spend and be put to trauell But of all that euer I knew in Essex Denis and Mainford excelled till Iohn of Ludlow aliàs Mason came in place vnto whome in comparison they two were but children for this last in lesse than thrée or foure yeares did bring one man among manie else-where in other places almost to extreame miserie if beggerie be the vttermost that before he had the shauing of his beard was valued at two hundred pounds I speake with the least and finallie feeling that he had not sufficient wherwith to susteine himselfe and his familie and also to satisfie that greedie rauenour which still called vpon him for new fées he went to bed and within foure daies made an end of his wofull life euen with care and pensiuenesse After his death also he so handled his sonne that there was neuer shéepe shorne in Maie so néere clipped of his fléece present as he was of manie to come so that he was compelled to let awaie his land bicause his cattell stocke were consumed and he no longer able to occupie the ground But hereof let this suffice in stéed of these enormities a table shall follow of the termes conteining their beginnings and endings as I haue borrowed them from my fréend Iohn Stow whose studie is the onelie store house of antiquities in my time and he worthie therefore to be had in reputation and honour A man would imagine that the time of the execution of our lawes being little aboue one quarter or not fullie a third part of the yeare and the appointment of the same to be holden in one place onelie to wit neere London in Westminster and finallie the great expenses emploied vpon the same should be no small cause of the staie and hinderance of the administration of iustice in this land but as it falleth out they prooue great occasions and the staie of much contention The reasons of these are soone to be conceiued for as the broken sleeue dooth hold the elbow backe and paine of trauell cause manie to sit at home in quiet so the shortnesse of time and feare of delaie dooth driue those oftentimes to like of peace who otherwise would liue at strife and quickelie be at ods Some men desirous of gaines would haue the termes yet made shorter that more delaie might ingender longer sute other would haue the houses made larger and more offices erected wherein to minister the lawes But as the times of the tearmes are rather too short than too long by one returne a péece so if there were smaller roomes and fowler waies vnto them they would inforce manie to make pawses before they did rashlie enter into plée But sith my purpose is not to make an ample discourse of these things it shall suffice to deliuer the times of the holding of our termes which insueth after this manner A perfect rule to know the beginning and ending of euerie terme with their returnes HIlarie terme beginneth the three and twentieth daie of Ianuarie if it be not sundaie otherwise the next daie after and is finished the twelfe of Februarie it hath foure returnes Octabis Hilarij Quind Hilarij Crastino Purific Octabis Purific ¶ Easter terme beginneth seuentéene daies after Easter endeth foure daies after the Ascension daie and hath fiue returnes Quind Pasch. Tres Paschae Mense Paschae Quinque Paschae Crast. Ascention ¶ Trinitie terme beginneth the fridaie after Trinitie sundaie and endeth the wednesdaie fortnight after in which time it hath foure returnes Crast. Trinitatis Octabis Trinitatis Quind Trinitatis Tres Trinitatis ¶ Michaelmasse terme beginneth the ninth of October if it be not sundaie and ending the eight and twentith of Nouember it hath eight returnes Octabis Michael Quind Michael Tres Michael Mense Michael Crast. anima Crast. Martini Octa. Martini Quind Martini Note also that the escheker which is Fiscus or aerarum publicum principis openeth eight daies before anie terme begin except Trinitie terme which openeth but foure daies before And thus much for our vsuall termes as they are kept for the administration of our common lawes wherevnto I thinke good to adde the lawdaies accustomablie holden in the arches and audience of Canturburie with other ecclesiasticall and ciuill courts thorough the whole yeare or for somuch time as their execution indureth which in comparison is scarselie one halfe of the time if it be diligentlie examined to the end each one at home being called vp to answer may trulie know the time of his appearance being sorie in the meane season that the vse of the popish calendar is so much reteined in the same and not rather the vsuall daies of the moneth placed in their roomes sith most of them are fixed and palter not their place of standing Howbeit some of our infected lawiers will not let them go awaie so easilie pretending facilitie and custome of vsage but meaning peraduenture inwardlie to kéepe a commemoration of those dead men whose names are there remembred Michaelmas terme S. Faith S. Edward S. Luke Simon Iu. All Soules S. Martin Edmund Katharine S. Andrew Conception of the virgin Marie ¶ It is to be remembred that the first daie following euerie of these feasts noted in each terme the court of the arches is kept in Bow church in the forenoone And the same first daie in the afternoone is the admeraltie court for ciuill and seafaring causes kept in Southwarke where iustice is ministred execution doone continuallie according to the same The second daie following euerie one of the said feasts the court of audience of Canturburie is kept in the consistorie in Paules in the forenoone And the selfe daie in the afternoone in the same place is the prerogatiue court of Canturburie holden The third day after anie such feast in the forenoone the consistorie court of the bishop of London is kept in Paules church in the said consistorie and the same third daie in the afternoone is the court of the delegates and the court of the Quéenes highnesse commissioners vpon appeales is likewise kept in the same place on the fourth daie Hilarie terme S. Hilarie S. Wolstan Conuersion of S. Paule S. Blase S. Scolastic S. Valentine Ashwednes S. Matthie S. Chad. Pepet Fel. S. Gregorie Annūciation of our Ladie Note that the foure first daies of this terme be certeine and vnchanged The other are altered after the course of the yeare and sometime kept and sometime omitted For if it so happen that one of those feasts fall on wednesdaie commonlie called Ashwednesdaie after the daie of S. Blase so that the same lawdaie after Ashwednesdaie cannot be kept bicause the lawdaie of the other feast dooth light on the same then the second lawdaie after Ashwednesdaie shall be kept and the other omitted And if the lawdaie after Ashwednesdaie be the next daie after the feast of S. Blase then shall all and euerie court daies be obserued in order as they may be kept conuenientlie And marke that although Ashwednesdaie be
put the seuenth in order yet it hath no certeine place but is changed as the course of Easter causeth it Easter terme The fiftéenth daie after Easter S. Alphege S. Marke Inuention of the crosse Gordian S. Dunstan Ascension daie ¶ In this terme the first sitting is alwaie kept the mondaie being the fiftéenth daie after Easter and so foorth after the feasts here noted which next follow by course of the yeare after Easter and the like space being kept betwéene other feasts The rest of the lawdaies are kept to the third of the Ascension which is the last day of this terme And if it happen that the feast of the Ascension of our Lord doo come before anie of the feasts aforesaid then they are omitted for that yeare And likewise iâ— anie of those daies come before the fiftéenth of Easter those daies are omitted also Trinitie terme Trinitie sundaie Corpus Christi Boniface bish S. Barnabie S. Butolph S. Iohn S. Paule Translat Thomas S. Swithune S. Margaret S. Anne Here note also that the lawdaies of this terme are altered by meane of Whitsuntide and the first sitting is kept alwaies on the first lawdaie after the feast of the holie Trinitie and the second session is kept the first lawdaie after the idolatrous and papisticall feast daie called Corpus Christi except Corpus Christi daie fall on some day aforenamed which chanceth sometime and then the fitter daie is kept And after the second session account foure daies or thereabout and then looke which is the next feast day and the first lawdaie after the said feast shall be the third session The other law daies follow in order but so manie of them are kept as for the time of the yeare shall be thought méet It is also generallie to be obserued that euerie daie is called a lawdaie that is not sundaie or holie daie and that if the feast daie being knowne of anie court daie in anie terme the first or second daie following be sundaie then the court daie is kept the daie after the said holie daie or feast Of prouision made for the poore Chap. 10. THere is no common-wealth at this daie in Europe wherin there is not great store of poore people and those necessarilie to be relieued by the welthier sort which otherwise would starue and come to vtter confusion With vs the poore is commonlie diuided into thrée sorts so that some are poore by impotencie as the fatherlesse child the aged blind and lame and the diseased person that is iudged to be incurable the second are poore by casualtie as the wounded souldier the decaied householder and the sicke person visited with grieuous and painefull diseases the third consisteth of thriftlesse poore as the riotour that hath consumed all the vagabund that will abide no where but runneth vp and downe from place to place as it were séeking worke and finding none and finallie the roge and strumpet which are not possible to de diuided in sunder but runne too and fro ouer all the realme chéefelie kéeping the champaine soiles in summer to auoid the scorching heat and the woodland grounds in winter to eschew the blustering winds For the first two sorts that is to saie the poore by impotencie and the poore by casualtie which are the true poore in deed and for whome the word dooth bind vs to make some dailie prouision there is order taken through out ouerie parish in the realme that weekelie collection shall be made for their helpe and sustentation to the end they should not scatter abroad and by begging here and there annâ—ie both towne and countrie Authoritie also is giuen vnto the suffices in euerie countie and great penalties appointed for such as make default to that the intent of the statute in this behalfe be trulie executed according to the purpose and meaning of the same so that these two sorts and sufficientlie prouided for and such as can liue within the limits of their allowance as each one will doo that is godlie and well disposed may well forbeare to rome and renge about But if they refuse to be supported by this benefit of the law and will rather indeuour by going to and fro to mainteine their idle trades then are they adiudged to be parcell of the third sort and so in stéed of courteous refreshing at home are often corrected with sharpe execution and whip of iustice abroad Manie there are which notwithstanding the rigor of the lawes prouided in that behalfe yeeld rather with this libertie as they call it to be dailie vnder the feare and terrour of the whip than by abiding where they were borne or bred to be prouided for by the deuotion of the parishes I found not long since a riote of these latter sort the effect whereof insueth Idle beggers are such either through other mens occasion or through their owne default By other mens occasion as one waie for example when some couetous man such I meane as haue the cast or right veine dailie to make beggers inough wherby to pester the land espieng a further commoditie in their commons holds and 〈◊〉 dooth find such meanes as thereby to wipe manie out of their occupiengs and turne the same vnto his priuate gaines Herevpon it followeth that although the wise and better minded doo either forsake the realme for altogether and seeke to liue in other countries as France Germanie Barbarie India Moscouia and verie Calecute complaining of no 〈◊〉 to be left for them at home doo so behaue themselues that they are worthilie to be accompted among the second sort yet the greater part commonlie hauing nothing to staie vpon are wilfull and there vpon doo either prooue idle beggers or else continue starke théeues till the gallowes doo eat them vp which is a lamentable case Certes in some mans iudgements these things are but trifles and not worthie the regarding Some also doo grudge at the great increase of people in these daies thinking a necessarie brood of cattell farre better than a superbluous augmentation of mankind But I can liken such men best of all vnto the pope and the diuell who practise the hinderance of the furniture of the number of the elect to their vttermost to the end the authoritie of the one vpon earth the deferring of the locking vp of the other in euerlasting chaines and the great gaines of the first may continue and indure the longer But if it should come to passe that any forren inuasion should be made which the Lord God forbid for his mercies sake then should these men find that a wall of men is farre better than stackes of corne and bags of monie and complaine of the want when it is too late to séeke remedie The like occasion caused the Romans to deuise their law Agraria but the rich not liking of it and the couetous vtterlie condemning it as rigorous and vnprofitable neuer ceased to practise disturbance till it was quite abolished But to proceed with my
we haue now at Westminster Wherefore Edmund gaue lawes at London Lincolne Ethelred at Habam Alfred at Woodstock and Wannetting Athelstane in Excester Grecklade Feuersham Thundersleie Canutus at Winchester c other in other places whereof this may suffice Among other things also vsed in the time of the Saxons it shall not be amisse to set downe the forme of their Ordalian law which they brought hither with them from beyond the seas out of Scithia and vsed onelie in the triall of guiltie and vnguiltinesse Certes it conteined not an ordinarie procéeding by daies and termes as in the ciuill and common law we sée practised in these daies but a short dispatch triall of the matter by fire or water whereof at this present I will deliuer the circumstance as I haue faithfullie translated it out of an ancient volume and conferred with an imprinted copie latelie published by M. Lambert and now extant to be read Neuerthelesse as the Scithians were the first that vsed this practise so I read that it was taken vp and occupied also in France in processe of time yea and likewise in Grecia as G. Pachymerus remembreth in the first booke of his historie which beginneth with the empire of M. Paleologus where he noteth his owne sight and vew in that behalfe But what stand I herevpon The Ordalian saith the aforesaid author was a certeine maner of purgation vsed two waies wherof the one was by fire the other by water In the execution of that which was doone by fire the partie accused should go a certeine number of pases with an hot iron in his hand or else bare footed vpon certeine plough shares red hot according to the maner This iron was sometime of one pound weight and then was it called single Ordalium sometimes of thrée and then named treble Ordalium and whosoeuer did beare or tread on the same without hurt of his bodie he was adiudged giltlesse otherwise if his skin were scorched he was foorthwith condemned as guiltie of the trespasse whereof he was accused according to the proportion and quantitie of the burning There were in like sort two kinds of triall by the water that is to say either by hot or cold and in this triall the partie thought culpable was either tumbled into some pond or huge vessell of cold water wherein if he continued for a season without wrestling or strugling for life he was foorthwith acquited as guiltlesse of the fact wherof he was accused but if he began to plunge and labour once for breath immediatlie vpon his falling into that liquor he was by and by condemned as guiltie of the crime Or else he did thrust his arme vp to the shoulder into a lead copper or caldron of seething water from whence if he withdrew the same without anie maner of damage he was discharged of further molestation otherwise he was taken for a trespasser and punished accordinglie The fierie maner of purgation belonged onelie to noble men and women and such as were frée borne but the husbandmen and villaines were tried by water Wherof to shew the vnlearned dealing and blind ignorance of those times it shall not be impertinent to set foorth the whole maner which continued here in England vntill the time of king Iohn who séeing the manifold subtilties in the same by sundrie sorcerous and artificiall practises whereby the working of the said elements were restreined did extinguish it altogither as flat lewdnesse and bouerie The Rubrike of