To conclude, he was a graue prince, sober, vpright, courteous and
liberall, as he which kept his mind euer free from couetous desire of
great riches: insomuch that when he should make anie great feast to
his friends, he was not ashamed to borow plate and siluer vessell to
[Sidenote: _Pomponius Laenis_.]
serue his turne, and to furnish his cupbord for the time, being
contented for himselfe to be serued in cruses & earthen vessels. He
was woont to haue this saieng in his mouth, that better it was that
the subiects should haue store of monie and riches, than the prince to
keepe it close in his treasurie, where it serued to no vse. By such
courteous dealing the prouinces which were in his charge flourished
in great wealth and quietnesse. He was a verie wise and politike
[Sidenote: He died in the yeere 306. as _Matt. West._ hath noted,
and reigned over the Britains but 11. yeeres as _Galf._ saith.]
prince in the ordering of all weightie matters, and verie skillfull in
the practise of warres, so that he stood the Romane empire in great
steed, and was therefore highlie beloued of the souldiers, insomuch
that immediatlie after his deceasse, they proclaimed his sonne
Constantine emperour.
That the Christian faith was imbraced of the Britains in this season,
it maie appeere, in that Hilarias bishop of Poictiers writeth to his
brethren in Britaine, and Constantine in an epistle (as Theodoretus
saith in his first booke and tenth chapter) maketh mention of the
churches in Britaine: which also Sozomenus dooth affirme.
Pages:
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148