| And with his Roman powers Papyrius overthrew ;
Then, by great Belus brought against those
legious, slew

Their forces which in France Aurelius Scaurus led;
And afterward again, as bravely vanquished
The consuls Cæpio, and stout Manlius on the plain,
Where Rhodanus was red with blood of Latins slain.

I cannot stay to tell, nor shall my Britain boast; But, of that man which did her monarchy restore, Her first imperial crown of gold that ever wore, And that most glorious type of sovereignty regain'd; "In greatness next succeeds Belinus' worthy son, Mulmutius: who this land in such estate maintain'd Gurgustus: who soon left what his great father won, As his great belsire Brute from Albion's heirs it To Guynteline his heir: whose queen', beyond her [proud streets begun kind, [mind, "§. This grand-child, great as he, those four In her great husband's peace, to show her upright That each way cross this isle, and bounds did them. To wise Mulmutius' laws, her Martian first did allow.

won.

Like privilege he lent the temple and the plough:
So studious was this prince in his most forward zeal
To the celestial power, and to the public weal.

"Bellinus he begot, who Dacia proud subdu'd;
And Brennus, who abroad a worthier war pursu'd,
Asham'd of civil strife; at home here leaving all :
And with such goodly youth, in Germany and Gaul
As he had gather'd up, the Alpine mountains pass'd,
And bravely on the banks of fatal Allia chas'd
The Romans (that her stream distained with their
gore)
[ensign bore:
And through proud Rome, display'd his British
§. There balancing his sword against her baser
gold,

1

The senators for slaves he in her forum sold.
At last, by power expell'd, yet proud of late success,
His forces then for Greece did instantly address;
And marching with his men upon her fruitful face,
Made Macedon first stoop; then Thessaly, and
Thrace;

His soldiers there enrich'd with all Peonia's spoil;
And where to Greece he gave the last and deadliest
foil,
[day,
In that most dreadful fight, on that more dismal
O'erthrew their utmost prowess at sad Thermopylæ;
And daring of her gods, adventur'd to have ta en
Those sacred things enshrin'd in wise Apollo's fane:
To whom when thundering Heaven pronounc'd her
fearfull'st word,
[sword.

§. Against the Delphian power he shak'd his ireful
"As of the British blood, the native Cambri here
(So of my Cambria call'd) those valiant Cymbri were
(When Britan with her brood so peopled had her

frame:

10

From which we ours derive, to her eternal fame.
"So Britain forth with these, that valiant bastard
brought,
[fought
Morindus, Danius' son, which with that monster
His subjects that devour'd; to show himself again
Their martyr, who by them selected was to reign.
"So Britain likewise boasts her Elidure the just,
Who with his people was of such especial trust,
That (Archigallo fall'n into their general hate,
And by their powerful hand depriv'd of kingly state)
Unto the regal chair they Elidure advanc'd:
But long be bad not reign'd, ere happily it chane'd,
In hunting of a hart, that in the forest wild,
The late deposed king, himself who had exil'd
From all resort of men, just Elidure did meet ;
Who much unlike himself, at Elidurus' feet,
Him prostrating with tears, his tender breast so
strook,

That he (the British rule who lately on him took
At th' earnest people's pray'rs) him calling to the
court,

There Archigallo's wrongs so lively did report,
Relating (in his right) his lamentable case,
With so effectual speech imploring their high grace,
That him they reinthron'd; in peace who spent his
days.
[praise,

"Then Elidure again, crown'd with applausive
As he a brother rais'd, by brothers was depos'd,
And put into the tow'r: where miserably enclos'd,
Outliving yet their hate, and the usurpers dead,
Thrice had the British crown set on his reverend
head.
[came

"When more than thirty kings in fair succession
Unto that mighty Lud, in whose eternal name
§. Great London still shall live (by him rebuilded)
while

To cities she remains the sovereign of this isle.
"And when commanding Rome to Cæsar gave

the charge,

Beyond her empire's bounds, by shipping wisely (Herc prowling on the shores) this island to descry, What people her possess'd, how fashion'd she did

[room,

A certain monster often issuing from the sea, devoured diverse of the British people.

Which God, in human flesh, above all other grac'd. "No marvail then though Rome so great her conquest thought, In that the isle of Wight she to subjection brought, | Druides.

