[Sidenote: Britaine at the first one entire kingdome.]
It is not to be doubted, but that at the first, the whole Iland was
ruled by one onelie prince, and so continued from time to time, vntill
ciuill discord, grounded vp[=o] ambitious desire to reigne, caused the
same to be gouerned by diuerse. And this I meane so well of the time
before the comming of Brute, as after the extinction of his whole race
& posteritie. Howbeit, as it is vncerteine into how manie regions it
was seuered, after the first partition; so it is most sure that this
latter disturbed estate of regiment, continued in the same, not onelie
vntill the time of Cæsar, but also in maner vnto the daies of Lucius,
with whome the whole race of the Britons had an end, and the Romans
full possession of this Iland, who gouerned it by Legats after the
maner of a prouince. It should séeme also that within a while after
the time of Dunwallon (who rather brought those foure princes that
vsurped in his time to obedience, than extinguished their titles, &
such partition as they had made of the Iland among themselues) each
great citie had hir fréedome and seuerall kind of regiment, proper
vnto hir selfe, beside a large circuit of the countrie appertinent
vnto the same, wherein were sundrie other cities also of lesse name,
which owght homage and all subiection vnto the greater sort. And to
saie truth, hereof it came to passe, that each of these regions,
whereinto this Iland was then diuided, tooke his name of some one of
these cities; although Ciuitas after Cæsar doth sometime signifie an
whole continent or kingdome, whereby there were in old time Tot
ciuitates quot regna, and contrariwise as may appeare by that of the
Trinobantes, which was so called of Trinobantum the chiefe citie of
that portion, whose territories conteined all Essex, Middlesex, and
part of Hertfordshire, euen as the iurisdiction of the bishop of
London is now extended, for the ouersight of such things as belong
vnto the church. Ech of the gouernors also of these regions, called
themselues kings, and therevnto either of them dailie made warre vpon
other, for the inlarging of their limits. But for somuch as I am not
able to saie how manie did challenge this authoritie at once, and how
long they reigned ouer their seuerall portions, I will passe ouer
these ancient times, and come néerer vnto our owne, I meane the 600.
yéere of Christ, whereof we haue more certeine notice, & at which
season there is euident proofe, that there were twelue or thirtéene
kings reigning in this Iland.
[Sidenote: Wales diuided into three kingdomes.]
We find therefore for the first, how that Wales had hir thrée seuerall
kingdomes, which being accompted togither conteined (as Giraldus
saith) 49. cantreds or cantons (whereof thrée were in his time
possessed by the French and English) although that whole portion of
the Iland extended in those daies no farder than about 200. miles in
length, and one hundred in bredth, and was cut from Lhoegres by the
riuers Sauerne and Dee, of which two streames this dooth fall into the
Irish sea at Westchester, the other into the maine Ocean, betwixt
Somersetshire and Southwales, as their seuerall courses shall witnesse
more at large.
[Sidenote: Gwinhed.]
In the begining it was diuided into two kingdoms onelie, that is to
saie, Venedotia or Gwynhedh (otherwise called Dehenbarth) and Demetia,
for which we now vse most c[=o]monlie the names of South & Northwales.
But in a short processe of time a third sprung vp in the verie middest
betwéene them both, which from thence-foorth was called Powisy, as
shalbe shewed hereafter. For Roderijc the great, who flourished 850.
of Christ, and was king of all Wales (which then conteined onlie six
regions) leauing thrée sons behind him, by his last will & testament
diuided the countrie into thrée portions, according to the number of
his children, of which he assigned one vnto either of them, wherby
Morwing or Morwinner had Gwynhedh or Northwales, Cadelh Demetia or
Southwales, and Anaralt Powisy, as Giraldus and other doo remember.
Howbeit it came to passe that after this diuision, Cadelh suruiued all
his brethren, and thereby became lord of both their portions, and his
successors after him vntill the time of Teuther or Theodor (all is
one) after which they were contented to kéepe themselues within the
compasse of Demetia, which (as I said) conteined 29. of those 49.
cantreds before mentioned, as Powisy did six, and Gwinhedh fourtéene,
except my memorie doo faile me.
[Sidenote: Venedotia.]
The first of these thrée, being called (as I said) Northwales or
Venedotia (or as Paulus Iouius saith Malfabrene, for he diuideth Wales
also into thrée regions, of which he calleth the first Dumbera, the
second Berfrona, and the third Malfabrene) lieth directlie ouer
[Sidenote: Anglesei.]
against the Ile of Anglesei, the chiefe citie whereof stood in the Ile
of Anglesei and was called Aberfraw. It conteineth 4. regions, of
which the said Iland is the first, and whereof in the chapter insuing
[Sidenote: Arfon.]
