[The statement will be found in Geoffrey's _British History_, book
v. ch. 6.:--"After the decease of Coel, a petty prince of
Caercolvin [Colchester], Constantius himself was crowned, and
married the daughter of Coel[7], whose name was Helena. She
surpassed all the ladies of the country in beauty, as she did all
others of the time in her skill in music and the liberal arts. Her
father had no other issue to succeed him on the throne; for which
reason he was very careful about her education, that she might be
better qualified to govern the kingdom. Constantius, therefore,
having made her partner of his bed, had a son by her called
Constantine." Thus far Geoffrey; and with him agree Baronius,
Ussher, Stillingfleet, and Camden. The learned Lipsius' opinion of
this tradition, in his letter to Mr. Camden, will be found in his
_Epistles_, page 64. The traditions, however, is not mentioned by
Gildas, Nennius, or Bede. Our correspondent will find a long
discussion on this disputed point in Alban Butler's _Lives of the
Saints_, August 18, Art. "S. Helen." See also Tillemont, _Hist.
des Empereurs_, t. iv.]
[Footnote 7: This petty king is probably the hero of the old
popular ditty:
"Old King Coel,
Was a merry old soul," &c.]
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