impertinent discourse and proceed with my purpose I find in the Chronicles of Burton vnder the yeare of Grace 141. and time of Hadrian the emperour that nine scholers or clerkes of Grantha or Granta now Cambridge were baptised in Britaine and became preachers of the gospell there but whether Taurinus bishop or elder ouer the congregation at Yorke who as Vincentius saith was executed about this tune for his faith were one of them or not as yet I do not certeinlie find but rather the contrarie which is that he was no Britaine at all but Episcopus Ebroicensis for which such as perceiue not the easie corruption of the word may soone write Eboracensis as certeinlie mine author out of whom I alledge this authoritie hath done before me For Vincentius saith flat otherwise and therefore the Chronologie if it speake of anie Taurinus bishop of Yorke is to be reformed in that behalfe Diuers other also imbraced the religion of Christ verie zealouslie before these men Howbeit all this notwithstanding the glad tidings of the gospell had neuer free and open passage here vntill the time of Lucius in which the verie enimies of the word became the apparent meanes contrarie to their owne minds to haue it set foorth amongst vs. For when Antoninus the emperour had giuen out a decrée that the Druiysh religion should euerie where be abolished Lucius the king whose surname is now perished tooke aduise of his councell what was best to be doone wrote in this behalfe And this did Lucius bicause he knew it impossible for man to liue long without any religion at all finallie finding his Nobilitie subiects vtter enimies to the Romane deuotiō for that they made so many gods as they listed some to haue the regiment euen of their dirt dung and thervnto being pricked forwards by such christians as were conuersant about him to choose the seruice of the true God that liueth for euer rather than the slauish seruitude of any pagan idoll he fullie resolued with himselfe in the end to receiue and imbrace the gospell of Christ. He sent also two of his best learned and greatest philosophers to Rome vnto Eleutherus then bishop there in the 177. of Christ not to promise any subiection to his sea which then was not required but to say with such as were pricked in mind Acts. 2. verse 37. Quid faciemus viri fratres I meane that they were sent to be perfectlie instructed and with farther commission to make earnest request vnto him and the congregation there that a competent number of preachers might be sent ouer from thence by whose diligent aduise and trauell the foundation of the gospell might surelie be laid ouer all the portion of the I le which conteined his kingdome according to his mind When Eleutherus vnderstood these things he reioiced not a little for the great goodnesse which the Lord had shewed vpon this our Ile and countrie Afterwards calling the brethren togither they agréed to ordeine euen those two for bishops whom Lucius as you haue heard had directed ouer vnto them Finallie after they had thoroughlie catechized them making generall praier vnto God and earnest supplication for the good successe of these men they sent them home againe with no small charge that they should be diligent in their function and carefull ouer the flocke committed to their custodie The first of these was called Eluanus Aualonius a man borne in the I le of Aualon and brought vp there vnder those godlie pastours and their disciples whom Philip sent ouer at the first for the conuersion of the Britons The other hight Medguinus and was thereto surnamed Belga bicause he was of the towne of Welles which then was called Belga This man was trained vp also in one schoole with Eluanus both of them being ornaments to their horie ages and men of such grauitie and godlinesse that Eleutherus supposed none more worthie to support this charge than they after whose comming home also it was not long yer Lucius and all his houshold with diuers of the Nobilitie were baptised beside infinit numbers of the common people which dailie resorted vnto them and voluntarilie renounced all their idolatrie and paganisme In the meane time Eleutherus vnderstanding the successe of these learned doctours and supposing with himselfe that they two onlie could not suffice to support so great a charge as should concerne the conuersion of the whole Iland he directed ouer vnto them in the yeare insuing Faganus Dinaw or Dinauus Aaron and diuerse other godlie preachers as fellow-labourers to trauell with them in the vineyard of the Lord. These men therefore after their comming hither consulted with the other and foorthwith wholie consented to make a diuision of this Iland amongst themselues appointing what parcell each preacher should take that with the more profit and eass of the people and somewhat lesse trauell also for themselues the doctrine of the Gospell might be preached and receiued In this distribution they ordeined that there should be one congregation at London where they placed Theonus as chéefe elder and bishop for that present time worthilie called Theonus 1. for there was another of that name who fled into Wales with Thadiocus of Yorke at the first comming of the Saxons and also Guthelmus who went as I read into Armorica there to craue aid against the Scots and Uandals that plagued this Ile from the Twede vnto the Humber After this Theonus also Eluanus succéeded who conuerted manie of the Druiydes and builded the first librarie neere vnto the bishops palace The said Lucius also placed another at Yorke whither they appointed Theodosius and the third at Caerlheon vpon the riuer Uske builded sometimes by Belinus and called Glamorgantia but now Chester in which three cities there had before time beene thrée Archflamines erected vnto Apollo Mars and Minerua but now raced to the ground and three other churches builded in their steeds by Lucius to the end that the countries round about might haue indifferent accesse vnto those places and therewithall vnderstand for certeintie whither to resort for resolution if after their conuersion they should happen to doubt of any thing In like sort also the rest of the idoll-temples standing in other places were either ouerthrowne or conuerted into churches for christian congregations to assemble in as our writers doo remember In the report whereof giue me leaue gentle reader of London my natiue citie to speake a little for although it may and dooth seeme impertinent to my purpose yet it shall not be much and therefore I will soone make an end There is a controuersie moued among our historiographers whether the church that Lucius builded at London stood at Westminster or in Cornehill For there is some cause why the metropolitane church should be thought to stand where S. Peters now doth by the space of 400. yéeres before it was remoued to Canturburie by Austine the
in Latine Osca whereon Caerleon standeth sometime called Chester and Ciuitas legionum bicause the Romans soiourned there as did afterward Arthur the great who also held a noble parlement in the same whereof Galfride maketh mention Lib. 7. cap. 4. affirming thereto that in those daies the maiestie thereof was such as that all the forefronts of their houses were in maner laid ouer with gold according to the Romane vsage There was in the same in like sort a famous vniuersitie wherein were 200 philosophers also two goodlie churches erected in the remembrance of Iulius and Aaron two Brittish martyrs whereby it might well be reputed for the third metropoliticall sée in Britaine But to our water whereof I read that it is furthermore one of the greatest in Southwales and huge ships might well come to the towne of Caerleon as they did in the time of the Romans if Newport bridge were not a let vnto them neuerthelesse big botes come thereto It is eight Welsh or twelue English miles from Chepstow or Strigull and of some thought to be in base Wenceland though other be of the contrarie opinion But howsoeuer the matter standeth this riuer is taken to be the bounds of Brechnockshire as Renni is middle to Wenceland Glamorganshire But to leaue these by-matters and come to the description of the water You shall vnderstand that the Uske or Wiske in Latin Osca riseth in the blacke mounteins ten miles aboue Brechnocke toward Carmardine the hill being properlie called Yminidh Duy out of which it falleth and situate in the verie confines betwéene Brechnocke and Carmardine shires from whence winding into the northeast it commeth to Trecastle and in the waie betwéene it and Capell Ridburne it taketh in the Craie brooke on the right hand before it come to Ridburne chappell Going also from thence toward Deuinocke it crosseth the Senneie on the same side which riseth aboue Capell Senneie next of all the Camblas at Aberbraine the Brane or the Bremich whose head is thrée miles from Brechnocke and running by Lanihangle it méeteth I saie with the Uske about master Awbries manor Beneath Aber Yster it receiueth the Yster which riseth northwest aboue Martyr Kinoch and commeth by Battell chappell and going from thence by Lanspithed and Newton it runneth in the end to Brechnocke where it taketh in the Hodneie or Honthie on the one side whose head is in Blaine Hodneie and comming downe from thence by Defrune chappell Lanthangle and Landiuilog it méeteth with the Uske or Brechnocke townes end which of the fall of this water was sometime called Aberhodni as I haue beene informed on the other halfe likewise it receiueth the Tertarith that riseth among the Bane hils fiue miles from Brechnocke and commeth likewise into the verie suburbs of the towne beneath Trenewith or new Troie whereby it taketh the course After these confluences the Uske procéedeth on toward Aberkinurike or the fall of a water whose head is in the roots of Menuchdennie hill and passage by Cantresse Thence it goeth by Lanhamlaghe Penkethleie castell Lansanfreid Landettie Langonider and soone after receiuing the Riangall which riseth about the hill whereon Dinas castell standeth and runneth by Lanihangle and Tretoure it passeth betwéene Laugattocke and Cerigkhowell to Langroinie and there about crosseth the Groinie brooke that descendeth from Monegather Arthur hill by Peter church as I find When the Uske is past this brooke it taketh in thrée other short rils from by south within a little distance whereof the first hight Cledoch Uaur the second Fidan and the third Cledochvehan Of these also the last falleth in néere to Lanwenarth From hence the Uske runneth to Abergeuenni towne where it méeteth with the Kebbie water from by north that riseth short of Bettus chappell aboue the towne and the Geuennie that descendeth from aboue Landilobartholl beneath not farre from Colbroke and so goeth on to Hardwijc beneath which it crosseth thrée namelesse rilles on the right hand or southwest side before it come at Lanihangle vpon Uske of whose courses I know not anie more than that they are not of anie length nor the chanell of sufficient greatnesse seuerallie to intreat of Betwéene Kemmeis and Trostreie it meeteth with such an other rill that commeth downe by Bettus Newith Thence it goeth to Caer Uske or Brenbigeie whose bridge I mene that of Uske was ouerthrowne by rage of this riuer in the six and twentith yeare of king Henrie the eight vpon saint Hughes daie after a great snow but yer it come there it receiueth the Birthin on the right hand which is a pretie water descending from two heads whereof the first is northwest of Manihilot as the other is of Lanihangle and Pentmorell Next vnto this it ioineth with the Elwie aboue Lanbadocke whose head is east of Penclase and running westwards by Penclase Lanislen Langowen and beneath Landewie taking in a brooket from Ragland castell that commeth downe thither by Ragland parke it bendeth southwest vntill it come at the Uske which crinkling towards the south and going by Lanhowell méeteth with three rilles before it come to Marthenie chappell whereof the first lieth on the right hand and the other on the left the midlemost falling into the same not farre from Lantressen as I haue béene informed From the mouth of the Romeneie to the mouth of the Taffe are two miles Certes the Taffe is the greatest riuer in all Glamorganshire called by Ptolomie Rhatostathybius as I gesse and the citie Taffe it selfe of good countenance sith it is indued with the cathedrall see of a bishop The course of the water in like maner is verie swift and bringeth off such logs and bodies of trées withall from the wooddie hilles that they doo not seldome cruth the bridge in peeces but for so much as it is made with timber it is repaired with lighter cost wheras if it were of hard stone all the countrie about would hardlie be able to amend it It riseth in Brechnockshire among the woodie hilles from two heads whereof one is in Monuchdenie the other west of that mounteine of which the first called Taffe vaure goeth by Capell lan vehan Uainor and Morlais the other by Capell Nantie and ioining at southwest beneath Morlais castle they go to Martyr Tiduill and toward Lannabor but by the waie it taketh in from northwest a brooke called Cunnon which commeth out of Brechnockshire by Abardare and afterward the Rodneie comming out of the same quarter but not out of the same shire which runneth by Estridinodoch a crotched brooke therefore diuided into Rodneie vaure Rodneie vehan that being ioined with the Taffe doth run on withall to Eglefilian castle Coch Whitchurch Landaffe Cardiffe and so into the sea not far from Pennarth point where also the Laie dooth bid him welcome vnto his chanell or streame Furthermore from Marthellie it hasteth to Kemmeis and
space of thrée score miles more as Hugh of Peterborow writeth This streame riseth about Sibbertoft and running betwéene Bosworth and Howthorpe it goeth to Féedingworth Merson Bubberham Trussell Herborow receiuing there the Braie which commeth from Braiebrooke castell to Bowton Weston Wiland Ashleie Medburne Rokingham and Cawcot where a riueret called little Eie méeteth withall comming from east Norton by Alexstone Stocke Faston and Drie stocke From Cawcot it goeth to Gritto Harringworth Seton Wauerlie Duddington Collie Weston Eston and there ioineth with the third called Warke not far from Ketton which commeth from Lie by Preston Wing Lindon Luffenham c. Thence it goeth on by Tinwell to Stanford crossing the Brooke water and Whitnelbecke both in one bottome and from Stanford by Talington Maxeie to Mercate Deeping Crowland where it almost meeteth with the Auon then to Spalding Whapland and so into the sea Leland writing of this Wiland addeth these words which I will not omit sith in mine opinion they are worthie to be noted for better consideration to be had in the said water and his course The Wiland saith he going by Crowland at Newdrene diuideth it selfe into two branches of which one goeth vp to Spalding called Newdrene and so into the sea at Fossedike Stow the other named the South into Wisbech This latter also parteth it selfe two miles from Crowland sendeth a rill called Writhlake by Thorneie where it méeteth with an arme of the Nene that commeth from Peterborow and holdeth course with the broad streame till it be come to Murho six miles from Wisbech where it falleth into the South Out of the South in like sort falleth another arme called Sheepes eie and at Hopelode which is fouretéene miles from Lin did fall into the sea But now the course of that streame is ceased wherevpon the inhabitants susteine manie grieuous flouds bicause the mouth is stanched by which it had accesse before into the sea Hitherto Leland Of the course of this riuer also from Stanford I note this furthermore out of another writing in my time Being past Stanton saith he it goeth by Burghleie Uffington Tallington Maxeie Déeping east Deeping and comming to Waldram hall it brancheth into two armes whereof that which goeth to Singlesole receiueth the Nene out of Cambridgeshire and then going by Dowesdale Trekenhole and winding at last to Wisbech it goeth by Liuerington saint Maries and so into the sea The other arme hasteth to Crowland Clowthouse Bretherhouse Pikale Cowbecke and Spalding Here also it receiueth the Baston dreane Longtost dreane Déeping dreane and thence goeth by Wickham into the sea taking withall on the right hand sundrie other dreanes And thus farre he Next of all when we are past these we come to another fall of water into the Wash which descendeth directlie from Whaplade dreane to Whaplade towne in Holland but bicause it is a water of small importance I passe from thence as hasting to the Nene of both the more noble riuer and about the middest thereof in place is a certeine swallow so déepe and so cold in the middest of summer that no man dare diue to the bottome thereof for coldnesse and yet for all that in winter neuer found to haue béene touched with frost much lesse to be couered with I se The next therefore to be described is the Auon otherwise called Nene which the said author describeth after this maner The Nene beginneth foure miles aboue Northampton in Nene méere where it riseth out of two heads which ioine about Northampton Of this riuer the citie and countrie beareth the name although we now pronounce Hampton for Auondune which errour is committed also in south Auondune as we may easilie see In another place Leland describeth the said riuer after this maner The Auon riseth in Nene méere field and going by Oundale and Peterborow it diuideth it selfe into thrée armes whereof one goeth to Horneie another to Wisbech the third to Ramseie and afterward being vnited againe they fall into the sea not verie farre from Lin. Finallie the descent of these waters leaue here a great sort of Ilands wherof of Elie Crowland and Merfland are the chiefe Hitherto Leland Howbeit because neither of these descriptions touch the course of this riuer at the full I will set downe the third which shall supplie whatsoeuer the other doo want The Auon therefore arising in Nenemere field is increased with manie rilles before it come at Northhampton one aboue Kings thorpe from whence it goeth to Dallington and so to Northhampton where it receiueth the Wedon And here I will staie till I haue described this riuer The Wedon therefore riseth at Faulesse in master Knightlies pooles and in Badbie plashes also are certeine springs that resort vnto this streame Faulesse pooles are a mile from Chareton where the head of Chare riuer is that runneth to Banberie There is but an hill called Alberie hill betwéene the heads of these two riuers From the said hill therefore the Weldon directeth his course to Badbie Newenham Euerton Wedon betwixt which and Floretowne it receiueth the Florus a pretie water rising of foure heads whereof the one is at Dauentrie another at Watford the third at long Bucke the fourth aboue Whilton and then passeth on to Heiford Kislingberie Upton and so to Northhampton where it falleth into the Auon receiuing finallie by the waie the Bugbrooke water at Heâ—ford Patâ—hall water néere â—islingberie and finallie Preston water beneath Upton which running from Preston by Wootton méeteth at the last with Milton rill and so fall into Auon Now to resume the tractation of our Auon From Northhampton therefore it runneth by Houghton great Billing Whitstone Dodington and Willingborow where we must staie a while for betweene Willingborow and Higham Ferries it receiueth a pretie water comming from about Kilmarsh which going by Ardingworth Daisborow Rusheton Newton Gaddington Boughton Warketon Kettering Berton and Burton méeteth there with Rothwell water which runneth west of Kettering to Hisham the greater Haridon and then into the Auon Being therfore past Burton our maine streame goeth to Higham Ferries Artleborow Kingsted Woodford and méeting thereby with Cranford rill to Thraxston north whereof it ioineth also with the Ocleie water that commeth from Sudborow and Lowicke to old Umkles Waden ho Pilketon Toke where it taketh in the Liueden becke and so to Oundell Cotterstocke Tansoner and betweene Tothering and Warmington receiueth the Corbie water which rising at Corbie goeth by Weldon Deneshap Bulwich Bletherwijc Fineshed Axthorpe Newton Tothering and so into the Auon After this the said Auon goeth to Elton Massington Yerwell Sutton Castor Allerton and so to Peterborow where it diuideth it selfe into sundrie armes and those into seuerall branches and draines among the fennes and medowes not possible almost to be numbred before it méet with the sea on the one side of the countrie and fall into the Ouze
deserued better of their successours by leauing the description thereof in a booke by it selfe sith manie particulars thereof were written to their hands that now are lost and perished Tacitus in the foureteenth booke of his historie maketh mention of it shewing that in the rebellion of the Britons the Romans there were miserablie distressed Eadeth clades saith he municipio Verolamio fuit And herevpon Nennius in his catalog of cities casteth it Cair municip as I before haue noted Ptolonie speaking of it dooth place it among the Catyeâ—chlanes but Antoâ—â—nus maketh it one end twentie Italian miles from London placing Sullomaca nine mile from thence whereby it is euident that Sullomaca stood neere to Barnet if it were not the verie same Of the old compasse of the walles of Verolamlum there is now small knowledge to be had by the ruines but of the beautie of the citie it selfe you shall partlie vnderstand by that which followeth at hand after I haue told you for your better intelligence what Municipium Romanorum is for there is great difference betweene that and Colonia Romanorum sith Colonia alio traducitur a ciuitate Roma but Municipes aliundè in ciuitatem veniunt suisque iuribus legibus viuuni moreouer their soile is not changed into the nature of the Romane but they liue in the stedfast fréendship and protection of the Romans as did somtime the Ceretes who were the first people which euer obteined that priuilege The British Verolamians therefore hauing for their noble seruice in the warres deserued great commendations at the hands of the Romans they gaue vnto them the whole fréedome of Romans whereby they were made Municipes and became more frée in truth than their Colonies could be To conclude therefore Municipium is a citie in franchised and indued with Romane priuileges without anie alteration of hir former inhabitants or priuileges whereas a Colonie is a companie sent from Rome into anie other region or prouince to possesse either a citie newlie builded or to replenish the same from whence hir former citizens haue beene expelled and driuen out Now to proceed In the time of king Edgar it fell out that one Eldred was abbat there who being desirous to inlarge that house it came into his mind to search about in the ruines of Verolamium which now was ouerthrowne by the furie of the Saxons Danes to sée if he might there come by anie curious peeces of worke wherewith to garnish his building taken in hand To be short he had no sooner begun to dig among the rubbis but he found an excéeding number of pillers péeces of antike worke thresholds doore frames and sundrie other peeces of fine masonrie for windowes and such like verie conuenient for his purpose Of these also some were of porphyrite stone some of diuerse kinds of marble touch and alabaster beside manie curious deuises of hard mettall in finding whereof he thought himselfe an happie man and his successe to be greatlie guided by S. Albane Besides these also he found sundrie pillers of brasse and sockets of latton alabaster and touch all which he laid aside by great heaps determining in the end I saie to laie the foundation of a new abbaie but God so preuented his determination that death tooke him awaie before his building was begun After him succéeded one Eadmeerus who followed the dooings of Eldred to the vttermost and therefore not onlie perused what he had left with great diligence but also caused his pioners to search yet further within the old walles of Verolamium where they not onelie found infinite other péeces of excellent workemanship but came at the last to certeine vaults vnder the ground in which stood diuers idols and not a few altars verie superstitiouslie and religiouslie adorned as the pagans left them belike in time of necessitie These images were of sundrie mettals and some of pure gold their altars likewise were richlie couered all which ornaments Edmerus tooke awaie and not onelie conuerted them to other vse in his building but also destroied an innumerable sort of other idols whose estimation consisted in their formes and substances could doo no seruice He tooke vp also sundrie curious pots iugs and cruses of stone and wood most artificiallie wrought and carued and that in such quantitie besides infinite store of fine houshold stuffe as if the whole furniture of the citie had beene brought thither of purpose to be hidden in those vaults In proceeding further he tooke vp diuerse pots of gold siluer brasse glasse and earth whereof some were filled with the ashes and bones of the gentils the mouths being turned downewards the like of which but of finer earth were found in great numbers also of late in a well at little Massingham in Norffolke of six or eight gallons a péece about the yeare 1578 and also in the time of Henrie the eight and not a few with the coines of the old Britons and Romane emperours All which vessels the said abbat brake into péeces and melting the mettall he reserued it in like sort for the garnishing of his church He found likewise in a stone wall two old bookes whereof one conteined the rites of the gentils about the sacrifices of their gods the other as they now saie the martyrdome of saint Albane both of them written in old Brittish letters which either bicause no man then liuing could read them or for that they were not woorth the keeping were both consumed to ashes sauing that a few notes were first taken out of this later concerning the death of their Albane Thus much haue I thought good to note of the former beautie of Verolamium whereof infinite other tokens haue beene found since that time and diuerse within the memorie of man of passing workemanship the like whereof hath no wher 's else béene séene in anie ruines within the compasse of this I le either for cost or quantitie of stuffe Furthermore whereas manie are not afraid to saie that the Thames came sometimes by this citie indeed it is nothing so but that the Uerlume afterward called Uere and the Mure did and dooth so still whatsoeuer Gildas talketh hereof whose books may be corrupted in that behalfe there is yet euident proofe to be confirmed by experience For albeit that the riuer be now growne to be verie small by reason of the ground about it which is higher than it was in old time yet it kéepeth in maner the old course and runneth betwéene the old citie that was and the new towne that is standing on Holmehirst crag as I beheld of late Those places also which now are medow beneath the abbaie were sometimes a great lake mere or poole through which the said riuer ran and as I read with a verie swift and violent course wheras at this present it is verie slow and of no such deapth as of ancient times it hath beene But heare what mine author saith further of the same As those aforsaid workemen digged in these ruines
in the most part of his victories both in Gallia Germanie and Italie Titus Liuius speaketh but onlie of Brennus wherevpon some write that after the two brethren were by their mothers intreatance made friends Brennus onlie went ouer to Gallia and there through proofe of his woorthie prowesse atteined to such estimation amongst the people called Galli Senones that he was chosen to be their generall capteine at their going ouer the mountaines into Italie But whether Beline went ouer with his brother and finallie returned backe againe leauing Brennus behind him as some write or that he went not at all but remained still at home whilest his brother was abroad we can affirme no certeintie Most part of all our writers make report of manie woorthie deeds accomplished by Beline in repairing of cities decaied erecting of other new buildings to the adorning and beautifieng of his realme and kingdome And amongst other works which were by him erected he builded a citie in the south part of Wales neare to the place where the riuer of Uske falleth into Seuerne fast by Glamorgan which citie hight Caerleon or Caerlegion Ar Wiske This Caerleon was the principall citie in time past of all Demetia now called Southwales Manie notable monuments are remaining there till this day testifieng the great magnificence and roiall building of that citie in old time In which citie also sith the time of Christ were thrée churches one of saint Iulius the martyr an other of saint Aron and the third was the mother church of all Demetia and the chiefe sée but after the same sée was translated vnto Meneuia that is to say saint Dauid in Westwales In this Caerleon was Amphibulus borne who taught and instructed saint Albon This Beliue also builded an hauen with a gate ouer the same within the citie of Troinouant now called London in the summitie or highest part wherof afterwards was set a vessell of brasse in the which were put the ashes of his bodie which bodie after his deceasse was burnt as the maner of burieng in those daies did require This gate was long after called Belina gate and at length by corruption of language Billings gate He builded also a castell eastward from this gate as some haue written which was long time after likewise called Belins castell and is the same which now we call the tower of London Thus Beline studieng dailie to beautifie this land with goodlie buildings and famous workes at length departed this life after he had reigned with his brother iointlie and alone the space of 26 yeres Of Gurguintus Guintolinus and Sicilius three kings of Britaine succeeding ech other by lineall descent in the regiment and of their acts and deeds with a notable commendation of Queene Martia The fift Chapter GUrguintus the sonne of Beline began to reigne ouer the Britains in the yeare of the world 1596 after the building of Rome 380 after the deliuerance of the Israelites out of captiuitie 164 complet which was about the 33 yeare of Artaxerxes Mnenon surnamed Magnus the seuenth king of the Persians This Gurguint in the English chronicle is named Corinbratus and by Matthew Westmin he is surnamed Barbiruc the which bicause the tribute granted by Guilthdag king of Denmarke in perpetuitie vnto the kings of Britaine was denied he sailed with a mightie nauie and armie of men into Denmarke where he made such warre with fire and sword that the king of Denmarke with the assent of his barons was constreined to grant eftsoones to continue the paiment of the aforesaid tribute After he had thus atchiued his desire in Denmarke as he returned backe towards Britaine he encountred with a nauie of 30 ships beside the Iles of Orkenies These ships were fraught with men and women and had to their capteine one called Bartholin or Partholin who being brought to the presence of king Gurguint declared that he with his people were banished out of Spaine and were named Balenses or Baselenses and had sailed long on the sea to the end to find some prince that would assigne them a place to inhabit to whom they would become subiects hold of him as of their souereigne gouernor Therefore he besought the king to consider their estate and of his great benignitie to appoint some void quarter where they might settle The king with the aduice of his barons granted to them the I le of Ireland which as then by report of some authors lay waste and without habitation But it should appeare by other writers that it was inhabited long before those daies by the people called Hibemeneses of Hiberus their capteine that brought them also out of Spaine After that Gurguintus was returned into his countrie he ordeined that the laws made by his ancestors should be dulie kept and obserued And thus administring iustice to his subiects for the tearme of 19 yeares he finallie departed this life and was buried at London or as some haue at Caerleon In his daies was the towne of Cambridge with the vniversitie first founded by Cantaber brother to the aforesaid Bartholin according to some writers as after shall appeare GUintollius or Guintellius the sonne of Gurguintus was admitted king of Britaine in the yere of the world of 614 after the building of the citie of Rome 399 and second yere of the 206 Olimpiad This Guintoline was a wise prince graue in counsell and sober in behauior He had also a wife named Martia a woman of perfect beautie wisedome incomparable as by hir prudent gouernement and equall administration of iustice after hir husbands deceasse during hir sonnes minoritie it most manifestlie appeared It is thought that in an happie time this Guintoline came to the gouernement of this kingdome being shaken and brought out of order with ciuill dissentions to the end he might reduce it to the former estate which he carnestlie accomplished for hauing once got the place he studied with great diligence to reforme anew and to adorne with iustice lawes and good orders the British common wealth by other kings not so framed as stood with the quietnesse thereof But afore all things he vtterlie remooued and appeased such ciuill discord as séemed yet to remaine after the maner of a remnant of those seditious factions and partakings which had so long time reigned in this land But as he was busie in hand herewith death tooke him out of this life after he had reigned 27 yeares and then was he buried at London SIcilius the sonne of Guintoline being not past seuen yeares of age when his father died was admitted king in the yeare 3659 after the building of Rome 430 after the deliuerance of the Israelites out of captiuitie 218 in the sixt after the death of Alexander By reason that Sicilius was not of age sufficient of himselfe to guide the kingdome of the Britains his mother that worthie ladie called Martia had the
rigging them in sundrie places tooke order for thier setting forward to his most aduantage for the easie atchiuing of his enterprise He appointed to passe himselfe from the coasts of Flanders at what time other of capteines with their fleets from other parts should likewise make saile towards Britaine By this meanes Alectus that had vsurped the title dignitie of king or rather emperour ouer the Britains knew not where to take héed but yet vnderstanding of the nauie that was made readie in the mouth of Saine he ment by that which maie be coniectured to intercept that fléet as it should come foorth and make saile forwards and so for that purpose he laie with a great number of ships about the I le of Wight But whether Asclepiodotus came ouer with that nauie which was rigged on the coasts of Flanders or with some other I will not presume to affirme either to or for because in déed Mamertinus maketh no expresse mention either of Alectus or Asclepiodotus but notwithstanding it is euident by that which is conteined in his oration that not Maximian but some other of his capteins gouerned the armie which slue Alectus so that we maie suppose that Asclepiodotus was chiefteine ouer some number of ships directed by Maximians appointment to passe ouer into this I le against the same Alectus and so maie this which Mamertinus writeth agrée with the truth of that which we doo find in Eutropius Héere is to be remembred that after Maximians had thus recouered Britaine out of their hands that vsurped the rule thereof from the Romans it should séeme that not onelie great numbers of artificers other people were conueied ouer into Gallia there to inhabit and furnish such cities as were run into decaie but also a power of warlike youths was transported thither to defend the countrie from the inuasion of barbarous nations For we find that in the daies of this Maximian the Britains expelling the Neruians out of the citie of Mons in Henaud held a castell there which was called Bretaimons after them wherevpon the citie was afterward called Mons reteining the last syllable onlie as in such cases it hath often happened Moreouer this is not to be forgotten that as Humfrey Lhoyd hath very well noted in his booke intituled Fragmenta historiae Britannicae Mamertinus in this parcell of his panegyrike oration dooth make first mention of the nation of Picts of all other the ancient Romane writers so that not one before his time once nameth Picts or Scots But now to returne where we left The state of this Iland vnder bloudie Dioclesian the persecuting tyrant of Alban the first that suffered martyrdome in Britaine what miracles were wrought at his death whereof Lichfield tooke the name of Coilus earle of Colchester whose daughter Helen was maried to Constantius the emperour as some authours suppose The xxvj Chapter AFter that Britaine was thus recouered by the Romans Dioclesian and Maximian ruling the empire the Iland tasted of the crueltie that Dioclesian exercised against the christians in presecuting them with all extremities continuallie for the space of ten yéeres Amongst other one Alban a citizen of Werlamchester a towne now bearing his name was the first that suffered here in Britaine in this persecution being conuerted to the faith by the zealous christian Amphibalus whom he receiued into his house insomuch that when there came sergeants to séeke for the same Amphibalus the foresaid Alban to preserue Amphibalus out of danger presented himselfe in the apparell of the said Amphibalus so being apprehended in his stead was brought before the iudge and examined and for that he refused to doo sacrifice to the false gods he was beheaded on the top of an hill ouer against the towne of Werlamchester aforesaid where afterwards was builded a church and monasterie in remembrance of his martyrdome insomuch that the towne there restored after that Werlamchester was destroied tooke name of him and so is vnto this day called saint Albons It is reported by writers that diuers miracles were wrought at the time of his death insomuch that one which was appointed to doo the execution was conuerted and refusing to doo that office suffered also with him but he that tooke vpon him to doo it reioised nothing thereat for his eies fell out of his head downe to the ground togither with the head of that holie man which he had then cut off There were also martyred about the same time two constant witnesses of Christ his religion Aaron and Iulius citizens of Caerleon Arwiske Moreouer a great number of Christians which were assembled togither to heare the word of life preached by that vertuous man Amphibalus were slaine by the wicked pagans at Lichfield whereof that towne tooke name as you would say The field of dead corpses To be briefe this persecution was so great and greeuous and thereto so vniuersall that in maner the Christian religion was thereby destroied The faithfull people were slaine their bookes burnt and churches ouerthrowne It is recorded that in one moneths space in diuers places of the world there were 17000 godlie men and women put to death for professing the christian faith in the daies of that tyrant Dioclesian and his fellow Maximian COelus earle of Colchester began his dominion ouer the Britains in the yeere of our Lord 262. This Coelus or Coell ruled the land for a certeine time so as the Britains were well content with his gouernement and liued the longer in rest from inuasion of the Romans bicause they were occupied in other places but finallie they finding time for their purpose appointed one Constantius to passe ouer into this I le with an armie the which Constantius put Coelus in such dread that immediatlie vpon his arriuall Coelus sent to him an ambassage and concluded a peace with him couenanting to pay the accustomed tribute gaue to Constantius his daughter in mariage called Helen a noble ladie and a learned Shortlie after king Coell died when he had reigned as some write 27 yéeres or as other haue but 13 yeeres ¶ But by the way touching this Coelus I will not denie but assuredly such a prince there was howbeit that he had a daughter named Helen whom he maried vnto Constantius the Romane lieutenant that was after emperor I leaue that to be decided of the learned For if the whole course of the liues as well of the father and the sonne Constantius and Constantine as likewise of the mother Helen be consideratelie marked from time to time and yeere to yéere as out of authors both Greeke and Latin the same may be gathered I feare least such doubt maie rise in this matter that it will be harder to prooue Helen a Britaine than Constantine to be borne in Bithynia as Nicephorus auoucheth But forsomuch as I meane not to step from the course of our countrie writers in such points where the receiued
