and golden Letters these Verses Syderei montes speciosa cacumina Sion A Libano geminae flore comante Cedri Caelorum portae lati duo lumina mundi Ore tonat Paulus fulgurat arce Petrus Inter Apostolicas radianti luce coronas Doctior hic monitis celstor ille gradu Corda per hunc hominum reserantur aftr a per illum Quos docet iste stylo suscipit ille polo. Pandit iter coeli hic dogmate clavibus alter Est via cui Paulus janua fida Petrus Hic Petra firma manens ille Architectus habetur Surgit in his Templum quo placet ira Deo Anglia plaude lubens mittit tibi Roma salutem Fulgor Apostolicus Glasconiam irradiat A sacie hostili duo propugnacula surgunt Quod fidei turres Vrbs caput orbis habet Haec pius egregio Rex INA refertus amore Dona suo populo non moritura a dedit Totus in affectu divae pietatis inhaerens Ecclesiaeque juges amplificavit opes Melchi-sedech noster meritò Rex atque Sacerdos Complevit verae relligionis opus Publica Jura regens celsa palatia servans Vnica Pontificum gloria norma fuit Hinc abiens illinc meritorum fulget honore Hic quoque gestorum laude perennis erit Sion whose losty Turrets reach the skie Two fair and blooming Cedars bear on high The World 's great Lights Two mighty Thunderers Paul from his mouth and Peter from his Towers Amidst th'Apostle's glorious Circle he Excels in Doctrine This in high Degree The one unlocks the Heart The other Heaven And lets those in who there by Paul are driven Paul is the Way and Peter is the Dore Who ope's what t'other's Doctrine did before This is the Rock but he the Builder is To both of these Temples and Altars rise England rejoyce Thee mighty Rome doth greet Th'Apostles Light in Glascon now does meet The same two Towers are rais'd against thy soes To whose Protection Rome her safety owes These Blessings here for ever to endure INA did by his proper means procure INA whose God-like Vertue constant is Whose daily bounty does the Church increase 'T is He this work did to perfection bring Our true Melchisedec both Priest and King A righteous Prince who Publick works redeems Of Priests th' Example and the Glory seems Departing hence his worth in Heaven doth shine His Name on Earth this Temple shall enshrine He gave moreover to it a stately Altar Chalice Censer Candlesticks Bason Bucket Images and Plate for the Altar The Gold belonging to it amounted to three hundred thirty three pounds weight and the silver to two thousand eight hundred thirty five pounds weight besides precious Jewels set upon the celebrating Vestures Besides this he granted large immunities and priviledges to it and exemption from Episcopal Jurisdiction as may be seen in his Charter of Donation yet extant He founded also a School at Rome for the breeding up of English Youth for the maintenance whereof as likewise for other Charitable uses he laid an Imposition throughout his whole Realm which was at first called the King's Alms afterwards claimed by the name of Peter-Pence After which resigning his Crown he went to Rome and took upon him the habit of a Monk in which not long after he ended his daies after he had reigned thirty seven years Ethelburga his Queen who by a stratagem not worth relating had brought her husband to give-up his Crown took upon her a Nuns Veil and was afterwards Abbess of Barking near London wherein she died ETHELARD ETHELARD to whom Ina at his departure to Rome bequeathed the Kingdom was lineally descended in the fourth degree from Kenbald elder Son of Cuthwin Son and Heir of Ceaulin third King of the West-Saxons though then in his minority put by the Crown In the beginning of his Reign he had a Contest with one Oswald his kinsman who pretended to the Right of succession but the controversie was soon decided by the interest and power of Ethelard and Oswald forced to quit his pretentions and Country to boot leaving Ethelard in the quiet possession of his Kingdom which he governed peaceably without any remarkable Action the space of fourteen years CUTHRED CUTHRED a Prince of the same Lineage succeeded His first beginnings were troublesom having to deal with Edtlbald King of Mercia a subtle and powerful Enemy who not only with open war invaded him but secretly encouraged Rebellion among his Subjects But in the fourth year of this King's Reign they came both to a conclusion of peace and with joynt forces set upon the Welch and overthrew them with great slaughter Seven years after he was engaged in Civil wars with one of his Nobles Adelm or Ethelhun a good Souldier but upon what occasion seditious is not mentioned With him encountring in a set battel he was almost overpower'd though far exceeding in numbers until Adelm receiving a wound minded therewith of his disloyalty slacked fight and was at the same time vanquisht and pardoned and in token of trust two years after in the wars with Edilbald the Mercian he received Commission from the King who reposed much confidence in his Valour which he so well executed that at Beorford now Eurford in Shropshire Edilbald was put to flight with the discomfiture of his whole Army Not long after he fought a battel with the Welch of whom he obtained an easie Victory and the year following died after he had Reigned fourteen years His only Son Kinric a youth of a violent spirit had been slain five years before his Father's death in a Mutiny of the Army as is said for his too rigorous discipline SIGIBERT SIGIBERT no Issue being left of the former Prince stept into the Throne having neither Title nor desert an insolent Tyrant at home bold and daring in wickedness but in the field soft and cowardly Advised of his miscarriages by Cumbrae one of his chief Captains and best Counsellers in recompence for his good will he barbarously flew him But not long after driven out of his Kingdom by consent of People and Nobility and flying into the wood Andredswald to hide himself in obscurity he was discovered at a place called Privetsfloud by a Swineherd of Cumbrae and known to be the King was there slain by him in revenge of his Master's death after he had reigned scarce two years KINWULF KINWULF after the death of Sigibert was with universal joy saluted King being of the Blood-Royal of the West-Saxons and his Right unquestioned The first experiments of his Reign he made against the Welch whom in several fights he often discomfited but in his twenty fourth year in a battel fought with Offa King of Mercia at Benfington or Benton he lost the day and the Town also for which they contended Afterwards governing ingloriously by the space of seven years he at last came to an unfortunate end which was thus occasioned In his latter daies growing loose and amorous and conscious of
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
