the father of Ingebrand whose sonne was Alusa the father of Angengeal and this mans sonne Ingengeat the father of Aethelbright whose sonne Oesa begat Eoppa the father of this Ida the first King of Bernicia These Saxon Captaines Ella and Ida about sixtie yeeres after the death of King Hengist changed the title of this Prouince from a Dukedome to a Kingdome For Hengist hauing giuen the possession of those North parts vnto Otho his Brother and to Ebusain his sonne their Successors held it with many hostile irruptions the space of 99. yeeres But now the Britaines subiected and no resistance made those Captaines diuide the Prouince into two parts intituling either by the name of a Kingdome the first Deira was possessed by Ella which stretched from Tyne to the Riuer Humber and the second Bernicia enioyed by Ida whose Continent lay betwixt the Tyne and the Frith of Edenborough These together contained the Counties of Westmerland Cumberland Northumberland Yorkeshire Lancaster and Durham and was bounded on the West with the Irish Seas on the North with the Wall of Scuerus on the East with the German Ocean and on the South with the Riuers Mersey and Humber Ida saith Malmsbury raigned fourteene yeeres and Ella by Matthew of Westminster is said to succeed him for thirty yeeres The issue of Ida legitimate as Huntington recordeth were Adda Bealrik Thedrik Ethelrik Osmer and Thedred illegitimate Oga Ecca Oswald Ailrik Sogoe and Sogother These saith Matthew of Westminster arriued at Flemisburke with forty Ships and assisted their Father in manie of his enterprises The issue of Ella by Florentius his record were Acca Wife of Ethelfrid King of Bernicia and mother to the most Christian Oswald Monarch of the Englishmen and Edwine the Monarch and first Christian King of Northumberland Ida is said to beginne his raigne Anno 547. And Ella in the yeere 559. No other particulars ascribed vnto either besides the building of Bamburge Castell With Ella raigned the two sonnes of Ida namely Adda and Thedrik with three others Elappea Theodwald and Frethulfe sprung from Eoppae the father of Ida all fiue his substitutes ouer the Bernicians but because there is no other mention of them besides their names and raignes I will leaue as I finde them and proceed to the more worthy of recitall 2. Adda raigned 7. yeeres King of Bernicia 3. Elappea raigned 5. yeeres 4. Theodwald raigned 1. yeere 5. Frethulfe raigned 7. yeeres 6. Theodrik raigned 7. yeeres EThelrik the sonne of King Ida hauing outrun his youth in pernicious obscuritie attained in his old yeeres to the gouernment of both the Prouinces and whole Kingdome of Northumberland wherein his time was so spent saith Malmesbury that had not his sonne in the glasse of his owne worths shewed the face of his fathers remembrance his acts and raigne might easily haue beene forgotten His issue were Ethelfrid that succeeded him and Theobald slaine in Battle against the Scots He raigned fiue yeeres and died An. 593. EThelfrid a man very valiant and thirstie for renowne succeeded his father in the Northumbrians Kingdome Him Beda compares to King Saul in Israel excepting only in the knowledge of Gods true Religion to whom saith he might be applied the saying of Iacob touching Beniamin that like a rauening Woolfe he deuoured his prey in the morning and diuided the spoile thereof in the euening For he made greater Conquests ouer the daily afflicted Britaines then all the Kings of the Angles had done and peopling their possessions with his Saxons held the right owners vnder subiection and tribute This his prosperitie Edâ—…aden King of the Scots greatly enuied and attempting to croppe it and to plant himselfe vpon the root of like honour hee assembled a great and strong Armie against him and at the place called Degsiston strooke Battle with him wherein notwithstanding he was ouerthrowne and his Scots discomfited yet with such losse to King Ethelfrid that Theobald his brother with the part of the Armie whereof he was Generall were all vanquished and destroied This battle went so sore against the Scotish Britaines that saith Beda no King of that Nation durst attempt to meet the English in the Field for a long time after And the fortune of the day did so much augment both his fame and also his haughty spirit that presently he reenforced his power against the Britaines that were at Cairlegion where of them hee made a most lamentable slaughter and that not only of the Souldiers prepared for fight but also of those religious and harmlesse Monks there assembled for praier These Monks were of the Monastery of Bangor in North-wales famous for antiquity forme of discipline and spacious circuit It was situated in the fruitfull valley now called the English Mailor and vpon the Banckes of the Riuer Dee where it extended it selfe as in the circuit of a walled Citie containing within it the quantitie of a mile and a halfe of ground two of whose Gates may at this day easilie be discerned the one of them called Port Hogen lying by North and the other Port Clais situate on the South the Riuer Dee hauing now changed his Channell runneth thorow the middest betwixt both the Gates which stand asunder fiue hundred paces This Monasterie saith Clariualentius was the Mother of all others in the World who in memory of the * Seuen Churches of Asia did distribute into seuen portions their Monks euery one numbring three hundred soules and all of them as Beda saith liuing by the labour of their own hands Many of these assembling at Cair-legion to assist their Brethren Britaines with their supplications vnto God against this Ethelfrid surnamed the Wilde and his fierce Souldiers the Infidell Saxons with three daies fasts spent their time in continuall praiers But King Ethelfrid beholding their maner demanded the cause and vnderstanding that they called for assistance of their God against him and his Army set first vpon their Guarder Brockmal a man of Armes who to saue his own life left all theirs to the sword wherein perished one thousand and two hundred Christian Monks besides the discomfiture of the Britaines Host. Many of these were interred in their owne Monasteries whose bodies saith Leyland haue been found in the memory of man in the rotten weedes wherein they were slaine But as his fame increased daily abroad so were his feares augmented continually at home For Edwine the sonne of Ella and third King of Deira a gallant young Prince and newly seated in his Fathers Kingdome wrought many suspicions in Ethelfrids head and though he was brother to his Wife Acca yet the neerenesse of that alliance no whit diminished his iealous conceits whom therefore by priuie conspiracies and apparant pursuits hee so daily molested that he was forced to saue his life by auoiding the Country and tossed in exile from place to place was lastly receiued and succoured by
seruice for Ierusalem wore continually vpon their backes a red Crosse whereby the name Crosse-backe or in old English Crouch-backe was to them attributed in which ranke Edmund Earle of Lancaster second sonne to King Henry the third was a principall and thereby got that name which he could not claw off from his backe euer since So likewise those men who entred that Religion of Monasticall life wore vsually vpon the outside of their Garments the signe of a Crosse whereby that Order was distinguished and noted from others by the name of Crouched or Crossed-Friers But whence or howsoeuer the name arose among all the Germans there were none in reputation for militarie deeds comparable vnto these Saxons neither had any aduentured by Sea and Land so farre to purchase renowne and praise or perhaps and that more likely to supply their owne wants ranging often from place to place as men alwaies ready to enter any action and in Germanie to this day a great Dukedome retaineth from them the name of Saxonie 9 The Gutae no doubt the Iutae Ptolomie likewise placeth in the Iland Scandia lying very neere the Coasts of Germanie vpon whose vttermost Promontorie as saith an ancient Manuscript the Iutes did for certaine inhabite which vnto this day of the Danes is called Iutland These Iutes Gutes Getes or Gothes or as Beda calles them Vites gaue names to those parts of Britaine which they inhabited as to this day the I le of Wight beareth their impression This variety of names we will no further inforce then that these Gothes were not the same that had passed Ister by Pontus Euxinus and ouer-ranne Europe who were also called the Getae by Iohn Maior Their name as Verstegan will haue it was taken from their agilitie or swiftnesse of foot and some of them as Sebastian Munster declareth went and inhabited among the Mountaines that diuide Germanie from Italie whereupon their name grew to be called the Hill-Vites which are now the Hel◅ans 10 The Angles by Fabius Quaestor Ethelwardus an ancient Writer and a Noble Person of the Saxons Royall Bloud are brought from Ould-Anglia a Portion lying betwixt the Countries of the Saxons and the Giots as he writeth them whose chiefe Towne was by them called Sleswic and of the Danes Haathby but more particularly it lay betwixt the Citie Flemburge and the Riuer Sly which Country by Albertus Crantzius is called Anglia From hence saith He◅ricus Rantzouius the Saxons who were also called the Angle-Saxons went to aid the Britaines And at this day there is a little Prouince in the Kingdome of Dania named Angell beneath the Citie Flemburge which Lindebergus calleth Little Anglia Their site notwithstanding is placed by most Authours in Westphalia where the Citie Engern standeth and where Tacitus and Ptolomy rangeth them among the Sueutans which in their times might very well be Others would haue them in Pomerania where the Towne Engloen doth somewhat sound their name so doe Engelheim Engleburg and Englerute places in Germanie beare witnesse and are prints of their footing among the Longobards and Sueuians But the most glorious remembrance of that their name hath beene for these many ages in this Kingdome of England though Saxo Grammaticus as erst we touched Lib. 5. Cap. 2 will needs haue Anglia named from Angul the sonne of Humblus and Giant-like brother of Danus the first King of Denmarke But Albertus Crantzius being offended at his folly telles him that England had the name of Britaine many hundred yeeres after that Angul was dead Others there are that deriue the name England from the manner of this Ilands situation being narrow in the West and North for that Eng in the ancient Teutonik Tongue as well as in the moderne doth signifie Narrow Strait or a Nooke and to that purpose doe produce this verse of a Portugals allusion Anglia terra ferax et fertilis Angulus Orbis Insula praedines quae toto vix eget orbe A fruitfull Angle England thou another world art said An Iland rich and hast no need of other countries aid 11 Callepine without proofe deriueth the Name frō Queene Angela but on as weake a ground as those who will fetch it from their Angel-like faces alluded vnto by Pope Gregory the Great Or that of Goropius from the Angle or Fishing-hooke because saith he they hooked all things to themselues and might verie well therefore be called Good Anglers a very meane conceit in sooth But howsoeuer most certaine it is that these Angles stole the name of this blessed Iland from their elder brethren the Saxons as Iacob did the birth-right from Esau and called it after their owne as wee shall further shew when our Historie hath gotten to the age of the Saxons Monarchie 12 These all claime their descents from Prince Woden called by the ancient Latines Othinus and who is deduced by our Antiquaries as hath beene said from the eldest Sonne of the Patriarke Noah and is accounted the most noble of all the Progenitors of the Saxon Kings insomuch as they and especially the Angle-Saxons our Ancestors haue in their superstitious conceit of such wodden gods imagined Woden to be their principall God of Battell whose Wife named Frea was by the like fancie held a Goddesse of whom more hereafter 13 These had issue between them sundry Sons and from fiue of them all the Monarchs of the English-men haue claimed to haue been descended Wechta the first being reported to be the Progenitor to the Kings of the Kentishmen Caser the second to the Kings of the East-Angles Wethelgeat the third to the Kings of the Mercians Wegdeg the fourth to the Kings of the Dierians and Beldeg the fifth to the Kings of the South-Saxons to the Kings of the Bernicians afterwards Kings of Northumberland and also the Kings of the West-Saxons only the Kings of the East-Saxons claiming to descend of the same race deriue not their descents from any of the Sonnes of the same men This may suffice for the Originals of these three people who as Cisner affirmeth retained still the same manners after they were seated in Europe as they had formerly done in Asia And what those were let vs heare the reports of Tacitus and other ancient Authors who together with the Germans among whom they dwelled doe thus describe them THE MANNERS AND CVSTOMES OF THE ANCIENT SAXONS CHAPTER III. THese Germans and among them the Catti and Sueuians our Ancestors according to Albertus Crantzius were a people saith Tacitus well set sterne of countenance tall of stature gray eied and of a firie aspect and their haire yellow Vnto whom Witichindus the Monke addeth and saith that They were faire of complexion cheerfull of countenance very comely of stature and their limbes to their bodies well proportioned bold of courage hardy in fight and very ambitious of
wantonnesse and secure in their owne conceit from impeach of danger which Elfred a most skilfull Musitian and an excellent Poet did not a little egge on by his sweet musicke and songs of their valour so that he was suffered to passe vncontrolled into the company of their Princes at banquets or else where whereby he both saw their negligent security and by diligent obseruance learned the designes that in their counsels they entended 13 Returning to his comfortlesse company he told them the condition of the hostile Campe and how easie it was to recouer againe their decaied estates whereupon shewing himselfe to his subiects vnto whose sight nothing could bee more ioyous on the suddaine set vpon the carelesse Campe of the Danes and made thereof a very great slaughter to the great terrour of others in other parts that had accounted him dead long since 14 Hubba that had harried the English and now rowzed vpon the newes of King Elfreds victory and life with thirty three ships sailed from Wales and arriuing in the mouth of Tau where it falleth into the Seuerne Sea assaied to take there the then-strong Castle called Kinwith vnto whom the Deuonshire men gaue battle and slew eight hundred and eighty persons of their retinue where died the Danish King Hubba whose corps being there interred vnder a great heape of copped stones gaue name to the place and was called Hubblestone There and then was taken the Danish much esteemed Banner called Reafan wherin a Rauen was purtraied wrought in needle-worke so Asserius Meneuensis reporteth by the three sisters of Hubba and Hungar the daughters of Lothbroke that is Leather-breach the Dane In regard whereof as also for the opinion of good lucke as they tooke it it was cuer born before them in their wars 15 These aduerse proceedings of the Danes designes especially falling when the game was neere wonne made them suspect how faire soeuer the ball lay to hand yet fortune would serue it in the end to their losse for Elfred now flocked vnto vpon euery side beganne to build fortresses behind his backe and forward to march with his conquering sword whereupon the Danes sent to him for Peace and deliuered him hostages vpon assurance that they meant as they spake The conditions were that their King should receiue Baptisme and the great Army of the Danes quietly to depart out of the land 16 Whereupon Gurmound or Gurthrun the Danish King repaired to the new built Castle of Edelingsey vnto King Elfred and in the place then called Alre was washed in the lauer of Baptisme whom Elfred receiued for his God-son by the name of Athelstane and gaue him in free gift the Country of East-Angles In the same fountaine of Grace saith Simond Dunelmensis thirty of the