I wille intreat more at large. The second is called Arfon, and situate
[Sidenote: Merioneth.]
betweene two riuers, the Segwy and the Conwy. The third is Merioneth,
and as it is seuered from Arfon by the Conwy, so is it separated from
[Sidenote: Stradcluyd or Tegenia.]
Tegenia (otherwise called Stradcluyd and Igenia the fourth region) by
the riuer Cluda. Finallie, the limits of this latter are extended also
euen vnto the Dée it selfe, and of these foure regions consisteth the
kingdome of Venedotia, whereof in times past the region of the Canges
was not the smallest portion.
[Sidenote: Powisy.]
The kingdome of Powisy, last of all erected, as I said, hath on the
north side Gwinhedh, on the east (from Chester to Hereford, or rather
to Deane forest) England, on the south and west the riuer Wy and verie
high hilles, whereby it is notablie seuered from Southwales, the
chiefe citie thereof being at the first Salopsburg, in old time
Pengwerne, and Ynwithig, but now Shrowesburie, a citie or towne raised
out of the ruines of Vricouium, which (standing 4. miles from thence,
and by the Saxons called Wrekencester and Wrokecester, before they
ouerthrew it) is now inhabited with méere English, and where in old
time the kings of Powisy did dwell and hold their palaces, till
Englishmen draue them from thence to Matrauall in the same prouince,
where they from thencefoorth aboad. Vpon the limits of this kingdome,
and not far from Holt castell, vpon ech side of the riuer, as the
[Sidenote: Bangor.]
chanell now runneth, stood sometime the famous monasterie of Bangor,
whilest the abated glorie of the Britons yet remained vnextinguished,
and herein were 2100. monkes, of which, the learned sort did preach
the Gospell, and the vnlearned labored with their hands, thereby to
mainteine themselues, and to sustaine their preachers. This region was
in like sort diuided afterward in twaine, of which, the one was called
[Sidenote: Mailrosse.]
Mailor or Mailrosse, the other reteined still hir old denomination,
and of these the first laie by south, & the latter by north of the
Sauerne.
[Sidenote: Fowkes de Warren.]
As touching Mailrosse, I read moreouer in the gests of Fowkes de
Warren, how that one William sonne to a certeine ladie sister to Paine
Peuerell, the first lord of Whittington, after the conquest did win a
part of the same, and the hundred of Ellesmore from the Welshmen, in
which enterprise he was so desperatlie wounded, that no man hight him
life; yet at the last by eating of the shield of a wild bore, he got
an appetite and recouered his health. This William had issue two
[Sidenote: Helene.]
[Sidenote: Mellent.]
daughters, to wit, Helene maried to the heir of the Alans, and Mellent
which refused mariage with anie man, except he were first tried to be
a knight of prowesse. Herevpon hir father made proclamation, that
against such a daie & at such a place, whatsoeuer Gentleman could shew
himselfe most valiant in the field, should marrie Mellent his
daughter, & haue with hir his castell of Whittington with sufficient
liueliehood to mainteine their estates for euer. This report being
spred, Fowkes de Warren came thither all in red, with a shield of
siluer and pecocke for his crest, whereof he was called the red
knight, and there ouercomming the kings sonne of Scotland, and a Baron
of Burgundie, he maried the maid, and by hir had issue as in the
treatise appeareth. There is yet great mention of the red knight in
the countrie there about; and much like vnto this Mellent was the
daughter sometime of one of the lord Rosses, called Kudall, who bare
[Sidenote: The originall of Fitz Henries.]
such good will to Fitz-Henrie clarke of hir fathers kitchen, that she
made him carie hir awaie on horssebacke behind him, onlie for his
manhood sake, which presentlie was tried. For being pursued & ouer
taken, she made him light, & held his cloke whilest he killed and
draue hir fathers men to flight: and then awaie they go, till hir
father conceiuing a good opinion of Fitz-Henrie for this act, receiued
him to his fauour, whereby that familie came vp. And thus much (by the
waie) of Mailrosse, whereof this may suffice, sith mine intent is not
as now to make anie precise description of the particulars of Wales;
but onelie to shew how those regions laie, which sometime were knowne
[Sidenote: Demetia.]
to be gouerned in that countrie. The third kingdome is Demetia, or
Southwales, sometime knowne for the region of the Syllures, wherevnto
I also am persuaded, that the Ordolukes laie in the east part thereof,
and extended their region euen vnto the Sauerne: but howsoeuer that
matter falleth out, Demetia hath the Sauerne on hir south, the Irish
sea on hir west parts, on the east the Sauerne onelie, and by north
the land of Powisy, whereof I spake of late.
