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
haue at one time or other béen altogither without them First of all therfore to begin with the scriptures the most sure certeine ground of all knowledge you shall haue out of them such notable examples set downe as I haue obserued in reading the same which vnto the godlie may suffice for sufficient proofe of my position Neuerthelesse after the scriptures I will resort to the wrttings of our learned Diuines and finallie of the infidell and pagane authors whereby nothing shall seeme to want that may confute Goropius and all his cauillations Moses the prophet of the Lord writing of the estate of things before the floud hath these words in his booke of generations In these daies saith he there were giants vpon the earth Berosus also the Chalde writeth that néere vnto Libanus there was a citie called Oenon which I take to be Hanoch builded sometime by Cham wherein giants did inhabit who trusting to the strength and hugenesse of their bodies did verie great oppression and mischeefe in the world The Hebrues called them generallie Enach of Hanach the Chebronite father to Achimam Scheschai and Talma although their first originall was deriued from Henoch the sonne of Caine of whome that pestilent race descended as I read The Moabits named them Emims and the Ammonites Zamsummims and it should seeme by the second of Deut. cap. 19 20. that Ammon and Moab were greatlie replenished with such men when Moses wrote that treatise For of these monsters some families remained of greater stature than other vnto his daies in comparison of whome the children of Israell confessed themselues to be but grashoppers Which is one noble testimonie that the word Gigas or Enach is so well taken for a man of huge stature as for an homeborne child wicked tyrant or oppressour of the people Furthermore there is mention made also in the scriptures of Og sometime king of Basan who was the last of the race of the giants that was left in the land of promise to be ouercome by the Israelits whose iron bed was afterward shewed for a woonder at Rabbath a citie of the Ammonites conteining 9. cubits in length and 4. in bredth which cubits I take not to be geometricall that is each one so great as six of the smaller as those were wherof the Arke was made as our Diuines affirme especiallie Augustine whereas Origen hom 2. in Gen. out of whom he seemeth to borrow it appeareth to haue no such meaning directlie but rather of the arme of a meane man which oftentimes dooth varie differ from the standard Oh how Goropius dalieth about the historie of this Og of the breaking of his pate against the beds head of hurting his ribs against the sides and all to prooue that Og was not bigger than other men and so he leaueth the matter as sufficientlie answered with a French countenance of truth But see August de ciuit lib. 15. cap. 25. ad Faustum Manich. lib. 12. Ambros. c. and Iohannes Buteo that excellent geometrician who hath written of purpose of the capacitie of the Arke In the first of Samuel you shall read of Goliah a Philistine the weight of whose brigandine or shirt of maile was of 5000. sicles or 1250. ounces of brasse which amounteth to 104. pound of Troie weight after 4. common sicles to the ounce The head of his speare came vnto ten pound English or 600. sicles of that metall His height also was measured at six cubits and an hand bredth All which doo import that he was a notable giant and a man of great stature strength to weare such an armour and beweld so heauie a lance But Goropius thinking himselfe still to haue Og in hand and indeuouring to extenuate the fulnesse of the letter to his vttermost power dooth neuerthelesse earnestlie affirme that he was not aboue three foot more than the common sort of men or two foot higher than Saule and so he leaueth it as determined In the second of Samuel I find report of foure giants borne in Geth of which Ishbenob the first that would haue killed Dauid had a speare whose head weighed the iust halfe of that of Golias◠the second called Siphai Sippai or Saph 1. Par. 20. was nothing inferiour to the first the third hight also Goliah the staffe of whose speare was like vnto the beame of a weauers loome neuerthelesse he was slaine in the second battell in Gob by Elhanan as the first was by Abisai Ioabs brother and the second by Elhanan The fourth brother for they were all brethren was slaine at Gath by Ionathan nephew to Dauid and he was not onlie huge of personage but also of disfigured forme for he had 24. fingers and toes Wherby it is euident that the generation of giants was not extinguished in Palestine vntill the time of Dauid which was 2890. after the floud nor vtterlie consumed in Og as some of our expositors would haue it Now to come vnto our christian writers For though the authorities alreadie alleged out of the word are sufficient to confirme my purpose at the full yet will I not let to set downe such other notes as experience hath reuealed onelie to the end that the reader shall not thinke the name of giants with their quantities and other circumstances mentioned in the scriptures rather to haue some mysticall interpretation depending vpon them than that the sense of the text in this behalfe is to be taken simplie as it speaketh And first of all to omit that which Tertullian Lib. 2. de resurrect saith S. Augustine noteth how he with other saw the tooth of a man wherof he tooke good aduisement and pronounced in the end that it would haue made 100. of his owne or anie other mans that liued in his time The like hereof also dooth Iohn Boccace set downe in the 68. chapter of his 4. booke saieng that in the caue of a mountaine not far from Drepanum a towne of Sicilia called Eryx as he gesseth the bodie of an excéeding high giant was discouered thrée of whose teeth did weigh 100. ounces which being conuerted into English poise doth yeeld eight pound and foure ounces after twelue ounces to the pound that is 33. ounces euerie tooth He addeth farther that the forepart of his scull was able to conteine manie bushels of wheat and by the proportion of the bone of his thigh the Symmetricians iudged his bodie to be aboue 200. cubits Those teeth scull and bones were and as I thinke yet are for ought I know to the contrarie to be seene in the church of Drepanum in perpetuall memorie of his greatnesse whose bodie was found vpon this occasion As some digged in the earth to laie the foundation of an house the miners happened vpon a great vault not farre from Drepanum whereinto when they were entred they saw the huge bodie of a man sitting in the caue of whose greatnesse they were so afraid that they
made their letters patents sealed with their seales and then the king of England made William Warreine earle of Surrie and Southsax lord Warden of Scotland Hugh of Cressingham treasuror and William Ormesbie iustice of Scotland and foorthwith sent king Iohn to the Tower of London and Iohn Comin and the earle Badenauth the earle of Bohan and other lords into England to diuerse places on this side of the Trent And after that in the yeare of our Lord 1297 at the feast of Christmas the king called before him the said Iohn king of Scots although he had committed him to ward and said that he would burne or destroie their castels townes and lands if he were not recompensed for his costs and damages susteined in the warres but king Iohn and the other that were in ward answered that they had nothing sith their liues their deaths and goods were in his hands The king vpon that answer mooued with pitie granted them their liues so that they would doo their homage and make their oth solemnelie at the high altar in the church of the abbeie of Westminster vpon the eucharist that they and euerie of them should hold and keepe true faith obedience and allegiance to the said king Edward and his heires kings of England for euer And where the said king of Scots saw the kings banner of England displaied he and all his power should draw therevnto And that neither he or anie of his from thencefoorth should beare armes against the king of England or anie of his bloud Finallie the king rewarding with great gifts the said king Iohn and his lords suffered them to depart But they went into Scotland alwaie imagining notwithstanding this their submission how they might oppresse king Edward and disturbe his realme The Scots sent also to the king of France for succour and helpe who sent them ships to Berwike furnished with men of armes the king of England then being in Flanders In the yeare of our Lord 1298 the king went into Scotland with a great host and the Scots also assembled in great number but the king fought with them at Fawkirke on S. Marie Magdalens daie where were slaine thréescore thousand Scots Willain Walleis that was their capteine fled who being taken afterward was hanged drawen quartered at London for his trespasses After this the Scots rebelled againe and all the lords of Scotland chose Robert Bruse to be king except onelie Iohn Commin earle of Carrike who would not consent thereto bicause of his oth made to the king of England Wherefore Robert Bruse slue him at Dumfrise and then was crowned at Schone abbeie Herevpon the king of England assembled a great hoast and rode through all Scotland discomfited Robert Bruse slue eight thousand Scots tooke the most part of all the lords of Scotland putting the temporall lords to deth bicause they were forsworne Edward borne at Carnaruan sonne of this Edward was next king of England who from the beginning of his reigne enioied Scotland peaceablie dooing in all things as is aboue said of king Edward his father vntill toward the later end of his reigne about which time this Robert Bruse conspired against him and with the helpe of a few forsworne Scots forswore himselfe king of Scots Herevpon this Edward with Thomas earle of Lancaster and manie other lords made warre vpon him about the feast of Marie Magdalene the said Bruse and his partakers being alreadie accurssed by the pope for breaking the truce that he had established betwixt them But being infortunate in his first warres against him he suffered Edward the sonne of Balioll to proclame himselfe king of Scots and neuerthelesse held foorth his warres against Bruse before the ending of which he died as I read Edward borne at Windsore sonne of Edward the second was next king of England at the age of fifteene yeares in whose minoritie the Scots practised with Isabell mother to this Edward and with Roger Mortimer earle of the March to haue their homages released whose good will therein they obteined so that for the same release they should paie to this king Edward thirtie thousand pounds starling in three yeares next following that is to saie ten thousand pounds starling yeerelie But bicause the nobilitie and commons of this realme would not by parlement consent vnto it their king being within age the same release procéeded not albeit the Scots ceased not their practises with this quéene and earle But before those thrée yeares in which their menie if the bargaine had taken place should haue béene paied were expired our king Edward inuaded Scotland and ceassed not the warre vntill Dauid the sonne of Robert le Bruse then by their election king of Scotland absolutelie submitted himselfe vntohim But for that the said Dauid Bruse had before by practise of the quéene and the earle of March married Iane the sister of this king Edward he mooued by naturall zeale to his sister was contented to giue the realme of Scotland to this Dauid Bruse and to the heires that should be be gotten of the bodie of the said Iane sauing the reuersion and meane homages to this king Edward and to his owne children wherewith the same Dauid Bruse was right well contented and therevpon immediatlie made his homage for all the realme of Scotland to him Howbeit shortlie after causelesse conceiuing cause of displeasure this Dauid procured to dissolue this same estate tailée and therevpon not onelie rebelled in Scotland but also inuaded England whilest king Edward was occupied about his wars in France But this Dauid was not onelie expelled England in the end but also thinking no place a sufficient defense to his vntruth of his owne accord fled out of Scotland whereby the countries of Annandale Gallowaie Mars Teuidale Twedale and Ethrike were seized into the king of Englands hands and new marches set betwéene England and Scotland at Cockbuâ—nes path Sowtrie hedge Which when this Dauid went about to recouer againe his power was discomfited and himselfe by a few Englishmen taken brought into England where he remained prisoner eleuen yeares after his said apprehension During this time king Edward enioied Scotland peaceablie and then at the contemplation and wearie suit of his sorowfull sister wife of this Dauid he was contented once againe to restore him to the kingdome of Scotland Wherevpon it was concluded that for this rebellion Dauid should paie to king Edward the summe of one hundred thousand markes starling and there to destroie all his holdes and fortresses standing against the English borders and further assure the crowne of Scotland to the children of this king Edward for lacke of heire of his owne bodie all which things he did accordinglie And for the better assurance of his obeisance also he afterward deliuered into the hands of king Edward sundrie noble men of Scotland in this behalfe as his pledges This is the effect of the historie of Dauid touching his delings Now let vs sée what was doone
shall not néed to remember ought héere that is there touched I will onelie speake of other things therefore concerning the estate of assemblie whereby the magnificence thereof shall be in some part better knowne vnto such as shall come after vs. This house hath the most high and absolute power of the realme for thereby kings and mightie princes haue from time to time béene deposed from their thrones lawes either enacted or abrogated offendors of all sorts punished and corrupted religion either dissanulled or reformed which commonlie is diuided into two houses or parts the higher or vpper house consisting of the nobilitie including all euen vnto the baron and bishop the lower called the nether house of knights squires gentlemen and burgesses of the commons with whome also the inferior members of the cleargie are ioined albeit they sit in diuerse places and these haue to deale onelie in matters of religion till it come that they ioine with the rest in confirmation of all such acts as are to passe in the same For without the consent of the thrâ—e estates that is of the nobilitie cleargie and laietie sildome anie thing is said to be concluded vpon and brought vnto the prince for his consent and allowance To be short whatsoeuer the people of Rome did in their Centuriatis or Tribunitijs comitijs the same is and may be doone by authoritie of our parlement house which is the head and bodie of all the realme and the place wherein euerie particular person is intended to be present if not by himselfe yet by his aduocate or atturneie For this cause also any thing ther enacted is not to be misliked but obeied of all men without contradiction or grudge By the space of fortie dais before this assemblie be begun the prince sendeth his writs vnto all his nobilitie particularlie summoning them to appeare at the said court The like he doth to the shiriffe of euerie countie with commandement to choose two knights within ech of their counties to giue their aduise in the name of the shire likewise to euerie citie and towne that they may choose their burgesses which commonlie are men best skilled in the state of their citie or towne either for the declaration of such benefits as they want or to shew which waie to reforme such enormities as thorough the practises of ill members are practised and crept in among them the first being chosen by the gentlemen of the shire the other by the citizens and burgesses of euerie citie and towne whereby that court is furnished The first daie of the parlement being come the lords of the vpper house as well ecclesiasticall as temporall doo attend vpon the prince who rideth thither in person as it were to open the doore of their authoritie and being come into the place after praiers made and causes shewed wherefore some not present are inforced to be absent each man taketh his place according to his degrée The house it selfe is curiouslie furnished with tapisterie and the king being set in his throne the spirituall lords take vp the side of the house which is on the right hand of the prince and the temporall lords the left I meane so well dukes and earles as viscounts and barons as I before remembred In the middest and a pretie distance from the prince lie certeine sackes stuffed with wooll or haire wheron the iudges of the realme the master of the rols and secretaries of estate doo sit Howbeit these iudges haue no voice in the house but onelie shew what their opinion is of such such matters as come in question among the lords if they be commanded so to doo as the secretaries are to answer such letters or things passed in the councell whereof they haue the custodie knowledge Finallie the consent of this house is giuen by each man seuerallie first for himselfe being present then seuerallie for so manie as he hath letters proxies directed vnto him saieng onlie Content or Not content without any further debating Of the number assembled in the lower house I haue alreadie made a generall report in the chapter precedent and their particulars shall follow here at hand These therefore being called ouer by name do choose a speaker who is as it were their mouth and him they present vnto the prince in whom it is either to refuse or admit him by the lord chancellor who in the princes name dooth answer vnto his oration made at his first entrance presentation into the house wherein he declareth the good liking that the king hath conceiued of his choise vnto that office function Being admitted he maketh fiue requests vnto that honorable assemblie first that the house may as in times past inioy hir former liberties and priuileges secondlie that the congregates may frankelie shew their minds vpon such matters as are to come in question thirdlie that if anie of the lower house doo giue anie cause of offense during the continuance of this assemblie that the same may inflict such punishment vpon the partie culpable as to the said assemblie shall be thought conuenient fourthlie if anie doubt should arise among them of the lower house that he in their name might haue frée accesse and recourse vnto his maiestie lords of the higher house to be further instructed and resolued in the same fiftlie and last he craueth pardon for himselfe if in his going to and fro betweene the houses he forget or mistake anie thing requiring that he may returne and be better informed in such things as be did faile in without offense vnto which petitions the lord chancellor dooth answer as apperteineth and this is doone on the first daie or peraduenture the second if it could not be conuenientlie performed in the first Beside the lord chancellor there is another in the vpper house called the clerke of the parlement whose office is to read the billes For euerie thing that commeth in consultation in either house is first put in writing in paper which being read he that listeth riseth vp and speaketh either with it or against it and so one after another so long as they shall thinke good that doone they go to another and so to the third c the instrument still wholie or in part raced or reformed as cause moueth for the amendment of the same if the substance be reputed necessarie In the vpper house the lord chancellor demandeth if they will haue it ingrossed that is to saie put in parchment which doone it is read the third time after debating of the matter to and fro if the more part doo conclude withall vpon the vtterance of these words Are ye contended that it be enacted or no the clerke writeth vnderneath So it baille aux commons and so when they sée time they send such billes approued to the commons by some of them that sit on the wooll sackes who comming into the house demanding licence to speake doo vse
