compassion of thyne owne soule and spare the greate number of people that by thy Fatherlye example yet may beware to offende God for whose soules thou shalt giue an accompte Consider also that if the Englshe nation despising lawfull matrimonye doe encrease by aduoutrye as the Frenche men Italians and also the verye Pagans do caste in our téeth and vpbrayde vs withall of suche coniunctions and copulations shall spring vppe a peakishe dasterdely people which shall despise God wyth theyr wicked qualities vndoe the Countrey as it came to passe to the Burgundians the people of Prouance and the Spaniardes whom the Sarazens haue many yeares assaulted for theyr sinnes whiche in times past they had committed Besides this it is told vs that you take away priuileges of Churches and thereby giue euill example to your noble men to do the like but I praye you remember howe terrible vengeaunce God toke vppon the Kings your predecessours whiche committed suche offences as we rebuke you for A wicked spirit came vpon Colredus your predecessoure whiche was a defiler of Uirgins and a breaker of ecclesiasticall Priuileges for sitting royally among his barrons at a dinner the Diuell plucked away his soule without confession of his sinnes The Diuell also drewe in suche a rage Osredus king of the Northumbers whiche was guiltie of the same crimes that with a vile death he loste both kingdome and life in his lusty yong age Also Charles king of Fraunce whiche ouerthrewe Churches and altered the Churche money to hys owne vse was consumed with a long tormeÌ„t and fearefull death It followeth therefore my deare beloued sonne that with Fatherlye and earnest prayers we beséeche you that you will not despise the Counsel of your Fathers which diligently do admonishe your highnesse for nothing is more commodious to a good king than willinglye to amend such faultes when he is warned of them as SalomoÌ„ sayth who so loueth discipline loueth wisdome therfore my déere son declaring our aduice we beséech you by the liuing God by his sonne Jesus Christ our Lord and by hys holy spirit that you will remember how transitorie this present life is and howe shorte and momentane the pleasure of this filthie fleshe is and how vile and shamefull a thing it is that man shall leaue euill examples vnto his posteritie for euer beginne therefore to frame your life in better wayes and amend the errors of your youth that you may obtayne prayse with men in this life and eternall glorie in the life to come we wish your Highnesse well to fare and to encrease in all goodnesse Ethelbald was slayne at Secgeswald and was buryed at Hrependune BEraredus the murtherer of Ethelbald did nothing worthy 749 to be remembred but being straightway slayne by Offa had an end méete for a Traytour OFfa Nephew to Ethelbald succéeded he ioyned battayle 749 with Kineulfus King of the Weast Saxons and gote the victorie He sent for Ethelbert King of the East Angles promising great things by flatterie but when he had got him to his Palace he caused him to be beheaded and then vniustly inuaded the Kingdome of the East Angles He caused the reliques of S. Albon to be taken vp and Vita Alboni S Albons builded put in a Shrine aborned with golde and precious stones and builded there a princely Monasterie He founded the Abbey of Bathe He translated the Archbishops Sea to Lichfield He made a dike betwéene Wales and the Kingdome of Offa Dike the Mercies which ditch extendeth by South from the parts about Bristow ouer the Mountaynes of Wales and so North toward Flint and vnder a hill of coale euen to the mouth of Dee or the North Sea He raigned xxxix yeares and dyed at Oflay and was buryed in a Chappell which then stoode on Offlay the bancke of the Riuer Ouse without the Towne of Bedford EGbertus or Ecfride his sonne raigned one yeare Alquine Alquine writte to Osbert of the Mercians that the noble yong Ecfride dyed not so soone for his owne faultes but bycause his Father was a great sheader of bloud Plaeâ—â—â— Aâ—â—inus 789 Wâ—l Malme KEnulfus Nephew in the fifth degrée vnto Penda warreâ— on the Kentish Saxons punished their Country very sore and caryed away bound their King Egberthus but not long Winchelcomb founded after when he had builded a Church at Winchelcomb on the day of dedication therof he deliuered him declaring a worthy Bishops Sea aâ— Hereford founded example of clemencie He founded the Church of S. Ethelbert in Hereford and raigned xxiiij yeares