her the lesse for it since her weakness was unable to resist the Kings power and vowed by Gods assistance speedily to avenge himself her of the King for this indignity Whereupon 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 inducâ—ng cause to invade England presently gathered together a great Army 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 â—njury done to him and his Lady râ—fusing 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 Devils instinct there was a very great discord raised between the Northumberlanders Sicut â—emper 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 Kingdomâ— 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 thom 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 â—ight Earls marched with to York where 〈…〉 long fight with various success both the said Kings with most of the Northumberlanders were all slain â— Aâ—ril 11. Anno 867. The City of York consumed 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 bellico jure obtenta barbarorum 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 Brâ—thred King of Mercians omnesque ejusdem gentis Optimates and all the Nobles of that Nation assembled together Where the King Consilium habuit cum suis Comitibus comilitonibus omni populo â—iâ—i subjecto Qualiter inimicos bellicâ virtute exuperaretâ— 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 Ethelâ—ed 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 inâ—o Northumberland which they did where their Army continued the whole year following in about York debacchaâ—s insaniens occidens perdens perolurimos viros muliâ—res 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 veâ—y gracious with him and the other Kingsâ— 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 Churches Chapels Mannors Mansions Cottages Woods Lands Meadows therein specified to God and Saint Guthlac for ever Libera Soluta emancipata ab omni onere â—erreno servitio seculari in Eleemâ—synam aeternam perpetuo possidendam Which Charter hath â—â—is memorable exordium expressing the motives
HISTORIARCHOS OR The Exact Recorder Being The most faithfull Remembrancer of the most Remarkable transactions of Estate and of all the English Lawes and the just Motives of them for the Proprieties Rights and Liberties of the English Subjects As most elabourately they are Collected for the benefit of them out of the Antiquities of the Saxon and Danish Kings unto the Coronation of WILLIAM the Conqueror and continued unto the present Government Of RICHARD now Lord Protector By WILLIAM PRYNNE Esquire and Bencher of Lincolne Inne LONDON Printed for Francis Coles dwelling at the Signe of the halfe-Bowle in the Old Baily 1659. To the Ingenuous Unprejudiced READER I Here present thee with The Third part of a seasonable Legal and Historical Vindication of the good old Fundamental Liberties Franchises Rights Properties Laws Government of all English Freemen with A Chronological Collection of their Strenuous Defences by Wars and otherwise of all the Great Parliamentary Councils Synods chief Laws Charters and other Proceedings in them the great fatal Publick Revolutions Invasions Wars National Sinnes occasioning them and the exemplary Judgements of God upon Tyrants Oppressors Perjured persons Rebells Traytors Regicides Usurpers under our Saxon and Danish Kings since the year of Christ 600. till the Coronation of King William the Norman anno 1066. with some Short Observations of mine own here and there subjoined for the Readers benefit and instruction A work neither unseasonable for nor unsutable unserviceable to our present times worthy the serious perusal of all who profess themselvs trons of the Publique Fundamental Rights Liber-Paties Laws Properties Government of the English Nation or studious of our old Parliamentary Councils Acts Laws Charters Proceedings or of our English History From which intelligent wise Christian Readers by observing the Providences Iudgements Proceedings of God towards our ancestors and others for their national personal crying bloody sins in former ages may probably conjecture what Tragical Judgements Events our whole Nation in general many transcendent Delinquents in particular have now just cause to fear and expect for their exorbitant iniquities equalling or exceeding any in those former ages unless their speedy real sincere repentance reformation and Gods infinite mercy ward them off True it is that the infallible certainty of future contingent judgements and events national or personal are known only to God himself who changeth the times seasons removeth Kings and setteth up Kings pulleth down one and setteth up another roots up pulls down destroyes builds plants Nations Kingdomes Cities Families Persons at his pleasure doing whatsoever pleaseth him both in heaven earth the Sea all deep places and amongst all the Inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hands nor say unto him What dost thou Yet notwithstanding wise intelligent Christians by a serious tâ—utination and comparing of the Iudgements of God expresly threatned against and usually inflicted upon Nations or Persons for such and such transgressions in precedent generations may probably conjecture predict what severe exemplary punishments our late present transcendent wickednesses outragious crimes are like to draw down upon our impenitent secure perjured sinfull Nation and the hairy scalps of all those Grand Offenders who go on still in their exorbitant trespasses though they deem themselves advanced above the reach of any Powers or Tribunalls which may pull them down and execute justice on them answerable to their bloody crimes and violences there being an higher than the highest who is both able and resolved to execute vengeance on them in his due season as well as on all Notorious grand Offenders in former ages though never so many if their repentance prevent it not It was Davids profession to God though a victorious King General and Man of War My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgements O that this were the present temper of our secure Nation and all the sinners warriours and Grandees in it in this fearless stupid age wherein though we commit wickedness with both hands our tongues doings are against the Lord to provoke the eyes of his glory and we all proclaim our sins like Sodome and hide them not yet Gods judgements are far above out of our sight and we all say in our hearts like those secure Atheists mentioned in the Psalmist we shall never be moved we shall never be in adversity God hath forgotten he hideth his face he will never see nor require it Yea notwithstanding all Gods threats curses against his late severe punishments of our National personal sins We blesse our selves and say in our hearts we shall have peace though we walk in the imaginations of own hearts to add drunkennesse to thirst quite forgetting what follows thereupon The Lord will not spare such men but the anger of the Lord and his jealously shall smoke against them and all the curses that are written in his book shall lie upon them the Lord shall blot out their names from under heaven Let therefore the contemplation of the National Personal judgements of God upon our Ancestors here recorded for those crimes of w ch we are now as deeply guilty as they were then awaken us from our present Lethargy lest we be sodainly destroyed and that without remedy and teach us all this Gospel lâ—sson Rom. 11.20 21. Be not high minded but fear for if God spared not the naturall branches heretofore or of late take heed lest he also spare not thee Rumor de Veteri faciet futura timeri The fourth Section of the third chapter which begins this third part should have been printed with the Second part as a branch thereof above two years since but that the Stationer then kept it back for fear it should swell that Part overbigg for his present Sale whereby the bulk of this Third Part is now augmented beyond its first intended proportion which all Readers may do well to binde up with the two former parts to which it hath special relation more particularly to the ten Propositions in the First Part to which the Proposition figures in the margin refer The most of that large tract of 450. years space I have here Chronologically run through was spent either in bloody intestine wars between our Saxon Kings themselves or the Welsh Britons warring upon and against each other or else in defensive Wars both by Land and Sea against the invading bloody plundering Danes Norwegians Scots Normans and other Foreign Nations During which Mâ—litary seasons Religion Devotion Piety Law Iustice Parliamentary Councills Synods and just Government are usually cast aside and quite trampled under foot yet it is very observable for the perpetual honour of our Kingdomâ— and Kings thatâ— as during the reign of our antient Bâ—itish Kings before the Saxon race here seated our Kingdome of Brittain produced Lucius the first Christian King Helena the first Christian Queen and Constantine the great her son the first Christian Emperour
name of God That no Kings nor Bishops nor Princes neque ullius Tyrannicae potestatis Homines should diminish the honour of the Metropolitical See or presume to divide it in any particle whatsoever under pain of an Anathema Maranatha which Decree the Archbishop with 12 other Bishops subscribed and ratified with the sign of the Cross as they formerly did in the Council of Bechanceld An. 798. And in this Council divers controversies concerning the Lands Limits and Iurisdictions of other Bishops Bishopricks were likewise decided and setled as you may therein read at large Eadburga Daughter to King Offa married Brithrie King of the West-Saxons proud of her parentage and maâ—ch she grew so ambitious â—â—soleâ—t and Tyrannical that she becamâ— odâ—ous not only to all the Prelates Nobles and Courtiers but to the people lâ—kewise For being incited with malice and tyranny she usually accused and execrated to the King all the Nobles of the Realm Ordinaries Bishops and Religious persons and so overcame him by her flatteries that those whom she began to accuse aut vitâ— aut Regno privaret she would either deprive of Life or banish them the Realm and if she â—ould not obtain this from the King against them she accustomed to destroy them privâ—ly witâ— poison At last An. 802. She preparing poiâ—on to destroy a rich and noble Favourite of the Kings whom he extraordinarily lov'd so as she could not banish or destroy him by her false accusatioâ—s the King casually drinking of â—he Poison contrary to her intention as well as his Favourite they were both therewith suddenly poisoned and dâ—stroyed Wherewith this wicked woman being tetrified sled with all her invaluable Treasures bâ—yond the Seas to Charles the Great who for her Lasciviousness in making choice of his Son for her Husband before himself though much inamoured with her transcendent beauty thrust her into a Monastery where soon after she abusing her body by uncleaness in lying with a lewd man was expelled thence forced to beg her bread and ended her days in extreme misery A just judgement of God both upon a Tyrannical Queen and unrighteous King seduced to banish and condemn his Nobles and Subjects unjustly by her solicitations For this her most hainous crime the West-Saxons ordained a Law to the Grand prejudice oâ— all theiâ— succeeding Queens That none of them should have eiâ—â—â—r Title Majesty or place of Royalty or Queen No◠〈◊〉 West-Saxones Reginam vel juxta Regem 〈◊〉 â—â—ginae appellatione insigniri patiuntur 〈…〉 Eadburgâ—e quae virum sâ—um Brithicum vâ—neno perdidit juxta Regem â—edens omnes Regni Nobiles accusare solebat quos accusare non poâ—uit potu eos venenifero necare consueâ—it Itaque pro Reginae maleficio omnes conjuraverunt quod nunquam se regnare permitterent qui in praedictis culpabilis inveniretur as William oâ— Malmâ—sbury Asserius Menevensis Matthew Westminster Florentius Wigorniensis and others out of them relâ—te There was a Parliamentary Synod or Council held at Celiohiâ—h in the year 816. at which not only Wulfred Archbishop of Canterbury with all his Suffragan Bishops but likewise Kenulf king of Mercians with his Princes Dukes and Nobles and sundry Abbots Priâ—sts Deacons and other sacred Orders were present wherein they enacted 11 Constitutions the 6th whereof was this in substance That the Iudgements and Decrees of Bishops made in Synods should not be infringed but remain firm and irrefragable being ratified with the sign of the holy Cross by the Kings and Nobles Subscriptions unless perchance the King or Princes deemed the subscriptions of their Antecessors of no force and feared not to reâ—â—rm or cease from this error which shall rest and bring a Curse on them and their heirs The 7th That no Bishops Abbots or Abbesses shall alienate or part with the Lands writings and evidences of their Churches and Monasteries wâ—iâ—h they are intrusted to keep nisi rationabilis causa poposcit adjuvari contra invasionem famis Depraedationem Exercitus ad Libertatem obtinendam which causes they reputed reasonable In â—he year of our Lord 822. there was a Parliamentary Council assembled at Clovesho wherein Beornulph King of Mercians sate President at which Wuâ—fred Archbishop of Canterbury with the rest of the Bishops Abbots omniumque dignitatum Optimatibus Ecclesiasticarum scilicet saecularium personarum were present debating things both coneerning the benefit and regulation of the Church and defence and safety of the Realm the proper subjects of our present English Parliaments aâ— these