[THE INDUCTION.
“It was great pitie,” quothMemorie, vntoInquisition, “that thys man liued in the tyme of blinde ignorance, when neyther vertue nor religion were knowen. Beleeue me, if he coulde haue conteyned himselfe within the limites of his owne countrey, or if too much courage had not moued him to so great interpryses, surely euen he had restored theBritainesvnto auncient libertie, and might haue liued long without paying any tribute.” “You haue said,” quothInquisition, “he might haue had a very glorious day ouer theRomans, if he had not desiredRome; for whenClaudius Cæsarhad him abroade, he did not presently incounter withGuidericus, as he supposed he woulde haue donne, but remembring howScipio Africanuslayd siege vntoCarthage, did drawHannibalout ofItaly, he imitating his grand chieftayne and predecessor, fyrst broughtBritaynevnto his obedience, then he inuadedGuidericus, with whom God being displeased, he was destroyed as you haue harde. After whom theBritaineswere greeuously oppressed by theRomans, and dayly inuaded by theScotsandPicteswhicheLodriketheir king brought out ofScithia, insomuch that at this time theBritayneswere compelled to sende vnto the EmperourBassianusfor aide; who sent vnto them theRoman Seuerus, with a great power. And then howCarassus, aBritayne, notnobilis, but altogeatherignotus, did both redeeme his countrey from thePictesandRomans, and also obteyned the crowne and raygned eight yeares, thys story following shal declare: who although he felt the fall of his own follie yet surely his story is very profitable, chiefly for all such as doo suffer suspicion to seduce them, as the diligent noting of the processe wyll declare.”]