of his reigne king Alured went to Eglerighston on the east part of Selwood where there came to him the people of Summersetshire Wiltshire Hamshire reioising greatlie to sée him abroad From thence he went to Edanton there fought against the armie of the Danes and chased them vnto their strength where he remained afore them the space of fouretéene daies Then the armie of the Danes deliuered him hostages and couenants to depart out of his dominions and that their king should be baptised which was accomplished for Gurthrun whome some name Gurmond a prince or king amongst these Danes came to Alured and was baptised king Alured receiuing him at the fontstone named him Adelstan and gaue to him the countrie of Eastangle which he gouerned or rather spoiled by the space of twelue yéeres Diuerse other of the Danish nobilitie to the number of thirtie as Simon Dunelmensis saith came at the same time in companie of their king Gurthrun and were likewise baptised on whome king Alured bestowed manie rich gifts At the same time as is to be thought was the league concluded betwixt king Alured and the said Gurthrun or Gurmond in which the bounds of king Alureds kingdome are set foorth thus First therefore let the bounds or marshes of our dominion stretch vnto the riuer of Thames and from thence to the water of Lée euen vnto the head of the same water and so foorth streight vnto Bedford and finallie going alongst by the riuer of Ouse let them end at Watlingstréet This league being made with the aduise of the sage personages as well English as those that inhabited within east England is set foorth in maister Lamberts booke of the old English lawes in the end of those lawes or ordinances which were established by the same king Alured as in the same booke ye may sée more at large Th'English called diuers people Danes whom the French named Normans whervpon that generall name was giuen them Gurmo Anglicus K. of Denmark whose father Frotto was baptised in England the Danes besiege Rochester Alfred putteth them to flight recouereth London out of their hands and committeth it to the custodie of duke Eldred his sonne in law he assaulteth Hasting a capteine of the Danes causeth him to take an oth his two sonnes are baptised he goeth foorth to spoile Alfreds countrie his wife children and goods c are taken and fauourablie giuen him againe the Danes besiege Excester they flie to their ships gaine with great losse they are vanquished by the Londoners the death of Alfred his issue male and female The xv Chapter HEre is to be noted that writers name diuerse of the Danish capteins kings of which no mention is made in the Danish chronicles to reigne in those parties But true it is that in those daies not onelie the Danish people but also other of those northeast countries or regions as Swedeners Norwegians the Wondens and such other which the English people called by one generall name Danes and the Frenchmen Normans vsed to roaue on the seas and to inuade forren regions as England France Flanders and others as in conuenient places ye may find as well in our histories as also in the writers of the French histories and likewise in the chronicles of those north regions The writers verelie of the Danish chronicles make mention of one Gurmo whome they name Anglicus bicause he was borne here in England which succeeded his father Frotto in gouernement of the kingdome of Denmarke which Frotto receiued baptisme in England as their stories tell In the eight yéere of king Alfred his reigne the armie of the Danes wintered at Cirencester and the same yéere an other armie of strangers called Wincigi laie at Fulham and in the yéere following departed foorth of England and went into France and the armie of king Godrun or Gurmo departed from Cirencester and came into Eastangle and there diuiding the countrie amongst them began to inhabit the same In the 14 yéere of king Alfred his reigne part of the Danish armie which was gone ouer into France returned into England and besieged Rochester But when Alfred approched to the reskue the enimies fled to their ships and passed ouer the sea againe King Alfred sent a nauie of his ships well furnished with men of warre into Eastangle the which at the mouth of the riuer called Sture incountering with 16 ships of the Danes set vpon them and ouercame them in fight but as they returned with their prises they incountered with another mightie armie of the enimies and fighting with them were ouercome and vanquished In the yeere following king Alfred besieged the citie of London the Danes that were within it fled from thence and the Englishmen that were inhabitants thereof gladlie receiued him reioising that there was such a prince bred of their nation that was of power able to reduce them into libertie This citie being at that season the chiefe of all Mercia he deliuered into the kéeping of duke Eldred which had maried his daughter Ethelfleds held a great portion of Mercia which Colwolphus before time possesed by the grant of the Danes after they had subdued K. Burthred as before is said About the 21 yere of K. Alfred an armie of those Danes Normans which had béene in France returned into England and arriued in the hauen or riuer of Limene in the east part of Kent néere to the great wood called Andredesley which did conteine in times past 120 miles in length and thirtie in breadth These Danes landing with their people builded a castle at Appledore In the meane time came Hasting with 80 ships into the Thames and builded a castle at Middleton but he was constreined by siege which king Alfred planted about him to receiue an oth that he should not in any wise annoie the dominion of king Alfred who vpon his promise to depart gaue great gifts as well to him as to his wife and children One of his sonnes also king Alfred held at the fontstone and to the other duke Aldred was god father For as it were to win credit and to auoid present danger Hasting sent vnto Alfred these his two sonnes signifieng that if it stood with his pleasure he could be content that they should be baptised But neuerthelesse this Hasting was euer most vntrue of word and déed he builded a castle at Beamfield And as he was going foorth to spoile and wast the kings countries Alfred tooke that castle with his wife children ships and goods which he got togither of such spoiles as he had abroad but he restored vnto Hasting his wife and children bicause he was their godfather Shortlie after newes came that a great number of other ships of Danes were come out of Northumberland and had besieged Excester Whilest king Alfred went then against them the other armie which lay at Appledore inuaded Essex and built
this daughter of duke William was departed this life before the comming of these ambassadors and that Harold therevpon thought himselfe discharged of the oth and couenants made to duke William and therefore sent them away with such an vntoward answer But howsoeuer it was after the departure of these ambassadors king Harold doubting what would insue caused his ships to be newlie rigged his men of warre to be mustered and spéedilie put in a readinesse to the end that if anie sudden inuasion should be made and attempted by his enimie he might be able to resist them ¶ About the same time also and vpon the 24 of Aprill whilest Harold was making prouision to withstand the Norman force there appeared a blasing starre which was séene not onelie here in England but also in other parts of the world and continued the space of seuen daies This blasing starre might be a prediction of mischéefe imminent hanging ouer Harolds head for they neuer appeare but as prognosticats of afterclaps To be resolutelie instructed herein doo but peruse a treatise intituled A doctrine generall of comets or blasing starres published by a bishop of Mentz in Latine and set foorth in English by Abraham Fleming vpon the apparition of a blasing starre séene in the southwest on the 10 of Nouember 1577 and dedicated to the right worshipfull sir William Cordell knight then maister of hir maiesties rolles c. Earle Tostie afflicteth his brother Harold on sea and land he taketh the repulse and persuadeth Harfager king of Norweâ—e to attempt the conquest of England against Harold Harfager Tostie with their powers arriue at Humber they fight with the Northumbers vnder the conduct of Edwine and Marchar and discomfit them Harold leuieth an armie against them the rare valiantnes of a Norwegian souldior Harfager and Tostie slaine in battell the Norwegians are foiled and flie Harolds vnequall and parciall diuiding of the spoile he goeth to Yorke to reforme things amisse The ninth Chapter WHilest Harold desirous to reteine and verie loth to let go his vsurped roialtie had crackt his credit with the duke of Normandie and by his lewd reuolting from voluntarie promises ratified with solemne othes had also kindled the fire of the dukes furie against him it came to passe that the proud and presumptuous man was to begin withall vexed in his owne flesh I meane his owne kinred For Tostie the brother of king Harold who in the daies of king Edward for his crueltie had béene chased out of the realme by the Northumbers returning out of Flanders assembled a nauie of ships from diuers parts to the number of 60 with the which he arriued in the I le of Wight there spoiled the countrie and afterward sailing about by the coasts of Kent he tooke sundrie preies their also and came at the last to Sandwich so that Harold was now constreined to appoint the nauie which he had prepared against the Normans to go against his brother earle Tostie Whereof the said Tostie being aduertised drew towards Lindsey in Lincolnshire and there taking land did much hurt in the countrie both with sword and fire till at length Edwine earle of Mercia and Marchar earle of Northumberland aided with the kings nauie chased him from thence and caused him to flie into Scotland not without some losse both of his men and ships This trouble was scarse quieted but streightwaies another came in the necke thereof farre more dangerous than the first For Tostie perceiuing that he could get no aid in Scotland to make anie account of sailed forth into Norweie and there persuaded Harold Harfager king of that realme to saile with an armie into England persuading him that by meanes of ciuill dissention latelie kindled betwixt the king and his lords which was not so it should be an easie matter for him to make a conquest of the whole realme and reigne ouer them as his predecessors had done before Some authors affirme that Harold king of Norwey tooke this enterprise in hand of his owne mind and not by procurement of Tostie saieng that Tostie méeting with him in Scotland did persuade him to go forward in his purposed busines and that the said Harold Harfager with all conuenient spéed passed foorth with a nauie of 300 saile entered into the riuer of Tine where after he had rested a few daies to refresh his people earle Tostie came also with his power according to an appointment which should be made betweene them They ad furthermore that they sailed forth alongst the coast till they arriued in the mouth of Humber then drawing vp against the streame of the riuer Owse they landed at length at a place called Richhall from whence they set forward to inuade the countrie néere vnto Yorke on the north-side of the citie they fought with the power of the Northumbers which was led by the earls Edwine and Marchar two brethren and there discomfited and chased them into the citie with great slaughter and bloudshed Harold king of England being aduertised of this chance made the more hast forward for he was alreadie in the field with his armie intending also to come towards his enimies so that vpon the fift day after he came to Stamford bridge finding there the said king Harfager and Tostie readie imbattelled he first assailed those that kept the bridge where as some writers affirme a Norwegian souldier with his axe defended the passage mauger the whole host of the Englishmen and slue fortie of them or more with his axe might not be ouercome till an Englishman went with a boat vnder the said bridge and through and hole thereof thrust him vp into the bodie with his speare yet Matt. West saith that he was slaine with a dart which one of king Harold his seruants threw at him so ended his life Which bridge being woone the whole host of the Englishmen passed ouer and ioined with their enimies and after a verie great and sore battell put them all to flight In this conflict Harold Harfager king of the Norwegians was slaine so was Tostie the king of England his brother besides a great number of other as well in the battell as in the chase neither did the Englishmen escape all frée for the Norwegians fought it out a long time verie stoutlie beating downe and killing great numbers of such as assailed them with great courage and assurance The residue of the Norwegians that were left to keepe their ships vnder the guiding of Olaue sonne to the king of Norwaie and Paule earle of Orkneie after they vnderstood by their fellowes that escaped from the field how the mater went with Harfager and Tostie they hoised vp their sailes and directed their course homewards bearing sorowfull newes with them into their countrie of the losse of their king and ouerthrow of all his people Some write that
ranne awaie and made an outcrie in the citie how there sat a man in such a place so great as an hill the people hearing the newes ran out with clubs and weapons as if they should haue gone vnto a foughten field and 300. of them entring into the caue they foorthwith saw that he was dead and yet sat as if he had béen aliue hauing a staffe in his hand compared by mine author vnto the mast of a tall ship which being touched fell by and by to dust sauing the nether end betwéene his hand and the ground whose hollownesse was filled with 1500. pound weight of lead to beare vp his arme that it should not fall in péeces neuerthelesse his bodie also being touched fell likewise into dust sauing three of his aforesaid teeth the forepart of his scull and one of his thigh bones which are reserued to be séene of such as will hardlie beleeue these reports In the histories of Brabant I read of a giant found whose bones were 17. or 18. cubits in length but Goropius as his maner is denieth them to be the bones of a man affirming rather that they were the bones of an elephant because they somwhat resembled those of two such beasts which were found at the making of the famous ditch betwéene Bruxels and Machlin As though there were anie precise resemblance betwéene the bones of a man and of an elephant or that there had euer béene any elephant of 27. foot in length But sée his demeanour In the end he granteth that another bodie was found vpon the shore of Rhodanus of thirtie foot in length Which somewhat staieth his iudgement but not altogither remooueth his error The bodie of Pallas was found in Italie in the yeare of Grace 1038. and being measured it conteined twentie foot in length this Pallas was companion with Aeneas There was a carcase also laid bare 1170. in England vpon the shore where the beating of the sea had washed awaie the earth from the stone wherein it laie and when it was taken vp it conteined 50. foot in measuâ—â— as our histories doo report The like was seene before in Wales in the yeare 1087. of another of 14. foot In Perth moreouer a village in Scotland another was taken vp which to this daie they shew in a church vnder the name of little Iohn per Antiphrasin being also 14. foot in length as diuerse doo affirme which haue beholden the same and whereof Hector Boetius dooth saie that he did put his whole arme into one of the hanch bones which is worthie to be remembred In the yeare of Grace 1475. the bodie of Tulliola the daughter of Cicero was taken vp found higher by not a few foot than the common sort of women liuing in those daies Geruasius Tilberiensis head Marshall to the king of Arles writeth in his Chronicle dedicated to Otho 4. how that at Isoretum in the suburbes of Paris he saw the bodie of a man that was twentie foot long beside the head and the necke which was missing not found the owner hauing peraduenture béene beheaded for some notable trespasse committed in times past or as he saith killed by S. William The Greeke writers make mention of Andronicus their emperour who liued 1183. of Grace and was ten foot in height that is thrée foot higher than the Dutch man that shewed himselfe in manie places of England 1582. this man maried Anna daughter to Lewis of France before assured to Alexius whome he strangled dismembred and drowned in the sea the ladie not being aboue eleuen yeares of age whereas he was an old dotard and beside hir he kept Marpaca a fine harlot who ruled him as she listed Zonaras speaketh of a woman that liued in the daies of Iustine who being borne in Cilicia and of verie comelie personage was neuerthelesse almost two foot taller than the tallest woman of hir time A carcase was taken vp at Iuie church neere Salisburie but of late yeares to speake of almost fourtéene foot long in Dictionario Eliotae In Gillesland in Come Whitton paroche not far from the chappell of the Moore six miles by east from Carleill a coffin of stone was found and therein the bones of a man of more than incredible greatnes In like sort Leland speaketh of another found in the I le called Alderney whereof you shall read more in the chapiter of our Ilands Richard Grafton in his Manuell telleth of one whose shinbone conteined six foot and thereto his scull so great that it was able to receiue fiue pecks of wheat Wherefore by coniecturall symmetrie of these parts his bodie must needs be of 24. foot or rather more if it were diligentlie measured For the proportion of a comelie and well featured bodie answereth 9. times to the length of the face taken at large from the pitch of the crowne to the chin as the whole length is from the same place vnto the sole of the foot measured by an imagined line and seuered into so manie parts by like ouerthwart draughts as Drurerus in his lineall description of mans bodie doth deliuer Neuertheles this symmetrie is not taken by other than the well proportioned face for Recta orbiculata or fornicata prona resupinata and lacunata or repanda doo so far degenerate from the true proportion as from the forme and beautie of the comelie Hereby also they make the face taken in strict maner to be the tenth part of the whole bodie that is froÌ„ the highest part of the forehead to the pitch of the chin so that in the vse of the word face there is a difference wherby the 9. part is taken I say from the crowne called Vertex because the haire there turneth into a circle so that if the space by a rule were truelie taken I meane from the crowne or highest part of the head to the pitch of the nether chap and multiplied by nine the length of the whole bodie would easilie appeare shew it selfe at the full In like maner I find that from the elbow to the top of the midle finger is the 4. part of the whole length called a cubit from the wrist to the top of the same finger a tenth part the length of the shinbone to the ancle a fourth part and all one with the cubit from the top of the finger to the third ioint two third parts of the face from the top of the forehead Which obseruations I willinglie remember in this place to the end that if anie such carcases happen to be found hereafter it shall not be hard by some of these bones here mentioned to come by the stature of the whole bodie in certeine exact maner As for the rest of the bones ioints parts c you may resort to Drurerus Cardan and other writers sith the farther deliuerie of them concerneth not my purpose To proceed therefore with other examples I read that the bodie of king Arthur being found in the
in Wales the greatest number as I said retaine still their owne ancient language that of the north part of the said countrie being lesse corrupted than the other and therefore reputed for the better in their owne estimation and iudgement This also is proper to vs Englishmen that sith ours is a meane language and neither too rough nor too smooth in vtterance we may with much facilitie learne any other language beside Hebrue Gréeke Latine and speake it naturallie as if we were home-borne in those countries yet on the other side it falleth out I wot not by what other meanes that few forren nations can rightlie pronounce ours without some and that great note of imperfection especiallie the French men who also seldome write any thing that sauoreth of English trulie It is a pastime to read how Natalis Comes in like maner speaking of our affaires dooth clip the names of our English lords But this of all the rest dooth bréed most admiration with me that if any stranger doo hit vpon some likelie pronuntiation of our toong yet in age he swarueth so much from the same that he is woorse therein than euer he was and thereto peraduenture halteth not a litle also in his owne as I haue séene by experience in Reginald Wolfe and other whereof I haue iustlie maruelled The Cornish and Deuonshire men whose countrie the Britons call Cerniw haue a speach in like sort of their owne and such as hath in déed more affinitie with the Armoricane toong than I can well discusse of Yet in mine opinion they are both but a corrupted kind of British albeit so far degenerating in these daies from the old that if either of them doo méete with a Welshman they are not able at the first to vnderstand one an other except here and there in some od words without the helpe of interpretors And no maruell in mine opinion that the British of Cornewall is thus corrupted sith the Welsh toong that is spoken in the north south part of Wales doth differ so much in it selfe as the English vsed in Scotland dooth from that which is spoken among vs here in this side of the Iland as I haue said alreadie The Scottish english hath beene much broader and lesse pleasant in vtterance than ours because that nation hath not till of late indeuored to bring the same to any perfect order and yet it was such in maner as Englishmen themselues did speake for the most part beyond the Trent whither any great amendement of our language had not as then extended it selfe Howbeit in our time the Scottish language endeuoreth to come neere if not altogither to match our toong in finenesse of phrase and copie of words and this may in part appeare by an historie of the Apocripâ—a translated into Scottish verse by Hudson dedicated to the king of that countrie and conteining sixe books except my memorie doo faile me Thus we sée how that vnder the dominion of the king of England and in the south parts of the realme we haue thrée seuerall toongs that is to saie English British and Cornish and euen so manie are in Scotland if you accompt the English speach for one notwithstanding that for bredth and quantitie of the region I meane onelie of the soile of the maine Iland it be somewhat lesse to see to than the other For in the north part of the region where the wild Scots otherwise called the Redshanks or rough footed Scots because they go bare footed and clad in mantels ouer their saffron shirts after the Irish maner doo inhabit they speake good Irish which they call Gachtlet as they saie of one Gathelus whereby they shew their originall to haue in times past béene fetched out of Ireland as I noted also in the chapiter precedent and wherevnto Vincentius cap. de insulis Oceani dooth yéeld his assent saieng that Ireland was in time past called Scotia Scotia eadem saith he Hibernia proxima Britanniae insula spatio terrarum angustior sed situ foecundior Scotia autem à Scotorum gentibus traditur appellata c. Out of the 14. booke of Isidorus intituled Originum where he also addeth that it is called Hybernia because it bendeth toward Iberia But I find elsewhere that it is so called by certeine Spaniards which came to seeke and plant their inhabitation in the same wherof in my Chronologie I haue spoken more at large In the Iles of the Orchades or Orkeney as we now call them such coasts of Britaine as doo abbut vpon the same the Gottish or Danish speach is altogither in vse and also in Shetland by reason as I take it that the princes of Norwaie held those Ilands so long vnder their subiection albeit they were otherwise reputed as rather to belong to Ireland bicause that the verie soile of them is enimie to poison as some write although for my part I had neuer any sound experience of the truth hereof And thus much haue I thought good to speake of our old speaches and those fiue languages now vsuallie spoken within the limits of our Iland Into how manie kingdoms this Iland hath beene diuided Cap. 7. IT is not to be doubted but that at the first the whole Iland was ruled by one onelie prince and so continued from time to time vntill ciuill discord grounded vpoÌ„ ambitious desire to reigne caused the same to be gouerned by diuerse And this I meane so well of the time before the comming of Brute as after the extinction of his whole race posteritie Howbeit as it is vncerteine into how manie regions it was seuered after the first partition so it is most sure that this latter disturbed estate of regiment continued in the same not onelie vntill the time of Caesar but also in maner vnto the daies of Lucius with whome the whole race of the Britons had an end and the Romans full possession of this Iland who gouerned it by Legats after the maner of prouince It should séeme also that within a while after the time of Dunwallon who rather brought those foure princes that vsurped in his time to obedience than extinguished their titles such partition as they had made of the Iland among themselues each great citie had hir fréedome and seuerall kind of regiment proper vnto hir selfe beside a large circuit of the countrie appertinent vnto the same wherein were sundrie other cities also of lesse name which owght homage and all subiection vnto the greatter sort And to saie truth hereof it came to passe that each of these regions whereinto this Iland was then diuided tooke his name of some one of these cities although Ciuitas after Caesar doth sometime signifie an whole continent or kingdome whereby there were in old time Tot ciuitates quot regna and contrariwise as may appeare by that of the Trinobantes which was so called of Trinobantum the chiefe citie of that portion whose territories conteined all
Essex Middlesex and part of Hertfordshire euen as the iurisdiction of the bishop of London is now extended for the ouersight of such things as belong vnto the church Ech of the gouernors also of these regions called themselues kings and therevnto either of them dailie made warre vpon other for the inlarging of their limits But for somuch as I am not able to saie how manie did challenge this authoritie at once and how long they reigned ouer their seuerall portions I will passe ouer these ancient times and come néerer vnto our owne I meane the 600. yéere of Christ whereof we haue more certeine notice at which season there is euident proofe that there were twelue or thirtéene kings reigning in this Iland We find therefore for the first how that Wales had hir thrée seuerall kingdomes which being accompted togither conteined as Giraldus saith 49. cantreds or cantons whereof thrée were in his time possessed by the French and English although that whole portion of the Iland extended in those daies no farder than about 200. miles in length and one hundred in bredth and was cut from Lhoegres by the riuers Sauerne and Dée of which two streames this dooth fall into the Irish sea at Westchester the other into the maine Ocean betwixt Somersetshire and Southwales as their seuerall courses shall witnesse more at large In the begining it was diuided into two kingdoms onelie that is to saie Venedotia or Gwynhedh otherwise called Dehenbarth and Demetia for which we now vse most cōmonlie the names of South Northwales But in a short processe of time a third sprung vp in the verie middest betwéene them both which from thence-foorth was called Powisy as shal be shewed hereafter For Roderijc the great who flourished 850. of Christ and was king of all Wales which then conteined onlie six regions leauing thrée sons behind him by his last will testament diuided the countrie into thrée portions according to the number of his children of which he assigned one vnto either of them wherby Morwing or Morwinner had Gwynhedh or Northwales Cadelh Demetia or Southwales and Anaralt Powisy as Giraldus and other doo remember Howbeit it came to passe that after this diuision Cadelh suruiued all his brethren and thereby became lord of both their portions and his successors after him vntill the time of Teuther or Theodor all is one after which they were contended to kéepe themselues within the compasse of Demetia which as I said conteined 29. of those 49. cantreds before mentioned as Powisy did six and Gwinhedh fouretéene except my memorie doo faile me The first of these thrée being called as I said Northwales or Venedotia or as Paulus Iouius saith Malfabrene for he diuideth Wales also into thrée regions of which he calleth the first Dumbera the second Berfrona and the third Malfabrene lieth directlie ouer against the I le of Anglesei the chiefe citie whereof stood in the I le of Angleset and was called Aberfraw It conteineth 4. regions of which the said Iland is the first and whereof in the chapter insuing I will intreate more at large The second is called Arfon and situate betwéene two riuers the Segwy and the Conwy The third is Merioneth and as it is seuered from Arfon by the Conwy so is it separated from Tegenia otherwise called Stradcluyd and Igenia the fourth region by the riuer Cluda Finallie the limits of this latter are extended also euen vnto the Dée it selfe and of these foure regions consisteth the kingdome of Venedotia whereof in times past the region of the Canges was not the smallest portion The kingdome of Powisy last of all erected as I said hath on the north side Gwinhedh on the east from Chester to Hereford or rather to Deane forest England on the south and west the riuer Wy and verie high hilles whereby it is notablie seuered from Southwales the chiefe citie thereof being at the first Salopsburg in old time Pengwerne and Ynwithig but now Shrowesburie a citie or towne raised out of the ruines of Vricouium which standing 4. miles from thence and by the Saxons called Wrekencester and Wrokecester before they ouerthrew it is now inhabited with méere English and where in old time the kings of Powisy did dwell and hold their palaces till Englishmen draue them from thence to Matrauall in the same prouince where they from thencefoorth aboad Upon the limits of this kingdome and not far from Holt castell upon ech side of the riuer as the chanell now runneth stood sometime the famous monasterie of Bangor whilest the abated glorie of the Britons yet remained vnextinguished and herein were 2100. monkes of which the learned sort did preach the Gospell and the vnlearned labored with their hands thereby to mainteine themselues and to sustaine their preachers This region was in like sort diuided afterward in twaine of which the one was called Mailor or Mailrosse the other reteined still hir old denomination and of these the first laie by south the latter by north of the Sauerne As touching Mailrosse I read moreouer in the gests of Fowkes de Warren how that one William sonne to a certeine ladie sister to Paine Peuerell the first lord of Whittington after the conquest did win a part of the same and the hundred of Ellesmore from the Welshmen in which enterprise he was so desperatlie wounded that no man hight him life yet at the last by eating of the shield of a wild bore he got an appetite and recouered his health This William had issue two daughters to wit Helene maried to the heire of the Alans and Mellent which refused mariage with anie man except he were frist tried to be a knight of prowesse Herevpon hir father made proclamation that against such a daie at such a place whatsoeuer Gentleman could shew himselfe most valiant in the field should marrie Mellent his daughter haue with hir his castell of Whittington with sufficient liueliehood to mainteine their estates for euer This report being spred Fowkes de Warren came thither all in red with a shield of siluer and pecocke for his crest whereof he was called the red knight and there ouercomming the kings sonne of Scotland and a Baron of Burgundie he maried the maid and by hir had issue as in the treatise appeareth There is yet great mention of the red knight in the countrie there about and much like vnto this Mellent was the daughter sometime of one of the lord Rosses called Kudall who bare such good will to Fitz-Henrie clarke of hir fathers kitchen that she made him carie hir awaie on horssebacke behind him onlie for his manhood sake which presentlie was tried For being pursued ouer taken she made him light held his cloke whilest he killed and draue hir fathers men to flight and then awaie they go till hir father conceiuing a good opinion of Fitz-Henrie for this act receiued
him to his fauour whereby that familie came vp And thus much by the waie of Mailrosse whereof this may suffice sith mine intent is not as now to make anie precise description of the particulars of Wales but onelie to shew how those regions laie which sometime were knowne to be gouerned in that countrie The third kingdome is Demetia or Southwales sometime knowne for the region of the Syllures wherevnto I also am persuaded that the Ordolukes laie in the east part thereof and extended their region euen vnto the Sauerne but howsoeuer that matter falleth out Demetia hath the Sauerne on hir south the Irish sea on hir west parts on the east the Sauerne onelie and by north the land of Powisy whereof I spake of late Of this region also Caermarden which the old writers call Maridunum was the chéefe citie and palace belonging to the kings of Southwales vntill at the last through forren and ciuill inuasions of enimies the princes thereof were constrained to remooue their courts to Dinefar which is in Cantermawr and situate neuerthelesse vpon the same riuer Tewy wheron Caermarden standeth in which place it is far better defended with high hils thicke woods craggie rocks and déepe marises In this region also lieth Pembroke aliàs Penmoroc shire whose fawcons haue béene in old time very much regarded and therein likewise in Milford hauen whereof the Welsh wisards doo yet dreame strange toies which they beleeue shall one daie come to passe For they are a nation much giuen to fortelling of things to come but more to beléeue such blind prophesies as haue béene made of old time and no man is accompted for learned in Wales that is not supposed to haue the spirit of prophesie That Scotland had in those daies two kingdoms besides that of the Orchades whereof the one consisted of the Picts and was called Pightland or Pictland the other of the Irish race and named Scotland I hope no wise man will readilie denie The whole region or portion of the I le beyond the Scotish sea also was so diuided that the Picts laie on the east side and the Scots on the west ech of them being seuered from other either by huge hils or great lakes and riuers that ran out of the south into the north betwéene them It séemeth also that at the first these two kingdoms were diuided from the rest of those of the Britons by the riuers Cluda and Forth till both of them desirous to inlarge their dominions draue the Britons ouer the Solue and the Twede which then became march betwéene both the nations Wherefore the case being so plaine I will saie no more of these two but procéed in order with the rehersall of the rest of the particular-kingdoms of this our south part of the I le limiting out the same by shires as they now lie so néere as I can for otherwise it shall be vnpossible for me to leaue certaine notice of the likeliest quantities of these their seuerall portions The first of these kingdoms therefore was begunne in Kent by Henghist in the 456. of Christ and thereof called the kingdome of Kent or Cantwarland and as the limits thereof extended it selfe no farther than the said countie the cheefe citie whereof was Dorobernia or Cantwarbyry now Canturburie so it indured well néere by the space of 400. yeares before it was made and earledome or Heretochie and vnited by Inas vnto that of the West Saxons Athelstane his sonne being the first Earle or Heretoch of the same Maister Lambert in his historie of Kent dooth gather by verie probable coniectures that this part of the Iland was first inhabited by Samothes and afterward by Albion But howsoeuer that case standeth sure it is that it hath béen the onlie doore whereby the Romans and Saxons made their entrie vnto the conquest of the region but first of all Caesar who entred into this Iland vpon the eightéenth Cal. or 14. of September which was foure daies before the full of the moone as he himselfe confesseth and then fell out about the 17. or 18. of that moneth twelue daies before the equinoctiall apparant so that he did not tarrie at that time aboue eight or ten daies in Britaine And as this platforme cannot be denied for his entrance so the said region and east part of Kent was the onelie place by which the knowledge of Christ was first brought ouer vnto vs whereby we became partakers of saluation and from the darkenesse of mistie errour true conuerts vnto the light and bright beames of the shining truth to our eternall benefit and euerlasting comforts The second kingdome conteined onelie Sussex and a part of or as some saie all Surrie which Ella the Saxon first held who also erected his chéefe palace at Chichester when he had destroied Andredswald in the 492. of Christ. And after it had continued by the space of 232. years it ceased being the verie least kingdome of all the rest which were founded in this I le after the comming of the Saxons for to saie truth it conteined little aboue 7000. families within a while after the erection of the kingdome of the Gewisses or West saxons notwithstanding that before the kings of Sussex pretended and made claime to all that which laie west of Kent and south of the Thames vnto the point of Corinwall as I haue often read The third regiment was of the East Saxons or Trinobantes This kingdome began vnder Erkenwijn whose chéefe seat was in London or rather Colchester and conteined whole Essex Middlesex and part of Herfordshire It indured also much about the pricke of 303. yeares and was diuided from that of the East Angles onlie by the riuer Stoure as Houeden and others doo report so it continueth separated from Suffolke euen vnto our times although the said riuer be now growne verie small and not of such greatnesse as it hath béene in times past by reason that our countriemen make small accompt of riuers thinking carriage made by horsse and cart to be the lesse chargeable waie But herin how far they are deceiued I will else-where make manifest declaration The fourth kingdome was of the West Saxons and so called bicause it laie in the west part of the realme as that of Essex did in the east and of Sussex in the south It began in the yeare of Grace 519. vnder Cerdije and indured vntill the comming of the Normans including at the last all Wiltshire Bar keshire Dorset Southampton Somersetshire Glocestershire some part of Deuonshire which the Britons occupied not Cornewall and the rest of Surrie as the best authors doo set downe At the first it conteined onelie Wiltshire Dorcetshire and Barkeshire but yer long the princes thereof conquered whatsoeuer the kings of Sussex and the Britons held vnto the point of Cornewall and then became first Dorchester vntill the time of Kinigils then Winchester the chéefe citie of that kingdome For when Birinus the