the treatise entereth thus Here beginneth the execution of iustice whereby the giltie or vngiltie are tried by hot iron Then it followeth After accusation lawfullie made and three daies spent in fasting and praier the priest being clad in all his holie vestures sauing his vestiment shall take the iron laid before the altar with a paire of tongs and singing the hymne of the three children that is to saie O all ye workes of God the Lord and in Latine Benedicite omnia opera c he shall carie it solemnelie to the fire alreadie made for that purpose and first saie these words ouer the place where the fire is kindled whereby this purgation shall be made in Latine as insueth Benedic Domine Deus locum istum vt sit nobis in eo sanitas sanctitas castitas virtus victoria sanctimonia humilitas bonitas lenitas plenitudo legis obedientia Deo patri filio spiritui sancto Haec benedictio sit super hunc locum super omnes habitantes in eo In English Blesse thou O Lord this place that it may be to vs health holinesse chastitie vertue and victorie purenesse humilitie goodnesse gentlenesse and fulnesse of the law and obedience to God the father the sonne and the holie ghost This blessing be vpon this place and all that dwell in it Then followeth the blessing of the fire Domine Deus pater omnipotens lumen indeficiens exaudi nos quia tu es conditor omnium luminum Benedic Domine hoc lumen quod ante sanctificatum est qui illuminasti omnem hominem venientem in hunc mundum vel mundum vt ab eo lumine accendamur igne claritatis tuae Et sicut igne illuminasti Mosen ita nunc illumina corda nostra sensus nostros vt ad vitam aeternam mereamur peruenire per Christum c. Lord God father almightie light euerlasting heare vs sith thou art the maker of all lights Blesse O Lord this light that is alreadie sanctified in thy sight which hast lightned all men that come into the world or the whole world to the end that by the same light we may be lightned with the shining of thy brightnesse As thou diddest lighten Moses so now illuminate our hearts and our senses that we may deserue to come to euerlasting life through Christ our c. This being ended let him say the Pater noster c then these words Saluum fac seruum c. Mitte ei auxilium Deus c. De Sion tuere eum c. Dominus vobiscum c. That is O Lord saue thy seruant c. Send him helpe O God from thy holie place c. Defend him out of Sion c. Lord heare c. The Lord be with you c. The praier Benedic Domine sancte pater omnipotens Deus per inuocationem sanctissimi nominis tui per aduentum filij tui atque per donum spiritus paracleti ad manifestandum verum iudicium tuum hoc genus metalli vt sit sanctificatum omni daemonum falsitate procul remota veritas veri iudicij tui fidelibus tuis manifesta fiat per eundem Dominum c. In English Blesse we beséech thee O Lord holie father euerlasting God through the inuocation of thy most holie name by the comming of thy sonne and gift of the holie ghost and to the manifestation of thy true iudgement this kind of mettall that being hallowed and all fradulent practises of
there are 365 leape yeers in the period so that 1460 Iulian yéers doo conteine 1461 after the Egyptians account wherby their common yeare is found to be lese than ours Furthermore wheras our intercalation for the leape yere is somewhat too much by certeine minuts which in 115 yeares amount vnto about an whole day if one intercalation in so manie were omitted our calender would be the more perfect and I would wish that the same yeare wherein the said intercalation trulie found out should be ourpassed might be obserued and called Annus magnus Elizabethae in perpetuall remembrance of our noble and souereigne princesse now reigning amongst vs. I might here saie somewhat also of the prime and hir alteration which is risen higher by fiue daies in our common calender than it was placed by Iulius Caesar and in seauen thousand yeares some writer would grow to an error of an whole if the world should last so long But forsomuch as in some calenders of ours it is reduced againe to the daie of euerie change it shall suffice to saie no more therof The pope also hath made a generall correction of the calender wherein he hath reduced it to the same that it was or should haue beene at the councell of Nice Howbeit as he hath abolished the vse of the golden number so hath he continued the epact applieng it vnto such generall vse as dooth now serue both the turnes whose reformation had also yer this time béene admitted into England if it had not procéeded from him against whom and all whose ordinances we haue so faithfullie sworne and set our hands Certes the next omission is to be performed if all princes would agrée thereto in the leape yeare that shall be about the yeare of Grace 1668 if it shall please God that the world may last so long and then may our calender also stand without anie alteration as it dooth alreadie By this also it appeareth how the defect of our calender may be supplied from the creation wherein the first equinoctiall is seene higher toward the beginning of March than Caesars calender now extant dooth yéeld vnto by seauen daies For as in Caesars time the true equinoctiall was pointed out to happen as Stadius also noteth either vpon or about the sixtéenth or seauentéenth of March albeit the manifest apperance thereof was not found vntill the fiue and twentith of that moneth in their dials or by eie-sight so at the beginning of the world the said entrance of the sunne into the ram must néeds fall out to be about the twentith or one twentith of Aprill as the calender now standeth if I faile not in my numbers Aboue the yeare we haue no more parts of time that carie anie seuerall names with them eâ—â—cept you will affirme the word age to be one which is taken for a hundred yeares and signifieth in English so much as Seculum or Aeuum dooth in Latine neither is it néedfull to remember that some of my countrimen doo reckon their times not by years but by summers and winters which is verie common among vs. Wherefore to shut vp this chapiter withall you shall haue a table of the names of the daies of the wéeke after the old Saxon and Scotish maner which I haue borowed from amongst our ancient writers as I haue perused their volumes The present names Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Fridaie Saturdaie Sunday or the Lords daie The old Saxon names Monendeg Tuesdeg Wodnesdeg Thunresdeg Frigesdeg Saterdeg Sunnandeg The Scotish vsage Diu Luna Diu Mart. Diu Yath. Diu Ethamon Diu Friach Diu Satur. Diu Seroll Of our principall faires and markets Chap. 15. I Haue heretofore said sufficientlie of our faires in the chapter of fairs and markets and now to performe my promise there made I set downe here so manie of our faires as I haue found out by mine owne obseruation and helpe of others in this behalfe Certes it is impossible for me to come by all sith there is almost no towne in England but hath one or more such marts holden yearelie in the same although some of them I must needs confesse be scarse comparable to Lowse faire and little else bought or sold in them more than good drinke pies and some pedlerie trash wherefore it were no losse if diuerse of them were abolished Neither doo I see wherevnto this number of paltrie fairs tendeth so much as to the corruption of youth who all other businesse set apart must néeds repaire vnto them whereby they often spend not onelie the weeke daies but also the Lords sabbaoth in great vanitie and riot But such hath béene the iniquitie of ancient times God grant therefore that ignorance being now abolished and a further insight into things growne into the minds of magistrates these old errors may be considered of and so farre reformed as that thereby neither God may be dishonored nor the common wealth of our countrie anie thing diminished In the meane time take this table here insuing in stead of a calender of the greatest sith that I cannot or at the least wise care not to come by the names of the lesse whose knowledge cannot be so profitable to them that be farre off as they are oft preiudiciall to such as dwell neere hand to the places where they be holden and kept by pilferers that resort vnto the same Faires in Ianuarie THe sixt day being Twelfe day at Salisburie the fiue and twentith being saint Paules day at Bristow at Grauesend at Churchingford at Northalerton in Yorkeshire where is kept a faire euerie wednesday from Christmasse vntill Iune Faires in Februarie THe first day at Bromleie The second at Lin at Bath at Maidstone at Bickleswoorth at Budwoorth The fourtéenth at Feuersham On Ashwednesday at Lichfield at Tamwoorth at Roiston at Excester at Abington at Cicester The foure and twentith at Henlie vpon Thames at Tewkesburie Faires in March ON the twelth day at Stamford Sappesford and at Sudburie The thirtéenth day at Wie at the Mount at Bodmin in Cornewall The fift sunday in Lent at Grantham at Salisburie On monday before our ladie day in Lent at Wisbich at Kendall Denbigh in Wales On palme sunday éeuen at Pumfret On palmesunday at Worcester The twentith day at Durham On our ladie day in Lent at Northamton at Malden at great Chart at Newcastell And all the ladie daies at Huntington And at Saffron Walden on midlentsunday Faires in Aprill THe fift day at Wallingford The seuenth at Darbie The ninth at Bickleswoorth at Belinswoorth On monday after at Euesham in Worcestershire On tuesday in Easter wéeke at Northfléet at Rochford at Hitchin The third sunday after Easter at Louth The two and twentith at Stabford On saint Georges day at Charing at Ipswich at Tamworth at Ampthill at Hinninham at Gilford at saint Pombes in Cornewall On saint Markes day at Darbie at Dunmow in Essex The six and twentith at Tenderden in Kent Faires in Maie ON Maie daie at Rippon at Perin in
in the most part of his victories both in Gallia Germanie and Italie Titus Liuius speaketh but onlie of Brennus wherevpon some write that after the two brethren were by their mothers intreatance made friends Brennus onlie went ouer to Gallia and there through proofe of his woorthie prowesse atteined to such estimation amongst the people called Galli Senones that he was chosen to be their generall capteine at their going ouer the mountaines into Italie But whether Beline went ouer with his brother and finallie returned backe againe leauing Brennus behind him as some write or that he went not at all but remained still at home whilest his brother was abroad we can affirme no certeintie Most part of all our writers make report of manie woorthie deeds accomplished by Beline in repairing of cities decaied erecting of other new buildings to the adorning and beautifieng of his realme and kingdome And amongst other works which were by him erected he builded a citie in the south part of Wales neare to the place where the riuer of Uske falleth into Seuerne fast by Glamorgan which citie hight Caerleon or Caerlegion Ar Wiske This Caerleon was the principall citie in time past of all Demetia now called Southwales Manie notable monuments are remaining there till this day testifieng the great magnificence and roiall building of that citie in old time In which citie also sith the time of Christ were thrée churches one of saint Iulius the martyr an other of saint Aron and the third was the mother church of all Demetia and the chiefe sée but after the same sée was translated vnto Meneuia that is to say saint Dauid in Westwales In this Caerleon was Amphibulus borne who taught and instructed saint Albon This Beliue also builded an hauen with a gate ouer the same within the citie of Troinouant now called London in the summitie or highest part wherof afterwards was set a vessell of brasse in the which were put the ashes of his bodie which bodie after his deceasse was burnt as the maner of burieng in those daies did require This gate was long after called Belina gate and at length by corruption of language Billings gate He builded also a castell eastward from this gate as some haue written which was long time after likewise called Belins castell and is the same which now we call the tower of London Thus Beline studieng dailie to beautifie this land with goodlie buildings and famous workes at length departed this life after he had reigned with his brother iointlie and alone the space of 26 yeres Of Gurguintus Guintolinus and Sicilius three kings of Britaine succeeding ech other by lineall descent in the regiment and of their acts and deeds with a notable commendation of Queene Martia The fift Chapter GUrguintus the sonne of Beline began to reigne ouer the Britains in the yeare of the world 1596 after the building of Rome 380 after the deliuerance of the Israelites out of captiuitie 164 complet which was about the 33 yeare of Artaxerxes Mnenon surnamed Magnus the seuenth king of the Persians This Gurguint in the English chronicle is named Corinbratus and by Matthew Westmin he is surnamed Barbiruc the which bicause the tribute granted by Guilthdag king of Denmarke in perpetuitie vnto the kings of Britaine was denied he sailed with a mightie nauie and armie of men into Denmarke where he made such warre with fire and sword that the king of Denmarke with the assent of his barons was constreined to grant eftsoones to continue the paiment of the aforesaid tribute After he had thus atchiued his desire in Denmarke as he returned backe towards Britaine he encountred with a nauie of 30 ships beside the Iles of Orkenies These ships were fraught with men and women and had to their capteine one called Bartholin or Partholin who being brought to the presence of king Gurguint declared that he with his people were banished out of Spaine and were named Balenses or Baselenses and had sailed long on the sea to the end to find some prince that would assigne them a place to inhabit to whom they would become subiects hold of him as of their souereigne gouernor Therefore he besought the king to consider their estate and of his great benignitie to appoint some void quarter where they might settle The king with the aduice of his barons granted to them the I le of Ireland which as then by report of some authors lay waste and without habitation But it should appeare by other writers that it was inhabited long before those daies by the people called Hibemeneses of Hiberus their capteine that brought them also out of Spaine After that Gurguintus was returned into his countrie he ordeined that the laws made by his ancestors should be dulie kept and obserued And thus administring iustice to his subiects for the tearme of 19 yeares he finallie departed this life and was buried at London or as some haue at Caerleon In his daies was the towne of Cambridge with the vniversitie first founded by Cantaber brother to the aforesaid Bartholin according to some writers as after shall appeare GUintollius or Guintellius the sonne of Gurguintus was admitted king of Britaine in the yere of the world of 614 after the building of the citie of Rome 399 and second yere of the 206 Olimpiad This Guintoline was a wise prince graue in counsell and sober in behauior He had also a wife named Martia a woman of perfect beautie wisedome incomparable as by hir prudent gouernement and equall administration of iustice after hir husbands deceasse during hir sonnes minoritie it most manifestlie appeared It is thought that in an happie time this Guintoline came to the gouernement of this kingdome being shaken and brought out of order with ciuill dissentions to the end he might reduce it to the former estate which he carnestlie accomplished for hauing once got the place he studied with great diligence to reforme anew and to adorne with iustice lawes and good orders the British common wealth by other kings not so framed as stood with the quietnesse thereof But afore all things he vtterlie remooued and appeased such ciuill discord as séemed yet to remaine after the maner of a remnant of those seditious factions and partakings which had so long time reigned in this land But as he was busie in hand herewith death tooke him out of this life after he had reigned 27 yeares and then was he buried at London SIcilius the sonne of Guintoline being not past seuen yeares of age when his father died was admitted king in the yeare 3659 after the building of Rome 430 after the deliuerance of the Israelites out of captiuitie 218 in the sixt after the death of Alexander By reason that Sicilius was not of age sufficient of himselfe to guide the kingdome of the Britains his mother that worthie ladie called Martia had the
