his Province and as Bede tells us surveyed all Things and ordained Bishops in fit Places and those Things which he found less perfect than they should be he by their Assistance corrected among which when he found fault with Bishop Ceadda as not having been rightly Consecrated he humbly and modestly replied If you believe that I have not rightly undertook the Episcopal Charge I willingly quit it since as I never thought my self worthy so I never consented to accept it but in obedience to the Commands of my Superiours But the Arch-Bishop seeing his Humility answered That he would not have him lay aside his Episcopacy and so he again renewed his Ordination according to the Catholick Rites From whence it appears that this Arch-Bishop then thought the Ordination of the English and Scotish Bishops who differed from the Church of Rome as to the time of keeping Easter to be Uncanonical and for this reason Bede here also tells us That Bishop Wilfrid was sent into France to be Ordained But as for this Bishop Ceadda Florence of Worcester informs us That he was now also deprived of his Bishoprick and Wilfrid restored to it as having been unduly Elected thereunto which thô Bede doth not tell us in express Words yet he confirms it in the very next Chapter where he tells us That Jaruman Bishop of the Mercians being now dead King Wulfher did not ask Arch-Bishop Theodorus to Ordain a new One but only desired of King Oswi that Bishop Ceadda the Brother of Cedda should be sent to him to take that Charge who lived privately at his Monastery of Lestinghen where he was then Abbot Wilfrid then not only Governing the Diocess of York and all the Northumbers but also Picts as far as King Oswi's Dominions extended But to return again to the Saxon Annals This Year King Ecgbert gave to Basse the Priest Reculf where he built a Monastery This was afterwards called Reculver in Kent Oswi King of Northumberland died xv Kal. Martij and was buried at Streanshale Monastery and Ecverth or Egfrid his Son reigned after him also Lothaire Nephew of Bishop Agelbert took upon him the Episcopal Charge over the West Saxons and held it 7 Years Arch-Bishop Theodorus Consecrated him He whom these Annals call Lothair was the same with Leutherius Bishop of Winchester Bede tells us further of King Oswi That being worn out with a long Infirmity he was so much in love with the Roman Rites that if he had recovered of the Sickness of which he died he had resolved to go to Rome and end his Days at the Holy Places having engaged Bishop Wilfrid to be the Guide and Companion of his Journey promising him no small Rewards for his Pains ' This Year was a great slaughter of Birds H. Huntington renders it a great Fight of Birds which seems to have been some remarkable Combat of Crows or Jackdaws in the Air of which we have several wonderful Relations in our Histories Mat. Westminster relates that the strange Birds seemed to flie before those of this Country but that many Thousands were killed This next Year Cenwalch King of the West Saxons died and Sexburga his Wife held the Kingdom after him for one Year Of whom William of Malmesbury gives this Account That this King dying left the Kingdom to Sexburga his Wife nor did she want Spirit or Courage to discharge all the Functions of a King for she straitways began to raise new Forces as also to keep the Old to their Duty to govern her Subjects with moderation and to keep her Enemies in awe and in short to do such great Things that there was no Difference but the Sex between Her and a King But as she aimed at more than Feminine Undertakings so she left this Life when she had scarce Reigned a Year about But Mat. Westminster says she was expelled the Kingdom by the Nobles who despised Female Government But what Authority he had for this I know not for I do not find it in any other Author whereas if what William of Malmesbury says of her be true it was not likely they should Rebel against so good a Governess who seems to have been the perfect Pattern of an Excellent Queen After the Death of King Cenwalch and as I suppose Queen Sexburga likewise Bede relates That the Great Men or Petty Princes of that Kingdom divided it among them and so held it for 10 Years in which time Eleutherius Bishop of the West Saxons i. e. of Winchester dying Heddi was Consecrated by Arch-Bishop Theodorus in his stead in whose time those Petty Princes being all subdued Ceadwalla took the Kingdom but this does not agree with the Saxon Annals About this time thô Bede does not set down the Year King Egfrid of Northumberland waging War with Wulfher King of Mercia won from him all the Country of Lindsey About this time also died Ceadda Bishop of Litchfield according to Ran. Higden's Polychron but Bede does not tell us the time of his Death thô he mentions it and there gives a large Account of the great Humility and Piety of that good Bishop and of the Pious End he made He is called by us at this day St. Chad. This Year Egber◠King of Kent deceased according to Bede's Epitome who as says Math. Westminster gave part of the Isle of Thanet to build a Monastery to explate the Murder of his Cousins whom he had caused to be slain as you have already heard The same Year was a Synod of all the Bishops and great Men of England held at Heartford now Hartford which Synod as Bede tells us was called by Arch-Bishop Theodorus where Wilfred Bishop of York with all the rest of the Bishops of England were either in Person or by their Deputies as Florence relates and in which divers Decrees were made for the Reformation of the Church the first and chiefest of which was That Easter should be kept on the first Lord's Day after the Fourteenth Moon of the First Month i. e. 〈◊〉 which thô it had been before appointed by the Synod at Streanshale above-mentioned yet that being not looked upon as a General Council of the whole Kingdom it was now again renewed the rest of them concerning the Jurisdictions of the Bishops and the Priviledges and Exemptions of Monasteries I pass over and refer you to Sir H. Spelman's First Volume of Councils for farther satisfaction But I cannot omit that it was here first Ordained That thô Synods ought to be held twice a Year yet since divers Causes might hinder it therefore it seem'd good to the whole Council that a Synod should be assembled once a Year at a place called Cloveshoe This Year also the Saxon Annals relate That Etheldrethe late Wife to Egfrid King of Northumberland founded the Monastery of Ely in which she her self became the first Abbess She as Bede tells us had been twice married but would never let either
