and yet may with farre more ease and lesse cost be prouided from other countries if we could vse the meanes I will not speake of iron glasse and such like which spoile much wood and yet are brought from other countries better chéepe than we can make them here at home I could exemplifie also in manie other But to leaue these things and procéed with our purpose and herein as occasion serueth generallie by waie of conclusion to speake of the common-wealth of England I find that it is gouerned and mainteined by thrée sorts of persons 1 The prince monarch and head gouernour which is called the king or if the crowne fall to the woman the quéene in whose name and by whose authoritie all things are administred 2 The gentlemen which be diuided into two sorts as the baronie or estate of lords which conteineth barons and all aboue that degree and also those that be no lords as knights esquiers simple gentlemen as I haue noted alreadie Out of these also are the great deputies and high presidents chosen of which one serueth in Ireland as another did sometime in Calis and the capteine now at Berwike as one lord president dooth gouerne in Wales and the other the north parts of this Iland which later with certeine councellors and iudges were erected by king Henrie the eight But forsomuch as I haue touched their conditions elsewhere it shall be mough to haue remembred them at this time 3 The third and last sort is named the yeomanrie of whom their sequele the labourers and artificers I haue said somewhat euen now Whereto I ad that they be not called masters and gentlemen but goodmen as goodman Smith goodman Coot goodman Cornell goodman Mascall goodman Cockswet c in matters of law these and the like are called thus Giles Iewd yeoman Edward Mountford yeoman Iames Cocke yeoman Herrie Butcher yeoman c by which addition they are exempt from the vulgar and common sorts Cato calleth them Aratores optimos ciues rei publicae of whom also you may read more in the booke of common wealth which sir Thomas Smith sometime penned of this land Of gentlemen also some are by the prince chosen and called to great offices in the common wealth of which said offices diuerse concerne the whole realme some be more priuat and peculiar to the kings house And they haue their places and degrées prescribed by an act of parlement made An. 31 Henr. octaui after this maner insuing These foure the lord Chancellor the lord Treasuror who is Supremus aerarij Anglici quaestor or Tribunus aerarius maximus the lord President of the councell and the lord Priuie seale being persons of the degrée of a baron or aboue are in the same act appointed to sit in the parlement and in all assemblies or councell aboue all dukes not being of the bloud roiall Videlicet the kings brother vncle or nephue And these six the lord great Chamberleine of England the lord high Constable of England the lord Marshall of England the lord Admirall of England the lord great master or Steward of the kings house and the lord Chamberleine by that act are to be placed in all assemblies of councell after the lord priuie seale according to their degrées and estats so that if he be a baron then he is to sit aboue all barons or an earle aboue all earles And so likewise the kings secretarie being a baron of the parlement hath place aboue all barons and if he be a man of higher degrée he shall sit and be placed according therevnto The rehearsall of the temporall nobilitie of England according to the anciencie of their creations or first calling to their degrees as they are to be found at this present The Marquise of Winchester The earle of Arundell The earle of Oxford The earle of Northumberland The earle of Shrewesburie The earle of Kent The earle of Derbi◠The earle of Worcester The earle of Rutland The earle of Cumberland The earle of Sussex The earle of Huntingdon The earle of Bath The earle of Warwike The earle of Southampton The earle of Bedford The earle of Penbrooke The earle of Hertford The earle of Leicester The earle of Essex The earle of Lincolne The viscont Montague The viscont Bindon The lord of Abergeuennie The lord Awdeleie The lord Zouch The lord Barkeleie The lord Morleie The lord Dacres of the south The lord Cobham The lord Stafford The lord Greie of Wilton The lord Scroope The lord Dudleie The lord Latimer The lord Stourton The lord Lumleie The lord Mountioie The lord Ogle The lord Darcie of the north The lord Mountegle The lord Sands The lord Uaulx The lord Windsore The lord Wentwoorth The lord Borough The lord Mordaunt The lord Cromwell The lord Euers The lord Wharton The lord Rich. The lord Willowbie The lord Sheffeld The lord Paget The lord Darcie of Chichester The lord Howard of Effingham The lord North. The lord Chaundos The lord of Hunsdon The lord saint Iohn of Bletso The lord of Buckhirst The lord Delaware The lord Burghleie The lord Compton The lord Cheineie The lord Norreis Bishops in their anciencie as they sat in parlement in the fift of the Queenes maiesties reigne that now is The archbishop of Canturburie The archbishop of Yorke London Durham Winchester The rest had their places in senioritie of consecration Chichester Landaffe Hereford Elie. Worcester Bangor Lincolne Salisburie S. Dauids Rochester Bath and Welles Couentrie and Lichfield Excester Norwich Peterborough Carleill Chester S. Assaph Glocester And this for their placing in the parlement house Howbeit when the archbishop of Canturburie siteth in his prouinciall assemblie he hath on his right hand the archbishop of Yorke and next vnto him the bishop of Winchester on the left hand the bishop of London but if it fall out that the archbishop of Canturburie be not there by the vacation of his see then the archbishop of Yorke is to take his place who admitteth the bishop of London to his right hand and the prelat of Winchester to his left the rest sitting alwaies as afore that is to saie as they are elders by consecration which I thought good also to note out of an ancient president Of the food and diet of the English Chap. 6. THe situation of our region lieng néere vnto the north dooth cause the heate of our stomaches to be of somewhat greater force therefore our bodies doo craue a little more ample nourishment than the inhabitants of the hotter regions are accustomed withall whose digestiue force is not altogither so vehement bicause their internall heat is not so strong as ours which is kept in by the coldnesse of the aire that from time to time speciallie in winter dooth enuiron our bodies It is no maruell therefore that our tables are oftentimes more plentifullie garnished than those of other nations and this trade hath continued with vs euen since the verie beginning For before the
of a giant that was 46. cubits in length after the Romane standard and by diuerse supposed to be the bodie of Orion or Aetion Neuerthelesse I read that Lucius Flaccus and Metellus did sweare Per sua capita that it was either the carcase of some monster of the sea or a forged deuise to bleare the peoples eies withall wherein it is wonderfull to see how they please Goropius as one that first deriued his fantasticall imagination from their asseueration oth The said Plinie also addeth that the bodie of Orestes was seuen cubits in length one Gabbara of Arabia nine foot nine inches and two reserued In conditorio Sallustianorum halfe a foot longer than Gabbara was for which I neuer read that anie man was driuen to sweare Trallianus writeth how the Athenienses digging on a time in the ground to laie the foundation of a new wall to be made in a certeine Iland in the daies of an emperour did find the bones of Macrosyris in a coffin of hard stone of 100. cubits in length after the accompt of the Romane cubit which was then either a foot and a halfe or not much in difference from halfe a yard of our measure now in England These verses also as they are now translated out of Gréeke were found withall Sepultus ego Macrosyris in longa insula Vitae peractis annis mille quinquies which amounteth to 81. yeares foure moneths after the Aegyptian reckoning In the time of Hadrian the emperour the bodie of the giant Ida was taken vp at Messana conteining 20. foot in length and hauing a double row of teeth yet standing whole in his chaps Eumachus also in Perigesi telleth that when the Carthaginenses went about to dich in their prouince they found two bodies in seuerall coffins of stone the one was 23. the other 24. cubits in length such another was found in Bosphoro Cymmerio after an earthquake but the inhabitants did cast those bones into the Meotidan marris In Dalmatia manie graues were shaken open with an earthquake in diuerse of which certein carcases were found whose ribs conteined 16. els after the Romane measure whereby the whole bodies were iudged to be 64. sith the longest rib is commonlie about the fourth part of a man as some rouing symmetricians affirme Arrhianus saith that in the time of Alexander the bodies of the Asianes were generallie of huge stature and commonlie of fiue cubits and such was the heigth of Porus of Inde whom the said Alexander vanquished and ouerthrew in battell Suidas speaketh of Ganges killed also by the said prince who farre exceeded Porus for he was ten cubits long What should I speake of Artaceas a capitaine in the host of Xerxes afore remembred whose heigth was within 4. fingers bredth of fiue cubits the tallest man in the armie except the king himselfe Herod lib. 7. Of Athanatus whom Plinie remembreth I saie nothing But of all these this one example shall passe which I doo read of in Trallianus and he setteth downe in forme and manner following In the daies of Tiberius th' emperor saith he a corps was left bare or laid open after an earthquake of which ech tooth taken one with another conteined 12. inches ouer at the least Now forsomuch as in such as be full mouthed ech chap hath commonlie 16. teeth at the least which amount vnto 32. in the whole needs must the widenesse of this mans chaps be welneere of 16. foot and the opening of his lips fiue at the least A large mouth in mine opinion and not to eat peason with Ladies of my time besides that if occasion serued it was able to receiue the whole bodies of mo than one of the greatest men I meane of such as we be in our daies When this carcase was thus found euerie man maruelled at it good cause why A messenger was sent to Tiberius the emperour also to know his pleasure whether he would haue the same brought ouer vnto Rome or not but he forbad them willing his Legate not to remooue the dead out of his resting place but rather somewhat to satisfie his phantasie to send him a tooth out of his head which being done he gaue it to a cunning workeman commanding him to shape a carcase of light matter after the proportion of the tooth that at the least by such means he might satisfie his curious mind and the fantasies of such as are delited with nouelties To be short when the image was