that king Edelferd had made slaughter of the Britains as before is rehearsed he entred the citie of Chester and from thence marched towards Bangor The Britains in the meane time had assembled their power vnder thrée capteins that is to say Blederike duke of Cornewall Margadud king of Southwales and Cadwane king of Northwales These ioining in battell with Edelferd flue 10066 of his souldiers and constreined him to flée out of the field for safegard of his life after he had receiued manie wounds On the part of the Britains the forsaid Blederike which was chiefe capteine of the field in that battell chanced to be slaine Thus saith Gal. Mon. But the ancient writers of the English kings as Beda William Malmesburie and Henrie Huntington make no mention of this last battell and victorie obteined by the Britains in maner as aboue is expressed in Galfrids booke But contrarilie we find that Edelferd hauing such good successe in his businesse abroad as he could wish vpon purpose to auoid danger at home banished Edwine the sonne of Alla or Elle a yoong gentleman of great towardnesse latelie come to the kingdome of the Northumbers by the death of his father But this Edwine in time of his exile being long tossed from place to place and finding no stedfast friendship now in time of his aduersitie at length came to Redwald that was king at that time of the Eastangles the third from Uffa and successor to Titullus which Titullus did succéed next after the said Uffa the first king of Eastangles as before is mentioned This Redwald did verie honourablie interteine Edwine insomuch that Edelferd being informed thereof was highlie displeased and sent ambassadors vnto Redwald to require him either to deliuer Edwine into his hands or else if he refused so to doo to declare and denounce vnto him open warres Redwald incouraged by his wife that counselled him in no wise to betraie his friend to whome he had giuen his faith for the menaces of his enimie assembled foorthwith an armie and at the sudden comming vpon Edelferd assaulted him yer he could haue time to assemble his people togither But yet the said Edelferd though he was beset and brought in danger at vnwares died not vnreuenged for putting himselfe in defense with such power as he could then get togither he boldlie incountred the enimies and giuing battell slue Remerius the sonne of Redwald and after was slaine himselfe hauing reigned ouer the Northumbers about 22 yéeres This battell was fought néere to the water of Idle The said Edelferd had issue by his wife Acca the daughter of Alla and sister to Edwine two sonnes Oswald being about two yéeres of age and Oswin about foure yéeres the which their father being thus slaine were by helpe of their gouernours conueied awaie into Scotland with all spéed that might be made Ceowlfe king of the Westsaxons after he had reigned the space of 12 yeeres departed this life who in his time had mainteined great warre against manie of his neighbours the which for briefenesse I passe ouer One great battell he fought against them of Sussex in which the armies on both sides susteined great damage but the greater losse fell to the South saxons Cinegiscus and his sonne Richelinus reigne iointlie ouer the Westsaxons they fight with the Britains the indeuour of Laurence archbishop of Canturburie in setting religion at large and seeking a vniformitie in catholike orders he and his fellow-fellow-bishops write to the cleargie of Britaine and Scotland for a reformation Melitus bishop of London goeth to Rome the cause why and what he brought at his returne from pope Boniface The xxiij Chapter AFter the foresaid Ceowlfe reigned Cinegiscus or Kingils which was the sonne of Ceola which was the sonne of Cutha or Cutwin which was the sonne of Kenricke which was the sonne of king Certicke In the fourth yéere of his reigne he receiued into fellowship with him in gouernance of the kingdome his sonne Richelinus or Onichelinus and so they reigned iointlie togither in great loue and concord a thing seldome séene or heard of They fought with the Britains at Beandune where at the first approch of the battels togither the Britains fled but too late for there died of them that were ouertaken 2062. In this meane time Laurence archbishop of Canturburie who succéeded next after Augustine admitted thereto by him in his life time as before is said did his iudeuour to augment and bring to perfection the church of England the foundation whereof was latelie laid by his predecessor the foresaid Augustine who studied not onelie for the increase of this new church which was gathered of the English people but also he was busie to imploie his pastorlike cure vpon the people that were of the old inhabitants of Britaine and likewise of the Scots that remained in Ireland For when he had learned that the Scots there in semblable wise as the Britains in their countrie led not their liues in manie points according to the ecclesiasticall rules aswell in obseruing the feast of Easter contrarie to the vse of the Romane church as in other things he wrote vnto those Scots letters exhortatorie requiring them most instantlie to an vnitie of catholike orders as might be agréeable with the church of Christ spred and dispersed through the world These letters were not written onelie in his owne name but iointlie togither in the name of the bishops Melitus and Iustus as followeth To our deare brethren the bishops and abbats through all Scotland Laurence Melitus and Iustus bishops the seruants of the seruants of God wish health WHereas the apostolike see according to hir maner had sent vs to preach vnto the heathen people in these west parts as otherwise throgh the world and that it chanced to vs to enter into this Ile which is called Britaine before we knew vnderstood the state of things we had in great reuerence both the Scots Britains which beleeued bicause as we tooke the matter they walked according to the custome of the vniuersall church but after we had knowledge of the Britains we iudged the Scots to be better But we haue learned by bishop Daganus comming into this I le and by Columbanus the abbat comming into France that the Scots nothing differ in their conuersation from the Britains for bishop Daganus comming vnto vs would neither eat with vs no nor yet come within the house where we did eat The said Laurence also with his fellow-bishops did write to the Britains other letters woorthie of his degree dooing what he could to confirme them in the vnitie of the Romane church but it profited litle as appeareth by that which Beda writeth About the same time Melitus the bishop of London went to Rome to common with pope Boniface for necessarie causes touching the church of England and was present at a synod holden by the same pope at that season for ordinances to
spred in this behalfe the report of their demeanor was quicklie brought to Harald who caused a companie foorthwith of Danes priuilie to laie wait for them as they roade toward Gilford where Alfred was slaine and whence Edward with much difficultie escaped to his ships and so returned into Normandie But to proceed This affirmation of the archbishop being greatlie soothed out with his craftie vtterance for he was lerned confirmed by his French fréends for they had all conspired against the erle and therevnto the king being desirous to reuenge the death of his brother bred such a grudge in his mind against Goodwine that he banished him and his sons cleane out of the land He sent also his wife the erles daughter prisoner to Wilton with one onelie maiden attending vpon hir where she laie almost a yeare before she was released In the meane season the rest of the peeres as Siward earle of Northumberland surnamed Digara or Fortis Leofrijc earle of Chester and other went to the king before the departure of Goodwine indeuouring to perfuade him vnto the reuocation of his sentence and desiring that his cause might he heard and discussed by order of law But the king incensed by the archbishop and his Normans would not heare on that side saieng plainelie and swearing by saint Iohn the euangelist for that was his common oth that earle Goodwine should not haue his peace till he restored his brother Alfred aliue againe vnto his presence With which answer the peeres departed in choler from the court and Goodwine toward the coast Comming also vnto the shore and readie to take shipping he knéeled downe in presence of his conduct to wit at Bosenham in the moneth of September from whence he intended to saile into Flanders vnto Baldwine the earle and there praied openlie before them all that if euer he attempted anie thing against the kings person of England or his roiall estate that he might neuer come safe vnto his cousine nor sée his countrie any more but perish in this voiage And herewith he went aboord the ship that was prouided for him and so from the coast into the open sea But sée what followed He was not yet gone a mile waie from the land before he saw the shore full of armed souldiers sent after by the archbishop and his freends to kill him yer he should depart and go out of the countrie which yet more incensed the harts of the English against them Being come also to Flanders he caused the earle the French king and other of his fréends among whome also the emperour was one to write vnto the king in his behalfe but all in vaine for nothing could be obteined from him of which the Normans had no liking wherevpon the earle and his sonnes changed their minds obteined aid and inuaded the land in sundry places Finallie ioining their powers they came by the Thames into Southwarke néere London where they lodged and looked for the king to incounter with them in the field The king séeing what was doone commanded the Londoners not to aid nor vittell them But the citizens made answer how the quarrell of Goodwine was the cause of the whose realme which he had in maner giuen ouer vnto the spoile of the French and therevpon they not onelie vittelled them aboundantlie but also receiued the earle and his chiefe fréends into the citie where they lodged them at their ease till the kings power was readie to ioine with them in battell Great resort also was made vnto them from all places of the realme so that the earles armie was woonderfullie increased and the daie and place chosen wherein the battell should be fought But when the armies met the kings side began some to flée to the earle other to laie downe their weapons and not a few to run awaie out right the rest telling him plainelie that they would neuer fight against their owne countriemen to mainteine Frenchmens quarrels The Normans also seeing the sequele fled awaie so fast as they might gallop leauing the king in the field to shift for himselfe as he best might whilest they did saue themselues elsewhere In the meane season the earles power would haue set vpon the king either to his slaughter or apprehension but he staied them saieng after this maner The king is my sonne as you all know and it is not for a father to deale so hardlie with his child neither a subiect with his souereigne it is not he that hath hurt or doone me this iniurie but the proud Normans that are about him wherefore to gaine a kingdome I will doo him no violence And therewithall casting aside his battell ax he ran to the king that stood altogither amazed and falling at his féet he craued his peace accused the archbishop required that his cause might be heard in open assemlie of his péeres and finallie determined as truth and equitie should deserue The king after he had paused a pretie while seeing his old father in law to lie groueling at his féet and conceiuing with himselfe that his sute was not vnreasonable seeing also his children and the rest of the greatest barons of the land to knéele before him and make the like request he lifted vp the earle by the hand had him be of good comfort pardoned all that was past and freendlie hauing kissed him and his sonnes vpon the chéekes he lead them to his palace called home the quéene and summoned all his lords vnto a councell Wherein it is much to read how manie billes were presented against the bishop his Normans some conteining matter of rape other of robberie extortion murder manslaughter high treason adulterie and not a few of batterie Wherwith the king as a man now awaked out of sléepe was so offended that vpon consultation had of these things he banished all the Normans out of the land onelie thrée or foure excepted whome he reteined for sundrie necessarie causes albeit they came neuer more so néere him afterward as to be of his pritie councell After this also the earle liued almost two yeares and then falling into an apoplexie as he sat with the king at the table he was taken vp and carried into the kings bedchamber where after a few daies he made an end of his life And thus much of our first broile raised by the cleargie and practise of the archbishop I would intreat of all the like examples of tyrannie practised by the prelats of this sée against their lords and souereignes but then I should rather write an historie than a description of this Iland Wherefore I refer you to those reports of Anselme and Becket sufficientlie penned by other the which Anselme also making a shew as if he had bin verie vnwilling to be placed in the sée of Canturburie gaue this answer to the letters of such his fréends as did make request vnto him to take the charge vpon him Secularia negotia nescio quia seire nolo eorum námque occupationes horreo