chiefe Danish Nobility were initiated vpon whom the truly Christian King Elfred bestowed many rich gifts And that the limites of the English might be free from their incursions thus the confines of King Elfreds kingdome were laide forth as we find it in the end of those Lawes that Elfred published whose words are these Let the bounds of our Deminioâ—… stretch from the riuer Thamesis and from thence to the water of Lea euen vnto the head of the same water and so forth straight vnto Bedford and finally going along by the riuer of Ouse let them end at Watling street 17 But so farre were the Danes from performance of couenants that in this eight yeare of King Elfreds raigne and the eight hundred seuenty nine after Christ this Gurmund and his company wintered at Chipnam in Wiltshire and a new supply of these Pagans known by the name of the Wicciâ—…gi wintred at Fulhâ—…m neere London yet after vpon better aduice the one went into their assigned circuit and the other departed to the realme of France and so to his twelfth yeare the land tooke some rest that had been kept long waking by the loud sound of warre 18 In the yeare of Grace eight hundred eighty fiue these last retired Danes finding France not fitting their purpose returned into Kent and put into Medway where on his East side they began a fierce siege vnto the City Rochester before whose gate they built a strong Castle Thither King Elfred hasted before whose power these Danes could not stand but were forced to their shippes and backe againe into France 19 Whereupon the King remoued his siege vnto London whence all the Danes fled as Wolues abide not the presence of the Lion the inhabitants reioicing to see the face of their King which City hee restored to her former liberty and beauty and committed the custody thereof vnto Ethelred Duke of Mercia that had maried his daughter the Lady Ethelfred whose title the King had maintained against Colwolphus made King thereof by the Danes Wherupon both Kent the South-Saxons and West-Saxons came willingly and submitted themselues to King Elfred The East-Angles being gouerned or rather spoiled by Athelstan the christned Dane who after twelue yeares raigne there died and was buried at Hadley in Suffolke 20 But in the one and twentieth of his raigne and of Christs Incarnation eight hundred ninety two those rouing Danes returned out of France againe arriued in Kent in the mouth of the riuer Limen with two hundred and fifty ships which they drew foure miles into the great wood then called Andreads Weald and there destroied a Castle that stood for defence building another more strong at Apulder wherein they kept At the same time likewise entred one Hastings a Nobleman of Norway with eighty ships but with a fairer shew as hee entended for he sent his oath vnto Elfred not to annoy any part of his dominions and withall his two sonnes to bee baptized which King Elfred accepted himselfe becomming the Godfather of the one and Duke Ethelred of the other and both they and his Ambassadors returned with rich gifts Against these Kentish inuaders King Elfred fought a great battaile at Fernham neere vnto Aelesford wherein he wounded their King and forced his Army to flee ouer Thamesis in passing whereof through ouermuch hast and great feare many of them were drowned and they that escaped fled to an Iland called Breklesey inclosed about by the riuer Colne 21 Newes then being brought into the East that the Danes from Northumberland had infested the West and with a strong siege begirt the City Excester Elfred left for Generall his sonne in law Duke Ethelred whilest he with a strong power went to suppresse their rage who hearing of his comming brake vp their siege and were gone vpon the aduantage of his absence perlured Hastings then wrought who out of his new built Castle at Beamfield made spoile of the Kings people and forraged all the Country before him Whereupon Duke Ethelred assembled a power and first assailing his wel stored Castle tooke thence his wife and two sonnes with exceeding spoiles of gold siluer and garments
any of aboue fifteene The great number of the slaine is not the measure of a victory but the vse and effects which it drawes The Duke of Alanson himselfe was taken prisoner with about two hundred others of speciall worth The English paid for this noble victory the bodies of about two thousand of their souldiers which lost life there for it was fought vpon faire termes in the open fields and carried by meere manhood That which followeth till the siege of Orleance Paul Aemylius comprehendeth in some few lines The fierce Conquerour besiegeth Mants in Main and with Ordinance beates downe part of the wals It yeelds heereupon The English Garrison left therein after the taking not being sufficient to containe the Towne in due subiection is compelled to flie to a Tower for their safetie the enemies which were admitted into it by the Burgers enioying the rest The Lord Talbot the most noble Captaine of the English presently arriues to the rescue and puts the malefactors to death The English Empire extends it selfe to the Riuer of Loyr Charles they call in scorne the King of Berry Thus roundly he In nine Articles and capitulations drawne and concluded at the yeelding of Mâ—…nts this was one as perhaps it was in euery like occasion That if any persons were found within the City which had beene consenting to the murther of Iohn Duke of Burgoin father to Philip Duke of Burgoin in full reuenge whereof he had hither to adhered to the English that they should simply bee at the Regents mercy 8 The chiefe things which passed in England during these happy proceedings in France were briefly these Iames Steward the young King of Scots hauing beene casually taken vpon the Sea in the reigne of King Henry the fourth and after his fathers death not sufficiently tendered nor respected by the Scots remained still a Prisoner The rather therefore to hinder the Scots that was the hope from aiding the French it was now thought fit by the Councell of England to enlarge him Which was accordingly done vpon pledges Not long after the which he married the Ladie Iane daughter to Iohn Earle of Sommerset neere cosen to King Henry Principall setters forward of this marriage as by likelihood of his liberty also to honour their family with a Kingly alliance were the Earle of Sommerset and the Bishop of Winchester both of them Beauforts who together with sundry other of the English Nobility conducted the new married Couple to the Scottish Borders Much of his ransome was abated and his new kinsemen bestowed vpon him store of plate gold and siluer among other gorgeous Ornaments suit of hangings in which the labors of Hercules were most curiously wrought But this wise King hauing had the benefit of excellent and Princely education in England did not suffer any obligations contracted in the time of his durance to preponderate with him the Generall state of Scotland whose freedome did much depend vpon the fortune of France whereby the maine drift of his enlargers was not much aduanced The reason notwithstanding which lead this action was probable and so much the more commendable for that it was tempered with humanity The forreine mischiefe thus howsoeuer intended hereby to be auoided or qualified Sir Iohn Mortimer a dangerous firebrand at home being Prisoner in the Tower was arraigned for many treasonable speeches vsed to a yeoman seruant to Sir Robert Scot keeper of the Tower of London to draw the said yeoman to let him escape promising him great matters The points of his speeches were as that fellow charged vpon him in open Parliament 1. That the said Mortimer meant to flie into Wales to the Earle of March and with an armie of forty thousand men to enter England and strike off the Protectors head and the Bishop of Winchesters 2. That the Earle of March ought by right to bee King of England and if the Earle would not that then hee himselfe was next heire 3. That if he could not safely reach to the Marches he would saile to the Daulphin of France and there serue with honor which he was assured of For these ouertures of escape and conspiracie the Knight was drawne hanged and headed Of whose death no small slander arose Perhaps he that writes so doth meane that the whole was but a stratageme to rid him out of the way Edmund Lord Mortimer Earle of March the party whom the said knight mentioned was sent not long after with many other Lords and competent numbers of men into Ireland where he deceased without issue whose great patrimony descended to Richard Plantagenet Earle of Cambridge the fatall disturber of the Realme of England vpon the pretence of Mortimers title to the Crowne 9 The amity with the Duke of Burgoin which the English had hitherto found so auailable toward their Conquests hauing otherwise receiued some few slight flawes was now in danger of vtter breaking vpon this occasion Humfrey Duke of Gloucester Protector of the Realme following councell vnworthy of his person and place contracted himselfe with the Lady Iaqueline of Baâ—…aria Inheretrix of Holland Zeland Henaâ—…lt and many other faire dominions in the Netherlands notwithstanding that Iohn Duke of Brabant her former husband was then liuing and that the suit of diuorce commenced by Iaqueline depended still betweene them The Duke of Burgoin held with Brabâ—…t This bred bitter humor in the Duke of Glocester who being not vsed to meet with any rubs or confrontments and now when in person he came with an armie to take seison of Henault in right of his supposed wife finding himselfe hard set vnto by the aids which Burgoin ministred to the Duke of Brabant he challengeth Combat of the Duke of Burgundy calling him traitour It was accepted and the lie strongly thrust vpon Gloucester who leauing the light Lady at her Towne of Monts in Henault returned into England doing nothing of that for which at that time he came Mediation tooke vp the quarrell afterward betweene the Duke of Burgundy and him Not long after the returne of the Duke of Gloucester into England the first marriage which had beene made and consummated betweene the Duke of Brabant and the said Lady Iaqueline was pronounced lawfull by Pope Martin the fifth Hereupon the Duke of Glocester hauing susteined many losses aswell of friends as treasure in punishment of that great sinne in taking anothers wife forthwith marries Eleanour daughter to Reignald Lord Cobham of Sterborough whereby he made her amends for that vnlawfull familiarity which had formerly passed betweene them Meanewhile the Court of England doth well shew that the King was an infant for it was full of dangerous emulations and sidings the Duke of Gloucester whose high office it was to tender the welfare of the King and State laying sundry grieuous accusations against the Cardinall Beaufort sonne of Iohn Duke of Lancaster Bishop of Winchester and Lord
euen till the same at length went forth with a bâ—…lder countenance by the fauourable Edicts of Adrian Antonius Pius and Marcus Aurelius Emperors of Rome as Eusebius hath noted and in Britaine was established by the authoritie of Lucius their King whereby this was the first of all the Prouinces saith Marcus Sabellicus that receiued the Faith by publike ordinance Of the teâ—…chers of those times Bale from some other hath these verses Sicut erat celebris cultu numeroque Deorum Cum Iouis imperium staret Britannica tellus Sic vbi terrestres caelo descendit ad or as Expectata salus patribus fuit inclyta sanctis Qui Neptunicolûm campos Cambrica rura Coryneasque casas locadesolata colebant As were the Britaines famous for their zeale To Gentle Gods whiles such they did adore So when the Heau'ns to Earth did Truth reueale Bless'd was that Land with Truth and Learnings store Whence British Plaines and Cambri as desert ground And Cornewalls Crags with glorious Saints abound In which number were Eluanus Meduinus those two learned Diuines which were sent by King Lucius vnto Eleutherius Bishop of Rome with whom returned two other famous Clerkes whose names were Faganus and Damianus these together both preached and baptized amongst the Britaines whereby many dailie were drawne to the Faith And as a worthy and ancient Historian saith The Temples which had beene founded to the Honour of their many Gods were then dedicated to the one and onely true God For there were in Britaine eight and twentie Flamins and three Arch-flamins in stead of which so many Bishops and Archbishops were appointed vnder the Archbishop of London were the Prouinces of Loegria and Cornubia vnder Yorke Deira and Albania vnder Vrbs Legionum Cambria By which meanes this happy Kingdome vnder that godly King was nobly beautified with so many Cathedrall Churches and Christian Bishops Sees before any other kingdome of the world That this Lucius should be the Apostle to the Bauarians or that his sister Emerita was crowned with the flames of Martyrdome fifteene yeares after his death I leaue to the credit of Aegidius Scudus and Hermanus Schedelius the reporters and to the best liking of the readers But most certaine it is that the Christian faith was still professed in this Iland sound and vndefiled as Beda witnesseth notwithstanding the cruel persecutions of the bloody Emperours 19 For all this time saith the said Dicetus Christian ReligioÌ„ flourished quietly in Britanny til in Dioclesians time their Churches were demolished their holy Bibles castinto Bone-fires the Priests with their faithfull flocke bloodily murdered In which number about the yeare two hundred ninetie three as we read in Beda Malmesburie Randulphus and others Albane with his teacher Amphibalus were both of them martyred for the profession of the Gospell at the old Towne Verolanium as also in Leicester those two Noble Citizens Aaron and Iulius with multitudes both of men and women in sundrie places saith Beda as shortly after no lesse then a Thousand Saints suffered death at Liechfield wherupon the place was called another Golgotha or field of blood In memorie whereof the Citie beareth for Armes to this day in an Eschucheon of Landskip sundry persons diuersly Martyred And yet after these times also the Britaines continued constant in Christianity and the censures of their Bishops for the great estimation of their Constancie pietie and learning required and approued in great points of Doctrine among the assemblies of some Generall Councels as that of Sardis and Nice in the time of great Constantine the first Christian Emperour and this our Country man whose blessed daies gaue free way to that Profession to the Councels Authoritie and to the whole world Peace had wee our Bishops present whose forwardnes against the Arrian Heresie afterwards Athanasius aduanceth in his Apology vnto Iouinian the Emperor among three hundred Bishops assembled at the Councell of Sardice in Anno three hundred and fiftie whose words as Nicephorus reports them are these Know most Christian Emperour saith he that this faith hath beene alwaies preached and professed and that all Churches of Spaine Britain France and Germany at this day with one voice doe approoue the same As also at that of Ariminum in the yeare three hundred fiftie nine and in the raigne of Constantius who caused foure hundred westerne Bishops to be there sommoned in fauour of the Arrians whereof three were out of Britaine as Sulpitius Seuerus the good Bishop of Burges hath reported that gaue their suffrages against that Heresie These doth Hilarie tearme the Bishops of the Prouinces of Britaine by whom they were somewhat derided because beeing farre from their owne Countrie they liued vpon the Emperours charge And Beda testifieth that from Dioclesians time they both reedified their former Temples and founded new also in memorie of their then fresh-bleeding Martyrs and enioyed a generall and ioifull peace in their religious profession till that Arrian Heresic hauing first filled the Continent sought and found passage ouer the Seas into our Iland Gennadius in his Catalogues Illustrium Diuorum tels vs of an other learned Bishop of Britaine Fastidius who in the time of Cestius Bishop of Rome wrote vnto one Fatalis a booke devita Christians and another de viduitate seruanda of much diuine learning and comfort Chrysanthus likewise is recorded by Nicephorus to be sonne of Bishop Martian who hauing beene a Consular Deputie in Italie vnder Theodosius and made Lieutenant of Britaine where with great praise he managed the common wealth was against his will afterward made Bishop at Constantinople of the Nouatians that called themselues Cathari that is pure making a schisme in the Church by their deniall of Saluation to such as fell into relapse of sinne after Baptisme once receiued This is that Bishop of whom we read that of all his Ecclesiasticall reuenewes he reserued only for himselfe two loaues of bread vpon the Lords day And in the first Tome of Councels is mention of Restitutus Bishop of London whom because that as is most probable Christian Religion had in those primitiue times taken more firme footing in Britaine then in France the French Bishops called to their Nationall Councell the second at Arles in Anno three hundred thirty fiue that he might with his Suffrage approoue their Decrees About the yeere foure hundred seuenty was a Prouinciall Councell held in Britaine for the reforming of Religion and repairing of the ruined Churches which the Pagan mariage of Vortiger had decaied to the great griefe and discontent of the people a pregnant signe of the continuing zeale which vnto those daies had left a glorious memorie 20 And the Ensigne of Arthur wherein the Virgin with her sonne in her armes as is noted by Vincentius was portraied so often displaied for Christ and his Countries libertie against the Pagan Saxons is as a seale
