to call in doubt the book itself, which bears that title. Hitherto the things themselves have given us a warrantable dispatch to run them foon over. But now of Brutus and his line, with the whole progeny of kings, to the entrance of Julius Cæfar, we cannot so easily be discharged; descents of ancestry, long continued, laws and exploits not plainly feeming to be borrowed, or devised, which on the common belief have wrought no fmall impreffion; defended by many, denied utterly by few. For what though Brutus, and the whole Trojan pretence were yielded up (feeing they who first devised to bring us from fome noble ancestor, were content at first with Brutus the conful; till better invention, although not willing to forego the name, taught them to remove it higher into a more fabulous age, and by the fame remove lighting on the Trojan tales in affectation to make the Britain of one original with the Roman, pitched there ;) yet those old and inborn names of fucceffive kings, never any to have been real perfons, or done in their lives at least fome part of what fo long hath been remembered, cannot be thought without too ftrict an incredulity. For these, and thofe caufes above-mentioned, that which hath received approbation from fo many, I have chofen not to omit. Certain or uncertain, be that upon the credit of those whom I must follow; fo far as keeps aloof from impoffible and abfurd, attefted by ancient writers from books more ancient, I refufe not, as the due and proper fubject of ftory. The principal author is well known to be Geoffrey of Monmouth; what he was, and whence his authority, who in his age, or before him, have delivered the fame matter, and fuch like general difcourfes will better ftand in a treatise by themselves. All of them agree in this, that Brutus was the son of Silvius; he of Afcanius; whofe father was Eneas a Trojan prince, who at the burning of that city, with his fon Afcanius, and a collected number that escaped, after long wandering on the fea, arrived in Italy. Where at length by the affistance of Latinus king of Latium, who * Henry of Huntingdon, Matthew of Westminster. had given him his daughter Lavinia, he obtained to fucceed in that kingdom, and left it to Afcanius, whose son Silvius (though Roman hiftories deny Silvius to be the fon of Afcanius) had married fecretly a niece of Lavinia. She being with child, the matter became known to Afcanius. Who commanding his "magicians to inquire by art, what fex the maid had conceived," had answer, "that it was one who fhould be the death of both his parents; and banished for the fact, fhould after all in a far country, attain the highest honour." The prediction failed not, for in travail the mother died. And Brutus (the child was fo called) at fifteen years of age, attending his father to the chace, with an arrow unfortunately killed him. Banished therefore by his kindred, he retires into Greece. Where meeting with the race of Helenus king Priam's fon, held there in fervile condition by Pandrafus then king, with them he abides. For Pyrrhus, in revenge of his father flain at Troy, had brought thither with him Helenus, and many others into fervitude. There Brutus among his own ftock fo thrives in virtue and in arms, as renders him beloved to kings and great captains, above all the youth of that land. Whereby the Trojans not only began to hope, but fecretly to move him, that he would lead them the way to liberty. They allege their numbers, and the promised help of Affaracus a noble Greekith youth, by the mother's fide a Trojan; whom for that caufe his brother went about to difpoffets of certain caftles bequeathed him by his father. Brutus confidering both the forces offered him, and the ftrength of thole holds, not unwillingly confents. Fift therefore having fortified those castles, he with Affaracus and the whole multitude betake them to the woods and hills, as the fafeft place from whence to expoftulate; and in the name of all fends to Pandrafus this meffage, "That the Trojans holding it unworthy their ancestors to ferve in a foreign kingdom, had retreated to the woods; choofing rather a favage life than a flavish : if that difpleafed him, that then with his leave they might depart to fome other foil." As this may pafs with good allowance that the Tro jans jans might be many in these parts, (for Helenus was by Pyrrhus made king of the Chaonians, and the fons of Pyrrhus by Andromache Hector's wife, could not but be powerful through all Epirus,) fo much the more it may be doubted, how thefe Trojans could be thus in bondage, where they had friends and countrymen fo patent. But to examine these things with diligence, were but to confute the fables of Britain, with the fables of Greece or Italy: for of this age, what we have to fay, as well concerning moft other countries, as this ifland, is equally under question. Be how it will, Pandrafus not expecting fo bold a meffage from the fons of captives, gathers an army; and marching towards the woods, Brutus who had notice of his approach