Old English Chronicles

by Unknown

This view does not militate against the veracity of Geoffrey, who professes to have translated from an original in the British language, but whether any manuscript copy of this original now exists, is a point which has not been satisfactorily ascertained. In 1811, the Rev. Peter Roberts published the Chronicle of the Kings of Britain, translated from Welsh manuscripts, and being in substance almost identically the same as Geoffrey's History of the Britons,—but it is most likely that these Welsh MSS., which are all comparatively modern, are themselves re-translations from the Latin of Geoffrey.

If no other arguments could be adduced to prove the utter incredibility of the earlier parts of this history, the following Chronological Table would furnish quite sufficient arguments to establish it, by the extraordinary anachronisms which it contains. For instance, between the reigns of Brutus and Leil, is an interval of 156 years; and yet Geoffrey makes the capture of the ark contemporaneous with the reign of Brutus, and the building of Solomon's temple with that of Leil. Now the interval between these two events cannot by any possibility be extended beyond eighty years. It is, moreover, impossible to bring the chronology of the British kings themselves into harmony with the dates before Christ, as there is no mention made of the exact interval between the taking of Troy and Brutus's landing in Britain.

Geoffrey inscribes his work to Robert, earl of Gloucester, son of Henry the Second.

GENEALOGICAL SUMMARY.

			Latinus
=Æneas		=Lavinia		(——)
Ascanius
Sylvius Pandrasus		=		(Niece of Lavinia). I. 3.
Ignoge=		1. Brutus at the age of 15 kills his father (I. 3.) Reigns twenty four years. (II. 1.)
		At this time Eli governed Israel, and the ark was taken by the Philistines, and the sons of Hector reigned in Troy and Sylvius Æneas, uncle of Brutus, in Italy. (I. 17.)
	Corinæus		Albanact		Kamber II. 1.
2. Locrin=3. Guendolœna r. 10 yrs.15 years.					Locrin by Estrildis has Sabre, who being drownedin the Severn, gives name to that river.
	4. Maddan. II. 6. 40 yrs.				At this time Samuel governed Israel, and Homer flourished.
5. Mempricius 20 yrs.		Malim			Saul reigns in Judæa, Eurystheus in Lacedæmon.
6. Ebraucus 40 yrs. (or 60, quære, II. 7, 8)					King David—Sylvius Latinus—Gad—Nathan and Asaph.
7. Brutus II., 12 yrs. and 19 other sons and 30 daughters, II. 8.
8. Leil 25 yrs.					Solomon—Queen of Sheba—Sylvius Epitus.
9. Hudibras 39 yrs.					Capys—Haggai—Amos—Joel—Azariah.
10. Bladud 20 yrs. II. 10.					Elijah.
11. Leir 60 II. 11. yrs.
12. Gonorilla=Maglaunus, 5 yrs. D. of Albania.				Regan= Henuinus, D. of Cornwall.		Cordeilla = Aganippus, K. of Gaul.
	Margan			13. Cunedagius 33 yrs.		Isaiah—Hosea—Rome built by Romulus and Remus.
				14. Rivallo
				15. Gurgustius		(——)
				16. Sisilius		17. Jago
				18. Kinmarcus
				19. Gorbogudo=Widen
				Ferrex		Porrex
Long civil wars.
At length arose Dunwallo Molmutius, son of Cloten, king of Cornwall. II. 17.
		20. Dunwallo Molmutius=Conwenna 40 yrs.
			21. Belinus 5 yrs. in concert with Brennius.			Brennius
			22. Gurgiunt Brabtruc. III. 11.
			23. Guithelin=Martia
				24. Sisillius
		25. Kimarus			26. Danius=Tangustela
						27. Morvidus
28. Gorbonian		29. Arthgallo		30. Elidure		31. Vigenius		32. Peredure
		Arthgallo was deposed in favour of Elidure, who, after areign of five years, restored his brother, who reigned 10years afterwards. Elidure then reigned a second timebut was deposed by Vigenius and Peredure: after whosedeaths he reigned a third time.
33. Gorbonian's son, III. 19.
34. Margan			35. Enniaunus			36. Idwallo		37. Runno
				38. Geruntius
				39. Catellus
		40. Coillus		41. Porrex		42. Cherin
		43. Fulgenius		44. Eldadusx		45. Andragius
						46. Urianus
47. Eliud		48. Cledaucus		49. Cletonus		50. Gurgintius		51. Merianus
	52. Bleduno		53. Cap		54. Oenus		55. Sisillius
		56. Blegabred				57. Arthmail
58. Eldol		59. Redion		60. Rederchius		61. Samuilpenissel		62. Pir
				63. Capoir III. 19.
				64. Cligueillus
				65. Heli
		66. Lud. III. 20		67. Cassibellaun		Nennius
Cæsar's invasion took place during Cassibellaun's reign.
				68. Tenuantius
				69. Kymbelinus		Jesus Christ is born in the reign of Kymbelinus or Cymbeline.
						Claudius
			70. Guiderius		71. Arviragus = Genuissa
					72. Marius
					73. Coillus
					74. Lucius IV. 19.
Lucius embraces Christianity: he dies, a.d. 156.
			75. Severus
			76. Bassianus or Caracalla
		77. Carausius, V. 3.			78. Allectus
		79. Asclepiodotus			80. Coel
					Helena = 81. Constantius r. 11 yrs.
					82. Constantine, emperor of Rome
83. Octavius assumes the crown of Britain.
			(Daughter) = 84. Maximian, V. 11.
85. Gratian Municeps
At this time the Picts and Scots harass the Britons, who apply to the Romans.
86. Constantine, prince of Armorica, comes to assist the Britons.
	87. Constans		89. Aurelius Ambrosius VIII. 2.		90. UtherpendragonIgerna VIII. 17.=VIII. 19.
	88. Vortigern usurps the throne (VI. 9) and calls in the Saxons.
					91. Arthur IX. 1.			Anne
King Arthur dies, a.d. 542 (XI. 3.)
	92. Constantine		93. Aurelius Conan		94. Wortiporius		95. Malgo
		96. Careticus		97. Cadwan
	Peanda		(sister) = 98. Cadwallo
				99. Cadwallader
Cadwallader goes to Rome, where he is confirmed in the faith of Christ bypope Sergius, and dies a.d. 689.

FOOTNOTES:

[4] See Pitts and Voss.

[5] Brit. Eccl. Prim. cap. 5

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Chap. VI.—RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER.