Chapter 9
Book 5, Part 1 of History of the Kings of Britain. For more information, or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. History of the Kings of Britain by Geoffrey of Monmouth. Translated by Aaron Thompson and J.A. Giles. Chapter 1
Lucius dies without issue and is a benefactor to the churches In the meantime, the glorious King Lucius highly rejoiced at the great progress which the true faith and worship had made in his kingdom
and permitted the possessions and territories which formerly belonged to the temples of the gods to be converted to a better use and appropriated to Christian churches and because a greater honour was due to them than to the others
he made large additions of lands and manor houses and all kinds of privileges to them. Amidst these and other acts of his great piety he departed this life in the city of Gloucester and was honourably buried in the cathedral church
in the 156th year after our Lord's incarnation. He had no issue to succeed him so that after his decease there arose dissension among the Britons and the Roman power was much weakened. Chapter 2
Severus, a senator, subdues part of Britain His war with Fulgenius. When this news was brought to Rome, the Senate dispatched Severus, a senator, with two legions to reduce the country to subjection.
As soon as he was arrived, he came to a battle with the Britons, part of whom he obliged to submit to him, and the other part, which he could not subdue, he endeavoured to distress in several cruel engagements, and forced them to fly beyond Deira into Albania. Notwithstanding which, they opposed him with all their might, under the conduct of Fulgenius, and often made great slaughter both of their own countrymen and of the Romans.
For Fulgenius brought to his assistance all the people of the islands that he could find, and so frequently gained the victory. The Emperor, not being able to resist the eruptions which he made, commanded a wall to be built between Dera and Albania to hinder his excursions upon them. They accordingly made one, and the common charge from sea to sea, which for a long time
hindered the approach of the enemy. But Phylogenius, when he was unable to make any longer resistance, made a voyage into Scythia to desire the assistance of the Picts towards his restoration. And when he had got together all the forces of that country, he returned with a great fleet into Britain and besieged York. Upon this news being spread through the country, the greatest part of of the Britons deserted Severus and went over to Fulgenius. However, this did not make Severus
desist from his enterprise. But calling together the Romans and the rest of the Britons that adhered to him, he marched to the siege and fought with Fulgenius. But the engagement proving very sharp, he was killed with many of his followers. Fulgenius also was mortally wounded. Afterward, Severus was buried at York, which city was taken by his legions. He left two sons, Basianus and Gita, whereof Gita had a Roman for his mother, but Basianus a Briton. Therefore, upon the death
of their father, the Romans made Gita king, favouring him on account of his being a Roman by both his parents. But the Britons rejected him, and advanced Basianus as being their countryman by his mother's side. This proved the occasion of a battle between the two brothers, in which Gita was killed, and so Bassianus obtained the sovereignty. Chapter 3. Carousius advanced to be king of Britain. At that time, there was in Britain one Carousius, a young man of mean birth,
who, having given proof of his bravery in many engagements, went to Rome, and solicited the Senate, for leave to defend with a fleet the maritime coasts of Britain from the incursions of barbarians, which if they would grant him, he promised to do more for the honour and service of the Commonwealth than by delivering up to them the Kingdom of Britain. The Senate, deluded by his specious promises, granted him his request, and so, with his commission sealed, he returned to
Britain. Then by wicked practices getting a fleet together, he enlisted into his service a body of the bravest youths, and putting out to sea, sailed round the whole kingdom, causing very great disturbance among the people. In the meantime, he invaded the adjacent islands, where he destroyed all before him, countries, cities, and towns, and plundered the inhabitants of all that they had. By this conduct, he encouraged all manner of dissolute fellows to flock to him in hope of plunder,
and, in a very short time, was attended by an army which no neighbouring prince was able to oppose. This made him begin to swell with pride, and to propose to the Britons that they should make him their king, for which consideration he promised to kill and banish the Romans, and free the whole island from the invasions of barbarous nations. Accordingly, obtaining his request, he fell upon Bassianus and killed him,
and then took upon him the government of the kingdom. For Bassianus was betrayed by the Picts, whom Fulgenius, his mother's brother, had brought with him into Britain, and who, being corrupted by the promises and presents of Carousius, instead of assisting Bassianus, deserted him in the very battle. and fell upon his men, so that the rest were put into a consternation, and not knowing their
friends from their foes, quickly gave ground, and left the victory to Carousius. Then he, to reward the Picts for this success, gave them a habitation in Albania, where they continued afterwards, mixed with the Britons. Chapter 4. Electus kills Carousius, but is afterwards himself slain in flight by Asclepiodotus. When the news of these proceedings of Carousius arrived at Rome, the Senate commissioned Electus, with three legions, to kill the tyrant and
restore the Kingdom of Britain to the Roman power. No sooner was he arrived than he fought with Carousius, killed him, and took upon himself the government. After which he miserably He oppressed the Britons for having deserted the Commonwealth and adhered to Carousius. But the Britons, not enduring this, advanced Asclepiodotus, Duke of Cornwall to be their king and then unanimously marched against Electus and challenged him to battle.
