is to saie, a frée man of the countrie or citie where he inhabited.
For his sternenesse and rough gouernement, he was of the Britains (as
the histories alledge) slaine and dispatched out of the waie, after
he had reigned the space of foure yeares, or rather foure moneths, as
should séeme by that which is found in autentike writers. Then the
[Sidenote: _Galfrid. Caxton_.]
forenamed kings Guantius and Melga, which (as some write) were
brethren, returned into this land with their armies increased with
new supplies of men of warre, as Scots, Danes, the Norwegians, and
destroied the countrie from side to side. For the Britains in this
season were sore inféebled, and were not able to make anie great
[Sidenote: _Galfrid. Matth. West. Caxton_.]
numbers of souldiers, by reason that Maximus had led foorth of the
land the floure and chiefest choise of all the British youth into
Gallia, as before ye haue heard.

[Sidenote: _Gyldas_.]
Gyldas maketh no mention of these two kings Guanius and Melga
of the Hunnes, but rehearsing this great destruction of the land,
declareth (as before ye haue heard) that the Scots and Picts were
the same that did all the mischiefe, whome he calleth two nations of
beyond the seas, the Scots comming out of the northwest, and the Picts
out of the northeast, by whome (as he saith) the land was ouerrun, and
brought vnder foot manie yeares after. Therefore the Britains being
thus vexed, spoiled, and cruellie persecuted by the Scots and Picts
(if we shall so take them) sent messengers with all spéed vnto Rome
to make sute for some aid of men of war to be sent into Britaine.
Wherevpon immediatlie a legion of souldiers was sent thither in the
[Sidenote: 414.]
yéere 414, which easilie repelled the enimies, and chased them backe