he imprisoned and many of the English depriued as we haue heard 63 Besides his many other stately buildings both for fortification and deuotion three Abbies of chiefe note he is said to haue raised and endowed with large priuiledges and rich possessions The first was at Battle in Sussex where hee wonne the Diadem of England in the valley of Sangue-lac so called in French for the streames of bloud therein spilt but William of Newberie deceiued in the soile it selfe which after raine sheweth to bee red affirmeth that after any small showre of raine the earth sweateth forth very fresh bloud as by the euident sight thereof saith hee doth as yet plainly declare that the voice of so much Christian bloud there shed doth still crie from the earth to the Lord. 64 But most certaine it is that in the very same place where King Harolds Standard was pitched vnder which himselfe was slaine there William the Conquerour laid that Foundation dedicating it to the Holy Trinity and to Saint Martine that there the Monks might pray for the soules of Harold and the rest that were slaine in that place whose Priuiledges were so large that they and others of the like condition were afterwards dissolued by Act of Parliament when it was found by experience that the feare of punishment being once taken away desperate boldnes and a daring will to commit wickednesse grew still to a greater head for it was enfranchised with many freedomes and among others to vse the words of the Charter were these If any Thiefe Murtherer or Felon for feare of death flie and come to this Church let him haue no harme but let him be dismissed and sent away free from all punishment Be it lawfull also for the Abbot of the same Church to deliuer from the Gallowes any thiefe or robber wheresoeuer if he chance to come by where any such execution is in hand The Standard it selfe curiously wrought all of gold and pretious stones made in forme like an armed man Duke William presently vpon his victory with great complements of curtesie sent to Pope Alexander the second as good reason it was the Popes transcendent pleasure and power being the strongest part of the Dukes title to the Crowne and his cursing thunderbolts the best weapons whereby he attained to weare it 65 At Selby also in Yorkeshire where his yongest sonne Henry was borne he founded the Abbey of Saint Germans at Excester the Priorie of Saint Nicholas and to the Church and Colledge of Saint Martins le grand in London hee gaue both large priuiledges and much land extending from the corner of the City wall by Saint Giles Church without Criplegate vnto the common Sewer receiuing the waters running then from the More and now More-fields 66 At Cane in Normandie lie founded the Monastery of Sant Stephen the first Christian Martyr adorning it with most sumptuous buildings and endowing it with rich reuenewes where his Queene Maud had erected a Nunnerie for the societie of vailed Virgines vnto the honour of the blessed virgine Mary Thus much of his Acts and now of his marriage and issue His Wife 67 Maud the wife of King William was the daughter of Baldwine the fifth surnamed the Gentle Earle of Flaunders her mother was Alice daughter of Robert King of France the sonne of Hugh Capet Shee was married vnto him when hee was a Duke at the Castle of Angi in Normandy and in the second yeare of his raigne ouer England she was crowned Queene vpon Whit-sunday the yeere of Grace 1068. And although she maintained Robert in his quarrell for Normandy and out of her owne coffers paid the charges of warre against his Father and her owne Husband yet because it did proceed but from a motherly indulgence for aduancing her sonne it was taken as a cause rather of displeasure then of hatred by King William as himselfe would often auouch holding it an insufficient cause to diminish the loue that was linked with the sacred band of a matrimoniall knot Shee departed this life the second day of Nouember the sixteenth yeere of his raigne and of Christs humanity 1083. for whom he often lamented with teares and most honourably enterred her at Cane in Normandy in the Church of S. Maries within the Monasterie of Nuns which she had there founded His Issue 68 Robert the eldest sonne of King William and of Queene Maude his wife was surnamed Curtuoise signifying in the old Norman-French Short-Bootes he succeeded his father onely in the Duchie of Normandy and that also he lost afterwards to his brother Henry King of England at the battell of Ednarchbray in that Dukedome the yeere of our Lord 1106. where he was taken prisoner and hauing his eies put out an vnbrotherly punishment was committed to the Castle of Cardiffe in South-Wales and after twenty eight yeeres imprisonment there deceased the yeere before the death of his said brother Anno 1134 and was buried at Glocester in the midst of the Quier of Saint Peters Church where remaineth a Tombe with his Carued Image at this day Hee had two wiues the first Margaret daughter of Herbert Earle of Maygne both married in their Child-hood and shee died