Chronicles : The Historie of England | Page 9

to Partholoin,
which Partholoin by the aduice of the same Gurguntius, got seates for
himselfe and his companie in Ireland (as before ye haue heard.)
The said Cantaber also obteining licence of Gurguntius, builded a
towne vpon the side of the riuer called Canta, which he closed with
walles, and fortified with a strong tower or castell, and after procuring
philosophers to come hither from Athens (where in his youth he had
bene a student) he placed them there, and so euen then was that place
furnished (as they saie) with learned men, and such as were readie to
instruct others in knowledge of letters and philosophicall doctrine. But
by whome or in what time soeuer it was built, certeine it is that there
was a citie or towne walled in that place before the comming of the
Saxons, called by the Britaines Caergrant, and by the Saxons
Granchester.
This towne fell so to ruine by the inuasion of the Saxons, that at length
it was in maner left desolate, and at this day remaineth as a village. But
néere therevnto vnder the Saxon kings, an other towne was built, now
called Cambridge, where by the fauour of king Sigebert and Felix a
Burgundian, that was bishop of Dunwich, a schoole was erected, as in
place conuenient shall appeare.
[Sidenote: ARCHIGALLUS.] Archigallus, the second sonne of
Morindus, and brother vnto Gorbonianus, was admitted king of
Britaine, in the yeare 3686, after the building of the citie of Rome 470,
after the deliuerance of the Israelites out of captiuitie 255, and in the
first yeare of Sosthenes king of Macedonia. This Archigallus (in the
English chronicle called Artogaill) followed not the steppes of his

brother, but giuing [Sidenote: He is giuen to nourish dissention.]
himselfe to dissention and strife, imagined causes against his nobles,
that he might displace them, and set such in their roomes as were men
of base birth and of euill conditions. Also he sought by vnlawfull
meanes to bereaue his wealthie subiects of their goods and riches, so to
inrich himselfe and impouerish his people. For the which his inordinate
dooings, his nobles conspired against him, and finallie depriued him of
all his honor and kinglie dignitie, after he had reigned about the space
of one yeare.
[Sidenote: ELIDURUS.] Elidurus the third sonne of Morindus, and
brother to Archigallus, was by one consent of the Britains chosen to
reigne ouer them in his brothers stead, after the creation of the world
3687, and after the building of the citie of Rome 471, after the
deliuerance of the Israelites 256, & in the first yeare of Sosthenes king
of Macedonia. This Elidurus in the English chronicle named Hesider,
or Esoder, prooued a most righteous prince, and doubting least he
should doo otherwise than became him, if he did not take care for his
brother Archigallus estate, a man might woonder what diligence he
shewed in trauelling with the nobles of the realme to haue his brother
restored to the crowne againe.
Now as it chanced one day (being abroad on hunting in the wood called
Calater) neare vnto Yorke, he found his brother Archigall wandering
there in the thickest of that wildernesse, whom in most louing [Sidenote:
By this it should séeme that Acliud should not be in Scotland, contrarie
to the Scotish authors.] maner he secretlie conueied home to his house,
being as then the citie of Aldud, otherwise called Acliud. Shortlie after
he feined himselfe sicke, and in all hast sent messengers about to
assemble his barons, who being come at the day appointed, he called
them one after another into his priuie chamber, and there handled them
in such affectuous sort with wise and discréet words, that he got their
good wils to further him to their powers, for the reducing of the
kingdome eftsoones into the hands of his brother Archigallus.
After this he assembled a councell at Yorke, where he so vsed the
matter with the commons, that in conclusion, when the said Elidurus

had gouerned the land well and honourablie the space of thrée yeares,
he resigned wholie his crowne and kinglie title vnto his brother
Archigallo, who was receiued of the Britaines againe as king by
mediation of his brother in manner as before is said. ¶ A rare [Sidenote:
An example of brotherlie loue.] example of brotherlie loue, if a man
shall reuolue in his mind what an inordinate desire remaineth amongst
mortall men to atteine to the supreme souereintie of ruling, and to
kéepe the same when they haue it once in possession. He had well
learned this lesson (as may appeare by his contentation and resignation)
namelie, that
Nec abnuendum si dat imperium Deus, Nec appetendum,
[Sidenote: Sen. in Thiess.] otherwise he would not haue béene led with
such an