Let therefore the case of Brute remain as it did in Mr. Cambdens daies to be decided by the Senate of Antiquaries and great Clerks to the number of which cited by him namely are Boccace Ludovicus Vives Hadrian Junius Polidore Buchanan Vignier Genebrad Molinaeus Bodine who all reject this story I will now add that famous Antiquary Mr. Selden who askes this Question If the right of Primogeniture invested the eldest Son absolutely in the Kingdom according to the Custome of Troy as it is found in the succession of the Trojan Kings How comes it to pass that this Custome was not brought over into Britain a Question not hitherto fully Answered no not by Mr. Taylour Author of the History of Gavelkind who will have Mr. Selden to be in jest and merriment when he demands upon this account How our Britains claim their descent from the Trojans when as this Question was but sober and rational and hath true reference to the Custome of Troy where the Eldest Son alwaies Inherited the entire Dominion of his Father which by many of the British Kings was not observed Nay this usage of Troy was Religiously observed by the Successors of AEnaeas in the Kingdom of the Latins for when Silvius Posthumus and Iulus contended about the Right of Government Iulus was utterly deposed and invested only with the Priesthood and there was no thoughts of sharing the Kingdom By this it is manifest Mr. Selden had relation to the Custome of Troy and not to any Gavel-kind among the Welch And now I will proceed to the second British King LOCRINE the eldest Son of Brute began his Reign Anno Mundi 2874 over this part of the Island since called England which Portion was allotted to him by the division of his Father as being the fairest parcel of his Empire During his Reign his Brother Albanact was Invaded by Humber King of the Hunns or Scythians and finally by him slain Locrine and Camber raised Forces to revenge the death of their Brother and so marched into the North to seek out Humber and finding him upon the borders of Scotland then called Albania they gave him battle and speedily vanquisht him so as himself and Army after a hot Chase were drowned in a River and from that time the River was named HUMBER In this pursuit he took three fair Ladies the most beautiful of which named Estrild a Scythian Princess he most doted on that notwithstanding a former Contract between him and Guendolaena Corinaeus his Daughter resolved to take this Lady to wife but the power and authority of Corinaeus forced him to lay aside that present Resolution so that marrying Guendolaena nevertheless privately enjoyed his beloved Estrild keeping her in secret during the life of his Father in Law Corinaeus which he performed saith the Count Palatine by the help of a Vault to which under pretence of sacrificing to the Infernal Gods he often resorted No sooner Corinaeus was dead but he owned her for his Queen which so incensed Guendolaena that although Locrine was strengthened by the accession of Cambria upon the death of his Brother yet she goes into Cornwal and by powerful Sollicitations in the behalf of her self and young Son Madan the Cornish are brought to assist her With these Forces she marched again Locrine and in a pitcht Battle nigh the River Stour he is overcome and slain upon this according as she would have it the Kingdom fell to her Son MADAN the Son of Locrine by Guendolaena although a Child yet succeeded his Father Anno Mundi 2894. During his Minority his Mother was made Regent of the Kingdom which she administred with all Justice until the full Age of her Son and after the resignment of her Power she retired into Cornwal This Kings severity in putting the Laws in Execution was esteemed a Tyrant and after he had Reigned forty years he was devoured with Wild Beasts He built Madancaster now Dancaster but Dancaster or Doncaster took its Name as Mr. Cambden supposes from the River Dona upon which it standeth This Madan left two Sons behind him Mempricius and Manlius MEMPRICIUS the eldest Son of Madan began his Reign Anno Mundi 2949 over the whole Island but Manlius his younger Brother rebelled against him To suppress this Rebellion Mempricius signified a desire to Treat with his Brother who consenting to it was treacherously at a meeting Murthered The King having put an end to that trouble wallowed in Ease and Luxury and not content with his Wives and Concubines he falls to horrid Rapes and at last to unnatural Sodomy but in the conclusion of all was slain by wild Beasts after his Government had lasted about twenty years EBRANCKE the Son of Mempricius by his lawful Wife began to Rule Anno Mundi 2969 he had two and twenty Wives of whom he had Issue twenty Sons and thirty Daughters the Eldest of which was named Guales or Gualea These Daughters under the Conduct of their Brothers he sent to Silvius Alba the Eleventh King of Italy and the sixth King of the Latins and this he did because he heard the Sabines would not give their Daughters in Marriage to the Latins What a ridiculous Prolepsis is this of an Action that happened many years after in the daies of Romulus and how without any sense or reason is it ascribed to these Times The Sabines denied their Daughters to that scum of People Romulus by his Asylum had pickt up but why should they do it while the Kingdom of the Latins was in splendour under the Kings of Alba. In making of Silvius Alba the sixth King of the Latins Jeoffery of Monmouth is in the right and now we have a Clue to lead us in to the understanding of this Genealogy of AEnaeas namely he makes the Kings of Alba to succeed lineally from Father to Son and therefore because Silvius Posthumus followed Ascanius in the Kingdom he is ignorantly supposed his Son whereas Iulus was the Son of Ascanius who being deposed by the People Silvius the Son of AEnaeas by Lavinia was advanced to the Crown succeeding Ascanius his half Brother not his Father in the Kingdom By the same Mistake we find in the British History One and twenty Kings from Porrex to Minnegen to be made of a Lineal descent and yet but Ninety two years allowed for all their Reigns so that they begat one another at four or five years old whereas if there be any truth in the Lives of those Kings they ought to have been made Contemporary and to have Ruled different parts of the Island as the Government thereof was found divided in the daies of Julius Caesar when Kent alone had four Princes a little before whose time these KINGS are supposed But to return to Ebrancke After that his Sons had conducted their Sisters under the Conduct of their Brother Assaracus to Silvius Alba being provoked by the Germans they entred that Nation and by the assistance of Silvius Conquered it Some write
reported to have been kill'd by a Captain of his Brother Constans near to the City Aquileia in Italy CONSTANS CONSTANS the second Son of Constantine the Great after the death of his Brother puffed up with the Victory seized Britain and the rest of the Provinces into his own hands and with his younger Brother Constantius came into the Island in the dead of Winter Hereupon Julius Firmicus not that Pagan Astrologer but the Christian speaketh in this wise to them Ye have in the Winter time a thing that never was done before nor shall be again subdued under your Oars the swelling and raging Billows of the British Ocean The Waves now of the Sea unto this time well near unknown to us have trembled and the Britains were sore afraid to see the unexpected face of the Emperour What would ye more The very Elements as vanquisht have given place to your Vertues This Constans was he who called a Counsel to Sardica against the Arrians at which were assembled three hundred Bishops and among them the Bishops of Britain who having condemned the Hereticks and establisht the Nicene Creed by their Voices and Judgment approved the Innocency of Athanasius But this Prince being youthful and casting away all care of the Empire and drowned in Pleasures became grievous to the Provincials and nothing acceptable to his Souldiers insomuch that Maxentius Captain of the Jovi and Herculii beset him in a Town called St. Helens as he was hunting and there slew him whereby the Prophesie was fulfilled That he should end his daies in his Grandmothers lap of whom that Town indeed took its name This Castle of St. Helens saith Mr. Speed was scituated among the Taporis a Spanish People under the Pyrenean Mountains and from this murther of his Soveraign Maxentius was therefore called Taporus