XLVII.
Whilst they were young, Cassibalane their emel
Was by the people chosen in their sted,
Who on him tooke the roiall diademe,
And goodly well long time it governed;
Till the prowde Romanes him disquieted,
And warlike Cæsar, tempted with the name
of this sweet Island never conquered,

And envying the Britons blazed fame,
(O hideous hunger of dominion !) hether came.

XLVIII.
Yet twise they were repulsed backe againe,
And twise renforst backe to their ships to fly;
The whiles with blood they all the shore did staine,
And the gray ocean into purple dy:
Ne had they footing found at last perdie, 2
Had not Androgeus, false to native soyle,
And envious of uncles soveraintie,

Betrayd his country unto forreine spoyle.
Nought els but treason from the first this land did foyle 3!

XLIX.
So by him Cæsar got the victory,
Through great bloodshed and many a sad assay,
In which himselfe was charged heavily
Of 4 hardy Nennius, whom he yet did slay,
But lost his sword, yet to be seene this day.

а

3

| Eme, uncle.
2 Perdie, truly.

Foyle, defeat, conquer. 4 Of, by.

XLVII. 1. — Cassibalane.] Cassivellaunus was the name of a British prince, who fought bravely against Julius Cæsar.

XLVIII. 2. — Renforst.] This is in all the editions. The sense seems to require enforst, or enforced.

Thenceforth this Land was tributarie made
Tambitious Rome, and did their rule obay,

Till Arthur all that reckoning defrayd:
Yet oft the Briton Kings against them strongly swayd."

L.
Next him Tenantius raignd; then Kimbeline,
What time th’ Eternall Lord in fleshly slime
Enwombed was, from wretched Adams line
To purge away the guilt of sinfull crime.
O joyous memorie of happy time,
That heavenly grace so plenteously displayd !
O too high ditty 2 for my simple rime! -
Soone after this the Romanes him warrayd";

3 For that their tribute he refusd to let be payd.

LI.
Good Claudius, that next was Emperour,
An army brought, and with him batteile fought,
In which the King was by a treachetour 4
Disguised slaine, ere any thereof thought:
Yet ceased not the bloody fight for ought :
For Arvirage bis brothers place supplyde
Both in his armes and crowne, and by that draught

Did drive the Romanes to the weaker syde,
That they to peace agreed. So all was pacifyde.

LII.
Was never King more highly magnifide,

Swayd, resisted.
? Ditty, theme.
3 Warrayd, warred upon.

* Treachetour, traitor.

Draught, resemblance.

5

L. 1. — Kimbeline.] This is Shakspeare's Cymbeline.

LI. 1.- Good Claudius, &c.] Claudius was the next emperor, who invaded Britain after Julius Cæsar. He has little claim to the title of good.

2

4

Nor dredd' of Romanes, then ? was Arvirage;
For which the Emperour to him allide
His daughter Genuiss' in marriage :
Yet startly he renounst the vassallage
Of Rome againe, who hether hastly sent
Vespasian, that with great spoile and rage

Forwasted 3 all, till Genuissa gent
Persuaded him to ceasse, and her lord to relent.

LIII.
He dide; and him succeeded Marius,
Who ioyd his dayes in great tranquillity.
Then Coyll; and after him good Lucius,
That first received Christianity,
The sacred pledge of Christes Evangely.
Yet true it is, that long before that day
Hither came Ioseph of Arimathy,

Who brought with him the Holy Grayle, (they say,) And preacht the truth ; but since it greatly did decay.

LIV.
This good King shortly without issew dide,
Whereof great trouble in the Kingdome grew,
That did herselfe in sondry parts divide,
And with her powre her owne selfe overthrew,
Whilest Romanes daily did the weake subdew :
Which seeing, stout Bunduca up arose,

· Dredd, dreaded.
? Then, than.

3 Forwasted, laid waste.
4 Gent, gentle.

LII.7.- Vespasian.] In the reign of Claudius, Vespasian, afterwards emperor, distinguished himself by his military achievements in Britain.

LIII. 8. — The Holy Grayle.] The cup of the last supper, represented as containing the mysterious wine. It is spelt in the earlier romances "Sangréal,' (i. e. the real blood of our Lord ;) subsequently transmuted into · San greal,' “ Saint Graal;' whence Spenser's · Holy Grayle.'

LIV. 6. — Bunduca.] More generally known as Boadicea. She was

a

And taking armes the Britons to her drew;

With whom she marched straight against her foes,
And them unwares besides the Severne did enclose.

LV.
There she with them a cruell batteill tryde,
Not with so good successe as shee deserv'd,
By reason that the captaines on her syde,
Corrupted by Paulinus, from her swerv'd:
Yet such, as were through former flight preservd,
Gathering againe, her host she did renew,
And with fresh corage on the victor serv'd:

But being all defeated, save a few,
Rather than fly, or be captív'd, herselfe she slew.

LVI.
O famous moniment of womens prayse !
Matchable either to Semiramis,
Whom antique history so high doth rayse,
Or to Hypsiphil', or to Thomiris :
Her host two hundred thousand numbred is;
Who, whiles good fortune favoured her might,
Triumphed oft against her enemis ;

And yet, though overcome in haplesse fight,
Shee triumphed on death, in enemies despight.

LVII.
Her reliques Fulgent having gathered,

an historical personage, who bravely resisted the Romans, and was defeated by Paulus Suetonius, A. D. 61, and poisoned herself.

LVI. 4. — Or to Hypsiphil', or to Thomiris.] Hypsiphile was a queen of Lemnos, who headed an attack made by her female subjects upon their male relations. — Thomiris, or Thomyris, was a queen of the Messagetæ, who, according to some accounts, defeated Cyrus, and threw his head into a vessel of blood.

LVII. 1. — Fulgent.] Fulgentius is said to be the name of a Caledonian chief, who headed the armies which the Emperor Severus met

9

VOL. II.

Fought with Severus, and him overthrew;
Yet in the chace was slaine of them that filed;
So made them victors whome he did subdew.
Then gan Carausius tirannize anew,
And gainst the Romanes bent their proper' powre;

1 But him Allectus treacherously slew,

And tooke on him the robe of Emperoure : Nath'lesse the same enioyed but short happy howre:

LVIII.
For Asclepiodate him overcame,
And left inglorious on the vanquisht playne,
Without or robe or rag to hide his shame:
Then afterwards he in his stead did raigne;
But shortly was by Coyll in batteill slaine:
Who after long debate, since Lucies tyme,
Was of the Britons first crownd Soveraine:

Then gan this Realme renew her passed prime: He of his name Coylchester built of stone and lime.

LIX. Which when the Romanes heard, they hether sent Constantius, a man of mickle might,

2