THE

HISTORIE OF ENGLAND, FROM

THE TIME THAT IT WAS FIRST INHABITED, VNTILL

THE TIME THAT IT WAS LAST CONQUERED:

WHEREIN THE SUNDRIE ALTERATIONS OF THE STATEVNDER FORREN PEOPLE IS DECLARED;AND OTHER MANIFOLD OBSERVATIONS REMEMBRED:

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_BY RAPHAEL HOLINSHED_

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NOW NEWLIE READ OVER, AND DILIGENTLIE DIGESTED INTO BOOKES AND CHAPTERS, WITH THEIR SEUERALL ARGUMENTS PREFIXED, CONTEINING AN ABRIDGEMENTOF THE WHOLE HISTORIE, FOR THE HELPE OF THE READERSIUDGEMENT AND MEMORIE:

WITH TWO TABLES OF PARTICULARS, THE ONE SERVING THE DESCRIPTION, THE OTHER THE HISTORIE:

_BY ABRAHAM FLEMING. _

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LAUS HISTORIÆ EX I. LELANDO. 

QUOD SOL ÆTHEREO PRÆSTAT PULCHERRIMUS ORDI, HISTORIA HUMANIS VBIBUS HOC TRIBUIT. 

TO

THE READERS STUDIOUS IN HISTORIES. 

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The order obserued in the description of Britaine, by reason of thenecessarie diuision thereof into bookes and chapters growing out ofthe varietie of matters therein conteined, seemed (in my iudgement) soconuenient a course deuised by the writer, as I was easilie inducedthereby to digest the historie of England immediatlie following into thelike method: so that as in the one, so likewise in the other, by summariecontents foregoing euerie chapter, as also by certeine materiall titlesadded at the head of euerie page of the said historie, it is a thing ofno difficultie to comprehend what is discoursed and discussed in thesame. 

Wherein (sith histories are said to be the registers of memorie and themonuments of veritie) all louers of knowlege, speciallie historicall, are aduisedlie to marke (among other points) the seuerall and successiuealterations of regiments in this land: whereof it was my meaning to haue[Sidenote: Pag. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 26, 27, 28, 49, 50, 51, of thedescription: and pag. 765, 766, of the historie of England. ]made an abstract, but that the same is sufficientlie handled in the firstbooke and fourth chapter of the description of Britaine; whereto if theseuenth chapter of the same booke be also annexed, there is litle or nodefect at all in that case wherof iustlie to make complaint. 

Wherfore by remitting the readers to those, I reape this aduantage, namelie a discharge of a forethought & purposed labour, which as toreduce into some plausible forme was a worke both of time, paine andstudie: so seeming vnlikelie to be comprised in few words (being a matterof necessarie and important obseruation) occasion of tediousnes is to andfro auoided; speciallie to the reader, who is further to be aduertised, that the computations of yeares here and there expressed, according tothe indirect direction of the copies whense they were deriued and drawne, is not so absolute (in some mens opinion) as it might haue beene: howbeitiustifiable by their originals. 

Wherin hereafter (God prolonging peace in the church and commonwelththat the vse of bookes may not be abridged) such diligent care shall behad, that in whatsoeuer the helpe of bookes will doo good, or conferencewith antiquaries auaile, there shall want no will to vse the one and theother. And yet it is not a worke for euerie common capacitie, naie it isa toile without head or taile euen for extraordinarie wits, to correctthe accounts of former ages so many hundred yeares receiued, out ofvncerteinties to raise certeinties, and to reconcile writers dissentingin opinion and report. But as this is vnpossible, so is no more to belooked for than may be performed: and further to inquire as it is againstreason, so to vndertake more than may commendablie be atchiued, werefowle follie. 

ABRAHAM FLEMING. 

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THE FIRST BOOKE

OF THE

HISTORIE OF ENGLAND. 

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_Who inhabited this Iland before the comming of Brute: of Noah & histhree sonnes, among whom the whole earth was diuided: and to which oftheir portions this Ile of Britaine befell. _

THE FIRST CHAPTER. 

What manner of people did first inhabite this our country, which hathmost generallie and of longest continuance béene knowne among all nationsby the name of Britaine as yet is not certeinly knowne; neither can it bedecided fr[=o] whence the first inhabitants there of came, by reason ofsuch diuersitie in iudgements as haue risen amongst the learned in this[Sidenote: The originall of nations for the most part vncerteine. ]behalfe. But sith the originall in maner of all nations is doubtfull, andeuen the same for the more part fabulous (that alwaies excepted which wefind in the holie scriptures) I wish not any man to leane to that whichshall be here set downe as to an infallible truth, sith I doo but onlieshew other mens conjectures, grounded neuerthelesse vpon likelie reasons, concerning that matter whereof there is now left but little othercerteintie, or rather none at all. 

[Sidenote: Whither Britaine were an Iland at the first. _Geog. Com. Lib. _No Ilands at the first, as some coniecture. ]To fetch therefore the matter from the farthest, and so to stretch itforward, it séemeth by the report of Dominicus Marius Niger that in thebeginning, when God framed the world, and diuided the waters apart fromthe earth, this Ile was then a parcell of the continent, and ioinedwithout any separation of sea to the maine land. But this opinion (as allother the like vncerteinties) I leaue to be discussed of by the learned:howbeit for the first inhabitation of this Ile with people, I hauethought good to set downe in part, what may be gathered out of suchwriters as haue touched that matter, and may séeme to giue some lightvnto the knowledge thereof. 