this kind of words or the like to the speaker as sir Thomas Smith dooth deliuer and set them downe whose onelie direction I vse and almost word for word in this chapter requiting him with the like borowage as he hath vsed toward me in his discourse of the sundrie degrées of estates in the common-wealth of England which as I hope shall be no discredit to his trauell Master speaker my lords of the vpper house haue passed amongst them and thinke good that there should be enacted by parlement such an act and such an act reading their titles in such sort as he receiued them they praie you therefore to consider shew your aduise vpon them Which doone they go their waie and the doore being shut after them the speaker declareth what message was sent vnto them and if they be then void of consultation vpon anie other bill he presentlie demandeth what their pleasures are first of one then of another c which are solemnelie read or their contents bréeflie shewed and then debated vpon among them The speaker sitteth in a chair erected somewhat higher than the rest that he may see and be séene of all men and before him on a lower seat sitteth his clerke who readeth such bils as be first propounded in the lower house or sent downe from the lords for in that point each house hath equall authoritie to propound what they thinke méet either for the abrogation of old or making of new lawes All bils be thrise and on diuerse daies read and disputed vpon before they come to the question which is whether they shall be enacted or not and in discourse vpon them verie good order is vsed in the lower house wherein he that will speake giueth notice thereof by standing vp bare headed If manie stand vp at once as now then it happeneth he speaketh first that was first seene to moue out of his place and telleth his tale vnto the speaker without rehersall of his name whose speches he meaneth to confute so that with a perpetuall oration not with altercation these discourses are continued But as the partie confuted may not replie on that daie so one man can not speake twise to one bill in one daie though he would change his opinion but on the next he may speake againe yet but once as afore No vile seditious vnreuerent or biting words are vsed in this assemblie yet if anie happen to escape and be vttered the partie is punished according to the censure of the assemblie and custome in that behalfe In the afternoone they sit not except vpon some vrgent occasion neither hath the speaker anie voice in that house wherewith to moue or dissuade the furtherance or staie of anie bill but his office is vpon the reading thereof breeflie to declare the contents If anie bill passe which commeth vnto them from the lords it is thus subscribed Le commons ont assentus so if the lords agree vpon anie bill sent vnto them from the commons it is subscribed after this maner Les seigniours ont assentus If it be not agreed on after thrise reading there is conference required and had betwéene the vpper and nether houses by certeine appointed for that purpose vpon the points in question wherevpon if no finall agréement by the more part can be obteined the bill is dashed and reiected or as the saieng is cleane cast out of the doores None of the nether house can giue his voice by proxie but in his owne person and after he bill twise read then ingrossed and the third time read againe discoursed vpon the speaker asketh if they will go to the question whervnto if they agree he holdeth vp the bill saith So manie as will haue this bill go forward saie Yea hervpon so manie as allow of the thing crie Yea the other No as the crie is more or lesse on either side so is the bill to staie or else go forward If the number of negatiue and affirmatiue voices seeme to be equall so manie as allow of the bill go downe withall the rest sit still and being told by the poll the greater par doo carrie away the matter If something be allowed and in some part reiected the bill is put to certeine committées to be amended then being brought in againe it is read and passeth or staieth as the voices yéeld therto This is the order of the passage of our lawes which are not ratified till both houses haue agréed vnto them and yet not holden for law till the prince haue giuen his assent Upon the last daie therfore of the parlement or session the prince commeth in person againe into the house in his robes as at the first Where after thanks giuen to the prince first in the name of the lords by the lord chancellor then in the name of the commons by the speaker for his great care of the welfare of his realme c the lord chancellor in the princes name giueth thanks to the lords commons likewise for their paines with promise of recompense as opportunitie occasion shall serue therefore This doone one readeth the title of euerie act passed in that session and then it is noted vpon them what the prince doth allow of with these words Le roy veult If the prince like not of them it is written vpon them Le roy aduisera And so those acts are dashed as the other from thenceforoth are taken and holden for law and all imprinted except such as concerne some priuat persons which are onelie exemplified vnder the seale of the parlement as priuileges to his vse And this is the summe of the maner after which our parlements in England are holden without which no forfaiture of life member or lands of anie Englishman where no law is ordeined for the same before hand is auailable or can take place amongst vs. And so much in maner out of the third chapiter of the second booke of the common-wealth of England written by sir Thomas Smith whervnto I will annex a table of the counties cities boroughs and ports which send knights burgesses and barons to the parlement house and dooth insue as followeth The names of counties cities boroughs and ports sending knights citizens burgesses and barons to the parlement of England Bedford KNights 2 The borough of Bedford 2 Buckingham Knights 2 The borough of Buckingham 2 The borough of Wickombe 2 The borough of Ailesburie 2 Barckeshire Knights 2 The borough of New Windsore 2 The borough of Reading 2 The borough of Wallingford 2 The borough of Abington 2 Cornewall Knights 2 The borough of Launceston aliàs Newport 2 The borough of Leskerd 2 The borough of Lostwithiell 2 The borough of Dunheuet 2 The borough of Truro 2 The borough of Bodmin 2 The borough of Helston 2 The borough of Saltash 2 The borough of Camelford 2 The borough of Portighsam aliàs Portlow 2 The borough of Graunpount The borough of Eastlow 2 The borough of
the diuels vtterlie remoued the manifest truth of thy true iudgement may be reuealed by the same Lord Iesus c. After this let the iron be laid into the fire and sprinkled with holie water and whilest it heateth let the priest go to masse and doo as order requireth and when he hath receiued the host he shall call the man that is to be purged as it is written hereafter first adiuring him and then permitting him to communicate according to the maner The office of the masse Iustus es Domine c. O Lord thou art iust c. The Praier ABsolue quaesumus Domine delicta famuli tui vt à peccatorum suorum nexibus quae pro sua fragilitate contraxit tua benignitate liberetur in hoc iudicio quoad meruit iustitia tua praeueniente ad veritatis censuram peruenire mereatur per Christum Dominum c. That is Pardon we beséech thée O Lord the sinnes of thy seruant that being deliuered from the burden of his offenses wherewith he is intangled he may be cleared by thy benignitie and in this his triall so far as he hath deserued thy mercie preuenting him he may come to the knowledge of the truth by Christ our Lord c. The Gospell Mar. 10. IN illo tempore cùm egressus esset Iesus in via procurrens quidam genuflexo ante eum rogabat eum dicens Magister bone quid faciam vt vitam aeternam percipiam Iesus autem dixit ei Quid me dicis bonum c. In those daies when Iesus went foorth toward his iourneie and one méeting him in the waie running and knéeling vnto him asked him saieng Good master what shall I doo that I may possesse eternall life Iesus said vnto him Whie callest thou me good c. Then followeth the secret and so foorth all of the rest of the masse But before the partie dooth communicate the priest shall vse these words vnto him Adiuro te per patrem filium spiritum sanctum per veram christianitatem quam suscepisti per sanctas relliquias quae in ista ecclesia sunt per baptismum quo te sacerdos regenerauit vt non praesumas vllo modo communicare neque accedere ad altare si hoc fecisti aut consensisti c. I adiure thée by the father the sonne and the holie Ghost by the true christendome which thou hast receiued by the holie relikes which are in this church and by the baptisme wherewith the priest hath regenerated thée that thou presume not by any maner of means to communicate nor come about the altar if thou hast doone or consented vnto this whereof thou art accnsed c. Here let the priest suffer him to communicate saieng Corpus hoc sanguis Domini nostri Iesu Christi sit tibi ad probationem hodie This bodie this bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ be vnto thee a triall this daie The praier Perceptis Domine Deus noster sacris muneribus supplices deprecamur vt huius participatio sacramenti à proprijs nos reatibus expediat in famulo tuo veritatis sententiam declaret c. Hauing receiued O Lord God these holie mysteries we humblie beséech thée that the participation of this sacrament may rid vs of our guiltinesse and in this thy seruant set foorth the truth Then shall follow Kyrieleson the Letanie and certeine Psalmes and after all them Oremus Let vs praie Deus qui per ignem signa magna ostendens Abraham puerum tuum de incendio Chaldaeorum quibusdam pereuntibus eruisti Deus qui rubum ardere ante conspectum Mosis minimè comburi permisisti Deus qui de incendio fornacis Chaldaicis plerÃsque succensis tres pueros tuos illaesos eduxisti Deus qui incendio ignis populum Sodomae inuoluens Loth famulum tuum cum suis salute donasti Deus qui in aduentu sancti spiritus tui illustratione ignis fideles tuos ab infidelibus decreuisti ostende nobis in hoc prauitatis nostrae examine virtutem eiusdem spiritus c per ignis huius feruorem discernere infideles vt à tactu eìus cuius inquisitio agitur conscius ex orrescat manus eius comburatur innocens verò poenitus illaesus permaneat c. Deus cuius noticiam nulla vnquam secreta effugiunt fidei nostrae tua bonitate responde praesta vt quisquis purgandi se gratia hoc ignitum tulerit ferrum vel absoluatur vt innocens vel noxius detegatur c. In English thus O God which in shewing great tokens by fire diddest deliuer Abraham thy seruant from the burning of the Chaldeis whilest other perished O God which sufferedst the bush to burne in the sight of Moses and yet not to consume O God which deliueredst the thrée children from bodilie harme in the fornace of the Chaldeis whilest diuerse were consumed O God which by fire didst wrap the people of Sodome in their destruction and yet sauedst Lot and his daughters from perill O God which by the shining of thy brightnesse at the comming of the holie ghost in likenesse of fire diddest separate the faithfull from such as beléeued not shew vnto vs in the triall of this our wickednesse the power of the same spirit c and by the heat of this fire discerne the faithfull from the vnfaithfull that the guiltie whose cause is now in triall by touching thereof may tremble and feare and his hand be burned or being innocent that he may remaine in safetie c. O God from whom no secrets are hidden let thy goodnesse answer to our faith and grant that whosoeuer in this purgation shall touch and beare this iron may either be tried an innocent or reuealed as an offendor c. After this the priest shall sprinkle the iron with holie water saieng The blessing of God the father the sonne and the holie ghost be vpon this iron to the reuelation of the iust iudgement of God And foorthwith let him that is accused beare it by the length of nine foot and then let his hand be wrapped and sealed vp for the space of three daies after this if any corruption or raw flesh appeare where the iron touched it let him be condemned as guiltie if it be whole and sound let him giue thanks to God And thus much of the firie Ordalia wherevnto that of the water hath so precise relation that in setting foorth of the one I haue also described the other wherefore it shall be but in vaine to deale anie further withall Hitherto also as I thinke sufficientlie of such lawes as were in vse before the conquest Now it resteth that I should declare the order of those that haue beene made and receiued since the comming of the Normans referred to the eight alteration or change of our maner of gouernance and therevnto doo produce thrée score and foure seuerall courts But for asmuch as I am no lawier and therefore haue
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
that gaue authoritie to the cleargie to punish whoredome who at that time found fault with the former lawes as being too seuere in this behalfe For before the time of the said Canutus the adulterer forfeited all his goods to the king and his bodie to be at his pleasure and the adulteresse was to lose hir eies or nose or both if the case were more than common whereby it appéereth of what estimation mariage was amongst them sith the breakers of that holie estate were so gréeuouslie rewarded But afterward the cleargie dealt more fauourablie with them shooting rather at the punishments of such priests and clearkes as were maried than the reformation of adulterie and fornication wherein you shall find no example that anie seueritie was shewed except vpon such laie men as had defiled their nuns As in theft therfore so in adulterie and whoredome I would wish the parties trespassant to be made bond or slaues vnto those that receiued the iniurie to sell and giue where they listed or to be condemned to the gallies for that punishment would proue more bitter to them than halfe an houres hanging or than standing in a shéet though the weather be neuer so cold Manslaughter in time past was punished by the pursse wherin the quantitie or qualitie of the punishment was rated after the state and calling of the partie killed so that one was valued sometime at 1200 another at 600 or 200 shillings And by an estatute made vnder Henrie the first a citizen of London at 100 whereof else-where I haue spoken more at large Such as kill themselues are buried in the field with a stake driuen through their bodies Witches are hanged or sometimes burned but théeues are hanged as I said before generallie on the gibbet or gallowes sauing in Halifax where they are beheaded after a strange maner and whereof I find this report There is and hath beene of ancient time a law or rather a custome at Halifax that who soeuer dooth commit anie fellonie and is taken with the same or confesse the fact vpon examination if it be valued by foure constables to amount to the sum of thirtéene pence halfe penie he is foorthwith beheaded vpon one of the next market daies which fall vsuallie vpon the tuesdaies thursdaies saturdaies or else vpon the same daie that he is so conuicted if market be then holden The engine wherewith the execution is doone is a square blocke of wood of the length of foure foot and an halfe which dooth ride vp and downe in a slot rabet or regall betwéene two péeces of timber that are framed and set vpright of fiue yardes in height In the neather end of the sliding blocke is an ax keied or fastened with an iron into the wood which being drawne vp to the top of the frame is there fastned by a woodden pin with a notch made into the same after the maner of a Samsons post vnto the middest of which pin also there is a long rope fastened that commeth downe among the people so that when the offendor hath made his confession and hath laid his necke ouer the neathermost blocke euerie man there present dooth either take hold of the rope or putteth foorth his arme so neere to the same as he can get in token that he is willing to sée true iustice executed and pulling out the pin in this maner the head blocke wherein the ax is fastened dooth fall downe with such a violence that if the necke of the transgressor were so big as that of a bull it should be cut in sunder at a stroke and roll from the bodie by an huge distance If it be so that the offendor be apprehended for an ox oxen shéepe kine horsse or anie such cattell the selfe beast or other of the same kind shall haue the end of the rope tied somewhere vnto them so that they being driuen doo draw out the pin wherby the offendor is executed Thus much of Halifax law which I set downe onelie to shew the custome of that countrie in this behalfe Roges and vagabonds are often stocked and whipped scolds are ducked vpon cuckingstooles in the water Such fellons as stand mute and speake not at their arraignement are pressed to death by huge weights laid vpon a boord that lieth ouer their brest and a sharpe stone vnder their backs and these commonlie hold their peace thereby to saue their goods vnto their wiues and children which if they were condemned should be confiscated to the prince Théeues that are saued by their bookes and cleargie for the first offense if they haue stollen nothing else but oxen sheepe monie or such like which be no open robberies as by the high waie side or assailing of anie mans house in the night without putting him in feare of his life or breaking vp of his wals or doores are burned in the left hand vpon the brawne of the thombe with an hot iron so that if they be apprehended againe that marke bewraieth them to haue beene arraigned of fellonie before whereby they are sure at that time to haue no mercie I doo not read that this custome of sauing by the booke is vsed anie where else than in England neither doo I find after much diligent inquirie what Saxon prince ordeined that lawe Howbeit this I generallie gather thereof that it was deuised to traine the inhabiters of this land to the loue of learning which before contemned letters and all good knowledge as men onelie giuing themselues to husbandrie and the warres the like whereof I read to haue beene amongst the Gothes and Uandals who for a time would not suffer euen their princes to be lerned for weakening of their courages nor anie learned men to remaine in the counsell house but by open proclamation would command them to auoid whensoeuer anie thing touching the state of the land was to be consulted vpon Pirats and robbers by sea are condemned in the court of the admeraltie and hanged on the shore at lowe water marke where they are left till three tides haue ouer washed them Finallie such as hauing wals and banks néere vnto the sea and doo suffer the same to decaie after conuenient admonition whereby the water entereth and drowneth vp the countrie are by a certeine ancient custome apprehended condemned and staked in the breach where they remaine for euer as parcell of the foundation of the new wall that is to be made vpon them as I haue heard reported And thus much in part of the administration of instice vsed in our countrie wherein notwithstanding that we doo not often heare of horrible merciles and wilfull murthers such I meane asiare not sildome séene in the countries of the maine yet now and then some manslaughter and bloudie robberies are perpetrated and committed contrarie to the lawes which be seuerelie punished and in such wise as I before reported Certes there is no greater mischéefe doone in England than by robberies the first by yoong shifting
saturdaie whereby it commeth to passe that as the Iews make our last daie the first of their wéeke so the Turks make the Iewish sabaoth the beginning of their Hebdoma bicause Mahomet their prophet as they saie was borne and dead vpon the fridaie and so he was indéed except their Alcharon deceiue them The Iews doo reckon their daies by their distance from their sabaoth so that the first daie of their wéeke is the first daie of the sabaoth and so foorth vnto the sixt The Latins and Aegyptians accompted their daies after the seauen planets choosing the same for the denominator of the daie that entreth his regiment with the first vnequall houre of the same after the sun be risen Howbeit as this order is not wholie reteined with vs so the vse of the same is not yet altogither abolished as may appéere by our sunday mondaie and saturdaie The rest were changed by the Saxons who in remembrance of Theut sometime their prince called the second day of the wéek Theutsdach the third Woden Othin Othon or Edon or Wodensdach Also of Thor they named the fourth daie Thorsdach and of Frea wife to Woden the fift was called Freadach Albeit there are and not amisse as I thinke that suppose them to meane by Thor Iupiter by Woden Mercurie by Frea or Frigga as Saxo calleth hir Uenus and finallie by Theut Mars which if it be so then it is an easie matter to find out the german Mars Uenus Mercurie and Iupiter whereof you may read more hereafter in my chronologie The truth is that Frea albeit that Saxo giueth hir scant a good report for that she loued one of hir husbands men better than himselfe had seauen sonnes by Woden the first father to Wecca of whome descended those that were afterwards kings of Kent Fethelgeta was the second and of him came the kings of Mercia Baldaie the third father to the kings of the west Saxons Beldagius the fourth parent to the kings of Brenicia or Northumberland Weogodach the fift author of the kings of Deira Caser the sixt race of the east Angle race Nascad originall burgeant of the kings of Essex As for the kings of Sussex although they were of the same people yet were they not of the same streine as our old monuments doo expresse But to procéed As certeine of our daies suffered this alteration by the Saxons so in our churches we reteined for a long time the number of daies or of sabaoth after the manner of the Iews I meane vnstill the seruice after the Romane vse was abolished which custome was first receiued as some thinke by pope Syluester though other saie by Constantine albeit another sort doo affirme that Syluester caused the sundaie onelie to be called the Lords day and dealt not with the rest In like maner of wéekes our moneths are made which are so called of the moone each one conteining eight and twentie daies or foure wéekes without anie further curiositie For we reckon not our time by the yeare of the moone as the Iews Grecians or Romans did at the first or as the Turks Arabians and Persians doo now neither anie parcell thereof by the said planet as in some part of the west Indies where they haue neither weeke moneth nor yéere but onlie a generall accompt of hundreds and thousands of moones Wherefore if we saie or write a moneth it is to be expounded of eight and twentie daies or foure wéeks onelie and not of hir vsuall period of nine and twentie daies and one and thirtie minuts Or if you take it at large for a moneth of the common calender which neuerthelesse in plées and sutes is nothing at all allowed of sith the moone maketh hir full reuolution in eight and twentie daies or foure weeks that is vnto the place where she left the sun notwithstanding that he be now gone and at hir returne not to be found verie often in that signe wherin she before had left him Plutarch writeth of diuers barbarous nations which reckoned a more or lesse number of these moneths for whole yeares and that of these some accompted but thrée as the Archadians did foure the Acarnans six and the Aegyptians but one for a whole yeare which causeth them to make such a large accompt of their antiquitie and originall But forsomuch as we are not troubled with anie such disorder it shall suffice that I haue generallie said of moneths and their quantities at this time Now a word or two of the ancient Romane calender In old time each moneth of the Romane calender was reckoned after the course of the moone and their enterances were vncerteine as were also the changes of that planet whereby it came to passe that the daie of the change was the first of the moneth howsoeuer it fell out But after Iulius Cesar had once corrected the same the seuerall beginnings of euerie one of them did not onelie remaine fixed but also the old order in the diuision of their parts continued still vnaltered so that the moneth is yet diuided as before into calends ides and nones albeit that in my daies the vse of the same bée but small and their order reteined onelie in our calenders for the better vnderstanding of such times as the historiographers and old authors doo remember The reckoning also of each of these goeth as you sée after a preposterous order whereby the Romans did rather note how many daies were to the next change from the precedent than contrariwise as by perusall of the same you shall more easilie perceiue The daies also of the change of the moneth of the moone are called Calendae which in time of paganisme were consecrated to Iuno and sacrifice made to that goddesse on the same On these daies also and on the ides and nones they would not marie Likewise the morow after each of them were called Dies atri blacke daies as were also diuerse other and those either by reason of some notable ouerthrow or mishap that befell vnto the Romans vpon those daies or in respect of some superstitious imagination conceiued of euill successe likelie to fall out vpon the same Of some they were called Dies Aegyptiaci Wherby it appeareth that this peeuish estimation of these daies came from that nation And as we doo note our holie and festiuall daies with red letters in our calenders so did the Romans their principall feasts circle of the moone either in red or golden letters and their victories in white in their publike or consularie tables This also is more to be added that if anie good successe happened afterward vpon such day as was alreadie blacke in their calender they would solemnlie enter it in white letters by racing out of the blacke whereby the blacke daie was turned into white and wherein they not a little reioised The word Calendae in Gréeke Neomenia is deriued of Calo to call for vpon the first day of euerie moneth the priest vsed to call the
