[Sidenote: CONSTANTINE. 306.]
Constantine being the son of the forenamed Constantius, begot of
his first wife Helen, the daughter (as some affirme) of Coell late
king of the Britains, began to reigne in the yéere of our Lord 306.
This worthie prince begotten of a British woman, & borne of hir in
Britaine (as our writers doo affirme) and created certeinlie emperour
in Britaine, did doubtlesse make his natiue countrie partaker of his
high glorie and renowme, which by his great prowes, politike
wisedome, woorthie gouernment, and other his princelie qualities most
abundantlie planted in his noble person, he purchased and got thorough
the circuit of the whole earth, insomuch that for the high enterprises
and noble acts by him happilie brought to passe and atchiued, he was
surnamed (as before is said) the great Constantine. Whilest this
Constantine remained at Rome in manner as he had béene a pledge with
Galerius in his fathers life time, he being then but yoong, fled from
thence, and with all post hast returned to his father into Britaine,
killing or howghing by the waie all such horsses as were appointed
[Sidenote: Eutropius. Sextus Aurelius Victor.]
to stand at innes readie for such as should ride in post, least being
pursued, he should haue béene ouertaken, and brought backe againe by
such as might be sent to pursue him.
At his comming into Britaine, he found his father sore vexed with
sicknesse, whereof shortlie after he died, and then was he by helpe of
such as were about him, incouraged to take vpon him as emperour:
[Sidenote: Erocus king of the Almains.]
and namelie one Erocus king of the Almains, which had accompanied
his father thither, assisted him thereto, so that being proclaimed
emperour, he tooke vpon him the rule of those countries which his
father had in gouernment, that is to saie, France, Spaine, the Alpes,
and Britaine, with other prouinces héere in the west: and ruling the
same with great equitie and wisdome, he greatly wan the fauour of
the people, insomuch that the fame of his politike gouernment and
courteous dealing being spred abroad, when Maxentius the tyrant
[Sidenote: Maxentius the tyrant.]
that occupied the rule of the empire at Rome, and in Italie by
wrongfull vsurping & abusing the same, was grown into the hatred of
the Romans and other Italians, Constantine was earnestlie by them
requested to come into Italie, and to helpe to subdue Maxentius, that
he might reforme the state of things there.
This Maxentius was sonne to Herculeus Maximianus, and Constantine had
married Fausta the daughter of the said Maximianus. Now so it was,
that Maximianus, immediatlie after that his sonne Maxentius had taken
the rule vpon him, sought meanes to haue deposed him, and to haue
resumed and taken eftsoones into his owne hands the gouernment of
the empire. But solliciting Dioclesian to doo the like, he was much
reprooued of him for his vnreasonable and ambitious purpose: so that
when he perceiued that neither Dioclesian would be thereto agreeable,
nor induce the souldiers to admit him, they hauing alreadie
established his sonne, began to deuise waies how to assure the state
more stronglie to his said sonne. And hearing that his sonne in law
Constantine was minded to come into Italie against him, he purposed to
practise Constantines destruction, insomuch that it was iudged by this
[Sidenote: Dissimulation.]
which followed, that Herculeus Maximianus did but for a colour
séeme to mislike that which his said son Maxentius had doone, to the
end he might the sooner accomplish his intent for the dispatching of
Constantine out of the waie.
[Sidenote: _Ranulphus Cestrensis_.]
Heerevpon (as it were) fléeing out of Italie, he came to
Constantine, who as then hauing appointed lieutenants vnder him in
Britaine, remained in France, and with all ioy and honour that might
be, receiued his father in law: the which being earnestlie bent to
[Sidenote: Fausta the daughter of Maximianas and wife to Constantine.]
compasse his purpose, made his daughter Fausta priuie thereto:
which ladie (either for feare least the concealing thereof might turne
hir to displeasure, either else for the entire loue which she bare to
hir husband) reuealed hir fathers wicked purpose. Wherevpon whilest
[Sidenote: Marsiles.]
Constantine went about to be reuenged of such a traitorous
practise, Herculeus fled to Marsiles, purposing there to take the sea,
and so to retire to his sonne Maxentius into Italie. But yer he could
[Sidenote: Maximianus slaine. _Ann. Chri. 322_.]
get awaie from thence, he was strangled by commandement of his
sonne in law Constantine, and so ended his life, which he had spotted
with manie cruell acts, as well in persecuting the professours of the
christian name, as others.
[Sidenote: Licinius chosen fellow with Maximianus in the empire.]
In this meane time had Maximianus adopted one Licinius to assist
him in gouernance of the empire, proclaiming him Cesar. So that now at
one selfe time Constantine gouerned France and the west parts of the
empire, Maxentius held Italie, Affrike, and Aegypt: and Maximianus
which likewise had beene elected Cesar, ruled the east parts, and
Licinius Illyrium and Grecia. But shortlie after, the emperour
Constantine ioined in league with Licinius, and gaue to him his
sister in marriage, named Constantia, for more suertie of faithfull
friendship to indure betwixt them. He sent him also against Maximianus
who gouerning in the east part of the empire, purposed the destruction
of Constantine and all his partakers: but being vanquished by Licinius
at Tarsus, he shortlie after died, being eaten with lice. Constantine
after this was called into Italie, to deliuer the Romans and Italians
from the tyrannie of Maxentius, which occasion so offered, Constantine
gladlie accepting, passed into Italie, and after certeine victories
got against Maxentius, at length slue him.
After this, when Maximianus was dead, who prepared to make warre
against Licinius, that had married Constantia the sister of
Constantine, he finallie made warre against his brother in law the
said Licinius, by reason of such quarrels as fell out betwixt them. In
the which warre Licinius was put to the woorse, and at length comming
into the hands of Constantine, was put to death, so that Constantine
by this meanes got the whole empire vnder his rule and subiection.
