[Sidenote: QUEENE CORDEILLA]
Cordeilla the yoongest daughter of Leir was admitted Q. and supreme
gouernesse of Britaine, in the yéere of the world 3155, before the
bylding of Rome 54, Vzia then reigning in Iuda, and Ieroboam ouer
Israell. This Cordeilla after hir fathers deceasse ruled the land of
Britaine right worthilie during the space of fiue yéeres, in which meane
time hir husband died, and then about the end of those fiue yéeres,
hir two nephewes Margan and Cunedag, sonnes to hir aforesaid sisters,
disdaining to be vnder the gouernment of a woman, leuied warre against
hir, and destroied a great part of the land, and finallie tooke hir
prisoner, and laid hir fast in ward, wherewith she tooke such griefe,
being a woman of a manlie courage, and despairing to recouer libertie,
there she slue hirselfe, when she had reigned (as before is mentioned)
the tearme of fiue yéeres.
[Sidenote: CUNEDAG AND MARGAN.]
Cunedagius and Marganus nephewes to Cordeilla, hauing recouered the land
out of hir hands, diuided the same betwixt them, that is to saie, the
countrie ouer and beyond Humber fell to Margan, as it stretcheth euen to
Catnesse, and the other part lieng south and by-west, was assigned to
Cunedagius. This partition chanced in the yéere of the world 3170, before
the building of Rome 47, Uzia as then reigning in Iuda, and Ieroboam
in Israell. Afterwards, these two cousins, Cunedag and Margan, had not
reigned thus past a two yéeres, but thorough some seditious persons,
Margan was persuaded to raise warre against Cunedag, telling him in his
eare, how it was a shame for him being come of the elder sister, not to
haue the rule of the whole Ile in his hand. Herevpon ouercome with pride,
[Sidenote: Margan inuadeth his cousine Cunedag.]
ambition, and couetousnesse, he raised an armie, and entring into the
land of Cunedag, he burned and destroied the countrie before him in
miserable maner.
Cunedag in all hast to resist his aduersarie, assembled also all the
power he could make, and comming with the same against Margan, gaue him
battell, in the which he slue a great number of Margans people, and put
the residue to flight, and furthermore pursued him from countrie to
countrie, till he came into Cambria, now called Wales, where the said
Margan gaue him eftsoones a new battell: but being too weake in number
of men, he was there ouercome and slaine in the field, by reason whereof
[Sidenote: Margan is slaine. _Matt. West._]
that countrie tooke name of him, being there slaine, and so is called to
this daie Glau Margan, which is to meane in our English toong, Margans
land. This was the end of that Margan, after he had reigned with his
brother two yéeres, or thereabouts.
[Sidenote: CUNEDAGUS ALONE.]
After the death of Margan, Cunedag the sonne of Hennius and Ragaie
(middlemost daughter of Leir before mentioned) became ruler of all the
whole land of Britaine, in the yeare of the world 3172, before the
building of Rome 45, Vzia still reigning in Iuda, and Ieroboam in
Israell. He gouerned this Ile well and honourablie for the tearme of 33
yeares, and then dieng, his bodie was buried at Troinouant or London.
Moreouer, our writers doo report, that he builded thrée temples, one to
Mars at Perth in Scotland, another to Mercurie at Bangor, and the third
to Apollo in Cornewall.
* * * * *
_Of Riuallus, Gurgustius, Sysillius, Iago, and Kinimacus, rulers of
Britaine by succession, and of the accidents coincident with their
times_.