before they came to yeeres of consent The other was Sibyll daughter of Geffrey and sister to William Earles of Conuersana in Italy and Neece of Robert Guiscard Duke of Apulia By her he had two sonnes William and Heny this Henry was he that was slaine by mischance as he was hunting in the New-Forest in Hampshire William the Elder surnamed in Latine Miser was Earle of Flanders in right of Queene Maude his Grand-mother succeeding Charles of Denmarke in that Earledome he also had two wiues the first Sibyll whose Mother called also Sibyll was the daughter of Fowlke Earle of Anion after diuorced from him and remarried to Terry of Alsac his Successour the second was Ioan the daughter of Humbert Earle of Morien now called Sauoy sister of Queene Alice of France wife of King Lewis the Grosse hee died sixe yeeres before his father of a wound receiued at the Siege of the Castle of Angi in Normandy the 27. of Iuly in the 28. yeere of the Raigne of King Henrie his vncle and of our Lord 1128. hee was buried at Saint Omers in the Monastery of Saint Bertin and left no issue behinde him 69 Richard the second sonne of King William and Queene Maude was born in Normandy and after his Father had attained the Crowne came into England where being then verie yong as hee was hunting in the New-Forest of Hampshire he came to a violent sudden death by the goring of a Stagge others say by a pestilentayre and is noted to bee the first man that died in that place the iustice of God punishing on him his Fathers dispeopling of that Countrey his body was thence conueied to Winchester and there buried on the Southside of the Quire
is by the same Writer reported to be his brother and the supposed sonne also of Vulfhere the King Their murthers as he saith was committed the ninth Calends of August which is with vs the foure and twenty of Iuly vpon which day there was yeerely celebrated a solemne memoriall of their martyrdomes in the same place where they both suffered and where their Monument was then remaining 9 Wereburg the daughter of King Vulfhere and Queene Ermenhild was in her childhood committed to the bringing vp of Queene Etheldrid her mothers Aunt in the Monastery of Ely by whose perswasion she professed virginity and returning to her Country in the raigne of King Ethelred her Vncle was by him made ouerseer of all the Monasteries within his dominions She deceased at Trickingham now called Trentham in Stafford-shire and was buried at Hanbery Her body was afterwards remooued to Westchester where Leafrik the Earle built in honour of her a goodly Church called S. Wereburgs which to this day is the Cathedrall Church of that Citie ETHELRED THE SEVENTH KING OF MERCIA AND TVVELFTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH HIS ACTS WIFE AND ISSVE CHAPTER XXIIII EThelred the third sonne of King Penda and brother to the last declared Vulfhere in the yeere of Christ Iesus six hundred seuenty fiue beganne his raigne in the kingdome of Mercia and at the same time in the Monarchy of the Englishmen being the seuenth King among them that ware their Diademe and the twelfth person that bare the Imperiall title of the whole his claime was not immediately nor next in succession young Kenred his Nephew standing betwixt him and the Crowne But himselfe a child in yeeres and in them also addicted vnto a priuate life he gaue his Vncle way to vndergo so publike a charge which without contradiction was likewise accepted of the subiects 2 His entrance was with warre against the Kentish Lothaire whose Country he destroied sparing neither Churches nor religious Abbeys the King not daring to appeare in field The Citie Rochester felt also his fury whose Citizens were ransacked their buildings ruinated and their Bishop Putta driuen to such distresse that he became a Teacher of good Arts and Musicke in Mercia to maintaine his aged yeeres from the necessity of perishing want These stirres saith Beda happened in the yeere of grace six hundred seuenty seuen and the next following so fearefull a Blazing starre as was wonderfull to behold first discouered in the moneth of August and for three moneths together continued rising in the morning and giuing forth a blazing pile very high and of a glittering flame 3 The remorse of conscience for the bloud he had spilt and the places of Oratories by him destroied besides his intrusions into another mans right strucke so deepe a wound into King Ethelreds breast that euer hee bethought him what recompence to make First therefore building a goodly Monastery at Bradney and that most fruitfully seated in the County of Lincolus thought that not sufficient to wash away the scarres of his foule offence but determined in himselfe to forsake the world for that was the terme attributed to the monasticall life wherein notwithstanding in lesse cares they liued and their persons more safe from all dangers attempted then when they publikely administred their lawes to their people the iust executions whereof many times breed the ouerthrow of their Princes and their Persons neuer