University of Virginia Library

I. [The first part.]

BRVTE, THE FIRST KING OF BRITTAINE, began his Reigne,

I. Brvte. Anno mundi, 2858. Before Christ, 1108.

Æneas from subuerted Troy exilde,
In Tuscan wedded King Latinus childe:
By whom the Realme of Italy he gain'd,
And after he had 3 yeeres fully raign'd
He died, and left Ascanius in his stead:
To whom Siluius Posthumus did succeed.
From which Posthumus Royall loynes did spring,
Great Brutus, Brittaines first commanding King:
The people then were (here) all voyd of pride,
Borne Naked, Naked liu'd, and Naked dy'd.
Three Sonnes Brute left, Locrinus was his Heire
To England, Cambria (Wales) was Cambers share,
To Albanact (the youngest) 'twas his lot,
To sway the Scepter of the valiant Scot.
Thus 'mongst his Sonnes this Ile he did diuide,
And after twenty foure yeeres Reigne he dy'd.

Locrine, 20. yeeres, 1084.

Locrinus , Eldest of old Brutus Sonnes,
By Valour vanquisht the inuading Hunnes:
He chas'd them, & their power did quite confound,
And their King Humber was in Humber drown'd:
This Locrine had a Queene, faire Guendolin,
Yet folly led him to the Paphæan sinne,
Besotted sence, and blood with lust inflam'd,
He lou'd a beautie, Beautious Estrild nam'd,
By whom he had a Daughter, Sabrin hight,
In whome the King had whole and sole delight,
For which the Queene made war vpon her Lord:
And in the Fight she put him to the Sword;
And after a reuengefull bloody slaughter,
Queene Guendoline tooke Estrild and her daughter,
And drownd them both (to quēch her ielous flame)
And so from Sabrine, Seauerne got the name.

Q. Guendoline, 1064.

About this time Saul was King of Israel.

VVhen 15. yeeres this Queen had wisely raign'd,
She dy'd, & then her Son the kingdome gain'd.

Madan, 1009.

VVhen forty yeers this King had rul'd this Ile,
(As Stories say) he died a death most vile:
The wide-mouth'd Wolfe, and keene-tusk'd brutish Bore,
Did eate his Kingly flesh, & drinke his gore.

Mempricius raigned 20. yeeres, 991.

Mempricius base, his brother Manlius slew,
And got thē Crowne, by murder, not as due:
Maids, wiues, and widdowes, he by force deflowr'd:
He liu'd a Beast, and dy'd, by a Beast, deuour'd.

Ebranke, 989.

King Dauid reigned ouer Israel.

At Edinburgh the Castle he did found,
Alcluid & York, he built new from the ground:
He builded Bambrough, and reigned sixty yeeres,
Belou'd, as it in Chronicles appeares.

Brute the second, 929.

If any noble act Brute Greeneeshield did,
Hee's wrong'd, because from Histories th'are hid:
Twelue yeeres he rul'd, that's all I of him read,
And how at Yorke, hee lyeth buried.

Leil. 917.

Leil Carleile built, and raign'd yeeres twenty fiue,
And as Fame still keepes dead mens acts aliue:
So Leil (though dead) shall euer liue by Fame,
He lyes at Carleile, which himselfe did frame.

Rudhudibrasse, 892.

This King built Canterbury, Winchester,
And Shaftbury, he from the ground did reare:
And after twenty nine yeeres reigne was past,
At Winchester sore sicke, he breath'd his last.

Bladud reign'd 20. 863.

Baathe was by Bladud to perfection brought,
By Necromanticke Arts, to flye hee sought:
As from a Towre he thought to scale the Sky,
He brake his necke, because he soar'd too high.

Leire, 844.

