The firste [laste] volume of the chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande conteyning the description and chronicles of England, from the first inhabiting vnto the conquest : the description and chronicles of Scotland, from the first original of the Scottes nation till the yeare of our Lorde 1571 : the description and chronicles of Yrelande, likewise from the first originall of that nation untill the yeare 1571 / faithfully gathered and set forth by Raphaell Holinshed.

Octauius.

[illustration]

* 1.1

THis Octauius then beginning his reigne o∣uer the Britons in the yeare of our Lorde,* 1.2 329.* 1.3 prouoked Constantine to send agaynst him one of his mothers vncles the foresayd Trahern This Trahernes,* 1.4 or as some name him Tra∣herne, entred this lande with three Legions of souldiours, and in a fielde neere vnto Winche∣ster, was encountred by Octauius and his Bri∣tons,* 1.5

by whome after a sore battayle there stri∣ken betwixte them,* 1.6 in the ende Traherne was put to flight and chased, in somuche that he was constrained to forsake that part of the lande, and to drawe towardes Scotlande.

Octauius hauing knowledge of his passage, followed him, and in the countrey of Westmer∣lande eftsoones gaue him •…•…attaile, but in that da∣tayle,

[illustration]

Octauius was put to the worsse, and con∣strayned to forsake the lande, fled into Norway, there to purchase ayde: and being redy with such power as he there gathered, what of Britons and Norweygians, to returne into Britayn. Before his landing, he was aduertised, that an Earle of Britayne whiche bare him heartie good will,* 1.7 had [ 30] by treason slayne Traherne. Octauius then cō∣ming to lande, eftsoones got possession of Bri∣tayne, whiche should be as Fabian gathereth) a∣bout the yeere of our Lorde .329. in the .20. yeere of the reigne of the Emperour Constantine,* 1.8 and about two yeares after that the sayd Octauius first toke vpon him as king.

After this, (as the Britishe Chronicle affir∣meth) Octauius gouerneth the lande right nobly and greatly to the contentation of the Brytons. [ 40] At length when he was fallen in age, and had no issue but one daughter, he was coūsayled to send vnto Rome for one Maximianus,* 1.9 a noble yong man, cousin to the Emperour Constantine, on the part of his mother Helene, to come into Bri∣tayne, and to take to wyfe the saide daughter of Octauius,* 1.10 and so with hir to haue the kingdome.

Octauius at the first mente to haue giuen hir in mariage vnto one Conan Meridoc Duke of Cornewall, whiche was his nephue: but when [ 50] the Lordes would not therto agree,* 1.11 at length he apointed one Maurice sonne to the foresaid Co∣nan to goe vnto Rome to fetche the forenamed Maximian. Maurice according to his commis∣sion & instructions in that behalf receyued, came to Rome, and declared his message in such effec∣tuall sorte, that Maximianus consented to go with him into Britayne, and so taking with him a conuenient number set forwarde,* 1.12 and did so muche by his iourneys, that finally he landed here in Britayn and notwithstanding that Co∣nan Meridock past not much to haue bin doing with him, for malice that he conceyued towards him, bicause he saw that by his meanes he sh•…•…ld be put beside the crowne, yet at length was Ma∣ximianus safely brought to the kinges presence, and of him honourably receyued, and finally the mariage was knitte vp, and solemnised in all princely maner.

Shortly after,* 1.13 Octauius departed out of this lyfe, after he had reigned the terme of fyftie and foure yeares, as Fabian gathereth by that that diuers authors doe write, howe he reigned till the dayes that Gratian and Valentinian ruled the Romaine Empire, whiche began to gouerne in the yeare of our Lord (as he sayth) 382.* 1.14 which is to bee vnderstoode of Gratian his reigne after the decease of his vncle Valens, for otherwyse a doubt may ryse, bicause that Valentine the fa∣ther of Gratian admitted the sayde Gratian to the title of Augustus in the yeare of our Lorde CCClxxj.

But to leaue the credite of the long reigne of Octauius, with all his and others gouernement and rule ouer the Britains sith the time of Con∣stantius, vnto our Britishe and Scottish wry∣ters, lette vs make an ende with the Gouerne∣ment of that noble Emperour Constantine, an assured braunche of the Britons race, as borne of that worthie Ladye the Empresse Helene, daughter to Coell Earle of Colchester, and after king of Britayn (as our histories doe wit∣nesse. Vnto the whiche Empresse Constantine

bare suche dutifull reuerence, that he did not on∣ly honour hir with the name of Empresse, but also made hir as it were partaker with him of all his wealth, and in many things was led and ru∣led by hir vertuous and godlye admonitions, to the aduancement of Gods honour, and mainte∣nance of those that professed the true Christian religion.* 1.15 For the loue that she bare vnto Colche∣ster and London, she walled them aboute, and caused great huge bricke and tyles to be made for [ 10] the performaunce of the same, whereof there is great store to be seene euen yet to this presente, both in the walles of the town and castel of Col∣chester, as a testimonie of the workemanship of those dayes. She lyued .lxxix. yeares, and then departed this lyfe about the .xxj. yeare of hir son∣nes reigne.* 1.16 First she was buried at Rome with∣oute the walles of the Citie with all funerall pompe, as to hir estate appertayned: but after hir corps was remoued and brought to Constā∣tinople, [ 20] where it was eftsoones enterred. Hir son the Emperour Constantine lyued tyll about the yeare of Christe .340. and then deceassed at Ni∣comedia in Asia,* 1.17 after he had ruled the Empire xxxj. yeares and odde monethes.

