Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of England (3 of 8)Holinshed, Raphael
History
Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of England (3 of 8)
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- To 55 B.C.
Here is to be noted, that euen from the beginning of the British
kings, which reigned here in this land, there is great diuersitie
amongest writers, both touching the names, and also the times of their
reignes, speciallie till they come to the death of the last mentioned
[Sidenote: _Polydor_.]
king Elidurus. Insomuch that Polydor Virgil in his historie of
England, finding a manifest error (as he taketh it) in those writers
whome he followeth touching the account, from the comming of Brute,
vnto the sacking of Rome by Brennus, whome our histories affirme to be
the brother of Beline, that to fill vp the number which is wanting in
the reckoning of the yeares of those kings which reigned after Brute,
till the daies of the same Brenne & Beline, he thought good to change
the order, least one error should follow an other, and so of one error
making manie, he hath placed those kings which after other writers
should séeme to follow Brenne and Beline, betwixt Dunuallo and
Mulmucius, father to the said Beline and Brenne, and those fiue
kings which stroue for the gouernement after the deceasse of the two
brethren, Ferrex and Porrex, putting Guintoline to succéed after the
fiue kings or rulers, and after Guintoline his wife Martia, during the
minoritie of hir sonne, then hir said sonne named Sicilius.
After him succéeded these whose names follow in order, Chimarius,
Danius, Morindus, Gorbonianus, Archigallo, who being deposed, Elidurus
was made king, and so continued till he restored the gouernement (as
ye haue heard) to Archigallo againe, and after his death Elidurus was
eftsoones admitted, and within awhile againe deposed by Vigenius and
Peredurus, and after their deceasses the third time restored. Then
after his deceasse followed successiuelie Veginus, Morganus, Ennanus,
Idunallo, Rimo, Geruntius, Catellus, Coilus, Porrex the second of that
name, Cherinus, Fulgentius, Eldalus, Androgeus, Vrianus and Eliud,
after whom should follow Dunuallo Molmucius, as in his proper place,
if the order of things doone, & the course of time should be obserued,
as Polydor gathereth by the account of yeares attributed to those
kings that reigned before and after Dunuallo, according to those
authours whom (as I said) he followeth, if they will that Brennus
which led the Galles to Rome be the same that was sonne to the said
Dunuallo Mulmucius, and brother to Beline.
But sith other haue in better order brought out a perfect agréement in
the account of yeares, and succession of those kings, which reigned
and gouerned in this land before the sacking of Rome; and also another
such as it is after the same, and before the Romans had anie perfect
knowledge thereof; we haue thought good to follow them therein,
leauing to euerie man his libertie to iudge as his knowledge shall
serue him in a thing so doubtfull and vncerteine, by reason of
variance amongst the ancient writers in that behalfe.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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