men fought against the Danes at a place called Pedredesmuth and vanquished them with great triumph In the sixtéenth yeere of his reigne king Ethelwulfe and his sonne Edelbald hauing assembled all their powers togither gaue battell at Ocley to ◠huge host of Danes the which with foure hundred and fiftie ships had arriued at Thames mouth and destroied the famous cities of London and Canturburie and also had chased Brightwulfe king of Mercia in battell and being now entered into Sontherie were incountered by king Ethelwulfe at Ocley aforesaid after sore fight and incredible slaughter made on both sides in the end the victorie by the power of God was giuen to those that beléeued on him and the losse rested with great confusion to the miscreants Thus king Ethelwulfe obteined a glorious victorie in so mightie a battell as a greater had not beene lightlie heard of to chance within the English dominions The same yeere also Athelstan king of Kent and duke Ealhere fought by sea with the Danes and tooke 9 of their ships and chased the residue Moreouer one earle Ceorle hauing with him the power of Deuonshire fought with the Danes at Winleshore and got the victorie This yéere was verie luckie to the English nation but yet the armie of the Danes lodged all the winter season in the I le of Tenet And this was the first time that they remained héere all the winter vsing afore time but to come and make an inuasion in one place or other and immediatlie to returne home with the prey In the 18 yeere of king Ethelwufes reigne he aided Burthred king of Mercia against the Welshmen as before is mentioned and gaue to him his daughter in marriage the solemnization whereof was kept at Chipnham The same yéere king Ethelwulfe sent his sonne Alured as then but fiue yeeres of age to Rome where he was consecrated K. by pope Leo the fourth and was receiued of him as if he had beene his owne sonne Duke Ealhere or Eachere with the Kentishmen and one Huda or rather Wada with the men of Southerie fought against the armie of Danes at Tenet where great slaughter was made on both sides the Englishmen preuailing in the beginning but in the end both their foresaid dukes or leaders died in that battell beside manie other that were slaine and drowned In the 19 yéere of his reigne king Ethelwulfe ordeined that the tenths or tithes of all lands due to be paid to the church should be frée from all tribute duties or seruices regall And afterwards with great deuotion he went to Rome where he was receiued with great honour and taried there one whole yeere he tooke with him his sonne Alured who had béene there before as ye haue heard He repaired the Saxons schoole which Offa king of Mercia had sometime founded in that citie and latelie had béene sore decaied by fire He confirmed the grant of Peter pence to the intent that no Englishmen from thence-foorth should doo penance in bounds as he saw some there to doo before his face It is also written that he should acquit all the churches of his realme of paieng tribute to his coffers as before ye haue heard moreouer couenanted to send vnto Rome euerie yéere three hundred marks that is to say one hundred marks to saint Peters church an other hundred marks to saint Paules light and the third hundred marks to the Pope In his returne thorough France he married the ladie Iudith daughter to Charles the bald then K. of France and bringing hir with him into his countrie placed hir by him in a chaire of estate with which déed he offended so the minds of his subiects bicause it was against the order taken before him for the offense of Ethelburga that his sonne Ethelbald and Adelstan bishop of Shireborne with Enwulfe earle of Summerset conspired to depose him from his kinglie authoritie but by mediation of friends the matter was taken vp and so ordered that the kingdome was diuided betwixt the father and the sonne with such parcialitie that the sonne had the better part lieng westward and the father was constreined to content himselfe with the east part being the woorst Of this trouble of Ethelwulfe some write otherwise after this manner word for word ¶ Ethelwulfe king of the Westsaxons being returned from Rome the parties beyond the seas was prohibited the entrance into his realme by Adelstane bishop of Shireborne and Ethelbald his eldest sonne pretending outwardlie the coronation of Alfride the mariage of Iudith the French kings daughter and open eating with hir at the table to be the onelie cause of this their manifest rebellion Whereby he séemeth to inferre that this reuolting of Adelstane and his son should procéed of the ambitous desire of Ethelbald to reigne and likelie inough or else this vnequall partition should neuer haue béene made But howsoeuer the matter stood king Ethelwulfe liued not long after his returne from Rome but departed this life after he had ruled the kingdome of the Westsaxons the space of 20 yéeres and od moneths His bodie was buried at Winchester He left behind him foure sonnes Ethelbald Ethelbert or Ethelbright Ethelred and Alfred or Alured which was begotten of his first wife Osburga A little before his death he made his testament and last will appointing his sonne Ethelbald to succéed him in the whole regiment of his kingdoms of Westsex and Sussex which he held by inheritance but the kingdoms of Kent and Essex he assigned to his son Ethelbright About the same tune also the Danes soiourned all the winter season in the I le of Shepie ¶ The old Saxons doo bring the genealogie of this Ethelwulfe to Adam after this maner following Ethelwulfe the sonne of Egbert the son of Alcmund the son of Eaffa the son of Eoppa the son of Ingils the son of Kenred the son of Coelwald the son of Cudwine the son of Ceawlin the son of Kenric the son of Cerdic the son of Eslie the son of Gewise the son of Wingie the son of Freawin the son of Fridagare the son of Brendie the son of Beldegie the son of Woden the son of Frethelwold the son of Freolaffe the son of Frethewolfe the son of Finnie the son of Godulfe the son of Geta the son of Teathwie the son of Bcame the son of Sceldie the son of Seafe the son of Heremod the son of Itermod the son of Hordie the son of Wale the son of Brdwie the son of Sem the son of Noah and so foorth to Adam as you shall find it by retrogradation from the 32 verse vnto the first of the fift chapter of Genesis Which genealogicall recapitulation in their nationall families and tribes other people also haue obserued as the Spaniards who reckon their descent from Hesperus before the Gothes and Moors ouerran their land the Italians from Aeneas before they were mingled with with the Uandals
tributes and paiments He caused indeed eight markes of siluer to be leuied of euerie port or hauen in England to the reteining of 16 ships furnished with men of warre which continued euer in a readinesse to defend the coasts from pirats To conclude with this Harold his spéedie death prouided well for his fame bicause as it was thought if his life had béene of long continuance his infamie had been the greater But after he had reigned foure yeeres or as other gathered three yéeres and thrée moneths he departed out of this world at Oxford was buried at Winchester as some day Other say he died at Meneford in the moneth of Aprill and was buried at Westminster which should appeare to be true by that which after is reported of his brother Hardiknoughts cruell dealing and great spite shewed toward his dead bodie as after shall be specified Hardicnute is sent for into England to be made king alteration in the state of Norwaie and Denmarke by the death of king Cnute Hardicnute is crowned he sendeth for his mother queene Emma Normandie ruled by the French king Hardicnute reuengeth his mother exile vpon the dead bodie of his stepbrother Harold queene Emma and erle Goodwine haue the gouernment of things in their hands Hardicnute leuieth a sote tribute vpon his subiects contempt of officers deniall of a prince his tribute sharpelie punished prince Edward commeth into England the bishop of Worcester accused and put from his see for being accessarie to the murthering of Alfred his restitution procured by contribution Earle Goodwine being accused for the same trespasse excuseth himselfe and iustifieth his cause by swearing but speciallie by presenting the king with an inestimable gift the cause why Goodwine purposed Alfreds death the English peoples care about the succession to the crowne moonke Brightwalds dreame and vision touching that matter Hardicnute poisoned at a bridall his conditions speciallie his hospitalitie of him the Englishmen learned to eate and drinke immoderatlie the necessitie of sobrietie the end of the Danish regiment in this land and when they began first to inuade the English coasts The xv Chapter AFter that Harold was dead all the nobles of the realme both Danes Englishmen agréed to send for Hardiknought the sonne of Canute by his wife quéene Enma and to make him king Héere is to be noted that by the death of king Canute the state of things was much altered in those countries of beyond the seas wherein he had the rule and dominion For the Norwegians elected oen Magnus the sonne of Olauus to be their king and the Danes chose this Hardiknought whome their writers name Canute the third to be their gouernor This Hardiknought or Canute being aduertised of the death of his halfe brother Harold and that the lords of England had chosen him to their king with all conuenient speed prepared a nauie and imbarking a certeine number of men of warre tooke the sea and had the wind so fauorable for his purpose that he arriued vpon the coast of Kent the sixt day after he set out of Denmarke and so comming to London was ioifullie receiued and proclaimed king and crowned of Athelnotus archbishop of Canturburie in the yere of our Lord 1041 in the first yéere of the emperour Henrie the third in the 9 yeere of Henrie the first of that name king of France and in the first yéere of Magâ—â—nloch alià s Machabeda king of Scotland Incontinentlie after his establishment in the rule of this realme he sent into Flanders for his mother queene Emma who during the time of hir banishment had remained there For Normandie in that season was gouerned by the French king by reason of the minoritie of duke William surnamed the bastard Moreouer in reuenge of the wrong offered to quéene Emma by hir sonne in law Harold king Hardicnute did cause Alfrike archbishop of Yorke and earle Goodwine with other noble men to go to Westminster and there to take vp the bodie of the same Harold and withall appointed that the head thereof should be striken off and the trunke of it cast into the riuer of Thames Which afterwards being found by fishers was taken vp and buried in the churchyard of S. Clement Danes without Temple barre at London He committed the order and gouernement of things to the hands of his mother Emma and of Goodwine that was erle of Kent He leuied a sore tribute of his subiects here in England to pay the souldiers and mariners of his nauie as first 21 thousand pounds 99 pounds and afterward vnto 32 ships there was a paiment made of a 11 thousand and 48 pounds To euerie mariuer of his nauie he caused a paiment of 8 marks to be made and to euerie master 12 marks About the paiment of this monie great grudge grew amongst the people insomuch that two of his seruants which were appointed collectors in the citie of Worcester the one named Feader and the other Turstane were there slaine In reuenge of which contempt a great part of the countrie with the citie was burnt and the goods of the citizens put to the spoile by such power of lords and men of warre as the king had sent against them Shortlie after Edward king Hardicnutes brother came foorth of Normanâ—ie to visit him and his mother quéene Emma of whome he was most ioifullie and honorablie welcomed and interteined and shortlie after made returne backe againe It should appeare by some writers that after his comming ouer out of Normandie he remained still in the realme so that he was not in Normandie when his halfe brother Hardicnute died but here in England although other make other report as after shall bée shewed Also as before ye haue heard some writers seeme to meane that the elder brother Alfred came ouer at the same time But suerlie they are therein deceiued for it was knowne well inough how tenderlie king Hardicnute loued his brethren by the mothers side so that there was not anie of the lords in his daies that durst attempt anie such iniurie against them True it is that as well earle Goodwine as the bishop of Worcester that was also put in blame and suspected for the apprehending and making away of Alfred as before ye haue heard were charged by Hardicnute as culpable in that matter insomuch that the said bishop was expelled out of his see by Hardicnute and after twelue moneths space was restored by meanes of such summes of monie as he gaue by waie of amends Earle Goodwine was also put to his purgation by taking an oth that he was not guiltie Which oth was the better allowed by reason of such a present as he gaue to the king for the redéeming of his fauour and good will that is to say a ship with a sterne of gold conteining therein 80 souldiers wearing on each of their armes two braceiets of gold of 16 ounces weight
