Concerning several ancient British Kings.

An ornate horizontal woodcut headpiece featuring a repeating pattern of stylized flowers, scrolling vines, and foliage within a rectangular border.

A large decorative drop-cap 'B' at the start of the first paragraph, featuring intricate scrolling and floral patterns.

Britain, that excellent island, was undoubtedly inhabited long before anything certain about it was recorded for posterity; therefore, we cannot judge those times. However, as far as the histories indicate, Silvius Posthumus original: "Siluius Posthumus", the third King of the Latins—who was called Silvius because he was raised in the woods Latin: silva, meaning forest, and Posthumus because he was born after his father’s death—had a son named Brutus. This Brutus is said to have arrived at this island, which was then named Albion, with a large fleet in the year 2855 from the creation of the world, and in the year 1108 before the birth of Christ. He is said to have renamed the island Britain after his own name, Brutus, instead of Albion. The origin of the name Albion comes from the fact that (as is still seen today) the island is surrounded at the seacoasts by great, high chalk mountains. To those arriving from the sea, these appear so white to the sight as if they were covered with linen cloth; thus, it was not in vain called "Albion" derived from the Latin albus, meaning white by the ancients. After this Brutus ruled the land, he built, among other things, the city of London and gave it the name Troynovant New Troy. It kept this name until the 69th year before the birth of Christ, during the time when King Lud reigned. He improved and expanded the city and named it Ludtown—that is, Lud-city—after himself, from which "London" eventually came over a long period of time.

Brutus, after he had reigned for 24 years, divided the land into three parts and gave each part to one of his three sons. To his son Locrinus, he gave the middle part of the island, now called England. To his son Camber, he gave Wales (or Walschland), which is still called Cambria after him, which we mentioned regarding the first map of England. And to his son Albanactus, he gave Scotland, etc. His son Locrinus ruled over England for 20 years and was killed by his wife, Guendolen, because he had abandoned her for the unchaste love of another. She then governed the realm for 15 years until her young son, Madan, was accepted into the government of the kingdom in his father's place. He ruled in good peace for 40 years. After him came his son, Membricus, who ruled for 20 years and was torn apart by a wild beast during a hunt. His son Ebrancus original: "Ebranck" ruled after him for 60 years; he built the city of York and the castles of Dunbar and Edinburgh. After him came Brutus, called Greenshield, who ruled for 12 years. After him, his son Leil possessed the realm for 25 years and built the city of Carlisle, etc.

As for the further succession of these kings, as well as their names and deeds; what wars the Britons waged against the Romans; how they traveled into Italy and later into France; what changes arose in the government; how the land was divided into many kingdoms and conquered by the Danes and Saxons; and what wars the Kingdom of England waged against Scotland and the like—I have provided this here as a guide for the favorable reader to diligently read the Chronicles.