions in France, and after entring into Italie, was slaine himselfe at Aquilia (after he had gouerned the Britains eight yéeres) by the em|perour Theodosius, who came in aid of Ualentini|an, brother to the said emperor Gratian, as ye may find in the abridgement of the histories of Italie.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 ¶But here yet before we make an end with this maximus or Maximianus, I haue thought good to set downe the words which we find in Gyldas, where the writeth of the same Maximus, vndoubtedlie a Britaine borne, nephue to the empresse Helen,Consobrinus Helene impe|ratricis. and begotten by a Romane.

At length (saith Gyldas) the spring of tyrants budding vp, and now increasing into an huge wood, the Ile being called after the name of Rome, but holding neither maners nor lawes according to that name, but rather casting the same from it, sendeth foorth a branch of hir most bit|ter planting, to wit Maximus, accompanied with a great number of warriors to gard him, and apparel|led in the imperiall robes which he neuer ware as became him, nor put them on in lawfull wise, but (af|ter the custome of tyrants) was put into them by the mutining souldiers: which Maximus at the first by craftie policie rather than by true manhood winding in (as nets of his periurie and false suggestion) vnto his wicked gouernement the countries & prouinces next adioining, against the imperiall state of Rome, stretching one of his wings into Spaine, and the o|ther into Italie, placed the throne of his most vniust empire at Trier, and shewed such rage in his wood dealing against his souereigne lords, that the one of the lawfull emperours he expelled out of Rome, and the other he bereft of his most religious and godlie life. Now without long tariance, compassed about with such a furious and bold gard as he had got togi|ther, at the citie of Aquilia he loseth his wicked head, which had cast downe the most honourable heads of all the world from their kingdome and empire.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2

From thencefoorth Britaine being depriued of all hir warlike souldiers and armies, of hir gouernors also (though cruell) and of an huge number of hir youth (the which following the steps of the foresaid tyrant, neuer returned home againe) such as remai|ned being vtterlie vnskilfull in feats of warre, were troden downe by two nations of beyond the seas, the Scots from the west, and the Picts from the north, and as men thus quite dismaid,Scotorum à circio, Pictorum ab aquilone. lament their miserable case, not knowing what else to doo for the space of manie yéeres togither. By reason of whose gréeuous inuasion and cruell oppression wherewith she was miserablie disquieted, she sendeth hir am|bassadors vnto Rome, making lamentable sute euen with teares to haue some power of men of warre sent to defend hir against the enimies, promi|sing to be true subiects with all faithfulnes of mind, if the enimie might be kept off and remooued.
¶Thus farre Gyldas, and more, as in place hereafter you shall find recited.

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