AMBROSIUS AUIZELIANUS, a general of the ancient Britons, though of Roman extraction. Ile was brought up at the court of Aldroen of Armorica ; and was sent by that prince into Britain, at the head of 10,000 men, with a view to aid the southern inhabitants of the island against the Saxons. These freebooters had been invited from the continent, and having delivered the Britons from the attacks of the Picts and Scots, had kept pos session of their country for themselves. Ambrosius had no sooner landed than he began his operations. He de feated the Saxons in many battles, and compelled Vor tigern, with such of the Britons as adhered to him, to give up all the western part of the kingdom, which was immediately subjected to his authority. This division was separated from the eastern by the highway, called Watling Street. Sonic time after, the fortune of Vor tigern declining, he was deserted by many of his troops, and retired into Wales. lie was followed by Ambro sias, and closely besieged : but the castle in which he was shut up having taken fire, he perished in the con flagration, and left his rival sole monarch of Britain. Ambrosius now directed his attention to the internal administration of his kingdom. He therefore assembled the chief men and first captains of the empire at York, and gave orders for repairing the churches, and res toring the public worship of God, which had been shamefully neglected clueing the struggle with the Saxons. This conduct has procured for Ambrosius no
small shave of commendation from the monkish his torians who have written of his actions; and it has per haps contributed to the very high character which Geoffrey of Monmouth has drawn of that successful leader. " He was," says he, " a man of such bravery and courage, that when he was in Gaul, no one durst enter the lists with him ; for lie was sure to unhorse his antagonist, or to break his spear into shivers. He was, moreover, generous in bestowing, careful in perform ing religious duties, moderate in all things, and more especially abhorred a lie. He was strong on foot, stronger on horseback, and perfectly qualified to com mand an army." The same historian ascribes the build ing of Stonehenge, near Salisbury in Wiltshire, to Am brosius, and gives a long account of the magicians, giants, and others, whom the king employed as his assistants, or who were in one way or:motile:r concerned in the undertaking. He likewise states, that Am brosius was slain by Eopa, a Saxon ; but the common opinion is, that he was killed in a battle, which Ire lought with Cerdic, a general of the same people, about the year SOS. (h)