and not to faile in one tittle in the whole processe of this his laborious repetition But as they dealt in this order for matters of their religion so in ciuill affairs historicall treatises and setting downe of lawes they vsed like order and letters almost with the Grecians Whereby it is easie to be séene that they reteined this kind of writing from Druiyus the originall founder of their religion and that this Iland hath not béene void of letters and learned men euen sith it was first inhabited I would ad some thing in particular also of their apparell but sith the dealing withall is nothing profitable to the reader I passe it ouer signifieng neuerthelesse that it was distinguished by sundrie dauises from that of the common sort and of such estimation among the people that whosoeuer ware the Druiysh weed might walke where he would without any harme or annoiance This honour was giuen also vnto the préests in Rome insomuch that when Volusius was exiled by the Triumuirate and saw himselfe in such danger as that he could not escape the hardest he gat the wéed of a preest vpon his backe and begged his almes therein euen in the high waies as he trauelled and so escaped the danger and the furie of his aduersaries but to proceed with other things After the death of Druiyus Bardus his sonne and fift king of the Celts succéeded not onelie ouer the said kingdome but also in his fathers vertues whereby it is verie likelie that the winding and wrapping vp of the said religion after the afore remembred sort into verse was first deuised by him for he was an excellent poet and no lesse indued with a singular skill in the practise and speculation of musicke of which two many suppose him to be the verie author and beginner although vniustlie sith both poetrie and song were in vse before the flood as was also the harpe and pipe which Iubal inuented and could neuer be performed without great skill in musicke But to procéed as the cheefe estimation of the Druiydes remained in the end among the Britons onelie for their knowledge in religion so did the fame of the Bardes which were so called of this Bardus for their excellent skill in musicke poetrie and the heroicall kind of song which at the first conteined onelie the high mysteries and secret points of their religion There was little difference also betwéene them and the Druiydes till they so farre degenerated from their first institution that they became to be minstrels at feasts droonken meetings and abhominable sacrifices of the idols where they sang most commonlie no diuinitie as before but the puissant acts of valiant princes and fabulous narrations of the adulteries of the gods Certes in my time this fond vsage and thereto the verie name of the Bardes are not yet extinguished among the Britons of Wales where they call their poets and Musicians Barthes as they doo also in Ireland which Sulpitius also writing to Lucane remembreth where he saith that the word Bardus is meere Celtike and signifieth a singer Howbeit the Romans iudging all nations beside themselues to be but rude and barbarous and thereto misliking vtterlie the rough musicke of the Bardes entred so farre into the contemptuous mockage of their melodie that they ascribed the word Bardus vnto their fooles and idiots whereas contrariwise the Scythians and such as dwell within the northweast part of Europe did vse the same word in verie honourable maner calling their best poets and heroicall singers Singebardos their couragious singers and capiteins that delited in musicke Albardos Dagobardos Rodtbardos one lame musician Lambard aboue all other of whose skilfull ditties Germanie is not vnfurnished as I heare vnto this daie In Quizqueia or new Spaine an Iland of the Indies they call such men Boitios their rimes Arcitos and in steed of harps they sing vnto timbrels made of shels such sonnets and ditties as either perteine vnto religion prophane loue commendation of ancestrie and inflammation of the mind vnto Mars whereby there appeareth to be small difference betwéene their Boitios and our Bardes Finallie of our sort Lucane in his first booke writeth thus among other like saiengs well toward the latter end Vos quóque qui fortes animas belloque peremptas Laudibus in longum vates dimit titis auum Plurima securi fudistis carmina Bardi Et vos barbaricos ritus morémque sinistrum Sacrorum Druiydae positis recepistis ab armis Solis nosse Deos coeli numina vobis Aut solis nescire datum nemora alta remotis Incolitis lucis Vobis authoribus vmbrae Non tacitas Erebi sedes Ditisque profundi Pallida regna petunt regit idem spiritus artus Orbe alio Longae canitis si cognita vitae Morsmedia est certe populi quos despicit arctos Foelices errore suo quos ille timorum Maximus haud vrget leti metus inde ruendi In ferrum mens prona viris animaeque capaces Mortis ignauum est rediturae parcere vitae Thus we sée as in a glasse the state of religion for a time after the first inhabitation of this Iland but how long it continued in such soundnese as the originall authors left it in good sooth I cannot say yet this is most certeine that after a time when Albion arriued here the religion earst imbraced fell into great decaie For whereas Iaphet Samothes with their children taught nothing else than such doctrine as they had learned of Noah C ham the great grandfather of this our Albion and his disciples vtterlie renouncing to follow their steps gaue their minds wholie to seduce and lead their hearers headlong vnto all error Whereby his posteritie not onelie corrupted this our Iland with most filthie trades and practises but also all mankind generallie where they became with vicious life and most vngodlie conuersation For from Cham and his successours procéeded at the first all sorcerie witchcraft and the execution of vnlawfull lust without respect of sex age consanguinitie or kind as branches from an odious and abhominable root or streames deriued from a most filthie and horrible stinking puddle Howbeit notwithstanding all these his manifold lewdnesses such was the follie of his Aegyptians where he first reigned and taught that whilest he liued they alone had him in great estimation whereas other nations contemned and abhorred him for his wickednesse calling him Chemesenua that is the impudent infamous and wicked Cham and not onelie builded a citie vnto him which they called Chem Min but also after his death reputed him for a god calling the highest of the seuen planets after his name as they did the next beneath it after Osyris his sonne whom they likewise honored vnder the name of Iupiter Certes it was a custome begonne in Aegypt of old time and generallie in vse almost in euerie place in processe of time when any of their famous worthie princes died to ascribe some forme
monke if a man should leane to one side without anie conference of the asseuerations of the other But herin as I take it there lurketh some scruple for beside that S. Peters church stood in the east end of the citie and that of Apollo in the west the word Cornehill a denomination giuen of late to speake of to one street may easilie be mistaken for Thorney For as the word Thorney proceedeth from the Saxons who called the west end of the citie by that name where Westminster now standeth bicause of the wildnesse and bushinesse of the soile so I doo not read of anie stréete in London called Cornehill before the conquest of the Normans Wherfore I hold with them which make Westminster to be the place where Lucius builded his church vpon the ruines of that Flamine 264. yeeres as Malmesburie saith before the comming of the Saxons and 411. before the arriuall of Augustine Read also his appendix in lib. 4. Pontif. where he noteth the time of the Saxons in the 449. of Grace and of Augustine in the 596. of Christ which is a manifest accompt though some copies haue 499. for the one but not without manifest corruption and error Thus became Britaine the first prouince that generallie receiued the faith and where the gospell was freelie preached without inhibition of hir prince Howbeit although that Lucius and his princes and great numbers of his people imbraced the word with gréedinesse yet was not the successe thereof either so vniuersall that all men beleeued at the first the securitie so great as that no persecution was to be feared from the Romane empire after his decease or the procéeding of the king so seuere as that he inforced any man by publike authoritie to forsake and relinquish his paganisme but onelie this fréedome was enioied that who so would become a christian in his time might without feare of his lawes professe the Gospell in whose testimonie if néed had béene I doubt not to affirme but that he would haue shed also his bloud as did his neece Emerita who being constant aboue the common sort of women refused not after his decease by fire to yeeld hir selfe to death as a swéet smelling sacrifice in the nostrels of the Lord beyond the sea in France The faith of Christ being thus planted in this Iland in the 177. after Christ and Faganus and Dinaw with the rest sent ouer from Rome in the 178. as you haue heard it came to passe in the third yeare of the Gospell receiued that Lucius did send againe to Eleutherus the bishop requiring that he might haue some breefe epitome of the order of discipline then vsed in the church For he well considered that as it auaileth litle to plant a costlie vineyard except it afterward be cherished kept in good order and such things as annoie dailie remooued from the same so after baptisme and entrance into religion it profiteth little to beare the name of christians except we doo walke in the spirit and haue such things as offend apparentlie corrected by seuere discipline For otherwise it will come to passe that the wéedes of vice and vicious liuing will so quicklie abound in vs that they will in the end choke vp the good séed sowne in our minds and either inforce vs to returne vnto our former wickednesse with déeper securitie than before or else to become meere Atheists which is a great deale woorse For this cause therefore did Lucius send to Rome the second time for a copie of such politike orders as were then vsed there in their regiment of the church But Eleutherus considering with himselfe how that all nations are not of like condition and therefore those constitutions that are beneficiall to one may now and then be preiudiciall to another and séeing also that beside the word no rites and orders can long continue or be so perfect in all points but that as time serueth they will require alteration he thought it best not to laie any more vpon the necks of the new conuerts of Britaine as yet than Christ and his apostles had alreadie set downe vnto all men In returning therefore his messengers he sent letters by them vnto Lucius and his Nobilitie dated in the consulships of Commodus and Vespronius wherein he told them that Christ had left sufficient order in the scriptures for the gouernment of his church alreadie in his word and not for that onlie but also for the regiment of his whole kingdome if he would submit himselfe to yéeld and follow that rule The epistle it selfe is partlie extant and partlie perished yet such as it is and as I haue faithfullie translated it out of sundrie verie ancient copies I doo deliuer it here to the end I will not defraud the reader of anie thing that may turne to the glorie of God and his commoditie in the historie of our nation You require of vs the Romane ordinances and thereto the statutes of the emperours to be sent ouer vnto you and which you desire to practise and put in vre within your realme and kingdome The Romane lawes and those of emperours we may eft soones reprooue but those of God can neuer be found fault withall You haue receiued of late through Gods mercie in the realme of Britaine the law and faith of Christ you haue with you both volumes of the scriptures out of them therefore by Gods grace and the councell of your realme take you a law and by that law through Gods sufferance rule your kingdome for you are Gods vicar in your owne realme as the roiall prophet saith The earth is the Lords and all that is therein the compasse of the world and they that dwell therein Againe Thou hast loued truth and hated iniquitie wherefore God euen thy God hath annointed thée with oile of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes And againe according to the saieng of the same prophet Oh God giue thy iudgement vnto the king thy iustice vnto the kings sonne The kings sons are the christian people flocke of the realme which are vnder your gouernance and liue continue in peace within your kingdome * The gospell saith As the hen gathereth hir chickens vnder hir wings so dooth the king his people Such as dwell in the kingdome of Britaine are yours whom if they be diuided you ought to gather into concord and vnitie to call them to the faith and law of Christ and to his sacred church to chearish and mainteine to rule also and gouerne them defending each of them from such as would doo them wrong and keeping them from the malice of such as be their enimies * Wo vnto the nation whose king is a child and whose princes rise vp earlie to banket and féed which is spoken not of a prince that is within age but of a prince that is become a child through follie sinne vnstedfastnesse of whom the prophet saith The bloudthirstie and deceitfull men
great Mere Forton Pilson Pickstocke Keinton Tibberton and Bolas it ioineth with the said Terne not farre from Water Upton Thence passing to Crogenton it méeteth with another brooke that commeth from Chaltwen Aston by Newport Longford Aldneie and so through the Wilde moore to Kinsleie Sléepe and finallie into the Terne which hasteth from thence to Eston bridge and néere vnto Walcote taketh in the Roden This water riseth at Halton in Cumbermere lake and comming to Ouenleie crosseth a rill from Cowlemere by Leniall Thence it goeth to Horton and ioining with another rill beneath Nonlaie that commeth from Midle runneth on to Wen Aston there crossing a rill beneath Lacon hall from Prées ward and so to Lée Befford Stanton Morton Shabrée Painton Roden Rodington and then into Terne that runneth from thence by Charlton Upton Norton Barwijc Acham and so into the Sauerne two miles beneath Shrewesburie as I wéene Thus haue I described the Terne in such wise as my simple skill is able to performe Now it resteth that I proceed on as I maie with the Sauerne streame with which after this former confluence it goeth vnto Roxater or Roxcester Brampton Eaton vpon Sauerne Draiton where it ioineth with the Euerne that runneth from Frodesleieward by Withiall and Pitchford Cresfedge Garneston Leighton and betwéene the two Bildasses crosseth the Rhe or Wenlocke water and so goeth on to Browsleie and Hoord parke where it vniteth it selfe with another brooke to be described in this place whilest the Sauerne rests and recreates it selfe here among the plesant bottoms This water ariseth aboue Tongcastell and yer it haue run anie great distance from the head it méeteth with a rill comming by Sheriffe Hales and Staunton Thence it goeth on to Hatton Roiton and there crossing another from Woodhouses comming by Haughton and Euelin it procéedeth to Beckebirie and Higford and not omitting here to crosse the Worfe sometime a great streame that runneth vnto it out of Snowdon poole and so passeth foorth to Badger Acleton Worffield a litle from whence about Wickin it taketh in another brooke into it called Churle so goeth on to Rindleford and then into Sauerne somwhat aboue Bridgenorth at Penston mill except mine information deceiue me From Bridgenorth our Sauerne descendeth to Woodburie Ouatford and there taking in the Marbrooke beneath Eaton that riseth aboue Collaton and goeth by Moruill Underton it runneth by Didmanston Hempton Aueleie beneath in the waie to Bargate crosseth with a brooke comming from Upton parke by Chetton Billingsleie and Highleie which being admitted it holdeth on to Areleie Ciarnewood parke Hawbach and Dowlesse Here also it méeteth with the Dowlesse water a pretie brooke issuing out of the Cle hilles in Shropshire verie high to looke vpon and thrée miles or thereabouts from Ludlow which runneth through Clebirie parke in Wire forrest taking withall the Lempe dooth fall into the Sauerne not far from Bewdleie But to procéed From Bewdleie our Sauerne hasteth directlie to Ribford Areleie and Redston and here it meeteth with a water called Stoure descending from Elie or out of the ponds of Hales Owen in Worcestershire where it receiueth a rill from the left hand and another from the right and then goeth on to Sturbridge taking in there the third water yer long running from Sturton castell then to Kniuer Whittenton Ouerleie and Kidormister aboue which it crosseth one brookelet that commeth thither by Church hill and another beneath it that runneth by Belborow betwixt which two waters lieth an od peece of Staffordshire included and also the Cle hill From hence the aforesaid Sauerne hasteth by Redston to Shrawleie and aboue this towne receiueth the Astleie water as beneath the same it dooth another From Witleie then it goeth on to Holt castell and so to Grimleie taking in thereabout with the Doure and Sulwaie waters whereof this riseth at Chadswijc and runneth by Stoke priorie Droitwich the other aboue Chaddesleie and commeth by Dourdale After this it goeth foorth vnto Worcester in old time called Cair Brangon or Cair Frangon where it méeteth with the Tiber or Tiberton water on the right hand aboue that citie and beneth it neere vnto Powijc with the Temde whose description shall be set downe before I procéed or go anie further with the Sauerne The Temde or as some name it the Tame riseth vp in Radnorshire out of the Melenith hilles and soone after his issue méeting with a water from Withall it runneth to Begeldie Lanuerwaterden and so to Knighton which is fiue or six miles as I heare from his originall From Knighton it goeth ouer the ditch of Offa vnto Standish and crossing a rill that commeth from betwéene the parke named Clude and is a bound of Radnorshire it goeth to Buckton Walford and Lanuarden where it meeteth with the Bardwell or Berfield and the Clun both in one chanell of which I find these descriptions here folowing word for word in Leland The Bardwell or Barfield riseth aboue New Chappell in the honour of Clun hard by the ditch of Offa and goeth by Bucknell The Clun issueth out of the ground betwéene Lhan Uehan and Maiston and going on by Bucton Cluncastell Clundon Purslaw and Clunbirie it crosseth with a brooke that runneth along by Kempton and Brampton Thence going foorth by Clunbirie Brome Abcot and Marlow it méeteth with the Bardwell and so in the Temde not verie far from Temderton I suppose that Leland calleth the Bardwell by the name of Owke but I will not abide by it bicause I am not sure of it After these confluences therefore our Temde goeth by Trippleton Dounton Burrington and Broomefield where it méeteth with the Oneie which is an indifferent streame and increased with sundrie waters whereof I saie as followeth The first of all is called the Bow It riseth as I learne in the hilles betwéene Hissingten and Shelue and from thence commeth downe by Lindleie and Hardwtjc where it crosseth the Warren that issueth out of the ground about Rotlie chappell and runneth by Adston and Wentnor After the confluence also going on by Choulton and Cheinies it taketh in the Queneie and Strabroke both in one chanell wherof the first riseth at Leboâ—wood and commeth downe by the Strettons till it passe by Fellanton The second mounteth about Longuill and goeth by Rushburie Newhall Harton and Alcaster from whence it is not long yer it fall into the Queneie and so by Stratford into the Oneie which hath borne that name since the confluence of the Bow and Warren at Hardwtjc whereof I spake before Finallie the Oneie which some call the Somergill being thus increased it runneth on to Hawford chappell Oneibirie Broomefield and so into Temde and next of all to Ludlow The Temde being thus brought to Ludlow méeteth with the Corue which commeth thorough Coruedale from aboue Brocton by Morehouses Shipton Hungerford and a little
yer it come at Caerleon or Chester in the south taketh in two waters on the right hand of which the first commeth downe from the north betweene Landgwie Landgweth and by Lhan Henoch without anie further increase but the other is a more beautifull streame called Auon and thus described as I find it among my pamphlets The Auon riseth in the hilles that séeme to part Monemouth and Brechenocke shires in sunder and after a rill receiued from Blorench hill on the northside of the same running downe from thence by Capell Newith and Triuethin it receiueth a water from by south almost of equall course and from that quarter of the countrie and in processe of time anotehr little one from the same side yer it come to Lanurgwaie and Lanihangle from whence it goeth to Euennocke and Penrose so in Uske before it go by Caerleon But here you must note that the course of this streame ioining beneath Quenocke chappell with the other which descendeth as I said from the hilles about foure miles aboue Landgwaie and Langweth dooth make an Iland aboue Caerleon where Penrose standeth much Romane coine is found of all sorts so that the influence of the one into the other séemeth to me to be but a draine deuised by man to kéepe the citie from the violence of such water as otherwise would oft annoie the same Being past Caerleon it runneth to Crindie where maister Harbert dwelleth and there carieng another brooke withall that riseth north of Tomberlow hill and descendeth by Henlis and Bettus chappell it runneth forth to Newport in Welch castle Newith and from thence vnder a bridge after thrée or foure miles course to the sea taking the Ebowith water withall which méeteth with the same almost in the verie mouth or fall and riseth in the edge of Brecknoch shire or as Leland saith high Winceland from two heads of which one is called Eberith Uehan the other Eberith Mawr as I haue beene informed The course of the first head is by Blamgrent and after the confluence they passe togither by Lanhileth and comming by west of Tomberlow hill crossing a rill from north east by the waie it taketh in thereabout the Serowie that runneth by Trestrent is of lesse race hitherto than the Ebowith and from that same quarter After this confluence it goeth to Risleie Rocheston castell next of all thorough a parke and so by Greenefield castell and is not long yer it fall into the sea being the last issue that I doo find in the countie which beareth the name of Monemouth and was in old time a part of the region of the Silures The Romeneie or as some corruptlie call it the Nonneie is a goodlie water and from the head a march betwéene Monemouth Glamorgan shires The head hereof is aboue Egglins Tider vap Hoell otherwise called Fanum Theodori or the church of Theodorus whence commeth manie springs taking one bottome the water is called Canoch and not Romeneie till it be come to Romeneie It receiueth no water on the east side but on the west diuerse small beckes whereof three and one of them called Ifra are betwéene the rising and Brathetere chappell the fourth cōmeth in by Capell Gledis and Kethligaire the first from betwéene the Faldraie and Lanuabor the sixt seuenth before it come to Bedwas and the eight ouer against Bedwas it selfe from chappell Martin Cairfillie castell and Thauan after which confluences it runneth on by Maghan Keuen Mableie and Romeneie yer long crossing a becke at north west that commeth from aboue Lisuan Lamssen and Roch it falleth into the sea about six miles from the Wishe and albeit the mouth therof be nothing profitable for ships yet is it also a march betwéene the Silures and Glamorganshire The Laie falleth into the sea a mile almost from the Taffe and riseth in the hilles aboue Lantrissent for all the region is verie hillie From whence comming by Lantrissent and Auercastell it runneth by Coit Marchan parke Lambedder S. Brides Lhannihangle saint Fagans and Elaie Leckwith Landowgh Cogampill and so into the sea without anie maner increase by anie rils at all sauing the Dunelais which riseth foure miles from his fall east northeast and meeteth withall a little more than a quarter of a mile from Pont Uelim Uaur and likewise by west the Methcoid that commeth from Glinne Rodeneie and wherein to the Pedware dischargeth that small water gathered in his chanell Here will I staie a little and breake off into a discourse which Leland left also as parcell of this coast who toucheth it after this maner From Taffe to Laie mouth or Ele riuer a mile from Laie mouth or rather Penarth that standeth on the west point of it to the mouth of Thawan riuer from whence is a common passage ouer vnto Mineheued in Summersetshire of 17 miles are about seuen Welth miles which are counted after this maner A mile and a halfe aboue Thawan is Scilleie hauenet a pretie succour for ships whose head is in Wenno paroch two miles and a halfe from the shore From Scilleie mouth to Aber Barrie a mile and thither commeth a little rill of fresh water into Sauerne whose head is scant a mile off in plaine ground by northeast and right against the fall of this becke lieth Barrie Iland a flight shot from the shore at the full sea Halfe a mile aboue Aber Barrie is the mouth of Come kidie which riseth flat north from the place where it goeth into the Sauerne and serueth oft for harbour vnto sea-farers Thence to the mouth of Thawan are thrée miles wherevnto ships may come at will Two miles aboue Thawan is Colhow whither a little rill resorteth from Lau Iltuit thence to the mouth of Alen foure miles that is a mile to saint Dinothes castell and thrée miles further The Alen riseth by northeast vp into the land at a place called Lhes Broimith or Skirpton about foure miles aboue the plot where it commeth by it selfe into Sauerne From thence to the mouth of Ogur aliàs Gur thrée miles Then come they in processe of time vnto the Kensike or Colbrooke riuer which is no great thing sith it riseth not aboue three miles from the shore From Kensike to Aber Auon two miles and herein doo ships molested with weather oftentimes séeke harborough It commeth of two armes whereof that which lieth northeast is called Auon Uaur the other that lieth northwest Auon Uehan They meet togither at Lhanuoie Hengle about two miles aboue Aber Auon village which is two miles also from the sea From hence to the Neth is about two miles and a halfe thereon come shiplets almost to the towne of Neth from the Sauerne From the mouth of Neth vnto the mouth of Crimline becke is two miles and being passed the same we come vnto the Tauie which descendeth from the aforesaid hilles and
Grimsdale Kirke Andros Beaumont falleth into the sea beneath the Rowcliffe castell And thus much of the Eden which Leland neuerthelesse describeth after another sort whose words I will not let to set downe here in this place as I find them in his commentaries The Eden after it hath run a pretie space from his head méeteth in time with the Ulse water which is a great brooke in Westmerland and rising aboue Maredale a mile west of Loder it commeth by the late dissolued house of Shappe priorie théee miles from Shappe and by Brampton village into Loder or Lodon Certes this streame within halfe a mile of the head becommeth a great lake for two miles course and afterward waxing narrow againe it runneth foorth in a meane and indifferent bottome The said Eden in like sort receiueth the Aimote about thrée miles beneath Brougham castell and into the same Aimote falleth the Dacor becke alreadie touched which riseth by northwest in Materdale hils foure miles aboue Dacor castell and then going through Dacor parke it runneth by east a good mile lower into Eimote a little beneath Delamaine which standeth on the left side of Dacor In one of his bookes also he saith how Carleill standeth betwéene two streames that is to saie the Deua which commeth thither from by southwest and also the Logus tha descendeth from the southeast He addeth moreouer how the Deua in times past was named Uala or Bala and that of the names of these two Lugibala for Caerleill hath beene deriued c. and thus much out of Leland But where he had the cause of this his coniecture as yet I haue not read Of this am I certeine that I vse the names of most riuers hete and else-where described accordinglie as they are called in my time although I omit not to speake here and there of such as are more ancient where iust occasion mooueth me to remember them for the better vnderstanding of our histories as they doo come to hand Blacke Leuen and white Leuen waters fall into the sea in one chanell and with them the Lamford and the Eske the last confluence being not a full mile from the maine sea The white and blacke Leuen ioining therfore aboue Bucknesse the confluence goeth to Bracken hill Kirkleuenton and at Tomunt water meeteth with the Eske In like sort the Kirsop ioining with the Lidde out of Scotland at Kirsop foot running by Stangerdike side Harlow Hathwater and taking in the Eske aboue the Mote it looseth the former name and is called Eske vntill it come to the sea Hauing thus gone thorough the riuers of England now it resteth that we procéed with those which are to be found vpon the Scotish shore in such order as we best may vntill we haue fetched a compasse about the same and come vnto Barwike whence afterward it shall be easie for vs to make repaire vnto the Thames from which we did set forward in the beginning of our voiage The first riuer that I met withall on the Scotish coast is the Eske after I came past the Solueie which hath his head in the Cheuiot hilles runneth by Kirkinton and falleth into the sea at Borow on the sands This Eske hauing receiued the Ewis falleth into the Solueie first at Atterith After this I passed ouer a little créeke from Kirthell and so to Anand whereof the vallie Anandale dooth séeme to take the name There is also the Nide whereof commeth Nidsdale the Ken the Dée the Crale and the Bladnecke and all these besides diuerse other small rilles of lesse name doo lie vpon the south of Gallowaie On the north side also we haue the Ruan the Arde the Cassile Dune the Burwin the Cluide wherevpon sometime stood the famous citie of Alcluide and whereinto runneth the Carath the Hamell the Dourglesse and the Lame From hence in like maner we came vnto the Leuind mouth wherevnto the Blake on the southwest and the Lomund lake with his fléeting Iles and fish without finnes yet verie holesone dooth séeme to make his issue This lake of Lomund in calme weather ariseth sometimes so high and swelleth with such terrible billowes that it causeth the best marriners of Scotland to abide the leisure of this water before they dare aduenture to hoise vp sailes on hie The like is seene in windie weather but much more perillous There are certeine Iles also in the same which mooue and remooue oftentimes by force of the water but one of them especiallie which otherwise is verie fruitfull for pasturage of cattell Next vnto this is the Leue the Rage the Long the Goile the Heke which for the excéeding greatnesse of their heads are called lakes Then haue we the Robinseie the Foreland the Tarbat the Lean and the Abir wherevnto the Spanseie the Loine the Louth the Arke and the Zefe doo fall there is also the Sell the Zord the Owin the Newisse the Orne the Lang the Drun the Hew the Brun the Kell the Dowr the Faro the Nesse the Herre the Con the Glasse the Maur the Urdall the Fers that commeth out of the Caldell the Fairsoke which two latter lie a little by west of the Orchades and are properlie called riuers bicause they issue onelie from springs but most of the other takes bicause they come from linnes and huge pooles or such low bottomes fed with springs as séeme to haue no accesse but onelie recesse of waters whereof there be manie in Scotland But to procéed Hauing once past Dungisbie head in Cathnesse we shall yer long come to the mouth of the Wifle a prettie streame comming by south of the mounteins called the Maidens pappes Then to the Browre the Clin the Twin whereinto runneth three riuers the Shin the Sillan and Carew the Nesse which beside the plentie of samon found therein is neuer frosen nor suffereth yce to remaine there that is cast into the poole From thence we come vnto the Narding the Finderne the Spaie which receiues the Uine the Fitch the Bulich the Arrian the Leuin and the Bogh from whence we saile vntill we come about the Buquhan head and so to the Downe and d ee which two streames bring forth the greatest samons that are to be he had in Scotland and most plentie of the same Then to the north Eske whereinto the Esmond runneth aboue Brechin the south Eske then the Louen and the Taw which is the finest riuer for water that is in all Scotland and wherevnto most riuers and lakes doo run As Farlake Yrth Goure Loich Cannach Linell Loion Irewer Erne and diuerse other besides small rillets which I did neuer looke vpon Then is there the lake Londors vpon whose mouth saint Andrewes dooth stand
créeke I passe it ouer and come streight to another water descending from Burge by Skegnes From hence I go to the issue of a faire brooke which as I heare dooth rise at Tetford and thence goeth by Somerbie Bagenderbie Ashwardbie Sawsthorpe Partneie Ashbie the Stepings Thorpe croft and so into the sea As for Wainflete water it commeth from the east sea and goeth betwéene S. Maries Alhallowes by Wainflete towne and treading the path of his predecessors emptieth his chanell to the maintenance of the sea Now come I to the course of the Witham a famous riuer whereof goeth the beword frequented of old and also of Ancolme which I before described Ancolme ele and Witham pike Search all England and find not the like Leland calleth it Lindis diuerse the Rhe and I haue read all these names my selfe and thereto that the Lincolneshire men were called in old time Coritani and their head citie Lindus Lindon or Linodunum in which region also Ptolomie placeth Rage which some take to be Notingham except my memorie doo faile me It riseth among the Wickhams in the edge of Lincolnshire and as I take it in south-Wickham paroch from whence it goeth to Coâ—sterworth Easton Kirkestoke Paunton and Paunton Houghton and at Grantham taketh in a rill from by southwest as I heare From Grantham it runneth to Man Thorpe Bolton and Barneston where crossing a becke from northeast it procéedeth further southwest ward by Mereston toward Faston there also taking in a brooke that riseth about Denton and goeth by Sidbrooke it hasteth to Dodington Clapale Barmebie Beckingham Stapleford Bassingham Thursbie and beneath Amburgh crosseth a water that commeth from Stogilthorpe by Somerton castell After this confluence also our Witham goeth still foorth on his waie to the Hickhams Boltham Bracebridge and Lincolne it selfe for which the Normans write Nicholl by transposition of the letters or as I may better saie corruption of the word But yer it come there it maketh certeine pooles whereof one is called Swan poole and soone after diuiding it selfe into armes they run both thorough the lower part of Lincolne each of them hauing a bridge of stone ouer it thereby to passe through the principall stréet and as the bigger arme is well able to beare their fisher botes so the lesser is not without his seuerall commodities At Lincolne also this noble riuer méeteth with the Fosse dike whereby in great floods vessels may come from the Trents side to Lincolne For betweene Torkseie where it beginneth and Lincolne citie where it endeth are not aboue seuen miles as Leland hath remembred Bishop Atwater began to clense this ditch thinking to bring great vessels from Trent to Lincolne in his time but sith he died before it was performed there hath no man beene since so well minded as to prosecute his purpose The course moreouer of this our streame following from Lincolne to Boston is fiftie miles by water but if you mind to ferrie you shall haue but 24. For there are foure common places where men are ferried ouer as Short ferrie fiue miles from Lincolne Tatersall ferrie eight miles from Short ferrie Dogdike ferrie a mile Langreth ferrie fiue miles and so manie finallie to Boston But to go forward with the course of Lindis whereof the whole prouince hath béene called Lindeseie when it is past Linclone it goeth by Shepewash Wassingburg Fiskerton and soone after taketh in sundrie riuers in one chanell whereby his greatnesse is verie much increased From this confluence it goeth to Bardolfe and there receiuing a rill descending from betweeâ—e Sotbie and Randbie and going by Harton it slideth foorth by Tupham to Tatersall castell taking vp there in like sort thrée small rills by the waie whereof I haue small notice as yet and therefore I referre them vnto a further consideration to be had of them hereafter if it shall please God that I may liue to haue the filling of these rude pamphlets yet once againe somewhat more leasure to peruse them than at this time is granted Finallie being past Tatersall and Dogdike ferrie the Witham goeth toward Boston thence into the sea Thus haue I briestie dispatched this noble riuer Witham But hauing another note deliuered me thereof from a fréend I will yéeld so farre vnto his gratification that I will remember his trauell here and set downe also what he hath written thereof although the riuer be sufficientlie described alredie Into Witham therefore from by north and seuen miles beneath Lincolne there falleth a faire water the head whereof is at Hakethorne from whence it goeth by Hanworth Snarford Resbie Stainton and at Bullington méeteth with a water on ech side whereof one commeth from Haiton and Turxington the other from Sudbrooke and likewise beneath Birlings with the third comming from Barkeworth by Stansted and ioining all in one soone after it is not long yer it fall into the chanell of Witham and so are neuer more heard of There is also a brooke by southwest that commeth from Kirbie to Cateleie Biltingams and the Ferrie At Taterfall it méeteth with the Bane which riseth aboue Burgh and néere vnto Ludford goeth downe to Dunnington Stanigod Hemmingsbie Bamburgh Fillington Horne castell where it crosseth a rill from Belchworth Thornton Marton Halton Kirkebie Comsbie Tatersall and so to Dogdike ferrie Aboue Boston likewise it taketh in a water comming from Lusebie by Bolingbrooke Stickeford Stickneie Sibbeseie and Hildrike And to Boston towne it selfe doo finallie come sundrie brookes in one chanell called Hammond becke which rising at Donesbie runneth on to Wrightbold where it casteth one arme into Holiwell water Thence it hasteth toward Dunnington receiuing foure brookes by the waie whereof the first commeth from Milshorpe the second from Fokingham called Bollingborow or after some I wote not vpon what occasion Sempringham water the third from Bridge end the fourth from Sempringham and afterwards the maine streame is found to run by Kirton holme and so into the Witham Into the Wiland likewise falleth the Holiwell which riseth of a spring that runneth toward the east from Haliwell to Onebie Esonden Gretford and so to Catbridge where it receiueth another rising at Witham and west of Manthorpe and the second comming from Laund and so run from thence togither to Willesthorpe and Catbridge and then into the Haliwell which after these confluences goeth to Tetford and Eastcote where it meeteth with a draine comming from Bourne and so through the sennes to Pinchbecke Surfleet and Fosdike where it méeteth with the Welland in the mouth of the Wash as I haue noted vnto you Hauing thus set foorth the riuers that fall into the Witham now come we to the Wiland or Welland wherevnto we repaire after we be past Boston as drawing by litle and litle toward the Girwies which inhabit in the fennes for Gir in the old Saxon speach dooth signifie déepe fennes and marishes and these beginning at Peterborow eastward extend themselues by the