once made and set vp on end it appéered rather an huge colossie than the true carcase of a man and when it had stood in Rome vntill the people were wearie throughlie satisfied with the sight thereof he caused it to be broken all to peeces and the tooth sent againe to the carcase frō whence it came willing them moreouer to couer it diligentlie and in anie wise not to dismember the corps nor from thencefoorth to be so hardie as to open the sepulchre anie more Pausan. lib. 8. telleth in like maner of Hiplodanus his fellowes who liued when Rhea was with child of Osyris by Cham and were called to hir aid at such time as she feared to be molested by Hammon hir first husband whilest she remained vpon the Thoumasian hill In ipso loco saith he spectantur ossa maiora multo quà m vt humana existimari possunt c. Of Protophanes who had but one great and broad bone in steed of all his ribs on ech side I saie nothing sith it concerneth not his stature I could rehearse manie mo examples of the bodies of such men out of Solinus Sabellicus D. Cooper and others As of Oetas and Ephialtes who were said to be nine orgies or paces in heigth and foure in bredth which are taken for so many cubits bicause there is small difference betwéene a mans ordinarie pace and his cubit and finallie of our Richard the first who is noted to beare an axe in the wars the iron of whose head onelie weighed twentie pound after our greatest weight and whereof an old writer that I haue seene saith thus This king Richard I vnderstand Yer he went out of England Let make an axe for the nones Therewith to cleaue the Saracens bones The head in sooth was wrought full wee le Thereon were twentie pound of steele And when he came in Cyprus land That ilkon axe he tooke in hand c. I could speake also of Gerards staffe or lance yet to be seene in Gerards hall at London in Basing lane which is so great and long that no man can beweld it neither go to the top thereof without a ladder which of set purpose and for greater countenance of the wonder is fixed by the same I haue seene a man my selfe of seuen foot in height but lame of his legs The chronicles also of Cogshall speake of one in Wales who was halfe a foot higher but through infirmitie and wounds not able to beweld himselfe I might if
philosophicall contemplation But alas this integritte continued not long among his successors for vnto the immortalitie of the soule they added that after death it went into another bodie of which translation Ouid saith Morte carent animae sempérque priore relicta Sede nouis domibus viuunt habitántque receptae The second or succedent being alwaies either more noble or more vile than the former as the partie deserued by his merits whilest he liued here vpon earth And therefore it is said by Plato and other that Orpheus after his death had his soule thrust into the bodie of a swanne that of Agamemnon conueied into an egle of Aiax into a lion of Atlas into a certeine wrestler of Thersites into an ape of Deiphobus into Pythagoras and Empedocles dieng a child after sundrie changes into a man whereof he himselfe saith Ipse ego námque fui puer olim deinde puella Arbustum volucris mutus quóque in aequore piscis For said they of whom Pythagoras also had and taught this errour if the soule apperteined at the first to a king and he in this estate did not leade his life worthie his calling it should after his decease be shut vp in the bodie of a slaue begger cocke owle dog ape horsse asse worme or monster there to remaine as in a place of purgation and punishment for a certeine period of time Beside this it should peraduenture susteine often translation from one bodie vnto another according to the quantitie and qualitie of his dooings here on earth till it should finallie be purified and restored againe to an other humane bodie wherein if it behaued it selfe more orderlie than at the first after the next death it should be preferred either to the bodie of a king againe or other great estate And thus they made a perpetuall circulation or reuolution of our soules much like vnto the continuall motion of the heauens which neuer stand still nor long yeeld one representation and figure For this cause also as Diodorus saith they vsed to cast certeine letters into the fire wherein the dead were burned to be deliuered vnto their deceased fréends whereby they might vnderstand of the estate of such as trauelled here on earth in their purgations as the Moscouits doo write vnto S. Nicholas to be a speach-man for him that is buried in whose hand they bind a letter and send him with a new paire of shooes on his féet into the graue and to the end that after their next death they should deale with them accordinglie and as their merits required They brought in also the worshipping of manie gods and their seuerall sacrifices they honoured likewise the oke whereon the mistle groweth and dailie deuised infinit other toies for errour is neuer assured of hir owne dooings whereof neither Samothes nor Sarron Magus nor Druiyus did leaue them anie prescription These things are partlie touched by Cicero Strabo Plinie Sotion Laertius Theophrast Aristotle and partlie also by Caesar Mela Val. Max. lib. 2. and other authors of later time who for the most part doo confesse that the cheefe schoole of the Druiydes was holden here in Britaine where that religion saith Plinie was so hotlie professed and followed Vt dedisse Persis videri possit lib. 30. cap. 1. and whither the Druiydes also themselues that dwelt among the Galles would often resort to come by the more skill and sure vnderstanding of the mysteries of that doctrine And as the Galles receiued their religion from the Britons so we likewise had from them some vse of Logike Rhetorike such as it was which our lawiers practised in their plees and common causes For although the Gréeks were not vnknowne vnto vs nor we to them euen from the verie comming of Brute yet by reason of distance betwéene our countries we had no great familiaritie and common accesse one vnto another till the time of Gurguntius after whose entrance manie of that nation trauelled hither in more securitie as diuers of our countriemen did vnto them without all danger to be offered vp in sacrifice to their gods That we had the maner of our plees also out of France Iuuenal is a witnesse who saith Gallia causidicos docuit facunda Britannos Howbeit as they taught vs Logike and Rhetorike so we had also some Sophistrie from them but in the worst sense for from France is all kind of forgerie corruption of maners and craftie behauiour not so soone as often transported into England And albeit the Druiydes were thus honored and of so great authoritie in Britaine yet were there great numbers of them also in the Iles of Wight Anglesey and the Orchades in which they held open schooles of their profession aloofe as it were from the resort of people wherein they studied and learned their songs by heart Howbeit the cheefe college of all I say remained still in Albion whither the Druiydes of other nations also beside the Galles would of custome repaire when soeuer any controuersie among them in matters of religion did happen to be mooued At such times also the rest were called out of the former Ilands whereby it appeareth that in such cases they had their synods and publike meetings and therevnto it grew finallie into custome and after that a prouerbe euen in variances falling out among the princes great men and common sorts of people liuing in these weast parts of Europe to yeeld to be tried by Britaine and hir thrée Ilands bicause they honoured hir préests the Druiydes as the Atheniens did their Areopagites Furthermore in Britaine and among the Galles and to say the truth generallie in all places where the Druiysh religion was frequented such was the estimation of the préests of this profession that there was little or nothing doone without their skilfull aduise no not in ciuill causes perteining to the regiment of the common-wealth and countrie They had the charge also of all sacrifices publike and priuate they interpreted oracles preached of religion and were neuer without great numbers of young men that heard them with diligence as they taught from time to time Touching their persons also they were exempt from all temporall seruices impositions tributes and exercises of the wars which immunitie caused the greater companies of scholers to flocke vnto them from all places to learne their trades Of these likewise some remained with them seuen eight ten or twelue years still learning the secrets of those vnwritten mysteries by heart which were to be had amongst them and commonlie pronounced in verse And this policie as I take it they vsed onelie to preserue their religion from contempt whereinto it might easilie haue fallen if any books thereof had happened into the hands of the common sort It helped also not a little in the exercise of their memories wherevnto bookes are vtter enimies insomuch as he that was skilfull in the Druiysh religion would not let readilie to rehearse manie hundreds of verses togither
made their letters patents sealed with their seales and then the king of England made William Warreine earle of Surrie and Southsax lord Warden of Scotland Hugh of Cressingham treasuror and William Ormesbie iustice of Scotland and foorthwith sent king Iohn to the Tower of London and Iohn Comin and the earle Badenauth the earle of Bohan and other lords into England to diuerse places on this side of the Trent And after that in the yeare of our Lord 1297 at the feast of Christmas the king called before him the said Iohn king of Scots although he had committed him to ward and said that he would burne or destroie their castels townes and lands if he were not recompensed for his costs and damages susteined in the warres but king Iohn and the other that were in ward answered that they had nothing sith their liues their deaths and goods were in his hands The king vpon that answer mooued with pitie granted them their liues so that they would doo their homage and make their oth solemnelie at the high altar in the church of the abbeie of Westminster vpon the eucharist that they and euerie of them should hold and keepe true faith obedience and allegiance to the said king Edward and his heires kings of England for euer And where the said king of Scots saw the kings banner of England displaied he and all his power should draw therevnto And that neither he or anie of his from thencefoorth should beare armes against the king of England or anie of his bloud Finallie the king rewarding with great gifts the said king Iohn and his lords suffered them to depart But they went into Scotland alwaie imagining notwithstanding this their submission how they might oppresse king Edward and disturbe his realme The Scots sent also to the king of France for succour and helpe who sent them ships to Berwike furnished with men of armes the king of England