subiection 6 Seuerus thus entred Geta was appointed to remaine in the South of the Prouince and to gouerne those parts that stood in quiet assisted by Aemilius Papinianus the famous Lawyer whose Tribunall seat was held in Yorke himselfe and Bassianus marching further into the North against the Maatae and Caledonians their neighbours both which bare themselues boldly vpon the aduantage of their Countries their waters brackish and vnholsome drinke for their Enemies the aire sharpe and contagious to their constitutions and the soile it selfe so pestred with Loughs Bogs Meares and Mountaines that the Romans were forced to make way by continuall Labour in cutting downe Woods in building of Bridges and in drayning of Meares so that by distemperature of diet continuall labour contagiousnesse of Aire and afflictions by sicknesse fifty thousand of them perished and that without Battaile saith Dio many Souldiers also whose spirits were spent and through feeblenesse could not keepe ranke in their March were for meere pitty slaine by their fellowes lest they should fall into the hands of their Enemies 7 These miseries notwithstanding old Seuerus indured and fought many Battailes but as Sabellicus confesseth euer with more difficulties to the Romans then to the Britaines and yet in some small skirmishes he went away Victor and continued his courses with such resolution that lastly the Caledonians thought good to intreate their peace which vpon these conditions was granted first that they should forthwith lay aside all hostile Armes without any further resistance next that they should deliuer into the Romans Possession those Countries that were next abutting on their Prouince and lastly that thence-forth they should liue in quiet attempting nothing against the publike Peace 8 The State thus setled Seuerus bethought himselfe of some further meanes to secure the Prouince by building many In-land strengths anew and repairing those with Stone and Cement which formerly were but of Turffe and earth as appeareth by this Inscription found in the Ruines of one of his workes neere vnto the Riuer VRE in the County of Richmond erected IMP CAES. L. SEPTIMIO PIO PERTINACI AVGV IMP CAESARI M. AVRELIO APIO FELICI AVGVSTO BRACCHIO CAEMEN TICIVM VI NER VIO RVM SVB CVRALA SENECINON AMPLISSIMIO PERIL VISPIVS PRAELEGIO And neglecting the vttermost and vast Northerne parts of this Iland drew a Wall or Fortification which might serue as a Rampire and diuision betwixt the sauage and more ciuill people stretching it selfe thorow the whole Iland euen from Sea to Sea that is from the Bay of Itun otherwise Solweyfrith in Scotland to the doore of Tine or Tinmouth containing in length One hundred thirty and two Miles as Sextus Aurelius Victor Eutropius and others account them and by some more This Wall he built of Turfes and Timber stronglie fensed with Bulwarkes and Turrets neere vnto if not vpon the foundation of Adrians Wall the tract whereof thorow the Countries of Westmorland and Northumberland is more pleasing to bee seene then easie in word to be expressed For which his Acts thus heere atchieued about the yeere of grace two hundred and eleuen he assumed to himselfe his much desired Sirname Britannicus Maximus causing in his owne and his sonnes Coines that inscription to bee stamped 9 And recording to posteritie the glory of his first atchieuement heere vpon the reuerse of those his moneies whereon he sometimes formed a Trophy erected vpon spoiles with two Captiues vndersetting the word VICT. BRIT sometimes a winged victorie grauing a Shield hung on that tree which is the meede of Conquerours VICTORIAE BRITANNICAE and sometimes in such a forme and phrase as is expressed in the entrance of this his life And now retired to Yorke he left his eldest sonne to finish this worke of warre by him begun as being rather allaied then altogether ended 10 Bassianus thus set in the one part of the Iland as Geta was in the other sought rather to gaine the affections of his Army by a loose libertie to doe what they list then to manage the trust reposed on him by the restraint of Martiall Discipline and exaction of Militarie duties hoping by such his plausibilitie and indulgence to purchase to himselfe their best concurrence for the obtaining of the Empire which hee so thirsted after as that hee often tampered with them to raise him by the fall of his father 11 The Caledonians vnderstanding the dissolutenesse of his Campe and the want of a better Captaine suddenly assailed the Romans putting many to the sword and taking great booties which they dispersed amongst their neighbours without any regard of the obligation of their former Couenants whereat the testie old man was so much disquieted and so farre enraged to reuenge that hee gaue an expresse charge to make a generall Massacre without exception of any vsing in his speech to his Souldiers these verses borrowed out of Homer Nemo manus fugiat vestras cademque cruentam Non foetus grauidâ Mater quem gestat in aluo Horrendam effugiat cadem Let none escape your bloudy rage with terrour let all die Spare not the mother nor the child that in her womb doth ly 12 This which seemeth to haue beene the worke of Seuerus second yeere in Britannie Anno two hundred and twelue for so it is expressed vpon the monies of himselfe and sonnes may and with a fit and easie inference from the same authoritie seeme to haue beene heere the fortune and effect of two encounters and Conquests that same yeere for whether we obserue the two seuerall coines of victorie then minted on one of which is the Statue of that armed and winged Goddesse at whose feet are two Captiues prostrate bound or the other bearing on it a double figure of that Lady grauing the sculpture of the former VICT. BRIT vpon a Shield it can conclude no lesse in probabilitie 13 Seuerus remaining in Yorke where the Sixth Legion called Victrix kept which place afterwards grew to be one of the chiefest for account among the Brigantes as commonly the Staâ—… of the Râ—…dus Colonies were the seed-plots of all our Cities and principall Townes grew feeble and sicke being weakened with age and wearied with trauell his maladie more increasing by the disturbances of the Enemie and the daily disloialtie of Bassianus his sonne insomuch that despairing of life hee called his Counsell and Captaines before him and vnderlaid with pillowes he thus addressed his speech 14 Eighteene yeeres almost haue I wielded the affaires of the Empire and borne on my shoulders the burden of her encombred estate both at home and abroad at my first entrance troubled euery where now at length quiet euen here in Britaine the most vnquiet and molestious Prouince of all The profit of which trauels I must now leaue for others to enioy and with ease in peace to keepe that which I with care and warre haue gotten If therefore amity and mutuall concord be embraced the only sinewes of
therein should be worshipped then belly-gods should be pampered to surfet there A good document of a Heathen for some Christians who turne places consecrate to Gods diuine seruice into Sheep-Coates or to the like prophane vses This good inclination of Alexander the sonne was vndoubtedly stirred vp by the instigations of Mammea his mother who as Eusebius witnesseth had sent for Origen the Christian Doctour from Alexandria to Antioch by whom she was so wel instructed that Ierome giues her the honourable Title of a most holy Woman 3 Himselfe though yong ruled the Empire with great Wisedome and Iustice admitting onely such for his Counsellors as were men vncorrupt sage and learned skillfull in the Ciuill Law and experienced in Antiquities of elder times and preferring none to any office or charge by suite but only by the commendation of each mans worth and fitnes for the place In regard whereof he caused Turinus one of his Courtiers who tooke money of diuers with promise to procure the Emperours fauour in their suites to be put to death by smoake the Crier proclaiming That hee had sold smoake and therefore with smoake he should die And likewise to cut off in Lawyers their continuall selling of Iustice the bane of all Common wealths for a fee hee granted a publike set reward to such as should plead gratis By which courses his ciuill affaires were nobly managed and his warres likewise proued as prosperous for hee triumphed with great glory ouer the Parthians The Germanes also who in furious manner had passed the Riuers Danuby and the Rhine in many skirmishes he put backe and forced them to their former obedience Bountifull and liberal he was both to the people soldiers as by the reuerse of his Coine aboue prefixed is seene wherin is expressed the fourth Donatinum and Congiarium bestowed by the bounty of this Emperour vpon the Souldiers and common people of which Lampridius maketh mention in his life 4 But as Enuy euer attends persons of Estate and a desire of change breeds a dislike of the present so the Roman Legions growne farre out of order by the prodigious Gouernement of the last Emperour proued now vnnaturall to their dread Soueraigne whose warres drawing him into Germanie and thence hither into Britaine hee found some of his Souldiers here so tumultuous that he thought fit to vse exemplary seuerity towards them whereupon they being secretly backt as is supposed by Maximinus a potent man in the Armie raised onely by the Emperours fauour they traiterously assailed him and together with his mother Mammea murthered him in a village then called Sicila though others say he was slaine in Germany in the Citie Mogunce and some in France no other cause mouing them but onely his vertue the eight day of March when hee had raigned by Lampridius thirteene yeeres and nine daies aged by Herodian and Iulius Capitolinus twenty nine yeeres three moneths and seuen daies the yeere of our Sauiour two hundred thirtie sixe CAIVS IVLIVS VER VS MAXI EMP CHAPTER XXVIII CAIVS IVLIVS VER VS MAXI CAES. MAximinus a man barbarous by birth and disposition himselfe a Thracian his father named Nicea borne in Gotland very obscure his mother Ababa of little better rancke spent his youth in keeping of Cattell the pouerty of his parents admitting no better maintenance yet afterwards his fortunes brought him vnto great aduancement and that by working vpon the outward obiect of his person being for shape and strength if the reporter deserue credit rather to be thought a vast Giant then described for a goodly man For Iulius Capitolinus affirmes his height to be eight foote and an halfe by Geometricall measure and his Body answerable in euery proportion insomuch as he did weare as a Ring on his thumb the * Bracelet which his wife vsed to weare on her arme a stature thought vncredible and yet Iosephus an Author of great credit doth confidently record that one Eleazar a Iewe accompanied Darius the Kings sonne of Persia vnto Rome sent by Vitellius to Tiberius for an hostage whose height as he saith was fully seuen cubits a measure surmounting this 2 This Maximinus increasing strength with growth left his trade of Cattle-keeping and resorted to the Romane Campe then in Syria where for his admirable height he was admitted by Septimus Seuerus into the rancke of a common Souldier and shortly after preferred to bee one of his Guarde Bassianus made him a Coronell and Heliogabalus gaue him the leading of certaine foote but the last Emperour Alexander aduanced him to be a Captaine of the fourth Legion whose death notwithstanding hee disloiallie practised of such force is the desire of Soueraignty which makes men forget all bonds of gratitude and loiall trust and was thereupon by the Souldiers elected Emperour with fealty sworne vnto him 3 The ignoble Vpstart thus borne from the dunghill vpon the wings of Fortune vnto the seat of Maiestie thought the increase of his pride was an increase of State and knowing hee had nothing for which he might deserue to be loued he studied in the whole managing of his estate how by all meanes hee might be feared Hee therefore displaced Senatours Captaines Souldiers and whom not with murders banishments and confiscations of their goods all such especially he did cut off whom hee supposed to haue knowledge of his base beginnings The Christians likewise vnder him were martyred whereof Origen wrote a Booke not now extant and he is by Writers accounted the sixth Persecutor of Gods Saints so that whereas his flatterers at first called him Milo Antaeus and Hercules for his strength now they all tearmed him Busiris Phalaris and Cyclops for his sauage crueltie 4 But his life being odious to God and Man was often attempted to be taken away first by Maximus a man of a Consular dignitie then by Quarcinus whom Capitolinus calleth Ticus set on by the old Souldiers of Septimus Seuerus that had beene disgraced by Maximinus and lastly by the Army in Africa who elected Gordianus their Proconsul a very worthy and learned man of fourescore yeeres old Emperour and his sonne of the same name and Princely qualities his Caesar the Senate likewise confirming all that they had done He tooke to himselfe the surname Africanus either in respect of his Pro-Consulship which he exercised in that Prouince or else as descēded from Scipio his family who bore that surname His sonne Gordianus likewise was stiled Augustus as appeareth by his Coines whereon hee writeth himselfe AVG. and vpon the Reuerse Liberalitas AVG. I. two Emperours sitting Maximinus then in Hungarie and hearing thereof rather like a mad man raged at his misfortunes then either by courage or wise forecast endeuoured to redeeme them 5 In the meane while aged Gordianus with the Ensignes and glory of an Emperor entred Carthage with blessings and acclamations of ioy whereat his old enemie Capeltanus Gouernour of
