ChaÌ„ shold be seruauÌ„t in bondage to Sem Iaphet for his vnreuereÌ„ce Neuertheles ye shall not trowe that all that desceÌ„ded of Cham were vnnoble meÌ„ of no power For they began fyrst to be myghty men of the erthe As it is open of Nemroth the kyng of Canaan Ascorum Nor all of Sem Iaphet were vertuous noble myghty meÌ„ whan almost euerche one fell in to the cryme of ydolatry and were ofte tymes oppressed of other men But this blessynge this cursyng hath a respect to vertue vyce for the whiche a man is called truly a noble maÌ„ or an vnnoble man For he that is vertuoê° is a noble maÌ„ he that is vnuertuous is not noble the same maner of wise tho that foloweth the faith of abrahaÌ„ rathar were called his childern than the Iewes the whiche carnally desceÌ„ded froÌ„ hym Neuertheles they had a spyrytuall preuelege of god for the faders merytê his blessyng these .iii sones oe Noe he beynge alyue after thy story of Philâ—iÌ„s were born .xxiiii. M. .vii. C. meÌ„ wythout wymÌ„en childern And they had on theÌ„ thre prynces Nemroth Iactan Suphen ¶ Anno mundi .ii. M.ii. C.xlii. Et ante xpÌ„i natiuitateÌ„ .ii. M.vi C.lvii SEm sone to Noe the seconde yere after the flood gate Arpharat other whyle he is called Melchisedeth The whiche fyrst after the flood made the cyte of Salem now it is caled Ierusalem ¶ Cham his broder opteyned Affricam gate sones tweyne Chus and Mesrayam And the two gate sones doughters many a regyon was of them many of them to vs ben vnknowen For they enhabyte haue theyr mansyons in the occydentall ynde ¶ Iaphet was broder vnto Cham was blessyd of his fader this Iaphet had .vii. sones as Gomor magog Maday Ianam· Tuball Masog Iras. And these .vii. gate sones doughters of them came many a regyon Vide pâ—â—a GenÌ„ .xv. ¶ Arpharat sone to sâ—m lyued CCCC .xxx. yere And gate Elam Assure Ludde Aram they gate many a sone doughter vt pêª genÌ„ ¶ This Assur by cause he wolde not rebell ayenst god in the edefyenge buyldynge of the toure of Babylon as Nemroth dyd therfore he was dryuen vnto the londe of Sennaars londe whyche was ryght straunge to hym was not afore enhabyted The whiche was called after his name Assuria And there he edefyed buylded a cyte afterwarde named Niniue the whiche was Metropolon of all the kyngdom of AssuriuÌ„ ¶ Chus sone to Cham was fader to Nemroth Thys Nemroth was a gyaunt of .x. cubytes longe he began to be myghty in the worlde he is called a boystous hunter afore god This man begaÌ„ that wretched vyce of coueytousnesse by hê tyranny with the whiche vyce euermore after this worlde is fulfyled And the pryncypalest kyngdom that he had was Babylon he had Archade Edissa Selencia the londe of Sennaar ¶ Sale sone to Arpharat lyued cccc .xxxiii. yeres of hym in scrypture is no thynge wryteÌ„ but that Moyses nombred hym iÌ„ the lyne that cometh of cryste Thê Sale gate a sone that was named Heber The whiche after the Hebrewes had the spyryte of prophecye And of this Heber the Hebrewes ben named For the Hebrewes tonge bode alone in his hous in the confusyon of the laÌ„gage And that laÌ„gage was called maÌ„nes langage the whiche euery man vsed afore the toure of Babyloa was buylded ¶ This Heber hadde two sones and one was called Iectan thrughe ensample of Nemroth decensendynge from Cham toke the Pryncehode vpon the childern of Sem. And he hadde .xiii. sones But these people after Ierom are not knowen of vs for fernesse of the couÌ„tree or mutaâ—yon chaungynge of the people or elles of some other manere cause ¶ Anno muÌ„di .ii. M. vi·C.xliii Et ante xpÌ„i natiuitatem .ii. M.v. C.lvi. ¶ Turris Babylonis PHaleg lyued two C. .xxxix. yeres this phaleg was the yonger sone of Heber iÌ„ his dayes was made the confusyon of langages For in his how 's abode the olde tonge al oule that was Hebrewe wherfore after Saynt Austyn in hym apered a greate stedfastnesse of right wysnes For this hous was free of that payne As not coÌ„seÌ„tynge to the buyldynge of the toure â—t secunduÌ„ Aug there was .lxxii. generacoÌ„ns so there were .lxxii. langage ¶ Iactaâ— oder to Phaleg Sem Nemroth prynce of Cham Sulphen of Iaphet these thre prynces with there peple gadred theÌ„ to gyder in the felde of Sennaar dredynge yeâ—â—ood to come ayen sayd Lette vs buylde a toure of the which the hyght shall reche to heuen c. GenÌ„ xii Our lord sawe the folysshnes of the people Maruayllously for the payne of ther synne he confouÌ„ded the tonge of theÌ„ iÌ„ so moche that none vnderstode what an other sayd And so they were disperpled asondred by all the worlde ¶ Of the malyce of thys Nemroth bokes ben wryten full ¶ And after the coÌ„fusyon of the langage he went to the londe of Pertees there he enstrocte taught them to doure worshyp the fyre as god And he left his sone Belus in Babylon the whyche Belus suâ—ceded hym And so from thens his progenye opteyned the kyngdom vnto the tyme of many a yere after ¶ In this tyme began many kyngdoms the most of those kyngdoms was the kyngdome of Scitarum But there were soo many rude boystous people in it that cyte was neuer hadde in worshyp And it was a stronge and a myghty regyon of dystauÌ„ce ¶ And about this tyme began the kyngdome of Egept the whiche with dyuers and many alteracyons often tymes was chaunged· also it is spoken of many tymes in scrypture ¶ Noblynesse or gentylmen about this sayd tyme beganne And this noblynesse or gentylmen was ordeyned for many causes ¶ The fyrst cause was necessyte For whan makend drewe sore men were prompte redy to doo euyll it was very necessary to withstande the greate malyce of the cursyd people agaynste good men Ther of a man is called a gentylmaÌ„ or a nobleman as before other in vertues notable ¶ wher of Ierom sayth I see no thynge elles in noblesse or iÌ„ gentylmen bute that they are bounden in a creteyn necessyte that they shall not recede fro the vertue and the gentylnesse of ther noble auncetours ¶ The seconde was the dyuers worshyppynge of the people For no man worshypt thenne but as hys naturall reason gaaf And they knewe not ryghtwysly what they sholde worshyp all thoughe they lyued peasyble amonge themself For they were so dull of wytte that they coude pondre no grete thynge but the was publysshed by the comyn people wherfore it was expedyent for ther peas be kept that they sholde haue princes of noble byrth ¶ The thyrde cause procedeth of some synguler strength Many tymes the comynalte were greued thrugh enmyes comynge vpon them And
at Rome and coude not spede in his maters that desyred to haue spede in Thene he recedde froÌ„ Rome ouer the see and procured many a man to haue gone with hym Amonge whome was this Machomyte a grete man of wytte And this clerke promysed hym to make hym duke of the couÌ„tree yf he wolde be gyded after hym ¶ There he nouryssed a douue and put alle the corne that the douue ete in Machomâ— eeâ—e and so this douue had neuer noo meete but in his eere The foresayd clerke on a daye called the people meued theÌ„ to these suche a pâ—â—nce as the holy gost wold shewe to them in lykenesse of a douue And anone this clerke secretely lete flee this douue the whiche after his olde custome that he wonte to fell anone to the sholdyr of Machomyte put his bylle in his eere And the people sawe this anone he was choseÌ„ duke of that people of Corosame he sayd that he was the very prophete of god ¶ Thenne he made a boke of his lawe that was called Alkaron But he dyde it by Informacyon of thre of his maysters To whome the deuyl minystred the autoryte and the connynge ¶ The fyrste mayster was a Iewe a grete Astronomyer a Nygramancer The seconde was IohnÌ„ de Anthiochia The thurde was Sergius an herytyke And these thre made an vngracyous lawe and an vnhappy ¶ And what someuer was harde of beleue and noyous to doo they lefte that out of the lawe and they put that thynge in the lawe the whiche the worldly men were proue and redy to do That ys to saye Glotony Lethery repyne and suche other And also thys Machomyte ordeyned that a man sholde haue as many wyues as he myght occupye and fynde and refuse them twyes or thryes or foure tymes and take them agayye many meruayllous fals thinges ht made in hys lawe the whiche were to longe to reherce here But they be playne in his booke of Alkaron· And euer he wrote in hys boke that our lorde spake to Machomyte hys prophete sayenge on this wyse or on this ¶ Thus by hys false meanes he dysceyued the people And whan his maysters he had made this that was soo delectable He wrote it in a boke with letters of golde· And also he nourysshed a myghty camell secretly in a pryue place alonly wyth the hondes of Machomyte was alwaye fedde there pryuely he tyed this boke of the law that he had made about the camels necke \ and put this camel forth on a tyme in to the felde afore daye And thys camell Ioyed in hys lyberte for he was neuer lose afore And he wolde suffre noo man to come and touche hym And so there was a grete fame of suche a camell and the people ranne to see hym Amonge whome was this Machomyte But whan the camell sawe hym that had fedde hym al waye Anone he ranne vnto hym And he had taught this camell afore tyme to falle downe on his knees lycke his hondes And so he dyd afore all that people The people thenne cryed sayde that there was a very ensample that he was the true prophete of god ¶ Thenne they prayed Machomyte to open that holy boke with hys holy hondes the whiche was sent from heuen euer more to be kepte In the whiche boke is shewed how the peple shail worshyp god ¶ And Machomyte sayd this boke was wryten wyth auÌ„gels honde Soo by these fals meanes he torned to his lawe all the londe of Perse and all the Eest Imperyall agaynste Heraclium the Emperour· And he occupyed vnto the ende of Aleâ—dndre and Egypt Libya Arabya and Siria Thenne after he enfected alle Affrycam And but the grace of god wythstode hym He had enfected all Spayne and Fraunce And many other thynges he dyde whyche were to moche to wryte in this boke COnstantyne the thyrde the sone of Heraclii was Empour .xxvii. yere Thys Constantyne was a grete tyraunt a cursyd man and an heretyke Fals subtyll and odyous to crysten men Ne he gaaf no place to pope Mertyne he reysed a grete hoste agaynst the Lombardes And there he loste the felde fledde vnto Rome And honourably was receyued of the pope Viteliianus other of the the cyte And he rewarded not them lyke after theyr merytes as a prynce sholde haue done But vsed forth tyrannye and heresye wherfore at the last he was slayne of his owne knyghtes in a bath the whyche wolde no lenger suffre his tyraunye And so he wretchedly lyued and deyed vnhappely ¶ Martinus the fyrst was pope after Theodorum .vi. yere Thys Martynus was a very holy man â—rongely stroue for the fayth of god And whâ—n â—e â—ge masse oon a certayne daye aâ— the 〈◊〉 there pursewed hym to slee â–ª him a man that was called Spataryus of Olymphe And whan he wolde haue smyten hym he was blynde sodaynly This same man called a Synody in the Cyte of Rome and dampned Syrum Alexandrun Sergium Pyrum and Paulum heretykes wherfore Constantyne the Emperour exyled hym and he deyed a saynt ¶ Eugemê° a Romayne was pope after Martyne almoost thre yere and was an holy man but of hym lytell actes is wryten ¶ Vitellianus was pope after hym .xiiii. yere Thys man made the songe that the. Romayns vse And accorded it also with the orgayns And he also had the grace of the emperour the whiche was worth wyth his predecessours Neuerthelesse after warde he stode not iÌ„ his concorde Ne hetherto I coude not fynde that euer the chyrche of Rome hadde fully after the dethe of Constantyne the myghty lordshyp of the cyte and of other the whiche he yaue to the chyrche ¶ Anno dmÌ„ .vi. C.xliiii ADeodatus a. Romayne was pope after Vitellianus foure yere and in his dayes was translated the body of saynt Benedictus with the body of saynt Scolastica his syster fro the hylle of Cassyn vnto the monusterye of Floriecens nyghe Aurelian ¶ ConstaÌ„tyne the fourthe was Emperour after hys fader Constantyne the cursyd man Thys Constantyne was a good maÌ„ and hated heretyk â— ouer all thynge The chirche he repeyred and grace he recounsyled agayne to the chyrche â— come he with the pope gadred togyder the .vi. generall Synodus in the whiche was grauÌ„ted to prestes of Grece for to vse theyr leyfull wyues to the preestes of the Eest for cause of grete heâ—e but not to those of the west party by no meanes For they 〈…〉 ytted chastyte in the tyme of saynt Gregory And euery man may auertyse and prondre how moche the goodnes of a prynce is wrothe to the quyete state of the chyrche to the promocyon of the fayth and also the contrary how moche the malyce of a prince hurteth that thynge These two Constanyns the fader and the sone shewed openly For in the faders dayes the chirche neuer had rest and in the sones tyme it was quyete yet neuertheles our
