Where upon being a Noble and very potent man of great Parentage he called all his kinsmen and the chief Nobles of his Familie to him with all speed and acquainted them with this dishonour done to him by the king saying he would by all means be avenged thereof and by their Counsel and Consent they went all together to York to the king who when he saw Bruern called him courteously to him But he guarded with his kinred and friends presently defying the King resigned up to him his Homage Fealty Lands and what ever he held of him saying that he would never hold any thing of him hereafter as of his Lord And so without more words or greater stay instantly departed and taking leave of his friends went speedily into Denmark and complained to Codrinus king thereof of the Indignity done by King Osbrith to him and his Lady imploring his aid and assistance speedily to revenge it he being extracted out of his Royal blood The king and Danes hereupon being exceeding glad that they had this inducing cause to invade England presently gathered together a great Atmy to revenge this Injury done to Bruern being of his Blood appointing his two Brothers Inguar and Hubba most valiant Souldiers to be their Generals who providing Ships and other Necessaries transported an innumerable Army into England and landed them in the Nothern parts This being the true Cause why the Danes at this time invaded England in this manner In the mean time the Parents Kindred and Friends of Bruern expelled and rejected King Osbrith for this Injury done to him and his Lady refusing to hold their Lands of or to obey him any longer as their Soveraign and advanced one Ella to be King though none of the Royal bloud Our other Historians who mention not this fact of Osbrith and occasion of these Danes arival to revenge it write that the Danes upon their Landing marched to the City of York wasting all the Country before them with fire and Sword unto Tinmouth At that time they write by the Devilsinstinct there was a very great discord raised between the Northumberlanders Sicut semper populo qui odium incurrerit evenire solet For the Northumberlanders at that time had expelled their lawfull King Osbrith out of the Realm and advanced one Ella a Tyrant not of the Royal bloud to the Regal Soveraignty of the Kingdom By reason of which division the Danes taking York ran up and down the Country filling all places with bloud and Grief wasting and burning all the Churches and Monasteries far and near leaving nothing standing but the Walls and ruines of them pillaging depopulating and laying waste the whole Country In which great necessity and distress the Northumberlanders reconciling their two Kings Osbrith and Ella one to another gathered a great Army together against the Danes which their two Kings and eight Earls marched with to York where after a long fight with various success both the said Kings with most of the Northumberlanders were all stain April 11. Anno 867. The City of York consumea with fire and the whole Kingdom made tributarie to the Danes Simeon Dunelmensis relates that both these kings had violently sacrilegiously taken away certain Lands from S. Cuthberts Church in Durham for Osbrit had by a sacrilegious attempt taken away Wircewood and Tillemouth and Ella Billingham Heclif and Wigeclif Creca from S. Cuthbert tandem cum maximâ parte suorum ambo praefati Reges occubuerunt Injurias quas Ecclesiae sancti Cuthberti aliquando irrogaverant vitâ privati regno persolverunt Which the Author of the History of St. Cuthbert observes and records more largely as a punishment of their sacrilegious Rapine The Danes hereupon made Egbert king of Northumberland as a Tributary and Viceroy under them Sic Northumbria bellieo jure obtenta barbaro rum dominium multo post tempore pro conscientiâ libertatis Ingemuit writes Malmesbury de Gestis Regum Angliae l. 2. c. 3. p. 42. These rebellious Northumberlanders about 7 years after uno conspirantes consilio expelled Egbert the Realm by unanimous consent together with Archbishop Wilfer making one Richius King in his Place the Danes both then and long after possessing and wasting their Country and slaughtering them with fire and sword as the Marginal Historians record more than any other parts of the Iland by a just divine punishment for their manifold Treasons Seditions Factions Rebellions against and Murders of their Soveraigns In the year 868. a great Army of these victorious plundering Danes marched out of the Kingdome of Northumberland to Nottingham which they took and there wintered Whereupon Beorred or Brithred King of Mercians omnesque esusdem gentis Optimates and all the Nobles of that Nation assembled together Where the King Consilium habuit cum suis Comitibus comilitonibus omni populo nbi subjecto Qualitèr inimicos bellicâ virtute exuperaret sive de