at large concluding in the end that the said passage of this prince into France is verie likelie to be true and that he named a parcell of Armorica lieng on the south and in manner vpon the verie loine after his owne name and also a citie which he builded there Britaine For saith he it should séeme by Strabo lib. 4. that there was a noble citie of that name long before his time in the said countrie whereof Plinie also speaketh lib. 4. cap. 7. albeit that he ascribe it vnto France after a disordered maner More I find not of this foresaid Brute sauing that he ruled the land a certeine time his father yet liuing and after his decease the tearme of twelue yeares and then died and was buried at Caerbranke now called Yorke LEill the sonne of Brute Greeneshield began to reigne in the yeare of the world 3021 the same time that Asa was reigning in Iuda and Ambri in Israell He built the citie now called Carleil which then after his owne name was called Caerleil that is Leill his citie or the citie of Leill He repaired also as Henrie Bradshaw saith the citie of Caerleon now called Chester which as in the same Bradshaw appeareth was built before Brutus entrie into this land by a giant named Leon Gauer But what authoritie he had to auouch this it may be doubted for Ranulfe Higden in his woorke intituled Polychronicon saith in plaine wordes that it is vnknowen who was the first founder of Chester but that it tooke the name of the soiourning there of some Romaine legions by whome also it is not vnlike that it might be first built by P. Ostorius Scapula who as we find after he had subdued Caratacus king of the Ordouices that inhabited the countries now called Lancashire Cheshire and Salopshire built in those parts and among the Silures certeine places of defense for the better harbrough of his men of warre and kéeping downe of such Britaines as were still readie to moue rebellion But now to the purpose concerning K. Leill We find it recorded that he was in the beginning of his reigne verie vpright and desirous to sée iustice executed and aboue all thinges loued peace quietnesse but as yeares increased with him so his vertues began to diminish in so much that abandoning the care for the bodie of the common-wealth he suffered his owne bodie to welter in all vice and voluptuousnesse and so procuring the hatred of his subiects caused malice and discord to rise amongst them which during his life he was neuer able to appease But leauing them so at variance he departed this life was buried at Carleil which as ye haue heard he had builded while he liued LUd or Ludhurdibras the sonne of Leill began to gouerne in the yeare of the world 3046. In the beginning of his reigne hée sought to appease the debate that was raised in his fathers daies and bring the realme to hir former quietnesse and after that he had brought it to good end he builded the towne of Kaerkin now called Canterburie also the towne of Caerguent now cleped Winchester and mount Paladour now called Shaftsburie About the building of which towne of Shaftsburie Aquila a prophet of the British nation wrote his prophesies of which some fragments remaine yet to be seene translated into the Latine by some ancient writers When this Lud had reigned 29. yeares he died and left a sonne behind him named Baldud BAldud the sonne of Ludhurdibras began to rule ouer the Britaines in the yeare of the world 3085. This man was well séene in the sciences of astronomie and nigromancie by which as the common report saith he made the hot bathes in the citie of Caerbran now called Bath But William of Malmesburie is of a contrarie opinion affirming that Iulius Cesar made those bathes or rather repaired them when he was here in England which is not like to be true for Iulius Cesar as by good coniecture we haue to thinke neuer came so farre within the land that way forward But of these bathes more shall be said in the description Now to procéed This Baldud tooke such pleasure in artificiall practises magike that he taught this art throughout all his realme And to shew his cunning in other points vpon a presumptuous pleasure which he had therein he tooke vpon him to flie in the aire but he fell vpon the temple of Apollo which stood in the citie of Troinouant and there was torne in péeces after he had ruled the Britaines by the space of 20. yeares LEir the sonne of Baldud was admitted ruler ouer the Britaines in the yeare of the world 3105 at what time Ioas reigned in Iuda This Leir was a prince of right noble demeanor gouerning his land and subiects in great wealth He made the towne of Caerleir now called Leicester which standeth vpon the riuer of Sore It is written that he had by his wife thrée daughters without other issue whose names were Gonorilla Regan and Cordeilla which daughters he greatly loued but specially Cordeilla the yoongest farre aboue the two elder When this Leir therefore was come to great yeres began to waxe vnweldie through age he thought to vnderstand the affections of his daughters towards him and preferre hir whome he best loued to the succession ouer the kingdome Whervpon he first asked Gonorilla the eldest how well she loued him who calling hir gods to record protested that she loued him more than hir owne life which by right and reason should be most déere vnto hir With which answer the father being well pleased turned to the second and demanded of hir how well she loued him who answered confirming hir saiengs with great othes that she loued him more than toong could expresse and farre aboue all other creatures of the world Then called he his yoongest daughter Cordeilla before him and asked of hir what account she made of him vnto whome she made this answer as followeth knowing the great loue and fatherlie zeale that you haue alwaies borne towards me for the which I maie not answere you otherwise than I thinke and as my conscience leadeth me I protest vnto you that I haue loued you euer and will continuallie while I liue loue you as my naturall father And if you would more vnderstand of the loue that I beare you assertaine your selfe that so much as you haue so much you are worth and so much I loue you and no more The father being nothing content with this answer married his two eldest daughters the one vnto Henninus the duke of Cornewall and the other vnto Maglanus the duke of Albania betwixt whome he willed and ordeined that his land should be diuided after his death and the one halfe thereof immediatlie should be assigned to them in hand but for the third daughter Cordeilla he reserued nothing Neuertheles it fortuned that one of the princes
Rome in the yéere 169 according to the opinion of the most diligent chronographers of our time and gouerned fiftéene yeeres and thirtéene daies And yet there are that affirme how Lucius died at Glocester in the yéere of our Lord 156. Other say that he died in the yere 201 and other 208. So that the truth of this historie is brought into doubt by the discord of writers concerning the time and other circumstances although they all agrée that in this kings daies the christian faith was first by publike consent openlie receiued and professed in this land which as some affirme should chance in the twelfe yéere of his reigne and in the yéere of our Lord 177. Other iudge that it came to passe in the eight yeere of his regiment and in the yéere of our Lord 188 where other as before is said alledge that it was in the yéere of the Lord 179. Nauclerus saith that this happened about the yeare of our Lord 156. And Henricus de Herfordea supposeth that it was in the yéere of our Lord 169 and in the nintéenth yéere of the emperor Marcus Anfonius Uerus and after other about the sixt yéere of the emperor Commodus But to conclude king Lucius died without issue by reason whereof after his deceasse the Britains fell at variance which continued about the space of fiftéene yéeres as Fabian thinketh howbeit the old English chronicle affirmeth that the contention betwixt them remained fiftie yéeres though Harding affirmeth but foure yéeres And thus much of the Britains and their kings Coilus and Lucius Now it resteth to speake somewhat of the Romans which gouerned here in the meane while After that Agricola was called backe to Rome the Britains and namelie those that inhabited beyond Tweed partlie being weakned of their former strength and partlie in consideration of their pledges which they had deliuered to the Romans remained in peace certeine yéeres The Britains after the deceasse of Lucius who died without issue rebell against the Romans the emperor Adrian comming in his owne person into Britaine appeaseth the broile they go about to recouer their libertie against the Romans but are suppressed by Lollius the Romane lieutenant the vigilantnesse or wakefulnesie of Marcellus and his policie to keepe the souldiers waking the Britains being ruled by certaine meane gentlemen of Perhennis appointing doo falselie accuse him to the emperor Commodus he is mangled and murthered of his souldiers The xx Chapter IN the meane time the Romane lieutenant Cneus Trebellius that succéeded Iulius Agricola could no foresee all things so preciselie but that the souldiers waxing vnrulie by reason of long rest fell at variance among themselues and would not in the end obey the lieutenant but disquieted the Britains beyond measure Wherefore the Britains perceiuing themselues sore oppressed with intollerable bondage and that dailie the same incresed they conspired togither vpon hope to recouer libertie and to defend their countrie by all meanes possible and herewith they tooke weapon in hand against the Romans and boldlie assailed them but this they did yet warilie and so that they might flie vnto the woods and bogs for refuge vpon necessitie according to the maner of their countrie Herevpon diuers slaughters were commited on both parties and all the countrie was now readie to rebell whereof when the emperour Adrian was aduertised from Trebellius the lieutenant with all conuenient speed he passed ouer into Britaine and quieted all the I le vsing great humanitie towards the inhabitants and making small account of that part where the Scots now inhabit either bicause of the barrennesse thereof or for that by reason of the nature of the countrie he thought it would be hard to be kept vnder subiection he deuised to diuide it from the residue of Britaine and so caused a wall to be made from the mouth of Tine vnto the water of Eske which wall conteined in length 30 miles After this the Britains bearing a malicious hatred towards the Romane souldiers and repining to be kept vnder the bond of seruitude eftsoones went about to recouer libertie againe Whereof aduertisement being giuen the emperour Pius Antoninus sent ouer Lollius Urbicus as lieutenant into Britaine who by sundrie battels striken constreined the Britains to remaine in quiet and causing those that inhabited in the north parts to remooue further off from the confines of the Romane prouince caised another wall beyond that which the emperor Adrian had made as is to be supposed for the more suertie of the Romane subiects against the inuasion of the enimies But yet Lollius did not so make an end of the warrs but that the Britains shortlie after attempted afresh either to reduce their state into libertie or to bring the same into further danger WHerevpon Marcus Antonius that succéeded Pius sent Calphurnius Agricola to succéed Lollius in the gouernement of Britaine the which easilie ouercame and subdued all his enimies After this there chanced some trouble in the daies of the emperour Commodus the son of Marcus Antonius and his successor in the empire for the Britans that dwelled northwards beyond Adrians wall brake through the same and spoiled a great part of the countrie against whom the Romane lieutenant for that time being come foorth gaue them battell but both he and the Romane souldiers that were with him were beaten downe and slaine With which newes Commodus being sore amazed sent against the Britains one Ulpius Marcellus a man of great diligence and temperance but therewith rough and nothing gentle He vsed the same kind of diet that the common souldiers did vse He was a captaine much watchfull as one contented with verie little sléepe and desirous to haue his souldiers also vigilant and carefull to kéepe sure watch in the night season Euerie euening he would write twelue tables such as they vsed to make on the lind trée and deliuering them to one of his seruants appointed him to beare them at seuerall houres of the night to sundrie souldiers whereby supposing that their generall was still watching and not gone to bed they might be in doubt to sléepe And although of nature he could well absteine from sléepe yet to be the better able to forbeare it he vsed a maruellous spare kind of diet for to the end that he would not fill himselfe too much with bread he would eat none but such as was brought to him from Rome so that more than necessitie compelled him he could not eat by reason that the stalenesse tooke awaie the pleasant tast thereof and lesse prouoked his appetite He was a maruellous contemner of monie so that bribes might not mooue him to doo otherwise than dutie required This Marcellus being of such disposition sore afflicted the Britains and put them oftentimes to great losses through fame wherof Cōmodus enuieng his renowme was after in mind to make him away but yet spared him for a further purpose and suffered him
he vsed they turned to his side to the ouerthrow and vtter destruction of Bassianus for the which traitorous part they had those south countries of Scotland giuen vnto them for their habitation But by the Scotish writers it should appeare that those Picts which aided Fulgentius and also Carausius were the same that long before had inhabited the north parts of Britaine now called Scotland But whatsoeuer they were truth it is as the British histories record that at length one Alectus was sent from Rome by the senat with 3 legions of souldiers to subdue Carausius which he did and slue him in the field as the same histories make mention after he had reigned the space of 7 or 8 yeares and in the yeare of our saluation two hundred ninetie three A Lectus in haung vanquished and slaine Carausius tooke vpon him the rule and gouernment of Britaine in the yeare of our Lord 293. This Alectus when he had restored the land to the subiection of the Romans did vse great crueltie against such Britains as had maintained the part of Carausius by reason whereof he purchased much euill will of the Britains the which at length conspired against him and purposing to chase the Romans altogither out of their countrie they procured one Asclepiodotus whome the British chronicles name duke of Cornewall to take vpon him as chiefe captaine that enterprise Wherevpon the same Asclepiodotus assembling a great armie made such sharpe warres on the Romans that they being chased from place to place at length withdrew to the of London and there held them till Asclepiodotus came thither and prouoked Alectus and his Romans so much that in the end they issued foorth of the citie and gaue battell to the Britans in the which much people on both parts were slaine but the greatest number died on the Romans side and amongst others Alectus himselfe was slaine the residue of the Romans that were left aliue retired backe into the citie with a capteine of theirs named Liuius Gallus and defended themselues within the walles for a time right valiantlie Thus was Alectus slaine of the Britains after he had reigned as some suppose about the terme of six yeares or as some other write thrée yeares ASclepiodotus duke of Cornewall began his reigen ouer the Britains in the yeare of our Lord 232. after he had vanquished the Romans in battell as before is recited he laid his siege about the citie of London and finallie by knightlie force entred the same and flue the forenamed Liuius Gallus néere vnto a brooke which in those daies ran through the citie threw him into the same brooke by reason whereof long after it was called Gallus or Wallus brooke And at this present the streete where the same brooke did run is called Walbrooke Then after Asclepiodotus had ouercome all his enimies he held this land a certeine space in good rest and quiet and ministred iustice vprightlie in rewarding the good and punishing the euill Till at length through slanderous toongs of malicious persons discord was raised betwixt the king and one Coill or Coilus that was gouernour of Colchester the occasion whereof appeareth not by writers But whatsoeuer the matter was there insued such hatred betwixt them that on both parts great armies were raised and méeting in the field they fought a sore and mightie battell in the which Asclepiodotus was slaine after he had reigned 30 yeares Thus haue Geffrey of Monmouth and our common chroniclers written of Carausius Alectus and Asclepiodotus which gouerned héere in Britaine But Eutropius the famous writers of the Romane histories in the acts of Dioclesian hath in effect these woords About the same time Carausius the which being borne of most base ofspring atteined to high honour and dignitie by order of renowmed chiualrie seruice in the warres receiued charge at Bolein to kéepe the seas quiet alongst the coasts of Britaine France and Flanders and other countries thereabouts bicause the Frenchmen which yet inhabited within the bounds of Germanie and the Saxons sore troubled those seas Carausius taking oftentimes manie of the enimies neither restored the goods to them of the countrie from whome the enimies had bereft the same nor yet sent anie part therof to the emperours but kept the whole to his owne vse Whervpon when suspicion arose that he should of purpose suffer the enimies to passe by him till they had taken some prises that in their returne with the same he might incounter with them and take that from them which they had gotten by which subtile practise he was thought greatly to haue inriched him selfe Maximianus that was fellow in gouernment of the empire with Dioclesianus remaining then in Gallia and aduertised of these dooings commanded that Carausius should be slaine but he hauing warning thereof rebelled and vsurping the imperiall ornaments and title got possession of Britaine against whom being a man of great experience in all warlike knowledge when warres had béene attempted and folowed in vaine at length a peace was concluded with him and so he enioied the possession of Britaine by the space of seuen yéeres then was slaine by his companion Alectus the which after him ruled Britaine for the space of thrée yéeres and was in the end oppressed by the guile of Asclepiodotus gouernour of the pretorie or as I maie call him lord lieutenant of some precinct and iurisdiction perteining to the Romane empire Also so was Britaine recouered by the foresaid Asclepiodotus about ten yéeres after that Carausius had first vsurped the gouernment there and about the yéere of our Lord 300 as Polydor iudgeth wherein he varieth much from Fabian and others ¶ But to shew what we find further written of the subduing of Alectus I thinke it not amisse to set downe what Mamertinus in his oration written in praise of Maximianus dooth report of this matter which shall be performed in the chapter following The substance of that which is written touching Britaine in a panegyrike oration ascribed to Mamertinus which he set foorth in praise of the emperors Dioclesian and Maximian it is intituled onelie to Maximian whereas neuerthelesse both the emperors are praised and likewise as ye may perceiue Constantius who was father to Constantine the great is here spoken of being chosen by the two foresaid emperors to assist them by the name of Caesar in rule of the empire of whom hereafter more shall be said The xxiiij Chapter ALl the compasse of the earth most victorious emperor being now recouered through your noble prowesse not onelie so farre as the limits of the Romane empire had before extended but also the enimies borders beeing subdued when Almaine had beene so often vanquished and Sarmatia so often restreined brought vnder the people called Vitungi Quadi Carpi so often put to flight the Goth submitting himselfe the king of Persia by offering gifts suing for peace one