it is to this Year we are to refer the great Council which Bede tells us was held in the Kingdom of the West Saxons in which after the Death of Bishop Hedda the Bishoprick of that Province became divided into two one whereof was conferred on Daniel who held it at the time when Bede wrote his History and the other was bestowed upon Aldhelm above-mentioned then Abbot of Malmesbury who was now made Bishop of Shireburn and when he was only an Abbot did at the Command of a Synod of the whole Nation write an excellent Book against that Errour of the Britains in not keeping Easter at the due time whereby he converted many of those Britains which were then subject to the West Saxons to the Catholick Observation thereof Of whose other Works likewise Bede gives us there a Catalogue being a Person says he admirable in all Civil as well as Ecclesiastical and Divine Learning and as William of Malmesbury further informs us was the first of the English Saxons who wrote Latin Verses with a Roman Genius There is here in the Saxon Annals a Gap for the space of 3 Years in which I think we may according to H. Huntington's Account place what Bede relates in the Chapter and Book last cited viz. That Daniel and Aldhelm yet holding their Sees it was ordained by a Synodal Decree That the Province of the South Saxons which had hitherto belonged to the Diocess of Winchester should now be an Episcopal See and have a Bishop of its own and so Ceadbert who was then Abbot of the Monastery of Selsey was consecrated first Bishop of that Place who dying Ceolla succeeded in that Bishoprick but he likewise dying some Years before Bede wrote his History that Bishoprick then ceased This Year the Saxon Annals began with the Death of Bishop Aldhelm whom it calls Bishop of Westwude for so Shireburne was then called after whom one Forther took the Bishoprick and this year Ceolred succeeded in the Kingdom of the Mercians for now Kenred King of the West Saxons went to Rome and Offa with him and Kenred remained there to his Live's end and the same year Bishop Wilferth or Wilfred deceased at Undale his Body was brought to Rypon in Yorkshire This is the Bishop whom King Egferth long since forced to go to Rome There being divers Things put very close together under this Year they will need some Explanation This Offa here mentioned was as Bede and William of Malmesbury relate the Son of Sigher King of the East Saxons who being a young Man of a sweet Behaviour as well as handsom Face in the Flower of his Youth and highly beloved by his People and having not long before succeeded to the Kingdom after Sighard and Senfrid above-mentioned he courted Keneswith the Daughter of King Penda whom he desired to marry but it seems not long after their Marriage she over-perswaded him to embrace a Monastick Life so that he now went to Rome for that End And Bede tells us expresly that both these Kings left their Wives Relations and Countries for Christ's sake But to this Offa succeeded Selred the Son of Sigebert the Good in the Kingdom of the East Saxons H. Huntington proposes King Offa as a Pattern to all other Princes to follow and makes a long Exhortation to them to that purpose as if a King could not do GOD better Service nor more Good to Mankind by well-governing his People than by renouncing the World and hiding his Head in a Cell But such was the Fashion or rather Humour of that Age and the Affairs as well as Consciences of Princes being then altogether Govern'd by Monks it is no wonder if they extoll'd their own Profession as the only One wherein Salvation could certainly be obtained But since I have already given you from Bede and Stephen Heddi a large Account of Bishop Wilfred's Life and Actions above-mentioned I shall not need to add any more to it He was certainly a Man who had tried all the Vicissitudes of an adverse as well as a prosperous Fortune having been no less than three times deprived of his Bishoprick the first time unjustly but whether we may say the same of both the other seems doubtful for let his Friends say what they will it is evident he was at first deprived for opposing a very good Design viz. That of dividing the Northumbrian Kingdom into more Diocesses and he having the rich Monastery of Hagulstad under his Charge would not permit it to be made a Bishoprick thô the Diocess was more than he could well manage and this seems to have been the true Original of that great Quarrel between him and the two Kings Egfrâ—d and Alfred as you have already heard so it should seem the Wrong pretended to have been done him was none at all or else such holy Men as St. Cuthbert St. John of Beverlie and Eatta are described to be would never have accepted of the Bishopricks of York and Hagulstad during the time of his Deprivation and it is very strange that two arch-Arch-Bishops successively with the greater part of the Bishops of England should have agreed to his Deprivation if there had not been great Cause for it nor would so holy and knowing a Woman as the Abbess Hilda have been so much against him had not there been some substantial Reason to justifie