subiection, have often made cruell & odious attempts so to doo, but in
vaine.]
It is possible that some of the Scotish nation, reading the former
chapter, will take offence with me for meaning that the principalitie of
the north parts of this Ile hath alwais belonged to the kings of
Lhoegres. For whose more ample satisfaction in this behalfe, I will here
set downe a discourse thereof at large, written by diuerse, and now
finallie brought into one treatise, sufficient (as I thinke) to satisfie
the reasonable, although not halfe enough peraduenture to content a
wrangling mind, sith there is (or at the leastwise hath beene) nothing
more odious among some, than to heare that the king of England hath
ought to doo in Scotland.
How their historiographers haue attempted to shape manie coloured
excuses to auoid so manifest a title, all men may see that read their
bookes indifferentlie, wherevnto I referre them. For my part there is
little or nothing of mine herein, more than onelie the collection and
abridgement of a number of fragments togither, wherein chéeflie I haue
vsed the helpe of Nicholas Adams a lawier, who wrote thereof (of set
purpose) to king Edward the sixt, as Leland did the like to king Henrie
the eight, Iohn Harding vnto Edward the fourth; beside thrée other,
whereof the first dedicated his treatise to Henrie the fourth, the
second to Edward the third, and the third to Edward the first, as their
writings yet extant doo abundantlie beare witnesse. The title also that
Leland giueth his booke, which I haue had written with his owne hand,
beginneth in this maner: "These remembrances following are found in
chronicles authorised, remaining in diuerse monasteries both in England
and Scotland, by which it is euidentlie knowne and shewed, that the
kings of England haue had, and now ought to haue the souereigntie ouer
all Scotland, with the homage and fealtie of the kings there reigning
from time to time, &c." Herevnto you haue heard alreadie, what diuision
Brute made of this Iland not long before his death, wherof ech of his
children, so soone as he was interred, tooke seisure and possession.
Howbeit, after two yeares it happened that Albanact was slaine,
wherevpon Locrinus and Camber raising their powers, reuenged his death:
and finallie the said Locrinus made an entrance vpon Albania, seized it
into his owne hands (as excheated wholie vnto himselfe) without yéelding
anie part thereof vnto his brother Camber, who made no claime nor title
vnto anie portion of the same. Hereby then (saith Adams) it euidentlie
appeareth, that the entire seigniorie ouer Albania consisted in
Locrinus, according to which example like law among brethren euer since
hath continued, in preferring the eldest brother to the onelie benefit
of the collaterall ascension from the yongest, as well in Scotland as in
England vnto this daie.
Ebranke the lineall heire from the bodie of this Locrine, that is to
saie, the sonne of Mempris, sonne of Madan, sonne of the same Locrine
builded in Albania the castell of Maidens, now called Edenborough (so
called of Aidan somtime king of Scotland, but at the first named Cair
Minid Agnes. 1. the castell on mount Agnes, and the castell of virgins)
and the castell of Alcluith or Alclude, now called Dunbriton, as the
Scotish Hector Boetius confesseth: whereby it most euidentlie appeareth,
that our Ebranke was then thereof seized. This Ebranke reigned in the
said state ouer them a long time; after whose death Albania (as annexed
to the empire of Britaine) descended to the onelie king of Britons,
vntill the time of the two sisters sonnes, Morgan and Conedage, lineall
heires from the said Ebranke, who brotherlie at the first diuided the
realme betwéen them; so that Morgan had Lhoegres, and Conedage had
Albania. But shortlie after Morgan the elder brother, pondering in his
head the loue of his brother with the affection to a kingdome, excluded
nature, and gaue place to ambition, and therevpon denouncing warre,
death miserablie ended his life (as the reward of his vntruth) whereby
Conedage obteined the whole empire of all Britaine: in which state he
remained during his naturall life.
From him the same lineallie descended to the onelie king of Britons,
vntill (and after) the reigne of Gorbodian, who had issue two sonnes,
Ferrex, and Porrex. This Porrex, requiring like diuision of the land,
affirming the former partitions to be rather of law than fauor, was by
the hands of his elder brother (best loued of queene mother) both of his
life and hoped kingdome béereaued at once. Wherevpon their vnnaturall
mother, vsing hir naturall malice for the death of hir one sonne
(without regard of the loosing of both) miserablie slue the other in his
bed mistrusting no such treason.