Leeire (as the Story saies) three daughters had,
The youngest good, the other two too bad:
Yet the old King lou'd thē that wrong'd him most,
She that lou'd him, he banisht from his Coast.
False Gonorel and Ragan, he betweene
Them gaue the Kingdome, making each a Queene.
But young Cordeilla wedded was by chance,
To Aganippus, King of fertile France:
The eldest Daughters did reiect their Sire,
For succour to the young'st hee did retire,
By whose iust aide the Crowne againe he gain'd;
And dyed when he full forty yeeres had reign'd.

Yeeres before Christ. Qu. Cordeilla, 805.

Mad Morgan, an vnmanner'd Cunedagne,
Their Aūt Cordeilla with fierce war did plague
They vanquish'd her, and her in Prison threw.
And hauing reign'd fiue yeeres, her selfe she slew.

Morgan Cunedagus, 800.

Then Morgan did 'gainst Cunedague contend,
And at Glamorgan, Morgan had his end,
Then Cunedagus sole King did abide,
Full three and thirty yeeres, and then he dyed.

Riuallo, before Christ, 766.

Three daies it rain'd blood, when Riuallo reign'd.
And great mortalitie the Land sustain'd;
Hee forty six yeeres rul'd in Kingly State,
And then surrendred to all humane Fate.

Gurgustus, 721. Scicillius, 684.

A common Drunkard was this wicked King,
Which vice did many other vices bring,
Yeeres thirty eight, the Diadem he wore,
Scicillius next raignd nine and forty more.

Iago, 636. Kimmacus, 612.

Of these two Kings, small mention I doe finde,
They left bare Names (for memorie) behinde;
One twentie fiue yeeres: th'other fifty foure,
Had in this Land Commanding Regall power.

Gorbodug, 559.

Gorbodug next did in the Throne succeed,
Was sixty three yeeres King, and last decreed,
'Twixt his two Sonnes this Kingdome to diuide,
At Yorke hee's buried, where in peace hee dy'd.

Ferex, and Porex, 496.

Porex , in Fight his brother Ferex kil'd,
For which their mother, Porex heart blud spil'd:
These murthers mercilesse, did quite deface,
These Princes, last of Royall Brutus Race.

Mulmutius Donwallo, 441.

The Land vnguided, Kinglesse did remaine,
Till great Mulmutius did the Wreathe obtaine.
He builded Temples, made Lawes, Ploughs, highwaies,
And 40. yeeres he liu'd in fame and praise.

Bellinus and Brennus reigned 26. yeeres. 401.

These brethren did diuide the Realme in twaine,
But Kings can brooke no partnership in reigne;
They fell at oddes, and Brennus fled, subdude
With slaughter of his warlike multitude.
To France he scap'd, and was receiu'd in State,
In London, Belline builded Bellinsgate,
Braue Brennus conquer'd Italy and Rome,
Bellinus lies heere in an honour'd Tombe.

Gurguintus, 373.

Gvrguintus was Belinus first-borne sonne,
Victoriously he Denmarke ouer-runne:
He the vnpeopled Ireland did supply,
Reign'd nineteene yeeres a King, and then did dye.

Guinthelinus, 456.

He married Mercia a renowned Dame,
From whom the iust, wife, Mercian Statutes came:
He sixe and twenty yeeres the Scepter swaide,
And then with honour in his Tombe was laide.

Cecilius, 330. Kimarus, 223.

Seuen yeeres Cecilius kept the Regall Chaire,
Three yeeres Kimarus rul'd as his sole Heire;
The Syre with loue did well and iustly reigne,
His sonne Kimarus was a hunting slaine.

Elanius, 321.

Elanius (as most Histories agree)
Was King of Brittaine yeeres iust three times three:
What Acts he did, or what Lawes he decreed,
They are vnwrit, and therefore are vnread.

Morindus reigned 8 yeeres, 311.

This King Morindus, valiant more then wise,
A rau'ning Monster from the Sea did rise:
Which many people to destruction brought,
Who kil'd this braue King as he brauely fought.

Gorbomanus 303.