at the hands of Pope Sergius died soone after in the yeere of our Lord six hundred eighty nine and there was buried in S. Peters Church being the last King of the Britaines bloud after they had held possession therof the space of one thousand one hundred thirty and seuen yeeres before the Natiuitie of Christ and six hundred eighty eight yeeres after his Birth as the Chronicle of Wales with other Britaine Writers haue calculated though as is said after the largest size But howsoeuer this sudden alteration was wrought in Cadwallader yet whiles he continued a King in health hee raigned saith Geffrey in great magnanimitie the terme of three yeers and fought many Battles against the Saxons whose sword was euer sheathed with victorie for Lothaire King of Kent he slew in the Field and Edilwach also King of the South-Saxons with the ruine of his Country as the British Historians report and would haue it But Beda vnto whom more credit is heerein to be giuen telles vs that Lothaire was slaine by Edrik his Nephew and Successour declaring the manner and day of his death and that Ceadwall a young man of the West-Saxons bloud royall being banished from among them fell vpon the South-Saxons harrying the Country and killing their King But afterwards lamenting the bloud he had spilt whereat euen Nature her selfe seemed to bee offended in great repentance abandoned his Kingdome and pilgrim-like went vnto Rome where of Pope Sergius he was baptized vpon Easter Euen the yeere from Christs Natiuitie six hundred eightie nine The times thus agreeing their names so neere their deuotions alike Sergius the same ghostly father to both their sepulchers in one and the same Church doe strongly confirme that they both were the same and one only man as we formerly haue said But with this man Cadwallader wheresoeuer he died lay buried the last bloud of their Kings their gouernment and immediatelie the very Name of Britaine for many hundred yeeres ensuing as in the sequell of this Historie Christ assisting shall bee shewed And now at last according to my first intendment I am come to speake of the succession of Great Britaines Monarkes from which vpon the fore-shewed occasions of the Ilands diuision the Saxons possessions and these Britaine Resisters I haue beene ouerlong staied and am forced to returne againe to King Hengist the first of the Saxons that I may shew their succeeding succession in this English Monarchy wherin of necessitie I must desire the patience of my Reader if some things be againe touched that formerlie haue beene spoken the Matter of Historie so much requiring and the Method that to my proceeding I haue herein proposed enforcing it THE SAXONS SVCCESSIONS IN THE MONARCHY OF GREAT BRITAINE WHEREOF HENGIST THE FIRST KING OF KENT BECAME THE FIRST MONARCH OF THE ENGLISHMEN CHAPTER XIII HEngist a Prince of the English-Saxons hauing the Command ouer certaine forces planted in the Low-countries of Germany in the yeere of Christs Incarnation foure hundred and fiftie transported them ouer into Britaine where the fifth yeere after his arriuall he began his Kingdome in Kent hauing surprised his son in law King Vortigern slain his Britaines and seized into his possession the best of the Iland he laid the foundation of a Monarchy and deserueth to be reputed the first Monarch of the English Nation 2 He as all the Saxon Kings besides doth claime his originall from Prince Woden and his wife Fria by Wechta the eldest of their â—…uen sonnes being the fifth in issue from them as thus Himselfe was the sonne of Withtgils who was the sonne of Witha and he the sonne of Wechta the eldest sonne of the Deified Woden This Prince held the supreme Scepter of this Iland for thirty foure yeeres continuance and therein died honorably saith Marianus Scotus But Peter de Ikham Polydore and others say that he was slaine in battell or else taken by Edol Earle of Glocester and beheaded at Conesborow Hee left issue behind him two sonnes and one daughter whose names were Hatwaker Eske and Rowena 3 Hatwaker his eldest sonne is reported by Petrus Albinus of Wittenberg a great Genealogist and Hitoriographer also to be Duke of the Saxons in Germanie and there left to gouerne the people at his Fathers departure for Britaine And if Albinus authority be sufficient he was the Father of Duke Hatwegat and grandfather of â—…erik King of the Saxons ancestor to the valiant Witikindus the principall progenitor of the most noble Familie of the Dukes of Saxony 4 Eske the second sonne of King Hengist came ouer with his Father into Britaine and was his assistant in all his warres wherein he gaue worthy testimonie of his valour whose Kingdome of Kent after his death he enioyed and gaue name to that Countries Inhabitants who were from him called Eskings ouer whom he raigned peaceably twenty yeeres 5 Rowena the daughter of King Hengist was borne in Germany before her Fathers departure and afterwards sent for by him into Britaine to further his designes At whose surpassing beautie and feature Vortigern so lawfull and louing wâ—… to Paganish bed and to the and griefe of the Nobâ—… cond wiâ—…e and the struction By her he had a all lawes either of God wife by whom he had iâ—…ue ly spent the daies of his life as he was got in that wicked bed This Rowena whom some call Roâ—…a by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is accounted the Neece and not the Daugâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…gist But seeing his opinion is grounded vpon 〈◊〉 youth of Hengist as not sufficient in yeeres to 〈◊〉 a daughter so mariageable I rather thinke and hold this bare testimonie vnable to turne the great streame of other Writers out of their vsuall course and 〈◊〉 chanell ELLA THE FIRST KING OF THE SOVTH-SAXONS AND SECOND MONARCH OF THE ENGLISHMEN CHAPTER XIV ELla a noble Saxon being sent for by King Hengist about the three and twentith yeere of his raigne brought a fresh supply of those Germans to the reliefe of his Countrymen who with his forces landed at the hauen now called Shoreham in Sussex where putting backe the Inhabitants in many skirmishes lastly chased them into a great wood then called Andredflege whence often being assailed by the sudden assaults of the Britaines wherein as may bee thought he lost the liues of his two elder sonnes was so hardly beset that hee sent for more aid of his Saxons who came to his supply 2 His strength thus augmented and ambition still increased he fought three cruell and bloody battels but the last of them most fatall against the Britaines in the place then called Macrodes-burne and besieging the ancient and famous City Anared-Chester situated in the said great forest and chiefe defensible fortresse in all those Southern parts intercepted the Britaines that came to their reliefe and entring the same by an assault put to the sword all that were found within it After which great
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
7 His warres thus prospering his puissance grew dreadfull and his glory much enuied at by the other Princes whereof Bernulfe of Mercia was the first attempter that sought to plucke the wing of this west-Saxon Eagle but thereby wrought his owne downefall for Egbert ioyning battaile with him at Ellenden ouerthrew his power and in that quarrell Bernulfe was lastly slaine 8 Kent was the next and fairest marke in Egberts 〈◊〉 whose 〈◊〉 not gratious in his own subiects â—…ight was the 〈◊〉 to be subdued him he chased ouer Thamisis and added not onely that Countie but also Sussex and Surrey for Prouinces vnto his owne Kingdome next were the East-Saxons the East-Angles and in truth all both vpon the North and the South of Humber gaue him obedience so that the bounds of his Dominion were greatly enlarged and his royall authority by those seuerall Kings acknowledged 9 Then hee to confirme his estate called an assembly vnto the City Winchester where causing himselfe to bee solemnly crowned became the first Saxons absolute Monarch of the whole Iland so reducing the Monarchiall title from the Mercians to the West-Saxons in whose Progeny it continued without reuersement vntill the Danes first got and againe lost it and the Saxons issue failing the same fell to the Normans Duke by Conquest as in continuance of our history Christ assisting shall be seene 10 His Coronation was at Winchester and entrance in the yeare of Grace eight hundred and nineteene at which time by his Edict in that City dated he caused all the South of the Iland to bee called England according to the Angles of whom himselfe came and promising great felicity to his State and Successors was therein not so happy as in his affaires he had beene fortunate 11 For those Saxons that by warre and blood had made themselues Lords of other mens rights and of one Kingdome no lesse then seuen are now endangered to bee made seruants vnto subiection and by warre and bloud their seuen-fold Kingdome brought againe vnto one neither yet freed from the reuenge of bloodie violence for that a fierce and cruell nation the Danes ceased not continually to inuade them till they had subdued and set the crowne thereof vpon their owne heads who in King Brightrick dayes and about the yeere seuen hundred eighty seuen hauing with three vessels landed in the West of England at three seuerall times in so many seuerall places sought the ruine of the land in the raigne of this Egbert 12 The first was in his thirty third yeare when with thirty fiue ships they landed at Lindisferne vpon the North of England where they were met and fought with at Carham but with such losse to the English that two chiefe Captaines Dudda and Osmond two Bishops Herefrid of Winchester and Vigferd of Shirborne with many Souldiers were therein slaine King Egbert himselfe hardly escaping by the couert of the night 13 Their second attempt was in the second yeare following when in West-Wales they landed vnto whom the Britaines there ioyned and in the place called Hengistenton abode the King in field where Egbert with prosperous fortune vanquished and slew both the Danes and the Welsh 14 The third place of their arriuage was Sheepie in Kent which Iland they sacked and with much a doe were expelled in the last of King Egberts raign and but the new beginning of their sauage cruelties 15 This Egbert by Florentius of Worcester is said to be the sonne of Alkemund who was the sonne of Eafa and he the sonne of Eoppa the sonne of Ingils the brother of Ine the eleuenth King of the West-Saxons and both of them the sonnes of Kenred descended from Cherdik the first King of that Prouince he was but â—…ow oâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strong of â—…mme very valiant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 skilfull souldier and as great in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in warre he raigned ouer the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of thirty six yeares and seuen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the whole Iland seuenteene his dâ—…th 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fourth day of February and yeare of Chrâ—…s â—…nation eight hundred thirty six 16 His bodie was with all 〈◊〉 solemnly buried at Winchester and his bones sinâ—… taken vp â—…maine with others in that Cities Cathedral 〈◊〉 bestowed in Chests set vpon the Wall of each 〈◊〉 the Quier with these verses neither ancient nor 〈◊〉 thereon inscribed Hic Rex Egbertus pausat cum Rege Kenulpho Nobis egregia munera vterque tulit His wife 17 Redburg the wife of King Egbert was the first of the West-Saxons that by their new made law was depriued of title authority or place of a Queene notwithstanding it seemeth shee bare a great stroke with her husband in that Iohn Bâ—…uer the Monke of Westminster reporteth that shee procured a law to be made against the Britains the penalty whereof was present death for any of them to set footing within the realme of England or to passe the Ditch that King Offa had made His Issue 18 Ethelwolfe the eldest sonne of King Egbert and Lady Redburg his wife was in his childhood committed to the charge of Helmestan 〈◊〉 of Winchester vnder whom hee was carefully trayned vp in learning and vertue who comming to mans estate proued also a perfect Souldier and had 〈◊〉 leading of his fathers power against Baldred King 〈◊〉 Kent whom he forced to flie ouer the Thamisis and to abandon his Kingdome which he subdued to the subiection of his father and afterwards succeeded him in the Monarchy of the Englishmen 19 Ethelstane the younger sonne of King Egbert and of the Lady Redburg his wife was by his father deputed King ouer the Kentishmen the South-Saxons and the East-Saxons after hee had brought them vnto his subiection which people hee most valiantly defended against the inuasions of the Danes defeating their forces both by sea and land and at Sandwich gaue them a most memorable ouerthrow in the yeare of our Lord eight hundred fifty one being the sixteenth of his brother King Ethelwolfes raigne in whose time hee deceased and is reported to haue left a sonne named Ostride who by reason of his minority succeeded not in his fathers dominions which Ethelbert the second sonne of King Ethelwolfe entred vpon and being Monarch reunited these kingdomes inseparably vnto the Monarchy 20 Edgith commonly called Saint Edith the daughter of King Egbert was in her childhood by her brother Ethelwolfe committed to the charge and bringing vp of a Lady in Ireland greatly renowmed for her holinesse of life named Modewine by whom she was afterwards recommended to a Disciplesse of the said Lady named Athea and made Gouernesse of a Monastery of the Ladies by her planted in a place which the King her brother had giuen her called Pollesworth situated in Arden in the north verge of the County of Warwicke wherein she liued died and was honourably buried and the place in regard of her afterwards called Saint Ediths of Pollesworth ETHELVVOLFE THE
themselues by the fals of the Britaines made Edrik her instrument mall of the English who kept King Edmunds hasty foot from following his enemies by guilefull vrging the danger of ambush and the ouer-wearied bodies of his souldiers so that Canute thereby had leasure in safety to passe ouer into Essex 13 Where beginning againe with the increase of his power to despoile al the Country before him brought feare to the inhabitants and to himselfe submission of many English King Edmund therefore made preparation thitherward and at Ashdone three miles from Saffron-Walden gaue battaile to Canute wherein a bloudy slaughter ensued though a while with equall chance of foile or of victory vntill lastly the Danes beganne to giue backe which when the euer-traiterous Edrik perceiued he went with his strength vnto their side and maintained their battaile which otherwise was at point to be lost whereby the Danes regained the day and the betraied English the ouerthrow There died of Edmunds Nobility Duke Alfred Duke Goodwin Duke Athelward Duke Athelwin and Earle Vrchell with Cadâ—…th Bishop of Lincolne and Wolsâ—…y Abbot of Ramsey besides other of the Clergy that were come thither to pray for the preseruation of the King and his Army The remembrance of which field is retained vnto this day by certaine small hilles there remaining whence haue beene digged the bones of men Armour and the water-chaines of horse-bridles 14 King Edmund thus traiterously forced to retire from the field on foot marched vnto Gloucester with a very small Army leauing Canut ouer-swollen in conceit for this his great victorie vnto whom then the Londoners submitted and so did many other great townes of Name after which hee followed Edmund into the West who now like a Tygar robbed of her Whelpes seeking the reuenge of his lost day gathered a most puissant Army meaning to trie the vttermost chance of Fate or Battaile Their hostes meete at Dearhurst neere vnto the riuer Seuerne where they were resoluedly bent to establish the ones title with the others downefall and now being ready to ioyne a certaine Captaine of vncertaine name stept forth as is reported betwixt the two Armies and vttered in effect this speech 15 Many battailes haue beene fought and too much bloud already spilt for the soueraignitie of this Land betwixt these two fierce Nations and the valours of the Generals Captaines and Souldiers sufficiently tried wherein euen fortune her selfe seemeth to haue beene conquered for if one Battaile were wonne it was not long kept neither the loser so weakened but that hee had both courage and power to winne the next what is the marke then that you aime at is it honour and fame Titles indeed which accompany war but neither long enioyed nor much attained vnto by the common Souldiers by whose valours and bloud it is for the most part wonne Let him therefore that would weare the Diademe beare the hazard himselfe without the confusion of so many men and either trie the fortune of a single combat who shall commaund and who obey or diuide betwixt them the Kingdome which may suffice two that hath maintained seuen 16 Some affirme that this speech was Duke Edriks but I hardly belieue so good a motion should proceede from so bad a man by whom so euer vttered it was acceptably receiued by Edmund and Canut who thereupon in