5.66. Vortigerne the ſeconde time.
Vortigerne the ſeconde time.
Compare 1587 edition:
1
[...]. hath [...]at. Weſt. 471THen was Vortigerne agayne reſtored to the
Kingdome of Brytayne, in the yeare of our Lorde. 471.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 All the tyme of his
ſonnes raigne, he had re|mayned in the partyes nowe called Wales, where (as
ſome wryte) in that meane tyme hee buylded a ſtrong Caſtell called Generon,
or Guanereu, in the Weſt ſide of Wales neare to the ryuer of Guana, vpon a
Mountayne called Cloaricus, which ſome referre to be buylded in his ſecond
returne into Wales, as ſhall be ſhewed hereafter. And it is ſo much the more
likely, for that an olde Chronicle, which Fabian had fight of, affyrmeth,
that Vortigerne was kept vn|der the rule of certayne Gouernours to hym
ap|poynted in the towne of Caerlegion,Caerleon
Arwicke. and beha|ued himſelfe in ſuch commendable ſort towardes
his ſonne in ayding him with his counſail, and o|therwiſe, in the meane
ſeaſon whileſt his ſonne raigned, that the Brytayns by reaſon therof be|gan
ſo to fauour him, that after the death of Vor|timer they made him againe
king.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 Shortly after that
Vortigerne was reſtored to the rule of the Kingdome,4000.
hath Math. Weſt. He might eaſi|ly returne, for except I be de|ceyued he
was neuer driuen out after he had once got foot within this Ile.
Hengiſt aduertiſed thereof, returned into the lande with a mightye armie of
Saxons, whereof Vortigerne being ad|uertiſed, aſſembled his Brytaines, and
with all ſpeede made towardes him.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 When Hengiſt had
knowledge of the huge hoſt of the Brytains that was comming againſt him, he
required to come to a cõmunication with Vortigerne, which requeſt was
graunted, ſo that it was concluded, that on May day a certain nũ|ber of
Britains, & as many of the Saxons ſhould meete togither vpon the
plaine of Saliſburie.
Compare 1587 edition:
1
EEBO page image 118Hengiſt hauing deuiſed a newe kind of trea|ſon,
when the daye of theyr appoynted meeting was come, cauſed euery one of his
allowed num|ber ſecretely to put into his Hoſe a long knyfe (where it was
ordeined that no man ſhould bring any weapon with him at all) and that at
the ve|rie inſtant when this watchworde ſhoulde be vt|tered by him,Nempt your ſexes, what if it were meſles.
Nempt your ſexes, then ſhould euery of them plucke out his knife,
and ſlea the Bry|tayne that chaunced to be next to him, except the
ſame ſhoulde bee Vortigerne, whom he
willed to be apprehended, but not ſlaine.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 At the day aſſigned, the
king with his appoin|ted number of Brytaynes, nothing miſtruſting leſſe than
any ſuch maner of vnfaythfull dealing, came to the place in order before
preſcribed, with|out armour or weapon, where hee founde readie Hengiſt with
his Saxons, the whiche receyued the king with amiable countenance, in moſte
lo|uing ſort: but after they were entred a little into communication,
Hengiſt meaning to accompliſh hys deuyſed purpoſe, gaue the watchwoorde,
im|mediately wherevpon the Saxons drewe oute theyr knyues, and ſodainly fell
on the Brytayns,There [...] the noble [...] Brytaine [...] as Gal [...]
and ſlue them as ſheepe being fallen within the daunger of
woolues.
[figure appears here on page 118]
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1 For the Brytaines had no
weapons to defend themſelues, except any of them by his ſtrength &
manhood got the knife of his enimie.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 Amongſt other of the
Brytaynes, there was one Edol Earle of Glouceſter,Ran.
Ceſtren. Fabian. or (as other haue) Cheſter, which got a ſtake out
of an hedge, or elſe where,70. bath. Gal. Math Weſt. Ran.
Ceſtren. and with the ſame ſo defended himſelfe and layde aboute
him, that he ſlue. xvij. of the Saxons,
and eſcaped to the Towne of Ambrie, nowe called Saleſburie, and ſo ſaued his
owne lyfe.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 Vortiger was taken and
kept as priſoner by Hengiſt, till he was conſtrayned to delyuer vnto Hengiſt
three Prouinces or Countreys of thys Realme, that is to witte. Kent and
Eſſex, or as ſome write, that parte where the ſouth Saxons after did
inhabite, as Suſſex and other: the thirde was the Countrey where the
Eaſtangles plan|ted themſelues, which was
in Noffolk, and Suf|folke.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 Then Hengiſt being in
poſſeſſion of thoſe three Prouinces ſuffred Vortigerne to depart, and to to
be at his libertie.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 William Malmeſb: wryteth
ſomewhat o|therwiſe of this taking of Vortigerne,VVil.