Regno expelleret held a Council with his Earls and fellow Souldiers and all the people subject to him how he might vanquish these Enemies with military power or drive them out of the Realm By whose advice he sent Messengers to Ethelred King of the West-Saxons and to his Brother Elfrid humbly requesting them that they would assist and joyn with him against the Danish Army which they easily condescening to gathered a very great Army together out of all parts and joyning all together with Beorred and his forces marched to Nottingham unanimously with a a resolution to give the Danes battel who sheltering themselves under the works of the Castle and Town refused to fight with them whereupon they besieged them in the Town but being unable to break the Walls they concluded a Peace at last with the Danes upon condition that they should relinquish the Town and march back again into Northumberland which they did where their Army continued the whole year following in about York debacchans insaniens occidens perdens perplurimos viros mulieres Abbot Ingulphus records that during the siege of Nottingham King Beorred as he stiles him at the request of Earl Algar the younger who was very gracious with him and the other Kings causâ suae nobilis militiae granted a Charter of Confirmation not only of all the Lands Advowsons Possessions which this Earl with other particular persons and Kings had given to the Abby of Croyland but likewise of all their former Privileges confirming all their Ilands Marishes Churohes Chapels Mannors Mansions Cottages Woods Lands Meadows therein specified to God and Saint Guthla◠for ever Libera Soluta emancipata ab omni onere terreno servitio seculari in Eleemofynam aeternam perpetuo possidendam Which Charter hath this memorable exordium expressing the motives inducing this King to grant it Beorredus largiente Dei gratiâ Rex Merciorum omnibus provinciis populis earum universam Merciam inhabitantibus fidem Catholicam
that so the whole Nation of the English might all jointly and at one time be freed from the Danish Oppression And so the Danes who by a firm covenant sworn unto by both sides a little before ought to have dwelt peaceably with the English were too opprobriously slain and the women with their children being dashed against the posts of the houses miserably powred out their souls When therefore the sentence of this decree was executed at the City of London without mercy many of the Danes fled to a certain Church in the City where all of them were slain without pity standing by the very Altars themselves Moreover that which aggravated the rage of this persecution was the death of Guimild Sister of King Swain slain in this manner in England she was lawfully maried to Count Palingers a Noble man of great power who going into England with her husband they both there received the faith of Christ and Sacrament of baptism this most prudent Virago being the mediatrix of the peace between the English and Danes gave her self with her husband and only son as Hostages to King Ethelred for the security of the peace she being delivered by the King to that most wicked Duke Edric to keep that Traytor within few days after commanded her husband with her son to be slain before her face with four spears and last of all commanded her to be beheaded She underwent death with a magnanimous minde without fear or change of countenance but yet confidently pronounced as she was dying That the shedding of her bloud would bring great detriment to England Henry Huntindon thus relates the story of this Massacre In the year 1002. Emma the Jewel of the Normans came into England and received both the Diadem and name of a Queen with which match King Ethelred being puffed up with pride bringing forth perfidiousness caused all the Danes who were with peace in England to be slain by clandestine Treason on one and the same day to wit on the feast of St. Brice concerning which wickedness we have heard in our infancy some honest old men say that the said King sent secret Letters into every City according to which the English on the same day and hour destroyed all the Danes either cutting off their heads without giving them warning with swords or taking and burning them suddenly together with fire Vbi fuit videre miseriam dum quisque charissimos hospites quos etiam arctissima necessitudo dulcâ—ores effecerat cogeretur prodere et amplexus gladio deturbare writes Malmsbury The News of this bloudy Massacre of the Danes being brought into Denmark to King Swain by some Youths of the Danish Nation who escaped and fled out of England in a ship moved him to tears Vocatisque cunctis Regni Principibus Who calling all the Princes of his Realm together and relating the whole series of what was acted to them he diligently enquired of them what they would advise him to do Who all