Now let vs consider what is to be noted out of this part of the
foresaid oration. It should seeme that when the emperour Maximian was
sent into Gallia by appointment taken betwixt him and Dioclesian,
after he had quieted things there, he set his mind foorthwith to
reduce Britaine vnder the obedience of the empire, which was at that
present kept vnder subiection of such princes as mainteined their
state, by the mightie forces of such number of ships as they had got
togither, furnished with all things necessarie, & namelie of able
[Sidenote: Franci, or Frankeneres, people of Germanie.]
seamen, as well Britains as strangers, among whome the Frankeners were
chiefe, a nation of Germanie, as then highly renowmed for their
puissance by sea, néere to the which they inhabited, so that there
were no rouers comparable to them.
But because none durst stirre on these our seas for feare of the
British fléet that passed to and fro at pleasure, to the great
annoiance of the Romane subiects inhabiting alongst the coasts of
Gallia, Maximian both to recouer againe so wealthie and profitable a
land vnto the obeisance of the empire, as Britaine then was, and also
to deliuer the people of Gallia subiect to the Romans, from danger of
being dailie spoiled by those rouers that were mainteined here in
Britaine, he prouided with all diligence such numbers of ships as were
thought requisite for so great an enterprise, and rigging them in
sundrie places, tooke order for their setting forward to his most
aduantage for the easie atchiuing of his enterprise. He appointed to
passe himselfe from the coasts of Flanders, at what time other of
capteines with their fleets from other parts should likewise make
saile towards Britaine. By this meanes Alectus that had vsurped the
title & dignitie of king or rather emperour ouer the Britains, knew
not where to take héed, but yet vnderstanding of the nauie that was
made readie in the mouth of Saine, he ment by that which maie be
coniectured, to intercept that fléet, as it should come foorth and
make saile forwards: and so for that purpose he laie with a great
number of ships about the Ile of Wight.
But whether Asclepiodotus came ouer with that nauie which was rigged
on the coasts of Flanders, or with some other, I will not presume to
affirme either to or fro, because in déed Mamertinus maketh no
expresse mention either of Alectus or Asclepiodotus: but
notwithstanding it is euident by that which is conteined in his
oration, that not Maximian, but some other of his capteins gouerned
the armie, which slue Alectus, so that we maie suppose that
Asclepiodotus was chiefteine ouer some number of ships directed by
Maximians appointment to passe ouer into this Ile against the same
Alectus: and so maie this, which Mamertinus writeth, agrée with the
[Sidenote: _Eutropius._]
truth of that which we doo find in Eutropius.
Héere is to be remembred, that after Maximians had thus recouered
Britaine out of their hands that vsurped the rule thereof from the
Romans, it should séeme that not onelie great numbers of artificers &
other people were conueied ouer into Gallia, there to inhabit and
furnish such cities as were run into decaie, but also a power of
warlike youths was transported thither to defend the countrie from the
inuasion of barbarous nations. For we find that in the daies of this
Maximian, the Britains expelling the Neruians out of the citie of Mons
in Henaud, held a castell there, which was called Bretaimons after
them, wherevpon the citie was afterward called Mons, retaining the
last syllable onlie, as in such cases it hath often happened.
Moreouer this is not to be forgotten, that as Humfrey Lhoyd hath very
well noted in his booke intituled "Fragmenta historiæ Britannicæ,"
Mamertinus in this parcell of his panegyrike oration dooth make first
mention of the nation of Picts, of all other the ancient Romane
writers: so that not one before his time once nameth Picts or Scots.
But now to returne where we left.
* * * * *
_The state of this Iland vnder bloudie Dioclesian the persecuting
tyrant, of Alban the first that suffered martyrdome in Britaine, what
miracles were wrought at his death, whereof Lichfield tooke the name;
of Coilus earle of Colchester, whose daughter Helen was maried to
Constantius the emperour, as some authours suppose._