Alectus.
Alectus sent from Rome by the Emperour and Senate, began the time of his government,* 1.1 in the year of our Lord 227. We do not find that Alectus after he had slain Carausius in battail, and taken upon him the Kingdom, which he held for the space of three years, did persecute the Christian Brittains, under pretence of Religion, but for following Carausius, and not yielding subjection to the Romans as they required, where we see the reason of that affliction of the Brittains by the Romans; because they had forsaken the Common-Wealth, and Government thereof, and followed Carausius an Usurper, as the Romans estemed him. And other Historians make it plain, that only the followers of Carausius, and no o∣thers were thus persecuted by Alectus; and Mathew of Westm. also saith, that Alectus did af∣flict only those Brittains, who forsaking their Country had committed themselves to the command of Carausius; which Harding more plainly confesseth, when he saith of Alectus,* 1.2 Allecto then crowned and made King of all Brittain, reigning fully years three, and well he ruled in all manner of working; or if Alectus or his Pagan Souldiers and under-Rulers did un∣justly persecute any Brittains for Religion, neither he nor they did escape the just ven∣geance of God executed upon them, by the Christian Brittains in the like kind, for when Alectus and his Infidel consorts were at London gathered together to make solemn sacrifice to their Idols, they were by the Christians driven from their sacrifice, Alectus shamefully put to flight and slain, his army scattered, and though by Livius Gallus his Collegue in some part renewed again, yet both the General Gallus and all his Romans were slain by the Christian Brittains in one day, and their Leader Gallus contemptuously thrown into a brook taking name, thereof as our modern Antiquaries with antiquity thus deliver, Asclepiodotus reco∣covered Britain and slew the Romans Captain named Livius Gallus neer unto a brook there at that time running, into which brook he threw him, by reason whereof it is called in Brittish Nant Gallon, since in the Saxon tongue Gallus or Wallus brook and to this day the street where sometime the brook ran is called Walbrook: And proveth the History of this brook both by pub∣lick Records and Inquisitions. This Alectus reigned according to Fabian six years.