KEnelmus sonne to Egbertus a child of seauen yeares was 813 innocently slayne by his Sister Quenda whereby he obtayned the name of a Martyre CEolwulfus brother to Kenulfus raigned one yeare and 820 was expulsed by Bernulfus BErnulfus in the third yeare of his raigne was ouercome 821 by Egbertus King of Weast Saxons at Elyndune LVcâ—â—us after he had raigned two yeares was oppressed 824 by the East Angles VVIthlasnus being at the first subdued by Egbirth raigned 826 xiij yeares paying to him and his son a tribute BErthulfus raigned xiij yeares in the same estate till at 839 W. Malme the last he was chased beyond the seas by the sea rouers of Denmarke BVrdredus paying the Tribute enioyed the same twenty 852 yeares and then he being deposed and driuen out of his CouÌ„trey fled to Rome and there was buryed at the English schole Then that kingdome was by the Danes deliuered to Geolwolfus and in few yeares after that Alfred y â— Nephew of Egbirth gate it So the kingdome of the Mercies fel away in the yeare of Christ 875. Northumbers THe sixt Kingdome was of the Northumbers whiche conteyned Lankishire Yorkeshire Cumberland Westmerland Northumberland It had on the Weast the Sea by South the Riuer of Humber and so downeward toward the Weast by the endes of the Shires of Nottingham and of Darby vnto the Riuer of Merce and hath the diocesse of Yorke Durham and Carelile At the beginning it was deuides into two Kingdomes Bernitia and Deira Bernitia stretched from Edenborough Frith to Tine and Deira from Tine to Humber but these two were shortly vnited When Hengest had established himselfe in Kent he sent W. Malme his brother Otha his sonne Ebusam to possesse the North partes of Britaine where many times they put the men of that prouince to flight and for the space of 99. yeares they and their successors ascribes to themselues the names of Dukes and bare themselues vnder the Kingdome of Kent but in the yeare of Christ 547. the yeare after Hengests death 60. that Dukedome was changed into a Kingdome IDa the ninth froÌ„ Beldegius and the tenth from Wodden 547 continued fourtéene yeares in the Kingdome of Deires Aeâ—la his successor of the same kinded but by another 559 line strongly aduanced his Kingdome thirtie yeares In his time children of Northumberland were caryed to be solde
whence they were driuen by the King who taking the foorde of Brentford before them put them to flight and slew a great number of them The sixt and last battell was at Essendone in Essex néere to Rochford in which battell Edmond had gote the victorie Cogshal Sca. Cro. but Edrike agayne playing the Traytor greate slaughter of the Englishmen was made there the honor of Englande was ouerthrowen and Edmonde wente almost alone on foote to Glocester where hée gathered a newe force to set vpon his enimies but Cnute pursued him as he fledde and hauing prepared their armies both the Kings themselues attempted to fight hand to hand for the right of the Combate for the Kingdome kingdome in the I le of Olania in Seuerne in the which Combate they both being wéeryed fell to a couenant to deuide the same so that the one halfe of the Kingdome shoulde be England deuided vnder Canutus and the other halfe vnder Edmond which Edmond not long after dyed at Oxford whereas it is saide he was slayne by the treason of Edrike of Straton and was buryed at Glastenbury leauing Edmonde and Edwarde his children very yong This Edrike was not long vnrewarded according to his desertes for hymselfe making vaunt thereof vnto Canutus then being at Baynardes Castell in London sayde in this wise Thus haue I done Canutus for the loue of thée Edrikus a Traytor to whome he answered saying and thou shalt dye as well thou art woorthy bycause thou art giltie of Treason against God and me in that thou hast slayne thine owne Lord and King which was ioyned to me in league as a Brother his bloud be vpon thine owne head and straight wayes least there should be any tumulte the Traytor was in the same Speculum histo Ri. Cirecest Chamber tormented to death with firebrands and linkes and then his féete being bounde togither he was drawne through the Stréetes of the Citie and cast into a ditch called Houndes ditch for that the Citizens there cast their dead Hunsditch Treason revvarded Dogges and such other filth accompting him woorthy of no better buriall These Princes raigned togyther two yeares CAnutus the Dane taking an occasion bycause in the couenant 1018 that