crying out together as with one mouth DECREED That the bloud of their Neighbours and Friends was to be revenged Whereupon Swain a cruel man prone to shed bloud animated to revenge by his Messengers and Letters commanded all the Warriers of his Kingdom and charged all the souldiers in forein Regions greedy of gain to assist him in this expedition against the English which they cheerfully did he having now a fairer shew to do foully than ever wrong having now made him a right of invasion who had none before Anno 1003. King Swain ariving with a great Navy and Army in England by the negligence and treachery of one Hugh a Norman whom Queen Emma had made Earl of Devonshire took and spoyled the City of Exeter rased the wall thereof to the ground and burnt the City to ashes returning with a great prey to his ships leaving nothing behind them but the ashes After which wasting the Province of Wiltshire a strong Army congregated out of Hamshire and Wiltshire went with a resolution manfully and constantly to fight with the Enemy but when both Armies were in view of each other ready to joyn battel Earl Edric their General a constant Traytor to his Country and secret friend to the Danes feigned himself to be very sick and began to vomit so that he could not possibly fight Where upon the Army seeing his slothfulness and fearfullness departed most sorrowfull from their Enemies without fighting being disheartned by the Cowardise of their Captain Which Swane perceiving he marched to Wilton and Sarisbery which he took pillaged and burnt to the ground returning with the spoil to his Ships in triumph The next year Swane to whom God had designed the kingdom of England as some old Historians write sailing with his Fleet to Norwich pillaged and burnt it to the ground Whereupon Ulfketel Duke of East-England 〈◊〉 man of great valour seeing himself surprized and wanting time to raise an Army to resist the Danes cum Majoribus East-Angliae habito Consilio taking Counsel with the Great men of East England made peace with Swane which he treacherously breaking within three weeks after suddenly issuing out of his ships surprized pillaged and burnt Thetford to the ground and covering the Country like Locusts spoyled all things and slaughtered the Country-men without resistance Which Duke Ulfketel being informed of commanded some of his Country-men to break his ships in pieces in his absence from them which they not dared or neglected to do and he in the mean time raising an Army with as much speed as he could boldly marched against the Enemy returning with great booties to their Ships where after a long and sharp incounter on both sides the English being over-powered by the multitude of the Danes were totally ronted and all the Nobles of East-England there slain in their Countries defence who fought so valiantly that the Danes confessed they had never an harder or sharper battel in England than this The great loss the Danes sustained in it though they got the field and an extraordinary famine in England the year following greater than any in the memory of man caused Swane to return into Denmark to refresh and recruit his Army King Ethelred quit of these Enemies Anno 1006 deprived Wulfgate the Son of Leonne whom he had loved more than all men of his possessions and all his homours propter injusta judicia for his unjust judgements and proud works and likewise commanded the eyes of the two Sons of that Arch-Traitor Edric Strcona to be put out at Cocham where he kept his Court because Edric had treacherously inticed a bloody Butcher Godwin Porthound whom he corrupted with great gifts to murder the Noble Duke Althelin at Scoborbyrig as he was hunting whom Edric purposely invited to a Feast that he might thus treacherously murder him While these things were acting in the month of July the Danes returning with an innumerable Navy into England landing at
right in the Crown was with his Norman associates betrayed and murdered by the treachery of Earl Godwin of which I finde these several different relations in our Historians Matthew Westminster Ranulphus Cistrensis and others out of them record that Alfred being in Normandy and hearing of the death of Cnute came into England with 23. chosen ships full of Souldiers ut paternum regnum de Jure sibi debitum vel pacificè vel si necessitas cogeret armatorum praesidio obtineret that he might obtain his fathers kingdom of right due unto him either peaceably or if necessity compelled by force of arms Who ariving with his forces at Sandwich Port came as far as Canterbury When Godwin Earl of Kent knew of his comming he went to meet him and receiving him in his fidelity the very next night following compleated the part of the Traytor Judas upon him and his fellow-Souldiers For after kisses of peace given and joyful banquets in the silence of the