nigh to the town called Sparatinum, (I know not what town, but certain of no Greek name) over night planting himself there with good part of his men, fuddenly fets upon him, and with flaughter of the Greeks purfues him to the paffage of a river, which mine author names Akalon, meaning perhaps Achelous or Acheron; where at the ford he overlays them afresh. This victory obtained, and a fufficient ftrength left in Sparatinum, Brutus with Antigonus, the king's brother, and his friend Anacletus, whom he had taken in the fight, returns to the refidue of his friends in the thick woods; while Pandrafus with all speed recollecting, befieges the town. Brutus to relieve his men befieged, who earneftly called him, diftrufting the fufficiency of his force, bethinks himself of this policy. Calls to him Anacletus, and threatening inftant death elfe, both to him and his friend Antigonus, enjoins him, that he fhould go at the fecond hour of night to the Greekish leagre, and tell the guards he had brought Antigonus by ftealth out of prison to a certain woody vale, unable through the weight of his fetters to move him further entreating them to come fpeedily and fetch him in. Anacletus to fave both himself and his friend Antigonus, fwears this, and at a fit hour fets on alone toward the camp; is met, examined, and at laft unquestionably known. To whom, great profeffion of fidelity first made, he frames his tale, as had been taught him; and they now fully affured, with a credulous rashness leaving their ftations, B 4 ftations, fared accordingly by the ambush that there awaited them. Forthwith Brutus divided his men into three parts, leads on in filence to the camp; commanding first each part at a several place to enter, and forbear execution, till he with his fquadron poffeffed of the king's tent, gave signal to them by trumpet. The found whereof no fooner heard, but huge havock begins upon the fleeping and unguarded enemy, whom the befieged alfo now fallying forth, on the other fide affail. Brutus the while had fpecial care to feize and fecure the king's person; whofe life ftill within his cuftody, he knew was the surest pledge to obtain what he should demand. Day appearing, he enters the town, there diftributes the king's treasury, and leaving the place better fortified, returns with the king his prifoner to the woods. Straight the ancient and grave men he fummons to council, what they should now demand of the king. After long debate Mempricius, one of the graveft, utterly diffuading them from thought of longer stay in Greece, unless they meant to be deluded with a iubtle. peace, and the awaited revenge of thofe whofe friends they had flain, advifes them to demand firft the king's eldest daughter Innogen in marriage to their leader Brutus with a rich dowry, next shipping, money, and fit provifion for them all to depart the land. This refolution pleafing beft, the king now brought in, and placed in a high feat, is briefly told, that on these conditions granted, he might be free; not granted he must prepare to die. Preffed with fear of death, the king readily yields; efpecially to beftow his daughter on whom he confeffed fo noble and fo valiant: offers thern alfo the third part of his kingdom, if they like to stay; if not, to be their hoftage himself, till he had made good his word. The marriage therefore folemnized, and shipping from all parts got together, the Trojans in a fleet, no lefs written than three hundred four and twenty fail, betake them to the wide fea: where, with a profperous course, two days and a night bring them on a certain ifland long before difpeopled and left wafte by fearovers, the name whereof was then Leogecia, now unknown. They who were were sent out to discover, came at length to a ruined city, where was a temple and image of Diana that gave oracles: but not meeting firft or laft, fave wild beasts, they return with this notice to their (hips; wifhing their general would inquire of that oracle what voyage to purfue. Confultation had, Brutus taking with him Gerion his diviner, and twelve of the ancienteft, with wanton ceremonies before the inward fhine of the goddefs, in verse (as it seems the manner was) utters his request, “Diva potens nemorum," &c. Goddess of shades, and huntress, who at will Walk'ft on the rolling fphere, and through the deep To whom fleeping before the altar, Diana in a vifion These verses originally Greek, were put in Latin, faith Virunnius, by Gildas a British poet, and him to have lived under Claudius. Which granted true, adds much to the antiquity of this fable; and indeed the Latin verfes are much better, than of the age for Geoffrey ap Arthur, unless perhaps Jofeph of Exeter, the only smooth poet of those times, befriended him. In this, Diana overfhot her oracle thus ending, " Ipfis totius terræ fubditus orbis erit," That to the race of Brute kings of this island, the whole earth fhall be fubject. But Brutus guided now, as he thought by divine conduct, fpeeds him towards the weft; and after fome en counters |