Great Britain -- History -- Anglo-Saxon period, 449-1066; Middle Ages -- Sources
Belinus now finding no body in the kingdom of Britain able to make head
against him, and being possessed of the sovereignty of the whole island
from sea to sea, confirmed the laws his father had made, and gave
command for a settled execution of justice through his kingdom. But
above all things he ordered that cities, and the roads leading to them,
should enjoy the same privilege of peace that Dunwallo had established.
But there arose a controversy about the roads, because the limits
determining them were unknown. The king, therefore, willing to clear the
law of all ambiguities, summoned all the workmen of the island together,
and commanded them to pave a causeway of stone and mortar, which should
run the whole length of the island, from the sea of Cornwall, to the
shores of Caithness, and lead directly to the cities that lay along that
extent. He commanded another to be made over the breadth of the kingdom,
leading from Menevia, that was situated upon the Demetian Sea, to Hamo's
Port, and to pass through the interjacent cities. Other two he also made
obliquely through the island, for a passage to the rest of the
cities.[169] He then confirmed to them all honours and privileges, and
prescribed a law for the punishment of any injury committed upon them.
But if any one is curious to know all that he decreed concerning them,
let him read the Molmutine laws, which Gildas the historian translated
from British into Latin, and king Alfred into English.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 169: This seems to be a false account of the Roman roads in
Britain.]
CHAP. VI.--_Brennius, being made duke of the Allobroges, returns to
Britain to fight with his brother._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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