5.1. Constantinus at the generall sute of the Britains vndertaketh to gouerne this Iland, he is crowned king, his three sonnes, he is traitorouslie slaine of a Pict, Constantius the eldest sonne of Constantine hauing bene a monke is created king, the ambitious & slie practises of duke Vortigerne to aspire to the gouernment, he procureth certeine Picts and Scots to kill the king who had reteined them for the gard of his person, his craftie deuises and deepe dissimulation vnder the pretense of in|nocencie, he winneth the peoples harts, and is chosen their king. The first Chapter.

Constantinus at the generall sute of the Britains vndertaketh to gouerne this Iland, he is crowned king, his three sonnes, he is traitorouslie slaine of a Pict, Constantius the eldest sonne of Constantine hauing bene a monke is created king, the ambitious & slie practises of duke Vortigerne to aspire to the gouernment, he procureth certeine Picts and Scots to kill the king who had reteined them for the gard of his person, his craftie deuises and deepe dissimulation vnder the pretense of in|nocencie, he winneth the peoples harts, and is chosen their king. The first Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _HAuing ended our former booke with the end of the Ro|mane power ouer this Iland, wherein the state of the I|land vnder them is at full described; it remaineth now that we procéed to declare, in what state they were af|ter the Romans had refused to gouerne them anie longer. Wherefore we will addresse our selues to saie somewhat tou|ching the succession of the British kings, as their hi|stories make mention.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 Constantinus the brother of Aldroenus king of little Britaine,Constan|tinus. at the sute and earnest request of the archbishop of London,Gal. Mon. Matt. Westm. made in name of all the Bri|tains in the Ile of great Britaine, was sent into the same Ile by his said brother Aldroenus vpon coue|nants ratified in manner as before is recited, and brought with him a conuenient power, landing with the same at Totnesse in Deuonshire. Caxton saith 12000. but Gal. and o|thers say but 2000. Immediatlie after his cõming on land, he gathered to him a great power of Britains, which before his landing were hid in diuerse places of the Ile. Then went he foorth with them, and gaue battell to the enimies, whom he vanquished: & slue that tyrannicall king Guanius there in the field (as some bookes haue.) Howbeit, this agréeth not with the Scotish writers,The British historie disa|greeth from the Scotish. which af|firme that they got the field, but yet lost their king named Dongard (as in their historie ye maie read.)

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 But to procéed as our writers report the matter. When the Britains had thus ouercome their eni|mies, they conueied their capteine the said Constan|tine vnto Cicester, and there in fullfilling their pro|mise and couenant made to his brother, crowned him king of great Britaine, in the yéere of our Lord 433,Matth. West. saith 435. which was about the fift yéere of the emperour Ualentinianus the second, and third yéere of Clodius king of the Frankners after called Frenchmen, which then began to settle themselues in Gallia, whereby the name of that countrie was afterwards changed and called France. Constantine being thus established king, ruled the land well and noblie, and defended it from all inuasion of enimie during his life. He begat of his wife thrée sonnes (as the British historie affirmeth) Constantius, Aurelius Ambrosi|us, and Uter surnamed Pendragon. The eldest, bi|cause he perceiued him to be but dull of wit, and not verie toward, he made a moonke, placing him with|in the abbie of Amphibalus in Winchester.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 Finallie this Constantine, In a groue of bushes as Gal. saith. Matth. West. Beda. Orosius, Blondus. after he had reigned ten yéeres, was traitoroustie staine one day in his owne chamber (as some write) by a Pict, who was in such fauor with him, that he might at all times haue frée accesse to him at his pleasure. Neither the Ro|mane writers, nor Beda, make anie mention of this Constantine: but of the other Constantine they write, which immediatlie after the vsurper Gratian was dispatched out of the way (as before ye haue heard) was aduanced to the rule of this land, and title of emperour, onelie in hope of his name, and for no other respect of towardnesse in him, afore time being but a meane souldier, without anie degrée of honour. The same Constantine (as writers record) going ouer into Gallia, adorned his sonne Constan|tius with the title and dignitie of Cesar, the which before was a moonke, and finallie as well the one as the other were slaine, the father ar Arles by earls Constantius, that was sent against him by the em|perour Honorius; and the sonne at Uienna (as be|fore ye haue heard) by one of his owne court called Gerontius (as in the Italian historie ye may sée more at large.) This chanced about the yeere of our Lord 415.415

