[Sidenote: LOCRINE THE SECOND RULER OF BRITAIN. _Gal. Mon. Mat. West.
Fa. out of G. de Co. Gal Mon. Mat. West._]
Locrinus or Locrine the first begotten sonne of Brute began to reigne
ouer the countrie called Logiers, in the yeare of the world 1874, and
held to his part the countrie that reached from the south sea vnto the
riuer of Humber. While this Locrinus gouerned Logiers, his brother
Albanact ruled in Albania, where in fine he was slaine in a battell by a
king of the Hunnes or Scythians, called Humber, who inuaded that part
of Britaine, and got possession thereof, till Locrinus with his brother
Camber, in reuenge of their other brothers death, and for the recouerie
of the kingdome, gathered their powers togither, and comming against
the said king of the Hunnes, by the valiancie of their people they
[Sidenote: It should seéme that he was come over the Humber.
_Gal. Mon._]
discomfited him in battell, and chased him so egerlie, that he himselfe
and a great number of his men were drowned in the gulfe that then parted
Loegria and Albania, which after tooke name of the said king, and was
called Humber, and so continueth vnto this daie.
Moreouer in this battell against the Hunnes were thrée yong damsels taken
of excellent beautie, specially one of them, whose name was Estrild,
daughter to a certeine king of Scythia. With this Estrild king Locrine
fell so farre in loue, notwithstanding a former contract made betwixt him
and the ladie Guendoloena, daughter to Corineus duke of Cornwall, that he
meant yet with all spéed to marie the same Estrild. But being earnestlie
called vpon, and in manner forced thereto by Corineus, hée changed his
purpose, and married Guendoloena, kéeping neuertheles the aforesaid
Estrild as paramour still after a secret sort, during the life of
Corineus his father in law.
Now after that Corineus was departed this world, Locrine forsooke
Guendoloena, and maried Estrild. Guendoloena therefore being cast off by
hir husband, got hir into Cornewall to hir friends and kinred, and there
procured them to make warre against the said Locrine hir husband, in the
which warres hée was slaine, and a battell fought néere to the riuer of
[Sidenote: _Mat. West._]
Sture, after he had reigned (as writers affirme) twentie yeares, & was
buried by his father in the citie of Troinouant, leauing behind him
a yoong sonne (begotten of his wife Guendoloena) named Madan, as yet
vnméete to gouerne.
[Sidenote: Shée is not numbred amongst those that reigned as rulers in
this land by _Mat. West._]
Guendoloena or Guendoline the wife of Locrinus, and daughter of Corineus
duke of Cornewall, for so much as hir sonne Madan was not of yeeres
sufficient to gouerne, was by common consent of the Britons made ruler of
the Ile, in the yéere of the world 2894, and so hauing the administration
in hir hands, she did right discreetlie vse hir selfe therein, to the
comfort of all hir subiects, till hir sonne Madan came to lawfull age,
and then she gaue ouer the rule and dominion to him, after she had
[Sidenote: _Gal. Mon_.]
gouerned by the space of fifteene yeares.
[Sidenote: MADAN THE THIRD RULER]
Madan the sonne of Locrine and Guendoline entred into the gouernement of
Britaine in the 2909, of the world. There is little left in writing of
his doings, sauing that he vsed great tyrannie amongst his Britons: and
therefore after he had ruled this land the tearme of 40. yeares, he was
deuoured of wild beastes, as he was abroad in hunting. He left behind
him two sonnes, Mempricius and Manlius. He builded (as is reported)
Madancaistre, now Dancastre, which reteineth still the later part of his
name.
[Sidenote: MEMPRICIUS THE FOURTH RULER. _Fabian_. Manlius is slaine.
_Gal. Mon._ Slouth engendred lecherie]
Mempricius the eldest sonne of Madan began his reigne ouer the Britons in
the yeare of the world 2949, he continued not long in peace. For his
brother Manlius vpon an ambitious mind prouoked the Britons to rebell
against him, so that sore and deadly warre continued long betweene them.
But finallie, vnder colour of a treatie, Manlius was slaine by his
brother Mempricius, so that then he liued in more tranquillitie and rest.
Howbeit, being deliuered thus from trouble of warres, he fell into slouth,
and so into vnlawfull lust of lecherie, and thereby into the hatred of
his people, by forcing of their wiues and daughters: and finallie became
so beastlie, that he forsooke his lawfull wife and all his concubines,
and fell into the abhominable sinne of Sodomie. And thus from one vice he
[Sidenote: Mempricius is deuoured of beastes.]
fell into another, till he became odious to God and man, and at length,
going on hunting, was lost of his people, and destroied of wild beastes,
when he had reigned twentie yeares, leauing behind him a noble yoong sonne
named Ebranke, begotten of his lawfull wife.