Robert but following the authoritie of an English préest then liuing in the court the English Peeres began to shew their disliking in manifest maner Neuerthelesse the Normans so bewitched the king with their lieng and bosting Robert the Archbishop being the chéefe instrument of their practise that he beléeued them and therevpon vexed sundrie of the nobilitie amongst whom Earle Goodwijn of Kent was the chéefe a noble Gentleman and father in law to king Edward by the mariage of his daughter The matter also came to such issue against him that he was exiled and fiue of his sonnes with him wherevpon he goeth ouer the sea and soone after returning with his said sonnes they inuaded the land in sundrie places the father himselfe comming to London where when the kings power was readie to ioine with him in battell it vtterlie refused so to doo affirming plainelie that it should be méere follie for one Englishman to fight against another in the reuenge of Frenchmens quarels which answer entred so déeplie into the kings mind that he was contented to haue the matter heard and appointing commissioners for that purpose they concluded at the vpshot that all the French should depart out of England by a day few excepted whom the king should appoint and nominate By this means therfore Robert the Archbishop of secret counsell with the king was first exiled as principall abuser seducer of the king who goeth to Rome there complaineth to the Pope of his iniurie receiued by the English Howbeit as he returned home againe with no small hope of the readeption of his See he died in Normandie whereby he saued a killing Certes he was the first that euer tendered complaint out of England vnto Rome with him went William Bishop of London afterward reuoked and Vlfo of Lincolne who hardlie escaped the furie of the English nobilitie Some also went into Scotland and there held themselues expecting a better time And this is the true historie of the originall cause of the conquest of England by the French for after they were well beaten at Douer bicause of their insolent demeanour there shewed their harts neuer ceased to boile with a desire of reuenge that brake out into a flame so soone as their Robert possessed the primacie which being once obteined and to set his mischéefe intended abroch withall a contention was quicklie procured about certeine Kentish lands and controuersie kindled whether he or the Earle should haue most right vnto them The king held with the priest as with the church the nobilitie with the Earle In processe also of this businesse the Archbishop accused the Earle of high treason burdening him with the slaughter of Alfred the kings brother which was altogither false as appeareth by a treatise yet extant of that matter written by a chaplaine to king Edward the Confessour in the hands of Iohn Stow my verie fréend wherein he saith thus Alfredus incautè agens in aduentu suo in Angliam a Danis circumuentus occiditur He addeth moreouer that giuing out as he came through the countrie accompanied with his few proud Normans how his meaning was to recouer his right vnto the kingdome and supposing that all men would haue yéelded vnto him he fell into their hands whome Harald then king did send to apprehend him vpon the fame onelie of this report brought vnto his eares So that to be short after the king had made his pacification with the Earle the French I say were exiled the Quéene restored to his fauour whom he at the beginning of this broile had imprisoned at Wilton allowing hir but one onlie maid to wait vpon hir and the land reduced to hir former quietnesse which continued vntill the death of the king After which the Normans not forgetting their old grudge remembred still their quarell that in the end turned to their conquest of this Iland After which obteined they were so cruellie bent to our vtter subuersion and ouerthrow that in the beginning it was lesse reproch to be accounted a slaue than an Englishman or a drudge in anie filthie businesse than a Britaine insomuch that euerie French page was superiour to the greatest Peere and the losse of an Englishmans life but a pastime to such of them as contended in their brauerie who should giue the greatest strokes or wounds vnto their bodies when their toiling and drudgerie could not please them or satisfie their gréedie humors Yet such was our lot in those daies by the diuine appointed order that we must needs obey such as the Lord did set ouer vs and so much the rather for that all power to resist was vtterlie taken from vs and our armes made so weake and feeble that they were not now able to remooue the importable load of the enimie from our surburdened shoulders And this onelie I saie againe bicause we refused grace offered in time and would not heare when God by his Preachers did call vs so fauourablie vnto him Oh how miserable was the estate of our countrie vnder the French and Normans wherein the Brittish and English that remained could not be called to any function in the commonwealth no not so much as to be constables and headburowes in small villages except they could bring 2. or 3. Normans for suerties to the Lords of the soile for their good behauiour in their offices Oh what numbers of all degrées of English and Brittish were made slaues and bondmen and bought and sold as oxen in open market In so much that at the first comming the French bond were set free and those that afterward became bond were of our owne countrie and nation so that few or rather none of vs remained free without some note of bondage and seruitude to the French Hereby then we perceiue how from time to time this Iland hath not onelie béene a prey but as it were a common receptacle for strangers the naturall homelings or Britons being still cut shorter and shorter as I said before till in the end they came not onelie to be driuen into a corner of this region but in time also verie like vtterlie to haue beene extinguished For had not king Edward surnamed the saint in his time after greeuous wars made vpon them 1063. wherein Harald latelie made Earle of Oxenford sonne to Goodwin Earle of Kent and after king of England was his generall permitted the remnant of their women to ioine in mariage with the Englishmen when the most part of their husbands and male children were slaine with the sword it could not haue béene otherwise chosen but their whole race must needs haue susteined the vttermost confusion and thereby the memorie of the Britons vtterlie haue perished among vs. Thus we see how England hath six times beene subiect to the reproch of conquest And wheras the Scots séeme to challenge manie famous victories also ouer vs beside gréeuous impositions tributs dishonorable compositions it shall suffice for answer that they deale in
the cleargie of England and soone after confirmed by the thrée estates of the realme in the high court of parlement And out of the first sort that is to saie of such as are called to the ministerie without respect whether they be married or not are bishops deanes archdeacons such as haue the higher places in the hierarchie of the church elected and these also as all the rest at the first comming vnto anie spirituall promotion doo yéeld vnto the prince the entire taxe of that their liuing for one whole yeare if it amount in value vnto ten pounds and vpwards and this vnder the name and title of first fruits With vs also it is permitted that a sufficient man may by dispensation from the prince hold two liuings not distant either from other aboue thirtie miles whereby it commeth to passe that as hir maiestie dooth reape some commoditie by the facultie so the vnition of two in one man dooth bring oftentimes more benefit to one of them in a moneth I meane for doctrine than they haue had before peraduenture in manie yeares Manie exclame against such faculties as if there were mo good preachers that want maintenance than liuings to mainteine them In déed when a liuing is void there are so manie sutors for it that a man would thinke the report to be true and most certeine but when it commeth to the triall who are sufficient and who not who are staied men in conuersation iudgement and learning of that great number you shall hardlie find one or two such as they ought to be and yet none more earnest to make sute to promise largelie beare a better shew or find fault with the state of things than they Neuerthelesse I doo not thinke that their exclamations if they were wiselie handled are altogither grounded vpon rumors or ambitious minds if you respect the state of the thing it selfe and not the necessitie growing through want of able men to furnish out all the cures in England which both our vniuersities are neuer able to performe For if you obserue what numbers of preachers Cambridge and Oxford doo yearelie send foorth and how manie new compositions are made in the court of first fruits by the deaths of the last incumbents you shall soone sée a difference Wherefore if in countrie townes cities yea euen in London it selfe foure or fiue of the litle churches were brought into one the inconuenience would in great part be redressed And to saie truth one most commonlie of these small liuings is of so little value that it is not able to mainteine a meane scholar much lesse a learned man as not being aboue ten twelue sixteene seuentéene twentie or thirtie pounds at the most toward their charges which now more than before time doo go out of the same I saie more than before bicause euerie small trifle noble mans request or courtesie craued by the bishop dooth impose and command a twentith part a three score part or two pence in the pound c out of our liuings which hitherto hath not béene vsuallie granted but by consent of a synod wherein things were decided according to equitie and the poorer sort considered of which now are equallie burdened We paie also the tenths of our liuings to the prince yearelie according to such valuation of ech of them as hath beene latelie made which neuerthelesse in time past were not annuall but voluntarie paid at request of king or pope Herevpon also hangeth a pleasant storie though doone of late yeares to wit 1452 at which time the cleargie séeing the continuall losses that the king of England susteined in France vpon some motion of reléefe made granted in an open conuocation to giue him two tenths toward the recouerie of Burdeaux which his grace verie thankefullie receiued It fortuned also at the same time that Uincentius Clemens the popes factor was here in England who hearing what the clergie had doone came into the conuocation house also in great hast and lesse spéed where in a solemne oration he earnestlie required them to be no lesse fauourable to their spirituall father the pope and mother the sée of Rome than they had shewed themselues vnto his vassall and inferiour meaning their souereigne lord in temporall iurisdiction c. In deliuering also the cause of his sute he shewed how gréeuouslie the pope was disturbed by cutthrotes varlots and harlots which doo now so abound in Rome that his holinesse is in dailie danger to be made awaie amongst them To be short when this fine tale was told one of the companie stood vp and said vnto him My lord we haue heard your request and as we