¶ Tabula HEre begynneth a shorte and abreue table on the Cronycles and ye muste vnderstand that in euery leef of the boke aboue is the tytle wherin is Pars prima ii iii.iiii.v.vi and vii· tylle ye come at the bookes ende therby shall ye knowe what maters conteyne in the table bytwene parte parte And so shall ye fynd aboue bytwene pars and pars in the margyne wryten ¶ The Prologue The werke of the fyrste .vi. dayes Adam the fyrste man Eua the fyrst woman Seth sone to Adam Delbora syster to Abell Abel sone to Adam Cayn and Calmana syster wyfe to cayn Eenos Chanam Malaleel Iareth Enoch of the lyne of Cryste Matusale Lameth of Crystes lyne Tuball the fyrste grauer Iabe fouÌ„de the fyrst pauelyoÌ„s Iuball founde the fyrste crafte to playe Neoma foÌ„de fyrste weuynge Neo the shyppe the raynebowe Cham. Sem. Iapher Noes sones Arpharat hys chyldern Chus and hys chyldern Sale and his sone Heber and hys chylder Phaleg Iacten Nemroch and Sulphen the buylders of the Toure of Babylon How gentylman began Saruk of Crystes lyne Belus kynge of Babylon Nynuns kynge of Babylon Thare of the lyne of Cryste ¶ Here begynneth the hystorye of the holy Patryarkes contynued to Brute Abraham and hys brethern with theyr progenye Abrahams wyues Melchisedech kyng of SaleÌ„ Semiramis kyÌ„g of BabyloÌ„ Ninus kynge of Babylon Arius kynge of Babylon ysaac of che lyne of Cryste of hys wyues and hys sones Of Gomora and of the wyfe of Loth Iacob of the lyne of cryst his wyues and theyr progenyezers kynge of Babylon Armauiccre after hym Belocus kynge of Babylon Inachus the fyrste kynge of Grece Phoromius was kynge after hym Iudas of the lyne of Cryste Belus kynge of assuriorum Athlas Astronomyer Sarapis kynge of Greyes Argus kynge of Grekes Omogires put fyrst oxen to the plongh Belus kynge of Babylon Pharao kynge of Egypte Amithus kyng of Babylon Pharao kyng of Egypte Aram of Crystes lyne Iob the holy man Moyses the Iuge of Israell Aron the bysshop Dafrus kynge of Babylon Cycrops kynge of Athenes Amynadab of Crystes lyne Moyses the fyrste Iuge Aron the fyrste bysshoppe Phorao kynge of Egypte Nasonsone to Amynadab whan the lawe of god was gyuen in the hylle of Synay Salmen of the lyne of Cryst Iosue the Iuge Eleazar byssop Othonyell Iuge Aoth Iuge Ionas the fyrst kyng of ytaly Amictus kynge of Babylon Boos of the lyne of Cryste Sanger Iuge Delbora Iuge Phenies bysshop Saturnus kynge of ytaly Picus kynge of ytaly Gedeon Iuge Bocci bysshop Abimalech Iuge Tola Iuge Bocci bysshop Iayr Iuge Fanus kynge of ytaly Latinus kynge of ytaly Tauranê° kyng of Babylon Lamydon kynge of Troy The newe synnes of Israell Ozy bysshop Ebassam Iuge Abialoo Iuge Abdon Iuge Athamam kyng of assuriarum Agamenon kyng of Grece Eneas kynge of ytaly Vlixes an eloquent man Obeth of the lyne of Cryste Sampson Iuge Iesse of the lyne of Cryste Saull kynge of Israell Ascanius kynge of ytaly Siluius kynge of ytaly Venes and Padua were buylded Homere the grete poete ¶ Here begynneth the seconde parte and of the kyngdme of Brytayne Albyon the fyrste woman that was of Englonde Bruce kynge of Bryytane Lotrin kynge of Brytayne Madan kynge of Brytayne Dauyd kynge of Israâ—ll Mâ—â—pris kyng of brytayne Salomon kynge of peak Sadoch bysshop Roboas kynge of peas Achimias bysshop Ieroboas kynge of Israell Abdias kynge of Iewes Asa kynge of Iewes Azarias bysshop Basa kynge of Israell Hela kynge of Israell Amri kynge of Israell Archa kynge of Israell Ebrack kynge of Brytayne Brute Greneshelde kyng of Brytayne Leyll kynge of Brytayne Iosaphat kynge of Iewes Helyas the grete prophete Macheas Abdias ê“phetes Ochosias kynge of Israell Lududibras kynge of Brytayne Bladud kynge of Brytayne Ioram kynge of Iewes whaÌ„ Helyas was rauysshed in to Paradyse Ochosias or Asarias kynge of Iewes Ioram kynge of Israell Iehen kyng of Israell Athalia moder to Azari kynge of Iewes Ioathas kynge of Israell Ioam kynge of Israell Lyer kynge of Brytayne Amasias kynge of Iewes Ieroboam kynge of Israell Ozias kynge of Iewes Ozee bysshop and prophete Ioell Ananias and Adias prophetes zacharias kynge of Israell Phascia kynge of Israell Phase kynge of Israell Morgan and Conedag kynges of Brytayne Reynolde BorbodiaÌ„ Ferres Porres kynges of brytayn How foure kynges helde alle Brytayne of theyr names Scater Dawalier kynges Rudac and Cloâ—en kynges Donebant kynge Brytayne Brenne and Belin kynges of Brytayne Cormbratus kynge of Brytayne Ioathan kynge of Iewes Amarias bysshop Olympias were sete iÌ„ Grece Acham kynge of Iewes Achitob bysshop Ozee kynge of Israell ¶ Here begynneth the thyrde parte and contynued to the Natyuyte of Cryste Rome was buylded by Romulus Ezechias kynge of Iewes Sadoch bysshop Manasses kynge of Iewes SelluÌ„ Echias bysshoppes Numa kynge of Rome Amon kynge of Iewes Iosias kynge of Iewes Azastas bysshop Tobias the holy man Tuâ—ius kynge of Rome Nabugonodonosor kyng of Babylon Ancus kynge of Rome Danyell the prophete Ioathas kynge of Iewes Iachim kynge of Iewes Damias bysshop Ioachim kynge of Iewes Sedechias kynge of Iewes Iosedeth bysshop Abacuk prophete The Transmygracyon Priscus Torquinus kynge of Rome Nabugodonosor Enylmedach kynges of babylon Howe the playe of Chesse was founde Salathiell of the lyne of Cryst Seruius Tulyus kynge of Rome Reguses Sabusardach and Balchasar kynges of Babylon Monarchia Persarum Daryus kynge of Babylon Cyrus Emperour of Perses Babylon was destroyed Tarquinus Superbus kynge of Rone Lucres a wyâ— How the gouernauÌ„ce of Rome was chaunged after the kynges Hystoria libri Esdre zorobabell the duke Esdras preest Cambyses kynge of Perses Enereydes and Darius kynges of Perses Abâ—uch of the lyne of Cryste Ioachim bysshop Senatours of Rome were ordeyned Arthararse and zerses kynges of Perse Segdianus kinges of Perse Elyac of the lyne of Cryste Esdras an holy man Neemias the butelere Permenides Socrates Dâ—mocritus and ypocras phylosophers Azor of the lyne of Cryste Elyasyb bysshop Camillus dictator of Rome Darius kynge of Perse Plato a phylosopher Titus diâ—â—ator of Rome Gaius a Senatour Marcus Valertus a Senatoure Arthararses Arsamus and Darius kynges of Perses Iodas and Iohannes bysshoppes Aristotiles and Socrate phylosophers Guentolen Saysell Kymor Howan Morwith kynges of Brytayne Grandobodiam Artogaill and Hesyder kynges of Brytayne Howe .xxxiii. kynges regned in peas eche after other in Brytayne Lud kynges of Brytayne Sadoche of the lyne of chyst Iudas bysshop Eneas bysshop Manipus and Fablius Consulers of Rome Monarchia Grecorum Alexander kynge Achym of the lyne of Cryste Symon and Elcazarus bysshoppes Dolobela Emilius Marcus Curius Genutius Consules of Rome Ptholomeê° kyng of egypte Elyud of the lyne of Cryste Omias and Symon bysshoppes Sempronius Apptus Claudius and many moo Senatours of Rome Ptholomias kynge of Egypte Hanyball kynge of Penorum Luâ—acius Simpâ—onius Valerius cÌ„ were Consuies at Rome Epâ—phanes kyng of Egypte Autrochus kynge of Syrre Ouias and Symon
the .vii. .viii. popes Martinus the thyrde pope Agapytus pope Iohannes the .xii. pope Edger kynge of Englonde Beringarius the thyrde Emperour Lotharyous Emperour Beryngaryus the fourthe Emperour Leo the .viii. pope Iohannes the .xiii. pope Benedictus the .vi. pope Otto the fyrste Emperour Otto the seconde Emperour Of saynt Edwarde martyr and kynge of Englonde â–ª Eldred kynge of Englonde Swyne kynge of Englonde and of denmarke Bonus pope Bonifacius pope Benedictus pope Iohannes the xiiii.xv and xvi popes Gregorius the .v. pope Otto the thyrde Emperour Siluester the seconde pope Iohannes the .xviii. and .xix popes Henrycus the fyrste Emperoure Benedictus pope Iohannes the .xx. pope Knoght kynge of Englonde Edmonde Irensyde kynge of Englonde Knoght kynge of Englonde Benedictus the .ix. pope Conradus Emperour Harode kynge of Englonde Hardiknoght kynge of Englonde Of the vylany that the Danys dyde to the EnglysshmeÌ„ Of Bodewin the fals traytoure Alured martyr Siluestre the thyrde pope Damasius the seconde pope Saynt Edwarde kynge of Englonde and confessour Victor the seconde pope Henry the sconde Emperoure Stephanus the .ix. pope Benedictus pope Henricus the thyrde Emperoure Nicholaus the seconde pope Alexander the seconde pope Harolde kynge of Englonde ¶ Here begynneth the .vii. parte contynued vnto our dayes that is to saye kynge Edwardes regne the fourth the .xxiii. yere wyllyam conquerour Gregorius the .vii. pope Victor the thyrde pope Vrbanus pope wyllyam Rous kynge of Englonde Henricus the fourthe Emperoure Gelasius pope Colixtus pope Honorius pope Lotharius Emperour Hugo de sancto victore The ordre of Suynt Iohan Baptyste Innocencius pope Stephen kynge of Englonde Celehinus the seconde pope Lucius pope Eugenius the seconde pope Petrus Lombardê° bysshop Petrus CuÌ„mestor Fredericus the fyrste Emperour Anastasius pope Henry the seconde kynge of Englonde Adrianus the fourth pope Alexander the thyrde pope Lucius the thyrde pope Vrban the thyrde pope Gregorius the .vii. pope Clemens the thyrde pope Rycharde the fyrst kynge of Englonde Henrycus the fyfthe Emperoure Celestinus the thyrde pope InnoceÌ„cius the thyrde pope wyllyam of Parys Franciscus an ytalyon Iohan kynge of Englonde Frederucus the seconde Emperour Honorius the thyrde pope Henry the thyrde kynge of Englode Gregorius the .ix. pope Celestinus the frouth pope Innocencius the fourthe pope Thomas de Aquine Albertus magnus Eustacius Bonauenture Alexander and Vrbanus popes Rychardus Emeperour Clemens the fourth pope Gregorius the .x. pope Innocencius the .v. pope Adrianus pope Iohannes the .xxi. pope Nicholaus the thyrde pope Radulphus Emperour Murtinus the fourth pope Nicholaus de lyra Honorius the fourth pope Nicholaus the fourth pope Edwarde the fyste kynge of Englode Celestinus pope Bonifacius pope Benedictus the .xi. pope Adulphus Emperour Albertus Emperour Clemens pope Iohannes the .xxii. pope Henry the .vi. Emperour Edwarde the seconde kynge of Englonde Lodowicus Emperour Iohan Mundeuyl a doctour of physyke and knyght Benedictus pope Edwarde the thyrde kynge of Englonde Clemeus the .vi. pope Karolus the four the Emperoure Innocencius the .vi. hope Vrbanus the .v. pope Gregorius the .ix. pope wenselaus Emperour Vrbanus pope Bonifacius the .ix. pope Rycharde the seconde kynge of Englonde Innocencius the .vii. pope Robert Emperour Iohannes the .xxiii. pope Sygysmundus Emperour Henry the fourthe kynge of Englonde Martyn the .v. pope Eugenius pope Henry the fyfth kyng of Englonde Felix the fyfth pope Alberte Emperour Fredericus the thyrde Emperour Nicholaus the .v. pope Henry the .vi. kynge of Englonde Calixtus the thyrde pope Prynters of bokes pius the seconde pope Paulus a Veneâ—yan pope Sixitus the pope ¶ The descrypcyon of Englonde walys Scotlond and Irlonde In the later ende of this presente Cronycles ¶ Thus ' endeth the Table The Prologue IN soo moche that it is necessary to all creatures of cryâ—â—en relygyon or of false relygyon or gentyles machomytes to knowe theyr prynce or princes that regne vpon theÌ„ them to obey So it is comodydus to knowe theyr noble actes dedes the cyrcuÌ„stauÌ„ce of theyr lyues Therfore in the yere of oure lorde M. CCCC.lxxxiii the yere of the regne of kynge Edwarde the fourth at saynt Aldons so that all men may knowe the actes namely of our noble kynges of Englonde is coÌ„pyled togyder iÌ„ this boke moreouer is translated out of latyn in to englysshe fro the begynnynge of the worlde the lygnage of Cryst from Adam tyll it be comen to Dauyd from Dauyd the kynges of Israel of Iewes the hyghe bysshops iÌ„ theyr dayes with the Iuges prophetes The foure pryncypall reames of the worlde that is to say of Babylon of Percees of Grekes of Romayns And all the Emperours of Rome or Popes by ordre theyr names And many a notable fader with certeÌ„ of theyr actes As more playnly is declared in the chapytre nexte after ¶ And here ben rehersed the names of the Auctours of whom these Cronycles ben traÌ„slated moost namely ¶ Galfridus Nunmoth monke in his boke of Brute Saynt Bede in the actes of EngloÌ„de Iâ— Bede in his boke of tymes Gyldas in the actes of Brytayne wyllyaÌ„ Malmesbury monke in the actes of kynges of Englonde bysshops Cassiderê° of the actes of Emperours bysshops Saynt Austyn de cidei Titus Liuius de gestis Romanorum Martyn Penytencyary to the pope in his cronycles of Emperours bysshops And namely Theobaldê° Cartusienâ— conteynynge in his boke the progresse of all notable faders from the begynnynge of the worlde vnto our tyme with the notable actes of the same ¶ In thys newe traÌ„slacyon are coÌ„tayned many notable maruaylous thynges And those ben alledged by auctoryte of many famous clerkes And that euery man may knowe how these Cronycles ben ordred â–ª ye shall vnderstande that this boke is deuyded in .vii. partes Of the whiche the fyrst parte contayned from Adam tyll Bruâ—e came in to Brytayne The seconde parte coÌ„tayneth frome Brute came fyrst in to Englonde vnto the cyte of Rome was buylded by Romolus The thyrde parte conteyneth syth rome was bâ—ylded vnto Câ—yste was borne of ouer lady Mary The fourth from thens vnto the comynge of Saâ—dus in to Englonde The fyâ—â—â— parte from thens vnto the comynge of the Danys The syxte parte from thene vnto the comynge of the Normans The seueÌ„th parte fro the NormaÌ„s vnto our tyme. whiche is vnder the regne of Edwarde the fourth .xxiii. yere whoo's noble cronycles by custome maye not 〈◊〉 sene ¶ And soo in euery parte of these .vii. partes ben shewed the moost necessary actes of all the kynges of EngloÌ„de theyr names wryten aboue in the margene that euery man maye fynde them sone And afore the kynge of Englondes actes ben wryten there is wryten the lygnage of cryst from Adam tyll that Cryst was borne of oure lady with the hye bysshop the Iuâ—e that were in that tyme certayne of theyr actes necessary tyl it be comyn tyl cryst was borne And after that Cryste was borne