it but he had the Pope on his side who always encouraged Appeals to Rome and then it was no wonder if he prevailed but he was certainly a Prelate of a high Spirit and great Parts and who building a great many Monasteries by the Benevolence of the Kings and Princes of that Time and himself thô a Bishop being Abbot of two of them at once it was no wonder if he grew very rich which together with his high way of Living being the first Bishop of that Age who used Silver Vessels it procured him the Envy of those Princes but he was a grand Patron of the Monks and therefore it is not to be wondred at if they cried him up for a Saint of whom the Writer of his Life which he Dedicates to Acca his Successour relates too many Miracles to be believed raising the Dead cuting the Lame being very ordinary Feats but the Monks being the only Writers of that Age we must be contented with what Accounts they will give us thô thus much must be acknowledged in his Commendation That he converted great Multitudes to the Christian Faith and caused the Four Gospels to be written in Letters of Gold But having given you this Account of Bishop Wilfred's Life it is fit I say somewhat further of his Death concerning which the Author above-mentioned tells us That having lived 4 Years in Peace after his last Restitution he at last went to visit the Monasteries which he had founded in the South Parts of England where he was received by his Abbots whom he had put in with great Joy till coming to a Monastery which
Courts I come now to the chiefest next to that of the Great Council of the Kingdom viz. that which was called Curia Domini Regis Because oftentimes as Sir Wil. Dugdale informs us the King himself sate here in Person having several Justices à latere suo residentes as Bracton expresseth it and in his Absence the Ealdorman or Chief Justiciary of all England supplied his Place CONCERNING this Court tho we have not many Memorials left of it before the Conquest yet it was certainly at that Time in Being since it seems to have been then the Great Court of all Appeals as well Criminal as Civil long after the Conquest before the Court of Common-Pleas was taken out of it for here it was that K. Alfred is supposed to have re-heard and examined the false Judgments of his inferior Judges in the Hundred and County-Courts and here it was also that he condemned above forty of them to be executed in one Year for their erroneous Sentences in Matters of Life and Death as you will find in the Mirror of Justices I need say no more of this Great Court whose Power now resides in that of the King's-Bench and Common-Pleas neither the Chancery nor Exchequer having then any Being the former of which commenc'd long after the Conquest and the latter was erected by King William the First I have but two Observations to make concerning our Antient English Saxon Courts of Justice the FIRST of which is that strict Union there then was as well in the Folk-mote and County-Court as in the Hundred-Court between the Ecclesiastical and Civil State in both which the Bishop and the Sheriff sitting together all Causes both Spiritual and Secular were equally and at one time dispatched to the great Ease and Satisfaction of the Subject who were taught by the Bishop in the Folk-mote what was their Duty towards God and the Church as they were by the Ealdorman or Sheriff what Common Laws they were bound to observe in order to their Honest and Peaceable Living one among another a Custom which when reading of Books was not generally in use among the Laiety was absolutely necessary for the acquainting them with their Duty in imitation of which I suppose our Common Charges at Assizes and Sessions are continued to this Day THE SECOND is the great Ease the Subject must needs find in having Justice administred to him in smaller Actions in the Court of Decenary or Tything even at their own Doors or else in Appeals and greater Actions at the Court of the Trihing or Lathe from whence they might remove it to the County-Court and if they thought themselves aggrieved there then they might bring it before the King himself or his chief Justiciary in the Great Court abovementioned An Admirable and an Excellent Constitution this whilst the Laws of England were few easy and plain before the Partiality and Corruption of Countrey Juries came in and the bandying and Factions of Rich and Powerful Men in the Countrey against each other together with the vast varieties of Determinations of Cases in Law had rendered those inferior Courts not only perplexed but unsafe and vexatious to the Subject I come now to the Supream Court of the whole Kingdom called in Saxon the Wittena-Gemot or Mycel-Synoth in Latin Magnum or Commune Concilium Regni the Great or Common-Council of the Kingdom consisting of the King and the three Estates which we now call our Parliament which Court the Author of the Mirror of Justices expresly tells us That King Alfred ordained for a perpetual Custom that twice in the Year or oftner in Time of Peace if Business so required they should assemble at London to treat of the good Government of God's People and how Folks should be restrained from Offending and live in Quiet and should receive Right by certain Antient Usages and Judgments c. From whence you may observe that in this Author's Time viz. that of Edward I. it was held for Law That the great Council of the Kingdom antiently met of Course twice in the Year without any express Summons from the King and this it seems was afterwards altered to thrice in the Year viz. at the three great Feasts of Christmass Easter and Whitsontide when the King met his Estates with great Solemnity wearing his Crown upon all solemn Days of Entertainment and when the Feasting was over they fell to dispatch the publick Affairs as Sir H. Spelman well observes THESE stated Councils which were