[Sidenote: GORBOMEN OR GORBONIANUS.]
GORBONIANUS the first son of Morindus succéeded his father in the
kingdome of Britain, in the yéere of the world 3676, after the
building of Rome 461, and fourth yéere of the 121. Olimpiad. This
Gorbonianus in the English chronicle is named Granbodian, and was a
[Sidenote: A righteous and religious prince.]
righteous prince in his gouernment, and verie deuout (according to
such deuotion as he had) towards the aduancing of the religion of his
gods: and thervpon he repaired all the old temples through his
kingdome, and erected some new.
He also builded the townes of Cambridge and Grantham (as Caxton
writeth) and was beloued both of the rich and poore, for he honoured
the rich, and relieued the poore in time of their necessities. In his
time was more plentie of all things necessarie for the wealthfull
state of man, than had béene before in anie of his predecessors daies.
He died without issue, after he had reigned (by the accord of most
writers) about the terme of ten yeares.
[Sidenote: Cambridge by whome it was built.]
Some write that this Gorbonian built the townes of Cairgrant, now
called Cambridge, & also Grantham, but some thinke that those which
haue so written are deceiued, in mistaking the name; for that
Cambridge was at the first called Granta: and by that meanes it might
be that Gorbonian built onlie Grantham, and not Cambridge, namelie
because other write how that Cambridge (as before is said) was built
in the daies of Gurguntius the sonne of Beline, by one Cantaber a
Spaniard, brother to Partholoin, which Partholoin by the aduice of the
same Gurguntius, got seates for himselfe and his companie in Ireland
(as before ye haue heard.)
The said Cantaber also obteining licence of Gurguntius, builded a
towne vpon the side of the riuer called Canta, which he closed with
walles, and fortified with a strong tower or castell, and after
procuring philosophers to come hither from Athens (where in his youth
he had bene a student) he placed them there, and so euen then was that
place furnished (as they saie) with learned men, and such as were
readie to instruct others in knowledge of letters and philosophicall
doctrine. But by whome or in what time soeuer it was built, certeine
it is that there was a citie or towne walled in that place before the
comming of the Saxons, called by the Britaines Caergrant, and by the
Saxons Granchester.
This towne fell so to ruine by the inuasion of the Saxons, that at
length it was in maner left desolate, and at this day remaineth as a
village. But néere therevnto vnder the Saxon kings, an other towne was
built, now called Cambridge, where by the fauour of king Sigebert and
Felix a Burgundian, that was bishop of Dunwich, a schoole was erected,
as in place conuenient shall appeare.
[Sidenote: ARCHIGALLUS.]
ARCHIGALLUS, the second sonne of Morindus, and brother vnto
Gorbonianus, was admitted king of Britaine, in the yeare 3686, after
the building of the citie of Rome 470, after the deliuerance of the
Israelites out of captiuitie 255, and in the first yeare of Sosthenes
king of Macedonia. This Archigallus (in the English chronicle called
Artogaill) followed not the steppes of his brother, but giuing
[Sidenote: He is giuen to nourish dissention.]
himselfe to dissention and strife, imagined causes against his nobles,
that he might displace them, and set such in their roomes as were men
of base birth and of euill conditions. Also he sought by vnlawfull
meanes to bereaue his wealthie subiects of their goods and riches, so
to inrich himselfe and impouerish his people. For the which his
inordinate dooings, his nobles conspired against him, and finallie
depriued him of all his honor and kinglie dignitie, after he had
reigned about the space of one yeare.
[Sidenote: ELIDURUS.]
ELIDURUS the third sonne of Morindus, and brother to Archigallus, was
by one consent of the Britains chosen to reigne ouer them in his
brothers stead, after the creation of the world 3687, and after the
building of the citie of Rome 471, after the deliuerance of the
Israelites 256, & in the first yeare of Sosthenes king of Macedonia.
This Elidurus in the English chronicle named Hesider, or Esoder,
prooued a most righteous prince, and doubting least he should doo
otherwise than became him, if he did not take care for his brother
Archigallus estate, a man might woonder what diligence he shewed in
trauelling with the nobles of the realme to haue his brother restored
to the crowne againe.
Now as it chanced one day (being abroad on hunting in the wood called
Calater) neare vnto Yorke, he found his brother Archigall wandering
there in the thickest of that wildernesse, whom in most louing maner
he secretlie conueied home to his house, being as then the citie of
[Sidenote: By this it should séeme that Acliud should not be in
Scotland, contrarie to the Scotish authors.]
Aldud, otherwise called Acliud. Shortlie after he feined himselfe
sicke, and in all hast sent messengers about to assemble his barons,
who being come at the day appointed, he called them one after another
into his priuie chamber, and there handled them in such affectuous
sort with wise and discréet words, that he got their good wils to
further him to their powers, for the reducing of the kingdome
eftsoones into the hands of his brother Archigallus.