secure amidst their owne gards 4 But such was the religion then taught and the godly zeale of the good Princes then raigning whose works haue manifested their vertues to posterities and faith in Christ the saluation of their soules in whose Paradise we leaue them and Ethelred to his deuout intent who to reconcile himselfe first vnto Kenred bequeathed the Crowne solely to him although he had a sonne capable thereof then putting on the habit of religion became himselfe a Monke in his owne Monastery of Bradney where he liued a regular life the terme of twelue yeeres and therein lastly died Abbat of the place when hee had raigned thirty yeeres the yeere of Christs natiuity seuen hundred sixteene His Wife 5 Offryd the wife of King Ethelred was the daughter of Oswy and of Lady Eanfled King and Queene of Northumberland She was married vnto him in the yeere of our Lord six hundred seuenty seuen being the third of his raigne and the twentieth of her age Shee was his wife twenty yeeres and passing thorow the North parts of Mercia she was set vpon and slaine by the people of that Country in reuenge of the death of Peada their King who had long before bin murthered by Alkefled his wife and her half sister as we haue said And thus strangely came shee to her vntimely end the yeer of our Lord six hundred ninety seuen the twenty three yeere of her husbands raigne and the fortieth of her owne age His Issue 6 Chelred the sonne of King Ethelred and of Queene Offryd his wife was the heire apparant of his fathers kingdome and of sufficient yeeres to haue succeeded him when he entred into religion but that it was his fathers will to make amends to his Nephew Kenred sonne to his elder brother King Vulfhere that now he might raigne before his sonne who should haue raigned before himselfe KENRED THE EIGHTH KING OF MERCIA AND THE THIRTEENTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISHMEN CHAPTER XXV KEnred the sonne of Vulfhere because of his minoritie at his Fathers death was defeated of his dominions by his Vncle Ethelred and vntill it pleased him to resigne his Crown liued a priuate life whereunto by nature hee was most inclined But King Ethelred for the wrongs to him committed and to redeeme the time that in warre and wealth he had prodigally spent yeelded the Scepter vnto his hand and set his seeming ouer-heauy Crowne vpon his Nephew Kenreds head who began his raigne at one and the same time both ouer the Mercians and Monarchy of the Englishâ—… which was the yeere of Christs Incarnation seuen hundred and foure 2 He is in account the eighth King of that Prouince and the thirteenth Monarch since Hengist the Saxon. He raigned in peace the space of foure yeeres then weary of gouernment and desirous of contemplation after the example of his Vncle sought a more priuate and religious life and thereupon appointing Chelred his Cosen germane to rule in his place in the fifth yeere of his raigne abandoned his kingdome and Country and departed for Rome accompanied with Offa King of the East-Saxons and with Edwine Bishop of Worcester where both these Kings were made Monks in the time of Pope Constantine the first Iustinian the younger then wearing the Imperiall Crowne and in a Monastery at that citie both these penitent Conuerts in the Coules and Orders of Monks spent the rest of their liues and therein died and were enterred this Mercian King Kenred hauing had
he is mentioned for a witnesse to his Fathers graunt of lands in Wittenham to Ethelwolfe a Duke of England in those daies as appeareth by the Charter thereof bearing date in the yeere aforesaid 8 Bertfrid an other and as it seemeth an elder sonne of King Edred was borne before his father was King without any mention also of his Mother who liuing in the second yeare of his fathers raigne namely Anno 948. was written for a witnesse in the same yeare to his grant of lands in Bedlaking to Cuthred one of his Barons the Charter whereof is extant to bee seene vnto this day EDVVY THE TVVENTIE EIGHTH KING OF THE VVEST-SAXONS AND TWENTIE NINTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISHMEN HIS RAIGNE ACTS AND DEATH CHAPTER XLI EDwy the eldest sonne of King Edmund after the decease of his vncle Edred succeeded him in his dominions and was the twentie eighth King of the West-Saxons and the twentie ninth Monarch of the Englishmen he began his raigne in the yeare of the worlds saluation 955. and was annointed crowned at Kingston vpon Thamesis by the hands of Otho the 22. Archbishop of Canterbury 2 Yong hee was in yeares and vitious of life if the Monkish Story-writers of those times his deadly enemies may be credited not past thirteene when he entred gouernment and that begun with a capitall sinne for they report that vpon the solemne day of his Coronation and insight of his Nobles as they sate in Counsell with shamelesse and vnprincelike lust he abused a Lady of great estate his neere kinswoman whose husband shortly after he slew the more freely to possesse his incestuous pleasure and to fill the pennes of his further infamy