Peter was Pope of rome is shewed by ordre the names of all the popes emperours of Rome afore after with certeynt of theyr actes breuyatly many other dyuers thynges merueyles in those mennes dayes fallynge And it is shewed euery thynge in his place howe many yere it fell after the begynnyng of the worlde how longe afore that Cryste was borne And whan that I come to Cryst was borne then it is wryten how longe ony thynge fell after the Natyuyte of Cryst And this is the ordre of this boke the thynges that ben spoken of ANd as to mennes desyrynge to haue a very knowledge of these cronycles or of ony other it is necessary to knowe .vi. thinges ¶ The fyrst is the states of thynges and those ben two One is fro the begynnynge of the worlde vnto Cryst the whiche is called the state of Diuiacion The secunde is frome Cryste to the ende of the worlde the whiche is called the state of Reconsiliacion ¶ The seconde thynge is the diuisyon of tymes those ben thre One is afore the lawe of moyses an other is vnder the lawe of Moyses an other is vnder the lawe of grace after cryst dyed ¶ The thyrde is the gouernynge of kyngdomes And as for that ye must know that al though there were foure pryncypall kyngdomes that is to say Of Babylon of Persces of Grekis and Romayns neuertheles as to the cours of the worlde the ordre of holy scrypture the fyrst gouernyng was vnder faders from Adam vnto moyses The seconde vnder Iuges from Moyses vnto Saul The thyrde vnder kynges froÌ„ Saul vnto zorobabel The fourthe vnder bysshops from zorobabel vnto Cryst ¶ The fourth is the dyuersyte of lawes those were fyue The fyrst was the lawe of nature and that was comen of all men The seconde is the lawe or the custome of gentyles whan that vnder kynge Nyon the peple began to worshyp fals goddes The thyrde is vnder the lawe wryten rose the lawe of Iewes whaÌ„ the CircuÌ„cisyon deuyded the Iewes from other peple The fourth is vnder Cryst rose the lawe of cristen men whan faythe and grace of the sacramentes enformed the lyf of men The fyfth vnder Machomete rose the lawe of Sarrasyns Turkes ¶ The fyfthe is the noblenesse or vnnoblenesse in dedes ¶ And as to these it is to knowe that .vii. persons ben redde of whome the dedes many tymes are had in mynde in hystoryes That is to wyte of a prynce in his reame of a knyght in batayll of a Iuge in his place of a bysshop in the clergy of a polytyk man in the peple of an husbonde man in the hous of an abbot iÌ„ his chirche And of these are wryten many tymes the laudes of good men the punysshemeÌ„tes of the cursyd men ¶ The sixthe is the true couÌ„tynge of the yeres and as to that it is to be knowe that there were .viii. maner of nombryng or couÌ„tynge of the yeres Thre after the Hebrewes Thre after the Grekis One after the Ramayns· And one nowe after the crysten men The Hebrewes thre maner of wyse begynÌ„eth theyr yere After the Hebrewes there is the yere vsuall begynnynge at Ianuary the whiche they vse iÌ„ couenauÌ„tes bargeÌ„s makyng And the yere leyfull begynnyng at Marche the whiche they vse in theyr cerymonyes And the yere Emergens from May begynnynge whan they went from Egypt they vse in theyr cronycles calculacions ¶ The Grekis nombreth theyr yere thre manere of wyse Fyrst to the glory Ioye of theyr victory couÌ„teth theyr yeres from the destruccyon of Troy The fyrst the seconde the thyrde the fourth c. ¶ Thenne after the chyualry beganne at the hylle of Olympus they notefyed the yeres after the same OlympyaduÌ„ And what Olympyades is ye shall knowe after in the boke The thyrde whaÌ„ they begaÌ„ to haue lordshyp of all the world they notefyed theyr yeres these maner of wyse In the yere of the regne of Grekys the .iiii. the .x. the xv c. As it is open in the boke of Machabeorum ¶ ThenÌ„e after the Romayns gouernynge the worlde counted nombred theyr yeres ab vr be condita ¶ The last of all Cristen men couÌ„teth theyr yeres from the Incarnacyon of cryst And bycause we ben Crysten men we vse moste to nombre from the begynnynge of the worlde vnto cryst was borne And fro Cryste was borne vnto our tyme. And this ordre is obserued and kepte in all the booke of euery thyng in his place as it is sayd before ¶ Explicit Prologus ¶ Hic incipit Fructus temporum BYcause of this bokes made to tel what tyme of ony thynge notable was Therfore the begynnyge of all tymes shortely shall be touched For the whiche after doctours it is to be knowen that .iiii. thynges were made fyrste in one tyme of one aege That is to wyte the heuen Imperyall auÌ„gels nature the matere of the foure elemeÌ„tes tyme. And that doctours calle the werke of the creacyon the whiche was made afore ony daye or nyght of the myghty power of god And was made of nothynge ¶ Thenne after foloweth the werke of the dyuysyon the whiche was made in thre of the fyrst dayes in whiche is shewed the hyghe wysdome of the maker ¶ Thenne after foloweth the arayenge of this werke in the whiche is shewed the goodnes of the creature the whiche was made .iii. of the nexte dayes folowynge Vt patêª clare in teâ—â—u genÌ„ primo ¶ The fyrst day god made deuyded the lyght from the darkenesse ¶ The seconde daye god made ordeyned the fyrmament deuyded the water from the water ¶ The thyrde daye god made in theâ— whiche he gadered the waters in to one place 〈◊〉 erthe then appered ¶ The fourth daye god made in the whiche he ordeyned the sonne the mone the sterres put them in the fyrmament ¶ The fyfth daye god made in the whiche he ordeyned fysshes and foules and grete whales in the water ¶ The sixte daye god ordeyned in the whiche he made beest and man ¶ The seuenth daye god made and in that daye he rested of al werkes that he hadde ordeyned not as in werkynge beynge wery But he â—eased to make mo newe creatures Vide plura genÌ„ .i. BE it knoweÌ„ that Adam the fyrst man of whom it is wryten iÌ„ this fyrst age next lowynge lyued .ix. C. yere .xxx. And he gate .xxxii. sonÌ„es as many doughters ¶ Anno mundi .i. Et ante xpÌ„i natiuitatem v. M. C.lxxxxix· ¶ Here begynneth the fyrste aege durynge vnto the floode of Noy Adam Eua IN the fyrst yere of the worlde the syxte day god made Adam in the felde Damascâ—nÌ„ eua of one of his rybbes puttyng theÌ„ in paradyse And bad them to kepe his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t that they sholde not ete of the fruyte of lyfe vnder the payne of deth And the same day that they had synned anone
hylle of Hor. And his sone Heleazarus succeded hym in the bysshopryche ¶ Pharao Boccaris this tyme was kynge of Egypt this Pharao wolde not here the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of god ne delyuer the childern of Israel wherfore he was punysshed with ten plages Vt patêª exo And after he with all his hoost were drowned iÌ„ the red see Nason sone to Amynadab was prynce of the trybe of Iudas in the deserte and about this tyme the lawe of god was gyuen in the hylle of Synay the boke of Leuicici was wryte and another booke was called NumeruÌ„ the tabernacle was ordeyned The boke of DeuteromanuÌ„ was made Balaam was prophete and was slayne ¶ Anno mundi .iii M.vii C.xxxv. Et ante xpÌ„i natiuitateÌ„ M.iiii C.lxxiiii SAlmen of the lyne of cryst was aboute thê tyme had a wyfe that hyght Reab Moyses about thys tyme decessed the water of frome Iordan was drye Ierico was take the sonÌ„e stode in the fyrmament Inmeuable Historia li. Iosue incipit et IudicuÌ„ Iosue seconde Iuge of Israel was a myghty maÌ„ in batayll the fyrst in deserte he ouercame Amalech after Moyses of god he was ordened iuge of Israel of whom the bataylles the werkes the relygyous lyf ye may see in the boke of Iosue wryten ¶ Eleazar was the secoÌ„de bysshop And he Iosue deuyded the londe of promyssy on to the childern of Israel And of hym desceÌ„ded the bysshops vnto cryst a fewe excepted ¶ Othonyell of the trybe of Iuda was the thyrde Iuge And thys man delyuered the chyldern of Israel from the oppressyoÌ„ of the reame of mesopotamie the whiche he ouercame in batayl This man toke Axam to his wyf the whiche asked the vale londes aboue beneth of her fad Calepth vt pêª IudicuÌ„ .i. ¶ Aoth was the four the iuge of Israel· This man subdued Eglon the kyng of Moab delyuered the childern of Israel This was a myghty man in batayl he vsed the one as wel as thother for his ryght honde ¶ About this tyme the kyng of ytaly began And many tymes theyr names ben chauÌ„ged of the whiche progenyte of the Romayns more clerely is shewed ¶ Ianâ—s was the fyrst kyng of ytaly after warde of the rude geÌ„tyles he was worshyped as god they feyned hym to haue two faces for they worshypped his feest in the begynnyng of the yere as he were the ende of the last yere And the begynninge of the fyrst And of hym the moueth of Ianuary hath his name ¶ Amictus was the viii· kynge of Babylon vnder whom Iosue decessed ¶ Anno muÌ„di .iii. M.vii C.lxxv Et ante xpÌ„i natiuitateÌ„ M. iiii.xxiiii BOos sone to Salmon of the lyne of cryst was this tyme but of hym is lytel wryten but that Maâ—he nombred hym in the Genology As doctours saye there was made skyppynge of names bytwyxt Boos Obeth For at the lest betwyxt them were .ii. C.lxxii yere the whiche tyme to one maÌ„ may not be referred and therfore here many thynges is spoken of or I come to the lyne of cryst agayne Nicholaê° de lyra dicit qd suÌ„c .iii. boos vnê° post alium ¶ SaÌ„gar was the .v. Iuge of Israel but he lyued no yeres ¶ Dolbara was the .vi. Iuge thê Dolbora was a womaÌ„ for the grace of her ê“phecy was gyueÌ„ to her honour that she Iuged Israel She by the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of god called Baruch that he shold go fyght with the enemyes of Israel the chyldren of Israel gate the vyctory agaynst Iabyn the kyng of Chanaan Cizaram the prynce of his chyualry he destroyed them vt ptêª iudicuÌ„ .iiii ¶ Phenies was bysshop this Phenies yet a yonge man for goddes sake slewe many lecherous men therfore our lorde was pleased with hym ¶ Saturnus this tyme was kynge of yealy he was the secoÌ„de kyng there this Saturnê° is sayd to come fro the londe of cretens in to ytaly who by ydolatry thrughe a maruaylous blyndenes they sayd he was no man but a god yet they sayd that he regned vpon them as theyr kyng And he taught men to dounge theyr feldes And of Saturnê° the Romayns were called Saturniani Picê° was son to saturnê° or he was kyng iÌ„ ytaly he was kyng iÌ„ lareÌ„tin after his dethe he was worshyped of the geÌ„tyls for a god Anno mundi .iii. M.viii C.lxxv Et ante xpÌ„i natiuitateÌ„ M. iii.xliiii GEdeon the .vii. Iuge of Israel was thys tyme this Gedeon subdued .iiii. kynges Oreb zebeâ— zeb and Salmana And he subdued Madean to Israel Vide plura Iudicum vi.vii et .viii. BOcci was bysshop in Israell then ¶ Abimalech the .viii. Iuge in Israell was natural sonÌ„e to gedeon he was not called of god but malycyously tooke on hym the pryncehode of Israel And he slewe lxx of hys brethern wherfore he ended hys lyfe myscheuously Vt pêª iudicuÌ„ ¶ Tola was the .ix. Iuge in Israel And this man guyded hym after the olde gouernauÌ„ce of Iuges by the maner of dyreccyon couÌ„sell more than by domynacyon ¶ Bocci was bysshop aboute this tyme but of hym lytell is wryten ¶ Iayr the .x. Iuge of Israel had .xxx. sonÌ„es whom he made prynces of .xxx. Cytees And by cause they were goode men and ruled to the pleasure of god Therfore in the dayes of these two men Israel drewe to our lorde And therfore al thynge came and was in prosperyte and welthe FAnus was the .iiii. kynge in ytaly he was kynge of larentin both ¶ Latinê° was kynge in ytaly after Fanus of this Latinê° was called the kyngdome of Latinorum And Carmentê doughter of Euandri fouÌ„de fyrste latyn letters Tauranê° about this tyme was kynge of Babylon or of Assiriorum vnder this man Troy was dystroyed fyrst The occasyoÌ„ of the batayl of Troy began for a lytell thyng In so moche as Lamydon kynge of Troy receyued not Hercules Iason with due honoure as they sholde haue receyued of so lytell a trespaas how many harmes hurtes grewe ¶ Sibilla delphica afore the batayll of Troy propheâ—yed how a chylde sholde be borne of a vyrgyn without maÌ„nes seed ¶ LamydoÌ„ kynge of Troy was slayne his doughter Roxoma was taken in to Grekys londe For the whiche foloweth myghty batayll moost ferdfull myscheues vide hystoria troianam Hercules with Iason destroyed IliuÌ„ or Troy the whiche anone after was buylded of Pryamus sonÌ„e to Lamydon This Hercules dyd many merueylous thyngê many mighty bataylles And infynyte lesynges ben fayned on hym At the last whan he had ouercome moche people he was sore hurte in warre And whan he myght not suffre the payne of his sore with the whiche he was greued Hymselfe he ranne in to the fyre and whan he was deed he was worshypped amonge the goodes of the Gentyles myghtely ¶ Circa annuÌ„ muÌ„di .iii. M.ix C.lxxv Et ante xpÌ„i natiuitateÌ„ M.ii. C.xxiiii AFter the dethe of Iayr Iuge of