[Sidenote: In the first part of the acts of the English votaries. Britaine inhabitied before the floud. _Genesis 6_. _Berosus ant. Lib. _ 1. ]First therefore Iohn Bale our countrieman, who in his time greatlietrauelled in the search of such antiquities, dooth probablie coniecture, that this land was inhabited and replenished with people long before thefloud, at that time in the which the generation of mankind (as Moseswriteth) began to multiplie vpon the vniuersall face of the earth: andtherfore it followeth, that as well this land was inhabited with peoplelong before the daies of Noah, as any the other countries and partsof the world beside. But when they had once forsaken the ordinancesappointed them by God, and betaken them to new waies inuented ofthemselues, such loosenesse of life ensued euerie where, as brought vponthem the great deluge and vniuersall floud, in the which perished as wellthe inhabitants of these quarters, as the residue of the race of mankind, generallie dispersed in euerie other part of the whole world, onelie Noah& his familie excepted, who by the prouidence and pleasure of almightieGod was preserued from the rage of those waters, to recontinue andrepaire the new generation of man of vpon earth. 

[Sidenote: NOAH. _In comment. Super 4. Lib. __Berosus de antiquit. Lib. _ 1_Annius vt suor. _]After the flood (as Annius de Viterbo recordeth) and reason alsoenforceth, Noah was the onlie monarch of all the world, and as the sameAnnius gathereth by the account of Moses in the 100. Yeare after theflood, Noah diuided the earth among his thrée sonnes; assigning to thepossession of his eldest sonne all that portion of land which now isknowne by the name of Asia; to his second sonne Cham, he appointed allthat part of the world which now is called Affrica: and to his thirdsonne Iaphet was allotted all Europa, with all the Iles therto belonging, wherin among other was conteined this our Ile of Britaine, with the otherIles thereto perteining. 

[Sidenote: IAPHET AND HIS SONNES. _Johannes Bodinus ad fac. Hist. Cogn. __Franciscus Tarapha_. ]Iaphet the third son of Noah, of some called Iapetus, and of others, Atlas Maurus (because he departed this life in Mauritania) was the first(as Bodinus affirmeth by the authoritie and consent of the Hebrue, Gréeke& Latine writers) that peopled the countries of Europe, which afterwardhe diuided among his sonnes: of whom Tuball (as Tarapha affirmeth)obteined the kingdome of Spaine. Gomer had dominion ouer the Italians, and (as Berosus and diuers other authors agrée) Samothes was the founderof Celtica, which conteined in it (as Bale witnesseth) a great part ofEurope, but speciallie those countries which now are called by the namesof Gallia and Britannia. 

[Sidenote: Britaine inhabited shortlie after the floud. ]Thus was this Iland inhabited and peopled within 200 yéeres after thefloud by the children of Iaphet the sonne of Noah: & this is not onlieprooued by Annius, writing vpon Berosus, but also confirmed by Moses inthe scripture, where he writeth, that of the offspring of Iaphet, theIles of the Gentiles (wherof Britain is one) were sorted into regions inthe time of Phaleg the sonne of Hiber, who was borne at the time of the[Sidenote: _Theophilus episcop. Antioch. Ad Anfol lib. 2. _The words of Theophilus a doctor of the church, who liued an. Dom. 160. ]diuision of languages. Herevpon Theophilus hath these words: "Cùm priscistemporibus pauci forent homines in Arabia & Chaldæa, post linguarumdiuisionem aucti & multiplicati paulatim sunt: hinc quidam abieruntversus orientem, quidam concessere ad partes maioris continentis, alijporrò profecti sunt ad septentrionem sedes quæsituri, nec priùs desieruntterram vbiq; occupare, quàm etiam Britannos in Arctois climatibusaccesserint, &c. " _That is_; "When at the first there were not maniemen in Arabia and Chaldæa, it came to passe, that after the diuision oftoongs, they began somewhat better to increase and multiplie, by whichoccasion some of them went toward the east, and some toward the parts ofthe great maine land: diuers of them went also northwards to seeke themdwelling places, neither staid they to replenish the earth as they went, till they came vnto the Iles of Britaine, lieng vnder the north pole. "Thus far Theophilus. 

These things considered, Gildas the Britaine had great reason to thinke, that this countrie had bene inhabited from the beginning. And PolydorVirgil was with no lesse consideration hereby induced to confesse, thatthe Ile of Britaine had receiued inhabitants foorthwith after the floud. 

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_Of Samothes, Magus, Sarron, Druis, and Bardus, fiue kings succeedingeach other in regiment ouer the Celts and Samotheans, and how maniehundred yeeres the Celts inhabited this Iland. _

THE SECOND CHAPTER. 

[Sidenote: _Gen. 2. _]Samothes the sixt begotten sonne of Iaphet called by Moses Mesech, by[Sidenote: _De migr. Gen. _]others Dis, receiued for his portion (according to the report ofWolfgangus Lazius) all the countrie lieng betwéene the riuer of Rheneand the Pyrenian mountains, where he founded the kingdome of Celtica[Sidenote: _Cent. 1. _]ouer his people called Celtæ. Which name Bale affirmeth to haue beneindifferent to the inhabitants both of the countrie of Gallia, and theIle of Britaine, & that he planted colonies of men (brought foorth ofthe east parts) in either of them, first in the maine land, and after[Sidenote: _Anti. Lib. _ 1. _Bale Script_. _Brit. Cent. _ 1. ]in the Iland. He is reported by Berosus to haue excelled all men ofthat age in learning and knowledge: and also is thought by Bale tohaue imparted the same among his people; namelie, the vnderstanding[Sidenote: _Cæsar. Comment. Lib. _ 8. ]of the sundrie courses of the starres, the order of inferiour things, with manie other matters incident to the morall and politike gouernmentof mans life: and to haue deliuered the same in the Phenician letters:out of which the Gréekes (according to the opinion of Archilochus)[Sidenote: _In epithet. Temp. __De æquinorus contra Appionem_. ]deuised & deriued the Gréeke characters, insomuch that Xenophon andIosephus doo constantlie report (although Diogenes Laertius be againstit) that both the Gréekes and other nations receiued their letters andlearning first from these countries. Of this king and his learning arose[Sidenote: _Lib. De Magic. Success. Lib. _ 22. ]a sect of philosophers (saith Annius) first in Britaine, and after inGallia, the which of his name were called Samothei. They (as Aristotleand Secion write) were passing skilfull both in the law of God and man:[Sidenote: _Script. Brit. Cent. _ I. ]and for that cause excéedinglie giuen to religion, especiallie theinhabitants of this Ile of Britaine, insomuch that the whole nationdid not onelie take the name of them, but the Iland it selfe (as Bale[Sidenote: _De ant. Cant. Cent. Lib. _ I. ]and doctor Caius agree) came to be called Samothea, which was the firstpeculiar name that euer it had, and by the which it was especiallie[Sidenote: This Ile called Samothea. ]knowne before the arriuall of Albion. 