gouernance both of his realme and person committed to hir charge She was a woman expert and skilfull in diuers sciences but chiefelie being admitted to the gouernance of the realme she studied to preserue the common wealth in good quiet and wholsome order and therefore deuised and established profitable and conuenient lawes the which after were called Martian lawes of hir name that first made them These lawes as those that were thought good and necessarie for the preseruation of the common wealth Alfred or Alured that was long after king of England translated also out of the British toong into the English Saxon speech and then were they called after that translation Marchenelagh that is to meane the lawes of Martia To conclude this worthie woman guided the land during the minoritie of hir sonne right politikelie and highlie to hir perpetuall renowme and commendation And when hir sonne came to lawfull age she deliuered vp the gouernance into his handes How long he reigned writers varie some auouch but seuen yeares though other affirme 15. which agréeth not so well with the accord of other histories and times He was buried at London Of Kimarus and his sudden end of Elanius and his short regiment of Morindus and his beastlie crueltie all three immediatlie succeeding each other in the monarchie of Britaine with the explorts of the last The sixt Chapter KImarus the sonne of Sicilius began to reigne ouer the Britaines in the yeare of the world 3657 and after the building of Rome 442 in the first yeare of the 117 Olsmpiad This Kimarus being a wild yoong man and giuen to follow his lusts and pleasures was slame by some that were his enimies as he was abroad in hunting when he had reigned scarselie three yeares ELanius the sonne of Kimarus or as other haue his brother began to rule the Britaines in the yeare after the creation of the world 3361 after the building of Rome 445 after the deliuerance of the Israelities 229 and in the fourth yeare of the Seleuciens after which account the bookes of Machabées doo reckon which began in the 14 after the death of Alexander This Elanius in the English Chronicle is named also Haran by Mat. Westin Danius and by an old chronicle which Fabian much followed Elanius and Kimarus should seeme to be one person but other hold the contrarie and saie that he reigned fullie 8. yeares MOrindus the bastard sonne of Elanius was admitted king of Britaine in the yeare of the world 366 after the building of Rome 451 after the deliuerance of the Israelites 236 and in the tenth yeare of Cassander K. of Macedonia which hauing dispatched Olimpias the mother of Alexander the great and gotten Roxanes with Alexanders sonne into his hands vsurped the kingdome of the Macedonians and held it 15 yéeres This Morindus in the English chronicle is called Morwith and was a man of worthie fame in chiualrie and martiall dooings but so cruell withall that his vnmercifull nature could scarse be satisfied with the torments of them that had offended him although oftentimes with his owne hands he cruellie put them to torture and execution He was also beautifull and comelie of personage liberall and bounteous and of a maruellous strength In his daies a certeine king of the people called Moriani with a great armie landed in Northumberland and began to make cruell warre vpon the inhabitants But Morindus aduertised héerof assembled his Britains came against the enimies and in battell putting them to flight chased them to their ships and tooke a great number of them prisoners whome to the satisfieng of his cruell nature he caused to be slaine euen in his presence Some of them were headed some strangled some panched and some he caused to be slaine quicke ¶ These people whome Gal. Mon. nameth Moriani I take to be either those that inhabited about Terrouane and Calice called Morini or some other people of the Galles or Germaines and not as some estéeme them Morauians or Merhenners which were not known to the world as Humfrey Llhoyd hath verie well noted till about the daies of the emperour Mauricius which misconstruction of names hath brought the British historie further out of credit than reason requireth if the circumstances be dulie considered But now to end with Morindus At length this bloudie prince heard of a monster that was come a land out of the Irish sea with the which when he would néeds fight he was deuoured of the same after he had reigned the terme of 8 yeeres leauing behind him fiue sonnes Gorbomanus Archigallus Elidurus Uigenius or Nigenius and Peredurus Of Gorbonianus Archigallus Elidurus Vigenius and Peredurus the fiue sons of Morindus the building of Cambridge the restitution of Archigallus to the regiment after his depriuation Elidurus three times admitted King his death and place of interrament The seuenth Chapter GOrbonianus the first son of Morindus succéeded his father in the kingdome of Britain in the yéere of the world 3676 after the building of Rome 461 and fourth yéere of the 121 Olimpiad This Gorbonianus in the English chronicle is named Granbodian and was a righteous prince in his gouernment and verie deuout according to such deuotion as he had towards the aduancing of the religion of his gods and thervpon he repaired all the old temples through his kingdome and erected some new He also builded the townes of Cambridge and Grantham as Caxton writeth and was beloued both of the rich and poore for he honoured the rich and relieued the poore in time of their necessities In his time was more plentie of all things necessarie for the wealthfull state of man than had béene before in anie of his predecessors daies He died without issue after he had reigned by the accord of most writers about the terme of ten yeares Some write that this Gorbonian built the townes of Cairgrant now called Cambridge also Grantham but some thinke that those which haue so written are deceiued in mistaking the name for that Cambridge was at the first called Granta and by that meanes it might be that Gorbonian built onlie Grantham and not Cambridge namelie because other write how that Cambridge as before is said was built in the daies of Gurguntius the sonne of Beline by one Cantaber a Spaniard brother to Partholoin which Partholoin by the aduice of the same Gurguntius got seates for himselfe and his companie in Ireland as before ye haue heard The said Cantaber also obteining licence of Gurguntius builded a towne vpon the side of the riuer called Canta which he closed with walles and fortified with a strong tower or castell and after procuring philosophers to come hither from Athens where in his youth he had bene a student he placed them there and so euen then was that place furnished as they saie with learned men and such as were readie to instruct others in knowledge of letters and
all persons right and iustice all the daies of his life and lastlie being growne to great age died when he had reigned now this third time after most concordance of writers the tearme of foure yeares and was buried at Caerleill A Chapter of digression shewing the diuersitie of writers in opinion touching the computation of yeares from the beginning of the British kings of this Iland downewards since Gurguintus time till the death of Elidurus and likewise till king Lud reigned in his roialtie with the names of such kings as ruled betweene the last yeare of Elidurus and the first of Lud. The eight Chapter HEre is to be noted that euen from the beginning of the British kings which reigned here in this land there is great diuersitie amongest writers both touching the names and also the times of their reignes speciallie till they come to the death of the last mentioned king Elidurus Insomuch that Polydor Virgil in his historie of England finding a manifest error as he taketh it in those writers whome he followeth touching the account from the comming of Brute vnto the sacking of Rome by Brennus whome our histories affirme to be the brother of Beline that to fill vp the number which is wanting in the reckoning of the yeares of those kings which reigned after Brute till the daies of the same Brenne Beline he thought good to change the order least one error should follow an other and so of one error making manie he hath placed those kings which after other writers should séeme to follow Brenne and Beline betwixt Dunuallo and Mulmucius father to the said Beline and Brenne and those fiue kings which stroue for the gouernement after the deceasse of the two brethren Ferrex and Porrex putting Guintoline to succéed after the fiue kings or rulers and after Guintoline his wife Martia during the minoritie of hir sonne then hir said sonne named Sicilius After him succéeded these whose names follow in order Chimarius Danius Morindus Gorbonianus Archigallo who being deposed Elidurus was made king and so continued till he restored the gouernement as ye haue heard to Archigallo againe and after his death Elidurus was eftsoones admitted and within a while againe deposed by Uigenius and Peredurus and after their deceasses the third time restored Then after his deceasse followed successiuelie Ueginus Morganus Ennanus Idunallo Rimo Geruntins Catellus Coilus Porrex the second of that name Cherinus Fulgentius Eldalus Androgeus Urianus and Eliud after whom should follow Dunuallow Molmucius as in his proper place if the order of things doone the course of time should be obserued as Polydor gathereth by the account of yeares attributed to those kings that reigned before and after Dunuallo according to those authours whom as I said he followeth if they will that Brennus which led the Galles to Rome be the same that was sonne to the said Dunuallo Mulmucius and brother to Beline But sith other haue in better order brought out a perfect agréement in the account of yeares and succession of those kings which reigned and gouerned in this land before the sacking of Rome and also another such as it is after the same and before the Romans had anie perfect knowledge thereof we haue thought good to follow them therein leauing to euerie man his libertie to iudge as his knowledge shall serue him in a thing so doubtfull and vncerteine by reason of variance amongst the ancient writers in that behalfe And euen as there is great difference in writers since Gurguintus till the death of Elidurus so is there as great or rather greater after his deceasse speciallie till king Lud atteined the kingdome But as maie be gathered by that which Fabian and other whome he followeth doo write there passed aboue 185 yeares betwixt the last yeare of Elidurus and the beginning of king Lud his reigne in the which time there reigned 32 or 33 kings as some writers haue mentioned whose names as Gal. Mon. hath recorded are thâ—se immediatlie héere named Regâ—â— the sonne of Gorbolian or Gorbonian a worthie prince who iustlie and mercifullie gouerned his people Margan the sonne of Archigallo a noble prince likewise and guiding his subiects in good quiet Emerian brother to the same Margan but far vnlike to him in maners so that he was deposed in the sixt yeare of his reigne Ydwallo sonne to Uigenius Rimo the sonne of Peredurus Geruntius the sonne of Elidurus Catell that was buried at Winchester Coill that was buried at Nottingham Porrex a vertuous and most gentle prince Cherinus a drunkard Fulginius Eldad and Androgeus these thrée were sonnes to Chercinus and reigned successiuelie one after another after them a sonne of Androgeus then Eliud Dedaicus Clotinius Gurguntius Merianns Bledius Cop Owen Sicilius Bledgabredus an excellent musician after him his brother Archemall then Eldol Red Rodiecke Samuill Penisell Pir Capoir after him his sonne Gligweil an vpright dealing prince and a good iusticiarie whom succeeded his sonne Helie which reigned 60 yeares as the forsaid Gal. Mon. writeth where other affirme that he reigned 40 yeares and some againe say that he reigned but 7 moneths There is great diuersitie in writers touching the reignes of these kings and not onlie for the number of yéeres which they should continue in their reignes but also in their names so that to shew the diuersitie of all the writers were but to small purpose sith the dooings of the same kings were not great by report made thereof by any approoued author But this maie suffice to aduertise you that by conferring the yéeres attributed to the other kings which reigned before them since the comming of Brute who should enter this land as by the best writers is gathered about the yéere before the building of Rome 367 which was in the yéere after the creation of the world 2850 as is said with their time there remaineth 182 yéeres to be dealt amongst these 33 kings which reigned betwixt the said Elidure Lud which Lud also began his reigne after the building of the citie of Rome as writers affirme about 679 yéeres and in the yéere of the world 3895 as some that will séeme the precisest calculators doo gather Polydor Virgil changing as I haue shewed the order of succession in the British kings in bringing diuerse of those kings which after other writers followed Beline and Brenne to precéed them so successiuelie after Beline and Brenne reherseth those that by his coniecture did by likelihood succéed as thus After the decesse of Beline his sonne Gurguntius being the second of that name succeeded in gouernment of the land and then these in order as they follow Merianus Bladanus Capeus Ouinus Sicilius Bledgabredus Archemallus Eldorus Rodianus Redargius Samulius Penisellus Pyrrhus Caporus Dinellus and Helie who had issue Lud Cassibellane and Neurius Of king Helie who gaue the name to the I le of Elie of king Lud and what memorable edifices he made London sometimes called Luds towne
Saxons being infidels against the Britains whose exhortation tooke so good effect that the said Constantinus did not onelie forbeare to assist the Saxons but contrarilie holpe the Britains in their warres against them which thing did mainteine the state of the Britains for a time from falling into vtter ruine and decaie In the meane time the Saxons renewed their league with the Picts so that their powers being ioined togither they began afresh to make sore warres vpon the Britains who of necessitie were constreined to assemble an armie mistrusting their owne strength required aid of the two bishops Germane and Lupus who hasting forward with all speed came into the armie bringing with them no small hope of good lucke to all the Britains there being assembled This was doone in Kent Now such was the diligence of the bishops that the people being instructed with continuall preaching in renouncing the error of the Pelagians earnestlie came by troops to receiue the grace of God offred in baptisme so that on Easter day which then insued the more part of the armie was baptised and so went foorth against the enimies who hearing thereof made hast towards the Britains in hope to ouercome them at pleasure But their approch being knowne bishop Germane tooke vpon him the leading of the British host and ouer against the passage thorough the which the enimies were appointed to come he chose foorth a faire vallie inclosed with high mounteins and within the same he placed his new washed armie And when he saw the enimies now at hand he commanded that euerie man with one generall voice should answer him crieng alowd the same crie that he should begin So that euen as the enimies were readie to giue the charge vpon the Britains supposing that they should haue taken them at vnwares and before anie warning had béen giuen suddenlie bishop Germane and the priests with a lowd and shrill voice called Alleluia thrice and therewith all the multitudes of the Britains with one voice cried the same crie with such a lowd shout that the Saxons were therewith so amazed and astonied the echo from the rocks and hils adioining redoubling in such wise the crie that they thought not onelie the rocks and clifs had fallen vpon them but that euen the skie it selfe had broken in péeces and come tumbling downe vpon their heads heerewith therefore throwing awaie their weapons they tooke them to their féet and glad was he that might get to be formost in running awaie Manie of them for hast were drowned in a riuer which they had to passe Polydor taketh that riuer to be Trent The Britains hauing thus vanquished their enimies gathered the spoile at good leasure gaue God thanks for the victorie thus got without bloud for the which the holie bishops also triumphed as best became them Now after they had setled all things in good quiet within the I le as was thought expedient they returned into Gallia or France from whence they came as is before rehearsed By one author it should appéere that this battell was woone against the Scots and Picts about the yéere of our Lord 448 a little before the comming of the Saxons into this land vnder Hengist in which yéere Germane first came hither to wéed out the heresie of Pelagius as by the same author more at large is affirmed Howbeit some chronographers alledge out of Prosper other and note the first comming of Germane to haue béene in the 429 yéere of Christ and vnder the consulship of Florentius and Dionysius And this should séeme to agrée with the truth for that after some