A.D. 



C.39O. 



[II. i. 5.] 



THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



the yere after the Incarnation, 390. Maximus being then 

 King of Britaine. 



Certaine Englishmen sent to Constantinople by 

 the French King to Justinian the Emperor, 

 about the yeere of Christ, 500. out of the 

 fourth booke of Procopius de Bello Gothico. 



J;Ritanniani insulam tres numerosissimae 

 gentes incolunt : Quorum unicuique suus 

 Rex imperat. Nominantur hae gentes 

 Angili, Frisones, & qui ejusdem sunt 

 cum insula cognominis Britones. Tanta 

 vero hominum multitudo esse videtur, ut 

 singulis annis inde magno numero cum 

 uxoribus & liberis ad Francos emigrent. Illi autem in 

 eorum terram, quae maxime deserta videtur, excipiunt. 

 Unde insulam sibi vendicare ferunt. Utique non ita 

 pridem, cum Francorum Rex quosdam e suis Constan- 

 tinopolim ad Justinianum legaret, Anglos etiam misit, 

 ambitiosius vendicans, quasi haec insula suo subesset 

 imperio. 



The same in English. 



THe Isle of Britaine is inhabited by three most 

 populous nations, every of which is governed by a 

 severall king. The sayd nations are named Angili, 

 Frisones, and Britones, which last are called after the 

 name of the Island. In this Isle there are such swarmes 

 of people, that every yeere they goe foorth in great 

 numbers with their wives and children into France. And 

 the Frenchmen right willingly receive them into their 

 lande, which seemeth very desolate for want of in- 

 habitants. Whereupon it is sayd that the French doe 

 challenge the foresayd Island unto themselves. For not 

 long since, when the king of the Frankes sent certaine 

 of his subjects ambassadours to Constantinople unto 

 Justinian the Emperour, he sent English men also, am- 



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