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4.31. What Gratianus it was that was sent o|uer from Rome into Britaine by Maxi|mus, in what estimation the British souldiers haue beene, the priuie treason of Andragatius whereby Gratian came to his end: Maximus and his sonne Victor doo succeed him in the empire, they are both slaine, Marcus the Romane lieutenant suceeding them is murthered, Gratianus also his successour hath the same end, the election of Constantine a Britaine borne, his praise and dispraise reported by writers, he goeth into France, maketh his sonne Constance partaker with him of the em|pire, a sharpe incounter betwixt his power and two brethrens that had the keeping of the Pyrennie hils, the issue of the battell. The xxxj. Chapter.

What Gratianus it was that was sent o|uer from Rome into Britaine by Maxi|mus, in what estimation the British souldiers haue beene, the priuie treason of Andragatius whereby Gratian came to his end: Maximus and his sonne Victor doo succeed him in the empire, they are both slaine, Marcus the Romane lieutenant suceeding them is murthered, Gratianus also his successour hath the same end, the election of Constantine a Britaine borne, his praise and dispraise reported by writers, he goeth into France, maketh his sonne Constance partaker with him of the em|pire, a sharpe incounter betwixt his power and two brethrens that had the keeping of the Pyrennie hils, the issue of the battell. The xxxj. Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _BUt now where the Bri|tish histories, and such of our English writers as follow them, make mention of one Gratianus a Romane, sent ouer with thrée legions of souldiers by Maximus, as before ye haue heard: we EEBO page image 68 maie suppose that it was Gratianus the Britaine, that afterwards vsurped the imperiall dignitie héere in Britaine, in the daies of the emperour Honorius. For it standeth neither with the concurrence of time nor yet with reason of the historie,Sextus Aureli|us. that it should be Gratianus, surnamed Funarius, father to Ualen|tinian, and grandfather to the emperour Gratianus, against whome Maximus rebelled. And yet I re|member not that anie of the Romane writers ma|keth mention of anie other Gratianus, being a stranger, that should be sent hither as lieutenant to gouerne the Romane armie, except of the foresaid Gratianus Funarius,Lib. 30. who (as appéereth by Amian. Marcellinus) was generall of the Romane armie héere in this Ile, and at length being discharged, re|turned home into Hungarie (where he was borne) with honour, and there remaining in rest, was at length spoiled of his goods by the emperour Con|stantius as confiscate, for that in time of the ciuill warres he had receiued Maxentius, as he past tho|rough his countrie.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 But let vs grant, that either Gratianus the Bri|taine, or some other of that name, was sent ouer into Britaine (as before is said) by Maximus, least other|wise some errour may be doubted in the writers of the British histories, as hauing happilie mistaken the time and matter, bringing Gratianus Funarius to serue vnder Maximus, where peraduenture that which they haue read or heard of him, chanced long before that time by them supposed: and so thorough mistaking the thing, haue made a wrong report, where neuerthelesse it standeth with great likelihood of truth, that some notable seruice of chiualrie was atchiued by the same Gratianus Funarius whilest he remained héere in this Ile, if the truth might be knowne of that which hath béene written by authors, and happilie by the same Am. Marcellinus, if his first thirtéene bookes might once come to light and be ex|tant.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 But now to end with Maximus. William of Mal|mesburie (as ye haue heard) writeth, that not Maxi|mus, but rather Constantine the great first peopled Armorica: but yet he agréeth, that both Maximus, and also Constantinus the vsurper, of whome after ye shall heare, led with them a great number of the Britains out of this land, the which Maximus or Maximianus and Constantinus afterwards being slaine, the one by Theodosius, and the other by Hono|rius, the Britains that followeth them to the warres, part of them were killed, and the residue escaping by flight, withdrew vnto the other Britains which Con|stantine the great had first placed in Armorica. And so when the tyrants had left none in the coun|trie but rude people, nor anie in the townes but such as were giuen to slouth and gluttonie, Britaine be|ing void of all aid of hir valiant youth, became a prey to hir next neighbours the Scots and Picts.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Héere is yet to be considered, in what price the souldiers of the British nation were had in those daies, with whose onelie puissance Maximus durst take vpon him to go against all other the forces of the whole Romane empire: and how he prospered in that dangerous aduenture, it is expressed sufficient|lie in the Romane histories, by whose report it appée|reth, that he did not onlie conquer all the hither parts of France and Germanie, namelie on this side the Rhine, but also found meanes to intrap the empe|rour Gratian by this kind of policie.W. H. out of Paulus Diaco. lib. 12. & alijs. He had a faith|full friend called Andragatius, who was admirall of the seas perteining to the empire. It was therefore agréed betwixt them, that this Andragatius (with a chosen companie of the armie) should be carried in secret wise in a coch toward Lions, as if it had béene Constantia Posthumia the empresse,Tripart. hist. lib. 9. cap. 21. wife to the em|perour Gratian, bruting abroad therewithall, that the said empresse was comming forwards on hir waie to Lions, there to méet with hir husband, for that vpon occasion she was verie desirous to com|mune with him about certeine earnest businesse.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 When Gratian heard héereof, as one mistrusting no such dissimulation, he made hast to meete his wife, and comming at length without anie great gard about him, as one not in doubt of anie treason, approched the coch, where supposing to find his wife, he found those that streightwaies murthered him: & so was he there dispatched quite of life by the said An|dragatius, who leapt foorth of the coch to woorke that feate when he had him once within his danger.