Israell the people of Israel added newe synÌ„es to theyr olde And our lorde toke them in to the power of Philistiens to the chyldren of AmoÌ„ xviii yere And they were gretely oppressed thenne they cryed to oure lorde ThenÌ„e Repte was espyed with almyghty god and faught agaynst Amon sedycyous peple of the hylle of Effraym And for an vnprudent voys he sâ—ewe his owne doughter folysshly dyd sacrefyse to god with her IudicuÌ„ .xi. et .xii. ¶ Ozy this tyme was bysshop in Israel he was of the seed of Aron by the lynâ— of Eleazari the whiche deyed thrugh the prouysyon of god the bysshopryche torned to the lyne of ythamar an C .xx. yere in the whiche lyne He y was the fyrst hyghe bysshop And Abâ—achar was the laste ¶ Ebassam was Iuge in Israel .vii. yere he was the .xii. Iuge he was named other wyse Boos the whiche wedded Ruth ¶ Abialon the xiiâ— Iuge of Israel was Iuge .x. yere And vnder these tymes the chyldren of Israel were quyete And therfore none notable thynges were done in these dayes ¶ Abdon the .xiiii. Iuge gouerned in Israell .viii. yeres And aboute this tyme the hystorye of Ruth was wryten ¶ Authamanis this tyme was kynge of Asseriâ— Priamê° kyng of troy sonÌ„e to Lamidoâ— the buylded his cyte agayne merueylously stroÌ„ge And began batayl with the Grekes vnto his owne hurte And he had a sonÌ„e was called Hector a leyffull gentyl sonÌ„e by his wyfe Eccuba This man was faythfull wyse IncoÌ„parable of streÌ„gth noblenes This Priamus had an other sonÌ„e that was called parys the whiche toke away fro the loÌ„de of grekes helena wyf to me nelaiê° the kyng ¶ Agamenon the kyng brother to Menelaius the leder of al the Grekes hoste faught agaynst Troy and at the laste he wanne the Cyte falsly and to the Grekes mooste shame and sclaunder that myght be For certaynly that myght be called an vnhappy batayll where no man gyueth louynge to the Grekes but euery man reporteth shame ¶ Eneas was kynge of ytaly thre yere And this Eneas after Troye was destroyed of the Grekes that came iÌ„to ytaly with .xx. shyppes dyde myghty batayles there And this man had wedded Priamus doughter Elinsaram And he was made a god thrughe the errour of the comyn people of this man came Iulius cezar Octauianê° augustê° Â¶ Vlixes an eloquent man amonge all the Grekes after many perylles on the see wente home to hys Penelopem the mooste faythfull the mooste chaste woman that is radde of And the Grekes perysshed wretchedly after that they had destroyed Troy bothe on the water on the londe as they weÌ„te home warde ayen ¶ And that was the pryncypal date of theyr wrytynge after that victory For they wrote theyr hystoryes and other wrytynges sic aÌ„no primo vel secuÌ„do cÌ„ post Troiam captam And that was the thyrde yere of abdon Iuge of Israell ¶ Circa annuÌ„ mundi .iiii. M.xxv. Et ante xpÌ„i natiuitatem M.C.lxxiiii OBeth of crystes lyne sone to Boosis reherced in Ma. ¶ Sampson the .xv. Iuge regned .xx. yere this sampson was the moost strongest man that euer was he delyuered Israell from the Philistiens fro his meruaylous strengthe men trowed he had ben Hercules et rius mirabilia oê‘a vide IudicuÌ„ .xiii. ¶ Anno mundi ·iiii M. lxâ—v Et ante xpÌ„i natiuitatem M.C.xiiii IEsse sone to Obeth of the lyne of cryste otherwyse called ysay fad to dauyd this tyme lyued a notable man iÌ„ honeste No kyng â—egrete gouernour But of hym many times is made meÌ„cyon iÌ„ holy scrypture For of hym desceÌ„ded cryst our sauyour ¶ This tyme Ely was Iuge bysshop of Israel the whiche had two sones Ophni Phinees for he corrected theÌ„ not suffycyently he they were punysshed both of our lorde For they were slayne of the Philistiens And Ely felle of his sete brake his necke This Ely was Iuge nexte after sampson not of the lygnage of Aran that was fyrst bysshop of god electe but of ythamar the lygnage dured an hundred .xx. yere In the whiche lygnage Ely was fyrste bysshop and Abiathar the last Vide plura primo regum THys tyme Saul was kynge in Israell after the mayster in his hystoryes Iosephê° in his ·viii boke This Saul was fyrste kynge in Israel regned .xx. yere the whiche or he was kyng was a good maÌ„ electe of god but after warde wretchedly he fayled he was slayne his thre sones in the hylles of Gylboy ¶ In the tyme of Saull Samuel was Iuge prophete in Israel an holy man borne of a barayne moder many a daye And he mynystred afore our lorde from a chylde to his aege And was not hyghe bysshop but he Iuged Israel al the dayes of his lyfe And was the very prophete of god Two kynges he anoynted Saul fyrst after Dauyd This samuel alone Moyses are radde that they prayed for theyr enemyes in al the olde testameÌ„t Of this samuel Saul be dyuers oppynyons ¶ Isyder sayth that Samuel Saul ruled Israel .xl. yere ¶ And Iosepus in his .viii boke the mayster in his storyes sayth Samuel to be Iuge .xii. yere alone And after hym Saul to regne .xx. yere Plura vide primo reguÌ„ AScanius the .vii. kynge of ytaly was sonne to Eneas buylded the cyte of Albyâ—n And he was called the kynge of Albano ruÌ„ This ascanius gate Siluius the .viii. kynge of ytaly the whiche Siluius was fader vnto Brute kynge of brytayne nowe called EngloÌ„de And I leue of the kynges of ytaly for they dyd but lytell noble thynges tyll it be comen to Romulus Remus that buylded Rome And then shall those kynges come agayne nowe to procede to the cronycles of Englonde for the whiche namely this boke is made ¶ And Venes Padua were buylded aboute this tyme of the resydue of the Troyans ¶ Homere the grete poete aboute this tyme was the whiche wrote fayned gloryously many a lesynge ¶ Incipit regnuÌ„ Britanie nuÌ„c dicitur Anglia ¶ Here may ye se how London fyrste began at Albyon Albyon ¶ Afore that I wyll speke of Brute it shall be shewed howe the londe of Englonde was fyrst named Albyon and by what encheson it was so named OF the noble londe of Sirrie there was a ryal kynge myghty a man of grete renowne that was called DyoclesyaÌ„ that wel worthely hym gouerned ruled thrugh hys noble cheualry Soo that he conquered all the londes aboute hym so that almoost al the kynges of the worlde to hym were attendauÌ„t ¶ It befell thus that this DyoclesyaÌ„ spowsed a gentyl damoysell that was woÌ„der fayre that was his vncles doughter Labana she loued hym as reason wolde so that he gate vpoÌ„ her .xxxiii daughters of the whiche the eldest was called A bine And these damoyselles whaÌ„ they came vnto aege
vpon a booke that it sholde neuer be broke ne fayled Belin tho by counseyll of his folke grauÌ„ted him his axenge so Gutlagh be came his maÌ„ Belin vndertoke of him his homage by an othe by wrytynge the same couenauÌ„tes And vpoÌ„ these couenauÌ„tes kyng Gutlagh toke Samie his folke wente thens torned ayen to Denmak Euer more after were the couenauÌ„tes holden the treuage payed tyll the tyme that Honelus was kyng of Denmarke also of his lond thorugh his wyf Gildebuâ—h that he had spoused for she was ryghe heyre of his londe ¶ This Belin dwelled tho in peas worshyp fully hym helde amoÌ„ge his barons and he made foure ryall wayes one from the eest in to the weest that was called watlynge strete and an other frome the north vnto the south and that is callen Ikelme strete And two other wayes he made in bossynge thrugh out the loÌ„de that one is called fosse that other Fosse dyke And he mayntened well the good lawes that Donebant his fader had made ordeyned in his tyme as befor is sayde ¶ How acordemeÌ„t was made bytwene BreÌ„ne Belin thorugh Cornewen ther moder BRenne that was Belins brother hadde longe tyme dwelled in FrauÌ„ce there had conquered a grete lordshyp thrugh maryage For he was duke of Bourgoyne thrugh the dought of the duke fewyn that he had spoused that was ryght heyre of the lond And this Brenne ordened a grete power of hys folke also of Fraunce came in to this londe for to fyght with Belin his brother And belin came ayenste hym with a grete power of Brytons and wolde tho haue yeuen hym batayll But ther moder Cornewen that tho lyued had that one brother wolde haue destroyed that other and wente bytwene her sones and them made acorde with moche payne So that at the laste tho two brethern with moche blysse wente togyder in to newe Troy that now is called LoÌ„don and there they dwelled a yere And after they toke theyr counseyll for to goo conquere all Fraunce And so they dyd and brente towne destroyed the londe both in length and in brede And the kyng of FrauÌ„ce yaue them batayl with his power but he was ouercome yaue trauge vnto Belin to his brother And after that they wente forth vnto Rome â— conquered Rome all Lombardy Garmany tooke humage feaute of erles bacons of all other And after they came in to thys lond of brytayne and dwelled there wyth brytons in Ioye and rest And tho made brenne the twone of brystowe and after he wente ouer to his owne lordshyp and theyr dwelled he all his lyf And belin dwelled at newe Troy and there he made a fayre gate that is called belynges gate after his owne name And whan thys belin hadde regned nobly .xi. yere he deyed and lyeth at newe Troy ¶ How kyng Cormbratê° slewe the kynge Cenmark for by cause that he wolde not paye his truage as he shold ANd after thys belin regned hys sone Cormbratus a good man and a worthy And the kyng of Denmark wolde not pay to hym his truage that is to saye a thousande pounde as he had sworne by othe for to paye it and also by wrytynge recorde to belin his fader wherfore he was euyll appayed wrothe and assembled a grete hoste of bryâ—ons wente in to Denmark slewe the kynge Gutlagh and brought the londe in subgecâ—ion all newe And toke of the folke feautes and homage and after wente ayene in to his owne londe And as he came fothe by Orkeney he fouÌ„de .xxx. shyppes full of men and wymmen besyde the coste of the see the kynge ared what they were And an Erle that was mayster of them all curteysly answered vnto the kyng sayd That they were exieled out of Spane soo that they had traueyled halfe an yere and more in the see to wyte yf they myghte fynde ony kynge in ony londe that of them wold haue pyte or mercy to gyue them ony loÌ„de in ony countree where in they myght dwuell and hauerest and become his lyege men and to him wolde do homage and feuate whyle that he lyued to his heyers after him and of hym of his heyres holde that londe And whan the kynge this herde he had pyte of hym yaue them an yel all wyldernesse there that no man was dwellynge sauf oonly wylde bestê And the Erle thanked moche the kynge and became hys man dyde him homage and feaute and toke all his folke and wente in to the same yle And the Erle was called Irlamall and therfore he lete calle the londe Irlonde after his owne name This kyng Cormbratus came ayen in to his londe and regned .xxv. yere and after he deyed and lyeth at newe Troy ¶ Anno muÌ„di iiii·M.iiii C.xl. Et ante xpÌ„i natiuitatem .vii. C.lvi. IOathan sone to Osias regned in the Iury .xvi. yere of this Ioathan no thynge is wryten of but that he toke not awaye excelsa as other dyde vt pêª .ii. para ¶ Amarias was bysshop And ysayas the noble prophete was in his dayes ¶ Olympias with the Grekes began the fyrste yere of Ioathan after Iosephus And after Beda Troy was destroyed foure hondred yere afore the fyrste Olympias began vnder Esalo a Iuge of Athens In whiche Coribus gate the chyualry amongê all men Olympus is the name of an hylle in Grecia the whiche for hys precyousnesse is called the hylle of god· And after Ierom one Olympias conteyneth fully foure yere in the whiche foure yere foure yerely prynces are made And these Olympiades are places ordeyned tothe worshyp of Iupater vnder the hylle of Olympo And the lawe of this That who someuer is beste in ony chyualry what someuer he desyreth he shall haue ¶ Anno muÌ„di .iiii. M.iiii C.lvi. Et ante xpÌ„i natiuitetem .vii. C.xliii ACham the sone of Ioathan regned on the Iewes .xvi. yere of this Acham no thinge that is good is wryteÌ„ for he forsoke oure lorde And our lord stroke him wyth hys owne people strongly and with the kynges of Tirri vt pêª .ii. para xx viii ¶ Achicob this tyme was bysshop Ozee kynge of Israell regned ·ix yere the whiche beganne to regne the .xii. yere of Acham kyng of Iewes This Ozee dradde not god for he lyued noughte And he was the laste kynge of Israell· And in the .ix. yere of hys regne he was taken of Salmanasar And Israell was translated in to Assirias vt habetur .iiii. regum .xvii. ¶ Anno mundi .iiii. M.iiii C.lxii. Et ante xpÌ„i natiuitateÌ„ .vii. C.xl. ¶ Rome AFter Euseby Rome was made in the hyl of Palatin the fourth yere of AchaÌ„ kyng of Iewes of two brethern Romulus and Remus .xi. Kal. Man the .vii. Olympiades begynnynge Iosephus Beda sayen the .vi. Olympiades so they defferre a yere Neuertheles it is redde other men to haue regned about that place myghtly in
His moost vnhappy werke how he was in hastage at Rome and howe the prophecy of Danyell was completed in hym ye maye see in the boke of Machabeorum ¶ Quintus Flaminius Marchus Cato Thiberius Gracius were Senatours of Rome This tyme was soo contynuall and so moche bataylle that lerned men of Gentyles and of the true fayth both were wery for to wryte the actes or to haue theÌ„ in mynde In the whiche bataylles men meruaylled gretly on the stedfastnesse of the Romayns that no trybulacyon no drede no hardenesse myght not fere them but euer contynued in batayll And certaynly these Romayns after the worldes honeste they were the moost wysest men that were And therfore the Machabees desyred ther company ¶ Circa annuÌ„ mundi .v. M.lix Et ante xpÌ„i natiuitatem C.xl. MAthon sone to Sadoch of the lyne of Cryst gate Iacob vt patet Mathei .i. ¶ Symon sone to mathias was bysshop .viii yere Thys Symon was a very wyse man from youth vntyll his aege was euer of good conuersacyon euer more vertuous And at the last he was slayne of his brother Elay vt pêª .i. macha ¶ Iohannes Hircanus sone to Symon was after his fader .xxix. yere a noble man as al the kynrede was before hym This man after his decesse left his wyf a very wyse woman his fyue sones to gouerne the Iury of the eldest was called Aristobolus an vnpacyent man an vnhappy Hys owne moder with thre of his yonger brethern he prysoned slewe them thrugh hungre soo alone he lyued kynge bysshop one yere Vide plaura li. Machabeorum ¶ Publius Lucimius Lucius Emilius Lucius Lucinius Lucius Consorinus were Consules att Rome In whoo 's tyme the Cartagynes the Romayns warred strongely· But the Romayns subdued them entendynge to haue destroyed the Cartagynes vtterly But among the Romayns ther was a notable wyse maÌ„ called Scipio Nauta And amonge many notable couÌ„seylers two he gaâ— specyally to be had iÌ„ minde The fyrst that Cartago sholde not be destroyed that thrugh the occasyon of for and bataylles a In warde coÌ„corde sholde abyde amonge the Romayns a perpetuell strength for contynuell excercyse of batayll The seconde That in no wyse the other sholde be buylded in Rome For he sayd that was the moost enmye that myght be to the people that vsed warre For that place nourysshed slouth and prouoked lechery ¶ And how wysely this notable man gaaf counseyll the tymes folowyng declareth vide plca in Aug. dei ciuite dei libro .iiii. ¶ yet for all this counseyll that noble cyte of Carcago was destroyed of Cipio the Senatours And it brente .xvii. dayes contynuelly Many men there were solde many men ranne in to the fyre wylfully ¶ Corinthê° this same yere was destroyde of the Romayns the whyche was the rychest countree of the worlde ¶ Ptholomeus this tyme regned in Egypte was famylyer wyth the Romayns And so longe he his predecessours regned as they kept fydylyte to the Romayns And knowe euery man that there was none other cause that the power of the Romayns encreased so strongly abue other people but vertue the whyche habundanly rygned in them namely reght wysnesse whiche aboue all thynge they