was coÌ„cluded concerning y e deuiding of the Realme no assurance was made for the Children of Edmond The Danes possessed all England he chalenged all England to himselfe alone by law as they call it of growing to which was a most easie thing for him to do bycause there was no man that durst erect himselfe as patrone to defend the childrens right and title and by this suttle and craftie interpretation of the couenant the Dane gote the Monarchie of England and slew the brother of Edmond and conueyed the children farre away out of England least they should at any time be brought againe and receiue their right Some say they were sent to a certayne The Kings children conueyed into Svvethen man that was a Prince in Swethland there to be dispatched out of the waye and that the Prince vnderstanding they were Kings children spared them coÌ„trarie to the credit and trust that was committed vnto him which appeareth to be true in that the same foraigne Lord kept and brought vppe the children honourablye the yongest of whiche whose name was Edwarde did afterwardes marrie Agatha the Agatha the Emperors daughter the vvife of Edvvarde daughter of Henry the fourth Emperour of Rome of whome he had many children of whiche we shall speake héereafter And the other which was y e elder brother whose name was Edmond dyed without children In the meane season Canutus bycause he had no heire that lawfully might succéede him in his kingdome for Harold Swaine were begotteÌ„ of Harolde and Svvayne concubines children a Concubin partly that he might establish in time to come the kingdome that he had gotten vnto his owne kindred y t came by lawfull succession and partly that he might purchase to himselfe the friendship of the Englishmen and of the Normans procured to haue giuen him in marriage Emma the widow of King Etheldred who at that time was with Edward and Alured hir sonnes in exile with Duke Richard in Normandy whiche mariage séemeth to be made euen by Gods prouidence who had determined to restore the common wealth in England whereby as by the law and title of recouerie and returne out of exile the monarchie of all England which the Danes had taken from the Englishmen and had possessed sixe and twentie yeares and more did returne againe to the Englishmen that were the right heires For Emma concluded mariage with the Dane vpon condition Mariage made vpon conditioÌ„ that the Kingdome of England should remayne vnto none other but to the Children that were begotten of hir if any of them did remaine aliue by reason of this mariage shortly after she did beare Canutus a sonne of his owne name commonly called Hardycanutus This second name was giuen him bycause of his great Hovv tvvo names vvere giuen to Kings courage like as his brother Harold was named Harefoote that is to say lightfoote bycause of his notable swiftnesse of foote By this affinitie and aliance the Danes became of the more strength and power He kept Englishmen in his seruice so long as he liued He subdued the Scottes whereby he was King of England Canutus King of foure Kingdomes Scotland Denmarke and Norway After that he went to Denmarke and so to Rome and returned againe into England where he kept good iustice all his life and did many charitable déedes He made a faire Church at Ashendume in Essex He founded a-new the Monasterie of Saint Edmondesbury Saint Edmundsbury buylded Ex charta regia Marianus restoring the donation which Edmond King of the West Saxons had giuen to Saint Edmund the King and Martyr who lyeth there buryed He appoynted to be King of Norway Swanus his sonne Marianus as was sayde by Alfgine daughter to Althelme Duke of Northampton and his Lady Vulfrune but other said he was a Priests sonne c. He also appoynted his sonne Hardycanutus by Emma to be King of Denmarke and deceassed at Shaftesburie when he had raigned twentie yeares and was buried in S. Swithens at Winchester HArold for his swiftnesse called Harefoote whome Canutus 10â—8 had by a Concubine Alice of Hampton a Shomakers daughter affirming himselfe to be sonne of Canutus and Peter de Ichâ—â—â— Marianus Floriacen Alfgina the Earle of North-hamptons daughter slept not vppon the occasion and oportunitie offered but vsing the force of the Danes that dwelt in England inuaded the Realme while his brother Hardycanute gouerned in Denmarke He tooke from his mother in law Emma the most parte of the riches and treasure that Canute his father had left hir and then with consent of the great Lords began to raigne but not so mightily as his Father Canutus did for a more iust heire Hardycanutus was