Malm. during whoſe raigne, after the deceaſſe of his ſonne
Vortimer, nothing (as ſhould appeare by that which the ſame Malmeſb.
wryteth) was at|tempted agaynſt the Saxons, but in the meane tyme (ſayeth
hee Hengiſt according to the de|fault of mannes nature, whiche the more he
hath the more hee deſyreth, by a colourable craft pro|cureth his ſonne in
lawe Vortigerne to come to a banket to his houſe, wyth three hundred other
Brytaynes, and when hee had made them well and warme with often quaffing and
emptying of Cuppes, and of purpoſe touched euerye of them wyth one bytter
taunte or other, they firſt fell to multiplying of malicious wordes, and
af|ter to blowes, ſo that the Brytaynes were ſlaine euery mothers ſonne, ſo
yeelding vp their ghoſtes euen amongſt their pottes.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 The King himſelfe was
taken, and to re|deeme himſelfe out of pryſon, gaue to the Sax|ons three
Prouinces, and ſo eſcaped oute of bondage.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 Thus by what meane ſoeuer
it came to paſſe, truth it is (as all wryters agree) that Hengiſt got
poſſeſſion of Kent, and of other Countreys in this Realme, and beganne to
raigne there as abſolute Lorde and Gouernour in the yeare of oure Lorde (as
ſome wryte.) 476.476 aboute EEBO page image 119 the fifth yeare of Vortigerns laſt raigne: but af|ter other
which take the begynning of this king|dome of Kent, to be when Hengiſt had
firſt gyft thereof, the ſame Kingdome beganne in the yeare .455.
Compare 1587 edition:
1
Kingdome of Kent.This Kingdome or Lordſhip of Kent
con|teyned the countrey that ſtretcheth from the Eaſt Ocean, vnto the ryuer
of Thames, hauing on the Southeaſt Southerie, and vpon the Weſt Lon|don,
vppon the Northeaſt the Ryuer of Thames
aforeſayde, and the Countrey of Eſſex.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 Hengiſt and all other the
Saxon kings which ruled (as after ſhall appeare) in. vij. partes of this
Realme, are called by wryters Reguli, that is to ſay, little kings
or rulers of ſome ſmal dominion: ſo that Hengiſt is accounted as a little
king. And when he had got into his handes the foreſayde three Prouinces, he
cauſed more number of Sax|ons to come into Brytayne, and beſtowed them in
places abroade in the Countrey, by reaſon
whereof, the Chriſtian Religion greatlye de|cayed within the lande: for the
Saxons being Pagans, did what they coulde to extinguiſh the fayth of
Chriſt,The decay of Chriſtian re|ligion. and to
plant, againe in all places theyr heatheniſh Religion, and worſhipping of
falſe Goddes: and not onely hereby was the true fayth of the Chriſtians
brought in daun|ger dayly to decay, but alſo the erronious opi|nion of the
Pelagians greatly preuayled here amongeſt the Brytaynes, by meanes of ſuche
vnſounde Preachers, as in that troubleſome ſeaſon did fit foorth erronious
doctrine amongſt the people, without all maner of reprehenſion.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 Certayne yeares before
the comming of the Saxons,Beda. that hereſie began
to ſpreade within this land very much, by the lewde induſtrie of one
Le|porius Agricola, the ſonne of Seuerus Sulpitius (as Bale ſayth) a Biſhop
of that lore. But Pela|gius the author of this hereſie was borne in Wa|les,
and held opinion that a man might obteyne ſaluation by his owne free wil
& merit, & without, aſſiſtance of grace, as he that was
borne without originall ſinne. &c.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 This erronious doctrine
being taught therfore, & mainteyned in this troubleſome time of
warres with the Saxons, ſore diſquieted the godly min|ded men amongeſt the
Brytaines,Beda. the which not meaning to
receyue it, nor yet able we [...] to confute the craftie and wicked perſwaſions vſed by the profeſſors
therof, thought good to ſent [...]art into Gallia, requiring of the Biſhops there, that ſome godly
& profound learned men might be ſent from thence into this lande, to
defende the cauſe of the true doctrine againſt the naughtie teachers of ſo
blaſphemous an error. Whervpon the Biſhops of Gallia ſore lamenting the
miſerable ſtate of the Britains, & deſirous to relieue their preſent
neede,A Sinode cal|led in Gallia. ſpecially in
that caſe of religion, called a Sinode,
[figure appears here on page 119] and
therin taking counſail to conſider, who were moſt meeteſt to be ſent, it was
decreed by al their conſents in the ende,
that one Germaine the Bi|ſhop of Auxerre,Germanus, and
Lupus. and Lupus Biſhop of Troyes ſhould paſſe ouer into Brytayne
to confirme the Chriſtians there in the fayth of the celeſtial grace. And ſo
thoſe two vertuous learned men taking their iourney, finally arriued in
Brytayn, though not without ſome daunger by ſea, through ſtor|mes and rage
of windes, ſtyrred (as hath beene thought) of the ſuperſtitious, by the
malice of wicked ſpirites, who purpoſed to haue hindered theyr proceeding in
this theyr good and well pur|poſed iourney.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 After they were come
ouer, they did ſo much what with conuincing the wicked arguments of the
aduerſaries of the truth, by the inuincible po|wer of the worde of God, and
holyneſſe of lyfe, that thoſe whiche were out of the right way, were ſoone
brought into the right path againe.
