it as high a piece of Courtship to conform to the present way of worship their old Idolatry and now again revived Superstition In vain did Lawrence Successor to Augustine in the See of Canterbury endeavour by diligent preaching to stop the tide of this Apostasie for preferment at Court and the Countenance of the Prince drew more Proselites to Heathenisin than the good lives and examples of constant Professours could keep true and sincere in the maintenance of the Gospel But he was not long unpunished for whether workt by the strength of Education which suffereth not without violence principles well grounded to be rooted up or whether indeed as is related possessed with an evil Spirit he fell into soul fits of phrenzy and distraction the convulsions of the mind and often torments of an evil Conscience And now whilst in human appearance there seemed no hopes of amendment it so fell out that by extraordinary means he became penitent The story goes that Lawrence finding his labours ineffectual was resolved to retire into France and follow Justus and Melitus the one expelled London the other Rochester for the Apostasie was now spread wide into the Country of the East-Saxons also being at his devotions the night before his intended departure in the Church of St. Peter that Saint appeared to him and to make the Vision more sensible gave him many stripes for offering to desert his Charge the marks of which the next morning being shewn to the King with the cause why and the person from whom they were received so wrought upon his fancy already prepared that immediately forsaking his Incestuous life he embraced again the Christian Religion and became as zealous a Professour as he had been a violent Persecutor Though it should seem by the following Epistle of Pope Boniface that Justus not Laurentius was his Converter The Epistle of Boniface V. To Justus late Bishop of Rochester now Successor of Melitus in the Archbishoprick of Canterbury To our most Beloved Brother Justus Boniface sendeth Greeting WIth what devotion and watchfulness your Brotherhood hath laboured for the Gospel of Christ not only the tenour of your Letter directed to us hath manifested but the granted accomplishment of your undertaking For neither hath Almighty God forsaken the Obligation of his Name or the fruit of your Labour in what he faithfully promised to the preachers of the Gospel Behold I am with you even to the end of the World Which his clemency hath particularly shewn in your ministery opening the hearts of the Gentiles to receive the singular mystery of your preaching for with a great reward and the assistance of his goodness he hath illustrated the delightful course of your proceedings whilst of the Talents committed unto you by a faithful improvement rendring him a plentiful increase he hath prepared for you to lay up by multiplying the kind And this also is conferred on you by that retribution who constantly persisting in the ministry laid upon you with a commendable patience wait for the redemption of that Nation and that they might be profitable to yours their salvation is begun The Lord saying Whosoever shall endure to the end the same shall be saved Ye are saved therefore by a patient hope and the strength of forbearance that the hearts of unbelievers being purged from the natural disease of Superstition might obain the mercy of their Saviour For having received an express from King Eadbald our Son we find with how great knowledge in holy teaching your Brotherhood hath brought his mind to a true conversion and the belief of our undoubted faith Upon which occasion having a certain assurance of the continuance of the divine Clemency we believe that by the ministry of their preaching will follow not only the full conversion of those under his command but of the neighbouring Nations also Since as it is written The recompence of your works accomplished shall be given by the Lord the Rewarder of all good things And it may truly be effected that the sound of them hath gone throughout the whole earth and their words to the ends of the earth by an universal confession of Nations professing the Christian Faith Polydore Virgil relates that hereupon he was Baptized but it seemeth strange that Ethelbert so Religious a Prince had neglected that pious office to his Son and as for re-baptizing in case of Heresie or Apostasie it had been long before condemned in the Church After his conversion he re-called Melitus and Justus from banishment and built a Chappel within the Monastery of Peter and Paul at Canterbury He reigned twenty four years and by Emma daughter of Theodebert a French Prince had two Sons Ermenred and Ercombert Ermenred died before his Father and left a Daughter Dompnena and two infant Sons behind him Ethelred and Ethelbert but the Kingdom required a man to govern it Ercombert the younger Son succeeded his Father ERCOMBERT ERCOMBERT notwithstanding his elder Brother's Sons were living took possession of the Kingdom What he wanted in Right he made out in good Government being reported a most Religious and Christian King The Saxon Idols yet standing he utterly demolisht and commanded the Fast of Lent to be universally observed but he is noted by some for not restoring at his death the Kingdom to his Nephew whose undoubted Right it was But leaving two Sons behind Egbert and Lothair whom he had by Sexburg the daughter of Anna King of the East-Saxons it fell to them successively He reigned twenty four years EGBERT EGBERT the eldest Son of Ercombert after his Father's death obtained the Crown but conscious that the right of Inheritance lay in his Uncle's Sons Ethelred and Ethelbert to secure himself he dispatcht them both casting their bodies into a River that their murther might not be known but they were afterwards by the stream cast up upon the shore and discovered by the next Inhabitants who in great veneration for before they were esteemed Saints and now Martyrs interred their bodies and built over them a little Chappel or Oratory Their bones were afterwards removed and laid in the Abby of Ramsey in Hantshire Their Sister Dompnena married to Merwald a Mercian Prince founded the Abby of Minster in Kent wherein saith Stow she became the first Abbess Mr. Cambden placeth that Abby in Sheppy and saith it was founded by Sexburga Wife of Ercombert To make amends for this Murther he gave to the Mother of these Princes part of Tanet wherein to build and Abby His ill-gotten Power was but short reigning only nine years he left behind him two Sons Edric and Wigtred but his Brother Lothair seized the Kingdom In his days the Province of Kent was divided into Parishes by Theodorus not Honorius Arch-bishop of that See as Mr. Speed falsly accounteth who placeth also this Action in the days of Ercombert LOTHAIR LOTHAIR taking the advantage of the Minority of his Nephews stept into the Throne but he enjoyed it not in Peace
the long wished for Island he Lands his Trojans and marches up into the Country to take possession Joyful was he to see the pleasant prospect of so large a Dominion and blest the Gods that they gave him so glorious a Reward for all his labours But all things were not so well as he imagined for from the Clyffs and craggy Rocks he began to perceive mighty Giants arising This sight he communicated to Corinaeus who at first was much surprized at the Object but at last they both pluckt up their wonted Spirits and with a few Trojans valiantly assailed these Monsters In a few Conflicts they found not their Weapons to want success so that they soon convinced these Goliahs that no strength or vastness of Limbs was able to resist a Trojan Puissance Corinaeus after several general Engagements had a longing desire to enter into a nearer trial of skill with some one of them Gogmagog undertakes him and a day of wrestling was appointed and attended with great expectation The Giant at his first grapling by a close-Hug breaks a Rib of Corinaeus but sorely paid for it by the fall Corinaeus gave him from the Clyff of Dover to his utter destruction which from hence is said afterwards to be called Cwymp y Cawr or the fall of the Giant This was a good Omen of the Trojans further success and Corinaeus for this piece of service was rewarded with the Principality of Cornwal Brute by degrees destroyed the whole Race of these Giants and quietly possessing the Island the first work he undertook was the building of a City which he called Troy-novant now London In this City he kept his Royal Court ordaining and enacting that from henceforth the whole Island should be called after his Name BRITAIN and so the Inhabitants Britains Being at the point of Death in the fifteenth year of his Reign and the four and twentieth of his Arrival he divided his Kingdom to his three Sons To Locrinus he bequeathed that part now called ENGLAND To Camber WALES To Albanact SCOTLAND and so called it after his name Albania Brute in that sickness is supposed to have died and was buried in his new City TROY Novant but the particular place where was never yet discovered by any and I much question whether it ever will SOME OBSERVATIONS UPON THIS History of Brute IT is not material whether this story of BRUTE be to be referred to Jeoffery of Monmouth Henry of Huntington or Segibertus Gemblasensis a French-man who lived an hundred years before Jeoffery and treats of Brute and his Trojans Arrival into Gaul and his passage into Britain For if Segibertus or any other Person had the name of Brute before Jeoffery and some particular Actions of such a Prince yet the composing of his Genealogy the methodizing the Circumstances of his Life the Timing of his Entrance the Succession of his Line depends all upon the Credit of Jeoffery and the truth of his Translation and so was esteemed in the daies in which he lived and put forth his History For how long a Trojan Original might be in these parts or how long Britannia might be derived from Brutus is not the thing in question but this was the custome of Ancient times to derive Nations from some particular Persons even amongst the Greeks and Romans and was an old Vanity of the World to refer their beginning to some Divine HERO To make this pretended Brute to be a Trojan and to fasten him upon a Genealogy contrary to the truth of those Histories from which that Genealogy is fetcht and upon whose Credit it depends is the thing for which Brutes History is chiefly condemned Segibertus Gemblasensis might have the same design in deriving his Britain in France from Brutus as the Britains might derive their Britannia I do not deny but Jeoffery of Monmouth might have several hints of Brutus nay a British History of him but it will not justifie the Fiction neither can the multitude of Authors in or about that time take away from the Credit of Ancienter Historiographers as Caesar Tacitus Gildas Ninius and as many as wrote twelve hundred years since who make no mention of any such Person more than that do profess by all their Enquiry they could learn nothing of the Britains concerning their Original so that whatever Original is pretended nevertheless the story of the Trojan Brute and all the Legend of his life seems to be brought into the World not long before those times as appears by Mr. Cambden and Speed nay Mr. Sheringham of late in his Vindication of this story in one place ingeniously confesses That these Tales might be invented and so intruded upon the Vulgar But where ever the story of Brute is to be told the Character of it and the Compiler ought never to be omitted It is the saying of William of Newborough who lived in the Age of Geoffery ap Arthur of Monmouth and writes thus of him In these our daies saith he a certain Writer is risen who deviseth foolish Fictions of the Britains he hath to Name Geoffery and a little after With how little shame and with what great confidence doth he frame his Lies About the same time was Francio invented for the Francks Scota Pharaolis Daughter for the Scots Hiberus for the Irish Danus for the Danes Brabo for the Brabanders Gothus for the Goths Saxo for the Saxons and is Brutus for the Britains any thing truer who can think it Scriverius in his Preface to the Antiquitics of Ancient Batavia falls severely upon Jeoffery of Monmouth and gives his History the name of Groote grove lange dicke taste lijck ende unbeschaemte logen that is A most impudent Lie a great one a heavy one a long thick one which like the AEgyptian Darkness was so palpable it might be felt Never had a Lie so many dimensions given it before nor so much substance ascribed to it Well fare Brute and his Trojans above all stories this carries the Honour of the day That which gave some Authority to this Fiction was the use King Edward the first made of it in vindicating his Title to Scotland against the pretence of Pope Boniface and the Church of Rome who laid claim to that Kingdom by Ancient Right as part of St. Peters Patrimony and that Churches Demesne This Action of the King stampt some Character upon this late Invention and the Judgment of so wise a Prince in favour of Brute in a matter of so high a Concern brought this new Embrio into some credit in the World It will not be amiss therefore to examine the whole Circumstances of this debate between the King Pope and Barons of this Realm King Edward having made a considerable progress towards the Conquest of Scotland and being there in Person receives a Prohibition from the Pope who was backt on by the French King to proceed any further in that business until he had proved his Title at Rome to which place the Pope by his Bull drew the hearing of the Cause the King received this Message from the Archbishop of Canterbury who through many hazards brought the Bull to him into Scotland and thereby finding that the Pope had