then held ex More as our Historians term it i. e. according to antient Custom continued long after the Conquest as shall be farther shewn hereafter but if this Council happened to meet at any other extraordinary Time then the King 's special Summons was requisite as you may find in Ingulf under Anno Dom. 948. where he tells us King Edred summoned the Arch-bishops Bishops and all the Proceres and Optimates i. e. Chief Men of the Kingdom to meet him at London at the Purification of the Virgin Mary Whence we may observe that this Summons was thus issued because this Council was extraordinary as not being held ex more at any of the usual great Feasts abovementioned CONCERNING the Original of this great Assembly since Sir Robert Filmer in all his Works and particularly in his Patriarcha and Dr. Johnston in his Excellency of Monarchical Government Would have this as well as all our other Liberties and Privileges to have been only Royal Abatements of Power and gracious Indulgences and Condescensions of our Kings for the Benefit and Security of the Subject who were pleased to condescend to call some Persons of each of the three Estates it being left to their Discretion whom to summon and whom not and tho many of our Kings have made use of such great Assemblies to consult about important Affairs of State and by their Consent and Approbation to make Laws as well as at their Prayers and Petitions to redress their just Grievances yet they owed their being to our first Monarchs since till about the time of the Conquest there could be no General Assembly of the Estates of the whole Kingdom because till those Times we cannot learn it was entirely united into one but it was either divided into several Kingdoms or governed by several Laws I confess this looks at first like a specious Hypothesis and may serve perhaps to prevail upon some ignorant and unwary Readers who will not or cannot give themselves the trouble of searching to the Bottom to find out the Truth of things But I desire the Favour of those who believe and maintain this Opinion to answer me these few Queries FIRST How it came to pass that in all the Kingdoms of Europe erected out of the Ruines of the Roman Empire as well as those that were not but yet had been constituted according to the same Gothick Model the like General or Great Council of Estates consisting of the same Degrees
be uncertain yet between the Years 402 and 406 Pelagius a British Monk whose Welsh Name is supposed to have been Morgan as being of the same signification with the Latin Name of Pelagius broached his Heresie for absolute Free will without the assisting Grace of God which Opinion was afterwards condemned by divers Councils in France and Africa and was also confuted by St. Augustine About which times also flourished Festidus a learned Bishop if not an Arch-bishop of Britain who writ a Pious Treatise De Vita Beata and who by some late Romish Writers hath been accused of Pelagianism from which imputation he is justly vindicated by the said Reverend Dr. Stillingfleet in his above cited work Nor did this Island remain long free from this Pelagian Heresie for he having as it is supposed perverted divers of his Country-men abroad they afterward returning home brought it over and dispersed it here and was especially propagated by one Agricola the Son of Severian a Pelagian Bishop as Bede informs us who farther says that the Britains when they would by no means receive so perverse a Doctrine that blasphemes the grace of Christ nor yet were able by disputing to refute so settled an Errour they took a safer course to send for aid in this spiritual warfare from the Bishops of France for which cause a great Synod being there assembled it was proposed who was most fitting to be sent to succour the true Belief then assaulted when by the common votes of them all Germanus Bishop of Auxerre and Lupus Bishop of Troyes were chosen to go and confirm Britain in the Catholick Faith who when they had received the command of that Church passed the Sea and landed here though not without great danger from Storms which Bede supposes to be raised by the Devil and which he also says were to be lay'd by the Prayers of Bishop German as soon as they landed they were joyfully received both by the Clergy and People to whom they forthwith preached not only in the Churches but also in the High-ways and Streets whereby the Faithful Christians were confirmed and many Hereticks brought back to the Truth at which the Heads of the Heretical party being very much concern'd though they lay for a great while private yet at last fearing their silence would be interpreted as a quitting of their cause a publick disputation was agreed upon between them which was as some of our Authours relate at Verulam where the Hereticks appeared in a splendid garb and encompassed with a great number of Followers so that there met a great multitude of People on both sides to be as well Spectators as Judges where in the first place Germanus and Lupus allowed their Adversaries a full liberty of disputing which took up much time to little purpose then the Bishops with a Torrent of proofs drawn from the Holy Scriptures bore down all before them backing their Reasons with Divine Authorities whereby the Pelagians being non-plus'd had nothing to reply so that the People being the Judges could scarce refrain their Hands from them and testified their resentment by their great clamour against them Nor did these Bishops think this enough but as Bede further relates from one Constantius who lived within Fifty Years after this was done they thought fit likewise to confirm their Doctrine by Miracles for a certain Magistrate bringing his Daughter of Ten Years Old being Blind offer'd her to the Pelagians to be cured who refusing to undertake it the Bishops were desired to do it who as this