He was then at London, celebrating a feast to his tutelary gods. But being informed of the coming of Asclepiodotus, he quitted his sacrifice and went out with all his forces to meet him and engaged with him in a sharp fight. But Asclepiodotus had the advantage and dispersed and put to flight Electus' troops and in the pursuit killed many thousands as also King Electus himself.
this victory, Livius Gallus, the colleague of Elecitus, assembled the rest of the Romans, shut the gates of the city, and placed his men in the towers and other fortifications, thinking by these means either to make a stand against Asclepiodotus, or at least to avoid imminent death. But Asclepiodotus, seeing this, laid siege to the city, and sent word to all the dukes of Britain that he had killed Electus with a great number of his men, and was besieging
Gallus and the rest of the Romans in London, and therefore earnestly entreated them to hasten to his assistance, representing to them withal how easy it was to extirpate the whole race of the Romans out of Britain, provided they would all join their forces against the besieged. at this summons came the Demetians Phenedocians
Tyrians, Albanians and all others of the British race as soon as they appeared before the Duke he commanded vast numbers of engines to be made
to beat down the walls of the city accordingly everyone readily executed his orders with great bravery and made a violent assault
upon the city the walls of which were in a very short time battered down, and a passage made into it. After these preparations, they began a bloody assault upon the Romans, who, seeing their fellow soldiers falling before them without intermission, persuaded Gallus to offer a surrender, on the terms of having quarter granted them,
and leave to depart, for they were now all killed except one legion, which still held out. Gallus consented to the proposal and accordingly surrendered himself and his men to Asclepiodotus who was disposed to give them quarter
but he was prevented by a body of Venidocians who rushed upon them and the same day cut off all their heads upon a brook within the city
which from the name of the commander was afterwards called in the British tongue Naut Gallim and in the Saxon Gallimborn Chapter 5
Asclepiodotus obtains the crown Diocletian's massacre of the Christians in Britain The Romans being thus defeated Asclepiodotus, with the consent of the people placed the crown upon his own head
and governed the country in justice and peace ten years and curbed the insolence and outrages committed by plunderers and robbers In his days began the persecution of the Emperor Diocletian and Christianity, which from the time of King Lucius had continued fixed and undisturbed, was almost abolished over the whole island.
This was, principally, owing to Maximianus Herculeus, general of that tyrant's army, by whose command all the churches were pulled down and all the copies of the holy scriptures that could be found were burned in the public markets.
The priests also, with the believers under their own care, were put to death. and with emulation pressed in crowds together for a speedy passage to the joys of heaven as their proper dwelling place. God therefore magnified his goodness to us. For as much as he did, in that time of persecution, of his mere grace, light up the bright lamps of the holy martyrs,
to prevent the spreading of gross darkness over the people of Britain, whose sepulchres and places of suffering might have been a means of inflaming our minds with the greatest fervency of divine law, had not the deplorable impiety of barbarians deprived us of them among others of both sexes
who continued firm in the army of Christ and suffered were Alban of Verilum and Julius and Aaron both of the city of legions
of these Alban out of the fervour of his charity when his confessor Amphabalus was pursued by the persecutors and just ready to be apprehended, first hit him in his house and then offered himself to die for him, initiating this Christ himself, who laid down his life for his sheep.