This King eleuen yeers wore the Brittain crown,
He founded Cambridge, & built Grantham Town;
His subiects peace, past Kingdomes he prefer'd,
Lou'd and bewail'd, at London was inter'd.

Archigalo, and Elidurus. 392.

These brothers were not Kings both at one time,
But for extortion (an vnkingly crime,
The Eldest hauing gaind his Subiects hate)
Depos'd, and Elidurus got the State.
But he (not greedy after worldly reigne)
To Archigalo gaue it vp againe.
Rul'd tenne yeeres more: thus twenty yeeres in all,
His State Maiesticke, did twice rise and fall.

Elidurus, 272. Vigenius, Peredurus, 270.

Lud reigned II. yeeres, 66.

A long time after Troynouant was fram'd,
It was by Lud, Kair-Lud, or Lud-stone nam'd.
He made it strong with Battlements and Towres,
Defensiue against foes inuasiue pow'rs.
Of free Stone for Free-men Ludgate hee founded,
Where freemen (wanting freedom) are confounded.
He dy'd and left two Sonnes, too young for reigne,
Wherefore his brother did the Crowne obtaine.

Cassibelan, 17. yeeres. 58.

Lvd dead, the Nobles crown'd Cassibelan,
In whose reigne here the Romanes conquest wan,
Great Iulius Cæsar sailed out of France,
And in this Land his Eagle did aduance.
But Britaines bold scorn'd base at first to stoope,
Twice Cæsar fled, before their warlike troope.
The Ciuill warres, this Kingdome ouer-runnes,
Betwixt Cassibelan, and Luds two Sonnes,
Whilst they (vnnaturall) sought each others fall,
The Romanes tooke aduantage, conquer'd all:
Where Cæsar, by his high Imperiall doome,
Made Britaine Tributary vnto Rome.

Theomantius, 37.

Then Theomantius (of the royall blood)
The sole Sonne liuing of his Father Lud:
Reign'd three and twenty yeeres, a King in State,
Whose Picture stands on Luds vnlucky gate.

Cimbilinus.

In this Kings reigne, (the glorious King of Kings
In person came, and mans saluation brings)
When through the world all bloody wars did cease,
(For our soules peace) then came the Prince of peace.

Guiderius, anno Christi, 21.

This King and Subiects, brauely, nobly ioyne,
To hold from Rome the tributary Coyne:
But Claudius Cæsar with an Army came,
The Britaines bold rebellious hearts to tame;
One Hamon there (a Romane) did deuise,
Him selfe like to a Britaine to disguise,
Guiderius brauely chasde his foes amaine,
Was by disguised Hamon falsely slaine.

Aruiragus, 44.

Stout Aruiragus being in the fight,
The Kings death added fury to his might:
Perceiu'd the Britaine Host, almost dismaide,
In's brothers Armour hee himselfe array'd,
The Souldiers thought the King againe suruiu'd,
With courage new through euery veine deriu'd,
Braue Aruiragus, like a Tempest goes,
And pell mell topsieturuy throwes his foes.
Great Cæsar with his Romane army fled,
The King tooke Hamon, and cut off his head,
And more, with sharp reuenge his wrath t'appease,
Hew'd him piece-meale, and cast him in the Seas,
The place long time, this name did then allow,
Of Hamors hauen, or Southampton now.
The Emperour would quite the tribute free,
If Brittaines King his Sonne in law would be.
Then Aruarigue did faire Genisse marry,
And Claudius Cæsar heere a while did tarry,
He builded Gloster, whil'st he heere remain'd:
The King dyed hauing twenty eight yeeres reign'd.

Marius, 73.

