Hitherto haue we spoken of the inhabitants of this Ile before the
comming of Brute, although some will néeds haue it, that he was the
first which inhabited the same with his people descended of the
Troians, some few giants onelie excepted whom he vtterlie destroied,
and left not one of them aliue through the whole Ile. But as we shall
not doubt of Brutes comming hither, so may we assuredly thinke, that
he found the Ile peopled either with the generation of those which
Albion the giant had placed here, or some other kind of people whom he
did subdue, and so reigned as well ouer them as ouer those which he
brought with him.
[Sidenote: _Humfr. Lhoyd._]
This Brutus, or Brytus [for this letter (Y) hath of ancient time had
the sounds both of V and I] (as the author of the booke which Geffrey
of Monmouth translated dooth affirme) was the sonne of Siluius, the
sonne of Ascanius, the sonne of Aeneas the Troian, begotten of his
wife Creusa, & borne in Troie, before the citie was destroied. But as
[Sidenote: _Harding._]
[Sidenote: _Alex. Neuil._]
[Sidenote: _W. Har._]
other doo take it, the author of that booke (whatsoeuer he was) and
such other as follow him, are deceiued onelie in this point, mistaking
the matter, in that Posthumus the sonne of Aeneas (begotten of his
wife Lauinia, and borne after his fathers deceasse in Italie) was
called Ascanius, who had issue a sonne named Iulius, who (as these
other doo coniecture) was the father of Brute, that noble chieftaine
and aduenturous leader of those people, which being descended (for the
more part in the fourth generation) from those Troians that escaped
with life, when that roiall citie was destroied by the Gréekes, got
possession of this woorthie and most famous Ile.
To this opinion Giouan Villani a Florentine in his vniuersall
historie, speaking of Aeneas and his ofspring kings in Italie, séemeth
to agrée, where he saith: "Siluius (the sonne of Aeneas by his wife
Lauinia) fell in loue with a néece of his mother Lauinia, and by hir
had a sonne, of whom she died in trauell, and therefore was called
Brutus, who after as he grew in some stature, and hunting in a forrest
slue his father vnwares, and therevpon for feare of his grandfather
Siluius Posthumus he fled the countrie, and with a retinue of such as
followed him, passing through diuers seas, at length he arriued in the
Ile of Britaine."
Concerning therefore our Brute, whether his father Iulius was sonne to
Ascanius the sonne of Aeneas by his wife Creusa, or sonne to Posthumus
called also Ascanius, and sonne to Aeneas by his wife Lauinia, we will
not further stand. But this, we find, that when he came to the age of
15. yéeres, so that he was now able to ride abrode with his father
into the forrests and chases, he fortuned (either by mishap, or by
[Sidenote: Brute killeth his father.]
Gods prouidence) to strike his father with an arrow, in shooting at a
déere, of which wound he also died. His grandfather (whether the same
was Posthumus, or his elder brother) hearing of this great misfortune
that had chanced to his sonne Siluius, liued not long after, but died
for verie greefe and sorow (as is supposed) which he conceiued
thereof. And the young gentleman, immediatlie after he had slaine his
father (in maner before alledged) was banished his countrie, and
therevpon got him into Grecia, where trauelling the countrie, he
lighted by chance among some of the Troian ofspring, and associating
himselfe with them, grew by meanes of the linage (whereof he was
descended) in proces of time into great reputation among them:
chieflie by reason there were yet diuers of the Troian race, and that
[Sidenote: Pausanias.]
of great authoritie in that countrie. For Pyrrhus the sonne of
Achilles, hauing no issue by his wife Hermione, maried Andromache,
late wife vnto Hector: and by hir had thrée sonnes, Molossus, Pileus,
and Pergamus, who in their time grew to be of great power in those
places and countries, and their ofspring likewise: whereby Brutus or
Brytus wanted no friendship. For euen at his first comming thither,
diuers of the Troians that remained in seruitude, being desirous of
libertie, by flocks resorted vnto him. And amongst other, Assaracus
was one, whom Brute intertained, receiuing at his hands the possession
of sundrie forts and places of defense, before that the king of those
parties could haue vnderstanding or knowledge of any such thing.
Herewith also such as were readie to make the aduenture with him,
repaired to him on ech side, wherevpon he first placed garisons in
those townes which had bene thus deliuered vnto him, and afterwards
with Assaracus and the residue of the multitude he withdrew into the
mountains néere adioining. And thus being made strong with such
assistance, by consultation had with them that were of most authoritie
about him, wrote vnto the king of that countrie called Pandrasus, in
forme as followeth.