He was a great fauourer of the Christian religion, insomuch that to
aduance the same, he tooke order for the conuerting of the temples
dedicated to the honour of idols, vnto the seruice of the true and
almightie God. He commanded also, that none should be admitted to
[Sidenote: Christians honoured and cherished.]
serue as a souldier in the warres, except he were a christian, nor yet
to haue rule of anie countrie or armie. He also ordeined, the wéeke
before Easter, and that which followed to be kept as holie, and no
person to doo anie bodilie woorks during the same.
[Sidenote: _Polydor_. The praise of the empresse Helen. 328.]
He was much counselled by that noble and most vertuous ladie his
mother, the empresse Helen, who being a godlie and deuout woman, did
what in hir laie, to mooue him to the setting foorth of Gods honour
and increase of the christian faith, wherein as yet he was not fullie
instructed. ¶ Some writers alledge, that she being at Ierusalem, made
diligent search to find out the place of the sepulchre of our Lord,
and at length found it, though with much adoo: for the infidels had
stopped it vp, and couered it with a heape of filthie earth, and
builded aloft vpon the place, a chappell dedicated to Venus, where
yoong women vsed to sing songs in honour of that vnchast goddesse.
Helen caused the same to be ouerthrowne, the earth to be remooued, and
the place cleansed, so that at length the sepulchre appéered, and fast
by were found there buried in the earth thrée crosses and the nailes.
But the crosse wherevpon our Sauiour was crucified, was knowne by the
title written vpon it, though almost worne out, in letters of Hebrew,
Gréeke, and Latine: the inscription was this, _Iesus Nazarenus rex
Iudæorum_. It was also perceiued which was that crosse by a miracle
(as it is reported, but how trulie I can not tell) that should be
wrought thereby: for being laid to a sicke woman, onlie with the
touching thereof she was healed. It was also said, that a dead man was
raised from death to life, his bodie onlie being touched therewith.
Wherevpon Constantine mooued with these things, forbad that from
thencefoorth anie should be put to death on the crosse, to the
end that the thing which afore time was accounted infamous and
reprochfull, might now be had in honour and reuerence.
The empresse Helen hauing thus found the crosse, builded a temple
there,& taking with hir the nailes, returned with the same to hir
sonne Constantine, who set one of them in the crest of his helmet,
[Sidenote: _Polydor_.]
an other in the bridle of his horsse, and the third he cast into the
sea, to asswage and pacifie the furious tempests and rage thereof. She
also brought with hir a parcell of that holie crosse, and gaue it
[Sidenote: _Polydor_.]
to hir sonne the said Constantine, the which he caused to be closed
within an image that represented his person, standing vpon a piller
in the market place of Constantine, or (as some late writers haue) he
caused it to be inclosed in a coffer of gold, adorned with rich stones
and pearls, placing it in a church called Sessoriana, the which church
he indued with manie great gifts and precious ornaments. Manie works
of great zeale and vertue are remembered by writers to haue béene
doone by this Constantine and his mother Helen, to the setting foorth
of Gods glorie, and the aduancing of the faith of Christ. But to be
[Sidenote: The commendation of Constantine.]
briefe, he was a man in whome manie excellent vertues and good
qualities both of mind and bodie manifestlie appéered, chieflie he was
a prince of great knowledge and experience in warre, and therewith
verie fortunate, an earnest louer of iustice, and to conclude, borne
to all honour.
But now to speake somewhat of the state of Britaine in his time, ye
shall vnderstand, that as before is recorded, at his going ouer into
France, after that he was proclaimed emperour, he left behind him in
Britaine certeine gouernours to rule the land, and amongst other one
Maximinus a right valiant capteine. He tooke with him a great part
of the youth of Britaine, and diuerse of the chiefe men amongst the
nobilitie, in whose approoued manhood, loialtie, and constancie, he
conceiued a great hope to go thorough with all his enterprises, as
with the which being accompanied and compassed about, he passed ouer
into Gallia, entred into Italie, and in euerie place ouercame his
enimies.
[Sidenote: _Gulielmus Malmes._ Britains seruing in the warres vnder
Constantine.]
Some write that Constantine thus conueieng ouer sea with him a
great armie of Britains, and by their industrie obteining victorie as
he wished, he placed a great number of such as were discharged out
of wages, and licenced to giue ouer the warre, in a part of Gallia
towards the west sea coast, where their posteritie remaine vnto this
daie, maruellouslie increased afterwards, and somewhat differing from
our Britains, the Welshmen, in manners and language. Amongst those
noble men which he tooke with him when he departed out of this
[Sidenote: _Galfridus. Matt. West._]
land (as our writers doo testifie) were thrée vncles of his mother
Helen, that is to say Hoelmus, Trahernus, and Marius, whome he made
senators of Rome.
* * * * *
_Of Octauius a British lord, his reigne ouer the Britains, he
incountereth with Traherne first neere Winchester, and afterwards in
Westmerland: Octauius being discomfited fleeth into Norway, Traherne
is slaine, Octauius sendeth for Maximianus, on whom he bestoweth his
daughter and the kingdome of Britaine: the death of Octauius, Helena
builded the wals of Colchester and London, she dieth and is buried,
Constantine departeth this life, Britaine reckoned among the prouinces
that reteined the christian faith, Paulus a Spaniard is sent into
Britaine, he dealeth roughlie with the people, Martinus the lieutenant
excuseth them as innocent, his vnluckie end, Paulus returneth into
Italie_.