therefore agréed betwixt them that this Andragatius with a chosen companie of the armie should be carried in secret wise in a coch toward Lions as if it had béene Constantia Posthumia the empresse wife to the emperour Gratian bruting abroad therewithall that the said empresse was comming forwards on hir waie to Lions there to méet with hir husband for that vpon occasion she was verie desirous to commune with him about certeine earnest businesse When Gratian heard héereof as one mistrusting no such dissimulation he made hast to meete his wife and comming at length without anie great gard about him as one not in doubt of anie treason approched the coch where supposing to find his wife he found those that streightwaies murthered him so was he there dispatched quite of life by the said Andragatius who leapt foorth of the coch to woorke that feate when he had him once within his danger Thus did the emperour Gratian finish his life in the 29 yéere of his age on the 25 of August in the yéere of Christ 383 and then died Maximus succéeded him making his sonne Flauius Uictor Nobilissimus his assistant in the empire reigning fiue yéeres and two daies In the beginning of his reigne Ualentinian the yoonger made great suit to him to haue his fathers bodie but it would not be granted Afterwards also Maximus was earnestlie requested to come to an enteruiew with the same Ualentinian who promised him not onelie a safe conduct but also manie other beneficiall good turnes beside Howbeit Maximus durst not put himselfe in anie such hazard but rather ment to pursue Ualentinian as an vsurper and so at length chased him into Slauonie where he was driuen to such a streight that if Theodosius had not come to releeue him Maximus had driuen him thence also or else by slaughter rid him out of the waie But when Maximus thought himselfe most assured and so established in the empire as he doubted no perils he liued carelesse of his owne safegard and therfore dismissed his British souldiers who retiring into the northwest parts of Gallia placed themselues there among their countriemen which were brought ouer by the emperour Constantius whilest Maximus passing the residue of his time in delights and pleasures was surprised in the end and slaine by Theodosius néere vnto Aquilia the 27 of August in the yéere of Grace 388 and in the beginning of the sixt yéere of his reigne or rather vsurpation as more rightlie it maie be tearmed His sonne Flauius Uictor surnamed Nobilissimus was also dispatched and brought to his end not farre from the place where his father was slaine by the practise of one Arbogastes a Goth which Flauius Uictor was by the said Maximus made regent of the Frankeners and partaker as before is said with him in the empire After this the I le of Britaine remained in meetlie good quiet by the space of twentie yéeres till one Marcus that was then legat or as we maie call him lord lieutenant or deputie of Britaine for the Romans was by the souldiers héere proclaimed emperour against Honorius which Marcus was soone after killed in a tumult raised among the people within few daies after his vsurpation began Then one Gratianus a Britaine borne succéeded in his place who was also slaine in the fourth moneth after he had taken vpon him the imperiall ornaments The souldiers not yet heerewith pacified procéeded to the election of an other emperour or rather vsurper and so pronounced a noble gentleman called Constantine borne also in Britaine to be emperour who tooke that honour vpon him in the 409 yéere after the birth of our Sauiour continuing his reigne by the space of two yeeres and od moneths as the Romane histories make mention Some report this Constantine to be of no great towardlie disposition woorthie to gouerne an empire and that the souldiers chose him rather for the name sake bicause they would haue another Constantine more than for anie vertues or sufficient qualities found in his person But other commend him both for manhood and wisedome wherein to speake a truth he deserued singular commendation if this one note of vsurpation of the imperiall dignitie had not stained his other noble qualities But heerein he did no more than manie other would haue doone neither yet after his inuesture did somuch as was looked for at his hands Constantine being placed in the imperiall throne gathered an armie with all possible indeuour purposing out of hand to go ouer therwith into France and so did thinking thereby to win the possession of that countrie out of the hands of Honorius or at the least to worke so as he should not haue the souldiers and people there to be against him if he missed to ioine in league with the Suabeiners Alanes and Uandales which he sought to performe But in the end when neither of those his deuises could take place he sent ouer for his sonne Constans whome in his absence his aduersaries had shorne a moonke making him partaker with him in the empire caused him to bring ouer with him another armie which vnder the conduct of the same Constans he sent into Spaine to bring that countrie vnder his obeisance This Constans therefore comming vnder the passages that lead ouer the Pyrenine mountains Dindimus and Uerianianus two brethren vnto whome the keeping of those passages was committed to defend the same against the Uandals and all other enimies of the empire were readie to resist him with their seruants and countriemen that inhabited therabouts giuing him a verie sharpe incounter and at the first putting him in great danger of an ouerthrow but yet at length by the valiant prowes of his British souldiers Constans put his aduersaries to flight and killed the two capteins with diuers other men of name that were partakers with him in the necessarie defense of that countrie against the enimies When Constans had thus repelled those that resisted him the custodie of the passages in the Pyrenine mounteins was committed vnto such bands of Picts and other as were appointed to go with him about the atchiuing of this enterprise who hauing the possession of those streicts or passages in their hands gaue entrie vnto other barbarous nations to inuade Spaine who being once entered pursued the former inhabitants with fire and swoord setled them selues in that countrie and droue out the Romans Honorius sendeth earle Constantius to expell Constantine out of Gallia the end of Constantinus the father and Constans the sonne the valure and prowesse of the British souldiers the British writers reprooued of necligences for that thiy haue inserted fables into their woorkes whereas they might haue deposed matters of truth The xxxij Chapter THe emperour Honorius perceiuing the réeling state of the empire determined foorthwith to recouer it before it fell altogither into ruine and therefore sent one Constantius an earle to driue Constantine out of Gallia which he accordinglie performed for
author signifieth for Ada the sonne of the foresaid Ida succéeded his father in the kingdome of Brenitia reigning therein seuen yeares and Ella the sonne of Histria a most valiant duke began to gouerne Deira as both the said Matth. Westm. and other doo affirme VOtiporus the sonne of Aurelius Conanus succeeded his father and began to reigne ouer the Britains in the yéere of our Lord 576 in the 11 yeare of the emperour Flauius Anicius Iustinus in the fourth yeare of the reigne of Childeric king of France and in the fourth yeare of Clephis the Gothish king in Italie This Uortiporus vanquished the Saxons in battell as the British histories make mention and valiantlie defended his land and subiects the Britains from the danger of them and other their allies In the time of this kings reigne the foresaid Ella began to rule in the south part of the kingdome of Northumberland called Deira as before is mentioned according to the account of some authors who also take this Uortiporus to begin his reigne in the yeare 548. After that Uortiporus had ruled the Britans the space of 4 yeares he departed this life and left no issue behind him to succéed him in the kingdome Against this Uortiporus Gyldas also whetting his toong beginneth with him thus And why standest thou as one starke amazed Thou I say Uortiporus the tyrant of Southwales like to the panther in maner and wickednesse diuerslie spotted as it were with manie colors with thy hoarie head in thy throne full of deceits crafts and wiles and defiled euen from the lowest part of thy bodie to the crowne of thy head with diuers sundrie murthers committed on thine owne kin and filthie adulteries thus proouing a naughtie sonne of a good king as Manasses was to Ezechias How chanceth it that the violent streames of sinnes which thou swallowest vp like pleasant wine or rather art deuoured of them the end of thy life by little and little now drawing néere can not yet satisfie the What meanest thou that with fornication of all euils as it were the full heape thine owne wife being put away thou by hir honest death dooest oppresse thy soule with a certeine burthen that can not be auoided of thine vnshamefast daughter Consume not I pray thée the residue of thy daies to the offense of God c. These and the like woords vttered he exhorting him to repentance with admonitions taken out of the scriptures both for his comfort and warning ¶ If the circumstance of this that Gyldas writeth of Uortiporus be marked it may be perceiued that Geffrey of Monmouth and also Matthew of Westminster the author of the floures of histories are deceiued in that they take him to be the sonne of Aurelius Conanus and rather it may be gathered that not onlie the same Aurelius Conanus and Uortiporus but also Constantinus yea Cuneglasus and Maglocunus of the which he also intreateth as partlie shall be hereafter touched liued and reigned all at one time in seuerall parts of this I le and not as monarchs of the whole British nation but as rulers each of them in his quarter after the maner as the state of Ireland hath béene in times past before the countrie came vnder the English subiection if my coniecture herein doo not deceiue me Malgo reigneth ouer the Britains the noble qualities wherewith he was beautified by his filthie sinnes are blemished Gyldas reproueth Cuneglasus for making warre against God and man and this Malgo for his manifold offenses the vile iniquities wherevnto the British rulers were inclined the valiantnesse of Kenrike king of the Westsaxons his victories against diuers people his enimies succession in the gouernment of the Westsaxons Northumberland and Kentish Saxons the first battell that was fought betwixt the Saxons in this Iland Cheuling with his Westsaxons encounter with the Britains and get the vpper hand three kings of the Britains slaine and their people spoiled of their lands goods and liues The xvij Chapter AFter the deceasse of Uortiporus Malgo the nephue of Aurelius Conanus as some write was made king of Britaine began his reigne ouer the Britaines in the yéere of our Lord 580 in the fiftéenth yéere of the emperour Iustinian and in the 37 yéere of the reigne of Childerike king of the Frenchmen This Malgo is reported to haue béene the comeliest gentleman in beautie and shape of personage that was to be found in those daies amongst all the Britains and therewith of a bold and hardie courage He manfullie defended the country which he had in gouernance from the malice of the Saxons and subdued the out Iles as Orkenie and others But notwithstanding the noble qualities with the which his person was adorned yet he spotted them all with the filthie sinne of Sodomie so that he fell into the haâ—red of almightie God and being pursued of the Saxons receiued manie ouerthrowes at their hands as by the report oâ— the English writers is gathered more at large Finallie when he had reigned fiue yéeres and od moneths he departed this life It séemeth that this Malgo is named by Gyldas Maglocunus the which Gyldas before he speaketh of him inueieth against one Cimeglasus whom he reprooueth for that he warred both against God and man against God with grieuous sinnes as namelie adulterie in forsaking the companie of his lawfull wife and kéeping to concubine a sister of hirs that had professed chastilie against man with materiall armor and weapons which he vsed to the destruction of his owne countrimen with whom he kept warres and not against the enimies of the common wealth From Cuneglasus he commeth to the foresaid Maglâ—cunus whome he nameth the dragon of the Iles and the expeller of manie tyrants not onelie out of their kingdoms but also out of life the last of whom he treateth as he himselfe saith but the first in all mischéefe euill greater than manie in power and likewise in malice verie liberall in giuing but more plentifull in sinne strong and valiant in arms but stronger in destruction of his owne soule And so procéeding chargeth him with the sinne of the Sodomits sore blameth him for that where it had pleased God to make him higher than all other dukes of Britaine in kingdome and degrée he did not shew himselfe better but contrarilie far woorse than they both in maners and conditions He declareth also a little after that this Maglocune in his yoong yéeres slue in battell his vncle being king with the most valiant souldiers in maner that he had Also that where the said Maglocune tooke vpon him the profession of a moonke he after renounced the same and became a woorsse liuer than euer he was before abandoning his wife and kéeping his brothers sonnes wife while hir husband yet liued Thus by that which Gyldas writeth of the kings and rulers of the Britains which liued in his daies ye may perceiue that they were giuen to all
enimie twelue hundred of them are slaine Edelfride entreth the citie of Chester the Britains assembling their power vnder three capteins incounter with Edelfride slaie manie of his souldiers and put him to flight warres betweene Edelfride and Redwald king of the Eastangles about Edwine the sonne of king Elle Edelfride is slaine Ceowlfe king of the Westsaxons dieth The xxij Chapter AFter the deceasse of Chelricus king of the Westsaxons we find that Ceowlfe or Ceoloulph succéeded in gouernment of that kingdome and reigned twelue yéeres He began his reigne as should appéere by some writers about the yeere of our Lord 597 and spent his time for the more part in warres not giuing place to idlenesse but séeking either to defend or inlarge the confines of his dominion He was the sonne of Cutha which was the sonne of Kenrike which was the sonne of Certike After Wibba or Wipha king of Mercia who nothing inferiour to his father did not onelie defend his kingdome but also inlarge it by subduing the Britains on ech side one Ceorlus succéeded in that kingdome being not his sonne but his kinsman This Ceorlus began his reigne about the yéere of our Lord 594 as Matth. West recordeth Ye haue heard that Edelferd which otherwise is called also by writers Edelfride surnamed the wild gouerned still the Northumbers which Edelferd did more damage to the Britains than anie one other king of the English nation None of them destroied their countries more than he did neither did anie prince make more of the Britains tributaries or inhabited more of their countries with English people than he Héerevpon Edan king of those Scots which inhabited Britaine being therewith mooued to see Edelfride prosper thus in his conquests came against him with a mightie armie but ioining in battell with Edelfride and his power at a place called Degsastane or Degsastone or Deglaston he lost the most part of his people and with the residue that were left aliue he escaped by flight This was a sore foughten battell with much bloudshed on both parties For notwithstanding that the victorie remained with the Northumbers Theobaldus the brother of Edelferd was slaine with all that part of the English host which he gouerned and it was fought in the yéere of our Lord 603 in the 19 yeere of the reigne of the foresaid Edelferd and in the sixt yéere of Ceowlfe king of the Westsaxons and in the first yéere of the emperor Phocas or rather in the last yéere of his predecessor Mauricius From that day till the daies of Beda not one of the Scotish kings burst presume to enter into Britaine againe to giue battell against the English nation as Beda himselfe writteth But the Scotish writers make other report of this matter as in the historie of Scotland ye maie find recorded The Britains that dwelt about Chester through their stoutnesse prouoked the aforesaid Edelferd king of the Northumbers vnto warre wherevpon to tame their loftie stomachs he assembled an armie came forward to besiege the citie of Chester then called of the Britains Carleon ardour deué The citizens coueting rather to suffer all things than a siege and hauing a trust in their great multitude of people came foorth to giue batell abroad in the fields whome he compassing about with ambushes got within his danger and easilie discomfited It chanced that he had espied before the battell ioined as Beda saith where a great number of the British priests were got aside into a place somewhat out of danger that they might there make their intercession to God for the good spéed of their people being then readie to giue battell to the Northumbers Manie of them were of that famous monasterie of Bangor in the which it is said that there was such a number of moonks that where they were diuided into seuen seuerall parts with their seuerall gouernors appointed to haue rule ouer them euerie of those parts conteined at the least thrée hundred persons the which liued altogither by the labour of their hands Manie therefore of those moonks hauing kept a solemne fast for thrée daies togither were come to the armie with other to make praier hauing for their defender one Brocmale or Broemael earle or consull as some call him of Chester which should preserue them being giuen to praier from the edge of the enimies swoord King Edelferd hauing as is said espied these men asked what they were and what their intent was and being informed of the whole circumstance and cause of their being there he said Then if they call to their God for his assistance against vs suerlie though they beare no armour yet doo they fight against vs being busied in praier for our destruction Wherevpon he commanded the first onset to be giuen them and after slue downe the residue of the British armie not without great losse of his owne people Of those moonks and priests which came to praie as before is mentioned there died at that battell about the number of 12 hundred so that fiftie of them onelie escaped by flight Brocmale or Broemael at the first approch of the enimies turning his backe with his companie left them whom he should haue defended to be murthered through the enimies swoord Thus was the prophesie of Augustine fulfilled though he was long before departed this life as Beda saith ¶ Héere is to be noted if this battell was fought in the seuenth yéere of Ceowlfe king of Westsaxon as some haue written and that Augustine liued 12 yéeres after his entrance into the gouernment of the sée of Canturburie as some write it is euident that he liued foure yéeres after this slaughter made of the British priests and moonks by Edelferd as before is recited For Ceowlfe began his reigne as before is mentioned about the yéere of our Lord 596 and in the seuenth yeere of his reigne the battell was fought at Degsastane betwixt the English the Scots which chanced in the yéere of our Lord 604 as Beda himselfe recordeth A late chronographer running vpon this matter and preciselie setting downe his collection saith that Athelbright or Edelfride K. of the Northumbers Ethelbert K. of Kent hauing Augustine in their companie in the eight yéere after his arriuall made warre vpon such Britains as refused to obserue the canons of the late councell mentioned 603 and killed 1200 moonks of the monasterie of Bangor which laboured earnestlie and in the sweat of their browes thereby to get their liuings c. Uerclie Galf. Mon. writeth that Ethelbert king of Kent after he saw the Britains to disdaine and denie their subiection vnto Augustine by whome he was conuerted to the christian faith stirred vp Edelferd king of the Northumbers to warre against the Britains But heereof Maister Fox doubteth and therefore saith that of vncerteine things he hath nothing certeinlie to saie much lesse to iudge But now to the matter where we left After