as his name is found in an old Antiquity of Stone digged up long since at Rome He had a Britain to his Father although born among the Lati a People in France and after the death of Constans usurped the Kingdom of whose fall we shall read in the following Emperour Basingstoak giveth a particular account of the life and death of Constans after this manner He was at first a good Prince and Ruled well but afterwards either through the weakness of Nature or corruptions of his Flatterers of whom I add that all good and well-meaning Princes ought to take care to beware he gave himself over to all Pleasures and Luxury which drawing the Gout upon him made him uneasie morose and peevish by which means he lost the affections of his Souldiers and the love of his Provincials Maxentius was then in the Army a Count of a City in Germany called Augusta Vindelicorum he by the incitement of one Chrestus and Marcellinus when the day was appointed makes a feast to the Souldiers Marcellinus seigning that his Sons Birth-day was to be solemnized when the Company was warm with Wine Maxentius withdraws and putting on the Purple Robe returned again to the Company They who were not privy to this design were nevertheless by the suddenness of the Stratagem forced to comply insomuch that having a good Party about him as he was Robed he hastned to the Palace The Emperour wearied by Hunting his usual diversion was laid upon the Bed but not asleep as they expected so that hearing them enter he escaped to the Temple but in vain for Gaison one of the chief Conspiratours haling him from the Altar slew him The Ingratitude of this Maxentius to his Master is more remarkable in that he was not only his bountiful Prince but had been once his Deliverer For in a Mutiny in Illyricum wherein the Souldiers would have killed him he fled into Constans his arms for refuge and was protected under his Royal Vesture This Maxentius by the British History is made King of this Island and by Basingstoak the successour of Constans although Constantius the younger Brother of Constans succeeded in the West and out-lived this Maxentius Flav. Val. Constantius CONSTANS thus treacherously made away by Maxentius the Western Empire by Right fell unto CONSTANTIUS his younger Brother but Maxentius had possest himself of France and drawn the Britains to side with him and so for three years bore up stiffly against Constantius The success at first was various on both sides but at last the heat of the Revolt being qualified and the Spirit spent and Constantius still growing faster upon him was no longer able to hold up his head that he slew himself at Lions so that the peacable possession of the Province was left to CONSTANTIUS At this time the General of all the War-Forces throughout Britain was Gratianus Sirnamed FUNARIUS so called either from his Trade formerly exercised being a Rope-seller or as others say from his exceeding strength five Souldiers being not able with all their force to wrench a Rope from him he being out of favour with the Emperour because reported to have given entertainment to Maxentius was not only constrained to return home being cashier'd of his Military employment but was also fined by Constantius in the confiscation and loss of his Goods And now a severe Inquisition fell upon Britain to detect those who had adhered to the Party of Maxentius and the Inquisitor sent by Constantius was Paulus a Spaniard Sirnamed CATENA for his severe inflicting of Chains and Manacles upon the accused or as Basingstoak reporteth for his cunning linking his Plots and Devices together Martinus an Aged and worthy Commander was then Vicar of Britain who was much concerned and grieved at the rigid way of his proceedings but whilest he endeavoured to protect others by the cunning of Paulus was himself taken in the snare For this PAULUS having a crafty and subtle head was sent hither to search out such Persons who had sided in the Conspiracy with Maxentius insomuch for the desire of gain after he had patched and pieced many faults of some together whether the Persons were guilty or not he regarded not he seized all their Estates and Fortunes and so vigorously proceeded to spoil and undoe many imprisoning the Free-born and tormenting them with Chains and Fetters such base and unworthy Acts being committed by him in the daies of Constantius as these branded the whole Emperours Reign with disgrace and scandal Paulus perceiving his trade decayed by means of the Vicar MARTINUS endeavoured to carry him away Prisoner with divers others before the Emperours Counsel for which cause Martinus endeavoured to stab him but missing his pass immediately with the same weapon became his own Executioner which loss by many was much commiserated for as he was a Man honest he deserved great Reputation Paulus after he had sufficiently stained himself with Innocent blood returned to the Princes Court against whose coming with Prisoners Racks Drags Tortures and Executioners were prepared so that many of them were proscribed and outlawed some banished and others died by the Sword Did not
him some publick Attempts When the time drew near these projects should take effect the General being forewarned thereof committed Valentinus with some of his pickt Confederates into the hands of Captain Dulcitius to see them executed but took care withal not to make any farther enquiry after other Conspiratours because he was a Man excelling in Military knowledge all others in that Age and moreover fore-casting the future events might prove noxious in too much disturbing the minds of the factious Provinces whereby it might raise new Commotions Waving that and applying himself to reform many Enormities most necessary as fortune prospered him in his undertakings peace and quiet was restored those Garrison-Forts and ruined Cities he rebuilt Fronteirs with standing-Watches he fortified the Province which had so much subjected themselves to the Enemies he recovered and so strengthned it in its former estate and according to his own will it was Ruled by a lawful Governour and was called VALENTIA from the Princes will and pleasure The Areans a sort of People instituted by those of Ancient times falling by slow degrees into corrupt Vlces were driven from the places where they most resorted as convicted publickly how they received Bribes and promises of large Rewards to discover to the Barbarians whatever we designed to be acted for us It being their charge to hasten sometimes to one place sometimes to another to acquaint our Captains of all disturbances the People near adjoyning being at any time in a readiness to rise Having compleated all these his Noble Acts was ordered to attend at the Princes Court and leaving the Provinces safely rejoycing was had in as great esteem as either Furius Camillus or Papirius Cursor and receiving the honourable and affectionate Complements of all men towards him even as far as the Narrow Seas he safely arrived with a prosperous Wind to the Princes Camp where hew as embraced with all the joy and applaud imaginable Simmachus writes of the Rewards of this Noble General thus The Author of Your stock Captain General in Africk and Britain was amongst other ancient Titles consecrated by the most Honourable Order with Images of Knighthood which Statue resembled a Man on Horse-back in Armour Besides Claudian in his Poetical-fancy streins thus in his Commendations Ille Caledoniis posuit qui Castra pruinis Quimedio Libyae sub oasside pertulit astus Terribilis Mauro debellatorque Britanni Littoris ac pariter Boreae vastator Austri Quid rigor aternus Coeli