To conclude, he was a graue prince, sober, vpright, courteous and liberall, as he which kept his mind euer free from couetous desire of great riches:  insomuch that when he should make anie great feast to his friends, he was not ashamed to borow plate and siluer vessell to [Sidenote:  Pomponius Laenis.] serue his turne, and to furnish his cupbord for the time, being contented for himselfe to be serued in cruses & earthen vessels.  He was woont to haue this saieng in his mouth, that better it was that the subiects should haue store of monie and riches, than the prince to keepe it close in his treasurie, where it serued to no vse.  By such courteous dealing the prouinces which were in his charge flourished in great wealth and quietnesse.  He was a verie wise and politike [Sidenote:  He died in the yeere 306. as Matt.  West. hath noted, and reigned over the Britains but 11. yeeres as Galf. saith.] prince in the ordering of all weightie matters, and verie skillfull in the practise of warres, so that he stood the Romane empire in great steed, and was therefore highlie beloued of the souldiers, insomuch that immediatlie after his deceasse, they proclaimed his sonne Constantine emperour.

That the Christian faith was imbraced of the Britains in this season, it maie appeere, in that Hilarias bishop of Poictiers writeth to his brethren in Britaine, and Constantine in an epistle (as Theodoretus saith in his first booke and tenth chapter) maketh mention of the churches in Britaine:  which also Sozomenus dooth affirme.  For the Britains after they had receiued the faith, defended the same euen with the shedding of their bloud, as Amphibalus, who in this [Sidenote:  291. Iohn Bale.] Constantius daies being apprehended, suffered at Redburne neere to Werlamchester, about 15 yeeres after the martyrdome of his host S. Albane.

* * * * *

Constantine created emperour in Britaine, he is sollicited to take vpon him the regiment of those countries that his father gouerned, he is requested to subdue Maxentius the vsurping tyrant, Maximianus his father seeketh to depose him, Constantines death is purposed by the said Maximianus the father & his sonne Maxentius, Fausta the daughter of Maximianus & wife to Constantine detecteth hir fathers trecherie to hir husband, Maximianus is strangled at Constantines commandement, league and alliance betweene him and Licinius, he is slaine, the empresse Helen commended, the crosse of Christ found with the inscription of the same, what miracles were wrought thereby, of the nailes wherewith Christ was crucified, Constantine commended, the state of Britaine in his time.

THE XXVIIJ.  CHAPTER.