midnight when as Alfred and his companions had given their Members to sleep they were all taken unarmed in their beds suspecting no harm by a multitude of armed men rushing in upon them and their hands being tyed behind their backs they were compelled to sit down in order one by another Where sitting in this manner nine of them were always beheaded but the tenth dismissed and his life reserved for a time These things were acted at Gildeford a royal Town But when it seemed to the Traitor Godwin that there were more yet remaining alive of them than was profitable he coÌ„manded them to be tithed over again as before and so very few of them remained alive But young Alfred every way worthy of royal honour he sent bound to the City of London to King Harold that therby he might find greater favor with him with those few of his followers who remained undecimated So soon as the King saw young Alfred he caused him to be sent to the Isle of Ely and there to have his eyes pulled out of the pain whereof he soon after died but he slew all his Souldiers too perniciously Florentius Wigorniensis Roger de Hoveden Simeon Dunelmensis Radulphus de Diceto Mr. Fox and others relate That the innocent Princes Alfred and Edward sons of King Ethelred came out of Normandy where they had long resided with their Uncle Richard into England accompanied with many Norman Souldiers transported in a few ships to conferr with their Mother Emma then residing at Winchester Which some potent men especially Earl Godwin as was reported took very unworthily and grievously because licet injustum esset although it were unjust they were more devoted to Harold than to Alfred Whereupon Harold perswaded King Harde-Cnute and the Lords not to suffer those Normans to be within the Realm for jeopardy but rather to punish them for example by which means he got authority to order the matter himself Wherefore he met them on Guild-down and there seised upon Prince Alfred and retained him in close Prison when he was hastning towards London to conferr with King Harold as he had commanded And apprehending all his followers he ransacked some of them others of them he put in chains and afterwards put out their eyes some of them he tormented and punished by pulling off the skin from their heads and cutting off their hands and feet many of them he likewise commanded to be sold and slew 600 men of them at Gildeford with various and cruel deaths whose Souls are believed now to rejoyce with the Saints in Paradice seeing their bodies were so cruelly slain in the fields without any fault which Queen Emma hearing of sent back her Son Edward who remained with her with greatest haste into Normandy After which by the command of Earl Godwin and some others Prince Alfred being bound most straitly in chains was carried Prisoner to the Isle of Ely by ship where he no sooner arived but his eyes were most cruelly pulled out and so being led to the Monastery was delivered to the Monks to be kept where he soon after died and was there interred Some add that after Alfreds eyes were put out his belly was opened and one end of his bowels drawn out and fastened to a stake and his body pricked with sharp needles or poyneyards forced about till all his intrails were extracted in which most savage torture he ended his innocent life Ranulphus Cistrensis in his Polychronicon l. 6. c. 21. relates that Godwin used this strange cruelty towards those Normans that came over with Alfred whom he twice decimated at Gildeford that he ripped up their bellies and fastned the ends of their guts to stakes that were reared and pyght in the ground and laid the bodies about the stakes till the last end of the guts came out The Author of the Book called Encomium Emmae and Speed out of him writes That Harold was no sooner established King but that he sought meanes how to rid Queen Emma secretly out of the way and maliciously purposing took counsel how he might train into his Hay the sons of Queen Emma that so all occasions of danger against him might at once for all be cut off Many projects propounded this lastly took effect that a Letter should be counterfeited in Queen Emma's name unto her sons Edward and Alfred to instigate them to attempt the Crown usurped by Harold against their right The Tenor of which Letter you may read in Speed This Letter being cunningly carried digested by Alfred as savoring of no falshood he returned answer he would come shortly over to attend his Mothers designs which Harold being informed of forelayes the coasts to apprehand him Upon his comming on shore in England Earl Godwin met him and binding his assurance with his corporal Oath became his Leige-man and guide to Queen Emma but being wrought firm for Harold treacherously led these Strangers a contrary way â—…and lodging them at Guildford in several Companies there