The Scottes & Pightes [ther] did theim ful great payn,
Syxe yere then next, [of whiche to haue some ease,] [for whiche for some eas.]
To kyng Aldrye [Aldroe.] there sorowes to apease,
Of lesser [lesse.] Britayn, then [who.] sent theim Constantyne,
To be there [head, and also] [helpe and eke.] there medecyne.
¶ This Constantyn, kyng [Aldries brothers wife,] [Aldroe bro∣ther wise.] [Constātyne reigned. x. yere.]
Was crowned then with royall diademe,
At Caircester [Circestre.] , as Brytons could [canne.] deuyse,
That with his hoste royall as did hym seme,
Gwayme [Gwayne.] and Malga [Melga.] , as chronicles [do] exprieme,
The Scottes and Peightes [Pictes.] he vēged [venqueshed.] & ouercam,
That [Brytayne wrought afore full mykel] [to Britayne afore hade doo grete.] shame.
¶ Thre sonnes he had full fayre by [so by.] his wife,
Constance then was the eldest sonne of all,
That was not wise, wherfore then, in his life,
He made hym monke, he was so bestiall,
To gette the life aboue celestiall:
His secounde sonne [that hight] [hight than.] Aurelius,
His surname was called Ambrosius:
¶ The yonngest sonne hight Vterpend ragon:
These two were wyse, but young they wer of age,
To there vncle sent, to be at his direction
Nurture to learne [lere.] , and all maner language,
By whiche after they maye haue knowelage [hoole knowlage.] ,
With discrecion and all good ordinaunce,
To rule and haue the realme by gouernaunce.
¶ When Constantyne had reigned well [full.] . x. yere,
Vpon a daye, as he in his garden went,
[A Peight that was in his house, hym full nere,] [A Picte than in his house was hym full nere.]
Hym slewe anone, by treason and consent
Of Vortiger, that euer [ay.] in his entent
Conspyred had, to haue the regaltee
Of greate Britayn, the kyng so to bee [for to be.] .