sight of their Armies entred into a small Iland embraced about with the armes of Seuern called Alney adioyning vnto the City Gloucester where those princes in complete Armour at first assailed each other most dangerously on horsebacke and after as valiantly on foot The Ironside was strong and fought for his Kingdome the Dane not so tall but euery way as stout fought for his honour and so the combate continued with an absolute resolution till at length Canute hauing receiued a dangerous wound and seeing himselfe ouermatched in strength wished a comprimise and thus spake to Edmund with a loud voice What necessity should thus moue vs most valiant Prince that for the obtaining of a Title we should thus endanger our liues better it were to lay malice and Armour aside and to condiscend to a louing agreement let vs therefore now become sworne brothers aâ—…d diuide the Kingdome betwixt vs and in such league of amity that each of vs may vse the others part as his owne so shall this land be peaceably gouerned and we iointly assistant to each others necessity Whereupon they both cast downe their swords imbracing as friends with the great ioy and shouting of both their Armies who stood before doubtfully wauering betwixt hope and feare and looking for their owne fortunes according to the successe of their Champions Thus was the Kingdome diuided betwixt those two Princes Edmund enioying that part that lay coasted vpon France and Canute entring vpon the rest 17 Thus then the Saxon Monarchy spent to the last period and their tottering crowne fast grasped with a hard Danish hand was suddainelyy torne from the Ironssides helmet by his complotted and hastned death For Duke Edrick a very compound of treasons glutted with the fauours of both these Kings to scrue himselfe deeper into Canut his conceit contriued the end of renowmed Edmund who being retired to a place for natures necessity was thrust from vnder the draught into his body with a sharpe speare which done the treacherous Edrick cutting off his Soueraignes head presented it to Canut with these fawning salutations All haile thou now sole-Monarch of England for here behold the head of thy Copartner which for thy sake I haue aduentured to cut off Canut though ambitious inough of soueraignety yet of princely disposition abashed sore grieued at so vnworthy and disloiall an attempt replied and vowed that in reward of that seruice the bringers owne head should be aduanced aboue all the peeres of his kingdome Which high honour whiles this prodigious wretch greedily expected and indeed for a time saith Malmesbury hee found some shew of fauour with the King soone after by the Kings commaund his head bad his shoulders farewell and was placed vpon the highest Gate to ouerlooke London 18 The traiterous death of this worthy Prince as some affirme was acted at Oxford yet the Author that wrote Encomium Emmae and liued the same time blancheth the matter saying that hee died of a naturall death in London God minding his owne doctrine that a Kingdome diuided in it selfe cannot long stand and pittying the English tooke away Edmund lest if the Kings had continued long together they should both haue liued in danger and the Realme in continuall trouble That hee died in London Simon the Monke of Durham agreeth and saith further it chanced about the Feast of S. Andrew and Marianus is of the same opinion being the yeere of Christ 1016. Whensoeuer or howsoeuer his Raigne was but seuen monethes and his body buried at Glastenbury neere vnto his
pursued which it will not bee amisse here to annexe 7 A certaine Danish Nobleman of the roiall lineage named Lothbroke Father to this Inguar Hubba being vpon the shore his Hawke in flying the game fell into the Sea which to recouer hee entred a little Schiffe or Cock-boat nothing foresecing the danger that immediately did ensue for a sodaine tempest arising carried the boat into the deepe and droue him vpon the coast of Norffolke where hee came to land at the Port called Rodham and was no sooner seene but hee was taken for a spie and presently sent to Edmand King then of that prouince who in his answeres sufficiently cleared that suspition when also declaring his birth misfortune he was honourably entertained in the Court of the East-Angles whom the King much esteemed for his other good parts but for his dexterity and expertnesse in hawking held him in a speciall regard insomuch that the Kings Falconer named Bericke conceiued both such secret enuie and deadly hatred thereat that hauiug him alone in a wood he cowardly murthered him hid his dead body in a Bush. 8 Lothbroke in the Kings presence and Court was soone mist and diligent inquisition made could not bee found vntill his Spaniell which would not forsake his dead Masters corps came fawninglie vnto the King as seeming to begge reuenge on so bloody an Act which he did more then once at length being obserued and followed by the trace the dead body was found and Bericke conuicted for the murther his iudgement was to bee put into Lothbrokes boat and that without either tackle or Oare as he therein arriued and so left to the'seas mercy to be saued by destiny or swallowed vp by iust desert But behold the euent the Boat returned to the same place and vpon the same coast arriued from whence it had beene driuen euen in Denmarke where Bericke being known and hands laid on hm to free himselfe from the punishment of his butcherly fact he added treason to murther laying it to the charge of innocent King Edmund 9 In reuenge whereof and likewise in Godericks quarrell Inguar and Hubba sons to the murthered Prince being now made Generals of the Army of the Danes first arriuing at Holdernesse burnt vp the Country and without mercy massacred all before them sparing neither sexe nor calling nor age and surprizing Yorke which Osbright had taken for his refuge there slew that lustfull Prince with all his forces and possessed that City and afterwards bursting into Norfolke sent this message vnto King Edmund That Inguar the most victorious Prince dread both by sea and land hauing subdued diuers Countries vnto his subiection and now arriued in those parts where hee meant to winter charged Edmund to diuide with him his riches and to become his vassaile and seruant The King astonied at this strange and vnexpected Ambassage consulted with his Councell where one of his Bishops then his Secretary and a principall man vsed perswasions to him to yeeld for preuenting greater mischiefe who notwithstanding returned this answere Goe tell your Lord that Edmund the Christian King for the loue of this temporall life will not subiect himselfe to a Heathen and Pagan Duke Whereupon Inguar and Hubba with the furious troupes of their Danes pursued the King to Thetford and as Fabian saith to Framingham others to Halesdon where he pittying the terrible slaughter of his people yeelded himselfe to their persecutions and for that hee would not deny Christ and his Christian faith was bound to a tree or Stake and with their arrowes so shot to death whose body was afterward there buried and thereupon tooke the name of S. Edmunds-bury as wee haue formerly touched in his raigne Lib. 7. cap. 11. 10 Whether these were the very true causes or some other which drew these Danes hither most certaine it is and too lamentable experience shewed that hither they came by Writers account about the yeere of Christ eight hundred and in the daies of King Brightrick Neither want there Authors who ascribe certain predictions to haue forerunne the yeere 800. made vnfortunate by their first attempts fore-shewed seuen yeeres before by showers of bloud falling from heauen and bloudy Crosses markt therewith vpon the garments of men reported by the learned Alcuinus who was instructor to Charles the Great and borne in the county of Yorke where this wonder happened which himselfe saw testified vnto Ethelbert King of that Prouince as Malmsbury hath written and was thought by Houeden Higdon Fabian and others to haue beene sent for signes before their bloudy assaults which beganne at the day-spring of the Saxons Monarchy when it promised a most faire ascent to their heires succeeding but mounted to the highest againe declined as the setting Sunne and fell vnder the cloudes of their owne ruines so carried by the iust reuenging hand of God for those Saxons hauing by bloud and warre vnseated the Britaines of their land and right by bloud and warre were by these Pagan-Danes so vncessantly molested that no place was freed from their tyranny nor any state sure long to hold that which they enioyed nor their liues secured from a daily expectation of their sauage swords 11 Whos 's many inuasions and cruell proceedings against this land and nation are already shewed in the raignes of these Saxon Kings who then felt their heauy strokes in warre hauing nothing almost memorable otherwise to enlarge their fames and stories with besides these their valours in resisting so mighty and almost vnrepugnable an enemie Therefore omitting to repeat such things as in their successions are handled we will fall neerer the time of the wished haruest of their full Conquests some what remembring the Reader here of those bloudie affaires which the English at seuerall times felt and endured 12 Such was the murther of holy Edmund King of the East-Angles with Danish arrowes martyred to death as hee stoode bound vnto a stake euer-calling on the name of Iesus Of Ella and Osbright Gouernours of Northumberland by them slaine and that Prouince for a long time after by them enioied and made subiect to their furies Of Burdred King of Mercia by them expulsed who with his Queene Ethelswith were forced to abandon their Kingdome leauing it to the possession of these Pagan intruders and to seeke their securities in forreine Countries where at Rome in Italy hee died and at Padua his wife as hath beene said Of Ethelred King of the West-Saxons that in one yeeres continuance fought nine bloudie battles against them in the last whereof at Merton hee receiued his deaths wound and this Kingdome an vncurable blow Of Elfred that most famous and learned King of the West-Saxons also driuen by them to such distresse that hee was forced to leaue his Princely Court and to remaine secret in a poore Cow-heards house vnknowne and disguised in the Isle of Ethelingsey in the County of Sommerset and thence to
signified to Rollo choosing out the tallest and goodliest persons of his company and such as were of greatest wisedom with them he very ioyfully meeteth the King is entertained presents him with great gifts but receiueth greater Then sitting downe to talke and commune 12 I am saith King Alstenus right gladde most worthy Duke Rollo to see you in this my Court. The renowne of your Nation hath beene related to mee a Martiall kind of Peopleyee are and infight vnconquerable And you your selfe also for your prowesse are not vnnoted among the rest of your famous Worthies your valiant exploits are well knowne vnto vs It is right pleasing vnto vs to enter with such men into amitie Behold our whole kingdome is before you choose out a seate for your selfe and your people wheresoeur you best like for wee will haue an euerlasting league between vs. 13 Rollo glad of so faire promises replied Most worthy and renowmed King I highly esteem of your bountifull and most liberall proffers God grant a happy successe of our affaires I doe thinke myselfe most bounden deuoted to your worthines and if destinie euer answer to our desires we will not be vnthankfull for this your so great benignity To seate ourselues in your kingdome though indeede we are very willing and your Royall proffers do much more incite vs yet Fate doth not permit it I haue determined and will certainly performe to goe into France For your gifts bestowed on me I esteeme them in the highest degree and right well content I am to haue a perpetuall League with you that the like Fortune may betide vs both the one to be a safeguard to the other This I both offer and accept of I his League God grant may to vs both proue happy and fortunate 14 With such like interchanges the time much spent and night drawing on they were brought to banquet And early the next morning comming forth of their lodgings most louingly embraced each other when each gaue receiued presents best suting with their estates and occasions Neither doth Krantzius stay his penne there but proceedeth to particular affaires betwixt these two Princes without the concurrence of any of our owne writers 15 As how the English rose in Armes against Alstenus their King taking oportunity of the time for that Rollo whom they knew to bee ioined in a most strait confederacy with their Soueraigne beeing then imployed in the warres of France could not come or send to his aide Alstenus therefore oppressed with a tumultuous kingdome remembred Rollo his faithful friend and sending Ambassadors declared vnto him what distresse he was in who not vnmindfull of the firme league betwixt them left his French wars and prepared for England with all his Forces where entring the Iland he easily quieted the tumultuous rebels ransacking their Cities curbing their wildenes and so reducing them at last to an orderly subiection For which his great loue care pains the King not vnthankful resolued to requite him with the halfe of his kingdom appointing the Cities and limiting the bounds which each of them should rule and gouerne as their owne possessions 16 Rollo in the meane time as carefull of the peaces continuance as regardlesse of so great remunerations taketh pledges of the Rebels for securing their loialtie to the King and peaceable bearing towards himselfe vpon accomplishment whereof repairing to Alstenus he thus bespake him 17 Seeing King Alstenus you haue so highly rewarded me both with princely entertainment and bountifull presents I can doe no lesse then willingly bestow vpon you these my paines for your safetie it iâ—… no more then your deserts doe challenge neither will I accept or seeme so vncourteous as to expect for my paines any part of your dominion Your selfe now may well gouerne it for France calles for my presence keepe therefore those your Pledges brought to you by your Subiects and there is no doubt but you shall hence-forward gouerne your Kingdome in a setled and contentfull quietnesse 18 The King could not containe those his eies which now beheld in a stranger so strange and vnexempled kindnes from resoluing into teares giuing him both hearty thanks and rich gifts seeing hee could not fasten on him any portion of his Kingdome of whom all that Rollo desired was this that he would giue licence to such voluntary Souldiers as would goe with him into France whereto Alsten ready in all things to gratifie his desire gladly condescended and furnished him with attendants 19 But leauing Krantius the Dane as likewise Gemeticensis the Norman to fauour their Country these their reports to the best liking of the iudicious most certaine it is that the French King Charles commonly called the Simple gaue the Duchie of Normandy with his daughter Gilla whose mother was Aeguina the daughter of Edward the Elder King of England vnto Rollo the Dane as is recorded in an old manuscript belonging to the Monastery of Angiers And when Rollo was baptized Charles receiuing him for his God-sonne at the Font he was there required to doe homage for his Dukedome receiued and inioined therein to kisse the Kings foot which hee did but with some disgrace to King Charles and bound it with an oath that hee did not receiue it vpon courtesie 20 This Rollo by his second wife Popee for Gilla died childlesse daughter to the Earle of Bessin and Baileulx had a sonne named William surnamed Longespee and a daughter called Girlâ—…ta who was afterwards married to the Duke of Guyan 21 William Long-espee so called of the Long Sword he vsually wore the second Danish Duke of Normandy took vnto wife Spâ—…rta the daughter of Hubert Earle of Seâ—…tlis by whom hee had onely Richard his sonne this William receiuing baptisme receiued therewith a new name and was thenceforth called Robert who hauing gouerned his Dukedome with great moderation the space of twenty yeeres was guilefully murthered by the working of Lewes King of France to the great griefe of his people who so far followed the reuenge that they intercepted Lewes in the Citie Rothâ—…mage and deteined him their prisoner till he agreed to these Articles That young Richard should succeed his slaine Father in the foresaid Dukedome and that thenceforth when the King Duke should conferre together the Duke should bee girt with his Sword and the King disabled either of Sword or knife to which Lewes yeelded vpon his corporall oth 22 Richard thus established gouerned his Dukedome the space of fifty two yeeres Hee was a man of an admirable fortitude and therefore was called Richard the Hardy His first wife was Agnes daughter to Hughle Grand Earle of Paris Lord Abbat of Germans and Father to Hugh Capet of France but she dying issuelesse he secondly married Gâ—…or a Gentlewoman of the Danish bloud whom he had kept his Concubine before by whom he had three sonnes and three daughters the first was Richard that succeeded in his dominions the second