of St. Peter in Gaul and that out of it he should buy English Boys and clothes for the Poor GOing forward with the help of our Lord Jesus Christ to the government of the Patrimony which is in Gaul we would that your charity out of the mony it shall receive provide clothes for the Poor and English Boys that are about seventeen or eighteen years old who being put into Monasteries may do God good service in regard the mony of Gaul which in our Land cannot justly be expended may be laid out to advantage in its proper place But if you shall receive any thing out of the Revenues which are said to be taken away we will also that out of those clothes be provided for the Poor or as we said before Boys who may be instrumental in the service of Almighty God But because they are all Pagans that are found thereabouts I will that a Priest be sent over with them lest any sickness happen to them on the way that they may be Baptized when he finds them ready to die So let your Charity act and make hast to fulfil these things Gregory the Great To Palladius Bishop of Xanton To Pelagius of Tours and To Serenus of Marseilles Fellow Bishops of Gaul To whom he commends Augustine whom he had sent into England ALthough Priests having charity pleasing to God need not the commendations of any other Religious person yet because time has fitly presented it self we have taken care to send our Letters to your Fraternity signifying that we have sent thither Augustine the Servant of God and Bearer of these presents with other Servants of God for the benefit of Souls whom 't is very necessary your Holiness should readily assist with a Sacerdotal care and speedily afford him what comforts you can and that you may the willinglier favour him we have enjoyned him particularly to declare the cause of his Journey hoping that that being known you would for God's sake seriously endeavour the business requiring it their benefit and welfare Gregory the Great To Virgilius Bishop of Arles and Metropolitan of Gaul He commends Augustine to him whom he had sent into England to propagate the Gospel ALthough we are confidently assured that your Brotherhood is alwaies intent upon good works and ready at any time of its own accord to interest it self in causes pleasing to God yet we thought it not altogether unprofitable to speak to you out of a Brotherly charity that the comforts which ye ought out of your own good natures freely to have afforded stirred up by these our Epistles might be increased in a greater measure We therefore declare to your Holiness that we have dispatched hither Augustine the servant of God and Bearer of these presents whose zeal and diligence is well known to us with other Servants of God for the welfare of Souls as he when he comes into your presence can testifie in which business it is necessary that you assist him with both Counsel and Supplies and cherish him as it behoves you with your Paternal and Sacerdotal consolations For when he shall have obtained those comforts from your Holiness if it is any thing available as we doubt not to promote the cause of God you also shall receive your reward who so piously afforded the benefit of your assistance for the promoting of good works Gregory the Great To Desiderius of Vienna and Syagrius of Augustodunum Fellow Bishop of Gaul He commends Augustine to them WE shall entertain a good opinion of the sincere charity of your Brotherhood if out of love to St. Peter Prince of the Apostles you bestow it in relieving our Servants since the nature of the cause requires it in which of your own accord ye ought rather to wish to be fellow-labourers and partakers We therefore declare to your Holiness that we have sent hither God so ordering it Augustine the servant of God Bearer of these presents whose zeal and diligence is well known to us with other Servants of God for the cure of Souls when you shall understand exactly from his own Relation what is enjoyned him your Brotherhood may in every thing the business shall require with more readiness assist him that you may be counted as is meet the furtherers of good works therefore in this thing let your Brotherhood study to manifest the demonstrations of its affection that the good opinion we have already entertained of you by hearsay may receive a further confirmation in us of you by your works Gregory the Great To Arigius a Noble man of Gaul To whom he commends Augustine HOw much goodness and how much meekness with charity pleasing unto Christ is shining in you we are certainly informed from Augustine Servant of God Bearer of these presents and we give Almighty God thanks that hath given you these gifts of his grace by which you may appear praise-worthy amongst men and in his sight which is truly profitable glorious We beseech therefore Almighty God that these gifts which he has so freely granted you he would multiply and take you and all yours into his protection and that he may so order the manner of your glory in this life that it may be beneficial to you here and what is more to be wished in the life to come Greeting therefore your Honour we desire with a Fatherly tenderness that the Bearer of these presents and the Servants of God that are with him may find in those things that are necessary your assistance since they will be the better able through God's help and the benefit of your favour to perform those things that are commanded them Gregory the Great To Theoderick and Theodebert Kings of the Frankes concerning Augustine Servant of God sent to the English Nation AFter that Almighty God had adorned your Kingdom with a pure and upright Faith and by the integrity of the Christian Religion had made it eminent above other Nations we conceived great grounds of presuming that you would especially have desired that your Subjects should be converted to that Faith in which you are Kings and Lords over them And indeed there came to our hands the earnest Petition of the English Nation God commiserating their condition to be converted to the Christian Faith but your Priests their Neighbours wholly neglect it and are much wanting by their Exhortations in seconding their desires For this cause therefore we have carefully sent thither Augustine servant of God Bearer of these presents whose zeal and diligence is well known unto us with other Servants of God whom we have enjoyned to take some of the neighbouring Clergy along with them to know their minds and with their Admonitions as much as in them lies further their willingness in which thing that they may prove effectually able with a Fatherly charity saluting your Highnesses we desire that these whom we have sent may merit your favour and because 't is a business of Souls may your Power protect and
more I could name had I time besides many Usages and Customes in England which participate of both Languages alike To instance in the Compounds of Iavel a British word signifying a Tenure among the Welch we find Gavel-kind Sand-Gavel Gavel Oat Swine-Gavel and many others Why therefore may not Ludgate be Luds-Gate although it hath both Languages mixt in it Let us hear therefore Verstegan's ingenious Derivation Ludgate saith he is as much as to say Leodgate or the Peoples-Gate Leod signifying People Here Mr. Sheringham asks him but a reasonable question What did the People pass only through this Gate and the Bards and Druids through the other only And I may demand of him also upon what grounds he supposeth the Concourse of People to have been greater through this Gate than any other Indeed since the Suburbs have been built and increased above the greatness of the City and since his MAJESTY and the late Kings of England for many successions have been pleased to live in the Western parts of them the Trade by necessity hath been drawn into these quarters and so Ludgate hath been made the greatest Thorow-fare but before the Suburbs were built or before they were brought into Credit by his MAJESTIES Royal Person and Court or when the Kings of England lived in the City it self How came Ludgate to be the Gate of the People more than of the rest Neither is Lelands Opinion any thing more to be embraced who calleth it Fludgate from the little Rivolet running beneath it It is a thousand pities for the sake of this invention that the Gate was not built upon the Rivulet but now as the case standeth this most miserable Derivation is not to be helped out but by a faith that is able to remove Mountains Let therefore King Lud enjoy the Honour of that Structure whose very mute Statue as Mr. Sheringham saith seems to call out against those who would deprive him of it But besides these two Magnificent Works the Wall and the Gate this Prince is said to have taken such exceeding delight in this City that he built himself a Palace not far from Ludgate supposed by some to have been in the place where the Bishop of Londons Palace stood Others think at Bernards Castle he is thought to have built a Temple also not far from his Court where St. Pauls Cathedral afterwards stood and by these great Works and his continual residence in that City the name of Troy-novant was changed into London or Lundain that is the residency of King Lud. The British Histories write that the changing the name from Troy-novant into Lundain was the cause of great dissension between King Lud and a bold Commander of those times Nennius who eagerly opposed this Innovation whereby the Memory of Troy which so long bad been preserved would be utterly abolished But this story is very much suspected of late to have been altogether Fabulous and there are other Derivations given of the Name of that most Famous City Erasmus brings it from a City in Rhodes called Lindus but this is rejected by Mr. Cambden who in the place of it puts down two Conjectures The first is That seeing the Britains called any place fenced with Trees a Town or City which they expressed by the word Lihwn that this City by way of Excellence might be named the Lihwn and afterwards by corruption London But the second is more probable That it was called London from Lihong signifying in the British Tongue a Ship and Dinas in the same Language a City so that it is as much as the City of Ships And to confirm this Opinion he proves that it was called Anciently Longidinium and by an Old British Bard Lihong-Porth that is a Harbour of Ships In my thoughts this seems to be the truest Etymologie of that most honourable City which in all Ages hath been a place of great Traffick and Commerce with the whole World and by the convenience of its Scituation upon so Navigable a River can receive Ships of great Burthen and in great Multitudes so that the Masts of them appear to be what the Britains called Llhwun namely Woods and Forrests As concerning the Name of TROY-Novant by which this City is supposed to have formerly been called because I am now taking my leave of the British History and am come to the time of the Romans I will freely put down my Conjecture Nant in the British Tongue or Novant for they are both one as Mr. Cambden shews signifies a Valley and Cre Cri or Cra a City and both taken from the Phoenicians as I have shewn by several Places in Cornwal Crinovant therefore is as much as the City of the Vallies for the People who were under the subjection of this City lived Low upon the River Thames and the whole Region in a manner lay in a Valley so that they may be supposed to have been called as other places have been upon the same account Noantes Novantes or Nantuates and this City Crinovant or the City of the Novantes the similitude of which Name as I have shewn in another place gave occasion to those who began the Trojan Original to call it Troy-novant or the New-Troy King LUD after he had Reigned eleven years and was Interr'd in his Temple near Ludgate left behind him two Sons Androgeus and Theomantius Com. Pal. saith that this Lud was Sir-named Immanuentius and was slain by his Brother Cassibelan at Troy-novant and that his eldest Son Androgeus was Sir-named Mandubratius and was the same Prince of the Trinobantes whom we find in Caesar's Commentaries to have sled into Gallia and to have put himself under the protection of Caesar. Of this Mandubratius I shall have occasion to speak in the History of the Romans in this Island whom we shall find Invading it in the next Kings Reign called cassibelanus And seeing now we are come to the Times of the Roman Histories the Authority of which is unquestionable I shall faithfully Collect the Government of Britain under their Emperours from the Latin Writers themselves yet not altogether so as to neglect absolutely the British Histories in the Lives of their Kings and the Circumstances of their Government This I do because that the Histories of the Romans concerning this Island as their Government in it is often broke off and interrupted and those Breaches are supplied by the continuance of the British Succession but I shall place the Roman History in the first place as infinitely surpassing the British in its Authority and all along the British History shall be set under it as attending only and subservient to it THE NAMES OF THE Roman Emperours WHO GOVERNED THIS ISLAND FROM The first Invasion thereof by Julius Caesar until it was quitted of the Roman Jurisdiction by Honorius immediately before the Entrance of the Saxons AND A Catalogue of the Lieutenants employed by them JULIUS CAESAR The first Invader of the Britains after whose Second
