Inscription WE FLY FROM THE FACE OF JOSHUA THE SON OF NAVE THE ROBBER By this it appears that in those daies the Phoenicians began to frequent those Parts And although the Greeks do attribute these Voyages to their Hercules yet the Temple upon the Streights dedicated to that God manifestly proves him to have been a Phoenician for he was worshipt according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Phoenicians and not Graecians The Temple is said to be built by the Tyrians and magnificent Sacrifices performed to him after the manner of that Nation Strabo is particular upon what ground it was built and the occasion which moved the Tyrians to the Work all which may be read in that Author But to return to HERCULES Leaving his own Country and being attended with a multitude who were forced to the same necessity he coasted about Spain and Africa and by the care and diligence of his Followers he built many Towns and Cities conquering all Iberia and those Western Tracts is said at last to come into Gaul and there built Alesia and Nemausus In a Battle against the Ligurians and their two Leaders Bergion and Albion or as others say Alebion and Dercynus when he had no other Weapons left him they feign'd it rained Stones from Heaven in his favour and that all the fields were covered with them The occasion of this Fable is the multitude of Stones lying scatter'd between Arelate and Massilia which to this day is called La Crau He is said also to have passed the Alpes but this is looked upon by Livy as a Fable also for the truth is it is not probable that his occasions would permit him to make too great Inroads into the Continent but by far likelyer that he contented himself with possessing the Sea-coasts the Ports and Havens of those Countries to which he arrived In Liguria there is a Haven that bore his Name at this day it is known by the name of Monaco and was anciently called Herculis Monaeci Portus the Haven of Hercules Monaecus At his first Landing the Ligurians opposed him and of this Fight not only the Poets and Historians make mention but the Astronomers also and they do not only mention it but add that the Remembrance of it is placed in the Heavens in the Sign which Firmicus calls Ingeniculum or the bending of the Knee for by weariness in the fight Hercules it seems was reduced to that posture and so placed in the Heavens Hitherto I have attended HERCULES in his Voyages within the Streights I shall now follow him into the Western Sea and that upon the Authority of Marcellinus who recites Timagines for his Author viz. That the Dorienses followed the Ancient Hercules to inhabit the Sea-coasts of Gaul lying upon the Ocean Let us see now by what Circumstances Marcellinus writes this Voyage of Hercules that the truth of it may more evidently appear First He complains of all former Writers Timagines only excepted namely that in their Histories of Gaul they had delivered down things by halves only and so had given the World a very slender or little or no account of the Original of that Country Secondly He applauds Timagines for his diligence in searching out those things which were unknown to other Authors and that he did it out of many Records Thirdly and lastly He promises out of Timagines to report the truth clearly and distinctly Now these Records that this Timagines searcht into were in all probability Phoenician or Syrian and for that very reason unknown to the Greeks and Latins for this Timagines as Bochartus proves was a Syrian and so understood their Language and Plutarch reports that he wrote a History of Gaul By the Authority therefore of this Timagines we find that this Hercules with his Dorienses ' possest the Sea-coast of that Nation that lies upon this Western Ocean That this Hercules was the Phoenician no doubt is to be made seeing he is called the Ancient and that the Dorienses his Attendants received their name from him as I have in another place evidenced viz. from Dora a City in Phoenicia and not from the Graecians Seeing that Hercules arrived into those Seas why may he not be supposed to be in Britain also Pliny writes that Midacritus first brought Tynn into Greece now it is certain as before has been shewn that Mettal was carried from the Cassiterides long before any Greek had entered the Western Sea This very thing induces Bochartus to think that for Midacritus Melicarthus should be read and that this Hercules first of all shewed the Phoenicians those Mines which afterwards proved so profitable to that Nation As upon the Sea-coast of Belgium there was an Altar inscribed to Hercules so in Devonshire a Country abounding in Tynn there was a Promontory called by his Name which to this day retains something in two little Towns Hartlow or Hertland alias Herton as also in the Promontory it self called Herty-point Add to this the Opinion the Ancients had concerning the Elysian Fields how they were supposed as I have writ in another place to be upon the Coast of Britain or at least in the Western Ocean as likewise the story of Isacius Tzetzes an Author of no small credit with Mr. Cambden concerning Julius Caesar which story though it be a Fable yet it shews the Opinions of the Ancients namely That Caesar was carried by I know not what Spirit from Gaul into a Western Island inhabited by Ghosts only and by the same brought back again We have little reason to doubt but that Hercules his discent into Hell might be grounded upon his Navigation into these parts After his death He was worshipt as a God in all Nations in some places young Youths were sacrificed before him and no Women admitted into his Temple His Bones were preserved in his Temple upon the Streights and Divine Honours performed to them although the main part of his Worship was Phoenician yet the Greeks intruded also hanging up several Trophies of their own inventions He was placed upon a Stone Altar a Hydra on one side and Diomedes his Horse on the other in memory of those two Monsters destroyed by him He was worshipt in Gaul and Britain under the name of OGMIUS and possibly from the Phoenician Og signifying the Compass of the Sea and especially the Western Ocean which Ocean Hercules was the first that discovered it From this Og the Graecians had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying the same thing Bochartus is of opinion that he is to be derived from Agemion signifying a Stranger and Forreigner but I scarcely believe the Britains or Gauls would borrow a Phoenician word to revile one of their own Nation This OGMIUS was represented as may be seen in the foregoing Figure An Old and decrepid Man bald Pated his Hair white a wrinckled Skin and Sun-burnt after the manner of Old Sea-men a Globe in one hand with a Compass in
evidence of the Antiquity of that Sect whom I do make appear were Ancient Priests and Governours in Ecclesiastical and Civil matters in this Nation And by Reason Abraham lived under those Oaks of Mamre so piously the Druids in Example thereof although degenerating from the true substance and intent of so good an Example chose Groves of Oaks under which they performed all the invented Rites and Ceremonies belonging to their Religion To speak further we must confidently according to the Rule and Method of the British History believe Sarron to have Reigned as a British King from Anno Mundi MMVII to MMLXVIII when being Ambitious to extend his Empire he ended his life and kingdom and now we hear of Druis his Son DRUIS the Son of Sarron or as Basing stochius writes his Grand-son by his Son Namnes who died before him succeeded in the Kingdom He is made the Author of the Druids a famous Sect of Philosophers he began his Reign Anno Mundi MMLXVIII and held the Government but fourteen years Then BARDUS the Son of Druis next entered upon the Kingdom This is the King of Poets Musicians and Heralds called from him Bardi they were very much given to composing of Genealogies and rehearsing them in publick Assemblies but notwithstanding their great skill in this matter we see they have the misfortune to be put after the Druids in Succession whereas in the fore-going Antiquities it is probably made out they were an Ancienter Order than they in Britain This Bardus began his Reign Anno Mundi MMLXXXII and possest the Scepter seventy five years Now who would not have thought BRITAIN or SAMOTHEA an happy Island having so many Philosophers for their Kings but see the mischief of it Let Samothes Magus Sarron and Druis teach never so Divinely and Bardus Sing or Pipe never so sweetly yet the People will be Adders still there is no reclaiming of the Multitude No wonder therefore that giving themselves to a loose and luxurious life and not keeping up to the strict Rules that had been prescribed to them they were the sooner conquered and subdued by the Giant Albion so that Samothea was wrested from the Celts the Line of Japhet and brought in subjection to the Progeny of Ham. Now it is that stories complain of the miserable Thraldom of this Island by the Sons of Neptune and the delivery of it in part by the death of Albion slain by Hercules though long after it was molested by Giants until the Arrival of Brutus all which Circumstances I will pass over not because they are more Fabulous than the rest but because they seem if they were well timed and cleared of all the Ignorant Rubbish that by age and malice of Writers has over-burthened them to carry some foot-steps of the Phoenicians in this Island who were Men of exceeding proportion and of the Linage of Ham and early Traders into these Parts Likewise the story of Dioclesian or as Mr. Hollinshead corrects it Danaus his Daughter I will omit as too tedious a Fable and so proceed to the succession of the Celtick Kingdom of which Britain is feigned a part This I do not for Truths sake but Convenience It follows therefore out of Basinstoak LONGHO the Son of Bardus succeeded him in the Kindom of the Celtae He made War upon Scandia and gave name to the Longo Bards who afterwards proceeded from that Country I pass over how ridiculously and against all Geography Scandia by Basinstochius is placed about the Coasts of Britain and made an Island These are small faults He begun his Reign Anno Mundi MMCLVII and reigned twenty eight years BARDUS the Second succeeded him He carried Musick into Germany which had been first taught in Celtica by his Grand-father He Reigned seven and thirty years and left a young Son called Celtes who being not ripe enough to Administer the Kingdom LUCUS was elected King who Reigned but Eleven years and then CELTES assumed the Crown From this Prince the Celtae took their Denomination His Mother was called Galathea in honour of whose Memory he gave that name to his Daughter and afterwards married her to Hercules by whom she had a Son named Galathes from whom the Galli are derived He reigned but thirteen years and then HERCULES and GALATHEA succeeded This Hercules built Alexia and passing the Alpes he gave his younger Son Tuscus the Kingdom of Italy and his elder Son Galathes the Celtick Dominion The first Prince reigned nineteen years Galathes held the Kingdom of the Celts forty nine years and then left it to his Son NARBON the Son of Galathes during his Fathers life had the Island of Samothea intrusted to his Government but after the death of his Father he passed into Gallia and there built a City after his own Name he reigned eighteen years LUGDUS his Son succeeded him he built Lugdunum and reigned fifty one years BELIGIUS followed who gave name to the Belgae formerly called Beligici he died without Issue after he had reigned twenty years and the Kingdom of the Celts devolved on JASIUS This Prince was of the Line of Hercules and the year before was created King of Italy so that the two Kingdoms of Celtica and Italy were conjoyned in one Man Anno Mundi MMCCCLXXXIV This raised Envy in his Brother Dardanus who began a Civil-War but not being able to prevail by force of Arms he had recourse unto Policy so that feigning Reconciliation with his Brother he takes all his Goods and Shipping them enters into his Brothers Palace and there Murthers him as he was Bathing this being effected he flies into Samothrace afterwards into Phrygia Jasius had a Son named CORYBANTUS he succeeded his Father in the Kingdom of Italy but not of the Caeltes Jasius reigned fifty years ALLOBROX of the line of Hercules obtained the Kingdom of the Celti he Reigned sixty eight years and ROMUS his Son succeeded him he Governed twenty nine years PARIS the Son of Romus Ruled thirty nine years LEMANES the Son of Paris Reigned sixty seven years OLBIUS the Son of Lemanes Reigned five years From this Olbius Basinstochius derives Albion the Name of this Island GALATHES the Second succeeded him and Reigned eight and forty years NAMNES followed and Governed forty four years and being about to end his daies he bequeathed the Kingdom to his Son Remus REMUS the Son of Namnes Reigned forty years He left only a Daughter which he had married before to Phranicus a Prince of the Blood of Hector PHRANICUS held the Scepter in right of his Wife but leaving Samothea to be Governed by the Druids he betook himself to the Continent called by his Name France so that the Britains readily received King BRUTUS at his Arrival into this Island as is pretended by those who desired to claim an honourable Title from that Race of the Trojans This is the account of the Celtick Kings before BRUTE according to Berosus and Basinstochius Who can but wonder at the exact and