quid Sydera prosunt Ignotumque fretum maduerunt Saxone fuso Orcades incaluit Pictorum Sanguine Thule Scotorum cumulos flevit glacialis Hiberne In Caledonian Frosts his Tents he pight And Lybia's scorching heat endur'd in field The Cole-black Moors and Britains fair in flight He quell'd and forced both South and North to yield What then avail'd cold Clime strange Seas and Stars When Orkney Isles he dy'd with Saxon gore The branded Picts now suffered mortal scars And Ireland did huge heaps of Scots deplore 〈◊〉 Lybiz 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thule Ille leves Mauros 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pictos 〈◊〉 Scotumque vago 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fregit Hyperboreas remis audacibus undas Etgeminis fulgens utróque sab axe trophais Tethyos alternas refluas calcavit arenas Lybia whose scorching heat secures her shoars And Thale senced in with walls of Ice Both dread his Name the light and nimble Moors And Picts who Painting above Garments prize The wandring Scot through Northern Isles he chas'd And on their gloomy Seas Triumphant rode His Trophies thus under both Poles he plac'd Where e're the Ocean either ebb'd or flow'd These are the Actions happening in Britain in the daies of Valentinian he was an excellent Prince and highly commended for the endowments both of mind and body as being a great Souldier yet Chast and Merciful qualities rarely found in Sword-men Yet among his many Vertues he is taxed by Ammianus for his over severity in punishing the Common Souldiers for small and trivial offences and his strange remisness towards the crimes and oppressions of their Officers which saith he was a main cause of the Troubles ensuing in Britain He Reigned eleven years eight months and two daies and died of an Apoplexy or as others write of the Plague He is not admitted a King of this Island by our Histories as being not allied to Constantine or any of the British Blood But in these daies OCTAVIUS was King if he were still living for the British account is very lame and imperfect in this point or if dead MAXIMIAN whom the Roman Records call Maximus who married the Daughter of Octavius and was himself descended of Constantine the Great of which Maximus we shall have a farther account in the following Emperour in whose daies it appeareth he assumed the Purple Robe although some of the British Writers make him King in the year 348 which is 28 years before the daies of Gratian and I am afraid mistake him for Magnentius Flavius Gratianus EMPEROURS AND Flavius Valentinianus GRATIAN with his half-Brother VALENTINIAN both the Sons of Valentinian the Elder succeeded their Father in the Empire The East vacant by the death of Valens he bestowed on Theodosius the Son of that Theodosius who was so famous for his British Wars and reserved the Government of the Western Provinces to himself Maximus a Spaniard born and one who had equally served in the British Wars with the younger Theodosius for he also either with his Father or not long after him seems to have done something in this Island and now General of the Roman Armies either discontented that Theodosius was preferr'd before him to the Empire or as Orosius reports constrained by the Souldiers who despised Gratian or hated him assumed the Purple Robe a valiant Man vertuous and worthy of the Title of AUGUSTUS had he not against his Allegiance and by way of Tyranny and Usurpation attained it And indeed the first assaies of his Power were well employed to the good and preservation of his Country The Scots and Picts who with their Inroads continually wasted the Province he utterly subdued and drove back when pussed up with his success and not content with his Dominion in Britain with the flower and strength well near of the British Youth he passed the Seas and arriving at the mouth of the Rhine drew to him the whole puissance of the German Army His Royal Seat he made at Triers whence he is called by Gregorius Turonensis Trevericus Imperator and spreading his wings saith Gildas the one as far as to Spain the other into Italy with the terrour only of his Name he brought in Contribution from the most fell and savage Germans Against him Gratianus made his Power but after five daies skirmishing was forsaken by his own Soudiers put to flight and forced to beg his peace St. Ambrose was sent Embassadour who in outward shew obtained it but the event proved that Treachery only and Treason iwere intended For Maximus wholly intent how
him sufficient amends for the unkindness she had shewn him at his death First By fixing the Empire afterwards in his Family Secondly Leaving his Name to his Successours as the greatest title of Honour Majesty it self was capable of Thirdly and lastly By the appearance of a Star after his death which the Common people thought to be his Soul placed there by the especial favour of the Gods to upbraid the Senate of Ingratitude and Inhumane actions After the death of Julius young Octavius whom Caesar made his Heir came to Rome to demand of Antony his Inheritance left him by his Father Julius but finding by Antonies Delaies that there was little good to be done he told the People He intended it not for himself but as a Donative to be distributed amongst Them which procured Him the Love and Antony the Curses and Hatred of the People Antony after the defeat given him by Hirtius and Pausa repaired to Lepidus perswading the good natur'd General to march with his Army into Italy proposing to him the Empire as the ends of his labour but Octavius understanding their intentions thought it his best way to bring himself into the League also meaning under this pretended Friendship only to stay till time should present him with a fitter opportunity of ruining both which very soon happened for Antony after he had overthrown Brutus and Cassius makes over with what haste he could into AEgypt to assure his dearest Cleopatra of the truth and constancy of both his Love and good Fortunes Octavius soon catcht hold of the opportunity this their separation offered him for having lately found by experience what advantages Antony had over him by joyning with Lepidus was resolved for the future to allow them no such odds over him wherefore for some private Reasons best known to himself suddenly seizes Lepidus in his Camp deposes him from a share in the Government and confines him to Rome as a single Person Once again the Empire was laid at stake but Antony proved the unfortunate Gamster for consulting more his Love than his Reason Cleopatra than his old Captains determined to venture All in a Sea-battle wherein he was overthrown by the good Fortune and Conduct of Octavius Thus being acquitted of all Competitors he enters Rome in a Triumphant manner where by his Vigilancy Wisdom and Gentleness he firmly established though against the grain and humour of the Roman People the greatest Empire that ever was Of their Religion some of their GODS and manner of Worship WHAT GODS were worshipped in Rome or what publick forms of Adoration were used there before the death of Romulus few or no Authors have delivered unto us most referring the establishment of Religion and its Ceremonies to Numa Pompilius who is called by Arnobius In Religionibus comminiscendis Artifex ingenious in coyning or devising Religions But suppose we should grant that the Romans as a Savage multitude of Thieves and Out-Laws had but few or no notions of a Deity before the death of Romulus yet that then Religion took root amongst them which was something before NUMA's coming to the Crown may be gathered