tithed and murthered them as aforesaid Henry Huntindon the Chronicle of Bromton William Caxton in his Chronicle and another Historian mentioned by Mr. Fox record that this murther was after the death of King Harde-Cnute When the Earls and Barons of England by common assent and counsel sent into Normandy for these two Brethren Alfred and Edward intending to crown Alfred the elder Brother and to make him King of England and to this the Earls and Barons made their Oath But Earl Godwin of West-Sax sought to slay these two brethren so soon as they came into England to the intent he might make Harold his own son by Cnutes daughter or sister maried to him King as some of these affirm Others of them relate that he intended only to destroy Alfred being an Englishman by the Father but a Norman by the Mother whom he foresaw to be a person of such honour and courage that he would disdain to mary his daughter or to be swayed by him and
especially beautifull maides in England and to send them into Denmark that she might heap up riches by their deformed sale After her death he maried another wife on whom he begot Harold Swane Wulnoth Tosti Girth and Leofwin Harold after Edward was King for some Moneths and being conquered by William at Hastings lost both his life and kingdom with his two younger Brothers there slain in battel Wulnoth sent into Normandy by King Edward because his father had given him for an hostage was there detained a Prisoner without any release during all King Edwards life and being sent back into England in Williams reign continued in bonds at Sarisbury till his old age Swane of a perverse wit treacherous against his King revolted oftentimes both from his Father and his Brother Harold and becomming a Pyrate polluted the vertues of his ancestors with his maritime Robberies and murder At last going barefoot to Jerusalem in pilgrimage out of conscience to expiate the wilfull murder of his Cosen Breuno and as some say his Brother in his return thence he was circumvented and slain by the Saracens Tosti being advanced by King Edward to the Earldom of Northumberland after the death of Earl Syward ruled the County near two years which being expired he stirred up the Northumbrians to a Rebellion with the asperity of his manners for finding him solitary they chased him out of the Country not thinking fit to slay him by reason of his Dukedom but they beheaded all his men both English and Danes and spoiled him of all his horses arms and houshold-stuff whereupon being deprived of his Earldom he went with his wife and children into Flanders and at last invading Northumberland and joyning with the Danes against his own brother King Harold was there slain by him in battel with all his forces His daughter Queen Egitha besides her forementioned repudiation by King Edward and the imprisonment and disgraces put upon her by him for her Fathers sake was never carnally known by him as his wife out of a detestation to her Father Godwin because he would not ingender heirs to succeed him in the royal Throne out of the Race and séed of such a Traytor as many Historians assert Even so let all other such like perfidious Traytors their Posterities perish who imitate him and them in their Treasons Perjuries Rebellions and will not be warned nor reclaimed by his or their sad examples The same year Earl Godwin thus perished Rbeese brother of Griffin King of Southwales was slain by King Edwards command and his head brought to Glocester to the King on the Vigil of Epiphany for his manifold Treasons rebellions and frequent depredations upon his English Subjects King Edward Anno 1054. commanded Sywarà the valiant Duke of Northumberland to invade Scotland with an Army of horse and a strong Navy to remove Mackbeoth K. of Scots to whom he had formerly given the Realm of Scotland to hold it of him and make Malcolm the King of Cumberlands Son King in his place Who thereupon entring Scotland with a puissant Army fought a set battle with Mackbeoth slew many thousands of the Scots and all the Normans who went to him out of England chased him out of Scotland then totally wasted and subdued by Syward and deprived him both of his Life and Realm Which being effected King Edward gave the Realm of Scotland to Malcolm to be held from and under himself Not long after Duke Syward being likely to die of a flux when he saw death approaching said What a shame is it that I who could not die in so many battels and warrs should be reserved to die with disgrace like a Cow Wherefore put upon me my impenetrable coat of male gird me with my sword set my helmet upon my head put my buckler in my left hand and my gilt battel-ax in my right hand that being the strongest of all Souldiers I may die like a Souldier Whereupon being thus armed as he commanded he said Thus it becomes a Souldier to die and