ready to their hands that wrote his life hee was a great enemy vnto the Monkish orders a sore in those dayes very tender to be touched and may well be thought the cause of many false aspersions on him whom from the Monastery of Malmsbury Glasenbury and others hee expelled placing married Priests in their roomes Dunstan likewise the Abbot Saint of Glasenbury hee banished the Realm for his ouer-bold reprehensions if not rather for retaining the treasure deliuered him by King Edred and demaunded againe in his sicknesse when by the voice forsooth of an Angell from heauen his iourney was staid and those rich Iewels not deliuered the King in his life I will not say kept backe lest Dunstan with Balaam whose stories are not much vnlike should bee thought to follow as he did the wages of deceit 3 Howsoeuer the reuerent opinion of the Monks single life and the conceiued holines of Abbot Dunstan in those misty times did daily counterpoize young Edwy in esteeme which made his best acts construed and recorded to the worst insomuch that his Subiects minds ebbing as the Sea from the full drew backe the current of their subiectiue affections and set the eye of obedience vpon Prince Edgar his Brother and albeit his young yeeres may seeme to cleare him from the imputation of so lustful a fact as he is charged with at the day of his assuming the Crowne and the separation from his wife as too neere in consanguinity wrought griefe enough in his distressed heart yet pittilesse of his estate and carelesse of their owne allegiance the Mercians with the Northumbrians did vtterly cast off obedience and sweare their fealty to Edgar not fully foureteene yeeres aged Edâ—… then raigning in a 〈◊〉 decaying estate was heâ—…d of such his subiects in no better esteeme then was Iehoram of Iudah who is said to haue liued without being desired for very griefe whereof after foure yeares raigne hee ended his life the yeare of our Lord 959 whose body was buried in the Church of the new Abbey of Hide at Winchester erected without the Wall in the North of that City His Wife 4 Elfgine the wife of King Edwy was a Lady of great beauty and nobly descended yea and by some deemed somewhat too neare in the bloud roiall to bee matched with him in spousall bed her fathers name is not recorded but her mother was Etheigiue whom some scandalized to haue beene his Concubine and the onely causer of Dunstans banishment The subiects disliking of this vnlawfull marriage further instigated by the Monkes whose humorous pleasures or displeasures could very much sway the state in those daies failed by degrees to performe their duties to their King and her they likewise enforced to a separation in the third yeere of his regardlesse gouernment and of Christ Iesus 958. without other mention of her life or death EDGAR SVRNAMED THE PEACEABLE THE THIRTIETH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH-MEN HIS RAIGNE ACTS WIVES AND ISSVE CHAPTER XLII EDgar the second son of King Edmund hauing raigned two yeares ouer the Mercians and Northumbrians in the dayes of Edwy his Brother to the great impairing of King Edwyes reputation and esteeme after his death at sixeteen yeares of age was chosen to succeed in all his dominions and was the thirtieth Monarch of the Englishmen or rather now of whole England all other titles of Kingdomes falling vnder his scepter and becomming Prouinces annexed vnto his absolute Monarchie 2 He beganne his raigne in the yeere of Christs Natiuity 959. and was crowned as some write the same yeare at Kingston vpon Thamesis by Otho Archbishop of Canterbury But Randulphus Higden in his Polychronicon referreth it to the twelfth yeere of his raigne William Monke of Malmesbury to the thirtieth yeare of his age and the Sax Chronicle of Worcester Church to the yeere of Christ 972 and that in the City of Bath hee was annointed and consecrated with great solemnity by Dunstan Archbishop of Canterbury 3 The raigne of this King is said to haue beene altogether in a calme tranquility and therefore hee was surnamed the Peaceable his vertues were many and vices not a few the one gloriously augmented and the other fairely excused by those Monkish writers vnto whose professions he was most fauourable his Guides were Dunstan Archbishop of Canterbury Ethelwold Abbot of Glasenbury and Oswald Bishop of Worcester three stout Champions against the married Clergie for women in those dayes were great bugs in their eyes therfore the married Priests he displaced brought in Monkes of single life to possesse their roomes whose sinnes of incontinency grew after to be great as the world did then witnes which caused Treuâ—…sa the translator of Higden to blame King Edgar charging him to bee lewdly moued in following their counsell against married Clerkes 4 So doe Malmsbury and Higden taxe him with too fauourable affections towardes the Danes who dwelled alike in euery town with the English though formerly they had sought the destruction of all and still lay in wait attending for the spoile of his true subiects who apt enough vnto euil lerned the beastly sinne of quaffing and emptying of cups which King Edgar was enforced to redresse by enacting a law