thinke it deserueth litle consideration and lesse eare for how would you haue vs to contribute to his aid in suppression of such as he and such as you are doo continuall vphold it is not vnknowen in this house what rule is kept in Rome I grant quoth Uincent that there wanteth iust reformation of manie things in that citie which would haue béene made sooner but now it is too late neuerthelesse I beséech you to write vnto his holinesse with request that he would leaue and abandon that Babylon which is but a sinke of mischiefe and kéepe his court elsewhere in place of better fame And this he shall be the better able also to performe if by your liberalitie extended towards him vnto whome you are most bound he be incouraged thereto Manie other words passed to and fro amongst them howbeit in the end Uincent ouercame not but was dismissed without anie penie obteined But to returne to our tenths a paiement first as deuised by the pope and afterward taken vp as by the prescription of the king wherevnto we may ioine also our first fruits which is one whole yeares commoditie of our liuing due at our entrance into the same the tenths abated vnto the princes cofers and paid commonlie in two yeares For the receipt also of these two paiments an especiall office or court is erected which beareth name of first fruits and tenths wherevnto if the partie to be preferred doo not make his dutifull repaire by an appointed time after possession taken there to compound for the paiment of his said fruits he incurreth the danger of a great penaltie limited by a certeine statute prouided in that behalfe against such as doo intrude into the ecclesiasticall function and refuse to paie the accustomed duties belonging to the same They paie likewise subsidies with the temporaltie but in such sort that if these paie after foure shillings for land the cleargie contribute commonlie after six shillings of the pound so that of a benefice of twentie pounds by the yeare the incumbent thinketh himselfe well acquited if all ordinarie paiments being discharged he may reserue thirtéene pounds six shillings eight pence towards his owne sustentation and maintenance of his familie Seldome also are they without the compasse of a subsidie for if they be one yeare cleare from this paiement a thing
the people in sound maner to minister the sacraments to visit the sicke and brethren imprisoned and to performe such other duties as then belonged to their charges The bishop himselfe and elders of the church were also hearers and examiners of their doctrine and being in processe of time found meet workmen for the lords haruest they were forthwith sent abrode after imposition of hands and praier generallie made for their good proceeding to some place or other then destitute of hir pastor and other taken from the schoole also placed in their roomes What number of such clerks belonged now and then to some one sée the chronologie following shall easilie declare and in like sort what officers widowes and other persons were dailie mainteined in those seasons by the offerings and oblations of the faithfull it is incredible to be reported if we compare the same with the decaies and ablations séene and practised at this present But what is that in all the world which auarice and negligence will not corrupt and impaire And as this is a paterne of the estate of the cathedrall churches in those times so I wish that the like order of gouernment might once againe be restored vnto the same which may be doone with ease sith the schooles are alreadie builded in euerie diocesse the vniuersities places of their preferment vnto further knowledge and the cathedrall churches great inough to receiue so manie as shall come from thence to be instructed vnto doctrine But one hinderance of this is alreadie and more more to be looked for beside the plucking and snatching commonlie séene from such houses and the church and that is the generall contempt of the ministerie and small consideration of their former paines taken whereby lesse and lesse hope of competent maintenance by preaching the word is likelie to insue Wherefore the greatest part of the more excellent wits choose rather to imploy their studies vnto physike and the lawes vtterlie giuing ouer the studie of the scriptures for feare least they should in time not get their bread by the same By this meanes also the stalles in their quéeres would be better filled which now for the most part are emptie and prebends should be prebends indéed there to liue till they were preferred to some ecclesiasticall function and then other men chosen to succéed them in their roomes whereas now prebends are but superfluous additaments vnto former excesses perpetuall commodities vnto the owners which before time were but temporall as I haue said before But as I haue good leisure to wish for these things so it shall be a longer time before it will be brought to passe Neuerthelesse as I will praie for a reformation in this behalfe so will I here conclude this my discourse of the estate of our churches and go in hand with the limits and bounds of our seuerall sées in such order as they shall come vnto my present remembrance Of the number of bishoprikes and their seuerall circuits Chap. 2. HAuing alreadie spoken generally of the state of our church now will I touch the sées seuerallie saieng so much of ech of them as shall be conuenient for the time and not onelie out of the ancient but also the later writers and somewhat of mine owne experience beginning first with the sée of Canturburie as the most notable whose archbishop is the primat of all this land for ecclesiasticall iurisdiction and most accompted of commonlie bicause he is néerer to the prince and readie at euerie call The iurisdiction of Canturburie therefore exected first by Augustine the moonke in the time of Ethelbert king of Kent if you haue respect to hir prouinciall regiment extendeth it selfe ouer all the south and west parts of this Iland and Ireland as I haue noted in the chapter precedent and few shires there are wherein the archbishop hath not some peculiars But if you regard the same onelie that was and is proper vnto his see from the beginning it reacheth but ouer one parcell of Kent which Rudburne calleth Cantwarland the iurisdiction of Rochester including the rest so that in this one countie the greatest archbishoprike and the least bishoprike of all are linked in togither That of Canturburie hath vnder it one archdeaconrie who hath iurisdiction ouer eleauen deanries or a hundred sixtie one parish churches in the popish time in sted of the 3093 pounds eighteene shillings halfepenie farthing which it now paieth vnto hir maiestie vnder the name of first frutes there went out of this see to Rome at euerie alienation 10000 ducates or florens beside 5000 that the neâ—h elect did vsuallie paie for his pall each ducat being then worth an English crowne or thereabout as I haue béene informed The sée of Rochester is also included within the limits of Kent being erected by Augustine in the 604 of Grace and reigne of Ceolrijc ouer the west-Saxons The bishop of this sée hath one archdeacon vnder whose gouernment in causes ecclesiasticall are thrée deanries or 132 parish churches so that hereby it is to be gathered that there are 393 parish churches in Kent ouer which the said two archdeacons haue especiall cure charge He was woont to paie also vnto the court of Rome at his admission to that see 1300 ducats or florens as I read which was an hard valuation considering the smalnesse of circuit belonging to his sée Howbeit in my time it is so farre from ease by diminution that it is raised to 1432 crownes c or as we resolue them into our pounds 358 pounds thrée shillings six pence halfe-pennie farthing a reckoning a great deale more preciselie made than anie bishop of that sée dooth take any great delight in He was crosse-bearer in times past vnto the archbishop of Canturburie And there are and haue béene few sées in England which at one time or other haue not fetched their bishops for the most part from this see for as it is of it selfe but a small thing in déed so it is commonlie a preparatiue to an higher place But of all that euer possessed it Thomas Kempe had the best lucke who being but a poore mans sonne of Wie vnto which towne he was a great benefactor grew first to be doctor of both lawes then of diuinitie and afterward being promoted to this sée he was translated from thence to Chichester thirdlie to London next of all to Yorke and finallie after seauen and twentie yeares to Canturburie where he became also cardinall deacon and then preest in the court of Rome according to this verse Bis primas ter praeses bis cardine functus Certes I note this man bicause he bare some fauour to the furtherance of the gospell and to that end he either builded or repared the pulpit in Paules churchyard and tooke order for the continuall maintenance of a sermon there vpon the sabaoth which dooth continue vnto my time as a place from whence the soundest doctrine is alwaies to be looked for and for such
alienation 1800 ducats at the least but in my time it paieth vnto hir maiesties cofers 768 pounds ten shillings ten pence halfe penie farthing In this sée there was a bishop sometime called Iohn Bruton vpon whome the king then reigning by likelihood for want of competent maintenance bestowed the keeping of his wardrobe which he held long time with great honour as his register saith A woonderfull preferment that bishops should be preferred from the pulpit to the custodie of wardrobes but such was the time Neuerthelesse his honorable custodie of that charge is more solemnlie remembred than anie good sermon that euer he made which function peraduenture he committed to his suffragane sith bishops in those daies had so much businesse in the court that they could not attend to doctrine and exhortation Lichefield wherevnto Couentrie was added in the time of Henrie the first at the earnest sute of Robert bishop of that see hath Staffordshire Darbishire part of Shropshire and the rest of Warwikeshire that is void of subiection to the sée of Worcestershire It was erected in the time of Peada king of the south Mercians which laie on this side the Trent and therein one Dinas was installed about the yeare of Grace 656 after whom Kellac first then Tunher an Englishman succéeded this later being well learned and consecrated by the Scots In the time of the bastard I wot not vpon what occasion one Peter bishop of this sée translated his chaire to Chester and there held it for a season whereby it came to passe that the bishops of Lichfield were for a while called bishops of Chester But Robert his successor not likeing of this president remooued his chaire from Chester to Couentrie and there held it whilest he liued whereby the originall diuision of the bishoprike of Lichfield into Lichefield Chester and Couentrie dooth easilie appeare although in my time Lichfield and Couentrie be vnited and Chester remaineth a bishoprike by it selfe It paid the pope at euerie alienation 1733 florens or as some old bookes haue 3000 a good round summe but not without a iust punishment as one saith sith that anno 765 Edulfe bishop there vnder Offa king of Mercia would by his helpe haue bereaued the archbishop of Canturburie of his pall so did in déed vnder pope Hadrian holding the same vntill things were reduced vnto their ancient forme Before the time also of bishop Langton the prebends of this see laie here and there abroad in the citie where the vicars also had an house of which this honest bishop misliked not a little for sundrie causes wherefore he began their close and bestowed so much in building the same and pauing the stréets that his hungrie kinsmen did not a little grudge at his expenses thinking that his emptie cofers would neuer make them gentlemen for which preferment the freends of most bishops gaped earnestlie in those daies King Iohn was the greatest benefactor vnto this sée next vnto Offa and it is called Lichfield Quasi mortuorum campus bicause of the great slaughter of christians made there as some write vnder Dioclesian Howbeit in my time the valuation thereof is 703 pounds fiue shillings two pence halfepenie farthing a summe verie narrowlie cast by that auditor which tooke it first in hand Oxford hath Oxfordshire onelie a verie yoong iurisdiction erected by king Henrie the eight where in the time of quéene Marie one Goldwell was bishop who as I remember was a Iesuit dwelling in Rome and more conuersant as the constant fame went in the blacke art than skilfull in the scriptures and yet he was of great countenance amongst the Romane monarchs It is