And often had dismay'd the Roman soldiers: when | Who faithfully and long, of labour did her eats.
Then he, our flamens' seats who turn'd to bishops
Brave Voadicia made with her resolved'st men
sees;

6. A greater foe to us in our own bowels bred,
Than Rome, with much expense that us had
conquered.
[were grown,
And when that we great Rome's so much in time
That she her charge durst leave to princes of our
[elect)
own,

(Such as, within ourselves, our suffrage should
§. Arviragus, born ours, here first she did protect;

Great Lucius, that good king: to whom we chiefly §. This happiness we have, Christ crucify'd to know. "As Britain to her praise receiv'd the christian faith,

[death
After (that word-made man) our dear Redeemer's
Within two hundred years; and his disciples here,
By their great master sent to preach him every
where,
[ferr'd;

Most reverently receiv'd, their doctrine and pre-
Interring him, who erst the son of God interr'd.
"So Britain's was she born, though Italy her
[nown'd,
Of all the christian world that empress most re-
§. Constantius' worthy wife; who scorning worldly
loss,

Doth Shropshire as a mear from Hereford divide,
As worthiest of the rest; so worthily doth crave
That of those lesser brooks the leading she might
[came:
have;
The first of which is Clun, that to her mistress
Which of a forest 2 born that bears her proper
Unto the Golden Vale and anciently ally'd, [name,
Of every thing of both sufficiently supply'd,
The longer that she grows, the more renown doth

[in, And for her greater state, next Bradfield bringeth Which to her wider banks resigns a weaker stream. When fiercely making forth, the strong and lusty [embrace, A friendly forest-nymph (nam'd Mocktry) doth Herself that bravely bears, twixt whom and Bring[deck'd, wood-chase, Her banks with many a wreath are curiously beAnd in their safer shades they long time her pro[doth fling: Then takes she Oney in, and forth from them When to her further aid, next Bow and Warren [doth take: bring Clear Quenny; by the way, which Stradbrook up By whose united powers, their Team they mightier make;

Which in her lively course to Ludlow comes at last,
Where Corve into her stream herself doth headlong
[Rhea.
With due attendance next, come Ledwich and the
Then speeding her, as though sent post unto the
[adieu,
Her native Shropshire leaves, and bids those towns
Her only sovereign queen, proud Severn to pursue.
When at her going out, those mountains of
command

[stand)

(The Clees, like loving twins, and Stitterston that

Trans-severned, behold fair England tow'rds the
rise,

And on their setting side, how ancient Cambria lies.
Then Stipperston a hill, though not of such renown
As many that are set here tow'rds the going down,
To those his own allies, that stood not far away,
Thus in behalf of Wales directly seem'd to say:
"Dear Corndon, my delight, as thou art lov'd
[be,
of me,

And Breeden, as thou hop'st a Briton thought to
To Cortoc strongly cleave, as to our ancient friend,
And all our utmost strength to Cambria let us lend.
For though that envious time injuriously have

Οὔνεκαγῆς ἐγένοντο καὶ ἂιματος Ουρανοῖο (g). Which misconceit I shall think abused the heathen upon their ill understanding of Adam's creation and allegoric greatness (h), touched before out of Jewish fiction.

Her Albanact; for aid, and to the Scythian cleave. Britain's tripartite division by Brute's three sons, Logrin, Camber, and Albanact, whence all beyond Severn was styled Cambria, the now England Loegria, and Scotland Albania, is here showed you: which I admit, but as the rest of that nature, upon credit of our suspected stories alluding here to that opinion which deduces the followed with sufficient justification by the Muse; Scots and their name from the Scythians. Arguments of this likelihood have you largely in our tradition of the Scythians themselves, they had most excellent antiquary. I only add, that by very anciently a general name, titling them Sco-lots (i) (soon contracted into Scots) whereas the Græcians called the northern all Scythians (k), perhaps the original of that name being from shooting; for which they were especially through the world famous, as you may see in most passages of their name in old poets; and that Lucian's title of Toxaris, is, as if you should say, an Teutonic (which was very likely disperst largely For the word shoot being at first of the in the northern parts) anciently was written nearer schyth, as among other testimonies, the name of syze finger (1), i. e. the shooting finger, for the forefinger among our Saxons (m).