to the enemy The Clergy as backward as any denied the King their assistance pleading their exemptions from warre and priuiledge of the Church when the land lay bleeding and deploring for helpe and scandalized all his other proceedings for demaunding their aide to these were ioined scarsity hunger and robberies These miseries caused the summes of their compositions to bee augmented whose last was sixteene thousand now twenty thousand immediately twenty four then thirty and lastly forty thousand pounds vntill the land was emptied of all the coine the Kingdome of her glory the Nobles of courage the Commons of their content and the Soueraigne of his wonted respect and obseruance 15 The Danes thus preuailing did not a little glory in their fortunes and grieued the poore English whose seruice they emploied to eare and till the ground whilest themselues â—…ate idle eate the fruit of their paines abusing the wiues and daughters of their hosts where they lay and yet in euery place for feare and reuerence were called the Lord-Danes which afterwards becam a word of derision to such sturdy and lazy lozels so that the like daies of miserie the land neuer felt To redresse which the carefull King Ethelred was farre too weake and therfore intending to doe that by policy which he could not by strength he deuised a desperate stratagem that proued the destruction of the Saxons royall bloud and conquest of the land to another nation 16 For seeking to disburden the Realme of these deuouring Danes which by open force hee could no waies doe he attempted in a bloudy massacre to destroy them giuing a secret commission vnto euery City within his dominions that at an appointed time they should set vpon and kill all the Danes the day was the thirteenth of Nouember being the festiuall of S. Bricius the yeare of Christ Iesus 1002 and presently after his marriage with Emma the flower of Normandy in confidence of which affinity hee presumed to do what he did His commaund was accordingly performed and with such rigour that in Oxford the fearefull Danes for refuge tooke into the Church of S. Frideswyd as into a Sanctuary of venerable antiquity and priuiledge among ancient Kings but they in fury regarding neither place nor person set the Church on fire wherein were burned a great sort of those Danes with many rich ornaments and the Library thereof vtterly defaced At which time if Malmsbury say true King Ethelred himself was in that City and had summoned a Parliament both of Danes and English with which euen the King was much grieued and therefore at his very great coâ—… beautifully repaired the Church and all the losses accruing by the fire endowing it with large priuiledges and donations as appeareth by his owne Charter mentioning the tenour of that Danish slaughter In this massacre Lady Gunhild sister to Swaine King of Denmarke a great and continuall friend to the English with her husband and sonne together were slaughtered although she lay in hostage vpon conditions of peace whose husbands name was Palingus saith Malmsbury an Earle of great might both of them Christians 17 Newes brought into Denmarke of this suddaine stratagem no neede there was to vrge them to reuenge or to adde more fuell vnto that ouer kindled fire for preparation being made the yeere ensuing Swain with a great Nauy landed in the West spoiled the Country and gaue assault to the City of Exceter which by the trechery of one Hugh a Norman whom in the fauour of the Queen King Ethelred had made Gouernour of that City he razed and leuelled with the ground all along from the Eastgate to the West This treason and stirres great of themselues but made much more rufull in the relating caused Ethelred presently to muster his men ouer whom hee made Earle Edrik for his couetousnes surnamed Streton his Generall who bare a braue shew till it came to the push and day of battle but then to couer his treason he fained himselfe sicke and left his souldiers to shift as they could The Danes hereupon rifled Wilton and passing forward tooke Salisburie in their way to which they were as welcome as water into ships but hearing that the King himselfe in person was preparing to giue them battle they left the land and tooke againe to sea 18 The next yeare following which was the twenty foure of King Ethelreds raigne and of grace one thousand and foure King Swaine with a mighty fleete of ships arriued vpon the coasts of Norffolke where landing his men hee made spoile of all before him and comming to Norwich sacked the City with great slaughter of the Citizens then tooke he Thetford and set it on fire notwithstanding hee had entred a truce with them but for want of victuall which then was scarse in the land he returned to sea and so into Denmarke 19 Where making preparation for another expedition encreased his Nauie and number of men and the next Spring arriued at Sandwich miserably desolating the Countries along the