[Sidenote: Brute and Corineus ioin their companies together.]
After that Brute and the said Troians, by conference interchangeablie
had, vnderstood one anothers estates, and how they were descended from
one countrie and progenie, they vnited themselves togither, greatlie
reioising that they were so fortunatlie met: and hoising vp their
[Sidenote: They arrive on the coasts of Gallia, now called France.]
sailes, directed their course forward still, till they arriued within
the mouth of the riuer of Loire, which diuideth Aquitaine from Gall
Celtike, where they tooke land within the dominion of a king called
Goffarius, surnamed Pictus, by reason he was descended of the people
[Sidenote: Goffarius surnamed Pictus _Les annales d'Aquitaine._]
[Sidenote: Agathyrsi, otherwise called Picts, of painting their
bodies.]
[Sidenote: _Marcellus Plinie._]
[Sidenote: _Herodotus li._ 4.]
Agathyrsi, otherwise named Picts, bicause they used to paint their
faces and bodies, insomuch that the richer a man was amongst them, the
more cost he bestowed in painting himselfe; and commonlie the haire of
their head was red, or (as probable writers say) of skie colour.
Herodotus calleth them [Greek: chrysothorous] bicause they did weare
much gold about them. They vsed their wives in common, and bicause
they are all supposed to be brethren, there is no strife nor discord
among them. Of these Agathyrsi, it is recorded by the said Herodotus,
that they refused to succour the Scythians against Darius, giving this
reason of their refusall; bicause they would not make warre against
him who had doone them no wrong. And of this people dooth the poet
make mention, saieng,
[Sidenote: _Virg. Aeneid._ 4.]
Cretésq; Dryopésq; fremunt pictíq; Agathyrsi.
[Sidenote: _Cæsar com. li._ 5.]
To paint their faces not for amiablenesse, but for terriblenesse, the
Britons in old time vsed, and that with a kind of herbe like vnto
plantine. In which respect I sée no reason why they also should not be
called Picts, as well as the Agathyrsi; séeing the denomination sprang
[Sidenote: _P. Mart. com. part._ 2. _sect._ 60.]
of a vaine custome in them both. And here by the way, sithens we have
touched this follie in two severall people, let it not séeme tedious
to read this one tricke of the Indians, among whom there is great
plentie of pretious stones, wherewith they adorne themselves in this
maner; namelie, in certein hollow places which they make in their
flesh, they inclose and riuet in precious stones, and that as well in
their forheads as their chéekes, to none other purpose, than the
Agathyrsi in the vse of their painting.
The countrie of Poictou (as some hold) where the said Goffarius
reigned, tooke name of this people: & likewise a part of this our
Ile of Britaine now conteined within Scotland, which in ancient time
[Sidenote: Pightland or Pictland.]
was called Pightland or Pictland, as elsewhere both in this historie
of England, and also of Scotland may further appeare. But to our
purpose.
[Sidenote: Goffarius sendeth vnto Brute.]
When Goffarius the king of Poictou was aduertised of the landing of
these strangers within his countrie, he sent first certeine of his
people to vnderstand what they ment by their comming a land within his
dominion, without licence or leaue of him obteined. They that were
thus sent, came by chance to a place where Corineus with two hundred
of the companie were come from the ships into a forrest néere the sea
side, to kill some veneson for their sustenance: and being rebuked
[Sidenote: Corineus answereth the messengers.]
[Sidenote: Imbert.]
with some disdainfull speach of those Poictouins, he shaped them a
round answer: insomuch that one of them whose name was Imbert, let
driue an arrow at Corineus: but he auoiding the danger thereof, shot
[Sidenote: Imbert is slaine by Corineus.]
againe at Imbert, in reuenge of that iniurie offered, and claue his
head in sunder. The rest of the Poictouins fled therevpon, and brought
word to Goffarius what had happened: who immediatlie with a mightie
[Sidenote: Goffarius raiseth an armie.]
armie made forward to encounter with the Troians, and comming to ioine
with them in battell, after a sharpe and sore conflict, in the end
[Sidenote: Goffarius is discomfited.]
Brute with his armie obteined a triumphant victorie, speciallie
through the noble prowesse of Corineus.
