The history of Great Britaine under the conquests of ye Romans, Saxons, Danes and Normans Their originals, manners, warres, coines & seales: with ye successions, lives, acts & issues of the English monarchs from Iulius Cæsar, to our most gracious soueraigne King Iames. by Iohn Speed.

VORTIMER. 2.

[illustration]

VOrtimer, the eldest son of King Vortigern, through the abuse of his fathers gouernment, for which * 1.1 he was deposed by his owne subiects, was erected King of the Britaines the yeere from Christs birth 454. a man of great valour, which altogether hee im∣ploied for the redresse of his Countrey, according to the testimonie of William Malmesbury, whose words are these: Vortimer (saith hee) thinking not good to dis∣semble the matter, for that hee saw himselfe and Countrie daily surprised by the craft of the English, set his full pur∣pose * 1.2 to driue them out, and from the seuenth yeere after their first entrance, for twenty yeeres continuance fought many Battles with them, and foure of them with great puis∣sance in open field; in the first whereof, they departed with like fortune, and losse of the Generals brethren Horsa and Catigern: in the other three the Britaines went away with victorie, and so long vntill Vortimer was taken away by fa∣tall death.

Huntington, Monmouth, Randulphus, and Fabian, name both the places and successe of those Battles: The first was in Kent, and vpon the Plaine neere vnto * 1.3 Ailsford, where the memoriall of Catigern to this day remaineth; & Horsted doth as yet relish of Horsa there interred. The second Battle was fought likewise in Kent at Crocanford, now Craford, where many perish∣ed * 1.4 as well Britaines as Saxons. The third was at Wep∣peds Fleet, with great losse to the Britaines: and the * 1.5 fourth vpon Calmore, where many of the Saxons, after long and sore fight, were slaine, and more drowned in flight, and lastly driuen into the Ile of Thanet, their

first assigned habitation, (if not ouer the Seas) so that small hope rested for them so long as this valiant Vor∣timer * 1.6 liued, who had now dispossessed them of all their footing in the Continent, and often assailed them in the Ile of Tannet likewise, as Fabian confi∣dently affirmeth.

But destiny going forward for the downfall of Bri∣taine, remooued these rubbes out of her way: for Rowena, the mother of the Britaines mischiefe, and the maintainer of the Saxons residence, found the meanes * 1.7 to make this worthy Vortimer away, and by poison caused the end of his life, after hee had valiantly raig∣ned the space of foure yeeres; all which time, by the * 1.8 testimonie of an old Chronicle that Fabian had seene, Vortigern the father remained in durance, and vnder assigned Keepers in the Citie Caerlegion, now Chester, and so demeaned himselfe towards his sonne (then his Soueraigne) in dutifull obedience and faith∣full counsell, that hee wonne againe the hearts of the Britaines, and was againe re-established their * 1.9 King.

It is recorded by Ninius, that after his last victorie ouer the Saxons, he caused his Monument to be ere∣cted * 1.10 at the entrance into Tanet, and in the same place of that great ouerthrow, which by the said Author * 1.11 is called Lapis Tituli, of vs the Stonar, where for cer∣taine it seemes hath been an hauen. In this Monu∣ment hee commanded his body to be buried, to the further terror of the Saxons, that in beholding this his Trophy, their spirits might bee daunted at the re∣membrance of their great ouerthrow. As Scipio Afri∣canus conceited the like, who commanded his Sepul∣chre to be so set, that it might ouerlooke Africa, sup∣posing that his very Tombe would be a terror to the Carthaginians. But how that desire of Vortimer was performed, I finde not, but rather the contrary: for an old Manuscript I haue, that cōfidently affirmeth him to be buried in London: yet others from Ninius the * 1.12 disciple of Eluodugus, hold the place to bee Lincolne. But howsouer his graue is forgotten, yet let this bee remembred, that Sigebertus hath written of him, that * 1.13 is, After he had vanquished the Saxons (saith he) whose drift was not onely to ouer-runne the Land with violence, but also to erect their owne Lawes without clemencie, he re∣stored the Christian Religion then sorely decaied, and new built the Churches that those enemies had destroied.

Notes

• * 1.1

  2. An. Do. 454. Vortimer the se∣cond resister of the Saxons.
• * 1.2

  Vortimer how long he main∣tained warre against the Saxons. Foure chiefe battles, and the successe of the first.
• * 1.3

  The place of the first battle. Beda lib. 1. ca. 15.
• * 1.4

  The place of the second battle.
• * 1.5

  The place of the third battle. The place of the fourth battle.
• * 1.6

  The Saxons quite dispossessed.
• * 1.7

  Vortimer made away by Rowena.
• * 1.8

  Vortimer the continuance of his raigne. Fabian. Chro. par. 5. cap. 89.
• * 1.9

  Vortigern reesta∣blished King.
• * 1.10

  Ninius.
• * 1.11

  Vortimer his monument the Stonar.
• * 1.12

  Uortimer suppo∣sed to be buried in London.
• * 1.13

  Sigebertus.