Expedition and Death there ensued an Inter-regnum of the Romans in this Island until the Conquest thereof by Claudius and his Lieutenants CLAUDIUS the second of the Romans that subdued this Island Reigned 13 Years Aulus Plautius P. Ostorius Aul. Didius His Lieutenants NERO. 13 years Verannius Paulinus Suet. Petilius Crealis Petronius Turpilianus Trebellius Maximus Lieutenants GALBA 7 months Trebellius Maximus Lieutenant under both  OTHO 95 daies   VITELLIUS 8 months 4 daies Vectius Bolanus Lieutenant  VESPASIAN the Elder 10 years Petilius Crealis Julius Frontinus Julius Agricola Lieutenants Titus VESPASIAN 2 Years Julius Agricola Lieutenant  DOMITIAN 15 years Julius Agricola Cne Trebellius Salustius Lucullus Lieutenants NERVA 1 year The Lieutenant not known  TRAJAN 19 years The Lieutenant not known  HADRIAN Reigned 21 years Cne Trebellius Licinius Priscus Jul. Severus Lieutenants ANTONINUS Pius 22 years Lollius Urbicus Lieutenant  ANTONINUS Philosophus 19 years Calphurnius Agricola Lieutenant  AURELIUS Commodus 13 years Ulpius Marcellus Helvius Pertinax Clodius Albinus Junius Severus Lieutenants HELVIUS Pertinax 2 months Clodius Albinus Lieutenant  DIDIUS Julianus 7 months Clodius Albinus Lieutenant  SEPTIMIUS Severus 18 years Heraclianus and Virius Lupus made Joynt-Lieutenants by Severus one of the South the other of the North.  After the daies of Severus we find not any more Lieutenants in Britain partly through the neglect or decay of Historians and partly through the Troubles of the ensuing times which lasted until the daies of Constantine who altered the Government  Years Reign Antoninus Bassianus Caracalla with Geta his Brother 6 Opilius Macrinus 1 Antoninus Heliogabalus 4 Alexander Severus 13 Julius Maximinus 3 Balbinus Pupienus 1 M. Ant. Gordianus 6 Philip 5 Gn. Messius Quintus Trajan Decius 2 Trebonianus Gallus 2 P. Licinius Valerianus 7 P. Licinius Galienus 9 Claudius 2  Years Reign L. Domitius Aurelianus 5 M. Claudius Tacitus 6 Months M. Aurelius Probus 6 M. Aurelius Carus 2 Dioclesianus Maximianus 20 Constantius Chlorus 4 Constantine the Great 13 Constantinus Junior 3 Constans 2 Constantius 16 Julian the Apostate 2 Fla. Jovianus 2 Valentinianus 12 Fla. Gratianus 3 Fla. Theodosius 14 Honorius In the daies of this Emperour Rome being seized by Alarick the Roman Souldiers were drawn out of Britain and Letters of Discharge written by Honorius to the Britains whereby they were acquitted of the Roman Jurisdiction A Catalogue of the British KINGS in the daies of the Romans from Julius Caesar to the Saxons CAssibelan in whose daies Caesar entred the Island Reigned 19 Years Theomantius 17 Gunobelyn 35 Guiderius 23 Arviragus 25 Marius 53 Coelus Primus 50 Lucius Sirnamed Leuer Maur 12 And then came an Inter-regnum of 15 Years Severus in Right of his Wife 15 Antoninus Bassianus 6 Heliogabalus 3 Alexander Severus 13 Maximinus 3 Gordianus 6 Another Inter-regnum of 13 Years Claudius 2 Another Inter-regnum of 7 Years Bonosus 4 Another Inter-regnum of 4 Years Carausius 7 Allectus 3 Asclepiodotus 1 Coel the Third 1 Constantius Priscus in Right of his Wife 11 Constantine the Great 30 Constantinus Junior 2 Constans Priscus 9 Magnentius 3 Constantius Junior 10 Julianus 2 Valentinianus 11 Gratianus Priscus 8 Maximus 5 Theodosius 7 Honorius 14 In whose daies the Britains chose three other Emperours Marcus him they suddenly Deposed in 3 Months Gratianus Ruled 4 Months Constantine the Third 4 Years Constans his Son Caesar 2 Years IULIUS CAESAR The first Roman that Discovered and Invaded Brittain THE WARS BETWEEN THE BRITAINS AND ROMANS CHAP. XIII JULIUS CAESARS first Preparation and Voyage into BRITAIN JULIUS CAESAR having subdued most part of Gallia quieted the Germans and stopped their Incursions into his Province by Locking up the Rhine and Scheld resolves for an expedition into Britain His pretences were that the Britains had under-hand sent supplies to the Cities of Armorica who the year before had Revolted from his Obedience and had joyned with the rest of Gallia in a general and dangerous Rebellion Not only so but that they had received into their Protection his Enemies the Bellovaci who had fled to them for aid and succour These seemed sufficient Causes to justifie an Invasion especially to a mind wholly possest as Caesars was with the desire of Glory and unlimited Conquests so that notwithstanding many Cities of the Britains having notice of this design and fearing the consequence of his Ambition and usual success sent Embassadors to him with a promise of Hostages and Obedience to the Roman Empire yet he altered not his Resolutions but after Audience given sent them back with fair promises and exhortations to continue stedfast in the same mind and with them Comius his Creature and Confident whom he had obliged with no less Bribe than the Kingdom of Arras giving him private Instructions to gain a Roman Party in the Island and secretly to manage his Interest with the States of Britain And what gave most Authority to his Embassy to signifie to them his Intentions to come speedily in Person to them Neither could the time of the year defer his design it seeming to be too high advanced for any new undertakings the Summer being almost spent and his wearied Legions expected rather their Winter Quarters than to be transported into a Foreign War Certainly Caesar had more than ordinary Motives to this sudden expedition and however he might give out among his Souldiers the vastness of the British Pearls their exceeding weight and value and the great numbers and quantities of them yet these were but as so many Baits to entice and allure them to his purposes and to draw them greedily to swallow his Motions such Cajoals as these were frequent with him during the course of his whole life By his future Actions we may guess that his main design in Invading BRITAIN was to inure his Souldiers and to accustome them to the most barbarous Enemies that they might not be terrified at his most dangerous Enterprizes but depend solely and entirely upon his Fortune and Conduct And indeed during all the Civil-Wars which no doubt by this time he had fore cast in his head we find these Legions his main prop and support they blindly following him in his most difficult undertakings Neither could the love of the Common-wealth or the Authority of Pompey ever shake them in their Alliance and although they were harassed about from Country to Country yet the change of Soil nor Enemy could ever break them asunder or shatter them In his Wars in Africa against Juba and his Confederates with what assurance did he pronounce before his Army the advance of the Enemy with an Army five times superiour to his own as not doubting they would be frighted at the Chariots of Africa who had been accustomed to those of Britain and this appears to be the intention of his Invasion of this Island the total Conquest whereof as he never performed so he seems never to have designed and I believe what he said
that his Souldiers were on an unknown Coast their hands full their heavy bodies laden with Armour that at the same time they were to jump from their Ships stand among the Waves and engage the Enemy and on the other side that the Britains were on the dry ground or else in very shallow Water that they were light Armed and quick Motioned that they were acquainted with the shoars and their Horses accustomed to that kind of Duty yet all this seemeth to be confessing rather than excusing a Defeat The Romans being to encounter with all these Difficulties but especially with the undaunted Courage of the Britains and being gauled with this unusual manner of Fighting stood as men absolutely astonished not knowing which way to turn themselves until Caesar seeing them beginning flatly to yield to the impression of the Enemy draws off his Long-boats and Gallies from his Ships of Burthen and orders them to be placed against the open flank of the Enemy The very sight of this kind of Shipping amazed the Britains the swiftness of their motion and the number and ratling of the Oars but as on the other side they were exceeding surprizing to the Britains so they struck no less Courage and Resolution into the daunted Romans But the first impressions being over notwithstanding the force and greatness of their Gallies with which as being strongly workt by the multitude of Oars the Britains were almost overwhelmed yet left they not off still manfully to defend their Country and expose their Chariots and naked Bodies to the Ships and Armour of their Enemies Caesar finding that by plain Force he was not able to attain the Landing orders his Engines and Slings to be set up in all his Gallies and that they should be plaid against the open side of the Enemy And now whole showers of Stones and Darts were discharged upon the naked Britains and the Roman Ships something cleared of their close Engagers The Britains notwithstanding all these dangers did not quit their ground but with the loss of their lives and although the thick shot falling round about the Roman Fleet made them stand at a Bay yet durst not their Enemies venture to quit their Vessels fearing as is reported the depth of the Sea but more probably the re-advancement of the Enemy as soon as their Engines should leave working In this general Consternation of the Romans an Ensign-bearer of the tenth Legion having first invoked the Gods that what he intended might succeed to the good of his Legion breaks out into these words Fellow Souldiers desert if you please your Ensign and betray it to the Enemy I for my part will perform my Duty to the Common-wealth and my General having thus said with a loud voice he jumps into the Sea and advancing the Eagle he marcheth upon the Enemy The Souldiers began to recollect their Spirits and exhorting one another not to suffer the disgrace of loosing their Standard with one consent followed their resolute Leader Others incited by their Example do the like and now in several Bodies they advance to the Enemy Here began a terrible fight on both sides wherein the Romans received great damages partly for want of sure footing and partly because in eagerness to rescue their Ensign they observed no Order every one out of his Ship advancing to that standard that was next to him On the other hand the Britains managed their Advantages with great prudence and Resolution Where they saw the Enemy boggled either in the Depths or the Sands they presently assaulted them cuting them off in all Parties and wheresoever they perceived any few making up to their Standards driving furiously between they intercepted their passage and with ease dispatcht them Others there were who attempted the main Body which was gathering about the Standard and with their Darts very much anoyed them which Caesar perceiving he commanded all his Boats and Shallops to be filled with Souldiers and where he saw any distressed he received them into his protection By this means the Foot were all dis-embarkt and having got into some Order they made up to the Shoar where after a sharp dispute the wearied Britains were put to flight or rather retired having observed by the disburthening of all the Ships that the Romans had no Horse to follow them which indeed proved true by reason that through negligence they did not or by contrary Winds could not arrive so speedily as they were ordered This proved a great vexation to Caesar who never used to get Victories by halves and this is the first time we ever find him complaining against his Fortune The BRITAINS send for PEACE but upon an Accident to the ROMAN Fleet change Counsels THE Britains for what cause is uncertain but probably from Divisions in themselves and a Roman Party crept in amongst them send Embassadours to Caesar to Treat of Peace promising to give what Hostages he should demand and to submit to his disposal With these Embassadours Comius of Arras also returns whom I said before was sent by Caesar into Britain him after his Landing the Britains had apprehended as a Spie and having understood his Order had laden with Irons And now to ingratiate themselves with Caesar they send him back laying the envy of his Imprisonment upon the Common Rout and desiring that if in yeilding to the Multitude they had done imprudently they might obtain pardon for their Errour Caesar complaining that of their own accords having sent to him on the Continent for Peace they should give the first occasion of War was willing nevertheless to take their Acknowledgments and accept their Excuse but demands Hostages some whereof were immediately sent others that were to be fetcht higher in the Country they promised should be ready in a few daies The mean while the People being dis-banded and sent home the adjoyning Princes met together and submitted themselves and their States to Caesar at his Camp which is supposed to have been at Barham-Down The Peace thus Concluded an Accident happened that put the Britains upon new Counsels The eighteen Ships which transported the Horse being loosed from the Harbour with a small Gale in four daies sail came in sight of the Island and might be descried from the Camp when of a sudden a Tempest arising dispersed them some being cast back to the Port from whence they came others driven West-ward of the Island But finding no safety in those parts nor being able to ride at Anchor in such high Seas were forced at night to make for the Continent and as Orosius saith most of them perished The same night it happened the Moon being Full at which time the Floods are highest that unawares to the Romans the Spring-tide filled and covered those Gallies which had been haled on shoar and which were intended to serve for the transporting of the Army On the other hand the Ships of Burthen that lay off at Anchor were sorely shattered by the Tempest the Romans all the while
