Some speculate that this "merry old soul" of nursery rhyme fame was based on a real king of 3rd century Britain
[DOC] [TLE] King - National CV of Britain [PAR] Cymbeline: king of Britain in the early decades of the first century AD, son of 
Tenvantius ... with the assistance of Arviragus conquered the isles of Orkney, and 
some others; after ... was King of the Silures, a martial people based in South 
Wales; the Silures seem to .... Coel I was the Old King Cole of nursery rhyme 
fame, as in:.