[Sidenote: GRATIANUS.]
Gratianus then, whome Maximus or Maximinus had sent into Britaine
(as before ye haue heard) hearing that his maister was slaine, tooke
[Sidenote: 390.]
vpon him the rule of this our Britaine, and made himselfe king
therof, in the yeare 390. He was a Britaine borne, as Polydor writeth,
coniecturing so, by that he is named of authors to be Municeps, that
[Sidenote: Of the Romane souldiers as _Blondus_ saith.]
is to saie, a frée man of the countrie or citie where he inhabited.
For his sternenesse and rough gouernement, he was of the Britains (as
the histories alledge) slaine and dispatched out of the waie, after
he had reigned the space of foure yeares, or rather foure moneths, as
should séeme by that which is found in autentike writers. Then the
[Sidenote: _Galfrid. Caxton_.]
forenamed kings Guantius and Melga, which (as some write) were
brethren, returned into this land with their armies increased with
new supplies of men of warre, as Scots, Danes, the Norwegians, and
destroied the countrie from side to side. For the Britains in this
season were sore inféebled, and were not able to make anie great
[Sidenote: _Galfrid. Matth. West. Caxton_.]
numbers of souldiers, by reason that Maximus had led foorth of the
land the floure and chiefest choise of all the British youth into
Gallia, as before ye haue heard.
[Sidenote: _Gyldas_.]
Gyldas maketh no mention of these two kings Guanius and Melga
of the Hunnes, but rehearsing this great destruction of the land,
declareth (as before ye haue heard) that the Scots and Picts were
the same that did all the mischiefe, whome he calleth two nations of
beyond the seas, the Scots comming out of the northwest, and the Picts
out of the northeast, by whome (as he saith) the land was ouerrun, and
brought vnder foot manie yeares after. Therefore the Britains being
thus vexed, spoiled, and cruellie persecuted by the Scots and Picts
(if we shall so take them) sent messengers with all spéed vnto Rome
to make sute for some aid of men of war to be sent into Britaine.
Wherevpon immediatlie a legion of souldiers was sent thither in the
[Sidenote: 414.]
yéere 414, which easilie repelled the enimies, and chased them backe
with great slaughter, to the great comfort of the Britains, the which
by this meanes were deliuered from danger of vtter destruction, as
they thought.
But the Romans being occasioned to depart againe out of the land,
appointed the Britains to make a wall (as had béene aforetime by the
emperours Adrian, Antoninus and Seuerus) ouerthwart the countrie
[Sidenote: _Beda_ and _Polychron._]
from sea to sea, stretching from Penuelton vnto the citie of Aclud,
whereby the enimies might be staid from entring the land: but this
wall being made of turfs and sods, rather than with stones, after
the departure of the Romans was easilie ouerthrowne by the Scots
and Picts, which eftsoones returned to inuade the confines of the
Britains, and so entring the countrie, wasted and destroied the places
[Sidenote: _Beda_ and _Polychron._]
before them, according to their former custome. Herevpon were
messengers with most lamentable letters againe dispatched towards Rome
for new aid against those cruell enimies, with promise, that if the
Romans would now in this great necessitie helpe to deliuer the
land, they should be assured to find the Britains euermore obedient
subiects, and redie at their commandement. Valentinianus (pitieng
[Sidenote: _Blondus_. Gallio Ravenna sent into Brittaine.]
the case of the poore Britains) appointed another legion of souldiers
(of the which one Gallio of Rauenna had the leading) to go to their
succours, the which arriuing in Britaine set on the enimies, and
giuing them the ouerthrow, slue a great number of them, and chased the
residue out of the countrie.
The Romans thus hauing obteined the victorie, declared to the
Britains, that from thencefoorth they would not take vpon them for
euerie light occasion so painefull a iournie, alledging how there was
no reason why the Romane ensignes, with such a number of men of warre,
should be put to trauell so far by sea and land, for the repelling and
beating backe of a sort of scattering rouers and pilfring théeues.
Wherfore they aduised the Britains to looke to their dueties, and like
men to indeuour themselues to defend their countrie by their owne
force from the enimies innasions. And because they iudged it might be
an helpe to the Britains, they set in hand to build a wall yet once
againe ouerthwart the Ile, in the same place where the emperour
[Sidenote: A wall built overthwart the Iland. _Beda_.]
