Early Modern Mythological Texts: Troia Britanica XVI (51-95)
Thomas Heywood. Troia Britanica (1609)
CANTO XVI (51-95)
Stanzas 51-60 — 61-70 — 71-80 — 81-90 — 91-95 — Heywood’s endnotes to Canto XVI
Ed. Nick MYERS
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Coill killed Asclepiodale, and reigned Twenty-seven years. Constantius succeeds By marrying British Helen, having gained The Roman diadem. His virtuous deeds The favour of the multitude attained Next. Constantine (surnamed the Great) who reads The Bible first in Britain; Arius preached And th’Arian errors through the whole world teached. |
4223/262 4250/289 Constantius 4271/310 Constantine
4282/325 |
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Now at Jerusalem Queen Helen found The very cross whereon our Saviour died, And the three nails his feet and hands did wound. Octavius next fifty-four years supplied The diadem, and then was laid in ground. Three hundred eighteen bishops now applied The Nicaean council, now did Ambrose read, And Athanasius that set down the creed. |
4290/329 Octavius |
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With learned Basil, and about their days Julian Apostate lived. The next advanced Was Maximus, whom the bold Britons raise. To Ursula a piteous fortune chanced With eleven thousand maids passing the seas To Britain less, their lives were all entranced. Saint Jerome flourished, writing books divine, So did in Hippo learned Augustine. |
4344/383 Maximus
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Gratian succeeds, whom the bold Britons slew After four years, in whose unhappy reign Ambrose the Milan bishop famous grew, And Chrysostom did the true faith maintain In Constantinople. A doctrine new Th’heretic Pelagius did in Carthage feign, Where all his errors to his pride imputed Were by two hundred and seven clerks confuted. |
4352/391 Gratian
4380/419 |
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Algelmond reigned first king of Lombardy, At Milan th’emperor Theodosius died. Alaricus sacked Rome. The monarchy And throne of France first Pharamond supplied. The Scots and Picts unpeople Britanny, But Constantine the Britons’ valiant guide, Who came from Britain lesse, the throne ascends And rules ten years, in him Rome’s tribute ends. |
4381/422 Constantine |
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Constans a fool, the son of Constantine, Was from a monk by Vortiger made king, And having one year governed, did resign To the Duke Vortiger, who governing Eighteen whole years, two lords of Saxon line, Hengist and Horsus called, an army bring To land in Britain, where not long they tarried, Till Vortiger Prince Hengist's daughter married. |
4404/443 Constans
4409/448 Vortiger
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For which the Britons him deposed, electing Young Vortimer his son to sway the state. He the alliance of those lords rejecting, Whom Vortiger his father raised so late, Governed six years, the land in peace protecting, Whom his fair stepdame brought to timeless fate By cursèd poison, which no sooner chanced But Vortiger was once again advanced. |
Vortimer 4426/465
4432/471 Vortiger |
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In these dissentious days Gensericus The Vandal king took Carthage. Attila King of the Huns even to Thermopilus O’ercame all Greece, Illyria, Thracia, Against whom bravely fought Meroneus. The most renowned king of Gallia Named Gallia France, and till King Pepin’s time All the French kings descended on his line. |
4402/441
4411/450 |
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Venice was now first founded and begun, Of such poor people as to shun the rage Of tyrant Attila the famous Hun, From Aquilea fled: whose pride to assuage The Roman Aetius a brave battle won, Slew eighteen thousand Huns (in his young age). Aetius envied for raising Rome’s dominion Was murdered by his master Valentinian. |
4417/456
4418/457 |
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Which emperor at Thrasila was slain By one of Aetius’ soldiers. Vortiger Of Britain’s awful seat possessed again. The Saxons with the British peers confer, Where at a watchword given by Hengist’s train, The king surprised, and being in prison pent, Gave to them Norfolk, Suffolk, Sussex, Kent. |
4432/471 Hengist |
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And of this Hengist Britain changed the name, Was cleaped Hengist Land: since England called. Next Constantine’s two younger sons proclaim Their rights in England, being naught appalled At Hengist’s might, stirred by their father’s fame. Ambros and Uther seek to be installed. They land at Totnes, Vortiger they burn, Kill Hengist too, for whom the Saxons mourn. |
4442/482 Aurelius Ambros |
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Now Merlin lived. Aurelius Ambros reigned Thirty-three years, made Stonehenge, which till now Hath on the plain of Salisbury remained. He dead, the Britons to his brothers vow Like homage, and in state have entertained Uther Pendragon, to whose throne they bow Sixteen whole years. He dotes on Cornwall’s wife And for her love bereaves her husband’s life. |
4461/500 Uther Pendragon |
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Of her he Arthur got. In France Clodoveus Governed as king, the first that was baptised In Italy. Great Theodoricus King of the Ostrogoths, who enterprised ’Gainst Odoacer battle. Bold Honoricus Governed in Afric, who so much despised True faith, that he for th’Arians in one hour Bishops exiled, three hundred and thirty-four.