for the preservation of his Country By the Mediation of Comius of Arras he sends his Embassadors to Caesar who wittingly accepted of them for that the Summer was to Caesar high spent and his Affairs in Gallia called for his speedy Return The Enemy he now dealt with was grown cautious and wary and likely to spinout the War to a greater length than his occasions would permit him to attend Having therefore enjoyned him not to molest Mandubratius and the Trinobantes and setled the Tribute which the Britains should Annually pay to the States of Rome he commands Hostages only which being received he draws his Army to the Sea where having viewed the remainder of his Ships which had been repaired since the last Storm and finding them too few after their Losses to transport at once his Army Captives and Baggages he resolves to make two Embarkments of them But having long expected the return of his sixty Sail which had carried the first Party over and were kept back by contrary Winds misdoubting the Season of the year September being begun and possibly the return of the Britains after the division of his Forces he places his Men thick into those few Vessels he had with him and weighing Anchor at the beginning of the second Watch with a favourable Wind sets Sail and next Morning early arrived at the Continent This is the Account of the Second Expedition of Caesar taken out of his own Commentaries though other eminent Authors relate That in his British proceedings he speaks too advantagiously of himself Among the rest Tacitus writes of Caratacus that encouraging the Britains he often invoked the Names of his Ancestors who drave Caesar the Dictator out of the Isle by whose Valour they were freed from the Axes and Tributes of the Romans and preserved the Bodies of their Wives and Children undefiled And Dion affirms That once in the Second Expedition all his Foot were routed Orosius That another time all his Horse and it is manifest that for many years after Britain was Governed by its own Kings and its own Laws Nevertheless at his Arrival at Rome attended with the long Procession of the British Captives whose odd Attire and strange Behaviour drew the eyes of all the Beholders and seemed the Witness of his glorious Enterprize he ascends the Temple of Venus Genetrix the Patroness of his Family and there solemnly offers a Corslet of British Pearls Some of the meaner Captives he employed for services in the Theater to attend the Tapestry Hangings wherein he had caused to be curiously woven the figures of the Britains and his Victories over them Of these Virgil writes thus Purpureáque intexti tollant Aulea Britanni Thus were the poor Britains either continual Spectatours of the Calamities of their Country or else the constant Witnesses of the Vanities of Caesar. A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE OF JULIUS CAESAR HE is worthily esteemed the Idaea or Pattern of an absolute General for his excellent and Industrious Contrivance quick Dispatch Courage in his Dangers and Laborious in all his Affairs Of so little Pomp that at his first coming into this Isle he is credibly reported to have had but three Domestick Servants in his Retinue The whole course of his Life even in his lowest Fortunes had still something of Greatness in it At seventeen years of Age he was made Flamen Dialis seven years after Questor of Spain where at the Streights beholding the Statue of Alexander in the Temple of Hercules he inwardly groaned to think that at that Age wherein Alexander had Conquered the World himself had done no memorable Action Thereupon he laies down his Questorship and repairs to Rome watching every occasion to grow Popular entring into many Factions and some not without suspicion of Conspiracy yet were all his Actions ever taken in a favourable construction the States finding it more convenient to flatter him into a kind of Obedience than to make too severe an Inquisition into his Affairs In a publick Funeral Oration in Praise of his Aunt Julia he derived himself on the Mothers side from Ancus Martius an Ancient King of Rome and on his Fathers side from the Gods He was after this made AEdilis then Pontisex Maximus which Honour he carried against two Competitors of the greatest Age and Authority Being Consul he obtained Gallia for his Province which he held ten years part of the time being spent in the Invasion of Britain Whilst he was busie in the Conquest of this ISLAND he received News of the decease of his Daughter Julia whose death drew with her a trayn of Publick Calamities Her loss he passed over with the same Constancy of mind he used in the rest of his Affairs and it is possible that his Ambition overcame his Sorrow for her Life and Interest with Pompey seemed the only debar to his future Advancement As not long after he entred into the Civil War the Commonwealth being grown so Heady that it seemed impossible to be Governed but by a single Person During all the Civil War those Forces he had employed in Britain and Gallia were alwaies his Unbroken strengths The hardships of these Countries joyned with Roman Discipline and the confidence in their Leader had so Spirited them that as Scaeva single durst twice undertake a whole Army so these few Legions seemed a match for the whole World After great Contendings with is Countrymen for the Supream Power and much effusion of Blood having at last arrived to the end of his Labours the top and highest pinnacle of Honour whilst he thought his Enemies either all destroyed or by his Clemency not only in sparing but advancing them sufficiently obliged in the midst of the Publick Assembly of the Roman Senate where he had often received the Thanks and Acknowledgments of the House for his great Services after fifty several Battles fought with success five Triumphs and four Consulships laden with Honour he was basely murthered by a Conspiracy of Senators and so fell at the feet of his Son in Law Pompey's Image whom not long before he had Conquered And what made most to the remarkableness of his Misfortune he was slain by those to whom he had shewn the greatest Kindness and that with many wounds the deepest whereof was given by his near Relation Brutus to whom once he had designed a great share in his Estate and that Brutus the Son of Servilia supposed his Base Child THE British History RELATING TO THE SECOND EXPEDITION OF J. CAESAR CASSIBELAN preparing against Caesars second Invasion stuck the Thames in one place full of Iron and Lead stakes on purpose to hinder his sayling to the Trinboantes in which design he so well prospered that Caesar lost many of his Ships and was afterwards beaten in a pitcht Battle For joy of this second Victory Cassibelan made a great Feast at London and there sacrificed to his Gods in which Solemnity Hirilda Cassibelans Nephew and Ewelin Nephew to Androgeus falling
of Men Calidonia hath reserved in store Do you think the Romans are as valiant in War as they are wanton in Peace They are grown great by our Divisions and vainly ascribe to the glory of their own Arms what proceeds from their Enemies Dissensions Composed they are of different Nations which Union as Success only holds together so Adversity will quickly dissolve unless ye suppose the Gauls and Germans and which is a shame to be spoken the Britains who at the present serve to uphold Forraign Usurpation can possibly have any faith or affection for them who have been longer their Enemies than Masters No it is Terrour and Fear those weak procurers of Affection that keep them as yet in Obedience which if once removed you will find that whom they feared they will hate All the Incitements to Victory are on our side the Romans have no Wives to encourage them to fight no Parent to upbraid them if they flie Most have either no Country at all or some other a few fearful Persons trembling and gazing at the strangness of the Haven it self the Sea and Woods The Gods have delivered them as it were mewed up and fettered into our hands let not the vain shew and glittering of Gold and Silver dazle you a thing which neither defends in it self or annoyeth In their very Battle we shall find of our side the Britains will own their Friends the Gauls will remember their former Liberty and the Germans will generally forsake them as not long since did the Usipians We have nothing afterwards to fear the Castles are empty the Colonies are made up of nothing but Aged and Impotent persons Between unjust Governours and stubborn Subjects the free Cities are generally discontented and factious Here is a General here an Army these be the Tributes there be the Mines with the train of Slaveries that unseparably attend upon bondage all which must for ever be undergone or in this one Battle revenged Wherefore going to Battle bear in your minds the freedom of your Ancestors and the danger of your Posterity The Britains received this Oration with great testimonies of Joy as Songs confused Noises after the Custome of their Country and a dissonant sort of Howling which shewed their Approbation And now the Battle began to glitter and every one to put himself into array When Agricola scarce able to repress the heat of his Souldiers yet thinking it convenient to say something he thus delivered himself in this Speech AGRICOLA his SPEECH to his Army before Battle THIS is the Eighth year Fellow Souldiers wherein your faithful Service and diligence under the vertue and Fortune of the Roman Empire hath subdued Britain in so many Expeditions so many Battles either by Courage against the Enemy or Patience and Labours We have ran through the greatest Difficulties and conquered even Nature it self neither had you reason to be weary of your General or I of my Souldiers insomuch as we have exceeded the Limits I of my Predecessors and You of former Armies The utmost bounds of BRITAIN we now hold not by Fame and Report but with our Arms and Pavilions and we have the honour both to Discover and to Subdue In your wearisome Marches when the passing of Boggs Rivers and Mountains has tyred you how often have I heard the valiant Souldier say When shall we meet the Enemy When shall we fight Behold they shew themselves from their secret lurking places now you have your desires now is there room for your Valour to be shewn every thing is as you could wish if you Conquer but if you lose the day all is against you For as to have gone so much ground escaped the Woods passed the Friths were things in Our coming great and honourable so if we fly before the Enemy the very same will be our hindrance and destruction For neither have we the same knowledge of Places as they or if we had yet want we Provisions but Hands we have and Weapons and in them all things For my part I have been long since resolved that to Retreat is neither safe for Souldier nor General and that a commendable death is to be preferred before the reproaches of an Ignominious life and that Safety and Honour are now inseparably conjoyned and let the worst happen yet how glorious will it be to die in the uttermost end of the World and Nature If new Nations and unknown Enemies were before us I should exhort you by the Examples of other Armies but now I shall only lay before you your own victorious Exploits Ask your own Eyes are not these the very same who last year stole upon the Camp by night whom with shouts only you overcame These of all the Britains have been the nimblest in running away and therefore are the last remaining Just as in Woods and Forrests the strongest Beasts must be chased away by main force whilest the timerous and fearful are driven on by the noise only of the Hunter so the hardy part of the British Nation is already dispatcht the rest is but a herd of Rascally Cattle whom that at last you have found proceeds not from their Resisting but being discovered no further can they run but stand now like Stocks fixed to the ground they treadon and afford to you an occasion of a worthy and memorable Victory Make an end now of your Warfare and to fifty years Labours add a great and concluding Day by this means you will approve to your Country that it could never be justly laid to your charge that you protracted the War in not pulling up the last Root of Rebellion Whilest Agricola was yet speaking the eagerness of the Souldiers evidently appeared but the end of his Oration was received with loud and joyful Acclamations every one stood to his Arms and shewed his alacrity by impatience to follow on Agricola ordered the Battle after this manner His Body was made up of eight thousand Auxiliary foot three thousand Horse were placed in the Wings the Legions were set in the Reer before the Camp To the greater glory of the Victory if it could be won without loss of Roman Blood otherwise for assistance and succour if the Auxiliaries should be repelled The British Army for shew and terrour was drawn up upon a Rising ground the first Battalion stood on the Plain the next higher behind as the Hill ascended the middle of the Plain was filled with the clattering noises of Charriots and Horse-men ranging up and down Agricola perceiving the Enemy exceeded him in number and fearing that at once they might attack him in the Front and Flanks displayed his Army in length and although by that means his Fore-battle was something of the thinnest and many counselled to take in the Legions yet he stood firm to his Resolution and allighting from his Horse placed himself before the Standards The Fight began at distance with missive Weapons wherein the Britains shewed wondrous skill and dexterity with short Swords or broad
