Marcellinus, if his first thirteene bookes
might once come to light and be extant.
But now to end with Maximus. William of Malmesburie (as ye haue heard)
writeth, that not Maximus, but rather Constantine the great first
peopled Armorica: but yet he agreeth, that both Maximus, and also
Constantinus the vsurper, of whome after ye shall heare, led with them
a great number of the Britains out of this land, the which Maximus
or Maximianus and Constantinus afterwards being slaine, the one by
Theodosius, and the other by Honorius, the Britains that followed them
to the warres, part of them were killed, and the residue escaping by
flight, withdrew vnto the other Britains which Constantine the great
had first placed in Armorica. And so when the tyrants had left none in
the countrie but rude people, nor anie in the townes but such as were
giuen to slouth and gluttonie, Britaine being void of all aid of hir
valiant youth, became a prey to hir next neighbours the Scots and
Picts.
Heere is yet to be considered, in what price the souldiers of the
British nation were had in those daies, with whose onelie puissance
Maximus durst take vpon him to go against all other the forces of the
whole Romane empire: and how he prospered in that dangerous aduenture,
it is expressed sufficientlie in the Romane histories, by whose report
[Sidenote: _W.
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