were sorely discouraged at the miscarriage of their Design And seeing the Enemy came up with great heat and Resolution having bestowed a few Darts upon them they forsook the Banks and retired I call this a Retiring rather than a Flight because it was against the designed purpose of Cassibelan to enter into any close Engagement with them which he must necessarily have done had he continued too long in opposing their Passage the Legions coming up apace and seconding their Cavalry He therefore in time rids himself out of the way and bestows his Forces into Woods and secret Coverts lining with his Horse and Charriots the Roads through which he expected Caesar would March driving all the Inhabitants and their Cattle into places of Security within the Woods By this means the Romans were extreamly streightned for want of Provisions and when their Horse went out at any time to bring in any prey or booty and were scattered about to fetch in Cattle which were left here and there on purpose to tempt and invite them the Britains through secret and By-paths sallyed out upon them with their Charriots and having made great slaughter again through hidden Waies and only known to themselves retired to their main Body so that it came to pass that the Roman Horse not daring any longer to make any Excursions or to stir out of the protection of the Foot were rendred unserviceable and the whole Army keeping together for their security could have nothing provided for them unless they all joyned entirely in the seeking it By this means the Britains prevented any broad destruction of their Towns and Villages and nothing was exposed to plunder or burning but what lay just within the March of the whole Army And if at any time for Sustenance they were necessitated to divide yet were the Cavalry obliged to contain themselves to the dull and slow motion of the Legionaries and by plain force alwaies but never by slight could wrest any thing from the Britains Amidst all these difficulties Caesar according to his usual Fortune when his Assairs had the worst aspect received welcome News of a Dissension among the Britains and joyful tidings of a supply for his half-starved Army The Trinobantes as it usually happens when the Ruine of a Country proceeds from it self one of the chief of the British States maintained a Faction against Cassibelan which no doubt was heightned by a Roman Interest For they grew so high in these Greivances that they sent Embassadors unto Caesar to be releived in them putting themselves under his protection and promising Subjection to the Roman Power The cause of this Revolt was that Cassibelan had slain Immannentius whom they pretended was their Lawful Soveraign and forced his Son Mandubratius whom Orosius calls Androgorius Beda Androgius to secure his life by flight into Gallia They desired therefore that Mandubratius might be rescued from the Injustice of Cassibelan and sent to them to take possession of his Right and enjoy the Crown and Dignity of his Father Mandubratius was then with Caesar and without question was his great Instrument in giving light to him in many things that conduced to the Ruine of his Country For after his flight into Gallia he applied himself unto Caesar and was ever since his Attendant in all his Enterprizes Caesar having much obliged him by undertaking his Protection and revenging as he thought the Injuries of Cassibelan sends home to the Trinobantes having first demanded forty Hostages of them and Provisions for his whole Army These Conditions being punctually performed on their parts Mandubratius without doubt returns home with great Praises and loud Acclamations of the goodness and generosity of the Conqueror No wonder therefore especially led by the Example of so powerful a State that the Cenimagni supposed to be the Icini and Regni the former of which were the Inhabitants of Suffolk Norfolk Cambridgshire and Huntingtonshire the latter of Surrey and Sussex and the Sea-coasts of Hampshire As likewise the Ancalites possessing that part now called the Hundred of Henley in Oxfordshire the Bibroci the Hundred of Bray in Barkshire the Cassi the Hundred of Caishow in Herefordshire by their Embassadors sent their several Resignation of their States unto Caesar. This dangerous Revolt of such a considerable part of the Nation put life into the designs of Caesar who but a little before by the weary proceeding of Cassibelan began to lose all his hopes of a speedy ending of the War and would have been very willing with any tolerable Conditions to have rid himself of so troublesome and vexatious an Enemy But now having made so great a Party of the Britains and being sufficiently accommodated with Provisions he resolved to take his March directly to Verulam not far from the now St. Albans supposed to be the Chief Seat of Cassibelan being instructed by his new Allies that it was a place of great importance strongly sortified with Woods and Marshes and full of Men and Cattle Following these Guides he arrives at the place with his Legions and found it as all the British Towns were encompast with a Ditch and Mud-wall and all the Avenues blockt up with great Trees lying over thwart them Caesar gives Order for a storm to be made at two places at once which accordingly was executed and with such Valour and Execution that after a small dispute on both sides thought it safest to quit the place and to flie out at a Postern Gate leaving the plunder of the Town and the hindermost of his Men to the mercy of the Enemy than by the forsaking his design to hazard all in too great an Engagement Thus Cassibelan having lost the principal Seat and greatest Magazine of his Kingdom being withal continually Allarum'd with the noise of the Revolts of the Neighbouring States began to betake himself to his last Refuge the assistance of such Friends that still faithfully adhered to him during the worst of his Fortunes The Kentish Men subject to four Princes Cingetorix Carvilius Taximagulus and Segonex still kept to the Union and forsook not their plighted Faith to Cassibelan To these therefore he sends that with what Forces they could gather together they should make some sudden Attempt upon the Camp wherein the Romans had lodged their Ships hoping by this means to drive Caesar to the defence of his Navy The Kentish Princes accordingly raised the Country and with greater haste than good speed brings their Raw and unskill'd Souldiers before the Roman Trenches for not being able to endure one Sally with great slaughter and confusion they were totally routed and Cingetorix one of their Princes taken Prisoner Cassibelan immediately waited the success of this Enterprize and taking it into his consideration Reserves as his last Card being now informed of their Defeat the Calamity of his Subjects and more especially the Treason and Treachery of his Revolted Cities and resolves at last to make Conditions himself after having performed what Man could do
called in the British and Scotch Tongue Phightiaid a Warlike and fierce Nation and to make up their terrible Character they were Scythians by descent and near Kinsmen at least to the Gothes and as some think the Off-spring of the Nation of the Agathyrses a Race of painted Cannibals setting forth from their Native Country or as some write from Sweden or Norway With these most excellent endowments as Pirates and Rovers they arrived on the Coast of Ireland where they met with their Brethren the Scots who then inhabited that Island who easily understood their Language as being themselves of Scythian extraction Having scarce landed their Forces they required Places to inhabit but the Scots who well understood the stomach of their Country-men and had but just now given over themselves to eat one another so diverted and shifted themoff with telling them the pleasures of Britain and the plenty thereof I wonder they should omit their Painting also The Picts hoysting up Sail made for this blessed Island little dreaming of the warm entertainment they were to receive for the Scots had laid the sairest side outwards and concealed the Courage and Numbers of the Britains When they had arrived upon the North of this Island finding there but few Inhabitants they began to waste wide and forrage all those Tracts which Nature it self had sufficiently laid desolate King Marius informed of the insolent Behaviour of these Strangers levies Forces and with speedy Marches hastned into the North and there gave them Battle The success was so great on the Britains side that the Picts were totally discomfited many slain among whom was their Leader Rodorick and the rest all taken Prisoners to whom King Marius gave license to inhabit the Northern part of Scotland called Cattness a cold and Mountainous Country They had not long lived there but they began to think of warm Bed-fellows and to that purpose sent unto the Britains for Wives but their Suit being there entertained with scorn they applied themselves to the Scots who granted them their Daughters upon this condition That if the Male Issue of the King should fail then the next Heir on the Womans side should succeed in the Kingdom which Ordinance ever after was observed among them and this was the cause of the great Union of both these Nations This Victory of King Marius against the Picts was obtained at Stanes-moor in Westmoreland and from his name was the Country called Westmaria But that which seemeth to give some credit to this Relation was this Inscription found in Carlile MARII VICTORIAE of which the Reverend Bishop Usher writes thus Although the British History in many things is found faulty yet the testimony of the Inscription of Marius his Victory is not altogether to be slighted For before Jeofferies Translation an Author much Graver William of Malmsbury writeth of it in this manner In the City Luguballia commonly called Carlile there is seen a Dining Room built of Stone and arched with Vaults which neither the force of Weather nor Fire on purpose set to it could scatter or destroy And on the Fore-front of it was this Inscription MARII VICTORIAE that is To the Victory of Marius Mr. Cambden who draws all Antiquities to the Romans saith That another making mention of this Stone who that other is he tells us not saith It was not inscribed Marii Victoriae but Marti Victori and this he saith may better content some and seemeth to come nearer to Truth But however it may please some vet it is absolutely against the meaning of Malmsbury who immediately adds What this Inscription should mean I know not unless part of the Cimbri should inhabit these Places after they were driven out of Italy by Marius the Consul of whom Ranulphus maketh mention in his Polycronicon This is Malmsbury's guess as being certain it was Marii Victoriae not Marti Victori and having never seen the British History he gave it to that Consul rather than no body little thinking how improbable it was that a Nation driven from its Country should raise Trophies to their Conquerour But if it must be Marii Victoriae Mr. Cambden hath a Roman of that name to fix it upon namely MARIUS who was proclaimed Emperour against Gallienus a Man of wonderful strength insomuch that it was written of him That he had no Veins in his Fingers but all Sinews saith Mr. Cambden but who they are he again nameth not and attributes this Inscription to him and so let it be for what Victory could ever slip from the hands of so nervous a Person King Marius died in the year of Grace 132 and was Interr'd at Carlile he left the Kingdom to his Son Coyll COYLL in his youth had been educated at Rome where he employed his time in learning the Sciences and the discipline of War He loved the Romans and was by them highly esteemed and honoured so that paying his Tribute and receiving their Protection he filled out a long just and peaceable Reign governing Britain 54 years to the fifth year of Commodus the Emperour when we shall hear of his Son LUCIUS the first Christian Prince of the British Line till whose daies the British Histories are silent there being nothing else memorable in the life of this Coyll save that some ascribe to him the building of Colchester in Essex which work others give to a later Coyll which reigned next after Asclepeodotuis THE Roman History HADRIAN having called away Julius Severus as likewise Priscus Licinius both Governours in Britain to subdue the Jews who were then in Rebellion it will not be amiss to fill out the remainder of this Emperours Reign with a short account of his Atchievments against that Nation seeing they were performed by Men whose experience in War was gained in our British Island The Jews a stubborn People and sick of the Roman yoak as who daily expected a glorious Messiah and were impatient of his coming at last of themselves took Arms in the Eighteenth year of Hadrian and began a dangerous Rebellion But Hadrian raising great Forces and electing his choicest Generals to Command them soon put a stop to their Fury who in the heat of the Revolt spared neither Roman nor Christian. And to revenge their Insolence besides an infinite number of them slain and tortured their City Jerusalem was razed to the ground themselves utterly banisht and made unlawful for them to look towards that City or their Native Soyl. Besides where Jerusalem had stood although not upon the same Foundations he built a new City calling it after his own name AELIA upon the Gate whereof that leadeth to Bethlehem that the Jews even in disguise might be kept as much as might be from visiting it he caused a Swine to be engraven a Beast which he had learnt by their Law was accounted the most unclean and of all others most abominable He was favourable to the Christians forbidding by Publick Edict the Persecution against them moved as some