We fynde not in the Romain writers of any greate sturre here in Britayne during his reigne more than that whiche the Britishe and Scot∣tishe writers haue recorded: so that after Tra∣herne had reduced this land to quietnesse, it may be supposed, that the Brytons liued in reste vn∣der his gouernement, and lykewyse after vnder his sonnes that succeeded him in the Empire, till about the yeare .360.* 1.18 at what tyme the Picts and Scottes inuaded the south partes of the land, as hereafter in place shall further appeare.

But now to ende with Octauius. That the Christian faith remayned still in Britayne, du∣ring the supposed tyme of this pretenced kings reigne, it may appere in that amongst the .xxxvj. prouinces, out of the whiche there were assem∣bled aboue .iij. C. Bishops in the citie of Sardi∣ca

[illustration]

in Dacia,* 1.19 at a Synode holden there agaynste the Eusebians, Britayne is numbred by Atha∣nasius in his seconde Apologie to be one. And a∣gayn, the sayd Athanasius in an Epistle whiche he writeth to the Emperor Iouinianus reciteth, that the Churches in Britayne did consent with the Churches of other nations in the Confession of faith articled in the Nicene councell.

Also there is mencion made by writers of cer∣taine godlie learned men, whiche liued in offices [ 50] in the Churche in these dayes, as Restitutus bi∣shop of London, whiche wente ouer to the Sy∣node holdē at Arles in France, and also one Ky∣bius Corinnius that was son to Salomon duke of Cornewall, and bishop of Anglesey, and in∣structed the people whiche inhabited in the partes now called Northwales, and them of Anglesey aforesayd verie diligently,

But now to speake somwhat of things chan∣cing in Britain about this season (as we find re∣corded by y^e Romain writers) some trouble was likely to haue grown vnto the Britons by recei∣uing certain men of warre that fled out of Ita∣lie into Britayn,* 1.20 whom the Emperor Constan∣tius would haue punished, bycause they had takē part with Maxentius his aduersarie. Paulus a Spaniard and Notarie was sente ouer by him with cōmission to make enquirie of them, and to see them brought to light to answer their trans∣gressions: which Paulus began to deale roughly in the matter, wherof he was called Ca•…•…era, and to rage against the Britons and partakers with the fugitiues, in that they had receiued & mayn∣teyned them, as he alledged:* 1.21 but in the end being certified by Martinus the lieutenant of their in∣nocencie, and fearing least his extreme rigours

mighte alienate the heartes of the inhabitauntes altogither, and didde cause them to withdrawe their obedience from the Romaine Empire, hee tourned the execution of hys furie from them vnto the Romaines, and made hauocke of those whiche he suspected, till the said Martinus fell at square with him, and thinking on a tyme to kill him, he drew his sword & smote at him, but such was his age & weakenes, y^t he was not able to kil or giue him any deadly wound: wherfore he tur∣ned [ 10] y^e point of his sword against himself, & so en∣ded his life, being contēted rather to die than see his countreymen & subiects of the empire so to be abused. After this, the said Paulus returned backe again into Italy frō whēce he came, after whose departure, it was not long ere he also was slain, and then al the Scots & Picts sore disquieted the Romain subiects, for the suppressing of whose attempts Lupicinus was sent ouer out of Gal∣lia by Iulianus, as shal be declared out of Ami∣anus [ 20] Marcellinus, after wee haue firste shewed what we find written in our owne writers con∣cerning the Scots & Pictes, who nowe began to robbe & spoile the British inhabitants within the Romain prouinces here in this yle, & that euen in most outragious maner.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Octa∣uius.
• * 1.2

  Galfridus.
• * 1.3

  329
• * 1.4

  Fabian.
• * 1.5

  Galfridus.
• * 1.6

  This agreeth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 altogither 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that •…•…hich Hector Socius vvri∣•…•…, as in the •…•…ottish Chro∣•…•…cle appereth.
• * 1.7

  Traherne slain. See in the scot¦•…•…ish Chronicles •…•…ore of these matters.
• * 1.8

  Mat. VVest. •…•…eth. 326.
• * 1.9

  Maximianus is sent for.
• * 1.10

  Conan Meri∣doc duke of Cornevvall.
• * 1.11

  This agreth not vvith that vvhich is found in the Scottish chronicles.
• * 1.12

  Maximianus commeth into Britayne.
• * 1.13

  Octauius de∣parteth this life
• * 1.14

  382.
• * 1.15

  Harison.
• * 1.16

  Nicephorus. The Empresse Helene depar∣teth this lyfe
• * 1.17

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.18

  360. Har•…•….
• * 1.19

  Synodus an. 351.
• * 1.20

  Marcelli•…•… lib. 1•…•…. Pa•…•… •…•…¦rie.
• * 1.21

  Martinus li•…•…∣tenant.