The first two partes of the actes or vnchast examples of the Englysh votaryes gathered out of their owne legenades and chronycles by Johan Bale ...
Bale, John, 1495-1563.

¶ Brute with his Druydes.

IN processe of tyme, gote Brutus Syl∣uius thys lande of the Albions by conquest,* in the. xviij. yeare of Heli the hygh priest of the Israelites, lyke as Aeneas did Italy, and other great aduen∣tourers their regions. And of hym was it called Brytayne, and the people ther∣of Brytaynes. After he had fournyshed it with newe regimentes and lawes, there entered in a newe fashyoned sort of priestes, all diuerse from the other, and they were called Druydes.* These dwelt in the forestes lyke heremytes and pro∣cured both publyque and pryuate sacry∣fices to be done. To them was it alwa∣yes put, to dyscusse all matters of rely∣gyon, to appoynt therunto the ceremo∣nyes, to brynge vp youthe in naturall Page  [unnumbered] discipline, and to ende all controuersyes. Plinius, Strabo, Cornelius Tacitus, Caius Iulius, and other approued autours, report them to haue their first oryginall in thys lande, but that appeareth not true. Rather should they seme to come fyrst hyther frō Athens,* a moste famouse cytie of the Gre¦kes. Iohan Hardynge reporteth in hys Chronycle, that kyng Bladud brought them fyrst from thens, allegynge there Merlyne for hys autor.