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124 THE II BOOKE OF THE Cant X
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Her rehques Fulgent hauing gathered,
Fought with Setterus, and him ouerthrew;
Yet m the chace was slaine of them, that fled
So made them victours, whom he did subdew
Then gan Carausius tirannize anew,
And gainst the Romanes bent their proper
powre,
But him Allectus treacherously slew,
And took on him the robe of Emperoure •
Nath'lesse the same enioyed but short happy
howre
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For Asclepiodaie him ouercame,
And left inglorious on the vanquisht playne,
Without or robe, or rag, to hide his shame
Then afterwards he in his stead did rayne,
But shortly was by Coyll in batteli slaine
Who after long debate, since Luctes time,
Was of the Britons first crownd Soueraine
Then gan tmsRealmereneweherpassed prime
He of his name Coykhester built of stone and
lime
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The weary Britons, whose war hable youth
Was by Maxtmtan lately led away,
With wretched miseries, and woefull ruth,
Were to those Pagans made an open pray,
And dayly spectacle of sad decay
Whom Romane warres, which now foure
hundred yeares,
And more had wasted, could no whit dismay,
Till by consent of Commons and of Peares,
They crownd the second Conslantine with
loyous teares, ,
Who hauing oft in batteli vanquished
ThosespoilefullPicts,ands,armingEasterhngs,
Long time in peace his Realme established,
Yet oft annoyd with sundry bordragings
Of neighbour Scots, and forrem Scatterlmgs,
With which the worlddidm thosedayesabound
Which to outbarre, with pamefull pyonings
From sea to sea he heapt a mightie mound,
Which from Alcluid to Panwelt did that border
bound ,
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Three sonnes he dying left, all vnder age,
Which when the Romanes heard, they hithersent By meanes whereof, their vncle Vorheere
Constantius, a man of mickle might, Vsurpt the crowne, during their pupillage ,
With whom king Coyll made an agreement, Which th'Infants tutors gathering to feare,
And to him gaue for wife his daughter bright, Them closely into Armorick did beare
Faire Helena, the fairest huing wight, For dread of whom, and for those Picts annoyes,
Who in all godly thewes, and goodly prayse He sent to Germame, straunge aid to reare,
Did far excell, but was most famous hight From whence ef tsoones arnued here three hoyes
For skill in Musicke of all in her dayes, Of Saxons, whom he for his safttie imployes
Asweil incurious instruments,as cunning layes
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6o
Two brethren were their Capitains, which hight
Of whom he did great Constanttne beget, Hengtst and Horsus, well approu'd in warre,
Who afterward was Emperour of Rome, And both of them men of renowmed might,
To which whiles absent he his mind did set, Who making vantage of their ciuill larre,
Ociautus here lept into his roome,
And of those forreiners, which came from farre,
And it vsurped by vnrighteous doome Grew great, and got large portions of land,
But he his title lustifide by might,
That in the Realme ere long they stronger ar re,
Slaying Traherne, and hauing ouercome Then they which sought at first their helping
The Romane legion in dreadfull fight
hand,
Sosettled hehiskingdome,andconfirmdhis right And Vortiger enforst the kingdome to aband
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But by the helpe of Vortimere his sonne,
But wanting issew male, his daughter deare He is againe vnto his rule restord,
He gaue in wedlocke to Maxtmtan, And Hengtst seeming sad, for that was donne,
And him with her madeof his kingdome heyre, Receiued is to grace and new accord,
Who soone by meanes thereof the Empire wan, Through his faire daughters face, and flattnng
Till murdred by the friends of Grattan, word;
Then gan the Hunnes and Picts muade this Sooneafterwhich,threehundredLordesheslew
land,
Of British bloud, all sitting at his bord,
During the raigne of Maximmian,
Whose dolefull moniments who list to rew,
Who dying left none heire them to withstand, Th'eternall markes of treason may at Stonheng
But that they ouerran all parts with easie hand vew