said that obseruing the canons of his order he regarded not the temporalities of that sée but I haue heard since that he wist well inough what became of those commodities for by one meane and other he found the swéetnesse of 354 pounds sixtéene shillings thrée pence halfe penie yearelie growing to him which was euen inough if not too much for the maintenance of a frier toward the drawing out of circles characters lineaments of imagerie wherein he was passing skilfull as the fame then went in Rome and not vnheard of in Oxford Elie hath Cambridgshire and the I le of Elie. It was erected 1109 by Henrie the first being before a rich and wealthie abbeie One Heruie also was made bishop there as I haue found in a register belonging sometime to that house being translated from Bangor Finallie it paid to the pope at euerie alienation 7000 ducats as the registers there do testifie at large Albeit that in my time I find a note of 2134 pounds sixteene shillings thrée pence halfe penie farthing whose disme ioined to those of all the bishopriks in England doo yéeld yearelie to hir maiesties coffers 23370 pounds sixtéene shillings thrée pence halfe penie farthing whereby also the huge sums of monie going out of this land to the court of Rome dooth in some measure appéere Ethelwold afterward bishop of Winchester builded the first monasterie of Elie vpon the ruines of a nunrie then in the kings hands howbeit the same house whereof he himselfe was abbat was yer long destroied by enimies and he in lieu of his old preferment rewarded by king Edgar with the aforesaid bishoprike from whence with more than lionlike boldnesse he expelled the secular préests and stored with moonkes prouided from Abandune néere Oxford by the helpe of Edgar and Dunstane then metropolitane of England There was sometime a greeuous contention betwéene Thomas Lild bishop of this see and the king of England about the yeare of Grace 1355 which I will here deliuer out of an old record because the matter is so parciallie penned by some of the brethren of that house in fauour of the bishop for that I was also abused with the same in the entrance thereof at the first into my chronologie The blacke prince fauoring one Robert Stretton his chapleine a man vnlearned and not worthie the name of a clearke the matter went on so farre that what for loue and somewhat else of a canon of Lichfield he was chosen bishop of that see Herevpon the pope vnderstanding what he was by his Nuncio here in England staied his consecration by his letters for a time and in the meane season committed his examination to the archbishop of Canturburie and the bishop of Rochester who felt and dealt so fauourablie with him in golden reasoning that his worthinesse was commended to the popes holinesse to Rome he goeth Being come to Rome the pope himselfe apposed him and after secret conference vtterlie disableth his election till he had prooued by substantiall argument and of great weight before him also that he was not so lightlie to be reiected Which kind of reasoning so well pleased his holinesse that Ex mera plenitudine potestatis he was made capable of the benefice and so returneth into England when he came home this bishop being in the kings
and in most louing sort but after they were a little entred into communication Hengist meaning to accomplish his deuised purpose gaue the watchword immediatlie wherevpon the Saxons drew out their kniues and suddenlie fell on the Britains and slue them as shéepe being fallen within the danger of woolues For the Britains had no weapons to defend themselues except anie of them by his strength and manhood got the knife of his enimie Amongst other of the Britains there was one Edol earle of Glocester or as other say Chester which got a slake out of an hedge or else where and with the same so defended himselfe and laid about him that he slue 17 of the towne of Ambrie now called Salisburie and so saued his owne life Uortiger was taken and kept as prisoner by Hengist till he was constreined to deliuer vnto Hengist thrée prouinces or countries of this realme that is to say Kent Essex or as some write that part where the south Saxons after did inhabit as Sussex and other the third was the countrie where the Estangles planted themselues which was in Norfolke and Suffolke Then Hengist being in possession of those thrée prouinces suffered Uortigerne to depart to be at his libertie ¶ William Malmesburie writeth somewhat otherwise of this taking of Uortigerne during whose reigne after the deceasse of his sonne Uortimer nothing was attempted against the Saxons but in the meane time Hengist by colorable craft procured his sonne in law Uortigerne to come to a banket at his house with three hundred other Britains and when he had made them well and warme with often quaffing and emptieng of cups and of purpose touched euerie of them with one bitter tawnt or other they first fell to multiplieng of malicious words and after to blowes that the Britains were slaine euerie mothers sonne so yéelding vp their ghosts euen amongst their pots The king himselfe was taken and to redéeme himselfe out of prison gaue to the Saxons thrée prouinces and so escaped out of bondage Thus by what meane soeuer it came to passe truth it is as all writers agrée that Hengist got possession of Kent and of other countries in this realme and began to reigne there as absolute lord gouernor in the yéere of our Lord as some write 476 about the fift yéere of Uortigerns last reigne but after other which take the beginning of this kingdome of Kent to be when Hengist had first gift therof the same kingdome began in the yéere 455 and conteined the countrie that stretcheth from the east Ocean vnto the riuer of Thames hauing on the southeast Southerie and vpon the west London vpon the northeast the riuer of Thames aforesaid and the countrie of Essex The heptarchie or seuen kingdoms of this land Hengist causeth Britaine to be peopled with Saxons the decaie of Christian religion the Pelagians with their hereticall and falle doctrine infect the Britains a synod summoned in Gallia for the redresse thereof the Scots assist the Britains against the Saxons who renew their league with the Picts Germane and Lupus two bishops of Germanie procure the British armie to be newlie christened the terror that the Britains vnder bishop Germans fortunate conduct draue into the Saxons by the outcrie of Alleluia and got the victorie bishop Germane departeth out of the land and to redresse the Pelagian heresie commeth againe at the clergies request he confirmeth his doctrine by a miracle banisheth the Pelagians out of the land the death of Germane murther requited with murther The vj. Chapter HEngist and all other the Saxon kings which ruled as after shall appeare in seuen parts of this realme are called by writers Reguli that is little kings or rulers of some small dominion so that Hengist is counted a little king who when he had got into his hands the foresaid thrée prouinces he caused more Saxons to come into Britaine and bestowed them in places abroad in the countrie by reason whereof the christian religion greatlie decaied within the land for the Saxons being pagans did that they could to extinguish the faith of Christ and to plant againe in all places their heathenish religion and woorshipping of false gods and not onelie hereby was the true faith of the Christians brought in danger dailie to decaie but also the erronious opinions of the Pelagians greatlie preuailed here amongst the Britains by meanes of such vnsound preachers as in that troublesome season did set forth false doctrin◠amongst the people without all maner of reprehension Certeine yéeres before the comming of the Saxons that heresie began to spread within this land vrrie much by the lewd industrie of one Leporius Agricola the sonne of Seuerus Sulpitius as Bale saith a bishop of that lore But Pelagius the author of this heresie was borne in Wales and held opinion that a man might obteine saluation by his owne frée will and merit and without assistance of grace as he that was borne without originall sinne c. This erronious doctrine being taught therefore and mainteined in this troublesome time of warres with the Saxons sore disquieted the godlie minded men amongst the Britains who not meaning to receiue it nor yet able well to confute the craftie and wicked persuasions vsed by the professors thereof thought good to send ouer into Gallia requiring of the bishops there that some godlie and profound learned men might be sent ouer from thence into this land to defend the cause of the true doctrine against the naughtie teachers of so blasphemous an error Whervpon the bishops of Gallia sore lamenting the miserable state of the Britains and desirous to relieue their present néed speciallie in that case of religion called a synod and therein taking counsell to consider who were most méet to be sent it was decréed by all their consents in the end that one Germane the bishop of Aurerre and Lupus bishop of Trois should passe ouer into Britaine to confirme the Christians there in the faith of the celestiall grace And so those two vertuous learned men taking their iournie finallie arriued in Britaine though not without some danger by sea through stormes rage of winds stirred as hath beene thought of the superstitious by the malice of wicked spirits who purposed to haue hindered their procéedings in this their good and well purposed iournie After they were come ouer they did so much good with conuincing the wicked arguments of the aduersaries of the truth by the inuincible power of the woord of God and holinesse of life that those which were in the wrong waie were soone brought into the right path againe About the same time also one Palladius was sent from Celestinus bishop of Rome vnto the Scots to instruct them in the faith of Christ and to purge them from the heresie of the said Pelagius This Palladius exhorted Constantinus the king of Scots that in no wise he should aid the
a grounded truth that such a prince there was and among all other a late writer who falling into necessarie mention of prince Arthur frameth a spéech apologeticall in his and their behalfe that were princes of the British bloud discharging a short but yet a sharpe inuectiue against William Paruus Polydor Virgil and their complices whom he accuseth of lieng toongs enuious detraction malicious slander reprochfull and venemous language wilfull ignorance dogged enuie and cankerd minds for that they speake vnreuerentlie and contrarie to the knowne truth concerning those thrisenoble princes Which defensitiue he would not haue deposed but that he takes the monuments of their memories for vndoubted verities The British histories and also the Scotish chronicles doo agrée that he liued in the daies of the emperour Iustinian about the fiftéenth yeere of whose reigne he died which was in the yéere of our Lord 542 as diuerse doo affirme Howbeit some write farther from all likelihood that he was about the time of the emperor Zeno who began his reigne about the yéere of our Lord 474. The writer of the booke intituled Aurea historia affirmeth that in the tenth yéere of Cerdicus king of Westsaxons Arthur the warriour rose against the Britains Also Diouionensis writeth that Cerdicus fighting oftentimes with Arthur if he were ouercome in one moneth he arose in an other moneth more fierce and strong to giue battell than before At length Arthur wearied with irkesomnes after the twelfth yéere of the comming of Cerdicus gaue vnto him vpon his homage doone and fealtie receiued the shires of Southampton and Somerset the which countries Cerdicius named Westsaxon This Cerdicius or Cerdicus came into Britaine about the yéere of your Lord 495. In the 24 yere after his comming hither that is to say about the yéere of our Lord 519 he began his reigne ouer the Westsaxons and gouerned them as king by the space of 15 yéeres as before ye haue heard But to follow the course of our chronicles accordinglie as we haue began we must allow of their accounts herein as in other places and so procéed The decaie of christian religion and receiuing of the Pelagian heresie in Britaine by what meanes they were procured and by whom redressed Constantine succeedeth Arthur in the kingdome ciuill warre about succession to the crowne the chalengers are pursued and slaine Constantine is vnkindlie killed of his kinsman a bitter and reprochfull inuectiue of Gyldas against the British rulers of his time and namelie against Constantine Conan that slue Constantine reigneth in Britaine his vertues and vices his two yeeres regiment the seuere reprehensions of Gyldas vttered against Conan