same Errour by ill timing of Actions and confounding the Names of Persons hath made it so intricate that it is impossible to find out what he meaneth for he makes Septimius Severus the Emperour the same as Junius Severus who was sent by Commodus into Britain to succeed Albinus as manifestly appeareth where he saith That Severus a Senatour after the death of Lucius was sent into Britain by the Senate with two Legions to compose there the differences arising and restore the Kingdom to the Romans which by Dissentions was much drawn from them This must needs be meant of Junius Severus for Septimius Severus was not Senatour but Emperour when he entred Britain and it was many years after the death of Lucius and yet presently after relating the same mans Actions he adds That he made a Wall between Deira and Albania which can be meant of none but Severus the Emperour I wonder that the British History in making Severus a King of Britain and Successour of Lucius does not give some Reason for it If he had the Kingdom in Right of his first Wife Martia Sister to Fulgentius how comes it to pass that Fulgentius is not reckoned a British Prince and a Rightful Inheritour of the Crown which if he had been created it follows dying in the Battle fought against Severus the Kingdom would devolve on Severus by the Womans side according to the Old Compact the British Histories makes mention of between these Northern Picts and their Brethren the Scots of Ireland when they gave them Wives That in case the Male Issue failed the Heir of the Woman should inherit in the Kingdom of the Picts So that Severus holding by Right of his Wife his Son Bassianus was lawful Inheritour and the British Succession should have run thus Lucius Fulgentius Severus in Right of Martia Bassianus c. but of this more than enough Bass. Caracalla Anto. And His BROTHER Septimius Geta. AFter the death of Old Severus his eldest Son CARACALLA for a while pursued the Relicks of the War by his Captains when weary of so troublesome an employment he hudled up a Peace and taking Hostages returned to Rome And now grown impatient of a Partner in Power he slew his Brother GETA after he had Reigned with him a year and twenty two daies He caused likewise his Name to be raced out of all Monuments which was accordingly observed even in Britain as appeareth by an Inscription dug out of the Earth in Monmouthshire wherein the name of GETA by the tract of Letters may be discovered to have once been although afterwards raced out PRO SALUTE AUG G. N. N. SEVERI ET ANTON NI ET GET AE CAES. P. SALTIENUS P. F. MAE CIA THALAMUS HADRI PRAEF LEG II. AUG C. VAMPEIANO ET LUCILIAN And that which made more to the horridness of the Murther was that he slew him in the Arms of his Mother Julia But it seems her Sorrows quickly blew over for not long after she consented a Marriage with her Son in Law Bassianus the Murtherer of her own Son for Bassianus was the Son of Martia a former Wife of Severus Thus we see this Julia who twitted the British Ladies with their Crimes committed a greater of her own nay such an One as St. Paul saith Is not to be named among the Gentiles After his Murther and Incest he was slain by one of his own Souldiers Macrinus who succeeded him being the contriver of it He Governed but six years and two months and left no Issue by his Incestuous Mother or Grantilla his Wise whom he banisht into Sicily but by Julia Simiamira his cousin German and Mistris he had Heliogabalus who afterwards came to be Emperour THE British History THE Count Palatine maketh Bassianus King of Britain in Right of his Mother Martia who by the British Histories is said to be a Native of this Island but Sabellicus taketh her to have been an African by Birth but allowing her a Britain how cometh it to pass that Fulgentius her Brother is not accounted a King of this Island For she could have no right to the Kingdom till his death so that if Fulgentius be excluded his Sister Martia could create no Title either to Severus her Husband or our present Bassianus her Son He likewise saith That Bassinus sent into Britain Virius Lupus to quell the Picts who had entred the Island under Fulgentius but what Authority he hath for it I know not The Roman Authors say he was sent by Severus and the British Histories are silent of him as to the daies of this Emperour Jeoffery of Moumouth with the like absurdity makes Carausius to be chosen King of Britain in the year 218 which is the last of this Emperours Reign whereas his appearance in Britain was not till the year 284 as by true History is collected Nevertheless the British Writers generally tell the story thus Carausius being chosen King of Britain and made Commander of the Picts who after the death of Fulgentius wanted a Leader presently makes Head against Bassianus and giveth him Battle Bassianus had many Picts in his Army but Carausius a Man of a subtile Wit by fair Promises had so won their affections that in the Fight they betrayed him so that deserted by so great a part of his Forces the rest were totally routed and himself slain Carausius to gratifie the Picts gave them the Countries in the South parts of Scotland which joyns to England on the East Marches as Mers Louthean and others Thus Bassianus by the report of the British Writers died in Britain CARAGALLA slain MACRINUS the contriver of his death was chosen by the Army Emperour in whose daies as likewise many of his Successours we find no mention made in this our Island whether it were that the Empire declining apace or that good Authors grew scarce or were lost or which is more probable the former Princes being advanced by the heady Affection of the Souldiers and as soon cast down again had no time to atchieve great Matters so far off Certain it is that for some years we are left in the dark having a few fragments only lying scattered here and there which give just light enough to shew that Britain still continued a Roman Province and had its Proproetors and Presidents The British Histories themselves as if they were only ill Comments on the Roman Records and wanted breath where the other ceased do now fall in pieces leaving wide gaps and Inter-regnums for many years together so that if we would we could not piece up these Times with their Rags and Fables And were it not undecent to leave so great a breach in the midst of this History many of the following Emperours might be spared And indeed I might easily have been induced to have omitted them had not these Reasons moved me to the contrary First By vertue of their being Emperours they were undoubted possessours of this Island and so have a right to have their Names
him likewise in which circumstances our stories agree with the Romans but in the election of Constantine they vary For he whom the Romans call a Common Souldier and had the Empire for his Name only by them is derived of Noble lineage and made the Brother of Aldroenus King of Armorica and the fourth from Conan Meridoc Duke of Cornwal and first King of Armorica Upon the earnest request of Vitelinus Bishop of London he was sent by his Brother Aldroenus into Britain and landed at the same Port that Brute had formerly done namely Totness Having subdued the Enemies of the Britains and Reigned to the commendation of all People the space of ten years he was slain by a Pict his especial Confident He left Issue by his Wife a Woman of Noble extraction and bred up by Vitelinus three Sons Constantius whom the Roman Histories call Constans Aurelius Ambrosius and Uther Sirnamed Pen-Dragon Constantius being a Man of weak parts in his Fathers time had been made a Monk and placed in the Abby of Amphibalus in Winchester and now after his death by the cunning of Vortigern a powerful Britain who desired to draw the management of Affairs to himself was taken out of the Abby and made King and not long after slain by his Guards of Picts and Scots who for that intent were placed about him and suborned by Vortigern upon hopes of Reward but the Deed done Vortigern caused them all immediately to be strangled by which means he not only prevented their discovering him but gained such reputation for Justice and Integrity that he was chosen King The other Sons of Constantine fled into Armorica where they continued until the alteration of Affairs called them back The Count Palatine better to bring the British History to the Roman writes That Constantine left behind him four Sons whereof Julian mentioned in the Roman History was one but the Relations of the British and Roman Records have been all along so different in circumstances and so disagreeing in setting down even matter of Fact it self that the hopes of reconciling them would be fruitless All therefore that is left in this place is to bemoan that at the fall of the Roman Empire in these parts that which was truly Roman decayed also namely Learning Eloquence and History so that for the future we must steer our course by other Guides and in many places shall often want such clear and impartial Authors by whom hitherto we have been directed THE AFFAIRS OF BRITAIN From the decay of the ROMAN State To the Entrance of the SAXONS THE Britains as we heard being acquitted of the Roman Jurisdiction by Honorius in the year of Christ 410 and of the coming of Julius Caesar 462 the Right of Government falling into their own hands began to bestir themselves at first in their new Freedom living after their own Laws and standing on their own Defence But as People more fond of the name of Liberty than apprehensive of the weight of Governing well they grew heady and violent in their new Affairs and eager in what they understood nor None more stout and daring in Counsels but in Action none so fearful and and relenting all pretending to know what ought to be done yet all drawing back in the performance Thus in a short time when the heat of Liberty was once spent and the Enemy daily increased they quickly found their old temper returning upon them a slavishness of Mind and slothfulness of Body then they perceived it was not stomack or a hot and sudden love of Licence could protect them but that diligence wisdom and labour was wanting so that their Spirits drooping continually they shrunk by degrees into their former tameness of mind and grew as weary of their new tried Liberty as they had been of their old Subjection For being no longer able to support themselves against the continual Incursions of the Picts and Scots they again sent Letters to Honorius humbly begging his protection and vowing Obedience to Rome if their Enemies were once removed Honorius out of compassion to their Miseries rather than desire of Rule sent them a Legion who coming over made great slaughter of the Picts soon drove them beyond the Marches and having cleared the Fronteirs caused a Wall or Rampire to be built cross the Island from Sea