The other two, after being torn limb from limb, in a manner unheard of, received the crown of martyrdom and were elevated up to the gates of the heavenly Jerusalem. Chapter 6 An Insurrection Against Asclepiodotus by Cole whose daughter Helena Constantius marries
In the meantime, Cole, Duke of Caia Colvin, or Colchester made an insurrection against King Asclepiodotus and in a pitched battle killed him and took possession of his crown. The Senate, hearing this, rejoiced at the king's death
who had given much disturbance to the Roman power and, reflecting on the damage which they had sustained by the loss of this kingdom they sent Constantius the senator a man of prudence and courage
who had reduced Spain under their subjection and who was, above all the rest industrious to promote the good of the Commonwealth Corle, having information of his coming was afraid to engage him in battle
on account of a report that no king was able to stand before him. Therefore, as soon as Constantius was arrived at the island, Call sent ambassadors to him with offers of peace and submission, on condition that he should enjoy the kingdom of Britain
and pay no more than the usual tribute to the Roman state. Constantius consented to this proposal, and so, upon their giving hostages, peace was confirmed between them. The month after, Call was seized with a very great sickness, of which he died within eight days.
After his decease, Constantius himself was crowned, and married the daughter of Call, whose name was Helena. She surpassed all the ladies in the country in beauty, as she did all others of the time in her skill in music and in the liberal arts. Her father had no other issue to succeed him on the throne, for which reason he was very careful about her education, that she might be better qualified to govern his kingdom.
Constantius, therefore, having made her the partner of his bed, had a son by her, called Constantine. After eleven years were expired, he died at York, and bestowed the kingdom upon his son, who, within a few years after he was raised in this dignity,
began to give proofs of heroic virtue, undaunted courage and strict observance of justice towards his people. He put a stop to the depredations of robbers, suppressed the insolence of tyrants and endeavoured everywhere to restore peace. Chapter 7. The Romans desire Constantine's assistance against the cruelty of Maxentius. At that time there was a tyrant at Rome named Maxentius, who made it his endeavour to confiscate all the estates of all the best of the nobility,
and oppressed the commonwealth with his grievous tyranny. Whilst he therefore was proceeding in his cruelty, those that were banished fled to Constantine in Britain, and were honourably entertained by him. At last, when a great many such had resorted to him, they endeavoured to raise in him an abhorrence of the tyrant, and frequently expostulated with him after this manner. How long, Constantine, will you suffer our distress and banishment? Why do you delay to
restore us to our native country? You are the only person of our nation that can restore to us what we have lost by driving out Maxentius. For what prince is to be compared with the King of Britain, either for brave and gallant soldiers or for large treasures? We entreat you to restore us to our estates, wives and children, by conducting us with an army to roam. Chapter 8 Constantine, having reduced Rome, obtains the Empire of the World.
Octavius, Duke of the Wysians, is put to flight by Traherne. Constantine, moved with these and the like speeches, made an expedition to Rome, and reduced it under his power, and afterwards obtained the Empire of the whole world. In this expedition he carried along with him three uncles of Helena, viz Leolin, Traherne and Marius, and advanced them to the degree of senators.
In the meantime Octavius, Duke of the Wyssians, rebelled against the Roman proconsuls, to whom the government of the island had been committed, and having killed them, took possession of the throne. Constantine, upon information of this, sent Traherne, the uncle of Helena, with three legions to reduce the island. Traherne came to shore near the city, which is in the British tongue called Caiparis, and having assailed it, took it in two days.
This news spreading over the whole country, King Octavius assembled all the forces of the land, and went to meet him not far from Winchester in a field called, in the British tongue, Myciorium where he engaged with him in battle and routed him. Traherne, upon this loss, betook himself with his broken forces to his ships
and in them made a voyage to Albania in the provinces of which he made great destruction. When Octavius received intelligence of this he followed him with his forces and encountered him in Westmoreland
but fled, having lost the victory. On the other hand, Traherne, when he found the day was his own, pursued Octavius, nor ever suffered him to be at rest till he had dispossessed him of both his cities and crown. Octavius, in great grief for the loss of his kingdom,
went with his fleet to Norway to obtain assistance from King Grunberg. In the meantime he had given orders to his most intimate adherents to watch carefully all opportunities of killing Traherne, which accordingly was not long after done by a magistrate of a certain privileged town, who had a more than ordinary love for him. For as Traherne was one day upon a journey from London, he lay hid with a hundred men
in the vale of a wood through which he was to pass, and there fell on him unawares, and killed him in the midst of his men. This news being brought to Octavius, he returned back to Britain, where he dispersed the Romans and recovered the throne. In a short time after this, he arrived to such greatness and wealth that he feared nobody, and possessed the kingdom until the reign of Gratian and Valencian.
End of Book 5, Part 1