In this Kings reigne the lawlesse proling Pict,
(A Nation strange) did the North part afflict:
But Marius, in a battell slew their King,
And all their power did to subiection bring.
The Picts from Scythia, into Scotland came,
Rude, barbarous, ingratefull, hard to tame:
For by the Scotsh Kings fauour hauing got
Possession, they oft warr'd vpon the Scot.
And more and more that Kingdome they annoy'd,
Till Kennith Scotlands King, them all destroy'd:
Yeeres fifty three reign'd Marius iust and wise,
Dyed: and at Carleile his Corps royall lies.

Coylus, 124.

In Rome this King was fostred all his youth,
He lou'd Peace, Iustice, Fortiude and Truth:
He builded Colchester, and did suruiue,
Till he had reign'd a Kings yeeres, fifty fiue.

Lucius, 179.

The first of Kings that was a Christian nam'd,
Was Lucius (with the spirit of God inflam'd)
The Bread of life he did receiue with ioy,
The Pagan Idols hee did all destroy,
The Flamines and Archflamines he downe cast,
And Bishops and Archbishops here he plac'd,
He lou'd and fear'd th'eternall Three in one,
And dyed when he had 12. yeeres kept the Throne.

Seuerus, 194.

This was a Romane Emperour, and was slaine
At York the eighteenth yeere of his proud reigne:
Hee was an Alien and a stranger heere,
And therefore bought his vsurpation deare.

Bassianus, 212.

Seuerus here did wed a Brittish Dame,
By whom this King (their Son) the Crowne did claime.
But after sixe yeeres time, he left this Land,
And had the Romane Empire at's command.

Carausius, 290. Alectus, 292.

This King (of meane birth) did the Crown attain
After seuen yeeres, was by Alectus slaine:
Three yeeres Alectus did in state recide,
Our Protomartyr then Saint Alban dyde.

Asclepiodatus, 299.

Asclepiodatus, (in a mortall Fight)
Subdude the Romane Generall Gallus might;
Kil'd him, and cast him head-long in a Brooke,
Whence Gallus or Wallbrooke, for name it tooke,
And as Alectus did Cardusius kill,
So did this King Alectus life bloud spill,
And after two yeeres reigne in mortall strife,
Asclepiodatus slaine lost Crowne and life.

Coil raigned 14. yeeres. 301.

Colchesters Duke Coil in the Throne inuested,
Was by Constantius Cæsar much molested:
Till Coil gaue's Daughter to him for his Bride,
And paid Romes tribute, that was long deuide.
The Lady was of beauty most diuine,
Faire Hellen, Mother to great Constantine.
The King at Colchester, dead, laide in's Tombe,
His Sonne Constantius did supply his roome.

Constantius, 305.

Spaine , Italy, France, Britaines Emperor,
Foure yeeres he raign'd heere, with Maiesticke power,
True Honour was the ayme at which he shot,
Iust, Valiant, these reports his Actions got.

Constantine, 306.

Great Emp'ror Constantine, surnam'd the Great:
In all respects a worthy Prince compleate,
The glorious Gospell, he ador'd, and fear'd,
Constantinople famously he rear'd,
Maxentius, Romes great Tyrant, (most abhor'd)
He made him flie from his Imperiall sword.
Belou'd, bewail'd, high honor'd and admir'd,
In grace with God and men, his dayes expir'd.

84. Constantinus, 337. 85. Constans, 340.

These two were Brothers of the Royall line,
And Sonnes vnto the Emperour Constantine:
Ambition and debate for Kingly Raigne,
Was the vnnaturall cause they both were slaine.

86. Octauius, 345. 87. Traherus, 349.

Octauius Duke of Windsore tooke the Crowne,
Traherus came from Rome and put him downe:
The Land was full with hurly-burlies fild,
Traherus by Octauius last was kild.

88. Constantius the third. 353.

The Romane Empire he did closely sway,
And as a King this Land did him obay:
Th'Apostate Iulian was the Emp'rour next,
By whom the Christians all were slaine, or vext.

89 Maximinianus. 375.

Next Iulian, raigned Valentinian,
And after him, succeeded Gratian:
Maximianus was of life depriu'd,
'Cause he with Gratian for the Empire striu'd.