[Sidenote: MAGUS THE SON OF SAMOTHES. _Lib. _ 9. _Annius in commen. Super eundem. Geogr. _]Magus the sonne of Samothes, after the death of hisfather, was the second king of Celtica, by whome (as Berosus writeth)there were manie townes builded among the Celts, which by the witnesseof Annius did beare the addition of their founder Magus: of which townesdiuers are to be found in Ptolomie. And Antoninus a painfull surueior ofthe world and searcher of cities, maketh mention of foure of them herein Britaine, Sitomagus, Neomagus, Niomagus, and Nouiomagus. Neomagussir Thomas Eliot writeth to haue stood where the citie of Chester nowstandeth; Niomagus, George Lillie placeth where the towne of Buckinghamis now remaining. Beside this, Bale dooth so highlie commend the foresaidMagus for his learning renowmed ouer all the world, that he would hauethe Persians, and other nations of the south and west parts, to deriuethe name of their diuines called _Magi_ from him. In déed RauisiusTextor, and sir Iohn Prise affirme, that in the daies of Plinie, theBritons were so expert in art magike, that they might be thought to hauefirst deliuered the same to the Persians. What the name of _Magus_[Sidenote: _De diui. Lib. _ 1. _De fastis li. _ 5. ]importeth, and of what profession the _Magi_ were, Tullie declareth atlarge, and Mantuan in briefe, after this maner:

 Ille penes Persas Magus est, qui sidera norit, Qui sciat herbarum vires cultúmq; deorum, Persepoli facit ista Magos prudentia triplex. 

 The Persians terme him Magus, that the course of starres dooth knowe, The power of herbs, and worship due to God that man dooth owe, By threefold knowledge thus the name of Magus then dooth growe. 

 [Sidenote: _H. F. _]

[Sidenote: SARRON THE SON OF MAGUS. _De ant. Cant. Lib. _ 1. ][Sidenote: _Bale. Script_. _Brit. Cent. _ I. ]Sarron the third king of the Celts succéeded his father Magus ingouernement of the countrie of Gallia, and the Ile Samothea, wherein as(D. Caius writeth) he founded certaine publike places for them thatprofessed learning, which Berosus affirmeth to be done, to the intentto restraine the wilfull outrage of men, being as then but raw and voidof all ciuilitie. Also it is thought by Annius, that he was the firstauthor of those kind of philosophers, which were called Sarronides, ofwhom Diodorus Siculus writeth in this sort: "There are (saith he) among[Sidenote: _Lib. _ 6. ]the Celts certaine diuines and philosophers called Sarronides, whomaboue all other they haue in great estimation. For it is the manneramong them, not without a philosopher to make anie sacrifice: sith theyare of beléefe, that sacrifices ought onelie to be made by such as areskilfull in the diuine mysteries, as of those who are néerest vnto God, by whose intercession they thinke all good things are to be required ofGod, and whose aduise they vse and follow, as well in warre as in peace. "

[Sidenote: DRUIS THE SON OF SARRON. _De morte Claud. _]Druis, whom Seneca calleth Dryus, being the sonne of Sarron, was afterhis father established the fourth king of Celtica, indifferentliereigning as wel ouer the Celts as Britons, or rather (as the inhabitantsof this Ile were then called) Samotheans. This prince is commended byBerosus to be so plentifullie indued with wisedome and learning, thatAnnius taketh him to be the vndoubted author of the begining and name ofthe philosophers called Druides, whome Cæsar and all other ancientGréeke and Latine writers doo affirme to haue had their begining inBritaine, and to haue bin brought from thence into Gallia, insomuch thatwhen there arose any doubt in that countrie touching any point of theirdiscipline, they did repaire to be resolued therein into Britaine, where, speciallie in the Ile of Anglesey (as Humfrey Llhoyd witnesseth) they[Sidenote: _Anti. Lib. _ 5. _Annius super eundem_. _De bello Gallico_. 6. ]made their principall abode. Touching their vsages many things arewritten by Aristotle, Socion, Plinie, Laertius, Bodinus, and others:which I will gather in briefe, and set downe as followeth. They had(as Cæsar saith) the charge of common & priuate sacrifices, thediscussing of points of religion, the bringing vp of youth, thedetermining of matters in variance with full power to interdict so maniefrom the sacrifice of their gods and the companie of men, as disobeied[Sidenote: _Hist. An. Lib. _ 1. ]their award. Polydore affirmeth, how they taught, that mens soules couldnot die, but departed from one bodie to another, and that to the intent[Sidenote: _De diui. Lib. _ 1. ]to make men valiant and drealesse of death. Tullie writeth, thatpartlie by tokens, and partlie by surmises, they would foretell thingsto come. And by the report of Hector Boetius, some of them were notignorant of the immortalitie of the one and euerlasting God. All these[Sidenote: _Hist. Scoti. Li. _ 2. _De migr. Gen. Lib. _ 2. _Marcellinus_. ]things they had written in the Greeke toong, insomuch that Wolf. Lazius(vpon the report of Marcellinus) declareth how the Gréeke letters werefirst brought to Athens by Timagenes from the Druides. And herevpon itcommeth also to passe, that the British toong hath in it remaining atthis day some smacke of the Gréeke. Among other abuses of the Druides, they had (according to Diodorus) one custome to kill men, and by thefalling, bleeding, and dismembring of them, to diuine of things to come:for the which and other wicked practises, their sect was first condemnedfor abhominable (as some haue written) and dissolued in Gallia (asAuentinus witnesseth) by Tiberius and Claudius the emperours; and[Sidenote: _Anna. Boiorum. Lib. _ 22. ]lastlie abolished here in Britaine (by the report of Caius) when thegospell of Christ by the preaching of Fugatius and Damianus was receiued[Sidenote: _De ant. Cant. _]among the Britaines, vnder Lucius king of Britaine, about the yeare ofour sauior, 179. 