Authour relates after Prayers to God restored the Girl to sight by the Application of certain Saints Relicts to her Eyes whereupon the People were so astonished that banishing all Errour from their Minds they followed the Doctrine of these Holy Bishops who it seems were not however very fond of these Relicts but as the same Authors have it opening the Tomb of St. Alban at Verulam buried them all therein to the intent that one Grave might contain the Bones of all those Saints collected from so many several Regions who being equal in merit the same Heaven had also received this done Germanus only took away in exchange a small lump of Earth which was yet stained with the Blood of the Martyr I shall pass over the rest of the real or pretended Miracles of these Bishops though related by Bede as being of less moment and come to that famous Victory which he from the same Authours relates to have been obtained by their means which was thus That not long after their coming the Picts and Saxons made a fierce Invasion upon the Britains who marching out against them and mistrusting their own Forces sent to Germanus and his Collegue to help them reposing more confidence in the Spiritual strength of those Two Holy Men than in their own Thousands so these Bishops being arrived their presence in the British Camp seem'd not less than if a whole Army had come to second them It was then the time of Lent and the People instructed by the daily Sermons of these Pastors came flocking to receive Baptism to which purpose a place in the Camp was made up of Green Boughs like a Church against the Day of the Lords Resurrection the Army being there Baptized march'd out to Fight and contemning the Defence of Arms only expected Divine assistance the Enemy hearing how they were imploy'd seem'd assured of the Victory when Germanus who also had intelligence of their approach undertook to be their Captain and riding out with some select Troops to discover what advantages the place might offer happen'd on a Valley encompassed with Hills through which the Enemy was to pass and placing there an ambush warned them that what words they heard him pronounce aloud the same they should all repeat with an universal shout the Enemy march'd on securely and German Thrice aloud cryed Halelujah which being answered by the Souldiers with a sudden noise and clamour was also much encreased by the Ecchoes from the Neighbouring Hills and Woods the Scots and Picts startled hereat and supposing it the shout of a Mighty Army flung down their Arms and fled and for hast many of them were drowned in that River they had newly passed The Victory thus obtained without fighting yielded the Britains great store of spoil and procured to Bishop German greater Authority and Reputation than before The place of this Fight is reported to have been near a Town called Guiderac in the British Tongue but in the English Mould in Flintshire and the place is called Maes German that is German's Field to this Day But there are two Objections to be made against the Truth of this Relation The first is how the Britains could fight against the Saxons before their arrival here under Aingist which was not till above Twenty Years after Secondly how the Britains who had been Christians for above Three Hundred Years should need to be new Baptized To the former of
in Ireland being hindred by a Storm that forced him back from Preaching the Gospel as he intended in Germany he perswaded one Wilbrode his Country man to do it who having obtain'd the Pope's License to Preach to the Heathen Nations he performed it first by preaching the Gospel in old Frizeland which then included not only those Provinces called East and West Frizeland to this day but also Holland and Zealand and divers others of the Belgic Provinces where he converted all those Nations to the Christian Faith and was afterwards at the desire of Pipin father to King Charles ordained by the Pope Arch-Bishop of the Frisons Anno Dom. 596 and upon his return to Rome Pipin being then Major of the Palace or General of France gave him for his Episcopal See that famous Castle which is called in the Old Language of that Nation Wiltaburg but in the Gallic Tongue Trajectum at this day Utrecht But not long after two Priests each of them named Henwald and for distinction Sirnamed from the colour of their Hair the Black and the White being by his Example piously affected to the Souls of their Country-men the Old Saxons at their coming into Old Saxony to convert them met with much worse Entertainment for being in the House of a Farmer who had promised to convey them as they desired to the Governour of that Country and being discovered by their daily Ceremonies to be Christian Priests and the cause of their coming also known they were by him and his Heathen Neighbours cruelly butcher'd and their Bodies flung into the Rhine but the Governour coming to the knowledge of it being enraged at such Violence offered to two Strangers sent Armed Men and slew all those wicked Inhabitants and burnt their Village About this time Sir H. Spelman in his first Volume of Councils records a Charter of Priviledge granted by King Wythred in a General Council or Synod of Kent whereby with the Consent of the Chief Men of his Kingdom he freed all the Churches thereof from all Publick Payments or Tributes whatsoever provided they yielded the King and his Successours the same Honour and Obedience as they had done his Predecessours under whom hitherto they had enjoyed all Justice and Liberty This was done in the Eighth Year of his Reign at a Place called Cylling which seems to be no more than a Confirmation of what had been done 6 Years before in the Council of Becanceld But to return to our Annals ' This Year Cenred began to Reign over the Southumbers i. e. the Mercians as has been already said Hedda the Bishop