y e Empire gouerned 139 Capitelinus this prouince by Lollius Vrbicus who ouercame the Brytaines and raysed another wall of turffes to kéepe oute the inroades the Northern Brytaines ANtonius Philosophus now ruled the Romaine Empire 162 and Calphurnius Agricola was sent hyther with authoritie against the Britaines then repining at the Romaines but with what successe it is not specified LVcius y e son of Coilus was ordained King who in all hys 179 Florent Vigâ—râ—â— acts déeds followed the steps of hys forefathers in such wise as he was of al men loued dread He seÌ„t his two Ambassadors Eluanus Meduuinus twoo learned meÌ„ in y t scriptures with his louing letters to Elutherius Bishop of Rome England receyued the faith â—eda Asser Flores HistoriaruÌ„ Record of Saint Asaphs Church Iohn Capgraue Marianus Scotus desiring him to sende some deuout learned men by whose instruction both he his people might be taught y e faith religioÌ„ of Christ wherof Elutherius being very glad baptized these two messeÌ„gers making Eluanus a Bishop Meduuinus a teacher sent also with theÌ„ into Brytaine two famous Clarks Faganus Deruuianus by whose diligence Lucius his people of Brytaine were baptized instructed in y e faith of Christ 28. Temples were made Cathedral churches Byshops placed where Flamins before had bin at LoÌ„don Yorke Carlein which is now S. Dauids in Wales were placed Archbishops London Yorke and Carlein Archbishops The Epistle of Eleutherius to Lucius King of Brytaine Lib. constitut Lon. now foloweth an Epistle of Elutherius sente to Lucius K. of Brytain as I find y e same recorded in a Booke of y e Constitutions of London pertaining to y e Guild Hall of London The yeare after Christs birth 202. Pope Elutherius did write to Lucius king of Brytaine for y e amendment of y e kings the nobilitie of Brytaine as foloweth You required that we should send you the Romain Imperial laws y e you might vse theÌ„ in your kingdom of Brytaine but those laws we may disproue not the lawes of God You haue receiued lately through Gods goodnes in your kingdom y e faith and law of Christ you haue there in your kingdom both Testaments out of theÌ„ by Gods grace the aduice of your realme take a law thereby patiently gouern y e kingdom You are y e Uicar of God in your kingdom according to y e kingly prophet The earth is y e Lords his fulnesse is y e whole world al y t Psalm 45. dwel therin again Thou hast loued righteousnes hated iniquitie wherfore God eueÌ„ thy God hath annoynted thée with y â— â—ile of gladnes aboue thy fellows They are y e kings children christian nations people of your kingdome that liue consist vnder your protection peace kingdom according to the Scripture as an Hen gathereth chickens vnder hir wings the people nations of the kingdome of Brytaine is youres suche as are diuided you shoulde gather them togither to the lawe of Christe his holy Churche to peace concorde and cherishe maintaine protect gouerne and defend them from the iniurious malicious and their enimies Woe be to that kingdome the King whereof is a childe and the Princes eate earely in the morning I doe not call a King a child for his youth or minoritie but for his follie iniquitie Psalm 55. and madnesse according to the Kingly Prophet The bloud-thirsty and deceitfull menne shall not out-liue halfe their dayes By eating we shall vnderstande Gluttonie by Gluttonie Luxurie by Luxurie all filth wickednesse and mischiefe according to King Salomon Wisedome will not Sapience â— enter into a spitefull soule nor inhabite in a body subiecte to sinne A King hathe his name of gouerning and not of hys Kingdome so long you shall be a King as you rule well otherwise you shall not be so named and lose that name which God forbid God graunt that you maye so rule your Realme of Brytaine that you may raigne wyth hym euerlastingly whose Uicar you are in the saide Kingdome To whome with the father c. There remayneth in the Churche of Saint Peter vpon Cornhil at London a Table wherein is written that Lucius fouÌ„ded the same Church to be an Archbishops sea and made it the Metropolitane and chiefe Churche of hys Kingdome whych so endured the space of 400. yeres vnto the comming of Saint Augustine Ioseline of Fornes in his booke that he wrote of the Brytish Ioseline of Furneys Bishops saith that Thean who was first