vsed And as longe as they kept mesures loued ryght wysnesse soo longe they were neuer ouercome And as sone as they were corrupted it is radde they were ouercomeÌ„ ¶ It is had in a certayne reuelacyon of god shewed to saynt Brygyte that oure lorde god bereth wetnesse to these olde Romayns That none in this naturell lyf lyued more ryght wysely And what lyghtes of faythe they shewed in the tyme of Crysten relygyon shall be shewed after warde ¶ Regum Iude orum restituitur ARistobolus was the fyrste kynge and preest in the Iury this man regned one yere alone and tooke to hym the Dyademe of the kyngdome And he helde hym not contente with that his fader gaaf hym in his testamente But he put his moder in pryson his brethern And therfore he perysshed wretchidly with his brother Antigonê° the whiche was of his couÌ„seyll and helped hym Vide magystrum in historiis ¶ Antigonus brother vnto the kyng was slayne thrugh the enuytee of the quene ¶ lexander was bysshop after Arstobolus he stode xxvii· yere And he was al atyraunte all though he appered sobre in the begynnyng But he made it knowen what he was in his stomacke for he slew his owne brother And in .xii. yere he slewe .l. thousande of the olde sage faders of grete vertue by cause they tolde hym his mysgydyng ThenÌ„e whan he sholde deye he left two sones behynde hym HircanuÌ„ and Aristobolum But certaynly he sayde his wyf sholde regne for she stode in the grace of the people ¶ Seruius Flaccus Lucious Fabiê° Plubius this tyme were Senatours at Rome This tyme bataylles amonste them sif beganÌ„e Of the whiche the firste cause the begynnynge was Graceus a myghhy man well knowen with noble Romayns began to seke a cause ayenst them And by cause that he myght do no thynge alone to them he meued the comyn people to theym sayenge That all the londes possessyons sholde be deuyded equaly and also the moneye cÌ„ And for that cause there was an Insurrreccyon in the whiche Graccus was slayne and many myscheues felle after Vide Orosium ¶ In the tyme of these men there was a chyld borne at Rome hauynge foure feet foure armes two faces and foure eyen ¶ The hylle of Ethna spetted out flammynge fyre horryble and destroyed the places nyghe aboute it ¶ And these men berynge rule Cartago was coÌ„maunded to be restored And it was fulfylled of the Romayns people And there was myghty batayll in the cyte of Rome ¶ Fabius with a lytell host ouercame the kynge of Armenye And there were drowned an honyred four score thousaÌ„de men in the water of Rome ¶ Ptholomeus Alexander was kynge in Egypte In his tyme was borne Lucerius a Poete the whiche afterward was madde for loue of wymÌ„en slewe hymself ¶ Pthoiomeus sone to Cleopatre regned after him vnder whom Salustius the noble wryter of hystoryes was borne ¶ Ptholomeê° Dionisius was after this man And in his tyme virgyll Oraciê° were borne ¶ Anno muÌ„di .v. M.C.xxxiiii Et ante xpÌ„i natiuitateÌ„ .ix. C.v. IAcob naturell fader to Ioseph of the lyne of crest is reherted in Luke Mathe lytell of hym is had in scrypture ¶ Alexandra wyf to Alexander was bysshop in the Iury .ix. yere shewed moche tyrannye al yf she was made bysshop by her feyned holy relygyon ¶ And HircanuÌ„ her sone she prouoked to the bysshopryche she ordeyned that he shold regne after This woman in the lyne of the bysshops is put fro the couÌ„tynge of the yeres Not as she vsed the offyce of a bysshop for it was not leyfull to her ¶ Hircanus sone to Alexandra regned .xxxiii yere This Hircanus after the
and .viii. monethes This man ordeyned that respyte sholde be yeuen to a man that was accused that he myght auyse hym how heshlode answere And that the Iuges and the accusers sholde be suche and that they sholde take alle suspeccyon and spytte ¶ Gelasius a Romayne was pope after Felix .v. yere Thys man ordeyned the Canon of the masse with the Preface ympnes tractes orysons as saynt Ambrose made them and that ordres sholde be yeuen foure tymes in the yere ¶ Anastasiê° was Emperour after zeno .xxvii. yere he was a cursed man an heretyke and hateful to god and man And he was slayne with lyghtuyngeâ— And in hys tyme deyed saynt Patryke the fyrste bysshop of· Irlonde in the C.xxii. yere of his aege And his felowe was the abbot of Columba and saynt Brygyda whom saynt Patryk made a Nonne And they were buryed in one tombe and att dyuers tymes and thys ys the Epitaphi Hii tres iÌ„ gelido cumulo tumulantur in vno Brigida patricius atque columba pius ¶ Anastasius a Romayne was pope after Gelasyus two yere and thre monethes The whyche ordeyned that no prest for wrath ne hate sholde leue of to saye his dyuyne seruyce in the chyrche excepte the masse ¶ And he cursyd themperour Anastasius for he was an heretyke and yt ys wryten of hym that afterwarde he torned for drede to the opynyon of the emperour And he is called the seconde euyll famed pope that is in Catholico pontificuÌ„ And afore hym was Liberius famed in heresye ¶ Anno dmÌ„ .iiii. C.lxxxiiii SIinachus was pope after hym .xv. yere and with hym was ordeyned an other pope that was called Laurencius and betwext them was a grete dyscencyon And they bothe put them to the Iugemente of Theodoria the kynge and he Iuged that he that was fyrste ordened and that moost men of the chyrche helde with sholde be pope And Symachê° preualid the whiche loned the chyrche and pore men and for Paschalius the deaken Cardynal helde ayenst Symachus with the parte of Laurence to his dethe Therfore he was put to the paynes of purgatori to kepe the batthes after his dethe as Gregory sayth in his boke of Dyalogis This man ordeyned that Gloria in excelsis sholde be sayd euery Sondaye and feestes of martyrs ¶ Nota. ¶ That Englonde was longe tyme Crystened afore Fraunce CLodianus the fyrste Crysten kynge of Fraunce was thys same thyme baptysed of saynt Remigio he hadde a crystyn woman to his wyf and she meued hym many tymes to the fayth sayd He sholde be fortunable victoryous yf he wold torne so he was and neuer afore ¶ Hornusda was pope after Synachus .ix. yere This man was of grete mercy and almesse to poore men ornamentis he gaue many to chyrches And here consyled the Grekes that whiche were cursed for theyr heresye ¶ Iustinus was emperour after Anastasasius· And he regned ix yere was a very crysten man all that euer themperour Anastasius had done ayeust the chyrche he reuoked and obeyed the pope Hornusda called ayen the bysshops that were exyled be his prede cessours ¶ Priscanê° gramaticê° was this tyme. And this yere the whiche is the .lxxi. fro the comynge of the Saxons began the kyngdom of west Saxon and Cerdico was kyng ¶ IohaÌ„nes was pope after Hornusda thre yere .ix. montches Theodocius the kyng of ytaly an heretyke toke the pope with other Senatours sente them to the Emperour Iustinus determynynge that he wolde not lette the heretykes be in peas he sholde slete all crysten folke in ytaly And after he toke pope IohnÌ„ SimachuÌ„ patriciuÌ„ BoycluÌ„ the Senatours slewe them in pryson But Boys defended hym by the reason of thauctoryte of the Senatours he sent hym to the cyte of Papy for perpetuell exyle where he made the boke De consolatioÌ„e philosophie And at the last the couÌ„trie of MediolanenÌ„ he caused Boys throte to be cutte and so he deyed ¶ Felix pope succedded IohnÌ„ foure yere This man coÌ„maunde that syke men sholde be aneled for the deth but cryst ordeyned the fyrst ¶ Iustinianê° was Emperour xxxviii yere this man drewe the lawe of the Romayns out of almoost .ii. M. bookes .iii. C. verses ouer longe accordynge in to oo volumen of .xii. bookes called it Iustinian He made also the Digestes deuyded theÌ„ in to .iii. bokys ¶ Bonifaciê° the seconde was pope after Felix two yere and lytel of hym is wryten ¶ IohaÌ„nes the seconde was pope after Bonifaciê° this man had a grete stryf with Iustinianê° themperour whether the cryst was of .ii. natures or one The pope sayd he had two natures One of god an other of man Tâ—e emperour sayd other coÌ„sente to vs or thou â—hat go in to perpetuell exyle The pope answered I desyre to come to Iustilianus the moost câ—isten Emperour but as me semeth I haue fouÌ„de Dyoclesyan the persecutour of crysten man But certaynly I drede not thy malyce Ne I fere not thy threthynges Thenne the Emperour meked hymslef felle downe to the grouÌ„de and asked mercy and absolucyon ¶ Anno dmÌ„ .v. C.xxxiiii AGapitus a confessour was pope after IohnÌ„ two yere this Agapitus torned Iustimanus fro the errour fully of the heretykes This man ordeyned that processyoÌ„s sholde be done the Sondayes and thenne he dyed arte Constantynoble Siluerius a martyr was pope after this man thre yere He was exyled fro crysten fayth and slayne by the proctour of Theodory For he wolde not restore the bysshop of Athenes an heretyke to his benefyte ayeÌ„ ¶ Virgiliê° was pope after hym .xviii. yere And he entred euyll to his benefyte but he gouerned hym well And he suffred his persecucyon pacyently ¶ And he was exyled fro Rome And at the laste after grete passyoÌ„s of Theodory in Constantynople deyed ¶ Synodus quatra constantinopolitana coÌ„tra theodoruÌ„ oâ—â—s hereticos alios fuic isto teÌ„pore Ista synodê° dampnauit heresim theodori â— Qui dixit alium esse deuÌ„ veruÌ„ aliuÌ„ cristuÌ„ Et qd beata virgo non sit dei genitrix sed hominis tantuÌ„ ¶ Pelagius was pope after Vigilius foure yere and .x. monethes This man ordeyned that heretykes Scismatykes Rennegates sholde be punysshed by the seculer power ¶ Iohannes the thyrde was pope after this man .xiii. yere Of thys man lytell is wryten but that he restored the chyrcheyerde of the appostles Philyp and Iacob ¶ Iustinus the seconde after Iustinian was Emperour .xi. yere This man dyspysed poore men He robbed the Senatours He was yeuen to all coueytousnesse so that he made chestes of yron for to kepe his moyneye in Thenne anone he felle in heresye wexed out of his mynde ¶ And thenne was chose Tyberyus a good man for to gouerne the comyn people ¶ Tyberius the seconde was Emperour aftest Iustinus .vii. yere Thys man was a vertuous man He yaue Innumerable good to poore men In so
lord suffred the Sarrasyns and the Bulgars to entre in thys londe that he them myght not wyth stande but that he made hys peas with them payed to them yerely a truage so nyghtely preuaylled that cursyd secte of Machomyte and after he deyed blessydly ¶ Nota. ¶ That there were .vi. generall Synodus moost pryncypall of the whyche the auctoryte is equall to the gospell for the truth of the gospell is declared by them ayenst the .vi. pryncypall heresyes the whyche strongely trowbled the chirche for the subtyltee of these heretykes to dysceyue symple men ¶ Thys tyme deyed Saynt Cedde of Lytchefelde the thyrde yere of his bysshopryche ¶ Demus a Romayne was pope after Adeodatus thre yere Of this man lytell is wryten ¶ Bonyfacyus was pope after hym lytell of hym is wryten but that he lyued lyâ—e a preest ¶ Agatho was pope after hym and he was a very holy man For on a daye whan he kyssed a lepre the lepre anone was made hoole ¶ Iste et de consensu princypys iussit celebrari sextuÌ„ sinodum apud ê¯stantinopolin CC.lxxx epÌ„orum in qua asseret duas naturas et duas voluntates esse in xpÌ„o ¶ Leo the seconde was pope after Agatho thre yere this Leo was an holy man suffycyently taught in latyn greke this man ordeyned that the pax sholde be yeuen after agnus dei and dyed a blessyd man ¶ Benedictus the seconde pope after Leo almoste thre yere This man aboue all thyng was vertous and his name accorded with his dedys And in his tyme was a grete pestylence ¶ Iustinianus the seconde was Emperour this tyme he was a very good man a prudent a large he encreaced the Empyre of Rome myghtely But he charged the offyce of the chyrche ouer moche Many lawes he made and after was not good he intended to haue lette the dycrees of the .vi. Synodus wherfore the .x. yere of hys Empyre he was taken of Leo the prynce of patriciâ— and Tyberio they cutte of hys nose hys tonge exyled hym to CrysonaÌ„ There was then turbacyon in the chirche for stryue heretykes ¶ And knowe all men whan varyaunce falleth betwixt grete lordes Thenne errours ben multeplyed for there is no man corrected them therfore that ys often tyme preued in the cyirche Thenne after felle a varyaunce betwixt Leo and Tyberio And Tybereo preuaylled and he exyled Leo cutte of his nose the thyrde yere of his regne and regned for hym· Iustinianê° fledde to the Sarrasyns and the Bulgars the whyche restored hym ayen to his Empre and slewe Leo and Tyberio the whiche fauoured heretykes Thenne this same Iustinianus reformed hymselfe to the chyrche of god and had grete repentauÌ„ce But he venged hym to cruelly on his aduersaryes so that he wolde haue slayne the â—r Innocent childern Therfore he was slayne wyth his sone of Phylyp whom he exyled ¶ Anno dmÌ„ .vi. C.lxxxiiii IOhannes the fyfth was pope after Benedyctus too yere he was a good man but he decessyd aone ¶ zeno was pope after hym And he was a very holy man for he wolde not medle with seculer maters And iÌ„ beaute he was an angell quyete in vertues meke in soule and very demure in langage of hys relygyous lyf this man was chosen at the last wyth one accorde of the chirche and laye men But there was a grete distruccyon for the clergy entended to haue chose Perys the Archebysshop And the host of laye men wolde haue had Theodorum a preest But at the laste the holy gooste tourned the wyll of all this people in to this holy man ¶ Sergius was pope .ix. yere This man was vertuous comendable iÌ„ hys lyf And in his eleccyon a grete dyscorde was for one partye of the clergye chose TheodoruÌ„ and an other partye Paschalem But as oure lorde wolde at the last they tourned all to thys man Thys man translated the body of saynt Leo. He also founde a grete parte of the holy crosse by myracle And he crystened Cad waldre the last kynge of Brytayne He coÌ„mauÌ„ded Agnus