Cloten, by all writers, as well Scotish as other, was the next
inheritour to the whole empire: but lacking power (the onelie meane in
those daies to obteine right) he was contented to diuide the same among
foure of his kinsmen; so that Scater had Albania. But after the death of
this Cloten, his sonne Dunwallo Mulmutius made warre vpon these foure
kings, and at last ouercame them, and so recouered the whole dominion.
In token of which victorie, he caused himselfe to be crowned with a
crowne of gold, the verie first of that mettall (if anie at all were
before in vse) that was worne among the kings of this nation. This
Dunwallo erected temples, wherein the people should assemble for praier;
to which temples he gaue benefit of sanctuarie. He made the law for
wager of battell, in cases of murder and felonie, whereby a théefe that
liued and made his art of fighting, should for his purgation fight with
the true man whom he had robbed, beléeuing assuredlie, that the gods
(for then they supposed manie) would by miracle assigne victorie to none
but the innocent partie. Certes the priuileges of this law, and benefit
of the latter, as well in Scotland as in England, be inioied to this
daie, few causes by late positiue laws among vs excepted, wherin the
benefit of wager of battell is restreined. By which obedience to his
lawes, it dooth manifestlie appéere, that this Dunwallo was then seized
of Albania, now called Scotland. This Dunwallo reigned in this estate
ouer them manie yeares.
Beline and Brenne the sonnes also of Dunwallo, did after their fathers
death fauourablie diuide the land betweene them; so that Beline had
Lhoegres, & Brenne had Albania: but for that this Brenne (a subiect)
without the consent of his elder brother and lord, aduentured to marrie
with the daughter of the king of Denmarke; Beline seized Albania into
his owne hands, and thervpon caused the notable waies priuileged by
Dunwallons lawes to be newlie wrought by mens hands, which for the
length extended from the further part of Cornewall, vnto the sea by
north Cathnesse in Scotland. In like sort to and for the better
maintenance of religion in those daies, he constituted ministers called
archflamines, in sundrie places of this Iland (who in their seuerall
functions resembled the bishops of our times) the one of which remained
at Ebranke now called Yorke, and the whole region Caerbrantonica
(whereof Ptolomie also speaketh but not without wresting of the name)
whose power extended to the vttermost bounds of Albania, wherby likewise
appeareth that it was then within his owne dominion. After his death the
whole Ile was inioied by the onelie kings of Britaine, vntill the time
of Vigenius & Peridurus lineall heires from the said Beline, who
fauourablie made partition, so that Vigenius had all the land from
Humber by south, and Peridurus from thence northwards all Albania, &c.
This Vigenius died, and Peridurus suruiued, and thereby obteined the
whole, from whom the same quietlie descended, and was by his posteritie
accordinglie inioied, vntill the reigne of Coell the first of that name.
In his time an obscure nation (by most writers supposed Scithians)
passed by seas from Ireland, and arriued in that part of Britaine called
Albania: against whome this Coell assembled his power, and being entred
Albania to expell them, one Fergus in the night disguised, entered the
tent of this Coell, and in his bed traitorouslie slue him.
This Fergus was therfore, in reward of his great prowesse, made there
king, whervpon they sat downe in that part, with their wiues and
children, and called it Scotland, and themselues Scots: from the
beginning of the world, foure thousand six hundred and seauentéene
yeares after the Scotish accompt, which by iust computation and
confession of all their owne writers, is six hundred yeares lacking ten,
after that Brutus had reigned ouer the whole Iland, the same land being
inioied by him and his posteritie before their comming, during two and
fiftie descents of the kings of Britaine, which is a large prescription.
Certes this intrusion into a land so manie hundred yeares before
inhabited, and by so manie descents of kings quietlie inioied, is the
best title that all their owne writers can alledge for them. But to
proceed. Fergus herevpon immediatlie did diuide Albania also among his
capteins and their souldiers: whereby it most euidentlie appeareth, that
there were no people of that nation inhabiting there before, in proofe
whereof the same partition shall follow.
The lands of Cathnes lieng against Orkneie, betwéene Dummesbeie and the
[Sidenote: Out of Hector Boecius lib. 1.]
water of Thane, was giuen vnto one Cornath, a capteine and his people.