then being in Flanders In the yeare of our Lord 1298 the king went into Scotland with a great host and the Scots also assembled in great number but the king fought with them at Fawkirke on S. Marie Magdalens daie where were slaine thréescore thousand Scots Willain Walleis that was their capteine fled who being taken afterward was hanged drawen quartered at London for his trespasses After this the Scots rebelled againe and all the lords of Scotland chose Robert Bruse to be king except onelie Iohn Commin earle of Carrike who would not consent thereto bicause of his oth made to the king of England Wherefore Robert Bruse slue him at Dumfrise and then was crowned at Schone abbeie Herevpon the king of England assembled a great hoast and rode through all Scotland discomfited Robert Bruse slue eight thousand Scots tooke the most part of all the lords of Scotland putting the temporall lords to deth bicause they were forsworne Edward borne at Carnaruan sonne of this Edward was next king of England who from the beginning of his reigne enioied Scotland peaceablie dooing in all things as is aboue said of king Edward his father vntill toward the later end of his reigne about which time this Robert Bruse conspired against him and with the helpe of a few forsworne Scots forswore himselfe king of Scots Herevpon this Edward with Thomas earle of Lancaster and manie other lords made warre vpon him about the feast of Marie Magdalene the said Bruse and his partakers being alreadie accurssed by the pope for breaking the truce that he had established betwixt them But being infortunate in his first warres against him he suffered Edward the sonne of Balioll to proclame himselfe king of Scots and neuerthelesse held foorth his warres against Bruse before the ending of which he died as I read Edward borne at Windsore sonne of Edward the second was next king of England at the age of fifteene yeares in whose minoritie the Scots practised with Isabell mother to this Edward and with Roger Mortimer earle of the March to haue their homages released whose good will therein they obteined so that for the same release they should paie to this king Edward thirtie thousand pounds starling in three yeares next following that is to saie ten thousand pounds starling yeerelie But bicause the nobilitie and commons of this realme would not by parlement consent vnto it their king being within age the same release procéeded not albeit the Scots ceased not their practises with this quéene and earle But before those thrée yeares in which their menie if the bargaine had taken place should haue béene paied were expired our king Edward inuaded Scotland and ceassed not the warre vntill Dauid the sonne of Robert le Bruse then by their election king of Scotland absolutelie submitted himselfe vntohim But for that the said Dauid Bruse had before by practise of the quéene and the earle of March married Iane the sister of this king Edward he mooued by naturall zeale to his sister was contented to giue the realme of Scotland to this Dauid Bruse and to the heires that should be be gotten of the bodie of the said Iane sauing the reuersion and meane homages to this king Edward and to his owne children wherewith the same Dauid Bruse was right well contented and therevpon immediatlie made his homage for all the realme of Scotland to him Howbeit shortlie after causelesse conceiuing cause of displeasure this Dauid procured to dissolue this same estate tailée and therevpon not onelie rebelled in Scotland but also inuaded England whilest king Edward was occupied about his wars in France But this Dauid was not onelie expelled England in the end but also thinking no place a sufficient defense to his vntruth of his owne accord fled out of Scotland whereby the countries of Annandale Gallowaie Mars Teuidale Twedale and Ethrike were seized into the king of Englands hands and new marches set betwéene England and Scotland at Cockbuâ—nes path Sowtrie hedge Which when this Dauid went about to recouer againe his power was discomfited and himselfe by a few Englishmen taken brought into England where he remained prisoner eleuen yeares after his said apprehension During this time king Edward enioied Scotland peaceablie and then at the contemplation and wearie suit of his sorowfull sister wife of this Dauid he was contented once againe to restore him to the kingdome of Scotland Wherevpon it was concluded that for this rebellion Dauid should paie to king Edward the summe of one hundred thousand markes starling and there to destroie all his holdes and fortresses standing against the English borders and further assure the crowne of Scotland to the children of this king Edward for lacke of heire of his owne bodie all which things he did accordinglie And for the better assurance of his obeisance also he afterward deliuered into the hands of king Edward sundrie noble men of Scotland in this behalfe as his pledges This is the effect of the historie of Dauid touching his delings Now let vs sée what was doone
his ladie and guestes are accustomed to sit beside which they haue a certeine ordinarie allowance dailie appointed for their hals where the chiefe officers and household seruants for all are not permitted by custome to wait vpon their master and with them such inferiour guestes doo féed as are not of calling to associat the noble man himselfe so that besides those afore mentioned which are called to the principall table there are commonlie fortie or thrée score persons fed in those hals to the great reliefe of such poore sutors and strangers also as oft be partakers thereof and otherwise like to dine hardlie As for drinke it is vsuallie filled in pots gobblets iugs bols of siluer in noble mens houses also in fine Uenice glasses of all formes and for want of these elsewhere in pots of earth of sundrie colours and moulds whereof manie are garnished with siluer or at the leastwise in pewter all which notwithstanding are seldome set on the table but each one as necessitie vrgeth calleth for a cup of such drinke as him listeth to haue so that when he hath tasted of it he deliuered the cup againe to some one of the standers by who making it cleane by pouring out the drinke that remaineth restoreth it to the cupbord from whence he fetched the same By this deuise a thing brought vp at the first by Mnesteus of Athens in conseruation of the honour of Orestes who had not yet made expiation for the death of his adulterous parents Egistus and Clitemnestra much idle tippling is furthermore cut off for if the full pots should continuallie stand at the elbow or néere the trencher diuerse would alwaies be dealing with them whereas now they drinke seldome and onelie when necessitie vrgeth and so auoid the note of great drinking or often troubling of the seruitours with filling of their bols Neuerthelesse in the noble mens hals this order is not vsed neither in anie mans house commonlie vnder the degrée of a knight or esquire of great reuenues It is a world to sée in these our daies wherin gold and siluer most aboundeth how that our gentilitie as lothing those mettals bicause of the plentie do now generallie choose rather the Uenice glasses both for our wine and béere than anie of those mettals or stone wherein before time we haue béene accustomed to drinke but such is the nature of man generallie that it most coueteth things difficult to be atteined such is the estimation of this stuffe that manie become rich onelie with their new trade vnto Murana a towne néere to Uenice situat on the Adriatike sea from whence the verie best are dailie to be had and such as for beautie doo well néere match the christall or the ancient Murrhina vasa whereof now no man hath knowledge And as this is séene in the gentilitie so in the wealthie communaltie the like desire of glasse is not neglected whereby the gaine gotten by their purchase is yet much more increased to the benefit of the merchant The poorest also will haue glasse if they may but sith the Uenecian is somewhat too déere for them they content themselues with such as are made at home of ferne and burned stone but in fine all go one waie that is to shards at the last so that our great expenses in glasses beside that they bréed much strife toward such as haue the charge of them are worst of all bestowed in mine opinion bicause their péeces doo turne vnto no profit If the philosophers stone were once found and one part hereof mixed with fortie of molten glasse it would induce such a mettallicall toughnesse therevnto that a fall should nothing hurt it in such maner yet it might peraduenture bunch or batter it neuerthelesse that inconuenience were quickelie to be redressed by the hammer But whither am I slipped The gentlemen and merchants keepe much about one rate and each of them contenteth himselfe with foure fiue or six dishes when they haue but small resort or peraduenture with one or two or thrée at the most when they haue no strangers to accompanie them at their tables And yet their seruants haue their ordinarie diet assigned beside such as is left at their masters boordes not appointed to be brought thither the second time which neuerthelesse is often séene generallie in venison lambe or some especiall dish whereon the merchant man himselfe liketh to feed when it is cold or peraduenture for sundrie causes incident to the féeder is better so than if it were warme or hot To be short at such time as the merchants doo make their ordinarie or voluntarie feasts it is a world to see what great prouision is made of all maner of delicat meats from euerie quarter of the countrie wherein beside that they are often comparable herein to the nobilitie of the land they will seldome regard anie thing that the butcher vsuallie killeth but reiect the same as not worthie to come in place In such cases also geliffes of all colours mixed with a varietie in the representation of sundrie floures herbs trees formes of beasts fish foules and fruits and therevnto marchpaine wrought with no small curiositie tarts of diuerse hewes and sundrie deuominations conserues of old fruits forren and home-bred suckets codinacs marmilats marchpaine sugerbread gingerbread florentines wildfoule venison of all sorts and sundrie outlandish conâ—ections altogither seasoned with suger which Plinie calleth Mel ex arundinibus a deuise not common nor greatlie vsed in old time at the table but onelie in medicine although it grew in Arabia India Sicilia doo generallie beare the swaie besides infinit deuises of our owne not possible for me to remember Of the potato and such venerous roots as are brought out of Spaine Portingale and the Inâ—ies to furnish vp our bankets I speake not wherin our Mures of no lesse force and to be had about Crosbie Rauenswath do now begin to haue place But among all these the kind of meat which is obteined with most difficultie and cost is commonlie taken for the most delicat and therevpon each guest will soonest desire to feed And as all estats doo excéed herin I meane for strangenesse and number of costlie dishes so these forget not to vse the like excesse in wine in somuch as there is no kind to be had neither anie where more store of all sorts than in England although we haue none growing with vs but yearelie to the proportion of 20000 or 30000 tun and vpwards notwithstanding the dailie restreincts of the same brought ouer vnto vs wherof at great méetings there is not some store to be had Neither doo I meane this of small wines onlie as Claret White Red French c which amount to about fiftie six sorts according to the number of regions from whence they come but also of the thirtie kinds of Italian Grecian Spanish Canarian c whereof Ueruage Cate pument Raspis Muscadell Romnie Bastard Tire Oseie Caprike Clareie Malmeseie are not least