words import Utilitatem necessitatem Ecclesiarum Monasterialisque vitae Regulam et observantiam stabilitatem quoque Regni pertractanteâ— In this Parliamentary Council the Proceedings in 3 precedent Councils touching the Complainâ—s of the Archbishops of Canterbury of the Injuries done unto them in taking away the Lands of the Church by their Kings and Officers with the proceedings thereupon are at large recited which I shall here transcribe because generally unknown to most and best diâ—covering the proceedings of our antient Parliamentary Councils in Cases of this nature of any Council I have met with in that Age and those which next proceeded or succeeded it All the said persons in the said Council sitting down quietly together it was inquired by them quomodo quis cum Iustitia sit tractatus seu quis injustè sit spoliatus In what manner any one had been handled with justice or if any one had been unjustly spoiled Whereupon amids other things there acted and spoken it was shewed That Archbishop Wulfred by the mis-information and enmity and violence and avarice of king Kenulph had suffered many injuries and was most unjustly deprived of his just dominations as well by those things which were done unto him amongst us here in England as by those things which were brought against him to the See Apoâ—tolick by the procurement of the foresaid King Kenulph by which accusations and discords not only the fore-named Archbishop but also the whole English Nation for almost six years space was deprived of its primordial authority and of the Ministry of sacred Baptism Above all these things the said king Kenulph at a certain time with his Council coming to the City of London appointed a day with great indignation wherein the Archbishop should come unto him whither when he came the King commanded â—hat relinquishing all his goods hâ— should speedily depart out of England without hopes of returning any more neither by the command of our Lord the Pope neither by the iâ—treaties of the Emperour nor of any other person unless he would consent to his will in demising to him a farm of 300 Hides of Land called Leogeneâ—ham and moreover would give to the said King one hundred and â—weâ—ty pounds in money This reconciliation the said Wulâ—red refusing long contradicted and when the â—riâ—nds of the man of God and Nobles of the King who loved him very much perceived the rapacity and
and other Officers nor burâ—hened with unjust Exactions or Contributions Yea by his large Aâ—mes and Giâ—â—s he â—ent to Rome â— he procured the English School to be fréed from all Taxes and Tributes by the Popes special Bull. And we never read he imposed the least publick Tax upon his Subjects during all his wars and Exigences by his own Regal Power upon any pretext of publick Necessity Danger Defence or Safety of the Realm against the Numerous Invading plundering Danish forces both by Sea and Land Which our late and present Aegyptian Tax-masters may do well to consider In the year of our Lord 894. this King Alfred and Guthurn the Dane gave to the Church of St. Cutbert in Durham all the Lands between Weor and Tyne for a perpetual Succession free from all Custome and secular Services with all Customes Saca and Socua and infaugtheof thereunto belonging with sundry other Privileges which they ordained to be perpetually observed Non solum Anglorum sed et Danorum consentiente et collaudante exercitu by the consent and approbation of the ARMY not only of the English but Danes also Has Leges haec Statuta which proves that it was done by a Parliamentary Counsell then held in both their Armies Quicunque quolibet nisu Infringere praesumpserint eos in perpetuum nisi emendaverint Gehennae Ignibus puniendos anathematizando Sententia omnium contradidit I pretermit the Welsh Synods held under the Bishops of Landaff during King Alfreds Reign as Sir Henry Spelman conjectureâ— in whom thâ— Reader may peruse them wherein the Bishop of Landaff and his Clergy excommunicated some of their petty Welsh Kings for Murder Perjury violating the Churches Patrimony and Injuring the Bishops family who upon their Repentance and Reconciliation gave all of them some parcels of Land to the Church of Landaff The rather because I conceive them fabulous there being no such form of Excommunication used in those daies as Sir Henry Spelman proves nor any such Episcopal Synods held in England under King Alfred himself The barbarous Danes having throughout all England with fire and sword utterly wasted and destroyed all Cities Towns Castles Monasteries Churches put most of the Bishops Abbots Clergy to the Sword and almost quite deleted the knowledge of Learning and Religion out of the whole Nation insomuch that there were very few spiritual persons on this side Humber who could either understand the Common prayers in the English tongue or translate any writing out of latine into English yea so few that there was not so much as one man on the South-side of the Thames that could do it till King Alfred after his Conquest of the Danes in the latter part of his Reign restored Learning and Religion â—gain by Degrees as this King himself records in expresse terms in his Epistle to Bishop Wulsug by way of Preface to his own Translation of Gregories Pastorals into the English Saxons Language King Alfred deceasing his Son Edward surnamed the Elder succeeding his Father in the year of Christ 901 thereupon Prince Aethelwald his Uncles Son aspiring to the Crown without the consent of the King and Nobles of the Realm seised upon Oxlie and Winburne whereupon King Edward marching with his Armie against him to Bath he fled from Winburne to the Danes in Northumberland for assistance who being glad thereof they all make him King and Prince over all their Kings and Captains Whereupon they invading Essex and Mercia King Ed. raised a great Army chased them into Northumberland and harrowed the whole Country to the Lakes of Northumberland where the Kentishmen remaining contrary to the Kings Command and Messengers sent to them after the retreat of the rest of the Army The Danish Army upon this advantage setting upon them they gallantly defending themselves slew their new King Aethelwald with King Eorit and sundry of their chief Commanders and many of their Souldiers though they lost the field This King and Edelfled his Sister Queen of Mercians to prevent the frequent eruptions plunders the Danes repaired many old ruinated Towns and built many new ones in convenient places which they replenished with Souldiers to protect the Inhabitants and repell the Enemies whereby the Common people weâ—e so incouraged and became such good Souldiers that if they heard of the Enemies approach they would fight and rout them Rege etiam Ducibus inconsultis in certamen ruerent eisque semper numero scientia praeliandi praeâ—â—arent it a hostes contempâ—ni militibus Regi risui erant as Malmesbury writes The Country people themselves sighting with the Danes at Ligetune put them to flight recovered all the prey they had takenâ— and likewise the Danes Horses as they likewise did in some other parts Amongst other places this King repaired the walls of Colchester put warlike men in it certum eis stipendium assignavit and assigned them a certain stipend as Matâ— Westm. records neither he nor other our Historians making mention of assigned wages to any other Garrisons or Souldiers in that age At last the Danes in most places throughout England perceiving King Edwards power and wisdom submitted themselves unto him elected him for their King and Patâ—on and swore homage and fealty to him as likewise did the Kings of Scotland Northumberland and Wales In the year of Grace 905. This King Edward assembled a Synod of the Senators of the English Nation as Malmesbury or a great Council of Bishops Abbots and faithfull people as Matthew Westminster and others sâ—ile it in the Province of the Gewisii which by reason of the Enemies incursions had been destitute of a Bishop for 7 years space Whereupon the King and Bishops in this Council taking good advice made this wholsom constitution That instead of 2 Bishops whereof one had his Sea at Winchester the other at Schireburn 5 Bishops should be created ne Grex Domini absque cura Pastorali luporum incursionibus quateretur Whereupon they in this Council elected 5 Bishops to wit Frithstan for Winchester Athelin for Schireburn Aedulâ—e for Wells Werstan for Crideton and Herstan for Cornwal assigning them their several Sees and Diocess and two other â—ishops â—or Dorchester and Cirencester all consecrated by Archbishop Plegmond at Câ—nterbury in one day Wil. of Malmesb. and some others write that this Council was summoned upon the Letter of Pope Formosus who excommunicated king Edward with all his Subjects for suffering the Bishopricks of Winton and Scireburn to be void for 7 years space together But this must needs be a great mistake since Pope Formosus was dead ten years before this Council and before these Bishopricks became void and his pretended Epistle to the Bishops of England makes no mention at all of the king as Sir Henry Spelman well observes In the year 906. king Edward made a Peace and firm agreement with the Danes of Northumberland and East-England at Intingford when as some think he and
confidimus quod pax nostra melior erit quam antea fuit As these passages demonstrate the proceedings of the Parliamenrary Councils in that Age unknown to most for which end I have transcribed them at large so they clearly prove that Theeves or Felons much lesse other English Freemen could not be imprisoned killed put to death fined or ransommed but by special Acts and Laws made in General Parliamentary Councils nor any Laws made enacted or altered in such Coâ—ncils but by the Kings Royal Assent thereto who then frequently summoned thâ—m and all the Members of them by writ and nomination without the Peoples Election Henry de Knyghton de Eventibus Angliae l. 1. c. 5. anâ— some other fabulous Authors relate that in the eighth year of King Aethelstans reign Olaus King of Denmark Golanus King of Norwey and the Duke of Normandy with 8 Dukes and 5 hundred thousand Souldiers arived in England bringing with them out of Africa A Giant called Colybrand the strongest and most famous at that time throughout the World Whereupon King Aethelstan hearing of their comming Congregavit Magnates assembled his Noblemen at Winchester to advice with them how they might resist the Enemies and fight with them in Battel Thaâ— whiles king Aethelstan vacaret tali Coneilio et congregatione poâ—uli sui in Wintonia the foresaid kings came upon him with their Army and besieged him Cum Baronia sua with his Batons in that City for two years space Neither durst the English fight with them by reason of their multitude and Power In the mean time they made this Agreement that king Aethelstan should find out one Champion to fight a single Duel with Colybrand that in all future times the Realm of England should be held of the King of Denmark under a Tribute and if Colybrand were conquered by Aethelstans Champion rhen Olaus should forfeit and disclaim the Realm of England for him and his Heirs for ever and no King of Denmark should afterwards lay claim to the Realm of England nor yet molest it That the king in near one whole years space could not find out a Champion to encounter Colybrand whereupon he and his Nobles were very much troubled At lasâ— God by an Angel from Heaven directed the King to find out Guy of Warwick comming thither as a Pilgrim who undertook to encounter Colybrand and after a sharp battel with him in the view of both kings and their Armies cut off one of his hands and after that his head By which Victory the whole Land of England enjoyed the unviolated privilege of rest and Liberty from the Danish king untill Cnute king of Denmark gained the Realm of England from Edmund Ironside But this Relation being contrary to the truth of History and the Stream of all our Historiographers I shall repute it meerly fabulous though I could not well omit it for that Relation it hath to this my Theame anâ— precedent Propositions William of Malmesbury and others out of him record that Elfrid a Noble man who opposed Aethelstans Title to the Crown though in vain intended to have seized on him at Winchester and put out his eyes but his Treason being discovered before it came to the Accomplishment he was taken and sent to Rome to purge himself by Oath where before the Altar of St. Peter and Pope Iohn the 10 th he abjured the fact and thereupon fell suddainly down dead to the Earth and being carried from before the Altar by his Servants to the English School he there died within three daies after Upon this the Poâ—e â—ent to â—he king to advise what he should do with him and â—hether he should allow him burial with other Christiaâ— Câ—rps The king hereupon assembling a Council of his Nobles to advise about it Optimates Regionis â— the Nobles of the Realm with a great Company of Elfrids kindred earnestly requested of the King with great humility that his body might be committed to Christian Burial The King consenting to their Request acquainted the Pope therewith who granted him Christian Burial though unworthy Hereupon the Nobles adjudged all his Lands and Possessions great and small to the King who by their consent granted and confirmed them all to the Abby of Malmesbury by his Charter wherin he recites Sciant Sapientes regionis Nostrae non has praefatas terras me injustè Rapuisse Rapinamque Deo Dedicasse sed sic eas accepi Quemadmodum judicaverunt omnes Optimates Regni