After this followed a troublous season, full of cruell warre, and seditious discord, whereby in the end, and for the space of fiftie yeares, the monarchie or sole gouernement of the Iland became a pentarchie, that is, it was diuided betwixt fiue kings or rulers, till Dunwallon of Cornewall ouercame them all.  Thus the line of Brute (according to the report of most writers) tooke an end:  for after the [Sidenote:  Robert Record.] death of the two foresaid brethren, no rightfull inheritor was left aliue to succeed them in the kingdome.  The names of these fiue kings are found in certeine old pedegrees:  and although the same be much corrupted in diuers copies, yet these vndernamed are the most agreeable.

But of these fiue kings or dukes, the English chronicle alloweth Cloton king of Cornewall for most rightfull heire.  There appeareth not any time certeine by report of ancient authors, how long this variance continued [Sidenote:  Fabian.  Ciuill warres 51. yeares.] amongst the Britains:  but (as some say) it lasted for the space of 51 yeres, coniecturing so much by that which is recorded in Polychron, who saith, who it endured euen till the beginning of the reigne of Mulmucius Dunwallon, who began to gouerne from the time that Brute first entred Britaine, about the space of 703 three yeares. (sic)

¶ Here ye must note, that there is difference amongst writers about the supputation and account of these yeares, insomuch that some making their reckoning after certeine writers, and finding the same to varie aboue three C. yeares, are brought into further doubt of the truth of the whole historie:  but whereas other haue by diligent search tried out the continuance of euerie gouernors reigne, and reduced the same to a likelihood of some conformitie, I haue thought best to follow the same, leauing the credit thereof with the first authors.

THE PENTARCHIE.

1 Rudacus king of Wales. 2 Clotenus king of Cornewall. 3 Pinnor king of Loegria. 4 Staterus king of Albania. 5 Yewan king of Northumberland.

THE END OF THE SECOND BOOKE.