to Sea where Agricola had formerly built one namely between the Friths of Edinborough to the City Alcluith on Dunbritton but it being cast up with Turf only and that slightly as soon as the Romans were departed to the defence of France the Barbarous Nations soon broke down and over-run it and pouring into the Province like a Torrent made great devastations killing burning and destroying wheresoever they came The Scots on the other hand out of their Carroughs or Leather-Vessels wherein they used to pass the Scitick Vale land in whole swarms and with no less fury out-rage and cruelty carry harry and make havock of all thus bandied between two merciless and insolent Enemies both striving which should out-do the other in Spoil and Rapine The Britains once again send their Embassadours to Rome in mournful manner with their Garments rent and sand on their heads humbly imploring that they would not permit so Ancient a Province and so serviceable to the Romans to become a prey and scorn to Barbarians Valentinian the Third then Emperour pitying their Complaints sends certain Regiments to their assistance who coming upon these greedy Spoilers who were intent only on Plunder made great slaughter of them rescued the Britains and cleared the whole Province Then partly at the publick Charges of the State and partly at the Contributions of private Men they built another Wall not of Turf as the former but of Stone twelve foot high and eight broad traversing the Island in a direct line from East to West where Severus had walled before namely from Newcastle on Tine to Solway-Frith on the Irish Sea between certain Cities placed as Fronteirs to stave-off the Enemy On the South-coast also being an open Shoar and not free from their Inroads they built Towers cast-up Forts and Block-houses at convenient distances and on certain heights Having thus secured the Island on both sides they exhorted the Britains now to stand in their own defence and manfully to maintain their Country against rude and barbarous People not stronger than themselves if their own Fears had not made them so to which end they instructed them in the Art of War and left patterns of their Arms and Weapons behind them and with many encouraging words and lectures of Valour to a Hen-hearted Auditory gave them a final farewel without intention to return again This last friendly Expedition of the Romans was under the Conduct of Gallio of Ravenna Buchanan names him Maximianus and writes That Firgus first King of the Scots after their second coming into Scotland and Dursius King of the Picts were both slain in fight against him and
Daughter How many Innocent persons suffered as I may say Martyrdom by his unjust contrivances to promote his own Interest and Greatness and the better also to uphold himself excused in the name of Innocency how did he seduce the Ignorant people into a full perswasion of his honesty and good meaning towards them By this his dissimulation and subtilty he out-stript his Predecessours in Power meaning all those Kings since the Roman Conquest as they were more like Generals than Kings of Provinces many of them being permitted by the Romans to Rule not after the manner of Sovereignty but as Instruments to commemorate to after-Ages how they lived under them in slavery and bondage but Vortigern although he had the ill fortune once to be deposed was happy in having no Copartner or sharer afterwards in his Provinces save what he carelessly threw away at one cast to the Romans upon his last releasment out of their Captivity Was there great blame to be laid to his Sons charge for accepting the Crown in his life time or his own miscarriage in disobliging the People to enforce him out of possession In what a discontented condition did he remain during his Sons Government although alwaies treated by Mildness and Courtesie but after his Sons decease through the Treacherous contrivance of Rowena the People being streightned for want of a Governour in such distracted times and crediting his Penitence but chiefly depending on his Valour and Conduct reinstated him in the British Throne by whose fierce and resolute opposing their Enemies he occasioned the loss not only of many a mans life but the destruction also of the considerable part of many a Noble Province AMBROSIUS AURELIANUS only in hopes of his fortunate success was chosen King by the Britains A Man of a mild and sweet nature and the last branch of the Roman Root who through providence gained many Victories in the behalf of his distressed People Notwithstanding in the heat of their Distresses doubtless would have been willing to have received a more Valiant spirit that could but have given them but at lest the hopes of a more secure freedom from the Saxon Tyranny Passing the River Humber the first Expedition he undertook was the routing the Saxons at the Fight of Macsbel Occa the Son of Hengist escaped to York but by reason of a quick pursuit was forced to surrender himself to Ambrosius who out of his Favour and Courtesie released him freely and nobly without any Ransom as it appears by some Writers that he gave to him Galloway near the Scots Country to inhabit but took sufficient Hostages that neither himself nor his Consederates should take up Arms against him taking into his possession all places where the Saxons were most conversant and had almost ruined to obtain them repairing Temples Cities and Towns as had been by them so miserably demolished and there impowred Priests capable of preaching the Word of GOD to the People At the time when Ambrosius lay very sick of a doubtful distemper Pascentius Vortigerns youngest Son appeared at the head of an Insurrection laid siege to Mencvia in Wales he took it and did much mischief in all places that lay within the reach and limits of his Malice and Envy The Cause of Ambrosius was managed with good success by Uter Pendragon but in the interim one Copa privately procured by Pascentius who feigning himself to be a British Monk and Physician offered his advice to Ambrosius The good Man lying sick and weak meaning honestly himself and thought verily that the Monk did so took his dose of Poyson instead of an healthful Antidote to expel his distemper which in a very short time put an end to his daies at Winchester Yet others to salve that notable piece of Treachery report that he died of a Wound in a fierce and terrible Battle against the Saxons in the West part of Britain And other Historians in contradiction to Bede and Gildas although as credible Authors as some others make him the Branch of a Noble Britain whose sudden death for a time put a stop to the Wars between them and the Saxons Unto this Ambrosius is ascribed the building of STONE-HENGE upon Salisbury-Plain in remembrance of the Britains Massacred by the Treachery of Hengist and which gives an occasion to some to believe it as by digging very near the place where the Monument now standeth have been found pieces of Old fashioned Armour with Bones of Men of a large size which could be no other but the Phoenicians buried by that Temple and in all probability built by them of which I shall speak more at large anon Others report how the Britains erected this Monument for the sake only of Ambrosius in which place he is said to be there slain and buried in memory of his great service done to them in the behalf of their Country which Paulus Diaconus seems to testifie but how far that Author is to be credited I must with submission leave it to better Judgments to examine But that the Materials of this Sepulchre according to the prodigious fancy and dreams of some British Writers should be fetcht out of Ireland there being Stones of the like nature and equal magnitude by industry and labour to be found not far off that place by the help of fifteen thousand Men under the Conduct of Uter Pendragon seems not only improbable but impossible also nevertheless it shews the Zeal of the Britains in promoting the Honour of their Prince rather than clearing a true evidence or cause of that matter or the original Founders thereof occasioned partly I say out of their entire affection to their King rather than to give an occasion for after Ages too much to puzzle their brains in enquiring out a more Antient and more Honourable Original Again Others have been deluded into a belief through the strangness and magnitude thereof that it was erected by the Magick Art of Merlyn This hath occasioned a Traditional talk to pass through the inouths of several succeeding Generations that the Stones being so set cannot be told exactly but to wipe away that Imaginary cheat out of mens minds and that they may clearly see that there is no Magick either to blind their sight or to stupisie their Judgment if they will exactly tell them let them sollow this ensuing direction Observe the orders of the Circles as they now appear and not rashly pass from one to another confusedly taking especial care that they observe where they first begin to number and the just number of every Stone will be found exactly and proceeding after that order and method they may be alwaies told over without missing And for the better information of all persons who have not had leisure to search into the different Opinions of Authors touching the occasion of the erecting that stately Monument of STONE-HENGE and that I may have the better opportunity to deliver my own Opinion thereof I will present to the Reader a brief Relation
Aurelian whose right he had usurped After this Massacre few or none being left in Britain whose wisdom in Councel or policy in War was able to do much for their Country Hengist had the leasure to establish his new Dominions And although we read of some few bickerings between him and the Britains afterwards yet by the consequences we shall find that these last were alwaies the loosers and the Saxons the only gainers And now about the year 477 Ella another Saxon Prince with his three Sons Cymen Pletig and Cissa entered the Island at a place in Sussex called Cymenshore and made great slaughter of the Britains but of his actions as being the founder of the Kingdom of the South Saxons there will be occasion to speak in that History It is sufficient here to be hinted that so fair a gap being laid open by Hengist not long after as if Britain was the field of Fortune many other Princes out of Saxony and those parts came flocking into the Island and soon after one another settled Seven distinct Kingdoms leaving to the Poor Britains no more than what nature seemed to provide for them namely inaccessible Mountains and Rocks scarcely passable where defending themselves and enjoying the use of their Religion they sometimes to little purpose as in the main appears made sallies upon the Saxons who not withstanding all resistance still more and more increased Some of them fled over to their Brethren in Armorica others into Holland where yet remains the Ruines of Brittenburg not far from Leyden to be seen at Low-water either built as the Dutch Writers affirm or seized by the Britains in their flight from Hengist Hengist reigned thirty four years and then as Marianus Scotus reports died honourably but Peter de Ikam Polydore and others say he was slain in Battel or taken by Edol Earl of Gloucester and beheaded at Conesborow He was a Prince of the chief Blood of the Saxons by birth of Angria in Westphalia and supposed Lord of that Territory called at this day Hengster-holt He is thus derived from the deified Woden Hengist the Son of Wetgisse the Son of Wecta the Son of Woden When Hengist came first into Britain he is said to have built Thong-Castle near Sydingborn in Kent so called because he had begged as much ground of the King to build it on as he could compass about with an Ox-hide Here he feasted Vortigern and here the fair Rowena in broken language drunk to him that fatal Wassal that for ever after like a strong yet lingring poyson stuck close to his side Thus Hengist obtained the Kingdom by Craft as much as Courage and established it in blood by Treachery yet there are who excuse that Massacre of the British Nobility and lay it upon chance not design alledging that in Saxony not long before there had been a meeting of Thuringers and Saxons where if the Saxons suspecting fraud had not come privily armed the Thuringers had dispatched them all fearing the like Treachery from the Britains they prepared for the worst in this Treaty and in the midst of their Cups as drink is quarrelsom they were provoked beyond the measure Wine is able to bear Thus Verstegan OERIC OERIC Sirnamed Oisc the Son of Hengiss succeeded in the Kingdom At the Battel of Creganford