Anglorum Insuper et Apostolicus Papa Romanae Ecclesiae Johannes After which reciting the Treachery perjury and death of Elfred with his Condescention to his Nobles and friends request aforesaid he concludes thus Et sic Adjudicata est mihi tota possessio ejus in magnis et modicis Sed et haec Apicibus praenotamus literarum ne quamdin Christianitas regnat aboleatur unde mihi praefata possessio quam Deo et Sancto Peiro dedi donatur nec Justius novi quam Deo et sancto Peiro hanc possessionem dare qâ—i aemulum meum in conspectu omnium cadere fecerunt et mihi prosperitatem Regni largiti sunt To which Malmesbury subjoyns In his Verbis Regis sapientiam et pietatem ejus in Dei rebus suspicere par est Sapientiam eo quod animadverterat juvenis presertim non esse Dei Gratiosum de Rapinâ Holocaustum Pietatem eo quod Munus ultione divinâ— collatum Deo potissimum non ingratus rependeret From whence I shall only observe that Elsrid being a Pâ—er of the Realm dying perjured as aâ—oresaid was adâ—udged to forfeiâ— all his Lands for Treason after his death only by his Peers in a Parliamentary Council and that iâ— the king had seized on them without their judgâ—ment it had been an unjust Rapine by his own Confession but being legally confiscated to him by their Judgement it was no Rapine but Iustice for him to seizeâ— and Piety to dispose of them at his pleasure to this Church What Churches and Monasteries he built and repaired throughout the Realm What Lands he restored to St. Augustines Church at Canterbury on the day of his Coronation by the Assent of his Bishops and Nobles though long detained from it and how he gave the Lands of Folcastan in Kent eâ—cheated by the Danes destruction of the Nunnery there to Christ-church in Canterbury you may read in the Marginal Authors William of Malmesbury informs us that Baldwin Earl of Flanders sent Embasâ—adour by Hugh King of France to King Ethelstan to demand his Sister for his Wife brought over with him divers rich presents and Reliques Amongst others the Sword of Constantine the Great the Lance of Charls the Great and one of the 4 Nails that pierced our Saviours body set in plates of Gold A piece of our Saviours Cross inclosed in a Christal Case c. all which he presented to the King and Lady cum in Conventu Procerum apud Abindonium proci postulata
Land and Sea contemned deserted and frequently betrayed by his own Counsellers Nobles Commanders Souldiers Subjects forced out of the Realm with his Queen children by the conquering Danes all living like exiles in forein parts dying at last neither lamented nor desired Some of his Sons after his death were treacherously murthered as Edmund Ironside by his own Brother-in-law and Ethâ—lred his Son-in-law Duke Edert all his posterity renounced by the English and the Danes preferred before them banished betrayed devoted to ruine by the usurping Danes and his own temporizing English Prelates and Nobles Of which more fully hereafter Take buâ— this brief Character of his unhappy reign out of William of Malmsbury and Henry de Knyghton Ethelredus post occisionem fratâ—is sui Edwardi in Regem levatus 38. annis reguum potius obsidit quam rexit Nam vitae suae cursus saevus et infaâ—stus fuit in principio miser in medio et fine turpis et reprobusâ— Iste tenuit Regnum in magna angustiaâ— Nec mirum quia sic felonice et injuste intrusus est in Regnum Rex suorum perfidia Ducum avito ex terris solio et opis egens alienae in cujus manu aliorum solebat salus pendere E Normannia accercitus Londoniae agebat propter proditores nunquam procedens ubi animam laboribus et miseriis natam efflavit Post cujus mortem Proceres Regni cum Clero stirpem ejus abhorrentes Canutum recognoverunt Regem suum fore All which calamities fell upon these Regicides Traytors and the whole English Nation as our Historians observe for the murder of their lawfull Soveraign And have we not all now just cause to fear the very like or some sorer Judgements for the selfsame crying Sin and other transcendent bloudy traiterous violences oppressions of all kinds farr exceeding this and all oâ—hers in former ages But to proceed from these Generals to the most observable particulars during his reign Anno Dom. 980. being the second year of King Ethelreds reign the Danes began their invasion and persecution of the English wasting depopulating with fire and sword Southampton Chester the Isle of Teâ—eth Cornwall Devonshire and other places continuing their depredations sundry years after till they became Lords and Masters both of the Crown and Realm All our Historians record that the sins of the English Nation especially their Treason and Treachery against their innocent murdered Soveraign were the original cause of this Danish invasion and most fatal Judgement to which Bishop Lupus in his Oration subjoyns these other sins pertinent to my Theam of which I fear our Nation is now farr more guilty than their Ancestors in that age Ecelesiae vastantur ordo Clericalis ludibrio habetur et contemptui ima plebs proditorie è regno sumpto protio venundatur infantes ab ipsis incunabilis ad miseram servitutem sumpti et redacti sunt omnisque benignitas et eleemosyna perit Ipsi denique liberi avita libertate frui et in servili conditione constituti bonis magnis partis laboribus aut aliuâ—dè concessiâ— uti prohibentur Et quia haec gens perjuriis Mendaciis Iuramenti Fidei Faederum atque Pignorum fractionibus crebris â—omicidio turto et quae ad Rempublicam lâ—befactandam summa sunt Proditione falso atque Technis vaferrimis in ipsos Domiâ—os atque Heros multifariam deliquit cujus fuit indicium Edwardi regis ipsis hostibus traditio c. The external causes principally inviting incouraging the Danes to this invasion as Matthâ—w Parker and Mr. Fox conjecture were these Quod à segnibus et torpentibus Monachis Regni facultates essent absorptae auctaque indies Dacorum vis ab Anglorum sub Monachis redactorum ignaviam et civilia orta multa discrimina quae Dacos eâ—ferarunt victores And that the Danes perceiving the discords that were then in the Realm and the hearts of the Subject to be withdrawn from and set against their Soveraign they thought it a sufficient occasion and advantage to forward their intendments and omitting no time arived on the Coasts of Kent and spoiled the Country as aforesaid â— About the year of our Lord 982. One Lefsi bought lands in the Isle of Ily of Adelwold Bishop of Winchester and not only denied to pay for them but likewise forcibly disseised the Bishop of 3. Manors Burch Undeles and Kateringes which the Bishop recovered by Judgement of the Earldermen and Thames in the WITENAGEMOTE Wittagemiot or Parliamentary Assembly of that age thus reported by the antient Book of Ely and by Mr. Selden out of it Edicitur placitum apud Londoniam quâ— cum Duces Principes Satrapae Rethores et Causidici ex omni parte confluxerant beatus Aedelwoldus praefatum Lefsium in jus protraxit et coram cunctis suam causam et injuriam ac rapinam quam ipse Leofsius intulerat sanctae Ecclesiae ex ordine patefecit Qua re benè ac apertè ab omnibus discussa omnes Deo et beato Aethelwaldo per judicium reddiderunt Burch et Undeles et Kateringes Judicaverunt etiam ut Leofsius Episcopo totum damnum suum suâ—pleret et Mundam suam redderet de rapina vero Regis forisfacturam emendaret dato pretio genealogiae suae Post haec infra octavum diem convenerunt iterum ad Northamtune et congregata ibi tota Provincia sive Vicecomitatu coram cunctis iterum causam supradictam patefecerunt Qua paâ—efacta ac declarata ut praejudicata erat apud Londoniam judicaverunt et isti apud Northamtune Quo facto omnis populus cum jurejurando in Christi Crâ—ce reddiderunt Episcopo quae sua erant scilicet Burch et Undeles et Kateringes By which President it is apparent 1. That Parliamentary Councils in that age held Pleas and gave judgements of Disseisins and Titles of Lands 2. That they had Lawyers to assist them and plead such cases before them 3. That the Judgement given in the Great Council at London was confirmed recited and executed in the County-Court held at Northampton and possession of the Lands accordingly restored to the Bishop King Ethelred being incensed against the Bishop of Rochester Anno 983. as some or 986. as others compute it besieged the City of Rochester for a long space VVhereupon Archbishop Dunstan commanded him to give over the siege lest he should provoke St. Andrew Patron of that City against him The King notwithstanding continued his siege till he extorted one hundred pounds from the Bishop VVhereupon Dunstan admiring at his covetousness sent him this Message Because thou hast preferred silver before God Mony before an Apostle covetousness before me the evils which the Lord hath denounced shall violently come upon thee Upon which Matthew Westminster makes this observation Anno 986. Rex Anglorum Aethelredus qui prohibente beato Dunstano Centum libras ab Episcopo Roffeâ—si extorserat pro
ten thousand pounds in one year at first and then 16000 24000 30000 40000 or 48000 l. at the utmost for several whole years Tribute without any Excise Imposts or other Customs Which meditation me thinks should now induce them to mitigate release cease our long continued uncessant Taxes Excises Imposts or at least to reduce them to the Danes highest annual proportion of 48000 thousand pounds lest the whole Nation and Posterity repute them more oppressive barbarous tyrannical to their Christian Countrymen now than the worst of the forein Pagan Danish Invaders were heretofore and greater present Enemies to their Native Country than the Danes then were to our Progenitors The self same year there being some difference between King Ethelâ—ed and Richard Marquess of Normandy he thereupon slew and pillaged all the English passing through his Country and affronted King Ethelred with frequent injuries Pope Iohn the 15. hereupon sent Leo his Legate with exhortatory Letters to make peace between them who coming with them to King Ethelred on Christmass day Anno 9â—1 the King uâ—on râ—ceit of the Popes Letters Accersitis cunctis sui Regni fidelibus utriusque ordinis Sapientioribus Assembling all the Wisest men of his Realm of both Orders for the love and fear of Almighty God and St. Peter the Prince of the Apostles granted and estabished a most firm peace with all his Sons aâ—d Daughters present and to come and with all his Lieges without guile In pursuance whereof the King sent Edelfinus Bishop of Sherburn with two other persons of quality into Normandy to the Marquess Who upon receit of the Popes Admonitions and hearing of the kings Decree with a willing mind confirwed the said Peace with his Sons and Daughters present and to come and with all his Subjects upon this reasonable condition That if any of them or they themselves should perpetrate any unjust thing against the other it should be expâ—ated with eondign reparation Which Peace that it might remain perpetually firm was ratified by the Oaths of the Commissioners of both parts at Rhoan in March following Here we have a Peace advised ratified by the direction of a Parliamentary Great Council recorded at large by Malmsbury The last clause whereof was this Et de hominibus Regis vel de inimicis suis nullum Richardus recipiat nec Rex de suis sine Sigillo eorum King Ethelred in the year 992. hearing that the Danes intended a new invasion of England and that they had sent a great Fleet to Sea contrary to their former Agreement the year before assembled a Council of his Nobles to consult how to resist them What the result of their consultation was Florence of Worcester thus record Consilio jussuque Regis Anglorum Etheâ—redi Procerumque suorum de tota Anglia robustrores Londoniae congregatae sunt Naves By the Counsel and command of Ethelbert king of England and of his Nobles all the strongest Ships were assembled together at London out of all England which the king furnishing with choice Souldiers made Duke Alfric Duke Thorold Alstan and Aesâ—win two Bishops Admirals over them commanding them if by any means they could to take the Danish Army and Fleâ—t by inviâ—oning them in some part But Duke Alfric formerly banished forgiven and now made chief Admiral turning Traytor both to his king and Country first sends a secret Messenger to the Danes to acquaint them with the designs against them intreating them to prevent the ambushes prepared to surprize them whereby they escaped the hands of the English After which when the English and Danes were ready to encounter each other in a Sea-fight Alfric fled secretly to the Danish Fleet the night before and by reason of the instant danger fled away shamefully with them The kings Navy pursuing them took and pillaged one of the Danish Ships flaying all the men therein But the London ships meeting with the other Danish Pirates as they were flying fought with them slew many thousands of the Danes and took Duke Alfric his Ship with the Souldiers and Armes himself hardly escaping as Wigorniensis and Matthew Westminster relate But Huntind Bromton write that the Danes recruiting their Navy met and fought with the kings Navy slew many of the Londoners triumphantly took whole armed Ships and Duke Alfric who was in them whom the king should not have trusted according to the antient saying Quem semel gravitèr laeseris non facile tibi fidelem credideris For this Treason of Alfric the king cauâ—ed the Eyes of his Son Algar to be put out Unâ—e odium infamia eâ—us â—rudelitatis adaucta est as Huntiâ—don and others observe The next year 993. the Danish Fleet entring Humber wasted the Country of Northumberland and Lindesey