[Sidenote: EBRANKE THE FIFT RULER. Ebranke had 21. wiues: his thirtie
daughters sent into Italie. _Bergomas lib. 6_.]
Ebranke the sonne of Mempricius began to rule ouer the Britons in the
yeare of the world 2969. He had as writers doo of him record, one and
twentie wiues, on whom he begot 20. sonnes and 30. daughters, of the
which the eldest hight Guales, or Gualea. These daughters he sent to
Alba Syluius, which was the eleuenth king of Italie, or the sixt king of
the Latines, to the end they might be married to his noble men of the
bloud of Troians, because the Sabines refused to ioine their daughters
with them in marriage. Furthermore, he was the first prince of his land
that euer inuaded France after Brute, and is commended as author and
originall builder of many cities, both in his owne kingdome, and else
where. His sonnes also vnder the conduct of Assaracus, one of their
eldest brethren, returning out of Italie, after they had conducted their
sisters thither, inuaded Germanie, being first molested by the people of
that countrie in their rage, and by the helpe of the said Alba subdued a
great part of that countrie, & there planted themselues. Our histories
say, that Ebracus their father married them in their returne, and aided
[Sidenote: The citie of Caerbranke builded. _Matth. West._]
them in their conquests, and that he builded the citie of Caerbranke,
now called Yorke, about the 14, yeare of his reigne. He builded also in
Albania now called Scotland, the castle of Maidens, afterward called
Edenburgh of Adian one of their kings. The citie of Alclud was builded
likewise by him (as some write) now decaied. After which cities thus
[Sidenote: Fortie yeares hath _Math. West._ and _Gal. Monuine_.]
builded, he sailed ouer into Gallia, now called France, with a great
armie, and subduing the Galles as is aforesaid, he returned home with
great riches and triumph. Now when he had guided the land of Britaine
in noble wise by the tearme of fortie yeares, he died, and was buried
at Yorke.
[Sidenote: BRUTE GREENESHIELD THE SIXT RULER. _Iacobus Lef._]
Brute Greeneshield, the sonne of Ebranke, was made gouernor of this
land in the yeare of the world 3009, Asa reigning in Iuda, and Baasa in
Israell. This prince bare alwaies in the field a gréene shield, whereof
he tooke his surname, and of him some forraine authors affirme, that he
made an attempt to bring the whole realme of France vnder his subiection,
which he performed, because his father susteined some dishonor and losse
in his last voiage into that countrie. Howbeit they say, that when he
came into Henaud, Brinchild a prince of that quarter gaue him also
a great ouerthrow, and compelled him to retire home againe into his
countrie. This I borrow out of William Harison, who in his chronologie
toucheth the same at large, concluding in the end, that the said passage
of this prince into France is verie likelie to be true, and that he named
a parcell of Armorica lieng on the south, and in manner vpon the verie
loine after his owne name, and also a citie which he builded there
[Sidenote: _Strabo lib. 4_.]
Britaine. For (saith he) it should séeme by Strabo. lib. 4. that there
was a noble citie of that name long before his time in the said countrie,
whereof Plinie also speaketh lib. 4. cap. 7. albeit that he ascribe it
vnto France after a disordered maner. More I find not of this foresaid
Brute, sauing that he ruled the land a certeine time, his father yet
liuing, and after his decease the tearme of twelue yeares, and then died,
and was buried at Caerbranke now called Yorke.
[Sidenote: LEILL THE SEVENTH RULER. Carleil builded. Chester repaired.]
LEILL the sonne of Brute Greeneshield, began to reigne in the yeare of
the world 3021, the same time that Asa was reigning in Iuda, and Ambri in
Israell. He built the citie now called Carleil, which then after his
owne name was called Caerleil, that is, Leill his citie, or the citie of
Leill. He repaired also (as Henrie Bradshaw saith) the citie of Caerleon
now called Chester, which (as in the same Bradshaw appeareth) was built
before Brutus entrie into this land by a giant named Leon Gauer. But what
authoritie he had to auouch this, it may be doubted, for Ranulfe Higden
in his woorke intituled "Polychronicon," saith in plaine wordes, that it
is vnknowen who was the first founder of Chester, but that it tooke the
name of the soiourning there of some Romaine legions, by whome also it is
not vnlike that it might be first built by P. Ostorius Scapula, who as we
find, after he had subdued Caratacus king of the Ordouices that inhabited
the countries now called Lancashire, Cheshire, and Salopshire, built in
those parts, and among the Silures, certeine places of defense, for the
better harbrough of his men of warre, and kéeping downe of such Britaines
as were still readie to moue rebellion.
