The British histories and also the Scotish chronicles doo agree, that he liued in the daies of the emperour Iustinian, about the fifteenth yeere of whose reigne he died, which was in the yeere of our Lord [Sidenote:  542.] 542, as diuerse doo affirme.  Howbeit some write farther from all likelihood, that he was about the time of the emperor Zeno, who began [Sidenote:  Aurea historia.  I. Leland.] his reigne about the yeere of our Lord 474.  The writer of the booke intituled “Aurea historia” affirmeth, that in the tenth yeere of Cerdicus king of Westsaxons, Arthur the warriour rose against the Britains.  Also Diouionensis writeth, that Cerdicus fighting oftentimes with Arthur, if he were ouercome in one moneth, he arose in an other moneth more fierce and strong to giue battell than before.  At length Arthur wearied with irkesomnes, after the twelfth yeere of the comming of Cerdicus, gaue vnto him vpon his homage doone and fealtie receiued, [Sidenote:  Westsaxon.] the shires of Southampton and Somerset, the which countries Cerdicius named Westsaxon.  This Cerdicius or Cerdicius came into Britaine about the yeere of our Lord 495.  In the 24 yere after his comming hither, that is to say, about the yeere of your Lord 519, he began his reigne ouer the Westsaxons, and gouerned them as king by the space of 15 yeeres, as before ye haue heard.  But to follow the course of our chronicles accordinglie as we haue begun, we must allow of their accounts herein as in other places, and so proceed.

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The decaie of christian religion and receiuing of the Pelagian heresie in Britaine by what meanes they were procured and by whom redressed:  Constantine succeedeth Arthur in the kingdome, ciuill warre about succession to the crowne, the chalengers are pursued and slaine, Constantine is vnkindlie killed of his kinsman, a bitter and reprochfull inuectiue of Gyldas against the British rulers of his time, and namelie against Constantine, Conan that slue Constantine reigneth in Britaine, his vertues and vices, his two yeeres regiment, the seuere reprehensions of Gyldas uttered against Conan, discouering the course of his life, and a secret prophesie of his death.

THE XV CHAPTER.

In this meane while that the realme was disquieted with sore & continuall warres betwixt the Britains and Saxons (as before ye haue heard) the christian religion was not onelie abolished in places where the Saxons got habitations, but also among the Britains the right [Sidenote:  The heresie of the Pelagians reuiued, Hist.  Mag.] faith was brought into danger, by the remnant of the Pelagian heresie, [Sidenote:  Dubritius & Dauid lerned bishops.] which began againe to be broched by diuers naughtie persons.  But Dubritius that was first bishop of Landaffe, and after archbishop of Caerleon Arwiske, and his successour Dauid, with other learned men earnestlie both by preaching and writing defended the contrarie cause, to the confuting of those errors, and restablishing of the truth.