the foresaid Germane should die at Rauenna about the yéere of our Lord 450 as Vincentius noteth which was the verie yeere of the comming of the Saxons notwithstanding when or wheresoeuer he died it was not long after his returne into Gallia vpon his first iournie made hither into this land who no sooner obteined the victorie before mentioned but woord was brought againe vnto him that eftsoones the heresie of the Pelagians was spread abroad in Britaine and therefore all the priests or cleargie made request to him that it might stand with his pleasure to come ouer againe and defend the cause of true religion which he had before confirmed Héerevpon bishop Germane granted 〈◊〉 to doo and therefore taking with him one Seuerns that was disciple vnto Lupus and ordeined at that tune bishop of Triers tooke the sea and came againe into Britaine where he found the multitude of the people stedfast in the same beliefe wherein he had left them perceiued the fault to rest in a few wherevpon inquiring out the authors he condemned them to exile as it is written and with a manifest miracle by restoring a yoong man that was lame as they saie vnto the right vse of his lims he confirmed his doctrine Then followed preaching to persuade amendment of errors and by the generall consent of all men the authors of the wicked doctrine being banished the land were deliuered vnto bishop Germane and to his fellow Seuerus to conueie them away in their companie vnto the parties beyond the seas that the region might so be deliuered of further danger and they receiue the benefit of due amendment By this meanes it came to passe that the true faith continued in Britaine sound and perfect a long time after Things being thus set in good order those holie men returned into their countries the forenamed bishop Germane went to Rauenna to sue for peace to be granted vnto the people of Britaine Armorike where being receiued of the emperor Ualentinian and his mother Placida in most reuerend maner he departed in that citie out of this transitorie life to the eternall ioies of heauen His bodie was afterwards conueied to the citie of Anxerre where he had béene bishop with great opinion of holines for his sincere doctrine and pure and innocent life Shortlie after was the emperour Ualentinian slaine by the friends of that noble man named Aetius whome he had before caused to be put to death ¶ By this it maie appéere that bishop Germane came into this realme both the first and second time whilest as well Hengist as also Uortigerne were liuing for the said Ualentinian was murthered about the yeere of our Lord 454 where the said kings liued and reigned long after that time as maie appéere both before and after in this present booke What part of the realme the Saxons possessed Vortigerne buildeth a castell in Wales for his safetie Aurelius and Vter both brethren returne into Britaine they assalt the vsurper Vortigerne and with wild fire burne both him his people his fort and all the furniture in the same Vortigerne committeth incest with his owne daughter feined and ridiculous woonders of S. Germane a sheepherd made a king The seuenth Chapter NOw will we returne to Uortigerne of whome we read in the British historie that after the Saxons had constreined him
at length the king gaue licence to Pauline openlie to preach the gospell and renouncing his worshipping of false gods professed the christian faith And when he demanded of his bishop Coifi who should first deface the altars of their idols and the tabernacles wherewith they were compassed about He answered that himselfe would doo it For what is more méet saith he than that I which thorough foolishnesse haue worshipped them should now for example sake destroie the same thorough wisedome giuen me from the true and liuing God And streightwaies throwing awaie the superstition of vanitie required armour and weapon of the king with a stoned horsse vpon the which he being mounted rode foorth to destroie the idols This was a strange sight to the people for it was not lawfull for the bishop of their law to put on armour or to ride on anie beast except it were a mare He hauing therefore a swoord gird to him tooke a speare in his hand and riding on the kings horsse went to the place where the idols stood The common people that beheld him had thought he had béene starke mad and out of his wits but he without longer deliberation incontinentlie vpon his comming to the temple began to deface the fame and in contempt threw his speare against it reioising greatlie in the knowledge of the worshipping of the true God commanded his companie to destroie burne downe the same temple with all the altars This place where the idols were sometime worshipped was not farre from Yorke towards the east part of the riuer of Derwent and is called Gotmundin Gaham where the foresaid bishop by the inspiration of God defaced and destroied those altars which he himselfe had hallowed King Edwin therefore with all the nobilitie and a great number of his people receiued the faith and were baptised in the yéere of our Lord 627 in the tenth yéere of his reigne and about the 178 yéere after the first comming of the Englishmen into this land He was baptised at Yorke on Easter daie which fell that yéere the day before the Ides of Aprill in the church of S. Peter the apostle which he had caused to be erected and built vp of timber vpon the sudden for that purpose and afterwards began the foundation of the same church in stone-woorke of a larger compasse comprehending within it that oratorie which he had first caused to be built but before he could finish the woorke he was slaine as after shall be shewed leauing it to be performed of his successor Oswald Pauline continued from thencefoorth during the kings life which was six yéeres after in preaching the gospell in the prouince conuerting an innumerable number of people to the faith of Christ among whom were Osfride and Eadfride the two sonnes of Edwin whom he begot in time of his banishment of his wife Quinburga the daughter of Cearlus king of Mercia Also afterwards he begot children on his second wife Ethelburga that is to say a sonne called Edilhimus and a daughter named Ediltraudis and another sonne called Bustfrea of the which the two first died in their cradels and were buried in the church at Yorke To be briefe by the kings assistance fauour shewed vnto Pauline in the woorke of the Lord great multitudes of people dailie receiued the faith and were baptised of Pouline in 〈◊〉 places but speciallie in the riuer of Glâ—â—te within the prouince of Bernicia and also in Swale in the prouince of Deira for as yet in the beginning 〈◊〉 of the church in those countries no temples or fonts could be builded or erected in so short a time Of such great zeale was Edwin as it is reported towards the setting foorth of Gods truth that he persuaded Carpwald the sonne of Redwald king of the Eastangles to abandon the superstitious worshipping of idols and to receiue the faith of Christ with all his whole prouince His father Redwald was baptised in Kent long before this time but in vaine for returning home through counsell of his wife and other wicked persons he was seduced and being turned from the sincere puritie of faith his last dooings were woorsse than his first so that according to the maner of the old Samaritans he would séeme both to serue the true God and his false gods whom before time he had serued and in one selfe church had at one time both the sacraments of Christ ministred at one altar and sacrifice made vnto diuels at another But Carpwald within a while after he had receiued the faith was slaine by one of his owne countrimen that was an ethnike called Richbert and then after his death that prouince for the tearme of thrée yeeres was wrapped eftsoones in errour till Sibert or Sigibert the brother of Carpwald a most christian prince and verie well learned obteined the rule of that kingdome who whilest he liued a banished man in France during his brothers life time was baptised there and became a christian and when he came to be king he caused all his prouince to be partaker of the same fountaine of life wherein he had beene dipped himselfe Unto his godlie purpose also a bishop of the parties of Burgoigne named Felix was a great furtherer who comming ouer vnto the archbishop of Canturburie Honorius that was successor vnto Iustus and declaring vnto him his earnest desire was sent by the same archbishop to preach the woord of life vnto the Eastangles which he did with such good successe that he conuerted the whole countrie to the faith of Iesus Christ and placed the sée of his bishoprike at Dunwich ending the course of his life there in peace after he had continued in that his bishoplike office the space of 17 yéeres Moreouer Pauline after that he had conuerted the Northumbers preached the woord of God vnto them of Lindsey which is a part of Lincolnshire and first he persuaded one Blecca the gouernour of the citie of Lincolne to turne vnto Christ togither with all his familie In that citie he also builded a church of stone woorke Thus Pauline trauelled in the woorke of the Lord the same being greatlie furthered by the helpe of Edwin in whose presence he baptised a great number of people in the riuer of Trent néere to a towne which in the old English toong was called Tio vulfingacester This Pauline had with him a deacon named Iames the which shewed himselfe verie diligent in the ministerie map profited greatlie therein But now to returne to king Edwin who was a prince verelie or woorthie same and for the politike ordering of his countries and obseruing of iustice deserued highlie to be commended for in his time all robbers by the high waie were so banished out of his dominions that a woman with hir new borne child alone without other companie might haue trauelled from sea to sea and not haue incountred with â—â—ie creature that durst once haue offered hir iniurie He was also verie carefull
Ludgate builded The xxviij Chapter CAdwallo or Cadwalline for we find him so named began his reigne ouer the Britains in the yéere of our Lord 635 in the yéere of the reigne of the emperour Heracleus 35 and in the 13 yere of Dagobert K. of France Of this man ye haue heard partlie before touching his dealings and warres against the Northumbers and other of the English nation but forsomuch as diuers other things are reported of him by the British writers we haue thought good in his place to rehearse the same in part as in Gal. Mon. we find writen leauing the credit still with the author sith the truth thereof may be the more suspected bicause other authors of good authoritie as Beda Henrie Huntington William Malmesburie and others séeme greatlie to disagrée from him herein But thus it is written This Cadwallo and Edwin the sonne of Ethelfred as Galfride saith were brought vp in France being sent thither vnto Salomon king of Britaine by king Cadwane when they were verie yoong Now after their returne into this land when they were made kings Cadwallo of the Britains Edwin of the Northumbers there continued for the space of two yéeres great friendship betwixt them till at length Edwin required of Cadwallo that he might weare a crowne and celebrate appointed solemnities within his dominion of Northumberland as well as Cadwallo did in his countrie Cadwallo taking aduice in this matter at length by persuasion of his nephue Brian denied to grant vnto Edwin his request wherewith Edwin tooke such displeasure that he sent woord vnto Cadwallo that he would be crowned without his leaue or licence sith he would not willinglie grant it Wherto Cadwallo answered that if he so did he would cut off his head vnder his diademe if he presumed to weare anie within the confines of Britaine Hereof discord arising betwixt these two princes they began to make fierce and cruell warre either of them against the other and at length ioining in batell with their maine forces Cadwallo lost the field with many thousands of his men and being chased fled into Scotland and from thence got ouer into Ireland and finally passed the seas into Britaine Armorike where of his coosin king Salomon he was courteouslie receiued and at length obteined of him 10000 men to go with him backe into his countrie to assist him in recouerie of his lands dominions the which in the meane time were cruellie spoiled wasted and haried by king Edwin At the same time Brian the nephue of Cadwallo whom he had sent into Britaine a little before to slea a certeine wizard or southsaier whom king Edwin had gotten out of Spaine named Pelitus that by disclosing the purpose of Cadwallo vnto Edwin greatlie hindered Cadwallos enterprises had fortified the citie of Excester mening to defend it till the comming of Cadwallo wherevpon Penda king of Mercia besieged that citie with a mightie army purposing to take it and Brian within it Cadwallo then aduertised hereof immediatlie after his arriuall hasted to Excester and diuiding his people in 4 parts set vpon his enimies tooke Penda and ouerthrew his whole armie Penda hauing no other shift to escape submitted himselfe wholie vnto Cadwallo promising to become his liegeman to fight against the Saxons in his quarrell Penda being thus subdued Cadwallo called his nobles togither which had bene dispersed abroad a long season with all spéed went against Edwin king of Northumberland and slue him in battell at Hatfield as before is mentioned with his son Osfride and Eodbold king of the Iles of Orknie which was come thither to his aid ¶ By this it should appeare that Fabian hath gathered amisse in the account of the reignes of the British kings for it appeareth by Beda and others that Edwin was slaine in the yéere of our Lord 634. And where Fabian as before is said attributeth that act diuers other vnto Cadwan the father of this Cadwallo yet both Gal. Mon. and Beda with the most part of all other writers signifie that it was done by Cadwallo Harding assigneth but 13 yéeres to the reigne of Cadwan and declareth that he died in the yéere of our Lord 616 in the which as he saith Cadwallo began his reigne which opinion of his séemeth best to agrée with that which is written by other authors But to returne to the other dooings of Cadwallo as we find them recorded in the British storie After he had got this victorie against the Northumbers he cruellie pursued the Saxons as though he ment so farre as in him lay to destroie the whole race of them out of the coasts of all Britaine and sending Penda against king Oswald that succéeded Edwin though at the first Penda receiued the ouerthrow at Heauenfield yet afterwards Cadwallo himselfe highly displeased with that chance pursued Oswald and fought with him at a place called Bourne where Penda slue the said Oswald Wherevpon his brother Osunus succéeding in gouernment of the Northumbers sought the fauour of Cadwallo now ruling as king ouer all Britaine and at length by great gifts of gold and siluer and vpon his humble submission obteined peace till at length vpon spite Penda king of Mercia obteined licence of Cadwallo to make warres against the said Osunus in the which as it hapned Penda himselfe was slaine Then Cadwallo after two yéeres granted that Ulfridus the sonne of Penda should succeed in Mercia Thus Cadwallo ruled things at his appointment within this land And finallie when he had reigned 48 yéeres he departed this life the 22 of Nouember His bodie being embalmed and dressed with swéet confections was put into a brasen image by maruelous art melted and cast which image being set on a brazen horsse of excellent beautie the Britains set vp aloft vpon the west gate of London called Ludgate in signe of his conquests and for a terror to the Saxons Moreouer the church of S. Martin vnderneath the same gate was by the Britains then builded Thus haue the Britains made mention of their valiant prince Cadwallo but diuerse thinke that much of this historie is but fables bicause of the manifest varieng both from Beda and other antentike writers as before I haue said The true storie of the forenamed king Oswald his desire to restore christian religion Cormans preaching taking small effect among the Northumbers persuadeth him to depart into his owne countrie he slandereth them before the Scotish clergie Aidan a godlie man telleth the cause of the people 's not profiting by Cormans preaching Aidan commeth into England to instruct the people in the faith he varieth in the obseruation of Easter from the English churches custome the Northumbers haue him his doctrine in reuerence Oswalds earnest zeale to further religion by Aidans preaching and ministerie 15000 baptised within 7 daies Oswald hath the Britains Scots Picts English at his commandement his commendable deed of christian charitie the Westsaxons conuerted to