Seuerus caused his trench and rampire to be cast. This wall which the
Romans now built with helpe of the Britains, was 8 foot in bredth and
12 in length, trauersing the land from east to west, & was made of
stone.
[Sidenote: _Gyldas and Beda_.]
After that this wall was finished, the Romans exhorted the
Britains to plaie the men, and shewed them the way how to make armor &
weapons. Besides this, on the coast of the east sea where their ships
lay at rode, & where it was douted that the enimies would land, they
caused towers to be erected, with spaces betwixt, out of the which the
[Sidenote: _Gyldas_.]
seas might be discouered. These things ordered, the Romans bad the
Britains farewell, not minding to returne thither againe. The Romans
then being gon out of the land, the Scots and Picts knowing thereof,
by & by came againe by sea, & being more emboldened than before,
bicause of the deniall made by the Romans to come any more to the
succor of the Britains, they tooke into possession all the north and
vttermost bounds of the Ile, euen vnto the foresaid wall, therein
[Sidenote: This chanced in the yere 43. as _M. W._ saith.]
to remaine as inhabitants. And wheras the Britains got them to their
wall to defend the same, that the enimies should not passe further
into the countrie, they were in the end beaten from it, and diuers of
them slaine, so that the Scots and Picts entred vpon them and pursued
them in more cruell maner than before, so that the Britains being
chased out of their cities, townes, and dwelling houses, were
constreined to flie into desert places, and there to remaine and liue
after the maner of sauage people, and in the end began to rob and
spoile one another, so to auoid the danger of staruing for lacke of
food: and thus at the last the countrie was so destroied and wasted,
that there was no other shift for them that was left aliue to liue by,
except onelie by hunting and taking of wild beasts and foules. And
[Sidenote: _Hector Boet._ Rebellion.]
to augment their miserie, the commons imputing the fault to rest in
the lords and gouernors, arose against them in armes, but were
vanquished and easilie put to flight at two seuerall times, being
beaten downe and slaine (through lacke of skill) in such numbers,
especiallie the latter time, that the residue which escaped, withdrew
into the craggie mounteins, where within the bushes and caues they
kept themselues close, sometimes comming downe and fetching away from
the heards of beasts and flocks of shéepe which belonged to the nobles
and gentlemen of the countrie, great booties to relieue them withall.
But at length oppressed with extreme famine, when neither part could
long remaine in this state, as néeding one anothers helpe, necessitie
[Sidenote: Ciuill warre decaied the force of the Britains. What
mischiefe follow of ciuill warres.]
made peace betwixt the lords and commons of the land, all iniuries
being pardoned and cléerelie forgiuen. This ciuill warre decaied the
force of the Britains, little lesse than the tyrannicall practises of
Maximus, for by the auoiding of the commons thus out of their houses,
the ground laie vntilled, whereof insued such famine for the space of
thrée yéeres togither, that a woonderfull number of people died for
want of sustenance.
Thus the Britains being brought generallie into such extreame miserie,
[Sidenote: Actius.]
they thought good to trie if they might purchase some aid of that
noble man Actius, which at that time remained in France as yet called
Gallia, gouerning the same as lieutenant vnder the emperor Honorius:
and herevpon taking counsell togither, they wrote a letter to him, the
tenor whereof insueth.
_To Actius thrise consull_.
"The lamentable request of vs the Britains, beseeching you of aid
to bee ministred vnto the prouince of the Romane empire, vnto our
countrie, vnto our wiues and children at this present, which stand in
most extreame perill. For the barbarous people driue vs to the sea,
and the sea driueth vs backe vnto them againe. Hereof rise two kinds
of death, for either we are slaine, or drowned, and against such euils
haue we no remedie nor helpe at all. Therefore in respect of your
clemencie, succor your owne we most instantlie require you, &c."
