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 he thus
[Sidenote: Brute encountered by the giants.]
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 great estimation, named Gogmagog,
[Sidenote: Corineus wrestleth with 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
[Sidenote: Gogmagog is slaine.]
the rocks there, 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,
and other the like seruices first and last atchiued, Brute gaue vnto
[Sidenote: Cornwall giuen to Corineus.]
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 is mentioned) into 3. parts, and had gouerned the
[Sidenote: In the daies of this our Brute Saule and Samuell gouerned
Israell.]
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._