_A letter of Brute to Pandrasus, as I find it set downe in Galfride
Monumetensis._
"BRUTE leader of the remnant of the Troian people, to Pandrasus king
of the Greekes, sendeth greeting. Bicause it hath beene thought a
thing vnworthie, that the people descended of the noble linage of
Dardanus should be otherwise dealt with than the honour of their
nobilitie dooth require: they haue withdrawne themselues within the
close couert of the woods. For they haue chosen rather (after the
maner of wild beasts) to liue on flesh and herbs in libertie, than
furnished with all the riches in the world to continue vnder the yoke
of seruile thraldome. But if this their dooing offend thy mightie
highnesse, they are not to be blamed, but rather in this behalfe to be
pardoned, sith euerie captiue prisoner is desirous to be restored vnto
his former estate and dignitie. You therefore pitieng their case,
vouchsafe to grant them their abridged libertie, and suffer them to
remaine in quiet within these woods which they haue got into their
possession: if not so, yet giue them licence to depart forth of this
countrie into some other parts."
[Sidenote: Pandrasus prepareth an armie to supress the Troian
ofspring.]
The sight of these letters, and request in them conteined, made
Pandrasus at the first somewhat amazed, howbeit deliberating further
of the matter, and considering their small number, he made no great
account of them, but determined out of hand to suppresse them by
force, before they should grow to a greater multitude. And to bring
[Sidenote: Sparatinum.]
his intention the better to passe, he passed by a towne called
Sparatinum, & marching toward the woods where he thoght to haue found
his enimies, he was suddenlie assalted by Brute, who with three
thousand men came foorth of the woods, and fiercelie setting vpon his
enimies, made great slaughter of them, so that they were vtterlie
discomfited, & sought by flight to saue themselues in passing a riuer
[Sidenote: Peraduenture Achelous.]
néere hand called Akalon. Brute with his men following fast upon the
aduersaries, caused them to plunge into the water at aduenture, so
[Sidenote: Antigonus, the brother of Pandrasus.]
that manie of them were drowned. Howbeit Antigonus the brother of
Pandrasus did what he could to stay the Grecians from fléeing, and
calling them backe againe did get some of them togither, placed them
in order, and began a new field: but it nothing auailed, for the
Troians, preasing vpon him, tooke him prisoner, slue and scattred his
companie, and ceased not till they had rid the fields of all their
aduersaries.
[Sidenote: Brute entreth into Sparatinum.]
This doone, Brute entering the towne, furnished it with six hundred
able souldiours, and afterwards went backe to the residue of his
people that were incamped in the woods, where he was receiued with
vnspeakeable ioy for this prosperous atchiued enterprise. But although
this euill successe at the first beginning sore troubled Pandrasus, as
well for the losse of the field, as for the taking of his brother, yet
was he rather kindled in desire to séeke reuenge, than otherwise
discouraged. And therefore assembling his people againe togither that
were scattered here and there, he came the next day before the towne
of Sparatinum, where he thought to haue found Brute inclosed togither
with the prisoners, and therfore he shewed his whole endeuour by hard
siege and fierce assaults to force them within to yeeld.
To conclude, so long he continued the siege, till victuals began to
waxe scant within, so that there was no way but to yeeld, if present
succour came not to remoue the siege: wherevpon they signified their
necessitie vnto Brute, who for that he had not power sufficient to
fight with the enimies in open field, he ment to giue them a camisado
in the night season, and so ordered his businesse, that inforsing a
prisoner (named Anacletus whome he had taken in the last battell) to
serue his turne, by constreining him to take an oth (which he durst
not for conscience sake breake) he found means to encounter with his
enimies vpon the aduantage, that he did not onelie ouerthrowe their
[Sidenote: Pandrasus taken prisoner.]
whole power, but also tooke Pandrasus prisoner, whereby all the
trouble was ended: and shortlie after a perfect peace concluded, vpon
these conditions following.
[Sidenote: The conditions of the agréement betwixt Brute & Pandrasus.]
First, that Pandrasus should giue his daughter Innogen vnto Brute in
mariage, with a competent summe of gold and siluer for hir dowrie.
Secondlie, to furnish him and his people with a nauie of ships, and to
store the same with victuals and all other necessaries.
Thirdlie, that Brute with his people should haue licence to depart the
countrie, to séeke aduentures whither so euer it should please them to
direct their course, without let, impeachment, or trouble to be
offered anie waies by the Gréeks.
To all these conditions (bicause they touched not the prerogatiue of
his kingdome) Pandrasus did willinglie agrée, and likewise performed.
* * * * *
_Brute and his wife Innogen arriue in Leogitia, they aske counsell of
an oracle where they shall inhabit, he meeteth with a remnant of
Troians on the coasts neere the shooting downe of the Pyrenine hills
into the sea._