FINCOMARKE.
FINCOMARKE that was his vncles sonne, succéeded him in the kingdome, & was placed on
the stone of marble, to the great reioising of all the estates, who wished him a prosperous
reigne, and long to continue therein. There liued in king Crathlints daies a noble christian
called Amphibalus, a Britaine borne, who fléeing from the persecution then raised in his
Amphibalus.
countrie, came vnto the same Crathlint, and by him was created the first bishop of saint Sauiours
The church of S. Sauior, other wise called Sodorensis ecclesia.
church in Man: this Amphibalus did verie much good amongst the Scots and Britains in
setting foorth the word of life, and rooting out of their hearts all superstitious errors of blind
gentilitie. There were other also of right famous memorie about the same time, that ceassed
not in preaching, and instructing the people in the right beliefe, as Modocus, Priscus, Calanus,
Ferranus, Ambianus, and Carnocus, called by an old ancient name in the Scotish toong Culdei,
Culdci.
that is to vnderstand,
Cultores Dei, or as you would say in English, the worshippers of God.
But now to the purpose touching Fincomarke, ye shall vnderstand, that he began his reigne
What yéere Fincomarke began his reigne.
322. H. B.
5490. H. B.
655. H. B.
in the yéere (as W. Harison saith) after the birth of our Sauiour 325, after the creation of the
world 4292, and from the first establishing of the Scotish kingdome 652, and in the 20 yéere
of Constantine the emperour. It chanced that Octauius king of the Britains was vanquished
by Traherus a Romane capteine, and forced for his refuge to flee vnto this Fincomarke then
king of Scots, who receiued him as a friend. And furthermore though he were required by
Traherus to deliuer him into his hands, as a traitor and a rebell vnto the Romane empire,
yet Fincomarke refused so to doo, choosing rather to susteine all Traherus his malice, and
First of Constantine. H. B.
Octauius is vanquished, & flieth into Scotland.
Traherus inuadeth Westmerland.
Fincomarke raiseth his power.
to haue warres with the Romane emperor, than to betray his friend who had put his life into
his hands vpon an especiall trust of safegard.
Herewith Traherus being not a little mooued, assembled his power, and entred into Westmerland, the which countrie had remained in the Scotishmens hands euer since Carantius deliuered it ouer vnto them. Fincomarke hearing that the Romans would thus make him wars,
had likewise raised a puissant armie to resist them, so that he had at the least 60 thousand
persons togither in one armie, as 30 thousand of his owne countriemen, 20 thousand Picts,
& ten thousand of such Britains as followed after Octauius. Fincomarke being thus furnished,
hasted foorth to incounter with his enimies, before they should haue time to doo any notable
damage vnto his subiects, & so comming within sight of them, sent an herald vnto Traherus,
to vnderstand the cause why he thus inuaded his countrie, but receiuing frō him an vntoward
answer, he brought forth his people into the field in order readie to giue battell, and so
Fincomarke ioineth in battell with Traherus.
ioining with the enimie, there was fought a right sore and cruell conflict, which continued for a
time with vnmercifull murther and slaughter on both parts.
Finallie, when the Romans were at a point to haue got the vpper hand, they were suddenie
put in such feare with the sight of a number of husbandmen, who had got togither their cattell
and were driuing the same awaie, that supposing they had beene some new succors comming to
aid their enimies, they immediatlie fled vpon the same, leauing the victorie to their aduersaries:
The Romans flée.
The numbers slaine.
howbeit of the Scots side were slaine (as their chronicles report) fiftéene thousand men, and
on the Romane part about sixteene thousand. Traherus himselfe escaped vnto Yorke, but
hearing that Fincomarke and Octauius pursued after him, he forsooke that citie, and got him
into places of more suertie, so that when the enimies came thither, the citizens yeelded
Yorke is yéelded vnto Octauius.
themselues, and receiued Octauius as their prince, offering from thenceforth to be vnder his
rule and gouernement. The newes of these atchiued victories being bruted throughout the
realme, caused a great number of the nobles to come in vnto Octauius, who receiued them
Octauius obteineth the rule of Britaine.
most thankfullie; & to conclude, wrought so by their support, that he was shortlie after restored to the gouernance of the whole realme, and established therein according to his owne
wish.
This doone Fincomarke returned into his countrie, as well himselfe as other of his nobles
and men of warre, being highlie rewarded for their paines and trauell susteined in that iournie. There was also promise made and confirmed by solemne oth, that the countrie of
Westmerland assigned to the Scotishmen.
Westmerland, with such other parts as were assigned to his predecessor king Crathlint, by
order of Carantius at the time of their ioining togither in league against the Romans, should
for euer remaine vnto Fincomarke, & to his successors the Scotish kings, without anie claime
or title to be made to the same by any of the Britains: but this promise was not long kept, for
shortlie after that Octauius had once chased all the Romans foorth of the British confines, and
that Traherus was fled ouer into France, there was a councell called at Yorke, where it was not
A councell kept at Yorke.
onelie ordeined, that from thencefoorth there should neuer anie stranger be suffered to reigne
ouer the Britains, but also that the bounds of the realme should be extended foorth beyond the
wall made (as before is recited) by the emperor Adrian, euen vnto the old ancient bounds
and limits, expelling foorth the inhabitants of forren nations.