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4478/517 Arthur
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Arthur the worthy next the state ascended, Fought twelve set battles and the order made Of the Round Table, whose renown extended Through all the world, whilst Arthur doth invade Foreign dominions, and Christ’s faith defended. Mordred at home his crown and queen betrayed. ’Twixt whom, at Arthur’s back return again, War was commenced in which both kings were slain. |
4504/543 Mordred |
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Next Arthur, Constantine, Duke Cador’s son, After his uncle six and twenty years Had governed England. His estate begun, Slew Mordred’s sons in fight, with Saxon peers That aided them in battle. These wars done After four summers, he ascends the spheres. Justin a swineherd, by ambition fired, By crafty means th’imperial seat aspired. |
4504/543 Constantine
4482/521 |
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Now lived in Italy the famous dame Amalasiuntha, with Athalarius Her son, by whom her sovereignty first came. She could both Greek and Latin well discuss, Whose reverence many histories proclaim. Daughter to th’emperor Theodoricus. Justinian the Grecian empire sways, The Persians to their state Cosroe raise. |
4488/527
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Justinian in his captains much renowned, Narses the eunuch, a right valiant knight, And Belisarius, whose name was crowned Through all the world. Twice Carthage won in fight, Twice rescued Rome, his fame in Persia owned. Thrace, Greece, th’Afric Goths he put to flight. For much more service th’emperor from his head Tore out his eyes; he, forced to beg his bread. |
4505/545
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Aurelius Conanus slew in field. Constantine, Arthur’s nephew, three years swayed, Then did his due to death and nature yield, And Vortipore his son is sovereign made, Who did but four years Britain’s sceptre wield, When Malgo did the sovereignty invade, Who slew his first wife, her chaste bed forsook, And to his bride, his brother’s daughter took. |
4507/546 Aurelius Conanus
4509/548 Vortigorus
4513/552 |
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King Totilas sacked Rome the second time. What in the first he spoiled, he now repaired. Alboinus, king of Lombards, full with wine, Calls for a mazer (which he might have spared) Of his wife’s father’s skull, for which in fine She loathed her husband, and yet further dared. Unto his loyal bed she proved untrue, |
4539/578
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Careticus by help of Ireland’s king, Called Gurmond, Britain Malgo did expel, Whom after three years Ethelfrid did bring To ruin, and in battle prospered well. About this time Sybert the East Saxon king Erected Westminster. Ethelfrid fell, And Cadwan, Duke of North Wales, him defeated, And two and twenty years in peace was seated. |
4547/586 Careticus Ethelfrid
4574/613 Cadwan
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Queen Fredegunde of France in the mean season, Lawdrie the Earl of Soissons dearly loved, And for his sake destroyed the king by treason. ’Gainst Gregory (surnamed the Great) was moved By John the Patriarch (’gainst all reason) The Church’s primacy which he improved. Arabian Mahomet his Al Koran made, French Brunchild lived, who had princes ten betrayed. |
4549/588
4586/625
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Cadwallin, Cadwan’s son, next Britain guided. Benet the monk painting and glazing found. The Saracens by Mahomet provided, Won Persia, where Ormisda long sat crowned, And in short space having their powers divided, Conquered all Egypt with the climates round. Damascus likewise was subdued by them, So was rich Antioch and Jerusalem. |
4596/635 Cadwallin
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Three years Cadwallader (esteemed the last Of Britain Princes) governed: and, he dead, The kingdom wholly to West Saxons passed, Of whom King Ine first impaled his head, And next him Ethelard, whose reign was graced By reverent Beda, of whose works we read: Of clerkly books on several subjects styled, Threescore and eighteen volumes well compiled. |
4644/683 Cadwallader
4684/723 Ine reigned 37 years
Ethelard 4685/724 |