be made touching the state of religious men and sate in the same synod that with subscribing he might also by his authoritie confirme that which was there orderlie decréed This synod was holden the third kalends of March in the last yéere of the emperour Phocas which was about the yeere after the birth of our Sauiour 610. Melitus at his returne brought with him from the pope decrees commanded by the said pope to be obserued in the English church with letters also directed to archbishop Laurence and to king Ethelbert Cadwan is made king of the Britains in the citie of Chester he leuieth a power against Ethelfred king of the Northumbers couenants of peace passe betwixt them vpon condition the death of Ethelbert king of Kent where he and his wife were buried of his lawes Eadbald succeedeth Ethelbert in the Kentish kingdome his lewd and vnholie life he is an enimie to religion he is plagued with madnesse Hebert king of the Eastsaxons dieth his three sonnes refuse to be baptised they fall to idolatrie and hate the professours of the truth their irreligious talke and vndutifull behauiour to bishop Melitus he and his fellow Iustus passe ouer into France the three sonnes of Hebert are slaine of the Westsaxons in battell the Estsaxons by their idolatrie prouoke archbishop Laurence to forsake the land he is warned in a vision to tarie whereof he certifieth king Eadbald who furthering christianitie sendeth for Melitus and Iustus the one is restored to his see the other reiected Melitus dieth Iustus is made archbishop of Canturburie the christian faith increaseth The xxiiij Chapter AFter that the Britains had cōtinued about the space almost of 24 yéeres without anie one speciall gouernour being led by sundrie rulers euer sithens that Careticus was constreined to flée ouer Seuerne and fought oftentimes not onelie against the Saxons but also one of them against another at length in the yéere of our Lord 613 they assembled in the citie of Chester and there elected Cadwan that before was ruler of Northwales to haue the souereigne rule gouernement ouer all their nation and so the said Cadwan began to reigne as king of Britaine in the said yéere 613. But some authors say that this was in the yéere 609 in which yéere Careticus the British king departed this life And then after his deceasse the Britains or Welshmen whether we shall call them chose Cadwan to gouerne them in the foresaid yéere 609 which was in the 7 yéere of the emperour Phocas and the 21 of the second Lotharius king of France and in the 13 yéere of Kilwoolfe king of the Westsaxons This Cadwan being established king shortlie after assembled a power of Britains and went against the foresaid Ethelfred king of Northumberland who being thereof aduertised did associate to him the most part of the Saxon princes and came foorth with his armie to méet Cadwan in the field Herevpon as they were readie to haue tried the matter by battell certeine of their friends trauelled so betwixt them for peace that in the end they brought them to agréement so that Ethelfred should kéepe in quiet possession those his countries beyond the riuer of Humber and Cadwan should hold all that which of right belonged to the Britains on the south side of the same riuer This couenant with other touching their agréement was confirmed with oths solemnelie taken and pledges therewith deliuered so that afterwards they continued in good and quiet peace without vexing one an other What chanced afterward to Ethelfred ye haue before heard rehersed which for that it soundeth more like to a truth than that which followeth in the British booke we omit to make further rehersall passing forward to other dooings which fell in the meane season whilest this Cadwan had gouernement of the Britains reigning as king ouer them the tearme of 22 or as some say but 13 yéeres and finallie was slaine by the Northumbers as before hath béene and also after shall be shewed In the 8 yéere after that Cadwan began to reigne Ethelbert king of Kent departed this life in the 21 yéere after the comming of Augustine with his fellowes to preach the faith of Christ here in this realme and after that Ethelbert had reigned ouer the prouince of Kent the tearme of 56 yéeres as Beda saith but there are that haue noted thrée yéeres lesse he departed this world as aboue is signified in the yeere of our Lord 617 on the 24 day of Februarie and was buried in the I le of saint Martine within the church of the apostles Peter and Paule without the citie of Canturburie where his wife quéene Bartha was also buried and the foresaid archbishop Augustine that first conuerted him to the faith Amongst other things this king Ethelbert with the aduise of his councell ordeined diuers lawes and statutes according to the which decrées of iudgements should passe those decrées he caused to be written in the English toong which remained and were in force vnto the daies of Beda as he declareth And first it was expressed in those lawes what amends he should make that stole anie thing that belonged to the church to the bishop or to anie ecclesiasticall person willing by all means to defend them whose doctrine he had receiued AFter the deceasse of Ethelbert his sonne Eadbald succéeded in the gouernment of his kingdome of Kent the which was a great hinderer of the increase of the new church amongst the Englishmen in those parties for he did not onelie refuse to be baptised himselfe but also vsed such kind of fornication as hath not béene heard as the apostle saith amongst the Gentiles for he tooke to wife his mother in law that had béene wife to his father By which two euill examples manie tooke occasion to returne to their heathenish religion the which whilest his father reigned either for the prince his pleasure or for feare to offend him did professe the christian faith But Eadbald escaped not woorthie punishment to him sent from the liuing God for his euill deserts insomuch that he was vexed with a certeine kind of madnesse and taken with an vncleane spirit The foresaid storme or vnquiet troubling of the christian congregation was afterwards greatlie increased also by the death of Sabert or Sebert king of the Eastsaxons who was conuerted to the faith of Christ and baptized by Melitus bishop of London as before is mentioned departing this life to go to a better in the blissefull kingdome of heauen he left behind him thrée sonnes as true successours in the estate of his earthlie kingdome which sonnes likewise refused to be baptised Their names were Serred Seward Sigebert men of an ill mind such as in whome no vertue remained no feare of God nor anie respect of religion but speciallie hating the professours of the christian faith For after their father was dead they began to fall to their old idolatrie which in his life time
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
the vniuersitie of Cambridge founded by him he resigneth his kingdome and becometh a moonke he and his kinsman Egric are slaine in a skirmish against Penda king of Mercia The xxx Chapter AFter that king Oswald was slaine his brother Oswie being about 30 yeares of age tooke vpon him the rule of the kingdome of Northumberland gouerning the same with great trouble for the space of 28 yeares being sore vexed by the foresaid Penda king of Mercia and his people which as yet were pagans In the first yeare of his reigne which was in the yeare of our Lord 644. Pauline the bishop of Rochester which had beene also archbishop of Yorke departed this life and then one Thamar an Englishman of the parties of Kent was ordeined bishop of Rochester by Honorius the archbishop of Canturburie King Oswie had one Oswin partener with him in gouernment of the Northumbers in the first beginning of his reigne which was sonne to Osrike so that Oswie gouerned in Bernicia and Oswin in Deira continuing in perfect friendship for a season till at length through the counsell of wicked persons that coueted nothing so much as to sowe discord and variance betwixt princes they fell at debate and so began to make warres one against an other so that finallie when they were at point to haue tried their quarrell in open battell Oswin perceiuing that he had not an armie of sufficient force to incounter with Oswie brake vp his campe at Wilfaresdowne ten mile by west the towne of Cataracton and after withdrew himselfe onelie with one seruant named Condhere vnto the house of earle Hunwald whome he tooke to haue béene his trustie friend but contrarie to his expectation the said Hunwald did betraie him vnto Oswie who by his captaine Edelwine slue the said Oswin and his seruant the forsaid Condhere in a place called Ingethling the 13 kalends of September in the ninth yeare of his reigne which was after the birth of our Sauiour 651. This Oswin was a goodlie gentleman of person tall and beautifull and verie gentle of spéech ciuill in manners and verie liberall both to high low so that he was beloued of all Such a one he was to be breefe as bishop Aidan gessed that he should not long continue in life for that the Northumbers were not woorthie of so good and vertuous a gouernour Such humblenesse and obedience he perceiued to rest in him towards the law of the Lord in taking that which was told him for his better instruction in good part that he said he neuer saw before that time an humble king The same Aidan liued not past 12 daies after the death of the said Oswin whome he so much loued departing this world the last daie of August in the seuenteenth yeare after he was ordeined bishop His bodie was buried in the I le of Lindesferne After Aidan one Finan was made bishop in his place a Scotishman also and of the I le of Hui from whence his predecessor the foresaid Aidan came being first a man of religion professed in the monasterie there as some writers doo report IN the meane time after that Kinigils or Cinigilsus king of the Westsaxons had reigned 31 yeares he departed this life Anno 643 leauing his kingdome to his sonne Cenwalch or Chenwald who held the same kingdome the tearme of 30 yeares or 31 as some write in manner as his father had doone before him In the third or as others saie in the fift yeare of his reigne Penda king of Mercia made sharpe warre against him because he had put awaie his wife the sister of the said Penda and in this warre Chenwald was ouercome in battell driuen out of his countrie so that he fled vnto Anna king of the Eastangles with whome he remained the space of a yeare or as other say thrée yeares to his great good hap for before he was growen to be an enimie to the christian religion but now by the wholesome admonitions and sharpe rebukes of king Anna he became a christian and receiued his wife againe into his companie according to the prescript of Gods law and to be bréefe in all things shewed himselfe a new man imbracing vertue auoiding vice so that shortlie after through the helpe of God he recouered againe his kingdome Now when he was established in the same there came a bishop named Agilbertus out of Ireland a Frenchman borne but hauing remained in Ireland a long time to reade the scriptures This Agilbert comming into the prouince of the Westsaxons was gladlie receiued of king Chenwald at whose desire he tooke vpon him to exercise the roome of a bishop there but afterwards when the said king admitted another bishop named Wini which had béene ordeined in France and knew the toong better than Agilbert as he that was borne in England Agilbert offended for that the king had admitted him without making him of anie counsell therein returned into France and there was made bishop of Paris within a few yeares after the foresaid Wini was expelled also by king Chenwald who got him into Mercia vnto king Uulfhere of whome he bought the bishoprike of London which he held during his life and so the countrie of Westsaxon remained long without a bishop till at length the said Agilbert at the request of king Chenwald sent to him Elutherius that was his nephue YE haue heard that after Carpwald his brother Sigibert succéeded in rule of the Eastangles a man of great vertue and woorthinesse who whilest he remained in France as a banished man being constreined to flée his countrie vpon displeasure that king Redwald bare him was baptised there and after returning into his countrie and obteining at length the kingdome those things which he had séene well ordered in France he studied to follow the example of the same at home and herevpon considering with himselfe that nothing could more aduance the state of the common-wealth of his countrie than learning knowledge in the toongs began the foundation of certeine schooles and namelie at Cambridge where children might haue places where to be instructed and brought vp in learning vnder appointed teachers that there might be greater numbers of learned men trained vp than before time had béene within this land to the furtherance of true religion and vertue So that England hath good cause to haue in thankfull remembrance this noble prince king Sigibert for all those hir learned men which haue bin brought vp come foorth of that famous vniuersitie of Cambridge the first foundation or rather renouation whereof was thus begun by him about the yeare of our Lord 630. At length when this worthie king began to grow in age he considered with himselfe how hard a matter and how painefull an office it was to gouerne a realme as apperteined to the dutie of a good king wherevpon he determined to leaue the charge thereof to other of more conuenient yéeres and to
now receiued the christian faith when he should returne into his countrie required king Oswie to appoint him certeine instructors and teachers which might conuert his people to the faith of Christ. King Oswie desirous to satisfie his request sent vnto the prouince of the Middleangles calling from thence that vertuous man Cedda and assigning vnto him another priest to be his associat sent them vnto the prouince of the Eastsaxons there to preach the christian faith vnto the people And when they had preached taught through the whole countrie to the great increase and inlarging of the church of Christ it chanced on a time that Cedda returned home into Northumberland to conferre of certeine things with bishop Finnan which kept his sée at Lindesherne where vnderstanding by Cedda the great fruits which it had pleased God to prosper vnder his hands in aduancing the faith among the Eastsaxons he called to him two other bishops and there ordeined the foresaid Cedda bishop of the East saxons Héerevpon the same Cedda returned vnto his cure went forward with more authoritie to performe the woorke of the Lord building churches in diuerse places ordeined priests and deacons which might helpe him in preaching and in the ministerie of baptising speciallie in the citie of Ithancester vpon the riuer of Pent and likewise in Tileburge on the riuer of Thames Whilest Ced was thus bufle to the great comfort and ioy of the king and all his people in the setting forward of the christian religion with great increase dailie procéeding it chanced thorough the instigation of the deuill the common enimie of mankind that king Sigibert was murthered by two of his owne kinsmen who were brethren the which when they were examined of the cause that should mooue them to that wicked fact they had nothing to alledge but that they did it bicause they had conceiued an hatred against the king for that he was too fauourable towards his enimies and would with great mildnesse of mind forgiue iniuries committed against him such was the kings fault for the which he was murthered bicause he obserued the commandements of the gospell with a deuout hart Notwithstanding in this his innocent death his offense was punished wherein he had suerlie transgressed the lawes of the church For whereas one of them which slue him kept a wife whome he had vnlawfullie maried and refused to put hir away at the bishops admonition he was by the bishop excommunicated and all other of the christian congregation commanded to absteine from his companie This notwithstanding the king being destred of him came to his house to a banket and in his comming from thence met with the bishop whome when the king beheld he waxed afraid and alighted from his horsse and fell downe at his féet beséeching him of pardon for his offense The bishop which also was on horssebacke likewise alighted and touching the king with his rod which he had in his hand as one something displeased and protesting as in the authoritie of a bishop spake these words Bicause saith he thou wouldst not absteine from entring the house of that wicked person being accurssed thou shalt die in the same house and so it came to passe Suidhelme king of the Eastsaxons he is baptised the bishoplike exercises of Ced in his natiue countrie of Northumberland Ediswald K. of Deira reuerenceth him the kings deuout mind to further and inlarge religion the maner of consecrating a place appointed for a holie vse the old order of fasting in Lent bishop Ced dieth warre betweene Oswie and Penda Oswie maketh a vow to dedicate his daughter a perpetuall virgine to God if he got the victorie he obteineth his request and performeth his vow she liueth dieth and is buried in a monasterie the benefit insuing Oswies conquest ouer his enimies the first second and third bishops of Mercia the victorious proceeding of king Oswie prince Peada his kinsman murthered of his wife The xxxij Chapter AFter Sigbert succeeded Suidhelme in the kingdome of the Eastsaxons he was the son of Sexbald and baptised of Ced in the prouince of the Eastangles at a place of the kings there called Rendlessham Ediswald king of the Eastangles the brother of king Anna was his godfather at the fontsone Ced the bishop of the Eastsaxons vsed oftentimes to visit his countrie of Northumberland where he was borne and by preaching exhorted the people to godlie life Wherevpon it chanced that king Ediswald the son of king Oswald which reigned in the parties of Deira mooued with the fame of his vertuous trade of liuing had him in great reuerence and therefore vpon a good zeale and great deuotion willed him to choose foorth some plot of ground where he might build a monasterie in the which the king himselfe and others might praie heare sermons the oftener and haue place where to burie the dead The bishop consenting to the kings mind at length espied a place amongst high and desert mounteins where he began the foundation of a monasterie afterwards called Lestinghem Wherefore meaning first of all to purge the place with praier fasting he asked leaue of the king that he might remaine there all the Lent which was at hand and so continuing in that place for that time fasted euerie daie sundaie excepted from the morning vntill euening according to the maner nor receiued anie thing then but onlie a little bread and a hens eg with a little milke mixt with water for he said that this was the custome of them of whome he had learned the forme of his regular order that they should consecrate those places vnto the Lord with praier and fasting which they latelie had receiued to make in the same either church or monasterie And when there remained ten daies of Lent yet to come he was sent for to the king wherefore he appointed a brother which he had being also a priest named Cimbill to supplie his roome that his begun religious woorke should not be hindered for the kings businesse Now when the time was accomplished he ordeined a monasterie there appointing the moonks of the same to liue after the rules of them of Lindesferne where he was brought vp Finallie this bishop Ced comming vnto this monasterie afterwards by chance in time of a sicknesse died there and left that monasterie to the gouernance of another brother which he had named Ceadda that was after a bishop as afterwards shall be shewed There were foure brethren of them and all priests Ced Cimbill Ceulin and Ceadda of the which Ced and Ceadda were bishops as before is said About the same time Oswie king of Northumberland was sore oppressed by the warres of Penda king of Mercia so that he made great offers of high gifts and great rewards vnto the said Penda for peace but Penda refused the same as he that meant vtterlie to haue destroied the whole nation of Oswies poeple so that Oswie turning himselfe to seeke
