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THe sonne of Theomantius was of the Bri∣taynes made King after the decesse of his fa∣ther,* 1.1 in the yere af the world .3944. after the buil∣ding of Rome .728. and before the birthe of oure Sauioure .23. This man as some write, was
brought vp at Rome,* 1.2 and there made Knight by Augustus Cesar, vnder whome hee serued in the warres, and was in suche fauour with him, that he was at libertie to pay his tribute or not.
Little other mention is made of his doyngs, except that during his raigne, the Sauiour of the world, our Lord Iesus Christ, the only sonne of God,* 1.3 was borne of a Virgin about the .23. yeare of the reygne of this Kymbalyne, and in the .42. of the Emperour Octauius Augustus, that is to [ 10] witte,* 1.4 in the yeare of the Worlde .3966. in the se∣conde yeare of the .194. Olympiade, after ye buil∣ding of the Citie of. Rome .750. nigh at an end, after the vniuersal floud .2311. from the birth of A∣braham .2019. after the departure of the Israelites out of Egipt .1513. after the captiuitie of Babylon 535. from the building of the Temple by Salo∣mon .1034. and from the arriuall of Brute .1116. complete. Touching the continuance of ye yeares of Kymbelines raigne, is some discordaunce a∣mongst [ 20] writers, but the best approued affirme, that he raigned .xxxv. yeeres, and then dyed, and was buried at London, leauing behind hym two sonnes, Guiderius and Aruiragus.
But heere is to be noted, that although our hi∣stories do affirme, that as well this Kymbeline, as also his father Theomantius, liued in quiet with the Romans, and continually to them pay∣ed the tributes which the Britons had couenan∣ted with Iulius Cesar to pay. Yet wee finde in the Romane writers, that after Iulius Cesars death, when Augustus had taken vppon him the rule of the Empire, the Britaynes refused to pay that tribute:* 1.5 whereat as Cornelius Tacitus re∣porteth, Augustus (being otherwise ocupied) was contented to winke, howbeit, through earnest calling vpon to recouer his right by such as were desirous to see the vttermost of the British king∣dome, at length, to witte, in the tenth yeere after the death of Iulius Cesar, whiche was about the thirtenth yeere of the sayd Theomantius, Augu∣stus made prouision to passe with an army ouer into Britayne,* 1.6 and was come forward vpon his iourney into Gallia Celtica: or as wee may say,
But here receiuing aduertisements that ye Pa∣nonians which inhabited the countrey now cal∣led Hungarie, and the Dalmatians whome now we call Slauons had rebelled, he thoughte it best first to subdue those Rebelles neere home, rather than to seeke newe countreys, and leaue suche in hazard whereof he had presente possession, and so turning his power against the Pannonians and Dalmatians, he left off for a time the warres of Britaine, whereby the lande remayned withoute feare of any inuasion to be made by ye Romains, [ 50] till the yere after the building of the citie of Rome 725. and about the .19. yere of king Theomantius raigne, yt Augustus with an army departed once gayne from Rome to passe ouer into Britayne, there to make warre, but after his commyng into Gallia, when the Britaynes sent to him certaine Ambassadors to treate with him of peace, he stai∣ed there to settle the state of things among the Gaulles, for that they were not in very good or∣der, & hauing finished there, he wēt into Spayne, and so his iourney into Britayne was put off til the next yeere, that is, the .726. after the buildyng of Rome, which fell before the birth of our Saui∣our .25. about whiche time Augustus eftsoones meante the third time to haue made a voyage in∣to Britayne, bycause they could not agree vppon couenaunts: But as the Pannonians and Dal∣matians hadde afore time stayed him,* 1.7 when as before is sayde, hee meante to haue gone againste the Britaynes: so euen nowe the Sa∣lassia•…•…s, (a people inhabiting betwixt Italy,* 1.8 and Swetzerland,) the Cantabrians and Asturians by suche rebellious sturres as they reysed, with∣drewe him from his purposed iourney. But whe∣ther this cōtrouersie which appeareth to fal foorth betwixt the Britaynes and Augustus, was oc∣casioned by Kymbeline or some other Prince of the Britaynes, I haue not to auouch: for that by
our writers it is reported, that Kymbelyne being brought vp in Rome, and made Knighte in the Court of Augustus, euer shewed himselfe a friēd to the Romanes, and chiefly was loth to breake with them, bycause the youth of the Britayne nation shoulde not bee depriued of the benefite to bee trayned and broughte vp among the Ro∣maynes, whereby they mighte learne both to be∣haue themselues lyke ciuill men, and to atteyne to the knowledge of feates of warre. But whe∣ther [ 10] for this respect, or for that it pleased the Al∣mightie God so to dispose the myndes of men at that present, not only the Britaynes, but in mā∣ner all other nations were contented to be obe∣dient to the Romayne Empire. That thys was true in the Britaynes, it is euidente ynough by Straboes wordes,* 1.9 whiche are in effect as follo∣weth. At this present (sayth he) certayne princes of Britayne, procuring by Ambassadors and dutifull demeanors the amitie of the Emperoure [ 20] Augustus, haue offered in the Capitoll vnto the Goddes presentes or giftes, and haue ordeyned the whole Ile in a maner to be appertenant, pro∣per and familiar to the Romaynes. They are burdened with sore customes whiche they pay for wares, eyther to be sent foorth into Gallia, or brought from thence, whiche are commonly iuo∣rie vessels, sheares, ouches, or earering, and other conceytes made of ambre, and glasses, and suche like manner of merchandise: so that nowe there [ 30] is no neede of any army or garrison of menne of warre to keepe the Isle, for there needeth not past one legion of footemen, or some wing of horse∣men, to gather vp and receyue the tribute: for the charges are rated according to the quantitie of the tributes: for otherwise it shoulde be needefull to abate the customes, if the tributes were also reysed: and if any violence shoulde be vsed, it were daungerous least they mighte be prouoked to re∣bellion. Thus farre Strabo.
Kym∣belyne.
Fabian out of Guido de Columna.
Christ our Sa∣uiour is borne
3966
Cor. Tacitus in vitae ••••. Agr.
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He kept 〈◊〉〈◊〉 promise 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Roma••••••
Those of •…•…a∣lice & 〈◊〉〈◊〉
••••r. Geog.