shall not néed to remember ought héere that is there touched I will onelie speake of other things therefore concerning the estate of assemblie whereby the magnificence thereof shall be in some part better knowne vnto such as shall come after vs. This house hath the most high and absolute power of the realme for thereby kings and mightie princes haue from time to time béene deposed from their thrones lawes either enacted or abrogated offendors of all sorts punished and corrupted religion either dissanulled or reformed which commonlie is diuided into two houses or parts the higher or vpper house consisting of the nobilitie including all euen vnto the baron and bishop the lower called the nether house of knights squires gentlemen and burgesses of the commons with whome also the inferior members of the cleargie are ioined albeit they sit in diuerse places and these haue to deale onelie in matters of religion till it come that they ioine with the rest in confirmation of all such acts as are to passe in the same For without the consent of the thrâ—e estates that is of the nobilitie cleargie and laietie sildome anie thing is said to be concluded vpon and brought vnto the prince for his consent and allowance To be short whatsoeuer the people of Rome did in their Centuriatis or Tribunitijs comitijs the same is and may be doone by authoritie of our parlement house which is the head and bodie of all the realme and the place wherein euerie particular person is intended to be present if not by himselfe yet by his aduocate or atturneie For this cause also any thing ther enacted is not to be misliked but obeied of all men without contradiction or grudge By the space of fortie dais before this assemblie be begun the prince sendeth his writs vnto all his nobilitie particularlie summoning them to appeare at the said court The like he doth to the shiriffe of euerie countie with commandement to choose two knights within ech of their counties to giue their aduise in the name of the shire likewise to euerie citie and towne that they may choose their burgesses which commonlie are men best skilled in the state of their citie or towne either for the declaration of such benefits as they want or to shew which waie to reforme such enormities as thorough the practises of ill members are practised and crept in among them the first being chosen by the gentlemen of the shire the other by the citizens and burgesses of euerie citie and towne whereby that court is furnished The first daie of the parlement being come the lords of the vpper house as well ecclesiasticall as temporall doo attend vpon the prince who rideth thither in person as it were to open the doore of their authoritie and being come into the place after praiers made and causes shewed wherefore some not present are inforced to be absent each man taketh his place according to his degrée The house it selfe is curiouslie furnished with tapisterie and the king being set in his throne the spirituall lords take vp the side of the house which is on the right hand of the prince and the temporall lords the left I meane so well dukes and earles as viscounts and barons as I before remembred In the middest and a pretie distance from the prince lie certeine sackes stuffed with wooll or haire wheron the iudges of the realme the master of the rols and secretaries of estate doo sit Howbeit these iudges haue no voice in the house but onelie shew what their opinion is of such such matters as come in question among the lords if they be commanded so to doo as the secretaries are to answer such letters or things passed in the councell whereof they haue the custodie knowledge Finallie the consent of this house is giuen by each man seuerallie first for himselfe being present then seuerallie for so manie as he hath letters proxies directed vnto him saieng onlie Content or Not content without any further debating Of the number assembled in the lower house I haue alreadie made a generall report in the chapter precedent and their particulars shall follow here at hand These therefore being called ouer by name do choose a speaker who is as it were their mouth and him they present vnto the prince in whom it is either to refuse or admit him by the lord chancellor who in the princes name dooth answer vnto his oration made at his first entrance presentation into the house wherein he declareth the good liking that the king hath conceiued of his choise vnto that office function Being admitted he maketh fiue requests vnto that honorable assemblie first that the house may as in times past inioy hir former liberties and priuileges secondlie that the congregates may frankelie shew their minds vpon such matters as are to come in question thirdlie that if anie of the lower house doo giue anie cause of offense during the continuance of this assemblie that the same may inflict such punishment vpon the partie culpable as to the said assemblie shall be thought conuenient fourthlie if anie doubt should arise among them of the lower house that he in their name might haue frée accesse and recourse vnto his maiestie lords of the higher house to be further instructed and resolued in the same fiftlie and last he craueth pardon for himselfe if in his going to and fro betweene the houses he forget or mistake anie thing requiring that he may returne and be better informed in such things as be did faile in without offense vnto which petitions the lord chancellor dooth answer as apperteineth and this is doone on the first daie or peraduenture the second if it could not be conuenientlie performed in the first Beside the lord chancellor there is another in the vpper house called the clerke of the parlement whose office is to read the billes For euerie thing that commeth in consultation in either house is first put in writing in paper which being read he that listeth riseth vp and speaketh either with it or against it and so one after another so long as they shall thinke good that doone they go to another and so to the third c the instrument still wholie or in part raced or reformed as cause moueth for the amendment of the same if the substance be reputed necessarie In the vpper house the lord chancellor demandeth if they will haue it ingrossed that is to saie put in parchment which doone it is read the third time after debating of the matter to and fro if the more part doo conclude withall vpon the vtterance of these words Are ye contended that it be enacted or no the clerke writeth vnderneath So it baille aux commons and so when they sée time they send such billes approued to the commons by some of them that sit on the wooll sackes who comming into the house demanding licence to speake doo vse
iustices of peace to assigne so that the taxation excéed not twentie shillings as I haue béene informed And thus much of the poore such prouision as is appointed for them within the realme of England Of sundrie kinds of punishments appointed for malefactors Chap. 11. IN cases of felonie manslaghter roberie murther rape piracie such capitall crimes as are not reputed for treason or hurt of the estate our sentence pronounced vpon the offendor is to hang till he be dead For of other punishments vsed in other countries we haue no knowledge or vse and yet so few gréeuous crimes committed with vs as else where in the world To vse torment also or question by paine and torture in these common cases with vs is greatlie abhorred sith we are found alwaie to be such as despise death and yet abhorre to be tormented choosing rather frankelie to open our minds than to yeeld our bodies vnto such seruile halings and tearings as are vsed in other countries And this is one cause wherefore our condemned persons doo go so chéerefullie to their deths for our nation is frée stout hautie prodigall of life and bloud as six Thomas Smith saith lib. 2. cap. 25. de republica and therefore cannot in anie wise digest to be vsed as villanes and slaues in suffering continuallie beating seruitude and seruile torments No our gailers are guiltie of fellonie by an old law of the land if they torment anie prisoner committed to their custodie for the reuealing of his complices The greatest and most gréeuous punishment vsed in England for such as offend against the state is drawing from the prison to the place of execution vpon an hardle or sled where they are hanged till they be halfe dead and then taken downe and quartered aliue after that their members and bowels are cut from their bodies and throwne into a fire prouided neere hand and within their owne sight euen for the same purpose Sometimes if the trespasse be not the more hainous they are suffered to hang till they be quite dead And when soeuer anie of the nobilitie are conuicted of high treason by their peeres that is to saie equals for an inquest of yeomen passeth not vpon them but onelie of the lords of the parlement this maner of their death is conuerted into the losse of their heads onelie notwithstanding that the sentence doo run after the former order In triall of cases concerning treason fellonie or anie other greeuous crime not confessed the partie accused dooth yéeld if he be a noble man to be tried by an inquest as I haue said and his péeres if a gentleman by gentlemen and an inferiour by God and by the countrie to wit the yeomanrie for combat or battell is not greatlie in vse and being condemned of fellonie manslaughter c he is eftsoons hanged by the necke till he be dead and then cut downe and buried But if he be conuicted of wilfull murther doone either vpon pretended malice or in anie notable robberie he is either hanged aliue in chaines néere the place where the fact was committed or else vpon compassion taken first strangled with a rope and so continueth till his bones consume to nothing We haue vse neither of the whéele nor of the barre as in other countries but when wilfull manslaughter is perpetrated beside hanging the offendor hath his right hand commonlie striken off before or néere vnto the place where the act was doone after which he is led foorth to the place of execution and