died and was buried there within the church of saint Peter in the yeere of our Lord 689. In the meane while that is to say in the yeere of our Lord 684 Egfride king of Northumberland sent an armie vnder the guiding of a capteine named Bertus into Ireland the which wasted that countrie sparing neither church nor monasterie sore indamaging the people of that countrie which had euer beene friends vnto the English nation and deserued nothing lesse than so to be inuaded and spoiled at their hands The Irish men defended themselues to their power beséeching God with manie a salt teare that he would reuenge their cause in punishing of such extreme iniuries And though cursers may not inherit the kingdome of heauen yet they ceased not to curse hoping the sooner that those which with good cause were thus accursed should woorthilie be punished for their offenses by God so peraduenture it fell out For in the yeere following the said Egfride had lead an armie into Pictland against Brudeus king of the Picts and being trained into straits within hils and craggie mounteins he was slaine with the most part of all his armie in the yeere of his age 40 and of his reigne 15 vpon the 13 kalends of Iune There were diuers of Egfrides friends and namelie Cutberd whome he had aduanced the same yéere vnto the bishops sée of Lindesferne that aduised him in no wise either to haue taken this warre in hand against the Picts or the other against them of Ireland but he would not be counselled the punishment appointed for his sinnes being such that he might not giue eare to his faithfull friends that aduised him for the best From that time foorth the hope and power of the English people began to decaie For not onelie the Picts recouered that part of their countrie which the Englishmen had held before in their possession but also the Scots that inhabited within this I le and likewise some part of the Britains tooke vpon them libertie which they kept and mainteined a long time after as Beda confesseth Egfride died without issue left no children behind him He had to wife one Ethelreda or Etheldrida daughter vnto Anna king of the Eastangles which liued with hir husband the forsaid Egfride twelue yéeres in perfect virginitie as is supposed contrarie to the purpose of hir husband if he might haue persuaded hir to the contrarie but finallie he was contented that she should kéepe hir first vow of chastitie which she had made She was both widow and virgine when he maried hir being first coupled in wedlocke with one Eunbert a noble man and a ruler in the south parts of the countrie where the people called Giruij inhabited which is the same where the fennes lie in the confines of Lincolnshire Norffolke Huntingtonshire Cambridgeshire howbeit be liued with hir but a small while After she had obteined licence to depart from the court she got hir first into Coldingham abbeie and there was professed a nun Then she went to Elie and there restored the monasterie and was made abbesse of the place in the which after she had gouerned seuen yeeres she departed this life and was there buried This same was she which commonlie is called saint Audrie of Elie had in great reuerence for the opinion conceiued of hir great vertue aand puritie of life Alfride the bastard king of Northumberland his life and death Iohn archbishop of Canturburie reigneth his see Lother king of Kent dieth of a wound Edrike getteth the regiment thereof but not without bloudshed Ceadwalla wasteth Kent being at strife in it selfe his brother Mollo burned to death Withred made king of Kent he vanquisheth his enimies Inas king of Westsaxons is made his friend Suebhard and Nidred vsurpers of the Kentish kingdome the age and death of Theodore archbishop of Canturburie Brightwald the first archbishop of the English nation the end of the British regiment and how long the greatest part of this Iland was vnder their gouernement The xxxvij Chapter AFter that king Egfride was slaine as before is mentioned his brother Alfride was made king of Northumberland This Alfride was the bastard sonne of king Oswie and in his brothers daies either willinglie or by violent means constreined he liued as a banished man in Ireland where applieng himselfe to studie he became an excellent philosopher And therfore being iudged to be better able to haue the rule of a kingdome he was receiued by the Northumbers and made king gouerning his subiects the space of 20 yeares and more with great wisedome and policie but not with such large bounds as his ancestors had doone for the Picts as before is mentioned had cut off one péece of the north part of the ancient limits of that kingdome About the 13 yeare of his reigne that is to say in the yeare of our Lord 698 one of his capteins named earle Berthred or Bertus was slaine in battell by the Picts whose confins he had as then inuaded The curse of the Irish men whose countrie in the daies of king Egfrid he had cruellie wasted as before is mentioned was thought at this time to take place Finallie king Alfride after he had reigned 20 yeares od months departed this life in the yeare of our Lord 705. In the beginning of king Alfrids daies Eata the bishop of Hexham being dead one Iohn a man of great holinesse was admitted bishop and after that bishop Wilfrid was restored when he had remained a long time in exile The said Iohn was remoued to the church of Yorke the same being then void by the death of the archbishop Bosa At length the foresaid Iohn wearied with the cares of publike affaires resigned his sée and got him to Beuerley where he liued a solitarie life for the space of foure yeares and then died about the yeare of our Lord 721 king Osâ—ike as then reigning in Northumberland He continued bishop for the space of 24 yeares and builded a church and founded a colledge of priests at Beuerley aforsaid in which church he lieth buried The same yeare or in the yeare after that king Egfrid was slaine Lother king of Kent departed this life the 8 Ides of Februarie of a wound by him receiued in a battell which he fought against the Southsaxons the which came in aid of Edrike that was sonne vnto his brother Egbert and had mainteined warre against his vncle the said Lother euen from the beginning of his reigne till finallie he was now in the said battell striken thorough the bodie with a dart and so died thereof after he had reigned 11 yeares and seuen moneths It was thought that he was disquieted with continuall warres and troubles and finallie brought to his end before the naturall course of his time for a punishment of his wicked consent giuen to the putting to death of his cousins Ethelbert Ethelbrit as appeared in that when they were
reported to be martyrs because it was knowen they died innocentlie he mocked them and made but a iest at it although his brother in acknowledging his fault repented him thereof and gaue in recompense to their mother a part of the I le of Thanet to the building of a monasterie THe foresaid Edrike after Lother was dead got the dominion of Kent and ruled as king thereof but not without ciuill warre insomuch that before he had reigned the full terme of two yeares he was slaine in the same warre Then Ceadwalla king of the Westsaxons being thereof aduertised supposing of the time now to be come that would serue his purpose as one still coueting to worke the Kentishmen all the displeasure he could entred with an armie into theri covntrie and began to waste and spoile the same on ech side till finallie the Kentishmen assembled themselues togither gaue battell to their enimies and put them to flight Mollo brother to Ceadwalla was driuen from his companie and constrained to take an house for his refuge but his enimies that pursued him set fire thereon and burned both the hosue and Mollo within it to ashes Yet did not Ceadwalla herewith deaprt out of the countrie but to wreake his wrath and to reuenge the griefe which he tooke for the death of his brother he wasted and destroied a great part of Kent yer he returned home and left as it were in occasion to his successor also to pursue the quarell with reuenging Wherein we sée the cankerd nature of man speciallie in a case of wrong or displeasure which we are so far from tollerating forgiuing that if with tooth and naile we be not permitted to take vengeance our hearts will breake with a full conceit of wrath But the law of nature teacheth vs otherwise to be affected namelie per te nulli vnquam iniuria fiat Sed verbis alijsque modis fuge laedere quenquam Quod tibi nolles alijs fecisse caueto Quódque tibi velles alijs praestare studeto Haec est naturae lex optima quam nisiad vnguem Seruabis non ipse Deo mihi crede placebis Póstque obitum infoelix non aurea sydera adibis Which lesson taught by nature and commanded of God if these men had followed as they minded nothing lesse in the fier of their furie they would haue béene content with a competent reuenge and not in such outragious maner with fier and sword haue afflicted one another nor which is more than tigerlike crueltie haue ministred occasion to posterities to reuenge wrongs giuen and taken of their ancestors But we will let this passe without further discourse meaning hereafter in due place to declare the processe The Kentishmen being destitute of a king after that diuers had coueted the place and sought to atteine thereto as well by force as otherwise to the great disquieting of that prouince for the space of 6 yeares togither at length in the 7 yeare after Edricks death Withred an other of the sonnes of king Egbert hauing with diligent trauell ouercome enuie at home with monie redéemed peace abroad was with great hope conceiued of his worthinesse made king of Kent the 11 of Nobuember 205 after the death of Hengist he reigned 33 yeares not deceiuing his subiects of their good conceiued opinion of him for ouercomming all his aduersaries which were readie to leuie ciuill warre against him he also purchased peace of Inas king of the Westsaxons which ment to haue made him warre till with monie he was made his friend A little before that Withdred was confirmed in the kingdome of Kent there reigned two kings in that countrie Suebhard and Nidred or rather the same Withred if the printed copie of Bedas booke intituled Ecclesiastica historia gentis Anglorum haue not that name corrupted for where he sheweth that the archbishop Theodorus being of the age of 88 yeares departed this life in the yeare of our Lord 690 in the next chapter he declareth that in the yeare 692 the first daie of Iulie on Brightwald was chosen to succéed in the archbishops sée of Canturburie Withredus and Suebhardus as then reigning in Kent but whether Withredus gouerned as then with Suebhardus or that some other named Nidred it forceth not for certeine it is by the agréement of othere writers that till Withdred obteined the whole rule there was great strife and contention moued about the gouernement and diuers there wre that sought and fought for it But this ought to be noted that the forenamed Brightwald was the eight archbishop in number and first of the English nation that sat in the sée of Canturburie for the other seuen that were predecessors to him were strangers borne and sent hither from Rome ¶ Here endeth the line and gouernement of the Britains now called Welshmen which tooke that name of their duke or leader Wallo or Gallo or else of a queene of Wales named Gales or Wales But howsoeuer that name fell first vnto them now they are called Welshmen which sometime were called Britains or Brutons and descended first of the Troians and after of Brute and lastlie of Mulmucius Dunwallo albeit they were mingled with sundrie other nations as Romans Picts c. and now they be called English that in their beginning were named Saxons or Angles To conclude therefore wiht this gouernement so manie times intercepted by forren power it appeareth by course of histories treating of these matters that the last yeare of Cadwallader was the yeare of our Lord 686 which makes the yere of the world 4647. So that as Fabian saith the Britains had the greater part of this land in rule reckoning from Brute till this time 1822 yeares Which terme being expired the whole dominion of this realme was Saxonish Thus farre the interrupted regiment of the Britains ending at the fift booke THE SIXT BOOKE of the Historie of England Inas king of the Westsaxons the whole monarchie of the realme falleth into their hands Inas for a summe of monie granteth peace to the Kentishmen whom he was purposed to haue destroied he his coosen Nun fight with Gerent king of the Britains and Cheolred king of Mercia and Ealdbright king of Southsaxons the end of their kingdoms Inas giueth ouer his roialtie goeth in pilgrimage to Rome and there dieth his lawes written in the Saxon toong of what buildings he was the founder queene Ethelburgas deuise to persuade Inas to forsake the world he was the first procurer of Peter pence to be paid to Rome king Ethelred king Kenred and king Offa become moonks the setting vp of images in this land authorised by a vision king Ethelbalds exploits he is slaine of his owne subiects by the suggestion of Bernred the vsurper Boniface his letter of commendation to King Ethelbald nuns kept for concubines their pilgrimage The first Chapter AFter tht Ceadwalla late K. of the Westsaxons was gone to Rome where he departed this
a prince of great vertue deuout towards God a furtherer of the common-wealth of his countrie and passed his life in great sinceritie of maners In the fift yéere of his reigne he renounced the world and went to Rome togither with Offa king of the Eastsaxons where he was made a moonke and finallie died there in the yéere of our Lord 711. By the aid and furtherance of this Kenred a moonke of saint Benets order called Egwin builded the abbbie of Eueshame who afterwards was made bishop of Worcester ¶ We find recorded by writers that this Egwin had warning giuen him by visions as he constantlie affirmed before pope Constantine to set vp an image of our ladie in his church Wherevpon the pope approouing the testifications of this bishop by his buls writ to Brightwald archbishop of Canturburie to assemble a synod and by authoritie thereof to establish the vse of images charging the kings of this land to be present at the same synod vpon paine of excommunication This synod was holden about the yéere of our Lord 712 in the daies of Inas king of Westsaxons and of Ceolred king of Mercia successor to the foresaid Kenred After Kenred succéeded Ceolred the sonne of his vncle Edilred died in the 8 yeere of his reigne and was buried at Lichfield Then succéeded Ethelbaldus that was descended of Eopa the brother of king Penda as the fourth from him by lineall succession This man gouerned a long time without anie notable trouble some warres he had and sped diuerslie In the 18 yéere of his reigne he besieged Sommerton and wan it He also inuaded Northumberland and got there great riches by spoile and pillage which he brought from thence without anie battell offered to him He ouercame the Welshmen in battell being then at quiet and ioined as confederats with Cuthred K. of Westsaxons But in the 37 yéere of his reigne he was ouercome in battell at Bereford by the same Cuthred with whome he was fallen at variance and within foure yéeres after that is to say in the 41 yéere of his reigne he was slaine in battell at Secandon or Sekenton by his owne subiects which arreared warres against him by the procurement and leading of one Bernred who after he had slaine his naturall prince tooke vpon him the kingdome but he prospered not long being slaine by Offa that succéeded him in rule of the kingdome of Mercia as after shall be shewed The bodie of Ethelbald was buried at Ripton Bonifacius the archbishop of Mentz or Moguntz hauing assembled a councell with other bishops and doctors deuised a letter and sent it vnto this Ethelbald commending him for his good deuotion and charitie in almes-giuing to the reliefe of the poore and also for his vpright dealing in administration of iustice to the punishment of robbers and such like misdooers but in that he absteined from mariage and wallowed in filthie lecherie with diuerse women and namelie with nuns they sore blamed him and withall declared in what in famie the whole English nation in those daies remained by common report in other countries for their licentious liuing in sinfull fornication and namelie the most part of the noble men of Mercia by his euill example did forsake their wiues and defloured other women which they kept in adulterie as nuns and others Moreouer he shewed how that such euill women as well nuns as other vsed to make awaie in secret wise their children which they bare out of wedlocke and so filled the graues with dead bodies and hell with damned soules The same Bonifacius in an other epistle which he wrote vnto Cutbert the archbishop of Canturburie counselled him not to permit the English nuns to wander abroad so often on pilgrimage bicause there were few cities either in France or Lombardie wherein might not be found English women that liued wantonlie in fornication and whordome Offa king of the Eastsaxons with other go to Rome he is shauen and becommeth a moonke succession in the kingdome of the Eastsaxons and Eastangles Osred king of Northumberland hath carnall knowledge with nuns he is slaine in battell Osrike renouncing his kingdome becommeth a moonke bishop Wilfrid twise restored to his see Westsaxonie diuided into two diocesses bishop Aldhelme a founder of religious houses Ethelard succeedeth Inas in regiment two blasing starres seene at once and what insued the king dieth the successiue reigne of Wichtreds three sonnes ouer Kent what prouinces were gouerned by bishops of what puissance Ethelbald king of Mercia was Egbert archbishop of Yorke aduanceth his see a notable remembrance of that excellent man Beda his death The second Chapter IN this meane time Sighard and Seufred kings of the Eastsaxons being departed this-life one Offa that was sonne to Sigerius succéeded in 〈◊〉 â—uernment of that kingdome a man of great towardnesse and of right comelie countenance but after he had ruled a certeine time being mooued with a riligious deuotion he went to Rome in companie of Kenred king of Mercia and of one Egwine bishop of Worcester and being there shauen into the order of moonks so continued till he died After him one Selred the sonne of Sigbert the good ruled the Eastsaxons the tearme of 38 yéeres After Alduife the king of Eastangles departed this fraile life which chanced about the yéere of our Lord 688 his brother Elewold or Akwold succeeded him and reigned about twelue yéeres After whose decease one Beorne was made king of Eastangles and reigned about 26 yéeres In this meane while that is to say in the yeere of our Lord 705 Alfride king of Northumberland being dead his sonne Osred a child of 8 yéeres of age succeeded him in the kingdome and reigned 11 yéeres spending his time when he came to ripe yeeres in filthie abusing his bodie with nuns and other religious women About the seuenth yéere of his reigne that is to say in the yéere of our Lord 711 one of his capteins named earle Berthfride fought with the Picts betwixt two places called Heue and Cere and obteining the victorie slue an huge number of the enimies At length king Osred by the traitorous means of his coosens that arreared warre against him was slaine in batell and so ended his reigne leauing to those that procured his death the like fortune in time to come For Kenred reigning two yéeres and Osricke ten yeeres were famous onelie in this that being worthilie punished for shedding the bloud of their naturall prince and souereigne lord they finished their liues with dishonourable deaths as they had well deserued Osricke before his death which chanced in the yéere of our Lord 729 appointed Ceolwolfe the brother of his predecessor Kenred to succeed him in the kingdome which he did reigning as king of the Northumbers by the space of 8 yéeres currant and then renouncing his kingdom became a moonke in the I le of Lindesferne
