[Sidenote: CARAUSIUS. 218.]
Carausius a Britan of vnknowne birth, as witnesseth the British
histories, after he had vanquisht & slaine Bassianus (as the same
histories make mention) was of the Britains made king and ruler ouer
them, in the yeare of our Lord 218, as Galfridus saith: but W.H.
[Sidenote: _Galfrid. Polychron. Fabian_.]
noteth it to be in the yeare 286. This Carausius either to haue the
aid & support of the Picts, as in the British historic is conteined,
either else to be at quietnesse with them, being not otherwise able
to resist them, gaue to them the countries in the south parts of
Scotland, which ioine to England on the east marshes, as Mers,
Louthian, and others.
[Sidenote: _Galfridus_.]
¶ But here is to be noted, that the British writers affirme, that
these Picts which were thus placed in the south parts of Scotland at
this time, were brought ouer out of Scithia by Fulgentius, to aid him
against Seuerus, and that after the death of Seuerus, and Fulgentius,
which both died of hurts receiued in the batell fought betwixt them at
Yorke: the Picts tooke part with Bassianus, and at length betraied him
in the battell which he fought against Carausius: for he corrupting
them by such subtile practises as he vsed, they turned to his side,
to the ouerthrow and vtter destruction of Bassianus: for the which
traitorous part they had those south countries of Scotland giuen
vnto them for their habitation. But by the Scotish writers it should
appeare, that those Picts which aided Fulgentius and also Carausius,
were the same that long before had inhabited the north parts of
Britaine, now called Scotland. But whatsoeuer they were, truth it is
(as the British histories record) that at length one Alectus was
sent from Rome by the senat with 3 legions of souldiers to subdue
Carausius, which he did, and slue him in the field, as the same
histories make mention, after he had reigned the space of 7, or 8,
yeares: and in the yeare of our saluation two hundred, ninetie, three.
[Sidenote: ALECTUS. Of whom our British histories doo write after their
maner. 293.]
Alectus in hauing vanquished and slaine Carausius tooke vpon him
the rule and gouernment of Britaine, in the yeare of our Lord 293.
This Alectus, when he had restored the land to the subiection of the
Romans, did vse great crueltie against such Britains as had maintained
the part of Carausius, by reason whereof he purchased much euill
will of the Britains, the which at length conspired against him, and
purposing to chase the Romans altogither out of their countrie, they
procured one Asclepiodotus (whome the British chronicles name duke
of Cornewall) to take vpon him as chiefe captaine that enterprise.
Wherevpon the same Asclepiodotus assembling a great armie, made such
sharpe warres on the Romans, that they being chased from place to
place, at length withdrew to the citie of London, and there held them
till Asclepiodotus came thither, and prouoked Alectus and his Romans
so much, that in the end they issued foorth of the citie, and gaue
battell to the Britans, in the which much people on both parts were
slaine, but the greatest number died on the Romans side: and amongst
others, Alectus himselfe was slaine, the residue of the Romans that
were left aliue, retired backe into the citie with a capteine of
theirs named Liuius Gallus, and defended themselues within the walles
for a time right valiantlie. Thus was Alectus slaine of the
[Sidenote: _Fabian. Matth. West._]
Britains, after he had reigned (as some suppose) about the terme of
six yeares, or (as some other write) thrée yeares.
[Sidenote: ASCLEPIODOTUS. _Gal. Mon. Matt. West._]
Asclepiodotus, duke of Cornewall, began his reigne ouer the
Britains in the yeare of our Lord 232. After he had vanquished the
Romans in battell, as before is recited, he laid his siege about the
citie of London, and finallie by knightlie force entred the same, and
slue the forenamed Liuius Gallus néere vnto a brooke, which in those
daies ran through the citie, & threw him into the same brooke: by
reason whereof long after it was called Gallus or Wallus brooke.
[Sidenote: Walbrooke.]