from the words of Plutarch in Remulo to this purpose When the People began to Mutiny and cry out that the Fathers had murthered Romulus and seemed resolved to take Revenge upon them for so Inhumane an action Julius Proculus a man eminent amongst the Fathers Kinsman and of unsuspected Loyalty to Romulus coming out into the Market-place the Multitude there present swore solemnly That in his Journey he met Romulus whose Countenance seemed more divine and glorious than ever and his Armour more glittering than formerly Whereupon he began thus to Reason the case with him What Injury O King or what was it in your mind that first moved you to expose us to the sury clamour and accusations of our Adversaries and leave your poor Orphans City in a General mourning and confusion To which the King answered O Proculus 'T is the pleasure of the GODS that I am sent from Heaven understanding the prosperous Fate of my City and their will that I return thither again therefore be of good chear and comfort and charge the Romans that they worship Valour and Prudence and by so doing they shall propagate their Dominion and become a potent People and I QUIRINUS will be their Indulgent and propitious God Moved by these words and the Authority of the person the People were suddenly appeased and from that time forward called upon ROMULUS as their God in which words are comprehended the very definition and nature of Religion it self viz. First The Duty of the People Secondly The benefit resulting from it Thirdly The promise of being their God Fourthly The general belief of the People with their Obedience to the Civil Magistrate immediately ensuing the same Thus at first was the foundation of Politick Theolopy laid at Rome on which NUMA who succeeded next in the Government built so large and happy a superstructure For he more out of a deep reflection on the death of Romulus than any inbred or natural inclination to Peace or Religion made it his business to instruct the People rather in Sacred Matters than encourage them to enlarge their Territories by Warring on their Neighbours for having arrived to the same height of Glory was exposed to the like Envy and consequently to the same Fate also unless he could lay greater Ties and Obligations on the Consciences of his boisterous Subjects than his Royal Prerogative For finding by late experience that no Earthly power was so sacred or secure but Ambition when opportunity presented would strike at nor any Government permanent or successful without some establisht Religion which makes deeper impressions in mens minds than the Civil Power can by proposing after death such large Rewards and such severe Punishments he made it his business to alienate their minds from their Wars and accustome them a thing easily done considering it was new and strange unto them to Religious exercise giving out withal to the People understanding the easiness of their Nature by the reception of Proculus his story That the Laws which he delivered them were made by the Nymph AEgeria moreover telling them That all success imaginable should attend them if they religiously observed those Institutions and Losses and strange Calamities ensue upon violation and neglect of the same Plato it seems approves of such pretentions as mighty necessary for all Legislators and therefore laies it down as a Rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That all Laws about Divine Matters must be setcht from the Delphick Oracle which Opinion being throughly confirmed in them by the continual success they had in the Wars under their succeeding Kings they grew at last not only Religious but extreamly Superstitious which may be seen from the tedious Catalogue of the Gods they worshipped exceeding as Varro reporteth in number thirty thousand With what zeal did they Deifie the extravagant Passions and phrenzies of their
believing the report like one lull'd in a deep sleep and Harminius not giving time for a second Alarum the plot took effect Quinctilius is assaulted by a Party just as he ascended the Tribunal whilst others in great numbers set upon the Roman Souldiers in their Camp who not being able to defend their Trenches which were on every side invaded and trusting to the Woods and Marshes are here most miserably cut in pieces and destroyed by their nimbler Enemies Quinctilius seeing all lost slew himself with his own Sword hastning that death which otherwise the insulting Enemy might have made more dishonourable Caesar when he heard of this defeat which was ever after called Variana Clades like a man distracted tore his head and beard often crying out Quinctili Vare redde Legiones he commanded Watches to be kept in the City and the Day continually to be observed with Mourning and Supplications Besides he vowed to Jupiter the Magni Ludi or Great Solemnities which were not usual but in the highest extremity if he would bring the Commonwealth to a better condition And this blow saith an Author of theirs was so considerable that whereas the Roman Empire before was scarce bounded by the Ocean now it was contained within the banks of the River Rhine HARMINIUS being rid of the Romans take it from Tacitus began to affect the Kingdom but the found the liberty of the People to cross his design so that after long contention with them and various fortune on both sides he fell at last by the treachery of his own Relations without doubt the Deliverer of Germany and who engaged with the Romans not in their infancy as other Princes but in their most flourishing condition In Battels he had various success in War unconquerable he is yet celebrated amongst Barbarous Nations These are the very words of Tacitus so that we may reasonably imagine that this Herman Saul was set up to his Honour by the Saxons who as Schedius reporteth used in a kind of Martial dance being compleatly armed and girded with their Enemies Swords in certain turns to surround the Pillar and at every turn falling on their knees kiss and adore it Besides they had three other Idols Rugiivith Porevith and Porenuth Rugiivith was represented with seven Faces upon one head and seven Swords by his side and an eighth in his hand he was made taller and thicker than the proportion of a Man and was worshipped as Mars Porevith had five Heads but had no Armour Porenuth had four Faces and a fifth on his Breast on the forehead of which was his Left hand and his Right on its Chin. I believe they had the same Original as Suantovite another Idol of theirs which was represented with four Heads and four Necks two looking forward the other two backwards In his Right hand he held a Horn set with divers Mettals which the Priest every year fill'd with Wine prognosticating by the greater or lesser decay of the Liquor the plenty of the year succeeding His Left arm was set a kimbo his Tunick reached to his ankles his Feet touched the ground the bottom of them being hid in the earth Not far from him was set his Harness and Charriot and other badges of Divinity Once a year after Fruit-time they sacrificed before the doors of his Temple and kept a solemn Feast of their Nation The Priest all the while he was in the Temple held his wind which when he had occasion to draw he ran to the door for fear the God might be polluted with humane breath He had a Horse maintained for him on which he was thought to ride to Battel for often after fight with the Enemy he was found in the Stable all in a foam and dirty It was lawful only for the Priest to feed and keep him To this Horse they sought for presages in War and inquired Events in battel and this Custome of consulting