90. Gratian. 376.

Then Gratian claim'd this Kingdome as his right:
But hauing gain'd it, he was slaine in fight:
Fierce warres the Romane Empire did deuide,
And Cæsars and their Viceroyes fought and dyde.
Honorius Romes Tribunall did obtaine,
Next after him did Theodosius raigne,
Then did the Scot ioyne with the barbarous Pict,
This headlesse, Kinglesse Kingdome to afflict.
The Romane Scepter we had long obayd,
Foure hundred eighty three yeeres Tribute payd;
And now this land shook off their wrongd cōmand
When Ciuill discord had neer spoyl'd this Land.

91 Vortiger. 447.

This King through murder did the Throne ascend,
And had a troublous Raigne, and murdrous end:
Constance (Constantines) lawfull Heyre and Sonne,
By Vortigers false meanes to death was done.
For which (to keepe the Crowne vniustly gain'd)
The Saxons for his ayde he entertain'd.
Then Hengist, with his Brother Horsus crue,
In Britaines best bloud did their blades embrew.
King Vortiger with doting loue inthral'd,
Match't Hengists daughter, beauteous Rowan cal'd:
But Saxons troopes, on troopes came in so fast,
That Britaines did depriue the King at last.

92. Vortimer. 454.

Then Vortimer, the Sonne of Vortiger,
Vpon the Saxons made succesfull warre:
Till he by Rowan was by craft o'r-tane,
From whose false hands, he dy'd by poys'nous bane.
Deposed Vortiger (his Sonne once slaine)
His ill gain'd, ill kept Crowne he gain'd againe:
Hengistus with his Saxon fresh supplies,
The Plaines of Salisbury did all surprize.
The King tooke counsell of his Brittaine Lords,
And all in generall to a Peace accords.
The Saxons and the Brittaines did agree,
That at this meeting all vnarm'd should be:
But traitrous Hengist did a watch-word speake,
Which did the Law of Armes, and Honour breake,
The Saxons vnsuspected drew forth Kniues,
Foure hundred, threescore Lords, all lost their liues,
All Brittaine Nobles, then the Saxons there,
Surpris'd the King, constraining him through feare
To giue Kent, Sussex, Suffolke, Norfolke, and
That Hengist, King should in those Lands command,
But after nineteene yeeres were quit expir'd,
Reuenging Fire, the King in's Castle fir'd.
And thus the Saxons, and Great Hengists Heyres,
Won Shire to Shire, till Brittaine all was theirs.

93. Aurelius Ambrose. 466.

In honour of the Nobles basely slaine,
This King set vp the Stones on Sarum plaine:
The Gospell with great zeale he dignifi'd,
Raign'd thirty two yeeres, and by poyson dy'd.

94. Vter Pendragon raigned 18 yeeres. 498.

This King (by Merlins meanes, a skilfull man)
Igrene, the Duke of Cornewals Dutchesse wan:
On her he got, (though illegittimate)
The Christian Worthy, Arthur, stilde the Great.

Yeeres after Christ. 95. Arthur. 516.

Of the nine Worthies was this Worthy one,
Denmarke, and Norway, did obey his Throne:
In twelue set Battels he the Saxons beat,
Great, and to make his Victories more great,
The Faithlesse Sarazons he ouercame,
And made them honour high Iehouah's Name.
The Noble order of the Table round,
At Winchester, his first inuention found.
Whilst he beyond Sea fought to win Renowne,
His Nephew Mordred did vsurpe his Crowne,
But he return'd, and Mordred did confound,
And in the fight great Arthur got a wound,
That prou'd so mortall, that immortally
It made him liue, although it made him dye.
Full sixteene yeeres the Diadem he wore,
And euery day gaind Honour more and more.

