Medulla historiæ Anglicanæ being a comprehensive history of the lives and reigns of the monarchs of England from the time of the invasion thereof by Jvlivs Cæsar to this present year 1679 : with an abstract of the lives of the Roman emperors commanding in Britain, and the habits of the ancient Britains : to which is added a list of the names of the Honourable the House of Commons now sitting, and His Majesties Most Honourable Privy Council, &c.

The British Princes who contended with the Saxons to maintain their Countries rights, were these chiefly. First,

VOrtigern, at that time King, by the electi∣on of the Britains, when the Saxons were first invited into the Land. This Vortigern reigned first Sixteen years, and then deposed for his favours to the Saxons, was retained in¦durance all the Reign of Vortimer his Son, af∣ter whose death he was re-established; but oppressed by the Saxons, and pursued by Au∣relius, he fled into Wales, where in a Castle which he built by Merlins directions in the Mountains, he, with his Daughter whom he had taken to Wife, were burnt to Ashes.

VOrtimer for his Fathers abuse of Govern∣ment, was constituted King of the Britains. He gave unto the Saxons Four famous over∣throws, almost to their utter expulsion. After

his last Victory over them, he caused his Mo∣nument to be erected at the entrance into Thanet, whither he had driven the Saxons, even in that same place of the overthrow. Which Monument was sometime called Lapis Tituli, now the Stoner, wherein he command∣ed his Body to be buried, to the further ter∣rour of the Saxons; that in beholding this his Trophey, their hearts might be daunted at the remembrance of their great overthrow. But Rowena procured his death by Poyson. He re∣stored the Christian Religion, then sorely de∣cayed, and rebuilt the Churches destroyed by the Pagan Saxons.

AƲrelius Ambrosius descended of that Con∣stantine, who was elected here, only in hope of his lucky name. He was very suc∣cessful against the Saxons; but, as some say, was poysoned by the procurement of Pascentius the youngest Son of Vortigern. Others report that he was slain in the Field by the Saxons, and that the Britains erected that famous Monument called Stone-henge, anciently Chorea Gigantum, over the place where he was slain and buried; though according to the saying of some, Aure∣lius Ambrosius caused that Monument of Stone-henge to be erected in memorial of the Massa∣cre of 300 of the Nobility of the Britains by the Saxons, who were there buried. He built Ambresbury in Wilts.

ƲTer Pendragon, the Brother of Ambrosius, was in all his Wars against the Saxons most victorious and fortunate. He was sirna∣med Pendragon, either because at his birth there appeared a fiery Comet something resembling a Dragons-head, or because of his Serpentine-wisdom, or from his Royal Banner, wherein was pourtrayed a Dragon with a Golden head. When he had reigned Eighteen years, he dyed of poyson put into a Well, whereof he usually drank.

ARthur, the Son of Pendragon, begotten up∣on the Lady Igren Dutchess of Cornwall, was Crowned King of Britains at Fifteen years of Age, about A. C. 516. Twelve Battels he fought against the Saxons with great manhood and victory, the last of which was fought at Bath, or Bathen-Hill, where the Britains gave the Saxons a very great overthrow. But Mor∣dred a Prince of the Picts, whose Mother was Pendragons Sister, affecting the Crown, upon the pretence of Arthurs reputed Bastardy, gave many attempts against him, and lastly at Cam∣balu, now Camelford in Cornwall, encountering King Arthur gave him his deaths-wound, and was himself slain by Arthur in the place. From which place this renowned King was carried to Glastenbury where he dyed of his wounds in A. D. 542, whose body was there buried, and after 600 years was digged up by the command of Henry the 2d. His bones of great bigness, and Skull, wherein was perceived Ten wounds,

were found in the Trunk of a Tree; over him was a huge broad Stone, in which a leaden Cross was fastned, and therein this Inscription, Hic jacet, &c. Here lyes King Arthur buryed in the Isle of Avalonia. By him lay his Queen Guenaver, whose tresses of hair finely platted, of a golden colour, seemed perfect and intire, till but being touched they mouldred to dust. These relicks were reburied in the great Church.

