feasts and assemblies of noble men and gentlemen. Wherefore they were had
in so high estimation, that if two hosts had bene readie ranged to ioine
in battell, and that any of them had fortuned to enter among them, both
the hosts (as well the enimies as the friends) would haue holden their
hands, giuen eare vnto them, and ceassed from fight, vntill these Bards
[Sidenote: _Lucan. lib._ 1.]
had gone out of the battell. Of these Bards Lucane saith,


Vos quoq; qui fortes animas bellóq; peremptas,
Laudius in longum vares dimittítis æuum,
Plurima securi fudistis carmina Bardi:

[Sidenote: _II. F._]
And you ô poet Bards from danger
void that dities sound,
Of soules of dreadlesse men, whom rage
of battell would confound,
And make their lasting praise to time
of later age rebound.


Because the names of these poets were neither discrepant from the
ciuilitie of the Romans, nor repugnant to the religion of the Christians,
they (of all the other sects before specified) were suffered onlie to
continue vnabolished in all ages, insomuch that there flourished of
them among the Britains (according to Bale) before the birth of Christ,
[Sidenote: _Iohn Bale script. Britan. cent._ 2.
_John Prise defen hist. Brit._
_Caius de ant._