or Craford he gave signal proof of his Valour in assisting his Father in gaining that most remarkable Victory not long before he had been taken prisoner by the Britains and was held in custody at York but by secret workings he made his escape and came up to his Father before the fight began Being seated in the Throne like a wise Prince he set himself to the establishing his Kingdom by good Laws contracting his Dominions within the Province of Kent as most tenable and neglecting those Out-skirts of Essex Sussex and Middlesex left him by Hengist as not well bounded nor throughly subdued Sussex and Surry which touched him on the West he gave up to the Conquest of Ella the Saxon and Essex and Middlesex on the North he left free for Enchinwine another Saxon Adventurer to exercise his Valourin Thus whilst on all sides of his Kingdom the Britains were kept off by other hands he had leasure to follow the Arts and Methods of Peace like Numa to settle the Kingdom left him by his warlike-Predecessor And this is the reason that we hear little of his Son and Grand-son saving their Names and Issues till the time of Ethelbert For the Britains taken up with higher Wars had not opportunity or means to reach Kent and till Ethelbert's daies the other Saxons were so well imployed by the Britains that they had no leasure to fall out among themselves In memory of this Prince the founder of their Laws and Priviledges the Kentish Men afterwards called themselves Oiscings He reigned 24 years but hath not the honour by our Historians to be accounted the second Monarch of the English Men they giving that place to Ella founder of the South Saxons a more active and bustling Prince OCTA OCTA the Son of Eske or Oisc began his Reign about the year 513 What his Father peacably left he quietly enjoyed for twenty two years in which he had the pleasure to see many other Principalities of the Saxons begun in the Island He left the Kingdom to Ermiric ERMIRIC ERMIRIC the Son of Octa Reigned twenty nine years more honourable in his Posterity than any actions of his own He gave his Daughter Rikel in marriage to Sledda Son of Erchinwine first founder of the Kingdom of the East-Saxons by which alliance he endeared to himself the neighbouring Provinces of Essex and Middlesex his Kingdom he left to his Son Ethelbert ETHELBERT ETHELBERT the Son of Ermiric succeeded in the Kingdom of Kent He equalled in length of Reign both his Predecessors and as Bede rockoneth exceeded them three years At his first coming to the Crown he was very young and unexperienced by which means hastily aiming above his reach he fell almost beneath the contempt of his Neighbours The causes of his Ambition seem to be these We read that Hengist by leave of Vortigern had placed Octa and Ebissa in the North to keep off the Scots and Picts from molesting the Southern borders they and their Successors settling there a kind of Principality had held it for one hundred and eighty years yet as in subjection to Kent the elder Family and owning its Protection though far distant But Ida coming to govern in those parts about the year five hundred forty seven in the daies of Ermiric cast off all manner of obedience to that Crown and assumed an Absolute Royalty to himself which Indignity Ermeric as may probably be guessed resenting by making strong Alliances intended to revenge but being snatched away by untimely death the quarrel was left intire to young Ethelbert his Son who partly instigated by this affront whereby the honour of his Kingdom seemed to be
for Ethelred the Mercian continually molested him on the one hand and Edric dispossest of his Right sate not down with his loss but pursued all means to recover it by force so that gaining the Assistance of the South-Saxons to whose Protection he fled he enters Kent with an Army and proclaims his Title to the Crown many flocked unto him whilst others adhered to Lothair Thus the Kingdom of Kent was not only vexed with forreign forces but miserably divided in it self At last in a bloody battel Lothair was shot through with a Dart and dyed under his Chirurgeon's hands In him saith Malmsbury were punished the murders committed by his Brother Egbert because he made a scoff at the death of his Kinsmen and laughed at the publick mournings of the people But we shall find divine Vengeance following the Sons of Egbert himself and the whole Family for the Crown continued not in it to the third Generation Lothair reigned ten years and was buried at Canterbury among his Predecessors EDRIC EDRIC his Uncle Lothair being dead had none who could claim before him yet during his short Reign of two years he was continually exercised in Civil Wars and finally slain in them What were the Causes of his troubles Historians have not related possibly they rose from Lothair's Faction not suppressed with his death or it may be from the general hatred of the people to the whole Family which had been so deeply embrued in the blood of their beloved Princes And this seemeth more likely for his Brother Wigtred though a virtuous youth and not personally engaged in the Crimes of his House yet came not to the Crown till seven years after his Brothers death no Cause being related why he was so long held from it unless it proceeded from the following Wars For Ceadwalla the West-Saxon an ambitious and turbulent Prince taking advantage of the civil Commotions and marching easily through the Kingdom of the South-Saxons whom he had subdued entered Kent with an Army and miserably spoiled the Country with fire and sword laying waste where-ever he came the Kentish men though at variance among themselves yet in the publick danger reconciling their home differences unite all parties against the common Enemy and with joynt force meet him in a set Battel The West-Saxons not able to withstand their violence were driven back with great slaughter leaving Mollo their King's Brother a prey to the Enemy who in the flight with twelve of his Attendance to avoid the heat of pursuit hid himself in a Cottage but either discovered or betrayed was beset by the pursuers and there burnt alive Ceadwalla nearly touched with his Brothers misfortune and his own dishonour rallies his dispersed forces and making head again sets upon the greedy pursuers routs and chases them into their own Country and never left the Province till with fire and sword he had revenged the death of his Brother WIGTRED VVIGTRED the Brother of Edric obtained the Kingdom about the year 693. Ceadwalla being dead he purchased his peace of King Inas with a round Sum of Money and governed quietly for the space of thirty years Bede mentioneth one Swebhard that reigned with him possibly some Prince of a contrary Faction and ascribeth to Wigtred thirty three years He was a Prince that highly favoured the Church as it was termed in those daies by granting several priviledges and immunities to Religious persons and exempting them from publick Contributions Subsidies Tolls Taxes and Imposts especially in a full Synod of his whole Clergy held at a place called Becanceld in which himself presided among many liberties in general conferred on them he particularly by name priviledged these Monasteries namely Upminster Raculf Sudminster Dofras Folcanstan Hymming Stepes and Hor with severe Anathema's to all his Successours or any persons whatsoever that should at any time violate or infringe these his Royal Concessions which in aeternam rei memoriam were to be kept upon Record in Christ-Church in Canterbury and this done for the health of his Soul and the Souls of his Predecessours Such was the Zeal of these times heightned and improved by the pride and ambition of the Clergy to gain honour and riches to themselves by preaching whatever was done to them was done to the person of Christ but from what knowledg this Zeal was likely to spring we may learn from that sad though ingenuous confession of King Wigtred himself who in a grant afterwards made of some lands in Thanet to Ebba an Abbess plainly tells the World that not being able to write his name he had set his mark to the Deeds namely the sign of the Cross as likewise did his Queen Kynigith and the rest of his Nobles not likely to have more skill than their Soveraign Nay the Clergy themselves without any injury done to them may be shrewdly suspected not to be much exceeding in knowledge for the way of their subscriptions is per signum manus and we are certainly informed of the times not two hundred years after and that from King Alfred himself alearned and pious Prince in his sorrowful Epistle upon that occasion to Wulfug a Bishop That on this side Humber there were few Priests that understood their Latin prayers or could turn them into English so few faith he that when I began to Reign on all the South-side of the Thames I remember but one Such a mixture of blind devotion and ignorance possessed those times Another Councel this King Wigtred held at Berghamsted which is found in a famous Manuscript entituled TEXTUS ROFFENSIS composed by Ernulph Bishop of Rochester in the year 1116 but because it is omitted by Lambard and in several places as Sr. Henry Spelman confesseth not understood rightly by himself I have purposely omitted especially considering that there is nothing of moment in it which bears not the same stamp as his other Constitutions being stuft with many Immunities granted to the Clergy with additions of certain pecuniary mulcts for the breach of Fasting-daies Adulteries and Theft only thus much I thought would not be improper namely to set down that part of it which particularly relates to the strict observation of the Lords-day which is the first that we meet with on this occasion and is thus found in the 10 11 and 12 Articles of this Councel The Old Saxon. The English Gif eshe ofer dryhtnes haere þeoþ ƿeorc ƿyrce an sunnan aefen efter hire setl gange oþ monan aefenes setlgang LXXX scill de dryhtne gebete If in the Evening preceding Sunday after the Sun is set or the Evening preceding Monday after Sun set any Servant by command of his Master shall do any servile work the Master shall be punisht 80 shillings for the fact Gif esne def his pade ƿaes daeger VI sc ƿið dryhten gebete oþþe sinehyd If a Servant shall go a Journey on these daies he shall pay his Master 6 shillings Gif friman þonne an ðane forbodenan timan sio he heals fange
the hearts and flesh of all rejoyced in the living God who by his heavenly Grace had not only enriched them with internal but external blessings also This Prelate at his first coming into the Province seeing the plague of Famine so great had taught them to get sustenance by fishing for the Sea and Rivers abounded with all sort of fish but their skill extended only to the catching of Eeles Having therefore gathered together many Eele-Nets they cast them into the Sea and by divine assistance presently caught three hundred fish of divers kinds which dividing into three parts they gave a hundred to the Poor a hundred to them of whom they had borrowed the Nets and a hundred they reserved for their own use By which benefit this Prelate gained the affections of every one towards him and they were easier brought by his Preaching to hope for eternal things by whose Ministry they had received temporal At which time King Edilwalch gave by donation to the most Reverend Father Wilfrid Land of eighty seven Families where he might receive his own People who wandered about in Exile that is to say Seolesu which in Latin is called Insula vituli marini the place is every where surrounded with the Sea saving on the West where it hath a passage of about a stones cast wide This place when Wilfred had received he founded there a Monastery for Priests Regular placing therein such especially whom he had brought with him which to this day his Successors hold For he lived in those parts five years i. e. till the death of King Elfrid worthily honoured by all exercising the office of a Bishop both in word and deed And because the King together with the possession of the same place had granted him all the Demesne with the Lands and Tenants he baptized them all into the Christian Faith among which many men and maid Servants to the number of one hundred and fifty he not only by Baptism delivered from the slavery of Satan but by giving them freedom released them from the yoke of human bondage The Conversion of the Inhabitants of WIGHT AFter Ceadvalla had obtained the Kingdom of the West-Saxons he took the Isle of Wight which hitherto was generally given to Idolatry By tragical slaughter he endeavours to root out the Natives and in their place plant people of his own Province