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Next Ethelard, reigned Cuthred, whom succeeds Sigebert, and he not one full year did reign, But was deposed for many tyrannous deeds, And after basely by a swineherd slain. Kinulphus to the kingdom next proceeds, Who after by a man of Sigebert’s train Was murdered in the night, as he should pass Unto his mistress, a brave British lass. |
4690/729 Cuthred 4706/745 Sigebert
4709/748 Kinulphus
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The Saracens pierce Europe, Rhodes they wasted, The firmament two days appears to burn. The Emperor Constantine his army hasted The Saracens by arms to overturn, Where thirty thousand pagans of death tasted; When Constantine expires, the Christians mourn. His throne and state Justinian next maintained, And from the Turks, Afric and Libya gained. |
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The next West Saxon king was Brithricus, Who eighteen years after Kinulphus’ fall Reigned king, came from the blood of Cerdicus, And quelled the Danes in many a bloody brawl, Wived Ethelburgh, by whom as books discuss He poisoned was : yet whilst he governed all, Saint Albans, Winchcombe abbeys were both built, Blood rained, which seemed like crosses where t’was spilt. |
4739/778
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Egbert the Saxon thirty-seven years supplied The sovereignty. Now reigned French Charles the Great, Eighteen whole days the sun his light denied; Hyren the Empress from the imperial seat Her young son Constantine deposed through pride, And after did him cruelly entreat: She caused his eyes be torn out of his head, And four years after governed in his stead. |
4756/795 Egbert
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King Ethelwolf, the fore-named Egbert’s son, As chroniclers affirm, Oxford erected. A priest at first, in orders he began, Till after marrying, he the state affected. The warlike Danes his kingdom overran, But are expelled. Sergius is pope elected, Whose name Os Porcy seemed so vile, that they Changed it, and from him all popes to this day. |
4793/832 Ethelwolf
4804/843 Os Porcy signifies hogs-mouth
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Four sons each other in the state succeeds. King Ethelwald, who governed not a year When Ethelbert his brother donned the weeds Imperial, and next him doth appear The third son Ethelred, (whose body bleeds By the bold Danes) who after slaughtered were By the fourth son: at Brixium as books tell Three days together blood in thick showers fell. |
4816/845 Ethelwald 4817/846 Ethelbert 4824/863 Ethelred
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Young Alured from Ethelwulf the last, Twenty-nine years six months the sceptre bore. Hungar and Hubba quite through Scotland passed. Bells were first used in Greece (not known before). In six set battles Alured disgraced The warlike Danes, then died. The peers adore Edward his elder son, who nobly bears The British sceptre four and twenty years. |
4833/872 Alured
4862/911 Edward
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Nine popes in less than nine years were installed. Adelwald, Edward’s brother, twice rebelling, Was by the elder’s prowess twice appalled, And after slain. The Huns and Hungars quelling All Europe, were much feared. A princess called Elflede, King Edward’s sister much excelling, After the throes in her first child birth tried, For evermore her husband’s bed denied. |
4872/911
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And proving arms, by them she honour sought, She tamed the Welshmen, and the Danes disgraced. Next Edward, Adelstane the battles fought, Of the bold English, and the castles razed (As the proud Danes reared) and to ruin brought The Saracens, even from Hetruria chased. The Italian guards, they Gæan overthrow, Where blood three days out of a well did flow. |
4886/925 Adelstane
4896/935 |
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Now Gui of Warwick Danish Colebrand slew, And England of all tribute quite released, King Edmond did the sovereignty pursue, When Adelstane at Malmesbury deceased, Slain after five years: by succession true, Eldred his brother reigns, whose pomp increased. Edmond’s two sons being young, the peers complain, And think their uncle of more worth to reign. |
4901/940 Edmond
4907/946
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France, Tuskayne, Germany, the Hungars waste. Hugh King of Italy by fire destroys The navy of the Saracens, then passed To Fraxinetum. Edwin next enjoys The sceptre (Eldred having breathed his last), At Kingston crowned, whose heart was set on toys. He Dunstan banished, his lands and treasure lavished, |