with Horses was generally used through all Germany and perhaps was the occasion of the Arms of Saxony and the Names of Hengist and Horsa and others who were so called from this particular Beast This Idol was destroyed by WALDEMAR King of Denmark but the memory of it continued for a long time among the Boemians nay at this day they have no greater salutation when they entertaina Stranger or a Friend than to say Wité Wité Thus far Schedius which if true that the manner of saluting comes from Suantovith then Wité is the name of the Idol and Suanto an addition only and hence we may derive Porenuth and Porevith as much to say as Poorvith and Rugiviith as much as Rugar with or With the Helper and it is to be observed that the make of all of them agree in the manner of multiplying their Heads and Faces Rugyvith Porevith Porenuth 〈◊〉 Geduet another Idol representing an Armed man holding in his Right hand a Club set together with sharp spikes and in his Left a Shield with the Arms of Saxony a white Horse in a red Field This Statue was set up by Lotharius Duke of Saxony and called Adjutorium in memory of his victory against the Emperour Henry the fifth the Country people taking it afterwards for a God miscalled it Jedut instead of Adjutorium saies Schedius Flints so called by the Saxons because he was placed on a Flint-stone He was represented just as we paint Death but with a long Vesture cast over him in his hand he carried a Staff with the swelling Bladder of a Sow On his left shoulder sate a Lion by him the Saxons expected to be raised from the dead Verstegan thus describeth him This Idol was made like the Image of Death and naked save only a Sheet about him In his Right hand he held a Torch or as they termed it a Fire-blaze on his head a Lion rested his two fore-feet standing with one of his binder feet upon his Left shoulder and with the other in his hand which to support he lifted up as high as his shoulder Of Basanwow Such whom Verstegan calls Siwe and Rhadagaws we have only the names saving that to the two last the Heathen Priests sacrificed Christians Soltwedel the sorm of this Idol was a man holding with both hands a flaming Wheel before his Breast This by some is made the Sun whom Verstegan followeth hence Soltwell received its name Criglas the Moon her Head had three faces and she carried the new Moon in her hands sometimes she was represented with long Ears instead of Horns Form this Criglas Verstegan taketh his description of the Moon but never mentioneth this Idol Prono this Idol held in its Right hand a Plow-share in its Left a Spear with an Ensign about its Temples Coronets his Feet decked up upon one of them hung a little Bell his Priest was called Mich he is taken for Brennus not the Gaul but an Angle Crodo was another God of the Saxous he was represented an Old man standing upon a
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
seen an Eclipse of the Sun on the third of May which was followed by a grievous Dearth and Pestilence beginning in the south parts but spreading to the north and over all Ireland with great Mortality Sighere and his People unsteady in faith attributed this Plague to the displeasure of their old Gods and returned again to their Superstition building up their Altar and erecting their Images which had been cast down Which when Wulfur the Mercian came to understand he sent Jaruman a godly Bishop who by faithful endeavours in that kind soon recovered them of this second Apostasie But Sebba with those under his command held stedfast in the Faith and after the death of Sighere reigned many years until weary of the troubles of this World he resigned his Crown and took upon him the habit of a Monk in the Monastery of St. Pauls in London which habit he received at the hands of Waldhere or Walthere Bishop of London to whom he brought a great sum of mony to be distributed in Charitable uses reserving nothing for himself that he might faith my Author be as well poor in substance as in mind and all to gain the Treasure of the Kingdom of Heaven where he died and was buried and his Tomb to our daies stood in the North-wall of the Chancel of that Church being thither translated in the year 1148. He had two Sons the eldest of which named Sigherd was a Monk with his Father as Bede saies and of the youngest named Seofrid there is nothing recorded though some make him to reign seven years after his Father Sighere married Oswith the Daughter of Edilfrith King of Northumberland who in the daies of her Husband is said to be the Abbess of Barking and was afterwards reputed a Saint By her he had a Son named Offa who succeeded Sebba in the Kingdom OFFA OFFA the Son of Sighere a comely person in his youth and as much admired for the endowments of mind as of body reigned the space of eight years much desired of the People When out of a Religious fondness he forsakes his Wife Kineswith the Daughter of Penda and with Kendred King of Mercia and Edwin Bishop of Worcester goes to Rome where he is shorn a Monk his Queen after his departure vowed her self a Vailed Nun in the Abby of Kineburg where his Sister was Abbess SELRED SELRED the Son of Sigibert the Good came at length to the Crown which he held thirty eight years and then died a violent death but how or from whom received is not reported leaving no Issue behind him SUTHRED SUTHRED the last King of the East-Saxons was driven out of his Kingdom by Egbert the West-Saxon Monarch at which time this Province with others was annexed to the Crown of all the Principality of the Saxons this had been most unstable in the Faith having twice fallen into open Apostasie And this perhaps might be the true Reason that of all the rest it was the most Inglorious being Tributary throughout to one Prince or other and never able to stand upon its own feet by the just judgment of God who visited their sins upon them that they who could stoop to stocks and stones should also be servants to their Neighbours For if we consider the outward advantages it enjoyed in the beginning of its foundation we should sooner judge it would be able to give Laws to its Neighbours than receive from them It was excellently bounded on the East and South by the Ocean and River Thames which at once enriched and secured it It had under its command the City of London which Bede in these daies writes was a Princely Mart for all Comers both by Sea and Land On the other side it had no bordering settlements of Saxons in its first infancy to share in its Conquests or strengthen its ground an inconvenience which many other Provinces were forced to struggle with The lands were seated very pleasant and fruitful and the Countries adjoyning lay open to their farther progress yet notwithstanding all these admirable advantages it was continually in a pining condition scarce able to bear up the name of a Province much less the dignity of a Kingdom And in its final surrender to Egbert hardly afforded a good morsel to that Conquerour For London obeying the Mercians went not along with it but holding out with the Countries near adjacent it cost some more time in the gaining of it THE KINGDOM OF THE South-SAXONS Contained Counties Surry Sussex KINGS Ella Cissa Edilwalch ELLA THE Kingdom of the South-Saxons was precedent to the former in time and the glory of its Actions but not continuance of its Dominion for as it was begun with the first so it was the soonest of all determined the foundations whereof were laid by ELLA the eleventh from Woden not long after the arrival of Hengist for whether sent for by him or coming on his own accord as a New Adventurer