not about to practise anie deceitfull traines nor fraudulent deuises against the Englishmen The Britains otherwise called Welshmen though for the more part of a peculiar hatred they did impugne the English nation the obseruance of the feast of Ester appointed by the whole catholike church yet both diuine and humane force vtterlie resisting them they were not able in neither behalfe to atteine to their wished intentions as they which though they were partlie free yet in some point remained still as thrall and mancipate to the subiection of the Englishmen who saith Beda now in the acceptable time of peace and quietnesse manie amongst them of Northumberland laieng armour and weapon aside applied themselues to the reading of holie scriptures more desirous to be professed in religious houses then to exercise feates of warre but what will come therof saith he the age that followeth shall sée and behold With these words dooth Beda and his historie continued till the yéere of our Lord 731 which was from the comming of the Englishmen into this land about 285 yéeres according to his account In the yéere following that is to say 732 in place of Wilfrid the second Egbert was ordeined bishop of Yorke Ths Egbert was brother vnto an other Egbert who as then was king of Northumberland by whose helpe he greatlie aduanced the see of Yorke and recouered the pall so that where all the other bishops that held the same sée before him sith Paulins daies wanted the pall and so were counted simplie but particular bishops now was he intituled by the name of archbishop He also got togither a great number of good books which he bestowed in a librarie at Yorke ¶ In the yéere 733 on the 18 kalends of September the sunne suffered a great eclipse about three of the clocke in the after noone in somuch that the earth seemed to be couered with a blacke and horrible penthouse In the yéere 735 tht reuerend and profound learned man Beda departed this life being 82 yéeres of age vpon Ascension day which was the 7 kalends of Iune and 26 of Maie as Matt. Westm. hath diligentlie obserued W. Harison addeth hitherto that it is to be read in an old epistle of Cutbert moonke of the same house vnto Cuthwine that the said Beda lieng in his death-bed translated the gospell of saint Iohn into English and commanded his brethren to be diligent in reading and contemplation of good bookes and not to exercise themselues with fables and friuolous matters Finallie he was buried in the abbeie of Geruie distant fiue miles from Wiremouth and abbeie also in the north parts not far from Newcastell as is before remembred He was brought vp in those two abbeies and was scholer to Iohn of Beuerley How throughlie he was séene in all kinds of good literature the bookes which hée wrote doo manifestlie beare witnesse His iudgement also was so much estéemed ouer all that Sergius the bishop of Rome wrote vnto Celfride the abbat of Wiremouth requiring him to send Beda vnto the court of Rome for the deciding of certein questions mooued there which without his opinion might séeme to rest doubtfull But whether he went thither or not we can not affirme but as it is thought by men worthie of credit he neuer went out of this land but continued for the most part of his life in the abbeies of Geruie and Wiremouth first vnder Benet the first abbat and founder of the same abbeies and after vnder the said Celfride in whose time he receiued orders of priesthood at the hands of bishop Iohn surnamed of Beuerley so that it may be maruelled that a man borne in the vttermost corner of the world should proue so excellent in all knowledge and learning that his fame should so spread ouer the whole earth and went neuer out of his natiue contrie to séeke it But who that marketh in reading old histories the state of abbeies and monasteries in those daies shall well perceiue that they were ordered after the maner of our schooles or colleges hauing in them diuerse learned men that attended onelie to teach bring vp youth in knowledge of good learning or else to go abroad and preach the word of God in townes and villages adioining The same yéere died archbishop Tacuine and in the yéere following that is to say 735 Nothelmus was ordeined archbishop of Canturburie in his place and Egbert the archbishop of Yorke the same yéere got his pall from Rome and so was confirmed archbishop and ordeined two bishops Fruidberd and Fruidwald But some refer it to the yéere 744. Cuthred king of the Westsaxons he is greatlie troubled by Ethelbald king of Mercia they are pacified Kenric king Cuthreds sonne slaine earle Adelme rebelleth against him whom the king pardoneth Cuthred fighteth with Ethelbald at Hereford he hath the victorie he falleth sicke and dieth Sigebert succedeth him in the kingdome he is cruell to his people he is expelled from his roiall estate murther reuenged with murther succession in the kingdome of Eastangles kings change their crownes for moonks cowles the Britaines subiect to the king of Northumberland and the king of Picts the moone eclipsed The third Chapter AFter the decease of Ethelard king of Westsaxons his coosine Cuthred was made king and gouernour of those people reigning the tearme of 16 yéeres He began his reigne in the yeere of our Lord 740 in the twentie fourth yere of the emperour Leo Isaurus in the 14 yéere of the reigne of the second Theodorus Cala K. of France and about the 6 yéere of Ethfine king of Scots This Cuthred had much to doo against Edilbald king of Mercia who one while with stirrin◠his owne subiects the Westsaxons to rebellion an other while with open warre and sometime by secret craft and subtill practises sought to disquiet him Howbeit in the fourth yeere of his reigne a peace as concluded betwixt them and then ioining their powers togither they went against the Welshmen gaue them a great ouerthrow as before is partlie touched In the 9 yeere of this Cuthreds reigne his sonne Kenric was slaine in a seditious tumult amongst his men of warre a gentleman yoong in yeeres but of a stout courage and verie forward wherby as was thought he came the sooner to his wofull end In the 11 yeere of his reigne Cuthred had wars against one of his earls called Adelme who raising a commotion against him aduentured to giue battell though he had the smaller number of men and yet was at point to haue gone away with victorie if by a wound at that instant receiued his periurie had not béene punished and the kings iust cause aduanced to triumph ouer his aduersarie whom yet by way of reconciliation he pardoned In the 13 yeere of his reigne king Cuthred being not well able to susteine the proud exactions and hard dooings of Edilbald king of Mercia raised his power and encountered with the
Honour dooth beare to those that in any wise will trauell to set foorth such profitable things as lie hidden and therevnto doo weigh on mine owne behalfe my bounden dutie and gratefull mind to such a one as hath so manie and sundrie waies benefited me that otherwise can make no recompense I can not but cut off all such occasion of doubt and therevpon exhibit it such as it is and so penned as it is vnto your Lordships tuition vnto whome if it may seeme in anie wise acceptable I haue my whole desire And as I am the first that notwithstanding the great repugnancie to be seene among our writers hath taken vpon him so particularlie to describe this I le of Britaine so I hope the learned and godlie will beare withall reforme with charitie where I doo tread amisse As for the curious and such as can rather euill fauouredlie espie than skilfullie correct an error and sooner carpe at another mans dooings than publish any thing of their owne keeping themselues close with an obscure admiration of learning knowledge among the common sort I force not what they saie hereof for whether it doo please or displease them all is one to me sith I referre my whole trauell in the gratification of your Honour and such as are of experience to consider of my trauell and the large scope of things purposed in this Treatise of whome my seruice in this behalfe may be taken in good part that I will repute for my full recompense and large guerdon of my labours The Almightie God preserue your Lordship in continuall health wealth and prosperitie with my good Ladie your wife your Honours children whom God hath indued with a singular towardnesse vnto all vertue and learning and the rest of your reformed familie vnto whom I wish farder increase of his holie spirit vnderstanding of his word augmentation of honor and continuance of zeale to follow his commandements Your Lordships humble seruant and houshold Chaplein W. H. ¶ The names of the Authors from whome this Historie of England is collected A. Aelius Spartianus Aelius Lampridius Asserius Meneuensis Alfridus Beuerlacensis Aeneas Syluius Senensis Auentinus Adam Merimouth with additions Antoninus Archiepiscopus Florentinus Albertus Crantz Alexander Neuill Arnoldus Ferronius Annius Viterbiensis Amianus Marcellinus Alliances genealogiques des Roys Princes de France Annales D. Aquitaine per Iean Bouchet Annales de Bourgoigne per Guilamme Paradin Annales de France per Nicol Giles Annales rerum Flandricarum per Iacobum Meir Antonius Sabellicus Antonius Nebricensis Aurea Historia B. BIblia Sacra Beda venerabilis Berosus Brian Tuke knight Blondus Forliuiensis Berdmondsey a Register booke belonging to that house C. CAesars Commentaries Cornelius Tactius Chronica Chronicorum Chronica de Dunstable a booke of Annales belonging to the Abbey there Chronicon Io. Tilij Chronica de Eyton an historie belonging to that colledge although compiled by some Northernman as some suppose named Otherborne Chronicles of S. Albon Chronica de Abingdon a booke of Annales belonging to that house Chronica de Teukesburie Claudianus Chronicon Genebrard Chroniques de Normandie Chroniques de Britaine Chroniques de Flanders published by Denis Sauage Continuation de Historie and Chroniques de Flanders by the same Sauage Couper Cuspinianus Chronica Sancti Albani Caxtons Chronicles Carion with additions Crockesden a Register booke belonging to an house of that name in Staffordshire D. DIodorus Siculus Dion Cassius Dominicus Marius Niger E. EDmerus Eusebius Eutropius Encomium Emmae an old Pamphlet written to hir conteining much good matter for the vnderstanding of the state of this realme in hir time wherein hir praise is not pretermitted and so hath obteined by reason thereof that title Enguerant de Monstrellet Eulogium Edmund Campian F. FAbian Froissart Franciscus Tarapha Franciscus Petrarcha Flauius Vopiscus Siracusanus Floriacensis Vigorinensis G. GViciardini Francisco Guiciardini Ludouico Gildas Sapiens Galfridus Monemutensis aliàs Geffrey of Monmouth Giraldus Cambrensis Guilielmus Malmesburiensis Galfridus Vinsauf Guilielmus Nouoburgensis Guilielmus Thorne Gualterus Hemmingford aliàs Gisburnensis Geruasius Dorobernensis Geruasius Tilberiensis Guilielmus Gemeticensis de ducibus Normaniae Guilielmus Rishanger Guilielmus Lambert Georgius Lillie Guilamme Paradin H. HIginus Henricus Huntingtonensis Henricus Leicestrensis Hector Boece Historie Daniou Historia Ecclesistica Magdeburgensis Henricus Mutius Historia quadripartita seu quadrilogium Hardings Chronicle Halles Chronicle Henricus Bradshaw Henricus Marleburgensis Herodianus Humfrey Luyd I. IOhannes Bale Iohannes Leland Iacobus Philippus Bergomas Iulius Capitolinus Iulius Solinus Iohannes Pike with additions Iohannes Functius Iohn Price knight Iohannes Textor Iohannes Bodinus Iohannes Sleidan Iohannes Euersden a Monke of Berry Iohannes or rather Giouan villani a Florentine Iohannes Baptista Egnatius Iohannes Capgraue Iohannes Fourden Iohannes Caius Iacob de Voragine Bishop of Nebio Iean de Bauge a Frenchman wrote a pamphlet of the warres in Scotland during the time that Monsieur de Desse remained there Iohn Fox Iohannes Maior Iohn Stow by whose diligent collected summarie I haue beene not onelie aided but also by diuers rare monuments ancient writers and necessarie register bookes of his which he hath lent me out of his own Librarie Iosephus L. LIber constitutionum London Lucan Laelius Giraldus M. MArianus Scotus Matthaeus Paris Matthaeus Westmonaster aliàs Flores historiarum Martin du Bellay aliàs Mons. de Langey Mamertinus in Panegyricis Memoires de la Marche N. NIcephorus Nennius Nicholaus Treuet with additions O. ORosius Dorobernensis Osbernus Dorobernensis Otho Phrisingensis P. PAusania Paulus Diaconus Paulus Aemilius Ponticus Virunius Pomponius Laetus Philip de Cumeins aliàs M. de Argenton Polydor Virgil. Paulus Iouius Platina Philippus Melancthon Peucerus Pomponius Mela. R. ROgerus Houeden Ranulfus Higeden aliàs Cestrensis the author of Polychronicon Radulfus Cogheshall Radulfus Niger Register of the Garter Records of Battell Abbey Richardus Southwell Robert Greene. Radulfus de Diceto Robert Gaguin Rodericus Archiepiscopus Toletanus Records and rolles diuerse S. STrabo Suetonius Sigebertus Gemblacensis Sidon Appollinaris Simon Dunelmensis Sextus Aurelius Victor T. TRebellius Pollio Thomas More knight Thomas Spot Thomas Walsingham Titus Liuius de Foroliuisijs de vita Henrici 5. Titus Liuius Patauiensis Thomas Lanquet Thomas Couper Taxtor a Monke of Berry Theuet Thomas de la More Tripartita Historia V. VVlcatius Gallicanus Volfganus Lazius W. WHethamsted a learned man sometime Abbat of Saint Albons a Chronicler William Harrison William Patten of the expedition into Scotland 1574. William Proctor of Wiats rebellion Besides these diuers other bookes and treatises of historicall matter I haue seene and perused the names of the authors being vtterlie vnknowne FINIS A Table of such Chapiters as are conteined in the first booke of this Description 1 Of the diuision of the whole earth 2 Of the position circuit forme and quantitie of the I le of Britaine 3 Of the ancient denominations of this Iland 4 What sundrie nations haue dwelled in Albion 5 Whether it be likelie that