Such an immoderate lust of inlarging his dominion inflamed the hart of Octauius, that
Octauius coueteth to inlarge his dominion.
neither regard of his oth, nor remembrance of benefits receiued, might staie him from séeking
to wrong them, whose aid had restored him vnto his former estate and dignitie, as before we
haue rehearsed. For herevpon there were ten thousand men of war sent into Westmerland,
The Britains inuade Westmerland.
Traherus returneth into Britain.
Octauius is vanquished by Traherus.
to the intent to conquer the same out of the Scotishmens hands: but being incountred with a
power of Scotishmen & Picts, they were sharpelie repelled & quicklie put to flight. About
the same time also, Traherus returned out of France with two legions of Romans and twentie
thousand of other aids: and giuing battell vnto Octauius, he vanquished his armie, and constreined him for his refuge to flée vnto the mouth of Humber, where he got certeine vessels,
and sailed into Norwaie, there to saue his life, bicause that Scotland was now no sure refuge
for him. Thus was Traherus againe in possession of Britaine as lieutenant to Constantine the
emperor: but shortlie after he was by certeine conspirators in fauour of Octauius murthered,
Traherus by a conspiracie is murthered.
Octauius is reconciled with Fincomarke.
and then Octauius returned againe: as in the English chronicle is mentioned more at large.
Immediatlie vpon his returne, he reconciled himselfe with Fincomarke the Scotish king, and
was contented that he should quietlie inioy the countries of Westmerland and Cumberland,
with such other territories as Carantius had granted in former time vnto Crathlint. He likewise sent vnto the king of the Picts, and concluded a friendship with him, to the intent he
Octauius entreth into amitie with the Pictish king.
might haue aid from him also, if it chanced the Romans eftsoones to inuade his countrie, as
shortlie after they did, not ceasing till they had so wearied him with continuall wars, that in
the end to be at rest (as his age and other necessities then required) he deliuered into their hands
certeine castels and fortresses, and also became tributarie to the emperor, on condition that he
Octauius becommeth tributarie vnto the Roman emperor.
17 of Cōstans & Cōstantius emperors. H. B.
Fincomarke deceased.
358. H. B.
Eugenius & Ethodius sons to Fincomarke.
might vse the office and name of a king all the residue of his daies. These things being thus
quieted in Albion, the Romans, Britains, Scotishmen and Picts, continued in friendlie peace
without any notable trouble, till the ninth yeare of the reigne of Valentinian emperor of Rome:
& first of Damasus the pope. In the which yeare Fincomarke king of Scots departed this
life, after he had gouerned the estate aboue 47 yéeres. This was in the yéere of our redemption 172. This Fincomarke left behind him two sonnes, the one named Eugenius, being as
then about 18 yéeres of age; the other hight Ethodius, and was yoonger than his brother by
one yéere, so that neither of them might succéed their father, by reason they were not of
yéeres sufficient to rule, according to the ancient ordinance.
Herevpon a councell was called in Argile, where there was hard hold betwixt the three
Romacus, Fethelmacus and Angusianus sonnes to thrée seuerall brethren pretend a right to the estate.
nephues to king Crathlint, that were begotten by thrée of his brethren, which of them should
gouerne the land: their names were Romacus, Fethelmacus, and Angusianus. Romacus had
a Pictish ladie of the bloud roiall of that nation to his mother, and for that his father was eldest brother next vnto Crathlint, he looked to be preferred, though he himselfe was yoonger
in yéeres than either Fethelmacus or Angusianus. Fethelmacus gaue his consent with such
voices as he had vnto Angusianus, wherewith Romacus being not a little offended, sought
Romacusséeketh means to destroie his cousins.
meanes to haue destroied them both: but his practise being discouered, caused manie to withdraw their good wils from him, whereby his aduersaries were the more incouraged: and therevpon the councell brake vp, either part deuising how to strengthen themselues against the others
practises. But forsomuch as Angusianus vsed plaine meanes without any fraudulent dealing,
Angusianus with vpright dealing purchaseth the more friendship.
Romacas vanquisheth Angusianus.
he got the more friends, so that Romacus was constreined in the end to reqire aid of the
king of Picts, who being néere of kin to him, might not denie his request. Angusianus therefore vnderstanding what danger he was in, if he fell into his aduersaries hands, got togither an
armie of such as fauoured his cause, and incountring with him in battell was put to flight, and
forced to flie into the westerne Iles with his cousine Fethelmacus, where remaining for a while,
at length he was aduertised that the inhabitants had conspired against him, for doubt whereof
he got him ouer into Ireland.