of that ancient name thereof vnto this daie if my coniecture be any thing ariseth at Stouremeere which is a poole conteining twentie acres of ground at the least the one side whereof is full of alders the other of réeds wherin the great store of fish there bred is not a little succoured From this méere also it goeth to Bathorne bridge to Stocke clare Cawndish Pentlo Paules Beauchampe Milford Foxerth Buresleie Sudburie Bures Boxsted Stoke Nailand Lanham Dedham Strotford east Baxfold Brampton Manitree Catwade bridge and so into the sea where in the vexie fall also it ioineth with Orwell hauen so néere that of manie they are reputed as one and parted but by a shingle that dooth run along betwéene them neither dooth it passe cléere in this voiage but as it were often occupied by the waie in receiuing sundrie brookes and rilles not héere to be omitted For on Essex side it hath one from Hemsted which goeth by Bumsted and Birdbrooke another rising short of Foxerth that runneth by water Beauchampe Brundon and falleth into the same at Badlington west of Sudburie and the third that glideth by Horkesleie and méeteth withall west of Boxsted On the north or vpon Suffolke side it receiueth one descending from Catiledge by Bradleie Thurlow Wratting Kiddington and at Hauerell falleth into this Sture The second descendeth northward from Posling field and ioineth therewith east of Clare It was in old time called Cicux or Ceuxis and it méeteth with the Stoure in such wise that they séeme to make a right angle in the point almost wherof standeth a ruinous castell Howbeit as sithence which time this water in some mens iudgement hath béene named Clarus not so much for the greatnesse as cleerenesse of the streame euen so the Stoure it selfe was also called Ens as they say and after their confluence the whole Clarens which giueth denomination to a duchie of this Iland of no small fame and honour But these are but meere fables sith the word Clare is deriued from the towne wherein was an house of religion erected to one Clara and Clarens brought from the same because of an honour the prince had in those parties which may suffice to know from whence the name proceedeth The third ariseth of two heads whereof one commeth from Wickham brooke the other from Chedbar in Risbie hundred and ioining about Stanfield it goeth by Hawton Somerton Boxsted Stansted and north of Foxerth falleth into Stoure The fourth issueth from betwéene the Waldingfields and goeth by Edwardstone Boxsted Alington Polsted Stoke and so at south Boxsted falleth into the same The fift riseth northwest of Cockefield and goeth to Cockefield Laneham Brimsleie Midling and receiuing Kettle Baston water southwest of Chelsworth and likewise the Breton that commeth from Bretenham by Hitcheham and Bisseton stréet on the south east of the same towne it goeth in by Nedging Aldham Hadleie Lainham Shellie Higham and so into the Stoure The sixt is a little rill descending southwest from Chappell The seuenth riseth betweene Chappell and Bentleie and going betwéene Tatingston and Whetsted Holbrooke and Sutton it falleth at length into Stoure and from thence is neuer heard of As for Ocleie Drill that riseth betweene Ocleie and Wikes parkes and so goeth into the Stoure on Essex side west of Harwich and east of Ree I le I passe it ouer because it is of it selfe but a rill and not of anie greatnesse till it come to the mill aboue Ramseie bridge where I was once almost drowned by reason of the ruinous bridge which leadeth ouer the streame being there verie great as an arme of the sea that continuallie ebbeth floweth Next vnto this we came to another that runneth south of Beaumont by Mosse and falleth into the sea about the middest of the Baie betwixt Harwich and the Naze Betwixt the Naze also and the mouth of Colne is another rill which riseth at little Bentleie and thence goeth to Tendring thorpe through Clacton parke by great Holland and east of little Holland into the déepe sea The Colne hath three heads whereof one is at Ouington that goeth by Tilberie and east of Yeldam falleth into the chiefe head which riseth about Redgewell in Essex from whence also it goeth to Yeldam and Hedingham otherwise called Yngham also Hedningham or Heuedingham or Heuedingham of the superâ—oritie which accrued therevnto because the chiefe lords of the same from time to time kept residence in the towne For Heued or Hed signifieth The chiefe in the old English language which in the name of this and manie other townes and villages yet standing in England cannot esilie be forgotten The third falleth in south of Yeldam and being once met all in one chanell and called the Colne it goeth as I said to Hedningham Hawsted Erles Colne Wakes Colne Fordon Bardfold Colchester in old time Camalodunum and so into the sea at Brickleseie Some thinke that Colchester and Camalodunum are sundrie cities and situat in diuerse places whereby Maldon or Ithancester out of whose ruines the said towne of Maldon was erected should rather be Camalodunum than Colchester but hereof I cannot iudge Indeed if as Leland saith Maldon should be written Malodunum it were a likelihood that there assertions should be probable Some reason also may be gathered for the same out of Dion and such as make the Thames mouth to take his beginning at Colchester water But I dare not presume to conclude any thing hereof least I should séeme rashlie to take hold of euerie coniecture This I relie vpon rather as a more certeintie that in the first edition of this treatise I was persuaded that the sea entring by the Colne made thrée seuerall passages froÌ„ thence into the land but now I vnderstand that these are seuerall entrances and streames of which the Colne is one another is the Salcote water which commeth in beneath the Stroud a causeie that leadeth vnto Merseie I le ouer which the sea méeteth with a contrarie course and the third the faire arme that floweth vnto Maldon and all these thrée haue their falles either ouer against or néere vnto the aforesaid I le which at a low water is not halfe a mile from the shore Into the Colne or Colunus also whereof Leland thinketh Colchester to take his name and not A colonia Romanorum although I may not consent to him herein doo run manie salt creekes beneath Fingering ho of whose names sith I doo not know nor whether they be serued with anie backewaters or not I giue ouer to intreat anie further likewise of their positions Into that of Maldon runneth manie faire waters whereof I will saie so much as I know to be true in maner by experience There is a pretie water that beginneth néere vnto Gwinbach or Winbeche church in Essex a towne of old and yet belonging to the Fitzwaters taking name of Gwin which is beautifull or faire Baâ—he that signifieth a wood and not without cause
diseases doo consume manie of them before the owners can séeke out any remedie by Phlebotomie or otherwise Some superstitious fooles suppose that they which die of the garget are ridden with the night mare and therefore they hang vp stones which naturallie haue holes in them and must be found vnlooked for as if such a stone were an apt cockeshot for the diuell to run through and solace himselfe withall whilest the cattell go scotfree and are not molested by him But if I should set downe but halfe the toies that superstition hath brought into our husbandmens heads in this and other behalfes it would aske a greater volume than is conuenient for such a purpose wherefore it shall suffice to haue said thus much of these things The yéeld of our corne-ground is also much after this rate folowing Through out the land if you please to make an estimat thereof by the acre in meane and indifferent yeares wherein each acre of rie or wheat well tilled and dressed will yeeld commonlie sixtéene or twentie bushels an acre of barlie six and thirtie bushels of otes and such like foure or fiue quarters which proportion is notwithstanding oft abated toward the north as it is oftentimes surmounted in the south Of mixed corne as peason and beanes sowen togither tares and otes which they call bulmong rie and wheat named miscelin here is no place to speake yet their yéeld is neuerthelesse much after this proportion as I haue often marked And yet is not this our great foison comparable to that of hoter countries of the maine But of all that euer I read the increase which Eldred Danus writeth of in his De imperio Iudaeorum in Aethiopia surmounteth where he saith that in the field néere to the Sabbatike riuer called in old time Gosan the ground is so fertile that euerie graine of barleie growing dooth yéeld an hundred kernels at the least vnto the owner Of late yeares also we haue found and taken vp a great trade in planting of hops whereof our moorie hitherto and vnprofitable grounds doo yeeld such plentie increase that their are few farmers or occupiers in the countrie which haue not gardens and hops growing of their owne and those farre better than doo come from Flanders vnto vs. Certes the corruptions vsed by the Flemings and forgerie dailie practised in this kind of ware gaue vs occasion to plant them here at home so that now we may spare and send manie ouer vnto them And this I know by experience that some one man by conuersion of his moorie grounds into hopyards wherof before he had no commoditie dooth raise yearelie by so little as twelue acres in compasse two hundred markes all charges borne toward the maintenance of his familie Which industrie God continue though some secret fréends of Flemings let not to exclaime against this commoditie as a spoile of wood by reason of the poles which neuerthelesse after three yeares doo also come to the fire and spare their other fewell The cattell which we breed are commonlie such as for greatnesse of bone swéetnesse of flesh and other benefits to be reaped by the same giue place vnto none other as may appeare first by our oxen whose largenesse height weight tallow hides and hornes are such as none of anie other nation doo commonlie or may easilie excéed them Our shéepe likewise for good tast of flesh quantitie of lims finesse of fléece caused by their hardnesse of pasturage and abundance of increase for in manie places they bring foorth two or thrée at an eaning giue no place vnto anie more than doo our goates who in like sort doo follow the same order and our déere come not behind As for our conies I haue séene them so fat in some soiles especiallie about Meall and Disnege that the grease of one being weighed hath peised verie néere six or seuen ounces All which benefits we first refer to the grace and goodnesse of God and next of all vnto the bountie of our soile which he hath indued with so notable and commodious fruitfulnesse But as I meane to intreat of these things more largelie hereafter so will I touch in this place one benefit which our nation wanteth and that is wine the fault whereof is not in our soile but the negligence of our countriemen especiallie of the south partes who doo not inure the same to this commoditie and which by reason of long discontinuance is now become vnapt to beare anie grapes almost for pleasure shadow much lesse then the plaine fields or seuerall vineyards for aduantage and commoditie Yet of late time some haue assaied to deale for wine as to your lordship also is right well knowen But sith that liquor when it commeth to the drinking hath bin found more hard than that which is brought from beyond the sea and the cost of planting and keeping thereof so chargeable that they may buie it far better cheape from other countries they haue giuen ouer their enterprises without anie consideration that as in all other things so neither the ground it selfe in the beginning nor successe of their trauell can answer their expectation at the first vntill such time as the soile be brought as it were into acquaintance with this commoditie and that prouision may be made for the more easinesse of charge to be imploied vpon the same If it be true that where wine dooth last and indure well there it will grow no worse I muse not a little wherefore the planting of vines should be neglected in England That this liquor might haue growne in this Iland heretofore first the charter that Probus the emperour gaue equallie to vs the Galles and Spaniards is one sufficient testimonie And that it did grow here beside the testimonie of Beda lib. 1. cap. 1. the old notes of tithes for wine that yet remaine in the accompts of some parsons and vicars in Kent elsewhere besides the records of sundrie sutes commensed in diuerse ecclesiasticall courts both in Kent Surrie c also the inclosed parcels almost in euerie abbeie yet called the vineyardes may be a notable witnesse as also the plot which we now call east Smithfield in London giuen by Canutus sometime king of this land with other soile there about vnto certeine of his knights with the libertie of a Guild which therof was called Knighten Guild The truth is saith Iohn Stow our countrie man and diligent traueller in the old estate of this my natiue citie that it is now named Port soken ward and giuen in time past to the religious house within Algate Howbeit first Otwell the Archouell Otto finallie Geffrie erle of Essex constables of the Tower of London withheld that portion frō the said house vntill the reigne of king Stephan and thereof made a vineyard to their great commoditie and lucre The I le of Elie also was in the first times of the Normans called Le Ile des vignes And good record appéereth that the
haue an end The Watlingstréet begun as I said by Dunwallo but finished by Gutheline of whome it is directlie to be called Gutheline stréet though now corrupted into Watlingstréet beginneth at Douer in Kent and so stretcheth through the middest of Kent vnto London and so foorth peraduenture by the middest of the citie vnto Verolaminm or Uerlamcester now saint Albons where in the yeare of grace one thousand fiue hundred thirtie one the course thereof was found by a man that digged for grauell wherwith to mend the high waie It was in this place eighteene foot broad and about ten foot déepe and stoned in the bottome in such wise as I haue noted afore and peraduenture also on the top but these are gone and the rest remaine equall in most places and leuell with the fields The yelow grauell also that was brought thither in carts two thousand yéeres passed remained there so fresh and so strong as if it had béene digged out of the naturall place where it grew not manie yéeres before From hence it goeth hard by Margate leauing it on the west side And a little by south of this place where the priorie stood is a long thorough fare vpon the said street méetly well builded for low housing on both sides After this it procéedeth as the chronicle of Barnwell saith to Caxton and so to Huntingdon then forward still winding in and out till it not onelie becommeth a bound vnto Leicestershire toward Lugbie but also passeth from Castleford to Stamford and so foorth by west of Marton which is but a mile from Torkeseie Here by the waie I must touch the opinion of a traueller of my time who noteth the said stréet to go another waie insomuch that he would haue it to crosse the third Auon betwixt Newton and Dowbridge and so go on to Binford bridge Wibtoft the High crosse and thence to Atherston vpon Ancre Certes it may be that the Fosse had his course by the countrie in such sort as he describeth but that the Watlingstréet should passe by Atherston I cannot as yet be persuaded Neuerthelesse his coniecture is not to be misliked sith it is not vnlikelie that thrée seuerall waies might méet at Alderwaie a towne vpon Tame beneath Salters bridge for I doo not doubt that the said towne did take his name of all three waies as Aldermarie church in London did of all thrée Maries vnto whom it hath béene dedicated but that the Watlingstréet should be one of them the compasse of his passage will in no wise permit And thus much haue I thought good to note by the waie Now to returne againe to Leland and other mens collections The next tidings that we heare of the Watlingstréet are that it goeth thorough or neere by the parke at Pomfret as the common voice also of the countrie confirmeth Thence it passeth hastilie ouer Castelford bridge to Aberford which is fiue miles from thence and where are most manifest tokens of this stréet and his broad crest by a great waie togither also to Yorke to Witherbie and then to Borowbridge where on the left hand thereof stood certeine monuments or pyramides of stone sometimes placed there by the ancient Romanes These stones saith Leland stand eight miles west from Bowis and almost west from Richmond is a little thorough fare called Maiden castell situate apparantlie vpon the side of this stréet And here is one of those pyramides or great round heapes which is three score foot compasse in the bottome There are other also of lesse quantities and on the verie top of ech of them are sharpe stones of a yard in length but the greatest of all is eighteene foot high at the least from the ground to the verie head He addeth moreouer how they stand on an hill in the edge of Stanes mâ—â—e and are as bounds betwéene Richmondshire and Westmerland But to procéed This stréet lieng a mile from Gilling and two miles from Richmond commeth on from Borowbridge to Catericke eightéene miles that is twelue to Leuing six to Catericke then eleuen miles to Greteie or Gritto fiue miles to Bottles eight miles to Burgh on Stanes moore foure miles from Applebie and fiue to Browham where the said stréet commeth thorough Winfoll parke and ouer the bridge on Eiemouth and Loder and leauing Perith a quarter of a mile or more on the west side of it goeth to Carleill seuenteene miles from Browham which hath béene some notable thing Hitherto it appeareth euidentlie but going from hence into Scotland I heare no more of it vntill I come to Cathnesse which is two hundred and thirtie miles or thereabouts out of England The Erming stréet which some call the Lelme stretcheth out of the east as they saie into the southeast that is from Meneuia or S. Dauids in Wales vnto Southampton whereby it is somewhat likelie indeed that these two waies I meane the Fosse and the Erming should méet about Cirnecester as it commeth from Glocester according to the opinion conceiued of them in that countrie Of this waie I find no more written and therefore I can saie no more of it except I should indeuor to driue awaie the time in alleging what other men say thereof whose minds doo so farre disagrée one from another as they doo all from a truth and therefore I giue them ouer as not delighting in such dealing The Ikenild or Rikenild began somewhere in the south and so held on toward Cirnecester then to Worcester Wicombe Brimcham Lichfield Darbie Chesterfield and crossing the Watlingstréet somewhere in Yorkeshire stretched foorth in the end vnto the mouth of the Tine where it ended at the maine sea as most men doo confesse I take it to be called the Ikenild because it passed thorough the kingdome of the Icenes For albeit that Leland other following him doo séeme to place the Icenes in Norffolke and Suffolke yet in mine opinion that can not well be doone sith it is manifest by Tacitus that they laie néere vnto the Silures and as I gesse either in Stafford and Worcester shires or in both except my coniecture doo faile me The author of the booke intituled Eulogium historiarum doth call this stréet the Lelme But as herein he is deceiued so haue I dealt withall so faithfullie as I may among such diuersitie of opinions yet not denieng but that there is much confusion in the names and courses of these two latter the discussing whereof I must leaue to other men that are better learned than I. Now to speake generallie of our common high waies through the English part of the Ile for of the rest I can saie nothing you shall vnderstand that in the claie or cledgie soile they are often verie déepe and troublesome in the winter halfe Wherfore by authoritie of parlement an order is taken for their yearelie amendment whereby all sorts of the common people doo imploie their trauell for six daies in summer vpon the same And albeit that the
neither regarding either maners or obedience doo oftentimes come to confusion which if anie correction or discipline had béene vsed toward them in youth might haue prooued good members of their common-wealth countrie by their good seruice and industrie I could make report likewise of the naturall vices and vertues of all those that are borne within this Iland but as the full tractation herof craueth a better head than mine to set foorth the same so will I giue place to other men that list to take it in hand Thus much therefore of the constitutions of our bodies and so much may suffice How Britaine at the first grew to be diuided into three portions Cap. 21. AFter the comming of Brutus into this Iland which was as you haue read in the foresaid treatise about the yeare of the world 2850 or 1217 before the incarnation of Christ although Goropius after his maner doo vtterlie denie our historie in this behalfe he made a generall surueis of the whole Iland from side to side by such means to view and search out not onelie the limits and bounds of his dominions but also what commodities this new atchiued conquest might yéeld vnto his people Ferthermore finding out at the last also a conuenable place wherin to erect a citie he began there euen the verie same which at this daie is called London naming it Trenouanton in remembrance of old Troie from whence his ancestors proceeded and for which the Romans pronounced afterward Trinobantum although the Welshmen doo call it still Trenewith This citie was builded as some write much about the tenth yeare of his reigne so that he liued not aboue fiftéene yeares after he had finished the same But of the rest of his other acts attempted and doone before or after the erection of this citie I find no certeine report more than that when he had reigned in this Iland after his arriuall by the space of foure and twentie yeares he finished his daies at Trenouanton aforesaid being in his yoong and florishing age where his carcase was honourablie interred As for the maner of his death I find as yet no mention thereof among such writers as are extant I meane whether it grew vnto him by defect of nature or force of gréeuous wounds receiued in his warres against such as withstood him from time to time in this Iland and therefore I can saie nothing of that matter Herein onelie all agree that during the time of his languishing paines he made a disposition of his whole kingdome diuiding it into three parts or portions according to the number of his sonnes then liuing whereof the eldest excéeded not eight and twentie yeares of age as my coniecturs giueth me To the eldest therefore whose name was Locrine he gaue the greatest and best region of all the rest which of him to this daie is called Lhoegres among the Britons but in our language England of such English Saxons as made conquest of the same This portion also is included on the south with the British sea on the est with the Germane Ocean on the north with the Humber and on the west with the Irish sea and the riuers Dee and Sauerne whereof in the generall description of this Iland I haue spoken more at large To Camber his second sonne he assigned all that lieth beyond the Sauerne and Dee toward the west which parcell in these daies conteineth Southwales and Northwales with sundrie Ilands adiacent to the same the whole being in maner cut off and separated from England or Lhoegria by the said streams wherby it séemeth also a peninsula or by-land if you respect the small hillie portion of ground that lieth indifferentlie betweene their maine courses or such branches at the least as run and fall into them The Welshmen or Britons call it by the ancient name still vnto this day but we Englishmen terme it Wales which denomination we haue from the Saxons who in time past did vse the word Walsh in such sort as we doo Strange for as we call all those strangers that are not of our nation so did they name them Walsh which were not of their countrie The third and last part of the Iland he allotted vnto Albanact his yoongest sonne for he had but three ill all as I haue said before whose portion séemed for circuit to be more large than that of Camber and in maner equall in greatnesse with the dominions of Locrinus But if you haue regard to the seuerall commodities that are to be reaped by each you shall find them to be not much discrepant or differing one from another for what soeuer the first second haue in plentie of corne fine grasse and large cattell this latter wanteth not in excéeding store of fish rich mettall quarries of stone and abundance of wild foule so that in mine opinion there could not be a more equall partition then this made by Brute and after the aforesaid maner This later parcell at the first tooke the name of Albanactus who called it Albania But now a small portion onelie of the region being vnder the regiment of a duke reteineth the said denomination the rest being called Scotland of certeine Scots that came ouer from Ireland to inhabit in those quarters It is diuided from Lhoegres also by the Solue and the Firth yet some doo note the Humber so that Albania as Brute left it conteined all the north part of the Iland that is to be found beyond the aforesaid streame vnto the point of Cathnesse To conclude Brute hauing diuided his kingdome after this maner and therein contenting himselfe as it were with the generall title of the whole it was not long after yer he ended his life and being solemnelie interred at his new citie by his thrée children they parted each from other and tooke possession of their prouinces But Scotland after two yeares fell againe into the hands of Locrinus as to the chiefe lord by the death of his brother Albanact who was slaine by Humber king of the Scithians and left none issue behind him to succéed him in that kingdome After what maner the souereigntie of this I le dooth remaine to the princes of Lhoegres or kings of England Chap. 22. IT is possible that some of the Scotish nation reading the former chapter will take offense with me for meaning that the principalitie of the north parts of this I le hath alwais belonged to the kings of Lhoegres For whose more ample satisfaction in this behalfe I will here set downe a discourse thereof at large written by diuerse and now finallie brought into one treatise sufficient as I thinke to satisfie the reasonable although not halfe enough peraduenture to content a wrangling mind sith there is or at the leastwise hath beene nothing more odious among some than to heare that the king of England hath ought to doo in Scotland How their historiographers haue attempted to shape manie coloured
and called after their names as lord Henrie or lord Edward with the addition of the word Grace properlie assigned to the king and prince and now also by custome conueied to dukes archbishops and as some saie to marquesses and their wiues The title of duke commeth also of the Latine word Dux à ducendo bicause of his valor and power ouer the armie in times past a name of office due to the emperour consull or chéefe gouernour of the whole armie in the Romane warres but now a name of honor although perished in England whose ground will not long beare one duke at once but if there were manie as in time past or as there be now earles I doo not thinke but that they would florish and prosper well inough In old time he onelie was called marquesse Qui habuit terram limitaneam a marching prouince vpon the enimies countries and thereby bound to kéepe and defend the frontiers But that also is changed in common vse and reputed for a name of great honor next vnto the duke euen ouer counties and sometimes small cities as the prince is pleased to bestow it The name of earle likewise was among the Romans a name of office who had Comites sacri palatij comites aerarij comites stabuli comites patrimonij largitionum scholarum commerciorum and such like But at the first they were called Comites which were ioined in commission with the proconsull legate or iudges for counsell and aids sake in each of those seuerall charges As Cicero epistola ad Quintum fratrem remembreth where he saith Atque inter hos quos tibi comites adiutores negotiorum publicorum dedit ipsa respublica duntaxat finibus his praestabis quos ante praescripsi c. After this I read also that euerie president in his charge was called Comes but our English Saxons vsed the word Hertoch and earle for Comes and indifferentlie as I gesse sith the name of duke was not in vse before the conquest Goropius saith that Comes and Graue is all one to wit the viscont called either Procomes or Vicecomes and in time past gouerned in the countie vnder the earle but now without anie such seruice or office it is also become a name of dignitie next after the earle and in degrée before the baron His reléefe also by the great charter is one hundred pounds as that of a baronie a hundred marks and of a knight flue at the most for euerie fée The baron whose degrée answered to the dignitie of a senator in Rome is such a frée lord as hath a lordship or baronie whereof he beareth his name hath diuerse knights or fréeholders holding of him who with him did serue the king in his wars and held their tenures in Baronia that is for performance of such seruice These Bracton a learned writer of the lawes of England in king Henrie the thirds time tearmeth Barones quasi robur belli The word Baro indéed is older than that it may easilie be found from whence it came for euen in the oldest histories both of the Germans and Frenchmen written since the conquest we read of barons and those are at this daie called among the Germans Liberi vel Ingenui or Freihers in the Germane toong as some men doo coniecture or as one saith the citizens and burgesses of good townes and cities were called Barones Neuerthelesse by diligent inquisition it is imagined if not absolutelie found that the word Baro and Filius in the old Scithian or Germane language are all one so that the kings children are properlie called Barones from whome also it was first translated to their kindred and then to the nobilitie and officers of greatest honour indifferentlie That Baro and Filius signifieth one thing it yet remaineth to be séene although with some corruption for to this daie euen the common sort doo call their male children barnes here in England especiallie in the north countrie where that word is yet accustomablie in vse And it is also growne into a prouerbe in the south when anie man susteineth a great hinderance to saie I am beggered and all my barnes In the Hebrue toong as some affirme it signifieth Filij solis and what are the nobilitie in euerie kingdome but Filij or serui regum But this is farre fetched wherefore I conclude that from hensefoorth the originall of the word Baro shall not be anie more to seeke and the first time that euer I red thereof in anie English historie is in the reigne of Canutus who called his nobilitie and head officers to a councell holden at Cirnecester by that name 1030 as I haue else-where remembred Howbeit the word Baro dooth not alwaies signifie or is attributed to a noble man by birth or creation for now and then it is a title giuen vnto one or other with his office as the chéefe or high tribune of the excheker is of custome called lord chéefe baron who is as it were the great or principall receiuer of accounts next vnto the lord treasuror as they are vnder him are called Tribuni aerarij rationales Hervnto I may ad so much of the word lord which is an addition going not seldome and in like sort with sundrie offices and to continue so long as he or they doo execute the same and no longer Unto this place I also referre our bishops who are accounted honourable called lords and hold the same roome in the parlement house with the barons albeit for honour sake the right hand of the prince is giuen vnto them and whose countenances in time past were much more glorious than at this present it is bicause those lustie prelats sought after earthlie estimation and authoritie with farre more diligence than after the lost shéepe of Christ of which they had small regard as men being otherwise occupied and void of leisure to attend vpon the same Howbeit in these daies their estate remaineth no lesse reuerend than before and the more vertuous they are that be of this calling the better are they estéemed with high and low They reteine also the ancient name lord still although it be not a littie impugned by such as loue either to heare of change of all things or can abide no superiours For notwithstanding it be true that in respect of function the office of the eldership is equallie distributed betwéene the bishop and the minister yet for ciuill gouernements sake the first haue more authoritie giuen vnto them by kings and princes to the end that the rest maie thereby be with more ease reteined within a limited compasse of vniformitie than otherwise they would be if ech one were suffered to walke in his owne course This also is more to be maruelled at that verie manie call for an alteration of their estate crieng to haue the word lord abolished their ciuill authoritie taken from them and the present condition of the church in other things reformed whereas to saie trulie
to taxes and publike paiments as is the yeoman or husbandman which he likewise dooth beare the gladlier for the sauing of his reputation Being called also to the warres for with the gouernment of the common-wealth he medleth litle what soeuer it cost him he will both arraie arme himselfe accordinglie and shew the more manly courage and all the tokens of the person which he representeth No man hath hurt by it but himselfe who peraduenture will go in wider buskens than his legs will beare or as our prouerbe saith now and then beare a bigger saile than his boat is able to susteine Certes the making of new gentlemen bred great strife sometimes amongst the Romans I meane when those which were Noui homines were more allowed of for their vertues newlie séene and shewed than the old smell of ancient race latelie defaced by the cowardise euill life of their nephues defendants could make the other to be But as enuie hath no affinitie with iustice and equitie so it forceth not what language the malicious doo giue out against such as are exalted for their wisdomes This neuerthelesse is generallie to be reprehended in all estates of gentilitie and which in short time will turne to the great ruine of our countrie and that is the vsuall sending of noblemens meane gentlemens sonnes into Italie from whence they bring home nothing but meere atheisme infidelitie vicious conuersation amibitious and proud behauiour wherby it commeth to passe that they returne far worsse men than they went out A gentleman at this present is newlie come out of Italie who went thither an earnest protestant but comming home he could saie after this maner Faith truth is to be kept where no losse or hinderance of a further purpose is susteined by holding of the same and forgiuenesse onelie to be shewed when full reuenge is made Another no lesse forward than he at his returne from thence could ad thus much He is a foole that maketh accompt of any religion but more foole that will loose anie part of his wealth or will come in trouble for constant leaning to anie but if he yéeld to loose his life for his possession he is stark mad and worthie to be taken for most foole of all the rest This gaie bootie gate these gentlemen by going into Italie and hereby a man may see what fruit is afterward to be looked for where such blossoms doo appéere I care not saith a third what you talke to me of God so as I may haue the prince the lawes of the realme on my side Such men as this last are easilie knowen for they haue learned in Italie to go vp and downe also in England with pages at their héeles finelie apparelled whose face and countenance shall be such as sheweth the master not to be blind in his choise But least I should offend too much I passe ouer to saie anie more of these Italionates and their demeanor which alas is too open and manifest to the world and yet not called into question Citizens and burgesses haue next place to gentlemen who be those that are free within the cities and are of some likelie substance to beare office in the same But these citizens or burgesses are to serue the common wealth in their cities and boroughs or in corporat townes where they dwell And in the common assemblie of the realme wherein our lawes are made for in the counties they beare but little swaie which assemblie is called the high court of parlement the ancient cities appoint foure and the boroughs two burgesses to haue voices in it and giue their consent or dissent vnto such things as passe or staie there in the name of the citie or borow for which they are appointed In this place also are our merchants to be installed as amongst the citizens although they often change estate with gentlemen as gentlemen doo with them by a mutuall conuersion of the one into the other whose number is so increased in these our daies that their onelie maintenance is the cause of the exceeding prices of forreine wares which otherwise when euerie nation was permitted to bring in hir owne commodities were farre better cheape and more plentifullie to be had Of the want our commodities here at home by their great transportation of them into other countries I speake not sith the matter will easilie bewraie it selfe Certes among the Lacedemonians it was found out that great numbers of merchants were nothing to the furtherance of the state of the commonwealth wherefore it is to be wished that the huge heape of them were somewhat restreined as also of our lawiers so should the rest liue more easilie vpon their owne and few honest chapmen be brought to decaie by breaking of the bankerupt I doo not denie but that the nauie of the land is in part mainteined by their traffike and so are the high prices of wares kept vp now they haue gotten the onelie sale of things vpon pretense of better furtherance of the common-wealth into their owne hands whereas in times past when the strange bottoms were suffered to come in we had sugar for foure pence the pound that now at the writing of this treatise is well worth halfe a crowne raisons or corints for a penie that now are holden at six pence and sometime at eight pence and ten pence the pound nutmegs at two pence halfe penie the ounce ginger at a penie an ounce prunes at halfe penie farding great raisons three pound for a penie cinamon at foure pence the ounce cloues at two pence and pepper at twelue and sixteene pence the pound Whereby we may sée the sequele of things not alwaies but verie seldome to be such as is pretended in the beginning The wares that they carrie out of the realme are for the most part brode clothes and carsies of all colours likewise cottons fréeses rugs tin wooll our best béere baies bustian mockadoes tâ—fted and plaine rash lead fells c which being shipped at sundrie ports of our coasts are borne from thence into all quarters of the world and there either exchanged for other wares or readie monie to the great gaine and commoditie of our merchants And whereas in times past their cheefe trade was into Spaine Portingall France Flanders Danske Norwaie Scotland and Iseland onelie now in these daies as men not contented with these iournies they haue sought out the east and west Indies and made now and then suspicious voiages not onelie vnto the Canaries and new Spaine but likewise into Cathaia Moscouia Tartaria and the regions thereabout from whence as they saie they bring home great commodities But alas I sée not by all their trauell that the prices of things are anie whit abated Certes this enormitie for so I doo accompt of it was sufficientlie prouided for An. 9. Edward 3. by a noble estatute made in that behalfe but vpon what occasion the generall execution thereof is staied or not called