departed this Life he held the Bishoprick of Winchester 27 Years This Hedda is he of whom Bede gives the Character of an Excellent Bishop and one who Adorn'd the Episcopal See converting more by his Example than Preaching Ethelred the Son of Penda King of the Mercians became a Monk at Bardeney Abbey having reigned 29 or rather 30 Years and Cenred succeeded him who was his Cousin-German William of Malmesbury further adds That from a Monk he came to be Abbot of that Monastery wherein he died and that of Osgilde the Sister of Egfrid King of Northumberland he begat a Son called Ceolred yet for all this Ethelred passing him by he appointed Cenred the Son of his Brother Wulfher for his Successour who reigned with great Love to his Country and a singular Probity of Manners till in the Fifth Year of his Reign he went to Rome and as Bede tells us taking upon him the Habit of a Monk during the Papacy of Pope Constantine there ended his Days in Prayers Fasting and Alms. Ealfert or Alfred King of the Northumbers deceased on the 19 o Kal. Jan. at Driffeild in the 12th Year of his Reign Osred his Son succeeding in that Kingdom But Stephen Heddi in his Life of Bishop Wilfrid and who lived at that time hath given us a more accurate Account of the Death of this King and of his Successours viz. That King Alfred lying now sick upon his Death-bed repented of what he had done toward Bishop Wilfrid and promised That if ever he recovered of that Sickness he would restore the Bishop and in all Things observe the Decree of the Apostolick See but if he died he enjoyn'd who ever should succeed him to be reconciled with that Bishop for the good of both their Souls but this King dying one Eardwulf succeeded him thô but for a small time and the Bishop going to him and carrying that King's Son along with him he sent Messengers before supposing him to be his Friend but the King being perswaded by his Councellors and also prompted by his own natural Wickedness sent the Bishop word binding it with an Oath That unless he departed his Kingdom within the space of six Days whosoever he found of his Company should be put to Death Not long after which harsh Message a Plot being laid against him he was driven out of the Kingdom which he had scarce enjoyed two Months and so the Royal Youth Osred Son of the late King Alfred succeeded in the Kingdom and became Bishop Wilfrid's adopted Son In the first Year of which King the Author above-mentioned hath given us the following Account concerning the Restitution of the said Bishop viz. That Berthwald Arch-Bishop of Canterbury came about this time from the South together with all the Bishops Abbots and Chief Men of the whole Kingdom by the Precept of the Apostolical See to hold a Synod at a Place lying on the East-side of the River Nid in Northumberland where the King with his Bishops and Chief Men being met the Arch-Bishop made a Speech to them setting forth the Letters from the Pope which Bishop Wilfrid had brought directed to himself and which he desired might be read the Purport whereof was to the same effect as you have already heard Then Aelfleda the Abbess Daughter to the late King as also Berechtfrid the second Man in the Kingdom set forth the Will of the late King and therefore that it was fit to obey it as well as the Commands of the Apostolical See whereupon the King with his Great Men and all the Bishops upon mature Deliberation resolved to be reconciled to Bishop Wilfrid and that his two Monasteries of Rypon and Hagulstad together with all their Revenues should be restored to him and so a firm Reconciliation being made all the Bishops departed in Peace But yet for all this by what Richard Prior of Hagulstad hath left us of this matter it appears that Wilfrid did not carry the Cause so clearly as this Author would make it for he only was restored to the Bishoprick of Hagulstad and Bishop John above-named was from thence translated to York which Bishop Wilfrid had held before only Bishop John parted with Hagulstad for Peace-sake I have been the more exact in this Transaction because it has never been done by any body in our Language before Also
Complices in that Treason and there were not wanting some Court Sycophants to accuse Prince Edwin of being in that Plot for he was the eldest Legitimate Son then living of King Edward by his Lawful Wife since therefore the apprehension of a Rival usually overpowers all Obligations both of Friendship and Nature though Edwin both by Word of Mouth and by Oaths and Imprecations protested his Innocence yet all this would not prevail against these Court-Whisperers who affirmed that if he were only banished he would be commiserated by Foreign Princes and still more endanger the King's safety whereupon such a way was found out that under the Notion of Banishment he might with the least appearance of Cruelty be dispatch'd In short an old rotten Vessel was provided and only the Prince and his Esquire were put into it without any Pilot or other body to steer or manage it and thus for some time they weather'd it at Sea but the Young Prince being brought up tenderly and not used to hardship despairing of his Life cast himself headlong out of the Vessel and so perished in the Ocean whilst his Servant being more couragious was resolved to save himself if he could and meeting with better fortune was driven on shore at a place called Whitsand on the Coast of Picardy not far from Dover The Fact was not long done before Athelstan sorely repented of it which he is said by a Seven Years Penance to have testified to the world as also by the Punishment of him who was the principal Instrument in this Fratricide and had whispered this Jealousy into his Breast who being his Cup-bearer as he was going to present a Cup of Drink to him one of his Feet slipped but by the Nimbleness of the other recovering himself he