[Sidenote: BARDUS THE SONNE OF DRUIS. _Berosus ant. Lib. _ 2. _Annius in commen. Super eundem_. _Ant. Cant li. _ 1. _script. Britan. Cent. _ 1. _Nonnius_. _Marcel. __Strabo_. _Diodor. Sicul. Lib. _ 6. _Carol. Stepha. In dict. Hist. __Bale_. _Iohn Prise_. ]Bardus the sonne of Druis succéeded his father in the kingdome ofCeltica, and was the fift king ouer the Celtes and Samotheans, amongstwhom he was highlie renoumed (as appeareth by Berosus) for inuention ofdities and musicke, wherein Annius of Viterbo writeth, that he trainedhis people: and of such as excelled in this knowledge, he made an orderof philosophicall poets or heraulds, calling them by his owne name Bardi. And it should séeme by doctor Caius and master Bale, that Cæsar foundsome of them here at his arriuall in this Ile, and reported that they hadalso their first begining in the same. The profession and vsages of theseBardi, Nonnius, Strabo, Diodorus, Stephanus, Bale, and sir Iohn Prise, are in effect reported after this sort. They did vse to record thenoble exploits of the ancient capteins, and to drawe the pedegrées andgenealogies of such as were liuing. They would frame pleasant dities andsongs, learne the same by heart, and sing them to instruments at solemnefeasts and assemblies of noble men and gentlemen. Wherefore they were hadin so high estimation, that if two hosts had bene readie ranged to ioinein battell, and that any of them had fortuned to enter among them, boththe hosts (as well the enimies as the friends) would haue holden theirhands, giuen eare vnto them, and ceassed from fight, vntill these Bards[Sidenote: _Lucan. Lib. _ 1. ]had gone out of the battell. Of these Bards Lucane saith, Vos quoq; qui fortes animas bellóq; peremptas, Laudius in longum vares dimittítis æuum, Plurima securi fudistis carmina Bardi:

 [Sidenote: _II. F. _] And you ô poet Bards from danger void that dities sound, Of soules of dreadlesse men, whom rage of battell would confound, And make their lasting praise to time of later age rebound. 

Because the names of these poets were neither discrepant from theciuilitie of the Romans, nor repugnant to the religion of the Christians, they (of all the other sects before specified) were suffered onlie tocontinue vnabolished in all ages, insomuch that there flourished ofthem among the Britains (according to Bale) before the birth of Christ, [Sidenote: _Iohn Bale script. Britan. Cent. _ 2. _John Prise defen hist. Brit. __Caius de ant. __Cant. Lib. _ 1. _Iohn Leland__syllab. Ant dict. __Hum. Lloyd de Mona insula_]Plenidius and Oronius: after Christ (as Prise recounteth) Thalestine, and the two Merlins, Melkin, Elaskirion, and others: and of late daiesamong the Welshmen, Dauid Die, Ioslo Gough, Dauid ap William, with aninfinite number more. And in Wales there are sundrie of them (as Caiusreporteth) remaining vnto this day, where they are in their languagecalled (as Leland writeth) Barthes. Also by the witnes of Humfrey Llhoyd, there is an Iland néere vnto Wales, called Insula Bardorum, and Bardsey, whereof the one name in Latine, and the other in Saxon or old English, signifieth the Iland of the Bardes or Barthes. 

_Thus farré the gouernement of the Celts in this Ile. _

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AN APPENDIX TO THE FORMER CHAPTER. 

[Sidenote: _Bale_]After Bardus, the Celts (as Bale saith) loathing the streict ordinancesof their ancient kings, and betaking themselues to pleasure and idlenesse, were in short time, and with small labour brought vnder the subiection ofthe giant Albion, the sonne of Neptune, who altering the state of thingsin this Iland, streicted the name of Celtica and the Celts within thebounds of Gallia, from whence they came first to inhabit this land vnderthe conduct of Samothes, as before ye haue heard, accordinglie as Annius[Sidenote: _Annius_. ]hath gathered out of Berosus the Chaldean, who therein agréeth also with[Sidenote: _Theophilus_. ]the scripture, the saieng of Theophilus the doctor, and the generallconsent of all writers, which fullie consent, that the first inhabitantsof this Ile came out of the parties of Gallia, although some of themdissent about the time and maner of their comming. Sir Brian Tuke[Sidenote: _Sir Brian Tuke_. ]thinketh it to be ment of the arriuall of Brute, when he came out of[Sidenote: _Cæsar_. ]those countries into this Ile. Cæsar and Tacitus seeme to be of opinion, that those Celts which first inhabited here, came ouer to view the[Sidenote: _Tacitus_. _Bodinus_. ]countrie for trade of merchandize. Bodinus would haue them to come in (aGods name) from Languedoc, and so to name this land Albion, of a citie in[Sidenote: _Beda_. _Polydor_. ]Languedoc named Albie. Beda, and likewise Polydore (who followeth him)affirme that they came from the coasts of Armorica, which is now calledlittle Britaine. 