haue at one time or other béen altogither without them First of all therfore to begin with the scriptures the most sure certeine ground of all knowledge you shall haue out of them such notable examples set downe as I haue obserued in reading the same which vnto the godlie may suffice for sufficient proofe of my position Neuerthelesse after the scriptures I will resort to the wrttings of our learned Diuines and finallie of the infidell and pagane authors whereby nothing shall seeme to want that may confute Goropius and all his cauillations Moses the prophet of the Lord writing of the estate of things before the floud hath these words in his booke of generations In these daies saith he there were giants vpon the earth Berosus also the Chalde writeth that néere vnto Libanus there was a citie called Oenon which I take to be Hanoch builded sometime by Cham wherein giants did inhabit who trusting to the strength and hugenesse of their bodies did verie great oppression and mischeefe in the world The Hebrues called them generallie Enach of Hanach the Chebronite father to Achimam Scheschai and Talma although their first originall was deriued from Henoch the sonne of Caine of whome that pestilent race descended as I read The Moabits named them Emims and the Ammonites Zamsummims and it should seeme by the second of Deut. cap. 19 20. that Ammon and Moab were greatlie replenished with such men when Moses wrote that treatise For of these monsters some families remained of greater stature than other vnto his daies in comparison of whome the children of Israell confessed themselues to be but grashoppers Which is one noble testimonie that the word Gigas or Enach is so well taken for a man of huge stature as for an homeborne child wicked tyrant or oppressour of the people Furthermore there is mention made also in the scriptures of Og sometime king of Basan who was the last of the race of the giants that was left in the land of promise to be ouercome by the Israelits whose iron bed was afterward shewed for a woonder at Rabbath a citie of the Ammonites conteining 9. cubits in length and 4. in bredth which cubits I take not to be geometricall that is each one so great as six of the smaller as those were wherof the Arke was made as our Diuines affirme especiallie Augustine whereas Origen hom 2. in Gen. out of whom he seemeth to borrow it appeareth to haue no such meaning directlie but rather of the arme of a meane man which oftentimes dooth varie differ from the standard Oh how Goropius dalieth about the historie of this Og of the breaking of his pate against the beds head of hurting his ribs against the sides and all to prooue that Og was not bigger than other men and so he leaueth the matter as sufficientlie answered with a French countenance of truth But see August de ciuit lib. 15. cap. 25. ad Faustum Manich. lib. 12. Ambros. c. and Iohannes Buteo that excellent geometrician who hath written of purpose of the capacitie of the Arke In the first of Samuel you shall read of Goliah a Philistine the weight of whose brigandine or shirt of maile was of 5000. sicles or 1250. ounces of brasse which amounteth to 104. pound of Troie weight after 4. common sicles to the ounce The head of his speare came vnto ten pound English or 600. sicles of that metall His height also was measured at six cubits and an hand bredth All which doo import that he was a notable giant and a man of great stature strength to weare such an armour and beweld so heauie a lance But Goropius thinking himselfe still to haue Og in hand and indeuouring to extenuate the fulnesse of the letter to his vttermost power dooth neuerthelesse earnestlie affirme that he was not aboue three foot more than the common sort of men or two foot higher than Saule and so he leaueth it as determined In the second of Samuel I find report of foure giants borne in Geth of which Ishbenob the first that would haue killed Dauid had a speare whose head weighed the iust halfe of that of Golias◠the second called Siphai Sippai or Saph 1. Par. 20. was nothing inferiour to the first the third hight also Goliah the staffe of whose speare was like vnto the beame of a weauers loome neuerthelesse he was slaine in the second battell in Gob by Elhanan as the first was by Abisai Ioabs brother and the second by Elhanan The fourth brother for they were all brethren was slaine at Gath by Ionathan nephew to Dauid and he was not onlie huge of personage but also of disfigured forme for he had 24. fingers and toes Wherby it is euident that the generation of giants was not extinguished in Palestine vntill the time of Dauid which was 2890. after the floud nor vtterlie consumed in Og as some of our expositors would haue it Now to come vnto our christian writers For though the authorities alreadie alleged out of the word are sufficient to confirme my purpose at the full yet will I not let to set downe such other notes as experience hath reuealed onelie to the end that the reader shall not thinke the name of giants with their quantities and other circumstances mentioned in the scriptures rather to haue some mysticall interpretation depending vpon them than that the sense of the text in this behalfe is to be taken simplie as it speaketh And first of all to omit that which Tertullian Lib. 2. de resurrect saith S. Augustine noteth how he with other saw the tooth of a man wherof he tooke good aduisement and pronounced in the end that it would haue made 100. of his owne or anie other mans that liued in his time The like hereof also dooth Iohn Boccace set downe in the 68. chapter of his 4. booke saieng that in the caue of a mountaine not far from Drepanum a towne of Sicilia called Eryx as he gesseth the bodie of an excéeding high giant was discouered thrée of whose teeth did weigh 100. ounces which being conuerted into English poise doth yeeld eight pound and foure ounces after twelue ounces to the pound that is 33. ounces euerie tooth He addeth farther that the forepart of his scull was able to conteine manie bushels of wheat and by the proportion of the bone of his thigh the Symmetricians iudged his bodie to be aboue 200. cubits Those teeth scull and bones were and as I thinke yet are for ought I know to the contrarie to be seene in the church of Drepanum in perpetuall memorie of his greatnesse whose bodie was found vpon this occasion As some digged in the earth to laie the foundation of an house the miners happened vpon a great vault not farre from Drepanum whereinto when they were entred they saw the huge bodie of a man sitting in the caue of whose greatnesse they were so afraid that they
vnto or not verie farre from the coasts of Britaine many faire Ilands wherof Ireland with hir neighbors not here handled séeme to be the cheefe But of the rest some are much larger or lesse than other diuers in like sort enuironed continuallie with the salt sea whereof I purpose onelie to intreat although not a few of them be Ilands but at the floud and other finallie be clipped partlie by the fresh and partlie by the salt water or by the fresh alone whereof I may speake afterward Of these salt Ilands for so I call them that are enuironed with the Ocean waues some are fruitfull in wood corne wild foule and pasture ground for cattell albeit that manie of them be accounted barren bicause they are onelie replenished with conies and those of sundrie colours cherished of purpose by the owners for their skins or carcases in their prouision of household without either man or woman otherwise inhabiting in them Furthermore the greatest number of these Ilands haue townes and parish-churches within their seuerall precincts some mo some lesse and beside all this are so inriched with commodities that they haue pleasant hauens fresh springs great store of fish and plentie of cattell wherby the inhabitants doo reape no small aduantage How manie they are in number I cannot as yet determine bicause mine informations are not so fullie set downe as the promises of some on the one side mine expectation on the other did extend vnto Howbeit first of all that there are certeine which lie neere togither as it were by heapes and clusters I hope none will readilie denie Of these also those called the Nesiadae Insulae Scylurum Silcustrae Syllanae now the Sorlings and Iles of Silley lieng beyond Cornwall are one and confeâ—eth in number one hundreth fourtie and seauen each of them bearing grasse besides shelfes and shallowes In like sort the companie of the Hebrâ—des in old time subiect vnto Ireland are another which are said to be 43. situat vpon the west side of this Iand betweene Ireland Scotland and of which there are some that repute Anglesei Mona Caesaris and other lieng betweene them to be parcell in their corrupted iudgement The third cluster or bunch consisteth of those that are called the Orchades and these lie vpon the northwest point of Scotland being 31. alià s 28. in number as for the rest they lie scattered here and there and yet not to be vntouched as their courses shall come about There are also the 18. Shetland Iles and other yet farther distant from them of which Iohn Frobuser I doubt not touched vpon some in his voiage to Meta Incognita but for somuch as I must speake of the Shetlands hereafter I doo not meane to spend anie time about them as yet There haue beene diuers that haue written of purpose De insulis Britanniae as Caesar doth confesse The like also may be seene by Plutarch who nameth one Demetrius a Britaine that should set foorth an exact treatise of each of them in order and among other tell of certeine desert Iles beyond Scotland dedicated to sundrie gods and goddesses but of one especiallie where Briareus should hold Saturne and manie other spirits fast bound with the chaines of an heauie sléepe as he heard of which some die now and then by meane wherof the aire becommeth maruellouslie troubled c as you may sée in Plutarch De cessatione oraculorum c. But sith those bookes are now perished and the most of the said Ilands remaine vtterlie vnknowen euen to our owne selues for who is able in our time to say where is Glota Hiuerion Etta Iduna Armia Aesarea Barsa Isiandium Icdelis Xantisma Indelis Siata Ga. Andros or Edros Siambis Xanthos Ricnea Menapia c whose names onelie are lest in memorie by ancient writers but I saie their places not so much as heard of in our daies I meane God willing to set downe so manie of them with their commodities as I doo either know by Leland or am otherwise instructed of by such as are of credit Herein also I will touch at large those that are most famous and breeflie passe ouer such as are obscure and vnknowen making mine entrance at the Thames mouth and directing this imagined course for I neuer sailed it by the south part of the Iland into the west From thence in like sort I will proceed into the north come about againe by the east side into the fall of the aforesaid streame where I will strike saile and safelie be set a shore that haue often in this voiage wanted water but oftener béene set a ground especiallie on the Scotish side In beginning therefore with such as lie in the mouth of the aforesaid riuer I must néeds passe by the How which is not an Iland and therefore not within the compasse of my description at this time but almost an Iland which parcels the Latins call Peninsulas and I doo english a Byland vsing the word for such as a man may go into drie-footed at the full sea or on horssebacke at the low water without anie boat or vessell and such a one almost is Rochford hundred in Essex also yet not at this time to be spoken of bicause not the sea onelie but the fresh water also doth in maner enuiron it and is the cheefe occasion wherfore it is called an Iland This How lieth between Cliffe in old time called Clouesho to wit Cliffe in How or in the hundred of How the midwaie that goeth along by Rochester of which hundred there goeth an old prouerbe in rime after this maner He that rideth into the hundred of How Beside pilfering sea-men shall find durt ynow Next vnto this we haue the Greane wherein is a towne of the same denomination an I le supposed to be foure miles in length and two in bredth Then come we to Shepey which Ptolomie calleth Counos conteining seauen miles in length and three in bredth wherein is a castell called Quinborow and a parke beside foure townes of which one is named Minster another Eastchurch the third Warden and the fourth Leyden the whole soile being throughlie fed with shéepe verie well woodded and as I heare belongeth to the Lord Cheyney as parcell of his inheritance It lieth thirtéene miles by water from Rochester but the castell is fiftéene and by south thereof are two small Ilands wherof the one is called Elmesie and the more easterlie Hertesie In this also is a towne called Hertie or Hartie and all in the Lath of Scraie notwithstanding that Hartie lieth in the hundred of Feuersham and Shepey reteineth one especiall Bailie of hir owne From hence we passe by the Reculuers or territorie belonging in time past to one Raculphus who erected an house of religion or some such thing there vnto a little Iland in the Stoure mouth Herevpon also the Thanet abutteth which Ptolomie calleth
the crowne Being risen it hasteth directlie to old Saling Brainctrée crossing a rillet by the waie comming from Raine blacke Notleie white Notleie Falkeburne Wittham and falleth into the Blackewater beneath Braxsted on the south Beside this the said Pant or Gwin receiueth the Chelme or Chelmer which ariseth also in Wimbech aforesaid where it hath two heads of which the one is not farre from Brodockes where master Thomas Wiseman esquier dwelleth the other nigh vnto a farme called Highams in the same paroch and ioining yer long in one chanell they hie them toward Thacsted vnder Prowds bridge méeting in the waie wish a rill comming from Boiton end whereby it is somewhat increased Being past Thacsted it goeth by Tilteie and soone after receiueth one rill which riseth on the north side of Lindsell falleth into the Chelmer by northeast at Tilteie aforesaid another coÌ„ming from southwest rising southeast from Lindsell at much Eiston From thence then holding on still with the course it goeth to Candfield the more Dunmow litle Dunmow Falsted Lies both Waltams Springfield and so to Chelmeresford Here vpon the south side I find the issue of a water that riseth fiue miles or thereabouts south and by west of the said towne from whence it goeth to Munasing Buttesburie there receiuing a rill from by west to Ingatstone Marget Inge Widford bridge Writtle bridge and so to Chelmeresford crossing also the second water that descendeth from Roxford south west of Writtle by the waie whereof let this suffice From hence the Chelmer goeth directlie toward Maldon by Badow Owting Woodham water Bilie and so to Blackwater northwest of Maldon receiuing neuerthelesse yer it come fullie thither a becke also that goeth from Lée parke to little Lées great Lées Hatfield Peuerell Owting and so into Blackwater whereof I spake before as Maldon streame dooth a rill from by south ouer against saint Osithes and also another by Bradwell After which the said streame growing also to be verie great passeth by the Tolshunts Tollesbie and so foorth into the maine sea néere vnto Merseie betwéene which fall and the place where Salute water entreth into the land Plautus abode the comming of Claudius sometime into Britaine when he being hardlie beeset did â—â—nd unto him for aid and spéedie succour who also being come did not onelie rescue his legat but in like manner wan Colchester and put it to the spoile if it be Camalodunum The Burne riseth somewhere about Ronwell and thence goeth to Hull bridge south Fambridge Kirke shot ferrie and so to Foulnesse And as this is the short course of that riuer so it brancheth and the south arme thereof receiueth a water comming from Haukewell to great Stanbridge and beneath Pakesham dooth méet by south with the said arme and so finish vp his course as we doo our voiage also about the coast of England Thus haue I finished the description of such riuers and streames as fall into the Ocean according to my purpose although not in so precise an order and manner of handling as I might if information promised had been accordinglie performed or others would if they had taken the like in hand But this will I saie of that which is here done that from the Solueie by west which parteth England Scotland on that side to the Twede which separateth the said kingdoms on the east if you go backeward contrarie to the course of my description you shall find it so exact as beside a verie few by-riuers