the brother of Aldroenus king of little Britaine, as the circumstance
of the time and other things to be considered may giue them occasion
to thinke, for that there is not so much credit to be yéelded to them
that haue written the British histories, but that in some part men may
with iust cause doubt of sundrie matters conteined in the same: and
therfore haue we in this booke béene the more diligent to shew what
the Romans and other forreine writers haue registred in their bookes
of histories touching the affaires of Britaine, that the reader may be
the better satisfied in the truth. But now to returne to the
sequele of the historie as we find the same written by the British
chroniclers.

[Sidenote: This Vortigerne was duke of the Geuisses and Cornewall, as
_Rad. Cestr._ reporteth. _Gal. Mon._]
After that Constantine was murthered (as before ye haue heard) one
Vortigerus, or Vortigernus, a man of great authoritie amongst the
Britains, wrought so with the residue of the British nobilitie,
that Constantius the eldest sonne of their king the fore-remembred
Constantine, was taken out of the abbie of Winchester where he
remained, and was streightwaies created king, as lawfull inheritour to
his father.

Ye haue heard how Constantius was made a moonke in his fathers life
time, bicause he was thought to be too soft and childish in wit, to
haue anie publike rule committed to his hands: but for that cause
speciallie did Vortigerne séeke t'aduance him, to the end that the
king being not able to gouerne of himselfe, he might haue the chiefest
swaie, and so rule all things as it were vnder him, preparing thereby
a way for himselfe to atteine at length to the kingdome as by that
which followed was more apparentlie perceiued.