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
the right side of King Edward the Confessor 61 Ad◅licia or Alice the second wife of King Henry was the daughter of Godfrey the first Duke of Louaine by the daughter of the Emperour Henrie the fourth and sister to Duke Godfrey and Iocelin of Louain Shee was married vnto him the nine and twentieth of Ianuary in the twentie one of his raigne and yeere of Christ 1121. and was crowned the morrow after being Sunday Shee was his wife fifteene yeeres but euer childlesse and suruiuing him was remarried to William Daubeny Earle of Arundel and was mother of Earle William the second Rayner Godfrey and Ioan married to Iohn Earle of Augi c. His Issue 62 William the sonne of King Henry and Queen Maud his first wife was born the secōd of his Fathers Raigne and of Christ 1102. When he came to age of foureteene yeeres the Nobility of England did him homage and sware their fealties vnto him at Shrewsburie The third yeere after hee married the daughter of Foulk Earle of Aniou and the same yeere hee was made Duke of Normandy doing his homage for the same to Lewes the Grosse King of France and receiued the homage and oathes of the Nobility of that Country but in his returne for England hee was vnfortunately drowned neere vnto Barbfleet vpon the twenty sixt of Nouember the yeere of Grace 1120. and eighteenth of his owne age without any issue to the great griefe of his Father 63 Maud the daughter of King Henry and of Queene Maud his first wife was borne the fourth yeere of her Fathers raigne She was the second wife of the Emperour Henrie the fourth espoused at sixe yeeres of age and at eleuen with great solemnity was married and crowned his Empresse at Mentz in Germany 6. Ianuary Anno 1114. the ninth of her husbands and foureteenth of her Fathers Raignes Shee was his wife twelue yeeres and suruiued him without any issue of him comming into England a widdowe she had fealty sworne vnto her by the Nobility and was remaried to Geffrey Plantaginet Earle of Aniou sonne of Foulke King of Ierusalem vpon the third of Aprill and yeere of Grace 1127. by whom shee had issue Henry the Second King of England Geffery Earle of Nantes in Britanie and William who was called Earle of Poyto she was his wife twenty three yeeres and suruiuing him also continued a widdowe the last seuenteene yeeres of her life which she ended in the City of Roan the tenth of September 1167. the foureteenth of the raigne of King Henry her sonne and was buried in the Abbey of Bee in Normandy 64 Richard a second sonne to King Henry and Queene Maud by the testimony of Geruasius the Monke of Canterbury who maketh Maud their eldest Child William the second and lastly Richard and then saith he she left bearing but Malmsbury saith she had but two Children one of each sexe 65 Eufem also another daughter and fourth Child by Hector Boetius the Scottish Historian is said to be borne vnto the Beauclearke by Queene Maud the credite of the two last I leaue to the reporters who onely thus name them without any further relation His Naturall Issue 66 Robert the naturall sonne of King Henry was Earle of Gloucester and married Ma◅l daughter and heire of Robert Fitzhamon Lord of Glamorgan by whom hee had issue William Earle of Gloucester Richard Bishop of Bayon Roger Bishop of Worcester and Maud the wife of Randolph Gernon the mother of Hugh Keueliot Earle of Chester and Richard his brother Earle William married Auis daughter of Robert Bossu Earle of Leicester and had issue three daughters and heires of that Earledome which by Au◅s the second of them in the end descended to Clare Earle of Hertford This Earle Robert died the last of October in the twelfth yeare of King Stephen and was buried at Bristow in the Church of S. Iames which hee had founded and his body laide in the midst of the Quire vnto him William Malmsbury dedicated his Booke called Historia Nouella 67 Richard another naturall sonne of King Henry was as it seemeth by an ancient Register of the Monastery at Abington borne in the raigne of King William Rufus of the widow of Anskill a Nobleman of the Country adioining to the said Monastery and it seemeth hee is that Richard that was drowned in the Norman Seas neere Barbfleet among the rest of King Henries children 68 Raynold the naturall sonne of King Henry was borne of a daughter vnto Sir Robert Corbet Lord of Alcester in Warwickeshire by the gift of the King in fauour of her who was after married to Henry Fitz-herbert his Chamberlaine This Raynold was created Earle of Cornwall and Baron of Castle comb with consent of King Stephen and had issue foure Daughters of whom haue sprung many faire branches 69 Robert another of that name was borne of Edith the sister of Iue sonne and daughter of Forne the sonne of Sigewolfe both of them great Barons in the North which Edith afterwards King Henry gaue in marriage to Robert D◅lie Baron of Hook-Norton in Oxfordshire and with her gaue him the Mannor of Eleydon in the County of Buckingham by whom he had issue Henry Doylie Baron of Hook-Norton who oftentimes mentioneth this Robert in his Charters euer calling him Robert his brother the Kings sonne 70 Gilbert another naturall sonne of King Henry is named in the additions to the story of William Gemeticensis the Norman Monke in the Chronicle of that country written by Iohn Taylor being a Translator of that worke out of Latine into French and lastly in the Treaties betwixt England and France written in the French tongue by Iohn Tillet Secretarie to their late King Henry the second and yet in them not any other mention is made but only of his name 71 William also a narurall sonne of Henry the King had giuen vnto him the Towne of Tracie in Normandy of which hee tooke his surname and was called William of Tracie But whether he were the Progenitot of the Tracies sometime Barons in Deuonshire or of them that now be of the same surname or whether Sir William Tracie one of the foure Knights that slew Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury were any of his posterity is not certainely reported nor any thing else of him more then that hee died a little after his Father which was in the yeere of Christ 1135. 72 Henry another naturall sonne of King Henry was borne of the Lady Nesta daughter of Rees ap Tewdor Prince of South-Wales who was the Wife of Sir Gerald Windsor and of Stephen Constables of the Castles of Pembrooke and Abertinie in Wales and Progenitors of the Families of the Fitz-geralds and the Fitz-Stephens in Ireland he was borne and breed and liued and married in Wales hauing issue two sonnes namely Meiler and Robert of which Meiler the elder married the daughter of Hugh Lacie Lord of Methe in Ireland
laid the ground seeing it is his holy will that thou at this time shouldst bee without a wife Know thou then that I haue that one daughter Eua the heire of my Crowne and comfort of my age let thine owne eye tell thee how faire and worthy this I dare auouch that thou wilt thinke far broader seas wel crost for view of so honest beauty she in the first blossome of her youth a vertuous virgine and by both Parents borne of Princes shall at thine arriual with this right hand bee made thine and with her after my death my whole realme and other my rights whatsoeuer which were they infinitely more despise not such loue nor thealliance of one distre◅ed but neuerthelesse a King I would repute them farre too little for such a sonne in law who though thy selfe as yet no King art come of Kings and it is my whole and last ambition that I may liue to make thee one The Earle accepted the conditions resolute to set vp Dermot againe and for that purpose bound himselfe by solemne contract to the full performance of his part within a certaine time 53 Dermot hauing thus negotiated his affaires and set it in so good forwardnes while his friends in England prepared themselues and their Forces lest hee should seeme to relie vpon forraine aides and so to diminish with them the reputation of his owne valour and alliances at home hee sailes backe into his Country carrying with him the promises of confederates and there both by his presence and perswasions did the best hee could to facilitate the entrance of the English whose honourable entertainements deuotions ciuility riches valours wisedome and victorious greatnesses he spared not to celebrate as instruments aduancing his own designes which raised no little expectation mixt with contrary affections of desire and feare 54 The next yeare when the season grew fit for an Army to take the field Robert Fitz-Stephen accompanied with Maurice Fitz-Gerald his halfe brother by the surer side a competent number of Souldiers reposing vnder God their chief hope in their swords and courages set saile for Ireland in the beginning of May came on shore at a place called by the Irish B◅nn by the English at this day commonly Bagg and Bunn which in our language signifies Sacred a word which so much as names may be presages of things did as it were hallow the attempt of the English with a lucky and gratious omination whereof the Inhabitants at this present retaine this rime At the head of Bagg and Bunn Ireland was lost and wun 55 The next day after Maurice de Prendergast also with other men of Armes and many Archers in two shippes arriued there being parcell of Fitz-Stephans Forces and Companions of his Fortunes who ioining themselues together immediatly marcht to the City of Weisford vnder their Banners and that in the greatest brauery they could the Knights and Men at Armes in their Coates of Arms Colours to draw thereby now at the first the greater reputation to themselues and with opinion so gotten to fill vp the smalnes of their numbere in which manner assailing the City the Irish therein rendred themselues and in reward of the seruice being also according to capitulation and encouragement of others who were to proceed in this warre Dermot to whose vse the English Generall had taken it bestowed the City it selfe and the Country about vpon Robert Fitz-Stephen at his pleasure to be disposed off and there the first Colony of our Nation was planted which hath euer since immoueably maintained their abode among innumerable changes in the world retaining at this day the ancient attire of the English and the language also it selfe though brackish with the mixture of vulgar Irish which therefore by a distinct name is called Weisford speech current onely in that City the County about 56 But Robert Fitz-Stephan thus aduanced for his more assurance beganne to raise a Town at Carricke making the place which nature had already fortified much more by Art defensible This entrie into Ireland being by him now made vnder the name of Henry King of England and the successe exceeding hope Richard Strong-bow receiuing aduertisement from Dermot and the new Lord of Weisford of all occurrences thought fitte first to dispatch some supplies to Fitz-Stephen which about the beginning of May vnder the conduct of Raimundle grosse a Gentleman of the Earles family were accordingly sent and after Raimund the Earle himselfe in the same yeere set forth His Forces were about two hundreth men of Armes and a thousand other Souldiers with whom he came safe to Anchor in the Bay of Waterford vpon the Vigil of Saint Bartholmew August 23. Ann. 1171. Earle Richard the Generall knowing that expedition did carry with it terrour and aduantage presently marcheth to Porthlarge the Irish name of Waterford and vpon the very next day tooke the City by force and sacrificed the armed Inhabitants to the reuenge of Dermot so the rather to make roome and security for themselues to the exceeding terrour and iust dismay of all about as they who found that howsoeuer the pretence was to resettle Dermot the purpose was to seat the English for euer 57 But Dermot Author of this calamity to his Nation resolute in his purpose in full complement of his Contract doth openly in solemne maner bestow his promised daughter Eua vpon the Conquerour in mariage with his owne right hand giuing her in the Church at which time the famous Strong-bow did not celebrate his particular Wedding-day but the indissoluble knot of the Irish allegiance to the English Soueraignetie with the same Ring which circuled his Wiues finger affiancing that Iland to this our Country 58 The Marriage performed it was far from the mind of the Earle to spend much time in reuels and feasts but consults with his men of warre what was next to bee done for the setling his Father in law King Dermot and for finishing the Conquest which was now so happily begunne in two seuerall parts of Ireland at once Leauing therfore a sufficient Garrison to make good the places already gaind to secure the lāding of fresh supplies he sets forward with his selected Companies to whose victorious weapons the whole Realme lay open so farre forth that Rotherick himself was very wel contented notwithstanding his lately vsurped swelling title of Monarch of Ireland to hold himselfe within the bogs and fastenesses of his peculiar Realme the wild and mountainous Connaught meane while Strongbow keepes on his way ouer the bosome of Ireland to the principall City therof Dublin taking in as he marcheth all the places about and securing himselfe by pledges of their loialty or otherwise as he saw most fitte In which iourney pleased with the delight and fertile situation of Kildare he resolued there to settle his abode and to erect a seate to his