came to inhabit in this land And for this later not vnlikelie sith before the comming of the Saxons the king of the Suessionenses had a great part of this Iland in subiection as Caesar saith and in another place that such of Belgie as stale ouer hither from the maine builded and called diuerse cities after the names of the same from whence they came I meane such as stood vpon the coast as he himselfe dooth witnesse But sith coniectures are no verities and mine opinion is but one mans iudgement I will not stand now vpon the proofe of this matter least I should séeme to take great paines in adding new coniectures vnto old in such wise to deteine the heads of my readers about these trifles that otherwise peraduenture would be farre better occupied in matters of more importance To procéed the refore As soone after the first inhabitation of this Iland our cities began no doubt to be builded and increased so they ceased not to multiplie from time to time till the land was throughlie furnished with hir conuenient numbers whereof some at this present with their ancient names doo still remaine in knowledge though diuerse be doubted of and manie more perished by continuance of time and violence of the enimie I doubt not also but the least of these were comparable to the greatest of those which stand in our time for sith that in those daies the most part of the Iland was reserued vnto pasture the townes and villages either were not at all but all sorts of people dwelled in the cities indifferentlie an image of which estate may yet be seene in Spaine or at the lestwise stood not so thicke as they did afterward in the time of the Romans but chéefelie after the comming of the Saxons and after them the Normans when euerie lord builded a church neare vnto his owne mansion house and thereto imparted the greatest portion of his lands vnto sundrie tenants to hold the same of him by coppie of court roll which rolles were then kept in some especiall place indifferentlie appointed by them and their lord so that the one could haue no resort vnto them without the other by which means the number of townes and villages was not a little increased If anie man be desirous to know the names of those ancient cities that stood in the time of the Romans he shall haue them here at hand in such wise as I haue gathered them out of our writers obseruing euen their manner of writing of them so neare as to me is possible without alteration of anie corruption crept vp into the same 1. London otherwise called Trenouanton Cair Lud. Londinum or Longidinium Augusta of the legion Augusta that soiourned there when the Romans ruled here 2 Yorke otherwise called Cairbranke Vrouicum or Yurewijc Eorwijc or Eoforwijc Yeworwijc Eboracum Victoria of the legion victrix that laie there sometime 3 Canturburie Duroruerno alià s Duraruenno Dorobernia Cantwarbirie 4 Colchester Cair Colon. Cair Colden Cair Colkin of Coilus Cair Colun of the riuer that runneth thereby Colonia of the colonie planted there by the Romans Coloncester Camulodunum Plin. lib. 2. ca. 75. Tacitus Ptolome 5 Lincolne Cair Lud Coit of the woods that stood about it Cair Loichoit by corruption Lindum Lindocollinum 6 Warwijc had sometime 9 parish churches Cair Guttelin Cair Line or Cair Leon. Cair Gwair Cair Vmber Cair Gwaerton 7 Chester vpon Vske was a famous vniuersitie in the time of Arthur Cair legion Carlheon Cairlium Legecester 〈◊〉 legionum 8 Carleill Cair Lueill Cair Leill Lugibalia Cair Doill 9 S. Albanes Cair Maricipit Cair Municip Verolamium Verlamcester Cair Wattelin of the street wheron it stood 10 Winchester Cair Gwent Cair Gwin Cair Wine Venta Simenorum 11 Cisceter Cair Churne Cair Kyrne Cair Kery Cair Cery Cirnecester Churnecester 12 Silcester Cair Segent Selecester 13 Bath Cair Badon Thermae Aquae solis 14 Shaftesbyry Cair Paladour Septonia 15 Worcester Wigornia Cair Gworangon Brangonia Cair Frangon Woorkecester 16 Chichester Cair Key or Kair Kis Cair Chic 17 Bristow Cair Odernant Badon Oder Cair Bren. Venta Belgarum Brightstow 18 Rochest Durobreuis corruptlie Rofcester Roffa Durobrouis Dubobrus Durobrius 19 Portchester Cair Peris Cair Poreis 20 Cairmarden Cair Maridunum Cair Merdine Maridumum Caiâ— Marlin Cair Pridâ—in 21 Glocester Cair Clowy Cair Glow Claudiocestria 22 Leircester Cair Beir Cair Leir Cair Lirion Wirall teste Matth. West 895. 23 Cambridge Grantabric Cair Graunt 24 Cair Vrnach peraduenture Burgh castell 25 Cair Cucurat 26 Cair Draiton now a slender village 27 Cair Celennon 28 Cair Megwaid As for Cair Dorme another whereof I read likewise it stood somewhere vpon the Nene in Huntingdon shire but now vnknowne fith it was twise raced to the ground first by the Saxons then by the Danes so that the ruines thereof are in these daies not extant to be séene And in like sort I am ignorant where most of them stood that are noted with the staâ— I find in like sort mention of a noble citie called Alcluid ouer and beside these afore mentioned sometime builded by Ebracus of Britaine as the fame goeth and finallie destroied by the Danes about the yeare of Grace 870. It stood vpon the banks of the riuer Cluda to wit betwéene it and the blanke on the north and the Lound lake on the west and was sometime march betwéene the Britons and the Picts and likewise the Picts and the Scots neuerthelesse the castell as I heare dooth yet remaine and hath béene since well repared by the Scots and called Dombrittain or Dunbritton so that it is not an hard matter by these few words to find where Alcluid stood I could here if leisure serued and hast of the printer not require dispatch deliuer the ancient names of sundrie other townes of which Stafford in time past was called Stadtford and therfore as I gesse builded or the name altered by the Saxons Kinebanton now Kimbalton But if anie man be desirous to sée more of them let him resort to Houeden in the life of Henrie the second and there he shall be furthor satisfied of his desire in this behalfe It should séeme when these ancient cities flourished that the same towne which we now call saint Albons did most of all excell but chéefelie in the Romans time and was not onelie nothing inferior to London it selfe but rather preferred before it bicause it was newer and made a Municipium of the Romans whereas the other was old and ruinous and inhabited onelie by the Britons as the most part of the Iland was also in those daies Good notice hereof also is to be taken by Matthew Paris and others before him out of whose writings I haue thought good to note a few things whereby the maiestie of this ancient citie may appeare vnto posteritie and the former estate of Uerlamcester not lie altogither as it hath doone hitherto raked vp in forgetfulnes through the negligence of such as might haue
they happened oftentimes vpon Lempet shels péeces of rustie anchors and kéeles of great vessels wherevpon some by and by gathered that either the Thames or some arme of the sea did beat vpon that towne not vnderstanding that these things might aswell happen in great lakes and meres wherof there was one adioining to the north side of the citie which laie then as some men thinke vnwalled but that also is false For being there vpon occasion this summer passed I saw some remnant of the old wals standing in that place which appeared to haue béene verie substantiallie builded the ruines likewise of a greater part of them are to be séene running along by the old chappell hard by in maner of a banke Whereby it is euident that the new towne standeth cleane without the limits of the old and that the bridge whereof the historie of S. Albane speaketh was at the nether end 〈◊〉 Halliwell stréet or there about for so the view of the place doth inforce me to coniecture This mere which the Latine copie of the description of Britaine written of late by Humfrey Lhoid our countrie man calleth corruptlie Stagnum enaximum for Stagnum maximum at the first belonged to the king and thereby Offa in his time did reape no small commoditie It continued also vntill the time of Alfrijc the seuenth abbat of that house who bought it outright of the king then liuing and by excessiue charges drained it so narrowlie that within a while he left it drie sauing that he reserued a chanell for the riuer to haue hir vsuall course which he held vp with high bankes bicause there was alwaies contention betwéene the moonks and the kings seruants which fished on that water vnto the kings behoofe In these daies therefore remaineth no maner mention of this poole but onelie in one stréet which yet is called Fishpoole stréet wherof this may suffice for the resolution of such men as séeke rather to yéeld to an inconuenience than that their Gildas should seeme to mistake this riuer Hauing thus digressed to giue some remembrance of the old estate of Verolamium it is now time to returne againe vnto my former purpose Certes I would gladlie set downe with the names and number of the cities all the townes and villages in England and Wales with their true longitudes and latitudes but as yet I cannot come by them in such order as I would howbeit the tale of our cities is soone found by the bishoprikes sith euerie sée hath such prerogatiue giuen vnto it as to beare the name of a citie to vse Regaleius within hir owne limits Which priuilege also is granted to sundrie ancient townes in England especiallie northward where more plentie of them is to be found by a great deale than in the south The names therefore of our cities are these London Yorke Canturburie Winchester Cairleill Durham Elie. Norwich Lincolne Worcester Glocester Hereford Salisburie Excester Bath Lichfield Bristow Rochester Chester Chichester Oxford Peterborow Landaffe S. Dauids Bangor S. Asaph Whose particular plots and models with their descriptions shall insue if it may be brought to passe that the cutters can make dispatch of them before this chronologie be published Of townes and villages likewise thus much will I saie that there were greater store in old time I meane within three or foure hundred yeare passed than at this present And this I note out of diuerse records charters and donations made in times past vnto sundrie religious houses as Glassenburie Abbandon Ramseie Elie and such like and whereof in these daies I find not so much as the ruines Leland in sundrie places complaineth likewise of the decaie of parishes in great cities and townes missing in some six or eight or twelue churches and more of all which he giueth particular notice For albeit that the Saxons builded manie townes and villages and the Normans well more at their first comming yet since the first two hundred yeares after the latter conquest they haue gone so fast againe to decaie that the ancient number of them is verie much abated Ranulph the moonke of Chester telleth of generall surueie made in the fourth sixtéenth nineteenth of the reigne of William Conqueror surnamed the Bastard wherein it was found that notwithstanding the Danes had ouerthrowâ—e a great manie there were to the number of 52000 townes 45002 parish churches and 75000 knights fées whereof the cleargie held 28015. He addeth moreouer that there were diuerse other builded since that time within the space of an hundred yeares after the comming of the Bastard as it were in lieu or recompense of those that William Rufus pulled downe for the erection of his new forrest For by an old booke which I haue and sometime written as it seemeth by an vndershiriffe of Nottingham I find euen in the time of Edw. 4. 45120 parish churches and but 60216 knights fées whereof the cleargie held as before 28015 or at the least 28000 for so small is the difference which he dooth séeme to vse Howbeit if the assertions of such as write in our time concerning this matter either are or ought to be of anie credit in this behalfe you shall not find aboue 17000 townes and villages and 9210 in the whole which is little more than a fourth part of the aforesaid number if it be throughlie scanned Certes this misfortune hath not onelie happened vnto our Ile nation but vnto most of the famous countries of the world heretofore and all by the gréedie desire of such as would liue alone and onelie to themselues And hereof we may take example in Candie of old time called Creta which as Homer writeth was called Hetacompolis bicause it conteined an hundred cities but now it is so vnfurnished that it may hardlie be called Tripolis Diodorus Siculus saith that Aegypt had once 18000 cities which so decaied in processe of time that when Ptolomeus Lagus reigned there were not aboue 3000 but in our daies both in all Asia Aegypt this lesser number shall not verie readilie he found In time past in Lincolne as the fame goeth there haue beene two and fiftie parish churches and good record appeareth for eight and thirtie but now if there be foure and twentie it is all This inconuenience hath growen altogither to the church by appropriations made vnto monasteries and religious houses a terrible canker and enimie to religion But to leaue this lamentable discourse of so notable and gréeuous an inconuenience growing as I said by incroching and ioining of house to house and laieng land to land whereby the inhabitants of manie places of our countrie are deuoured and eaten vp and their houses either altogither pulled downe or suffered to decaie by litle and litle although sometime a poore man peraduenture dooth dwell in one of them who not being able to repare it suffereth it to fall downe thereto thinketh himselfe verie friendlie dealt withall if he may haue an acre of ground assigned vnto him whereon to kéepe
happen to smite vpon anie firre trées which lie there at their whole lengths or other blocks they note the place and about haruest time when the ground is at the driest they come againe and get them vp and afterward carieng them home applie them to their vses The like doo they in Shropshire with the like which hath beene felled in old time within 7 miles of Salop Some of them foolishlie suppose the same to haue lien there since Noies floud and other more fond than the rest imagine them to grow euen in the places where they find them without all consideration that in times pat the most part if not all Lhoegres and Cambria was generallie replenished with wood which being felled or ouerthrowne vpon sundrie occasions was left lieng in some places still on the ground and in processe of time became to be quite ouergrowne with earth and moulds which moulds wanting their due sadnesse are now turned into moorie plots Wherby it commeth to passe also that great plentie of water commeth betwéene the new loose swart and the old hard earth that being drawen awaie by ditching and dreanes a thing soone doone if our countrie-men were painfull in that behalfe might soone leaue a drie soile to the great lucre and aduantage of the owner We find in our histories that Lincolne was somtime builded by Lud brother to Cassibelan who called it Cair Ludcoit of the great store of woods that inuironed the same but now the commoditie is vtterlie decaied there so that if Lud were aliue againe he would not call it his citie in the wood but rather his towne in the plaines for the wood as I heare is wasted altogither about the same The hilles called the Peke were in like sort named Mennith and Orcoit that is the wooddie hilles and forrests But how much wood is now to be séene in those places let him that hath béene there testifie if he list for I heare of no such store there as hath béene in time past by those that trauell that waie And thus much of woods and marises and so far as I can deale with the same Of baths and hot welles Chap. 23. AS almightie GOD hath in most plentifull maner bestowed infinit and those verie notable benefits vpon this I le of Britaine whereby it is not a little inriched so in hot and naturall baths whereof we haue diuerse in sundrie places it manifestlie appéereth that he hath not forgotten England There are sundrie baths therefore to be found in this realme of which the first is called saint Uinconts the second Halliewell both being places in my opinion more obscure than the other two and yet not seldome sought vnto by such as stand in need For albeit the fame of their forces be not so generallie spread yet in some cases they are thought to be nothing inferior to the other as diuerse haue often affirmed by their owne experience and triall The third place wherein hot baths are to be found is néere vnto Buxston a towne in Darbishire situat in the high Peke not passing sixtéene miles from Manchester or Markechesterford and twentie from Darbie where about eight or nine seuerall welles are to be séene of which thrée are counted to be most excellent but of all the gratest is the hotest void of corruption and compared as Iones saith with those of Summersetshire so cold indéed as a quart of boiling water would be made if fiue quartes of running water were added therevnto whereas on the other side those of Bath likened vnto these haue such he at appropriated vnto them as a gallon of hot water hath when a quart of cold is mixed with the same Herevpon the effect of this bath worketh more temperatlie and pleasantlie as he writeth than the other And albeit that it maketh not so great spéed in cure of such as resort vnto it for helpe yet it dealeth more effectuallie and commodiouslie than those in Summersetshire and infer withall lesse greeuous accidents in the restreining of naturall issues strengthening the affeebled members assisting the liuelie forces dispersing annoious oppilations and qualifieng of sundrie griefes as his experience hath oft confirmed The like vertues haue the other two but not in such measure and therefore their operation is not so speedilie perceiued The fourth place where baths are is kings Newnam and within certeine miles of Couentrie the water wherof as it is thought procéedeth from some rocke of allume and this I vnderstand by diuerse glouers which haue béene there and also by mine owne experience that it hath a tast much like to allume liquor and yet nothing vnplesant nor vnsauorie in the drinking There are thrée welles in all but the chiefest and best of them riseth out of an hill and runneth toward the south from thence infinit plentie of water without any notable diminution of the spring is dailie caried into sundrie parties of the realme droonke by such as haue néed to occupie the same Of the other two one is reserued for such as be comelie personages and void of lothsome diseases the other is left common for tag and rag but clensed dailie as the other is whereby it becommeth the wholesomer Manie diseases also are cured in the same as the palsie dimnesse of sight dulnesse of hearing but especiallie the collike and the stone old sores and gréene wounds so that I suppose there was neuer anie compound medicine of greater and more spéedie force in these behalfes than the vse of this simple liquor is to such as doo frequent it The said water hath a naturall propertie also following it which is rare for if a leafe or sticke of ash oke c doo fall into the same within a short space such store of fine sand comming no doubt out of the earth with the water will congeale and gather about it that the forme being reserued and the inner part not lightlie altered it will seeme to become an hard stone and much like vnto that which is ingendred in the kidneis of a man as I haue séene by experience At the first entrance it is verie cold but after a season it warmeth the goer in casting him into an indifferent heat And this is furthermore remembred of it that no man hath yet susteined anie manner of impeachment through the coldnesse of the same The vertue thereof was found 1579 about Whitsuntide by a man who had wounded himselfe comming by the same water thought onelie to wash the blood from his hand therewith and so to go home and séeke for helpe by surgerie finallie finding the paine well asswaged the wound faire clensed he departed and misliking his vsuall medicins he eftsoones came againe and so often indéed vnto the said water till his hand was healed outright without anie other practise By this meanes also he became a counsellor to other being hurt or in paine that they should trie the vertue of this spring who finding ease also gaue out such commendation of the said water
that now at this present their fame is fullie equall and the resort vnto them nothing inferior to that of the old baths Beside this the cures of such diseases as their forces do extend vnto is much more speedie than we may haue at the other and this is one commoditie also not smallie to be considered of The fift place of baths or medicinable welles is at an hamlet called Newton a little from saint Neots or as we pronounce it saint Needs which is ten or twelue miles from Cambridge where two springs are knowne to be of which the one is verie sweet and fresh the other brackish salt this is good for scabs and leaperie as it is said the other for dimnesse of sight Uerie manie also doo make their repaire vnto them for sundrie diseases some returning whole and some nothing at all amended bicause their cure is without the each and working of those waters Neuer went people so fast from the church either vnto a faire or market as they go to these wels and those neere Rugbie both places being discouered in this 1579 of Grace I heare of another well to be found also about Ratcliffe néere London euen at the same season But sith rumors are now spred almost of euerie spring vaine tales flie about in maner of euerie water I surcease to speake at all of anie other till further experience doo trie whether they be medicinable or not and yet I doubt not but most of these alredie mentioned haue heretofore bin knowne remembred also though confusedlie by the writers of old time yet in processe of time either neglected or forgotten by meanes of sundrie troubles and turmoiles made in this realme by Danes and other outward enimies whereby their manifold benefit hath woonderfullie béene missed The last place of our baths is a citie in Summersetshire which taketh his name of the hot waters there to be séene and vsed At the first it was called Cair Bledud and not Cair Bledune as some would haue it for that is the old name of the ancient castell at Malmesburie which the Saxons named Yngleburne Ptolomie afterward called it Thermae other Aquae solis or Scamannia or Acmancester but now it hight generallie Bath in English and vnder that name it is likelie to continue The citie of it selfe is a verie ancient thing no doubt as may yet appeare by diuerse notable antiquities ingraued in stone to be séene in the wals thereof and first of all betweene the south gate and the west and betwixt the west gate and the north The first is the antike head of a man made all flat with great locks of haire much like to the coine that I haue seene of Antius the Romane The second betweene the south and the north gate is an image as I take it of Hercules for he held in each hand a serpent and so dooth this Thirdlie there standeth a man on foot with a sword in his one hand and a buckler stretched out in the other There is also a branch that lieth folded and wreathed into circles like to the wreath of Alcimedon There are moreouer two naked images whereof the one imbraceth the other beside sundrie antike heads with ruffeled haire a greiehound running and at his taile certeine Romane letters but so defaced that no man liuing can read them at this present There is moreouer the image of Lacaon inuironed with two serpents and an other inscription and all these betwéene the south and the west gates as I haue said before Now betweene the west and north gate are two inscriptions of which some words are euident to be read the residue are cleane defaced There is also the image of a naked man and a stone in like sort which hath Cupidines labruscas intercurrentes and a table hauing at each hand an image vined and finelie florished both aboue and beneath Finallie sauing that I saw afterward the image of a naked man grasping a serpent in each hand there was an inscription of a toome or buriall wherein these words did plainelie appeare Vixit annos xxx but so defusedlie written that letters stood for whole words and two or thrée letters combined into one Certes I will not saie whether these were set into the places where they now stand by the gentiles or brought thither from other ruines of the towne it selfe and placed afterward in those wals in their necessarie reparations But howsoeuer the matter standeth this is to be gathered by our histories that Bladud first builded that citie there and peraduenture might also kindle the sulphurous veines of purpose to burne continuallie there in the honour of Minerua by which occasion the springs thereabout did in processe of time become hot not vnprofitable for sundrie kinds of diseases Indeed the later pagans dreamed that Minerua was the chéefe goddesse and gouernesse of these waters bicause of the néerenesse of hir temple vnto the same Solinus addeth furthermore how that in hir said temple the fire which was continuallie kept did neuer consume into dead sparkles but so soone as the embers thereof were cold they congealed into clots of hard stone all which I take to be nothing else than the effect of the aforesaid fire of the sulphurous veine kindled in the earth from whence the waters doo come That these baths or waters are deriued from such the marchasites which the Grecians call Pyritis per antonomasiam for being smit with the iron it yéeldeth more sparkes than anie flint or calcedonie and therefore seemeth to deserue the name aboue the rest and besides these other stones mixed with some copper and dailie found vpon the mounteins thereabouts will beare sufficient witnesse though I would write the contrarie Doctor Turner also the father of English physicke and an excellent diuine supposeth that these springs doo draw their forces from sulphur or if there be anie other thing mingled withall he gesseth that it should be salt peter bicause he found an obscure likelihood of the same euen in the crosse bath But that they participate with anie allume at all he could neuer till his dieng daie be indured to beléeue I might here if I thought it necessarie intreat of the notable situation of the citie which standeth in a pleasant bottome inuironed on euerie side with great hils out of the which come so manie springs of pure water by sundrie waies vnto the citie and in such abundance as that euerie house is serued with the same by pipes of lead the said mettall being the more plentious and lesse of value vnto them bicause it is not had far off from those quarters It should not be amisse also to speake of the foure gates number of parish churches bridges religious houses dissolued and their founders if place did serue therefore but for so much as my purpose is not to deale in this behalfe I will omit the mention of these things and go in hand with the baths themselues wherof in the title
may be déemed to agrée with those authors that haue written of their comming into this I le But as for an assured proofe that this I le was inhabited with people before the comming of Brute I trust it may suffice which before is recited out of Annius de Viterbo Theophilus Gildas and other although much more might be said as of the comming hither of Osiris as well as in the other parties of the world and likewise of Ulysses his being here who in performing some vow which he either then did make or before had made erected an altar in that part of Scotland which was ancientlie called Calidonia as Iulius Solinus Polyhistor in plaine words dooth record ¶ Upon these considerations I haue no doubt to deliuer vnto the reader the opinion of those that thinke this land to haue bene inhabited before the arriuall here of Brute trusting it may be taken in good part sith we haue but shewed the coniectures of others till time that some sufficient learned man shall take vpon him to decipher the doubts of all these matters Neuerthelesse I thinke good to aduertise the reader that these stories of Samothes Magus Sarron Druis and Bardus doo relie onelie vpon the authoritie of Berosus whom most diligent antiquaries doo reiect as a fabulous and counterfet author and Vacerius hath laboured to prooue the same by a speciall treatise latelie published at Rome THE SECOND BOOKE of the Historie of England Of Brute and his descent how he slue his father in hunting his banishment his letter to king Pandrasus against whom he wageth battell taketh him prisoner and concludeth peace vpon conditions The first Chapter HItherto haue we spoken of the inhabitants of this I le before the comming of Brute although some will néeds haue it that he was the first which inhabited the same with his people descended of the Troians some few giants onelie excepted whom he vtterlie destroied and left not one of them aliue through the whole I le But as we shall not doubt of Brutes comming hither so may we assuredly thinke that he found the I le peopled either with the generation of those which Albion the giant had placed here or some other kind of people whom he did subdue and so reigned as well ouer them as ouer those which he brought with him This Brutus or Brytus for this letter Y hath of ancient time had the sounds both of V and I as the author of the booke which Geffrey of Monmouth translated dooth affirme was the sonne of Siluius the sonne of Ascanius the sonne of Aeneas the Trioan begotten of his wife Creusa borne in Troie before the citie was destroied But as other doo take it the author of that booke whatsoeuer he was and such other as follow him are deceiued onelie in this point mistaking the matter in that Posthumus the sonne of Aeneas begotten of his wife Lauinia and borne after his fathers deceasse in Italie was called Ascanius who had issue a sonne named Iulius who as these others doo coniecture was the father of Brute that noble chieftaine and aduenturous leader of those people which being descended for the more part in the fourth generation from those Troians that escaped with life when that roiall citie was destroied by the Gréekes got possession of this woorthie and most famous I le To this opinion Giouan Villani a Florentine in his vniuersall historie speaking of Aeneas and his ofspring kings of Italie séemeth to agrée where he saith Siluius the sonne of Aeneas by his wife Lauinia fell in loue with a néece of his mother Lauinia and by hir had a sonne of whom she died in trauell and therefore was called Brutus who after as he grew in some stature and hunting in a forrest slue his father vnwares and therevpon for feare of his grandfather Siluius Posthumus he fled the countrie and with a retinue of such as followed him passing through diuers seas at length he arriued in the I le of Britaine Concerning therefore our Brute whether his father Iulius was sonne to Ascanius the sonne of Aeneas by his wife Creusa or sonne to Posthumus called also Aseanius and sonne to Aeaneas by his wife Lauinia we will not further stand But this we find that when he came to the age of 15. yéeres so that he was now able to ride abrode with his father into the forrests and chases he fortuned either by mishap or by Gods prouidence to strike his father with an arrow in shooting at a déere of which wound he also died His grandfather whether the same was Posthumus or his elder brother hearing of this great misfortune that had chanced to his sonne Siluius liued not long after but died for verie greefe and sorow as is supposed which he conceiued thereof And the yoong gentleman immediatlie after he had slaine his father in maner before alledged was banished his countrie and therevpon got him into Grecia where trauelling the countrie he lighted by chance among some of the Troian ofspring and associating himselfe with them grew by meanes of the linage whereof he was descended in proces of time into great reputation among them chieflie by reason ther were yet diuers of the Troian race and that of great authoritie in that countrie For Pyrrhus the sonne of Achilles hauing no issue by his wife Hermione maried Andromache late wife vnto Hector and by hir had thrée sonnes Molossus Pileus and Pergamus who in their time grew to be of great power in those places and countries and their ofspring likewise whereby Brutus or Brytus wanted no friendship For euen at his first comming thither diuers of the Troians that remained in seruitude being desirous of libertie by flocke resorted vnto him And amongst other Assaracus was one whom Brute intertained receiuing at his hands the possession of sundrie forts and places of defense before that the king of those parties could haue vnderstanding or knowledge of any such thing Herewith also such as were readie to make the aduenture with him repaired to him on ech side wherevpon he first placed garisons in those townes which had bene thus deliuered vnto him and afterwards with Assaracus and the residue of the multitude he withdrew into the mountains néere adioining And thus being made strong with such assistance by consultation had with them that were of most authoritie about him wrote vnto the king of that countrie called Pandrasus in forme as followeth A letter of Brute to Pandrasus as I find it set downe in Galfride Monumetensis BRute leader of the remnant of the Troian people to Pandrasus king of the Greekes sendeth greeting Bicause it hath beene thought a thing vnworthie that the people descended of the noble linage of Dardanus should be otherwise dealt with than the honour of their nobilitie dooth require they haue withdrawne themselues within the close couert of the woods For they haue chosen rather after the maner of wild beasts to liue on flesh and