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 ¶This haue we thought good to repeat in this place, for that some may suppose that this Constan|tine is the same that our wr [...]ters take to be the bro|ther of Aldroenus king of little Britaine, as the cir|cumstance of the time and other things to be consi|dered may giue them occasion to thinke, for that there is not so much credit to be yéelded to them that haue written the British histories, but that in some part men may with iust cause doubt of sundrie mat|ters conteined in the same: and therfore haue we in this booke béene the more diligent to shew what the Romans and other forreine writers haue registred in their bookes of histories touching the affaires of Britaine, that the reader may be the better satisfied in the truth. But now to returne to the sequele of the historie as we find the same written by the British chroniclers.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 After that Constantine was murthered (as be|fore ye haue heard) one Uortigerus,This Uor|tigerne was duke of the Geuisses and Cornewall, as Rad. Cestr. reporteth. Gal. Mon. or Uortigernus, a man of great authoritie amongst the Britains, wrought so with the residue of the British nobilitie, that Constantius the eldest sonne of their king the fore-remembred Constantine, was taken out of the abbie of Winchester where he remained, and was EEBO page image 77 streightwaies created king, as lawfull inheritour to his father.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Ye haue heard how Constantius was made a moonke in his fathers life time, bicause he was thought to be too soft and childish in wit, to haue anie publike rule committed to his hands: but for that cause speciallie did Uortigerne séeke t'aduance him, to the end that the king being not able to gouerne of himselfe, he might haue the chiefest swaie, and so rule all things as it were vnder him, preparing thereby a way for himselfe to atteine at length to the king|dome as by that which followed was more apparent|lie perceiued.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 THis Constantius then the sonne of Constan|tine,Constan|tius. by the helpe (as before ye haue heard) of Uortigerne, was made king of Britaine, in the yere of our Lord 443.Matt. West. saith 445. But Constantius bare but the name of king: for Uortigerne abusing his innocen|cie and simple discretion to order things as was re|quisite, had all the rule of the land, and did what plea|sed him. Wherevpon first, where there had béene a league concluded betwixt the Britains, Scots and Picts, in the daies of the late king Constantine, Uortigerne cause the same league to be renewed, & waged an hundred Picts,Hector Boet. and as manie Scots to be attendant as a gard vpon the kings person, diuers of the which (corrupting them with faire promises) he procured by subtile meanes in the end to murther the king,Constantius murthered. and immediatlie vpon the deed doone, he caused the murtherers to be strangled, that they should not afterwards disclose by whose procurement they did that déed.The subtile [...] of Uortigerne. Then caused he all the residue of the Scots and Picts to be apprehended, and as it had béene vp|on a zeale to sée the death of Constantius seuerelie punished, be framed such inditements and accusati|ons against them, that chieflie by his meanes (as ap|peared) the giltlesse persons were condemned and hanged, the multitude of the British people béeing woonderfullie pleased therewith, and giuing great commendations to Uortigerne for that déed. Thus Constantius was made awaie in maner as before ye haue heard, after he had reigned (as most writers affirme) the space of fiue yéeres.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 After his death was knowne, those that had the bringing vp and custodie of his two yoonger bre|thren,Aurelius Am|brosius. Uter Pen|dragon. Aurelius Ambrose, and Uter Pendragon, mistrusting the wicked intent of Uortigerne, whose dissimulation and mischieuous meaning by some great likelihoods they suspected, with all spéed got them to the sea, and fled into litle Britaine, there kée|ping them till it pleased God otherwise to prouide for them. But Uortigerne could so well dissemble his craftie workings, and with such conueiance and clo|ked maner could shadow and colour the matter, that most men thought and iudged him verie innocent and void of euill meaning: insomuch that he obtei|ned the fauour of the people so greatlie, that he was reputed for the onelie staie and defender of the com|mon wealth. Herevpon it came to passe, that when the councell was assembled to elect a new king, for so much as the other sonnes of king Constantine were not of age sufficient to rule,Uortigerne chosen king of Britaine. Uortigerne him|selfe was chosen, diuers of the nobles (whom he had procured thereto) giuing their voices to this his pre|ferment, as to one best deseruing the same in their opinion and iudgement. This Uortigerne, as by in|direct meanes and sinister procéedings he aspired to the regiment, hauing no title therevnto, otherwise than as blind fortune vouchsafed him the prefer|ment: so when he was possessed, but not interessed in the same, he vncased the crooked conditions which he had couertlie concealed, and in the end (as by the sequele you shall sée) did pull shame and infamie vp|on himselfe.