said Thus one Brother helps another which the King hearing and sadly calling to mind how little he himself had assisted his Brother oppressed by the Calumnies of this Parasite caused him to be put to death This is the Tale told by William of Malmesbury and the other Author the latter of whom delivers it as a certain Truth whilst the former tells it only as an old Story sung in certain Ballads and of which he himself doubted the Truth But Buchanan the Scotch Historian I suppose out of malice to this King's Memory for routing his Countreymen makes King Athelstan not only to have procured the Death of his Brother Edwin but also of his Father King Edward whom he therefore fancies to have been called Edward the Martyr and not content with this neither he adds that he put his Brother Edred to death also Yet certainly there can scarce be more Mistakes committed in so few Lines than he has been guilty of in these for in the first place it is agreed by all our Historians that King Edward died a Natural Death and as for him whom he calls the Martyr he was the Son of King Edgar nor did he begin to reign till above an hundred and fifty years after as shall be shewn when we come to his Reign But as for what Buchanan objects against some of our later Historians for making Athelstan to be King of all Britain and to have restored Constantine King of Scots to his Kingdom and to have forced him to do him Homage for it we must confess that Buchanan is so far in the right that neither our Saxon Annals nor Marianus Scotus nor Florence of Worcester mention any thing of it though they all do relate the great Victory which King Athelstan obtain'd over the Scots but yet are wholly silent either about his driving of the King of Scotland out of his Kingdom or of causing him to do him Homage for restoring him to it This is to shew that I would not be partial to the Historians of our own Countrey as if they could not also be sometimes guilty of great Errors and therefore I thought good to take notice of it here This year as our Annals relate King Athelstan made an Expedition into Scotland with a great Army by Land as also with a considerable Fleet by Sea and laid wast great part of that Kingdom The same year also Bishop Byrnstan deceased at Winchester on the Feast of All Saints But as for the Causes of this War made by King Athelstan against Scotland since not only our Annals but many of our other Authors are silent in it we must supply that defect from William of Malmesbury and Roger Hoveden and the Chronicles of Mailrosse who relate that Anlaf the Son of Sihtric King of Northumberland having fled into Ireland and the late King Godefrid his Brother into Scotland King Athâ—lstan sent Ambassadors to Constantine King of Scots demanding the Fugitive to be given up to him or else upon his Refusal denouncing a speedy War against him which War indeed he made for marching into Scotland with a great Army both by Sea and Land he drove his Enemies before him as far as Dunfeodor and Wertermore and by Sea as far as Cathness but Malmesbury affirms that they not daring in any thing to displease him went to a place called Dacor or Dacre in Cumberland where each surrender'd up himself and all his into the hands of the English King who was Godfather to the Son of Constantine and now ordered him to be baptized in testimony of that Accord whom also together with great Presents he left as a Hostage with the King and so Peace being thus happily concluded he returned home into his own Countrey But the Scotish Historians do not mention this Invasion at all nor will allow King Constantine to have had any Son And indeed it seems improbable that if Constantine had now given his Son to King Athelstan as a Hostage he would have dar'd to renew the War again so soon after this Agreement But for all this Godefrid escaped while they were preparing for the Journey and travelling with one Turfrid into several parts of the Countrey at length got some men together and laid Siege to York the Inhabitants of which they tempted both by fair and foul means to let them in but not being able to prevail with 'em they went their ways and were both taken shortly after and shut up in a Castle from whence making their escape by deluding their Keepers Turfrid not long after was shipwreck'd at Sea and became a Prey to the Fish but Godefrid endured much more misery both by Sea and Land and at last came as a Suppliant to the King's Court who kindly received him but after he had been profusely feasted for four days together he got away again to his Ships and then returned to his old trade of Piracy In the mean time Athelstan demolished a Castle which the Danes had fortified at York that so they might not shelter themselves any more there and the large Booty he found in it he divided amongst his Soldiers to every one a share For so Worthy and Liberal was this Prince that he
Duke William being return'd without any satisfactory Answer from King Harold the Duke employed the rest of the year in preparing all things necessary for his Expedition hiring Soldiers out of his own Countrey with large Pay and inviting Strangers from abroad with greater Allowances so that upon the Muster of his Forces he found that they did not only excel in strength of Body and height of Stature but also the chief Commanders and Captains of them were as remarkable for their Valour as for their Experience and Conduct Also his Bishops and Abbots strove with the Nobility who should by their liberal Contributions most advance this Enterprize But that the Duke might not prejudice the Equity of his Cause by precipitation he sent Ambassadors to Pope Alexander who did with great Eloquence set forth the Justice of the War which their Prince was going to undertake and that Harold not only had broken his Oath with him but refused to give him any Satisfaction