with his three Sons Kymen Pletting and Cissa in three ships he lands at a place since that called Kymenshore now Shoreham a well known Harbour in Sussex At his first landing he set upon the Britains and with great slaughter drove them into the Wood Andreds-league which Mr. Cambden calls Andreds-wald so named from Caer-Andred adjoyning which in the Book Notitia Provinciarum is termed Anderida with a Haven hard by of the same name But the Britains thus driven back suffered not Ella to enjoy his ground in quiet for continually sallying out upon him from the neighbouring Woods and Forrests and their chief Garrison at Caer-Andred called by the Saxons afterwards Andreds-cester now Newenden in Kent they often-times repelled him with great dammage and as is thought with the death of his two eldest Sons Kymen and Pletting Ella to supply these losses sends over to old Saxony at this day Holstein in Denmark for more Recruits which come he gives them battel at Mercredeshowrn or Mercreds-Burnamsted wherein he obtained an absolute Victory but Huntington makes doubtful which side carried the day And it appears that after this engagement new Forces were sent for into Germany but whether a second time or that the last supplies are to be placed after this battel is left uncertain But an Argument of Victory on the Saxons side is that now it is generally reported that Ella took upon him Kingly Dignity namely three years after the death of Hengist in the year of our Lord 492 for the difference of computations herein is not great unless we follow them who confound the time of his Entrance with that wherein he assumed Power ELLA grown great with Conquests and Recruits taking his Son Cissa with him besieges Andredchester the chief Rendezvous of the Enemy who nettled with the thoughts to see their principal Garrison invaded and weighing the fatal consequences if it should fall into his hands there being scarce any other place considerable left them in the South gather from all parts and strive if possible to
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
obtained that the Primacy of England was translated from Canterbury to Litchfield in his own Dominions He obtained of Charles the Great that the English going to Rome should be free from Customes and other duties With Charles the Great during his whole Reign he had great intercourse sometimes enmity otherwhiles friendship as appears by the kind Letters of that Emperour written to him yet extant wherein he stiles him the MOST POTENT KING OF THE WEST CHRISTIANS And now about this time were Images first brought into the English Church to be worshipped for Charles the Great sent the decrees of the Synod of Nice into Britain of which hear what Hoveden writes wherein saith he Alas for pity by the unanimous consent of three hundred Bishops or more met together in that Councel were decreed many things inconvenient may quite contrary to the true Faith as is most especially the worshipping of Images which the Church of God doth absolutely hate Against which Book Albinus wrote an Epistle excellently well strengthned with the Authority of the Holy Scriptures which together with the aforesaid Book himself presented in the name of the Princes and Bishops of this Land unto the aforesaid Charles King of France Which Book is reported to have so worked with that Emperour that in the Synod of Frankford he caused those Constitutions to be repealed This Offa to keep the Britains from making inrode into his Country caused a Ditch or Trench to be made almost an hundred miles in length from Sea to Sea that is from the mouth of the River Wy unto Dee concerning which in after daies John of Salisbury in his Policration writeth thus Herald ordained a Law that what Welch-man soever should be found with a weapon on this side the limit which he had set them that is to say Offa's Dike he should have his Right hand cut off by the King's Officers The Issue of King Offa was Fgfrid his Son and Successour Ethelburga married to Birthric King of the West-Saxons of whose life and death you will read in the next Kingdom Elsled supposed second wife of Ethelred King of Northumberland Elsrid the youngest Daughter promised in marriage to Egilbert King of the East-Angles EGFRID EGFRID the Son of Offa had in his life time been made Partner with his Father in the Kingdom and as if his life had been woven up with his he survived him but four Months having given his Subjects the hopes of a longer Reign he restored to the Church whatever his Father and Predecessours had taken from them He had neither Wife nor Issue and was buried in the Church of St. Albans of his Father's foundation KENWOLF KENWOLF of the Royal blood succeeded Egfrid in the Kingdom he had Wars with Ethelbert sirnamed Pren King of Kent whom taking prisoner he brought into Mercia and soon after at the High Altar dismissed having as Simeon reports put out his eyes and lopt off his hands He Reigned twenty one years and was buried in the Monastery of Winchcomb which himself had founded KENELM KENELM the Son of Kenwolf a Child of seven years was left under the Tuition of his elder Sister Quendrid but she ambitious to Rule her self caused him to be made away by one Askbert who alluring him to the Woods on pretence to hunt there slew him and secretly buried his body the murther is said to be miraculously discovered by a Dove dropping a written Note on the Altar at Rome it was this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mr. Milton thus renders it Low in a Mead of Kine under a Thorn Of head bereast ly'th poor Kenelm King-born Soon after the death of this Prince the Kingdom of Mercia became Tributary to Egbert the West-Saxon Monarch though not without some strugling on both sides but the Actions of suceeding Princes in this Kingdom as they were but few and happened all in the life of that Monarch so I shall reserve them to be told there in their due place for in this Heptarchy I design not to write any further than to his daies who by degrees united the divided States and moulded them into one entire Dominion THE KINGDOM OF THE West-SAXONS Contained Counties Cornwall Devonshire Dorcetshire Somersetshire Wiltshire Hantshire Barkshire KINGS Cerdic Kenric Ceaulin Cearlick Ceowlf Kingils Kenwalch Eskwyn Ketwyn Ceadwalla Ina. Ethelard Cuthred Sigibert Kinwulf Birthric CERDIC CERDIC the Tenth in descent from Woden and the Beginner of the West-Saxon Kingdom with five ships and Kenric his Son setting forth from Germany arrived at Britain in the year 495 and landed at a place afterwards called from his name Cerdic-Shore He was an old experienced Souldier and long exercised in the Wars of Saxony At his first setting foot on land he gave signal proofs of his Valour by often repelling the Britains who endeavoured to hinder this New settlement and for six years together without any fresh supplies maintained his ground with advantage about which time Porta another Saxon with his two Sons Bida and Megla in two ships arrive at Portsmouth thence called and at their first landing slay a British Noble man with many of the Common sort who disorderly gathered against them The Britains to redeem these losses with strong Musters though slowly assemble together under Natanleod or Nazaleod a British King and one of their greatest saith Huntington however he came by so unusual a name but are miserably defeated with the death of their Prince and five thousand of his men In this battel it is said that Cerdic was assisted by Ella the South-Saxon and Oisc King of Kent together with Porta who had now been seven years in the Island From