But now to the purpose concerning K. Leill. We find it recorded that he
was in the beginning of his reigne verie vpright, and desirous to sée
iustice executed, and aboue all thinges loued peace & quietnesse; but as
yeares increased with him, so his vertues began to diminish, in so much
that abandoning the care for the bodie of the commonwealth, he suffered
his owne bodie to welter in all vice and voluptuousnesse, and so
procuring the hatred of his subiects, caused malice and discord to rise
amongst them, which during his life he was neuer able to appease. But
leauing them so at variance, he departed this life, & was buried at
Carleil, which as ye haue heard he had builded while he liued.
[Sidenote: LUD or LUDHURDIBRAS THE EIGHT RULER.
Kaerkin or Canterburie is builded. Caerguent is builded. Paladour is
builded.]
Lud or Ludhurdibras the sonne of Leill began to gouerne in the yeare of
the world 3046. In the beginning of his reigne, hée sought to appease the
debate that was raised in his fathers daies, and bring the realme to
hir former quietnesse, and after that he had brought it to good end, he
builded the towne of Kaerkin now called Canterburie: also the towne
of Caerguent now cleped Winchester, and mount Paladour now called
Shaftsburie. About the building of which towne of Shaftsburie, Aquila
a prophet of the British nation wrote his prophesies, of which some
fragments remaine yet to be scene, translated into the Latine by some
ancient writers. When this Lud had reigned 29 yeares, he died, and left a
sonne behind him named Baldud.
[Sidenote: BALDUD OR BLADUD THE NINTH RULER.
_Gal. Mon._ The king was learned. Hot bathes.]
Baldud the sonne of Ludhurdibras began to rule ouer the Britaines in
the yeare of the world 3085. This man was well séene in the sciences of
astronomie and nigromancie, by which (as the common report saith) he made
the hot bathes in the citie of Caerbran now called Bath. But William of
Malmesburie is of a contrarie opinion, affirming that Iulius Cesar made
those bathes, or rather repaired them when he was here in England: which
is not like to be true: for Iulius Cesar, as by good coniecture we haue
to thinke, neuer came so farre within the land that way forward. But of
these bathes more shall be said in the description. Now to procéed. This
[Sidenote: _Mat. West._ The prince did flie.]
Baldud tooke such pleasure in artificiall practises & magike, that he
taught this art throughout all his realme. And to shew his cunning in
other points, vpon a presumptuous pleasure which he had therein, he tooke
vpon him to flie in the aire, but he fell vpon the temple of Apollo,
which stood in the citie of Troinouant, and there was torne in péeces
after he had ruled the Britaines by the space of 20 yeares.
[Sidenote: LEIR THE 10. RULER. _Mat. West._ Leicester is builded.]
Leir the sonne of Baldud was admitted ruler ouer the Britaines, in the
yeare of the world 3105, at what time Ioas reigned in Iuda. This Leir
was a prince of right noble demeanor, gouerning his land and subiects in
great wealth. He made the towne of Caerleir now called Leicester, which
standeth vpon the riuer of Sore. It is written that he had by his wife
three daughters without other issue, whose names were Gonorilla, Regan,
and Cordeilla, which daughters he greatly loued, but specially Cordeilla
the yoongest farre aboue the two elder. When this Leir therefore was
come to great yeres, & began to waxe vnweldie through age, he thought to
[Sidenote: _Gal. Mon._]
vnderstand the affections of his daughters towards him, and preferre hir
whome he best loued, to the succession ouer the kingdome. Whervpon he
first asked Gonorilla the eldest, how well she loued him: who calling hir
[Sidenote: A triall of loue.]
gods to record, protested that she "loued him more than hir owne life,
which by right and reason should be most déere vnto hir. With which
answer the father being well pleased, turned to the second, and demanded
of hir how well she loued him: who answered (confirming hir saiengs with
great othes) that she loued him more than toong could expresse, and farre
aboue all other creatures of the world."