discouering the course of his life and a secret prophesie of his death The xv Chapter IN this meane while that the realme was disquieted with sore continuall warres betwixt the Britains and Saxons as before ye haue heard the christian religion was not onelie abolished in places where the Saxons got habitations but also among the Britains the right faith was brought into danger by the remnant of the Pelagian heresie which began againe to be broched by diuers naughtie persons But Dubritius that was first bishop of Landaffe and after archbishop of Caerleon Arwiske and his successour Dauid with other learned men earnestlie both by preaching and writing defended the contrarie cause to the confuting of those errors and restablishing of the truth AFter the death of Arthur his coosine Constantine the sonne of Cador duke or earle of Cornewall began his reigne ouer the Britains in the yere of our Lord 542 which was about the 15 yéere of the emperour Iustinianus almost ended the 29 of Childebert king of France and the first yéere well néere complet of the reigne of Totilas king of the Goths in Italie Arthur when he perceiued that he shuld die ordeined this Constantine to succéed him and so by the consent of the more part of the Britains he was crowned king but the sonnes of Mordred sore repined thereat as they that claimed the rule of the land by iust title and claime of inheritance to them from their father descended Herevpon followed ciuill warre so that diuers battels were striken betwéene them and in the end the two brethren were constreined to withdraw for refuge the one to London and the other to Winchester but Constantine pursuing them first came to Winchester and by force entered the citie and slue the one brother that was fled thither within the church of saint Amphibalus and after comming to London entered that citie also and finding the other brother within a church there slue him in like maner as he had doone the other And so hauing dispatched his aduersaries he thought to haue purchased to himselfe safetie but shortlie after his owne kinsman one Aurelius Conanus arrered warre against him who ioining with him in battell slue him in the field after he had reigned foure yéeres His bodie was conueied to Stonheng and there buried beside his ancestour Uter Pendragon Of this Constantine that seemeth to be ment which Gyldas writeth in his booke intituled De excidio Britanniae where inueieng against the rulers of the Britains in his time he writeth thus Britaine hath kings but the same be tyrants iudges it hath but they be wicked oftentines péeling and harming the innocent people reuenging and defending but whom such as be guâ—ltie persons and robbers hauing manie wiues but yet breaking wedlocke oftentimes swearing and yet for swearing themselues vowing and for the more part lieng warring but mainteining ciuill vniust warres pursuing indéed théeues that are abroad in the countrie and yet not onelie cherishing those that sit euen at table with them but also highlie rewarding them giuing almesse largelie but on the other part heaping vp a mightie mount of sinnes sitting in the seat of sentence but seldome séeking the rule of righteous iudgement despising the innocent and humble persons and exalting so farre as in them lieth euen vp to the heauens most bloudie and proud murtherers théeues and adulterers yea the verie professed enimies of God if he would so permit kéeping manie in prison whome they oppresse in loding them with irons through craft rather to serue their owne purpose than for anie gilt of the persons so imprisoned taking solemne oths before the altars and shortlie after despising the same altars as vile and filthie stones Of this hainous and wicked offense Constantine the tyrannicall whelpe of the lionesse of Deuonshire is not ignorant who this yeare after the receiuing of his dreadfull oth whereby he bound himselfe that in no wise he should hurt his subiects God first and then his oth with the companie of saints and his mother being there present did notwithstanding in the reuerent laps of the two mothers as the church and their carnall mother vnder the coule of the holie abbat deuoure with sword and speare in stead of téeth the tender sides yea and the entrailes
licence to go into Mercia was gladlie receiued of king Uulfhere and well enterteined in so much that the said king gaue vnto him lands and possessions conteining 50 families or housholds to build a monasterie in a certeine place within the countrie of Lindsey called Etbearne But the sée of his bishoprike was assigned to him at Lichfield in Staffordshire where he made him a house néere to the church in the which he with 7 or 8 other of his brethren in religion vsed in an oratorie there to praie and reade so often as they had leasure from labour and businesse of the world Finallie after he had gouerned the church of Mercia by the space of two yeares and an halfe he departed this life hauing 7 daies warning giuen him as it is reported from aboue before he should die after a miraculous maner which because in the iudgement of the most it may séeme méere fabulous we will omit and passe ouer His bodie was first buried in the church of our ladie but after that the church of saint Peter the apostle was builded his bones were translated into the same In the yeare of our Lord 671 which was the second yeare after that Theodorus the archbishop came into this land Oswie king of Northumberland was attached with a grieuous sicknesse and died thereof the 15 kalends of March in the 58 yeare of his age after he had reigned 28 yeares complet AFter Oswie his sonne Egfrid succéeded in rule of the kingdome of Northumberland in the third yeare of whose reigne that is to say in the yeare of our Lord 673 Theodorus the archbishop of Canturburie kept a synod at Herford the first session whereof began the 24 of September all the bishops of this land being present either in person or by their deputies as Bisi bishop of Estangle Wilfrid of Northumberland by his deputie Putta bishop of Rochester Eleutherius bishop of Westsaxon and Wilfrid bishop of Mercia In the presence of these prelats the archbishop shewed a booke wherein he had noted ten chapters or articles taken out of the booke of the canons requiring that the same might be receiued 1 The first chapter was that the feast of Easter should be kept on the sundaie following the fourtéenth day of the first moneth 2 The second that no bishop should intermedle in an others diocesse but he contented with the cure of his flocke committed to him 3 The third that no bishop should disquiet in anie thing anie monasterie consecrated to God nor take by violence anie goods that belonged vnto the same 4 The fourth that bishops being moonks should not go from monasterie to monasterie except by sufferance and permission of their abbats should continue in the same obedience wherein they stood before 5 The fift that none of the cleargie should depart from his bishop to run into anie other diocesse nor comming from anie other place should be admitted except he brought letters of testimonie with him But if anie such chanced to be receiued if he refused to returne being sent for home both he and his receiuer should be excommunicated 6 The sixt that bishops and other of the cleargie being strangers should hold them content with the benefit of hospitalitie should not take in hand anie priestlie office without licence of the bishop in whose diocesse he chanced so to be remaining 7 The seuenth that twice in the yeare a synod should be kept but because of diuers impediments herein it was thought good to them all that in the kalends of August a synod should be kept once in the yeare at a certeine place called Cloofeshough 8 The eighth chapter was that no one bishop should by ambition séeke to be preferred aboue another but that euerie one should know the time and order of his consecration 9 The ninth that as the number of the christians increased so should there be more bishops ordeined 10 The tenth was touching mariages that none should contract matrimonie with anie person but with such as it should be lawfull for him by the orders of the church none should match with their kinsfolke no man should forsake his wife except as the gospell teacheth for cause of fornication But if anie man did put awaie his wife which he had lawfullie married if he would be accounted a true christian he might not be coopled with an other but so remaine or else be reconciled to his owne wife These articles being intreated of and concluded were confirmed with the subscribing of all their hands so as all those that did go against the same should be disgraded of their priesthood and separated from the companie of them all THe forsaid Bisi that was bishop of the Eastangles and present at this synod was successor vnto Bonifacius which Bonifacius held that sée 17 yéeres and then departing this life Bisi was made bishop of that prouince and ordeined by the archbishop Theodore This Bisi at length was so visited with sicknesse that he was not able to exercise the ministration so that two bishops were then there elected and consecrated for him the one named Aecci and the other Baldwin In this meane while that is about the yéere of our Lord 872 or in the beginning of 873 as Harison noteth Kenwalch king of the Westsaxons departed this life after he had reigned 30 yéeres This Kenwalch was such a prince as in the beginning he was to be compared with the woorst kind of rulers but in the middest and later end of his reigne to be matched with the best His godlie zeale borne towards the aduancing of the christian religion well appéered in the building of the church at Winchester where the bishops sée of all that prouince was then placed His wife Seghurga ruled the kingdome of Westsaxons after him a woman of stoutnesse inough to haue atchiued acts of woorthie remembrance but being preuented by death yer she had reigned one whole yéere she could not shew anie full proofe of hir noble courage I remember that Matth West maketh other report heereof declaring that the nobilitie remooued hir from the gouernment But I rather follow William Malmesburie in this matter TO procéed after Segburga was departed this life or deposed if you will néeds haue it so Escuinus or Elcuinus whose grandfather called Cuthgisio the brother of K. Kinigils succéeding in gouernment of the Westsaxons reigned about the space of two yéeres and after his deceasse one Centiuinus or Centwine tooke vpon him the rule and continued therein the space of nine yeeres But Beda saith that these two ruled at one-time and diuided the kingdom betwixt them Elcuinus fought against Uulfhere king of Mercia a great number of men being slaine on both parties though Uulfhere yet had after a maner the vpper hand as some haue written In the same yéere that the synod was holden at Herford that is to say in the yéere of our Lord 673 Egbert the king of