But that the authorities afore recited are sufficient to proue the timethat this Iland was first inhabited by the Celts, the old possessors ofGallia; not onelie the néernesse of the regions, but the congruenceof languages, two great arguments of originals doo fullie confirme[Sidenote: _Bodinus_. ]the same. Bodinus writeth vpon report, that the British and Celtikelanguage was all one. But whether that be true or not, I am not able toaffirme, bicause the Celtike toong is long sithens growne wholie out ofvse. Howbeit some such Celtike words as remaine in the writings of oldauthours may be perceiued to agrée with the Welsh toong, being the[Sidenote: _Pausanias_]vncorrupted spéech of the ancient Britains. In déed Pausanias theGrecian maketh mention how the Celts in their language called a horsse_Marc_: and by that name doo the Welshmen call a horsse to this day:and the word _Trimarc_ in Pausanias, signifieth in the Celtike toong, thrée horsses. 

Thus it appeared by the authoritie of writers, by situation of place, andby affinitie of language, that this Iland was first found and inhabitedby the Celts, that there name from Samothes to Albion continued herethe space of 310 yeares or there abouts. And finallie it is likelie, [Sidenote: _Iohn Bale_. ]that aswell the progenie as the spéech of them is partlie remaining inthis Ile among the inhabitants, and speciallie the British, euen vntothis day. 

 * * * * *

_Of the giant Albion, of his comming into this Iland, diuers opinions whyit was called Albion: why Albion and Bergion were slaine by Hercules: ofDanaus and of his 50 daughters. _

THE THIRD CHAPTER. 

[Sidenote: _Bale_. _Annius de Viterbo_. _Diodorus Sicubis_. Pinnesses or gallies. _Higinus_. _Pictonius_. ]Neptunus called by Moses (as some take it) Nepthuim, the sixt sonne ofOsiris, after the account of Annius, and the brother of Hercules, hadappointed him of his father (as Diodorus writeth) the gouernement of theocean sea: wherefore he furnished himselfe of sundrie light ships for themore redie passage by water, which in the end grew to the number of afull nauie: & so by continuall exercise he became so skilfull, andtherewith so mightie vpon the waters (as Higinus & Pictonius doo write)that he was not onelie called the king, but also estéemed the god of theseas. He had to wife a ladie called Amphitrita, who was also honored asgoddesse of the seas, of whose bodie he begat sundrie children: and (asBale reporteth) he made euerie one of them king of an Iland. In the Ile[Sidenote: _Scrip. Bri. Cent. _ 1. ]of Britaine he landed his fourth son called Albion the giant, who broughtthe same vnder his subjection. And herevpon it resteth, that Iohn Textor, [Sidenote: _Ioh. Textor_. _Polydor_. ]and Polydor Virgil made mention, that light shippes were first inuentedin the British seas, and that the same were couered round with the hidesof beasts, for defending them from the surges and waues of the water. 

This Albion being put by his father in possession of this Ile ofBritaine, within short time subdued the Samotheans, the firstinhabitantes thereof, without finding any great resistance, for that (asbefore ye haue heard) they had giuen ouer the practise of all warlikeand other painefull exercises, and through vse of effeminate pleasures, wherevnto they had giuen themselues ouer, they were become now vnapt towithstand the force of their enimies: and so (by the testimonie of[Sidenote: _Nichol. Perot. __Rigmanus Philesius_. _Aristotle_. _Hum. Lhoyd_. ]Nicholaus Perottus, Rigmanus Philesius, Aristotle, and Humfrey Llhoyd, with diuers other, both forraine & home-writers) this Iland was firstcalled by the name of Albion, hauing at one time both the name andinhabitants changed from the line of Iaphet vnto the accursed race of Cham. 

This Albion (that thus changed the name of this Ile) and his companie, are called giants, which signifieth none other than a tall kind of men, of that vncorrupt stature and highnesse naturallie incident to the first[Sidenote: _Berosus_. ]age (which Berosus also séemeth to allow, where he writeth, that Noahwas one of the giants) and were not so called only of their monstrousgreatnesse, as the common people thinke (although in deed they exceededthe vsuall stature of men now in these daies) but also for that theytooke their name of the soile where they were borne: for _Gigantes_[Sidenote: What _Gigantes_ signifie]signifieth the sons of the earth: the Aborigines, or (as Cesar calleththem) Indigenæ; that is, borne and bred out of the earth where theyinhabited. 

Thus some thinke, but verelie although that their opinion is not to beallowed in any condition, which maintaine that there should be any[Sidenote: _Against the opinion of the Aborigines_. ]Aborigines, or other kind of men than those of Adams line; yet thatthere haue béene men of far greater stature than are now to be found, is sufficientlie prooued by the huge bones of those that haue beenefound in our time, or lately before: whereof here to make furtherrelation it shall not need, sith in the description of Britaine yeshall find it sufficientlie declared. 

[Sidenote: _Bale_. Bergion brother to Albion. Hercules Lybicus. ]But now to our purpose. As Albion held Britaine in subiection, so hisbrother Bergion kept Ireland and the Orkenies vnder his rule anddominion, and hearing that their coosine Hercules Lybicus hauingfinished his conquests in Spaine, meant to passe through Gallia intoItalie, against their brother Lestrigo that oppressed Italie, vndersubiection of him & other of his brethren the sons also of Neptune;as well Albion as Bergion assembling their powers togither, passedouer into Gallia, to stoppe the passage of Hercules, whose intentionwas to vanquish and destroie those tyrants the sonnes of Neptune, &their complices that kept diuers countries and regions vnder thepainefull yoke of their heauie thraldome. 