[Sidenote: Cair Maridunum.]
Of this region also Caermarden, which the old writers call Maridunum,
was the chéefe citie and palace belonging to the kings of Southwales,
vntill at the last through forren and ciuill inuasions of enimies, the
princes thereof were constrained to remooue their courts to Dinefar
(which is in Cantermawr, and situate neuerthelesse vpon the same riuer
Tewy, wheron Caermarden standeth) in which place it is far better
defended with high hils, thicke woods, craggie rocks, and déepe
marises. In this region also lieth Pembroke aliàs Penmoroc shire,
whose fawcons haue béene in old time very much regarded, and therein
likewise is Milford hauen, whereof the Welsh wisards doo yet dreame
strange toies, which they beleeue shall one daie come to passe. For
they are a nation much giuen to fortelling of things to come, but more
to beléeue such blind prophesies as haue béene made of old time, and
no man is accompted for learned in Wales that is not supposed to haue
the spirit of prophesie.
[Sidenote: Pictland.]
[Sidenote: Scotland.]
[Sidenote: Picts.]
[Sidenote: Scots.]
That Scotland had in those daies two kingdoms, (besides that of the
Orchades) whereof the one consisted of the Picts, and was called
Pightland or Pictland, the other of the Irish race, and named
Scotland: I hope no wise man will readilie denie. The whole region or
portion of the Ile beyond the Scotish sea also was so diuided, that
the Picts laie on the east side, and the Scots on the west, ech of
them being seuered from other, either by huge hils or great lakes and
riuers, that ran out of the south into the north betwéene them. It
séemeth also that at the first these two kingdoms were diuided from
the rest of those of the Britons by the riuers Cluda and Forth, till
both of them desirous to inlarge their dominions, draue the Britons
ouer the Solue and the Twede, which then became march betweene both
the nations. Wherefore the case being so plaine, I will saie no more
of these two, but procéed in order with the rehersall of the rest of
the particular kingdoms of this our south part of the Ile, limiting
out the same by shires as they now lie, so néere as I can, for
otherwise it shall be vnpossible for me to leaue certaine notice of
the likeliest quantities of these their seuerall portions.
[Sidenote: Kent Henghist.]
The first of these kingdoms therefore was begunne in Kent by Henghist
in the 456. of Christ, and thereof called the kingdome of Kent or
Cantwarland, and as the limits thereof extended it selfe no farther
than the said countie (the cheefe citie whereof was Dorobernia or
Cantwarbyry now Canturburie) so it indured well néere by the space of
400. yeares, before it was made an earledome or Heretochie, and vnited
by Inas vnto that of the West Saxons, Athelstane his sonne, being the
first Earle or Heretoch of the same. Maister Lambert in his historie
of Kent dooth gather, by verie probable coniectures, that this part of
the Iland was first inhabited by Samothes, and afterward by Albion.
But howsoeuer that case standeth, sure it is that it hath béen the
onelie doore, whereby the Romans and Saxons made their entrie vnto the
conquest of the region, but first of all Cæsar, who entred into this
Iland vpon the eightéenth Cal. or 14. of September, which was foure
daies before the full of the moone, as he himselfe confesseth, and
then fell out about the 17. or 18. of that moneth, twelue daies before
the equinoctiall (apparant) so that he did not tarrie at that time
aboue eight or ten daies in Britaine. And as this platforme cannot be
denied for his entrance, so the said region and east part of Kent, was
the onelie place by which the knowledge of Christ was first brought
ouer vnto vs, whereby we became partakers of saluation, and from the
darkenesse of mistie errour, true conuerts vnto the light and bright
beames of the shining truth, to our eternall benefit and euerlasting
comforts.
[Sidenote: Southsax.]
[Sidenote: Ella.]
The second kingdome conteined onelie Sussex, and a part of (or as some
saie all) Surrie, which Ella the Saxon first held: who also erected
his chéefe palace at Chichester, when he had destroied Andredswald in
the 492. of Christ. And after it had continued by the space of 232.
years, it ceased, being the verie least kingdome of all the rest,
which were founded in this Ile after the comming of the Saxons (for to
saie truth, it conteined little aboue 7000. families) & within a while
after the erection of the kingdome of the Gewisses or Westsaxons,
notwithstanding that before the kings of Sussex pretended and made
claime to all that which laie west of Kent, and south of the Thames,
vnto the point of Corinwall, as I haue often read.