assistance of the Romans first having tried what they could do by freeing themselves from Forreign Yoak grown as weary of their Liberty as they had been formerly of Bondage sent unto Honorius humbly craving his Protection to which Message they received no other answer but in Words by which he exhorted them to stand upon their own Guard and so quitted them of the Roman Jurisdiction Thus ended this famous Empire of the Romans first in Britain and not long after in Italy it self having born chief sway in this Island though never wholly conquered nor at one time intirely possest for the space of four hundred sixty two years if we account from the first arrival of Julius Caesar to the taking of Rome by Alarick in which year Honorius wrote those Letters of Discharge Britain thus deserted by the Romans was left unable to defend it self having all the flower and choice of her Youth drawn out to serve in the Roman Garrisons abroad whilest others had forsaken their Country to follow the Ambition of such Tyrants whom they had headily advanced to the Purple Robe and having Possessions given them in Gaul never returned so that before I proceed to set down the Calamities of the Britains when left to themselves and their own Counsels it will not be amiss to shew how from time to time the Romans drew out their Youth and what numbers attended the Tyrants which were so frequently advanced in the latter daies of the Empire when there was no end of their Levies out of Britain To begin with the Romans first Trebellius Maximus transported into Germany a great number of British Souldiers to make good the Faction of Vitellius against Otho Honorius Flaccus in the same cause sent out eight thousand chosen Souldiers Albinus in the bloody Battle at Lyons against Severus the Emperour lost fifty thousand Men most of which were of the British Cavalry This loss laid the Province naked and left it open to the Insolence and Violence of Forreign Invaders and Constantine the Great as Malmsbury reporteth carried out such numbers with him that to their Assistance especially he owed his Victories and the Empire of the whole World Afterwards he planted them on the West-coast of France called Armorica next drawing out those Souldiers who lay for the defence of the Marshes and Fronteirs he seated them in other parts of the Continent carried some into the East and instead of those Living-strengths he built Castles and Forts which seized by the Enemy proved continual annoyances to the Britains Maximus the Tyrant who slew Gratian the Emperour levied vast numbers of Britains and transported them into Gaul and Ninnius writeth that he would not send them home again but gave unto them many Countries even from the Pool or Meer which lieth above Mount Jovis unto the City that is called Cantguic and unto Curcocchidient And he that annexed brief Notes unto Ninnius reporteth how truly I cannot tel the Armorican Britains which are beyond Sea attending Maximus in his Expedition when they could not return wasted the Western-coasts of Gaul and when they had married their Wives and Daughters cut out all their Tongues for fear lest the succeeding Progeny should learn their Mother Language whereupon we call them in our Tongue Lhet vydion that is Half-silent or Tongue-ty'd because they speak confusedly Constantius who was elected only for his Name transported most of the flower and strength of the Britains into Gallia and Spain where in his Quarrel many of them perished and the rest never returned having Seats allotted them in the West of Gaul or else followed the Emperour in his Wars Hence it is that Prosper Aquitanus wrote thus At this instant of time in respect of the decay of the Roman Forces the power and strength also of the Britains was brought low and unable to make resistance For which cause and occasion our Historiographer of Malmsbury speaks thus When the Tyrants had rid the Country of all save half Barbarians none were there either in Towns or Cities but who gave themselves upto Epicurism Britain now forgetting the use and practice of good Arts and wanting assistance of vigorous Youth for a long time lay open to the Mercy of Ravening mouths that confin'd upon her which was evidenced by the Incursions of the Picts and Scots many lost their lives Cities were subverted Villages fired insomuch as all lay naked and low to express the Rage and Fury of merciless Invaders The Islanders in this streight after they had buryed their Wealth much of which hath been since found chose rather to flie unto the Mountain-Country than to stand the hazard of a set Battle purposing after that to go to Rome to request assistance But to little purpose for Valentinian the Third as he was not able to recover either Spain France or Asrick Provinces rent by violence from him so could he not be able to answer their expectation And Gildas for this very cause much pities the dejected case of the Britains For saith he Britain was despoyled of all their Armed-men her Military Forces Governours although cruel they were and of a mighty number of her stout hard-hearted Youths For besides those whom the Tyrant and Usurper Maximus and the last Constantine carried with them it appeareth by ancient inscriptions and the Book called Notitia Provinciarum that these Companies here-under written were employed by the Romans in War dispersed in Parties over their Provinces which exhausted very much the principal fighting men in Britain it self Ala Britannica Milliaria Ala quarta Britonum in AEgypto Cohors prima AElia Britonum Cohors tertia Britonum Cohors septima Britonum Cohors 26 Britonum in Armenia Britanniciani sub Magistro peditum Invicti juniores Britanniciani inter Auxilia Palatina Exculcatores Jun. Britan. Britones cum Magistro Equitum Galliarum Invicti Juniores Britones intra Hispanias Britones Seniores in Illyrico So that it will be no wonder when we shall read the following Calamities and downfall of the Britains that being reduced to so small a number and worn out with the continual Incursions of their Enemies the Picts and Scots deserted by their Ancient Protectours the Romans they were constrained to call in another Nation to their assistance who quickly imposed a Yoak upon them so much the more heavy and grievous than the former inasmuch as the Roman Civility exceeded the Rudeness of the Primitive Saxons But before we proceed to these Relations let us see the British History in the daies of this Honorius THE British History In the Daies of HONORIUS UNTO VORTIGERN Who brought in the SAXONS THE Britains upon dislike to Honorius for that he had slain Stilico who by the report of our Histories did great Service for them chose Marcus for their King but him not found agreeable to their humour they slew and set up Gratianus Municeps in his stead a Britain born but a great Tyrant so that not enduring him above four months they kill'd
have been a mixture of Monarchy Aristocracy and Democracy therefore they were divided accordingly under the Government of a King Senate and Commonalty the power and prerogative of their KING was First Jus rerum Sacrarum a Right over all Ecclesiastical Affairs to constitute what Religious Orders he pleased and to see that all Sacrifices and their Ceremonies were rightly performed and to offer up in his own Person as being their Pontifex Maximus in case their Wars did not call him aside all Propitiatory Oblations for the appeasing and averting the Anger of the Gods Secondly Legum morumque Patriarum custodiam the preservation and interpretation of all Laws and Customes whatsoever the determining of all Controversies of weight referring all business of smaller consequence to the decision of the Senate yet in case of wrong Judgment reserved to himself a power of otherwise adjudging the Matter as the cause required Thirdly Jus Senatus Comitiorum a power of assembling Senate and People propounding what he thought convenient but first giving his Opinion of it again yet that constantly took place and prevailed most which was confirmed by the Suffrages of the greatest number In the dispose of the Senate or Great Councel of the City was the Publick Treasury and consequently the ordering of the Revenues and Expences of the State the Treasurers themselves having no power unless for the use of the Kings and that of the Consuls afterwards to expend upon any Publick account whatsoever without an especial Order and Decree of Senate Under their cognizance also fell enormous and heinous Crimes committed within the Confines of Italy likewise of protecting and taking into favour any private Person or City of Italy that implored the favour of their assistance Fourthly That Great and Royal Prerogative of sending Embassadours and giving Audience to those of Forreign Princes was solely in the Power of the Senate These Senatours at the sacking of Rome by the Gauls were singly taken for Gods and together by Pyrrhus his Embassadours for so many Kings at an interview Tarquin Sirnamed the Elder was so tender of displeasing them that being presented by the Hetrurians with a Golden Crown and an Ivory Scepter with an Eagle on the top he refused to appear in publick with those Ensigns of Majesty till he had leave from the Senate and People which Custome the succeeding Kings afterwards retained The Election of their Kings and afterwards of the chief Ministers of State the making of Laws concluding on War or Peace was altogether in the Jurisdiction of the People By such Polity these Kings secured themselves from danger of the suspicion of Tyranny and consequently assured and confirmed themselves in the love of their Subjects Neither could the People reasonably desire innovation or change where they were governed by no other Magistrates than of their own choosing where they were obliged to live under no other Laws than of their own making or forced to be engaged to any other Wars than of their own concluding By this kind of Equilibrium of Power was Rome peaceably and happily governed by its first Kings the Royal Prerogative seldom interfering with the Peoples priviledge But Tarquin Sirnamed the Proud overstraining his Prerogative spoiled the harmony and concord of the whole Government the King and People being before like a fifth and eighth that are Unisons strike one and the other shakes that is they were highly concerned in the honour of their King and the King in the loss and sufferings of his people But Tarquin who had seized on the Throne by Violence and Usurpation was resolved to defend it by Rapine and Murther and justifie them too by Insolence though as insupportable as both At his receiving the Title of MAJESTY he seemed to have laid down all his Humanity for after the murthering his Father-in-law over whose dead Corps Tarquinius his Wife commanded her Coach-man to drive at her return from proclaiming her Husband KING he trampled on both Priviledges and People Some he banisht by his Cruelty others through the insupportableness of his Behaviour he committed continual Mafsacres and Butcheries on the Senate and People So that while this Feaver lasted Rome was like the Torrid Zone supposed by the Ancients too hot to be inhabited But the People by the disposition and vertue of their Primitive Laws being too well acquainted with Majesty to be made any longer Slaves finding the Kings resolutenets and violent Nature not at all to be moved by their Complaints which were constantly blasted with the odious Name of Rebellion and Treason upon the ravishing the beautiful Lucretia by Tarquin's Son Sextus being animated and headed by Brutus and Collatinus were inraged to that degree of Courage that they began to expostulate their Liberty with their Swords in their hands driving the Tyrant taught by his own Example from the Throne into perpetual banishment teaching Governours what it is to out-live the Affections of their well-meaning Subjects After this they stood up so stiffly for Liberty that though Porsenna King of Hetruria commiserating Tarquin's condition came with a puissant Army to re-instate him in the Roman Throne yet they maintained their cause so gallantly and gave so many signal Testimonies nay miracles of their Valour witness the Actions of Horatius Cocles Mutius Scaevola that Porsenna of a terrible Enemy became a generous Friend and chose rather to make Peace with them although the Victory was well nigh assuredly his own than unjustly oppress so much an injured Vertue That they might the better hereafter stop the Precipice of their future ruine and free themselves from the like Jealousies and Fears they first made it their business to render the word KING as detestable and odious as the power of a Tyrant And the People taking a solemn Oath never to admit Monarchy among them for the future they erected a Government consisting of two Officers chosen out of the Patrioii whom they called CONSULS named so from their Duty not their Power They were two that one might be a stop and check to the Ambition of the other Their Government was Annual that through shortness of time and multiplicity of business they might not have leisure enough to fall in love with the Majesty and Grandeur of their Office supposing they would govern the better when they knew that afterwards they were to live private Men under the Commands of others But Brutus and Collatinus who had been the chief Authors and sticklers in expelling Tarquin were chosen Consuls by the People yet they fearing Tyranny might run in a Blood deposed Collatinus in a short time after for being a kin to Tarquinius Superbus though he was Husband to Lucretia who had been so lately ravisht substituting Valerius Publicola in his place who to oblige and secure the Fears of the People caused his own House to be pulled down because it looked so like a Castle and place of Defence Brute on the other side hearing that there was a plot on foot among the young