96 Constantine, the fourth. 542. 97 Aurelius Conanus. 545.

Constantine was by King Aurelius kil'd:
Aurelius (Brittaine) thirty three yeeres held,
Seuen Kingdomes heere at once the Saxons held,
And slaughter launc'd, when proud ambition sweld.

98 Uortiporus. 578. 99 Malgo. 581.

This Uortipore from good Kings did decline,
Kept his wiues Daughter as his Concubine:
And Malgo put his Wife to bloudy slaughter,
To liue in Incest with his brothers Daughter.

100. Careticus. 586.

Gvrmundus hither out of Ireland came,
And with the Saxons ioyn'd with sword and flame:
The King to Wales did flye, his life to saue,
Whereas he chang'd his Kingdome for a Graue.

Cadwane. 613.

This Cadwane did the Saxon force withstand,
Of Ethelfridus of Northumberland:
And made him to entreate and sue for peace:
Raign'd two and twenty yeeres, then did decease.

102. Cadwallin. 635.

Cadwallin slew King Edwin, Egfrids Sonne,
He Penda Mercias King did ouer-runne:
He neuer fought but Conquest home did bring,
And eight and forty yeeres did raigne a King.

103. Cadwallader. 685.

This King renowned was both neere and farre,
The last of Brittaines Kings, Cadwallader,
The name of Brittaine was quite alterd then,
The Kings of England, subiects, Englishmen.
Then in this Land, of Kings there raign'd so many,
That Subiects knew not to obey all, or any:
Their names and times of raigne I meane to tell,
Should I write more, my Book too big would swell.

These Kings following were of the West Saxons.

104. Athelstane reigned 15. yeeres. 905.

This King did tame the Welsh, the Danes subdu'd,
He conquered Scotland and the Marches rude:
The Danish Gyant Colebrand in Hyde-meads,
By Guy the Earle of Warwick was struck dead.

105. Edmund. 940. 106. Eldred. 640

Edmund , reign'd next his brother Athelstane,
And after fiue yeeres was vntimely slaine:
Nine yeeres was Eldred Englands King instil'd,
Th'insulting Danes, he from this Realme exilde.

107. Edwin. 955. 108. Edgar. 959.

Then Edwin (as his right) obtain'd the Crowne,
For Rape, and brutish Lust he was put downe.
His brother Edgar a man iust and wise,
By Edwins fall, vnto the Throne did rise.
The Church and Commoweale (long time deform'd)
He by his Iustice and good Lawes reform'd.
Raign'd sixteen yeeres, and then by death assail'd,
As he had liu'd belou'd, he dy'd bewail'd.

109 Edward. 975. 110 Etheldred. 978.

Edward was slain by his accurst Stepmother,
Ayded by Etheldred his cruell brother.
This Etheldred caus'd all the Danes be slaine:
And dyed the thirty eightth yeere of his raigne.

111 Edmond Ironside. 1016.

The Danes came to reuenge with sword and fire,
Both Kings to Combat single did desire:
On equall termes, their valours both were tride,
In loue the Realme betwixt them they deuide.

112 Canutus. 1018.

This mighty Danish King foure Kingdomes hold,
Danes, Norway, England, Scotland he compeld,
Taxes and toles he rais'd in England here,
And dyed when he had gouern'd twenty yeere.

113 Harold. 1038. 114 Hardicanutus. 1041.

Harold from England did exile his Mother,
And kild Allured his King and his Brother:
Hardianutus then the Crowne obtain'd,
Who quaffing died, when he 3. yeeres had raign'd.

115. Saint Edward. 1043. 116. Harold the second. 1066.

Saint Edward from the Danes this Kingdom freed,
And for he had no Heyre, he heere decreed,
That William Duke of Normandy should be
Next King, but Harold seeming to agree,
Assoone as Edward was laid in his Toombe,
This hasty Harold mounted in his roome,
But William came from Normandy amaine,
By whom King Harold was vnking'd and slaine.