[Sidenote: Goffarius séeketh aid against Brute.]
Goffarius escaping from the field, fled into the inner parts of
Gallia, making sute for assistance vnto such kings as in those daies
reigned in diuers prouinces of that land, who promised to aid him with
all their forces, and to expell out of the coasts of Aquitaine, such
strangers as without his licence were thus entred the countrie. But
[Sidenote: Brute spoileth the countrie.]
Brute in the meane time passed forward, and with fire and sword made
hauocke in places where he came: and gathering great spoiles, fraught
his ships with plentie of riches. At length he came to the place,
[Sidenote: Turonium or Tours built by Brute.]
where afterwards he built a citie named Turonium, that is, Tours.
[Sidenote: Goffarius hauing renewed his forces, fighteth eftsoones
with Brute.]
Here Goffarius with such Galles as were assembled to his aid, gaue
battell againe vnto the Troians that were incamped to abide his
comming. Where after they had fought a long time with singular manhood
on both parties: the Troians in fine oppressed with multitudes of
aduersaries (euen thirtie times as manie mo as the Troians) were
constreined to retire into their campe, within the which the Galles
kept them as besieged, lodging round about them, and purposing by
famine to compell them to yéeld themselues vnto their mercie. But
Corineus taking counsell with Brute, deuised to depart in the darke of
the night out of the campe, to lodge himselfe with thrée thousand
chosen souldiers secretlie in a wood, and there to remaine in couert
till the morning that Brute should come foorth and giue a charge vpon
the enimies, wherewith Corineus should breake foorth and assaile the
Galles on the backes.
This policie was put in practise, and tooke such effect as the
deuisers themselues wished: for the Galles being sharplie assailed on
the front by Brute and his companie, were now with the sudden comming
of Corineus (who set vpon them behind on their backes) brought into
such a feare, that incontinentlie they tooke them to flight, whom the
Troians egerlie pursued, making no small slaughter of them as they did
ouertake them. In this battell Brute lost manie of his men, and
amongst other one of his nephues named Turinus, after he had shewed
maruellous proofe of his manhood. Of him (as some haue written) the
foresaid citie of Tours tooke the name, and was called _Turonium_,
bicause the said Turinus was there buried.
[Sidenote: _Theuet._]
Andrew Theuet affirmeth the contrarie, and mainteineth that one Taurus
the nephue of Haniball was the first that inclosed it about with a
pale of wood (as the maner of those daies was of fensing their townes)
[Sidenote: 3374.]
in the yeare of the world 3374. and before the birth of our sauiour
197.
But to our matter concerning Brute, who after he had obteined so
famous a victorie, albeit there was good cause for him to reioise, yet
it sore troubled him to consider that his numbers dailie decaied, and
his enimies still increased, and grew stronger: wherevpon resting
[Sidenote: Brute in dout what to doo.]
doubtfull what to doo, whether to procéed against the Galles, or
returne to his ships to séeke the Ile that was appointed him by
oracle, at length he chose the surest and best way, as he tooke it,
and as it proued. For whilest the greater part of his armie was yet
left aliue, and that the victorie remained on his side, he drew to his
nauie, and lading his ships with excéeding great store of riches which
his people had got abroad in the countrie, he tooke the seas againe.
[Sidenote: Brute with his remnant of Troians arriue in this ile.]
[Sidenote: _Anno mundi._ 2850.]
[Sidenote: 1116. (B.C.)]
After a few daies sailing they landed at the hauen now called
Totnesse, the yeare of the world 2850, after the destruction of Troy
66, after the deliuerance of the Israelites from the captiuitie of
Babylon 397, almost ended; in the 18 yeare of the reigne of Tineas
king of Babylon, 13 of Melanthus king of Athens, before the building
of Rome 368, which was before the natiuitie of our Sauior Christ 1116,
almost ended, and before the reigne of Alexander the great 783.
* * * * *
_Brute discouereth the commodities of this Iland, mightie giants
withstand him, Gogmagog and Corineus wrestle together at a place
beside Douer: he buildeth the citie of Trinouant now termed London,
calleth this Iland by the name of Britaine, and diuideth it into three
parts among his three sonnes._