And at this present the streete where the same brooke did run, is
called Walbrooke.
Then after Asclepiodotus had ouercome all his enimies, he held this
land a certeine space in good rest and quiet, and ministred iustice
vprightlie, in rewarding the good, and punishing the euill. Till at
length, through slanderous toongs of malicious persons, discord was
raised betwixt the king and one Coill or Coilus, that was gouernour
of Colchester: the occasion whereof appeareth not by writers. But
whatsoeuer the matter was, there insued such hatred betwixt them, that
on both parts great armies were raised, and meeting in the field,
[Sidenote: Asclepiodotus slaine. _Matt. West._ hath x. years.]
they fought a sore and mightie battell, in the which Asclepiodotus was
slaine, after he had reigned 30 yeares. Thus haue Geffrey of Monmouth
and our common chroniclers written of Carausius, Alectus, and
Asclepiodotus, which gouerned héere in Britaine.
[Sidenote: _Eutropius_.]
But Eutropius the famous writer of the Romane histories, in the
acts of Dioclesian hath in effect these woords. "About the same time
Carausius, the which being borne of most base ofspring, attained to
high honour and dignitie by order of renowmed chiualrie & seruice in
the warres, receiued charge at Bolein, to kéepe the seas quiet alongst
the coasts of Britaine, France, and Flanders, and other countries
thereabouts, bicause the Frenchmen, which yet inhabited within the
bounds of Germanie, and the Saxons sore troubled those seas.
[Sidenote: The couetous practising of Carausius.]
Carausius taking oftentimes manie of the enimies, neither restored the
goods to them of the countrie from whome the enimies had bereft the
same, nor yet sent anie part therof to the emperours, but kept the
whole to his owne use. Whervpon when suspicion arose, that he should
of purpose suffer the enimies to passe by him, till they had taken
some prises, that in their returne with the same he might incounter
with them, and take that from them which they had gotten (by which
subtile practise he was thought greatly to haue inriched him
selfe) Maximianus that was fellow in gouernment of the empire with
[Sidenote: Maximianus purposeth to slea Carusius.]
Dioclesianus, remaining then in Gallia, and aduertised of these
dooings, commanded that Carausius should be slaine, but he hauing
warning thereof rebelled, and vsurping the imperiall ornaments and
title, got possession of Britaine, against whom (being a man of
great experience in all warlike knowledge) when warres had béene
[Sidenote: _Polydor_.]
attempted and folowed in vaine, at length a peace was concluded with
him, and so he enioied the possession of Britaine by the space of
[Sidenote: _Eutropius_.]
seuen yéeres, & then was slaine by his companion Alectus, the
which after him ruled Britaine for the space of thrée yéeres, and was
in the end oppressed by the guile of Asclepiodotus gouernour of the
pretorie, or (as I maie call him) lord lieutenant of some precinct
and iurisdiction perteining to the Romane empire." And so was Britaine
recouered by the foresaid Asclepiodotus about ten yeeres after that
Carausius had first vsurped the gouernment there, and about the
[Sidenote: 300.]
yéere of our Lord 300, as Polydor iudgeth, wherein he varieth much
from Fabian and others.
¶But to shew what we find further written of the subduing of Alectus,
[Sidenote: _Mamertinus_.]
I thinke it not amisse to set downe what Mamertinus in his oration
written in praise of Maximianus dooth report of this matter, which
shall be performed in the chapter following.
* * * * *
_The substance of that which is written touching Britaine in a
panegyrike oration ascribed to Mamertinus, which he set foorth in
praise of the emperors Dioclesian and Maximian: it is intituled onelie
to Maximian, whereas neuerthelesse both the emperors are praised;
and likewise (as ye may perceiue) Constantius who was father to
Constantine the great is here spoken of, being chosen by the two
foresaid emperors, to assist them by the name of Cæsar in rule of the
empire: of whom hereafter more shall be said_.