[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 sailes,
[Sidenote: They arrive on the coasts of Gallia, now called France.]
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 Agathyrsi, otherwise
[Sidenote: Goffarius surnamed Pictus _Les annales d'Aquitaine_.]
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
[Sidenote: Agathyrsi, otherwise called Picts, of painting their bodies.
_Marcellus Plinie. Herodotus li.4_.]
painting himselfe; and commonlie the haire of their head was red, or (as
probable writers say) of skie colour. Herodotus calleth them [Greek:
chrysothórous] 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 was called Pightland
[Sidenote: Pightland or Pictland.]
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 with some disdainfull
speach of those Poictouins, he shaped them a round answer: insomuch that
[Sidenote: Corineus answereth the messengers. Imbert.]
one of them whose name was Imbert, let driue an arrow at Corineus: but he
auoiding the danger thereof, shot againe at Imbert, in reuenge of that
[Sidenote: Imbert is slaine by Corineus.]
iniurie offered, and claue his head in sunder. The rest of the Poictouins
fled therevpon, and brought word to Goffarius what had happened: who
[Sidenote: Goffarius raiseth an armie.]
immediatlie with a mightie armie made forward to encounter with the
Troians, and comming to ioine with them in battell, after a sharpe and
[Sidenote: Goffarius is discomfited.]
sore conflict, in the end 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 Brute in the meane
[Sidenote: Brute spoileth the countrie.]
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, where afterwards he built a citie
[Sidenote: Turonium or Tours built by Brute.]
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) in the
[Sidenote: 3374.]
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 doubtfull what to
[Sidenote: Brute in dout what to doo.]
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. _Anno
mundi. 2850_. 1116.]
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._