Archbishop of LoÌ„don in the time of Lucius builded the said Church of S. Peter Archbishops of London 13. in a place called Cornhil in London by the aide and help of Ciran chief Butler to King Lucius also that Clauus the secoÌ„d Archbishop there builded a Librarie to the same church adioyning conuerted many of the Erwydes learned men in the Pagan Law to the Christian faith The third Archbyshop was named Cadar the fourth Obinus the fift Conan y â— sixt Paladius the seuenth Stephan the eighte Iltut the ninth Dedwin the tenth Thedred the eleuenth Hillary y â— twelfth Guidilinus the thirtenth Vodinus who was slain of the Sarons that came first into this lande Lucius raigned 12. yere and was buryed at Gloucester COmodus after his father Antonius Philosophus succeded 181 Dion in the Empire with most cruel tyranny In his time the Northerne Britains burst in through the wall forrayed the Countrey and slew the Romaine Generall with his souldiours wherfore Vlpius Marcellus was appointed here a careful vigilant Captaine he sore annoyed the Brytains which were enemies to the Romain state and purchasing enuie by his vertue was shortly dismissed Then Ceronnis who ruled all vnder Comodus appointed Lampidiâ—â— Dion certaine men of base estate to gouerne the Romain enemies here wherewith the souldiours being gréeued sent 1500. chosen men out of theyr number to Rome who accusing hym before Comodus to compasse the Empire for his sonne was deliuered vnto them who immediatelye mangled hym and slew his wife with his two sonnes Comodus theÌ„ sent Holnius Pertinax into Brytain and surnamed Lampridiâ—â— himselfe Brytanicus thervnto perswaded by flatterers when the Brytaines were so euill affected toward him that they woulde haue nominated some other Emperour against Capitolinus him and namely Pertinax but these tumults were appeased by the Wisdome of Pertinax to his great danger for he was wel-nere slaine in tumulte and left among the dead whiche iniurie he after seuerallye reuenged sued for his discharge being afterwarde preferred to the Empire Clodius Albinus was then sente hyther by Comodus who Capitolinus at the first so greatlye estéemed of him that he honored hym with y â— title of a Caesar which Clodius refused but afterwards when a false rumor was dispersed y t Comodus was slain he made an OratioÌ„ to the legions of
to deceasse as in déede he did while his children were yong And they déeme that for this intent he was glad of his brothers death y e Duke of Clarence whose life must néedes haue hindered him so intending whether the same duke of Clarence had kept him true to his Nephew the yong King or enterprised to be King himselfe But of al this poynt is there no certaintie and who so deuineth vpon coniectures may aswell shoote to farre as to short Howbeit this haue I by credible information learned that the selfe night in which King Edward dyed one Mistlebrooke long ere morning came in great hast to the house of one Pottier dwelling in Redcrosse streete without Creplegate in Loxdon and when he was with hastie rapping quicklye letten in he shewed vnto Pottier that King Edwarde was departed By my truth man quoth Pottier then will my Maister the Duke of Glocester be King What cause he had so to thinke harde it is to say whether he being toward him any thing knewe that he had such thing purposed or otherwise had any inkeling thereof for he was not likely to speake it of nought But now to returne to the course of this historie Were it that the Duke of Gloucester hadde of olde foreminded this conclusion and was nowe at erste therevnto moued and putte in hope by the occasion of the tender age of the yong Princes his Nephewes as oportunitie and likelihoode of spéede putteth a man in courage of that he neuer intended certaine is it that he contriued their destruction with the vsurpation of the regall dignitie vpon himselfe And forasmuche as he well wiste and holpe to maintaine a long continued grudge and heart-burning betwene the Quéenes kinred and the Kings bloude either partie enuying others aucthoritie he nowe thought their diuision shoulde be as it was indéede a furtherly beginning to the pursuit of hys intent and a sure ground for the foundation of al his building if he might firste vnder the pretexte of reuenging old displeasure abuse the anger and ignorance of the one partie to the destruction of the other and then winne to hys purpose as many as he coulde and those that could not bée wonne