[Sidenote: ELIDURUS AGAINE. Matt. West.] Elidurus brother to this Archigallus was then againe admitted king by consent of all the Britaines, 3700 of the world. But his two yonger [Brother against brother.] brethren, Vigenius and Peredurus, enuieng the happie state of this woorthie prince, so highlie for his vertue and good gouernance esteemed of the Britains, of a grounded malice conspired against him, and assembling an armie, leuied warre against him, and in a pitcht [Sidenote: Elidure committed to prison.] field tooke him prisoner, and put him in the tower of London, there to be kept close prisoner, after he had reigned now this last time the space of one yeare.
[Sidenote: VIGENIUS AND PEREDURUS.] Vigenius and Peredurus, the yoongest sonnes of Morindus, and brethren to Elidurus, began to reigne iointlie as kings of Britaine, in the yeare of the world 3701, after the building of Rome 485, after the deliuerance of the Israelites 266 complet, and in the 12 yeare of Antigonus Gonatas, the sonne of Demetrius king of the Macedonians. These two brethren in the English chronicles are named Higanius and Petitur, who (as Gal. Mon. testifieth) diuided the realme betwixt [Sidenote: Britaine divided into two realmes.] them, so that all the land from Humber westward fell to Vigenius, or Higanius, the other part beyond Humber northward Peredure held. But other affirme, that Peredurus onelie reigned, and held his brother Elidurus in prison by his owne consent, forsomuch as he was not willing to gouerne.
But Gal. Mon. saith, that Vigenius died after he had reigned 7 yeares, and then Peredurus seized all the land into his owne rule, and gouerned it with such sobrietie and wisedome, that he was praised aboue all his brethren, so that Elidurus was quite forgotten of the [Sidenote: Varitie in writers.] Britains. But others write that he was a verie tyrant, and vsed himselfe verie cruellie towards the lords of his land, wherevpon they rebelled and slue him. But whether by violent hand, or by naturall sicknesse, he finallie departed this life, after the consent of most [Sidenote: Caxton.] writers, when he had reigned eight yeares, leauing no issue behind [Sidenote: Eth. Bur.] him to succeed in the gouernance of the kingdome. He builded the [Sidenote: ELIDURUS THE THIRD TIME.] towne of Pikering, where his bodie was buried. Elidurus then, as soone as his brother Peredurus was dead, for as much as he was next heire to the crowne, was deliuered out of prison, and now the third time admitted king of Britaine, who vsed himselfe (as before) verie orderlie in ministring to all persons right and iustice all the daies of his life, and lastlie being growne to great age died, when he had [Sidenote: He is buried at Caerleill.] reigned now this third time (after most concordance of writers) the tearme of foure yeares: and was buried at Caerleill.
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A Chapter of digression, shewing the diuersitie of writers in opinion, touching the computation of yeares from the beginning of the British kings of this Iland downewards; since Gurguintus time, till the death of Elidurus; and likewise till King Lud reigned in his roialtie, with the names of such kings as ruled betweene the last yeare of Elidurus, and the first of Lud.