bishop of Chester Eadulfus bishop of Dorcester Wilnardus bishop of Hereford Halard bishop of Elsham and Cedferth bishop of Donwich There remained onelie to the archbishop of Canturburie the bishops of London Winchester Rochester and Shireburne This separation continued all the life time of the archbishop Lambert although he trauelled earnestlie to mainteine his prerogatiue Now for that he still defended his cause and would not reuolt from his will Offa depriued him of all his possessions reuenues that he held or inioied within anie part of his dominions Neither was Offa satisfied herewith but he also tooke into his hands the possessions of manie other churches and fléeced the house of Malmesburie of a part of hir reuenues Because of these other his hard dooings doubting the malice of his enimies he procured the friendship of forren princes Unto Brightricke king of the Westsaxons he gaue his daugther Ethelburga in mariage And sending diuers ambassadours ouer vnto Charles the great that was both emperor king of France he purchased his friendship at length athough before there had depended a péece of displeasure betwixt them insomuch that the intercourse for trade of merchandize was staied for a time One of the ambassadours that was sent vnto the said Charles as is reported was that famous clearke Albine or Alcwine by whose persuasion the same Charles erected two vniuersities as in place due and conuenient may more largelie appeare Finallie king Offa as it were for a meane to appease Gods wrath which he doubted to be iustlie conceiued towards him for his sinnes and wickednesse granted the tenth part of all his goods vnto churchmen and to poore people He also indowed the church of Hereford with great reuenues and as some write he builded the abbeie of Bath placing moonkes in the same of the order of saint Benet as before he had doone at saint Albons Moreouer he went vnto Rome about the yeare of our Lord 775 and there following the example of Inas kign of the Westsaxons made his realme subiect by way of tribute vnto the church of Rome appointing that euerie house within the limits of his dominions should yearelie pay vnto the apostolike see one pennie which paiment was after named Rome Scot and Peter pence After his returne from Rome perceiâ—ing himselfe to draw into yeares he caused his sonne Egfrid to be ordeined king in his life time and shortlie after departing out of this world left the kingdome vnto him after he had gouerned it by the space of 39 yeares Amongst other the dooings of this Offa which suerlie were great and maruellous this may not passe with silence that he caused a mightie great ditch tâ— be cast betwixt the marshes of his countrie and the Welsh confines to diuide thereby the bounds of their dominions This ditch was called Offditch euer after and stretched from the south side by Bristow vnder the mountaines of Wales running northward ouer the riuers of Seuerne and Dée vnto the verie mouth of Dee where that riuer falleth into the sea He likewise builded a church in Warwikeshire whereof the towne there taketh name and is called Offchurch euen to this day Egfrid taking vpon him rule began to follow the approoued good dooings of his father and first restored vnto the churches their ancient priuileges which his father sometimes had taken from them Great hope was conceiued of his further good procéeding but death cut off the same taking him out of this life after he had reigned the space of foure moneths not for his owne offenses as was thought but rather for that his father had caused so much bloud to be spilt for the confirming of him in the kingdome which so small a time he new inioied Osulph king of Northumberland traitorouslie murthered Edilwald succeedeth him the reward of rebellion a great mortalitie of foules fishes and fruits moonkes licenced to drinke wine great wast by fire Edelred king of Northumberland is driuen out of his countrie by two dukes of the same Ethelbert king of the Eastangles commended for his vertues Alfred the daughter of king Mercia is affianced to him tokens of missehaps towards him his destruction intended by queene Quendred hir platforme of the pactise to kill him Offa inuadeth Ethelberts kingdome Alfred his betrothed wife taketh his death greuouslie and becommeth a nun the decaie of the kingdome of Eastangles succession in the regiment of the Westsaxons the end of the gouernement of the Eastsaxons prince Algar is smitten blind for seeking to rauish virgine Friswide and at hir praiers restored to his sight The fift Chapter WHen Eadbert or Egbert K. of Northumberland was become a moonke his sonne Osulphus succéeded him but after he had reigned onelie one yeare he was traitorouslie murthered by his owne seruants at Mikilwongton on the 9 kalends of August Then succéeded one Moll otherwise called Edilwold or Edilwald but not immediatlie for he began not his reigne till the nones of August in the yeare following which was after the birth of our sauiour 759. This man prooued right valiant in gouernement of his subiects He slue in battell an earle of his countrie named Oswin who arrearing warre against him fought with him in a pitcht field at Eadwines Cliue and receiued the worthie reward of rebellion This chanced in the third yeare of his reigne and shortlie after that is to say in the yeare of our Lord 764 there fell such a maruellous great snow and therwith so extreame a frost as the like had not béene heard of continuing from the beginning of the wintes almost till the middest of the spring with the rigour whereof trees and fruits withered awaie and lost their liuelie shape and growth and not onelie feathered foules but also beasts on the land fishes in the sea died in great numbers The same yeare died Cedlwulf then king of Northumberland vnto whome Beda did dedicate his booke of histories of the English nation After that he was become a moonke in the monasterie of Lindesferne the moonks of that house had licence to drinke wine or ale whereas before they might not drinke anie other thing than milke or water by the ancient rule prescribed them of the bishop of Aidan first founder of the place The same yeare sundrie cities townes and monasteries were defaced and sore wasted with fier chancing on the sudden as Stretehu Giwento Anwicke London Yorke Doncaster c. After that Moll had reigned 6 yeares he resigned his kingdome But other write that he reigned 11 yeares and was in the end slaine by treason of his successor Altred This Altred reigned ten years ouer the Northumbers and was then expelled out of his kingdome by his owne subiects Then was Ethelbert named also Edelred the sonne of the foresaid Moll made king of Northumberland and in the fift yeare of his reigne he was driuen out of his kingdome by two dukes of his
emperor Constantinus surnamed Copronimos in the 6 yéere of the reigne of Pipin king of France and about the 22 yéere of Ethfine king of Scots This Kinewulfe prooued a right woorthie and valiant prince and was descended of the right line of Cerdicus He obteined great victories against the Britains or Welshmen but at Bensington or Benton he lost a battell against Offa king of Mercia in the 24 yéere of his reigne and from that time forward tasting manie displeasures at length through his owne follie came vnto a shamefull end For whereas he had reigned a long time neither slouthfullie nor presumptuouslie yet now as it were aduanced with the glorie of things passed he either thought that nothing could go against him or else doubted the suertie of their state whom he should leaue behind him and therefore he confined one Kineard the brother of Sigibert whose fame he perceiued to increase more than he would haue wished This Kineard dissembling the matter as he that could giue place to time got him out of the countrie and after by a secret conspiracie assembled togither a knot of vngratious companie and returning priuilie into the countrie againe watched his time till he espied that the king with a small number of his seruants was come vnto the house of a noble woman whome he kept as paramour at Merton wherevpon the said Kineard vpon the sudden beset the house round about The king perceiuing himselfe thus besieged of his enimies at the first caused the doores to be shut supposing either by curteous woords to appease his enimies or with his princelie authoritie to put them in feare But when he saw that by neither meane he could doo good in a great chafe he brake foorth of the house vpon Kineard and went verie néere to haue killed him but being compassed about with multitude of enimies whilest he stood at defense thinking it a dishonour for him to flée he was beaten downe and slaine togither with those few of his seruants which he had there with him who chose rather to die in séeking reuenge of their maisters death than by cowardise to yeeld themselues into the murtherers hands There escaped none except one Welshman or Britaine an hostage who was neuerthelesse sore wounded and hurt The brute of such an heinous act was streightwaies blowne ouer all and brought with speed to the eares of the noble men and peeres of the realme which were not farre off the place where this slaughter had béene committed Amongst other one Oâ—rike for his age and wisedome accounted of 〈◊〉 authoritie 〈◊〉 ted the residue that in no wife they should suffor the death of their souereigne lord to passe vnpunished vnto their perpetuall shame and reproofe Wherevpon in all hast they ran to the place where they knew to find Kineard who at the first began to plead his cause to make large promises to pretend coosenage and so foorth but when he perceiued all that he could say or doo might not preuaile he incouraged his companie to shew themselues valiant and to resist their enimies to the vttermost of their powers Heerevpon followed a doubtfull fight the one part striuing to saue their liues and the other to atteine honour and punish the slaughter of their souereigne lord At length the victorie rested on the side where the right was so that the wicked murtherer after he had fought a while at length was slaine togither with fourescore and eight of his mates The kings bodie was buried at Winchester the murtherers at Repingdon Such was the end of king Kinewulfe after he had reigned the tearme of 31 yéeres In the yeere of our Lord 786 pope Adrian sent two legats into England Gregorie or as some copies haue George bishop of Ostia and Theophylactus bishop of Tuderto with letters commendatorie vnto Offa king of Mercia Alfwold king of Northumberland Ieanbright or Lambert archbishop of Canturburie and Eaubald archbishop of Yorke These legats were gladlie receiued not onlie by the foresaid kings and archbishops but also of all other the high estates aswell spirituall as temporall of the land namelie of Kinewulfe king of the Westsaxons which repaired vnto king Offa to take counsell with him for reformation of such articles as were conteined in the popes letters There were twentie seuerall articles which they had to propone on the popes behalfe as touching the receiuing of the faith or articles established by the Nicene councell and obeieng of the other generall councels with instructions concerning baptisme and kéeping of synods yéerelie for the examination of priests and ministers and reforming of naugthie liuers Moreouer touching discretion to be vsed in admitting of gouernors in monasteries and curats or priests to the ministerie in churches and further for the behauior of priests in wearing their apparell namelie that they should not presume to come to the altar bare legged lest their dishonestlie might be discouered And that in no wise the chalice or paten were made of the horne of an oxe bicause the same is bloudie of nature nor the host of a crust but of pure bread Also whereas bishops vsed to sit in councels to iudge in secular causes they were now forbidden so to doo Manie other things were as meanes of reformation articled both for spirituall causes and also concerning ciuill ordinances as disabling children to be heirs to the parents whch by them were not begot in lawfull matrimonie but on concubines whether they were nunnes or secular women Also of paiment of tithes performing of vowes auoiding of vndecent apparell and abolishing of all maner of heathenish vsages and customes that sounded contrarie to the order of christianitie as curtailing of horsses and eating of horsses flesh These things with manie other expressed in 20 principall articles as we haue said were first concluded to be receiued by the church of the Northumbers in a councell holden there and subscribed by Alfwold king of the Northumbers by Delberike bishop of Hexham by Eubald archbishop of Yorke Higwald bishop of Lindisferne Edelbert bishop of Whiterne Aldulfe bishop of Mieth Ethelwine also another bishop by his deputies with a number of other of the clergie and lords also of the temporaltie as duke Alrike duke Segwulfe abbat Alebericke and abbat Erhard After this confirmation had of the Northumbers there was also a councell holden in Mercia at Cealtide in the which these persons subscribed Iambert or Lambert archbishop of Canturburie Offa king of Mercia Hughbright bishop of Lichfield Edeulfe bishop of Faron with Unwone bishop of Ligor and nine other bishops besides abbats and thrée dukes as Brorda Farwald and Bercoald with earle Othbald But now to returne backe to speake of other dooings as in other parts of this land they fell out About the yéere of our Lord 764 the sée of Canturburie being void one Iambert or Lambert was elected archbishop there and the yéere 766 the archbishop of Yorke Egbert departed this
