[Sidenote:  It should seeme that this historie of Gurmundus is but some fained tale except it may be that he was some Dane, Norwegian or Germane.] Of this Gurmundus the old English writers make no mention, nor also anie ancient authors of forren parties:  and yet saith the British booke, that after he had conquered this land, and giuen it to the Saxons, he passed ouer into France, and there destroied much of that land, as an enimie to the faith of Christ.  For which consideration he was the more readie to come to the aid of the Saxons, who as yet had not receiued the christian faith, but warred against the Britains, as well to destroie the faith of Christ within this land, as to establish to themselues continuall habitations in the same.  There be, that omitting to make mention of Gurmundus, write thus of the expelling of the Britains out of this land at that time, when with their king Careticus they got them into Wales.

[Sidenote:  586.] [Sidenote:  Matt.  West.] In the yeere of Grace 586, Careticus a louer of ciuill warre succeeded Malgo an enimie to God and to the Britains, whose inconstancie when the English and Saxon kings perceiued, with one consent they rose against him, and after manie battels chased him from citie to citie, till at length incountering with him in a pight field, they droue him beyond Seuerne into Wales.  Heerevpon clerks and priests were driuen out of their places with bright swoords brandishing in all parts, and fire crackling in churches, wherewith the same were consumed.  The remnant of the Britains therefore withdrew into the west parts of the land, that is to say, into Cornwall, and into Wales, out of which countries they oftentimes brake out, and made insurrections vpon the Saxons, the which in maner aforsaid got possession of the chiefest parts of the land, leauing to the Britains onlie three prouinces, that is to say, Cornwall, Southwales, and Northwales, which countries were not easie to be woone, by reason of the thicke woods inuironed with deepe mareshes and waters, and full of high craggie rocks and mounteins.

The English and Saxon kings hauing thus remooued the Britains, inlarged the bounds of their dominions.  There reigned in that season within this land, beside the Britaine kings, eight kings of the English and Saxon nations, as Ethelbert in Kent, Cissa in Sussex, Ceauline in Westsex, Creda or Crida in Mercia, Erkenwine in Essex, Titila in Estangle, Elle in Deira, and Alfrid in Bernicia.  In this sort the Britains lost the possession of the more part of their ancient seats, and the faith of Christ thereby was greatlie decaied:  for the churches were destroied; and the archbishops of Caerleon Arwiske, London and Yorke withdrew togither with their cleargie into the mounteins and woods within Wales, taking with them the reliks of saints, doubting the same should be destroied by the enimies, and themselues put to death if they should abide in their old habitations.  Manie also fled into Britaine Armorike with a great