Britaine successiuelie after Brute The fift Chapter LOcrinus or Locrine the first begotten sonne of Brute began to reigne ouer the countrie called Logiers in the yeare of the world 1874 and held to his part the countrie that reached from the souht sea vnto the riuer of Humber While this Locrinus gouerned Logiers his brother Albanact ruled in Albania where in fine he was slaine in a battell by a king of the Hunnes or Scythians called Humber who inuaded that part of Britaine and got possession thereof till Locrinus with his brother Camber in reuenge of their other brothers death and for the recouerie of the kingdome gathered their powers togither and comming against the said king of the Hunnes by the valiancie of their people they discomfited him in battell and chased him so egerlie that he himselfe and a great number of his men were drowned in the gulfe that then parted Loegria and Albania which after tooke name of the said king and was called Humber and so continueth vnto this daie Moreouer in this battell against the Hunnes were thrée yong damsels taken of excellent beautie specially one of them whose name was Estrild daughter to a certeine king of Scythia With this Estrild king Locrine fell so farre in loue notwithstanding a former contract made betwixt him and the ladie Guendoloena daughter to Corineus duke of Cornwall that he meant yet with all spéed to marie the same Estrild But being earnestlie called vpon and in manner forced thereto by Corineus hée changed his purpose and married Guendoloena keeping neuertheles the aforesaid Estrild as paramour still after a secret sort during the life of Corineus his father in law Now after that Corineus was departed this world Locrine forsooke Guendoloena and maried Estrild Guendoloena therefore being cast off by hir husband got hir into Cornewall to hir friends and kinred and there procured them to make warre against the said Locrine hir husband in the which warres hée was slaine and a battell fought néere to the riuer of Sture after he had reigned as writers affirme twentie yeares was buried by his father in the Citie of Troinouant leauing behind him a yoong sonne begotten of his wife Guendoloena named Madan as yet vnméete to gouerne Guendoloena or Guendoline the wife of Locrinus and daughter of Corineus duke of Cornewall for so much as hir sonne Madan was not of yeeres sufficient to gouerne was by common consent of the Britons made ruler of the I le in the yéere of the world 2894 and so hauing the administration in hir hands she did right discreetlie vse hir selfe therein to the comfort of all hir subiects till hir sonne Madan came to lawfull age and then she gaue ouer the rule and dominion to him after she had gouerned by the space of fifteene yeares MAdan the sonne of Locrine and Guendoline entred into the gouernement of Britaine in the 2909 of the world There is little left in writing of his doings sauing that he vsed great tyrannie amongst his Britons and therefore after he had ruled this land the tearme of 40. yeares he was deuoured of wild beastes as he was abroad in hunting He left behind him two sonnes Mempricius and Manlius He builded as is reported Madancaistre now Dancastre which reteineth still the later part of his name MEmpricius the eldest sonne of Madan began his reigne ouer the Britons in the yeare of the world 2949 he continued not long in peace For his brother Manlius vpon an ambitious mind prouoked the Britons to rebell against him so that sore and deadly warre continued long betweene them But finallie vnder colour of a treatie Manlius was slaine by his brother Mempricius so that then he liued in more tranquillitie and rest Howbeit being deliuered thus from trouble of warres he fell into slouth and so into vnlawfull lust of lecherie and thereby into the hatred of his people by forcing of their wines and daughters and finallie became so beastlie that he forsooke his lawfull wife and all his concubines and fell into the abhominable sinne of Sodomie And thus from one vice he fell into another till he became odious to God and man and at length going on hunting was lost of his people and destroied of wild beastes when he had reigned twentie yeares leauing behind him a noble yoong sonne named Ebranke begotten of his lawfull wife EBranke the sonne of Mempricius began to rule ouer the Britons in the yeare of the world 2969 He had as writers doo of him record one and twentie wiues on whom he begot 20. sonnes and 30. daughters of the which the eldest hight Guales or Gualea These daughters he sent to Alba Syluius which was the eleuenth king of Italie or the sixt king of the Latines to the end they might be married to his noble men of the bloud of Troians because the Sabines refused to ioine their daughters with them in marriage Furthermore he was the first prince of his land that euer inuaded France after Bute and is commended as author and originall builder of many cities both in his owne kingdome and else where His sonnes also vnder the conduct of Assaracus one of their eldest brethren returning out of Italie after they had conducted their sisters thither inuaded Germanie being first molested by the people of that countrie in their rage and by the helpe of the said Alba subdued a great part of that countrie there planted themselues Our histories say that Ebracus their father married them in their returne and aided them in their conquests and that he builded the citie of Caerbranke now called Yorke about the 14 yeare of his reigne He builded also in Albania now called Scotland the castle of Maidens afterward called Edenburgh of Adian one of their kings The citie of Alclud was builded likewise by him as some write now decaied After which cities thus builded he sailed ouer into Gallia now called France with a great armie and subduing the Galles as is aforesaid he returned home with great riches and triumph Now when he had guided the land of Britaine in noble wise by the tearme of fortie yeares he died and was buried at Yorke BRute Greeneshield the sonne of Ebranke was made gouernor of this land in the yeare of the world 3009 Asa reigning in Iuda and Baasa in Israell This prince bare alwaies in the field a gréene shield whereof he tooke his surname and of him some forraine authors affirme that he made an attempt to bring the whole realme of France vnder his subiection which he performed because his father susteined some dishonor and losse in his last voiage into that countrie Howbeit they say that when he came into Henaud Brinchild a prince of that quarter gaue him also a great ouerthrow and compelled him to retire home againe into his countrie This I borrow out of William Harison who in his chronologie toucheth the same
at large concluding in the end that the said passage of this prince into France is verie likelie to be true and that he named a parcell of Armorica lieng on the south and in manner vpon the verie loine after his owne name and also a citie which he builded there Britaine For saith he it should séeme by Strabo lib. 4. that there was a noble citie of that name long before his time in the said countrie whereof Plinie also speaketh lib. 4. cap. 7. albeit that he ascribe it vnto France after a disordered maner More I find not of this foresaid Brute sauing that he ruled the land a certeine time his father yet liuing and after his decease the tearme of twelue yeares and then died and was buried at Caerbranke now called Yorke LEill the sonne of Brute Greeneshield began to reigne in the yeare of the world 3021 the same time that Asa was reigning in Iuda and Ambri in Israell He built the citie now called Carleil which then after his owne name was called Caerleil that is Leill his citie or the citie of Leill He repaired also as Henrie Bradshaw saith the citie of Caerleon now called Chester which as in the same Bradshaw appeareth was built before Brutus entrie into this land by a giant named Leon Gauer But what authoritie he had to auouch this it may be doubted for Ranulfe Higden in his woorke intituled Polychronicon saith in plaine wordes that it is vnknowen who was the first founder of Chester but that it tooke the name of the soiourning there of some Romaine legions by whome also it is not vnlike that it might be first built by P. Ostorius Scapula who as we find after he had subdued Caratacus king of the Ordouices that inhabited the countries now called Lancashire Cheshire and Salopshire built in those parts and among the Silures certeine places of defense for the better harbrough of his men of warre and kéeping downe of such Britaines as were still readie to moue rebellion But now to the purpose concerning K. Leill We find it recorded that he was in the beginning of his reigne verie vpright and desirous to sée iustice executed and aboue all thinges loued peace quietnesse but as yeares increased with him so his vertues began to diminish in so much that abandoning the care for the bodie of the common-wealth he suffered his owne bodie to welter in all vice and voluptuousnesse and so procuring the hatred of his subiects caused malice and discord to rise amongst them which during his life he was neuer able to appease But leauing them so at variance he departed this life was buried at Carleil which as ye haue heard he had builded while he liued LUd or Ludhurdibras the sonne of Leill began to gouerne in the yeare of the world 3046. In the beginning of his reigne hée sought to appease the debate that was raised in his fathers daies and bring the realme to hir former quietnesse and after that he had brought it to good end he builded the towne of Kaerkin now called Canterburie also the towne of Caerguent now cleped Winchester and mount Paladour now called Shaftsburie About the building of which towne of Shaftsburie Aquila a prophet of the British nation wrote his prophesies of which some fragments remaine yet to be seene translated into the Latine by some ancient writers When this Lud had reigned 29. yeares he died and left a sonne behind him named Baldud BAldud the sonne of Ludhurdibras began to rule ouer the Britaines in the yeare of the world 3085. This man was well séene in the sciences of astronomie and nigromancie by which as the common report saith he made the hot bathes in the citie of Caerbran now called Bath But William of Malmesburie is of a contrarie opinion affirming that Iulius Cesar made those bathes or rather repaired them when he was here in England which is not like to be true for Iulius Cesar as by good coniecture we haue to thinke neuer came so farre within the land that way forward But of these bathes more shall be said in the description Now to procéed This Baldud tooke such pleasure in artificiall practises magike that he taught this art throughout all his realme And to shew his cunning in other points vpon a presumptuous pleasure which he had therein he tooke vpon him to flie in the aire but he fell vpon the temple of Apollo which stood in the citie of Troinouant and there was torne in péeces after he had ruled the Britaines by the space of 20. yeares LEir the sonne of Baldud was admitted ruler ouer the Britaines in the yeare of the world 3105 at what time Ioas reigned in Iuda This Leir was a prince of right noble demeanor gouerning his land and subiects in great wealth He made the towne of Caerleir now called Leicester which standeth vpon the riuer of Sore It is written that he had by his wife thrée daughters without other issue whose names were Gonorilla Regan and Cordeilla which daughters he greatly loued but specially Cordeilla the yoongest farre aboue the two elder When this Leir therefore was come to great yeres began to waxe vnweldie through age he thought to vnderstand the affections of his daughters towards him and preferre hir whome he best loued to the succession ouer the kingdome Whervpon he first asked Gonorilla the eldest how well she loued him who calling hir gods to record protested that she loued him more than hir owne life which by right and reason should be most déere vnto hir With which answer the father being well pleased turned to the second and demanded of hir how well she loued him who answered confirming hir saiengs with great othes that she loued him more than toong could expresse and farre aboue all other creatures of the world Then called he his yoongest daughter Cordeilla before him and asked of hir what account she made of him vnto whome she made this answer as followeth knowing the great loue and fatherlie zeale that you haue alwaies borne towards me for the which I maie not answere you otherwise than I thinke and as my conscience leadeth me I protest vnto you that I haue loued you euer and will continuallie while I liue loue you as my naturall father And if you would more vnderstand of the loue that I beare you assertaine your selfe that so much as you haue so much you are worth and so much I loue you and no more The father being nothing content with this answer married his two eldest daughters the one vnto Henninus the duke of Cornewall and the other vnto Maglanus the duke of Albania betwixt whome he willed and ordeined that his land should be diuided after his death and the one halfe thereof immediatlie should be assigned to them in hand but for the third daughter Cordeilla he reserued nothing Neuertheles it fortuned that one of the princes
report that he builded thrée temples one to Mars at Perth in Scotland another to Mercurie at Bangor and the third to Apollo in Cornewall Of Riuallus Gurgustius Sysillius Iago and Kinimacus rulers of Britaine by succession and of the accidents coincident with their times The seuenth Chapter RIuallus the sonne of Cunedag began to reigne ouer the Britaines in the yeare of the world 3203 before the building of Rome 15 Ioathan as then being king of Iuda and Phacea king of Israel This Riuall gouerned the Iland in great welth and prosperitie In his time it rained bloud by the space of thrée daies togither after which raine ensued such an excéeding number and multitude of flies so noisome and contagious that much people died by reason thereof When he had reigned 46 yeares he died and was buried at Caerbranke now called Yorke In the time of this Riuals reigne was the citie of Rome builded after concordance of most part of writers Perdix also a wizard and a learned astrologian florished and writ his prophesies and Herene also GUrgustius the son of the before named Riuall began to gouerne the Britaines in the yeare after the creation of the world 3249 and after the first foundation of Rome 33 Ezechias reigning in Iuda This Gurgustius in the chronicle of England is called Gorbodian the sonne of Reignold he reigned 37 yeares then departing this life was buried at Caerbranke now called Yorke by his father SYsillius or after some writers Syluius the brother of Gurgustius was chosen to haue the gouernance of Britaine in the yere of the world 3287 and after the building of Rome 71 Manasses still reigning in Iuda This Sysillius in the English chronicle is named Secill He reigned 49 yeares and then died and was buried at Carbadon now called Bath IAgo or Lago the cousin of Gurgustius as next inheritor to Sysillius tooke vpon him the gouernement of Britaine in the yeare of the world 3336 and after the building of Rome 120 in whose time the citie of Ierusalem was taken by Nabuchodonozar and the king of Iuda Mathania otherwise called Zedechias being slaine This Iago or Lago died without issue when he had reigned 28 yeares and was buried at Yorke KInimacus or Kinmarus the sonne of Sysillius as some write or rather the brother of Iago began to gouerne the land of Britain in the yere of the world 3364 and after the building of Rome 148 the Iewes as then being in the third yeare of their captiuitie of Babylon This Kinimacus departed this life after he had reigned 54 yeares and was buried at Yorke Of Gorbodug and his two sonnes Ferrex and Porrex one brother killeth another the mother slaieth hir sonne and how Britaine by ciuill warres for lacke of issue legitimate to the gouernment of a monarchie became a pentarchie the end of Brutes line The eight Chapter GOrbodug the sonne of Kinimacus began his reigne ouer the Britains in the yeare after the creation of the world 3418 from the building of the citie of Rome 202 the 58 of the Iews captiuitie at Babylon This Gorbodug by most likelihood to bring histories to accord should reigne about the tearme of 62 yeares and then departing this world was buried at London leauing after him two sonnes Ferrex and Porrex or after some writers Ferreus and Porreus FErrex with Porrex his brother began iointlie to rule ouer the Britaines in the yeare of the world 3476 after the building of Rome 260 at which time the people of Rome forsooke their citie in their rebellious mood These two brethren continued for a time in good friendship and amitie till at length through couetousnesse and desire of greater dominion prouoked by flatterers they fell at variance and discord whereby Ferrex was constreined to flée into Gallia and there purchased aid of a great duke called Gunhardus or Suardus and so returned into Britaine thinking to preuaile and obteine the dominion of the whole Iland But his brother Porrex was readie to receiue him with battell after he was landed in the which battell Ferrex was slaine with the more part of his people The English chronicle saith that Porrex was he that fled into France at his returne was slaine and that Ferrex suruiued But Geffrey of Monmouth Polychronicon are of a contrarie opinion Matthew Westmonasteriensis writeth that Porrex deuising waies to kill Ferrex atchiued his purpose and slue him But whether of them so euer suruiued the mother of them was so highlie offended for the death of him that was slaine whom the most intierlie loued that setting apart all motherlie affection she found the meanes to enter the chamber 〈◊〉 him that suruiued in the night season and as he slept the with the helpe of his maidens slue him and cut him into small péeces as the writers doo affirme Such was the end of these two brethren after they had reigned by the space of foure to fiue yeares After this followed a troublous season full of cruell warre and seditious discord wherby and in the end 〈◊〉 for the space of fiftie yeares the monarchie or sole gouernement of the Iland became 〈…〉 that is it was diuided betwixt fiue kings or rulers till Dunwallon of Cornewall ouercame them all Thus the line of Brute according to the report of most writers tooke an end for after the death of the two foresaid brethren no rightfull inheritor was left aliue to succéed them in the kingdome The names of these fiue kings are found in certeine old pedegrées and although the same be much corrupted in diuers copies yet these vnder named are the most agréeable But of these fiue kings or dukes the English chronicle alloweth Cloton king of Cornewall for most rightfull heires There appeareth noâ— any 〈◊〉 certeine by report of ancient author how long this variance continue 〈◊〉 amongst the Britains 〈◊〉 but as some say it lasted for the space of 51 yeres coniectyring so much by 〈…〉 recorded in Polychron who saith 〈…〉 till the beginning of the reigne of Dunwallon Mulmucius who began to gouerne 〈◊〉 the time that Brute first entred Britaine about the space of 703 thrée yeares ¶ Here ye must note that there is difference amongst writers about the suppâ—tation and account of these yeares Insomuch that some making their reckoning after certeine writers and finding the same to varie aboue thrée C. yeares are brought into further doubt of the truth at the whole historie but whereas other haue by â—aligent search tried out the continuance of euerie gouernors reigne and reduced the same to a likelihood of some conformitie I haue thought best to follow the same leauing the credit thereof with the first authors The pentarchie 1 Rudacus 2 Clotenus 3 Pinnor 4 Staterus 5 Yewan king of Wales Cornewall Loegria Albania Northumberland The end of the second Booke THE THIRD BOOKE of the Historie of England Of Mulmucius the first king of Britaine who was crowned with
a golden crowne his lawes his foundations with other his acts and deeds The first Chapter NOw to proceede with the aforesaid authors Mulmucius Dunwallō or as other saie Dunuallo Mulmucius the sonne of Cloton as testifieth th' english chronicle and also Geffrey of Monmouth got the vpper hand of the other dukes or rulers and after his fathers deceasse began his reigne ouer the whole monarchie of Britaine in the yéere of the world 3529 after the building of Rome 314 and after the deliuerance of the Israelites out of captiuitie 97 and about the 26 yéere of Darius Artaxerxes Longimanus the fift king of the Persians This Mulmucius Dunuallo is named in the english chronicle Donebant and prooued a right worthie prince He builded within the citie of London then called Troinouant a temple and named it the temple of peace the which as some hold opinion I wote not vpon what ground was the same which now is called Blackwell hall where the market for buieng and selling of cloths is kept The chronicle of England affirmeth that Mulmucius whome the old booke nameth Molle builded the two townes Malmesburie and the Uies He also made manie good lawes which were long after vsed called Mulmucius lawes turned out of the British spéech into the Latine by Gildas Priscus and long time after translated out of latine into english by Alfred king of England and mingled in his statutes He moreouer gaue priuileges to temples to plowes to cities and to high waies leading to the same so that whosoeuer fled to them should be in safegard from bodilie harme and from thence he might depart into what countrie he would with indemnitie of his person Some authors write that he began to make the foure great high waies of Britaine the which were finished by his sonne Blinus as after shall be declared After he had established his land and set his Britains in good and conuenient order he ordeined him by the aduise of his lords a crowne of gold caused himselfe with great solemnitie to be crowned according to the custome of 〈◊〉 lawes then in vse bicause he was the first that bare a crowne héere in Britaine after the opinion of some writers he is named the first king of Britaine and all the other before rehearsed are named rulers dukes or gouernors Amongst other of his ordinances he appointed weights and measures with the which men should buy and sell. And further he deuised sore and streight orders for the punishing of theft Finallie after he had guided the land by the space of fortie yéeres he died and was buried in the foresaid temple of peace which he had erected within the citie of Troinouant now called London as before ye haue heard appointing in his life time that his kingdome should be diuided betwixt his two sonnes Brennus and Belinus as some men doo coniecture The ioint-gouernment of Belinus and Brennus the two sonnes of Mulmucius their discontentment the stratagems of the one against the other the expulsion of Brennus out of Britaine The second Chapter BRennus and Belinus began to reigne iointlie as kings in Britaine in the yéere of the world 3574 after the building of the citie of Rome 355 and after the deliuerance of the Israelites out of captiuitie 142 which was about the seuenth yéere of Artaxerxes surnamed Mnenon the seuenth king of the Persians Belinus held vnder his gouernment Loegria Wales and Cornwall and Brennus all those countries ouer and beyond Humber And with this partition were they contented by the tearme of six or seuen yéeres after which time expired Brennus coueting to haue more than his portion came to first thought to purchase himselfe aid in forreine parties therefore by the prouocation and counsell of yong vnquiet heads sailed ouer into Norway and there married the daughter of Elsung or Elsing as then duke or ruler of that countrie Beline offended with his brother that he should thus without his aduice marrie with a stranger now in his absence seized all his lands townes and fortresses into his owne hands placing garisons of men of warre where he thought conuenient In the meane time Brenne aduertised hereof assembled a great nauie of ships well furnished with people and souldiers of the Norwegians with the which he tooke his course homewards but in the waie he was encountred by Guilthdacus king of Denmarke the which had laid long in wait for him bicause of the yoong ladie which Brenne had maried for whome he had béene a sutor to hir father Elsing of long time When these two fléetes of the Danes and Norwegians met there was a sore battell betwixt them but finallie the Danes ouercame them of Norway and tooke the ship wherein the new bride was conueied and then was she brought aboord the ship of Guilthdacus Brenne escaped by flight as well as he might But when Guilthdacus had thus obtained the victorie and prey suddenlie therevpon arose a sore tempest of wind and weather which scattered the Danish fleete and put the king in dangers to haue béene lost◠but finallie within fiue daies after being driuen by force of wind he landed in Northumberland with a few such ships as kept togither with him Beline being then in that countrie prouiding for defense against his brother vpon knowledge of the king of Denmarks arriuall caused him to be staied Shortlie after Brenne hauing recouered and gotten togither the most part of his ships that were dispersed by the discomfiture and then newlie rigged and furnished of all things necessarie sent word to his brother Beline both to restore vnto him his wife wrongfullie rauished by Guilthdacus and also his lands iniuriouslie by him seized and his possession These requests being plainlie and shortlie denied Brenne made no long delaie but spéedilie made toward Albania and landing with his armie in a part thereof incountred with his brother Beline néere vnto a wood named as then Calater where after cruell fight and mortall battell betwixt them at length the victorie abode with the Britains and the discomfiture did light so on the Norwegians that the most of them were wounded slaine and left dead vpon the ground Hereby Brenne being forced to flée made shift and got ouer into Gallia where after he had sued to this prince at length he abode and was well receiued of one Seguinus or Seginus duke of the people called then Allobrogs as Galfrid of Monmouth saith or rather Armorica which now is called Britaine as Polychronicon and the english historie printed by Caxton more trulie maie seeme to affirme But Beline hauing got the vpper hand of his enimies assembling his councell at Caerbranke now called York tooke aduise what he should doo with the king of Denmarke where it was ordeined that he should be set at libertie with condition and vnder couenant to acknowledge himselfe by dooing homage to hold his land of the king of
philosophicall doctrine But by whome or in what time soeuer it was built certeine it is that there was a citie or towne walled in that place before the comming of the Saxons called by the Britaines Caergrant and by the Saxons Granchester This towne fell so to ruine by the inuasion of the Saxons that at length it was in maner left desolate and at this day remaineth as a village But néere therevnto vnder the Saxon kings an other towne was built now called Cambridge where by the fauour of king Sigebert and 〈◊〉 Burgundian that was bishop of Dunwich 〈◊〉 schoole was erected as in place conuenient shall appeare ARchigallus the second sonne of Morindus and brother vnto Gorliomanus was admitted king of Britaine in the yeare 3686 after the building of the citie of Rome 470 after the deliuerance of the Israelites out of captiuitie 25◠and in the first yeare of Softhenes king of Macedonia This Archigalius in the English chronicle called Artogaill followed not the steppes of his brother but giuing himselfe to dissention and strise imagined causos against his nobles that he might displace them and set such in their roomes as were men of base birth and of euill conditions Also he sought by vnlawfull meanes to bereaue his wealthie subiects of their goods and riches so to inrich himselfe and impouerish his people For the which his inordinate dooings his nobles conspired against him and finallie depriued him of all his honor and kinglie dignitie after he had reigned about the space of one yeare ELidurus the third sonne of Morindus and brother to Archigallus was by one consent of the Britains chosen to reigne ouer them in his brothers stead after the creation of the world 3687 and after the building of the citie of Rome 471 after the deliuerance of the Israelites 256 in the first yeare of Sosthenes king of Macedonia This Elidurus in the English chronicle named Hesider or Esoder prooued a most righteous prince and doubting least he should doo otherwise than became him if he did not take care for his brother Archigallus estate a man might woonder what diligence he shewed in trauelling with the nobles of the realme to haue his brother restored to the crowne againe Now as it chanced one dahy being abroad on hunting in the wood called Calater neare vnto Yorke he found his brother Archigall wandering there in the thickest of that wildernesse whom in most louing maner he secretlie conneied home to his house being as then in the citie of Aldud otherwise called Acliud Shortlie after he feined himselfe sicke and in all hast sent messengers about to assemble his barons who being come at the day appointed he called them one after another into his priuie chamber and there handled them in such effectuous sort with wise and discréet words that he got their good wils to further him to their powers for the reducing of the kingdome eftsoones into the hands of his brother Archigallus After this he assembled a councell at Yorke where he so vsed the matter with the commons that in conclusion when the said Elidurus had gouerned the land well and honourablie the space of thrée yeares he resigned wholie his crowne and kinglie title vnto his brother Archigallo who was receiued of the Britaine 's againe as king by mediation of his brother in manner as before is said ¶ A rare example of brotherlie loue if a man shall reuolue in his mind what an inordinate desire remaineth amongst mortall men to atteine to the supreme souereintie of ruling and to kéepe the same when they haue it once in possession He had well learned this lesson as may appeare by his contentation and resignation namelie that Nec abnuendum si dat imperium Deus Nec appetendum otherwise he would not haue béene led with such an equabilitie of mind For this great good will and brotherlie loue by him shewed thus toward his brother he was surnamed the godlie and vertuous WHen Archigallus was thus restored to the kingedome and hauing learned by due correction that he must turne the leafe and take out a new lesson by changing his former trade of liuing into better if he would reigne in suertie he became a new man vsing himselfe vprightlie in the administration of iustice and behauing himselfe so woorihilie in all his doings both toward the nobles commons of his realme that he was both beloued and dread of all his subiects And so continuing the whole tearme of his life finallie departed out of this world after he had reigned this second time the space of ten yeares and was buried at Yorke ELidurus brother to this Archigallus was then againe admitted king by consent of all the Britaines 3700 of the world But his two yonger brethren Uigenius and Peredurus enuieng the happie state of this woorthie prince so highlie for his vertue and good gouernance esteemed of the Britains of a grounded malice conspired against him and assembling an armie leuied warre against him and in a pitcht field tooke him prisoner and put him in the tower of London there to be kept close prisoner after he had reigned now this last time the space of one yeare VIgenius and Peredurus the yoongest sonnes of Morindus and brethren to Elidurus began to reigne iointlie as kings of Britaine in the yeare of the world 3701 after the building of Rome 485 after the deliuerance of the Israelites 266 complet and in the 12 yeare of Antigonus Gonaias the sonne of Demetrius king of the Macedonians These two brethren in the English chronicles are named Higanius and Petitur who as Gal. Mon. testifieth diuided the realme betwixt them so that all the land from Humber westward fell to Uigenius or Higanius the other part beyond Humber northward Peredure held But other affirme that Peredurus onelie reigned and held his brother Elidurus in prison by his owne consent forsomuch as he was not willing to gouerne But Gal. Mon. saith that Uigenius died after he had reigned 7 yeares and then Peredurus seized all the land into his owne rule and gouerned it with such sobrietie and wisedome that he was praised aboue all his brethren so that Elidurus was quite forgotten of the Britains But others write that he was a verie tyrant and vsed himselfe verie cruellie towards the lords of his land wherevpon they rebelled and slue him But whether by violent hand or by naturall sicknesse he finallie departed this life after the consent of most writers when he had reigned eight yeares leauing no issue behind him to succéed in the gouernance of the kingdome He builded the towne of Pikering where his bodie was buried ELidurus then as soone as his brother Peredurus was dead for as much as he was next heire to the crowne was deliuered out of prison and now the third time admitted king of Britaine who vsed himselfe as before verie orderlie in ministring to
his bountifulnâ—s and buriall The ninth Chapter HEere note by the waie a thing not to be be forgotten that of the foresaid Helie the last of the said 3â— kings the I le of Elie tooke the name bicause that he most commonlie did there inhabit building in the same a goodly palace and making great reparations of the sluces ditches causies about that I le for conueiance awaie of the water that els would sore haue indamaged the countrie There be that haue mainteined that this I le should rather take name of the great abundance of éeles that are found in these waters and fennes wherwith this Ile is inuironed But Humfrey Llhoyd holdeth that it tooke name of this British word Helig which signifieth willowes wherwith those fennes abound After the decesse of the same Helie his eldest son Lud began his reigne in the yéere after the creation of the world 3895 after the building of the citie of Rome 679 before the comming of Christ 72 and before the Romances entred Britaine 19 yéeres This Lud proued a right worthie prince amending the lawes of the realme that were defectiue abolishing euill customs and maners vsed amongst his people and repairing old cities and townes which were decaied but speciallie he delited most to beautifie and inlarge with buildings the citie of Troinouant which he compassed with a strong wall made of lime and stone in the best maner fortified with diuerse faire towers and in the west part of the same wall he erected a strong gate which he commanded to be called after his name Ludsgate and so vnto this daie it is called Ludgate S onelie drowned in pronuntiation of the word In the same citie also he soiorned for the more part by reason whereof the inhabitants increased and manie habitations were builded to receiue them and he himselfe caused buildings to be made betwixt London stone and Ludgate and builded for himselfe not farre from the said gate a faire palace which is the bishop of Londons palace beside Paules at this daie as some thinke yet Harison supposeth it to haue bin Bainards castell where the blacke friers now standeth He also builded a faire temple néere to his said palace which temple as some take it was after turned to a church and at this daie called Paules By reason that king Lud so much esteemed that citie before all other of his realme inlarging it so greatlie as he did and continuallie in manner remained there the name was changed so that it was called Caerlud that is to saie Luds towne and after by corruption of spéech it was named London Beside the princelie dooings of this Lud touching the aduancement of the common wealth by studies apperteining to the time of peace he was also strong valiant in armes in subduing his enimies bountious and liberall both in gifts and kéeping a plentifull house so that he was greatlie beloued of all the Britaines Finallie when he had reigned with great honour for the space of 11 yéeres he died and was buried néere Ludgate leauing after him two sons Androgeus and Theomancius or Tenancius Of Cassibellane and his noble mind Iulius Caesar sendeth Caius Volusenus to â—â—â—uey the coasts of this Iland he lieth with his fleet at Calice purposing to inuade the countrie his attempt is bewraied and withstood by the Britains The tenth Chapter GAssibellane the brother of Lud was admitted king of Britaine in the yéere of the world 3908 after the building of Rome 692 and before the comming of Christ 58 complet For sith the two sonnes of Lud were not of age able to gouerne the rule of the land was committed to Cassibellane but yet as some haue written he was not created king but rather appointed ruler protector of the land during the nonage of his nephewes Now after he was admitted by whatsoeuer order to the administration of the common wealth he became so noble a prince and so bountious that his name spred farre and néere and by his vpright dealing in seeing iustice executed he grew in such estimation that the Britaine 's made small account of his nephewes in comparison of the fauour which they bare towards him But Cassibellane hauing respect to his honour least it might be thought that his nephewes were expelled by him out of their rightfull possessions brought them vp verie honourablie assigning to Androgeus London and Kent and to Theomantius the countrie of Cornwall Thus farre out of the British histories whereby it maie be gathered that the yéeres assigned to these kings that reigned before Cassibellane amount to the summe of 1058. But whether these gouernors whose names we haue recited were kings or rather rulers of the common wealth or tyrants and vsurpers of the gouernment by force it is vncerteine for not one ancient writer of anie approued authoritie maketh anie remembrance of them and by that which Iulius Cesar writeth it maie and dooth appéere that diuerse cities in his daies were gouerned of themselues as héereafter it shall more plainlie appéere Neither doth he make mention of those townes which the British histoie affirmeth to be built by the same kings In déed both he and other Latine writers speake of diuerse people that inhabited diuers portions of this land as of the Brigantes Trinobantes Iceni Silures and such other like but in what parts most of the said people did certeinlie inhabit it is hard to auouch for certeine truth But what Iohn Leland thinketh héereof being one in our time that curiouslie searched out old antiquities you shall after heare as occasion serueth and likewise the opinions of other as of Hector Boetius who coueting to haue all such valiant acts as were atchiued by the Britains to be ascribed to his countriemen the Scots draweth both the Silures and Brigantes with other of the Britains so farre northward that he maketh them inhabitants of the Scotish countries And what particular names soeuer they had yet were they all Scots with him and knowne by that generall name as he would persuade vs to beléeue saieng that they entred into Britaine out of Ireland 330 yéeres before the incarnation of our Sauiour Neuerthelesse how generall soeuer the name of Scots then was sure it is that no speciall mention of them is made by anie writer till about 300 yeares after the birth of our sauiour And yet the Romans which ruled this land and had so much adoo with the people thereof make mention of â—iuerse other people nothing so famous as Boetius would make his Scotish men euen then to be But to leaue to the Scots the antiquitie of their originall beginning as they and other must doo vnto vs our descent from Brute and the other Troians sith the contrarie dooth not plainelie appeare vnlesse we shall leane vnto presumptions now are we come to the time in the which what actes were atchiued there remaineth more certeine record and therefore