obliging himself by a Vow though as yet not baptized as is reported that if he took the said Island he would give the fourth part of it and the spoil to holy uses which he likewise performed granting it to Wilfred the Bishop who was then by chance come thither from his own Country The measure of the Island according to the account of the English is a thousand two hundred Families out of which was given to the Bishop the possession of three hundred But that part which he received he bestowed on one of his clergy by name Bernuvin his Sisters son assigning him a Priest called Hildila who should administer the Word and Sacrament to all such as desired salvation where I think it ought not to be passed by in silence how that for the first fruits of them who of the Island by believing were saved two young Princes Brothers of Arwald King of the Island by the special favour of God were first crowned For the Enemy approaching they got out of the Island and were carried into the next Province of the Vites where being brought to a place called Ad lapidem and thinking themselves hid from the fury of the Conquerour they were betrayed and commanded to be stain which when a Priest and Abbot by name Cimbreth came to understand having not far off a Monastery in a place called Reodford he came to the King who then lay in those parts Incognito under the cure of his wounds which he had received in fight in the Isle of Wight and desired of him that if of necessity the Youths must die they might first be baptized with the Sacrament of Christian Faith The King granted it and he instructing them in the words of truthi and washing them in the fountain of life gave them certain assurance of their entrance into the eternal Kingdom Which done they joyfully received at the Executioner's hands a temporal death by which they doubted not but to pass to life everlasting In this order therefore after all the Provinces of Britain had embraced the Faith of Christ the Isle of Wight also received it in which Island not withstanding by reason of the inconvenience of external subjection none ever took the dignity of an Episcopal See and Jurisdiction before Daniel the present Bishop of the West-Saxons and Geuisses By this last Relation of Bede the Isle of Wight had not received the Faith till after the death of this King Edilwalch and the arrival of Ceadwalla though others relate otherwise as hath been shewn before For Edilwalch assisting the West-Saxons against Ceadwalla was slain by him before he the said Ceadwalla had invaded the South-Saxons and in this Prince ended the Royal stem of the South-Saxon Kings but after his death two Dukes of this Province Berthun and Authun assumed the Power to themselves and in some Conflicts repelled Ceadwald with loss but he having united his Subjects and gathered more Forces returned upon them and with the slaughter of Berthun totally subdued the whole Country which with the uttermost violence of a Conquerour he brought into miserable Thraldom Thus they who received the Faith last were the first who were brought to subjection long before hand leading the dance to other Kingdoms who were to follow in the universal Obedience to the Western-Monarchy THE KINGDOM OF Northumberland Contained Counties Yorkshire Durham Loncashire Westmorland Cumberland Northumberland KINGS Ida. Ella Ethelric Edelfrid Edwin Osric the First Eanfrid Oswald Oswy Egfrid Alkfryd Osred the First Kenred Osric the Second Ceolwulf Egbert Oswulf Ethelwald Alcred Ethelred I. Elfwald Osred the Second Ethelred II. IDA THE first settlement of the Saxons in these parts we may remember was under Octa and Ebissa the one the Son the other the Nephew of King Hengist who being called over in the daies of Vortigern by his leave landing about Humber and not long after sayling to the Orcades with fourty ships subdued all the Northern Tract and at last fixed themselves in that part of the Island which is now called Northumberland These Transactions happened about the year 450 since which time till the year 547 we hear nothing of them but that they and their posterity quietly possest and enjoyed what by force they had won of the Britains but still paying homage to Kent though far distant as to the elder Family But now about this year one IDA the tenth from Woden began to set up a separate Kingdom in Northumberland called the Kingdom of Bernicia and to assume absolute Royalty to himself What his Title was or whether he got it by Election or Usurpation
the Historians of those times have thought convenient that the memory of these Apostate Kings should be utterly razed and the same year reckoned the first of King Oswald a man dearly beloved of God OSWALD OSWALD after the death of his Brother was made King of Northumberland He was a Prince well grounded in his Religion and besides many other vertues had accomplisht himself during his Exile in all Military exercises to which in his youth he had studiously addicted himself And indeed the state of the Kingdom at his first entrance upon it being miserably harassed by Cadwallo required no ordinary man to redeem the glory and honour of it He had to deal with an enemy used to Conquer but withal proud and boasting and who by often beating the Northumberlands had now little opinion of the Saxon Valour in general and was therefore grown somewhat secure and negligent in his proceeding Him therefore Oswald with a small but Christian Army attacks by a little River running into Tine near the old Roman Wall the place called Denisborn and after a sharp fight slaies him with the greatest part of his huge Host which he boasted was Invincible It is reported that the first day Oswald though provoked would not joyn battel but spent the whole time in prayers and supplications commanding his Army to do the like and to shew that his trust was more in the protection of the Almighty than the arm of flesh and to profess himself the Souldier os Christ he erected for his Standard a great 〈◊〉 in the field wherein he encamped sustaining the same with his own hands until the Souldiers with earth filled up the ground it was fixed in from this Cross and the Victory ensuing the place was afterwards called 〈◊〉 and the Cross it self was long after much frequented for the Miracles said to be wrought by it Being settled in his Throne by the death of his potent Enemy like a good Prince his first care was to have his people again instructed in the Christian Religion which by the Apostasie of the former Princes and devastations of those times was almost utterly lost among them To this purpose he sends into Scotland where himself had been bred up to have some godly and laborious Preachers sent unto him his desires were readily assented to by the Clergy of that Country and Aidan a Monk and Bishop with others to assist him are accordingly dispatched who coming into Northumberland by their good example and diligent preaching wonderfully restored the Christian Religion insomuch that many thousands are said in few daies to have been Baptized by them This Aidan had assigned to him from the King for an Episcopal Seat a place then called Lindesfarn now Holy Island but he was not so famous by the dignity of his Sec as the singular vertues of his mind being a man above the level of that Age of wonderful moderation and not carried away with the nice and trivial points of Theology which most desperately infected those and latter times And this will more evidently appear by the Testimony of Bede in his preamble to the Councel of Whitby which you may find in the Reign of the following Prince And this might be the reason that he gained so much on the minds of his Auditors for whereas others following the example of Colmar a preacher then in Northumberland delighted more to shew their profound skill in points then controverted than plainly to set forth the grounds of Christianity Aidan on the contrary by easie Doctrine and yielding in things Ceremonial made more Christians by far though fewer Disputants Neither is the devotion and humility of Oswald himself to be passed over who disdained not to be Interpreter to the Bishop in his first preaching for whereas Aidan at his first coming spoke Scotch only or very broken English the King himself to secure him from contempt and to make his words carry more Authority was as you have heard himself the conduit to coveigh them to his People Neither is this King less celebrated for his exceeding Charity and pity to the poor feeding them with his own hands at the Gate and often distributing the plate it self amongst them for which it is said that Aidan being once present taking the King by the right hand thus said or prophesied That it was impossible that hand should parish which had so often sustained others which report goes after his death was fulfilled for that hand remaining uncorrupted was afterwards shrined in Silver and preserved entire in St. Peter's Church in Bebba now Bamborow Thus the Kingdom of Northumberland by the blessing of God and the good endeavours of King Oswald enjoyed the benefits of peace during which time Religion good Laws and Ordinances were established Churches erected through the whole Province and the general State so flourished that all the neighbouring Countries invited by the Princely vertues of Oswald especially the moderation of his Government daily flocked under his obedience insomuch that he had at command at one time people of four different languages Britains Picts Scotch and English Thus after he had Reigned the space of eight years worthy of a longer life he fell by the same fate and the same hands 〈◊〉 Edwin his Predecessour For 〈◊〉 the Pugan King of Mercia envying the greatness of his State made war upon 〈◊〉 and at a place called Maserfield now Oswester in Shropshire cut him in pieces with a great part of his Army on the fifth of August 642. His Body was buried at Bradney in Lincoinshire By his wife Kinburg Daughter of Kingils he had a Son named Ethelwald who being left young was put by the Kingdom by his base Uncle Oswy but he continually gave him trouble in the keeping of it and obtained lastly a Principality in Derra which he held by force after that Oswy had slain Oswyn the Nephew of Edwin who for seven years had held it OSWY OSWY the base Son of Edilfrid the Wild after the death of his Brother succeeded him in the Kingdom The beginning of his Reign was exceedingly turmoiled with the continual incursions of Penda the rebellions of his base Son Alkfrid and the opposition of Ethelwald Son of Edwin and rightful Heir of the Crown But his greatest eye-sore was Oswyn the Son of Osric Edwin's Brother who had possession of Deira a Prince highly beloved by his People for his good nature and much admired for zeal in Religion and humility in the profession of it Against him Oswy raiseth an Army and Oswyn meeteth him but finding himself far Inferiour in number he broke up his Camp which was then at Wilfaresdown ten miles west of Cataracton and reserving himself for a better opportunity with one Attendant named Condhere he withdrew to the house of Earl Hunwald on whose fidelity he much relied but contrary to his expectation he was by the said Earl basely betrayed to King Oswy and by his order as basely murthered at Ingethling Aidan the good Bishop survived not