burning the Villages slaying the people and pillaging their goods Whereupon great multitudes of the people of thaâ— Country assembling together resolved and hastned to sight with them but when they were ready to giâ—e â—hem battel Frena Fâ—ithgist and Godwin their Captains being of Danish Progenyâ— proving treacherous to their followers perswaded them to fly and fled first themselves Notwithstanding the Country as Malmesbury Speed and others write being unable to digest their intollerable insolence and plunders fell upon the Danes slew many of them and chased away the rest to defend their Lives Liberties and Estates Anno 994. Swane king of Denmark â— and Anlafe king of Norwey with 94 Ships sailed up to London besieged and â—iercely assaulted the City thinking to take it but the Citizens so manfully defended it that they repulsed the Danes thence with great loss Who thereupon turning their fury upon the Counâ—ies of Essex Kent Sussex and Southampton so greivously wasted them with fire and sword burning the Villaâ—es and slaying the Inhabitants that King Ethelred Concilio Procerum suorum by the Council of his Nobles aâ—â—embled together for that end as Wigorniensis Matthew Westminster Hoveden Simeon Dunelmensis and others write sent Embassadours to them promising to give them Tribute and Wages and Money upon this condition that they should desist from their cruelty Who thereupon condescending to the kings request returned to their Ships and drawing all their Army together unto Southampton wintered there To whom a Tribute of fixteen thousand pounds was given and paid out of all England that they shouâ—d cease from their rapines and slaugâ—ters of innocent persons Afâ—er tâ—is agreement King Anlaf â—epaired to Andover to King Etâ—elred where he received baptiâ—m Ethelred being his Godfather and bestowing great gifts upon him Hereupon Anlaf entred into a League with him promising to return into his own Countrey and never after to râ—turn into England with an Army Which promise he faithfully observed The Articles of the Agreement between King Ethelred and him are at large recorded in the Chronicle of Bromton Col. 899â— 900. being made by advice of all his Wisemen asâ—embled in a Parliamentary Council as this Title to
Duke Leofsi was sent to the Danes â—ho coming to them importuned them that they would accept of a Stipend and Tribute They gladly embracing his Embassy condescended to his request and determined how much Tribute should be paid them for to keep the peace Whereupon â—oon after A Tribute of 24000 pounds was paid them pro bono Pacis for the good of Peace In this Assembly and Council as I conjecture King Ethelred informed his COUNSELLERS who instructed him both in divine and humane things with the sloathfulness negligence and vicious lives of the Secular Priests throughout England and by their advice thought meet to thrust them out and put Monks in their places to pour forth prayers and praises to God for him and his people in a due manner Whereupon he confirmed by his Charter the ejection of the Secular Priests out of Christs-Church in Canterbury and the introduction of Monks in their places and ratified all the lands and privileges formerly granted them exempting the Monastery and Lands thereof from all Secular services except Expeditione Pontium operatione et Arcium reparatione Beseeching and conjuring all his lawfull Successors Kings Bishops Earls and people that they should not be Ecclesiae Christi Praedones sed sitis Patrimonii Christi defensores seduli ut vita et gaudio aeternis cum omnibus Dei sanctis in aeternum fruâ—mini Which Charter was ratified by the Subscriptions of the King Archbishop Bishops Abbots and of several Aeldermen Nobles and Officers and the sign of the Cross. This year Duke Leofsi slaying Esric a Nobleman the Kings chief Provost was judicially banished the Realm by the King for this offence After this Peace made with the Danes Anno 1002. Emma ariving in England received both the Diadem and name of a Queen whereupon King Ethelred puffed up with pride seeing he could not drive out the Danes by force of arms contrived how to murder and destroy them all in one day by Treachery at unawares either by the sword or by fire because they endeavoured to deprive him and his Nobles both of their Lives and the Realm and to subject all England to their own Dominion The occasion time and manner of whose sudden universal Massacre is thus related by Mat. Westminster An. 1012. though acted An. 1002. as all accord and by Mr. Fox and others Huna General of King Ethelreds Militia a valiant warlike man who had taken upon him the managing of the affairs of the Realm under the King observing the insolency of the Danes who now after the peace made with them did so proudly Lord it through all England that they presumed to ravish the wives and daughters of Noblemen and every where to expose them to scorn by strength caused the English husbandmen to soyl and sow their land and doe all vile labor belonging to the House whiles they would sit idely at home holding their wives daughters and servants at their pleasure and when the husbandmen came home they should scarcely have of their own as his servants had So that the Dane had all at his will and fill faring of the best when the owner scarcely had his fill of the worst Thus the common people being of them oppressed were in such fear and dread that not only they were constrained to suffer them in their Doings but also glad to please them and called every one of them in the House where they had rule LORD DANE c. Hereupon Huna goeth to the King much perplexed and makes a lamentable complaint to him concerning these things Upon which the King being not a little moved by the Counsel of the same Huna sent Letters or Commissions unto all the coasts of the Realm commanding all and every of the Nation that on one day after to wit on the Feast of St. Brice the Bishop all the Danes throughout England should be put to death by a secret Massacre that so the whole Nation of the English might all jointly and at one timâ— 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 â—herefore 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 destroyeâ— all the Danes either cutting off their heads without giving them warning with swords or taking anâ— burning them suddenly â—ogether with fire Vbi fuit videre miseriam dum quisque charissimos hospites quos etiam arctissima necessitudo dulciores 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 Danâ—sh Nation who eâ—caped and fleâ— out of England in a ship moved him to tears Uocatisque cunctis Regni Principibus Wâ—o 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 Where upon 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 souldierâ— in â—orein 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 Qâ—een 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 wiâ—h 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 Whâ—re upon the Army seeing his slothfulness and fearfullness departed most sorroâ—full from â—heir Enemies without â—ighting 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 â— 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 Counâ—el â—ith the Great men of East England made peace with Swane which he treacherouâ—ly breaking within three weeks after suddenly issuing out of his ships surprized pillaged and burnt Thetford to the ground and covering the Câ—untry 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 retuâ—ning 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 roâ—ted 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 Eâ—gland than this The great loss the Danes sustained in it though they got the â—ield and an extraordinary â—amine 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 â—ossessions and all his honours propter injusta judicia for his unjust judgements and proud works and likewise commanded the eyes of the two Sons of that Arch-Trait or Edric Streona to be put out at Cocham where he kept his Courâ— 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 purpâ—sâ—ly invited to a Feast that he might thus treacherously murder him While these things were acting in the month of Iuly the Danes returning with an innumerable Navy into England landing at Sandwich consumed all things with fire and sword taking great booties sometimes in Sussex sometimes in Kent Whereupon King Ethelred gathered a great Army out of Mercia and the West-parts of England resolving valiantly to fight with the Daâ—es who declining any open fight and returning to their Ships landed sometimes in one place sometimes in another and so pillaging the Country returned with the booty to the Ships before the English Army could encounter them which they vexed all the Autumn in marching after them from place to place to no purpose The English Army returning home when Winâ—et began to approach the Danes with an extraordinary booty sayled to the Isle of Wight where they continued till the Feast of Chriâ—ts Nativity which Feast they turned into sorrow For then they marching into Hampshire and Berkeshire pillaged and burnt down Reading Wallingford Colesey Essington and very many Villages Quocunque enim peragâ—bant quae parata erant hilariter comedentes cum discederent in retribuâ—ionem procurationis reddebant hospiti caedem hospitio flammam as Huntindon Bromton and others story As they were returning another way to their ships with their booty they found the Inhabitants ready to give them battel at Kenet whom the Danes presently fighting with and routing returned wiâ—h triumph to their ships enriched with the new sâ—oils of the routed English King Ethelred lying all this time in Shropshire unable to resist the Danes Anno 1007. cum Consilio Primatum suorum as Florentius Wigorniensis Simeon Dunelmensis Polycâ—ronicon and others express it by the Counsel of his Nobles sent Messengers to the Danes â— commanding them to tell them quod sumptus et Tributum illis dare vellent that they wouâ—d give â—hem Coâ—ts and Tribute upon this Condition That they should desist from rapines and hold a firm peace with them to which request they consentedâ— and from that time Costs were given them and a Tribute paid them of thirty six thousand pounds out of aâ—l England Henry Hunâ—iâ—don Brâ—mton thus relaâ—e the business Rex et Senatus Anglorum dubii quid agerent quid omitterent communi deliberatione gravem conventioneÌ„ cum exercitu fecerunt ad pacis observationeÌ„ 36000 mil. librar ei dederunt A clear evidence that this Agreement and Peace was made and money granted and raised in England by common advice consent in Parliament or Council Inâ—renduit Anglia toâ—a velut arundinem Zephiro vibrante collisum Unde Rex Ethelredus confusione magna consternatus pecunia pacem ad tempus quam armis non potuit adquisivit writes Matthew Westminster Rex Anglorum Ethelredus pro bono pacis Tributum 36 mil. librarum persâ—lvit Dacis as Radulphus de Diceto words it After which the King this year made Edric aforementioned Duke of Mercia and that by the Providence of God to the destruction of the English a man of base parentage but extraordinary crafty eloquent witty and unconstant surpassing all of that age in envy perfidiousness pride cruelty and Treason who
familiarissimus et postea cum Cnuto filio suo Conductus est ergo quidam maximus satellitum dicti Ducis Edrici nomine Normannus sanguine summe clarus filius videlicet Comitis Lefwini et Frater Leofrici nobilis Comitis Leicestriae dato sibi prout postulabat manerio de Badby ad terminum 100. annorum Ille dictum manerium acceptans tenere de Sancto Guthlaco per firmam in grano piperis per annum in festo S. Bartholomaei singulis annis persolvendo fideliter promittebat et se futurum procuratorem ac protectorem Monasterii contra omnes adversarios confecto inde chirographo obligabat Valuit illud Monasterio aliquanto tempore scilicet omnibus diebus vitae suae By which passages it is apparent what Taxes exactionâ— â—reâ—sures the Monasteries and others suffered both from King Ethelred his Captains and Officers on the one side and from the Danes on the other side and how they were enforced to hire and bâ—ibe great Souldiers and Courtiers by leases and monies to protect them from utter ruine Iohâ— Speed affirms That the Clergy as backward as any denied to King Ethelred their assistance pleading their exempâ—ions from warr and privileges of the Church when the land lay bleeding and deploring for help and scandalized all his other proceedings for demaâ—ding their aydes But this passage of Abbot Ingulphus so near that age out of the Register Books of Croyland whereof he was Abbot not long after proves they paid great annual contributions to the King and his Officers which consumed all their money plate Jewels Chalices and the very shrines of their Saints notwithstanding all Charters and exemptions And as for the Laity William of Malmsbury Radulphus Cistrensis Mr. Fox and others write That King Ethelred had such a condition that he would lightly dis-inherit Englishmâ—n of their lands and possessions and caused them to redeem the same with great sums of money and that he gave himself to polling of his Subjects and framed Trespasses for to gain their money and goods for that he paid great Tribute to the Danes yearly Whereby he lost the affections of the people who at last deserted him and submitted themselves to the Danish Invaders who usurped the Soveraign power and forced him out of England with his Queen and Children These Unrighteous Oppressions Dis-inherisons and Exactions of his were specially provided against by his