[Sidenote: Porth entred this land about the yeare of our Lord 501 as
_Matth. West._ noteth.]
Now will we breefelie discourse vpon the incidents which first
happened during the reigne of Vter Pendragon. We find that one Porth a
Saxon with his two sons Megla and Beda came on land at Portesmouth in
Sussex, about the beginning of the said Vters reigne, and slue a noble
yoong man of the Britains, and manie other of the meaner sort with
[Sidenote: _Harison_ supposeth the riuer to be called Ports, as for
the word mouth, is the fall of anie fresh riuer into the sea.]
him. Of this Porth the towne & hauen of Portesmouth tooke the name,
as some haue thought. Moreouer, about 40 yeares after the comming of
the Saxons into this land with their leader Hengist, one Nazaleod, a
mightie king amongst the Britains, assembled all the power he could
make to fight with Certicus king of the Westsaxons, who vnderstanding
of the great power of his enimies, required aid of Osca king of Kent,
also of Elle king of Sussex, and of Porth and his sonnes which were
latelie before arriued as ye haue heard. Certicus being then furnished
with a conuenient armie, diuided the same into two battels, reseruing
the one to himselfe, and the other he appointed to his sonne Kenrike.
King Nazaleod perceiuing that the wing which Certicus led, was of more
strength than the other which Kenrike gouerned, he set first vpon
Certicus, thinking that if he might distresse that part of the enimies
armie, he should easilie ouercome the other. Herevpon he gaue such a
fierce charge vpon that wing, that by verie force he opened the same,
and so ouerthrew the Saxons on that side, making great slaughter of
them as they were scattered. Which maner of dealing when Kenrike
[Sidenote: The Britaines ouerthrowne. _Matth. West._ _Henr. Hunt._]
saw, he made forward with all spéed to succour his father, and rushing
in amongst the Britains on their backs, he brake their armie in
péeces, and slue their king Nazaleod, and withall put his people to
flight. There died of the Britains that daie 5000 men, and the residue
[Sidenote: Stuff and Wightgar. _Matth. West._ noteth the yeare of
their arrivall to be 514.]
escaped by fléeing as well as they might. In the sixt yeare after
this battell, Stuff and Wightgar that were nephues to Certicus, came
with thrée ships, and landed at Certicesford, and ouerthrew a number
of Britains that came against them in order of battell, and so by the
comming of those his nephues being valiant and hardie capteins, the
part of Certicus became much stronger. Abut the same time Elle king of
the Southsaxons departed this life, after whome succéeded his sonne
Cissa, of whome we find little left in writing to be made account of.
[Sidenote: Henr. Hunt. Britains ouerthrowne by the Saxons.]
About the yeare of our Lord 519, and in the yeare after the
comming of the Saxons 71, which was in the 26 yeare of the emperour
Anastasius, the Britains fought with Certicus and his sonne Kenrike
at Certicesford, where the capteins of the Britains stood to it
manfullie: but in the end they were discomfited, and great slaughter
was made there of them by the Saxons, and greater had béene, if the
night comming on had not parted them, and so manie were saued.
[Sidenote: The kingdom of Westsaxons.]
From that day forward Certicus was reputed & taken for king of
Westsaxons, & so began the same kingdome at that time, which was (as
W. Harison noteth) in the yéere of Christ 519, after the building of
Rome 1270, of the world 4485, of the comming of the Saxons 70, of
Iustinus Anicius emperour of the east, the first and third of the
renowmed prince Patricius Arthurus then reigning ouer the Britains.
The said kingdome also conteined the countries of Wiltshire,
Summersetshire, Barkeshire, Dorsetshire, and Cornewall, hauing on the
east Hamshire, on the north the riuer of Thames, and on the south and
west the Ocean sea. Howbeit, at the first the kings of the Westsaxons
had not so large dominions, but they dailie wan ground vpon the
Britains, and so in the end by inlarging their confines, they came to
inioy all the foresaid countries, and the whole at the last.
[Sidenote: Certicesford.]
In the ninth yéere of the reigne of Certicus, he eftsoones fought
with the Saxons at Certicesford aforesaid, where great slaughter
was made on both parts. This Certicesford was in times past called
Nazaleoy of the late remembred Nazaleod king of the Britains. About
this season at sundrie times diuers great companies of the Saxons
came ouer into Britaine out of Germanie, and got possession of the
countries of Mercia and Eastangle: but as yet those of Mercia had no
one king that gouerned them, but were vnder certeine noble men that
got possession of diuers parts in that countrie, by means wherof great
warres and manie incounters insued, with a common waste of land both
arable and habitable, whiles each one being ambitiouslie minded, &
heaping to themselues such powers as they were able to make, by swoord
and bloudshed chose rather to haue their fortune decided, than by
reason to suppresse the rage of their vnrulie affections. For such is
the nature of men in gouernement, whether they be interessed to it
by succession, or possessed of it by vsurpation, or placed in it by
lawfull constitution, (vnlesse they be guided by some supernaturall
influence of diuine conceit) if they be more than one, they cannot
away with equalitie, for regiment admitteth no companion: but euerie
one séeketh to aduance himselfe to a singularitie of honour, wherein
he will not (to die for it) participate with another, which maie
easilie be obserued in this our historicall discourse.
* * * * *
_The beginning of the kingdome of the Eastsaxons, what it conteined,
of Arthur king of Britaine, his twelue victories ouer the Saxons
against whome he mainteined continuall warre, why the Scots and Picts
enuied him his roialtie and empire, a league betwixt Arthur and Loth
king of the Picts, Howell king of little Britaine aideth Arthur
against Cheldrike king of Germanie, who taking the ouerthrow, is
slaine by the duke of Cornewall, the Picts are discomfited, the
Irishmen with their king put to flight, and the Scots subdued, Arthurs
sundrie conquests against diuers people, the vanitie of the British
writers noted._