there put to death according to the law The word fellon is deriued of the Saxon words Fell and One that is to say an euill and wicked one a one of vntamable nature and lewdnesse not to be suffered for feare of euill example and the corruption of others In like sort in the word fellonie are manie gréeuous crimes conteined as breach of prison An. 1 of Edward the second Dissigurers of the princes liege people An. 5. of Henrie the fourth Hunting by night with painted faces and visors An. 1. of Henrie the seuenth Rape or stealing of women maidens An. 3. of Henrie the eight Conspiracie against the person of the prince An. 3. of Henrie the seuenth Embesilling of goods committed by the master to the seruant aboue the value of fourtie shillings An. 17. of Henrie the eight Carieng of horsses or mares into Scotland An. 23. of Henrie the eight Sodomie and buggerie An. 25. of Henrie the eight Stealing of hawkes egs An. 31. of Henrie the eight Coniuring sorcerie witchcraft and digging vp of crosses An. 33. of Hen. 8. Prophesieng vpon armes cognisances names badges An. 33. of Hen. 8. Casting of slanderous bils An. 37. Hen. 8. Wilfull killing by poison An. 1. of Edw. the sixt Departure of a soldier from the field An. 2. of Edward the sixt Diminution of coine all offenses within case of premunire embeselling of records goods taken from dead men by their seruants stealing of what soeuer cattell robbing by the high waie vpon the sea or of dwelling houses letting out of ponds cutting of pursses stealing of déere by night counterfeitors of coine euidences charters and writings diuerse other needlesse to be remembred If a woman poison hir husband she is burned aliue if the seruant kill his master he is to be executed for petie treason he that poisoneth a man is to be boiled to death in water or lead although the partie die not of the practise in cases of murther all the accessaries are to suffer paines of death accordinglie Periurie is punished by the pillorie burning in the forehead with the letter P the rewalting of the trées growing vpon the grounds of the offendors and losse of all his mooueables Manie trespasses also are punished by the cutting of one or both cares from the head of the offendor as the vtterance of seditious words against the magistrates fraimakers petie robbers c. Roges are burned through the eares cariers of sheepe out of the land by the losse of their hands such as kill by poison are either boiled or skalded to death in lead or séething water Heretikes are burned quicke harlots and their mates by carting ducking and dooing of open penance in shéets in churches and market stéeds are often put to rebuke Howbeit as this is counted with some either as no punishment at all to speake of or but smallie regarded of the offendors so I would wish adulterie and fornication to haue some sharper law For what great smart is it to be turned out of an hot shéet into a cold or after a little washing in the water to be let lose againe vnto their former trades Howbeit the dragging of some of them ouer the Thames betwéene Lambeth and Westminster at the taile of a boat is a punishment that most terrifieth them which are condemned therto but this is inflicted vpon them by none other than the knight marshall and that within the compasse of his iurisdiction limits onelie Canutus was the first
time that the Angles and Saxons got possession thereof Now was king Egbert setled in good quiet and his dominions reduced out of the troubles of warre when suddenlie newes came that the Danes with a nauie of 35 ships were arriued on the English coasts and began to make sore warre in the land K. Egbert being thereof aduertised with all conuenient spéed got togither an armie and went foorth to giue battell to the enimies Heerevpon incountring with them there was a sore foughten field betwixt them which continued with great slaughter on both sides till the night came on and then by chance of warre the Englishmen which before were at point to haue gone awaie with victorie were vanquished and put to flight yet king Egbert by couert of the night escaped his enimies hands but two of his chiefe capteins Dudda and Osmond with two bishops to wit Herferd of Winchester and Uigferd of Shireborne were slaine in that battell which was foughten at Carrum about the 834 of Christ and 34 yéere of king Egberts reigne In the yeere following the Danes with their nauie came into Westwales and there the Welshmen ioining with them rose against king Egbert but he with prosperous fortune vanquished and slue both the Danes and Welshmen and that in great number at a place called Hengistenton The next yéere after also which was 836 he ouerthrew another armie of Danes which came against him as one autor writeth Finallie when king Egbert had reigned the tearme of 36 yéeres and seuen moneths with great glorie for the inlarging of his kingdome with wide bounds which when he receiued was but of small compasse he departed this life leauing to his issue matter of woorthie praise to mainteine that with order which he with painefull diligence had ioined togither His bodie was buried at Winchester and he left behind him two sonnes Ethelwuffe otherwise named Athaulfe and Adelstan The first he appointed to succéed him in the kingdome of Westsaxons and Adelstan he ordeined to haue the gouernment of Kent Sussex and Essex ¶ Héere we sée the paterne of a fortunate prines in all his affaires as well forren as domesticall wherein is first to be obserued the order of his education in his tender yéeres which agréeing well with a princes nature could not but in the progresse of his age bring great matters to passe his manifold victories are an argument that as he lacked no policie so he had prowesse inough to incounter with his enimies to whome he gaue manie a fâ—wle discomfiture But among all other notes of his skill and hope of happie successe in his martiall affaires was the good choise that he made of seruiceable souldiers being such as knew how to get the victorie and hauing gotten it were not vntaught to vse it to their benefit by their warinesse and héed taking for Saepiùs incautae nocuit victoria turbâ—â— The kingdome of Kent annexed to the kingdome of the Westsaxons the end of the kingdome of Kent and Essex Kenelme king of Mercia murthered by the meanes of his owne sister Quendred the order of hir wicked practise his death prophesied or foreshewed by a signe the kings of Mercia put by their roialtie one after another the kingdome of Britaine beginneth to be a monarchie Ethelwulfe king of the Westsaxons he marrieth his butlers daughter his disposition the fourth destruction of this land by forren enimies the Danes sought the ruine of this I le how long they afflicted and troubled the same two notable bishops and verie seruiceable to king Ethelwulfe in warre the Danes discomfited the Englishmen chased Ethelwufs great victorie ouer the Danes a great slaughter of them at Tenet king Ethelwulfs deuotion and liberalitie to churches Peter pence paid to Rome he marieth the ladie Iudith his two sonnes conspire vpon occasion of breaking a law to depose him king Ethelwulfe dieth his foure sonnes by his first wife Osburga how he bequeathed his kingdoms The tenth Chapter WHen Cuthred K. of Kent had reigned 8 yeeres as before is mentioned he was constreined to giue place vnto one Baldred that tooke vpon him the gouernment reigned the space of 18 yéeres without anie great authoritie for his subiects regarded him but sorilie so that in the end when his countrie was inuaded by the Westsaxons he was easilie constreined to depart into exile And thus was the kingdome of Kent annexed to the kingdome of the Westsaxons after the same kingdome had continued in gouernment of kings created of the same nation for the space of 382 yéers that is to say from the yéere of our Lord 464 vnto the yéere 827. Suithred or Suthred king of Essex was vanquished and expelled out of his kingdome by Egbert king of Westsaxons as before ye maie read in the same yéere that the Kentishmen were subdued by the said Egbert or else verie shortlie after This kingdome continued 281 yeeres from the yéere 614 vnto the yeere 795 as by the table of the Heptarchie set foorth by Alexander Neuill appeereth After the deceasse of Kenwulfe king of Mercia his sonne Kenelme a child of the age of seuen yéeres was admitted king about the yeere of our Lord 821. He had two sisters Quendred and Burgenild of the which the one that is to say Quendred of a malicious mind mooued through ambition enuied hir brothers aduancement and sought to make him awaie so that in the end she corrupted the gouernour of his person one Ashbert with great rewards and high promises persuading him to dispatch hir innocent brother out of life that she might reigne in his place Ashbert one day vnder a colour to haue the yoong king foorth on hunting led him into a thicke wood and there cut off the head from his bodie an impe by reason of his tender yéeres and innocent age vnto the world void of gilt and yet thus traiterouslie murthered without cause or crime he was afterward reputed for a maryr There hath gone a tale that his death should be signified at Rome and the place where the murther was committed by a strange manner for as they say a white â—oue came and sighted vpon the altar of saint Peter bearing a scroll in hir bill which she let fall on the same altar in which scroll among other things this was conteined In clenc liou bath Kenelme kinbarsie â—eth vnder thorne heaued beâ—eaued that is at Clene in a 〈…〉 Keneline the kings child lieth beheaded vnder a thorne This tale I â—ehearse not for anie credit I thinke it woorthie of but onelie for that it séemeth to note the place where the yoong prince innocentlie lost his life After that Kenelme was thus made awaie his vncle Ceolwulfe the brother of king Kenulfe was created king of Mercia and in the second yéere of his reigne was expelled by Bernwulfe Bernwulfe in the third yéere of his reigne was vanquished and put to flight in battell by Egbert king of
