When Brute had entred this land, immediatlie after his arriuall (as
writers doo record) he searched the countrie from side to side, and
from end to end, finding it in most places verie fertile and plentious
of wood and grasse, and full of pleasant springs and faire riuers. As
[Sidenote: Brute encountered by the giants.]
he thus trauelled to discouer the state and commodities of the Iland,
he was encountred by diuers strong and mightie giants, whome he
destroied and slue, or rather subdued, with all such other people as
he found in the Iland, which were more in number than by report of
some authors it should appeare there were. Among these giants (as
Geffrey of Monmouth writeth) there was one of passing strength and
[Sidenote: Cornieus wrestleth with Gogmagog.]
great estimation, named Gogmagog, whome Brute caused Corineus to
wrestle at a place beside Douer, where it chanced that the giant brake
a rib in the side of Corineus while they stroue to claspe, and the one
to ouerthrow the other: wherewith Corineus being sore chafed and
stirred to wrath, did so double his force that he got the vpper hand
of the giant, and cast him downe headlong from one of the rocks there,
[Sidenote: Gogmagog is slaine.]
not farre from Douer, and so dispatched him: by reason whereof the
place was named long after, _The fall or leape of Gogmagog_, but
afterward it was called _The fall of Douer._ For this valiant déed,
[Sidenote: Cornwall giuen to Cornineus.]
and other the like seruices first and last atchiued, Brute gaue vnto
Corineus the whole countrie of Cornwall. To be briefe, after that
Brute had destroied such as stood against him, and brought such people
vnder his subiection as he found in the Ile, and searched the land
from the one end to the other: he was desirous to build a citie, that
the same might be the seate roiall of his empire or kingdome.
Wherevpon he chose a plot of ground lieng on the north side of the
riuer of Thames, which by good consideration séemed to be most
pleasant and conuenient for any great multitude of inhabitants, aswell
for holsomnesse of aire, goodnesse of soile, plentie of woods, and
commoditie of the riuer, seruing as well to bring in as to carrie out
all kinds of merchandize and things necessarie for the gaine, store,
and vse of them that there should inhabit.
Here therefore he began to build and lay the foundation of a citie, in
the tenth or (as other thinke) in the second yeare after his arriuall,
which he named (saith Gal. Mon.) Troinouant, or (as Hum. Llhoyd saith)
Troinewith, that is, new Troy, in remembrance of that noble citie of
Troy from whence he and his people were for the greater part
descended.
When Brutus had builded this citie, and brought the Iland fullie vnder
his subiection, he by the aduise of his nobles commanded this Ile
(which before hight Albion) to be called Britaine, and the inhabitants
Britons after his name, for a perpetuall memorie that he was the first
bringer of them into the land. In this meane while also he had by his
wife. iii. sonnes, the first named Locrinus or Locrine, the second
Cambris or Camber, and the third Albanactus or Albanact. Now when the
time of his death drew néere, to the first he betooke the gouernment
of that part of the land nowe knowne by the name of England: so that
the same was long after called Loegria, or Logiers, of the said
Locrinus. To the second he appointed the countrie of Wales, which of
him was first named Cambria, diuided from Loegria by the riuer of
Seuerne. To his third sonne Albanact he deliuered all the north part
of the Ile, afterward called Albania, after the name of the said
Albanact: which portion of the said He lieth beyond the Humber
northward. Thus when Brutus had diuided the Ile of Britaine (as before
[Sidenote: In the daies of this our Brute Saule and Samuell
gouerned Israell.]
is mentioned) into 3. parts, and had gouerned the same by the space of
15. yeares, he died in the 24 yeare after his arriuall (as Harison
noteth) and was buried at Troinouant or London: although the place of
his said buriall there be now be growne out of memorie.
* * * * *
_Of Locrine the eldest sonne of Brute, of Albanact his yoongest sonne,
and his death: of Madan, Mempricius, Ebranke, Brute Greenesheeld,
Leill, Ludhurdibras, Baldud, and Leir, the nine rulers of Britaine
successiuelie after Brute._