Nobles Prelates and VVisemen in the Councils of Aenham and Habam forecited by special Laws and special excellent Prayers and Humiliations prescribed to be made to God to protect them from his judgements and the invading oppressing bloody Danes worthy perusal yet pretended necessities and VVar laid all those Laws asleep In the year of Christ 1013. the very next after the Englishmens dearest purchased Peace which the perfidious gold-thirsty Danes never really intended to observe King Swain by the secâ—et instigation of Turkel the Dane whom King Ethelred unadvisedly hired to guard him with his Danish shiâ—s from forein Invasions who sent him this Message Angliam praeclaram esse patriam opimam sed Regem stertere illum Venâ—re Vinoque studentem nihil minus quà m bellum cogitare Quapropter odiosum suis ridiculum alienis Duces invidos Provinciales infirmos primo stridore Lituorum proelâ—o cessuros arrived at Sandwich with a great Fleet and Army of Danes in the Moneâ—h of Iuly where resting themselves a few days he sailed round the East parâ— of England to the mouth of Humber and from thence into the River of Trent to Gainsborough where he quitted his ships intending to waste the Country Hereupon first of all Earl Uhtred the Northumbriaâ—s with those of Lindesey presently without delay and after them the Freelingers with all the people in the Northern parts of Watlingstreet having no man to deâ—fend them yeelded themselves up to Swain without striking one stroke and establishing a peace with him â—hey gave him Hostages for their loyalty and swore Fealty to him as their Soveraign Whereupon he commanded them to provide horses and victuals for his Army which they did William Malmesbury observes that the Northumbrians thus unworthily submitted to Swanâ— his Government Non quod in eorum mentibus genuinus ille calor Dominorum impaâ—iens refrigueriâ— sâ—d quod Princeps eorum Uthredus primus exemplum defectionis dederit Whose example drew on all other parts Illis sub jugum missis coeteri quoque omnes â—opuli qui Angliam ab Aquilone inhabitant vectigal et obsides dederunt A very strange and sudden change conqâ—est without a blow Swain committing his Navy and Hostages to his son Cnute raised chosen Auxiliaries out of the English who submitted to him and then marched against the Southern Mercians Having passed Watlingstreet he by a publike Proclamation commanded his Soldiers to wast the Fields burn the Villages cut down the Woods and Orchards spoil the Churches kill all the Males that should come into their hands Old and Young without shewing them any mercy reserving only the Females to satisfie their lusts and to do all the mischiefs that possibly they could act Which they accordingly executed raging with beastly cruelty Marching to Oxford he gained it sooner than he imagined by surrender taking Hostages of them He posted thence to Winchester Where the Citizens extraordinarily terrified with the excessiveness of his cruelty immediately yeelded and made their peace with him they and the whole Country giving him such and so many hostages as he desired for his security and likewise swearing allegiance to him Only the Londoners defending their lawfull King within their walls shut the Gates against him From Winchester Swain marched with great glory and triumph to London endeavouring by all means either to take it by force or surprize it by fraud At his first arrival he lost many of his Souldiers who were drowned in the River of Thames through overmuch rashness because they would neither seek for Bridge nor ford to pass over it King Ethelred being then within the City and having no other refuge the Citizens closing their Gates manfully defended their lawfull King and City against the assailants Who encouraged with the hope of glory and great booty fiercely assaulted the City on all sides but were all most valiantly repulsed by the Citizens through the assistance of valiant Earl Turkel then within it the Danes sustaining great loss of men who were partly slain and partly drowned the Citizens not only repulsing them from the Walls but likewise â—allying forth and slaying them by heaps so that Swain himself was in danger to be slain had he not desperately ran through the midst of his Enemies and by flight escaped their swords Malmesbury thus writes of the Citizens Oppidani in mortem pro Libertate ruebant nullam sibi veniam futuram arbiâ—rantesâ— si Regem desererent quibus ipse vitam suam commiserat Iâ—aque cum â—trinque acâ—â—ter ceâ—taretur Iustior causa victoriam habuit
of their Native Country King Laws Liberties Properties Estates Lives against forein Invaders and â—â—urpers 2ly Because they more or less relate to my forementioned Propositions touch-the fundamental Rights Liberties Properties of the English Nation 3ly Because they shew forth unto us the true original grounds causes motives necessities and manner of granting the very first Civil Tax and Tribute mentioned in our Histories by the King and his Nobles in their General Councils to the Danish invaders to purchase peace and the true nature use of our antient Danegelt and rectifie some mistakes in our common late Eâ—glish Historians Immediately after King Ethelreds decease Episcopi Abbates Duces et quique Nobiliores Angliae in unum congregati as Wâ—gornienâ—â—s Hoveden Sâ—meon Dunelmeâ—â—is Radulphus de Diceto Bromton â— Or Maxima pars Regni tam Clericorum quam Laicorum in unum congregati as Matthew VVestminster â— Or Proceres Regni cum Clero as Knâ—â—hton expresses iâ— Pari consensu in Dominum et Regem Canntum eligere All the Bishops Abbots Dukes and Nobles of England and the greatest part of the chief Clergy and Laity assembled together in a kind of Parliamentary Counciâ—◠〈◊〉 unanimous consent elected Cnute for their Lord aâ—â— King notwithstanding their solemn Vow and Engagement but the year before never to suffer a Danish King to reign over them Whereupon â—heâ— all repaired to Cnute to Southampton omnemque Progeniem Regis Ethelredi coram illo abhorrentes et abnegando repudiantes aâ— Wigorniensis Huntindon Knyghton and others record and there in his presence abhorring and utterly renouncing and abjuring all the Progeny of King Ethelred they submitted themselves and swore fealty to him as to their only King and Soveraign he reciprocally then swearing unto them That he would be a faithfull Lord unto themâ— both in things appertaining to God and the World which our Historians thus express Quibus ille juravit quod secundum Deum secundum seculum fidelis illis foret Dominus Only the City of London anâ— part of the Nobles then in it unanimously chose and cryed up Ed. Ironside King Ethelreds 3. son by Elgina his first Wife Daughter to Duke Thored as Speed and oâ—hers relate though Matthew Westminstâ—r and others register his birâ—h Non ex Emma Regina sed ex quadam ignobili foemina generatus qui utique matris suae ignobilitatem generis mentis ingenuitate corporis streuuit te redintegrando redemit After Edmonds election he was crowned King by Liuing Archbishop of Canterbury at Kingston upon Thames where our Kiugs in that age were usually crowned No sooner was he thus advanced to the Regal dignity but he presently marched undauntedly into VVest-Sex and being there receiâ—ed by all the People with great gratulation and joy he moâ—t speedily subjâ—cted it to his Dominion Which being divulg'd in other parts many Counties of England deserting Cnute voluntarily submitted themselves unto him such is the fickleness of â—he People unconstancy of worldly power and affairs Cnute in â—he mean time to be revenged of the Londoners for making Edmond King marched to London with his whole Army and Fleet besieged and blocked up the City with his Ships drawn up the Thames on the West-side of the Bridge and then drew a large and deep trench round about the City from the Southside of the River whereby he intercepted all ingress and egress to the Citizens and others whom he shut up so close that none could go in or out of the City and endeavoured by many strong assaults to force it but being still repulsed by the Citizenâ— who valiantly defended the walls he left off the siege with great confusion and loss as well as dishonor Thence he marched with his Army into Dorsetshire to subdue it Where King Edmond meeting him with such forces as he could suddenly raise gave him battel at Penham near Gillingham where after a blâ—udy and cruel encounter he put Cnute and his Army to flight and slew many of them Not long after they recruiting their forces both Armies meeting at Steorstan King Edmond resolving there to give Cnute battel placed the most expert and valiantest of his Souldiers in the front and the rest of the English who came flocking in to him he kept for a reserve in the rear Then calling upon every of them by name he exhorted and informâ—d them That they now fought for their Country for their Children for their Wives for their Houses and Liberties inâ—laming the minds of his Souldiers with his excellent Speeches in this battel with the Enemy he exercised the Oâ—fices of a valiant Soldier and good General charging very couragiously But because that most perâ—idious Duke Edric Almar and Algar and others of the great men who ought to have assisted him with the Inhabitants of Southampton VViltshire and innumeâ—able other English joyned with the Danes the battel continued all day from morning to night with equal fortune till both sides being tiâ—ed out and many of each party slain the night constrained them to march one from another But their bloud not being cold the next day they buckled together again with no less courage than before till at last in the very heat of the battel the most perfidious Duke Edric perceiving the Danes like to be totally routed and the English in great forwardness of victory cut off the head of a Souldier named Osmeranus very like to King Edmund both in hair and countenance and shaking his bloody sword with the half gasping head in his hand which he lifted up on high cryed out to the English Army O ye Dorsetshire men Devonshire men and othâ—r English flee and get away for your head is lost beâ—old here is the head of your King Edmund which I hold in my hand therefore hasten hence with all speed and save your lives Which when the English heard and saw they were more affrighted with the atrocity of the thing than with the belief of the Speaker whereupon all the more unconstant of the Army were ready to fly away But Edmond having present notice of this treacherous stratagem and seeing his men ready to give over the fight hasted where he might be best seen and posting from rank to rank encouraged them to fight like Englishmen who thereupon resuming their courage charged the Danes more fiercely than beâ—ore and bending their force against the Traytor had shot him to death but that he retreated presently to the Enemy the English reviving and manfully continuing the battel again till the darkness of the night caused both Armies voluntarily to retreat from each other into their Tents When much of the night was spent Cnute commanded his men in great silence to break up their Camp and marched to his Ships and soon after whiles King Edmond was recruiting his Army in West-Sex besieged London againâ— whereupon Edmond marching to London with a select company of Souldiers chased Cnute and his Army to their ships removed the
express Convenerunt apud Oxoniam ad Colloquium as Mat. Westm. or Placitum magnum as Huntindon and others stile it Proceres Regni Vt de novo Rege creando tractarent ibidem All the Nobles of the Realm assembled in a great Parliamentary Council or Court at Oxford that they might consult about the electiction of a New King which they would not have done had Harold been made King of England before by Cnute in his life time â— Leofric Earl of Chester and the rest of the Nobles on the Northside of the Thames with all the Danish Princes and Londoners who by conversing with the Danes amongst them were corrupted wiâ—h their vices and addicted to their party elected Harold Son of Cnute by his Concubine Algiva whom â—ome aver to be the son of a Tayler for their King But Godwin Earl of Kent with the Princes of the Western part of England contradicting them would rather have elected Harde-Cnute son of Cnute by Queen Emma or one of the Sons of King Eâ—helred and Emma then in Normandy After great strife and debate between the Nobles about the Election because Harold was there personally present but Harde-Cnute then in Denmark and Alfred and Edward in Normandy Harolds party prevailed against Earl Godwins qui tandem vi numero minor cessit violentiae Whereupon Harold was presently crowned King at Oxford by Elnothus Archbishop of Canterbury though at first he was very unwilling to perform that service For it is reported of him that he having the regal Scepter and Crown in his custody refused with an Oath to consecrate any other for King so long as Queen Emma her children were living for said she Cnute committed them to my trust and assurance and to them will I give my faith and allegiance This Scepter and Crown therefore I here lay down upon the Altar neither do I deny nor deliver them to you but I require by the Apostolick Authority all Bishops that none of them presume to take the same away neither that they consecrate him King therewith as for your self if you dare you may usurp that which I have committed to God on this Table Notwithstanding this great thunderclap being allayed with the showers of Golden promises of his just good and religious government intended though present experience manifested