THE TURN OF THE ERMINE

An Anthology of Breton Literature

(Selected and translated by Jacqueline Gibson and Gwyn Griffiths)

The Invasion of Britain

WILLIAM OF MALMESBURY

The Kings Before the Norman Conquest, Early 12th century

Severus and Constantius, two of thir [the Romans'] greatest princes died upon the island, and were interred with the highest pomp. [Severus died A.D. 211 and Constantius A.D. 306.]The former, to defend this province from the incursion of the barbarians, built his celebrated and well-known wall from sea to sea. The latter, a man, as they report, of courteous manners, left Constantine, his son by Helena [...] a youth of great promise, his heir. Constantine, greeted emperor by the army, led away, in an expedition destined to the continent, a numerous force of British soldiers, by whose exertions, the war succeeding to his wishes, he gained in a short time, the summit of power. For those deserving veterans, when their toil was over, he founded a colony on the western coast of Gaul, where to this day their descendents,somewhat differing in language and manners from their parent stock, remain with wonderful increase.

   In succeeding times, in this island, Maximus, a man well fitted for command, had he not aspired to power in defiance of his oath, assumed the purple, as though compelled by the army, and preparing immediately for his passage over into Gaul, he despoiled the province of almost all its military force. Not long after, also, one Constantine, who had been elected emperor here on account of his name, drained its whole remaining warlike strength; but both being slain, the one by Theodosius, the other by Honorius, they became examples of the instability of human greatness. Of the forces which followed them, part shared the fate of their leaders; the rest fled to the continental Britons.

DAVID POWEL

History of Cambria, London, 1584 (Extract)

Little Brytaine is a country in France, called in Caesars time, Armorica, and after inhabited by Brytaines, who about the year of Christ 384, under the conduct of Conan, Lord of Meriadoc, now Denbighland, went out of the isle with Maximus the tyrant, to his aid against the emperour Gratianus,and winning the said countrie of Armorica, (which Maximus gave Conan and his people) slew and drove out all the old inhabitants thereof, planting themselves in the same, where they to this daie speake the Brytish toong, being the third remnants of the ancient Brytaines.

             Names of the subsequent Kings of Little Brytaine

                                     (as given by Powel)

1. Conan Stephane

2. Gradlonus

3. Salomon 1

4. Auldranus

5. Budicus 1

6. Howelus Magnus [This Howel was with King Arthure in his warres]

7. Howelus 2

8. Alanus 1

9. Howelus 3

10. Gilquelus

11. Salomon 2

12. Alanus 2 [who descended of a daughter of Rune, son of Mailgon Gwyneth, King of Great Brytaine, which was married to the forenamed Howel the Second, King of little Brytaine]

13. Conobertus

14. Budicus 2

15. Theodoicus

16 Rualhonus

17. Daniel Dremrost

18. Aregstanus

19. Maconus

20. Neomenius

21. Haruspogius

22. Salomon 3 [who was slaine by his owne men, and then was that kingdome turned to an Earldom, whereof Alan was the first Earle, who valiantlie resisted the Normans, and vanquished them oftentimes].