sea side neuer staying in any certain place but to preuent the Kings Forces roued from coast to coast euer carrying to their ships their booties and prayes and to encrease the calamitie the haruest was neglected and in many places spoiled both for the want of labourers by the feet of the souldiers which lay in field all that season who from place to place trauailed although in vaine Towards the Winter the Danes tooke into the I le of Wight and in the deepest time thereof passed through Hampshire into Barkeshire vnto Reading Wallingford Colesey and Essington making clean worke wheresoeuer they came for that which they could not carry they consumed with fire with triumphes euer returning to their ships 20 The King lying in Shrewsbury vnable to resist called to him his Councell to consult what was best to bee done whereof Edrik was a principall and in so high esteeme with the King that he created him Duke of Mercia and gaue him his daughter Egith in marriage notwithstanding these gluts of fauours wrought onely the disgestion of falshood in him who could taft nothing vnlesse it was saused with treason This man then the Kings onely Achitophel perswaded him to pay thirty thousand pounds to the Danes for their peace whereof no doubt some fell into his owne Coffers 21 This intollerable imposition extorted of the Subiects especially at that time when the land was least able made many suspect great matters against Edrik and some did not feare to accuse him to his face to bee the onely causer of this payment charging him as ouer-affectionated to the Danes and to haue bewraied the Kings secrets and designes vnto them but he seated in the heart of his Soueraigne rubd off this staine with a few fawnings and a faire shew being 〈◊〉 in wit subtle in speech eloquent and for riches
retained life And the King of Norway sent him a goodly shippe with a guilt sterne purple sailes and the decke garnished all with gold 13 Of these accounted holy reliques King Ethelstan gaue part vnto the Abbey of S. Swithen in Winchester and the rest to the Monastery of Malmesbury whereof Adelme was the founder and his Tutelar Saint in honour of whom he bestowed great immunities vpon the towne and large endowments vpon the Abbey hee new built the monasteries of Wilton Michelnesse and Midleton founded Saint Germans in Cornwal Saint Petrocus at Bodman the Priory of Pilton new walled and beutified the City of Exceter and enriched euery famous Abbey in the land either with new buildings Iewels Books or Reuenewes 14 As also hee did certaine Cities with the Mintage of his money whereof in London were eight houses at Winchester sixe at Lewis two at Hastings two in Hampton two in Warham two in Chichester one in Rochester three two for the King and one for the Bishop at Canterbury seuen foure for himselfe two for the Archbishop and one for the Abbat although it appeareth the Archbishop had his before the raigne of this King For among these ancient Saxon-Coines we find one of Ceolnothus who sate there Archbishop in the yeare 831. which both for the antiquity authority of truth wee haue here inserted 15 This Prince King Ethelstan was of an indifferent stature not much exceeding the common sort of men chearefull in countenance his haire verie yellow and somewhat stooped forward as he went for valour inuincible in resolution constant and for his curtesie beloued of all he raigned in great honour the space of fifteene yeares and odde monethes and deceased in the City of Gloucester vpon wednesday the seuenteenth of October and was buried at Malmesbury the yeere of Christs Natiuity 940. hauing neuer had wife mentioned in our histories His supposed Issue 16 Leoneat the supposed daughter of King Ethelstan is reported by Iohn Rouse and Papulwick writers of the mistrusted story of Guy of Warwicke to bee married vnto Reynburn Earle of Warwicke and sonne to the same Guy whose remembrance and reputation is preserued kept with no lesse renowne among the common people for the liberty of England saued by his victory in single combate against Colbrand the Dane then was Horatius the Romane for the preseruatio of Rome whose historie I wil leaue for others to enlarge that haue more leasure bettet inuention EDMVND THE TVVENTIE SIXTH KING OF THE VVEST-SAXONS AND TWENTIE SEVENTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISHMEN HIS RAIGNE ACTS DEATH WIFE AND ISSVE CHAPTER XXXIX EDmund the fifth sonne of King Edward borne vnto him by Queene Edgiua his third and last wife at the age of nineteen yeeres succeeded his brother King Ethelstan in his kingdome and Monarchy hee began his raigne the yeare of the worlds saluation 940. and with great solemnity was crowned at Kingston vpon Thamesis in the fifth yeare of Otho the first Emperour of that name and his brother in law his valour had often beene tried in the warres of King Ethelstan against those stout and sturdy enemies the Danes Scotish Irish and Welshmen that often had assaied to disturbe his peace 2 Athelstan deceased and the crowne scarse set vpon King Edmunds head