myrck kvedium enn fyrer Wytrum Monnum Lifthvedenn ad yrkia og Semia huor Ithret sem ei throtnandi Uants Brunner seerer fornar kienningar og feeder ee uyat till kvedskaparius ollum merkiskalldum et hana Bilia med Idne grunda og giegnd tettrivid hafa huer eff hunernen sit Naffn hloted hefer Edda is an Art which out of the most ancient Mythology of ingenious Men and Names variously found out teacheth the use and exercise of the Norwegian Poesie which to the Vulgar is obscure to the Wise pleasant to hear and artificial which like a Fountain continually running suggests Old words and daily creates New for the benefit of Rythmical writing to all good Poets who can with judgment use it And Saxo Grammaticus thus in brief describes it Edda est Mythologia Poetica veterum Islandorum It was composed above six hundred years ago and as to the main is in much credit with the chiefest and most authentick of our Historians To begin then with this EDDA concerning the Expedition of WODEN out of Asia Oden haffde Spadem og so kona hauns og aff theim Uisendum faun hann thad ad Naffn hauns munde uppe bera hellski Norduralfu heim stus og tygnad umm framm Alla Konga Fyrer tha sok fysest hanu ad Byria fetd sina aff Curckflande og hafde med sier myken fiolda Lids Buga menn oc Gamla karla og konur og hoffou med seit marga Gersemelega hlute en huet sem their for yfer land that bar agyeete myked af theim Sagt so their thottu lykare Gudum enn Monnum og their gefa ei Stad ferd Sinne fyrr cim their koma Nordue thad land et nuer Itallad Sar land that dualde Odenn langa bryd og eignadest Byda thad laud. Sem Odenn hafde Skipt thui lande med Sonum sinum tha Birlade hann ferd Syna Nordur og kom ithad lande er their kalla Reidgotoland og esgnadest ithuilande alt thader hann vild eog sette that till Landradanda sonn finu et skioldur hiel hanns son var fridleifur thaduun er su eettkommen er Skioidungar veita thad erudana Kongar oc thad heiter nu Iotland er tha var kall ad Reidgotaland 〈◊〉 thad for hann Nordut that sem nu heitter Suythiod that var sa Kongur er Biliffe er Neffudur enn er hann spyt till ferda theitta Asiae Manna er Efer voru kailader for hand mote theinn og Baud ad Odenn stilde slyke valid hafa thans Ryke sem han vilde sialfur sa Cyme filgde ferd theirra ad huar sem their duoldust i Londum tha var thar ar og fridur og truda aller ad their veere thesz Radande thui thad Sau Menn ad their voru Olyker odrum Monnum theim er their 〈◊〉 du sted ad 〈◊〉 og wite thar chotte Odenn goder Landkofter ogkaug 〈◊〉 that Borgar stad sem ut heiter Sigtun Chad vat aff-hanns Naffue og gaff sier Kongdom og kalladest Sydanni Niordur og thui fiimst Striffad freede Bokum ad Niordur hafe heited hiim fyrste Saga Kongur er thad till thess ad Odenn hefur 〈◊〉 thar Goffgastur Oden Skipade that hoffdingium i tha lyking sem vered haffde i Croja sette Colff hofudmen i Stadnum ad deema Lomoslog 〈◊〉 Skypade hann Riettum ollum sem fyrr 〈◊〉 vered i Croja og Cyrkyar voru vaner Thus rendred out of Rossenius his Translation This Oden was a Magician as likewise his Wife whereby he foreknew that his Name should be celebrated above all Kings in the North. For which cause be began his Journey from Turkland taking along vast Treasures of Silver and Gold and Precious things Through what Countries soever they passed they were highly cried up as seeming Gods rather than Men thus they staid not till they came into the land of the North now called Saxony where for many years Odin lived and possessed the whole Country about so that in the Division to his Sons he gave to Vegdeggus East Saxony to Begdegus 〈◊〉 to Siggo Francia himself went into another Country which was then called Reidgotoiand where he did whatever pleased him Over this Country he set his Son Skiold of whom was born Fridleit whose Posterity was named Skioli dungar or the Off spring of Skiold from which Stem the Kings of Denmark descended This Reidgotolandia is now called Jutlandia Farther he removed his Seat to the place now called Suithiod where Gylfus was then King who when he heard of the coming of these Asiaticks whom the Edda calls Asae he went out and met them profering Odin what part soever he would take of his Empire For so great fortune attended these Asians that wheresoever they aboded Peace and Prosperity flourished and every one was fully perswaded that these Blessings proceeded from them for this especially affected their minds that for knowledge beauty strength and singular shape of Body they never had seen the like Odin perceived this Land was pleasant and fertile therefore he chose a place to build a City on which at this day according to his or rather his Sons name is called Sigtunum where exercising Kingly Authority he called himself Niord wherefore in the Annals of the Ancients it is found that the first King of the Suevi was called Niord because Odin was the most glorious although others held the Kingdom before him In the City Sigtun he constituted Twelve of the Chief Citizens in imitation of Troy as Conservators of the Laws and to execute Justice after the Customes of Turkland From this Constitution of WODEN saith Mr. Sheringham whereby he ordained Twelve of the principal Citizens as preservers of the Law and to give their Judgment or Verdict for so the words import proceeded perhaps that Custome among us never to be enough praised whereby to Twelve good Freeholders called by us a Jury is trusted the whole weight of Justice and Determination of all Causes both of Life and Estate but this by way of digression Another narration of the Progress of WODEN agreeing with that of the Edda is taken out of an Ancient Norway Chronicle the Author of it as Stephanius thinks was Sturlaeson a Writer of good account and credit the whole story is too large to set down I shall only mention what more particularly relates to the present purpose It is thus That part of Asia looking to the East which is bounded by the River Tanais had formerly for its Metropolis a City named Asgard wherein Ruled with great Authority a mighty Hero named OTHIN to twelve of the chief Senatours who excell'd in Piety and Wisdom and therefore were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diar i. e. Gods or Divine Persons and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Drotuar i. e. Lords he gave power to order Religious affairs and Ceremonies and to hear and determine Civil Causes and Suits This Othin had two Brothers the Elder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ue the younger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Uelir or Uuli These two upon the absence of Othin at any time managed the whole State Upon
my Honour is the same honour of the whole Church my Honour is the full vigor of my Brethren then therefore I am truly honoured when no body is denied the honour due to him For if your Holiness calls me Universal Bishop it denies it self to be at all what it confesses me to be only that is Universal but God forbid this Away with those words stir up Pride and wound charity and indeed your Holiness well knows that this Title was offered my Predecessor in the holy Counsel of Chalcedonia and afterwards by succeeding Fathers but none of them would ever accept of this Title that whilst carefully in this World they respected the honour of all the Clergy in general they might preserve their own entire with God Almighty Wherefore paying you due custome of Greeting I desire you would be pleased to be mindful of us in your Prayers that from the chains of my sins because of mine own merits I am not able through your intercession God would deliver me Observations upon this Epistle The Annexer of the Title has not done ingeniously in this Epistle for he saies that in the Councel of Chaleedon the Pope was stiled UNIVERSAL not making any mention how that Title was rejected by the Pope and all his Successors as Gregory shews but was also vehemently exploded and cast off by Gregory himself in this Epistle of which he has not taken the least notice in the Title Gregory To Menna of Tolouse To Serenus of Marseilles To Lupus of Cavation To Agilius of Meris To Simplicius of Paris To Melantius of Roan and To Licinius Fellow Bishops of the Frankes ALthough the care of the office ye have undertaken might sufficiently admonish your Brotherhood with your utmost endeavours to assist Religious persons and especially those that labour in the cure of Souls yet it will not be amiss if with this our Epistle we stir up your vigilancy For as the fire by the fanning of the wind is made greater so the affections of a good mind are embettered by commendation Because therefore the grace of our Redeemer cooperating so great a multitude of the English are converted to the Christian faith that our most Reverend and Common Brother and Fellow Bishop Augustine affirms that those that are with him are not sufficient for the execution of this work in divers Places We have provided that some Monks should be sent over to him with our beloved and common Sons Laurentius the Priest and Miletus the Abbot and therefore let your Brotherhood afford them that charity it ought and speedily help them with those succours that are necessary for as much as by your assistance all obstructions and causes of delaies will be removed So that they being relieved by your charity may rejoyce together with you and you by freely bestowing it may be found partakers with them in the work they are intended for Gregory the Great To Clotharius King of the Frankes AMongst the many troubles and cares you daily meet with in governing those Nations under you it is the highest honour and greatest advantage to appear in the Patronage of those that labour in the cause of God and because by many good Presidents you have shewn your self to be such that now we may presume better things of you we are the willinglier invited to desire those things of you which at last will return to your own benefit Some of those who went into England with our most Reverend Brother and Fellow-Bishop Augustine at their return have related with how great humanity and charity your Excellence entertained him in your own Court and with what succours you assisted him setting forward on his Journey But because those actions are most acceptable to God alwaies which recede not from good beginnings We salute You with a Fatherly affection desiring that the Monks the Bearers of these presents whom we have sent over to our foresaid Brother together with our beloved Sons Laurentius the Priest and Melitus the Abbot might be particularly respected by you and whatsoever it was you bestowed on those before for the plentiful increase of your Honour continue likewise to these that through your assistance they may without any delaies perform the Journey they have begun that God the Recompencer of all good works may be to you in prosperity a guardian and in adversity an helper Gregory To Brunichild Queen of the Frankes He returns Her thanks for assisting Augustine and exhorts her courteously to entertain the Monks that were sent unto him WE give thanks unto Almighty God who among the rest of the gifts of his grace bestowed on your Highness has so filled your breast with the love of Christian Religion that if you should know any thing tending to the benefit of Soula or the increase of your Faith you would never cease with a devout mind and pious endeavour to bring it to perfection With how great favour and courtesie your Highness assisted our most Reverend Brother and Fellow Bishop Augustine going for England Fame before hath not been silent and since the Monks that returned from him have more particularly related Your Christianity may be admired at by those that know but little of your favours but we that are experimentally acquainted with them have more reason to rejoyce than wonder because by charitably obliging others ye advantage your selves How great and what manner of Miracles our Redeemer has wrought in the Conversion of the aforesaid Nation is well known to your Highness for which reason ye ought exceedingly to rejoyce because your charity in this thing may claim to it self the greatest part by whose assistance next after God the word of Preaching became there manifest for he that furthers another's good consults his own And that the fruits of your reward may be the larger we desire that to the Monks Bearers of these presents whom with our beloved Sons Laurentius the Priest and Melitus the Abbot we have sent over to our foresaid most Reverend Brother and Fellow Bishop forasmuch as those that are with him are not sufficient for the work you would courteously grant the favour of your Patronage and vouchsafe to assist them in all things that the good beginnings of your Highness may still proceed unto better and that they meet with no delaies or difficulties in their Journey May you in as great a measure stir up God's mercy to be favourable to you and your posterity most Dear unto us as you for his love shall behave your selves with compassion in causes of this nature Gregory To Augustine Bishop of the English Of the Conversion of that Nation and that he should not glory in the power of Miracles which oftentimes wicked Men have performed GLory be to God on high and on earth peace good-will towards Men because a grain of corn falling dead upon the earth hath brought forth much fruit that it might not alone reign in heaven by whose Death we live by whose Infirmity we are