COnstantine the Son of Cador Duke of Corn∣wall, and Cousin to King Arthur by Mar∣riage, and his adopted Heir, was slain by Co∣nanus, when he had been King Three years, and was buried at Stonehenge.

AƲrelius Conanus, King Arthur's Nephew, de∣tained his Uncle in perpetual Imprison∣ment, and slew his two Cousins, because they had more right to the Crown than himself.

VOrtiporus in many Battels vanquished the Saxons, and valiantly defended his Sub∣jects; but otherwise very wicked.

MAlgo Canonus, in Arms and Dominions, was stronger and greater than any other Bri∣tish Potentate, saith Gildas.

Careticus sowed civil Wars amongst his Sub∣jects the Britains, which occasioned them to forsake him, and leave him to the mercy of the Saxons; who pursuing after him, he fled

into Cyrencester for safety; but by the device of his pursuers, certain Sparrows being taken, and fire fastned to their feet, were let fly into the City, who lighting among Straw, set it on fire, whence the City was burnt to the ground; but Careticus escaped, and fled for safety unto the Mountains of Wales, where he dyed. From that time forth the Britains lost their whole Kingdom in the East part of the Island, and were confined in the West, by the Rivers Severn and Dee.

CAdwan maintained himself and Subjects in great honour and peace. His first affairs against the Saxons was to revenge the deaths of his Britains, and harmless Monks of Bangor, slain by wild Ethelfrid the mighty King of Nor∣thumberland.

The Monastery of Bangor in North-Wales, was situated in the fruitful valley now called the English Mailor, containing within it the quantity of a Mile and an half of ground. This Monastery, as saith Bernard Clarivalentius, was the Mother of all others in the World. Whose Monks distributed themselves into Se∣ven portions, every one numbring 300 Souls, and all of them living by the labour of their own hands. Many of these Monks assembled at Caer-Legion, to assist their Brethren the Britains with their Prayers, against Ethelfrid sirnamed the Wild, King of Northumberland, who with his Pagan Soldiers set upon the Bri∣tains, discomfited their host, and put to the Sword Twelve hundred of these Christian Monks.

CAdwallo, or Cadwallin the Son of Cadwin, warred most valiantly against the Saxons, slew the Christian King Edwin of Northumber∣land, with his Son Osfride, in a great and bloody Battel at Heathfield. He dyed in peace, as the British Writers say, and was buried in St. Mar∣tins Church in London; his Image great and ter∣rible, triumphantly riding on Horseback, being artificially cast in Brass, the Britains placed upon Ludgate, to the further fear and terror of the Saxons.

CAdwallador the Son of Cadwallo, with great valour fought against the Saxons; but his Nobles dissenting and warring among them∣selves, did much endamage his very hopeful undertakings. And by the All disposing hand of Providence, so great a dearth befell, that Herbs and Roots were the Commons chiefest sustenance. Mortality and Pestilence likewise raging so sore, and so suddenly, that people in their eating, drinking, walking, and speak∣ing, were surprised by death, and in such numbers, that the living were scarce sufficient to bury the dead. Which calamities lasted no less than Eleven years whereby the Land became desolate, insomuch, that the King and many of his British Peers were forced to seek and eat their bread in forain parts. But the destroying Angel by Gods appointment, having sheathed his devouring Sword, Cadwallador was minded to have returned into his native Country, with some aids which he had procured of his Cousin

Alan King of Little-Britain; but was forbid by an Angel (as he thought) and command∣ed to go to Rome, and there take upon him the habit of Religion; which accordingly he did, and dyed at Rome, where in St. Peters Church he was buried, being the last King of the Bri∣tains blood, about A. D. 689.

Notes

• VORTI∣GERN.
• VORTI∣MER.
• British Princes.
• AMBRO∣SIUS.
• UTER PENDRA∣GON. A.D. 497.
• ARTHUR, A.D. 516.
• CON∣STAN∣TINE, A.D. 542.
• CONA∣NUS, A.D. 545.
• VORTI∣PORUS, A.D. 578.
• MALGO, A.D. 581.
• CARETI∣CUS, A.D. 586.
• CADWAN, A D. 635.
• Chester.
• CADWAL∣LO, A. D. 635.
• CADWAL∣LADOR, A.D. 685.