[Sidenote: The cause why Hercules pursued his cousins. ]The cause that moued Hercules thus to pursue vpon those tyrants nowreigning thus in the world, was, for that not long before, the greatestpart of them had conspired togither and slaine his father Osiris, notwithstanding that they were nephues to the same Osiris, as sonnes tohis brother Neptune, and not contented with his slaughter, they diuidedhis carcase also amongst them, so that each of them got a péece in tokenof reioising at their murtherous atchiued enterprise. 

For this cause Hercules (whome Moses calleth Laabin) proclamed warresagainst them all in reuenge of his fathers death: and first he killedTriphon and Busiris in Aegypt, then Anteus in Mauritania, & the Gerionsin Spaine, which enterprise atchined, he led his armie towardes Italie, and by the way passed through a part of Gallia, where Albion and Bergion[Sidenote: _Pomp. Mela. _]hauing vnited their powers togither, were readie to receiue him withbattell: and so néere to the mouth of the riuer called Rhosne, in Latine_Rhodanus_, they met & fought. At the first there was a right terribleand cruell conflict betwixt them. And albeit that Hercules had thegreatest number of men, yet was it verie doubtfull a great while, towhether part the glorie of that daies worke would bend. Whereupon whenthe victorie began outright to turne vnto Albion, and to his brotherBergion, Hercules perceiuing the danger and likelihood of vtter losseof that battell, speciallie for that his men had wasted their weapons, he caused those that stood still and were not otherwise occupied, tostoope downe, and to gather vp stones, whereof in that place there wasgreat plentie, which by his commandement they bestowed so fréelie vpon[Sidenote: Hercules discomfiteith his enimies. Albion is slaine. ]their enimies, that in the end hée obteined the victorie, and did notonly put his adversaries to flight, but also slue Albion there in thefield, togither with his brother Bergion, and the most part of all theirwhole armie. This was the end of Albion, and his brother Bergion, by thevaliant prowesse of Hercules, who as one appointed by Gods prouidence tosubdue the cruell & vnmercifull tyrants, spent his time to the benefitof mankind, deliuering the oppressed from the heauie yoke of miserablethraldome, in euerie place where he came. 

[Sidenote: The occasion of the fable of Jupiter helping his son Hercules. ]And by the order of this battell wée maye learne whereof the poets hadtheir inuention, when they faine in their writings, that Jupiter holpehis sonne Hercules, by throwing downe stones from heauen in this battellagainst Albion and Bergion. Moreouer, from henceforth was this Ile of[Sidenote: How this Ile was called Albion, of the giant Albion. _Iohn Bale_. ]Britaine called Albion (as before we haue said) after the name of thesaid Albion: because he was established chiefe ruler and king thereofboth by his grandfather Osiris and his father Neptune that cunningsailour reigning therein (as Bale saith) by the space of 44. Yeares, tillfinally he was slaine in maner afore remembred by his vncle HerculesLibicus. 

After that Hercules had thus vanquished and destroied his enimies, héepassed to and fro thorough Gallia, suppressing the tyrants in eueriepart where he came, and restoring the people vnto a reasonable kinde oflibertie, vnder lawfull gouernours. This Hercules (as we find) buildedthe citie Alexia in Burgongne, nowe called Alize. Moreouer, by LiliusGiraldus in the life of Hercules it is auouched, that the same Herculescame ouer hither into Britaine. And this dooth Giraldus write by warrantof such Britons as (saith he) haue so written themselues, which thingperaduenture he hath read in Gildas the ancient Briton poet: a booke that(as he confesseth in the 5. Dialog of his histories of poets) he hathséene. The same thing also is confirmed by the name of an head of landin Britaine called _Promontorium Herculis_, as in Ptolomie ye may read, which is thought to take name of his arriuall at that place. Thus muchfor Albion and Hercules. 

[Sidenote: Diuers opinions why this Ile was called Albion. Sée more hereof in the discription. ]But now, whereas it is not denied of anie, that thisIle was called ancientlie by the name of Albion: yet there be diuersopinions how it came by that name: for manie doo not allow of thishistorie of Albion the giant. But for so much as it apperteineth ratherto the description than to the historie of this Ile, to rip vp and layfoorth the secret mysteries of such matters: and because I thinke thatthis opinion which is here auouched, how it tooke that name of theforsaid Albion, sonne to Neptune, may be confirmed with as goodauthoritie as some of the other, I here passe ouer the rest, & procéedwith the historie. 

When Albion chiefe capteine of the giants was slaine, the residue thatremained at home in the Ile, continued without any rule or restraint oflaw, in so much that they fell to such a dissolute order of life, thatthey séemed little or nothing to differ from brute beasts: and those arethey which our ancient chronicles call the giants, who were so named, aswell for the huge proportion of their stature (sithens as before is said, that age brought foorth far greater men than are now liuing) as also forthat they were the first, or at the least the furthest in remembranceof any that had inhabited this countrie. For this word _Gigines_, or_Gegines_, from whence our word giant (as some take it) is deriued, is aGréeke word, and signifieth, Borne or bred of or in the earth, for ourfore-elders, specially the Gentiles, being ignorant of the true beginningof mankind, were persuaded, that the first inhabitants of any countriewere bred out of the earth, and therefore when they could go no higher, [Sidenote: _Terræ filius_ what it signifieth. ]reckoning the descents of their predecessours, they would name him _Terræfilius_, The sonne of the earth: and so the giants whom the poets faineto haue sought to make battell against heauen, are called the sonnes ofthe earth: and the first inhabitants generally of euery countrie were ofthe Gréekes called _Gigines_, or _Gegines_, and of the Latines[Sidenote: _Aborigines_. _Indigenæ_. ]_Aborigines_, and _Indigenæ_, that is, People borne of the earth from thebeginning, and comming from no other countrie, but bred within the same. 