dei to be sayd or songe thryes at masse And decessyd blessydly ¶ Nota. ¶ Saynt Beda the worshypfull preeste was thys tyme a grete man of fame in Englonde the whyche was take the .vii. yere of hys aege to Benedycte the abbot GyrwyenÌ„ monastery to be taught And thenne after to Colfrido the abbot after the deth of benedict And atte the .xix. yere of his aege he was made Deaken of the bysshop of yorke And at .xxx. yere he was made preest in the whiche yere he began to wryte So he contynued al the tyme of his lyf in that monastry in gyuynge his labours to wrytynge and scrypture to be expowned He made lxxviii· bokes the whiche he nombreth in the ende of his Edglysshe booke Thys man was euer in labour other in prayer or in syngynge dayly in the chyrche or to lerne teche or wryte For whiche thynge men maye Iuge by reason that he was neuer at Rome all though some saye he wente to Rome that he myght see that his bokes accordeth with the doctryne of the holy chyrche But it was certayne that he was blynde and wente to preche had a seruaunte that was not good and made him to preche to a myghty multytude of stones and sayde that they were men ¶ And whan all hys sermon was done the stones answered and sayd AmeÌ„ But that he wente to Rome thryes and founde wryten thre arres thre effes and expowned them it was neuer founde in no boke of auctoryte There was after the talkyng of the people suche a wrytynge on the yates of Rome RRR FFF And suche an exposycyon Regna Rome Ruent Ferro Flama Fame But it is certayne that Beda was desyred to come to Rome by the wrytynge of sergius the pope to Colfrido his abbot And thys Beda translated the gospell of saynt Iohan in to Englysshe tonge and dyssessyd blessydly The fame sayth that now he lyeth at Deuelyn with Saynt Curberte there is buryed with hym the knowlege of the dedes of Englonde almoost to the conquest ¶ Leo the seconde was Emperour and lytell of hym is wryten ¶ Liberiê° was Emperour after hym .vii. yere he rose ayenst Leo entred his kyngdom and kept hym in pryson as longe as he regned In this tyme Iustinianus the seconde whiche in olde tyme was exyled to Crysonam openly sayd he wolde recouer his Empyre agayne wherfore the people of that countree for the loue of Liberius were aboute to slee that Iustinianus wherfore he fledde to the prynce of Thurcorum and wedded hys syster And thorugh helpe of his brother and the Bulgars he recouered his Empyre and slewe Liberius Leo the vsuper of his reame And as many tymes almoost as he wyped ony drope from his nose the whiche they kytte of so many tymes he made one of his enmyes to be slayne ¶ Leo the thyrde was
thyng was profytable vnto the chirche as wel in worde as in doctryne And he gouerned the spyrytualtee the temporaltee noble He was the louer the defender of poore men Thys man anoynted Pyppynê° the kynge of Fraunce sente hym ayenst the Lombardes that he sholde compell them to restore the chirche of suche goodes as they had with holde from theym longe tyme vnryghtwysâ—y the whyche he dyde He also translated the Empyre of the Grekes to the Frensshemen ¶ Paalê° a Romayne was pope after hym .x. yere Thys was a very holy man for he dyde grete almesse to fadlesse chyldern prysoners wydowes other poore men that he myght be a folower of saynt Poule ¶ Constantyne a Romayne the seconde was pope after Poul two yere Thys Constantyne was a lay man sodeynly was made a preest as a tyraunt toke on hym the dygnytee of the pope And with a grete slauÌ„dre to the chyrche was pope a lytell tyme. But the faythful men put hym out and put out his eyen And this was the fyfth Infamed pope amonge so many herde tofore So the holy ghost the holy apostels sete kepyin al honour holynesse ¶ Infynyte martyrs were made this tyme by Constantyne the emperour for he was suche an heretyke And men trowe that there was neuer Emperour ne no pagon that slewe so many martyrs· And in his tyme the chirche was trowbled full sore very precyously bought the worshyppynge of the ymages of the holy sayntes for the grete shedynge of blood of martyrs And certaynly the cursyd Emperour was not vnpunysshed For whan that he deyed he cryed with an horryble voys sayd I am taken to a fyre that is vnable for to be destroyed And so he yelded vp the ghost to euerlastynge payne ¶ The Empyre of rome was deuyded about this tyme For Stephanê° the pope translated ytaly other vnto Karolus a yonge man And Constantyne helde the londe of Grece with other londes ouer the see with a grete labour and many rebellynge ¶ This tyme Karolus magnus was a noble yonge man And he began for to regne vpon Fraunce was the sone of Pippinus hys moder was called Berta· ¶ Stephanus the thyrde was pope after Paulus thre yere And he amended all the errours of Constantyne And he degarded all those the whiche CoÌ„stantyne ordeyned in a generall Synodus ¶ Anno dmÌ„ .vii. C.lxxxiiii ADrianus a Romayne was pope after Stephanus .xxiiii. yere Thys man was myghtely worshypped of the people noo man greter afore hym in honour ryches and buyldyng This man sette two solempne Synoâ—is The fyrste of the thre hondred and fyfty faders The seconde in Rome with an hondred and fyfty faders beynge present Charles the kynge of Fraunce to whom it was graunted the lyberte of eleccyon of the popes and to ordeyne the appostles sete ¶ Leo the fourthe regned Emperour with the Grekes fyue yere This Leo was a cursyd man but not so moche as his fader was And he was a couetous man and he toke a way a certayne crowne of a chyrche and put it vpon his heed And anonâ— he was corrupted with an axes and sore deseased And he had a cursed wyf that whiche regned after hym with her sone ¶ Constantyne was Emperoure after Leo he was a meke man and put a waye his moder fro the kyngdom that she myght take hede vnto her wymmens werke But she with a fayned rancour put out his eyen after warde and his childern also and regned agayne thre yere And at the last she was about for to haue be wedded And whan the Grekes perceyued that she wold be wedded to grete Karolus they toke her shytte her vp in a monastery and toke Nychoferum to be theyr Emperour ¶ The .v. vnyuershall study the whiche in olde tyme was translated from Anthenes vnto Rome aboute this tyme was translated to Parys by Karolus kynge of Fraunce ¶ Nychoferus was Emperour after Constantyne He was a very nygon and was exalted to his Empyre by the Grekys But he profyted not for iÌ„ his tyme all the Eâ—st Imperyall was brought to noughte For the Romayns put them vnder Karolus magnus ¶ Ierusalem about this tyme was recouered by Karolus with all the hooly londe And the secte of the Sarrasyns was destroyed strongly· For the struccyon of wretches came thenÌ„e ¶ Michael was Emperour two yere and he was a very crysten man and he was well beloued and also he was connyge in alle scyences And tho that Nychaferus had hurte and drestressyd of theyr goodes by hys coueytousnesse this Mychaell restored them and made them ryche ayen ¶ Nota. ¶ Karolus magnus the fyrst saynt was Emperour after Michaell And he was crowned Emperoure by Leo the pope frome the whyche tyme the Empyre was translated frome the Grekes to Fraunce and Germane And for the translacyon of that Empyre the Grekes alwaye were defectyue vnto the Romayns And the Grekes stroue euer more with them But it was more wyth venomous wordes thanne wyth strenghthe and more with crafte thanne with batayyll ¶ For they hadde soo grete enuye at the Romayns that they wolde not obeye the chyrche of Rome For certaynly whan that the popes wold wryte vnto them for to obeye the chyrche of Rome they wrote agayne sayde ye haue taken from oure kynrede the Empyre and therfore we wolde not obeye And we vs take from you And for this noble Emperour Rarolus it is to be vnderstande thys man whan he was a yonge man he was anoynted kynge of Fraunce by Stephanus the pope In the yere of our lorde Ihesu Cryste .vii. hondred .liiii. whan his fader Pippinê° lyued Vnder whome and wyth whome he regned ·xv yere vnto the dethe of his fader ¶ Thenne after hys fader vnder the yere our lord god vii hondred .xlviii. This Karolus with hys brother Karolomannus regned two yere And thenne his brother deseased in the seconde yere And this Karolus there helde alle the hoole kyngdome .xiiii. yere to the yere of our lorde .vii. hondred .lxxxiiii. In the whiche yere he wente to Rome that he myght be crowned Emperour of the pope Adrianus And he regned emperour .xvi. yere to the yere of our lorde .viii. C. whan pope â–ª Leo confermed hym ayen the Emperour And after that he was Emperour xiiii yere And he dysseased in the yere of hys aege .lxxii. The whiche was the yere of oure lorde .viii. C. and .xiiii. ¶ yf ye wyll see more of Karolus goo to the boke of Turpinus and Libraminus his mayster for they wrote hys noble actes ¶ Leo the fourth was pope after Adrianus .xx. yere thys man whan he wente on a certayne daye with the Lentany to saynt Peters chyrche on Saynt Markes daye he was taken with cursyd people and bothe hys eyen put out his tonge cutte of But our lorde merueylously restored hym ayen hys syght and his speche soo that he spake without tonge and sawe by myracle Afterwarde
Excestre and tooke tho the towne and there helde them ¶ Whan kynge Alured herde these rydynges anone he lette take the hostages and wente from thens vnto Excestre wyth all the power that he hadde And whan the Danys herde telle of hys comynge they wente frome thens unto westsix and came vnto Chyppenham and there they dyde moche harme in the countree they robbed folke and brough theym in pryson The kynge Alured them pursewed came vpon them ryght soone fyersely theym assayled And there were slayne bothe Hubba and HuÌ„gar his broder Buerne Bocader And in this bataylle were moche folke slayne in that one in that other But the greâ— of that felde bode with the Danys for as moche as the kyng came with fewe folke ¶ The kynge hasted hym as moche as he myghte for to goo agayne And whan the Danys founde Hubbaes body lyeng deed they buryed it and layd vpon it a grete logge and lete calle it Hubeslowe and soo it is called vnto thys daye And that place is in Deuenshyre The Barons of Somerset· wyltshyre and dorset herde tell how that theyr kyng was dyscomfyted and ordeyned all the power that they myghte haue and came to the kyng there he was and thanked god that they hym yet founde alyue for they had wende that the Danys hadde hym slayne Tho toke they a counseyll the kynge his baroÌ„s that wolde go and seke the Danys with them for to fyght And so they rode all nyght theim for to seke and came on the morowe aboute Pryme to Abyndon there that the Danys were The kyng Alured his barons to assembled there assaylled the Danys egerly there yaue them a stonge batayll And the Danys put them a longe tyme that noo man wyst whether parte more people were slayne But thys it befell as god wolde that the kyng Alured had the victory with moche honoure For the Danys were soo dryuen that ne wyst whyther for to torne And .xv. dayes the â—yng them pursewed at his wyll that gladly â—ayne they were for to speke of peas and accorde and toke hym good hostage sayd they wolde neuer more vpon hym warre ne no debate arere ¶ And more ouer they behyght vnto the kyng Alured that they wolde go bâ—ynhe theyr owne kynge vnto hym and that theyr kynge they all shold be baptysed And vpon this condycyon kynge Alured graunte them lyf lymme And sayd vnto theym that they sholde gone theyr kyng for to seke at a certayne daye to come ayen that to theym was sette And so they wente forth fast came ayen at a daye that to them was assygned· And all the Danys brought theyr kynge with them ¶ The kyng Alured anone lette them â—e baptysed theyr names chaunged And soo the kynge of Denmark was called Athelstone And .xxx. of his felowes names were chaunged also and the other were baptysed to the ryght byleue ¶ And all this was done atte westmestre And after that kynge Alured helde wyth hym kynge Athelstone and all hys Danys .xii dayes at soiourne with moche solempnyte and yaue thâ—Ì„ grete yeftes And after that they were baptysed and soo departed Tho was kynge Alured all at ease whan he hadde his enmyes ouer comen and that they were torned to the ryght by leue of god almyghty ¶ How the Danys that came in to Fraunce with Gurmonde came agayne in to Englonde and of the deth of kynge Alured ANd thus it befell after warde that the Danys of Northumberlonde that were paynems came with a grete strength an huge hoste of FrauÌ„ce that is to vnderstoÌ„de \ with them that went in to FrauÌ„ce with Gurmonde of Affyke whan he had conquered Englonde yaue it vnto the Saxons And tho that came fro FrauÌ„ce arryued in Kent sent in to Northumberlonde that they shold come to them whan those two hostê were come assembled anone they yede to destroye alle the crysten people of Englonde from place to place dyde moche sorowe It befelle thus as almyghty god wolde an harde chaunce in to Englonde For the good kyng alured that was wonte to abate the Danys deyed â—n the meane tyme. Thys kynge Alured regned .xxx. yere a good kyng had he welle coude chastyse his enmyes And also he was a good clerke lete make many bokes a boke he made in Englysshe of aduentures of kynges and of bataylles that had ben done in the londe and many other bookes of Gestes he lete them wryte that were of greate wysdome and of good lernynge thrugh whyche bookes many a man may hym amende that woll them rede and vpon them loke Vpon whose soule almyghty god haue marcy ¶ And thys kynge Alured lyeth at wynchestre IOhaÌ„nes the .viii. was pope after Adryan .viii. yere This Iohannes anoynted Karolus the Emperour And he suffred grete wronge of the Romayns for he fauoured not the sayd Emperour And therfore he put the sayd pope in kepyng Also he degarded the bysshop of Portuense the whyche was the occasyon of all his sorowe Karolê° the seconde was Empour after Ludouicus This Karolus had a brother the whyche was called Ludouicus he was the kyng of Germayne he ordeyned batayll agaynst his brother but karolus or they faughte was poysened And he made many a monasterye ¶ Martynus was pope after IohaÌ„nes one yere This Martynus lytell profyted for he lyued but lytell tyme. ¶ Adrianê° the thyrde was pope after hym oo yere And of hym is no thinge wrynten ¶ Stephanê° the fyfth was pope after hym .vi. yere And no thyng of him in wryten but that he translated the body of saynt Martyn ¶ Karolus the thyrde was Emperour after the seconde .xii. yere This Karolus had in possessyon peassyble all Fraunce all Germayne and was crowned Emperour of IohaÌ„nes the pope And after this gloryous vyctory he torned all Normandye to the faythe of god almyghty and he myght nomore recyste the Frenshemen but four yere he regned on them He was vnprofytable to them and therfore they put hym a waye ¶ Arnulphus was emperour after Karolus .xiii. yere This Arnulphus vtterly constrayned the NormaÌ„s the wyiche destroyed the Frenshemen .xl. yere Thenne he was syke and had noo comforte of no leche for he was iÌ„ a meruayllous sykenesse so that he was consumed with lyf and was deed ¶ Formosus was pope after Stephanê° .v. yere this man fyrst was bysshop of Portuensys And pope IohnÌ„ was depryued for hys Inobedyence was degrated to the laye fee. But by Martyn the pope he was restored And ayenst his othe he came not aloonly to Rome but to offre hym the dygnyte of the pope for that whiche there was grete alteracion ¶ Bonfacius the .vi. was pope .v. dayes ¶ Stephanê° the .vi. one yere and thre monethes ¶ Iohannes thre monethes and .xii. dayes ¶ Iona also thre monethes and twelue dayes ¶ Theodorus the seconde twenty dayes ¶ Iohannes the enleueÌ„th was
