THE XXXV. CHAPTER
[Sidenote: _Solinus. Adr. Iun._]
After this, in the time of the emperour Honorius, the Scots,
Picts, and Saxons, did eftsoones inuade the frontiers of the Romane
prouince in Britaine, as appeereth by that which the poet Claudianus
writeth, in attributing the honour of preseruing the same frontiers
[Sidenote: 396. _Claudianus_.]
vnto the said emperour, in his booke intituled "Panegerycus tertij
consulatus" (which fell in the yeere 396) as thus:
Ille leues Mauros nec falso nomine Pictos
Edomuit, Scotumq; vago mucrone secutus,
Fregit Hyperboreas remis audacibus vndas,
Et geminis fulgens vtroq; sub axe tropheis,
Tethyos alternae refluas calcauit arenas.
The nimble Mores and Picts by right
so cald, he hath subdude,
And with his wandring swoord likewise
the Scots he hath pursude:
He brake with bold couragious oare
the Hyperborean waue,
And shining vnder both the poles
with double trophies braue,
He marcht vpon the bubling sands
of either swelling seas.
The same Claudianus vpon the fourth consulship of Honorius, saith in a
tetrastichon as followeth:
Quid rigor aeternus caeli? quid frigora prosunt?
Ignotumq; fretum? maduerunt Saxone fuso
Orcades, incaluit Pictonum sanguine Thule,
Scotorum cumulos fleuit glacialis Hyberne.
What lasting cold? what did to them
the frostie climats gaine?
And sea vnknowne? bemoisted all
with bloud of Saxons slaine
The Orknies were: with bloud of Picts
[Sidenote: Thule some take to be Iseland, some Scotland.
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