the faith by the preaching of Birinus king Kinigils is baptised he maketh Birinus bishop of Dorcester Penda king of Mercia maketh war against the christian kings of the Westsaxons both sides after a bloudie battell fall to agrement Ercombert the first English king that destroied idols throughout the whole land he ordeineth Lent why English men became moonks and English women nunnes in monasteries beyond the seas why Penda king of Mercia enuieth vertuous king Oswald he is assaulted slaine in battell and canonized a saint after his death The xxix Chapter NOw will we after all these differing discourses of the British chronologers approch and draw as néere as we can to the truth of the historie touching Oswald king of the Northumbers of whom we find that after he had tasted of Gods high fauour extended to himwards in vanquishing his enimies as one minding to be thankefull therefore he was desirous to restore the christian faith through his whole kingdome sore lamenting the decay thereof within the same and therefore euen in the beginning of his reigne he sent vnto Donwald the Scotish king with whome he had béene brought vp in the time of his banishment the space of 18 yéeres requiring him to haue some learned Scotishman sent vnto him skilfull in preaching the word of life that with godly sermons and wholesome instructions he might conuert the people of Northumberland vnto the true and liuing God promising to interteine him with such prouision as apperteined At his instance there was sent vnto him one Corman a clerke singularlie well learned and of great grauitie in behauiour but for that he wanted such facilitie and plaine vtterance by waie of gentle persuading as is requisite in him that shall instruct the simple onelie setting foorth in his sermons high mysteries and matters of such profound knowledge as the verie learned might scarselie perceiue the perfect sense and meaning of his talke his trauell came to small effect so that after a yéeres remaining there he returned into his countrie declaring amongst his brethren of the cleargie that the people of Northumberland was a froward stubborne and stiffe-harted generation whose minds he could not frame by anie good meanes of persuasion to receiue the christian faith so that he iudged it lost labour to spend more time amongst them being so vnthankfull and intractable a people as no good might be doone vnto them Amongst other learned and vertuous prelats of the Scots there chanced one to be there present at the same time called Aidan a man of so perfect life that as Beda writeth he taught no otherwise than he liued hauing no regard to the cares of this world but whatsoeuer was giuen him by kings or men of wealth and riches that he fréelie bestowed vpon the poore exhorting other to doo the like This Aidan hearing Cormans woords perceiued anon that the fault was not so much in the people as in the teacher and therefore declared that as he thought although it were so that the people of Northumberland gaue no such attentiue eare vnto the preaching of that reuerend prelate Corman as his godlie expectation was they should haue doone yet might it be that his vttering of ouer manie mysticall articles amongst them farre aboue the capacitie of the vnderstanding of simple men was the cause why they so lightlie regarded his diuine instructions whereas if he had according to the counsell of Saint Paule at the first ministred vnto their tender vnderstandings onelie milke without harder nourishments he might happilie haue woone a farre greater number of them vnto the receiuing of the faith and so haue framed them by little and little to haue digested stronger food And therefore he thought it necessarie in discharge of their duties towards God and to satisfie the earnest zeale of king Oswald that some one amongst them might be appointed to go againe into Northumberland to trie by procéeding in this maner afore alledged what profit would thereof insue The bishops hearing the opinion of Aidan and therewith knowing Cormans maner of preaching iudged the matter to be as Aidan had declared and therevpon not onelie allowed his woords but also willed him to take the iournie vpon him sith they knew none so able with effect to accomplish their wished desires in that behalfe Aidan for that he would not seeme to refuse to take that in hand which he himselfe had motioned was contented to satisfie their request and so set forward towards Northumberland and comming thither was ioifullie receiued of king Oswald who appointed him the I le of Lindesfarne wherein to place the see of his new bishoprike This Aidan in one point varied from the vse of the new begun church of England that is to say touching the time of obseruing the feast of Easter in like maner as all the bishops of the Scots and Picts inhabiting within Britaine in those daies did following therein as they tooke it the doctrine of the holie and praise-woorthie father Anatholius But the Scots that inhabited the south parts of Ireland alreadie were agréed to obserue that feast according to the rules of the church of Rome Howbeit Aidan being thus come into Northumberland applied himselfe so earnestlie in praier and preaching that the people had him within short while in woonderfull estimation chiefelie for that he tempered his preachings with such swéet and pleasant matter that all men had a great desire to heare him insomuch that sometime he was glad to preach abroad in churchyards bicause the audience was more than could haue roome in the church One thing was a great hinderance to him that he had not the perfect knowledge of the Saxon toong But Oswald himselfe was a great helpe to him in that matter who being desirous of nothing so much as to haue the faith of Christ rooted in the harts of his subiects vsed as an interpretor to report vnto the people in their Saxon toong such whole sermons as Aidan vttered in his mother toong For Oswald hauing béene brought vp as ye haue hard in Scotland during the time of his banishment was as readie in the Scotish as he was in the Saxon toong The people then seeing the kings earnest desire in furthering the doctrine set foorth by Aidan were the more inclined to heare it so that it was a maruellous matter to note what numbers of people dailie offred themselues to be baptised insomuch that within the space of seuen daies as is left in writing he christened 15 thousand persons of the which no small part forsaking the world betooke themselues to a solitarie kind of life Thus by his earnest trauell in continuall preaching and setting foorth the gospell in that countrie it came to passe in the end that the faith was generallie receiued of all the people and such zeale to aduance the glorie of the christian religion dailie increased amongst them that no where could be found greater Heerevpon were no small number of
churches built in all places abroad in those parties by procurement of the king all men liberallie consenting according to the rate of their substance to be contributorie towards the charges By this meanes the kingdome of the Northumbers flourished as well in fame of increase in religion as also in ciuill policie and prudent ordinances insomuch that as Beda writeth Oswald atteined to such power that all the nations and prouinces within Britaine which were diuided into foure toongs that is to say Britains Picts Scots and Englishmen were at his commandement But yet he was not lifted vp in anie pride or presumption but shewed himselfe maruellous courteous and gentle and verie liberall to poore people and strangers It is said that he being set at the table vpon an Ester day hauing bishop Aidan at diner then with him his almoner came in as the bishop was about to say grace and declared to the king that there was a great multitude of poore folks set before the gates to looke for the kings almes The king héerewith tooke a siluer dish which was set on the table before him with meate commanded the same meate streightwaies to be distributed amongst the poore the dish broken into small péeces and diuided amongst them for which act he was highlie commended of the bishop as he well deserued By the good policie and diligent trauell of this king the prouinces of Deira and Bernicia which hitherto had béene at variance were brought to peace and made one ABout the same time the Westsaxons were conuerted to the christian faith by the preaching of one Birinus a bishop who came into this land at the exhortation of pope Honorius to set foorth the gospell vnto those people which as yet were not baptised By whose diligent trauell in the Lords haruest Cinigils or Kinigils one of the kings of that countrie receiued the faith and was baptised about the fiue twentith yéere of his reigne K. Oswald that should haue had his daughter in mariage was present the same time who first yer he became a sonne in law was made a godfather vnto Kinigils that should be his father in law by receiuing him at the fontstone in that his second birth of regeneration To this Birinus who was an Italian king Kinigils now that he was become a conuert or christian appointed and assigned the citie of Dorcester situat by the Thames distant from Oxford about seuen miles to be the sée of his bishoprike where he procured churches to be built and by his earnest trauell setting foorth the woord of life conuerted much people to the right beliefe In the yéere following Quichelmus the other king of the Westsaxons and sonne to Kinigils was also christened and died the same yéere and so Cinigilsus or Kinigils reigned alone In this meane while Penda king of Mercia that succéeded next after Ciarlus being a man giuen to séeke trouble in one place or other leauied warre against the kings of Westsaxon Kinigils and Quichelmus the which gathering their power gaue him battell at Cirenchester where both the parties fought it out to the vttermost as though they had forsworne to giue place one to another insomuch that they continued in fight and making of cruell slaughter till the night parted them in sunder And in the morning when they saw that if they shuld buckle togither againe the one part should vtterlie destroie the other they fell to agréement in moderating ech others demands After this in the yéere of our Lord 640 Eadbald king of Kent departed this life after he had reigned 24 yéeres leauing his kingdome to his sonne Ercombert This Ercombert was the first of the English kings which tooke order for the vtter destroieng of all idols throughout his whole kingdome He also by his roiall authoritie commanded the fast of fortie daies in the Lent season to be kept and obserued appointing woorthie and competent punishment against the transgressors of that commandement He had by his wife Segburga that was daughter vnto Anna king of the Eastangles a daughter named Eartongatha a professed nunne within the monasterie of Briege or Cala in France for in those daies bicause there were not manie monasteries builded within this land a great number of Englishmen that tooke vpon them the profession of a religious life got them ouer vnto abbeies in France and there professed themselues moonks and manie there were which sent their daughters ouer to be professed nuns within the nunneries there and speciallie at Briege Cala and Andelie amongst other there were Sedrike the lawfull daughter and Edelburgh the bastard daughter of the said king Anna both which in processe of time were made abbesses of the said monasterie of Briege Ye haue heard alreadie how Oswald king of Northumberland bare himselfe in all points like a most woorthie prince not ceasing to releeue the necessitie of the poore aduancing the good and reforming the euill whereby he wan to himselfe excéeding praise and commendation of all good men and still his fame increased for his vertuous dooings namelie for the ardent zeale he had to the aduancing of the christian faith Herevpon Penda king of Mercia enuieng the prosperous procéedings of Oswald as he that could neuer abide the good report of other mens well-dooings began to imagine how to destroie him and to conquere his kingdome that he might ioine it to his owne At length he inuaded his countrie by open warre met with him in the field at a place called Maserfield and there in sharpe and cruell fight Oswald was slaine on the fift day of August in the yeare of our Lord 642 and in the 38 yeare of his age after he had reigned the tearme of eight or nine yeares after some which account that yeare vnto his reigne in the which his predecessors Osrike and Eaufride reigned whome they number not amongest kings because of their wicked apostasie and renouncing of the faith which before they had professed Such was the end of that vertuous prince king Oswald being cruellie slaine by that wicked tyrant Penda Afterwards for the opinion conceiued of his holinesse the foresaid Oswald was canonized a saint and had in great worship of the people being the first of the English nation that approoued his vertue by miracles shewed after his departure out of this life Oswie succeedeth Oswald in the kingdome of Northumberland he is sore vexed by Penda Oswie and Oswin are partners in gouernement they fall at strife Oswin is betraeied into the hands of Oswie and slaine a commendation of his personage and goodlie qualities bishop Aidan dieth Cenwalch king of the Westsaxons Penda maketh warre against him for putting away his wife his flight he becommeth a christian and recouereth his kingdome bishop Agilbert commeth into Westsaxon and afterwards departing vpon occasion is made bishop of Paris Wini buieth the bishoprike of London Sigibert king of the Eastangles
Edelhere king of Eastangles was slaine as before is mentioned his brother Edelwald succéeded him in that kingdome reigning as king thereof by the space of nine yeares Then after Edelwald succéeded Aldulfe the son of Edelhere in gouernment of that kingdome and reigned 25 yeares After Finan bishop of the Northumbers that held his see at Lindesferne as Aidan did before him one Colman was ordeined bishop a Scot borne and an earnest obseruer of the customes vsed amongest them of his nation so that when the controuersie began to be reuiued for the holding of the feast of Easter he would by no meanes yeeld to them that would haue perswaded him to haue followed the rite of the Romane church There was a great disputation kept about this matter and other things as shauing or cutting of heares and such like in the monasterie of Whitbie at the which king Oswie and his sonne Alcfrid were present where Colman for his part alledged the custome of Iohn the euangelist and of Anatholius and the contrarie side brought in proofe of their opinion the custome of Peter and Paule At length when bishop Colman perceiued that his doctrine was not so much regarded as he thought of reason it ought to haue béene he returned into Scotland with those which taking part with him refused to obserue the feast of Easter according to the custome of the church of Rome nor would haue their crownes shauen about which point no small reasoning had beene kept This disputation was holden in the yeare of our Lord 664 and in the yeare of the reigne of king Oswie 22 and 30 yeare after the Scotishmen began first to beare the office of bishops within Northumberland which was as W. Harison saith 624. For Aidan gouerned 17 yeares Finan 10 yeares Colman 3 yeares After that Colman was returned into his countrie one Tuda that had béene brought vp amongest the Southerne Scots and ordeined bishop by them succéeded in his roome hauing his crowne shauen and obseruing the feast of Easter according to the custome of the prouince and rite of the Romane church ¶ The same yeare there chanced a great eclipse of the sunne the third of Maie about 10 of the clocke in the day A great dearth and mortalitie insued both in all the parties of this our Britaine and likewise in Ireland Amongest other the foresaid bishop Tuda died and was buried in the abbeie of Pegnalech After this Tuda succéeded in gouernement of the church of Lindesferne otherwise called Holie Iland one Wilfrid which was sent by king Alcfrid into France to be ordeined there About the same time king Oswie the father of king Alcfrid mooued with the good example of his sonne sent Ceadda the brother of Ced sometime bishop of the Eastsaxons into Kent to be ordeined bishop of Yorke but at his comming into Kent he found that Deus dedit the archbishop of Canturburie was dead and none other as yet ordeined in his place so that Ceadda repaired into the prouince of the Westsaxons where he was ordeined by bishop Wini who tooke two other bishops of the British nation vnto him to be his associats which vsed to obserue the feast of Easter contrarie to the custome of the Romane church But there was no other shift sith none other bishop was then canonicallie ordeined in the prouince of the Westsaxons in those daies this Wini onlie excepted and therefore was he constreined to