Compare 1587 edition:
1
EEBO page image 120About the ſame time alſo, one Palladins was ſent from
Celeſtinus Biſhop of Rome,
Beda. Palladius. vnto the Scottes, to inſtruct them in
the fayth of Chriſt, and to purge them from the Hereſie of the ſayde
Pelagius.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 This Paladius exhorted
Conſtantinus the king of Scottes,Conſtantine king of
Scots. that in no wiſe he ſhoulde ayde the Saxons beeing
infidelles agaynſt the Bry|taines: and his exhortation tooke ſo good effect,
that the ſayd Conſtantinus did not only forbeare to aſſyſt the Saxons, but contrarily holpe the Brytaynes
in theyr warres agaynſt them, the which thing did mainteyne the ſtate of the
Bry|taynes for a tyme from falling into vtter ruine and decay.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 In the meane time, the
Saxons renued their league with the Pictes, ſo that their powers being
ioyned togither,H. Hunt. Beda. they beginne a
freſh to make ſore warres vpon the Brytaynes, the which of neceſ|ſitie were
conſtrayned to aſſemble an armie, and
miſtruſting their owne ſtrength, required ayde of the two Biſhops, Germaine
and Lupus. The which haſting forwarde with all ſpeede came in|to the army,
bringing with them no ſmall hope of good lucke to all the Brytaynes there
bee|ing aſſembled.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 This was done in Lent,
and ſuch was the di|ligence of the Biſhops, that (the people being
in|ſtructed with continuall preaching) in renoun|cing the error of the
Pelagians, earneſtly came by troupes to
receyue the grace of God offered in baptiſme, ſo that on Eaſter day which
then en|ſued, the more part of the army was baptiſed, and ſo went forth
againſt the enimies, the which hea|ring thereof, made haſt towards the
Brytaynes, in hope to ouercome them at pleaſure. But theyr approche being
knowne, Byſhoppe Ger|maine taketh vpon him the leading of the Br [...]|tiſh hoſt,The armi [...]
[...] the Bryti [...] newly [...]. and ouer agaynſt the paſſage throughe the which the
enimies were appoynted to come, he choſe forth a valley encloſed with high
Moun|taynes, and within the ſame he placeth his [...] waſhe [...] armie.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 And when he ſaw the
enimies now at hande he commaunded that euery man with one gene|rall voyce
ſhoulde aunſwere him, crying alowde the ſame crie that he ſhould begin.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 And euen as the enimies
were readie to giue the charge vpon the Brytaynes, ſuppoſing that they
ſhould haue taken them at vnwares, and be|fore any warning had beene giuen,
ſodainly Bi|ſhop Germaine and the Prieſtes, with a lowde and ſhrill voyce
cryed Alleluia thrice:Alleluia. and
there|with all the multitude of the Brytaynes wyth whole voyce cryed the
ſame crie, with ſuch a lowd ſteauen, that the Saxons were ſo therewith
a|maſed and aſtonyed, (the echo from the rocks and hilles adioyning,
redoubling in ſuche wiſe the crie,) that they thought that not onely the
rockes and clyfes had fallen vpon them, but that euen the ſkie it ſelfe had
broken in peeces and come tum|bling downe vpon their heades: herewith
there|fore throwing away their weapons, they tooke them to their feete, that
glad was he that might get to be formoſt in running awaye. Many of them for
haſt were drowned in a Riuer whiche they had to paſſe. Polidore taketh that
Riuer to be Trent.