you shall not need to vse anie further aduise for the finding and falles of the aforesaid streames For such hath beene my helpe of maister Sackfords cardes and conference with other men about these that I dare pronounce them to be perfect and exact Furthermore this I haue also to remember that in the courses of our streames I regard not so much to name the verie towne or church as the limits of the paroch And therefore if I saie it goeth by such a towne I thinke my dutie discharged if I hit vpon anie part or parcell of the paroch This also hath not a little troubled me I meane the euill writing of the names of manie townes and villages of which I haue noted some one man in the description of a riuer to write one towne two or thrée manner of waies whereby I was inforced to choose one at aduenture most commonlie that séemed the likeliest to be sound in mine opinion and iudgement Finallie whereas I minded to set downe an especiall chapter of ports and créeks lieng on ech coast of the English part of this Ile and had prouided the same in such wise as I iudged most conuenient it came to passe that the greater part of my labour was taken from me by stealth and therefore as discouraged to meddle with that argument I would haue giuen ouer to set downe anie thing therefore at all and so much the rather for that I sée it may prooue a spurre vnto further mischéefe as things come to passe in these daies Neuerthelesse because a little thereof is passed in the beginning of the booke I will set downe that parcell thereof which remaineth leauing the supplie of the rest either to my selfe hereafter if I may come by it or to some other that can better performe the same Of such ports and creeks as our sea-faring-men doo note for their benefit vpon the coasts of England Chap. 17. IT maie be that I haue in these former chapters omitted sundrie hauens to be found vpon the shore of England and some of them serued with backe waters through want of sound and sufficient information from such as haue written vnto me of the same In recompense whereof I haue thought good to adde this chapter of ports and creekes whereby so farre as to me is possible I shall make satisfaction of mine ouersights And albeit I cannot being too too much abused by some that haue béerest me of my notes in this behalfe bring my purpose to passe for all the whole coast of England round about from Berwike to the Solue yet I will not let to set downe so much as by good hap remaineth whereby my countriemen shall not altogither want that benefit hoping in time to recouer also the rest if God grant life and good successe thereto In Northumberland therefore we haue Berwike Holie Iland Bamborow Bedwell Donstanborow Cocket Iland Warkeworth Newbiggin Almow Blithes nuke and Tinmouth hauen In the bishoprijc Sonderland Stocketon Hartlepoole These In Yorkeshire Dapnam sands Steningreene Staies Runswike Robinhoods baie Whitbie Scarborow Fileie Flamborow Bricklington Horneseie becke Sister kirke Kelseie Cliffe Pattenton Holmes Kenningham Pall Hidon Hulbrige Beuerleie Hull Hasell Northferebie Bucke creeke Blacke cost Wrethell Howden In Lincolneshire Selbie Snepe Turnebrige Rodiffe Catebie Stockwith Torkeseie Gainsborow Southferebie Barton a good point Barrow a good hauen Skatermill a good port Penningham Stalingborow a good hauen Guimsbie a good port Clie
excuses to auoid so manifest a title all men may see that read their bookes indifferentlie wherevnto I referre them For my part there is little or nothing of mine herein more than onelie the collection and abridgement of a number of fragments togither wherein chéeflie I haue vsed the helpe of Nicholas Adams a lawier who wrote thereof of set purpose to king Edward the sixt as Leland did the like to king Henrie the eight Iohn Harding vnto Edward the fourth beside thrée other whereof the first dedicated his treatise to Henrie the fourth the second to Edward the third and the third to Edward the first as their writings yet extant doo abundantlie beare witnesse The title also that Leland giueth his booke which I haue had written with his owne hand beginneth in this maner These remembrances following are found in chronicles authorised remaining in diuerse monasteries both in England and Scotland by which it is euidentlie knowne and shewed that the kings of England haue had and now ought to haue the souereigntie ouer all Scotland with the homage and fealtie of the kings there reigning from time to time c. Herevnto you haue heard alreadie what diuision Brute made of this Iland not long before his death wherof ech of his children so soone as he was interred tooke seisure and possession Howbeit after two yeares it happened that Albanact was slaine wherevpon Locrinus and Camber raising their powers reuenged his death and finallie the said Locrinus made an entrance vpon Albania seized it into his owne hands as excheated wholie vnto himselfe without yéelding anie part thereof vnto his brother Camber who made no claime nor title vnto anie portion of the same Hereby then saith Adams it euidentlie appeareth that the entire seigniorie ouer Albania consisted in Locrinus according to which example like law among brethren euer since hath continued in preferring the eldest brother to the onelie benefit of the collaterall ascension from the youngest as well in Scotland as in England vnto this daie Ebranke the lineall heire from the bodie of this Locrine that is to saie the sonne of Mempris sonne of Madan sonne of the same Locrine builded in Albania the castell of Maidens now called Edenborough so called of Aldan somtime king of Scotland but at the first named Cair Minid Agnes 1. the castell on mount Agnes and the castell of virgins and the castell of Alcluith or Alclude now called Dunbriton as the Scotish Hector Boetius confesseth whereby it most euidentlie appeareth that our Ebranke was then thereof seized This Ebranke reigned in the said state ouer them a long time after whose death Albania as annexed to the empire of Britaine descended to the onelie king of Britons vntill the time of the two sisters sonnes Morgan and Conedage lineall heires from the said Ebranke who brotherlie at the first diuided the realme betwéen them so that Morgan had Lhoegres and Conedage had Albania But shortlie after Morgan the elder brother pondering in his head the loue of his brother with the affection to a kingdome excluded nature and gaue place to ambition and therevpon denouncing warre death miserablie ended his life as the reward of his vntruth whereby Conedage obteined the whole empire of all Britaine in which state he remained during his naturall life From him the same lineallie descended to the onelie king of Britons vntill and after the reigne of Gorbodian who had issue two sonnes Ferrex and Porrex This Porrex requiring like diuision of the land affirming the former partitions to be rather of law than fauor was by the hands of his elder brother best loued of queene mother both of his life and hoped kingdome beereaâ—ed at once Wherevpon their vnnaturall mother vsing hir naturall malice for the death of hir one sonne without regard of the loosing of both miserablie slue the other in his bed mistrusting no such treason Cloten by all writers as well Scotish as other was the next inheritour to the whole empire but lacking power the onelie meane in those daies to obteine right he was contented to diuide the same among foure of his kinsmen so that Scater had Albania But after the death of this Cloten his sonne Dunwallo Mulmutius made warre vpon these foure kings and at last overcame them and so recouered the whole dominion In token of which victorie he caused himselfe to be crowned with a crowne of gold the verie first of that mettall if anie at all were before in vse that was worne among the kings of this nation This Dunwallo erected temples wherein the people should assemble for praier to which temples he gaue benefit of sanctuarie He made the law for wager of battell in cases of murder and felonie whereby a théefe that liued and made his art of fighting should for his purgation fight with the true man whom he had robbed beléeuing assuredlie that the gods for then they supposed manie would by miracle assigne victorie to none but the innocent partie Certes the priuileges of this law and benefit of the latter as well in Scotland as in England be inioied to this daie few causes by late positiue laws among vs excepted wherin the benefit of wager of battell is restreined By which obedience to his lawes it dooth manifestlie appéere that this Dunwallo was then seized of Albania now called Scotland This Dunwallo reigned in this estate ouer them manie yeares Beline and Brenne the sonnes also of Dunwallo did after their fathers death fauourablie diuide the land betweene them so that Beline had Lhoegres Brenne had Albania but for that this Brenne a subiect without the consent of his elder brother and lord aduentured to marrie with the daughter of the king of Denmarke Beline seized Albania into his owne hands and thervpon caused the notable waies priuileged by Dunwallons lawes to be newlie wrought by mens hands which for the length extended from the further part of Cornewall vnto the sea by north Cathnesse in Scotland In like sort to and for the better maintenance of religion in those daies he constituted ministers called archflamines in sundrie places of this Iland who in their seuerall functions resembled the bishops of our times the one of which remained at Ebranke now called Yorke and the whole region Caerbrantonica whereof Ptolomie also speaketh but not without wresting of the name whose power extended to the vttermost bounds of Albania wherby likewise appeareth that it was then within his owne dominion After his death the whole Ile was inioied by the onelie kings of Britaine vntill the time of Uigenius Peridurus lineall heires from the said Beline who fauourablie made partition so that Uigenius had all the land from Humber by south and Peridurus from thence northwards all Albania c. This Uigenius died and Peridurus suruiued and thereby obteined the whole from whom the same quietlie descended and was by his posteritie accordinglie inioied vntill the reigne of Coell the first of that name In his time an obscure nation by most
not often seene of late yeeres they are like in the next to heare of another grant so that I saie againe they are seldome without the limit of a subsidie Herein also they somewhat find themselues grieued that the laitie may at euerie taxation helpe themselues and so they doo through consideration had of their decaie and hinderance and yet their impouerishment cannot but touch also the parson or vicar vnto whom such libertie is denied as is dailie to be séene in their accompts and tithings Some of them also after the mariages of their children will haue their proportions qualified or by fréendship get themselues quite out of the booke But what stand I vpon these things who haue rather to complaine of the iniurie offered by some of our neighbors of the laitie which dailie indeuor to bring vs also within the compasse of their fifteens or taxes for their owne ease whereas the taxe of the whole realme which is commonlie greater in the champeigne than woodland soile amounteth onelie to 37930 pounds nine pence halfepenie is a burden easie inough to be borne vpon so manie shoulders without the helpe of the cleargie whose tenths and subsidies make vp commonlie a double if not troublesome vnto their aforesaid paiments Sometimes also we are threatned with a Meliùsinquirendum as if our liuings were not racked high inough alreadie But if a man should seeke out where all those church lands which in time past did contribute vnto the old summe required or to be made vp no doubt no small number of the laitie of all states should be contributors also with vs the prince not defrauded of hir expectation and right We are also charged with armor munitions from thirtie pounds vpwards a thing more néedfull than diuerse other charges imposed vpon vs are conuenient by which other burdens our case groweth to be more heauie by a great deale notwithstanding our immunitie from temporall seruices than that of the laitie and for ought that I sée not likelie to be diminished as if the church were now become the asse whereon euerie market man is to ride and cast his wallet The other paiments due vnto the archbishop and bishop at their seuerall visitations of which the first is double to the latter and such also as the archdeacon receiueth at his synods c remaine still as they did without anie alteration onelie this I thinke be added within memorie of man that at the comming of euerie prince his appointed officers doo commonlie visit the whole realme vnder the forme of an ecclesiasticall inquisition in which the clergie doo vsuallie paie double fées as vnto the archbishop Hereby then and by those alreadie remembred it is found that the church of England is no lesse commodious to the princes coffers than the state of the laitie if it doo not farre exceed the same since their paiments are certeine continuall and seldome abated howsoeuer they gather vp their owne duties with grudging murmuring sute and slanderous speeches of the paiers or haue their liuings otherwise hardlie valued vnto the vttermost farding or shrewdlie cancelled by the couetousnesse of the patrones of whome some doo bestow aduousons of benefices vpon their bakers butlers cookes good archers falconers and horssekéepers in sted of other recompense for their long and faithfull seruice which they imploie afterward vnto their most aduantage Certes here they resemble the pope verie much for as he sendeth out his idols so doo they their parasites pages chamberleins stewards groomes lackies and yet these be the men that first exclame of the insufficiencie of the ministers as hoping thereby in due time to get also their glebes and grounds into their hands In times past bishopriks went almost after the same maner vnder the laie princes and then vnder the pope so that he which helped a clerke vnto a see was sure to haue a present or purse fine if not an annuall pension besides that which went to the popes coffers and was thought to be verie good merchandize Hereof one example may be touched as of a thing doone in my yoonger daies whilest quéene Marie bare the swaie and gouerned in this land After the death of Stephan Gardiner the sée of Winchester was void for a season during which time cardinall Poole made seizure vpon the reuenues and commodities of the same pretending authoritie therevnto Sede vacante by vertue of his place With this act of his the bishop of Lincolne called White tooke such displeasure that he stepped in like a mate with full purpose as he said to kéepe that sée from ruine He wrote also to Paulus the fourth pope requiring that he might be preferred therevnto promising so as he might be Compos voti to paie to the popes coffers 1600 pounds yearlie during his naturall life and for one yeere after But the pope nothing liking of his motion and yet desirous to reape a further benefit first shewed himselfe to stomach his simonicall practise verie grieuouslie considering the dangerousnesse of the time and present estate of the church of England which hoong as yet in balance readie to yéeld anie waie sauing foorth right as he alledged in his letters By which replie he so terrified the poore bishop that he was driuen vnto another issue I meane to recouer the popes good will with a further summe than stood with his ease to part withall In the end when the pope had gotten this fleece a new deuise was found and meanes made to and by the prince that White might be bishop of Winchester which at the last he obteined but in such wise as that the pope and his néerest friends did lose but a little by it I could if néed were set downe a report of diuerse other the like practises but this shall suffice in stéed of all the rest least in reprehending of vice I might shew my selfe to be a teacher of vngodlinesse or to scatter more vngratious séed in lewd ground alreadie choked with wickednesse To procéed therefore with the rest I thinke it good also to remember that the names vsuallie giuen vnto such as féed the flocke remaine in like sort as in times past so that these words parson vicar curat and such are not yet abolished more than the canon law it selfe which is dailie pleaded as I haue said elsewhere although the statutes of the realme haue greatlie infringed the large scope and brought the exercise of the same into some narrower limits There is nothing read in our churches but the canonicall scriptures whereby it commeth to passe that the psalter is said ouer once in thirtie daies the new testament foure times and the old testament once in the yeare And herevnto if the curat be adiudged by the bishop or his deputies sufficientlie instructed in the holie scriptures and therewithall able to teach he permitteth him to make some exposition or exhortation in his parish vnto amendment of life And for so much as our churches and vniuersities haue béene so spoiled in time