not lying down in his bed like an Ox and so he most honourably gave up the Ghost But because Walteof his Son was then but an insant his Earldom was given by the King to Tosti son of Earl Godwin whose Earldom after Godwins sudden death was bestowed on Harold and Harolds Earldom given to Algarus Earl of Chester Earldoms in that age being only for life not hereditary In the year 1055. King Edward Habito Londoniae Concilio holding a Parliamentary Councill at London banished Algarus Son of Earl Leofric quia de Proditione Regis in Concilio convictus fuerat because he had been convicted in the Council of Treason against the King as Henry Huntindon Bromtons Chronicle and Hygden record Yet Florentius Wigorniensis Simeon Dunelmensis Hoveden Henry de Knyghton and others write He was banished sine culpa without any crime Whereupon passing over into Ireland he soon after repaired with 18. piratical Ships to Griffin King of Wales requesting him to give him aid against King Edward Who thereupon forthwith assembling a very great Army out of all his Realm commanded Algarus to meet him and his Army with all his forces at a certain place where uniting their forces together they entred into Herefordshire to spoil and depopulate it Against whom timorous Earl Ralph King Edwards Sisters Son raising an Army and meeting them two miles from the City of Hereford commanded the English to fight on horseback contrary to their custom But when they were about to joyn battel the Earl with his French and Normans fled away first of all which the English perceiving followed their Captain in flying whom the Enemies pursuing slew four or five hundred of them and wounded many more and having gained the Victory took the City of Herford slew some of the Citizens carried away many of them captives annd having burnt and pillaged the City returned enriched with great booties The King being informed of it commanded an Army to be presently assembled out of all England which meeting together at Gloucester he made valiant Earl Harold their General who devoutly obeying his commands diligently pursued Griffin and Algarus and boldly entring into the coasts of Wales encamped at Straddle But they knowing him to be a valiant man not daring to fight with him fled into South-wales Upon which Harold leaving the greatest part of his Army there commanded them manfully to resist the Enemies if there were cause and returning with the rest of the multitude to Hereford he enviroued it with a broad and deep trench and fortified it with gates and barrs At last Messengers passing between them and Harold they made a firm Peace between them Whereupon Earl Algarus his Navy returning to Chester there exacted the wages he had promised them but he repairing to the King received his Earldom from him again This same year Herman Bishop of Salisbury requested of the King and almost obtained leave to remove
his See from Ramesberg to the Monastery of Malmsbury sed Rege jnxta Consilium Procerum id nolente he thereupon resigned his Bishoprick went beyond the Seas and took upon him the habit of a Monk but repenting of his rashness he returned into England three years after and held the Bishopricks of Salisbury and Sherborne united together till the 9th year of King William the Conqueror In the year 1057. Prince Edward son of Edmond Ironside came out of Hungary where he had long lived an Exile into England being sent for thence by his Unkle King Edward who had decreed to make him heir to the Crown after himself but he died at London soon after his return leaving onely Edgar Athelin his son very young and two daughters Margaret and Christiana under the Kings custody and tuition This same year Earl Leofric at the request of his devout Noble Countess Godina freed the City of Coventry from a most grievous dishonest servitude and heavy Tribute wherewith he had formerly oppressed the Citizens being very much offended with them which though frequently importuned by her he would remit upon no other condition but this That his Lady Godina should ride naked through the street of the City from the one end of the market to the other when the people were there assembled Which she to obtain their Liberties from this Servitude and Tribute performed covering her self so with her long fair hair that she was seen and discerned by no body Whereupon the Earl her husband by his Charter exempted the Citizens of Coventry for ever from many payments which he formerly imposed and exacted from them the wisdom of which Earl much benefited the King and people whiles he lived t Algarus his son succeeding him in the Earldom of Mercia in the year 1058. was banished the second time by Kiag Edward but by the assistance of Griffin King of Wales and help of the Norwey fleet which beyond expectation came to assist him he suddenly recovered his Earldom again