vp vnto his legs and knees Wherewith the king started suddenlie vp and withdrew from it saieng withall to his nobles that were about him Behold you noble men you call me king which can not so much as staie by my commandement this small portion of water But know ye for certeine that there is no king but the father onelie of our Lord Iesus Christ with whome he reigneth at whose becke all things are gouerned Let vs therefore honor him let vs confesse and professe him to be the ruler of heauen earth and sea and besides him none other From thence he went to Winchester and there with his owne hands set his crowne vpon the head of the image of the crucifix which stood there in the church of the apostles Peter and Paule and from thenceforth he would neuer weare that crowne nor anie other Some write that he spake not the former words to the sea vpon anie presumptuousnesse of mind but onelie vpon occasion of the vaine title which in his commendation on of his gentlemen gaue him by way of flatterie as he rightlie tooke it for he called him the most mightiest king of all kings which ruled most at large both men sea and land Therefore to reprooue the fond flatterie of such vaine persons he deuised and practised the déed before mentioned thereby both to reprooue such flatterers and also that men might be admonished to consider the omnipotencie of almightie God He had issue by his wife quéene Emma a sonne named by the English chronicles Hardiknought but by the Danish writers Canute or Knute also a daughter named Gonilda that was after maried to Henrie the sonne of Conrad which also was afterwards emperour and named Henrie the third By his concubine Alwine that was daughter to Alselme whome some name earle of Hampton he had two bastard sonnes Harold and Sweno He was much giuen in his latter daies to vertue as he that considered how perfect felicitie rested onelie in godlines and true deuotion to serue the heauenlie king and gouernour of all things He repared in his time manie churches abbeies and houses of religion which by occasion of warres had béene fore defaced by him and his father but speciallie he did great cost vpon the abbeie of saint Edmund in the towne of Burie as partlie before is mentioned He also built two abbeies from the foundation as saint Benets in Norffolke seuen miles distant from Norwich and an other in Norwaie He did also build a church at Ashdone in Essex where he obteined the victorie of king Edmund and was present at the hallowing or consecration therof with a great multitude of the lords and nobles of the realme both English and Danes He also holpe with his owne hands to remooue the bodie of the holie archbishop Elphegus when the same was translated from London to Canturburie The roiall and most rich iewels which he his wife quéene Emma gaue vnto the church of Winchester might make the beholders to woonder at such their exceeding and bountifull munificence Thus did Cnute striue to reforme all such things as he and his ancestors had doone amisse and to wipe awaie the spot of euil dooing as suerlie to the outward sight of the world he did in deed he had the archbishop of Canturburie Achelnotus in singular reputation and vsed his counsell in matters of importance He also highlie fauoured Leofrike earle of Chester so that the same Leofrike bare great rule in ordering of things touching the state of the common wealth vnder him as one of his chiefe councellors Diuerse lawes and statutes he made for the gouernment fo the common wealth partlie agréeable with the lawes of king Edgar and other the kings that were his predecessors and partlie tempered according to his owne liking and as was thought to him most expedient among the which there be diuerse that concerne causes as well ecclesiasticall as temporall Whereby as maister Fox hath noted it maie be gathered that the gouernment of spirituall matters did depend then not vpon the bishop of Rome but rather apperteined vnto the lawfull authoritie of the temporall prince no lesse than matters and causes temporall But of these lawes statutes enacted by king Cnute ye may read more as ye find them set foorth in the before remembred booke of maister Willliam Lambert which for briefenesse we héere omit Variance amongest the peeres of the realme about the roiall succession the kingdome is diuided betwixt Harold the bastard sonne and Hardicnute the lawfullie begotten son of king Cnute late deceassed Harold hath the totall regiment the authoritie of earle Goodwine gardian to the queenes sonnes Harold is proclaimed king why Elnothus did stoutlie refuse to consecrate him why Harold was surnamed Harefoot he is supposed to be a shoomakers sonne and how it came to passe that he was counted king Cnutes bastard Alfred challengeth the crowne from Harold Goodwine vnder colour of friendlie interteinment procureth his retinues vtter vndooing a tithing of the Normans by the poll whether Alfred was interessed in the crowne the trecherous letter of Harold written in the name of queene Emma to hir two sons in Normandie wherevpon Alfred commeth ouer into England the vnfaithfull dealing of Goodwine with Alfred and his people teaching that in trust is treason a reseruation of euerie tenth norman the remanent slaine the lamentable end of Alfred and with what torments he was put to death Harold banisheth queene Emma out of England he degenerateth from his father the short time of his reigne his death and buriall The xiiij Chapter AFter that Cnute was departed this life there arose much variance amongst the peeres and great lords of the realme about the succession The Danes and Londoners which through continuall familiaritie with the Danes were become like vnto them elected Harold the base sonne of king Cnute to succéed in his fathers roome hauing earle Leofrike and diuerse other of the noble men of the north parts on their side But other of the Englishmen and namelie earle Goodwine earle of Kent with the chiefest lords of the west parts coueted rather to haue one of king Egelreds sonnes which were in Normandie or else Hardicnute the sonne of king Cnute by his wife quéene Emma which remained in Denmarke aduanced to the place This controuersie held in such wise that the realme was diuided as some write by lot betwixt the two brethren Harold and Hardicnute The north part as Mercia and Northumberland fell to Harold and the south part vnto Hardicnute but at length the whole remained vnto Harold bicause his brother Hardicnute refused to come out of Denmarke to take the gouernment vpon him But yet the authoritie of earle Goodwine who had the queene and the treasure of the realme in his kéeping staied the matter a certeine time professing himselfe as it were gardian to the yoong men the sonnes of the quéene
same Edilbald at Hereford hauing before him the said earle Adelme in whose valiant prowesse he put great hope to atteine victorie neither was he deceiued for by the stout conduct and noble courage of the said Adelme the loftie pride of king Edelbald was abated so that he was there put to flight and all his armie discomfited after sore and terrible fight continued and mainteined euen to the vttermost point In the 24 yeere of his reigne this Cuthred fougth eftsoones with the Welshmen and obteined the vpper hand without anie great losse of his people for the enimies were easilie put to flight and chased to their owne destruction In the yeere after king Cuthred fell sicke and in the 16 yéere of his reigne he departed this life after so manie great victories got against his enimies AFter him succéeded one Sigibert a cruell and vnmercifull prince at home but yet a coward abroad This Sigbert or Sigibert began his reigne in the yeare of our Lord 755 verie néere ended He intreated his subiects verie euill setting law and reason at naught He could not abide to heare his faults told him and therefore he cruellie put to death an earle named Cumbra which was of his councell and faithfullie admonished him to reforme his euill dooings wherevpon the rest of his nobles assembled themselues togither with a great multitude of people and expelled him out of his estate in the beginning of the second or as some say the first yeare of his reigne Then Sigibert as he was fearefull of nature fearing to be apprehended got him into the wood called as then Andredeswald and there hid himselfe but by chance a swineheard that belonged to the late earle Cumbra at Priuetsfloud found him out and perceiuing what he was slue him in reuenge of his maisters death ¶ Lo here you may sée how the righteous iustice of God rewardeth wicked dooings in this world with worthie recompense as well as in the world to come appointing euill princes sometimes to reigne for the punishment of the people according as they deserue permitting some of them to haue gouernement a long time that both the froward nations may suffer long for their sins and that such wicked princes may in an other world tast to more bitter torments Againe other he taketh out of the waie that the people may be deliuered from oppression and also that the naughtie ruler for his misdemeanour may spéedilie receiue due punishment AFter Beorne king of Eastangles one Ethelred succéeded in gouernment of that kingdome a man noted to be of good and vertuous qualities in that he brought vp his sonne Ethelred which succéeded him so in the feare of the Lord that he prooued a right godlie prince This Ethelbert reigned as writers say the terme of 52 yeares After that Ceolvulfe king of Northumberland was become a moonke in the abbie of Lindesferne his vncles sonnes Egbert by order taken by the said Ceolvulfe succeeded him in the kingdome and gouerned the same right woorthilie for the terme of 24 yeares and then became a moonke by the example both of his predecessor the forsaid Ceoldulfe and also of diuers other kings in those daies so that he was the eight king who in this land had changed a kings crowne for a moonks cowle as Simon Dunel writeth This Egbert in the 18 yeare of his reigne and Ungust king of Picts came to the citie of Alcluid with their armies and there receiued the Britains into their subiection the first day of August but the tenth day of the same month the armie which he led from Ouan vnto Newbourgh was for the more part lost and destroied ¶ The same yeare on the 8 kalends of December the moone being as then in hir full appeared to be of a bloudie colour but at length she came to hir accustomed shew after a maruellous meanes for a starre which followed hir passed by hir went before hir the like distāce as it kept in following hir before she lost hir vsuall light Offa king of Mercia his manhood and victories against the Kentishmen and Westsaxons he killeth Egilbert king of Eastangles by a policie or subtill deuise of profered curtesie he inuadeth his kingdome and possesseth it the archbishops see of Canturburie remoued to Lichfield archbishop Lambert laboring to defend his prerogatiue is depriued by king Offa he seizeth vpon churches and religious houses mistrusting his estate he alieth himselfe with other princes he maketh amends for the wrongs that he had doone to churches and religious houses he goeth to Rome maketh his realme tributarie to the said see Peter pence paid he falleth sicke and dieth places to this day bearing his name in memorie of him the short reigne of his sonne The fourth Chapter AFter that Offa had slaien Bernred the vsurper of the kingdome of Mercia as before is mentioned the same Offa tooke vpon him the gouernment of that kingdome 758 a man of such stoutnesse of stomach that he thought he should be able to bring to passe all things whatsoeuer he conceiued in his mind He reigned 39 yeares His dooings were great and maruellous and such as some times his vertues surpassed his vices and sometime againe his vices séemed to ouermatch his vertues He ouercame the Kentishmen in a great battell at Otteford and the Northumbers also were by him vanquished and in battell put to flight With Kenvulfe king of Westsaxons he fought in open battell and obteined a noble victorie with small losse of his people although the same Kenwulfe was a right valiant prince and a good capteine Againe perceiuing that to procéed with craft should sooner aduance his purpose than to vse open force against Egilbert king of Eastangles vnder faire promises to giue vnto him his daughter in mariage he allured him to come into Mercia and receiuing him into his palace caused his head to be striken off and after by wrongfull meanes inuaded his kingdome and got it into his possession yet he caused the bones of the first martyr of this land saint Albane by a miraculous meanes brought to light to be taken vp and put in a rich shrine adorned with gold and stone building a goodlie church of excellent woorkmanship and founding a monasterie in that place in honor of the same saint which he indowed with great possessions He remoued the archbishops see from Canturburie vnto Lichfield thereby to aduance his kingdome of Mercia as well in dignitie preheminence of spirituall power as temporall He made great suit to bring his purpose to passe in the court of Rome and at length by great gifts and rewards obteined it at the hands of pope Adrian the first then gouerning the Romane sée And so Eadulfus then bishop of Lichfield was adorned with the pall and taken for archbishop hauing all those bishops within the limits of king Offa his dominion suffragans vnto him namelie Denebertus bishop of Worcester Werebertus