either because that now he was a Crown'd Head or else that he distrusted his Cause Whereupon the Pope taking into his serious consideration this weighty matter approved of the Enterprize and sent the Duke a Consecrated Banner as an Omen of Victory which when the Duke had received he called a Great Council of his Nobility at Lillebone to ask all their Opinions in this great Affair and when they had all encouraged his Undertaking by great Promises of Assistance he appointed an Assessment for his Fleet and Army according to their several respective Estates and so they departed home till the time appointed for a General Rendezvouz But Mr. Cambden from the Authority of some Ancient Norman Writers I have not yet met with makes this Enterprize much more difficult than our Historians commonly do as that though he found his Chief Officers to whom he communicated his Design very chearful and resolute to follow him yet all the Skill lay how to bear the Charge of so great a War for when in an Assembly of all the States of Normandy a Subsidy was propounded their Answer was That in the late War against the French their Wealth was so much exhausted that if a new War should happen they should scarce be able to hold and defend their own and therefore that they were more obliged to look after the Defence of their own than to think of Invading the Territories of others That this intended War though never so just yet did not seem so necessary at that time as it was apparently hazardous and that besides the Normans were not by their Allegiance bound to Military Service in Foreign Parts Neither could they by any means be brought to grant a General Tax although William Fitz-osbern a man in high favour with the Duke and as gracious among the People endeavoured what he could to effect it and to draw in others by his own example promised to set out forty Ships at his own proper Charges Duke William then perceiving he could not bring this about in a Publick Meeting went another way to work and therefore sends for the wealthiest men of his Dutchy severally one by one to come to him then he speaks them fair and desires them to contribute somewhat toward this War Whereupon as if they had strove who should most largely assist their Prince they promised him liberally and he causing to be presently registred whatsoever they had promised it amounted to a vast Sum more than most men could reasonably ever have believed This Affair being thus dispatch'd he next craves Aid of the Princes his Neighbours to wit of the Earls of Anjou Poictou Maine and Bretaigne unto these he promised large Tracks of Land and great Possessions in England But how much each of these Princes contributed to this Expedition is not known tho as for Alan Earl of Bretaigne he certainly was so great an Assistant to Duke William that he was after this Conquest of King Harold made Earl of Richmond and had great part of the Country thereabouts given him by William when he came to be King to be held by Knights Service And for the rest of the Princes above-mentioned it is certain that they permitted Duke William to raise great store of men in their Territories who being headed by divers Noble Volunteers of those Countries at their own Charges afterwards enjoyed great Possessions in England as a Reward of their Services Duke William also made his Addresses to Philip King of France and went in Person to solicite his Assistance in this intended War against Harold voluntarily offering that King that in case he would assist him and that he thereby became victorious to hold England of him as his Vassal which King Philip refused to accept thinking it against the interest of France to make the Duke of Normandy greater than he was already who now began not to be so pliant to his Interests as he thought the many Obligations which Duke William owed the King his Father required Therefore as the growing Greatness of a Neighbouring Prince was then is and will ever be suspected by him who is his Rival in Power and Empire so King Philip was so far from giving the Duke any Assistance that he wholly dissuaded him from this Enterprize which nevertheless he vigorously pursued notwithstanding this discouragement But leaving Duke William to his Warlike Preparations we will return into England where our Annals tell us That Earl Tostige had been met upon the Northern Coast with three hundred Norwegian Ships commanded by Harold King of Norway to whom when he had joined those he had with them they all sail'd up the Humber till they came as far as York where the Earls Brothers Morcar and Eadwin met and fought them but it seems the King of Norway gain'd the Victory Ingulph is more express in this affair and says that Harold King of Norway sail'd up the River Ouse as far as York where the Fleet being left under a strong Guard they landed and stormed York and soon plundered it and slew many of the poor Inhabitants But the two Earls abovementioned having gotten together a small Recruit of ill-arm'd Countreymen were easily routed and according to our Annals when King Harold heard of it he immediately marched against the King of Norway and meeting him at Staenford-briâ—ge in Yorkshire there fought and slew that King with Earl Tostige his own Brother Ingulph adds That the Norwegians made a very stout resistance great multitudes of them being slain together with their Chief Commanders so that King Harold obtain'd an entire Victory only Prince Olave Son to Harold King of Norway and Paul Earl of Orcades were permitted quietly to return home with twenty Ships But before I dismiss this Relation I cannot omit a remarkable Example of one single Norwegian who standing upon the Bridge above-mentioned killed more than forty Englishmen with his Battel-Axe making good his Post against the whole Army till three a Clock in the Afternoon and then one going in