the contrary he was crowned by him Anno Anno. 1035. Henry Huntindon and others write That they elected him King only to keep the kingdom for his Brother Harde-Cnute then in Denmark Harold and the Nobles of West-Sex who opposed his election upon advice taken resolved that Qneen Emma wife of the deceased King should keep West-Sex and Winchester for the use of her Son Harde Cnute and that Earl Godwin should be their Captain in military affairs Roger Hoveden and others record That Harold being elected King by the consent of the major part of the Nobles of England obtained the royal dignity and began to reign quia justus haeres because he was a lawfull heir yet he reigned not so powerfully as Cnute quia justior haeres expectabatur Harde Cnutus because a juâ—ter heir Haâ—de Cnute was expected By reason of this disagreement amongst the Nobles to please both parties the kingdom of England was therupon divided by Lot Harold enjoying the Northern part thereof and Harde-Cnutes friends retaining the Southern part of it for his use No sooner was Harold crowned King but to secure himself the better in his Throne he presently posted to Winchester with his forces where tyrannically and forcibly taking away all the Treasures and goods which Cnute had left to Queen Emma his Mother-in-law he banished her out of England into Flanders some write she was thus banished by the secret Counsel and treachery of Earl Godwin whom she had made General of her forces for her preservation who proved unconstant and a Traytor to her and her children where in this her distresse she was honourably entertained by Earl Baldwin In the year 1036. Alfred eldest Son of King Ethelred comming over to claim his 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 Iure 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 â—he part of the Traytor Iudas 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 â—ime These things were acted at Gildeford a royal Town But when it seemed to be 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 â—o 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 Simeou 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 transporâ—ed in a few ships to conferr with their Mother Emma â—hen residing at Winchester Which some potent men especially Earl Godwin â—s was reported took very unworthily and grievously because licet injustum â—sset although it were unjust they were more devoted to Harold than to Alfred Whereupou 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
vix aliquis id possit persolvere Quapropter omnibus qui prius adventum ejus desiderabant magnopere factus est exosus summopere Anno 1041. Harde-Cnute King of England Huscarlas missit per omnes regni sui Provincias Or Ministros suos per omnes fines regni destinavit sent his Officers through all the Counties parts of the Realm to exact and collect the Tribute which he had imposed without sparing any and to furnish his Mariners with all necessaries from thence Two of which Oâ—ficers Faeder and Turstin exacting this Importable Tribute with great rigour and cruelty from the Inhabitants of the County and City of Worcester were thereupon tumultuously slain by them in a Monastery whither they fled for Sanctuary on the 4 th day of May. The King being very much incensed therewith sent Godwin with all the rest of the Earls of England and almost all his Officers and whole army thither â—o avenge their deaths commanding them to slay all the men if they could to pillage and burn the whole City and County who coming thither the 2. of November wasted the City and County for 4. dayes space but took or slew few of the City or County because they having notice of their coming fled all away to an Iland in the midst of Severn called Beverage which â—hey fortified and so long manfully defended against their Enemies til they had recovered their peace and obtained leave quietly to return to their homes Whereupon on the fifth day they burnt the City every one returning with great booties and thereupon the Kings wrath was pacified but his reputation much ecclipsed and the affections of the people lost by that cruelty and Tax Which it seems was imposed by his own arbitrary power without any Grant or common consent in a Parliamentary Council Unde cunctis qui prius ejus adventum optaverant in Angliam exosus effectus est writes Mat. Westminster Contumeliam famae amori suo detrimentum ingessit adds Malmsbury This whole Tribute amounted but to 32137 l. which came not to the moity of one Moneths Contribution or Excise in our dayes Iohn Speed and some others write That Earl Godwin devising how the Crown might be worn by him or his to separate the hearts of the Subjects from the Prince thaen which there can be no greater wound unto both caused the King to impose heavy Tributes upon the English only to pay the Danes in his Fléet appointing every common Souldier and Mariner to receive 8. Marks in money and every Officer and Master 12. amounting to the summ of 32147 l. for the payment whereof there was so great a grudge that two of his Collectors were slain by the Citizens of Worcester which caused their City to be burnt and part of the County to be spoiled by the Kings command and their Bishop Alfred expulsed the See til with money he had purchased his peace But observe Gods Justice on this Exactor and Tax-imposing King soon after his cruelty at Worcester as he was revelling and carrouzing amidst his cups at Lambheth at a solemn Mariage-feast between a Danish Lord and Gotha an English Lady he suddenly fell down dead to the ground without speech or breath â—ot being lamented nor desired by reason of his unwonted Taxes excesse and riot Yea so far were all â—orts from bewailing him that in regard of their freedom from the Danish yoak which they attained ever since among the Common people the 8. of Iune the very day of his death is annually celebrated with open pastimes in the street as the old Romans kept their Fugalia for chasing out their King which time is now called Hoc-tide or Herextide signifying a time of scorning or contempt which fell upon the Danes by his death when he had voluptuously and oppressingly reigned over the English not full two years wanting ten dayes thereof Now here take special notice of Gods exemplary justice upon King Cnute the Danish Usurper and Invader of other mens Crowns and Kingdoms by treachery bloud war treason the murders of Edmund Ironside Pr. Edwin and Alfred and exile of the Royal posterity His base Son Harold dispossessed his Legitimate Son Harde-Cnute of the Crown of England contrary to his will and contract banished and spoiled his own Queen Emma of her Treasure and Jewels oppressed the people with Taxes and was soon cut 〈◊〉 by death without any issue Harde-Cnute after his death digs up his Brother Harolds corps beheads and then throws it into the common sink Thames incurs Gods and his Peoples hatred by his Oppressions Taxes Luxurie and is taken away suddenly in the midst of his age without issue before he had reigned two years His Son Swane to whom he bequeathed the Kingdom of Norwey which he got by treachery bribery force and the expulsion murder oâ— their rightfull pious King Olaus was expelled both out of Norwey and Denmark too by Magnus the Sonne of Olaus the English Army sent by Harde-Cnute to re-establish him in the Kingdom of Norwey routed in the field and so forced home thence with dishonour leaving Magnus in possession not only of Norwey but Denmark which he conquered and made Tributary to him Thus were all his three Sons within 8 years space after Cnutes death quite stript of all their three Kingdoms acquired by war blood conquest treachery and the English and Norwegian royal lines restored to their rights and Crowns again What persons then in their right sences would impiously spend much treasure levied on the oppressed people by violence rapin uncessant Taxes Excises or shed much human Christian blood to purchase other mens Crowns Kingdoms which are not only full of cares and troubles but so unstable short and momentary in their fruition as is most evident by the Danish Intruders CHAP. V. Containing a Brief Historicall Collection of all the Parliamentary Councils State-Assemblies Historicall Passages and Proceedings that concern the Fundamentall Liberties Priviledges Rights Properties Laws and Government of the Nation under the reign of King Edward the Confessor from the year of our Lord 1042. to 1066. wherein he died KING Harde-Cnute being sodainly taken out of this world without issue by divine Justice on the 6 day of Iune Anno 1042. thereupon the Earls and Barons of England immediately â—fter his death assembled together in a Great Council about the election of a New King Wherein OMNES ANGLORUM MAGNATES ad invicâ—m tractantes DE COMMVNI CONCILIO ET JURAMENTO STATUERUNT QUOD NUNQUAM TEMPORIBUS FUTURIS ALIQUIS DACUS SUPER EOS IN ANGLIA REGNARET hoc maximâ— pro contemptibus quos Angli à Danis saepiuâ— accâ—perunt c. as the Chronicle of Bromton others informe us All the Nobles of the English treating together decreed by common advice which they ratified with an oath THAT IN TIMES TO COME NEVER ANY DAâ—E or person of the Danish blood SHOULD REIGN OR BE KING OVER THEM IN ENGLAND ANY MORE
themselves suspected thought it not safe for them to come thither without an armed Guard whereupon they encampâ—d at Brâ—verstone with a great host and there stayed giving out a report among the people that they had therefore gathered an Army together out of Kent Surry Yorkshire Oxfordshire Glocestershire Somersetshire Herfordshire Essâ—x Notinghamshire and other parts that they might curbe the Welshmen who meditating Tyranny and Rebellion against the King had fortified a Town in Herefordshire where Swane one of the Earl Godwins Sonnes then pretended to keep watch and ward against them The King hearing that Godwin and his Sonnâ—s had raised a great Army of men out of all these Counties upon this false pretext presently sent Messengers to Syward Earle of Northumberland and Leofric Earle of Mercia to hasten to him being in great danger with all the forces they could raise Who repairing to him at the first with small forces so soon as they knew how the matter went sending their Officers through their Coâ—ntries together with Earle Ralph in his Countrey speedily assembled a great Army to assist the King ready to encounter these enemies if there were a necessity In the mean time Godwin marching with his Army into Glocestershire sent messengers to the King as Matthew VVestminster and some others story commanding him to deliver up Earle Eustace with his companions the Normans Bonomans who then held the Castls of Dovâ—r to him else he should denounce war against him To whom the King being sufficiently furnished with military forces sent this answer That he would not deliver up Earl Eustace to him commanding moreover Ut qui exercitum contra ipsum collegerat sine eâ—us licentia pacem regnâ— perturbaverat veniret ad eum die statuta sâ—per hac injuria sibi responsurus juri pariturus Godwin and his Sonnes being accused of A CONSPIRACY against the King and made odious to the whole Court by the VVelshmen and Normans so that a rumor was spread abroad that the Kings Army would assault them in the same place where they quartered and were unanimously resolved and ready to fight with Godwins Army being much incensed against him if the King would have permitted them Quo accepto Godwinus ad Conjuratos classicum cecinit Ut ultro Domino regi non resisterent sed si conuenti suissent quin se ulciscerentur loco non cederent profecto facinus miserabile plus quam civile bellum fuisset nisi maturiora consilia interessent writes Malmsbury But because the best and greatest men of all England were engaged on the one side and other it seemed a great unadvisednesse to Earl Leofric and others that they should fight a battle and wage war with their own Countrymen and thereupon they advised That hostages being given on both sides the King and Godwin should meet at London on a certain day to plead togâ—ther which Counsel being approved of and mesâ—engers running to and fro between them hostages being given and received and some small agreement made between them at the present thereupon the Earle returned into VVest-Sax and the King increasing his Army both out of Mercia and Northumberland returned with them to London by agreement between both parties Iterumque praeceptum ut Londini Concilium coageretur and it was again commanded by the King that A COVNCEL or PARLIAMENT as Trevisa Speed and others render iâ— should be assembled at London Swane the Son of Godwin was commanded to mitigate the Kings anger by his flight Godwin and Harold were ordered to come to this Councel with twelve men only in their company and that they should resigne up to the King the services of all the Knights and Souldiers which they had thoroughout England But Godwin and his Sonnes as they durst not wage war against the King so ad Curiam ejus venire Iuri parituri negabant They would not come to his Court to put themselves upon a legal tryall alleadging That they would not goe to a Conventicle of factious persons without pledges and hostages that they would obey their Lord in the surrender of all their Knights services and in all things else without the perill of their honour and safety That if they came thither unarmed they might fear the losse of lifâ— if with a few followers it would be a reproach to their honour But the King being so resolute in his minde that he would not recede from what he had resolved by their intreaties â—pon