he emperours; and
[Sidenote: _Anna. Boiorum. lib._ 22.]
lastlie abolished here in Britaine (by the report of Caius) when the
gospell of Christ by the preaching of Fugatius and Damianus was receiued
[Sidenote: _De ant. Cant._]
among the Britaines, vnder Lucius king of Britaine, about the yeare of
our sauior, 179.

[Sidenote: BARDUS THE SONNE OF DRUIS.
_Berosus ant. lib._ 2.
_Annius in commen. super eundem_.
_Ant. Cant li._ 1.
_script. Britan. cent._ 1.
_Nonnius_.
_Marcel._
_Strabo_.
_Diodor. Sicul. lib._ 6.
_Carol. Stepha. in dict. hist._
_Bale_.
_Iohn Prise_.]
Bardus the sonne of Druis succeeded his father in the kingdome of
Celtica, and was the fift king ouer the Celtes and Samotheans, amongst
whom he was highlie renoumed (as appeareth by Berosus) for inuention of
dities and musicke, wherein Annius of Viterbo writeth, that he trained
his people: and of such as excelled in this knowledge, he made an order
of philosophicall poets or heraulds, calling them by his owne name Bardi.
And it should seeme by doctor Caius and master Bale, that Caesar found
some of them here at his arriuall in this Ile, and reported that they had
also their first begining in the same. The profession and vsages of these
Bardi, Nonnius, Strabo, Diodorus, Stephanus, Bale, and sir Iohn Prise,
are in effect reported after this sort. They did vse to record the
noble exploits of the ancient capteins, and to drawe the pedegrees and
genealogies of such as were liuing. They would frame pleasant dities and
songs, learne the same by heart, and sing them to instruments at solemne
feasts and assemblies of noble men and gentlemen. Wherefore they were had
in so high estimation, that if two hosts had bene readie ranged to ioine
in battell, and that any of them had fortuned to enter among them, both
the hosts (as well the enimies as the friends) would haue holden their
hands, giuen eare vnto them, and ceassed from fight, vntill these Bards
[Sidenote: _Lucan. lib._ 1.]
had gone out of the battell. Of these Bards Lucane saith,

Vos quoq; qui fortes animas belloq; peremptas,
Laudius in longum vares dimittitis aeuum,
Plurima securi fudistis carmina Bardi:

[Sidenote: _II. F._]
And you o poet Bards from danger
void that dities sound,
Of soules of dreadlesse men, whom rage
of battell would confound,
And make their lasting praise to time
of later age rebound.

Because the names of these poets were neither discrepant from the