4915/954
4916/955 Edwin |
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And next he slew her husband, for all which After four years he was deprived his state. Edgar his brother, a prince wise and rich In all things just, severe, and fortunate, Ascends the throne, no sorceror of witch His sentence spared. Thieves, bribers he did hate: To him Ludwallus, Prince of Wales obeyed, Three hundred wolves for tribute yearly paid. |
4920/959 Edgar |
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Forty-seven monasteries this king erected, Red crosses made, and on men’s robes were feared. When Duffus had four years the Scots protected, Donewald a Scotch lord, that no bad thing feared, Him basely slew, and from his throne dejected, From which six months no moon or sun appeared. The Turks by Enecus earl of Bygar Were Spain expelled, he first King of Navarre. |
4927/966 |
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King Edgar in his sixteenth year expires, When his son Edward was at Kingston crowned, Slain by his treacherous stepdame, who desires The crown for her son Ethelred. He found Exeter Abbey; Swayne of Denmark fires Cities and towns in England, burning round. King Ethelred reigned in this kingdom free, Thirty-eight years, his murdered brother three. |
4936/975 Edward
4942/978 Ethelred |
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Now Stephen was made first king of Hungary, And thirty-nine years reigned. Alphons of Spain Besieging great Viseum valiantly, Was with an arrow killed, and strowed the plain. All the Lord Danes that lived here tyrannously Were by the English wives in one night slain. Jerusalem was by the Turks possessed, Whom twice the bold Venetian Duke distressed. |
4961/1000 |
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King Edmond (surnamed Ironside) next his father Enjoys the kingdom, ’gainst whom Swanus’ son The bold Canutus all his Danes doth gather. ’Twixt whom were many battles lost and won, After much blood’s effusion they chose rather By single strife to end the broils begun: Their valours were in equal balance tried, And after combat they the land divide. |
Edmond Ironside
4977/1016 |
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Edrick of Stratton valiant Edmond slew, And from Canutus had a traitor’s meed. The valiant Dane in styles and honours grew, He Scotland won, and Norway: to his seed Leaving four kingdoms, vice he did eschew, Nor ever did juster prince succeed. English and Danes he atoned unto his doom, And after went on pilgrimage to Rome. |
4978/1017 Canutus
4993/1032 |
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Robert the Norman Duke, for valour famed, Hies to the holy wars in Palestine. He gone, his young son William is proclaimed The Norman Duke. Now seeks a throne divine Canutus when he twenty years had reigned, And Harrold Harefoot, unto whom incline The Danes in England, next the sceptre sways, And three years passed; at Oxford ends his days. |
4899/1038 |
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Hardicanutus the same number filled, And drinking died:whomthe good Edward (Sainted for holy works) succeeds; no blood he spilled, Nor with known sins his high profession tainted. He married as the great earl Goodwin willed Th’earl’s daughter Edgitha, and nothing wanted That a just prince should have. One and twenty years In zeal and clemency the crown he wears. |
5002/1041 Hardicanutus 5004/1043 Edward
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This Goodwin Alphred, Edward’s younger brother, Traitorously slew and by his power he yoked The king himself, betrayed his sovereign mother, By Bishop Robert to these ills provoked. But heaven no longer could such mischief smother: Swearing by Bread, he by the bit was choked. The swallowing sea devoured all his lands, Which to this day bear name of Goodwin’s sands. |
5008/1047
5016/1055 |
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William the Bastard Duke, first landing here, Was by the king received, and England’s crown Promised by Edward, which no English peer Was known to contradict, after sent home With greatest pomp; and Harrold the same year, Earl Goodwin’s son, a man of great renown, Arrived in Norway, and with oaths deep Sware (the king dead) for him the crown to keep. |