[figure appears here on page 120]
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1
2
3 The Brytayns hauing thus
vanquiſhed their enimies, gathered the ſpoyle at good leyſure, and gaue God
thanks for the victorie thus got with|out bloud, for the which the holy
biſhops alſo tri|amphed as beſt became them. And after they had ſetled all
things in good quiet within the Ile, as was thought expedient, they returned
into Gallia or France, frõ whence they came (as is before re|herſed.Mat. VVeſt.) By one author it ſhould appeare that
this battell was woonne againſt the Scots and Picts EEBO page image 105 about
the yeare of our Lord .448.448 a little before ye
comming of the Saxons into this lande vnder Hengiſt, whereto William
Harriſon accordeth, in which yeare S. Germane firſte came hither to weede
out the hereſie of Pelagius, as by the ſame author more at large is
affirmed. Howbeit, Wil|liam Harriſon in his Chronologie out of Proſ|per,
& other writers of time, noteth ye firſt cõming of Germanus in the
.429. of Chriſt, and vnder ye Conſulſhip of Florentius and Dioniſius:
& thys ſhoulde ſeeme to agree with
the trouth, for that after ſome, ye foreſaid Germane ſhould dye at Ra|uenna
about the yeare of our Lord .450. as Vin|centius noteth, whiche was the very
yeare of the comming of the Saxons: notwithſtanding whẽ, or whereſoeuer he
dyed, it was not long after hys returne into Gallia, vpon his firſt iourney
made hither into this land, & obteyning of ye victory be|fore
mentioned, but yt word was brought againe vnto him, that eftſoones the
hereſie of the Pelagi|ans was ſpred abrode
in Britayne,Germane re| [...]urneth againe [...]nto Britayne. & therefore al the Prieſts or Cleargie
made requeſt to him yt it might ſtande with his pleaſure to come ouer
a|gaine, and defend the cauſe of true Religion whi|che he had before
confirmed. Heerevpon Biſhop German granteth ſo to do, and therefore takyng
with him one Seuerus (that was diſciple vnto Lupus, & ordeyned at
yt tyme Biſhop of Tryer) he tooke the Sea, and came againe into Britaine,
where he founde the multitude of the people ſted|faſt in the ſame beliefe wherein he had left them, &
perceyued the fault to reſt in a fewe: wherevppon enquiring out the authors,
he condemneth them to exile (as it is written) and with a manifeſt mi|racle
by reſtoring a yong man that was lame (as they ſay) vnto the right vſe of
his limmes, he con|firmeth his doctrine. Then followeth preaching to
perſwade amendmente of errors, and by the generall conſente of all men, the
authors of the wicked doctrine being baniſhed the land, were de|liuered
vnto Biſhop Germane and to his fellowe
Seuerus, to conuey them forth in their company vnto the parties of beyond
the Sea, that the Re|gion might ſo be deliuered of further daunger, and they
receyue the benefite of due amendmente.
Compare 1587 edition:
1
2
3
4 By this meanes it came to
paſſe, that the true faith continued in Britayne ſoun [...]
[...]
[...]fect a long time after. And thus things beeing ſet in good order,
thoſe holy men returned into theyr countreys. And ſo after this ſeconde time
of hys being here, the forenamed Biſhop German went to Rauenna for to ſew
for peace to bee graunted vnto the people of Armorike Britayne, and there
being receyued of the Emperour Valentinian, & his mother Placida in
moſt reuerend manner, he departed in that Citie out of this tranſitory life,
to the eternall ioyes of heauen. His body was af|terwardes conueyed vnto the
Citie of Auxerre,Anno 450 as Vincentius noteth lib. 20.