Lancastershire onelie not subiect to the sée of Chester and when the pope bare authoritie in this realme it paid vnto his see 1000 ducates beside 5000 for the pall of the new elect which was more than he could well spare of late considering the curtailing diminution of his sée thorough the erection of a new metropolitane in Scotland but in my time it yéeldeth 1609 pounds ninetéene shillings two pence to hir maiestie whom God long preserue vnto vs to his glorie hir comfort and our welfares Chester vpon Dee otherwise called Westchester hath vnder hir iurisdiction in causes ecclesiasticall Chestershire Darbishire the most part of Lancastershire to wit vnto the Ribell Richmond and a part of Flint and Denbigh shires in Wales was made a bishoprike by king H. 8. anno regni 33. Iulij 16 and so hath continued since that time being valued 420 pounds by the yeare beside od twentie pence a streict reckoning as the record declareth Durham hath the countie of Durham and Northumberland with the Dales onelie vnder hir iurisdiction and hereof the bishops haue sometimes béene earles palantines ruled the rost vnder the name of the bishoprike and succession of S. Cuthbert It was a sée in mine opinion more profitable of late vnto hir maiesties coffers by 221 pounds eighteene shillings ten pence sarthing and yet of lesse countenance than hir prouinciall neuertheles the sunne-shine thereof as I heare is now somewhat eclipsed and not likelie to recouer the light for this is not a time wherein the câ—â—rch may looke to increase in hir estate I heare also that some other flitches haue forgone the like collops but let such maters be scanned by men of more discretion Capgraue saith how that the first bishop of this sée was called bishop of Lindseie or Lincolne that Ceadda laie in Liechfield of the Mercians in a mansion house néere the church But this is more worthie to be remembred that Cuthred of the Northumbers and Alfred of the Westsaxons bestowed all the land betwéene the These the Tine now called the bishoprike vpon S. Cuthbert beside whatsoeuer belonged to the sée of Hagulstade Edgar of Scotland also in the time of the Bastard gaue Coldingham and Berwike withall their appurtenances to that house but whether these donations be extant or no as yet I cannot tell Yet I thinke not but that Leland had a sight of them from whome I had this ground But whatsoeuer this bishoprike be now in externall outward apparance sure it is that it paid in old time 9000 ducates at euerie alienation to Rome as the record expresseth Aidan a Scot or Irishman was the first bishop of this sée who held himselfe as did manie of his successors at Colchester and in Lindeffarne I le till one came that remooued it to Durham And now iudge you whether the allegatlon of Capgraue be of anie accompt or not Caerleill was erected 1132 by Henrie the first and hereof one Ethelwoolfe confessor to Osmond bishop of Sarum was made the first bishop hauing Cumberland Westmerland assigned to his share of the deaneries and number of parish churches conteined in the same as yet I haue no knowledge more than of manie other Howbeit hereof I am sure that notwithstanding the present valuation be risen to 531 pounds foureteene shilings eleuen pence halfe penie the pope receiued out of it but 1000 florens and might haue spared much more as an aduersarie thereto confessed sometime euen before the pope himselfe supposing no lesse than to haue gained by his tale and so peraduenture should haue doone if his platforme had taken place But as wise men oft espie the practises of flatteries so the pope saw to what end this profitable speach was vttered As touching Caerleill it selfe it was sometime sacked by the Danes and eftsoones repared by William Rufus planted with a colonie of southerne men I suppose that in old time it was called Cairdoill For in an ancient booke which I haue séene and yet haue intituled Liber formularum literarum curiae Romanae octo capitulorum episcopatus Cardocensis And thus much generallie of the names and numbers of our bishoprikes of England whose tenths in old time yearelie amounting vnto 21111 pounds twelue shillings one penie halfe penie farthing of currant monie in those daies doo euidentlie declare what store of coine was transported out of the land vnto the papall vses in that behalfe onelie Certes I take this not to be one quarter of his gaines gotten by England in those daies for such commodities were raised by his courts holden here so plentifullie gat he by his perquisits as elections procurations appeales preuentions pluralities tot quots trialities tollerations legitimations bulles seales préests concubines eating of flesh and white meats dispensations for mariages times of celebration Peter pence and such like faculties that not so little as 1200000 pounds went yearelie from hence to Rome And therefore no maruell though he séeke much in these daies to reduce vs to his obedience But what are the tenths of England you will saie in comparison of all those of Europe For notwithstanding that manie good bishoprikes latelie erected be left out of his old bookes of record which I also haue séene yet I find neuertheles that the whole sum of them amounted to not aboue 61521 pounds as monie went 200 yeares before my time of which portion poore saint Peter did neuer heare of so much as one graie grote Marke therfore I praie you whether England were not fullie answerable to a third part of the rest of his tenths ouer all Europe and therevpon tell me whether our Iland was one of the best paire of bestowes or not that blue the fire in his kitchen wherewith to make his pot seeth beside all other commodities Beside all these we haue another bishoprike yet in England almost slipped out of my remembrance because it is verie obscure for that the bishop thereof hath not wherewith to mainteine his countenance sufficientlie and that is the see of Mona or Man somtime named Episcopatus Sodorensis whereof one Wimundus was ordeined the first bishop and Iohn the second in the troublesome time of king Stephan The gift of this prelacie resteth in the earles of Darbie who nominate such a one from time to time therto as to them dooth séeme conuenient Howbeit if that sée did know and might reape hir owne commodities and discerne them from other mens possessions for it is supposed that the mother hath deuoured the daughter I doubt not but the state of hir bishop would quicklie be amended Hauing therefore called this later sée after this maner vnto mind I suppose that I haue sufficientlie discharged my dutie concerning the state of our bishoprike and maner how the ecclesiasticall iurisdiction of the church of England is diuided among the shires and counties of this realme Whose bishops as they haue béene heretofore of lesse learning and yet of greater port dooings in the
such strangers as dailie resort vnto the same you shall not find manie equall therevnto much lesse one excelling it in anie maner of wise I might here if I would or had sufficient disposition of matter conceiued of the same make a large discourse of such honorable ports of such graue councellors and noble personages as giue their dailie attendance vpon the quéenes maiestie there I could in like sort set foorth a singular commendation of the vertuous beautie or beautifull vertues of such ladies and gentlewomen as wait vpon hir person betweene whose amiable countenances and costlinesse of attire there séemeth to be such a dailie conflict and contention as that it is verie difficult for me to gesse whether of the twaine shall beare awaie the preheminence This further is not to be omitted to the singular commendation of both sorts and sexes of our courtiers here in England that there are verie few of them which haue not the vse and skill of sundrie speaches beside an excellent veine of writing before time not regarded Would to God the rest of their liues and conuersations were correspondent to these gifts for as our common courtiers for the most part are the best lerned and indued with excellent gifts so are manie of them the worst men when they come abroad that anie man shall either heare or read of Trulie it is a rare thing with vs now to heare of a courtier which hath but his owne language And to saie how many gentlewomen and ladies there are that beside sound knowledge of the Gréeke and Latine toongs are thereto no lesse skilfull in the Spanish Italian and French or in some one of them it resteth not in me sith I am persuaded that as the noble men and gentlemen doo surmount in this behalfe so these come verie little or nothing at all behind them for their parts which industrie God continue and accomplish that which otherwise is wanting Beside these things I could in like sort set downe the waies and meanes wherby our ancient ladies of the court doo shun and auoid idlenesse some of them exercising their fingers with the needle other in caulworke diuerse in spinning of silke some in continuall reading either of the holie scriptures or histories of our owne or forren nations about vs and diuerse in writing volumes of their owne or translating of other mens into our English and Latine toong whilest the yoongest sort in the meane time applie their lutes citharnes prickesong and all kind of musike which they vse onelie for recreation sake when they haue leisure and are frée from attendance vpon the quéenes maiestie or such as they belong vnto How manie of the eldest sort also are skilfull in surgerie and distillation of waters beside sundrie other artificiall practises perteining to the ornature and commendations of their bodies I might if I listed to deale further in this behalfe easilie declare but I passe ouer such maner of dealing least I should séeme to glauer and currie fauour with some of them Neuerthelesse this I will generallie saie of them all that as ech of them are cuning in somthing wherby they kéepe themselues occupied in the court so there is in maner none of them but when they be at home can helpe to supplie the ordinarie want of the kitchen with a number of delicat dishes of their owne deuising wherein the Portingall is their chéefe counsellor as some of them are most commonlie with the clearke of the kitchen who vseth by a tricke taken vp of late to giue in a bréefe rehearsall of such and so manie dishes as are to come in at euerie course throughout the whole seruice in the dinner or supper while which bill some doo call a memoriall other a billet but some a fillet bicause such are commonlie hanged on the file and kept by the ladie or gentlewoman vnto some other purpose But whither am I digressed I might finallie describe the large allowances in offices and yearelie liueries and therevnto the great plentie of gold and siluer plate the seuerall peeces whereof are commonlie so great and massie and the quantitie therof so abundantlie seruing all the houshold that as I suppose Cyniras Cresus and Crassus had not the like furniture naie if Midas were now liuing once againe put to his choise I thinke he could aske no more or rather not halfe so much as is there to be seene and vsed But I passe ouer to make such needlesse discourses resoluing my selfe that euen in this also as in all the rest the excéeding mercie and louing kindnesse of God dooth wonderfullie appéere towards vs in that he hath so largelie indued vs with these his so ample benefits In some great princes courts beyond the seas which euen for that cause are likened vnto hell by diuerse learned writers that haue spent a great part of their time in them as Henricus Cornelius Agrippa one for example who in his epistle Ad aulicum dam saith thus An non in inferno es amice qui es in aula vbi daemonum habitatio est qui illic suis artibus humana licèt effigie regnant atque vbi scelerum schola est animatum iactura ingens ac quicquid vspiam est perfidiae ac doli quicquid crudelitatis inclemeÌ„tiae quicquid effraenatae superbiae rapacis auariciae quicquid obscenae libidinis faedissimae impudicitiae quicquid nefandae impietatis morum pessimorum totum illic aceruatur cumulatissimè vbi stupra raptus incestus adulteria principum nobilium ludi sunt vbi fastus tumor ira liuor faedáque cupido cum socijs suis imperauit vbi criminum omnium procellae virtutúmque omniuÌ„ Ãnenarrabile naufragium c. In such great princes courts I saie it is a world to sée what lewd behauiour is vsed among diuerse of those that resort vnto the same and what whoredome swearing ribaldrie atheisme dicing carding carowsing drunkennesse gluttonie quareling and such like inconueniences doo dailie take hold and sometimes euen among those in whose estates the like behauiour is least conuenient whereby their talke is verified which say that the thing increaseth and groweth in the courts of princes sauing vertue which in such places dooth languish and dailie vade away all which enormities are either vtterlie expelled out of the court of England or else so qualified by the diligent endeuour of the chiefe officers of hir graces household that seldome are anie of these things apparantlie séene there without due reprehension and such seuere correction as belongeth to those trespasses Finallie to auoid idlenesse and preuent sundrie transgressions otherwise likelie to be committed and doone such order is taken that euerie office hath either a bible or the bookes of the acts and monuments of the church of England or both beside some histories and chronicles lieng therein for the exercise of such as come into the same whereby the stranger that entereth into the court of England vpon the sudden shall rather