take such as he might get and prouide After that Ceadda was thus ordeined he began forthwith to follow the true rules of the church liued right chastlie shewed himselfe humble and continent applied his studie to reading and trauelled abroad on foot and not on horssebacke through the coimtries townes and villages to preach the word of God He was the disciple of Aidan and coueted by his example and also by the example of Ced to instruct his hearers with the like dooings maners as he had knowen them to doo Wilfrid also being consecrated bishop and returned into England indeuored to plant the orders of the Romane church in the churches of England whereby it came to passe that the Scots which inhabited amongst the Englishmen were constreined either to follow the same or else to returne into their owne countrie IN this meane time king Ercombert being departed this life after he had gouerned the Kentishmen by the space of twentie yeares his sonne Egbert succéeded him in the kingdome and reigned nine yeares There is little remembrance of his dooings which in that short time were not much notable except ye will ascribe the comming into this land of the archbishop Theodorus and the abbat Adrian vnto his glorie which chanced in his time For in the yeare of the great eclipse and sore mortalitie that insued it chanced that both king Ercombert the archbishop Deus dedit departed this life so that the see of Canturburie was void a certeine time in so much that king Egbert who succéeded his father Ercombert togither with king Oswie did send one Wighart a priest of good reputation for his excellent knowledge in the scriptures vnto Rome with great gifts and rich vessels of gold and siluer to be presented vnto the pope requiring him that he would ordeine the foresaid Wighart archbishop of Canturburie to haue rule of the English church But this Wighart comming vnto Rome and declaring his message vnto Uitalianus then gouerning the church of Rome immediatlie after he died of the pestilence that then reigned in that citie with all those that came with him The pope then taking aduice whome he might ordeine vnto the see of Canturburie being thus destitute of an archbishop appointed a moonke named Adrian to take that office vpon him but Adrian excused himselfe as not sufficient for such a roome and required the pope to appoint one Andrew a moonke also wherevnto the pope consented But when Andrew was preuented by death eftsoones Adrian should haue béene made archbishop but that he named one Theodore an other moonke that abode as then in Rome but was borne in the citie of Tharsus in Cilicia verie well learned both in the Gréeke and Latine and being of reuerend yeares as of 76. This Theodore by the presentment of Adrian was appointed to be ordeined archbishop of Canturburie with condition that Adrian should neuerthelesse attend vpon him into England both for that he had béene twise before this time in France and so knew the coasts and againe for that he might assist him in all things and looke well to the matter that Theodore should not bring into the church of England anie rite or custome of the Gréekes contrarie to the vse of the Romane church Theodore being first ordeined subdeacon tarried foure moneths till his heare was growen that he might haue his crowne shauen after the maner of Peter For he was rounded or shauen after the maner of the East church which was as they persuaded
licence to go into Mercia was gladlie receiued of king Uulfhere and well enterteined in so much that the said king gaue vnto him lands and possessions conteining 50 families or housholds to build a monasterie in a certeine place within the countrie of Lindsey called Etbearne But the sée of his bishoprike was assigned to him at Lichfield in Staffordshire where he made him a house néere to the church in the which he with 7 or 8 other of his brethren in religion vsed in an oratorie there to praie and reade so often as they had leasure from labour and businesse of the world Finallie after he had gouerned the church of Mercia by the space of two yeares and an halfe he departed this life hauing 7 daies warning giuen him as it is reported from aboue before he should die after a miraculous maner which because in the iudgement of the most it may séeme méere fabulous we will omit and passe ouer His bodie was first buried in the church of our ladie but after that the church of saint Peter the apostle was builded his bones were translated into the same In the yeare of our Lord 671 which was the second yeare after that Theodorus the archbishop came into this land Oswie king of Northumberland was attached with a grieuous sicknesse and died thereof the 15 kalends of March in the 58 yeare of his age after he had reigned 28 yeares complet AFter Oswie his sonne Egfrid succéeded in rule of the kingdome of Northumberland in the third yeare of whose reigne that is to say in the yeare of our Lord 673 Theodorus the archbishop of Canturburie kept a synod at Herford the first session whereof began the 24 of September all the bishops of this land being present either in person or by their deputies as Bisi bishop of Estangle Wilfrid of Northumberland by his deputie Putta bishop of Rochester Eleutherius bishop of Westsaxon and Wilfrid bishop of Mercia In the presence of these prelats the archbishop shewed a booke wherein he had noted ten chapters or articles taken out of the booke of the canons requiring that the same might be receiued 1 The first chapter was that the feast of Easter should be kept on the sundaie following the fourtéenth day of the first moneth 2 The second that no bishop should intermedle in an others diocesse but he contented with the cure of his flocke committed to him 3 The third that no bishop should disquiet in anie thing anie monasterie consecrated to God nor take by violence anie goods that belonged vnto the same 4 The fourth that bishops being moonks should not go from monasterie to monasterie except by sufferance and permission of their abbats should continue in the same obedience wherein they stood before 5 The fift that none of the cleargie should depart from his bishop to run into anie other diocesse nor comming from anie other place should be admitted except he brought letters of testimonie with him But if anie such chanced to be receiued if he refused to returne being sent for home both he and his receiuer should be excommunicated 6 The sixt that bishops and other of the cleargie being strangers should hold them content with the benefit of hospitalitie should not take in hand anie priestlie office without licence of the bishop in whose diocesse he chanced so to be remaining 7 The seuenth that twice in the yeare a synod should be kept but because of diuers impediments herein it was thought good to them all that in the kalends of August a synod should be kept once in the yeare at a certeine place called Cloofeshough 8 The eighth chapter was that no one bishop should by ambition séeke to be preferred aboue another but that euerie one should know the time and order of his consecration 9 The ninth that as the number of the christians increased so should there be more bishops ordeined 10 The tenth was touching mariages that none should contract matrimonie with anie person but with such as it should be lawfull for him by the orders of the church none should match with their kinsfolke no man should forsake his wife except as the gospell teacheth for cause of fornication But if anie man did put awaie his wife which he had lawfullie married if he would be accounted a true christian he might not be coopled with an other but so remaine or else be reconciled to his owne wife These articles being intreated of and concluded were confirmed with the subscribing of all their hands so as all those that did go against the same should be disgraded of their priesthood and separated from the companie of them all THe forsaid Bisi that was bishop of the Eastangles and present at this synod was successor vnto Bonifacius which Bonifacius held that sée 17 yéeres and then departing this life Bisi was made bishop of that prouince and ordeined by the archbishop Theodore This Bisi at length was so visited with sicknesse that he was not able to exercise the ministration so that two bishops were then there elected and consecrated for him the one named Aecci and the other Baldwin In this meane while that is about the yéere of our Lord 872 or in the beginning of 873 as Harison noteth Kenwalch king of the Westsaxons departed this life after he had reigned 30 yéeres This Kenwalch was such a prince as in the beginning he was to be compared with the woorst kind of rulers but in the middest and later end of his reigne to be matched with the best His godlie zeale borne towards the aduancing of the christian religion well appéered in the building of the church at Winchester where the bishops sée of all that prouince was then placed His wife Seghurga ruled the kingdome of Westsaxons after him a woman of stoutnesse inough to haue atchiued acts of woorthie remembrance but being preuented by death yer she had reigned one whole yéere she could not shew anie full proofe of hir noble courage I remember that Matth West maketh other report heereof declaring that the nobilitie remooued hir from the gouernment But I rather follow William Malmesburie in this matter TO procéed after Segburga was departed this life or deposed if you will néeds haue it so Escuinus or Elcuinus whose grandfather called Cuthgisio the brother of K. Kinigils succéeding in gouernment of the Westsaxons reigned about the space of two yéeres and after his deceasse one Centiuinus or Centwine tooke vpon him the rule and continued therein the space of nine yeeres But Beda saith that these two ruled at one-time and diuided the kingdom betwixt them Elcuinus fought against Uulfhere king of Mercia a great number of men being slaine on both parties though Uulfhere yet had after a maner the vpper hand as some haue written In the same yéere that the synod was holden at Herford that is to say in the yéere of our Lord 673 Egbert the king of
forward courage hasted to incounter his enimies the which receiued him so sharplie and with so cruell fight that at length the Englishmen were at point to haue turned their backs But herewith came king Ethelred and manfullie ended the battell staied his people from running away and so encouraged them and discouraged the enimies that by the power of God whom as was thought in the morning he had serued the Danes finallie were chased and put to flight losing one of their kings that is to say Basreeg or Osréeg and 5 earles Sidroc the elder and Sidroc the yoonger Osberne Freine and Harold This battell was sore foughten and conâ—inued till night with the slaughter of manie thousands of Danes About 14 daies after king Ethelred and his brother Alured fought eftsoones with the Danish armie at Basing where the Danes had the victorie Also two moneths after this they likewise fought with the Danes at Merton And there the Danes after they had béene put to the woorse pursued in chase a long time yet at length they also got the victorie in which battell Edmund bishop of Shireborne was slaine and manie other that were men of woorthie fame and good account In the summer following a mightie host of the Danes came to Reading and there soiourned for a time ¶ These things agrée not with that which Polydor Virgil hath written of these warres which king Ethelred had with the Danes for he maketh mention of one Iuarus a king of the Danes who landed as he writeth at the mouth of Humber and like a stout enimie inuaded the countrie adioining Against whome Ethelred with his brother Alured came with an armie and incountring the Danes fought with them by the space of a whole day togither and was in danger to haue béene put to the woorse but that the night seuered them asunder In the morning they ioined againe but the death of Iuarus who chanced to be slaine in the beginning of the battell discouraged the Danes so that they were easilie put to flight of whome before they could get out of danger a great number were slaine But after that they had recouered themselues togither and found out a conuenient place where to pitch their campe they chose to their capteines Agnerus and Hubba two brethren which indeuored themselues by all meanes possible to repaire their armie so that within 15 daies after the Danes eftsoones fought with the Englishmen and gaue them such an ouerthrow that little wanted of making an end of all incounters to be attempted after by the Englishmen But yet within a few daies after this as the Danes attended their market to spoile the countrie and range somewhat licentiouslie abroad they fell within â—he danger of such ambushes as were laid for them by king Ethelred that no small slaughter was made of them but yet not without some losse of the Englishmen Amongest others Ethelred himselfe receiued a wound whereof he shortlie after died Thus saith Polydor touching the warres which king Ethelred had with the Danes who yet confesseth as the trueth is that such authors as he herein followed varie much from that which the Danish writers doo record of these matters and namelie touching the dooings of Iuarus as in the Danish historie you may sée more at large But now to our purpose touching the death of king Ethelred whether by reason of hurt receiued in fight against the Danes as Polydor saith or otherwise certeine it is that Ethelred anon after Easter departed this life in the sixt yeare of his reigne and was buried at Winborne abbey In the daies of this Ethelred the foresaid Danish capteins Hungar otherwise called Agnerus and Hubba returning from the north parts into the countrie of the Eastangles came vnto Thetford whereof Edmund who reigned as king in that season ouer the Eastangles being aduertised raised an armie of men and went foorth to giue battell vnto this armie of the Danes But he with his people was chased out of the field and fled to the castell of Framingham where being enuironed with a siege by his enimies he yéelded himselfe vnto them And because he would not renounce the christian faith they bound him to a trée and shot arrowes at him till he died and afterwards cut off his head from his bodie and threw the same into a thicke groue of bushes But afterwards his friends tooke the bodie with the head and â—uried the same at Egleseon where afterward also a faire monasterie was builded by one bishop Aswin and changing the name of the place it was after caâ—â—ed saint Edmundfburie Thus was king Edmund put to death by the cruell Danes for his constant confessing the name of Christ in the 16 yeare of his reigne and so ceased the kingdome of Eastangles For after that the Danes had thus slaine that blessed man they conquered all the countrie wasted it so that through their tyrannie it remained without anie gouernor by the space of nine yeares and then they appointed a king to rule ouer it whose name was Guthrun one of their owne nation who gouerned both the Eastangles and the Eastsaxons Ye haue heard how the Danes slue Osrike and Ella kings of Northumberland After which victorie by them obteined they did much hurt in the north parts of this land and amongest other cruell deeds they destroied the citie of Aâ—â—uid which was a famous citie in the time of the old Saxons as by Beda and other writers dooth manifestlie appeare Here is to be remembred that some writers rehearse the cause to be this Osbright or Osrike king of Northumberland rauished the wife of one Berne that was a noble man of the countrie about Yorke who tooke such great despight thereat that he fled out of the land and went into Denmarke and there complained vnto the king of Denmarke his coosin of the iniurie doone to him by king Osbright Wherevpon the king of Denmarke glad to haue so iust a quarell against them of Northumberland furnished foorth an armie and sent the same by sea vnder the leading of his two brethren Hungar and Hubba into Northumberland where they slue first the said king Osbright and after king Ella at a place besides Yorke which vnto this day is called Ellas croft taking that name of the said Ella being there slaine in defense of his countrie against the Danes Which Ella as we find registred by writers was elected king by such of the Northumbers as in fauour of Berne had refused to be subiect vnto Osbright Alfred ruleth ouer the Westsaxons and the greatest part of England the Danes afflict him with sore warre and cruellie make wast of his kingdome they lie at London a whole winter they inuade Mercia the king whereof Burthred by name forsaketh his countrie and goeth to Rome his death and buriall Halden king of the Danes diuideth Northumberland among his people Alfred incountreth with the