in Cornwall Werstan to Shireborne Adelme to Welâ—es and Edulfe to Kirton Also to the prouince of Sussex he ordeined one Bernegus and to Dorchester for the prouince of Mercia one Cenulfus ¶ Héere ye must note that where William Malme Polychro and other doo affirme that pope Formosus did accursse king Edward and the English nation for suffering the bishops sées to be vacant it can not stand with the agréement of the time vnlesse that the cursse pronounced by Formosus for this matter long afore was not regarded vntill Edward had respect thereto For the same Formosus began to gouerne the Romane sée about the yéere of our Lord 892 and liued in the papasie not past six yeeres so that he was dead before king Edward came to the crowne But how so euer this matter maie fall out this ye haue to consider although that Pleimond was sent vnto Rome to aduertise the pope what the king had decréed doone in the ordeining of bishops to their seuerall sées as before ye haue heard yet as maister Fox hath noted the gouernance and direction of the church depended chieflie vpon the kings of this land in those daies as it manifestlie appeereth as well by the decrees of king Alfred as of this king Edward whose authoritie in the election of bishops as before ye haue heard séemed then alone to be sufficient Moreouer I thinke it good to aduertise you in this place that this Pleimond archbishop of Canturburie of whome ye haue heard before was the 19 in number from Augustine the first archbishop there for after Brightwold that was the 8 in number and first of the English nation that gouerned the sée succéeded Taduin that sat thrée yéeres Notelin fiue yéeres Cuthbert 18 yéeres Brethwin thrée yeeres Lambert 27 yéeres Adelard 13 yéeres Wilfred 28 yéeres Theologildus or Pleogildus â— yéeres Celuotus or Chelutus 10 yéeres Then succéeded Aldred of whome king Edward receiued the crowne and he was predecessor to Pleimond A litle before the death of king Edward Sithrike the king of Northumberland killed his brother Nigellus and then king Reinold conquered the citie of Yorke Adelstane succeedeth his father Edward in the kingdome Alfred practising by treason to keepe him from the gouernement sanke downe suddenlie as he was taking his oth for his purgation the cause why Alfred opposed himselfe against Adelstane whose praise is notable what he did to satisfie the expectation of his people ladie Beatrice king Edwards daughter maried to Sithrike a Danish gouernor of the Northumbers by whose meanes Edwin king Edwards brother was drowned practises of treason the ladie Beatrice strangelie put to death by hir stepsons for being of counsell to poison hir husband Sithrike hir death reuenged vpon the tormentors by hir father king Edward and how chronographers varie in the report of this historie The xix Chapter ADelstane the eldest sonne of king Edward began his reigne ouer the more part of all England the yéere of our Lord 924 which was in the 6 yere of the emperour Henrie the first in the 31 yéere of the reigne of Charles surnamed Simplex king of France thrée moneths after the burning of Pauie about the 22 or 23 yéere of Constantine the third king of Scotland This Adelstane was crowned and consecrated king at Kingstone vpon Thames of Aldelme the archbishop of Canturburie who succéeded Pleimond He was the 24 king in number from Cerdicus or Cerdike the first king of the Westsaxons There were in the beginning some that set themselues against him as one Alfred a noble man which practised by treason to haue kept him from the gouernement but he was apprehended yer he could bring his purpose to passe and sent to Rome there to trie himselfe giltie or not giltie And as he tooke his oth for his purgation before the altar of saint Peter he suddenlie fell downe to the earth so that his seruants tooke him vp and bare him into the English schoole or hospitall where the third night after he died Pope Iohn the tenth sent vnto king Adelstane to know if he would that his bodie should be laid in christian buriall or not The king at the contemplation of Afreds friends and kinsfolks signified to the pope that he was contented that his bodie should be interred amongst other christians His lands being forfeited were giuen by the king vnto God and saint Peter The cause that mooued Alfred and other his complices against the king was as some haue alledged his bastardie But whether that allegation were true or but a slander this is certeine that except that steine of his honor there was nothing in this Adelstane worthie of blame so that he darkened all the glorious same of his predecessors both in vertuous conditions and victorious triumphs Such difference is there to haue that in thy selfe wherein to excell rather than to stand vpon the woorthinesse of thine ancestors sith that can not rightlie be called a mans owne After that king Adelstane was established in the estate he indeuored himselfe to answer the expectation of his people which hoped for great wealth to insue by his noble and prudent gouernance First therfore meaning to prouide for the suertie of his countrie he concluded a peace with Sithrike king of the Northumbers vnto whome as ye haue heard he gaue one of his sisters named Editha in mariage Sithrike liued not past one yéere after he had so maried hir And then Adelstane brought the prouince of the Northumbers vnto his subiection expelling one Aldulph out of the same that rebelled against him There be that write that Godfrie and Aulafe the sonnes of Sithrike succéeding their father in the gouernement of Northumberland by practising to mooue warre against king Adelstane occasioned him to inuade their countrie and to chase them out of the same so that Aulafe fled into Ireland Godfrie into Scotland but other write that Godfrie was the father of Reignold which wan Yorke after that Sithrike had slaine his brother Nigellus as before is mentioned ¶ The Scotish chronicles varie in report of these matters from the English writers whose chronicles affirme that in the life time of king Edward his daughter Beatrice was giuen in mariage to Sithrike the gouernor of the Danes in Northumberland with condition that if anie male were procreated in that mariage the same should inherit the dominions of king Edward after his decease King Edward had a brother as they say named Edwin a iolie gentleman and of great estimation amongst the Englishmen He by Sithrikes procurement was sent into Flanders in a ship that leaked and so was drowned to the great reioising of all the Danes least if he had suruiued his brother he would haue made some businesse for the crowne About the same time Adelstane a base sonne of K. Edward fled the realme for doubt to be made away by some like traitorous practise of the Danes Shortlie after king
which no small praise was thought to be due vnto the said quéene sith by hir politike gouernement in making hir match so beneficiall to hir selfe and hir line the crowne was thus recouered out of the hands of the Danes and restored againe in time to the right heire as by an auncient treatise which some haue intituled Encomium Emmae and was written in those daies it dooth and may appeare Which booke although there be but few copies thereof abroad giueth vndoubtedlie great light to the historie of that time But now to our purpose Cnute the same yeare in which he was thus maried through persuasion of his wife quéene Emma sent awaie the Danish nauie and armie home into Denmarke giuing to them fourescore and two thousand pounds of siluer which was leuied throughout this land for their wages In the yeare 1018 Edrike de Streona earle of Mercia was ouerthrowen in his owne turne for being called before the king into his priuie chamber and there in reasoning the matter about some quarrell that was picked to him he began verie presumptuouslie to vpbraid the king of such pleasures as he had before time doone vnto him I did said he for the loue which I bare towards you forsake my souereigne lord king Edmund and at length for your sake slue him At which words Cnute began to change countenance as one maruellouslie abashed and straightwaies gaue sentence against Edrike in this wise Thou art woorthie saith he of death and die thou shalt which art guiltie of treason both towards God and me sith that thou hast slaine thine owne souereigne lord and my déere alied brother Thy bloud therefore be vpon thine owne head sith thy toong hath vttered thy treason And immediatlie he caused his throat to be cut and his bodie to be throwne out at the chamber window into the riuer of Thames ¶ But others say that hands were laid vpon him in the verie same chamber or closet where he murdered the king straightwaies to preuent all causes of tumults hurlieburlies he was put to death with terrible torments of fierbrands links which execution hauing passed vpon him a second succeeded for both his féet were bound together and his bodie drawne through the streets of the citie in fine cast into a common ditch called Houndsditch for that the citizens threw their dead dogs and stinking carrion wish other filth into it accounting him worthie of worse rather than of a better buriall In such haired was treason had being a vice which the verie infidels and grosse pagans abhorred else would they not haue said 〈…〉 Treason I loue but a traitor I hate This was the end of Edrike surnamed de Stratten or Streona a man of great infamie for his craftie dissimulation falshood and treason vsed by him to the ouerthrow of the English estate as partlie before is touched But there be that concerning the cause of this Edriks death séeme partlie to disagrée from that which before is recited declaring that Cnute standing in some doubt to be betraied through the treason of Edrike sought occasion how to rid him and others whome he mustrusted out of the way And therefore on a day when Edrike craued some preferment at Cnuts hands said that he had deserued to be well thought of sith by his fight from the battell at Ashendon the victorie therby inclined to Cnutes part Cnute hearing him speake these words made this answere And canst thou quoth he be true to me that through fraudulent meanes did fiddest deceiue thy souereigne lord and maister But I will reward thée according to thy deserts so as from henceforth thou shalt not deceiue anie other and so forthwith commanded Erike one of his chiefe capteines to dispatch him who incontinentlie cut off his head with his are or halbert Uerelie Simon Dunelmenfis saith that K. Cnute vnderstanding in what sort both king Egelred and his sonne king Edmund Ironside had béene betraied by the saith Edrike stood in great doubt to be likewise deceiued by him and therefore was glad to haue some pretended quarell to dispatch both him and others whome he likewise mistrusted as it well appeared For at the same time there were put to death with Edrike earle Norman the sonne of earle Leofwin and brother to earle Leofrike also Adelward the sonne of earle Agelmare and Brightrike the sonne of Alfegus gouernor of Deuonshire without all guilt or cause as some write And in place of Norman his brother Leofrike was made earle of Mercia by the king and had in great fauour This Leofrike is commonlie also by writers named earle of Chester After this Cnute likewise banished Iric and Turkill two Danes the one as before is recited gouernor of Northumberland and the other of Northfolke and Suffolke or Eastangle Then rested the whole rule of the realme in the kings hands wherevpon he studied to preserue the people in peace and ordeined lawes according to the which both Danes and Englishmen should be gouerned in equall state and degrée Diuers great lords whome he found vnfaithfull or rather suspected he put to death as before ye haue heard beside such as he banished out of the realme He raised a tar or tribute of the people