For hearing as he trauelled by complaint of the countrie how these inclosures were the chéefe decaie of men and of tillage in the land he sware with an oth that he would not suffer wild beasts to féed vpon the fat of his soile and sée the people perish for want of abilitie to procure and buie them food that should defend the realme Howbeit this act of his was so ill taken by the religious and their adherents that they inuerted his intent herein to another end affirming most slanderouslie how he did it rather of purpose to spoile the corne and grasse of the commons and catholikes that held against him of both estates and by so doing to impouerish and bring the north part of the realme to destruction because they refused to go with him into Scotland If the said prince were aliue in these daies wherein Andrew Boord saith there are more parks in England than in all Europe ouer which he trauelled in his owne person and saw how much ground they consume I thinke he would either double his othes or laie the most of them open that tillage might be better looked vnto But this I hope shall not néed in time for the owners of a great fort of them begin now to smell out that such parcels might be emploied to their more gaine and therefore some of them doo grow to be disparked Next of all we haue the franke chase which taketh something both of parke and forrest and is giuen either by the kings grant or prescription Certes it differeth not much from a parke nay it is in maner the selfe same thing that a parke is sauing that a parke is inuironed with pale wall or such like the chase alwaie open and nothing at all inclosed as we see in Enuéeld Maluerne chases And as it is the cause of the seisure of the franchise of a parke not to kéepe the same inclosed so it is the like in a chase if at anie time it be imparked It is trespasse and against the law also for anie man to haue or make a chase parke or frée warren without good warrantie of the king by his charter or perfect title of prescription for it is not lawfull for anie subiect either to carnilate that is build stone houses imbattell haue the querke of the sea or kéepe the assise of bread ale or wine or set vp furels tumbrell thew or pillorie or inclose anie ground to the aforesaid purposes within his owne soile without his warrant and grant The beasts of the chase were commonlie the bucke the roe the fox and the marterne But those of venerie in old time were the hart the hare the bore and the woolfe but as this held not in the time of Canutus so in stéed of the woolfe the beare is now crept in which is a beast coÌ„monlie hunted in the east countries and fed vpon as excellent venison although with vs I know not anie that féed thereon or care for it at all Certes it should seeme that forrests and franke chases haue alwaies béene had and religiouslie preserued in this Iland for the solace of the prince and recreation of his nobilitie howbeit I read not that euer they were inclosed more than at this present or otherwise fensed than by vsuall notes of limitation whereby their bounds were remembred from time to time for the better preseruation of such venerie and vert of all sorts as were nourished in the same Neither are anie of the ancient laws prescribed for their maintenance before the daies of Canutus now to be had sith time hath so dealt with them that they are perished and lost Canutus therefore seeing the dailie spoile that was made almost in all places of his game did at the last make sundrie sanctions and decrées whereby from thenceforth the red and fallow déere were better looked to throughout his whole dominions We haue in these daies diuerse forrests in England and Wales of which some belong to the king and some to his subiects as Waltham forrest Windlesor Pickering Fecknam Delamore Gillingham Kingswood Wencedale Clun Rath Bredon Weire Charlie Leircester Lée Rokingham Selwood New forrest Wichwood Hatfeeld Sauernake Westbirie Blacamore Pcke Deane Penrise manie other now cleane out of my remembrance and which although they are far greater in circuit than manie parkes and warrens yet are they in this our time lesse deuourers of the people than these latter sith beside much tillage manie townes ar found in each of them wheras in parks and warrens we haue nothing else than either the keepers wareners lodge or at least the manor place of the chéef lord owner of the soile I find also by good record that all Essex hath in time past wholie béene forrest ground except one cantred or hundred but how long it is since it lost the said denomination in good sooth I doo not read This neuerthâ—lesse remaineth yet in memorie that the towne of Walden in Essex slanâ—ing in the limits of the aforesaid countie doth take hir name thereof For in the Câ—ltike toong wâ—erewith the Saxon or Scithian spéech dooth not a little participate huge woods and forrests were called Walds and likewise their Druides were named Walie or Waldie bicause they frequented the woods and there made sacrifice among the okes and thickets So that if my coniecture in this behalfe be anie thing at all the aforesaid towne taketh denomination of of Wald and end as if I should say The end of the wooddie soile for being once out of that parish the champaine is at hand Or it may be that it is so called of Wald and dene for I haue read it written in old euidences Waldaene with a diphthong And to saie truth Dene is the old Saxon word for a vale or lowe bottome as Dune or Don is for an hill or hillie soile Certes if it be so then Walden taketh hir name of the woodie vale in which it sometime stood But the first deriuation liketh me better and the highest part of the towne is called also Chipping Walden of the Saxon word gipping which signifieth Leaning or hanging and may verie well be applied therevnto sith the whole towne hangeth as it were vpon the sides of two hils wherof the lesser runneth quite through the middest of the same I might here for further confirmation of these things bring in mention of the Wald of Kent but this may suffice for the vse of the word Wald which now differeth much from Wold For as that signifieth a woodie soile so this betokeneth a soile without wood or plaine champaine countrie without anie store of trées as may be seene in Cotswold Porkewold c. Beside this I could saie more of our forrests and the aforesaid inclosures also therein to prooue by the booke of forrest law that the whole countie of Lancaster hath likewise beene forrest heretofore Also how William the Bastard made a law that whosoeuer did take anie wild beast within the kings forrest
time with application of one simple c if a Spaniard or Englishman stand in need of their helpe they are driuen to haue a longer space in their cures and now and then also to vse some addition of two or thrée simples at the most whose forces vnto them are throughlie knowne because their exercise is onelie in their owne as men that neuer sought or heard what vertue was in those that came from other countries And euen so did Marcus Cato the learned Roman indeuor to deale in his cures in sundrie diseases wherein he not onelie vsed such simples as were to be had in his owne countrie but also examined and learned the forces of each of them wherewith he dealt so diligentlie that in all his life time he could atteine to the exact knowledge but of a few and thereto wrote of those most learnedlie as would easilie be séene if those his bookes were extant For the space also of 600 yéeres the colewort onelie was a medicine in Rome for all diseases so that his vertues were thoroughlie knowne in those parts In Plinies time the like affection to forren drugs did rage among the Romans whereby their owne did grow in contempt Crieng out therefore of this extreame follie lib. 22. cap. 24 he speaketh after this maner Non placent remedia tam longè nascentia non enim nobis gignuntur immò ne illis quidem alioquin non venderent siplacet etiam superstitionis gratiâ emantur quoniam supplicamus c. Salutem quidem sine his posse constare vel obid probabimus vt tanto magis sui tandem pudeat For my part I doubt not if the vse of outlandish drugs had not blinded our physicians of England in times passed but that the vertues of our simples here at home would haue béene far better knowne and so well vnto vs as those of India are to the practisioners of those partes and therevnto be found more profitable for vs than the forren either are or maie be This also will I ad that euen those which are most common by reason of their plentie and most vile bicause of their abundance are not without some vniuersall and especiall efficacie if it were knowne for our benefit sith God in nature hath so disposed his creatures that the most néedfull are the most plentifull and seruing for such generall diseases as our constitution most commonlie is affected withall Great thanks therefore be giuen vnto the physicians of our age and countrie who not onelie indeuour to search out the vse of such simples as our soile dooth yéeld and bring foorth but also to procure such as grow elsewhere vpō purpose so to acquaint them with our clime that they in time through some alteration receiued from the nature of the earth maie likewise turne to our benefit and commoditie and be vsed as our owne The chiefe workeman or as I maie call him the founder of this deuise is Carolus Clusius the noble herbarist whose industrie hath woonderfullie stirred them vp vnto this good act For albeit that Matthiolus Rembert I obell and other haue trauelled verie farre in this behalfe yet none hath come néere to Clusius much lesse gone further in the finding and true descriptions of such herbes as of late are brought to light I doubt not but if this man were in England but one seuen yéeres he would reueale a number of herbes growing with vs whereof neither our physicians nor apothecaries as yet haue anie knowledge And euen like thankes be giuen vnto our nobilitie gentlemen and others for their continuall nutriture and cherishing of such home-borne and forren simples in their gardens for hereby they shall not onlie be had at hand and preserued but also their formes made more familiar to be discerned and their forces better knowne than hitherto they haue béene And euen as it fareth with our gardens so dooth it with our orchards which were neuer furnished with so good fruit nor with such varietie as at this present For beside that we haue most delicate apples plummes peares walnuts filberds c and those of sundrie sorts planted within fortie yéeres passed in comparison of which most of the old trées are nothing woorth so haue we no lesse store of strange fruit as abricotes almonds peaches figges cornetrees in noble mens orchards I haue seene capers orenges and lemmons and heard of wild oliues growing here beside other strange trees brought from far whose names I know not So that England for these commodities was neuer better furnished neither anie nation vnder their clime more plentifullie indued with these and other blessings from the most high God who grant vs grace withall to vse the same to his honour and glorie and not as instruments and prouocations vnto further excesse and vanitie wherewith his displeasure may be kindled least these his benefits doo turne vnto thornes and briers vnto vs for our annoiance and punishment which he hath bestowed vpon vs for our consolation and comfort We haue in like sort such workemen as are not onelie excellent in graffing the naturall fruits but also in their artificiall mixtures whereby one trée bringeth foorth sundrie fruits and one and the same fruit of diuers colours and tasts dallieng as it were with nature and hir course as if hir whole trade were perfectlie knowne vnto them of hard fruits they will make tender of sowre sweet of sweet yet more delicate béereuing also some of their kernels other of their cores and finallie induing them with the sauour of muske ambre or swéet spices at their pleasures Diuerse also haue written at large of these seuerall practises and some of them how to conuert the kernels of peaches into almonds of small fruit to make farre greater and to remooue or ad superfluous or necessarie moisture to the trées with other things belonging to their preseruation and with no lesse diligence than our physicians doo commonlie shew vpon our owne diseased bodies which to me dooth seeme right strange And euen so doo our gardeners with their herbes whereby they are strengthened against noisome blasts and preserued from putrifaction and hinderance whereby some such as were annuall are now made perpetuall being yéerelie taken vp and either reserued in the house or hauing the rosse pulled from their rootes laid againe into the earth where they remaine in safetie What choise they make also in their waters and wherewith some of them doo now and then keepe them moist it is a world to sée insomuch that the apothecaries shops maie séeme to be needfull also to our gardens and orchards and that in sundrie wise naie the kitchin it selfe is so farre from being able to be missed among them that euen the verie dishwater is not without some vse amongest our finest plants Whereby and sundrie other circumstances not here to bée remembred I am persuaded that albeit the gardens of the Hesperides were in times past so greatlie accounted of because of their delicacie yet if it were possible to
