¶ Thus may you see in what state Britaine stood in the daies of king Marius, of whome Tacitus maketh no mention at all.  Some haue written, that the citie of Chester was builded by this Marius, though other (as before I haue said) thinke rather that it was the worke of [Sidenote:  Fabian.] Ostorius Scapula their legat.  Touching other the dooings of Agricola, in the Scotish chronicle you maie find more at large set foorth:  for that which I haue written heere, is but to shew what in effect Cornelius Tacitus writeth of that which Agricola did here in Britaine, without making mention either of Scots or Picts, onelie naming them Britains, Horrestians, and Calidoneans, who inhabited in those daies a part of this Ile which now we call Scotland, the originall of which countrie, and the inhabitants of the same, is greatlie controuersed among writers; diuerse diuerslie descanting therevpon, some fetching their reason from the etymon of the word which is Greeke, some from the opening of their ancestors as they find the same remaining in records; other some from comparing antiquities togither, and aptlie collecting the truth as neere as they can.  But to omit them, and returne to the continuation of our owne historie.

* * * * *

Of Coillus the sonne of Marius, his education in Rome, how long he reigned:  of Lucius his sonne and successor, what time he assumed the gouernment of this land, he was an open professor of christian religion, he and his familie are baptised, Britaine receiueth the faith, 3 archbishops and 28 bishops at that time in this Iland, Westminster church and S. Peters in Cornehill builded, diuers opinions touching the time of Lucius his reigne, of his death, and when the christian faith was receiued in this Iland.

THE 19.  CHAPTER.

[Sidenote:  COILLUS. 125.] Coillus the sonne of Marius was after his fathers deceasse made king of Britaine, in the yeare of our Lord 125.  This Coillus or Coill was brought vp in his youth amongst the Romans at Rome, where he spent his time not vnprofitablie, but applied himselfe to learning & seruice in the warres, by reason whereof he was much honored of the Romans, and he likewise honored and loued them, so that he paied his tribute truelie all the time of his reigne, and therefore liued in peace and good quiet.  He was also a prince of much bountie, and verie liberall, whereby he obteined great loue both of his nobles and commons.  Some [Sidenote:  Colchester built.] saie, that he made the towne of Colchester in Essex, but others write, that Coill which reigned next after Asclepiodotus was the first founder of that towne, but by other it should seeme to be built long before, being called Camelodunum.  Finallie when this Coill had reigned the space of 54 yeares, he departed this life at Yorke, leauing after him a sonne named Lucius, which succeeded in the kingdome.