But now where the British histories, and such of our English writers
as follow them, make mention of one Gratianus a Romane, sent ouer with
thrée legions of souldiers by Maximus, as before ye haue heard: we
maie suppose that it was Gratianus the Britaine, that afterwards
vsurped the imperiall dignitie héere in Britaine, in the daies of the
[Sidenote: _Sextus Aurelius._]
emperour Honorius. For it standeth neither with the concurrence of
time nor yet with reason of the historie, that it should be Gratianus,
surnamed Funarius, father to Valentinian, and grandfather to the
emperour Gratianus, against whome Maximus rebelled. And yet I remember
not that anie of the Romane writers maketh mention of anie other
Gratianus, being a stranger, that should be sent hither as lieutenant
to gouerne the Romane armie, except of the foresaid Gratianus
[Sidenote: _Lib._ 30.]
Funarius, who (as appéereth by Amian. Marcellinus) was generall of the
Romane armie héere in this Ile, and at length being discharged,
returned home into Hungarie (where he was borne) with honour, and
there remaining in rest, was at length spoiled of his goods by the
emperour Constantius as confiscate, for that in time of the ciuill
warres he had receiued Maxentius, as he past thorough his countrie.
But let vs grant, that either Gratianus the Britaine, or some other of
that name, was sent ouer into Britaine (as before is said) by Maximus,
least otherwise some errour may be doubted in the writers of the
British histories, as hauing happilie mistaken the time and matter,
bringing Gratianus Funarius to serue vnder Maximus, where peraduenture
that which they haue read or heard of him, chanced long before that
time by them suppposed: and so thorough mistaking the thing, haue made
a wrong report, where neuerthelesse it standeth with great likelihood
of truth, that some notable seruice of chiualrie was atchiued by the
same Gratianus Funarius whilest he remained héere in this Ile, if the
truth might be knowne of that which hath béene written by authors, and
happilie by the same Am. Marcellinus, if his first thirtéene bookes
might once come to light and be extant.
But now to end with Maximus. William of Malmesburie (as ye haue heard)
writeth, that not Maximus, but rather Constantine the great first
peopled Armorica: but yet he agréeth, that both Maximus, and also
Constantinus the vsurper, of whome after ye shall heare, led with them
a great number of the Britains out of this land, the which Maximus or
Maximianus and Constantinus afterwards being slaine, the one by
Theodosius, and the other by Honorius, the Britains that followed them
to the warres, part of them were killed, and the residue escaping by
flight, withdrew vnto the other Britains which Constantine the great
had first placed in Armorica. And so when the tyrants had left none in
the countrie but rude people, nor anie in the townes but such as were
giuen to slouth and gluttonie, Britaine being void of all aid of hir
valiant youth, became a prey to hir next neighbours the Scots and
Picts.
Héere is yet to be considered, in what price the souldiers of the
British nation were had in those daies, with whose onelie puissance
Maximus durst take vpon him to go against all other the forces of the
whole Romane empire: and how he prospered in that dangerous aduenture,
it is expressed sufficientlie in the Romane histories, by whose report
[Sidenote: _W.H._ out of _Paulus Diaco._]
[Sidenote: _lib._ 12. & _alijs._]
it appéereth, that he did not onlie conquer all the hither parts of
France and Germanie, namelie on this side the Rhine, but also found
meanes to intrap the emperour Gratian by this kind of policie. He had
a faithfull friend called Andragatius, who was admirall of the seas
perteining to the empire. It was therefore agréed betwixt them, that
this Andragatius (with a chosen companie of the armie) should be
carried in secret wise in a coch toward Lions, as if it had béene
[Sidenote: _Tripart. hist. lib._ 9. _cap._ 21.]
Constantia Posthumia the empresse, wife to the emperour Gratian,
bruting abroad there withall, that the said empresse was comming
forwards on hir waie to Lions, there to méet with hir husband, for
that vpon occasion she was verie desirous to commune with him about
certeine earnest businesse.
When Gratian heard héereof, as one mistrusting no such dissimulation,
he made hast to meete his wife, and comming at length without anie
great gard about him, as one not in doubt of anie treason, approched
the coch, where supposing to find his wife, he found those that
streightwaies murthered him: & so was he there dispatched quite of
life by the said Andragatius, who leapt foorth of the coch to woorke
that feate when he had him once within his danger.
Thus did the emperour Gratian finish his life in the 29 yéere of his
[Sidenote: 383.]
age, on the 25 of August, in the yéere of Christ 383, and then died.
[Sidenote: This Flauius Victor he begat of his wife Helen the daughter
of Eudes.]
[Sidenote: _H. Lhoyd._]
Maximus succéeded him (making his sonne Flauius Victor Nobilissimus
his assistant in the empire) reigning fiue yéeres and two daies. In
the beginning of his reigne Valentinian the yoonger made great suit to
him to haue his fathers bodie, but it would not be granted. Afterwards
also Maximus was earnestlie requested to come to an enteruiew with the
same Valentinian, who promised him not onelie a safe conduct, but also
manie other beneficiall good turnes beside. Howbeit Maximus durst not
put himselfe in anie such hazard, but rather ment to pursue
Valentinian as an vsurper, and so at length chased him into Slauonie,
where he was driuen to such a streight, that if Theodosius had not
[Sidenote: Valentinian put in danger by Maximus.]
come to releeue him, Maximus had driuen him thence also, or else by
slaughter rid him out of the waie.