amounting to the summer of fourescore two thousand pounds besides 11000 pounds which the Londoners paid towards the maintenance of the Danish armie But whereas these things chaunced not all at one time but in sundrie Seasons we will returne somewhat backe to declare what other exploits were atchiued in the meane time by Cnute not onelie in England but also in Denmarke and elsewhere admonishing the reader in the processe of the discourse following that much excellent matter is comprehended whereout if the same be studiouslie read and diligentlie confidered no small profit is to be reaped both for the augmentation of his owne knowledge and others that be studious Cnute saileth into Denmarke to subdue the Vandals earle Goodwins good seruice with the English against the said Vandals and what benefit accrewed vnto the Englishmen by the said good seruice he returneth into England after the discomfiture of the enimie he saileth ouer againe into Denmarke and incountreth with the Sweideners the occasion of this warre or incounter taken by Olaâ—us his hard hap vnluckie fortune and wofull death wrought by the hands of his owne vnnaturall subiects Cnuts confidence in the Englishmen his deuour voiage to Rome his returne into England his subduing of the Scots his death and interrement The twelfth Chapter IN the third yeare of his reigne Cnute sailed with an armie of Englishmen and Danes into Denmarke to subdue the Uandals there which then sore anncied and warred against his subiects of Denmarke Earle Goodwine which had the souereigne conduct of the Englishmen the night before the day appointed for the battell got him forth of the campe with his people and suddenlie assailing the Uandals in their lodgings easilie distressed
Englishmen that after the conquest when the Normans oftentimes went about to abrogate the same there chanced no small mutinies and rebellions for reteining of those lawes But heere is to be noted that although they were called saint Edwards lawes they were for the more part made by king Edgar but now by king Edward restored after they had bin abrogated for a time by the Danes About this time earle Goodwine died suddenlie as some haue recorded as he sat at table with the king and vpon talke ministred of the death of Alfred the kings brother to excuse himselfe he tooke a peece of bread and did eate it saieng God let me neuer swallow this bread downe into my chest but that I may presentlie be choked therewith if euer I was weetting or consenting vnto Alfreds death and immediatlie therewith he fell downe starke dead Other say that he ended his life at Winchester where being suddenlie surprised with sicknesse as he sat at the table with the king vpon an Easter monday yet he liued till the Thursday following and then died His earledome was giuen vnto his sonne Harold and Harolds earledome which was Oxford was giuen vnto Algar the sonne of Leofrike This Goodwine as he was a man of great power wise hardie and politike so was he ambitious desirous to beare rule and loth that anie other person should passe him in authoritie But yet whether all be true that writers report of his malicious practises to bring himselfe and his sonnes to the chiefe seat of gouernement in the kingdome or that of hatred such slanders were raised of him it may of some perhaps be doubted because that in the daies of king Edward which was a soft and gentle prince he bare great rule and authoritie and so might procure to himselfe euill report for euerie thing that chanced amisse as oftentimes it commeth to passe in such cases where those that haue great dooings in the gouernement of the common wealth are commonlie euill spoken of and that now and then without their guilt But truth it is that Goodwine being in authoritie both in the daies of king Edward and his predecessors did manie things as should appeare by writers more by will than by law and so likewise did his sonnes vpon presumption of the great puissance that they and their father were of within the realme He had to wife Editha the sister of king Cnute of whome he begat thrée sonnes as some write that is to say Harold Biorne Tostie also his daughter Editha whome he found meanes to bestow in mariage vpon K. Edward as before ye haue heard But other write that he had but one son by Cnutes sister the which in riding of a rough horsse was throwen into the riuer of Thames and so drowned His mother also was stricken with a thunderbolt so perished worthilie as is reported for hir naughtie dooings She vsed to buy great numbers of yoong persons and namelie maids that were of anie excellent beautie and personage whome she sent ouer into Denmarke and there sold them to hir most advantage After hir deceasse as the same authors record Goodwine maried another woman by whome he had issue six sonnes Swanus or Swaine Harrold Tostie or Tosto Wilnot Girth and Leofrike of whom further mention is shall be made as places conuenient shall serue thereto Edward earle of Northumberland discomfiteth Mackbeth the vsurper of the Scotish kingdome and placeth Malcolme in the same a controuersie whether Siward were at this discomfiture or no his stout words when he heard that one of his sonnes was slaine in the field bishop Aldred is sent to fetch home Edward the sonne of K. Edmund Ironside into England earle Algar being banished ioineth with the Welshmen against the English and Normans and getteh the victorie Harold the son of earle Goodwine putteth earle Algar his retinue to their shifts by pursute pacification betweene the generals of both armies their hosts Siward earle of Northumberland dieth his giantlike stature his couragious heart at the time of his deceasse why Tostie one of Goodwins sonnes succeeded him in the earledome The fift Chapter ABout the thirteenth yeare of king Edward his reigne as some write or rather about the nineteéenth or twentith yeare as should appeare by the Scotish writers Siward the noble earle of Northumberland with a great power of horssemen went into Scotland and in battell put to flight Mackbeth that had vsurped the crowne of Scotland and that doone placed Malcolme surnamed Camoir the sonne of Duncane sometime king of Scotland in the gouernement of that realme who afterward slue the said Mackbeth and then reigned in quiet Some of our English writers say that this Malcolme was king of Cumberland but other report him to be sonne to the king of Cumberland But héere is to be noted that if Mackbeth reigned till the yeare 1061 and was then slaine by Malcolme earle Siward was not at that battell for as our writers doo testifie he died in the yeare 1055 which was in the yeare next after as the same writers affirme that he vanquished Mackbeth in fight and slue manie thousands of Scots and all those Normans which as ye haue heard were withdrawen into Scotland when they were driuen out of England It is recorded also that in the foresaid battell in which earle Siward vanquished the Scots one of Siwards sonnes chanced to be slaine whereof although the father had good cause to be sorowfull yet when he heard that he died of a wound which he had receiued in fighting stoutlie in the forepart of his bodie and that with his face towards the enimie he greatlie reioised thereat to heare that he died so manfullie But here is to be noted that not now but a little before as Henrie Hunt saith that earle Siward went into Scotland himselfe in person he sent his sonne with an armie to conquere the land whose hap was there to be slaine and when his father heard the newes he demanded whether he receiued the wound whereof he died in the forepart of of the bodie or in the hinder part and when it was told him that he receiued it in the forepart I reioise saith he euen with all my heart for I would not wish either to my sonne nor to my selfe any other kind of death Shortlie after Aldred the bishop of Worcester was sent vnto the emperour Henrie the third to fetch Edward the sonne of Edmund Iron side into England whome king Edward was desirâ—us to sée meaning to ordeine him heire apparant to the crowne but he died the same yeare after he came into England This Edward was surnamed the outlaw his bodie was buried at Winchester or as an other saith in the church of S. Pauls in London ¶ About the same time K. Edward by euill counsell I wot not vpon what occasion but as it is thought without cause banished Algar the sonne of earle Leofrike wherevpon he got him into
that time he lay vpon pledges receiued of the king for his safe returne Elphegus bishop of Winchester and duke Ethelwold were appointed by king Egelred to bring Aulafe vnto him in most honorable maner The same time was Aulafe baptised king Egelred receiuing him at the fontstone and so he promised neuer after to make anie war within this land And receiuing great gifts of the king he returned into his countrie and kept his promise faithfullie but the euils tooke not so an end for other of the Danes sprang vp as they had béene the heads of the serpent Hydra some of them euer being readie to trouble the quiet state of the English nation About this season that is to say in the yéere of our Lord 995 bishop Aldaine which was fled from Chester in the stréet otherwise called Cunecester with the bodie of saint Cuthbert for feare of the inuasion of Danes vnto Rippon brought the same bodie now vnto Durham and there began the foundation of a church so that the sée of that bishoprike was from thencefoorth there established and the woods were there cut downe which before that time couered and ouergrew that place wherevpon it began first to be inhabited Earle Uthred who gouerned that countrie greatlie furthered the bishop in this worke so that all the people inhabiting betweene the riuers of Coquid and Theis came togither to rid the woods and to helpe forwards the building of the church and towne there The Danes inuading the west parts of this land make great hauocke by fire and sword they arriue at Rochester and conquer the Kentishmen in field king Egelred ouercommeth the Danes that inhabited Cumberland and wasteth the countrie the Summersetshire men are foiled the miserable state of the realme in those daies the English bloud mixed with the Danes and Britaines and what inconueniences grew thervpon the disordered gouernement of king Egelred sicknesses vexing the people treason in the nobles the tribute paid to the Danes vnmercifullie inhansed the realme brought to beggerie king Egelred by politike persuasion and counsell marrieth Emma the duke of Normandies daughter vpon what occasion the Normans pretended a title to the crowne of England they conquer the whole land what order king Egelred tooke to kill all the Danes within his kingdome and what rule they bare in this realme yer they were murdered the thraldome of the English people vnder them whereof the word Lordane sprang The third Chapter IN the ninteenth yere of king Egelreds reigne the Danes sailed about Cornewall and comming into