somnesse of life by death diuide Iam post transactos regni vitaeque labores Now after labours past of realme and lie which he did spend Christus ei fit vera quies sceptrúmque perenne Christ is â—o him true quietnesse and scepter void of end In the daies of the foresaid king Alured the kingdome of Mercia tooke end For after that the Danes had expelled king Burthred when he had reigned 22 yeares he went to Rome and there died his wife also Ethelswida the daughter of king Athulfe that was sonne to king Egbert followed him and died in Pauia in Lumbardie The Danes hauing got the countrie into their possession made one Cewulfe K. thereof whome they bound with an oth and deliuerie of pledges that he should not longer kéepe the state with their pleasure and further should be readie at all times to aid them with such power as he should be able to make This Cewulfe was the seruant of king Burthred Within foure yeares after the Danes returned and tooke one part of that kingdome into their owne hands and left the residue vnto Cewulfe But within a few yeares after king Alured obteined that part of Mercia which Cewulfe ruled as he did all the rest of this land except those parcels which the Danes held as Northumberland the countries of the Eastangles some part of Mercia and other The yeare in the which king Alured thus obteined all the dominion of that part of Mercia which Cewulfe had in gouernance was after the birth of our Sauiour 886 so that the foresaid kingdome continued the space of 302 yeares vnder 22 kings from Crida to this last Cewulfe But there he that account the continuance of this kingdome onelie from the beginning of Penda vnto the last yeare of Burthred by which reckoning it stood not past 270 yeares vnder 18 or rather 17 kings counting the last Cewulfe for none who began his reigne vnder the subiection of the Danes about the yeare of our Lord 874 where Penda began his reigne 604. The Eastangles and the Northumbers in these daies were vnder subiection of the Danes as partlie may be perceiued by that which before is rehearsed After Guthrun that gouerned the Eastangles by the terme of 12 yeares one Edhirike or Edrike had the rule in those parts a Dane also and reigned 14 yeares and was at length bereued of his gouernement by king Edward the sonne of king Alured as after shall appeare But now although that the Northumbers were brought greatlie vnder fooâ— by the Danes yet could they not forget their old accustomed maner to stirre tumults and rebellion against their gouernours insomuch that in the yeare 872 they expelled not onelie Egbert whome the Danes had appointed king ouer one part of the countrie as before you haue heard but also their archbishop Wilfehere In the yeare following the same Egbert departed this life after whome one Rigsig or Ricsige succéeded as king and the archbishop Wolfehere was restored home In the same yeare the armie of Danes which had wintered at London came from thence into Northumberland and wintered in Lindseie at a place called Torkseie and went the next yeare into Mercia And in the yeare 975 a part of them returned into Northumberland as before ye haue heard In the yeare following Ricsig the king of Northumberland departed this life after whome an other Egbert succéeded And in the yeare 983 the armie of the Danes meaning to inhabit in Northumberland and to settle themselues there chose Guthrid the sonne of one Hardicnute to their king whome they had sometime sold to a certeine widow at Witingham But now by the abuise of an abbat called Aldred they redéemed his libertie and ordeined him king to rule both Danes and Englishmen in that countrie It was said that the same Aldred being abbat of holie Iland was warned in a vision by S. Cuthberd to giue counsell both to the Danes and Englishmen to make the same Guthrid king This chanced about the 13 yeare of the reigne of Alured king of Westsaxons When Guthrid was established king he caused the bishops sée to be remoued from holie Iland vnto Chester in the stréet and for an augmentation of the reuenues and iurisdiction belonging thereto he assigned and gaue vnto saint Cuthbert all that countrie which lieth betwixt the riuers of Teise and Tine ¶ Which christian act of the king liuing in a time of palpable blindnesse and mistie superstition may notwithstanding be a light to the great men and péeres of this age who pretend religion with zeale and professe in shew the truth with feruencie not to impouerish the patrimonie of the church to inrich themselues and their posteritie not to pull from bishoprikes their ancient reuenues to make their owne greater not to alienate ecclesiasticall liuings into temporall commodities not to seeke the conuersion of college lands into their priuat possessions not to intend the subuersion of cathedrall churches to fill their owne cofers not to ferret out concealed lands for the supporte of their owne priuat lordlines not to destroy whole towneships for the erection of one statelie manour not to take and pale in the commons to inlarge their seueralles but like good and gratious common-wealth-men in all things to preferre the peoples publike profit before their owne gaine and glorie before their owne pompe and pleasure before the satisfieng of their owne inordinate desires Moreouer this priuiledge was granted vnto saint Cuthberts shrine that whosouer fled vnto the same for succour and safegard should not be touched or troubled in anie wise for the space of thirtie seuen daies And this fréedome was confirmed not onelie by king Guthrid but also by king Alured Finallie king Guthrid departed this life in the yeare of our Lord 894 after he had ruled the Northumbers with much crueltie as some say by the terme of a 11 yeares or somewhat more He is named by some writers Gurmond and also Gurmo thought to be the same whome king Alured caused to be baptised Whereas other affirme that Guthrid who ruled the Eastangles was he that Alured receiued at the fontstone William Malmesburie taketh them to be but one man which is not like to be true After this Guthrid or Gurmo his sonne Sithrike succeeded and after him other of that line till king Adelstane depriued them of the dominion and tooke it into his owne hands Edward succeedeth his father Alured in regiment he is disquieted by his brother Adelwold a man of a defiled life he flieth to the Danes and is of them receiued king Edwards prouision against the irruptions and forraies of the Danes Adelwold with a nauie of Danes entreth Eastangles the Essex men submit themselues he inuadeth Mercia and maketh great wast the Kentishmens disobedience preiudiciall to themselues they and the Danes haue a great conflict king Edward concludeth a truce with them he maketh a great slaughter
the lanched foorth from the shore through despaire Edwin leapt into the sea and drowned himselfe but the esquier that was with him recouered his bodie and brought it to land at Withsand besides Canturburie But Iames Maier in the annales of Flanders saieth that he was drowned by fortune of the seas in a small vessell and being cast vp into a créeke on the coast of Picardie was found by Adolfe earle of Bullongne that was his coosin germane and honorablie buried by the same Adolfe in the church of Bertine In consideration of which déed of pietie and dutie of mindfull consanguinitie the king of England both hartilie thanked earle Adolfe and bestowed great gifts vpon the church where his brother was thus buried For verelie king Adelstane after his displeasure was asswaged and hearing of this miserable end of his brother sore repented himselfe of his rigour so extended towards him in so much that he could neuer abide the man that had giuen the information against him which was his cupbearer so that on a time as the said cupbearer serued him at the table and came towards him with a cup of wine one of his feet chanced to slide but he recouered himselfe with the helpe of the other foot saieng One brother yet hath holpen succored the other which words cost him his life For the king remembring that by his accusation he had lost his brother that might haue béene an aid to him caused this said cupbearer to be straight put to death In this meane while Aulafe the sonne of Sitherike had giuen the information against him which was late king of Northumberland who is also named by writers to be king of the Irishmen and of manie Ilands assembled a great power of Danes Irishmen Scots and other people of the out Iles and imbarked them in 615 ships and craiers with the which he arriued in the mouth of Humber and there comming on land began to inuade the countrie This Aulafe had maried the daughter of Constantine king of Scots by whose procurement notwithstanding his late submission Aulafe tooke in hand this iournie King Adelstane aduertised of his enimies arriuall gathered his people and with all conuenient spéed hasted towards them and approching néerer vnto them pitcht downe his field at a place called by sonne Brimesburie by others Brimesford and also Brunaubright and by the Scotish writers Browmingfield When knowledge hereof was had in the enimies campe Aulafe enterprised a maruelous exploit for taking with him an harpe he came into the Englishhis late submission Aulafe tooke in campe offring himselfe disguised as a minstrell to shew some part of his cunning in musicke vpon his instrument and so being suffered to passe from tent to tent and admitted also to plaie afore the king surueied the whole state and order of the armie This doone he returned meaning by a cammisado to set vpon the kings tent But one that had serued as a souldier sometime vnder Aulafe chanced by marking his demeanour to know him and after he was gone vttered to the king what he knew The king séemed to be displeased in that he had not told him so much before Aulafs departure but in excusing himselfe the souldier said Ye must remember if it like your grace that the same faith which I haue giuen vnto you I sometime owght vnto Aulafe therfore if I should haue betraied him now you might well stand in doubt least I should hereafter doo the like to you but if you will follow mine aduise remoue your tent least happilie he assaile you vnwares The king did so and as it chanced in thegone vttered to the king what he knew The king night following Aulafe came to assaile the English campe and by fortune comming to the place where the kings tent stood before he found a bishop lodged which with his companie was come the same day to the armie and had pitcht vp his tent in that place from whence the king was remoued and so was the same bishop and most part of his men there slaine which slaughter executed Aulafe passed forward and came to the kings tent who in this meanegone vttered to the king what he knew The king time by reason of the alarum raised was got vp and taking to him his sword in that sudden fright by chance it fell out of the scabbard so that he could not find it but calling to God and S. Aldelme as saith Polychron his sword was restored to the scabbard againe The king comforted with that miracle boldlie preased foorth vpon his enimies and so valiantlie resisted them that in the end he put them to flight and chased them all that morning and day following so that he slue of them an huge number Some haue written that Constantine king of Scots was slaine at this ouerthrow and fiue other small kings or rulers with 12 dukes and welnéere all the armie of those strange nations which Aulafe had gathered togither But the Scotish chronicles affirme that Constantine was not there himselfe but sent his sonne Malcolme which yet escaped sore hurt and wounded from the battell as in the same chronicles ye may sée more at large When K. Adelstane had thus vanquished his enimies he went against them of Northwales whose rulers and princes he caused to come before him at Hereford and there handled them in such sort that they couenanted to pay him yeerlie in lieu of a tribute 20 pounds of gold 300 pounds of siluer and 25 head of neate with hawks and hownds a certeine number After this he subdued the Cornishmen and whereas till those daies they inhabited the citie of Excester mingled amongest the Englishmen so that the one nation was as strong within that citie as the other he rid them quite out of the same and repared the walles and fortified them with ditches and turrets as the maner then was and so remoued the Cornish men further into the west parts of the countrie that he made Tamer water to be the confines betwéene the Englishmen and them Finallie the noble prince king Adelstane departed out of this world the 26 day of October after he had reigned the tearme of 16 yeares His bodie was buried atmingled amongest the Englishmen so that the one Malmesburie He was of such a stature as exceeded not the common sort of men stooping somewhat and yellowe haired for his valiancie ioined with courtesie beloued of all men yet sharpe against rebels and of inuincible constancie his great deuotion toward the church appeared in the building adorning indowing of monasteries and abbeis He built one at Wilton within the diocesse of Salisburie and an other at Michelnie in Summersetshire But besides these foundations there were few famous monasteries within this land but that he adorned the same either with some new péece of building iewels bookes or portion of lands He had in excéeding fauour
burned and then returning backe they fell to wasting of the countrie on both sides the Thames But hearing that an armie was assembled at London to giue them battell that part of their host which kept on the northside of the riuer passed the same riuer at Stanes and so ioining with their fellowes marched foorth through Southerie and comming backe to their ships in Kent fell in hand to repare amend their ships that were in anie wise decaied Then after Easter the Danes sailing about the coast arriued at Gipswich in Suffolke on the Ascension day of our Lord and inuading the countrie gaue battell at a place called Wigmere or Rigmere vnto Uikill or Wilfeketell leader of the English host in those parties on the fift of Maie The men of Northfolke and Suffolke fled at the first onset giuen but the Cambridgeshire men sticked to it valiantlie winning thereby perpetuall faâ—e and commendation There was no mindfulnesse amongest them of running awaie so that a great number of the nobilitie and other were beaten downe and slaine till at length one Turketell Mireneheued that had a Dane to his father first bagan to take his flight and deserued thereby an euerlasting reproch The Danes obteining the vpper hand for the space of thrée moneths togither went vp and downe the countries wasted those parties of the realme that is to say Northfolke and Suffolke with the borders of Lincolnshire Huntingtonshire and Cambridgeshire where the fens are gaining excéeding riches by the spoile of the great and wealthie abbies and churches which had their situation within the compasse of the same fens They also destroied Thetford and burnt Cambridge and from thence passed through the pleasant mountaine-countrie of Belsham cruellie murdering the people without respect of age degrée or sex After this also they entred into Essex and so came backe to their ships which were then arriued in the Thames But they rested not anie long time in quiet as people that minded nothing but the destruction of this realme So as soone after when they had somwhat refreshed them they set forward againe into the countrie passing through Buckinghamshire so into Bedfordshire And about saint Andrewes tide they turned towards Northampton comming thither set fire on that towne Then turning through the west countrie with fire sword they wasted and destroied a great part thereof namelie Wiltshire with other parties And finallie about the feast of Christmas they came againe to their ships Thus had the Danes wasted the most part of 16 or 17 shires within this realme as Northfolke Suffolke Cambridgeshire Essex Middlesex Hartfordshire Oxfordshire Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire with a part of Huntingtonshire and also a great portion of Northamptonshire This was doone in the countries that lie on the northside of the riuer of Thames On the southside of the same riuer they spoiled and wasted Kent Southerie Sussex Barkeshire Hampshire and as is before said a great part of Wiltshire King Egelred offereth the Danes great summes of moneie to desist from destroieng his countrie their vnspeakable crueltie bloudthir stinesse and insatiable spoiling of Canturburie betraied by a churchman their merciles murthering of Elphegus archbishop of Canturburie Turkillus the Dane chiefe lord of Norfolke and Suffolke a peace concluded betweene the Danes and the English vpon hard conditions Gunthildis a beautifull Danish ladie and hir husband slaine hir courage to the death The fift Chapter THe king and the peeres of the realme vnderstanding of the Danes dealing in such merciles maner as is aboue mentioned but not knowing