should not come togither againe Now for that a displeasing and a doubtfull peace was not like to bring quietnesse either to him or to his armie he tooke from such as he suspected their armour And after this he went about to defend the riuers of Auon Seuerne with placing his souldiers in camps fortified néere to the same But the Oxfordshire men and other of those parties would not suffer him to accomplish his purpose in anie quiet sort being a puissant kind of people and not hitherto weakened by warres for they willinglie at the first had ioined in amitie with the Romans The countries adioining also being induced by their procurement came to them so they chose forth a plot of ground fensed with a mightie ditch vnto the which there was no waie to enter but one the same verie narrow so as the horssemen could not haue anie easie passage to breake in vpon them Ostorius although he had no legionarie souldiers but certeine bands of aids marched foorth towards the place within the which the Britains were lodged and assaulting them in the same brake through into their campe where the Britains being impeached with their owne inclosures which they had raised for defense of the place knowing how that for their rebellion they were like to find small mercie at the Romans hands when they saw now no waie to escape laid about them manfullie and shewed great proofe of their valiant stomachs In this battell the sonne of Ostorius the lieutenant deserued the price and commendation of preseruing a citizen out of the cruell enimies hands But now with this slaughter of the Oxfordshire men diuers of the Britains that stood doubtfull what waie to take either to rest in quiet or to moue warres were contented to be conformable vnto a reasonable order of peace in so much that Ostorius lead his armie against the people called Cangi who inhabited that part of Wales now called Denbighshire which countrie he spoiled on euerie side no enimie once daring to encounter him if anie of them aduentured priuilie to set vpon those which they found behind or on the outsids of his armie they were cut short yer they could escape out of danger Wherevpon he marched straight to their campe and giuing them battell vanquished them and vsing the victorie as reason moued him he lead his armie against those that inhabited the inner parts of Wales spoiling the countrie on euerie side And thus sharplie pursuing the rebels he approched néere vnto the sea side which lieth ouer against Ireland While this Romane capteine was thus occupied he was called backe by the rebellion of the Yorkshire men whome forthwith vpon his comming vnto them he appeased punishing the first authors of that tumult with death In the meane time the people called Silures being a verie fierce kind of men and valiant prepared to make warre against the Romans for they might not be bowed neither with roughnesse nor yet with anie courteous handling so that they were to be tamed by an armie of legionarie souldiers to be brought among them Therefore to restraine the furious rage of those people and their neighbours Ostorious peopled a towne néere to their borders called Camelodunum with certeine bands of old souldiers there to inhabit with their wiues and children according to such maner as was vsed in like cases of placing naturall Romans in anie towne or citie for the more suertie and defense of the same Here also was a temple builded in the honor of Claudius the emperour where were two images erected one of the goddesse Uictoria and an other of Claudius himselfe The coniectures of writers touching the situation of Camelodunum supposed to be Colchester of the Silures a people spoken of in the former chapter a foughten field betwene Caratacus the British prince and Ostorius the Romaine in the confines of Shorpshire the Britains go miserablie to wracke Caratacus is deliuered to the Romans his wife and daughter are taken prisoners his brethren yeeld themselues to their enimies The sixt Chapter BUt now there resteth a great doubt among writers where this citie or towne called Camelodunum did stand of some and not without good ground of probable coniectures gathered vpon the aduised consideration of the circumstances of that which in old authors is found written of this place it is thought to be Colchester But verelie by this place of Tacitus it maie rather seeme to be some other towne situat more westward than Colchester sith a colonie of Romane souldiers were planted there to be at hand for the repressing of the vnquiet Silures which by consent of most writers inhabited in Southwales or néere the Welsh marshes There was a castell of great fame in times past that hight Camaletum or in British Caermalet which stood in the marshes of Summersetshire but sith there is none that hath so written before this time I will not saie that happilie some error hath growne by mistaking the name of Camelodunum for this Camaletum by such as haue copied out the booke of Cornelius Tacitus and yet so it might be doon by such as found it short or vnperfectlie written namelie by such strangers or others to whom onelie the name of Camelodunum was onelie knowne and Camaletum peraduenture neuer séene nor heard of As for example and Englishman that hath heard of Waterford in Ireland and not of Wexford might in taking foorth a copie of some writing easilie commit a fault in noting the one for the other We find in Ptolomie Camedolon to be a citie belonging to the Trinobants and he maketh mention also of Camelodunum but Humfrey Lhoyd thinketh that he meaneth all one citie Notwithstanding Polydor Virgil is of a contrarie opinion supposing the one to be Colchester in déed and the other that is Camelodunum to be Doncaster or Pontfret Leland esteeming it to be certeinelie Colchester taketh the Iceni men also to be the Northfolke men But howsoeuer we shall take this place of Tacitus it is euident inough that Camelodunum stood not farre from the Thames And therefore to séeke it with Hector Boetius in Scotland or with Polydor Virgil so far as Doncaster or Pontfret it maie be thought a plaine error But to leaue each man to his owne iudgement in a matter so doubtfull we will procéed with the historie as touching the warres betwixt the Romans and the Silurians against whome trusting not onelie vpon their owne manhood but also vpon the high prowesse valiancie of Caratacus Ostorius set forward Caratacus excelled in fame aboue all other the princes of Britaine aduanced thereto by manie doubtfull aduentures and manie prosperous exploits which in his time he had atchiued but as he was in policie and aduantage of place better prouided than the Romans so in power of souldiers he was ouermatched And therefore he remoued the battell into the parts of that countrie where the Ordouices inhabited which are thought to haue dwelled in the borders
he vsed they turned to his side to the ouerthrow and vtter destruction of Bassianus for the which traitorous part they had those south countries of Scotland giuen vnto them for their habitation But by the Scotish writers it should appeare that those Picts which aided Fulgentius and also Carausius were the same that long before had inhabited the north parts of Britaine now called Scotland But whatsoeuer they were truth it is as the British histories record that at length one Alectus was sent from Rome by the senat with 3 legions of souldiers to subdue Carausius which he did and slue him in the field as the same histories make mention after he had reigned the space of 7 or 8 yeares and in the yeare of our saluation two hundred ninetie three A Lectus in haung vanquished and slaine Carausius tooke vpon him the rule and gouernment of Britaine in the yeare of our Lord 293. This Alectus when he had restored the land to the subiection of the Romans did vse great crueltie against such Britains as had maintained the part of Carausius by reason whereof he purchased much euill will of the Britains the which at length conspired against him and purposing to chase the Romans altogither out of their countrie they procured one Asclepiodotus whome the British chronicles name duke of Cornewall to take vpon him as chiefe captaine that enterprise Wherevpon the same Asclepiodotus assembling a great armie made such sharpe warres on the Romans that they being chased from place to place at length withdrew to the of London and there held them till Asclepiodotus came thither and prouoked Alectus and his Romans so much that in the end they issued foorth of the citie and gaue battell to the Britans in the which much people on both parts were slaine but the greatest number died on the Romans side and amongst others Alectus himselfe was slaine the residue of the Romans that were left aliue retired backe into the citie with a capteine of theirs named Liuius Gallus and defended themselues within the walles for a time right valiantlie Thus was Alectus slaine of the Britains after he had reigned as some suppose about the terme of six yeares or as some other write thrée yeares ASclepiodotus duke of Cornewall began his reigen ouer the Britains in the yeare of our Lord 232. after he had vanquished the Romans in battell as before is recited he laid his siege about the citie of London and finallie by knightlie force entred the same and flue the forenamed Liuius Gallus néere vnto a brooke which in those daies ran through the citie threw him into the same brooke by reason whereof long after it was called Gallus or Wallus brooke And at this present the streete where the same brooke did run is called Walbrooke Then after Asclepiodotus had ouercome all his enimies he held this land a certeine space in good rest and quiet and ministred iustice vprightlie in rewarding the good and punishing the euill Till at length through slanderous toongs of malicious persons discord was raised betwixt the king and one Coill or Coilus that was gouernour of Colchester the occasion whereof appeareth not by writers But whatsoeuer the matter was there insued such hatred betwixt them that on both parts great armies were raised and méeting in the field they fought a sore and mightie battell in the which Asclepiodotus was slaine after he had reigned 30 yeares Thus haue Geffrey of Monmouth and our common chroniclers written of Carausius Alectus and Asclepiodotus which gouerned héere in Britaine But Eutropius the famous writers of the Romane histories in the acts of Dioclesian hath in effect these woords About the same time Carausius the which being borne of most base ofspring atteined to high honour and dignitie by order of renowmed chiualrie seruice in the warres receiued charge at Bolein to kéepe the seas quiet alongst the coasts of Britaine France and Flanders and other countries thereabouts bicause the Frenchmen which yet inhabited within the bounds of Germanie and the Saxons sore troubled those seas Carausius taking oftentimes manie of the enimies neither restored the goods to them of the countrie from whome the enimies had bereft the same nor yet sent anie part therof to the emperours but kept the whole to his owne vse Whervpon when suspicion arose that he should of purpose suffer the enimies to passe by him till they had taken some prises that in their returne with the same he might incounter with them and take that from them which they had gotten by which subtile practise he was thought greatly to haue inriched him selfe Maximianus that was fellow in gouernment of the empire with Dioclesianus remaining then in Gallia and aduertised of these dooings commanded that Carausius should be slaine but he hauing warning thereof rebelled and vsurping the imperiall ornaments and title got possession of Britaine against whom being a man of great experience in all warlike knowledge when warres had béene attempted and folowed in vaine at length a peace was concluded with him and so he enioied the possession of Britaine by the space of seuen yéeres then was slaine by his companion Alectus the which after him ruled Britaine for the space of thrée yéeres and was in the end oppressed by the guile of Asclepiodotus gouernour of the pretorie or as I maie call him lord lieutenant of some precinct and iurisdiction perteining to the Romane empire Also so was Britaine recouered by the foresaid Asclepiodotus about ten yéeres after that Carausius had first vsurped the gouernment there and about the yéere of our Lord 300 as Polydor iudgeth wherein he varieth much from Fabian and others ¶ But to shew what we find further written of the subduing of Alectus I thinke it not amisse to set downe what Mamertinus in his oration written in praise of Maximianus dooth report of this matter which shall be performed in the chapter following The substance of that which is written touching Britaine in a panegyrike oration ascribed to Mamertinus which he set foorth in praise of the emperors Dioclesian and Maximian it is intituled onelie to Maximian whereas neuerthelesse both the emperors are praised and likewise as ye may perceiue Constantius who was father to Constantine the great is here spoken of being chosen by the two foresaid emperors to assist them by the name of Caesar in rule of the empire of whom hereafter more shall be said The xxiiij Chapter ALl the compasse of the earth most victorious emperor being now recouered through your noble prowesse not onelie so farre as the limits of the Romane empire had before extended but also the enimies borders beeing subdued when Almaine had beene so often vanquished and Sarmatia so often restreined brought vnder the people called Vitungi Quadi Carpi so often put to flight the Goth submitting himselfe the king of Persia by offering gifts suing for peace one
after certeine bickerings he slue the said Constantine at Arles although not without great bloudshed He pursued also the residue of the Britains driuing them to the verie sea coasts where they shrowded themselues among the other Britains that before were setled in the countrie there ancientlie called as before we said Armorica that is a region lieng on the sea coast for Ar in the British toong signifieth vpon and Moure perteining to the sea And as this Constantine the father was slaine by Constantius so was Constans the sonne killed at Uienna by one of his owne capteines named Gerâ—ntius Whereby it came to passe that Honorius shortlie after hauing thus obteined the victorie of both these vsurpers recouered the Ile but yet not till the yeare next following and that by the high industrie and great diligence of that valiant gentleman earle Constantius The slaughter of Constantine his sonne happened in the 1 yeare of the 297 Olympiad 465 after the comming of Cesar 1162 after the building of Rome the dominicall letter being A and the golden number 13 so that the recouering of the Iland fell in the yeare of our Lord 411. Here also is eftsoones to be considered the valure of the British souldiers who following this last remembred Constantine the vsurper did put the Romane state in great danger and by force brake through into Spaine vanquishing those that kept the streicts of the mounteins betwixt Spaine and Gallia now called France an exploit of no small consequence sith thereby the number of barbarous nations got frée passage to enter into Spaine whereof insued manie battels sacking of cities and townes and wasting of the countries accordinglie as the furious rage of those fierce people was mooued to put their crueltie in practise ¶ If therefore the Britaine writers had considered and marked the valiant exploits and noble enterprises which the Brittish aids armies and legions atchiued in seruice of the Romane emperours by whome whilest they had the gouernement ouer this I le there were at sundrie times notable numbers conueied foorth into the parties of beyond the seas as by Albinus and Constantius also by his sonne Constantine the great by Maximus and by this Constantine both of them vsurpers if I saie the British writers had taken good note of the numbers of the British youth thus conueied ouer from hence what notable exploits they boldlie attempted no lesse manfullie atchiued they néeded not to haue giuen eare vnto the fabulous reports forged by their Bards of Arthur and other their princes woorthie in déed of verie high commendation And pitie it is that their fame should be brought by such meanes out of credit by the incredible and fond fables which haue béene deuised of their acts so vnlike to be true as the tales of Robin Hood or the gests written by Ariost the Italian in his booke intituled Orlando furioso sith the same writers had otherwise true matter inough to write of concerning the worthie feats by their countriemen in those daies in forren parts boldlie enterprised and no lesse valiantlie accomplished as also the warres which now and then they mainteined against the Romans here at home in times when they felt themselues oppressed by their tyrannicall gouernment as by that which is written before of Caratacus Uoadicia Cartimandua Uenusius Galgagus or Galdus as some name him and diuers other who for their noble valiancies deserue as much praise as by toong or pen is able to be expressed But now to returne vnto the British historie we will procéed in order with their kings as we find them in the same mentioned and therefore we haue thought good to speake somewhat further of Gratian from whome we haue digressed Gratians rough regiment procureth his owne destruction the comming of his two brethren Guanius and Melga with their armies the Scots and Picts plague the Britains they send for aid to Rome Valentinian sendeth Gallio Rauenna to releeue them the Romans refuse anie longer to succour the Britains whom they taught how to make armour and weapons the Scots and Picts enter afresh into Britaine and preuaile the Britains are brought to extreme miserie ciuill warres among them and what mischiefe dooth follow therevpon their lamentable letter to Actius for succour against their enimies their sute is denied at what time the Britains ceased to be tributaries to the Romans they send ambassadors to the K. of Britaine in France and obteine their sute The xxxiij Chapter GRatianus then whome Maximus or Maximinus had sent into Britaine as before ye haue heard hearing that his maister was slaine tooke vpon him the rule of this our Britaine and made himselfe king therof in the yeare 390. He was a Britaine borne as Polydor writeth coniecturing so by that he is named of authors to be Municeps that is to saie a frée man of the countrie or citie where he inhabited For his sternehesse and rough gouernement he was of the Britains as the histories alledge slaine and dispatched out of the waie after he had reigned the space of foure yeares or rather foure moneths as should seeme by that which is found in autentike writers Then the forenamed kings Guanius and Melga which as some write were brethren returned into this land with their armies increased with new supplies of men of warre as Scots Danes the Norwegians and destroied the countrie from side to side For the Britains in this season were sore inféebled and were not able to make anie great numbers of souldiers by reason that Maximus had led foorth of the land the floure and chiefest choise of all the British youth into Gallia as before ye haue heard Gyldas maketh no mention of these two kings Guanius and Melga of the Hunnes but rehearsing this great destruction of the land declareth as before ye haue heard that the Scots and Picts were the same that did all the mischiefe whome he calleth two nations of beyond the seas the Scots comming out of the northwest and the Picts out of the northeast by whome as he saith the land was ouerrun and brought vnder foot manie yeares after Therefore the Britains being thus vexed spoiled and cruellie persecuted by the Scots and Picts if we shall so take them sent messengers with all spéed vnto Rome to make sute for some aid of men of war to be sent into Britaine Wherevpon immediatlie a legion of souldiers was sent thither in the yéere 414 which easilie repelled the enimies and chased them backe with great slaughter to the great comfort of the Britains the which by this meanes were deliuered from danger of vtter destruction as they thought But the Romans being occasioned to depart againe out of the land appointed the Britains to make a wall as had béene aforetime by the emperours Adrian Antoninus and Seuerus ouerthwart the countrie from sea to sea stretching from Penuelton vnto the citie of Aclud whereby the enimies might be staid from entring the land but this
trumpets had blowne the sound to battell through out the whole Romane empire most cruell nations being stirred vp inuaded the borders next adioining the Almans wasted and destroied the parts of Gallia and Rhetia as the Sarmatians and Quadi did Pannonia the Picts the Saxons the Scots and the Attacots vexed the Britains with continuall troubles and gréeuous damages the Austorians and the people of the Moores ouerran the countrie of Affrike more sharpelie than in time past they had done the pilfring troops of the Goths spoiled Thracia the king of Persia set in hand to subdue the Armenians and sought to bring them vnder his obeisance hasting with all spéed toward Numonia pretending though vniustlie that now after the deceasse of Iouinius with whome he had contracted a league and bond of peace there was no cause of let what he ought not to recouer those things which as he alledged did belong to his ancestors and so foorth Moreouer the same Marcellinus in another place writeth in this wise where he speaketh of the said Ualentinianus Departing therefore from Amiens and hasting to Trier he was troubled with gréeuous newes that were brought him giuing him to vnderstand that Britaine by a conspiracie of the barbarous nations was brought to vtter pouertie that Nectaridus one of the emperours house earle of the sea coast hauing charge of the parties towards the sea was slaine and that the generall Bulchobaudes was circumuented by traines of the enimies These things with great horrour being knowne he sent Seuerus as then erle or as I may call him lord steward of his houshold to reforme things that were amisse if hap would so permit who being shortlie called backe Iouinius going thither and with spéed hasting forward sent for more aid and a great power of men as the instant necessitie then required At length for manie causes and the same greatlie to be feared the which were reported and aduertised out of that I le Theodosius was elected and appointed to go thither a man of approoued skill in warlike affaires and calling togither an hardie youthfull number of the legions and cohorts of men of warre he went foorth no small hope being conceiued of his good spéed the fame wherof spred and went afore him A litle after Marcellinus adding what people they were that troubled the Britains in this wise saith thus This shall suffice to be said that in this season the Picts diuided into two nations Dicalidones and Victuriones and in like maner the Attacotti a right warlike nation and the Scots wandering here and there made fowle woorke in places where they came The confines of France were disquieted by the Frankeners and Saxons borderers vnto them euerie one as they could breaking foorth dooing great harme by cruell spoile fire and taking of prisoners To withstand those dooings if good fortune would giue him leaue that most able capteine going vnto the vttermost bounds of the earth when he came to the coast of Bullen which is seuered from the contrarie coast on the other side by the sea with a narrow streight where sometime the water goeth verie high and rough shortlie after becommeth calme pleasant without hurt to those that passe the same transporting ouer at leasure he arriued at Sandwich or rather Richburrow where there is a quiet road for vessels to lie at anchor Wherevpon the Bataui and Heruli with the souldiers of the legions called Iouij and Victores being companies that trusted well to their owne strength marched foorth drew towards London an ancient citie which now of late hath bin called Augusta Herewith diuiding his armie into sundrie parts he set vpon the troops of his enimies as they were abroad to forrey the countrie pestered with burdens of their spoiles and pillage and spéedilie putting them to flight as they were leading away those prisoners which they had taken with their booties of cattell he bereft them of their preie the which the poore Britains that were tributaries had lost To be briefe restoring the whole except a small portion bestowed amongst the wearie souldiers he entred the citie which before was opprest with troubles but now suddenlie refreshed bicause there was hope of reliefe and assured preseruation After this when Theodosius was comforted with prosperous successe to attempt things of greater importance and searching waies how with good aduise to woorke suerlie whilest he remained doubtfull what would insue he learned as well by the confession of prisoners taken as also by the information of such as were fled from the enimies that the scattered people of sundrie nations which with practise of great crueltie were become fierce and vndanted could not be subdued but by policie secretlie practised and sudden inuasions At length therefore setting foorth his proclamations and promising pardon to those that were gone awaie from their capteins or charge he called them backe againe to serue and also those that by licence were departed and laie scattered here and there in places abroad By this meanes when manie were returned he being on the one side earnestlie prouoked and on the other holden backe with thoughtfull cares required to haue one Ciuilis by name sent to him to haue the rule of the prouinces in Britaine in steed of the other gouernours a man of sharpe wit and an earnest mainteiner of iustice He likewise required that one Dulcitius a capteine renowmed in knowledge of warlike affaires might be sent ouer to him for his better assistance These things were doone in Britaine Againe in his eight and twentith booke the same Marcellinus reciting further what the same Theodosius atchiued in Britaine hath in effect these words Thedosius verelie a capteine of woorthie fame taking a valiant courage to him and departing from Augusta which men of old time called London with souldiers assembled by great diligence did succour and reléeue greatlie the decaied and troubled state of the Britains preuenting euerie conuenient place where the barbarous people might lie in wait to doo mischiefe and nothing he commanded the meane souldiers to doo but that whereof he with a chéerefull mind would first take in hand to shew them in example By this meanes accomplishing the roome of a valiant souldier and fulfilling the charge of a noble capteine he discomfited and put to flight sundrie nations whome presumption nourished by securitie emboldened to inuade the Romane prouinces and so the cities and castels that had béene sore endamaged by manifold losses and displeasures were restored to their former state of wealth the foundation of rest and quietnesse being laid for a long season after to insue But as these things were a dooing one wicked practise was in hand like to haue burst foorth to the gréeuous danger of setting things in broile if it had not béene staied euen in the beginning of the first attempt For there was one Ualentinus borne in the parties of Ualeria adioining to Pannonia
After him succéeded a sonne whom he left behind him who being attentiue rather to defend than to inlarge his kingdome neuer set foot out of his fathers bounds during the space of 24 yéeres in the which he reigned About thrée yéeres after the deceasse of Hengist a new supplie of men of warre came out of Germanie vnto the aid of Ella king of Sussex who hauing his power increased besieged the citie of Andredescester which was verie strong and well furnished with men and all things necessarie The Britains also assembling togither in companies greatlie annoied the Saxons as they lay there at â—â—ege laieng ambushes to destroie such as went abroad and ceassing not to giue alarums to the campe in the night season and the Saxons could no sooner prepare them selues to giue the assalt but the Britains were readie to assaile them on the backs till at length the Saxons diuiding themselues into two companies appointed the one to giue the assalt and the other to incounter with the armie of the Britains without and so finallie by that meanes preuailed tooke the citie and destroied man woman and child Neither so contented they did also vtterlie race the said citie so as it was neuer after that daie builded or readified againe The east Angles kingdome beginneth the arriuall of Cerdic and Kenric with fiue ships of warre in this land he putteth the Britains to flight the west Saxons kingdom begineth Vter Pendragon made king of Britaine the etymon of his name he taketh Occa and Osca the two sonnes of Hengist prisoners how Hector Boetius varieth from other chronographers in the relation of things concerning Pendragon he falleth in loue with the duke of Cornewalls wife killeth him and marieth hir Occa and Osca escape out of prison they freshlie assault the Britains they are both slaine in a foughten field the Saxons send and looke for aid out of Germanie Pendragon is poisoned The tenth Chapter MOreouer in the daies of the afore-named Aurelius Ambrosius about the yeare of our Lord 561 the kingdome of the east Angles began vnder a Saxon named Uffa This same kingdome conteined Northfolke and Suffolke hauing on the east and north parts the sea on the northwest Cambridgeshire and on the west saint Edmunds ditch with a part of Hertfordshire and on the southside lieth Essex At the first it was called Uffines dominion and the kings that reigned or the people the inhabited there ware at the first named Uffines but at length they were called east Angles FUrthermore about the yeare of our Lord 495 and in the eight yeare after that Hengist was dead one Cerdicus and his sonne Kenricus came out of Gerrmanie with fiue ships and landed at a place called Cerdicshore which as some thinke is called Yermouth in Northfolke He was at the first receiued with battell by the Britains but being an old skilfull warriour he easilie beate backe and repelled the inconstant multitude of his enimies and caused them to flée by which good successe he procured both vndoubted assurance to himselfe for the time to come and to the inhabitants good and perfect quietnes For they thinking good neuer after to prouoke him more by resistance submitted themselues to his pleasure but yet did not he then giue himselfe to slouthfull rest but rather extending his often atchiued victories on ech side in the 24 yeare after his comming into this land he obteined the rule of the west parts thereof and gouerned there as king so that the kingdome of the west Saxons began vnder the said Cerdicus in the 519 of Christ as after shall be shewed ¶ Thus ye maie sée that Aurelius Ambrosius did succéed Uortigerne and reigned in the time supposed by the British histories as before is alledged the land euen in his daies was full of trouble and the old inhabitants the Britains sore vexed by the Saxons that entred the same so that the Britains were dailie hampered and brought vnder subiection to the valiant Saxons or else driuen to remooue further off and to giue place to the victors But now to procéed with the succession of the British kings as in their histories we find them registred which I deliuer such as I find but not such as I doo wish being written with no such colour of credit as we maie safelie put foorth same for an vndoubted truth After that Aurelius Ambrosius was dead his brother Uter Pendragon whome some call Aurelius Uterius Ambrosianus was made king in the yeare of our Lord 500 in the seuenth yeare of the emperour Anastasius and in the sixtéenth yeare of Clodoueus king of the Frenchmen The cause why he was surnamed Pendragon was for that Merline the great prophet likened him to a dragons head that at the time of his natiuitie maruelouslie appeared in the firmament at the corner of a blasing star as is reported But others supposed he was so called of his wisedome and serpentine subiltie or for that he gaue the dragons head in his banner This Uter hearing that the Saxons with their capteins Occa or Otta the sonne of Hengist and his brother Osca had besieged the citie of Yorke hasted thither and giuing them battell discomfited their power and tooke the said Occa and Osca prisoners From this varieth Hector Boetius in his chronicle of Scotland writing of these dooing in Britaine for he affirmeth that the counterfeit moonke which poisoned Aurelius Ambrosius was suborned and sent to woorke that feat by Occa and not by his brother Pascentius and further that about the selfesame time of Aurelius his death his brother Uter Pendragon lay in Wales not as yet fullie recouered of a sore sicknesse wherewith of late he had béene much vexed Yet the lords of Britaine after the buriall of Aurelius Ambrosius came vnto him and crowned him king and though he was not able to go against the Saxons which as then by reason of Aurelius Ambrosius his death were verie busie and more earnest in pursuing the warre than before yet an armie was prepared and sent foorth with all conuenient spéed vnder the leading of one Nathaliod a man neither of anie great ancient house nor yet of skill in warlike affaires The noble men were nothing pleased herewith as misliking altogither the lacke of discretion in their new king doubted sore least in time to come he would haue more delight to aduance the men of base degrée than such as were descended of noble parentage Yet because they would not put the state of the common wealth in danger through anie mutinie they agréed to go foorth with him in that iournie Occa had aduertisement giuen him by certeine letters sent to him from some close friends amongest the Britains of the whole matter and therefore in hope of the better spéed he hasted foorth to incounter the Britains and so the whole armie comming within sight of the other they prepared to the battell and shortlie after buckling togither the Britains were soone
manner of wickednesse and namelie to ciuill dissention rapine adulterie and fornication so that it may be thought that GOD stirred vp the Saxons to be a scourge to them and to worke his iust vengeance vpon them for their wickednesses and abhominable offenses dailie coÌ„mitted against his diuine maiestie so that we find recorded by writers how that the Saxons in diuers conflicts against the Britains had the better and also tooke from them diuers townes as alreadie partly hath beene and also hereafter shall be shewed It is furthermore to be remembred that about the 14 yeere of the Britaine king Conanus his reigne which was about the end of the yere of Christ 559 Kenrike king of the Westsaxons departed this life after he had reigned xxv yéeres complet This Kenrike was a victorious prince and fought diuers battels against the Britains In the 18 yeere of his reigne which was the 551 of Christ we find that he fought against them being come at that time vnto Salisburie and after great slaughter made on both parts at length the victorie remained with the Saxons and the Britains were chased Againe in the two and twentith yéere of his reigne and 555 yéere of Christ the fame Kenrike and his sonne Cheuling fought with a great power of Britains at Branburie The Britains were diuided into nine companies three in the fore ward thrée in the battell and thrée in the rere ward with their horssemen and archers after the maner of the Romans The Saxons being ranged in one entire battell valiantlie assailed them and notwithstanding the shot of the Britains yet they brought the matter to the triall of handblowes till at length by the comming on of the night the victorie remained doubtfull and no maruell is to be made therof saith Henrie archdeacon of Huntington sith the Saxons were men of huge stature great force valiant courage The same yéere that Kenrike deceassed Ida the king of Northumberland also died he was as ye haue heard a right valiant prince inlarged the dominion of the Saxons greatlie he ouercame Loth king of the Picts in battell and Gorran king of Scots Also about the yéere of Christ 560 Conanus as yet gouerning the Britains Irmenâ—ike king of Kent departed this life of whome ye haue heard before Ethelbert his sonne succéeded him 52 yéeres Then after that the foresaid thrée princes were dead as before ye haue heard they had that succéeded them in their estates as here followeth After Kenrike his sonne Ceaulinus or Cheuling succéeded in gouernement of the Westsaxons and after Ida one Ella or Alla reigned in Northumberland after Irmenrike followed his sonne Ethelbert in rule ouer the Kentish Saxons This Ethelbert in processe of time grew to be a mightie prince but yet in the begining of his reigne he had but sorie successe against some of his enimies for hauing to doo with the foresaid Cheuling king of Westsaxons he was of him ouercome in battell at Wilbasdowne where he lost two of his dukes or cheefe capteins beside other people This was the first battell that was fought betwixt the Saxons one against another within this land after their first comming into the same And this chanced in the yere of our Lord 567 being the second yéere of the emperour Iustinus ABout the yéere 570 Cutha the brother of king Cheuling fought with the Britains at Bedford vanquished them tooke from them 4 townes Liganbrough Eglesbrough or Ailsburie Besington and Euesham Also about the yéere of our Lord 581 the foresaid king Cheuling incountered with the Britains at a place called Diorth and obteining the vpper hand tooke from them the cities of Bath Glocester and Cirencester At this battell fought at Diorth were present thrée kings of the Britains whose names were these Coinmagill Candidan and Farimnagill which were slaine there through the permission of almightie God as then refusing his people the which through their heinous sinnes and great wickednesses had most gréeuouslie offended his high and diuine maiestie as by Gyldas it may euidentlie appeare For they had declined from the lawes of the Lord and were become abhominable in his sight euen from the prince to the poore man from the priest to the Leuit so that not one estate among them walked vprightlie but contrarie to dutie was gone astray by reason whereof the righteous God had giuen them ouer as a prey to their enimies Also in the latter end of Malgos daies or about the first beginning of the reigne of his successor Careticus Cheuling and his sonne Cutwine fought with the Britains at a place called Fechanley or Fedanley or as some bookes haue Frithenlie where Cutwine was slaine the Englishmen chased but yet Cheuling repairing his armie wan the victorie and chasing the Britains tooke from them manie countries and wan great riches by the spoile But Matth. West saith that the victorie aboad with the Britains and that the Saxons were chased quite out of the field The Scotish writers record that their king Aidan who is noted to haue béene the 49 successiuelie possessing the regiment of that land partlie with griefe of hart for the death of Columba a graue and wise gentleman whome he tenderlie loued and partlie with age for he was growne horieheaded and had reigned 34 yéeres ended his life was there in aid of the Britains and Brudeus king of the Picts betwixt whom and the said Aidan a sore battell was fought in aid of the Saxons but the same writers name the place Deglaston where this battell was made and the forces of both sides by a sharpe incounter tried The begining of the kingdome of Mercia the bounds of the same the heptarchie or seuen regiments of the Saxons how they grew to that perfection and by whom they were reduced and drawne into a monarâ—â—ie Careticus is created king of Britaine the Saxons take occasion by the ciuill dissentions of the Britains to make a full conquest of the land they procure forren power to further them in their enterprise Gurmundus king of the Africans arriueth in Britaine the British king is driuen to his hard shifts the politike practise of Gurmundus in taking Chichester setting the towne on fire he deliuereth the whole land in possession to the Saxons the English and Saxon kings put Careticus to flight the Britains haue onelie three prouinces left of all their countrie which before they inhabited their religion church and commonwealth is in decaie they are gouerned by three kings Cheulings death is conspired of his owne subiects The xviij Chapter ABout the same time also and 585 of Christ the kingdome of Mercia began vnder one Crida who was descended from Woden and the tenth from him by lineall extraction The bounds of this kingdome were of great distance hauing on the east the sea vnto Humber and so on the north the said riuer of Humber and after the riuer of Mercia which falleth into the west