so much to sée the iollie combats betwixt a stout flie and an old spider that diuerse men haue had great rewards giuen them for their painfull prouision of flies made onelie for this purpose Some parasites also in the time of the aforesaid emperour when they were disposed to laugh at his follie and yet would seeme in appearance to gratifie his fantasticall head with some shew of dutifull demenour could deuise to set their lord on worke by letting a flesh flie priuilie into his chamber which he foorthwith would egerlie haue hunted all other businesse set apart and neuer ceased till he had caught hir into his fingers wherevpon arose the prouerbe Ne musca quidem vttered first by Vibius Priscus who being asked whether anie bodie was with Domitian answered Nemusca quidem wherby he noted his follie There are some cockescombs here and there in England learning it abroad as men transregionate which make account also of this pastime as of a notable matter telling what a fight is séene betwene them if either of them be lustie and couragious in his kind One also hath made a booke of the spider and the flie wherein he dealeth so profoundlie and beyond all measure of skill that neither he himselfe that made it neither anie one that readeth it can reach vnto the meaning therof But if those iollie fellows in stéed of the straw that they thrust into the flies tale a great iniurie no doubt to such a noble champion would bestow the cost to set a fooles cap vpon their owne heads then might they with more securitie and lesse reprehension behold these notable battels Now as concerning the locust I am led by diuerse of my countrie who as they say were either in Germanie Italie or Pannonia 1542 when those nations were greatly annoied with that kind of flie and affirme verie constantlie that they saw none other creature than the grashopper during the time of that annoiance which was said to come to them from the Meotides In most of our translations also of the bible the word Locusta is Englished a grashopper and therevnto Leuit. 11. it is reputed among the cleane food otherwise Iohn the Baptist would neuer haue liued with them in the wildernesse In Barbarie Numidia and sundrie other places of Affrica as they haue beene so are they eaten to this daie powdred in barels and therefore the people of those parts are called Acedophagi neuertheles they shorten the life of the eaters by the production at the last of an irkesome and filthie disease In India they are thrée foot long in Ethiopia much shorter but in England seldome aboue an inch As for the cricket called in Latin Cicada he hath some likelihood but not verie great with the grashopper and therefore he is not to be brought in as an vmpier in this case Finallie Matthiolus and so manie as describe the locust doo set downe none other forme than that of our grashopper which maketh me so much the more to rest vpon my former imagination which is that the locust and grashopper are one Of our English dogs and their qualities Chap. 7. THere is no countrie that maie as I take it compare with ours in number excellencie and diuersitie of dogs And therefore if Polycrates of Samia were now aliue he would not send to Epyro for such merchandize but to his further cost prouide them out of Britaine as an ornament to his countrie and péece of husbandrie for his common wealth which he furnished of set purpose with Molossian and Lacaonian dogs as he did the same also with shéepe out of Attica and Miletum gotes from Scyro and Naxus swine out of Sicilia and artificers out of other places Howbeit the learned doctor Caius in his Latine treatise vnto Gesner De canibus Anglicis bringeth them all into thrée sorts that is the gentle kind seruing for game the homelie kind apt for sundrie vses and the currish kind méet for many toies For my part I can say no more of them than he hath doone alredie Wherefore I will here set downe onelie a summe of that which he hath written of their names and natures with the addition of an example or two now latelie had in experience whereby the courages of our mastiffes shall yet more largelie appeare As for those of other countries I haue not to deale with them neither care I to report out of Plinie that dogs were sometime killed in sacrifice and sometime their whelps eaten as a delicate dish Lib. 29. cap. 4. Wherefore if anie man be disposed to read of them let him resort to Plinie lib. 8. cap. 40. who among other woonders telleth of an armie of two hundred dogs which fetched a king of the Garamantes out of captiuitie mawgre the resistance of his aduersaries also to Cardan lib. 10. De animalibus Aristotle c who write maruels of them but none further from credit than Cardan who is not afraid to compare some of them for greatnesse with oxen and some also for smalnesse vnto the little field mouse Neither doo I find anie far writer of great antiquitie that maketh mention of our dogs Starbo excepted who saith that the Galles did somtime buy vp all our mastiffes to serue in the forewards of their battles wherein they resembled the Colophonians Castabalenses of Calicute and Phenicia of whom Plinie also speaketh but they had them not from vs. The first sort therefore he diuideth either into such as rowse the beast and continue the chase or springeth the bird and bewraieth hir flight by pursute And as these are commonlie called spaniels so the other are named hounds whereof he maketh eight sorts of which the formost excelleth in perfect smelling the second in quicke espieng the third in swiftnesse and quickenesse the fourth in smelling and nimblenesse c and the last in subtiltie and deceitfulnesse These saith Strabo are most apt for game and called Sagaces by a generall name not onelie bicause of their skill in hunting but also for that they know their owne and the names of their fellowes most exactlie For if the hunter see anie one to follow skilfullie and with likelihood of good successe he biddeth the rest to harke and follow such a dog and they estsoones obeie to soone as they heare his name The first kind of these are also commonlie called hariers whose game is the fox the hare the woolfe if we had anie hart bucke badger otter polcat lopstart wesell conie c the second hight a terrer and it hunteth the badger and graie onelie the third a bloudhound whose office is to follow the fierce and now and then to pursue a théefe or beast by his drie foot the fourth hight a gasehound who hunteth by the eie the fift a greihound cherished for his strength swiftnes and stature commended by Bratius in his De venatione and not vnremembred by Hercules Stroza in a like treatise but aboue all other those of Britaine where he saith magna spectandi mole
also betweene a bitch and a fox or a beare and a mastiffe But as we vtterlie want the first sort except they be brought vnto vs so it happeneth sometime that the other two are ingendered and seene at home amongst vs. But all the rest heretofore remembred in this chapter there is none more ouglie and odious in sight cruell and fierce in déed nor vntractable in hand than that which is begotten betwéene the beare and the bandog For whatsoeuer he catcheth hold of he taketh it so fast that a man may sooner teare and rend his bodie in sunder than get open his mouth to separate his chaps Certes he regardeth neither woolfe beare nor lion and therfore may well be compared with those two dogs which were sent to Alexander out of India procreated as it is thought betwéene a mastiffe and male tiger as be those also of Hircania or to them that are bred in Archadia where copulation is oft seene betweene lions and bitches as the like is in France as I said betwéene shée woolfes and dogs whereof let this suffice sith the further tractation of them dooth not concerne my purpose more than the confutation of Cardans talke De subt lib. 10. who saith that after manie generations dogs doo become woolfes and contrariwise which if it were true than could not England be without manie woolfes but nature hath set a difference betwéene them not onelie in outward forme but also in inward disposition of their bones wherefore it is vnpossible that his assertion can be sound Of our saffron and the dressing thereof Chap. 8. AS the saffron of England which Platina reckneth among spices is the most excellent of all other for it giueth place neither to that of Cilicia whereof Solinus speaketh neither to anie that commeth from Cilicia where it groweth vpon the mount Taurus Tmolus Italie Aetolia Sicilia or Licia in swéetnesse tincture and continuance so of that which is to be had amongst vs the same that grows about Saffron Walden somtime called Waldenburg in the edge of Essex first of all planted there in the time of Edward the third and that of Glocester shire and those westerlie parts which some thinke to be better than that of Walden surmounteth all the rest and therefore beareth worthilie the higher price by six pence or twelue pence most commonlie in the pound The root of the herbe that beareth this commoditie is round much like vnto an indifferent chestnut yet it is not cloued as the lillie nor flaked as the scallion but hath a sad substance Inter bulbosa as Orchis hyacinthus orientalis and Statyrion The colour of the rind is not much differing from the innermost shell of a chestnut although it be not altogither so brickle as is the pill of an onion So long as the leafe florisheth the root is litle small but when the grasse is withered the head increaseth and multiplieth the fillets also or small roots die so that when the time dooth come to take them vp they haue not roots at all but so continue vntill September that they doo grow againe and before the chiue be grounded the smallest heads are also most estéemed but whether they be great or small if sheepe or neat may come to them on the heape as they lie in the field they will deuoure them as if they were haie or stuble some also will wroot for them in verie eger maner The leafe or rather the blade thereof is long and narrow as grasse which come vp alwaies in October after the floures be gathered and gone pointed on a little tuft much like vnto our siues Sometimes our cattell will féed vpon the same neuerthelesse if it be bitten whilest it is gréene the head dieth and therefore our crokers are carefull to kéepe it from such annoiance vntill it begin to wither and then also will the cattell soonest tast thereof for vntill that time the iuice thereof is bitter In euerie floure we find commonlie thrée chiues and three yellowes and double the number of leaues Of twisted floures I speake not yet is it found that two floures grow togither which bring foorth fiue chiues so that alwaies there is an od chiue and od yellow though thrée or foure floures should come out of one root The whole herbe is named in Gréeke Crocos but of some as Dioscorides saith Castor Cynomorphos or Hercules blood yet in the Arabian spéech from whence we borow the name which we giue thervnto I find that it is called Zahafaran as Rembert dooth beare witnesse The cause wherefore it was called Crocus was this as the poets feigne speciallie those from whome Galen hath borowed the historie which he noteth in his ninth booke De medicamentis secundum loca where he writeth after this maner although I take Crocus to be the first that vsed this cōmoditie A certeine yong gentleman called Crocus went to plaie at coits in the field with Mercurie and being héedlesse of himselfe Mercuries coit happened by mishap to hit him on the head whereby he receiued a wound that yer long killed him altogither to the great discomfort of his freends Finallie in the place where he bled saffron was after found to grow wherevpon the people seeing the colour of the chiue as it stood although I doubt not but it grew there long before adiudged it to come of the blood of Crocus and therefore they gaue it his name And thus farre Rembert who with Galen c differ very much from Ouids Metamorphos 4. who writeth also thereof Indéed the chiue while it remaineth whole vnbrused resembleth a darke red but being broken and conuerted into vse it yéeldeth a yellow tincture But what haue we to doo with fables The heads of saffron are raised in Iulie either with plough raising or tined hooke and being scowred from their rosse or filth and seuered from such heads as are ingendred of them since the last setting they are interred againe in Iulie and August by ranks or rowes and being couered with moulds they rest in the earth where they cast forth litle fillets and small roots like vnto a scallion vntill September in the beginning of which moneth the ground is pared and all wéeds and grasse that groweth vpon the same remooued to the intent that nothing may annoie the floure when as his time dooth come to rise These things being thus ordered in the latter end of the aforesaid moneth of September the floure beginneth to appeere of a whitish blew fesse or skie colour and in the end shewing it selfe in the owne kind it resembleth almost the Leucotion of Theophrast sauing that it is longer and hath in the middest thereof thrée chiues verie red and pleasant to behold These floures are gathered in the morning before the rising of the sunné which otherwise would cause them to welke or flitter And the chiues being picked from the floures these are throwne into the doonghill the other dried vpon little kelles
caused ships to be made readie to the number of 600 with the which repassing into Britaine whilest he marched foorth with a mightie armie against the enimies his ships that lay at anchor being taken with a sore tempest were either beaten one against another or else cast vpon the flats and sands and so broken so that fortie of them were vtterlie perished and the residue with great difficultie were repaired The horssemen of the Romans at the first encounter were put to the woorsse and Labienus the tribune slaine In the second conflict he vanquished the Britains not without great danger of his people After this he marched to the riuer of Thames which as then was passable by foord onelie in one place and not else as the report goeth On the further banke of that riuer Cassibellane was incamped with an huge multitude of enimies and had pitcht and set the banke and almost all the foord vnder the water full of sharpe stakes the tokens of which vnto this day are to be séene and it séemeth to the beholders that euerie of these stakes are as big as a mans thigh sticking fast in the bottome of the riuer closed with lead This being perceiued of the Romans and auoided the Britains not able to susteine the violent impression of the Roman legions hid themselues in the woods out of the which by often issues they gréeuouslie and manie times assailed the Romans and did them great damage In the meane time the strong citie of Troinouant with hir duke Androgeus deliuering fortie hostages yéelded vnto Cesar whose example manie other cities following allied themselues with the Romans by whose information Cesar with sore fight tooke at length the towne of Cassibellane situat betwixt two marches fensed also with the couert of woods hauing within it great plentie of all things After this Cesar returned into France and bestowed his armie in places to soiorne there for the winter season The Scotish writers report that the Britains after the Romans were the first time repelled as before ye haue heard refused to receiue the aid of the Scotish men the second time and so were vanquished as in the Scotish historie ye may sée more at length expressed Thus much touching the war which Iulius Cesar made against the Britains in bringing them vnder tribute to the Romans But this tributarie subiection was hardlie mainteined for a season ¶ Now here is to be noted that Cesar did not vanquish all the Britains for he came not amongst the northerne men onlie discouering and subduing that part which lieth towards the French seas so that sith other of the Roman emperors did most earnestlie trauell to bring the Britains vnder their subiection which were euer redie to rebell so manie sundrie times Cesar might séeme rather to haue shewed Britaine to the Romans than to haue deliuered the possession of the same This subiection to the which he brought this Ile what maner of one soeuer it was chanced about the yeare of the world 3913 after the building of Rome 698 before the birth of our sauior 53 the first and second yeare of the 181 Olympiad after the comming of Brute 1060 before the conquest made by William duke of Normandie 1120 and 1638 yeres before this present yere of our Lord 1585 after Harisons account The state of Britaine when Caesar offered to conquer it and the maner of their gouernement as diuerse authors report the same in their bookes where the contrarietie of their opinions is to be obserued The xvij Chapter AFter that Iulius Cesar had thus made the Britains tributaries to the Romans and was returned into Gallia Cassibellane reigned 7 yeares and was vanquished in the ninth or tenth yeare after he began first to reigne so that he reigned in the whole about 15 or as some haue 17 yeares and then died leauing no issue behind him There hath bin an old chronicle as Fabian