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.

The beginning of the kingdom of Brenitia.

[illustration]

IN the yeare of oure Lord 547. which was about the firste yeare of the reygne of Aurelius Conanus, the kingdom of Brenitia began vn∣der a Saxon ruler there called Ida, the whiche descended of Woden, for where y^e same Wo∣den had three sonnes, Weldecius, Withlegris, and Beldegius, of the firste, the kings of Kente were lyneally ex∣tracted: of the seconde the kings of Mertia: and of the thirde sonne came the kings of West sax∣on, and also of him was this Ida descended, be∣ing the nynth in lineall succession from the sayd Beldicius and the tenth from Woden.

The same Ida was vndoubtedly a right no∣ble personage, and chaunged fyrst that dukedom into a kyngdome, where before that tyme the Saxons that ruled there, were subiectes vnto the kings of Kente. Whether he tooke vpon him of his owne accord to vsurpe the kingly title and royall authoritie, or whether that the same was giuen to hym by consent of other, the certayntie

apeareth not. But sure it is, that he beyng a worthie Prince, didde nothing degenerate from his noble auncestours inuincible in warre a∣brode and at home, qualifying his kingly seueri∣tie with a certayne naturall kinde of curteous humanitie. The boundes of his kingdome cal∣led (as is said) Brenitia, began in the south at the riuer of Tyne, & ended in the North at the Forth in Scotland, in the Brytish tong called VVerd.

Notes

• Ida.
• 547. H. Hunt. The kingdome of Brenitia be∣ganne.