be a let but that when a bishop should be consecrated there might be thrée or foure present Also touching the bishops of France he willed Augustine in no wise to intermeddle with them otherwise than by exhortation and good admonition to be giuen but not to presume anie thing by authoritie sith the archbishop of Arles had receiued the pall in times past whose authoritie he might not diminish least he should séeme to put his sickle into another mans haruest But as for the bishops of Britaine he committed them vnto him that the vnlearned might be taught the weake with wholesome persuasions strengthened and the froward by authoritie reformed Moreouer that a woman with child might be baptised and she that was deliuered after 33 daies of a manchild and after 46 daies of a woman-child should be purified but yet might she enter the church before if she would The residue of Augustines demands consisted in these points to wit 1 Within what space a child should be christened after it was borne for doubt to be preuented by death 2 Within what time a man might companie with his wife after she was brought to bed 3 Whether a woman hauing hir floures might enter the church or receiue the communion 4 Whether a man hauing had companie with his wife might enter the church or receiue the communion before he was washed with water 5 Whether after pollusion by night in dreames a man might receiue the communion or if he were a priest whether he might say masse To these questions Gregorie maketh answere at full in the booke and place before cited which for bréefenesse we passe ouer He sent also at that time with the messengers aforesaid at their returne into England diuers learned men to helpe Augustine in the haruest of the Lord. The names of the chiefest were these Melitus Iustus Paulinus and Ruffinianus He sent also the pall which is the ornament of an archbishop with vessels and apparell which should be vsed in churches by the archbishop and other ministers He sent also with the pall other letters to Augustine to let him vnderstand what number of bishops he would haue him to ordeine within this land Also after that Melitus and the other before mentioned persons were departed from Rome he sent a letter vnto the same Melitus being yet on his way toward Britaine touching further matter concerning the churches of England wherein he confesseth that manie things are permitted to be vsed of the people latelie brought from the errors of gentilitie in keeping feasts on the dedication daies which haue resemblance with the old superstitious rites of the Pagan religion For to hard and obstinate minds saith he it is not possible to cut away all things at once for he that coueteth to the highest place goeth vp by steps and not by leaps At the same time Gregorie did send letters vnto Augustine touching the miracles which by report he vnderstood were shewed by the fame Augustine counselling him in no wise to glorie in the same but rather in reioising to feare and consider that God gaue him the gift to worke such signes for the wealth of them to whom he was sent to preach the gospell he aduised him therefore to beware of vaine-glorie and presumption for the disciples of the truth faith he haue no ioy but onlie that which is common with all men of which there is no end for not euerie one that is elect worketh miracles but euerie of the elect haue their names written in heauen These letters with the other which Gregorie sent at this time vnto Augustine were dated the tenth day of the kalends of Iulie in the yéere of our Lord 602 which was the 19 yeere of the emperour Mauricius Moreouer he sent most courteous letters by these messengers to king Ethelbert in the which he greatlie commended him in that he had receiued the christian faith and exhorted him to continue in that most holie state of life whereby he might worthilie looke for reward at the hands of almightie God What reparations and foundations Augustine finished for clergimen to the supportation of the church the building of Paules in London and saint Peters in Westminster vncerteine a prouinciall councell called by Augustine he restoreth a blind man to his sight the Britains are hardlie weaned from their old custome of beliefe an heremits opinion of Augustine he requireth three things to be obserued of the Britains he ordeineth bishops at London and Rochester Sabert reigneth ouer the Eastsaxons Augustine dieth and is buried The xxj Chapter THus farre we haue waded in the forme and maner of conuerting the English nation to christianitie by the labours of Augustine and his coadiutors now therefore that we may orderlie procéed it remaineth that we say somewhat of the acts and déeds of the said Augustine of whom we read that after he was established archbishop and had his sée appointed him at Canturburie he restored another church in that citie which had béene erected there in times past by certeine of the Romans that were christians and did dedicate the same now to the honour of Christ our Sauiour He also began the foundation of a monasterie without that citie standing toward the east in the which by his exhortation king Ethelbert built a church euen from the ground which was dedicated vnto the holie apostles Peter and Paule in the which the bodie of the said Augustine was buried and likewise the bodies of all the archbishops of Canturburie and kings of Kent a long time after This abbie was called saint Austins after his name one Peter being the first abbat thereof The church there was not consecrated by Augustine but by his successor Laurence after he was dead Moreouer king Ethelbert at the motion of Augustine built a church in the citie of London which he latelie had conquered and dedicated it vnto saint Paule but whether he builded or restored this church of saint Paule it may be doubted for there be diuers opinions of the building thereof Some haue written that it was first builded by king Lud as before is mentioned Other againe write that it was builded afterward by Sigebert king of the Eastsaxons Also king Ethelbert builded the church of saint Andrews in Rochester It is likewise remembred by writers that the same king Ethelbert procured a citizens of London to build a church to S. Peter without the citie of London toward the west in a place then called Thorney that is to say the I le of thorns and now called Westminster though others haue written that it was built by Lucius king of Britaine or rather by Sibert king of the Eastsaxons This church was either newlie built or greatlie inlarged by king Edward surnamed the Confessor and after that the third Henrie king of England did make there a beautifull monasterie and verie richlie indowed the same with great possessions and sumptuous iewels The place was ouergrowne with vnderwoods
Kent departed this life in Iulie and left the kingdome to his brother Lothaire which held the same eleuen yéeres seuen moneths Some haue written that king Egbert by the suggestion of one Thunnir who had the chiefe rule of the kingdome vnder him suffered the same Thunnir in lamentable maner to kill the two innocent sonnes of Ermenredus the brother of king Ercombert that was father vnto king Egbert for doubt least they being towardlie yoong gentlemen might in time grow so into fauour with the people that it should be easie for them to depriue both Egbert and his issue of the kingdome Also that they were priuilie put to death and secretlie buried at the first but the place of their buriall immediatlie being shewed after a miraculous maner their bodies long after in the daies of king Egilred the sonne of king Edgar were taken vp conueied vnto Ramsey and there buried And although Egbert being giltie of the death of those his coosens did sore repent him for that he vnderstood they died giltlesse yet his brother Lothaire was thought to be punished for that offense as after shall be shewed Winfrid bishop of the Mercies for his disobedience in some point was depriued by archbishop Theodore and one Sexvulfe that was the builder and also the abbat of the monasterie of Meidhamsted otherwise called Peterborough was ordeined and consecrated in his place About the same time Erkenwald was ordeined bishop of the Eastsaxons and appointed to hold his sée in the citie of London This Erkenwald was reputed to be a man of great holinesse and vertue Before he was made bishop he builded two abbeies the one of moonks at Chertsey in Southerie where he himselfe was abbat and the other of nuns at Berking within the prouince of the Eastsaxons where he placed his sister Ethelburga a woman also highlie estéemed for hir deuout kind of life She was first brought vp and instructed in the rules of hir profession by one Hildelitha a nun of the parties beyond the seas whome Erkenwald procured to come ouer for that purpose After Erkenwald one Waldhere was made bishop of London in whose daies Sebbie king of the Eastsaxons after he had reigned thirtie yéeres being now vexed with a gréeuous sicknesse professed himselfe a moonke which thing he would haue doone long before if his wife had not kept him backe He died shortlie after within the citie of London and was buried in the church of saint Paule King Sighere which in the beginning reigned with him and gouerned a part of the Eastsaxons was departed this life before so that in his latter time the foresaid Sebbie had the gouernment of the whole prouince of the Eastsaxons and left the same to his sonnes Sighard and Sewfred About the yéere of our Lord 675 Uulfhere king of Mercia departed this life after he had reigned as some say 19 yéeres but as other affirme he reigned but 17 yéeres Howbeit they which reckon 19 include the time that passed after the slaughter of Penda wherein Oswie and Peada held the aforesaid kingdome Edilred king of Mercia inuadeth the kingdome of Kent and maketh great waste without resistance of Lothaire the king thereof Putta of a bishop becommeth a poore curat and teacheth musicke Wilfred deposed from his bishoprike by king Egfrid vpon displeasure he preacheth the gospell in Sussex by the licence of king Edilwalke no raine in Sussex for the space of three yeeres the woord and sacraments bring blessings with them bishop Wilfrid the first teacher to catch fish with nets the people haue him in great reuerence a great and bloudie battell betweene Egfrid king Edilred they are reconciled by the meanes of archbishop Theodore a synod holden at Hatfield the clergie subscribe to certeine articles of Hilda the famous abbesse of Whitbie The xxxv Chapter AFter Uulfhere his brother Edilred or Ethelred succéeded in gouernment of the kingdome of Mercia This Edilred inuaded the kingdome of Kent with a mightie armie in the yéere of our Lord 677 destroieng the countrie afore him not sparing churches nor abbeies but spoiling the same without respect as well as other common places King Lothaire durst not appéere in the field to giue him battell so that Edilred went thorough the countrie destroied the citie of Rochester and with great riches gotten by the spoile he returned home Putta the bishop of Rochester after that his church was spoiled and defaced by the enimies went to Sexvulfe bishop of Mercia and there obteining of him a small cure and a portion of ground remained in that countrie not once labouring to restore his church of his church of Rochester to the former state but went about in Mercia to teach song and instruct such as would learne musicke wheresoeuer he was required or could get intertainment Heerevpon the archbishop Theodore consecrated one William bishop of Rochester in place of Putta and after when the said William constreined by pouertie left that church Theodore placed one Gebmound in his stéed In the yéere of our Lord 678 in the moneth of August a blasing starre appéered with a long bright beame like to a piller It was séene euerie morning for the space of thrée moneths togither The same Egfrid king of Northumberland banished bishop Wilfrid vpon displeasure taken with him out of his sée and then were two bishops ordeined in his place to gouerne the church of the Northumbers the one named Bosa at Yorke and the other called Eata at Hagustald or Lindesferne Also one Eadhidus was ordeined about the same time bishop of Lindsey the which prouince king Egfrid had of late conquered and taken from Uulfhere the late king of Mercia whome he ouercame in battell and droue him out of that countrie The said thrée bishops were consecrated at Yorke by the archbishop of Canturburie Theodorus the which within thrée yéeres after ordeined two bishops more in that prouince of the Northumbers that is to say Tumbert at Hagustald Eata that was appointed to remaine at Lindesferne Trumuine was ordeined to haue the cure of the prouince of those Picts which as then were vnder the English dominion Also bicause Edilred king of Mercia recouered the countrie of Lindsey and ioined it to his dominion bishop Eadhedus comming from thence was appointed to gouerne the church of Rippon After that bishop Wilfrid was expelled out of his diocesse and prouince of the Northumbers he went to Rome and returning from thence came into the kingdome of the Southsaxons the which conteining seuen thousand housholds or families as yet was not conuerted to the christian faith Wherefore the said Wilfrid began there to preach the gospell with licence of king Edilwalke who as before is mentioned was conuerted and baptised in Mercia by the procurement of king Wolfher that then became his godfather and gaue him at the same time the I le of Wight and the prouince of the
also it goeth vnto Bruerne Shipton vnderwood Ascot Short hamton Chorleburie Corneburie parke Stonfield Longcombe and southeast of Woodstocke parke taketh in the Enis that riseth aboue Emstone and goeth to Ciddington Glimton Wotton where it is increased with a rill that runneth thither from stéeple Barton by the Béechin trée Woodstocke Blaidon so that after this confluence the said Enis runneth to Casūnton and so into the Isis which goeth from hence to Oxford and there receiueth the Charwell now presentlie to be described The head of Charwell is in Northamptonshire where it riseth out of a little poole by Charleton village seuen miles aboue Banberie northeast and there it issueth so fast at the verie surge that it groweth into a pretie streame in maner out of hand Soone after also it taketh in a rillet called the Bure which falleth into it about Otmere side but forasmuch as it riseth by Bincester the whole course therof is not aboue foure miles and therefore cannot be great A friend of mine prosecuting the rest of this description reporteth thereof as followeth Before the Charwell commeth into Oxfordshire it receiueth the Culen which falleth into the same a little aboue Edgcote and so descending toward Wardington it méeteth with another comming from by north west betweene Wardington and Cropreadie At Banberie also it méeteth with the Come which falleth from fennie Conton by Farneboro and afterwards going by kings Sutton not far from Aine it receiueth the discharge of diuerse rillets in one bottome before it come at Clifton The said water therfore ingendred of so manie brookelets consisteth chiefelie of two whereof the most southerlie called Oke commeth from Oke Norton by Witchington or Wiggington and the Berfords and carieng a few blind rils withall dooth méet with the other that falleth from by northwest into the same within a mile of Charwell That other as I coniecture is increased of thrée waters wherof each one hath his seuerall name The first of them therefore hight Tudo which comming betwéene Epwell and the Lée by Toddington ioineth about Broughton with the second that runneth from Horneton named Ornus as I gesse The last falleth into the Tude or Tudelake beneath Broughton and for that it riseth not far from Sotteswell in Warwikeshire some are of the opinion that it is to be called Sotbrooke The next water that méeteth without Charwell beneath Clifton commeth from about Croughton and after this is the Sowar or Swere that riseth north of Michaell Tew and runneth by nether Wotton The last of all is the Reie aliàs Bure whose head is not far aboue Burcester aliàs Bincester and Burncester and from whence it goeth by Burecester to Merton Charleton Fencote Addington Noke Islip and so into Charwell that holdeth on his course after this augmentation of the waters betwéene Wood and Water Eton to Marston and the east bridge of Oxford by Magdalene college and so beneath the south bridge into our aforesaid Isis. In describing this riuer this one thing right honorable is come vnto my mind touching the center and nauill as it were of England Certes there is an hillie plot of ground in Helledon parish not far from Danberie where a man maie stand and behold the heads of thrée notable riuers whose waters and those of such as fall into them doo abundantlie serue the greatest part of England on this side of the Humber The first of these waters is the Charwell alreadie described The second is the Leme that goeth westward into the fourth Auon And the third is the head of the Nene or fift Auon it selfe of whose courses there is no card but doth make sufficient mention and therefore your honour maie behold in the same how they doo coast the countrie and also measure by compasses how this plot lieth in respect of all the rest contrarie to common iudgement which maketh Northampton to be the middest and center of our countrie But to go forward with my description of the Ouse which being past Oxford goeth to Iflie Kennington Sanford Rodleie Newnham and so to Abington somtime called Sensham without increase where it receiueth the Oche otherwise called the Coche a little beneath S. Helens which runneth thither of two brooklets as I take it whereof one commeth from Compton out of the vale and west of the hill of the White horsse the other from Kings Letcombe and Wantage in Barkshire and in one chanell entreth into the same vpon the right side of his course From Abington likewise taking the Arun withall southwest of Sutton Courtneie it goeth by Appleford long Wittenham Clifton Wittenham the lesse beneath Dorchester taketh in the Thame water from whence the Isis loseth the preheminence of the whole denomination of this riuer and is contented to impart the same with the Thame so that by the coniunction of these two waters Thamesis is producted and that name continued euen vnto the sea Thame riuer riseth in the easterlie parts of Chilterne hils towards Penleie parke at a towne called Tring west of the said parke which is seauen miles from the stone bridge that is betweene Querendon and Ailsburie after the course of the water as Leland hath set downe Running therefore by long Merston and Puttenham Hucket and Bearton it receiueth soone after a rill that commeth by Querendon from Hardwike and yer long an other on the other side that riseth aboue Windouer in the Chilterne and passing by Halton Weston Turrill Broughton and Ailsburie it falleth into the Tame west of the said towne except my memorie doo faile me From this confluence the Tame goeth by Ethorpe the Winchingtons Coddington Chersleie Notleie abbeie and comming almost to Tame it receiueth one water from southeast aboue the said towne and another also from the same quarter beneath the towne so that Tame standeth inuironed vpon thrée sides with thrée seuerall waters as maie be easilie séene The first of these commeth from the Chiltern east of Below or Bledlow from whence it goeth to Hinton Horsenden Kingseie Towseie and so into the Tame The other descendeth also from the Chilterne and going by Chinner Crowell Siddenham and Tame parke it falleth in the end into Tame water and then they procéed togither as one by Shabbington Ricot parke Dracot Waterstoke Milton Cuddesdon and Chiselton Here also it taketh in another water from by-east whose head commeth from Chilterne hils not farre from Stocking church in the waie from Oxford to London From whence it runneth to Weston and méeting beneath Cuxham with Watlington rill it goeth on to Chalgraue Stadham and so into the Tame From hence our streame of Thame runneth to Newenton Draton Dorchester sometime a bishops see and a noble citie and so into the Thames which hasteth in like sort to Bensington Crowmarsh or Wallingford where it receiueth the Blaue descending from Blaueburg now Blewberie as I learne Thus haue I brought the Thames vnto
Wallingford situate in the vale of White horsse that runneth a long therby From hence it goeth by Newenham north Stoke south Stoke Goring Bassilden Pangburne where it meeteth with a water that commeth from about Hamsted Norris runneth by Frizelham Buckelburie Stanford Bradfeld Tidmarsh and Pangburne After which confluence it goeth on betweene Mapledorham and Purleie to Cauersham and Cauersham manour and a little beneath receiueth the Kenet that commeth thereinto from Reading The Kenet riseth aboue Ouerton 5 or 6 miles west of Marleborow or Marlingsborow as some call it then going by Fifeld Clatfor Maulon Preshute vnto Marleburie it holdeth on in like order to Ramsburie and northwest of little Cote taketh in a water by north descending from the hilles aboue Alburne chase west of Alburne town Thence it runneth to little Cote Charnhamstréet beneth Charnhamstréet it crosseth the Bedwin which taking the Chalkburne rill withall commeth from great Bedwiine at Hungerford also two other in one botom somewhat beneath the towne From hence it goeth to Auington Kinburie Hamsted marshall Euburne Newberie and beneath this towne taketh in the Lamburne water that commeth by Isberie Egerston the Sheffords Westford Boxford Donington castell and Shaw From Newberie it goeth to Thatcham Wolhampton Aldermaston a little aboue which village it receiueth the Alburne another brooke increased with sundrie rils and thus going on to Padworth Oston and Michaell it commeth at last to Reading where as I said it ioineth with the Thames and so they go forward as one by Sonning to Shiplake and there on the east side receiue the Loddon that commeth downe thither from the south as by his course appéereth The Loddon riseth in Hamshire betwéene west Shirburne and Wooton toward the southwest afterward directing his course toward the northwest thorough the Uine it passeth at the last by Bramlie and thorough a peece of Wiltshire to Stradfield Swallowfield Arberfield Loddon bridge leauing a patch of Wiltshire on the right hand as I haue béene informed This Loddon not far from Turges towne receiueth two waters in one bottome whereof the westerlie called Basing water commeth from Basingstoke and thorough a parke vnto the aforesaid place The other descendeth of two heads from Mapledour well and goeth by Skewes Newenham Rotherwijc and yer it come at Hartlie ioineth with the Basing water from whence they go togither to Turges where they méet with the Loddon as I haue said alreadie The next streame toward the south is called Ditford brooke It riseth not farre from Upton goeth by Gruell and beneath Wharnborow castell receiueth the Ikell comming from a parke of the same denomination from whence they go togither by Maddingleie vnto Swalowfield and so into the Loddon In this voiage also the Loddon méeteth with the Elwie or Elueie that commeth from Aldershare not farre by west of Euersleie and about Eluesham likewise with another running from Dogmansfield named the Douke and also the third not inferior to the rest comming from Erin whose head is in Surreie and going by Ash becommeth a limit first betwéene Surreie and Hamshire then betwéene Hamshire and Barkeshire and passing by Ash Erinleie Blacke water Yerleie and Finchamsted it ioineth at last with the Ditford before it come at Swalowfield To conclude therefore with our Loddon hauing receiued all these waters and after the last confluence with them now being come to Loddon bridge it passeth on by a part of Wiltshire to Twiford bridge then to Wargraue and so into the Thames that now is maruellouslie increased and growen vnto triple greatnesse to that it was at Oxford Being therefore past Shiplake and Wargraue it runneth by Horsependon or Harding then to Henleie vpon Thames where sometime a great rill voideth it selfe in the same Then to Remenham Greneland going all this waie from Shiplake iust north and now turning eastwards againe by Medenham Hurleie Bisham Marlow the greater Marlow the lesse it meeteth with a brooke soone after that consisteth of the water of two rilles whereof the one called the Use riseth about west Wickham out of one of the Chilterne hilles and goeth from thence to east Wickham or high Wickham a pretie market towne The other named Higden descendeth also from those mounteines but a mile beneath west Wickham and ioining both in one at the last in the west end of east Wickham towne they go togither to Wooburne Hedâ—or so into the Thames Some call it the Tide and that word doo I vse in my former treatise but to procéed After this confluence our Thames goeth on by Cowkham Topleie Maidenhead alià s Sudlington Braie Dorneie Clure new Windsore taking in neuerthelesse at Eaton by the waie the Burne which riseth out of a Moore commeth thither by Burnham old Windsor Wraiborow and a little by east therof doth crosse the Cole whereof I find this short description insuing The Cole riseth néere vnto Flamsted from whence it goeth to Redburn S. Michaels S. Albons Aldenham Watford and so by More to Richmansworth where there is a confluence of three waters of which this Cole is the first The second called Gadus riseth not farre from Ashridge an house or palace belonging to the prince from whence it runneth to great Gaddesdin Hemsted betwéene Kings Langleie and Abbots Langleie then to Hunters and Cashew bridges and so to Richman swoorth receiuing by the waie a rill comming from Alburie by northwest to Northchurch Barkehamsted and beneath Hemsted ioining with the same The last commeth in at northwest from aboue Chesham by Chesham it selfe then by Chesham Bois Latimers Mawdlens Cheinies Sarret and Richmanswoorth and so going on all in one chanell vnder the name of Cole it runneth to Uxbridge where it taketh in the Missenden water from northwest which rising aboue Missenden the greater goeth by Missenden the lesse Hagmondesham now Hammersham the Uach Chalfhunt Giles Chalfhunt S. Peters Denham and then into the Cole aboue Uxbridge as I haue said Soone after this our Cole doth part it selfe into two branches neuer to ioine againe before they come at the Thames for the greater of them goeth thorough the goodlie medows straight to Colebrooke the other vnto two milles a mile and a halfe east of Colebrooke in the waie to London leauing an Iland betwéene them of no small size and quantitie Being past the Cole we come to the fall of the Uindeles which riseth by northwest néere vnto Bagshot from whence it goeth to Windlesham Chobham and méeting with a brooklet comming westward from Bisleie they run togither toward Cherteseie where when they haue met with a small rill rising north of Sonning hill in Windlesoure great parke it falleth into the Thames on the northeast side of Cherteseie When we were come beyond this water it was not long yer we came vnto another on the same side that fell into the Thames betweene Shepperton on the one side and Oteland
saturdaie whereby it commeth to passe that as the Iews make our last daie the first of their wéeke so the Turks make the Iewish sabaoth the beginning of their Hebdoma bicause Mahomet their prophet as they saie was borne and dead vpon the fridaie and so he was indéed except their Alcharon deceiue them The Iews doo reckon their daies by their distance from their sabaoth so that the first daie of their wéeke is the first daie of the sabaoth and so foorth vnto the sixt The Latins and Aegyptians accompted their daies after the seauen planets choosing the same for the denominator of the daie that entreth his regiment with the first vnequall houre of the same after the sun be risen Howbeit as this order is not wholie reteined with vs so the vse of the same is not yet altogither abolished as may appéere by our sunday mondaie and saturdaie The rest were changed by the Saxons who in remembrance of Theut sometime their prince called the second day of the wéek Theutsdach the third Woden Othin Othon or Edon or Wodensdach Also of Thor they named the fourth daie Thorsdach and of Frea wife to Woden the fift was called Freadach Albeit there are and not amisse as I thinke that suppose them to meane by Thor Iupiter by Woden Mercurie by Frea or Frigga as Saxo calleth hir Uenus and finallie by Theut Mars which if it be so then it is an easie matter to find out the german Mars Uenus Mercurie and Iupiter whereof you may read more hereafter in my chronologie The truth is that Frea albeit that Saxo giueth hir scant a good report for that she loued one of hir husbands men better than himselfe had seauen sonnes by Woden the first father to Wecca of whome descended those that were afterwards kings of Kent Fethelgeta was the second and of him came the kings of Mercia Baldaie the third father to the kings of the west Saxons Beldagius the fourth parent to the kings of Brenicia or Northumberland Weogodach the fift author of the kings of Deira Caser the sixt race of the east Angle race Nascad originall burgeant of the kings of Essex As for the kings of Sussex although they were of the same people yet were they not of the same streine as our old monuments doo expresse But to procéed As certeine of our daies suffered this alteration by the Saxons so in our churches we reteined for a long time the number of daies or of sabaoth after the manner of the Iews I meane vnstill the seruice after the Romane vse was abolished which custome was first receiued as some thinke by pope Syluester though other saie by Constantine albeit another sort doo affirme that Syluester caused the sundaie onelie to be called the Lords day and dealt not with the rest In like maner of wéekes our moneths are made which are so called of the moone each one conteining eight and twentie daies or foure wéekes without anie further curiositie For we reckon not our time by the yeare of the moone as the Iews Grecians or Romans did at the first or as the Turks Arabians and Persians doo now neither anie parcell thereof by the said planet as in some part of the west Indies where they haue neither weeke moneth nor yéere but onlie a generall accompt of hundreds and thousands of moones Wherefore if we saie or write a moneth it is to be expounded of eight and twentie daies or foure wéeks onelie and not of hir vsuall period of nine and twentie daies and one and thirtie minuts Or if you take it at large for a moneth of the common calender which neuerthelesse in plées and sutes is nothing at all allowed of sith the moone maketh hir full reuolution in eight and twentie daies or foure weeks that is vnto the place where she left the sun notwithstanding that he be now gone and at hir returne not to be found verie often in that signe wherin she before had left him Plutarch writeth of diuers barbarous nations which reckoned a more or lesse number of these moneths for whole yeares and that of these some accompted but thrée as the Archadians did foure the Acarnans six and the Aegyptians but one for a whole yeare which causeth them to make such a large accompt of their antiquitie and originall But forsomuch as we are not troubled with anie such disorder it shall suffice that I haue generallie said of moneths and their quantities at this time Now a word or two of the ancient Romane calender In old time each moneth of the Romane calender was reckoned after the course of the moone and their enterances were vncerteine as were also the changes of that planet whereby it came to passe that the daie of the change was the first of the moneth howsoeuer it fell out But after Iulius Cesar had once corrected the same the seuerall beginnings of euerie one of them did not onelie remaine fixed but also the old order in the diuision of their parts continued still vnaltered so that the moneth is yet diuided as before into calends ides and nones albeit that in my daies the vse of the same bée but small and their order reteined onelie in our calenders for the better vnderstanding of such times as the historiographers and old authors doo remember The reckoning also of each of these goeth as you sée after a preposterous order whereby the Romans did rather note how many daies were to the next change from the precedent than contrariwise as by perusall of the same you shall more easilie perceiue The daies also of the change of the moneth of the moone are called Calendae which in time of paganisme were consecrated to Iuno and sacrifice made to that goddesse on the same On these daies also and on the ides and nones they would not marie Likewise the morow after each of them were called Dies atri blacke daies as were also diuerse other and those either by reason of some notable ouerthrow or mishap that befell vnto the Romans vpon those daies or in respect of some superstitious imagination conceiued of euill successe likelie to fall out vpon the same Of some they were called Dies Aegyptiaci Wherby it appeareth that this peeuish estimation of these daies came from that nation And as we doo note our holie and festiuall daies with red letters in our calenders so did the Romans their principall feasts circle of the moone either in red or golden letters and their victories in white in their publike or consularie tables This also is more to be added that if anie good successe happened afterward vpon such day as was alreadie blacke in their calender they would solemnlie enter it in white letters by racing out of the blacke whereby the blacke daie was turned into white and wherein they not a little reioised The word Calendae in Gréeke Neomenia is deriued of Calo to call for vpon the first day of euerie moneth the priest vsed to call the
people of the citie and countrie togither in Calabria for so the place was called where they met and shew them by a custome how manie daies were from the said calends to the nones what feasts were to be celebrated betwéene that and the next change Their order is retrograde because that after the moneth was halfe expired or the moone past the full they reckoned by the daies to come vntill the next change as seuentéene daies sixtéene daies fourtéene daies c as the Gréekes did in the latter decad onelie for they had no vse of calends The verie day therefore of the change is called Calendae dedicated to Iuno who thereof was also called Calendaris At the first also the fasts or feast daies were knowne by none other meanes vnto the people but by the denunciation of the priests as I said vpon this daie till Flauius Scriba caused them to be written published in their common calenders contrarie to the will and meaning of the senat for the ease and benefit of the people as he pretended The nones commonlie are not aboue foure or six in euerie moneth and so long as the nones lasted so long did the markets continue and therefore they were called Nonae quasi Nundinae In them also were neither holiedaies more than is at this present except the day of the purification of our ladie no sacrifice offered to the gods but each one applied his businesse and kept his market reckoning the first day after the calends or change to be the fourth or sixt daie before the faire ended Some thinke that they were called Nonae of the word Non quia in ijsdem dij non coluntur For as Ouid saith Nonarum tutelae deo caret or for that the nones were alwaies on the ninth daie before the ides other because Nundina dea was honored the ninth day before the ides albeit I suppose rather that Nundina dea a goddesse far yoonger than the name of Nonae tooke hir name of the nones whereon it was a custome among the Romans Lustrare infantes ac nomina maribus imponere as they did with their maid children vpon the eight but howsoeuer this be sure it is that they were the mart daies of euerie moneth wherin the people bought sold exchanged or battered and did nothing else The ides are so named of the Hethruscan word Iduare to diuide and before that Cesar altered the calender they diuided the moneth commonlie by the middest But afterward when he had added certeine daies the reto therby to make it agrée to the yéere of the sunne which he intruded about the end of euerie moneth bicause he would not alter the celebration of their vsuall feasts whereof the chiefe were holden alwaies vpon the day of the ides then came they short of the middest sometime by two or thrée daies In these therefore which alwaies are eight the merchants had leisure to packe vp and conueie their merchandize to pay their creditors and make merie with their friends After the ides doo the calends follow but in a decreasing order as I noted as the moone dooth in light when she is past the full But herein lieth all the mysterie if you can say so manie daies before the next change or new moone as the number there expressed dooth betoken as for 16 calends so manie daies before the next coniunction c as is aboue remembred Of these calends I meane touching their number in euerie moneth I find these verses insuing Ianus Augustus denas nouémque December Iunius Aprilis September ipse Nouémber Ter senas retinent Februs bis octo calendas Iulius October Mars Maius epta decémque In English thus December Iune and August month full nineteene calends haue Septemb Aprill Nouemb and Iune twise nine they doo desire Sixteene foule Februarie hath no more can he well craue October Maie and Iulie hot but seuenteene door require In like maner doo the nones and ides Sex Maius nonas October Iulius Mars Quatuor at reliqui dabit idus quilibet octo To Iulie Mars October Maie six nones I hight The rest but foure and as for ides they keepe still eight Againe touching the number of daies in euerie moneth Iunius Aprilis Septémque Nouémque tricenos Vnumplus reliqui Februs tenet octo vicenos At si bissextus fuerit superadditur vnus Thirtie daies hath Nouember Aprill Iune and September Twentie and eight hath Februarie alone and all the rest thirtie and one but in the leape you must ad one Our yeare is counted after the course of the sunne and although the church hath some vse of that of the moone for obseruation of certeine mooueable feasts yet it is reducible to that of the sunne which in our ciuill dealings is chieflie had in vse Herein onelie I find a scruple that the beginning thereof is not vniforme and certeine for most of our records beare date the 25 of March and our calenders she first of Ianuarie so that with vs Christ is borne before he be conceiued Our sundrie officers also haue sundrie entrances into their charges of custome which bréedeth great confusion whereas if all these might be referred to one originall and that to be the first of Inuarie I doo not thinke but that there would be more certeintie and lesse trouble for our historiographers notaries other officers in their account of the yere In old time the Atheniens began their yeare with the change of the moone that fell néerest to the enterance of the sunne into the crab the Latines at the winter solstice or his going into the goat the Iewes in ciuill case at the latter equinoctiall and in ecclesiasticall with the first They of Calecute begin their yeare somewhere in September but vpon no daie certeine sith they first consult with their wisards who pronounce one day or other thereof to be most happie as the yeare goeth about and therewith they make their entrance as Osorius dooth remember who addeth that vpon the eleuenth calends of September they haue solemne plaies much like to the idoll games that they write in leaues of tree with a pencill in stead of paper which is not found among them Some of the old Grecians began their yere also in September but sith we seeke herein but for the custome of our countrie onelie it shall be enought to affirme that we make our account from the calends or first of Ianuarie and from the middest of the night which is Limes betwéene that and the last of December whereof this maie suffice I might speake of the Cynike yeare also in this place for the ease of our English readers sometime in vse amongst the Egyptians which conteineth 1460 common yeares whose beginning is alwaies reckoned from the rising of the lesser dog The first vse thereof entered the selfe yeare wherin the Olimpiads were restored And forsomuch as this nation hath no vse of intercalation at the end of euerie 1460 yeares they added an whole yeare of intercalation because