In this meane while bishop Wilfride being dead one Acca that was his chapline was made bishop of Hexham The said Wilfride had béene bishop by the space of 45 yéeres but he liued a long time in exile For first being archbishop of Yorke and exercising his iurisdiction ouer all the north parts he was after banished by king Egbert and againe restored to the sée of Hexham in the second yeere of king Alfride and within fiue yéeres after eftsoones banished by the same Alfride and the second time restored by his successor king Osredzin the fourth yéere of whose reigne being the yéere after the incarnation of our Sauiour 709 he departed this life and was buried at Rippon Moreouer after Iohn the archbishop of Yorke had resigned one Wilfride surnamed the second was made archbishop of that sée which Wilfride was chapline to the said Iohn and gouerned that sée by the space of fiftéene yéeres and then died About the yéere of our Lord 710 that abbat Adrian which came into this land with Theodore the archbishop of Canturburie as before ye haue heard departed this life about 39 yeeres after his comming thither Also Inas the king of Westsaxons about the 20 yeere of his reigne diuided the prouince of the Westsaxons into two bishops sées whereas before they had but one Daniell was ordeined to gouerne the one of those sees being placed at Winchester hauing vnder him Sussex Southerie and Hamshire And Aldhelme was appointed to Shireburne hauing vnder him Barkeshire Wiltshire Sommersetshire Dorsetshire Deuonshire and Cornwall This Aldhelme was a learned man and was first made abbat of Malmesburie in the yéere of our Lord 675 by Eleutherius then bishop of the Westsaxons by whose diligence that abbeie was greatlie aduanced being afore that time founded by one Medulfe a Scotish man but of so small reuenues afore Aldhelms time that the moonks were scarse able to liue thereon Also the same Aldhelme was a great furtherer vnto king Inas in the building of Glastenburie Ethelard the coosen of king Inas to whome the same Inas resigned his kingdome began to gouerne the Westsaxons in the yéere of our Lord 728 or rather 27 which was in the 11 yéere of the emperor Leo Isaurus in the second yeere of Theodorus king of France and about the 8 or 9 yéere of Mordacke king of the Scots In the first yéere of Ethelards reigne he was disquieted with ciuill warre which one Oswald a noble man descended of the roiall bloud of the Westsaxon kings procured against him but in the end when he perceiued that the kings power was too strong for him he fled out of the countrie leauing it thereby in rest In the yéere 729 in the moneth of Ianuarie there appeered two comets or blasing starres verie terrible to behold the one rising in the morning before the rising of the sunne and the other after the setting thereof so that the one came before the breake of the day and the other before the closing of the night stretching foorth their flerie brands toward the north and they appeered thus euerie morning and euening for the space of a fortnight togither mâ—nacing as it were some great destruction or common mishap to follow The Saxacens shortlie after entred France and were ouerthrowne Finallie when king Ethelard had reigned the terme of fouretéene yeeres currant he departed this life NOw when Wichtred king of Kent had gouerned the Kentishmen by the space of 33 yéeres with great commendation for the good orders which he caused to be obserued amongst them as well concerning matters ecclesiasticall as temporall he departed this life leauing behind him thrée sonnes who successiuelie reigned as heires to him one after another that is to say Edbert 23 yéeres Ethelbert 11 yeeres currant and Alrike 34 yéeres the which three princes following the steps of their father in the obseruance of politike orders commendable lawes vsed for the more part their fathers good lucke and fortune except that in Ethelberts time the citie of Canturburie was burned by casuall fire and Alrike lost a battell against them of Mercia whereby the glorie of their times was somewhat blemished for so it came to passe that whatsoeuer chanced euill was kept still in memorie and the good haps that came forward were soone forgotten and put out of remembrance In the yéere of our Lord 731 Betrwald archbishop of Canturburie departed this life in the fift ides of Ianuarie after he had gouerned that see by the space of 27 yéeres 6 moneths and 14 daies in â—hose place the same yéere one Tacwine was ordeined archbishop that before was a priest in the monasterie of Bruidon within the prouince of Mercia He was consecrated in the citie of Canturburie by the reuerend fathers Daniell bishop of Winchester Ingwald bishop of London Aldwin bishop of Lichfield and Aldwulfe bishop of Rochester the tenth day of Iune being sundaie ¶ As touching the state of the English church for ecclesiasticall gouernours certeine it is that the same was as hereafter followeth The prouince of Canturburie was gouerned touching the ecclesiasticall state by archbishop Tacwine and bishop Aldwulfe The prouince of the Eastsaxons by bishop Ingwald The prouince of Eastangles by bishop Eadbertus and Hadulacus the one kéeping his see at Elsham and the other at Dunwich The prouince of the Westsaxons was gouerned by the foresaid Daniell and by Forthere who succéeded next after Aldhelme in the sée of Shereburne This Forthere in the yéere of our Lord 738 left his bishoprike and went to Rome in companie of the quéene of the Westsaxons Many as well kings as bishops noble and vnnoble priests and laiemen togither with women vsed to make such iournies thither in those daies The prouince of Mercia was ruled by the foresaid Aldwine bishop of Lichfield and one bishop Walstod holding his sée at Herford gouerned those people that inhabited beyond the riuer of Sauerne toward the west The prouince of Wiccies that is Worcester one Wilfride gouerned The Southsaxons and the I le of Wight were vnder the bishop of Winchester In the prouince of the Northumbers were foure bishops that is to say Wilfride archbishop of Yorke Edilwald bishop of Lindifferne Acca bishop of Hexham and Pecthelmus bishop of Whiterne otherwise called Candida Casa he was the first that gouerned that church after the same was made a bishops sée And thus stood the state of the English church for ecclesiasticall gouernors in that season And as for temporall gouernement king Ceolvulfe had the souereigne dominion ouer all the Northumbers but all the prouinces on the southside of Humber with their kings and rulers were subiect vnto Edilbald or Ethelbald king of Mercia The nation of the Picts were in league with the English men and gladlie became partakers of the catholike faith and veritie of the vniuersall church Those Scots which inhabited Britaine contenting themselues with their owne bounds went
where their maiesties should bée shewed manie yéeres after Ethelburga fearing punishment fled into France with gâ—eat riches and treasure was well cherished in the court of king Charles at the first but after she was thrust into an abbeie and demeaned hirselfe so lewdlie there in keeping companie with one of hir owne countriemen that she was banished the house and after died in great miserie Egbert king of Mercia departing this life after he had reigned foure moneths ordeined his coosine Kenulfe to succeed in his place which Kenulfe was come of the line of Penda king of Mercia as rightlie descended from his brother Kenwalke This Kenulfe for his noble courage wisedome and vpright dealing was woorthie to be compared with the best princes that haue reigned His vertues passed his fame nothing he did that enuie could with iust cause reprooue At home he shewed himselfe godlie and religious in warre he became victorious he restored the archbishops sée againe to Canturburie wherein his humblenes was to be praised that made no account of worldlie honour in his prouince so that the order of the ancient canons might be obserued He had wars left him as it were by succession from his predecessour Offa against them of Kent and thervpon entring that countrie with a mightie armie wasted and spoiled the same and encountering in battell with king Edbert or Ethelbert otherwise called Prenne ouerthrew his armie and tooke him prisoner in the field but afterwards he released him to his great praise and commendation For whereas he builded a church at Winchcombe vpon the day of the dedication thereof he led the Kentish king as then his prisoner vp to the high altar and there set him at libertie declaring thereby a great proofe of of his good nature There were present at that sight Cuthred whom he had made king of Kent in place of Ethelbert or Edbert with 13 bishops and 10 dukes The noise that was made of the people in reioising at the kings bountious liberalitie was maruellous For not onelie he thus restored the Kentish king to libertie but also bestowed great rewards vpon all the prelates and noble men that were come to the feast euerie priest had a peece of gold and euerie moonke a shilling Also he dealt and gaue away great gifts amongst the people and founded in that place an abbeie indowing the same with great possessions Finallie after he had reigned 4 yéeres he departed this life and appointed his buriall to be in the same abbeie of Winchcombe leauing behind him a sonne named Kenelme who succeeded his father in the kingdome but was soone murthered by his vnnaturall sister Quendred the 17 of Iulie as hereafter shall be shewed Osrike king of Northumberland leaueth the kingdome to Edelbert reuoked out of exile king Alfwalds sons miserablie slaine Osred is put to death Ethelbert putteth away his wife and marieth another his people rise against him therefore and kill him Oswald succeeding him is driuen out of the land Ardulfe king of Northumberland duke Wade raiseth warre against him and is discomfited duke Aldred is slaine a sore battell fought in Northumberland the English men aflict one another with ciuill warres king Ardulfe deposed from his estate the regiment of the Northumbers refused as dangerous and deadlie by destinie what befell them in lieu of their disloialtie the Danes inuade their land and are vanquished the roiall race of the Kentish kings decaâ—eth the state of that kingdome the primasie restored to the see of Canturburie Egbert after the death of Britricus is sent for to vndertake the gouernement of the Westsaxons his linage The eight Chapter WHen Aswald king of Northumberland was made away his brother Osred the sonne of Alred tooke vpon him the rule of that kingdom anno 788 and within one yeere was expelled and left the kingdome to Ethelbert or Edelred as then reuoked out of exile in which he had remained for the space of 1 yéeres and now being restored he continued in gouernement of the Northumbers 4 yéeres or as some say 7 yéeres in the second yéere whereof duke Eardulfe was taken and led to Ripon and there without the gate of the monasterie wounded as was thought to death by the said king but the moonks taking his bodie and laieng it in a tent without the church after midnight he was found aliue in the church Moreouer about the same time the sonnes of king Alfwald were by force drawne out of the citie of Yorke but first by a wile they were trained out of the head church where they had taken sanctuarie and so at length miserablie slaine by king Ethelbert in Wonwaldremere one of them was named Alfus the other Alfwin In the yéere of our Lord 792 Osred vpon trust of the othes and promises of diuerse noble men secretly returned into Northumberland but his owne souldiers for sooke him and so was he taken and by king Ethelberts commandement put to death at Cunburge on the 14 day of September The same yéere king Ethelbert maried the ladie Alfled the daughter of Offa king of Mercia forsaking his former wife which he had hauing no iust cause of diuorce giuen on hir part whereby his people tooke such displeasure against him that finallie after he had reigned now this second time 4 yéeres or as other say seuen yéeres he could not auoid the destinie of his predecessors but was miserablie killed by his owne subiects at Cobre the 18 day of Aprill After whome one Oswald a noble man was ordeined king and within 27 or 28 daies after was expelled and constreined to flie first into the I le of Lindisferne and from thence vnto the king of Picts Then Ardulfe that was a duke and sonne to one Arnulfe was reuoked out of exile made king consecrated also at Yorke by the archbishop Cumbald and thrée other bishops the 25 of Iune in the yéere 396. About two yeeres after to wit in the yéere 798 one duke Wade and other conspirators which had beene also partakers in the murthering of king Ethelbert raised warre against king Ardulfe and fought a batteâ—l with him at Walleg but king Ardulfe got the vpper hand and chased Wade and other his enimies out of the field In the yéere 799. duke Aldred that had murthered Ethelbert or Athelred king of Northumberland was slaine by another duke called Chorthmond in reuenge of the death of his maister the said Ethelbert Shortlie after about the same time that Brightrike king of Westsaâ—ons departed this life there was a sore battell foughtten in Northumberland at Wellehare in the which Alricke the sonne of Herbert and manie other with him were slaine but to rehearse all the battels with their successes and issues it should be too tedious and irkesome to the readers for the English people being naturallie hard and high-minded continuallie scourged each other with intestine warres About six or seuen yéeres after this
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
Glocester and there buried within the monasterie of S. Peter which hir husband and she in their life time had builded and translated thither the bones of saint Oswill from Bardona The same monasterie was after destroied by Danes But Aldredus the archbishop of Yorke who was also bishop of Worcester repared an other in the same citie that was after the chiefe abbeie there Finallie in memorie of the said Elfleds magnanimitie and valorous mind this epitaph was fixed on hir toome O Elfleda potens ô terror virgo virorum O Elfleda potens nomine digna viri Te quóque splendidior fecit natura puellam Te probitas fecit nomen habere viri Te mutare decet sed solùm nomina sexus Tu regina potens réxque trophea parans Iam nec Caesareos tantùm mirere triumphos Caesare splendidior virgo virago vale O puissant Elfled ô thou maid of men the dread and feare O puissant Elfled woorthie maid the name of man to beare A noble nature hath thee made a maiden mild to bee Thy vertue also hath procurde a manlie name to thee It dooth but onelie thee become of sex to change the name A puissant queene a king art thou preparing trophes of fame Now maruell not so much at Caesars triumphs trim to vieu O manlike maiden more renowmd than Caesar was a dieu After the deceasse of Elfleda king Edward tooke the dominion of Mercia as before we haue said into his owne hands and so disherited his néece Alfwen or Elswen the daughter of Elfleda taking hir awaie with him into the countrie of Westsaxons By this meanes he so amplified the bounds of his kingdome that he had the most part of all this Iland of Britaine at his commandement for the kings of the Welshmen namelie the king of Stretcled and of the Scots acknowledging him to be their chiefe souereigne lord and the Danes in Northumberland were kept so short that they durst attempt nothing against him in his latter daies so that he had time to applie the building and reparing of cities townes and castels wherein he so much delighted He builded a new towne at Notingham on the southside of Trent and made a bridge ouer that riuer betwixt the old towne and the new He also repared Manchester beyond the riuer of Mercia in Lancashire accounted as then in the south end of Northumberland and he built a towne of ancient writers called Thilwall neere to the same riuer of Mercia and placed therein a garrison of souldiers diuerse other townes and castels he built as two at Buckingham on either side the water of Ouse as before is shewed and also one at the mouth of the riuer of Auon He likewise built or new repared the townes of Tocetor and Wigmore with diuerse other as one at Glademuth about the last yéere of his reigne Some also he destroied which séemed to serue the enimies turne for harborough as a castell at Temnesford which the Danes builded and fortified At length after that this noble prince king Edward had reigned somewhat aboue the tearme of 23 yéeres he was taken out of this life at Faringdon his bodie was conueied from thence vnto Wincheter and there buried in the new abâ—eie He had thrée wiues or as some haue written but two affirming that Edgiua was not his wife but his concuâ—ine of whome he begat his eldest sonne Adelstan who succéeded him in the kingdome This Edgiua as hath béene reported dreamed on a time that there rose a moone out of hir bellie which with the bright shine thereof gaue light ouer all England and telling hir dreame to an ancient gentlewoman who coniecturing by the dreame that which followed tooke care of hir and caused hir to be brought vp in good manners and like a gentlewoman though she were borne but of base parentage Heerevpon when she came to ripe yéeres king Edward by chance comming to the place where she was remaining vpon the first sight was streight rauished with hir beautie which is déed excelled that she could not rest till he had his pleasure of hir and so begot of hir the foresaid Adelstan by hir he had also a daughter that was maried vnto Sithrike a Dane and K. of Northumberland The Scotish writers name hir Beatrice but our writers name hir Editha His second or rather his first wife if he were not maried to Eguina mother to Adelstan was called Elfleda or Elfrida daughter to one earle Ethelme by whom he had issue to wit two sonnes Ethelward and Edwin which immediatlie departed this life after their father and six daughters Elfleda Edgiua Ethelhilda Ethilda Edgitha and Elfgiua Elfleda became a nun and Ethelhâ—lda also liued in perpetuall virginitie but yet in a laie habit Edgitha was maried to Charles king of France surnamed Simplex And Ethilda by helpe of hir brother Adelstan was bestowed vpon Hugh sonne to Robert earle of Paris for hir singular beautie most highlie estéemed sith nature in hir had shewed as it were hir whole cunning in perfecting hir with all gifts and properties of a comelie personage Edgiua and Elgiua were sent by their brother Adelstan into Germanie vnto the emperor Henrie who bestowed one of them vpon his sonne Otho that was after emperor the first of that name and the other vpon a duke inhabiting about the Alpes by his last wife named Edgiua he had also two sonnes Edmund Eldred the which both reigned after their brother Adelstan successiuelie Also he had by hir two daughters Edburge that was made a nun and Edgiue a ladie of excellent beautie whom hir brother Adelstan gaue in mariage vnto Lewes king of Aquitaine Whilest this land was in continuall trouble of warres against the Danes as before is touched small regard was had to the state of the church in somuch that the whole countrie of the Westsaxons by the space of seuen yéeres togither in the daies of this king Edward remained without anie bishop to take order in matters apperteining to the church Wherevpon the pope had accurssed the English people bicause they suffred the bishops sées to be vacant so long a time King Edward to auoid the cursse assembled a prouinciall councell 905 in the which the archbishop of Canturburie Pleimond was president Wherein it was ordeined that whereas the prouince of Westsaxons in times past had but two bishops now it should be diuided into fiue diocesses euerie of them to haue a peculiar bishop When all things were ordered and concluded in this synod as was thought requisite the archbishop was sent to Rome with rich presents to appease the popes displeasure When the pope had heard what order the king had taken he was contented therewith And so the archbishop returned into his countrie and in one day at Canturburie ordeined seuen bishops as fiue to the prouince of Westsaxons that is to say Fridestane to the sée of Winchester Adelstan to S. Geâ—man
kinds of sicknesses vexed the people also as the bloodie flix and hot burning agues which then raged through the land so that manie died thereof By such manner of meanes therefore what through the misgouernance of the king the treason and disloialtie of the nobilitie the lacke of good order and due correction amongst the people and by such other scourges and mishaps as afflicted the English nation in that season the land was brought into great ruine so that where by strength the enimie could not be kept off there was now no helpe but to appease them with monie By reason hereof from time of the first agréement with the Danes for 10 thousand pounds tribute it was inhanced to 16000 pounds as you haue heard after that at 20000 pounds then to 24000 pounds so to 30000 pounds lastlie to 40000 pounds till at length the relme was emptied in maner of all that monie and coine that could be found in it In this meane time died Elgina or Ethelgina the quéene Shortlie after it was deuised that the king should be a suter vnto Richard duke of Normandie for his sister Emma a ladie of such excellent beautie that she was named the floure of Normandie This sute was begun and tooke such good successe that the king obteined his purpose And so in the yeare of our Lord 1002 which was about the 24 yeare of king Egelreds reigne he maried the said Emma with great solemnitie This mariage was thought to be right necessarie honorable and profitable for the realme of England because of the great puissance of the Norman princes in those daies but as things afterward came to passe it turned to the subuersion of the whole English state for by such affinitie and dealing as hapned hereby betwixt the Normans and Englishmen occasion in the end was ministred to the same Normans to pretend a title to the crowne of England in prosecuting of which title they obteined and made the whole conquest of the land as after shall appeare Egelred being greatlie aduanced as he thought by reason of his mariage deuised vpon presumption thereof to cause all the Danes within the land to be murthered in one day Herevpon he sent priuie commissioners to all cities burrowes and townes within his dominions commanding the rulers and officers in the same to kill all such Danes as remained within their liberties at a certeine day prefixed being saint Brices day in the yeare 1012 and in the 34 yeare of king Egelreds reigne Herevpon as sundrie writers agree in one day houre this murther began and was according to the commission and iniunction executed But where it first began the same is vncerteine some say at Wellowin in Herefordshire some at a place in Staffordshire called Hownhill others in other places but whersoeuer it began the dooers repented it after But now yer we procéed anie further we will shew what rule the Danes kept here in this realme before they were thus murthered as in some bookes we find recorded Whereas it is shewed that the Danes compelled the husbandmen to til the ground doo all maner of labour and toile to be doone about husbandrie the Danes liued vpon the fruit and gaines that came thereof and kept the husbandmens wiues their daughters maids and seruants vsing and abusing them at their pleasures And when the husbandmen came home then could they scarse haue such sustenance of meats and drinkes as fell for seruants to haue so that the Danes had all at their commandements eating and drinking of the best where the sillie man that was the owner could hardlie come to his fill of the worst Besids this the common people were so oppressed by the Danes that for feare and dread they called them in euerie such house where anie of them soiourned Lord Dane And if an Englishman and a Dane chanced to méet at anie bridge or streight passage the Englishman must staie till the Lord Dane were passed But in processe of time after the Danes were voided the land this word Lord Dane was in derision and despight of the Danes turned by Englishmen into a name of reproch as Lordane which till these our daies is not forgotten For when the people in manie parts of this realme will note and signifie anie great idle lubber that will not labour nor take paine for his liuing they will call him Lordane Thus did the Danes vse the Englishmen in most vile manner and kept them in such seruile thraldome as cannot be sufficientlie vttered A fresh power of Danes inuade England to reuenge the slaughter of their countrimen that inhabited this Ile the west parts betraied into their hands by the conspiracie of a Norman that was in gouernement earle Edrike feined himselfe sicke when king Egelred sent vnto him to leuie a power against the Danes and betraieth his people to the enimies Sweine king of Denmarke arriueth on the coast of Northfolke and maketh pitifull spoile by fire and sword the truce taken betweene him and Vikillus is violated and what reuengement followeth king Sweine forced by famine returneth into his owne countrie he arriueth againe at Sandwich why king Egelred was vnable to preuaile against him the Danes ouerrun all places where they come and make cruell waste king Egelred paieth him great summes of monie for peace the mischiefes that light vpon a land by placing a traitorous stranger in gouernement how manie acres a hide of land conteineth Egelreds order taken for ships and armour why his great fleet did him little pleasure a fresh host of Danes vnder three capteines arriue at Sandwich the citizens of Canturburie for monie purchase safetie the faithlesse dealing of Edrike against king Egelred for the enimies aduantage what places the Danes ouerran and wasted The fourth Chapter VPon knowledge giuen into Denmarke of the cruell murder of the Danes here in England truth it is that the people of the countrie were greatlie kindled in malice and set in such a furious rage against the Englishmen that with all spéed they made foorth a nauie full fraught with men of warre the which in the yeare following came swarming about the coasts of England and landing in the west countrie tooke the citie of Excester and gat there a rich spoile One Hugh a Norman borne whome queene Emma had placed in those parties as gouernour or shirife there conspired with the Danes so that all the countrie was ouerrun and wasted The king hearing that the Danes were thus landed and spoiled the west parts of the realme he sent vnto Edricus to assemble a power to withstand the enimies Herevpon the people of Hampshire and Wiltshire rose and got togither but when the armies should ioine earle Edricus surnamed de Streona feigned himselfe sicke and so betraied his people of whome he had the conduct for they perceiuing the want in their leader were discouraged and so fled