recordeth which he saw and followeth much in his booke wherein is conteined that this Cassibellane was not brother to Lud but eldest sonne to him for otherwise as may be thought saith he Cesar hauing the vpper hand would haue displaced him from the gouernement and set vp Androgeus the right heire to the crowne as sonne to the said Lud. But whatsoeuer our chronicles or the British histories report of this matter it should appere by that which Cesar writeth as partlie ye haue heard that Britaine in those daies was not gouerned by one sole prince but by diuers and that diuers cities were estates of themselues so that the land was diuided into sundrie gouernements much after the forme and maner as Germanie and Italie are in our time where some cities are gouerned by one onelie prince some by the nobilitie and some by the people And whereas diuers of the rulers in those daies here in this land were called kings those had more large seigniories than the other as Cassibellane who was therefore called a king And though we doo admit this to be true yet may it be that in the beginning after Brute entered the land there was ordeined by him a monarchie as before is mentioned which might continue in his posteritie manie yeares after and yet at length before the comming of Cesar through ciuill dissention might happilie be broken and diuided into parts and so remained not onelie in the time of this Cassibellane but also long after whilest they liued as tributaries to the Romans till finallie they were subdued by the Saxons In which meane time through the discord negligence or rather vnaduised rashnes of writers hard it is to iudge what may be affirmed and receiued in their writings for a truth namelie concerning the succession of the kings that are said to haue reigned betwixt the daies of Cassibellane and the comming of the Saxons The Roman writers and namelie Tacitus report that the Britains in times past were vnder the rule of kings and after being made tributaries were drawne so by princes into sundrie factions that to defend and kéepe off a common ieopardie scarselie would two or thrée cities agrée togther and take weapon in hand with one accord so that while they fought by parts the whole was ouercome And after this sort they say that Britaine was brought into the forme of a prouince by the Romans from whom gouernors vnder the name of legats and procurators were sent that had the rule of it But yet the same authors make mention of certeine kings as hereafter shall appeare who while the Romane emperors had the most part of the earth in subiection reigned in Britaine The same witnesseth Gildas saieng Britaine hath kings but they are tyrants iudges it hath but the same are wicked oftentimes spoiling and tormenting the innocent people And Cesar as ye haue heard speaketh of foure kings that ruled in Kent and thereabouts Cornelius Tacitus maketh mention of Prasutagus and Cogidunus that were kings in Britaine and Iuuenal speaketh of Aruiragus
that king Edelferd had made slaughter of the Britains as before is rehearsed he entred the citie of Chester and from thence marched towards Bangor The Britains in the meane time had assembled their power vnder thrée capteins that is to say Blederike duke of Cornewall Margadud king of Southwales and Cadwane king of Northwales These ioining in battell with Edelferd flue 10066 of his souldiers and constreined him to flée out of the field for safegard of his life after he had receiued manie wounds On the part of the Britains the forsaid Blederike which was chiefe capteine of the field in that battell chanced to be slaine Thus saith Gal. Mon. But the ancient writers of the English kings as Beda William Malmesburie and Henrie Huntington make no mention of this last battell and victorie obteined by the Britains in maner as aboue is expressed in Galfrids booke But contrarilie we find that Edelferd hauing such good successe in his businesse abroad as he could wish vpon purpose to auoid danger at home banished Edwine the sonne of Alla or Elle a yoong gentleman of great towardnesse latelie come to the kingdome of the Northumbers by the death of his father But this Edwine in time of his exile being long tossed from place to place and finding no stedfast friendship now in time of his aduersitie at length came to Redwald that was king at that time of the Eastangles the third from Uffa and successor to Titullus which Titullus did succéed next after the said Uffa the first king of Eastangles as before is mentioned This Redwald did verie honourablie interteine Edwine insomuch that Edelferd being informed thereof was highlie displeased and sent ambassadors vnto Redwald to require him either to deliuer Edwine into his hands or else if he refused so to doo to declare and denounce vnto him open warres Redwald incouraged by his wife that counselled him in no wise to betraie his friend to whome he had giuen his faith for the menaces of his enimie assembled foorthwith an armie and at the sudden comming vpon Edelferd assaulted him yer he could haue time to assemble his people togither But yet the said Edelferd though he was beset and brought in danger at vnwares died not vnreuenged for putting himselfe in defense with such power as he could then get togither he boldlie incountred the enimies and giuing battell slue Remerius the sonne of Redwald and after was slaine himselfe hauing reigned ouer the Northumbers about 22 yéeres This battell was fought néere to the water of Idle The said Edelferd had issue by his wife Acca the daughter of Alla and sister to Edwine two sonnes Oswald being about two yéeres of age and Oswin about foure yéeres the which their father being thus slaine were by helpe of their gouernours conueied awaie into Scotland with all spéed that might be made Ceowlfe king of the Westsaxons after he had reigned the space of 12 yeeres departed this life who in his time had mainteined great warre against manie of his neighbours the which for briefenesse I passe ouer One great battell he fought against them of Sussex in which the armies on both sides susteined great damage but the greater losse fell to the South saxons Cinegiscus and his sonne Richelinus reigne iointlie ouer the Westsaxons they fight with the Britains the indeuour of Laurence archbishop of Canturburie in setting religion at large and seeking a vniformitie in catholike orders he and his fellow-bishops write to the cleargie of Britaine and Scotland for a reformation Melitus bishop of London goeth to Rome the cause why and what he brought at his returne from pope Boniface The xxiij Chapter AFter the foresaid Ceowlfe reigned Cinegiscus or Kingils which was the sonne of Ceola which was the sonne of Cutha or Cutwin which was the sonne of Kenricke which was the sonne of king Certicke In the fourth yéere of his reigne he receiued into fellowship with him in gouernance of the kingdome his sonne Richelinus or Onichelinus and so they reigned iointlie togither in great loue and concord a thing seldome séene or heard of They fought with the Britains at Beandune where at the first approch of the battels togither the Britains fled but too late for there died of them that were ouertaken 2062. In this meane time Laurence archbishop of Canturburie who succéeded next after Augustine admitted thereto by him in his life time as before is said did his iudeuour to augment and bring to perfection the church of England the foundation whereof was latelie laid by his predecessor the foresaid Augustine who studied not onelie for the increase of this new church which was gathered of the English people but also he was busie to imploie his pastorlike cure vpon the people that were of the old inhabitants of Britaine and likewise of the Scots that remained in Ireland For when he had learned that the Scots there in semblable wise as the Britains in their countrie led not their liues in manie points according to the ecclesiasticall rules aswell in obseruing the feast of Easter contrarie to the vse of the Romane church as in other things he wrote vnto those Scots letters exhortatorie requiring them most instantlie to an vnitie of catholike orders as might be agréeable with the church of Christ spred and dispersed through the world These letters were not written onelie in his owne name but iointlie togither in the name of the bishops Melitus and Iustus as followeth To our deare brethren the bishops and abbats through all Scotland Laurence Melitus and Iustus bishops the seruants of the seruants of God wish health WHereas the apostolike see according to hir maner had sent vs to preach vnto the heathen people in these west parts as otherwise throgh the world and that it chanced to vs to enter into this Ile which is called Britaine before we knew vnderstood the state of things we had in great reuerence both the Scots Britains which beleeued bicause as we tooke the matter they walked according to the custome of the vniuersall church but after we had knowledge of the Britains we iudged the Scots to be better But we haue learned by bishop Daganus comming into this I le and by Columbanus the abbat comming into France that the Scots nothing differ in their conuersation from the Britains for bishop Daganus comming vnto vs would neither eat with vs no nor yet come within the house where we did eat The said Laurence also with his fellow-bishops did write to the Britains other letters woorthie of his degree dooing what he could to confirme them in the vnitie of the Romane church but it profited litle as appeareth by that which Beda writeth About the same time Melitus the bishop of London went to Rome to common with pope Boniface for necessarie causes touching the church of England and was present at a synod holden by the same pope at that season for ordinances to
till at length he was constreined to giue ouer his hold and conforme himselfe to the stronger part and greater number And so at Oxford where the assemblie was holden about the eelction Harold was proclaimed king and consecrated according to the maner as some write But it should appeere by other that Elnothus the archbishop of Canturburie a man indued with all vertue and wisedome refused to crowne him for when king Harold being elected of the nobles and péeres required the said archbishop that he might be of him consecrated and receiue at his hands the regall scepter with the crowne which the archbishop had in his custodie and to whome it onelie did apperteine to inuest him therewith the archbishop flatlie refused and with an oth protested that he would not consecrate anie other for king so long as the quéenes children liued for saith he Cnute committed them to my trust and assurance and to them will I kéepe my faith and loiall obedience The scepter and crowne I héere lay downe vpon the altar and neither doo I denie nor deliuer them vnto you but I forbid by the apostolike authoritie all the bishops that none of them presume to take the same awaie and deliuer them to you or consecrate you for king As for your selfe if you dare you maie vsurpe that which I haue committed vnto God and his table But whether afterwards the king by one meane or other caused the archbishop to crowne him king or that he was consecrated of some other he was admitted king of all the English people beginning his reigne in the yéere of our Lord a thousand thirtie and six in the fouretenth yéere of the emperor Conrad the second in the sixt yéere of Henrie the first king of France and about the seuen and twentith yéere of Malcolme the second king of Scots This Harold for his great swiftnesse was surnamed Harefoot of whome little is written touching his dooings sauing that he is noted to haue béene an oppressor of his people and spotted with manie notable vices It was spoken of diuerse in those daies that this Harold was not the sonne of Cnute but of a shoomaker and that his supposed mother Elgina king Cnutes concubine to bring the king further in loue with hir feined that she was with child and about the time that she should be brought to bed as she made hir account caused the said shoomakers son to be secretlie brought into hir chamber and then vntrulie caused it to be reported that she was deliuered and the child so reputed to be the kings sonne Immediatlie vpon aduertisement had of Cnutes death Alfred the sonne of king Egelred with fiftie saile landed at Sandwich meaning to challenge the crowne and to obteine it by lawfull claime with quietnesse if he might if not then to vse force by aid of his friends and to assaie that waie foorth to win it if he might not otherwise obteine it From Sandwich he came to Canturburie and shortlie after earle Goodwine feining to receiue him as a friend came to meet him and at Gilford in the night season appointed a number of armed men to fall vpon the Normans as they were asléepe and so tooke them togither with Alfred slue the Normans by the poll in such wise that nine were slaine tenth reserued But yet when those that were reserued seemed to him a greater number than he wished to escape he fell to and againe tithed them as before Alfred had his eies put out and was concueied to the I le of Elie where shortlie after he died ¶ How Alfred should claime the crowne to himselfe I sée not for verelie I can not be persuaded that he was the elder brother though diuers authors haue so written sith Gemeticensis the author of the booke called Encomium Emmae plainlie affirme that Edward was the elder but it might be that Alfred being a man of a stouter stomach than his brother Edward made this attempt either for himselfe or in the behalfe of is brother Edward being as then absent and gone into Hungarie as some write but other say that as well Edward as Alfred ame ouer at this time with a number of Norman knights and men of warre imbarked in a few ships onelie to speake with their mother who as then lay at Winchester whether to take aduise with hir how to recouer their right heere in this land or to aduance their brother Hardicnute or for some other purpose our authors doo not declare But the lords of the realme that bare their good wils vnto Harold and though contrarie to right ment to mainteine him in the estate seemed to be much offended with the comming of these two brethren in such order for earle Goodwine persuaded them that it was great danger to suffer so manie strangers to the enter the realme as they had brought with them Wherevpon earle Goodwine with the assent of the other lords or rather by commandement of Harold went foorth and at Gilford met with Alfred that was comming towards king Harold to speake with him accordinglie as he was of Harold required to doo But now being taken and his companie miserablie murthered as before ye haue heard to the number of six hundred Normans Alfred himselfe was sent into the I le of Elie there to remaine in the abbeie in custodie of the moonks hauing his eies put out as soone as he entered first into the same I le William Malmesburie saith that Alfred came ouer and was thus handeled betwixt the time of Harolds death the comming in of Hardicnute Others write that this chanced in his brother Hardicnuts daies which séemeth not to be true for Hardicnute was knowne to loue his brethren by his mothers side too dearelie to haue suffered anie such iniurie to be wrought against either of them in his time ¶ Thus ye sée how writers dissent in this matter but for the better clearing of the truth touching the time I haue thought good to shew also what the author of the said booke intituled Encomium Emmae writeth hereof which is as followeth When Harold was once established king he sought meanes how to rid quéene Emma out of the way and that secretlie for that openlie as yet he durst not attempt anie thing against hir She in silence kept hir selfe quiet looking for the end o these things But Harold remembring himselfe of a malicious purpose by wicked aduise tooke counsell how he might get into his hands and make away the sons of quéene Emma 〈◊〉 â—e out of danger of all annoiance that by them might be procured against him Wherefore he caused a letter to be written in the name of their mother Emma which he sent by certeine messengers suborned for the same purpose into Normandie where Edward and Alfred as then remained The tenour of which letter here insueth The tenour of a letter forged and sent in queene Emmas name to hir two sonnes EMmatantùm nomine regina