parts of Dee, Wye, Severn, and Offa's dike (a). | the Latins, the very name of giants being thence The ancientest is Severn, but a later is observed derived. in a right line from Strigoil-castle, upon Wye (b), to Chester upon Dee, which was so naturally a mere between these two countries, Wales and England, that by apparent change of its channel towards either side, superstitious judgment was used to be given of success in the following years' battles of both nations; whence perhaps came it to be called Holy Dee, as the author also often uses. Betwixt the mouths of Dee and Wye in this line (almost an hundred miles long) was that Offa's dike cast, after such time as he had besides his before-possessed Mercland, a quired by conquest even almost what is now England. King Harold made a law (c), that whatsoever Welch transcended this dike with any kind of weapon, should have, upon apprehension, his right hand cut off; Athelstan, after conquest of Howel Dha, king of Wales, made Wye limit of North-Wales, as in regard of his chief territory of West-Saxony (so affirms Malmsbury) which well understood impugns the opinion received for Wye's being a general mere instituted by him, and withal shows you how to mend the monk's published text, where you read, Ludwalum regem omnium Wallensium & Constantinum regem Scotorum cedere regnis compulit (d). For plainly this Ludwal (by whom he means Howel Dha, in other chronicles called Huwal) in Athelstan's life time was not king of all Wales, but only of the south and western parts with Powis, his cousin Edwal Voel then having North-Wales; 'twixt which and the part of Howel conquered, this limit was proper to distinguish. Therefore either read Occidentalium Wallensium (for in Florence of Worcester, and Roger of Hoveden, that passage is with Occidentalium Britonum) or else believe that Malmesbury mistook Howel to be in Athelstan's time, as he was after his death, sole prince of all Wales. In this conjecture I had aid from Lhancarvan's history, which in the same page (as learned Lhuid's edition in English is) says, that Athelstan made the river Cambia (e) the frontier towards Cornwal: but there, in requital, I correct him, and read Tambra, i. e. Tamar, dividing Devonshire and Cornwal; as Malmesbury hath it expressly, and the matter itself enough persuades.

archer.

Three hundred years before Rome's great foun.

dation laid.

Take this with latitude: for between Æneas Sylvius, king of the Latins, under whose time Brute is placed, to Numitor, in whose second year Rome was built, intercedes above three hundred and forty, and with such difference understand the thousand until Cæsar.

And long before borne arms against the barbarous
Hun.

Our stories tell you of Humber, king of Huns (a people that being Scythian, lived about those Who drave the giants hence, that of the earth parts which you now call Mar (7) delle Zabach)

were bred.

Somewhat of the giants to the first song; fabu lously supposed begotten by spirits upon Dioclesian's or Danaus's daughters. But here the author aptly terms them bred of the earth, both for that the antiquities of the Gentiles made the first inhabitants of most countries, as produced of the soil, calling them Aborigines and Auróxlong, as also for imitation of those epithets of Fryers, and Indoyovo(f) among the Greeks, Terræ filii among

(a) Caradoo Lhancarvan in Conan Tindaethwy, Girald. Itinerar. 2. cap. 11. & Descript, cap. 15. (b) By Chepstow, in Monmouth. Claudh-Offa. See to the tenth song for Dee. An. D.CC. LXXX. (c) Higden. in Polychronic. 1. cap. 43.

(d)"He compelled Ludwal, king of all Wales, and Constantine, king of Scots, to leave their crowns." Emendatio Historia Malmesburiensis lib, 2. cap. 6. (e) Cambalan or Camel, (J) Callimach. in hymn. Jovis,

his attempt and victory against Albanact, conflict with Logrin, and death in this river, from whence they will the name. Distance of his country, and the unlikely relation, weakens my historical faith. Observe you also the first transmigration of the Huns, mentioned by Procopius, Agathias, others, and you will think this very different from truth. And well could I think by conjecture (with a great antiquary (6) that the name was

(g) "Because they were bred of earth, and the dew of Heaven." Orpheus ap Nat. Com. Mytholog. 6. cap. 21. (h) terra. (i) Herodot. Melpomene d. (k) Ephor. ap. Strab. «.

(4) In Scyze, forsan reliquiæ vocabuli □ep
i. e. Arcus, & punctorum variatione, Sagittarius,
v. Goropium Becceselan. 8. sive Amazonic.
(m) Alured. leg. cap. 40.

() Agathias lib. 4. Mæotidis Palus
(0) Leland, ad Cyg, Cant. in Hull,