twelve daies this murther dying as some report for grief having not long before foretold the death of that Prince upon this account because he was a man the World was not worthy of being an Humble King Aidan was buried in the Isle of Lindesfarn and Finan succeeded him in that See This fact of King Oswy was odious to all and therefore to explate the guilt a Monastery was erected upon the place where the murther was committed and prayers daily offered for the Souls of both Kings the slayer and the slain But notwithstanding Oswyn was thus removed the Kingdom of Deira or part of it was seized by Ethelwald the Son of King Oswald But Oswy was still infested with the incursions of King Penda and had long endured many sore devastations Once he had almost lost his strongest City Bebanburge now Bamborow Castle which Penda with fire and sword had assaulted And now weary of continual standing on his defence he resolves if possible by any means to buy his Peace and to that end sends large gifts and presents to Penda with humble suit desiring League and Amity But these being with scorn refused he prepares for War and first imploring divine assistance if God would grant him Victory he vows his Daughter a Nun and twelve Lordships for the building of Monasteries which done he raises an Army and meets Penda at a place called Loyden now Leeds in Yorkshire The Army of Penda as is reported exceeded Oswy's thirty times over and was commanded by expert Captains nevertheless they were utterly routed and put to flight and many of them swallowed up in the River Winwed which at that time was unusually swelled with Rains Penda himself was slain in the battel and Ethelhere King of the East-Angles the contriver of the War Ethelwald the Son of Oswald was in the field upon the Mercian side and is said to have been the cause of their desear for withdrawing his Forces at the first Onset and meaning to expect the event he discouraged the Mercians who misdoubted there was treachery in it The death of Penda was received with great joy through all the neighbouring Provinces as the Song witnesseth At the River Winwed Anna was Avenged Oswy after this Victory enters Mercia with an Army which he presently reduced to his obedience but unto Peada the Son of Penda as his near Kinsman he gave the Principality of the South Mercians containing five thousand Families and separate from the 〈◊〉 Mercians by the River Trent 〈◊〉 But him slain by the treachery of his wife 〈◊〉 and Eadbert three Mercian Earls set up Vulfer and fling off the Government of Oswy who was now employed in a Pictish War and had subdued the greatest part of that Nation This Oswy had in him a strange mixture of Vertues and Vices in his beginning bloody and tyrannous towards his latter end just and moderate Highly addicted he was to Roman Superstitions and resolved a Pilgrimage thither had not he been taken off by death for in the twenty eighth year of his Reign and fifty eighth of his Age he departed this life having vowed that Journey as some write to expiate the murther of King Oswyn Under this Oswy was held a Councel about the observation of Easter which because it is much celebrated by all our Writers I shall put it down as it is originally related The Synod of Streanshalch now Whitby at the request of Hilda Abbess of that place under Oswy the Father and Alchfrid the Son Kings of Northumberland in the year of Christ 664. In which is controverted the Celebration of Easter and other Ecclesiastical Rites There being present on the side of the Romans and English King Alchfrid the Son Agilbert Bishop of the West-Saxons Abbot Wilfrid Agatho Presbyter James a Deacon and Romanus On the side of the Scots and Britains King Oswy the Father Colmanne Bishop of Lindisfarne with other Scottish Bishops Cedda Bishop of the East Saxons Hilda Abbess of Streanshalch with a great many others of the Clergy on both sides Bede's Preface to this Synod IN these times was startled a common and great question concerning the observation of Easter Those that came from Kent or Gaul affirming that the Scots keep the Lord's day of Easter contrary to the custom of the Catholick Church Among these was one Romanus by name a stiff defender of the true Easter by Nation a Scot but had learned the true rules Ecclesiastick in Gaul or the Confines of Italy who disputing with one Finan made many sensible of their errour or at least perswaded them to a deeper search into the truth but he could not in the least stir Finan who being of a fiery nature was rather made worse by his instructions and an open enemy to truth But James formerly Deacon under the worshipful Archbishop Paulinus observed the true and Catholick Easter with those whom he had taught the true and correct way Queen Eanfeld also observed it with her houshold according to what she had seen performed in Kent having with her a Priest from Kent named Romanus of the Catholick opinion from whence they report in those daies it sometimes happened that Easter should be kept twice in one year For when the King 's Lent being done was keeping Easter then the Queen with hers Lent with them not being yet ended was celebrating Palm-Sunday But this different observancy of Easter Aidan living was patiently born with by all men who understood thus much That though he could not celebrate Easter contrary to the custom of those that had sent him yet he took care that the works of faith charity and love in which all Saints agree should be diligently performed so that he was deservedly beloved by all men nay even of those that thought otherwise of Easter and was not only respected by the meaner sort but by Bishops themselves Honorius of Canterbury and Foelix of the East-Angles But Finan being dead who succeeded Aidan when Colman came into the Bishoprick for he also was sent from Scotland there arose a more solemn controversie concerning the observing of Easter and other Precepts relating to an Ecclesiastical life so that this question justly moved the hearts of many lest peradventure the name of Christianity being only retained they should run or had run in vain It came at last to the ears of the Court to wit of King Oswy and his Son Alchfrid for Oswy was taught and baptized by the Scots and was well skilled in their Language and esteemed nothing truer than what they had taught him But Alchfrid had for his Instructour in Christianity Wilfrid a right learned man who had made a Journy to Rome on purpose to learn of the Law Ecclesiastick and had lived many years with Dalphin Archbishop of Lions in Gaul from whom he had received the right custom of Church-shaving He therefore thought this Man's Doctrine to be preferred before all the Traditions of the Scots for which reason he had lately given him a Monastery of
midst of the Island though sometimes it found means to toss and almost overturn particular Kingdoms yet staved off by others and constantly kept warm by new Assailants it ever lost behind what it gained forwards and was not at any time able so to keep all employed but that one or other taking breath would return afresh upon it It had on the north the Kingdom of Northumberland and its Limits on that side were the Humber and Mersey from whence it is supposed to have taken name On the East it extended to the Sea through Lincolnshire and South-east had the East-Angles and East-Saxon Kingdoms lying upon it South it reached to the Thames where it was obnoxious to Kent the South and West-Saxons and on the West it was kept in by the Severn and Dee which gave passage to the Britains to break in upon it Thus we see this unwieldy Kingdom which in front would seem to bear down all before it is so coopt up and hem'd in on every side that it rather labours under its own greatness CRIDA WIBBA CEORL THE first beginner of this Kingdom was CRIDA the eleventh from VVoden who having reigned ten years without other memory left it to his Son WIBBA in the year 594 who enlarging the bounds of his Kingdom by continual Conquests upon the Britains reigned twenty years and had Issue three Son Penda Kenwalk and Eoppa and a Daughter Sexburg married to Kenwald King of the VVest-Saxons But he was succeeded by his Nephew CEORL who holding the Scepter twelve years dying left it to the right Heir PENDA PENDA the Son of Wibba at fifty years of Age came to the Crown a war-like Captain but withal bloody and restless His first Wars were with Kingils and Cuichelm joynt Kings of the West-Saxons whom he met at Cirencester and after a battel fought well on both sides made Truce with them in the year 632. He joyned with Kedwalla or Cadwallon King of the Britains against Edwin King of Northumberland slaying him in Battel with his Son Osfrid at a place called Hethfield In the year 642. with his own forces he overcame Oswald the Successour of Edwin who before had victoriously cut off Cadwallon with his whole Host at a place called Maserfield now Oswestre in Shropshire where he slew him He conquered Sigebert Egbert and Anna Kings of the East-Angles and killed them in the field as hath been related in the story of those Princes Next he makes War upon Kenwalch King of the West-Saxons who had taken his Sister in marriage and unjustly put her away him he drives out of his Kingdom When proud with these Successes taking into his Society Ethelherd King of the East-Angles and Ethelwald King of Deira he resolves upon the Conquest of Northumberland but Oswy then King of that Country with a few forces soberly managed cut him off with the greatest part of his Army The news of his death was joyfully received by all the Saxon Princes glad to be well rid of him who during his Life had given them so much trouble He was a Pagan through choice not ignorance and in several Conjunctions with Christian Princes had learnt to despise the Professours of that way as who owning in words a Faith more excellent shewed nothing less in their Actions yet he prohibited not preaching in his Dominions but giving free liberty to all he only hated and despised such who did not obey that God in whom they chose to believe His Male Issue by Kinswith his Queen runs thus Peada his eldest Son Ulfere and Ethelred both Monarchs of the English Merkthel famous for holiness of Life Merwald who had a Principality in Mercia and married Edburga daughter of Egbert King of Kent His Daughters were Kineburg Wife of Alkfrid King of Northumberland Kiniswith Wife of Offa King of the East-Angles both which Daughters afterwards became Nuns PEADA PEADA the eldest Son of Penda succeeded not in the whole Kingdom of Mercia for Oswy King of Northumberland entring the Country took possession in right of a Conqueror but to Peada who had married his Daughter he gave by Donation all on the South-side of Trent and reserved to himself the North. By his Father Penda long before he had been made Prince of the Mid-Angles a particular branch of the Mercian Crown and there with his good liking had planted the Christian Religion to the knowledge of which he came upon this occasion Applying to King Oswy for his Daughter Alckfled he received Answer That unless he turned Christian and admitted that Religion into his Dominions he should surcease his Suit Peada unwilling to be baffled accepts the motion and having heard some Preachers to that purpose professeth himself to be so taken with the Doctrine that whether he receive the Lady or not he resolves to embrace it with all his People which good Intentions of his were furthered by Alckfrid Oswy's Son who besides that he had taken to wife Cymburga his Sister had contracted a near Friendship with him All things therefore agreed he is baptized by Bishop Finan at the King's Pallace on the Wall and then with his Wife and new Religion returns into his own Country most part of which by the assistance of some Priests carried along with him he soon brought to the same profession But now Prenda being dead and his Territory enlarged through the Accession of South Mercia he had not reigned three years when he was cut off by the Treason of his Wife whom he had taken for a special Christian WULFER WULFER the Brother of King Peada succeeded him not only in the Province of South-Mercia but in the entire Kingdom of his Ancestors For Immin Eaba and Eadbert three Potent Earls casting off the Yoke of Oswy restored the whole North into his possession which he maintained during the whole Reign of that Monarch But Oswy dead Egfrid his Son and Successour endeavoured to recover what his Father had lost and invading this Wulfer won from him the Isle of Lindsey and the Countrys adjacent and content with that revenge returns home with his forces But Wulfer was now employed in War with Kenwald King of the West-Saxons against whom he had better success for entering his Country with a powerful Army he laid it waste from one end to the other took away from him the Isle of VVight which with some Countrys of the Meannari adjoyning he gave to Edilwalch the South-Saxon whom he had made a Christian and received at the Font. Afterwards he fought a Battel with Escwin King of the VVest-Saxons at a place called Bedanhafde but which side won the day is not recorded He reigned seventeen years and was buried at Peterborough his Queen Ermenheld after his death vailed her self at Ely He is reported to have had three Sons whereof the eldest named Kenred reigned after his Brother Ethelred his two younger Vulfald and Rufin as the Records of Peterborough report were slain by their Fathers own hands being found in an Assembly of