[Sidenote: Eastsax.]
[Sidenote: Erkenwiin.]
The third regiment was of the East Saxons, or Tribonantes. This
kingdome began vnder Erkenwijn, whose chéefe seat was in London (or
rather Colchester) and conteined whole Essex, Middlesex, and part of
Herfordshire. It indured also much about the pricke of 303. yeares,
and was diuided from that of the East Angles onlie by the riuer
Stoure, as Houeden and others doo report, & so it continueth separated
from Suffolke euen vnto our times, although the said riuer be now
growne verie small, and not of such greatnesse as it hath béene in
times past, by reason that our countriemen make small accompt of
riuers, thinking carriage made by horsse and cart to be the lesse
chargeable waie. But herin how far they are deceiued, I will
else-where make manifest declaration.
[Sidenote: Westsax.]
The fourth kingdome was of the West Saxons, and so called, bicause it
laie in the west part of the realme, as that of Essex did in the east,
[Sidenote: Cerdiic.]
and of Sussex in the south. It began in the yeare of Grace 519. vnder
Cerdijc, and indured vntill the comming of the Normans, including at
the last all Wiltshire, Barkeshire, Dorset, Southampton,
Somersetshire, Glocestershire, some part of Deuonshire (which the
Britons occupied not) Cornewall, and the rest of Surrie, as the best
authors doo set downe. At the first it conteined onelie Wiltshire,
Dorcetshire, and Barkeshire, but yer long the princes thereof
conquered whatsoeuer the kings of Sussex and the Britons held vnto the
point of Cornewall, and then became first Dorchester (vntill the time
of Kinigils) then Winchester the chéefe citie of that kingdome. For
when Birinus the moonke came into England, the said Kinigils gaue him
Dorchester, and all the land within seauen miles about, toward the
maintenance of his cathedrall sea, by meanes whereof he himselfe
remooued his palace to Winchester.
[Sidenote: Brennicia, aliàs Northumberland.]
The fift kingdome began vnder Ida, in the 548. of Christ, and was
called Northumberland, bicause it laie by north of the riuer Humber.
[Sidenote: Ida.]
And from the comming of Henghist to this Ida, it was onlie gouerned by
earls or Heretoches as an Heretochy, till the said Ida conuerted it
into a kingdome. It conteined all that region which (as it should
séeme) was in time past either wholie apperteining to the Brigants, or
whereof the said Brigants did possesse the greater part. The cheefe
citie of the same in like maner was Yorke, as Beda, Capgraue, Leyland,
and others doo set downe, who ad thereto that it extended from the
Humber vnto the Scotish sea, vntill the slaughter of Egfride of the
Northumbers, after which time the Picts gat hold of all, betweene the
Forth and the Twede, which afterward descending to the Scots by meanes
of the vtter destruction of the Picts, hath not béene sithens vnited
to the crowne of England, nor in possession of the meere English, as
before time it had béene. Such was the crueltie of these Picts also in
their recouerie of the same, that at a certeine houre they made a
Sicilien euensong, and slew euerie English man, woman and child, that
they could laie hold vpon within the aforesaid region, but some
escaped narrowlie, and saued themselues by flight.
[Sidenote: Deira.]
Afterward in the yeare of Grace 560. it was parted in twaine, vnder
Adda, that yeelded vp all his portion, which lay betweene Humber and
[Sidenote: Ella.]
the Tine vnto his brother Ella (according to their fathers
appointment) who called it Deira, or Southumberland, but reteining the
rest still vnto his owne vse, he diminished not his title, but wrote
himselfe as before king of all Northumberland. Howbeit after 91.
yeares, it was revnited againe, and so continued vntill Alfred annexed
the whole to his kingdome, in the 331. after Ida, or 878. of the birth
of Jesus Christ our Sauiour.
[Sidenote: Eastangles Offa, à quo Offlingæ.]
The seauenth kingdome, called of the East-Angles, began at Norwich in
the 561. after Christ, vnder Offa, of whom the people of that region
were long time called Offlings. This included all Norfolke, Suffolke,
Cambridgeshire, and Elie, and continuing 228. yeares, it flourished
onelie 35. yeares in perfect estate of liberte, the rest being
consumed vnder the tribut and vassallage of the Mercians, who had the
souereigntie thereof, and held it with great honour, till the Danes
gat hold of it, who spoiled it verie sore, so that it became more
miserable than any of the other, and so remained till the kings of the
West-saxons vnited it to their crownes. Some saie that Grantcester,
but now Cambridge (a towne erected out of hir ruines) was the chéefe
citie of this kingdome, and not Norwich. Wherein I may well shew the
discord of writers, but I cannot resolue the scruple. Some take this
region also to be all one with that of the Icenes, but as yet for my
part I cannot yeeld to their assertions, I meane it of Leland
himselfe, whose helpe I vse chéefelie in these collections, albeit in
this behalfe I am not resolued that he doth iudge aright.