Comius Which is more likelie iâ— this behalfe as appeared by the sequel Uolusenus returneth Cesar with two legions of souldiers passeth ouer into Britan. The Britans readie to defend their countrie Cesar calleth a councell This was aâ—bout day The Romans put to their 〈◊〉 The Britans astonied She valiant courage of an ensigne bearer The fiercenesse of the Britains The Romans get to land The want of horssemen The Britans send to Cesar. Comius of Arras Cesar demandeth hostages Caesar de bello Gallieo lib. 4. Hector Boet. Dion Cassius Caesar de bell Gal. lib. 5. Cassibellane as should séeme ruled in the parties of Oxfordshire Barkshire Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire The Romans heauie armour The manner of the Britains in the warres Caius Trebonius Dion Cassius saith that the Britains vanquished the Roman footmen at this time but were put to the worst by the horssemen * Which is to be supposed was at Kingston or not far from thence Troinouants where they inhabited Imanuentius Some take the Troinouants to be Londoners Foure kings in Kent Dion Cassius Gal. Mon. Matt. West So saith Campton but Galfrid Monu saith fiue thousand The stakes remained to be séene in Bedes daies Cornelius Tacitus In vit Agr. Dion Gassius Fabian Caesar. Cassibellane a king Cor. Tacit. in vit Iu. Agr. Gildas in epist. Some take Prasutagus and Aruiragus to be one man Gal. Mon. TheomaÌ„tius Fabian Gal. Mon. Kymbeline Fabian â—ut â— Guido de Columna Christ our sauiour borne 3966 Cor Tacitus in vita Iu. Agr. Dion Cassius He kept not promise with the Romans Those of Calice and Biskate Strab. Geog. Guiderius Caligula Dion Cassius lib. 59. The spoile of the Ocean Suetonius Dion Cassius Bodumni Catuellani Togodumnus Dion Cassius Suetonius Gal. Mon. Matth. West Hampton why so called Aruiragus Hector Boet. Caxton Gal. Mon. Ranulfus Cestrensis Sueton. Legions of souldiers sent into Ireland Uespasian in Britaine Cornel. Tacit. in vit Agr. lib. 5. li. 6. Gal. Mon. Rutupium Vespasian Suetonius Sabellicus Gal. Mon. Polydorus Treasurers or receiuers Aulus Plautius Ostorius Scapula Cor. Tacitus lib. 12. Cornelius Tacit lib. 12. Which was a certaine crowne to be set on his head called ciuica cornona Cangi Cor. Tacitus lib. 12. Camelodunum Colchester Silures where they inhabited Cornelius Tacitus lib. Anna. 12. Hu. Lhoyd Cornelius Tacitus Annal. lib. 12. Cornelius Tacit. lib. 12. Carataks name renowmed Siphax L. Paulus W. H. in his chronologie Ran. Hig. alias Cestrensis Corn. Tacit. Cogidune a king in Britaine A. Didius liuetenant Uenutius ruler of the Iugants Cartimanda Uellocatus Uenutius keepeth the kingdome in despite of the Romans The error of Hector Boetius A note to be considered in the reading of Hect. Boetius Cor. Tac. lib. annal 15. P. Suetonius lieutenant Anglesey inuaded A strange maner of women The Druids Anglesey soon by the Romans Woods cut downe Lieutenant procurator Occasion not to be neglected Cor. Tac. lib. 14. Prasutagus The Oxfordshire and Glocestershire men Uoadicia alias Bunduica Dion Cassius Usurie Dion Cassius Strange woonders Dion Cassius Poly dot Cor. Tac. li. 15. Uoadicia by Dion Cassius is called Bunuica The ancient Britains admitted as well women as men to publike gouernment The oration of Uoadicia Corn. Tacit. Catus Decianus procurator 80000. saith Dion The Britains were at that time 230000. men as Dion writeth Corn. Tacit. li. 15. Dion Cassius 80000. Britains slaine Penius Posthumus sleteth himselfe Iulius Cassictanus procurator Petronius Turpilianus lieutenant Trebellius Maximus lieutenant Victius Volanus lieutenaÌ„t Cor. Tacitus Iulius Frontinus lieutenaÌ„t Marius Hector Boâ—tius saith that this Marius was a Romane 73. Of these you maie reade more in pag. 9. Matth. West Roderike king of Picts slaine Polydor. Matth. West Matt. West Thus find we in the British and English histories touching this Marius Iulius Agricola lieutenant Cor. Tacit in vit Agr. The first yéere of Agricola his gouernement The I le of Anglesey Anglesey yéelded to Agricola Agricola his good gouernment His diligence The second yéere of Agricola his gouernment The woorthie practises of Agricola to traine the Britains to ciuilttie The third yéere The water of Tay. The fourth yéere of Agricola his gouernment Clota Bodotria The fift yéere An Irish king expelled out of his countrie The sixt yeere of Agricola his gouernment Calenderwood The seuenth yéere The eight yéere of Agricola his gouernment Galgagus whome the Scots name Gald and will néeds haue him a Scotish man Corn. Tacit. 〈◊〉 Congri Hollanders Ten thousand Britains slaine Aulus Atticus slaine Britains 〈◊〉 Scots neither yet Picts Hector Boâ—t Cot. Tacitus An hauen called Trutulensâ—s peraduenture Rutupensis Cneus Trebellius alias Salustius Lucullus as some thinke Fabian Coillus 125 Colchester built Lucius 165 * Fol. 119. Britaine receiueth the faith Matth. West Iosephus of Arimathia Polydor. Westminster Church built Polydor. Fabian Iohn Hard. Gal. Mon. Matth. West Polydor. Nauclerus Hen. Herf Fabian Caxton Iohn Hard. Cneus Trebellius lieutenant The wall of Adrian built Spartianus Lollius Urbicus lieutenant Iulius Capitol Another wall built Calphurnius Agricola Of the doings of this Calphurnius in Britaine ye may read more in the Scotish chronicle Dion Cassius Ulpius Marcellus lieutenant Perhennis capteine of the emperours gard Aelius Lâ—â—â—pridius Pertinax lieutenant of Britaine The lieutenant in danger Clodius Albinus lieutenaÌ„t Seuerus Herodianus Antoninus and Geta. The emperour Seuerus arriueth in Britaine Herodianus He meaneth of the north Britains or sauage Britains as we may call them The furniture of the sauage Britains Dion Cassius Iliados 3. Herodianus Dion Cassius Eutropius Dion Cassius Eurropius Orosius Dion Cassius Beda Hector Boeâ—ius Polydorus Herodianus 211 Sextus Aurelius Carausius 218 Galfrid Polychron Fabian Galfridus Alectus Of whom our British histories doo write after their maner 293. Fabian Matth. West Asclepiodotus Gal. Mon. Matt. West Walbrooke Asclepiodotus slaine Matt. West hath x. yeares Eutropius The couetous practising of Carausius Maximianus purposeth to slea Carausius Polydor. Eutropius 300. Mamertinus Vitungi Quadi Carpi and people of Germanie and Polome Picts and Irishmen Long sufferance of euill increaseth boldnesse in the authors Caransius slaine Fronto counted Ciceros match The good lucke in a capteine Aiectus found dead He had despoiled himselfe of the imperiall robes bicause he would not be knowne if he chanced to be slaine Francones siue Franci London in danger to be spoiled The piracie of the Frankeners called Franci or Francones Britains restored to quietnes The Britains receiue Maximian with great ioy and humblenesse Dioclesian and Maximian Nations néere to Britaine obeie the emperours The printed booke hath 〈◊〉 but I take the H to be thrust in for N. Artificers foorth of Britaine Franci or Frankeners people of Germanie Eutropius Beda and Gyldas Beda Sée the booke of acts and monuments set forth by master Fox Iohn Rossus Warwicens in lib. de Wigorniens epis Lichfield whereof it tooke name Gyldas Ran. Cestren Matth. West Constantius Coelus 262 Fabian Gal. Mon. Fabian Caxtoa Lib. 7. cap.
or Elfer duke of Mercia departed this life Alfrike or Elfrike duke of Mercia Fabian Wil. Malm. Matt. West Vita Dunstani Iohn Capgr Osborne Ran. Higd. Polychron Wil. Malm. Matt. Westm. The Danes inuade this land Alias Wecederport H. Hunt Simon Dun. Danes vanquished Simon Dun. Goda earle of Deunonshire slaine Matt. VVest 991 Ten thousand pounds paid to the Danes Danegilt Wil. Malm. 992 Hen. Hunt A nauie set forth Alfrike a traitour to his countrie Matth. West Henr. Hunt The son punished for his fathers offense 993 Simon Dun. Polydor. Matth. West Aulafe king of Norway Swein king of Denmarke were capteins of this fleet as saith Simon Dun. 994 Hen. Hunt Wil. Malm. The king compoundeth with the Danes for monie Matt. West Simon Dun. Aulafe king of Norwey baptised His promise Iohn Leland Simon Dun. 995 The church of Durham builded Earle Uthred Durham town and minster builded 997 The Danes inuade the west parts of this land Tauestocke 998 999 The Danes arriue in the Thames 1000 1001 Exmouth Pentho Disagréement with councellors what 〈◊〉 fruit it bringeth The misgouernement of the king Sicknesse vexing the people Treason in the nobilitie The inhancing of the tribute paid to the Danes The death of quéene Elgina Emma Hen. Hunt 1002 Emma daughter of R. duke of Normandie maried to K. Edgar 1012 The 13 of Nouember The murder of the Danes Hownhill or Houndhill a place within Merchington parish beside the forest of Néedwood somewhat more than two miles from Utoxcester The miserable state of this realme vnder the thraldome of the Danes Hector Boet. Lordane whereof the word came Hen. Hunt Simon Dun. The Danes returne to inuade England Excester taken 1002 Hugh a Norman conspireth with the Danes The counterfeit sicknesse of duke Edrike Wilton spoiled Simon Dun. 1004 Swein king of Denmarke Norwich taken by the Danes Thetford burnt Uikillus or Wilfeketell gouernour of Norffolke Hen. Hunt 1005 Swaine returned into Denmarke Simon Dun. 1006 Hen. Hunt Swaine returned into England The Danes winter in the I le of Wight They inuade Hampshire Barkeshire c. Winchester 1007 36000 pound saith Si. Dun. Edrike de Streona made duke or earle of Mercia Wil. Malm. Henr. Hunt Simon Dun. An hundred acres is an hide of land 1008 Prouision for ships and armour Matt. West Danes land at Sandwich 1009 3000 pound saith Si. Dun. Sussex and Hampshire spoiled The Danes returne into Kent 1010 Oxford burnt Stanes Gipswich in Suffolke Simon Dun. Caput formicae Thetford Cambridge Hen. Hunt She Danes arriue in the Thames 1011 Northampton burnt by Danes How manie shires the Danes wasted The king senbeth to the Danes Simon Dun. 1011 Canturburie woone by Danes Fabian ex Anâ—onino The archbishop Elphegus taken Hen. Hunt Antoninus Vincentius Wil. Lamb. ex Asserio Meneuensi alijs 1112 Henr. Hunt The archbishop Elphegus murthered Miracles Elphegus buried in London Translated to Canturburie Wil. Malms Turkillus held Norffolk and Suffolke 48 thousand pound as saith Sim. Dun. and M. West Henr. Hunt Matth. West Gunthildis the sister of K. Swaine murthered Wil. Malm. Turkillus discloseth the secrets of the realme to K. Swaine Simon Dun. Swaine prepareth an armie to inuade England He landeth at Sandwich 1013 Gainsbourgh The Northumbers yeeld to Swaine The people of Lindsey yeeld themselues to him Simon Dun. South Mercia Sim. Dunel Swaine assaulteth London Polydor. Wil. Malm. Erle of Deuonshire as saith Matt. West Polydor. Swaine returneth into Denmarke Swaine returneth into England to make warre King Egelred discomfited in battell King Egelred determineth to giue place vnto Swaine He sendeth his wife and sonnes ouer into Normandie Richard duke of Normandie Simon Dun. Hen. Hunt Turkill 1014 King Egelred passeth into Normandie Swaine handleth the Englishmen hardlie Fabian S. Edmund fighteth for the wealth but not for the slaughter of his people Simon Dun. 1115 Albertus Crantz Saxo Granamaticus Wil. Malm. H. Hunt Canute or Cnute Egelred sent for home Edmund K. Egelreds eldest sonne King Egelred returneth into England Cnutes endeuor to establish himselfe in the kingdome S. Edmunds ditch Polydor. Fabian Cnute driuen to forsake the land He was driuen thither by force of contrarie winds as should appeare by Matth. West The cruell decrée of Cnute against the English pledges Will. Malmes This Turkill was reteined in seruice with Egelred as I thinke Encomium Emmae 1015 Matt. VVest Simon Dun. Wil. Malm. Matth. West A councell at Oxford Sigeferd and Morcad murdered Edmund the kings eldest sonne marrieth the widow of Sigeferd Cnute returneth into England 〈…〉 Wil. Malm. Hen. Hunt Matth. West Sim. Dun. King Egelred sicke Matth. West Edrike de Streona â—â—eth to the Danes Simon Dun. The west countrie The people of Mercia would not yéeld Matth. West Hen. Hunt 1016 Warwikeshire wasted by the Danes King Egelred recouered of his sicknesse He assembleth an armie in vaine Wil. Malm. Edmund king Egelreds sonne Cnute what countries he passed through Earle Utred deliuered pledges to Cnute Alâ—ds Egricus Cnute prepareth to besiege London King Egelred departed this life Simon Dun. Matth. West He is buried in the church of S. Paul at London The pride of king Egelred alienated the harts of his people Sée the historie of Cambriae pag. 62 63 Edmund Ironside The kingdom goeth where the spiritualtie fauoureth The author of the booke intituled Encomium Emmae saith that it was reported that Edmund offered the combate vnto Cnute at this his going from the citie but Cnute refused it 1016 Ran. Higd. Hen. Hunt Simon Dun. London besieged Cnute at Galingham in Dorsetshire put to flight Polydor. Salisburie besieged Simon Dun. Matt. West Wit Malm. I battell with equall fortune An other battell with like successe Edrike de Streona his treason Simon Dun. Twentie thousand dead bodies The armies dislodged The Danes ouercome at Brentford Wil. Malm. Hen. Hunt Fabian Caxton Polydor. Hent Hunt The riuer of Medwaie King Edmunds diligence The battell is begun The Danes put to flight The number of Danes slaine Polydor. Fabian Ran. Higd. Matt. West Hen. Hunt Will. Malmes Noble men slaine at the battell of Ashdone Simon Dun. Wil. Malm. King Edmund withdraweth unto Glocestershire Polydor. Matth. West Simon Dun. Matth. West saith this was Edrike The two kings appoint to try the matter by a combat Oldney Matt. Westm. Cnute of what stature he was Cnute ouermatched Cnutes woords to Edmund H. Hunt They take vp the matter betwixt them selues Wil. Malm. Encomium Emmae This is alleged touching the partitioÌ„ of the kingdome K. Edmund traitorcuster slaine at Oxford Fabian Simon Dan. This is allged againe for the proofe of Edmunds natural death Fabian Ranul Hig. Hen. Hunt Some thinke that he was duke of Mercia before and now had Essex adioined thereto Diuerse and discordant reports of Edmunds death Ran. Higd. Will. Malm. Canute Knought or Cnute 1017 Wil. Malm. Ran. Higd. King of châ—rles Wil. Malm. Ran. Higd. Polydor. King Cnute maried to quéene Emma the widow of Egelred in Iulie anno 1017. Polydor.