well noted in his booke intituled "Fragmenta historiæ Britannicæ,"
Mamertinus in this parcell of his panegyrike oration dooth make first
mention of the nation of Picts, of all other the ancient Romane
writers: so that not one before his time once nameth Picts or Scots.
But now to returne where we left.

* * * * *




_The state of this Iland vnder bloudie Dioclesian the persecuting
tyrant, of Alban the first that suffered martyrdome in Britaine, what
miracles were wrought at his death, whereof Lichfield tooke the name;
of Coilus earle of Colchester, whose daughter Helen was maried to
Constantius the emperour, as some authours suppose_.

THE XXVJ. CHAPTER.


After that Britaine was thus recouered by the Romans, Dioclesian and
Maximian ruling the empire, the Iland tasted of the crueltie that
Dioclesian exercised against the christians, in persecuting them with
all extremities, continuallie for the space of ten yéeres. Amongst
other, one Alban a citizen of Werlamchester, a towne now bearing
his name, was the first that suffered here in Britaine in this
persecution, being conuerted to the faith by the zealous christian
Amphibalus, whom he receiued into his house: insomuch that when there
[Sidenote: _Beda and Gyldas_.]
came sergeants to séeke for the same Amphibalus, the foresaid