¶ Of the kynge Eldred how the kynge Swyne of Denmake helde Englonde and how Eldred that saynt Edwardes brother was not beloued in hys Realme and therfore he fledde in to Normandye SO after this Edwarde regned Eldred his brother And saynt Dunstane crowned hym· And this saynt Dunstane deyed soone after that he hadde foryeuen the quene her trespaâ—s by cause that she was cause of kynge Edwardes deth And saynt Dunstane had her assoylled and penaunce hadde her â—â—oyned And she lyued after a chaste lyf and a clene ¶ This kynge Eldred wedded an Englysshe woman on her begate Edmonde Irensyde and an other sone that was called Edwyne And after deyed the quene theyr moder ¶ And in that tyme came Swyne in to Englonde that was kyng of Denmark for to chalenge and to conquere all that his auncetrees had before that tyme. And soo he conquered had it all his axyng ¶ For the good erle Cuthberte of Lynd eseye and all the people of Northumberlonde and almoost al the grece of Englonde helde wyth Swyne that was kyng of Denmark for so moche as they loued noâ— kynge Eldred for by cause that hys good brother Edwarde was slayn for loue of hym And therfore no man sette but lytell by hym wherfore kynge Swyne had all hys wyll and toke alle the londe And Eldred the kynge fledde thâ— in to Normandye And soo spake to the duke Rycharde that the duke yaue hym his syster Emme to wyf Vpon the whiche he gate two sones that one was called Alured and that other Edwarde And whan Swyne had conquered all the londe he regned nobly and lyued .xv. yere and thenne he deyed and lyeth at yorke ¶ How kynge Eldred came ayeÌ„ from Normandy and how knoght the Dane regned of the warre betwixt hym and Edmonde Irensyde THus after the deth of Swyne that was a Dane Knoght hys sone dwelled in Englonde and wolde haue ben kynge And tho came agayne Eldred out of Normandye with moche nombre of people with a stronge meyne that Knoght durste not abyde but fledde thens in to Denmarke The kynge Eldred had agayne his reame and helde so grete worshyp that he began for to destroye all tho that halpe Swyne that was a Dane ayenste hym And afterwarde came agayne this Knoghte from Denmark wyth a grete power soo that kynge Eldred durste not with hym fyght but fledde from thens vnto London and there he helde hym ¶ Tho came Knoght hym besyeged soo longe tyll that kyng Eldred deyed in the Cytee of London and lyeth at saynt Poules And he regned .ix. yere BOnuâ— was pope after Benedictê° one yere This man abode but a lytell tyme ¶ Bonifacius was pope after hym fyue monethes ¶ Benedictus was pope after hym .x. yere This man crowned Otto the seedde made many Romayns to be taken And he gadred a counseyll agaynst the kynge of Fraunce where Gylbert the Nygramancer was deposed ¶ Iohannes the ·xiiii was pope after hym .viii. monethes And he was put in the castell Aungell and was famyned to dethe ¶ Iohannes the .xv. was pope after hym foure monethes ¶ Iohannes the .xvi. was pope after hym almoost .xi. yere Thys man was taught in armes made many bokes elles lytell of hym is wryten ¶ Gregorius the .v. was pope after this man almoost thre yere And this Gregorius was made pope atte the Instaunce of the Emperour Otto thyrde for he was his consyn And whan he hadde be a lytell whyle pope and the Emperoure receded from the cyte of Rome Placentinus was put in by Crecensius a Counsul for moneye And thenne was stryfe a fewe dayes But the Emperour came soone after and tooke Crecensius the Consull and stroke of his heed putte out the eyen of this man Placencius pope the whiche put out his cosyn of the dignyte of the pope â–ª And maymed hym on other membres his knyghtes ne his dukes halpe hym no thynge For he dyde that thynge that he sholde not haue done And he suffred that that he deserued ¶ Nota. This Gregorius with the Emperour Otto ordeyned the chesers of the Empyre the whiche frome thens forth hathe a bode vnto this daye For the Frensshmen ne none other myghte not breke that ordynaunce And those theâ—ers of the Empyre by the pope and Otto were not made for ony blame of the Saxons but to eschewe the euylles to come And theyr names ben wryten for lerned men in latyn in these verses Maguntinensis Treuerensis Coloniensis Quilibeâ— imperu fit cancellarius horum Et Palatinus daâ—ifer Dux Portitorensis Marchio prepositus camere Pincerna Bohemus Hustatuunt dominum cuntis persecula summum Palatinê° est comes renâ— Marcio est Brandebur gensis Dux saxorum et rex Bohemorum veruÌ„ vt quidam dicunt ¶ Thrugh this occasyon the Egle hathe loste many a feder And in the ende he shall be made naked ¶ Otto the thyrde was Emperour .xviii. yere Thys man was a worthy man alle the dayes of hys Empyre And after the wysdome of his fader he was a very holy faythfull man to the chirche And in many bataylles he prosperyd by cause he was deuoute vnto almyghty god and hys sayntes And yaue myghty worshyppynge to the relykes of sayntes And oftentymes he vysyted hooly places ¶ This man was crowned by Gregorius hys cosyn And atte the laste he decessyd at Rome ¶ Anno dmÌ„ M.iiii SIluester the Seconde was pope after Gregorius foure yere· And he was made pope by the helpe oâ— the deuyll to whom he dyde homage for he sholde yeue hym all thynge that he desyred And he was called Hylbecte· And his enmye gate hym the grace of the kynge of Fraunce and he made hym the bysshop of Remensis but anone he was deposyd And after he gate the grace of the Emperour and was made the bysshop of Rauennie and after the pope But he hadde an ende anone and soo haue all that put theyr hope in fals deuylles ¶ yet men truste in his saluacyon for certayne demonstracyon of his sepulcre and for the grete penaunce that he dyde in hys last ende For he made his honde and in his legges to be curte of and dysmembred in all his body and to be caste out at the doore to foules and thenne his body to be drawen wyth wylde beestê and ther to be buryed where someuer they rested as an honde And they stode styl at saynt Iohan lateranensis and there he was buryed And that was sygne of his saluacon ¶ Iohannes the .xviii. was pope fyue monethes ¶ Iohannes the .xix. was pope after hym fyue yere And these two dyde lytell thynges ¶ Henricus the fyrste was Emperour in Almayne .xx. yere This henricus was duke of Barry and all accordynge he was chosen for his blessyd fame and good name the whiche he hadde ¶ And it is redde that many of these dukes of Barry werre holy men not all only in absteydynge of flesshely dysyres but also in vertuous lyuynge
dyscoÌ„fyted hymselfe there was slayne and thys batayll was ended at Tombryge in the seconde yere of his regne vpon sanyt Calixtê° daye and so he was buryed at waltham ¶ Of kynge william bastarde how he gouerned hym well wysely of the grete warre bytwene hym and the kynge of Fraunce AS williâ—m Bastarde duke of NormaÌ„dy had conquered all the londe vpon Crystmasse daye then nexte lete crowne hym kynge at westmestre and as a worthy kyng yaue vnto Englyshmen largely londes to hys knyghtes And after warde he wene hym ouer the see came iÌ„ to Normandy there he dwelled a whyle And in the seconde yere of his regne he came ayen in to Englonde and brought with hym Maude his wyf lette crowne her quene of Englonde oon wytsondaye ¶ And tho anone after the kynge of Scotlonde thoe was called Malcolin began to stryue warre with the kyng wylyam And he ordeined hym towarde Scotlonde with his men both by loÌ„de and by see for to destroye kynge Malcolin But they were accorded the kynge of Scotlonde became hys man and helde all hys londe of hym And kynge wyllyam receyued of hym is homage and came ayen in to Englonde And as kynge wyllyam hadde be kynge .xvii. yere Maude the quene deyed on whom kynge wyllyam hadde begote many fayr chyldern that is for to saye Robert Curthos wylllyam Rous Richarde also that deyed Henry· Beauclerke and Maude also that was the erles wyf of Bleynes and other foure fayr doughters ¶ And after his wyues deth grete debate began betwixt hym the kynge of Fraunce Philyp but at the laste they were accorded And tho dwelled the kynge of Englonde in Normandy no man hym warned he no man longe tyme. ¶ And the kynge of Fraunce sayde vppon a daye in scorne of kynge wyllyam had longe tyme lyen in chylde bedde and loÌ„ge tyme had rested hym there And this worde came to the kynge of Englonde there that he dyde lye in Normandye at Rome And for thys worde was tho euylle apayed also wonder wrathe towarde the kynge of Fraunce And swore by god that whaÌ„ he were arysyn of his sykenesse he wolde lyghten a thousande condelles to the kynge of FrauÌ„ce anone lete assemble a grete host of Normandy of Englysshe men And in the begynnynge of the Heruest he came in to Fraunce and brente all the townes that they came by thrugh the couÌ„tree and robbed dyde all the sorowe that he myght thrugh out all Fraunce And at the last he brenned the cyte of Mandos and coÌ„maunded his people to bere wood as moche as he myght brenne And hym self halpe ther to all the he myghte with good wyll And there was a greate hete what of the fyre what was so grete of the sonne that it was woÌ„dder hote that it stuffed hym so that he became fell in to a grete dysease sykenesse And whan he sawe that he was so stronge syke he ordeyned assgned alle Normandye to Robert Curthos his sone all englonde to wyllyam the Rous and bequone to Henry Beaclerke al his treasour And whan he thus had done he receyued all the sacrameÌ„tê of holy chyrche and deyed the .xx. yere of his regne \ and lyeth at Cane in Normandy ¶ Anno dmÌ„ M.lxvi. GRegorius the .vii. was pope after Alexander .xii. yere this man ordeyned in a generall Synodus that no preest sholde haue a wyf ne sholde dwelle with wymmen but tho that the holy Synodus of Micena and other decrees had suffred And thenÌ„e the preestê sette nought or lytell pondred hys ordynaunce This pope coÌ„maunded that no man sholde here masse of a preest that had a concubyne And he on acertayne tyme whan he was Cardynall and Legate in to Fraunce proceded sharpely ayenst prelates and that were symomers And amonge other was one bysshoppe there that was gretely famed with symonye And those that accused hym pryuely hyered them to saye the countraye The whiche the Legate conceyued and aforâ— all the people he sayde Lete the Iugement of this men cesse at this tyme for it is dysceyuable and lette god dyspose for it And sayde thus it is certayne That the dygnyte of a bysshop is the yeuer of the holy ghost And whosomeuer byeth a bysshopryche doth ayenst the holy ghost ThenÌ„e yf thou bysshop dyde not ayenst the holy ghost saye openly afore all the people Gloriâ— petri et filio et speritui sancto And many tymes he beganne to saye it but he coude neuer speke spiritui sancto Thenne he was deposyd of his bysshopryche and after he coude speke it wyll ynoughe ¶ Victor the thyrde was pope after hym oo yere this man was poysoned with venym in the chaly◠¶ Vrbanus was pope after hym two yere This man cursyd the kynge of Fraunce for his aduâ—â—â—erys And he called a counseyll at Claurum in the whyche he ordeyned that matyns of our lady shold be sayd euery daye and on Saterday her solempne masse And it is sayde that this was shewed vnto the freres of Cartusis ¶ Also he called an other counseyll att Turan for the holy londe to be wonne ayeÌ„ and pryuoked the people to that matere and within a lytell tyme after that matere the holy londe was recouered and the sepulcre of our lorde and Anthioche with many other cytees taken fro the Sarrasyns And it is sayd and byleued that CC.M. crysten men wente to that Iourny For there wente of states olde men and yonge and also ryche and poore and noo man compelled theym And this passage was made by the vysyon of our lady And the prynces of thys peaple were dyuerse One was Godfroy de Boloynt a full noble man of all the worlde and a vertuous man and an other was Beemonde the Duke of Neaples And the thyrde was Hughe the kynges brother of Fraunce and many other the whyche dyde full nobly for the fayth of god ¶ And it were to longe in this boke to reherce the gloryous actes that they dyde ¶ Of kynge wyllyam Rous that was kynge williams bastardes sone the destroyed townes houses of Relygyon for to make the newe forest ANd after thys wyllyam bastarde regned his sonne wyllyam the Rous. ¶ And thys wyllyam was a wonder contraryous man to god and holy chyrche and lete ameÌ„de make the towne of Cardies that the Paynems had destroyed Thys kynge wyllyam destroyed holy chirche theyr possessions in what parte he myght them fynde And theyr fore there was so moche debate bytwene hym and the Archebyssop of Caunterbury Ancelmus For by cause that he repreuyd hym of hys wyckednesse that he destroyed holy chyrche And for that cause the kynge bare to hym grete wrath And so he exyled hym out of thys londe the Archebysshop went to the courte of Rome there dwelled with the pope And this kynge made the newe forest caste downe destroyed .xxvi. townes .lxxx. houses of Relygyon