their refusal to come unto his Court to justify themselves Rex in suo Concilio communi Curiae suae judicio by the common judgement of his Court in this Parliamentary Councel Et omnis exercitus unanimi consensu and by the unanimâ—us consent of his whole Army as Flo-rence of VVorcester and his followers subjoyne banished Godwin himself and his five Sons out of England whereupon prolatum Edictum est A Decree Proclamation was then published that within five dayes they should dâ—part out of England Godwin perceving that his souldiers deserted him some some â—or fear of the Kings Army and displeasure thereupon he and his wife Gâ—va and his three sonnes Swane Gurth and Tosti with his wife Iudith daughter to the Earle of Flanders departed presently out of England by the Isle of Thanet into Flanders to Earle Baldwin with much treasure but his other two soâ—nâ—s Harold and Leofric sailed by Bristol into Ireland Moreover the King put away his Qâ—een Edâ—tha for her Father Godwins sake thrust her into the Abbie of Warwel or Redwel without worship with one maid only to attend her committing her to the custody of the Abbess his own sister taking away all her substance without leaving her so much as one penny ne scilicet omnibus suis parentibus patriam suspirantâ—bus sola sterteret in pluma Harolds Earldom and County wâ—a bestowed on Algarus who ruled it nobly and he with good will resigned it up to Harold upon his returne These things being done William Duke of Normandy came to visit the King with a great multitude of Normans and Souldiers whom King Edward honorably received and magnificently entertained for a season carrying him about to all his royal Castles and Cities and at last sent back into Normandy with many and great presents bestowed on him and his followers De successione autem Regni spes adhuc aut menâ—io nulla facta inter eos fuit writes Iâ—gulphus King Edward In Parliamento Pleno having in Plain or full Parliament as Radulphus Cestrensis Knighton de eventibus Angliae l. 1. c. 10. Trevisa and others relate thus banished and outlawed Godwin and his sons in which in condition as some write they continued two ful years Thereupon in the year 1052. Harold and Leofric by way of reveng coming out of Ireland with such ships and forces as they could there raise pâ—llaged the western parts of England â— infesting the shores with continual robberies carrying away rich booties
corroboratae consecâ—aâ—ae sunt prae caeteris regni legibus Leges Regis Edwardi quae quidem prius inventae constitutae â—uerunt tempore Regis Edgari avi sui Veruntatem post mortem ipsius Regis Edgari usque ad Coronationem S. Regis Edw. quod continet annos 67 predictae leges sopitae sunt et penitus praetermissae Sed postquam Rex Edwardus in regno fuit sublimatus Consilio Baronum Angliae Legem 67 annis â—opitain excitavit excitatam reparavit reparatam decoravit decoratam confirmavit confirmata vocata est Lex sancti Regis Edwardi non quod prius ipse invenisset eam sed cum praetermissa fuisset oblivioni penitus dedita â— morte avi sui Regis Edgari qui prius inventor ejus fuisse dicitur usque ad sua tempora videlicet 67 annis The Chronicle of Bromton col 956 957. gives us this large account of these and our other ancient Laws This holy King Edward the Confessor Leges communes Anglorum genti tempore suo ordinavit ordained common Laws in his time for the English Nation because the Laws promulged in former times were over-partial For Dunwallo Molmucius first of all set forth Laws in Britain whose Laws were called Molmucine sufficiently famous until the times of King Edward amongst which he ordained That the Cities and Temples of the Gods and the ways leading to them and the Ploughs of Husbandmen should enjoy the privilege of Sanctuary After which Marcia Queen of the Britons Wife of Guithelin from whom the Provinces of the Mercians is thought to be denonated publishâ—d a Law full of discretion and justice which is called Mercian Lawâ— These two Laws the Historian Gildas translated out of the British into the Latine tongue and so it was afterwards commonly called Merchenelaga that is The Law of the Mercians by which Law 8 Counties were formerly judged namely Gloucestershire Worcestershire Herefordshire Shropshire Chesshire Staffordshire Warwickshire and Oxfordshire After these there was supeâ—added a Law written in the Saxon or English tongue by Ina King of West-Saxons to which Alfred King of the West-Saxons afterwarâ—s superadded the Law which was stiled West-Saxenelega that is the Law of the West-Saxons By which Law in antient times the 9 Southern Counties divided by the River of Thames from the rest of England were judged namely Kent Sussex Surrey Berkeshire Wiltshire Southampton Somersetshire Dorset and Devonshire At length the Danes dominering in the Land a third Law sprang up which was called Danelega that is the Law of the Danes by which Law heretofore the 15 Eastern and Northern Counties were judged to wit Middlesex Suthfolk Northfolk Herthfordshire Cambridgeshire Huntingdonshire Lincolnshire Nottâ—nghamshire Derbyshire Northamptonshire Leicestershire Buckinghamshire Beddefordshire and Yorkshire which County of York heretofore contained all Northumberland from the water of Humber to the River of Twede which is the beginning of Scotland and is now divided into six Shires Now out of the foresaid three Laws Merchenelega West-Saxenelega and Danelega this King Edward set forth one common Law which even to this day is called the Law of Edward The like is recorded by Hygden in his Polychronicon l. 1. c. 50. Mr. Iohn Fox in his Acts and Monuments vol. 1. p. 213 214. Samuel Daniel his Collection of the History of England p. 22. Iohn Speed his History of Great Britain p. 410. Fabian Hâ—linshed Caxton Grafton and others almost in the self-same words These Laws are no where extant in any Manuscripts or printed Authors as they were originally compiled and digested into one body by him and his Barons but as they were presented upon Oath to and confirmed by King William the Conqueror in the 4th year of his reign of which Ingulphus Abbot of Croyland in the close of his History to which they are annexed in some Manuscripts gives us this account flourishing in that age Attuli eadem vice mecum de Londonâ—is in meum Monasterium Leges aequissimi Regis Edwardi quas Dominus meus inclytus Rex Willielmus autenticas esse et perpetuas per totum Regnum Angliae inviolabiliter tenendas sub paenis gravissimis proclamarat et suis Insticiariis commendarat eodem idiomate quo editae runt ne per ignorantiam contingat nos vel nostros aliquando in nostrum grave periculum contraire offendere ausu temerario regiam majestatem ne in ejus censuras rigidissimas improvidum pedem ferre contentas saepius in eisdem hoc modo These Laws are partly Ecclesiastical partly Civil recorded by Roger de Hoveden Annalium pars posterior p. 611. to 631 by Mr. Lambard in his Archaion Henry de Knyghton de Eventibus Angliae l. 2. c. 4. Spelmanni Concili p. 613. Mr. Iohn Selden ad Eadmâ—rum Notae Spicelegium p. 172. to 195 Mr. Iohn Fox his Acts and Monuments vol. 1. p. 214. wherein those who please may peruse them â—n these Laws it is observable 1. That all capital corporal pecuniary punishments fines for criminal offences and all reliefs services and duties to the King are reduced to a certainty not lefâ— arbitrary to the King his Iustices or other Officers for the Subjects greater liberty ease and security 2. That they protect preserve the Possessions Privileges Persons of the Church and Clergy from all Invasion injury violence disturbance and specially enact That not only all Clerks and Clergy men but all other persons shall enjoy the peace of God and the Church free from all assaults arrests and other disturbances whatsoever both on Lords-days Solemn Festivals and other times of publike Church meetings eundo subsistendo redeundo both in going to continuing at and returning from the Church and publike duties of Gods worship or to Synods and Chapters to which they are either summoned or where they have any business requiring their personal presence wherewith the Statute of 8 H. 6. c. 1. concurs as to the later clause Therefore all Quakers Anabaptists and others who disturb affront and revile assault or abuse our Ministers or their people as many now doe in going to or returning from the Church or whiles they continue in it as well before or after as during Divine Service Sermons or Sacraments there administred may and ought by the Common Law of England confirmed both by Confessor and Conquerour in their Parliamentary Councils to be duly punished as Breakers of the Peace by all our Kings Justices and Ministers of publike Iustice being ratified by Magna Charta c. 1. and the Coronation Oaths of all our Kings which all our Judges and Justices are bound to observe To keep to God and holy Church to the Clergy and to the People Peace and Concord entirely according to their power especially during the publike worship of God in the Church and in going to tarrying at and returning from the duties which they owe unto him both as his Creatures and Servants And to grant keep and confirm the Laws Customs
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 â—ven 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 Rheese 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 Sywarâ— 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 buckhandler 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 Waltâ—of his Son was then but an inâ—ant his Earldom was given by the King to Toâ—ti son of Earl Godwin â— 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 Edwardâ— 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 infoâ—med of it commanded an Army to be presently assembled out of all England which meeting together at Glousester 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 Herâ—ford he enviroâ—ed 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 betweeâ— 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 juxta Consilium Procerum id nolente he thereupon resigned his Bishoprick went beyond the Seâ—s 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 Whereâ—pon 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 Algarus his son succeeding him in the Earldom of Mercia in the year 1058. was banished the second time by Kiâ—g Edward but by the assistance of Griffin King of Wales and help of the Norwâ—y 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 Griâ—fin King of Wales having contrary to his former league and agreement invaded infested England slain the Bishop of Hereford burnt the City â—arrowed 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 a Tribute to K. Edward as their Soveraign and banish their King Griffin whom they expelled accordingly that year and An. 1064. they cut off their King Griffins head and sent it unto Harold who presently transmitted it to K. Edward whereupon the King made Griffiâ—s 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 obedienâ—er 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 â—ides 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 feud 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 Manner 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 Râ—gni 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 powdâ—red 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 200â— armed men to York where Tosti then resided both to revenge the execrable murder of some Noble Northumberlanders servants to Goâ—patriâ— whom Queen Egitha in the cauâ—e of her brother Tosti had commanded treacherously to be slain on the 4th day of the precedent Christmass and of Gamel the son of Orâ—e 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 excessiveness 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 occidendum non rati slew and cut off the heads of all his Servants and Courtiers as well English as Danes being above 200. on the North part of the river of Humber then breaking up his Treasury they took away all his Treasures Horses Armes houshold-stuff and all things that were his The rumor whereof being brought to the King and the Country in an uproar almost all the Northumberlanders met together and elected constituted Morchar Earl Algarus son for their Earl in the place of Tosti who marched with them into Lincolnshire Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire wasted and pillaged those Counties slew many of the Inhabitants and carryed many thousands of them away captive leaving those Counties much impoverished many years after Hereupon Harold was sent against them to revenge those injuries to prevent further mischiefs and to mediate a reconciliation between them and Tosti Upon this the Northumberlanders met Harold first at Northampton and afterwards at Oxford and although they were more in number than he yet being desirous of quietness and peace they excused the fact unto him saying Se homines liberè natos liberè educatos nullius Ducis ferociam pati pâ—sse A majoribus didicisse aut Libertatem aut Mortem c. That they being men freely born freely educated could not suffer the cruelty of any Duke That they had learned of their ancestors either to enjoy Liberty or death Therefore if the King would have them his Subjects he must set another Earl over them even Morchar who had had experience how sweetly they knâ—w to obey if they were sweetly handled But all of them unanimously refused any reconciliation at all with Tosti
