The empire was then diuided betwixt
them, so that to Constantius the regions of Italie, Affrike, France
Spaine and Britaine were assigned; & to Galerius, Illyricum, Grecia,
and all the east parts. But Constantine being a man void of ambition,
was contented to leaue Italie and Affrike, supposing his charge to be
great inough to haue the gouernement in his hands of France, Spaine,
and Britaine (as Eutropius saith.)
But as touching his reigne ouer the Britains, we haue not to say
further than as we find in our owne writers recorded: as for his
gouernement in the empire, it is to be considered, that first he was
admitted to rule as an assistant to Maximian vnder the title of
Cesar: and so from that time if you shall account his reigne, it maie
comprehend 11, 12, or 13 yeeres, yea more or lesse, according to the
diuersitie found in writers. Howbeit, if we shall reckon his reigne
from the time onelie that Dioclesian and Maximian resigned their
title vnto the empire, we shall find that he reigned not fullie three
yeeres. For whereas betweene the slaughter of Alectus, and the comming
of Constantius, are accounted 8 yeeres and od moneths, not onelie
those eight yeeres, but also some space of time before maie be
ascribed vnto Constantius: for although before his comming ouer into
Britaine now this last time (for he had beene here afore, as it well
appeereth) Asclepiodotus gouerning as legat, albeit vnder Constantius,
who had a great portion of the west parts of the empire vnder his
regiment, by the title, as I haue said, of Cesar, yet he was not said
to reigne absolutelie till Dioclesian and Maximian resigned.
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