These giants and first inhabitants of this Ile continued in theirbeastlie kind of life vnto the arriuall of the ladies, which some of ourchronicles ignorantly write to be the daughters of Dioclesian the kingof Assyria, whereas in déed they haue béene deceiued, in taking the[Sidenote: The mistaking of the name of Dioclesianus for Danaus. ]word _Danaus_ to be short written for _Dioclesianus_: and by the samemeanes haue diuers words and names béene mistaken, both in our chronicles, and in diuers other ancient written woorks. But this is a fault thatlearned men should not so much trouble themselues about, considering the[Sidenote: _Hugh the Italian_. _Harding_. Iohn Rous_ out of _Dauid Pencair_. ]same hath bin alreadie found by sundrie authors ling sithens, as Hugh theItalian, Iohn Harding, Iohn Rouse of Warwike, and others, speciallie by the helpe of Dauid Pencair a British historie, who recitethe historie vnder the name of Danaus and his daughters. And because wewould not any man to thinke, that the historie of these daughtersof Danaus is onelie of purpose deuised, and brought in place ofDioclesianus, to excuse the imperfection of our writers, whereasthere was either no such historie (or at the least no such women that[Sidenote: _Nennius_. ]arriued in this Ile) the authoritie of Nennius a Briton writer may beauouched, who wrote aboue 900. Yeares past, and maketh mention of thearriuall of such ladies. 

[Sidenote: Belus priscus. _Danaidarium porticani_. ](text unclear)To be short, the historie is thus. Belus the sonne of Epaphus, or (assome writers haue) of Neptune and Libies (whome Isis after the deathof Apis maried) had issue two sonnes: the first Danaus, called alsoArmeus; and Aegyptus called also Rameses: these two were kings amongthe Aegyptians, Danaus the elder of the two, hauing in his rule the[Sidenote: Danaus. Aegyptus. _Higinus_. ]vpper region of Aegypt, had by sundrie wiues 50. Daughters, with whomehis brother Aegyptus, gaping for the dominion of the whole, didinstantlie labour, that his sonnes being also 50. In number, mightmatch. But Danaus hauing knowledge by some prophesie or oracle, thata sonne in law of his should be his death, refused so to bestow hisdaughters. Hereupon grew warre betwixt the brethren, in the endwhereof, Danaus being the weaker, was inforced to flée his countrie, and so prepared a nauie, imbarked himselfe and his daughters, and withthem passed ouer into Gréece, where he found meanes to dispossesseGelenor (sonne to Stenelas king of Argos) of his rightfullinheritance, driuing him out of his countrie, and reigned in his placeby the assistance of the Argiues that had conceiued an hatred towardesGelenor, and a great liking towardes Danaus, who in verie deed did sofarre excell the kings that had reigned there before him, that theGréekes in remembrance of him were after called Danai. 

But his brother Aegyptus, taking great disdaine for that he and hissonnes were in such sort despised of Danaus, sent his sonnes with a greatarmie to make warre against their vncle, giuing them in charge not toreturne, till they had either slaine Danaus, or obtained his daughtersin mariage. The yoong gentlemen according to their fathers commandement, being arriued in Greece, made such warre against Danaus, that in the endhe was constrained to giue vnto those his 50. Nephues his 50. Daughters, to ioine with them in mariage, and so they were. But as the prouerbesaith, "In trust appeared treacherie. " For on the first night of themariage, Danaus deliuered to ech of his daughters a sword, charging themthat when their husbands after their bankets and pastimes were oncebrought into a sound sléepe, ech of them should slea hir husband, menacing them with death vnlesse they fulfilled his commandement. Theyall therefore obeied the will of their father, Hypermnestra onelyexcepted, with whom preuailed more the loue of kinred and wedlocke, thanthe feare of hir fathers displeasure: for shee alone spared the life ofhir husband Lynceus, waking him out of his sléepe, and warning him todepart and flée into Aegypt to his father. He therefore hauing all thewicked practises reuealed to him by his wife, followed hir aduice, and soescaped. 

[Sidenote: _Pausanias_. ]Now when Danaus perceiued how all his daughters had accomplished hiscommandement, sauing onelie Hypermnestra, he caused hir to be broughtforth into iudgement, for disobeieng him in a matter wherein both thesafetie and losse of his life rested: but she was acquitted by theArgiues, & discharged. Howbeit hir father kept hir in prison, andséeking to find out other husbands for his other daughters that hadobeied his pleasure in sleaing their first husbands, long it was yerhe could find any to match with them: for the heinous offense committedin the slaughter of their late husbands, was yet too fresh in memorie, and their bloud not wiped out of mind. Neuerthelesse, to bring hispurpose the better to passe, he made proclamation, that his daughtersshould demand no ioinctures, and euerie suter should take his choisewithout respect to the age of the ladie, or abilitie of him that came tomake his choise, but so as first come best serued, according to theirowne phantasies and likings. Howbeit when this policie also failed, & would not serue his turne, he deuised a game of running, ordeiningtherewith, that whosoeuer got the best price should haue the first choiseamong all the sisters; and he that got the second, should choose next tothe first; and so foorth, ech one after an other, according to the triallof their swiftnesse of foote. 

How much this practise auailed, I know not: but certeine it is, diuers ofthem were bestowed, either by this or some other meanes, for we find thatAutonomes was maried to Architeles, Chrysanta or (as Pausanias saith)Scea was matched with Archandrus, Amaome with Neptunus Equestris, onwhome he begat Nauplius. 