but that the Danes in Northumberland disliking subiection called again Anlafe out of Ireland to be their King who now in the infancy of Edmunds estate with great power of men purposed to subdue all before him but Edmund as forward with full resolution ment to keepe what was got and so gathering his power proceeded towards the North and at Leicester encountred with the Danes howbeit through the interceding of the Archbishops of Canterbury and Yorke Odo and Wolston the matter was mitigated before it came to the vttermost 3 The next yeare of his raigne the said Anlafe whom some hold to haue beeene the King of Norway being dead an other Anlafe sonne to King Sithrick of whom we haue spoken intruded vpon the Kingdom of Northumberland These heads as Hidras springing vp each after others drew King Edmund againe into the North who raging like a prouoked Lion subdued as he went those townes where the Danes kept and got from them Lincolne Leicester Darbie Stafford and Nottingham compelling them to receiue Baptisme and to become his Subiectes so that the Country was wholy his vnto Humber These his proceedings caused Anlafe and Reinold the sonnes of the Danish Gurmo subduers of Yorke to yeeld themselues wholy to his deuotion offering him subiection and withall to receiue the Christian faith for performance wherof they likewise receiued Baptisme vnto whom King Edmund was Godfather to Reinold at his Confirmation and to Anlafe at the Font but how soone they fell from both the sequell shewed for casting off the faith and fealty thus promised they stirred the Northumbrians to another rebellion yet with no better successe then desert for they were forced into a perpetuall exile and King Edmund adioined that Country to his owne gouernment without the admittance of any Secondary or Vice-roy to rule there vnder him 4 Cumberland also which seldome was quiet hauing beene a Kingdome entire of it selfe and now aided by Leolin King of Southwales he vtterly wasted and apprehending the two sonnes of Dunmaile King of that Prouince commanded the eyes of those ouer-bold Princes to be puld out and gaue their inheritance to Malcolme King of Scots to hold the same by fealty from him Thus by power and policie clearing those coasts whence the sharpest stormes had continually blowne hee returned into the South and there set himselfe to ordaine lawes for the good of his people the which left time the consumer of al things might chance to obliterate were by the labours of the learned Lambert translated into Latine and imprinted in the yeare 1568. next to shew his loue to God and bounty to his Church he gaue the towne of Saint Edmondsbury with the liberties thereof wholy to that Martyr and to the Monks that liued in seruing at his Altars 5 But as each thing hath his spring growth decay so all men their dates howsoeuer eminent in degree the shank of their Compas so set in a center that the Circle of their lines are oftentime abrupt before it be drawn to the full round for so with others we may see in this Monarch who being safely returned from many great dangers of war at peace in his Pallace came to a lamentable vnexpected end for at his Manor of Pucle-kerkes in the County of Gloucester whiles hee interposed himselfe betweene his Sewer and one Leoue to part a fray was with a thrust through the body wounded to death the twenty sixt of May in the yeare of our saluation 946. when hee had prosperously raigned the space of fiue yeares and seuen moneths and his body with no lesse sorrow
Christs faith and therefore such should come to subdue them and take their possessions when he said a Stag which hee kild had neuer the lesse fatte though he neuer heard a Masse they charged him hee doubted of the Resurrection of the dead and in saying hee neuer sped well after his yeelding to the Pope that hee said hee was vnfortunate since hee was reconciled vnto God that when hee gaue leaue to a seruant of his owne to enter any religious Order he gaue him leaue to bee of what Religion and Faith hee list That moreouer hee offered his Kingdome to a Sarazen and would embrace the Turkish faith though this tale were told by one Robert of London a wicked Masse-Priest or rather a Monster hauing a face like a Iew with one arme long and another short his fingers deformedly growing together two and two with such senseles improbabilities as that hee found that Moorish King reading of Saint Paules Epistles and that hee refused the Kingdom of England being offered him with the like That lastly it was reuealed to a Monke King Iohn was in Hell though a Poet for so saying is by M. P. who ◅de no doubt of King Iohns saluation censured for a Reprobate These all are demonstrations of so incredible hatred as should rather alleuiate their Authors credite then the Kings whose Raigne had it not fallen in the time of so turbulent a Pope so ambitious Neighbour Princes so disloyall Subiects nor his Story into the handes of exasperated Writers hee had appeared a King of as great renowne as misfortunes His works of deuotion inferiour to none