his owne name Therfore the Brytons had indygnacyon as Gyldas telleth Afterwarde Englysshemen called the cyte London yet after the Normans called it Londers â—nd is named in latyn loÌ„donia Rudhudybras kynge leyles sone was the .viii. kyng of Brytons he buylded CauÌ„terbury the chyefeyte of Kent called it Caerkent Afterwarde Englysshemen called it Dorobernia but that is not Douer that stondeth vpon the clyf of the Frensshe see from shis douer .xxii. Englysshe myle After warde this Dorobernia was is called Caunterbury The same kynge Rudhudibrys buylded wynchestre and called it CaergueÌ„t after EnglysshmeÌ„ called it went and wynchestre after the name of one an Englysshe man that was bysshop there All westsaxoÌ„ was subget to hym the same kyng buylded paladour that is SeptoÌ„ that now is called Shaftesbury Brytons telleÌ„ that an Egle prophecyed there soÌ„tyme Bladud Leyles sone a Nygramancer was the .ix. kyÌ„ge of BrytoÌ„s he buylded Bathe and called it Caerbathon Englyssmen called it after Athamannus cyte But at the laste men called it Bathonia that is Bath ¶ Wilhell depon li.ii in this cyte welleth vp spryngeth hote Bathes meÌ„ wene that Iulius Cezar made there suche bathes ¶ R. But Gaufre â— monuteÌ„sis iÌ„ his Brytons boke saythe that Bladud made thylke bathes bycause wyllyam hath not seen that brytysshe boke wrote so by telliÌ„ge of other meÌ„ or by his owne gessynge as he wrote other thynges not best auysedly Therfore it semeth more sothely that Bladud made not the hote bathes Ne Iulius Cezar dyd suche a dede though bladud buylded made the Cyte but it accordeth better to kyndely reason that the water reÌ„ne the in the erth by vaynes of brymstone sulphur so it is kyndely made hoot in that course and spryngeth vp in dyuerse places of the cyte And so there beÌ„ hoote bathes that wassheth of â—eâ—es soores skabbes ¶ Treuisa Though men myghte by crafte make hoote bathe for to endure longe ynough thys accordeth well to reason to phylosophy that treateth of hote welles and bathes that beÌ„ in diuerse loÌ„des though the water of this bathe be more trobly soruer of sauour of smell thaÌ„ other hote bathes been that I haue seen at Akon in Almayne And eyges in Sauoye whiche ben fayr clere as ony welle streme I haue beÌ„ bathed therin and assayed them ¶ R. Claudius cezar maryed hys doughter to Aruiragus kynge of Brytons This Claudyus Cezar buylded Gloucestre in the weddynge of his doughter· Brytons called this cyte frist after Claudius name but afterwarde it was called Gloucestre after one gloria whiche was duke of the countre stondeth vpon Seuarne in the marche of Englond wales Shrowesbury a cyte vpon Sauarne in the marche of Englonde wales set vpon the top of an hylle it is called Shrowesburye of shrobbes fruyte that grewe there somtyme on the hylle Brytons called it somtyme Pengre wene that is the hede of a fayr tre Shrowesbury was somtyme the hede of powesye â— stretcheth forth thwarde ouer the mydell of wales vnto the Irysshe see Notyngam stondeth vpon Trence soÌ„tyme heet Notyngham that is the wonÌ„ynge of denÌ„es for the Danes dwelled there soÌ„tyme dygged dennes caues vnder harde stones rokes dwelled there ¶ R. Lyncolyn is cheyf of the prouynce of Lyndeseye was called somtyme Caerlud coit and after warde Lyndecoln It is vncertayne who buylded fyrst thys cyte but yf yt were kyng Lud so it semeth by menynge of the name for the Caer is brytysshe is to say a cyte a coit ys a woode so it semeth the Caerlud coit is to saye Luddes wode towne Kyng leyrâ— was Bladuddes son buylded Leybestre as it were in the myddell of Englond vpon the Ryuer Sos vpon Fosse the kynges bye wyye ¶ wylhel de pon li.iii YOrke is a strete cyte in eyther syde of the water of Ouse that semed as fayr as Rome vnto the tgme that the kyng wyâ—liam had with breÌ„nynge fyre defoulde it the cooÌ„tre about So that a pylgryme wolde now wepe hâ— sawe it yf he had knowen it tofore ¶ Gaufre Ebraneus the .v. kyng of brytons buylded yorke called it after his owne name Caerbranck he baylded also two other cytees one in scotlond is called Edenburgh an other towarde Scotlond in th end of Englond called Edenburgh an other toward Scotlond in th end of Englonde is called Alcliud ¶ R. Edenburth is a cytee in the londe of Pictes bytwene the Ryuer of Twede the scottesshe see heeâ— soÌ„tyme the castell of Maydens was called afterward Edenburgh of Edan kyng of Pictes the regned there in egâ—ridê° tyme kyng of NorthuÌ„berâ—ond Alcliud was soÌ„tyme a noble cyte ys now well nygh vnknowe to all Englysshmen for vnder the Brytons pyctes Englysshmen it was a noble cyte to the comynge of the Danes But after ward about the yere of oure lorde ·viii c.lxx it was destroyed whan the danes destryed the couÌ„trees of NorthuÌ„berloÌ„d but iÌ„ what place of Brytayn the cyte Alcliud was buylded Ductours telleÌ„ dyuersely ¶ Beda li.i sayth that it was buylded by west the arme of the see that departed bytwene the BrytoÌ„s the Pyctes soÌ„tyme there Souerê° â—amoê° wall endeth westward so it semeth by hym that it is not fer froÌ„ Caerleyl for the cyte is set at the ende of that wall Other wryters of storyes wryten that the cyte of Alcliud is the cyte that now is caled AloÌ„burgh that is to say an olde towne standeth vpoÌ„ the Ryuer Ous not fer fro barghbrydge that is .xv. myle westward out of yorke it semeth that he preueth that by Gaufride in his boke of dedes of Brytons he wryteth that Elidurê° kyng of brytoÌ„s was lodged at the cyte Alcliud bycause of solace huÌ„tynge founde his brodeâ— Argalon maskynge in a wode nygh ther besyde that hyght Calatery but that wood Calatery whyche is caltres iÌ„ englysshe recheth almost to yorke stretcheth towarde the north by Aldburgh in length by space of .xx. myle the moost dele of that wode is now drawen downe the loÌ„de ytylled other meÌ„ wolde suppose that Alcliud was the cyte that now is called Burgham in the north couÌ„tre of westmerlonde fast by Comberlond stadeth vpon the Ryuer Eden the cyte is ther wonderly seen Deme ye nowe where it is buylded ¶ Treuysa It is not harde to assoyle yf men take hede the many townes bere one name as Cartage in Affrica Cartago in spayn new porte in wales Newporte in the parysshe of Barkeleye wottonne vnder egge and wotton passeth wyk warwyk payne wyk in the parysshe of Barkelye And two shyre towne eythere is called Hampton as Southampton NorthehamptoÌ„ so it semeth by the storyes the one Alcliud was in yorkshyre an other iÌ„ westmerlonde one fast by the right syde of the west arme of the see that
Thenne the worlde shall be so vnstable and so dyuerse and varyable that the vnstablenes of thoughtes shall be bytokeneth by many manere dyuersytees of clothynge ¶ Here foloweth the dyscrecyon of the londe of wales ca. xvi NOwe this boke taketh on honde Wales after Englonde So take I my tales And wende into wales To that noble blood Of Pryamus blood Knowleche for to wynne Of greate Iupyters kynne For to haue in mynde ✚ Dardanus kynde In these foure tytles I fonde To tell the state of that londe â— Cause of the man I shall telle And thenne prayse the londe and well †Thenne I shall wryte with my pen. All the maners of the men Thenne I shall fonde â— To telle meruaylles of the londe ¶ Of the name and wherfore is named wales ca. xvii WAles nowe is called wallia And somtyme it heet Cambria For Camber Brutes sone Was prynce there dyde wone Thenne wallia was to mene For Gwalaes the quene Kynge Ebrancus chylde Was wedded theder mylde And of that lorde Gwalon With draweth of the sonnâ— And put to l.i a. â— And thou shalte fynde wallia ✚ And though this londe Be moche lesse than Englonde As good glebe is one as other In the doughter in the moder ¶ Of the coÌ„modytes of the londe of wales Capitulo xviii THough that londe be luyâ— It is full of corne and of fruyte And hath grete plente ywys Of flesshe and eke of fysshe Of beestes tame and wylde Of hors sheepâ— oxen mylde Good londe for all sedes For corne gras and herbes that spredes There ben woodes and medes Herbes and floures there spredes There ben Ryuers and welles Valeyes and also hylles Valeyes brynge forth flood And hylles metals good Cooll groweth vnder londe And gras aboue at honde There lyme is copyous And slates for hous Hony and mylke whyte There is deynte and not lyte Of braket meete and ale ✚ Is grete plente in that vale And all that endeth to the lyue That londe bryngeth forth ryue But of grete ryches to be drawe And close many in shorte sawe It is a corner small As though god fyrste of all Made that londe so fele To be selere of all hele Wales is deled by A water that heet Twy North wales from the south Twy deleth in places full couch The south heet Demicia And the other Venedocia The fyrste shoteth and arowes deres That other deleth all with spere In wales how it be Were somtyme courtes thre At Carmerthyn was that one And that other was in Mone The thyrde was in Powysy In Pegwern that nowe is Shrowesbury There were bysshops seuen And nowe ben foure euen Vnder Saxons all at home Somtyme vnder prynces of that londe ¶ Of the maners and rytes of the walsshmen ca. xix THe maner lyuynge of that londe Is well dyuerse frome Englonde In mete and drynke and clothynge And many other doynge They be clothed wonder well In a shyrte and in a mantell A cryspe brethe well saynâ— Dothe in wynde and in rayne In this clothynge they by bolde Though the weder be ryght colde without shetes alway Euermore in this araye They go fyght plye and lepe Stande sytte lye and slepe without surtoâ— gowne cote and kyrtyll without â—open tabarde clok or bell without lace and chaplet that her lappes without hode hatte or cappes Thus arayd gone the segges And alwaye with base legges They kepe none other goynge ⸫ Though they mete with the kynge with arowes and shorte speres They fyght with them that them deres They fyght better yf they neden Whan they go than whan they â—yden In stede of castell and coure They take woode and mareys for socour whan thâ—y seen it is to do In fyghtynge they wolde be a go Gyldas sayth they ben varyable In peas and not stable yf men aâ—e why it be It is no wonder for to se Though men put out of londe To put out other wolde fonde But all for nought at thys stonde For all many woodes ben at gronde And put the see amonge â—en castels buylded stronge The men may dure longe vnete And loue well conume mete They can ete and ben mury without greate cury They ete brede colde and hote Of â—arly and of ote Brode cakes rounde and thynne As well semeth so grete kynne Selde they ete brede of whete And selde they done one ete They haue gruell to pâ—tage And lekes kynde to com panage Also butter mylke and chese y shapeend londe and corner wyse Suche messes they ete snell And that maketh hem drynke well Meâ—e â—d ale that hath myght Theron they spende daye and nyght Euer the redder is the wyne They holde it the more fyne Whan they drynke atte ale They tyll many lewde tale For whan drynke is in handlynge They ben full of Ianglynge Atte meete and after eke Her solace is salte and leke The husbonde in his wyse Telleth that a grete pryce To gyue a gaudron with growele To hem that sytten on his mele He deleth his meete at meele And gyueth euery man his dele And all the ouer pluse He kepeth to his owne vse Therfore they haue woo And myshappes also They eten hote samon alwayâ— All though physyk say nay Her houses ben lowe with all And made of yerdes small Not as in cytees nyghe But fâ—rre a sonder and not to hyghâ— Whan all his eten at home Then to theyr neyghbours wyll they ronne And ete what they maye fynde and se And then torne home ayen The lyf is ydele that they ledes In brennynge slepynge and suche dedes Wallshmen vse with her myght To wesshe theyr ghestes fete a nyght yf he wesshe her fete all and somme Then they knowe that they be welcome They lyue so esely in a route That felde they bere purs aboute At her breche out and home They honge theyr money and combe It is wonder they beso hende And hate crak at nether ende And without ony core Make theyr wardrope at the dore They haue in grete mangery Harpe tabour and pype for mynstralsy They bere corps with sorywes grete And blowe londe hoenes of gheet· They prayse faste Troyau blood For ther of come all her brode ⸫ Nygh kyn they wyll be Though they passe a hondred degree Aboue other men they wyll hym dyght And worshyp preste with her myght As angels of heuen ryght They worshyp seruauntes of god almyght Ofte gyled was this brode And yerned batayll all for woode For Merlyns prophecye And ofte for sortelegye Beste in maners of Brytons For company of Saxons Ben torned to better ryght That is knowen as clere as lyght They tyllen gardyns felde and downes And drawe hym to good townes They ryde armed as woll god And go yhosed and yshoode And sytten fayre at her mele And slepe in beddes fayre and in fele So they seme nowe in mynde More Englysshmen than walsshe kynde yf men axe why they now do so More than they wonte to do They lyuen in more