But when Maximus thought himselfe most assured, and so established in
the empire, as he doubted no perils, he liued carelesse of his owne
safegard, and therfore dismissed his British souldiers, who retiring
into the northwest parts of Gallia, placed themselues there among
their countriemen, which were brought ouer by the emperour
Constantius, whilest Maximus passing the residue of his time in
delights and pleasures, was surprised in the end and slaine by
[Sidenote: _Eutropius._]
[Sidenote: 388.]
Theodosius néere vnto Aquilia, the 27 of August, in the yéere of Grace
388, and in the beginning of the sixt yéere of his reigne, or rather
vsurpation, as more rightlie it maie be tearmed. His sonne Flauius
Victor surnamed Nobilissimus was also dispatched and brought to his
end, not farre from the place where his father was slaine, by the
[Sidenote: Arbogastes.]
practise of one Arbogastes a Goth, which Flauius Victor was by the
said Maximus made regent of the Frankeners, and partaker (as before is
said) with him in the empire.
After this, the Ile of Britaine remained in méetlie good quiet by the
space of twentie yéeres, till one Marcus (that was then legat, or as
we maie call him lord lieutenant or deputie of Britaine for the
Romans) was by the souldiers héere proclaimed emperour against
Honorius, which Marcus was soone after killed in a tumult raised among
[Sidenote: Gratianus a Britaine. He reigned foure yéeres if we shal
beléeue the British historie.]
the people within few daies after his vsurpation began. Then one
Gratianus a Britaine borne succéeded in his place, who was also slaine
in the fourth moneth, after he had taken vpon him the imperiall
ornaments. The souldiers not yet heerewith pacified, procéeded to the
election of an other emperour, or rather vsurper, and so pronounced a
noble gentleman called Constantine, borne also in Britaine, to be
[Sidenote: 409.]
emperour, who tooke that honour vpon him in the 409 yéere after the
birth of our Sauiour, continuing his reigne by the space of two yéeres
and od moneths, as the Romane histories make mention. Some report this
Constantine to be of no great towardlie disposition woorthie to
gouerne an empire, and that the souldiers chose him rather for the
name sake, bicause they would haue another Constantine, more than for
anie vertues or sufficient qualities found in his person. But other
commend him both for manhood and wisedome, wherein to speake a truth,
he deserued singular commendation, if this one note of vsurpation of
the imperiall dignitie had not stained his other noble qualities. But
heerein he did no more than manie other would haue doone, neither yet
after his inuesture did so much as was looked for at his hands.
Constantine being placed in the imperiall throne, gathered an armie
with all possible indeuour, purposing out of hand to go ouer therwith
into France, and so did, thinking thereby to win the possession of
that countrie out of the hands of Honorius, or at the least to worke
so, as he should not haue the souldiers and people there to be against
him, if he missed to ioine in league with the Suabeiners, Alanes, and
Vandales, which he sought to performe. But in the end, when neither of
these his deuises could take place, he sent ouer for his sonne
Constans (whome in his absence his aduersaries had shorne a moonke) &
making him partaker with him in the empire, caused him to bring ouer
with him another armie, which vnder the conduct of the same Constans
he sent into Spaine to bring that countrie vnder his obeisance.
This Constans therefore comming vnder the passages that lead ouer the
Pyrenine mountains, Dindimus and Verianianus two brethren, vnto whome
the keeping of those passages was committed to defend the same against
the Vandals, and all other enimies of the empire, were readie to
[Sidenote: His souldiers were Picts, and placed among other men of
warre that serued vnder the ensignes of the empire, and named after
Honorius, Honoriciani.]
[Sidenote: _Blondus._]
resist him with their seruants and countriemen that inhabited
therabouts, giuing him a verie sharpe incounter, and at the first
putting him in great danger of an ouerthrow, but yet at length by the
valiant prowes of his British souldiers, Constans put his aduersaries
to flight, and killed the two capteins, with diuers other men of name,
that were partakers with him in the necessarie defense of that
countrie against the enimies. When Constans had thus repelled those
that resisted him, the custodie of the passages in the Pyrenine
mounteins was committed vnto such bands of Picts and other, as were
appointed to go with him about the atchiuing of this enterprise, who
hauing the possession of those streicts or passages in their hands,
gaue entrie vnto other barbarous nations to inuade Spaine, who being
once entered, pursued the former inhabitants with fire and swoord,
setled them selues in that countrie, and droue out the Romans.
* * * * *
_Honorius sendeth earle Constantius to expell Constantine out of
Gallia, the end of Constantinus the father and Constans the sonne, the
valure and prowesse of the British souldiers, the British writers
reprooued of necligences for that they haue inserted fables into their
woorkes, whereas they might haue deposed matters of truth._