by force of which he conceived himself unjustly deprived against Law Griffin King of Wales having contrary to his former league and agreement invaded infested England slain the Bishop of Hereford burnt the City harrowed the Country and twice assisted Earl Algarus against King Edward thereupon Anno 1063. Duke Harold by King Edwards command marched hostilely into Wales with his forces to infest Griffin who having notice of his comming took Ship and hardly escaped his hands Hereupon Harold raised a greater Army and likewise provided Ships and furniture after this his brother Tosti and he joyning their forces together by the Kings command began to depopulate Wales and invaded it both by Sea and Land whereupon the Welshmen compelled by necessity gave them Hostages and promised That they would thenceforth pay aTribute to K. Edward as their Soveraign and banish their King Griffin whom they expelled accordingly that year and An. 1064. they out off their King Griffins head and sent it unto Harold who presently transmitted it to K. Edward whereupon the King made Griffins Brothers Blethagent and Redwallo Kings over the Welshmen to whom he gave that land who sware Fealty to King Edward and Harold et ad imperium illorum mari terraque se fore paratos ac omnia quae prius de terra illa Regibus anterioribus fuâ—rant pensa obedienter se pensuros responderunt as Wigorniensis Hoveden Simeon Dunelmensis and others record their Oath The next year Tosti Earl of Northumberland moved with envy against his Brother Harold in the Kings own presence at Winsore took Harold by the hair as he was drinking wine to the King and violently struck the Cup out of his hand using him most dishonourably all the Kings Houshold admiring at it Upon which Harold provoked to revenge taking Tosti between his arms and lifting him up on high threw and dashed him violently against the pavement At which sight the Souldiers round about ran in on all sides and parting the began fray perforce between these Brothers and stout Warriers severed them one from the other But the King upon this predicted that the destruction of these two Brothers was now near at hand and that their deadly fâ—ud was not long to be deferred For all the sons of the Traytor Earl Godwin were so ungracious covetous oppressive and so extremely unjust that if they had seen any fair Mannor or Mansion place they would procure the owner thereof to be slain in the night withall his posterity and kinred that so they might get possession thereof for themselves Who notwithstanding which their soft and honied speeches although they were but swords did so circumvent the over-credulous simplicity of King Edward that after many enormous wickednesses committed by them he made them Regni Iusticiarios Regni Rectores Dispositores both Justices Rulers and Disposers of the kingdom and likewise Generals and Admirals of his forces both by Land and Sea The many acts of Injustice committed by the sway of power and passion by Earl Godwin and his sons proportionate greatness and the Kings weakness did much blacken that bright time of Peace and made a good man not by acting but induring ill held to be a bad King Tosti after this contest and quarrel with his brother Harold departing in a rage from the Kings Court and comming to the City of Hereford where his Brother Harold had provided a great intertainment for the King slew and cut all his Servants in pieces and put either a legg arm or some other member of their bodies thus mangled into every vessel of wine meade bear and other sorts of liquors he there found wherin they lay steeping stopping up the Vessels again Which done he sent word to the King that when he came to his Farm at Hereford he should find his flesh well powdered and that he would provide him sweetmeats The King being informed of this his barbarous villany and scoff commanded that he should be banished for this detestable wickedness which he abhorred Soon after Tosti departing into Northumberland about the 5. of October divers Gentlemen and others of that Country assembling together came with about 200. armed men to York where Tosti then resided both to revenge the execrable murder of some Noble Northumberlanders servants to Gospatric whom Queen Egitha in the cause of her brother Tosti had commanded treacherously to be slain on the 4th day of the precedent Christmass and of Gamel the son of Orue and Ulfe son of Delfin whom Tosti the year before had commanded to be treacherously murdered in his chamber at York under pretext of making a Peace with them necnon pro immanitate Tributi quod de tota Northimbria injuste acceperat as also for the excesliveness of the Tribute which he had unjustly received out of all Northumberland without their common consent and grant These chasing the Earl himself out of the Country pro contuitu Ducatus