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
filijs Edwardo Alfredo materna impertit salutamina DuÌ„ domini nostri regis obitum separatim plangimus filij charissimi dúmque dietim magis magisque regno haereditatis vestrae priuamini miror quid captetis consilij dum sciatis intermissionis vestrae dilatione inuasoris vestri imperij fieri quotidiè soliditateÌ„ Is enim incessanter vicos vrbes circuit sibi amicos principes muneribus minis precibus facit sed vnum è vobis super se mallent regnare quà m istius qui nunc ijs imperat teneri ditione Vnde rogo vnus vestrum ad me velociter priuatè veniat vt salubre à me consilium accipiat sciat quo pacto hoc negotium quod volo fieri debeat per praesentem quóque internuncium quid super his facturi estis remandate Valete cordis mei viscera The same in English EMma in name onelie queene to hir sons Edward and Alfred sendeth motherlie greeting Whilest we separatelie bewaile the death of our souereigne lord the king most deare sonnes and whilest you are euerie day more and more depriued from the kingdome of your inheritance I maruell what you doo determine sith you know by the delay of your ceassing to make some enterprise the grounded force of the vsurper of your kingdom is dailie made the stronger For incessantlie he goeth from towne to towne from citie to citie and maketh the lords his friends by rewards threats and praiers but they had rather haue one of you to reigne ouer them than to be kept vnder the rule of this man that now gouerneth them Wherefore my request is that one of you doo come with speed and that priuilie ouer to me that he may vnderstand my wholesome aduise and know in what sort this matter ought to be handled which I would haue to go forward and see that ye send mee word by this present messenger what you meane to doo herein Fare ye well euen the bowels of my heart These letters were deliuered vnto such as were made priuie to the purposed treason who being fullie instructed how to bale went ouer into Normandie and presenting the letters vnto the yoong gentlemen vsed the matter so that they thought verelie that this message had béene sent from their mother and wrote againe by them that brought the letters that one of them would not falle but come ouer vnto hir according to that she had requested and withall appointed the day and time The messengers returning to king Harold informed him how they had sped The yoonger brother Alfred with his brothers consent tooke with him a certeine number of gentlemen and men of warre and first came into Flanders where after he had remained a while with earle Baldwine he increased his retinue with a few Bullognes and passed ouer into England but approching to the shore he was streightwaies descried by his enimies who hasted foorth to set vpon him but perceiuing their drift he had the ships cast about and make againe to the sea then landing at an other place he ment to go the next way to his mother But earle Goodwine hearing of his arriuall met him receiued him into his assurance and binding his credit with a corporall oth became his man and therwith leading him out of the high way that leadeth to London he brought him to Gilford where he lodged all the strangers by a score a doozen and halfe a score togither in innes so as but a few remained about the yoong gentleman Alfred to attend vpon him There was plentie of meat and drinke prepared in euerie lodging for the refreshing of all the companie And Goodwine taking his leaue for that night departed to his lodging promising the next morning to come againe to giue his dutifull attendance on Alfred But behold after they had filled themselues with meats and drinks and were gone to bed in the dead of the night came such as king Harold had appointed and entring into euerie inne first seized vpon the armor and weapons that belonged to the strangers which done they tooke them and chained them fast with fetters and manacles so kéeping them sure till the next morning Which being come they were brought foorth with their hands bound behind their backs and deliuered to most cruell tormentors who were commanded to spare none but euerie tenth man as he came to hand by lot and so they slue nine and left the tenth aliue Of those that were left aliue some they kept to serue as bondmen other for couetousnesse of gaine they sold and some they put in prison of whome yet diuerse afterwards escaped This with more hath the foresaid author written of this matter declaring further that Alfred being conueied into the I le of Elie had not onelie his eies put out in most cruell wise but was also presentlie ther murthered But he speaketh not further of the maner how he was made away sauing that he saith he forbeareth to make long recitall of this matter bicause he will not renew the mothers gréefe in hearing it sith there can be no greater sorrow to the mother than to heare of hir sonnes death ¶ I remember in Caxton we read that cruell tormentors should cause his bellie to be opened taking out one end of his bowels or guts tied the same to a stake wh ich they had set fast in the ground then with néedels of iron pricking his bodie they caused him to run about the stake till he had woond out all his intrailes so ended he his innocent life to the great shame obloquie of his cruel aduersaries But whether he was thus tormented or not or rather died as I thinke of the anguish by putting out his eies no doubt but his death was reuenged by Gods hand in those that procured it But whether erle Goodwine was chéefe causer thereof in betraieng him vnder a cloked colour of pretended fréendship I cannot say but that he tooke him and slue his companie as some haue written I cannot thinker it to be true both as well for that which ye haue he 〈◊〉 recited out of the author that wrote Encomium Emâ—â—â— as also for that it should séeme he might neuer be soâ— directlie charged with it but that he had matter to alledge in his owne excuse But now to other affaires of Harold After he had made away his halfe brother Alfred he spoiled his mother in law quéene Emma of the most part of hir riches and therewith banished hir quite out of the realme so that she sailed ouer to Flanders where she was honourable receiued of earle Baldwine and hauing of him honourable prouision assigned hir she continued there for the space of thrée yeeres till that after the death of Harold she was sent for by hir sonne Hardiknought that succéeded Harold in the kingdome Moreouer Harold made small account of his subiects degenerating from the noble vertues of his father following him in few things except in exacting of
tributes and paiments He caused indeed eight markes of siluer to be leuied of euerie port or hauen in England to the reteining of 16 ships furnished with men of warre which continued euer in a readinesse to defend the coasts from pirats To conclude with this Harold his spéedie death prouided well for his fame bicause as it was thought if his life had béene of long continuance his infamie had been the greater But after he had reigned foure yeeres or as other gathered three yéeres and thrée moneths he departed out of this world at Oxford was buried at Winchester as some day Other say he died at Meneford in the moneth of Aprill and was buried at Westminster which should appeare to be true by that which after is reported of his brother Hardiknoughts cruell dealing and great spite shewed toward his dead bodie as after shall be specified Hardicnute is sent for into England to be made king alteration in the state of Norwaie and Denmarke by the death of king Cnute Hardicnute is crowned he sendeth for his mother queene Emma Normandie ruled by the French king Hardicnute reuengeth his mother exile vpon the dead bodie of his stepbrother Harold queene Emma and erle Goodwine haue the gouernment of things in their hands Hardicnute leuieth a sote tribute vpon his subiects contempt of officers deniall of a prince his tribute sharpelie punished prince Edward commeth into England the bishop of Worcester accused and put from his see for being accessarie to the murthering of Alfred his restitution procured by contribution Earle Goodwine being accused for the same trespasse excuseth himselfe and iustifieth his cause by swearing but speciallie by presenting the king with an inestimable gift the cause why Goodwine purposed Alfreds death the English peoples care about the succession to the crowne moonke Brightwalds dreame and vision touching that matter Hardicnute poisoned at a bridall his conditions speciallie his hospitalitie of him the Englishmen learned to eate and drinke immoderatlie the necessitie of sobrietie the end of the Danish regiment in this land and when they began first to inuade the English coasts The xv Chapter AFter that Harold was dead all the nobles of the realme both Danes Englishmen agréed to send for Hardiknought the sonne of Canute by his wife quéene Enma and to make him king Héere is to be noted that by the death of king Canute the state of things was much altered in those countries of beyond the seas wherein he had the rule and dominion For the Norwegians elected oen Magnus the sonne of Olauus to be their king and the Danes chose this Hardiknought whome their writers name Canute the third to be their gouernor This Hardiknought or Canute being aduertised of the death of his halfe brother Harold and that the lords of England had chosen him to their king with all conuenient speed prepared a nauie and imbarking a certeine number of men of warre tooke the sea and had the wind so fauorable for his purpose that he arriued vpon the coast of Kent the sixt day after he set out of Denmarke and so comming to London was ioifullie receiued and proclaimed king and crowned of Athelnotus archbishop of Canturburie in the yere of our Lord 1041 in the first yéere of the emperour Henrie the third in the 9 yeere of Henrie the first of that name king of France and in the first yéere of Magâ—â—nloch alià s Machabeda king of Scotland Incontinentlie after his establishment in the rule of this realme he sent into Flanders for his mother queene Emma who during the time of hir banishment had remained there For Normandie in that season was gouerned by the French king by reason of the minoritie of duke William surnamed the bastard Moreouer in reuenge of the wrong offered to quéene Emma by hir sonne in law Harold king Hardicnute did cause Alfrike archbishop of Yorke and earle Goodwine with other noble men to go to Westminster and there to take vp the bodie of the same Harold and withall appointed that the head thereof should be striken off and the trunke of it cast into the riuer of Thames Which afterwards being found by fishers was taken vp and buried in the churchyard of S. Clement Danes without Temple barre at London He committed the order and gouernement of things to the hands of his mother Emma and of Goodwine that was erle of Kent He leuied a sore tribute of his subiects here in England to pay the souldiers and mariners of his nauie as first 21 thousand pounds 99 pounds and afterward vnto 32 ships there was a paiment made of a 11 thousand and 48 pounds To euerie mariuer of his nauie he caused a paiment of 8 marks to be made and to euerie master 12 marks About the paiment of this monie great grudge grew amongst the people insomuch that two of his seruants which were appointed collectors in the citie of Worcester the one named Feader and the other Turstane were there slaine In reuenge of which contempt a great part of the countrie with the citie was burnt and the goods of the citizens put to the spoile by such power of lords and men of warre as the king had sent against them Shortlie after Edward king Hardicnutes brother came foorth of Normanâ—ie to visit him and his mother quéene Emma of whome he was most ioifullie and honorablie welcomed and interteined and shortlie after made returne backe againe It should appeare by some writers that after his comming ouer out of Normandie he remained still in the realme so that he was not in Normandie when his halfe brother Hardicnute died but here in England although other make other report as after shall bée shewed Also as before ye haue heard some writers seeme to meane that the elder brother Alfred came ouer at the same time But suerlie they are therein deceiued for it was knowne well inough how tenderlie king Hardicnute loued his brethren by the mothers side so that there was not anie of the lords in his daies that durst attempt anie such iniurie against them True it is that as well earle Goodwine as the bishop of Worcester that was also put in blame and suspected for the apprehending and making away of Alfred as before ye haue heard were charged by Hardicnute as culpable in that matter insomuch that the said bishop was expelled out of his see by Hardicnute and after twelue moneths space was restored by meanes of such summes of monie as he gaue by waie of amends Earle Goodwine was also put to his purgation by taking an oth that he was not guiltie Which oth was the better allowed by reason of such a present as he gaue to the king for the redéeming of his fauour and good will that is to say a ship with a sterne of gold conteining therein 80 souldiers wearing on each of their armes two braceiets of gold of 16 ounces weight
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
perplexitie to whome they might best commit the roiall gouernement of the realme For there was not anie among them that had iust title thereto or able and apt to take the charge vpon him For although Edgar surnamed Edeling the sonne of Edward the outlaw that was sonne of Edmund Ironside was at the same time latelie come into England with his mother and sisters out of Hungarie where he was borne yet for that he was but a child not of sufficient age to beare rule they durst not as then commit the gouernement of the realme vnto him least as some haue thought his tendernesse of age might first bréed a contempt of his person and therewith minister occasion to ciuill discord wherby a shipwracke of the estate might ensue to the great annoie and present ouerthrow of such as then liued in the same But what consideration soeuer they had in this behalfe they ought not to haue defrauded the yoong gentlemen of his lawfull right to the crowne For as we haue heard and séene God whose prouidence and mightie power is shewed by ouerthrowing of high and mightie things now and then by the weake and féeble hath gouerned states and kingdomes oftentimes in as good quiet and princelie policie by a child as by men of age and great discretion But to the purpose beside the doubt which rested among the lords how to bestow the crowne the manifold and strange woonders which were séene and heard in those daies betokening as men thought some change to be at hand in the state of the realme made the lords aâ—raid and namelie bicause they stood in great doubt of William duke of Normandie who pretended a right to the crowne as lawfull heire appointed by king Edward for that he was kin to him in the second and third degree For Richard the first of that name duke of Normandie begot Richard the second and Emma which Emma bare Edward by hir husband Ethelred Richard the second had also issue Richard the third and Robert which Robert by a concubine had issue William surnamed the bastard that was now duke of Normandie and after the death of his coosine king Edward made claime as is said to the crowne of England Whilest the lords were thus studieng and consulting what should be best for them to doo in these doubts Harold the son of Goodwine earle of Kent proclaimed himselfe king of England the people being not much offended therewith bicause of the great confidence and opinion which they had latelie conceiued of his valiancie Some write among whome Edmerus is one how king Edward ordeined before his death that Harold should succéed him as heire to the crowne and that therevpon the lords immediatlie after the said Edwards deceasse crowned Harold for their king and so he was consecrated by Aldred archbishop of Yorke according to the custom and maner of the former kings or as other affirme he set the crowne on his owne head without anie the accustomed ceremonies in the yéere after the birth of our sauiour 1066 or in the yéere of Christ 1065 after the account of the church of England as before is noted But how and whensoeuer he came to the seat roiall of this kingdome certeine it is that this Harold in the begining of his reigne considering with himselfe how and in what sort he had taken vpon him the rule of the kingdome rather by intrusion than by anie lawfull right studied by all meanes which way to win the peoples fauour and omitted no occasion whereby he might shew anie token of bountious liberalitie gentlenesse and courteous behauiour towards them The gréeuous customes also and taxes which his predecessors had raised he either abolished or diminished the ordinarie wages of his seruants and men of warre he increased and further shewed himselfe verie well bent to all vertue and goodnesse whereby he purchased no small fauor among such as were his subiects Whilest Harold went about thus to steale the peoples good willes there came ouer vnlooked for sundrie ambassadours from William the bastard duke of Normandie with commission to require him to remember his oth sometime made to the said William in the time of his extremitie which was that he the said Harold should aid him in the obteining of the crowne of England if king Edward should happen to die without issue This couenant he made as it is supposed in king Edwards daies when by licence of the same Edward or rather as Edmerus writeth against his will he went ouer into Normandie to visit his brethren which laie there as pledges Howbeit at this present Harolds answer to the said ambassadors was that he would be readie to gratifie the duke in all that he could demand so that he would not aske the realme which alreadie he had in his full possession And further he declared vnto them as some write that as for the oth which he had made in times past vnto duke William the same was but a constreined no voluntarie oth which in law is nothing since thereby he tooke vpon him to grant that which was not in his power to giue he being but a subiect whilest king Edward was liuing For if a promised vow or oth which a maid maketh concerning the bestowing of hir bodie in hir fathers house without his consent is made void much more an oth by him made that was a subiect and vnder the rule of a king without his souereignes consent ought to be void and of no value He alledged moreouer that as for him to take an oth to deliuer the inheritance of anie realme without the generall consent of the estates of the same could not be other than a great péece of presumption yea although he might haue iust title therevnto so it was an vnreasonable request of the duke at this present to will him to renounce the kingdome the gouernance whereof he had alreadie taken vpon him with so great fauor and good liking of all men Duke William hauing receiued this answer and nothing liking thereof sent once againe to Harold requiring him then at the least-wise that he would take his daughter to wife according to his former promise in refusing whereof he could make no sound allegation bicause it was a thing of his owne motion and in his absolute power both to grant and to performe But Harold being of a stout courage with proud countenance frowned vpon the Norman ambassadors and declared to them that his mind was nothing bent as then to yéeld therevnto in any maner of wise And so with other talke tending to the like effect he sent them away without anie further answer The daughter of duke William whome Harold should haue maried was named Adeliza as Gemeticensis saith and with hir as the same author writeth it was couenanted by duke William that Harold should inioy halfe the realme in name of hir dower Howbeit some write that