the Seuerne sea they robbed tooke preies in the coasts of Deuonshire Southwales and landing at Wicheport they burned vp the countrie and came about vnto Penwithstréet on the south coast and so arriuing in the mouth of Tamer water came vnto Lidford and there wasted all afore them with force of fire They burned amongst other places the monasterie of saint Ordulfe at Essingstocke After this they came into Dorcetshire and passed through the countrie with flame and fire not finding anie that offered to resist them The same yéere also they soiourned in the I le of Wight and liued vpon spoiles preies which they tooke in Hampshire and Sussex At length they came into the Thames and so by the riuer of Medwey arriued at Rochester The Kentishmen assembled togither and fought with the Danes but they were ouercome and so left the field to the Danes After this the same Danes sailed into Normandie and king Egelred went into Cumberland where the Danes inhabited in great numbers whome he ouercame with sore warre and wasted almost all Cumberland taking great spoiles in the same About the same time or shortlie after the Danes with their nauie returning out of Normandie came vnto Exmouth and there assaulted the castell but they were repelled by them that kept it After this they spread abroad ouer all the countrie exercising their accustomed trade of destroieng all before them with fire and sword The men of Summersetshire fought with them at Pentho but the Danes got the vpper hand Thus the state of the realme in those daies was verie miserable for there wanted worthie chiestains to rule the people and to chastise them when they did amisse There was no trust in the noble men for euerie one impugned others dooing and yet would not deuise which way to deale with better likelihood When they assembled in councell and should haue occupied their heads in deuising remedies for the mischiefe of the common wealth they turned their purpose vnto the altercation about such strifes contentions and quarels as each one had against other and suffered the generall case to lie still in the dust And if at anie time there was anie good conclusion agreed vpon for the withstanding of the enimie reléefe of the common wealth anon should the enimie be aduertised thereof by such as were of aliance or consanguinitie to them For as Caxton Polychr and others say the English bloud was so mixed with that of the Danes and Britains who were like enimies to the Englishmen that there was almost few of the nobilitie and commons which had not on the one side a parent of some of them Whereby it came to passe that neither the secret purposes of the king could be concealed till they might take due effect neither their assemblies proue quiet without quarelling and taking of parts Manie also being sent foorth with their powers one way whilest the king went to make resistance another did reuolt to his enimies and turned their swords against him as you haue heard of Elfrike and his complices and shall read of manie others so that it was no maruell that Egelred sped no better and yet was he as valiant as anie of his predecessors although the moonks fauour him not in their writings because he demanded aid of them toward his warres and was nothing fauorable to their lewd hypocrisie But what is a king if his subiects be not loiall What is a realme if the common wealth be diuided By peace concord of small beginnings great and famous kingdomes haue oft times procéeded whereas by discord the greatest kingdoms haue oftner bene brought to ruine And so it proued here for whilest priuat quarels are pursued the generall affaires are vtterlie neglected and whilest ech nation séeketh to preferre hir owne aliance the Iland it selfe is like to become a desert But to proceed with our monasticall writers certes they lay all the fault in the king saieng that he was a man giuen to no good exercise he delighted in fleshlie lustes and riotous bankettings and still sought waies how to gather of his subiects what might be got as wll by vnlawfull meanes as otherwise For he would for feined or for verie small light causes disherit his natiue subiects and cause them to redéeme their owne possessions for great summes of monie Besides these oppressions diuers
kinds of sicknesses vexed the people also as the bloodie flix and hot burning agues which then raged through the land so that manie died thereof By such manner of meanes therefore what through the misgouernance of the king the treason and disloialtie of the nobilitie the lacke of good order and due correction amongst the people and by such other scourges and mishaps as afflicted the English nation in that season the land was brought into great ruine so that where by strength the enimie could not be kept off there was now no helpe but to appease them with monie By reason hereof from time of the first agréement with the Danes for 10 thousand pounds tribute it was inhanced to 16000 pounds as you haue heard after that at 20000 pounds then to 24000 pounds so to 30000 pounds lastlie to 40000 pounds till at length the relme was emptied in maner of all that monie and coine that could be found in it In this meane time died Elgina or Ethelgina the quéene Shortlie after it was deuised that the king should be a suter vnto Richard duke of Normandie for his sister Emma a ladie of such excellent beautie that she was named the floure of Normandie This sute was begun and tooke such good successe that the king obteined his purpose And so in the yeare of our Lord 1002 which was about the 24 yeare of king Egelreds reigne he maried the said Emma with great solemnitie This mariage was thought to be right necessarie honorable and profitable for the realme of England because of the great puissance of the Norman princes in those daies but as things afterward came to passe it turned to the subuersion of the whole English state for by such affinitie and dealing as hapned hereby betwixt the Normans and Englishmen occasion in the end was ministred to the same Normans to pretend a title to the crowne of England in prosecuting of which title they obteined and made the whole conquest of the land as after shall appeare Egelred being greatlie aduanced as he thought by reason of his mariage deuised vpon presumption thereof to cause all the Danes within the land to be murthered in one day Herevpon he sent priuie commissioners to all cities burrowes and townes within his dominions commanding the rulers and officers in the same to kill all such Danes as remained within their liberties at a certeine day prefixed being saint Brices day in the yeare 1012 and in the 34 yeare of king Egelreds reigne Herevpon as sundrie writers agree in one day houre this murther began and was according to the commission and iniunction executed But where it first began the same is vncerteine some say at Wellowin in Herefordshire some at a place in Staffordshire called Hownhill others in other places but whersoeuer it began the dooers repented it after But now yer we procéed anie further we will shew what rule the Danes kept here in this realme before they were thus murthered as in some bookes we find recorded Whereas it is shewed that the Danes compelled the husbandmen to til the ground doo all maner of labour and toile to be doone about husbandrie the Danes liued vpon the fruit and gaines that came thereof and kept the husbandmens wiues their daughters maids and seruants vsing and abusing them at their pleasures And when the husbandmen came home then could they scarse haue such sustenance of meats and drinkes as fell for seruants to haue so that the Danes had all at their commandements eating and drinking of the best where the sillie man that was the owner could hardlie come to his fill of the worst Besids this the common people were so oppressed by the Danes that for feare and dread they called them in euerie such house where anie of them soiourned Lord Dane And if an Englishman and a Dane chanced to méet at anie bridge or streight passage the Englishman must staie till the Lord Dane were passed But in processe of time after the Danes were voided the land this word Lord Dane was in derision and despight of the Danes turned by Englishmen into a name of reproch as Lordane which till these our daies is not forgotten For when the people in manie parts of this realme will note and signifie anie great idle lubber that will not labour nor take paine for his liuing they will call him Lordane Thus did the Danes vse the Englishmen in most vile manner and kept them in such seruile thraldome as cannot be sufficientlie vttered A fresh power of Danes inuade England to reuenge the slaughter of their countrimen that inhabited this Ile the west parts betraied into their hands by the conspiracie of a Norman that was in gouernement earle Edrike feined himselfe sicke when king Egelred sent vnto him to leuie a power against the Danes and betraieth his people to the enimies Sweine king of Denmarke arriueth on the coast of Northfolke and maketh pitifull spoile by fire and sword the truce taken betweene him and Vikillus is violated and what reuengement followeth king Sweine forced by famine returneth into his owne countrie he arriueth againe at Sandwich why king Egelred was vnable to preuaile against him the Danes ouerrun all places where they come and make cruell waste king Egelred paieth him great summes of monie for peace the mischiefes that light vpon a land by placing a traitorous stranger in gouernement how manie acres a hide of land conteineth Egelreds order taken for ships and armour why his great fleet did him little pleasure a fresh host of Danes vnder three capteines arriue at Sandwich the citizens of Canturburie for monie purchase safetie the faithlesse dealing of Edrike against king Egelred for the enimies aduantage what places the Danes ouerran and wasted The fourth Chapter VPon knowledge giuen into Denmarke of the cruell murder of the Danes here in England truth it is that the people of the countrie were greatlie kindled in malice and set in such a furious rage against the Englishmen that with all spéed they made foorth a nauie full fraught with men of warre the which in the yeare following came swarming about the coasts of England and landing in the west countrie tooke the citie of Excester and gat there a rich spoile One Hugh a Norman borne whome queene Emma had placed in those parties as gouernour or shirife there conspired with the Danes so that all the countrie was ouerrun and wasted The king hearing that the Danes were thus landed and spoiled the west parts of the realme he sent vnto Edricus to assemble a power to withstand the enimies Herevpon the people of Hampshire and Wiltshire rose and got togither but when the armies should ioine earle Edricus surnamed de Streona feigned himselfe sicke and so betraied his people of whome he had the conduct for they perceiuing the want in their leader were discouraged and so fled