Chancellor as being a person very dangerous vnto both 10 The news of these home-contentions comming to the Duke of Bedford into France easily drew him home though the state of that Realme could not well want his presence For Iohn Duke of Britaine notwithstanding his late renouation of league with the Regent at Amiens iealous of the English greatnes turned sodeinely to Charles and with him Arthur Earle of Richmond his brother This puts fresh spirit into the drooping Prince Arthur is by Charles made Constable of his France in place of the Scottish Earle who was slaine at the bloody Battell of Vernoil The Duke of Britaine ouerliues this reuolt but a small time Arthur to declare his forwardnes on the behalfe of Charles assembleth about twenty thousand men and with them sodeinely besiegeth S. Iean a Towne of Normandy vpon the frontier of Britaine which Edmund Duke of Sommerset Gouernour of Normandy had lately fortified and stuft with souldiers The vnexpected arriuall of the French did greatly at the first perplex the English but vpon better aduise they valiantly sallied out vpon them both before and behind which stroke so great terrour into the enemy that with losse of their Artillery and many of their people they forsooke the siege To redeeme this dishonour he turnes his fury vpon the Countrey of Angioâ—… which in many parts he depopulates and spoiles The Regent being resolued to returne into England leaues behind him Beaâ—…champ Earle of Warwicke as lieutenant who was lately arriued in France hauing six thousand fresh Souldiers in his company 11 The presence of the Duke of Bedford Regent of France was to the State of England very necessary For the wisdome and authority of so great a Prince being eldest vncle to the King and one whom many great deedes made famous allaied the distemper which he found at his arriual It was a worke worthy of his labour and he also found it to be a worke indeed and not easily effectuable The differences were debated first at Saint Albans then at Northampton lastly in a Parliament at Leicester which continued there till toward the end of Iune The Duke of Bedford himselfe to auoid the note of partiality for that his brother of Glocester was a party did not intermeddle otherwise then as in Generall words to perswade amity but the whole cause was referred to arbitrators of greatest Nobility and prudence by whose endeuours all those differences and greeuances were equally thrust into one sacke to be sealed vp for euer by obliuion and without mention of amends on either side the Duke and Bishop the one hauing sworne by his Princehood the other by his Priesthood truly to obserue the award shooke hands and were fully for that time reconciled After which holy and necessary worke of priuate attonements ensued acts of festiuitie and honor For in the same Towne of Leicester the young King not then fiue yeeres of age was at the high feast of Pentecost dubbed Knight by the Regent of France Immediately whereupon the King honored Richard Earle of Cambridge who by the fatall errour of the Counsell was at this Parliament created Duke of Yorke the same who was father to Edward the fourth with the order of knighthood and about forty more with him This Richard Duke of Yorke was hee who brought vpon this Kingdome and nation most dolefull diuisions to the vtter extirpation of all the male lines of either house that is to say his owne and that of Lancaster whereof the young King was head From Leicester the King was conueighed to Killingworth and Thomas Duke of Excester dying Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke was constituted Guardian and Tutor to the King 12 The Regent hauing thus worthily prouided for the quiet estate of the King and Country returns to his charge in France There went ouer at the same time a choise and great number of fresh men vnder the conduct of that immortally renowmed the L. Talbot whose victories saith Polydor were so many that his name was not onely most dreadfull to the French but most famous through the world euen at this present That yee may know the man not to haue beene studious of fine Phrases vpon the one side of his sword-blade was engrauen Sum Talboti and vpon the other this boisterous blunt sentence Pro vincere inimicos meos The Duke of Alanzon taken at the Castell of Vernoil was set at liberty vpon payment of two hundreth thousand Scutes of gold At Mountarges about Orleance the English receiued an ouerthrow with the losse of about fifteene hundreth of their numbers and in Britaine the French sustained great dammages by a Captaine of the Duke of Sommersets These were petty matters They of Mantz in Maine had drawne in the French by night who massacred the English William Earle of Suffolke Captain of the place sends to Iohn Lord Talbot for succour It came and that so vnexpectedly that the French were alike distrest All but souldiers were spared and many also of them though thrust into prisons The Traitours which had caused so much mischiefe had their deserts by death From hence the Lord Talbot marched to other enterprises The quality of our taske cals vs to the maine 13 Thomas Lord Montacute Earle of Salisbury being with the Regent at Paris and considering what forces of men and all prouisions the English then enioied bethought himselfe of some action which might answere the greatnesse of his owne name and of the publike meanes The siege of Orleance is by him propounded to the Councell The credite of the Motioner was alone an argument of power to conuince the possibility His desires were therefore furnished with all competent prouisions They of Orleance hearing what a storme was comming for the name of this Earle was worthily terrible with great diligence ordaine for their defence The Suburbes answerable in bignesse to a good City they leuell with the earth that the enemie might not from thence annoy them Men victuals munition and constant intentions to fight for their liberty and safegard abounded The Earle of Sarisburie the Lord Talbot and a dreadfull puissance vnder most expert commanders present themselues before it Orleance was and is an Episcopall See a Parliament Towne and Vniuersity richly scituate vpon the riuer of Loir whose best glory it is being the chiefe City which that renowned streame watereth No enemies appearing abroad he approacheth close to the walles Assaults prouing vain he entrencheth about it and to secure his Campe casts vp ramparts and other works one of which by reason of the hugenesse thereof was called London by the name of the chiefe-chiefe-City of England The Fort which stood at the Bridge foot beyond the Loyr hee seiseth vpon and closeth them vp on euery side Charles of France could minister no sufficient succor God when mans helpe failes interposeth his hand which as all of vs daily feele so is it most conspicuous in the deliuerance of
nor your Progenitors with all their puissance were once able to make flie one foot backward who by his strength pollicie and wit kept them all out of the principall dominions of the Realme of France and out of this noble Dutchy of Normandy wherefore I say first God saue his soule and let his body now lie in rest which when he was aliue would haue disquieted the proudest of vs all And as for the toombe I assure you it is not so worthy or conuenient as his honor and acts deserued 27 The Regent being now dead the late peace made at Arras betweene King Charles and Philip Duke of Burgundie presently disclosed and put forth effects most dangerous to the English for many Townes voluntarily yeeld and multitudes of the French who hitherto through feare contained themselues starting away all the English dominions were full of priuate conuenticles practises and correspondences with the Enemy Such English as then were in France are not altogether sloathfull but yet through a fatall either security or negligence at home there was not speedy sufficiencies of resistance ministred 28 Richard Duke of Yorke whose seruices neuer did good to the English common-wealth is created Regent of France and Edmund Duke of Sommerset his perpetuall riual or perhaps an intelligent censor of his manners continues his commands in Normandie The Duke of Sommerset opposed the aduancement of Yorke to that slipperie dignity He was no babe in so doing but more fore-seeing then the Protector and all the Councell of England Yet his opposition was vnseasonable and fruitlesse for the others carriage had woonne such a party about the King whom he meant by embracing to pull down that notwithstanding the disaduantage of his silenced title which was alone a great cause to haue made him euerlastingly incapable of so great trust and meanes he preuailed But before he could arriue Paris was lost Robert Lord Willoughby was Gouernour there for the English who had with him but about two thousand the faith of the Citizens was presumed vpon to make vp the rest at a pinch for a common resistance On the contrary they perceiuing vpon what termes the English affaires stood in France chiefly after the late Regents death conspire against them The treason was carried so cunninglie by some of the principall Magistrates of the Towne who capitulated for a generall pardon from King Charles which was gladly yeelded vnto that the mischiefe sooner tooke effect then it could be discouered Thomas Lord Beaumont began the losse with his misfortune for Arthur Earle of Richmond Constable of France houering about Paris in hope to recouer the same the Lord Beaumont with certaine hundreth of English fell into his danger about Saint Denis and were distressed While as yet the terror of this discomfiture not great in regard of the numbers slaine but in regard of the Circumstances was freshest the French aduance their Banners vp to the City where a gate was opened vnto them by their partisans What should the English doe in this generall mischiefe The townesmen lately vassals turne enemies on a sodaine women and children assaile the English from their windowes with all sorts of missill things Many are beaten downe and massacred in the streetes The Lord Willoughby Gouernour of Paris Lewis of Luxemburg Bishop of Ther◅an Chancellour of France for the English the Bishops of Lisieux and Meaux with other flie to S. Anthonies gate and the Bastile places which they had reserued for defence till extreme necessity Many more had been saued in those places but that the perfidious Citizens drew chaines thwart the streetes and empeached their retreat Heare the rest in a Frenchmans words 29 All runne to the Bastile The Tournels are presently seized and all approaches vnto the Bastile are soone won Such as were within it at first made some shew of defence but all things were prepared to force them they demand a Parlea and agree to depart with their liues and baggage They are conducted about the Towne beneath the Loure to embark vpon the Riuer of Sein and so passe to Roan They could not well haue passed through the City The people hereof aduertised runne to the walles and cry out with great shoutes baiting the English like Dogs whom a little before they had feared and honoured as their masters Who of the English reades these things without indignation but they are the perpetuall manners of the base multitude the fortune therin of the English the same which followeth all like accidents Some will thinke that the Lord Willoughby and his people might haue done more nobly to haue taken vp their graues in the place which they pretēded to make good against the French Fortitude is neuer separated from Prudence Succour was despaired The Duke of Yorke was not as yet arriued and in maintaining their strengthes against the whole City of Paris and all the present French forces for the space of about ten dayes they sufficiently cleared themselues both in point of honour and loyalty Paris is thus lost in the worst time for an Army to march in They did wisely to choose so vnseasonable a season their market might haue else beene marred for the new Regent not so much hindred from sooner comming by the Duke of Somersets emulations which some affirme as by the very quality of the winter weather arriued afterward accompanied with the Earles of Salisbury and Suffolke the Lord Falconbridge and other worthy persons with an Army of eight thousand men But this Regent did neuer good in France Hee who so writes might haue also safely added nor elsewhere The English affaires were not as yet come to the very breake-necke point They held in the late conquered parts of France Normandy entire though not without much trouble for the people againe rebell in Caux but that mischiefe was destroied with the greater and more mercilesse confusion of the Authors and Actors then the former About fiue thousand of them were trampled to death by the iust fury of the English vnder the leading of the Lord Scales the Lord Hoo and others They burnt all their dwellings made booty of their goods draue their whole numbers out of the Country The Lord Scales not long after discomfited La Hire and his Companie not farre from Roan The war was handled on all sides without full or complete armies Skirmishes were the ordinarie formes of fighting The French were schooled from setling their rest vpon a pitcht field Thus houered the affaires 30 Philip Duke of Burgoigne had as yet in person giuen no proof against the English of his affection to King Charles Now hee addresseth himselfe to an enterprise worthy of that expectation the recouery of Calais You would suspect that hee continued still a friend to the English in making choice of a seruice wherein hee was most likely to waste his time in vaine and yet make shew of much forwardnesse but hee was reall
his footemen thereto appointed And contrary to my owne affections or manner of my former proceedings I will yet continue the most honorable offices performed at his roiall enthroning with no little Admiration how these Lords assembled to set the Crowne vpon the young Princes head were so suddainly carried to Crowne his Protector and that vpon such false and slanderous pretences as euery one of them saw his title to be meerely an vniust vsurpation but in them may be seene that we are all the sonnes of Adam and in times of extremities foreslow all publike regard as ouermuch fearing our priuate and present estate 12 Vpon the sixt of Iuly King Richard with Queene Anne his wife set forth from White-hall towards Westminster roially attended and went into the Kings bench in the great hall from whence himselfe and Queen vpon ray Cloth both of them bare-footed went vnto King Edwards shrine in Saint Peters Church all the Nobility going with him in their degree the trumpets and Heraulds marshalling the way the Crosse with a solemne procession followed the Priests in fine surplesses and gray Amysses vpon them the Bishops and Abbots in rich Copes all of them mytred and carrying their Crosses in their hands next came the Earle of Huntington bearing a paire of gilt spurres signifying Knighthood after whom came the Earle of Bedford who bare Saint Edwards staffe for a Relique then followed the Earle of Northumberland with a naked pointles sword in his hand betokening mercy next whom the Lord Stanley bare the Mace of the Constableship vpon whose right hand the Earle of Kent bare a naked pointed swod and on his left hand the Lord Louell the like naked pointed sword the former signifying Iustice towards the temporalty the other Iustice to the Clergy the Duke of Suffolke then followed with the Scepter which signified Peace the Earle of Lincolne bare the Ball and Crosse which signified a Monarchy Then came the Earle of Surrey bearing the fourth sword sheathed in a rich scaberd and is called the sword of Estate next whom followed Garter King at Armes vpon whose right hand went the Gentleman Vsher of the Kings priuy Chamber and on his left the Lord Maior of London with a Mace in his hand Next vnto whom went the Duke of Norfolke bearing the Kings Growne betwixt his hands and then King Richard himselfe came in a Surcote and Robe of purple veluet hauing ouer his head a Canapie borne by the foure Barons of the fiue Ports the Bishop of Bath on his right hand and of Durham on his left The Duke of Buckingham bare the Kings traine and to signifie the office of high Steward of England he bare a White Staffe in his hand 13 Then followed the Queenes traine before whom was borne the Scepter the Iuorie Rod with the Doue and the Crowne her selfe apparelled in Robes like the Kings vnder a rich Canapie at euery corner thereof a bell of gold On her head shee ware a circlet set full of precious stones the Countesse of Richmond bearing her traine the Dutchesse of Norfolke and Suffolk in their Coronets attendants with twenty Ladies of estate most richly attired In this order they passed the Pallace into the Abbey and ascending to the high Altar there shifted their Robes and hauing other Robes open in diuers places from the middle vpward were both of them annointed and Crowned he with Saint Edwards Crowne hauing the Scepter deliuered into his left hand and the Ball with the Crosse a token of Monarchie in his right the Queene had a Scepter giuen into her right hand and the Iuory Doue in her left then after the Sacrament receiued hauing the host deuided betwixt them they both offered at Saint Edwards shrine where the King left his Crowne and put on his owne and thus done in the same Order and State as they came returned to Westminster hall and there held a most Princely feast Whereof let Hall and Grafton tell you for me 14 But this his faire Sunne was soone ouercast with many darke Cloudes and mischiefes which fell thicke vpon the necke of each other for as the thing euill gotten is neuer well kept through all the time of his raigne there neuer ceased death and slaughter till his owne destruction ended it Yet as he finished his daies with the best death and the most righteous that is to say his owne so began he with the most piteous and wicked I meane the lamentable murther of his innocent Nephewes the young King and his tender brother whose deaths and finall misfortunes haue neuerthelesse come so farre in question that some remaine yet in doubt whether they were in his daies destroied or no. Not for that only that Perkin Warbecke by the malice of many and the folly of more so long a time abusing the world was aswel with Princes as the other poore people reputed and taken for the younger of these two but for that also as all things were in late daies so couertly demeaned one thing pretended and another done that there was nothing so plaine and openly proued but for the common custome and close couert dealing men had it euer inwardly in suspect as many well counterfeit Iewels make the true mistrusted Howbeit concerning the opinion with the occasions mouing either party we shall haue place more at large hereafter to intreat of in the meane time for this present master shall be rehearsed the dolorous end of these young Babes not after euerie report I haue heard but by such men and by such meanes as to my seeming it were hard but it should be true saith Sir Thomas Moore 15 K. Richard presently after his mockish Electiō glorious Coronation made his progresse towards Gloucester to shew as was thought in that City his new Kingly estate which first had vouchsafed him his old honour in bearing her Title or else and that rather to besequestred from other busines the better to attend that vpon which his thoughts most busily ranne For albeit the Barke of his begunne aduentures had without perill well passed the straightes and now got sea roome to spread saile at will yet being vnder gale and at fortunes dispose he feared the gust of euery wind at leastwise suspected that his young Nephewes liuing would stay the course of his deepe reaches as doth the little fish Remora who holdeth as at Anchor the biggest shippe vnder saile His inward study therefore still forged howsoeuer his outward countenance was carried to cleare his passage by taking those dangerous lets away well knowing that his little Nephewes enioying their liues men would be medling with their downe cast cause and account him an vsurper without all rihgt to the Realme To stop which streame no other course could hee find but to cut off the current by which it ranne as though the killing of his Kinsmen could better his bad claime or vnkindly murther make him a kindly King But being resolued
