was made there of them by the Saxons, and greater had béene, if the
night comming on had not parted them, and so manie were saued.

[Sidenote: The kingdom of Westsaxons.]
From that day forward Certicus was reputed & taken for king of
Westsaxons, & so began the same kingdome at that time, which was (as
W. Harison noteth) in the yéere of Christ 519, after the building of
Rome 1270, of the world 4485, of the comming of the Saxons 70, of
Iustinus Anicius emperour of the east, the first and third of the
renowmed prince Patricius Arthurus then reigning ouer the Britains.
The said kingdome also conteined the countries of Wiltshire,
Summersetshire, Barkeshire, Dorsetshire, and Cornewall, hauing on the
east Hamshire, on the north the riuer of Thames, and on the south and
west the Ocean sea. Howbeit, at the first the kings of the Westsaxons
had not so large dominions, but they dailie wan ground vpon the
Britains, and so in the end by inlarging their confines, they came to
inioy all the foresaid countries, and the whole at the last.

[Sidenote: Certicesford.]
In the ninth yéere of the reigne of Certicus, he eftsoones fought
with the Saxons at Certicesford aforesaid, where great slaughter
was made on both parts. This Certicesford was in times past called
Nazaleoy of the late remembred Nazaleod king of the Britains. About
this season at sundrie times diuers great companies of the Saxons
came ouer into Britaine out of Germanie, and got possession of the
countries of Mercia and Eastangle: but as yet those of Mercia had no
one king that gouerned them, but were vnder certeine noble men that
got possession of diuers parts in that countrie, by means wherof great
warres and manie incounters insued, with a common waste of land both
arable and habitable, whiles each one being ambitiouslie minded, &