as his Foundations declare at Beauley Farrington Malmsbury and Dublin and that other for Nunnes at Godstow by Oxford for which some haue interpreted that Prophesie of Merlin as meant of him Sith Virgin giftes to Maids he gaue Mongstblessed Saints God will him saue His Acts and Orders for the Weale-publike were beyond most hee being eyther the first or the chiefest who appointed those noble Formes of Ciuill gouernment in London and most Cities and Incorporate Townes of England endowing them also with their greatest Franchises The first who caused Sterling money to bee h◅re coyned The first who ordayned the Honourable Ceremonies in Creation of Earles The first who setled the Rates and Measures for Wine Bread Cloth and such like Necessaries of Commerce The first who planted English Lawes and Officers in Ireland and both annexed that Kingdome and fastned Wales to the Crowne of England therby making amends for his losses in France Whose whole course of life and actions wee cannot shut vp with any truer E◅loge then that which an ancient Author hath conferred on him Princeps quidem Magnus erat sed minus foelix atque vt Marius vtramque fortunam expertus Doubtlesse he was a Prince more Great then happy and one who like Marius had tried both sides of Fortunes wheele His Wiues 64 Alice the first wife of King Iohn was the eldest of the two daughters and heires apparant at that time of Humbert the second Earle of Maurien now called Sauoy her Mother was Clemence daughter of Berthold the fourth Duke of Leringen who had been the diuorced wife of Henry the Lyon Duke of Saxonie This marriage was in their childhoode cōcluded by their Parents at Mountferrant in Auerne in February Anno 1173 he should haue had with her her Fathers Earledome but all altered by her vntimely death and after ensued the death of her Mother the new marriage of her Father and issue male of the same whereof the Dukes of Saxonie are descended 65 Isabel his second wife by some called Hawisia or Auis though the youngest of the three Sisters yet was in regard of this marriage the sole Heire of William Earle of Gloucester sonne of Earle Robert the Naturall sonne of King Henry the first her Mother was Hawis the daughter of Robert Bossu Earle of Leicester Shee was married vnto him when hee was Earle of Mortaine in the first yeere of his brother Richards raigne and after ten yeeres hauing no issue by him was the first yeere of his Raigne diuorced from him vnder pretence of Consanguinity and married to Geffrey Mandeuill Earle of Essex and lastly to Hubert de Burgo Earle of Kent but died without any Issue by them 66 Isabel also his last wife was daughter and heire of Aymer Earle of Angolesme her Mother was Alice daughter of Peter Lord of Courteney fifth son of Lewis the Grosse King of France Shee was married vnto him in the first yeere of his Raigne crowned by Hubert Archbishoppe of Canterbury 8. Id. Octob. Anno 1200. and suruiuing him was married to Hugh Brun Earle of March and Lord of Lusignian and Valence in Poytou to whom first she should haue beene married but yet as seemeth continued her affection to him till now By him shee had diuers Children greatly aduanced by the King Henry 3. their halfe brother and as greatly maligned by his Subiects Hugh Earle of March and Angolesme Guy of Lusignian slain in the battell at Lewise William of Valence Earle of Pembroke Aymer of Valence Bishoppe of Winchester Geffrey of Lusignian L. of Hastings His Issue 67 Henry the eldest Sonne of King Iohn and Isabell his last wife was borne at Winchester 1. October 10. of his Fathers Raigne Anno 1208. K. Iohn dying at Newarke whither hee was broughtina Horselitter from Swynshead the Barons malice was ended their offence amended Lewis of France reiected and the yong Prince seated on his Fathers throne 68 Richard his second son by the same Queene was borne the next yeere after Henry by whom afterward hee was made Knight created Earle of Cornwall and appointed Earle of Poytou After the death of William Earle of Holland Emperour of the West hee was by the Electours chosen to succeed him in the Empire and crowned King of Romanes of Almayn at the City of Acon in Germany by Conrade Archbishoppe of Coleyne Maij 27. being the Ascention day Anno 1257. deceasing at the Castle of Berkhamsted April 20. Ann. 1271. the 13. yeere of his Empire his body was buried in his Monastery of Hayles in Gloucestershire but his Heart at Oxford in Reuly Abbey founded by him vnder a Pyramis of admirable worke Hee had three wiues the first was Isabel daughter of William Marshall Earle of Pembroke widdow of Gilbert Clare Earle of Gloucester by whom hee had issue Henry slaine at Viterbo in Italy and Iohn both dying without Issue His second wife was Senches daughter of Raimond Earle of Prouince sister to Queene Eleanor his brothers wife who was crowned with him at Acon and had issue by him Edmund Earle of Cornwall and others His last wife was Beatrice Niece to the Archbishoppe of Coleyne who seemeth to haue suruiued him and to haue no Issue by him 69 Ioane the