The lands betwéene the water of Thane & Nes, now called Rosse, being in
bredth from Cromart to the mouth of the water of Locht, were giuen to
Lutorke, another capteine and his people. The lands betweene Spaie and
Nes, from the Almane seas to the Ireland seas, now called Murraie land,
were giuen to one Warroch and his people. The land of Thalia, now called
Boin Ainze, Bogewall, Gariot, Formartine, and Bowguhan, were giuen to
one Thalis and his people. The lands of Mar Badezenoch, and Lochquhaber,
were giuen to Martach and his people. The lands of Lorne and Kintier,
with the hilles and mounteins thereof, lieng from Mar to the Ireland
seas, were giuen to capteine Nanance and his people. The lands of Athole
were giuen to Atholus, another capteine and his people. The lands of
Strabraun, & Brawdawane lieng west from Dunkell, were giuen to Creones &
Epidithes two capteins. The lands of Argile, were giuen to Argathelus a
capteine. The lands of Linnox & Clidisdale were allotted to Lolgona a
capteine. The lands of Siluria now called Kile, Carrike & Cuningham,
were giuen to Silurth another capteine. The lands of Brigance now called
Gallowaie, were giuen to the companie called Brigandes, which (as their
best men) were appointed to dwell next the Britons, who afterward
expelled the Britons from Annandale in Albania, whereby it is confessed
to be before inhabited by Britons. The residue of the land now called
Scotland, that is to saie: Meirnis, Angus, Steremond, Gowrie, Strahern,
Pirth, Fiffe, Striueling, Callender, Calderwood, Lougthian, Mers,
Teuedale, with other the Rement Dales, & the Sherifdome, of Berwicke,
were then enioied by a nation mingled in marriage with the Britons, and
[Sidenote: Berouicum potiùs à Berubio promontorio.]
in their obedience, whose capteine called Beringer builded the castell
and towne of Berwicke vpon Twede, & these people were called Picts, vpon
whome by the death of this Coell, these Scots had opportunitie to vse
wars, whereof they ceased not, vntill such time as it pleased God to
appoint another Coell king of Britons, against whose name, albeit they
hoped for a like victorie to the first, yet he preuailed and ceased not
his warre, vntill these Scots were vtterlie expelled out of all the
bounds of Britaine, in which they neuer dared to reenter, vntill the
troublesome reigne of Sisilt king of Britons, which was the twelft king
after this Coell. During all which time the countrie was reinhabited by
the Britons. But then the Scots turning the ciuill discord of this
realme, betweene this Sisilt and his brother Blede to their best
aduantage, arriued againe in Albania, & there made one Reuther their
king.
Vpon this their new arriuall, new warre was made vpon them by this
Sisilt king of Britons, in which warre Reuther their new king died, and
Thereus succéeded, against whome the warre of Britons ceased not, vntill
he freelie submitted himselfe to the said Sicill king of Britons at
Ebranke, that is Yorke, where shortlie after the tenth yeare of his
reigne he died. Finnane brother of Josine succeeded by their election to
the kingdome of Scots, who shortlie after (compelled by the warres of
the same Sicill) declared himselfe subiect, and for the better assurance
of his faith and obeisance to the king of Britons, deliuered his sonne
Durstus into the hands of this Sicill: who fantasieng the child, and
hoping by his owne succession to alter their subtiltie (I will not saie
duplicitie saith Adams) married him in the end to Agasia his owne
daughter.
[Sidenote: Durstus.]
This Durstus was their next king; but for that he had married a Briton
woman, (though indeed she was a kings daughter) the Scots hated him for
the same cause, for which they ought rather to haue liked him the
better, and therefore not onelie traitorouslie slue him; but further to
declare the end of their malice, disinherited (as much as in them was)
the issues of the same Durstus and Agasia. Herevpon new warre sproong
betwéene them and vs, which ceased not vntill they were contented to
receiue Edeir to their king, the next in bloud then liuing, descended
from Durstus and Agasia, and thereby the bloud of the Britons, of the
part of the mother, was restored to the crowne of Albania: so that
nature, whose law is immutable, caused this bond of loue to hold. For
shortlie after this Edeir attended vpon Cassibelane king of Britons, for
the repulse of Iulius Cæsar, as their owne author Boetius confesseth,
who commanded the same as his subiect. But Iulius Cæsar, after his
second arriuall, by treason of Androgeus preuailed against the Britons,
and therevpon pursued this Edeir into Scotland; and (as himselfe saith
in his commentaries) subdued all the Ile of Britaine. Which though the
liuing Scots denie it, their dead writers confesse that he came beyond
Calender wood, and cast downe Camelon, the principall citie of the
Picts. And in token of this victorie, not farre from Carron, builded a
round temple of stone, which remained in some perfection vntill the
reigne of our king Edward called the first after the conquest, by whome
it was subuerted: but the monument thereof remaineth to this daie.