Cap. 15. where he had bin Biſhop with great opinion of holineſſe
for his ſincere doctrine and pure and in|nocent life.The
Emperor Valentinian ſlayne. Shortly after was the Emperoure
Valentinian ſlayne by the friendes of that noble man named Aetius, whom he
had before cauſed to be put to death. By this it may appeare, that Biſhop
German came into this Realm both the firſt and ſecond time, whileſt as well
Hengiſt, as alſo Vortigerne were liuing: for the ſayde Valẽ|tinian was
murthered about ye yeare of our Lord 454. where the ſayde Kings liued
& reigned long after that time,454 as may
appeare both before & af|ter in this preſent booke. To returne then
to Vor|tigerne. We find in the Brittiſh hiſtorie, that af|ter the Saxons had
conſtreyned him to delyuer into their handes a greate parte of the ſouth
& eaſt partes of the Realme, ſo that they had in poſſeſ|ſion London,
Yorke, Lincolne, & Wincheſter, wt other Cities &
townes,Galfrid. he not only fearing theyr
puiſſãce, but alſo ye returne of Aurelius Ambroſi|us, & his
brother Vtherpẽdragon, withdrew him into Wales, wher he begã to build a
ſtrõg Caſtel
[figure appears here on page 105]
EEBO page image 122 vpon a Mountayne called Breigh, or after other
Cloaric,Caxton. Fabian. Policron. neere to the
riuer of Guana, whiche is in the Weſt ſide of Wales in a place within the
compaſſe of the ſame hill called Generon or Gueyneren.Mount Erit he calleth it in one place of his booke. Of the
building of this Caſtell, and of the hinderance in erecting the ſame, with
the monſtrous birth of Merlin and his knowlege in propheſying, the Britiſhe
hiſtories tell a long proceſſe, the whiche in Caxton, and in Galfrides
bookes is alſo ſet foorthe, as there yee may ſee: but for that the ſame ſéemeth not of ſuche credite as
deſerueth to be regiſtred in any ſound hiſtorie, we haue with ſilence paſſed
it ouer.Aurelius and Vter brethren returne into
Britayne. Whileſt Vor|tigerne was buſſed in building of this
Caſtel, the two foreſayde breethren Aurelius and Vter pre|pared a nauie of
Shippes, and an army of men, by helpe of ſuche their kinſmen and friendes as
they founde in Armorike Britayne, and ſo paſſed the Sea, and landed at
Totrieſſe: whereof when the Britaynes were aduertiſed, the which were
ſcat|tered abrode and ſeuered in diuers
parties & coun|treys, they drewe vnto the ſayde two breethren with
all ſpeede that might be. When Aurelius and his brother Vter perceyued that
they were ſufficiẽtly furniſhed of people, they marched forth towardes
Wales againſt Vortigerne, the which hauing knowledge of their approche,Vortigerne brent to death had fortify|ed his Caſtell
right ſtrongly with men, munition and vittayles, but yet all that nothing
auayled him, for in the ende after his enimies had gyuen diuers aſſaultes to the ſayde Caſtell,Wilde fire not yet inuented as ſome think they found meanes with
wilde fire to brenne it downe to the earth, and ſo conſumed it by fire
togither with the King, and all other that were within it.
[figure appears here on page 122]
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1 Thus did Vortigerne ende
his life (as in the Brittiſh hiſtorie is recorded.) Of him much euill is
reported by the ſame hiſtorie, and alſo by other writers, and amongſt other
things it is written, that he ſhoulde lie by his owne daughter, and of hir
begote a ſonne, in truſt that kings ſhuld come of him, and therefore was he
excommunicate by Saint Germane.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 It is alſo ſayde,
[...] A ſay [...] of S. [...]
that when the ſame Sainte Germane came into Britayne (as before ye
haue heard) this Vortigerne on a time ſhoulde deri [...]e the ſame Saint Germane harbourrowe: but one that kept the Kings
heardes of Caſtell receyued him into his houſe, and lodged him,A cali [...]+ [...]ation. and ſlewe a Calfe for his ſupper, the which Calfe
(after ſupper was ended) Sainte Germane reſtored againe to life: and on the
morrow by the ordinance of God, hee cauſed Vortigerne to bee depoſed from
hys Kingly eſtate, and tooke the heardman and made him King.
Compare 1587 edition:
1
2 But Ranulfus Higden in
his booke entitled Polychronicon, alledging Gildas for his author,
ſayth, that this chaunced to a king that ruled in Powſey, whoſe name was
Buly, and not to Vortigerne: ſo that the ſucceſſours of that Buly reigning
in that ſide of Wales, came of the lig|nage of the ſame herdman. Moreouer it
hath bin ſayd as one writer recordeth,H. Hunt.
that when Vorti|gerne refuſed to heare the preaching of S. Ger|man,
& fled from him as he followed to haue in|ſtructed him, one night
there fell fyre from heauẽ vpon the caſtel wherin the king was lodged, and
ſo the king being deſtroyed with the fall of the houſe and the fyre
togyther, was neuer after ſeene. But theſe are fables, and therfore I paſſe
them ouer, hoping that it ſhall ſuffiſe to ſhewe here with what ſtuffe our
olde hiſtoriographers haue farced vp their huge volumes.