5014/1053 |
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But Edward dead, Harrold usurps the seat, Whom Tauston and the Norway king invade Upon the north; both whom he did defeat And bravely slew in battle. William made A new incursion ’gainst whom in this heat Harald his ensigns in the field displayed. The Norman duke prevailed; and Harald slain, William (the first so called) begins his reign. |
5027/1066 Harrold
5028/1067 |
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In Brute’s time whilst he governed Britain, Anæus Silvius reigned amongst the Latins; Dercilus in Assyria, Athletes in Corinth; Pipinus in Tuscany, Codrus in Athens, in whose days the Ark of God was taken by the Philistines. In Locrine’s reign David was anointed king over Israel. In Guendoline’s he slew Uriah and married Bersheba. In Madan’s days Salomon built the Temple etc. From Brute to Caesar, the Britons were not tributary to any. The government of the Romans from Caesar to Theodosius lasted 483 years. In Theodosius the Younger’s reign, the year of Christ 443, the tribute ceased. The government of the Saxons continued the space of 600 years in continual war and hostility, either with the Britons, the Danes, or the Normans. The opinions of those that write of the first inhabiting of this island are diverse, and how it came first to receive the name of Albion, some think of the chalky and white cliffs which seem to wall it in from the sea. But Hugh Genesis, a Roman chronicler, writing of all the kings and kingdoms of the world, from the universal deluge to Christ, writes that Danaus, King of Greece, had fifty daughters, and Aegyptus as many sons who, being married, and the women the first night murdering their husbands, were for the offence banished, and sailing on the seas, were driven upon this island, which Albina called after her name Albion: with these ladies, he reports that spirits engendered and begot giants, who lay with their mothers and sisters—led only by their lusts—till they had multiplied themselves to the number of twelve thousand. But I doubt not but that this land may contend with any other whatsoever, for her antiquity, being inhabited with the first, which being continually vexed within itself with civil wars and foreign invasions, her monuments and remembrances have by these wars been devoured, which have left the certainty of our first antiquity doubtful to the world, and not truly remembered by any that have undertook her first discovery. Here moreover, we could have took fit occasion to have recorded all the genealogies before the Flood, with a brief report, who after the Flood people every other kingdom, and from whom every region took her name; but it had been a course too strange and different from our purpose, which is only to find out such things as have alliance to this land of Britain, and the memorable things best known to us. We insist not much in Aeneas’ travels, of his landing at Carthage, his love to Queen Dido, her killing herself at his departure from her land, the funeral of his father Anchises; with his wars against King Turnus, for the beauteous Lavinia. These, because they are amply set down in Virgil’s 12 books of his Aeneid, we thought better rather superficially to pass them over with a bare remembrance, than to be too palpably traced in a history so common to all men, which we the rather to omit, because we hasten to the antiquities, and the successive sovereignties of our native island, whose age (our purpose is) to derive from the first inhabitants, and so to continue it even to this present government. The antiquity of London was held to be long before Rome. For Brute landed here in the year of the Lord 2855, in the year before Christ 1108. Rome was built long after, in the time that Rivallo ruled in Britain, the year after the Flood 1554, after Gomerus, the first king of Italy, 1414, after the destruction of Troy, 432, after Brute arrived in this land of Britain 355. |
By Mirandula
Virgil
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The end of the sixteenth Canto |
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Back to Canto XVI (stanzas 1-50)
Notes to Canto XVI (stanzas 1-40; stanzas 41-70; stanzas 71-95 & endnotes)
On to Canto XVII
How to cite
Nick Myers, ed., 2019. Troia Britanica Canto XVI (1609). In A Dictionary of Shakespeare's Classical Mythology: A Textual Companion, ed. Yves Peyré (2009-).