Al things being thus brought to passe according to Brutes desire, wind
also and wether seruing the purpose, he with his wife Innogen and his
people imbarked, and hoising vp sailes departed from the coasts of
Grecia. Now after two daies and a nights sailing, they arriued at
Leogitia (in some old written bookes of the British historie noted
downe Lergetia) an Iland, where they consulted with an oracle. Brute
himselfe knéeling before the idoll, and holding in his right hand a
boll prepared for sacrifice full of wine, and the bloud of a white
hinde, spake in this maner as here followeth:
Diua potens nemorum, terror syluestribus apris,
Cui licet anfractus ire per æthereos,
Infernasq; domos, terrestria iura resolue,
Et die quas terras nos habitare velis:
Dic certam sedem qua te venerabor in æuum,
Qua tibi virgineis templa dicabo choris.
These verses (as Ponticus Virumnius and others also doo gesse) were
written by Gildas Cambrius in his booke intituled _Cambreidos_, and
may thus be Englished:
Thou goddesse that doost rule
the woods and forrests greene,
And chasest foming boares
that flee thine awfull sight,
Thou that maist passe aloft
in airie skies so sheene,
And walke eke vnder earth
in places void of light,
Discouer earthlie states,
direct our course aright,
And shew where we shall dwell,
according to thy will,
In seates of sure abode,
where temples we may dight
For virgins that shall sound
thy laud with voices shrill.
After this praier and ceremonie done, according to the pagane rite and
custome, Brute abiding his answer, fell asléepe: in which sléepe
appeared to him the said goddesse vttering this answer in the verses
following expressed.
Brute, sub occasum solis trans Gallica regna,
Insula in oceano est, vndiq; clausa mari,
Insula in oceano est, habitata gigantibus olim,
Nunc deserta quidèm, gentibus apta tuis:
Hanc pete, námq; tibi sedes erit ilia perennis,
Hîc fiet natis altera Troia tuis:
Hîc de prole tua reges nascentur, & ipsis
Totius terræ subditus orbis erit.
Brute, farre by-west beyond the Gallike
land is found,
An Ile which with the ocean seas
inclosed is about,
Where giants dwelt sometime,
but now is desart ground,
Most meet where thou maist plant
thy selfe with all thy rout:
Make thitherwards with speed,
for there thou shalt find out
An euerduring seat,
and Troie shall rise anew,
Vnto thy race, of whom
shall kings be borne no dout,
That with their mightie power
the world shall whole subdew.
After he awaked out of sléepe, and had called his dreame to
remembrance, he first doubted whether it were a verie dreame, or a
true vision, the goddes hauing spoken to him with liuelie voice.
Wherevpon calling such of his companie vnto him as he thought
requisite in such a case, he declared vnto them the whole matter with
the circumstances, whereat they greatlie reioising, caused mightie
bonfires to be made, in the which they cast wine, milke, and other
liquors, with diuers gums and spices of most sweet smell and sauour,
as in the pagan religion was accustomed. Which obseruances and
ceremonies performed and brought to end, they returned streightwaies
to their ships, and as soone as the wind served, passed forward on
their iournie with great ioy and gladnesse, as men put in comfort to
find out the wished seats for their firme and sure habitations. From
hence therefore they cast about, and making westward, first arrived in
[Sidenote: Brute with his companie landed in Affrike.]
Affrica, and after kéeping on their course, they passed the straits of
Gibralterra, and coasting alongst the shore on the right hand, they
found another companie that were likewise descended of the Troian
progenie, on the coasts nere where the Pyrenine hils shoot downe to
the sea, whereof the same sea by good reason (as some suppose) was
[Sidenote: The mistaking of those that haue copied the British
historie putting _Mare Tyrrhenum_, for _Pyrenæum_]
named in those daies Mare Pyrenæum, although hitherto by fault of
writers & copiers of the British historie receiued, in this place Mare
Tyrrhenum, was slightlie put downe in stead of Pyrenæum.
The ofspring of those Troians, with whom Brute and his companie thus
did méet, were a remnant of them that came away with Antenor. Their
capteine hight Corineus, a man of great modestie and approoued
wisedome, and thereto of incomparable strength and boldnesse.
* * * * *
_Brute and the said Troians with their capteine Corineus doo associat,
they take landing within the dominion of king Goffarus, he raiseth an
armie against Brute and his power, but is discomfited: of the citie of
Tours: Brutes arrivall in this Iland with his companie._