After this he assembled a councell at Yorke, where he so vsed the
matter with the commons, that in conclusion, when the said Elidurus
had gouerned the land well and honourablie the space of thrée yeares,
he resigned wholie his crowne and kinglie title vnto his brother
Archigallo, who was receiued of the Britaines againe as king by
[Sidenote: An example of brotherlie loue.]
mediation of his brother in manner as before is said. ¶ A rare example
of brotherlie loue, if a man shall reuolue in his mind what an
inordinate desire remaineth amongst mortall men to atteine to the
supreme souereintie of ruling, and to kéepe the same when they haue it
once in possession. He had well learned this lesson (as may appeare by
his contentation and resignation) namelie, that
Nec abnuendum si dat imperium Deus,
Nec appetendum,
[Sidenote: Sen. in Thiess.]
otherwise he would not haue béene led with such an equabilitie of
mind. For this great good will and brotherlie loue by him shewed thus
toward his brother, he was surnamed the godlie and vertuous.
[Sidenote: ARCHIGALLUS AGAIN.]
When ARCHIGALLUS was thus restored to the kingdome, and hauing learned
by due correction that he must turne the leafe, and take out a new
lesson, by changing his former trade of liuing into better, if he
would reigne in suertie: he became a new man, vsing himselfe
vprightlie in the administration of iustice, and behauing himselfe so
woorthilie in all his doings, both toward the nobles & commons of his
realme, that he was both beloued and dread of all his subiects. And so
continuing the whole tearme of his life, finallie departed out of this
world, after he had reigned this second time the space of ten yeares,
and was buried at Yorke.
[Sidenote: ELIDURUS AGAINE.]
[Sidenote: _Matt. West._]
ELIDURUS brother to this Archigallus was then againe admitted king by
consent of all the Britaines, 3700 of the world. But his two yonger
brethren, Vigenius and Peredurus, enuieng the happie state of this
woorthie prince, so highlie for his vertue and good gouernance
[Sidenote: Brother against brother.]
esteemed of the Britains, of a grounded malice conspired against him,
and assembling an armie, leuied warre against him, and in a pitcht
field tooke him prisoner, and put him in the tower of London, there to
[Sidenote: Elidure committed to prison.]
be kept close prisoner, after he had reigned now this last time the
space of one yeare.
[Sidenote: VIGENIUS AND PEREDURUS.]
VIGENIUS and PEREDURUS, the yoongest sonnes of Morindus, and brethren
to Elidurus, began to reigne iointlie as kings of Britaine, in the
yeare of the world 3701, after the building of Rome 485, after the
deliuerance of the Israelites 266 complet, and in the 12 yeare of
Antigonus Gonatas, the sonne of Demetrius king of the Macedonians.
These two brethren in the English chronicles are named Higanius and
[Sidenote: Britaine divided into two realmes.]
Petitur, who (as Gal. Mon. testifieth) diuided the realme betwixt
them, so that all the land from Humber westward fell to Vigenius, or
Higanius, the other part beyond Humber northward Peredure held. But
other affirme, that Peredurus onelie reigned, and held his brother
Elidurus in prison by his owne consent, forsomuch as he was not
willing to gouerne.
But Gal. Mon. saith, that Vigenius died after he had reigned 7 yeares,
and then Peredurus seized all the land into his owne rule, and
gouerned it with such sobrietie and wisedome, that he was praised
aboue all his brethren, so that Elidurus was quite forgotten of the
[Sidenote: Varitie in writers.]
Britains. But others write that he was a verie tyrant, and vsed
himselfe verie cruellie towards the lords of his land, wherevpon they
rebelled and slue him. But whether by violent hand, or by naturall
[Sidenote: _Caxton._]
sicknesse, he finallie departed this life, after the consent of most
[Sidenote: _Eth. Bur._]
writers, when he had reigned eight yeares, leauing no issue behind him
to succéed in the gouernance of the kingdome. He builded the towne of
Pikering, where his bodie was buried.
[Sidenote: ELIDURUS THE THIRD TIME.]
ELIDURUS then, as soone as his brother Peredurus was dead, for as much
as he was next heire to the crowne, was deliuered out of prison, and
now the third time admitted king of Britaine, who vsed himselfe (as
before) verie orderlie in ministring to all persons right and iustice
all the daies of his life, and lastlie being growne to great age died,
when he had reigned now this third time (after most concordance of
[Sidenote: He is buried at Caerleill.]
writers) the tearme of foure yeares: and was buried at Caerleill.
* * * * *
_A Chapter of digression, shewing the diuersitie of writers in
opinion, touching the computation of yeares from the beginning of the
British kings of this Iland downewards; since Gurguintus time, till
the death of Elidurus; and likewise till King Lud reigned in his
roialtie, with the names of such kings as ruled betweene the last
yeare of Elidurus, and the first of Lud._