how to redresse the matter sent ambassadors vnto the Danes offering them great summes of moneie to leaue off such cruell wasting and spoiling of the land The Danes were contented to reteine the moneie but yet could not absteine from their cruell dooings neither was their greedie thirst of bloud and spoile satisfied with the wasting and destroieng of so manie countries and places as they had passed through Wherevpon in the yeere of our Lord 1011 about the feast of S. Matthew in September they laid siege to the citie of Canturburie which of the citizens was valiantlie defended by the space of twentie daies In the end of which terme it was taken by the enimies through the treason of a deacon named Almaricus whome the archbishop Elphegus had before that time preserued from death The Danes exercised passing great crueltie in the winning of that citie as by sundrie authors it dooth and maie appéere For they slue of men women and children aboue the number of eight thousand They tooke the archbishop Elphegus with an other bishop named Godwine also abbat Lefwin and Alseword the kings bailife there They spared no degrée in somuch that they slue and tooke 900 priests and other men of religion And when they had taken their pleasure of the citie they set it on fire and so returned to their ships There be some which write that they tithed the people after an inuerted order slaieng all by nines through the whole multitude and reserued the tenth so that of all the moonks there were but foure saued and of the laie people 4800 whereby it followeth that there died 43200 persons Whereby is gathered that the citie of Canturburie and the countrie thereabouts the people whereof belike fled thither for succor was at that time verie well inhabited so as there haue no wanted saith maister Lambert which affirme that it had then more people than London it selfe But now to our purpose In the yéere next insuing vpon the saturday in Easter wéeke after that the bishop Elphegus had béene kept prisoner with them the space of six or seuen moneths they cruellie in a rage led him foorth into the fields and dashed out his braines with stones bicause he would not redéeme his libertie with thrée thousand pounds which they demanded to haue beene leuied of his farmers and tenants This cruell murther was committed at Gréenewich foure miles distant from London the 19 of Aprill where he lay a certeine time vnburied but at length through miracles shewed as they say for miracles are all wrought now by dead men and not by the liuing the Danes permitted that his bodie might be caried to London and there was it buried in the church of S. Paule where it rested for the space of ten yeeres till king Cnute or Knought had the gouernment of this land by whose appointment it was remooued to Canturburie Turkillus the leader of those Danes by whome the archbishop Elphegus was thus murthered held Northfolke and Suffolke vnder his subiection so continued in those parties as chiefe lord and gouernor But the residue of the Danes at length compounding with the Englishmen for a tribute to be paid to them of eight thousand pounds spred abroad in the countrie soiorning in cities townes and villages where they might find most conuenient harbour
to trie the battell His sonne Edmund got him to Utred an earle of great power inhabiting beyond Humber and persuading him to ioine his forces with his forth they went to waste those countries that were become subiect to Cnute as Staffordshire Leicestershire and Shropshire not sparing to exercise great crueltie vpon the inhabitants as a punishment for their reuolting that others might take example thereby But Cnute perceiuing whereabout they went politikelie deuised to frustrate their purpose and with dooing of like hurt in all places where he came passed through Buckinghamshire Bedfordshire Huntingtonshire and so through the fens came to Stamford and then entred into Lincolnshire and from thence into Notinghamshire so into Yorkeshire not sparing to doo what mischiefe might be deuised in all places where he came Utred aduertised hereof was constreined to depart home to saue his owne countrie from present destruction and therefore comming backe into Northumberland perceiuing himselfe not able to resist the puissant force of his enimies was constreined to deliuer pledges and submit himselfe vnto Cnute But yet was he not hereby warranted from danger for shortlie after he was taken and put to death and then were his lands giuen vnto one Iricke or Iricius whome afterward Cnute did banish out of the realme because that he did attempt to chalenge like authoritie to him in all points as Cnute himselfe had After that Cnute had subdued the Northumbers he pursued Edmund till he heard that he had taken London for his refuge and staied there with his father Then did Cnute take his ships and came about to the coasts of Kent preparing to besiege the citie of London In the meane time king Egelred sore worne with long sicknesse departed this life on the 23 of Aprill being saint Georges day or as others say on saint Gregories day being the 12 of March but I take this to be an error growen by mistaking the feast-feast-day of saint Gregorie for saint George He reigned the tearme of 37 yeares or little lesse His bodie was buried in the church of saint Pauls in the north I le besids the quéere as by a memoriall there on the wall it maie appeare He had two wiues as before is mentioned By Elgina his first wife he had issue thrée sonnes Edmund Edwine and Adelstane besides one daughter named Egiua By his second wife Emma daughter to Richard the first of that name duke of Normandie and sister to Richard the second he had two sonnes Alfrid and Edward This Egelred as you haue heard had euill successe in his warres against the Danes and besides the calamitie that fell thereby to his people manie other miseries oppressed this land in his daies not so much through his lacke of courage and slouthfull negligence as by reason of his presumptuous pride whereby he alienated the hearts of his people from him His affections he could not rule but was led by them without order of reason for he did not onlie disherit diuerse of his owne English subiects wishout apparant cause of offense by plaine forged cauillations and also caused all the Danes to be murdered through his realme in one day by some light suspicion of their euill meanings but also gaue himselfe to lecherous lusts in abusing his bodie with naughtie strumpets for saking the bed of his owne lawfull wife to the great infamie shame of that high degrée of maiestie which by his kinglie office he bare and susteined To conclude he was from his tender youth more apt to idle rest than to the exercise of warres more giuen to pleasures of the bodie than to anie vertues of the mind although that toward his latter end being growen into age and taught by long experience of worldlie affaires and proofe of passed miseries he sought though in vaine to haue recouered the decaied state of his common wealth and countrie ¶ In this Egelreds time and as it is recorded by a British chronographer in the yéere of our Lord 984 one Cadwalhon the second sonne of Ieuaf tooke in hand the gouernance of Northwales and first made warre with Ionauall his coosen the sonne of Meyric and right heire to the land and slue him but Edwall the yoongest brother escaped awaie priuilie The yéere following Meredith the sonne of Owen king or prince of Southwales with all his power entered into Northwales and in fight slue Cadwalhon the sonne of Ieuaf and Meyric his brother and conquered the land to himselfe Wherein a man maie sée how God punished the wrong which Iago and Ieuaf the sonnes of Edwall Uoest did to their eldest brother Meyric who was first disherited and afterward his eies put out and one of his sonnes slaine For first Ieuaf was imprisoned by Iago then Iago with his sonne Constantine by Howell the son of Ieuaf and afterward the said Howell with his brethren Cadwalhon and Meyric were flaine and spoiled of all their lands Edmund Ironside succedeth his father in the kingdome the spiritualtie fauouring Cnute would haue him to be king the Londoners are his backe friends they receiue Edmund their king honorablie and ioifullie Cnute is proclaimed king at Southampton manie of the states cleaue vnto him he besiegeth London by water and land the citizens giue him the foile he incountreth with king Edmund and is discomfited two battels fought betweene the Danes and English with equall fortune and like successe the traitorous stratagem of Edrike the Dane king Edmund aduisedlie defeateth Edriks trecherie 20000 of both armies slaine Cnute marching towards London is pursued of Edmund the Danes are repelled incountred and vanquished queene Emma prouideth for the safetie of hir sonnes the Danes seeke a pacification with Edmund thereby more easilie to betraie him Cnute with his armie lieth neere Rochester king Edmund pursueth them both armies haue a long and a sore conflict the Danes discomfited and manie of them slaine Cnute with his power assemble at Essex and there make waste king Edmund pursueth them Edrike traitorouslie reuolteth from the English to succour the Danes king Edmund is forced to get him out of the field the Englishmen put to their hard shifts and slaine by heapes what noble personages were killed in this battell of two dead bodies latelie found in the place where this hot and heauie skirmish was fought The ninth Chapter AFter that king Egelred was dead his eldest sonne Edmund surnamed Ironside was proclaimed king by the Londoners and others hauing the assistance of some lords of the realme although the more part and speciallie those of the spiritualtie fauoured Cnute bicause they had aforetime sworne fealtie to his father Some write that Cnute had planted his siege both by water and land verie stronglie about the citie of London before Egelred departed this life and immediatlie vpon his deceasse was receiued into the citie but the armie that was within the citie not consenting vnto the surrender made by the citizens departed the night
a triple habergion guilt on their bodies with guilt burgenets on their heads a swoord with guilt hilts girded to their waâ—â—es a battell are after the maner of the Daues on the left shoulder a target with bosses and mails guilt in their left hand a dart in their right hand and thus to conclude they were furnished at all points with armor and weapon accordinglie It hath beene said that earle Goodwine minded to marie his daughter to one of these brethren and perceiuing that the elder brother Alfred would disdaine to haue hir thought good to dispatch him that the other taking hir to wife hée might be next heire to the crowne and so at length inioy it as afterwards came to passe Also about that time when the linage of the kings of England was in maner extinct the English people were much carefull as hath béene said about the succession of those that should inioie the crowne Wherevpon as one Brightwold a moonke of Glastenburie that was afterward bishop of Wincester or as some haue written of Worcester studied oftentimes thereon it chanced that he dreamed one night as he slept in his bed that he saw saint Peter consecrate annoint Edward the sonne of Egelred as their remaining in exile in Normandie king of England And as he thought he did demand of saint Peter who should succéed the said Edward Wherevnto answer was made by the apostle Haue thou no care for such matters for the kingdome of England is Gods kingdome Which suerlie in good earnest may appeare by manie great arguments to be full true vnto such as shall well consider the state of this realme from time to time how there hath béene euer gouernours raised vp to mainteine the maiestie of the kingdome and to reduce the same to the former dignitie when by anie infortunate mishap it hath beene brought in danger But to returne now to king Hardicnute after he had reigned two yéeres lacking 10 daies as he sat at the table in a great feast holden at Lambeth he fell downe suddenlie with the pot in his hand and so died not without some suspicion of poison This chanced on the 8 of Iune at Lambeth aforesaid where on the same day a mariage was solemnized betwéene the ladie Githa the daughter of a noble man called Osgot Clappa and a Danish lord also called Canute Prudan His bodie was buried at Winchester besides his fathers He was of nature verie curteous gentle and liberall speciallie in keeping good chéere in his house so that he would haue his table couered foure times a day furnished with great plentie of meates and drinks wishing that his seruants and all strangers that came to his palace might rather leaue than want It hath béene commonlie told that Englishmen learned of him their excessiue gourmandizing vnmeasurable filling of their panches with meates and drinkes whereby they forgat the vertuous vse of sobrietie so much necessarie to all estates and degrées so profitable for all common-wealths and so commendable both in the sight of God and all good men In this Hardicnute ceased the rule of the Danes within this land with the persecution which they had executed against the English nation for the space of 250 yeres more that is to say euer since the tenth yeere of Brithrike the king of Westsaxons at what time they first began to inuade the English coasts Howbeit after others they should séeme to haue ruled here but 207 reckoning from their bringing in by the Welshmen in despite of the Saxons at which time they first began to inhabit here which was 835 of Christ 387 after the comming of the Saxons and 35 néere complet of the reigne of Egbert ¶ But to let this peece of curiositie passe this land felt that they had a time of arriuall a time of inuading a time of ouerrunning and a time of ouerrunling the inhabitants of this maine continent Wherof manifest proofes are at this day remaining in sundrie places sundrie ruines I meane and wastes committed by them vpon the which whensoeuer a man of a relenting spirit casteth his eie he can not but enter into a dolefull consideration of former miseries and lamenting the defacements of this I le by the crueltie of the bloudthirstie enimie cannot but wish if he haue but Minimam misericordiae guttam quae maiorest spatioso oceano as one saith and earnestlie desire in his heart that the like may neuer light vpon this land but may be auerted and turned away from all christian kingdomes through his mercie whose wrath by sinne being set on fire is like a consuming flame and the swoord of whose vengeance being sharpened with the whetstone of mens wickednesse shall hew them in péeces as wood for the fornace Thus farre the tumultuous and tyrannicall regiment of the Danes inferring fulnesse of afflictions to the English people wherewith likewise the seuenth booke is shut vp THE EIGHT BOOKE of the Historie of England Edward the third of that name is chosen king of England by a generall consent ambassadours are sent to attend him homewardes to his kingdome and to informe him of his election William duke of Normandie accompanieth him Edward is crowned king the subtill ambition or ambitious subtiltie of earle Goodwine in preferring Edward to the crowne and betraieng Alfred the Danes expelled and rid out of this land by decree whether earle Goodwine was guiltie of Alfreds death king Edward marieth the said earles daughter he forbeareth to haue carnall knowledge with hir and why he vseth his mother queene Emma verie hardlie accusations brought against hir she is dispossessed of hir goods and imprisoned for suffering bishop Alwine to haue the vse of hir bodie she purgeth and cleareth hir selfe after a strange sort hir couetousnesse mothers are taught by hir example to loue their children with equalitie hir liberall deuotion to Winchester church cleared hir from infamie of couetousnesse king Edward loued hir after hir purgation why Robert archbishop of Canturburie fled out of England into Normandie The first Chapter IMmediatlie vpon the deth of Hardiknought and before his corps was committed to buriall his halfe brother Edward sonne of king Egelred begotten of quéene Emma was chosen to be K. of England by the generall consent of all the nobles and commons of the realme Therevpon where ambassadours sent with all spéed into Normandie to signifie vnto him his election and to bring him from thence into England in deliuering pledges for more assurance that no fraud nor deceit was ment of the Englishmen but that vpon his comming thither he should receiue the crowne without all contradiction Edward then aided by his coosine William duke of Normandie tooke the sea with a small companie of Normans came into England where he was receiued with great ioy as king of the realme immediatlie after was crowned at Winâ—hester by Edsinus then archbishop of Canturburie on Easter day in the yeare of our Lord 1043