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Thus did the emperour Gratian finish his life in the 29 yéere of his age, on the 25 of August, in the yéere of Christ 383, and then died. Maximus succée|ded him (making his sonne Flauius Uictor Nobi|lissimus his assistant in the empire)383 This Flaui|us Uictor he begat of his wife Helen the daughter of Eudes. H. Lhoyd. reigning fiue yéeres and two daies. In the beginning of his reigne Ualentinian the yoonger made great suit to him to haue his fathers bodie, but it would not be granted. Afterwards also Maximus was earnestlie reques|ted to come to an enteruiew with the same Ualenti|nian, who promised him not onelie a safe conduct, but also manie other beneficiall good turnes beside. Howbeit Maximus durst not put himselfe in anie such hazard, but rather ment to pursue Ualentinian as an vsurper, and so at length chased him into Sla|uonie, where he was driuen to such a streight, that if Theodosius had not come to releeue him, Maximus had driuen him thence also,Ualentinian put in danger by Maximus. or else by slaughter rid him out of the waie.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 But when Maximus thought himselfe most assu|red, and so established in the empire, as he doubted no perils, he liued carelesse of his owne safegard, and therfore dismissed his British souldiers, who retiring into the northwest parts of Gallia, placed them|selues there among their countriemen, which were brought ouer by the emperour Constantius, whilest Maximus passing the residue of his time in delights and pleasures, was surprised in the end and slaine by Theodosius néere vnto Aquilia, the 27 of August, in the yéere of Grace 388,Eutropius. 388 and in the beginning of the sixt yéere of his reigne, or rather vsurpation, as more rightlie it maie be tearmed. His sonne Flaui|us Uictor surnamed Nobilissimus was also dispat|ched and brought to his end, not farre from the place where his father was slaine, by the practise of one Ar|bogastes a Goth,Arbogastes. which Flauius Uictor was by the said Maximus made regent of the Frankeners, and partaker (as before is said) with him in the empire.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 After this, the Ile of Britaine remained in meet|lie good quiet by the space of twentie yéeres, till one Marcus (that was then legat, or as we maie call him lord lieutenant or deputie of Britaine for the Romans) was by the souldiers héere proclaimed em|perour against Honorius, which Marcus was soone after killed in a tumult raised among the people within few daies after his vsurpation began. Then one Gratianus a Britaine borne succéeded in his place,Gratianus a Britaine. He reigned foure yéeres of we shal beléeue the British hi|storie. who was also slaine in the fourth moneth, after he had taken vpon him the imperiall ornaments. The souldiers not yet heerewith pacified, procéeded to the election of an other emperour, or rather vsurper, and so pronounced a noble gentleman called Con|stantine, borne also in Britaine, to be emperour, who tooke that honour vpon him in the 409 yéere after the birth of our Sauiour,409 continuing his reigne by the space of two yeeres and od moneths, as the Ro|mane histories make mention. Some report this Constantine to be of no great towardlie disposition woorthie to gouerne an empire, and that the souldi|ers chose him rather for the name sake, bicause they EEBO page image 69 would haue another Constantine, more than for a|nie vertues or sufficient qualities found in his per|son. But other commend him both for manhood and wisedome, wherein to speake a truth, he deserued sin|gular commendation, if this one note of vsurpation of the imperiall dignitie had not stained his other noble qualities. But heerein he did no more than ma|nie other would haue doone, neither yet after his in|uesture did somuch as was looked for at his hands.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Constantine being placed in the imperiall throne, gathered an armie with all possible indeuour, pur|posing out of hand to go ouer therwith into France, and so did, thinking thereby to win the possession of that countrie out of the hands of Honorius, or at the least to worke so, as he should not haue the souldiers and people there to be against him, if he missed to ioine in league with the Suabeiners, Alanes, and Uandales, which he sought to performe. But in the end, when neither of those his deuises could take place, he sent ouer for his sonne Constans (whome in his absence his aduersaries had shorne a moonke) & making him partaker with him in the empire, cau|sed him to bring ouer with him another armie, which vnder the conduct of the same Constans he sent into Spaine to bring that countrie vnder his obeisance.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 This Constans therefore comming vnder the pas|sages that lead ouer the Pyrenine mountains, Din|dimus and Uerianianus two brethren, vnto whome the keeping of those passages was committed to de|fend the same against the Uandals, and all other e|nimies of the empire,His souldiers were Picts, and placed a|mong other men of warre that serued vnder the en|signes of the empire, and named after Honorius, Honoriciani. Blondus. were readie to resist him with their seruants and countriemen that inhabited ther|abouts, giuing him a verie sharpe incounter, and at the first putting him in great danger of an ouer|throw, but yet at length by the valiant prowes of his British souldiers, Constans put his aduersaries to flight, and killed the two capteins, with diuers other men of name that were partakers with him in the necessarie defense of that countrie against the eni|mies. When Constans had thus repelled those that resisted him, the custodie of the passages in the Py|renine mounteins was committed vnto such bands of Picts and other, as were appointed to go with him about the atchiuing of this enterprise, who hauing the possession of those streicts or passages in their hands, gaue entrie vnto other barbarous nations to inuade Spaine, who being once entered, pursued the former inhabitants with fire and swoord, setled them selues in that countrie, and droue out the Romans.

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