scyldig se man se ê§ana sie he age healf ê§ Æ¿iae daet Æ¿eorc If a Free man shall do it on that forbidden time he shall suffer the Mulct of Pillory and the Informer shall have half as well of the Mulct as the Wirgild Wirgild signifies a Composition made by the Party or his Friends for a fault committed This is all that we find upon Record either in Church or State that particularly relateth to King Wigtred He left Issue Edbert Ethelbert and Alric who all reigned in their turns EDBERT EDBERT the first Son of Wigtred reigned peaceably twenty three years nothing is left memorable upon Record during his Reign save that two blazing Comets appeared one before the Sun in the morning the other after him at night both darting their beams to the North. It was thought to portend the Desolations afterwards made by the Saracens who brake into France but were soon after expelled ETHELBERT the Second ETHELBERT the Second and second Son of Withred succeeded his Brother in the Kingdom He reigned for the space of eleven years and hath left nothing behind of Name or Issue He was buried among his Ancestors at Canterbury ALRIC ALRIC the third Son of Withred and last of the Royal Family of Hengist held the Scepter thirty four years He was slain in the battel of Otteford by the hands of OFFA the Mercian King whose overthrow saith Malmsbury was less dishonourable as vanquisht by so great a Monarch The Saxon Annals of 784 mention one EALMUND now reigning in Kent but he is no where else mentioned The following Kings either by wealth or faction obtained the Kingdom ETHELBERT the Third ETHELBERT the Third Sirnamed Pren the Annals call him Eadbright by what means is unknown usurped the Regal Power After two years reign contending with Kenulph the Mercian King who invaded his Territories he was taken Prisoner and led captive into Mercia and there for a while detained During his Imprisonment Cuthred was appointed by Kenulph to govern Kent and Simeon writes that Kenulph commanded to put out his eyes and cut of his hands but upon what occasion or whether the sentence was executed he hath left us in the dark Certain it is that Kenulph having finisht his Church at Winchcomb in Glocestershire either out of commiseration of Human chance or relenting so severe a punishment or else to render the dedication of his Temple more illustrious taking this Princely Captive by the hand he led him to the High-Altar and there in the presence of Cuthred his Vice-Roy in Kent and ten Earls thirteen Bishops and many other Nobles he gave him his Liberty without Ransom and free leave to return to his Dominions But coming to Kent he was not received but retired to a private life and this is he and not the former Ethelbert whom the Annals of Canterbury affirm to be buried at Reculvers in the Isle of Tanct where he may be supposed to have lived after his expulsion a place most convenient and oftentimes used for such inglorious retreats He reigned only three years CUTHRED CUTHRED was created by Kenulph Vice-Roy of Kent but our Historians make him King and Usurper however he sate in the Throne but three years and we hear nothing of him but that he was present at the release of his Predecessor which should seem to argue that he was not the cause of his being kept out from the Crown BALDRED BALDRED last King of Kent was vanquished by Egbert the West-Saxon who seized his Dominion after he had reigned eighteen years and forced him to flie beyond the River Thames at which time this Kingdom and not long after the rest of the Heptarchy were reduced under the intire obedience of that Monarch THE KINGDOM OF THE East-SAXONS Contained Counties Essex Middlesex Part of Hartfordshire KINGS Sledda Sebert Sered Seward Sigibert the First Sigibert the Second Sigibert the Third Swithelm Sighere Sebba Offa. Selred Suthred SLEDDA SLEDDA the tenth from Woden is generally esteemed the first founder of the East-Saxon Kingdom though some following Huntington give the honour to Erchenwine his Father of whom nevertheless they tell us nothing saving his Name and Pedigree relating neither the number of his Forces the place of his landing or so much as the least encounter with the Britains In the same obscurity we might have passed over Sledda his Son had he not ennobled himself by the marriagt of Ricula Daughter of Emerick King of Kent and Sister to Ethelbert the first Christian Prince and Great Monarch of the English-men And indeed the whole transactions of this Province seem all along to have been redeemed from oblivion not by the glory or worth of its Princes or the greatness of its own proper atchievments but by the conjunction is had with other Kingdoms more powerful and the lustre it borrowed from neighbouring Princes with whom it was often linked in action In its beginning it was tributary to Kent and received its Protection from thence and this is the reason I have placed it next in order and though afterwards it came to be in a manner absolute yet it never rose to that height as to have one Monarch that could pretend to give Laws to other Kingdoms of the Saxons as all the rest at one time or another did It was bounded on the East with the Sea on the South with the Thames on the West with the Colne on the North with the River Stour But these two latter limits often varied according to the encroachments of the Mercians made upon them in the West and the East-Angles and those of Northumberland on the North. Neither is the time of the beginning of this Kingdom more certain some place it as high as the year 516 under Erchinwin others eleven years after in the year 527 and the fifteenth of Oisc second King of Kent Some begin it at the first year of this Sledda's Reign which they will have to be in the year 587 but leaving them in their Disagreement I shall begin the computation of this Kingdom from the death of Sledda who having reigned without any actions recorded the space of many years departed this life Anno 596 leaving issue Sebert and Segebald SEBERT SEBERT the eldest Son of Sledda succeeded his Father nothing more famous than he saving that he was the first introducer of the Christian Faith into this Province He was converted at the perswasions of his Uncle Ethelbert and the preaching of Melitus afterwards Bishop of London and received Baptism at his hands in his chief City of London where by the assistance of King Ethelbert then chief Monarch of the English-men he founded a stately Church or rather repaired and enlarged the old Structure dedicating it to the honour of St. Paul constituting it the Cuthedral of the See of London This Church Ethelbert then present endowed with good possessions as in his Grant to Melitus is evident by this following Record AETHELBERT Rex
twelve daies this murther dying as some report for grief having not long before foretold the death of that Prince upon this account because he was a man the World was not worthy of being an Humble King Aidan was buried in the Isle of Lindesfarn and Finan succeeded him in that See This fact of King Oswy was odious to all and therefore to explate the guilt a Monastery was erected upon the place where the murther was committed and prayers daily offered for the Souls of both Kings the slayer and the slain But notwithstanding Oswyn was thus removed the Kingdom of Deira or part of it was seized by Ethelwald the Son of King Oswald But Oswy was still infested with the incursions of King Penda and had long endured many sore devastations Once he had almost lost his strongest City Bebanburge now Bamborow Castle which Penda with fire and sword had assaulted And now weary of continual standing on his defence he resolves if possible by any means to buy his Peace and to that end sends large gifts and presents to Penda with humble suit desiring League and Amity But these being with scorn refused he prepares for War and first imploring divine assistance if God would grant him Victory he vows his Daughter a Nun and twelve Lordships for the building of Monasteries which done he raises an Army and meets Penda at a place called Loyden now Leeds in Yorkshire The Army of Penda as is reported exceeded Oswy's thirty times over and was commanded by expert Captains nevertheless they were utterly routed and put to flight and many of them swallowed up in the River Winwed which at that time was unusually swelled with Rains Penda himself was slain in the battel and Ethelhere King of the East-Angles the contriver of the War Ethelwald the Son of Oswald was in the field upon the Mercian side and is said to have been the cause of their desear for withdrawing his Forces at the first Onset and meaning to expect the event he discouraged the Mercians who misdoubted there was treachery in it The death of Penda was received with great joy through all the neighbouring Provinces as the Song witnesseth At the River Winwed Anna was Avenged Oswy after this Victory enters Mercia with an Army which he presently reduced to his obedience but unto Peada the Son of Penda as his near Kinsman he gave the Principality of the South Mercians containing five thousand Families and separate from the 〈◊〉 Mercians by the River Trent 〈◊〉 But him slain by the treachery of his wife 〈◊〉 and Eadbert three Mercian Earls set up Vulfer and fling off the Government of Oswy who was now employed in a Pictish War and had subdued the greatest part of that Nation This Oswy had in him a strange mixture of Vertues and Vices in his beginning bloody and tyrannous towards his latter end just and moderate Highly addicted he was to Roman Superstitions and resolved a Pilgrimage thither had not he been taken off by death for in the twenty eighth year of his Reign and fifty eighth of his Age he departed this life having vowed that Journey as some write to expiate the murther of King Oswyn Under this Oswy was held a Councel about the observation of Easter which because it is much celebrated by all our Writers I shall put it down as it is originally related The Synod of Streanshalch now Whitby at the request of Hilda Abbess of that place under Oswy the Father and Alchfrid the Son Kings of Northumberland in the year of Christ 664. In which is controverted the Celebration of Easter and other Ecclesiastical Rites There being present on the side of the Romans and English King Alchfrid the Son Agilbert Bishop of the West-Saxons Abbot Wilfrid Agatho Presbyter James a Deacon and Romanus On the side of the Scots and Britains King Oswy the Father Colmanne Bishop of Lindisfarne with other Scottish Bishops Cedda Bishop of the East Saxons Hilda Abbess of Streanshalch with a great many others of the Clergy on both sides Bede's Preface to this Synod IN these times was startled a common and great question concerning the observation of Easter Those that came from Kent or Gaul affirming that the Scots keep the Lord's day of Easter contrary to the custom of the Catholick Church Among these was one Romanus by name a stiff defender of the true Easter by Nation a Scot but had learned the true rules Ecclesiastick in Gaul or the Confines of Italy who disputing with one Finan made many sensible of their errour or at least perswaded them to a deeper search into the truth but he could not in the least stir Finan who being of a fiery nature was rather made worse by his instructions and an open enemy to truth But James formerly Deacon under the worshipful Archbishop Paulinus observed the true and Catholick Easter with those whom he had taught the true and correct way Queen Eanfeld also observed it with her houshold according to what she had seen performed in Kent having with her a Priest from Kent named Romanus of the Catholick opinion from whence they report in those daies it sometimes happened that Easter should be kept twice in one year For when the King 's Lent being done was keeping Easter then the Queen with hers Lent with them not being yet ended was celebrating Palm-Sunday But this different observancy of Easter Aidan living was patiently born with by all men who understood thus much That though he could not celebrate Easter contrary to the custom of those that had sent him yet he took care that the works of faith charity and love in which all Saints agree should be diligently performed so that he was deservedly beloved by all men nay even of those that thought otherwise of Easter and was not only respected by the meaner sort but by Bishops themselves Honorius of Canterbury and Foelix of the East-Angles But Finan being dead who succeeded Aidan when Colman came into the Bishoprick for he also was sent from Scotland there arose a more solemn controversie concerning the observing of Easter and other Precepts relating to an Ecclesiastical life so that this question justly moved the hearts of many lest peradventure the name of Christianity being only retained they should run or had run in vain It came at last to the ears of the Court to wit of King Oswy and his Son Alchfrid for Oswy was taught and baptized by the Scots and was well skilled in their Language and esteemed nothing truer than what they had taught him But Alchfrid had for his Instructour in Christianity Wilfrid a right learned man who had made a Journy to Rome on purpose to learn of the Law Ecclesiastick and had lived many years with Dalphin Archbishop of Lions in Gaul from whom he had received the right custom of Church-shaving He therefore thought this Man's Doctrine to be preferred before all the Traditions of the Scots for which reason he had lately given him a Monastery of