Notwithstanding the Britains thus sought for aid at Actius hands as
[Sidenote: The Britains could get no aid fr[=o] the Romans.]
then the emperours lieutenant, yet could they get none; either
for that Actius would not, as he that passed litle how things went,
bicause he bare displeasure in his mind against Valentinian as then
emperor; or else for that he could not, being otherwise constreined to
imploie all his forces in other places against such barbarous nations
as then inuaded the Romane empire. And so by that means was Britaine
lost, and the tribute which the Britains were accustomed to pay to the
Romans ceassed, iust fiue hundred yéeres after that Iulius Cesar first
entred the Ile.
The Britains being thus put to their shifts, manie of them as
hunger-starued were constrained to yéeld themselues into the griping
hands of their enimies, whereas other yet kéeping within the
mounteins, woods and caues, brake out as occasion serued vpon their
aduersaries, and then first (saith Gyldas) did the Britains not
putting their trust in man but in God (according to the saieng of
Philo, Where mans helpe faileth, it is needfull that Gods helpe be
present) make slaughter of their enimies that had béene accustomed
[Sidenote: Punishment ceaseth, but sin increaseth.]
manie yéeres to rob and spoile them in maner as before is recited,
and so the bold attempts of the enimies ceassed for a time, but the
wickednesse of the British people ceassed not at all. The enimies
departed out of the land, but the inhabitants departed not from their
naughtie dooings, being not so readie to put backe the common enimies,
as to exercise ciuill warre and discord among themselues. The wicked
Irish people departed home, to make returne againe within a while
after. But the Picts settled themselues first at that season in the
vttermost bounds of the Ile, and there continued, making insurrections
oftentimes vpon their neighbours, and spoiling them of their goods.
[Sidenote: _Galfridus. Gyldas_ his words are to be considered.]
This with more also hath Gyldas, and likewise Beda written of this
great desolation of the British people: wherein if the words of Gyldas
be well weighed and considered, it maie lead vs to thinke, that the
Scots had no habitations here in Britaine, but onelie in Ireland, till
after this season, and that at this present time the Picts, which
before inhabited within the Iles of Orkenie, now placed themselues in
the north parts of Scotland, and after by processe of time came and
nestled themselues in Louthian, in the Mers, and other countries more
neere to our borders. But to procéed.
The British histories affirme, that whilest the Britains were thus
persecuted by these two most cruell and fierce nations the Scots and
Picts, the noble and chiefest men amongst them consulted togither,
[Sidenote: An ambassage sent from the Britains vnto Aldroenus king of
Britaine in France.]
& concluded to send an honorable ambassage vnto Aldroenus as then king
of little Britaine in Gallia, which Aldroenus was the fourth from
Conan Meridoc the first king there of the British nation. Of this
ambassage the archbishop of London named Guetheline or Gosseline was
appointed the chiefe and principall, who passing ouer into little
Britaine, and comming before the presence of Aldroenus, so declared
[Sidenote: Constantine the brother of Aldroenus]
the effect of his message, that his suit was granted. For
Aldroenus agréed to send his brother Constantine ouer into great
Britaine with a conuenient power, vpon condition, that the victorie
being obteined against the enimies, the Britains should make him king
of great Britaine.
¶ Thus it is apparent, that this land of Britaine was without anie
certeine gouernour (after that Gratian the vsurper was dispatched) a
number of yéeres togither, but how manie, writers in their account
[Sidenote: _Fabian_.]
do varie. Fabian deposeth by diuers coniecturs that the space betwixt
the death of Gratian, and the beginning of the reigne of the said
Constantine, brother to Aldroenus, continued nine and thirtie yéeres,
during which time the Britains were sore and miserablie afflicted
by the inuasions of the Scots and Picts, as before ye haue heard by
testimonies taken out of Beda, Gyldas, Geffrey of Monmouth, and other
writers both British and English.
* * * * *
_What the Roman historiographer Marcellinus reporteth of the Scots,
Picts, and Britains vnder the emperour Iulianus, Valentinianus and
Valens, they send their vicegerents into Britaine, the disquietnesse
of that time, London called Augusta, the worthie exploits of
Theodosius in this Iland against the enimie, Valentinus a banished
malefactor deuiseth his destruction, he is taken and executed, he
reformeth manie disorders and inconueniences, the first entring of
the Saxons into Britaine, they are dawnted at the verie sight of the
Romane ensignes, the Saxons lieng in wait for their enimies are slaine
euerie mothers sonne_.