[Sidenote: _Higinus_. ]But now to returne vnto Lynceus, whome his wife Hypermnestra preserued, asbefore ye haue heard. After he was once got out of the reach and danger ofhis father in law king Danaus, he gaue knowledge thereof to his wife, in[Sidenote: _Pausanias_. ]raising a fire on heigth beaconwise, accordingly as she had requested himto doo at his departure from hir: and this was at a place which afterwardstooke name of him, and was called Lyncea. Upon his returne into Aegypt, hegaue his father to vnderstand the whole circumstance of the trecherouscrueltie vsed by his vncle and his daughters in the murder of hisbrethren, and how hardly he himselfe had escaped death out of his vncleshandes. Wherevpon at time conuenient he was furnished foorth with men andships by his father, for the spéedie reuenge of that heinous, vnnaturalland most disloiall murder, in which enterprise he sped him foorth withsuch diligence, that in short time he found meanes to dispatch his vncleDanaus, set his wife Hypermnestra at libertie, and subdued the wholekingdome of the Argiues. 

This done, he caused the daughters of Danaus (so many as remained withinthe limits of his dominion) to be sent for, whome he thought not worthieto liue, bicause of the cruell murther which they had committed on hisbrethren: but yet for that they were his wiues sisters, he would notput them to death, but commanded them to be thrust into a ship, withoutmaister, mate or mariner, and so to be turned into the maine ocean sea, and to take and abide such fortune as should chance vnto them. These[Sidenote: _Harding_ and _Iohn Rouse_ out of _David Pencair_. ]ladies thus imbarked and left to the mercy of the seas, by hap werebrought to the coasts of this Ile then called Albion, where they tookeland, and in séeking to prouide themselues of victuals by pursute ofwilde beasts, met with no other inhabitants, than the rude and sauagegiants mentioned before, whome our historiens for their beastlie kind oflife doo call diuells. With these monsters did these ladies (finding noneother to satisfie the motions of their sensuall lust) ioine in the act ofvenerie, and ingendred a race of people in proportion nothing differingfrom their fathers that begat them, nor in conditions from their mothersthat bare them. 

But now peraduenture ye wil thinke that I haue forgotten my selfe, inrehearsing this historie of the ladies arriuall here, bicause I make nomention of Albina, which should be the eldest of the sisters, of whomethis land should also take the name of Albion. To this we answer, that asthe name of their father hath bene mistaken, so likewise hath the wholecourse of the historie in this behalfe. For though we shall admit thatto be true which is rehearsed (in maner as before ye haue heard) of thearriuall here of those ladies; yet certeine it is that none of them barethe name of Albina, from whome this land might be called Albion. Forfurther assurance whereof, if any man be desirous to know all their[Sidenote: _Higinus_. The names of the daughters of Danaus. ]names, we haue thought good here to rehearse them as they be found inHiginus, Pausanias, and others. 1 Idea, 2 Philomela, 3 Scillo, 4 Phìcomene, 5 Euippe, 6 Demoditas, 7 Hyale, 8 Trite, 9 Damone, 10 Hippothoe, 11Mirmidone, 12 Euridice, 13 Chleo, 14 Vrania, 15 Cleopatra, 16 Phylea, 17Hypareta, 18 Chrysothemis, 19 Heranta, 20 Armoaste, 21 Danaes, 22 Scea, 23 Glaucippe, 24 Demophile, 25 Autodice, 26 Polyxena, 27 Hecate, 28Achamantis, 29 Arsalte, 30 Monuste, 31 Amimone, 32 Helice, 33 Amaome, 34Polybe, 35 Helicte, 36 Electra, 37 Eubule, 38 Daphildice, 39 Hero, 40Europomene, 41 Critomedia, 42 Pyrene, 43 Eupheno, 44 Themistagora, 45Paleno, 46 Erato, 47 Autonomes, 48 Itea, 49 Chrysanta, 50 Hypermnestra. These were the names of those ladies the daughters of Danaus: howbeit, which they were that should arriue in this Ile, we can not say: but itsufficeth to vnderstand, that none of them hight Albina. So that, whetherthe historie of their landing here should be true or not, it is all onefor the matter concerning the name of this Ile, which vndoubtedlie was[Sidenote: See more in the description. ]called Albion, either of Albion the giant (as before I haue said) or bysome other occasion. 

And thus much for the ladies, whose strange aduenture of their arriuallhere, as it may séeme to manie & (with good cause) incredible, so withoutfurther auouching it for truth I leaue it to the consideration of thereader, to thinke thereof as reason shall moue him sith I sée not howeither in this, or in other things of such antiquitie, we cannot hauesufficient warrant otherwise than by likelie coniectures. Which as inthis historie of the ladies they are not most probable, yet haue weshewed the likeliest, that (as we thinke) may be déemed to agrée withthose authors that haue written of their comming into this Ile. But asfor an assured proofe that this Ile was inhabited with people before thecomming of Brute, I trust it may suffice which before is recited out ofAnnius de Viterbo, Theophilus, Gildas, and other, although much moremight be said: as of the comming hither of Osiris, as well as in the[Sidenote: Vlysses in Britaine. ]other parties of the world: and likewise of Vlysses his being here, whoin performing some vow which he either then did make, or before had made, erected an altar in that part of Scotland which was ancientlie called[Sidenote: _Iulius Solinus_. ]Calidonia, as Iulius Solinus Polyhistor in plaine words dooth record. 

¶ Vpon these considerations I haue no doubt to deliuer vnto the reader, the opinion of those that thinke this land to haue bene inhabited beforethe arriuall here of Brute, trusting it may be taken in good part, sith we haue but shewed the coniectures of others, till time that somesufficient learned man shall take vpon him to decipher the doubts of allthese matters. Neuerthelesse, I thinke good to aduertise the reader thatthese stories of Samothes, Magus, Sarron, Druis, and Bardus, doo relieonelie vpon the authoritie of Berosus, whom most diligent antiquaries dooreiect as a fabulous and counterfet author, and Vacerius hath laboured toprooue the same by a speciall treatise latelie published at Rome. 

THE END OF THE FIRST BOOKE