this British King the Saxon Annals write that a small Region adjoyning to Cerdicsford was called Nazaleod Six years after Stuf and Withgar Cerdic's Nephews with three ships land at Cerdics-ford or as others say Certic shore and in a set battel overthrow the Britains and five years following if the former battel be not to be referred to this time Cerdic again with his Son obtained another signal Victory upon the gaining of which and the strength of the new supplies he at last assumed Regal Dignity After he had continued conquering in the Isle twenty four years the Saxon Annals report a third Battel fought at the same place but with doubcful success as if this only had been the field of fortune Mr. Cambden in his Chronographical Description of these two places Cerdic shoar and Cerdics-ford hath much confounded the natural course of this History by placing them at so vast a distance which if true can never be reconciled with the truth of these Relations Cerdic shoar be placeth as far as Yarmouth Cerdic a warlike Saxon saith he landed here i. e. at Yarmouth whereupon the Inhabitants at this day call the place Cerdic-sand and the writers of Histories Cerdic shoar and after he had made sore War upon the Icent took Sea and sayled from hence into the West parts
half of Housekeepers But after the Thief is once in the King's Goal he shall not have the liberty of purging himself Of a Thief-slayer He that shall slay a Thief shall make oath he slew him for his Theft only but nevertheless he shall not be exempted from all payment to his friends Of stolen Flesh. He that shall find stolen Flesh and hide it it shall be lawful for him if he so dare to depose by oath it is his own but the Informer shall have his reward Of a Country Boor detected of Theft A Country Boor often arraigned for Theft if he be afterwards convicted shall have his hand or foot cut off Of a King's Villain A King's Villain 's oath is valued to 60 hides of Land and if he be a Housekeeper the estimation of his head is 1200 shillings Of a Forraigner A Forraigner or Stranger if he wander in the Woods and neither make a noise with his mouth or wind a horn as a Thief he is to be judged to death or ransom And if any one demand of the slayer the estimation of the slain party the slayer may by oath make out that he kill'd him as a Thief and then he shall be free from any payment either to the friends of the party or his Lord But if he hide the thing and the fault be afterwards discovered by that conceslment he hath put it in the power of the slain party's friends by oath to acquit the dead from all guilt Of a Villain that committeth Theft If thy Villain steal admonish thy Sureties if thou hast any to make satisfaction if thou hast none thou must thy self make bare restitution and abate him nothing Of a Stranger slain If any one kill a Stranger the King shall have two parts of the estimation of his life and the third his Children or Relations if he hath no Relations the King shall have half and his Companion half In the same manner an Abbot or Abbess if it be their concerns shall divide with the King A Welch man paying yearly scot shall be valued at 120 shillings his Son at an 100 a Servant sometimes 60 sometimes 50 shillings a Welchman shall buy off a whipping for 12 § a Welchman possessing five hydes of Land is to be valued at 600 shillings Of one that hath lost his Freedom If any English man that hath lost his Freedom afterwards steal he shall be hanged on the Gallows and no recompence made to his Lord if any one kill such a man he shall make no recompence on that account to his friend unless he redeem him within a twelve month Of Buyers in the Land If a Buyer buy any thing among the people he shall have witness of it for if any thing stolen shall be found with him that he bought not with sufficient testimony he shall purge himself by oath according to the value of the thing that he neither stole it or was privy to the stealing of it otherwise he shall pay 36 shillings Of an Infant exposed For the breeding up of an Infant exposed the first year shall be given 6 shillings the second year 12 the third year 30 afterwards according to his worth Of the apprehendidg of Thieves He that apprehends a Thief shall have 10 shillings and the King the Thief and his Relations shall give their Oath not to rescue him But if the Thief shall obstinately resist or flie for it he shall be counted guilty of the fact but if he will free himself he may do it according to the proportion of the value of the thing and the greatness of the penalty Of him that hath Children in private He that hath Children in private and concealeth them if they are killed shall not have the value of their heads but it shall go to his Lord or the King Of him that lendeth Weapons He that lendeth a Sword to another man's Servant and he kill himself he shall pay the third part of the value of him if he lend a Spear he shall pay half but if an Horse he shall pay to a penny what the Servant's head was valued at Of him that shall entertain a Runagate If a Boor shall be accused to have given food to a Runaway he shall purge himself of it according to the value of his own head which if he cannot then he shall pay the value of his own and the Fugitive's head Of him that shall buy a Woman If any one buy a Woman and performeth not the bargain he shall give the mony it self and pay as much more and nevertheless suffer such penalties as if he had violated his security Of a Boor that possesseth Land A Welch man that holdeth a whole hyde of Land shall be valued at 120 shillings his head if he hath but half a hyde at 80 if none at all 60. Of a Welch man the King's Querry If a Welch man the King's Querry is able to carry a Message the value of his head shall be 200 shillings Of Man-slaughter If any one shall be present at Man-slaughter he shall purge himself according to the estimation of his own head or the head of him that is slain and if the valuation of his head be 200 shillings he shall pay 50 shillings the same Law shall be to them of the Nobility Of a Robber slain He that killeth a Robber shall depose by oath that he slew him as a thief flying and shall evidence it to his friends by the oaths of men not housekeepers but if he conceal the fact and it be afterwards found out he shall pay the valuation of the dead party If any one be arraigned for other mens goods and shall deny the possession of them by an oath beforehand taken and shall not fear again to swear to it let him give oath according to the greatness of the penalty and the value of the things But if he refuse such an Oath let him suffer the double penalty of perjury Of him that shall suffer a Thief to escape If any one apprehend a Thief or have him in custody and suffer him to escape or conceal his theft he shall pay the price of his head If it be a Noble man he shall lose his Lieutenantship or Shreivalty unless the King pardon him Of a Boor accused If a Boor often accused of theft shall by selling or any other way be discovered his hand or foot shall be cut off Of Children begot in lawful marriage A husband after he hath begotten Children of his wife dying the mother shall have the Children to breed up and six shillings for their maintenance in the summer a Cow and in the winter an Ox but the next of kin shall keep the Firstlings of the Cattel till the Children come to age Of him that shall depart from his Master without leave He that shall depart from his Master without leave and put himself into another Service shall return from whence he fled and pay his Master 60 shillings Of a Boor's field adjoyning