[Sidenote: Marius.]
Marius the sonne of Aruiragus, being king of all Britaine, in his time
one Roderike a Scithian, with a great rabble of néedie souldiours, came
to the water of Frith in Scotland, which is an arme of the sea, diuiding
Pentland from Fiffe: against whome this Marius assembled a power, by
which he slue this Rodericke, and discomfited his people in Westmerland:
but to those that remained aliue, he gaue the countrie of Cathnesse in
Scotland, which prooueth it to be within his owne dominion.
[Sidenote: Coelus.]
Coell the sonne of this Marius had issue Lucius, counted the first
Christian king of this nation: he conuerted the three archflamines of
this land into bishopriks, and ordeined bishops vnto ech of them. The
first remained at London, and his power extended from the furthest part
of Cornewall to Humber water. The second dwelled at Yorke, and his power
stretched from Humber to the furthest part of all Scotland. The third
aboded at Caerleon vpon the riuer of Wiske in Glamorgan in Wales, & his
power extended from Seuerne through all Wales. Some write that he made
but two, and turned their names to archbishops, the one to remaine at
Canturburie, the other at Yorke: yet they confesse that he of Yorke had
iurisdiction through all Scotland: either of which is sufficient to
prooue Scotland to be then vnder his dominion.
[Sidenote: Seuerus.]
Seuerus, by birth a Romane, but in bloud a Briton (as some thinke) and
the lineall heire of the bodie of Androgeus sonne of Lud, & nephue of
Cassibelane, was shortlie after emperour & king of Britons, in whose
time the people to whom his ancestor Marius gaue the land of Cathnesse
in Scotland, conspired with the Scots, & receiued them from the Iles
into Scotland. But herevpon this Seuerus came into Scotland, and méeting
with their faith and false harts togither, droue them all out of the
maine land into Iles, the vttermost bounds of all great Britaine. But
notwithstanding this glorious victorie, the Britons considering their
seruitude to the Romans, imposed by treason of Androgeus, ancestor to
this Seuerus, began to hate him, whome yet they had no time to loue, and
who in their defense and suertie had slaine of the Scots and their
confederats in one battell thirtie thousand: but such was the
consideration of the common sort in those daies, whose malice no time
could diminish, nor iust desert appease.
[Sidenote: Bassianus.]
Antoninus Bassianus borne of a Briton woman, and Geta borne by a Romane
woman, were the sonnes of this Seuerus, who after the death of their
father, by the contrarie voices of their people, contended for the
crowne. Few Britons held with Bassianus, fewer Romans with Geta: but the
greater number with neither of both. In the end Geta was slaine, and
Bassianus remained emperour, against whom Carautius rebelled, who gaue
vnto the Scots, Picts, and Scithians, the countrie of Cathnesse in
Scotland, which they afterward inhabited, whereby his seison thereof
appeareth.
[Sidenote: Coill.]
Coill, descended of the bloud of the ancient kings of this land, was
shortlie after king of the Britons, whose onelie daughter and heire
called Helen, was married vnto Constantius a Romane, who daunted the
rebellion of all parts of great Britaine; and after the death of this
Coill was in the right of his wife king thereof, and reigned in his
state ouer them thirtéene or fourtéene yeares.
[Sidenote: Constantine.]
Constantine the sonne of this Constance, and Helen, was next king of
Britons, by the right of his mother, who passing to Rome to receiue the
empire thereof, deputed one Octauius king of Wales, and duke of the
Gewisses (which some expound to be afterward called west Saxons) to haue
the gouernment of this dominion. But abusing the kings innocent
goodnesse, this Octauius defrauded this trust, and tooke vpon him the
crowne. For which traitorie albeit he was once vanquished by Leonine
Traheron, great vncle to Constantine: yet after the death of this
Traheron, he preuailed againe, and vsurped ouer all Britaine.
Constantine being now emperor sent Maximius his kinsman hither (in
processe of time) to destroie the same Octauius, who in singular battell
discomfited him. Wherevpon this Maximius, as well by the consent of
great Constantine, as by the election of all the Britons, for that he
was a Briton in bloud, was made king or rather vicegerent of Britaine.