Then called he his yoongest daughter Cordeilla before him, and asked of
hir what account she made of him, vnto whome she made this answer as
followeth: "Knowing the great loue and fatherlie zeale that you haue
[Sidenote: The answer of the yoongest daughter.]
alwaies borne towards me (for the which I maie not answere you otherwise
than I thinke, and as my conscience leadeth me) I protest vnto you, that
I haue loued you euer, and will continuallie (while I liue) loue you as
my naturall father. And if you would more vnderstand of the loue that I
beare you, assertaine your selfe, that so much as you haue, so much you
are woorth, and so much I loue you, and no more. The father being nothing
content with this answer, married his two eldest daughters, the one vnto
[Sidenote: The two eldest daughters are maried. The realme is promised to
his two daughters.]
Henninus the duke of Cornewall, and the other vnto Maglanus the duke of
Albania, betwixt whome he willed and ordeined that his land should be
diuided after his death, and the one halfe thereof immediatlie should
be assigned to them in hand: but for the third daughter Cordeilla he
reserued nothing."
Neuertheles it fortuned that one of the princes of Gallia (which now
is called France) whose name was Aganippus, hearing of the beautie,
womanhood, and good conditions of the said Cordeilla, desired to haue hir
in mariage, and sent ouer to hir father, requiring that he might haue hir
to wife: to whome answer was made, that he might haue his daughter, but
as for anie dower he could haue none, for all was promised and assured
to hir other sisters alreadie. Aganippus notwithstanding this answer of
deniall to receiue anie thing by way of dower with Cordeilla, tooke hir
to wife, onlie moued thereto (I saie) for respect of hir person and
amiable vertues. This Aganippus was one of the twelue kings that ruled
Gallia in those daies, as in the British historie it is recorded. But to
proceed.
[Sidenote: He gouerned the third part of Gallia as _Gal. Mon._ saith.]
After that Leir was fallen into age, the two dukes that had married his
two eldest daughters, thinking it long yer the gouernment of the land did
come to their hands, arose against him in armour, and reft from him the
gouernance of the land, vpon conditions to be continued for terme of
life: by the which he was put to his portion, that is, to liue after a
rate assigned to him for the maintenance of his estate, which in processe
of time was diminished as well by Maglanus as by Henninus. But the
greatest griefe that Leir tooke, was to see the vnkindnesse of his
daughters, which seemed to thinke that all was too much which their
father had, the same being neuer so little: in so much that going from
the one to the other, he was brought to that miserie, that scarslie they
would allow him one seruant to wait vpon him.
In the end, such was the vnkindnesse, or (as I maie saie) the
vnnaturalnesse which he found in his two daughters, notwithstanding their
faire and pleasant words vttered in time past, that being constreined of
necessitie, he fled the land, & sailed into Gallia, there to seeke some
comfort of his yongest daughter Cordeilla, whom before time he hated. The
ladie Cordeilla hearing that he was arriued in poore estate, she first
sent to him priuilie a certeine summe of monie to apparell himselfe
withall, and to reteine a certeine number of seruants that might attend
vpon him in honorable wise, as apperteined to the estate which he had
borne: and then so accompanied, she appointed him to come to the court,
which he did, and was so ioifullie, honorablie, and louinglie receiued,
both by his sonne in law Aganippus, and also by his daughter Cordeilla,
that his hart was greatlie comforted: for he was no lesse honored, than
if he had beene king of the whole countrie himselfe.
Now when he had informed his sonne in law and his daughter in what sort
he had béene vsed by his other daughters, Aganippus caused a mightie
armie to be put in a readinesse, and likewise a great nauie of ships to
be rigged, to passe ouer into Britaine with Leir his father in law, to
sée him againe restored to his kingdome. It was accorded, that Cordeilla
should also go with him to take possession of the land, the which he
promised to leaue vnto hir, as the rightfull inheritour after his
decesse, notwithstanding any former grant made to hir sisters or to their
husbands in anie maner of wise.
Herevpon, when this armie and nauie of ships were readie, Leir and his
daughter Cordeilla with hir husband tooke the sea, and arriuing in
Britaine, fought with their enimies, and discomfited them in battell, in
the which Maglanus and Henninus were slaine: and then was Leir restored
to his kingdome, which he ruled after this by the space of two yéeres,
[Sidenote: _Matth. West_]
and then died, fortie yeeres after he first began to reigne. His bodie
was buried at Leicester in a vaut vnder the chanell of the riuer of Sore
beneath the towne.
* * * * *
_The gunarchie of queene Cordeilla, how she was vanquished, of hir
imprisonment and selfe-murther: the contention betweene Cunedag and
Margan nephewes for gouernement, and the euill end thereof._