dayes lay naked and vnburied his remembrance being as odious to all as his person deformed and lothsome to be looked vpon for whose further despite the white Bore his cognizance was torne downe from euery Signe that his monument might perish as did the monies of Caligula which were all melted by the decree of the Senate Lastly his body without all funeral solemnity was buried in the Gray-Friers Church of that City But King Henry his Successor of a princely disposition caused afterward his Tombe to bee made with a picture of Alablaster representing his person and to be set vp in the same Church which at the suppression of that Monastery was pulled downe and vtterly defaced since when his graue ouergrowne with nettles and weedes is very obscure and not to be found Onely the stone chest wherin his corpes lay is now made a drinking trough for horses at a common Inne and retaineth the onely memory of this Monarches greatnesse His body also as tradition hath deliuered was borne out of the City and contemptuously bestowed vnder the end of Bow-Bridge which giueth passage ouer a branch of Stowre vpon the west side of the Towne Vpon this Bridge the like report runneth stood a stone of some height against which King Richard as hee passed toward Bosworth by chance strucke his spur and against the same stone as he was brought backe hanging by the horse side his head was dashed and broken as a wise woman forsooth had foretold who before Richards going to battell being asked of his successe said that where his spurre strucke his head should be broken but of these things as is the report so let be the credite Dead he is and with his death ended the factions a long time continued betwixt the Families of Lancaster and Yorke in whose bandings to bring set keep the Crown on their heades eight or nine bloudy set battels had beene fought and no lesse then fourescore persons of the bloud-royall slaine as Philip Câ—…ines the French Writer saith many of them being wel knowne to himselfe after which stormes and this Tirants death a blessed vnion ensued by ioining those houses in Henry of Lancaster and Elizabeth of Yorke 60 Hee was of Stature but little and of shape deformed the left shoulder bunching out like a Mole-hill on his backe his haire thinne and face short a cruell countenance in whose aspect might bee perceiued both malice and deceit When hee stood musing as hee would doe oft his vse was to bite and chaw the nether lip his hand euer on his dagger which euer hee would chop vp and down in the sheath but neuer draw it fully out Pregnant in wit hee was wily to faine apt to dissemble and haughty of Stomacke an expert Souldier and a better King then a man He founded a Colledge at Middleham beyond York and a Collegiat Chauntery in London neere vnto the Tower called Our Lady of Barking he endowed the Queenes Colledge in Cambridge with fiue hundred Marks of yeerely reuenew and disforrested the great Field of Wichwood which King Edward his brother had inclosed for his game he raigned two yeeres two moneths and one day and was buried as we haue said His Wife 61 Anne the second daughter and Coheire to Richard Neuil the stout Earle of Warwicke and Salesbury was first married to Edward Prince of Wales the sonne to King Henry the sixth and after his death was remarried to Richard Duke of Gloucester Anno 1472. afterwards by vsurpation King of England with whom in great State and solemnity shee was Crowned Queene the sixth of Iuly and yeere of Saluation 1483. She was his wife to the last yeere of his Raigne and then leauing her husband to choose another Queene was laid at rest in the Abbey of Westminster in this thing happy that she saw not the death of the Tyrant His Issue 62 Edward the sonne of King Richard and of Queene Anne his Wife and the onely childe of them both was borne in the Castle of Middleham neere Richmund in the Countie of Yorke Anno 1473. and being vnder foure yeeres of age was created Earle of Salisbury by his Vncle King Edward the fourth the seuenteenth of his Raigne but his father King Richard in the first of his vsurpation created him Prince of Wales the foure twentieth of August and yeere of Christ 1483. he then being about ten yeeres of age vnto whom also the Crowne was intailed by Parliament but this Prince dying before his father and much vpon the time of his mothers decease saw not the reuenge that followed the Tyrants Raigne whose bad life no doubt hath made doubtfull the place of this Princes buriall and other Princely offices done him in his life and at his death HENRIE THE SEVENTH KING OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE AND LORD OF IRELAND THE FIFTIE SEVENTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH HIS RAIGNE ACTS AND ISSVE CHAPTER XX. HENRIE of that name the seauenth hauing by such mixt meanes of valor and practise as are alreadie described obtained the possession of Englands Crown we must now present vnto you his actions in the person and state of a King maintained by him with like mixture of courage and skill as it was atchieued to the verification of that rule That things are kept by the same Arts whereby they were gained In describing whereof wee meane nothing lesse then for humoring the vaine admirers of phrase and conceit to mount vp into Panegyricall flourishes in honor of the man though his excellent vertues would worthily beare if not duely also exact them yet may wee not omiâ—…to obserue that as in his attaining to the Crowne there was through diuine prouidence a concurring disposition of all important Circumstances without which his attempt might haue proued disasterous so hee hauing now possessed the Soueraigne power and mastered the State in the maine pointes easily made circumstances waite vpon his wisdom and to take their forme from his directions Of the first kind wherein his felicity deserues to be celebrated were these That he by the Male-line a meere stranger to both the roiall houses as descended from the Welsh and French and by the female springing out of such a family of Lancaster the Beanfords as by the same law which enabled it to inherite in ordinary estates was made incapable of succeâ—…n in the Regalitie should so safely be conuaied away into forraine parts there to continue an head of expectation and reuolt during the intestine troubles and dangers to him ineuitable here at home Secondly that the Realme of England should bee so auerted from Richard though a very honorable wise iust and necessary Prince after hee was somewhat setled as for his sake to neglect in a sort so many naturall heires of the house of Yorke some of them in right preceding Richard such were the children of Edward the fourth and George Duke of Clarence Richards elder brethren and all of
Monm Rob. Fabian Magnentius murdereth himselfe Socra li. 2. cap. 27. Amian li. 16. c. 5. Gracianus of admirable strength Martin Deputie in Britaine Amianus Marcel lib. 14. cap. 4. Paulus a Spaniard his subtiltie Amianus lib. 25. cap. 2. Paulus called Catena for his crueltie Martine kild Amianus Mar. li. 20. cap. 1. Lupicinus sent Deputie into Britain * 〈◊〉 * Richburrow or Ripâ—…bester * London Gallus chosed Caesar. Gallus executed Iulianâ—… made Caesar. Iuliani Epistâ—… Constanâ—… apparition He leadeth an Army against Iulianus and dyeth by the way Socrates lib. 2. cap. 37. Amianus Mar. lib 21. cap. 13. The time of his raigning Amianus lib. 26. cap. 9. Constantius perfections and defects His wife was Faustina Constantius a great exacter of tribute Sulpitius Seuerus A Councell in fauour of the Arrians assembled by Constantius Hilarie calleth them the Bishops of the Prouinces of Britain in an Epistle vnto the Bishops Gyldas Amianus Marc. lib. 11. cap. 15. Constantius his portraiture Constantius buried at Constantinople Iulien his Parentage Amian Marcell lib. 15. cap. 7. His proportion and feature Amian Marcel lib. 25. His education Misopo Iul. Imp. Socrates lib. 3. cap. 1. His temperance Marcel lib. 16. In Misopo Iulian. Imp. Marcel lib. 25. 24. Marcel l. 22. In Mesopo Iulian. Imp. Marcellinus l. 22. Gregor Nazianzen in lib. contra Iulianum His Iustice. Marcellinus l. 22. Mart. Epig. Ex Iulian. Epist. ad Arâ—…a pont Galatia In Misopogon Iulian Imp. Ex Epist. Iulian. Imp. ad Artabâ—… Ex Edicto Iulian. in Edissenet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad Alexandrian Ex Epist. Iulian Imp. Hieron Russiâ—… Secrâ—…tes lib. 3. cap. 17. Sabelliâ—… 〈◊〉 lib. 2â—… cap 4. Eusebius lib. 7. ca. 17. Zosimus Eccl. lib. 5. cap. 20. Iulianus picture destroyed by lightning Ex Edicto contra Christian. Ex Epist. Iulian. ad Ecebolum Hieron Cassiodorus Socrates Sabellicus Socrates lib. 3. ca. 11. His prudence Epist. Iulian. ad Ecdicium praef Aegypt Suidas Iulian. Imp. Caesares Iul. Imp. Epist. Lib. Iul. de praeclaris actionibus Hymnus Iulian. in Solem. Misopogon vel Antiochensis His Religion Marcel lib. 25. Ex Iulian Epist. ad Pon. Galatiae His Fortitude Marcel lib. 15. Ex Epist. Iulian Maximo Phylosopho Amian lib. 16. Sabellicus lib. 22. cap. 2. Iulian his sacrifices An Earthquake Sabell lib. 25. ca. 2. An Army reaching ten mile Iulian strucke into the body with a Dart. Amianus lib. 25. 〈◊〉 3. Sâ—…es lib 3. cap 18. 〈◊〉 lib. 6. c. 〈◊〉 Tâ—…d lib. 3. c. 25. Sabell â—…us Matth. 20. 16. An. Do. 364. * Marcellinus saith Eutrop. Rufiâ—… 〈◊〉 Hist. lib. 10. Iouianus his Parentage * Iouianus his pietie Amian Marcell lib. 25. cap. 13. Cassiod Tripar hist. lib. 7. Paulus Orosius Sabellicus Socrates Sclâ—… lib. 3. cap. 20. Bishops recalled from banishment Iouianus adorneth Iulians tombe A Blazing starre seene at Noone-day Sabellicus Iouianus death His raigne Amianus Mare lib. 25. cap. 14. Socrates eccles hist. lib. 3. cap. 22. Iouianus shape and disposition An. Do. 364 Amianus Mar. lib. 26. cap. 5. Socrates in eccles hist. lib. 4. cap. 1. Chap. 47. sect 4. Valentinianus a Christian. Theodoret. Amian Marcel lâ—…b 17. cap. 7. Nectaridius slaine * Westerne Picts Easterne Picts * Britaine so called * Bologâ—… * Ribchester London called Augusta Theodosius ioifullie receiued into London Amianus Marcel lib. 28. cap. 7. Valentinus a Rebell put to death Theodosius an expert Warriour Britaine called Valentia Amian Marcel lib. 28. cap. 7. Areans remoued from their Stations Theodosius comparable to Camillus Symmachus Claudian in praise of Theodosius Dreadfull sights and fearefull Earthquakes Amian Marcell lib. 26. cap. 14. Gulfes of the Sea laid bare and many Cities drowned Paulus Orosius S. Ierome Wooll rained from Heauen Amian Marcell lib. 29. cap. 9. Fraomarius made King of the Bucinobantes 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Ualens Emperor in the Last Amian Marcell lib. 31. cap. 34. Gothes ouercome the Romans Ualens slaine An. Do. 376. Amianus Mar. lib. 27. cap. 5. Gracian and Valentinian Emp. Lib. 30. cap. 13. Gracian louing to Valentinian Iustina mother of young Valentinian Sorates eccles hist. lib. 4. cap. 25. Ualentinianus marrieth Iustina by whom be had young Valentinian Theodosius Captaine generall of the Roman Empire and fellow Emperor Theodosius ouercommeth the Gothes Aurelius Victor Pauls Orosius Sapor King of Persia. Clemens Maximus rebelleth Cambden Ann. Do. 381. Zosimus Paulus Orosius Clemens Maximus â—…ssumeth the Imperiall Stile Clemens Maximus his stratagem against Gracian Andragathius a murtherer Gracian his death raigne Arbogastes a conspitator Eugenius a Grammarian another Valentinian strangled Prosperâ—… Valentinian his raigne An. Do. 392. Theodosius goeth against Arbogastes and Eugenius Theodosius praieth to God for victorie Sabellic Ennead 7 lib. 9. Theodosius obtaineth victorie Secrat Eccl. hist. lib. 5. cap. 24. Eugenius beheaded Arbogastes killeth himselfe Theodosius dieth Honorius and Arcadius made Emperours Gildus Gouernor of Africa Rufinus Gouernour of Constantinople Stilicho Gouernour of Italia Stilicho somtimes imploied in the British Warres Stilicho commended by Claudian for his seruice in Britaine Theodosius his vertues Theodosius vpon his submission absolued by the Church Theodosius his Art to suppressâ—… anger Socrates eccles hist. lib. 5. cap. 25. Theodosius his death and progeny Anno 395. Gildus rebelleth Paulus Diaconus Mastelzerius ouer commeth his brother Gildus Paulus Orosius Gildâ—…s beheaded Mastelzerius beheaded Ruffiâ—… ambition Ruffinus slaine Stilicho set at hazard the whole Empire Alaricus the scourge of Rome Paulus Orosius Radagâ—…sius with two hundred thousand Gothes Hieron in epist. ad Paul 〈◊〉 Eust. Marcus chosen Emperor Marcus murthered Sabellicus 〈◊〉 7. lib. 9. Gracian chosen Emperor Gracian murthered Constantine of a common Souldier made Emperor Ann. Do. 410. Constans the 〈◊〉 of Constantine made Augustus Sabellicus Honorius alloweth Constantine Emperor Constans slaine Constantine beheaded Victorinus Lieutenant in Britaine Rutilius Claudius Paul Oros. lib. 7. August de Ciuit. Dei Hieron in Epist. ad Princip Iornandes in hist. Goth. Victorinus leaueth Britaine Zosimus Britaines write to Honorius for succour Pelagius an Hereticke corrupteth the Britains Beda hist. Angl. lib. 〈◊〉 cap. 10. Gennadius Innocentiue condemneth Pelagian Heresie August de Haeres Pelagius his opinions Timothie his Heresie Lib. 〈◊〉 cap. 9. Arcadius his death and raigne Theodosius his successour Hisdigerdus his Tutor Honorius his death and raigne Paul Diacon An. Do. 408. Theodosius Valentinian the last Roman Monarks in Britains Dan. 2. 35. The Roman Monarchies condnuance Abraham the time betweene the Promise made to him and the giuing of the Law Cal. 3. 17. 1. King 6 1. Israel the time between their departing out of Egypt and the building of the Temple of Salomon Dauid the time betweene his Annointing and the death of Zedechiah The time between Cecrops his setting vp and Codrus the last Lycurgus the time betweene him and Alexander the Great Taerquinius the time betweene him and Iulius Caesar. Caesar the time betweene his inuasion of Britaine and Valentinian the third Saxons the time betweene their