The 8. & last was that of Mertia, which indured 291. yeares, and for
greatnesse exceeded all the rest. It tooke the name either of Mearc
the Saxon word, bicause it was march to the rest (and trulie, the
limits of most of the other kingdomes abutted vpon the same) or else
[Sidenote: Mertia.]
for that the lawes of Martia the Queene were first vsed in that part
of the Iland. But as this later is but a méere coniecture of some, so
[Sidenote: Creodda.]
the said kingdome began vnder Creodda, in the 585. of Christ, &
indured well néere 300. yeares before it was vnited to that of the
West-saxons by Alfred, then reigning in this Ile. Before him the Danes
had gotten hold thereof, and placed one Ceolulph an idiot in the same;
but as he was soone reiected for his follie, so it was not long after
yer the said Alfred (I saie) annexed it to his kingdome by his
[Sidenote: Limits of Mertia.]
manhood. The limits of the Mertian dominions included Lincolne,
Northampton, Chester, Darbie, Nottingham, Stafford, Huntington,
Rutland, Oxford, Buckingham, Worcester, Bedford shires, and the
greatest part of Shropshire (which the Welsh occupied not) Lancaster,
Glocester, Hereford (alias Hurchford) Warwijc and Hertford shires: the
rest of whose territories were holden by such princes of other
kingdomes through force as bordered vpon the same. Moreouer, this
kingdome was at one time diuided into south and north Mertia, whereof
this laie beyond and the other on this side of the Trent, which later
also Oswald of Northumberland did giue to Weada the sonne of Penda for
kindred sake, though he not long inioied it. This also is worthie to
be noted, that in these eight kingdomes of the Saxons, there were
twelue princes reputed in the popish Catalog for saints or martyrs, of
which Alcimund, Edwine, Oswald, Oswijn and Aldwold reigned in
Northumberland; Sigebert, Ethelbert, Edmond, and another Sigebert
among the Estangels; Kenelme and Wistan in Mertia; and Saint Edward
the confessor, ouer all; but how worthilie, I referre me to the
iudgement of the learned. Thus much haue I thought good to leaue in
memorie of the aforesaid kingdomes: and now will I speake somewhat of
the diuision of this Iland also into prouinces, as the Romanes seuered
it whiles they remained in these parts. Which being done, I hope that
I haue discharged whatsoeuer is promised in the title of this chapter.
The Romans therefore hauing obteined the possession of this Iland,
diuided the same at the last into fiue prouinces, as Vibius Sequester
[Sidenote: Britannia prima.]
saith. The first whereof was named Britannia prima, and conteined the
east part of England (as some doo gather) from the Trent vnto the
[Sidenote: Valentia.]
Twede. The second was called Valentia or Valentiana, and included the
west side, as they note it, from Lirpoole vnto Cokermouth. The third
[Sidenote: Britannia secunda.]
hight Britannia secunda, and was that portion of the Ile which laie
[Sidenote: Flauia Cæsariensis.]
southwards, betwéene the Trent and the Thames. The fourth was surnamed
Flauia Cæsariensis, and conteined all the countrie which remained
betweene Douer and the Sauerne, I meane by south of the Thames, and
wherevnto (in like sort) Cornewall and Wales were orderlie assigned.
[Sidenote: Maxima Cæsariensis.]
The fift and last part was then named Maxima Cæsariensis, now
Scotland, the most barren of all the rest, and yet not vnsought out of
the gréedie Romanes, bicause of the great plentie of fish and foule,
fine alabaster and hard marble that are ingendred and to be had in the
same, for furniture of houshold and curious building, wherein they
much delited. More hereof in Sextus Rufus, who liued in the daies of
Valentine, and wrate Notitiam prouinciarum now extant to be read.
_A Catalog of the kings and princes of this Iland, first from
Samothes vnto the birth of our sauiour Christ, or rather the
comming of the Romans: secondlie of their Legates: thirdlie
of the Saxon princes according to their seuerall kingdomes:
fourthlie of the Danes, and lastlie of the Normans and English
princes, according to the truth conteined in our Histories._