After the comming of Brutus into this Iland (which was, as you haue
read in the foresaid treatise, about the yeare of the world, 2850, or
1217 before the incarnation of Christ, although Goropius after his
maner doo vtterlie denie our historie in this behalfe) he made a
generall surueie of the whole Iland from side to side, by such means
to view and search out not onelie the limits and bounds of his
dominions, but also what commodities this new atchiued conquest might
yéeld vnto his people. Furthermore, finding out at the last also a
conuenable place wherin to erect a citie, he began there euen the
verie same which at this daie is called London, naming it Trenouanton,
in remembrance of old Troie, from whence his ancestors proceeded, and
for which the Romans pronounced afterward Trinobantum, although the
Welshmen doo call it still Trenewith. This citie was builded (as some
write) much about the tenth yeare of his reigne, so that he liued not
aboue fiftéene yeares after he had finished the same. But of the rest
of his other acts attempted and doone, before or after the erection of
this citie, I find no certeine report, more than that when he had
reigned in this Iland after his arriuall by the space of foure and
twentie yeares, he finished his daies at Trenouanton aforesaid, being
in his yoong and florishing age, where his carcase was honourablie
interred. As for the maner of his death, I find as yet no mention
thereof among such writers as are extant; I meane whether it grew vnto
him by defect of nature, or force of gréeuous wounds receiued in his
warres against such as withstood him from time to time in this Iland,
and therefore I can saie nothing of that matter. Herein onelie all
agree, that during the time of his languishing paines, he made a
disposition of his whole kingdome, diuiding it into three parts or
portions, according to the number of his sonnes then liuing, whereof
the eldest excéeded not eight and twentie yeares of age, as my
coniecture giueth me.
[Sidenote: Locrine.]
To the eldest therefore, whose name was Locrine, he gaue the greatest
and best region of all the rest, which of him to this daie is called
[Sidenote: Lhoegria.]
Lhoegres among the Britons, but in our language England: of such
English Saxons as made conquest of the same. This portion also is
included on the south with the British sea, on the est with the
Germane Ocean, on the north with the Humber, and on the west with the
Irish sea, and the riuers Dee and Sauerne, whereof in the generall
[Sidenote: Camber.]
[Sidenote: Cambri.]
description of this Iland I haue spoken more at large. To Camber his
second sonne he assigned all that lieth beyond the Sauerne and Dée,
toward the west (which parcell in these daies conteineth Southwales
and Northwales) with sundrie Ilands adiacent to the same, the whole
being in maner cut off and separated from England or Lhoegria by the
said streams, wherby it séemeth also a peninsula or by-land, if you
respect the small hillie portion of ground that lieth indifferentlie
betwéene their maine courses, or such branches (at the least) as run
and fall into them. The Welshmen or Britons call it by the ancient
name still vnto this day, but we Englishmen terme it Wales: which
denomination we haue from the Saxons, who in time past did vse the
word Walsh in such sort as we doo Strange: for as we call all those
strangers that are not of our nation, so did they name them Walsh
which were not of their countrie.
[Sidenote: Albanact.]
The third and last part of the Iland he allotted vnto Albanact his
youngest sonne (for he had but three in all, as I haue said before)
whose portion séemed for circuit to be more large than that of Camber,
and in maner equall in greatnesse with the dominions of Locrinus. But
if you haue regard to the seuerall commodities that are to be reaped
by each, you shall find them to be not much discrepant or differing
one from another: for whatsoeuer the first & second haue in plentie of
corne, fine grasse, and large cattell, this latter wanteth not in
excéeding store of fish, rich mettall, quarries of stone, and
abundance of wild foule: so that in mine opinion, there could not be a
more equall partition than this made by Brute, and after the aforesaid
maner. This later parcell at the first, tooke the name of Albanactus,
who called it Albania. But now a small portion onelie of the region
(being vnder the regiment of a duke) reteineth the said denomination,
the rest being called Scotland, of certeine Scots that came ouer from
Ireland to inhabit in those quarters. It is diuided from Lhoegres also
by the Solue and the Firth, yet some doo note the Humber; so that
[Sidenote: Albania.]
Albania (as Brute left it) conteined all the north part of the Iland
that is to be found beyond the aforesaid streame, vnto the point of
Cathnesse.
To conclude, Brute hauing diuided his kingdome after this maner, and
therein contenting himselfe as it were with the generall title of the
whole, it was not long after yer he ended his life; and being
solemnelie interred at his new citie by his thrée children, they
parted each from other, and tooke possession of their prouinces. But
[Sidenote: Locrine king also of Scotland.]
Scotland after two yeares fell againe into the hands of Locrinus as to
the chiefe lord, by the death of his brother Albanact, who was slaine
by Humber king of the Scithians, and left none issue behind him to
succéed him in that kingdome.
AFTER WHAT MANER THE SOUEREIGNTIE OF THIS ILE DOOTH REMAINE TO THE
PRINCES OF LHOEGRES OR KINGS OF ENGLAND.