myght be lost ere they looked therefore For of one thing was he certayne that if hys intent were perceyued he should soone haue made peace betwéene the both parties with his owne bloud King Edwarde in his life albeit that this dissention betwéene his friendes somewhat irked him yet in his good health he somewhat the lesse regarded it bicause he thought whatsoeuer businesse shoulde fall betwéene them himselfe should alway be able to rule both the parties But in his last sicknesse wheÌ„ he perceiued his naturall strength so sore enféebled that he dispaired al recouerie then he considering the youth of his children albeit he nothing lesse mistrusted than that that happened yet well foreséeing that many harmes might growe by their debate while the youthe of his children should lacke discretion of themselues good counsell of their friendes of which either partie should counsell for their owne commoditie rather by pleasaunt aduise to wyn themselues fauour than by profitable aduertisement to doo their children good he called some of them before him that were at variaunce and in especiall the Lord Marques Dorset the Quéenes sonne by hir first husbande William the Lord Hastings a noble man then Lord Chamberlaine againe whoÌ„ the Quéene specially grudged for the great fauour the King bare him also for that the thought him secretly familiar with the King in wantoÌ„ company Hir kinred also bare him sore aswell for that y â— King had made him Captaine of Calleis which office the Lord Riuers brother to y â— Quéene claimed of y â— kings former promise as for diuers other great gifts which he receiued y â— they looked for When these Lords with diuers of both the parties were come in presence the King lifting vp himselfe vnderset with pyllows as it is reported on this wise saide vnto them My Lordes my deare kinâ—men alies in what plight I lie you The Oration of the King in his death bed sée I féeâ—e By which the lesse while I looke to lo liue with you the more déepely am I moued to care in what case I leaue you for such as I leaue you such be my childreÌ„ like to finde you Which if they should that God forbid finde you at variaunce might hap to fall theÌ„selues at warre ere their discretion would serue to set you at peace ye sée their youth of which I recken y â— onely suertie to rest in your concorde For it suffiseth not y â— all you loue them if eche of you hate other If they were meÌ„ your faithfulnes happily would suffise but childhood must be maintained by mens aucthority slipper youth vnderpropped w t elder couÌ„sel which neither they caÌ„ haue but ye giue it nor ye giue it if ye grée not For where eche laboureth to breake that the other maketh and for hatred of eche of others person impugneth eche others couÌ„sell there must it néedes be long ere any good conclusion go forward And also while either party laboreth to be chief flatterie shal haue more place thaÌ„ plaine faithfull aduise of which must néedes insue y e euil bringing vp of y â— Prince whose minde in teÌ„der youth infect shal redily fal to mischief riot draw downe with his noble Realme to ruine but if grace turne him to wisdome which if God send then they y â— by euil meanes before pleased him best shal after fal furthest out of fauour so y â— euer at length euil drifts draw to nought and good plaine wayes prosper Great variaunce hath there long bene betwéene you not alway for great causes Sometime a thing right wel intended our misconstructioÌ„ turneth vnto worse or a small displeasure done vs either our owne affectioÌ„ or euil tongues agréeueth But this wot I well ye neuer had so great cause of hatred as ye haue of loue That we be al men that we be Christen meÌ„ this shal I leaue for preachers to tell you yet I wot neare whether any preachers words ought more to moue you thaÌ„ his that is by and by going to the place that they al preache of But this shal I desire you to remeÌ„ber y â— the one part of you is of my bloud the other of mine alies ech of you with other either of kinred or affinitie which spiritual kinred of affinitie if the Sacramentes of Christes Church beare that weight with vs y â— would God they did should no lesse moue vs to charitie than y e respect of fleshly consanguinitie Our Lord forbid y â— you loue togither y e worse for the selfe cause y e you ought to loue y e better And yet y â— happeneth no where finde we so deadly debate as among theÌ„ which by nature lawe most ought to agrée togither Such