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.

Constantinus.

* 1.1

[illustration]

COnstantinus, the brother of Aldroe∣nus king of little Bry∣taine, at the sute and earnest request of the Archbishop of London,* 1.2 made in name of all the Brytaines in the Ile of great Brytaine, was sent into the same Ile by his sayde brother Al∣droenus vpon couenants ratified in maner as be∣fore is recited, and brought with him a conueni∣ent power,* 1.3 landing with the same at Totnesin Deuonshire. Immediately after his comming a lande, he gathered to him a great power of Bry∣taynes, the which before his landing were hyd in dyuerse places of the Ile.

Then went hee forth with them,* 1.4 and gaue battaile to the enimies, whom he vanquished: and slue that tyrāt king Guanius there in the field (as some bookes haue.)

[illustration]

But this agreeth not with the Scottish wri∣ters, [ 50] the which affyrme that they got the field, but yet lost their king named Dongarde, (as in theyr Hystorie ye may reade.)

But to proceed as our writers report the mat∣ter. When the Britains had thus ouercome their enimies, they conueyed their captaine the sayde Constantine vnto Cicester, and there in fulfilling their promise and couenant made to his brother, crowned him K. of great Britain, in the yeare of our lord .433. which was about the .v. yeare of the Emperor Valentinianus the second,* 1.5 & third yere of Clodius K. of y^e Frākners after called French∣mē, which thē began to settle thēselues in Gallia, wherby the name of that cuntry was afterwards changed & called France. Cōstantine being thus established king, ruled the land wel & nobly, & de∣fended it frō all inuasiō of enimies during his life.

He begat of his wife three sonnes (as the Bri∣tish Historie affyrmeth) Constantius, Aurelius Ambrosius, and Vter surnamed Pendragon.

The eldest, bycause bee perceyued him to bee but dull of witte, and not verie towarde, he made a Monke, placing him within the Abbay of Am∣phibalus in Winchester.

Finally, this Constantine, after he had raig∣ned ten yeares, was trayterously slaine one day

[illustration]

[ 10] [ 20] in his owne chamber (as some write) by a Pict, the which was in such fauour with him,* 1.6 that hee might at all tymes haue free accesse to him at his plesure. Neither the Romaine writers, nor Beda, make any mention of this Cōstantine, but of the other Constantine they write, which immediate∣ly after that the vsurper Gracian was dispatched [ 30] out of the way (as before ye haue heard) was ad∣uaunced to the rule of this land, and title of Em∣peror, onely in hope of his name, and for no other respect of towardnesse in him, afore time being but a meane souldier, without any degree of honor.

The same Constantine (as wryters recorde) going ouer into Gallia, adourned his sonne Con∣stantius with the tytle and dignitie of Cesar, the which before was a Monke, and finally as well the one as the other were slain, the father at Arles [ 40] by Earle Constantius that was sent against him by the Emperor Honorius, and the sonne at Vi∣enna (as before ye haue heard) by one of his owne Court cleped Gerontius (as in the Italian Hy∣storie ye may see more at large.)

* 1.7This chaunced about the yeare of our lord .415.

This haue wee thought good to repeate in this place, for that some maye suppose that thys Constantine is the same whom our writers take to be the brother of Aldroenus king of little Bry∣tayne•…•…, [ 50] as the circumstaunce of the time and o∣ther things to be cōsidered may giue thē occasion to thinke, for that there is not so much credit to be yelded to thē that haue writen the Brytish hy∣stories, but that in some part men may with iust cause doubt of sundrye matters conteyned in the same: & therfore haue we in this boke bin the more diligent to shewe what the Romaine and other forreyne wryters haue regystred in their bookes of hystories touching the affayres of Brytain, that the reader may bee the better satisfied in the truth.

But now to returne to the sequele of the Hy∣storie as we finde the same wrytten by the Bry∣tish Chronicles.

After that Constantine was murthered (as be∣fore ye haue heard) one Vortigerus,* 1.8 or Vortiger∣nus, a man of great authoritie amongs the Bry∣teynes, wrought so with the residue of the Bry∣tish nobilitie, that Constantius the eldest sonne of their king the foreremembred Constantine, was taken out of the Abbey of Winchester, where hee remayned, and was streyght wayes created king, as lawfull inheritor to his father.

Ye haue heard howe Constantius was made a Monke in his fathers lyfe time, bycause he was thought to be too soft and childish in wit, to haue any publike rule committed to his handes: but for that cause specially did Vorteger seeke to ad∣uaunce him, to the ende that the King beeing not able to gouerne of himselfe, he might haue the chiefest sway, and so rule all things as it were vnder him, preparing thereby a way for hym∣selfe to attayne at length to the Kingdome, as by that which followed was more apparauntly perceyued.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Constan∣tinus.
• * 1.2

  Gal. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Mat. VV•…•…
• * 1.3

  Ca•…•… •…•… 12000. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Gal. and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 haue 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.4

  The 〈…〉〈…〉 the Sco••••
• * 1.5

  435. hath Mat. West.
• * 1.6

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 a groue of •…•…shes, as Gal. •…•…th with ath. West. •…•…da. •…•…sius. •…•…dus.
• * 1.7

  415
• * 1.8

  This Vorti∣gern was duke of the Geuisses and Cornwall, as Rad. Cestr. reporteth. Galf. Mon.