Page:The Brittish Princes, an Heroick Poem - Howard (1669, 1st ed).djvu/14

 and often Revolution of State, with the darkness of Story, (the best time for a Poet to kindle his flame) gives as much happy occasion to feign, and for the dignity of the Muses, to render truth (were it possible) more considerable from fiction, as is to be gather'd from any other in the World: I shall onely presume to give this reason for my design in modelling this Poem, which I have some cause to expect will not be less grateful, since the foundation is laid with our own Materials, and rais'd at home, though it be a Work I could wish had been performed above my abilities. The time I have pitched on, is near upon the departure of the Romans out of Brittany; An Age, that certainly rendred this Countrey famous in Warr, which cannot reasonably be doubted from their Conflicts five hundred years, with so formidable an Enemy as Rome; Nor less acquainted with their best Moralls, which from the repute of so great an Empire, gave Discipline to the World in Manners, as well as Armes: And, could not but add much to the Civilizing of the Brittains, a People they had so long been acquainted with, and by them nobly sought: To which purpose the famous Historian, Cornelius Tacitus, who Wrote in the time of Domitian, speaks them to have received the Habits, Manners, and Letters of the Romans. And though Histories are too silent of the Glorious Actions of our Predecessors; yet the deep Scratches on our Countreys Face, from