a place called Wodens-Beorth or Wodens-Dic that is to say Woden's Mount the conclusion of which was that the Saxons lost the day with the ruine of their whole Army and Ceaulin for this or other miscarriages was driven out of his Kingdom and the year after died in Exile after he had Reigned thirty two years CEARLIK CEARLIK the Son of Guthwolf Brother of the late King followed his Uncle Ceaulin advanced as may be guessed from his Father's vertues and the dislike the people had to the Line of Ceaulin who by his Son Cuthwin left two Grandchildren Kenbald and Cuth whose Right it was to inherit but the latter of these Reigned afterwards in his Posterity being the Grandfather of the famous Ine the eleventh King of this Province whose Brother Ingils was Progenitor in the fourth degree to Egbert that reduced the whole Heptarchy into an entire Monarchy This Cearlik as he had obtained the Kingdom by fraud and usurpation so he held it but a short while Reigning five years and odd months and them without any action worthy of remembrance CEOWOLF CEOWOLF the Son of Cuth the third and youngest Son of Kenric after the death of his Cousin-German Cearlic obtained the Kingdom During the whole time of his Reign which lasted twelve years he had continual wars sometimes with the Britains then with Redwald King of the East-Angles and afterwards with the South-Saxons with interchangeable success but saith Huntington with the greatest loss to them of the South In these Wars he died leaving his Kingdom to Kingils KINGILS KINGILS the Son of Ceola younger Brother to the late Ceowolf second Son of Cuth who was the third Son of Kearic succeeded his Uncle in the Kingdom He assumed for his Associate Cuichelm his Brother or as Florent of Worcester and Matthew of Westminster write his Son In their third year with joynt Forces they engaged the Britains at Beandune now Bindon in Dorcetshire and at the first encounter put them to flight with the slaughter of above two thousand Cuichelm proud with this success and envying the glory of Edwin who now Reigned in great honour King of the Northumberlands and had lately molested the West-Saxons drew a greater War upon himself and Associate by sending an Assassin to murther that Prince The name of this Villain was Eumcrus who under pretence of a Message from his Master was admitted to the presence of Edwin then at his Court on Easter-monday on the River Derwent in Yorkshire being advanced up to the King as if he would deliver his Embassie he suddenly drew forth a poysoned weapon which he had privately hid under his Coat and made a blow at him but by the interposition of Lilla one of the Kings Attendants who stepping between received the Ponyard through his own body the thrust was put off yet not so fully but that part of the weapon reached the King's Person By this time the whole company came in and incompassed the Murtherer who now grown desperate died not tamely but revenged his fate with the death of Forder a Courtier who next pressed upon him Edwin thus delivered though lying under cure resolves upon Revenge and promiseth Paulinus who had been long working him to the Christian Faith that if God would bestow Victory on him over his Enemies he would embrace the Faith and receive Baptism With these assurances given he raises an Army and invades the West-Saxons and with that success that overcoming them in several battels he gets into his hands many of those who had conspired his death some of which he executes others pardons and at last returns with great Honour into his own Country This expedition happened about the year 625. Four years after Kingils and Cuichelm had a battel with Penda the Mercian at Cirencester the result of which was a League of peace and amity betwixt them About this time the Kingdom of the West-Saxons received the Faith by the example of Kingils who was converted thereto by the preaching of Berinus and encouragement of Oswald who was then Suiter to his Daughter and received him at the Font the circumstances of which as likewise the progress of Religion under his success take altogether out of Bede who hath exactly related it The Conversion of the West-SAXONS THE Nation of the West-Saxons anciently called Gevisses in the Reign of Kingils received the Faith of Christ by the preaching of Berinus Bishop who by the advice of Pope Honorius came into Britain having promised by his assistance to go into the innermost Countries of the English where never yet Doctour had been and there sow the seed of holy Faith Whereupon by the command of the same Pope he received Episcopal Orders at the hands of Asterius Bishop of Genua But being arrived at Britain and first setting foot on the Country of the Guisses finding them all Pagans in the highest degree he thought it more profitable to preach the Word there than by going further to hunt out those whom he first intended Wherefore preaching in the aforesaid Province when the King himself first catechized and instructed together with his People were washing in the fountain of Baptism it happened that the most holy and victorious King of the Northumberlands Oswald was then present and received him at the Font. By a blessed conjunction taking him for his Son in the second Birth whose Son himself was to be by the marriage of his Daughter Both the Kings thereupon gave to the same Bishop the City of Dorchester for an Episcopal Seat where having built up and dedicated Churches and by labouring converted many people He departed this life and was buried in the same City This King dying Cenwalch his Son and Successour refused to receive the Faith and Sacraments of the Heavenly kingdom and not long after lost his Earthly one For putting away his wife the sister of Penda King of Mercia he took another wherefore being invaded by him he was driven out of his Kingdom and forced to flie to Anna King of the East-Angles with whom living in exile three years he acknowledged the Faith and embraced the truth For the King with whom he lived in exile was a good man and happy in a good and holy off-spring When Genwalch was restored to his Kingdom there came into his Province out of Ireland a certain Bishop by name Agilbert by Nation a Gaul but yet who had been in Ireland for the reading of the Scriptures not a little while He joyned himself with the King on his own accord taking upon him the Ministry of preaching whose learning and industry when the King perceived he made motion that he would accept there an Episcopal Seat and remain Bishop of his Nation who at his requests for many years ruled that Province with Sacerdotal Jurisdiction At last the King who understood the Saxon tongue only growing weary of a forraign Dialect underhand brought another Bishop of his own language into the Province by name Wini who
He that shall put out an Oxes eye shall pay five pence a Cows one shilling Of yearly Barley every Season shall be given 6 pound c. Here wanteth something Of a yoke of Oxen borrowed If a Boor shall hire a yoke of Oxen and hath Corn enough he shall pay the whole hire with Corn but if he want sufficient Corn he shall pay half in Corn and half in other goods Of Church Dues Every one shall pay his Church-dues at that place where he resided in the midst of winter Of him of whom Pledg is required If at any time a Pledg is required of a person accused and he hath not to lay down in pledg before his cause is heard and another will lay down pledg for him upon condition that the other may be in his custody till he receiveth his goods laid down for him and the second time the accused be forced to give Pledg and the party that first engaged will not again be security and so his cause fall it shall not be restored to the Surety what he laid down in the first cause Of the departure of a Boor keeper of the Peace A Boor that is keeper of the Peace if he leaves his house and goes to another place to dwell in he shall have power to carry with him his Overseer his Smith and a Nurse Of them who possess Lands He that possesseth 20 hides of land and is going to another place shall leave behind him 12 hides ready sown he that holdeth 10 shall sow six hides he that hath 3 hides and is a departing shall leave half an one sown If any one hath hired Roods of land of the Lord and hath plowed them and the Lord not content with the rent and service requireth more work and duty than was bargained for the Tenant shall not be bound to hold on those conditions unless the Lord give him an House neither shall he be prohibited plowing Of a Boor keeper of the Peace banished If a Boor keeper of the Peace shall be banished for any misdemeanour his house shall not be a refuge for him Of Wool A sheep shall not be sheared until Midsummer or the Fleece shall be redeemed with two pence Of the estimation of Men. Out of the estimation of the head of a Man that whilst he lived is valued at 200 s. there shall be substracted 30 s. to recompence his death to the Lord out of the estimation of the head of a Man valued at 600 s. 80 shall be substracted out of the estimation of the head valued at 1200 shillings an hundred and twenty shillings shall be substracted Of Maintenance to be allowed Out of 10 hides of land for maintenance shall be given 10 fats of Hony 300 loaves 12 gallons of Welch-Ale 30 gallons of small Ale 2 grown Oxen or 10 Weathers 10 Geese 20 Hens 10 Cheeses 1 gallon of Butter 5 Salmons 20 pound of Fodder and an hundred Eeles Of estimation by the head If any one be required to pay to the valuation of his head and being about to swear confesseth what in words before he denied nothing shall be demanded of him for penalty before he pay the whole value of his head Of a Robber that hath been Amerced the price of his head and is taken A Robber having been punished the price of his head and taken if he escape the same day the intire penalty shall not be again required if he was taken about night but if theft was committed before the foregoing night they shall pay who took him before as they can agree with the King or his Justices Of a Welch Servant killing a free English man If a Welch Servant shall kill an English man his Master shall deliver him into the hands of the Lord or the dead man's Relations or redeem him with 60 s. But if he will not part with mony let him free his Servant and let the friends of the slain sue for the value of his life If the freed Servant hath friends that will uphold his cause if not let him look to himself It is not required of a Free-man to pay with Servants unless he will redeem with a price the penalty of Capital enmity nor for a Servant to pay with Free-men Of things stolen and found with another Goods stolen and found with another if if he that vents them being called to an account will not take upon him the goods or the sale of them and yet confesseth that he sold some other goods to the party then it is the part of the Buyer to confirm by oath that he sold those very goods and no other Of the death of a God-father or God-son If any one kill a God-son or his God-father let him pay the same to the Relations as he doth to the Lord to satisfie for his death and his payment for the proportion of the value of the slain is to be more or less according as if payment were to be made to a Lord for his Servant But if the dead party the King received at the Font let satisfaction be made to him as well as to the Relations But if his life was taken away by a Relation substraction must be made of the mony to be paid to the God-father as it useth to be done when mony is paid to the Master for the death of his Servant If a Bishop's Son be killed let the penalty be half BUt this King INA is more especially celebrated by the Monkish Writers of those times for a great favourer of a Monastick life and a supporter of its Interest as well by his own profession of the same as by large Revenues and great Priviledges granted to its maintenance and honour But the chief of all his works was his stately Church at Glastenbury a place so renowned for its ancient Sanctity as being the first Seat of Christianity in this Island that our Ancestors called it The first Land of God The first Land of Saints in Britain The beginning and foundation of all Religion in Britain The Tomb of Saints The Mother of Saints The Church founded and built by the Lord's Disciples In the first planting of Faith in this Island there had been built as hath been shewn in the foregoing History by Joseph of Arimathea Philip or some of their Disciples a little Cell or Chappel for the exercise of Religion by those Primitive Apostles This being by this time decayed was afterwards repaired or rather a new one built in the same ground by Devi Bishop of St. Davids which also exposed to ruine was again kept up at the cost and charges of twelve Men coming from the North. But now NIA having well settled his Kingdom demolished that ruinous building and in the room of it erected a most stately and magnificent Church dedicating it to CHRIST and his two Apostles Peter and Paul guilding it throughout with gold and silver after a most sumptuous manner Upon the highest coping thereof he caused to be written in large Characters