Gentry of Rome of restoring the Tarquin's and that his own Sons had a hand in it he brought them to the Market-place where they were publickly whipt and asterwards to the Block where they lost their Heads It was not lawful for any Person to sue for the Consulship till he had first past through successively the Offices of Quaestor Aedile and Praetor and arrived to the forty third year of his Age that is past the extravagances of Youth and free from the infirmities of Old Age the greatest concerns of Peace and War depending solely on their management The Romans had alwaies so great a respect and honour for this place of Dignity by vertue of which their Empire was enlarged their Liberties strongly upheld that to encrease the Majesty of it changed the Ancient date of things which before was ab Urbe condit à in favour of them into L. AE T. V. Consulibus viz. John Anoaks and John Astiles being Consuls The Ensigns of their Office was the Sella Eburnea the Ivory Chair which was carried about in a Charriot where the Consul sate administring justice The great Gown of State called Trabea was worn first by their Kings asterwards by the Consuls Lastly twelve Lictors or Serjeants which went before one Consul one Month the second another with bundles of Rods in their hands and Axes bound up in the middle the one gently to correct small offenders the other to lop off from Humane society those that were otherwise incurable These Consuls had power of stopping any proceedings in the Senate as may be seen by Ambitious Lentulus who passionately desired Africa then the seat of the War and of Glory for his Province threatning the Senate that unless he had his will he would have nothing to pass in the House In the time of Sedition or any sudden danger from abroad they chose a Dictator to whom was committed an Arbitrary Power and different in nothing from a KING but in Name and the continuance of six months in the Office From him lay no appeal to the People twenty four Lictors went before him as if they intended by the greatness and Majesty of his Authority he should affright the Seditious into their wonted Obedience and having no equal to dispute his Commands the consequence of equality in Arms may be learnt from the fate of Paulus AEmitius and Ter. Varro at the Battle of Cannae might by the suddenness of his directions prevent the Storm before it grew too blustering and violent or if it did he might be in a better capacity of opposing it the strength of an Army consisting in the Union of their Forces under one Commander Besides the opinions of a Senate or an Assembly commonly are very inconstant great diversity and mutability arising from such numbers or from the wranglings of two adverse Factions we seldom finding any such irresolutions in a single Person From hence and from their sending single Persons as Governours of their Provinces however the Senate and wiser sort of the People dissembled we may conclude on their approbation of Monarchy as the fittest form of Government to expel danger and enlarge their Dominions although their Judgments were perverted and blinded by Ambition Passion being most commonly stronger than Reason for in Aristocratical and Democratical Common-wealths most Men are capable of a share in the Government which under Monarchy was impossible for them to attain to And we may easily see how much they esteemed Monarchy in the latter Ages Viz. their Government of Great Britain by Vice-Roy's not in the Name of the Senate but Emperours in possession From the root of the Consulship sprung those two great branches of the Censorship and Praetorship the Consuls in whose Power they were formerly included being for the most part employed in the Wars were forced to confer them on other persons for the regulation of Manners and distribution of Justice at home The Censors took cognizance of all Ill-manners they had power to degrade both Senatour and Roman-Knight from the Honour of their constituted Order and remove the People in case they deserved it from a more honourable Tribe to a less from whence they were called the Masters of Manners Besides these things they also took care of all Publick-works as mending High-waies Bridges and Water-courses the reparations of Temples and several other Buildings If any man encroached upon the Streets High-waies or other places that were in use for the Publick good the Censors compell'd him to make satisfaction for the injury committed They had also the letting out of Lands Customes and other Publick Revenues to Farm so that most of the Citizens of Rome were beholding to this Office as maintaining themselves by some of the Trades thereunto belonging and this was no small help to preserve the Dignity of the Senate the Commonalty being obnoxious to the Censors which were alwaies of that Order and careful to uphold the Reputation thereof They also took notice of those that mis behaved themselves in the Wars or went about to discourage any of the Souldiers after any notable defeat Thus we see Marcus Attilius Regulus and P. Furius Philus called L. Caecilius Metellus to an account for that after the Battle of Cannae he held discourse with some of his Companions about flying beyond the Seas as if Rome and all Italy had been no better than lost They also pronounced Infamous those that having brought to Rome the Message of their Fellows made Prisoners at Cannae returned not back to Hannibal as they were bound by Oath but thought themselves thereof sufficiently discharged in that they had stepped back once into his Camp with pretence of taking better notice of the Captives Names as also all those that had not served in the Wars after the term the Law appoints In their keeping was the Censual-Roll or Doomsday-Book wherein was the true Estate and value of what every Man was worth that the People might be the better Governed and the easier distinguisht They continued in their Office five years and yet if one of them died his place was lookt upon as ominous yea dangerous to the Common-wealth one of the Censors dying that very year that Rome was sackt and almost destroyed by the fury of the Gauls There were two Praetors or Lord Chief Justices the one for judging and examining matters between Citizen and Citizen whom they called Praetor Urbanus the other for adjusting the Controversies of Strangers and was termed Praetor Peregrinus and Praetor Minor but afterwards Law-suits increasing there were many more added to the former who were to sit in the Court of Life and Death The two Chief Praetors took notice of all matters concerning Equity and Wrong between Man and Man and under them the Centum Viri but especially all Crimes Capital as Treason Murther buying of Voices for the obtaining of Magistracy c. which were at first heard by the Kings and Consuls and afterwards by certain Persons appointed by the People for that purpose who
were called Quaesitores Parricidii But in time the hearing of these Publick or Capital Causes was confirmed and transferred unto certain Magistrates who continued in their Office a whole year Others had their Office no longer than they sat in Judgment which were for distinctions sake called Praetores Quaesitores and their Causes Quaestiones perpetuae because in their Causes there was one set form of giving Judgment constantly used whereas in Private and Civil causes the Praetor yearly changed the form by hanging up new Fdicts and Laws by which he intended to administer Justice that year to the People for as the Causes were different so were the signs and distinctions of their Courts a Spear erected denoting the Nisi Prius Court and a Sword hung out in token of that which related to the sentence of Life and Death The Praetor Urbanus was wont at the entrance into his Office to collect a set form of Administration of Justice out of the former Laws and Edicts of other Praetors according to which he would distribute Justice all the year following And lest the People might be ignorant of the contents thereof he caused it to be hung up in publick view This form of Justice was termed Edictum because he did thereby forbid or command something to be done This Edict being delivered out the administration of Justice consisted in the use of one of these three words Do Dico Addico he is said Dare actionem when he grants an Action or Writ against any man Dicere jus when he passeth Judgment on him Addicere res aut personas as when he in the Court doth see and allow the delivery of the thing or the Person on which Judgment is passed The form of Addiction was thus After Judgment had been pronounced in Court the Party which prevailed laid his hand on the thing or person against which Sentence was pronounced using this form of words Hunc ego hominem five hanc rem ex jure Quiritium meum esse dico then did the Lord Chief Justice Addicere i. e. approve the challenge and grant a present possession But these forms and waies of proceeding being uncertain and the Law it self unknown to most of the Roman Commonalty as lying for the most part in the Breast of the Praetor to avoid this incontroulable power and the infinite disadvantages that daily ensued Three men were deputed by the Senate to go to Athens and other Greek Cities to make a collection of what Laws they thought convenient by which they were resolved the City should be governed At their return the Consuls were deposed and the Government of the Common-wealth put into the hands of Ten Men all of Consular dignity to whose wisdom and Integrity was referr'd the new modelling of the Laws contained in the Ten Tables having power of curtailing what was superfluous and unnecessary and of interpreting any thing that was dark or obscure and of adding any thing where they found a necessity or occasion From the addition of two Tables they were called the Laws of the twelve Tables the Fountain from whence the Civil Law proceeded These Men were allowed the same Ensigns of Majesty and the same power and Authority as the Consuls formerly had as of calling together the Senate ratifying and confirming their Decrees and managing the chief business of State Nevertheless but one at a time took this Power upon him the others in the mean while differing little from private Men. The People at first were so in love with this Decem-Viral way of Governing that they willingly diminished and abated their own Priviledges to advance the Credit and Honour of their new laid Greatness These Ten abrogated the Statute of Appeal made by Valerius Publicola to the Judgment of the People and they not much grumbling at it expected that the Greatness they allowed them in Majesty would be sufficiently recompenced by the happiness and infinite advantages they should receive from the Justice and Moderation of their Government But they now they had gotten the Reins in their hands began to contrive how to make that Government perpetual which before was but Annual They agreed among themselves that every one should take upon him the grandeur and Authority of a Consul intending by Cruelty and Oppression to force the People into a certain fear and dread of their Authority rather than by Mild usage to let them fall gently and by degrees in love with their own Slavery and bondage 'T is strange that they having all formerly proved good Consuls should when they came to be good Lawyers prove such ill Governours For they instead of Instructing the People by their Laws by their insolent Oppression and Incontinency gave occasion daily of their Complaint and Murmur making the Law rather a share than a help or ease to the People as hath often appeared to the grief of other Nations in successive Ages punishing the faults of the Commonalty which for the most part proceeded from Necessity by the same Laws they desended the extravagances of their own Passions These Oppressions and Injuries were patiently endured by the People but Appius Claudius a Man of a bolder and wickeder Nature than the rest lusting after the fair but vertuous Verginia whom according to the Law 't was below him to marry and purposing to leave no kind of means unattempted for the enjoyment of his Love and the more speedier easing of his tormented mind resolved not reflecting upon Tarquinus his fate to have recourse to strength and Authority where the interposition of Love was ineffectual hoping by the Law to justifie his Rape as well as his other Brethren had sormerly their Oppressions and Wrongs This his project proved very unsuccessful for the Father of the Lady though of a low Degree yet of a great and generous Spirit killed his Daughter in an open assembly to secure her Honour This last fault of Appius was so unparallel'd an Indiginity that 't was like a great spot of Oyl upon Cloth which seems to have diffused and spread it self abroad to that degree of inhumanity and ugliness that they lookt upon the Ravisher rather as a Monster then a Man Appius was forced through shame and fear of the fury and anger of the Multitude to be his own Executioner in Person his Companions in the Government on the same account quitting their Offices also This was the second time that in the Honour of the Female Sex they changed the form and manner of their Polity The Consuls after this were restored to Soveraignty again and although the storm seemed to have ceased yet the Waters kept on rowling still for not withstanding the People had fully satisfied themselves for the asfront put upon Verginia and the deposing the rest yet now as their Courage was elevated and their Party strong they were resolved to petition the Fathers to lay aside all distinctions of Marriage making it lawful for the Nobility and Commonalty to marry with one another if the Parties could