This Maximius made warre vpon the Scots and Scithians within Britaine,
and ceassed not vntill he had slaine Eugenius their king, and expelled
and driuen them out of the whole limits and bounds of Britaine. Finallie
he inhabited all Scotland with Britons, no man, woman, nor child of the
Scotish nation suffered to remaine within it, which (as their Hector
Boetius saith) was for their rebellion; and rebellion properlie could it
not be, except they had béene subiects. He suffered the Picts also to
remaine his subiects, who made solemne othes to him, neuer after to
erect anie peculiar king of their owne nation, but to remaine vnder the
old empire of the onelie king of Britaine. I had once an epistle by
Leland exemplified (as he saith) out of a verie ancient record which
beareth title of Helena vnto hir sonne Constantine, and entreth after
this manner; "Domino semper Augusto filio Constantino, mater Helena
semper Augusta, &c." And now it repenteth me that I did not exemplifie
and conueigh it into this treatise whilest I had his books. For thereby
I might haue had great light for the estate of this present discourse:
but as then I had no mind to haue trauelled in this matter;
neuerthelesse, if hereafter it come againe to light I would wish it were
reserued. It followeth on also in this maner (as it is translated out of
the Gréeke) "Veritatem sapientis animus non recusat, nec fides recta
aliquando patitur quamcunque iacturam, &c."
About fiue and fourtie yeares after this (which was long time after the
death of this Maximius) with the helpe of Gouan or Gonan and Melga, the
Scots newlie arriued in Albania, and there created one Fergus the second
of that name to be there king. But bicause they were before banished the
continent land, they crowned him king on their aduenture in Argile, in
the fatall chaire of marble, the yéere of our Lord, foure hundred and
two and twentie, as they themselues doo write.
[Sidenote: Maximian.]
Maximian sonne of Leonine Traheron, brother to king Coill, and vncle to
Helene, was by lineall succession next king of Britons: but to appease
the malice of Dionothus king of Wales, who also claimed the kingdome, he
married Othilia eldest daughter of Dionothus, and afterwards assembled a
great power of Britons, and entered Albania, inuading Gallowaie, Mers,
Annandale, Pentland, Carrike, Kill, and Cuningham, and in battell slue
both this Fergus then king of Scots, and Durstus the king of Picts, and
exiled all their people out of the continent land: wherevpon the few
number of Scots then remaining a liue, went to Argile, and there made
Eugenius their king. When this Maximian had thus obteined quietnesse in
Britaine, he departed with his cousine Conan Meridocke into Armorica,
where they subdued the king, and depopulated the countrie, which he gaue
to Conan his cousine, to be afterward inhabited by Britons, by the name
of Britaine the lesse: and hereof this realme tooke name of Britaine the
great, which name by consent of forren writers it keepeth vnto this
daie.
After the death of Maximian, dissention being mooued betweene the nobles
of Britaine, the Scots swarmed togither againe, and came to the wall of
Adrian, where (this realme being diuided in manie factions) they
ouercame one. And herevpon their Hector Boetius (as an hen that for
laieng of one eg, will make a great cakeling) solemnlie triumphing for a
conquest before the victorie, alledgeth that hereby the Britons were
made tributaries to the Scots, and yet he confesseth that they won no
more land, by that supposed conquest, but the same portion betwéene them
and Humber, which in the old partitions before was annexed to Albania.
It is hard to be beléeued, that such a broken nation as the Scots at
that time were, returning from banishment within foure yeares before,
and since in battell loosing both their kings, and the great number of
their best men, to be thus able to make a conquest of great Britaine;
and verie vnlikelie if they had conquered it, they would haue left the
hot sunne of the south parts, to dwell in the cold snow in Scotland.
Incredible it is, that if they had conquered it, they would not haue
deputed officers in it, as in cases of conquest behooueth. And it is
beyond all beliefe, that great Britaine, or any other countrie, should
be woon without the comming of anie enimie into it: as they did not, but
taried finallie at the same wall of Adrian, whereof I spake before.
But what need I speake of these defenses, when the same Boecius scantlie
trusteth his owne beliefe in this tale. For he saieth that Galfride, and
sundrie other authentike writers, diuerslie varie from this part of his
storie, wherein his owne thought accuseth his conscience of vntruth:
herein also he further forgetting how it behooueth a lier to be mindfull
of his assertion, in the fourth chapter next following, wholie bewraieth
himselfe, saieng that the confederat kings of Scots and Picts, vpon
ciuill warres betwéene the Britons (which then followed) hoped shortlie
to inioie all the land of great Britaine, from beyond Humber vnto the
fresh sea, which hope had bene vaine, and not lesse than void, if it had
béene their owne by anie conquest before.