the Danes and since from both of them to the Normans by the murther of Prince Alfred and rejection of Prince Edgar 32. That when Treachery Perjury Oppression Murder Violence and other sins forementioned have generally overspread the Kingdomâ— and infected all sorts and degrees of men then National Judgments Forein invasions publike Revolutions of Governours and Government yea all sorts of Calamities Warrs Troubles may be justly feared expected inflicted as the fruits punishments of these epidemical crying Transgressions 33. That Crowns and Kingdoms have their Periods and Revolutions as well as private possessions Families and that by the secret Justice and wise disposing Providence of God who disposeth translateth dissipateth dissolveth Kingdoms at his pleasure and giveth them to whomsoever he pleaseth 34. From the whole we may observe with the Chronicle of Bromton and Mr. Fox That as the English-Saxons had most unjustly against their Oathes and Trusts formerly subdued and expelled the Britons by the just judgement of God upon them for their sins out of the possession of the Throne and Kingdom of Britain by the power of the sword so God himself by divine retaliation for the like Sinnes of the English-Saxons after many years bloudy intestine warrs between themselves wherein many of their Kings multitudes of their Nobles and Millions of the Common Souldiers and people were slain and lost their lives first plagued infested them for many years and at last totally subdued and dispossessed them of the Crown and Kingdom for some years space by the bloudy Danes after that subjected them to the Normans yoke who possessed themselves of the Crown and Realm of England instrumentally by the Sword and put by both the Saxon Invader Harold and his Posterity with Edgar the Saxon heir in such sort as here you have read The Lord sanctifie all these Collections and Observations to the greatest publike good and settlement of our unsetled distracted English Nation and the private benefit of all who shall peruse them that they may aim only at that kingdom which cannot be shaken and that Crown of glory which fadeth not away not at temporal Crowns and kingdoms which are so fading transitoryâ— full of Thorns Crosses Cares Fears Vexations Tortures Perils Deaths FINIS Omissions and Errataes Kinde Reader I present thee with some Historical Passages casually omitted in their due places and such Errors as have hapned at the Pâ—ess which I desire thee to correct PAge 10. line 8. One Thunder maliciously accused Aethelbert and Aethelred two kinsmen of Egbert King of Kent educated and brought up in his Court that they intended some time or other to take away his kingdom from him and thereupon advised the King either to banish them both into some farr Country or to deliver them unto him to destroy and murder without any legal Trial or conviction of their guilt Which Thunder often instigating the King to doe and he but coldly prohibiting or disliking thereupon Thunder in the Kings absence rashly presumed ignominiously to murder them in the Kings Palace and then buried them under his Royal Chair in a Village called Estria The King returning to his Court in the dead of the night there appeared a bright pillar sent from heaven which filled his whole royal Palace with an unspeakable brightnesse which the Kings servants beholding were so terrified that they fell down to the ground and became almost distracted The King being awaked with the tumult of his Guard and being ignorant of the cause thereof arose that he might go and hear Mattens as he was accustomed And going out of his house he saw the City shining with the beams of the new splendor Upon which missing his Kinsmen he sent for Thunder and demanded of him where they were who answered him like Cain Am I thy Kinsmens keeper To which the King replied Thou hast always sinisterly accused them unto me and therefore most wicked wretch thou oughtest to shew me where they are Whereupon he informed him of their murder and burial whereat the King was very angry with him But returning at last to himself he refunded the Crime whole wickednesse on himself and being confounded beyond measure spent the residue of the night in tears When the day appeared he sent for the Archbishop Adeo-datus et Magnates quos habere potuit convocari praecepit and causing the Nobles to be called together related the whole businesse to them The Archbishop gave counsel that the bodies of these Innocents should be removed to the Cathedral Church and there interred in a royal manner Thereupon putting their bodies with Saints reliques into Coffins and Carts they intended to carry them to Christs Church in Canterbury but in vain because they could not stirre their corps nor remove them out of the place although they attempted it with much endeavour and force Vpon this changing their counsel they intended to remove them to St. Augustines Church neither yet could they effect it At last they resolved they should be removed to the most famous Monastery of Waermen â—pon which the Carts presently removed with easâ— as if they had no burden and they were buried by the High Altar in this Monastery Kinewalchus King of the West-Saxons deceasing Anno 672. Regni arbitrium Uxori Sexburgae delegandum putavit nec deerat mulieri spiritus ad obeunda regia munia ipsa novos exercitus moâ—iri veteres tenere in officio ipsa subjectos clementer moderari hostibus minaciter infremere prorsus omnia facere ut nihil praeter sâ—xum diâ—cerneres Veruntamen plus quam animos foemineos anhelantem vita destituit viâ— annua potestate perfunctam When she had reigned thus one year Indignantibus Regni Magnatibus assembled most likely in a Parliamentary Council â—xpulsa est a Regno nolentes sub sexu Foemineo militare The Nobles thereupon made Eschwin King in her place being Regali prosapia proximus next of the royal bloud quo dâ—cedente vel morte sua vel vi aliena vacantem aulam successione legitima implevit Kentianus He being the next right heir Page 24. l. 24. About the year 783 Kenulph King of Mercia Cum Episcopis Ducâ—bus et omni sub nostra ditione dignitatis gradu with the Bishops Dukes and Nobles of every degrée of Honor under his Dominion assembled in a Parliamentary Council writ a Letter to Pope Leo the 3d. â—o reunite those Bishopricks to the Metropolitical See of Canterbury which King Offa out of his hatred to Archbishop Living had severed from it and united to a new-erected Archbishoprick at Licheâ—ield alleging in the Letter Uisum est cunctis gentis nostrae Sapientibus quatenus in illa Civitate Metropolitanus honor habâ—retur ubi corpus beatae recordationis Augustini qui verbum Dei imperante beato Gregorio Anglorum genti remonstrabat et gloriosissime Ecclesiae praefuit Saxoniae pansat qui his partibus fidei veritatem inseruit This Letter with Pope
siege and entred the City in manner of Triumph Cnute and Edric perceiving the valour and good success of Edmond conspired together to overcome him by Treason whom they could not vanquish by Armes for which end Edric before King Edmonds march to London as some or soon after as others relate feignedly revolted â—rom Cnute and submitted himself again to Edmond as his natural Lord and renewing his peace with him fraudently swore that he would continue faithfull to him only that he might betray him Edmond two days after he had chased the Danes from the siege of London pursuing his victory passed over the Thames at Brentford where though many of the English were drowned in passing over the River through their carelesness yet he there fought with the Danes the fourth or â—ather fifth time routed them and won the field After which Edmoâ—d by the advice of Edric marched again into West-Sex to raise a more numerous Army to supply those who were drowned and slain in this last battel Upon which advantage the Danes again returned to the siege at London invironing and fiercely assaulting it on every side but being valiantly repulsed by the Citizens they retired from thence to their ships and sailed into the River of Arewe where leaping out of their ships theyâ— went about pillaging in Mercia killing all they met and burning the Villages returning to their ships with a great booty Another company of their foot sailing up the River of Meadway pillaged Kent their Horse marching thither by Land to meet them doing the like wasting all places with fire and sword King Edmond having in the mean time raised a strong Army out of all England passed over with them again at Brentford to fight the Danes and giving them battel near Oteford routed the whole Danish Army not able to endure his fierce charge and pursued them as far as Ilesford slaying many thousands of them in the pursute and had he followed the pursute further it was conceived that day had put an end to the war and Danes for ever But perfidious Duke Edric by his most wicked Counsel the worst ever given in England caused him to give over the chace Whereupon the â—lying Danes escaped into the Isle of Shepy Edmond returning into VVest-Sex to observe Cnutes motion he thereupon transported his forces into Kent who began to plunder and wast Mercia far worse than ever they had done before VVhereupon King Edmond marching with his Army against them gave them battel the sixt time at Esesdune or Assendune now Ashdune in Essex whereafter a long and bloody fight with equall valour and great loss on both sides King Edmond seeing the Danes to fight more valiantly than ever before leaving his place which usually was between the Dragon and Standard ran into the very front of the battel and breaking in like thunder uâ—on the Enemy brake their ranks pierced into the very midst of them and made way for others to follow him forcing the Danes to give back VVhich the ever traiteroâ—s Edric perceiving â—led with the whole Squadron of Souldiers which he commanded unto Cnute as was formerly agreed between them whereupon the Danes becoming the stronger made an extraordinary slaughter of the Eâ—glish as Matthew VVestminster and his followers sâ—ory Henry Huntindon relates That Edric seeing the Danes going to ruine cryed out to the English Army Fly O Englishmen â—ly Englishmen for Edmond is dead being not seen in his wonted place and crying out thus he and his Brigade first began the flight whereupon the whole Army of the English following them fled likewise VVigorniensis informs us that King Edmond before this battel riding about to every Company admonished and commanded them that beâ—ng mindfull of their pristine valour and victory they should defend themselves and the Realm from the avarice of the Danes being now to fight with those they had formerly conquered â—hat perfidious Duke Edric seeing the Danish army inclining to flight and the English about to gain the victory began to fly with the VVagesetensians and that part of the army which he commanded as he formerly promised to Cnute that circumventing his Lord King Edmond and the English army with deceits he gave the victorie to the Danes by his treacherie and by the consent of all our VVriters he here gave the greatest wound to the English Nobility and Nation that ever they receâ—â—â—d in any former battel Duke Alfric Duke Godwin Dâ—â—e Ulfketel Duke Aethelward Ailward son of Duke Alke and all the flower of the English Nobility together with Eadnoth Bishop of Lincoln and Abbot VVulfius qui ad exorandum Deum pro milite bellum agente convenerunt with an infinite number of coâ—mon Souldiers being there slain in this fight and slight qui nunquam ante in uno praelio tantam cladem ab hostibus aâ—ceperunt Ibi Cnuto Regnum expugnavit ibi omne decus Anglorum occubuit ibi flos patriae totus emarcuit VVrites Malmesbury Cnute likewise on his side sustained an irreperable loss both of his Dukes and Nobles After this lamentable loss wherein so many Nobles fell Cnute marching to London in triumph took the Royal Scepters whence deparâ—ing into Glocestershire in pursute of Edmond who retreated almost alone to Glocester and there recruited his broken forces he wasted and pillaged the Country in his march King Edmond resolved to give him another battel in a place called Dierhurst where Edmond with his army being on the VVest-part of the River Severn and Cnute on the Eastside with his army both set in battel array ready manfully to encounter each other wicked Duke Edric magnatibus convocatis calling the Nobles of both parties together â—pake unto them as followeth as Matthew VVestminster and others accord before any incounter but Abbot Ethelred records that both Armies then fought a most bloudy batâ—el for one whole day from morning to night an innumerable Company being slain on both sides without any Victory the night only causing them to reâ—ire ad similem ludum eundemque exitum die craestina reversuri Both Armies being wearied with this bloudy sport when they saw King Edmonds forces daily increasing and Cnutes company likewise augmented out of foreign parts by constant recruits which he caused to be sent from thence Uterque Exercitus Proceres ad colloquium cogunt both armies compelâ—ed their Nobles to a Conference where one of them being elder than the rest which others affirm to be Duke Edric requiring silence spake thus unto them as Abbot Ethelred records his words I desire O wise men in these our dangers to give advice who verily am inâ—eriour to you in wisdom but superiour to you in age as these gray hairs testifyâ— and peradventure what wisdom hath not use hath taught me and what science hath denied experience hath conferred Many things verily we have seen and known many things moreover our Fathers have toâ—d us and not without cause we require audience that we may utter no doubtful sentenâ—â— of things